Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween 2010!  Last night we went to a friend's Halloween costume party.  I decided to use my current condition in selecting a costume.  I had considered being a pumpkin, big bird, a snowman, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, a cow and a few other ideas.  But since I could have had the baby before Halloween, I didn't want to put any money into a costume.  So I ended up just using stuff I already owned to come up with my outfit (yes, the tank top was something I had in my wardrobe - a hand-me-down from my sister in law...not sure where she got the tank, but it is awesome!). 

The end result: Pregnant Red Neck.  (And for the record, the cigarette is fake, the beer bottle is empty, but the belly is real).  A friend at the party told me half way into the night, that he hadn't realized I was even dressed up, he thought I was just dressed comfortably...so apparently, this attire isn't too far from my norm! HA. 

Yes, that's a bedazzled "Baby" Tank with an arrow pointing down!

Me and Mr. Cob - he was Arthur Dent from the Hitchhikers Guide - DON'T PANIC!

Mr. Cob's little brother was in town visiting with his girlfriend Casey - aren't they cute!



The little kids!

The "chick magnet" and his baby chick

And the wonderful hostess, the mama chick

Changes to come

The countdown = 6 days.

Mr. Cob informed me this morning that I am now not only snoring in my sleep, but I am grunting.  I don't believe him.  I think he's making it up.  He's now threatened to record my night noises and play it back for me so I can see what he's been putting up with.  Apparently he's not sleeping much better than I am.  We both finally threw in the towel at 7:30 this morning and just started our day.

It's weird to think that soon we'll view sleeping until 7:30am as a luxury.  We'll be "sleeping in" as opposed to getting up early.  Our lives really are about to change.  And we're both really excited.  But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous.  I don't function too well on little sleep.  In fact, too little sleep and too little food, does not a happy me make.  I'm hoping that I'll be so in love with this little man that I won't mind the lack of sleep.  Everyone says parenting is hard, but definitely worth it.

It's strange that any day now our family is going to go from 2 to 3.  There's going to be this whole new person who is the center of our world.  I wonder what kind of parents we are going to be.  How our relationship and dynamic is going to change.  What will happen to my friendships.  Again, I'm very excited, but also curious about all the changes to come.

I don't think he's coming today.  Maybe we'll have us a Halloween baby...

Just Shut Up Already

I may lock myself in my house and not come out again until its time to go to the hospital to deliver this baby.  I'm really over all the comments.  Yes, I'm huge.  No, the baby has not been born yet.  It's not easy to keep a smile on your face when you're deflecting ridiculous comments that have no appropriate response.  I'm trying to stay kind and remember that people aren't being spiteful or mean, it's just that they have nothing else to say. 

Some of my favorites as of late:

"So are you feeling chunky?" - I responded first by picking my jaw up off the ground and then saying how chunky is really a horrible word.  To which she said "Well, I don't mean fat...I mean, well, chunky."  I'm not sure how one differentiates between fat and chunky, but I found it interesting that she stuck by her word and question even after I made it clear that I didn't appreciate the question.

"So, any day now huh?"  - This was said by some random stranger when I was walking the dog yesterday.  Admittedly, this didn't bother me too much especially since she explained why she made the statement (aside from my clearly pregnant state) - my mom was with me and we were walking - add those together with the hugely pregnant belly and her comment wasn't bad.  She was just stating the obvious.

"You must be getting close now.  Your face is getting really wide."  - Yes, thank you for making me more self conscious by explicitly pointing out the fact that my face is now getting, shall we say, chunky?!

"So you've gained what, 60 pounds or so?" - said by the barista at Caribou Coffee.  No explanation of how I felt needed...

And my favorite - "What are you still doing here?" from my coworkers.  I'm still here because I'm still pregnant.

This does not bode well for the next week.  May I remind everyone that only 30-40% of babies are born by their due date, so it should be no surprise that I'm still a week away from my due date and the baby hasn't been born.

I really need to come up with some snappy come backs.  If people feel its appropriate to tell me how "chunky" and tired I look, then I think it's only fair for me to comment about their weight and overall appearance.  But then I'll just be the b*tchy pregnant girl who doesn't appreciate people being interested in my pregnancy.  I guess I should just suck it up and put a smile on my big, wide face.

Procrastination?

So we just checked another big "to do" off our list of pre-baby things to do.  Only you all didn't know we needed to do this because I haven't mentioned it.  We are 8 days away from my due date and until about three hours ago, we hadn't picked a pediatrician. 

Well I had one in mind based on some friend recommendations, but after doing some research on her, I changed my mind and about a month ago decided I should try to find someone else.  But I just kept putting it off, figuring we could always fall back on the doctor I had originally planned on using (even though I hadn't called to make sure she was still taking new patients.  Details, details.  We did research and make sure she accepted our insurance, so that's something.)

Based on multiple recommendations from my neighborhood mom's message board, we've picked a pediatrician and even went to a "new parent consultation" today.  The group has 7 doctors, is only 10 minutes away from our house and seemed competent and like they would be a good group (but really, I have no idea what to look for in a pediatrician).  We liked the doctor who gave the presentation and I especially liked that they have two separate waiting rooms - one for sick visits and one for well visits.  They support alternate vaccine schedules, if you so choose to go that route, although we're planning on going with the recommended schedule.  And they have a nurse on call at all times to answer any random between visit questions that you have.  So we're going with them.  We now officially have a pediatrician.

Lukas, do you hear that?  You have a pediatrician.  So you can come out now.  Really, it's OK.  We're all ready to meet you buddy.  You even have a few more hours to be born on your grandparents 38th wedding anniversary - you'd be the best anniversary gift I could give them! 

And the waiting continues...

Week 39 Pic

Hopefully just one more weekly picture to go!

Birthday Poll & Giveaway

When my family was in town a few weeks ago they started a poll guessing when Lukas would be born, how much he'd weigh and how long he'd be.  The poll has expanded since then and I thought it'd be fun to share the thoughts and get some other input.

Here are the guesses as of now:

Amy: 10/26/10 4:00AM 8lb12oz 23 inches

Nanama: 10/27/10 10:27AM 8lb 5 oz 21 1/2 inches

Mom: 10/28/10 3:00PM 8lb 6oz 21 inches (our 38 Anniversary!)

Leigh: 10/28/10 7:58 PM 8lb10oz 20 inches

Mr. Cob: Sat. 10/30/10 at 2am 8lb 7oz 21 inches

CB: 11/1/10 1:11AM 8lbs 1 oz, 20.5 in

Brother B: (1) November 1, 2:34 pm and (2) 11/1/10, at 1:11 pm, 11 pounds 11 ounces (he's a funny one...)

KJ: 11/2/10, 8:47am, 9lb 1oz (sorry), 20 inches.

Tami: Nov 3 11:11,   8 lbs 11 oz. 21 in

Grandma Kae---November 4, 2010 at 11:30pm 9# (same as his daddy)!  21.5"

Jaye: November 05, 2010 @ 4:01pm - 8 lbs 4 1/2 oz - 22 inches

I love that almost everyone thinks he'll be born early (big smile). (He is not actually due until November 5th).  But did you also notice that everyone thinks he'll be at least 8 pounds?!?  (not so big smile).  I have my thoughts on when he'll arrive but fear it will jinx it to tell anyone, so I'll keep it to myself. 
 
But what do you think?  I have a $15 Starbucks gift card to anyone guessing the correct date and the correct hour give or take 1 hour either way and another $15 Starbucks card for anyone guessing the exact weight and length!  (And if you win and hate Starbucks, we can change the gift card to something you do like!)  In order to enter the giveaway, just leave a comment with your guess!

Additional rules - guesses will be taken up until Lukas is born, but you can only vote once!

Monday stats

I won't bore you with the survey this week.  But here's the gist of my current state:

-Almost 39 weeks pregnant
-11 days until due date
-I wake up every 1-2 hours during the night after falling asleep
-There is so much pressure on my pelvis that this kid MUST have dropped pretty low
-My swelling can be likened to that of the Pillsbury Dough Boy.  In fact, maybe that's what I'll be for Halloween this year.
-I now waddle instead of walk

I have my weekly OB appointment in the morning.  We're supposed to be having an ultrasound, although I'm not sure the purpose.  Maybe to try to gauge how big he is?  And make sure the fluid level is still good?  Regardless, it's always really cool to have an ultrasound and get a sneak-peak at Lukas.

I can't believe that after tomorrow we'll be in the single digit countdown...

So Much for the Full Moon

Last night was the full moon.  No baby.  Oh well.  I technically still have 12 days until I'm due, so its not surprising that the moon didn't push me into labor.

But since my post on Friday, Mr. Cob has flown to Chicago, attended his 10 year high school reunion and flown back.  (And apparently packed his hospital bag as I've just been informed.  He always has to be one step ahead of me, making me look all bad for not having mine packed.  Showoff.)

And I have done everything on my to-do list (thanks to the most amazing mother alive) except for the following:

1. Pack my hospital bag.
2. Buy the birthing ball.
3. Cook meals (overrated...)
4. Shave legs (it's not an easy task these days...)
5. Give key to friends.
6. Buy mattress protector (I decided I'll take the risk...)
7. Get pedicure (not really a real to do...)

So I knocked off 13 things from my to do list in 48 hours.  I'd say that's a successful weekend.  And considering four of the above were "extras", I'm down to only 3 must-do "to dos" before Lukas arrives. 

And now all we have to do is wait for the little guy.  Although we might start testing out some of the "old wives tales" of labor induction in the next couple of days.  The main contenders are spicy food, eggplant parm from Scalinis, walking and pineapple smoothies.  Anyone have any other suggestions????

Things I need to accomplish ASAP

For those wondering, there's no baby yet.  Did my day off from posting yesterday make you wonder?!?  Today marks the 2 week countdown until "due date" but really, he could come any time now.  Everything I read says your can expect baby to come any time between 38 and 42 weeks with your due date being the mid point during that window.  And oh am I ready.  Well, I'm ready to no longer be pregnant and to meet this little guy.  But I actually have A LOT of things left to do before he comes.


So in an attempt to totally freak myself out even more, I thought I'd make a list of all the things I have to do:

1. Have car cleaned/vacuumed.
2. Install car seat base in said clean car. (We should probably also have the car set in the car along with the base - this would not be a good thing to forget on the trip to the hospital).
3. Wash Lukas' bedding and clothes.
4. Wash my clothes (specifically all my new sexy nursing attire...)
5. Pack my hospital bag.  And have Mr. Cob pack his bag. - Must remember to bring: ipod dock/speakers, ipod, hypnobirthing "stuff", tennis balls (for massage), socks, slippers, food for husband (must buy said food), a towel, extra pillows, birthing ball.
6. Buy birthing ball.
7. Pick out an outfit to bring Lukas home in.  To be safe we should probably pick two outfits in different sizes - petite and meaty - you never know what size he'll be.
8. Move dresser and changing table into Lukas' room.
9. Unpack all the goodies I've received at my showers.
10. Set up, decorate and organize Lukas' room.
11. Return stuff to Babies R Us and buy pump.
12. Take Pack -n- Play out of box and assemble in bedroom.
13. Cook meals (yea, probably not going to happen).
14. Shave legs (just keeping it honest).
15. Give someone a key to our house so that Wrigley and Bailey Ann are not neglected when it's "really time".
16. Buy mattress protector in case water breaks in bed (how has this not occurred to me yet?!?!  On second thought, if my water breaks in the bed before I can buy the protector, we could then "justify" buying a new, ahem KING-sized, bed.  So maybe we'll skip this to do.)
17. Finish cleaning out closet in Lukas' room and find new homes for our coats.
18. Clean the entire house - it doesn't feel ready for a brand new clean baby...
19. Breathe.
20. Maybe get another pedicure. (So this isn't exactly a necessity, but it sure feels amazing).

Ok, so yea, there's all that.  I'm either in complete denial or the world's biggest procrastinator.  I think I've just convinced myself that the baby won't come until I get all of this done and since the babe can't come until at least like 2pm on Sunday, there's no reason to finish my tasks until then.  Yes, that's it.  Logical reasoning at its finest.


So you now know what I'll be doing all weekend.  Or having a baby.  Tomorrow is a full moon...

Week 38 Pics

Week 38...hopefully only two more weeks (or less) of pooch pics to go!  Maybe I'll then start doing a reverse pooch pic to see how quickly the baby bump goes down...or maybe not, that wouldn't be nearly as exciting as watching the bump grow these past 9 months!



Tea Party Pics

This past Saturday I had a family shower at Tea Leaves & Thyme in Woodstock, GA.  The best part of the day, aside from celebrating with family, was wearing large, fun hats.  I've decided I was born in the wrong era and should've lived back in the day when women wore hats every day.  Maybe I should just start wearing them regularly and try to bring the trend back - surely that wouldn't be odd!

Here are a few pictures from the shower:

My wonderful grandmomma - maybe I'll follow in her footsteps and have SEVEN kiddos....



Me and my momma!

Leigh & Aunt Becky - their hats were two of my favorite!

All the wonderful ladies who came to celebrate Lukas

The first thing I've received with Lukas' name!

Survey says...

How far along are you? 37 weeks + a few days

How big is baby? According to my weekly email from the America Pregnancy Association, baby is probably likely between 17 and 20 inches long and weighs 6 ¼ to 7 ½ pounds.  Though babies at this stage vary greatly, so there's really no telling.

Maternity clothes? Yes please.

Weight - Loss or Gain? Gain.

Stretch marks? Still mark free on the belly.

Sleep? BAD.  This past week my sleep has taken a turn for the worse and I can no longer claim to be sleeping well.   The hypnobirthing CD's have about a 50% rate of putting me to sleep - the other half of the time I just lay in bed staring at the ceiling listening to the dog snore and the husband breathe in his slumbering state.  I wake up to pee at least 2 times per night.  And then I've been waking up again because one of three things has happened: 1) Lukas has the hiccups; 2) my hands have completely fallen asleep; or 3) my calves cramp up.  So I wake up in the morning feeling as though I haven't slept at all.  Everyone keeps telling me that this is my body's way of preparing me for restless nights once the baby is here.  I personally think I could prep for them just fine without the trial runs.  But that's just me.

Any movement? Yes, although I can tell he's getting cramped in there.

Food Cravings? Nothing in particular.

Food Aversions? As if...

Gender? Team Blue.

Belly Button in or out?  Well, my mom could see my belly button poking out of my tee shirt yesterday, so it's officially safe to say it is now an outie.  At least partially.  And it looks awesome, really, it does.

What do you miss? Sleep.

What are you looking forward to? Meeting this baby boy!

What was the BEST part of this week? This was yet another week with many "ups":

• My firm threw me a surprise shower last Friday.  I really work for one of the best law firms around.
• My aunts and cousin and her kiddos were in town visiting all weekend.  Aunt Becky even brought homemade crab cakes from Virginia - delicious!  It was wonderful to spend so much time with family.
• My mom's friend Jaye threw me a wonderful baby shower on Saturday.  The shower was in Woodstock at Tea Leaves and Thyme - such an adorable place.  We had traditional English tea and all wore crazy hats - it was perfect!  (Pictures of the ladies all in hats to come...)
• Mr. Cob finished the bookshelves and toy chest!!!

What was the WORST part of this week? Sleeping...

Weekly Wisdom?  My aunt told me that the best advice she ever received about parenting was that if whatever your kid was doing was hurting himself or someone else, it's probably best to just let him continue doing whatever it is he's doing.  I liked that!

I also learned that my other aunt birthed a 10 pound 14 ounce baby in her own home with no pain meds - so, if she can do it, so can I!  Well, not the whole home birth thing.  And hopefully not the 10 plus pounder...

Milestones: Baby boy is due in less than 20 days.

Handyman Husband

As of Sunday morning, we were able to cross another big "to do" off our list!  Mr. Cob finished the built-in bookshelves and toy chest!!!!  I am so proud of him and so thankful that I married such a handy man.  He and his father began building the unit about three weeks ago and Mr. Cob put the finishing touches on yesterday morning.  They built the entire unit from scratch and created all the molding themselves using a router.  One of the hardest parts about the project was dealing with the uneven floor and wall, but they managed to work with what they had and produced an amazing piece!  I am so excited to have this big project completed - now its time to decorate and really get ready for Lukas' arrival.

Here are some pics of the proud-daddy-to-be/handyman and his finished product!

Full-Term!

Today I am officially "full-term"!  What this means is that if Lukas were to decide to come say today or tomorrow, he'd most likely thrive and be fully cooked.  He'd no longer be considered a preemie!  So it is game on little man.  Come out whenever you want - momma's ready. 

However, if you could avoid coming tomorrow that would be fabulous - momma has a baby shower with the fam.  And if you could also hold off on arriving until we have your nursery completed, that'd be helpful too - so maybe not until next weekend.  But wait, daddy's out of town for 36 hours next weekend, so DO NOT under any circumstances come between 7am next Saturday and noon on Sunday.  Ok, so in other words, could you wait until at least October 24 before arriving?  Anytime thereafter would be fantastic.  Well, could you check with me first to make sure I have a hospital bag packed?  We should probably also put your car seat in the car.  And I need to wash all your clothes and pick out an outfit to bring you home in.  In other words, maybe hold off a bit, I'm clearly not prepared for your arrival yet, but I'm getting oh so excited to meet you!

37 Weeks Picture

Baby countdown = 3 weeks until due date

And Wrigley just begged me to take her pictures this week too....

Puppy Love

In another month we'll have had our sweet puppy dog for a year.  She's the first dog I've ever had and while I was a little nervous about her arrival at first, I now cannot imagine my life without her. 

I've always been a "cat person" and Bailey Ann has been with me for over five years now.  She will always be my first furry child, but she has a personality all of her own and is rather unpredictable.  It's what I like to call spunk.

But Wrigley, oh sweet Wrigley.  I don't think she's yet to meet a person she doesn't like.  Nor has any person yet to dislike her.  I love how she follows me around the house and just plops down to "guard" me wherever I am.   I feel safer knowing she's always here with me.

And I think Wrigley knows there's a baby on the way.  Until about two months ago, we had to practically drag her into her crate every morning when we left for work, but suddenly something shifted and she goes in willingly as soon as I walk over to the treat bag.  And whenever we sit on the couch (yes, we're those pet owners who let the dog on the couch...), she sits next to me and puts her head on my belly.  It's like she's already protecting the baby.  And she comes and lays in bed with me when I'm not feeling well (yes, we let the dog on the bed too...)

We definitely lucked out in the dog department.

And the cat department...

Staying Positive

As you can see, I haven't written in the past couple of days and I hesitated to write today.  I just don't have much to say/share.  Well, that's not exactly true.  I have plenty of things going through my head, it's just that I'm trying to stay upbeat and positive, and I fear that if I write everything down that I'm thinking, I'll kill the upbeat outward demeanor I'm trying to put forth.  But here's the thing I've realized, by keeping it all bottled up, maybe it's just making it more difficult to remain positive.  So here goes my cathartic attempt to let it all out.

I haven't been sleeping well.  I wake up every morning pretty exhausted even though I'm getting roughly 8-9 hours of sleep.  The doctor said this is because I'm getting up 1-2 times per night to pee, so even though I'm sleeping for a collectively long time, I'm not getting good REM sleep and therefore I'm just left feeling tired.  She encouraged me to take naps whenever I can, which I've been doing after work.  I feel like I shouldn't complain though because I don't have a problem falling asleep - I think the hypnobirthing relaxing CDs really help relax me and put me to sleep.  It's just the staying asleep that's the problem.

The heartburn has come back with a vengeance.  Especially at night when I'm trying to relax.  This doesn't help make sleep any easier.

And the gas.  Let's not even go there...

And I just feel so heavy.  I know, I know.. I AM beautiful.  I'm trying to recite this every day, but it is increasingly difficult when people make the most asinine comments to me.  (Yesterday I was told what was perhaps the rudest thing you could say to a pregnant woman.  I won't get into it, but lets just say she sure did a good job of knocking my self esteem even lower.)  And along with this heavy feeling (which is mainly that this little boy has dropped a little so I'm feeling extreme pressure in my pelvis), my wardrobe has really dwindled down.  I'm tired of wearing the same few things every day.  And they all seem to be black, which doesn't exactly help.

And have I mentioned that I'm still not due for another three weeks.  Yea, so I really need to get over all this and settle in for the long haul.  I doubt the sleeping will get better and Lukas is just going to get even bigger.  So I need to just suck it up and deal.

Okay, I'm done venting.  Thanks for letting me get it out.  I feel better now.

On the positive side - my mom's sisters are all coming into town this weekend!  And my mom's best friend is throwing me a family baby shower, so I have that to look forward to!

And our doctor's appointment this week was good.  I tested negative for group B strep so I don't have to be hooked up to antibiotics during labor.  (For those that don't know, 30% of women have group B strep in their whoo-ha and while it doesn't affect us, it can be very harmful to the baby passing through the birth canal.)  My blood pressure is great and Lukas' heart beat is strong.  After some probing by Mr. Cob and myself, the doc admitted that while she can't be sure, there is a chance that Lukas is quite the large baby.  But not so large that she's concerned at this point.  He's still head down and since I'm not having contractions yet, she didn't bother to check to see if I'm dilating.  I go back next Tuesday and every Tuesday thereafter until the little man is here!

So that's our update. 

Is this survey getting old or should I keep it up????

How far along are you? 36 weeks and counting

How big is baby? According to my weekly email from the America Pregnancy Association, baby is probably about 18 inches long and weighs 6 to 7 pounds.

Maternity clothes? You know it.

Weight - Loss or Gain? Bigger and more beautiful every day...

Stretch marks? Belly = no.  Elsewhere = yes.

Sleep? Eh. It's not great, but it could be a lot worse and at least I'm sleeping - I've heard that insomnia can strike some preggos at this point.  I just have to get up to go pee at least once in the middle of the night.

Any movement?  Yup.  He's still an active one, although the main movements are due to the hiccups he seems to get every few hours.  Let's talk about how much I just love when this happens...

Food Cravings? Grilled onions.  This started yesterday and may be a fleeting craving, but I couldn't get enough of them yesterday.  They went on my sandwich at lunch and my cheese quesadilla snack in the evening.  Yum.

Food Aversions? Of course not.

Gender? The OB confirmed at our appointment last week that we have a boy coming our way.  Thank goodness, as a wrong reading would've thrown a wrench into the whole nursery theme and baby name.  On second thought, we'd probably just still call her Lukas.  Why bother picking a gender-appropriate name after we've been calling the baby Lukas for months, right mom?!?!

Belly Button in or out? In the great belly button watch of 2010, I'm happy to report that it's still IN.  I've now changed my mind and decided it's not going to pop out.  Wishful thinking?  Perhaps.  But a girl can dream!

What do you miss? Hum, all the same things I've been missing - wine, martinis, high heels, running, sushi etc.  But right now, I miss everyone that was just in town visiting.

What are you looking forward to? Finishing up the nursery. Nope, we didn't finish this weekend. Don't judge.

What was the BEST part of this week? Spending time with my nephew.  It's next to impossible not to smile when I'm around him.

What was the WORST part of this week? Saturday afternoon I was struck with really bad vertigo for a few hours.  Still not sure what it was from.

Weekly Wisdom? Um, I'm not feeling so wise this week.  But if I had to give some weekly wisdom, it'd be to remember that when you're pregnant you're not fat, you're pregnant.  And beautiful.  (Thanks Al for sending me the link...)

Milestones: In just four days I'll be considered "full term".  Excuse me while I go freak out. 

"Grab a Baby"

[Warning: This post discusses breastfeeding and contains the words boob and nipple.  You may want to stop reading now.]

This weekend Mr. Cob and I attended a couples breastfeeding class.  Yes, its a real class.  Yes, I could've taken one for just mothers.  No, I didn't exactly ask Mr. Cob whether or not he wanted to go.  I just thought that it would be best if we both learned as much as possible about this thing we know next to nothing about.  And he didn't protest at all, even though the class took up three hours of his Saturday morning. 

As an aside, we have decided to exclusively breastfeed Lukas from the start.  I don't know how long this will last and after this weekend's class, I'm aware that this could be a difficult undertaking and one that is extremely time consuming, at least in the beginning.  Before I got pregnant, my feelings about breastfeeding were very negative.  I had no intentions of nursing my future child and didn't think there was anything wrong with that decision.  I wasn't breastfed and I turned out "OK". (Yes, yes, OK is a relative term).  But once I became pregnant and the reality of having a child and having to make that decision of how to feed him sunk in, I've been convinced that I should at least try to breastfeed.  The benefits are well-documented and who wouldn't want to give their kid the best chance from the get go?  Still, I wouldn't say I'm exactly jazzed about the idea.  But I'm committed and we're doing this.  Although, I will not be one of those women who just sits around and pulls my boob out to feed my kid wherever I am.  While breastfeeding might be a natural thing, I think you have to respect everyone else around you and realize that breastfeeding makes many people uncomfortable.

Ok, so back to the class and my initial reason for writing about it.  Mr. Cob and I were the second couple to arrive.  Upon entering the classroom, our instructor told us to sign in and "grab a baby from the bin."  I glance over at the bin and Mr. Cob takes charge signing us in and grabs the baby on top of the stack.  Now I should back up.  The bin of babies contained both black baby dolls and white baby dolls.  All three babies on the very top were black baby dolls.  In my head I wondered, what baby is Mr. Cob going to grab?  Well he grabbed the baby on top - a black baby doll.  I chuckled to myself a bit because (a) Mr. Cob had a dream a few months back where I birthed a black child and he "did not take it well" and (b) I would've picked the same baby while having this internal back and forth struggle about what to pick, which it turns out Mr. Cob had.  In both of our minds (as we discussed later), something seemed wrong about picking through the pile of dolls to make sure we had one that matched our skin color.  This was a fake baby that we were going to use to practice breastfeeding positions - the color of the skin didn't matter, in my opinion and Mr. Cob and I both somehow thought it would be racist to have insisted on picking a white baby.  But then I got to thinking, did he just pick the black baby to prove we're not racist?  Would it be weird to practice breastfeeding with this fake black baby?  (It wasn't).  Am I totally over thinking this?  But as the other four couples entered the room, an interesting impromptu social experiment unfolded.  The third couple - a white couple - dug through the bin until they found a white baby.  The fourth couple - again a white couple - followed suit and selected a white baby.  The fifth couple - a black couple - opted for a black baby.  And the sixth couple - another white couple - picked a white baby.  So we were the only couple with a fake baby with a different race than ourselves.  And I then wondered, were we the strange ones?  Should we have picked a white baby?  What does it all mean?  Probably nothing, but it was just interesting to observe.

And for those wondering what we could possibly have learned in three hours on breastfeeding, here are the few things that stuck out to me:

• It costs over $1000/year to formula feed a baby
• You have to breastfeed your baby 8 to 12 times per day - seriously.  Doesn't this seem high to anyone else?
• The top three positions for breastfeeding - cradle, cross-cradle and football hold
• A proper latch is key
• They have things called nipple shields if you have "problem nipples"...
• You need an extra 500 calories a day to produce an ample milk supply
• The size of your breasts do not determine how much milk you will make

And since I've already crossed many lines in this post, I might as well continue.  Last night I bought a nursing bra to bring to the hospital.  I figure I should be prepared in case this little guy decides to come early.  Well, for all moms out there you already know the deal with nursing bras, but for everyone else, they are one of the strangest contraptions around.  The idea is that you just unhook part of the bra to expose your boob for feeding without the need to take off the entire bra.  Well, in order to do this, the nursing bras have this huge hole for your boob to poke out of.  It's hard to explain, but trust me, this might be the least sexy thing I have ever tried on in my life.  Not that nursing is sexy.  But still.  This definitely won't help my overall feeling of sexiness post-baby, which I'm sure will already be at an all-time low.

But hey, its all for the baby, right?

Religious Reading List

Since I posted my Religious Choice post last month, I've had multiple conversations with friends and family about religion and spirituality.  The greatest thing to come out of these posts has been the open dialogue that I've started with some of  you, which we may never otherwise have begun.  Aside from these conversations, I've also loved hearing that my posts and the comments following those posts have planted a seed in others to evaluate what you believe and why you believe it.  Or made you realize that you were being a bit complacent in your beliefs without having explored them in some time, if ever.  And it seems a few people have decided to go on their own religious exploration, which I think is fabulous!

I had asked various people for reading recommendations and thought I would share the response.  Admittedly, I've been a bit preoccupied with family and friend visits and preparing for baby that I haven't actually started reading any of these books myself, but I plan to.

Feel free to add any other books you think would be thought-provoking and on point.

• "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chan
• "A Generous Orthodoxy" by Brian McLaren.  He talks about alot of different aspects of Christianity and is honest about the weaknesses. 
• "A Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel, which is really good and reads kinda like a court case ;). 
• Of course one of the classics is "Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis, it is more academic than the other two. 
• One more that is really good and an excellent read is "Blue Like Jazz".  by Donald Miller
• "The Great Divorce," by C.S. Lewis

Nursery In Progress

The baby is due in 4 weeks.  That's 28 days.  That's leaves only 8 non-work days to get the nursery finished.  And we have a lot to finish.  But we'll get there.  Eventually.

We still need to put one more coat of primer on the bookshelves/cabinet.  Paint the shelves/cabinet.  Add the hardware.  Build the toybox.  Prime the toybox.  Paint the toybox.  Move the dresser and desk-we-are-converting-into-a-changing-table into the nursery.  Put the bedding on the crib.  Hang the window curtains (once grandma sip sip makes them).  Accessorize.  Accessorize.  Accessorize.

So yea, there's all that.  Did I mention I hope he doesn't come early?!?

Here's a sneak peak at the work in progress...

The proud daddy-to-be showing off his handiwork!

Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!

The glider my mom recovered for us

A view of the nursery from the doorway

The crib!

Thinking about his work and what all is left to do

  

Notice the light green walls in the background...disregard the green floor cover, fan, etc...

Week 36 Bump

In an attempt to keep documenting the growing bump, here are some pictures taken by yours truly via the self-timer on my camera. Not exactly the best artistic shots, but the bump is clearly visible, which is what's important at this point. According to those who see me on a regular basis, the bump is rapidly growing each day.



And a close up...

Yesterday we had our weekly doctor's appointment.  Everything is going according to plan.  Lukas is head down, but facing forward towards my belly (ideally his face would be looking towards my back).  He still could rotate, but even if he doesn't, everything will be fine for a normal delivery.  The OB did an ultrasound, which we hadn't had done in about 4 months.  She confirmed that he is a boy and we were able to see his sweet face.  A week from tomorrow I'll be considered "full term" and the doc said it's pretty much game-on at any time.  So I should probably pack a hospital bag and put the car seat in the car.  This baby is coming sometime in the next month!!!

Stay tuned for some nursery pictures tomorrow...although I have to warn you, it looks more like a construction zone than a nursery.

Operation Beautiful

My sister-in-law sent me a text tonight asking if I'd heard of Operation Beautiful, which I hadn't.  Have you?  If not, check it out - www.operationbeautiful.com - it made me smile and I hope this post makes you smile.

To everyone out there:

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! 

And you are PERFECT just the way you are!

I realize this is ironic for me to be saying to the world when just earlier today I was complaining about my cankles and feeling not so beautiful.  But I think its fitting because I clearly had lost sight of the forest for the trees and am thankful for being given a reminder that I am beautiful.  I was reminded that negativity in general is toxic and thinking and speaking about my body negatively doesn't do anyone any good.

So I vow to stay positive for the rest of this pregnancy, especially when it comes to my changing body.  It may not be my "normal".  And I may have over 50 pounds of "extra" weight added to my usual frame right now, but I am beautiful and this baby is beautiful. 

And you, YES YOU, are beautiful.

I Was Warned...

I was told this would happen.  But I didn't listen.  I was convinced that I would be the one pregnant women who wasn't plagued with water retention and swollen ankles the last month of pregnancy.  What the hell was I thinking?!  I guess you could call it wishful thinking.

Sunday morning I woke up bloated.  I attributed it to the salty foods I'd eaten the night before at my friend's engagement party.  So I decided to just accept it and spent ten minutes pulling my wedding rings off my fingers, figuring I just needed some water and rest that day.  Monday would be a new day.

Monday was not a new day.  Monday was just a repeat of Sunday in the swelling arena.  So I left the rings off again.  Two days later, they are still off.  (Though I haven't tried to put them back on, so this means they could still fit, right?  Yes, that's it.  They fit, I'm just choosing not to wear them.)

Any lets not even talk about my ankles.  They must have been removed while I was sleeping and replaced with a large woman's ankles.  Because these ankles, they are NOT my ankles.  No.  They are CANKLES!  Sigh. 

But aside from the less than flattering look of said ankles, I now have a very serious problem.  I've always had very narrow feet and most of my shoes are narrows.  Well, cankles and "narrow" shoes do not a pretty pairing make.  I can't fit in most of my shoes.  And by most, I mean almost all.  I have some sandals I can wear, but Fall has suddenly decided to appear in Georgia and I feel ridiculous wearing sandals with my pants and sweaters.  So today, I figured I'd go with my roomy tall boots which have always had extra room in the foot area.  The extra room is no more.  So what do I do?  What do I wear for the next four weeks?  I may have to go buy a pair of Crocs.  Those are work appropriate, right?  What about Ugg boots?

Help - what's a pregnant, cankled girl to do?!

Cook - Freeze - Reheat - Eat

DISCLAIMER: I'm due exactly one month from today and while I have tried to not let this blog become too pregnancy/baby-centric, I have a feeling that is going to go out the window this last month.  So if you hate babies or pregnant women or pregnant women talking about babies, you should probably just stop reading for a while.  You now have fair warning. 

So, as baby Lukas' arrival gets closer, I'm feeling more pressure to get everything done.  The nursery still needs work.  The house seems dirty all the time.  The office has stacks of books just waiting to be put away.  The fridge needs to be cleaned.  The baby clothes need to be washed.  You see?  I think this is what they call "nesting."

In an effort to add more to my plate, I've decided that I want to cook a bunch of meals to freeze so that we have food ready to eat once the baby gets here.  The problem is, I don't know what to cook.  Anyone have any good recipe ideas for easily freeze-able meals?

I've done some research online and some suggestions have been chili, soups, pasta dishes, enchiladas, taco meat, etc.  But I'd love to hear from people who have gone the freezer route before and found some successful recipes.  Anyone?

Quote-ables

Favorite things said to me today:

1.  "WOW, you're really pregnant."

[thoughts in my mind that I had to try my hardest from actually saying: Gee, what gave it away?  and "no sh*t"]

2.  Random lady: "Oh my God when are you due?"  Me: One month.  Random lady: "No way you're going to make it that far.  You're having that baby before Halloween, for sure."

[my thoughts: So you're telling me I look small for being this far along?!  That's so sweet of you!]

3.  Random lady #2: "You're having a boy aren't you?"  Me: "Yes, but why do you say that?"  RL#2:  "You're carrying really high."

[my thoughts: A) You're crazy, I'm not carrying high.  B) Even if I was carrying high, the old wives tale is that carrying high = girl.]

Baby Shower/Weekend Pictures

This weekend in pictures...

A hug from my sweet nephew!  He's so big now!!

Yes dear, there's a baby in there...

Stu riding his new motorcycle at Grandma SipSip's house

Opening presents at the shower

Mamma Kae got Lukas a hand puppet dinosaur book!

My wonderful hostesses!  Love you girls!!

My beautiful friends

With the grandmas-to-be

Me with Aunt-Allison

Monday post

How far along are you? 35 weeks and change

How big is baby? According to my weekly email from the America Pregnancy Association, baby is likely between 17 ½ to 19 inches long and weighs 5 ¾ to 6 ¾ pounds.  In my opinion, he feels large.  But, I know that "my baby is the perfect size for my body". (Thanks hypnobirthing affirmations....)

Maternity clothes? All day, every day.

Weight - Loss or Gain?  Definitely gain.  We'll know on Wednesday just how much.

Stretch marks? No new ones and still none on the belly.

Sleep? OK.  I'm getting up at least once every night to pee and tend to toss and turn for a while before I actually fall asleep, but it hasn't been horrible aside from a few nights here and there.

Any movement? Yes - hiccups every day and some serious jabs to the ribs.

Food Cravings? Whatever is put in front of me.  Although, I have noticed my appetite has decreased in the past two weeks.

Food Aversions? Nope

Gender? B-O-Y

Belly Button in or out? Somehow we're still technically staying in - we do have a small part poking out.  Yes, it looks really weird.

What do you miss?  Today I'm missing my wedding rings...swelling has taken up residence in my fingers as of yesterday and so I took them off.  I'm hoping the swelling is temporary, but I'm not holding my breathe.

What are you looking forward to? Finishing up the nursery.  No, it's still not ready, but we're getting close.  Mr. Cob and his dad built the built-in bookshelves/cabinets this past week and they're looking AMAZING!  Mr. Cob needs to paint them white, add the hardware to the doors and install the shelves and then they'll be complete!  And he's also adding a built-in toy chest/window seat next to the shelves.  We then need to move the changing table and dresser into the nursery from the guest room, decorate the entire room, put the crib bedding on the crib and hang the curtains on the windows.  We're getting there....

What was the BEST part of this week? This week there were lots of "bests" yet again:

• Seeing my law school girls who live out of town
• Having my brother, Ana & Stu back from Cali
• Having my s-i-l Al here all weekend
• My baby shower on Saturday!!!!
• Celebrating my friend Katie's engagement Saturday night
• Feeling so much love for this little boy who we haven't even met yet - he's going to be so lucky to have such wonderful people in his life!

What was the WORST part of this week? Yesterday.  I woke up feeling like I'd been run over by a truck.  I think I did too much this past week/weekend...

Weekly Wisdom? Rest is more important than I thought.

Milestones: Lukas is due to arrive exactly one month from tomorrow!