We had our first ultrasound appointment on the sixth (I know, I know... it's taken me nine days to post). I was desperately hoping to find out if we should be getting ready for Jack or Lily. So far whenever I refer to the baby I say "E"... not HE, not SHE... just E - which everyone seems to hear as HE. Anyway... Baby would not co-operate. E was all bunched up, refused to give us even a small glimpse of it's privates. I mean really. Modesty at this age? Come on. So it continues to be E.
One interesting development discovered at the ultrasound was our new due date. Apparently we had it wrong. We're not due on the 25th, we're due July 14th. Not really sure how we messed that one up. Not really sure how I was even fertile at that point. LOL But it is what it is. I like the 14th better anyway - less Summer heat at that point. ;) The less I have to sit, sweltering in 30+ (celcius) degree heat, with an enormous belly, the better.
A not so nice development with our little one, that really was amazing, and interesting, and cool, and fabulous at first, is all the movement E does. Now, I say that it started out absolutely amazing... it really did. To feel it moving inside me, turning, kicking... it was breath taking. Well... now it literally is breath taking. The little bugger honestly knocks the wind right out of me! It gets down right painful, especially when E does it in the middle of a contraction (braxton hicks, nothing to worry about). Good grief!
Can we talk about lack of sleep? Our little monster seems to have it's days and nights all mixed up. E's usually pretty quiet during the day... a half hour of activity here, ten minutes there... but come ten p.m. or later??? You'd think E was a kick boxing champion! It's really not unusual for it to wake me up four or five times during the night with it's gymnastics routines. It's really starting to worry me! If E is this active now, what the heck did we get ourselves into?!?!?!? Forget AD/HD... this goes beyond all that, we're going to earn our own set of "special" letters!
Anyway... I'm hungry (again). So I'm signing off. Take care. And right before you drift off for an uninterrupted, dreamy, full nights sleep - think of me.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Black or With Cream?
I decided I needed a maternity swimsuit. I'd like to take some neonatal aqua motion classes, and well, my current bathing suit just isn't going to do the trick. Trying to squeeze into that would be like a really bad joke - or one of those showing up at school naked dreams. Not a pleasant thought.
Our first stop was a store called Thyme Maternity. They're normally a great spot for anything hip and trendy for soon to be moms. I wasn't in the mood to really look around (baby pushing against organs, causing some cramping, and what not), so as soon as I walked in the door I immediately asked for someone to point me in the right direction.
Seeing how spring is just around the corner, and most retail shops receive their spring wear and bathing suits in January I figured this would be a piece of cake. Lots of fun, vibrant, colours and great styles to choose from. What I saw in front of me was one rack... with four plain, boring, down right ugly, black swimsuits. One tankini (my preferred style) and three one pieces. I'm sure my jaw hit the floor.
"Can I start a fitting room for you?"
"Uhhhh... sure. I'll try all of them."
What covered my newly larger breasts, was baggy and saggy in the butt. What fit in the butt, had my boobs popping out all over the place. Even if I had liked any of these suits, I'd be plum out of luck.
Next stop... the mall. Ugh. Not my favorite place on an ordinary day. Today, it just seemed like a cruel joke being played out by fate.
There is a store in the midtown plaza (Saskatchewans largest mall - and my least favorite place in Saskatoon) that I always hit when I'm ready for a new swimsuit. All they do is swim wear and swim related gear. Fabulous selection, knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere, a bit pricier than other shops - but well worth it. Figured they'd have at least eight or nine styles to choose from. I love this store.
Five bathing suits. Four of them mirror images of one another. Black one piece with contrasting trim, matching tankini. Identical Brown one piece with contrasting trim, matching tankini. Then down, at the very bottom rack... a plain BLUE tankini. Only three in stock, and they happen to be on sale (must be last years style, as apparently the newest trend in maternity swimsuits is modeled after funeral wear). There is one, a size larger than I usually wear. Figure it's worth trying on... figure they're all worth trying on. Again, I hear myself telling the sales person, "I'll try them all."
Not impressed with the black suits... but at least they fit both my breasts and my bottom. Wanted to gag when trying the brown suits... my newly darkened hair blended right in and made me want to cry (dang hormones). The blue suit, while nothing special, was blue. I love blue swimsuits. All my favorite swimsuits have been some shade of blue, it matches my eyes... and just says something about the serene quality to be found underwater where no one cares to bother you, where you can just relax and breathe deep. The blue swimsuit fit (gotta love the weight gain that often accompanies pregnancy). I bought the blue swimsuit.
Just for "fun", we stopped by a shop called Motherhood. I noticed a sign out front that said SALE, so figured it couldn't hurt to look around.
"Welcome to Motherhood!"
A chipper voice floated out, smiled, and slapped me across the face.
Good gawd... is THAT what this was? I stopped in my tracks, and had to think about it for a second.
"Heh. Yeah." I couldn't even bring myself to look at the sales lady behind the counter. Face forward to avoid any chance at eye contact. Found the swimsuits on my own.... and was glad I bought one already.
It was time to run away and have a smoothie.
Our first stop was a store called Thyme Maternity. They're normally a great spot for anything hip and trendy for soon to be moms. I wasn't in the mood to really look around (baby pushing against organs, causing some cramping, and what not), so as soon as I walked in the door I immediately asked for someone to point me in the right direction.
Seeing how spring is just around the corner, and most retail shops receive their spring wear and bathing suits in January I figured this would be a piece of cake. Lots of fun, vibrant, colours and great styles to choose from. What I saw in front of me was one rack... with four plain, boring, down right ugly, black swimsuits. One tankini (my preferred style) and three one pieces. I'm sure my jaw hit the floor.
"Can I start a fitting room for you?"
"Uhhhh... sure. I'll try all of them."
What covered my newly larger breasts, was baggy and saggy in the butt. What fit in the butt, had my boobs popping out all over the place. Even if I had liked any of these suits, I'd be plum out of luck.
Next stop... the mall. Ugh. Not my favorite place on an ordinary day. Today, it just seemed like a cruel joke being played out by fate.
There is a store in the midtown plaza (Saskatchewans largest mall - and my least favorite place in Saskatoon) that I always hit when I'm ready for a new swimsuit. All they do is swim wear and swim related gear. Fabulous selection, knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere, a bit pricier than other shops - but well worth it. Figured they'd have at least eight or nine styles to choose from. I love this store.
Five bathing suits. Four of them mirror images of one another. Black one piece with contrasting trim, matching tankini. Identical Brown one piece with contrasting trim, matching tankini. Then down, at the very bottom rack... a plain BLUE tankini. Only three in stock, and they happen to be on sale (must be last years style, as apparently the newest trend in maternity swimsuits is modeled after funeral wear). There is one, a size larger than I usually wear. Figure it's worth trying on... figure they're all worth trying on. Again, I hear myself telling the sales person, "I'll try them all."
Not impressed with the black suits... but at least they fit both my breasts and my bottom. Wanted to gag when trying the brown suits... my newly darkened hair blended right in and made me want to cry (dang hormones). The blue suit, while nothing special, was blue. I love blue swimsuits. All my favorite swimsuits have been some shade of blue, it matches my eyes... and just says something about the serene quality to be found underwater where no one cares to bother you, where you can just relax and breathe deep. The blue swimsuit fit (gotta love the weight gain that often accompanies pregnancy). I bought the blue swimsuit.
Just for "fun", we stopped by a shop called Motherhood. I noticed a sign out front that said SALE, so figured it couldn't hurt to look around.
"Welcome to Motherhood!"
A chipper voice floated out, smiled, and slapped me across the face.
Good gawd... is THAT what this was? I stopped in my tracks, and had to think about it for a second.
"Heh. Yeah." I couldn't even bring myself to look at the sales lady behind the counter. Face forward to avoid any chance at eye contact. Found the swimsuits on my own.... and was glad I bought one already.
It was time to run away and have a smoothie.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Heartbeats!
Yesterday I had a check-up with my OB/GYN (who is wonderful, btw). I'd hoped we'd be doing our first ultrasound, but no luck. However something rather amazing happened during our visit. Damon and I got to hear the baby's heartbeat. It was the strangest thing. Very honestly, I'm still a little put back by it. There simply aren't words to describe hearing that fast, rhythmic beating coming from ones gut (which is not a place associated with any poetic connections of the heart).
Dr. Payton initially found the heartbeat as soon as she placed the stethoscope on my stomach. The stethoscope, I should add, was fitted with a speaker so that the slushing, gurgling sound of my insides filled the small sterile room. Before I realized what had happened she quietly exclaimed "Oh! It's moving.", and adjusted the instrument so it was further onto my right side... where the beating again resumed with much strength and seeming enthusiasm over the simple act of being.
Everything was over within a matter of a minute and a half, but a day later and I'm still reeling from the experience. Damon phoned my parents and his own to share the news. I talked to my little sister, Jewles. Being twelve, her summation of the experience boiled down to one statement: "That's Weird."
Elaborating, at seeing my slightly inquisitive head tilt, she went on.
"For one body to have to heartbeats"
Yep. She's right. It is weird, as so many "everyday miracles" are.
Dr. Payton initially found the heartbeat as soon as she placed the stethoscope on my stomach. The stethoscope, I should add, was fitted with a speaker so that the slushing, gurgling sound of my insides filled the small sterile room. Before I realized what had happened she quietly exclaimed "Oh! It's moving.", and adjusted the instrument so it was further onto my right side... where the beating again resumed with much strength and seeming enthusiasm over the simple act of being.
Everything was over within a matter of a minute and a half, but a day later and I'm still reeling from the experience. Damon phoned my parents and his own to share the news. I talked to my little sister, Jewles. Being twelve, her summation of the experience boiled down to one statement: "That's Weird."
Elaborating, at seeing my slightly inquisitive head tilt, she went on.
"For one body to have to heartbeats"
Yep. She's right. It is weird, as so many "everyday miracles" are.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Fat, Fat, Fat
Well, I'm definitely showing. All my clothes are way to tight around the midriff. I honestly don't mind showing. I'm actually looking forward to having the big pregnant belly. What I don't like is my current state. I don't look pregnant, I look fat. Seriously. It's not cool. Thank goodness it's winter - and I can hide inside my winter jacket wherever we go. ;)
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Blonde No More
I was in the master bathroom at my parents house... a room with fabulous light. Half asleep I glanced into the mirror. What normally would have remained nothing more than a quick glance before returning to bed became a long stare. It took a second for my exhausted eyes to focus. Completely bewildered. Such a thing could not happen to me. The girl with the perfect head of strawberry blonde hair.
From my time in beauty school, studying cosmetology almost a decade ago, I knew that some women experience a change in the chemistry of their hair due to pregnancy. This change can manifest itself in many ways, one of the most noticeable being that blondes may simply cease to be blondes. I also knew that my mother was a blonde child, but I had always known her as a mousy brunette. None of this had entered my conscious mind as something that might effect ME... not until tonight.
I tried to go back to sleep after the disturbing image in the mirror, but I could not. I have so long defined myself as a blonde. I loved my hair colour, would never dream of changing it. People, complete strangers, would complement me on my lovely lovely hair. It will never happen again.
As of tonight, I must step up and claim this colour that I don't recognize as my own. Tonight I saw, not my own beautiful blonde head of hair, but the bland brown hair of a stranger in the mirror.
Now... in my defense... I'm not saying that brunette is an ugly colour. There are some gorgeous shades of brunette that any woman could be proud to claim as her own... however, none of those are to be found on my newly dulled crown.
blah, boring, mousy, yuck
I didn't realize I was still this shallow, but there it is.
Even my eyebrows have darkened. My crowning glory has diminished... Like a light having been put out. If I'd have known those were my last weeks with my blonde locks, I would have treasured them so much more. Spent more time in the sunlight. Taken more pictures. I would have waited to have cut my hair.
Regrets of a former blonde.
From my time in beauty school, studying cosmetology almost a decade ago, I knew that some women experience a change in the chemistry of their hair due to pregnancy. This change can manifest itself in many ways, one of the most noticeable being that blondes may simply cease to be blondes. I also knew that my mother was a blonde child, but I had always known her as a mousy brunette. None of this had entered my conscious mind as something that might effect ME... not until tonight.
I tried to go back to sleep after the disturbing image in the mirror, but I could not. I have so long defined myself as a blonde. I loved my hair colour, would never dream of changing it. People, complete strangers, would complement me on my lovely lovely hair. It will never happen again.
As of tonight, I must step up and claim this colour that I don't recognize as my own. Tonight I saw, not my own beautiful blonde head of hair, but the bland brown hair of a stranger in the mirror.
Now... in my defense... I'm not saying that brunette is an ugly colour. There are some gorgeous shades of brunette that any woman could be proud to claim as her own... however, none of those are to be found on my newly dulled crown.
blah, boring, mousy, yuck
I didn't realize I was still this shallow, but there it is.
Even my eyebrows have darkened. My crowning glory has diminished... Like a light having been put out. If I'd have known those were my last weeks with my blonde locks, I would have treasured them so much more. Spent more time in the sunlight. Taken more pictures. I would have waited to have cut my hair.
Regrets of a former blonde.
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