I am officially 38 weeks today and I must say that I am ready for our baby to be born! The swelling, difficulty moving, getting up constantly every hour of the night, the fact that it takes 10 minutes to get repositioned in bed...all signs that I think I'm over pregnancy. Also, at Walmart yesterday this four year-old boy was telling his mom about my big belly and she was like, "Of course it's big, she has a baby in there!"
I went to my midwife appointment today and everything checks out healthy with our little Appleseed. Heart rate good, head down, beginning to engage. I was disappointed that she wasn't able to strip my membranes though. She said I was barely dilated. My cervix is about 75% effaced though. Then she started talking about how first time moms can be a week late (which I know, but I don't want to hear that about me!!!).
In the meantime, I am attempting, (very carefully Mom!), to naturally induce labor. I am going to try all sorts of things that can bring labor on, but won't hurt me or the baby if my body isn't ready. Bryon picked up some evening primrose oil (recommended by the midwife) to start trying tonight. If it works, it should help soften my cervix more. Then there is nipple stimulation...we are using the breast pump, which holy hell, freaking hurts my nipples! On the bright side, it does appear to make contractions occur a little more frequently. I am getting another massage tonight at the massage place (the last one on my contract, so I am springing for a 90 minute session). Of course, Bryon and I are trying acupressure on my feet. If you are doing it right, it hurts, but my feet are more relaxed after and it does cause some contractions to occur. Then there is everyone's favorite suggestion...have lots of sex. Um, hello?! I'm definitely not opposed to the idea, but I am nine months pregnant and I don't think I have the energy anymore for those crazy, constant, teenage-hormone-induced sessions constantly. I am going to attempt to start walking everyday and see if that helps (walking around Walmart yesterday definitely wore me out though!)
Speaking of contractions, I had a few Sunday night that reduced me to tears! I've been having them off and on, but none like this!!! Thankfully I had Bryon there reminding me to breath because I totally forgot to. It's hard to do some self-hypnosis for pain control when the contraction just comes out of nowhere!!!! Then there is the round ligament pain in my inner thighs that strikes whenever it wants to, usually when I am walking. I double over and everyone kinda freaks (except Bryon and Asher because they are used to it). I just have to say, "It's okay, I'm not in labor, I swear!"
So who knows when our little man will make his appearance but one thing is for certain...Bryon and I can't wait for him to come out and play!!!!!!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
I Am Still Alive....
However, I have been super-tired lately. So, if it involves more than clicking my mouse on the computer or typing more than a few sentences....as you can tell, that hasn't happened lately. Don't worry, I still get the day to day done, I just haven't updated my blog in a little while. The 16 1/2 hour shift yesterday hasn't done much to improve the ol' energy levels either! Okay enough complaining. Life is good, Family is good, the Baby in my Belly is good.
Happy Easter Everyone!!
Happy Easter Everyone!!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Empathy for Those Who Hate the Dentist
A couple of weeks ago I went to my dental appointment. A normal, routine cleaning. Nothing too exciting. Now I have have had tooth pain on and off for a couple of years. It culminated in December of 2009 when my mom placed a piece of homemade fudge in my mouth and I almost hit the floor in tears and pain. I wound up with an emergency visit to the dentist two days later less than 24 hours before I was to fly out to Alaska. From then on I swore to myself: "I will make these dental appointments every six months like every good patient should! Never again will I inflict this amount of pain on myself!" Fast forward to the end of March 2011. I had not been to the dentist since that last event in 2009. I can make all the excuses in the world, but in truth, it wasn't a top priority of mine.
Anyways, at this dental appointment, they found not one or two...but six...count them, SIX, cavities. I have never had a cavity before in my whole life! I think it was a combination of some really good sealants and luck.
I went to the first of three appointments today to have these cavities filled. The dental office will only do two at a time because I am pregnant and it is uncomfortable to sit in that chair for an extended amount of time. The first thing they did was put a topical anesthetic on. Then came the shots of lidocaine. Now, I am not needle-phobic. I do not fear medical procedures generally speaking. But, Oh...My...Goodness! The shots in my gum hurt like hell! Then, I got sweaty from head to toe. I mean I started dripping in sweat! I felt like I needed another shower. My heart rate went up, I felt like I was going to puke and pass out at the same time. I can't say for sure, but I am willing to bet that I turned a deathly shade of white. So, they sat me up after the shots, gave me some water, and let me come back to normal. The rest of the appointment went just fine, completely without incident. The whole numbing procedure probably took less than five minutes but I think it just may have scarred me for life.
Now that I am home, three hours later, the anesthetic has completely worn off and my teeth and jaw ache! I can only take acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain and for this kind of pain I really need an anti-inflammatory (like ibuprofen). Unfortunately, ibuprofen is off-limits for this pregnant chick. Oh well, I can survive this!
I completely empathize with those who may be dentist phobic. I don't think I am going to freak or be any more anxious at my appointment next week but I could see how someone might continue to draw on a freaky incident like mine and let it affect how every future dentist visit goes.
Wish me luck for the next two appointments!
Anyways, at this dental appointment, they found not one or two...but six...count them, SIX, cavities. I have never had a cavity before in my whole life! I think it was a combination of some really good sealants and luck.
I went to the first of three appointments today to have these cavities filled. The dental office will only do two at a time because I am pregnant and it is uncomfortable to sit in that chair for an extended amount of time. The first thing they did was put a topical anesthetic on. Then came the shots of lidocaine. Now, I am not needle-phobic. I do not fear medical procedures generally speaking. But, Oh...My...Goodness! The shots in my gum hurt like hell! Then, I got sweaty from head to toe. I mean I started dripping in sweat! I felt like I needed another shower. My heart rate went up, I felt like I was going to puke and pass out at the same time. I can't say for sure, but I am willing to bet that I turned a deathly shade of white. So, they sat me up after the shots, gave me some water, and let me come back to normal. The rest of the appointment went just fine, completely without incident. The whole numbing procedure probably took less than five minutes but I think it just may have scarred me for life.
Now that I am home, three hours later, the anesthetic has completely worn off and my teeth and jaw ache! I can only take acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain and for this kind of pain I really need an anti-inflammatory (like ibuprofen). Unfortunately, ibuprofen is off-limits for this pregnant chick. Oh well, I can survive this!
I completely empathize with those who may be dentist phobic. I don't think I am going to freak or be any more anxious at my appointment next week but I could see how someone might continue to draw on a freaky incident like mine and let it affect how every future dentist visit goes.
Wish me luck for the next two appointments!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Is the World That Dangerous??
*Another book review. I know. I've been into non-fiction lately and the library has so many options to choose from! Let's get started!
I started this book on Friday, finished it yesterday. It was a pretty quick read. For anyone that remembers, the author of this book was under a ton of public scrutiny in 2008 for letting her nine year-old son ride the subway...alone. He made it home without any problems.
The main argument of this book is that the world really isn't that scary of a place. Crime is down for one and some safety worries are largely hype. Does she say that we should allow our children to completely roam free without any supervision or guidance? NO! However, much of the independence that children used to have (walking to school, playing outside unsupervised, etc) is largely non-existent nowadays. This creates a fear hysteria of sorts that even our children catch onto. And if you do happen to let your child do these things independently then you are criticized by other parents out there for not thinking about your child's safety.
Now, I was raised in the era where parents everywhere feared that child abductors lurked behind every corner. There was a stranger-danger mindset that any stranger was a bad stranger. I remember when my sister was missing at our house for about 20 minutes and my parents were freaked!! Turns out, she had gone outside our fenced in front-yard to play in the truck-bed of one of our Studebaker trucks in front of the garage. We were both lectured for about the potential risks of going beyond that gate without supervision. At the time, the Nancy Shoemaker kidnapping case was the hot topic in our city. Did the bogey-man grab my sister? No. Did anyone even approach my sister? No. My sister is stubborn enough that no one could probably take her against her will without the whole world knowing about it right then.
I am not saying that is was right that she didn't inform mom and dad where she was. That's just responsibility. However, the actual reality of her being abducted? Very slim to none. Do I blame my parents for the over-zealous protection guard? No, that was/is the attitude of our society, we believe all the media hype.
Here are the points I took away from this read:
1. The media likes to hype the bad. This makes it seem that a very unrealistic event is occurring all the time and could happen to everyone. True, you could be abducted, but look at the statistics first. The media is out for what? Ratings!
2. Halloween- not that dangerous as the world would like us to believe. There has actually never been a documented case of a child being poisoned from a stranger's candy given out trick-or-treating. There have been cases, but further investigation showed that is was a family member who attempted to cover it up.
3. Children need to play outside!!! Damn the video games! Okay, I enjoy the Wii as much as Asher, but there needs to be limits. Unsupervised play helps promote independence, self-confidence, and other wonderful traits. I used to play outside when I went to a sitter, I even played outside the first year we moved up to Manhattan. After that, not so much. But still more than today's average child.
I recommend this to anyone, whether you have children or not because it provides an interesting view of our society. I'm not planning on turning my children completely loose, but maybe I can give them a little more independence.
The main argument of this book is that the world really isn't that scary of a place. Crime is down for one and some safety worries are largely hype. Does she say that we should allow our children to completely roam free without any supervision or guidance? NO! However, much of the independence that children used to have (walking to school, playing outside unsupervised, etc) is largely non-existent nowadays. This creates a fear hysteria of sorts that even our children catch onto. And if you do happen to let your child do these things independently then you are criticized by other parents out there for not thinking about your child's safety.
Now, I was raised in the era where parents everywhere feared that child abductors lurked behind every corner. There was a stranger-danger mindset that any stranger was a bad stranger. I remember when my sister was missing at our house for about 20 minutes and my parents were freaked!! Turns out, she had gone outside our fenced in front-yard to play in the truck-bed of one of our Studebaker trucks in front of the garage. We were both lectured for about the potential risks of going beyond that gate without supervision. At the time, the Nancy Shoemaker kidnapping case was the hot topic in our city. Did the bogey-man grab my sister? No. Did anyone even approach my sister? No. My sister is stubborn enough that no one could probably take her against her will without the whole world knowing about it right then.
I am not saying that is was right that she didn't inform mom and dad where she was. That's just responsibility. However, the actual reality of her being abducted? Very slim to none. Do I blame my parents for the over-zealous protection guard? No, that was/is the attitude of our society, we believe all the media hype.
Here are the points I took away from this read:
1. The media likes to hype the bad. This makes it seem that a very unrealistic event is occurring all the time and could happen to everyone. True, you could be abducted, but look at the statistics first. The media is out for what? Ratings!
2. Halloween- not that dangerous as the world would like us to believe. There has actually never been a documented case of a child being poisoned from a stranger's candy given out trick-or-treating. There have been cases, but further investigation showed that is was a family member who attempted to cover it up.
3. Children need to play outside!!! Damn the video games! Okay, I enjoy the Wii as much as Asher, but there needs to be limits. Unsupervised play helps promote independence, self-confidence, and other wonderful traits. I used to play outside when I went to a sitter, I even played outside the first year we moved up to Manhattan. After that, not so much. But still more than today's average child.
I recommend this to anyone, whether you have children or not because it provides an interesting view of our society. I'm not planning on turning my children completely loose, but maybe I can give them a little more independence.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
There's an Alien in My Tummy
I love feeling our baby move in my stomach. He is getting so big that the movement is really pronounced right now. And he is getting so big that sometimes that break-dancing hurts, especially if it is aimed towards a rib.
Sometimes though, this really morbid though crosses my mind. You know those terrible sci-fi movies with the "excellent" graphics? The one's where you see all this movement under someone's skin and then...SUDDENLY...either a pretty blue, green, or purple substance just bursts out. Either that or some alien creature bursts forth into the world.
When the baby is really moving and rolling that is what I picture occasionally. Not the sweet little baby that lives inside me right now but the crazy alien that is fighting for a way out.
I know, I am sick and twisted. I blame my mother and my aunt for corrupting my mind as a small child.
Sometimes though, this really morbid though crosses my mind. You know those terrible sci-fi movies with the "excellent" graphics? The one's where you see all this movement under someone's skin and then...SUDDENLY...either a pretty blue, green, or purple substance just bursts out. Either that or some alien creature bursts forth into the world.
When the baby is really moving and rolling that is what I picture occasionally. Not the sweet little baby that lives inside me right now but the crazy alien that is fighting for a way out.
I know, I am sick and twisted. I blame my mother and my aunt for corrupting my mind as a small child.
Monday, April 4, 2011
I Am an Email Zen Master!
That's right...I have mastered the art of having absolutely nothing in my inbox! I can't describe the feeling, having after checked your daily email, the look of a page that says...no email.
How did I do it, you ask? Well, first I was inspired by this article on a blog I follow:
http://zenhabits.net/email-zen-clear-out-your-inbox/
The rest...simple as macaroni and cheese out of a box! I unsubscribed to all of the crap that I automatically delete without reading, I archived emails that I need to refer to later on, and that was all she wrote!
I offered to turn Bryon into an email Zen Master, didn't work so much. He kinda raised his eyebrows and was like, "Really?" However, I did see him unsubscribe from one junk email yesterday, so maybe I inspired him just a little??
So to the rest of you, this is just a simple way that I uncluttered one area out of my cluttered lifestyle! Maybe it could work for you!
How did I do it, you ask? Well, first I was inspired by this article on a blog I follow:
http://zenhabits.net/email-zen-clear-out-your-inbox/
The rest...simple as macaroni and cheese out of a box! I unsubscribed to all of the crap that I automatically delete without reading, I archived emails that I need to refer to later on, and that was all she wrote!
I offered to turn Bryon into an email Zen Master, didn't work so much. He kinda raised his eyebrows and was like, "Really?" However, I did see him unsubscribe from one junk email yesterday, so maybe I inspired him just a little??
So to the rest of you, this is just a simple way that I uncluttered one area out of my cluttered lifestyle! Maybe it could work for you!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Put a Smile on Your Face!
Important points that I took away from this read:
1. It isn't always easy to focus on the positive; in fact, it takes a lot of work to change your mentality.
2. Everybody's definition of "happiness" is individual. What makes someone else happy won't necessarily make me happy, nor should it.
3. Stay true to yourself.
4. Don't be afraid to branch out and try new things. If you don't like it, at least you will have a greater appreciation for what you already do and have.
5. It is important to be in the present moment. A lot of negativity can result if you constantly dwell in the past or worry about the future.
6. Remember...if you don't feel happy at the moment, you can always fake it. After awhile, you will be amazed at how good you can feel if you put effort into it.
So...Put a Smile on Your Face!! It's a Great Day!!
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