Belly cast!

A few things:

-Thank you Jenna and Kevin for getting us the belly casting kit forever ago. Totally awesome. I've been looking forward to using it so much!

-I have the most amazing/artistic belly caster in the world. Special thanks to my sweet hubby.

-If you are ever pregnant and want to do this, DON'T HESITATE. It was beyond easy, quick, and the end result is so awesome!!

Okay, so we decided to go ahead and do the cast last night (considering I'm 38 and 1/2 weeks along!). The Proud Body kit came with everything... clear protective plastic, lubrication for your skin so the dry cast will come off, gloves, and 4 rolls of casting strips (we only needed to use 3). You simply cut the gauze into strips for what sizes you will need, and once everything is ready to go, just dip them one at a time into warm water and place onto the skin! It ends up being about 3-4 layers of casting strips, and it dries super fast. Just have to hold STILL (and BREATHE.. thank you yoga for letting me practice being in uncomfortable situations and tuning in to myself. Holding still and trying to not pass out was definitely the hardest part, lol). Once all the material has been applied, wait about 10 minutes and then gently remove the hardened cast. It's like magic.

We decided to only cast the belly. Some people do the entire chest/belly thing, but for us I just didn't see how that was practical. I would never hang that in our home, so it would just collect dust and break in storage. Instead, I LOVE the idea of a Belly Bowl!! You can take super adorable pictures of your newborn in the bowl and then use it as a home decoration afterwards. I like that better. You can decorate it easily - - simply sand it, trim the edges with scissors to give it the shape you want, paint it, gloss it, add ribbons or jewels, etc. We will paint and gloss it, and keep it neutral.

38 weeks!

Yesterday put us at 38 weeks officially. That is SO hard to believe! Other than this sore throat/congestion junk that is lingering, I feel pretty darn good! Our sweet baby is moving a lot, and I'm starting to feel some focused pressure nice and low.

We are so excited.

I want to say that we are "ready" to just get her here already, but honestly there are a few more things that I would love to get done before she makes her grand entrance. Let's just say that I would feel better if some organization happens in the next 24 hours. We haven't done anything to ease her out yet, besides me taking one primrose oil pill and drinking raspberry leaf tea daily. If I knock some things off my list here soon, I may just feel ready enough to start the acupressure points and other goodies. We will see.

We met with Anna again yesterday. Went well, and everything is still looking great! I loved having her explain all the newborn care that she will do until 28 days after the birth. Makes me happy to know that Norah will be here soon and will be looked after well! Also, I went ahead and did the GBS swab test (the ONLY test I've done since first trimester blood work... Pregnancy is not a disease!) because the % of women who carry it is high. Although this doesn't mean that Norah will catch it, and it would only be an issue if I had a fever during the birth (would be put on simple antibiotics), I went ahead and just did it. I'm more curious to see if I'm part of the % or not.

Only issue I've ran into recently is edema in my hands, only at night. My rings are officially off now, which I'm bummed about, but I'm staying crazy hydrated and doing ice water soaks whenever I notice them start to swell. Hopefully that was a one time thing and it won't happen tonight!

Here we are this week!

SORE THROAT!!

Noooooo!

I am almost out of this pregnancy thing (which I have loved) but what a crappy time to feel this miserable. You never realize how awesome it is to swallow until it becomes your least favorite thing to do, ever. Ouch! (**Okay, reading back over this I sound like a total whimp. But I'm not. I've had both Strep throat and Uvulitis - so bad that the uvula was crazy inflamed and gagging me! Yeah. It's just weird that this is happening to me... I hardly ever get ill anymore.)

So I felt the throat start getting sore yesterday morning, thinking that it was from post nasal drip, sleeping on the couch, etc. Although it really may be caused from something like that, it is much much icky-er in the wee hours of this morning. Seriously, it woke me up (and I could tell that the first swallow was going to feel like sandpaper, so I refused to let my body try it until I had my hot lemon/lime honey water in hand).

Since medication really isn't an option because of de baby, and it's never my first option, here is what I have tried so far.

Yesterday: wasn't hurting too bad, so I had 2 cups of hot raspberry leaf tea, gargled hot salt water before bed.

Today: um, hello sore throat... And it's only 5am! So far, I have slowly sipped my way through a large cup of honey + lime water. Would have used lemon juice, but we honestly don't have any right now. Dumb. This helped TREMENDOUSLY though. While I was sipping on this, I was all over the Internet, looking at what people recommended during pregnancy. Below is what I am open to trying today to help get rid of this thing and/or keep it from getting any worse.

GARGLING (hot water):
more salt water
cayenne and honey water
boiled (and strained) basil leaves in water
apple cider vinegar water - really popular

DRINKING (hot water):
lemon and honey water
ginger, cinnamon and lemon water
turmeric powder and honey in warm milk

My "go to" magical throat healer for a LONG time has been Throat Coat tea. I love and swear by that stuff - it would fix anything from laryngitis, to a simple dry throat, to a painful one, and I used to drink it before almost every audition and performance. Unfortunately, it has an ingredient that is not baby friendly... So now I'm stuck with other natural remedies. If I'm missing something big that'll help me out, TELL ME. I'd appreciate it!

Belly cuddles

The black blob on the left is Shasta.
The grey blob in the middle is me (well, Norah).
The crazy white animal on the right jumped directly on top of the belly while I was laying on my side. This was during my morning cuddle time with Shasta. Bailey, thanks for doing this (several times!) and letting me take pics of it... Gave me a good laugh. Glad I happened to be using my phone at the moment.

This is time #1:

Waiting

Norah,

I bought Evening Primrose Oil at Sprouts just now, which means only one thing... Your eviction notice is coming soon! Your Dad and I will start trying to ease you outta here (naturally, of course) starting Tuesday. As "popular" as Castor Oil is for naturally helping to induce labor, I will never ever ever take it. I've heard it makes mama super sick and turns labor into a disaster. No thank you! We have a LONG list of other ways to get things started. (Think spicy foods, "hugs, not drugs", tea, etc. More on this later.)

We're just so excited for you to be here!!

Love, Mom

P.S. Thanks for trying to kick a hole in my side all day today. I think you're making progress. ;)

37 week photo

Because I'm a little slow on getting it up here.

Shopping list

Yes, we have a home birth shopping list that I'd like to tackle today. No, I'm not crazy.

• 70+ cm exercise ball
• bendy straws
• 3 shower curtain liners
• cheap set of sheets
• brown towels (better for pictures!)
• depends 
• liquid witch-hazel
• absorbent pads
• thermometer for tub
• viva paper towels (prefold liners)

Maternity Pics Part 1

Michael Creed, a good church friend of ours who is great with the camera, offered to take some Maternity shots for us - we love them!

It is exciting to have these pictures, and John and I are looking forward to my Dad taking pics of the both of us soon (hopefully).

Here is a video slideshow (with music) of some of our favorites so far:

[It should be viewable on a computer.]

37 weeks!!

Woo hoo! We made it to the big 37... Norah is officially to term, which is such a huge relief for me. Our goal of having her at home is such an exciting reality now - she is still cooking in there, but is "allowed" to be born here any day now. :) A great friend took some maternity pictures the other day, we had a lot of fun with it. I will put a post up of my favorites soon.

I now am weighing in at 184.0 pounds. 31 pound gain since the beginning. Also, I have had some newer sensations recently. The most memorable one happened a few days ago, Johnny and I went for a pretty long walk with the dog. It was awesome and made me feel so good! The next day, though, my belly was just so SORE!! Like tender to the touch almost right underneath my ribs (worst on left side). Bizarre. Maybe everything was just stretching out a little bit more?? It's gone now. Also, I feel the very noticeable jabbing-like sensation deep in my pelvis when I first wake up. Not a big deal, but it's definitely there in the mornings. If I try and walk, it's a total joke... But I've found that leaning WAYYYY forward with deeply bent knees as I first stand up and travel to the bathroom makes a ginormous difference. A little bit of moving around (and flowing through some Warriors) seems to magically fix whatever goes on in there.

No stretch marks on da belly. SHE IS GETTING MUCH MUCH BIGGER THOUGH. I feel a lot rounder.

Our super midwife, Sherry, broke her ankle/leg a while back as you know. She is healing good so far, but we are coming up on N's Birthday here SOON! ... Sherry recommended that we meet with Anna Catron, CNM who will attend our birth no matter how Sherry's situation goes that day. I got the privilege of meeting with her here at home today AND I LOVE HER. Totally awesome! I seriously have the best midwives EVER in the history of Midwifery. How have I been so blessed?! We are in such great hands, and I feel totally confident in the decisions we have made so far. Thank you Sherry for taking such great care of me and Norah, and for referring us to yet another remarkable, qualified, experienced midwife that we mesh with.

Anna confirmed my belief that Norah is most definitely head down... if for only THIS reason, maintaining my yoga asanas this far into the pregnancy has paid off. I totally believe that posture and exercise can make all the difference. I still refuse to sit in bucket seats!!

Here is more info on the great ladies we have been working with and their businesses:
Sherry Oldfield, CNM (Certified Nurse-Midwife), IBCLC (Lactation Consultant)
www.thoughtfulwoman.com
Anna Catron, CNM (Certified Nurse-Midwife)
www.annasorganicbirth.com
Melissa Prouty, HypnoBirthing Instructor, Certified Birth Doula, ERYT-200 (Yoga Instructor)
www.turiya-yoga.com


So here's the thing guys.
I cannot wait to meet our daughter! I feel so ready for this while birth thing to go down. I LOVE HYPNOBIRTHING, and Melissa is a fantastic instructor/human being. Our 5th course was yesterday, so we are finished with it!! Ah! Norah could be here anywhere between tonight and 3+ weeks from now, but I'm hoping she decides to show up in our 38th week.

I'm teaching Yoga tonight at 8 (and also teach group classes on Thursdays and Saturdays). It's going great. I can't imagine not teaching. It's such a joy.

As of now, I desperately need my afternoon nap.

36 weeks

Norah will be considered "full term" in one week. We will start trying to naturally coax her outta here once we hit 38 weeks. The time has FLOWN by... And I'm sure you all are getting tired of reading that. Seriously though. WHAT!!!!? Thirty SIX weeks.

I still feel great.

No stretch marks, nausea, linea nigra, or headaches. I weigh in at 183.4 pounds, so 30 pound gain since pre baby. I am having practice tightening (especially in the evening), as well as LOADS of pelvic pressure when I try and roll over or move during the night. I swear it feels like she's about to fall out sometimes. When I sit for a while, I feel T12 (floating rib) on both sides get beat up and have a more difficult time breathing. She still gets the hiccups, although not as frequently as a few weeks ago, and I still feel her move several times throughout the day. That pretty much sums it up!

Just excited for her to be here!

You won't believe how much she's grown in just a week:

One month!!

How in the world is there only 1 month left until her "due date"? Ahh! The time just seems to be going by faster and faster. I went shopping (with Johnny who was such an AMAZING help and shopping partner!) and bought some inexpensive and really cute shirts and a dress that I am wanting some maternity shots in... Hoping to get those this week. We want a compilation of pics from a good friend of ours as well as my Dad. I'm thinking that their different styles will look awesome hanging in our home. :) love having such great photography connections!

Ok y'all.
I need to confess something.

I want pizza. And pasta. And salad. BAD.
I can't wait till the world's greatest husband comes home from work so we can go make a visit to Cici's. I have been really wanting some junk food today. Yuck!!! This is so unlike me. Example: without thinking, I went to grab some Thin Mints out of our freezer, you know- those round chocolatey cookies that the "sweet and harmless" Girl Scouts pressure your poor hubby into buying, yeah those. Well Thin Mints aren't even my favorites, I LOVE Samoas... But I grabbed them, and then was about to open the package when I realized what the heck was happening. I was disgusted... And i couldn't believe I was about to do that to myself (and Norah)! After throwing the nasties back into the freezer, I grabbed some fruit and nut granola to snack on instead. Much better. I am still pleased with my decision.

Cici's is still haunting me, however.
I love their pasta.

Letter to Norah

Dear Norah,

This letter is for you only, although I'm sure that many others will read it on this blog of ours. I started a countdown on my phone a few days ago... It says that there are just 17 days and 5 hours until you are full term, or 38 weeks. Thinking of how close we are to meeting you makes my mind race like crazy!! I know the moment you are born will change your Dad and I's lives forever, it's just hard to imagine how we are going to feel in that moment where our eyes meet for the first time. I am definitely beyond excited to see you and hold you. Having you in my belly will always be the biggest, longest, warmest hug I will ever be able to offer you, which is sort of bitter-sweet for me to think about! I have LOVED being pregnant with you, but I know I will love watching you grow and learn about this crazy world much much more. God has blessed my life so much already by sending you to us. Keep growing in there!

Love,
your Mom

35 weeks

Seriously somebody pinch me.
HOW far along are we?!

In all seriousness, I feel maybe 25 weeks pregnant... Physically, mentally, and just based on how quickly the time has gone by. I can't believe we get to meet our daughter so soon! Beyond excited.

I have been feeling super great, as always. SO blessed in that regard. I weigh in at 182 pounds this week, which puts me at a 29 pound gain since pre-baby . No swelling, heartburn, or other issues that I thought I'd be experiencing by now. I got the teeniest of uncomfortable pressure in my low back yesterday, started in the car and continued while I was shopping... Felt similar to cramps, but it totally vanished at some point during my yoga class (I taught). I have been experiencing some practice surges on a pretty regular basis, just mild tightening and pressure. They don't last long and are very spread apart.

We had our 3rd HypnoBirthing session with Melissa on Monday and I met with Sherry yesterday. Both went great! Sherry is recovering well from her broken leg... She is in a boot and uses a knee scooter to maneuver with. Still no weight bearing for, I think it's at least 7 more weeks. We laughed yesterday about how she's going to crawl/fly up the 2 flights of stairs to our third floor apartment where she can again use her "horsey" scooter, I think she'll just be carried. That makes the most sense to me! Either way it will all work out. She has some great birth assistants and there will be plenty of folks to help with things.

Here we are: