Sunday, June 7, 2009
Hearing fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope
I had heard that after 20 weeks we should be able to hear Blueberry's heartbeat with the small side of a regular stethoscope. Luckily, I have one from my days on the ambulance crew, so every once in a while we check to see if we can hear anything, but we spent a lot of time just moving the chestpiece around and listening to the sounds of digestion. (Lovely, I know.) This morning I grabbed the stethoscope off the nightstand before I got out of bed and on the first try, I heard that unmistakable sound. I was surprised that we could hear it so clearly! What a fun way to start the day!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Comparing myself to other people
Today I had a scheduling workshop at a different school--kind of nice to go to a different location and get some work done once in a while.
At this workshop, counselors from schools in the county go and work on their master schedules for the upcoming school year, and people from PowerSchool (the scheduling program we use) are there to help us out. One of the PowerSchool people, Cherity, (yes, I spelled her name right) was obviously pregnant, and one of the counselors said, "Oh my goodness, you're pregnant, when are you due?" And Cherity said, "September 24." I was thinking, "Holy crap, that's right around my due date!" It's crazy how different we look. And since no one else noticed my "condition," I didn't volunteer the information. And as this conversation was happening, Blueberry was flailing wildly, practically knocking the wind out of me, so I know he/she is in there and is safe and healthy.
Regarding my previous post about gender prediction kits:
We don't want to know (if we did, we probably could have found out at the sonogram). Chris really wanted to have a 3D sonogram, but now I think he's not too sure because he doesn't want to "see anything." We're coming up on that window of time when the 3D sono works best, so we're going to have to decide soon. Good question about getting your money back if it's wrong!!! I just think it's another way for our disposable society to create more waste.
At this workshop, counselors from schools in the county go and work on their master schedules for the upcoming school year, and people from PowerSchool (the scheduling program we use) are there to help us out. One of the PowerSchool people, Cherity, (yes, I spelled her name right) was obviously pregnant, and one of the counselors said, "Oh my goodness, you're pregnant, when are you due?" And Cherity said, "September 24." I was thinking, "Holy crap, that's right around my due date!" It's crazy how different we look. And since no one else noticed my "condition," I didn't volunteer the information. And as this conversation was happening, Blueberry was flailing wildly, practically knocking the wind out of me, so I know he/she is in there and is safe and healthy.
Regarding my previous post about gender prediction kits:
We don't want to know (if we did, we probably could have found out at the sonogram). Chris really wanted to have a 3D sonogram, but now I think he's not too sure because he doesn't want to "see anything." We're coming up on that window of time when the 3D sono works best, so we're going to have to decide soon. Good question about getting your money back if it's wrong!!! I just think it's another way for our disposable society to create more waste.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Gender prediction kits
In the Walgreens ad this morning they had a gender determination kit on sale for $30. I looked them up online and it said that you can use them if you're too anxious to wait for a sonogram. (They can be used any time after 10 weeks.) I really have to wonder if something like that works, or if it's just a way to screw poor suckers out of $30.
http://www.intelligender.com/
http://www.intelligender.com/
Saturday, May 30, 2009
I do not like shopping anymore
Today I did a little shopping. I have one pair of jeans that fits, and the only reason I have that pair is because someone gave it to me. I've looked around and I CANNOT find a pair of jeans. They're all cropped, which, to me, is NOT a pair of jeans. Jeans go all the way to my shoes. Friends have suggested Kohls (nope), Target (nope), and Gap (nope). I guess that's what we get for living in Western NY--not being able to find maternity jeans is the tradeoff for an otherwise awesome place to live.
So anyway, after I struck out on jeans, I did go to Express to pick up some camis. A while back I had a coupon for a free white cami from Express, and let me tell you---this shirt is AWESOME! It has a built in bra (although I usually wear a bra under it), it's long enough to tuck in, and it comes up high enough in the chest area that it looks very nice under a shirt or jacket at work. I wore the one I have three times this past week! As soon as it gets washed, it gets worn again. So today I went and bought two more--another white one and a black one. This time in size medium (ouch--size medium isn't big by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm just not used to buying that size). They have about 20 colors available, and I had to work really hard to resist buying a couple more. They were on sale 2 for $25--not really the clearance price I'm used to taking advantage of, but they are really nice shirts and I know they'll get a ton of wear.
Then we went to Victoria's Secret. I love their bras. I know they're not for everyone, but after years and years of searching for "the" bra and not wanting to be one of "those people" who shopped at VS, Chris went and bought me one of their Ipex bras. That's all it took to get me hooked, and ever since then, I've been shopping there. (Always for sale items, of course! :) After a little trial and error, I even found the perfect size for me, so for the past several years, I've been a well-supported woman. Then I got pregnant and things started to change. My perfect bras started hurting, so I went back to the ones I wore before I found "my size." They still fit pretty well, but I know I haven't see the last of the changes that are going to happen to my body, so I figured I'd take advantage of another coupon (which expires tomorrow) and buy a larger bra to prepare for the next step. I tried on three bras and found the one I liked best, then took it to the register, and they said that since it was a clearance item, I couldn't use my coupon. On the one hand, I was kind of relieved...I didn't really want the bra anyway, I was just getting it because it was a good deal and I knew I'd be needing it. But on the other hand, I was pissed that I didn't get to use my coupon. (I'm very cheap, which I'm sure you've noticed. Or maybe cheap isn't the right word for it. Maybe I'm clever since I study the sales and strategically use coupons. Either way, I enjoy the challenge of finding a great deal.)
Plus, when I was in the dressing room, I was not liking what I was seeing in the mirror. I've decided that I look much better with my clothes ON. So the between the confusion over what I need to buy and the disgust at my "new" body, I was feeling pretty frustrated this afternoon. Now I'm trying to decide whether I want to go on a long bike ride (which I need) or to garden (which I really need to get started on now that we're pretty much past the danger of frost).
So anyway, after I struck out on jeans, I did go to Express to pick up some camis. A while back I had a coupon for a free white cami from Express, and let me tell you---this shirt is AWESOME! It has a built in bra (although I usually wear a bra under it), it's long enough to tuck in, and it comes up high enough in the chest area that it looks very nice under a shirt or jacket at work. I wore the one I have three times this past week! As soon as it gets washed, it gets worn again. So today I went and bought two more--another white one and a black one. This time in size medium (ouch--size medium isn't big by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm just not used to buying that size). They have about 20 colors available, and I had to work really hard to resist buying a couple more. They were on sale 2 for $25--not really the clearance price I'm used to taking advantage of, but they are really nice shirts and I know they'll get a ton of wear.
Then we went to Victoria's Secret. I love their bras. I know they're not for everyone, but after years and years of searching for "the" bra and not wanting to be one of "those people" who shopped at VS, Chris went and bought me one of their Ipex bras. That's all it took to get me hooked, and ever since then, I've been shopping there. (Always for sale items, of course! :) After a little trial and error, I even found the perfect size for me, so for the past several years, I've been a well-supported woman. Then I got pregnant and things started to change. My perfect bras started hurting, so I went back to the ones I wore before I found "my size." They still fit pretty well, but I know I haven't see the last of the changes that are going to happen to my body, so I figured I'd take advantage of another coupon (which expires tomorrow) and buy a larger bra to prepare for the next step. I tried on three bras and found the one I liked best, then took it to the register, and they said that since it was a clearance item, I couldn't use my coupon. On the one hand, I was kind of relieved...I didn't really want the bra anyway, I was just getting it because it was a good deal and I knew I'd be needing it. But on the other hand, I was pissed that I didn't get to use my coupon. (I'm very cheap, which I'm sure you've noticed. Or maybe cheap isn't the right word for it. Maybe I'm clever since I study the sales and strategically use coupons. Either way, I enjoy the challenge of finding a great deal.)
Plus, when I was in the dressing room, I was not liking what I was seeing in the mirror. I've decided that I look much better with my clothes ON. So the between the confusion over what I need to buy and the disgust at my "new" body, I was feeling pretty frustrated this afternoon. Now I'm trying to decide whether I want to go on a long bike ride (which I need) or to garden (which I really need to get started on now that we're pretty much past the danger of frost).
Nursery theme
Several people have asked me if we have a theme for the nursery. The answer, big surprise, is no. First, I'm not a fan of the usual baby animal themes (even though I do think they're really cute in small doses), and I detest Winnie the Pooh and Classic Pooh. My feeling on the Pooh stuff is this--The baby is, well, an infant. He/she is not going to know what's on his/her swing, crib, etc... I, the mom, will have to look at the stuff every day, so shouldn't it be aesthetically pleasing to me? Maybe that makes me selfish, but I don't think so. I don't want to resent the child for causing me to have to litter our home with things I don't like!
On a side note, Chris was able to pick up a nice swing for $25. It has a little mobile over the top that has three little bears on it, which I don't love, but I'll come back to that in a second. The cover on the swing itself is blue and gold--->Sabres colors. (We're HUGE Buffalo Sabres fans!!!) So back to the bears--I'm going to try to find or make some little Sabres-themed items that will dangle from the mobile. Bye bye bears--you're going to be replaced by hockey pucks! (And please don't tell me that it's dangerous to hang hockey pucks from a mobile. Trust me, I DO know better than to dangle heavy items over an infant's melon.)
So back to a theme--I'm more interested in a color scheme than a theme. There are so many pretty patterns out there--I love plaids and polka dots. I love earth tones. I like green for obvious environmental reasons, and because it's a gender neutral color. But as for picking an actual theme, I'm lost. It's the minutia that drives me up a wall. I can handle picking out the main item, but when it comes to the details like color and style, forget it! I fall apart! Usually for me it comes down to price. If I like two things and one is significantly less expensive than the other, I go for the less expensive item. But when dealing with a registry and other people buying things, I don't know what to tell them! I'm just thankful for my friends and family who put up wtih my quirkiness. I know I must make you crazy, and I love you very much for accepting me the way I am!!!
(I guess a good rule of thumb is that if it's environmentally friendly, I'm sure to like it, even if it doesn't match the other stuff I have! And if you refuse a nasty plastic bag when you buy it, that's even more of a tribute to our little green Blueberry and his/her mission to save the earth. Yep--a 23 week old fetus and it's already a tree hugger. It told me so. ;)
On a side note, Chris was able to pick up a nice swing for $25. It has a little mobile over the top that has three little bears on it, which I don't love, but I'll come back to that in a second. The cover on the swing itself is blue and gold--->Sabres colors. (We're HUGE Buffalo Sabres fans!!!) So back to the bears--I'm going to try to find or make some little Sabres-themed items that will dangle from the mobile. Bye bye bears--you're going to be replaced by hockey pucks! (And please don't tell me that it's dangerous to hang hockey pucks from a mobile. Trust me, I DO know better than to dangle heavy items over an infant's melon.)
So back to a theme--I'm more interested in a color scheme than a theme. There are so many pretty patterns out there--I love plaids and polka dots. I love earth tones. I like green for obvious environmental reasons, and because it's a gender neutral color. But as for picking an actual theme, I'm lost. It's the minutia that drives me up a wall. I can handle picking out the main item, but when it comes to the details like color and style, forget it! I fall apart! Usually for me it comes down to price. If I like two things and one is significantly less expensive than the other, I go for the less expensive item. But when dealing with a registry and other people buying things, I don't know what to tell them! I'm just thankful for my friends and family who put up wtih my quirkiness. I know I must make you crazy, and I love you very much for accepting me the way I am!!!
(I guess a good rule of thumb is that if it's environmentally friendly, I'm sure to like it, even if it doesn't match the other stuff I have! And if you refuse a nasty plastic bag when you buy it, that's even more of a tribute to our little green Blueberry and his/her mission to save the earth. Yep--a 23 week old fetus and it's already a tree hugger. It told me so. ;)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Feeling great
Ok, so here's something I can safely blog about--I feel great. So much better than I ever thought I would at this stage in my life. I'm not getting as much exercise as I'd like (which reminds me that as soon as I'm done with this blog, I'm going to turn off my computer and do some yoga).
A lot of people ask me how I'm feeling, like they're expecting me to say that I'm in dreadful pain and that I'm sick all of the time. At first I was really turned off by foods that I normally liked, but overall, I was rarely sick and had very little to complain about. Now, other than the extra 2o pounds I've put on (and the fact that none of my regular clothes fit), I still don't have any complaints. The nosebleeds and the heartburn don't even register on the complaint meter because although bothersome, I'm still able to go about my day.
Overall, I don't feel any different. There are times when I actually seem to forget that I'm pregnant. (Is that bad?)
And you know what else? I don't think I look that bad, either. Besides the squishy middle (I really thought it wasn't supposed to look like fat rolls!) I'm still in decent shape. I don't consider myself a great looking person, but I'm comfortable with who I am, and I feel like I don't look that bad.
(And when I hear people say, "...well you look great" I hear, "you don't look too bad for someone in your condition...")
A lot of people ask me how I'm feeling, like they're expecting me to say that I'm in dreadful pain and that I'm sick all of the time. At first I was really turned off by foods that I normally liked, but overall, I was rarely sick and had very little to complain about. Now, other than the extra 2o pounds I've put on (and the fact that none of my regular clothes fit), I still don't have any complaints. The nosebleeds and the heartburn don't even register on the complaint meter because although bothersome, I'm still able to go about my day.
Overall, I don't feel any different. There are times when I actually seem to forget that I'm pregnant. (Is that bad?)
And you know what else? I don't think I look that bad, either. Besides the squishy middle (I really thought it wasn't supposed to look like fat rolls!) I'm still in decent shape. I don't consider myself a great looking person, but I'm comfortable with who I am, and I feel like I don't look that bad.
(And when I hear people say, "...well you look great" I hear, "you don't look too bad for someone in your condition...")
Thoughts on blogging
In my last post I expressed frustration and confusion about blogging, and my "friends" (in quotes because although I love them, I've never met them in person!) have encouraged me to continue. I appreciate that encouragement...I know I will regret it if I don't do some journaling about this most incredible adventure.
I decided to turn to my trusty private blog for some of the more personal stuff. I've always been a private person. Besides Chris (with whom I never hold back--I can and do tell him anything and everything that comes to my mind), I really don't tell the people close to me what's going on in my head. It's nothing against them...maybe it's more embarrassment on my part. I don't like people knowing a lot about my emotions. It's easier to share the emotional (and occasionally weird) "stuff" with strangers because they're objective observers--what they see is what they get, and I never have to worry about being uncomfortable around them for saying what's on my mind. (I'm a very opinionated person--it doesn't mean that I judge people (unless they're not environmentally friendly, because to me, that's just being selfish), but I do believe in speaking the truth...and sometimes being put in my place if I'm being out of line!)
So I will keep blogging, but I'll save the really personal stuff for my blog. I'm even considering not fighting Chris as much when he wants to take a picture of me, but I promise you, I will not be putting those pictures on my blog!
I decided to turn to my trusty private blog for some of the more personal stuff. I've always been a private person. Besides Chris (with whom I never hold back--I can and do tell him anything and everything that comes to my mind), I really don't tell the people close to me what's going on in my head. It's nothing against them...maybe it's more embarrassment on my part. I don't like people knowing a lot about my emotions. It's easier to share the emotional (and occasionally weird) "stuff" with strangers because they're objective observers--what they see is what they get, and I never have to worry about being uncomfortable around them for saying what's on my mind. (I'm a very opinionated person--it doesn't mean that I judge people (unless they're not environmentally friendly, because to me, that's just being selfish), but I do believe in speaking the truth...and sometimes being put in my place if I'm being out of line!)
So I will keep blogging, but I'll save the really personal stuff for my blog. I'm even considering not fighting Chris as much when he wants to take a picture of me, but I promise you, I will not be putting those pictures on my blog!
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