TheBeanBlog

More details to follow……………..

I’m pretty sure.  I would be shocked if tomorrow’s doctor appointment doesn’t show some progress. 

The contractions I’ve been having today are stronger and longer.  As a result Joe and I have spent a good part of the day inside laid out on the bed.  I’m feeling drained and grumpy. 

I’d like to publicly apologize to my husband for being extremely short tempered and crotchety today- he’s been a real trooper.  Hopefully I can sneak in a good night’s sleep tonight and be ready for whatever tomorrow brings….

I’ve kinda hit the point where there is not much more I can do to prepare for this baby.  After hearing I was 3 cm dilated earlier in the week, I figured further progress wouldn’t be far away.  Guess the bean has other plans in mind.

Now, still in the waiting game mode, I’ve been contemplating all those OWTs and if they have any merit.  Mind you, I’m not sending the bean an eviction notice just yet, but hearing from my doctors that I will not make it to my due date has me made wake up each day and wonder “Is this the day?” 

The irregular contractions also make it somewhat difficult to get very much accomplished during the day, because I tire easily.  The more I’m up the more they come on.

So here’s the labor inducers I’ve heard so far, and I’m not sharing which I’ve already tried out, just out of scientific curosity if nothing more: castor oil, cod liver oil, balsamic vinegar- No I’m not writing a recipe for a vinaigrette-walking, spicy foods, sex, accupuncture, massage, dehydration…definitely going to give a few a try today ;o) 38 weeks 5 days.

Late last week I had this thought about the upcoming summer.  Usually I will treat myself to a new swimsuit from Venus or Victoria’s Secret.  It’s funny, but I haven’t had the heart to page through a VS Catalogue since, oh about August. 

It is somewhat necessary for me to buy a new piece of swimwear since Joe and I are boaters and plan to take the bean out on picnics on the water this summer.  So I started a search for something to wear…as I was ‘hunting’ I wondered what type of suit would cover up my kneecaps because even those look plump as of late.  Garbage bags are looking better every day….

I ended up at LandsEnd.com and settled on a tankini top and ’swim skirt.’- what a fall from grace (mind you I was never a skinny-mini, but this is a whole new level). I will advise you not to try on swimwear pregnant and pale- it was a truly horrifying experience.  Also trying to guestimate where I will be weight-wise is like trying to shoot at a moving target. 

I’m beginning to second guess all the people who said,” Spring babies are wonderful, you won’t have to sweat through the summer.”  At least you have an excuse for the weight and the garbage bag bikini!

Yesterday at about 4pm I started having contractions again. They were 10 mins apart for about 4 hours and then as American Idol started they started to shorten and come on at 7 mins, 6, 4. When the show ended and they were consistently around 5 mins apart I called my doctor. She gave us the green light to go t the hospital.

En route to the hospital and Joe misses the exit, then there are detours everywhere because of construction work. Then we get stuck behind a guy in a truck that wants to drive 10 mph. It was hilarious. I told Joe not to worry I wouldn’t be delivering the baby in the car, we still had time.

We checked into the L&D nurses station and they set me up in a room to monitor me. Somewhere deep down I knew this was going to happen, but as soon as I was hooked up, the bean became very shy and the contractions started to get erratic again. I felt like a heel. The nurse performed an internal and I was still 3 cm dilated.

She told me we could stay the night and be monitored if we would like, or we could go home and come back. I opted to sleep in my own bed. Woke up several times in the middle of the night with really strong contractions, but again no consistency. This morning I’m back to my 10 min apart schedule. I’m going to give walking and errand running a try to move things along.

I apologized to the nurse for wasting her time and she was so sweet and said it was more important that I be checked out and to never apologize. The good news is that she, a L&D nurse for 35 years, said chances are I’m not making my due date and it could be any day. We’ll see…

Today I had my 38 week check up with the doctor.  Haven’t slept well the past couple nights so I kinda dragged myself into the office.

Fortunately, I am now 3 cm dilated and progressing in other areas.  Having some lower back and pelvic pain/cramping along with the Braxton Hicks that are bearable, but they are making me lazier than normal. 

I had high hopes of doing some serious baking (and freezing) today, but kept procrastinating because of sleepiness.  I ended up just heating up some homemade cookie dough that I already had the fridge thawed.

I really hope these are all signs that this little one is on the way soon.  Fingers crossed that we’re not far from meeting this bean!

That post title would be a personal reference and does not pertain to the chain restaurant. The past two weeks I have gone crazy with dairy consumption. I have been going through a half gallon of milk a day on my own, in addition to shoving down copious amounts of cheese and ice cream down my gullet.

Not sure what is fueling this raging need, but I cannot stop myself and as I type this I’m fantasizing about a nice tall icy glass of chocolate milk.

-Thought I would share a shot taken from a trip my H and I took along the California coastline a couple years ago. Cali is known for their “happy cows”, and with a view like this one to graze by, I don’t doubt why…

This morning as I was downstairs working on my to-do lists (yes I’m crazy with the nesting still) I heard some strange noises coming from upstairs.  They led me to the baby’s room, where poor Malcolm had discovered the baby’s hamper. 

The hamper has a cloth lid on it that wasn’t secured and he thought he could walk on it.  I found him trying to climb his way desperately out of the hamper.  He was so freaked out that he tripped and near fell back in and then he fell into the crib beside it.  After making sure he was ok I had a good laugh.  I don’t think he’ll be going near that part of the room anytime soon.  If only I could have snapped a picture of his little furry expression, eyes as big as marbles…

Today I still had contractions and Braxton Hicks, but they were a lot more random then yesterday, so we’ll see what tomorrow brings in terms of progress- fingers crossed!

This morning I had a combination of cramping and more Braxton Hicks.  I didn’t really think much of it until the early afternoon when both were happening pretty consistently together along with some back pain. 

When the ’sensations’ were coming on every 20 minutes for about an hour I decided to give my doctor a call.  They had me come in and checked me.  I was completely convinced it would be a false alarm and that there would be no progress. 

Wrong! I am one cm dilated and because of some other observations my doctor said that she may see me before my next appointment on Tuesday-whahuh?!  As I type now I’m still experiencing the contractions.  They aren’t extremely painful, just crampy and uncomfortable.

When I called my husband all he could say was, “Wow.” And then he said he thought he might have a panic attack, ha! 

I’m still in a state of bafflement.  I feel suprisingly calm and peaceful right now in spite of my nervous nelly ways.  Let’s hope I stay that way at least for a little while. 37 weeks 2 days.

This past weekend my lower body underwent a new and terrifying transformation.  I have hobbit feet, ala Lord of the Rings.  My ankles, feet and calves (affectionately AKA cankles) have inflated to the point where the only comfortable footwear option is a pair of flip flops.

I’m also swelling in other strange regions- my eyelids- seriously?! About a month ago I bought a fake engagement ring and wedding band because my sausage fingers were too large for my real ones, now those are starting to feel snug- AHH!  Guess I should be thankful that I have a matching set- Jimmy Dean fingers and toes. 

Other current symptoms I’m experiencing are: Back pain, pelvic pain/pressure (that one’s real fun!) and the fire-breathing reflux.  Oh and I can’t cross my legs anymore, loverly!

The bean has slowed down a bit, I think we’re definitely approaching maximum capacity at this point.  Every once in a while I see a butt push up and my whole stomach shape changes.  Poor thing is trying to stretch out a little.  The feet are what get me the most.  At times the movement is so swift and strong that it makes me yelp, literally like the bean is trying to push out my sides!  And the hiccups continue…