Enjoying the time

This is Josh: I know I’m not the one who’s body is morphing inside and out, so this may not come as a shock - I am enjoying this time before our child is born. I remember the early days of Stefanie’s pregnancy, where everything was starting from square one and we had a long road ahead of us. There was a lot going on. Now we are entering the third trimester. While I think Stef is experiencing a form of senioritis and can’t believe there’s still months to go before birth, I feel like I’ve hit a peaceful calm before the storm.

This is not to say that I wouldn’t love to have our son magically and healthily appear now, just as if tomorrow were the 40 week mark, because I would. The longer until birth, the longer I have to worry about the baby’s health, even though every checkup gets a thumbs up. (I am told these worries about our child will continue after he is born, on up through high school, but I’ll worry about that later).

This is also not to say that Stefanie is absolutely miserable, because we’re both having a good time hanging out just the two of us. I just think that she would prefer it if she could breathe and walk like normal. If I had to go through that, I wouldn't be too happy, so she's doing a million times better than I would at this pregnancy thing.

In the eternal battle of work versus life, work loses right now. I have actively taken on less work recently, knowing that working endlessly will not be remembered over time, but the final days with my wife before our son is born will be. (I won’t slack off (much), but I also won’t be working every weekend like I was in November and December.) These last days are precious, and while I am not rushing off for a final road trip to discover America or vying to ski across the Alps, I am sharing hot chocolate with Stefanie in our living room. And it's just been really nice. - Josh

Third Trimester starts.....NOW

I’m in the third trimester! Well according to some books, that milestone was two weeks ago, but some tell me I’m just starting it today.

Ever since I got pregnant, people have been telling me that the 2nd trimester is the best. I was juuuuust getting used to it, and I feel like someone dropped me off at third trimester’s doorstep and drove away without a note. I’ve expected some doom and gloom music this morning, but I feel fine. I get dizzy spells and pressure on my chest (it feels like my fat cat Leela is laying on me). I also find that turning over in bed is a three step process. Going up the stairs has an intermission where I reflect on life and catch my breath halfway. I can’t pick up anything off the floor lower than a shoe without grunting. I’m clumsy so I end up grunting a LOT at work. When I drop a book, I sort of stare at it for a while in awe of how far away it is. Sidenote: even not pregnant I could never touch my toes. I was like 6 inches away. So it’s almost like I have to compress my tummy to bend over, and it just doesn’t work. Someone told me to bend my knees. I mean really! Thank you Mr. Obvious! That stomach is just in my way.
A woman I was helping at work took one look at my belly and said “you’re due any day now, huh?” I was like, actually more like 2 months! So assume I will become hilarious looking.

Bot is doing fine. Well, he gave us a scare on Saturday when he didn’t move all day or all that evening. I had gotten so used to him giving me his good night kicks in bed, I felt weird going to bed without them. So I ate three oranges and a bowl of chocolate iced cream. I did feel one small kick, but it was so light, I was worried he was sick. On top of that, my bump seemed to have . But he’s moving up a storm right now a few days later as I type. I’m still drinking water like it’s my job. On Thursday rushing around and setting up for a program I had so many Braxton hicks contractions, I thought something was terribly wrong. I am trying some deep breathing techniques. I find I need to rest and drink 16 ounces of water before walking to my car at the end of the day. As you can tell exercising is out of the question. I have to walk slow to avoid my uterus turning into a hard ball o’ cramp. I know according to my midwife it is too early to have them this frequent. But I am still taking them in stride as best I can. What else can I do? Lots of water and moving sloooooooow helps.

And now a message to bot:
Dear bot, you scared the shit out of me on Saturday! My mind went through a thousand scenarios, and I know now that this is just the beginning of worry worry worry. So far a lot of my thoughts of you are wondering what position you are inside me. As you know my placenta is right in front, so it took me a while to feel you moving. I wish I didn’t have that extra layer between us (stupid placenta.. move already!) I’ve heard that I can see a foot, or feel the difference between an elbow and a knee. I do think that the other day I felt your head sitting right under my chest. It could have been your butt. Either way I patted it and laughed which I always do when I feel you moving. I hope you stay in there as long as possible and get healthy and strong. I hope you can feel how big my heart has swelled in love for you. I’m ready for the third round in trimesters!

The results are in!

I don’t have gestational diaBEETus. I really do know it is spelled diabetes… but that oatmeal guy pronounces it like that, and it is too damn funny. Here is a picture of that guy if he was a Persian cat.

I am still anemic despite the dangerous amount of iron I’m taking. According to the box the iron pills came in, I should have called the poison control a long time ago. I’m taking 3 times the recommended amount. But my iron levels remain unchanged. Diagnosis from the nurse? Why more iron pills of course. Duh!

Anyway, besides that little set back, I still feel great. Well besides the crippling exhaustion. I have to take a break halfway up the stairs. And I go up the stairs a lot to pee.

The contractions are getting better. Perhaps it was a stressful week after all. They say to drink 64oz to 100oz of water a day, and I have been drinking at least a gallon 128oz or more. I’m a thirsty woman. I drink 45 of those ounces throughout the night when I’m supposed to be asleep. (Have I mentioned on this blog about my insomnia currently untreated by se-da-tives?) I still get contractions when I walk up the stairs or stand up, but I guess I’ve tuned them out.

We made a delicious crock pot meal! All we did was throw a roasting chicken in there. I slathered it with butter, rosemary, spices, and stuffed it with some garlic cloves. We put in on low for 9 hours and went to work. We came home to the best smelling house. Poor Charlie must have suffered so. And it fell off the bone and was so tender and juicy! Especially the parts that were soaked in the chicken oil and butter. It really felt like someone cooked for us! I whipped up some couscous and string beans as a side, and we had a little feast. WTF did we do all these years without one? Thanks mom! Hope you are enjoying yours Janeen, share those recipes!

And now for a message to baby:
Dear bot: I found out your little secret. When I drink cold water it makes you kick me. Did you know you have motivated me to drink so much water it’s not even funny? Our relationship is already symbiotic. I love that about you.

Progress

This is Josh: I put together the crib. Now there’s an actual spot for the baby. Before we just had a snazzy outfit, but he had nowhere to sleep. Problem solved.

Sure, there’s a car seat to get, and I’m sure there’s about 50 things that we’ll need that I’ve never heard of before, but things are getting done. We cleaned our bedroom over the weekend, so now it looks like a respectable place to raise a baby rather than the one room that obtains all the junk we remove from the other rooms in the final hours before we have guests.

Another bonus - Stefanie learned a new meal last night and cooked it to perfection, so now we have one more trick up our sleeve when we’re at the grocery store and have no idea what we’re going to eat in the upcoming week.

At the same time we’re upping our level of adult-like accomplishments, Stefanie’s belly is getting big and beautiful. It’s pretty wild. I’m intrigued of what it’s like, but Stefanie assures me that the movie Junior was terrible, so it shows it wasn’t meant to be.

2010. As futuristic as it’s ever gotten up until now. 4/10/2010. Sounds like a cool date to open a blockbuster movie on. That’s the date that’s in our minds for now, because it’s the coolest one around the official due date. But a mother of two cautioned us over the weekend that if we’re due in April, it very likely could be March. A simple concept, one that we’ve heard before, but it took on a new meaning in the first week of January 2010 than it did way back in crusty old 2009. - Josh

26 Weeks

Big milestones! Last week, bot became viable. This means that if he were born today he'd have an 85 percent chance of survival. Not only that, but this week his eyes have started to open. I am so excited to know that no matter what, I will get a chance to meet him, and he will be able to see me too!

Every week that passes is just another week to fatten him up and let his beautiful brain develop enough to take the wheel on life. AND!!!! We are in the double digits! 99 days until he’s an air breather!

I absolutely cannot wait for him to be here. Oh, and we'd love it bot if you came on April 10th. That would flow so nicely: 4/10/2010!

Bot's parents

I can't believe it is 2010! It sounds so futuristic. We'd assumed when we got pregnant, our baby would be futuristic, and therefore a robot. This is why he is our baby bot. I also suspect that he will be coming out the womb in a flying car or wearing a jet pack or something like that.