I've started writing this blog when I had a few spare minutes on vacation so that I can remember everything. Overall great experience, but we did have a few bumps.
It all started Friday morning when DH decided to check in for our flight (24 hours in advance). There were problems with our reference number as we did change the flight about 3 weeks ago, but it was showing the old flight and DH spent 4 hours on the phone with the airline and the company through which we ordered the tickets. Finally, by noon the problem was resolved, but I was pissed. On top of it, my boss was really stressed out as we had lots to finish and he wanted to go home at a decent time on Friday, and to tell you the truth, I told myself that I'll probably be there until midnight, so leaving at the same time as I leave every day (although late for Friday) was a bonus. When DH picked me up from the train we decided to go out to eat as there was nothing in our fridge, then we went to a grocery store to pick up some food for the flight (the smartest move ever) and finished packing. By the time everything was said and done it was 1 a.m. and my BIL was picking us up at 4:45 a.m.
The ride to the airport was a bit stressful as the road work closed the exit to the airport and we had to do a little detour. We still made it on time. The only bad thing was that when we declared that we are taking food to US the customs guy asked us what it was. I washed a few of my favourite apples, and they took them!!! They said that they would only let them pass if they had stickers "made in USA", and those didn't have such stickers and they were actually Ontario grown. The fact that we would eat them on the plane and that I am pregnant and need my vitamins didn't sway the customs guy. Oh well... We had seats in the isle, for which I was grateful as during the 5 hour flight I got up to pee about 7 times. I don't think the baby enjoyed flying that much as he was pushing on my bladder most of the time. The layover was in San Francisco and the weather was wonderful - warm and sunny. During the flight to San Diego we had a window and a middle seat, but the flight was very turbulent so I could only get up once in between the pilot switching the seat belt sign off and on again. Once we were at the airport we got free wi fi so both DH and I called our families to let them know that we arrived and that everything was good. Boy were we wrong. When we got to the baggage pick up area we got a text that our friends just landed. We waited for our luggage and got DH bag off the belt and continued waiting for mine. When there was only one lonely bag going around and around on the belt and no more people waiting we figured that something was not right. I was freaking out. ALL my clothes were there, my maternity clothes!!! It took a while to log the complaint and figure out that my bag is actually on the next plain, so our choice was to either wait in the airport for 2.5 hours or have my suitcase shipped to the hotel. When we met our friends we decided that we are not going to be doing much which would require me to change (as I was in sweat pants). The weather in San Diego was completely opposite to San Francisco- the rain was pouring hard, but since we didn't want to lose any time we decided to stick to our itinerary.
After we checked into the hotel and got the adjoining rooms with our friends, we took a taxi to Seaport Village which would have been wonderful if not for the rain, so we finally just went to one of the restaurants there. We decided to go to a mall thereafter and wait out the rain there. It was getting late so we wondered the streets a bit and then took a taxi to our hotel. I was expecting my bag to be in the room, but it wasn't, so DH started working the phones. By that time it was already 8 p.m. which with the time difference of 3 hours was like 11 p.m. plus with me sleeping only 3 hours the night before, I was exhausted. We were promised that the bag would arrive no later than 9-9:30 and all I could do is to lay on a bed waiting for it, as DH went to our friends room for some guy fun. Close to 9 p.m. when the bag still didn't arrive, DH took pity on me and called the front desk. They said that the bag is there but they are waiting for the bell boy, to which DH said that he is going to just get it himself. Once the bag was in the room I could finally go to sleep.
Being pregnant and sleeping without my body pillow was a bit tricky and I still had to get up at least 2 times to pee. We were up early as we had to have breakfast at the hotel and then go with a tour which was picking us up just before 8 a.m. The tour was nice, there were not that many people and the tour guy was funny. We saw a few places some of which we decided to go back to the next day. At the end of the tour we asked our tour guy to drop us off at the restaurant that my friend found in one of the guide books. It was a popular restaurant and the wait was over 1.5 hours. Well we were all starving so we just wondered the street looking for a place to eat. We stopped at the Mexican restaurant and even though I can't eat spicy food, I found the dishes that were tolerable. Thereafter the plan was to visit Balboa park and we started walking in the direction of the park and looking to find the taxi. The first taxi passed us when we were almost at the park, and the taxi driver didn't even see us as he was texting on his cell phone. Anyways, we found the park ourselves and walked around a lot. The gardens were beautiful and we took tons of pictures. As it was getting dark and cold we stopped by a cafe and stayed there for a while enjoying hot drinks. We decided to start walking and catch the taxi on our way so that we can get to the hotel. As we walked, we figured that we were going downhill and that it was turning out to be a pretty nice evening so we walked to a gaslight district close to downtown Sand Diego and stopped for some desert there, and then took a taxi to our hotel. We did so much walking that day that all I could think about is getting into a made up bad as the night before I was struggling with all the blankets and sheets they had. When I opened the door I saw that the room was not cleaned, and I almost lost it. As I was calling the front desk I was on the verge of being hysterical (from both being extremely exhausted and from all the pregnancy hormones). Apparently the clerk put us on their green choice program which we specifically refused, and after asking the hotel person what they can do for us to compensate, she replied we can use the coupons that we got, I did lose it as we didn't get anything! She assured me that she is sending fresh towels and supplies and that we would get all the coupons for our entire stay and that the next day the room will be cleaned. So again, I was on my bed waiting for something to be delivered. The towels were sent right away, and then 15 min later I noticed an envelope next to the front door, those were the coupons. So I could finally go to sleep.
On Monday we had a plan to rent a car. We took a shuttle back to the airport and the guys figured out the place where they want to rent the car from. We decided to go for breakfast at the same restaurant where we couldn't get lunch the day before. It was after 11 a.m and we were all starving. There was still a line up but not as long as the day before. We were told the wait for 30 min, but some people in the line told us that the wait is much less than that, and it was not more than 10 min in which our boys managed to go exploring and we had to call them and tell them to get back asap as they would not seat us without them. The portions were HUGE, the food was great and the prices were even better. After we were done with breakfast we drove to Coronado and walked around there for a while, along the beach and a bit into the town. We went by the hotel where one of my favourite movies "Some Like it Hot" was filmed. Thereafter we drove to La Jolla and walked along the coast there looking at sea lions. The weather took a turn for the worse as when we approached La Jolla the sky was covered with clouds and the wind was very cold. I was happy that this time around I had my warm sports jacket with me, as I was wearing a t-shirt and a light cardigan. We decided to return closer to Downtown San Diego for Dinner and found a seafood restaurant not far from Seaport village. The food there was also great and DH and I decide that we are going to return to the same restaurant on our stop over at San Diego on the way back. As the night was still young we decided to go for a desert at a different restaurant and drove to a bakery in a different part of the town. After returning the car we got a shuttle to our hotel where we started packing as we were leaving next morning. And by the way, the room was all clean.
The next day (Tuesday) we had breakfast at the hotel (and used our coupons) before heading to the airport. We said good bye to San Diego and were off to Mexico. We stayed at Barcelo in Los Cabos, and the hotel and amenities exceeded our expectations. The rooms were nice and modern. There was a smart room technology which meant that we could control everything (air conditioner, lights etc.) from the TV. I also found that you can close curtains from either the switch next to the bed or from TV and after playing with it a few times I broke it (they did fix it the next day when I called it in). The only downside was that the water in the pools was very called and in 7 days that we were there we only ended up swimming in the pool two days. There was a black flag on the beach which meant that it is not safe for swimming, but we actually got into the ocean every day. The waives where huge (the way I like them) and if I wasn't pregnant I would spend more time in the water and further away from the shore. My friend was afraid so we stayed where the water was just above our knees and not deeper than our butts. At one point I was hit a bit harder by the huge waive which actually made my two piece bathing suit go different ways (the top one went up and the bottom one went down), but I did manage to pull it all back together before getting out of the ocean, so no harm down. Only on the last day DH didn't let me get in more than ankle deep, as the waves were crazy huge and even he had difficulty to maintain control.
Overall we had a great experience. Our regular day would start at around 8:30 a.m. we would go to have breakfast and then to our room to get ready for the sun. Depending on our moods me and my friend either stayed by the pool in semi shade or went to the beach where we had to move lounge chairs to be in the shadow of a palm tree as I don't really like being in the sun for too long. We would chat or read and than go into the water (most of the time the ocean). One day when the weather was extra hot, we managed to get a nice swim in the pool and even did aqua aerobics. Most other days the water was too cold to stay in the pool for any period of time. We would have lunch at around 2 - 2:30 and head back to the beach. In the first two days we took nice 1 hour long walks on the beach (each day to the different direction). One day after lunch we want to a small town which was near by (10 min cab ride). It was very small and there were barely any people there. Our boys went diving on Saturday and discovered another town (on another side of the resort) about 35-40 min away. They loved it and wanted to return there. So Monday after lunch we took a taxi and went there on our own. I have to say that we all felt very safe in this part of Mexico. When we were looking at the tours from the resort we were offered a cruise to see the famous arch. The tour was a bit expensive and we couldn't decided if we wanted to take it. So when we were at the town, there were water taxis so the guys negotiated a price for a boat to take us to see the arch (the price for 4 of us was cheaper then what the resort wanted per person). Our captain turned out to be a great guide, showing us a lot of attractions and making tons of pictures of us (he got a good tip afterwords), but because we were stopping a lot I started to feel like I am going to be feeding fish very very soon. I told my friend that I am not feeling good, and luckily she had sea sickness pills that her OBGYN approved. It did help and there were no accidents. Although I was really happy to be on the solid ground when we were done. :) That town turned out to be a nice vibrant town with lots of shops, cafes, restaurants etc. We walked the streets until it was getting dark and took a taxi back to the hotel.
The funny part was that when the guys were making arrangements for their dive, my friend and I sat down at a nearby desk and started talking to a clerk there. She turned out to also be pregnant, also 5 months and also with a boy!!! She told us that the food on the resort was safe as she eats on the resort herself. The food was good and I was only disappointed once when we had dinner at the buffet and the theme was Mexican - the only thing I could eat was some tomatoes and corn, and I asked the server to wash a sweet pepper for me (which was part of decoration).
My only problem was sleep. I couldn't adjust to the time difference, which was 3 hours in San Diego and 2 hours in Mexico. By 10 p.m. I would be falling a sleep, but then I was waking up a lot during the night as the beds were too soft and I couldn't make myself comfortable without my body pillow. I was sleeping with one pillow in between my knees, one pillow on each of the sides and one pillow for my head. I was also waking up at least twice to pee and usually was up around 7 a.m. Once I got home the sleep did improve some what.
I did have a little scare in Mexico, as one day when I was getting ready to take a shower and was naked when I felt a drop or two of liquid streaming down my thigh (on the inside). I freaked out a bit and tried to remember what I did just before to justify it. I did pee before and then washed my hands so that could have been water from when I washed my hands or may be I didn't wipe myself properly. I did manage to calm myself as there was nothing much I could do there. Something similar happened again in San Diego on our way back, so I am definitely mentioning this to my doctor when I see him next Wednesday.
The most exciting thing pregnancy wise happened on our last day in Mexico. DH went to swim in the ocean and our friends were in their room changing (since we didn't have much time until we had to leave, I wore my bathing suit to breakfast so didn't need to change). So I was laying on a lounge chair when I felt the baby kicking, then I looked down on my tummy and I saw it wobbling. Yep, I could see the baby kicking from the outside. I jumped up excited, but there was no one to share the news with. So disappointing...
On the way home from Mexico we had an overnight stay in San Diego. We checked into our hotel and decided to continue exploring our surroundings. The weather was a bit on a chilly side, but still much warmer than in TO. We went to Horton mall and then walked through Seaport Village to the fish restaurant where we had dinner before. This time around we changed what we ordered and the food was still good. We walked more through the Seaport Village (even though all little stores were already closed) and then decided to go to a supermarket for a desert and some food for the flight home. We ended up eating our desert in our room before going to sleep.
The next morning I woke up at 6 a.m. (as it was 7 a.m. in Mexico). I was still in bed when I heard my cellphone ring. I let it ring before getting up to go to the washroom and check who it was. It was the office. I knew exactly why. I did notice that my boss put in the wrong date for my arrival in his calendar, but since I gave him the right dates in writing I really didn't care. So I texted my clerk and asked her if any thing is wrong and they need my help to which she replied confirming that my boss was furious that I wasn't at the office... oh well... We had breakfast at a little cafe that DH found on the internet as one of the top 10 and we were a bit disappointed as it wasn't anything special. We then walked through Seaport Village again, this time stopping at the little shops and enjoying the rustic beauty, and then walked along the waterfront for almost 2 hours until it was time to get a taxi to the airport.
The flight was pretty uneventful and our bags were amount the first 10-15 on the belt. My BIL picked us up and SIL ordered some food. I wasn't hungry but we had absolutely no food in the fridge. We had to stop over BIL & SIL's house as DH wanted to say hi to his mom, so I got in to say hi to my SIL. We ended up staying there for about an hour eating some food and just talking in general, so didn't get home until 10:30 p.m.
As expected, work was crazy busy on Thursday, when we hit the 25 week mark, but that's the topic for the next post.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
21 and 22 weeks
Well, today we are actually crossing into week 23, but I have been one busy bee lately so I let my blogging slide and this is going to be one long post.
I guess I should start with our OBGYN apt at 21w1d. As always it was quick, efficient and straight to the point. The doc quickly reviewed our ISP/NT results that were very good with a chance of down 1 in 20,0000 (which is the lowest that our hospital gives). The anatomy scan results were also in, and it did say "male" at the beginning of the report. The doc also told me that my blood work was good, including my iron level (I did have some problems with iron a few years ago). We've heard the heart beat again and the doc said that it was good too. He was measuring my uterus and it was about 10 cm or so above the belly button!!! (to tell you the truth, now at almost 23 weeks, I can feel the baby all over the place and both my upper and lower stomachs are very hard). We talked a bit about the flu shot and he was very adamant that we get it (we were swaying towards it anyways), he cautioned us that a flu complication can kill both me and the baby. We also asked him about our vacation in Mexico and his suggestions were to drink only bottled water and refrain from salads. I also talked to him about sleeping and I gravitate toward my stomach and wake up nauseous, he said to try to avoid sleeping on the stomach and it is better if I sleep on the side but need to lean in some direction, that I partially lean on my back. Next appointment in 4 weeks (which is exactly the week we are coming back). We also scheduled an apt for December in another 4 weeks as his morning started to fill in quickly (ugh...).
That Friday was also a girls night out. My sis picked me up as well as my SIL and another mutual friend (all three of them have 2 kids of roughly the same age). We went to a restaurant/lounge and had some fun. We were celebrating my pregnancy, and friend's finishing b/f and since she didn't drink for the last 4 years (having one kid, then b/f, then having another, then b/f again) she got a bit tipsy. I drove home as I was the only one who didn't drink that time. It was so nice to get out and talk mostly about kids :)
On Saturday, I went to my yoga class as always, and then DH & I ran some errands. In the evening we went to my parents' house as we were babysitting my brother. He was good. ME and him played some Wii while DH picked up some food for us. My brother managed to eat all of his oatmeal plus meat and rice that DH bought (he is 13 and his body is growing I guess). My brother was so cute, when I ask him where the baby is - he pats my tummy. I really love my brother as he is also my baby (I was 18 and a half when he was born and we were very close). I helped him brush his teeth and put his pj on and wished him goodnight, and then when I came up in about 10 minutes he was not sleeping yet, so I just sat next to his bed a bit. My brother is autistic so he need much more help than a regular 13 year old. As I was sitting in the dark in his room, I realized that I can do it, I can be a mom to a baby boy, and my baby would love me as much (if not more) than my brother.
I took Sunday off and I think I am getting some of the nesting instinct, as I went through the second bathroom (which is right across the baby's room and will be his bathroom) and threw out and recycled tons and tons of plastic bottles from all the shampoos, conditioners, creams and other cosmetics that I haven't been using for ages. DH was working on his computer and I was begging him to go for a walk, but then my sis called and invited me to come with her to parents' place so we can all go for a walk there. So off I went with my sis together with her kids as well as my mom and my brother. It was a nice 3 km walk, and I wish I could do it much more often.
On Monday was Halloween, and I was lucky that my boss disappeared from the office at around 3 p.m. I took an early train and was at home around 6 p.m. It was still light outside but kids already started to trick or treat. DH & I quickly had a bite to eat before my parents came over with my brother. I've been taking my brother trick or treating since he was 2 years old - every year, so that's our little tradition :). As we were getting ready to leave, we had about 10 kids come to our door to get candy. Our neighbourhood had soooo many kids out and we've met EVERYBODY! I have never seen so many kids and people on the streets. I guess the weather being not too cold contributed to that. We met up with my sis and her family as well as with my SIL and her family and tons of other friends. I got bunny ears with lights from my BIL (who worked a night club the night before and had all the trinkets). We mostly ended up walking either by ourselves or with my sis and my niece as others were taking too long talking to the vast amount of friends and acquaintances that we were meeting. There were so many kids that a few houses we visited ran out of candy. One guy told me that he went through 10 boxes of candy just giving out one candy per kid. I tried to take it easy and did not go up to all the doors with my brother, although I do worry as he can be a bit unpredictable (like actually going into people's houses), so I had to stay close anyways. By the end of about 2 hours of walking and trick or treating I was DONE. I had to stop a few times to bend over, which helps me feel better (I guess it releases pressure from somewhere). I wanted to show my parents a cool house in our neighbourhood, but by that time I was too exhausted to walk, so we got our car and just drove there and back. DH made some food for my parents, and I went through and sorted all the candy that my brother got (I also do it every year, LOL). Well I did eat some of it (he doesn't mind), but most of them went home with my brother.
On Tuesday my mom had a minor surgery. I talked to both her and dad before and then my sis called me and said that she left work early so she can stay with mom at the hospital since she is there all alone (which was a total BS as mom did not want anyone there and dad was picking her up). Of course, about 10 min after she called, my dad called that the doctor told him that it is ok to pick mom up, and then mom called herself. By the time my sis came, mom was already home. So then, mom called me and asked me if we would come over, and I couldn't say no. So I after work I went to my parents' house as opposed to going home. I enjoy spending time with my parents, but being a mid week night, by the time we got home, I was exhausted as it was very late.
I guess spending so much time withe my family and kids in general resulted in me really wanting my baby. I had very vivid dreams about my baby AFTER he was born, not the labour and delivery part, and when I woke up I had a real longing for him. I cannot imagine that I can love and long for someone who I've never even met. It is a new feeling to me. Till this day every time I see my growing belly in the mirror, I remind myself that YES it is actually happening to ME. We ARE having a baby in short 4 months. We've been on this road for such a long time that it is still hard to believe.
Thursday (22 weeks) started like a normal day until I got to the train and sat down. I felt sharp pains in my tummy and around, so I though that may be the baby is not comfortable (he is known for that- wants his space - just like his daddy), so I unzipped my jacket and that didn't help one bit. I had sharp pains all day and after doing some research on google I found out that those were probably still round ligament pains - and they were a common occurrence even at 22 weeks. Who knew??? Luckily the pain subsided on Friday, so I am thinking that the baby was going through a growth spur, and I am happy with that.
Last Friday I had lots of plans for what to do after work, but first decided to stop by my parents' place to pick up some dresses for the beach. Well my dad's friend showed up and needed help with his computer so we pretty much stayed at my parents until well into the night.
DH and I were both busy bees on Saturday. I had my yoga class and sugaring (Brazilian)right after (at a different place of course). I stopped by the house to have breakfast (at 1 p.m.) and had to rush out to go to a pedicure. The weather was so good that i decided to walk (it's only about 40 min walk). It was nice, but I had to stop a few times to bend over when I wasn't feeling to good. When I got to the place I saw my sis there. It was a surprise as I chatted with her in the morning and asked what her plans were and she said she didn't have any, but then when her kids went for an afternoon nap she called the place and they had an opening. So we had a nice time together catching up. Since I stopped taking an early train with her we don't interact as much. She also dropped me off at my house.
On Friday, I spent a great deal on the computer researching - I found out that there will be a flu clinic not far away on Saturday, found out what vaccine they offer and did research regarding those vaccines, including manufacturing documentation and information from various FDA applications. By the time I got home on Saturday after a pedi we only had less than an hour until the clinic would be closing. As I had a very heated discussion about this with my sis and SIL, I told DH not to tell anyone, and felt a bit bad sneaking around to get the shot. Once we got to the clinic (which was in the middle of the mall), I was still hesitating a bit if we are making the right decision, and then I saw how many infants they had there and decided that it was a right one. I did my research, I knew what I was doing, and it was my decision based on facts rather than somebody else's based mostly on emotional don't do it!
We stopped by at a store to buy a gift certificate for a friend (who I actually distanced myself from - or was it mutual? but that's a long story and not for this post). We headed downtown to a nice restaurant to celebrate her birthday. The food was good and we stayed there pretty late. Of course, during the course of the dinner I had to get up 5 or 6 times to go peel (but as everyone drank alcohol, I just jugged water, so that might have been the reason).
On Sunday, we had breakfast at my SIL's house with MIL cooking, and then I headed out to the office. DH was amazing. I did some research regarding sunscreens and chose a few natural brands. As I knew that I would not have any time to stop by a health food store, I forwarded to him my research and he got me two bottle - SPF 15 and SPF 30, although they were a bit pricey.
I was hoping to start packing on Monday, but it turned out to be a 13 hour day at the office. So, on Tuesday, I asked DH to get the suitcases upstairs into our bedroom so that I can start putting some clothes in them. Well, it is now Thursday, and mine has only 2 things in it. So as soon as I finish writing this blog, I am off to trying on clothes to take with us.
Some general observations for weeks 21 and 22:
- I still sneeze a lot during the day and occasionally have a runny nose;
- My bbs hurt and my nipples are extremely sensitive;
- I constantly feel pressure in my tummy and a lot of stretching pains and aches;
- It is getting hard to bend over to take off or put on my shoes, or pick something from the floor, it is also getting harder to getting up from sitting position;
- I think I feel the weight of my baby and he is getting heavier;
- I gained about 3 kg (and a bit upset by that) as it is not all baby, but my inability to get exercise into my daily routine and finishing up Halloween candy;
- the sleep has been awful. I've been sleeping in little increments waking up constantly to turn or to go pee. Even before I got pregnant I was sleeping with a body pillow. I basically just lean on it as opposed to sleeping directly on my stomach, but lately since my tummy grew so much, leaning on it made me nauseous and hence horrible time sleeping - tossing and turning all the time. A couple of nights ago I actually figured it out. I now put one end of the pillow between my knees, which surprisingly helps me to sleep more on my side rather than leaning on my stomach, who knew... I do wake up though when I have to change sides (but not as often as before), and unless I have to pee, I fall asleep pretty much right away. The only problem with that is that I think my thighs are starting to hurt a bit. Never a dull moment.
So I think this is it for now. My next update will follow once we are back home which will not be until Wednesday, November 23rd, at which point I'll be at the end of week 24!!!
I guess I should start with our OBGYN apt at 21w1d. As always it was quick, efficient and straight to the point. The doc quickly reviewed our ISP/NT results that were very good with a chance of down 1 in 20,0000 (which is the lowest that our hospital gives). The anatomy scan results were also in, and it did say "male" at the beginning of the report. The doc also told me that my blood work was good, including my iron level (I did have some problems with iron a few years ago). We've heard the heart beat again and the doc said that it was good too. He was measuring my uterus and it was about 10 cm or so above the belly button!!! (to tell you the truth, now at almost 23 weeks, I can feel the baby all over the place and both my upper and lower stomachs are very hard). We talked a bit about the flu shot and he was very adamant that we get it (we were swaying towards it anyways), he cautioned us that a flu complication can kill both me and the baby. We also asked him about our vacation in Mexico and his suggestions were to drink only bottled water and refrain from salads. I also talked to him about sleeping and I gravitate toward my stomach and wake up nauseous, he said to try to avoid sleeping on the stomach and it is better if I sleep on the side but need to lean in some direction, that I partially lean on my back. Next appointment in 4 weeks (which is exactly the week we are coming back). We also scheduled an apt for December in another 4 weeks as his morning started to fill in quickly (ugh...).
That Friday was also a girls night out. My sis picked me up as well as my SIL and another mutual friend (all three of them have 2 kids of roughly the same age). We went to a restaurant/lounge and had some fun. We were celebrating my pregnancy, and friend's finishing b/f and since she didn't drink for the last 4 years (having one kid, then b/f, then having another, then b/f again) she got a bit tipsy. I drove home as I was the only one who didn't drink that time. It was so nice to get out and talk mostly about kids :)
On Saturday, I went to my yoga class as always, and then DH & I ran some errands. In the evening we went to my parents' house as we were babysitting my brother. He was good. ME and him played some Wii while DH picked up some food for us. My brother managed to eat all of his oatmeal plus meat and rice that DH bought (he is 13 and his body is growing I guess). My brother was so cute, when I ask him where the baby is - he pats my tummy. I really love my brother as he is also my baby (I was 18 and a half when he was born and we were very close). I helped him brush his teeth and put his pj on and wished him goodnight, and then when I came up in about 10 minutes he was not sleeping yet, so I just sat next to his bed a bit. My brother is autistic so he need much more help than a regular 13 year old. As I was sitting in the dark in his room, I realized that I can do it, I can be a mom to a baby boy, and my baby would love me as much (if not more) than my brother.
I took Sunday off and I think I am getting some of the nesting instinct, as I went through the second bathroom (which is right across the baby's room and will be his bathroom) and threw out and recycled tons and tons of plastic bottles from all the shampoos, conditioners, creams and other cosmetics that I haven't been using for ages. DH was working on his computer and I was begging him to go for a walk, but then my sis called and invited me to come with her to parents' place so we can all go for a walk there. So off I went with my sis together with her kids as well as my mom and my brother. It was a nice 3 km walk, and I wish I could do it much more often.
On Monday was Halloween, and I was lucky that my boss disappeared from the office at around 3 p.m. I took an early train and was at home around 6 p.m. It was still light outside but kids already started to trick or treat. DH & I quickly had a bite to eat before my parents came over with my brother. I've been taking my brother trick or treating since he was 2 years old - every year, so that's our little tradition :). As we were getting ready to leave, we had about 10 kids come to our door to get candy. Our neighbourhood had soooo many kids out and we've met EVERYBODY! I have never seen so many kids and people on the streets. I guess the weather being not too cold contributed to that. We met up with my sis and her family as well as with my SIL and her family and tons of other friends. I got bunny ears with lights from my BIL (who worked a night club the night before and had all the trinkets). We mostly ended up walking either by ourselves or with my sis and my niece as others were taking too long talking to the vast amount of friends and acquaintances that we were meeting. There were so many kids that a few houses we visited ran out of candy. One guy told me that he went through 10 boxes of candy just giving out one candy per kid. I tried to take it easy and did not go up to all the doors with my brother, although I do worry as he can be a bit unpredictable (like actually going into people's houses), so I had to stay close anyways. By the end of about 2 hours of walking and trick or treating I was DONE. I had to stop a few times to bend over, which helps me feel better (I guess it releases pressure from somewhere). I wanted to show my parents a cool house in our neighbourhood, but by that time I was too exhausted to walk, so we got our car and just drove there and back. DH made some food for my parents, and I went through and sorted all the candy that my brother got (I also do it every year, LOL). Well I did eat some of it (he doesn't mind), but most of them went home with my brother.
On Tuesday my mom had a minor surgery. I talked to both her and dad before and then my sis called me and said that she left work early so she can stay with mom at the hospital since she is there all alone (which was a total BS as mom did not want anyone there and dad was picking her up). Of course, about 10 min after she called, my dad called that the doctor told him that it is ok to pick mom up, and then mom called herself. By the time my sis came, mom was already home. So then, mom called me and asked me if we would come over, and I couldn't say no. So I after work I went to my parents' house as opposed to going home. I enjoy spending time with my parents, but being a mid week night, by the time we got home, I was exhausted as it was very late.
I guess spending so much time withe my family and kids in general resulted in me really wanting my baby. I had very vivid dreams about my baby AFTER he was born, not the labour and delivery part, and when I woke up I had a real longing for him. I cannot imagine that I can love and long for someone who I've never even met. It is a new feeling to me. Till this day every time I see my growing belly in the mirror, I remind myself that YES it is actually happening to ME. We ARE having a baby in short 4 months. We've been on this road for such a long time that it is still hard to believe.
Thursday (22 weeks) started like a normal day until I got to the train and sat down. I felt sharp pains in my tummy and around, so I though that may be the baby is not comfortable (he is known for that- wants his space - just like his daddy), so I unzipped my jacket and that didn't help one bit. I had sharp pains all day and after doing some research on google I found out that those were probably still round ligament pains - and they were a common occurrence even at 22 weeks. Who knew??? Luckily the pain subsided on Friday, so I am thinking that the baby was going through a growth spur, and I am happy with that.
Last Friday I had lots of plans for what to do after work, but first decided to stop by my parents' place to pick up some dresses for the beach. Well my dad's friend showed up and needed help with his computer so we pretty much stayed at my parents until well into the night.
DH and I were both busy bees on Saturday. I had my yoga class and sugaring (Brazilian)right after (at a different place of course). I stopped by the house to have breakfast (at 1 p.m.) and had to rush out to go to a pedicure. The weather was so good that i decided to walk (it's only about 40 min walk). It was nice, but I had to stop a few times to bend over when I wasn't feeling to good. When I got to the place I saw my sis there. It was a surprise as I chatted with her in the morning and asked what her plans were and she said she didn't have any, but then when her kids went for an afternoon nap she called the place and they had an opening. So we had a nice time together catching up. Since I stopped taking an early train with her we don't interact as much. She also dropped me off at my house.
On Friday, I spent a great deal on the computer researching - I found out that there will be a flu clinic not far away on Saturday, found out what vaccine they offer and did research regarding those vaccines, including manufacturing documentation and information from various FDA applications. By the time I got home on Saturday after a pedi we only had less than an hour until the clinic would be closing. As I had a very heated discussion about this with my sis and SIL, I told DH not to tell anyone, and felt a bit bad sneaking around to get the shot. Once we got to the clinic (which was in the middle of the mall), I was still hesitating a bit if we are making the right decision, and then I saw how many infants they had there and decided that it was a right one. I did my research, I knew what I was doing, and it was my decision based on facts rather than somebody else's based mostly on emotional don't do it!
We stopped by at a store to buy a gift certificate for a friend (who I actually distanced myself from - or was it mutual? but that's a long story and not for this post). We headed downtown to a nice restaurant to celebrate her birthday. The food was good and we stayed there pretty late. Of course, during the course of the dinner I had to get up 5 or 6 times to go peel (but as everyone drank alcohol, I just jugged water, so that might have been the reason).
On Sunday, we had breakfast at my SIL's house with MIL cooking, and then I headed out to the office. DH was amazing. I did some research regarding sunscreens and chose a few natural brands. As I knew that I would not have any time to stop by a health food store, I forwarded to him my research and he got me two bottle - SPF 15 and SPF 30, although they were a bit pricey.
I was hoping to start packing on Monday, but it turned out to be a 13 hour day at the office. So, on Tuesday, I asked DH to get the suitcases upstairs into our bedroom so that I can start putting some clothes in them. Well, it is now Thursday, and mine has only 2 things in it. So as soon as I finish writing this blog, I am off to trying on clothes to take with us.
Some general observations for weeks 21 and 22:
- I still sneeze a lot during the day and occasionally have a runny nose;
- My bbs hurt and my nipples are extremely sensitive;
- I constantly feel pressure in my tummy and a lot of stretching pains and aches;
- It is getting hard to bend over to take off or put on my shoes, or pick something from the floor, it is also getting harder to getting up from sitting position;
- I think I feel the weight of my baby and he is getting heavier;
- I gained about 3 kg (and a bit upset by that) as it is not all baby, but my inability to get exercise into my daily routine and finishing up Halloween candy;
- the sleep has been awful. I've been sleeping in little increments waking up constantly to turn or to go pee. Even before I got pregnant I was sleeping with a body pillow. I basically just lean on it as opposed to sleeping directly on my stomach, but lately since my tummy grew so much, leaning on it made me nauseous and hence horrible time sleeping - tossing and turning all the time. A couple of nights ago I actually figured it out. I now put one end of the pillow between my knees, which surprisingly helps me to sleep more on my side rather than leaning on my stomach, who knew... I do wake up though when I have to change sides (but not as often as before), and unless I have to pee, I fall asleep pretty much right away. The only problem with that is that I think my thighs are starting to hurt a bit. Never a dull moment.
So I think this is it for now. My next update will follow once we are back home which will not be until Wednesday, November 23rd, at which point I'll be at the end of week 24!!!
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