Project Four-Zero: 38 Weeks!

The great thing about a silhouette photo is that you don't need to do hair, makeup, or wardrobe for the shoot.  I call this the maternity mullet:  Business in the front; party on the side :)  Weighing in at just about 150 lbs, the heaviest I've ever been.

Holy Cow!  We've made it to 38 Weeks!  I'm deep into uncharted territory now.  I was worried that Mateo would come around 36 weeks, yet he has proven to be a man of his own volition.  At first I wasn't really sure when I actually wanted him to come.  Part of it was selfishness:  for every day that he came early is a day I would lose in my maternity leave.  But the other part of me does not want to reach December 21st or go beyond that because I don't want Christmas to overshadow his birthday.  So I am torn.  And I've finally decided that since he's given me at least 2 weeks of my 4 week preparation maternity time, he can now come when he's good and ready (he always had that autonomy obviously)  I've decided that December 10th is a pretty good day to give birth.  That's a nice, even number like Diego: January 20th.  I guess we'll see what numbers Mateo prefers!

The other night during one of my 2am wakes, and a jabbing pain in my tummy,  I grabbed my phone and started researching the signs of going into labor.  My only past experience with labor is my water breaking (which is an obvious sign) and then going straight into normal contractions.  If my water didn't break, how would I know the difference between Braxton Hicks and real contractions?  Answer:  Braxton Hicks are on irregular timing and not as painful as real contractions (that second part is according to my doctor).

On the gestational diabetes front, there have been some strange, yet welcome happenings.  My numbers have been low or normal.  I've been able to re-incorporate rice into my dinner and splurge on a few sugary cravings here and there without it really affecting my numbers.  I feel like a normal person again.  Of course I haven't been over-indulging.  I'm still eating cautiously because if there's anything that GD has shown me, it's that the numbers could spike at any moment.

SYMPTOMS
The usual:  inability to sleep through the night

Occasional and light, jabbing, menstrual-like cramps

CRAVINGS

My husband spoiled me and got me the Crumb Donettes from the convenience store one night

Another night I had a Starbucks Decaf Caramel Macchiato (with Splenda) and it was AWESOME!

I snuck in a few spoonfuls of my husband's Strawberry Haagen Dazs ice cream. Shhhhhh!

Project Four-Zero: 37 Weeks!

My first full week of maternity leave has passed, and I'm introducing you to my new "bed" in this week's photo.  Yes, it's the couch, and no I did not lose a fight with Hubby (I wouldn't lose - LOL).  I just can't sleep like a regular person anymore.  Sleeping upright or in the "delivery" pose has been working out much better for me.  I still wake up every night at least once at 2am though, but what's a pregnant lady to do?  Last night at 2am, I got on my phone and started watching a Shaytard video and found yet another gadget I NEED!  The swivl.  Yes please!

This first week off was really busy for me trying to prep for Mateo's arrival, crafting, and going to my appointments.  Honestly, just about the entire family is surprised that Mateo hasn't come yet, especially my husband. Hubby really put a lot of pressure on himself to get our house ready for Mateo and trying to finish a lot of big projects at work.  He thought Mateo would come "in the middle of the madness" and since he did not Hubby has been singing his praises about Mateo.

Hubby:  "Mateo let me get everything done! He really helped me out.  He can come whenever he wants now!  Easy!"

Me: "Pshhh. Yeah, easy!  You're forgetting that I will be the one doing all the work to push him out!  Easy..."

SYMPTOMS

No sleep.

CRAVINGS

Cheerios - I bought some for my son, but I think I've been eating them more than he has!

Chocolate - but there's none around, which is a good thing!

Qori helps me get the right lighting for my photo and fluffs my pillows while he's at it.

Like what you see?  Help give us a boost!

Project Four-Zero: 36 Weeks!

I promise, this will be my last Turkey post since it's almost been a week since Thanksgiving.  I'm a little late with my 36th week update and from my other posts, most of you know that the doctor scared me 2 days before Thanksgiving by finding that I was 2 cm dilated and saying that I "could" go into labor on Thanksgiving given my history!  Long story, short -- there was no early labor, just a lot of good food while still keeping my glucose levels under control. 

Speaking of glucose levels, I was able to keep my glucose levels under control enough to dodge an ugly insulin bullet.  Basically, I was told to control my fasting glucose levels by eating a bedtime snack every night, and if I wasn't able to control it in a week, then I was going to be prescribed an insulin shot to the belly every night!  I felt like I fell off the wagon and was now back in rehab, being given a dose of tough love.  You would think I have no problem with a bedtime snack, but I do.  I figured it out though.  I need to eat a smaller dinner, and try to eat earlier so I have time to feel hungry again before bed.  When I went to the diabetes appointment, they had a doctor's order waiting for me for insulin shots but one look at my glucose log and they left it in my file to gather dust. 

SYMPTOMS

Sleeping is really tough now.  I wake up at 1 am, 3 am, and 5 am...

Stretch marks.... say what!!!!?

CRAVINGS

I thought I had my cravings under control until Thanksgiving -- Martinelli's apple cider and apple pie!  I was in heaven!  I had at least 4 cups of cider!  Splurge!

3rd TRIMESTER TO DO:

-Agree on a name by begin Nov.
-wash all baby clothes
-Pack Maternity bag by begin Nov.
-Buy a Bassinette by begin Nov.
-Photoshoot props ready?
-Get baby car seat & carrier out of storage
- Register with hospital
- nursing clothes and socks/slippers

 - stock freezer

-buy heavy/overnight pads
-pacifiers

Project Four-Zero: 35 Weeks!

Stay in there, Mateo!!!  That's the mantra this week as Hubby continues to expect Mateo to make his grand debut at any moment, instead of waiting for December 21st.  In fact he believes it so much that we have moved into the new construction areas of the house so we can be ready for his arrival.  Unfinished walls, unfinished floors, doors are missing. But hey!  We've already got our tree up!  So we're making the most of it.

This week was my last working week, and man am I looking forward for some time off!

I had a gestational diabetes appointment last week where they basically told me that if I didn't get my fasting levels under control, I would need to inject myself with insulin each night before bed.  If you already know about me and needles, there was NO WAY I was going to let that happen.  The answer to my high fasting levels is a bedtime snack, so I've been munching on cheese and crackers, quesadillas, or Kashi protein bars before bed.  It's done the trick this week!  

SYMPTOMS:

Harder and harder to get up out of bed, literally

Baby continues with his acrobatics

CRAVINGS:

None really.  The bedtime snacks are really helping me stay full and I bought Crystal Light packets in raspberry flavor for when I'm craving some flavor in my usual cup of bland water.

TRIMESTER TO DO CHECK LIST:
-Agree on a name by begin Nov.
-Wash all baby clothes
-Pack Maternity bag by begin Nov.

-Buy a Bassinette by begin Nov.
-Photoshoot props ready?

-Get baby car seat & carrier out of storage.
- Register with hospital
- nursing clothes and socks/slippers
- stock freezer
-buy heavy/overnight pads
-pacifiers

Anticipating Mateo's Arrival

The secret to some of my photos: My beloved wireless remote shutter release.

$18.60 "Maternity" Haul

I think I've mentioned on occasion that I'm NOT a fan of maternity clothes.  In fact, I only buy those maternity items that I feel I ABSOLUTELY need. In this case that turns out to be 2 maternity jeans, 2 maternity leggings, 1 belly band, 2 maternity jackets (since I am in a winter pregnancy) and that's it my friends!  Everything else I bought as non-maternity, one size larger, and in a style that I hope I can use post-pregnancy.  If not, I can give the clothes to my mommy :)

There's been a winter chill in the air, and I knew the time had come to look for some sweaters.  Lately I've had a weird desire to go thrifting for clothes.  So last week I did just that.

Pulling up to the parking lot, I wondered why the lot was so full.  I spent my time digging through the racks, which easily exhausted me - the pregnant lady.   I was happy with my finds: 2 sweaters (Old Navy, Nine West), 1 shirt (H&M), 1 herringbone jacket, and 1 pair of cargo pants for my little guy. 

As the lady rang me up at the counter I noticed the machine would display "Discount" after every scan.  I looked around and saw a gi-normous sign that said, "SALE: 40% off everything in the store!"

I am a marketer's worst nightmare, I swear.  No wonder the parking lot was full! In the end, my thrift store haul totaled $18.60.  Success!  I think I'm a changed woman and will be thrifting again sometime very soon!

Thrift 'till you drop! - Shirley

Project Four-Zero: 34 Weeks!

This week I won lovingly convinced my husband to name our son Mateo!  How did I finally do it?  Borderline harassment Months of subtle hints to the name, blatantly reminding him what a perfectly fine name Mateo is, referring to the baby as "Mateo" at every opportunity, and finally a little bit of dumb luck.  I could tell I was wearing my husband down the previous week as he alluded to giving in, but didn't give me any real confirmation until now.

This week, he was helping one of his long-time customers move to the bay area.  His wife has cancer, sadly, and they were moving closer to Stanford Hospital.  One of the great things about my husband working with financially well-off customers is that occasionally they do not want their crap treasures.  We scored a new sleigh bed, an antique wooden wardrobe for my stepson, and a bunch of outdoor chairs for our new deck.  But I think I scored the best haul thanks to them: winning the name game.

My husband was chatting with his client's cancer-striken wife, who was in great spirits.  He mentioned that we were expecting again (she loved the name Diego when she first found out way back when.)

Her response to finding out that we were expecting again?

"How wonderful!  You should name your next son Mateo!"

My husband's eyes widened as he said, "What did you say?!  Have you been talking with my wife?  That's the name she's been wanting!"  and he immediately called me so that I could chat with the woman who helped me win my case.

So was it just dumb luck or a sign from the powers that be?  Let me tell ya, I believe in signs...

CRAVINGS:

I've been good with the sugar but bad with the fast food.  

SYMPTOMS:

Extremely uncomfortable in work meetings while baby is jumping around, I think everyone can see it.  

Increased sensitivity - as in "I'm about to cry" but I haven't, although one internet video almost threw me over the edge. 

3RD TRIMESTER CHECKLIST PROGRESS

-Agree on a name by begin Nov.
-wash all baby clothes
-Pack Maternity bag by begin Nov.
-Buy a Bassinette by begin Nov.
-Photoshoot props ready?
-Get baby car seat & carrier out of storage.
- Register with hospital
- nursing clothes and socks/slippers
- stock freezer
-buy heavy/overnight pads
-buy pacifiers

Mateo:  "Gift from God" (will be most fitting if he's born near his due date of Dec 21st.)

"Breaking Mom"

So remember when Diego told my Dad that I wear my boots too much?  Well - apparently now he went and told my mom that I'm fat and ugly!  LOL - OK that might be a little harsh, but the short story is that he has been screaming "Mama, MAMA!" and pointing to the TV when the "Breaking Dawn" trailer plays and pregnant Bella is on the screen.

The picture above is actually doing Bella justice because from all the trailers I've seen so far, the makeup artist made her look HIDEOUS, because well um - she's dying!  For now, I will choose to believe that Diego is only associating the dark hair and baby bump with what he sees on the screen.  (He rubbed my belly the other night, it was the cutest thing but I don't think he has a clue about what's in there.  1/2 a baby vampire, perhaps?).

Some other things I've witnessed him yell "Mama, MAMA!" at are:

• The Payless Shoes commercial:  OK, enough already, we all know I have a boot obsession.
• Queen Latifah in the Cover Girl commercials:  Are you kidding me, Diego????

Wishing Diego would scream "Dada, DADA!" at Edward Cullen... -Shirley

Four-Zero Project! 33 Weeks!

More math for this week:  If 37 weeks is considered full-term, and I have completed Week 33, then there's just 4 weeks or 1 month until I am full term!  Exciting and scary!  Diego didn't make it to full term; he was 3 days off.  Could it be possible that I'll have a little rugrat in my hands by the end of this month instead of by the end of next month?  Only the future knows for sure! 

I took things slow this week, still trying to recuperate from my cold.  I think my laid back, calm mood this week reflects well with this week's Pinterest-inspired maternity photo. 

That's not to say that not much has happened.  I've reflected and come to terms with being on the gestational diabetes tract again.  At the beginning of this week I was pitying myself and blaming everyone (especially the doctor) for making me go through this, and I was a little rebellious with my eating.  Then I snapped back to reality and remembered that this is all for the baby's sake, and I shouldn't couldn't be mad at him for this.  Since then, I've been a good girl and my glucose readings have been on track. 

I also realized that I need to come to terms with the possibility of a c-section during this pregnancy. I did not have one with Diego, and quite frankly they scare the bejesus out of me, even though they are so common.  I was chatting with a woman in the ladies' bathroom at work and we got onto her son's birth story which included a c-section delivery.  That's when I realized that a c-section is always a possibility and you never know what type of emergency could occur during the final hour.  Although I have no plans to have one, I need to be ready to accept one if it is absolutely necessary.

CRAVINGS

Ever heard of the disease/addiction called Pica where people eat rocks?  Well, I'm not THAT bad, but lately I wish I could eat detergent, fabric softener, or soap after sniffing the delicious laundry or taking a shower.  Of course I know that detergent tastes NOTHING like how it smells, but WHY IS THAT?  Why does it have to be such a tease?

SYMPTOMS:

Belly measured at 41" this week:  huge!

Linea Negra (Brown line on the tummy) darkened this week to my surprise.  It's a little late in the pregnancy!

Project Four-Zero! 32 Weeks!

Happy Halloween!  I trust that everyone enjoyed their Halloween and got lots and lots of candy!  This Halloween coincided with my 32nd week of pregnancy, and although I've been sick and tired I couldn't let it stop me from including some Halloween spirit in my project Four-Zero photo of the week!  I just love group costumes and I'm going to milk it until the day that my kids don't want to anymore out of pure embarrassment!

Although Halloween is all good and fun, this 32nd week has actually been a little tough (although not nearly as tough as last week).  The main thing is my health:

• I'm STILL sick, trying to get over this cold.  I think I caught 2 viruses back to back, seriously.  My ear is plugged right now.  I think that's a good sign because the congestion in my head is descending?
• My blood glucose is on the rise again according to my latest blood test results, although I'm still barely within the normal range at 5.5.
• According to my pediatrician I'm also a little anemic now (go figure with this damn gestational diabetes diet I can barely eat anything) so she prescribed iron pills.
• I'm really tired all the time (probably due to any one of the three previous bullets - take your pick)

CRAVINGS:

• There was one day I was really craving a nice, sugary ice cream or even a Slurpie!  But I didn't.
• I've surprisingly been able to curb my candy cravings nicely with the Halloween candy all over my work and house
• Food, any kind of food.  I don't really care what it is.  At times I felt like I might be eating out of boredom, which anyone will tell you is BAD so I've had to keep an eye on that!

SYMPTOMS

• "Me Escapa" moments.  Too embarassing to write about but it's in the video below (Fast Forward to 7:40 on the video).
• My pee has darkened this week to the point that it's now orange like a pumpkin.  Just in time for Halloween!  You may now commence all the jokes about how much Halloween spirit I have "on the inside".  
• Just plain drained of energy 
• Extreme Dry Mouth and not just when I sleep.  I've been lugging a cup of water with me everywhere I go, and I'm not even that thirsty.

These Boots are Made for Shirley

Diego told my dad that I wear my favorite over-the-knee, tan Steve Madden boots too much.  Well actually, he didn't TELL my father because we all know he's not so keen on speaking.  And actually, well - he didn't so much SAY that I wear them too much, but it's what I deduced...

My dad likes to take Diego to the local mall to wear him out socialize him with other kids and get some good exercise in for him.  They first walk around the mall for an hour and then they hit the children's romp area.  Well just the other day, according my Dad, they walked by the shoe store and a similar version of my boots were on display.

"Mama! Mama!  MAMA!" screamed Diego as he pointed to the boots.

This is such a hilarious story to me!  I believe this story really happened because he's actually, finally started calling me-specifically "mama" as of a week or two ago.  I also believe it because, yeah - well you know,  I really do overuse the boots.  I can't help it though.  They are cute, comfy, stylish, and FLAT.  What more could a pregnant mama ask for?  Maybe another pair in a different color.... I'm just sayin'

Still gonna wear my boots - Shirley (aka: Mama)

Project Four-Zero: 31 Weeks!

This week was tough just like getting this picture taken.  I knew I had a very brief moment of cooperation from Diego to get this photo right before he would unleash his fury.  I tried to get everything ready and even set my camera to continuous shoot so all my mom would have to do was press the button and snap away.  As you can see, this was the best shot by my standards (which were pretty low going into this week's photo session).  I still love it though!  Thanks to Pinterest, yet again!

So getting back to the pregnancy, it was basically tough because of the cold/flu that I mentioned in a previous post, so I won't talk about it much in this post.  Instead I'll focus on my ultrasound this week, which found that my 31-week old baby is measuring in at a 33-34 week old's measurements.  Due to the low inhibin found in an older blood test, the concern was that he may not be growing as big as he should, but he sure proved them wrong!

So what does Shirley decide to stress about when there's good news?  Look, there!  Lurking in the shadows!  It's my old enemy: gestational diabetes.  Although I'm supposedly cured, it's still something we're keeping an eye on.  GD babies tend to be born bigger, so I can't wait to see what my doctor says at my next appointment about the new ultrasound results (I'm being sarcastic if you can't tell).  Right now it feels like this last ultrasound was a lose/lose situation.

SYMPTOMS:

Slightly itchy belly skin due to the stretching

CRAVINGS:

Junk food, aka: McDonald's Big Mac Meal (My old tried and true!)

Project Four-Zero! 30 Weeks

According to my math, 30/40 can be reduced to 3/4 so by default I've got 1/4 of the way to go!  Crazy, huh?  It feels like only a few weeks ago I was telling you that I just reached the 3rd trimester.  Now-- just because I'm awesome at math, doesn't mean that I'm in any way accurate.

If this will be anything like Diego's pregnancy, then I won't make it the full 40 weeks.  If the past marks any precedence, then November 27th, 2011 (36 weeks & 4 days) is the day I should be marking with a red heart on my calendar instead of December 21st.  Hubby is so worried that Baby will come early.  He keeps telling me to hold him in there just a bit longer-- yeah like it's something I can control!

And speaking of loss of control, it reared its ugly head this week at my prenatal appointment.  Aside from the fact that my Dr. (Mrs. "You're cured of gestational diabetes") suddenly suggested that I start pricking myself again because of the hormone changes in my body at this stage of the pregnancy, she also scared me with two intriguing words, "Membrane Rupture".

I'll be going in for an ultrasound this week to check on the baby's size due to earlier blood work results that showed I had low inhibin (meaning my placenta did not get the best grade).  My doctor explained that is especially important to go in for this ultrasound since I had a "membrane rupture" the last time around.  I've honestly never heard that term before, and the hamster had to turn in its wheel a few seconds in my head before I connected the dots.  She was referring to my water breaking, which is apparently not as common as Hollywood makes it out to be.  Membrane rupture sounds so much scarier than water breaking, don't you think?  When she put it in those terms, along with my bad placenta, and recently turned acrobatic baby, I've been on freak-out mode ever since.  Each time Baby does a somersault, I cringe for a second and think:   'Was that it?  Was that the final jab that my body could take before rupturing?'

As you can probably tell, so far the answer has been "No", but as we get further into this last trimester I'm afraid one of these days, the answer will be "Yes".

Project Four Zero! 29 Weeks!

Photo idea compliments of Pinterest

It's been a bumpy-bump this week as Baby has been doing some type of gymnastics or hip-hop dancing to pass the time in the womb lately.  I enjoy a few reminder kicks here and there, but when Baby starts to squirm around, it makes me cringe a little.  I can't help but think of that scene in Space Balls where the alien comes out of the man's stomach.  Or in 3rd Rock from the Sun, when the alien inhabiting the female body (Sally) asks the males something like,

"Do you suddenly feel the overwhelming desire to have a larvae parasite shoot from your body, or is it just me?"  I mean, isn't that what it truly is?  There is something alive in my body!

But then, just when he stops squirming, I'm reminded that he's probably cuter than an alien or larvae and then I feel much better!

CRAVINGS

Chocolate - but I've been good and have resisted temptation!  Aren't you proud of me?

SYMPTOMS

Eye Spasms?  Might be related to not being able to sleep well anymore

OUTTAKES

Why does he feel the need to photo-bomb every photo session?

Four-Zero Project! 28 Weeks!

The celebration continued on into this new week.  On the 28th, I celebrated my 28th week of pregnancy, the beginning of the 3rd trimester, and my birthday.  Those are some pretty deep milestones! 

Don't think that it hasn't gone unnoticed now that I'm in the home stretch.  My belly has definitely grown (clocking in at 39 inches this week), and thus my belly button has officially popped this week.  It never did with Diego.  I've also felt some weird dizziness as I toss and turn in bed at night, but I'm not sure if it's pregnancy related.  Diego has chest congestion and a runny nose right now (I think he caught it at the shower), and I think my dizziness might actually be head-cold related. 

However, I'm keeping an eye on the dizziness since I have a history of fainting while pregnant.  It was at the beginning of the third trimester during my last pregnancy where my fainting made its big debut in the form of a highway collision between my car and the cement center divider wall.  The doctors found that when my body was reclined, I would pass out due to the baby weight pressure.  So now I'm taking all precautions when driving which includes no longer reclining my seat.  For example, I've taken to driving like an old lady instead of a "Homie G".

 Last night, as I was reading Breaking Dawn (Yes!  I'm STILL working on that darn book but I'm almost done and it looks like I'll make it in time for the cinema release in November) I laid on my back for one hour to see if the fainting symptoms would show up.  I'm in the clear for now...

Though the third trimester is tough, there is one good symptom I noted.  I've got gorgeous nails right now!  They're back to the same length and hardness pre-Diego.  It could be a combination of my being more religious with the prenatal vitamins and the fact that I'm painting (protecting) them more now.  Whatever the reason, I just stare and admire them all day long!

SYMPTOMS

Popped Belly Button

Dizziness

Awesome Nails

CRAVINGS

I was bad and had a few Rolos, and orange soda this week (not together though)

And yes, I DID eat my birthday cupcake (see below)

Project Four Zero: 27 Weeks! Holy Henna!

It was a little early but my over-zealous, party-planning sister hosted my Escape from India baby shower this past Saturday (She has her reasons for making it early, including birthdays and holidays, and my tendency to give birth kind of early).  I'm am not Indian although I probably wouldn't even believe my own statement after looking at some of the shower pictures!

Months ago, I specifically told my sister that I did not want a big extravaganza this time around since the first shower was big and now I'm having another boy.  But I did tell her that I wanted to have a henna design done on my belly, hence the Indian theme.

The party was my kind of perfect:  insert a semi-ghetto henna artist that my sister found on Craigslist who got into a fight over the phone with her flaky babysitter whilst henna-ing my sister (who was trapped in a state of awkwardness), my grandmother refusing to have henna done unless it was on her "whoo-haaa", and my mother prancing around like a toddler proclaiming her overwhelming desire to have a sea-horse (of all things) as her henna design; it was just another one of our usual parties.  The Indian food was delicious (and spicy) too, and it was complemented with a dessert of mini-Twix bars, mini ice cream cones, and apple pie: not a gestational diabetes-friendly dessert.  But who cares, right?  I'm cured!

CRAVINGS

I couldn't say no to the Twix bars.  I think I ate about 4 or 5 minis.

SYMPTOMS

A sharp, familiar, and constant pain on my right rib cage.  I imagine that both Diego and his new little brother on the way like to jam their little feets on the same spot of my rib cage and keep it there..................for hours.  That's what it feels like at least.  Speaking of feets, I added a special little side detail on my henna belly.  So cute!

Not MY belly.  LOL!  I wish!