Things are starting to come down to the wire now - especially in regards to how the diabetes will be managed through labor and all those surrounding details. Lots of stuff to think about and figure out - wear my insulin pump or insulin drip,the major decrease in insulin needs immediately after deliver, c-section or inducement...my list goes on.
Something interesting happened yesterday at our non-stress test (NST). Well, first of all....you were being a lazy baby again. I find it so humorous that you are a mover and a shaker all other times of the day and when I plop into that reclining char and strap the monitors to my belly at the doctor's office, you get lazy. Anyway, you eventually flopped around for them so I could get the "okay" to go. In fact, I think you were showing off a bit in the end....like, you were in there being lazy, listening to the nurse and I talk about it...and then she leaves the room and you go, okay, fine, you want movement? How about this roll, and this kick, and I'll flop around like this? Does that work? Or, it could be the full glass of ice cold water I drank to wake you up. =)
Anyway, so you passed, but your Mommy's uterus didn't. Since it also monitors contractions, they ask me every time if I feel the contractions I'm having. I do sometimes, but there were a few that were getting bigger than I've had before....so they put me in an exam room and had the doctor come in to check my cervix just to make sure nothing too much was happening in that arena since that is what contractions are designed to do - soften the cervix and get it ready to get you out of there! One of my favorite docs came in and checked me out and said I was dilated to a 1. Which, was actually good news. Now, if she said 5, I'd probably be in the hospital right now, but they want to see some change in the cervix at this point, so she was happy that I had some change going on in there. And that was that. She sent me on my way. And I was kind of happy she checked - it's nice to know my body is getting ready for your arrival!
Here's your update:
At about 20 inches and 5.5 - 6.5 pounds (but with about five more weeks to grow), most of your growth over the next month or so before we meet you will be in weight (with a gain of anywhere from one pound to several), not height (you have pretty much reached the in utero limit in that department). Accordingly, fat continues to accumulate at a rapid pace these days. Back in the middle of this pregnancy, your weight was made up of only two percent fat; but at this point, that percentage has soared to closer to 15 percent (and will increase to 30 percent at term). Which means your once skinny arms and legs are now quite plump…and irresistibly, squeezably soft.
Your Mommy has a few more minor issues these days. My feet, of course, are swollen...and I think that is contributing to my heel (especially the left one) hurting. It's the the bottom of my heel is swollen as well, so it hurts to walk on it in the morning (before I've gotten out of bed and stretched it out) and then at night after I've walked on it all day. Also, just today, I've experienced this whole breathlessness thing that others have talked about for several weeks. I have a stuffy nose too...so that adds to the breathing issue I'm sure. My lungs are just getting squished by your little tootsies I think! You really like to push up on my rib/lung area and it's like you grew another inch in length this week and so it just cramps everything up near my ribs. And to top it all off...I'm just getting more and more tired. Not just sleepy tired, but physically tired - especially by the end of the day. My body is worn out. Which is another reason why it'd be great if pregnancy was an eight-month process instead of nine. =)
My blood sugars have been really good - almost scary good actually. Makes me wonder if my placenta is functioning correctly. I have talked to my wonder woman CDE, Val, about this...and she doesn't think there is anything wrong - she still sees slight trends up with my insulin needs - but at the same time, she told me to pay attention to this. This is a concern, especially with diabetics, as our placentas may "wear out" a little sooner than most, for some reason. So, if I do see my blood sugar dropping a lot, I need to call the doctor and make sure they know. Worst case scenario is they would take you a little earlier than 39 weeks (okay by me!). I also talked to her about how you are a bigger baby at this point - with the abdomen being a little bigger too. She couldn't believe that since I had such "tight control" through all of this. That was nice to hear. Just reiterated my thought that I have done so much on my end to care for you, so what's there to feel bad about if you are a little chubby.
Oh...and I hit a milestone about a week ago. Your Daddy and I decided it was better safe than sorry to remove my wedding rings. I got a good sturdy necklace, so they are now on a chain around my neck instead. I was a little stubborn, not wanting to do this....but this is truly better than having to get them cut off in case there is too much swelling!
A big deal happened this past weekend! Your Sister (Kyndall) celebrate her 16th birthday! It was early (her birthday and your birthday will be really close!), but we combined halloween with her celebration and had a bunch of her friends over for a costume party. We just wanted to make sure she had something memorable for her 16th birthday since you would be arriving very close to it. Your Daddy and I went all out with decorations and food. In fact, if I have to be honest, I think I overdid it a bit. My feet were really swollen and hurting after a couple days of prep for this event...but, in the end, it was all worth it. She had so much fun - and so did her friends. Megan got to have a few friends come too - and you will learn soon - she LOVES holidays (we are already singing Christmas music around here). We don't usually decorate too much for halloween, but this year we did because of the party - so she was in heaven. We had several games for the high schoolers to play - like bobbing for apples. They all loved it actually (we weren't really sure how they would go over!). The kids hung out mostly in the backyard, and even had a little fire going too.
And, on top of all of that, your Aunt Mac and Uncle James (okay, they may be your 5th cousin, three times removed or something) came for the day and night (James coaches football and had a game in Glendale). They didn't get to dress up or come to the party since they had the game to go to...but we had several hours to catch up with them before the party and then after the party too. They spent the night and left the next morning for the three hour trip back to southeast AZ. So great to see them - can't wait for you to meet them! Here are some pictures from the night. Your Sisters were "Sleeping Beauty" and "Lady Gaga". You even made the pictures. Your Daddy and Mommy dressed up as rednecks...and got a lot of looks from the high school kids over here for the party. =)
Kyndall and her friends Brooke and Charlotte
Megan and her good friend Tristin (Mad Hatter)
A look at our backyard - we had a fog machine and strobe lights!
Yep - there you are! How redneck are we?
A couple of the funnier outfits the kids had on
Megan's friends
Kyndall - literally dove in to bob for apples and came up on the first try with the apple in her mouth!
Your redneck Daddy and your Sis - birthday cake time!
We did several jello molds of skeleton faces to put in the middle of the food plates - turned out pretty cool
This was the "donut on a string game". The kids had to try to get a bite out of the swinging donut.
Your Sis, again, going for it!
Kids around the fire
End of the night - Kyndall opening gifts (and Megan organizing them on the side!)
And to close out this week - the countdown is still on! Four weeks to go - so here are the top FOUR ways that I can get the swelling in my feet to go down!
3. Lay down - and if I can - on my left side (and play Bejeweled - hopefully I have kicked this habit by the time you are around!)
2. Go for a good brisk 30-45 minute walk - works like a champ!
1. Your Daddy giving me a nice foot massage!!!!!
I guess that's it for this week - I have an OB appointment (along with another NST, Fluid Check, etc.) on Thursday. If anything big happens, I'll let you know! In the meantime, keep moving around in there, I love feeling you and knowing that you are healthy! Love you baby girl - we can't wait to meet you!
