A lot happened this week. It finally turned summertime in Seattle which I’d been waiting for (who doesn’t love a sunny day after all those overcast ones?). Then within the course of one day I instantly began regretting it as our condo heated up beyond my comfort level from the afternoon sun. I say my comfort level, of course, because most people don’t die over it being 82 in their house but that combined with making dinner over a hot stove in the hottest part of our house AND being pregnant with an elevated body temperature (which all pregnant women have in varying degrees) and some extra bulk on my body these days...well, needless to say, it didn’t take much for me to start feeling nauseous. Uck. We have an a/c in our bedroom but for as nice as it is, this does nothing for me at dinnertime when I’ve got to be in the hot kitchen. Johann to the rescue, as always, though. He immediately began implementing Operation: Heat Absorbing Blinds which was completed in all its glory on Sunday. Now we’re shady and so much cooler. Johann rocks!
On Saturday I had the distinct privilege of getting to go on a baby shopping/recon mission with my friend Melissa’s best friend, Dawn, who’s a mother of five (with one on the way) and an expert in the field of mothering. This woman was like a tornado through Babies R Us and it was all I could do keep up with her, furiously taking notes on every item she recommended – and didn’t recommend – and exactly why. She also had amazing advice on which things to buy new and which things could be bought used because they’re just going to get tossed out when you have no room to store them. (Like a baby bath. They’re $30 new or $4 used and both will go in the trash when baby is too big for them.)
I told her she should start a consulting business for all us yuppie-type women who’ve spent our lives building careers and education but never learned even the basics about baby and child care. It used to be that women learned this stuff being in large families or around extended families where there were always babies and women could share this knowledge freely. Nowadays, our parents only have a couple of children that we likely were too young to help with (even I only helped with the last one and that was only because we happened to be spaced ten years apart). Today all of our life’s education is academic or job-skills focused. Not that this is a bad thing. We’ve got to put roofs over our heads and food in our mouths after all and, especially for someone like me, academics has always been such an enjoyable pursuit. However, nobody learns how to be a mother anymore. That’s why having someone like Dawn to show me even just the right equipment to acquire is so crucial. If only she would start up some workshops on actual baby care skills, I’d be her first registrant for sure!
Speaking of acquisitions, we did acquire the “Happiest Baby on the Block” DVD over the weekend and the accompanying book is coming from Amazon. From what we watched, it looks interesting and compelling, albeit a little odd. However, if all that swaddling/shaking/shooshing stuff will calm a screaming baby, I’ll do it and stand on my head, too, if necessary!
The baby’s kicking has definitely ramped up this week. Doubtless this is because baby is bigger now and is starting to realize that my pelvis, despite its generous proportions, is still a finite space. Saturday was the first time I could feel the kicks on the inside and also ever-so-subtly also on the outside, too. Johann still can’t feel them because, for some reason, every time I call him to come feel the baby it stops kicking (methinks we’ve got a little jokester in there!) but soon enough he’ll be able to feel the baby and I know he’ll be blown away. It’s wild stuff. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I’ve got a baby kicking around in there!!
Finally, my doctor’s appointment today went really well. I’d been a bit concerned over my blood pressure which had been up in the 134-140 range my last two visits (my normal range is 100) but today it registered at 104 so this was great news. The doctor listened to the baby’s heartbeat and measured my belly and all was perfect and well. She says I’m lucky to be long-waisted with broad hips as those are her easiest deliveries (and likeliest to avoid c-sections). For once in my life I was grateful to be the tall girl with the big hips!
Overall, she says, things are going well with the baby. The baby's measurements from my ultrasound last time look great so even though my belly isn’t protruding as much as other women I’ve seen, the baby’s growth is excellent. Yay! I go back in four weeks for another round of tests including iron/anemia and my glucose test which involves drinking a super-sugary liquid and then drawing blood to make sure I don’t have pregnancy-induced diabetes. I do hope I pass it. Otherwise it’s out the door with all sweet treats. Can’t imagine pregnancy without ice cream!!!
J.
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