Browse Category: life

Mom’s here!

IMG_7532We picked up my mom from the airport yesterday and although it’s been less than 24 hours, it’s made such a difference!  KK has another person to keep her company and I got to take a shower at a random time this morning!!  The best part so far was that I got to take a nap today.  I was exhausted after walking to and from the hospital for antenatal testing and I fell asleep while surfing on my phone.  It wasn’t my usual fake half-nap with KK calling my name every 2 minutes while I doze in and out with my eyes closed on the couch.  This was an uninterupted-full-fledged-over-an-hour nap.  When I woke up, they weren’t home but the stroller was still home.

IMG_7548Ten minutes later, they walked through the door and KK happily said, “good morning!” and had a shopping bag hanging across her chest.  They had gone for a walk to Safeway!

IMG_7550After lunch, I gave my mom a turn to nap and KK ended up falling asleep too!  Maybe I wasn’t tiring her out enough!  Regardless, I feel more rested and KK has been a little less stubborn and needy today.  I also managed to score a few deals online during the Amazon Prime Day Sale today and my mom is making some of my favorite things to eat for dinner right now.  Aaaaah…  Thanks, Mommy for all your help so far!

I’m at 37.5 weeks now and walking is getting a little less comfortable each day.  Luckily, once I get going, I feel fine and can go quite a distance still.  Last weekend, we even walked to Pier 27 to watch the symphony and that’s about 2 miles from home each way.  My doctor says I’ve gained about 10 pounds this pregnancy, which is surprising because I feel HUGE.  Maybe it will help me lose all the baby weight and then some once Peanut arrives.

Discomfort

IMG_7149I had more discomfort today than usual.  I can’t tell if they’re contractions or if Peanut is making himself more room by doing some major squirming around.  All I know is that the walk to dinner tonight was not as easy as it usually is and I can see why women take long walks to induce labor.  I was hoping NOT to do that tonight but it certainly gave me a moment of panic when I starting to think about the possibility of going into labor this evening at dinner.  I hadn’t even bought his bed or washed any of his clothes yet!  Anyway, the walk home from dinner was not as bad and I’m feeling better now for some reason.  Maybe I was just dehydrated today.  IMG_7309Anyway, this photo was taken this evening by my lovely daughter.  She didn’t quite get Jes in the frame but she did get the baby bump (almost at 37 weeks), which is hard to see in this photo for some reason.

36 weeks

IMG_7161I’m at 36 weeks and now I’m at the point where I have a doctor’s appointment every Monday and a non-stress test every Wednesday.  On Monday, the doctor did a quick ultrasound to check Peanut’s position and he’s head down now.  I had a feeling because he feels much lower now.

IMG_7162On Wednesday, I went in for the non-stress test, which involves having a fetal heart monitor and a second monitor on my belly to check for contractions.  I laid there for 20 minutes and listened to his heart beat.  This is a picture of my two kids (one in the belly and the other in the stroller playing with her iPad).  The nurse also did a quick ultrasound to check for the amount of fluid left in the sac and everything checked out just right.  She also confirmed that he’s head down, facing inward, with his spine along my left side and feet on my upper right side.

IMG_7134We also received a few more gifts.  The first was a sweater that was knitted by a nurse practitioner that I work with in the ICU.

IMG_7136I got a second sweater from the dietician that I work with regularly on the medical floor.  She knits while she’s riding BART to and from work.  I also received the hat in my mailbox at work but I have no idea who it’s from!  It came in a little bag but there was no name or card attached to it.

IMG_7156We also received these items from Vyl and Bang.  That hedgehog and book are so cute!

Maternity Leave

IMG_0010I’m now 36 weeks pregnant and completed my first week of maternity leave.  It’s definitely different this time around since I have my sidekick KK with me at all times.  IMG_6865It’s not nearly as restful or productive but it’s nice to be home and to have some quality time with my little girl.

IMG_6840Each day, we have a morning activity that usually involves leaving the house.  We’ve done some shopping, going to the zoo, and visiting with friends.  Then we come home by lunch time and KK usually falls asleep on our way home.  Unfortunately for me, as soon as we enter the house, she wakes up and says, “I don’t want to sleep”.  *sigh* Luckily, I haven’t had to resort to TV or videos as much as I had anticipated.

IMG_6768The afternoon is usually spent at home and I’ve been able to get laundry done, tidy up the house, and make dinner.  I also took care of my disability application this week.  Luckily, KK likes to help with some of the chores so that’s nice.

IMG_6747We’ve also been working on some things to prepare her for preschool.  It’s like a taste of homeschooling and I’m not sure I’m a fan.  I usually try to carve out some time for coloring, cutting, or learning something new.

IMG_6822She’s been pretty cooperative so far and the stuff we do has been interesting/novel enough for her to stay engaged.  Preschool doesn’t start until beginning of August so we’ll see how the rest of the month goes.

As for Peanut, he’s been moving A LOT and the contractions keep coming.  Some of them stop me in my tracks and make me a little short of breath.  It definitely helps to not be at work when these occur because I can sit down, rest, and then move on with my day.  He has definitely dropped lower and I’ve had to wake up every two hours to pee at night.  I suppose this is just training for me.

Last Day of Work

IMG_6551I’ll be 35 weeks tomorrow and today was my last day of work before maternity leave starts.  In the morning, everyone threw me a baby breakfast in our usual awesome potluck style.  They also pooled their money together and gave me a $200 gift card for Amazon.  So sweet!IMG_6550It was also Teresa’s birthday today so it was nice to have something else to celebrate too.

I worked a full day and it was not too busy but not too slow either.  I managed to get all my paperwork done and tidied up my desk all in time to leave by 4:30 (the usual quitting time).

IMG_6552I took this picture with Teresa (picture above) because it was I took a similar one with her the first time I left for maternity leave in 2012 (picture below).

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I’ll miss everyone but so relieved that I don’t have to endure another work day of climbing stairs, lifting patients, and scurrying around the floors of the hospital working while trying to find time to rest, drink plenty of fluids, and pee.  I didn’t actually feel relieved until after I picked KK up from school (also her last day) and was driving home across the bridge one last official time for the year.  All other trips across the Bay Bridge this year will be for fun. 🙂  Hooray for Maternity Leave!!  I’ll be off through the end of the year – it’s surreal to think I won’t have to work for the next 6 months but it’ll probably fly by once Peanut arrives.

Here are some gifts that I received today:
IMG_6562This came in the mail from Cousin Ishya.  So thoughtful!IMG_6563I found a small gift in my mailbox at work and it contained this inside.  Unfortunately, it was not labeled so I don’t know who it’s from!

IMG_6564I received this book from Lisa, a co-worker.IMG_6565And this book came from Shelley, another co-worker of mine.

Tomorrow will start my 5-week waiting period for Peanut’s arrival.  I have lots of stuff to take care of before he arrives and hopefully he will cook all the way.  Hopefully, I’ll get some rest while spending some quality time with my first-born.  It’s hard to believe that we’ll be a family of 4 in just a few weeks.

34 weeks

rt_laboranddelivery_1On Thursday evening, we went on a tour of the new UCSF Mission Bay Hospital.  It just opened in February of this year and it would be where I will be delivering Peanut.  I got this picture from their website since the room we were in was stuffed with at least 12 couples that night.  It’s the Labor and Delivery Room.  Not too shabby!  The hospital is also a mile away from home.  That’ll be perfect for when KK wants to come visit with my mom.

IMG_6408This is me on Friday with one of my co-workers, MaryAnn, who is due 10 days before me.  She is also having a boy and had her last day of maternity leave and mine is coming up pretty soon.

So far, I’ve been feeling ok but the demands of work are really taking a toll on my body lately.  I’ve forced myself to take the elevator instead of the stairs and try to take it easy when I can but sometimes I just can’t. I emailed my nurse practitioner for some advice and because I’ve been having so many Braxton-Hicks contractions throughout the day, she recommended that I end work a week early.  That means my last day may be this coming Friday.  Yikes!