Week 37: Ready or not!!!

Size of Baby: winter melon. whatever that is... he's full term!!!

What's that Babe up to: practicing inhaling & exhaling.. and apparently he needs the practice since he gets the hiccups EVERY DAY! also practicing sucking, gripping, and blinking!!! Cool.
Symptoms: ankle, foot, and hand swelling... to the extremes. Also back pain, sciatic pain, shoulder pain. On a positive note... my arches don't bother me NEAR like they used to!!!!! I think it's because they are so swollen....

Food cravings or aversions: nada
Weight: 203
Weight gain so far: There it is folks.. I've reached 200 and beyond. That's 55 lbs gained so far. Anyone remember what it was 2 weeks ago??? (more on that below)
Stretch Marks: definitely earning my stripes.

Sleep: it is what it is. and it isn't great.
Best moment this week: My doctor checkup on Tuesday.
Miss Anything: my ankles, my hands, my sleep. Being able to get a massage while lying on my stomach.

Movement: he's an active little guy.... still kicking my ribs
Maternity Clothes: most of them don't fit anymore....
Belly Button: half out, half in
Wedding Rings: no way
Looking Forward To: Friday when I get checked again!

Journal:

Oh boy... He is coming soon. But before we get to my exciting dr appt, let's back up to last Friday. Andrews and I went on a little "we're about to be parents date." First we went to Target to make a return and pick up some other things. I found myself a button down sleep shirt for the hospital, a nursing tank top, and a nursing bra. Of course I didn't feel like trying it on at the store so once we got home I tried it on and wowza.... Too small. I obviously have no idea how big my boobs actually are. Oops. Well anyway, after Target we ate a delicious dinner at Texas Roadhouse... Andrews favorite, and definitely one of my top restaurants. Then..... We went to Babies R Us. We were given some gift cards for there, and had some returns to make. So we made the returns, got it all loaded on the gift cards and went shopping! We got lots of little necessities, and a high chair and a swing. It was SO fun. I'm so glad Andrew was there to help make decisions. He also kept track of our spending. We had it almost to the cent of the gift card balance when we went to check out. But then I also had some KILLER coupons! So we ended up still having money left over. I couldn't believe it. We had just bought an overfilled cart full of supplies and we didn't pay for a dime of it. We felt so incredibly blessed. I know that is not the case for so many people... Babies are expensive, and I'm not saying we won't be spending a lot of our own money the rest of this kids life, but what a blessing to have the start up with so much help! So.... THANK YOU! We are so grateful to all our friends and family who have helped us out so much. Praise The Lord!

I should tell the mobile story... Or do I want to forget it.... Hmm... Nah. So after we finished at the register, Andrew went outside to get it all loaded into the car, and I asked about ordering a mobile that I had registered for that wasn't in the store. It was a cute mobile... Circus animals with pennants and everything. So I go to the registry desk and she looks it up online first. Their internet was SUPER SLOW. Amazingly slow. Finally it comes up and she can't order it online either. So then she checks to see if other stores have it. ONE store has ONE in stock. I was like shoot! Let's get it! So she called the store and after what must have been a billion rings someone answered. She told them about it and said to make sure it's the right one, and that I was going to place a phone order for it. Then she had to explain what a phone order was because the lady on the phone was clueless. This was taking forever and I think it was about this time that Andrew texted me from the car... Ok let's go! So then I get the phone to give her my address. She didn't understand an address on a state route. She's like so I can put st r 2? I was like uh sure, you can do state route 2 (just like I said) or you can put st rt 2 or you can even do s r 2... It all works. Oh... And I said the 5 numbers of our house like 5 times REALLY  slow. Painfully slow. Had to spell my town name (which is understandable) but really slow, and my zip.... REALLY slow.....ly.  It was so painful then she said she was going to go up to the register and put me on hold. I was on hold for what seemed like forever and then she comes back on and asked for the gift card number and pin so I gave that to her pausing between each number for 2 seconds, then she says ok I'm going to go up to the register now. I'm thinking what?!?!?! Why are you not there already? What have you been doing?!  So back on hold and Andrews freaking out from the car and the kind associate I was with at the store said she could finish the order or me so I could go. Bless her soul. So I left. Andrew said he was waiting in the car for 35 minutes for this order. Ok let me say this too... The mobile was originally $75. It was on sale for $16. Our gift card was for almost the exact amount. It was the only mobile I found online that I really liked. I couldn't order it from home, so it was then or never. Or both..... My phone rings as we are on the way home and it's the SLOW lady from the other store saying the connection was lost with the store we were just at but she realized that it wasn't the same mobile. It was a completely different one and the best she could do for me was give me 15% off. The $75 price. Are you freaking kidding me. No. I don't want that mobile. No not with 15% off either. Yes cancel the order. Yes completely, I don't want that mobile with teddy bears on it. What. A. Waste. Of.  Time. So needless to say, we will not have a mobile for the crib. Which is just fine. 

That was a long story. Lisa and Meghan would probably say it's in typical Brittany fashion. Sorry about that. ;)

Ooook. So Saturday comes with another snow storm so my MIL didn't come over to help me get things done around the house and Andrew was in Indiana for a tool sale so I just did little things here and there and took naps and such like. Sunday, church was closed and Andrew and I had a real snow day to ourselves! He stayed inside with me all day long. This is quite the rarity. In fact, the only time I can remember that happening! Haha! It was a fun day. Then Monday we had another snow day, but he wasn't about to stay inside 2 days in a row. I got the other side of the room with the nursery cleaned up... That would be my craft room/guest room... And that felt nice to finish. Or almost finish. 

And that brings us to Tuesday.....

But first... I want to share what was going through my head all week and especially Tuesday morning. I knew I was getting my group b strep test on Tuesday and I read that if you have it, all it means is that you get an antibiotic when you're delivering. No biggie. Um.... That's an IV antibiotic. I am terrified of needles, and an IV is seriously something I'd love to go my whole life without. I had one when I got my 3rd molars out but it knocked me out so much I couldn't freak out about it. I would have to be awake and moving if I got this antibiotic IV! Seriously, it's the moving part. If they could stick me  and I could ignore it and not move a muscle so I forget it's there I would be fine. But if I have to move my arm with something sticking out of it.... Oh lordie..... Makes me sick. Ok now you understand my fear there. Well that was one fear. Then you all know about my fear of needing a cesarean. Which, btw, really brought out a lot of comments and encouragement from people who have had them. I give you all a HUGE thank you for your kind words and your assurance that it is nothing to be feared. I appreciate that so much. I still fear it more than an IV, though, and I'm sure that's nothing to be feared either. As you've seen my swelling has also gotten much worse... Side note.... I was just sitting cross legged on my bed and had to move because my foot was falling asleep wherever my legs and ankles crossed is now a huge indentation... And I can see and feel my bones!! They are still there! But moving all that fluid elsewhere is quite painful, so now that hurts. Haha! Ok back to fears. My swelling is continually getting worse and I started worrying about pre-eclampsia. My dr hasn't been concerned about my swelling at all stating that she's keeping an eye on it. Well then I'm watching Downton Abbey and poor Cybil (sp?) dies of eclampsia. I didn't really know what it was but the I saw it. So I ask my friend about pre-eclampsia since she's a nurse and she had it.... She was rested  and monitored and eventually induced and given an epidural to keep her bp low. Ooooooooooook..... Now if I don't like IVs, imagine my feelings towards an epidural needle. NO THANK YOU! 

So Tuesday morning I'm having my usual FaceTime chats with my sister and her daughters and I start telling her all about these fears. This sister of mine is a problem solver. Sometimes I really really appreciate that about her. She will literally always come up with ways to solve my problems. If you are like me, you realize that sometimes you don't want your problem solved, you want someone to just listen to your problems and let them be. More recently, I've appreciated the problem solving more... Well, she kept crossing off my fears like they were nothing to be feared and I'll be fine and I won't care about anything except getting that baby out of me etc etc..... So I had to back her up. Sister. First, when you're trying to help someone with their fears you can't just cross them off like a list.... You have to first acknowledge that they are real fears! So then she re-evaluated her problem solving and came up with a much more pleasing solution to me. She said to write them all on post its and put them somewhere visible. Then they are still there if they need to be worried about. (She was saying that I was borrowing trouble.) and then if it became a valid fear, like... You have group b strep, or you have pre-eclampsia, or you're going to need a c section, then you have have the post it and worry about it then. Or if you find out you don't..... Then you can throw it away! I didn't end up doing any of this, but I liked the idea. It calmed me down. 

Now, back to Tuesday morning....

I ran out of my homemade reduced sugar granola for breakfast and all I had was peanut butter cocoa puffs and raisin bran for cereals, which is what I typically have. But the raisin bran made me fail my urine test the last time and I wasn't in the mood to be stabbed so I knew I had to eat a good breakfast. So I made a scrambled egg, toast, PLAIN yogurt, and two peach slices. I am still so proud of that breakfast. I've never eaten so balanced so early in the morning. Protein, dairy, fruit, and carb. 

Bravo, I passed my urine test that day! I was so pleased. However...... The other two things they check every time were less than stellar. That would be my weight, and my blood pressure.

I gained 8 lbs in 2 weeks. Apparently my doctor thought that was a little much, especially this late in the game. Especially since my swelling was also more severe. Especially since my bp was 142/90 or something like that, and I was sweating like a fat monkey. It's been really high like that before but when they recheck it it's way low again... Well she rechecked it again and it was higher. Oh boy. So she talked to me about pre-eclampsia and said that once you start getting it you can't really do anything about it except deliver the baby. Uhhhh..... Will I need a c section? Nope, we will just induce you to get things going. Ok, leave that post it for an emergency but definitely not holding on to it now. Clutching that pre-eclampsia post it with my fat fists... Totally forgot about the antibiotic IV post it. Ohhhh btw..... I am 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Ok.... After she told me what that means and then with the bp thing and the induction, I'm thinking... Wait a second here..... What's going on. So she tells me that she's going to send me down to the women's center (where I will deliver) to be monitored to see if my bp comes down. I said what does it mean if it does and if it doesn't? She said, if it doesn't come down we will induce you and get you a baby. Um. *raised eyebrows to the roof* ooooooook? Oo that's exciting... I could have a baby today! Then I said ok so if it comes down, and everything is fine, is it still a possibility that I will go late? (I asked bc my sister warned me that even if I was dilated that doesn't mean he's coming soon, people are dilated for weeks) and she definitely not. Then I asked if she thought I would make it to my due date... The 19th? She said no... I will get him out of there before then.... I'm hoping to get another week out of you. And then that was it. End of appointment. Um. Um. Um. Wait what is today? January 28th?!? Nooo... That's too early. I don't want a January baby. Shoot. No. That's too early.... Mom won't be back for 2 more weeks! 2 more weeks and she wants one more out of me? Nooooo that means mom isn't going to be here!!!!!! I need more post-its!!!!! 

Soon my way to the women's center I call Andrew and tell him he better get ready to be a dad. Freaked him out a little, since he wasn't.... And filled him in. Texted my sister and she said I guess you can grab that post it.... I didn't tell her I made more. Jk as I was laying on the bed all hooked up I let go of almost all those post its... I felt good that my dr didn't know about any of them.... She will still think I'm flexible and easy going. Because when it comes down to it... If she says you're going to need an IV I won't even say a word, except to the nurse when I tell her I'm afraid of needles so just do it and don't talk about it. If she says I know you don't want an epidural but you either need that or a c section I will say ok give it to me. If she says we're going to have to do a c section to get him out of there or you or he will die, I will say get him out let's do this. I don't generally ever question authority.... To their faces. So I will seem very tough and easy going. Ha! Anyway. Obviously you didn't hear about a baby so my bp came down.

Work on Wednesday was significantly harder... Things are changing.... And I found it quite difficult to walk, and impossible without a waddle. It appears the office is trying to wean me out, since I'm only working a half day today. I'm so ok with that. 

I go back to the women's center on Friday to get monitored again. I assume it will be the same situation. If it's normal I will go back home and sing praises that I won't be having a January baby, and if it's high, Andrew will scurry on over and we will get the little guy out of me and into the world. *pardon me here, as I have yet another freak out moment.* Then I'll have another dr appt on Tuesday and get rechecked and see what happens next! Haha of course, for some reason we have a very important office meeting on Tuesday morning and I have patients in the afternoon.... So I guess I have to try to move that dr appt to not miss the meeting, and move my pts to the other hygienists.... Wouldn't it be funny if I went to that meeting that I apparently can't miss, then go to the dr and be told hey  you're gonna have a baby today (or tomorrow). That would be funny.

So needless to say, Tuesday night Andrew and I kicked our butts in high gear and finished packing our hospital bags and got the car seat bases installed in each of our cars and the car seat in mine. I made my quick grab list of things that I still use every day but want in the hospital too, and every time I leave the house I leave prepared to go to the hospital. I thought I had 3 more weeks.... I guess this little guy didn't want to listen and wait for his grandma and grandpa to come back in the country...

Aren't you excited to see what my 38 week post says?!?! Who knows, maybe everything will be fine and I'll go to 39 weeks. That would be great... Mom and dad come home at 39 weeks. :)