Saturday, August 25, 2007

Super busy until I pop!

Sorry for no posts over the past 2 weeks. Instead of 3 days as planned, I have ended up working 4 days a week in Half Moon Bay so this amounts to 4 really long days (I leave the house by 7:30am, return around 8pm). The rest of my time is spent running errands, going to doctor's appointments, organizing the house, buying items for the house, and starting tomorrow, various baby "stuff!" We have a tour of the hospital birth center tomorrow followed by a hypnobirthing session. Monday night we have our 5 hour CPR/Life Support class (for infants, children and adults). The following week is our 8 hour Childbirth Prep class and then our 3 week Baby Care class series begins. Busy, busy, busy...Dori will be here before we know it!!!

Monday, August 13, 2007

Dorian is a Mama's Boy

I went to the doctor for my bi-monthly check-up today. Dorian's heartbeat was strong and clear. My blood pressure was low and urine sample was negative. My uterus has grown the appropriate amount since the last visit, and the doctor was pleased with my weight gain. Imagine my shock when the doctor felt around my abdomen and told me that Dorian is already in proper birthing position!!! His head is above my pelvic area, his bottom is up near my diaphragm, and his legs are tucked under. I asked the doctor if he would continue to move into other positions. She said that more likely than not, he was there to stay. She said this happens in some pregnancies and does not mean pre-term labor is likely. She even checked my cervix and it is good and closed.

James and I were joking on the phone that he is obviously my son - he is a little planner already. James said he probably had it on his to-do list weeks ago! Seriously though, it does make me wonder, will Dorian be here sooner rather than later? As mentioned in my previous post, he could be born anywhere between 37-42 weeks. Does this mean he'll be born closer to the 37 week mark than the 42 week mark? I posted this question on an online pregnancy forum I belong to. So far, the responses seem to point this way (based on other women's experiences).

Let the betting begin!!!

Kelly

P.S. I have started feeling Dorian's hiccups this week - so cute!

Friday, August 10, 2007

General blabber

Not much to report here, but thought I'd check in and bore you all with the minute details of my life anyway. No pictures for you because the photographer is on an East Coast tour. He will be returning toward the middle of next week. YAY! James is doing great, having a blast on tour. Dorian and I are doing great too, though missing James a bit now. I feel like every day I wake up and I am bigger. Seriously. I have put on 4 pounds in the past 2 weeks and my belly feels very tight. It's hard to explain if you haven't been pregnant before. It feels like my abdomen is getting stretched, which I guess is exactly what is happening! Dorian's movements have lessened, but I am told this normal, due to the fact that he is so much bigger now. He is estimated to be just over 3 pounds, or almost half what his birth weight will be. He is a happy baby already, moving when he hears my voice and especially when I talk to James on the phone.

Now that summer school is over, I have completely finished my nursing prerequisites. The next step will be to apply to nursing school, but unfortunately, applications for Fall 2008 are not available until October-March. It will give me something to do in between feedings and naps, I suppose! I am working 3 full days a week at the accounting firm in Half Moon Bay. I couldn't do more than that due to the brutal commute. Luckily, my bosses have been so flexible with my schedule ever since I told them I wanted to be a nurse last year. I am so incredibly thankful to have landed this job. I will definitely be working this schedule through the end of September. The doctor will reassess me then. I hope to keep working up until the baby is born, though the commute to Half Moon Bay may not be feasible.

I had a great experience this week on BART (the subway). First of all, let me say how shocked I am that people don't get up for pregnant women in the Bay Area!!! Maybe 50% of the time I get offered a seat, but definitely 50% of the time I don't. Maybe when I am so big I am toppling over, more people with offer them to me? It's pretty horrifying to me because I ALWAYS offer my seat to the elderly, disabled, young children and pregnant women. I don't mind so much for me because I am feeling healthy and doing okay so far, but it's the principle! On Tuesday, the train was packed and I had to stand. On Wednesday, it was the same thing for the first few minutes. Then, all of a sudden, I heard this woman yell "Get up! Give the pregnant woman a seat!" I looked up and saw this woman standing over a man who was sitting down with headphones on his ears and using a laptop. Everyone on the train turned to stare! The man looked really embarrassed and quickly got up. The woman then told me to sit down. I was pretty embarrassed too, but her heart was obviously in the right place.

Our house is looking good. Dad is on to painting the third room, and the contractor will be starting the (minor) building work soon. I am going through all our junk and throwing things out like crazy! It is amazing to me that we have accumulated this much stuff in 3 years. I absolutely can not stand clutter, so I am actually having a wonderful time getting rid of things we do not need. James and I have decided to get rid of our TV. We NEVER watch it. The only things we ever watch are movies on our laptops, or downloaded programs. We are following in my parents' footsteps. As a child, I never watched TV. Mom and Dad did not think it was good for us so they kept their TV set locked in the attic. It wasn't until I was an adolescent that we finally got a TV with a VCR so we could watch films. I definitely think not watching TV as a child helped me focus on my education and forced me to find other ways to spend my time.

Anyway, I need to go for a power walk as it has been a few days (with work and all). I hope everyone is having a great summer. Food for thought: I am 31 weeks pregnant. 37 weeks is considered full-term (though estimated due dates are always at the 40 week mark). Dorian could feasibly be here, 100% healthy and ready to take home from the hospital, in 6 weeks! CRAZY!!!!! We're going to be parents in 6-11 weeks, however you look at it!

Sunday, August 5, 2007

When is the baby shower?

In a word: Never.

I have had so many people ask me when our baby shower will be that I thought it was time to address this issue on the blog. I do not believe in baby showers. I have been to too many showers that were all about the presents. You are supposed to be welcoming a new life into this world, not greedily trying to get as many presents as you can from your acquaintances. I have been invited to the baby showers of people who had all but fallen from my memory, only to receive invitations to their baby showers. Now, I do not mean to attack those of you who have had/plan to have baby showers. I think they can be great celebrations of life if done tastefully. I have no problem going to them and giving gifts to the future babies of dear friends and family. I just don't believe in them for me. I am lucky my husband feels the same way. We didn't have a wedding registry for the same reason. In my opinion, there's nothing tackier than getting an invite to a wedding (or not even getting the invite!), in addition to a long laundry list of what you are supposed to purchase for the bride and groom. And you can be sure Dorian's birthday parties will be all about playing games and being outside and having fun. My kid will have a serious talk if he becomes all about the "Gimme, gimme, gimme" at his birthday party.

I love presents as much as the next person, but I believe they should be given because the gift-giver genuinely wants to give them, not because they are expected (or even required!) to. Please don't hate me for my convictions, just accept them as more Kelly-quirks. Thank you to all of you who have expressed interest in coming to a baby shower for Dorian (and looking horrified when I explain why there will not be one). I don't mean to seem ungrateful. I am so lucky to have people who care about my family and want to celebrate this amazing experience with us. I hope all of you will come see Dorian after he is born. That's what it is all about, isn't it? Dorian will know he is loved through the arms that hold him, the smiling eyes of the people who look at him, and the time spent with him.