Favorite things of today

My first Pedicure.
Watching my husband get nervous about his pedicure.
Scary yellow icy pop turned out to be pina colda flavor. yum.
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream.
Paper Moon exploration.
Mission Accomplished, Found the McGregor Art Center.

Tips and Tricks

It's the last week. I'm going to miss some things about being pregnant, the movements, the cute maternity clothes, the freedom to still be spontaneous and selfish, the awesome comments from friends.
Of course there are some things I will be happy to be done with. The three point turn to flip from side to side in bed, the lack of breath, the hormone roller coaster, the suspense.
Now it's time to get the baby moving. When my bladder is full and I have to pee I almost want to just let it go so that I can think my water broke. Gross huh?
I've been taking the advice of everyone. I'm walking a lot. Although I should probably stop wearing skirts and sandals since I keep having to shake rocks out of my shoes and my thighs are chaffing. I'm having sex and doing massage. Tonight I even went to a wine tasting, which probably didn't look the greatest with my big belly and a wine glass, but baby is pretty much done developing (right?) and it was fun and relaxing. I also had coffee today. This was the first time since Halloween when I found out I was pregnant to have coffee or alcohol.
I'm so excited to have the baby now. I walk past the bouncers in the different rooms and just see the baby sitting there. I am making announcements that only need a photo put in. I'm so excited to see the cute thing. I wonder who has chosen to be with us. It will be so weird to have another generation living in the same home with us again and this time one we created. It will be weird to see the baby's interests develop, friends made, and beauty shine. Yay, come on out sweetheart, we are excited to meet you.

My predicitons

If I have a boy he is coming on July 4, if I have a girl she is coming on July 7.
Because we are having a home birth this house makes my anticipation so great so I am trying to get out of the house as much as possible. Yesterday we went to Guttenberg and got ice cream and ate it by the mighty Miss and we walked 2 miles on the Pony Hallow Trail in Elkader. I think we might do four today.
Great mail day today. Cloth diaper materials are coming in. Got some snappis and flannel wipes. Betsy also sent me a book called the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. It will be great since we do not have a Le Leche League around here. I think it is odd there are so many of us cloth diapering, breastfeeding, homebirthers in the country where nothing is available or easy (like a league or a diaper service, etc) and in the cities and towns were there are those things people are not taking advantage of them.
I am currently talking with Mother's Milk of Iowa to be a breast milk depot for the county. I hope it works out for the best.

Opening Up

I opened this blog up so anyone can read it now. Sorry if I said anything bad. I'll jst chalk it up to hormones.

One more class

I think this was my last pregnancy class. The next one is in two weeks on July 8. If I don't have a child by then I will be in a bad state. I am starting to have frequent tightenings in my upper belly and I don't know if the baby has dropped but I think maybe. My yoni is tightening just as often and when I walk around I instantly feel like I have to pee. Even though when I sit down on the toilet I don't have a drop in me.
Tonight Ben and Katia (who were at our first meeting) came and talked about their birth experience. I remember seeing Katia so big and thinking, "Wow, she is going to be the first to go. I wonder who will be next?" I didn't realize at the time it would be me.
It would have been fun to have Katia and her baby Anya (2 months) in this photo with us, but they had to take off half way through the session. Jen also wasn't there.
So in this photo is Moira (midwife #2 due at the end of July), Melissa (due at the end of August) and daughter Windsor, Sadie (due at the end of September), Lisa (due at the end of July) and myself (due now).

It's time

The photos have been taken. Michelle Gifford took them in our bedroom with our backdrop up. They look great.

The spine aligned. I saw Tim Kane (a community friend of ours) for my first chiropractor appointment ever. It was so nice to lie on belly on the table that allows you to do that.

The kombucha is flowing through the veins. Man is that stuff strong, but I can take it and my yoni is loving it.

The spirit is at rest. Today my spiritual director and I talked about the birth. During a guided meditation we both saw myself in a bubble of light floating along but looking inwardly. This bubble is the peace that I am not controlling but letting happen and still feeling cared for. She also said she envisioned a lot of water. I am not adamant on a water birth, but I do have the tub ready to go. I told her I was more earthly but it seems like the baby is waterly. She asked if this was more like Bryce and I said I didn't know. A few minutes ago I was looking up astrological signs and myself, Taurus, is connected to earth, while the baby, Cancer, is connected to water, as is Bryce, Pieces. I don't follow astrological horoscopes, but that was interesting.

So, I'm taking bets. Anyone want to guess a birthdate? I'll give $5 to the correct person. Or you can just guess the month, June or July (that I won't give money for). To be fair I will tell you I am getting more tightenings in my upper belly and I feel like I keep getting head butted in the vagina, but I can't say for sure that I have dropped or that I am leaking fluid. My record keeping for conception says July 8, the ultrasound said June 23. I am right in the middle. Any guesses?

My funny husband

Bryce is so cute and funny.

Today he made a cat toy from their own cat hair.

And then he laughed hilariously at Boo going crazy with it saying between laughs "It's made out of Pi."

Today we were talking about birthing fears and I said "What if I go all over the midwives?" Bryce replied "It goes with the territory. Did the ghost busters complain when they got slimed? They're professionals."

Now our idea for a birthing cd contains the songs:
Push It- Salt and Pepper
I'm Coming Out- Diana Ross
Who you gonna call- Ghost Busters

I have

Gas
Hiccups
Acid Reflux
Heart Burn
No Contractions

Drinking and Driving

I'm still on yeast patrol. I have been prescribed a kombucha a day. It's my first time with kombucha, but with the word fermented I was thinking it would taste gross. My first one was citrus. It isn't too bad. Full flavor, like having soda without the carbonation.

One odd thing that I realize I have wanted to do a lot during this pregnancy is drive and ride. I keep wanting to just get in the car without any destination and go. I am not a car fan, so this is a little odd for me.

Father's Day

Bryce got a Simpson's card and dinner at McCaffery's Dolce Vita (paid for by him) for his first father's day. He also got to sleep in until noon and it is 9 pm and he is already a sleep. We thought maybe he would get to see his bundle of sunshine today, but I am not feeling anything but baby moving.

Yesterday we went to Beth and Steve's BBQ. There were a lot of the same great families their including Annette Grau and family (a somewhat new bunch to the mix). One of the best things ever happened naturally. Because I was basically told I could go at any minute everyone started to talk about their birth expierences and they were all so positive. Four of the women had all their child (and some have 4 kids already) without drugs and in very natural ways. Annette loved talking about birth and all that goes with it. She had excellent tips of breastfeeding, including the fact that you can get your pump with your health insurance, you just have to call them first and find out where they accept it. She was hillarious talking about how she loved her soft belly as if it were the baby's blanket and letting her babies follow the dark line on the belly up to the dark nipples to nurse. I have been noticing a lot of darkness in my own breasts. I know this is a sign of pregnancy or motherhood. When I was watching The Reader and Kate Winslet was naked I told Bryce her body wasn't real accurate as her nips are so dark and yet she is playing a single woman.

When Bryce and I were about to leave I was putting the 7-up away and I dropped it. The lid wasn't completely tight so it starting fizzing out and spraying. Beth rushed in saying "Did your water break?" in all sincerity. I laughed so hard. I don't think if my water broke it would sound like fizzy spraying all over the place. I love Beth though. I totally wish she was more into birth, she basically did a scheduled cesarean birth for her little one. She made cinnamon rolls for everyone to take home and eat this morning, it was great. Bryce and I were one of the last to leave. It was odd seeing all the families leave, but their kids got tired and that is the way it is, isn't it? In the end it was Beth and Steve, three husbands who stayed, and me and Paula, the two pregnant ladies. Paula is due in September. Her husband's name in Paul so we keep teasing her that she needs to have a Pauline.

Nesting

It's not just cleaning is it? It is doing the organizing you like to do in extreme form. I have about 3 business plans going that are almost complete. I do it every month and didn't realize there was a connection to my cycle.

I can't sleep

I can't sleep. It could happen anytime. The baby is moving around all the time. What if I miss something? What if I am not prepared? The other day I was rocking in a chair and my belly felt separate from me. I went forward then it did, backward, then it did.
I don't think the baby has "dropped" but there is more pressure on my yoni. It feels like when you stick your finger in your belly button and press. That odd pressure is there all the time.

Exciting times

So it looks like the baby is due sooner than we thought! It's time to meet this kid.

Home Visit

Brenda, Moira, and Karin Martin-Hiner (new apprentice) and my mom came over for a home visit. They checked out where everything was in the home and brought the birth tub. My mom asked some pretty good questions to help with her fears. Everyone could tell she is rather nervous, but I think it helped. Bryce also felt better about his role. The only one left feeling not as good, is me. Nothing with labor, just the time frame of how soon it will be. Moira and Brenda were a little nervous about me possibly having diabetes with my measurements running so big so they did a test. What they concluded was that I am not, but instead I will probably deliver before my due date, which they tend to tell people the opposite. So why I think I am entering the teens I could actually be entering the single digits. AHHHHH! I'm going to be a mom. I'm in a dream world that I never will be, but I already am. All three midwives shared their stories on how they felt similar with their first child. Karin, when her water broke a week early, Moira when she first saw the blood. They all were like, "Oh, my God this is real." I'm in shock. It is coming.

Favorite Kid You Tubes

My favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXXm696UbKY
Bryce's Favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM&NR=1

It's getting hot in here

Mother nature has been so super kind to me by making the days cool, however I am still hotter than the dickens. I can't imagine what life will be like if it does get hotter.

Belly Cast #2

Belly Cast #2, originally uploaded by Shannon Marye.

We are prepping the house for baby delivering and doing the things we want to do before baby comes. Last night we did our second belly cast. The first one was done before we were pregnant. Because last time I freaked out and was really uncomfortable this time I laid down. It was much better except for the fact that I have huge boobs that fall to the side when I lay on my back without a bra on. So the cast is a little floppy, but I still like it. I have a slight problem with deciding what to put on the casts when I am done. Lots of people have great ideas but what will work for our baby. It probably won't be done until after baby is here.

40 cm at 36 weeks. Eeks.

We got another mail goody today. Scott Farmer, who is the sweetest, bought our baby it's first toy, peek a boo blocks. Yay! We also got some cool shell beads from Betsy to add to the bracelet and mini pearls from Jean.
Today I went to the midwife for an appointment and my belly is 40 cm. Holy Cow! That is really huge. And here I was complaining about not being very big. Brenda answered a lot of questions I had. She was kind of down because her incredible staff has so many life changing things going on when everyone is due. Moira will go on maternity around July 17. Valarie just got an opportunity for her whole family to do missionary work, leaving almost immediately.
One of the main things that we talked about was passing things to baby and mother during birth. My RH factor has always been a concern of mine, but she also wanted me to look into Strep D and to work on eliminating my yeast. So when I came home I plopped myself in front of the tv to watch Born in America and Orgasmic Birth, while eating a bunch of yogurt and garlic down my pants. I can just see what a mess thrush would be. My breasts already are so susceptible to candida.

Baby Bird

Baby Bird
Originally uploaded by Shannon Marye

Lots of new life is happening around our home. This bird was so adorable with his furry little feathers and his inability to fly. Watch and suck in all the cuteness.

Pain in the Butt

Yesterday Trish asked me over to record my voice on a new cd they are making. It was a small three stanza read of seeds being scattered in the womb of the soil, but it was really fun. We talked a little bit about the pregnancy. I am still seriously worried about this torn tendon, pulled groin, whatever it is on the left side of my entire yoni that hurts like the dickens. Everytime I get up to work I feel the immense pain. Trish said she had something similar and she doesn't remember it at all during birth. Lots of people are trying to be supportive saying that pain will be worse that you won't even feel it. I'm scared but I think I am ready.

New Trick

I think this is so funny, but pictures can't really show how funny it is. This first photo is my round belly full of baby when I lay down. The second photo is when I start to get up and my belly forms around my baby. So it looks like a little mound built in the middle of my tummy.

Baby making Baby

I'm a big baby. Last night I had what I think is more than a Braxton Hick. Those I think are when parts of my stomach feel like the baby is grabbing my flesh and pulling in which is not too bad, just mildly annoying. Last night I was up until two, my whole uterus was like stone and my body hurt all around me like a big innertube was around me squeezing me tighter and tighter and I couldn't make it stop. I wanted to puke but I couldn't. I thought it might be severely trapped gas, but I don't think it was. Bryce was a pal and took the rolling pin to me as I squirmed around the bathroom in pain. I don't know how I am going to handle actual labor after that little episode. That pain lasted over an hour, do contractions last that long? I thought they were only like 5 minutes, but maybe I am thinking about the time in between them. Ahhh, it is coming so soon.

Big Belly

I suppose the nesting instincts are coming at the perfect time as it is garage sale weekend and my mom and I are putting together a sale at my house. I have such a hard time letting go of clothes. Partly because of my fascination with the boxes of my mom's clothes I found in high school and wore until they were shreds and partly because of the memories I have when I see them. However, there are seven large tubs of my clothes from high school to last year all priced and ready to go. Even my converse all-stars which I debated for a long time. I haven't seen so many jeans without elastic for a long time. Anyway, I hope the sale goes well because I don't plan on donating everything I am selling. If it doesn't find a good home it may go right back up into the attic. I did however find this cute bubbly shirt (see photo) that I forgot about that my mom bought for me in December. I am trying to get as much use out of it as I can before baby boo comes around. All these maternity shirts I love are going to have to find their own box once little one is here because I am definitely not going to be sporting empire waist shirts on a post-pregnancy belly without being very concerned that I still look pregnant.

More concerns

1. My mother- to have or not to have her at the birth. If she is not there I am sure I will wish she was, I need the support she often gives and the go and get them attitude.
If she is there I fear I will play on her insecurities with home birth and panic attack into wanting to go to the hospital. I wish she was more secure in home birthing, but I am never the person who can convince her. It usually needs to be tv.

2. I'm going insane- I keep seeing tiny flicks in the corner of my eye that I think are mice. They never are. Mice are one of my biggest fears. What am I dealing with that is making me see this and I am in the first steps of nuerosis?

3. Finances as always. The thing I feel good about is we are being incredibly good with our budget. And my parents just gave us the rest of the money for the midwife, which shows some support. That was a big thing I was worried about fitting in without other bills. Now I have enough to pay all of my bills for a few months without working, but I hope I find something soon or get one of my ideas in shape. I loved coming up with them, now it is going out and getting them.