4 posts tagged “belly pics”

Here are some overdue belly pictures.  I still feel moderately pregnant as in I can hide under a roomy hoodie.  I have about a month of this left (at most).  On Super Tuesday, I have a prenatal appointment, it's the first of the 2-week cycle, it's been 3 weeks since my last appointment.  Last time I took the glucose test but never followed up on the results, I'll ask about them. 

Since entering the third trimester here are some things I have learned:

1. I like prunes, I take 2-3 a day like a vitamin.  Mom used to make me eat them as kid to resolve constipation.  It never fails.

2. Medium maternity pants fit but not regular medium sweat pants...bummer

3. I can still do 30 minutes on the cross ramp (like an elliptical).  I accomplished that today at the end of doing the weight machines.

4. My weight gain is transforming me into an egg shape (from my chest to my thighs)  Not cute, not at all.

5. I get a sweet tooth craving about 2-3 times a week.

6. Feeling Vida move more frequently is awesome.

7. "Sneaky pee": When you think you're finished but you're not.

8.  I don't sleep through the night anymore.  I have to adjust, shift, re-adjust, turn, use the restroom, and yes, this happens each night.

9. Very few companies know how to make attractive maternity clothes for regular women.  Most make you look either like a box or a fashion train wreck.  Babystyle gets it right!  I love shopping their outlet online, which is where I found that cute "Coming Soon!" tank top

10.  I can prioritize my personal happiness and balance before work obligations.  I have never fully committed to that but it just began to come over me last week. I never heard a mom regret staying home with her baby for as long as she could.

So now that I am crossing the the 6 month mark I wanted to list some observations and throw out some questions:

1. Baby Vida moves a lot and she responds to outside sounds and movements.

2. Energy level is still going well, I still have stamina and I started with some routines at the gym.  I like doing lat pulls and working on the 'thigh master'-like machine.  I even did the elliptical last time, it was more challenging than the bike but still felt better.

3. The reality of having her seems clearer and clearer.  Today we visited the Launching Pad, the day care facility at P's work.  The ED gave us a tour of the infant rooms.  The center has NAYEC accredation, only 5% of the country's daycare centers have this and the standards get tougher as time goes on so fewer centers go through the renewal process. 

4. P and I have started to review scenarios of being parents and wonder about the baby's temperament.   Since she will be born in 2008 she will be a rat according to Chinese astrology.  I am a rooster and Pablo is a monkey.  She may be an aries or a taurus  (great, both signs have horns...stubbornness?)

5. I want to drink water, all the time.  This is a good thing as I had been slacking off a bit.

6. Getting to sleep is easier now that I have finally figured out my comfortable positioning, I think exercise helps in that arena too.  The trouble is getting out of bed, I have to swing my legs over to one side, then lift myself up.

Questions:

1.  Soon my appointments are supposed to increase in frequency to 2 times per month.  So I am 25 weeks on Thursday and I  will return to  the CNMs at  almost 27 weeks, I was thinking of booking my February appointment 4 weeks from then.  I think I am supposed to do it sooner but if everything is going well is there a need to  change my schedule?  Without a doubt I will be going once a week starting in April but between now and then I would like to keep the once a month schedule.

2. What's the best technique that you employed during labor and/or delivery?

3. Are there any books, classes, rituals, etc you would have liked to practice more before the baby arrived?

4. So if baby doesn't arrive by the EDD, I plan on using my vacation days until she does come then roll over the FMLA program.  My rationale is that I don't think I will be physically comfortable to work my long hours at that point.  I have the vacation so I might as well use it, right?  Any thoughts?  I don't want to take off work sooner because I would go stir crazy and would still be in work-mode.

So I am a week behind on my posts.  Here in all their glory are my 20 week pics, gosh, 30 weeks doesn't seem so far way now.  Is it a long haul from 30 to 40...41...42?  I really get excited on Thursday nights when I open my inbox and find my baby center emails.  Last week, Vida was approximately the size of a banana now she's a carrot and almost weighs 1 pound. 

I finally discussed my maternity leave and it looks like I am only getting 6 weeks, of course I can take more but it's tough with the time of the school year.  Thank goodness California has paid family leave (well 55% of your salary), Pablo will be able to take advantage of this and be with Vida when I return.  Luckily, when I return to work the days will be shorter (3:00 dismissal, I know that's normal to district folks).  We'll see how things get planned out.

What's new in the pregnancy...

1. I get this question a lot..."How are you feeling?"  I feel fine and I am not a house yet so I didn't expect to get that question so soon.

2. I get food fixations/cravings.  Today I was total fiend for Chinese food.  Luckily I work with in 1.5 miles of Los Angeles' Chinatown.  The only problem is that there is no parking and with L.A. traffic a 20-minute run takes 45-minutes.  Luckily, Andrew, a bike riding co-worker made the run for me.  I looked up a place called Yang Chow's on citysearch, multiple reviews recommended the slippery shrimp (orange chicken but with shrimp)....just spicy enough...mmmm!  Most of the time I can delay my cravings but this was the first one that took a hold of me.

3. I sleep on my left side because it's not recommended to sleep on my back.  It's a big no-no in the 3rd trimester so it's best to get into the routine now.  This meant that I had to change what side of the bed I sleep on, I like to face out and not toward Pablo ( I am snuggler/spooner but need my breathing room).

4. I only have one 'real' pair of pants that fit me.  All others must be stretchy material or maternity style.  (Hint, hint, please buy me pants suitable for work and my expanding belly for Christmas)

5. My skin is increasingly sensitive, my last Brazilian  bikini wax was  a  clencher.  I won't let these go though.  Think about it, birth is a messy business and naturally uncomfortable, I would like to retain some form of sexiness.

6. I am looking forward to the holiday break coming up, 3 weeks without 10 hour work days.  The first week of 'vacation' I will be at work but only for 5 hours at a time.  Then it's Chirstmas and a week of vacation after New Years.  I plan to catch up on some baby prep.  Do some fun stuff like check out consignment shops, update my registry, begin the scrapbooking process.  We might squeeze in a road trip to New Mexico too.