Diabetes Free

On a positive note to my day, I found out during my doctor visit that I do not have Gestational Diabetes. I took the three hour torture test two weeks ago and found out that all of my numbers were within normal range. I'm really glad to hear that. Goodness knows, I'm loving the chocolate cravings I've been getting lately. It would be a shame to have to give that up. But, I have been good.. I've switched my nightly bowl of icecream for Malt O Meal chocolate puffs with marshmallow.. This way I can have my treat, but not all the fat.

So that's my small dose of good news.

Boobies is Sick...

This has been a very stressful week for me. I've been on the verge of tears all day today, some of last night, and the night before. Boobies is still throwing up food at night. He goes most of the day okay and then, dinner time comes, and it's up-chuck city. We've taken him to the vet to see Xrays showing he is full of food. From his rectum all the way to his stomach. Food is just stuck there. Sitting. We paid $300 to find this out. I was relieved to find out that he wasn't just being silly and throwing up his food due to fast-eating, but at the same time, dumbfounded to think that he was full of food and sh*t.. literally.

So our main vet, Dr. Matt, gave us a prescription for anti-vomiting medicine. It didn't work. He was throwing everything up, even the pills. Dr. Matt was surprised and said that he's only seen one dog in his whole career throw up the pills.. and that dog had cancer. He suggests we take our dog to an internal medicine specialist. Yup, dogs have those too. That just means pricier experience.

After a blood work and ultrasounds were said and done, there was nothing to show what was causing Boobies to throw up. Another $550 bill and we were no closer to a solution than we were before. One vet tells us to put Boobies on bedrest and the other put no limitations on exercise. Right then we were confused as to which to listen to.

So the next day, after a night of vomiting (maybe due to the excitement and trauma of another vet and ultrasounds?), Boobies seemed okay. He ate his breakfast, and lunch.. was doing okay. We had him on the vet-recommended ID for easy digestion. He ate just a 1/4 cup at a time. Did okay to hold it down.. No vomiting. We were pleased to see this. Then Kyle played a little fetch with him. We figured a little exercise would do him some good. That's when the wretching began again. Worried, I called Dr. Matt. He first suggested we move on to the Endoscopy,with the Specialist, to search out his intestines and stomach. I asked if there was something quicker and simpler we can do first, like an enema. So for another $49, Kyle took Boobies to Dr. Matt get an enema. But over the night, nothing substantial came out. He only vomited.

The next morning he was good again. No throwing up, back to his puppy self. I thought we were in the clear. I figured I would wait to schedule the Endo. There was no use if he can pass some stool. He did pass a little bit during the day.. but nothing major. We fed him some 100% pumpkin as referred by many Lab forums online for fiber. He seemed okay for a while. By six o'clock in the evening, I was a wreck. Boobies was vomiting again. Lots of foam and drooling and he did not look good. After fits of puking for a few hours, he was okay around 9PM. My dad asked a vet online about feeding him Milk of Magnesia to relieve his constipation. So we tried it.

All night long, Kyle got up to see if he could get Boobies to go. He did not. He did not have to. Or he just couldn't. By morning, still no sign of a bowel movement and that was odd, considering the bottle pretty much guaranteed something within 1/2 to 6 hours. It even read not to give too many doses in 24 hours. I didn't want to risk overdosing him. I worried about screwing him up more than he was.

I got a good text from Kyle that Boobies passed a bowel movement. I was thrilled. So I called both vets and told them about the movement. They both separately told me that it didn't really matter. That since he's throwing up every day for more than a week, even if not after every meal, that his stomach was not moving things past a certain point. That what empties out of the rectum might be something past the blockage. Basically, if it was their dog they would get him further looked at. Something could be wrong. It could be cancer. It could be an inflammatory disease. It could be a few bad things and Dr. Matt insinuated that we don't know if he could get surgery scheduled on Monday. He said he would not wait through the weekend. We were best to get him in today, just in case something bad happened over the weekend and we needed an emergency. Cuz then the cost would be double to triple.

So we are in a battle of, do we go into more debt, possibly to find something wrong? Or, do we skip the surgery today, hope for the best, and possibly face an emergency? Or hurt our dog more? I voted to get some real sleep tonight and to not stress about him so much. I voted to listen to the professional opinions. It might have been easier to just go the "natural" way, if we didn't already know he was full of food from top to bottom. Even still, he was throwing up everyday. There still has to be a reason for that. It's never good for a dog to have regular vomiting like that.

Boobies is now out of surgery and will stay the night for observation. Apparently, we got the best vet surgeon in Florida, and even Dr. Matt was surprised we got him on such short notice. He told Kyle that Boobies' was one of his most boring surgeries he's had in a while. There was nothing to be found. Everything looked normal. No obstructions were visible. They took biopsies of all possible organs that could be affected and we should know something in a few days. I am just at wits end.

I guess we just wait and see what the biopsies say. A part of me hopes they find something to indicate a curable problem, and part of me hopes they find nothing. Cuz he's my baby boy and I don't want any problems, like cancer or worse. So my fingers are crossed that we do get a positive outcome, whatever it is.

"How Much Longer" and other Great Salutations

Nearing the end of my pregnancy, I have been noticing a few rather peculiar things. This should not come as a surprise, as most everything involving pregnancy is unusual to me. One particularly new trend that has been developing is the casual way to greet me. I know that my belly protrudes far beyond my normal stature and expect that it is going to be more noticeable to strangers that I am "with child".

So, Hubs and I went to Lowe's last night to pick up some odds and ends to finish up the ceiling fan project that he started in the nursery. We didn't have a fan in there and it is going to be much needed in the spring and summer... and fall... and some of the winter months here in Florida. We placed our purchases on the counter and proceeded to the cashier. The cashier looked at me and said, "How much longer?". I was tempted to reply, "well, as long as it takes for you to finish ringing up our supplies". I decided against it and realized he was just striking up conversation with me. My belly gets a "hello" before my head does. Okay. I can be okay with that. So I told him eleven weeks. I then recounted how I can't believe I'm going to be getting bigger than I already am. I feel like I'm as big as I "should" get already. But we all know I'm going to swell up like the Goodyear blimp come the end of this trimester. I'm sure he didn't want to know every detail, but I figured he started it.

I don't mind that my belly gets a hello... It's good. It proves that I, indeed, look pregnant, and not just chubby. I'm okay with that. I'm not okay with the fact I can't seem my hoo-ha anymore, but that's another story in itself.

So, today was baby stuff shopping day. Kyle and I went to a few stores to compare prices and to "play" with the selection. We want to make sure we get our money's worth, and that we get something we will like for a long time. We want to make sure it will be gender-neutral too, as we know we want more than one child.

For a baby that will come out knowing nothing or caring of simple things like bumper borders in the crib or paint on the walls, we sure have a LIST of things to get. I think we are down to just a few "necessities" like an activity center, a play mat, a high chair and a pack-and-play. Other than those things, I think we will be home free to just get odds and ends like toys, books, and clothes.

Well, we are always proven wrong when we go to Babies R Us. They can really make parents-to-be feel really inadequate and ill prepared. It's really not nice. There are so many things that they thought of that no person should feel they need. They have everything from cushy rocking chairs that made me feel like I sat in a warm plate of mashed potatoes to a million safety options that make me feel like a neglectful mom. This place is made for parents-to-be who decide that they are allowed to have a champagne taste with a beer budget. It's a place where credit cards can easily be maxed out to buy things that the newborn baby "needs". It's this realization that wonderful stores full of options and ideas like Babies R Us are just out to get us. We saw a wonderful stroller/carseat combo on Clearance while were there. If we were typical, just the red sign with a "sale" price might have sold us. Until we looked closer and realized that while the sale price was $239.98; it was not a deal at all when we looked at the original price of $239.99. A penny savings!! Did they really think that would sway us? I know that we had to double take it to be sure we were seeing what we thought. Yup... They're on to us. They know we will do anything for our munchkin-to-be. Which is why we left the store and decided to price out other places that might not have "everything". We're okay with not having everything. As long as he has a place to lay his sweet head and a safe ride home for the hospital, I'm sure we've got all we really need.

Baking a Bowling Ball

Brady is now officially in his third trimester of growing. There are so many different ways to figure out how old he is and what month I'm in, I just kinda do my own thing now. First off, they all say you are pregnant nine months. Sorry, but it's ten months. 40 weeks can't be squeezed into nine months no matter how you try. I have some weekly emails that claimed when I hit 28 weeks that I was still just 6 months along. I know that when I divide 28 by 4 weeks, I get 7 months. So I went with that date. I feel like I've been "running this marathon" now forever. I have the right to "bump" it up when I feel it's necessary. And to have to stay in the six month range is just criminal.

Well, today I got an email that claims I have "officially" arrived into the third trimester. Two thirds done with this! Some days I really feel like this has just begun. Others days, I feel so huge and whale-ish.. and wonder what it was like to not be pregnant. I'm sure most women go through this at one point. I find myself even counting down the days until we meet Brady in terms of weeks. 11 weeks sounds so much sooner than 3 months or 79 days. Then, when I feel overwhelmed with how fast things are going, I make myself feel better and call it three months. I reflect back to how three months ago it was the end of October. That seems like forever ago now.

Apparently we are in the home stretch now. Time to iron out the baby registry and figure out what is still needed and what doesn't need to be on there anymore. Time to figure out work/baby care situations. Time to finish things up. Time to eat to fatten him up. He's still a skinny thing. Wouldn't know it by how hard he can kick, but he's gotta get more meat on him. Kyle and I were both 8 pound babies and we were both a week or so early (I was a C-section, he was naturally early). If we would have both gone full term, I wonder how big we would have been. My brother was a ten pounder. Gosh, I hope Brady isn't a ten pounder.. that's a bowling ball!

Parental Practice

I have a feeling that Boobies, our yellow lab, can tell that there will be some big changes soon. He has been acting really weird lately. We switched his dog food from a more pricey $35/a bag for forty pounds of Purina One (food he's had since he was a puppy, that we love to feed him) to $20/a bag for 55 pounds of Purina Dog Chow. I know we've downgraded his food considerably, and I feel horrible. But at the rate Boobies and Monkey eat their food, we go through it so fast. We really need to tighten things up with money before the baby comes.

We know that when it comes time to switch food for our dogs, that we must mix the old with the new to transition the change. They have sensitive stomachs and we are careful to not disrupt their digestion too much. It's been about a month since we've changed their food. It seems that just recently, Boobies has been really inhaling his food. We watch him and see that he actually is sucking in his ribs to eat. Then he hacks and wheezes and sometimes even throws his food back up.

I've been trying to feed him little by little lately. That seems to help a bit. I give Monkey his food first, across the kitchen, and then I feed Boobies a teeny bit of food at a time. I try to praise him when he actually chews. He seems so ravenous. I wonder if maybe our food doesn't satisfy him and he really is starving by next meal time? It's not like he's been losing weight. I would say he's got a good build. He's not too fat like Labs get, and he's not skinny. I know that Labs have a habit of being glutenous, but this is ridiculous.

I know he doesn't have any obstructions to cause him to throw his food up, because when I feed him slowly, he doesn't regurgitate. I read on some forums that dogs can feel stress. I wonder if maybe he can sense a new arrival coming and he's worried. I feel so bad for him if he's stressed. I don't feel that Kyle and I carry our stress of the upcoming change with us, but maybe Boobies can see right past our facade.

He went from being our only "baby" since he was a puppy, to being just another dog. Monkey came into his life when he was three and lost a part of his pedestal as the best dog ever. Now, he's been watching as we work on the nursery and buy baby things, and he's probably sensing another change coming. I wonder if we need to get him a new toy and pay extra attention to him? I don't think that Monkey is as affected by any possible changes as he still acts the way he's been since we've known him. As long as he gets affection and gets to snuggle with Kyle on the couch, he is satisfied.

I'm going to keep trying to feed Boobies slow and see if that helps any. There are some bowls out there with prongs in them to help the quick eater, and if I have to, I'll buy that. A friend also suggested that we get some toys that give him a "job" to do. Maybe a new Kong or a treat ball of some sort. She thought maybe if he was a bit more active with his mind, he will feel less stress. We do take the boys for walks after work before dinner.

This must just be practice for kids... We get so mad at him for doing "stupid" things like breathing his food down and then up-chucking it all over the carpet. It's not his fault he's doing this, if it's caused by emotion or stress. We have to get over our aggravation of his behavior and try to get to the root of it. Hopefully if we pay more attention to him and show him that we love him, he will feel more at ease... Parenting practice... that's how I look at it.

Glucose Girl & the Numb Butt

I took the day off yesterday to get my blood work done. Sounds like an easy day off, right? Wrong. It was the longest morning of my life!!

I had to fast from midnight the night before until my morning appointment. Luckily mine was at 8AM, but that didn't mean that they would be ready for me. I had to get the glucose levels tested for Gestational Diabetes. I've already taken a one hour test and failed it by just 16 points. This was a three hour test. Yay, me. This was going to be a torturous morning!

I arrived on time with a couple minutes to spare. I signed in, handed over my paperwork, and waited. And waited. After what seemed like three hours, I was called back to get started. My belly already started its morning rumble. My first tube of blood was drawn.. That wasn't so bad.. The technician handed me a bottle of Orange. It wasn't juice, it wasn't soda, it was just Orange. I had to chug it within five minutes. Sounds easy, doesn't it? It tasted like orange cough syrup; it was not easy. Especially on a very cranky and empty stomach! I told myself it was a liquor shot. I used to drink the grossest alcoholic drinks (before I was pregnant, of course!) and with no problem. This was harder because I knew I wasn't going to get a buzz.

It was already 8:30AM. Oy! I had to get my blood drawn three more times; once an hour. That means that I won't be eating any food til at least noon! I sat in the waiting room and was overwhelmed by people dressed in stale cigarette smoke and strong perfume. Okay, the wooziness was setting in. I found a 3 month old Parenting magazine and tried to focus on all the pretty babies. I tried to distract myself by texting on my cell phone. I hoped that would make the time pass.

It finally did. It was 9:30! I looked up and sent my subliminal message that an hour had passed. I overheard, "it's time for the Glucose Girl to get her blood drawn". Yup, that was me, Glucose Girl.

Back in my blood chair the technician pushed a needle in my arm. No problem... if I look away while it's going in, I don't notice the pain. Then I don't mind looking at the blood going into the tube. So I looked, and there wasn't any blood yet. What the hell? She started to move the needle around, in search of veins. OUCH!! She kept shifting the needle around, looking for gold. It was not going to happen for her. She apologized and tried my left arm. Yay. Luckily, when I looked away and then back at the tube, my precious red was flowing. Yippee. By this time, I swear my hand was turning purple. I started to see the world get floaty. I suppose that was the time the pure sugar I had the hour before was kicking in. Just about as soon as I notice the wavy surroundings, I felt my foot tap to a beat of its own. Yup, the sugar rush had officially started.

With this new energy, I was sent back to the lobby to wait another hour before my needle poke. I never felt so uncomfortable! I have decided that waiting three hours on an empty stomach with a baby kicking around in the belly would be the perfect form of torture! I felt Brady kick to his special beat; the one where he kicks the crap out of my cervix. He was probably as antsy as I was. I hadn't fed him since the night before. I repositioned myself and once again gagged on strong, over-priced perfume that hung in my nose from the stench in the room.

10:30 finally arrived and I went back for my third tube of blood. I complained to the technician that it really seemed unfair that a pregnant lady has to go through this. She told me that she had a woman who failed her first one-hour test by one point and had to do the three-hour test. One point! The technician and I agreed that if they had just told us to fast for the one-hour test, our results would be more accurate! I personally can smell a conspiracy. If they find that I do, in fact, have gestational diabetes, then this won't be all moot. But I have a feeling they won't find much more than the fact that I had Orange juice before my original testing appointment. Note to self: fast before first screening to avoid this experience in the future.

I was able to muddle through and survive the sugar crash before my final extractment at 11:30. It was so hard to not just pull up a chair and spread out and sleep. I almost asked if it would be okay to go to my car and nap. I survived though. The last vial taken, and I was a free woman! I called Kyle, told him to get ready, we were going to McDonald's!! What, did you expect something nutritious? Preggers needed some food NOW!

Hospital Tour

The much-anticipated hospital tour was last night. It surely wasn't what I was expecting, but at the same time, it was exactly what I thought it would be. After all, it is a hospital.

So we headed to the center with plenty of time to spare. It's only a fifteen minute drive from home, if we go the speed limit. I'm sure that when the labor time comes and we are speeding, we can cut that time in half! It was a little difficult to find close parking. We did manage to find a spot a few parking lots over. It's okay, pregger girl needs the exercise.

We went to the women's center and waited for the event to start. We were on time. That's rare for me lately, so that was nice. There was a wide range of people for this tour. There was the "perfect" red cardigan girl, we'll call her Red, who sat across from me. I think she was due in March. One girl was due in February and said she would have loved to schedule it for the upcoming weekend if she could, without having to have a c-section. Most women looked ready to "pop". I felt like I was touring a bit early in my pregnancy compared to them. There was a young couple with a belly barely 3 or 4 months. She barely even looked pregnant. I only have 12 weeks to go, I didn't feel so bad after seeing her. I figured it was safer than sorry to just get the peek at the hospital over with.

We start the tour and packed ten larger-than-life pregnant women and their significant others in an elevator. Fear of causing a crash did occur, but we were assured we were okay. We rode to the third floor and started touring the delivery rooms. I am relieved that all rooms have single beds. The tour guide mentioned that the dads can have a cot to sleep on and that they were pretty uncomfortable. Red's husband got brownie points from her for saying, "well, our discomfort won't even compare to what our wives are gonna go through". Gag me. Red proudly, or should I say, snidely, looked around to make sure we all heard what he had to say. We did, Red, he's great.

I was glad to hear that we are allowed up to three people in our birthing room. I plan to have Kyle, of course, and Cuz. They will help me to feel "normal" and will probably keep my spirits up. I like to crack them up and that will keep my mind off any pain I'm sure I will be having. Ours will be Cuz's first sight of actual birth. She has never seen her babies born or her grandbabies. It's so magical that she will see her first great grandbaby take his first breath! I'm just sure between Kyle and Cuz, they will be passed out on the floor while I am pushing. I'll be sure to bring my video camera for proof!

We moved on to c-section rooms and they weren't as pleasant. They had actual stretcher beds for wheeling into the operating rooms. As great as a planned delivery seems on paper, I think I would prefer getting over my fear of labor, because I know the healing process is quicker.

We toured the water birth room for Red. She "might" want to consider a water birth. How special. I do have to say the room was painted really sweet and I could really feel calm in there. But trade in granny-style wall paper and ugly borders in the delivery rooms for a water birth? No. That's right up there with the orgasmic birth for me. Might work for others, but a little to "new" for me. Let's just go old-fashioned.

Next, we went over to the postpartum area for moms and babies. We saw an adorably small baby in the nursery with his mom. She looked so tired and we were all giddy and gawking at her baby. Kyle felt so bad for her. But at least we were smiling at her. Intrusive? Yes. Cruel? No.

There is a great photography company that can do some pretty cute shots of the baby. I'm sure those will cost an arm and a leg, so we'll most likely pass. My digital camera will work fine for me. Gotta make sure to bring waterproof mascara. Don't want to look like a hot-mess in my pictures!

On our way back through to the delivery area Kyle hears a loud "PUSH, PUSH, PUSH!" to the beat of a ticking clock. I think I must have blocked that part out. He was a little white-faced after he heard that commotion. All I could hear was the wonderful shriek of a newborn's first cries. That was great for me. I'm really glad I didn't hear the "PUSH!!!". That would probably have had my nerves on end.

While waiting for an elevator for our herd, Red took a poll to see what everyone was having. We heard, "Girl", "We're having a boy", "We want it to be a boy", etc. Red counted that there were about four or five boys coming. I felt it was polite to ask her what she's having. I got an eye roll and a smug, "we don't know what we're having". I tried to keep the conversation going with, "oh, so you don't plan to find out until he or she is born?". I got a curt reply, "we want it to be a surprise". Her lip even did the snooty partial smile. I ended that conversation right then and there. Kyle said that he swears Red was giving me a dirty look the whole time we were there. Either I didn't notice, or I blocked it out, along with "PUSH". She was a special one, I could tell.

I got a good glimpse of how other new parents-to-be acted. A lot were very mushy. It was a bit over the top for me. We know how you got pregnant, we don't need a reenactment. We were on a hospital tour. It wasn't Disney World. Get a room. You might think I say this because I was jealous. I just don't see what is romantic about sterile hospital equipment and smelly cafeteria food. I know the event will be special and wonderful. I know that it will be scary and difficult. I know that it will be the best day of my life.

I'm really glad we went on the tour. I feel that a lot of my fears about where to go, where to park, and how the heck to we get to a room to give birth, have been put aside. I feel that now that the worry of the unknown is passed for location. Now I just have to prepare myself for the actual labor and delivery. Luckily I have a couple more months to get that situated in my head.

Pacifier Story & More

Tonight is our hospital tour! I am so excited!! I just called the hospital to confirm that they had both of our names on the list. We are set to go! It will start tonight at 7:15PM and go for about an hour. I'm pretty thrilled and I'm sure I'm annoying Kyle with text messages asking, "are you so excited for tonight???". Of course, he is a nice husband and says he is excited too.

I guess I am pretty thrilled to go on this tour because it will ease my mind. I will learn about the workings of the hospital and will feel less fear because at least I have seen the place. The whole experience won't be as frightening. I have a watermelon to push out of my body, I need as little stress and worry as possible!

I have been telling anyone who will listen about our upcoming milestone in my pregnancy. This tour means that this is really going to happen.. Duh, we knew that. But it's really going to happen, and within three months! I can't believe it. Part of me can't even remember what it must be like to not be pregnant. I can't even really remember being able to drink a beer or not worry about if my clothes will fit right. On the other hand, I feel like I have hardly been pregnant at all. This is going so fast! Oh, the complexities...

So, after telling my third person about my tour tonight, I got the "Pacifier Story".

You can tell first-time parents from second and third timers with a pacifier and how they handle it. A first time parent will boil it, boil everything, sterilize everything. If the pacifier falls out of the baby's mouth, it will be placed in a baggy and boiled first thing when they get home. A second child will get the "hot tap water treatment" on the pacifier and that is about it. The third child will get a quick pacifier swipe on the pants or the parent will put it in their mouth first, then it's back in the kid's mouth! It really is no wonder that the third child will probably have a healthier immune system than the first child. He actually had time to develop some defenses!!

I've been getting little tid bits and stories the bigger my belly gets. It's pretty fun, actually. I get sweet smiles at the mall and I get "are you okay in those shoes" questions a lot at work. It's really sweet. I got the pointer that after delivering my baby, I should stay at the hospital as long as my insurance will allow. I believe most allow 2 days for vaginal delivery and 3 for c-section. Moms recommend that I take advantage of having nurses and aids to help out with the newborn. I was told that most likely, we will want to hurry home and start our lives together. We will say we don't need any help. But then I was reminded that we will have the child in our home for 18 more years.... at least... and to take the help while we can. Heaven knows when the second child comes, there will be slightly fewer offers of help. Take it. So I might heed the advice... and watch myself and how I handle the pacifier!

Info on the Mucus Plug (warning, gross pic!)

Found this information online and wanted to post it for informational purposes... Beware, it's a bit explicit:


"Throughout pregnancy, a mucus plug blocks the opening of the cervix to prevent bacteria from entering the uterus. Before labor, this mucus plug is expelled so that the cervix can open to allow the baby to pass through during labor and birth.

How soon after my mucus plug passes will labor begin?
Passing a mucus plug is a sign that your cervix is dilating and your body is starting to prepare for birth. Labor could be hours, days, or even weeks away as the cervix gradually opens over time.

What does a mucus plug look like?
A mucus plug may be clear, slightly pink or blood tinged in color. It may be stringy mucus or sticky discharge. Some women may not even notice the loss of their mucus plug because there is already an increase in vaginal discharge during pregnancy.

When should I call my health care provider?
If the mucus seems normal in color, there is no need to contact your health care provider immediately. You may just want to let them know at your next visit.
You should call your health care provider immediately if your discharge suddenly becomes bright red and the amount is more than an ounce (about two tablespoons). You could be experiencing a complication such as placenta previa or placental abruption. "

Getting Crafty

Saturday morning I looked up some images of pregnancy online. I wanted to find a way to express my pregnant body in a way that wasn't trashy, but cute. I wanted to remember my form with a large belly and begged Kyle to help me put these ideas to fruition. So, armed with a digital camera and a cute pair of Iowa Hawkeye booties,we set to work. Here are some of the pictures that we created together. I'm sure that in a few more weeks my belly will be rounder. I actually had to push out the bump to make it look more pronounced!

Delusional and Pregnant, God Help Us

Just when I think that I finally have it all figured out.. I find out that I really have no clue what the heck I am doing. I find myself frazzled a lot lately. Maybe it is because I want things to be ready. Maybe I am nesting. Maybe I'm just being a worrywart. Who knows. Maybe it's because I really want things to be easygoing and simple. I want answers and I want them now.

I want to know that our delivery will be paid for and that we won't have to mortgage our arms and legs to pay for it. I want to know that our boy will be healthy and safe. I want to know that after he is born we will have all of our child care options weighed and figured out. I want to know that there is a plan and that it will all go as we hope. I want it all. I'm preggers, hear me whine!

Life really stresses me out to no end lately. I try so hard to just push it all to the back of my mind. I guess that stress comes with the territory of bringing a new life to the world. Becoming a mom doesn't start at birth.. it starts at conception. Most of the time I am pretty laid back and Kyle is really good about not letting things weigh him down too much. That helps me to not worry quite so much. He helps me to laugh and we do try to do our best to stay on the light side of things. To not let our stresses get the best of us. It's working well so far. I think that Brady is going to have some pretty stellar parents... if I do say so myself. It is my blog, after all.

On a more pleasant note, we have our first hospital tour tomorrow night. I'm pretty excited to go. I have been picking the minds of knowledgeable new moms about what to expect from this never ending process of paperwork and appointments. The hospital tour will show us where we can park in the middle of the night if we have to. We will be shown where to get admitted, where the nursery is. I'm excited because this makes everything seem even more real. It also freaks me the heck out. This means this is REALLY happening. This kicking boy in my belly will be out soon! Three more months!! I can't believe it.

I'm on the downward side of the pregnancy slope now. I really wish I was unconventionally wealthy. This way, I can just sit at home and daydream about our baby. Eat all the chocolate I want to and watch baby shows on TLC. I will be so calm and collected. But that would make for a very boring pregnancy. What is there to learn in life if it all goes "as planned" or if everything is easy. I suppose this is all to help us to grow. We will figure things out and when we look back, we will think how easy it all was and what the heck were we so worried about? Yeah, I'm delusional...

Orgasmic Birth?

I have to say that in my wildest imagination I would NEVER think of my upcoming labor experience as a chance to have an incredible orgasm. NEVER! So now, I see that there are women out there who choose to channel their physical pain and emotions into a feeling of pleasure and ecstasy. I just wanted to post this video to prove to myself that no matter how strange of an experience I am going to have in three months, it will never be as strange as having an orgasm during the delivery!

Goodness Gracious Gestational Diabetes

I had to test for gestational diabetes on Friday. It was an hour test and I got 155 and it should have been 139. So now I have to take a three hour test and fast prior to it starting at midnight the night before. Yuck. I hope I don't have gestational diabetes but I did hear that it is common in pregnancies and that it goes away after the birth.

The baby has a heartrate of 144 bpm which is right in the middle of the range he should be in :) I'm growing as I should, blood pressure is low, and my iron is good. Which is all good.

I had a bit of orange juice with my breakfast before my appointment and wondered if maybe I caused my blood sugar to be higher because of it. I was not told to fast, only to avoid foods with added sugar. I suppose that orange juice might be considered an added sugar drink. So I asked my sister, who has been living with diabetes since childhood, about it. This is what she had to say:

Gestational diabetes is really common and it does go away after pregnancy- typically within a couple of months. If you are positive for it, your baby will be plumper than average, but nothing really bad happens with it.

Since you have type 1 in your family, you have a tendency to contract some type of diabetes in your lifetime. If you are positive for gestational diabetes, you will most likely get type 2 in late adulthood.

Good news: 139 vs 155 is NOT REALLY THAT BIG A DEAL. i'd be concerned if you were in the 200s. I can test my blood at 5:50 and get 120, but test it at 5:51 and get 132 from the same finger and the same blood sample. Blood meters are usually about 20 mgl off at a time. Which is scary, but true.

I wouldn't worry so much. I would def get tested again- just to make sure nothing happens with your baby- but I wouldn't worry too much about it.

oh, and yes, OJ will do it. It is the highest sugar content in all the juices (natural sugar counts too). take a look at the carbs and the sugars underneath!

However, a normal human will digest all consumption within 2 hours. 2 hours after you eat, you should have a glucose around 100 or less.

So after her pointers I was relieved. I am still anxious about how I am going to survive a three hour test... Will I die from pure boredom? I was told you should try to eat every few hours to help your baby thrive. How are they going to make me go from midnight the night before without eating, and then drink a nasty sugary drink, and not have any food for three hours? This just seems like cruel and unusual punishment!!

Push 8 Pounds out of your BUTT!

OH-MY-GOODNESS!! I am so aggravated right now, I could just spit!! One of the guys I work with just asked me if I plan to give birth in a hospital. I said, "As opposed to home? Yes." Then he asked if I would do it in a birthing center and I replied that I wanted an epidural and I would rather be in a hospital in case of complications. He then proceeded to call me a chicken sh*t!! Oh-MY-Goodness!! I can't believe a GUY has the nerve to tell me that I'm chicken for not wanting to feel pain that is not required!! Childbirth is no picnic! He cries every time he gets a sniffle!!

So then I asked him, "would you want drugs to help you push out an 8 pound human from your butthole?" Of course he didn't get it. He probably figures they don't compare. He even asked, "why would I push it out of my butthole?". Ugh!! Men!

This explains how I feel about this: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/3070,life,shes-gotta-have-it,6

Short on time, long on love

There are some sad news in the Hollywood world. John Travolta's son died over the weekend. He was only 16 years old. Travolta was a very committed and loving father. I couldn't even begin to imagine the trauma and pain he must be feeling over the loss of his young son. Matt Bryant of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost his baby son a few months back in his sleep. How do people ever cope? From what I've been hearing, a baby will fill you with more love than you've ever thought possible. You will love from the crevices and nooks of your heart you didn't even know could hold love. I have yet to feel this, from what I have been hearing. I do love my unborn baby boy with all of my heart. But until I actually hold him, I suppose there is a bond that I have yet to form.

So this love you grow with the birth of your own child got me to thinking about life in general. Life is really so short. And it can be cut even shorter so abruptly, at any time. Silly things in life don't really matter much at all. The right type of clothing, car, house... none of that matters. It's hard to realize that. I know that we just have to do the best we can. There is no real need to strive for material things, as they hold no importance. Love really is all we need. Not to be cliche, I just believe it to be so.

I'm about to become a mom. I will no longer just be me, myself and I. I will be a MOM. A little person is going to look up to me for everything in his life until he can figure things on his own (doesn't that start at twelve?). My parents will become grandparents. My grandparents will be great grandparents. A whole section of our family line will be formed. My siblings and I are no longer the "kids" of the family. With the birth of our son, he will start the new line of "kids".

Is this what our parents felt when they first started their families? We are so young. How do we know anything about children? We just all go about our everyday lives and don't think about the reason we are here. We just worry about "stupid" things like bills and worldly things. We don't ever seem to put our families and friends first as much as we should. We don't seem to treasure life as much as we do when there is a new life.

I know that giving birth to our boy will bring a new meaning to life. We will feel a powerful love that we have never felt in our lives. From what I've heard, becoming a parent can really transform a person. I choose to let it transform me. I remember talking to Kyle about how it's going to be so strange to not think of myself first. I won't get to do what I want, when I want. Our boy will always come first. He reassured me that it will come naturally. I love that he has faith in my ability to be a good mom.

I don't feel that I will be the best mom ever created. I know I will make mistakes. I know that our son will one day resent me... but then he will get over it. He will know I did the best I could with what I had. I won't be the best mom in the world, but I WILL be the best mom I can be. For my son. For our family. We are only with each other for a short period. Years really aren't that long. I've got to remember to always cherish my family. Through thick and thin, dirty laundry on the floor, dirty house and dishes.

The New Year starts with a WIN!

Just wanted to post a quick note about the Iowa Hawkeyes... Well, they WON the 2009 Outback Bowl!! They beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 31-10! If this is any indication of our year to come, we have a great one ahead!!

This was an exhilarating experience for me!! My first college football game!! I am so excited that they won! Kyle was grinning from ear to ear the whole game! It started off with a bang!! The Hawkeyes looked poised and disciplined. The Gamecocks were struggling from the beginning. At one point, Kyle shouted "interception" right before the quarterback from the Gamecocks threw. He won his wish! It was incredible!! The energy of a college football crowd can not even compare to the pro football crowds. We've been to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa several times for Buccaneer games. They haven't had the energy with 65,000 people that I could feel with only 55,000! It was electrifying!!

This will not be my last Iowa game, but it might have been my first and only chance to go to a bowl game. I feel so fortunate and especially pleased that they won! I am so happy and look to this great event as a promise of good things to come for our new year. 2009 is looking up!!