Weekly check-up

Sooooooooooo, today we had the first of our weekly appointments to check on the status of the baby and here is what we found out:

The baby's estimated weight at the ultrasound 2 weeks ago - which was in the 61st percentile - was 5 pounds 10 ounces. Assuming this baby continues to grow at the normal 1/2 pound per week rate - we will have an 8 pound 10 ounce baby at delivery (also assuming that the baby arrives on time)

I had the monitors on for 20ish minutes today, one monitors the heart rate and the other monitors contractions. Heart rate was right around 160 average ... and there were 2 moderate contractions and 1 minor contraction during that time. I am not dialated at all but the cervix has begun to thin. All of this is completely normal.

How am I doing? Thanks for asking. I am feeling like this pregnancy is ready to be over... okay I guess it is more like I am ready for the pregnancy to be over and to meet this person who has been training for a blackbelt lately in this womb. NOT that I am ready to HAVE the baby, or to be on maternity leave, or to take care of a newborn baby... but ready for all the changes to my body to be over. While they do tell you that hemorrhoids are a normal part of pregnancy, nobody ever really tells you A. what they are 2. how painful they can be c. that there is very little you can do to get relief and lastly that once you get them you have them for life. Oh sure you can keep them in control with diet and exercise, but you always have to worry about them coming back. Greeeeeeeeat. I thought I would miss this part of pregnancy as I made it this far and only have a hop and a skip left to go, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO they came on suddenly last Friday and were at their worst on Saturday just in time for my (awesome) shower. You may have noticed that I was slow to move and wincing a bit and readjusting in my chair often to try to find comfort? NO? Well perhaps I hid the discomfort well. The treatment: Sitz bath 2x per day with epsom salts...

Constipation: another normal effect of pregnancy, another one I thought I was going to avoid, another one not avoided. The treatment: 5 prunes per day, Milk of Magnesia at night, colase during the day.

Loosening of ligaments: A symptom I got earlier in the pregnancy, which went away after Fr. Matt prayed over me, which has now returned appropriately this time, but painful none the less. Treatment: none (so when I stand up from a sitting/lying position I apparently look like I am 80 years old ... and Jim cannot resist saying "What are you 80?" EVERY time.

Sleepy and yet sleepless: again, this is "normal" but man I need a nap in the afterrnoon. I am looking forward to being able to be comfortable when lying down. I know that I will be sleep deprived with a newborn, but I am thinking that the sleep that I do get will be great. Does anyone think this will not be true? Perhaps you should keep that to yourself. I am holding onto that dream to get me through the sleepless nights...

So speaking of the awesome shower that marked the beginning of the dreaded hemorrhoid phase: What a great day it was. It was so nice of my cousin to host it in her home knowing that she was jumping in the car immediately following the shower to drive her mom to Florida (they were supposed to leave the next day, but the snow was rolling in and so they decided to leave as early as possible). It was so nice of everyone to come out in the cold, knowing that snow was on its way, to celebrate that special day with Jim and me. Every gift was perfect, every card was sweet, every thought was appreciated and every laugh was much appreciated. I loved that day! My sister put so much work into making it a special day and I think it all paid off in the end. She came up with some great games to keep everyone occupied while they waited for us to arrive and it seemed that everyone really enjoyed playing. And she had my mom and aunt making favors all night the night before ... what? you didn't get one? That is because they forgot to put them out (oops). It took forever to open the mountain of gifts, but I loved every single one. I can't wait for the nursery to be completed and to be able to hang up the clothes in the closet and put things away in drawers. When will the nursery be finished? Well, it is primed and Jim says he is doing the first coat on Friday night and the second coat on Saturday morning. My sister and mom are coming over Sunday morning to help hang the border and put everything in order. And I have all day on Monday to organize. I will take pictures when it is finished.

Oh, I would make a special comment about how impressed I was at Margo's handmade blanket and hat, but I read on her blog today that she does not even read my blog anymore ... so i won't. (NO she didn't say straight out that she doesn't read me anymore, but she left me out of her morning routine post about whose blogs she checks... How do I get re-added? I try to update regularly... maybe once the baby is born I will post a picture everyday or something and she will re-add me. who knows...

Until the nursery is completed ... or the next appointment update... good night.