Behind on my blogging
Quick update from my phone, guys, to let you know what’s been keeping me from blogging lately.
– I’ll be 36 weeks tomorrow, woohoo, which means only one week until Baby Girl is fully cooked. I don’t expect to go into labour early, but it’s good to know she’ll have a high probability of being healthy if she DOES come early.
– The toddler turns 22 months today. Crazy! He was only 14 months when I got pregnant (technically 13 if you go by FDLP), and now he’s the age he’ll be when his little sister arrives. I find myself hugging him extra-tight lately and savouring his sweet babyness, because I know he’s going to seem so grown-up very soon.
– The toddler’s speech seems to be slowly improving. He’s not really saying any new words, but he’s using the few that he has very well. He answers questions with “Yeah!” and “Nooo.” He mimics words occasionally, and he is trying to say words when he signs them at times. He’s scheduled to see the ENT again on May 28, so until then, we can’t do anything except encourage him … and wait!
– I’ve been working my preggo tail off lately, trying to accept and complete as many freelance assignments as possible before I “go on mat leave.” I’m not enjoying calling it “mat leave” because of course I won’t be paid for that time off. Friday, April 20 will be my last day of work — earlier if I finish my projects earlier — and I’ve decided to take six weeks off. The only (paid) writing I’ll do during that period is my monthly parenting column that runs in a few local magazines.
– Darling Husband and I have been stressing a bit over finances lately. Partially because we’re wondering how things will go with me not working for six weeks (although since freelancers get paid sporadically and can’t count on cheques to ever come in when they’re expected, I don’t think it will be too different). Our biggest worry right now is our taxes and what we may owe. We have a meeting with our accountant this morning — on a holiday, weird, right? — to go over them. Please pray he works some magic for us!
Weekly re-cap of pregnancy #2: Week 35
Week 35 (March 24-30)
Symptoms: Back pain is getting worse. It’s really uncomfortable to sit at my desk chair, which makes working sooooo much fun. Heartburn has been a lot more managable — maybe the baby’s dropped? The have-to-pee feeling constantly is VERY annoying. I keep whining to Darling Husband about how I only pee “a teaspoon” each time, but it’s ALL the time.
Body changes: Stomach seems to have gotten much bigger in the last week. It’s just this huge round mass stuck out in front of me. My profile has gotten kind of hiliarious. That reminds me, I really must freak out Little Sis by walking around in front of her naked sometime before I have this baby — her reaction during my last pregnant was priceless.
Baby movement: Still doubling over and groaning from the force of the kicks, and getting wallopped in the bladder. Darling Husband keeps telling me it was the same with Baby Boy, but I swear Baby Girl is sharper and more active. I really starting feeling these huge hard spots pressing against my skin this week — Butt? Head? Back? Who really knows?
Cravings: Fast food.
Aversions: Everything except fast food.
High point: Mom threw a little shower at her place, so it was great to see family friends and neighbours that I haven’t seen in ages. Baby Girl also got lots of lovely pressies, which is always nice. The toddler has become obsessed with her Graco sound machine, and loves going into the nursery to play with it. Gifts he also enjoys: the pink hooded bath towel, the oversized china piggy bank.
Low point: Going back and forth from feeling super-uncomfortable/it’s-so-hard-to-manage-the-toddler-when-I’m-THIS-pregnant to feeling like the baby is coming REALLY soon and how are we going to fare financially with me not working for six weeks?
How does this week compare to Week 35 during pregnancy #1? Sounds pretty similar, except my swelling and leg pain were WAY worse last time. I also was going to bed at nine every night, after watching a few hours of TV. I kind of want to kick my previously-pregnant self in the face. She had it too good!
Silence
I woke up early this morning, and knew I had at least an hour before the toddler would be awake.
He was up a few times last night — very unusual for him these days — so there’s really no telling when I’ll hear movement from his room. He gets cranky when he’s rushed up in the morning, so even though I’m pretty strict about the rest of his schedule, I usually let him wake up on his own terms.
I got up and got dressed. I moisturized, brushed my teeth, did my hair, and put makeup on. I made a cup of decaf tea and had it with two muffins, while reading our latest book club pick (“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” — love it!).
Now I’m sitting here at the table, on my phone, listening to the silence. All I can hear is the hum of the fridge, and it’s weird.
Usually this house is always loud. Usually whenever I’m awake, so is the (noisy) toddler — except for an hour or two at night (when I’m sometimes working, so I don’t notice) and naptime (when I’m definitely working and don’t notice).
I can’t believe in 26 days, there will be another little person here to fill the silence. And that there will be more moments like this, of listening.to the house be totally still — of course, those moments will all be during middle-of-the-night feedings.
Part of me is really tempted to DO something right now, like I always would. To clean something or organize something or scrapbook or even work. I hate feeling like I’m wasting time. There is so little time in which to get things done alone. I’m —
Oops, the toddler is awake. Duty calls. Well, the silence was nice while it lasted.
Hospital packing checklists
Remember when I went into the hospital last time and had a really deluded idea of what I would pack?
Well, as Darling Husband constantly reminds me, I packed … too much.
He has said MANY times, “We won’t be bringing HALF the amount of stuff to the hospital this time!”
To which I respond: “Yes, but last time I was in labour, so the bags were really full of LABOUR STUFF. Like … tennis balls. And my iPod stereo for mood music.”
To which he responds: “You’re packing lighter this time.”
So, I am.
I promise.
Here are my very edited, pared-down lists of only essentials:
Baby Girl’s hospital bag:
- Newborn onesies and sleepers
- 0-3 onesies and sleepers
- Little pink socks
- Soothers & soother clip
- Blanket (cute pink one?)
- Disposable newborn diapers (few — because the hospital will have lots)
- Disposable wipes (few — becaues you use washcloths in the hospital)
My hospital bag:
- Yoga pants & leggings
- Tank tops & nursing tanks
- Loose tees
- Nursing bras
- Underwear (ugly maternity ones)
- Socks
- Pink polkadot nightgown
- Makeup bag
- Nursing pads & nipple cream
- Travel bag (add full-sized toothpaste and toothbrush, face moisturizer, body moisturizer, deodorant, chapsticks)
- Hairbrush/comb
- Hair clips and elastics
- Mouthguard case (with retainer, mouthguard for sleeping)
- Giant gross pads for Gross Bleedingness
- Charging cord for phone
- Camera (with charging plug thing)
- Laptop (with charging cord)
- Water bottle
- Snacks (granola bars, mini Pringles cans, Snickers)
- Boomerang nursing pillow
- Pillow with Hello Kitty case
- Shorts, T-shirts, underwear for Darling Husband
- Darling Husband’s toiletries
How is this less stuff than last time? … Um … Oh, I know!
Stuff I am not bringing this time that I DID bring last time:
- Robe (didn’t wear last time)
- Slippers (wore once, opted for socks instead)
- Tennis balls (no labour = no need)
- iPod & stereo (no labour = no need)
- Eau Thermale mister
- Digital video camera (camera does video, so does phone)
- Sudoku puzzles for Darling Husband (no time)
See? Totally pared-down list!
I really must start packing soon, just in case I go into labour early like last time. The baby’s bag is easy, because she’s not here to use anything yet.
But my bag is trickier. I WEAR the clothes I’ll be packing, and I USE the toiletries I’ll be packing. I think I will do what I did last time — have the pack semi-packed, in the bedroom, but left open. Then I can use items, wash them, and put them back right away.
Oh crap. Just remembered I have to pack a bag for the toddler, too, since he’ll be staying at my mom’s while we’re in the hospital.
Toddler’s bag:
- Pack of disposable Pampers (will resume cloth once we’re home)
- Pack of disposable wipes
- Few pairs of PJs
- Shirts
- Pants
- Socks
- Talking “Scout” stuffed puppy
- Toy Aquarium
- Glowworm
- Thomas The Tank Engine quilt
- Soothers (don’t judge!)
- Few sippy-cups
- Comb
- Baby shampoo
- Washcloths
- Memory stick with favourite TV shows (Signing Time, Bubble Guppies, Dora)
- Few favourite books (Dora, Thomas, First Words, etc.)
- Few toys (balls, toolbox?)
- List of instructions (must write!)
I wonder if we have enough suitcases for all of this …
Weekly re-cap of pregnancy #2: Weeks 33, 34
Week 33 (March 10-16)
& Week 34 (March 17-23)
Got behind on my blogging, so I’m cramming two weeks’ worth of re-cap into one. This whole pregnancy-when-you-have-a-toddler-and-work-from-home gig is … hard!
Symptoms: Heartburn — still taking the daily max of four pills, and it’s mostly OK. Mostly. Still getting very short of breath at times, and experiencing back pain the evenings, but it’s not too terrible for the most part. The worst symptom over the last two weeks has been the constant have-to-pee sensation — and then only peeing a teeny tiny bit. Frustrating!
Body changes: Stomach looks low at certain angles, but also seems kind of high — and super-round. I’m quite basketball-y this time around, which is cool. No real change, except it’s just probably getting bigger by the second.
Baby movement: LOTS of movement. I am constantly doubling over and kind of groaning from the force of the kicks — especially when she gets me in the bladder. Most of it is concentrated on my right side, and I often feel jutting-out parts that I think are knees or feet.
Cravings: Plain potato chips. Water. Peanut-butter crackers.
Aversions: Don’t feel like eating most of the time. It’s a chore. And it feels like I can’t fit any food in my stomach.
High point: More playdates with great friends! A few of my friends are even pregnant, so there’s always tons to talk about. The toddler gets super-excited when anyone comes over or when we go to someone’s house. We’re social butterflies, y’all!
Low point: Finding it harder and harder to focus on my freelance work. I often get asked how I have the motivation to work so much (when the toddler naps or is in bed for the night), and I answer that if you’re only getting paid for what you do, motivation is not an issue. Lately it’s just been hard to work when I’m really tired or uncomfortable. Strange to think that if I still worked full-time, I’d be going off work for maternity leave at this point.
How does this week compare to Week 33 and Week 34 during pregnancy #1? Well, it’s finally started happening — the swelling. I can press my fingers into my ankles, and I get little Silly Putty dents. They’re very minor, though, and my ankles cankles/legs don’t look any different, so it’s nothing like last time. Apparently my blood pressure is similarly low, though — even lower this time (90/50). Luckily, in pregnancy, that’s a great thing.
Baby preparation: My lovely Mamsie threw me a little shower for her friends/neighbours and some family, so we were able to knock a few more things off our list. The only things I still need are some more washcloths, soothers, a sling/wrap, and a new nasal aspirator. Oh, and I plan on packing the hospital bags this week. Although last time that was a bit of a pain, because I kept needing to wear things and then re-wash and re-pack them. Oh well — doing it anyway.
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