Rebellin

I knew this day would come. I went to put on my wedding ring today, and it wouldn’t even fit over my knuckle. This happened right around 35 weeks last time, when I started to retain fluids, so I’m not nearly as bothered by this as I was the first time (I remember exclaiming, “nothing fits me — not even my rings!”)

Staring at my naked ring finger, I remembered that I had purchased a cubic zirconia ring that looks like a rich woman’s wedding band (with a HUGE stone) for the cruise we took a few years back, as I was told NOT to take your good jewelry on a Mexican cruise. At the time, I went out and bought a ring that I thought looked real, and I went full on tropy wife size with the cubic zirconia. I dug it out today, and it seems to be a size larger than my wedding band, as it fits my swollen finger perfectly. JB says the ring looks fake as can be, but I have to wonder if my co-workers are going to start checking out my new bling!

Just back from my 34 week appointment, where we scheduled my c-section for July 28. Hence, I have 33 days left until I meet my son. Wow! My nesting instincts kicked in full gear this week, and I’ve made a ton of progress in the baby’s room. My main challenge is getting all of the baby stuff out of our sheds and cleaning them all up (i.e. car seat, stroller, clothes, toys, etc.), as an impressive amount of dirt got onto those things while they were being stored.

I’ve been having daily “episodes” where I get really hot, weak and light headed for the past month. I’ve talked to the doctor about it multiple times, and today, he referred me to my general practitioner, as he says I’ve passed all of my prenatal screenings, so it must be something non-pregnancy related. Or, as I read between the lines, perhaps it’s all in my head?! All I know is that my body is forcing me to slow down and take more naps, and work out less than I’d like. I guess in the grand scheme of things, it won’t make much of a difference if I trade a few workouts a week for naps.

As much as I am not necessarily happy about having another c-section, I can’t tell you how nice it is to have a fixed date and time in my head. I feel like I’m going in a lot more prepared this time, both mentally, and with my requests on how I’d like the experience to go.

I’m sitting here wondering, when this baby has my entire abdomen to play in, why is he so entranced with my ribs?

I have been composing this post in my head for months, and I’m not sure if I have time to do it justice today, but I’ll give it a shot. Ever since I found out we were having a boy, I’ve been contemplating how different it will be to raise a boy. I feel so blessed that we’ll be able to experience parenting both genders, and I enjoy thinking about how it will be different, and if there are different things I’ll want them to learn or experience.

Almost everyone that finds out I’m having a boy tells me one of two things: 1) Boys are SO much easier! and 2) Boys are SO attached to their Mommas.

And honestly, I don’t believe either. Let me explain. As for boys being “easier”, I think perhaps that would be true in the long run. What I’m daunted to face is raising a toddler boy… Making sure a toddler boy doesn’t do something to seriously hurt or kill himself before he makes it to boyhood. I just know in talking to friends and family that have raised boys, when they are little, boys just seem to get into so much, and be so much more daring than my cautious girl. For instance, one good friend recently commented on how my house “totally isn’t child proofed.”

That comment made me laugh, as Little Miss just doesn’t think to get into a lot of stuff. She doesn’t climb, she doesn’t stick stuff in sockets, she doesn’t explore much… And any friend that brings boys to the house seems to find all the child proofing “gaps” I have. So yes, in about a year, I think my child proofing efforts must be stepped up significantly.

My brother used to joke that his two boys were “suicidal midgets”, which also makes me laugh. I think when they’re young, boys are so much more curious about the physical world, so as girls are playing dress up and dolls, boys are out digging holes, building stuff, knocking stuff over, etc. It’s funny, as I grew up with two older brothers, I totally didn’t want to socialize my daughter to be a “girly girl”. But what I’ve learned so far is that certain traits are innate, such as my daughter’s obsession with dress up and princesses and twirling. I wasn’t like that… I didn’t purposely introduce that, but she just found her own nitch.

I’m sure our boy will find his own nitch, and I’m very excited and curious to find what that nitch will be. Who knows?! He may be more interested in following in his sister’s footsteps, but my women’s intuition is that parenthood as I know it is about to be kicked up a notch. The complexity level will increase, and in a good way.

Even little differences entertain me. Like when I changed my cousin’s 2 month old boy’s diaper, I stopped to contemplate, “well, what do I wipe? Everything, just the back?” And as I contemplated it, my cousin is saying, “woah, cover up there or you’re going to get peed on!” I have a feeling that will happen a few times before I break out of the habits I established changing a girl’s diaper.

And this circumcision decision. Geesh. I never knew how daunting one decision could be, and I know it is controversial, but let’s say JB is adament about what we should/shouldn’t do, so I think I may just follow his lead.

For the second point, right now, I just don’t get what everyone is talking about with boys being so much more attached to their mothers. I look at the bond I have with Little Miss, and coudn’t imagine a stronger bond. From my current point of view, my theory is that when they are young, all children are attached to their mothers. I don’t expect a boy to be more attached, but I look forward to another strong bond. I’m also starting to fantacize about all of the cuddling you get to do with a newborn… Little Miss and I still cuddle every day, but I could use a heck of a lot more of it. It truly is my drug of choice!

Yesterday, I toured one of the local hospitals, as I am scheduling my c-section next week, and needed to decide between the two local hospitals. The tour guide’s eyes got wide when I told her my c-section was next month, and said, “you’d better schedule that soon”.

Nothing like making me feel this birth is creaping up on me than having that conversation!

That’s all for today. Later, I’ll follow up with my thoughts on raising an older boy… Like I keep thinking about things like how will the “birds and the bees” conversation be different for my children? What do I want to teach them about relationships, about life in general… Etc… Must run for now, so stay tuned.

I find that if I consciously sway my hips, it minimizes the waddle.

I got this in an email today from BabyCenter, and it made me giggle:

“If your cheeks are looking as round as your belly these days, you’re in good company — most expectant women start sporting that gathering-nuts-for-the-winter look in their third trimester. “

I haven’t noticed my face getting puffier yet, but it sure happened to me last time. My wedding ring is getting tighter and tighter. Today I forced it on with lotion, which I know isn’t wise, but I really don’t like going without.

Today is a staff morale outing to a Reno Aces game, our new minor league baseball team. Just in time, the weather cleared up, and it should be perfect for game time. Now if only I can not stare at the frothy beers that everyone else will be consuming… (Yes, still craving beer for some reason).

The (temporary) cure to hot flashes = lunch time swim. The second I dove into the water (yes, looking funny diving at 8 months), it was instant relief. Spending 40 minutes in the pool seemed to cool everything down.

Now if only I could take a nap…

One symptom I’m having this pregnancy that is new is hot flashes. I’ll be sitting in my air conditioned office, and then I feel like I’m on FIRE. As I type, I’m sweating, and feeling like I’m in Florida in July. Who knew that pregnancy could be like menopause?!

I had my 32 week check up today. Everything is on track, and the baby is now measuring 1 week ahead. That doesn’t surprise me, and if he is anything like his big sister, he’ll probably have some rather impressive growth in the next 3-6 weeks. I remember last time, my uterus grew 6 cm in 2 weeks towards the end. I asked the doc if he’d do one more ultrasound to guage the size of the baby, and as I assumed, since the kid will be cut out of me anyway, he really doesn’t care how big he gets. “Hell,” the doctor said, “I’ve delivered 13 pound babies before!”

Oh, Lord, please don’t let this kid get THAT big!

I have the choice of two hospitals for my birth, so I was looking at one of the websites today.  They have a page dedicated to people with planned c-sections, so I checked it out.

How dare they make these rules!  You mean I can’t have alcohol before my c-section?!  You mean I can’t smoke my Marlboros and take in some chew?!

It just made me laugh.  I thought we were supposed to give up that kind of stuff when we became pregnant, not just for the birth itself!

 

Before Your Procedure

• Do not eat or drink anything, including water, coffee, gum or mints, after midnight the day before your procedure (unless you receive special instructions from your physician or anesthesiologist). Failure to follow these instructions may result in the cancellation of your surgery. 
• Do not drink alcohol after 6 p.m. the day before your surgery.
• Do not smoke or use chewing tobacco at least 12 hours before your surgery.

This weekend, I had my third fall during this pregnancy.  I was walking out to the back porch, and somehow managed to miss the step and fell down hard on my shin…  Hitting the SAME place I had hurt when I fell in January and bruised the bone so bad that it still smarts when I hit it (back then, I thought I had broken the bone).  Hence, it was truly adding insult to injury as I fell right on that sore spot.

I’m now sporting a road rash looking “owie” as Little Miss would call it and a huge bruise.  It looks very nice with the dress I’m wearing to work.  On the other leg, my knee has bright purple scars from my last tumble in April, when I managed to fall in the parking lot of the Atlantis casino.

For a person that normally isn’t very graceful, adding a huge belly makes me a first rate klutz.  Per the title of this post, I’m thinking the safest place for me right now would be to reside in a padded room for the next 7 weeks.

Little Miss has been in Level 1 swim lessons since December.  For the past month, the only thing holding her back from moving to Level 2 was one elusive skill.  On our way into the pool last night, I told her if she could do that skill, and hence graduate to the next level, I’d buy her ice cream, because they learn “ice cream scoop” arms at the next level.

Low and behold, that bribe worked for her and she graduated.  They make a big deal, having her ring a big cowbell and everyone at the pool cheers.  Anyway, we had to call JB afterwards to report, and she told him, “I gradulated”.

I’m sure the pregnancy hormones had something to do with it, but I totally teared up as she rang that cowbell.  This time last year, the kid would pitch a fit and curl into the fetal position when we’d go to the pool.  Now, she is a bonafide Level 2 swimmer!  There are two sports I want her to be proficient in — swimming and skiing.  I can’t tell you how much I dream of swimming with her in pools and lakes as she grows older.  (Skiing will be its own hurdle, you mark my words.) 

As a reward, we went straight to Baskin Robbins, where I let her indulge in dessert before dinner, which really blew her mind.

I have to make a conscious effort not to waddle now-days.

The other day, Little Miss started rubbing her belly saying, “pregnancy belly”, and then turned, put one hand on her back, and said, “oh, my back hurts!”

Nice to see her impression of me acted out in a 3 year old’s dramatic interpretation.