Why did you have to end so soon, September?

September is usually my favorite month; however this one seemed far too short. My birthday falls on the 29^th, and usually I start counting down in June. Basically I end up counting the summer away, but that's always been okay with me. This year I made it a point not to count down and speed the summer, let alone the month of September, away. My goal has been to absorb as much time as I could before Griffin decides to come, as I have realized that life is far too short to rush along. One of the benefits of this blog is to give me a place to record the going-on's of my life so that I don't forget the important things or even the little things. Even though time seems to slip away so quickly, I hope I can hold onto each memory that is made with Dave or family or friends or even strangers.

This past weekend we headed to Charlotte to be a part of Dave's best friend's wedding. I am so grateful that my body was functioning enough to allow me to join in the festivities. The wedding was held at a rock quarry and was beyond gorgeous. The wedding itself was lovely and very much "them." The beauty of the wedding and the tasty food helped to hide how exhausted the weekend made me. Unfortunately it rained for the whole day, which lead to being water logged and made the preparation and clean up just a little bit harder. By the time that we were finished cleaning up and ready to leave every single joint in my body was on fire. I can't wait till I am able to move in double time without feeling like I am about to fall apart at the seams.

It feels like there is still so much to get done before Griffin's birthday; and now it's almost October. October! Only one single month left—ONE! I do hope that we're able to get everything complete, since it's driving me a bit crazy not being. It's going to be hard keeping myself from playing outside since the weather is playing nice. All the rain that we had over the last couple of weeks brought an overcast to my mood. It was especially disheartening because my grandparents were affected by the nasty flood. Thankfully the storms are past us and the leaves are making the transformation from green to yellow to red and orange. This will make the last six weeks of my pregnancy a lot more cheery.

33 Weeks

Once again not much is new, just growing my waist line and my anxiousness.  I am blessed to feel pretty good now and I feel like we're (hopefully) smooth sailing here on out.  Thankfully the heat is gone, yet I consider the humidity my worst enemy.  I am hoping that the rain subsides soon and brings a nice cool Fall.  Sadly rain is in the forecast till my birthday, and that's NINE days away! 

I think I have a got a hang of my new diet.  Honestly it's a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.  I am allowed three full meals a day plus two snacks.  Basically I avoid all concentrated sweets: cokes, cakes, pies...However I was given permission to have a little cake at my baby showers.  The basic premise of the diet is to keep my blood sugars under a certain amount (120).  Once in the morning and then an hour after each meal I stick my finger and use my handy dandy blood-glucose meter to tell me my blood sugar level.  At each meal and snack I am given a basic guideline to follow to make sure that I'm not giving myself a sugar overload.  I've kind of made a game of trying to figure out what my level is going to be after I eat, and it's kind of neat watching how my body responds.  So far I haven't felt deprived of anything and I have even felt satisfied for longer periods of time because I am eating the right kinds of foods together.  Most likely I'll be continuing this diet after pregnancy, well....I may  probably will be taking a little break for Thanksgiving.

I had mentioned that when I met with the GD nurse they did a ultrasound to get all of Griffin's measurements to see if the GD had affected his size.  He weighed 4lb 2oz and is in the 30th percentile.  Like I had said, he's right where he needs to be.  His results put him on the small side of normal.  This was my biggest fear with the diabetes, now I really have no worries about this.

A while back I pulled out some of my baby pictures to try to imagine what Griffin would look like.  I then became aware that I had not ever seen a baby picture of Dave.  I had seen late elementary school pictures and I could remember him from middle and high school.  I had come up with my own mental image of what baby Dave looked like, and it was quite awkward.  With the 4D ultrasound, there was a bit of commotion that Griffin resembled Dave.  But here I was only being able to picture what Dave looks like now, just miniature.  Last night we were over at Dave's parents' talking about what Dave looked like as a baby, and then his Dad pulled out the slides from his birth.  I should say that I now feel guilty for the weird baby that I had pictured Dave to be; he was actually really cute!  And I can completely see that Griffin's going to look just like Dave.  Take a look!

I'm still in awe as to what we were able to see with the 4D ultrasound.  I don't think I'll get over that any time soon.  

At the end of this week we'll be heading to Charlotte, NC for the wedding of a very good friend.  I won't mind if Griffin comes a little early, but I really hope it's not the plan to come a month and a half early.  We've watched the YouTube video showing how to deliver a baby in a car, yet I don't think we are at all prepared for such a task. 

Updated belly collage.  Click to enlarge.

Project: Nursery

I was really hoping that my nesting phase would bring me lots of motivation to clean and organize everything.  Instead it has upped my creative energy and made me think of a million projects to start, none of which include cleaning or organizing.

For quite a while now I have considered making Griffin's mobile.  I had looked for one I liked in stores but couldn't find anything to my liking.  I had seen a few on Etsy, but they weren't exactly what I had in mind and the ones that I almost liked were quite pricey.  Browsing on Etsy also gave me a few ideas and slowly I told myself that I could make one.  Now, I have a knack for polymer clay but not for needles and thread.  A few months ago my Mother-in-law taught me how to sew and use my sewing machine, but I still categorized myself less than a beginner. 

One night I had an itch to go get the supplies to make a mobile and headed to Hobby Lobby.  I grabbed some felt and embroidery floss and headed home to see what I could whip up.  I drew and drew until I had a pattern that worked for a little owl.

I decided on four little owls and thought maybe a little tree for the middle.  I surprised myself by cranking out the four owls in a night and a morning.  I had to make another trip to Hobby Lobby for the hanging apparatus and the tree fabric.  Dave helped me by putting the wood parts together. 

There's still a few things that I need to do before it's complete, but I am quite excited about it.  And, the best part, it cost me less than $10. 

In the meantime I decided that I could enlarge the owl pattern and make a pillow/stuffed owl.  I used the fabric that I used on the treetop and instead of felt used brown corduroy.  I had to machine stitch this guy; however my sewing machine happened to be possessed (maybe operator error) and this pillow took way way too long.  Overall it's not perfect but it's still a little cute.  I will tell you I've had my sewing fix for quite some time.

Still on my list of to-do's is painting a mural near the crib, yet another thing I've never tackled.  These crazy hormones are doing a number on me.  I've gone back and forth on doing this mural, but right now I'm on board.  If I don't do it soon I probably will be talking myself out of it again. 

I am starting to think that cleaning the house would have an easier task.

Pop's Pictures

What is this fourth dimension?

Excited doesn't begin to describe how I'm feeling right now. 

As scheduled, our 4D ultrasound was today.  I am almost speechless as to how fascinating this was.  I am literally sitting here trying to figure out how to describe it, but I am drawing blanks.  Good thing there's pictures!

All four grandparents came to this appointment with us, and it was very nice to share this special occasion with everyone.  Pops came equiped with his camera and we can't wait to see what he captured.  We had a room full, but it was completely worth it. 

Griffin was quite the cooperative little bean sprout today.  Before we started the doctor explained that the ultrasound would be as good as the baby let it be, which made me a little nervous at first.  Then Griffin showed me that worrying is for the birds.  He left his face completely uncovered the entire time.  He showed us his little hands and even gave us a nice yawn. 

Dave's mom is pretty sure that Griffin has Dave's "Jeffers' nose."  I think I'd have to agree.  I also had an ultrasound yesterday to check to see if my gestational diabetes has affected him.  (hopefully Griffin won't have an extra foot from all the ultrasounds)  They told me that Griffin weighs 4lb 2 oz, and that is perfect for where he is.  The GD could cause him to gain extra fat if I don't control my blood sugars with my diet.  But so far, so good.  Yesterday I was also told by the miniature Bob Ross look-a-like doctor that he should gain about 1/4 to 1/2 a pound a week, so we're still on track for Griffin to be around 7 lbs.  We'll see...

 

I am so grateful that we were able to see him with such clarity before he gets out here.  It's also nice to take advantage of technology every once in a while.   I just can't wait to feel his little fingers wrap around mine.

On a side note, my normal Dr. B did not preform this ultrasound, instead a much younger quite handsome doctor did this one.  Sitting in the car after the appointment I looked at Dave and said, "He sure is a cutie."  Dave responded with, "Who are you talking about, the doctor or our baby?"  Hehe..."Well, our baby is cuter."

32 Weeks. AKA 8 Months

My intentions were to write this post Sunday, but my sleep deprivation has taken away most of my motivation to do much of anything. The further along we get, the more gratitude and joy I feel, making all the little things that I've whined about in the past seem so petty. I suppose it's the transformation into motherhood that is really taking over. I'm no longer my top priority; my pains really aren't that bad, as long as my son is okay. I feel such guilt for whining as much as I did.

Not whining now, instead just stating, I am now in the insomniac phase of pregnancy. No matter how tired I feel, sleeping just isn't working out. I got one of my 'What to Expect When Expecting' emails yesterday that was "Coping with Insomnia," if I wasn't so tired I'd read it. I know this is just getting me ready for the sleepless nights with Griffin; it's just the transition that is rougher than I'd like it to be. I think I see a caffeine addiction in my future.

So in my last post, I had mentioned being on the lookout for Braxton Hicks contractions. Turns out that I had already had one last week, I just didn't know what I was feeling. I've also had one this week. The first one kind of felt like a Charlie horse in my belly. My entire belly turned rock hard and I couldn't move much while it lasted. It wasn't bad though, only lasting a few seconds. There are still a few questions that I have about them but I see the doctor tomorrow, so if I can remember I'll ask. Speaking of tomorrow, we've been excited about it for a while, now it's crazy it's almost here. Tomorrow we have our 4D ultrasound! Hopefully little Bean Sprout will be playing along and show us his little face, I really am beside myself to see him. Today is my appointment to see the gestational diabetes advisor, or as Dr. B called her, the 'sugar nazi.' I hope this appointment is eye opening since I still feel a little in the dark over different things to eat. This hasn't scared me as much as I thought it was going to, and actually I am looking forward to the new diet. (However I have been having dreams of Thanksgiving dinner J)

A lot is going on now and will continue that way until late October. I hope we are able to still absorb the whole adventure while moving with such momentum. We have two doctor appointments this week, and then several things planned for this weekend. And next weekend is our trip to Charlotte for the Dave's best friend's wedding. The following Tuesday, the 29^th is my birthday (cough, cough) and a lot is planned for that weekend. Things don't stop there, but I won't bore you with the details. My point is that before we have a chance to take it easy again, it will be November the 8^th. Overwhelming yet exciting.

I had mentioned in my last post doing something special to celebrate eight months. A while back an old friend of mine, Brian McDonald, offered to do some maternity portraits for us. I hadn't really considered having any done, but was quite excited after he offered. This Sunday we met up at Coolidge Park and followed Brian's lead. He posted a couple as a preview, so I'll share. I really like what I see and can't wait to see the rest. And more than anything, it will be nice to have something to look back on to remember this time in our lives. I will still be posting our regular belly picture, although we haven't got around to doing them yet.

31 Weeks

 

31 weeks 3 days 

I have a million things in my head that I have been wanting to write about, yet nothing that I can settle on. I think I had mentioned before that this is how my little brain functions, at high volumes with low efficiency.

31 weeks brought a new emotion to this adventure. We now only have nine weeks left, that's a single digit! Things are starting to take on a new reality, a good yet somewhat overwhelming reality. My belly has clearly been inhabited by my own personal alien. However I've stopped belly watching, because he either is really shy or already a bit defiant. Anytime he's moving up a storm and I lift my shirt then look down to watch, he stops completely. Every single time. The other day I felt that he was doing one major baby dance in there, so I called Dave over to attempt to beat him at his own game. I slowly lifted my shirt and I didn't look down, I just had Dave watch to tell me what it looked like. Griffin carried on with his little dance and Dave relayed to me that he looks enormous. This wasn't the description that I thought he'd use. He put his hand to my belly and I think Griffin tried to poke his leg straight through, and Dave shivered with bewilderment. At least one of us got to see his moves.

This past weekend we attended a Baby Basics class. It was mostly common sense stuff, but I suppose you can't assume what should be common sense anymore. We saw a normal newborn should look like and not, what to be alarmed about and not. We were told that we needed to bathe the baby, and feed the baby, and stick our tongues out at the baby.     Some things I hadn't realized:

• It is better for a baby to be a little cold than hot. SIDS is more closely related to overheating babies. When Dave (the tightwad) heard this he looked at me and I read his mind, "We don't have to use the heat this winter either!"
  
• It is not condoned (at least by this class's standards) to use baby powder, cornstarch, or Chinese herbal powder ;) on babies because of some sort of inhalation risk. What am I going to do with all the Chinese herbal powder that I have stashed in Griffin's closet now?
  
• The only thermometers that were recommended were regular $12 (she was quite specific about the price) digital ones, not the in-ear ones and especially not the rectal ones. And they should be used under the arm. Good to know.
  
• When a baby is in "hard sleep" you can "fiddle" with the baby and not wake him up. You know, like pinch his nose, yank on his legs, shoot him with water guns….and he remains sound asleep. This is sounding like so much fun! However, under no circumstances whatsoever, you should EVER EVER SHAKE A BABY! (Back to the common sense thing, right?)
  
• I had no idea that the walkers of yesteryear are no longer recommended. Supposedly they tip over and fall down stairs. (My thought here is: most children don't need any help falling down stairs as it is. Danger lies all around us.) That's why the new excersaucers are gargantuan and tend not to be mobile devices. When I had been looking at baby toys and the like, I really didn't like the looks of these excersaucers. Our house is only around 1600 square feet; one of those things would literally take up an entire bathroom. Hmmm…..what to do? At least we have no stairs.
  
• [Dave's recommendation to this list] On the poster that was displayed for normal newborn appearances was a baby boy with swollen testicles. Now what was (extra) disturbing about this is that the lady running this class chose to skip over explaining this picture. There were like four posters each with 9 pictures, and each of the pictures were explained, exept this one. We now have no clue what to do if we find this, although I'm pretty sure that mommy instinct isn't going to allow me to think that this is normal. I'm not sure if ignorance is so blissful in this possible situation.
  
• I didn't know that a baby was a newborn for only 28 days, and then he morphs into an infant. Kind of like at eight weeks your once embryo transforms into a fetus, when most of his little organs begin to function. I think we may throw a party for the 28 day milestone.
  

I've been reading that starting next week (32 weeks), we may start experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, or practice contractions. WWOOOOAAAAHHHH! I'm not sure how excited I am about fake contractions, should be interesting. Oh, on Sunday we are doing something rather exciting to celebrate hitting the eight month mark and to celebrate this pregnancy in general. I can't wait to share what it is!

I have a growing fascination with my belly button.   Do you notice that my belly is casting it's own shadow?

 Updated belly growth.  Click to enlarge, if you'd like.

Newest Addition

So if there is anything that I am not...it is musically capable of anything.  Dave, on the other hand, would be the polar opposite.  Any instrument he touches seems to make beautiful noise in just a matter of seconds.  Most of the time I appreciate his infinite amount of talent, other times I am green with envy.

Dave has been wanting a piano for a little while, and we really had a space that would work for one.  When I first found out that he was serious about wanting one all I could hear was the noise of a toddler banging on the keys.  Then this past weekend while we were at my cousins' house in Huntsville, I heard Dave play along with the guitar while my cousins, Peyton and Isabella, played the piano.  Ahh.....I wouldn't call that noise at all.  So now the plan is to have Griffin classically trained on the piano before he's potty trained.  Maybe, although I'm not counting on it, I could learn to play Chopsticks or Mary Had a Little Lamb during Griffin's training sessions.

We found the piano on Craigslist and it was pretty much exactly what we were wanting.  Very simple lines and dark color, and has the smell of a nursing home.  ;)  It needs a bit of cleaning up, but it has years and years of potential here in the Jeffers' abode.  

Lunch

Lunch, day three.  

What was I thinking eating ramen noodles everyday for lunch?  This lunch has less than ten carbs and is full of fiber and protein.  However, as good as it was it has caused a large problem.   I just ate so much it now hurts to type and I do not have any room left in my chest cavity to expand my lungs to breathe properly. 

Week 30

This week is treating me much better than last week. The non-worrier in me wasn't used to all this worrying that the news of having gestational diabetes brought. I spent too much time feeling guilty that I had caused this to myself. I was really convinced that it was because of all the ramen noodles that I've been eating or because I haven't been exercising regularly since it got really really hot. However, yesterday I had my 30 week visit with Dr. B and he assured me that I had it all wrong. He told me that GD wasn't as preventable as I had thought. Since it's hormonal, it was bound to happen if it was going to. One of my biggest fears since finding out about GD was having a 14 pound baby. If you are unaware, GD can lead to macrosomia, or "fat baby." This happens because the sugar in your blood just hangs around since the insulin isn't working correctly to break it into energy, consequently turning into fat. Dr. B explained that the only way this would happen was if I ate Snickers for lunch every day and had no control over my diet at all. During the ultrasound he said that little Griffin is still the little baby that he's supposed to be. So this shows that my diet hasn't been out of control so far. He also told me that my case for GD was rare. During my three hour test, my fasting and one hour sugar levels were low but two and three hour were high. This means that my cells aren't immediately sucking all the sugar in, it's my insulin that's not kicking in and doing its job. I was assured that this would be easily controlled by my diet. Now I am a part of the population that considers sugar the enemy, now and probably the rest of my life.

I was surprised the other night when I woke up from my sleep feeling like my nose was running. Before going to bed that night I did feel a bit stuffy so I wasn't too worried. But it wouldn't stop and it felt like it was running down my face (TMI, right?), I tried to keep wiping it away and go back to my sleeping but something said to get up. I couldn't see much of anything so I told Dave to wake up to turn on the lamp. Dave was sleeping pretty hard and just made some noises at me, so I said a little more emphatically, "Dave, I think I'm bleeding. Turn on the light, please." This apparently got his attention as he rolled over and turned the lamp on then left the bedroom. My hand was covered in blood and I even found blood on Jack, who was sleeping at my head. I was too sleepy to worry much and it stopped pretty soon after finding it, so I decided it was no big deal and just related to my stuffiness from earlier. When I mentioned this to Dr. B he explained that nose bleeds are common in pregnant women and the reasons why. What I didn't realize until right then is how much I startled Dave in the night. Next time I'll know to specify that it's my nose that's bleeding when I wake him up.

I was asked if I was going to do a video with my weekly belly pictures to show the succession of its growth.  My plan is to do so, but in the meantime I made this college as a preview.
 

 click picture to enlarge

Also I wanted to share this video, which made me smile last week. Hopefully it will bring a little smile to your day too.