36 Weeks: Barrel Cactus and Hormones in Bloom

Look how pretty the barrel cactus in our front yard is!

So, we started our birthing class, "Centering," in April. Since it has started there has been a clear separation among the participants: criers and non-criers. My insensitivity to the criers has had no boundaries in my head. There is one woman that has cried so much that the only time I have ever heard her speak is the first session... her husband has to talk for her every time because she is always crying. Of course, I am insensitive and not understanding. Well, my foot is officially in my mouth...

Sunday I had really low energy, felt sick with indigestion because my stomach is being sat on, and had all of these things I wanted to do but ended up on the couch. Ben told me to rest because most other pregnant women take tons of naps and I don't. So, I decided that was my permission slip to start watching America's Next Top Model. I started crying over the models' relationship issues and blubbering when one of them got kicked off... finally, I just turned the TV off. Ben was installing blinds in our main room and he got frustrated so I started crying. Then I started crying because I was crying. Then I was crying because I thought I would have post partum depression... the list goes on. I did laugh while I was crying because I was enough of myself to understand that it was hormones.

Anyhoo, today marks the beginning of our 36 weeks. We had our birth plan visit today. Basically we want me and the baby to be healthy... prefer to give birth naturally at the birth center and, if I am in the tub when it is time to push, have a water birth. But, I have been told that birth plans change so the more flexible you are going into it the less you will beat yourself up afterwards. I hope I really am flexible when it comes down to it (in more ways than one!).

We interviewed our first Pediatrician. Ben and I assumed it would be a no-brainer and waited until last Thursday to do it because how hard can it be? You just pick someone and then the interview is a formality, right? Well, I had such a negative reaction to this person. I always thought pediatricians were just really friendly, kid-crazy folks. If we sent our kid to this person it would be like sending it to an assembly line for pediatric care where it just gets passed from person to person like a piece of machinery. Of course, we are now scrambling to find someone we like because we need a pediatrician to see the baby withn 24 hours of birth... I'll keep you posted on this debacle.

34.5 Weeks: Pregnant Together, At Last.

My sister, my nieces and brother in law came to Tucson to visit this past weekend. As you can see, Jeanne (my sister) is pregnant, too! She is due Oct 24 or 7 weeks after us.

My father bought a henna kit for us to decorate our bellies. Jeanne is protecting the henna with medical tape and mine is hanging out for all the world to see... Ben put a mathili snake on my belly.

We had a wonderful visit. My nieces are so much fun and it was great to see Jeanne and Adam. We enjoyed my parents' pool and I was able to pick my sister's brain since she is a labor and delivery nurse and lactation consultant. Bring on breastfeeding and labor now!

So, Ben and I have picked out the perfect boy name. We now have a name for a boy or a girl that we are both so happy about. It is weird because before we had a boy name that made us excited I was a little unsure as to whether I wanted a boy or not. But now that we have picked a name for a boy that we both are excited about I don't care if it is a boy or girl. I am glad to know that my uncertainty about having a boy was really about the names and not about actually the sex of the child. Phew!

In fact, our names are so cool that I think I will be bummed not use them both... maybe we should name it both of them. It won't care, right?

Nikhil's Wedding in Montana

We went to our friend's wedding from Peace Corps this past weekend. I have never been to Montana! It is beautiful. Ben and I want to go back to Northern Idaho some day, too. We stayed at this really cool Tent and Breakfast, had a fun road trip with Amanda and Tyler, saw 4 moose, and hung out with good friends. This picture is of the Peace Corps Nepal crew... we didn't get the groom, Nikhil, in there, though!

Paralyzed Dog, Leg Cramps and Veterinary Predictions

The day after our wonderful shower we woke up to Rana, our dog, not being able to move her back legs. She is a very athletic 4 year old with no known injuries! She is such a pampered pup and the three of us were terribly traumatized. We discovered that she had a herniated disk that caused a blood clot in her spine which caused her paralysis. She had emergency back surgery and came home two days later. We have a sling to hold up her back end while we take her out to the bathroom, etc. She is rapidly regaining movement in her hind legs but does not have strength or coordination. The doctor feels positive she will regain all of her movement back. He said this was probably caused because she is so active. So, once she is better (90 days or so) she will not be going on anymore long runs!

We took Rana to the vet to have her staples removed from her incision. The vet asked when I was due and when I told him september he gave my belly a sideways glance and said he thinks the doctor was wrong about the date. His prediction is the baby is comin' in August. Glad I am huge.

Finally, the other night I was dreaming I was eating this yummy potato salad that Ben made (everything is about food these days) and I received my first LEG CRAMP. OH MY GOD. I started screaming and flung myself across the bed and, ultimately, off of it - I don't think I actually opened my eyes until I was holding on to the bed for dear life. Ben woke up to his pregnant wife yelling and hanging off the side of the bed. He freaked out because he thought I had fallen coming back from the bathroom. All I could do was gasp, "Leg Cramp! Leg Cramp!" My sweet husband started massaging the opposite leg and then realized that my calf was so tense that veins were popping out and he started massaging that one... as it relaxed I slowly pulled myself back onto the bed and fell asleep. Thank goodness our bed is low to the floor or I may not have been able to hold on to the side for as long as I did.

Ben Nesting at 30 weeks and 6 days

I made pancakes and watermelon juice this morning. Our juicer wouldn't work. These photos are of me making pancakes and Ben taking the juicer apart to remove the broken safety valve so we could make juice. There is also a photo of him making juice... we are hoping to disconnect all safety features in the house before we have a child.

Baby Shower and Outie Debut!

On Saturday my parents, mother in law, sister in law, best friend from 2nd grade, and wonderful close friend from Tucson threw Ben and I shower. It was so much fun. They had a "Golden Pig" theme in honor of the Chinese Year of the Boar and Golden Pig. As you can see, my sister in law made a DELICIOUS pig cake. She is so talented. I have never really paid attention to how generous and thoughtful people are to new parents. I am so grateful and amazed at how many people came and the gifts we received. We are both still in shock from the thoughtfulness of our friends and family. If any of you are reading this now, thank you so much and it was wonderful to see you. I love parties!

My friend and former neighbor who lives in Seattle asked me to post a full-body shot with the belly. I just woke up and took this but it is pretty acccurate as to what I look like right now!

I am also taking the time to debut my outie belly button. See!

Top Ten Reasons Why Pregnant Women Are Not At Their Most Beautiful

10. Throwing up anytime, anything, anywhere (including on yourself)
9. Either grow a ton of body hair or you don't grow any at all
8. Get fat and can't/shouldn't do anything about it
7. Lose all self control when eating
6. Get pimples and/or dark blemish-like skin discolorations
5. Increased gas
4. Halitosis caused by hormones and increased mucus
3. Constipation and Hemroids
2. Threat of stretch marks and varicose veins
1. Colostrum (liquid that starts leaking out of boobs)