Pregnancy Update - 24 Weeks

Here I am at 24 weeks. Officially V-Day or viability day! Strictly speaking, most doctors define the age of viability as being about 24 weeks of gestation. In many hospitals, 24 weeks is the cutoff point for when doctors will use intensive medical intervention to attempt to save the life of a baby born prematurely. A baby born at 24 weeks would generally require a lot of intervention, potentially including mechanical ventilation and other invasive treatments followed by a lengthy stay in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

That said, I plan to have Miss Libby cooking in here for at least 14 or more weeks, please! She's getting bigger (I think) or at least, I am. Not so much around, but definitely my bump is firmer and growing out more. She's really active too and J felt her kick for the first time over the weekend. In fact, I was reading a book and rested it on my belly and she actually kicked it. Too funny! I think Luigi feels her too when he rests his head on my belly. She really gets active whenever I eat...I wonder if my full stomach makes less room for her or if she really likes yummy food?!

I am preparing for my last trip of the year and the last one of this pregnancy (my next one is planned for July 2010, when the baby will be 5 months or so). Off to Nashville for a 10 day International Convention. Normally, I'd be assigned to work 16 hour days, but I got a doctor's note that is restricting me to 10. That said, it will probably be closer to 12, but at least I can take breaks when I need to and also rest if I must. It's a rigorous event with only 26 staffers (from our company...tons of staff from the convention center and hotels) to about 6,000 delegates! I will be exhausted, no doubt. But it's a fun time and everyone is happy to be there, which makes for a nice working environment.

I have also been fighting some sort of wet cough for the past 5 days. I think it might be related to allergies that I sometimes get in the Fall, especially if it's been rainy (which it has been). I am basically allergic to decomposing leaves. Lovely. I have no fever or aches like a flu, but do have post-nasal drip at night (which my heartburn surely doesn't help) and that leaves me to wake up with a rattling chest cough. I finally broke down and got some Robitussin DM yesterday (it's on my doc's "safe list") so I could sleep through the night without hacking and hopefully, thin some of the phlegm. The last thing I want is that Mucinex dude and his family settling into my lungs for the winter. Ew.

Oh and my size 7 wedding ring is officially too small to leave on now. I mean, it fits, but it's snug to take off and I am worried that if I leave it on much longer I won't have any wiggle room to get it off! Luckily, my mom has let me wear her size 8 yellow diamond three stone ring until mine fits again. I am glad that my hand doesn't have to go unadorned for four more months of pregnancy and who knows how long afterward (I am assuming my finger will shrink back to its pre-preg size)!

Other than that, not much is going on. My next appointment is after I get back from Nashville. I have started a list of questions I want to address with my OB/GYN about the birthing process. I also plan to visit our hospital's labor and delivery ward on November 9th. We have our maternity photos scheduled for November 7th and our birthing classes start on November 14th. I am happy to have this one last working trip here so that I can get through it and onto being home and getting prepared for baby. My nesting instinct tends to kick in this time of year, around the holidays, and this year, it's even stronger!

Date Night

J scored some free tickets to see Joss Stone last night, but I've been fighting some sort of chest cold and with the 9 pm go time and not feeling super great, I decided I best not go. So we gave them to my mom and she gave them to some colleagues. Instead, we decided to head to the movies and see "Couples Retreat."

It was hilarious and definitely made me want to plan a trip to Bora Bora someday. Most of all, it was nice to get out with my sweetie, snuggle together and munch on some popcorn. The message of the movie also made us feel warm and fuzzy and grateful for our partnership...a great date night indeed!

Hooray for J!

J received notice that he made the President's Honor Roll for the Summer Semester at TCC. In addition, he completed his CNA training and passed his certification test with flying colors! So that puts him one step closer to becoming a medical professional.

I am so proud of him...he's working extremely hard on classes like Chemistry, Algebra and Anatomy this Fall. Add to that his evening shifts at the steakhouse as well as keeping our house running while I am pregnant (yard work, shopping, cooking, laundry, etc.).

To celebrate, I made him some fresh baked peanut butter cookies that were delish! Here's to another wonderful semester...I am sure he'll get through it with the same dedication and determination he displayed this summer. Hip, hip, hooray!

Pregancy Update

Here I am, cooking along in the second trimester at 23 weeks. Miss Libby has been kicking up a storm and I feel her little taps throughout the day and well into the evening. Because of my anterior placenta, I only feel her way down low or up by my belly button, but it's exciting none the less. Mom and J have felt her movement too.

Mom has been sewing up a storm these days and I have reaped the rewards of her labor with the cute tunic pictured above as well as a new fleece swing jacket, perfect for keeping my bump warm as the days get cooler! It's amazing, every day as I drive into work the trees are becoming more tinged with copper and changing from their summery green to their autumn colors. I love it!

Speaking of DIY, we made our faux-Moby wraps this weekend. It was SO easy! We just bought 6 yards of stretch knit fabric that was 60 inches wide, folded it in half, length-wise and cut it in half. I didn't even finish the edges since they were not frayed or unraveling, even after going through the wash! Super easy and like $20 for TWO baby carriers! Here's J trying his out with our first baby, Regina:

Regina is 16 pounds and LOVES to be carried like a baby. She loved the wrap and was all snuggly and wanted to nap in there! It was too cute. DH was excited that he'll be able to wear Libby while he's working around the house and doing homework. He was also happy that I chose this blue-gray color for the fabric rather than some cutesy print or bright red or something. Ladies, if you're on a budget but want a nice wrap, I highly recommend you try making one. No sewing needed! I made ours 30" wide, but if you prefer a less wide one, check out these instructions.
Here's mom trying mine out with her little chihuahua, Dot:



Speaking of furbabies, it seems our 20 pound cat, Bella, has decided that the contoured changing pad is a great place for her to nap:

Unfortunately, she's ruined the $7 Circo Terry Cover I picked up from Target. For now, she can laze around there, but in the next couple of months the plan is to shut ALL furry creatures out of the nursery/office. Once we get an area rug for that space it will be furbaby-free. And then I'll get a new cover for the changing pad that is cat-free. Too funny though that Bella thinks that this is her new place! She's very demonstrative with her appreciation of it and purrs up a storm when she's lounging there. Regina loves lounging on the rocker-recliner too and she'll be sad when it's no longer a place for her to sleep either!

Next week I am off to my last business trip of the year and my last trip of this pregnancy. YAY! I have traveled every month since March! I am ready for a break. So I will be in Nashville for 10 days and then...home where I can just nest and be cozy. Woo hoo! Just in time since I will nearly be in the third trimester after I get home.

Boots


Today I am wearing boots. And socks. My feet have not seen these boots since March. And socks? Only in sneakers during the summer (and rarely at that). So I guess this means that summer 2009 is officially a memory. No more sandals or open toed shoes. Socks and boots. Soon I'll break out the sweaters and coats too. But today, it's boots. Good thing they're cute.