spring is trying at 626

we are tired of snow, and it's only been here for about three days this year.  ready for Spring and all that is to come this Spring in particular.  here is what we've been growing... 

i like the juxtaposition of the flowers with the snowy backyard. 

go away snow, go away.

where are my toes?

if Tuk could talk, and some days I swear he does... he would be asking: 'Momma, where are your toes?'

week 34 on saturday, wow.  

pack your bags

The hospital is 8.8 miles from our house, door-to-door.  And now that the highway is open it takes about 15 minutes to get there, maybe less in times of chaos.  Over the last few days Dave and I have both had the same feeling that this baby is going to be here before said due date (March 13).   At this point I am almost 34 weeks, so really only six more weeks to go.  That said, my Mom mentioned today that first baby’s tend to come early in our family.  Really?  Or is that Donoghue drama?  As my husband would say, my Mom adds at least 300ft, and Sarah ups it to about 3000ft.  I just say, if it makes the story better, who really cares?  But I need to research to make sure that this is truth not fiction. 

At the OB this AM, we both realized that we could have this baby any day now.  And I am not panicking.  

Anyways after lots of nagging from Mom and Karin, it is time to pack my bag and make sure the car has gas at all times.  I haven't really started to pack, but the list is forming in my head, so I thought I would share.  So here is the list thus far, I am pretty sure it can all make it into one bag… Please send additions!

 

PACKING LIST FOR HOSPITAL BAG:

1. one bottle, vueve clicquot

2. gownie (see previous post)

3. birth plan. Want to make sure we are all on the same sheet o’ music.

4. iPod, with speakers, right?  Need to make that playlist.

5. flip flops .  hospitals weird me out.  And I don’t think I have ever spent the night in one, so I would rather not touch the floor.

6. Essential oil

7. Birthing ball

8. pillow, or at least a pillow case from home that is of a nice thread count

9. fun new sun dresses/nursing gowns, so maybe I will feel somewhat cute

10. pretty robe, so the in-laws and I don’t feel uncomfortable

11. camera, where is that camera?

12. phone charger, lots of phone calls to be made

13. extremely yummy fuzzy baby bunting outfit.  Just in case it is cold outside.

14. gender neutral baby gown

15. boy baby gown

16. very pink girl baby gown

17. blanket to wrap the baby, to later use to acclimate the boys

18. snacks and drinks to have during labor. Do they have veg food at the hospital?  Will have to suss this out on our tour.

19. Unmentionables, that the doula baby group keeps mentioning that makes me uncomfortable

20. An outfit for me to come home, so we are all comfortable

Please note, I would like to not be at this joint for longer than 24hours.  Send additions my way! 

Off to find a really big bag,
Sarah

 

gownie

one of my main fears about the labor part of having a baby is being out-of-control.  i have never done this before.  i don't even pretend i know what i am doing, fake it til ya make it really doesn't apply in this situation.  every birth tale that is shared with me by every friend, family member, innocent bystander in the Target bathroom are interesting in that they are each truly unique.  no one's birth is the same, they may have similar elements but the only commonality is that they are unique.  

so i have been slightly obsessed with the one thing i may have control over : what i wear.  as most of you know me, this isn't a surprise.  and while in birth class i had the unfortunate opportunity to wear a typical hospital gown which sent my pysche and physical body to a sweaty scared state. maybe our doula was on to something when she said that just putting on the gown alone slows down labor.  and let me tell you once this baby starts making it's way out, i would rather not stop it.  

therefore what i wear has become an obsession.  i have researched and uncovered several, if this is possible, uglier options than the standard hospital gown that pass for cute, or they are extremely overpriced.  today, i found it.  in a few short days this hot little number will arrive at our door step: 

 

now, during this process... that i currently perceive as all hell breaking loose, dave driving away without me, the car running out of gas, going to the wrong hospital... ricky and lucy style.  at least, i will have my own pretty gown that i can wear and check off the transition at the hospital as something that no longer requires a change of clothes and ties to show off my booty.

grateful

we are so very lucky.  two weekends ago our dear friends Karin and Jen held a shower for Sarah and Baby dd.  in their typical style, the shower was so well planned with love and care, with n/a sangria, veg-friendly foods and yummy cupcakes and cookies.  i didn't have to lift a finger and i could be barefoot.  

so many of my wonderful girlfriends, mom and MIL were in attendance to celebrate mommy-ness and baby.  thanks to my mom for making the trip from chicago, and all for taking time out of their saturday to watch me open gifts... which i normally find to be awkward but this day i really enjoyed it.  

so many wonderful fun things to look at, wash, organize and imagine what our world will be like in a few short weeks.  i was actually excited to do laundry. 

thank you to everyone for helping us prepare for this new adventure - we are very grateful.

good things come in 3s

week 33.  amazing.

the babe is probably about 4 pds this week, or the size of a pineapple.  and as luck has it, we had pineapple in our smoothie this morning.  why do i always eat the fruit?  i hope this isn't some strange mother-eating-offspring Freudian oddness.  pineapple is a symbol of welcome, so maybe me eating pineapple and the baby being a pineapple are really just one big welcome mat?

i can tell that we are both running out of room to move around.  the movements of feet are really starting to look like an actual foot kicking out of my belly.  i've started to nest again (more on that later), the nursery is almost complete, we've pre-registered at the hospital and thanks to a few nags from mom + karin i've started to pack my hospital bag (more on that later). 

still feeling good, actually better than expected - off to teach yoga!

31

What is this moving around in my belly?  Not sure if it’s a hand or a leg, maybe it’s a bum or a head.  I pretend like I know what is what but truly I have no idea.   One of my students said that she could feel her baby move around in her belly a lot and once she was born she could visualize and sync the movements that were happening in her belly to her movements as an outside baby.  Even now as a teenager she said her daughter makes movements that are reminiscent of her being inside her belly.  Interesting.  Maybe once this baby is on the outside I will have a bit of clarity to what this all means. 

Right now it is waves of contentment feeling the baby move, then waves of nerves when I can’t feel him/her move.  On average, at the end of the day I recount the moves and realize that the baby has moved enough and we are both ok.

This week I am 31 weeks, about the size of four navel oranges.  I could actually have the baby now and the healthy of the baby might be ok.  This is a remarkably scary thought.  We could do it, but I would prefer for a little more time for the baby to cook and for us to prepare.