Baggage.

It never occurred to me just how difficult it could be to pack a diaper bag. I've been a bundle of nerves, scouring the Internet and trying to find THE definitive list of diaper bag essentials. Luckily, most lists I've found contain many of the same items, so my tensions have been eased a bit in that regard.

But then there's the hospital bag for Mommy. What goes in it? Everyone has a different opinion: You definitely need your Boppy. No, leave the Boppy at home. I would have died without my night gown. Don't bring a gown--it'll just get ruined. Bring tons of diapers and wipes! No, the hospital will provide you with diapers and wipes.

You see where I'm going?

I bought some new soft and sporty slippers, two nursing camisoles, one pair of comfy yoga-ish pants, a light robe, and some cheap and spacious underwear last night. I know I'll pack those. But will they fit in six weeks? Let's hope so. I also bought some travel toiletries at the store today, as well as some mega-ultra-extreme maxi pads and lanolin.

And then I need to include items for Joey: his toiletries, money for snacks, some clean clothes, a pillow and some sheets for the fold-out sofa bed, the fancy camera...

I guess Mommy will be bringing her rolling carry-on luggage bag to the hospital.

Week 33: Thursday, August 26, 2010

Weight: 150 pounds

Symptoms: insomnia, acid/heartburn, back and hip pain, edema (ankles and calves), extreme exhaustion, frequent urination

Mood: exhausted, motivated

Watching: Breaking Bad, season 3

Listening to: 80s on 8 (channel 8 on XM Radio)

Despite not having had a good night's sleep in weeks, a wave of motivation hit me today. As I was sitting at my desk, trying to concentrate on my work, I felt Torin making some major changes in his position. He was on the go pretty much all afternoon. Now that I feel his hiccups in my upper abdomen rather than in my crotch, I am guessing that he has flipped from a head-down position to a breech position. That's okay, though--we still have several weeks during which he could flip back to the "correct" position. But today, I felt...weird. I began having strange lower-back pains, and I became increasingly irritable. I'm not sure whether it's my body or my imagination trying to tell me something.

Regardless of Torin's current position, I decided that I need to forget the fact that I am so astoundingly tired and forge ahead with preparations for his arrival. So, when I got home from work today, I started my first loads of baby laundry: playard mattress covers, my Boppy cover, changing pad covers, burp cloths, and a couple of swaddling blankets. Next, I'll wash some of his little clothes and socks and begin organizing his dresser. Better late than never, right?

With each passing day, I long a little bit more for my son to finally be in my arms. In a few short weeks, I'll finally get my wish.

Another Sunday Funday--without the alcohol.

So we took the car seat, stroller, and adapter to the store, and yep--we were doing it correctly. It just seems strange that the car seat is secured to the stroller by only a strap. Hmmm. Okay...

I just finished writing my thank-you notes for the gifts we received at the baby shower. I feel sort of bad because general etiquette states that you should sent out the thank-yous no more than two weeks after the event. Well, it will be two weeks and two days before I get the notes in the mail. I hope no one is thinking I'm ungrateful because he or she hasn't received a note from me yet. I am far from ungrateful! In fact, every time I'm in Torin's nursery, I am overcome with gratitude for all that's in there, most of which was given to us by very kind, thoughtful friends and family members.

Joey is grilling hamburgers this evening, and we're going to kick it in front of the television. A new episode of True Blood airs tonight, and we have Breaking Bad episodes to catch up on. This mommy-to-be can't wait to vegetate.

...And the baby contraption confusion begins.

We picked up Torin's stroller the other day, the Baby Jogger City Select:

We also bought his first car seat, the Chicco Keyfit 30, which he'll probably be able to use until he's at least 12 months old:

Now, with the appropriate adapter, the car seat is supposed to attach to the frame of the stroller. We bought the adapter, and Joey has read the (rather vague) instructions dozens of times. He cannot figure out how to secure the car seat into the stroller. He's a smart guy, so I'm blaming this one on the adapter manufacturer.

Looks like we get to take both contraptions and the adapter back to the store this weekend to see if someone can school us or get us the right part(s), if necessary.

(The whole time I was writing this post, Torin had the hiccups. I wish I were able to help him, but at the same time, it's just so darn adorable.)

Week 32: Thursday, August 19, 2010

Weight: 147 pounds

Symptoms: extreme fatigue, exhaustion, edema (ankles and calves), acid reflux/heartburn, back and rib pain, insomnia

Mood: nervous, disappointed

Watching: Breaking Bad, season 2

Reading: My World by Margaret Wise Brown

The road trip to South Texas went well--better than I had expected. I managed the long hours in the car just fine. Every now and then I would nod off for a few minutes--which is new for me, considering how I've never been able to sleep in a moving car before--and then I would be refreshed. I got out of the car and stretched periodically, and I kept my right foot elevated on the dashboard to alleviate the swelling (my left foot is still in the "robo-boot").

While we were in the Victoria area, we got to pay long-overdue visits to friends and family members. And, importantly, I finally got to go to T-N-T and eat a real breakfast taco again:

You see, Dallas, this is what a breakfast taco should look like. Suck it.

Trips away from home make me realize how much I dislike Dallas, hence my disappointed mood. Other places have much more to offer, it seems, in terms of scenery, entertainment, dining, hospitality, and overall quality of life. I hope that Torin gets to experience life outside of this miserable sinkhole in North Texas.

I'm also disappointed in myself. Even though we've made progress on Torin's nursery, we still have a long way to go. There are still so many must-have items that I need to buy, such as sheets for the playard bassinet Torin will initially be sleeping in, bottles, diapers, burp cloths, and sundry other items. I am so...unorganized and scattered and unprepared. If Torin were to arrive today, we'd be screwed.

I guess the previous paragraph also explains my nervous mood as well.

For now, I'll continue to choke down water, so as to stay hydrated in the incessant triple-digit heat, and hope that this supposed "nesting instinct" kicks in sometime soon.

Southbound.

This evening, we're about to embark on our last road trip before our life with Torin begins. We're headed down to South Texas, specifically, the Victoria area. We're going to see some friends and Joey's family, and we're going to enjoy being away from the city one last time for a good while. I'm not particularly looking forward to the facing the humidity, but I am eager to see palm trees and eat real breakfast tacos, among other things.

I'm curious to see how I hold up during this road trip. With my aching back and my swollen feet and calves, I hope I am able to withstand being in the car for a few hours.

My doctor advised me that I cannot travel past week 32, so here we are, at the last minute, packing our stuff in the car. I hope Torin doesn't inherit our procrastination!

Week 31: Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Weight: 144 pounds

Symptoms: extreme fatigue, insomnia, frequent urination, acid reflux/heartburn, back and rib pain, edema (face, ankles, and calves)

Mood: exhausted, grateful, shocked

Watching: Breaking Bad, season 1

I'm so shocked because it seem like it was just last week that I had a super-bionic nose, extreme food aversions, and a mostly flat (but bloated) abdomen. Well, here we are seven months later. I've witnessed my body going through so many fascinating changes, and I've felt the first stirrings of a motherly instinct kick in during this time.

I'm exhausted because of that insomnia I was just talking about in my last post. I honestly don't think I've ever been this tired in my entire life. I am having a hard time coping! At work, I have to get up and walk around the entire office about once an hour just to keep myself somewhat alert.

Oddly, one food aversion has come back: chicken. I don't know why, but it's strange. And yucky feeling.

I'm grateful because, first, I've made it this far. If Torin were born today, he would most likely survive. Second, after my amazing baby shower and the well-wishes from friends and family members, I'm on cloud nine. It's like a dream when I walk in to Torin's room and look at the crib, the clothes laid out on the dresser, the swing, and the toys. I truly cannot believe this is happening!

Now, I wonder when the reality will finally set in...

Yawn.

I just woke up from a nap. I've been doing this a lot lately, this taking a nap when I get home from work. Because I get so little quality sleep at night, I end up spending most of my day concentrating on keeping my eyelids open. Even when I take Benadryl at bedtime to help me sleep, its effect lasts only for four hours, and then I am wide awake. I toss and turn because I can't get comfortable, I get up to pee almost every hour, and I cough and choke because of the acid reflux that has been plaguing me for the past couple of weeks.

I was taking Pepcid for my acid problems, and it had been working fine until last night. I was so restless that Joey ended up sleeping on the couch. I guess I'll try Prilosec tonight.

Of course, Torin likes to stay busy. He's definitely a mover and shaker, especially at night. He often kicks so hard that I am jolted from my sleep. That's okay, I still love him anyway.

Oh, happy day!

I am extremely exhausted by now, but I just wanted to write a quick post about how awesome my shower was today. Jennifer, Stacy, Sarah H., and Sarah C. did such a fabulous job with this event--so much so that I felt my wine basket thank-you gifts were inadequate. These ladies really went above and beyond to make today special, and they definitely succeeded.

It was great to see family and friends I hadn't seen in a long time. My face hurts from smiling so much. Oh, and of course Torin got loads and loads of goodies--we barely had enough room in our Explorer for all of them! I was (and am) overwhelmed and humbled by everyone's generosity.

Later, Joey and I met up with family again, this time at Dick's Last Resort. My aunt married the guy who owns the place, so we all got hooked up with a free meal and tons of laughs.

I hope to post pictures sometime soon. In the meantime, I think I need to kick up my swollen feet and relax in front of the TV. The perfect ending to the perfect day.

On today's agenda: a baby shower!

I am so excited! I feel like a kid just before Christmas morning. I can't wait to see family and friends whom I haven't seen in a long time; some of them are even traveling to town just for this event.

Not one who likes to be the center of attention, I hope I can handle being in the spotlight today. I'm normally a wallflower, a sit-back-and-observe kind of gal. I will do my best not to say or do anything awkward, as I am the queen of social faux pas, it seems.

I am sure Jennifer, Sarah C., Sarah H., and Stacy did a fabulous job planning this shower. They're all so creative--I envy them! I bought each of them a wine basket to show my appreciation for their generosity and hard work.

The guys will all be there today, including Joey and Andrew. I wanted to make sure that they will be around because I've friends with them all for so long, and I didn't want this event to be exclusively for women. Plus, I'll need Joey's help loading the gifts into the car!

Here's to a joyous day of cake and hugs and smiles and laughs!

Photo: Week 30

The insomnia is talking its toll on me, can't you tell? Really, though, I am happier than expression on my face.

Week 30: Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Weight: 145 pounds

Symptoms: fatigue, insomnia, heartburn/acid reflux, back pain (mostly upper right ribs), edema in the face and ankles, shortness of breath

Mood: excited

I had a routine OB visit yesterday. The baby's heartbeat sounds very good, and my measurements are right on schedule. I got a second Rhogam injection (because of my negative blood type). That was about it. Uneventful, which is a good thing these days.

I've had to start taking Pepcid AC before bedtime for the past few days because of the horrible acid problems that have set in. The acid bubbling in my throat wakes me from my sleep--and grosses me out. Luckily, the medicine has taken care of that issue. What a horrid, uncomfortable feeling that is. I've never had heartburn or acid problems in my entire life, so these sensations are new to me. I hope they're only temporary.

Another new development is my having to get out of bed every 2 hours or so to go pee. Between this and the acid issue, I'm lucky to get any sleep at all lately, which means my days are spent with me concentrating on keeping my eyelids open.

But I'm still loving being a mommy-to-be, every moment of it.

A not-so-august August.

We're continuing to make progress in our preparations for Torin's arrival. We finally paid off and picked up his furniture this weekend. Also, we put his stroller on layaway. I hope he loves his Baby Jogger City Select:


We chose this stroller because of its high quality and safety ratings and also because we can add another full seat to it later, should Torin be lucky enough to have a sibling.

Now that it's August, the unforgiving Texas summer heat is at its most powerful. It has drained me of my energy. I have been overtaken by sluggishness and malaise. Not good when I still have so much to do in Torin's nursery!