Week 38: Ha!

Size of Baby: pumpkin!

What's that Babe up to: has hopefully an inch of hair already! I sure do hope he has hair! Also, he's shedding the white goo on his skin. good thing, cause that's not cute.
Symptoms: oh the swelling with finger numbness on my right hand. Also, the lightning bolts that want to collapse me or paralyze me since the baby is sitting and hitting my nerves.

Food cravings or aversions: nothing, but I did realize last night that my days of having an excuse to eat ice cream at 10:30 at night are numbered... So I enjoyed a nice size bowl before bed.
Weight: 199
Weight gain so far: I lost 4 pounds! ha! I don't know what the problem was last week.
Stretch Marks: they are taking over, and they are not pretty

Sleep: Sunday night and Monday night I slept so good- I only woke up once or twice to pee and I thought, oh maybe God is blessing me with a couple good nights of sleep right before the baby comes! Alas, no baby yet.
Best moment this week: um... getting everything, including our brains, ready for having a baby
Miss Anything: Being able to get a massage while lying on my stomach.

Movement: yes, still enjoying that!!!
Maternity Clothes: I just wish they were longer! And every day I struggle with what pants to wear.
Belly Button: half out, half in. I've investigated this further and that's as far as I think it can physically go, without tearing. oh tearing.... that word makes me cringe.
Wedding Rings: I've decided to wear them on my necklace now so that if they should magically fit after delivery I can put them back on!! I do miss them so...
Looking Forward To: Well, I told Andrew if we don't have this baby this week, that my consolation prize is a trip to Olive Garden. So I'm looking forward to that, since I've convinced myself that he isn't coming any time soon.

Journal:
   Sorry this post is coming to you later than expected.... It's just really not as exciting to write!!! Obviously, my observation on Friday went well, and no baby was to be had since then. How disappointing, yet relieving all at the same time. We have been on a mental rollercoaster it seems for the last week and a half! (it's telling me rollercoaster isn't one word... it should be, so I'm leaving it.) So let's back up and review the last week so I don't forget years from now. I made myself little bullet points to hit on in this blog: Bras, Olive Garden, Appointment, Work, Weather. I know what you're most excited to hear about.

So where did we leave off? Wednesday. Thursday was much the same... spent waddling and aching through work. Friday morning before my appointment I had the feeling my bp was fine and I was going to come straight back home and be disappointed that I got all worked up for a baby to come this week and then my Dr was going to change her mind. That's pretty much exactly what happened. I went to the Women's Center and got all hooked up and took a nap. Of course, every time the BP cuff started going, it startled me awake (they should've videoed me- I'm sure it was funny) and then I anxiously watched as it never went above 130/82.... high for me, but totally acceptable for keeping a baby inside. So I got sent home with instructions to follow up with my Dr on Tuesday as planned. I decided since I had nothing else planned that day I would take my time getting home. So I went to Lefty's Pizza and got the buffet and ate by myself... while I messaged Alexa and Michelle in the booth with my iPad. *sigh. Then I ran some errands- returning more baby things and getting cash money to spend on other baby things instead. Finally I came back home and who knows what happened after that- it was over a week ago. I don't even remember what we did last weekend. Oh Saturday we went to the Stuckey's and played the Farming Game. I've heard references to this game for years now, and I must say- I think you have to grow up with it to really enjoy it.

Sunday after church we ate at the local delicious Mexican hotspot, while people told me they and everyone else ate Mexican right before they had their babies. Didn't work for me. I don't remember what else happened that day. Or Monday- I worked, that's all I know. Wow, I'm really not remembering anything.

Tuesday I had a meeting at work all morning that I skipped out on part of to see my doctor. I was so excited and curious to see if I was dilated more and when she thought I'd have the baby. Well... I didn't score an exam so who knows if I progressed any more, and she was so relieved when she saw me. I wasn't surprised by anything she said, but I can't say I was 100% happy about any of it too. haha, which is funny- because I was perfectly healthy. I lost 4 pounds since the week before (when I had gained 8) I was much less swollen, my urine tests were all good (even with a donut for breakfast!!) and my BP was 130 something over 80 something. So we talked about vaccines and tests and IVs and all that great stuff. She said I made her nervous last week but that she still didn't think I would make it much past my due date. Yep. She said that. Um.... recap: last week she told me she wasn't about to let me go to my due date. Now this week, she tells me I won't go much PAST it. Seriously???? Come on... Hence the rollercoaster Andrew and I have been on this week. "baby's coming any day!!!" "baby won't be here for at least 2 weeks!!" ugh. I mean, really- I know there isn't a huge rush- He's healthier the longer he's in there, my parents get back from Argentina on Wednesday, being induced is harder labor than going naturally, yadda yadda yadda........ Also- the longer he's in there, the bigger he gets. Helloooooo.

Back to that IV mention... You'll remember I'm terrified of such things. I had a kind friend tell me that I was going to get an IV no matter what. I asked the doc about this and she said that I don't HAVE to have an IV no matter what, but that since she's never delivered any of my babies (funny, since I don't have any), she would like to at least have a hep-lock just in case of an emergency and if things go great this time, maybe next time I won't need one. I suppose I can concede to that. I'm learning to be a big girl every day. 

So I went back to work then on Tuesday and finished off the day. The next day we were supposed to get a big snow storm (which, of course, we did) so we had a bunch of people cancelling. So our lovely front desk people moved my schedule around and gave me the day off. Lots of people ended up with the day off, but at least mine was planned so I didn't have to worry/wonder in the morning! Thursday I went back to work but people were still cancelling so I only worked the morning. It was a wretched morning that I would like to never repeat nor even talk about so all I will say is, Praise the Lord I'm pregnant and got to leave in the morning. I came home and took off my bra and put on my sweats and took a couple back to back hour naps. It was just what I needed.

Since I've mentioned it twice now... I have recently acquired a disdain for bras. I hate them. Truly, I do. In fact, I don't even like boobs anymore. Not that I really loved them before, but I had nothing against my nice little ones. Now they are big, and I can't seem to find any bras that fit them. They cut into my ribs and make me so sore I want to scream. I hate them. Remember how I said I bought a nursing bra a while ago and it was too small?? Well I ordered 3 more online that were much bigger.... they are too small. I tell you my weight, so really, do you mind if I tell you my boob size? Pre-pregnancy I was a 32/34 barely B. I am now the owner of a 38D that is too small. TOO SMALL??!?!?! Did I seriously grow 7 inches around my bust along with the giant boobs?????!??! I understand many of you have started out with Ds, but seriously. When you've been an A and B all your life, D is really huge, along with wearing 32s and 34s and having 38s be way too tight. I'm told that they will be getting bigger, then smaller, then disappear (can't wait), and that I should keep all these nursing bras because eventually they may fit. What do I do between now and then???? I suffer another week or 2 or whatever, then my sister anonymous friend will lend me her jumbo ones to get me by. I hate bras. and I hate boobs. and yes, I realize all the men in my life love and will love them. That does not convince me they are worth it.

Moving on.... last weekend when we were at the Stuckey's there was an Olive Garden commercial on for a 2 for $25 meal deal thingy-do. It looked sooooooo yummy that I declared to Andrew that if we don't have a baby this week we are going to Olive Garden next weekend as a consolation prize. Well! Last night we went and wow.... that was the most AMAZINGLY delicious meal I've enjoyed in a while. The beauty of it is, I couldn't finish it and I get to enjoy leftovers today!!! Just saying, this little boy has a lot to live up to now. ;)
Andrew had put together a perfectly planned evening last night. We are getting a second washer since our current HE washer doesn't always get our clothes clean. We are cloth diapering. There will be poop involved. Our washer NEEDS to get ALL the clothes clean. So we are getting a non-HE one to use just for the diapers. I think it puts everyone's mind at ease. So last night we were going to go pick that up, then go to Olive Garden, then hop over to the mall to drop off my rings to get all shined up for when I can get them on my finger again, and spend a free $10 at JCPenney. We planned on leaving as soon as Andrew got home from work. I was actually ready to go when he got home and we were about to leave when he got a text from the person selling us the washer (Craigslist) saying there was a family emergency and tonight wouldn't work afterall. UGH. So waded in our misery of our evening's plans disintegrating, tried to rescue it several times, both of us were getting/staying grumpy.... Finally we decided we would just go to Olive Garden anyway, and Andrew would take the truck to pick up the washer another day. Oh, for those not local... Olive Garden is in Toledo- about an hour away. That's also where the washer was. We don't go to Toledo all that often, since it's an hour away (yes, I realize for some of you that's not very far) and now we are going to have to go twice, instead of hitting it all up in one trip. The evening didn't really redeem itself until we got our main dishes. AMAZING. And the leftovers that I'm enjoying right now are almost just as amazing. Anyway- everything always works itself out, we just need to be flexible when things don't go as planned. haha.... that sounds like advice my sister some wise lady was telling me last week about my childbirth plans...... lesson learned.

Finally, I should mention the weather this year. We have had 3 separate occasions of Level 3 emergencies- instances where due to weather we are not permitted to drive on the roads. As in, this has been one heck of a winter where the snow and cold have been incredible!!! Many people are tired of it, and ready for Spring, but for once- I am loving it all.... hello, who knew you could get snow days as an adult?!?! This is fun!!! The snow is piled up super-high and the winds just make it that much higher. I do hate the wind. But really, only when I have to be outside. Otherwise, let it blow and drift and keep us all snowed in. :) I say this because we have a nice warm house, and no need to leave. Of course.... we will have a need to leave and hopefully when we are going to the hospital it's not one of the bad days. The temperatures have dipped well below zero, with the coldest being -40 with the windchill factored in. I heard this past storm was the most snowfall we had- which was somewhere between 9-12 inches. **update: I just heard we have gotten 67 inches of snow this winter so far! That's the most since 1981/82!!**  I tried to take some pictures today of our place, but I don't know that it will really show much. Anyway, little baby..... it's been a cold, hard, real winter this year, and it hasn't been like this in quite a few years!!! :)

This coming week will probably be much like the past weeks: I work Monday, Dr Tuesday, with NO WORK  on Tuesday, not even the afternoon!!! score!!! and then I work Wednesday, and maybe Thursday if patients get added to the schedule. My parents get home on Wednesday so we can talk via phones again and not cross our fingers they have internet provided where they are!!! Full moon is on Valentine's day- Friday- so who knows... maybe next weekend will be the lucky time. The glory of next week is that it is my LAST week of work. I am starting my maternity leave on the 17th, so even if I am forced to wait ANOTHER week, at least I won't have the stress of work to bog me down. score.

Ok, is there any way that the person who just did our health info gathering for life insurance will read this blog? I hope not. And if so, I do sincerely apologize, please forgive me, and I will forever be embarrassed. hahahaha! But this story is just too good not to share. So Andrew and I are getting life insurance. I got a call earlier this week to see if today would work to do the blood work, height & weight and all that good stuff. So I told Andrew that a guy was going to be coming on Saturday right after lunch and to make sure he's home. Well today the guy calls because our address doesn't like GPSes since our address is different than our county... it's weird, I know, but trust me. So I'm giving him directions and when I hang up I told Andrew that he really sounds like Randy on Say Yes to the Dress. Like identical. If he would have walked up to our door, I wouldn't even have been surprised. Andrew didn't know who that was, so I tried to explain. Well the van pulls in the driveway.... and a lady steps out. WHAT?! hahahaha! Andrew thought I was the most ridiculous person in the world so after the kind lady left, I brought up a clip of Randy from Say Yes to the Dress and had him close his eyes. I'm telling you, she sounds IDENTICAL to him. All this time I thought she was a man, and now I'm wondering if I ever said anything that would have tipped her off. I sure hope not.....

My favorite maternity shirt needed photographed. So much more flattering than that white tank!!!

My outfit for church tomorrow. Sorry it's blurry. Funny thing is- that is a misses dress size small... that has now become a size large maternity tunic! ha! love it. maternity dresses when you are this huge are just plain hideous.

See you next week.