Friday, October 28, 2011

I'm sooooo ready

I'm ready to have my body back to myself. I want to eat sushi and drink alcohol and stop bumping my belly into Ben's head (which is at just the right height). I'm sick of waking up a dozen times a night to turn over, because it takes concerted effort and a crane to move my body from one side to the other. I don't want my body to hold me back anymore and it will be wonderful not to be uncomfortable 24 hours a day, no matter what I'm doing.

I'm ready to be a fun mommy again. Heath's always been the favorite parent, that's well documented. And though lately it's been getting more even (maybe 60-40 now), this pregnancy hasn't been winning me any popularity points. My lap is almost completely gone, so it's gotten pretty uncomfortable for Ben and me to snuggle up and read books, which is so frustrating because that's one of our favorite things. I can't sit on the floor and play for very long and even a trip to the playground two blocks away has become a chore. The other day after getting Ben dressed in the morning I sat on his bed and said, "Oh, I'm tired." He looked up at me and said, "Are you not going to play with me?" Cue my heart breaking into one thousand pieces.

But most of all I'm ready to get this four person family started. The coming months won't be easy, I know that. Besides all the newborn annoyingness, we're going to have to adjust routines, figure out new roles and basically re-learn how to be a family. But I'm ready for that challenge. I'm ready to hold a new baby, who the ultrasound tech said has lots of hair (fingers crossed that it's red!). I'm done with the challenge of being pregnant with a three year old. I'm ready for the challenge of being the mother to two boys.

(I think.)

Monday, October 17, 2011

Happiness is...

... Ben pulling up my shirt before bed, hugging my belly and saying, "Goodnight, Sam!"

Thursday, October 13, 2011

"Frodo" was our second choice

I realized that even though we've known for a couple months, I forgot to announce the baby's name on here. Most of you reading already know, but in six weeks or fewer we will welcome Samuel Donald into our family.

It actually has a nice symmetry to it, because Ben's full name is Benjamin Hal. Hal is my father's name and I'm the one who first suggested Benjamin. Donald is Heath's father's name and Heath is the one who first suggested Samuel. So it worked out nicely.

"Ben and Sam" has a nice ring to it. Plus, this way I can call him "Samwise" without actually being a person who names her child after a book character.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Thirty-three weeks

It's been a rough couple weeks in pregnancy land. I went back to my doctor last Wednesday and I was still measuring big. Like, I'm 7.5 months pregnant and I'm as big as 8.5 months pregnant. So I went in for an ultrasound last Friday. The technician said the baby is a "normal size" at 4 lbs. 4 oz. and the reason I'm measuring big is because I have extra amniotic fluid.

Cut to this Wednesday when I saw my doctor again. The extra amniotic fluid isn't a huge worry, but it does mean we have to monitor the baby more closely. She thinks my placenta isn't working optimally, which is why there's extra fluid, so we have to make sure the baby's getting enough oxygen and growing appropriately. Which basically means I'm having weekly visits for the rest of the pregnancy and each week I have to have what's called a "non-stress test." I get to sit in a big comfy chair and they monitor the baby's heart rate and movement for 30 minutes.

Even though my doctor's not very worried about this, there aren't zero risks associated with it. Because my uterus is getting stretched so much, my chances of going into pre-term labor are greater. I also probably won't make it to my due date for the same reason, but as long as we're past 36 weeks I'm fine with that. Since there's more room in there, it'll be easier for the baby to get out of the "head down" position, which you want for delivery, and there's also a greater possibility of him getting tangled in the cord. So I guess those things also increase my risk for c-section.

So far everything's looking fine, though. My doctor said the baby looked great at Wednesday's non-stress test, and his growth and proportions are all normal according to the ultrasound. We'll continue on this course and then in a couple weeks I'll get another ultrasound to make sure he's still growing well.

Looking on the bright side, I never had an ultrasound with Ben past 20 weeks, and at that point fetuses still look sort of like aliens. So it was really neat to see the baby looking a little chubby. I got a couple pictures and you can clearly see the nose, mouth, chin, arm and hands and they look human and cute. It's amazing to think that in seven weeks or fewer he'll be here.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Pearly whites

Yesterday Ben had his first dentist appointment! He's always done really well at the doctor, so I figured he'd do well at the dentist, too. Plus, I'd been talking it up for a while and he was very excited about the concept of a new toothbrush. All yesterday morning he kept saying, "Are you ready to go to the dentist now?"

I took him to the dentist Heath and I use, because he's a family practice dentist and he has three (soon to be four) kids of his own. At this office they take kids back by themselves. The nurse said they usually do better that way, especially if the parent is nervous. Ben isn't shy at all, so I knew he wouldn't have a problem with that. And I was right! It's a small office, so from the waiting room I could hear him talking and answering the nurse's questions. He even laughed a couple times, I think when they were suctioning liquid out of his mouth. The dentist said he was an awesome patient, and no cavities to boot! He also said Ben's teeth are very nicely spaced, so it's unlikely he'll get cavities between his teeth. Score!

So it was a very successful first trip. I know a lot of people who are petrified of the dentist, though I've never shared that fear, so hopefully this will lay the groundwork for Ben NOT being afraid. I just won't let him watch Little Shop of Horrors anytime soon.