Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Bump Update: 40 weeks and counting


Well, I was sure I had completely run out of room in my belly, and that there was no way I'd see my Feb. 20 due date, but here I am, 40 weeks and 4 days in, and waiting for this little one to come. As a person who very much likes to plan and be on time, and as someone who gets anxiety from the well-meaning, "Did you have your baby yet?" calls and texts, as well as the "Have you eaten spicy food, walked, had sex, etc.?" questions from unsolicited pregnancy counselors, I had a bit of a meltdown a couple nights ago. Flavio, like he always does, talked me off a ledge and reminded me of some very important truths. I am writing them here, in case I need to come back to this as a pep talk in a week.

:: Everything in our society is scheduled and controlled; there is nothing like the mystical experience of waiting for a baby in modern-life. Planned c-sections and inductions are big in Southern California, I think mostly because people are so uncomfortable with unknown timing. (A few people have told me I should just go get electively induced. It's crazy.) Due dates are not expiration dates. They are guesses with a 5-week margin of error. And in the end, it's up to the baby to decide when they want to come. Period.

:: Every day the baby is in the womb is a good thing. There have been countless studies showing that babies born at or after term are healthier.  I talked to a mom yesterday who gave birth at 41 weeks and 3 days, and she told me that her son was able to latch on to the breast at birth with no problem, and has reached all of his developmental milestones early because he was "fully cooked" when born. Brains, lungs, immune systems etc. are still developing in utero and every day in there counts toward the longterm health of the baby.

:: According to my midwife, most first babies come late. Even Kate Middleton was overdue.

:: Parenting is about flexibility and patience. This is a good lesson in that.

:: Trust the process. Somehow, my body put together a whole human. Somehow, my body will tell me when this human is ready for birth.

:: I am enjoying my freedom while it lasts. I can do anything I choose with my days. That will all change very soon.

:: Finally, I have loved being pregnant, and still feel really good. Even though I am anxious to meet our baby, I am also a little nostalgic about the pregnancy ending. I am the only one that gets this kind of special time with our little one, who gets to enjoy all the kicks and pokes and bonding time - just the two of us, so I am remembering to soak it all in and enjoy these last few precious days with our little baby on the inside. He or she will choose their own birthday, and it will be here soon enough.

Edited to add: this beautiful article on the last days of pregnancy. It so resonates! Sent to me by my friend Krissy.

All previous bumpdates here.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Baby C's Nursery

We are so beyond ready to have this baby! I have nested and re-nested, our house is sparkling, our birth center bag is packed, I've spent my days walking in an effort to encourage this baby out, and now it's just a waiting game. I guess babies come when they are ready.. And whenever this little one decides to come, we're excited to spend time in the nursery we created. We knew we wanted to do a safari theme, because it's gender neutral, and because we are still obsessed with all things Kenya after a 2007 trip there, and we had a lot of fun putting it together. I think it's simple and classic, and is filled with sweet gifts from wonderful friends. I hope our baby loves it as much as we do.







Friday, February 6, 2015

Noted on a Friday

We're mostly taking it easy this weekend. I'm feeling very pregnant, and keep wondering if I'm going in to labor (regular Braxton-Hicks and some light cramping at night) so we'll be keeping it very low-key. We are having dinner with Flavio's dad tomorrow night (who we haven't seen in forever), and I'm getting a pedicure on Sunday, as I can no longer reach my toes. Should be delightful. Hope you have a good one! xo

{branch manager}
{Newborn Care class -- very proud of my swaddled baby}
{Practicing at home. Flavio is the better swaddler.} 
{Flavio making fun of me for double-fisting samples at Trader Joe's}

Friday, January 23, 2015

Noted on a Friday

{winter in San Diego}
Somehow, this has been the busiest week and I'm not even working. There was a huge amount of running around, a long visit with an out-of-town friend and her sweet baby yesterday, trips to Ikea, two doctor's appointments.. I thought I'd be bored not working but turns out, I'm loving it so far and the days just fly by. People keep telling me to stay active in these last few weeks of pregnancy and live it up without the responsibility of a baby, so I'm maintaining a concerted effort to make plans with girlfriends, go on dates with Flav (we're off to see American Sniper tonight), take lots of walks, and overall, fight my natural tendency to stay in and nest. Should be a good weekend. Enjoy! xo

{giant owl spotted at the dog park}
{I'm really in to pears right now, and seeing them on my windowsill makes me happy}
{my favorite barista at our neighborhood coffee shop makes me her Preggo Special - extra milky coffee in a teeny shot cup}
{these two are in love and they love watching Friends reruns together}

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Bump Update: 35 Weeks


Guys, we're in the homestretch. As of Friday, I'll be 35 weeks, which means we have 35 days 'til our due date. When I found out I was pregnant (in June, on Father's Day and World Cup weekend), February felt a million years away. It seemed like we had all this time to read parenting books, prepare the nursery, decide on a name, etc. But now that it's January 14 about a month from the big day, things have moved at warp speed and most of those tasks remain undone. Eek! Thank god for Flav my voice of reason, who keeps reminding me that if I've got my vagina, I'm packed for the hospital, and that we already have the bassinet, crib, clothes, car seat, and my boobs, so we've got the essentials in case the baby decides to come early. Here are some of the things I'm feeling right now...

35 weeks

The baby is the size of:
A honeydew melon

I'm feeling:
Excited and unprepared. There is so much information to learn, from how to birth, to how to breastfeed, to how to diaper, to how to generally keep a newborn alive. It can feel overwhelming. But at the same time, I am getting really excited about all of it.

Food love:
Still loving spicy, salty, sour foods, but I am eating everything under the sun. The mother's stomach is squished during pregnancy, which means while I want to gorge on massive amounts of food at one sitting, I can't. So instead, I feel like I'm eating a little bit all the time, grazing all day. Cheerios with banana and milk are a favorite snack (weird).

Food hate:
None. I'm ravenous.

The best things about this week:
1. Flavio helps me put on my shoes, builds a nest of pillows for me at bedtime, rubs my back and feet, and generally does sweet little things to help me. It makes me tear up just thinking about it. 
2. When the baby kicks, I press on my stomach, then the baby kicks, then I press. It's a fun little game we have. :)
3. Bedtime stories. Flavio reads Good Night Gorilla, Goodnight Moon, and other sweet stories to the baby (and Guiri) in Spanish while we're all cuddled in bed. Tender moments.

The worst things about this week:
1. I'm so weepy! I find myself crying for no reason. 
2. The baby turned from head down to a weird sideways position at my last appointment, which has me a little stressed out. Everyone keeps assuring me there is plenty of time for the baby to turn back, so I'm thinking optimistic, head-down thoughts.
3. Generally exhausted each day by 3pm.

Interesting turn of events:
1. My belly button is now completely flat. It's not an outtie or an innie -- it's an inbetweeny? It's non-existent.
2. My rings no longer fit.


Really looking forward to:
Packing our hospital bag, finishing our nursery, and meeting this little person. It's so fun not knowing if it's a boy or a girl. :) 

Daydreaming about:
Who this baby will resemble..?

All previous bumpdates here.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Noted on a Friday - Quick Holiday Re-Cap

{NYE 2014}
December and the first part of January ended up being crazier than anticipated. Flavio came down with a cold/flu? over Christmas week, and then I got it over New Year's week and it felt like we were still running around and overcommitted despite our maladies. But, the actual holidays were quiet and nice. For Christmas Eve we went to my mother-in-law's for tamales and Christmas movies, and for NYE, we got Indian takeout, built a fire at home, and snuggled up for our last night of 2014. Although I was under the weather, it was somehow a very memorable and magical NYE.

January, which usually drags, is flying! I've been doing some major cleaning (the nesting instinct is real, people) and have started reading baby and parenting books, thinking seriously about baby names, and generally doing all the prep stuff I had no time to do during the semester. We've also been making it a point to get out and get together with friends before we disappear into babyland, so that's been nice. I haven't had much time for reflection on the previous year as I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the changes that are coming our way quickly, but I'm looking forward to a quieter weekend in, working on some projects around the house, cooking, and generally getting my head on straight. I hope you have a great one. xo
{As the kids say, #nofilter}
{Christmas Eve, 32 weeks}
{While I've previously done cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, I might switch the tradition to this easier and equally delicious overnight French toast}
{Christmas morning, Guiri's gift}
{Rosca de Reyes, delivered by my mother-in-law}