Monday, July 30, 2012

Settling In

Williamsburg, 2012


Beyond nursery-land, we've been getting a little more settled in at home so I thought I'd give a few sneak peeks. Sealface has adapted nicely. Dustskulker has decided the washing machine and dryer are out to get her, but likes peering out over the rooftops from the windows. I think I agree with her on both counts.

It's going to take a long while before I feel like we're really, really moved in, but things are feeling much more serene around here these days. Just in time for baby mayhem!

Progress

Williamsburg, 2012


After a broiling hot day at the Bronx Zoo on Friday for Will's company summer picnic, we spent about 5 hours on Saturday hanging pictures, setting up the crib, and figuring out how some of the baby gear works. I even made a half-hearted attempt at packing a hospital bag (onesies, nursing pillow, yoga pants, socks, extra camera battery.)

The organizing spree was rounded out with a great brunch at Cafe Mogador and dinner with friends at Betto.

Now? All I really want to do is hibernate in the AC and watch the Olympics for the next ten days until my due date. Naptime is back with a vengeance.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

38 Weeks

38 weeks


38 weeks and I am getting big! At my check up yesterday, the doctor said the baby had dropped and his head was fully engaged. She is guessing that he will be born weighing in the "high six pound range," but of course that's just a guess. Not to overshare, but though my cervix is soft, there are not yet any signs of dilation or imminent labor. I have another appointment in a week but she said "I'll either see you then or I'll see you in labor and delivery." Eeeek!

To quote Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids, "This is happening!"

Aside from that news, I am feeling pretty much the same as I have since about 34 weeks. The only new symptom I've noted in the last several weeks is pain in the joints of my hands and feet. Hand pain (pregnancy carpal tunnel) is pretty common in the last trimester. When you wake up, it feels almost like you've been clenching your hands in a tight fist all night. But supposedly it goes away fairly immediately after labor.

I've been sleeping pretty well this week, though for the first time in my life I really don't have to bother setting an alarm clock as I'm up between 7 and 8 no matter what. I've actually found that not taking naps helps me sleep through the night a bit better, even if it means I'm dragging a bit at 4 or 5 in the afternoon. I am up somewhere between 17 and 18 pounds from my weight in November. But I am pretty hungry lately, especially for protein.

I really have no inkling as to when the baby will come, which is odd. I don't think he'll come early, but what do I know?

37 Weeks

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Preparations




Nope, I haven't fallen into a black hole (or had the baby.) At 37 weeks and 5 days I am waiting patiently for signs of his imminent arrival. Oh, and trying to get a little more organized for his homecoming.

People keep asking me if the nursery is ready yet and I can only reply with maniacal laughter. Um, no. Not remotely.

I have to keep reminding myself that all he really needs is me (his food supply), some diapers, and his bassinet and that we have some leeway on transforming his room from chaotic staging area to baby's home base.

Still, I am trying to do a little bit every day and this weekend, when Will is off work, we are going to put together the crib, hang some paintings, unpack the boxes of clothes, and start figuring out how all the baby gizmos work.

Yesterday, I washed my childhood teddy bear for his room. I also got a haircut, since it seems like personal maintenance might fall by the wayside for a little while. While I was at Hello Beautiful, the owner very sweetly gave me a baby gift. A very cool little boy's nightgown and a mini Brooklyn shirt. Such a lovely gesture!



Work in Progress, 2012

Thursday, July 19, 2012

37 Weeks: Full Term

Singapore, 2011


Today I am looking rather like a round-bellied Buddha, not this slim line guy. You will just have to use your imagination for a day or so while the dust settles at home. But I am 37 weeks today, and officially full term.

We had a meeting with our doula last night and we both have ner number in our phones, ready to go. I don't really anticipate an early arrival, but who is to know with these things? My Brooklyn Summer Moms group account has been overflowing with birth stories. Like me, many of these women are first timers, and the variety of the birth stories is astonishing. 6 hour, baby's-almost-born-in-the-cab-at-38 weeks stories, scheduled C-section stories, mamas mainlining Evening Primrose oil at 41 weeks and 5 days stories. For every truism I hear about first babies coming late, there's a woman with plenty of evidence to the contrary.

My doula did mention that there is a certain mind body connection. Meaning if I need more time, emotionally speaking (which I do), I might just get it. Then again I may not.

What I am certain of is that I am excited to meet this little man soon.

36 Weeks

35 Weeks

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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Home Again

Vermont, 2012


We are back in Brooklyn after six days in Vermont for a beautiful country wedding (and an unexpected hospital visit that wasn't baby related.) It was blazing hot on the wedding day but all of the little details were pitch perfect. My cousin has fabulous taste and put so much work into every last thing.

Three out of the six bridesmaids were pregnant, so I am sure we looked like we were performing some kind of pagan fertility rite on the shores of Lake Champlain. Being a bridesmaid at 36 1/2 weeks was pretty much smooth sailing. It was a little bit nerve jangling to be so far from home so close to my due date but we managed to get back in one piece.

It was an intense weekend, but Will and I did steal away for a few swims, walks, and golf cart hijinks. Every quiet moment feels a bit heightened by the thought that there are only a few more weeks of just the two of us.

Now we are back we are on lockdown at home until the newest member of the family arrives. Normally I am a major planner, but this summer has been so hectic that we are still kind of camping out at home. I have to keep reminding myself that the baby doesn't need a fully kitted out nursery and that all we really need to have "assembled" is our mental health.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Stockholm Syndrome

New York, 2010


Tomorrow morning we head out for a 3-night jaunt to northern Vermont for my cousin's wedding.

Assuming my bridesmaid's dress still fits, I am excited for the festivities and the chance to see some greenery after so much grit this summer. Normally by mid-July we'd have been up to Maine for several weekends, but due to the move and my growing bump we've been on lockdown in the city for a much longer stretch than we are accustomed to.

Now, it's not all bad. I've had my feet nibbled by mosquitos at Union Pool, taken some swims, eaten watermelon al fresco, and seen a few fireworks. But the idea of farm stands, country air, and the absence of that summer garbage smell seems pretty appealing too.

Posting may well be sparse for the next few days, but in the mean time, here's a great Gawker essay on leaving New York.

Don't worry, I'm not rejecting my adopted city any time soon. When people tell me I'll eventually, inevitably move to the 'burbs ("so the kids can have a lawn"), I get chills down my spine. I still feel quite adamantly that New York is the best city in the world.

But, yeah, sometimes you've got to get off island.

Monday, July 9, 2012

7-9-11

via Brian Wedge Photography


The anniversary-fest continues. July 9th was a pretty wonderful day!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Anniversary

New York, 2012

This weekend marked our 8 year anniversary (and first wedding anniversary.) It's been such a nutty few months getting situated here and getting ready for baby and we've certainly had our share of stress. But all in all it's been a wonderful year, with a fabulous honeymoon, adventures to London, and a very relaxing iguana-filled babymoon in the Virgin Islands.

We celebrated in low key fashion by having the nursery painted, staying in the AC as much as possible to avoid the 100 degree weather, watching episodes of Louie on Hulu, and having a very excellent dinner at Saraghina in Bed-Stuy. We've been long time Roberta's fans, but I have to say it's gotten a little hype-y lately and Saraghina's pizza was pretty fabulous.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Lately



In breaks between settling in, we've been eating lots of takeout and I've been reading this series over at A Cup of Jo. While I won't be working in an office immediately, I think there are some great insights about balancing motherhood with the rest of life. Last year, Joanna did a similar series about freelancing moms who work at home.

35 Weeks

35 weeks, 1 day


What a wild, intense few weeks it's been. Disassembling the last 5 1/2 years in our old, well-loved home, and starting from scratch in our new.

There have been multiple trips to giant, overwhelming hardware stores and paint suppliers, many calls to utility companies, a gazillion change of address forms, and a long haze of boxes and tape and crumpled newspaper.

There have also been a few impromptu gatherings in the new apartment, BLTs on the new balcony overlooking Brooklyn and Wall Street, and some good long sleeps in our new room. I like padding around the living room early in the morning and looking out over the rooftops of the city. The place is not ready for a big 'reveal' just yet, but I will give some sneak peeks in the coming weeks.

As for babyland? Well, moving at 34 weeks pregnant is indeed tough. But I can only imagine that with a young baby it would be worse. Hard to tell if my exhaustion lately is because my due date is 34 days away, or because of all the upheaval. It's amazing that on Monday I'll be able to say I am due "in a month."

33 & 34 Weeks

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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

A New Human

via Kindred Clothing



So it's been a surreal week or so. So much so that in the midst of all this upheaval, I've sort of...forgotten I'm having a baby in 5-ish weeks?! Well, except for the expanding bump and all the rest of it.

And of course I realize that babies don't need all that much aside from a place to sleep, sustenance, and TLC. But once our painters come next week and get rid of all the beige, I'm excited to begin to get the nursery in gear.

Even though we'll have the baby sleep in our room at night for the first three months or so (in this beauty, a gift from my mother), I'd really like to have a serene space set up for daytime naps, changing time, and hanging out on the floor. And I think that final burst of preparation might help it all feel a bit more tangible.

But even as I say that, it's almost impossible to really visualize our life next month and beyond. Meeting newborns who belong to friends and family has helped, though it doesn't really change the fact that this reproduction business is very, very mind-blowing. As I was saying to Will in the middle of the night last night (pregnancy insomnia is fun), "How strange is it that we're getting our very own human?"

On Taking it Easy

New York, 2012


When you're pregnant (usually when you are feeling just great and really positive and hopeful), women who've been-there-done-that seem to relish a lot of time telling you that the last month or so of pregnancy is really, really tough. Then they say something like "You should take it easy!" or "Don't try to do too much."

Indeed, I can confirm that somewhere around 34 weeks, it's gotten considerably more difficult. I am starting to feel like a cartoon pregnant lady and very, very round. Plus, we've been in the eye of the moving, home-buying storm during a major New York heatwave.

The crux of it is that normal tasks, like making dinner, or doing the dishes, or walking to and from the grocery store seem kind of daunting. Mentally I feel okay, and physically I really don't have it that bad as far as third trimester symptoms go. But I'm lucky if I'm getting 4 hours of sleep a night and have been feeling almost jet lagged this past week. Plus, I feel kind of...ratty and grumpy.

Anyway, last night a friend brought us dinner and helped us move some boxes for an hour. It was a godsend. How to explain? Even picking a takeout place to order from can seem insurmountable at the moment. And I imagine when you have a newborn, you feel much the same.

Moral of the story is, if you know a heavily pregnant lady (or someone with a brand new baby), the gift of a simple meal or some cleaning help is priceless. It can be hard to ask or even articulate what you need, so when someone just does it, you feel immensely grateful.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Back to Normal(ish)

Williamsburg, 2012


No, I haven't given up on the internet.

We moved!!!

On Friday, we finally closed on our new place and got the keys, just in time for our movers to arrive on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. It was... a process.

Though we didn't do the bulk of the heavy lifting ourselves, it's been about 95 degrees in New York and the 49 trips back and forth with all the small stuff that wouldn't fit in boxes took it out of me, to say the least. It's the kind of heat that makes you feel like your skin is baking. We also had to clean and prep our old place for the new tenants at breakneck speed. So it's been a whirlwind.

At first, the cats were very much not amused. They spent their first night in their new home cowering in the hall closet as if we had done something terrible to them. Thankfully, they seem to have adjusted and are back to their normal weird little selves.

We finally have internet again and I am feeling semi-human after 7 straight hours of sleep in our new room. Hoping to get the new place into some semblance of order in the next to weeks as we've only got 38 days to go til my due date.
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