Not coming anytime soon

Well, no big surprise but Baby Azer is just not ready to meet you. I am sorry, but he is very stubborn and enjoying his rest and relaxation and cannot be bothered. He has clearly posted a "Do Not Disturb" sign, requested a late check-out and would appreciate your cooperation.

I just got back from the doctor, who basically said it was not even worth examining me for effacement or dilation because there were no signs that anything would have changed since last week, except that my belly grew 3 cm (have I mentioned the stretch marks, because I am definitely guilting this baby over those ugly monsters, can you say tummy tuck?). His best guess is that this baby will be late (as most first babies are) and that I should stay in the pool as much as possible. So, it appears I have another month or so before this baby makes his appearance. Already a divo, I love it. (What I am not loving is this heat and swelling, not very fun.)

I might eat paste or chalk, just ignore me

So it turns out I am anemic in this pregnancy (go figure with this huge baby). Not a big deal at all, and I just have to take an iron supplement but certainly explains the fatigue and irritability...okay well, at least it explains the fatigue. I read that this is why some pregnant people eat chalk or crave dirt...that would have been funny. Imagine Adrian coming home to me feasting on chalk and dirt. Priceless. Anyway, I am up for as many burgers as I can possibly eat in the next month and if you want to make me a steak, feel free, apparently those are the "best" sources and you know what side comes with those, FRENCH FRIES!

A few new photos

Here are a few shots of the nursery and others from the Jonesville shower.  

He is a seriously Big Boy

So today I had another appointment and I was kind of nervous about it for some reason but turns out I LOVED this doctor (for reasons that will be apparent by the end of this story). She was measuring me and, again, Baby Azer is bigger than he should be for an average baby, but I mean, hello, this ain't no average baby. He is measuring larger and my doctor, Dr. Nevin (I rotate so I get a new one almost every time I go because the practice is big and no guarantee of who is on call) said her best guess is that he is in the 6.5-7lb range but I am only 35 weeks....measuring like I am 37 weeks or so....BIG BABY! Anyhoo, to become my favorite doctor, she lavished even more compliments on my by saying that my weight was really good and in the healthy range they recommend (I have not ever asked to know how much I weigh, I find that truly depressing and have no desire to actually see or hear the number) and that I have not gained weight in the past couple weeks which means its all baby (take that elevator woman). Then to really seal the deal, she said she felt sorry for me because I am short waisted (I AM, now you know why I rarely wear jeans or pants and prefer dresses and skirts) because short waisted people always look bigger because the baby has to grow out earlier on than for longer torsoed people (LOVE HER!!!). Then she did say that we will have to have a sonogram to see how much he weighs for sure and make decisions (guess who is advocating a C-section because it will make his schedule better...little does he realize how much work this means he will have to do afterwards but let's wait and see...). But she said that this usually does not mean that big babies come early and he is not descending at all (he apparently loves being up near my lungs and has a grand ol' time kicking my ribs and making it look like I am carrying an alien). (Can you tell that I am already chalking up the guilt trips on this baby, so when he is acting up I have so many things to say to him? For example, "I had to carry you in the DC heat and humidity and work all the while you were a huge baby who kicked me in the ribs and sat on my lungs all day long.")

Other than that, I am still fairly healthy. Lots of swelling which may become an issue but they are taking a wait and see approach on this as well. His nursery is pretty much done except for a rocking chair and lamp, which is a huge relief. BIG SHOUT OUT to Amanda Olcott for being so generous with her time and efforts! She helped us get all the art for the baby's room framed and hung--I highly recommend her talents!!! (THANK YOU AGAIN AMANDA, WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU!)

I also got to have a fun lunch with Jenny and Rhys, who is just gowing up to be a big cute boy! Cannot wait for all these boys to have playdates! Now we just need a whole round of girls to come along and give these boys something else to fight over.

Really Big Baby

It's official, Baby Azer is a big baby. The doctor today said he is already well over 5lbs (which is almost a 1/2 lb. larger than he should be at this point) and that we will probably have to have a sonogram in the 36-37 week range to see just how big he is and make some decisions from there. I am not sure if I am comforted by this or feel even fatter. A lady on the elevator told me yesterday just how big I am, which did not start my day off very well. (As an aside, why tell me how big I am, I mean I know I am big, it certainly does not brighten my day to be told how huge I am, but I guess she meant it nicely because when I said I might just be fat she backtracked and said no you just have a huge baby...) On the bright side, I am healthy, with no real issues other than swelling and discomfort (the bowling ball analogy is right on and it feels more like 2 bowling balls but who's counting and I apparently have really low blood pressure for a pregnant lady which means I will continue to eat as much salt as I desire).

Putting a positive spin on this, I suppose I am happy that he is going to be bigger because maybe that means he will sleep better early on and grow up to be a huge boy, who can be my first athletic client (I have no issues with him being a lineman). I was a big baby and apparently slept really well so maybe this is a blessing in disguise, which means I will just have to be uncomfortable now to sleep better later....I think that is a deal I will take.

Embarassment of Riches

Wow, we just got home from an awesome trip to Lee County and it was so much fun!! The baby shower was great and a huge thank you to the hostesses: Ernestine Wright, Renia Clark, Barbara Hines, Sandy Roberson, Janie Griffith, Sara Williams, Kathy Turner, Debbie Cheek and Beverly Taylor. Everything was amazing, no detail overlooked! I took most of the decorations back to my house to put in the nursery (pics to come). Also a huge thank you to all of the guests--we received so many gifts I felt like I was back in college taking everything back our car was so full and we love every gift. We appreciate each gift and feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family celebrate this milestone with us. We will have to bring Baby Azer down to the farm to play and learn all about his extended Lee County family in early fall, maybe in time for the Tobacco Festival.

Also a big thank you to my parents who were wonderful hosts. The food was so good and just hit the spot for all my cravings. (I am secretly looking forward to their next extended visit up here so they can cook for us again!) Adrian went on a very long 4-wheel trip to see the Hole in the Rock near the Kentucky/Virginia border (we are really trying to make him a country boy but its not working very well...go figure).

This week we start a baby class or two and it should be interesting. Our first class is the babycare skills class, which I think will prove to be the most beneficial for us (and by "us" I mean Adrian). With only 6 weeks (yes, 6 weeks, its gone by so fast) left until our due date, I am starting to feel super pregnant. (Bless everyone who is so nice and just says that I am carrying him in the front--I am not about to ask what I look like from behind but a partner I work with calls me Weeble because I am waddling down the hall here at work. Another person asked me if I was due next week, I was not feeling super skinny after that and I hate those tall people who get to carry lower because they are so tall...boo to tall/long torso people.) I got a little sick on a recent day trip to NYC (I mean, its my own fault, coming to NYC for less than 20 hours round trip at 8.5 months pregnant is not a good idea--note to self, say no to any trips when you have a hard enough time walking to the bathroom much less around NYC) and thought I was not going to make it home, but luckily, that passed. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Baby Azer is patient, but timely, (you know how I hate to be late) and healthy. We are going to the doctor every week now until he is born, so I am hoping to have a better idea of his arrival in the near future!