Week 31

This is a bit late for week 31 but anyway, on with it. A few things could have happened in the past week and a half,

1. Either the baby grew ALOT

2. This dress makes my stomach look much larger than it is..Or

3. I am in denial about how much my stomach has grown large my belly actually is! 

I have tried not to eat any dessert this week, no cake, ice cream..candy..just grapes. I have been eating little bits for dinner because its tough to breath if I eat too much. I have been tremendously thirsty which makes it even harder to eat much because I fill up on water before I can get to eat. The baby definitely feels heavy, theres still a lot of movement and but they feel like pushing and prodding moreso than a fish in a bowl. I wonder what she's doing in there but I will soon have a inside look because I have another ultrasound in a few days ( maybe even 4D), I have to have a look at what her positioning is, how big she is and if she's getting ready to make a debut because the doc had a few concerns about it but wanted to wait until I was in the single digits of my time left to check. I am looking forward to it. I haven't seen the baby since the 23 week ultra scan so it'll be fun to get another look, maybe the last. 

I have started puting together a list of things we need to get, we are set with all big things, nursery furniture is in, car set is in the basement, monitor, moses basket, bassinet etc but what we don't have is all the little things like diapers, towels, washcloths, bathtub etc..so I guess I'll a t least make a list and have it ready if I find myself in Target in the next few weeks I will pick some stuff up. 

At this point, its really real right, it could happen anytime (in the next 9 weeks) but technically the baby is considered to be full term at 37 weeks so thats in 6 weeks and they way she's been moving around and weighing me down make me really feel like she'll be an early one. I kind of want a really dramatic birth, water breaks on the train or something..I don't know.. and I hope its on a weekend..but preferably before 4th of July so I can really celebrate my independence!

Baby's Nursery-Part I

On Friday, we came home from work to a big box on the doorstep and it was the crib we ordered! Can I just say that Amazon.com is quite a place, they shipped it to us in 3 days and because the dresser was out of stock they went to great lengths to get me one of the two dressers left in stock from Giggle.com, with a tax and shipping discount as well. That hasn't shipped but it says it will arrive this week which is still very quick for an item I was told would not be here until June 4th, so needless to say, I am very pleased.

I had mixed feelings about the crib but my sweet girl was extremely excited to set it up so we did. We cleared out the room (we had a futon in there for guests) and began the set up. Last week, I had already started sorting, washing and folding clothes from the basement so we had purchased a wardrobe to start which was already set up.

The crib was fairly easy to set up, it came in a few pieces with graphically illustrated instructions (ikea style) but the entire hardware package came affixed to one piece and that did scratch the paint off a bit, luckily it was off the piece which hold the mattress so you cant see it..but we know its there.

The details are quite nice, the cross bars have metal trimmings and the ends are almost solid except for one little slit on either side. The design is simple with clean lines; I think I may just hold off on buying the crib sheet set and use a minimal fitted sheet and neutral blanket without a bumper of course.
My father in law bought us the necessary items for the nursery as well and they arrived last week. So the crib mounted changing table by Ouef is set up as well, we also received the baby monitor, organic mattress and car seat (unopened in garage). All of a sudden I feel completely relaxed about the baby coming and I still have 9.5 weeks to go. This is not to say I am not anxious about the actual delivery part but at least she has a place to sleep (a pretty nice one!)

Week 30

B. The bump

A. Trying to look normal
(even though I feel like 'large Marge')

With 10 weeks to go before I experience the most nerve racking and POTENTIALLY painful yet amazing experience a woman could go through in life, I feel calm but a bit emotional. The books say the hormonal effects from the first trimester return making you feel strange shifts in mood very quickly, I feel sensitive and scared, yet confident and excited to meet a baby girl who I've fallen in love with over the last 30 weeks. I have hopes for her, I hope she comes out to be as beautiful inside as my sweet girl, I hope I am able to love her and that her sister loves her even more. I hope Arielle is able to understand that the baby isn't taking her place in my heart or more important than her but that she will require more attention initially. I hope I do not become overwhelmed by the experience and I am able to sit back and experience my new baby with as much appreciation as I have tried to have through these weeks of pregnancy. I am so looking forward to the sound of that first cry, the feeling of a small warm body new to the world with no other intuition but to find comfort in the most recognizable scent, mine..voice, mine, heartbeat, mine.

I've heard that the arrival of a second baby isn't as full on as the first because you have some idea of what to expect but I am not sure I totally agree, there are so many unknowns before I will actually meet her and take her home. Will she come early, on time or late like her sister? (and her mommy always is..I'm working on that!). Will she be a bigger baby, as they say second babies are always bigger? Will I be in labor for 24 hours and be able to bare the pain as she makes her way out? Will she be a good sleeper? Colicky?  I keep having this vision of dropping her..I know its just a manifestation of my fear for handling such delicate little things especially since Arielle's been out of that stage for a while..now when she falls we still ask if she ok but its not as dramatic as it used to be..she a rough and tumble kind of girl.

I finally ordered a crib and dresser for her room, I have a 'take home outfit' and bunting suit just incase its cold or whatever..I know its going to be July but its cute anyway. So for now, I continue to expand hopefully at a normal, slow pace..and savor silence while (when) I have it.

Baby Showers for NO.2

A. Gifts from a friend 

Is it okay to have a party for the second baby? (Start rant) YES..it is people! Its a NEW human being, DIFFERENT from the first, took just as long to prepare (with all the pains and pricks) and will take just as long to nurture through life so whats the deal with people either thinking its inappropriate to have one or treating it like its not important? The same things happens with birthday parties beyond the first birthday party right..at least for me its seems so!  I hate parties..you put all this time and effort into planning and invite people over to have a great time (hopefully) and celebrate something with you and they decide they're washing their hair that day and can't come! ...I'm not saying things don't come up and people don't get busy but being the procrastinator that I am, I know one when I see one and I can call it from a hundred yards away! If I want to attend something I'm invited to and think its important, I make the effort, I find the time and it doesn't  matter how long the drive is..even if I only can stay for a few hours and I know it means something to the celebrant, I will be there..why is this no longer the case in society..or is it and I'm just not that important? (end rant).

Anyway, here in pregnant world, its becoming harder to digest anything..food?..Yes, but thats not what I'm referring to..everything makes me upset now..I feel like the woman who plays the understudy for Bette Middler from the Seinfeld episode who cried when her hotdog fell in the sand but was completely unfazed when she receives a telegram letting her know her grandmother had died (you had to be there!). So, I found out I am having a shower being hosted by my sister in a few weeks from my Father-in law of course..and then asked my husband about it and sure enough he's knee deep in the planning, even sent out the E-vite so now I'm getting constant updates of people who aren't coming daily and its driving me crazy! I love the fact that he wants me to be happy so he is trying to wrap it all into this great party but unfortunately the guests aren't cooperating and it just makes a gal feel less than important.

Anyway, so I guess the baby shower party is my "hotdog in the sand" and the fact that I have to move an 8lb human being from the inside to the outside in 10 weeks is feeling like "my telegram" right about now.

Blame it on the goose

Got you feeling loose
Blame it on Patron
Got you in the zone
Blame it on the ho ho ho ho hormones..

Blame it on the ho ho ho ho hormones..