week of September 6!

[Piglet68]

October Mamas Roll Call

momtol&a
Yoga mama
snugglebutter 10/01
mirthfulmum 10/03 BOY! Harrison Eliot Smith
*prediction: last week of Sept, 8 hrs labour*
TracyK 10/04
mhurst 10/04
kraftykathy 10/04 *prediction: Oct 4, short labour, girl*
Jillerina 10/04 *prediction: Oct 6, 6 hrs labour*
water 10/06
KateMary 10/06 GIRL!
Proudly AP 10/08
MamaEmerald 10/08
mayasmama 10/08 GIRL!
FutureMama 10/09 BOY!
bluehalo 10/10 BOY! Noah Daniel
allformyboys 10/11
Lucysmama 10/12 *prediction: girl, Oct 8, 16 hrs labour*
bendmom 10/12
ashleepurdie 10/12 *prediction: boy, 12 hours easy labour*
momadance 10/13 BOY! Gabriel Reed...? or will it be Zappa?
*prediction: Oct 23rd*
Mandi 10/14
rhemp 10/14
wannabmommie 10/15
MTBto5 10/15
krnflwr 10/16 GIRL! *prediction: Oct 16th, 10 hours labour*
gmvh 10/16 TWINS! BOY! and GIRL!
Piglet68 10/18 BOY! Sasha Adam scheduled cesarian October 8
MommyMuse 10/19
JenDoula 10/19
BeansMomma 10/20 GIRL!
Mom2Lily 10/20
CourtneyandLogan 10/21 BOY! Zander Julian
*prediction: Oct 18 or 28*
OakEmber 10/21 BOY! Oakley Kai
*prediction: Oct 6 - 10, 6 hours labour*
mtnjenny 10/22
Stanleymama 10/23 BOY! *prediction: Oct 18, short easy labour*
gottaknit 10/24 *prediction: Oct 31 - Nov 4, > 9 lbs*
3boyz4us 10/24 *expected Oct 22*
Ctmom70 10/24 BOY! Alex Richard
*prediction: Oct 14, 5 hrs labour*
Kim22 10/24 BOY!
aspiring mama 10/25
sunshinegal 10/25 Fiona
AngelBee 10/25 BOY! Angelo Richard
truebluexf 10/27 *prediction: Oct 11, 8 hrs labour, boy*
Soogie 10/27 *prediction: Oct 27 or 28*
ameliabedelia 10/29 GIRL! Greta Marie
*prediction: Oct 17, 10 hrs labour*
flitters 10/30
BeauGeek 10/30
AnnR33 10/31
guinnessinu 10/31 TWINS! BOY! and BOY!
BlueMoonTime 10/31 GIRL! Alexis

Hi ladies! Start of another week already. Where does the time go?? I can't believe in another couple of weeks we could be hearing birth stories! As mentioned previously, I'll make a sticky thread for just birth stories, and then we can post congrats, etc in our regular weekly threads, if that sounds good to all of you.

Question of the Week: this is sort of a double question; do you have any stretch marks yet, and also do you have a linea nigra yet?

I'm 34 weeks today!

I remember my linea nigra (that dark line from your pubic bone to your navel) did not show up until fairly late in my PG with Emily, but I thought by now I'd have a clear one. Instead, it's very faint, though I'm getting the black hairs around my navel that I had before. I'm also amazed to report that I have no stretch marks. No NEW ones that is, lol. I got several on my lower belly with DD. Of course, now that I've said this I'll probably sprout a couple of new ones very soon, lol.

Have a great day, and I'll be checking in with y'all later!

[stanleymama]

QOTW: I have really no stretch marks, just a few on my butt, but none on my belly : I must just have very elastic skin or something. And I don't think I have ever had the linea nigra. I am pretty fair skinned so I am not surprised by that.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend. We are laying low and relaxing I think it is going to rain as well, making it a perfect movie/read a book day. I really want to grill out though. Can you grill out in the rain

[Court]

33.5 wks

Hey everyone!
Well, I don't have any new stretch marks, that I know of. I got plenty the first time around. I also don't get them on my belly - my hips, butt, and boobs took them all. My linea nigrea went above my navel up towards my chest last time. I'm still waiting for it. If I look in the mirror I can see a very faint hint of one forming.

We've been staying close to home this weekend, being really lazy. It's really nice to have dh home helping with ds. He's supposed to take him to the airplane (WWII) museum today. That would leave me time to myself to do a whole lotta nothin.

And I've grilled in the rain before - it was light rain. I just lit the coals under an awning (sp?) beforehand. Ofcourse a gas grill is probably easier.

[Lucysmama]

35 weeks!

QOTW: I didn't get a linea nigra last time, and I guess I won't this time either. I am the fairest of the fair! I can see all my veins, and I burn in about 15 minutes, that is how fair I am! So it doesn't surprise me at all.

I did, however, sprout 3 new stretchmarks this pregnancy....but on my SIDE! It's weird. They are about halfway between my bra and hips, only on one side. I hope I don't get anymore. I got a lot on my belly during Lu's pregnancy, on either side of my navel. They never totally faded - they are still a bit pink.

Piglet - We miss you!!!

[gottaknit]

33 weeks 1 day

QOTW: I've had the linea nigra for months, as well as more darkish hairs around my navel (which I waxed off yesterday!) I don't think I have any new stretch marks, just the same old ones I've had on my hips and thighs since puberty. I think I will end up with some on my breasts, though, since they are huge now.

Met with the midwife yesterday and my BP is back down to 100/60. She said it was probably due to my reaching peak blood volume and my body just working extra hard. My cold is about over, too, and I'm feeling much much better. Thanks for all your well-wishes!

I spent yesterday washing and putting away our small stash of diapers, blankets, and clothes. I love all these tiny things!

My MIL and SIL are bringing a ton of hand-me-down baby clothes when they come out next week. And that's just the gender neutral stuff. When the baby is born, MIL will be back out again with girl or boy stuff.

OK, 72 hours until the inlaws descend upon us. Time to get cracking and clean this house! Have a good week, everyone!

[Lucysmama]

Nancy - So glad you are feeling better!!!

I am washing diapers today, too! It is oddly fun and relaxing! When I was putting them into the dryer, I said to dh, "What should I do with these when they are dry?" He said, "I dunno, just stick em in a box in the closet till we need them." I must have looked completely horrified, cause he quickly followed up with ".....Or, I can go get the changing table out of storage and clean it up and you can put them away so they will be ready for the baby." Nice save, honey!

[AnnR33]

: Don't forget!! If you want to sign up for the gift swap please do so by the end of this week on the other thread located in the October forum.
You don't need to PM me your name/addy, just say you want to participate and we'll go from there. I'm not making it a secret-sorry, not that much time-just going to post the list of match-ups and people can contact their swappee as needed.
This can be for mom, baby or both-before or after birth-it's up to you-homemade or bought-doesn't matter-as long as it's from the heart

Have a good week everyone!! Will check back later with more time.
Ann

[OakEmber]

Nancy, I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better too! It will be so fun for you to get to sort through all the clothes...I love doing that!

QOTW- I have plenty of strech marks and it is hard to tell but I don't think I have any new ones. Last time there were some that were climbing up over my belly button and nearly reaching my breasts, I kid you not! And I have small breasts too so that was quite a hike This time I am carrying so much lower that there are no new ones above my belly anyway. And I didn't get the linea nigra this last time, and so far don't have it this time either, I'm kinda assuming I'd have it by now if I were gonna get it.

Spent the afternoon tackling more cupboards...yesterday was drawers! This nesting thing is hitting in a major organization way this time...there are floors to be vacuumed, etc. but all my energy seems to want to declutter.

Piglet, a thread just for birth announcements sounds like a good idea

[stanleymama]

OakEmber I am into the decluttering mode as well. I keep looking around thinking, "ok what can I sell, give away or throw away." I am not much of a pack rat to begin with, but I just want everything unnecessary out of the way so that I can get everything else organized.

Nancy...I too am glad to hear that you are feeling better and that your bp is down.

Chat later, the natives are getting a little restless... time for bed

[Jillerina]

36 weeks!!!

Hope everyone had an enjoyable long weekend! We did, didn't do much in fact but that was just fine with me. Went grocery shopping this morning at the local grocer who knows me welll. The Butcher and one of the owners both looked at me and said "your having a boy right?", apparently I "look" like I'm carrying a boy - all the strangers say so! So I'm starting to expect this baby to be a boy. The other owner (a women) looked at me and said "I think its coming soon, it looks lower to me". So accoring to my grocery store, I'm having a boy and its gonna be soon!!

Just this weekend I was inspecting myself in the mirror and I do see some stretch marks starting to creep up. Last time I got just a few, all below the belly button and it looks like it will be the same again this time. No linea negra at all for me. Didn't have one last pregnancy either so I guess I don't expect anything - I'm pretty fair too so I think that is normal.

Going to my midwife appointment tomorrow. I so look forward to each of these appointments, makes me feel closer to the baby when I'm with the midwife talking about pregnancy and the birth. I guess I'll be getting the GBS swabs done at this appointment - DH really wants me to and I don't feel strongly enough not to to fight him about it. Here's hoping it comes back negative!

Night night ladies, I hope everyone gets a good sleep tonight - no 3am posts ok??

[Jillerina]

Did I mention in ONE week I'll be considered term!! OMG, this baby could be here so soon!!! Sorry, just had to get that out

[Piglet68]

Katie, I have really really missed you guys, too!

All this talk about washing diapers. On more than one occasion today I've looked at them and thought "hmmm, should I start washing?". But I don't have my changing station set up yet, and I also started to worry that if I had them all laid out, they'd collect dust over the next few weeks, lol. So I've decided it's okay to wait another week until the kids' room is fully set up.

DH and I spent the day sofa shopping. We finally settled on a groovy little sectional just perfect for an apartment size living room. It will be delivered some time this week. I've had only a plastic deck chair to sit in since we moved in, and it's not comfy!!

As for decluttering...sigh. I am the former queen of decluttering, but have been dethroned recently. Mother is downsizing, moving from her house of 25 years to a small condo next month, and has given us waaaayyy too much stuff. She's just been so wonderful with this move we don't have the heart to say no, and it's a big help for her if we take it. So now we have so much stuff it's giving us headaches, lol. We're used to living very small! Ah well, it's mostly kitchen stuff and we'll just give it to charity when the dust settles round here. I figure another week and we'll have all our furniture here and then I can really make this place a home. I will say this though: I totally LOVE LOVE LOVE our new neighbourhood.

Oh, and I have some great news: I'm getting a cleaning lady!!! I just can't clean TWO bathrooms right now, and after baby comes it's going to be hard, so we decided to get a maid service to come once a week for the next four months (we'll re-evaluate after that). Of all the things about having a baby, this was honestly stressing me out. My DH is very willing to clean, don't get me wrong but....and I love him dearly but...he really SUCKS at it. He just doesn't "get" the concept of "clean" and I basically end up having to redo everything. He's come a long way, but oh he has so much farther to go, lol.

Hey, has anybody heard from trueblue? I'm wondering if she was affected by the hurricane. Hope she and her family and home are all okay!!

[Lucysmama]

Piglet- YAY on the cleaning help!!! My MIL actually gave us 4 sessions with her cleaning woman as a Christmas gift, but we never used any till last week. (We had her come in and detail our old rental so we didn't have to clean it all to try to get our securit deposit back. I just HATE doing that!) So we still have 3 sessions left. I figure we will use one when I am around 38 weeks to get this place primed and ready for the birth, and the next few over the course of November. I really look forward to it!

Is anyone getting a lot of cramps/twinges/pain way low in their pelvis? I feel like this baby is trying to drill its way out of my cervix. Ouch! I have to stop and catch my breath cause sometimes it really hurts! Other times it is just plain uncomfortable, and I wonder what in the WORLD the baby is doing down there!

[Court]

33.5 wks

Originally Posted by Lucysmama

Is anyone getting a lot of cramps/twinges/pain way low in their pelvis? I feel like this baby is trying to drill its way out of my cervix.

I am! It feels like he's trying to dig his way out or something. Very uncomfortable, especially when driving.

Piglet- Couch shopping sounds like so much fun! I'm glad you guys are almost settled in, and that's awesome about the cleaning help!

Jillerina- I noticed immediately that your post said 36 weeks and I was soooo jealous! I can't wait till I'm that far. That's like a magic number to me.

Can I ask you guys who are doing the bead exchange, how you plan on mailing them? Are you just sticking them in an envelope? I was thinking about doing that, just wrapping the bead in a bit of paper first. Are there postal rules about envelopes being bulky (I mean it's just a little bump, but nowadays they seem to freak out about everything)? And to mail to Canada, do I have to go into the post office, or can I just stick 2 stamps on? Sorry for all the dumb questions.

I had so much fun picking out the beads today, btw.

[True Blue]

32 weeks 6 days...

Hi everyone! Thought I'd check in with you all. We definitely made the right choice going to Key West, we had beautiful weather all but Sunday when some bands from Frances passed through. Back at my parents' now since they have power. I don't know the status of my house yet. I know most of the county is still without power (they have cancelled school til at least Monday) and phones, but at least water is back up. DH will be getting there this afternoon (his boat is almost there, yes!) I can't wait to hear how it is there. I'm fairly certain the landlord never boarded up the windows so we shall see. That and our house in a flood zone so it depends how high up the water level went. I saw pics a few miles away with people in the street up over their knees in water, and water up to a few feet away from the edges of homes. Gas is finally being delivered today, little by little, so that will be very helpful in making my way home. Seriously, people have been just running out of gas!! Waiting in lines for almost 2 hours for the chance to get gas in some areas. Grocery stores are almost empty, even here at my parents' since they haven't been able to have deliveries yet. It doesn't look too bad down here, trees down, street lights out, some minor structural damage in places. My county however has been declared a disaster area and the National Guard is there. Curfew, etc.

As for the pregnancy...still hanging in there!! Had lots of contractions the past few days, but it's probably stress. I dont' even mention them to anyone here anymore bc it freaks them out and then they stress me out LOL. I almost got the baby turned yesterday, it was halfway there, but unfortunately giving me horrid back pain....it turned back last night. Ah well. Stubborn thing.

QOTW: No linea negra this time or last, I think I'm too fair. Lots of veins to see! Some of my stretch marks have gotten the tiniest bit bigger, but I had hardly any last time anyway. A couple on my lower belly are getting bigger fast (these showed up I think in labor last time!) since the babe is so low this time.

Supposed to have a midwife appt today but I can't even get in touch with her with the phones out LOL!!!! I'm fairly certain she is NOT planning on me showing up in an hour.

Ok that's it for now I'll let you know what I find out this afternoon!!!

[AnnR33]

Amy, so glad you are safe and well-I was just going to post and ask how you were! I'm so hoping that all your things aren't lost-crossing fingers for you!

As far as pains, cramps etc-I just know that this baby is looowwww and engaged. The mw confirmed this last week and it seems a bit early but my last was low really early too-guess there's not much to hold it up anymore! LOL I'm been having some muscle pulls way down where my thigh meets my pelvis if that makes sense-makes getting out of bed and lifting very difficult! Oh well...

We were at a friends this weekend and she gave me a box of maternity clothes and a box of very cute newborn clothes-yeah! At least I get a little reprieve from my old clothes and can make it thru the next 8 wks without bursting all my seams LOL
The baby clothes really are enough to add to what I have that I really don't need to buy anything now-love that! They are even the right gender-though can't say what that is yet....soon!

And we don't even want to talk about stretch marks...after 3 full pregnancies it's just a sad state of affairs I'm afraid LOL
Take care all
Ann

[bluehalo]

35 weeks, 3 days.

QOTW: I did have a lina nigra w/ Ethan, and probably would this time too, but I have a scar that goes from my sternum to below my bellybutton, right down the middle of my belly, so you can't see it anyway *lol* So far, no new stretch marks, thank goodness.

True Blue, glad you're safe and sound! Hope your house didn't incur too much damage!

Have to see the doctor weekly now. Kind of a PITB to have to go every week, but whatever. Makes it more bearable that there's a new yarn store that just opened just a ways down from the doctor's office, so of course I can't resist stopping in just to peek around.

Bought two nursing shirts and some LilyPadz breast pads from Expressiva today. Gotta love retail therapy

DH had a good laugh the other night. I had been taking a nice relaxing bath in my big tub, and while the water was draining out I noticed the ring of residue around the tub, and the general need to be cleaned. He comes in to find me still stark naked scrubbing out the tub. Fortunately, he knew better than to make *too* much fun of me

My women's circle is planning a "birth blessing" for me next weekend, I'm excited. I have no idea what we'll be doing, but I just feel so lucky to have this group of women friends willing to come together and support me emotionally and physically during these last few weeks. Both of the women who will be attending my birth with me will be there, and I think it will be a wonderful, empowering, energetic experience that I hope to draw from when I'm actually laboring.

[AnnR33]

Bluehalo-I've had the same bath tub washing experience :LOL
And that is so great you have a wonderful circle of friends, it is so important. I'm sure the "blessing" will be very special and meaningful. That's the biggest thing I do and will miss when the baby comes is that I'm away from my close friends since we moved. And it took so long to find a great network of like minded moms (found most thru these boards actucally) in my conservative part of the counrty. Since we've only been here a month I haven't made any new friends yet though I am going to LLL tonight so hoping to make some new connections.
That's another reason this board is so important! I feel a great connection here and know this has helped me so much in this crazy move!

Ann

[OakEmber]

33.5 weeks

2 Aww Amy, you are such a trooper, I'd be losing my mind right now! I am so hoping for good news about your home today...but more importantly I am just glad that you and your loved ones are all safe (and you are still pregnant despite all the stress!).

Court- I just plan on sticking mine in an envelope too. I'm not sure what it costs for a stamp to Canada, but I think it would be cheaper to just buy a special stamp instead of putting two on (at least it is going the other way, a stamp in Canada is .48 and I think to mail to US is about .55, so if I were to just put on 2 reg. I'd be wasting postage...but it could be totally different for you.)

Jillerina- I am totally jealous too! I am 33.5 weeks by one EDD that we've been using, but 34.5 weeks by the early u/s and at this point I want to cheat a little and switch :LOL I am starting to get impatient and I think that when one of us has thier baby I am gonna be REALLY impatient! Funny, I don't remember feeling that with my Nov.00 EC...but then again I am so much closer with all of you.

Piglet- It's so nice to hear that you are happy with your new home! Congrats on the new couch, sounds awesome! And I am so envious of your getting a cleaning lady!!

Argh...does anyone else find that food just doesn't taste good anymore? Nothing really appeals to me these days, and things that I normally like I practically have to choke down...like rice, even the texture bothers me right now. I am curious to see if it will have any bearing on what Oakley likes/dislikes. Ember is not a picky eater at all and I didn't have these food issues with her. It'll be interesting.

Glad to hear that I am not alone in my obsessive organizing . My house is so close to being clean and orderly that I am actually excited to pull out the vacuum today, :LOL....now if only I can keep it this way for the next month! And I am trying a little experiment, Dh is still not working and I focused on the "career" zone of our house yesterday...I was following a Fen Shui (spelling?) thread awhile back and figure it can't hurt to try something new.

[bluehalo]

re: food ... yeah, I think I'm driving DH crazy. I'll think I want something, then take a bit, and be like, "eh, nope. not what I wanted to eat after all." I get hungry, but very little sounds *really* good to eat. Although I did make some banana pudding yesterday for a picnic we went to, and I swear I could have eaten that whole big bowl by myself. I was looking forward to leftovers, but everyone ate it all up. :LOL What a little piggie I am