Friday, May 27, 2011

+2

I am now dialated to 1.5 cm. Boo.  Dr. said the baby has definitely dropped, though, and I am more anterior now.  Still 50% effaced.  My doctor actually seemed to be happy with the progress.  She stripped my membranes and I'm hoping that gets things going!  My doctor is going to be gone Saturday and Sunday, but I don't really care at this point if she is around to deliver the baby.  They really just get there to deliver the baby anyway, right?  I also have a birth plan that we'll be bringing to the hospital, so as long as the on-call doctor can read, I figure I should be fine. (I'm optimistic still!)

I keep telling people other than the sheer hell that is PUPPPs, I wouldn't care if I were pregnant for another 2 weeks. (I know that my doctor would never let that happen, but I'm just sayin'.)  I don't have any swelling, I'm not uncomfortable, etc. 

Speaking of PUPPPs, the Grandpa's Pine Tar soap has been a lifesaver.  I started using it on Wednesday and it has brought me a lot of relief.  Now, it doesn't completely take the itch away, but it has made the itching much more tolerable.  I even quit using my prescription cream.  I wasn't too crazy about using a steroid cream , even though they say its safe.  The soap does smell like campfire and I have to shower at least three times a day, but its completely worth it.  I've even been able to sleep through the night without wanting to itch my skin off!

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!  Keep your fingers crossed that we have baby news to report soon!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

40 weeks...

and I'm really just praying for a May baby at this point! I had an appointment on Monday afternoon and I made a bit of progress. I'm at 1 cm and 40-50% effaced, but still pretty high.  Nothing to get TOO excited about, but its something!  My doctor was pretty shocked to see how bad my PUPPPs has gotten, so she sent me to the lab to test my liver to make sure I don't have Cholestasis, which can be dangerous.  Thankfully, my results came back with a glowing report!  Just a severe case of PUPPPs. 

My doctor is willing to induce me if the rash gets to be too unbearable, and some days I think I'm going to cave in. I've been reading a lot of message boards about people who have gotten it and the home remedies they're trying.  I keep hearing about Grandpa's Pine Tar soap, so I'm heading to the co-op after work to pick some up.  I should have tried it a long time ago, but I thought the prescription cream I got would have worked better.  I heard it smells really gross--like campfire or burning garbage--but I really don't care at this point.  I've never been so excited to smell like crap!

Ice packs have also been helping a little bit.  After I woke up at 5 this morning in serious discomfort, I stuck an ice pack down my pajama pants and slept like a baby! (Yes, the rash has now spread to my arse and crack. Not fun!) My husband is such a lucky man. :)

If I don't have a baby by the end of the work week, I'm seriously considering starting my maternity leave next Tuesday.  I'm honestly not getting a whole lot done at work anyway because 1) I have a lot of my stuff wrapped up or handed off because I thought I would have already had my baby by now, and 2) I can't focus on much besides my darn itching.  Nothing that requires any sort of serious thought, anyway.

"Come on, baby!"  This phrase makes me giggle a little because my dad says that's what my mom kept saying when she was in labor with me. 

Monday, May 23, 2011

39 weeks 5 days

No picture this week.  We forgot to take one, and now I'm pretty much 40 weeks, so I figure its pointless. 

I got pretty excited on Friday night because I had two hard contractions that were 10 minutes apart.  So, I decided to try to get some sleep since it was 10 p.m. and I didn't want to be completely exhausted when I went into active labor.  I didn't end up waking up (at least not due to anymore contractions). Boo.  Baby is playing tricks on me! 

I'm trying all of the "natural" inducers.  Walking, bouncing on my exercise ball, spicy food--my favorite Mrs. Renfro's jalapeno salsa--, sex, acupressure foot rub, pedicure, etc.. Nothing is seeming to work.  I did have Braxton Hicks contractions that I could feel all weekend. (I haven't felt any at all throughout my pregnancy.) 

Last week was a stressful one.  (It's a very long story, but involved a non-stress test and a biophysical.)  Everything with the baby is looking good.  Estimated weight is between 5 lbs and 11 oz and 6 lbs 10 oz.  Since I had the biophysical, I got to see my baby's face!  "He" looks just like Jeff, and is super adorable. The baby scored 8 out of 8 on its "tests."  So, I said at least the baby gets one thing from me--its brains! :)

Also, my PUPPP rash has decided to spread to my entire body, with the exception of my face.  It is the most unbearable thing I have ever dealt with in my life.  It wasn't that bad the first week I had it, but the place it originally started is becoming more flared and the fact that it spread doesn't help matters either!

I'm really getting to the point where I want this baby here now! I really don't want to be induced due to the increased chance for a c-section, but I also want to experience everything naturally.  I know my body knows what its supposed to do. Now, if it could only do it on my timetable!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Fish Recipe #3

So, I'm still plugging away at trying to make myself like fish.  I think I have a winner on my hands with this one!  I even brought the leftovers with me to work.  That's saying something, my friends!  It didn't taste fishy at all and I loved the sauce.  Even though I really like this recipe, I'm still going to try out some more.  Who knows?  I might become a fish lover after all!

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

from Cooking Light

Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons red curry paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
  • Cooking spray
  • 3 cups hot cooked basmati rice (I used brown rice)
  • 4 lime wedges
Preparation
  • Preheat broiler.
  • Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.
  • Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

37 and 38 weeks

I wish I had more to report on the last couple of weeks of my pregnancy, but there really isn't a lot to tell! My doctor didn't check me at my 37 week appointment.  She just measured me and listening to baby's heartbeat.  That was the one thing that was different for the first time!  Baby has always had a heartbeat at about 140, and at my 37 week appointment it was in the high 150s/low 160s.  Baby is trying to keep things interesting for me, I guess! 

I had a check at 38 weeks and the only progress was a softer cervix. Also, the heart rate was at 130 this time.   Boo. And, the next day, I seemed to develop something about only 1% of pregnant women get: PUPPP.   Basically, it is a really itchy rash on my tummy right below my belly button. Ugh. How did I get to be SO lucky?! :)  At least I will only have to deal with it for a few weeks, as it apparently goes away a week or two after delivery. 

I'm still feeling pretty good for the most part!  I napped a lot last weekend, but still managed to bake cookies and banana bread, clean and vacuum my car, prune our landscaping, and grocery shop.  I've given up on finishing the nursery until after the baby is born.  There are just too many little things to do that I don't have the patience for right now.  It's in a good place, just not complete.  Baby probably won't sleep in there for the first few months (at least) anyway.

Here are my weekly photos:

37 weeks 2 days. Don't ask me what I'm wearing here.  It was cute, I promise!  Oh, I so need a haircut!

38 weeks 1 day. New camera!  Proof I can take a somewhat decent photo.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Maternity Photo Shoot

A few months ago my friend, Tina, asked me if I would be interested in taking maternity photos on the same day as her and one of her friends.  (Tina is due to have a little boy the same day our little bambino is due!)  She said the photographer (a friend of the other friend who would be taking photos with us) was looking to do more maternity shoots.  We'd get our hair and make-up done and get a bit of a discount on the photos and the sitting.  Sounded like fun to me!  I said I was in.

Then, about a month later, as the date of the photo shoot was getting closer, I got an email talking about outfits.  Words like "sexy," "lacy," "big jewelry" were in the email.  I died a little bit inside.  What?!  Oh my word.  I would not describe myself as sexy. Especially not at 30 weeks pregnant (which I was at the time).  I decided to suck it up and step out of my comfort zone a bit. Holy crap!

Here are a couple of the photos:  I actually like a lot of them despite my severe un-photogenic-ness. :)

I will not be posting any other ones as I am only bra and panties, naked in the bath tub, or topless with high heels and boy shorts.  (I know, I know!)  I did also photo shop the name of the photographer off of the photos, too, lest any nosy people should like to try to find me! :)  The photographer really was fabulous though, so its not a slight to her in any way! 

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

What Dreams May Come

In the beginning of my pregnancy, I had a lot of dreams.  They were mostly about the sex of the baby, but some were strange.  Then, in my second and third trimesters the dreams disappeared. They're back now and they're weirder than ever!

The weirdest one I can remember happened last week.  In it, I was holding up my shirt to show my dad my bare belly. (Something I would never do to my dad...)  I told him to put his pointer finger and hold it against my belly because the baby would grip his finger through my skin.  My dad followed my instructions and my belly skin reached around and grabbed his finger.  (Just wait. It gets weirder.)  So then, as my belly skin is enveloping my dad's finger, my dad somehow pulls the baby out through the side of my belly! The baby is about 3 inches big and I'm yelling at my dad to put it back because its not ready to come out yet.  My dad is holding up the baby (dangling it really) between his thumb and pointer finger and saying, "See! It's a boy!"

Next thing I know, the baby (which is white by the way. Oops!) is in the bathtub and its a normal size.  Not sure if that means its like one of those squishy, foam toys you throw in water and they grow or what. 

These dreams are crazy, but kind of fun.  I don't know if I really think dreams mean anything, but I certainly hope they don't come true in this case! 

Monday, May 2, 2011

36 weeks and Overdue

No, no. I'm only about 36.5 weeks right now, so I'm not overdue, yet.  I'm just WAY overdue posting my weekly pregnancy photos.  I've been sick on and off for the past 3 weeks or so.  New symptoms every week, but mostly nausea and a horrible cold.

Here they are!  I can really see a growth spurt between weeks 34 and 35!
32 weeks 1 day and apparently still waking up.  You'd think after so many weeks of taking these photos I'd get a LITTLE more photogenic.  Not so. Gah.

33 weeks.1 day. Weird hair.

34 weeks. Can you see my red, stuffy nose?

35 weeks. 1 day.  I don't know if its the stripes or what, but I think I looked like I grew a lot since the last week.

36 weeks and 2 days. Looking enormous and gross. Still sick. Yuck.
I had my 36 week check on Friday along with my Group B Strep test. (No results yet.)  Doctor said I'm carrying high and that I'm not dialated yet.  Boo. I was tempted to ask her to check again.  I was sure I'd be a least a 1 because I've felt "different" for quite some time now.

I've been sitting on my exercise ball for the last few days and its relieving a lot of the pressure I've been having.  It's getting so bad that I don't even want to lay down anymore because, for some reason, laying down makes it hurt worse than anything else!

We had another super busy, but productive weekend. 
-Two baby showers (one for us, one for my friend) down.
-My super awesome mama came over to help me cook meals to freeze, and we made 4 different things which should be good for about 8 meals.
-Jeff's friend Adam drew some art for the nursery and it turned out awesome!  (I just need to paint it and hang it now!)
-I also played organ again this weekend and one of the church's ladies groups gave me a quilt for the baby.  So sweet of them!  I play for the last time again next weekend before I take the next two or so months off.  I'll be glad to have some time off, as it is getting kind of hard to reach around my belly when I play.  A couple more mistakes than usual! Oops!

I was looking forward to an uneventful week, but it seems its already filling up fast!  I guess the more I spend time doing things, the quicker time will go by while I await the baby's arrival!