28 wks, 1 day: Prego-Pics!

Okay, I managed to get a couple half-decent pics (though in two of them I don't look as pregnant as in other - never to be posted - pics):

Too funny!

I was having a bath tonight (trying to relax my back muscles - I went for a massage in hopes of it helping my sciatic nerve issues) and watching my belly. Well, at one point, Baby Bee kicked or rolled so hard that I could see the left side of my belly shift! It was pretty funny to watch...

What the hell?!

I was checking everyone's blogs this morning, including my own as I check for comments, and my post from last night isn't showing. What the fricking hell?!

I'm not sure if I've posted it here or not... but, I've been suffering from some back pain. Not my usual pregnancy-back pain, but rather it seems I did something to my tailbone early last week and I'm still suffering. I've been to my chiropractor twice. I don't want to go to my doctor becasue he's already given me the strongest drugs he's willing to give for pregnancy back pain (Tylenol 3) and thus would want to take me off work for a few days (I've already done that and as such can't afford any more missed days this pay period). So, I'm suffering. It was feeling better last night, but now it's hurting again - I get pain shooting from my tailbone down my left butt-cheek and leg... especially when walking (when the left leg moves) or if I have to lift my left leg (think... putting lotion on my sunburnt shin). *sigh* So, here I am... a prego-cripple. :'(


Edit: Oh sure... now it shows once I put a new post up, thus making me look like I'm imagining things again... bah!

You'd think I'd learn...

...not to watch shows like TLC's "A Baby Story" when I'm 38 weeks pregnant! *sigh* And yet, nearly every time I'm home during the day because I'm not feeling well, I watch it. As if the notion of labor doesn't scare me enough at this point... I watch a show that features screaming women in horrible pain during labor. I'm a nut.

I looked at the ticker at the top of this blog... less than 90 days/3 months... I'm not ready for this. Supplies wise (diapers, wipes, etc.), Baby Bee could arrive today if he wanted; birth wise, I'm just feeling a little apprehensive at this point in time. I've been feeling this way for a little while now... I really wish I could turn my brain off!

My first experiment with my sewing machine was a little aggravating. The curtains for Baby Bee's room are done, but the stitching leaves a bit to be desired - it's as if the lower tension was too loose, but there is nowhere on my machine to adjust lower tension. We're thinking that how thin the material I used is could also have played a part. So, I got frustrated and made JB finish the last little part of the project. But, I haven't give up completely... my next little project is going to be a little blanket - not a huge blanket, more of a receiving blanket (because you can never have too many of those).

If that goes well, I'm going to try something a little more complicated - a baby sleep sack. I wanted to buy a Halo Sleep Sack, but I'm not putting anything on my credit card right now and there is no where in Alberta to buy them in-store. So, I bought some really cute (Winnie the Pooh, of course) fleece today and will try my hand at making one. If it goes well, I'll make one for my friend's baby-to-be as part of her gift.

I really need the cleaning-fairy to show up at my house. The "nesting syndrome" you hear about with pregnant women definitely hasn't hit me yet... it had better hit soon... my house is in some serious need of cleaning! I want to clean it, but I'm lazy and there are more fun things to do...

Oh... here's an interesting pregnancy perk... I'm leaking. Yup, you read that right... on occasion (and sometimes at in-opportune times *blush*) I'm leaking. I honestly thought that this only occurred after birth when you're breastfeeding. But, I've learned that when you're pregnant you leak a fluid called colostrum - which is to lubricate things and generally get you ready for breastfeeding. Thus far, not a huge inconvenience... just something else for JB to laugh at me about! ;) I have removed one of my bras from my wardrobe, as it isn't thick enough to absorb anything if I do happen to leak at work... I'm really, really trying to avoid that!

It's a boy...

... Tee hee... most likely anyways! The technician at the 3D ultrasound is very sure Baby Bee is a boy (and it looked pretty obvious on the pic she showed us), which agrees with the technician at ultrasound #2 (see the July 5 post). We will still have two sets of names picked out... but now I can buy cute little boy clothes! And, if they are wrong, we will have some gender-neutral clothes that I have already purchased.

I'll be honest... I was hoping for a girl a little bit. JB was wanting a little daughter, and I think that's largely because he sees how his best friend is with his daughter and JB really envies that. So, after ultrasound #2 I was feeling a little disappointed for a few days (which, as I've read, is normal for most people to have a preference one way or the other). But, now I'm very excited! I'm glad we found out what we're having so that both of us have/had time to deal with any feelings of disappointment and can now focus on our little Baby Bee and how much fun it will be to have a little boy... and how much fun JB will have teaching that little boy to pick on his Mommy! :p Although I was hoping for a little girl, I got thinking... my original "plans" for a family was to have two children - one boy, one girl - with the boy older (in my mind, the big brother will protect the little sister... I know that doesn't always happen, but that's my little fantasy)... so, my "family plan" is one step closer to coming true! :D

The 3D ultrasound was really neat - I liked it a lot. We didn't get the clearest images because Baby Bee was snuggled right up into my placenta... must have been comfy! Apparently you get better images if there is a gap between the placenta and the baby. But, we couldn't get him to move. Part way through the tech gave me a lolly pop (mmm... sugar) and got me to move around in hopes that Baby Bee would move. Nope... no luck. All that resulted in was being assaulted from the inside out! I'm not sure if he did or didn't like that lemon lolly pop, but man were there some violent kicks after that! One even knocked the tech's device off my belly and then I had a fit of giggles!

I think the web-hosting is just for a couple of our still pics, and not the video. I'll post a link when I have it (I still haven't emailed them what pics to post). Although it was expensive, I'm glad we went... especially since we got to find out, with a fair degree of certainty, that Baby Bee is a boy!

On another note, JB and I spent a couple hours at the bank yesterday morning. It seemed to go pretty well, seeing as how we both have pretty good salaries and we (well, JB anyways) have some investments. Now we are waiting to find out the market-value of our house... if it's high enough we will be able to do the re-financing that we want to do and get everything in on payment with one low interest rate. If we can get a little extra, we are going to build the fence (yes, our fence is falling apart... who doesn't use treated lumber these days!) and the gravel parking pad where, eventually, the garage will go. Although the meeting seemed to go well... I still hate dealing with finances!

My bladder woke me up this morning at 4:15am and I couldn't get back to sleep... hence the early morning post. On the up side... I now have no excuse not to go swimming this morning. I've been wanting to go swimming at least twice a week for quite a while now, but the only time I can fit it in is in the morning before work. So, getting into that routine has been difficult (this will be swim #1 this am)! Hopefully I'll be able to get into a routine... I need to get some exercise and swimming is really good when pregnant (I've been gaining a lot of weight and I'm worried I could exceed what my doctor hopes I'll gain).

Well... I should go get everything together and head off to the pool. Chat you all later...

My how time flies...

26 weeks... wow! I can't believe how time flies!

For C-Dub... I believe today is the last day of my second-trimester. As of tomorrow, I'm officially in the home-stretch (aka: third-trimester)! Tomorrow is the 3D ultrasound - I really hope Baby Bee cooperates and we get some good images; I also hope s/he lets us know if it's a boy or girl.

I've been a little (okay, not so little) ball of stress lately... I'll post on my other blog as to the reason. Because of the stress, my heartburn/acid reflux has been really nasty recently. Gross! I am feeling better today though. I want to go swimming 2 to 3 times per week, but the only times I can go would be before work... and I can't drag my butt out of bed in the mornings... bah humbug! I'm going to make another attempt at getting to the pool next week - I think if I were to get into some sort of routine, I wouldn't have as much trouble getting up to go swimming in the morning. But, getting into that routine is the problem.

Pregnancy-related events coming up for me include:
- 3D Ultrasound - June 16
- Prenatal Appointment #6 - July 10
- "Late" Prenatal Class (1 of 2) - July 28
- "Late" Prenatal Class (2 of 2) - August 11 (daytime)
- Friends & Family Baby Shower - August 11 (evening)
- "Better Beginnings" Class at the Hospital - August 16

Lots of stuff is coming up. I need to get on top of my baby registry before August or I'll hear about it from my cousins! I'm registering at Babies R Us, as I despise Wal-Mart registries. I'm not a big fan of registries, but I guess they are helpful to those who want to get you something (whether it be for a wedding, baby shower, etc.) and don't want to get a gift card but want you to like what you're getting... hmmm... I think I'm babbling!

JB and I are heading to the bank on Monday to look into a home-equity type loan to consolidate some bills at a lower interest. We need to get our finances organized before I stop working... but I really do not enjoy dealing with money, especially when I'm stressed, and especially because I feel so bad that I have my student line-of-credit that JB will basically be paying for as I don't plan on working full-time after Baby Bee is born. *sigh* Money makes the world go round, right?

Update - 24 weeks, 4 days:

I guess I should post some kind of update, seeing as how I haven't actually written anything since May 10th! So, here goes...

Well, first of all, C-dub asked if my belly is getting in the way and if I'm having trouble bending. Thus far, my belly isn't really getting in the way - as I am a "larger" woman, I'm not showing as much as a smaller woman does. Thus, my belly isn't all that big... though it is definately bigger than it used to be. I got JB to take some pics, but I am not a "cute pregnant lady" so I'm not posting them. Perhaps I'll like the next set of pics better (when I have more of a preggo-belly) and will post them... but no promises. As for bending over... yes, that is more difficult! Apparently things got rearranged inside of me and bending over is definately more challenging than it used to be. Getting in and out of bed can also be interesting.

I went for my second ultrasound on May 31... seeing as how Baby Bee was squirming too much during the April 17th one and the technician couldn't measure everything. I will be seeing my doctor tomorrow, so I'll find out if everything is a-okay. The one thing I did learn is that apparently my right kidney isn't where it's supposed to be - it is lower and twisted. The technician and doctor (yes, the doctor on staff came in to take a look... he was a mean old man who has very poor bedside manner and is very rough with the ultrasound device... how would he like it if I poked and prodded him when his bladder was full?!) at the ultrasound didn't say much, so I will see what my regular doctor says tomorrow.

Baby Bee made the ultrasound technologist laugh, as s/he was folded in half and apparently had the hiccups! One thing I notice is that during ultrasounds I can feel things with the baby that normally I can't yet. I don't know if it's because you don't have anything better to do than to pay attention to your body for the hour or if it's because of the way the technician is pushing on things... either way... it's neat. I could feel the hiccups and that is a funny sensation! I don't think I'll be able to really feel something like that normally for a week or so, as that's what happened after the first ultrasound.

Now, in terms of whether Baby Bee is a boy or a girl... we don't know. I asked the ultrasound technician if they could tell and they said "I think it's a ... " (emphasis on the long, drawn-out, unsure "think"). However, partway through the ultrasound, the technician accidentally referred to the baby as the opposite gender. Thus, JB and I decided that we do not know if Baby Bee is a boy or a girl. And, we aren't telling people what the ultrasound technologist said. We will wait until our 3D ultrasound on June 16 and see what that shows.

Enough about the ultrasound! The other thing I will find out tomorrow is the results of my GDS test (gestational diabetes screen). That test wasn't nearly as bad as my friend had made it out to be - you have to drink this really sweet, slightly carbonated, orange drink within 5 minutes and then you have to sit in the lab for 1 hour before they take your blood. The drink wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting, but then again I have a really bad sweet tooth and my prego-friend cannot stand things that are too sweet right now.

So, things are going okay. I'm still tired all the time. Other than that, I get pretty bad back pain at times and headaches/migraines are a pretty regular occurance. But, I'm surviving and I know that there are women that go through a lot worse than I have thus far. So, we shall see...

Ultrasound Pics - May 31

Ultrasound Pics - April 17