Week 34

I received two comments from strangers on the size of my belly this week. One of them was innocent enough, I suppose. I was buying some Packer baby booties (I know this baby will be born in Minnesota, but I couldn't resist), and the shopkeeper said, "So you're having a summer baby?" Well, no. At least, not if all goes as planned. The OTHER comment though. Ugh! While I was shopping at Kohl's, a man came up to me and said, "Is this your first? I think you need to buy a one-year-old outfit for that baby! Trust me!" I wanted to tell him to F off, but I didn't because Clare was there. Really? You think a child the size of a one-year-old can fit in here? Give me a break!

The Baby: Is about 4 and 3/4 pounds; the size of a cantaloupe. 

Weight gain: About 19 pounds. And it is all out front, which may be why SOME PEOPLE think I am carrying a one-year-old.

I’m Feeling: Same as last week. Just tired, etc.

What I'm enjoying: Watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix. So good!

What I'm worrying about: How I am going to handle everything once the baby comes. I am not ready! I doubt I'll ever be ready.

Movement: The baby is quite the late night party animal, which keeps me awake, but since this might be my last pregnancy I am trying to enjoy the kicking.


Clare: She has been on my last nerve the past few days - my patience is low with the heat and my just generally being uncomfortable. Nap time has been particularly trying. In fact, she is upstairs screaming at the top of her lungs as I write this. I hope she'll settle down soon. I CANNOT have her giving up naps. 

Despite being annoying at times, I have to laugh at her accessorizing. She is just such a GIRL about some things.

And yes, she still has that pacifier. That is not a battle I am ready to fight just yet.

Week 33

I am tired. I am huge. I am ready for the baby to be born. I am not ready for the baby to be born. It is a mixed bag over here.

I was pretty energetic during the first few days of our trip to the cabin, and then all of a sudden my body remembered I was pregnant. A canoeing day trip and two short hikes did me right in. I decided I better take it slow for the remainder of the trip. Although, I have to say, my back felt better than it has in weeks, so maybe keeping it loose is the answer.

At my last appointment, the baby was head down, but I have been experiencing some of those lovely cervical kicks the past few days, so maybe it has moved, or maybe it is just punching me, I don't know. I didn't have those with Clare, and all I can say is OUCH. They hurt.

I don't think this baby is as active as Clare was, but maybe it is just that I am more active this time. When I was pregnant with Clare I was sitting at a desk five days a week and commuting an hour a day, not chasing a very energetic (and somewhat bratty) 2-year-old around the park.

When I was pregnant with Clare,  I went on a Harry Potter kick. All I wanted to do was reread Harry Potter - I had no interest in reading anything else. This time it is Jane Austen. I have been rereading my favorite Austen novels and watching my various Austen DVDs. Oh, and my sister and I went to see Pride and Prejudice at the Guthrie. I didn't think Pete Campbell could pull off Mr. Darcy, but he did.

My goal for this week: finally set up the baby's room. It is still not unpacked. It also occurred to me that it might be a good idea to have a diaper changing station downstairs as well so I don't have to constantly walk up and down the stairs to change the baby. I know! I am a genius. Because duh.

Ben and I finally had a real discussion about names. (Sidebar: before our discussion, every time I mentioned the topic he would insist that we name the baby George. He doesn't really like this name, he was just trying to irritate me. Well, you can imagine his glee when the royal baby was named George. Sigh.) Anyway, I don't really have a favorite of the names we picked out. I like them all, but I am not super excited about any of them. Anyone have any cute name ideas they'd like to share? Maybe I should be one of those people who puts a poll on Facebook and decides on the name that way. Or not.

So in summary, 33 weeks: tired, fat, not ready, ready. Oh, and Ben thinks I am going to walk around the State Fair in a few weeks. HAHAHAHA. Ha. I would like someone to bring me a Pronto Pup and some Sweet Martha's Cookies, though. I'll be here on the couch watching Sense and Sensibility for the 50th time.

On the Gunflint Trail

Family time, canoeing, lakes, hiking, flowers, wild blueberries, wild raspberries, lemonade, hot chocolate, fudge, Grand Marais, Lake Superior, Grand Portage, BWCA day trips, ice cream sandwiches, World's Best Donuts, girls lunch out, Cribbage, Cranium, relay races, tacos, hamburgers, chicken kabobs, s'mores, millions of stars, loons, eagles, overly friendly chipmunks, swimming in ice cold water, reading, talking, napping, repeat.

Bits and Pieces: July

Clare has been two for almost two months now. I wouldn't say she's hit the terrible twos, but oh my God there are days. She's even been punished a few times. I gave her a time out once, and she hated it. Since then, the threat of a time out is usually enough to get her moving. Because usually her biggest offense is that she is not listening.

Other than that, though, Clare is doing pretty great. She is talking in complete sentences most of the time. In fact, she narrates everything that is going on. She also repeats everything I say, just with "Mommy" in front of it to make it clear who said it. She loves to sing, and sings along with lots of different songs. Her favorites are the ABCs and the Wheels on the Bus. For some reason when she sings the ABCs she develops a cockney accent a la Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins around the letter J. I don't know why.

We started potty training, sort of. She actually went number two in the potty a few weeks ago, but when the water splashed her behind, she became hysterical and has refused to sit on the potty ever since. I don't want to force her, so I think we'll put potty training on hold for a little while. And as I've been told by over sharing waitresses, Clare will probably completely regress when the baby comes, so what is the point in potty training now, right?

She still loves reading, and now reads books to herself. She has memorized a collection of Winnie the Pooh books that I have read to her several times, and she'll sit in bed and read them out loud. She usually gets the words right, complete with a loud "the end" .

After swimming lessons, Clare and I will sometimes lay in my bed and rest. She gets pretty worn out at the pool (although she loves it, and refuses to get out even when it is so cold that her lips are turning blue), so we need a little quiet time. She usually either commands me to put my "eyes down" or "eyes up" and for some reason I find that to be incredibly cute. I am trying to enjoy all of our snuggles together, even though soon Clare won't be able to sit on my lap. I am glad we've had this summer together, before the changes that fall will bring. Despite the occasional time out, Clare is, at least in my opinion, a pretty awesome kid.

***

When we were in Evansville over the Fourth of July, we took Clare to the parade. She hated it. We had to leave and go to the coffee shop. It was really loud, and Clare just does not like loud noises. I hope she outgrows this fear soon.

With Grandma Jo, before the parade of terror began.

With Baba Ralph and Daddy - showing off Daddy's medal from that morning's race. He came in third!

She did enjoy playing in the yard and roasting marshmallows that night, however. I think she was really more interested in eating the marshmallows than roasting them, but who isn't?

We also went to the zoo with Uncle Robby, Aunt Andri, and Grandma Jo. Clare had a blast, so at least she is over her fear of animals, at least when they are in cages. She still doesn't love dogs.

Ben took Clare to his uncle's cabin for the day a few weeks ago. The picture below would lead you to believe she liked riding on the boat. She did not. It was also TOO LOUD.

She had fun with her cousin Gavin, though. And yes, I purposely packed a Packers sweatshirt for her. Ben got me back by hanging the Vikings schedule on our fridge.

Hope everyone has a great rest of summer!

Moved

Our house is finally starting to feel like home. Are there still boxes to unpack? Yes. Are there still pictures to hang? Most definitely. However, there are also toys on the floor, dishes in the cupboard, and clothes in the closet. It is starting to feel like a place where we are living, not just staying for awhile.

Our first dinner in our new house.

Before we moved in, I spent several hours cleaning. I was upstairs, looking at the closed door to Clare's room. I had a sudden flash of my future - Clare closing the door against me, her dad, her sibling, the world. Writing her blog, talking on her phone, or maybe laughing at how dated the words "blog" and "phone" are, even though her lame mother insists on continuing to use them.

New furniture, old $20 coffee table.

Despite our house coming together, our yard has not. Ben insisted on buying a push reel lawn mower, but he has only used it once because he only cuts the grass once every three weeks or so. He ends up having to rent an gas-powered mower to cut through the jungle of our yard. Our new neighbors are very nice, but I am sure they are cringing at the sight of our lawn.

In the midst of unpacking, Clare found room for her shopping cart.

We decided to put new counter tops in the kitchen. We debated whether to do it now or later, and whether to go with the stylish black counters or get what we liked. We decided to get what we liked, and enjoy them for as long as we live in the house rather than waiting and living with the horrible counters that were here when we moved in.

We were without a kitchen for some time, but it was worth it when the counters were finally in.

Oh, and this happened:

Clare is now sleeping in a twin bed. We put her on the mattress for her nap on move in day, and that night she informed us in no uncertain terms that she would no longer be sleeping in her crib. She wanted to sleep in the twin bed. I was thrilled - we were hoping to make this transition before the baby came, so all the better that it happened in June. The crib is set up in the baby's room, and Clare has only asked to sleep in it once. I reminded her of her bed in her room, and she thought about it for a few minutes. Then she nodded, pointed at the crib, and said, "Baby's." YES.

On the day of my cleaning spree, I looked out the side window in our bedroom. Our house neighbors a school, and the playground is across a large expanse of black top next to the house. I imagined one day calling out of that window for the kids to come home, dinner is ready. Yes, this house definitely feels like our home.

Clare watching the kids at the school, filled with envy.

Week 30

I've had a lot of people ask me when I am due, and when I tell them the date (October 2), their eyes immediately look at my stomach and then back at me, with some disbelief. I don't think I am that big, but it is all just right out in front. On the bright side, the receptionist at my clinic told me I didn't look pregnant until I turned to the side, so I felt good about that.

The Baby: Is nearly 3 pounds, the size of a large cabbage. Speaking of cabbage, I tried to make coleslaw from the cabbage we received as part of our CSA, and it did not turn out at all. I hate it when that happens. Ben still gamely ate it, though, like he does every recipe I make that doesn't turn out. Luckily, there aren't that many of them. 

Weight gain: About 16 pounds, same as last time I updated here.

I’m Feeling: My back really, really hurts. And it is not pregnancy pain, it is an injury of some kind. I thought it was just a strained muscle, but it keeps getting worse. I am hoping for a call back from my doctor tomorrow with a referral to a physical therapist. Otherwise I feel fine, though. Just tired, but what. is. new.

Cravings/Aversions: Ice cream! I want all of it.

What I'm enjoying: Clare started swimming lessons this week, and it has been really fun. She loves being in the water, and so do I. We practice floating and jumping in and blowing bubbles. She cried today when it was time to go home. 


What I'm worrying about: I had my glucose screening and failed. I had to go back for the 3 hour test, which was not a huge treat. (Although I did get to sit and read magazines for 3 hours, so despite having my blood drawn four times and having to drink the drink again, I guess it wasn't the worst thing ever.) Anyway, I spent the next few days worrying while I waited for my results. I looked up all sorts of information about gestational diabetes. This turned out to be a huge waste of time because I passed.

A more current worry, or thought: labor.  More specifically, do I want to try to do any thing differently this time. I am seriously considering a water birth, which Ben thinks is crazy, but he doesn't get a say. My midwife actually suggested it as a way to avoid medication. I am torn as to whether I want to do that, or just say screw it, get the epidural, and hope for the best.

Movement: We're at that stage where the baby is rolling in there. We see an elbow or a knee here and there. It is kind of awesome.


Clare: My midwife made some suggestions on how to handle Clare's visit to the hospital to meet the baby. Her thoughts: Clare should give the baby a present, the baby should give Clare a present, the baby should be in the nursery when Clare gets there and then we should all go get the baby together, and her visit should be short. Any advice from those who've done this before would be appreciated! I want to make Clare as much a part of this whole thing as possible.

Not Helpful

Last weekend, I went to dinner with some of my best girlfriends. When the waitress came to our table, she noticed that another friend and I are pregnant, and we told her we are both having our second child. She turned to my friend Chelsea and said "Have you told them?" I know what we were all thinking, "Told them what?"

"Oh, that is it's own special kind of hell," the waitress said.

Huh?

"The other day, I found my child smearing the contents of his diaper on his brother," she helpfully added. "I am excited for you, but worried for you, too."

She later came back to our table to tell us the tale of her friend, who has a 2-year-old daughter. This daughter was the only child and grandchild, and when the new baby came "it did not go well. At. All. The daughter completely regressed and is having all sorts of problems." (Why yes, Clare is the only child and grandchild.)

Now, this was at a nice restaurant. Not Perkins. (Not that there is anything wrong with Perkins.) She spent a long time at our table talking about this. I don't know about you, but I do not find this kind of thing helpful. At all.

I am well aware that having a second child is going to be challenging. It is going to change everything. I know this. But having someone who doesn't even know me go on and on about how terrible it is going to be, while I am trying to enjoy a nice dinner with my girlfriends no less, is incredibly irritating.

I try really hard not to give unsolicited advice to other moms or moms-to-be. I hope I would never do anything like this. Because really. Shut up.