Up until this morning, I was so sure he was head down - the hiccups were super low, and kicks were nice and high in the belly.
And then suddenly this morning, the hiccups are up really high in the belly, and I can feel kicking in my pelvic floor.
*sigh*
Moe, baby, why you gotta be like that?
We'll know for sure on Tuesday at the ultrasound.
Yumi to Mark: I just hurled on Sussex Drive!
Mark to Yumi: Now THAT's sending a message to Harper!
Hello, my darling. You're now about 4.7 lbs, and 18 inches from head to toe. We're at the point now where when you move, I can sometimes feel something pointy (elbow? knee? foot?) poking me. It's very cool.
We've asked a dear friend of ours (who just happens to run an excellent photography business) to come and take some photos of me, your Daddy, and my belly. (So, photos of you, really.) I haven't done a very fantastic job of photographing my growing belly on a regular basis, but these portraits should provide a nice record of my body at its (almost) fullest. I'm looking forward to them. Being pregnant has been such a wonderful time in my life - I would like a nice keepsake from it. You know, other than YOU, which is certainly the best "keepsake" I could imagine. :)
I had a wonderful time with your Aunt Marsha last weekend. It took some coaxing (of you, not her), but she did manage to feel you move under her hand. And we went swimming, which was just so wonderful that I intend to try and do it a few more times before you arrive. What a treat to feel so weightless!
Aunt Marsha also threw your Daddy and me a wonderful baby shower. It was at a pub downtown, and it was so lovely to see all these people who love us all in one place. We didn't play a single game, no one had to eat baby food, and I didn't have to wear gift bows in my hair. It was perfect. We ate great food (there was far more than we thought there would be), laughed and chatted, and then we opened our gifts and were overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends. It was a really lovely time.
We also bought the last item of furniture for your room - it's a tall, thin cabinet where I'll be able to keep all your diaper changing accessories, as well as display some of your toys and stuffed animals. And last night, a Costco decorator came to our house and we bought some gorgeous blinds for your room (and the other bedrooms) - yours are a pale yellow, honeycomb style, and they are "blackout" blinds so they let in hardly any light at all. You'll be able to nap happily any time of day (she says hopefully). And we went the extra mile and got the cordless style so there would be no danger of you hurting yourself on those dangling strings. Also, Boo won't drive us crazy playing with them.
Only five more sleeps until we get to see you on that ultrasound screen, Moe-o'-mine. I can't wait. Until then, keep growing and soaking up our love. We're sending you an awful lot of it every day! xoxo
Thirty-three weeks! Only seven weeks left until you're full term, little bean. And you aren't so little any more (or bean-like, for that matter). You're likely just over four pounds, and about 17 inches from head to toe. I suspect that you are head down now, as a lot of the movement and kicking is now higher up in my belly. Also, while your hiccups are more subtle, they are also from lower down. We'll find out for sure on Feb 2 at our last ultrasound.
Perhaps you would be happy to know that we got your change table assembled this week. Your Daddy was a trooper with the Ikea instructions - we just need to fasten it to the wall, and it will be all set. (But we won't do that until we buy one more piece of Ikea furniture. I'm adamant that we pick up a tall, narrow Ikea cabinet. Your Daddy is being very sweet and humouring me.) I put some of your little clothes in the change table/dresser, and put a few items aside to bring with us to dress you at the hospital. Daddy also picked up a whack of newborn diapers at Costco for you, so we'll be all set for your arrival.
This morning I weighed myself and I've gained 30 lbs since becoming pregnant. My weight is now equal to my highest pre-pregnancy weight. I know I'll gain some more before you arrive - you still have some growing to do, which means that I do, too. My initial goal was to not gain more than 35 lbs, but that may not be realistic right now - I may push to 40 lbs. Keep on growing, and I'll worry about taking the weight off again once you're here with us on the other side. :) In the meantime, I'll keep trying to eat properly, not indulge too much, and stay reasonably active.
My belly is getting pretty darn big, and I've noticed some tiny stretch marks appearing around my belly button and on my sides. Tying my boot laces is becoming a challenge. Once a day, your Daddy comes up behind me and lifts my belly a bit to give me a break. It sounds silly, but it feels very nice to have someone else carry the load, even for a moment! I'm looking forward to Aunt Marsha's visit this weekend - we're going to swim in a salt water pool, and I'm sure it will feel really lovely to be weightless in the water. I tried on my one-piece bathing suit the other night, but it's not going to fit anymore with you taking up so much space. *grin* So Mommy will brave the stares and wear the bikini. :)
Your Daddy is a pretty awesome guy, Moe. I can't wait for you to meet him and see for yourself. We trade foot rubs in the evening now, since my feet and ankles get pretty swollen by the end of the day. He makes feeding us dinner his priority before feeding himself, and he's quick to offer me tea or crackers if he sees me looking green. He takes very good care of us.
I love you like pancakes, little boy. Keep growing into you.
Hello, darling. Welcome to eight months. Just eight weeks to go (give or take) until you are here with us on the other side. And only about four weeks until I begin my leave. It's getting very exciting.
We had our appointment with Dr. P today, and from here on in, he'll be seeing us every two weeks. Everything looked great - my blood pressure is textbook perfect, and you are exactly the size you should be. (Which means that I can ignore all the people who keep saying, "You don't LOOK eight months pregnant... isn't he on the small side?")Hello, my darling, and happy new year. I know 2010 is going to be a banner year for you - what could be more exciting than being born and starting your life? :)
You got plenty of Christmas gifts, especially for someone who isn't even born yet. So there are lots of lovely things waiting for you here on the other side. People have been so generous.
We rang in the new year together with very dear friends, and you bopped along to the music from Lego Rock Band like a trooper. You moved a lot when I sang - not sure if you were appreciative or protesting. I guess we'll find out after you're born. ;)
I got quite a scare on the morning of December 31 - I slipped on the stairs to the front hall and went down like a sack of bricks over five stairs. Luckily, I bounced along on my butt and you weren't hurt at all. But it was pretty terrifying - I was so worried for you. You kicked right away and let me know you were fine, but you must have been rather startled! I decided to stay close to home for the day, and thankfully everything was fine. Well, except that my arm is very bruised and looks terrible, and my lower back has a great stair-shaped bruise on it. But you're ok, so I couldn't care less.
I wanted to make sure I told you how much I love being pregnant with you. This has just been the most amazing experience - feeling you grow, and watching my body change. I've tried to soak up every precious moment, even the ones that haven't been quite so precious. (I can think of more than a few moments where I've rested my head on a toilet seat.) But I wanted you to know that through it all, it's been a pleasure and an honour to help you grow into you. You are our miracle, and we're so excited to meet you and get to know you and include you in our lives. We love you so much already, and we haven't even met!
Our prenatal class has made it clear that the first 9 months with you won't be easy - they will be very challenging, but also very rewarding. I think we're up for that challenge. And I'm going to try and give myself permission to complain when things get rough (that's something that people who have wanted a baby for a long time have a lot of trouble with), but know that you are worth every crazy sleepless moment. And yes, there may be days when you cry and I cry, too... but at least we're doing it together. :)
Thirty weeks! It's hard to believe, sweetheart. In some ways this has gone by so fast, and in others, March can't get here fast enough. We have our next doctor's appointment on January 13 to make sure everything is going well with you, but so far, all signs are good. Your Daddy finally got to feel you move this week - you developed quite a case of the hiccups, and he was able to put his hand on my belly and feel you jump. Your Grandma was able to feel you, too. And whenever I see her, I offer your Granny the chance to give you a little hug. And she does. Because she loves you.
I'm feeling the push to get stuff done for your room. December was a bit of a write-off for that, between Christmas chaos and your Daddy's workload. But January should present us with some time to get things organized.
Here's what I'd like to get done in January:
-assemble change table
-go to Ikea and buy changing pad
-wash clothes
-move our stuff out of nursery
-put sheets and bedding on trundle bed
-put clothes into change table
-organize guest room (with the stuff that will be coming out of the nursery!)
-determine if we need that extra shelving unit from Ikea or not
In February, here's the plan:
-put up pictures in nursery
-put car seat bases into cars
-wash more clothes
-shopping for anything we need for you and don't have
-shopping for anything we need for labour, delivery and post-partum and don't have
But, lately, I'm just happy if I manage to put my juice glass in the dishwasher. :)
Occasionally, you leave me feeling pretty breathless, especially if I've eaten. I'm still feeling lots and lots of movement, unless of course someone asks, "So is the baby kicking?" At that point, you're never moving. *grin* It's getting harder to get a good night's sleep - I get up three or four times a night to use the bathroom, and I find my back and shoulders are getting pretty achy. (I should go for a massage soon.) I find that having a pillow for support helps when sitting on the couch.
The kitty, Boo, is quite attached to you already. He still loves to sleep wedged between the Snoogle body pillow and my belly. I wonder if you can hear each other. :) I'm not holding out much hope that he'll remain attached to you once you are born - it's my goal that you both just learn to co-exist without much interaction for as long as possible. *grin*
I have to say, little bean, you did pretty darn well at Christmas for someone who hasn't even been born yet. You got some lovely clothes, and a growth chart for your bedroom, and a nice stuffie. Apparently there is more for you under the tree at your aunt's place. :) We leave for Toronto to see her on Friday.
Keep growing, keep developing, and keep soaking up our love. We love you so much, sweet pea.
