Friday, April 28, 2006

Bed Rest & Dilating, 36.5 weeks

I've been on bed rest for about a week now. My blood pressure is high and I'm retaining water like a camel. My ankles look like manatees. I'm irritable and emotional, getting upset over the littlest things. I've dilated, but no more than two centimeters. Bud's still in there, squirming around, keeping his feet tucked way up in my rib cage. I stayed in the hospital Monday night for observation, but there weren't any huge changes. I'm going back again next week for more observation.

Pregnancy Highlights:
How far along: 36.5 weeks.
Size of baby: The length of a head of romaine lettuce!
Total weight gain/loss: A lot, apparently. 40 pounds...
Maternity clothes: I haven't been wearing pants much lately, unless we leave the house. My belly is too uncomfortable.
Gender: Still a boy.
Movement: So much movement. Kicks, punches, and hiccups.
Sleep: Not so much. I'm uncomfortable.
What I miss: Sleep.
Cravings: Sleep, haha.
Symptoms: Uncomfortable. Heavy. Tired. Crabby. Fat. Difficulty bending over.
Best moment this week: One week closer to delivery! Less than 4 weeks to go.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Identity Theft and 34 Weeks

Zac and I went with my parents to New Orleans for Kylie's birthday party. My feet are killing me and I've got blisters from walking around in the worst shoes because of course. There was a nice employee at Hot Topic who offered me a bandaid. As we were leaving, Zac used the ATM to get some cash out for lunch, but we had a large negative number looking at us. He called the bank and discovered someone was using his debit card number to buy cell phone minutes and rare coins (what even). I have a suspicion it was someone at the fast food place we stopped at on our way to the city. She kept our card for a longer-than-normal amount of time before returning it to us. It'll take a few days, but everything should be okay.


I went to my OB appointment and discovered I've got high blood pressure, which explains why my limbs keeps swelling up. I don't know if it's from the stress of moving or just being huge, or anxiety of being a mother, but I've got to do something about it. The heat outside isn't helping, I'm sure. Humidity is the worst. I go back to see Dr. N on Thursday to get my blood pressure checked again and to get the Group B strep screen. If my results are positive, I'll have to be hospitalized for observation. If my blood pressure stays high or gets higher, or if I start cramping or get headaches that don't go away with pain-killers, I'll have to be induced to get Bud out ASAP. I've got six more weeks to go, more or less. I'm just ready for this all to be done and I'm ready to hold my little Bud and be a family. Meanwhile, I'm confined to bed rest.

Pregnancy Highlights:
How far along: 34 weeks.
Size of baby: A cantaloupe!
Total weight gain: Too much. Grr.
Maternity clothes: Pajamas.
Gender: Still a boy.
Movement: Oh yes.
Sleep: Not as much as I'd like, even though I'm usually super tired.
What I miss: Not being pregnant.
Cravings: Spicy and salty foods.
Symptoms: Tired, hip and back pain, occasional headaches.
Best moment this week: Bud is healthy and measuring on target. The end is so close, but so far.

Sunday, April 16, 2006

The Belly

In high school, I struggled with my body image, so I haven't posted many belly pictures. It's something I've dealt with for years and right now, watching my body do things out of my control is scary and slightly traumatic. I'm reminding myself to think of Bud and not be selfish, but when you have a state of mind for so long, it's hard to change the perspective. I'm working on it. So, behold, a big baby belly.


Mom had an Easter lunch gathering for the family, so Zac and I made the trip to Mississippi to see everyone. Meredith gave me a ton of much-needed maternity clothes and some baby items. I can finally wear pants that button.