Baby Belly @ 27 Weeks & Updates

So the foot swelling is not actually that bad. It hit me for 2 days then only popped up again once about a week later. Most of the time my feet are normal. Score another one on the "Awesome-est Pregnancy Ever" side.

I've gained about 10 or 11 lbs since the beginning of the pregnancy. And I still feel fine aside from a little lower back pain which is totally bearable.

I can't wait to post pictures of Bean's room. We've done so much to it but since it isn't quite ready I'll have to wait on the before and after photos. =)

The results of my initial glucose test revealed that my levels are just high enough to warrant further testing. Yay. I get to drink another dose of nasty orange sugar water and have blood drawn every hour for 3 hours. My doctor is very optimistic that this test will show everything is fine. I really appreciate him being so positive.

John and I really love my doctor. He answers every question soooo thoroughly, giving us best and worst case scenarios but careful to be extremely positive. He shares our views of C-sections, epidurals & induction. He says we should surround ourselves with people who share our positive outlook. Granted, I don't have any other OBY doctor to compare this one with, but if we leave ANY doctor's office feeling as encouraged as we did today...that doc gets a gold star!

Things I would change about being pregnant

1) All maternity pants would come with suspenders. I'm so tired of, while walking up and down the stairs at work, having to stop at each landing to hike my preggy pants back up from my knees!

2) My office furniture. My work chair would be a plush high-back recliner and my desk would lower down over me at the touch of a button...kind of like the safety bars at an amusement park ride. That way I could still reach my keyboard/mouse/phone/supplies while elevating these tree stump feet.

3) I would remove the element of "work" from "being at work". I've never been more tired or less motivated at my job than I have been for the last 6 months. How cool would it be if all I had to do was recline in my leather lazy boy, hedged in by my space age desk and nap or read, disturbed only by the persistent bladder call, all while getting paid? Oh wait, that's called WELFARE! But don't get me started on that. Sorry...thought I was on my other blog for a minute there.

4) Sushi would be on the "safe to eat" list for pregnant women. California rolls are for sissies, but this sissy has to eat up and just deal with it because she can't have anything more exciting than faux crab & avocado.

Late Breaking Story - Cankle Update!!!

Upon closer examination, I have to revise my previous statement about my ankles NOT looking like pillows stuffed into shoes. Oh my word you'd think I had a salt-lick sandwich for breakfast! I took my foot out of my shoe and I just can't even express how puffy my ankle and foot is up to where the shoe starts. Someone stole my sweet feet and replaced them with two loaves of challah bread!

Oh....My.....Goodness

My friend Lisa seems to think this is what our Bean will be like. Her assessment is probably correct. Lord, please have mercy!

Long Overdue Updates

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Been busy, as you can imagine. Wow, are we already through half of May??? Cripes.

Bean Update:
Bean is growing stronger each day. She lets me know it, too, with her 'good morning' kicks and her 'get me some food NOW' kicks and her 'wow I LOVE that music' kicks. She's also knows her daddy's voice! Whenever John comes home from work or in the morning when he speaks to my belly, we both feel her kick in response to his words. Yesterday John was speaking to her and had his face really close to my stomach and Bean got so excited that she kicked him in the chin!

Yesterday I decided that I am going to start putting my headphones on my belly while I work to give Bean some music exposure. I've read that 30 minutes a day at a medium volume is best. I started her out with Passion Band's "Hymns - Ancient & Modern" and she started jumping around when the music started. I had the fleeting thought "Oh crap, is it too loud?? Am I ruining her tiny developing ear drums???? My God I'm a MONSTER!" But when I put the headphones on, the music was just loud enough to hear it myself. Bean's ears are fine. She was just getting her praise on.

Me Update:
I still feel good, for the most part. My lower back is starting to hurt and I don't walk as fast as I used to. I feel like I shuffle a lot. No waddling yet, but I think that is on the horizon. Starting to get more winded as I walk up the stairs to my 2nd floor office every morning. However, my ankles remain at the same level of puffiness that I wrote about last month. They don't resemble pillows being stuffed into my shoes yet and I'm fine with that. My belly has grown 2 inches since a couple of weeks ago and I've gained 7 lbs since my March 20th doctor visit. It's all belly, boobs & apparently ankles. I haven't had any horomonal crying spells, I haven't stabbed anyone, I haven't had any cravings and I haven't started scrubbing tile grout with a toothbrush (yet!) I did, however, have a WONDERFUL Mother's Day. More on that in the following section.

John Update:
He is still the sweetest thing ever. When I came home from church on Sunday I was surprised at the door with a totally unexpected card and some gifts from Bean. I have to tell ya, she has fantastic penmenship at this tender age. Her handwriting is strangely identical to her daddy's. And she picked out the best "I love Mommy" onsie and bibs. She's a humble child and did admit in the card that daddy had to help her a little bit. =)

John has been working his tucus off...both at work and around the house. God love him, I don't know where he scavanges the engergy from. But we still laugh and have a great time together. All is good.

House Update:
We have Bean's room painted in some delicious colors, the wood flooring is down, and the crisp white baseboards are installed. We've started building the closet organizer and putting stuff away. The rest of the house still looks like my craft room threw up all over, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It won't be long before we can bring the crib home and start setting up for sweet Bean's arrival.