Under the Weather Again

Sometime in my first trimester, I came down with a nasty headcold that just wouldn't quit and kept me at home for several days. Now, as I am coming into the home stretch I am hit with another nasty head cold. I figured it would be a nice way to come full circle with the pregnancy. Unfortunately, due to my impending leave and the tons of things to accomplish, I haven't been able to stay home. Although, I have to admit that I have not been really productive at work - mostly just holding the warm tea mug to my cheeks and wishing the time to go faster. I hate colds. They suck. They just hang around and there is nothing you can do to make them go away. Blah.

But, even in the midst of this temporary misery, I am feeling really good about our preparations for the baby. The nursery is ready with a month to spare and there are only a few more immediate necessities to pick up - like diapers. I still can't believe how soon this baby will be here, though. I have been making plans for things to do in March and it is dawning on me how little time there is left. And I have been having silly thoughts lately, like, 'the next time I buy toothpaste I will be somebody's mom.' At this point, it's just a waiting game to ride out the last weeks of pregnancy.

Parental Advisory

The other day I had the joy of riding shot gun with Marni. I was even luckier to be serenaded with some of Levi's favorite songs. I browsed the CD cases to educate myself on the music. To my surprise (and joy!) there were several selections by some of my favorite artists. O.A.R., Cake and Bare Naked Ladies, just to name a few. These are groups I've been listening to for years. Listening to these voices brought back visions of various concerts and college memories. Had you told me 10 years ago that I'd be listening to Cake on a children's CD, I would have laughed in your face. These are life's little surprises. What is even more surprising? I actually enjoyed the songs! I'm going to have to keep these CD's in mind for future baby gifts, perhaps. Check 'em out for yourself, 'For the Kids' and there are a few volumes, maybe more. Don't worry though, you can still catch the grown up versions in my ride!

jealous already

this morning, i was wrapping a baby gift for a friend, and levi was sitting next to me watching.

he picked up an article of clothing and said "i want this".
and had big wet tears when i told him it was not for him, it was for a baby.

then he saw a stuffed animal for fiffy-fiffy given to us by a friend, and he took that and held on, saying "this is mine".
again, i explained the stuffed animal was for fiffy-fiffy and that fiffy-fiffy will be getting some news toys and books and clothes.
I also told him that when levi was a baby, he got a lot of new toys and clothes too.
but he did not like that answer. he just cried and cried and cried.

now jeff and i are starting to realize what we are in for....

its hard to make a two year old understand what is going on, and although we are trying really hard to prepare him as much as possible, there is definitely going to be some jealousy....

i guess we're going to have to go out and get levi a whole bunch of new stuff too to help him get over all the gifts for the baby....

any suggestions/thoughts from people out there that have more than one child?

hiccups

i never felt hiccups when i was pregnant with levi.....

and today- hiccups! lots of them! little rhythmic blips that lasted about 15 minutes this afternoon, and started again before dinner....

its cute!

now all i picture is a little drunken sailor hiccupping away in my belly....

I feel like all I do is complain....

I have to change that!!! Why do I complain so much???
So, I should start with the good stuff. My friend vanessa came to visit a few weeks ago and gave me a wonderful birthday present of "shea cashmere bath products" from bath and body works....ever since I told her I was having a problem with keeping clean and taking showers, she has been laughing and thinking it is really funny, and gave me this gift as kind of an incentive to "be clean".
well, it worked!!!! the stuff smells like butterscotch or burnt sugar and smells so yummy i want to eat it or lick it! and im taking a shower everyday (mostly!).
I also indulged a little and bought archipelago "morning mint" lotion from joseph beth and moisturize my skin in the morning after my shower, and i feel lady like and girly and clean and happy!!!! what happened???? im liking my new girliness.....now i just have to get up the energy to actually shave my legs....
now the other stuff.....my legs are one to start- they look like elephants. im really swollen with pitting edema (when you press your finger in, an indentation stays there) up to my knees....this is what happened last time when my blood pressure started to rise....so, off to the OB i went, and yep- i was right- blood pressure is up....so, now im taking my blood pressure a couple times per day, and when it gets too high, that means im done working....
so, ive made some changes at work to allow myself more sitting time and less movement....and hopefully the changes allow me to work up until the baby arrives.....but we'll see!!!! im keeping march 20th on my calendar...and i want to make it all the way there....
we have lots to do before the baby comes and i feel like time is running out. and jeff just realized (i hadnt even thought about it either!) that there are still some things we need to get before the new baby comes.....like a diaper bin and a double stroller and some other little things...and we need to figure out who we lent all of our bouncers to and get all levi's old baby stuff out of the basement....
ok, marni, stop thinking.....the thinking and thinking and thinking is causing stressing and stressing and stressing which is causing my blood pressure to rise. i think it would be nice to go to sleep and wake up having it all done for me! what i would do for a genie in a bottle right now.

Baby Head and Baby Feet

I got to meet with my OB yesterday and after some pushing around, she was able to determine that the baby is definitely sideways. And, the reason for all the pain I have been having is that there is a hard little head pusing on the ligament on my left side. So, the aches and pains that have come with the stretching of the ligament are just seriously intensified because there is extra pressure on it. I just have to keep changing position when it gets bad. But something else is that baby B does not like to stay curled up all the time. I have been feeling kicks so far to the right side that they are practically in my back. The OB says the baby is just stretching out (gee, thanks).

All in all the doctor was pleased because the baby is starting to move in the right direction for delivery!

Baby Furniture Has Arrived!!

Friday moring, right on time, our baby furniture was delivered. It was a really exciting moment because, even though we painted and had our area rug down, the baby's room still just felt like "a room". Now, the furniture is in and looks fantastic. Now, we have "a nursery." Although the only thing "baby" about it at this point is the crib, that's fine with me. It feels low key and relaxing and that is exactly what we were going for. The dogs caught the relaxed vibe too, I think. We let them in yesterday and they just sniffed around and then stretched out on the rug. We have a crib, a dresser/changing table, and SUPER comfy gliding/swivelling stuffed chair and ottoman. We picked up a floor lamp and small table lamp and now all we have to do is put up the artwork. Future plans include putting up shelves that we have, and cubby-type book/toy shelves but those won't be needed right away.

In other news, this baby is still laying SIDEWAYS and, let me tell you, there really isn't sufficient room left to be in that position. Most of the time I have a hard little head in my side. I have been in particularly "uncomfortable" pain since last Friday that goes down to my knees. Luckily, I see the doctor today and while she probably won't do anything to fix the situation, I can at least bring it to her attention to make sure there isn't a problem. At this point, I am starting to look forward to the finish line because things are beginning to get pretty uncomfortable on a regular basis.

Less than 7 weeks left at this point!