37 Weeks!!!

37 Weeks! You know what that means, don't you? It means that Mac is now a full-term baby!

It also means that my doctor may induce at any time if my blood pressure spikes. And that I could go into labor at any moment, even if she doesn't induce. And, by the way, with the way I've been feeling most days, I wouldn't complain if she did want to induce.

Meanwhile, things have been weird. I've been having more trouble sleeping. Even though I was looking forward to relaxing all weekend, I ended up out and about for most of it. Except when I was up and about, reorganizing the nursery and packing my hospital bag. Mac's bag is pretty much packed. I have a bag packed, and so does the MacDaddy, but a few things are still waiting to be packed in them.

I'm also wondering if the MacDaddy knows something I don't. Our nephew's (Kai) 3rd birthday is October 9 -- just a few days after Mac's due date. Yesterday, the MacDaddy got it into his head that we absolutely, positively HAD to purchase Kai's birthday gift yesterday.  He had several other, more pressing errands to run, but insisted that the gift had to be purchased -- it couldn't even wait until today. Hmm...  In all fairness to the MacDaddy, it probably wouldn't have been purchased today, but why couldn't it have happened on Saturday? There would still be 3 weeks left to mail it.  Oh, well, it's done (mostly -- I still want to add a couple things), so that's good.

I have my next doctor's appointment tomorrow, and if anything interesting happens, I'll post another update.

36 Weeks!!!

[Or... 36 weeks and 2 days!!!]  And only 26 days to go -- or maybe 33 days for me.

I know you want to see a belly pic. But I'm expecting a really cute pic of me, my belly, and the MacDaddy taken at 36 weeks, and I'll post that one, instead.

As for how I'm feeling? Don't ask. I am amazed at the broad range of discomfort one can feel. Who knew pain could be so creative? Every day, I discover a new form of discomfort. Mainly, these days, I feel like my pelvic bone is broken, which is very uncomfortable for walking around. Not that I walk around that much, but I do have to go to the restroom regularly at least every 30 minutes.

I've now completed the two work-related tasks I felt I absolutely, positively, without a doubt had to complete before Mac arrives. The first is my FMLA leave paperwork. All done and approved. The second is my CLE affidavit. Every year, attorneys have to file an affidavit to show that we have completed 15 hours of classes that are more gut-wrenchingly dull than a high school class on the philosophy of geometric computer programming continuing legal education.  (I shouldn't be so hard on CLE; this year I got to attend a CLE program on animals that assist those with disabilities -- and it included a free lunch!) My CLE affidavit was due on September 15. I had completed the CLE by June 30, and I just needed to pull all the documents together and fill out the form online. I was procrastinating just for the thrill of worrying what would happen if Mac showed up on September 13, and I hadn't completed my affidavit yet. But now that's done, so I get to keep practicing law for another year without punishment, regardless of when Mac decides to show up.

Now, anyone who knows of my tendency to procrastinate (Pappy?) might be wondering why I completed these two tasks with about a month to go before Mac's due date. Well, at our 36 week appointment yesterday, my blood pressure reading was 130/88. Even though the doctor repeatedly said that's not high, it's just borderline, she did say:

1. As of Monday, I'll be 37 weeks, which is full-term. So if I have a "high" blood pressure reading on or after Monday, she may just induce.
2. "When is your mom flying out for the delivery? Is her ticket booked yet?"
3. She wanted to see me on Friday for another BP check. Not only that, she walked me to the front and told the scheduler that she could come in early Friday, if she needed to, because she wanted to be sure she saw me on Friday. Keep in mind, I already had an appointment scheduled for next Tuesday.

So this could just be my doctor being cautious and trying to give me fair warning. But it was just as easy to take care of those two things and not have to worry about how I would take care of them immediately after Mac gets here.

Do I think Mac will be here early, like next week? I think I'm just like any other woman who is 36 weeks and 2 days pregnant, without a scheduled c-section. I think that Mac could be here in a week, or in 4 weeks, and there's no way for me to predict it.  (But you're welcome to try -- check out our Baby Pool here!)

Besides, I firmly believe that if I go to great lengths to prepare for him to arrive early, he'll just camp out inside me for a few more weeks. On the other hand, if I allow myself to procrastinate on all those things, well, I may as well plan to meet him early next week.

So I went to work and took care of the most immediate work stuff. I also booked Gigi's ticket.  It's an award ticket, so now she can change it to whatever date she wants. Hopefully, she'll be over-prepared to fly out early, making it less likely to happen.

Now I just need to pack my hospital bag and pick up a few little necessities for Mac...

35 Weeks...

And 35 days to go!  (Well, 42 days, on my 41-week schedule...) Yep, this coming Saturday is one month before my due date. And I'm starting to feel "ready."

As far as the condo goes, I feel like we could manage if Mac showed up now. We still have a few finishing touches for the nursery, and there are probably a few things we could use baby-wise, but I think we could manage to bring him home and survive until we made it to the store to pick up the last few things. (Stay tuned for another nursery post, in which I rave about how hard Gig and the MacDaddy have worked to put it all together!)

As far as my physical state, I am so ready.  I had a few days of relief from the worst of the sciatic pain over the weekend, but this morning it came back full-force. Back to taking baby steps to get anywhere and leaning over at odd angles. My digestive system has forgotten how to run smoothly, what with the constant heartburn. I'm starting to feel a little queasy a lot of the time, too.

What really surprises me is that I don't notice the heat so much any more.  It's like I have enough other complaints that the heat doesn't really make it on the list.  (And it's not just because it's "cooled off" to a mere 98 degrees today -- I felt this way last week at 109.)  It's probably helping that the MacDaddy has officially taken over all the long walks for the Doggie-wog. Although the Doggie-wog is very patient with me, I don't think he could stand having me walk him at 0.5 mph for 30-40 minutes.

I think I read somewhere that Mac should be about 18 inches long and weigh about 5.25 pounds. And in two weeks, he'll be considered "full term." In so many ways, I can't wait to meet him!

(Don't get me wrong -- I much prefer that he keep growing inside me for at least a few weeks. Best for him and best for all of us!)

34 Weeks!

34 weeks, as of Monday! The photo is from Tuesday. Can you tell I'm exhausted?  It doesn't really help much that I'm developing sciatic nerve pain. My doctor more or less suggested that it's going to get worse from here, until delivery, and there's not much I can do.  So now I'm walking at about a 1/2 mile-per-hour pace. 

The great news is that my blood pressure was 138/88 on Monday, and I had to go back to the doctor today and it was down to 130/88.  Also, my blood work was really good and I don't have pre-eclampsia. I'm continuing to eat chocolate to help prevent it.

I am so glad that Gigi is here this week. She and the MacDaddy have been working really, really hard on the nursery.  I don't know what I would be doing without them!  A couple of weeks ago, I came home and the MacDaddy had put together the crib all by himself! This week, the MacDaddy took Gigi to get the mattress and a few other necessary items, and they also hung the drapes! I have been so relieved, because these things are harder and harder for me to even help with.

Unfortunately, the nursery is currently a big mess, so I can't take any photos to show you.  But I promise that as soon as it's in order, I'll post plenty of photos!

33 Weeks!

Or, 33 weeks and 2 days.  Close enough. I mean, I only have 47 days left, as of today, and I have a lot to do. So I may slip a little here and there.

Not too much new to report. My blood pressure on Sunday night was 124/84, which is just under the benchmark my doctor gave me to call her. So I guess it's not an emergency, but I'll see what she says at the appointment on Friday.  My knees still hurt, too, especially when I'm getting up from a sitting position if I don't have any support to lean on.

Mac has learned a new trick: wedging his little foot up under my right ribcage. His foot doesn't seem so little when it's in that particular spot. It doesn't hurt, but it does give me the urge to reach under my ribcage and take it out -- except that I can't feel my ribs from the outside because there's so much stuff in front of them these days.  I think they call that stuff "a baby."

Can you believe I only have 47 days left? That's like a month and a half!  Of course, on my schedule, I probably have about 54 days left, but either way, less than 2 months to go!

32 Weeks!

Sorry -- I usually post a photo with the even-numbered weekly updates. I'll have to do that later. I'm already in my pj's, and it's not photo-friendly.  Rest assured, there will be a photo posted this week.

So I'm 32 weeks pregnant. I understand that Mac is about 19 inches and 4 pounds. He may get a little longer, but mostly he'll be adding weight for the next several weeks. He's also been very, very busy, and his kicks are definitely getting stronger. Sometimes, the MacDaddy can see them from the outside -- my belly bumping out in weird directions. It almost looks like an alien's about to burst out of there!

No more than 9 weeks to go!  We'd better get going on the nursery...

Which reminds me: all my hard work* this weekend? No good deed goes unpunished. I had my 32-week appointment this morning and it turned out I had high blood pressure.  122 over 86.  Not through the roof, and in fact the "top" number is fine. It's just the 86 that's a problem.  It should be no higher than 80.

So what does high blood pressure mean? Well, it's virtually the only symptom. I had a headache this weekend, but that may have been related to my flights to and from Vegas on Friday. And I've been swelling, but, hey, I'm pregnant and it's August in Arizona. But if I have some combination of high BP, headaches, swelling, and protein in my urine, then I get diagnosed as having pre-eclampsia. Which would be very dangerous.

Fortunately, I had told my doctor that I was pretty tired and achy from the weekend and my knees were hurting, so she was aware that I had worked pretty hard. She thinks I overdid it and everything will be fine.

So for now, she told me to take it a little easier, get plenty of rest, and take my blood pressure in about a week. As long as it's below 130 over 85, she'll see me at 34 weeks. If it's at or above that, she wants me to call.

So no more major moves or building armoires for me. I'm hoping I can get away with putting together the nightstands and helping the MacDaddy assemble the crib, but it doesn't have to be such a rush.

In the mean time, I'll continue with my high-chocolate diet to help prevent pre-eclampsia.

* I'll describe all my hard work in later posts on Phases 2 and 3 of the nursery set-up. For now, suffice it to say that I worked hard. I worked my bootie off. It may not have seemed like much to someone who has never had to carry around a baby in the belly, but my entire body ached, both Saturday and Sunday nights.

31 Weeks!

I know, I know, I'm a day late, and technically I'm 31 weeks and 1 day pregnant today.  But you know what? Pregnancy is exhausting, especially when you add in travel, work and chores.

As for how I'm feeling? As of yesterday: Puffy.  It may be from the long flight from Houston to Phoenix yesterday; it's too early to tell if I'll feel as puffy today. But I just felt puffy all day yesterday. And tired. Other than that, not much different.

Oh, one other thing is a little different: Yesterday I felt Mac kick my ribs -- just a little, not so much that it hurt. It was kinda cute, actually!

As for the trip to Houston, it was short, but sweet! Gigi, Aunt Coco and Granny Sara threw me a lovely shower! Adorable decor (including a diaper cake!), fun games (especially because I didn't have to taste the baby food!) and delicious food (bacon-wrapped apricots, spinach dip, yum!).  My favorite part was getting to see everyone. Not just family, but the next-door neighbors I grew up with, a few old friends...  People I haven't seen since the wedding (or even longer than that).  And of course, I got some wonderful gifts -- and gift cards, which are easier to pack! Hopefully Gigi will send me some photos so I can post them here.

What's coming up this week: Setting up the nursery.  We believe that someone will be here to paint tomorrow (long story), and then we're getting new carpet on Friday.  After that, we can move the dresser upstairs and fill it up -- and start setting up the crib!  In the meantime, this is all very stressful for the MacDaddy and for me -- especially the MacDaddy, who has to pack up his entire study.  He's being a very good sport about it, though.

Hopefully next week, I'll have photos to post of a painted room with crib and dresser...

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!
  

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 . . .

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!)

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?

26 Weeks!

I feel like I literally grew overnight! Seriously, this morning I woke up feeling bigger than I did yesterday. And based on the picture, I look like it, too!

So I only have 14 weeks until my due date. To put that in perspective, a college semester is 16 weeks. The MacDaddy and I talked about that last week (when there were 15 weeks left) and I think it startled him a little.

I also have less than 100 days left -- 98 days as of today! Of course, I figure we might as well call it 105 days. I figure I'll go late and have to be induced after a week.

Over the past week, I've definitely noticed signs that I'm getting bigger. While I was out of town, I used quite a few bathroom stalls, and in some of the tiny ones, I found it difficult to maneuver myself in and out. More specifically, I found it difficult to maneuver my belly in and out of the stalls.

I've also started to have back pain. Fortunately, I had my first prenatal massage this weekend. It was well timed and heavenly. If only I could have one every day. I'll have another one at the end of July, so I've got that going for me!

On the brighter side, I finally got a maternity swimsuit and tried swimming! It was soooo pleasant -- a great way to exercise without putting pressure on my feet or my back! (Don't worry, Gigi -- we swam after dark or before 9 am, and wore plenty of spf 55 during the daylight.) In the next couple of weeks, I may start trading off the morning dog walks with the MacDaddy in favor of more swimming -- especially as it gets hotter.

Next week I have to take my glucose tolerance test. For those who don't know, it's essentially a test for gestational diabetes. I get to drink a "glucola shake," which I understand tastes like a flat orange crush. Then they draw blood. Then they tell me whether I get to keep eating sweets for the following 12 weeks.

Know what's funny? The instructions say, "Normally during pregnancy you should be avoiding sugars. Before the test, eat normally." What?! No one told me to avoid sugars during pregnancy! I've decided this instruction should be translated to, "Before the test, avoid having cinnamon rolls and/or ice cream. Have some scrambled eggs."

Also next week: I will officially be in my third trimester -- the home stretch!

25 Weeks!

Today I'm 25 weeks pregnant, and not much new to report. I only have 15 weeks until Mac's due date, which doesn't seem very long.

I had a doctor appointment on Friday, and everything looks great. Mac is measuring right on time, and his heart rate is in the 150's, which is just right!

Tomorrow, Mac and I are heading to San Diego for a few days. We won't have much time for sight-seeing. Still, it'll be nice to get out of the heat -- the forecast for Thursday is 112 in Phoenix.

24 Weeks!

Yes, I am officially 24 weeks pregnant. Well, 24 weeks, 1 day pregnant, as I write this. So that means:

• The MacDaddy finally felt his first outside kick yesterday! I was so excited! I've been feeling these kicks all this time, and just over the last week started to notice I could feel them on the outside, too, but I couldn't predict them. Yesterday, it felt like Mac was practicing for his own World Cup, so I called for the MacDaddy and put his hand there. He finally felt something! But he was unimpressed. Pfft. I guess he was expecting a genuine World Cup kick. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to impressing the MacDaddy. That might actually hurt me a little.
  
• Man, my heartburn is killing me. Indigestion, really. I get it all -- heartburn, acid reflux, whatever. I just wish I could find Tums in a yummy flavor, like "chocolate peanut butter ice cream" or "BBQ ribs," instead of "fruit-flavored chalk." And to make matters worse, the nurse from my insurance company threatened me last week. She said that it will get worse as Mac gets bigger. Great...
  
• Officially, Mac has at least a 50% chance of survival if he arrives early. And the odds increase with every day. But as I've said before, I highly doubt that the MacDaddy and I could produce a child who shows up early for anything.
• Still liking my size. In fact, I'm currently in denial that I will get much bigger. Just let me live in my dream-world a little longer, imagining that I won't ever develop serious back pain, have trouble squeezing through tight (or not-so-tight) spaces, get swollen feet, lose my sense of balance, etc., etc., etc. And I'm sure that list is nowhere near complete, but those of you who know better, just let me live in ignorance.

So there you have it!

23 Weeks!

Today I am officially 23 weeks pregnant. What does that mean? Well...

• I'm wearing almost all maternity clothes. I have a few longer t-shirts that I still wear, but this weekend, I started to notice you can see the bottom of the maternity band on my pants -- so they're not long enough to cover my bump! My favorite are the dresses -- they show off my bump, keep me cool, and look professional for work. In fact, there are a couple I wish I could wear after Mac is here!
• I'm getting big enough that I actually had my first belly rub (from a co-worker).
• I'm also big enough that co-workers (who haven't heard the announcement) are noticing that I'm pregnant. Yay! I no longer look like I need to cut back on the beers!
• I'm feeling Mac kick and punch every day. It's not very regular, but I feel it more often when I lie down, when I bend over while sitting down, or when I haven't eaten in a while.
• I have heartburn every hour or two. The good news is I eat all the spicy food I want. After all, when drinking water or not eating anything can give you heartburn, why not just take some Tums and eat what you like?
• I frequently (3x/week) have trouble sleeping. Usually, this means I wake up at 2:30 and can't get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Last night, it meant that I could not sleep until after midnight. It's not because I don't need the sleep -- because when I get up the next day, I'm so exhausted it almost hurts to move!
• Next week I reach viability -- meaning Mac has a chance of survival if he shows up early. (But if he's anything like me or the MacDaddy, I don't think we need to worry about him showing up early, do we?)