summerisis
	Age: 37 Country: US Province/region: Hawaii City: Hana Partner: Silly Goofnut Children: Yes, 1 Pregnant: Trying to conceive Occupation: Domestic Slave
	Online: 2 days ago. Last updated: 46 days ago. Member since: 352 days
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04.17.08 - Post Partem

Hubby and I have a beautiful little girl named Sierra but because of my age we're going to try for another little cutie pie. We're hoping for a little boy. Wish us luck.

03.10.08 - Week 38

Of course things will changed at my next OB/GYN appointment on Wednesday but whatever. I might at well get it all logged since this is my memory book of the ups and downs of pregnancy, which will certainly escape me once Baby arrives.

I telephoned my OB/GYN on Friday to schedule the induction or the c-section since she's stated that I will require an induction in Week 39 or a C-section due to Baby not dropping. (I had written "engaging" before but apparently, Baby hasn't even dropped which is why this is a concern.) When I spoke with the doctor she was concerned that I had done a full 180-degree spin and have gone from wanting a natural birth to a c-section. I explained to her that she's basically said that I need one of the medical interventions and that if this is the case then we might as well get it scheduled so that I can put it on my calendar. Well, guess what...

She apparently isn't concerned about my Gestational Diabetes because my glucose levels are monitored so well. That means that there is no reason to induce me in Week 39 because the big issue is that GD babies die after Week 40 or whatever. I knew this was all BS. AND...

She says that the fibroids aren't likely blocking my birth canal so I may not need a c-section. (Jeez lady... figure it out and then open your mouth!) Again she said to me, "Well you are going to have the epidural aren't you?" And I told her that no, it wasn't my preference and that I was very much more interested in a natural, unmedicated birth. But if it cannot be that, then I would prefer to have a scheduled c-section because I am not interested in getting all jacked-up on Pitocin and going from 0-100 in .2 seconds only to require an epidural, prolong the process and end up with an emergency c-section. Her response? "Well, why don't we just see what happens by your next appointment and schedule an ultrasound because I'd like to know where the fibroids are located."

This is a far cry from the crap that I've been told up until now -- you need this medical intervention and that medical intervention. The worst part is that I bet that I'll have a labor and delivery similar to the whole pregnancy -- free and easy, without complications. My biggest problem has been the emotional drama set upon me by doctors and nurses that open their mouths and spew misinformation. I am so tired of their games.

03.06.08 - Week 37 (and 3 days)

Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Birthday to Me!

03.05.08 - Week 37 (and 2 days)

Baby refuses to engage. Apparently has tried, which is why I describe it as a battery ram in my vah-jay-jay but either my pelvis is too small or my fibroid is blocking the birth canal. Doctor will order another ultrasound next week if nothing has changed. So much for my hippy labor as it looks as though I'm due for a scheduled c-section. Doctor says that I'm her first patient in at least a year that hasn't had Baby drop by this time. Doctor recommended swimming, and getting on all fours and wagging my tail to "shift" baby but likely won't work because Doc thinks that Baby's been trying but just can't do it. Poor Baby! Already learning about life the hard way...

* Effacement - 0%

* Dilation - 0 cm

* Station - Baby Won't Drop

* Weight Gain - 13 pounds

02.28.08 - Week 36 (and 3 days)

The hormonal imbalances are taking a toll on my serotonin levels which is not good. I've begun rubbing Neroli and Rose essential oils onto my temples and nasal passage to relieve stress and bring a sense of calm over me. I am now taking Clary Sage and/or Myrrh baths with Lavender and attempting to thin my cervix with Evening Primrose oil.

* Effacement - 0%

* Dilation - 0 cm

* Weight Gain - 12 pounds

02.27.08 - Week 36 (and 2 days)

Watch "The Business of Being Born" if you haven't done so already and are interested in knowing more about the difference between having a baby under the supervision of a midwife and having a baby under the supervision of a OB/GYN, especially in the USA.

02.25.08 - Week 36

If you want to see a very long foreign film that's a complete emotional hand-job, rent The Best of Youth. I'm not exactly sure why this film made me realize that life as I know it is about to end but it did. And while I'm grateful to become a family, I am beginning to mourn the loss of my relationship with my husband. Our relationship will be forever altared because we will have so much more to think about now -- so much more than us.

Week 35 (and 4 days)

Okay. Okay. Here’s the scoop. Here’s what I’ve been working with over the past couple of weeks. I received some misinformation from an RN, who essentially said that Baby was doomed to die if I didn’t delivery in Week 38. She’s never met me. I called my doc and she said to ignore her. My doc also recommended that I report her for telling me that I should probably stop exercising. Essentially…

WORSE CASE SCENARIO

Gestational Diabetes means an Increase in Glucose Levels with the Potential For Big Baby. Type 2 Diabetes. Infant Hypoglycemia and Increased Risk of Stillborn if Not Delivered Between Weeks 38 and 40. (But ONLY if your glucose levels are NOT managed with diet and/or insulin and YES, I did tell her that my glucose levels are in check.)

MANAGEMENT PLAN

Gestational Diabetes means a No Sugar, Low Carbohydrate Diet & Need to Increase Exercise which leads to Reduced Caloric Intake which also leads to Weight Loss and the Potential for Ketones (Controversial Toxins from Burning Fat)

THE EXERCISE INDUCTION DILEMMA

Exercise is Good for Reducing Glucose Levels so No Big Baby. No Type-2 Diabetes. No Infant Hypoglycemia.

Exercise is Bad because it Can Cause Dilation and/or Effacement but that means No Need for Induction

So, why was I told to stop exercising and why was I told that my child was going to die?! I’m convinced that these people (GD specialist, Healthy Baby RN, Dietician, GD RN) need to grab some notepads, reserve a room, and have a sit-down meeting to get their story straight. I think that I’m on a clear road to induction and I think it’s total BS.

Today, however, is another story. I woke up with crust on my nipples so that’s a good thing. I had breast reduction surgery in 2001 and I was worried because I haven’t been leaking. Well, I leaked. I LEAKED!

Doc says that I’m “all baby” and I’ll take that as a compliment.

Someone stranger asked me how many months I had left – I said, “Months? We’re talking 2 – 4 weeks!” I’ll take that as a compliment too.

Another stranger passed by and said, “I’m guessing ‘girl.’” Yeah for me! Hubby wasn’t impressed though. He wants a boy.

01.28.08 - Week 32

I didn't think that it could be done but I've shocked my gallbladder into submission. That's what bruschetta, mozzarella, pizza, spaghetti, and two (yes two) pieces of cake can do you for! No, really. I traveled this weekend and said, "Screw-it to this Gestational Diabetes administrative nightmare and excrutiatingly painful gallbladder BS." I attended a party and brought an ice-pack just in case anything went "uh-rye" (I cannot find spelling of the word that sounds like this but means "wrong")

Well, I needed no ice pack. Oh, and I ditched the finger poking routine too. Screw it. I binged. No fat baby so I'm having a good time!! But much to my dismay, I've gained a whopping 5 pounds over the weekend. I hope that my GD diet and routine get my body back in rightful order!

I had three medical appointments last week. Appointment #1 found nothing wrong with my gallbladder. Appointment #2 found nothing wrong with my pregnancy. And, appointment #3 said that I'm not having a "fat baby". My my how things change in a week. It's no wonder that I've spent the past 15 years being skeptical of the medical industry.

So, here's an interesting thought -- My aunt had gallbladder problems that ended up being a foot in her ribs. And my mother had her gallbladder removed. Oh, and my mother really gets on my nerves... I just thought that I'd add that for kicks. (But it's true).

01.18.08 - Week 30 (and 4 days) --> From Bad to Worse

It doesn't make any sense. I eat right. I exercise. I have done everything "right" (except for when I binged on sugar for a while). So, why is it that I have the Gestational Diabetes? Why is it that I have the rotten Gallbladder? Why is it that I was told that if I don't give birth on or before my due date then I'm at high risk of having a still born? Ugh.

I have to have an ultrasound next week to see what size Baby is. I am kind on hoping that Baby is big so I can just schedule a c-section, which is totally against my beliefs (for me, not you so don't get yourself in a tither.)

I would take morning sickness and constipation and heartburn over these problems any pregnancy. I had none of that stuff so it's safe to say that "it caught up with me."

I also have to have an ultrasound for my Gallbladder or whatever it is that the doctor recommends today. They apparently will not remove the painful organ. But diet is NOT working. What more can I say? This is a bunch of Universal Crap.

01.11.08 - Week 29 (and 4 days) --> Yesterday's Scare

Yesterday was my first "pregnancy scare." I feel kind of silly now but I haven't experienced that type of fear and lack of control in a while. So here goes:

At about 4:00 p.m. my lower side began to hurt -- sharp pains. Eventually the pains ran a bit down my leg and through to my back. They were reminiscent of the precurser to serious menstrual cramps. I wasn't initially alarmed except that I had received a little "business card" that tells me when to give my doctor a call -- due to the Gestational Diabetes. One of the signals is "menstrual cramps." Well, I didn't want to rush to call the doctor like so many women do so I sat at my desk for another 20 - 30 minutes.

And then I had this "sinking feeling." I know this is too much information but I felt a little "fluid" down there. No, not like amniotic fluid or anything like that, just "juicy." So, I got and went to the restroom. Great! Nothing "wrong" in my panties. Still not confident that everything was okay, I did was any crazy woman would do -- I crammed my hand up my cooch to make sure that there wasn't any discoloration. Again, none.

Deciding that I'd be a food NOT to call my doctor, I rang her. I spoke with her assistant or front desk girl or whatever and told her that I had this cramp. Her response was instant, "Can you come into the office right away?" My answer was assuedly, "Yes." I called my husband, crying by this time and he began to make arrangments to pick me up.

Shortly after, my telephone rings. It's the doctor's assistant again and she's concerned that I cannot make it to her office before she closes at 5:00 p.m. She puts me on hold to speak with the doctor instead and I call my hubby on the other line to tell him to not rush to my office. As you can imagine, we're all in a panic now.

I am expecting the doctor to tell me to get the nearest hospital. I'm expecting that I'm losing Baby. My husband doesn't know what to expect.

So, the doctor gets on the phone and asks me about the pain. She asks me if I've been walking around -- No. She asks if I have been drinking a lot of water -- Yes. She asks if I can feel Baby -- Yes. To be honest, I don't remember what or if she asked me anything else. I finally told her that I'm okay with her telling me that everything is fine, in fact I NEED for her to tell me that everything is fine. And her response is, "Well, it's hard to know without running some tests. I think it's Round Ligament Syndrome and I recommend that you take some Tylenol and buy a belt to hold your stomach up.

Okay, so we've just gone from "Can you get to the office right away" to "Take some Tylenol." I was so pissed and confused. I felt like it was an emergency if it could be diagnosed before 5:00 p.m. but not worth anyone's time at 5:15 p.m.

After I got home from work, I did what doctor recommended -- Took two Tylenol. I fell asleep shortly after. I woke up when they wore off but managed to sleep through the night. I took a hot bath this morning and took two more Tylenol this morning.

I think the doctor was right. I do believe that it was/is Round Ligament Syndrome. And I'm not so upset with her any longer because she did not tell me to come to her office right away -- her telephone answering person did. Had she answered the telephone and said, "Take two Tylenol" I wouldn't have given it a second thought.

The end.

01.10.08 - Week 29 (and 3 days)

I'm getting pretty bored of these updates. A lot has happened and I'm honestly a bit too busy to be writing about everything. I think that not being so hormonal also helps.

I bought a very cute little dress for my daugher/son. It's white with eyelets. It's her welcome home dress. I feel bad because I bought two over-priced dresses for my "daughter" but only two onesies for my "son." I hope that this doesn't ruin him for life... should Baby be a him. Hubby wasn't too happy about the dress at first. He said, "You know, I'm still hoping for a boy." But then he saw the dress and he liked it.

Hmmm... Another thing that happened over the past couple of weeks is that I bought a bunch of stuff from Amazon.com. I cannot wait until my goodies arrive. Medical kits, onesies, parenting books, burp clothes, etc.

I have seen a dietician for my Genestational Diabetes. I am over the shock of feeling like I have failed myself and/or my child but sheesh WHAT A DRAG! I have to monitor everything that I eat and send a report to my dietician twice a week. I have to weigh my foods (which isn't that big of a deal since I did Weight Watchers for a bit) and I have to test my blood glucose levels four times a day. It's the process that's a real annoyance but the dietary changes haven't been too terribly significant. I am bothered that I'm supposed to eat a bunch more food than I'm accustomed to eating and I'm not supposed to lose weight or I might process ketones, which MIGHT be harmful -- they're not sure yet.

Plus, My gallbladder is also giving my some troubles so meat has been removed from my diet, as has cheese and peanut butter. Essentially, anything that's too fatty. Oh, did I mention that I'm supposed to eat on a schedule now? I had to make lunch and dinner to bring to the office since I cannot get home in time to eat my dinner on schedule. Like I said, WHAT A DRAG!

I really cannot believe that I have less than 75 days to go! That's nothing!

12.26.07 - Week 27

Okay, so this pregnancy has gone from easy to not-so-easy.

Problem #1 - Leg cramp in left foot heal that brought me to tears for approximately four hours. Simply relieved itself the late that night. Imagine a charley-horse that you cannot relieve and it's shooting pain through you achilles tendon, ankle, and up your leg....

Problem #2 - Ribs on the right side hurt tremendously -- may be over-eating at times. Hubby says that he can feel my rib "jutting out".

Problem #3 - Failed the glucose test and have Gestational Diabetes. Diet is fine but food needs to be eaten in a more stable manner -- small meals throughout the day.

Problem #4 - Tire more easily but trying to over-come this with exerting myself.

12.11.07 - Week 25

I'm not feeling so well any more. I am very stressed out -- not over the pregnancy but over other things like the fact that my mother arrives today and I never got my house cleaned up to par.

I also had some type of attack at the grocery store last night. I was shopping when all of a sudden, everything got very strange. I might say that I was dizzy, but I wasn't. It was almost as if I was going to pass-out. I was alone and I just stood there staring at the pasta sauces..

I tried to stay grounded and just focus so that I wouldn't fall over and pass out. I walked over to my grocery cart to help me stay on my feet and then I could feel myself teetering -- stumbing forwards and stumbling backwards.

This episode took so long that I started to get very scared and that made me panic and feel nauseated. I just wanted fresh air but I couldn't walk to the door. I knew that I would pass out. So, I just stood there until I felt it was safe.

I left my groceries in the aisle and made it outside. Once I got to the car, I just wanted to fall asleep. So, I waited until I could drive home and did so.

I called Kyle to tell him that I needed to go to sleep and was in bed by 7:30 p.m. I woke up this morning at 6:30 a.m. (which is late for me.) I'm considering a telephone call to my doctor because it seems like I had an epileptic fit or something "not right."

Week 24 (and two days) --> Don't Cry Over Spilled Water

For the past week, I've been doing Prenatal Pilates. I've grown into such a fat-ass that I decided that I needed to strengthen and tone. I wanted to weight 180 max at the end of this ordeal and I'm already at 176 -- so either I need to either eat less or exercise more. Kyle must feel the same because he spent his lunch-hour at Borders searching for Prenatal Yoga and Prenatal Pilates DVDs for me.

So, I've been waking up earlier than normal and doing my Prenatal Pilates DVD. I really like it because it five 10-minute workouts, which means that there's really no excuse NOT to do it.

But I can always find an excuse. With this DVD, you need some props -- a mat and some King-sized pillows, and adequate space. None of which, I have. Once I buy the props, I bet I'll have the wrong outfit.

So, I really don't like getting up in the morning to do these stretches. It's kind of cumbersome. I have to watch the DVD on a computer screen, so if I'm on the floor, I have to tilt the screen down. If I'm standing up, I have to tilt the screen up. As I mentioned, I don't exactly have what you need, so I'm constantly fidgeting around -- trying to find a place to fully stretch my legs or reach my arms. (I should really just move a couch out of the way.)

Well, this morning was something else! I drank something other than water last night, which is a major no-no for me. When I drink anything but straight water, I get horrific back pain. My back can hurt so bad that I can barely walk. And, no, it's not sciatica. I forced myself out of bed -- mostly because I didn't want to hear Kyle's little pep-talk about how I should exercise more and blah blah blah. I also like it when he's proud of me so that's an incentive.

I made it to the living room. I turned on the computer -- revved everything up and got started. I kicked the computer and made the DVD skip and thought that I was going to knock the computer off of it's perch atop a wooden stool. I tried to create a more spacious environment and restarted the DVD. And then I kicked over my cup of water.

Now, we have hard wood floors -- not laminate, but wood. And, I have an anal husband that cares very deeply about these floors. Perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps not. All I know is that I by the time I reached the bathroom to get a towel to mop up 21 ounces of fresh ice-cold water that was seeping under the couch, I was crying.

No, let me rephrase that. I wasn't crying. I was BAWLING. Unbeknown to me, Kyle was awake and sitting on the toilet when I came running in for a towel. He was like, "What's wrong Yeni?" And I sobbed with one of those oh-my-god-i-can't-catch-my-breath type of cries, "I spilled my water."

"What did you spill it on?"

"THE FLOOR!!"

So, Kyle came to my rescue and told me that he'd clean it up and that everything would be okay. I went to the bed and sobbed. Soon after, Kyle comes in with a fresh glass of water and says, "It's okay. You see, there's plenty of water. It comes out of the faucet."

So, that was how my day began. Ironically, when I got to work. There was no water. We used it all up yesterday and the delivery guy hasn't shown up yet.

The End.

12.04.07 - Week 24 - 60% Complete!

Time is begining to drag on. I don't have a whole lot on my mind except that my mother's reaction to this pregnancy is a little "out there." When I told her, I had to leave a voice message on her telephone because she was not home and the hubby and I wanted to begin telling other family members, etc. Plus, my mother and I were having a bit of a fight so I really didn't feel the need to make sure her needs were met.

However, she came to visit us in Southern California over the Thanksgiving holiday and she said nothing to me about being pregnant except, "You knew you were pregnant in September when you visited me and you didn't say anything." And then she proceeded to give me my baby ring that she's been saving all these years. I told her that we had our reasons for not telling anyone. (Why people have to make this about them is beyond me.)

Anyway, I think that my mother is upset about my pregnancy either for the reasons mentioned above or because she's resentful of the difference between our life paths. You see, she had me when she was 20 years old. My father married her (after I was already born) because he wanted to borrow money from my grandmother and she wouldn't loan it to him because he hadn't married my mother. Their marriage lasted 5 years and ended with my mother working in a factory to support the two of us. And my father was a Disneyland Dad to make things worse.

I just keep wondering if my pregnancy and life, in general, are reminders of what she didn't make of her life.

I'll add that when my mother was visiting us over the Thanksgiving holiday, she said to my MIL, "We should go on a trip together." My MIL responded, "Yes, we'll go to Hawaii to visit the kids and the baby." And my mother responded, "Well, yeah but it will be different." And my MIL responded, "Yes, but GOOD different."

I just thought it an odd thing to say. Who doesn't want to visit their first grandchild?

11.27.07 - Week 23

I'm not really sure what to write. Week 22 was a blast -- shopping, eating, visiting with friends and family (photos posted). Week 23 is kind of a let-down after all of that holiday hooplah. I still feel great and the family says that I look great -- for whatever that's worth. I guess the biggest news that I have is that I'm really just excited to get to the 3rd trimester now.

Oh, and I'm now shooting for March 21st. Baby is due on the 24th but I want her to be born on the first day of spring, which is also the Full Moon. I noticed that according to my cycle, the due date is the 24th, but according to my sex life, Baby is due on the 19th so I should be good to go on the 21st. Wish me luck.

I just saw my gripe fest and realized that I should post an update. My MIL was kind enough to tell me that she thinks it logistically impossible to try and be in Hawaii for Baby's arrival. While she agrees that Hubby is romantic and sweet for wanting all family members in town, she agrees that it is a time for us and has offered to come help when we're ready. We just need to ask. (I will note that she considers "taking baby off my hands so that I can go to the market and day spa" help -- which I don't exactly agree with -- but that's another issue.)

For now, I'll count my blessings.

11.13.07 - Week 21 --> Love Taps

Well, Baby's making an impression now -- too bad Daddy has a hard time "feelin' the love." I lost myself in a head-massage while at the Salon on Saturday (20w4d) and all this craziness erupted in my belly. It was Baby doing somersaults or running around like a hampster on a hampster wheel!

Now I'm curious: Is Baby a girl that likes head-massages too? Will she have her nails done with me? Or, is Baby a boy that gets upset that he's stuck at the Day Spa for an hour an a half? I am not sure, so I bought Baby a couple of gifts for sharing that time with me.

And then I bought Baby a Hawaiian lulluby CD, two Baby Boy "welcome home" outfits, a body pillow, American Sign Language kit/flashcards, and Hawaiian Baby Quilt (photo attached). *sigh* Baby also bought Daddy two books -- one called Daddy Cuddles about how daddy animals cuddle their babies and another book about Chameleons and how they get to be all kinds of different colors. Baby bought me some candles for bath time.

Week 20 was the best week so far!

11.06.07 - Week 20 --> Baby's half way home!

Okay, so it looks like this is another gripe week. Grip #1 is that I have that darned Round Ligament Syndrome and it hurts. I've been using a heating pad to sleep through the night.

So, that brings me to Gripe #2.5.

Hubby wants all family to fly to Hawaii for the birth. He would like for them to stay at their time-share (for however long is necessary) until Baby is born (even if Baby is late). He has this romantic idea that I'll go into labor and he'll call our parents to meet us at the hospital. I want to respect his wishes because I can be "distant" when it comes to all that "fuzzy wuzzy family stuff" but I am just not comfortable with people flying 3,000 miles to wait for me to give birth. I think that they'll:

1) want to be in the deliver room (which WILL NOT happen)

2) want constant updates on my progress

3) want to be in the recovery room right after Baby is born

4) want to hold Baby right away

5) want to come to the house for hours on end.

And why shouldn't they want all this? They DID fly ALL THE WAY here... It's the LEAST I could do, right?

Ugh. Pity the pregnant lady.

11.01.07 - Week 19

We bought Baby's first gifts! (I've posted pictures.) I bought a very cute lamb that plays six different lullabies. I put it on my belly for Baby to listed to at night. Kyle, my husband, thinks that it's the cutest thing. I also bought a monkey because I know that Baby is going to be a silly little monkey!

We also bought a crib on Craigslist. (I've posted a picture.) I found an italian wood crib for $250. I retails for $400 - $749, and the shipping to Hawaii is roughly $300. It also includes the mattress ($120). So, I essentially bought a $920 - $1,170 crib for $250!! And it's not even dinged-up! I think that I'll use Craigslist for other things such as a BabyBjorn and carseat... I'm very excited to save money because the more money I save, the more time I'll have to spend with Baby prior to returning to work...

The doctor said that I should cut sugar out of my diet. It appears that I'm gaining weight quickly because I had been dieting prior to the pregnancy and had lost quite a few pounds. I actually lost weight during the first six weeks of pregnancy, so now it appears that I've gained too much weight. Had I not lost any weight, I would have only gained 9 pounds... but with the weight loss it appears that I've gained 20! I don't mind cutting sugar out of my diet though. She added that if I eat to much sugar then Baby will be a fat-ass an hard to deliver.

Speaking of delivery. The doctor recommended that I have an epidural. I wasn't holding hard and true to either a "natural" birth or an "assisted" birth but I really did want to go as natural as possible. Remember, I'm the girl that wanted to have her baby at home in a hot-tub. After talking to the doctor and another woman in the clinic, I figure that I'd prefer to be medicated afterall. I told them that I had read "She who endures the worst pain, doesn't get a trophy." My doctor said that I was reading a good prenatal book! They were very surprised to hear that I do not know anyone that has ever had an epidural. None of my friends have been medicated, nor has anyone that I know from my mother's generation. But I'm from the California coast...

That's all for now...

10.21.07 - Week 18

I'd like to share some info this week. I am not a poor person but I'm a bit more poor than I was before I left my last job so I kind of struggle with not having the lifestyle that I'm accustomed. I wasn't raised this way though. I grew up in a household with a single mother, on a single-mother's income, which gave me my drive to provide myself with a better lifestyle.

I put myself through college and studied the effects of consumerism and international corporate business on humanity and the natural environment (Environmental Anthropology).

I am writing of this because being pregnant and expecting a child is a very exciting time. For me, it's almost like a wedding-planning flashback. I want everything to be picture perfect and in a way, I judge myself by what I can and cannot afford. I couldn't afford to have 250 wedding guests. I couldn't afford a weekend beachhouse wedding bash. I cannot afford a $900 stroller. I cannot afford a $1,700 nursery set.

Today I found myself on Craigslist for Oahu looking for cribs because when you live on a small island, shipping is either impossible or expensive. The crib that I want is $400 and the shipping is another $300. I figured that I'd see if someone else had the same or similar crib for sale nearby. I couldn't believe how many cribs and other infant/baby products were for sale! Sure, some of it was cheap crap but I was finding nice items too. (Crib prices ranged from $30 - $250).

This got me thinking about the future and our planet, and our children. And I realized that if I buy used products, I'm giving such a wonderful gift to my child -- too all of our children. I'm saving a tree. I'm saving oil. I'm saving land by saving a crib from landfill. I bet I'm also saving water, and the air from the manufacturing process. And I'm saving money, meaning that I will have more time with my child. These are things that leave a lasting impression on a child, a person, well into adulthood -- not a fancy, brand new bedroom set. I realized that this nursery isn't for Baby. It's for me. And I'm smarter than that. I'm smarter than getting sucked into the mass consumerism of "you need this to be adequate."

I'm feeling pretty good about myself now. And I hope that I've inspired someone to reconsider buying a lot of new, unnecessary items -- despite how fun it is! I try to remember that it's Reduce, Reuse, and then Recycle. I'll be reducing what I buy, reusing what I own, and recycling what I no longer need. I hope you will too.

For those of you that aren't familiar with Craigslist. It's a website www.craigslist.com that you can search for used items within your area. You might find that someone within your city or county has a whole batch of baby bedding or infant onesies that they are selling for $10 or $35 for the lot. There are also photos and it's better than Ebay because there's no bidding and/or shipping involved. I hope this helps someone. Jeni.

10.17.07 - Week 17 (and a half)

BABY HAS ALL 46 CHROMOSOMES! WE CAN TELL THE WORLD NOW!

10.17.07 - Week 17

This man that I've been working with asked if I go walking or to the gym during my lunch hour. I said "yes" and he said, "Well, you look like you're putting on more weight." I said "Well, maybe I'll talk to you about it next week." And he said, "What, are you going to tell me something that I don't already know?" And said, "Well, what do you think it is?" and he said, "Oh, you're eating for multiple people."

I suppose that I shouldn't be too upset as he obviously thought that I was pregnant, and not just fat.. but how hurful is that? His timing couldn't be more "off" as I've been crying to my hubby about my weight and please don't tell me all the good stuff about weight gain because I'm not stupid, I don't am having a hard time with my changing body. The End. (Oh, that man makes me so mad!)

And I'm all stressed out because I won't even have my test results until Monday so now I'm dealing with looking fat and pregnant, along with wondering whether or not I'm even going to have a baby! It's horrible to feel this way! Horrible! (Not to mention the mean lady that was writing nasty things to me about my personal decisions!) That !@#$% butthead. Argh!!!

10.10.07 - Week 16

I had my amnio today. I didn't care too much for it. It hurt. It felt like I was a balloon at an amusement park that has another balloon inside and they were trying to pop the internal balloon after already poking the needle through the outer balloon. Essentially, I could feel the doctor poking at my uterous and it hurt. I'm glad it's over and I hope that the results are that I have a genetically healthy child.

While some might find the amnio an unethical procedure, I just couldn't bring myself to commit to a life of caring for someone that is unable to care for him/herself -- forever. On October 20th, I'll know for certain whether or not I'm having a healthy child, and I am very grateful to have the opportunity make that decision.

10.03.07 - Week 15

My page disappeared so I lost Week 14. All is well with baby's heartbeat. Next week is amnio.

09.21.07 - Week 13

I finally have morning sickness. I threw up nine times last Friday and once this morning. Must eat very small food portions every hour or so. I also gained a ton of weight this week. My pants aren't even zipped right now! I'm gonna try a "belly band" to keep my pants up and maybe buy some new clothes this weekend. My amnio is scheduled for October so we'll be spreading the news first thing in November.