First came love, then marriage, and now we're strolling around with our very own baby carriage. Follow us as we begin our journey through parenthood, while sharing all the ups, downs and bumps along the way...
.... And curious about everything!!! Here's Emily checking out Princess Kate's wardrobe:
This past week Emily tried pureed green beans {which she was pretty neutral about} and raspberries {which she liked} as well as tiny little bits of "real" avocado and banana {neither of which she was a fan of} for the first time.
Green Beans
She also experienced her first Super Bowl, and started "clicking" her tongue a bunch. This kid looooooves standing and does it every chance she gets!
She also got another cold at daycare, so got some extra cuddle snuggle time in with Mommy & Daddy on her days home.
Over the past year or so, we've thought a lot about what it would be like to have a baby of our own. We have read about various parenting theories, we've listened to stories from friends and strangers alike, we've spied on watched families with babies and small children out in public... We've done all of this "research" to prepare, as best as we can, for the life-changing journey we're about to start together as parents. We think we've got a pretty good idea about the kind of changes we're in for, and we hope we have realistic expectations. But the truth is, we don't KNOW what it will be like.
The thing about the unknown is that it can be scary. For many of us {ahem}, change is simply terrifying. You can prepare and prepare, but there are certain things or situations or factors that can't be predicted, practiced or accounted for. I'm sure any soon-to-be or new parents out there can relate... everyone has a story for you and everyone has advice about what to do when X comes up, or you find yourself in Y situation with no advanced warning. And though all of the advice is coming from a well-meaning place, it can be overwhelming to keep hearing about all the things that can or will be difficult or challenges that lay ahead, when you haven't even yet held that snuggly baby in your arms for the first time. And so, at a certain point, we just need to try as best we can to make ourselves okay with the fact that we might not have a CLUE about what we're actually getting ourselves into, but leap into it wholeheartedly anyway, knowing we have the best intentions and are as prepared as realistically possible given the world of unknowns. At this point is when the palms get sweaty, fears race through our brains like lightening, and we start to wonder: Are we sure we're up for this life-long challenge?
With only a couple weeks left until our little one is due to arrive, I'm looking forward so much to meeting our newest little family member -- but all of these "what ifs" and thoughts and fears are at the front of my mind. I think I started getting ahead of myself by focusing too much on them {what if our baby has colic? what if s/he isn't a good eater or sleeper? what if we're terrible parents?} instead of the sheer anticipation and excitement of our little one's arrival! Thinking about all of this, I remembered a video ad I'd seen back in December, so I looked it up and watched it again. And lo and behold, it made me feel better....
By any account, that family's life is stressful! The house is a mess, the parents look frazzled and exhausted, the kid {though adorable} is into everything. And then they find out they're having another little miracle, and instead of feeling overwhelmed or scared, they're deliriously joyous. The stress can {and will!} come later, but for right now, I'm going to soak up the last couple weeks of this pregnancy, coo over every little onesie or outfit as I wash and put it away in baby's new room, and think about how full of love and excitement our hearts were when we first found out we were pregnant. Those are the feelings to savor and focus on.
Don't get me wrong... I'm generally not one for burying my head in the sand. I know it's going to be challenging to enter the realm of parenthood, and that there will be some very difficult and sleep-deprived days and nights ahead, but I shouldn't get ahead of myself -- first we need to actually get there... to the point where we have our precious baby in our arms!
It's funny how wide of a span each different baby's weight could be at this point. A 3 pound difference is a HUGE difference for a newborn! The entire pregnancy, the one thing I've consistently wished for is a healthy baby. But recently I also added "not too large" to that wish list. ;) Symptoms:
I definitely feel increased pressure in my abdomen. It doesn't seem there's much room at all left in there for this little one -- I'm pretty sure I feel every stretch, wiggle and turn from baby these days! Lately I've felt some kicking up near my left rib, especially the past couple days, though I can't imagine there's much room in there for acrobatics at this point!
I'm still waking up to pee an average of 5-6 times a night, so haven't been getting much sleep {which explains why I look so, as Shep very gently put it last night, "tired and worn out"}. I just keep telling myself that this is extra good practice for the sleep deprivation I'll be getting over the next several months once this little guy or girl makes an appearance, and practice makes perfect!
My right foot has been swelling on a daily basis over the past week. According to my OB, it's common for women to experience swelling more on one side than the other, especially if the uterus is tilted toward that side, which can apparently happen. I guess that makes sense since the baby's back and butt appear to be on my right side {which are the heavier parts} and the legs/feet appear to be on the left. But, as long as there is no pain or tenderness in the calf, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.
I've been having a weird pressure feeling in my head when I lay down at night. It almost feels like the kind of head rush you'd get from being upside down, even though my head is not actually lower than my body in the bed. According to my OB, as long as I don't have any vision changes or increased blood pressure, it shouldn't be a concern. Boy, is it a weird and slightly disconcerting feeling though!
This week's check-up was relatively uneventful, which is very good news at this point! My blood pressure was nice and low, weight gain is good, GBS test was negative {hooray!}, fundal height measurement was "on target", baby's heart beat was a strong 140, and my cervix is still closed {phew!}... all in all a positive report! After my appointment I treated myself to a manicure to celebrate. ;)
