Freya's Crib

Here's a picture of her crib.  It will be in our room with us.  Some of the stuff inside were gifts.  Not everything that was given is pictured, but isn't that a cute image?!

Freya's Fine!

We went to the ultrasound on Monday, and despite my measuring large, Freya is at a fairly normal weight.  At this point, she is estimated to be 5 pounds 3 ounces.  Of course, the ultrasound can be off a little, but that is the estimate.  This is about a week ahead in weight, but it's much better than the month ahead that I measured at my midwife appt last week!  I guess I have a lot of amniotic fluid.  So, hopefully she'll grow into that fluid, and I won't keep growing enormous!  It was fun to see her, even though the images were a little difficult to translate.  It isn't one of those 3D image ultrasounds - just the traditional x-ray looking kind.  I'm glad to know everything is okay in there, though!  We didn't get a picture, because of course, she wouldn't get in a good position for one.  But we'll be seeing her soon - only six and a half weeks until the due date!  Crazy!  I can't wait to see her, though - even if I'm scared about childbirth.

Last Sunday was one of the best parties I've ever had.  Of course, there were two ladies responsible for that good time - Hope and Erin, my sisters-in-law.  It was Freya's baby shower, and it was so much fun!  I loved seeing everyone who was there, and it was fun to catch up and socialize.  One thing I know for sure is that I have some awesome friends, and even after Freya is born, I don't want to lose those bonds.  There have been times when life just gets busy, and I don't nurture those friendships enough.  I hope that making sure I stay in touch with all those friends is a good example for Freya to make sure she has good girlfriends that are important in her life.  I guess I should say "friends" and not "girlfriends", because I have some very good friends who are men, too, and I feel the same way about them.  And, special thanks to Hope and Erin for making this party so special for me.  I think I don't often allow people to do too much for me, and when I do, and people are so generous with their time and efforts, it makes me feel really good and happy inside.  So, thanks to you two ladies, especially!

On a serious note, I am getting scared about the big day.  I will be so happy to see Freya, but I don't like the idea of childbirth at all, and I think I'm starting to stress about it.  I know logically that it will be okay, but just not knowing what to expect is kind of hard.  And then, finding out about some stuff that will happen makes me nervous, too!  Like, when they'll put the hookup for an IV in my hand when I go to the hospital- even before they need to give me anything, like fluids.  I don't want that in my hand all the time!  And then I think if I ask them not to do it, they'll think I'm a baby, and then they'll get this idea about me that I'm a problem patient.  Now, some things I am fine to speak my mind about, and I don't want to give anyone the impression that I'm timid when it comes to making sure my wishes are respected, but the IV hookup seems like such a small thing to refuse, so if I do refuse it, then I don't know what they'll think if I decide I want an epidural!  I just wish we could birth them at around two to three months, and then they could climb into a pouch, like marsupials. 

How many weeks am I?!!!?

Sorry about holding up my boobs, but I think you can see the true size of my belly more dramatically this way!  Holy Crap - That's a big belly!

So, I'm going to be 33 weeks tomorrow.  And at the doctor last Wednesday, I was measuring "36 weeks at least", according to the midwife.  This could mean a variety of things, but it DOES NOT mean that I'm actually 36 weeks along.  I'm still just 32 weeks.  What it could mean is that I have a lot of amniotic fluid, or that Freya is big for her gestational age.  We will go for an ultrasound on Monday to find out her estimated weight right now.  I think that there is a 10% margin of error with that, so it could be slightly off, but it will give us a good idea.  I am not worried, but I do hope that she doesn't get too big to birth her.  I know that C-sections are commonplace enough, and there's nothing wrong with that delivery method, but I would rather not have one, and probably a lot of that has to do with the fact that I have never been in the hospital for anything other than a few stitches.  So, having major abdominal surgery seems like an unsavory idea to me.  But I'm putting the cart before the horse.  It could be that it is just a growth spurt.  Chris said that he'll need a paternity test if this baby is over eight pounds (because babies run on the smaller side in his family).  I just keep reminding him of the Crowell genes on my dad's side. :)  And the fact that his sister, Erin's, children were big babies.  But still, I don't want her to be too huge.  I know that she'll be just how she's supposed to be, but please, if she doesn't need to be any bigger than eight pounds, then please, please don't make her be!!!!

Baby shower tomorrow, given by my two wonderful sisters-in-law, Hope and Erin.  Thanks, ladies!  Then ultrasound on Monday.  I'll give an update some time after that.



Week 32

 

Well, you can see that my facial expression is different in this photo than in the one from Week 28.  You can also see that my pregnant belly is bigger.  I was tired when this photo was taken.  I still feel okay, but the tiredness has definately set in again now that I'm getting farther along.  It really is okay when I don't overdo it, but this weekend, we had childbirth classes on Friday night, Saturday all day, and as much as I wanted to and enjoyed seeing her, we had our first visit with our doula today.  So, that coupled with all the usual weekend stuff to do was a lot. 

The birth classes went well, and they covered a lot of stuff, which was good.  Some was review from books I'd read, and some was new.  It was also nice that Chris and I were learning the same things at the same time, because then we could talk about stuff.  I have to say that learning more about possible interventions or pain medication options makes me more scared than the actual pain of childbirth.  I don't know about the whole needle in the spine thing.  I am also not sure about feeling nauseous and out of it (a side effect from some of the narcotic pain meds).  I have decided that if I get to have a labor and delivery that does not include a C-section, then I will have to be in some serious pain before I take any of the medications.  And, that is what childbirth is (or so I've come to understand):  serious pain.  So, we'll see what happens.  I am expecting the unexpected and realize that no matter what I plan for, all the plans may not come into play, because nothing may go as I hope it will.  But, it is better to have some kind of idea of what I want.  I guess if I have to do anything, it will be the epidural, but I sure hate the idea of being numb.  It isn't so much because I want to feel what's going on, but I think it will freak me out a little.  Not being able to move, pee or have sensation below the waist seems not cool.  At all.  Of course, that may be comforting when I'm in the thick of it.  I'll be glad to have our doula there!  She said today that if I want to do it without meds, then part of her job is to get me as far as she can without them.  I really like her.  Her name is Alissa, and it just so happens that she also works for the Health Department, although not in my section.  She's really cool, and I think she is a good fit for Chris and me.

 Chris has been super good to me all throughout this pregnancy, and I can't say he's been better to me at one time than another, but I sure do notice it.  I don't always feel like doing the things that I used to want to do, like be in the kitchen, cooking or preparing meals or doing dishes or just regular household things.  Of course, I don't always WANT to do the dishes, but I also try to make things equitable with housework.  And there are times when one of us doesn't feel as up to doing things as the other, and then whoever the other is just works a little harder, and that just seems to work for us, but I think Chris is the one working a little harder most of the time lately.  I know you ladies, especially the ones who've been pregnant before might say that he SHOULD be working harder, but the thing is that a lot of women don't have a supportive partner or a partner at all.  I am happy and lucky that Chris is my partner, because he sees what I need, and he just does it.  And, he has never refused the request for a foot rub.  That's right - this dude is golden.

So, news:  I passed the diabetes test.  That's good!  I have an appointment with the midwife on Wednesday, and I will be glad to go to that.  I don't know why, but the closer the due date gets, kind of the more anxious I get that everything is alright in there.  She moves a lot, but she does it in clusters, and sometimes when she's been still for a long time, I start to worry.  Of course, she moves eventually.  Anyway, I just want to hear her heartbeat again and see how I'm measuring.  I was measuring at 30 when I was 28 weeks last time, so I will be interested to see what it is this time.  I want her to be healthy, but she doesn't need to be a record setter for weight!

Okay, this is all for now.

These Shoes Used To Fit

 

How about that awesome pedicure?!  You know who did it?  That's right - my sweet husband did!

My feet are swelling.  My hands are swelling, too.  In fact, I have (or at least I think I have) pregnancy induced carpal tunnel from all the swelling in my writsts putting pressure on the nerves.  When I wake up in the morning, my hands are useless.  Chris even has had to put toothpaste on my toothbrush for me!  It gets better after I shower.  It is kind of crazy!

Freya is kicking and moving around like crazy.  Enjoy it while you can, Freya, because as you know, it's getting tight in there.  Chris likes to talk to her through my belly.  I like that.  I think Freya likes it, too.  I still can't believe that there is this living thing inside me.  Sometimes when I think about how dark it is in there, it kind of freaks me out, because I think about how I would feel, and I think I would be scared.  I know Freya doesn't know anything different, so it's not a big deal to her.

My friend, Kerrey, was in town recently on business, and I got to see her while she was here!!!!!!  I was really glad to see her!  It was kind of a last minute thing, so it was a nice surprise.  Here is a photo we took in the garden together.

We were being goofy in the photo.  This particular pose is an old joke for us.  Anyway, it was great to see you, Kerrey!

I am tired, so this will be the end for now.