Monday, April 30, 2007

Update on Potty-Training

On Wednesday, J* decided he wanted to wear underwear to school, and hubby could not dissuade him. This request basically came out of nowhere, since we have only been putting him in underwear for a few hours on the weekends. Well, the little guy did great! He had a nap accident on Wednesday, a mid-morning accident on Thursday, and no accident on Friday! I am so proud! Unfortunately, he would not poop in the potty, so he went three days without a bowel movement, poor little guy. By Saturday, I just let him poop in his underwear, b/c he was so afraid to sit on the potty to poop. He kept saying, "poop is bad" and I have no idea why. Anyway, Sunday morning, he did it! Told me he needed to poop, we went to the potty, and there it went! We made a big deal, gave him a present (a Bob the Builder workshop as we have been promising for over a month now), and he was thrilled. Then the little stinker went on to wet his pants three times that day. Oh well, two poops forward, one pee back!

Monday, April 23, 2007

Out of sorts (while out in shorts)

We had beautiful weather this weekend . . .75 and sunny both days. What a difference it makes in my mood and motivation when we can go outside in the yard, or barbecue our dinner and sit on the deck instead of being cooped up in the house. It is enough to confirm my suspicions that I have Seasonal Affective Disorder. I need warmth. There's something to be said for retiring to Florida (if you can ignore the fat, old people and the humidity and hurricanes!).

As beautiful and enjoyable as this weekend was, I found myself feeling out of sorts. I honestly didn't know what to do with myself. Maybe its because I am on restricted activity. Any other normal weekend (pre-pg of course), I would have woken up early and been out for a run before the boys even woke up. I would have been tinkering around the yard, or doing some spring cleaning and housework. I am feeling so confined these days.

Another example - oh, how I miss my cocktails! The weather being gorgeous, all I wanted was a fruity cocktail, a sip of hubby's beer or my usual Sunday mimosa with lunch. Then a bottle of wine with dinner of course. It was such a knee-jerk reaction that I seriously had to fight it off! I guess I really am a woman of habits. Confession: I had a sip of pineapple vodka, and a bite of saturated pineapple. Yes, I do have a glass or two of wine each week, but I've tried to stay away from most everything else. I am an all-or-nothing kinda gal, so if I can't have 3 or 4, why have one sip?

And finally, my body nor my wardrobe were ready for the change in seasons. Yikes! I need a pedicure, a waxing, serious exercise for my ass and thighs, and a golden tan to jump into shorts. I had to settle for a tank top and light pajama pants. We may live in the burbs, but the neighbors can see into our yard (as we can see into theirs, and ugh, remind me not to look again!). I better get all that accomplished soon, since we are headed to FL in 3 weeks anyway.

Oh, and Mister Big Boy J* did great with his underwear this weekend, and loved to "water" the trees! By last night, he would march over to a plant and pull down his pants all by himself! I feel we are getting closer to that elusive goal of potty-trained! But hey, I didn't know that giving up naps was part of the deal, so can someone let him know that's not allowed yet! that meant I missed my nap both days too!!!!!!!

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Is it the hormones?

Or is it that people really are that annoying or dumb? Gosh, I have no patience these days. Everyone is annoying me. My parents, my employees, yes - even my hubby. I need a vacation fom everyone.

**Edited to remove rant on my parents** Sorry, I feel better today!!!

Maybe its just the hormones? Nah. this is me, just as much of a bitch as always. Maybe a wee bit more bitchy - OK, maybe its a bit of the hormones . . .

Thursday, April 12, 2007

I can feel him!

FINALLY! Those gas bubbles really are him! I can tell the difference now . . . hubby says it must be his extra toe is tickling me from the inside. What a strangely cool and wonderful feeling! A due date buddy on BBH said it would feel like the fizzies . . . and oh, how she was right! Its like this little guy is popping open gingerale cans all day and guzzling them!


This is the 20 week belly pic, taken last night. I am feeling stretched. Its amazing how its changing now. I see him growing upward, and hopefully it will be enough to move the placenta to where it should be.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

What a difference a day makes . . .

I knew this pg being smooth as it seemed was too good to be true. I had my 20w OB appointment yesterday afternoon. My weight, blood pressure, baby's measurements and heartbeat were all great. Then we discussed the report from the perinatologist regarding Friday's scan.

We have been focusing on the wrong problem. Hearing there may be a sixth toe threw us for a loop, but it is really no big deal. The son of a woman I work with was born with six toes, and they had it removed early on. No big whoop.

The "varicose vein" issue is the bigger one. How would we know, since Dr. Oliver Petty was so nonchalant about it. He used the words "varicose vein" to put into lay terms what is really called a placental lake, or pool of blood in the placenta. Again, not a big deal, especially since its not too close to my cervix. But, I couldn't find it on the internet, so of course had to ask the ob (as she was walking me down the hall to leave) what he meant by it. Turns out the fucker didn't even include it in the formal report to my doc. Not a word, which may have not been a big deal, but my doc wanted a bit more clarification on it, so she gave him a call. He wasn't available, so she left a message to be called back. She assured me it was probably not a significant issue, but would call if it was.

Well, as you may guess, the phone was ringing as I got home, and it was her. Gulp. She said she spoke to Dr. Weirdo's partner, who pulled up my scan pictures to take a look. Well, whattya know . . . I have a low-lying placenta, and am now on "pelvic rest" until I have a follow-up scan with the "specialist" (definitely scheduling it with the partner next time) in 6-8 weeks. You got it right . . . no sex, no lifting toddlers, no carrying groceries, no exercise. Fuck.

Low-lying placenta means that it is attached to the lower third of the uterus, close to the cervix. It is defined as Placenta Previa (bad thing) if it is adjacent to the cervix, partially covering the cervix, or completely covering it. If its less than 2cm away, it is a high risk for placenta previa. Mine is 2.8cm away, which is too close for comfort for a worrier like me, and for my OB and the peri's partner, interestingly not for him though.

Did my research, and low-lying placenta resolves itself in about 90% of cases, when diagnosed at the mid-pg scan. This is because the uterus still has a great deal to grow, and since it usually grows up, it will help to stretch that part of the placenta (hopefully) away from the cervix. I guess the concern is that I am small, so it may not have much room to grow and move away. We will have to wait and see at the next scan what happens. If I bleed, that means bedrest. As heavenly as time off from work and life sounds, its not worth it when it means trouble for my little six-toed belly bug.

Ugh. Off to search for more info on all of this.

Monday, April 09, 2007

20 down, 20 to go

Halfway mark! Big HUMP day! Can start counting down now! (well, count down for delivery, count up for the pound! Up 7 total as of this morning).

We had our Level 2 ultrasound with a perinatologist on Friday (routine for the over 35 crowd). This is the same as the anatomy scan for all pgs, but you get to pay extra for a specialist. Bonus.

I had to laugh, b/c Dr. Specialist looked like a cross between Tom Petty, and Oliver from the Brady Bunch, glasses and hair and all. But he was good, so we were happy. They looked over every inch of this kid, to make sure all is well . . . and it is. Big sigh of relief. And he's still a boy. Time to start picking a name.

There were two small issues, one being a "varicose vein" in my placenta, which may bleed over the next few weeks if I don't take it easy, so I am off the hook for exercising once again (silent cheer!). The risk of a bleed goes down with each passing week, b/c the baby grows up and moves the placenta along with it, so it will be farther away from the cervix.

Other issue is possibly only cosmetic . . . there may be six toes on his left foot. When the doctor told me this, hubby was out of the room changing J*'s diaper. I don't remember feeling one way or another about it (kinda thought it was oddly a cool thing), but when hubby came back, he seemed sort of horrified. We've had the weekend to digest it (and of course web-search it), and it turns out polydactyly, or an extra toe or finger, occurs in 1 of 500 kids. Thought that was a lot! So there must be some of you readers out there with extra "digits", or born with it and had it removed.

This seems to be a case of the most common and least severe form. It is an extra small toe, that may be more of a skin tag (protruding extra skin) than a toe with bone (rare). Dr. Specialist was very blase` about it, because his sister's 3 kids all had 6 toes on one foot. Wild, huh?

Surgery is needed if you want it removed and it has bone structures. If its just soft skin, it can be tied off to cut off circulation and it will fall off like the cord stump. I don't know if I can handle THAT . . . you know, finding a toe on the floor. Hmm. Hubby wants to know if they can just do a double circumcision in the hospital. Anyone know???

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Confessions of a pregnant nutritionist . . .

Nacho Cheese Doritos taste damn good. So do those Lorna Doone cookies that oil up your fingers while you hold them. Oh, and everything else I've eaten since getting pg that I usually don't! I don't know if they really taste that good, or if its the no-guilt feelings after eating them. Will have to let you know once my 4 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies arrive. Waiting patiently.

Its a good thing I gave up ice cream for Lent, or I'd have gained more than just 5 1/2 pounds by 19 weeks. I am TRYING to be good, but don't know how long it will last!