A 30-Week Update

Baby Z is pretty active...especially in the mornings at work. At today's 30-week appointment, the doctor went to listen for his heart rate and kept saying, "Wow, he is a mover." Needless to say, he found a solid place to listen in, and Baby Z's heart rate sounded great. The doctor also pushed around my belly and confirmed that he's head down with his bum right up in my right rib cage. That was our theory since that part of my belly is as hard as a rock, and I can feel him sneak up there from time to time. Supposedly, all the movement could start to slow down soon since he's going to start running out of room.

Here's how we're looking:

Simon and I had our first childbirth classes Thursday and Friday nights last week. They were pretty helpful, and we had a fun teacher (which always helps). Probably the best piece of advice she gave was to the dads: "Don't watch any procedure that starts with an E!" (epidural, episiotomy, evacuation of anything....you get the point!)

I'm still feeling pretty good. Other than when he seems to crawl up in my right side, I can still sit comfortably and breathe well. I am still able to be pretty active, and my energy level lasts fairly well these days.

After cooking me breakfast Saturday, Simon and I started painting his room. I think it looks really good. The color is called Deep Ocean Blue, and I'd say that's a pretty fair name. Lori and the girls came over to look at it Sunday, and they agreed. Uncle Skip will come paint all the edging for us sometime soon. Neither Dad nor I are patient enough to do a good job at that!

French toast...yummy!

 

 

Here is the fabric up against the paint on the wall. We've ordered enough fabric for Miss Nadine to make some curtains for his room. I can't wait for it to come in.  I've also ordered a fitted sheet off Etsy in the same pattern.

 

 

I am now seeing the doctor every two weeks, so we should have another update on Baby Z's progress in October!

How Training for a Marathon Prepared Me for Pregnancy

While on the treadmill today, I had a thought: "I've felt like this before...." When? How? Then it hit me....during my previous marathon trainings. So here are my thoughts is my thought on how all those months of running prepped me for all these months of growing a baby:

1. Both consume your life

OK, so here's how/why that happens:

• Both dictate when, how much and how often you go to the bathroom....and yes, I went straight for the bathroom commentary. If you've either grown a baby or trained for a marathon, you know why.
• Both dictate your sleeping patterns - everything from going to bed at 7 p.m.; waking up at 5 a.m.; and the achy hips you discover at 3 a.m.
• Both totally dictate your eating patterns. You have never in your life wanted a milkshake so badly nor ever in your life known a milkshake was probably the worst thing you could consume...which leads me to...
• Both make you ridiculously responsible. From not drinking alcohol while prego to wearing sneakers with your dress pants for safety the week before your race.

Yes, that's been me!



So yes, I am still running at 30 weeks pregnant. Why bother, you may ask? Well, for me, running has become my free version of therapy. I take the time to either:

a) watch trashy television while on the treadmill OR

b) jam out to some total chick rock music while on the road.

After a mere 30 minutes of running, I have worked up a good, healthy sweat and have forgotten about any and all things that may have stressed me out just 30 minutes prior.

When I got pregnant I did some research (OK, Googled the heck out of it) about running while pregnant, asked my doctors, asked some friends who are moms and runners, and finally I came to terms with the fact that I might only have a few weeks left with my afternoon therapy session. The consensus among the aforementioned group of experts (including Google) was somewhere in the 20s, I'd probably have to stop running and resign myself to walking. :(

So here I am at week 30 and still enjoying running. I can't believe it! Granted, I'm not getting my usual 3 miles in 30 minutes anymore, but who cares! With a little 5-minutes walking warm up, I can hang in there for at least 20 minutes of jogging. I don't get as sweaty anymore because everyone says it's important not to overheat (and I keep the fans directly on me at the gym), but that's worked out well too since my hair isn't gross and sticking to my face afterward!

With 10 weeks to go, I'm sure the day will come soon enough where even a mere 20 minutes seems like an eternity to me on the treadmill. Until then...I'm going to be hitting the rubber road - aka treadmill with fan and TV.

And yes, I've given up wearing heels to work again.....no one seems to mind or really to have even noticed!



Where is the Chick-fil-A?

Simon and I had our hospital tour Friday after work. Our plan is to deliver at CMC-Main...mostly because that's where our practice prefers but also because I am comfortable there. I  know where the Chick-fil-A and parking lot are...perhaps the two most important features of any hospital, right!?

 

I'd seen one of the old delivery rooms when Lily was born, but we got to see one of the new rooms during the tour - both are very nice and spacious. The tour guide was disappointed to tell us the new rooms don't have VHS available - only DVD and BluRay. (She really didn't look that old!)

 

Saturday we celebrated our 1 year anniversary. We went to Zebra and spent way too much money, but we figured this was probably our last chance to a) spend that amount of money on something as silly as food and b) have a peaceful, stress-free night together. Simon ate all 20 ounces of his bone-in-fancy steak, and we both wanted to lick the dessert plate when we were finished!

So after several nights waking up with ridiculously sore hips, I broke down and bought one of those body pillows. Luckily I was able to get it at the local consignment store, so it was only $25 as opposed the the $50+ I've seen them advertised for. I'm not sure if it really helps me sleep, but it is at least way more comfortable than having 6 pillows surrounding me on the bed!

 

All throughout the weekend, we had strangers talking to us - asking how I was feeling, when we're due, what's his name, etc., etc. Luckily no one asked if we were having twins, so Simon didn't have to hurt anyone! Here's the latest look at my belly...

 

 

 

 

People Can Be Nice...

So after a week feeling like a whale  because of strangers' comments, today I realized some strangers are still nice.

I had a dentist cleaning this morning and all the ladies in the office smiled at me and said sweet things about little boys.

I walked into a meeting at work where there weren't any empty chairs and three people (men and women) stood up to let me have a seat.

And then (has nothing to do with people being nice) I realized I (hopefully) will be 8 month preggo at Halloween this year - oh we can have fun with this:

You know me and the beach....this one could be perfect!

 

 

 

I think Simon could really enjoy this one.....

 

And I have always wanted to be a mermaid....

OK, I am realistic and understand that none of the women in these photos are probably 8 months along but hey - have I ever been super modest?

Showered With Love

We had our first baby shower over the Labor Day holiday weekend - thrown by our Florida Family. And as usual, it was spectacular. Simon and I took Friday off and drove down. Skip, Lori and the girls were a few hours behind us. We stayed in NanaBob's house across the street from the Micklers. At one point Allie said, "Mommy, I like this house better than ours." She's in a fairly complimentary mood these days, but I think she might have stayed there forever if we let her!

Dad Mickler and Simon headed to the Gator game in Gainesville Saturday afternoon while I stayed inside with the AC on full blast. The Erwin clan hit the sights on St. George Street but then also had to come hibernate indoors with me!

The shower was Sunday evening, and thankfully, the heat and humidity had dissipated a bit...and by dissipated, I mean it was only 90 degrees with 70 percent humidity. :) We had a delicious spread of food and fun boy blue decorations everywhere. Isla and Allie enjoyed passing out our presents.

I think you can view most of the present-opening fun in the video above? (We...ok I cannot lie.....my favorite gift was, of course, his first Gamecock jersey!) It's kinda long, but be sure and skip to the end to see the special messsage from Allie.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful weekend, and we are truly blessed to have such awesome extended family.

THANKS Florida Family!!

Love, Alli, Simon & Baby Z

I passed!

Being a bit of an "academic" when it comes to tests, I must admit that I was a bit nervous about "failing" a very important test during my pregnancy - the ever-dreaded glucose tolerance test. Everyone had given me advice on what flavor to choose, whether to go in the morning or afternoon and all sorts of other stuff, but I just told myself (as I always have) "it is what it is" and went for it.

Needless to say, I passed! (and had good iron levels and no syphilis - thanks doctor, I could have told you that one!)

It actually wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. The office didn't give me a flavor choice, but they did give me a nice cold bottle (one piece of advice my sister had given me). I got the fruit punch - so obviously the photo here isn't from my test. The only bad part about the whole thing was that you have to drink all 10 oz right then and there. I'm not a big gulper....especially now that I'm pregnant. I try to avoid eating/drinking in a way that makes me feel uber full. So chugging 10 oz of anything nowadays isn't fun. But at least it didn't taste all that bad...kinda like old Gatorade, and I've drank/swallowed enough disgusting "energy boosting" drinks/gels in my running days to feel like this little 'ole bottle of sugar water was nothing.

I wonder why they don't have these at marathons?

Welcome!

 

So - welcome to the blog I've set up to keep those of you far away up to speed on how things are going. In case you haven't heard....Simon and I are having a baby....and it's a boy!

 

Due Date: Nov. 24

First Trimester: yucky...no vomiting but just didn't feel right

Second Trimester: WAY better. Better sleep, less peeing, more energy, able to run 30 mins straight.

Third Trimester: have a feeling the brakes are about to come to a screeching halt! I'm already peeing more, and I'm not technically here yet!

 

So that puts me into week 27 right now. Here are some photos of my physical progression:

 

June 3 - Week 16

 

July 8 - Week 20

 

August 5 - Week 24

 

 

If one more person asks me if there is "more than one in there," I may have to get violent. Why would you say that? OK, maybe say, "Wow, you've ONLY got XX months to go."

 

Anyway, we have our first baby shower next weekend (ironically Labor Day weekend) in St. Augustine, Florida. We bought a new "family" car last weekend, so we are looking forward to testing it out on I95! (Toyota Camry)