I'm not sure if other preggy peeps have gone through this or not, though I'm sure that I'm not alone.
Over the last few weeks I have been absolutely craving some good ol' reckless F U N! I'm sure I must be driving B up the wall by now with my constant brainstorming of something... anything... I can do that is "normal and exciting." But here's my dilemma - everything I think of is not big bellied pregnant lady friendly... I'll think "oh, let's go hike Mt. Findlayson" .. definitely not good for a preggers! "Oh, let's go kayaking".. but wait, I wont fit in a kayak... "Oh, let's take off and go to some exotic location!!" .. hmm, but we are saving up for baby and I can't fly anymore... "Oh, let's go for a bike ride!" ... but my doctor said biking is out.
Crap!
So what's a preggers like me to do? Never before did I think anyone would be able to drag me to a war type historical site where they were doing re-enactments, but there I was, looking through the paper and getting excited at the prospect of Fort Rodd Hill (which is just down the street from our house) having historical days this past weekend. Pure, unadulterated excitement at the idea of doing something different and potentially fun! So, yesterday, we got all geared up, me packing some snacks (highly recommended to keep cranky pregnant lady in hibernation, and fun pregnant lady out for the day), and off down the road we went to explore what Fort Rodd Hill had to offer.
Honestly? 
There wasn't much excitement to be had in the actually people dressed up in WW1 and WW2 garb, as they were just milling about their tents and chatting. But, it was a fantastic excursion none-the-less. We tromped about the site, enjoying our time together and the sunshine, ate our snacks and just relaxed.
PERFECT!
And my craving for a little excitement was abated for at least a day. At the end of our little excursion, the now exhausted pregnant lady, found herself out on our deck, book in hand and mind satiated, falling asleep in the sunshine... letting my dreams carry me to the tops of mountains and other exotic places.
Somehow, over the last few weeks, my belly and babe seem to be getting the best of me. I'm now at 27 weeks, and am carrying a big ol' basketball in my tummy. Luckily I can giggle about it most days, especially when I turn sideways to squeeze through a space, only to realize, that's no longer a viable option. We were moving around furniture the other day (more like a spectator sport for me, than actually "helping") and B asked me to go into a room, while a piece of furniture was taking up the doorway. I replied "I can't, I wont fit" which threw us both into a series of giggles. *sigh*
I've had a few moments of looking down at my belly or getting a glimpse of myself in a mirror, where the panic sets in and I think "how much bigger can I get?!!?" I posed that question to my mom, who calmly responded "much bigger, and you'll start having trouble with balance soon" *double sigh*. But, the bonus is, I'm nearing the finish line so to speak. Only 38 more days at work, then I can put my feet up and enjoy some R&R prep babe arriving.
Speaking on babe arriving, we've got our c-section date - August 12th. So unless the little munchkin decides to make an early appearance, that's supposed to be when she joins us in the outside world. Frustratingly, when I called my OB's office to confirm the date with them, they advised me that the hospitals are going through some big changes, and that they are closing a number of the operating rooms for the summer. So they couldn't actually book me in for a operating time.... huh? Instead, they've got special permission to allow me to be a "semi-scheduled patient" on one of the days that my OB is on call. I have to wait until the morning of the 12th, when apparently someone from the hospital will call and say "okay, your time for today is... ___" So, I'll not get the luxury of checking in the night before and being relaxed.... hmm... at least it will be a little closer to natural birth!
Speaking of natural birth vs. birth with intervention... another blogger I know recently posted on this subject (http://ow.ly/1Ot9e). I couldn't agree with her more. I've known that I have to have a medically planned c-section for a few months now. It was a shock to my system at first, since I hadn't really thought one way or the other about it at the time. But the reality is, for medical reasons, my doctors highly recommend I go the c-section route. And I'm not shy about telling people that's what I'm going to be doing, because, as far as I see it, I'm making an informed decision that is best for my and my child's well being.
The reactions I get when I mention it are really in 3 camps:
- The "I Hear Ya Sista!" group - This is my favorite camp, as they are the ones that quickly helped me to get over the stigma attached to having a c-section. They regale me with either their personal stories, or of people they know, that had c-sections for various reasons, and feel good about it. They also call to my natural "planning" instinct, quickly pointing out that I get the opportunity to know when munchkin is going to arrive and advise family and friends of that day, know my deadline for getting the nursery ready, etc.
- The "Oh So Sorry" group - This group is well intentioned enough, but go straight to offering pitty and advise on how to cope with having such a horrible thing ahead of me. Honestly folks, I'm okay with my decision, but stop trying to freak me out about how horrible it just might be.
- The "You Really Should Try Natural" group - Luckily I have not yet come across too many people that readily stand proud in this group, but there have been a few. They tend to argue that my doctors are ill advising me and that I should do everything in my power to convince them that natural is the way to go. They seem not to respect the amount of research and questions I've asked, let alone my doctors, and lay on the guilt pretty heavily. Really? As far as I'm concerned, I'm being a good mom by making the decisions I am, and by listening to the experts. Case closed.
Sure, I'm concerned about recovery time and the fact that its surgery, but I'm a tough cookie with lots of great support, so I'll be fine thank you very much.
Yesterday marked my first (pre) Mother's Day. Sort of a moment to stop and think "WOW, life is changing!!"
As I was hanging out with my favorite man of the gorgeous sunny day that Mother's Day turned out to be, I had some time to reflect on pregnancy so far.
The Pros
- Needless to say, aunt flow being on vacation
- Even better... stylish pull up pants... oh how much I'm learning the luxury of no zipper or buttons
- Having a great reason to have a Botticelli body
- Life changing... in a good way
- Bonding moments with my man... like hanging on the couch feeling my little tummy alien squirm and kick
- Shifting priorities
The Cons
- Losing my ankles
- Killer mood swings
- Exhaustion
- And discovering how hard simple movements become (like tying your shoes!)
Wow.. all I can say is welcome to 6 months in utero little one!
I can't believe we're at the 6 month mark already, and so far so good. A few freak outs about slowed down movement, a few days familiarizing myself with cankles, and well... sure, I'll admit, a few major mood swings... and here we are!
Next up? A few doctor's appointments, including our first with our OB to talk about my pending c-section. It amazes me people's reactions when I say that I'm going to be having a c-section. I get everything from "oh, I'm sorry to hear that" to "why would you do that? natural is better" to "really? let me tell you about what happened to me..." Okay folks, here's the deal.. I'm having a c-section because it's what's safest for me and our babe, given (a) I have colitis, and (b) I have a low lying placenta. That's all I needed to hear in order to make the decision.
I've also got my baby shower coming up. Is it possible to have a sophisticated yet fun shower? Already I've heard the threats of having to wear a hat made of bows, and playing all those shower games, and I'm trying not to run and hide. My mantra is becoming "Okay, breathe and accept its out of your control."
I'm also working on my registry lists. So far we're registered at...
www.westcoastkids.ca
www.tjkids.com
I'm sure there are obvious things I'm missing from the lists, but hey... this is all new to us, so unless I read it somewhere, or someone tells us, we don't know.
... "Okay, breathe and accept its out of your control."
So what's a preggers like me to do? Never before did I think anyone would be able to drag me to a war type historical site where they were doing re-enactments, but there I was, looking through the paper and getting excited at the prospect of Fort Rodd Hill (which is just down the street from our house) having historical days this past weekend. Pure, unadulterated excitement at the idea of doing something different and potentially fun! So, yesterday, we got all geared up, me packing some snacks (highly recommended to keep cranky pregnant lady in hibernation, and fun pregnant lady out for the day), and off down the road we went to explore what Fort Rodd Hill had to offer. 
There wasn't much excitement to be had in the actually people dressed up in WW1 and WW2 garb, as they were just milling about their tents and chatting. But, it was a fantastic excursion none-the-less. We tromped about the site, enjoying our time together and the sunshine, ate our snacks and just relaxed.
And my craving for a little excitement was abated for at least a day. At the end of our little excursion, the now exhausted pregnant lady, found herself out on our deck, book in hand and mind satiated, falling asleep in the sunshine... letting my dreams carry me to the tops of mountains and other exotic places.
