How Far Along: 35 weeks!
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Black is so slimming, you know.[/caption]
If I had a theme song right now, it would be the song they play for Eeyore on Winnie the Pooh. Everything...I...do...just...takes...a...long...time. I could probably get ready in the morning a lot faster if I didn't have to take so many breaks....especially considering I have edited my getting ready process down to the bare minimum - gone are the days of blow-outs and flat-ironed hair and meticulously applied makeup. Now it's air-drying and the minimum amount of face products I can use and not look like death. I figure this is just good practice for what is to come. :) Also, I've noticed I don't actually look that much different either way so I might as well go the fast/easy route. I've been bamboozled by the beauty industry!
Getting dressed is...a problem. First - clothes. Very little fits and/or is comfortable, particularly now that the weather is cooler. My strategy of layering dresses over leggings is not working because the leggings are painful. Shoes? Ha. I have ONE pair of shoes that sort of fits. Unfortunately, they are not meant for cold weather, so hopefully it doesn't snow any time soon. The boots that I bought in a larger size - can't zip over my ankles. Sigh. Today, I attended my mom's neighborhood ladies' ornament exchange/brunch but I had to tell her my attendance was dependent on whether or not I could get shoes on. (I did and it was lovely and I was well-fed and entertained - thanks, ladies!) I want to get a pedicure but I'm afraid the nail tech may shriek in horror and run away. Several friends have commented that they are impressed I'm still getting dressed and attempting to look semi-cute (my words, not theirs - they were far more complimentary, but I am pretty sure they are just being nice to the pregnant girl). In fact, I operate under the assumption that you can trick yourself into feeling better if you look semi-decent. This seems to work okay during the day, but I'm a hot mess at night, as Nick will attest.
Speaking of hot mess, I was pretty sure that I was going into labor during an important meeting I had to present at for work this week. I spent the first twenty minutes trying not to let on that I was having contractions, all while delivering vital information to our staff, all while thinking in my head 'holy shit - this is actually happening...I am going to go into labor in front of all my co-workers'. Fortunately, downing a bunch of water helped stop the contractions, but it was 80+ degrees in the room, so I was quite literally a hot mess. Once I felt better, I pushed through the day and managed to get to a happy hour. :::high fives self::: Everywhere I go, people seem concerned that I'm going to go into labor at any point, which I suppose is legitimate. But, I figure I might as well be out and about and social then at home just pacing around the house being miserable. Although, I was supposed to have a get-together with a couple of friends last night and various illnesses and ailments precluded it, so I'm hoping there's still time before I give birth!
I am also using the 'Reserved for Moms to Be' parking spots like it is my job. My only question is...Target, why don't you have these? Every other store in the world does, but not you? I spend half my week in your store! I should write a letter, but that would take effort.
Nick and I continue to plug away at our last list to-dos. He put together some of the baby equipment with minimal involvement from me. The cats have done their due diligence. Thank God. I don't know how I would feel about a pack and play that my cat hadn't fully given his approval on.
Somebody pointed out to me that the reason pregnancy is so miserable at the end is to remove any fears about delivery. I can safely say that I really don't feel concerned about delivery. Maybe I should, I don't know. But since women have been doing this for, you know, a while, I assume that I can, too. Not that I don't think there are certain aspects that might be, shall we say, less than pleasant, but I am definitely getting closer to the point of "Get these babies out of me!" But not until everything on my list is done.
Again, I am amazed that I made it this far - well, that we (Nick, the babies and I) made it this far...I would say it was a team effort. I mean, obviously, I am the CAPTAIN of the team, but still. Team effort. :)
Doctor's Appointment Update: Redemption! Babies did their tricks in record time once again, however I will not be a smug mommy about it (okay, maybe just a little). I suppose it is sort of ridiculous to be a smug mommy about things like practicing breathing and kicking.
Things look better on my end as well. Blood pressure is back to normal, blood sugars continue to look good. No signs of pre-term labor. The doctors are honing in on around 37 weeks for induction, unless I would go into labor on my own - that would be nice, but my instinct tells me that these babies are perfectly happy where they are and have no intention of moving on their own. Which is good - stay there for now, babies! But eventually, you are going to have to come out. The only minor piece of bad news is that my platelets looked a little low, so those have to be re-checked next week.
Next week, we have a growth scan, I am very curious to see what their guesses for weights will be. They were 4lbs 5 oz and 4 lbs 2 oz at 32 weeks, so we'll see what the estimates are. They feel HUGE. :)
Size of Babies: Honeydew melon (HUGE honeydew melons)
Cravings: Again, whatever is in front of me. Although, people at work must be concerned about me because I get a steady stream of snacks and treats dropped off on my desk, which...yay! These are the perks of being pregnant that I'll miss out on.
Sleep: I just sort of rotate through the house every few hours or so. There is absolutely positively no way to be comfortable.
Symptoms: I guess the main symptom I have right now is that of carrying around a 30 lb bowling ball at my mid-section. That pretty much sums it up. I didn't even know it was possible for your entire legs to go numb during pregnancy, but it is! Makes walking interesting.
Fetal Movement: I don't know how it is possible, but I am still getting lots of movement. Most nights, Nick puts his hand on my belly while the babies show off.
What I'm Looking Forward To Next Week: Thursday is my last day at work - $#%! But, also - yay! I have a lot to accomplish yet since this week didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped, but I have to remember that I can only do so much. Here's something I've been thinking about lately. All the books I read about pregnancy, especially those that talked about multiples emphasized eating a TON and resting a LOT. A lot of time was devoted to talking about bedrest...and there are definitely some legitimate medical reasons for bedrest. If my doctor told me it was going to help the babies, I would do it in a heartbeat. However, I think part of what has kept me going and thus, something to be said for - you know, just mostly doing your normal everyday stuff. I like working - it distracts me. I like cooking....I like puttering around the house. I mean, my abilities to do those things decrease every day, but in some ways, they've also kept me calm(er), which I can only imagine has made for a healthier pregnancy. I mean, I'm not out there whipping up seven course meals or running marathons or anything, but I've pretty much been able to maintain most of my activities - perhaps until the last week or so. Which just goes to show that we know ourselves better than any book ever will and we should just do what makes us comfortable and happy. Clearly, I am a genius.
So, while I am looking forward to my last day of work, it will also be a little hard, because then I will be at home for anywhere from a few days up to a week wondering what to do with myself. I am also incredibly looking forward to the doctor's appointment this week and MAYBE getting an induction date scheduled...maybe? (Fingers crossed).
Best Moment of the Week: Getting our Christmas tree up...just one, though - that was my compromise with Nick. Normally, I like to put up...a few. However, now the babies can come anytime because when they come home, it will be Christmas all up in this joint. Well, in our family room, anyway. Didn't do too much with the rest of the decorations, but felt compelled to decorate some still because 1) I love to and 2) I see a lot of opportunities for adorable photos and 3) my family is 'bringing' Christmas to us assuming we are home and thus, we need the house to look the part of a Christmas gathering.
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Good thing we took the picture. It looked distinctly less holly-jolly 24 hours later after Ernie the Multi-Toed Wonder Cat got a hold of it.[/caption]
Special Thanks To: Nick. I can't imagine it's easy to live with a grunting, sweaty, grumpy hippo-equivalent, but he seems to take it in stride and is particularly good at navigating the emotional side of pregnancy. I've taken to calling him and demanding 30 second pep talks which he is always able to do. Anybody can bring their wife ice cream and rub their feet and paint a nursery, but it takes a very special kind of guy to know the right thing to say and when to say it, which he does (nearly) without fail.
Special thanks to my mom, also, for recognizing that I had been having a rough week and surprising me with the Most. Adorable. Baby. Gifts. Ever. I'd show you pictures but that would spoil the surprise. I'm lucky that have a pretty darn good example of how to be an awesome mom
What I Want The Babies To Know This Week:
Even though I am pretty uncomfortable and miserable, I am already getting nostalgic about being pregnant! I have to say - it has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life and in some ways, I think I might miss it. I know already that there is a piece of me that is sad this is the only time I'll experience it. Of course, then I think about what a miracle it is that this even happens and smack myself around the face a bit and snap out of it. Oh, also, I hear that babies on the OUTSIDE are actually pretty awesome, too, so I'm looking forward to meeting you guys. Please be awesome, okay?! (Oh, who am I kidding - your parents are awesome - obviously you will be, too.)
Jonathan (Jack) Blakely...named for his great-grandma...5 lbs 3 oz, 19 inches long, born at 2:37pm on December 14, 2012[/caption]
Elyse (Ellie) Rose...named for her grandmothers...6 lbs 2 oz and 19.5" long, born at 2:41pm on December 14, 2012[/caption]
