25 Days . . .

So I am just on the cusp of being considered “full term” at 37 weeks pregnant. According to the babycenter.com, little girl is likely over 6 lbs at this point and around 19 inches long. I still cannot get over the fact that I have a fully constructed human being tucked into my midsection. There’s no doubt, pregnancy is a miraculous process! I follow a local photographer’s blog, Shelley Paulson, and several days ago she posted a photo birth story of her best friend. Granted, this birth story will be much different than mine as she elected to have a home water birth and I will be in the hospital, but nonetheless, it was a beautiful portrayal of a new life coming into the world. I am praying that I do not have 10 lbs, 11oz baby! Check out the link: http://blog.shelleypaulson.com/?p=5331

Work Baby Shower

Last Friday my co-workers put on a lovely baby shower for me. They did a beautiful job setting the table and had a delicious array of foods that were right up my alley. We played several games, and my boss shared some really thoughtful words about the “Top 10 Ways Your Life Will Change with a Baby.” The whole afternoon was just a really joyous occasion and once again, I felt very valued and special. I got several gifts; among them were two things that I desperately wanted: Sofie the Giraffe and the Beaba Babycook baby food maker. I’ve had intentions of making my own baby food, especially after seeing the jarred baby food at my church shower, and this tool will give me an easy and affordable way of going about it. I can’t wait to try it out! Last night Scott and I went to Target and bought all the items for my hospital bag and I’ve started to get things packed. Seeing those bags sitting there is both an ominous and exciting reminder of just how close we are to meeting our daughter. Starting next week, I’ll be going to the doctor every week and they’ll start checking to see if any progress is being made. I asked my doctor how late they let you go, and evidently they do allow patients to go two weeks late; however they start testing the placenta and amniotic fluid after a week to make sure baby is okay. So at the very latest, I should have a daughter by May 7th, one day before Mother’s Day. I am still hoping to have an April daughter, but I have a strong haunch that this will be a May Day baby. On a very trivial note, April’s birthstone is a diamond and May’s birthstone is an Emerald. I’ve always thought Emeralds are the ugliest stone.

Coconut Water Anyone?

I haven’t written about anything unrelated to pregnancy in a long time, so I thought I would share this little tale or should I call it a warning . . .

I love the Naked Juice line. But at around $3.40 a bottle, I only allow myself this indulgence once in a while. Have you heard of their newest flavor, “100% Pure Coconut Water?” Rather than coming in the typical plastic bottle, it’s available in a little cardboard container, much like a juice box. Supposedly coconut water is the new health craze similar to the pomegranate/acai berry fad.

Several months ago while traveling for work I decided to check out what this fad was all about. I generally eat worse when I am on the road, so I hoped to off-set my dietary failures with one fell swoop by consuming this super, antioxidant packed power drink.

Um, what can I say? It was like drinking gray water out of a dirty sock. They should rename it, “Fresh Squeezed Pit Drippings.” Seriously, it was one of the most unsavory things I’ve ever tasted. My co-worker described it as “earthy,” which is just a really graceful way of saying “tinged with mud and worms.”

Just a couple weeks ago, while out for lunch at a soup and sandwich joint by my work, the woman in front of me purchased the much detested coconut water. I overheard her talking with her lunch date about the fact that she had never tried it, but had heard “wonderful” things about its health benefits. While I probably should have barged into their conversation and warned her, I decided that the more enjoyable thing would be to sit somewhere nearby where I would have good audio/visual of her first gulp.

They were carrying on their conversation when she nonchalantly took her first sip. Wait for it . . . wait for it . . . sure enough, her eyes bulge briefly and her hand goes to her throat as she grimaces with disdain. “Oh, this is really bad” she exclaims. She quickly takes a bite of her salad in an effort to override the foul taste. She then hands the bottle to her lunch date for a quick sniff test, and she too agrees, “It even smells bad.”

So, if you haven’t yet experienced “coconut water,” I sincerely suggest saving your money and saving your taste buds from this unfavorable encounter.

One Month

Over the past few days, I have said on numerous occasions, “I am ready to have my body back.” There is just so much lumbering around at this point. I am sick of heaving as I put on my socks and shoes, and just turning over in bed is starting to feel like a belabored task. Couple this with ungodly amounts of heartburn, and I am thankful that this pregnancy has about run its course.

Prior to being pregnant, I would climb the stairs most days at work. We’re on the sixth floor so I would scale 12 flights easily, sometimes even taking them two at a time. Just for the sake of comparison, I tried doing the stairs today and was horrified by the huffy, puffy mess that awaited me. It literally took my 15 minutes to catch my breath. Will my endurance ever return? That said, will my ankles ever return? I caught a glimpse of my bare legs in a reflection several days ago and fear and trembling ran rampant in my veins. Now I know that I don’t have pretty legs to start with, but it’s as if my legs have been completely replaced by none other than my dad’s legs—huge ankles, huge calves, puffy, chubby knees, BLAH.

So there’s my rant. Sorry to post. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Poor Baby

I am sorry baby girl that your mother was born to stand only 5’4. I am sorry that I am short-waisted and therefore, you must be excruciatingly squished. Know that I am not upset with you for head-butting my bladder or for kicking me in my ribs day and day out, because I know you have no other choice. I am just as eager as you for you to make your exit. This way, you can stretch your legs, and I can regain bladder control.

See you in five weeks! Love mama.

39 Days . . .

I remember being about this far out from my wedding day. I was giddy, breathless in fact. I was sun-kissed, in shape, and very much looked the role of a bride-to-be. My months of meticulous planning were coming together and I could picture “my day” with great detail from the flowers, to the dress, to the music, to the program.

Being 39 days away from my due date, while it yields a similar excitement, feels distinctly different from that of my wedding day. I certainly look the part of a mom-to-be. By that I mean, round, slightly bedraggled, and belabored. Even though I’ve had months to prepare and the room is ready, the shelves are stocked, and the birth plan is written, I still cannot picture this day. There are so many unknowns involved in becoming a parent. What sort of kid will I get? What sort of parent will I be? Unlike my wedding day, I don’t get a rehearsal for this monumental life-changing event.

Even with some anxiety over the latter points, I cannot wait to get this little girl into my arms. While I have been extremely even-keel and void of emotional outbursts throughout the course of this pregnancy, I can now be brought to tears with just the slightest thought of meeting my baby. More over, envisioning Scott in his new role, and picturing my mom and sister holding their new family member turns me to mush on a dime.

So, it won’t be as glamorous as my wedding day, nor will it be predictable, but I do believe I am gearing up for the greatest day of my life. Can’t wait to meet you little one!

Humbled and Honored

I had my very first baby shower last night at Cross of Glory, hosted by my dear friends Kara, Heather, Erin and Missy. It was truly an evening that I will never forget and all the hard work everyone put into making the evening so special for me was extremely evident. From the flowers, to the pink plates, the gorgeous card stock used for the words of advice, the abundant and delicious food, the creative and clever games, to the prayer time that followed, this was by all accounts, a wonderful evening.

When I got home, I had an extremely challenging night sleep. I think I was just so overwhelmed by the experience and excited by everything that transpired that rest seemed to escape me. The one thought that kept coming into my mind were all the moments in my life where I have felt small, unimportant, insignificant, and under-valued. Thoughts like this often creep into my life, and as testimony by last night, they are lies straight from the devil. Let it be said that I felt SO loved, significant, and of great worth last night. Thank you dear friends for my wonderful evening and creating such fanfare for this new little life. You are much loved by me!

Knobbly Bits?

On Sunday, Scott and I attended our comprehensive baby preparation class at Amma Maternity. The class covered such topics as labor & delivery, breast feeding, and infant care. Overall, the class was worth while. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the class was the instructor, Suzy, from the UK. She had the greatest Bridget Jones accent and was an absolute hoot!

The curriculum was sound, and while I knew most things just from doing basic reading, the class really helped both Scott and I to feel more prepared. At least, we have some idea of what to expect and what the process looks like. We watched several videos (which weren’t horrific at all, I might add), and the whole time I just kept thinking; “only 7 weeks from now, and this will be my reality.” Despite several people telling me that the videos were frightful, I actually enjoyed the birthing video a great deal. I became very choked up at the whole thing and it made me eager to meet my darling girl.