I worked 3 in a row this weekend because it was my regular scheduled weekend. Before I went in to work friday night I went to the scrub store, all of my scrub pants fit everywhere but in the belly. I have been wearing them under my baby bump around my hips and they have started to get really tight because this kid is sitting so low. They dug into me when I sat down and it made work miserable. I was really trying not to buy new scrubs but it was time. I can't be miserable for the last 6 weeks. I asked the girl at the counter to help me find some pairs with comfy waist bands (I was told they don't make maternity scrub pants) and she showed me a whole rack of them with the super soft elastic tummy panel! Not only do they stay up better than wearing my old ones around my hips but they are SOOOOO COMFORTABLE!! It changed my life. Seriously. But while I was trying on the first pair I spotted my first teeny tiny little stretch mark under my belly. Sigh. Buying bigger pants and seeing stretch marks and walking into a 3 night weekend just made me so bummed. I almost cried on the way to work that night. Stupid hormones.
I did fine the first 2 nights and had a good assignment all weekend but sunday night as I sat in one of our recliners to feed a baby a bottle, my scrub pant leg got pulled up and I saw my ankles, which were massive! I really have had very minimal swelling to this point but they were almost overflowing over the edge of my tennis shoes. Gross. I also started to put 2 and 2 together that I had had a splitting headache all night (I thought I was tired and sick of the stimulating noise of the NICU). Then I went to the bathroom and noticed my legs had broken out in what looked like broken blood vessels (petichiae).
my broken blood vessels on my leg and my second hospital bracelet this pregnancy.
I wasn't sure if it was because my legs were so big or not but I went over to Mother/ Baby and had my friends over there take my blood pressure. It was high for me but not concerningly high so I decided I should call my doctor to let her know my new symptoms but didn't want to go home and drive in monday morning traffic for 45 minutes just to have them call me back and tell me to come back into the office to check me out if they needed to. So I just walked over to the Medical office building to talk to my dr.'s nurse about it and show her my legs and have her retake my pressure. She said it was a little high and I had some protein in my urine (not a good sign) so she sent me to triage to have L&D check me out to be sure I wasn't starting to show signs of pre-eclampsia. They were wonderful to me, they met me at the door with my ID band, had me in a gown, with blood drawn and urine sample and the baby hooked up to the monitor within 10 minutes of walking in the door. They never figured out why my legs looked that way but one of the questions they asked was "have you shaved your legs recently? (thinking it was razor burn or irritation from that) and I said "unfortunately for you, I clearly have not shaved in at least a week" They laughed at me. But one thing I learned from that experience is to keep your legs shaved and your toes painted toward the end of your pregnancy, you never know when the kid will come and I was embarassed my red nailpolish on my toes that is horribly chipped was still on FROM CHRISTMAS!! Eek, I normally paint my toes all the dang time so they look pretty but it's winter and I'm pregnant. Needless to say I was embarrassed so I painted them blue for boy the next day just in case. **Ignore my swollen sausage toes and feet, you are supposed to be looking at the blue polish remember**
Anyshways, I was fine with being checked out just to be sure until I had some pretty high blood pressures and they came in with juice and crackers and peanut butter because Henry was being naughty (big shocker I know). Then I started to get worried. But eventually my pressures went back down, my labs came back borderline for pre-eclampsia and they sent me home to do a 24 hour urine catch to make sure. I finally got to go home after being at the hospital for 16 hours and awake for 20. I walked out to my car in the 10 degree weather and it wouldn't start! My battery was dead (no, I didn't leave my lights on, they turn off automatically, my battery was the original one and finally just kicked it in the cold). So of course the natural reaction to being stuck at work, alone, with a naughty baby, a splitting headache and being a cold exhausted pregnant woman was to lose it. I started bawling hysterically. I was just done and all I wanted was my husband and my bed and now I couldn't have either. I called police and safety and just as I did, my phone died (with no way to charge it because my car charger obviously wouldn't turn on). They came and jumped my car about 30 minutes later and I started digging in my bag for my parking ticket to get out of the garage and sliced my finger open on the paper. OUCH! I started crying again and then the parking attendent gave me a hard time for leaving the garage past 10am (employees are only allowed to park there at night). I was crying, and showed her my hospital bracelet and told her I was in L&D bc my baby was being naughty and to just let me out. She tried to charge me $6.00 for not having my ticket validated as a patient. I screamed at her through tears "Just let me go home!!!!" and she opened the gate and looked at me like I was a pyscho. DON'T MESS WITH ME LADY! So as a reward for my troubles my wonderful husband took me to J. Alexander's (our favorite resteraunt) to celebrate the 4 year anniversary of our first date, Valentine's day and maybe our last fancy date night out before the nugget arrives. Just what the doctor ordered.
The next day I had my scheduled BPP to check on Henry and for once my squishy little man did his tricks quickly and passed his test and I felt reassured. My 24 hour urine catch came back normal so I dodged the bullet for now.
I love him already
LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS!!! MOMMA'S BOY!
I worked wednesday and thursday night without trouble, the swelling in my legs has been minimal, thank god! I got a few treats this week from friends. The first is a set of adorable burp cloths and a bib from a friend of mine that has an etsy shop. Check her out at "Isla Rose Boutique" on etsy. The bip is backed with soft minky and is so well made and soft!
I also got a beautiful blanket that my dear friend Kathy had made for us. It's a soft minky fabric with Henry's name on it, the first thing we have with his name! I'm obsessed with it, it matches his room perfectly with the theme and colors. THANK YOU KATHY!
We watched KSU beat KU on tuesday and my last KSU shirt that still "fits" is getting pretty dang snug. I think I can squeeze into it for a few more games but that's about it.
Wednesday we got our maternity pictures taken and this is our sneak peak! I am so excited to see the rest and how they turned out!
And I took this when we got home from the maternithy pics, just feeling inspired.
And my good friend Johanna is incredible with crochet and made me these two hats for the nugget's newborn pictures! I can't wait!
NURSERY UPDATE!!!!!
The best news of the week is that today was PAYDAY!!!! I went to home goods and got some baskets for the man-child's shelf under his hanging clothing to put hats, socks, bibs, etc. (I love organization). AND dont judge me on the amount of clothing, they are sizes newborn through 24 months. Only a handful of things in each size.
I got him a hamper
Some sage green rugs for his by his bathroom sink and tub
And a cute big brown rusty metal airplane to hang with his other two over his corner of his room from fishing line as a set of 3.
We are deciding which of these signs we will ulimately hang in a gallery wall style on his wall (Taylor collect's them so we had a bunch). We will for sure use the left turn only sign and the vintage ford motor sign but still working on the rest.
I'm still searching near and far for cloth containers for his drawers to divide them up for different things so they are organized and everything has a spot. Haven't found any I love yet though :/ Something like this.
Tommorrow my best friend and maid of honor Katie is coming over to hang out with me and maybe help get some things done, then my momma is coming over on sunday to help me deep clean my house again before my last baby shower the following weekend and to finish organizing Henry's nursery. I Can't wait! !!! eek!
And last but not least. A video of the beast trying to break free!
CHALKBOARD TIME!!
How far along? 34 weeks, baby is the size of a butternut squash. I'd say that's a pretty large squash though....
Total weight gain: I gained 2 lbs this week (I think mostly in swelling and fluid retention though). I am now 9 lbs over pre-pregnancy weight.
Maternity clothes? I finally broke down and bought a few pairs of scrub pants.
Sleep: Off and on, just waking up all the freakin time to pee.
Best moment this week: Making sure little man is ok.
Miss Anything? alcohol! I have been craving a margarita or a glass of wine again. And being to go up stairs without panting like I've run a marathon.
Movement: Still movin strong, he is running out of room though, he is head down and his booty is up in my ribs and he turns himself from side to side so he can kick out because he is too long now to kick up anymore. Sometimes it's uncomfortable when he flips around, he is stretching my belly out big time.
Food cravings: Orange juice, avoiding the acid reflux for now thank god. I don't know what I would do without it. It seriously is ridiculous. Donuts and chinese food.
Symptoms: tossing and turning when I sleep, peeing all the time, swelling ankles and feet, feeling huge (is that a symptom?), shortness of breath, low energy. this sharp stabby feeling in my crotch when I get up from laying down (doctor says he is laying low and everything is stretching and getting ready. YIKES! Sore hips, braxton hicks contractions are pretty frequent now when I'm at work.
Belly Button in or out? We will say flat-ish now. I don't think it's going to pop, I had a freakishly deep belly button to start.
Wedding rings on or off? still on but they get a little snug at the end of the day or if I walk with my hands down for a long time.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy but I had a rough couple days this week so I cried alot
Looking forward to: This weekend. Next weekend for my baby shower with all my friends. I just can't wait to see everyone. And hitting the 36 week mark so that he is techinically full term.
