Heading South!

29 weeks and counting! I can't believe I am already 7 months pregnant and in my third trimester. When people say cherish every moment of your pregnancy because it's going to pass so fast they weren't lying. It seems like just yesterday I was pacing in front of the mirror crying to everyone I knew that I wasn't showing yet and worrying that something was wrong with my baby because I wasn't as big as other people as far along as me...and wham...now I am the biggest pregnant lady I know...yeah...I should be more careful what I wish for. Rykken is doing good, being as crazy as ever moving around, poking out limbs, jabbing his little feet into my ribs....yes thats right folks...you heard me correctly...I had an appointment on Tuesday and Rykken has turned and is ready to head out south. He is so on top of things...lets hope he doesn't get too ahead of himself...he still needs a good 9-10 weeks to make sure he is healthy and good and ready to meet the world. (although if I could have him here tomorrow I would) I do feel a lot better knowing that Rykken is head down, so when people are poking at my stomach I know that his face and head are safe from damage...believe me...the crazy things you worry about when your pregnant...another worry of mine....moving too suddenly and giving him shaken baby syndrome before he is even born. Yeah I am telling you paranoia sets in pretty thick almost to the point of insanity when you are trying so hard to be a good mom and take care of your little package. The appointments are getting shorter and much sweeter now that I don't have anything else to dread until the last couple of weeks. I got my RH factor shot at this last appointment and it was a piece of cake...I took it like a champ right in the old arm...I must admit...even though it was a larger shot, the stick was not bad...the burn of the juice made me wince a little...but I lived and seriously if I can't handle a little shot in the arm...how does anyone expect me to give birth. Ooh and if I didn't have enough things to worry about when I am in labor and trying to get to the hospital they gave me another card to go along with my big purple epidural card that says that I have had my RhoGam injection that I have to present at the hospital...seriously...I hope I don't forget all my cards when the time comes because it would be a shame to get rejected from the hospital and then have to explain to Rykken how his mom is irresponisble and couldn't follow simple instructions and thats how he ended up being born in the backseat of my super cool neon in the hospital parking lot. Besides that everything is going very smoothly...i'm not really sleeping because Rykken likes to play all night and when I want to change the side i'm sleeping on, its a huge ordeal and I feel like I am moving a mountain and he only weighs almost three pounds....what's going to happen when i am trying to move a 7 pound baby over to the other side. I also am getting tired of smiling and having to hold a conversation with complete strangers that want to stop and ask me "how far along are you." Like the crazy lady outside of Chili's who oohed and aahed at me and my friends...Jamie told me to start telling people that i'm not pregnant and then start crying and that would shut them up. My favorite is the guy working the drive through at taco bell who took me off guard asking how far along I was and then refusing to give me my hot sauce because he didn't think it would be good for the baby, I really thought I was going to jump out of my car and pull the little twerp through the drive through window. Crazy I tell you....

Rykken's Development: In addition, to getting a round of butterfly-like hiccups, your little swimmer has arduously managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of their overall body weight. Yeah, compared to we adults, it’s not a lot, but when they’re little like that—it’s certainly a healthy (and warming) accomplishment in its way. Another fantastic accomplishment: your baby's spleen is now in charge of hematopoiesis—the 10 dollar name for the process involved in building up certain important blood components. Another fantastic-accomplishment: your little monkey has been peeing into their amniotic sac for a little while now (this is why potty training takes a while) and if you didn’t know, actually swallows it along with the rest of the amniotic fluid. Although the concept is nasty, their urine is sterile and as part of the amniotic fluid base, is replaced several times throughout the day. So if you didn’t know before, now you can tell people, that yes, you drank your own urine—you were still in the womb, but nonetheless, you’ve been there.

Child Birth Classes

Child birth classes are no joking matter! I have never been so scared, uncomfortable, or had reoccuring nightmares like I did after attending my first session for our child birth class. Danny and I tried to keep the humor in the situation...by making fun of other couples (not polite...I know) and just making light of the whole "birthing" process, but jeeze...I have never been so horrified in my life! After a long introduction of everyone telling their name, due date, and worst fear of labor and delivery....(most common mentioned was using the restroom on the table...what the crap? No pun intended) we got to the disgustingly good stuff. I never knew how many ways there were for a baby to be positioned for delivery, how first time births usually never last less than twelve hours, and how your poor little baby will definitely look like a little alien with his head all coned and smushed together (but no worries the instuctor comforted us with the fact that they will smack that little cap over his head before anyone see's him and gasps.) My most disturbing moment was when the instructor brought out the fetal heart monitor that screws into the top of your unborn childs head. Let's hope and pray baby Rykken will endure no such thing! Surprisingly enough no one...except one lady who first shared that her baby was transverse(where the baby hasn't dropped head down and is spread out in the uterus from side to side and will probably stay that way) planned on having a natural delivery. The crazy lady...who is very confused...or as Danny says "obviously was not listening" unfortunatly refused to believe that you can't even have a transverse baby vaginally let alone naturally. After everyone announced they planned on using an epidural...I felt better knowing these were my kind of people. After watching a very disturbing video of a natural birth and a c-section and laughing at all the men in the room who gasped in horror...or the sick ones who began laughing uncontrollably...it was time to tour labor and delivery. The hospital is pretty nice...Labor and Delivery not being so warm and welcoming...more like just a bed in the middle of a gray room. I started to get a little quesy being in the actual room...it made it all a little bit more real...the fact that yes...come August...I will be here whether I like it or not. But moving from the Labor and Delivery corridor to the Recovery rooms and nursery area was much brighter and welcoming...they actually had paint on the walls and pictures and everything. The recovery rooms were much more delightful with flat screen tv's and nicer beds...plus drapes...always a plus! Over-all I think Danny and I faired well for our first child birth class...the next session being focused on how to care for your newborn...I think Danny is afraid he may fail. Whether or not we suck at first on "caring" for Rykken...we will get through it and learn....hopefully!

May I Have Some Sprite with my Sugar?

Today I had a dr. appointment for Mr. Rykken and I was NOT looking forward to it. I was suppose to be getting a shot for the RH factor and doing my testing for gestational diabetes. Well come to find out after dreading the appointment for a month now...I only had to do the testing today and they put off the shot until the end of this month. I guess they figured taking blood twice and shooting me up would be a little much for one day. So yay...I get to dread the muscle shot until the 27th! Everything is fine with Rykken..he is growing and I am growing right on schedule...his heart rate is at 150...which my doctor says is "PERFECT!" Although he refused to stay still while she was trying to read the doppler and so I had minor heart attack when I couldn't hear the heart beat over the crackling of him moving around...but she eventually got him pinned down and got a loud healthy heartbeat! P.S. she also LOVED the name we picked out for him...thats got to say something considering she hears like 50 million names a day from all her patients....well maybe she is just being nice and then when we left she hung out at the nurses station telling them "you won't believe what the hippies in room 9 are naming their kid..." After leaving the doctors office I had to go across the street to do my diabetes testing and sign up for my epidural. I was expecting the worse for the testing. It wasn't that bad...besides the perpitual poking of needles in the same arm over and over. They took two tubes of blood and then I had to drink a cup of liquid that tasted like really really sweet sprite. It wasn't bad...I was thristy so I drank it in like 2 seconds when you get 6 minutes to drink it. The lab tech handed me the cup told me I had 6 minutes to drink it, turned around to type on the computer and was suprised when I slammed the cup down on the counter like I had just won big in a drinking game. I then had an hour to get upstairs watch a video about everything that could possibly go wrong when you get an epidural, sign my paperwork, drive three blocks down to the billing office, get payment squared away for the miracle maker who take all my pain away, get my little purple card that says I am the proud owner of an epidural and get back to the lab by exactly 11:45am. I made it back, rushing in, and got poked at exactly 11:45. I'm a winner...what can I say! I get the results of the test next appointment...but I'm sure it all turned out okay...I'm not a big sweet eater..so I won't be heartbroken if I'm told no more oreo's before bed. Rykken on the other hand...nah...I'm sure he won't be heartbroken either. The good news is I officially start my third trimester next Wednesday. Scary how fast the pregnancy has flown by, I just can't wait to see Rykken!

Rykken's Development: At long last, your little swimmer can see the womb! Your miracle’s little eyelids have finally separated (they were fused closed previously) and they’re probably having their first moments of sight as you read this (or maybe it already happened while you were brushing your teeth or watching Oprah or something). In addition to seeing their little studio in your belly, they’ve recently acquired the ability to say “yes” and “no” in rudimentary sign language as they can now move their head back and forth. This is also the time where your little super star’s head hair is starting to grow! A cute little cowlick or two may be springing into position right now, getting ready for years of cute-but-stubborn bed-head. Also, their toenails have grown in and your little raisin continues to slowly pile up fat beneath their still-loose skin. Most importantly, brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace, increasing their (genius-level?) brain activity and will continue to function at accelerated levels for the first seven to eight years of childhood!