Appointment

Notice: Not a midwife appointment. She was in a delivery. Quite sad, but at least it just reminds me that when it's my turn, she'll be there for me too!

So I saw a doctor. Stats:
Baby's HB: 148 bpm
Belly: 39 weeks
BP: good
Cervix: 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced
Station: still high
Cankles: OMG, the cankles. The doctor asked me if I was sure I didn't twist it. I think I'd know if I did, thankyouverymuch.

She said it's unlikely Snowflake will be born this weekend. Depressing.

Perhaps I can prove her wrong. There's snow coming tomorrow. Crazier things have happened.

And the difference between a doctor and a midwife regarding being GBS+:
Midwife: "Don't worry about it....It's your right to deny the antibiotic...If you don't have time for it, it will be okay...If your labor is fast again, the chances of baby getting sick are very low..."
Doctor: "Be your own advocate. Tell those nurses you're GBS+ so you can get that antibiotic."

::shakes head:: Oh Doctor, how little you know about me. Give me back my Midwife, please.

39 weeks

39 weeks Snowflake vs. 39 weeks Colin
How far along? 39 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +33 lbs
Size: Mini watermelon, or 20 inches and over 7 lbs.
Baby Development: "Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth...The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath." (From babycenter.com)
Best moments this week: When I left work today, I felt at ease knowing I'd done pretty much everything I wanted to get done before I leave.
Movement: Slower, and more like nudges than jabs and kicks.
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, orange juice, not feeling like I have to pee every time I stand up, sleeping on my back.
Stretch marks?: None that I can see.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good. I got rid of that pesky body pillow and I'm a much happier person :)
Belly button?: Flat, and slightly out
What are you looking forward to this week?: Isn't it obvious? Having a baby!! I'm getting very uncomfortable at the end of the work day. Today I made a stack of copies from a tall stool I parked in front of the copy machine.

Tomorrow afternoon and evening I'm going to recreate then night before Colin was born. I am going to leave school telling myself it was my last day and I'm done. I have a midwife appointment, then I'm going to my co-worker's house (different one than last time). I'm going to eat a brownie, drink an orange pop, and bounce on her exercise ball. Then I'm going to go home and eat some pizza. Then that night I will wake up with contractions. :) Things will be a little different since I'm bringing Colin along to my friend's house and I won't be staying out until 8:30 like I did last time. But it will be close enough!

So with that, wish me luck that it really happens. A 12-3-11 birthday sounds pretty fun.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

I packed tonight. But I don't feel like I have a lot in that suitcase of mine. I'm trying to think of other things I need.

I'm not packing things "to do" because I don't think I'll have much time to watch a movie or play cards while in labor.

I have my grippy slipper socks.
I have my comfortable pants I may not end up wearing at all.
I have my "coming home" outfit.
I have my toiletries (except my brush which hopefully I'll remember when it's time to go!).
I have my nursing pads (I didn't bring them last time and I needed them).
My phone and camera are charging.
The Boppy is sitting on top of the bag.
My pump is accessible to Kevin if he needs to bring it to the hospital.
What else do I need to bring?

The baby's bag is full of clothing options--boy, girl, neutral, sleepers, shirt/pants. I have the fleece snowsuit and the blanket.

My going-to-the-hospital outfit is laid out next to the bed.

Although I'm still holding out hope for one last chiropractor appointment tomorrow, I guess you could say I'm ready.

Handmade with Love

I've been busy the last few weeks learning how to knit hats :) It's super fun and fast!

This one is for Snowflake's first photo shoot:This is a fleece diaper cover. My mom helped me with this one, but it was super easy. At first it was made just for practical purposes, but I may also end up using it for Snowflake's photo shoot since it matches the hat.
A knitted hat for Colin. I made him one that was "toddler sized" that was too small for his head, so I had to make another that was "child sized."
A big brother shirt for Colin. My mom helped with this one too :)
Hmmm...what else can I make in the next few days? I'd love to make a cocoon for pictures too.
Photo Credit: http://kristineldridge.com/blog/?p=3637

But I'm not sure if I will get the itch to actually do it or not.

Midwife appointment

BP: 100/60
Baby's HB: 130s
Belly measurement: 38 cm
Cervix: 1 cm dilated

Midwife asked me when I was having the baby and I said somewhere between next Wednesday and Saturday. Although I would love to fit in my last chiropractor appointment, which is on Thursday.

38 weeks

Happy Thanksgiving!
38 weeks Snowflake vs. 38 weeks Colin
How far along? 38 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Holding steady at +32 lbs
Size: Leek, or over 19.5 inches and 6.8 lbs.
Baby Development: "She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb." (From babycenter.com)
Best moments this week: I signed up a piano student for my January session, and potentially 1-3 more (a set of triplets!). I'd really like to get another group of 5 started. We went out to dinner at Famous Dave's last night, using a gift card. It was our last dinner out as a family of 3. I also really enjoyed that chiropractor appointment.
Movement: All the time. Stretching, yoga, booty shakes, you name it. I feel a little foot or knee or something pushing out all the time. I like to play with the foot/knee and move it around :)
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, orange juice, not feeling like I have to pee every time I stand up.
Stretch marks?: None that I can see.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good as long as I keep my body pillow doubled up between my legs and I don't have to get up to attend to Colin's requests (water, potty) in the middle of the night.
Belly button?: Flat
What are you looking forward to this week?: The long weekend, spending some time getting ready for Snowflake, and my midwife appointment tomorrow. I'm anxious to see if there has been any progress.

Please remember to make a guess in the poll. If I have any say in Snowflake's arrival, you only have about a week left!

I {was} a hurtin' unit

Since about Friday I've had horrible pain in my upper pubic bone. Snowflake must be dropping and putting lots of extra pressure on things down there. It hurt so bad I had a hard time getting up out of bed, out of a chair, and walking. When I slept, I had my body pillow folded in half between my legs just to give the bone some relief. Up until last Friday, I was hop, skipping, and jumping around.

If you've ever broken/bruised your tailbone, it's like that but in the front. Not cool.

Luckily I had a chiropractor appointment this evening. Dr. S. is a miracle worker. He asked me how things were going, and where I was hurting. I told him about my pubic bone, thinking he couldn't actually do anything about it since it's not my spine, but he said he could fix it! So after an awesomely long and thorough adjustment, he used his little tool to loosen up the round ligaments attached to my pubic bone. Apparently they were all twisted up or something. And now? Relief.

I'm just hoping it lasts until either:
a) baby moves and doesn't put pressure in that area anymore or
b) next Thursday, which is our next appointment

I heart my chiropractor.