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Weekly Chat ~ 7/5-7/11

3K views 80 replies 16 participants last post by  Emanresu 
#1 ·
First full week of July for us July Mamas!!

How was everyone's Fourth of July (in the states?) We had a lovely day! I continued my cleaning and organizing, got my bed all prepped for birth (though I likely won't birth there...) and that was really the last thing I needed to check off my list!

DH and the boys and I went berry picking ~ picked a bunch of black raspberries and blueberries and stuffed our faces while we picked. I had to cop a squat. :blush

Then we went to our lovely Amish farmers' house and stocked up on milk fresh from the morning and a bunch of Delmonicos to grill.
The coolest thing was I when I was discussing birth with Linda. She has five little ones and our labors have been nearly identical! Her first labor was 4 hours and the rest of hers were all 2 hours! (Mine were 3.5, 1, 2, 2.) AND, they were all in the middle of the night just like hers! We talked about how strange it would feel to give birth in the daytime. Neato.

We had my sister and niece over and we grilled steaks, chicken, corn on the cob (local and sooooooo sweet!), cucumbers, and watermelon - how American! And I couldn't stop eating! It was unusual because I've been getting annoyingly full after a very small amount of food but not last night!

Then we went for fireworks! What fun! I had to pee in the firehouse. I guess I'm at that constantly having to pee stage... Baby feels like she's running out of room and she's SO strong.

Plans for the week? What's left on your birth prep list? I have more diapers coming tomorrow which is maybe a good thing so I have *something* left on my list (or else I'll start making up crazy stuff...) I got the sweetest little cashmere newborn cover in the mail in Friday - I have to share some pictures.

Chiro tomorrow and midwife on Tuesday (before CSA) - that's it for my weekly plans!
 
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#2 ·
Happy Sunday, everyone! We took it very, very easy yesterday. We literally spent the entire afternoon watching TV and eating and relaxing. I can't help but feel like birth is eminent and like we should cherish these last few days baby free. DH did a side job in the morning and I managed to get a few things done around the house (like cleaning behind the stove and in between the stove and fridge).

Not a whole lot left to do to prepare for birth and baby. I have about 4 days until my due date. I am just continuing to work on cleaning the house.

DH's sister is coming tomorrow. I am not sure how long she is staying. She lives in New Mexico. Then his brother is coming....he lives in San Francisco. I am excited to see them but the reality that I will either be 41 weeks pregnant or home with a newborn when they are here is sinking in. Pretty terrible timing on their parts but I think it will be okay. I can just boot them out if we need to. We see them so rarely I don't want them to feel unwelcome.

Plans for today include getting a bunch of food prepped for the week and cleaning the house. It was so rainy yesterday I couldn't motivate. The skies are clearing today and I am hoping the lift in pressure makes me able to get more done.
 
#3 ·
Oh my goodness, @rcb215, you're having company over your due date? You're a more welcoming mama than I. I suppose as long as they realize that you may need to give them the boot and they wouldn't take it personally, it could work. The thought of having anyone here other than immediate family during birth makes me feel like shutting down already! Even the midwives slow me down, I think.
 
#4 ·
We did it all yesterday! From waking up at 6 to make breakfast burritos, setting up early to watch the HUGE parade, walking all over town, back home for lunch with about 20 guests, then over to my dads for a BBQ and fireworks and fun. We finally got home at 11:30. And I only had one meltdown, lol. BUT, my feet were, and still are, completely swollen. And I was up all night with painful ctx, causing me to need the bathroom. Not diarrhea but just pressure and that "feeling". I almost thought it was time, but I guess not.
Now I'm up this morning feeling awful, doing laundry and watching dh take a nap. :/. Not too happy about that.
 
#5 ·
Oh, @MPsSweetie! I know that awful feeling of not sleeping well the night before! :hug Can you get a nap in today?

I can't believe you did all of that!! Makes me tired just imagining!

We did a lot too, but I spent a good bit of it driving. By fireworks time I was also having some pretty intense contractions from overdoing it but thankfully I fell into bed at 11:30pm and slept like a rock until 5am. I got up to pee and managed to go back to sleep until 7:30am - and I feel pretty good. I'd LOVE a nap today!

Just scrubbed the cotton cover of the co-sleeper and left it out in the sun. There are a few spots that will hopefully fade. It actually smells fine, which I was surprised by. I don't even know if we're going to use the thing, but it's clean and ready.
 
#6 ·
I started with ctx during fireworks as well. Then all night long, kept waking me up. I even had a dream that I was giving birth. I woke up scared from it, shaking all over, feeling slightly nauseated. That was at 2:30, back to sleep at 4, woken again my ctx at 5:30 for a little while, then Atlas was awake by 8. Today is definitely going to be a movie day after all the excitement.
 
#7 ·
We ended up skipping going to the fireworks last night. We went to watch two parades and had a birthday party for my just about 3 year old. Everyone was having a nice time visiting and the kids playing we decided not to travel to the park to see the fireworks. Which bums me out a little because we are rarely home on the 4th,and might not get a chance to see the fireworks for a few years. I mean, we see fireworks where we go, but not a huge show. I am not quite a week out from having baby, and yesterday was pretty exhausting. I did a lot of walking and just stuff. No increase to my bleeding though, so that's good. I have also been really good about accepting offers of help this time. So the only things we had to do food wise were meat and drinks.

This week my parents took vacation time and are going to help with the big kids so I can have more time soaking up my baby. They have plans for the beach, a fun playground that is a bit of a drive, a baseball game, and the zoo. Should be fun for the kids! I might join in for some of it, depending on how I'm feeling.

Today we are planning a quiet day at home. The kids need some recoup time for the week ahead.
 
#8 ·
What a long day @MPsSweetie! I'm glad evening went well. I hope you get some rest today.
@rcb215 - I hope you are able to tolerate your guests!
@Metasequoia - does bed prep include the liner to protect the mattress? I don't think I could do that early, it is so much hotter with it on there.

We have a cosleeper set up. I put diaper supplies in it,so I don't have to get up in the middle of the night. Along with burp cloths. It's a nice storage spot. :)
 
#9 ·
@rcb215, it's waterproof cover followed by fitted and flat sheets, followed by another waterproof cover and another set of fitted/flat sheets. After birth, you'd just pull off the top set of sheets and waterproof cover, leaving a normally made bed. I've never found a waterproof cover to make my bed any warmer... I'd also be too afraid of staining my latex mattress!
 
#10 ·
@MPsSweetie: I wonder if your crazy day caused your spotting! That day sounds absolutely exhausting!

@Metasequoia: I don't know how the guests are going to be. I was in tears today just thinking about it. The thing is, his sister lives in New Mexico and his brother lives in California so DH rarely sees them. I think they both had a plan to come back before they even knew I was pregnant.

DH and I had a super productive day today. It is really helping me to make lists of things I want to get accomplished. Today I made muffins, cleaned the house (including some really random spots like the track of the sliding door), did wash, worked a bit in the garden and cooked a giant delicious dinner. It's really satisfying eating food out of the garden. Though I do always feel like I could have done more.
http://www.mothering.com/forum/members/47659-mpssweetie.html
 
#13 ·
It was really hot and humid last night - SO humid. I didn't sleep very well. :irked I really don't want to turn the a/c back on... We have thunderstorms in the forecast this afternoon/evening and same thing for Wednesday. I can't deal with having the windows closed up in this heat so that might be the straw that breaks the camel's back...

Chiro today (thank goddess!) and nothing else on my plate for today. I have three packages of fluff mail due to arrive today and one to send out. Thinking of repotting some houseplants...just little things to keep busy...

DH and I had a super productive day today. It is really helping me to make lists of things I want to get accomplished. Today I made muffins, cleaned the house (including some really random spots like the track of the sliding door), did wash, worked a bit in the garden and cooked a giant delicious dinner. It's really satisfying eating food out of the garden. Though I do always feel like I could have done more.
Girl, you are NESTING! That's the kind of crazy shit I get involved in right before birth. Stuff like cleaning the track of the sliding door. :lol

I took the stove apart last night and scrubbed it til it shined.

DO NOT ask what's left on my To Do List(s). I will cry. The good news, my SIL is coming to help me out as much as she can starting tomorrow. That will be nice. Even if all she does tomorrow is clean the house, it will help me out for the rest of the week. I feel like I can't do anything until the house is clean....
I've daydreamed of hiring someone to come clean this house - like get into the nitty-gritty that I have trouble doing right now, like bending behind the toilets, etc. Sigh....
 
#11 ·
DO NOT ask what's left on my To Do List(s). I will cry. The good news, my SIL is coming to help me out as much as she can starting tomorrow. That will be nice. Even if all she does tomorrow is clean the house, it will help me out for the rest of the week. I feel like I can't do anything until the house is clean....
 
#12 ·
I need to clean the main bathroom today. Hurray.

Getting more and more achy, uterine cramps from 360 degrees around. Not really the Braxton hicks variety where whole tummy goes rock hard (of course I get those regularly too), but just a deep aching/burning that is sometimes contraction-style and sometimes just lasts and lasts with no peak or end. Hope it means something. 4 days until my due date, 48 hours until my 40 week visit.
I guess I'm hoping for some progress to speak of when I visit the midwife or then a birth before then!!
In other news, I'm trying to think of fun ways to pass my this afternoon when dd wakes from her nap, with my mom, because tomorrow the boys get here for the rest of July, and once baby is born our 5-seater station wagon will no longer allow me to take my mom anywhere with all the kids. So the window is rapidly closing for any outings with my mom not involving public transportation, while she's overseas visiting us. Not like there are a ton of amazing attractions she's interested in anyway, she's just here to see her grandkids and daughter but still I do like to get out and about regularly, into the city center to mill about the open air flea markets, restaurants, nice playgrounds, or what have you. Suburban life is quiet! Luckily it's only 10-20 minutes drive (or 25 minutes on the bus from my neighborhood) to get into the nearby city.
 
#14 ·
Busy weekend here too! Picked up a new King bed Friday (had a queen), very excited about it! Saturday we had two cookouts, baby kicked a TON during Fireworks! wasn't sure what to make of them! Sunday had lunch with some family, got the car seat installed, stroller in the trunk, general house cleaning/pick-up. Best-friend's mom got admitted yesterday due to brain lesions they believe are cancerous. Drove an hour and a half last evening to be with her. Want to be able to be there more, but with the distance and the fact I could have the baby any day....not sure what I am up too. Didn't get home last night until after midnight, very tired at work today :/
 
#17 ·
Oh my gosh, @Turner58800 , I can't imagine having to drag myself off to work like this! How much longer do you have to work?
I get FMLA which is 12 weeks (unpaid) off, after the baby gets here. I can however, use my sick/vacation/comp time during those 12 weeks to get paid. This will allow about 3/4 of it to be covered. So, in order to have as much time paid as possible I am trying to work up until he comes! Each day I regret that decision a little more lol. It doesn't help that I am have been fighting a cold or allergies for the last week!
My job really isn't very high stress or active, so its not too bad. A co-worker from a different department was due June 2nd and worked through June 5th, had her baby on June 6th!! I'm really hoping I'm not late though....we will see!
 
#16 ·
We caved and put the a/c on. :lol The sun came out and that on top of the humidity plus the coming thunderstorms just beat me down.

I was barely able to move yesterday - didn't even shower and brush my teeth until after dinner and I bet a lot of that was due to the heat/humidity.
 
#18 ·
@Turner58800: I have no idea how you are still working! I admire you!
@Metasequoia: Yeah...totally nesting. I had the stove pulled out the other day and was cleaning behind it and thought, "Oh...I think this is what they are talking about..."

I am dealing with this ridiculous Pennsylvania weather. I know the rain is good for the water table but holy crap it has rained every single day. Maybe there have been 5? days since the beginning of June that it hasn't rained at least a bit.
@Metasequoia: The struggle is REAL with the A/C. It's a debate every night. We live right on a busy road so having the windows open isn't really an option because I can't handle the traffic sounds.

I have been having crazy dreams lately. And waking up a lot due to belly cramps. But I have been getting some good sleep in after DH leaves for work. :)
 
#20 ·
@MrsKoehn: That sounds uncomfortable. Does it hurt? I wonder if it will go away once the baby comes?

I am really hoping to get some belly photos tonight when DH gets home from work. His family starts arriving tomorrow and I feel like I am not going to want to do them once they are here. Hopefully the thunderstorms hold out for a bit so we can get outside and get them taken!
 
#24 ·
@rcb215, it doesn't really hurt, but the odd thing is, it's in the spot that I have had more pain than any other since the beginning, and it's at the worst of where the Crohns has been in my intestines. I don't know if it's weak there maybe? I get something like round ligament pain there sometimes. I did just a little prenatal Pilates this morning and when I went to sit up for the final time, I had to stay half up for a couple of minutes bc it hurt! Ouchie. :eek:

You productive women, you! I finally got my SIL to come help me today! It's been one thing after another preventing it. I started by having her do a general cleaning and she did dishes too. :love That has been my pregnancy aversion. Now the tubs are too, but it's mainly because I really can't reach without climbing in, then it's hard to reach without falling. Lol Tomorrow I will be at my MW and Chiro appointments, so I told her she can come work on some yard work if she has time. She's beginning to become a good gardener, which is nice. Since one of her sisters married and moved off 6 yrs ago, she's been slowly learning how to do it better and better. From what the other girls tell me, she's starting to get to the "taking pride in her work" stage and doing a good job and wanting to keep the dogs out of her flowers. Lol

While she cleaned, I was able to do a few things I have needed to do. I got my financial books balanced, measured and photographed some material my MIL gave me for a baby carrier. I only needed 6 yds, she gave me around 50 (including what was made into curtains already and she never used). It's an organza type stuff. I have to ask her for sure. I doubled it and have it almost sewn for a carrier (wrap). I think it will work, if not, I will have to use the heavy Moby. That's going to be fine when it cools off, but now, WAY too hot. The extra material I will probably end up listing on eBay. She was going to just get rid of it, but I am thinking about taking any $ I get from it and either buying her some sewing stuff she needs or some sort of storage/organizer stuff for her sewing. I think there's 24 yards extra after I took mine, cut off the stuff with holes, and not counting what's curtains.

Anyway, I need to hop in the shower while Ana's outside with Daddy. They're building a big puppy run for when we have pups next time. It's not fun having them chew up the yard and being trip hazards. Esp with a little one and trying to keep Ana from being mauled by a pack wanting to play and lick her every time she goes outside. Lol I'll catch up and comment more when I can.... I think I'm about to have to kick working on getting ready for baby into high gear though. If you don't hear from me, just assume I'm feathering my nest. I'll be stalking you through email updates. :wink:
 
#25 ·
Oh, here's a fast funny I thought of for no reason at all. Ana runs up to me while I was washing dishes Saturday morning and hugged my leg. She said, "Hey chubby butt! I love you!" >:D Thanks for noticing, Kid! Love you too! :love (Family pet names are so random and weird around here, she's been calling Dad her Giraffe and Jalapeño lately....)
 
#27 ·
LOL that is awesome!!

So jealous of all nesting going on!!

Anyone else feel like having a break down? I don't feel ready, my room isn't clean and what if having a new born is harder than being pregnant? so many doubts in my head and irritated at everything.:crying: i'm hoping i level out soon, poor DH has to deal with my emtionalness and i still have to be patient and take care of DS.
On a positive note i did change my sheets today!!
 
#26 ·
I've decided that moby wraps must be really thick! I've never actually seen that brand, I've used local brands of stretchy cotton jersey wraps that I thought were more or less the same, but mine is so lightweight cotton you can hold it up to the light and see light passing through a bit, even though it's black. If you wad it up you could mistake it for a shirt in terms of bulk (size 6). I guess it's a much heavier weight, this moby brand in the states.
 
#28 ·
@smilingprego Lol she sure keeps us on our toes!
I totally hear you. I text hubby last night and told him I'm starting to feel overwhelmed again. Even outside, and usually that calms me down. I'm inside looking at what needs done and outside, well, my weeding has been neglected for some reason. It's been over 100 most days the past, um, over 2 weeks? Not feeling like weeding in that. I do feel better today after my SIL helped me get stuff clean and I got a little bit done here and there. Wednesday I plan to really start attacking the spare room and sorting baby stuff etc if she's able to come over. I need to really check the pool for leaks and get newborn diapers washed and sunned, lanolize the new wool I have crochet and block it, oh, and finish making my blocking board. That would be a good first step. I was thinking about asking my MIL to come over and help me with some sewing that I need to finish one evening. I really need to finish the post partum pads. I'll have disposable for the first several days, then I will have to either go to the conventional bleached stuff or have the pads made. Three cloth will NOT be enough (that's all I have made up). Lol!
 
#29 ·
@smilingprego, done that. I just had a melt down. It hit me fast and hard- I was over over over the heat at the end of the day today and Dh was on the way out the door and I was irritated, with everything really. i'm taking the recycling out and he starts talking about how my belly looks like a beer belly and how if I was like this regularly... I'll spare you. I melted, sobbing and pissed. He of course felt badly and realized how literally I have no ounce of humor or flexibility and so made it up by actually telling me what he thinks and then going back over how I just need to be taking care of myself and not stressing about how my mind is totally fried here in this heat and I cannot get a thing done. I just cannot think, at all. It was helpful to hear that he is not stressed about my lack of abilities right now. It also helped to get his caring. So, then I just vegged. I still have to figure out a meal tonight but in the mean time I've had a kombucha, some plantain chips and now some carrots.... meal of champions.

I didn't sleep well last night, my hips are crampy all night so I end up restless. Then we had an early morning meeting that I would have loved to sleep through but couldn't and I missed my morning walk. That walk has been life-saver- it helps work out the soreness in my hips from sleeping and the fresh cool air in the morning just makes the day for me. These days are rough! It is hot and I am holed up inside in front of the fan or pimping myself for anyone who has a pool for me to climb in. My back started hurting and I feel like I had a day of early labor stuff- not actually labor just a backache, lots of contractions and tons of cervical mucous. And too hot and a bit grumpy. I skipped the next meeting and went for a walk in the woods but by that time, it was hot. It helped though but I do think I just never really cooled down sufficiently to deal well with the rest of the day's climbing heat. Oh, it is nice to have someplace to just bitch. Thanks ladies.

This weekend, we got stuff done and it was great! Dh and I put the crib together- 3 times. But now it is right, important, right!? My mom came over and we finished the final stuff for the upholstering of the rocking chair and a few other nick nacks. We also installed a new freezer for ourselves and so had to clear out a whole area of the basement and rearrange things. Now we have an auxiliary freezer and I can start making a few of the things I was hoping to make in prep for our baby nesting pp. Happy for this! I also went though all the baby clothing and diapers that we have been given and washed all the newborn stuff with the acceptation of some of the wool that needs treated and the diapers that need to be stripped and to see if they are salvageable. I hope so! I then organized all the 3-6 month, 6-12 months and 1-2 year stuff into containers to access later. I got in the changing pad covers i ordered and the crib sheets! I have not done a great job of keeping my love of color in check and have just ordered or found the things i love. It means that we have quite the cacophony of color going on! The upholstery of the rocking chair is green and white, the changing table/ drawers for baby are blue and the crib sheets are a beautiful purple! Okay, I'll go with it! But, hmm, maybe I should have been bit more attentive to this! That and our bed is a cacophony of colors too. Whatever!

I am 37 weeks tomorrow and I think this was hitting me today just how close that seems. I am comforted by the thought that baby gets to choose when he's ready. I have a date in my head, despite my greatest intensions. I have not told anyone and won't but- here it is- labor starting on the 27th and birth on the 28th. Yep, my due date. Who would have thought? How silly is it to have this in my mind!! I had these days and then had to look up what dates they were. So not statistically reasonable but, whatever. So when people keep saying to me, if you have your baby before I see you next, I keep saying- no way! But then there was today. And I realized, I am not in charge, baby is. So, I can just chill out and let him make that move. Baby has been SO active and adorable. So interactive. I will think he's asleep and put my hand on my belly and he responds immediately. Perhaps its because it is so bloody hot and my hand is hotter! But anyway, it has been super sweet.

it is so fun to be having all these awesome babies born around here! Happy days!
 
#30 ·
I love reading about all of your baby prep, @Wild Rose ~ so exciting! Hooray for a new freezer! Is your basement finished or semi-finished? Ours is and that's where I've been spending a lot of my time just because it's so much cooler than the rest of the house. But we caved in and put the a/c on yesterday because it's been wicked humid on top of the heat plus never-ending thunderstorms.

I slept SO much better last night with the a/c on! Thank goddess.

Today is midwife appt. and CSA pick-up. I'm debating even showering beforehand because I know I'll want to spend hours barefoot down in the fields picking whatever is ripe like last week. Oh to be barefoot in that heavenly field! It's a very large field, surrounded on all sides by woods and a creek on the one side. Lots of farm animals like goats, sheep, donkeys, chickens, and the pair of draft horses that pull the tiller. This place is my church.
 
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