my-speck

i'm pregnant and it's going to be a rollercoaster

…grow grow grow…. December 2, 2008

Filed under: development stages,eating,pregnancy — rakster @ 3:23 pm
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Hey Speck!

well.  Long time no chat.  I can’t feel you moving around and I think it is still going to be a while before we can commune by touch through my belly.  So chatting with you this way is all I have for a bit longer.  Apparently your dad is going to be able to hear your heartbeat through my belly with his ear at some point too.  Again, I suspect its quite a while off, but that hasn’t stopped him trying.  He hasn’t rasberried you in a few days – but don’t feel neglected, he is just busy cooking for me while I study, and getting excited about your other grandparents arriving to visit from Canada.

Its a bit hot today, it feels like summer is finally here.  Yesterday was warm but it still cooled down last night.  It was a funny night – the people up the road have a yearly Christmas  decorations / turn on the lights drink/party on the street outside their house and we went along to say hello.  All in all about 50 people and then assorted children, with a slow start but then building to taking over the street and standing around chatting and gossiping.  We’ve lived in the same two streets for almost two years, so we know a few of them.  I was still surprised at how many little kids were around – I only see the ones who live across from us, but there were heaps of the little munchkins running around everywhere.  At 8:30 there was a 10 second countdown from the crowd on the street – where all the kids stood at the front & held hands & looked & then screamed with delight as the Christmas lights of the house with the party were ceremoniously turned on.  All in all I think I’m still a bit incredulous that we’ll have to look after you and you’ll be one of those independent, loud, screaming little bundles of energy.  Welcome, but still slightly unreal.

Otherwise your dad and I are well, still making sure we eat well – you’ll have to let him know that you really enjoyed the oven-baked falafels so he cooks them more frequently!  Hope you are busy growing your arms and legs and other bits.

love you
mum

p.s. you better be growing a lot because I am increasing in size at a rapid rate.  I think its actually disproportionately rapid.  I’m hoping I look as fat as I do mainly because I am constantly totally filled with gas, but unfortunately I suspect that is not the case.

 

Hi Again – oh my goodness we saw you moving around! November 28, 2008

Filed under: development stages,healthcare,pregnancy — rakster @ 9:42 am
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Hello Little Speccie!

How are you doing today?? I’m pretty excited this morning because I feel like you’re even more real – yesterday we went to the obstetrician & he did an external ultrasound and we could see that you’ve got bigger. I couldn’t stop laughing so it was hard for him to take some pictures of you, because my tummy kept moving around. I think it was contagious, ’cause the next thing that happened was that you started to wriggle around. A lot. In fact if I didn’t know that your eyes were closed (and potentially not even working yet or really there) I would have said that you were trying to swing around to get a look at us. Oh my goodness – it looked funny and cute and crazy all at the same time. Very strange thing to be looking at a picture of inside your own body and see something parasitical-looking (yep, you truly look like you could just be an amoeba or something that got in my drinking water somehow then grew to giant proportions – again – don’t take it personally at the rate you’re growing you’ll look better in no time) move around of its own accord… I can’t feel you moving yet, I think that comes in at least a few more weeks, but possibly even more, but it was cool to see you. Your dad and I got really excited. Your heart is still beating away very quickly too.

but I think as you get a bit bigger its definitely going to become mighty squishy down in there for all my organs..

So, the pictures the doctor took of you – the first one is you in the middle with your head on the left hand side of the photo as you look at it.

Speck you are bigger!

Speck you are bigger!

Next is where he was trying to measure you.   So the measurements are written on it:

33.7 mm long!

33.7 mm long!

Apparently all else is going well, but I guess you can’t tell all that much at this stage.  Apparently my uterus is just starting to pop out over my pubis, so that is the start of the belly that will develop.

Anyway, we’re both excited cause you look bigger, and were moving about a lot.  And you’re now over 3cm big!  So fast!

So, hope you continue to laugh down in there. Your dad blew you a rather large rasberry this morning.  Did you feel it & have a chuckle?

love you

mum

 

correction – I got it all wrong again – symptomatic of my condition November 21, 2008

Filed under: development stages,pregnancy — rakster @ 9:39 am
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Size:  So, you’re not going to grow to be as big as an orange this week.  I got it muddled-up.  My uterus will be as big as an orange by next week.  Which makes sense, if you are a bit bigger than a big grape, that you have enough room to float around in.

Foetus/Embryo: and you’re also apparently not a foetus yet, you’re still officially classed as an embryo.  So I’ve had that all wrong too.  I think by next week a bunch more of your organs have developed so that you will be a foetus.  Or maybe its that your hands and arms can reach more.  Who knows.  Obviously not me.  The gist of it is that you’re still getting bigger.  As expected.

General Confusion and Discombobulation: I have lost my marbles.  I am now addicted to frosty fruits (an icypole with a pineappley kinda flavour), which I am buying by the boxful from the supermarket, and are about the only thing I can focus on for more than 5 minutes at a time.  I put my inability to grasp and recall the simple facts of your development (as above) down to this diminished mental capacity.  I think its possibly a good thing that I work in a male-dominated industry with all male bosses etc – they couldn’t possibly imagine how much my brain has turned to mush in such a short period of time.  I’m going to have to come up with some better avoidance / hiding techniques in the short term though.  Today I just called in sick.  Couldn’t face another day and felt a bit off-colour.  Figured I was better off not there.  But seriously.  I can’t even remember a phone number when looking it up in my address book long enough to dial it.  Scary stuff.  Adds a new dimension to the difficulty of the exams I am soon to face.  Ce la vie.

Yours in muddle-headed-ness (do I sound like paddington bear?) see you in 216 days or so.

mum

 

Happy Week 9! Now you start to swim :) November 20, 2008

Filed under: birthing,development stages,pregnancy — rakster @ 6:38 pm
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Hiya Speck,

I’m lying in bed as I type.  Had to leave work on-time after getting in a bit early and had intended to come home and study but its all too much so I took to bed for a bit of a rest.  Your dad just got home and he is cooking fresh fig and walnut salad.  Yum.

Apparently I had it all wrong last week, and according to my books and the internet, you are only just beginning to swim around this week.   What good were those webbed hands then?  I guess you still have them for a bit more, so do take advantage.  And you are apparently grape-sized, but by next week you’ll be the size of an orange.  Now that is a bit weird.  How do you grow so much in one week?  No wonder I’m tired. Other things happening to you: your tail is disappearing, and your are starting to get your boy/girl bits.  Lucky for you!

The hospital information arrived today. I read it but with a bit of disbelief.  I’m still not really sure that you are coming, and if you are, will I really have to deliver you?  Through my vagina in a hospital?  Oh my god.  The birthing suites sounded private and ok, though.  And apparently your dad should bring togs for the shower.  So I guess we can shower together when you’re fighting your way out.  Its all a bit surreal, I have to say.   Hopefully you’ll be born at the same hospital I was born at, and the one where two of your aunts were born, and your two maternal uncles and cousins too.  Your other aunt was born at home.  I watched when I was 9 years old.  Its still one of my most enduring and exciting memories from my childhood.  And my only real exposure to childbirth.  I remember thinking that your Aunt was going to get her head banged on the bed as she came out: she had a big head with black hair & it was two pushes before she was fully out so she was in mid-air for a while.  I think I have a lot to learn.   Hopefully your dad and I will have fun learning about it and be relaxed about how it happens.   I’d like to think so.

Love & thinking of you

mum

 

little fingers November 18, 2008

Filed under: development stages,pregnancy — rakster @ 11:10 am
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Hi Speck!

Good morning. Nice day and I am feeling chirpier than I was yesterday.  I’m going to put it down to the weather and the fact that I have finished another gruelling part of my uni work at the moment. One more assignment down, one to go then two exams.  Anyway, your Dad is just sick of me never being home at night and complaining and then just sleeping when I am at home.  Four more weeks and then that is all over.

Another reason to feel better is that we have a holiday to look forward to.  Your Dad has booked accomodation, so we are definitely off on a road trip in the weeks before Christmas.  A few days at Seal Rocks, a couple around Nambucca / Bellingen, then up to Brisbane.  So, its something to look forward to.  I am really looking forward to lying on the beach and reading a book and swimming and relaxing and walking on the beach.  Though I definitely do need new togs before we leave as my boobs are still expanding at at a (I hope) unsustainably fast rate.  Jeez.  You better like breast milk.

Otherwise its all quiet on your front, which is a nice change from the semi-panic I was in last week.  You are hopefully swimming away like a little prawn down there, with your webbed hands, and the tips of your ears are coming along nicely.  I am starting to think of you as a baby rather than just a blob – just now I was imagining how soft your skin will be when you first come out and how small your fingers and fingernails.  Sop, sop, must be my hormones.  I’m still feeling exhausted, nauseous at random times, and overall struggling with concentration, but I’m excited.

Toodle-oo, enjoy your swim.
love mum.