Very blessed at 33 weeks

Yesterday was my 33 weeks appointment with Dr. Beena. As I pulled out my long list of complaints...um, I mean symptoms...(sooo tired all the time, restless legs, headaches, heartburn, rib pain, loss of appetite, snoring, more heartburn, still tired but can't sleep, etc) she told me everything I was experiencing was very normal and just part of the last few months of pregnancy...but that is was okay to vent ;). She did tell me to start taking iron supplements in case anemia is to blame for my increasingly lethargic behavior. Which is great if they work, but they are currently making my heartburn & indigestion that much worse...I've already had 3 Tums this morning. I gained 1 lb. over the last two weeks so I'm good with that, and I'm back to measuring on schedule...33 cm for 33 weeks!

Also to blame for my lack of sleep are these bonkers dreams I keep having. Two nights ago I dreamt I laid an egg ...and spent hours in my dream trying to figure out to keep it from getting all mashed up. I had hard boiled some eggs for a salad before I went to sleep and I think I was having flashbacks to my salad making experience - during which my attempt to slice the hard boiled egg ended up with mashed egg all over my salad. Last night I dreamt that Brooke showed up due any minute with twins! So Clay & I made the decision that we had to move ASAP to be by Brooke because I would need to care for her two babies as well as ours after she went back to being a doctor. I was very anxious in my dream about having to care for what would essentially be triplets! I know Aunt Deb did it & handled it like a pro...but I woke up feeling more tired than I was when I went to sleep last night!

Now for the 'very blessed' part...I know Clay & I often complain about being in Texas. But, I must say that we could not have landed in a better neighborhood. I love Cottage Green and the people that live here. For the last few months the girls in my 'hood have been getting together once a month to play a fun & goofy board game called Pokeeno. We bring a wrapped gift (no more than $8) and when you win a round of Pokeeno you get to pick out a wrapped gift. Well last night I won Pokeeno first (we do as many rounds as there are people so that all the gifts are picked - then we do a second set of rounds so that you can steal the opened gifts from others when you win) and opened a gift of a sippy cup & Johnson's Baby Wash. I thought, "Oh! Good thing I picked this gift...it wouldn't be appropriate for most of the ladies here!" And the next person wins...and picks out a gift...and opens 2 little girl newborn nightgowns! The woman had just told us she was pregnant, and I thought, "Oh I hope it is a girl so she can use these! Good thing she picked out that gift instead of it going to one of the other ladies with older kids!" And then the next person wins...and opens little girl socks! And the next person wins...and opens stacker cups! And the next person wins...and opens a handcrafted blanket and a little robe & wash cloth! And I bet you are starting to get the picture....well I wasn't! When all of the gifts had been opened and I sat there thinking about how inappropriate most of them had been! Usually people bring very universally appealing adult gifts...like wine or candles or gift certificates. As I'm thinking this I say out loud, "Well I guess I missed the baby themed memo!" To which my dear friend Amanda replied, "How do you suppose that happened????" And I honestly answered "I don't know!"...as I'm still sitting there thinking what inappropriate gifts people brought this time! And then my other good friend Lesley said, "She still doesn't get it!" At that point I felt myself turning bright red....as Lesley pointed out all of the obvious signs...pink baby gifts, pink cupcakes...! I felt like such an idiot!! It honestly didn't occur to me that these women, most of whom have met me only a handful of times would do such a nice thing for someone they barely know! After I got home I called Clay...and of course he figured it out after I told of the second baby girl gift being opened...and he said, "that's your good friends Amanda & Lesley at work!" Bottom line...I could spend hours counting my blessings these days...and for that I couldn't be more thankful.

Staying put in Texas now...

We are back from our trip to Iowa and are here to stay for probably more than a few months, as Dr. Beena made me promise this was the last travel that I'd request. Well...the one of us that doesn't travel for a living is here to stay anyway...the other one of us is already off again for the week!

Getting there wasn't bad at all - I was surprised how comfortable I managed to stay during the 3 hour flight & 3 hour car ride. Getting home was another story...my back hurt the entire road trip up to Minneapolis, and my belly hurt the entire flight home. I took it as an opportunity to try some of my Bradley Method relaxation techniques and I'm pleased to say that I was able to put myself to sleep using the deep abdominal breathing. By the time we arrived home all I could do was plop on the sofa & watch the end of The Bachelor while my sweet husband made us dinner; I was craving salad...he was excited that Luci was finally hungry for some of his favorite foods.

It was great to see family and be there for Baylee's graduation. Mom & Baylee tried really hard to feel Luci kick, but no such luck. She pretty much stops moving the minute I point it out to someone. They did get to see my belly move a bit though. Clay on the other hand got to feel one of the re-positioning moves and her little arm or leg moved against my belly & his hand so hard that he jumped back like she was going to pop right out of my belly and get him. Baylee & I laughed super hard...he really looked alarmed!

Happy Birthday Aunt Baylee

Luci's Aunt Baylee turns 18 today...and it is her last day of high school! What a great day! We went to see Dr. Beena this morning & got the all clear for our Iowa weekend. Baylee decided not to have a graduation party, but Clay & I are headed there regardless to help her celebrate this significant accomplishment and watch her accept her diploma. I couldn't be prouder to have another Hawkeye in the fam....and hopefully this fall with any luck we'll call her a Kappa as well :)

Dr. Beena says Luci is still 'sky high' and isn't showing any immediate signs that she's ready to enter the world just yet. She did a quicky little ultrasound and got to see that her head is in the lower left part of my belly, and her little feet & bum are up in the upper right part of my belly. I'd have guessed this based on her movements. I also saw her little heart fluttering & her rib cage & lungs expanding as she practices breathing. Dr. Beena says her spine looks beautiful. I actually lost a pound from last week, and my belly is measuring the same as last week - which was 2 weeks ahead of schedule at that time. So maybe she went through a little growth spurt & now she'll get back on schedule. Regardless, we are having a big ultrasound at 35 weeks (today is 31 weeks) to determine her position & take a guesstimate at her weight.

We started our Bradley Method classes on Saturday. We learned lots of relaxation techniques and a few exercises that Clay & I are supposed to do together. At the end we watched a video of a natural birth from beginning to end. I was squirming & almost crying, while Clay was very composed & stoic (he'd just been warned by his buddy not to let any unedited comments accidentally slip out). It was almost as if he was watching a science experiment unfold...meanwhile I'm glad I won't be seeing what is going on down there. I think it scared me more than it did him; I've started to have crazy dreams and restless nights pondering delivery. I had a dream two nights ago that I passed out during labor & woke up 4 days later to a happy healthy 4 day old Luci...

30 Weeks...a little bit big...maybe??

Last night we attended "Newborn Care" at the hospital. It was a 3 hour class that went over the basics of diaper changing, cord care, feeding, burping, the 5 s's (swaddling, swinging, sucking, shh-ing & side position), bathing, taking baby's temperature, along with crib & car seat safety. Each couple had a baby doll to practice with and by the end of the night we were quite fond of our little one...I kind of wanted to bring her home! We saw several photos depicting newborn characteristics including cone head, jaundice, grey blue hands & feet, along with photos of babies delivered with forceps & vacuums vs. those that came out naturally or with a c-section. We played a Babies Price is Right game and tried to guess the cost of various items like formula, diapers, baby wipes, diaper creme, & a jar of food. Clay & I came in way over...so hopefully that means we'll be pleasantly surprised by how little Luci costs (yeah right ;). We took several pages of notes and overall it was a great class, especially for $30. I'm looking forward to Breastfeeding Basics at the end of the month!

This morning started bright & early with an interview of a pediatrician, who we liked so much we've already decided to go with him. The office was bright & clean, with separate waiting rooms for sick kids & well kids. Dr. Bhakta has little kids of his own & seemed to practice very flexible common sense. Another task checked off of the list...

Then after breakfast at my new favorite venue, The Black Walnut Cafe, (they have a VERY strong decaf latte I crave) we went to our 30 weeks appointment with Dr. Johnson. She is such a funny lady, she cracks us up. I asked her for her opinion on Doulas and without hesitation she gave us the eye roll & asked how much money we'd have to waste on that. Clay & I both started laughing, and I went on to explain that we were just nervous that Clay might be gone when I go into labor & had thought maybe a Doula would be helpful in that case. She assured me she'd be there, and that we'd be fine. She also told us she is comfortable with inducing labor at 39 weeks if we are, and that we should think about it given Clay's schedule. We'd both prefer she comes on her own accord (when her dad is here, of course), but I think we're entertaining the idea now. After Dr. Johnson measured my belly, she also said she'd want us to do an ultrasound at 35 weeks to see how big Luci is, and what position she is in. I asked if she suspected Luci might be a little big (I could see there was something in her face she wasn't saying), and she said ummm...just a little bit...maybe....

As for my size...the Houston humidity has arrived and I'm starting to get a bit puffy. My wedding band leaves a serious indentation on my finger, and I might be sporting the beginning of some super attractive cankles. I've gained enough weight that I'm going to stop reporting it now...I'll just say that I'm still within the normal range. However last week at yoga the Y staff was taking photos for the newspaper...and they wanted the biggest belly...and they were trying to decide between mine & another woman's...who happened to be 34 weeks compared to my 29 weeks...needless to say I insisted they photograph her and not me....

A busy May with my favorite person...

I am very thankful to report that Clay's May schedule is allowing for lots of time at home with me, especially during the first half of May. Of course my type-A nature immediately saw this as an excellent opportunity to fit in all of those informational baby classes I wanted to take, so I've gone a bit bonkers with our schedule. On Tuesday night we'll be heading to Newborn Care at Memorial Hermann Hospital, the hospital where Luci will be born. The next morning we start out bright & early with an interview of a potential pediatrician at 8am, followed by our 30 week appointment at 9:30am. Then on Saturday the 12th we finally start the Bradley Method class (6 classes in all). The next weekend we head to Iowa (provided Dr. Johnson gives me the all clear) to watch my baby sister Baylee graduate from high school...and I'm sure that she is looking forward to no longer being referred to as the baby of the Rosonke Family ;)! We come back the morning of Monday the 21st and attend our second Bradley Method class that night. The next Saturday my loving husband will (no doubt a bit grudgingly) attend Breastfeeding Basics with me, again at Memorial Hermann Hospital. And the next day we finish up the information gathering month with Bradley Class #3. Now when you add in his flight schedule on top of all of this and a potential visit from the Atkins clan...our calendar for the month of May looks a bit bonkers. All the better to keep time flying ;)

Usually my sweet husband hates nothing more than a 'honey-do' list...but this week he's really gotten into it...plowing through the list head on, eagerly checking items off. I feel like we've made great progress with the nursery - we just might have agreed on a paint color and we both like the curtain concept; I can now visualize the final product in my head and I like it. We have had such a wonderful few weeks that I felt the urge to tell the world how very in love I am with my husband. A photo of his handsome face is long over due on this blog...so I've put up a photo we took back in February after Keith & Lee's visit. The lovely boot in the middle was a gift from them, and in a bit of Texas spirit we decided to hang it on our back gate to greet all of our Texan neighbors! The other photo was taken by Clay's dad, Don, a few weeks ago during thier visit. Love my man in uniform...