Baby Shetler - Redux: April 2006 Archives

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April 28, 2006

37 Weeks, 5 Days

The words "day care" are mocking me from my Baby To-Do list.

We had a close scrape with day-care disaster (even worse than not having a day-care person) but the crisis was averted. Family has been wonderful helping out trying to find us someone to watch the baby. I mean, I only need 3 days a week to start. It would kill me to put the baby in one of those institutional places that, first of all, may have too many kids in there and the kids are left alone a lot and second, charges you full time, 5 days, 7:30-6:00, when I only need 3 days and only until 4:00. You know, I think kangaroos have the right idea. I need a pouch that I can just carry the kid around with me. Then I can go to work with the kid in the pouch, feed the baby when I need to, and all would be well. That would solve both the issues of day care and deciding which breast pump to buy.

But anyway, we have several people we trust on the case, and hopefully everything will work out. I usually have a lot of confidence that things work themselves out for the best, but this is my child we are talking about. I guess it's different than when you just go with the flow for yourself.

Last night we met with the priest from the Episcopal church. She is very nice. We talked for a very long time about all kinds of different stuff and it was very helpful - to me at least - to understand the differences between Episcopal and RC. Poor Darren didn't have a clue about some of the stuff I was asking about (like the Feast of the Assumption - which in all fairness, I didn't know what it was either except that you're supposed to go to church that day). We were there for two and a half hours and nobody got grilled. Nobody's religion got attacked. It was a nice little chat. And then we signed up our names to be part of the church and gave her the date we wanted for the baptism. We don't have to go to any baptism classes; we don't have to "convert." We can, if we so choose, be confirmed into the church or received into the church, which they do in the spring, but for now we're good. (I would be received into the church, since I was confirmed RC by a bishop. Darren would have to be confirmed, since, even though he was confirmed, he was not confirmed by a bishop.)

So all we have to do now for the baptism is call the church after the baby is born and give them the name of the baby, the Godparents names - yes they allow Godparents - yay!!! - and the date of birth. Darren and I are both so happy about this. It is such a relief.

On another note, today wraps up my second week of maternity leave. I got my notice of deposit for my paycheck in the mail yesterday. I was so happy to get paid, since I got a cc of a letter the disability company sent to my doctor with all these questions about why did I have to be out so far before my due date and could he forward all my medical records from my first day out of work until the present to them and blah blah blah stingycakes. But I got paid! For sitting around complaining about how fat and bloated I am! Woo hoo! Life is good!

Well, except for the fact that my flip-flops are now starting to be too tight on my feet. Vizma made a funny comment the other day, which is probably so true. She said, "Maybe that's why the phrase is, 'barefoot and pregnant'?"

I wouldn't doubt it. If I go a few more weeks, there isn't a shoe in the world that will fit over my feet.

Posted by Terri at 07:36 AM | Comments (0)

April 25, 2006

37 Weeks, 2 Days

PANIC!!!

I just got a call from the daycare lady that we were going to go with. She was so nice, and her house was clean, and she fed the kids healthy snacks, and no TV, and she read to them, and was perfect. The only problem was she was off school holidays and summers and Mondays, but we were going to figure that out because we liked her so much. So yeah, she called. She's not doing it next year. So we have no daycare.

Anyone want to come be my nanny?

Posted by Terri at 10:02 AM | Comments (1)

April 24, 2006

37 Weeks, 1 Day

Today's Ticker:

I'm over 6 lbs & almost ready to come out even though my brain & lungs are still growing.

Trust me, baby, I'm ready for you to come out too.

So we've started week 2 of maternity leave. Week 1 was so much better. For starters, it was sunny and I could drive around with the top down. Not to mention that I'm becoming more and more uncomfortable and tired and cranky. I'm so cranky sometimes, I annoy myself. And then there is no doctor visit this week - because there is no doctor this week. So with every little twinge I panic that it's some kind of indication that I'm in labor and my doctor isn't here.

But the good news is this week my ottoman comes in, so I can rest on my glider with my feet up. I can go pick it up tomorrow afternoon.

I am getting increasingly bored. All my great ideas (before leave) of things to do - like hang out at the mall and shop, or go to the park - have pretty much gone bust since my 1/2 hour mall trip last week completely wiped me out. Any activity I partake in now apparently has to involve sitting: sitting and watching TV, sitting and folding laundry, sitting and updating my blog - you get the picture.

I still don't want to go early, but late is looking less and less appealing every day. I need some way to amuse myself so I don't go insane in this house all by myself.

Posted by Terri at 12:14 PM | Comments (1)

April 20, 2006

36 Weeks, 4 Days

Today's Ticker:

I'm around 19 inches tall, weigh at least 6 lbs & gain more than a half an ounce each day!

No wonder my stomach is so gargantuan.

So, Terri is happy. Maternity leave... sleeping til 10... driving around with the top down... pedicures... does life get any better than this? I say that it does NOT!

Sure, I'm still congested. Sure, my feet only fit in flip-flops. Sure, I haven't seen my toes in months (so I'm taking her word that the pedicure looks good). But to not have to work, it is a beautiful thing!

And then, to top it all off - the cherry on top of my maternity leave sundae - I lost a pound this week. The doctor was tre happy with me. I didn't even take off my flip-flops to get weighed. I was standing on the scale and the nurse said, "You're down a pound," just as the doctor walked past. I turned to him and said, "Did you hear that? I'm down a pound." So he smiled and said, "Yes, that's good!" And then he was singing when he came in to examine me. Happy doctor = happy Terri.

Of course, he's going on vacation next week, the punk. If I go into labor I'm going to be VERY unhappy.

According to him, the baby has turned. (According to me, my baby is "upside-down"). The baby is still kicking away. It's probably cramped as all hell in there.

So, that's about it. It's amazing what not having to work will do to your mood and outlook about things. I'm so much happier than I was a week ago. I could totally go late and be ok with it.

Posted by Terri at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)

April 14, 2006

35 Weeks, 5 Days

One month from today. I only have one month left.

AND today is my last day of work. At the time I am writing this, I have exactly 53 minutes left of work.

Halle-fricking-lujah! *insert choir of angels*

So, the doctor was quite happy with me, since I gained 0 lbs since my last check up. He thinks he's a commedian though, since when he read my chart he stuck his head out the door and called to the nurse to ask her if the scale was working properly today. (Ha ha, doc. Very funny. Let's bust on the fat pregnant lady.)

And now I'm sick. Blah. I had a fever on Wednesday, and today all the sinuses on the right side of my face are going to explode and I can't hear out of my right ear. I mean come ON! This is just adding insult to injury. Like I wasn't having enough trouble just dealing with pregnancy symptoms - now I'm stupid AND deaf. And can someone explain what is the deal with peeing when you cough? I swear. My whole body is revolting against me. There is not a single part of my body that is behaving, except possibly my hair. And the only reason it is behaving is because it knows that it is >this close< to being shaved off.

Let's checklist, shall we?
Feet: Swollen
Calves: Swollen
Knees: Stiff & painful
Thighs: Way fat
Butt: Huge
Belly: Distended and crampy
Belly Button: Pseudo-outtie
Boobs: Ok, actually they're pretty nice...
Chest: Congested, coughing, painful
Ear: Stuffy
Nose: Runny and red
Eyes: Itchy
Head: Pounding
Face: Ready to explode
Teeth: (Yes, even my teeth) Throbbing...

Don't you wish you were me?

Posted by Terri at 01:06 PM | Comments (1)

April 11, 2006

35 Weeks, 2 Days

Today's ticker:

I’m a little less than 19 inches tall & all my organ systems are complete & being finalized.

No wonder it feels like there's an entire army in my stomach.

So today I'm miserable. I'm tired because I can't sleep. I wake up every night with cramps and then can't sleep. And now I either have a cold or allergies, which led to me not sleeping last night. And all the cold goo is dripping into my already-much-harassed stomach, making it hurt. So I'm crabby today, even more so than usual.

We picked a religion over the weekend and only have to wait until after Easter to set up the baptism. Thank goodness that headache is over.

They threw a shower for me at work last Thursday. I meant to write about it, but, well, I'm tired and I forgot. It was so nice (and mostly a surprise, even if I was a little suspicious). I got a bunch of baby stuff, and clothes - including a baby tshirt with my company's logo on the front (so cute!) - and the people I scrapbook with got me a scrapbook with the pages all done except for pictures, so all I have to do is put the pictures in, since I probably won't have time to do much else. And one of the woman knit the baby a blanket. It was so nice. I work with great people. And there was cake and Darren was all excited because his name was on a cake at my company. (The cake said "Congratulations, Terri and Darren"). He was excited because my company is awesome.

I have another doctor appointment tonight. He's probably not going to be happy. I could give two craps right about now, seriously. So I'm fat. So what? I'll diet once this crazy-legged baby is out of my belly. I mean, I eat like crap, I gain weight; I eat healthy, I gain weight. So whatever, I'm not going to lose weight without exercise, and there are like 10 laws of physics working against me here.

I would be so much happier right now if my throat didn't hurt and my nose wasn't stuffy and my head wasn't pounding. Or if I could take Aleve cold & sinus.

Posted by Terri at 08:24 AM | Comments (1)

April 05, 2006

34 Weeks, 3 Days