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:

5 On Friday: June 5th, 2009

1) After today, there are 4 more Fridays before Wellington is due. Holy-Mary-Sweet-Mother-Of-God.

2) Braces Update:

I bet you all forgot I've been wearing braces, didn't you? Well, here's a fun fact...I was wearing them in all our maternity photos! Anyways...back to the update.

Today was the end of 'Phase 1' of my invisiligns. I've been wearing them for approximately 9 months now (got them right before becoming pregnant). So I went in to get new 'impressions' (basically a mold) of my teeth today, to be sent off again and new trays made, because my new smile is not quite complete. My dentist even said I may need a Phase 3, but we'll see how Phase 2 goes.

So, as a comparison, here's a photo from my first day with the invisilign braces, and a photo from a month or so ago (I was lazy and didn't take a new one today...) to compare and see how my teeth have shifted in 9 months. (Warning - change may only be noticeable to me! It's subtle, but it's there. This is still a work in progress...also, semi-gross close-ups of my mouth ahead).

PS. I have the braces on in both photos.



3) Does anyone else feel really bad for Jon & Kate (plus Eight)? I was on the verge of tears during the season premier, and ended up bawling at the end. I've fallen in love with that family over the years and my heart breaks for them right now. Of all the reality television I've consumed in my life, this is definitely the most 'raw'. And I know it's a 'business' and the show is 'produced' and ratings are King, blah blah blah, but this is a real family and a real marriage. It's just sad.

4) I think Dandelions should be upgraded from 'weed' status, to 'wildflower' status. The 'weed' stigma really makes it difficult to appreciate the true beauty of this fast-sporing flower. I would love to be able to proudly announce that I have cultivated a healthy crop of wildflower dandelions in my backyard.

5) I emailed Warren on Wednesday (his day off), telling him I was told I could leave work an hour early. He responded with:

Warren: Awesome! I'll pick you up and maybe we can go for dinner and a T4 date!

Amanda: What's a T4 date?

Warren: The new Terminator movie...

Amanda: Oh! Thank-goodness! I thought you wanted to do taxes. *

(*for the record, we are done our taxes...)

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.

Banff, Bears & Bathrooms

Last weekend Warren & I took our 'babymoon' to Banff (if anyone doesn't know, a babymoon is the last 'romantic' trip you take as a couple before your baby is born). Although, I wouldn't call it a babymoon so much as a 'doggymoon', since it's likely the last trip we take with the dogs in tow for a while.

While we were gone, my awesome Dad & Mark The Plumber started renovating our upstairs bathroom (really, our only bathroom since downstairs is basically a toilet in the middle of a big empty room). They started demo around 8:30am, and this is basically the chaos we left behind as we headed off to the mountains:




And this was the serenity that greeted us at the Juniper Hotel & Bistro:



The Juniper takes 'dog friendly hotel' to a new level. Porter & River had shiny bowls, treats & a nice bed waiting for them too:

When travelling with (our) dogs, the main objective is to drive around and search for nice places to go for walks and possibly have a picnic. Whilst driving about, we came across this scene...if this doesn't say 'Banff National Park', I don't know what does:

Here's the knuckleheads resting up after a great bear-free stroll, with River looking content and pleased with life, as usual, and Porter looking grumpy and unimpressed, as usual:

A couple beauty shots from another walk we took, this time after having a bagged lunch outside at a picnic table:

Anyone who knows Warren, knows he is deathly afraid of bears. We were camping with my family one year, when we were woken up in our tent by a Park Ranger walking by warning everyone there was a mama bear and her cub down by the river. Warren pulled a Swiss army knife out from under his pillow and refused to leave the tent. It's a deep seeded fear.

On our last night at the Juniper, we took the dogs for a 20 minute 'pee walk' behind the hotel, before settling in for an evening of room service, a movie and the Survivor Finale.

I took this photo of Warren & Porter a mere minute or less before we encountered a BEAR. I'm really glad it wasn't the last photo of them ever taken, only to be found later by a walker-by who stumbled upon our camera and mangled remains. Okay, maybe I'm being dramatic. But it was scary!

When the bear appeared, out of the bushes, mere meters in front of us, and started to 'gallop' towards us (or so we assumed), the four of us bolted back up the hill in pure terror. There was probably a 10-15 second moment right then when I truly believed I was going to die. That Warren would die. That our parents would find out on the late night news. That is not a fun feeling. As we ran up the hill we began to debate what to do. Going UP the hill meant running further from the hotel. Running down the hill meant running towards the hotel AND the bear. So ultimately I made the executive decision to run LEFT, through the bushes.

We ran through those bushes like we were auditioning for the Bourne Ultimatum. The adrenaline made my pregnancy disappear. 10 minutes earlier I'd been slowly climbing the hill like an elderly woman, and now I was leaping over fallen trees and under thick brush like I was Superwoman. We later learned that bears can run as fast as race horses, and our attempted escape would have likely been in vain, if the bear had in fact been pursuing us. But when we came to the clearing, we saw the bear had kept on his/her merry way, unphased by the encounter.

Warren & I were not unphased, however. We bolted across the clearing, continued down & out of a small ravine, back to the hotel. We arrived in the lobby panting like maniacs.

Warren & Amanda: (Gasping for air) We...saw...a bear!

Young Guy at the lobby desk: Really? Just now? Wow! I've been here for months and haven't seen one yet. I'd sure love to though! Did you get a picture?

Warren: Picture? No way...we were too busy running for our lives!

Young Guy: (laughs).

Hmm. I guess one man's worst nightmare, is another man's dream hike.

In retrospect, we realised that when the bear 'galloped', it was simply it's reaction to being startled by us, and it just wanted to pass us by as quickly as we wanted to run away. But it was the 'what ifs' that freaked us out. What if we had turned back 1 minute sooner? What if River hadn't held us up by taking a poop? We would have come face to face with that bear when it came out of the bushes.

Needless to say, we were rattled. We said 'I love you hon!' to each other a lot that night.

To end off this riveting adventure, here is a photo of my second breakfast-in-bed in a row:

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.

Treading Water

Warren & I are trying to accomplish a lot on our time off this week, so blogging is going to suffer a bit. Wellington Watch and anything else I have the energy to post will likely happen on Friday. Until then, adieu!

5 On Friday, May 15th, 2009

1) Star Trek Movie = Excellent! Very funny, awesome character development, clever story line, great CG effects. This all coming from a girl who had no previous Star Trek knowledge before seeing the movie. I only wish I'd been warned about the opening action/labor & birth sequence.

2) Finished reading 'Lullabies for Little Criminals'. It was a really quick read, and very engaging story. The subject matter is quite sad, like all neglected kid stories are, but there is something so inspiring about these stories when they're written from the kid's point of view. Kids are so resilient. And it always reminds me how kids actually don't need a lot, and how it's usually the really simple, basic things that they crave from their parents like love, acceptance and protection.

3) In addition to *hopefully* renovating the upstairs bathroom, looks like we are also going to get the exterior of our house painted. See, when other couples start 'nesting' they do things like bake cookies, knit sweaters and clean out cupboards. Warren & I take on mammoth, stressful projects that will be the bane of our existence.

4) Our neighborhood is part of the City's 'Neighborwoods Program'. This program removes dieing Elm trees in select communities, and then offers the residents of those communities new trees to be planted in their from lawn at no cost (except $30 for the water bag). We ordered 2 trees, then came the decision to pick which type of trees we wanted. There were 6 types to choose from. I was leaning towards 2 'ornamental' trees, as opposed to the really huge Oak or Elm trees. Warren really wanted an Oak. When I asked him why he said 'because then we'd have an Oak tree that was planted when Wellington was born'. He really knows how to tug at my heart strings. So, that was it. One ornamental tree, and one beautiful Oak tree that we'll photograph Wellington beside each year, as they grow together. Maybe when the tree is really big, we'll carve his name into it.

5) We're off to Banff this weekend with the dogs. Wish us luck! It's always an adventure traveling with those two knuckle heads.

6) PS - Channel Warren is Back On Air.

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:

5 On Friday: May 8th, 2009

1. This is a photo from last weekend of myself and my 'tall-blond-viking-bombshell' friend Becca, on our way to the S.A.I.T reunion. We've been pals for 9 years now. Her friendship is the best thing that came out of my time at S.A.I.T. , that's for sure.

Becca & I with our friend Kelly Belly, at the reunion.

2. Yesterday, everyone in my Pod at work (pod is what we call our 'cluster' of cubicles) wore blue, by total fluke. When you have an office job, you tend to find things like this entertaining. (Editors note: John, the tall man in the middle, is not developmentally challenged. He's making that face on purpose. Also, after the photo was taken I kicked myself for not taking off my black cardigan first - stands out like a sore thumb and distracts from all the blue!).

3. Finished the Jodi Picoult book 'Mercy'. It was meh. Wouldn't recommend it. Now I'm on an official Jodi break, and am reading a recommend from my mom called 'Lullabies for Little Criminals'. So far, it's great. Keri B - I will let you know if I still like it when I'm done, and maybe you can 'download' it to your fancy dancy e-book thingy.

4. Warren and I are taking the week of May 18th off, to hopefully work on the bathroom renos and other house 'nesting' type things we want to get accomplished. We may even go on a mini road trip with the dogs. I mentioned to Warren my hesitations about a 2-dog road trip, because Porter has anxiety issues and I know that a road trip with him will be less-than-relaxing. But Warren said he'd rather be on a road trip, with restrictions on what types of things we can do, than be stuck at home the entire time. Hopefully this is a sign that we'll be willing to travel with baby, knowing that it will be 'hard'.

5. My mat leave posting is up now. Over the next month we'll be reviewing resumes and then setting up interviews. Tick-tock-tick-tock.

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:

5 On Friday: May 1st, 2009

1. A sign that Facebook has infiltrated our lives a bit too much #1:

Over the weekend I finally got around to printing & framing some wedding photos and hung them in our room, with the word 'love' about the frames. Warren came home and when he saw my handy work he proclaimed : "Thumbs up. Warren likes this".

2. A sign that Facebook has infiltrated our lives a bit too much #2:

On Wednesday, Warren confessed that 'Bruce the bat' was not the soft furry creature I'd made him out to be in my head. No, he chose to tell me on Facebook that Bruce hissed at him with beady bat eyes, but that he didn't tell me because he knew I'd freak out. So we had a back and forth conversation on Facebook about this, when we were literally one room apart from each other at home.

3. Have you hugged your Realtor lately? Seriously people, Realtor's need hugs. Especially the tall, hard working, really nice ones.

4. This week I had a crummy morning at the office. After a refreshing lunch break with my dear friend Shawna, I promptly returned to my desk and moved my 'last day' up a week on my wall calendar. Take THAT, stupid crummy morning at the office :-)

5. Email conversation between Warren & I (Warning - Erin K should NOT read this):

Amanda: Boo! We went into overdraft on the mortgage account! *

Warren: Crap! You know what else? We still need to file our taxes AND update the registration for both cars!

Amanda: Man, being a grown up SUCKS!

Warren: Tell me about it!

*For the record, we did not go into overdraft because we didn't have enough money, but rather because we forgot to TRANSFER the money...not sure which is worse, really.

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).

5 On Friday: April 24th, 2009

1. There is an add on the bus that cracks me up every time I see it. There is a photo of a woman yelling at a man over his shoulder. The headline reads "Hear Life!". The caption below reads "Because a hearing aid is cheaper than a divorce". Reminds me of my Grandma & Grandpa. Grandma is always 'yelling' at Grandpa, but really it's just because his hearing has gone to hell.

"Peter! PETER! AMANDA is ON THE PHONE! Do you want to SAY HI??!!".

2. I've decided we need a new oven/stove. First, I scorched the bottom of my left arm making pancakes. Then, I scorched the top of my left arm cooking a roast. I blame the oven. It's old and cranky. A new shiny oven wouldn't take out it's anger on me this way, I'm sure of it.

PS - if anyone finds oven mitts that go all the way up to your shoulders, please buy me a pair.

3. I am shocked and amazed at how much recyclable stuff I used to throw away before we got our City of Calgary blue box. I still catch myself going to chuck something, only to realise I can toss it in the giant blue box. I'm excited about the program, but I'm fully expecting City Council to up the cost every year from now until eternity.

4. My mom was really confused by my last 5 on Friday post. She thought Warren & I crank Barbie Girl in the car. So to be CLEAR - we crank Poker Face. There is one line in Poker Face that REMINDS us of Barbie Girl. We are not stuck in the 1990's. I swear. And  mom, you really need to FOCUS when you're reading my blog. This stuff is very complex.

5. Latest gift from my mother-in-law: A pair of red Wellington rain boots! Or 'Wellies' as they're properly called in England.

6. Some exciting changes might happen in the Cronin household in May. My Dad has planted the idea that he will help us renovate the ridiculously out-dated (and moisture damaged) upstairs bathroom...and finally finish the Pub fireplace. Will it happen? He is smokin' busy with work these days, but I have faith that he will have some loyalty to his pregnant daughter, or 'Grampa Guilt' as I like to call it :-)

7. Super cool videos of baby development for anyone who is interested. Only downside is you have to sit through a long Winnie The Pooh movie preview before you can view them...

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'?