Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween

Liam is 5 days old today. I will eventually post the story of his birth.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

39 Weeks Pregnant

Weight: 134.8 (+29.8 from starting weight, +3.6 from last week, yikes!)

Symptoms: back ache, tired, sciatic nerve pain, contractions, nausea, heartburn

How I am Feeling: I am so tired. I am trying really hard to get out and do things before the baby comes, but its getting harder and harder to get out of bed. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy:  The baby has moved down into my pelvis, so the kicks in my ribs aren't bothering me so much anymore. The itching on my belly has also stopped. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy:  The waiting game is really difficult. I hope that every little pain will turn into labor. Last Friday, my OB said he didn't think I would make it to my next appointment. I knew not to believe him, but I couldn't help getting my hopes up. 

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Recipe: Key Lime Pie

 Key Lime Pie
(adapted from Key Lime Pie VII recipe from allrecipes.com)

Dan's Rating: 8 or 9 (because Key Lime Pie is one of his least favorite desserts)

9 inch graham cracker pie crust
2 14oz cans of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice
whipped cream

Others who tried the same recipe said that it took 20+ key limes to make 3/4 cup of juice. I must be an efficient juicer because it only took me 14 key limes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine sweetened condensed milk, sour cream and lime juice. Pour into graham cracker pie crust.
Bake for 5 to 8 minutes (took me 6 minutes) until tiny bubbles appear on the surface. Do not brown. Chill pie before serving. Top with whipped cream. I made whipped cream from scratch using heaving whipping cream, vanilla and powdered sugar. I also used Wilton tip #21 to make the whipped cream design.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Highly Recommend

I devoured this book. I started reading it on Thursday night and finished it by Friday night. Ms. Niffenegger's writing style was easy to read, but not juvenile. She does use very strong language throughout the book, so this is not a book for the easily offended.

*Spoilers*
I felt like I could relate to the story. The main theme of the book is how love survives all opposition. The couple's obvious trial is the time that they spend apart do to the husband's "chrono-displacement." While most wives do not have to deal with their husbands' involuntary time travel, Clare and Henry DeTamble's greatest trials are things with which ordinary couples struggle: trust, infertility, deaths of loved ones and religious/moral differences. Being 2 weeks from my baby's due date, I had a really hard time reading about the loss of Clare's pregnancies.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

38 Weeks

Weight: 131.2 (+26.2 from starting weight, +1 from last week)

Symptoms: back pain, braxton hicks contractions, itchy belly, tired

How I am Feeling: I am so ready to be done with being pregnant. It is getting old. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy: Dan is so great at taking care of all of my needs. He rubs my back when it hurts, takes me out to dinner when I don't want to cook and holds me when I feel sad. I am really thankful for him. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy:  I did it today. The thing that all pregnant women dread. I peed myself. I felt nauseous, so I went to the bathroom to be sick. Each time I threw up, the pressure on my abdomen pressed hard enough on my bladder to make me pee. I guess that's the only thing worse than throwing up- throwing up and peeing myself. I am so done. 

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

An open letter

My Dearest Baby Vickery,

I am on to you. You may not quite realize the technology that we have here on the outside world, but it is pretty amazing. I know that you are about 6.5 pounds and have a little bit of hair. I've seen your strong heartbeat and your practice breathes. I know that you are ready to come out and be with me and Daddy.

Why then, child, must your torment me so? I beg and plead that each little contraction will escalate into real labor. Partially because I am so excite to meet you, but mostly so that the discomfort of being 9 months pregnant will end. I have been praying since February that you stay where you are so that you can join us fully formed and healthy. Since you are, it's time to vacate the uterus. I suggest that, if you have any desire to have a brother or sister in the future, you make your way to the exit sooner rather than later and as gently as possible.

If this isn't agreeable to you, and I understand how comfortable and warm you are in my belly, can we come to some other arrangement? I won't force you out for another 3 weeks, but you have got to remove your feet from my ribcage. It is completely unacceptable for you to be kicking me there and will result in me taking any measures to evict you.

All my love,
Your Mommy

Thursday, October 7, 2010

37 Weeks Pregnant

Full term!

Weight: 130.2 (+25.2 from starting weight, +0 from last week)

Symptoms: itchy belly, heartburn, back ache, braxton hicks contractions, sciatic nerve pain

How I am Feeling: I'm doing okay. My itchy belly is slowly driving me insane. I've been really tired and my sleep patterns are very irregular. Some nights I sleep for 10 hour and feel good the next day. Some nights I sleep for 4 hours and catnap all day. 

Best Thing about Pregnancy: I love Dan. He's so good to me. I've been really needy the last few weeks and he's okay with that. He rubs my back at least twice a day and usually rubs my feet at night to help me relax and get to sleep. He also loves the phrases "full term" and "any day now." His excitement for this new chapter in our lives in infectious and I am so excited for him to become a father. 

Worst Thing about Pregnancy:  I've spent the last 9 months learning how to be pregnant and have neglected learning what to do when the baby is born. The last few weeks I have read a few books on basic newborn and infant care, but will that really prepare me to bring home this tiny person? I guess I don't have any choice, do I?


Month 9: Watermelon


At week 37, your pregnancy is considered full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. If (okay, as) you worry about giving birth, consider what it’s like for the little one. During the journey out of your womb, baby will produce more stress hormones than any other time in life.