Still Here: 39 Weeks

Just wanted to reassure everyone that I'm still here, still pregnant. Today marks 39 weeks and I have a midwife appointment this afternoon. I do plan on asking for an internal exam today. While I would love to hear that I'm starting to dilate, I'm not holding out a lot of hope on that. However, from inserting the evening primrose oil every night, I do feel that we will hear that I've begun effacing.

I am planning on asking the midwife to strip my membranes today. The theory is that the release of the amniotic sac from the cervix encourages release of the hormones that stimulate contractions, which would show up within 48 hours. I had that done twice when I was pregnant with Little K and it was not uncomfortable for me. We'll see if she can get in there...

We are wrapping things up here. The house and food is ready. I'm going to the bank on the way to the appointment to deposit the funds for my maternity leave. I purchased our plane tickets to Florida for June this morning. My work is set enough that I can begin my leave RIGHT NOW and they will survive. R has his work on standby and will be taking one week off when Aaron arrives. I have a full tank of gas and my mom is here for 10 more days. COME ON, BABY!

In other news, Little K had a presentation this morning at school that my mom and I were able to attend. All of the second graders were assigned different African American people to research for Black History Month. Little K was assigned Oprah Winfrey and had a great time with her project! And she looks great as a brunette. :-)

I used this tutorial to dye a blonde synthetic wig brunette.

Closer: 38.5 Weeks

My mom is arriving in less than two hours! Woooooooo!!!

This day has been the big countdown around here. Once mom arrives, we can have a baby! I mean, obviously we will have the baby whenever he decides to come, but it is SO much easier to do this while mom is in town. She will be here through the afternoon of March 10th. Come on, Aaron! We are ready to meet you!

I couldn't sleep last night. Well, that's not exactly true. I slept until about 3:30 AM. Then I tossed and turned until 4:00. Then went on Facebook and Tumblr and just screwed around online. Finally got out of bed at 6:00 and took a shower.

Impossibly, Aaron has dropped even lower since yesterday. His bottom is two to three inches lower than usual today. It's so low, in fact, that I'm a little concerned that he has turned sideways. Which would be strange considering that he's been head down since January. Trying not to stress about the possibility too much and instead tell myself that it just means he is making his way into position for birth.

With my insomnia last night came a little burst of energy this morning. I've done everything around the house already the past few weeks, so now I'm focused on work. I got a ton done on several of my big projects yesterday and hope to wrap up another today. That should, fingers crossed, only leave one left. Woohoo!

Counting down the days and praying that Aaron David decides to arrive this week.

Welcome ICLW!

Wow, I haven't been a part of ICLW in ages. Before you read any further, I am currently 38 weeks pregnant after Donor Sperm IUI. I completely understand if you prefer to walk away. Take care of you!

Here we are, in the final weeks. I'm headed to a midwife appointment this morning and am still debating whether to ask for an internal exam. As a rule, this practice doesn't check you until you go over 40 weeks unless you specifically ask for an exam. I know it's early but I would love to hear that I've begun to efface and possibly to have started dilating. That would be a wonderful encouragement!

I've had three contractions this week, all while doing our two mile walk in the afternoon. The first two were on the same day about ten minutes apart. Once we got home and I had a tumbler of water, nothing. The other was on Thursday about 2/3 of the way through our walk; just one and then nothing else. Hoping to start seeing/feeling some signs that things are happening soon.

I've started pumping colostrum in case we need to supplement. After a three days, I'm up to half an ounce and moved it to the freezer. Although it isn't much, I feel really good about my pumping progress! My lactation consultant warned me that colostrum is very hard to express and you don't get much of a yield, so my .5oz makes me feel like a champion pumper! I'll keep at it, pumping one to two times a day until my birthing time. Unfortunately, pumping has NOT caused any contractions. Boooo.

R and Little K are getting excited in their own ways. Ever the (wonderful) husband, R has a minor freak out every time I have a contraction and reminds me that we have to hold off until my mom arrives on Tuesday. Little K still hugs momma's belly each night and kisses her little brother goodnight. I just love it!

As for me, I'm hanging in there. I've managed to come up with an ear infection over the past few days and am hoping that my midwife can write me a prescription to deal with that before it gets worse. My body is holding up well with no more than the standard end of pregnancy aches and pains. I'm sleeping okay and have a good appetite. Been off dairy for a week now and only miss it when I see the billboard for Shamrock Shakes. *sigh* Next year.

Overall, things are looking great. I'll try to update after the doctor today.

In the mean time, what is your favorite seasonal treat?

Obviously, mine is that beautiful mint green dairy bomb...

Non-Dairy Lemon Curd

I had a bag of Meyer lemons about to go bad over here and that would just be a crime. Originally I had planned to make Smitten Kitchen's Whole Lemon Tart, which I adore, but I waited too long and neither the filling nor the crust are dairy free. *sigh* What is a girl to do? I mean, when life gives you lemons...

You make lemon curd, obviously. The curd I usually make has butter in it and, although I have vegan butter substitute, I didn't feel like making the change. Instead, I took to Google and found this amazing, wonderful, delicious, silky Non-Dairy Lemon Curd which completely blew my mind. I love it more than any other lemon curd I've ever had. Not sure if that's because of the lack of dairy or the Meyer lemons or both. Ah, sweet mysteries of life.

Always, always, always make this. And then an angel food cake. And then slice up some strawberries. So that you can put sliced strawberries on your cake and drizzle lemon curd over all. And then put it in your mouth and thank me.

Ready: 37.5 Weeks

Hospital Bags are packed. House is set up. Nursery is done. Thirteen meals in the freezer. Lactation bars are cooling on the counter. Gone dairy free. We have two and a half weeks until Aaron's due date but I'm ready. I'm ready for him to come. I'm ready to meet him.

I'm also ready to not be pregnant. My torso feels fine but my poor hips and feet are so sore. It takes so much effort to take a single step today because my feet are just so terribly sore. I know this is (most likely) my last pregnancy and I have been conscious to not wish it away. I know how lucky I am to be pregnant in the first place and to have such easy pregnancies.

I remember getting to this point with Little K, too. My feet finally gave out on me two weeks before she was born. With her, it was the marathon Christmas cookie baking in the apartment without shoes on. This time, I tried so hard to be smart about it! I wore very supportive shoes, I was only on my feet in the kitchen for about three hours total. But still. I hurt today.

One week until my mom gets here and then, hopefully, only a few days until this little man enters our life and changes everything forever.

Happy Etsy Day: Maternity and Birth

One last(?) hurrah for Etsy Day before Aaron arrives: Maternity and Birth! Here are just a few things that caught my eye. Too bad I didn't think of this sooner!

maternity shirt

Full Term

Birthing Dress

Birthing Robe

gray floral robe

Maternity Robe

 

Okay, I really do need this:

Babywearing Coat

Snowmageddon, Day 3: 37 Weeks

The midwife office is closed due to the weather, so no 37 week check up for me. The roads are super icy but, with sun and temps over 32* beginning at 9:00 AM this morning, we should be able to get out soon.

No real contractions over here, thank goodness! I have felt some shocks on my cervix several times a day for the past couple of weeks, so things are slowly starting to happen. Tonight starts evening primrose oil and daily pumping. I'm continuing to spend 1-2 hours on my hands and knees at the end of each day turning him. He always turns during that time and then always turns back to posterior once I get up. *sigh* Stubborn little guy.

We're almost ready over here. Just waiting on my super sexy Amazon order to be delivered, which was delayed due to the weather. My mom is arriving the morning of February 25th: once she's here, we are ready to rock.

Little K had a meltdown yesterday afternoon, which was really tough on her. And on me. The end was the worst, when she said that, with Aaron being born soon, she has to get used to being alone. Heartbroken. We spent a long time talking about Aaron's arrival, my intention to still do things one-on-one with her, my desire to make sure she still felt special and noticed, and my need for her to tell me if she's feeling ignored or lonely so that I can help. She has a counseling appointment tomorrow morning and I'll most likely bring this up with the doctor. I'm so thankful that my mom will be here to help Little K through this time. We finished up the day with a long bath and cuddling on the couch watching a movie together.

I hope that everyone has a safe Valentines Day. Stay off the roads if you can!

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.