bumpdate: 35/35

How did I get here already? Ok, technically I'm 36 weeks on Monday...so really it's more like 35.5/30.

Anways, this baby is COMING! Like soon, people. It doesn't feel that way, if you know what I mean, but does it ever feel that way until it's happening? I don't know--this is my first go round. From what I read on all of your blogs though, it seems as if things start happening. down. there. before they actually happen. Oh well, there's still time--as of today, my next appointment is scheduled for the 25th--37 weeks. Maybe they'll move it up yet and check me sooner. Who knows.

I had another ultrasound this morning because doc was concerned about her kidneys and my {lack of} fundus height. His suspicions were confirmed; even the tech commented on how little amniotic fluid I had {much less than "normal"}. You know what that means. Baby is coming. Locked & loaded. Then the nice girl said "there's no way you'll make it to 40".

Panic. Husband just left with the motorcycle for a weekend up north with the boys, though he promised they wouldn't go further than Charlevoix {3-4 hours}. Crap.

While I know this news means I won't go today, or even tomorrow, or next week, but it still made me nervous. Historically speaking, I don't do well with "unknowns".

But alas, an update:

How far along? 35.5 weeks

Total weight gain: As of my appointment last week Friday, I'm up 30 lbs. Le sigh.

Maternity clothes? Although I'm still mixing many non-maternity pieces in, it's all maternity for the most part. Right down to the granny panties.

Sleep:  Life would be so much better with an hour long afternoon nap everyday. With the hubs gone this weekend, I'm planning on catching up on lots of zzzzzz's.

Best moment this week: Learning that she's locked & loaded, head down!

Miss Anything? I would give my right arm for a beer.

Movement: Only some shifting on my left side, where her feet & arms are.

Food cravings: Cereal, fruit, mexican, anything cold.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: BH pretty regularly--at least every other day.

Symptoms:  Holy swollen calves/ankles! It's got to be all this heat!

Belly Button in or out?  In/flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On, but I've been taking them off every chance I get.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy! I just cannot wait to hold her in my arms! I am almost happy that the docs are following me more closely too, even if the reason isn't all that great. I feel confident that everything will be ok and I'm happy that I'll be meeting her sooner than later too!

Looking forward to: Hearing what the doc says--he'll be calling again Mon/Tues to let us know the plan of action and if we'll need more ultrasounds to check the level of amniotic fluid around her.

33 weeks

How far along? 33.5 weeks

Total weight gain: Oh my dear lord....I was up to +27 at my appointment last friday, but that # is more like +30 now...yep, 3 lbs in one week...memorial weekend = too much food...dang.

Maternity clothes? I'm quickly running out of things to wear! I'm two seconds away from going out and buying new bras and underwear...things are getting ugly.

Sleep:  Getting more and more tired all the time after work now, still getting up a few times a night to pee.

Best moment this week: The baby shower my best friend Lindsey hosted at her home! Two weekends in a row of adorable baby stuff...what a lucky little girl!

Miss Anything? My energy and will to get things done! I've been feeling "out of my skin" lately. There's just a lot of things shifting around at work in preparing for maternity leave, and with all the preparations going on at home, I feel like all the old constants in my life are changing--guess I'm just trying to break myself in for a new routine!

Movement: It's getting cramped in there, and her movements aren't like quick little jabs and tickles anymore! She's pretty strong! Her feet are constantly on my left side, and something (head, butt, who knows) is up in my ribs on the right.

Food cravings: You'd think I'd be eating everything given how much I've packed on this past month! Going along with the "out of my skin" feeling, my appetite has been all over the place. "Nothing sounds good" is a common complaint Ross hears...thankfully he's getting better at fending for himself :) I could eat cereal about 100 x a day!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: A few BH. Unfortunately my guts have been rollin' lately too. TMI, sorry!

Symptoms:  Out of nowhere this past week, my legs and feet are starting to get a little tingly sometimes...and the cankles are setting in! ughh...and I thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones--nope!  Also found my first stretch mark (and about cried). Just a little baby one on the back of my hip...but a stretch mark nonetheless (hmmphf!). what a week!

Belly Button in or out?  She must have moved around in there, because now it's back to being all-in!

Wedding rings on or off? On, but I've been taking them off much more lately--the 90 degree weather this weekend was killer!

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Despite how much of a sob story the rest of this post is, I really am so happy and in love with this little girl! She has changed my life indefinately, and there's something so powerful in being a mother! Sure, I know I sound a little whiney when it comes to the symptoms and all that jazz, but 33.5 weeks is a long time and I'm starting to get a little worn out. Maybe that's the impatience talking?! I know she needs to cook a little longer though, and I don't need her coming before I'm fully ready! I just can't wait to meet her and love all over her!

Looking forward to: Finishing up the nursery and putting a deep clean on the little ol' house. My mother has been so kind to help me out with some of the tough stuff--bathrooms, floors, baseboard, etc since school is almost out and she's out of work for the summer. I'm so thankful for the extra hand, everything seems to take that much longer when you're preggo--I'm either getting sidetracked or have no gumption to get anything started in the first place! I am making lists though--and have even prepared my "take to the hospital" folder with all the important info for insurance, maternity leave, etc. It's a start! I found more useful tips for the last few weeks here! Love the posts on her blog!

I know, this blog still lacks pictures. Sorry (ok not really). Cripes I'm lazy. I'lllll work on ittttt!

bumpdate 31 & 32

How far along? 32 weeks 2 days (less than 8 weeks to go! when did this happen?)
Total weight gain: +25
Maternity clothes? Oh yes!
Sleep: Eh. I've been napping after work recently, which makes me stay up real late...and then getting up early is a royal pain. No-win situation here.
Best moment this week: Having my first baby shower at my Aunt Cindy's for my dad's side of the family! It was so wonderful--I can't believe how loved and spoiled little S already is!
Miss Anything? Here's one for the books--keeping my 'bits' tidy. I might as well shave blindfolded. Seriously--what's a girl to do in this situation? I need some advice here! Life is tough when you can't see between your belly button and your knees!
Movement: It's starting to slow down a bit, and is becoming more intentional. Sometimes I feel like she might try to pop out of my throat she's so far up in my ribs! She did have the hiccups the other night, it was so cute...

Food cravings: Anything cold. Fruit. Still oreos. Chocolate!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Leftovers ugh.
Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: A few BH. Gas!
Symptoms:  Bloody noses, restlessness, needing to pee wayyyyy more often!
Belly Button in or out?  Depends what position I'm in (standing, sitting...) and if I've just eaten. But for the most part--In.
Wedding rings on or off? On, but definitely getting tighter some days.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy and anxious! There's so much to do, so little time (and motivation? maybe just a bit!)

Looking forward to: A 'friends' shower at my bestie Lindsey's this weekend! Memorial weekend---love love love this time of year when hubby puts on his dress blues and walks in the parade with grandpa. God bless you, veterans! Thank you for your service!

Friends: Old & New

What a whirlwind of a past few weeks! I can tell that summer is definately getting into full swing around here...and it's not even Memorial Day yet! The past couple weeks have been spent doing some things long overdue like catching up with old friends. First, there was dinner and an engagement party for a bestie from high school & her fiance--Alli & Joe. Congrats again! We ran into more old pals there and it ended up being an excellent night with great conversation and many laughs. A few days later I got a text from my old college roomie, Kaleigh, who moved down to Georgia after school. I've only seen her twice since, so I was very eager to reunite! We met for a long lunch this past week and it was like we never skipped a beat. She even came out again this weekend to a bonfire with some other friends. Now that she's a citygirl, we had to give her a gentle reminder of how a bunch of small-town hillbillies get down. Nothing accomplishes that better than a few beers (for everyone else but me) around a bonfire down by the creek, accessible only by quad or 4-wheel drive. We stayed up late (ok, probably way too late for a preggo) and had so much fun I want this girl to move back! 

And of course I can't forget about my new pal! That's right, I had my very first 'blate' this past weekend! Kristen over at Living, Learning and Loving Lorenz is the sweetest, most genuine girl I have ever met! Seriously, girlfriend came over Friday afternoon and even brought a present for Baby S! We stopped in Saugatuck for some lunch at the Mermaid, walked the boardwalk, and spent the rest of the afternoon telling stories and saying things like "I can't believe how not-weird this is!" Of course I knew that no girl who was married on the exact same day and shares a love of labs could be weird. Kristen and her hubby Jason recently moved down to our neck of the woods from Northern Michigan. Both husband and I look forward to getting to know them better!

I can't express how grateful I am for these good times! It's easy to slip into a slump when you're pregnant--life seems to keep going on around you, but half of the time you're too tired or sick to stay up late and do what everyone else is doing go to the bar. I needed these days--for my own sanity! Work has been absolutely nuts again, so it feels good to take a breather and catch up with the girls. I have my 'friends' baby shower this weekend at my bestie Lindsey's, and I'm really looking forward to it!

bumpdate 26-30

Wait, what?! 30 weeks? Oh lawd!



Baby, what baby? Gee, I don't look tired at all, ugh!

THAT baby!


It's been a long, fast month again. One of those where it went by so fast, though it seems like forever ago, ya know? We got our results from the last ultrasound back, and let's just say it wasn't what we were hoping to hear. The swelling in her right kidney stayed the same (at 4mm), but the left one did get bigger. Lefty clocks in around 7mm, and they start to get concerned when they reach around 10mm. At this point, the doctor says there's nothing we can do for the rest of the pregnancy, only that she'll get a few scans after she's born and the pedi will decide how to go from there. If you know me, this is probably the most frustrating thing. I'm all about solutions, solving problems, and moving forward. This, however, happens to be one of those wait-and-see things that is completely out of my control--not something I deal well with. Doc did say he didn't think any further ultrasounds would be necessary, which completely freaks me out, but I guess I have to trust him. Sure, I could go get a "second opinion," but what good would that do? This is not something that can be fixed while she's still in there, so it doesn't make any sense to worry about it until she's out. Right? Right.

In other news, we did finally get the 4th wall of the crib up (yay) and we spent all day Saturday in Childbirth Education class. Yes, we...as in husband did accompany me, much to his dismay. What a strange ordeal. We were one of 4 couples in the class (the teacher's smallest class ever), and one lady who was a second time mother found it necessary to also bring her mother, in addition to her love child's assbackwards father. They were quite an entertaining trio. We learned a lot about our options, so it was well-worth the time (even Ross agreed).



Ross setting up



Elvis "helping"


How far along? 29 weeks 6 days


Total weight gain: +23lbs (ish)


Maternity clothes? Oh yes! I've been trying to work in as many of my regular tops yet...though I have a feeling they're going to be so stretched out by the end of this that I'll never wear them again :( I received some hand-me-downs for the summer earlier in my pregnancy and they were just big enough that I thought they'd fit just fine...I'll be lucky if I can button those puppies anymore though!

Sleep: When I get to sleep, it's good. This waking up in the middle of the night to pee business, on the other hand, is not my friend. I keep wondering 'what if i actually don't wake up and pee the bed, what would my husband say?' I guess it's best that I get up a few times, huh ;)

Best moment this week: Literally being knocked so hard in the side I had to stop what I was doing. We have a feisty one here!

Miss Anything? My energy. By the end of the day I just feel so zapped. The weekends are great though, I do so much better with a little nap mid-day. I cannot wait until these long days at work are over!

Movement: Most often between 9-11, just after lunch, and from dinner until bedtime. Every once and a while she'll start banging around in there while I'm in bed, but it's nothing that wakes me up.

Food cravings: My appetite is out of whack again. Babe seems to want all things fruity & cold...or cereal & oreos. We've been indulging in a lot of homemade yogurt & frozen fruit smoothies around here.

Anything making you queasy or sick: She still likes it hot & spicy, which is getting hard on my guts!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: I had another few BH contractions recently, but I've noticed they only happen when I don't have enough water.

Symptoms:  Nothing out of the ordinary. I have noticed though that when I have to "go", I have to go RIGHT NOW!

Belly Button in or out?  In, but barely. I was bit by a mosquito right in my belly button this weekend and it drove me crazy!

Wedding rings on or off? On, but definitely getting tighter some days.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy mixed quite frequently with "worried" and "anxious".

Looking forward to: My first shower on May 19th! I feel like it's so late, but I guess my last one is June 23rd. I don't know what the deal is with my family...I'm just so anxious to fill her room, but now I have to wait! Do you sense a theme here--I don't do well with waiting! Maybe the good Lord is trying to teach me a lesson?

put down the cheese and back away slowly...

Forget nesting. What I have is a serious pantry problem.

Ever since I started couponing a while back, my hoarding instincts get kicked into overdrive with every trip to Meijer. I don't think I blogged about it here {probably because you all would have thought I was a freak}, but first there was the day I bought 15 packages of Kraft cheese {sliced, shredded, & cream} because I could save $40 if I did.

Then there's the every time I get stuck in the cereal aisle with no less than 5-8 boxes in my cart. Paying more than $2 for a box of cereal is a crime! Stock up while it's hot! Ugh, they always get me because cereal is always on sale and you can stack coupons like a crazy person to get the best deals. Not to mention we go through a TON of cereal at our house. Ross will maybe have a bowl here and there, but Baby is the one who really likes it. So much that I have to haul out the big bowl every morning and smack myself before I even think about heading back for seconds. It's not unheard of to go through a box in 3-4 days at our house. A decent sized box. 

So, when I placed my third dozen eggs in the fridge this afternoon, it dawned on me that I might have a problem.

Then, when I was putting things my gazillion boxes of cheerios away, I found jars upon jars of outdated queso and thought "I really must have a problem."

When was the last time I had queso? Oh yea, first trimester. Piled high with Frank's Red Hot. Loved that shit.

 I'm not sure whether it's a shopping problem, an eating disorder, or a I-like-to-obsess-over-how-organized-my-pantry-is problem...but something here is not right.

But then I look at the 27 boxes of rice-a-roni that are all facing the same direction, lined up like little soldiers and organized by flavor and date and think "there is nothing wrong with this." I must provide for my family! I WILL use it all before it goes BAD, right?

Wrong. Look what happened with the queso. It's expired! Nobody will ever get to enjoy it, and here it sits taking up room on my shelf! Room that could be better used for the canned mushrooms that I buy in bulk from Costco, or jars of pizza sauce!

Maybe this post would be better titled, "My name is Gina, and I have a problem." Regardless, something has got to change around here. There needs to be limits. Obviously, my organization skills are lacking. Must. brush. up. on. organization. skills. before. child. comes.

Which leads me to....must. organize. child's. room!

Crap!

The cycle continues. Will it ever stop??

I remind you of WHO?!

Today I'm linking up with the fabulous Raven @ A Momma's Desires and Pacifiers for "Who's Your Doppelgänger?" I'll be honest, I wasn't even going to play at first...until I saw her matches and started wondering about my own. I used this site to generate the matches below. You have to try this with more than one pic...some of the results are hilarious! All I can say is that if my little baby girl comes out looking like John McCain, somebody shoot me.

First try, not bad. Kristanna Loken (think Terminator 3), I'll take. Same with SJP and Hilary. I always knew I had a little Carrie in me. As for Tara Reid, let's just say she wouldn't be on here if it was a waist-up shot. I won't even start with Ms. Weaver. Maybe in 50 years.



I tried it on my little sister and got more favorable results.

Then I tried the other half of my pic with my sister, thinking if her results were this good--that mine would be even better...but no. Effing Bruce Willis, Fred Durst & John McCain. WTF! It must be that glaring forhead that gives me away, because these dudes have NO HAIR! I know some girls are into that sort of thing, but gawd, NOT ME!

Don't be fooled, I tried it again with another pic and got the same thing. A bunch of old, bald guys. Ewwie.