week 36

Like every other expecting mama, I signed up for those weekly updates on those pregnancy websites. Each week they send you an email letting you know that your baby is the size of a radish, or a head of lettuce, and tell you that your back is probably hurting this week, or you will soon need to buy those maternity clothes you've been avoiding. They really aren't very helpful at all, but it's fun to get a little reminder of how many weeks along you are, and what your baby looks like each week. Fun until you are nearing the end, and you are already totally stressed out, and open up your inbox to find this weekly update waiting for you!

"Congratulations!" It says.

Thank you!! I'm totally excited to meet this sweet baby. Congratulations indeed :) I've grown a little human!

And then you continue reading..

"Your baby will be born any time now,  as most births take place between weeks 37–40. Although this is an exciting time, it can also be a time of anxiety.." 

YOU'RE TELLIN' ME! Like this is really happening? THANKS FOR THAT! Your letter started out so kind. What happened? As if my anxiety weren't bad enough, you had to send me this weekly update and remind me that I have to push this baby out of my vagina, and then go on to remind me that it could happen at any minute on any day anywhere "between weeks 37-40"? Great! 

"He or she is one week away from being considered full term, at 19 inches in length and weighing around six pounds."

Yeah so as you've made it very clear, I'm going to be birthing this baby SOON. Let's not talk about numbers, okay? Thanks.

And to make sure you are really stressed out they remind you that you are not prepared for this birth at all.

"If you haven’t done so yet, pack a hospital bag in preparation for labor."

Well I've got a killer hospital bag checklist made! Does that count??

"Talk with your healthcare provider about any concerns you may have as you continue to wait for your water to break."

Yeah, that's how they ended it. Those were their closing words everybody.

SERIOUSLY? I HAVE A GAZILLION CONCERNS! Take a seat. This could take a while. First concern... That you just said "continue to wait for your water to break" NO THANKS! 

Mama OUT.

Next time I quit reading after the "congratulations"

TMI does not stand for Too Much Ice Cream

You can never have too much ice cream...

So I have officially for reals this time had to listen to the doctor, the nurse, and the midwife. 

Sounds like the beginning to a bad joke, eh?

 Last week I spent a whole day with the midwife in labor and delivery. I had to call Mike from work and go to the hospital. I felt absolutely ridiculous and really badly making Mike leave work, but I followed orders and my midwife was glad I did. She needed to know what was going on, and apparently baby girl wants to come early.

As I sat in the cab on the way to the hospital taking "Labor Stop" every 15 minutes, it all became very real. At some point this baby will be coming out of me. I will be a mother. Passing the buildings and unfamiliar overpasses, I realized this is our home right now. This is where our little girl will be born. Mike and I will be parents, and it's up to us to look after this child.

I'm not saying it didn't become real months ago when I found out I was pregnant, or when my belly button popped, or when my legs were spread wide for the cervix check in the bedroom with the midwife. Yeah if things weren't real by then, they sure as heck got real there! But it all just hit me. It wasn't until I saw the baby's face on the monitor later at the hospital, that I really fell in love. This is my child and I must do everything I can to keep her safe. It made me so excited seeing her beautiful little face, I could hardly stand it!

I've surprised myself with how relaxed I've been through this pregnancy though. I think knowing that you can only do so much and also not really knowing anything at all kind of helps. I have been stressed with The move, interviewing midwives, transferring records, finding hospitals and trying to find a birthing class, but I think that has had me too busy to really take it all in.

As I laid at the hospital with straps across me monitoring my contractions and the babies heartbeat, It was really good to hear the nurse tell me that I am indeed having real labor contractions. It's good to be reassured that you aren't completely crazy sometimes. I was sent down to have an ultrasound to make sure I wasn't dilating, and while I wasn't glad to be there under such circumstances, it was so great to see our chubby cheeked baby girl up on the monitor! She was cracking us up with her big cheeks and puckered lips. And of course she had the hiccups, because she always has the hiccups. But she was blinking and looking around and absolutely beautiful. I still pictured her like the tiny little babe from our 20 week ultrasound. She looked so different now! I wasn't dilated, I got to see her cute face, and I was ready to go home.

When we got back up to the room and I told the doctor everything was good, she still wanted to check me one more time now that it had been a while. I didn't think I needed to, nor did I want to. But I pulled my skinny jeans down and spread those knees again. Who's idea was it to wear skinny jeans anyway? Worst idea ever!

She checked me, and my cervix had opened more, which is not so good. What this means is that my body is saying I'm ready to have my baby! But my body is a liar. It's not ready to have this baby. This mama ain't ready to have this baby! So the pain I'm feeling with my contractions is from my cervix opening up. From what I understand, When the cervix opens enough you lose that mucus plug that's somehow keeping that baby inside of you and you start dilating! Sooo absolutely gross but also exciting, when you aren't still six weeks away from your due date!

So bed rest. That's where I am now. And what do I do when put on bed rest? I don't see my bed. I decided before the pain got too painful to handle, I better try to finish up some things before I couldn't. Which I quickly realized was a very dumb thing to do as I sat in the shower, shaking from the lighting bolt pain shooting up between my legs. This post is just chuck full of TMI. Like I said, things are getting real over here.

So here is the dresser I've been turning TV Stand, and the ottoman I've been recovering. They both are still only half done, but half is better than not half! I worked on those as much as I could Sunday night, and Monday I totally learned why I shouldn't have been an idiot. And it wasn't just because I was trying to hurry and messed up my corners, lol.

Grocery shopping, working on projects, going for a walk... all bad ideas when you've been told by a doctor, a nurse, and a midwife (there's that bad joke again) to stay down. As I laid on the bed with my legs crossed ever so tightly because I was sure she was going to fall out at any given moment, I reconsidered my decisions, and have given in.

If you need me, I'll be the scary lady on the bed, wearing the sexy sweats. I mean my very expensive recreation clothes.

Our house

So I don't know if you know, but we really lucked out on the place we found here. I looked and looked and LOOKED for a reasonably priced apartment and couldn't find anything. I also don't know if you have searched for places to live in California for under $3,000, Yes you read that right, But it is practically impossible. I mean, you have to factor in a whole lot when searching for a place to live, and safety was top on my list, but so was rent. Safety is also not as easy as you might think. But for being the largest suburb in the metropolis, I'd say we got petty lucky as far as safety goes.

We had signed on an apartment, and not two minutes after we did, a friend found a listing for this place on craigslist. It was the SAME price as the dark apartment, with the tiny elevator and creepy murder movie hallway. I didn't believe that was really the price of rent. It was a steal! There was just no way!

We had spent the whole day hopping from one apartment to the next, and I was tired and done. But 

we went right over to look at it, and we were sold. I mean, anything was better than where we had just come from, haha. But I just knew this was as good as it was going to get here, and we needed to jump on it.

We had to make our decision right then, and we decided to go for it. We snatched it out from another couple with two kids, and felt badly about it, knowing that they would probably end up in the apartment with the murder movie hallway now. But we didn't feel badly enough to go somewhere else... I'm sure they found somewhere just fine. ...I hope...

The price of living here is outrageous! To score a place like this for the price that we did is amazing. I'm pretty sure the home had been vacant for quite some time, and wasn't well kept. It has old appliances and smells musty. But I like that musty smell... so I'm happy. It's very beautiful, and we are so thankful to God for leading us to such a nice home.

Now I've just been trying to make it a home. It's hard to make a home in a new place, but as we get more comfortable in the city and meet people, it's starting to get easier. My goal is to meet my neighbors. I think it's good to know your neighbors. And I think its especially good to know them when you share walls with them. Unless they are creepy. Then you should avoid eye contact and try not to do anything that would anger them.

So part of making this place home, is by decorating. Laying a rug, or two, or three, hanging pictures on the walls, clearing the boxes out of the house, and arranging the furniture. This is where I'm having some problems.

I have some projects I want to get done before baby comes. Like painting the TV stand, and setting up the computers somewhere that isn't in the middle of the living room. But the layout of this house is hard to work with. The living room is split. You walk in the front door, and you have 1/2 a room that I have made the more formal room, and then up some stairs is the other 1/2 of the room that I have turned in to the T.V. Room. One wall downstairs has a fire place, and one wall upstairs is one big mirror.

I'll post some pictures later. Here is a picture of the formal room for now.

I'm really not diggin' it. That couch? That piano? Where would you put everything?

I'm too excited to sleep

30 weeks already. I can't believe it.

I remember reading blogs or having friends announce their pregnancies and I felt like the nine months would fly by so quickly!! All of a sudden they would be announcing the birth and I would think, "are you sure? Has it really been nine months, already?"  That is how I feel with my own pregnancy! When I stop and think back six months ago to when I told Michael, it seems like it was so long ago. But when I think of how many weeks I have left, I can't believe I am here already! I am so excited to meet this sweet little baby, I can hardly stand it!

There have been weeks where I've felt like it's taking forever and I just want my little girl to hurry and get here. And then there are days where I think "I only have how many weeks left? But I am not ready!" and then I have a mild panic attack. 

I think the move was a good distraction from counting down the seconds. I've been so busy house hunting, packing, moving and then unpacking, that it's been too crazy to even think about how far along I am! But it's also brought a lot of anxiety and stress. You wouldn't believe the ridiculousness I've been through with doctors and midwives and birth centers and hospitals, oh my! If I sit on hold one more time, I might officially go mad! I never thought it would be so hard to schedule and appointment with an OB/GYN. Seriously California. Not cool.

But now that we are here and I've been trying to find someone to birth this baby, I feel like she will be here way too soon. I need more time! But at the same time I am so ready to have her here, it's like waiting for Christmas! I think I'll be more ready when I know where I'll be birthing and who will be helping me deliver. -Oh the delivery. Oh the pain. Oh my gosh.
Yeah on second thought,  let's keep this baby INside as long as possible.
 Please & thank you.

a little update

It was Mike's birthday this last Friday so  we decided to go out for BBQ. We have both been wanting some good BBQ and were really excited when we saw a joint right up the road from us! It was terrible! Haha! We will never eat there again!

Apparently there aren't any good BBQ places here. We have searched the internet and asked people. Unless you want Chinese BBQ... There is a lot of that! Good thing we got Mike a new Grill for his birthday :) I can't wait to try it out!

^^New Ping Pong paddle = one happy birthday boy^^

We found a grocery store up the road from us that sells really good brownies in their bakery. So after our bad dinner, we went over there and rented an equally bad redbox movie, and then picked up a package of chocolatey good-ness. I'm just glad we got those brownies. After the bad dinner and terrible movie, they saved the night. haha.

We went to Downtown Niles on Saturday and went to all the little antique shops. It was so fun, and to top it off, we shared a delicious banana split to continue the birthday celebrating.

We also picked up these fun buttons. Have you taken a steak break today?

We are slowly figuring out this new city, and trying to make it feel more like home. It's been a hard couple of weeks, but each day gets better and better.

We went in to San Francisco the Saturday before last and froze our tails off! We had so much fun and made our way to Ghirardelli  square for some hot cocoa and a hot fudge brownie. We were so cold, and I kept stopping to rest because of my contractions, and Mike kept telling me "we can just come back later" but NOTHING gets in the way of this mamma and her Ghirardelli! I had my eye on the prize. That Hot Fudge brownie was calling to me and it was totally worth it!

The community here is very different, and the city itself is so different from home, but we are warming up to it. It's going to take some time, and it's hard, but it'll happen. Mike LOVES his job. He's doing really well, and I'm so proud of him!

So there's your update. Sorry it's not more exciting!

baby bump

My sweet husband puts up with me and my crazy ideas. 

I have tried to take pictures of my growing belly every couple of weeks, but they never really turn out. You know, never Pinterest worthy. I always end up looking like a dork. And then crying or getting grumpy. I'm pregnant, okay?! 

I would love to have a professional photographer taking my pictures every week for me, but you know, that's not going to happen. So I have my professional photographer husband doing them for me.   

With my iPhone. 

Oh I love that man. 

I may look like a dork and be in funny poses 99% of the time, but at least I'm getting some pictures. In this particular bunch my hands looked funny and I had a goof face.. this is where a professional would be nice. But I kept the photos anyway, because posed or not, it's fun to see my belly growing with baby girl inside. 

25 weeks

An update and the beginning of blogging.. Again!

I haven't sat down and written an actual blog post in over a year! My goal is to start it up again and stick to it. (I will be posting over here on the new blog, and working on making it look better) I have recently decided this would be a good idea, because there are so many scary and exciting changes happening over here in Kramerville, so I am going to quickly fill ya'll in. 
Mike had a series of difficult interviews and at the end of them all, he landed the job! I am so very proud of him and am amazed by him every single day. He is so incredible, and brave. 

So while we are all very excited for this new job opportunity, we are also a little sad, because we will be moving all the way to California! We are excited, but it's a little hard to pick up and move. They want him to start very soon, on July 21st! So we have a lot to get done in only a few weeks. This includes finding somewhere to live! I am packing and sorting while Mike finishes his weeks at his current job, and then we are out of here! It's all happening so fast!! 

On top of the move, I am trying to find new doctors, and plan my birth and the arrival of our sweet baby, GIRL! It's true, I'M PREGNANT!
We are over the moon excited over here. She is very healthy and apparently she is very squished. I'm not sure if that means she is going to be tall like her daddy, or if I'm just too small for her to be comfortable, lol! But I can't stop looking at her sweet ultrasound picture. She is perfect and we love her already. 

We have been enjoying the summer as we do best, by camping and spending time together and with friends. We will miss going up the Canyon on the weekends, but I'm sure we'll find a new spot to explore near our new home in California.

We went to Moon Lake this last weekend and it was beautiful! This weekend we will be at a family reunion, and then two weeks after that, we will be in California, ready or not!
 

I had a fun birthday weekend, and got a new birthday present from Kramer, that is going to be even better in California! He didn't know we would be moving there when he bought it for me, and it made us laugh. He got really sick the day before my birthday though, bummer! We were going to go up to Idaho that day because it was also Father's Day! We didn't make it up there, but we still had a lot of fun here!

Anyway, there is the update! All the important things at least. I may not blog a lot in the next few weeks, as I am going to be very busy apartment hunting and packing. But as soon as I can, I will sit down and update everyone on what is happening. And maybe it'll be from a real computer and not my phone!  Hopefully this will be a good way to keep family up to date on our lives in California and a way for me to document the things that are happening in our little family.  We are going to miss everyone so much! So you all better come visit us!!!