Prenatal Photoshoot

So some of you have asked if I am going to do a prenatal photoshoot, you know, as in the kind showcasing the baby bump and documenting this last (really attractive) stage of the pregnancy. The answer, no. Don't get me wrong, I've seen some cute and tasteful prenatal photos out there, but it just isn't for me. Personally, I think the whole thing is a little awkward, it isn't like I'm going to want some 8x10 of myself pregnant hanging on my wall.... I'm sorry I just think that is a bit bizarre, narcissistic, and frankly a waste of money (especially when there are PLENTY of practical/much needed things to spend money on for the baby right now).  I would rather save my pennies for the professional photos of the baby when he gets here versus ones of just me walking in the park looking like I'm going to pop.

I know everyone was disappointed that you didn't receive this Christmas card from the McG's...

Like I said, I know they all aren't quite so over top, but there are a lot out there that are...

Wow. And hey,  nice stretchmarks, I'd lift my shirt and show 'em off  too. 

Well, this is pretty accurately documents me every morning.

See,  now I know John won't be able to do this pose...
And If we can't do this one I'm not doing any, it just wouldn't be right. 

Tell me what this girl is going to do with this picture?!? So dumb.

NOT necessary.
Really, spooning half nude on the kitchen floor?!? They couldn't pay me to do this for a camera.

Aren't they just the cutest?! [inset sarcasm] 

Oh barf.
Not at all staged either. Spare me.

How sweet. A naked mom with dad leaning on a tire. So natural.

You catch my drift. Hopefully I'm not the only one out there that just doesn't see the value in these pics. As I said to each their own, and if it's your thing to document your bump professionally then more power to you, but please don't frame these to be mounted above your fireplace or something.

Stay tuned for professional newborn baby photos and family photos instead....

Pre-holiday Blues Poos

This year for Christmas my parents planned to come to Denver and were set to arrive on Friday the 23rd. Thursday the 22nd (the day prior to their arrival) ended up being a snowy day here in Denver - we got over 8 inches - that evening for dinner I didn't want to leave the house but we had nothing in the frig so I decided to run to Qdoba right around the corner to grab a burrito. By the time I went to bed that night I wasn't feeling well. I assumed it was just the typical pregnancy stuff... heart burn, acid reflux, and stomach pains. After complaining for a bit,  I took John's advice and took down some Tums hoping that would help, but as I tried to fall asleep it just got worse... I couldn't get comfortable and felt awful. Before long I realized I was keeping John up with my huffing, puffing, groaning, rolling, tossing and turning. It was time for me go downstairs and park it on the couch so maybe someone (clearly this would not be me) would be able to sleep. By 3am I was making a mad dash to the bathroom pretty much every hour. Poisoned by the giant veggie burrito. Damn you Qdoba. I instantly regretted every bite.

I'll spare you the details, but this went on for hours. Friday morning when I "woke up" I wasn't feeling any better and knew there was absolutely no way I could go into the office in this condition.  I put a call into the doctor on call to see what I should do, I worried that this food poisoning might be hurting the babe too. After talking with the triage nurse (who consulted with the doc) I was told to just drink lots and lots of fluid and call back if I wasn't better by the following day. Apparently "the 'rhea" (sorry) can often be a sign of labor coming as it is your body's way for making room for the baby to come out, so they also suspected it was that versus food poisoning.

At first I thought, no way, but as I laid there in bed suffering from nausea, heartburn, and back pains so bad that I felt paralyzed I started questioning... What exactly was going on with my body? Could this be labor? And why oh why did I eat a dumb burrito?

When I talked to my parents before they boarded the plan to come to Denver to let them know John would be picking them up because I was still sick in bed - my mom was convinced I was going into labor because she apparently had some similar symptoms when labor started for her. However, by the time my parents arrived at 9pm on Friday night I was starting to feel more human again, and was finally on the mend after close to 24 hours. So, I suppose it was in fact food poisoning and not labor or anything else. What a crappy start to the holiday. Moral of the story, no more Qdoba.

Completely Honest OBGYN

I got this from a friend and thought it was too good to not share... Funny Stuff! Fair warning, I'm not saying it's the most appropriate PC thing.... Let's just say it's rated R.

Psycho Nesting Sarah: Issue #1

After realizing that the time is nearing I was determined to get something off my to-do-list. I had drug John to the fabric store on Saturday afternoon after a quick trip to IKEA (not one of my best ideas), but I did manage to make it out with what I needed to get the job done. So, I spent the past 3 nights getting the drapes sewn. I couldn't have made it easy and just did one panel of the same fabric... no, no, NO....why would anyone want to do that? Naturally, I like to make things 10x more difficult, and did so by doing a stripe of yellow fabric at the top and bottom as well as lined the damn things with blackout lining to ensure the baby will be able to sleep mid-day (I don't think I'll regret this extra effort). Oh, and our windows are 6' wide so this also meant seaming 2 panels of fabric together to make them wide enough.  This whole ordeal required lots of cutting, measuring, and running up and down the stairs (I would lay things out on the 3rd floor where I had space but  for some unknown reason sewed at the kitchen table on the first floor). I proudly finished them last night though! I feel so accomplished knocking one this off the list. And I have enough fabric left to do some pillows when I decide to return to the sewing machine (which I love, but need a break from).

laying things out upstairs...

Sewing away!!
excuse my nails, shellac needs a touch-up add it to the to-do-list

FAST FORWARD A FEW NIGHTS....

TA-DA!

Close up so you can see the fabric print 

I hope this baby really appreciates these bad-boys. Now, what to tackle next?? I'm on a roll.

The Results Are In

Got all the tests and blood work back from Tuesday's appointment, and all is good. Thankfully, the pain I have been having is totally muscular and nothing serious. Um yeah, it's going to hurt when your liver is shoved up into your rib with a baby butt sitting on it. The only notable thing from the blood work was that my thyroid numbers were going up again (I have hypothyroid, which I have been on medicine for to manage for over a year now).  I should have known considering I could hardly make it home last night from work without falling asleep in the car (and I was driving, which is a bit concerning) and had to take a nap when I did get home. That's always my big sign, when I'm exhausted beyond words and feel the need to nap - something I don't do often. So the doctor is  up'ing my thyroid medicine dosage....hopefully I'll be re-energized for Christmas with the new dosage... and other than that it's business as usual. Tick tock, tick tock.

Looking ahead...

We finished our final birthing class Monday night, and yesterday I had my 36 week appointment. Scary! That pretty much means there is only one thing left...

So I'll spare you the details on the birthing class from Monday night because it was mostly PowerPoint's and video watching on the baby right after delivery and then postpartum info. Exciting stuff. We're done now, so no more hippies to deal with on a weekly basis. Did I mention that John asked our teacher about the number of people who plan to deliver naturally (as in w/o drugs) here in Colorado versus other places, and our teacher said that at Rose (my hospital) the rate is around 50% plan to be natural, whereas at an east coast hospital a recent study showed that 90% plan to use an epidural. Why you ask? Our teacher said and I quote... "Well we have a lot more crunchy people here, and it's really become a trend to do natural birth." I've never been one for trends. Clearly, I am more of an east-coast b*tch at heart and proud of it. Drugs please.

On to the 36 week check up...

Doctors consider 36 weeks "to term" - technically 40 weeks is full term, but at 36 weeks you're good to go, and if labor should start, you're having the baby, meaning they aren't going to stop it. AHH! The big agenda item at today's appointment was to run test for Strep B (not the same strand as the strep you associate with a sore throat). This strep is "down-there" (um, yuck), but apparently 50% of women have it and unless you are about to deliver they would never treat it or even test for it - it isn't like some creepy STD - it's just a random virus people have usually without symptoms. However, if it goes untreated in delivery it can cause the baby harm so they just give you so meds on an IV when you're laboring and that's that. It's amazing all the crazy shit you learn when you're pregnant. So anyway, they ran that test, results tbd.

Then my doctor checked me out (if you catch my drift), and apparently unbeknownst to me I'm already 1cm dilated and 70% effaced (sorry for those of you who don't want these details about lady parts, like my husband). Um, ok... so when did this happen? I'm also measuring about 37 weeks. Long story short my doctor thinks I'll be going early. 70% effacement is pretty far along, and little buddy is still sitting really low and head-down. She said she doesn't think I'm going to have a Christmas baby, but doesn't think it will be too much longer either. My first thought was, Woohoo! Fine by me, let's get this show on the road! Then I felt a tinge of anxiety followed up with a minor panic attack after leaving the hospital when I realized I have no hospital bag packed, no sheets on the crib, the nursery drapes in progress, a 1/2 put-together nursery, an uninstalled carseat, no Christmas gifts wrapped, no food purchased for Christmas dinner, no name picked, projects to still be finished at work, etc. In light of this news I am likely to become a total crazy nut job in the next few weeks trying to "nest" and wrap things up so please disregard my behavior. I am also going to be the most non-committal person until his arrival... just assume I'm "tentative" from here on out.. it's nothing personal.

Aside from this news I had also told my doctor that I've been having a bit of pain right under my boob sort of where your ribs would be. She said it is likely muscular since pregnancy causes your liver and colon to all be pushed up to that spot and the little guy's butt is right there sitting on top of it all (and here I thought my liver was getting a nice 9 month break, so much for that, it's being smooched). But I also have some swelling in my legs/ankles this week (which is new since Friday night). Yes, it's official I have doctor confirmed kankles (we knew it was only a matter of time, and the time has come. I'm retaining water and turning into Willy Wonka's Violet... shoot me now). So, the doctor ran some additional blood work just to make sure the pain I'm feeling is in fact muscular and not a reason to induce labor. While it's doubtful it is anything serious because my blood pressure and weight were normal which would usually be out of whack as well if it was preeclampsia something like that, but better safe than sorry so she ran the blood work. I guess this means I should be sitting with my feet up and relaxing... Oh John! Time to get out the vacuum, it's your turn to do the pre-guest holiday cleaning.

I. can. give. up. control.

30 Day and Counting!

That's right folks it's t-minus 30 days to my due date, not that I'm counting or anything... Fine, I am. I have to say, I really can't complain thus far about how things have been going, but I am starting to hit the point where I'm over this whole pregnancy thing. It's time for a BABY and we're ready to start getting use out of all the great new "gear" we have for the little guy.  Equally important, it's also time for me to have the ability to bend at the waist,  shave my legs without huffing and puffing, not feel anxiety about putting on socks and shoes, "enjoy" 3 months away from the office, sport a wardrobe that isn't comprised of 2 pairs of pants (sans buttons), have a cocktail, and sushi, and as much diet coke/caffeine as I want, get my body back, and on and on. Most importantly though, I'm ready for motherhood! Of course I have my concerns and I feel like there is a ton I don't know or might not be prepared for, but that's what motherhood is about, right? Loving someone more than yourself, giving them all you can give, and figuring it out as you go along... that I can do. Let's meet this little guy and get onto the fun part!

So, I'll answer the top 5 questions I've been getting these days...

1. Do you have a name yet?  No. No we really don't, I'm not just saying that. And I can 100% promise you we likely will not have "the one" picked until he arrives, so I'll save you from asking. I think we're going to have it down to 2 or so names and decide once we see him.
2. How are you feeling?  Honestly, not terrible, but not like myself either. Truthfully, I feel like a roly poly. I'm really starting to slow down and I hate that and hate admitting that to myself. The independent girl I am does not like admitting that putting on my socks is hard, as it bending over to pick up something off the floor. I'm close to the point to needing help (slow tear).  I do feel ok though for being 8+ months pregnant. Of course I have minors aches and pains here and there, along with lots of trips to the ladies room, but nothing out of the norm.
3.  What does your belly button look like? Still in but it looks totally depressed. It used to be a VERY tight "o" (if you take your lips and make a tight "o" shape with them that's what it looked like), now it's as though someone has tugged at the bottom of it, making it a bit of a triangle- the top of the "o" is still in tact but it's sagging down. Gross. It better go back.
4. Is the room for the baby ready? Let's put it this way, if he showed up tomorrow we have what we need to get the job done. All the furniture is in place, but it still needs to be "decorated" and accessorized. I'm currently moving into nest mode and making drapes... I started them tonight and I'm hoping to get them done sometime this week. I'm waiting for Pops (also known as TH) to come on Friday so he can help me with the decals on the walls, and then it will really be down to details.
5. So, can you believe it's almost here?! And are you ready? Well, this is a loaded question. And honestly I have no idea. Ready or not, right? Not as though I have a choice. Like I said earlier, it's starting to feel like it's been a long time in the making, so I guess I believe it's almost time. I don't know that I'll ever be "ready" for the birthing part, but I'm taking the approach that I'm going to do it as millions of women have done before me.  As I ready said, bring it on! I am ready for him to be here, to meet him, and see what he looks like.

Feel free to ask me whatever else you'd like... I'm an open book as you know, so shoot...

And we're taking bets on when you think he's going to arrive. The winner will get something really great.