Happy Mother's Day

I'm currently 34 weeks pregnant.  So crazy!  It almost feels like the baby could be here any day now but luckily (crossing fingers) we should have a bit more time to move into our permanent place and finish getting ready for his arrival.  So much to do, so little time.

It feels weird celebrating Mother's Day but I know next year it's going to be an even weirder and more wonderful experience.  Life sure does fly by.  I can't mentally get used to it.

I am incredibly grateful for my mom as well as all of the other woman who have influenced me throughout my life.  Motherhood can not be easy (I am slightly...more like incredibly scared) and it takes an incredible amount of sacrifice.  I am glad I have such wonderful role models to look up too.

As for the lei I am wearing, it's my first time receiving one so of course I had to document it.  I know it looks a bit broken but I was actually instructed to cut it in half.  Apparently it is bad luck for a pregnant woman to wear a lei that is a complete circle.  My OCD mocked me a bit but I didn't want to wish any bad luck on myself so I obeyed.

Shout out to my husband.  He cooked me breakfast and dinner (veggie enchiladas) and both were yummy.  Plus he did the dishes.  I felt incredibly spoiled.

To any mothers reading this:  I hope you were spoiled as well, or at least got some time to rest and relax.  You may not always feel amazing and incredible, but I promise you that you are.  Happy Mother's Day!

P.S. It is my best friend Jocelyn's birthday so I wanted to give a shout out to her.  She is such an incredible woman who has had to go through much more than any one person should ever have to go through.  She has been such a blessing to me and I couldn't ask for a better friend.

Gestational Diabetes Test

I was so relieved when I found out I didn't have to fast for the glucose test.  Even more relieved when the drink only tasted like over sugared orange soda.  Not so relieved when I failed it and had to take the extended glucose test.  The one where you have to fast for 8+ hours and get your blood drawn 4 times over the span of 3 hours (during which you just chill at the doctors office).  Even less relieved when I started drinking the drink and it wasn't over sugared orange soda.  It was just a cup with a sickening amount of orange colored sugar in it.  But I am once again relieved because I passed my test which means (hopefully it's right) no gestational diabetes for me.

Things I learned:

• Even when you think your going to die, you won't.  Dying during that test is much harder than it seems. 
• Don't try and do anything productive while taking the test.  All the reading I planned to do went out the door.  A magazine was about as much as I could handle for those three hours. 
• You will abhor the idea of sugar for about a day, at most a day and a half.  Too bad.  After the dreaded drink, I couldn't even imagine ever wanting sugar again.  Then Easter came. 
• A vegi based snack after was a very good idea.  VERY GOOD IDEA!!
• Don't plan a large shopping trip after.  All you will want is a nap.  A very long nap. 
• I never liked the idea of being stuck with needles.  But the idea of being stuck with a needle in my hand is apparently a bit (or a lot) more panic inducing.  Just another thing I will have to get over one day.
• The baby will move and move and move during this test.  Usually mornings are pretty calm.  (And the whole time I just sat there wondering if anybody else could see my belly moving.  As if anybody else cares!)
• Walking around is a good idea.  Even if there is only so much room for you to do so.  

Things I am proud of:

• I took 5 needles in the arms without much thought, just eyes closed (my left arm wasn't very giving with the blood, hence the 5 pokes, not 4). 
• I didn't go lay on the cold bathroom floor despite how much I wanted to.  The term "public" kept me sensible about the whole thing. 
• I made it through a magazine.  I did at least one semi productive thing during those three hours. 
• I drank the drink without too much mental complaining.  I used to be very particular with liquids.  Not so much anymore thank goodness or I don't know how I would have made it through that drink. 
• I took the "army grade" medical tape off by myself.  It was much less painful when the nurses did it though.  (I won't deny I was tempted to leave it on until my next apt. so they would take it off for me.  It was strong stuff.  I am used to bandages that fall off within mins.)

Misc. thoughts:

• They should really provide a bed for anybody going through that test.  
• No matter what, don't give up.  The very idea that I would have to restart the test if I complained about how I felt, kept me going.  Cling to the fact that the crappy feeling won't last too long.  The tiredness, maybe. 
• You might look like a pregnant druggy after the test so maybe skip the short sleeves that day. 
• Sitting around for the one hours test was almost harder then sitting around for the 3 hours test though that makes no sense. 

And now pictures, just because:

All bandaged! 



Post bandages.  Those red marks were there for a long while.  My skin did not appreciate that tape. Oh and apparently I might bruise easily but that's nothing new.  Just makes getting multiple shots a lot harder.  I think the nurse could tell the idea of getting my hand poked with the needle scared the crap out of me so she very kindly did her best to find a spot on the arm that wasn't already bruised that would  be generous with the blood.  I almost want to write her a thank you card. 



A self portrait post test, prenap.