I have answers and I didn’t have to make any threats to get them!!!!

so today I met with dr. Nelson who was the doctor I was recommended to upon choosing this practice. she always has a smile and is always very pleasant. on monday I know I wrote about how angry I was and how I was going to tell everyone and their mama off when I got to the doctor. well, none of that happened lol.

here are the important parts of the appointment: • I’m 2cm dilated • I’m 50% effaced • the babys head is in station 0 • baby kalima is about 7.5 lbs

I’m very much so satisfied with this appointment. it seems as though I was contracting last night which was celebrated by both doctor and nurse. and now I have the explanation for why I feel like ladytown is falling out.

I’m a happy gal! we’re praying for a baby this weekend!

and I’m cranky… today signifies the conclusion of my 38th week of pregnancy and I’m tired of being tired.

why?

I no longer sleep very well at all and am suffering from a smidge of pregnancy insomnia. so when I do sleep, it’s a light and fluffy sleep as opposed to a deep and restful sleep.

yes, this post is me complaining. after having a wee one inside you for over half a year, you get over the “awww I’m making a new life” and you get to the “argh I just want my body back and to hold this new life in her own space”.

I feel like I’m going to be pregnant forever. I know I JUST got her travel system, her crib still isn’t assembled, and I need to sterilize her bottles but ugh! i’m ready for her to come!

this week I finally have a doctor appointment. I woke up this morning feeling pretty angry at them. i’m 38 weeks and they haven’t checked the position of the baby, given me an estimate of her weight, checked me for dilation or effacement, or any of the shit people that are around my same timeframe have had done!!! I realize that i’m low risk but that doesn’t mean neglect me! hell I’m still not even on weekly visits and I’m about to pop this kid out! so yeah, on Thursday the doctor will be having a firm talking to from yours truly.

I’m done ranting…

xoxo frustrated Fiona (no, that’s not my real name lol)

yup… it’s almost time and what seals the deal? a packed hospital bag.

my bag is just about ready. i’ve got the following packed:

• birth plan
• socks & slippers
• warm robe
• toiletries
• makeup (i’ve got a Benefit palette, mascara, & lip balm… nothing too dramatic)
• headbands
• camera
• some leggings, tank tops, and night gown for post-birth
• bath towel & wash cloths
• blankets for kalima
• coming home outfits for both kalima and i

i still need to get the following:

• flip flops
• maternity panties (the granny kind)
• nursing bras
• juice/snacks

so nursing bras are pretty expensive. me being the savvy shopper that i am found 6 new nursing bras (new with the tags on) for $24.95 + $7.95 (s & h).

i’m pretty excited… they should be shipped on monday and i should get them soon.

i’ve finally decided on baby kalima’s coming home outfit which will be revealed when i photograph her coming home.

and guess who’s here? my brother! and boy do we have work to do! lol… we got the travel system today which i’m absolutely in love with and can’t wait to debut it here. it’s new so it wasn’t on the websites or anything. i’m so excited!

time’s a tickin!

this is a day late but not a dollar short (i made a funny…lol)

at 37 weeks, baby kalima’s lungs are finally developed. this is the last organ that we were waiting on before birth. so in my definition and the definition of many others, she’s fully baked and we’re just waiting for my little starlet to make her entrance into the world.

i feel (and look) absolutely enormous. my guess is that i expanded more then her size because she still has a lot of space in there. things get tight depending on how i lay and she responds pretty aggressively. it feels like she’s yelling “mom!!! i have no space!!! move!!” of course that’s just all in my mind lol.

i think that little kalima will be making her entrance to the world shortly as she’s been appearing to people in their dreams and visions. what am i talking about right? well, i’ve had 2 separate preachers approach me and tell me that either i or both kalima and i appeared in a vision and that she wanted to be prayed over. pretty freaky but i’m a believer in spiritual things like this. they’ve both told me that God has a great plan for both she and i. pretty cool to me if you know that i was told i couldn’t have children or that she was conceived using condoms.

anywho, i’m hoping and praying that i don’t make it to my next doc appointment which is when i’m 38 weeks and a couple days. i’ve stalled on giving baby kalima her eviction papers until this weekend just to give her a little extra time.

oh yeah, by the way, we’re 36 weeks today!

on a side note, 2 of my friends have just birthed their babies within this week. michelle from my birthing class had her beautiful baby boy lance. he’s such a cutie! and my other friend katie had her little girl audrey who is also just as beautiful as she wants to be! congrats ladies!

36 weeks… so what does this mean? well, for starters i have far more breathing room and stomach room as well. she’s dropped and given me some breathing space. of course she still stretches out and kicks my ribs from time to time but the bulk of her is in my lower abdomen.

and that’s not always a good thing. when i wake up and get out of bed, it never fails that i look down to see if my poor lady town has fallen out due to all this extra pressure. and bathroom trips? man, i can’t seem to stay outta the bathroom for long periods of time! i’m so happy that i made my last roadtrip when i did because i would not be able to make it with how things are!

ready? yes, very much so. i just had my 2nd shower on saturday and i feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually ready knowing that i have communities everywhere rooting for me. it’s such a wonderful feeling to feel loved. my parents must have done a superb job with me for people to love me this way! i hope that i do as good of a job with baby kalima!

i think the only thing that has changed this week is that my body temperature is off the charts! i swear that i’m hot ALL-THE-TIME! as soon as i get home, i strip down to my skivvy’s just so i can stop sweating!

in other news, i’ve also bought stock in degree deodorant! i kid, i kid…

this morning baby kalima managed to lodge her foot in my rib somehow. it didn’t hurt but it did feel quite weird. lol. she also had the hiccups this evening. cute.

well, those are all the updates for now.

and nothing too exciting is going on here… me: well, I still have indigestion at night that makes me want to vomit but luckily I’ve found that taking tums when I lay down i’m saved from a trip to the bathroom. bending over is increasingly hard and uncomfortable.

I’m also at that place in pregnancy where I kinda enjoy it but am still eagerly anticipating her arrival. I’m tryning to get on a schedule where i play her music in the mornings and read to her in the evenings but I have to say, I feel really ridiculous reading aloud to my bump. I’d also like to start singing twinke twinkle little star to her.

BB: well she’s good. growing and taking up more and more space in my belly making it hard for me to breathe. but she’s also way more responsive to me poking and prodding her. this morning I figured out where her head, rump, and feet were. I actually love it when she responds to me. of course I characterize her while she does it which makes it all the more fun but it’s cool. I really can’t wait for her to make her entrance to the world!

32 week bump

everytime I go to the doctor I wonder why in the hell I’m there.

why? well, I’m a low risk pregnancy. the most “exciting” part is the new aches and pains… I’m halfway tempted to offer to just buy the Doppler and go to cvs to take my own damn blood pressure versus driving an hour, waiting 45 minutes only to be seen for 5 minutes!

anywho, enough about my frustration. baby kalima and I have gained 2 lbs. we’re measuring 2 weeks ahead. I’m hoping this means that she’ll come a little early but the doc says there’s no signs of that.

I can only hope that I’ll get to meet her a little earlier!

How your baby’s growing:

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you’ll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby’s hardening skeleton each day.

How your life’s changing:

Your baby’s very active now. Your practitioner may ask you to spend some time each day counting kicks and will give you specific instructions on how to do this. Let her know if you ever notice a decrease in activity. You may need a nonstress test or biophysical profile to check on your baby’s condition.

Some old friends — heartburn and constipation — may take center stage now. The pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes smooth muscle tissue throughout your body, including your gastrointestinal tract. This relaxation, coupled with the crowding in your abdomen, slows digestion, which in turn can cause gas and heartburn — especially after a big meal — and contribute to constipation as well.

Your growing uterus may also be contributing to hemorrhoids. These swollen blood vessels in your rectal area are common during pregnancy and usually clear up in the weeks after giving birth. If they’re itchy or painful, try soaking in a sitz bath or applying cold compresses medicated with witch hazel to the affected area. Also avoid sitting or standing for long stretches. Talk with your practitioner before using any over-the counter remedies during pregnancy, and let her know if you have any rectal bleeding. To prevent constipation, eat a high-fiber diet, drink plenty of water, and get some regular exercise.

Some women get something called “supine hypotensive syndrome” during pregnancy, where laying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. You might note that you feel lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, too. To avoid “the spins” lie on your side rather than your back, and move slowly as you go from lying down to sitting and then standing.