33 Weeks! 7 to go....

Seven weeks to go, that's nothing! Or I feels like nothing. It's been hotter than ever outside and we have been getting frequent thunderstorms which I love listening too. I bump into lots of stuff with my belly as of late, as well as having trouble getting in and out of the car, reaching my feet to put my work shoes on, and getting off the couch. Par for the course though... I have been sick for the last week. I am miserable. I cannot breath, I cannot sleep well, I will not take medication (although I used afrin the other night so I could breathe a little while I slept), and the snot is in my sinuses and I can't just blow it out of my nose and feel better. It's miserable and I can't to any exercise either - I just do not have any energy... and I tire quickly. Not to mention the headaches. Neil gave me his cold I suppose, he was sick last weekend. I hear it's going around and everyone at work is sick too.. what can you do... nasty summer colds! I also hear that one of our Chief Selectees has Mono... not happy about that and I will be staying clear of her.

I switch my exercise from running to swimming over the last couple weeks. Started going to the pool on base in the mornings and it's a wonderful feeling to be in the pool. It's so very comfortable, and I can actually move around with such ease it's a total pleasure. So I should be swimming the rest of the pregnancy to help me keep moving! I can't stop moving, it would drive me nuts. I am still doing other calisthenics though too, squats, push ups, lunges etc... trying to stay as active as I can!

So getting to the good stuff, the baby is moving around a lot! He gets the hick ups about once a day or so.. it's kinda funny, except when it happens at night. He kicks a lot and feeling him is amazing, it's just awesome, I love just putting my hands on my belly and feeling his movements and how random body parts fly past. I try to talk to him a lot too, he seems rather responsive. Especially when Neil talks to him. It's super cute. I might read him a Dr Seuss book today...I hear that it will make them used to the stories before they come out! Hmm.. we will see right? Neil sang to him last night too, and he was dancing for it... it was super cute. I think the little man really recognizes his daddy's voice!

Work has been demanding as well... with the Chief's induction season going on and my new assignment, I have been having to work a lot of extra hours here and there to stay on top of things. In fact I have to do my evaluations this weekend on most of my guys... oh well, I just did not finish them during the week, what can you do? It's like having homework. Speaking of homework, I need to get back into college. I think when the baby comes I am going to sign up for a class, get back on track with my masters degree. I need to finish that up! School dropped me last year because of my inactivity. I took the whole year off because of my instabilities at work and home and mind. It's been a rough year and I hope it will end better than it got started. Still a lot of work to do around the house but well, what can you do. We will be hiring some help in the near future to get some more projects completed. We need to get the baby's room togheter soon, but it's not that big of a deal since he will be sleeping in our room at the start. So we are ready for him!!! I am so excited! I just can't wait to hold him and snuggle him in my arms.

I did have a night mare the other day though, I was at the gym and all of a sudden the baby was moving around and I could clearly see his hand and then all of a sudden there he appeared.. as if I had given birth right there in the girl's locker room... oddly enough Alisha was there... and then the baby had no face, and he was very heavy, like those stone babies from the tabloids.. or natgeo... but his arms were moving.. it was creepy.. it was very scary... woke me up in a huffy. The images freaked me out, it's amazing how the mind works. But it seems to me that my baby is fine and is in good health moving around in there. I am taking additional iron supplements (in addition to the prenatals and zoloft) and they help with my energy levels. Last couple weeks I have also been getting tingling in my lower lip.. I read it could be calcium.. but who knows.. I drank more milk and it seems to go away... so might be. The baby seems to be draining me of my nutrients more these days.. my nails are not even growing as fast as they were in the 2nd trimester. It's so strange! How much changes so quickly.

OK well off to start my day and prep this house for the small gathering I am having later.. I have a creative memories party this afternoon! Fun! But I wish more people were coming.. oh well... should be fun.. as long as someone shows up! ;) Have a wonderful weekend!

Three drops of pee and no GD!

OMG, just when you feel like you can't get any bigger!! I feel like a turtle stuck upside down when I am trying to get out of bed!

I had my doctor's visit this past week and found out NO GESTATIONAL DIABETES! I am so happy, but I am a little anemic and she prescribed me some iron pills to supplement. I also upped my broccoli and bean intake to try to help that along. My poo is black now though from the increased mineral in my system.. I know.. TMI.

What's more is sometimes little man sits on my bladder and I have to go constantly but then I get there, and it's only a few drops... it's kinda obnoxious but funny. You just have to laugh at these types of things, there is nothing I can do about it and I remind myself it's temporary.

This week really made me realize that I am probably going to have to lay off of some PT, particularly running I suppose! It's just causing too many problems with my sciatica nerve. But from talking with others, that might be a problem I will have the rest of the pregnancy. So taking it easy will have to be a must. Tylenol helps at least!

30 WEEKS and Red headed blueberry bushes!

Walking by the blackberry brush and lilies that are done for the season! (Thanks Cari for helping pick those bad boys ... they are still tasty!)


WELCOME TO WEEK 30 - 10 to go right?

Neil says 71 days till "the great escape" so I suppose we will see how that plays out as mother nature does her thing. Either that or he was sleepwalking - it was before 9 am. The body is so amazing. I have not had any stretch marks or stretching feelings lately so I am glad for that. I ran yesterday though for about a mile and a half and got some cramps in my lower right quadrant (of my abs/baby bump) but nothing to get overly concerned about. I am sure I just needed to drink more water and get some rest. But I am grateful, this little man moves

SO here's my 30 week bod. I have gained about 24 pounds I can estimate and I have a doctors visit this coming Wed to review my 3 hour glucose tolerance test and pick up some iron supplements. I had not done well on my 1 hour glucose test the week prior and Thursday morning this past week I went in for a test that should have taken three hours... but took FIVE! UGH. I got there at 0730, but they didn't pull my initial blood sample until just after 0800. So by the time the original results returned it was about 9am and I got to drink the glucose around 0920. It was rough. I had to drink two mini bottles of flat orange soda like substance, but one was warm and one was cold. The nurse had forgot to put two in the freezer for me, she only had done one. So I took the warm one first.... my throat was stinging from the sugar, my belly was hungry as I was fasting, and it was difficult to drink that much sugar in the morning on an empty stomach. I gagged and had to take it easy. When I got to the second bottle that was nice and cold it was easier but still.. I had to take my time and I had moments when I thought.. "here it comes, it's going to come right back up, if I puke I will have to do this all over again". But after about 10 minutes I got all the wannabe Fanta down the hatch and then drank some water. I was allowed to drink all the water I wanted, but I was so full of sugar juice that well... it was not happening for a while. Every hour for three hours the nurse stuck me with a small needle, same arm, same vein and drew a vial of blood. So I have four little holes dotting my arm, but she was stellar, there is no bruising so I don't look like a junkie. So Wed I find out. Fun.. let's hope for no gestational diabetes!

OK so that's not all the fun I had this week... Sage, my older cat, gouged my shoulder so I look like I was attacked by Wolverine. We will see how that heals. I think Fea, my younger sweetie pie, scared her as she jumped up to the couch... I just remember Sage looking back at me once he hit the floor in bewilderment at what just happened. A little blood a little hydrogen peroxide and some stinging but it's still healing. It's been three days.

So one more debacle for this week. We were growing blueberries in pots outside our front door. They would be in the ground but we have no garden as of yet in the back (as we had planned) and we could not agree where they should go. Sooooo we just left them there in teh front of the house. We had some pests come through and in my wisdom I decided to spray everything with a organicide. I must have not diluted it enough and well... now I have red-headed blueberry bushes. Umm.. to say the least we thought I had killed them first. But no, no, we left them there, the berries shriveled up, the leaves stayed red but as you can see in the picture, the green leaves are coming back. In two of three of the pots it looks like the plant will adapt and over come and ignore it's new red hue in the other branches. The leaves are still doing well so I guess it will be ok, but they look rather odd... as if something out of the willie wonka factory.

As for the rest of the greenery I sprayed everything else held up.. except for the cherry tree. Japanese beetles invaded it last week and left one leaf. Not sure if she will survive but well.. i bought it from home depot so as long as I can dig up the reciept, I can take her back and hopefull get an exchange, and next time use the Sevin like my mom recomends.

Well that's it in a nutshell this week. Chief Results came out yesterday so things should become increasingly interesting around here with work and well play. But I look forward to the season, as long as the other khaki quit treating me like a walking time bomb.. it's like the coordinators this year don't want me involved in anything because of my "condition". I am pregnant not dead! Damn it.... well either way... I will be out there making some new Chiefs, and worth while ones.

Oh PS got signed up for HypnoBirthing class finally.. I have to read the book and class starts in September.. More on that next week!

Have a great week!!!

Family, fun and sun and a butternut squash!!!

Mom and I
Neil and I

What a great weekend! SO busy, but so daunting! Thank goodness for Sundays really! My mom, brothers, sister in law and nanna came in from out of town (NY, FL) for the shower and for some family time. It was wonderful. I had not seen my nanna in quiet a few months!

For the baby shower we had a great time. The place, Charthouse Annapolis, was set up beautifully! All our tables were put up against the window so everyone had a lovely view of the harbor - the day promised views of all types of boats and sun. The windows in the lounge of the Charthouse reach from floor to ceiling. It's just a lovely place for lunch.

Seeing everyone was so much fun, I had not seen many of the Carbone family since the wedding and then even years back further for some. It was nice to see my mom enjoy the company she does not get to see often enough. These are people she grew up with. We had new, not so new and old friends, it was a wonderful time and the meal was more than enough! I highly reccommend Saturday afternoon affairs at the Charthouse if you need a private venue for a party!

As for the babe, we are 29 WEEKS now!!! He's a butternut squash size! 15 inches? He kicks plenty and is even responding to Neil's voice more and more. I tell Neil to talk to him and here soon we are going to start reading to him! A little bed time story here and there. As he grows stronger and moves more and more each day I feel full of love and find comfort in him. Someone hit the nail on the head yesterday.... she said once she gave birth to her babies, she felt lonely! You get so used to someone being there in your belly for so long, and their movement.. and then they are not there... it's a wild thought, and makes all the sense in the world. I am sure that's how I might feel it too.

Ok off to do laundry and take Marc to the airport! Time flies!!! Then it's all about getting the house back in order for another week of work!!! Yeah!! eh. Work.. that's another blog!!

Ohhhhh I fORGOT.. Ummm... Colostrum.. yeah had a dribble yesterday... first time... but so far that was it... I suppose the girls are getting ready to give milk!! I will keep that posted!

Babies are everywhere!!!

It's actually 28 weeks and +4 days! I can't believe how time is flying. A few of the gal pal crew are there... Lindy - congrats! ! I can't believe Vivian is here!!! Kristen, so close! Jen - how you feeling?

Well many of us are in shared status, waiting for our little ones! It's wild how many people have been pregnant this year that I know! ! ! Connor making his debut in March, Vivian only days old... the other Vivian I know just over a year! It's wild!

Last weekend I shared it with my mother. I had the opportunity to go to Florida and take a break and it was well needed! As it turns out I slept extra hours, I got naps in! I ate healthy and we got our nails done. Even got some new tops! I am outgrowing my clothes again!!! I can't believe how big I have gotten! It's just impressive the body can do it's thing even though I have days where I feel so great!

The weight has truly made itself apparent these past couple weeks, it's difficult to ignore the extra 20+ pounds that have gone on. I must say it hasn't been too tough to look at the scale but the mirror just reflects someone else! A MOM! It's amazing... just amazing. I walk by the mirror and enjoy looking at my belly. I can no longer see the tattoos on my tummy so the only place I can check them out is in the mirror... and yes they are growing!!! I will have to take a pictures here soon of them in particular.. or have Neil take it since I can't really reach around! Around the bump!

So vacation was so great I had to take a few more days off this end of the week, I am on leave Th and Fri since Cari (sister in law) is in town and to get ready for my mom and brother's arrival tonight! So exciting!!!!! James (my youngest brother) and my nanna is also coming in tomorrow! It's going to be such a wonderful weekend full of family and fun! The shower is Saturday at the Charthouse and I can't wait to spend some time with all my closest! I am overly excited really to see everyone! Babies are a great excuse to celebrate! We will have to have another get together when the little man arrives too! ;)

Well please enjoy the pic, they were taken today in the neighborhood.... belly is sticking out there now!!!

27 and ....

Almost to the third trimester, yeah! And I have been reading up and feeling new symptoms that come along with it. Some of the stories on babycenter.com are so humorous they make me pee a little, no really... no one told me there would be leakage!

Let me recap some of the newest symptoms I have been getting. Headaches come and go, so far the longest one had lasted three days, THREE DAYS!, I thought it was because I was over tired but not quiet sure. I am getting enough water.

Indigestion is getting fierce!! I think the baby must be leaning against my tummy sometimes as I will get a reflux for a short while and it goes away and then for no reason it comes on again. I know you do not digest foods as quick as pre-pregnancy so that might make sense.

Then there is the back pains, I have had about two days of serious pain but it's normally towards the end of the day. I hear it's the change in your center of gravity, and then there is the new found roundness... I AM ROUND! My belly is quiet round now and very pregnant looking. I am at that phase that I look like I am so pregnant that I should be having the baby soon but I still have 90+ days to go! Oh and when Neil actually makes some time to rub my back it just makes me have to go poo... I guess my intestines are all flattened against my back! So that's all interesting.

So now for the fun stuff...flat belly button! My belly button is moving outwards, I can see all the crevaces that are normally on the inside!!! My piercing is stretching too so it looks quiet odd. We will see if we go "inverted" by the end of it all!

14 inch/2lbs head of cauliflower.... well... as funny as that sounds... he doesn't feel like a cauliflower, but he does move around a lot. It's amzaing to feel all the movement. He kicks quiet hard adn some times I can feel a leg or arm on the surface that is just chilling there. Neil trys to tap at him too, super cute.

Baby brain is begining to take over! I call people and not remember who I am calling by the time they answer the phone! I am just a space cadet most days. I have to write everything down at work so I don't go too far off tangent, it's amazing how this little man does all this too me.

Cavities?? I think my teeth are suffering... but I am not sure if it's because of all the sugary yummies I eat or because baby Rubin is sucking all the nutrients from my bones!?! But I am pretty sure I have a new cavity or two... and the pain lets me know from time to time.

So many changes! Waistlines are overrated I keep trying to remind myself and the fact is that when he moves around in there and lets me know he's there, I get so happy, I forget the destruction that is going on with the rest of my physical self.

Until next week!

I see Pregnant People

Everywhere! We go to Target, saw three! Walking around Annapolis Towne Center, saw two! Whole foods, saw one, they are everywhere! It seems that the slowed economy over the past winter brought some people closer. Hmm.. It's interesting. When I asked the doc at Bethesda if she thought it was a fluke, she reassured me that there has been an increase of pregnancies this year and that its a baby boom!

See a few articles to read about the baby boom:
This one say's it's Hollywood's fault: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/976590/20062009_baby_boom.html
Some other theories: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,323028,00.html

Coming back down from the big picture, this week I have felt like I really gained inches... I have not weighed myself but my tummy seems to really be dominating my body now. The mornings are still the best and on a good day I still get out and jog for a little bit. I have been walking though still and that helps. Got some new pillows too from Sleep Number and they are stellar! They match you with a pillow that works for you, so I got on the bed and tried all the pillows... and Neil and I got some decent pillows... it was neat and my neck is not so badly cricked in the morning now! It's so nice!!!

Big vs. Large.... feeling bigger this week. We don't have a scale so I am not sure where I am at, and a part of me is afraid to find out really. I have probably gained about 20 lbs by now and we are at 26 weeks... almost to third trimester. It's scary to watch that scale go up.. 20 pounds is a LOT OF WEIGHT!!! UGH!! But on the good side, baby is kicking happily and seems he is comfortable! I hope so, I am giving him half my body's real estate! ;) It's so fun to feel him move around! It's just amazing really. All the sacrifice we have to make to foster these beautiful little guys! I can't wait to meet him, really!

Baby shower is around the corner and I can't wait to see everyone! It's going to be nice to sit down with everyone and have a nice lunch! I can't wait! Well as for the rest of the week, doing well, having bad ups and downs, Neil could be more supportive, but what husband couldn't' use a lesson in support.... Sigh... he's doing wonderful though and he's just as excited I think... you would have to ask him. He puts his hand on my tummy more often these days. Might be because he is so happy about his new ride though. His Jetta was falling apart so we had to invest in a new car. Of course any old new car was not good enough for Neil and we did need a family car so we agreed on a BMW, and he selected a used 2006 750 in burgundy with tan interior. This thing has all the bells and whistles, it's a very nice ride and will do beautifully as a family car - very roomy!

Well everyone have a wonderful week! I hope everyone had a great and safe weekend, we had a quiet one - stayed local and today we plan on going to see the Point Thomas Lighthouse as our weekend "outing"! Oh I did a chalk drawing as well, as you can see in the picture. Have a great short week!!!