my-speck

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

Easter Monday. 73 days and counting. April 13, 2009

Filed under: eating,pregnancy — rakster @ 1:52 pm
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Hello little monster child,

how are you?  Well, I hope.   Its been pretty quiet down there today, but you do seem to have moved in the past few days to be further down in my stomach.  I’m pretty sure your hard and heavy head is nestled just to the right of my groin, so when I’m walking up hills I can feel it and my thigh almost pushes on you.   Else I’ve swallowed a rock and its lodged somewhere down in my intestines in that area.  Its a pretty solid head-like lump.   However that hasn’t stopped the pushing on the lungs.  I think I am going to look forward to when you head hopefully drops down more, a few weeks before you’re due (if it goes to plan) and I have some more room to breathe.   I get pretty breathless very easily, though the breathing we did in antenatal yoga in Sydney, concentrating on different parts of the lungs etc, really does help.

Its raining again.  Your dad and I went down to the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) this morning for a wander.  It was pouring, so we lazily drove instead of walking, as it was just too sodden.  But it was a good browse, a bit over an hour, just wandered through two big rooms and then decided we’d had enough.  Lucky its close enough to be able to do that easily.   The rain started pouring down at one point and it was lovely to be inside a huge room with lovely paintings (my favourite today was a green dot-style painting by Maringka Baker…

Kura Ala – Maringka Baker

It was also lovely to see out to the river and the new Kurilpa walking bridge being built over to the city. We can take you there when you get older and you can ignore the art and just enjoy running up and down the wheelchair access ramps outside screaming at the top of your lungs with laughter and shrieks the way the other kids were today 🙂

This afternoon we’ve had miso and soba soup for lunch, and after a break I’m going to go and help your dad finish sanding your cot. Your dad and grandad M stabilised it on Saturday with some extra bits of wood (as it is an old silky oak one and was slightly rickety), and now we’re just taking off the lacquer so we can refinish it so it looks lovely and spick in your room. Its a mini little cot, maybe it will only fit you until you’re about one year old, ’cause the sides aren’t that high. But it is cute and we think you’ll like it.

Hope you’re well and that your dreams aren’t as involved and engrossing and sleep-depriving as mine.

love you
mum

 

yay! No gestational diabetes for me. Tonight after exercise class I’m going to celebrate with cashew toffee ice cream. April 8, 2009

Filed under: cooking,eating,emotion,healthcare,pregnancy — rakster @ 2:48 pm
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Hello Speck!

Lunch time.  You’ve just made your presence felt once again – you seem to get annoyed by the consumption of food – like it impinges on your space so you have to make your displeasure known by giving a few big solid movements around the stomach and lung/rib area.  I played a game with you and grabbed your little bottom and foot again.  You moved around, so I did it again.  It makes me pee myself with laughter.  It feels really strange when you’re doing ‘tent pose’ and you move around, and your dad can see it from the outside, and I can see and feel it.  You generally like it when I laugh too, and go back to sleep for a bit, so it works out for all of us.

Good news – I don’t have gestational diabetes.  My base level was 4.2 and my 2hour level was 6.2, which is ‘excellent’ according to the endocrinologist.  I’ve read some more about it, and the accepted cut-off levels in Australia recommended by Ranzcog are fasting >5.5 & 2hr >8.0. So I’m well within. Yay.  No carb-cutting diet restrictive practices required.  My iron levels however, are low.  So I’m going to start iron supplements today.  I’ve been tested earlier in the pregnancy for Iron, so I know I’ve been fine most of the time, but I have read that around 28 weeks the level of your growth kicks in again and thus lower iron is common (and apparently this growth-spurt in you can also have links to grumpiness in me – which tallies).  Anyway, I was hoping to avoid iron tablets ’cause they have some nasty side-effects, but I guess it has to be done.

P.S.  I think we will be making cashew toffee ice cream tonight to celebrate after pregnancy physio exercise classes are done.

Love you

mum

 

cooking again. Carrot cake today. April 6, 2009

Filed under: cooking,eating,pregnancy,vegetarian — rakster @ 12:14 pm
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Hello Speck!

I’ve braved the disorder of our house to cook again this afternoon.  Carrot cake.  Its in the oven now. So the house is hot.  I think its about 28 degrees, which isn’t too bad, but its been raining for the past four days, and just started again, so its that lovely Brisbane humid heat.  The skin pressed between my boobs and you in my stomach is exceedingly hot.  Such is life.

carrot cake before we ate it

carrot cake before we ate it

carrot cake after we ate it...

carrot cake after we ate it…

Your dad and I went for a big walk this morning.  It was a nice break and ’cause I stopped lots to stretch out my back, wasn’t too hard on it.  I slept badly again last night.  Right on time as soon as I enter the third trimester my sleep has deteriorated again and the good hormones seem to be taking a break.  Damn damn damn.  But typical.   Yoga on Friday night helped with the back, but the pain just comes back, no matter how much I stretch.  We walked around a lot yesterday too – markets, Mick’s Nuts and general back and forth.   And exercise does help, but I think from now on in its just discomfort from what the books and people tell me.  Not that it seems to bother you at all 🙂

you and me at week 28

you and me at week 28

We also had a Speck-watching event on the back deck yesterday with your Grandad and Uncle Jake & your Dad, Aunt 3 & T.  You move around so heartily that its pretty easy to work out where you are and what you are doing.  Lots of pushing up with your feet near my stomach while everyone was watching.   You were doing the ‘tent pose’ for a while, so we grabbed your foot on either side with our fingers on the ouside of my belly.  Your foot is pretty big.

As you can possibly tell from my almost incoherent ramblings, my brain is reverting to mush again. Oh well. Best to just eat cake.

love you
mum

 

its your dad’s birthday and we ate a lot of icecream cake… despite the fact the endocrinologist says I’ve gone too hard on the weight gain front. March 29, 2009

Filed under: cooking,eating,pregnancy — rakster @ 7:01 pm
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Hello Speck!

Its your dad’s birthday today, so it was a big day with lots of friends and family and a HUGE icecream cake.  Neopolitan flavour – all hand-made by me, you and Lukey, who came over to help with it yesterday (well, really I think he thought that making icecream would involve lots of opportunity for little kids to lick the bowl and he’s be on a winner).  So, it was chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.  Rich chocolate, vanilla bean and fresh strawberry.  I think the whole thing was about eight litres of icecream – so a big one.  I started with vanilla making on Friday night, and made the vanilla custard.  Then yesterday Luke and I made the chocolate custard and I started up the new ice cream maker.  Chocolate first.  Made a big layer with lots of belgian cocoa and lindt chocolate.  Very rich.  The only container I decided would hold enough for the hordes of people coming was the largest salad spinner we have.  The zyliss put to a new use.  After chocolate it was time to freeze the vanilla.  Did that.  Then I made lemon sorbet for the non-dairy people.

Then a break for the AFL football.  Your dad wanted to see a game for his birthday, so we walked down to the Gabba and watched the lions beat the eagles in a game that was quite good to watch, with your two uncles, grandad & R.  then walked home.  Got home and decided that even though it was late the cake really needed to set overnight, so despite my earlier plan to do the final layer in the morning, got to it with a kilo of fresh strawberries.   Ice cream maker on overdrive until one am, when I put the final layer on the cake, and popped it all back in the freezer to set overnight.    So, icecream cake + lemon sorbet ready to go and frozen.  A bit less sleep than normal.

Today I just ate one bit though.  It was a hit with everyone – lots of sounds of spoon sucking.  Some people liked the strawberry, and some the chocolate.  The vanilla was a bit lost in the middle, but I think the cake wouldn’t have been the same without it.   I know you wanted more, but I just ate the one bit.  Along with the rocket and cheese muffins I made (from the rocket your dad grew), we had enough…  Despite the fact that I know I get ice cream cravings because of you (my usual preference is sorbet).   It was rich, but its also because of the endocrinologist who did her best to make me feel like I should give up icecream…  Bad timing as the new icecream maker just arrived (it is my new baby before you arrive).

ice cream cake - the leftovers

ice cream cake – the leftovers

We went to the endocrinologist on Friday, and she says I’ve put on far too much weight.  I’ve gone up 14 kg already.   Apparently that is too much.   But I feel fine, and I still exercise a lot.  So it can’t be all bad.  Anyway, she saw me briefly, asked some questions, wrote a list of more blood tests and other things I have to go and get jabbed for in the coming weeks (fun fun fun) and then charged me a lot of money for the privilege.   Finished by telling me icecream should be cut out of the diet as it will be more comfortable for me if I don’t put on any more weight.

I’ve been thinking about it.  I still don’t get it.  How do they decide how much you should put on?  I think you’re an average size baby, and I’m an average healthy sized woman, so I guess I would fall into the ‘you’d expect to put on x kg’ bracket.  But without asking further questions and testing, how does a doctor know you’ve put on too much weight? For example, apparently most people put on lots of weight at the end of their pregnancies, and not so much at the beginning.  And maybe I will put on a lot from now too.  But I put on a lot at the beginning.  And I was still exercising a lot.  My boobs are large normally, and they have grown exponentially and are a lot heavier than before.  That has happened about three times now.  Most people apparently only need to buy a new set of bras once.  I’m on my third set.  Each time, I bought big ones, but the boobs are just getting bigger and bigger.   I’ve discussed this seriously with your dad, and we both agree that my boobs have got to have at least 5kg extra weight between them alone.  I actually think I put on nearly 10kg mostly in the first trimester, and in the second I’ve just put on a bit of weight more slowly.   So what is to say that is wrong for me? Its not like I eat badly.

Overall the last few days have been a bit up and down.  I hope you haven’t been too disrupted by my abrupt mood swings and general discombobulation.  Yesterday I spent the day alternately making ice cream and then feeling upset.  It is going to continue for a while, so you may have to get used to it.  I think you are enjoying having your dad around – you move a lot when its just he and I having a quiet chat, like you know his voice and find it something you should react to.

Love you,  we might get a bit more ice cream in before sleep time, if you’re good.

mum

 

Reflux: the latest ailment February 21, 2009

Filed under: eating,healthcare,pregnancy — rakster @ 2:21 pm
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Hiya Speck,

Hope you’re doing well. Your Dad and I are well, feeling thoroughly relaxed. I’m not ready to go back to work on Monday though :(.

We’re sitting in Queenstown airport waiting for our plane to Christchurch to come. We had a great time last night at the wedding and also had a relaxed day with J & J wandering through Queenstown and around the lake today. It’s always a bit sad how quickly the end of a holiday comes around.

So, what is new with you? Well, not much really! I trust you’re still growing away down there, getting bigger and bigger. I know you are as my latest ailment is gastric reflux, otherwise known as indigestion. Which means that you’ve now decided to encroach on the area of my internal body cavity housing an organ dear to my heart (yep, hanging out with your dad for days, I’ve caught the bad joke virus): my stomach. Damn damn damn, less food, more frequent eating and little antacid tablets will be the order of the day from now on.

Night times and attempting to sleep is when it is at it’s worst, waking me up and forcing me to eat a tablet or two to assuage the rising bile. Erk!

But otherwise all quiet on the Speck front.

Love you
Mum

 

 

grumpy and emotional February 1, 2009

Filed under: birthing,camping,eating,emotion,exercise,pregnancy — rakster @ 11:30 am
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Hi Speck,

I am grumpy and emotional today.  Your dad is really annoying and has yelled at me and made me cry.  And I told him I hated him.  Which I don’t.  But I was upset at the time.  Anyway.   Hopefully it will abate by tomorrow.  If its not all your dad’s fault it must be all your fault.  Not mine at all.   (kidding).

Otherwise.  It has been very busy here over the past few days.  Your Aunt 3 arrived on Thursday night and has been staying, and then Aunt 2 & D arrived for a night on Friday, and your dad came home too.  So there was a full house and we had a big breakfast all together in the garden yesterday morning before I headed off to yoga again and Aunt 2 & D went on their way.  They took away the little green car that your Dad and I bought when we were both at university and had been going out for just over a year.  It was a bit of a funny feeling to see it go.  Your dad lived at the Gold Coast and I lived in Brisbane when we first met, so we were forever catching the train and bus to each-others houses for the weekend and during the week, and borrowing cars whenever we could.  But it was a lot of travelling, so we looked forward to getting a car together.  Your Grandad lent us the money and we bought the little green car after a month or so of research.   It had been owned by an old lady and not driven much, and was in pretty good condition.  Anyway, 7 years, lots of camping, shopping, holidaying and general driving around later, it got retired a few months ago when we got a new second-hand car.  Not in your honour, we’d planned to anyway, but the new car has air-con (essential in Brisbane with a kid) and is bigger and has 5 doors so easier to get you in and out of.  So not sad to lose the old green car, but a little nostalgic.  We gave it to your Aunt 2 & Aunt 3 for Christmas.  Hopefully your Aunt 3 will get her licence so she too can drive it.  ‘Cause we don’t actually drive all that much, we tend to bike and walk quite a bit and bus and train and what not, although its pretty old now it doesn’t have many kms on it, so they might get some good use out of it.   See, I am somewhat emotional for some reason.

Yoga makes me feel a bit better – its been really nice this week to finally be able to get off my bum and do some exercise after being chair-bound for the past few weeks with my ankle.   Its making me feel more like a human and less like a lump that is incubating an alien and getting fatter by the day.   Its a strange feeling to be getting big – exciting cause I’m growing with you, but scary at the same time as I need to start thinking about the fact that while the fact that you’re getting bigger is good, the bigger you get the harder it is going to be to get you out.   I have started reading the Janet Balaskas New Active Birth book more earnestly than my previous cursory glances.  And have found a few places in Brisbane that offer Active Birthing classes for me, you and your dad to go to before you’re due to come out.  So we can practice and learn more about it.  I think we’ll book in for some soon.  Your dad is keen too.

your home - week 19

your home – week 19

Yesterday was pretty active.  Yoga, then me, your Dad, Aunt 3 and Deano went snorkelling at Gordon’s bay.   Your Aunt was very excited to see some Groper as long as her arm.   It was pretty cold in the water though, apparently there was a north easterly swell which brings cold water from somewhere.  A bit brisk.  But beautiful  – blue and aqua-green and a lovely day at the beach.   We then went for lunch & GOOD icecream at Pompeii’s in Bondi Beach.     Mmm.  I definitely need a new icecream maker though.  Mine just isn’t working as it should.  Not freezing properly anymore.

Cokemeister came for dinner and your dad made lovely moroccan fish with a rub he made and some hommus and a fennel and cabbage salad.  Yum.  And a berry (strawberry, raspberry and blueberry), biscotti and hot chocolate sauce thing for dessert.  Very replete.

Hope you’re well and not picking-up my grumpy vibes.

love you

mum

 

Yoga mark two January 29, 2009

Filed under: cooking,eating,exercise,pregnancy,vegetarian — rakster @ 10:43 am
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Good Morning Speck,

How are you? Very quiet down there again, perhaps you’re busy digesting the large amount of food I have consumed in the past 24 hours. Some days I seem to just need to eat a regular amount yet other days I just feel like I’m starving and need to eat everything in sight. Yesterday was one of those days.

Your dad and you will be pleased to know that despite my tendency to eat relatively crap food and make little effort when it’s just me, I went and did a big healthy shop when I got home from work on Monday night, so we’ve been snacking on guacamole, peaches, nectarines and almonds mostly. One of my friends from work made me a huge batch of Indian rice custard after hearing about my recent addiction, so as that has no sugar but just reduced milk that is pretty good too. And I made palak paneer last night so we both got our spinach quota for the week.

What else? Well, I seem to be moody again. I helpfully told someone at work today who pissed me off only ever so slightly that ‘I don’t give a s* anyway, I’m having a baby and will be leaving and won’t be here when it happens anyway’.. Mmm, not really what I was thinking, just an over zealous outburst.   Your fault again.

Also went along to yoga last night.  Coke-meister bailed on me but I went anyway.  It was a normal level 1-2 yoga class at the great studio I went to with you dad for a while over a year ago.  We both enjoyed our courses there a lot, and the teachers are really good.   It was interesting – I got to do a few different exercises while everyone else did headstand and shoulderstand and a few other abdominally-taxing exercises, and I have to step in rather than jump, but it was good.  I think I’ll keep going to pregnant yoga when I can also, but this is a good option for me for the next period as we move back and forth between Sydney and Brisbane.  My ankle is much better and I have got a brace for it which helps with remembering to keep it in mind.

I didn’t feel you kicking around much last night but I think you were definitely on the left side still – you put me off-balance slightly.

Hope you’re well.

love you

mum

 

… and I continue to eat. This time to console myself. And you. January 18, 2009

Filed under: cooking,eating,exercise,pregnancy — rakster @ 2:14 pm
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Heya Speck,

Feeling a bit shit today.  Ooops, bad mum.  Your dad keeps harping on at me about how I’m not going to be able to swear with a baby / child.  I guess I should make an effort.  Anyway.  I feel a bit crappy today.  The whole, “I sprained my ankle” thing has turned into “I may need surgery on my ankle to be able to use it properly again” after a visit to the physio.  Damn damn damn. And I am annoyed that the first physio I went to the other day immediately after straining the ankle was so crap.   She had no idea, and just taped it up.   I knew she was crap, that’s why I booked back in for my normal physio on Saturday.  I figured at the time that really too much treatment close to a sprain is not really helpful anyway, so I’d just rest and then get better treatment on Saturday.  But unfortunately yesterday he basically said there wasn’t much he could do and I need to go and see an orthopaedic surgeon for an opinion.  And no walking, cycling, yoga, swimming blah blah blah in the meantime.  Yeah, I know I should keep positive until I get that opinion.  Which is what I did yesterday.  I just can’t do it today.

Coupled with the fact that all the pairs of shorts I tried on this morning didn’t fit, and it wasn’t so much the belly only being the problem as the ass and legs as well, I got a bit, “I’m going to turn into a big fat pregnant blimp and I can’t even go for a walk!  I feel horrible!”.  Kinda whiney.  It didn’t help that I spent the whole morning lying down re-reading a book (a good one – The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri): reading for too long puts me in a bit of a funk too.  And then when I’m done reading not being able to really walk around all that much to enjoy the gorgeous day just pees me off even more.  I’m putting it down to you as well.  Have been feeling really good but I guess with exaggerated highs come exaggerated lows.  And for the first time I’ve let worry really panic me a bit.  I haven’t felt you moving for a day or two and I’m worried about you.  Its silly, because no matter what there is nothing that can be done, but it would be nice if you could just give me a few good strong kicks.  Try the kidneys.  Yes, slightly masochistic too.   Today is a bit low.

So again, it is with food that I console myself or attempt to focus on positives and fun things.  A friend was asking me the other day if I have been craving anything, or if I have really noticed wanting milk ’cause apparently babies growing in bellies need a lot of calcium.  Apparently, you will suck it out of my bones if you don’t get enough in my diet (You really are a fully-blown parasite, huh?   Trying to kill me with osteoporosis before you’re even born).   Funnily, I didn’t think I had been craving dairy – I do eat yoghurt for breakfast with fruit most days, and lotsa cheese.  But then when talking to her I realised that I have been having a few hot chocolates at work throughout the week, and have even had a few milkshakes too, just ’cause I felt like it.  I usually really don’t like milk.   Once a year I might get a craving for a milkshake.  Usually strawberry.  Your dad groans and tells me that I don’t need one.  I insist for the next hour.  He gives in.   We sit down and I get through about half.   Then I give it to your dad to finish as I feel so full I couldn’t possibly drink another sip, even though it tastes good and refreshing.   Then I start to feel ill.   I keep the ill feeling to myself for about half-an-hour until it gets kinda bad, then I usually let out a big, “I feel sick, I need to lie down” groan.  Your dad says, “I told you so, you shouldn’t have had that milkshake”.  I think, “But I enjoyed drinking it”, but keep that to myself to elicit maximum sympathy.  There is none forthcoming from your dad.  He’s not good on sympathy when you’ve ignored his advice (heed the warning).

Anyway, I have noticed dairy related desires.  I won’t put them down as cravings, more as desires.  So yesterday for some reason I really felt like eating that greek-style rice custard that you can buy at the markets in West End and a few other random places.   So after dragging myself around the house feeling sorry for myself, I’ve managed to cheer myself a little but cooking it.  Pretty good first effort too (if I do say so myself).  I’d tweak it next time to make it milkier and less rich, but it tastes good.  Ryzogalo is apparently the name.  Have eaten a large bowlful and now feeling slightly less morose.

ryzogalo - yum.

your dad eating ryzogalo

your dad eating ryzogalo

Hope you’re well.  Kick me would you. please.

mum

 

eating frenzy January 13, 2009

Filed under: cooking,eating,pregnancy,vegetarian — rakster @ 1:12 pm
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Dear Speck,

Yesterday was a day of eating. I arrived at work and ate my large bowl of yoghurt and fresh mango. Soon after, deciding I was still hungry, I moved onto grapes. The large bunch I’d bought into work (intending that it lasted until Thursday) lasted until just before lunch. I took lunch early, cause I was feeling a little peckish. Lunch was a large bowl of chilli beans, which your dad had cooked the day before. It was pretty filling, but only made it until about 2pm when I needed more. 2 nectarines downed for afternoon tea / snack.

Went home and despite the fact it was 4:45 decided a snack of jam-drops (yes, I got around to cooking them on Sunday) was definitely in order. Ate those. I started with one but then decided as I went that 5 large jam-drops was a much closer estimate of the volume required to fill the obviously gaping hole in my stomach. Then your dad had a pack of corn chips so I had a few (it was just a few)… Then I figured baclava was needed too. So I ate that. Just one piece (they are little pieces, only 2cm square!)…

Buying the baclava. I only bought a half a kilo, which, as you can see from the size of the tray on offer, was very restrained of me. And I have been sharing it. Mostly.

While eating these delightful treats I was busy thinking about dinner and dessert ’cause I knew these would only fill me up for a while. This really is a distinct change from pretty much the whole first trimester when I avoided the kitchen and couldn’t really be bothered to think about food at all. So while eating at home I started cooking. First up was french vanilla ice cream with a fresh vanilla bean and lots of cream. Made the custard, put it in the fridge, then started on the sauce. I wanted to make fresh blueberry ripple ice cream, so using the kilo of fresh blueberries I got on the weekend, I added a little sugar and cooked a blueberry jam. Mashed up the blueberries a little and cooked on high heat. It tasted good. Froze the ice cream and then combined in beautiful purple swirls and stuck in the freezer for after dinner.

Assembling Dinner: leeks underneath, cheese on top, pastry nice and crispy

Dinner itself I decided that I wanted fresh leek, fetta and tomato flan. So made a cheese, wheatgerm flaky pastry, then did the leeks and the onions and baked it all into a big flan. Your dad didn’t seem happy that dinner was so late: 8:15 pm; but for me, it was the perfect timing between my last snack and an early bed (eating all day is just exhausting). Dessert of the blueberry swirl ice cream followed.

Yum, yum. I was famished all day, but managed to satisfy the hunger pains and keep myself occupied. Suffice to say I was replete at the end. And I didn’t do any bike riding ’cause I just didn’t have the time.

Enjoy!

love mum

 

Happy 16 weeks! 4 months. OMG its going so fast! Yoga, cookie / biscuit cravings and more. January 9, 2009

Filed under: baby's feelings,birthing,development stages,eating,exercise,pregnancy — rakster @ 12:17 pm
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Hello Speck!

I am feeling horrendous again today.  I think it was the wheatbran I had on my yoghurt for breakfast.  It just gave me a stomach full of gas.  I’m resembling a human drum again.  Unbelievably painful. Erk.

Enough of me.  What of you???  Well, yesterday you were 16 weeks way through your uterus-living phase.  4 months! OMG.  Only 4 weeks to go and we are at 20 weeks which is halfway!  That is crazy.  It seems to be slipping by very quickly now.   According to Kaz this week you are 11.5 cm long. And even more shocking, when I just opened a packet of gas-ease type of things I got in a baby sample bag from the hospital yesterday there was a bit of ruler/paper thing that opened out to show how big you would get each week and it says you’re going to get to 52 cm long when you’re born. That is just horrendous. How the hell do you fit inside my stomach if you’re that big???  It just doesn’t make sense. I’m only 162cm tall, so I just don’t see, even if you are curled-up in foetal position, ball-like, how 52cm of you can possibly fit in any space inside my stomach. Even if my body was different to all other humans and let you start to fill the big chunky spaces in the tops of my thighs. Well, maybe then, if one of your legs went down each of my legs… Enough of that though, that is impossible. You’re just going to have to limit your growth to a more reasonable size. Think of small and round and healthy and happy rather than long and lanky. I am going to look like a beach ball though, aren’t I? No matter what happens.

Apart from your size, this week you are supposed to be growing toenails. Toenails huh? Hopefully you’ll get your dad’s type of toenails and not mine. Mine are misshapen and not suited to women’s shoes at all. Your dad’s are much neater, standard and consistently sized. You should also be getting lanugo (downy hair) starting to grow all over your body. I trust this is happening. Most alien movies I’ve seen the babies and aliens don’t have much body hair, so I guess that if you get this hair I might start to think of you less as an alien and more like a person. Good luck with that too.

I had a big baby day yesterday, in and around working. Your dad and I toured the maternity ward of the hospital here in Sydney that you’re booked into. Hopefully we won’t be using it unless you come early, but best to have an option in case that does happen. Your dad got really excited and looked extremely happy (read grin from ear to ear) whenever we walked past dads holding tiny little bundles walking around the ward. In fact, we didn’t see any new mums, just 5 or so new dads with tiny bundles. I got a bit scared looking at all the medical equipment. The rooms / birthing suites were nice and big with lots of room, but were still pretty boring. Your dad and I agreed that even though there is a spa bath in them, it would be better to hang out at home for as long as possible cause the idea of being in a green room with low ceilings, fluoro lights and lots of medical bits and pieces for hours and hours, even if there is an exercise ball and bean bag, wasn’t that appealing. We might not have that choice depending on what happens, but home sounds more comfy. It was a pretty chilled-out feeling place though compared to other wards I’ve been to in the hospital. All in all, ok.

Next baby thing was that unfortunately we missed out on the ballot for the Natural Birthing centre spot at the RWBH. I think I mentioned that we entered in it before. Anyway, that means that we have to have the baby somewhere else. Which makes the decision we were going to have to consider about private vs public for us. And means that we’re planning to have you at the Mater in Brisvegas, where all your aunts and uncles on my side of the family were born (apart from aunt 2 who was at home). And where I was born. And its close to our house in Brisvegas, so even if there is a traffic jam I think we could walk there if you were on your way. Your dad and I are happy with this – we entered the birthing centre draw so that we had an option or two to consider, but it will work out this way too.

Speaking of jam, I started getting cravings for Jam Drops again yesterday. I notice your numpty grandmother has posted a recipe for me in the comments from last post to you, but its the wrong one. Who makes jam drops with a madeira recipe? I think I can make up the one I made before, so I might just have to do that. It was basically flour, butter, sugar and milk and jam. I’ll give it a go. Strange thing to crave, but there it is. Thanks anyway grandmother. I might try those another time but I’m really after the same thing as last time. Speck you like them, I can tell, otherwise you wouldn’t be making me have cravings.

I didn’t feel you last night / this morning, but pretty sure you got very active during and after yesterday’s very strenuous yoga workout.  First organised antenatal yoga class.  It was quite good – though I think you and I would have struggled had I not gone to yoga classes before and understood a lot of the poses from previous yoga experiences. There were only two other women in the class and they were both 16 weeks and in their first class too. I found myself perhaps not so discretely checking out (read: trying hard not to openly stare at all opportunities) their baby bumps. Mine was I think the least noticeable, though I don’t think the smallest. One of the women was tiny tiny, so her bump, while small, really stood out.

Pregnant Yoga Take One: to me, it felt really different being pregnant and doing some of the poses. I could really tell my centre of gravity was different with you down there. And I was really aware that there was a section of my abdomen area that didn’t stretch or respond to some of the poses in the way it used to. And some bits that are normally really flexible and fine were a little tender (like the groin area, though that could have been from all the cycling and frisbee but it was so pronounced I reckon it is shifting stuff around that area). Another thing I noticed was how sore my feet got afterwards. I really worked out the arches. Could be just ’cause I haven’t done it in so long, but I suspect the additional kgs I’m having to support makes a difference too. It felt really good though. I liked being aware of you down there. My breathing when doing it really moves up and down the spine a bit more and pushes out the abdomen to an exaggerated extent from normal. I guess it will get much harder to breathe as you get bigger. The instructor said that when you’re much bigger you’ll most likely join in on some of the poses and do some kicking and moving of your own, and that if you move around too much or head to one side of the uterus then my balance will be off and it will be hard to hold some of the poses. I look foward to that. Your grandmother was in charge of finding me somewhere local to go in Brisbane from April onwards. Hope she remembered.

Anyway, must run, stuff to do. Thinking of you down there with your toenails and hair.

love mum