Pregnancy & Grace

These two words do not belong in the same sentence.

Today is the first day of our third trimester. How time flies! I think this is also the time when I am allowed to complain a little bit. I have had, overall, a great pregnancy so far. I am hoping this continues. However, a few things have recently caught up to me which, I think, will be challenging hurdles over the final 12 week stretch.

Sleep & Snoring
Pre-pregnancy I could honestly say that I looked forward to my sweet good night's rest. I am usually a solid sleeper. This has gotten trickier. I have two positions available to me now: right side or left side. Thank god for my snoogle (picture a full body pillow that curves around your body like a snake) or else I think I would be completely miserable. The snoogle makes this lack of sleeping options ALMOST bearable. And you know, it is not so much that I mind sleeping on my side, but when I need to roll over, I can no longer do this in a blissful sleep - I full-on wake up, have to move the pillow with me, adjust this growing body and baby, then put up with a few kicks until the baby gets comfy again.

But I could handle this if this was the only problem, but it is not. My recent incarnation into a buzz saw has been the recent popular topic of discussion. I was known to snore a little bit pre-pregnancy. Not a cute attribute, I know, but my ever patient husband said that it really wasn't that bad. That has all changed. I think he quickly switches from being startled awake, to absolute shock from the shear volume of my new snoring habits, to utter annoyance - usually followed by an elbow jab or nudge to get me to stop. I would be unaware otherwise, but I feel horrible and have trouble falling back to sleep afterwards as I want him to be able to sleep, too.

Jim has actually taped an episode of my snoring. I keep telling him that I think it is Jersey doing the snoring (she is the WORST snorer!), but he assures me that I'm the one making the noise. When both the Jers and I are going at it, I am sure Jim is ready to go sleep in the car.

I have been spending many nights on the couch recently. My recently preggo friend, Caitlin, has assured me that she went through this, too, and the snoring actually does stop after you give birth. Great. Just in time for us to become sleep deprived for other reasons. Maybe this is the universe's way of preparing us for less sleep.

My Nose
I'm not going to go into much detail here but this so-called "rhinitis of pregnancy" thing is ridiculous. If you need details just ask, but I'll spare the rest of you.

Sciatica
Oh, yes. Went to the doctor yesterday and it seems that the pain in my right ass cheek that shoots down my thigh is "normal" during pregnancy and called Sciatica. It's a back/disc problem that I am praying goes away after I unload this baby. I have not gained very much weight at all so far so I am not sure why I am so afflicted but my body is changing and weight is shifting to the front so maybe it is the way I am carrying myself. Whatever... the doc suggested that if it gets worse I go to physical therapy. Seriously? All I want to do is go get a massage.

On a brighter note...
I must mention the positives: my hair is growing longer and thicker (not that I ever had much trouble with this anyway). My nails have looked better than they have in years. My skin is clear. My energy level still seems to be good, although I have a feeling that will change shortly as Lemon is due to start packing on 1/2 lb per week from here on out. Also, I still do love feeling her kicking in there. I think that will be the thing I miss the most when she finally arrives in my arms.

Humble Plea: The Flu Vaccine

Dear friends and family,

As our little Lemon is due to arrive in the middle of flu season, we are understandably concerned. We don't plan on being germ-a-phobe parents but we need to protect our little one during the first few fragile weeks. If you are planning on spending time with Lemon upon her arrival, I implore you to get your flu shot this year. You can follow the link below to find out where and when it is available in your area:

FIND A FLU CLINIC NEAR YOU

It is quick, painless, and about $20. For those of you who are concerned about getting the flu from the vaccine, don't be. It is a dead virus they use to create it so you can't get the flu from it. Also, if you would prefer a thermasil-free version, you can just tell them you are pregnant or ask for it specifically. It shouldn't be a problem.

Thank you for helping us! We are SO looking forward to introducing Lemon to the world and we want you to be part of it!

Love,
Maggie & Jim

Happy Birthday, Jim!

Today Lemon's daddy turns 33! I am embarrassed to say that I actually forgot for the first hour or so of the day. I know very well that his birthday is today. We even talked about it last night. Perhaps celebrating last weekend with a joint party for Jim and my sister, Emily (whose birthday was Sept 29), threw me off. Maybe it's just my pregnancy brain. Either way, he got a big fat kiss as soon as I remembered.

What will Jim be doing with his day?

• Right now, he's watching back episodes of South Park while prepping some DVD's he's sold on Half.com to ship.
• Make a run to get some more free Tagro so he can finish feeding the lawn and prepping next year's garden plots.
• We will most likely go out for lunch, perhaps to Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse in Federal Way. Jim's been wanting to check it out. 99 bottles is at the same place so I bet we make a stop in there to pick up a specialty beer or two he can enjoy tonight.
  
• After lunch we'll pick up his strike checks from the union house in Auburn. We are hoping this next week is the last week the union will be on strike - talks are resuming this weekend!
• He'll most likely actually do lawn/garden work through the afternoon - he's trying to get it done while the weather is holding out.
• I will cook a special dinner and dessert for him tonight... I haven't decided what is on the menu yet, but I'll figure it out!
• For sure the evening will hold a game or two of Wii Madden 09. Perhaps we will also watch a movie curled up on the couch with the dogs.
  

A low-key birthday, but I think that's the way he prefers it! We'll enjoy some peace and quiet around here while it lasts... I have a feeling this next year is going to get a bit louder...

I have NO skills...

Luckily, none are really required.

Ever since I calculated my due date when I peed on the stick and got the two pink lines, I have been worried about having a COLD baby. It just struck me that the tool I rely on to keep me warm at night in the winter, a blanket, is just off-limits when it comes to babies. Ever since I have been devising ways to keep Lemon warm through a chilly Northwest winter. We have purchased a bunting, receiving blankets, footie pajamas, swaddlers, hats, socks, a cool car seat cover. Jim has sealed our room for when she sleeps in there (nights) and we are working on sealing the upstairs when she sleeps up there (naps).

One day my path crossed with a post on a blog I follow, makebabystuff.com. A pattern for fitted sheets... that seemed easy enough, and a cheaper solution than having to buy multiples. And then I had a brilliant idea, just for that EXTRA warmth at night... FLEECE fitted sheets.

My nesting instinct is kinda in overdrive and I have had the uncontrollable urge to sew as many things as possible for the baby. Mind you, I am a complete sewing novice but I have been improving steadily with each project I tackle. I looked at this project and thought to myself, "no sweat."

Today, to escape Jim's back and forth between real football and the Wii Madden 2009 football he got for his birthday, I went to the fabric store and bought enough fleece for 2 fitted sheets, and also enough flannel for two sets of those, too. Then this evening I got to work on the first of the four.

Everything started off swimmingly - measure, cut, sew the corners... but then it came to finishing the edges and adding the elastic to the corners. Seems easy enough. People, it was an ugly scene. I don't know if it was the bulky, slick fleece, or the stitch types i had to use since I don't have a surger, or the fact that I have never worked with elastic before and it was kinda hard to manipulate. It most likely was a combination of all of the above. The edges and elastic corners are the UGLIEST I have ever done. I cursed through the process and broke a needle in the middle of it. I imagined myself 40 years from now with tweenage grandkids who beg Lemon to ask me not to sew them Christmas presents AGAIN. I let go of the dream of being the ultra-crafty mom who could eventually sew my kids awesome homemade Halloween costumes. My confidence just came tumbling down.

But then I realized... the saving grace is that the edges and corners, when they are on the mattress, are hidden nicely UNDER the mattress!! As I said before, the top and sides look great. So I pushed myself to finish and went to put my new, orange fleece fitted sheet on the crib. It looks great! I feel so much better now. I would post pictures but since it is just a solid fitted sheet made of fleece, it would be kinda boring. Just use your imagination and be proud of me. I am.

On this day in 2003/2028

Jim and I said "I do" October 1, 2003. I can honestly say that getting married that day was the best decision of my life. And if we think it has been fun so far, I can only imagine what this next year has in store for us!

Five years goes so quickly, I can now see that 25 years isn't very far away. Where could we possibly be in another 20 years? Let's make a written prediction, which I am sure will be fun to check out once we hit that landmark! In the year 2028, this is what we'll be doing:

• We'll still be living here in Washington - perhaps on Jim's dream street: N 29th Street, in a bigger house, a bigger yard, and views of Commencement Bay. We'll most likely have a younger sibling or two for Lemon who would still need to finish out high school in the area, not that I see us ever living away from here anyway (except for winters in a warmer climate maybe??)
• Lemon will be in her junior year of college. We'll be looking forward to seeing where her talents lie and what she ends up studying. Her dreams will be our dreams.
• At the ages of 52 and 53, we will be looking forward to our nearing retirement and we'll have about 8 years to plan for the projects of our golden years... perhaps a small brewery and a lot of travel.
  
• Jersey and Bailey will still be running around, but at the ages of 27 and 26, most of their body parts will have been replaced with robot parts. We will leave Jersey's voice box out, or at least install a mute button. The jump function might also be disabled.
  
• They'll have found a cure for Crohn's disease and my life would be so much simpler.
• They'll have found a cure for allergies and Jim's life would be so much simpler.
• We will finally be throwing a vow renewal and reception for all those friends and family members who were left out the first time. Sorry to say it, but yes it will most likely take another 20 years to do it, but it will be worth the wait.

I look forward to the next 20 years of my life with Jim, but I will remind myself to savor it and slow it down as much as I can... I don't want it flying by too fast...