Tummy Whoas

I was sitting on the couch, dozing a bit, watching TLC's "What Not To Wear", and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and it was...MY STOMACH. And then I saw it jump again. I yelled out to K, "My stomach just moved!" and he ran out, but of course, the baby stopped kicking, and of course, Brooklyn came running out too, and placed herself strategically between my stomach and K, she's something else!

Got on the treadmill today, for about 7 minutes, because after that, my lower back started hurting. I wasn't running, mind you, just slowly walking, but perhaps I had the speed too fast or the incline too deep. K showed me a different way to set the parameters, and I'll try again.

Fourth Dimension

We just returned from having a 4D ultrasound and it was so WILD!! Everything went well, looks great, and the baby looks like me from the forehead to the eyes and K from the nose to the chin! It is just absolutely crazy that nowadays, you can see that much of the baby before he's even arrived out of the womb. I was dumbstruck, in complete awe, just kept repeating, "Wow, that's WILD" in a whisper.

I've gained 24 pounds already - the doctor told me to watch my weight! I felt like I got a bad grade, the goody-goody in me felt like I was told I was on probation or something. I asked what is the ideal target weight gain for the entire pregnancy and he said 20-25 pounds, which gives me, uh, one pound left!!! He suspects that I've gained so much already because I am not exercising, which is true. See, I hate exercising, I always got away with getting involved in fun activities that have me exercising without knowing it. Now, looks like I'm gonna have to hit the treadmill and walk for 20 minutes or so a day. Like I had originally planned - unfortunately, I've been languishing in this break from my hard-core physical job, I don't feel like lifting a finger!

I took out my navel piercing for the first time ever in 7 years or so (I really can't remember how long it has been) and I have to admit that it made me a little queasy, especially when I saw the hole that the navel bar left above my belly button. And then I had to laugh at how pathetic that is, since I am going to have to push a baby out of my body - talk about queasy!! Looks like my work is cut out for me. I purchased a maternity navel bar that is made of more flexible material than stainless steel and it's supposed to bend as your belly grows. Before I took the bar out, I was pretty determined to keep the piercing, because I love it and it took a whole year to heal. But now, especially after the ultrasound, I really don't care as much. I go to a piercer tomorrow to have the maternity bar put in, if he can manage it with my belly growth. If not, c'est la vie.

No Pain, No Gain

I have to admit that the prospect of delivering a baby is pretty daunting, especially the part where it hurts, LOL (more like nervous tittering, NT). Ahem. Way before the pregnancy, I was obsessed with the reality birthing shows on TLC and Discovery Health (Birth Day and A Baby Story) and the one thing that was pretty consistent from episode to episode was the fact that the mother-to-be was in agonizing pain at some point in the labor. I took a break from watching those series, and have started to slowly watch them again, and second thought, not sure if that is a good idea, seeing as I'll be in the same situation in four or five months' time. One thing I've been trying to do is to get myself into acceptance that it is going to hurt, it just is, and I will get through it, I will still be me, just me in pain, it is a state of being, it will pass. I feel like I am gearing up for a prize fight. I am pretty sure that I am going to ask for an epidural (natural mothers, please don't hate me, I am in awe of you!) because I know my tolerance of pain and my tendency to get really tense and anxious when in pain, so for me, I feel like an epidural will be the best choice. K, having experienced birth firsthand twice now, and seeing that and knowing me as a person, thinks I may be right. Maybe for the second time around, I'll be bold and try a natural birth, and I'm sure I could do it, but I think I'll be calmer this first time with some help. Of course, I am also putting in my mind that things can change. Either way, I would just buckle down and get to birthing. As a side note, who knew back when everyone and their mother were getting tattoos on their lower backs that it could interfere with being able to get an epidural?? My doctor checked my tattoo and said that usually where they insert the needle is right in the center of my tattoo, but he felt up a vertebrae or two, and said that they would be able to put it right above. Whew!!! Not something that they mention at the tattoo parlors.

Film Movement

As you can see by the growing list under "Recent DVD Watching", I am consumed with in-home movie entertainment. Watching DVDs in bed helped ease my discomfort and anxiety during the first few months of pregnancy, and now they actually help me to sleep (which usually means it takes me a couple of nights to actually finish watching a movie from top to bottom). Most of the films are ones I've seen before, however, there are a few new, obscure titles which I've acquired by subscribing to a wonderful independent film club, Film Movement. For about $15 a month, you receive a new, acclaimed, independent film on DVD every month to keep - independent films from all around the world, including the US. One very late night, I put on a DVD, settled under my comforter, and as I was admiring the illustrations accompanying the opening credits, I was astonished to see my Mother's name in the casting credits!!! The film she cast is called "The Choking Man", a great film with great actors, and it was available through Film Movement. Most of the films, so far, have been emotionally bittersweet, but engaging nonetheless. Check out Film Movement.

Snoogle Up Two (Too)

Looks like someone else loves the Snoogle Total Body Pillow!

Sloppy Joe, Have A Seat

For some reason, since the pregnancy, I am such a sloppy eater. I'll be sitting down, enjoying a tasty snack, and I stand up and it's like snow flurries of crumbs from everywhere. Or I'll catch myself in the mirror and it will look like I'm wearing a brooch or something and I know I don't wear brooches, so it's gotta be some remnant of an earlier meal. Or food gets hidden in the crease that is developing above my growing tummy. Just yesterday, I looked at myself in the mirror and I noticed that I was extra moisturized until I realized that it was balsamic vinaigrette that had dropped onto my chest (?) while I was eating a self-made salad for lunch. So embarrassing!

Last week, when I made my solo venture into London from Brighton and rode their subway (the Tube), I was offered a seat TWICE, and that was thrilling!! It actually hadn't occurred to me that I should grab a seat, I just got on the subway and there were no seats so I just stood, without processing that I am now a pregnant woman on the subway, which should give me automatic seating rights. At least that is how I've always felt in NY, and I would always get so upset when no one would offer a pregnant woman a seat on the subway. I always did, for pregnant women, or women with small children. Anyway, on the first Tube ride, I happened to be standing before a woman with her small child, each in their own seat, and I was so jet-lagged and sleep deprived, I was just focusing on the cute little boy to keep myself from falling asleep. And then after a few stops, the woman looked up at me, and said with an embarrassed laugh, "Oh, I'm sorry, here!" as she was lifting her son onto her lap to free up his seat. I didn't realize why she was apologizing until I looked down at my stomach and then it all registered. And I told her it was okay because I was getting off at the next stop. Then she asked, "6 months?" and I told her 5 months (excited because she thought I was further along!). And that was that. The second time, I got on the Tube wondering if someone would offer me a seat again. And this time, I actually wanted a seat, because I was just so tired. I kept playing an imaginary scene in my head where I would stand in the middle of the car and ask in a menacing voice, "Is there anyone who's gonna give up their seat for this pregnant woman?" I only had 3 stops so it wasn't a big deal, but I was curious if anyone was going to be generous. And sure enough, with only one stop left, a woman sitting across from where I was standing asked me if I wanted her seat, and I told her it was okay, I only had one stop to go. Interesting that both times, it was a woman who offered her seat, and not a man. Is chivalry dead?

Snoogle Up

My newest maternity find has been the Snoogle Total Body Pillow, by Leach Co. It is a full body pillow that provides a cradle for the head and you can place the other end between your knees for support, and you can decide to either have the pillow cradle you from behind or in front. I love it because it is comfy and soft and it helps me stay on my side and keeps me from rolling on my back while I sleep. It is a bit big in size and if you did want to change positions in the middle of the night, it is a little hard to maneuver, but it is so worth it for the comfort I've found and for peace of mind (I was really concerned about ending up on my back during sleep). K said he is jealous of it because it wraps around me, and when I told my Mom about the pillow, who couldn't believe they now have special pillows, she replied, "They used to call that a husband." I found it for the best price at Burlington Coat Factory.

I just returned from a trip to Brighton, England with K for work (well, vacation for me) and it was great to be away and in a new place. I did get to go to London for a few hours and visit with my friend TAU from college. She gave me the wonderful gift of a baby carrier made by Ergo, which she enthusiastically claimed to be the best carrier she had used when her son was a baby. It will be for when the baby is older, at least 6 months, which will give him time to outgrow the Baby Bjorn we will probably use first. The Ergo carrier can be worn in front, back, and side. And I love the color, and that it is also male-wear friendly, which is important since K is the more fashion-conscious of the two of us (he's my fashion adviser!).


Physically, I am doing well, getting bigger. Today I am feeling aches here and there along the sides, which I believe, from my reading, is my uterus growing. I have trouble already bending over and tying my shoes - I can manage it, but it isn't the most comfortable thing. I am also starting to feel the chore of rolling over when I am lying down, or sitting up from lying down (I find it easier to roll over onto my side and then push myself up). I can only imagine when I get bigger. My back is starting to feel strained too, mid to upper back. And my back itches more often than I remember. I've also begun to feel the baby's movement, which is absolutely thrilling!! I didn't realize at first that was what I was feeling, and I think the first time I really processed what it was (or maybe it was the first time I was able to feel it, not sure) was at Bette Midler's Vegas extravaganza show a few weeks back. We were close to the stage, so maybe it was the sound of the music that got him going. I love it! Our little dancer/musician. Actually, we joke that our son will be a reserved accountant who will look at us in complete embarassment and disinterest when we make jokes, thinking us completely "unfunny." I doubt it, though. The "silly" genes are pretty strong, on both sides! I can't wait to meet him. Today, I think I'll get back to looking for names.

Sweet & Salty

I think last night I had my first strange craving, although it was a spur of the moment idea inspired by what was in my direct line of vision. My taste buds were warring - one minute I wanted something sweet (apple pie a la mode) and another I wanted salty (a big hunk of cheddar cheese). In the end, my salty buds won out until a truce appeared in the distance - a box of Ginger Snaps. Hmm, a nice combination of sharp cheddar saltiness with the tangy sweetness of a ginger snap. I took a piece of my hunk of cheese, smushed it onto the ginger snap with my fingers and took a glorious bite and...it was kind of WEIRD. The ginger flavoring was too strong to really enjoy the bite of the cheddar. And in retrospect, I realized that the combination wasn't too weird - Jamaican "bun & cheese" has the same concept with a sweet raisin bun enveloping a hunk of bright orange cheese and it is delicious. Unfortunately, my concoction was not.

The Price of Gas

Oh my goodness, gas is just not fun, particularly when you are pregnant. As if a growing baby in your abdomen wasn't enough, the sensation of air just pushing everything out of whack is extremely uncomfortable, and surprisingly exhausting. I guess I am going to have to lay off the enchiladas and pinto beans! Which is sad since that is right now my favorite meal choice and I could pretty much eat it everyday. But after yesterday's debacle, I think I can swear off the Mexican eats for a little bit. Veggies are the hardest thing right now for me to eat because they just don't seem appetizing at all; just the thought of them turns my stomach off. But I have to do it. So, I'm now on a bit of a veggie juice kick (well, as of yesterday). There's a Tropical Smoothie not too far from me where I can get fresh squeezed veggie juice. Spinach salad, I am craving it right now. Especially the spinach salad from Veselka on 2nd Ave in NYC. Ah, I miss NY!!

Planning for a trip to London next week. We'll be there for five or six days (although really five since the last day is all flying). I am planning to buy compression stockings so I can relax and prepare for the long flight. I've gotten so much better at drinking my liquids (and this from a person who used to only drink maybe 3 cups a day, sometimes less, of liquid). And that's about all for now.