Taking Stock at Week 36. 12-26-11

Here’s what’s happening at Week 36:

• I can’t believe I’ve made it to 9 months. One more week and Boop will be ‘full-term’. Mom and I joke that if born this week, Boop would be a 7 or 8lb premie. Of course, we don’t know for sure, but she sure feels big to me!
• Folks are waiting to hear that I’ve gone into labor any minute. Mom headed back home. She had hoped that the baby would arrive while she was here. It wasn’t as if I didn’t stay busy; I walked a lot, which can bring labor on a bit faster. It’s better that Boop wait a bit to make her arrival. Just as long as she isn’t late!
• I’m getting more and more things marked off my list. I got rid of most of my old kitchen cabinets today. So, my other shed is starting to get cleared out. My kitchen and downstairs bath are clean. The students took my crib upstairs; so it’s ready for me to put together. My mom took the diaper changing table upstairs; so I can work on it next. And more importantly, I found some Minnies during the day after Christmas clearance this morning ;)

A bit better lighting...

Exam, Take 3. 12-28-11

Is there a prize for having the most pelvic exams in 1 week? If so, I think I would be a top contender for that awful prize. Hearing my concerns, B at work had suggested that I see a physician in the practice; so I called in to the office to see if the receptionist could get me in. As it turns out, the midwife was there when she asked the physician; so the midwife said she would see me. No new information.

So, there’s not much to do at this point. I’m dilated to 4cm. The midwife said that biologically, I’m one of the most favorable she’s seen to go into labor, and she can’t figure out why I haven’t progressed. I can think of a few reasons (e.g., Winnie, that long waitlist for daycare). I also believe it is better for Boop to hang around as long as possible. It sure is pretty miserable, though. And it’s certainly not intentional that I’m trying to stop labor. In fact, it would have been great if I could go into labor during the morning. Mom would have time to get here, and we wouldn’t have to worry about Winnie.

Minnies for my mini-me

In the meantime, I stopped at Walgreen’s to pick up a few things, and they had their Christmas stuff marked down. And what did I see? Another Minnie Mouse. That makes 3 Minnie Mouses? Minnie Mice? that I’ve found in 3 days. Mom and I each found a Minnie Mouse for Boop the day after Christmas in the after Christmas sales, and then I found  this one. I need to figure what I’m going to do with all of the Minnies. I got a few little ones at my 2^nd shower. And I got a Minnie Mouse pillow from one of the people that my mom works with. So, it’s full-tilt Minnie Mouse. I can’t wait to get the crib and changing table put together; so I can finish decorating!

Telephone Line. 12-27-11

The decision to seek care is a tough one.  I’m here on my couch with my dog, debating. Yesterday, I called about the swelling in my foot. Then, I went to Labor and Delivery for contractions. I bled from the exam. They told me to expect some residual bleeding this morning. They told me to call if I had new bleeding. So, here I am. It’s past noon, and I’m still seeing blood, still in pain, still having contractions. What do they mean by new bleeding? It’s past noon; they said to expect some blood in the morning. Do I call? Folks typically have these exams once a week at this point in their pregnancy. I can’t imagine that they would respond like this. However, and more importantly, I don’t want to abuse the system and be a pest, taking time away from someone with more important problems.

The consequences of not calling are variable. There’s the possibility of infection setting in, which could harm my little Boop. I could become even more anemic. And other problems, I don’t know. I’m just trying to keep matters from getting worse. It could be nothing. I took a shower, and that helped a bit. But then, after I went to the bathroom, it started to get worse. By that time, it was about 4pm. So, I called the office to speak to the nurse, and she called the midwife on call at the hospital in Labor and Delivery. Of course, then, I started to do better and talked myself out of going in. A little later, I got a call from the midwife in the hospital, and she thought I should come on in for a check.

Another evening in L&D. Boop started moving right on when we arrived. They put the monitors on us, and another exam—grrrr… I was between 3-4 cm dilated this time. And Boop’s head was stage 0. Actually, Boop’s head was in the way of getting a good estimate of my dilation. Come to find out, the midwife explained that she noticed that I was having a contraction as she did the exam, which made it even more painful. After monitoring me for a while, she said I was having contractions every few minutes. However, she said the key for me would be that the contractions would last longer and be more intense. I double checked on my goal dilation; I had heard 10cm. She said that was true, but that I should probably be back in L&D at 5-6cm. She told me if that if I continued to have bleeding to come on into the office tomorrow.

This Is a Test. 12-26-11

“This is only a test. If this had been an actual emergency, the Attention Signal you just heard would have been followed by official information, news or instructions.” I felt like I was having contractions. Then, I remembered what the midwife said to me last time: if I had 5-6 in an hour, then I needed to come in. She also said that I should drink plenty of water and that if the contractions let up in the bath, that they weren’t true labor. They started about 4:30pm, and they were happening every 10-15 min. So, I drank a glass of water. Nothing changed. Then, I drew a bath. It didn’t phase me. My back was still hurting. With that, I wasn’t going to wait for them to get worse. I figured that I was still in good enough condition to drive myself. If I waited much longer and they got much worse, I would have to figure out who I would get to help me.

I remember that the midwife had told me about the hospital and the location of Labor and Delivery. So, I made a bag for Winnie in case the dog sitter needed to come, grabbed my bags, drove myself to the hospital and headed to L&D. The facilities were nice, the nurses actually seemed ready for me—although I didn’t call ahead and didn’t have any prior contact with the hospital. I was surprised to have a private room. The nurse gave me a very painful exam. My cervix was thinned, and I was 3 cm dilated. She could feel Boop’s little head, which turned at her touch. She said I was ready to deliver, but as a first timer, it could be today; it could be 3 weeks. I tried to figure out my next move. Do I call Mom to head back to Morgantown? Do I call the dog sitter—who I had never met and was only for emergencies? I waited. I tried to figure out if my water broke. I called the nurse. She did a test. The test was positive, indicating that my water broke; however, it could easily be a false positive.

The Toco Meter (non-stress test) was not picking up my contractions. Part of it was location, part of it was little Boop moving around, and part of it was the strength of the contractions that weren’t quite to the level of birthing contractions. The floor nurse said she thought my uterus was irritable. The rest of me is irritable; it makes perfect sense that my uterus would be too. The midwife came to the floor, and she told me to get cleaned up and walk around to prepare for another test to see if my water broke. Meanwhile, I was ready to go back home. I was worried about Winnie and wanted to just chill at home. And so, the midwife was on that page. She did say, to my relief, “I don’t think you’ll make it the full 3 weeks.” And she also advised me not to come back until my contractions are 5 min. apart and last for 1 min. and are so strong I can’t stand up. It should be interesting getting to the hospital in that condition!

Swollen Stollen. 12-26-11

It’s nearly 1am, and I should be sleeping. I managed to get a few hours though. It was a hectic Christmas. Mom and I hosted some international students, and Mom made a ton of food. I was running the whole time, and we were thoroughly exhausted. Besides Mom’s bad back, I’m hobbling around. Not so easy with a baby head in your pelvis, and I wonder what gives babies that lovely conehead appearance—is it mainly the time in the pelvis or the time in the birth canal? If it’s the pelvis, Boop will rival Jane Curtin on her most pointy day. Thank heavens those bones can move back into their proper round position. I just hope little Boop doesn’t have to wear one of those awful helmets!

Meanwhile, I’m debating about whether or not it’s worth buying a pair of support hose. One of the students was telling me about a less expensive place to order them online. However, I’m wondering how long it will be until the baby arrives. After running around for our visitors, my swelling has gotten significantly worse. And I’m not sure why, but my right hand and foot definitely are more swollen. I’ve been trying to drink lots of fluids, but I have a little bit of work to do to get the salt from the country ham out of my system. Santa brought me a lovely country ham for Christmas, and it smells so yummy. But I think it will need to wait until after the baby arrives to have very much of it.

I also got some other nice gifts. Power tools! Those will need to wait until after the baby, too. I also got a book of illustrations from Donald Jackson of the Pentateuch; only I haven’t opened it, yet… And then of course, folks sent along some things for me and little Boop. My aunt D sent me a really nice Oxo Goodgrips paper towel holder and bottoms for the baby and a really sweet card—telling me that she was only 5 hours away and would be happy to come when we needed her J I also got the adorable hat for Boop  from cousin KB, which I included in my blog a few days ago. And then my cousin R sent a huge box of stuff for little Boop, another sleeping bag that I needed so Boop won’t need a blanket in her crib. My cousin B sent some rattles. Santa also managed to get Boop an adorable crib set. I can’t wait to get Boop’s crib all put together!

You Again? 12-22-11

For the past week, every time I walk through the door at work, I am greeted by, “You’re here?!?! How are you feeling?” They are surprised to see me. Most folks expect me to go into labor at any moment. I feel a bit like the hot potato. Most folks seem a bit panicked by the prospect of being the one here when my water breaks. There are a disproportionate number of single women where I work, and they seem as baffled as I do at the prospect of giving birth. Of course, there are also a crop of recent moms, too, and they are trying to give me encouragement, telling me things I need to hear like, ‘You’ll be a great mom!’ and ‘You look great!’ Maybe they are trying to make me feel better by saying, ‘You won’t make it until January!’ before delivering, but I kind of believe them. It’s hard to replicate that look of surprise that greets me these days as I walk through the doors, again with the eyebrows raised.

Shower at Work

And so I had a nice shower at work, and before the event, they kept saying, ‘Do you think you’ll make it until Tuesday <the day of my shower>?’ I could only say that I hoped so—because who really knows? At the start of the shower, my friend, G, announced, “We appreciate you all coming on such short notice. We had thought about having the shower when we returned in January, but we don’t think they baby is going to wait that long!” They did such a nice job on decorating and pulling things together so quickly. Many of the students got presents for baby. One of them found little frames for the hand and footprint of little Boop that I can put on the wall. And I got some bottles, binkies, and things for safety. I need to sit down and write my thank you notes. Everyone was so generous and in good spirits, making it a very special day J They played the clothes pin game, where folks would get your clothes pin(s) if you said the word ‘baby.’ To be a group of mostly women, folks got pretty aggressive over those clothes pins! It’s good to see folks having fun and enjoying the prospect of Boop’s arrival.

Christmas Day. 12-25-11

I hope you are having yourself a merry little Christmas...
A few, sporadic contractions, but Boop is hanging in there. Tomorrow is Week 36! 

Taking Stock at Week 35. 12-19-11

Here’s what’s happening at Week 35:

• I’m one month before my official due date, as estimated by ultrasound. I checked the websites for Week 35. It sounds like if I were to deliver today, the complication rate would be nearly as low as full term. At this point, the liver is the main thing left to mature, but even full term babies may be jaundiced. The average baby is getting close to 6 lbs. Wonder what this means for Boop?
• This morning, a little after 5am, I had a moderate contraction, and I had a mild one in the shower about 8:30am. So, maybe just Braxton Hicks, I guess. Tomorrow is my work shower; so it would be better if I weren’t in the hospital in labor. Two more weeks, if I can just make it 2 more weeks, that will be about right. Some folks at work were telling me to just hold on until the shower but were wondering if I would even make it that long!
• I still don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing at the hospital. Hopefully, during my midwife visit on Friday, we can get some details sorted out. Mom will be able to go this time. I’m sure she’ll have some questions for the midwife, too. It would be nice to make a trial run and to see where I’ll be going and what I’ll be doing.
• My GI issues are really kicking in. Not sure if I picked up a little GI bug or if it is just part of the pregnancy. The reflux is pretty rough, and I was having a bit of trouble sleeping because of it. Fortunately, if I’ve had any headaches, they’ve been relatively mild.

The Home Stretch. 12-18-11

I’m still working on crossing things off my list. I ran some errands this morning. I picked up a few things for the hospital, took Winnie to the groomer, and took the car seat to the firehouse for installation. Unfortunately, the fireman couldn’t get the seatbelt secure. So, that’s going to turn into a bigger project than I expected. Meanwhile, I’ve been having some serious GI issues. I feel like I could breathe fire! Although I can’t lay down now, I was able to get a nap in earlier.

Mom’s been calling me to give me periodic updates, as I wasn’t able to go home for the holiday. She took the presents to my aunts yesterday, and folks seemed to be pretty happy with the things I picked. Unfortunately, she forgot a few of the things, but she’ll go be able to get the other things to them before Christmas. Today was more eventful. Visitation at the funeral home for my great aunt A was today, and the funeral is tomorrow. I won’t be able to travel for either. It’s sad to think that little Boop won’t get a chance to meet her great aunt A. I had just assumed she would get better and be able to come up and visit with us, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. I’m glad we went to see her after the baby shower a few weeks ago; I had no idea it would be the last time I would see her.

Boop's hat from her cousin KB :)

After stopping by the funeral home, Mom went to Christmas on my dad’s side with great aunt D. My great uncle J came in for the funeral and went to the Christmas party for a little while before he had to head back north. Mom said folks asked about me and were concerned about Boop and me being so far from home without family. The little ones (30+ of them) got good play out of the presents we got. A few folks sent some things along to little Boop for Christmas, which I’ll get the end of the week. Mom said that great aunt A had gotten Christmas presents for us before she passed, and she would bring mine to me. I asked Mom about the gift I had for great aunt A, and she said that she saw it as she was packing for the party… very upsetting.

In spite of being a little sad to be stuck here and out of the loop, I keep reminding myself that I need to chill, and by next year, if all goes well, Boop will be toddling around and be in the thick of things: overeating and getting car sick, crying because she’s scared of Santa Claus, getting hopped up on sugar and being cranky because she can’t manage a nap, breaking ornaments and other Christmas décor, refusing to give kisses and hugs to the family, and just generally being over-stimulated. At 35 weeks, I’m in the homestretch.    

Waiting for Boop. 12-17-11

In response to my improvised version of Jeopardy for Christmas last year, Mom asked, “How are you going to beat this next year?” I simply said, “I won’t.” That took some pressure off. It’s never any fun to give if you always feel like you have to top yourself each year, with so much pressure on yourself. You wind up spending more and more money for less return. By the same token, I don’t want Boop’s expectations to be too high. Ah, to have the rare child who is happy with clothes from Santa from a young age!

Speaking of clothes, I'm excited about Boop socks--Look how tiny, even when put next to her little sweater!

But that said, I think my pregnancy easily tops the Jeopardy game. Hopefully, my Boop will wait a bit longer and won’t make her appearance until after Christmas. 37 weeks sounds about right. Oh, but I hope she doesn’t get too comfortable and set up camp there for too long. The thought of being over 40 weeks pregnant makes me cringe. Every week, she just keeps getting bigger, and the prospect seems more and more painful. I try not to think too much about it, or to think about the general risks involved in giving birth. Yet, I can’t help but think that she will be a big girl!

Every few days, there’s a new sign that delivery is not far away. I lost a bit of weight at my midwife visit on Friday. My massage therapist was telling me that she had a drop in weight right before her delivery; her doctor told her that a slight drop in weight can be a sign of impending delivery. Well, I know I’m in the final stages of the pregnancy but how soon?

Aches and Pains. 12-16-11

I just talked to my mom and found out that my great Aunt A passed away, and my great Aunt M just checked into the hospital. Sad on the first part, relieved on the 2^nd part. I just wish that my great Aunt A hadn’t waited so long to get sorted out. Me, if I’m not well, I want to nip it in the bud, “Nip it in the Bud!” I used to not be able to understand why folks went to the doctor so much and thought that it was about getting attention, but then I had a few problems that weren’t easy to resolve. I remember doing an interview with someone once who said, “Allergies are non-thing.” Of course, he’s never woken up with his eyes swollen shut with labored breathing, as I personally have. Allergies can be serious.

I have a neighbor who is older than me but very healthy, and her illnesses can be remedied by drinking more water. She’s a very lucky person. As for me, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found the remedies aren’t so simple. At least there are preventive measures to keep matters from getting worse. Boop and I have had our flu shot. I had my pneumonia shot a couple of years ago after having a mild bout.

When I heard about my aunts, I was calling my mom to tell her that I made an extra visit to the midwife this morning. I was having some pretty constant pain, and I couldn’t figure it out. The midwife worked me in before they closed at noon. On exam, the midwife said that she could feel Boop’s head (meaning that Boop had really dropped and was in good position if she doesn’t move), and we thought it might be a UTI <antibiotics again… ugh!>. To be on the safe side, they monitored me for contractions. Boop’s heart rate and activity were all perfectly normal and no contractions. Maybe that’s because I was repeating over and over in my head on the way to the midwives’, “I’m not having contractions. I’m not having contractions.” I was relieved, and hopefully I’ll start to feel better when the antibiotics kick in.

Pump *clap* You Up! 12-15-11

“I’m strong to the finich, ‘cause I eats me spinach!” Let’s hope that’s true. They haven’t tested my iron since they found I was anemic. I HATE taking iron. Technically, I’m supposed to take 2 a day, but I’m just taking one and doing my best to get lots of iron in my diet. I just had a bit of frozen spinach with some bacon for flavoring. Not as good as the turnip greens with country ham but perfectly edible.

Even though I’m anemic, Boop is certainly strong! She puts that little leg out, and it feels like she could just poke right through. Today, I was trying to manage during a meeting and lecture. I think she was doing the Chinese splits: one foot was pushing one way, one was pushing the other. I tried to rub her little feet or knees to encourage her to let up, but she was determined to have her little stretch. And I’m contorting around to try and relieve some of the ‘pressure’ <pain!>.

Speaking of strong, I’m considering cloth diapering and have scheduled a time to talk to a woman who has a cloth diaper service. I had looked a while ago to see if there was a cloth diaper service here, but I couldn’t find anyone. Our yoga instructor arranged for the cloth diaper person to talk to us to tell us more about cloth diapering in general and her service in particular. She estimates that newborns may go through 80 diapers a week. <Imagine Hans-n-Franz style power pose.> It’s definitely more work than disposables, but it has some important advantages. Aside from the benefits to the environment, it turns out that little ones are less likely to get diaper rash from cloth diapering, and potty training happens faster. Plus, this service keeps returning your own diapers, decreasing the likelihood of exposure to something from another family, and she avoids using harsh chemicals, only bleaching every 3^rd wash. So, I’m scheduled to meet with her next week. Hopefully, it will work out. No doubt, I will be changing lots of diapers!

Wet Blanket. 12-14-11

I feel like a very heavy, over-saturated sponge. I’m retaining so much water. The solution? Drink more water. Part of me wants to take a photo of my face to show Boop when she gets older to accompany ‘the pains of childbirth’ lament when I need leverage, but I don’t think I could make her feel that bad in good conscience. The other problem with that plan is that someone else could find it and use it to blackmail me.
People look at me and give me a pitying look. They give me plenty of room and jump to open doors. I must be a sad sight. My colleague next door was checking on me today, and I showed her my leg. She felt of it and said, “Ooo,” as she winced and pursed her lips. My boss’s boss stopped into my office and said, “Why are you here? You should be at home.” I gave her a big hug. I’m pushing through. They are having a shower for me next week, assuming I make it that long.
My friends and I are planning to have dinner on Friday, but meeting everyone’s needs can be challenging. It’s all me this time—food intolerances, can’t walk, get tired too quickly, etc. “Every party has a pooper, that’s why they invited me, Party Pooper! Party Pooper!” Even though they don’t have kids, they’ve been very sympathetic. My friend, K, gave me an order not to have the baby before New Years... Well, because she said so, that’s exactly what we’ll do!

Elevators and Due Dates. 12-12-11

About a week ago, I was headed out to the larger parking lot nearer to my class at the end of the day. I took the elevator from floor 7 to floor 1 with 2 students. Then, all of the sudden a hiccup around floor 5. The elevator stopped. I took a deep breath and said, “Uh-oh.” Then, it started again. We all started laughing in relief. I said, “That’s all we need a pregnant woman in the elevator, giving birth. Not good!” The two looked at each other, smiled, and looked at me, “We were thinking the same thing!” But then, the guy spoke up and said, “I would’ve taken care of you; I’m a 1^st year med student.” I smiled. Inside, I was thinking, ‘hm, maybe not so reassuring…’ But it was nice of him to say, even though (and perhaps because) the immediate threat had passed ;)
This morning, I was in the elevator with a woman, her young daughter, and a baby in a carrier. I felt terrible and was a few minutes late for my appointment, but I could still manage to hold the door for them, for which she was grateful. She started chatting about how hard those last days of pregnancy are and asked me when I was due. I responded, with a can-you-believe-it expression, “Mid to late January, I’m 34 weeks.” Again, with the eyebrow raise, “Oh, then you have several weeks to go, yet.” “Yeah,” I said with a bit of a groan.
Tonight, at the cloth diapering discussion with the preggie yoga ladies, I re-met someone who I actually knew from work, H, who had been away on maternity leave. Turns out, she was from the town right next to where I grew up. We chatted a bit. I’ve been dragging, and it’s pretty obvious. So, we were talking, and I was saying that I had dropped. The yoga instructor started to chime in to the discussion. So, H offered me some of her evening primrose oil. Clueless, I asked what it was for. She explained that it can help with induction. I said, “Well, I better wait a bit on that.” The yoga instructor chimed in, “Yeah, I didn’t think you were that far along.” When I said I was 34 weeks, up went the eyebrows. I smiled. It’s a frequent mistake. The yoga instructor explained that it can be up to 6 weeks to delivery after dropping for 1^st time mothers. She started asking if I was effaced, which I had no clue about. Then, she felt of my belly, and said, “Hm. Here, look in my eyes.” Up went the eyebrows, “Well, you do have that look, you know like you’re in a different place. It may not be too long…” Ah, the unique perspectives of the French. Who knows?

Taking Stock at Week 34. 12-12-11

Here’s what’s happening at Week 34:

• I usually post nearly a week behind; I try to post the weekly updates on Saturdays. I wonder if I will get that far this week. Boop dropped the Saturday before last, about December 2^nd.  I spoke to the midwife today, and she said that the average time from dropping to delivery is about 2 weeks. That could be as early as this weekend! Wow, I’m definitely not ready! I’ve also seen a range of 2-4 weeks for 1^st timers. It would be cool if Boop was the 1^st baby of Morgantown for 2012 J I hope she can hang in there that long.
• So, what is “dropping” <I think the medical term is “lightening” or “engagement”> for me? Well, I’m carrying Boop lower. Some of the websites say that reflux and breathing improve. I haven’t noticed any improvement in either, really; although my bra is a bit more comfortable. I do notice a sharp pain when I get up, especially when I’ve been sitting or lying down for a while. At first, I thought it was a urinary tract infection, but it’s probably just Boop’s position. Her head is between my pelvic bones. I also had a new symptom today on the exam table: tailbone pain, and it’s been bothering me on and off for most of the day.

Quick shot at Week 34...

• Thankfully, the midwife didn’t need to put me on antibiotics this time. They make me feel even sicker, and I dread the fight with Thrush. At my request, she went ahead and did my Strep test, even though the assistant said she wouldn’t for another week. Glad I asked the midwife. All normal. I’ll just try to push through this sinus infection I have. It’s the least of my worries!

Packing for Hospital. 12-11-11

I was fortunate to get good feedback from the ladies at SMC about preparing for delivery. Here is the list we came up with so far. Please let me know any other things that you can think of that I should pack.

In suitcase:
For me:

toiletries (which I always keep in my suitcase)
2-3 gowns/PJ's and footies
2-3 changes of clothes (mid-pregnancy size)

undies--but they typically provide some
adult diapers for water breaking, in case of C-section

sweater

pillow with dark pillow case (so not to confuse with hospital pillows)
nursing supplies (cream, pad, bra)

For Boop:
socks, hat, and blanket
clothes for photo
clothes to wear home (should be appropriate for car seat--not gown)
nail clippers
Optional: unscented baby wash
Optional: diapers (NB and size 1) and wipes
Optional: Boppy or nursing prop

In tote bag/back pack:

notebook and pen (including list of contacts)

baby book
magazines or other form of distraction
snacks for self and support person
**camera**
cell phone w/charger

Out and About. 12-11-11

I discovered a few days ago that the lids didn’t fit the storage bins I had, and my list of things to buy was growing. So, I decided to get out and go shopping this morning. I managed to get out of the house and get the car defrosted around 10am. I powered through, but I thought I was going to create some drama. I was debating about whether to just find a seat and chill for a little while or try to hurry up and get home. I decided on the latter, as I figured what I really needed was to eat. Some nasty mix of arthritis, dropping blood pressure and sugar, and anemia. Just tried to keep from collapsing in the middle of Wally World. Two things were on my agenda:  get my freezer and pantry stocked up and get some things to take with me for the hospital. As I was waiting in line, there was a little spot on the bottom shelf that if I were in a more mobile condition would have been adequate to sit a spell, but I figured at this point, if I sat down, I wouldn’t get back up.

I looked up and saw the Subway as I was checking out, which I have been successful in avoiding throughout my pregnancy (just barely). However, I reasoned that a meatball sub should be free of listeria and got one to go. Once I got the car loaded with over $100 worth of what, I wasn’t sure, I debated about whether or not to wait until I got home to eat the sandwich. Even though I had a prime parking space and knew people behind me were waiting, I sat and devoured the sandwich in my car before I left the parking lot. Upon arriving home, I hurried to try to get the car unloaded. As it turns out, I wound up with 16 rolls of paper towels, enough detergent for 106 loads of laundry, a bag of 10-15 meals worth of pierogies, and a bunch of other stuff; hopefully, that will keep me sane for a while. I’m not sure I was quite sane while I was loading my cart. For the rest of the day, I’ve just been trying to recover.

To Done. 12-10-11

I actually got 4 hours of sleep without the TV on tonight! I slept in my bed and only woke up once, sleeping until nearly 5am. My mind was going through all of the things I need to do. My helper came about 9am and got the door and ceiling finished; although when we took the painters tape off, it took some of the other paint with it. Fortunately, touch up was quick, and she was finished by lunch time.

I have a preliminary pack of my suitcase for the hospital. I know I need to pack more stuff… There was a posting on the SMC forum about things to take to the hospital, but I couldn’t find it. So far, I have my clothes to wear home (hopefully the right size), a gown for the hospital, and my toiletries, which I typically keep in the bag. Then, for Boop, I have a gown, hat, socks, bib, blanket, wet wipes, and a couple of NB and 1 diapers. I’m already learning the lingo ;) NB diapers are up to 10 lbs, but size 1 start at 8 lbs (http://diaper-sizes.org/). We’ll just have to see where she winds up. I know there were other things on the list like snacks and magazines, but I would like to see the list again of what folks found helpful to have.

So, I’m getting more things crossed off my list. My next big project is finishing the trim. It would be nice to have this done so I can finish trim painting and put books on my book shelves. This isn’t as important as getting Boop’s car seat installed in the car. I think the only place in town listed on http://www.seatcheck.org was downtown at the sheriff’s office. Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to go next week, but I should make sure I have my car in good shape before, I guess. The cold weather is making check tire light come on. So, I really need to focus on getting the car seat installed and Boop’s room finished.

Potato Candy. 12-10-11

Yesterday, I woke up at 4am thinking about potato candy. This is the 2^nd time I’ve been thinking about potato candy. <Apparently, I’m not the only one. See poohgranma here> The last time was over the Thanksgiving holiday. And where do I get potato candy? My great aunt A. She made the best—the first time I ever had it. It was just the right amount of sweetness, not overpowering. I’ve only had it a few times since. Unfortunately, aunt A passed away a few years ago. I’ll have to try to figure out the recipe on my own. It was a recipe for left-over mashed potatoes—from what I remember, you mix mashed potatoes with powdered sugar, roll it flat, and spread peanut butter on it. There may be more ingredients than that. Then, you roll it up like a jelly roll and slice it like pinwheels. I tried to figure out the craving. Was it protein? Was it potassium? Some combination? Missing my Aunt A? Probably that too.

http://www.southernplate.com/2010/12/old-fashioned-potato-candy.html

At some point, I remember that I saw it at Cracker Barrel. So, I looked them up online to find they didn’t open until 6am, but I was so tired by that time that I needed a nap. I had a bowl of cereal and felt better, but by lunch time, I figured that chicken livers may make me feel better with the iron. So, I got the okra and ‘greens’. The person on the phone when I placed my order said, “What kind of greens? We have green beans and turnip greens.” I held my tongue. We’re too close to the Mason-Dixon line. I simply said, ‘uh, turnip greens.’

I went to pick up my order and scavenged for potato candy. I picked up pecan divinity, something else that Aunt A made. It has a similar taste to potato candy, but the texture (and of course, ingredients) is different. There was a young woman and guy ‘working’ at the cash registers. I got the attention of the guy, “Do you have any potato candy?” He looked at me and said, “Candy?” Meanwhile, I obviously have a roll of pecan divinity in my hand. I calmly said, “Potato candy.” He started laughing, “WHAT?!?”  The thought crossed my mind that he could use an attitude adjustment, but I was just too tired to dole one out. “You make it with mashed potatoes, and it’s covered with peanut butter. I’ve seen it at Cracker Barrel before.” He’s laughing. Again, too close to the Mason Dixon line and wrong generation. I can see that he has not benefitted from elders in the depression era. The woman more calmly said, “We don’t have anything like that.” So, I guess I’m going to have to attempt it on my own. Unfortunately, my cooking mo-jo has been way off lately (e.g., corn bread, peanut brittle, dumplin’s). Mom offered to bring some, but that will be a few weeks. 

Holiday Party. 12-10-11

I was moving really slow, and I had a lot to do. I was mid-baby clothes washing, and I was trying to get them wrapped up. I didn’t want them to get musty. I think I did about 5 loads of tiny clothes; then I tried to hang them on my sweater rack to dry. Very slow going. And then I had to prepare for the holiday party at work. Fortunately, I already had my Secret Santa gift, but it wasn’t wrapped. I also had part of a rotisserie chicken in the freezer to make chicken-n-dumplin’s.

One load of Boop clothes!

Unfortunately, I had a number of obstacles. I couldn’t take my shower until the clothes were finished as I needed to shut the window (the bathroom and utility room are attached). Also, I had to wait until the sun came out to unfreeze the lock from the shed to get the wrapping paper for the gift. And then, I had to be careful about the stage of the dumplin’s while I took my shower.  As it turned out, I wound up having to take a shower with a very cold breeze, the dumplin’s boiled over while I was in the shower, and I couldn’t find the masking tape for the package and had to wrap it with packing tape. What’s more, I didn’t consider the transport of what I brought (large, heavy, requiring multiple trips) and knew I couldn’t manage 2 trips of 3 flights of stairs each way carrying all of my stuff to work. Fortunately, I was able to phone my friend, G, who had her assistant meet me at the drop-off area with a cart to get the gift and dumplin’s.

So, the dumplin’s were a bit bland; I had added a bit more water to them after the boil over, which was a bad idea. However, I did manage to get the texture right. The recipient liked her gift. I had suggested socks to my Secret Santa and got 4 pair, along with some little black patent leather shoes and a stuffed giraffe for Boop. Afterwards, I came home and crashed out of exhaustion.

Mini Freak Out. 12-7-11

I had a helper over tonight. I still have so much to do on the house, but my funds are not in great shape due to paying for life insurance and a more expensive drywall bill than expected. So, I’m having to slow down a bit. There are still so many things on my ‘to do’ list, and I’m not making much progress. The painting still isn’t done. It’s killing me that I can’t do it myself. It would have been done a while ago if it would have been un-pregnant me. Now, I look at the door that was missed, the paint on the floor, and the thumb-sized blotch of cream trim paint on the tan wall and can’t really do anything about it. It will have to wait until this weekend. More paint exposure for Boop, even though I try to stay away from it and open up the windows in the cold weather. And the ceiling in the living room still isn’t finished.

And then there’s the crib. I don’t think the sellers were honest with my mom about the crib when she got it. I couldn’t help but notice the smell when I took the blankets off and tried to put it together. I tried rubbing it down with vinegar with no luck. If I noticed it while I was putting it together, I can’t imagine my little Boop laying there surrounded by it and breathing it in for several hours a day. I have a few other cleaning products to try, but essentially, I’m out over $100 for the crib. And I don’t have a viable back-up option. I guess I’ll have to order something from the Internet L

And then there are the baby clothes. Boop has so many! I have no idea how big Boop will be, and I’m trying to get her clothes clean, trying to figure out what I should take to the hospital, wondering if she will be able to wear the newborn clothes. That’s when it really hit me. I’m washing baby clothes for my own little girl. And she will likely be here soon, in about a month. Nothing feels like it’s in the right place; everything feels so out of control. Mom called me: ‘Have you packed your hospital bag? You need to have that ready.’ ‘Winnie really needs to go to the groomer. You need to make her an appointment.’ It’s been on my list for a few weeks now. Unfortunately, I’m only one person, and the more I think about these things, the more stressed I get. My energy level is low, and I’m having a fair amount of pelvic pain. My friend from work, G, looked at me yesterday and said, ‘You look like you’ve dropped.’ I looked at her, and said, ‘Yeah, I think so, too.’ It’s going to happen whether I’m ready or not, and sooner, rather than later.

Taking Stock at Week 33. 12-5-11

Here’s what is happening at Week 33:

• Another week. I’m progressing. Gaining more weight. Grumbling about my arthritis, which has worsened by the hormones and the weight. Yep, I’m in the uncomfortable phase and wondering about my body after I give birth. Several folks have told me that they’ve gained over 40 lbs, but they are slim now. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I would like to be able to be more active, but it’s just not realistic.

• The house is looking better every week. More and more of the renovation tasks on my list are getting checked off, one by one. The house is getting cleaner and more organized. It’s a very slow and laborious process. A day off here and there would help. I’ll have my Thanksgiving days off made up by next week, I think; so I can take another day off.
• On the Internet pregnancy sites, they are saying that my Boop is continuing to gain weight and that her bones should be ossifying. Also, Boop’s lungs should be developed by now. Parts of the brain (responsible for processing language and vision) should be starting to function. People tell me that she will come out responding to her name, “Boop.” I’m fine with that ;) It will give me a little time to decide on her real name. Also, one of the sites says that her amniotic fluid is the most it will be by this week. From now on, it will be getting tighter and tighter in there.
• One of the Internet sites recommended packing a bag for the hospital. I saw something on the SMC  website about the things I need to include. Part of the challenge will be trying to figure out how big little Boop and I will be. Do I bring newborn stuff, or do I bring 3-6 month stuff? What size will I wear? I’m hoping I’m a fair bit smaller, but I know I won’t be my pre-pregnancy size.

A Recipe for Disaster. 12-6-11

We didn’t make peanut brittle on Saturday night while my friends were over.  So, I figured it would be a good host/hostess gift for my boss’s dinner. I found an Internet recipe that looked like one I usually use. The measurements seemed about right, as did the part where I do a few ingredients and take it in and out of the microwave. Great, I thought, this will be a quick and easy recipe. I just had to remember to double the amount of baking soda; so that the brittle will be light and crispy.

So, I started with the sugar and corn syrup in a glass bowl and stuck it in the microwave for 7 min. as the recipe indicated. I opened the door to find a bubbly brown goo. I let it set for a minute, and as I was taking it out, a noxious smell wafted up.  As I lifted, I heard a crack. The bottom of the bowl broke off. Luckily, it waited until I sat it down, and it didn’t splatter all over me and Boop. So I sat the top part of the bowl in the sink, watched the burnt concoction ooze all over my glass-top stove, and rushed to open windows. Then, I pulled the bottom of the bowl off of my stove because I didn’t want it to melt into the stove-top.

Next, it was time to get the goo off of my stove. Sugar: the one thing you are not supposed to have on a glass cook top. I started with a post card, thinking I would scoop it off the top of the stove, but it was already stuck pretty well on there. From there, I got a wide knife. Some of it was still cool enough that that I could get under the goo and scrape it, some of it I was able to chip off, and some of it I kind of had to saw off. Fortunately, the stove top did not break! So, obviously, by the time I got the worst of it cleaned up, there wasn’t time to make more. I found a little something else to take.

Whirlwind Day. 12-4-11

There’s no doubt about it. I am slowing down. My arthritis is really catching up with me. All of the weight and hormones are just not a good mix. I started about 9:30am yesterday doing some shopping, trying to get a few more things out of the way. I got so exhausted mid-way through my list, but I managed to get most things marked off. After a quick lunch, my helpers came by. The plan was for them to come and work for 2 hours. Fortunately, they stayed a fair bit longer J. One stayed 4 hours and the other 5 hours. We’re getting close to having the area around the stairs painted, I now have handles on my kitchen drawers, and we got the house reasonably clean. So, the house was reasonably presentable to company. But, I was in pain. I felt like my legs were just freezing up, and I could hardly move. And so I overdid it again. At least I had a few minutes to rest here and there, and I had the satisfaction of knowing things were a bit more ready for Boop’s arrival. It’s only going to get more challenging from here.

My company was a few minutes late to arrive, which gave me a bit of time to rest and psych myself up. Thankfully, they were patient with me. We made peanut butter cookies and attempted some sugar cookie cut-outs with slice and bake cookies, which was a bit hard to manage. But I had thought ahead as far as drinks, and we made up for the cookies with egg nog, mulled cider and hot tea. After we made enough cookies to munch on, we attempted a bit of tree decorating. Before my company, my helper had tried to help me find Christmas decorations in the dark shed. I found the LED lights that I bought at the end of last year. I think they look like little chili peppers, but A thought they looked like mini pine cones. Then, I found the garland and LED “Vegas” angel and managed to get her perched up on the top of the tree after a few tries. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that we didn’t have the main box of ornaments or else I would have had more help. I bought an ornament box last year, and I forgot that it was under my bed. So, I guess I will save those for another day. Folks made their ways home at about 11pm, which was a bit past my bedtime ;) At the moment, I’m just enjoying the lights and waiting to see if I can get my energy level back up to do a bit more decorating.

A Mild Hiccup. 12-2-11

I felt Boop’s first hiccups today, at least that’s what I think it was J It felt a bit like a drum with a very steady beat. At the moment, she is pressing heavily just north and to the left of my belly button. I think that’s a favorite spot for her foot. She’s getting so strong. As strong as she is, if she’s in there for too long, she might just break right through my abdomen and bust out!

I chatted with a new mom, A, at work today. She wasn’t so enthusiastic about taking labor classes. She said that it wasn’t very informative, but overall, she’s glad she went. Bless her heart, A just ranted about how good I look; the same with another new mom, G, at work later this afternoon. I know I’m large and a bit frumpy, but it’s sweet of them to try to give me some encouragement and to help me feel better about it all. G said she started feeling miserable at about 8 months and wound up having her baby about 10 days early. I can only hope that Boop comes a wee bit early, rather than a wee bit late…

Although I’m feeling mentally pretty good this afternoon, I’m running a bit slow. I had been thinking about having friends over, but somehow I wound up choosing Saturday evening. Not sure what I was thinking. I still have a lot to do! But my helpers are coming over tomorrow, and they made pretty good progress last night. I think we can do it J I’m going to miss cookie making day and cookie exchange back home; so I figured I’d have friends over to make cookies and candies. Maybe we’ll make peanut butter cookies and peanut brittle. I need to think of some other easy ones. Chocolate no-bakes would be another good one. We might also do some sugar cookies. Maybe we’ll make some progress on the tree, too. It’s nice to have help decorating the tree.

A Fresh Start. 12-2-11

Ah, I got up this morning to a clean living room J My helpers came and worked a few hours last night. They cleaned all of the drywall dust off the furniture and floor, and it looks so much better!  The stairs are nice and clean, too. Kilz sent me more paint for their mistake, free of charge. Great customer service!  So, we’re all geared up for painting on Saturday. I can’t believe this chapter is finally coming to a close. The living room floor still is in not-so-good shape, but I can’t tackle having the floor sanded until after the baby arrives. The fumes will be too tough on us. However, I’m hoping that we’ll be able to finish the trim/baseboards before Boop’s arrival. I talked to Mom about the two of us heading up to the city to get a new, larger blade for my miter saw. That should make doing trim so much easier.

And I got my Christmas tree!  They helped me get the bottom trimmed up, and we got it put in water. When I got up this morning and came down the stairs, it looked so nice. I’m hoping to have a few friends over to help me trim the tree in the next week or two.  I put my wreath on the front door. The “Hooks” had at least 2 on the front door; so it was more than wreath-ready. Hopefully, my helpers will be able to get Christmas things from the shed so that I can figure out which lights to put outside and what all I want on the inside. The “Hooks” have also been busy on the porch; so I won’t have any trouble having a place to hang the lights. Plenty of things to do for the holiday; however right now, I’m just going to have a cup of apple cider. It’s nice and warm and mulling with a tincture ball full of plum mulling spices. Much better than raisin bran!

Baby Shower, Take 2. 12-1-11

Mom was in much better spirits for my next shower. We went and picked up the sheet cake, and she made brownies for me. The sheet cake had a little baby in a flower, and it welcomed our little Sweet Pea. I questioned the Sweet Pea, of course. She never liked the nickname Boop, and so I guess she is planning to call the baby Sweet Pea. She seems more like a Dumplin’ to me: my plump little Lucky Dumplin’. My dad called me Punkin’, and I call Winnie, Puddin’. It’s a rite of passage, I guess.

My cousins B and P did such a great job on the shower. Everything was already sat up when we arrived, and Mom and I had little more to do than walk in and sit down. Well, mom did a few things, but my cousins and their helpers made it so easy for us.  I got to visit a bit with cousins and old friends. A reassured me that she gained a lot of weight with her first baby; so I didn’t feel too bad.  We started with food and moved immediately to presents. There were SO MANY PRESENTS! They were understandably concerned that we wouldn’t have time to play games. So, they gave door prizes by setting an egg timer. Whoever’s gift I was opening when the buzzer went off got a prize. My cousin R asked that I take my time opening hers, and so I obliged ;) N was on gift handing/sorting duty and did a really nice job.

I got three lovely crocheted blankets for little Boop. One I was hoping for: it had the alphabet crocheted into the blanket. The other two were lovely and totally unexpected. I didn’t realize my mom’s friend was able to crochet, but she made a pretty white blanket with this lovely soft yarn. We all had to touch it. The other was given by a relation by marriage that I haven’t seen for years. The edges of the pink blanket had a pretty lacy pattern; it almost looked like tatting. Keeping little Boop warm is always on my mind, and we have some lovely blankets.  My dad’s cousins S and J gave me some money for Boop’s college fund in memory of my dad, which made me a bit emotional. Fortunately, my mom was able to read the card because my voice kept breaking. And I got so many other nice things—lots of diapers <THANK YOU, THANK YOU, I’ve had diapers on the brain!>, adorable clothes, and many, many books. Unbeknownst to me, my cousins wrote on many of the invitations that folks might like to get me a signed book in lieu of a card. Boop will have so many different types of books to read. Fortunately, mom and I have hatchbacks; they were both full of presents! Well, maybe I’ve dwelled a bit too much on the gifts. It was great to see everyone, and I appreciate their thoughtfulness.

Government Conspiracy. 11-29-11

Well, I guess it’s time to break out the foil hat. Maybe the government has it in for me? As you might recall, I was giving birth to a cow for the crazy appraisal of my house for county tax purposes. And it sounds like my tax rate may increase by 140%. So, I have until November 30^th to contact them for more information (and perhaps to appeal). As it turns out, the phone lines have been jammed for the county assessor’s office. A friend has been calling every day, several times a day, since she received her letter, and she has been unable to get through. I also have the option of going downtown to put my name on the list for a phone call. That trip is unlikely due to the terrain, my condition, and the fact that I have to work to pay my taxes. After not having any success myself, I decided to try some other numbers in that office, and I reached someone who couldn’t do anything directly about the situation. However, she was aware of the problem and explained that the deadline would be extended. More importantly, she said it was possible to send a letter. I guess I know what I will be doing tomorrow.

I arrived home after Thanksgiving, and my neighbors brought me my mail. I opened a few envelopes only to get all worked up again. This time it was the state personal income tax. Guess what?! They say I owe nearly $7000 in taxes, penalties, and interest <Wow! They charge a nice interest rate for themselves!>. The problem? The taxes are for 2009. Did I live in this state in 2009? Nope! I called in to the state income tax folks. Their explanation? ‘When you filed your taxes this past year (2010), the state received information from the federal government that you lived in this state, and your name was flagged.’ Me: ‘But I didn’t live in this state in 2009. I only received income from this state for about a month. I paid my taxes in a different state. I bet I’m not the only person to move to this state and have paid taxes in another state.’ Her: ‘No, you aren’t. In fact, that was my situation.’ Me: ‘Do they do this to every person that moves to this state?’ Her: ‘No, I’m not sure how they decide.’ In the end, I have to write a letter, send my personal tax filing for 2009 from the other state, and send a copy of the letter they sent me. How did their problem become my problem? Why do I have to fix their mistake?   

Taking Stock at Week 32. 11-30-11

Here’s what’s happening at Week 32:

• It’s official: I’m (at least) 8 months pregnant. And yes, I’m only 8 months pregnant. That means that I have 1.5 months ago; in spite of the eyebrow raises and the looks down at my bump I get when I say I have that long. Scarier still: most 1^st pregnancies go past term. I can’t blame Boop for wanting to hang around that long. Seems like a pretty good, if not confining, life. But honestly, I might explode if I get any bigger. I’ve gained so much weight! Mentally, I’m craving exercise, but physically, I’m just lucky to get up the stairs to work. Hopefully, Winnie and I can at least walk to the dog park this evening.

Big Stuff! Boop Shooz :)

• The pregnancy sites say that at 32 weeks, Boop should be about 19 inches and weigh 4 lbs. <Ha! Ha!> More importantly, 90% of babies born at 32 weeks will survive. <Whew!> They also note that the baby is sensitive to hot and cold, which may explain why she was not at all happy and kicking when Winnie was laying near her.
• I’m feeling a bit better this morning after massage therapy. I was Jonesing for the yoga spa retreat this weekend, but it sounds like it’s more geared for non-pregnant women. Hopefully, she’ll have preggie yoga today; although she has cancelled several weeks due to lack of demand.
• On Monday, the midwife got after me for not taking iron supplements. Mea culpa. It’s like trading one problem for another. I’m used to feeling run down; so it feels like the lesser of 2 evils. She suggested a liquid form from the health food store. She also questioned my desire for a doula and said that was her job as a midwife to take care of me.

Boop’s 1st Thanksgiving. 11-30-11

Thanksgiving is a bit of a blur. I felt like I ran the whole time. I got a phone call from my mother the night before about something that we needed from the drug store, and so I was up and out at 7am. And in a previous post, I said I wouldn’t get out to do any shopping on Thanksgiving.  Wishful thinking. I bought toys for my cousins <I’m cringing, not because I bought toys for cousins, but because I was buying them on Thanksgiving>. There was a steady stream of folks there at the drug store; so I guess I wasn’t the only one. About the time that my mom and I got our list of kids taken care of, I got a call from my Aunt D about jellied cranberries. They didn’t have any at the drug store, and so I made a run to the grocery store. I called Aunt D to check in from the grocery store, and she had thought of a few more things that she needed ;) I was happy to oblige, though, because it’s so nice for her to host Thanksgiving; it’s a lot of extra work for her. I tried to help out as I could. I rallied my cousin, D, to help me go and pick up my aunt S. The responsibility for transporting Aunt S frequently falls to my mom and Aunt D, which is not such a big deal, except the management of her heavy wheel chair. It was nice that my cousin went with me to help.

And we tried to keep everyone happy. So, there were 2 types of cranberries (jellied and Celebration Salad), 2 types of peas (steamed and pea salad), 2 types of meat (turkey and spiral sliced ham), 2 types of rolls (yeast and dinner), 3 types of pie (cherry, pumpkin, blackberry, plus cheesecake), and FIVE types of potatoes (boiled tri-color potatoes in the green beans, mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and potato salad). Of course, we had one of everything else, too. And so we ate and ate and ate. Afterwards, Mom and I headed back to her house and made our plan of attack for Black Friday. I was still pretty exhausted, and with all of that tryptophan, I went promptly to bed.  I was so glad that Boop didn’t make an early appearance…

Day of Rest. 11-23-11

It's 10:30 am, and I'm still in my pajamas. I slept on and off for nearly 12 hours. I guess I was really exhausted. Last night, we had a bit of a scare; I had a few noticeable contractions. Reading about Braxton-Hicks contractions, I always wondered what they would feel like. Guess I know now! After 3-4 contractions, I called the answering service and quickly heard back from the midwife on call. She said if I had more than 6 in an hour, to go on to the emergency room. Otherwise, I should drink lots of water and rest. Thankfully, I only had a few more after talking to her. I was dreading the thought of going to the ER out of state. My insurance has a $2000 deductible for out of state care :(

So, little Boop has about 6-7 more weeks if we can stick it out. She's been pretty active; I started really noticing her flop around about 5 am this morning. I guess she's doing well enough now; although I am still a bit sore. Unfortunately, I have a habit of testing my limits, but with baby in tow, I really need to be more careful. It was good that I was able to spend time with aunt D, and hopefully, we'll be able to get to do some preparations for Thanksgiving. The plan is to go out for steak tonight J Boop will be thrilled. When I finally got up to take a shower, I had a few more contractions, but they eased up after the shower. Hopefully, they will continue to ease.

Catching Up. 11-29-11

I’m home again and trying to get settled in. My laptop is still sick at the hospital with a good prognosis, and I’m plugging away on my PC that may be having some issues of its own L Most of the goodies from my trip are unpacked. I have a nasty tension in my back/neck from the drive home, and I’m looking forward to massage therapy in a few minutes. The house is a wreck. It will wait. Fortunately, the person working on my drywall is making good progress and should be finished on Thursday. Then, the fun begins. I have a helper coming on Thursday, and we will start to do some serious cleaning when the drywall dust settles. I can’t wait to get the crib set up in the nursery!! And then I can unpack all of Boop’s pretty, pretty clothes and wash them in preparation for her arrival. I can also put pictures up on the wall, something that has been strangely missing from the year and a half that I’ve lived here.

The trip back home was a whirlwind. I will try to give each event more attention in its own little blog post. Hopefully, my hard drive will still be intact upon its return, complete with blogs not posted from my trip home; although the computer doctor said that some of its memory may be lost. In the meantime, I thought I would post a little note to let you know that I haven’t dropped off the face of the globe, and Boop is still her chunky, rambunctious self. We still have over a month to go, and Boop seems content enough to wait a little while until she makes her appearance. Winnie is doing just fine, snoring away, and probably missing me on the couch…

Mystery Gift. 11-28-11

Do you recognize me?

Mystery Gift on my doorstep...

My laptop is sick today, and it is holding my blog posts hostage. Hopefully, we'll both be more functional in a couple of days!

A Rainy Shower. 11-21-11

It's nearly 6am, and I'm almost caught up on the events of the weekend. Winnie is laying here on the couch at great aunt M's, and I'm envious of her snoring away. I will definitely need a nap this afternoon! Fortunately, the pain in my hips has subsided, but I've been thinking about breakfast for a few hours now. Frisch's has a drive through, thank goodness. I can load up on protein there. Along with a trip to the grocery, one of my other tasks for today is getting stamps and getting caught up on writing thank you notes. Then there will be the need to track down addresses, but I'll focus on the main tasks at hand.

Yesterday was my (Boop's) first baby shower, with my mom's side of the family. My mom was quite frantic in the morning; there was a fair bit of drama over the cake. Since I've been pregnant, I haven't had much of a taste for sweet, but she was determined that I be able to eat some anyway and let herself get a bit too stressed about it. In the end, it was fine, and in spite of the chaos until the time of the event and the dreary, messy weather, the shower went off without a hitch. We ate. Aunt D got us some good barbecue, which was a hit with Boop and me :) We played games. Mom brought my Susie doll for the clothes pin game, and I was checking out the clothes on the line. I had assumed they were for my cousin, but it turns out, they were all mine (well, for Boop) :) I opened packages. So many neat things and pretty clothes and accessories, things I hadn't seen before. And of course, there was Minnie Mouse. Homemade goodies, Minnie Mouse blankies and ribbons, which we will enjoy. What a lucky little girl my Boop is to be getting so many precious things! Boop's aunties D and M (and grandma--and her other aunties and friends) really went out of their way to make a special day for us :)   

Taking Stock at Week 31. 11-21-11

Here's what's happening at Week 31:

• Almost 8 months pregnant, WOW! And people say that I look like I could go any minute. I'm a BIG momma, and it's really quite disconcerting. I don't really get hungry, but when I eat, everything else seems to fade into the background. Perhaps it's Zen? Really hard to carry on dinner conversations.
• Sleep is getting to be more of a challenge. My hips get really sore from sleeping on one side. And my sinus infection hasn't really gone away. I don't know if it's worth another course of antibiotics. I've had 2 courses of antibiotics since pregnant. With each additional time, I feel like I'm pressing my luck more and more. And I have to go to the bathroom about every 2 hours. If you can't reach me <like just a minute ago>, I was visiting the ladies room ;)
• Mom said that Winnie looks thinner, but she says that every time we see her. When Aunt M said it, I thought I should double check. Unfortunately, they were right. More than a finger between her rib cage and belly. So, I'll give Winnie a week to fatten up a bit, and if she doesn't seem better, she's off to the vet. At least I have a little time to spoil her a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving. 11-24-11

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

May your arguments and frustrations be few,

May your tummy expand to fit the size of your pants (and go no farther),

May you get just the right type of potato to suit you,

May your family be large in love, if not also in size,

May your travel be safe and traffic be light,

May you have just enough turkey leftovers,

And may you leave this Thanksgiving hungry for the next!

Long Time, No See. 11-21-11

I can't say that high school was an ideal time. Everyone goes through their share of transitions and struggles for independence. I think many people look back on high school with a mix of emotions. And for me, there were so many difficult things that happened--my 1st surgery from undiagnosed arthritis along with a few other miserable health problems I couldn't talk too much about, and of course, the loss of my father, the challenges we had coping as a family, the pressure on myself to do well in classes, amongst other things. Maybe I'm stronger because of it? Me, always looking for meaning in mild chaos. And so, it was with much uncertainty that I approached my high school reunion.
Since reconnecting on Facebook, I had seen my friends A and M, and I knew that they were going to be there. I looked forward to seeing them and knew I would be comfortable there. I knew of a few others, too, and I was looking forward to seeing them and chatting with them outside of Facebook. But, I guess I wasn't prepared for the reception I received. Everyone was so nice and solicitous about my little Boop. And they actually asked specifically about "Boop"; some mentioning that they read this little blog--kind of a shocker :) <Mom, there really are more people that read this blog than the 2 of us!> It was a happy time, and I really enjoyed seeing that my friends have seemed to have hit their stride, meeting spouses, learning about the plot twists that had happened over all of these years. In that vein, I was really happy to see my friend S and her husband. I knew things weren't going well for her during high school and that she was having health issues, but she told me what had really been going on. I wish I could have been a better friend to her, providing tangible support during that time, but I guess I had a fair amount on my plate, too. That's the past. Today, we can appreciate the people that we are, and I can be happy for the person she's made of herself, just as I am proud of my other friends who have settled in and found their proper path.