[wombatclay]

Hey nonny!

I didn't see a thread for this week... and while it isn't really "necessary" or anything, somehow having these weekly threads makes the wek go faster.

Last week was tough... lots of stress and obligations. I'm hoping this week is a bit more relaxed, but so far it's not looking too good! DH took our family car to the shop this morning and while he'll be bringing home a loaner car, right now we're "stranded" at home. It's snowing off and on with a nasty wind (sunny, looks amazingly beautiful but we're talking frost nip) so I can't really toss the girls out the door. But I also can't take them into town (10 miles away), and their energy level is through the roof. I've had dd1 jumping up and down (literally, I've been having her jump) but she isn't wearing out. I put a video on, but that will only work for about 30 minutes and then it's back to craziness I think. Ack!

And then we found out that the building code for stairs means the few places where it would "make sense" to put the stairs (to open up living space) aren't an option... there is a central beam running through the center of the house, and given building code the stairs can't cut "under" the beam... the entire stair has to be on one side or the other. And given the slope of the ceiling in the sleep loft the stairs have to open into the middle of the house. There isn' enough headroom to have the stair along the side of the house. It's like one of those sliding puzzles or brain teasers. There HAS to be a way to fit everything together... we just can't see it!

Since we need to get this solved in order to resolve the last of the issues raised by the code guys, and to get the addition underway, it's driving me nutty. The birth has given me (at least) a very firm "deadline" so when these problems crop up they just get out of control.

Let's see... despite the snow and wind, it's really starting to look like spring. It's sunny, and the trees are starting to have a sort of green haze around them. Even a few flowers have popped out of the ground!

Sleeping is getting a bit less comfy since my hips get squished pretty easily. Unfortunately, dd2 has some real preferences as to how I sleep... she wants me sort of spooned around her so when I switch the side I'm laying on (and face away from her) she tends to wake up and fuss. So the choice is achy but quiet sleep conditions, or comfy and loud.

I'm sort of dreading what will happen when the new babe pushes her over!

Hope everyone is doing well, that discomforts are mostly minor, and that everyone is enjoying the second trimester!

 

[Jilian]

I hope you are able to solve the stairs dilemma soon! I'm dealing with the hip discomfort too and I have to switch sides every few hours. I've been sleeping on the couch for the back support. For some reason pregnancy makes me want to sleep on the couch.

I've been having small bursts of energy and getting things done. I feel the need to start buying everything I'll need for the baby and the birth so I've been working on that too. Other than that there isn't too much going on. I have my fetal echo appointment in 3 more days where they'll take a real in depth look at baby's heart and rule out all heart defects with 99% certainty. I'm excited but expect it to be really uneventful.

 

[sunshynbaby]

The weeks are going by faster and faster! I have the task of writing out procedures for EVERYTHING I do at work, due in May for my impending August maternity leave. That is overwhelming, as everything is so technical and involved (I'm a database geek). Ack! Healthwise, I just keep praying for the allergens in my area to calm down. I have a sinus headache that keeps coming back. I take decongestants and even did a round of antibiotics, which freaks me out because I don't want to do anything that might potentially harm the baby. I know a full blown sinus infection and ear infection would be the worse of the two evils, though. I'm not doing too good with housework, but I managed to do the taxes (almost, I'm finishing tonight once hubby gets some info for me) yesterday

Hopefully we'll get a refund!!! Yay!

 

[wombatclay]

I hear you on the sinus thing... I got a sinus cold what, two months ago? And I just can't shake it! It goes away for a few days and then comes back for a visit.

I've taken to leaving old cloth dipes (prefolds) by the bed so I can blow my nose without fear of either overwhelming a hankie or burning through tissues! I swear I can't figure out where all this gunk comes from.

We did our taxes two nights ago. We'll be getting bit back though not as much as we had hoped. Still, anything is better than nothing, right?

I'll be taking over the house finances this week (DH just has too much going on) and I'm a bit nervous... I used to be the budget/bill go-to person, but it's been a few years. It's like riding a bike, right? I think I need to dust off my home binder and maybe stock up on a few chocolate pieces to make the first few weeks a little less daunting.

 

[sunshynbaby]

I'm having the hip/sleep issues too. Yesterday I bought a silky (okay it's polyester) nightgown, and that really seemed to help my movement in the bed. I just slid wherever I wanted to move

Polyester tends to make me itch, but that hasn't happened yet. If it does, I bought a nylon one too, lol

 

[dislocator3972]

Chocolate sounds like a great way to get through bills! DH and I always have to do ours early (they need to be done to do our FAFSA forms and those are due in February) so we've already got our refund stashed away for this LO's birth!

I too am having to write out procedures for everything I do at work, but it's not for maternity leave, it's because I've lost the ability to work competently without a checklist or flowchart. I literally need to see instructions for making decisions written out on a piece of paper. lol that's pretty sad.

DH and I could use prayers/good vibes/etc. today. He's talking to the owner of our company about our impending move and we're hoping that we don't both get fired on the spot. This guy has been super stressed lately and his behavior has been rash and erratic. Best case scenario: the plan I have worked out with my boss (who reports to this owner guy) is fine and DH can work remotely for the summer. Worst case scenario: we're both fired now and have to move to Fairbanks with just the $$ we have now, get crappy tourist jobs for the summer (though I would try for something with my degree but that would probably take a while in such a small town), and I wouldn't be able to work from home when the babe comes. On the upside, Medicaid and Alaska's state kid's health plan both cover homebirths! That part would actually be easier. I'm pretty confident that no matter what we'll be fine, but it's hard to just have no idea what's coming.

Well, I suppose I should get back to actually working. Me slacking off all morning may not help our case in the afternoon!

 

[wombatclay]

Fairbanks is the only part of Alaska I've visited... I have family there, and when I was 7 months pregnant with dd1 I flew there (from rural upstate NY) for a wedding. And did I mention it was January?

They have a nice university and museum there, but I have to say the coffee wasn't nearly strong enough for DH and I. We're real coffee "snobs" (I know, I know, sad, but there is such good coffee in our teeny tiny rural community it's crazy... we used to live a block down from these guys and we got spoiled) and although all my Alaska relatives boast about "gold miner coffee" I'm afraid it was all talk.

Don't tell them I said that though.

 

[sunshynbaby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dislocator3972 I too am having to write out procedures for everything I do at work, but it's not for maternity leave, it's because I've lost the ability to work competently without a checklist or flowchart. I literally need to see instructions for making decisions written out on a piece of paper. lol that's pretty sad.

I'm the same way! I've had to become super organized or else I don't know what the heck I'm doing. I have lists, reminders and post-its to help my slow preggo brain

It doesn't help that I have a new boss who doesn't know what I'm really like. I feel like such a moron sometimes!

 

[dislocator3972]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshynbaby I'm the same way! I've had to become super organized or else I don't know what the heck I'm doing. I have lists, reminders and post-its to help my slow preggo brain It doesn't help that I have a new boss who doesn't know what I'm really like. I feel like such a moron sometimes!

I'm so glad it's not just me! And I'm totally showing off this less-than-exemplary side of myself to new people too, I'm pretty sure that I and DH (and the person who hired me) are the only ones who know I got this job because I'm good at it, not because I was sleeping with the right 'higher up'!

Oh well. I keep telling myself that I don't need their approval anyway. And when my daughter starts kicking around, I forget all about them anyway.

wombat - thanks for the heads up about the coffee. DH and I both worked at coffee shops during college and we're pretty selective about our coffee too. I just hope we don't get frustrated and start shipping our coffee up from the lower 48, lol that could get expensive.

 

[wombatclay]

We send my brother Gimme Coffee a few times a year as a treat... but they do have coffee chain type coffee shops so if you like Starbucks or Tim Horton you'll be able to get those.

 

[Ceili]

Our a/c froze up last week, just as we had a cold snap, so I couldn't tell if it was working or not. But it's back in the low 80's here and the a/c guys came and got it running again. And yay, no charge! That's a first.

We're really enjoying spring, planting tons of stuff right now, and spending as much time outside as we can before the weather turns hot. I'm trying to find a maternity bathing suit that I don't hate because I expect I'll be spending a lot of time in the pool come June and July.

I'm feeling great, except that the baby seems like s/he is practicing for River Dance or a revival of A Chorus Line. And I'm still waiting on my OB to call with the results of my latest u/s and let me know what's happening with my ovarian cyst. I'm going with no news is good news.

 

[spiritedmama]

I should start writing everything down as I realize I am beginning to make little mistakes here and there. I am feeling a little irritated at work right now. Not sure if it has to do with pregnancy hormones or the actual job.

Anyway, good luck with your stair issue! Isn't it good and bad the way that pregnancy spurs you on to get things done?

 

[wombatclay]

Quote:

Anyway, good luck with your stair issue! Isn't it good and bad the way that pregnancy spurs you on to get things done?

I wish it was just pregnancy! Turns out that when our house was built (16 years or so) it was done illegally... no permits or inspections. The lawyers missed it, the bank missed it, the previous owners didn't mention it when we bought it last year, etc. But a new code officer caught the "error" a few weeks ago and arrived at our door to tell us that basically we need to have the house inspected/brought up to code ASAP or we have to leave since it's not a "legal habitation". Everyone has been very sympathetic, but it still boils down to our having to find the time/money to make all these changes!

But there is the silver lining... it's not just birth acting as a driving force. DH really can't overlook the code officer!

 

[thorn]

hey everyone!

I am having a really crazy burst of organization/motivation to keep my house clean and stuff. Highly unusual for me during pregnancy, but I am not complaining, my house looks great

I am still not feeling up to cooking the way I normally do, but I have been making Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day almost daily and it is delicious!

My baby was breech until last week and I am very small torsoed so I was getting pretty uncomfortable with him that way, and he flipped last wednesday, yay. I am very happy with the increased room in my belly.

the weather is getting nice here, spring has taken longer than usual so I have high hopes for a cooler summer... we'll see, lol

 

[ohiomommy1122]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorn hey everyone! I am still not feeling up to cooking the way I normally do, but I have been making Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day almost daily and it is delicious!

Which recipe are you using I just started making bread on my own although I havent made any latly

 

[mouso]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorn hey everyone! I am having a really crazy burst of organization/motivation to keep my house clean and stuff. Highly unusual for me during pregnancy, but I am not complaining, my house looks great I am still not feeling up to cooking the way I normally do, but I have been making Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day almost daily and it is delicious! l

I am finally feeling up to baking as well. And cooking halfway decent dinners.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohiomommy1122 Which recipe are you using I just started making bread on my own although I havent made any latly

Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day is a book that makes making bread sooo easy. Here's a link to their basic recipe.

 

[Koalamom]

I love these weekly chats. It lets me see, that the pregnancy things I am going through are not just me.
I have been so uncomfortable sleeping at night because I am trying to sleep on my side. I am not comfortable that way, and would rather be on my back. I always end up back there.

I am so glad that DH finally has a job after none for almost a year. Bad ting is it is on an organic cow farm. He comes home smelling so bad, but it is probably worse to me since I have super preg/spidey smell. We are renting a tiny place and have no way to let things air out. Oh it smells so bad.

 

[zebrachick83]

i hate sleeping on my side too. i love to sleep on my back, but i feel too guilty to let myself fall asleep that way, so i spend most of the night tossing and turning. something happens to me on my side where i can't stand for my legs to be on top of each other (it gets so hot!) so i end up straddling and pushing dh to the edge of the bed....

i had a major triumph this morning, though! i actually exercised! woo-hoo!!!!

: that's seriously the first time in about 3 months..... i did the belly baby workout and it was a blast! now we'll see if i go through with it tomorrow or if it ends up being another 3 months until next time....

 

[wombatclay]

MMmmmm.... bread! I love making soda bread, but I have to admit that our bread machine is a good friend too. We don't use mixes or anything, but it's nice to set the timer and wake up to fresh bread.

DD1 is in the process of getting a formal diagnosis of celiac disease though and I'm not sure how going gluten free is going to impact my bread making.

Up until just recently we'd been working with an allergist/nutritionist and everything was mostly fine. But then she had a major reaction to a laundry soap and it seems to have turned her wheat sensitivity into celiacs. Bleh. What an icky disease! (You can have it, and be symptom free, for years and years and years and then an immune response can trigger it).

 

[Cali2SC]

I love the weekly chats too! It makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only one tossing and turning because my hips hurt. Pre-preggo, I would sleep on my stomach a lot. No chance of that now with my growing belly. I've been trying to sleep on my side, but I feel like I wake up every hour because my hips are all squishy and sore. When I flip to the other side I have to rearrange all of my pillows and I think (ok I know) that I often end up taking all of the blankets too. Lets just say that I'm not as graceful rolling over in bed as I have been and I've been waking up my dh. So neither of us have been sleeping well.

I also have resorted to lists, as a replacement for a well functioning brain. I even had our general contractor walk through the house we are renovating and make a list with me of what he still needs to do and what we still need to do, so that we can move in before August.

Other than that, all is well. I'm glad the veggies and the clover we planted are getting all the rain we've had yesterday and today. Though I could use a day without rain to work outside. I need to fix up the brooder for the baby turkeys that are arriving next week.

Baking bread sounds awesome. Today would be a good day for it, though I would have to wash all of the dirty dishes first that are taking over our small kitchen counter.

Ok with a farm, home renovation, taxes, and being preggo, something was bound to give. I guess for me it was the housework!

Wombatclay: good luck with your home renovation and finding a spot for your stairs! I feel your pain, though at least with our house we new it would need work, just not how much!

Dislocator: I hope everything goes well this afternoon for you and your hubby! I lived in Alaska (Seward and then on Middleton doing seabird research). I love the state, but I can't imagine moving farther than across the street, while pregnant. I know it can be done! It just that even our little move has me all freaked out.