Week 31

Oh my goodness I have eight weeks left!!!  I have three weeks of work left!!!  This baby is on its way!!!  Seems so crazy that I am now eight months pregnant.  I didn't think it would but the time has flown by.  Especially the last three months.  I feel like it will start to go even more quickly now that we are into the sweet days of summer. 

We are slowly but surely getting things we need together for baby's arrival.  We took yesterday morning and crossed off several things on my essential baby checklist.  That felt really good to do.  We got things like receiving blankets, crib sheets and washcloths.  All things we'll want to have on hand when baby finally comes home.  Baby shopping with Jeff is such a pleasure.  He is interested and engaged; he has opinions on things; and we find ourselves agreeing on things quite easily.  We picked out the rockingest diaper pail ever together - it is bright orange!  We also ordered a change pad for our change table.  I am really loving these colours!  Hope it all comes together well...


Ubbi Diaper Pail in Orange

Keekaroo Peanut Change Pad in Aqua

On Wednesday night we attended an information night at Groovy Mama called "The Poop on Cloth Diapering".  We were both relieved to see how easy it could be and have decided to give it a try right from the get-go.  The store has a rental program for the first month where you get enough diapers in a newborn size for $25.  We thought it would be a good way to test it out without the commitment to buy all the supplies up front.  I feel really good about this decision.  It means about two more loads of laundry a week but I really want to try and do this.  The cost savings (depending on the style you choose) is significant as is the impact on the environment, even if you factor in water usage and manufacturing.  And hey- my parents did it - and technology has evolved quite a bit to make them a lot easier to manage.  If they could do it with pins and such, surely we can do it with snaps and Velcro!  I know it's not for everyone and so I will not preach but I think it may be for us.  I hope so!  We will probably do a mix of cloth and disposable for when we are on trips and such.  Wish us luck! 


Bummis Newborn Cloth Diaper Pack

Next week we will be going to another session called "Babywearing Basics" which I am really excited about as well.  I really want to use a sling - babies always look so chill and happy hanging out in them.  I really want to get my Earth Mama on!  After we figure out what we want we will likely register for both a sling and a convertible carrier-type since it is not something we will need the minute we get home.  Fun!

On Monday we are going to the General Hospital with Sally (YMCA) for our tour of Labour and Delivery.  I am really looking forward to seeing where this will all go down.  Though with this baby boom I am nervous I will have to give birth out in the hallway!  Everywhere I look there are pregos!
I had my latest appointment with Dr. Lett on Friday and it was great news all around.  My weight gain was not as bad as last time: I am at 26 lbs. total.  Baby's heart rate was 150 bpm - so not so high this time.  Blood pressure continues to be great...AND...the best news of all...BABY TURNED!!!  Our silly baby decided it wanted to be in the right position after all and is now facing head down like a good baby!  I was SO RELIEVED when she told me this after feeling all around my belly.  I was very nervous we would have to do a bunch of maneuvering, or chiropractic work to make baby move.  I did start doing poses off the end of the couch to encourage movement through gravity and that seemed to work!  So it's unlikely I will have to have a caesarean section now - at least not for the reason of the baby's positioning.
I have continued to not have very good sleeps and quite a bit of achiness.  I can see in my face that I look tired.  I actually looked at the belly pictures Jeff took of me and I didn't even think they looked like me.  I will be very glad once I am off work so that I can catch up on my rest and put my feet up a bit more before the big arrival happens. 

Whew - I am long winded today.  Lots to say.  Last but not least, here is my belly this week, two views:

Week 31 side view

Week 31 front view



Week 30

Finally posting on Wednesday night...yeesh!  Oh well.  Better late than never, right? 

This past weekend was Father's Day and it gave me a chance to reflect a little bit on my relationship with my dad and what I hope for Jeff's relationship with our child.  My dad is the best - he is an amazing sounding board, someone who thinks deeply and has strong beliefs but is open to the ideas of others.  He is passionate and compassionate.  As a child I remember him being very silly at times - he was always getting me and the other kids riled up and was willing to repeat the words "pee" and "poop" ad nauseum to the squealing delight of my friends and me.  We also know how to push each other's buttons.  In terms of discipline, both my parents were consistent and firm - and they tailored consequences to each child - I, for instance, hated having my audience taken away.  Hence, time-outs and later, grounding.  I always knew I was loved and that my parents thought I had interesting things to say.  Thanks daddy - I love you SO much.

Jeff, on the other hand, is not what you would call a goofy guy.  His humour is understated but he makes me giggle all the time.  I am looking forward to seeing his playful side with our baby.  He adores our pup - the way he says "Good morning Beaner!" everyday makes me imagine the cute things he will say to a sleepy toddler awake in their crib.  I know he will be a firm but gentle disciplinarian.  He will show patience - most of the time.  I think he will be a lot like his own dad - and if that holds true he has an excellent role model - Ward is such a great dad.

I am just so excited to see the man I love take on this new role in a partnership we call parenting.  Sometimes I think I could not possibly love him any more than I do - but I know this will change the first time I see him holding our new baby.  I can't believe I am so lucky to be embarking on this adventure with my best friend.  Jeff- you will be a great daddy!  I can't wait to see you in action.

Still quite sore - getting up from a chair is still sending shooting pain to my tailbone.  Sleeping is sometimes good, sometimes not. I am trying to get some extra sleep on weekends as I am missing big chunks in the middle of the night during the week.  I woke up around 4am today and did not manage to get back to sleep at all. 

I am headed back to Dr. Lett on Friday where I hope she will tell me the baby has moved into the correct position.  However, I am not overly hopeful this will be the case.  I have been doing poses to try and get baby to move but I'm just not sure.

At any rate, here is my belly:

Week 30(ish)

Week 30 - Not dead, baby's fine, just busy!

Hi all!

Thought I should just post and say that everything is fine.  I know I usually have something posted by Sunday and Monday at the latest but life is quite hectic right now.  I had a Board meeting last night and have a budget meeting tonight so I am just getting home and crashing.  Hopefully will have time to do an update tomorrow evening.  But know that I am fine, baby is fine.  Also I have not yet even remembered to get a belly shot yet so this one will be a few days overdue.  Sorry!

Love, Alaina

Week 29

I remember sleeping soundly.  It was great.  I feel like it is a thing of the past.  Every night is a struggle to get comfortable, then inevitably I wake up and try and roll onto my other side and it's really hard to do and I wake up Jeff and try and get comfortable again.  I also wake up and everything aches - especially my back.  So I end up trying to do a little yoga in bed at 3 AM trying not to wake Jeff up a second time.  A little child's pose followed by cat pose seems to help a bit.  I feel like an old lady!  I am also so tired now because I am not getting enough sleep.

We had a doctor's appointment on Friday and it was not my favourite time we've gone.  I don't want to reveal how many lbs. I've put on this month.  It is embarrassing.  But I want to be accountable and I want to be honest for those who will go after me.  So here goes...I put on EIGHT lbs. in one singular month.  That is two lbs. per week.  Grand total weight gain is now at 23 lbs.  This puts me at about 1.5 lbs. heavier than average weight gain for 30 weeks.  I need to watch it with the cookies!  And go for more walks...

We also learned that our silly baby is still in the transverse position.  Which means it looks like this:

when it should be in this position by now:

If baby has not turned by our next appointment in two weeks we will need to have an ultrasound and figure out how/if we can get it to turn.

Last, baby's heartbeat was 158 bpm, which Dr. Lett said was on the high side of normal but not anything to be too concerned about.  She asked if the baby was being active right then and it was moving a little bit so she thought that might explain things.

All of these are things she said she was not worried about yet and so Jeff is not worried, but I am.  Not in a debilitating way though.  We still had a fun weekend with my mom at the lake: 

His belly's a watermelon!

And I even remembered to take my belly shot when I was still actually at 29 weeks!  Here it is:

Week 29

Week 28

Wow - I am really falling behind with getting the belly shots on time.  Seems we are always running around on Saturdays and I end up forgetting.  Then I forgot again on Sunday...oops!  Oh well.  It's pretty close.

We were so thrilled to find out this weekend that very close friends of ours are expecting!  This is such unexpected but awesome news.  Can't wait to have our kids play soccer together!  As I have entered my third trimester and am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel I am feeling badly for my buds who are not as far along and are still exhausted and feeling queasy all the time.  It does get better - I promise it will!  As I say this I am feeling absolutely exhausted myself and have excruciating and shooting pain through my tailbone every time I get up from a sitting position.  But at least I have an appetite!  Boy do I ever! Second trimester is definitely the best, as I was told.

Baby has started kicking me hard enough that it really hurts from time to time.  That's not so fun but it sure is nice to have reminders all day long that baby is healthy and moving all around.

We had a great time at Mosaic this weekend.  I ate a lot more dessert than I usually do.  I think I replaced beer with sweets.  I had VERY bad heartburn two of the three nights, but I knew that would happen and was armed with my trusty Zantac.  I was designated driver and was happy to do so - it made getting to lots of pavilions a lot easier. 

I don't have any interesting pictures this week other than my very late bump pic.  It took us about 20 tries to get a picture where I didn't feel I looked disgustingly fat.  You can see the disdain in my face.  Was taking a bare belly picture every week the best idea?  Now I am committed but this was a lot more fun when I had a cute little bump.  Anyways, here it is:

28 weeks and a little.