2 More Weeks

I had my doctor's appointment yesterday and not much has changed. The baby is lower, but that's it. I think just my closed cervix is keeping her there. The doctor suggested that since the nice weather is here maybe I could go for some walks and maybe bring on labour. I just don't think she's ready though and any attempts would be in vain. I'm feeling like she'll be around my due date. I was very excited to be in and out of the doctor's office within a half an hour, though, that never happens. He also told me that he'll be in San Diego for a conference 3 days before my due date so I hope she doesn't decide to make her appearance on those days. I'm quite attached to my ob/gyn.

Today I went out with my friend who's a due next week and she may be induced tomorrow. I'm both excited and scared for her. I don't want an induction. She doesn't seem to be thinking about it much, though. I'd be a nervous wreck. We went to Toys R Us and then had some pitas followed up with some Marble Slab ice cream. I had the Amaretto ice cream with Skor pieces. It was delicious and now I can't wait to go back.

Bread Makers

Scott got me a bread maker for my birthday a few months a go and I just finally started to try using it. I've made white bread twice and raisin bread once. The first time I made white bread I used the wrong setting and the loaf came out dense and heavy. The second time, I followed the recipe to a tee and made sure I used the right setting, but the same thing happened. Then I made raisin bread yesterday and it rose really nicely and wasn't the least bit dense, but it rose so much that it opened the lid to the machine and stuck to the top. Why on earth is this happening, does anyone have any experience?

I've been doing a lot of domestic things since I've been home like cleaning, baking bread and making healthy home-cooked meals. I've really been enjoying having the luxury to do this kind of stuff. Yesterday I made lasagna and with my own sauce. I really think it's one of my best dishes so I enjoy making it. Scott likes it too, so that helps. He's kind of a picky eater sometimes so when he likes something I feel pretty accomplished.

The baby has been really active, which surprises me because most people say they quiet down around now since they don't have as much room. She seems to be quite comfortable to kick me in the ribs and push her fingers or her head up against some nerves in my pelvis. I have a doctor's a appointment tomorrow and I'll see if there are any changes that indicate that maybe I'll have her early. I feel ready, so hopefully she will soon too.

37 Week Update

Yesterday as soon as I arrived at my doctor's appointment I found out that he had to leave for a delivery. I settled down with my book ("Bodily Harm" by Margaret Atwood...the character seems a little too self-loathing like so many of her heroines) and waited for my turn. After about an hour I got called in for my blood pressure and weigh-in. I weigh the same as I did last week (I guess eating Breyer's French Vanilla ice cream everyday is ok) and my blood pressure is fine. I then waited another half an hour and then I got to see the doctor. The baby has dropped quite a bit; she's at -1 , but my cervix hasn't changed at all. My uterus has grown 1 cm since last week and the baby is nicely positioned with her bum towards my ribs. While the doctor was feeling her he said that all he could feel was hard, "lumpy, baby" so he was concerned that there wasn't a lot of amniotic fluid around her. He did a quick ultrasound and discovered that there is plenty, but she is all on the right of me and she's pushed all the fluid over to the left side. So my left is squishy; my right is hard. She still looked adorable on the ultrasound too.

Last night my tail bone was really sore from sitting in the waiting room for so long. I bruised it at the beginning of the pregnancy and it seems to be getting worse as my pregnancy progresses. I have a feeling that it'll be an issue during labour. Sitting on my birth ball helps a lot, though.

Last night my doula, Mitzi, came over and we went over some of the positions and massage techniques for labour. I think it's too bad that I'll be in pain during labour, other wise it would be quite enjoyable. She suggested that I get a birthing ball to sit on as often as possible or at least try to sit in a leaning forward position more often to help encourage the baby to get into my pelvis properly and thus lessing the chance that I'll have back labour. I'm all for it. Every once in a while I get a little nervous about the whole ordeal, but then when I think about what I've learned and how Scott and Mitzi will be there to support me I feel more confident and relaxed. I'm really looking forward to having this baby.

I've decided to stay in today and possibly try and get the spare room organized. It's a little over-whelming though since a lot of the stuff in here is either computer gadgets, important papers, or things that just don't really have a spot. I'd like to get it finished this weekend. We might have to go to Ikea on Saturday to see if we can find a wall shelf to put some of the paper and office supplies on.

weekly check-up

I had my doctor's appointment this afternoon and everything seems well with both me and the baby. She's head-down and a little lower which could explain my more frequent runs to the bathroom. I've been getting a lot of braxton-hicks contractions, but they aren't painful so that's good. I'll go to the doctor again in a week and I'll find out if there's any cervical changes as well as get my results for strep b. The last two appointments have been quick too; no two-hour waits in the waiting room.

35 weeks

Here is my latest picture taken this morning from the baby's room. Today I am 35 weeks and 4 days and still feeling good. I'm getting anxious to get my hospital bag packed and have the baby's clothes washed and put away. I need to feel ready. We have the crib and change table set up and we have a dresser still to put together. When the baby is born we'll move the crib into our room, but we're keeping it in her room for now so the cats can still sleep with us in the mean time. Oh yeah, and the baby is still breech. I'd feel a lot better if she'd turn around!

Moved

I finally have a computer again and it has it's own room! We moved into our new apartment on the weekend and it's good to finally be settled. The move didn't exactly go that smoothly as it involved waiting for 6 hours in our moving truck behind our car with the poor cats in it while we waited for the previous tenants to move out. They told us they'd be out around noon, like we were, but around noon we were told they'd be out by 6 at the latest. The latest came and Scott went to investigate if they were out and it turned out that they weren't finished, but they had some rooms cleared out and we could get our stuff in. We were finally able to get the cats in so they could go to the bathroom and eat and we had all our stuff moved in within an our before they were even back for their next load. I suggested to Scott that we offer our moving truck and muscles to help them move the last of their stuff to their new place. I'd like to say that it was purely because I'm such a nice person, but it was mostly because I wanted them out of our hair. It was a good thing we helped though because they would have been moving until midnight otherwise.

Now that we're in, I'm loving all my extra space. The rooms are uncluttered and spacious and it's great to spread our stuff around. The baby's room consists of boxes and piles of baby "stuff", but hopefully this weekend it'll start to look a little more like a nursery. We have the crib, that we got for a great price at Sears and we'll pick up the change table tonight. The crib will eventually be in our room, but we're keeping it there until closer to my due date (5 weeks from today!).

Friday was my last day of work and my co-workers surprised me with a cake and party with our kids parents there. It was very sweet and thoughtful and I had to choke back a few tears when I had to say good-bye to some of my favourites (we're not really supposed to have "favourites", but it happens)

I'm now playing the waiting game and getting lots of exercise in my new neighbourhood as I explore. I wish the weather was a little more spring-like for my walks, but soon enough, I guess.