Gosh, it really does creep up on you! At my 33 week visit yesterday the doctor told me that from now on, my visits would be weekly until I give birth. If anything was going to "make it real" again at this point, it was that! Evie also gave the doc quite a pummeling as he measured my tummy. And this visit, my mom accompanied me instead of Gavin so she got to hear Evie's heartbeat and of course she got all teary-eyed. :)
So since this blog is supposed to have the brutal truth about pregnancy, here are some of the less than sunny things I've been dealing with lately!:
-Charlie horses and foot cramps. I really wish I had been warned about these. Not that there is much I can do aside from cramming down the bananas, but no one ever tells you about this!
-Rolling over is hard! Maybe it is just me. I toss and turn pretty much all night. I sleep on my sides, but I switch it up every hour or so because of the light coming in through the window and then Gavin can sometimes have some stank breath (sorry, Love). In the last couple of weeks it has gotten damn near impossible to flip myself over. It's an involved and sometimes painful experience, especially when I'm covered in our furry family members (which is always. Why do cats love to sleep on my hips so much??)
-Getting up to pee 3, 4 times a night. I guess it's probably more because I get most of my fluid at home after work rather than spacing it out throughout the day. So I could PROBABLY 'fix' this issue easily, but I am lazy. Add to that the fact that the chain on the ballcock (ha) broke yesterday so last night all I heard was running water every few minutes and I was basically up all night peeing.
-Growing the karate kid. Evelyn is the best. She really is. I'm soooo excited to meet her. But damn if I'm not so over the "omg she kicked!" bit. During the day at work it's okay. I like the company. At home, when I'm trying to relax or even sleep, she seems to believe she's training with Jackie Chan or something. I have tried repositioning in case I've just got her cramped up somehow and she's protesting. That does nothing. Luckily, Gavin is usually close enough by that I can grab his hand and place it on my stomach. That almost always does the trick. Good to know she already loves Daddy.
-Sensitivity to sounds/smells. The smells one was way worse in my early pregnancy but is attempting a return with a vengeance. And that's acceptable. I was expecting to be the pregnant woman who spent her entire 40 weeks in near-constant nausea. I was pleasantly surprised to not have to deal with that. But the sound thing? I want to murder the ceiling fan with its slightly-off-balance blades (I think?) and my dogs' wet mouths as they open and close them throughout the night, swiping a tongue across their teeth in the most disgusting way possible. Or my cats' sandpaper tongues as they groom themselves ON TOP OF ME. Even my lil kitten whom I love with all my heart gets an evil eye when he curls up next to my face and purrs with the volume of a stampede of 8-hooved wildebeests. I know, that's dramatic. And my ears even play tricks on me. I think I'm hearing my dog lick herself and it's really just the fan. I shout, "cut it out!" and Gavin laughs and says, "I don't think the fan is listening." Gah.
-Personal space! I grew up in a very hands-on family. Hugs and kisses for every relative and friend! No need to ask for permission, just go ahead and start playing with my hair! I'm OVER it. My personal space bubble has expanded to about 5 feet on either side lately. The only one allowed in without any warning is Gavin and he understands that access can be rescinded at any time. I tolerate my grandma putting the sign of the cross on my tummy and kissing it goodbye each time because, lets be honest, she wiped my butt a lot as a baby, I think I can suck up my discomfort. My mom is pretty good about not putting her hands on me, although for a minute there I was getting jabbed while she attempted to locate various parts of Evelyn. I accept that too, but I'm not as tolerant for her for some reason. (Sorry, Mom). Maybe because we're close enough that I can be honest with her when she's being aggravating. My siblings have been pretty cute about the whole thing. My sister was grossed out when I invited her to feel a kick, my brother was incredibly interested to know what it felt like and was disappointed when Evie wouldn't give him a fist bump. But old ladies, my boss, everyone else can GTF away from me. Or at least ask and then when I give you permission, please keep it short and sweet and don't just poke at me. That is not how you feel a kick.
-I don't know if this counts, but I am less than pleased with my general mood lately. I am more irritable now than I have been the entire pregnancy. Inside I'm like "I'm in a great mood! So excited to see you!" but on the outside I look like someone just left a flaming poo on my porch. I have been shying away from making plans with people because it takes me a good 30 minutes to get comfortable enough to open up and not feel like I'm bringing down the party because I'm pregnant. (Why does that feeling even exist?)
I guess that is all for now. I wrote this at work, so it may get edited later!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
The nursery, gifts and a little tangent on parenting
It's been awhile since I've updated. I've been spending a lot of time getting the nursery ready for little Evie. When we moved into this house, we knew we wanted our room to be the one beside hers since it would be easier to not have to cross the house to get to her at night. This means we gave up the master bedroom for a smaller room. Evie's room is right next door and hers is the smallest of the three bedrooms. It had some water damage on the exterior wall (and yet, luckily, no mold!) which we found when painting, so we had to tear out the paneling and insulation and replace it. We are still working on the walls, trying to figure out how we want to do the colors, but we already built the crib and put some of her furniture and other essentials in the nursery. It's quite pretty, actually!
We have also been getting a ton of donated hand-me-downs from friends, family, neighbors and even some strangers! It's funny because I was a little worried that Evie was going to be the baby with a small wardrobe, but as it turns out, you can barely mention you're expecting and people throw clothes at you from every direction. I feel very lucky for this. I also feel lucky to have a friend who is ten weeks behind me that I can pass all of the love onto when she gives birth!
Other than that, I've mostly been spending my time having the senioritis of pregnancy. Third trimester impatience? Every day I work, every class I push myself in the doors. I spend a lot of time thinking about holding Evelyn in my arms and smelling the top of her head. Is there anything quite like the smell of a newborn baby? I cannot wait for her arrival.
I've also been perusing the Mom groups on Facebook. Some of the moms seem pretty confident in their parenting. I guess by the 3rd, 4th, 5th baby you have got to have a handle on how to answer their little curious questions ("Where do babies come from?¨ and "why does little brother have a tail on the front?").
I don't think anyone ever becomes a pro at being a parent, though. From what I've learned being a part of a large and pretty diverse family, you can think you're doing the best job ever and really mess up your kid and you can think you're the worst parent in the world and have your kid turn out to be the most kind and compassionate human being you know. Of course there are the neutrals as well.
I think the biggest change I've gone through during my pregnancy has been realizing that I had a lot of hang-ups. I let go of a lot of stigmas, chose to abandon the judgments I once had for moms whose kids were throwing tantrums in restaurants, running through the neighborhood unattended and touching every single thing in the store. I've made a conscious decision to encourage moms who seem to be trying their best and still failing to improve their day.
So far, I have only really had one opportunity to do this. It was in the Target bathroom a few months ago. A little boy had not wanted to wash his hands, kicked the pipe under the sink in frustration and the cover fell off, pouring water all over the floor. Immediately he sank into a puddle of tears (and sink water). His mom was caught between gentle parenting and getting the message across that kicking things was unacceptable. It was a struggle. I totally understood that. As I washed my hands I turned to her and I said, "You're doing a really good job, I promise. This is just one of those days and you'll get to the other side of it. You're doing the best you can," and then I took a paper towel, dried my hands and waved goodbye to the boy in the puddle, still wiping his tired eyes. The mom smiled and thanked me.
We are all fighting the same battle. To try to raise children with love, respect, compassion and strong hearts, intelligent children that will know how to solve the problems of the world one day is our optimum outcome. When I see people scoffing and rolling their eyes at the mom who is singing to her breastfeeding baby on the bus, I just want to shake them. "Do you really have room to judge anyone!?" And don't get me wrong. I still catch myself shaking my head at the lady who is dousing her child in hand sanitizer before putting him in the grocery cart. I have my reasons for being annoyed by that (mostly scientific, killing ALMOST all the germs leaves only the strongest germs to procreate and make stronger germs) but I'm trying hard to just let it go. Maybe her child has a weak immune system and even those weak germs destroyed by sanitizer would have been devastating to his little body.
I have a long way to go, still. I think we all do. But if we really think about it and try to put forth a conscious effort, I think we can be okay with each others' parenting methods and raise some pretty awesome future adults.
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| It only took us like 3 hours, but we got the crib put together. The top rail is not flush with the side, but that doesn't appear to alter the structural integrity of the crib. |
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| Some gifts: Headbands from a mommy friend, onesie and handmade book from one of Gavin's BFF's and the Counting Kisses and Curious George book and onesie are from said BFF's mom (whom I have never met!) |
Other than that, I've mostly been spending my time having the senioritis of pregnancy. Third trimester impatience? Every day I work, every class I push myself in the doors. I spend a lot of time thinking about holding Evelyn in my arms and smelling the top of her head. Is there anything quite like the smell of a newborn baby? I cannot wait for her arrival.
I've also been perusing the Mom groups on Facebook. Some of the moms seem pretty confident in their parenting. I guess by the 3rd, 4th, 5th baby you have got to have a handle on how to answer their little curious questions ("Where do babies come from?¨ and "why does little brother have a tail on the front?").
I don't think anyone ever becomes a pro at being a parent, though. From what I've learned being a part of a large and pretty diverse family, you can think you're doing the best job ever and really mess up your kid and you can think you're the worst parent in the world and have your kid turn out to be the most kind and compassionate human being you know. Of course there are the neutrals as well.
I think the biggest change I've gone through during my pregnancy has been realizing that I had a lot of hang-ups. I let go of a lot of stigmas, chose to abandon the judgments I once had for moms whose kids were throwing tantrums in restaurants, running through the neighborhood unattended and touching every single thing in the store. I've made a conscious decision to encourage moms who seem to be trying their best and still failing to improve their day.
So far, I have only really had one opportunity to do this. It was in the Target bathroom a few months ago. A little boy had not wanted to wash his hands, kicked the pipe under the sink in frustration and the cover fell off, pouring water all over the floor. Immediately he sank into a puddle of tears (and sink water). His mom was caught between gentle parenting and getting the message across that kicking things was unacceptable. It was a struggle. I totally understood that. As I washed my hands I turned to her and I said, "You're doing a really good job, I promise. This is just one of those days and you'll get to the other side of it. You're doing the best you can," and then I took a paper towel, dried my hands and waved goodbye to the boy in the puddle, still wiping his tired eyes. The mom smiled and thanked me.
We are all fighting the same battle. To try to raise children with love, respect, compassion and strong hearts, intelligent children that will know how to solve the problems of the world one day is our optimum outcome. When I see people scoffing and rolling their eyes at the mom who is singing to her breastfeeding baby on the bus, I just want to shake them. "Do you really have room to judge anyone!?" And don't get me wrong. I still catch myself shaking my head at the lady who is dousing her child in hand sanitizer before putting him in the grocery cart. I have my reasons for being annoyed by that (mostly scientific, killing ALMOST all the germs leaves only the strongest germs to procreate and make stronger germs) but I'm trying hard to just let it go. Maybe her child has a weak immune system and even those weak germs destroyed by sanitizer would have been devastating to his little body.
I have a long way to go, still. I think we all do. But if we really think about it and try to put forth a conscious effort, I think we can be okay with each others' parenting methods and raise some pretty awesome future adults.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Little kicks and a very real dream
Evelyn Marie, you are a karate kid for sure. You spend most of your waking hours kicking, punching and what feels like grabbing at my insides. I can no longer comfortably lay on my tummy on the floor or bed to study or play with my pets. But thats okay, because I love your little reminders that you're developing inside my body. Its still a crazy feeling and I dont think I'll ever really get used to that. You are pretty active these days and yet, when the matriarchs of our families try to get a feel in, you shy away. I hope you always make such confident decisions over who gets to touch you!
Last night I had a dream that you were born. Luckily maybe, the dream started after the birth and once you were home. I got to wrap you in the mei tai that I have been dying to use. It was blissfully easy and you were nice and calm and didnt cry at all.
I did get to change a diaper in the dream, but the funny part is, it wasnt wet until I started to take it off of you. Then I noticed you were about to go pee so I pushed the diaper back over you and laughed at my luck of not getting peed on.
It was a short dream, but I woke up feeling so excited for the December day when I can hold you in my arms. Daddy and I are both looking forward to your arrival.
I once lamented that you would have a December birthday because I was afraid that being pregnant during the summer would be miserable. But so far, you have managed to stay pretty well tucked in and so I dont think the heat is affecting me as much as I thought it would. Plus, you'll make a pretty cute pumpkin belly if I decide to go the cheesiest route ever for Halloween.
So you just stay where you are and get your grow on and we'll see you when you're ready. :)
Last night I had a dream that you were born. Luckily maybe, the dream started after the birth and once you were home. I got to wrap you in the mei tai that I have been dying to use. It was blissfully easy and you were nice and calm and didnt cry at all.
I did get to change a diaper in the dream, but the funny part is, it wasnt wet until I started to take it off of you. Then I noticed you were about to go pee so I pushed the diaper back over you and laughed at my luck of not getting peed on.
It was a short dream, but I woke up feeling so excited for the December day when I can hold you in my arms. Daddy and I are both looking forward to your arrival.
I once lamented that you would have a December birthday because I was afraid that being pregnant during the summer would be miserable. But so far, you have managed to stay pretty well tucked in and so I dont think the heat is affecting me as much as I thought it would. Plus, you'll make a pretty cute pumpkin belly if I decide to go the cheesiest route ever for Halloween.
So you just stay where you are and get your grow on and we'll see you when you're ready. :)
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Appointments, moving and the doldrums
Last week was a regular checkup appointment for us. Gavin and I both took the day off work and drove all the way to Durham for an appointment that was....at Brier Creek. Okay, not too bad, we arrived early enough that we had a good 20 minutes to make a 25 minute drive. And they thankfully have a grace period for mamas.
The visit was very basic stuff. We sat in the waiting room for a few minutes, we got moved to a private room after my blood pressure and weight were recorded and then we saw the doc for a few minutes to hear the heartbeat and measure the bump. So far so good. They requested a urine sample, but I didn't have to go when I got there. I asked a nurse for some water but we were through with the visit before she came back with it so I left without leaving a sample. (That night I had a dream they forced me to come back and leave one!) We didn't hear anything new and doc said we were still on track for a healthy Evelyn.
The day after the visit, Gavin's parents came to stay with us for the weekend to help us move. We moved about 7 miles away from our 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment in town into a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with lots of land and nature. We didn't tell Gavin's parents that we had already done the heavy lifting so they were pleasantly surprised to learn they weren't going to have to be workers the whole time. They rewarded us with groceries and new mattresses for us and the guest room. (We have a guest room!).
We spent the weekend getting minor things done, like unpacking and shopping for new door knobs and such. We ate out almost every meal and by the time they left, I was feeling a salad like nobody's business.
We spent our first nights in the new house this past weekend and since it is my grandma's old house, I wasn't quite comfortable with us sleeping in her old (the master) bedroom. So guests get the bedroom with the attached bathroom, and Gavin and I sleep in the room beside the nursery. It's so wonderful to sleep out in the country where you can hear the bugs from the porch and the train pass from your pillow. I had a couple good nights worth of sleep and a couple lousy ones (mostly due to our plethora of animals, including a cat that loves to knead my now-doughy breasts!).
Last night was a huge storm and Gavin and I sat on the living room floor, a box in front of each of us, and assembled Evelyn's stroller, bassinet and swing. Sam and Lou, our trusty cats, helped themselves to the empty boxes and the dogs cowered under the bed as our weather alert radio sounded off about flooding, high winds and the possibility of downed trees. I recalled memories from my childhood, sitting on the step to the back hall in my house, listening to the weather alert radio and being just as scared as my dogs were last night. Thunderstorms used to be my biggest fear; now I can lay back with closed eyes and listen to the wind and rain beat down and all I get is peace. The lights flickered a few times, but the power never went out. Thank goodness for that, because this mama has no experience with old houses and almost all of our flashlights are still packed up!
After the storm passed, Gavin made us some dinner and we sat on the couch and watched a show about people finding their first homes. One of the episodes was set in Charlotte where Gavin grew up! The dogs came out to cuddle and we stayed up almost to midnight!
Today I have been experiencing the doldrums. It was back to work for me and the day has been dragging on. All the excitement of the weekend is over and all I can look forward to is my first day of school tomorrow, which to be honest, I'm panicking about because I haven't been in 7 years!
So wish me luck!
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Anatomy Exam Visit-GENDER REVEAL
Yesterday was the anatomy scan visit at Duke. Gavin and I both woke up an hour before our alarms because of how excited we were. We stopped at Biscuitville on the way to the doctor and found a perfect parking spot in the shade right in front of the building. Everything was going so well!
We arrived a bit early so we sat for a few minutes in the lobby and before I knew it we were in the exam room with my skirt pulled down and my shirt pulled up.
The technician was super-friendly and had the gel pre-warmed to go on my tummy. Seeing my little one show up on the screen was the most magical thing. First the technician checked the organs, which all looked good, the limbs which were present and did some measurements of bones and the head. She checked to see if Baby Maxfield had any signs of inheriting the hole in the heart my uncle had or the lung issues my grandfather dealt with. Everything looked clean and good. She ran the camera over my stomach a few times to show me the body and I got to see and feel the baby kick at the same time. Doesn't sound like much but to me it was incredible. I cannot even describe how awesome that was. Gavin was pretty impressed too.
I asked if she already knew the sex from looking at the baby so far and the technician said she did, and did I have a guess?
I squeaked out, "is it a boy?" because let's be honest, Gavin and I both were rooting for a girl, but I figured with my luck we were going to have a boy. We haven't been able to agree on any boys names and then my brother would get to be right, haha.
"Actually, it's a girl," the technician replied and my eyes popped and I turned to Gavin with a big squeal and just screeched, "we dont have to come up with a boy's name! Yay!!!" Silly, I know. But I think I kind of already knew it was a girl so I didn't feel too bad about being relieved that I was right.
So that's the news. We're having a girl. A beautiful, sweet, incredibly wiggly girl. And I can't stop smiling. I thought it would feel more real now that I've seen her move and feel her move at the same time, but to be honest I still have a sort of disconnect with my stomach unless I'm currently feeling the movement. I don't know when I'll feel the reality of it but I hope it happens soon. I'm just so in love already.
Gavin spent most of the ride home talking to friends and family and letting them know. I sort of took my time letting my family know since I had to drive and also I'm really not a big center of attention lover. (Not that Gavin is either, but his family will not let up if he doesn't call them right away, haha).
We are in the process of moving a few miles up the road so we did some more moving after the appointment and then went out to dinner with my dad and his family. We had a wonderful time and trying to sleep last night was next to impossible. Too many little happy thoughts running through my head. But I'm okay with that.
We arrived a bit early so we sat for a few minutes in the lobby and before I knew it we were in the exam room with my skirt pulled down and my shirt pulled up.
The technician was super-friendly and had the gel pre-warmed to go on my tummy. Seeing my little one show up on the screen was the most magical thing. First the technician checked the organs, which all looked good, the limbs which were present and did some measurements of bones and the head. She checked to see if Baby Maxfield had any signs of inheriting the hole in the heart my uncle had or the lung issues my grandfather dealt with. Everything looked clean and good. She ran the camera over my stomach a few times to show me the body and I got to see and feel the baby kick at the same time. Doesn't sound like much but to me it was incredible. I cannot even describe how awesome that was. Gavin was pretty impressed too.
I asked if she already knew the sex from looking at the baby so far and the technician said she did, and did I have a guess?
I squeaked out, "is it a boy?" because let's be honest, Gavin and I both were rooting for a girl, but I figured with my luck we were going to have a boy. We haven't been able to agree on any boys names and then my brother would get to be right, haha.
"Actually, it's a girl," the technician replied and my eyes popped and I turned to Gavin with a big squeal and just screeched, "we dont have to come up with a boy's name! Yay!!!" Silly, I know. But I think I kind of already knew it was a girl so I didn't feel too bad about being relieved that I was right.
So that's the news. We're having a girl. A beautiful, sweet, incredibly wiggly girl. And I can't stop smiling. I thought it would feel more real now that I've seen her move and feel her move at the same time, but to be honest I still have a sort of disconnect with my stomach unless I'm currently feeling the movement. I don't know when I'll feel the reality of it but I hope it happens soon. I'm just so in love already.
Gavin spent most of the ride home talking to friends and family and letting them know. I sort of took my time letting my family know since I had to drive and also I'm really not a big center of attention lover. (Not that Gavin is either, but his family will not let up if he doesn't call them right away, haha).
We are in the process of moving a few miles up the road so we did some more moving after the appointment and then went out to dinner with my dad and his family. We had a wonderful time and trying to sleep last night was next to impossible. Too many little happy thoughts running through my head. But I'm okay with that.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Weekend Adventures
This past weekend, I was lucky enough to get to spend time with family again, starting with my mom. We had made plans to go yard sailing and then visit her antique mall booth, but when I woke up on Saturday it was already 10am. I called to let her know I was running late and she gave me the upsetting news that she'd either lost her wallet or it was stolen. She had been yard sailing all morning and spent all the cash in it so if someone took it they wouldn't get far, but the important documents that were in there (her EMT certification, DL and SS card, etc) would be a pain to replace. She was pretty sure she'd just left it on the top of her car and driven away, but she'd also given a ride to a hitch-hiker and offered him breakfast, only to discover she had no wallet to pay with.
Well, I was fortunate enough to be in the green zone, so I drove up to meet her at the antique mall anyway and we got lunch and I gave her some cash to last the weekend until she could get to the bank today. We cleaned up her booth and ate at this crazy diner that felt like we were back in the 70s. Mom said she'd been there 20 years ago and I thought about how it might be 20 years until I return! It was a lovely place though. While she dusted and sorted the booth I called the sheriff's department to check if anyone had turned in her wallet and gave them some info to get it back in case anyone did return it.
When I got home, Gavin and I got packed up to go to Charlotte and visit his parents, kissed the pups and cats goodbye and hit the road. My friend Allison would be by to feed, water and take the dogs out later on.
The drive to Charlotte was a smooth one. Other than my butt falling asleep, we had no problems. It only took us two and a half hours and on the way down, I got prodded from the inside by little baby Maxfield!
We spent Saturday night out in the backyard around the fire pit, conversing about fireworks, wedding photos, baby things and the new house. I didn't get to sleep until close to 2am but I have to say, sleeping in a feathery-soft bed thats high up off the floor and has a ceiling fan above, no dogs crowding me and the A/C set at a comfortable 65f was like sleeping in heaven. I woke up feeling very refreshed and got an uninterrupted nine hours of sleep. Not even a full bladder could get this lil mama out of bed!
Sunday was spent checking out the Goodwills of Charlotte (which, by the way, are like going to the mall because it's still really nice stuff that people just decided to get nicer versions of), and then we went to...
drum roll
IKEA! :D :D :D
I had never been to IKEA so I didn't really know what to expect, but it was amazing! I was hangry (hungry + angry because of said hunger) so I demanded we eat at the Ikea restaurant first. I got swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy and the best tomato and feta soup ever. I felt like a balloon when I got up to put my dishes in the bins. But it was so worth it.
We followed the map provided and made our way through all of Ikea, stopping at the beds and mattresses to pick out a frame for the guest room and a new mattress for our bed. They had some $70 mattresses that were less comfortable than concrete and some $700 ones that felt equally terrible, but we found a ~$300 mattress that felt perfect. I can't remember which bed frame we settled on, but since I wont be using it, I don't think it matters, haha.
The best part of Ikea, I think, is pretending that each of the "rooms" they have set up, are apartments. Everything on display, basically, is for sale and they have some prop electronics to make things look homey. They're all empty inside. The toilets on display have paper glued over the openings so no one decides to be funny and pee or god forbid POO in the toilets.
We ended up actually purchasing a nursing chair with cushion, a rug with polka dots, a bamboo salad bowl and can opener and a box of band-aids and a little stuffed white rat. The total was only $112 but they have a deal where if you spend over $100 in store they take off your meal purchase from the total, so since Gavin, his brother and I all ate, we ended up spending only $86! Well worth it.
My hunger was sated and I was no longer grumpy, but walking around that HUGE store left my feet swollen and sore so we decided to get on the road after Ikea. We said our goodbyes and headed back to Apex.
The ride home was much more turbulent. There was rain from outside of Charlotte all the way to Apex and for some reason, a lot of people didn't have their lights on. My wipers decided to cut out every few minutes and I realized I haven't driven in night rain in forever. I guess I don't really go out at night? And we haven't had a lot of rain until recently.
We finally made it back home and all the animals were super excited to see us. It felt good to be home even though a little mini-vacation was much-needed.
Oh yeah! And my mom texted me when we got back to say someone HAD turned in her wallet and nothing was missing! She'd already cancelled her debit card and ordered a new ID but at least she didn't have to get a new social security card. :)
Well, I was fortunate enough to be in the green zone, so I drove up to meet her at the antique mall anyway and we got lunch and I gave her some cash to last the weekend until she could get to the bank today. We cleaned up her booth and ate at this crazy diner that felt like we were back in the 70s. Mom said she'd been there 20 years ago and I thought about how it might be 20 years until I return! It was a lovely place though. While she dusted and sorted the booth I called the sheriff's department to check if anyone had turned in her wallet and gave them some info to get it back in case anyone did return it.
When I got home, Gavin and I got packed up to go to Charlotte and visit his parents, kissed the pups and cats goodbye and hit the road. My friend Allison would be by to feed, water and take the dogs out later on.
The drive to Charlotte was a smooth one. Other than my butt falling asleep, we had no problems. It only took us two and a half hours and on the way down, I got prodded from the inside by little baby Maxfield!
We spent Saturday night out in the backyard around the fire pit, conversing about fireworks, wedding photos, baby things and the new house. I didn't get to sleep until close to 2am but I have to say, sleeping in a feathery-soft bed thats high up off the floor and has a ceiling fan above, no dogs crowding me and the A/C set at a comfortable 65f was like sleeping in heaven. I woke up feeling very refreshed and got an uninterrupted nine hours of sleep. Not even a full bladder could get this lil mama out of bed!
Sunday was spent checking out the Goodwills of Charlotte (which, by the way, are like going to the mall because it's still really nice stuff that people just decided to get nicer versions of), and then we went to...
drum roll
IKEA! :D :D :D
I had never been to IKEA so I didn't really know what to expect, but it was amazing! I was hangry (hungry + angry because of said hunger) so I demanded we eat at the Ikea restaurant first. I got swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy and the best tomato and feta soup ever. I felt like a balloon when I got up to put my dishes in the bins. But it was so worth it.
We followed the map provided and made our way through all of Ikea, stopping at the beds and mattresses to pick out a frame for the guest room and a new mattress for our bed. They had some $70 mattresses that were less comfortable than concrete and some $700 ones that felt equally terrible, but we found a ~$300 mattress that felt perfect. I can't remember which bed frame we settled on, but since I wont be using it, I don't think it matters, haha.
The best part of Ikea, I think, is pretending that each of the "rooms" they have set up, are apartments. Everything on display, basically, is for sale and they have some prop electronics to make things look homey. They're all empty inside. The toilets on display have paper glued over the openings so no one decides to be funny and pee or god forbid POO in the toilets.
We ended up actually purchasing a nursing chair with cushion, a rug with polka dots, a bamboo salad bowl and can opener and a box of band-aids and a little stuffed white rat. The total was only $112 but they have a deal where if you spend over $100 in store they take off your meal purchase from the total, so since Gavin, his brother and I all ate, we ended up spending only $86! Well worth it.
My hunger was sated and I was no longer grumpy, but walking around that HUGE store left my feet swollen and sore so we decided to get on the road after Ikea. We said our goodbyes and headed back to Apex.
The ride home was much more turbulent. There was rain from outside of Charlotte all the way to Apex and for some reason, a lot of people didn't have their lights on. My wipers decided to cut out every few minutes and I realized I haven't driven in night rain in forever. I guess I don't really go out at night? And we haven't had a lot of rain until recently.
We finally made it back home and all the animals were super excited to see us. It felt good to be home even though a little mini-vacation was much-needed.
Oh yeah! And my mom texted me when we got back to say someone HAD turned in her wallet and nothing was missing! She'd already cancelled her debit card and ordered a new ID but at least she didn't have to get a new social security card. :)
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Baby shower and doctor visit #3
First things first, the baby shower:
Gavin and I drove up to my mom's house on Sunday afternoon. It's about an hour's drive, but its a beautiful hour and passes quickly with the scenery changing from country to city and back to country again with sprawling hills and farms and a sparkling view of the lake.
We got there a little early so I could help my mom set up anything she hadn't gotten to yet. A couple of our friends also came early so we got to catch up before the excitement began.
When the shower began, we were each given a clothespin to wear on our shirts. If we said 'baby' or any variation of the word we had it confiscated. Whoever had the last clothespin was the winner. I think I was third to lose mine.
We decorated onesies, made up baby names and guessed for a due date and the weight/sex of the baby. I got a huge calendar with everyone's guesses written on it to take home.
We ate cupcakes and my mom had made baby quiches and ham & cheese fingerprints for us to snack on. When the mingling settled I moved over to a picnic table to open the gifts. We got a bunch of stuff! My top favorites so far:
-raccoon pjs with a raccoon on the butt (so cute, I squealed as I opened it)
-baby carrying sling (I have already tried it on my cats and it's so perfect, I can't wait to use it!)
-Little tiny socks in different characters like Batman (so tiny)
-gift card to target which has been stowed away for after the baby is born so we can pick up any last-minute forgotten items
Loading it all into the car was craziness. Luckily we didn't have to give my friend a ride back so it all fit fine.
I spent most of the evening post-shower going through everything and marveling at how much STUFF there is. And we haven't even gotten a real crib or nursery furniture yet!
Doctor Visit #3
Honestly, there's not a lot to say here. Gavin had to work an overnight shift after the shower from midnight to 10:30am and he was exhausted. He laid down for about an hour and a half before the appointment but claims not to have gotten any sleep. So I know he was a sleepy mess when we got to the appointment.
They asked us if we were going to do the blood tests to check for downs syndrome and spinal defects, things like that. I wasn't really feeling it because I know that a false positive would throw me into a tailspin of worry and anxiety and that is just not what I need right now. We decided to talk it over while waiting for the doctor and we decided that it was not going to make a difference since we wouldn't be ending the pregnancy either way. So we declined the tests.
Since no bloodwork was to be done, the only thing we did at this visit other than a discussion with the doctor was listen to the heartbeat. It was still in the 140s range and sounded completely healthy.
I was a little disappointed that we weren't able to find out the sex this visit, but I am all the more excited to know that August 4th will be the FOR SURE discovery date. And I can't wait to see what my little baby looks like.
I've been googling ultrasounds at 17 weeks to see what others' babies look like and I'm just so excited to see ours.
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