*~* June 13 - 19 Weekly Chat Thread *~*

[Surfacing]

Hullo Mamas,

I have this dang rash thing back again. It's driving me nuts. Why, oh why? I am so close to the end and have been feeling great (except for the odd dizziness/faint thing and breathlessness). On a happy note, I've had some seriously fun baby time with my 7 week old nephew recently. So cute. Doing some more prep around here for the baby. Sometimes I think of the birth and feel confident and strong, sometimes I just feel scared for my vagina.

We're getting so close now!

How is your weekend?

[slgt]

Hi! I was doing well until a few days ago...now, my house is a mess again, I'm exhausted, everything from about my waist to my knees hurts, and DD has been full of TWO lately. Waahhhhhh, I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today! The only happy birthday e-mail I received is from my insurance agent.

I keep getting these really sharp twinges at the bottom sides of my uterus. I think it's my psoas on either side, just reacting to the weight of the baby. But ow, sometimes is literally stops me in my tracks!

And something else I don't remember - when I have a BH now, it also stops me in my tracks. Can't keep going through it. Weird - and it keeps making me feel like I"m going to have a baby any minute! Sigh. Any time in the next 2-6 weeks...

Don't we all wish someone could just look into a crystal ball and give the date?

[majazama]

I'm feeling pretty tired, but not able to nap because my DP is always working or away doing other things. I can be pretty grumpy when I don't get my nap. My kids are watching videos so I can nap. They are being extra-bratty these days too, so it's pretty difficult. I'm just hoping that once the baby is born my energy will improve..

I'm online shopping a bit.. that's always fun. I'm such a browser and usually drive store owners nuts cause I look at everything in their store, so it's nice to look at everything on my own time while I lie in bed. :P

I got a sunburn the other day, but that means that the sun has finally come out! We went down to the beach and it was lovely. I *heart* summer.

I made rhubarb pie today.. for my DP's birthday. I'm looking forward to tasting that

[queenofchaos]

Originally Posted by majazama

I'm feeling pretty tired, but not able to nap because my DP is always working or away doing other things. I can be pretty grumpy when I don't get my nap. My kids are watching videos so I can nap. They are being extra-bratty these days too, so it's pretty difficult. I'm just hoping that once the baby is born my energy will improve..

and just feeling SO full of babies! I am getting *really* tired of barely being able to move around much. I can't believe these babies aren't due until the middle of next month. Then again, I am already 3cm dilated and 50% effaced, so hopefully I don't have as long as that. I am just getting so frustrated that doing much of anything takes a ton of effort, and then I get tired. Who gets winded just putting their clothes on in the morning? sheesh.

On a more positive note, my mom might come to see us this week! yay! Otherwise she's coming next month. The weather has been gorgeous, not too hot yet. Other than turning in some paper work for the kids school next year and a bit of tidying around the house (that never seems to get done or stay done anyway!) I have my 'to-do before babies come' list ALL DONE.

[shishkeberry]

Originally Posted by Surfacing

Sometimes I think of the birth and feel confident and strong, sometimes I just feel scared for my vagina.

Me too! I also worry that I won't know when it's "time"...I have never gone into labor on my own so, yeah

Originally Posted by queenofchaos

just feeling SO full of babies! I am getting *really* tired of barely being able to move around much.

My DP is starting to get impatient with me because I can't get up right away and it takes me forever to go from one end of the house to the other. I've tried explaining to him how difficult it really is but I don't think he gets it. His belly is actually bigger than mine so he thinks he knows how it feels. Um yeah, ok, but I bet his crotch doesn't feel like someone keeps kicking him there.

My weekend was pretty good, though. My DS spent the weekend with my mom and she took him to Hersheypark (amusement park close by to where I live)...my little boy is finally tall enough for some of the big kid rides!
He went on two roller coasters and my mom said he loved them. Even SooperDooperLooper, which at first he said was too scary (because it goes upside down). I got a text from my mom earlier that said he went on it three times I love having a kid that loves roller coasters! It's such a shame that I couldn't go on them with him this year. I've dreamed of that for so long. *sigh* Oh well, he was really looking forward to it, too, so I'm glad he was able to go even if I couldn't.

I hope everyone else had a good weekend.

[mummy marja]

I had a wonderful weekend. My mother-blessing/shower was on Saturday, and I'm still feeling so loved and filled-up from that. Just beofre my girlfriends arrived, I heard a motorbike coming down the driveway and looked out to see my baby sister pull in! She lives in Toronto, which is about 5 hours drive from where I live, so it was totally unexpected and I just started crying. I was so so happy she came. All 3 of my sisters and 4 good friends came, and we did my belly cast, ate and drank delicious things, then sat in a circle on the deck overlooking the lake, where my friend led us in a meditation and ritual to express gratitude for this new life. Then we ate some more and had a sauna and dip in the lake. It was exactly perfect. I really feel ready for the baby now.

Today I'm going to see my midwife, then taking the kids to the library and doing a little bit of shopping before meeting DH for dinner! A dinner out is a real treat for us, and one of my piano students gave me a gift card for a great restaurant!

I'm still having trouble getting full breaths. My doula friend palpated my belly and thought that baby's head wasn't down in the pelvis--he's still head down, but still floating pretty high up. I just want him to drop so I can breathe again!

[Surfacing]

Mummy Marja that sounds like such a nice weekend and like you were rightly pampered by your women-folk! So lovely.

Shiskeberry - isn't it so strange to see them growing up so fast? You are so proud of them taking big steps but part of you feels wistful missing their littler selves. Does that make sense? It's disappointing to hear your dh is not understanding about your belly and everything. Was he like that the first time too?

Queenofchaos - it's amazing you have your TO DO list done. I hear you on the perpetual housework AND on getting breathless just from putting on clothes. Yesterday I walked from our condo door to the elevator and was puffing and panting like I'd run a marathon. It's just that time.

SLGT - those BH that make you stop in your tracks.... I was thinking, Hey, that sounds like labour to me. But of course it probably is not. Just sounds really intense. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!!! Did your dp at least do right by you and celebrate with you somehow?

*********

Over here, I just had the craziest weekend and am taking a day of rest. We went to a bat mitzvah yesterday (my first ) and I really enjoyed it from start (ceremony) to finish (party). Man, it was as fancy as a wedding practically. But I got really exhausted this weekend. Ugh.

Just informed my dad that the Father's Day brunch I was planning for him and out of town guests.... yeah, that'll probably be changed to us inviting them all to be our guests at a restaurant. Just too much going on that weekend and I'M GETTING TIRED!

I just got a call from a coworker (HELLO! I'M ON LEAVE FROM WORK!) to attend a hearing at the end of the month to testify as a witness. Yeah, I'll be 38 weeks then... I don't think so. When my last labour was 3 hrs long? No. Then he suggested it may be rescheduled for 2-3 months so I could attend and testify. Yeah, I wasn't planning to come back from my maternity leave to do that, thanks. Not happy about that.

Anyway, must run. Be well Ladies!

[chattyprincess]

marja...I just got all teary reading that!
I saw the most amazing idea for the belly casts the other day...to have them bronzed and turned into a bowl, they look so neat!
I am stressed, and so so sad. My inlaws are being miserable to me as are my bil and sil who was just here. My mil will hear directions I give to dd and then purposely do something different and make dd chose to be obedient or be with her grandmother. Its awful. When I confronted the issue yesterday am she said its no big deal and I don't trust her with my dd because I don't leave her overnight with her...yes so apparently in order to show my "trust" I have to abandon my dd...just lovely.
I cooked a huge meal last night and then after helping serve everyone and get dd her food I bring my plate to the table and there is not a single seat for me. I just stand ther a minute and everyone looks at me and then goes on eating. weird that when my dh is here there is enough room for all of us to sit at the table...I had to go sit in the dark living room and eat by myself. No one said a word to me except to mention that dd was out of milk....I was just in tears. This was the end to a miserable day.
Today I am heading out to go stay in our hotel, I am just at my wits end. My mil is so passive aggressive I don't even know how to handle it.
Im sorry about the rant here I just have no one out here and feel really alone!
I hope everyone else has a lovely week! My midwives apt is tomorrow so I am excited to see how that is going!

[welsh]

Originally Posted by chattyprincess

. My inlaws are being miserable to me as are my bil and sil who was just here.

I want to slap your in-laws!!!!!!! And I've never slapped anyone in my life!
Poor you. A great big hug from me

Wish I had some advice for you. What does your DH say?

Marja - Your blessing sounds beautiful! Gave me goose bumps reading that!

Surfacing - Sounds like you're being spread very thin (is that a British expression?!). Hope you get a little rest time before the babe appears.

Shishkeberry - I hate rollercoasters! Glad your DS had fun though!

Queenofchaos - Now don't be getting all organised and smug on us now!!

Majazama - I hear you on the need to nap and the online shopping! Rhuburb sounds sooooooo good right now!

SLGT - Happy Birthday!! Mine was last week....aren't Geminis great?!
DS is also full of 2, nearly 3. Woah there, tantrum alert!

Over here, DH is with us for 5 days before going back to Moscow! It's so good to have him around.
He's still a slob. That hasn't changed since we were last together! And it's the Soccer World Cup which is why I'm getting some MDC time! But I feel good, grounded and safe in his presence, ykwim?
We ran some errands this morning and I had to buy some cleaning cloths and products before the in-laws arrive home tonight. I'm messy but clean and they're really neat and organised but quite dirty!
As I'm staying here with DS now until the end August, I NEED to clean the kitchen and bathrooms to my standard and get rid of all the dust and cobwebs!
Also I had to buy them a new kettle as their old one was full of limescale that no amount of vinegar was shifting. Hope they won't be offended!
It's weird nesting in someone else's house!
On the positive side, I now have people to take care of DS in an emergency. AND DS slept in his own room last night! No more, 'Mummy, can I lie on you?'
It was thoughtful of MIL to decorate the single room for him but...and I'm going to sound like a meanie now....it looks like a bunch of kids tv characters vomited in there; Bob the Builder bedding, Noddy on the walls and vintage Disney figures on the dresser! He loves it of course!

[chattyprincess]

Originally Posted by welsh

I want to slap your in-laws!!!!!!! And I've never slapped anyone in my life!
Poor you. A great big hug from me

Wish I had some advice for you. What does your DH say?

It's weird nesting in someone else's house!

Dh is just at his wits end about it. He is so far away and the problem is just competely stressing him out. He doesn't understand why they can't just be nice and get over it and he doesn't understand why we keep having these issues. The problem is that when we try to talk to them about it they just smile and say ok whatever no problem, we are family and love each other and should just get along.... Sure...thats how to handle your problems, deny there are any (which obviously there are, we don't trust them???) and then make us feel bad for trying to sort it out...loveliness.

I agree. I am hoping I don't nest here. Im sure that will cause more offense then its worth so I am trying to behave and not obsessively scrub the dog hair out of the corners. Sigh.

[Terrilein]

Chatty - I'm so sorry to hear that your IL's are such idiots. You are a lot calmer that I'd be in that situation!

AFM: we had a lovely weekend with our birth course. It was only slightly marred Saturday evening when dd called from her friend's where she was staying overnight, wanting to come home after scraping her knees up. She's been through a lot lately in the accident department. I told her to get herself cleaned up and call me in an hour if she still insisted on coming home. She made such a fuss that the father then called and asked me to come get her. Ok, but then I got an earful from DP about what kind of a wimp my dd is. I shot him daggers and said she's MY wimp, thank you very much. We just barely avoided a nasty fight. Right before we got out the door, dd called and changed her mind about being picked up.
And now DP is off for the better part of this week on business again. I've got a raging headache that won't go away - since Saturday actually - I neeeeeed to clean the appartment badly and we're eating like crap because I can't find the energy to actually shop and cook something nutritional.
Oh, and my dd found my battery operated little friend. *cough* Can I die now??? *sigh* At least there's World Cup Soccer . . .

[somegirl99]

Chattyprincess, that sounds miserable.

Slgt, Happy Belated Birthday!

Marja, your blessing sounds wonderful.

Surfacing, make sure you take some time to rest, you need it.

Terrilein, what on earth did you tell your DD after she found it?

welsh, glad to hear you have your DH around for a bit and can feel a bit more settled now.

queenofchaos, glad to hear you might have your mom out. And wow, I'm impressed your to-do list is done!

shishkeberry, glad your DS had fun at the amusement park and it sounds like you got a bit of a break too.

AFM, had a nice quiet weekend, DH is still away so I stayed home which was wonderful (was running around all last week with work), finished washing the baby clothes and bedding, put the co-sleeper together, and cleaned up the house a bit (although it still doesn't look like I made a dent in it). That's the one thing I miss about living by myself, I always had such a nice clean, organized place.

Oh, and on Saturday night some of our neighbors set up a projector and DVD players and speakers and hung up a bedsheet between the redwoods and we had our first movie night in our tiny little town! The nearest real movie theater is an hour away. We watched Where the Wild Things Are. They also set up a fire pit, some people roasted s'mores, and it helped keep us warm and keep the bugs away. It was really nice. And one of the other neighbors who has a 2-year old came over and introduced herself and gave me all sorts of tips and I discovered there is a local mom's group, it's based in the slightly larger town about 5 miles away. I had been searching online but couldn't find anything closer than about 45 minutes away so that is great.

DH comes home Wednesday, can't wait.

[Terrilein]

Originally Posted by somegirl99

Terrilein, what on earth did you tell your DD after she found it?

I told her that it was a women's toy. And she still looked at the thing somewhat puzzled, as if she seemed to know what for, but not really believing what she was thinking. That led to her next question which of course was if it was meant for down there to which I said yes, and then she accidentally turned it on. By then I managed to get up off the couch and retrieve it.

[queenofchaos]

Chatty-I am so sorry about the situation and your dinner. How awful! Do you have to be around these people very often?

OK, I have to confess about my TO-DO list, about a month ago I went and overhauled the thing and cut out all things that were NOT absolutely essential. There are still things I want to do, like put new shelf paper in the drawers in the kitchen. But I decided that for my sanity and due to lack of mobility/energy, I had to decide what had priority and just concentrate on that. I had this really insanely long list originally, so none of this please!

[mataji4]

Bad in laws are the WORST! sorry.

Nice blessing Marja! But if I were you I might take not breathing over what I'm feeling...

I have a baby head square on my cervix and I'm getting tons of bh and twinges and it's really really really uncomfortable. I also feel all sorts of pulling and soreness at the top of my uterus. yuck. heartburn back, and have allergies so causing coughing, sore throat. not loving it. Seems like the baby just grew 50% over again or something!!

Went on a weekend away with just my hubby to see his sister and their new baby. 5 weeks old, yummy! I got to hold him lots and now I'm sort of sad to have to wait so long to hold my own!!!! It was a fabulous quick trip full of fun and sleeping in. But of course, came home to 6 yr old son with a badly sprained ankle. He had a trip to the ER and an xray (hello more doctor bills!!)- ugh. It's gotta always be something huh?! Drives me nuts. Poor guy- being very brave but it's a bummer for everyone b/c I can't take him anywhere, so can't take other kids anywhere either. It's the first week of summer break and they're like "let's go to the pool, the park, somewhere!" and I'm like "No, you can play in the yard or in your rooms : )" I'm not popular right now.

Plus my hormones are raging and I'm intolerant and impatient and when I try and holler it hurts my belly : ( My 3 yr old is driving me insane- he is being so incredibly naughty and it's not his usual. Darn the regression before baby thing.

Love to all you moms!!

[slgt]

Chatty, I'm shooting daggers at your in-laws. Unreal.

MummyMarja - your blessing sounds fantastic!

Terrilein - Um, thanks for the morning giggle about your daughter & mummy's little helper! AWKWARD! I'm sorry your DP is being a git.

QueenofChaos - I'm right there with you on the to-do list. Really? Do we have to have the backsplash installed on the kitchen counter before the baby is born? And the towel ring hung in the bathroom?

Question about hormones: I have noticed a definite hormonal shift the past week or so, starting about a week after baby dropped. I'm much more emotional - luckily only happy ones! - and tear up about all the beautiful things in life. My skin has also broken out a bit. Anyone else experiencing this in the weeks/month leading up to your DD?

I have 36-week check-up tomorrow, and I am fairly sure babe is head down. They'll check that, and also do GBS. I am torn whether or not I want them to check for dilation/effacement - probably not. It's just a tease!

A friend of mine went into premature labor @30 weeks, and was put on bedrest until 37 weeks. She was I think 5 or 6 cm dilated by 37 weeks, with the baby in a station, forget which one. Yep, she was walking around basically with a head in her crotch! anyways, the docs basically prescribed sex to try to get things moving. She said it was NOT enjoyable, even a little bit! I'm sure her DH was psyched, since he'd just had 7 dry weeks. Men.

[Terrilein]

Originally Posted by slgt

Terrilein - Um, thanks for the morning giggle about your daughter & mummy's little helper! AWKWARD!

My pleasure!

Originally Posted by slgt

Question about hormones: I have noticed a definite hormonal shift the past week or so, starting about a week after baby dropped. I'm much more emotional - luckily only happy ones! - and tear up about all the beautiful things in life. My skin has also broken out a bit. Anyone else experiencing this in the weeks/month leading up to your DD?

YES!!! My body hair growth and acne outbreaks had been on hiatus up until about a week before birth.

[Surfacing]

Chattyprincess - the in-law drama seriously sucks. I was going to ask whether you have to spend all that time with them. I know there are expectations and all that but clearly, if it's weighing heavily on both sides... it's good to hear you spent some time back at the hotel to take a break. Could you take more breaks?

Terrilein - my dd1 found my battery operated friend a couple of times too. Except she was 4 so the explanations were different and simple. "It's a massager." "Oh." One night dh found her holding it, turned on, and telling him she was massaging herself. Oh-kay.... I found a new hiding spot after that one. That's a frustrating and divisive comment from your dp about your dd. Hmm.

slgt - yes to the hormone shift, emotions and to breaking out. And your comments about the To Do list... I so hear ya! My REVISED list also includes the removal of things like taking measurements of the floors and walls for renovations. Seriously? That can't be done 6 mos. from now? Sure it can.

Mataji4 - your weekend away sounds like it was sooo nice! Geez, when was the last time you were able to sleep in? My SIL has a 7 week old and whenever we go to visit I enjoy holding him lots too, changing him, etc. It's hard to wait to hold our own, isn't it? It is tough with your poor 6 y.o. having his sprained ankle and all the others having to stay in because he can't go out right now. Kids can get seriously rangy (grown ups too) with cabin fever. Not sure what things are like where you live... can your oldest take one or two out to the park or something? Not sure if it's safe or not...

Somegirl99 - sounds like a really nice weekend of fun with the neighbours. So glad you found out about some other AP mom's groups nearby. That can be such a sanity saver!

Welsh - with ds in his new Cartoon Vomit bedroom I wonder if you'll get new levels of sleep that you haven't gotten in eons... to really rest up just before baby comes. THAT would be nice. (FWIW, we have Princess Poisoning going on in the dd's room... I caved because MIL bought dd1 some princess bedding, and then when we were looking at an Xmas toy catalogue she freaked over these canopies. Permitting the princess explosion in the bedroom was my Official Gesture at trying to Accept My Daughter As She Is, not trying to push her to be what I want her to become... kwim? When she was in utero, I imagined decorating her room in a unisex way, with underwater sea animals or cartography or something ) ANYWAY, so did they notice the new kettle?

***********
Over here: I CAN'T SLEEP! Woke up an hour ago and I have had cramps, hip/back pain, haven't been able to get comfortable and go back to sleep. Ate a snack... I'd taken some TUMS when I first woke up and now have to wait 2 hrs to take some Tylenol. My sinuses feel like crap. We're all in some stage of either fighting a cold or being sick from a cold. I don't like it. Oh well. Tomorrow my aunt and sister are coming to do a Big Cook with me... I'm planning to double 10 recipes for batch cooking. Crazy or what? We did this with a group of friends when I was PG with dd2 and we had food for TWO MONTHS! It was great. But I'm soooo tired. At least today I had a good nap. Need more napping days.

Be well, Mamas!

[expat-mama]

Nothing going on much around here...except SEX!
And lots of it! ...ok we're not taking pictures or anything, just thought that smilie was neat...

I think it finally clicked for DH that if he doesn't get the goods now it may be a really long while before the goods are good for gettin'.
We started off slow, but as always happens for us, when we get going we just want it all the time, so since last Thursday or so it has been alot of fun around here! I know what is motivating DH most- the sex itself and the promise of a long dry spell- but as for me, I'm hoping all this action will get the baby moving on his/her way out!

In other news, DH's company is changing their insurance provider on the 26th, and instead of paying 20%, our birth and everything will be free on or after the 26th. So now DH is trying to convince baby to stay put until then. Really, it would be a few hundred bucks difference so I'm still telling the baby to pack it up and get on its way! My discomfort and extreme longing to meet this baby is worth way more than a few hundred bucks at this point.

Had a long skype with my mum this morning- she is getting ready to fly over here from Ottawa on July 2nd, the day after my EDD. She was showing me the gigantic suitcase she's got and saying that after she packs all the stuff she and my aunts and my sister bought for the baby that she has NO room left for her clothing. YIKES. She's also bringing a quilt that my 95-yr old grandma made for me when I was a baby! I'm so excited about this, because my grandma stopped knitting, quilting and sewing many years ago and a lot of the stuff my mum had from her burned in a fire, so I thought I wouldn't really have anything from her for my baby. And she was so good at all of it! It's just really nice to know that this baby will have something like that.

[Surfacing]

Originally Posted by expat-mama

Nothing going on much around here...except SEX!
And lots of it! ...ok we're not taking pictures or anything, just thought that smilie was neat...

That's so funny - your series of smilies with the photo at the end.

So glad to hear you two are enjoying these final weeks - ROWR ROWR!

And the fact that you are going to have a blanket your gma made for you as a baby, to use for your own baby, that's so special.