Two more weeks to go!?!?

Taaa-daaa!!!! Baby's room is put together.....somewhat.... Well it's been in this state for a couple of weeks now. Sure there are things I'd like to add to the room, like a nice carpet, a glider and ottoman, extra shelf for baby stuff, and my robot vinyl graphics I have. But, things are going to be changing this summer. I'm going to make due with what I have now, and with the financial situation I'm in there isn't much choice. It would be nice to have bambino's room put together in a way I've imagined it to be, but alas that's not going to be the case. Sure, I wish things were different, I hope that things will get better, but that's been 2+ long years of hoping, and not much has changed, if anything it's gotten a bit worse. I don't think I would've imagined me having to struggle so much through my pregnancy, with health issues, job issues, all the other issues that fall on my shoulders and mind. But, as my lot in life, nothing ever comes with ease. (Not that I expect it to, but a break would be nice)

I've decided to forgo putting up my cool giant robot vinyl graphics on the wall for now. I don't think we're going to be living in this apartment much longer. Although, I do love the apartment, neighborhood, people, my ice/water dispenser, and washer & dryer, when it comes down to it I simply can't afford to live here. I feel like I've been moving forward so long, to only now have to work my may backwards. Reality is, I'm going to pop a baby soon, and will have one latched to my boob for at least two months. That's two months of no income, two months of bills, two months of diapers....not sure how I'm going to survive. But I suppose I've always made due with less and this is no different than any other time. It weighs heavily on me that this situation I'm in is such a burden on so many people in my life. I am truly thankful to my friends and family who have helped me out and been so supportive. With out their love and kindness, I'm not sure if I would have made it this far.

But enough of my boo-hoo stuff....news about the little guy! Induction date is set. Whoaaa, it's in two weeks. TWO WEEKS!!!! Where has the time gone? If he doesn't pop out on his own, I'll be strolling into the hospital on May 25th 2010 to start my induction, which means he probably won't arrive until the next day. It's exciting and scary all at the same time. I'm ready but not ready all in the same breathe. There is still a bunch of things I need to do, and with all of my doctors appointments it's been hard to get them done on my own. I'll probably start doing all those wacky things women do to try to get the moving out. I'm hoping that by doing that stuff, it can speedy up my birth process and help the little guy out with less complications. On a positive note, I'll be able to eat hot dogs for Memorial day weekend!!! Yummmm....hot dogs :)

9 months!!!!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 5/5/10 also marks me being pregnant for nine months! I can't believe that I'm already here, time is whizzing by so fast. The little man has to bake for at least one more week for him to be out of the preemie range. However, I haven't felt any contractions yet, and I'm no where near dilated. But, getting around has been hard lately, my center of gravity is all out of whack!

Nick and I did a mini portrait session this past weekend to mark our journey of pregnancy. It's been long and difficult, with plenty of challenges, but we know in the end it'll all be worth it. There were a couple of additional ideas for the portrait, but I got tired quick. Although I had a nice long cable release to take the photos, I still had to run back and forth to check the images. It was kind of tricky. If we're up to it in the next couple of weeks, we may do the other ideas we had, they're really silly and fun, but we'll see how these last couple of weeks go. The little guy is going to be so tired of me taking photos all the time, but I may be too tired to take them. HA! We'll see!

As I approach the end of my pregnancy, I'm becoming a familiar face at the hospital. Especially this week! I don't think bambino likes all the monitoring, but it has to be done. He's been doing excellent in the NST tests, moving and kicking around like a healthy baby. The sonograms have been a little bit more difficult. They are time consuming, and he always moves into a position that makes it difficult for the tech. It's like he knows! So far, my fluids have been measuring ok, and his kidneys are ok, but I have to ask the doc to make sure. I still have to find a pediatrician for him, and sort out the whole not having health insurance thing and how he falls into it. But the count down definitely begins! If I do have an induction, there are only about 20 days left. EEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!

Ooops...where does the time go!?!?

Heh..heh...Here is Aubrey and me at the baby shower, her and Erin threw for me :) It was on April 17th, I'm about 33 weeks and 3 days, she is about 6 weeks behind me. Baby Bumps!!!

Some people have told me that the 3rd trimester of pregnancy can seem long and dragged out. For me, that's not true. Where has the time gone!!! I can't believe that's it's been over three weeks since my last blog, shame on me, I've been a slacker. Well, just in the sense of sitting down and writing a blog I guess. Overall, things have been super busy and moving at warp speed. There is just not enough time in the day! Well.... I suppose I could cut back on my napping and sleeping, but hey, gotta get that now while I can!

I am 35 weeks along today, two more weeks to go and I'll be considered full term. Which means, if Bambino stays in and bakes for another 2 weeks, he's basically fully developed and good to enter the world. My doctors appointments have tripled since last time. I'll be seeing either one of my doctors every week, I have 2 NST's (non-stress test) a week, and two AFI sonograms a week. Sure, you're thinking, not bad just schedule them all in one day. WRONG!!! I can't because just between the NST and the AFI appointments they can range from 30 minutes to 2 hrs or more, so they have to been done on separate days so appointments don't run into each other. So, if you're doing the math in your head, that means that there will be weeks where I go to the doctor every single day. Who knew that getting pregnant would turn my body upside down and inside out!

Good news is that the little guy has been doing well. With such close observation and me sticking to my schedule and diet, he is normal and so far is average in size. Well....the tech said his head is maybe 4 days ahead in size.... big brain :) heh..heh.... Oh and she did say she saw hair, I wonder if he's going to have a full head of hair when he makes his debut? He's been kicking rolling and playing everyday, we have a good time together. He enjoys ice cream, just like his daddy :) Still no name yet for the little man, I'm stumped!

As for how I'm feeling lately, it's been up and down. Blame it on the hormones, blame it on our situation, blame it on the economy, whatever it is, I'm moody and I'm up and down like a roller coaster. Thankfully, I haven't had heart burn, no weird cravings, no swollen anything, no vomiting, etc.... Only thing that bothers me lately is a sore back, and hips that hurt when I sleep at night. It's like I have restless leg syndrome or something. Oh, and the 4 visits to the bathroom every night. No contractions, I don't know what they feel like yet. The tech today said that I'm no where near being dilated either.

So a quick recap of the last three weeks. We got to see our new niece Adriana, she looks just like Craig! Nanna visited us, got to go eat peking duck, and have a second shower with some local friends. We've been working hard to clean and get Bambino's room up and organized. We're almost there! Been washing and folding his little clothes, getting prepped. Got his car seat inspected and checked by the local police dept. Went to a breast feeding class and learned way more than I ever thought I wanted to about boobies. Finally got my computer back up and running in our bedroom. Went to see the cherry blossoms and Tulip garden with Ba Ngoi and Aunt My. Finally, Nick won 3rd at the annual Shaui Chaio Tournament! Goooo Nick!

I've got some new tidbits and photos to post for this blog, so hopefully I'll be good and post at least twice a week from here on out! Next week: I'll hit the milestone of 9 months pregnant :)

32 weeks and the clock is ticking away!

Wow! 32 weeks pregnant today! Which means I have approximately 8 weeks or less to go at this point. Sorry for no graphic or image this posting, my computer is still buried in the corner as Nick and I try to clear out our shared office for the baby's room. We've made a lot of progress so far. I've thrown out about 6 bags full of just paper stuff. Maybe, another 2-3 bags/boxes of just random stuff. It actually feels really good to purge all of this "stuff." Today, Nick and I took 25 lbs. worth of old bills, invoices, papers with important info on them to shred. Yup, 25 lbs, and that doesn't include what I've already shredded at home. All of this purging really makes me think about how much money was spent on things in the past 10 years, and why do we hold on to so much stuff? Either way, with the little man coming soon, and us being forced to do this, it's been really nice to get rid of all these things. It's like we're preparing for a whole new chapter in our lives, as we move on out of our twenties.

Yesterday was another routine OB appointment. I got to meet the last doctor in the practice, Dr. Horton, she was very nice, and a lot younger than I expected. I'm about 165 lbs right now, so I've gained about 10 lbs so far in my pregnancy, and about 1/2 lbs from my last visit. Our little man is measuring right where he should be for 32 weeks, so he's growing right on pace. Which is a huge relief for me. I fear him being under or over developed with my Gestational Diabetes, but things seem to be so good so far. I have my first NST test this Friday, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will go well, and that I won't have to sit there for 3+ hours. I'll have to do two each week from here on out. Next week, I'll also go see Dr. Ghidini for another NST at INOVA Alexandria, and do my 32 week sonogram. I'm going to be closely monitored until his big arrival, but I know it's just to make sure he's doing good and try to avoid any potential complications that can occur fairly suddenly. But, with that said, I've been trying my best to stay healthy and positive :)

Now if only the weather would cooperate! It's been about 90 degrees for the past 3 days here, and it's only April!! I'm so glad that I won't be pregnant in the middle of summer, it's been miserable in this heat. Upside, is that all the trees and flowers have burst into bloom. It's so beautiful out! And I use this heat as an excuse to eat a half cup of ice cream. Yummmm......ice cream. Thankfully, after tonight, the weather gods are going to bring back spring with 60 degree weather. Yay!!! Air conditioning in our place won't get turned over until the first of May, so the summer heat will have to hold off until then.... please!!!!

I'm hoping to have baby's room put together by weekends end, so maybe there will be some photos soon. Nick and I are brainstorming some humorous ideas for our first family preggors portrait. So if all goes well, there should be some interesting images in future posts!

Easter & a new addition to the family!

Meet Adriana Masi!!! She was born last night, to proud parents Craig & Marissa :) What a wonderful easter surprise for them! I believe Marissa was in labor for 21 hours, and pushing for an hour. Man....little man you better make it easy for mama in a couple of months. Can't wait to meet the little lass when Craig & Marissa return to Maryland!

Today is Easter, Happy Easter to those who celebrate it. Me, hmmmm....we don't celebrate Easter. It's actually one of those holidays that has perplexed me since I was a kid. My parents couldn't really explain it to me, but that's because we're Buddhist. I never understood all the odd rituals of baskets, eggs, bunnies, and church. How does it all fit together? I asked Nick, since his family celebrates it. But, he sorta gave me a so/so answer, so we looked it up. Ohhh.... resurrection of Christ, ok that explains the religious part. Now, what about the easter bunny, sugar highs, and all the eggs?!?! We'll I guess it stems from pagan rituals before Catholicism sorta appropriated it, so says the article Nick read to me. But, being Buddhist, I have not adorned my home in pastels, or will be eating a ham dinner, or cracking out on baskets of sugary treats (not that I can have them anyway). I have a much bigger task to tackle!

Our home at the moment is upside down! We're trying to clear out our shared office to make room for bambino. Why the urgency, one may ask? Well....we have the crib and dresser sitting in our living room, they're two huge boxes. Plus, I want to get it opened and assembled just to make sure there isn't anything wrong with it or missing. Plus, I'm less than 9 weeks away, less because you never know when this little guy is going to decide to arrive. So trying to make room in this apartment has been difficult. It's like playing a game of musical chairs with stuff and furniture. Things are just being rotated from room to room. We're trying really hard to get rid of stuff, but with so much stuff, ahhhhhhh!!!! But it's all coming together. It'll feel good once we have it done, hopefully soon. This next week is when I start going to the doctors and hospitals twice to three times a week. I'm not sure how much time that'll leave me to do all the other little things I need done.

Can I also mention how beautiful it's been outside? Cherry blossoms are in bloom, the weather is warm and sunny, and Spring (or in my case Spring cleaning) is in the air! Oh, sorry no food blog this past Friday! But we finally hooked my computer back up today, just enough time for a quick break from cleaning to post todays blog :)

Let the nesting begin!

April Fools! Though, I'm never clever enough to come up with one that people will actually fall for! HA!

Let the nesting process begin. Above is a photo of our shared office, which is always in constant chaos and clutter. That room somehow is going to be transformed into little bambinos room....somehow. Our crib and dresser/changing table got delivered yesterday. We need to clear out this room ASAP so we can put the new furniture together, and make sure it all got delivered in one piece. Although, I find it kind of ironic that on the box it says it was packaged in Vietnam...heh..heh...go figure.

It's definitely time to get spring cleaning and de-cluttering underway. No time like now to get rid of all that stuff both Nick and I have been holding onto for so long. Gotta make room for this little guy and all the new stuff that comes along with him. I'm really excited though. Although, I won't be doing the Super Mario brothers full wall decals I originally wanted to. (we rent, and I don't want to go through all that effort and have to take it down. Who knows when we might have to move again. It might be sooner, it might be later) So, I'll hold off on that until we have a more permanent residence, if that ever happens..... But I do have some giant robot decals for the walls. Hopefully we can afford to get a carpet for his room. I think I'll feel much better when there is some semblance of a baby's room.

So hopefully in a couple of weeks, I'll be able to blog and post an after photo!

3/27/10 Baby Shower!

Good thing I love light blue! Because there is going to be a lot of it in my future, or well the little man's future :) We traveled this past weekend to central New York for Bambino's first baby shower. It was hosted by my mother in law, family friends and Nick's relatives were there. So many sweet treats. We had lots of fun visiting with everyone, and we got just enough gifts to fit in our suitcases for the flight home, perfecto! Well, except for the stroller, that will have to find it's way back to us at a later date, but I don't see myself carting the little guy anywhere soon, well at least not until he's at least a month old. We've got one more shower in April, and a meet'n greet 1 month old celebration in the future. I really can't wait to meet the little guy!

As for pregnancy developments, nothing new as of late. I've gotten a break this week, with no doctors appointments. I have to get a refill on my NPH insulin & 30 mL syringes tomorrow, which might have an insurance hiccup. But thankfully I have an OB nurse I work with who works for the insurance company, so if I get rejected for the refill, I can call her and see if she can get the insurance to override it. I think I have enough to get me through tonights shot, but not tomorrow mornings.....eeeekkk. The joys of the healthcare system, ugggghhhh....

I'll have to enjoy my break, although brief, from going to the doctors/hospital. I'm 31 weeks today, which means 9 weeks or less to go until the little guy arrives. Once next week starts I'll be a regular at both hospitals. Sunday (easter) I get to do my 24hr urine collection, and drop it off at the hospital Monday morning. Tuesday, I'm back for my regular OB check up, I get to meet another OB doctor in the practice, Dr. Horton. Later that evening, both Nick and I will be getting a tour of the Birthing Inn at the hospital. The following Friday, I have my first Non-stress test. I'll be in twice a week for those from here on out, hopefully he'll do well and I won't have to sit there for hours on end. But overall, he seems to be developing well, and very active! He likes to wake me up in the morning with his crazy rolls and hard stretches, or kick to remind me it's feeding time! I'm really able to feel him now, and his little limbs, it tickles me from the inside! hee.hee..hee