Ginger has dropped!

All righty, I think we're officially in the end zone, as this morning I woke up and my belly is in a completely new place than it was when I went to sleep last night. I've been carrying pretty round and high all along, and this morning I woke up to find she is sitting loooow....at first I was a little scared actually, as I actually felt smaller than I had the night before, but then after much reading I've found that she has dropped into my pelvis, meaning she is almost ready to go. They also call this phase "lightening" and you know what? I really do feel lighter. I can breathe a bit better, which is nice.

Ginger also has the hiccups right now, as she just had some yummy chinese food for her New Year's Eve celebration night. Yep, Paul and I are kickin' it on the couch this evening, planning on playing a little PS3 together and having a low pro (non-alcoholic) night together.

I've been drinking a TON of water (almost 2 gallons a day) since the test earlier this week and feel that Ginger is still poking around in there, so I feel good about our test on Friday. Doc says that if my fluid drops further, I'll go in for an immediate c-section, if my fluid stays the same, they'll go ahead and induce, but if my fluid rises, we'll ride it out and test again next Tuesday. I don't really know which one I'm rooting for at this point, although ideally I'd like to have the experience of the normal "oh shoot babe we gotta go to the hospital NOW" feeling, but I'll take it any way, as long as it makes the most sense for Ginger's health.

Stay tuned!

38 week dr's appointment

Today's visit was hard to describe. I should have probably blogged about it right when I got home, as I felt less anxiety than I do now, having done too much googling and reading about other stories.

The first unusual sign was that I had lost 2 lbs since my last visit. Now, I have been cutting out the fast food and eating lots more vegatables, plus with this heartburn I can't eat anymore after 8:30pm or so. So no late night snacks.

Blood pressure is slightly elevated, same as last week (in fact, the exact same reading as last week). Doctor pulls out the ultrasound machine and says baby's heartbeat looks good, but that my fluids look low. Low enough that she sends me over to have an NST screening done.

There, they hook me up to the fetal monitors and I sit for 45 minutes while they watch baby's heartbeat. She was as active as ever, which was good and bad. Good, because we know she's doing all right in there. Bad, because it was hard to place the monitors for long enough to catch her heartbeat for more than a few minutes at a time. But she finally settled down, and they gave me the vote of confidence that she's doing well in there.

Then we went for the final part of the NST, which is an extended ultrasound where they check the the levels of fluid. Ideally, I should be between 5-25 cm's (which is called your AFI level). When my doc checked me initially, she found I was at 5.6 AFI, which is borderline low. When the NST specialists checked me, I was at 7.4 AFI, which was a little better, but they'd prefer me to be closer to 11-12 at this stage of my pregnancy.

So, I've been ordered to do no housework, no errands, nothing really at all. They want me to lay in bed or on the couch, and do nothing but relax and drink LOTS and LOTS of water. They are concerned if the levels stay low that the baby could accidentally have the cord wrap around her neck.

So, of course they now have me freaked out. I'm doing kick counts now (never had to until now, she has been so active that I would get 10 kicks in 10 minutes, at times) but they want me to make sure if I feel a sudden change in her activity, to come in as quickly as possible.

All of this is stressing me out a bit. I'm sure everything is fine, but even a small risk like this is causing me some anxiety. Luckily, we are close to the hospital and ready to go, so who knows- the next post could very well be Ginger's birth story. We'll see...

Answering the Question..."How Are You?"

(Precursor to this post- I am happy, well adjusted, and generally speaking choose not to complain about how I'm feeling during this pregnancy, as it is a blessing to be pregnant with a healthy little girl and I know I'm not unique in experiencing many of the issues I discuss below)

I don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse to be asked how I am so often throughout my pregnancy. Of course, with acquaintences, or strangers, a simple and short response usually suffices, but I have to admit I've wanted to answer this question the following way more than once...

"Hey Wendy, look how cute you are! Ready to Pop! How are you?"

In my head:
Well, if you really want to know, I have had a migraine, sinus infection, and and sore throat for the past two weeks or so. I'm usually so tired that my mind doesn't work properly, so I often appear dazed and confused. My lips have been dry and chapped since 16 weeks, and my feet have been swollen since about that time as well. I can only wear flip flops nowadays, despite 40-50 degree weather. I have to roll around to get out of bed, or off the couch, and I am a definite waddler when I'm walking. Speaking of which, that swelling in my ankles that I refer to has now progressed up my calves and thighs. I straighten my hair about 2-3x a week, if I can muster it, but other than that, you'll see those ugly not-quite-curls but not-quite-waves. I can't sleep at night, but have a hard time staying awake during the day. I can't take any meds for my whole sinus-throat problem, so I'm generally stuffy and blowing my nose during the day, to boot. I have gained more weight than I would have liked, and no, it's not "all belly" like those skinny girls. It's more like "all chin" to me, coupled with "all arms", "all ass", and "all everywhere else" including belly. I've had especially tough heartburn in this third trimester, causing TUMS to become ineffective, and now moving straight into twice daily doses of Pepsid (normal strength, cause us prego women can't take extra strength). I can't eat after about 8:30pm, making those late night cravings especially tough to get over when you have insomnia. But, otherwise, I'm doing just fine. How are you doing?

What I end up saying:
I'm doing great! Other than some minor swelling in my feet, all is well. I can't complain.

So, just in case you hear the 2nd version, you may want to know that the 1st version is probably a little bit more truthful, but for some reason, no one really likes to hear the truth from us crazy pregnant ladies!

Ready to rock

First, let me show you what the box looked like when the rocking chair arrived. Deal or no deal, I expected my new rocking chair to be delivered in good condition, and I about cried when I saw how it was handled. There is always (ALWAYS) something to be said for buying and picking up locally, despite me being an avid online shopper.





Well, after Paul came home from work, he unpacked the rocking chair (we already had received the ottoman) and all was well. Here it is- I just melt when I sit in it and imagine Ginger in my arms! I can't wait to read to her, rock her, and just stare at her from my new comfy chair and ottoman. Plus, it being such a good deal, I'm satisfied that I paid a fair price for it too. Paul thinks it's huge, but you know what, I love it. It'll grow on him :)

(PS excuse the mess- we're still figuring out where we'll put all of the other baby stuff)

Doctor's Appt- 36 weeks

All went well today at my doctor's appointment, despite a crazy morning at work, to say the least. I really can't even explain how excited I am to go for my weekly ultrasounds, to see Ginger's progress and growth. Incredible.

Today, my doctor told me that she is approximately 6 lbs., 8 oz. and depending on the next 4 weeks or so, she could gain as much as 2lbs or so (usually 1/2 lb a week is normal at this point). So she won't be a tiny baby, but as long as I don't hold onto her for more than 4 weeks (and deliver on time) than she should be about 8 to 8 1/2 lbs, which is the weight that both Paul and I were when we were babies.

We also got to see her face today, and even doc commented on what a sweet face Ginger has. You never really know if they say that to all of their patients, but I sure agree- she has the CUTEST little nose and face, and I can't wait to see her in person!

All of her organs and limbs checked out well, too, and yes, even today she gave doc a run for her money, as she was kicking and turning and moving all over the place.

My blood pressure was slightly elevated today, but considering the crazy day I had earlier, my doc wasn't surprised. She had me retested and the BP had reduced a bit by the end of the appointment, so all was good. Lots of lab work done today too, all normal.

So, even though normal doesn't make for the most "exciting" blog postings, it makes me incredibly happy! Doc officially pulled me off work today because of my swollen sausage feet, so I get to start collecting SDI right away (well, after a 1 week waiting period).

Fun new stuff...

I've been adding a few final touches to Ginger's room, and thought I'd share a few cute new things "she" has gotten :)

Here is a surfboard that I ordered from Ebay- how adorable is this? It's over 4 feet long, and it's going up on the wall above her changing table. I LOVE how it turned out!



Ginger's first lullaby CD- called Rockabye Baby- Lullaby Renditions of Led Zeppelin. We were introduced to the Rockabye Baby series at our 4D ultrasound place- they played the Bob Marley Rockabye Baby (which is our next choice!) Paul and I are big Led Zeppelin fans, and love that we will be able to sing along to Ginger (and deal with baby lullabies that we actually enjoy listening to!)


A set of new books I orderd for Ginger- I loved the Little Miss series when I was a little girl, and am totally nostalgic just putting them on the bookshelf!


Ginger's new humidifier- I couldn't resist (even though it has nothing to do with the vintage surf theme)


Ginger's new bouncer- courtesy of Tyler and David. It is SOOO cute- thanks guys!


We're still waiting on the rocking chair to arrive- the ottoman came yesterday and I love it! Once both are in place, I'll make sure to capture it as well.

Big Kicks...Still?!?!

Ginger has been quite the active little girl in my tummy for most of this pregnancy, but this past week or two has been stunning. Most of my reading is telling me that she should be sort of squished by now, and not have much room to punch and kick, thus some of the movement will feel less intense.

Wrong.

Last night, Paul and I sat in bed at about 11pm for almost an hour, blown away by what this little girl is capable of. We just watched my tummy, and she would completely react to our communicating with her. Mom called her a tough little cookie, and she immediately kicked back like she was saying "you betcha!" and we laughed, and laughed. Dad tried to comfort her, stroking my tummy and telling Ginger that this is our bedtime and she needs to start simmering down (already being a good daddy) and she calmed while he stroked. We smiled and were just so amazed.

We even pretended that she was on our bed, in between us, and are still just in shock that we'll have a child in less than 4 weeks. We have every emotion possible running through us, mostly nervousness about the unexpected. We want to get this show on the road, but know that once she's here, it's not "over". This isn't a cold, we don't go back to "normal". Our lives will be changed forever. Holy Moly.

SCORE!!!!

I am bouncing off the wall right now, thrilled at my super deal I just landed without even trying. I have been eyeing a rocking chair and ottoman for some time now, in fact I was debating between two (rather expensive) options, but felt that it would be worth it somehow to make this investment for Ginger, and our next baby.

Well my friend Jaime actually had one of the rocking chairs, and once I sat in it at her house, I knew that this was the chair I wanted. She loves it and uses it often, so I knew it was the right move.

When I called Babies R Us about a week and a half ago, they mentioned that they no longer sold it in their store, but that if I came in they could have it shipped from the distribution center to the store. I lagged on getting around to it, because I would have had to go in, pay for it, and wait 12-14 days for it to come in. I've just been busy and haven't gotten around to it.

Well, wouldn't you know- I went online tonight to Babies'R'Us website, and the chair and ottoman are clearenced priced at 50% off!!!!!! The chair is normally $400, and it was priced at $200. And the ottoman is normally $150, and it was priced at $75.

Check out how it all worked out for me:
Chair ($200) (reg $400)
Ottoman ($75) (reg $150)
coupon: $25 off $150 or more (-$25)
3 gift cards I have been storing:
(-$85)
(-$50)
(-$25)

Shipping to my home ($100)
(yes, this is a killer, but the store
couldn't offer me the clearence price)

TOTAL: ($190)

$190 dollars for the set! YAHOO!!!!!! I was seriously about to pay $550 plus tax to the store, and have to go pick it up (well, have Paul pick it up). Now it is coming TO MY DOOR for $190. And it's ADORABLE!!!

Can you tell I am one happy mommy?? I'll make sure to take a pic of the set when it arrives.

35 weeks

I like this pic the best, because all you see is my silhouette against the tree, rather than all of my glorious chins.


But, to capture the moment, I added the other one as well...


I can't be vain at this point, Ginger will be here soon enough and that is all that matters to me right now. I am SO excited to meet our baby girl, I can't even explain it in words!

34 weeks- doctor's visit

This morning I had a great doctor's visit, well, mostly great. I was able to fill out the preadmission paperwork, so we are set when the time comes to deliver- we'll get wheeled right in. My blood pressure measured great, which I was a little surprised about, to be honest. I've been so swollen and have read so much about preclampsia that I thought my BP would start travelling north. But it hasn't, in fact the doc made mention that I was in a great range, so I feel good about that. Good protein levels, another indicator of no preclampsia, so another thing to feel good about.

Ginger has rotated and is now head down, ready to go. I was able to see her on the ultrasound today, WOW she is getting big! Her head and body looked quite large, which made me a little nervous, but doc said she is measuring in right at 34 weeks, right on target. She was kicking and punching through the ultrasound, it was so fun to watch her moving around. When the doc came into the exam room, she asked how I was doing, and I was mentioning how much of a kicker she is, and I'm sure she hears that all the time. Well, it was confirmed with the ultrasound- the doc said "you weren't kidding, she is REALLY active!" and confirmed that this was a great sign of good health.

I say the visit was mostly great today, because, well, I've officially surpassed the 25-35 lb range. And I still have 6 weeks to go. And I'm not talking 36 lbs (though let's just say I'm not over 40 yet). Doc mentioned that I will want to watch my carbs through the next 6 weeks, and though I already knew I've gained a little too much, it still was hard to hear it. But it just makes me more determined to get my a$$ to the gym afterwards. Paul has absolutely no concerns about it and continues to give me props for working as hard as I do, while being as prego as I am. So I keep it in mind, but won't allow myself to get too depressed about it. It is what it is.

Check out my big ol' belly- amazing, huh?

Random Thoughts

*My belly is officially sitting on my thighs- what a weird feeling!

*turning over (in bed, on the couch, anywhere really) has become quite the workout. I have admitedly turned into a "huffer and puffer" and Paul chuckles at all of my noises I make when moving these days.

*I had my first "hospital" dream last night- although I think it was a bit off from the real experience! I went in, 6 weeks early, and was put on a SHARED table with 20 other women who were all simultaneously in different stages of labor. Mine was false labor, but just seeing these other women at different points scared the crap out of me! Good thing this doesn't really happen!

*I'm beginning to look like Alvin the Chipmunk, storing nuts in my cheeks for the wintertime look. Luckily, Paul and I have a running joke that works for me- every day, he passes by and comments "did I tell you that you are beautiful today?" in a lighthearted tone that just makes me crack up. He's such a good support to me!

*I think I should invest in TUMS. If interested, I think the Tums Smoothies 750mg are the best. Berry flavored.

*I'm considering bringing my own hospital gown with me when we deliver. I've been looking at a few different styles (with varying prices) and I'm tempted. I know some moms will say that it wouldn't have made a difference to them, and other moms who will say they wish they had them around when they delivered. They are just sooo cute, and look so much more comfortable than the ones I've been given at Kaiser so far, so we'll see.

*Only 3 weeks until I am off for my maternity leave! I was granted permission to leave 4 weeks prebirth, and then 12 weeks after birth, so I'll be gone for 4 months. YAHOO!!

*tomorrow, I might just start to pack my hospital bag. I still have 6 weeks or so to go, but you never know if she comes early, and knowing me i will definitely want some "must have" items at the hospital with me.

*I played with the car seat and stroller today, and had fun picturing Ginger in them. I love the Chicco system that I registered for- it was a consumer reports best buy and I definitely know why! It is so easy to use, that I ended up using the stroller today to transport some of my laundry that was too heavy to carry. So much fun.

OK, enough thinking for now. My memory is almost shot so I figured if I didn't get it all out now, I may not have some of these thoughts again. I want to make sure to document these funny things for Ginger's baby book, so when I'm old and gray I can laugh at myself!

Thanksgiving Day, 2008 (A LOT to be thankful for!)

With less than 7 weeks to go, Paul and I have a lot to be thankful for today. We have a loving marriage, supportive family, and a beautiful baby girl on the way. I couldn't have dreamt that my life would be so wonderful!

Here are some of the final pics from our maternity photo session- enjoy!

Some awesome pics of Ginger's room

Kymberli took some professional shots of our little girl's room when she was here for our baby shower, and I think they look SO good! I love how she knows how to use the camera to capture angles, light, contrast, etc. She has a great eye!

Anyhow, I thought I would share :) You can click on any of the images to enlarge, if you'd like!

We had the bedding custom made, pink hibiscus flowers with hula girls:


On the bookshelf, I have my Bearenstein Bear book collection, along with a Petter Rabbit book my grandmother gave me in 1986, and a book of children's stories that my mom and dad gave me in 1987!


Pin-Up Surfer Girl is what I was going for...


What little girl doesn't deserve a Mrs. Potato Head?


I loved the quote on this little flower...

Ginger's Godparents

We couldn't be happier to share the news that two of our closest friends, Shanna and Randy, have accepted the role to be Ginger's Godparents!

Paul and I thought long and hard about this, and knew that for hundreds of reasons, they would be the best best choice for us. For one, they live right up the street and will be a visible presence in Ginger's life. Shanna has been my best friend since 7th grade (can you believe it- we've been friends for 16+ years!) and through thick and thin we have stuck by each other. She is actually responsible for Paul and I meeting for the first time, as she introduced Paul to me in 10th grade and was trying to get us together even back then (Paul and I didn't end up dating until my after my freshman year of college). She's not "my" friend, she is truly "our" friend, having her own friendship with Paul through high school, so Paul respects her and values her, and loves her a ton!!

When I first shared the news with her that we were pregnant, she was genuinely excited for us and has already began to spoil Ginger, even before she is born! She threw us an amazing baby shower, and, well, she is just going to be an amazing Godmother to Ginger. Plus, she's a nurse, she's Catholic, she loves crafts, she loves to shop, she has good taste. Need I go on?!?

I had so much fun posing the question- Shanna's birthday was November 10th, and Paul and I went up to their home this past Saturday to celebrate. We brought presents and an ice cream cake, and Shanna had the pizza and beer (and diet pepsi for me). We watched the UFC fight (my first one ever) and during a break, she opened her presents. We got her a new cookbook (she loves to cook!) and then the 2nd gift was a framed 4D ultrasound picture of Ginger with the following poem:

Dear Auntie Shanna,
I hear that you are a special person to me
From what I hear, I am pretty LUCKY!
I am looking forward to meeting you
And all the fun stuff that we will do
From tubby time to my sippy cup
You will see it all as I grow up

So after all is said, here is the thing
To my life, mommy and daddy love what you will bring
They agreed that there could be no other
So I would like to ask-
Will you be my Godmother?
Love, Ginger

Shanna accepted (of course!) and we all hugged, we extended the invite to Randy, who accepted the Godfather role, and we couldn't be more thrilled. Shanna- if you're reading this (which she will), you are a dear, dear friend and I can't WAIT for you to be such a big part of Ginger's life!!

3rd trimester SMACKDOWN!

Well, I guess my 3rd trimester wanted to smack me in the face last night...check out how it went down...

9:15pm- a developing headache became full blown massive, can't look into the tv light or hear sound. must get in bed and close my eyes.
10:30pm- pounding headache still. despite not having taken any meds this entire pregnancy, decided to take 1 tylenol, to see if it would help. potty break too.
12:00am- heartburn attack! drank a glass of milk to see if it would help. potty break too. good news- headache seems to be gone.
2:15am- heartburn attack again (these are PAINFUL)! Took 2 tums. potty break again.
3:30am- potty break.
4:15am- potty break.
5:45am- potty break.
6:55am- potty break.
8:45am- potty break.

Are you kidding me right now? I have had the wake up a few times for potty in the past, but this was out of control- sometimes not even an hour had passed!!!

I also had a crazy dream that I was hanging out with Leona Lewis (pop star) but that all of the kids were making fun of her, so I had to stick up for her around campus. Let me tell you- it was a tough night!

A few more (from a man's point of view!)

So the first few posted were from Kymberli's point of view, and here are a few from Al's point of view. I love how they capture different shots, angles, moments. I can't wait to see the rest of the photos! Don't forget to check out their website, www.webbedfootphotography.com to see more of their amazing work!

Maternity Session- Sneak Peek!

Today, Paul and I went down to Huntington Beach Central Park to have some maternity photos taken, and we've already received a few shots as a "sneak peek" to our session. Kymberli and (her husband) Al are a professional photography team, and good friends of ours. Kymberli and I met at work while I was at Appleone, and we were both regional trainers together supporting Southern California. Though I left after a few years, we have kept in touch and I am SO happy that we have. She and I are a lot alike, and often refer to each other as "twinsies" because we seem to have SO much in common. Well, it turns out that we both announced our pregnancy at the same time, in fact when she posted the news on her myspace page, I replied with "We're pregnant TOO!! Twinsies for sure!!" She is about 11 days ahead of me, give or take, and it has been wonderful to share stories along the way.

I can't say enough about how talented and amazing Kymberli and Al are, as a photography team. If you ever need photography services (formal or informal) you MUST check out their website (www.webbedfootphotography.com) and give them a call. I have no doubt that they will be photographing Ginger regularly, in addition to family portraits, etc. I might as well book them for the next 18 years now to lock in a good rate, because I KNOW they will continue to succeed in their endeavors. Thank you for everything, you two, you mean the world to us both and we can't wait for playdates with Ginger and Riley!

And so it begins...

This is only the 0-3 months, and 3-6 months clothing we have for Ginger- I have just as much 6-9 month and 9-12 month clothes stored away. I have been blessed with two great friends, Jovita and Scarlett, who have provided me with entire bins full of clothes, plus stuff that was given to me at my shower, plus stuff I've picked out along the way (but not much has been purchased by me!)

Paul laughs at my OCD organization, and told me to take a picture of this, because it will probably never look like this again. Ha! Once I finally get the dresser in, I'll have a bit more space to put things, but for now everything has got to be squished in here!

Things I love...

With only a few months left before Ginger arrives, I've decided to make every day off I have count, for me. Because I work a 9/80 schedule, I have every other Friday off, in addition to a bunch of extra holidays (aka Veteran's Day next Tuesday, 11/11) Although it's been crazy switching employers while I am this far along, I do have to say that I REALLY enjoy having these days off to myself. So, I try to do something special on these days, instead of sitting at home in my pj's watching tv.

Today, I had so many things that I love happen. First, I got my hair done, and every woman in the world can relate that there is always a new spark in your step when you leave with freshly colored and cut hair. Especially because I am taking my maternity photos this weekend- my roots were a disaster and now look much better! And don't worry, my stylist makes sure not to put the highlights directly on my scalp, so no product can seep through my scalp and hurt Ginger. :)

Then, I decided to head over to the mall, as the Nordstrom's half yearly sale started today. There were so many things that I loved about my day there. First, I love Nordstroms. Don't get me wrong- I am a deal shopper in all other ways, but there is nothing like the service you get there, and I got it all day long being HUGE and pregnant. I stopped by a few makeup counters and picked up a few new things, then headed over to the sunglass section, where I got an amazing new pair of Coach sunglasses for 50% off!! YIPPEE! Then, over to the shoes, where I didn't buy anything (as my feet are swollen and I'd have to buy shoes that wouldn't fit me in a few months) but it was still fun to oogle over all of the boots and heels that I don't get to wear right now.

I stopped by a few other departments and browsed around, and finally decided to treat myself to a late lunch at the Nordstrom Cafe. I absolutely love this place. I don't go enough, and every time I do, I always tell myself that I need to go more often. Again, since this was a day about ME, I decided to splurge for lunch, and had a cup of clam chowder, a side spring salad with balsamic vinegrette, and a french dip (could only eat 1/2 of it cause I was too full by then!)

From the water with fresh lemon, to the amazing servers who kept checking on me (cause I was pregnant and alone, which was FINE by me!) everything was sooooo yummy. It's pretty funny to see how many strollers were in the cafe today, there must have been 5 or 6 mommies there, and it made me smile. I'm sure that before I go back to work, I'll want to take Ginger out for a girl's lunch to Nordy's cafe. Well, we'll see!

Anyhow, I hope that I can continue to make something special out of my few remaining days off before Ginger arrives. I sure did enjoy myself today!

Victory, and defeat...

It is with grace that I write this post, as I know many of my family and friends are saddened by Obama clinching the presidency. I have been backing him for almost 2 years now, and have been inundated with questions about why, how could I, as well as some pretty nasty emails that were just plain untrue. Regardless, I feel victorious that Obama will now be leading us in a time when we need him most. He will be a uniter, so long as he is not purposefully tripped by those who want to see him fail along the way. This was one of those elections that people were looking at each other and thinking "how could I possibly be this close with this person, and yet see things so differently??" but I think that it proves that we live in the most amazing country in the world, that allows us to coexist with such radically different opinions, and still maintain peace.

Today I went and worked the polls counting paper ballots, which felt great and I'm glad I did it. I was able to see the behind the scenes process, although next time around I will probably sign up to work at a voting location so I can work more closely with people.

We were also victorious this election in freeing our caged-in animal friends, which I am so happy about as well. I have been buying cage-free eggs for years (I really do think they taste better, IMHO, in addition to knowing they were humanely treated) so this will actually be a benefit to me, as increased competition might lower the artificial price they are now, as their seen as a "premium" whereas in the future it will just be the norm.

Although we have been progressive enough to elect a black president, and offer freedom to our animal friends, it saddens me that we are still willing to strip a fundamental right away from gays wanting to marry. I am a Christian, and I understand the argument that's been presented to me on the other side. I suppose I am what you might call a progressive Christian, vs. a traditionalist, as I (as a woman) work outside the home, feel I am an equal to my husband, and don't take the Bible in such a literal sense as some others I know. I am deeply perplexed that so many people feel good about this decision- I imagine the confederates of the late 1800's feeling really good about challenging black rights, or in the 1920's and 1930's, white men feeling really good about challenging women's rights, and just have to wonder how anyone can feel good about this. But, I know minorities and women didn't gain access to social rights overnight, they were long, heartfelt battles to change social perception. And so, we fight on.

I am SOOOOO happy to be bringing Ginger into this world with Obama as president. I only hope that the progress I've seen in my lifetime so far, continues to build and provides an even better world for my children to take over, and pass along to their children.

Bedding complete, and a pic from Kymberli's shower!

Paul and I stopped by Babies'R'Us tonight and you can officially call me "Betsy the Cow", as I am the proud owner of a dual automatic Medela breast pump. We went to dinner afterwards, and made jokes all night about the whole breastfeeding experience- I'm sure it will be tender when my baby is here, but until then, it's just kind of funny and reminds us that we are all mammals at heart :)

While we were at Babies'R'Us, I was able to pick up the folding hamper I've needed to complete our crib bedding. I had my lady make a custom hamper bag and I was able to attch it all tonight. Here are some pics of how everything turned out- I think she did a phenomenal job!

I added a pic of my friend Kymberli and I from her baby shower today. What a great experience to be going through all of this with her, we've been able to share stories and compare notes, and her shower today was really fun. We both are already "over" how ginormous we are, so please just bear with my double (or triple) chin that seems to be a permenant feature these days.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh Daddy!!

Isn't he the cutest ever? I wanted to make sure to post these so they get into Ginger's book once I create it. What a hot pirate!!

YAHOO!

I love computerized medical records. I had my 3 hour diabetes glucose test today, and although it was a lot of pricks, and a lot of driving back and forth, it wasn't too bad. In fact, they had a flu vaccine clinic today at Kaiser, and I decided to get one more prick, seeing as though I was already stuck multiple times. So, that's been taken care of too now (and it was free, which is always awesome!)

Anyhow, within an hour of leaving Kasier, I received an email telling me my diabetes test results were in, and we are ALL GOOD. In fact, my levels are pretty darn impressive, compared to what I thought it would be. I do have a sweet tooth, and have attempted to make good food choices 80% of the time, but I have allowed myself that 20% so that I wouldn't go crazy. The occasional Big Mac, or peppermint mocha (decaf of course) have been treats for me, and I don't worry about it too much.

SO, no gestational diabetes for me. Yahoo! Thanks for the support!

Just for fun...

Well, I'm at home for 40 minute intervals while I get my 4x glucose test done today, so I have to fill my time...Here's another example of how Ginger might turn out, I swear this website cracks me up!

Ginger cast her first presidential ballot!

Well, not technically, but she was along for the ride! Today I had to go out for my pollworker training class at the County registrar of voters office, and I happened to arrive about 20 minutes early. I noticed they were offering early voting there, so we participated and I am so relieved! There seems to be rumors of panic about election day, with the elevated interest and whatnot, so I decided to go ahead and cast my ballot early in order to miss the lines.

The great part about this was there were at least 20 electronic voting machines set up, everything was amazingly organized, lots of people to help, and I literally cast my ballot within 5 minutes. Now, granted, I knew how I was voting on all of the propositions, presidential and senatorial races, etc. but even so it went really fast! Plus these electronic voting machines had a built in paper printout that I was able to see and verify before casting my ballot. So just in case something malfunctions, our vote will still be counted.

Once I was done, I put on my "I Voted" sticker, and I almost felt that Ginger was looking up at me and smiling. She's proud her mommy is a good citizen :)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat.....

So, I failed the diabetes initial screen, and have to go in for the 3 hour test on Thursday. The cutoff is 140, and I "scored" a 145, which is just above the level they like to see. The nurse told me over the phone that many people who actually end up with diabetes score upwards of 160-170, so they are just being precautionary, but I'm still bummed at the thought of having to be poked multiple times in 3 hours. I really, really hope that it comes back negative, for both selfless and selfish reasons! I don't want Ginger to have to deal with blood sugar fluxes right after delivery. I also can't imagine abstaining from sweets just as we turn the corner to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Silly me- I'll be fine, but you can be sure I'll be looking for sugar-free and lowcarb alternatives!!

OK, these things are just scary....

I was reading another pregnancy blog tonight, and the pregnant girl was laughing about how scary her "child" came out on this website when she matched herself and her husband, so I had to try it. Yep, pretty scary- the head proportion is as large as her face, it just seems a bit 'children of the corn'...but it gave me a good laugh. Here's to hoping Ginger's forehead is a little more proportional to her face!

Baby Shower #1

I am still collecting pics from the "friends and family" baby shower, but I thought I would post a few tonight as a preview. This was my main baby shower(although my mom's church lady friends will throw me a smaller second shower right after the baby is born) The party was fantastic, thanks to Shanna, my sister, my mom (and Shanna's mom!) and all of the other help that went on behind the scenes. We had about 40 people attend the halloween themed event, and between the onesie decorating station (was a hit with guests!), yummy food and cupcakes, and a beautiful (albeit WARM!) day, I have to say that it was just perfect. Thanks to everyone who came, Ginger is looking forward to meeting you!!!

Here's a pic of how Ginger's room is coming along- it is almost complete, we're just waiting on a backordered dresser!



Present time!



Game time!



Check out the yummy cupcakes my friend Wendy brought- she has a friend who is a baker and these were SOOO good!



Ginger is growing, as am I...