Gumby was never pregnant

Today's observation:

I am getting a lot bigger these days. In some ways I feel like this is a science fiction film. I eat and drink the same amount but each day I get a little bit bigger. It's as if some strange alien being is growing inside of me. . .

I dropped my pen in the bathroom today (I was on my way to a meeting and had my pen and notebook in hand). I bent down to pick it up and noticed it was pretty hard to bend that way. Of course I dropped it again a moment later and had to do this maneuver again. Gumby I am not. I hope this bump doesn't get much worse as I tend to drop things a lot.

And now for something completely different. . .

That's not a baby. It's food.

Here are more photos of marzipan babies.

via Noahbrier.com

Week 29 update

We've made it to week 29 and the McNugget is now 2 and a half pounds, "like a butternut squash."

Two scary things happened to me while I slept last night. You can read about the first one here.

The second included a dream. The scary part about the dream was that Jonathan and I were responsible for raising four children at once: two sets of twins, one set was about 6 months old and the other two were newborns (fortunately, I only had to birth one of them). So there we were with two little boys and two little girls. The first order of business for me in the dream was to get all of their names straight (this took a while). Then, Jonathan and I looked at each other in horror as we realized we had no idea what to do next. And then I woke up. . .

We had a really active weekend as we spent two days going through our basement and organizing lots of items we'll sell at a garage sale next weekend. Our neighbor (whom we first met at one of her garage sales) is an old pro and got us into the idea of doing it together. As a kid I always wished my family had one but we never did. Anyway, I was proud that the McNugget allowed me to do so much physical activity here in the third trimester. I actually enjoy being pregnant and active. I thought I would want to take advantage of the excuse pregnant women have to lounge around the house on weekends but it is more fun to move around and see how far I can take it.

On the kicking front I am definitely noticing a lot more movement these days and their frequency has given Jonathan more chances to feel the McNugget, even without DVR. It's always a surprise where the McNugget will kick next (the McNug is quite the acrobat) and most of the kicks are big enough that you can actually see your hand move in response to feeling them.

Another observation I have: pregnancy is long. This process feels endless right now. But it's funny, I don't want it to end. I actually don't mind being pregnant (save for the acid reflux and other occasional complaints). It just seems like the end is still so far away no matter how much closer I get each day. I am really enjoying the fact that I have so few responsibilities. I suppose this lengthy process is to give me a chance to savor this time before it comes to an extreme halt?

It's baaaaaaack

I had heard this might happen and I am sad to report that one pregnancy complaint has returned: heartburn.

I discovered this via a rude awakening at 3:30 this morning. I woke up in a panic. I literally shot up out of the bed, kind of like in the movies when someone is having a bad dream. I could feel something horrible in my throat and I felt like I was going to vomit. I took a moment to compose myself before heading for the bathroom. After a minute or two I realized that I wasn't going to vomit. Thank goodness --those of you who know me well know that vomiting is really hard for me. I get very upset and scared and usually cry. A general horrible feeling of loneliness overcomes me and I'm shaken for a while after it happens.

It dawned on me that I was experiencing acid reflux again. . .only it's way worse than when I first blogged about it during week 19. I tried to go back to sleep, elevating my head as much as I could (I've heard that's important when you are dealing with it) and eventually I was able to get some more Zzzs. Sadly, the problem has continued all day today and I'm pretty uncomfortable.

Catching up

So I had several things I wanted to include in this week's update but I didn't have the time to get my thoughts down and most of them are gone. Let me see what I can recover in the next few minutes:

My current complaint is occasional cramping in my calves. Otherwise, I'm feeling great. I had one night of discomfort this weekend when I sat on a very hard folding chair at dinner for several hours. I couldn't get comfortable and had to get up and walk around to make myself feel better.

Crossing my legs has become slightly challenging and I think I look funny.

For weeks I have wished that the McNugget had DVR. I am constantly feeling kicks when no one is around to feel them, or I'll feel a bunch of them and then Jonathan will want to feel and nothing happens. If only I could push "rewind."

I have a great book about birth that is helping me prepare for D-day. I'm pretty confident when I read it and I am excited in a lot of ways about the chance to be brave in the face of such uncertainty. I hope I can keep that up.

Jonathan and I met with a pediatrician last week whom we really like. I wasn't expecting this but it almost felt like an audition; I never thought of a doctor "selling" you on his or her services but that is sort of what it felt like. I suppose it makes sense. Jonathan pointed out that the one you pick will likely be the one you see for 18 years so it's important to make a connection. We liked how accessible this doctor was and that he was easy to talk to.

We signed up for a hospital tour next month. We really are getting close.

Is it a boy or a girl? Well, what did you eat for breakfast?

I'm still super busy at work and outside of work so no time for new posts but I just came across this article suggesting that a mother's diet around the time of conception could influence the sex of the child. It made me think of the McNugget and of course all of you!

Take a look:

Boy or Girl? The Answer May Depend on Mom’s Eating Habits

Week 28 Update

Hello there. This is a quick update to remind you I am still pregnant and still blogging. I have a lot to say and hope to find the time to write about it soon.

For those of you playing along at home, the McNugget "now weighs two and a quarter pounds, like a Chinese cabbage." Perhaps that explains a craving or two I've been having.

Yesterday marked the McNugget's 12th plane ride and as usual, the McNug took it like a champ. More on our travels and what's up with the pregnancy these days soon.

Oh, also, I should mention that despite the confusion with all of the pregnancy calendars I occasionally consult, there are only 12 weeks left (OMG OMG OMG) until D-day so I think it's safe to say that not only am I in the seventh month, but I have officially entered my third trimester. Dunh dunh dunnnnnnnnnnnh!

Week 27 Update

Here we are at week 27 and I am happy to report that the week of pain is over! My neck pain worked itself out and my back has been feeling good lately.

My current complaint involves a horrible taste in my mouth that won't go away no matter how many times I brush my teeth and no matter what kind of food I eat. I think perhaps eating a lemon will help. We'll see.

The McNugget is now about 14.4 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds "like the head of a cauliflower" according to our friends at babycenter.com.

This week is one of the hardest ones to define in pregnancy math. Some places tell me I have just entered my third trimester (woah, already?!?!), others categorize me as 7 months in and still other places say I'm still at the six month mark for another two weeks. I give up.

Other things I've noticed lately include a failing memory. Some days this is more pronounced than others. It's embarrassing when I can't remember the names of people I once worked with or an old TV show. Other days I am pleasantly surprised by what I can recall. I hope this gets better after the McNugget arrives, or not long after that.

My insomnia and anxiety dreams persist but I am getting better at dealing with the awake time (i.e. no more scaring myself about D-day). Last night I woke up from a weird (fortunately not terrifying) dream around 3AM and wasn't able to fall back asleep until 5AM. The insomnia does not seem to be entirely McNugget related, it's not as if persistent kicks are waking me or keeping me up but I am sure the McNugget still has something to do with it.

Speaking of whom, I'm impressed at how much the McNugget lets me do even this late into the game. On Sunday it was ridiculously hot in LA (the temp hovered just above and below 100 degrees all weekend) and I still managed to go on a walking tour with a group of people in the social justice fellowship I'm doing this year. We spent the morning in Boyle Heights (read Boiling Heights) and then spent some time downtown. I left before the last one and a half miles (quit while you're ahead, right?) but I felt great when I did leave and was pleasantly surprised at the McNugget's cooperation.

The week of pain

So remember how I was having a relatively "easy" pregnancy? I guess technically I still am but I have experienced a lot of miscellaneous pains this week.

For the past few days I have had odd stomach pains. They don't seem to be related to the McNugget, they just feel like regular stomachaches. I had one this morning and didn't want to get out of bed but once I did, it went away, only to make room for my next complaint. . .

Yesterday I noticed some pain in my neck, the kind you get from sleeping in an awkward position. I assumed it would go away but today it came back in a big bad way. I'm in a ton of pain and there isn't much I can do to relieve it. I am allowed to take Tylenol which hasn't really helped and the heating pad I have attached to my neck has only offered mild relief. If the pain persists, I can get a prescription for Vicodin or another painkiller but I would rather keep the McNugget off the stuff if I can.

Since I am talking about pain, I should mention that I have had some slight back pain but really, it's not so bad. My neck is far worse than any back pain I have had in a while.

And while we are on the subject of having an uncomfortable week, I am happy to report that I had good results to my blood glucose test (meaning I am not one of the 7% of pregnant women to develop gestational diabetes) but I did have a horrible experience (physically) going through the test. More on that in another post.

Leggo my prego eggo and other tips for dealing with a pregnant woman you don't know very well

Everyone told me this would happen and they were right.

When you are pregnant, you get a lot of attention. Some of it is fun but for the most part, a lot of it is unsolicited which means you never know what someone is going to say to you (or, in some cases, exactly who is going to feel more than comfortable reaching out and copping a feel of your bump).

It's funny but I find that for some people, my bump is simply a sign that reads "hey, come talk to me about your wife/girlfriend/friend who is pregnant" or "please tell me how awful your labor was."

So, for those of you who don't encounter many pregnant ladies and want to know how to act when you do come across one, here is some advice I can give based on my own experience:

-Just because your wife/girlfriend/friend is pregnant, does not mean that I want to talk about my birthing plan with you here in the grocery store/at work/in line at the airport. I realize you are excited about the pregnant lady you know but perhaps we can get to know each other first before you ask how I will labor?

-Unless we are old friends or I have a giant bug on me, please ask before reaching out and touching my stomach.

-Please remember that I am new at this and scared before you retell (in graphic detail) the story about how hard your sister's delivery was, how there was "a lot of tearing" and that "even a week later she was still in a ton of pain and on heavy painkillers." If I ask to hear about it that's one thing but offering up this info when we don't know each other very well is a little jarring.

-You are more than welcome to look at my bump and notice that I look really different these days but please look me in the eyes once or twice while we're talking.

But I assure you, it hasn't been all negative. Outside of a few people who seem to be more overzealous than Jonathan and I have been about the pregnancy and have shared a bit too much, most of the people I come in contact with have been very respectful and often really cute about all of the changes I am going through. And many of you read this blog, so thanks!

Liveblogging from the doctor's office

I'm at the doctor's office for a little while this morning to take a few blood tests. I considered liveblogging this event since I have my work computer and internet access with me but so far, it's been pretty boring. I have spent lots of time in the waiting room and the only thing I can report is that one selfish woman thought it was appropriate to make a number of work-related and personal calls from right here in the crowded waiting room.

So, while I wait, I guess I'll talk more about the pregnancy. As I reported yesterday, it seemed like overnight things had changed with the McNug's movements and the size of my bump. Up until now this pregnancy hasn't really been much of a burden and I am concerned it is now going to get in my way.

My mysteriously strong dreams continue. Two in the past few weeks have been so intense that the beating of my heart actually woke me from my sleep. The first time, my heart was beating so fast I thought it might rip through my chest. The second time was more mild, but still pretty intense in its own right. For the past two nights, I have again woken up in the middle of the night but not because of nightmares. It's generally to take a trip to the bathroom and when I return to bed, I can't fall asleep for a really long time. During that time, my mind tends to wander to not-so-constructive topics like how painful D-day is going to be, my nervousness about how I will have to care for something so needy on so little sleep, etc. I hope this passes.

Week 26 update

For the first time in a long time, I have a lot that's "new" to report in this week's update.

But first, your fruity stats from the folks at BabyCenter.com: the McNugget now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches, about the length of an English hothouse cucumber.

So here's what's new: Last night, the McNugget was more mobile than I've ever noticed before. I usually feel the McNug's movements on my own but they're not really big enough for others to feel. Those days are gone. The McNug came out swinging last night and I could actually see my belly move from her punches and/or kicks.

I also noticed this morning that I can feel parts of the McNugget poking different areas of my stomach. I can't tell exactly what they are but they are hard spots that I imagine must be a head or some other part of the McNug's anatomy. Jonathan can feel these too which is fun.

Lastly, my belly has grown a lot more and today I noticed I'm walking differently to compensate for my bump. I also find that it gets in the way more than it used to. I notice this when I wash my hands in the bathroom and lean up against the sink, or when I try to squeeze between two chairs. Even getting in and out of my car is a little bit different.

I also learned via a blood test that I am low on the iron front and need to take a supplement. This is funny to me because as many of you know, I am a serious red meat fan.

I'm sorry if I sound distracted in this post. Jonathan is watching TV; I'm listening in and I really want to join him. More on the McNugget's progress in a bit!

Nesting in Full Effect

You can always count on me to post about the home-related items, the less touchy-feely parts to this pregnancy (though those that know me know that I am actually plenty touchy-feely). Anyhow, we made our first "big" nursery-related purchase last night, on a whim.

We've been wanting to purchase a glider for the nursery -- I enjoyed rocking my nephews Zachary and Asher in one a few years ago and since then I knew I wanted to have one. Let's face it, you can't beat the rocking motion. . .these chairs are just so comfortable.

Being a victim to various pressures (namely, the pressures to buy the "it" glider brand, the Dutailier), we researched diligently. Our friend and fellow blogger Caroline gave her sister some space to wax poetic about this brand of overpriced gliders here, so you can read about it for yourselves. We've seen them in the stores and they retail for about $650-800 (yes, for a rocking chair).

Last night was a flurry of activity when we decided it was time to bring one of these nurturing wooden sleighs into our home. We went to Craigslist and found a used one listed right near Jamie's parents' house. Moments later we borrowed our neighbors' Jeep (thanks Jody and Dennis!) in anticipation of a potential purchase. We got to the house, inspected the chair, and bought it right then and there, for $65!!!

Now the only issue is that the chair needs new cushions (the current ones look a bit worn and aren't the right color at all) and that is another racket entirely (replacement cushions are very pricey as well). However, we saved SO much on buying the chair that we can luxuriate in a great fabric choice.

I'm happy, and I'm sure the McNugget will be as well.

-Jonathan