Update #1

Doctor appointment this morning went swimmingly.

First, I ran into a couple from baby class who had been absent for the last 2 classes, and they were there with their sweet new little boy Callum. They went for a C-section because they were told his head was in the 90th percentile (which turns out it wasn't), BUT, the cord was wrapped around his neck twice, so they were very thankful they chose the C-section.

Now, before I go on, I have a confession to make. I have kept something from you all this whole time. For the duration of my pregnancy, I have had 2 Due Dates. The first one was based on my first ultrasound at 11 weeks. The second was based on my 'cycle'. Naturally, I've been going by the 'soonest' date - which was the ultrasound date - which was July 7th. My doctor however, has been going by a different date...today, July 10th. So, according to her, today is the day I am due. Now that I've gotten that secret off my chest, I will continue...

My exam this morning revealed that I am 1 centimeter dilated, my cervix is softening and moving forward, baby has dropped and he his still head down. Boy did that put a smile on my face. She 'stretched' my cervix in the hopes that it would naturally induce labour...we shall see.

Because we are now considered officially 'Post Dates' we now have an ultrasound schedule and a tentative induction date. So, regardless of what happens, July 21st is the day. We will have a baby in our arms by July 21st (or sooner).

I will update here as things progress...until then my friends!

Wellington Watch, 40 weeks

40 weeks

Weight gain so far: 34 lbs

Doctor Appointment:

Next appointment is this Friday, so nothing to new to report. If anything interesting happens at the check-up, I'll post it on Friday.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) Well, as you can tell from our ticker, we have passed our initial due date. I'm feeling okay with that. At first, I was hoping he'd wait until I was done work on June 26th. Then, I was hoping he'd wait until July 1st - our wedding anniversary, and maybe even decide to show up that day. Now, I just hope he comes before the doctors want to induce me. We have some time before that happens...so Wellington - pick your day and come on out!

2) One thing that has really surprised me is how 'ready' I feel to have this baby. So far, I have no debilitating fears of labour & delivery, and I feel confident that Warren & I will be a good team and take good care of him once he's here. I didn't think I'd feel like that - I expected to be petrified and full of self-doubt.

What Will Wellington Look Like?

Thought I'd have some fun and post some of our own baby photos, so that when our son is born we can have a look and see who he resembles most.

Here are some of my favorite photos of Warren as a little guy:

And, some of yours truly:

And this last one is just to make my mom cry:

Wellington Watch, 39 weeks

39wks

Weight gain so far: 31.5lbs

Doctor Appointment:

Sadly, again, nothing new. Only thing she mentioned was that my belly had shrunk! She said Wellington has 'stretched out' (meaning that my baby isn't shrinking, thank goodness!). I think this means he is preparing himself for the journey ahead, making himself long & skinny for an easy exit :-)

Personally, my theory for this supposed 'shrinkage' is that a resident doctor took my measurements for the last 2 weeks, and maybe the resident measures from slightly different points than my regular OBGYN.

Warren Story:

No really good nuggets this week. Only thing I can say is that he is READY to meet Wellington. And he's been very stressed about installing the car seat base properly. Luckily, my lady friends all assured me that it's in there nice & tight and we're good to go.

Oh, and his new favorite thing to ask me is "How are your cankles today?".

Mom Stories:

My mom is at that stage where she likes to check-in with me every day. We emailed each other pretty regularly when I was at work, but now that she calls to check-in it feels more like 'checking-in'. It's nice to know she's thinking of us. And mom - just so you know - you will be the second person (after Warren) to know when I've had my first contraction :-)

Hospital Bags:

Wellington now has 2 newborn sleepers that I found in our second-hand bounty. No zipper (just snaps), but really, I think we'll manage. We're hardcore that way.

New additions to my bag: Hot water bottle, frozen water bottles (okay, those are still technically in the freezer), suckers, granny panties, tank top & baggy, over sized shirt, pool noodle (for massage), ipod full of Enya (I know, I'm a cliche).

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) Feeling a tad more irritable that usual. Poor Warren gets the brunt of that.

Birth Classes:

Two couples have had babies, and one of them was in class on Tuesday. The names are Logan & Colten. LOVED hearing their birth stories. Very cool to see how different they were, and how neither one was 'typical'. I'm slowly realizing there is no such thing as 'typical', either. Also liked that both of them gave birth at the Rockyview (where we'll be going) and they both raved about the fabulous nurses they had.

This week was all about breastfeeding. We had a substitute teacher who was freaking hilarious. We all got these heavy bean bag dolls to practice with (ours was blond with blue eyes). The highlight for me was when Warren was learning how to 'burp' the doll. Man, my heart literally MELTS when I see him with a 'pretend' baby, I can't imagine how I'll feel when I watch him interact with our own flesh & blood baby. SWOON.

Things I did on my first week off work:

1) Had a massage.

2) Had a mani/pedi/facial.

3) Had a cleaning company come and clean my house (while I napped downstairs - HOLLA!).

4) Had the carpets professionally cleaned & protected.

5) Celebrated three of years of being married to Warren, and this year there was a lot to celebrate. Oh - and I guess we celebrated Canada's 142nd brithday too.

6) Visited with my awesome-possum girlfriends.

Now, I need to start a regimen of long walks, raspberry tea and marital relations to get this party started! My doctor advised heavily against drinking Castor oil, unless I want massive stomach cramps and violent diarrhea.

Wellington Watch, 38 weeks

38wks (9.5 months out of 10 months)

Weight gain so far: 30.5lbs

Extra Cool Milestone This Week:

Friday is my Last Day At Work.

Warren Story:

1) Got a call at work on Monday, from Warren. When I answered, he simply blurted out "Just for the record, I'm ready. Let's get this baby out!". He then went on to explain that he'd much rather be exhausted and run-down at home, with Wellington & I, than exhausted and run-down at work. (He'll be taking 2-3 weeks off once our little man is born).

2) At this week's doctor's appointment, Warren peeked at the number on the scale as the nurse weighed me. Afterwards when we left, he said:

Warren: Soooo....1**, eh? (actual number of pounds are being hidden, to protect my humility!)

Amanda: Um, NO! Not even close!

Warren: Right, it was 1**.

Amanda: No!

Warren: Okay, it was 1**.*.

Amanda: You know what's total crap? I weighed myself at home this morning and I was 1**. So they can shove it up my butt! (at home number was nearly 5 lbs less than number on doctor's scale).

Warren: Well apparently they did. They shoved a big piece of LEAD up your butt.

Mom Stories:

1) Throughout this process, my mom has been slightly overwhelmed by how much has changed since she was having babies; the plethora of info on the Internet and the myriad of products that are out there now (itzbeen, bottle warmers, onsies that change color if baby is too hot, rubber duckies that change color if water is too hot, video baby monitors, diaper genies, etc, etc...). So we had a laugh on Sunday when she came over and saw 'Wellington' in his crib, wrapped in his kiddopatamus blanket. She thought the blanket looked 'fancy' so I showed her how it worked. Then I showed her the 'miracle blanket' which was even more complicated. Needless to say, my demonstration was followed with the predictable 'Well, in my day we just swaddled a baby with a regular old receiving blanket!'. Then she proceeded to show me 'the old fashioned' way. The final touch was his little hat.

Behold: Wellington, the orphaned child from the 1980's:



2) After reading the 38 week email newsletter, my mom emailed me and asked "if I've lost my 'plug' yet". We can file that one under "Questions I Never Thought My Mother Would Ask Me".

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) I'm both petrified of labour, and yet I'm at peace with it's inevitability. I've heard so many different descriptions/experiences, and I'm excited to discover what mine/ours will be. I've heard the gamut from women being completely traumatized by the experience, to women who felt completely empowered, to women who had an out of body experience as the new life passed through them and out into the world, to women who really don't remember much. We shall see...

Birth Classes:

No babies in class yet, although there were a few couples missing this week...so maybe next week we'll see a baby or two!

This week we learned about medical interventions, by watching the video from last week that we missed. One thing that I found odd/appalling in the video, was when they were illustrating the 'vacuum' and 'forcep' extraction, and the voice over referred to the soon-to-be-born baby as 'the fetus'. Really? As the baby is CROWNING? FETUS? Really?

We also learned about labour plans, the 'aftermath' of birth - specifically to the mom's body (Sweet Jebus - they should teach these things in High School as a form of birth control...), and survival tips for the first couple of weeks. Thank-Gawd for these classes.

The really eye opening part was the activity where we had to lay out our 'ideal' birth, and then slowly start peeling away scenarios in order of importance, to reveal a 'more realistic' birth. It was especially interesting to see what items Warren found important vs. what I found important.

We also got to see pictures illustrating how 'new babies' look. Cross eyed, pimples, stork bites, blue hands and feet, covered in hair, swollen scrotum...and yet we will still believe our child is the most beautiful being alive.

New favorite pregnancy item:

A sawed-off swimming pool noodle. Best. Massage Tool. EVER.

Wellington Watch, 37 weeks

37wks (9 months and one week out of 10 months)

Weight gain so far: 30.5lbs

Extra Cool Milestone This Week:

Wellington is now considered 'Full Term'. No preemies here! How is it possible that I'm carrying around a full-term baby in there? It truly boggles the mind.

Favorite quote from my 'pregnancy update' email this week:

"Now's a good time to make sure your nursery is clean and ready for baby to spit and poop all over it." Ha!

Doctor Appointment:

Boring. Nothing new or interesting. Still head down, still measuring good. No contractions. Boring. She didn't even bother to check my cervix.

Birth Classes:

Well, we're officially starting off as 'bad parents' because we missed this week's baby class to go see Seinfeld at the Jubilee.

This week was all about 'Pushing' and 'Epidurals'. Nope. Not very important at all...;-P

We will redeem ourselves somewhat next week, when we go in early to watch any videos that we missed. Plus, I think Wellington enjoyed some big belly laughs more than listening to a nurse describe big needles that go into my spine.

I wonder if there will be any babies at the class next week?

Hospital Bags (This is for you, Keri):

Here are photos and itemized lists of what we've packed so far:

Wellington's Bag:

1. Bag of newborn size diapers.
2. Plastic bags for soiled baby clothes.
3. Baby wipes.
4. Bring home outfit - yellow pants & top.
5. 4 undershirt 'onsies'.
6. 4 receiving blankets.
7. 1 warm, cozy blanket.
8. 2 pairs of tiny socks.
9. 3 pairs of little newborn mittens.
10. 3 little hats.

Missing: Newborn size sleepers.

Amanda's pathetic bag:


1. Maxi pads.
2. 'Beads of Strength' that my FST (Female Support Team) gave me to help inspire me through labor.
3. Travel size toothbrush, paste & floss.
4. 2 pairs of warm socks.
5. Bar of chocolate.
6. Pack of gum.
7. Ginormous nursing bra.
8. Medicated nipple cream.
9. Bag containing: Breath spray, chapstick, body lotion, baby powder (for massaging me in labor).

Missing: LOTS.

Please note the glaring absence of my hair dryer & hot rollers. I am slowly accepting the fact that my personal primping will need to be adjusted once baby comes.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) On the way to the bus yesterday morning, I started thinking about what it will be like to bring Wellington home for the first time. And I started crying. Maybe my pregnancy hormones haven't quite 'leveled off' yet?

2) I pretty much live in flip flops now. Generally I hate not having any sort of 'heel' or 'wedge' on my shoes, because I just feel short. But I'm beyond caring at this point.

Sizing things up:

1) I grew out of my 2nd ring - the one I was wearing to replace my wedding rings that no longer fit my swollen fingers. For now, I've found a third. I bought it in Stockholm in 2000 on a trip with my mom & 2 aunts. I think it'll be too small by the end of the week.

2) I had to buy new flip flops because my old ones were too small for my swollen feet. I'm normally a size 7.5 or 8 in shoes. My new flip flops are a size 9.

3) Finally bought a nursing bra, so that I have at least one at first (and to see if I even like nursing bras, and to see if I'm successful at breastfeeding before buying more). Normally I buy a size 36/38C. The nursing bra is a 40E. SAY WHAT???? That's bordering on vulgar, really.

4) I was going to post photos of what my feet & ankles actually look like when they're swollen - it's quite the sight - but Warren told me the photos were too 'gross' to post. So I hired an artist to paint a picture of them.

Behold: An Artist's Rendition of Amanda's Pregnant Feet & Ankles:


Painting by Fernando Botero.

Seeking Advice:

1) BABY MONITORS:

What features are worth having?
What features do you never use?
What brand names are reliable?
Video vs. Non-Video?
What's a 'good' price range?

Wellington Watch, 36 weeks

36wks (9 months out of 10 months)

Weight gain so far: 29.5lbs

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) I am really short of breath these days.

2) I am craving sweets LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

3) I am making lots of lists.

Birth Classes:

1) We completed our homework from last week, which was to 'plan out' what types of things we will do in the early stages of labor, before we go to the hospital, to keep us busy and relaxed while I work through mild (hah!) contractions. Our plan included (among other things) watching some Ricky Gervais stand-up, updating our Facebook status, and walking to the mall for a Yogen Fruz.

2) This week's class was the infamous 'Video' class, where we got to watch first hand several 'normal' births, from DOWN THERE. To be honest, there wasn't a lot in the video that I didn't expect, but it was still somewhat horrifying. When it was over, Warren said 'that wasn't so bad'. I replied with, 'Well, not for you. You don't have to push a baby out your bum'.

For me, the worst parts were near the end of the pushing stage, when the women would start crying and saying they couldn't do it. I felt so bad for them.

New favorite pregnancy item:

Our friend Troy brought me a six pack of 'Worsteiner' de-alcoholised beer. It's a true 0% alcohol beer, not the sketchy 0.5% kind (although O'douls is delicious!). And, I like the taste. It satisfies me. I actually feel like I can relax with a brewsky on a Friday night. It's been a loooooooong time.

Things that make me feel optimistic:

1) I was telling Warren that lately I've been having a roller coaster of emotions when it comes to thinking about the impending birth of Wellington. I was telling him how I often think 'Am I ready for this?', but I also have moments of pure excitement and my anxiety disappears for a while. His response was, 'Hmph. I'm pretty much just excited'. So, either that is reason to be really optimistic, or it's reason to think that maybe he hasn't thought this through and is living in a naive state of denial.

Things that make me feel guilty:

2) One evening I decided to learn how to use the specialty swaddling blankets we got from Erin (the miracle blanket and the kidopottamus blanket). So I looked up the instructions on line and practiced on Wellington (Wellington is also the name given to the stuffed teddy that Shawna made for us at Build-a-Bear. He has a birth certificate and everything). After practicing, I decided this was a good opportunity to carry 'Wellington' around the house with me, while I did other things, to see what it was like to have a baby attached at my hip. This was fun for a while, and the highlight was when I wanted to fold some towels so I handed him to Warren to hold, and Warren actually played along (my heart melted seeing him hold that swaddled bear, especially the care he took to support his 'head').

Now, here is where I feel guilty.

When it became too inconvenient to carry him everywhere, I decided 'it was his bedtime' and I placed him in the bassinet for the rest of the evening.

Seeking Advice:

1) Cord Blood Banking. Anyone?

2) Breast pump? Did you buy/rent one? What kind? Electric vs. Manual?

Let's finish 'er off with some belly pics:

Wellington Watch, 35 weeks

Wellington Watch, 35 weeks

35wks (8 months, 3 weeks out of 10 months)

Weight gain so far: 28.5lbs

Doctor Appointment:

Happy to report that so far this pregnancy is very 'average', which is a good thing according to my doctor :-) Belly is still good, weight gain still good, Wellington's heart rate still good. I told her about my leg/feet/hand swelling and numbness and she simply replied 'Welcome to the 3rd trimester of pregnancy'.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) I'm pretty sure I have felt the 'baby hiccups'. They feel like a normal kick, but they happen in a predictable heartbeat-like pattern.

2) Some days, I'm thinking 'Woohoo! I'm a month away from being done work!', and other days I'm thinking 'Holy Crap! In a month or so we're going to have a frickin' baby!'

3) One of my girlfriends pointed out that I've developed somewhat of a potty mouth lately. Is that a normal side effect of pregnancy?

4) When asked 'How are you feeling?' I can no longer reply with my chipper 'I feel great! Nothing much to complain about here!'. That phase is gone. The aches & pains and discomforts have caught up to me. It was fun while it lasted, though.

Birth Classes:

Tuesday night we attended our first 'Birth Class'. They didn't show 'The' video, that will come next week. It was strange at first to be in a room with so many other bellies. Warren & I both learned stuff which was great, but for some reason had the giggles before class started. The other couples probably thought we were totally immature. It all began when Warren was reading the 'warning signs' of labor handout, and he leaned over me to whisper...

Warren: What is a 'soft' bowel movement? And what is the difference between a 'soft' bowel movement, and a 'loose' bowel movement?

Amanda: Umm...I think that a 'soft' bowel movement would still look like a poo, just mushy, and a 'loose' bowel movement would be all runny like diarrhea....

Warren: Hmmmm....(he was absorbing this information with a very serious tone, which of course made it hysterical).

Then I was flipping through my new 'From Here Through Maternity' book - since apparently the one I had was 'way out of date' - and came across the 'real' photos of baby's first bowel movements in diapers. I tapped Warren's shoulder and showed him. His eyes opened wide in shock.

Warren: Jeez, that a little graphic, wouldn't you say?

Then he continued to study the images further, and he saw the 'breast milk fed stool' image. He pointed to it and said "I like that one best. Let's aim for that'.

Warren story:

Warren called me at work on Tuesday, and started to list off the things he wanted us to 'get done' for the baby this weekend. He finished the list with "I'm starting to freak out".

Pregnancy items I couldn't live without:

I had my 3rd prenatal massage on the weekend, and the masseuse confirmed my swelling, saying my hands and feet were 'really hot'. She suggested swimming in a salt water pool, or having baths with Epsom salts. She explained that the same way salt IN your body retains water, salt OUTSIDE your body will leech out fluids. So I tried that on Tuesday night and noticed a big difference. My legs, feet & hands all felt less bloated afterwards, and in the morning my ankles almost looked normal! Epsom salts are my new BFF.

SPECIAL EDITION Belly pics:

A couple weeks ago, after our trip to Banff, we had professional maternity photos done. I was hesitant at first, but am SO GLAD our dear friends Keri & Nick convinced us to do them (they are professional photographers who are starting up their own company - will post the website when it's ready). I think they will be nice keepsakes, and we had a really good time shooting them. Warren, you are such a good sport and I love you!

I definitely have my faves, and some of them I can't decide if I prefer them in color or B&W. Anyway - here they are my selects:

First off, is a sentimental photo for myself. On our wedding day I wore this button up denim shirt while I was getting my hair & make-up done:



I really wanted a photo of myself wearing it while pregnant:

And here are some other select faves, that pretty much just speak for themselves :-)

Having a bit of fun...

PS - obviously the header photo is from the session as well!

Wellington Watch, 34 weeks

34wks (8.5 months)

Weight gain so far: 28lbs

Okay, first off I need to clarify something. There seems to be a bit of confusion around my weeks to months conversions. Right now, I am claiming to be 8.5 months, which would have you think - Wow! 2 weeks to go! Because we've all grown up with the scientific knowledge that the average pregnancy lasts 9 months. But then you look at my 'countdown to baby' ticker, and see that - WHAT? - 40 days to go?! How can that be? 2 weeks is only 14 days, not 40!

The sad truth is, that woman are in fact pregnant an average of 10 months, according to the way doctors date a pregnancy. The weeks/months start on the first day of your last period, which means that in reality, you are being counted as pregnant before you are actually pregnant. I know. Weird. BUT, in a way in makes sense. Because we all know the average pregnancy is 40 weeks. And there's an average of 4 weeks per month. 40 divided 4 = 10! 10 months. So really, I'm 8.5 out of 10, not 8.5 out of 9.

Anyways...moving on...

Doctor Appointment:

I have my next appointment tomorrow, so nothing new to report this week.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) I feel like the time is going by really quickly, and it's hard to imagine being in that waiting mode where I'll just want to 'get this kid out of me!'. Right now I'm totally in the 'Not yet! Not yet!' mode. I know that once he's here time will fly by at a heartbreaking speed, and I'm not about to start wishing this time away quite yet. Plus, as long as he's in my belly, he's really easy to take care of.

2) Lately when I wake up, my arms, hands and fingers are really numb.

3) The 'discomfort' in my nether regions is increasing, to the point where I usually cringe or moan in reaction. This freaks Warren out tremendously, often promoting him to ask if I'm 'giving birth'.

Amanda/Belly Pics:

We were sitting out tonight, enjoying our new solar lights (in the tree) and the glow of the citronella torches. Warren snapped a couple photos of Wellington and I.

Wellington Watch, 33 weeks

33 weeks (8 months, 1 week)

Weight gain so far: undocumented this week

Warren stories:

1) We were walking around the mall and I caught my reflection in the store windows a couple of times.

Amanda: Geez Louise! Why didn't you tell me this fleece made me look so big?

Warren: I don't think it's the fleece.

2) We were driving around and I grunted or sighed or grimaced or some other thing that goes along with the discomforts of being pregnant...

Warren: Do you need to pee?

Amanda: Nope... (grunts or groans or grimaces again).

Warren: Are you giving birth?

Amanda: No, I am not giving birth.

Warren: Okay. We're all good then.

Symptoms/Feelings/Emotions/Etc:

1) Wellington's movements. How I love them. Lately I would describe them as 'slow rolls', and they don't hurt at all. I think my hands are on my belly 90% of the day.

2) I am becoming increasingly petrified at the thought of squeezing him through 'that hole'. I know 'that hole' gets a wee bit bigger, but that in itself will be a painful process too.

3) My wedding rings were starting to feel tight and it was a struggle to take them off. So I'm no longer wearing them. Instead, I'm wearing a saphire ring I bought in an antique shop in England, when we got engaged. It's meant for my middle finger, so it fits just right on my wedding band finger :-)

Hmmmm...I think that's it for this week.

Wellington Watch, 32 weeks

32wks (8 months)

Weight gain so far: 25.5lbs

Doctor Appointment:

Another uneventful appointment this week. Wellington is still head down and he's cool as a cucumber with a heart rate of 136 bpm. Belly is measuring on target. My doctor & I joked a little about 'birth plans', because I mentioned that I thought the whole concept was a bit silly. 'It's going to go how it's going to go' I told her. She agreed. She said if I show up with a beautiful birth plan printed on frilly pink paper that I will be doomed.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) I've noticed a definite increase in moodiness this past week. How come 'moodiness' generally doesn't include 'good' moods?

2) The other day I was wearing running shoes with ankle socks, and when I took off the socks there was a deep indent where the elastic had been, and my poor ankles had a homely looking MUFFIN TOP.

3) Wellington's head, or the bottom of my uterus, or WHATEVER, is beginning to cause me pain (or as the books like to call it 'discomfort'). Turns out there are a whole schwack of nerves 'down there', and the pressure against these nerves does not tickle.

4) Warren & I were sitting outside eating dinner, when I experienced some...ahem...gastro intestinal issues, that lasted...ahem...a wee bit longer that usual.

Warren: (after I started laughing hysterically) What was THAT?!

Amanda: (couldn't speak, was laughing too hard and trying desperately not to...ahem...let out more gastro intestinal noises).

Warren: No, seriously...was that YOU? Seriously? It sounded like someone started a power tool or a hydraulic lift... I thought the neighbors were trimming their hedges or something!

Warren story:

1) All week Warren has been saying 'You're ALL belly!' and 'From behind, you don't even look pregnant!'. Clever little bugger has been reading my blog. He quickly lost points however, when he told me one of his clients is 9 months pregnant and ready to pop and that she's 'much smaller than I am'.

2) Reverting back to my 'moodiness', Warren has started doing this thing where, if I'm being 'testy' he'll start looking cautiously down at the floor, with a pouty look on his face, like he's searching for something that he can't quite see. Then, in frustration, I'll burst out with 'What?! What the heck are you looking for?!" and then he'll whisper, "Oh, just the egg shells I need to walk around".

Funny Baby Item:

Don't be surprised if Wellington is sporting 'The Donald' in his birth announcement photos.

Belly Pics:

Photo Session Outtakes:

Wellington Watch, 31 weeks

31wks (7 months, 3 weeks)

Weight gain so far: 23lbs

Things NOT to say to a pregnant woman:

1) Are you sure you should be eating Greek salad?

2) Are you at least trying to eat healthy? (said as pregnant woman grabs a fried spring roll off the tray at the company team building party).

3) You're not drinking coffee, are you?

4) You're sure starting to show in your face - I really notice the plumpness.

Things you SHOULD say to a pregnant woman:

1) From behind, you don't even look pregnant!

2) Wow, you are ALL belly.

3) You have really blossomed! (instead of 'you're getting really big').

Nursery Update:

Ladies and gentlemen - we have an assembled CRIB. (No mattress yet, but that's just a minor detail, right?).

So my question to the parents out there - to bumper pad, or not to bumper pad? I don't really understand why, if they're considered unsafe, they are still sold in stores? Are they still considered unsafe? I don't think we'll get any, but I'm curious to know what y'all did.




Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

Lately I've been feeling this very strong desire to be affectionate towards Warren. To hug him, kiss him, grab his butt cheek as he walks by, snuggle him in bed (this takes effort, since I'm often cocooned in a nest of pillows). These affectionate advances sometimes make Warren uncomfortable and he'll whisper "Not in front of the baby...". He also says that when I use a cuss word.

I also have fleeting moments of short anxiety attacks. These are very short lived and are a result of feeling selfish and afraid of 'giving up' my freedom. I quickly snap out of it and remind myself "Yaaaah....because sitting on the couch doing nothing is SOOOOOO rewarding...".

Lastly, and I'm not going to go into the details, but I do want to document here that I have had one dream/nightmare that we lost the baby. I'm going to assume that's fairly normal.

Warren story:#1:

When I told Warren that the resident doctor asked me about contractions, he went into a mini panic-mode.

Warren: Well, maybe we should have a 'code word' that you can email me when IT happens.

Amanda: What, like 'The Boy Has Landed' or something?

Warren: Umm, sure...or maybe something more straight forward like 'I'm in labor'.

I guess I misunderstood what he meant by 'code word'.

#2:

Out of nowhere, Warren came into the kitchen and asked me if I was afraid of the pain of labor.

Amanda: Ya, for sure. But I'm trying not to psyche myself out about it. Why do you ask?

Warren: Well, all this time I've been thinking about this great thing that is going to happen, and I just started realising that a very BAD thing has to happen first.

Indeed.

Now, some obligatory 31 week Amanda photos / belly pics:

Wellington Watch, 30 weeks

30wks (7.5 months)

Weight gain so far: 23lbs

Extra cool (and ODD) milestone this week:

As of this week, my weight has officially reached what it was before I started Weight Watchers 3 years ago. As odd as it is to see that number on the scale again, I have to admit that I'm proud that it took me becoming seven and a half months pregnant to gain all the weight back. (For the record, I had gained some back before getting pregnant...but that's not the point people!).

Doctor Appointment:

Not much to report here. Wellington's head is still down, wedged between my pelvic bones. He's kicking up a storm, which I love. Doctor isn't concerned about the 'iron' thing, so no more blood tests. She also pointed out that I'm almost at the 'single digit weeks left' mark. The male resident that was with her asked me if I've felt any contractions yet. Excuse me, Sir, but I think it's far too early to be asking me that question. Now, do not mention that word in front of me again, until Wellington is at least 37 weeks along. Thanks.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) My eyesight has gone to hell. Some days I wonder if I should even be allowed to drive.

2) I've now entered the waddling stage of pregnancy.

3) I have definitely noticed the decrease in lung capacity. It is embarrassing how quickly I can become breathless, doing almost nothing.

4) The belching. Oh, the belching. Sorry Warren.

Warren story:

I'm not sure if this is truly baby related, but I think it speaks to Warren's nurturing side (or CRAZY side?).

I came home from work yesterday, and as I was walking up the front steps, I glanced down at the corner of the door - something drew my eye there.

Warren: Don't look!

Which of course made me look. Clinging to the corner of the exterior wall, down by the ground by the door, was a little, black, furry mammal of some sort. On the ground just beneath it was a little blue tupperware lid with something on it.

Amanda: What. Is. THAT?

Warren: Ummm...I don't know, but I think it's a bat.

Amanda: A WHAT?!

Warren: I think it's sick, so I'm nursing it back to health.

Amanda: Nursing it back to HEALTH?!

Warren: Ya. I've left it some crumbled up dog food.

Amanda: DOG FOOD?!

This new guest of ours has been named Bruce (aka Bruce Wayne, aka The Batman). We're still not sure what Bruce IS exactly, or what's wrong with him, or what he likes to eat.

Yet more evidence that my husband is truly RIDICULOUS. If Warren comes home to find Bruce dead, laying on his back with his stiff little paws/hands/legs/claws/wings up in the air, I'm pretty sure we'll be having a funeral for him. And in case you're wondering, the answer is yes. Yes, you will all be expected to attend.

(Editor's note: happy to report that since this was written, Bruce has disappeared, or 'flown away' as Warren likes to believe).

Wellington Watch, 29 Weeks

29wks (7 months, 1 week)

Weight gain so far: 20.5 lbs

Extra cool milestone this week:

Warren felt the baby move :-) It made me so happy, because anything that lets him in on the experience just brings us closer. He's always asking me 'What does it feel like?', and now he finally has an idea. He felt the full belly 'quiver/tremor' type movements, as well as the more isolated 'kick' type movements. I have to say, I'm really enjoying this stage of pregnancy because I can feel so much movement, and it's not uncomfortable or painful yet. I can still breathe and I don't have an elbow lodged in my rib cage.

Last night I SAW Wellington move. Soft, gentle ripples across my belly. LOVE IT!

Also - Wellington would have a 9 out of 10 chance of survival if he was born this week.

Doctor Appointment:

This week I popped in to get the Rh Negative shot, so that my blood doesn't attack Wellington's blood. My mother in law is RH negative, and when she was pregnant with Warren she had to be hospitalized because they didn't have a shot back then. I'm so lucky to be pregnant in this day & age.

Oh - and I've officially been upgraded to the 'Every 2 weeks' appointment schedule.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) Some days my body is just WRECKED by bed time. My feet, legs and lower back just ACHE beyond belief and I feel like I'm 100 years old. I gave Warren the official warning that I've now entered the 'I need a foot rub' stage of pregnancy. And it's not that I need a foot rub to relax or because I'm a diva - it's that the bones and muscles in my feet actually need to be rubbed BACK TO LIFE, otherwise they will die a slow, painful death and fall off.

2) For some reason, my legs & arms have gotten really soft & mushy - more so than usual. Boo! And I can't blame it entirely on lack of exercise, because it's not like I was following a strict regiment of squats and weight lifting before.

3) I have found myself being more irritable lately. So far I'm able to identify those days/moments, and can give Warren fair warning...because it's often things he's doing that irritate me. If he does something klutzy, if he takes a long time to say something really simple, if he's lost something in the house and is rummaging around looking for it, etc. Any of these situations bring out a snarly comment. Like Monday night, when he BBQ'd burgers for us. He came into the kitchen with the cooked patties on a plate and stopped in his tracks and said 'Crap, I forgot the cheese'. I glared at him and said rudely 'I knew you would.' Basically implying that I assume he's a forgetful idiot. Poor guy. I apologized when I realised how awful my comment sounded, but still. The guy just made me a burger! And it's just cheese!

Belly Pics:

Figured it's time for an updated belly pic. This is my 'sassy' top. I call it my 'sassy' top, because it's an animal print...and if you pair anything with hoop earrings, it's instantly sassy, right?

Seeing the photos though, I realise there is nothing sassy about being pregnant. I don’t think I could go clubbin' in this outfit. Is that what the kids call it these days? Clubbin'?

Wellington Watch, 28 weeks

28wks (7 months)

Weight gain so far: 18 lbs

I LOVE THIS:

Hello Baby Book #1
Hello Baby Book #2

Can't wait to see if she's able to bring down the price a bit. Hard to justify the current cost of the 'big' version (even if we received it as a gift - I'd feel bad if someone bought us a $150 baby book!).

I WANT THIS:

Wellington, You Are Awesome Poster.

We figure we'll wait until Wellington is born to order one. We're still trying to think of what 'word' we would use. Personally, I think 'Awesome' sums it up pretty well, but Warren wants something a bit more personal. Maybe once he's born, the word will come to us. Words I hope don't apply:

Wellington You Are Colicky
Wellington You Should Nap More
Wellington You Are Trouble

Haha. He'll be loved and cherished even if all the above apply though :-)

Doctor Appointment:

Some blood work came back and it turns out I'm iron deficient. This surprised me, because when I look up iron rich foods, they are all things I eat on a regular, if not daily basis. Almonds, cashews, dried apricots, tuna & spinach. Turns out little Wellington is quite the iron mooch.

Wellington You Are A Mooch (but I forgive you).

I may have to resort to drinking prune juice, but before that I will gladly eat some egg-filled breakfast sandwiches in the mornings, and steak sandwiches at night. Doctor's orders people, doctor's orders...

Also at the doctor's appointment this week, my doc was able to feel around my belly and determine how Wellington was positioned. I found this fascinating, because when I feel around I'll be damned if I can identify a head, foot or butt. Anyways, his feet are on my right side, his butt is on my left side, and his head is perched quite nicely upon my hoo-haw. Even though I'm sure that positioning will become very uncomfortable (for my hoo-haw), I hope he stays that way!

Family Portrait / Pseudo Belly Pic:

Warren's latest camera gadget, that he just picked up today, is a camera remote. No more setting the timer and running to get into frame. Now we just pose and press the button on a tiny remote and say 'cheese'. So we took a couple impromptu self portraits after work today.

The first is the fully impromptu photo, the second is the 'adjusted' photo - I positioned myself so my blossoming belly would show (and blossoming cheeks - WHOA!), and Warren took off his glasses. Pretty cool little gadget, I must say!

Wellington Watch, 27 weeks

27 wks (6 months, 3 weeks)

Weight gain so far: 16.5 lbs

What we did with our time:

I totally expect that once Wellington has made his grand entrance into this ridiculous family of ours, we'll be hard pressed to remember what exactly we spent all our time doing, before we were parents. So I thought I'd document a typical day in the life of Warren & Amanda...for nostalgia sake.

Typical Week Day:

6:30am - Amanda wakes up, has a shower.
6:50am - Amanda has a bowl of cereal, reads daily ilovelife blog post.
7:05am - Amanda gets ready for work.
7:50am - Amanda leaves for the bus, Warren wakes up.
8:30 - 5:00pm - Amanda works at the office.
5:30pm - Amanda arrives home, winds down by watching Global National & 1st 20 minutes of Global Calgary.
6:20pm onward - evening could be made up of any combination of the following: dog walk, nap (often a result of falling asleep while watching the news), cooking dinner, impromptu dinner out, dinner with friends, evening in front of the TV, shopping, house chores, yoga, reading, bath, painting my nails, blogging.
9:30 or 10:00 - Amanda reads in bed until she's sleepy.

Typical Weekend (when Warren is off work):

7:30 or 8:00am - Warren wakes up.
8:00 or 8:30am - Amanda wakes up.
8:30am - 10:30am - Warren & Amanda laze around, surf the net, have coffee and toast, shower & take time getting ready.
10:30am - go out for breakfast (maybe Limericks, Seanachie Pub, Phils or the Lido).
12:00pm - go shopping - Ikea, Kensington, Consignment gallery, Home Depot, groceries...
2:00pm - nap.
3:30pm - house chores, walk dogs, putz.
5:00pm - feed dogs.
5:00pm onwards - evenings spent going out for dinner, having friends or family over, drive to Bragg Creek with the dogs & a Ricky Gervais Podcast, going to a movie (impromptu), hanging out at Chapters & browsing HMV, having a beer & pizza night in front of the boob tube.

Name guesses:

Warren's mom has started a 'name' pool. We aren't supposed to know what people are guessing, but a few people have let it slip. Here are some of the guesses we know of so far:

- Tobias (Toby for short!)
- Heath
- Daniel Wellington Warenko Cronin (This is my brother's guess - he went for the full name, 2 middle names and all. He's convinced 'Wellington' will make it into the real name somehow. Only time will tell...heh,heh.).

I have to say - those are some sharp names! Can't wait to read them all.

Adam story:

My younger brother (but not youngest brother) Adam, who is 28 this summer, has this odd fear/fascination with my belly. He'll look at it and ask "What does it look like? Is it sick? Can I see?". Then he covers his eyes like he's watching a suspenseful horror movie and says "Oh God! Is it gross? Let me see...no wait! What does it look like? Will it be sick?". I'm not sure what horrors he expects to see...maybe stretch marks? Anyway, instead of lifting up my shirt, I showed him the pictures I took, to which he replied "It just looks like you're arching your back and sticking out your stomach!". This annoyed me, so I tried to trace the picture with my fingers to show him what part was 'the bump', and what part was 'the old me'. To which he replied, "Ya right, you were never that thin".

That guy sure knows all the right things to say.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

- Lately I've been getting the dreaded 'leg cramps', that are sometimes painful enough that I want to take my own life.

- Unfortunately for Warren, I've also been experiencing the uncontrollable belching/gassy sounds. Whenever it happens though, I just say, "Wellington! Stop that!".

- In a lot of ways I'm glad I have an office job while pregnant. It gets me wearing different outfits and jewellery and I still do my hair & make-up. Otherwise I think I'd live in yoga pants and a house coat, with my hair pulled up into a hap-hazard pony tail on the top of my head.

- My feet & legs are starting to swell - ever so slightly. Just enough that I don't recognize them as my own. I guess a 'thin' ankle is something I used to take for granted.

- My emotions and thoughts about becoming a parent are a bit of a roller coaster. I'd say right now, they're 90% excited/looking forward to holding little Wellington, smelling his head and stroking his gentle little hands, and 10% terrified that my life, my Self and my relationship with Warren will be completely unrecognizable. I have a feeling this 90/10 split will shift the closer we get to the Birth Day.

Nursery progress:

Still haven't put the crib together, and we've accumulated a lot more items since these were taken, but here's what it looked like when it was sparse and tidy!