30 Weeks!

Update:
30 Weeks!!
only 10 weeks to go...
(about 69 days)
anyone else feel like the 10 week thing makes it a bit more "real"?


This week, Kermie weighs about as much as a large cabbage (almost 3 lbs) - but is a bit longer, at 15.5 inches.

Kermie Update:
Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (she’ll be packing on the weight at a rate of half a pound per week for the next seven weeks). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Much of the lanugo — the soft, downy hair covering your baby's body — is beginning to disappear now because both fat and the brain are regulating your baby's body temperature (so no need for that furry coat anymore).  But you may see a few leftover strands of fur on your newborn's back and shoulders.  Another big change at 30 weeks pregnant: Your baby's bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells (before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells). This is an important step for your baby, because it means he or she is better able to thrive on his or her own once born (with a little TLC from you, of course).

AHH and last night I finally felt my first case of baby hiccups!  It was crazy, they were little rhythmic motions right around the left side of my bellybutton for well over 5 minutes!  Doug got to feel too - it was crazy.  Glad I didn't seem to have the only baby not to get hiccups (this little 'fun tidbit' is on every website and book you read, about 'constant hiccups' from babies)


Carin Update:
Well this past week was one for the books.  I am slowly going downhill ;)   Sitting at work all day really takes its toll on me, and by 3pm I am ready to GO.  Unfortunately I have to work til 5, so the last 2 hours are a killer.  My lower back hurts, my chair is uncomfortable and some days I have even been experiencing jumpy leg AT WORK!  I don't ever seem to sit for too long (with all the water drinking, there are many trips to the bathroom...) but it doesn't matter.  After many awful nights sleep and breakdowns, I scheduled a prenatal massage on Thursday and it was heavenly!  It may not have "cured" my jumpy leg or back pain, but it was really nice to lay on that warm table and relax! I plan to go at once one more time in the next few weeks, it was such a nice treat.  I have been doing prenatal yoga at home a few times a week, and that for sure really helps.  The stretching is really good for my back and legs. I plan to keep that up as long as I can handle!

This past weekend was fun - I went into the city to meet Christina for brunch and a show (Mary Poppins) as a birthday gift to me!  We had a great time and the show was really fun (even if we were surrounded by all little kids everywhere haha).  I will say that riding on the train is NOT comfortable for me at this point. Thank GOD I don't have to commute daily, I would never, ever make it.

I have developed a very fond relationship with cereal and look forward to it most mornings. 

In other news, shaving my legs has become difficult and awkward.  I'm glad it's fall.  Oh and my bellybutton is pretty flat and scary looking.  Not happy about this development.

Also, this week is my last week working by myself until 2012.  The temporary replacement girl will be starting next Tuesday, working 2 days a week - learning our software, learning my job, working with me and Ken.  Now comes the hard part - trying to teach someone else what I do every day. How strange.

Here I am this morning, 30 weeks... feeling BIG.

Doug/House/Us Update:
We have had a busy weekend!  Friday Doug & I did some more work on the basement to try to get it in order.  I swept/mopped and he moved stuff around.  Saturday while I was gone he broke down the office in its recent state (2 desks, filing cabinets, printer, computers, rug, TV) and brought mostly everything to the basement.  As it stands now, Kermie's room is ready for WORK to be done!  He also bought some new storage racks for the "man room/command center" and when I got home I helped him design a layout for the room that would allow him the best space to work, etc.  The room is really coming together and I'm sure that makes him feel good - after almost 2 years in the house he's finally getting the room he wanted!  (All it took was a baby. I'll be sure to have him thank you one day Kerm.)

Sunday we had our Childbirth 101 class at the hospital where I'll be delivering.  It started at 9am, was due to go all day (til 5), but thankfully we were done around 3.  It still went about 2 hours longer than it needed to, but the nurses teaching the class were very nice, easy to listen to (no one was preaching), and in some parts they were actually funny.  It was a big class (about 24 people total) and a girl from high school actually ended up in the class too!  Small world.  It wasn't too awful, the room was hot and stuffy and the chairs were torturous, but we survived.  Although I swear to you, the videos from the 1980's were AWFUL.  I swear the people in those videos now have got to be 60+.  Strange, outdated program but informative.  I think my head was still spinning when I went to bed last night.  I am glad we got to do a tour of the maternity wing at the hospital and know what to expect as far as that's concerned. They have recently redone everything at Riverview, and the wing is very nice - everything tastefully done and not outdated like their awful videos.

Unfortunately, in an annoying turn of events, the contractor we FINALLY hired to come put the pocket door in Kermie's room has come and gone today.  Seems the wall isn't thick enough to put the pocket door in, it would need to be re-framed and yada yada yada (construction terminology I don't quite understand), it would be a lot more work, more dirt and more time for a project that was just deemed "nice to do" and not necessary.  So after we talked it over, Doug and I decided to just go forward with the room as is, and make it work.  It's really not the end of the world and we'll make do.  Now - we get to paint!!  So excited!!!  Pictures to come of before/during/after work!

What a difference just 10 weeks makes!

Thought everyone (including me) would find this little comparison funny!

Look how smug and happy I was at 19 weeks.

I'll do another one of these toward the end, we'll see how far I've come!

29 Weeks

Update:
29 weeks
11 weeks to go...
(about 75 days..)

This week they say baby kerm is the size of a butternut squash!  I can't wait to make some butternut squash soup, come to think of it... YUM!

Kermie Update:
Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Though she's getting pretty close to her birth length, she still has to chub out a bit. In fact, over the next 11 weeks, she'll more than double — or even come close to tripling — her weight. And as she grows and the room in your womb gets tighter, you'll be less likely to feel those big kicks and more likely to get poked by an elbow or jabbed by a knee. His or her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat is deposited under the skin surface. This fat, called white fat, is different from the earlier brown fat that your developing fetus accumulated. Brown fat is necessary for body temperature regulation while white fat (the fat you have, Mom) actually serves as an energy source.  Which explains why your energizer baby feels so…well…energized!  Space in your baby's living quarters is now at a premium, so you'll be feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees mostly. But those kicks will be more vigorous than before (and also less erratic) because your baby is stronger and excitedly responding to all sorts of stimuli — movement, sounds, light, and that candy bar you ate half an hour ago.   (Kermie is already a ninja baby, I can't wait to see what it's like as he gets stronger & bigger!)

His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.  (I am now taking a calcium supplement too, even though with all the tums, yogurt and cottage cheese I eat, I should be fine... but no)

Carin Update:
Like I just said, the doctor told me a calcium supplement would be good to take - and I've been having one of those chewy ones every night with dinner this week.  He said it would help with my AWFUL jumpy leg problem, but so far.... NO GOOD.  I'm sure it takes a little time to work, but I am not sure how much  more I can take!  I feel fine while watching TV, etc - then I come up to go to bed, I read and get really tired and just as I'm about to close my eyes for the night....BOOM - my legs start moving.  I can't get them to stop, I can't stop moving, I can't get comfortable.  I wear the stupid compression sock on the leg that's bothering me, and it still doesn't work.  Last night I thought I was going to break something I was so frustrated.  I finally ended up sleeping directly sitting upright in bed (for more than half the night.... about as pleasant as it sounds). I really hope this symptom doesn't stick around till the end, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. 

Otherwise I am doing okay. I am definitely more tired at the end of a work day, and by 5pm I want OUT of my seat, my desk, my office.  I don't know what it is, but I hit a wall and my body wants to be in comfy clothes and not at my annoying desk. I did some prenatal yoga at home last week and that seemed to help - my hips were hurting, as well as my back - and the stretching and relaxing seemed to work (I felt better the next day).  Another annoying symptom that's rearing it's ugly head lately has been HEARTBURN. In weird times, and especially at bedtime and I now sleep with 2 pillows every night.  I think I am going to try a homeopathic remedy - drinking some apple cider vinegar.  Not thrilled about it, but if it works....

Lastly in my news, they have decided on a temporary girl to fill in while I'm out, and her first day is October 4 - where she'll start 2 days a week, working with me and learning our software and basically what I do and where things are.  Then, come November 1 she'll start full time until I leave (which is most likely going to be Thanksgiving week, give or take some time -depending on how I feel, and how prepared they are for me to go!)  My boss is panicked that I won't come back, I'm panicked about all of it, and to think - I only have 2 more weeks of working "just me"... WHERE IS THE TIME GOING?!  Gotta remember to breathe, one month at a time, one month at a time...

For posterity, here I am this morning at 29 weeks..

Next doctor appointment is Oct. 3.  Childbirth class is this Sunday (9am - 5pm).  Someone is not happy too be missing the Pats play at 1.  I hope it's not dreadful or too scary or too LONG.  Updates on Monday!

Doug/Home/Us Update:

We have been BUSY!  Since last weekend, all of the rotten drywall has been ripped out of the basement, new sheets have been measured, cut and installed, and 95% of the new stuff has been painted!!  It's almost like it never happened.... except for all the dust and debris down there, and the stuff that's been misplaced and is crowding up the basement, of course.  My dad and Doug have been busy little bees - but don't leave me out of this, even at 28 weeks pregnant, I was down doing what I do best... PAINTING!  I wore my special mask, my painting pants didn't necessarily fit but I made it work, and we got Doug's man-room back into working action.  This week he can rearrange furniture, move a desk from the office/Kerm's room down into the basement and get that settled.  That's a huge major step in getting it all back to "normal".  I personally can't wait to throw out so much stuff, wipe everything down and MOP up all the dust.  There is still one more wall to sand/make more mess, so I can't get too excited yet.  I'm glad we all worked so hard, now the beginning of our busy-busy time starts, with commitments every day of every weekend until the middle/end of October, so this was key!

This weekend my mom & I also went to Ikea and got some things for Kermie's room!  We got rugs, shelves for books, a hamper, a night table for my rocking/nursing area, and of course - a bunch more stuff!  Sometimes Ikea is just a perfect shopping trip!  I was glad to get it out of the way too - and happy we found rugs (those are always so hard!)

Don't forget to catch up with my Denmark trip updates for fun pics and commentary :)

Denmark, Part 1

Denmark, Part 2

Denmark, the Final Installment

Kermie Does Denmark.. part 3

Day 5 - Off to Vejle..

After our morning in Odense, we got back in the car and headed for Vejle, the town where my Pop was born. We stayed for 3 nights in town, with lots of options of things to see and do.  Turns out, Vejle was not this "small fishing village" that we were all envisioning.  Instead, it seemed the town has exploded in recent years - with a very lively shopping area (closed to cars/traffic), many restaurants, and lots of houses!  We were all amazed.  It was pretty crazy to be back where that side of our family began.  We talked to a waitress at our hotel who has lived in Vejle her whole life and we started asking about the street Pop lived on.  Turns out, it was an old fisherman's street - and was sort of "famous" - until developers got their hands on it and wanted to build "bigger, better housing" there, and all of the townspeople were up in arms!  I guess there were protests and everything, as these old houses dated back many, many years and no one wanted to let them go. Unfortunately money talks and down went the houses, and up went condos and hotels.

(We are all 10 years old and found this hilarious)

The outside of our hotel in Vejle

Views from the room

Doug playing with a very enthusiastic little boy on a playground.

It was our 3rd anniversary, so we all got "dressed up" and headed out ..... for Mexican food.  In Denmark. No joke.  And it was delicious.  And it was the same name as a fun Mexican place we've been to in the city!

A very happy 3 years for us!

(And YAY I don't look enormous... and not wearing stripes!)

Day 6

We got up and started off for the day to Arhus, about an hour north of Vejle.  This town is where the University is, and they were having some sort of art/music festival that week. Needless to say, the town was BOPPIN - crowded and full of life. We did a LOT of walking on this day, up and down hills, all over town - shopping, eating lunch, sightseeing and finally getting out of town when we were all exhausted and had enough!

It was a nice town, but we were all ready to get out after exerting all our energy!  Had a quiet night, walked across the street from our hotel and had a nice ITALIAN meal.....served by an Italian, in Denmark.  So funny.  The meal was delicious and I realized then and there how much I miss red wine.  Sigh, Kermie. You best be cute!

Day 7

We had breakfast at the hotel, and headed out for a long day on the road. Our stops for the day include: Ribe, Denmark and a trip over the border to Germany!   Ribe is considered the oldest town in Denmark and was about an hour and a half from Vejle.  A nice little drive and we were there.  Stopped at another old church, walked through their downtown area, poked in an out of stores, Doug had another street sausage (his favorite), and the day was sort of gray and threatening rain.  We didn't stick around too long, as there wasn't a ton to do anyway.  Seemed like a neat place, and if we had more time or energy to explore I'm sure it would have been great.

 

After the pit stop in Ribe, we headed South for Germany.  It was probably another hour (or less) until we hit the border.  We were all hoping for some sort of border patrol to stamp our passports, but just like in Sweden, no such luck!  So now we've been to 3 countries over this week and no proof of it, except photos -- that look a lot like Denmark!  You'll have to trust us :)   Most of the ride there looked like this:

I fell asleep in the nap mobile (as per usual), and if you had asked me "Where are you" I would have answered "Hmm... Indiana?"  Corn fields and flat land... it was pretty reminiscent of good ol' Indiana.  We ended up in a couple towns in Germany, but again.... a major fail in realizing we did not have Euros, and we did not speak German (I was contemplating calling Christina at home for translation, but it was 6am there, not the wake up call most people would enjoy).  So we were out of luck when it came to lunch, or parking... or just about anything!  We drove to the town of Flensburg, took a few photos, and headed back to Vejle.  (Napping again on the way I'm sure).  Our fearless captains kept us on the road..

 
We wanted something to eat (it was about 2pm now), and we wanted to say we ate in Germany...so we stopped at this creepy, creepy rest stop just before hitting Denmark.  Most rest stops in Europe are awesome - clean, big, with huge stores and restaurants.  Well, this one was an experience.  We ate some sort of sausages (again) in some dirty beer hall/bar attached to a weird supermarket/booze emporium.  It was one of the stranger meals we had while there.  Everyone hated us Americans.  We got out as soon as we could finish up.

We got back to Vejle, rested a little bit (I guess all the driving and napping wore me out?) before heading out for a small dinner.  We actually found a great burger place inside a mall of some sort, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our dinners before heading back to re-pack and get ready to leave Vejle the next day.


Day 8- Back to Copenhagen

We packed up yet again bright and early and headed back (about 2.5 hours) to Copenhagen for our final night in the city before coming home.  Another uneventful drive (full of naps) and we arrived in town...where the GPS finally failed us, and took us to the wrong street (same street name, way different location).  We navigated through the busy streets and finally found our hotel.  We unloaded our stuff and the guys set out to return the rental car while the girls got settled in the room.  We planned to meet back at the Stroget shopping area, which was very busy at this time of day (around 12ish).  Thankfully somehow all 4 of us navigated to the spot we agreed on and met up with no problems!

We did our final shopping (and actually bought things to bring home!), and stopped for lunch out on the busy square, lots of good people watching - and the food was actually quite good!

The Front of our new & last hotel

The view from the balcony

We saw these guards as we were walking to meet the guys

the busy Stroget shopping area

Cheers! Our last lunch in Denmark!

After lunch, shopping, etc. we headed back to our room to drop things off, and do a little walking around the area near our hotel - the Nyhavn, which was full of beautiful old boats and big war ships!

Doug drinking a beer openly on the street.

I had an ice cream cone for dinner.  They all had more sausage.  I couldn't handle anymore.  Doug was "trying to help" me pack (which was really just him being very annoying, so I put him in time-out, and I repacked the entire suitcase to make all our junk fit.  Packing to go home is the WORST).  We got that all done, watched some more Discovery channel (one of the only ones we got in English that had programming worth watching), and headed to bed. 

And just like that.........our journey to Denmark was DONE!

We had a great time, saw lots of wonderful things, and even me and my growing belly held up well with all the flying, driving, walking and traveling!  I'm so glad we got to do this trip before Kermie gets here.



See you in a couple months ninja baby!