Thursday, October 30, 2008

T-minus 1 month ...

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Today is officially one month away from our stated due date of November 30th. I've recently felt as though I've been pregnant forever, but when I consider the fact that I am now 9-months pregnant, it makes all the time seem so short. 1 month to go. 31 days. Unreal. I feel as though we are so prepared for her - both mentally and with everything we need to welcome her into her new home. Also knowing that our OB told us that he would only let me go one week past my due date, maximum, before inducing labor makes me be able to say with confidence that I will meet my baby girl in 38 days or less. Wow - what a countdown.

31 more days (give or take) of discomfort sounds okay to me ... but just when I thought it wasn't possible to become any more uncomfortable than I already have been, a nasty cold has settled in. Yesterday was day #3 of it and I realized that instead of getting better, it seemed to be getting worse so I headed to health services at work. I was given two prescriptions and orders to pick up an OTC medication - all of which my OB's office confirmed were safe to take at this point in the pregnancy. I am to take everything once a day, so I started them last night.

Today not only do I feel the same as yesterday, but I also feel drunk. It takes most of my energy to keep my eyes from crossing. I had my weekly massotherapy appointment this morning and I fell asleep on the table. If you can fall asleep while a 200-lb man grinds his knuckles into your back muscles, that says something for the medication. The silver lining here is that I had the best sleep I've had in months last night and I think the meds even succeeded in halting my bladder for a few hours so that I wouldn't wake up for my hourly bathroom run - and that is the only reason I am excited to take everything again tonight!

As for Riley, I think she is feeling the intoxicating effects of the medication as well. It feels as though I have a six-pound drunkard in my stomach, unable to walk straight, bouncing of the sides of my uterus, falling down, then jumping for the sky. But I love her all the same and can't stop smiling each time I feel her movements.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

33 Days ... but who's counting?

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I've decided to start this blog to help capture the last several weeks of my pregnancy with Riley. I had been journaling by hand here and there, but think this will be easier and therefore motivate me to keep up with it.

As of today I am 35 weeks, 2 days pregnant ... which means 33 days to go to the due date of November 30th ... but who's counting, right? Ha! Give me a few and I'll have that broken down into minutes and seconds for you, because I feel like that is how I am counting down.

I really don't have a right to complain much. Kevin and I have been blessed with a wonderfully healthy, uneventful pregnancy and to complain wouldn't be right. So maybe I'll just whine a little. That's not the same, right?

Here is a list of the "Top Five Hardest Things to Do" for me, personally, at this point in time (in no particular order):


  1. Put on socks or shoes

  2. Roll over in bed

  3. Get out of bed or up off of a couch

  4. Wipe after using the bathroom (sorry ...)

  5. Walk without waddling

Riley is quite the little gymnast. I have nothing to compare her movements to, but I never imagined in a million years that a baby would move this much, day and night. I am so excited to see how long she is because she is able to successfully slug me on the right and left, top and bottom, all at once with some swift kicks (or unusual yoga moves that I've never seen before).


I've had two dreams of her in recent weeks where I've actually caught a glance of her gorgeous face. In my dreams she has a headfull of dark, dark hair and the cutest expression on her face. I just cannot wait to see the real thing! I am just as excited to see Kevin as a dad in action. He is going to be amazing, that is no secret. I've already fallen in love with him all over again during this pregnancy, so I can't wait for that to happen a third time once she has arrived. It is very easy to become overly emotional and get a little depressed at this point in the game. It feels like the end goal is so close, but still ... 33 days can drag on quite a bit.


This morning is the first time that I feel more pressure lower than usual. I am wondering if this means she is beginning to drop. That would be nice. Our next doctor appointment is Monday (Nov 3rd ... Mom's birthday!) and my internal exams will begin at that appointment and continue on each week until she decides to enter the world. It would be very encouraging to hear that I am starting to dilate, but we shall see!


Until that point, my bag is packed and I am ready to go!