Well...another trip to the obstetrician today. She's still hanging in there at 39 weeks and 3 days. Dr. Awadalla did a "cervical sweep" to try to stimulate the membranes and get things going. He also said I'm 2-3 cm dilated. I know that doesn't mean too much because women can walk around like that for weeks prior to delivery. My next appointment is on Tuesday, I hope I don't have to go!
If she is born late a lot of people will miss her. Wes and Linda will be in El Salvador (Ben will have less time off work), Michele, Rob, Joey and Micah will be in Europe, and Auntie Terry and Erin will be in Phoenix. So for many reasons I'm hoping she is born around her due date.
I just wanted to thank everyone again for their prayers and support. I am aware of the irony of my current situation. After worrying so much about premature labour, I didn't think I would be worrying about going overdue! The power of prayer is pretty amazing.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Obsession
I am now addicted to Kijiji. With me being on sick leave and expecting, Ben and I have to stick to a stricter budget. I have been looking for deals and posting a few items of our own to sell. I sold my wedding dress last week and posted my parents old kitchen cupboards for free today. I just wanted someone to pick them up so we didn't have to do any work and I ended up selling them for $100. Although, I really hate dealing with money. I'm hoping the guy will be able to pick the cabinets up this evening, if not he's coming Thursday morning. I did warn him that I'm only 6 days away from my due date.
I have also posted my grad dress, a bridesmaid dress and Ben's suit which has not fit him for some time now. They are not as high in demand as kitchen cupboards apparently. The phone has been ringing off the hook today.
I have also posted my grad dress, a bridesmaid dress and Ben's suit which has not fit him for some time now. They are not as high in demand as kitchen cupboards apparently. The phone has been ringing off the hook today.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Quick Update
I went to the obstetrician yesterday and he guessed the baby's weight at 6 pounds, 12 ounces to a maximum of 7 pounds 2 ounces. Now, I do realize this is just a guesstimate but it is really nice to know she'll be over 5 pounds. I'm so looking forward to meeting her. It is still hard to imagine that Ben and I will have a baby in a few weeks.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Two Weeks
I remember when it was 2 weeks until...
- I could tell people I was pregnant
- I got to listen to my baby's heart beat for the first time
- my ultrasound
- my fetal assessments
- we reached the critical 28 week mark
- we reached 34 weeks and the survival rate improves greatly
- I finished the medication
- I was officially off bedrest
- the stitch was removed
And now it is two weeks until my due date. I thought she would be born the second week of February but it has come and gone. Right from the beginning Ben said she would be born in the last week or February. Since he was right about her being a girl he may be right about this too.
Overall I'm feeling pretty good. I have a few pregnancy related complaints but that's expected. Time is actually passing quickly now that I am able to do more around the house and get out more as well. I'm probably one of the few women whose last month of pregnancy is progressing much faster than the previous months.
The baby hasn't dropped yet and I think I have only had one Braxton Hick's contraction, and I'm not even sure about that. I think she is pretty comfortable at the moment. I'm still enjoying her stretching and dancing.
A more selfish reason for making it past 37 weeks it that I will get to deliver in an LDRP room (labour, delivery, recovery, post partum). Meaning I can have a private room to labour and deliver in.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is fast approaching. I've never been a huge fan of Valentine's Day, except when Ben and I were dating. One Valentine's Day he redecorated his room to mimic a restaurant. He cooked dinner which we ate by candle light and we exchanged gifts. Since we have been married Valentine's Day has passed without much fuss. In fact, I would be mad at Ben if he wasted money buying flowers or a dumb stuffed animal. But in no way do I feel unloved.
Ben will be embarrassed but I'm going to share the softer side of his intimidating persona.
1. He always kisses me and tells me he loves me before he leaves for work.
2. He holds my hand when we are walking and in the car (as much as he can with a standard).
3. He needs a hug and a kiss when he comes home from work.
4. We have always cooked dinner together and as you know he has been doing all the cooking lately.
5. He always puts his dirty clothes in the hamper. (Something he didn't do before we were married but he consciously changed that habit when we got married because he knew it would bother me. And I didn't even ask him to do that.)
6. He brings me flowers or treats when I'm sad or have been really stressed.
7. If I get dressed up he always tells me how pretty I look. (I know I should dress up more often, I'm just lazy. By dressing up I mean no sweats/scrubs and applying make-up.)
8. He likes to cuddle.
9. He is very patient with me when I am feeling unwell.
10. He likes to spend time with me and he makes sure I know it.
11. He plays with my hair to make me feel good and help me relax.
12. When we are both sitting on the couch he will always get me a drink when I ask. (Another lazy habit of mine.)
There are many more endearing traits Ben has but I won't bore you. Staying home and watching daytime TV certainly reinforces how blessed I am. I've seen many talk shows and reality TV shows that tend to show men in a negative light.
So, we don't make a big deal out of Valentine's Day but I sure know I am loved everyday of the year.
Ben will be embarrassed but I'm going to share the softer side of his intimidating persona.
1. He always kisses me and tells me he loves me before he leaves for work.
2. He holds my hand when we are walking and in the car (as much as he can with a standard).
3. He needs a hug and a kiss when he comes home from work.
4. We have always cooked dinner together and as you know he has been doing all the cooking lately.
5. He always puts his dirty clothes in the hamper. (Something he didn't do before we were married but he consciously changed that habit when we got married because he knew it would bother me. And I didn't even ask him to do that.)
6. He brings me flowers or treats when I'm sad or have been really stressed.
7. If I get dressed up he always tells me how pretty I look. (I know I should dress up more often, I'm just lazy. By dressing up I mean no sweats/scrubs and applying make-up.)
8. He likes to cuddle.
9. He is very patient with me when I am feeling unwell.
10. He likes to spend time with me and he makes sure I know it.
11. He plays with my hair to make me feel good and help me relax.
12. When we are both sitting on the couch he will always get me a drink when I ask. (Another lazy habit of mine.)
There are many more endearing traits Ben has but I won't bore you. Staying home and watching daytime TV certainly reinforces how blessed I am. I've seen many talk shows and reality TV shows that tend to show men in a negative light.
So, we don't make a big deal out of Valentine's Day but I sure know I am loved everyday of the year.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
James Bond
As you all know I've had a lot of free, sedentary time on my hands. Over the past few weeks I watched every James Bond movie is chronological order, except the newest one, "Quantum of Solace". I must say the movies make more sense when watched in order. For example, the actor for head of SPECTRE changes drastically in every movie. One actor is old and bald, another is young and bald, another is middle aged with hair who played a different character in a previous James Bond movie, etc. Ben thinks it's funny that I was so confused.
I have realized I am a product of my generation. I acknowledge the success of the earlier James Bond movies but I do enjoy the increased action and athleticism of Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. It was interesting to observe the development of acting, film editing, staged fighting and special effects throughout the movies.
In the Sean Connery movies blood is spurted by the actor squishing a packet of red dye in his hand and spreading it on their clothing, the fight scenes and car chases are fast forwarded and amazingly enough the car tires can squeal on sand and ice. The gadgets are also pretty awesome for example, the shoe with the poisonous blade, the decapitating top hat and the rocketman get away. In Thunderball, "handle like eggs" was painted on an atomic bomb, I thought that was amusing. The 1960's watches, bathing suits and design elements are now back in style.
Women's roles also drastically change throughout the movies. Women begin as helpless sex objects and become independent and strong in the later movies (although James Bond still always manages to rescue them). In Golden Eye, Pierce Brosnan's debut as 007, many comments are deliberately made about the changing roles and views of women. Moneypenny says his behaviour could be considered sexual harassment, M (who is now a female) calls James Bond sexist, and James Bond himself states that he does not mind taking orders from a female.
My favourite character is Q, especially in the later movies. He seems to be the only person not intimidated or enamoured by James Bond.
Have you ever wondered how the "bad guys" lairs are kept secret? How can you build a small city in a cliff, underground, or in the ocean without hiring hundreds of construction workers and the locals don't notice all the commotion? Or construct giant satellites and launching pads under the CIA's nose? And the villains always seem to love sharks. Why are people not thrown into the lion pit or bear cave?
And last but not least I must make a comment on 007's promiscuity. In 21 movies he sleeps with 52 women, plus an additional 3 which were insinuated but not for sure, and he falls in love with 2 women. Sean Connery is the most suave, George Lazenby is the sleaziest, Roger Moore is the most disgusting because he's a 60 year old man with 20 year old women, Timothy Dalton was the most respectable, Pierce Brosnan was the most action packed and Daniel Craig is the most athletic.
I hope you enjoyed my synopses of James Bond. I realise in a couple weeks I will not need to "fill" my time. I can't believe it is almost 3 weeks until my due date!
I have realized I am a product of my generation. I acknowledge the success of the earlier James Bond movies but I do enjoy the increased action and athleticism of Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. It was interesting to observe the development of acting, film editing, staged fighting and special effects throughout the movies.
In the Sean Connery movies blood is spurted by the actor squishing a packet of red dye in his hand and spreading it on their clothing, the fight scenes and car chases are fast forwarded and amazingly enough the car tires can squeal on sand and ice. The gadgets are also pretty awesome for example, the shoe with the poisonous blade, the decapitating top hat and the rocketman get away. In Thunderball, "handle like eggs" was painted on an atomic bomb, I thought that was amusing. The 1960's watches, bathing suits and design elements are now back in style.
Women's roles also drastically change throughout the movies. Women begin as helpless sex objects and become independent and strong in the later movies (although James Bond still always manages to rescue them). In Golden Eye, Pierce Brosnan's debut as 007, many comments are deliberately made about the changing roles and views of women. Moneypenny says his behaviour could be considered sexual harassment, M (who is now a female) calls James Bond sexist, and James Bond himself states that he does not mind taking orders from a female.
My favourite character is Q, especially in the later movies. He seems to be the only person not intimidated or enamoured by James Bond.
Have you ever wondered how the "bad guys" lairs are kept secret? How can you build a small city in a cliff, underground, or in the ocean without hiring hundreds of construction workers and the locals don't notice all the commotion? Or construct giant satellites and launching pads under the CIA's nose? And the villains always seem to love sharks. Why are people not thrown into the lion pit or bear cave?
And last but not least I must make a comment on 007's promiscuity. In 21 movies he sleeps with 52 women, plus an additional 3 which were insinuated but not for sure, and he falls in love with 2 women. Sean Connery is the most suave, George Lazenby is the sleaziest, Roger Moore is the most disgusting because he's a 60 year old man with 20 year old women, Timothy Dalton was the most respectable, Pierce Brosnan was the most action packed and Daniel Craig is the most athletic.
I hope you enjoyed my synopses of James Bond. I realise in a couple weeks I will not need to "fill" my time. I can't believe it is almost 3 weeks until my due date!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Rejoice!
Ben and I spent yesterday morning at St. Boniface Hospital. Most of the time was just spent waiting. When I was scheduled to remove the stitch the doctor needed to deliver a baby. So Ben and I watched "Hitch" on Kristen's laptop to pass the time.
Dr. Awadalla was able to remove the stitch without difficulty and only moderate discomfort for me. They monitored me and the baby for 5 minutes then we were allowed to go home. The worst part was fasting from the night before. Dr. Awadalla stated that now that the baby is bigger there is LESS stress on the cervix. More of the baby's weight rests on my pelvic bones than the soft tissues. He made a joke that he'll end up inducing me at 42 weeks. I've mentally prepared for a premature labour, a long and painful labour, needing an epidural, requiring an emergency C-section, I haven't quite accepted an episiotomy, but I have not thought even a little about being induced!
I have no activity limitations (besides from regular pregnancy difficulties) at this time. I am looking forward to being more active around the house and shopping a little. I didn't do much yesterday because I didn't want to worsen the bleeding.
The nursery is pretty close to being ready. There are just little things to work out. For instance, this morning I realized I don't have a garbage can next to the changing table (my old desk).
We are so thankful to have made it to 36 weeks. Thank you for all your prayers and support!
Dr. Awadalla was able to remove the stitch without difficulty and only moderate discomfort for me. They monitored me and the baby for 5 minutes then we were allowed to go home. The worst part was fasting from the night before. Dr. Awadalla stated that now that the baby is bigger there is LESS stress on the cervix. More of the baby's weight rests on my pelvic bones than the soft tissues. He made a joke that he'll end up inducing me at 42 weeks. I've mentally prepared for a premature labour, a long and painful labour, needing an epidural, requiring an emergency C-section, I haven't quite accepted an episiotomy, but I have not thought even a little about being induced!
I have no activity limitations (besides from regular pregnancy difficulties) at this time. I am looking forward to being more active around the house and shopping a little. I didn't do much yesterday because I didn't want to worsen the bleeding.
The nursery is pretty close to being ready. There are just little things to work out. For instance, this morning I realized I don't have a garbage can next to the changing table (my old desk).
We are so thankful to have made it to 36 weeks. Thank you for all your prayers and support!
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