It’s hard to believe that I am over half way done with my pregnancy. I swear it seems like just yesterday I saw two pink lines and was puking my brains out. I felt like I wanted to die. Now I feel great. I have that second trimester burst of energy that everyone talks about. My belly is actually larger than my butt and boobs and I look pregnant and that makes me feel good about my body. My skin has seemed to calm down from the hormones from the first trimester and most importantly, I am healthy and my baby is healthy. I am a low-risk pregnancy and all is on track for my home birth in November and that makes me incredibly happy.
This halfway point has me feeling reflective, I took some time to look back at where I have been this pregnancy and where I am about to go. So many milestones have already passed; seeing a positive test, morning sickness, hearing the heartbeat for the first time, getting through the first trimester, finding out it’s a girl, taking our childbirth class in California, feeling her kick for the first time, Peter feeling her kick and seeing my belly move. Every time some moment passes me by, I close my eyes and tell my brain to freeze frame it and to remember it for the rest of my life. These moments happen so quickly and we never, never get them back. I am trying so hard to empty things on my plate, so that I can focus on these moments and not let them slip by unnoticed. I can feel myself starting dig deeper within myself, beginning to not care what is going on around me and wanting to go inward and hibernate. At the same time I have a to-do list three pages long. Things I want to accomplish before she gets here…not to mention I am getting married in less than three weeks and I have a long to-do list just for that life moment. I am trying not to get stressed out about how much I have or have not accomplished so far. I am trying to remember that it really does not matter if I am able to get all the curtains dry cleaned and the carpets cleaned before she gets here. Not every inch of my life needs to be re-organized and put in its place for me to be a good mother. If people get their Christmas cards late it is not the end of the world.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Feeling Penelope Move
I love, love, love feeling Penelope move around. She is kicking me as I type and it is just the coolest feeling in the world. In the last two weeks, the movements have gotten much stronger and I can even see my belly move sometimes when she kicks. The first time I saw my belly move, it was a surreal moment. It was what I had been waiting for this whole time; concrete evidence other than hearing the heartbeat or getting an ultrasound that she is actually in there and doing good. I love the daily reassurance that she is happy and ok. Peter got to see my belly move the other day too. Which was great because I had been frustrated that I could feel her on the inside for weeks and weeks but he wasn’t able to be apart of the experience yet. Feeling her move has made it much easier for me to talk to her and even sing to her. Before I kind of felt stupid having a one way interaction while rubbing my belly or talking to her. But now I really feel like I can communicate with her and that we are bonding.
Friday, July 17, 2009
We Picked A Name!
Can I get a Halleluiah?
It’s been 6 weeks since we found out that we are having a girl. Ever since that joyous occasion we have been wracking our brains for the perfect name. It was driving me absolutely mad that we didn’t have one picked out. If had to say “baby girl” one more time I was going to scream. I am a planner by nature, so not having this major detail finalized was going to push me over the edge. And Peter, of course, was saying things like: “what’s the rush?” and “we haven’t even met her yet, so how can we name her?” Somebody kill me now, if he thinks I am going to wait till I meet our baby to give her a name. Most people mistakenly think I am super laid back because I practice yoga. No, yoga keeps me sane, keeps me from being even more uptight than I normally I am. Or people think, maybe because we are having a home birth, I would wait till I met her to pick her name. I may be having a home birth, but I am type A all the way in other regards. I have got things to do! I need to register. I need to monogram stuff. And I just needed to know.
We had narrowed it down to 6 names about a month ago and were very slowly crossing off names. On our trip to California, I tried a new tactic. Every time I would bring up baby girl, I would insert one of the proposed names in the sentence instead of saying baby girl. It worked beautifully, he immediately said “yuck, not that one” for the first name I threw in. This tactic got us down to two names. So then I decided to pull out the big guns. I was going to annoy the crap out of Peter until he made a decision. I would call him at work 4 times a day and ask if he picked a name yet. After just two days of this, he gave up and said “Ok, we will have a name picked by the time my mom gets here!” Yes! Just what I wanted to hear. If he commits to a deadline, he is in trouble-because there is nothing that will make me let him slide if he makes me a promise. So as we are driving to the airport--he is a last minute kind of guy--he says “lets name her Penelope.” Thank you, Jesus!! He picked a name! The name I wanted!
Baby girl is now Penelope. And I couldn’t be happier.
It’s been 6 weeks since we found out that we are having a girl. Ever since that joyous occasion we have been wracking our brains for the perfect name. It was driving me absolutely mad that we didn’t have one picked out. If had to say “baby girl” one more time I was going to scream. I am a planner by nature, so not having this major detail finalized was going to push me over the edge. And Peter, of course, was saying things like: “what’s the rush?” and “we haven’t even met her yet, so how can we name her?” Somebody kill me now, if he thinks I am going to wait till I meet our baby to give her a name. Most people mistakenly think I am super laid back because I practice yoga. No, yoga keeps me sane, keeps me from being even more uptight than I normally I am. Or people think, maybe because we are having a home birth, I would wait till I met her to pick her name. I may be having a home birth, but I am type A all the way in other regards. I have got things to do! I need to register. I need to monogram stuff. And I just needed to know.
We had narrowed it down to 6 names about a month ago and were very slowly crossing off names. On our trip to California, I tried a new tactic. Every time I would bring up baby girl, I would insert one of the proposed names in the sentence instead of saying baby girl. It worked beautifully, he immediately said “yuck, not that one” for the first name I threw in. This tactic got us down to two names. So then I decided to pull out the big guns. I was going to annoy the crap out of Peter until he made a decision. I would call him at work 4 times a day and ask if he picked a name yet. After just two days of this, he gave up and said “Ok, we will have a name picked by the time my mom gets here!” Yes! Just what I wanted to hear. If he commits to a deadline, he is in trouble-because there is nothing that will make me let him slide if he makes me a promise. So as we are driving to the airport--he is a last minute kind of guy--he says “lets name her Penelope.” Thank you, Jesus!! He picked a name! The name I wanted!
Baby girl is now Penelope. And I couldn’t be happier.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Why are Heidi Klum’s ankles not swollen?
I would really like to know why Heidi Klum’s ankles do not swell. In her pictures in magazines like US Weekly, she is wearing 5 inch stilettos and her ankles look as tiny as ever. Why are mine as wide as my head??
Peter and I just got back from a vacation in California (and we got engaged while we were out there!) and the airport, airplane ride and driving up the coast did not get along well with my ankles. By the time we got home on Monday I was horrified by how large my feet and ankles were! They have since gone down for the most part, but today when I put on my cute ballet flats, they were tight.
And don’t even get me started about the heat. In California, it was between 65 and 75 degrees and sunny. It was absolutely perfect weather. I get off the plane in Tallahassee and I am swallowed whole by the heat and humidity. It’s going to be a loooonnnggg summer.
Peter and I just got back from a vacation in California (and we got engaged while we were out there!) and the airport, airplane ride and driving up the coast did not get along well with my ankles. By the time we got home on Monday I was horrified by how large my feet and ankles were! They have since gone down for the most part, but today when I put on my cute ballet flats, they were tight.
And don’t even get me started about the heat. In California, it was between 65 and 75 degrees and sunny. It was absolutely perfect weather. I get off the plane in Tallahassee and I am swallowed whole by the heat and humidity. It’s going to be a loooonnnggg summer.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Farts and Yoga
Last week was the second week in a row that I actually managed to go to a yoga class. It’s only the third time I have gone this pregnancy. Before you get all up in arms about the yoga teacher not going to yoga class, please know that I have been practicing-just not in a class. The first trimester was so awful, there was no way I could muster the energy to get dressed, drive to a studio and do yoga for more than an hour. So what I did instead, was do yoga every chance I could at home, when I felt ok, and in small increments. I went to a regular yoga class not a prenatal one, because since I closed the studio, no one has started another prenatal yoga class. Journey’s in Yoga is where I go and they have classes for all levels and several gentle yoga classes that are perfect for a pregnant mom trying yoga for the first time. Hopefully she will have an 8 week prenatal class this summer- I will keep you posted on that.
Anyway, so last week was my first full hour class in several months. It was very interesting. Although, I had been practicing at home-I was doing lots of easy stuff, and when I got to class I realized that my belly had actually become inhibiting, even though deep twists are not good to do when you’re pregnant, I could not do one even if I wanted to! I was moving very slowly too, inching my way into each pose. Instead of my normal seamless breath in between each pose, there was lots of heaving and sighing. I can no longer do headstands and arm balances, which is difficult for me, since those poses were favorites of my practice. And poses that were once very pretty: three legged dog; half moon and dancers pose all look, well, tired. It was a great lesson for me to be in the moment. To know that is ok to take a brief moment to mourn the woman I used to be and then totally accept the present moment. And for me the present moment also included lots of gas. Farting has sort of become like breathing for me. Thankfully I am in an office to myself at work and I can just let them rip. At home its no holds barred too, much to Peter’s dismay. But in a quiet yoga class, with people VERY close to you, gas becomes a problem. The poor lady didn’t know what she had coming laying her mat next to mine!
Anyway, so last week was my first full hour class in several months. It was very interesting. Although, I had been practicing at home-I was doing lots of easy stuff, and when I got to class I realized that my belly had actually become inhibiting, even though deep twists are not good to do when you’re pregnant, I could not do one even if I wanted to! I was moving very slowly too, inching my way into each pose. Instead of my normal seamless breath in between each pose, there was lots of heaving and sighing. I can no longer do headstands and arm balances, which is difficult for me, since those poses were favorites of my practice. And poses that were once very pretty: three legged dog; half moon and dancers pose all look, well, tired. It was a great lesson for me to be in the moment. To know that is ok to take a brief moment to mourn the woman I used to be and then totally accept the present moment. And for me the present moment also included lots of gas. Farting has sort of become like breathing for me. Thankfully I am in an office to myself at work and I can just let them rip. At home its no holds barred too, much to Peter’s dismay. But in a quiet yoga class, with people VERY close to you, gas becomes a problem. The poor lady didn’t know what she had coming laying her mat next to mine!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Best Facial Ever!
On Friday I got a facial over at Kanvas. My skin has broken out like crazy from pregnancy. I have gotten several facials from them in the last year, but this was the first time I received one while pregnant. I love, love, love going there and getting facials! I have always been a big supporter of massage therapy, being a massage therapist myself and having grown up getting massages (that’s right, my mother started having a massage therapist come to the house, once a month for the entire family, when I was about 10 years old). I think massage therapy is incredibly important for everyone and even more important when you are pregnant. Every time a mother gets upset or feels stress, so does the baby. Your sweet baby inside gets flooded with flight or flight stress hormones, and it inhibits their ability to grow their organs and other things the best they can. But when you get a massage, facial, practice yoga or whatever your baby gets flooded with peaceful, good hormones that help them take in nutrition and grow.
When I get a facial at Kavas, I actually go into a deeper relaxation than I do during a massage or even in yoga class. I don’t know what it is, whether it’s Lisa and I just feel very safe and or the sound of taken care of or it’s the sound of trickling water, but 5 minutes in, I am totally out. I am in a relaxation zone for the next hour, and my baby girl is blissed out as I am. She massages my face, hands and feet on top of the facial, and just as I was about to warn her to stay away from my ankles (there are reflexology points on the inside and outside of your ankles that can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy or pre-term labor in later pregnancy and in labor if massaged, they can speed up contractions or make them stronger), she told me that she would be giving me a calf massage instead of the normal foot massage. I was relieved and passed back out.
After my facial, I was checking out their products like usual. Don’t tell Peter, but I can’t seem to go in there without buying something. They have several lines of organic products that are fantastic. I was looking at an anti-cellulite cream and asked if the stuff really worked. I am getting cellulite ALL over my thighs, which I never had before. She told me that pregnancy cellulite really can be alleviated. The solution is to exfoliate with any exfoliating type product and massage your thighs in an upward motion towards the highest point of your inner thigh, where you lymph nodes are (they drain excess toxins and water). You can guess what I was doing that night! Hopefully it works!
When I get a facial at Kavas, I actually go into a deeper relaxation than I do during a massage or even in yoga class. I don’t know what it is, whether it’s Lisa and I just feel very safe and or the sound of taken care of or it’s the sound of trickling water, but 5 minutes in, I am totally out. I am in a relaxation zone for the next hour, and my baby girl is blissed out as I am. She massages my face, hands and feet on top of the facial, and just as I was about to warn her to stay away from my ankles (there are reflexology points on the inside and outside of your ankles that can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy or pre-term labor in later pregnancy and in labor if massaged, they can speed up contractions or make them stronger), she told me that she would be giving me a calf massage instead of the normal foot massage. I was relieved and passed back out.
After my facial, I was checking out their products like usual. Don’t tell Peter, but I can’t seem to go in there without buying something. They have several lines of organic products that are fantastic. I was looking at an anti-cellulite cream and asked if the stuff really worked. I am getting cellulite ALL over my thighs, which I never had before. She told me that pregnancy cellulite really can be alleviated. The solution is to exfoliate with any exfoliating type product and massage your thighs in an upward motion towards the highest point of your inner thigh, where you lymph nodes are (they drain excess toxins and water). You can guess what I was doing that night! Hopefully it works!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Big Butt
So, Peter comes up to me the other morning while I am getting ready for work, pats my butt and says “man, your butt is getting big!” I then give him the mother of all death glares and he says “what?? I like it!” I went on to say I don’t give a crap if you love it, do not say anything else like that for the next year, do you understand? I do NOT want your running commentary on how big my boobs, butt and belly are getting. Previously, he had called my new went-up-two-cup-sizes boobs, perfect, porn star boobs. Awesome. Not only do I feel like crap, Peter thinks I look like a porn star. Me and my porn star boobs finally got around to going bra shopping a couple of days ago and what fun that was. I previously thought the bra alphabet stopped at the letter D-boy was I wrong. I ended up going home with the lovely letter E. Before I was pregnant, I dreamed of the big boobs and eating whatever I wanted and how great it would all be. I thought how nice it will be to not care about my weight for once in my life! I have also always thought that every single pregnant woman I have ever seen looks stunningly beautiful. I never used to look at pregnant women and say gee, her butt is huge! So why do I think these things about myself now? Why can’t I see what Peter sees and instead I just feel like a whale? Whatever the reason, I better get over it soon, because I have 24 weeks to go and I have already gained 18 pounds!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)