Hands Free

Rob and I met at Chipotle for lunch today. I decided to go ahead and order while I wait for him to arrive. I got in line. The line was long and a ltitle slow so there was ample time to shuffle and look around. I crossed my arms. I then realized, the days of crossing my arms spacing out... are numbered. I started thinking about how my mom used to carry all my stuff... and then my pockets did... and then I got a purse (or a backpack)... and now I have a messenger bag + purse + lunch sack. Soon, I'll have a baby in a car seat + diaper bag + purse + whatever else I might need. I better live it up and enjoy my shoulder nakedness while it lasts.

Baby Shower

My SIL, Nicole, just threw a shower for me in the great state of Ohio this past weekend. I have now officially been to Ohio too many times for my liking during the last 4 months. Seriously, though... I have.
I have been to Stow during ALL the cloudy months which is to say nearly all 12 months (specifically Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Mar and April). This trip - was the exception! I dreaded going (it was supposed to be in the 80s back in Richmond) but it turned out beautiful! Friday was the drive up (cloudy and misty rain) followed by the baby shower on Saturday (cloudy and warm) followed by meeting up with extended friends on Sunday (sunny and near 70s!) and driving home on Monday (cloudy and cooler). It was great - we wore TSHIRTS with NO COATS. Wow, indeed.
The shower was great. My SIL, a jr high teacher, shines during organized events. She coordinates every detail and leaves you with nothing to do but enjoy yourself. Yes, I'm lucky.
We got many things for junior. From the car seat (and an extra hand-me-down base), the stroller, the play pen, bathtub with some bath supplies, books, and a bazillion clothes... all pink. Well, there was a blue outfit in there somewhere. J hand-sewn a super cute baby jumper outfit with three little black birds and grandma crochet a white blankie. Another cousin made burp clothes. N, my BIL's girlfriend, got us each our own diaper bags (girly pink paisley for me and faux brown suede for future daddy). Amazing. I still have yet to go through it all again... to let it truly set in what items we now own.
We had a bit of a "challenge" to fit everything in our car. I'm trying to avoid Rob driving back to Ohio just for the crib (which, let's be honest, still won't fit in the KIA even if it is empty with only Rob as the driver). After seeing Rob's friend, A, stuff the stroller/car-seat combo into the backseat the night before we leave town, I suggest we try and bring everything home instead of shipping the combo later. This sends Rob into a bit of a silent my-wife-is-pregnant-and-crazy sort of huffing when I sweet talk him into packing the car... tight... on Monday morning. He unloads everything all over the driveway. After a few choice words, a brief exchange of frustration, it all... magically... fits. We did have to rely on the mirrors to drive home and the tower of plastic baby stuff shifted & squeeked much of the way home, but it was all worth it.
We later unloaded the car and stuck it all in the guest, ...er baby's room. There are now bags piled around the bed which is covered in more bags. Its all a bit overwelming these days. Reality STILL hasn't sunk in. There's just so much to do (this closet has to move to that closet and that closet has to go to the attic and this dresser has to move to where that bookshelf once was). Decorating the baby's room and making room for baby isn't really very fun at all. Rob and I are beginning to feel the pinch, not on the wallet (not with all these gifts!), but in our daily lives.

24 Weeks - Photo

Whoa! I'm half the size I'm gonna get, yikes!
Well, I'm in my 25th week after having completed my 24th week. And to think, I never gave a shit about counting time this precisely. I used to think pregnant women were crazy when they told me how many weeks they were and that mothers were anal-retentive when they said how many months their toddler was. Its all beginning to make sense. It scares me.
So, technically, for you non-pregos out there, I am 5 1/2 months. Like my co-worker (who has a kid) said to me yesterday, "Phew, you're just starting." Yes, yes I am.
Baby kicks all the time. All... the time. She's kicking right now it fact. Its an odd sensation like something is insisting on attention and... you can't give it. She does stop when I rub her only to resume kicking when I stop. There's only so much of that I want to do encourage, though. First off, I look like a wierdo massaging my big belly while at work. That, and I'm afraid she'll become a brat demanding attention when she is here. I was a brat. I don't care to repeat the cycle into this generation.
So off we go to Ohio soon - leave this Friday. I'm feeling better than I thought I would (at this point - I think I could stand the 8.5 hour drive up. I'm not sure about the drive back, however. I was afraid my back would be killing me at this point but I think I'll be OK). Ullman family baby shower is this weekend. I'm excited and nervous as hell about getting all this baby stuff back home. So nervous... that I'm getting ticked off. I'd say I was almost PMS'ing over the whole thought of this weekend & getting things taken care of for this weekend... but its not PMS.
On a separate note: I had to shave my legs while sitting on the side of the tub today. Yes, ladies, for those of you who plan to get pregnant someday... mark your calendars. Week 24 is when you can no longer perform the flamingo while in the shower. There's just no abs for it. I now wonder when I can no longer reach my ankles.

Just a few months

Nothing particularly exciting or insightful to post today. I did want to make a note of an observation I've made.
We attended a St. Patty's Day party last night (yes, I drank O'Doul's. Its not bad, honest. But - it did have the born-on date of Aug 12th and it was recommended that it be enjoyed within 110 days. I enjoyed it over 210 days later. A little skunky...). the party was an outdoor bonfire slash garage party. No one there had kids let alone ever experienced pregnancy before (well, what the hell do I know - maybe someone there had a kid at some point in their life, but they certainly did not have a kid at home today). My size aside, when people hear that I'm due in July (4 months from now) they say, "Wow, not much longer!" And, its funny cause everyone I work with has kids and they all say, "Its just getting started!"
Its funny how perspectives change once you've experieniced this.
Before I ever got pregnant - 9 months seemed like a lifetime. Its essentially a year of drinking, traveling, late nights, partying, and skinniness all thrown out the window for one full year. But, if I ever met someone at 5/6 months pregnant, I always made comments like, "Wow! Home stretch! Soon, huh?"
Now that I am halfway through it, I must admit time has flown by this first half.
In regards to the time ahead, I think there is something to be said about the last half of pregnancy slowing down time as we know it. EVERYONE I know drags the last 6-4 weeks. Days pass like hours. You might as well sit on the toilet without every leaving cause you're just going to have to pee again as soon as you pull up your pants. You might as well throw out any plans about "resting up before baby" cause you can't get comfortable. You can't breathe. You ache. And to top it all off, you are swollen from water retention. *sigh* I fear the road ahead.
So, I think its funny that non-baby people think the last bit of pregnancy means its all wrapping up (which, makes sense that you think that cause time does go faster one week before Christmas or before your wedding or before anything huge you've spent time preparing for). And that, people with kids, know that time tends to s-l-o-w down the further along you get. Probably because nature wants to prepare you for a lifetime of patience ahead.

Weigh'd in

Had my dr.'s check-up today. I'm at 23 weeks + 3 days today. Nothing special - no real milestones at this point and no crazy tests done either (that happens at the next appt when I do the glucose test, yuck!).
But I did get weigh'd in. I'm now 154.5 lbs (yipe!) which is 14.5 lbs more than where I started. what does this mean - I'm right on par. If I keep up this pace, I'll be 170lbs. when delivery time comes around (holy crap!) which will be a total pregnancy gain of 30lbs (phew!). We'll see if I stay on this course... with Girl Scout cookies being delivered last week and Easter just around the corner, not to mention by insane cravings for candy and ice cream, I may get off target... fast!
Found this little calculator online. I love what it had to say to me!

Craigslist

Craigslist is an excellent source for kids stuff. Kids either outgrow it quickly, hated it, never wore it or you got doubles and you can't return it.
But this gem I found today - I can't put it into words. A woman in Hanover (neighboring county) is selling this item, here's what she says about it:
"Really cute pony in great condition from a smoke free home. It can either be strapped to your leg for the child to ride or set on the floor. The best thing is that it makes realistic galloping & neighing sounds. Below is a link to the web site for more info. If interested, please contact me even if Hanover isn't convenient for you. $15 cash. Thanks!"
Now, you just KNOW her kid was completely freaked out by this item... money not wells-pent by grandma who watches too many TV infomercials late at night. She attaches a photo and the link to the company's website... which left me horrified:
Give it justice - turn up the volume:
Po-knee Link

4 more months....

Ah, yes. Fun with Rob's Mac & the built-in photo booth. Not too sure why I didn't think of this sooner.
22 and 1/2 weeks. Yikes! I'm huge!

Honoring my pregnancy

So our yoga instructor asked us a long time ago, "How are you honoring your pregnancy?" You know you aren't when you don't even understand the question. I thought she meant, "What are you doing to capture this moment in time?" Which, I guess one could take it to mean just that. For example, I'm blogging about it, taking photos every 4 weeks, etc.
But, what she meant was,"What are you doing to honor your pregnant self?"
Answer - nada.
I haven't done anything to truly "treat myself." Many of us weren't treating ourselves, which, to me, is the very essence of motherhood.... too damned preoccupied with everyone else and their needs that you sacrifice yourself. Now, you're MY mother when you then turn it all around to martyrdom, but that's another story for another day.
I had decided a long time ago that I'd get monthly pedicures when I'm pregnant. You can't see your feet (or reach them) and why the hell not - its fantastic. So, this past Sunday - I did just that.
K and I went to a new spa in Carytown (Fusion - its great) and had a fun time. I reached the 5-month marker the follwing day so I should be able to do this 4 more times before baby gets here. And hell, why not treat myself for doing such a good job during labor one month after that? Why should the honoring end with the pregnancy?
;-)

Hand-me-downs

The world of maternity hand-me-downs is an amazing one. No woman truly "gets it" until she is pregnant and people throw clothing at her. Its amazing. It reminds me of some college friends who would buy so many clothes that they could afford to purge and pass on while it still was in style.
You have to understand - I still wore jeans from college until about a year ago (I have now finally gotten to fat for them. And no, it wasn't due to pregnancy). I never buy clothing. I LOVE to, there's just been so many other things in life that we needed or wanted. Clothing went on the wayside. I truly think you've reached the pinnacle of adulthood when you realize how fantastically out-of-touch you've become with the latest fashion trends.... and you don't really even care.
So, back to prego clothing. I have already said that C gave me a bag of her hand-me-downs. The "bag of denial" I lovingly called it. I've actually begun to take a dip in that bag in the last 2 weeks. I think I am, as of this week, exclusively into maternity clothing now. There's no going back-n-forth for this belly, not anymore.
I've also posted that I have purchased 5 pants, a skirt and various tops from Old Navy, The Gap and, ah yes, Gabriel Brothers.
But yesterday was the MOTHERLOAD. Thank you, thank you, thank you to A for her amazing box of never-ending cotton fiber blends. A moving box filled with trash bags... all... maternity.
After rummaging through every article, I settled on 2 trashbags for myself. Did you read that sentence? I settled on TWO TRASHBAGS filled with clothes! Ha! I actually left behind a third bag (all too large or out of season).
While discussing how I will need to purchase plastic bins to store all my old clothing, in order to make room for all of this new stuff, Rob made a great comment. He nailed it, "I think its so cool - this maternity network - where all of you share and keep the stuff moving around. It makes it so you can all save your money for what's important and fun in the end - the kid."
What more can I say?

20weeks

February 19th was 20 weeks. Its the halfway point! Its funny cause... the first half is way easier than the second half. Its almost not worth celebrating. I have no problems getting up or down and midnight bathroom runs haven't been a problem this last months. I'm enjoying this before it all comes crashing down on me and just taking a shower wears me out.
*wink*
20weeks
Have I mentioned how much I hate our camera? All these moments passing us by...