32 weeks, 4 days - Dr. Appointment

So, a lot has happened in the past couple of weeks since I posted last.  Uncle Andrew got married, Matt and I had our babymoon, we had a surprise baby shower, and I had another dr. appointment.  There are pictures that should be associated with most of the items (which, let's face it, are the reason you all stop by this site) so I'm going to just go ahead and get the shortest one out of the way first.  The rest of the events will be posted through out the week, so stand by for those updates.

I went in for a quickie dr. appointment with Dr. Elliot this morning.  As usual, he was wonderful.  The word perfect wasn't bandied about as it was last time, but he did tell me that I'm gorgeous and to keep up everything I'm doing.  Except my diet.  :(  He asked about my sugar levels and I told him that I saw the endocrinologist, took the 3-hour glucose test, and passed it.  He said that, while I don't have diabetes, my sugars are still higher than normal so I'm giving the baby more than normal sugar levels which can cause it troubles down the road (mostly a large sized baby and trouble stabilizing the sugar levels after its born).  So, he told me to cut carbs and follow a diabetes diet.  Meh.  So, while I don't have gestational diabetes, I have to act like I do.  Except that I don't need to prick my finger and test my blood throughout the day.  <sigh> While it's for sure good news that I don't have it, I'm still grumpy about having to watch my diet.  When he told me to cut my carbs, I told him that I don't eat many since I have Celiac's Disease but that I do eat a lot of fruit and he said that I shouldn't be eating more than one serving of fruit per day.  One per day!  Egads, man!  I eat like 10!  So... that's going to have to change.  Maybe that will be enough to get my levels down to normal.  And, I have to say, it's pretty awesome that I didn't find this out until AFTER babymoon; that way we didn't have to worry about it on vacation.  :)  Good timing, Dr. Elliot.

Other than that, things were good.  I gained three lbs since my last visit, which was three weeks ago, so I'm right on track with weight.  Blood pressure 110 over 70, so I think that's good.  He didn't tell me the heart rate, but it sounded good and strong.  The funnest news, though, came when I asked him how they can tell if I do have a larger than average baby or not.  He told me that they're going to do another sonogram at the appointment after next!  Hooray!!  I'm so excited!  I don't know if we'll get pics from it or not, but I'm so excited to see Baby again and to maybe catch a glimpse of his/her head/face and to find out how big he/she is trending!  He did say that once they're over 8 lbs, it's hard to determine how big they really are.  He said they're pretty good at telling if it's 6 lbs 9 oz or 7 lbs 5 oz, but once it gets to be over 8, they aren't very good at estimating.  I don't yet know when that appointment will be, but the next one is on July 3rd at 3:15.  I'm hoping that the sonogram appt. will be just a week later because then we can schedule it early Monday morning and Matt can come!  Maybe.  I don't really know when we go from every two weeks to every week.  Hooray for sonograms!

31 weeks, 0 days - 3-hour Glucose Test & Results

7:40 am - Oh, the best laid schemes of mice and men.  I had such high expectations and hopes for how this morning would turn out and they were all dashed in a single act of lazy stupidity.  Oh Amanda, will you ever win?  In a whirlwind of cleaning and straightening, I stuffed my lab paperwork into a bag to get it out of the way before my mom came.  I then took that bag to work.  Where I left it.  As you may or may not know, I do not live particularly close to work, nor is the lab where I am scheduled to have my test particularly close to work.  In fact, it’s super inconvenient because the best road to get from work to the lab is HOV only (in the direction I need to go) from 6:30 am to 9:30 am M-F.  Ugh.  Sooo… I drove to work at 5:50 this morning.  Traffic was delightfully light.  I ran into the building, grabbed the paperwork, and hopped back on the road to come to the lab… and realized that I didn’t actually know how to get there without using the HOV-only road.  Thank goodness Matt is so dear; he woke up to talk to me on the way and pulled up Googlemaps in order to guide me.  I arrived here around 7:15 and was pleased to see that the lab was pretty empty.  I wanted to arrive at 6:30 when they opened so that I could be first in line and then be able to be back to work early enough to work a full day.  I remembered from taking Daddy to the lab that being there first thing in the morning was frequently important because they take people on a first come, first serve basis.  Soo… here I am.

I registered with the triage person and then a phlebotomist drew my “starvation” blood level.  It just meant that I wasn’t allowed to eat since after dinner last night, so since I’m here so early in the morning, it wasn’t very difficult.  He tested my blood and, as long as the sugar level was below 140 during starvation mode, they were to give me a sugary drink after which they’d check my blood levels every hour for three hours.  So the clock didn’t start until I was given the drink.  He didn’t tell me what the level was but he came out shortly with a bottle of red glucose drink and asked me to drink it within 10 minutes.  I have to say, THIS drink lived up to the hype.  Oh my goodness.  It was FOUL.  But in a sweet way.  It didn’t taste like fish oil or anything, just really disgustingly sweet.  Not nearly as delicious as the 1-hour glucose drink.  And now I wait.  Blood draws at 8:27, 9:27 and 10:27.

7:51 am – that juice made my tummy hurt.  

9:20 am – I haven’t been drinking water because my tummy huts but I need to drink because being stuck four different times in 3 hours kind of hurts if they can’t find a good vein because you're dehydrated.

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I stopped recording after that because I got SO very sick.  Like the sickest I've ever been in my entire life.  It was awful.  I ended up stopping at CVS on my way home and begging the pharmacist for help and then getting nearly hysterical when she couldn't help me.   I spent about 25 minutes there because I was too sick to drive and I thought I was going to faint then throw up while I was passed out and then choke on my vomit die.  Did I mention that I got a little hysterical? 

I came to work this morning and apologized to my boss for not getting back online once I got home but that I was far too sick to do so.  He told me that he'd heard that test makes you so sick that it takes everything you can do not to throw up, so he didn't expect me back.  Wtf?  Really?  If my BOSS knew that, why the heck didn't someone think to mention it to ME?  Arrgh.  Whatever.  It's over now and I'm fine.  Just a gross day yesterday.

The good news is that the doctor called around 4:00 pm to tell me that my test results were normal and I do not have gestational diabetes.  Hooray!  So all in all, it was worth it.  Though I'm glad I don't have to go through it again.

30 weeks, 5 days - Stranger Comments & Breast Feeding Class

I've said for a long time that I was kind of waiting for strangers to recognize that I'm pregnant and that would be a sign that I'm really, officially showing.  Not the kind of showing that people who know you really well can tell, but the kind that just anyone can tell.  It happened yesterday.  And it was funny and cute and surprising.  The postings from my "birth club" on BabyCenter made it sound like it was going to be horrible and that I'd be plagued with thoughtlessly rude comments, but my first experience with a stranger's comment was an absolute delight.  I was taking a walk yesterday during my lunch break and I walked past a construction site.  I know construction workers have a stigma associated with them and the stereotype is that they're crude and whistle or cat call at women, but these guys are always nice and smile at us and say hello.  Well yesterday, I was walking by and was on the phone with Matt when I passed a big guy who gave me this giant toothy grin as I passed and said, "Hey!  Congratulations!"  At first I wasn't sure what he was congratulating me on, but after a few seconds it was clear.  And he really seemed genuinely happy and happy for me.  Like he was so delighted that I was bringing another child into the world that he couldn't contain it.  You know that kind of smile where you can tell someone is genuinely happy?  When their smiles go up into their eyes and they sort of twinkle at you?  Like his smile just bubbled up and burst out of him.  I realize that I associated a whole lot of emotion and internal commentary to a single smile and two words, but it was just a really nice human moment.

Also, yesterday I went to a breast feeding class at the hospital where I'm going to deliver.  It was wonderful.  I was shocked by how many people were in the class (I'd say 35-50 plus their partners), too.  I wasn't sure about taking the class but I'd heard so many stories about women having trouble nursing that I figured I might as well just take the class to see what I could see.  Turns out, it was a very good move.  The class was fantastic.  The instructor was fantastic.  I learned a lot and had an overall really great experience.  I wish Matt had been able to come, but Sheri came with me and took copious notes so I wasn't alone.  It really made me look forward to our birthing class and for my infant care skills class which will both be in July.  It was also really fun to look at all the pregnant women of all different shapes and sizes and ages and ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds.  I mean, it was in Arlington, so there weren't THAT much ethnic or socioeconomic diversity, but it really was pretty cool to see so many different bellies and belly sizes.  Sheri and I kept pointing out people and wondering how far along they were.  It would be kind of fun to know which bellies were almost ready and which still had a while to cook.  Just kind of interesting to see how different bodies develop.

30 weeks, 1 day - Glucose Update

Met with the endocrinologist today (diabetes doctor).  She was fantastic.  My blood sugar was actually too low this time, so that was kind of annoying.  The doctor asked me why my OB sent me to her instead of sending me to get the 3-hour glucose test to confirm whether or not I have gestational diabetes.  I told her that because of my family history and because we did the screen later than it's generally done, my OB preferred to send me straight to the endocrinologist to have her make decisions as opposed to waiting longer.  She explained to me that since my sugar was low today, I clearly don't have out of control, untreated g. diabetes so that's good and that most women who do have it are able to control it with diet.  That's the same thing my OB said, but I told the endo doc (Dr. Go) that I was really frustrated with everything I read because I've been so careful about my diet already.  She was just wonderful and listened and explained things to me so thoroughly.  She walked me through everything that would happen if I do in fact have it and gave me a glucometer with which to test my sugar.  She then explained my options to me: basically, I can either take the 3 hour test or just skip it and start monitoring my sugar.  I told her that I'd prefer to know for sure and she said that she agreed with me and that's what her recommendation would have been but that she preferred for me to make the decision.

Here's how it goes from here: I have the 3 hour test on Wednesday am.  The results should be available to Dr. Go as early as Thursday at which point she'll call me and tell me what's up.  If I do have it, she'll call in a prescription to my pharmacy for testing strips and I'll start monitoring my sugar four times a day and will set up an appointment to meet with her again and go over my sugar levels with her once I get back from the babymoon.  I'll make an appointment with a nutritionist also and discuss what sort of changes need to be made in my diet to keep my sugar levels normal.  If I don't have it, then no worries, the screen gave a false positive, and all is well with the world.  Until I take the test, I should continue on with my regular diet and exercise regimen.

So, while I don't really know anything more than I did yesterday, I feel a lot better because the Dr. Go spent so much time with me listening and explaining things.  She was really fantastic.  How lucky I am to have so many great doctors around!

Oh, and she also said, "Wow, you do NOT look 30 weeks pregnant.  That's amazing."  After I told her that people frequently say that, she said, "Oh, well it's a good thing.  You know that, right?  You know that it's a compliment and that you should take it as such."  I told her that since I'm gaining weight as I should and as far as the OB is concerned, everything is growing the way it should, I'm not worried but that it was nice to get extra medical reassurance.  Like I said, she was really, really nice.

30 weeks, 0 days - Belly pic & Glucose Update

Please disregard the silly shorts I'm wearing in this photo and focus on the mighty fine bump I'm sporting directly above them.  Lookin pretty pregnant these days, no?  And, just for fun, since we're 3/4 of the way there, here's a recap:

That's 6 weeks, 20 weeks, and 30 weeks.  I have a 10 week photo but it's a closer shot so it doesn't actually fit into the collage. And really, it doesn't look any different than 6 weeks so this works.  Anyway, HOLY MOSES!  Look how huge I am!  I mean, I feel huge but when I see the pics side-by-side like this, it really makes me recognize HOW huge I've gotten.  30 weeks.  I can't believe it's been this long!!  I wonder how long we'll go.  My mom said that her babies were all at least two weeks late.  My friend Megan went about 2 weeks before her due date.  Oh my goodness, I just can't believe it's coming so soon!
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Well, I got the results of my glucose test; I failed.  :(  It doesn't necessarily mean anything yet, other than I have to take a more sensitive test.  I'm not sure if I'm going to do that or not, as my doctor referred me directly to an endocrinologist.  Generally, if you fail the first test, they give you another one during which they check your levels more frequently.  Since she referred me straight to a diabetes doctor, they might have a different procedure.  Who knows?  Anyway, my appointment is tomorrow at 1:20.

I'm very sad.  I'm trying to keep reminding myself that it doesn't mean anything yet, but it makes me very sad, still.  I feel like I've tried so hard to be so good and watch my diet so closely, but all I can focus on is all of the other things I COULD have been doing or should have been doing.   I'm just so very sad.

29 weeks, 5 days - Dr. Appointment & More Gender Nonsense

Well, I had another glucose test today.  And, I'm again embarrassed to report that I really like that juice they give you.  You know, the one EVERYONE hates.  Ha!  Oh jeez.  I'm so disgusting.  Hopefully, nothing got messed up this time.  The doctor told me to call her tomorrow to go over the results, but she expects all to be just fine.

As for everything else, the word 'perfect' was again bandied about.  :)  Dr. Lashgari isn't quite as free with her compliments as Dr. Elliot is, though, so it was just about the size of my belly this time.  She was very cute; I pulled up my shirt to bare my belly and she exclaimed, "oh, look at that cute little belly!  You've popped!"  It was cute.  I just love that practice.  Anyway, my blood pressure is fine, weight is great, and as I said earlier, she measured my belly with a tape measure and reported that it's just perfect.  Baby's heart rate is 131.  Next appointment is on June 18th.  We're supposed to have them every two weeks from here on out, but we'll be on our Babymoon in two weeks, so we scheduled three weeks out.

So, now that I've visited the doctor again, it's time to revisit our gender predictions.  The old wives say that heart rates above 140 signal a girl.  Looks like we've stabilized around 130, so that suggests a boy.  They also say that if you carry the baby all in your belly, out front, that it's a boy.  I seem to be gaining weight pretty evenly around my belly, hips, and thighs, so that suggests a girl.  Still craving salty and sweet about the same, so that doesn't help.  I think I'm carrying kind of low -- which would suggest a girl -- but I don't have anything to compare it to really, so I don't know if that one counts or not.  The only new thing we really have is that Matt and I were at his cousin Jaime's wedding this weekend and his family was giving their take: Aunt Kathy, Aunt Cindy and Cousin Michelle all said girl.  Soo... pretty much, we're no further along in the gender prediction boat.  It's looking like the guessing is finally evening out, though.  I think at this point, we've got Gramma Rehbein, Aunt Stevie, Aunt Amy, Aunt Holly, Bossman Mike, Neighbor Allison, Co-worker Lynn, Friend Drew, and Mama (me) who say boy, while we've got Great-Aunt Kathy, Great-Aunt Cindy, Cousin Michelle, Dear Friend Sheri, and Dad (Matt) who say girl.  Now that I've listed them all out, I guess we're not quite even yet; still have a few more boys than girls.  What a fun game!! :)

28 weeks, 6 days - A Note from Dad

Really starting to get real

The fact that the little one poking out of Amanda’s belly every few seconds will soon be introducing her/himself to the world has started to become very real.  I feel a bit guilty saying that; it has been real up until now, but when I realized how soon Baby will actually be here, that feeling kicked up several notches.  I might be more in the neighborhood of where Amanda has been for a while now, getting kicked and prodded every which way at all hours.

I don’t know what has changed, but this weekend, I was telling Aunt Amy and Uncle Dave how, since the pregnancy, I’ve become a lot more aware of the historical value of the time we’re currently in and how much I think about the need to capture or document it for our impending posterity (on that note again, Amanda’s well ahead of me with her blogs).  Specifically I was saying how I want to make sure we get a picture of me, Amanda, and baby standing by the car before we make the trek to Georgia, as this’ll be a nice picture with a good story behind it.  Halfway through this point, just how soon that moment would be here washed over me, along with a few healthy flashes of panic.  When that moment does come, there’s going to be a baby around—and not just for nice moments but all the time.  That rather stopped me in my tracks.

This was a good thing to realize.  Besides the fact that I need to be going forward with bug eyes wide open, the panic and fear left almost immediately, replaced by happier realizations such as the time will also soon be here when Amanda and I are living under the same roof again.

And as if to make sure I didn’t get too panicked or begin to take my moment of clarity too seriously, Aunt Amy and Uncle Dave laughed at me for quite a while when I told them how I had to stop talking about when the baby comes because it’s freaking me out.  Almost like they were really enjoying seeing me in that state, kind of like they knew all about it.  Jerks.