I might as well make a cheesy video!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
30 & overdue
As you can all attest, it's a huge surprise that our daughter is deciding to make a late entrance considering she comes from two always-punctual parents! So, so much for the midwife's prediction; she seems eternally comfortable in there and my body seems oblivious to the knowledge that it must perform any sort of big event any time soon. I have started to feel a few painless Braxton-Hicks "practice" contractions, but by "a few," I mean perhaps half a dozen or less in over a week - which is what most women start feeling at around 6-7 months. By these calculations I am convinced that my biological clock is planning our baby's arrival sometime in August.
Unfortunately, the medical establishment isn't too comfortable with 12 month gestations. They are set on inducing me with the evil drug Pitocin when I hit 42 weeks (May 11). That day also coincides with my loss of Birth Center eligibility, which would be incredibly disappointing. So, in the meantime we're trying to walk the fine line between letting her come when she's ready and "encouraging" my body to pick up SOME signs of impending labor!
In addition to the usual home remedies, I will be going to have my "membranes swept" (separating the amniotic sack from the uterine wall) on Thursday (yes, Brent's birthday, but if the baby hasn't arrived by then, he'll be at work) in the hopes of either putting me into labor or giving me a few hours of contractions which will hopefully move me closer to natural labor in the days/week to come. If that, acupuncture and caster oil all fail, our last-ditch attempt will come the following weekend when they'll try to break my water at least 24 hrs before I hit 42 weeks. The only issue then is that I will be on a 24hr clock to deliver, which may mean the dreaded Pitocin...
BUT that's all still 12-13 days away, so we'll take things as they come and hope that none of this is necessary!!! Who knows, maybe she'll come tonight?
Other than that, someone had a 30th birthday on Saturday...
And while I completely forgot it was my birthday multiple times in the weeks & days leading up
to it, my family and Brent made sure I was well celebrated (though my current state of mind is that birthdays should be for celebrating the mother!). Brent made me his infamous whole wheat mixed berry and banana-chocolate chip pancakes from scratch, with a smoothie and cardamom coffee for breakfast. Mom, Lindsay and I had a girls' treat (we don't know why Brent and Dad didn't want to join!) of mani-pedis & a shopping trip. The day finished with Brent taking us out to a surprise dinner at a swishy sushi bar then back home for cake. I wish the rest of my 30's could be this spoiled!
to it, my family and Brent made sure I was well celebrated (though my current state of mind is that birthdays should be for celebrating the mother!). Brent made me his infamous whole wheat mixed berry and banana-chocolate chip pancakes from scratch, with a smoothie and cardamom coffee for breakfast. Mom, Lindsay and I had a girls' treat (we don't know why Brent and Dad didn't want to join!) of mani-pedis & a shopping trip. The day finished with Brent taking us out to a surprise dinner at a swishy sushi bar then back home for cake. I wish the rest of my 30's could be this spoiled!Other than that, Mom, Dad, Lindsay and I have been gallivanting around and trying not to think about the baby's lack of arrival while Brent's been busy at work most days. The rest of the photos are from a hike in Mission Trails park, which was lots of fun but alas, did not start labor!
Hope you're all well,
Jen, Brent and the large, heavy bump!
Monday, April 13, 2009
The end of couplehood...
No, she hasn't arrived yet ;-)
But in part to celebrate my last day of work on Thursday and partially in recognition that my mom arrives on Thursday and will stay until the baby's arrival (and a couple months after - thank goodness!) Brent and I decided to celebrate our last weekend exclusively as a "couple" this weekend!
As other "foodians" can appreciate, most of our celebrating revolved around eating out (and there were no movies in the theaters worth paying $21 for). So for a brief rundown:
After Brent got back from work on Friday we went out for a delicious Ethiopian buffet dinner, eavesdropped on the table beside ours' discussions of Zanzibar (which they had only visited for a day visit - which made us wonder how anyone could leave after only a few hours?!) and generally stuffed ourselves silly while reminiscing about travels past and hopefully future!
Saturday morning Brent woke me with his signature from-scratch berry pancakes before we went for an exhilarating walk to a park a few blocks (and two big hills) away from our house that has an archery range Brent is suddenly interested in (?!). Then came the weekend's highlight: an appointment at a spa in Ocean Beach for an indulgent 1.5 hr couples' massage and pampering foot scrub. Pummeled, scrubbed and soothed, we lounged at a cafe in OB watching the Nelson-meets-Tofino So-Cal scene passing by before taking a long walk on the surfer-and-palm tree beachfront. We got back to Hillcrest in time for our dinner reservations at a fancy Indian restaurant before heading home to a scrumptious mango sorbet and chocolate truffle desert.
On Sunday we took it slow with our usual schedule of grocery shopping, calls to our parents, a walk through Balboa, and in the afternoon/evening our second-to-last prenatal class. And while we had every intention of going home to cook, the late hour and aroma of something vaguely Asian convinced us to stop and pick up sushi on the way home. Ahhh, Heaven!
However, as I was on the elliptical trainer at the gym this morning I realized that had our daughter wanted to make an early appearance, I had inadvertently done about 8 out of 10 of the main labor-starting techniques (spicy food, big meals, strenuous hill climbs, getting a prenatal massage, squats, lunges, lots of walking and it was just after the full moon) over the weekend! So while I don't know how she could possibly sit any lower in my pelvis, it seems she may be looking to hold on to "life on the inside" for another week or two at least. Nevertheless, as I hit 38 weeks today Brent and I realized that one way or another, 4 weeks today (induction day if it comes to that) she will be in our arms!
In the meantime we're really looking forward to mom arriving on Thursday and Lindsay, my dad and Barclay arriving the following week. From there the arrivals should just keep coming...!
Hope you all are doing very well,
Jen, Brent and since I can't really think of another fruit heavier or rounder than a watermelon, she'll have to stay as that for now!
But in part to celebrate my last day of work on Thursday and partially in recognition that my mom arrives on Thursday and will stay until the baby's arrival (and a couple months after - thank goodness!) Brent and I decided to celebrate our last weekend exclusively as a "couple" this weekend!
As other "foodians" can appreciate, most of our celebrating revolved around eating out (and there were no movies in the theaters worth paying $21 for). So for a brief rundown:
After Brent got back from work on Friday we went out for a delicious Ethiopian buffet dinner, eavesdropped on the table beside ours' discussions of Zanzibar (which they had only visited for a day visit - which made us wonder how anyone could leave after only a few hours?!) and generally stuffed ourselves silly while reminiscing about travels past and hopefully future!
Saturday morning Brent woke me with his signature from-scratch berry pancakes before we went for an exhilarating walk to a park a few blocks (and two big hills) away from our house that has an archery range Brent is suddenly interested in (?!). Then came the weekend's highlight: an appointment at a spa in Ocean Beach for an indulgent 1.5 hr couples' massage and pampering foot scrub. Pummeled, scrubbed and soothed, we lounged at a cafe in OB watching the Nelson-meets-Tofino So-Cal scene passing by before taking a long walk on the surfer-and-palm tree beachfront. We got back to Hillcrest in time for our dinner reservations at a fancy Indian restaurant before heading home to a scrumptious mango sorbet and chocolate truffle desert.
On Sunday we took it slow with our usual schedule of grocery shopping, calls to our parents, a walk through Balboa, and in the afternoon/evening our second-to-last prenatal class. And while we had every intention of going home to cook, the late hour and aroma of something vaguely Asian convinced us to stop and pick up sushi on the way home. Ahhh, Heaven!
However, as I was on the elliptical trainer at the gym this morning I realized that had our daughter wanted to make an early appearance, I had inadvertently done about 8 out of 10 of the main labor-starting techniques (spicy food, big meals, strenuous hill climbs, getting a prenatal massage, squats, lunges, lots of walking and it was just after the full moon) over the weekend! So while I don't know how she could possibly sit any lower in my pelvis, it seems she may be looking to hold on to "life on the inside" for another week or two at least. Nevertheless, as I hit 38 weeks today Brent and I realized that one way or another, 4 weeks today (induction day if it comes to that) she will be in our arms!
In the meantime we're really looking forward to mom arriving on Thursday and Lindsay, my dad and Barclay arriving the following week. From there the arrivals should just keep coming...!
Hope you all are doing very well,
Jen, Brent and since I can't really think of another fruit heavier or rounder than a watermelon, she'll have to stay as that for now!
Monday, April 6, 2009
A lucky day for Jen
It's been a great day so I thought I'd share some not-exclusively baby-related news!
First of all, today was preceeded by a great weekend, hitting the beach on Coronado island, attending our second birth-prep class, finding and committing to an apartment for my parents (and any other visitors who want to stay with them while they're in San Diego), and being spoiled with yet another baby shower last night!
However, the baby shower was quite a party and after getting home close to 11 pm last night, another one of my increasingly restless nights convinced me to "not work" from home today. I 
say not work because I only have 20 hours remaining on my current work contract and yet still have a lot of work left in my "plan-a-three-day-human-rights-arts-festival-and-raise-$22,000-to-fund-it" project for the institute. It has been a stressful balancing act and I was not looking forward to tying up 6 weeks worth of work this week to leave for an undesignated person to try to take over. As I was anxiously pondering my tight timeline, I received an e-mail from my boss saying she has secured funding for me to work part-time from August up until the festival in September! That was fabulous news. Though it didn't quite remove the pressure of how to leave things between now and August... Three hours later I get another e-mail, this time saying my boss has found more funding to pay me for a week or two before July 1 to "tide things over"! :-)!
say not work because I only have 20 hours remaining on my current work contract and yet still have a lot of work left in my "plan-a-three-day-human-rights-arts-festival-and-raise-$22,000-to-fund-it" project for the institute. It has been a stressful balancing act and I was not looking forward to tying up 6 weeks worth of work this week to leave for an undesignated person to try to take over. As I was anxiously pondering my tight timeline, I received an e-mail from my boss saying she has secured funding for me to work part-time from August up until the festival in September! That was fabulous news. Though it didn't quite remove the pressure of how to leave things between now and August... Three hours later I get another e-mail, this time saying my boss has found more funding to pay me for a week or two before July 1 to "tide things over"! :-)!
Just when I thought it was really my lucky day, I was outside getting my laundry when my neighbor came out to see if we happened to need one of our few remaining 'wish list' items - a brand new changing pad!
Hmm... maybe I should buy a lottery ticket tonight!
I hope you all are having similarly good days.
Jen, Brent and the very heavy watermelon
p.s. thanks to everyone who's casting their chips in Baby Freeman's Date-of-Arrival pool, we love seeing your guesses (though there are some late ones that I hope will not win! ;-).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)