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This blog is no longer being updated, but if you like what you see here, be sure to join me over at Life Pared Down!

Monday, August 31, 2009

And other things...

I went back to my old email finally to clean things up. I don't seem to have the option of simply canceling account, which annoys me to no end. But I did finally unsubscribe myself from all the emails I used to receive.

It's funny... now that I started with a fresh new email, I never even missed all that crap I used to get. Those I wanted to keep (like my Air.miles updates) , I changed over to the new email. When I went into the old account, take a guess how many unread emails I had in there since April...

652!!!

That's insane. It took me 3 hours to clean it out and makes all the changes. 3 hours I needlessly gave away to junk. How very sad. Luckily it's over.

In other random news, I had my OB appt on Thursday. All is well with both Bean and I. We got the results of our growth scan from a couple of weeks ago. The official word from my OB is that (and these were her exact words):

"You are not going to have a 12lb ginormous baby!"

I am thrilled to no end as you can well imagine. Bean's head measured in the 5oth to 90th percentile (hence the techs talking about being ahead in measurements) and her abdomen is 50th percentile. Completely average.

An "average" sized baby at 40 weeks term is 7.5 lbs. I'll go with average! I told my Ob about my gut feeling about going early and everyone else going really early around me. She didn't say much except that we aim for 37th weeks. Really didn't expect her to say anything else. Guess we just see what happens after all.

Meanwhile I feel like my body is breaking down on me. I have had such excruciating hip pain. I know I've gotten off easy with this pregnancy but I feel like my body is breaking down on me. Not a comfy feeling for someone with a chronic pain condition in Remission. It scares me a little.

Which reminds me that it is 9:15pm and past my bedtime. My hands need a break since they seems to ache along with my wrists when I type too long. Yay for hints of pregnancy induced carpal tunnel. I've had issues due to the fibro before so I know how to deal with it.

On a funny but not so funny note. I lost one pair of maternity pants on Friday. I have 3 that actually fit me right now. Somehow I had worn them out in the inner thigh enough that they ripped 6 inches widthwise across my thigh. Boy was I lucky no one could really see it unless I showed them. I'm 7 bloody weeks from having a baby and I had to go buy more pants this weekend to get through 2 more weeks of work! Agghhh! Very very annoying. And yes, I have laughed at this. It's too ridiculous

It makes me very very glad to be off work soon. 9 work days and counting.

Alright, I'm done. I apologize for any typos you may encounter; I'm exhausted. Night.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Another one bites the dust...

I always seem to be catching up. So much is happening that when I go away, it takes me a bit to get back in the groove. Days go by so fast!


So, Friday turned out to be an interesting day. I had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders as I handed in my official Maternity Leave notice. I am officially done on Sept.11, in less than 3 weeks!! This gives me 3-5 weeks to rest up a bit and get ready for Bean. Meanwhile, I'm busy at work trying to get everything in order. My replacement started today. I am SO happy to see her! She's taking over the work for the major event we're doing in September, so that's one less worry off my plate. Now I'm trying to wrap up the final stuff from our event in June and then train this lovely lady on the rest of my job. No easy feat I tell you. I've been with the company 4 years and have had 3 different positions. I'm a veteran. Lucky for her, she was an internal applicant, so she already knows the company, which makes things so much easier!


As you can imagine, I was in high spirits when I left the office on Friday. My trip to Victoria was lovely. The ride into Victoria from the ferry was awful and I was miserable but I've decided not to dwell on that. The easy trip home made up for it.


I got to see a bunch of friends at the dinner on Saturday- there were 8 adults and 2 kids. We had a blast. A couple of the gals stayed out with me after and we went for coffee. Then on Sunday I met another friend for coffee before heading back for the ferry. All in all, a relaxing and lovely weekend.


I came home with treasures too. My Mom, love her to bits, has been to Val.ue Vill.age and kids consignment stores and I boarded the ferry with a large bag of assorted baby things, mostly clothes. Thanks Mom! The best part? She already washed them for me. :) My laundry card thanks her. As it is, I have several loads to do in the next while.


I got to work Monday morning and got in the elevator with one of my bosses. He had heard I was leaving early and told me, "Good for you!" Didn't see that coming. Then he tells me that a co-worker in our Toronto Office (who was 2 weeks ahead of me) had her baby that morning around 1 am. 5 weeks early.

There seems to be a trend in our company of people going into labour quite early. Does that make me nervous? A little. BUT, I have some clothes and a laundry basket she could worse come to worse, sleep in. We may not be ready, but we'd all be fine.

This weekend involved a lot of reflection and trips down memory lane. More of which I'll share later. For now, it's time for bed.

Before you go, Mrs. Gamgee has had a family emergency and could use your thoughts and best wishes. Go stop by, read her last couple of posts and leave her a note.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

8 Months

Tomorrow I'll be 32 weeks! What? 8 weeks to go? Really?

I took a pic today since Thursday evenings right now are gobbled up by our childbirth class for another 3 weeks.


The funny bit about this picture is how I just had to clean the mirror first because there was a streak. Ummm, I think I'm starting to nest...
Wiseguy asked for more pics so in addition to the above bi-weekly belly pic, I though I'd show you another... with my face. As a photographer, I rarely get pic of myself. So when I took some maternity pics for some friends, I got some of myself in return (he's good with a camera too). So here we go, you get to see what I look like. :)


Meanwhile as I type, Bean is having a major case of the hiccups. Poor thing. I know it's good practice for her lungs, but it's rough on my organs. lol.
Still under the weather with this head cold but it's getting there. I tried to go back to work today but only lasted 2 1/2 (very unproductive) hours before admitting defeat and going home to sleep on the couch. If only I could take something, I would be much happier, but alas, it's just Tyl.enol on the list.
I'm off to Victoria this weekend. My last trip before Bean's arrival. Having a big dinner get-together with as many people as can make it. It's becomes a bit of a party and saves me from running all over town trying to connect with people.
Catch you when I get back.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Under the Weather

I hate being sick at the best of times, but being sick and pregnant just plain sucks. Day 2 of being home from work sick. It;s a beautiful sunny day outside and that just depresses me.

Luckily for me, it's not the flu. Just a really bad head cold.

But I'm on the mend and should be back to work tomorrow.

On a more positive note, R and I finally filed our taxes. Oops, did I just admit that? Yes, we never did get around to filing by the April deadline. But we did know we were getting a refund. What we didn't know was how much.

R went and got everything done yesterday. He called me on his way home.

When he told me the amount, I nearly fainted. I know I swore afterwards. It's not an insane amount but definitely more money than we've ever had at one time. Just in time for Bean.

I'm breathing a little easier about mat leave now.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

A Bean Update

We went for our growth scan today.

It was wonderful. No fear all day. I was completely calm. I drank just enough water to fill my bladder but not so much that I couldn't sit. Doesn't mean it was comfortable but after all the ultrasounds I've had, I have this whole shtick figured out. It took quite a long time to get the measurements. She wasn't cooperative at times and at one point the tech had me roll partially on my size and stay there, which was difficult and not very confortable. Apparently, the placenta was hard to image. Too much baby in the way- all that tight space.

The techs (a second was brought in to get a couple more measurements) of course couldn't tell us much of anything but I did overhear them say she was measuring 32w3d or 32w4d, depending on a couple measurements. That puts her a week and half ahead.

Ha! I was right. Instincts are good for something it seems! ;) When I see my OB on the 27th, I'll find out if that indicates she could come early like I've been thinking she will. Also curious to know how much they think she weighed. She's head down and facing sideways. Hoping she stays there for now. I get nauseous when she flips.

In any case, she is doing well. And we got a photo. Considering I felt jipped out of the good ones at the 20 week scan, this was nice. It's not very clear so while I did think about posting it, you really have to know what you're looking at, so I decided not too.

Eager to get the results and know more, but I'm calm knowing that our little girl is doing fine.

Less than 9 weeks to go. Even less if she does in fact go early...

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Show and Tell: An Amazing Dance

I'm a So You Think You Can Dance fan. Both the Americana nd Canadian shows. I think what they do is really special. I love to dance myself and am i awe of these dancers all the time.

Towards the end of the last American season, there was a breathtaking dance about breast cancer. It left me in tears. My friend, J, recently finished treatment for breast cancer. This is for her and so many others who have battled cancer. Those who won, those who lost.

Clheck it out HERE!

Take a couple minutes to watch and then pop over to Mel's for more inspiration.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Revisiting

I've been trying to get a grasp on the fear that I have about Friday. I have a growth scan to check Bean's size and her home and make sure all is it should be. Although I'm measuring 3 weeks ahead still, I'm not too worried. Enough people have shared their large baby birth stories to ease my mind, should she look to be going that route..

But it's the place where the ultrasound takes place I'm struggling with. All my ultrasounds to date have taken place in hospitals or my OB's office.

This scan is going to be at the same place where all my ultrasounds from the last pregnancy took place. All of them were awful heartbreaking experiences. The first was the one where there was no heartbeat and the measurements were two weeks behind. The second showed no change.

Maybe I'm so emotional about this because I'm coming ever closer to the date where we induced the miscarriage. Where I spent my 25th birthday in the hospital from massive hemorraging. September 4th is a hard day for me this year.

I have no rational reason to think that this scan will be anything but routine and normal. But this pregnancy has gone so smoothly. Too smoothly, the deepest parts of my mind say. I in no way want something to be wrong but I can't help the fear. I've had my heart ripped out, broken apart and pieced back together too much to not have the fear. I wish I could escape it completely, but I know until she's safely in my arms, I just can't. And then there's a whole new host of fears as a new parent. Those I know I can deal with. This is unexplicably different.

So I'm holding my breath up to and during the scan. As my insides feel like they are being rearranged, I hold ever so tightly to her, to the dream, the future.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

A Random Exchange

He bounds into the apartment last week with a big smile on his face.

"How's my baby?"

"Which one?"

"I only have one baby... you're my Woman."

Oh, I see. I'll have to remember that. Suffice to say that the statement got a good laugh from me.

Saturday, August 08, 2009

30 Weeks, 2 Days

Measuring 3 weeks ahead. I have an ultrasound next Friday to check Bean's growth and see how big she really is. It could just be more fluid than normal, or she could be a big girl.

I may need to rethink my birth plan.

Meanwhile my beach ball and I are feeling like it's the homestretch. Oh, and having my inside rearranged on a whim is getting to be a little nauseating. Literally. I've never been someone prone to motion sickness, but that was when the motion was my own...

Trying to not panic over all the things that need to be done in the next 9-ish weeks.

Although I'm guessing I may only have 8-9 weeks. You heard it here first. I think this girl may come early. Just a deep hunch, rather than wishful thinking.

The Harry Potter marks are well, large. Makes me wonder how much more one can actually stretch. It's absoutely fascinating, I mean awe inspiring what is actually happening to my body.

Maybe, Just Maybe?

I think I've managed to get rid of the viruses that have plagued my computer! Can I get some cheers? But maybe hold off until the virus scan is finished- it's running as I type...

Here's hoping they're gone. Then my email will stop spamming people, my blog will not be taken over and I can get back to writing lovely posts.

Happy Friday!

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Unspoken Dialogue

I am drifting along,
Tired yet bright eyed,
Almost lethargic in my thoughts.

Roll, swish, thump goes my other heart.

I am anxious for this impending future laid before me.

But not allowed to tread on it just yet.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Playing Catch Up

I've been lost in the heat this week. When your daily low is 23.7 at 6am, it's a wonder I slept at all this week. Oh wait, I didn't. Well some, but not really enough to be function properly.

My fibro aches were present a little but I'm doing okay. It's the weekend and I can sleep in. The days of record breaking heat are thankfully over and we're heading into a more typical West Coast summer weather pattern.

I have some blog reading to do and posts to write. Likely in that order. I've been writing posts in my head all week. Time to get them down. It's like a craving sometimes.

Sort of like the pizza I just HAD to have for dinner tonight...