Photos

Here are some photos of me, Trent, Bosco, and my big huge belly :) You can click on the image to enlarge it.

Single digits

Well, I'm officially in single digits. Only 9 weeks and 6 days to go? *Crazy*!

Here's the update for 30 weeks:

The light is visible at the end of the tunnel! Your oversized self and amazing growing baby have finally reached the single digits (in terms of weeks till birth)! The fine lanugo hair that has been growing all over their little monkey-like body is going to start falling off this week in preparation for the big day. But don’t be shocked if they’re hairier than you’d anticipated, some babies keep their lanugo until after birth. Still, it’s not any cause to be concerned as it will fall off eventually. No surprises here: your little porker is getting even cuter with increasingly pudgy arms and legs this week thanks to the ever-growing layers of subcutaneous fat. In terms of numbers, your baby should be weighing in at around 3 pounds 12 ounces (or more!) and be nearly 16 inches long.

And how's mom doing? On a very serious note: you should make sure to determine both you and your baby’s blood type. It’s extremely important for everyone. In the case that you and your maturing babe’s blood types don’t match there’s a chance you could produce antibodies that could potentially attack and harm a future the drama you’re feeling is largely a result of increased adrenaline thanks indirectly to hormonal swings—not because things really are that dramatic and merit adult temper tantrums fetus. It is rare, but with modern medicine, the problem is easily corrected and little cause for concern if dealt with properly.

As for the ongoing joys of being in your third trimester: your not-so-fun symptoms are just intensifying this week, so it might not hurt to slow down a bit and focus on yourself. If you’re feeling extra fatigued, you’ve probably joined the sleeping shouldn’t be this tough when I’m this tired club, especially if you’re experiencing a lot of back pain and general discomfort. If you’ve been pushing the exercise thing, then this is the time perhaps to cut down on the physical activities and focus more on getting proper sleep (if this means buying a pregnancy pillow, then do it!). Oh and all that moodiness? Just go with the flow emotionally. This doesn't mean letting the hormones win and becoming a complete psychotic. Instead, feel the feelings, but know that the drama you’re feeling is largely a result of increased adrenaline thanks indirectly to hormonal swings—not because things really are that dramatic and merit adult temper tantrums. The clincher symptom for this week: it’s highly likely your libido has gone on sabbatical. This, as far as we’re concerned, is perfectly natural in your condition.

This is surreal

It's finally sinking in that life has already changed considerably.

2 months ago I was still actually quite depressed I wasn't having a girl. A boy? What am I going to do with a boy? Now, it's safe to say this little Bean has me wrapped around the little foot, or elbow, I see protruding from my belly.

I kid you not! It's either an ankle or an elbow, and when I tickle it he nudges me. I can SEE the protruding part. How completely bizarre is this?!?!?!

I can't wait to meet him. I'm so in love with this character already :)

Diapers

What has my life come to? Excitement over finding 100% biodegradable, disposable diapers. That's what.

It took a couple months of searching, but I've found the perfect diaper. Now I just hope they work for our little Bean. I did a lot of research on cloth diapering and the "new and improved" cloth diapers that are flushable and compostible. Those are all great options, but I know if *I* won't want to do it, DH just wouldn't. And I wasn't too keen on scraping off diapers, putting the washer through 3 cycles of washing for 1 load of laundry (and to clean the washer afterwards), not to mention putting poopy diapers in our clothes washer..... engh.

So, at first I found a brand called 7th Generation. They're good, but they're not 100% biodegradable. We bought a couple bags of them to try them out.

Then just a couple days ago I found Nature Baby. They're only sold online, either at http://diapers.com in the US, or http://betterbabybums.com in Canada. Better Baby Bums is actually out of Burnaby.

They're 100% biodegradable!!! I bought 4 bags. 2 newborn and 2 one size up from that. My conscience can relax now, my great-great-great-great grandchildren's children won't have to deal with my kid's diapers in the landfill (did you know diapers last 1000 years???). These ones biodegrade in 6 months.

So - if you are planning on buying some "diaper supplies" for Bean? Please buy Nature Baby, or a gift certificate for the same? We won't be using pampers/huggies/etc.

Thank you!

Registry

In case anyone is interested... we're not having a baby shower, but I have organized a baby registry to keep my own mind straight as to what I wanted/needed for Bean, but also because a few of you have asked what you should get him! Thank you very much, but please do not think it's a necessity. We will have an open house/meet Bean get together sometime in December for family/friends/neighbours but don't think you

http://www.toysrus.ca/registry/index.jsp, and you can use either my name (first and last) or Trent's to sign in.

Thanks, all!

Mmmmm..... sleeeeep....

So it seems the third trimester exhaustion has caught up to me. I thought I was exhausted in the 2nd trimester (I never did get that "2nd trimester 2nd wind" thing others spoke so fondly of), but with how tired I am now, I realize I was actually quite well rested last trimester.

If you're pregnant you're not supposed to sleep on your back or right side - and forget about sleeping on your belly. All of the above are the only ways I sleep - I can't sleep on my left side! I try, but always wake up with shooting pains in my arms or legs. Not that it matters which position I try to sleep in - sleep is fitful and interrupted constantly by Bean jumping on my bladder. Or charlie-horses so bad I have to get up and walk around the house. Or I'm sweating (while Trent is freezing under 3 layers of quilt, I open the window further! Poor guy). Or braxton-hicks contractions so strong they take my breath away. I hope this isn't a glimpse into the future of how awake he's going to be!!!

*yawn*

I used to rely on the weekends to catch up on sleep (I'd sleep 9-10 hours Friday and Saturday nights and be "ok" for the rest of the coming week). But I barely got any GOOD sleep on the weekend, so I'm even more toast than usual.

On the plus side: Someone at work told me I look great. That made me feel good.

Where has the time gone??

I'm in the 3rd trimester today. How the heck?? It seems like just yesterday I was crossing my legs and fingers and toes to get to 8 weeks... then 12.... now I'm at 27?!?!

I had my 27w appointment with my OB today. Yet another doc in the clinic I hadn't met yet, and she seems to know her stuff. There's really only one I haven't clicked with and with my luck that will be the one on duty when I go in to labour.

I've been having pains, what I thought were Braxton-Hicks contractions from what I read and other pregnant women have told me. So the doc felt around and determined “yep. Braxton Hicks”. So, that’s that. I said "I thought BH weren’t supposed to hurt?" All she said was “don’t believe everything you read”. *lol* She did say I should time them and keep track of the frequency. If I have more than 4 in an hour, I should call. Or if they come with increasing frequency (every 10 mins, every 7, 5, etc.) then don’t bother calling, just go to Labour & Delivery so they can stop them. It’s not something I’ll mess around with, I have 4 friends right now on bedrest because they went into pre-term labour, so I’ll watch them but I won’t stress over them.

Bean is developing normally and is on track for being a big boy. She estimates he’s about 15” long and 3 pounds. I should start gaining a pound a week from here on in. I’ve already gained 22 (*sob*) but she says that’s totally okay. She doesn’t think I have as much weight to lose as I do (I wanted to be at a gain of about 15 for the whole pregnancy because I was already 15 over, but she said that gage is more for people who are “really” overweight).

I asked (AGAIN.. I ask this at every appt. because I have a different doctor and I'm hoping for a different answer :)) if she could give me anything to help me sleep?? Short answer is no :( I asked what about my friends whose doctors are prescribing Unisom and others? She said the Docs at this clinic say Unisom is somewhat addictive if you take it for more than 2 weeks and they know pregnant women are desperate for sleep, so they’ll take it for over the 2 weeks. Makes sense. I’d probably ignore that recommendation too if it allowed me more than an hour of uninterrupted sleep. It's the "I can handle it, it won't happen to me" scenario. So, no sleep meds for me. At least my Benedryl is safe.... it's the only reason I'm getting max. of 4 hours of sleep per night.

Bean kicked the fetal heart rate monitor off my belly. Heh. His heartrate was higher than normal (163, and it’s usually 147), but I bank that on the cheerios+sugar and the orange juice I had this morning.

Some of the results of my blood test on Wednesday are back already. My Iron is very good (it was 96 last appointment and it’s 25 today, so Bean is taking what he needs. I just have to keep taking my maternity vitamins and eat meat. Blech. I passed my gestational diabetes test. Yaye! I didn’t know if I would, considering what I ate that day and the migraine was coming on.

That’s about it. So, all is progressing the way it’s supposed to. Bean is healthy and loving his temporary living arrangements. Let's just hope he likes it enough to stay in there at least 9 more weeks. "Full term" is considered 36 weeks, but of course 40 would be better!

Photos of Me (and Bean)

From Las Vegas! Very pregnant me.

Yep. Baby weight has invaded the face.

The silly one. Yes, that's my huge belly. And no, I'm not nekkid. :)