Hospital Bag

Oh.My.Goodness!!!!! 

I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of stuff recommended to me by all of my wonderful friends and faithful blog followers!  Thank you all so much for your suggestions.  If I were to actually pack everything that you guys recommend, I'd have to bring my biggest suitcase.  I never thought I would end up packing more for a two-day one-night stay than I did for my week long trip to London! :)  haha  But that is what might end of happening.

Here's the list that I have in my suitcase ready to go so far:

• toiletries
• shirts, shorts, pj's, undies and nursing sports bra for me
• baby outfit, socks, stocking hat for baby!
• blanket Tessa made for bringing baby home (hopefully it's not 100 degrees!)
• rice sock and heating pad
• massaging tool
• baby names book (just in case)
• hair bands
• iPod charger
• flip flops

Things I need to add:

• clothes for Rolando
• thick socks (no slippers)
• snacks for hubby and me :)
• apparently I need stool softner (big fat bummer! hahaha)
• baby book calendar thingy (if I find one that I like in time)
• breast pump (so I can ask questions about it and become familiar with it while their is someone to help me!)

Things I will need to remember to grab as we are heading out (and trust me, I'll have a sticky note on the mirror and the back of the front door reminding Rolando and me):

• Camera
• cell phone and charger
• batteries for camera (need to purchase)
• make up and make up remover
• Popsicles...I'm so excited to be able to bring them.  The hospital has a freezer for me to use and everything.
• Laptop and charger
• boppy :)
• diaper bag (already has some things in it, but mostly empty so I can SHOVE free stuff in it! :)

And you know what?  If I forget anything, I live 5 minutes from the hospital and after the baby is born, Rolando can run home and grab it...or better yet, we can just survive without it until we come home.  Really the most important things will be a the hospital: Rolando, me and Sweet Pea!

The Mile Long To-Do List

At our last birth preparation class, the teacher asked, "What is something that would have to be done right away if your baby was born tomorrow?"  Oh my goodness did that get my head spinning.  My immediate thought was, "Well I sure wish I had practiced relaxation techniques and breathing more." But besides that, what needs to be done?  What better way to keep on track and be able to add and delete things than to put it on a blog, right?  So, with no further delay, here's the list of stuff that I'd like to get done before baby comes...and some things that I've already done, but wanted to make it known :)  Really, if not everything gets done, I'm totally fine with that too!  I'll keep it categorized by 'must complete' and 'would like to complete' for sanity's sake!

Must Complete:
Install car seat (May 28th at a center that is offering free assistance) - the car seat is IN the jeep just not properly secured.
Receive a chest of drawers from co-worker and put all clothes away
Go through all of our stuff and get it ready for a garage sale (garage sale is May 21st so this needs to happen soon!)
Move co-sleeper into bedroom, prepare bed for baby, rearrange funiture in bedroom to accomodate
Buy a baby book (I've been keeping track of things in a book that my doctor gave me but it's not fancy or fun in any way and I'd like to at least attempt a baby book.)
Pack our hospital bags (also happening May 21st so that we know for sure it's all ready!)

• rice sock
• playlist for iPod needs to be created
• boppy
• slippers
• Scentsy candle and warmer (I think the newborn nursery smell will be most relaxing)
• Toothpaste/toothbrush and deodarant
• breast pump (to be able to ask questions about it)
• anything else I need??

Would like to complete:
Wash all clothes
Put stroller together and practice opening and closing
Start reading a book about the first year of life
Get connected to a new mom's group
Take Janelle to a child birth prep class

--Any advice for preparation for the big day?  Should I expect less?  Should I expect anything? What did you pack into your hospital bag?

the exercise dilemma :)

I've been having a hard time at the gym on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Those are the days that I normally go to my yoga-lates class and try as hard as possible to be gracefully bendy in all the ways that my pregnant belly refuses to do.  It's gotten harder and harder, but I've struggled through it and really, it seems that I've been doing okay and I feel the benefit from it.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I attend swim aerobic classes and truly enjoy those classes.  During the class, I feel light and free.  After class, my body has a different, very pressure free feel to it.  I do believe I'm going to keep attending those classes until I deliver.  But that always brings in the burning question: What if my water breaks while I'm in the pool?  Will I know it?

Now that I'm in my 9th month of pregnancy, I'm having thoughts that maybe I shouldn't be doing things that could pull muscles (especially in my abs....can you imagine trying to push a baby out with pulled muscles in your abs!?!?!)  I'm thinking about cutting yoga-lates out of my routine because I just don't want to run the risk.  And, now that the weather is getting nicer (ish) and it's staying lighter, longer, I think it will be a good thing to go on walks (at lease 30 minutes long).  I'm also thinking that I should bring my exercise ball home from the office and use that as much as possible during the evening when I'm watching TV and trying to relax.  Leaning on that will help promote Sweet Pea's head to be in the correct position.

All of these things have been on my mind as my body prepares for the most strenuous task it's ever conquered...and it WILL be conquered! :)  I've been focusing on keeping positive about the end task and reminding myself that God made me to do this.  But above that, I've been reminding myself that I can do so many things to help the process along and strengthen myself for this task.  I need to keep focused on that fact and remind myself daily that the harder I work now, the easier (hopefully) it will be when the day comes that I will finally get to hold my son.

--What kinds of things did you do during pregnancy to help your body prepare for labor?

mother quotes :)

" Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women." Sheri Dew

If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been.  ~Robert Brault

A suburban mother's role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. ~Peter De Vries

Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. ~Ambrose Bierce

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. ~Honoré de Balzac

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

The mother loves her child most divinely, not when she surrounds him with comfort and anticipates his wants, but when she resolutely holds him to the highest standards and is content with nothing less than his best.

A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's." -- Diana, Princess of Wales

If you've never been hated by your child, you've never been a parent." -- Bette Davis

Mothers reflect God's loving presence on earth. --William R. Webb



All quotes found on one of the following sites:
http://www.quotegarden.com/mothers.html
http://thinkexist.com/quotations/motherhood/
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/motherhood/a/mother_quotes.htm

Pregnancy Survey - Week 32

 

 

How far along are you? 32 weeks.  54 days left!

How big is Baby? 3.75 pounds and about 16.7 inches long.

Weight Gain? well...could be better....could be worse

 Gender? Still a Boy

Maternity Clothes? Skirts and leggings are my best friends right now!!  I don't know what I'd do without comfy maternity clothes. It's been such a blessing to have a friend of mine let me borrow so many wonderful clothes!

Stretch Marks? Not any new ones! I was blessed with stretch marks before I was 14. :(

Sleep? I've started having hip pain when sleeping.  You try sleeping only on your sides and hopefully mostly on your left side.  It hurts when you wake up!!

Symptoms? I'm starting to crave anything unhealthy.  

I'm becoming more and more uncomfortable.

I have a bit of a harder time breathing.

Forgetfulness!!!

Movement? I'm lucky to have quite the mover on me! I've been feeling him roll around more often.

He likes to stretch which is getting uncomfortable for mommy.

 

Food Cravings? peanut butter and jelly in a whole wheat tortilla.

Big ol' burritos from Portland's finest food carts.

Labor Signs? Still feeling some braxton hicks contractions.  Nothing bad. 

I keep monitoring them just to make sure.

Belly Button in or out? 100% innie! It hasn't changed even a little bit.

What I miss? Being able to sleep on my stomach.  Not going to the bathroom every half hour.  Having energy, I feel so tired!

What I am looking forward to? maternity leave where it's just me and baby and daddy and not a thing to do except just be!  Learning how I cope with labor.

Best moment of the week? I traveled to Indiana for my sisters graduation.  It was hard being away from Rolando that long, but it was totally worth it.  Rolando met me inside the airport with a sunflower and a great big kiss and hug.  Then he leaned down and kissed my belly :)