It's a Bird - It's a Plane -

It's SUPER-MAC!!!





Seriously, who could resist?! I hope it fits him at Halloween -- or at least a week or two before, so I can take some cutie-patootie Halloween photos!

30 Weeks!

Don't you think the milkshake adds about 20 pounds? But it's sooooo yummy! And it's chocolate, which helps to prevent pre-eclampsia.

Meanwhile, I'm 30 weeks pregnant! So much more exciting than turning 30 years old. Only 11 weeks left on my 41-week schedule... Good thing the MacDaddy is ready to start on the nursery.

As for how I'm feeling? Tired. Very tired. Taking a shower is exhausting. And as tired as I am, I can't sleep at night. Luckily, the MacDaddy insists I get my exercise, either swimming or walking the dog. So I swim almost every single day. It doesn't really help with energy, but I know it's good for me. I also have heartburn, despite all the Zantac and Tums. At least back pain is minimal, thanks in part to the prenatal massage the MacDaddy scheduled for me this weekend! He takes such good care of me!

So coming up this week:

• Our last birthing class. I know the MacDaddy will be thrilled to have finished that class. I think he's better at giving lectures than listening to them.
• My shower in Houston! Yay! I'm so excited to see everyone. I haven't been to Houston since Christmas, and there will be a few people I haven't seen since our wedding -- more than a year and a half ago!
  
• Picking out the paint for Mac's nursery! I already have a color in mind; the MacDaddy and I just need to go to Lowe's and have them mix some up for us.
• I need to post another blog entry showing you all the super-cute outfit I got for Mac. I think it may have to be his Halloween costume. You're all going to love it!
  

Nesting

What? Who, me? Nope. The MacDaddy.

That's right. The MacDaddy has begun nesting. To be fair, I have been holding off, largely because we've been trying to save his study for as long as possible. August is the month we picked to convert the study into the nursery. We could have waited until September, but that's a bad month for the MacDaddy -- he's a teacher. So August it is, and in the meantime, I've been wishing I could start decorating a nursery, but keeping it all to myself.

But this week, the MacDaddy himself called and arranged for a painter to come and repaint the room. He also met with the carpet guy, got some carpet samples and estimates. And then, yesterday, he got aggravated that we have too many piles of papers around the house (we both pile, like little termites), and insisted that I could not go to bed until I had gone through my laundry basket full of papers. Yup. He's nesting. At least I get to pick the carpet and the paint!

Now, if only he would scrub out the bathtub and polish the silver...

I am SOOOOO making this...

Stripe It Rich Cake, but probably not until next week (because I'll be out of town and eating other yummy goodies this weekend). I'm debating whether to save a few slices to share with the MacDaddy and maybe even people at work. I may just eat it all myself.

I plan to use yellow cake and chocolate pudding. Because the chocolate will help me prevent pre-eclampsia.

29 Weeks!

Whoa, look at that! I'm up to the size of a squash (which just happens to look like a pumpkin)!!! And only 12 weeks to go (on my 41-week schedule)!

So at 29 weeks, here's what's happening with me & Mac:

• According to the OB last week, Mac is now head-down.
• I think Mac wants to be a drummer, based on what I feel on my bladder all the time. All. The. Time.
• I have submitted a request to our IT Division at work to relocate my computer to the bathroom, in order to maintain a minimum level of productivity.
• Due to the lack of electrical outlets and network connections in the bathroom, my IT Division has suggested that I talk to my OB about installing a catheter. I'm seriously considering it.
• I had two nights of amazing sleep this week. (Definition: continuous sleep for 3-4 hours.)
• Last night, I never slept for more than an hour straight. I could not get comfortable. When I woke up this morning, my stomach was sore. It felt like I had done 10,000 sit-ups last night. Then, Mac thought that would be a good time to try percussion on my abdominal wall.
• I am continuing to consume chocolate in order to reduce my risk of developing pre-eclampsia.
• The MacDaddy has scheduled appointments for us to meet with two pediatricians! (Well, one pediatrician and one nurse practitioner.) He's such a good dad!

In other news, we have our first furlough day this Friday, so I'm not getting paid not to work! To celebrate, Mark and I will drive to Tucson and spend the weekend at our favorite resort. I'm estimating it will be about a 3-hour drive with bathroom stops (1 hour, 45 minutes without).
I wonder how a catheter works when you're swimming . . .

I Scream, U Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!

I passed the dreaded glucose test -- on the first try! No 3-hour test for me, thank you very much! So that means I can have ALL the ice cream I want! (Ok, my OB didn't say that, exactly, but that's what it meant to me.)

My blood pressure is really good, so despite the swelling it looks like no pre-eclampsia here. AND Mac is measuring right on schedule. So take that, Gigi! Pfffft! No 15-pound turkey-baby here!

In other news, Gigi told me today that she saw on TV that a recent study found that consuming chocolate can reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia! Again, more evidence that I can have all the chocolate ice cream I want!

28 Weeks!

So today is 28 weeks! Honestly, I'm just tired right now. It's hot outside. And humid. Yuck.

And I couldn't sleep last night, partially because I had symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome. What symptoms, you ask? Well, my legs were restless. So just one, I guess, but from what I've read, it appears to be the only symptom. Thanks to Dr. Google, I now know that the Claritin (which my OB told me I could take for allergies, thank you very much) that I took last night after holding off for a week can actually cause RLS. So now I get to choose between waking up coughing due to allergies, and waking up with restless legs. I think I'll go back to coughing. I can go back to sleep faster -- usually.

Anyway, back to being 28 weeks pregnant. Not much different than 27 weeks. Still swelling, still swimming, still kinda the same. Except only 12/13 weeks to go. And I'm looking forward to Wednesday, with my fingers crossed, hoping to have my OB tell me that I passed the glucose test with flying colors! (Honestly, this is a lot like the bar exam: I don't care if I passed by the skin of my teeth, just so I passed!)

Tennis [Balls], Anyone?

I managed to survive the glucose tolerance test yesterday. The rumor is correct and the orange drink tastes a lot like Orange Crush. The worst part is the 1-hour wait in the lobby of the lab. I couldn't really focus on reading, so I did crossword puzzles on my phone until I hit the sugar crash and couldn't do it anymore. Fortunately, by then I had less than 10 minutes to wait. Special thanks to the MacDaddy for going with me. I hate blood draws and I appreciated his support. Stay tuned next week for the results...

After that, we headed to our first Lamaze class. The instructor is very enthusiastic. I'm sure the class will be helpful, even if she does say things like, "The average time for a first labor is about 18 hours, and that's probably a little low."

At one point, the MacDaddy asked what a focal point was. As part of my explanation, I mentioned that the Doggie-wog would probably recommend using a tennis ball as a focal point. Not ten minutes later, the instructor recommended that we bring tennis balls to the hospital to use for back massage during labor. That's when the MacDaddy and I lost it. Maybe we will have to use a tennis ball as a focal point -- and massage. (Don't worry, Doggie-wog. I won't steal your beloved, nasty, slobbery ball. I'll get my own. And then you can have it when we get home.)

27 Weeks!

(A day late, but not a dollar short...)

So now I'm at 27 weeks, which means I have only 13 weeks left. Except that I am planning on going late* and being induced at 41 weeks. So I really have 14 weeks left.

I am now in the third trimester. Sounds exciting, because it's the home stretch, right? Well, I've been secretly dreading it. Lots of trials and tribulations may loom over the coming weeks: swollen feet and ankles, back pain, lack of sleep, general discomfort, the possible return of morning sickness, and the possible diagnosis of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia, to name a few. Fortunately, what I've been experiencing isn't too bad -- as long as it's not 115 outside. But some days, it is.

Last week, I came home from work and discovered I must have left my ankles at the office, because I sure couldn't see them between my calves and my feet! After elevating them and using my heat wrap for 15-20 minutes, they started to reappear. That was the day it was 115. Since then, I've been more conscientious of elevating my feet during the day. I even found a step stool to keep in my cube.

I'm also enjoying back pain. Ugh. Worse yet, I think I'm developing sciatica. My tail bone hurts on one side. I didn't know that was even possible until I felt it. (I mentioned it to someone at work who said it could be back labor -- which would be worse than sciatica. I'll keep my mouth shut from now on.)

The good news is that swimming is great for both of these ailments, and the MacDaddy found the key to the pool at our condo. It's really nice -- looks out over the lake! So I've been swimming more and more.

Also good news: Mac is getting to be a really active baby. Okay, that might not seem as good once he's out and crawling/running around, but for now, it's a sign of good health. I'll take it, gladly!

Tomorrow will be two big milestones for me: the glucose tolerance test, and our first Lamaze/birthing class. We're a little early for the class, but it works best for the MacDaddy's school schedule. Next week, I'll find out the results of the glucose tolerance test--i.e., whether I'll be able to purchase another 40-pack of ice cream treats from Costco. Don't worry, MacDaddy -- they won't go to waste! I plan to finish them off before we get the results!

* I know, I could very well go early -- and, in fact, my doctor might even induce a week early if, as my mom keeps threatening, I'm having a 14-pound baby. But if I consistently plan on going full term + one week, I won't be too disappointed if I actually do, right?