Wednesday, November 25, 2009

22w6d- presence known on the outside

Today was another milestone. Before I got out of bed this morning (no easy feat these days, since I've begun piling pillows around myself to keep from rolling onto my back at night- I'll discuss sleep another time), I felt a pretty dramatic nudge from Ishkabibble. Half asleep, I put my hand on my belly in the same spot, and Ishka did it again. For the first time, I felt the baby move from the outside. No repeat since those first nudges, so I wasn't able to share the sensation with C, but I'm sure that will happen soon. Ishka tends to be very active during and right after dinner, so I'll make sure C stays within arm's reach tonight.

EDD is in exactly 4 months, or 17 weeks from tomorrow. If anyone asks me what I'm thankful for this year, I'll rub my belly, smile and say, "The people in my life, even the ones I haven't met in person yet." And that includes YOU.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

22w0d- SURPRISE!

I had a routine appointment with the midwife today, during which she asked if I'd gotten the swine flu vaccine yet. When I said I hadn't, and that the closest I'd gotten was a waiting list with my PCP who can't say for certain that they'll even get the vaccine, she said she had some and I could get the shot today. Of course I jumped all over that opportunity, and was very happy to note that they administer the single-dose, pre-filled syringe variety which is preservative (aka. thimerasol, aka. mercury)-free!

So, newly vaccinated, I might be able to relax a little at our Thanksgiving gatherings. If someone sneezes, I might still stay for pie. As long as they don't sneeze ON the pie.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

missing all my sistas

Has anyone else been having trouble reaching cyclesista lately? Instead of adding all the blogs I read to my blogroll, I'd been cruising over to cyclesista every day and catching up with everyone from there. But now, when I try to access cyclesista, all I get is the March 2006 "welcome to cyclesista" entry... no blog list. Help! It's been maybe a week since I caught up with everyone, and I miss you all.

I just checked in on BB's blog, where she posted that Cyclesista is undergoing some technical changes and may be unavailable for a little while. I apologize if I'm not as comment-y in the interim... I should have added everyone to my blogroll instead of reaching you through Cyclesista all the time. I'll catch up with everyone soon!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

starting to get excited

The mobile arrived yesterday, and it's gorgeous! C wanted to hang it immediately, but I want to wait until we've put all the baby furniture in the room so we can place it just so. I'd like to put it above the glider (which we don't have yet) so Ishkabibble can see it while we nurse. That might mean it's above the changing table too, depending on how we arrange things.

I decided not to buy the pricey night stand to go with the crib we chose. Instead, I went to the local unfinished furniture store and found a mission style end table (night stand, end table... what's the diff?) that would work perfectly. They were having a sale on finishing services, so they're painting it black for me. We'll have our first new-bought piece of baby furniture in less than a week! It'll join the pack-n-play and portable crib that friends gave us when they cleaned out their attic in August.

A very dear family friend has offered us the use of her bassinette. It's seen at least 4 generations of babies, and the name of each one who slept in it is inscribed on the base. It's not just the fact that she wants us to use it, but that she'd like Ishkabibble's name immortalized on it with her own family members that really touches me.

I've felt movement nearly every day for the last week now. "Flutters" does describe it well. When I feel Ishkabibby moving, I imagine little arms waving or legs dancing and can't help but wonder what the baby is responding to. Was it something I ate? A song on the radio? My voice? I'm looking forward to learning what makes this little one smile and giggle and dance.

We're touring the birthing center on Saturday. My next appointment with the MW is Thursday. I still hardly believe this is real, and that in just 18 more weeks (give or take) C and I will meet this little person we made (with a lot of help). Can't wait!!

Friday, November 13, 2009

10 random things

Inspired by Eileen, and knowing that I'd love to know more about each of you, here are 10 random things that you wouldn't know about me from reading my blog.

1. I used to have a southern drawl, having lived in Georgia from ages 3-10. I failed a few spelling quizzes when we moved in MA in 5th grade because I couldn't understand my teacher's Boston accent. I still have trouble understanding my husband sometimes, but I think he makes his accent worse by mumbling and using a lot of regional colloquialisms that I never heard before. I lost my drawl, and have been accused of sounding either midwestern or Canadian. But, put me in a Waffle House for ten minutes, and it all comes back.

2. I always dreamed I would get married some day, have a daughter, and name her Emma. Then I met C and realized that he can't have an "Emma" because the resulting first-last name combo would sound too much like "hemorrhoids." I married him anyhow. That's love.

3. I am a thorough soccer nut. I had the choice when I was 7 to play either soccer or flag football, and I'm incredibly happy that I chose soccer. I organized several friends to try out for our high school boys' team as a sophomore and was instrumental in finally getting the school to field a varsity girls' team in my senior year. One of the most moving moments in my life was when I attended a Women's World Cup match at Soldiers Field with 70,000 enthusiastic fans who PAID MONEY to watch women play soccer. I used to idolize players like Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, and I love the fact that my daughter, if I have one, will have female athletes to admire. I still play soccer, and referee, and hope to coach my own children some day.

4. I still exchange Christmas cards with my 4th grade teacher. She gave me her address when my family moved to MA, and we've sent cards back and forth ever since.

5. The Cave Metaphor from Plato's Republic rocked my world in 1985. That's why I earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy. My husband believes I overthink things.

6. Bruce Cockburn is a songwriting and guitar god.

7. I had knee surgery when I was 23, and have a 5-inch scar up the front of my knee as a result. For the first year or two, it looked like I'd knelt on a pink rubber centipede (like a fishing lure) and it stuck. I decided to befriend my scar, so I named it "Herman."

8. Some day, I would like to learn to play the French horn. The transition from the 3rd to the 4th movements of Beethoven's 5th Symphony features horns and is the most joyful, exhilarating music I've ever heard. I want to play it.

9. I got a perfect score two years in a row at auditions for the New England Music Festival chorus, auditioning in a trio with two friends of mine who were (and still are) incredible sopranos.

10. I cannot tell a lie. My memory is not great, and I would never be able to keep track of the made-up stories. Besides, as a quasi-existentialist, I can't condone lying at all. That, and I'm just plain bad at it.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

19w5d- chugging right along

I have nothing much to report, pregnancy-wise. I may have felt some movement on Sunday, when I took Ishkabibble to her first professional sporting event (a soccer game, of course). There was a crowd of Brazilians sitting two sections away, playing some remarkably loud drums during the entire match. I like to think Ishka was dancing in response to the music. Then again, I'm not completely sure that what I felt was baby-movement. It'll come soon enough. One of the tidbits of info garnered at last week's u/s was that the placenta is between Ishkabibby and my belly-button, so movements may be muffled and less apparent early on.

My belly now extends further from my spine than my chest does, so I think I am starting to look more pregnant than fat. The last couple of weeks have been wonderful- no need for naps, and I only need 8-9 hours of sleep each night. Sometimes, I wake refreshed after only 7 1/2 hours... my normal pre-pregnancy sleep requirement. Aside from my increased girth, I feel like my old self, and occasionally almost forget that I'm pregnant (not really... I mean, after all it took to get here how could I forget?). Ishka must be crowding in on my stomach because it sure doesn't hold what it used to, and I think I've felt the beginnings of heartburn a couple of times. I've never experienced heartburn before, so I'm not exactly sure, but I definitely don't like lying down within an hour or two of a meal. I may have had my first craving last Friday... for KFC. Then again, maybe I just didn't want to cook.

It's hard to believe that in just two days, Ishka will be half-baked. I'm amazed that March feels so close and so distant at the same time. We picked out the furniture and registered at BRU, but we haven't actually ordered anything or completed the registry yet. First, we need to rearrange the guest room (future nursery) so that everything will fit. I chose a theme based on a mobile and some watercolors that I found (they'll customize the mobile colors to coordinate with the watercolors... not "match," per se, but "go")...

We haven't decided if the walls need to be painted. For now, they're a soothing pale green below a white chair rail, with baby blue above. It was a little boy's room before we bought the house, but I like the colors even for a girl. I've never been a big fan of pink. I'm thinking of looking for a lamp kit and a wooden sail boat toy that I can somehow turn into a nursery lamp. We'll see how that goes.
So, that's it... things are progressing smoothly, just how I'd like them to. The next visit with the MW will be at 22 weeks. My PCP is finally taking names for a contact list for H1N1 vaccines, so maybe I'll get one after all. I'm just a normal pregnant woman now, and our whole IF history is not just inconsequential to the folks taking care of Ishka and me, they know nothing about it. It's kind of wierd... like this pregnancy isn't the tremendously huge deal that I make it out to be. but it IS. Believe me, it is.