Because It's Always Something...

Fin has the stomach flu. I knew it was going around, so I wasn't entirely caught off guard, but DAMN, I did NOT need this now! I'm in the home stretch, feeling miserable to begin with, and wondering what the odds are that I can be doused in barf and not become infected. Yeah, that's what I thought. So for right now I'm splitting my time between watching Fin to make sure he's not ready to blow again and also keeping an eye on Dash and looking for signs that he's going to follow suit. The funny thing is that I can remember being this pregnant with Fin, hearing that the flu was going around and wondering if there could possibly be anything worse than going into labor while having the stomach flu. Here's hoping I don't have to find out.

In baby news, I'm HUGE. I know, you're tired of hearing that, but seriously! My belly button is actually protruding which it has never done before and I can't say that I'm a fan either. I'm on the two-week visit schedule now so next week I see the endo AND the OB. Other than the typical end-of-pregnancy pains and complaints, I have little to add. Blood pressure, Blood sugar and everything else are right in the normal range and I actually have zero swelling which is great since it's triple digits daily now. I spent some time this weekend looking at baby pictures of Fin and Dash. It's so hard to grasp how fast they grow and I can't believe we're soon to welcome another one! I was also thinking it's funny that Brooks was 30 when Fin was born and I'll be 30 when this guy arrives. I like when things work out like that.

I'm going to leave you with two early-day favs...
Fin
& Dash

A Preview

I have to say, I'm sick and tired of being as big as a house. And yes, I'm actually starting to look forward to going back to the gym and doing more than just wheezing on the treadmill.

And then today I'm confronted with yet another image of a celebrity mama, holding a new-ish baby, while flaunting her "new post-baby physique" in a bikini. I actually don't think it would bother me as much if these women just owned up to the fact that they spend all day on the treadmill or other life-sucking contraption only to get off for a few minutes to spray tan and eat a few almonds or a slice of boneless, skinless chicken prepared by their personal chef all the while wearing their tauts cinched as tight as possible. I mean really, can I just get a little honesty here?

Well guess what, here's your preview of me in a few months...


Why are you laughing? Hey stop that! It could happen...

33 Weeks

Well, I spent most of yesterday at the Dr.'s being evaluated for my early contractions. These are not braxton hicks! They're the biggies that require you to stop everything that you're doing and concentrate. Totally sucks. Anyway, all looked ok and I was told to just lay low and go straight to L&D if I had more than 6 an hour. I just love how people can tell a woman with a 20 mo old and a 3.5 year old to LAY LOW and TAKE IT EASY without busting a gut laughing! I mean, really...

So I'd be lying if I said I was feeling great cause the truth is that I feel like total crap. My back hurts and I feel like someone kicked me hard several times in the crotch, my belly is huge and itchy and seems to catch on everything that I walk past. Brooks asked me if there could be two in there it looked so big yesterday, but after comparing with my belly shots from Dash I think I'm pretty much the same place (in the belly at least, the hiney, now that's another story!). The Dr. told me to hold out till at least 36 weeks and I think I can do this for three more weeks. Seven more would be pushing it, but I know that they won't let me go past 38 weeks because the alleged GD could cause a 30lb baby. So worst case scenario is that I have 5 weeks left. That I can handle. Now if only someone would come handle these two other kids for me...

Nesting...and I Might Have a Problem

With the flurry of contractions this week, I realized that I am NOWHERE NEAR ready for this guy to arrive! Ok, that might be an understatement, but compared to how ready I was with Dash (forget that with Fin I was ready about 3 months in :) I have a LOT of work to do. So I informed Brooks that the next two weekends were all about baby-preparedness - the culminating event being next weekend where we get all the baby stuff out of the garage so I can wash it and inspect it. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how excited that made him!

I spent the better part of today getting organized. Birth plan is done, printed and laminated. We'll be meeting with our Doula, Yvonne, on Friday. I reorganized the emergency diaper supply bag in the car to include the new teeny ones we bought this week (Fin couldn't get over how little they were!). And my hospital bag is close to packed. Of course I need to qualify that with the fact that I HATE hospitals and only plan on spending one night if that so there really wasn't much to pack! I have long since moved Dash's stuff out of the nursery and into the room he'll be sharing with Fin, so I just had to straighten Snoopy's closet up a bit and that was done. I feel more ready now.

I think it's official - nesting has set in.

And in that vein, I have to admit, I have a problem. When I started off intending to sew a few burp cloths for this baby, I had no idea I'd go this far. I first picked up a pack of 12 cloth diapers. Then I saw an organic pack of 6 another place and they felt softer, so I bought those too. I bought a mess of material and sewed a few. But each time I would think I had sewn the last one, my eyes would catch the pile of sad, naked, empty cloth diapers and I'd realize I had material, what was one more...

Then I wandered into JoAnne's one day and found a bunch of new and pretty fabrics. Well, now I had more fabric and still some sad empty cloth diapers. So I made a few more...and some for a friend...and then I saw someone with a burp cloth and a matching blanket. Wait a minute! Did someone say matching blanket?!?
I loved this material. And the minky backing, sooo soft! And you didn't think I would stop at one set...
This green minky was even softer (and it shed and was a BITCH to sew). Now I have three more empty diapers and a small batch of material. After these, i WILL NOT go buy more. I WILL NOT go buy more...

A Sweet Short

For my friends who don't have kids yet, let me share one of the most amazing things about them. Some days, when you're feeling crappy and things are going awry, they just seem to know that you need a little extra TLC. Yesterday was one of those days for me.

And then it was naptime.

With Fin safely in his bed, Dash and I laid down to take a nap in my room. He nuzzled into me, took my arm, wrapped it around himself and asked "Got me mommy, got me?" "Yes my baby boy, I've got you". "Mommy, I love you." And the rest of the day just faded into memory and we both fell asleep.