I know that it's okay if I don't finish every thing on my list... but I'd really like to put a dent in it before the Boy arrives, because it would make things a little bit easier.
Yesterday, part of the reason for my blog silence in the morning, was that I was having "birthing waves" (the name in my hypno-book for contractions for anyone who's confused!) that were really strong, every few minutes. Between the shower and getting dressed I counted like six. They lasted around a minute, made my legs shake (although they weren't painful, they just felt very strong), and made me wonder if this was really it, as I made Paul promise to keep his phone on while he was in class. They kept on, on and off, for most of the day. I knew that if I blogged, I wouldn't be able to write about anything else... and so... no post.
Now I know pretty much every book says to call your doctor at that point... but since I've tended to have episodes like this for both girls, for weeks before I actually went into labor, I decided to take a "wait and see" approach and the birthing waves seemed to stop at night time.
I began by seeing if sitting/laying on the couch stopped them. No such luck. So then I went the other route and threw myself into freezer cooking. It didn't speed them up, so I kept at it and had six meals in the freeze by nighttime.
I did joke a bit that going into labor now, at not quite 35 weeks, is likely my only chance of having a 7 lb baby (since according to their estimates, that's how big he should be this coming week)... but I could use another four weeks to get everything ready... because my super nesting urges have finally kicked in.
The nesting instinct arrived in the form of cleaning the basement out, which was the project for Sadie and I over the course of the last three naps that Mae took.
Our basement is actually pretty neat in terms of size. It has a large room with a fire place, a large room with the washer and dryer and furnace, a smaller entry room with shelves, and a "full bathroom" that's a tiny bit scary. When we moved *someone* in the house was in a hurry and took all the boxes that were unpacked straight down and piled them in all three of the rooms, until there was hardly any room to move.
Sadie played in a large box while I broke boxes down and rearranged the remaining full boxes (which are mostly full of theology books and baby girl stuff). Yesterday we finished the job: the laundry room has no boxes, but will have a drying rack, shelves, and a ton of space, the big fireplace room has boxes, with their labels out, lining the walls, with the middle of the floor clear, and the entry way has our stroller in it, the recycling and more shelving.
Now I just need to move the remaining cleaning supplies down to free up room in the rest of the house and I'll be ready to move on to the rest of my lengthy to do list.
Earlier this week Sadie was on a mission. She bugged me for hours. She was persistent. She followed me around the house asking the same question over and over again. And finally I heard the words "Mommy, Mae Bae is asleep now. Can we please watch the Mary Therese movie?!?!?!" and I gave in.
I was amazed that she remembered that we'd watched it last year on Saint Therese's feast day... and even more amazed that she wanted to watch it again, since there's a scary part and a few sad parts.
I reminded her of the scary and sad parts and she shook her head, adamant. And so, I finally pressed play and snuggled on the couch with her to watch the movie.
Thankfully, the soundtrack announces any scary parts in advance of said scariness happening, and each time Sadie suddenly found an excuse to go into the kitchen and then rushed back in to see what had happened (had Pranzini the criminal been executed? Was Therese cured of her illness?).
Throughout the movie, and after the movie was over, she asked a non-stop stream of questions both about Saint Therese and about why things were different in the movie than they are now (we had to discuss how they didn't have the same types of medicine when Saint Therese was alive and so lots of things that are cured now, didn't have the same outcomes back then, in depth).
And that was the end of our Saint Therese feast day!
I've realized that I'm not even sure what types of clothes to buy/sew for the girls upcoming winter. Which is odd, because I did grow up in a place where we had snow on the ground at our house often from October until April (with all the shade things melted very, very slowly...).
I think Michigan winters are intimidating me...especially in the wake of our tropical year.
It's easy to find warm clothes for the Boy. He's set.
But when I enter the girls section for Sadie (who's really the one who needs new clothes since she just won't stop growing and we don't have hand me downs for her) I'm overwhelmed. Sequins seem to be big right now. But I'm not spending $17 on a pair of stretch pants covered in sequins. And will stretch pants even be warm enough (I have been stocking up on the $4 stretch pants at Walmart and Meijer when they go on sale)?
I did order a supply of fleece to make the girls pants and tops with (also high on the to do list) and have been using my supply of stretch knit cotton to make pajamas, and each child has a minky blanket that I'm sewing coming in their present bags for the hospital, but really when I look at the clothes in the stores, I'm baffled.
On the racks there are stretch pants made of t-shirt material... and full snow suits. Will they wear snow suits every day? Every time we go outside? Because I have a feeling stretch pants won't be cutting it in terms of warmth for my warm blooded girls...
I'm pleased to say that temperatures in the 60s now feels like short sleeve weather for me. Our house hit 70 yesterday, thanks to my freezer cooking drive, and I opened a window. So at least we're adjusting a bit... Still, I have a feeling that after a winter of 80s last year, this year is going to feel mighty cold...
For our anniversary, I made Paul a blanket.
Okay, to be honest, I'm not sure this even counts as "making" a blanket since it was pretty simple.
I'd bought two yards of fleece "State" fabric and two packages of satin edging and I sewed the edging on and folded it up and handed it to him on our anniversary.
Paul, who'd been asking for a fleece blanket with satin edging for years (and wondering aloud how he could have a wife who sews for hours and hours every night but could never seem to find the time to make aforementioned blanket), was pretty happy.
The girls, however, are the really silly ones. They are in love with Daddy's blanket. It doesn't matter that we have a ridiculous supply of blankets that have accumulated over the course of their pregnancies and infant-hoods, this blanket is the best thing ever. They snuggle in the mornings on the couch with it. They snuggle before dinner time on the couch with it.
I jumped when I saw that the State fleece had gone on sale last week at Hobby Lobby... but somehow I have a feeling that their matching blankets won't be nearly as awesome to cuddle with as Daddy's blanket is. Because it's Daddy's...
I did find a paper yesterday with a list of things that patients at the practice I'm going to are entitled to, and was pleasantly surprised. It included the right to have a hep lock instead of an IV, and the right to move around during the birth process with only intermittent monitoring (unless there was a problem of some sort). Just knowing that I would be allowed to be up and about and have a hep lock would make me feel infinitely better. My fear, after talking to the other office partner, is that a hospital VBAC will mean being strapped to the fetal monitoring machine with an IV in, stuck in bed... and I know that would seriously decrease our chances of avoiding a c-section again.
I'm a little impatient to talk to my doctor again (instead of his office partners... and my next appointment is with another office partner). You see, he mentioned in our first meeting that he'd like me to be at the hospital from the very beginning of labor... and I have a feeling that would turn into a "are you going fast enough" push by the staff that's there, even if that's not part of my doctor's agenda...
Okay... I'm jaded... what can I say?
So... I have a list of questions... and am still waiting to hear back from the doula place... It will make me feel infinitely better if I can set up something with them soon!
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
I feel you, Cam, after four kiddos and some hairy situations. Just focus on a healthy, safe, happy birth. If you wind up strapped down, roll with it. I did with my last one. I was mad, but he's here and healthy. I HATED not having telemetry and being able to walk around.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy these last few weeks. We're all pulling for you!
Stretch pants are great for under skirts and dresses, but they aren't warm enough to wear without snow pants for playing outside. So yes, northern kids do tend to wear snow pants most of the time when they play outside at least December to March. I depended more on blue jeans, or corduroy pants for quick trips in the car to the store etc., and wool coats are nice for over the dress and stretch pants, etc. for church. I think that the nice thing about stretch pants is that they fit nicely under the snow pants without riding up as much as jeans do.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little we wore tights a lot, in addition to whatever else, but most of the tights I've seen in recent years have been much lighter material than I remember our tights being (that was true even as far back as when my daughter was little). Last winter we had an essentially open winter (very, very little snow which is really unusual for Vermont). I think my granddaughter probably wore heavyish pants (like corduroy or maybe heavier jogging type pants) with her winter jacket outside. You can't really play out in a northern winter without boots, a heavy jacket, a hat and mittens, but you can manage without snow pants some of the time, all depending on the weather.
I suspect those sequined pants were for kids to wear inside at their kindergarten/grade school more than for outside play. Probably Hannah Montana or some other icon wears sequined pants. I agree, it's stupid and I wouldn't have dressed my daughter in them either.
When I was little we had to wear dresses to school, but we also walked to school so we wore snow pants over our dresses (not the most comfortable arrangement in the world) and then took the snow pants off when we got to school. Now the little girls wear pants to school and get picked up by a school bus close to their house. It changes the dynamic of what sorts of clothes are available in the store.
I will have to mention the hep-lock to my daughter. She and dh want to everything as naturally as possible, and have their actual childbirth class coming up this weekend at the hospital (already did Lamaze.) They were supposed to take the class earlier, but Hurricane Isaac put an end to that...
ReplyDeleteHer wonderful Catholic, pro-life all the way OB seems very earthy-crunchy to me, and I think he will likely be open to whatever she wants. As she's not been through this before, I doubt she's aware of the hep-lock option. So glad you mentioned this.
Marie
Trust me, you don't want to have a 35-weeker, no matter how much he weighs! I will pray that your baby stays in until at least 38 weeks for his health. As an L&D nurse, I'd say about 50% of our 35-weekers end up in the NICU for a period of time, and about 80% have feeding problems. No matter how big your baby ends up being, you don't want a preterm child if you can avoid it. We still stop labors (if possible and prudent) up until 37 weeks at our hospital.
ReplyDeleteIf you get intense contractions, many doctors and midwives suggest taking a warm (but not scalding!) bath and sipping a glass of wine or a beer. The tiny amount of alcohol tends to calm an irritable uterus.
Well, just heard from my daughter. She saw her OB today who first thought the baby was transverse, but checked and found out that he is head down, but likely BIG. (Could have told him that just from looking at her.) They will be doing an ultrasound Tuesday to see just how big (her husband was 11 lb. 6 oz. at birth... no gestational diabetes).
ReplyDeleteI think that her doctor was a little concerned. I know dd doesn't want a c section, but is also not thrilled about the thought of being induced. She will be 37 weeks this coming week; we'll see what happens! Prayers welcomed!
Marie
Oh!!! Praying Marie! You definitely have to tell us when you get the wonderful news!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks! Exciting times ahead for all of us! :) I'll certainly let you know.
ReplyDeleteMarie
I live in Toronto Canada but it's actually further south than parts of Michigan! However we do get winters (ie Jan/Feb) with wind chills of -20 celsius!!
ReplyDeletePretty much everyone buys a snowsuit but they're worn for outside play. A one piece is good for babies and toddlers but can be hot at the mall. Layers are good; sweaters/leggings etc. You could also buy either undershirts (sleeveless or t shirt type and long johns) I think most Walmarts stock that and they're fairly cheap. The big thing would be to have waterproof mitts and several changes of mitts. Also I'm not sure how soon the Michigan winter sets in; here it's not to scary up until Christmas most years (by which I mean only going down to freezing or a bit below) But of course it's all relative to what you're used to. Hope you're also buying a few items for yourself. Many moms up here keep maternity coats so they can wear baby and wrap the coat around. (a cheaper alternative to a custom babywear coat) Check out Value Village or other used clothing stores for similar stuff. So in conclusion: Sturdy waterproof lined boots, waterproof lined snowpants (maybe even for you if you're walking outdoors a lot), a good winter coat with hood,a warm hat, good gloves/mitts and a scarf or neck/face wrap and for the kids/ changes of gloves/socks etc as they can get wet.
What movie is Sadie referring to? Is it the one from EWTN that was in French and translated in B&W. I'd love to find a good one for my LO. TX - Maura
ReplyDelete