[Scully]

Hello all! Happy August 1st! Isn't it wonderful to be starting the new month?
I am now 32 weeks and still loving it! Although, I must say that I am getting a little tired of the heat! To overcome this latest heat wave - I took the boys to the pool today and swam. It was heavenly! We stayed for about 2 and a half hours and went home. Today was quite wonderful, as my 10 year old jumped into the 12 foot pool, off of the diving board. Okay, now that may not seem like a big deal to some people, but it was a huge thing for him! He can be a bit fearful, and this summer has really given him the opportunity to explore new and wonderful things about himself. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your child accomplish things that are particularly difficult for them. I am a proud beaming Mama!

Other than that, I go to the doctor on Tuesday for my 2 week check up. Looking forward to the new appointment, and seeing any new developments in the baby. I have felt a foot or maybe elbow lately running across my body. It is a really cool feeling. I am holding on to these things so much as it will be my last time.
I can see how it is getting more difficult to be as comfortable, and in the end I'm sure that I will be ready. I was thinking about the possibility that I will be late from my due date by 1-2 weeks and how that will be a challenge. With 8 weeks to go, at this point - it should be interesting to see how much larger this belly gets!

How is everyone else doing?

BTW, I finally got the energy to exercise the day before yesterday to the Kathy Smilth Pregnancy Aerbics video. It was great, and I certainly felt it the next day. Until there is not a heat advisory in effect, I will not take a chance exercising. I get so hot! NO, I mean, I AM so hot! I will just have to count going to the pool as something, right?

Pregnant and Staying Fit? Well, I am trying, but it's not as easy as it was when I had my Spring baby!

Let's hear from everyone else now!!!

Geneve! What's going on?! You are most likely first to go!

Blessings and Bellyrubs,
Scully and Bellybean

[SaraB]

Hello friends!

Scully -- I know exactly what you mean about the pool! I take the kids 1-2 times a week and it feels SO good -- so lightweight like I almost am not pregnant. It's a wonderful break from lugging this weight around! I am so impressed that you are still exercising in any form. Except for the pool, I haven't done a thing. It's been too darn hot.

I am getting anxious....5 weeks to go for me and I'm feeling like that's a l-o-n-g time right now!

Sara

[Jen]

Morning all. I can so relate to those suffering through this horrible heat and humidity. It was up over 84 in the house last night with 2 fans going. I slept horribly, kept waking up drenched in sweat. I just sat around yesterday trying to keep cool with lots of fluids. They keep saying it will rain and there will be a cold front coming in but no sign of it yet.

Sara - I have major heartburn all the time also. I swear I never knew what heartburn was before I got pregnant. I don't know about you but 5 weeks is going to seem like forever! 2 weeks early seems about right to me.

Scully - I would live in the bathtub if I could right now let alone the pool. They would have to kick me out at the end of the day!

BTW I am done work now even though I was supposed to work this weekend. I worked Monday and it was just too much for me so I called in sick on Tuesday and then saw the dr on Wed and she agreed with me that it was time to go off. My blood pressure was up a bit since 2 weeks ago and my feet are permanently swollen now. She wants me to go for another ultrasound because in 2 weeks my weight has only gone up 1 lbs but my belly measurement is up 2 inches so she is wondering about the amniotic fluid and also because of all my abdominal blubber she can't really tell which way the baby is lying. This will be my 3rd ultrasound. I didn't mind the other 2 but I am a bit concerned though I know it is supposed to be safe. has anyone heard anything differently?

well try and stay cool everyone. Take care.

[Scully]

Hi Sara!
Long time no see! I'm glad that you are back! I really have missed seeing your posts.

WOW! 5 weeks for you and Jen both! That is amazing! I know it sounds contradictory to say that it seems both so close and yet so far! Only those of us that have actually been there can possibly understand what those last days are like.

Hey Jen! When I was pregnant with my other 2, I had several ultrasounds with them both. I think I had 4 with #2, and with this one, I've had 3 so far. I believe that ultrasound is safe, and nothing for you to worry about. It'll be great for you to see your little one at this point! In a way, I'm hoping for an ultrasound to see how he is doing, but not at our hospital. They don't let you look at the screen! Can you believe that!?!

I feel like I am gaining weight at a steady 1 pound per week! I had really hoped to keep it at about a half pound per week, but it hasn't turned out that way. I suppose that not exercising regularly has been one reason. It's so odd, because when I weigh myself on my scale at home, I have not gained as much as I do at the doctors. It doesn't make sense to me other than the fact that I weigh at home 1st thing in the morning with my panties and bra on...and after I use the potty but, it can't make that much of a difference in weight, do you think?

I've been pretty good so far with not swelling (although my wedding band is quite snug right now) I'll have to slam some nice cool ice water. I really do drink a fair amount of water because I am always so thirsty in this heat! Yesterday, I had 2 iced coffees (sugar and milk) and 2 Dr. Peppers...empty calories are wasteful, but I wanted them.

Anyway, good to hear from you both! I hear my stomach beckoning me to feed it breakfast before long!

Have a great weekend ladies!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scully and Bellybean

[Alex's Mom]

Hi Everyone, I hit 15 wks on Friday so I feel like I'm cruising along here. Everything (knock on wood) is going wonderfully normal. To date, I've gained about 3.5 lbs. I'm shooting for 25-30 lb gain as I'm in a normal weight range. I've really been able to pick up my exercise routine again which I'm so happy about. I do get tired more quickly than I use to, but I do whatever I can. I only exercise at home right now as the heat outside is just dreadful!!!

I delivered my daughter 6 wks early so I can't relate to the last month of so woes that everyone is going through. I do have lots to sympathy for you thought!!!

Scully, I had at least 8 u/s with my daughter. Its a perfectly safe procedure so try not to worry.

I figured at have to breakdown and get some maternity clothes soon as my selection of clothes that fit are very limited. Most of the bottoms I saved from my DD pregnancy won't fit. They are TOO big. I had gained so much weight with her. I've tried them on and they are HUGE everywhere especially in the legs.

Well just wanted to check in. Take care everyone.

Ann

DD 2/97
EDD 1/31/02

[Jen]

Thanks for the reassurance about the ultrasound. I've heard different things from different people so you never know what the truth is. I figured though that if my dr didn't think it was necessary she wouldn't recommend it. She is not one to do a lot of unnecessary tests either.

Scully - I can't believe they don't show you the screen. The last tech had the screen turned so we could see it and had a running commentary the whole time about what we were looking at. My dr's scale is off 10 lbs from what mine is so I take mine as being right (as it is 10lbs less of course) but also I have weighed myself at work and the scale there agrees with mine at home.

Have a nice weekend everyone. Stay cool.

[SaraB]

Hi Jen, my due date partner! Very soon here we will both pass the "one month to go" milestone. Can't wait! After that when people say, "When are you due?" we can just say, "a few more weeks!" Oh, I can't wait! Wouldn't it be awesome if we both went a couple weeks early?! Since both my others were right on time, I'm not counting on it, but it sure would be great.

Don't give any thought to the extra u/s -- just enjoy! I know friends who have had complications had u/s every week. So you have nothing to be concerned about.

Thankfully I haven't had any swelling either, although my rings are a little tight. I count this as a huge blessing since it's so hot here. My main woe is that my hips and pelvic area are SO sore with all kinds of pulls and twitches. And turning over in bed at night? Almost impossible!

Keep cool, everyone!

Sara

[Scully]

Hi Girls
Happy Monday! It is brutally hot again in Chicago today. Looks like an inside day again for me. I am doing daycare this month, so I have 2 extra kids to care for - thankfully they are both pretty darned good and not rambunctuous. I wish we could go to the pool today, but the kids are 10, 7, 6, and 3. I think it's too much for me to care for by myself. So they are watching Tarzan and we'll do some crafts later on.

Well, I go to the doc tomorrow for my 33rd week appointment! It's so strange to be able to say that I will be having my baby in just 7 weeks. Of course, my DH's layoff gave us an unexpected thing to throw in the mix, and we had to cancel the painters. (and we will be doing it ourselves) The problem of course is the heat, and I am the one who usually paints the rooms. DH is ready to do it, but in reality, it is going to be a big project. Maybe we'll get on that next week...who knows? The good thing about babies is that they only really need the bare necessities. Clothes, food, and shelter. Bellybean is going to be in a bassinete for a while anyway, and in our room, since I will be nursing. I had hoped to have things in order, and help my nesting instinct to be somewhat satisfied, but it looks like I am going to have to let things fall where they may.

My FIL took our crib, so he could refinish some of the scratches that occured during the last 2 boys, and moving, etc. It is so sweet of him.

My only dilemma is that the bedding that I want is rather pricy and it is a special order that takes 4-8 weeks to deliver. I wouldn't have hesitated when Dh was working to go ahead and order it. But, I feel so awkward wanting something a little extravagent. The colors we picked for the nursery are linen white and hunter green. The border has a mix of color in it, but basically it is hunter green. I don't want to go out and buy something that doesn't match the theme of the border. (Like a Disney theme, etc) It'll look really silly. A friend of mine offered her bedding, which is white eyelet. And in reality, that will match. But in my heart, I just wanted to make this room special, since 1 I never had a nursery for my other 2, and 2 this is my last child. It is such a boring dilemma. In the end, everything always has a way of working out. And after hearing our homily at church yesterday, I can't help but think about how unnecessary these kinds of thoughts are--Okay, I am human, and I know that I am really blessed beyond my imagination.

sigh...

Anyway, I am really happy, and have a sense of peace about these kinds of things, but I definitely struggle with the "desires" versus "needs" -- material kinds of issues.

There is so much more to life then that, isn't there?

Today on another board, a woman suffered from a miscarriage at 8 weeks. She was doing IVF, and had already had 1 other miscarriage. Obviously, her pain and grief are far worse than that of my silly dilemma. You know? It's really sad.

So, all I ask for today is for my continued good health, for the health of my husband and children, and the one growing inside me. Grateful to have such love in my life...
I pray for my DH to have a sense of peace and find a job where they will value and appreciate him. He worked so hard and gave up so much and they basically tossed him away as if his work there for the past 2 years was meaningless...you have to understand that he gave up having a life, and we suffered from his long hours (7:30 am - 11/12 midnight) for a year and a half. He thought that by working so hard, that he would have job security--and it was only an illusion...and I believe also a learning experience for the future. (If only the timing weren't so bad!) LOL
Either way, we have travelled down more dificult roads before, and this is only a new journey.

My wish for all of you reading this today is that you all have an abundance of love in your lives, good health, and peace of mind. Life is a gift.

Okay, I'll stop philosophizing now!

Blessings to everyone--lurkers and posters alike!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scully and Bellybean

[SaraB]

Hello, pg friends! Thought I would give you an update on me... I've been having some light bleeding off and on for the past two weeks. I had called in last week and the on-call nurse said not to worry about it unless it gets heavier, is accompanied by contractions, etc. Well finally today with it going on for so long, I called again and the doctor wanted to see me. Sure enough, she is pretty sure it is my bloody show because I am dilated to 1 cm! (Hooray -- one down, only 9 to go! haha). This was good news because with the other two I didn't dilate at all until I was in full labor. The doctor said she thought I would delivery early. That would be GREAT because I am so ready! I am trying not to get my hopes up though...just my luck I will go to my due date or over, so I'm trying not to count on anything.

Sara
EDD 9/08