Just About Packed

I've gotten everything buy my toiletries together, and now need to finish up the baby bag.  I go in tonight at 6:30 where they will get me started by ripening my cervix first.  I have no idea when they'll start the oxytocin to begin the contractions.  My guess is baby will be born sometime tomorrow. I'm praying that my labor isn't too long, though I know they can go on quite a while, especially with first pregnancies, and even more especially with epidurals (oh yes, I've decided I think epidurals are a very good thing).  I'm all nervous because I'm one of those people who thinks about everything that can go wrong, so I'm just trying to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.  Think about holding the baby in my arms and praying for a safe delivery at the moment!

The Time is Nigh

Well, tomorrow, I go in to be induced! My doctor decided rather than waiting for baby to get too big and for something to go wrong, he'd rather induce at 38 weeks. Well, I'm 38 weeks today! Tara came over and helped with a MAMMOTH unpacking/cleaning effort to prepare the bedrooms. She is a saint and my current hero. :) So now I have to pack for the hospital and prepare for baby. My cousin's wife Monica told me to do something fun today, so I'm trying to decide what that should be, aside from sleep. Maybe we'll go see a movie or something, to get out of the house one last time.

Ok, so my carpal tunnel is kicking in, so I'm going to go rest a bit before lunch. I'll take any and all prayers and happy vibes for a SAFE delivery and a HEALTHY baby!

Battle of the Nursing Bras- Part IV

This week's bra is the plus size wrap nursing bra that's perfect for sleeping. This bra is $15.98 from Motherhood.

I find this bra very comfortable, though it gives absolutely no support. Not surprising, though, as it's meant for sleeping. The criss cross pattern at the front is a bit weird, and when I lie on my side, I feel like I'm going to fall out of the bra, so I do find myself adjusting myself a bit. BUT, it IS quite easy to access for breastfeeding...no clips or snaps, just pull the fabric down. All that being said, this definitely would NOT be the bra to light your honey's fire. My hubby found it extremely unattractive!


Comfort- 5
Support- 1.5
Need For Adjustment-3
Sex Appeal/ Attractiveness- 1
Ease of Breast Exposing- 5

Total-15.5 points

Best Gift

Yesterday, when I got home from work, I received the best gift in the post from my matron of honor, Tina. It was a mother's day card. Needless to say I bawled. It was so nice to be recognized as a mother and the card was so gorgeous and fitting. So, happy mother's day to all you mommy's and mommy's to be. We are so blessed.

Survival of the Un-Fittest

Oh dear, today is going to tax me something terrible. I mean, I'm EXCITED about today, but I'm also dreading it. My gospel choir is performing tonight, and as I'm the director, I have a LOT to do today. Rob and I will be leaving the apartment about 10am today to get to church, and there's a communion today. After mass, around 12:30-ish, my gospel choir is going to sing outside the church to advertise the concert. I then have time to EAT and relax before we have to set up the sound system at 3. 4pm is our sound check/dress rehearsal, and 5:15 the other groups come for their sound checks. 6:30 doors open and 7pm is go time. I think the SMARTEST thing I did for today was ask multiple performers to sing with us. That means, instead of me having to stand in front of the choir for 2 hours, I only have to do it for about 45 minutes. That being said, though, we've been performing around a bit lately, doing 4 songs here, 4 songs there... and I am WRECKED after 4 songs. Today's about 10+ songs!!! So, anyone out there who has pity on a SERIOUSLY huge pregnant woman, please send me on your energy and unswollen ankle vibes today. I'm going to need it!!!!

Full Term

Ok, not to freak myself out or anything... but today I am officially 37 weeks pregnant.... full term!! Basically, I COULD go into labor at any time. EEK!!! Well, EEK and HURRAY! Now I'm just going to worry until there's a healthy baby in my arms. I'm so bad at thinking about all the things that can go wrong. So I'll just keep chanting, "healthy baby, healthy birth" over and over. :)

Lucky Girl

Wow, I am really lucky. A few days ago I was brooding over not getting to have a baby shower, and I walk into my flat last night to find my friends with balloons, blow-outs, and baby cake! Tara got sneaky on me...and Rob kept it a secret! It really meant a lot to me to be able to celebrate with my friends before baby comes. And I'm now stocked up on baby wipes for at least, well, a few weeks? ;)

New Development

So now with the baby getting so much larger, it must be sitting on some nerve. My fingertips are now usually missing some sensation, and when I sleep, I've started to wake up with numb hands, or at least 3 numb fingers. I read that pregnant women can get a form of carpal tunnel and I wonder if this is part of that. I might have to read up on that again and ask my Dr. next time I'm in.

Things That Suck

Being away from my family is starting to really suck. I've got less than a month left and I miss my family a lot. I don't have my mom that I can drive over to and visit, and although I've got fantastic friends here, there's nothing like having your mom nearby. My business partner Tara has recognized this, being from the states as well. She's lucky to at least have her in-laws in the same town. And while Rob's mom has started getting excited about being a grandmother, she's 4 hours away and has physical impairments that would keep her from spending alone time with the baby. Tara's been great, though, and has offered to be my surrogate mother in law, whenever I need a break, etc. Which is really nice.

I guess the main thing is, I feel like I'm missing out on the American pregnancy experience. I'm on an online group from baby gaga.com and every once in a while a girl will post, 'Hurray! Today's my baby shower!' I don't get to say that. In Ireland, you'd be jinxing the pregnancy to have a shower before the baby's born. For me, I feel like I'm missing out on a preperatory step to motherhood. I've got a girl at work who's asked me a few times, 'when's your baby shower!?' I hate having to say, 'I don't know, maybe there'll be a party after the baby's born?' It's just one of prices I pay for living in Ireland, I suppose. I guess I'm just getting overwhelmed with everything left to do... and it's not like I've felt ANY urge to nest to get me up and going. I still have to buy a carseat, bedding for the moses basket, crib mattress and bedding, baby's dresser and who knows what else. It'd be nice to have mom here to look over what we've got and say, 'right, Jen, this is what you still need, let's got shopping!'

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!

This is choice!! While driving home today, Rob and I encountered a road block of garda. As my tax on my car is out of date, I was sure of being pulled over. Just to note, I AM taking care of the tax. So sure enough, I was asked to pull aside. I told the garda that I had in fact taken care of the tax and was awaiting the new paperwork. Out he pulls a BREATHALYZER!!!! Yes, ladies, I was breathalyzed at 8 months pregnant!!! Hee hee hee hee! The road block was for the bank holiday, make sure people weren't driving drunk, they just saw my tax and pulled my regardless...and then felt compelled to check a significantly pregnant woman's blood alcohol level. Needless to say, I received a score of zero. It kinda made my day, though...like being carded after the age of 30. It was a bit surreal to be honest. I'm still giggling over it!

Countdown Is On

As of yesterday, I'm one month until due date!

New Sandles!!

Bliss! I finally made it to my plus size shop, Evans, to hunt down some shoes that fit properly. A couple days ago I crossed the street to the local mall (handy!) to have a search for wide fit shoes, with NO luck. Well, that's not totally true, Clarks did sell wide shoes for 70 euro. But come on, how much do I want to spend on shoes I'll wear for a month? So since I was in town today, I popped into Evans who ONLY sell wide fit shoes. I got myself 2 pairs of sandals (one black, one brown) so I now have shoes that aren't too tight! If it rains, I'm still stuck in sandals, but this is MUCH better than the alternative tight shoes. Bliss!