December Showers bring Poinsettias?

OK I know the title isn't that witty....

Saturday was my family and friends baby shower. As I posted on Saturday before everyone came, it was at my house and it was snowing!

A few people couldn't make it because of the weather, but there were just enough people there so that no one had to sit on the floor and everyone could fit around the living room for games!

It was a little stressful having it at my house, and I think had I to do over again I wouldn't have chosen that, but it was a great time!

The cake was VERY yummy. DH just threw the last few pieces out yesterday because it is too much of a temptation with Gestational Diabetes! It was simple enough - white cake/butter cream icing from Meijer (had a stork on it), but darn that was good!



The games were actually pretty fun. My sister Lisa (the one that came back from Iraq) is always good for keeping people laughing! If she wasn't here something would have been missing! LOL



The gifts were bright and fun!




Some notable items of the day...the hooter hider! I especially tried to make sure my mom saw this, because she and I had this long discussion about whether breastfeeding in public was acceptable. My mom is a prude. She doesn't even kiss my dad with an open mouth, and they have been married for almost 47 years! And while I don't think breastfeeding is anything to be prudish about, I think it is funny that she has all of these notions about it. She had nine kids and didn't breastfeed a single one. She also tells me she has been watching baby delivery tv shows, but she won't watch the actual birth because she thinks it is completely inappropriate to show that sort of private thing on tv. It's a different world than where she came from...she claims it was better when everything was private and somewhat shameful (not her words). I am on the fence...I would definitely prefer not having Viagra commercials on TV.

Anyways...the hooter hider (and my big belly) from my woodsie lil sis Erika (pictures also courtesy of Erika - thanks chica!)....



The diaper bag from my brother and SIL - she let me pick out the pattern from Vera Bradley and I LOVE IT! It has little owls on it....



And the last thing to show (Although, there were many wonderful things and if you are reading this and you were here or sent something THANK YOU SO MUCH for coming and for your wonderful gifts for Z!!!!) is the dollhouse bookcase...I put it together yesterday and got pastel blue, pastel green and white bins to put in it for storage...

Pre-Shower Musings

Today is my family and friends baby shower.

It started snowing around 7am and I am hoping that all who can make it arrive safely.

The house is pretty much ready. I didn't get everything on my list of 45 things done, but it is presentable. I just hope people don't go snooping through our messy master bath and all my clothes that need organizing in my closet! :)

I still need to organize little Z's room a bit so people can check it out.

We moved the dogs crate and the ferret into our room for the day.

I am on the verge of a head cold. I felt it coming yesterday. Now I am all snotty and my head is a bit full. All the dusting and sweeping and de-hairing of carpets and upholstery didn't help. Having three cats, two double-coated dogs and a ferret makes for a tremendous amount of hair. Perhaps we should have put a warning for any allergic people to take their meds before they enter, because there is no way we would ever be able to get it all up.

My mom, sister and BFF are coming early to help decorate and set up the cake and stuff.

I have to give myself insulin injections after dinner because my sugars are not lowering after that meal as they do on others. I am sure I probably eat more then too, and I could limit my carb intake through that, but I am usually more hungry then so we decided to go with the injections. It seems to be going ok.

My latest fear is that my water will break and I won't know. It is hard for me to tell - because I don't know what is normal stuff and what is not normal. So now I am just waiting for something that seems completely out of the ordinary until my next OB appointment on Friday. It is my 36 week appt and I will have an ultrasound and a cervical check. My fear is that what if what I think is normal is not and then I get an infection or something. I just don't want to be one of those hypochondriac preggers that think something is wrong when it isn't. I know it is better to err on the side of caution, but then how do I know I am not over thinking it in the first place.

I had my breastfeeding class this past Wednesday. I think I can do it. I know I need to build up more confidence before she comes so that I am 110 percent ready for it. I hope my PCOS doesn't get in the way, and I hope going back to work doesn't become too great of a challenge. I think the benefits outweigh the obstacles, but I am a little concerned that it will be too much for me.

This next Wednesday we have our last of all the classes.
And then the week after that we will be full term.

I walk around knowing I am on the verge of a watershed moment in my life. Once the labor begins I will not be the same person. My life will never be the same.

How extraordinary.

"And how!" as Dorothy Gale would say....

Post Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was almost like a goofy movie! Fire in the oven, pies flying across the room...I mean...Really! It was hilarious. Sometimes you gotta laugh - you would cry your eyes out if you didn't.

My tree is up! The rest of my decorations are out (the little that there are - almost all center around Rudolph - I am obsessed)!

I went to my GestDiabetes class last week. It really wasn't anything new for me except going over how many carbs I was allowed throughout the day and when/how to check my sugars. I did that class with the nutritionist last year for PCOS/Insulin Resistance, and it is only a slight modification (a simpler process than the one my RE gave me).

My sugar levels seem all over the place. If I had already gone to the endocrinologist I would have had to send them my numbers (I was told if I was over a certain number for two days in a row I was to contact the doctor). I do have at least one level to blame on Thanksgiving stuffing. Another to blame on disgusting fast food when we were running from work to our expectant parent class. (It was the grossest meal I have had in a long time!) I really hope they don't make me take insulin. They should be calling to schedule my appointment tomorrow.

Tomorrow I go for my 34 week appt (although I am almost 35 weeks - the holiday got me all off schedule). I was thinking about checking with my doctor about the back pain. Tylenol is not going to help this type of pain. Some days I can barely walk. I am not sure what to do. How do I work out to get my sugar levels down if I can't transfer my weight to one of my legs without writhing in agony?

I have been riding an emotional roller coaster, and DH is riding right beside me. I feel bad for him. Saturday I simply passed the time. I had no urge to do anything at all - just felt so blah. I watched cheesy christmas movie after cheesy christmas movie. I should have been cleaning my house in preparation for my shower next Saturday. I do better at that stuff at the last minute, when there is no option to go sit down for a break.

Alien squirmer is extremely active at various times throughout the day. She is just as cute as possible, and I really wish she were sitting on my lap rather than inside it.

New Name Ideas

I am in the brainstorming period of creating a new blog. I never liked the name of this blog too much - felt like it didn't reflect all of me - and isn't as quirky as intended.

Anyways, with the kidlet on the verge of emerging, I think it will soon be time to move on to a different blog. The new one is not about the family - because it is mostly about me - of course it will be about my journey into motherhood with little Z, but it will also be about love (wonderful DH - indirectly), providence, work, and just about everything encompasses me. (Egotistical - right??) I guess what I mean is it isn't like it will be 'The Kyle Family' blog (although it will include fun facts about the kyle family).

If/when we decided to have another child and we have issues (highly likely) - this blog will still live on...

So for now I am building lists of possible names. I want to carefully select this one, rather than 'getting it over with' because I am afraid I will chicken out like I did before. I will not make the switch until little Z sleeps, eats and poops safely at home.
I am also thinking about switching to wordpress. Any suggestions regarding pros/cons of blogger to wordpress?

Insurance

Yesterday I was in such a bad mood. Nothing that bad went on, yet I was very irritable. I know I was a down right baby at times.

One thing that happened though really has me worried.
DH told me his company is switching insurance carriers on Jan 1st. I guess they switch plans every year, but the plans with the same carrier didn't seem to vary too much. This year, though, they happen to have switched the entire carrier.

I am not really sure where to go from here on this. I am due January 6th/9th.
We have been paying a monthly payment in estimation of what our entire maternity cost will be for our current plan. Now that seems to go out the window.

A 38th week induction is starting to sound very convenient. If I knew little Z would be ok, I would totally go for it.

I have switched insurance plans four times in the past three years. Every time it is a nightmare getting them all of the paperwork. I am sure I won't want to deal with it when I am taking care of a newborn and recovering from giving birth.

Plus, the last I heard, the new plan is with the carrier that is having issues with the hospital I am delivering at. If those issues are not resolved and they are no longer a preferred provider I may have to switch everything around. I think (pray,hope) they will (damn well better) resolve it. Ugh.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I am thankful to have insurance. Our current plan was wonderful - they covered most of our fertility costs. It was a blessing while we had it. And the other plan is just as good (yet, I doubt it has the fertility treatments) and I am blessed to have health insurance in the first place. (although people who don't have insurance sometimes don't realize what we are paying for this stuff...160+ bucks every pay period...not cheap...)

I just needed to vent.

A bad day

I promise I don't mean to sound like I am complaining. I promise I know how lucky we are that little Z is coming.

But, damnit if my back didn't hurt like a mutha yesterday.
I could hardly walk because at times I couldn't put pressure on one of my feet.

We went to the gymn in the morning and I walked on the treadmill for about 18 minutes. Then I walked over to the grocery and picked up items for the week. I think all of that excercise is what wore my back out for the day. Shopping alone usually makes me ache for the rest of the day.

I say 'all of that excercise' like I was running a marathon or something. I don't know if I can keep going to the gym regularly if it makes me an invalid for the rest of the day. Perhaps I should walk on the treadmill in the evening instead.

I have known for a while that my back is on it's way to an early retirement. At thirty years old I shouldn't have these pains. I know it is because of the 15 years I spent as a child in dance and gymnastics (especially all of that tumbling on concrete and high school gymnasiums without a mat).

Anyways, have a great day all!

Gestational Diabetes

I failed the 3 hour Glucose test.
I guess I failed two of the drawings. Neither of my failures were extreme, but just enough to tip the balance.


What does that mean?
Well, today my doctor said I have only gained 16 pounds. I think I might have said 18 before, but now that I look at it, he is right. So most likely I am doing fine and it won't be a huge deal. I really think all of the weight I have gained is baby weight - if anything I feel smaller in my face and arms and legs.

I have to go see an endocrinologist. The nurses are supposed to call to set up an appointment. I will know more then. I am guessing I will have to start monitoring my sugar and go back to my old PCOS diet, stick to sugar free or low sugar items and unfortunately no more potatoes. :(


I get to have an ultrasound at my 36 week appt to check out her size instead of just belly measurements. She will probably NOT be small, but I don't think she will be gigantic. The doctor keeps saying that GD babies tend to have big trunks...I don't quite know how to imagine that, but we will see. If she does get too big I will have a C-Section. I don't mind having a c-section. All I want is to have a safe and healthy delivery of our little girl.

I think I have started to feel emphathetic clausterphobia, if there is such a thing. I can't imagine her being crammed in my belly.

My work baby shower was yesterday and it was great! I will post on that this weekend.

I ordered our car seat today. I decided at the last minute that I was not going to use the travel system I had originally registered for because:
1. I really wanted a Chi.cco car seat, and I couldn't imagine paying over 300 bucks for the travel system.
2. I didn't really like it that much. I loved the pack n play that was part of the set, but I just registered for that travel system because it was easier, and how silly is that.

I picked up a bab.y tr.end sna.p n go stroller to go with the car seat. I know those are not listed as ones that are compatible, but everything I read from other users said they were able to make it fit. I found it on craigslist and got it for 20 bucks. It is well worth it if it works. If not, we will find something else.