Teatopia

Sleeping Arrangements

James and I have been talking about sleeping arrangements for the baby. So, I am wondering, what works/worked for you? As far as I know, there are 3 main options: 1)sleep in crib in her room, 2)sleep in a bassinet in our room, or 3)co-sleeping. If you know of other options, do share!

Thanks!

I Got Me Some New Wheels!

I didn't take this picture, but this is exactly what I bought yesterday (with the exception of the nice detailing ours has). We now have a loan again, but it's not too bad. We were able to put down enough to cover a 1/3. I now have a warranty, which is nice. I also like having more room and being a bit higher up. Much easier for lifting baby girl in and out of her carseat. Being in my old Saturn felt a bit like sitting on the ground!

White wasn't my very first choice initially, but for some reason after test driving different colors, I honestly felt that this was the one we should get. It was as if God vetoed the others. I prayed for guidance, so I am hoping I made the right choice-- I think I did. It's a V6 engine, so I'll have to get used to getting gas more often than every 10-14 days (my old car was great that way-- maybe $50 a month in gas!)

On Friday night, we attended our first birthing class. The official start of the class was the Friday before, but I wasn't up for it after getting out of the hospital. I am still so sore. It hurts to walk and do basic things. I need a strong back to support all this baby weight. She's had another huge growth spurt according to my OBGYN. I am seeing someone about my back on Friday and then I might get a chiropractor. If anything, the pain is worse than it was. I am worried about the ribs healing in the next 4 weeks because baby girl could come then. Also, it hurts to lean over and I'm going to have a child and a carrier to cart around. I am trying to rest, but life is so crazy right now. Check this out:

I have all this after working all day
Tuesday: Gifted Class until 7:00 pm (I have 2 presentations that night)

Wednesday: Dentist appt and then go late to Classroom Mgt until 8:00 pm

Thursday: OBGYN at 3:15 and then go back to work for IB night until 9:00 probably

Friday: see a back specialist right after school and go right to my birthing class until 9:00 pm.

Rest? Uh, I don't think so!

Update

My cervix is still thick and closed. This is good. The doctor told me to rest this weekend and buy a maternity belt to alleviate the pressure. He thinks part of it is that she's grown so much recently. Whew! I am *so* not ready to have this baby yet!

Droppety, Drop, Drop!

Ok, so it's official-- well, sort of! I am waiting to hear from my OBGYN, but everyone has confirmed I have dropped. Even a woman in my Wednesday night Classroom Mgt class commented that I was carrying much lower than I had the Wednesday before (the night before my accident). People are noticing . . . And the pressure down there, wow! I am actually pretty scared because it's early to have dropped. I feel a noticable change though. Everything I have read and researched says most poeple deliver within 2-4 weeks after dropping. I also had some cramping last weekend, but didn't think a lot of it. I can't help but think that this is a result of the accident. I dropped almost immediately afterwards and the pressure on my bladder and rectum has been intense ever since. I'm not ready for her yet. Heck, most importatnly, she's not ready! She's big, but that doesn't mean her lungs are ready. I haven't had either of my showers and I can't afford to take off yet.

Please, if anyone out there knows about droppping, or lightening, tell me. Have you heard 2-4 weeks also? Did any of you drop early and still have the baby on time? I am so eager to hear from my doctor.

The Ever-growing Belly and Car Stuff

Yesterday, several people commented at how big I had gotten since last week (still haven't gained a pound in 6 WEEKS!) but I know I am bigger. I think the careful eating and belly growth has balanced out evenly. Two people even said they thought I had dropped. Is it possible to have already dropped? I don't really notice any changes. Well, there is one change: I am leaking colostrum. It's just a little bit, but enough to let me know the darn things work. :-) I don't know why, but it really hit me-- I'm going to have a baby to nurse.

Guess what? This morning, as I was driving to work, I noticed a fairly nasty accident up ahead. One lane was closed, so as I waited for the policeman to wave me past, I noticed that one of the cars was my co-worker's. He is on my team at school (there are only 6 of us). He is ok, but still . . . two of us in one week's time. Freaky! There were many accidents this morning because of the rain and it kind of made me nervous. I am driving a bigger vehicle though for my rental-- a 2006 Jeep Liberty.

We are still working on settling the car stuff. The medical stuff will most likely drag on for a year according to my lawyer. We are hoping to have a new car for me by the weekend!

Thanks, but no thanks!

The only thing worse than getting tons of unwanted advice when you're pregnant, is getting tons of unwanted advice when it comes to what we should do concerning a new car, a lawyer, etc. (Don't worry, I'm not referring to anyone who left comments since the accident-- you guys rock!)

It's so confusing knowing what to do. Should we hire a lawyer and have this thing drag out for ages? Should we settle and get it over with? (We decided to go with the lawyer). Should we accept the crappy amount they offered for my car or do we prolong it and fight? Ugh. And then the biggest question: what do we do with the money they gave us? It's not enough to buy something newer, or even to buy what I already had (my car was a 2000). The rental car runs out Saturday. We are thinking of buying something maybe around 2003. I can't even tell you how many people have said, "why don't you get something newer?" and my thought is, "because I couldn't before the accident and can't now." Yes, it would be nice, but we were not prepared to buy another new car and have 2 car payments, especially when I am taking off to be with baby girl soon. Am I going to get a car with 15,000 miles on it? Nope, probably not. The one I had had about 65,000 so to get anything less is better than what I had, and hence, more expensive. We planned on keeping my car another 2 years because I won't be driving much once I become a SAHM. We are looking at 2003 Saturn Vues with slightly high mileage for their year (still less than what my other car had) and some friends and family think this is stupid. The thing is, although I have talked incessantly about this car mess on my blog, I have not in real life and have not asked for advice. I feel like everyone disapproves of the way I am handling this.

Now, at the risk of sounding completely contradictory, I am asking for your advice. What would you do? Try to find close to what you had (which means buying from someone in the newspaper or something)? Take out a small loan and get something somewhat better (like a 2003 Vue with 40K miles) or just buy something new/slightly used and know you have a loan to pay off, but you've got a nice reliable car to last for several years? I'm drowning in decisions.

And just to let you know that I am not entirely focused on car stuff, I am going to post a recipe of some amazing hummus James helped me make yesterdy. Food lovers, do not despair, I have not gone completely forgone the things I love!

Accident Update, Church, and Braxton HIcks Contractions

This whole situation continues to be a complicated mess. We're still waiting to see how much they are going to offer us for the car. I really don't want to know. It probably won't be enough. The nice folks at Saturn (I had a Saturn) offered to check the quote the insurance company offers to make sure it's fair. I love Saturns-- great customer service, a protective steel cage-- great cars. I'll probably be replacing mine with another Saturn.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. They x-rayed my hand and said that they saw something, but weren't sure what it was (all those tony little bones). He said he wants it in a mobilizer thingy to allow the swelling to go down, so I'm typing pretty much with one hand. I am still waiting for my regular doctor to call back about the possibly fracturesd ribs and pain I'm in.

On a positive note, we joined church yesterday. We have been attending church since moving here 4 years ago, but we didn't find one we wanted to join until about a year ago. We wanted to join before baby girl's birth, so we'll be members when she's baptized.

I've been having some Braxton Hicks contractions lately (since the accident) but they always stop. This is about the time most people start getting them anyway. As long as they don't get any worse, we're ok! I still have lots to do before our daughter's arrival!

Liar Liar

Get this. Last night, an associate at the law firm we are using dropped off the offical police report on the accident. After reading it, I was even more mad. The women who hit me freakin' lied! She states that I stopped and waved her across the road. Like hell I did! I didn't even see her. She floored it out of a parking lot and into the middle of the road where she smashed into me. I was just driving down the road. Obviously, the police didn't buy her story for a second because they stated that I was moving when she hit me and then ticketed her for failure to yield and no proof of insurance (but she ended up having it). Maybe the fact that she lied will help our case even more. It makes her less credible. She also apologized for hitting me and admitted fault right away. If she really thought I had waived her across, she would've said something like "what were you doing? You told me to go!" Not only am I not dishonest, I'm not stupid enough to lie to the police when it's so easy to see through the story. Lying only comes back to bite you and I intend to use this in any way I can.

I am going to the doctor on Monday morning to get checked out again. I am so sore. I'm worried about the pain in my ribs. I can't cough or hiccup without it killing me. My hand is swollen too. I just want to get all the aches and pains checked out. They were more concerned about monitoring the baby when I got to the hospital, so I still want to get everything looked at again.

Update

I am home today from the hospital. I'm hanging in there. I think the worst thing right now besides being so sore is the frustration and lack of understanding. It seems so hard that even when I'm not at fault, I feel like I'm still paying for what happened. The other insurance company has not worked with me. I thought we had a good case-- 7.5 months pregnant, burns and bruises on my stomach, leg, face, etc. They think my ribs are fractured, but can't X-ray to know for sure. They still aren't positive the baby is ok-- can't know for sure until we meet her. There is a danger of early labor or my water breaking from the severe impact. My car is totalled and they said already that they plan to give us nothing more than blue book value of my car, which we all know isn't enough to pay for much. We can't afford to put our own money towards it because I am quitting work next month to stay home and we just bought James a car. I am having a tough time being thankful for the positives. Instead, I am angry that this happened and worried I'll end up with an unreliable car. I think I'm still really shaken up and I just feel resentful. My car was paid off and I know I can't have a car payment. Really, I'm getting screwed even though I did nothing wrong. I at least thought Geico would give us a little something over to help (because so many people assured me they received more than blue book), but apparently I'm not so lucky.

Update: We've got a lawyer. I think this may make more work on us: more appointments with doctors, more things to cover our behinds, but he thinks he can get us more money.

He Surrounded Me With Angels

I'm not going to type much because I am exhausted and my hand is partly fractured . . .

Early this morning, I was in a bad head-on (and slightly to the right side) collision, leaving my car totalled and me battered and bruised. The good news? My daughter is ok. I was just realeased from the hospital (a day early!). I was supposed to stay until some time tomorrow, but they were pleased with how well the baby was doing, so they let me go. I am to stay at home and rest now. I've been hooked up to fetal monitors in labor and delivery since this morning. My face is all bruised and swollen from the airbag and they think I have cracked ribs, although they can't x-ray me because of the baby. Mostly I am just really sore and swollen.

It sucks that my car is gone. We really can't afford a new one with me quitting work next month and because we just bought one for James. Although the accident wasn't my fault (the other driver was cited), I'm still getting screwed. You never get enough to buy something decent to replace your car. We're calling a lawyer tomorrow to see what can be done.

All I can think about now is sleep and the fact that God protected both me and my baby girl. I have never been so scared. As I stood there at the scene, crying, and holding my tummy--desperate to feel some movement-- it amazed me that no one talked to me. They just stood there and watched. Thankfully, a co-worker drove up and saw me and stayed with me until the ambulance took me away. My mom met us at the hospital. James left at 6:00 am to go out of town, but he came back at 9:30 tonight, just in time to take me home. I am going to get some much needed sleep and go thank God again for surrounding me with his angels.

OBGYN Update and Latest Ultrasound!

When I went to the OBGYN yesterday, I got some great news: I have not gained anything in a month!!! Actually, I probably have, but I've lost weight from since I started watching sugar and carbs more carefully, so it all must've evened out. I'm sure when I breastfeed, I'll burn even more calories. My doctor said that I am measuring right on schedule and that things looked good. I am now down to appts every 2 weeks-- evidence that it's getting close to the end!

I had an ultrasound scheduled after my regular appointment. When I got there, baby girl was lying face down (again) but promptly turned herself in a wonderful position after hearing the disappointment in her mommy's voice. We got some great shots!

Oh, and guess what? She grew hair! Like overnight or something! She has quite a lot for not having any a week ago. Also, she was chewing on the umbilical cord. How cute is that? She also kept putting her hand in her mouth and sucking it. She likes to suck on her big toe too. She opened her eyes for us and looked around. They said she is chubby with squeezable cheeks. Also, they even mentioned that she has a defined lipline like I have. Maybe she'll look like me! :-)

To end a great day, my grandma met us at Target and bought us this stroller and car seat set. I didn't think I'd choose something so girly initially, but I really do like it. It's hard to see from the picture, but it has little flowers all over it. I don't want a unisex one. It's a girl for goodness sake. We can get a different one for a boy if we have one later.

Now for pictures of my gorgeous child:

Can you see the umbilical cord across the side of her face?

I love the way her little chubby arm looks in this picture:

Her little lips are sticking out in this one:

This is the link to my ultrasound album. There are tons more pics of my angel there!

Things on My Mind

-- I got turned down for short-term disability because I am pregnant. Darn. I was told that it was a 50/50 shot and that they do approve pregnant people sometimes. I am appealing. It'd sure be nice to have some money coming in while I'm on maternity leave.

-- Tomorrow I have an OBGYN appointment and then another go at the 4D ultrasound. Baby girl-- please wake up this time! Mommy paid good money to see you!

-- I think we decided on a stroller and it is super girly and pink-- so not what I expected to pick. My grandma is buying it for us tomorrow. :-)

-- I've had a cold for 3 weeks and I think it's getting bad again. I need like 4 days with nothing I have to do so I can recover!

-- My pregnancy is almost over and I can't stand the thought of relinquishing her to the world, even though I am eager to meet her. I don't want her to leave my body. I want to protect her and keep her safe inside me. Is this normal?

-- There are so many things I wanted to do while pregnant and I haven't done many of them: pre-natal yoga, getting my portrait taken with my big belly, making a diaper bag, and other things I can't think of at the moment.

Nusery Pics and More

This morning, James and I woke up earlier than unusual and headed out for breakfast at Chick-fil-a. We had a class at 10:00 at the hospital on infant CPR and safety. We really learned a lot.

Today I am laying low and doing some work in the nursery. I wanted to post some picture of what we've already done though because I promised I would weeks ago!

Here's James putting the valance on the rod:

Here's the valance and the curtains. The valance matches the bedding. Sorry if the picture is a bit dark.

Here is the crip with the quilt draped on the side. We chose a rather plain, but somewhat feminine African safari pattern, which we adore! There are even pink and purple flowers on it, and we are using those colors to add more feminie accents (you'll see some of the more girly stuff soon!)

Here is the bumper and one of the pillows we bought:

This is the other side of the crip and the folded safari blanket James bought me for Christmas:

Here's the dresser. Excuse the mess on the top!

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Here's the view from the door. The curtains are easier to see in this one:

and last but not least . . . here's a full shot of me today, in my 32nd week. I look even bigger than I did in the one a few days ago! Is that possible?

Week 31

After seeing GFF's picture, I am kind of hesitant to post this. I look so freakin' huge! My doctor is pleased with my weight gain (less than 20 pounds) but I feel gigantic. Baby girl has been sleeping more lately, but usually wakes up around this time. As I type, my tummy is moving all around. Oh, how I love my daughter already!

4

I was tagged by Shokufeh!

Four Jobs I’ve Had:
1. 6th grade Language Arts teacher
2. Assistant office manager at a psychiatrist's office
3. cast member (that's what we called employees) at the Disney Store
4. employee of Petsmart (in high school)

Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over:
1. "Hotel Rwanda"
2. “Lost in Translation”
3. “The Birdcage”
4. “Love Actually”

Four Places I’ve Lived:
1. Columbus, GA
2. Potomac, MD
3. Germantown, MD
4. there isn't a 4th, but I did attend a summer semester of college at Cambridge University in England.

Four TV Shows I Love:
1. “Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals”
2. “American Idol”
3. “Nip/Tuck”
4. “Law and Order: SVU”

Four Places I’ve Vacationed:
1. Cape Town, South Africa
2. Rome, Italy
3. Seoul, Korea
4. Cancun, Mexico

Four of My Favorite Dishes:
1. Panang Curry
2. Chana Masala
3. Korean Ramen Soup
4. Fettucini Carbonara

Four Sites I Visit Daily:
1. G-mail
2. Netflix
3. blogs on my blogroll
4. our Target registry (lately at least)

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:
1. Victoria & Alfred Watefront in Cape Town
2. the beach (Destin, Florida)
3. a spa
4. Starbucks

Four bloggers I am tagging:
1. Girl from Florida
2. my sister at IslePalm
3. Hana at Waleg
4. anyone else who wants to :-)

Beautiful Baby Girl

Yesterday was amazing! I had such a nice day at work! My co-workers surprised me with a cake in the cafeteria at lunch and all the kids sang "Happy Birthday". It was nice to eat cake for once! They also gave me $50 which we used for dinner last night at Carraba's. When I got home after work, James had taken off early to decorate and there was a big cake on the counter. We left soon after to go to my ultrasound, which was amazing. However, we didn't get many great images due to the fact that baby girl would not wake up, so we go back next Monday for free! Because we paid for a package, it's guarenteed that you get good images.

The first time I saw her face in 4D, my eyes filed with tears. We really got a good look! She has my lip line-- that's how detailed it was! She also has James's nose from when he was a baby. She has absolutely no hair. What we saw on the screen was a bit more clear than these, but you can see her pretty well. At this point, I am measuring 2 weeks ahead, although I know when I conceived. She currently weighs about 4 pounds, 4 ounces!

Now, tell me this isn't the cutest baby you've seen! I dare ya! :-)

These pictures were present enough, but I also got a bluetooth ear piece for my cell phone, some great stuff for the nursery from a posh baby boutique in Atlanta, a Korean cookbook (I foresee Chop Chae this weekend), the soundtrack to "The Constant Gardener" (I am working on African background music for the slideshow I am creating for our South Africa trip), a gift certificate to my fav Indian restaurant, and more. Those were from James. I got some great gifts from my grandma, parents, and sister too! Perfume, clothes, sandals that look Indian, a precious moments of a mother and baby girl, etc. I am spoiled. :-)

25

Today is my 25th birthday! I am halfway to 50 . . .

Today is going to be great! I get to leave work @ 3:00 for a 4D ultrasound. Yippeeeeee!!! I'll be able to really see my daughter. I'll post pictures of her later because they put them on a disk for you. Then, I'm going back to my house to change and get ready for a birthday dinner at Carraba's-- my favorite! Then it's back to our house for presents and cake.

A Wonderful Weekend

On Friday night, James and I went to Peacthree Ciy (which is really metro Atlanta) to shop for my birthday (which is tomorrow) and eat a wonderful dinner! I sat in TeaFusions, sipping the most wonderful Rooibos tea blend (something with fruit and nuts) while James hit a few stores. Then, we headed to one of the best, most gorgeous Thai restaurants for Panang Curry and Massaman Curry. Dessert was green tea ice cream. Yummy! It made me long for summer.

Yesterday, Rebecca and I enjoyed a wonderful day at the spa! The pedicure was great. I especially loved the minty foot mask she put on my feet. She covered them with plastic and little booties and I sat there, all tingly, for about 10 minutes. Then she used warm towels to wash it off, making it even more tingly! I now have pretty, red toenails for Valentines Day. While I waited for my facial, I got really nauseous (it's been happening again lately) and the spa owner offered me a soda, so after some diet coke, I felt better. The facial was great and relaxing, but my face it a little red from the microderm abrasion I had done on my nose. I had all these nasty blackheads and really needed it. While I was laying on my back getting the facial, baby girl kept kicking and jumping around. The lady was very entertained by my moving tummy! Next, we headed to the mall to get make-up done at Elizabeth Arden and I bought a few new things. I ended the day with a relaxing evening at home watching "Monster-in-law".

Today I am working on getting a guest list and addresses for my shower. My friend Pam is throwing me a shower on March 3. And then, on March 10, Rebecca and a few people at work are throwing me a huge shower with like 40 other people! We're going to get so much stuff.

What did you do this weekend?

Spa Update and Other Stuff

Since it's been a couple of days, here's an update in random form:

*My friend and I decided on a spa and a treatment. We are going to a new spa called Avair. We opted for the basic facial and spa pedicure. Can't wait!

* I've had class until almost 8:00 the past 2 nights. The one ends March 1 and the other March 21. I am looking forward to going home after work today and relaxing. It's rainy today-- perfect for snuggling!

*I've been having REALLY odd dreams lately. Must be hormonal.

*I am starting to really freak out about motherhood, labor, quitting my job, and life in general. I know it's normal, but I am feeling uneasy (this could also explain the weird dreams and nightmares).