40"

I think I must have measured wrong last month when I posted 39.5" because I'm "only" measuring 40" now, but comparing the two pictures I look HUGE now ... even more huge than last month when I thought I was huge beyond huge. I am due 2 weeks from tomorrow, but hope that I won't have to wait that long. I can no longer fold in the middle like a normal person and that makes anything that requires sitting up straight nearly impossible. I am quite swollen, but can still see my ankle bones ... if only just. My belly button is still an innie, probably because it was so cavernous to begin with (as the Scoot claims). It doesn't look like the belly button I remember.

Today is my last day of work for this year. I've been counting down the days to pregnancy leave for weeks now. It's really hard to find a comfortable position at my desk and my back gets so tired by the end of the day. It will be really nice to just rest for a few days (hopefully) or weeks (wahhhhh) until the baby is born.



This is my most favoritest maternity shirt ever. Its so soft and comfy and still fits with room to spare. It's perfect for the cool Autumn that seems to have crept in over the last few days. I don't usually wear blue, but I make exceptions for comfort. Ironically, blue was the color in season during my pregnancy. Just recently my earthy colors started coming into season, but there's no point in buying more maternity clothes now ... as if I actually cared about my appearance at this point. After today it's sweats, t-shirts, bathrobes, and slippers for me!

Defective ...

The cats or the product?



Have you seen the commercials for Emery Cat? It's a scratchy pad that is supposed to trim cats nails when they scratch ... If they scratch. I have no idea if it works because so far none of the cats have figured out how to use it (as intended). Actually, that may not be true. I figure Pierre the Evil Genius knows that it will shorten his extra pointy bits and avoids it on principle. I'm pretty sure Azriel the Inbred has no clue what it's for. Schrodinger is the only one who uses it and guess what he thinks it is ... A TOY! ... or more specifically a hiding place. He races into the living room and dives under head first. He thinks that if his head is covered we can't see him ... even though ONLY his head is covered. This is currently his favorite game and he hasn't tired of it since we purchased this emery cat refill at Petsmart weeks ago. I'm afraid I'm going to have to pull out the nail trimmers ... or take these lethal kitties to the groomer.

Simple Pleasures

It's Asian pear season in Oregon! I used to think they were an expensive delicacy to splurge for when they actually showed up in the grocery store. Now I live somewhere where they actually grow. Fresh Asian pears are divine and I can have one for free every day right now. They are local, and fresh, and super tasty, and as an added bonus ... I actually WANT to eat them. With a stomach as fickle as mine is right now, wanting to eat is a serious added bonus.

We've been getting fresh produce from our garden too. I especially love the sweet, earthy carrots. Tomatoes are coming out of my ears and we've just sampled our first three ears of corn ... mmmm. Nothing compares to fresh produce. I had forgotten that tomatoes could be so flavorful that I could just eat them sliced up with a little salt and pepper. I can't believe it took me so long to plant a garden. Special thanks to Steve and Erin for helping us get our garden started even though they didn't get to stick around long enough to reap the benefits. Next year you two!

The pregnant belly is measuring at an astronomical 40" and the stomach must be the size of a small, squished Asian pear. No wonder its the simple things I want most.

39.5" and counting

Oxygen Deprivation - First stage?

This is it right? I think I've officially entered the suffocation stage and who knows how much longer it will last or how much worse it will get. The baby is right under my ribs and pressing on my diaphragm so it's hard to get a full breath even with my best posture. I get winded just having a conversation, lol. I don't have any real news to report. I'm just here to tell myself that somehow I'm surviving pregnancy (most likely because I don't have a choice at this point) and that any day now, my formerly cute little innie belly button is going to pop to the outie position ... its seriously on the the verge and no amount of pushing it back in will stop the inevitable. When it pops do I get to be done?

This Pregnant Girl's Reading List

I'm told that most first time mommys to be read like fiends. I'm no different. I've been reading fiendishly on and off (as the cranky tummy has allowed) from the beginning.

In the beginning I read "What to expect when your Expecting" and "The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy." Seriously, I had no idea what to expect or from pregnancy or childbirth and these were very informative. "What to Expect" was especially useful on a scientific level while "Girlfriend's Guide" was more personal and humorous.

A few months ago a switched gears. I spend less time reading about things that could go wrong, medical interventions, and medicated birth and A LOT more time reading about successful natural childbirth, positive reinforcement, relaxation, and stress management. I've read all or part of the following and found them very calming for the most part.

"Babycatcher" by Peggy Vincent
"Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" by Ina May Gaskin
"Spiritual Midwifery" by Ina MAy Gaskin
"Childbirth Without Fear" by Dr. Grantly Dick-Read
"Hypnobabies Home Study Course" by Hypnobabies
"The Birth Partner" by Penny Simkin
"The Doula Advantage" by Rachel Gurevich
"Birth Outside the Box" www.givingbirthnaturally.com

Only time will tell if any of these books will really make an impact when the big day comes, so I plan to post a recap after the fact. Will they help or will I throw it all out the window when I'm in the moment? Please don't answer that question. Positive reinforcement says I'm not wasting my time, so I'm doing my best to ignore the naysayers. If you want to give me advice, just tell me that I can DO IT!

Counting

I'd say I'm at the counting down the weeks stage, but I think I've been there from the beginning. Although it's a fascinating and very educational experience, it's also been pretty uncomfortable to have my body hijacked as a baby factory. So, the due date is 9 weeks from yesterday, but of course I won't be sorry if the boy checks out of Mommy Motel a little early.

Schrodinger is also looking forward the the check out. He misses the long full nights of sleep where he could stay in the same spot ALL night. Now he gets to relocate every time I change positions. He's taken to sleeping on my belly, propped against the body pillow for part of most nights (until I roll him off to turn over) which is fine as long as the pointy bits face away from the belly. Last night he actually got up and turned around after the baby kicked him. I would have laughed out loud if I hadn't been worried about waking The Scoot.

I never thought I'd get a body pillow, but it's turned out to be this former tummy sleepers best friend. It lets me feel like I'm sleeping in about the same position as I did on my stomach without actually rolling onto my stomach which, incidentally, isn't very comfortable.

Believe it or not, sometimes I'm still surprised by my own proportions. Sometimes I'll get out of bed in the morning and look in the mirror and realized I'M HUGE. Then later I'll open doors or cabinets into the belly because I'm just not used to having it there.

And finally Pregnancy for Posture! There's nothing like baby parts under the ribs to keep a girl sitting up straight. I have yet to figure out what "part" is responsible or even if it's the same part every time. Sometimes I've sworn it was a foot but other times, it seems much bigger - a backside maybe? I do have to say the weirdest sensation so far has been parts migrating across the belly. It's rather like being tickled from the inside and has actually made me jump.

Two months seems so soon and yet so far away.