We've arrived at the Third Trimester!

As of Thursday, I was 28 weeks along in the 40-week pregnancy cycle. Time is flying at this point, and instead of monthly doctor's visits, I'll have bi-weekly visits over the next 8 weeks. Now, some of my expectant friends are at the point where they just can't wait for their little bundles of joy to come sliding out their vag. As for me, I'm not ready! I have so much more to do to get Panda's room ready, line up childcare, and learn about things like breast feeding. I really do hope I have 12 more weeks! And yes, I do realize in 10 weeks, I will regret saying that.

I'm still feeling good (except for those annoying aches and pains) and am getting a lot of double takes when I mention to an unknowing person that I'm 7 months pregnant. I guess I am carrying the bump well, thanks to my height and abnormally long torso, which consequently, always created one heck of a camel toe/wedgie challenge when wearing a leotard or one piece bathing suit as a child. Anyway, the advantage to being on the small side is that I haven't had to endure random strangers touching the bump! I do promise to post a belly photo to the blog over the weekend, in addition to some photos from our Halloween shenanigans as Juno MacGuff and Paulie Bleaker. Happy Halloween!

Baby Daddy Strikes Again

Riding high on my relief from lower back pain on Friday, I decided to keep the good mojo going by buying a body pillow to help support my achy back and stretchy pelvis. It’s quite gianormous in size, so I immediately doubted the practicality of it, but after sleeping with it Friday night, I knew that it was a keeper. I can either sleep on my side, draped over it, or use it to pseudo sleep on my back, the position I want to sleep in but am cautioned against by the pregnancy police - something about the weight of the uterus cutting off blood supply to me and the baby…

Anyway, the pillow was great until Greg and the dogs got home. The two of us and the pillow barely fit in our Queen size bed, and just forget it when one of the dogs sneaks up onto the bed during the night. But the pillow really does help me sleep more comfortably, so it’s non-negotiable.

Apparently, Greg likes it too.

In the wee hours of the night last night, I felt the pillow, which had been up against my back, being tugged away from the confines on my body. To my dismay, I turned over to see the moonlit outline of Greg snuggling up against it, curling his arms around it! Since I was both comfortable and groggy at the time, I surrendered it with a mere whisper of, “you stole my pillow!” This received no response. Sure enough, I woke to him still cuddled up against my pillow this morning. As the snack stealing scene from the McDonald’s parking lot replays in my mind, I feel certain that he doesn’t have a guilty bone in his body about the pillow snatch! What’s next? Greg swooping in to snag my epidural while I’m in labor? Him wanting to be wheeled out of Northside Hospital in a wheelchair holding the baby while I pull the car around? The possibilities are just endless. He sure keeps life interesting!

Mmmm….Folate Never Tasted So Good

Of the many vitamins and minerals that become super important to eat during pregnancy, folate, or folic acid, is probably the most vital because it helps to prevent birth defects. Pre-natal vitamins do contain the recommended daily 600mg for pregnant women, but it’s still not a bad idea to get your folate through food. Yummy food. Which is why I have to rave about the deep dish florentine pizza I made Sunday night. Spinach is one of the best, if not the best, food sources for folate as one ½ cup of cooked spinach contains 2/3 of the recommended daily value. I saw Rachel Ray make this recipe on her talk show (yes, shamefully I DVR it and watch it while I'm cooking or cleaning) and knew immediately that I had drop everything and try this recipe. I mean, not only does it contain folate, but you can get some of your calcium intake here, too, which is a total score.

Here is the recipe, slightly adapted from Rachel’s recipe becuase I couldn't find cremini mushrooms or fontina cheese, don't have a favorite pizzeria where I go and buy dough, and coudln't begin to eat this whole thing solo.

Deep Dish Florentine Pizza

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
Ground black pepper
1/2 pound Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
A pinch of nutmeg
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
½ package of Pillsbury Pizza dough (found in the refrigerated section with the rolls and biscuits)
1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, shredded (I couldn’t find fontina, so used a Sargento Italian blend with fontina in it. If you can find fontina, by all means, go for it)

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Preheat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons EVOO. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Season them with pepper then remove them to a plate.

In the same skillet the mushrooms where cooked in, melt the butter. Add the flour and garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes then whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Add the mushrooms back to the skillet along with the cheese, nutmeg and spinach. Remove the Florentine mixture and let cool.

Divide the dough if you haven’t already, and reserve one half for this recipe. Wrap up the rest in plastic wrap and freeze it for another time. Roll out the dough so it fits into a 6-inch skillet (use one that's oven-safe). I used my Calphalon stainless and it worked like a charm. The 6-inch skillet will look small, but it will all fit. Trust me!

Before placing the dough into the skillet, drizzle about 1 to 2 tablespoons EVOO on the bottom of the skillet. Lay the dough into the skillet, pressing gently as you work the dough up the sides so it reaches the edge of the skillet. Mine wouldn’t stick up the sides and kept springing back, so I had to put the filling in to get it to stay. That did the trick. After the filling is in, sprinkle the cheese over top. Pop in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden brown. Slide the pizza out of your skillet to slice and serve. Rachel thinks this serves one, but I ate half and admittedly overindulged, because I just couldn’t stop. It’s the perfect dinner for two if you pair it with a salad. Wine would be good too, of course, if you’re not knocked up. Enjoy!

Elaine is an Angel

My lower back has ached for weeks without much relief, so logically, I have asked the man that put me in this condition to massage it on a few occasions. He acquiesced once and provided about 5 minutes of distracted and disinterested back rubbing. Shockingly, it did nothing for me. So, Friday after work, I finally took matters into my own hands and treated myself to a 1-hour pregnancy massage. I was a little uncertain as to how everything would go down as compared to a regular massage, but it turns out its pretty much the same with a few exceptions: the pressure is lighter, and instead of lying on your stomach, you lie on alternating sides over a pillow.

I left feeling very relaxed, wondering if this massage would really do the trick and give me some relief from the back pain. After several days, I can only conclude that Elaine, my massage therapist, is an angel. My back has not hurt since! It’s been great! My only regret about the massage was waiting 7 months to get one. Now I just have to find out if Elaine does diaper changes and 2am feedings. If so, Greg better just watch his back.

Ouch!

My vi-jay-jay region hurts and I feel deceived. Before you assume this pain is a result of some extra curricular activities, let me assure you that's definitely not the culprit. Nope, turns out it's just another unpleasant pregnancy issue. No one warned me that I'd experience aching and swelling "down there." Not my friends that have given birth, not Vicki from "The Girlfriends Guide" and certainly not babycenter.com in their weekly emails. So, I had to blaze my own trail to determine if this discomfort was normal or a freak occurrence of my pregnancy.

As it turns out, my research showed that a number of things could be causing these issues, which I describe as feeling like I forgot I was riding a boy bike and came down forcefully on the cross bar.... several times. Apparently, my pelvic bone is stretching to accommodate my growing uterus. Who knew bones could stretch? Not me. Another possible cause, decidedly more unpleasant, is the popping up of hemorrhoids in "that region," a result of the pressure and weight of the growing uterus. I like the pelvic bone theory better.

I emailed a friend about this that had endured through childbirth twice, and she assured me this discomfort was normal. Um, yeah. Thanks for warning me before I got knocked up! She did suggest that I sleep with a pillow between my legs or get a maternity support belt, so I've been straddling a pillow while I sleep. I think it has helped. I guess the good news is that I have prematurely perfected the preggo waddle, the best way to propel myself around and limit the persistent discomfort. My next check-up is Nov. 3, so hopefully my Dr. will concur that my below-the-belt issues are normal, and that I don't have a fractured or displaced pelvis. I suppose anything is possible!

It’s all HIS fault…isn’t it?

As most of you know, Greg is away hunting. For 16 days. Baylee and I had been doing just fine on our own until it got a bit chilly in Georgia. Being the penny pincher that I am, I decided to forgo turning on the heat Saturday night, opting just to throw another blanket on the bed. Though Baylee was shivering on the bed next to me as I lay down to sleep, I though to myself, “she has fur, she’ll be fine. Besides, how much cooler can it get?” Well, I’ll tell you – it got down to 58 degrees in the house. That was a fine temp for staying under the covers, but made for a brisk dash in and out of the shower.

Sunday, I caved and turned on the heat before I went to bed. It wasn’t until I woke up that I realized that it never came on. I met Monday morning with another 58 degree reading on the thermostat. Uh, Greg? Help! Something is wrong with the furnace!

After a strategy call to Greg, he assured me that all I had to do was reset the furnace when I got home that day, and that is was very simple. Simple, that is, if you’re not tired, famished, cold, and faced with having to get down on all fours with a huge belly in front of the furnace to reset the contraption (note: my belly can be considered huge when it’s convenient for me). I took a quick stab at flipping the reset switch. When several minutes went by and nothing happened, I did the logical thing: burst into tears. Why? Because how could Greg leave me for 16 days without first considering that it might get cold and I might need to turn on the furnace? I am growing a baby and need to be as comfortable as possible! The nerve! This is all his fault!

I trudged up the stairs from the basement angry, cold and hungry, and in dire need of satisfying one of those predicaments, stat. After throwing on another layer, I opted to eat. I warmed up some soup, threw a grilled cheese in the pan, and then my phone rang. Uh-oh. Not a good time for baby daddy to call. While choking back tears, I alerted him that I was frustrated about the furnace, starving, and could not speak to him until after I ate and would call him back. At this point, Greg has witnessed a few hormonal outbursts, so wisely agreed this was a good idea.

After filling my belly, I realized my anger at Greg was completely irrational. Hey, he did send me a beautiful arrangment of flowers last week, "just because." So, hormones aside, I felt renewed and ready to tackle the furnace. Greg talked me through the steps again and I realized my error…not replacing the panel cover. Oops. I left it off in case I needed to go through the steps again. How was I supposed to know the furnace was equipped with this safety feature that prohibited operation without the cover? The nerve of those furnace people! Special thanks to them for printing the reset instructions with the writing perpendicular to the floor and so low to the floor that I had to get in downward dog to read them. It’s totally all their fault! Isn’t it???

A Case of Belly Envy

While there is no mistaking that I have a visible bump, I classify it more as a petite bump, vs. a "let me carry your groceries/open the door/put your carry on in the overhead compartment for you" type bump. I've heard that everyone loves a pregnant lady, but I've learned that if you don't look visibly and unmistakeably pregnant, you just get treated like everyone else. I'm ready for my special treatment! At the rate I'm going, I'm going to get a few weeks of special attention and then, bam, Panda is going to arrive and get all the oohs and ahhs!

I work with another girl who is also 26 weeks along, but with twins. Her belly is magnificent! I totally have belly envy! This weekend, I judged in the KCBS BBQ competition at the Cherokee Pignic. Almost all the other judges had bigger bellies than me. Granted, they were men, but still. I had belly envy!

I'm sure I'll look back on this post in a few weeks and laugh at my naivete. But until then, grow Panda, grow!

4 Girls and a Baby

Last weekend, I flew up to the Raleigh area to spend the weekend with Heather, Emily (who flew in from Philly), Tera and her 7 month old sweetie, Andrew. We had a great time catching up and eating delicious meals at both Southern Seasons and Tera's house, and taking turns playing with and holding Andrew. He is such a good baby! It's amazing to meet him for the first time and see him rolling around on the floor, entertaining himself with his toys (and legs) and "talking." Tera and Lee are so lucky to have such a handsome and sweet baby boy. I'll put in a good word for him with Panda (especially if he ends up as a UNC man), though I think he's already going to be quite the ladies man!

Labor Sounds Scary

Fall is the best. I love the cooler weather, the start of football season, making the season’s first batch of chili, and most of all, Halloween. If I’m in the right company, I also like to be scared. Haunted houses and scary movies are usually my pick, but I just finished a book so terrifying, so frightening, that I’ve been having nightmares ever since. The book: The Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy.

I really enjoyed the first 10 or so chapters of the book. Author Vicky Iovine, mother of four, is very humorous and knowledgeable about the subject of pregnancy. She writes so candidly about things I’ve experienced during pregnancy that her words lulled me right into a false sense of comfort. I read right up to the “labor and delivery” chapter of the book, thinking to myself, “why read this chapter now when I have so much of my pregnancy to go? I’ll just wait until I’m closer.”

But then, I did something stupid. I went ahead and read that chapter anyway. The horror! The bloodshed, the stretching, the stitches, the searing pain; I won’t go into more detail. I don’t want to ruin it for you like a good scare, and don’t want to upset you if you don’t.

For now, I’m just going to try and forget about what will happen to my body in January and focus on Halloween. I’m going as Juno this year and have persuaded Greg to be Paulie Bleaker, thus I have to begin my search for a Goodwill plaid, pleated mini to fit around my mid-section. This might be a challenge. Anyone know if Goodwill carries plus sizes?

Picking and Choosing

Wouldn’t it be great if you could pick and choose the best physical and personality traits between you and your husband to go to your baby? We already know I’d pick Greg’s hair and my feet, and today, I have one more thing to add to the list: my ability to sleep on the eve of an exciting event. This needs more elaboration.

Today, Greg left for a lengthy hunting excursion, and faced a 17 hour drive. He intended to get a few hours of sleep, wake at 4am, get ready, load the dogs, and go. But instead of 4am, the anticipation of the companionship of his friends at camp in WI, the thrill of blasting wild birds behind man’s best friend, and the call of the wild pre-empted sleep. So, after tossing and turning for 2 hours while I slept soundly, Greg called it a night, got up at 1am, and was gone by 1:45. This is pretty typical behavior for my dear husband who regularly sacrifices sleep for stress or general excitement. I just don’t have this problem. I was never the first one up on Christmas Day, and never entertained the idea of pulling an all-nighter. Sleep is just too important to me. So, in the midst of one of Greg’s “episodes” I usually just sigh at him, shake my head at him and go on to sleep. This was before I realized that our daughter could easily inherit this side of his personality.

I couldn’t fall back asleep after Greg’s departure in the wee hours of the morning as I kept having flashes of Panda, ready and dressed for her first day of school, lunch sack in hand, at 1:30 in the morning. Mommy, is the school bus coming soon? No dear, not for 6 more hours….

I guess Greg’s carni feet don’t seem all that undesirable anymore!

The Honeymoon vs. the Babymoon

There are many things different between the honeymoon phase of a couple’s relationship and the “babymoon” phase of the relationship. I could name a few, but why should I when the number one thing is so glaringly obvious by the photo I’ve posted? I’m taking panties, girls. No, not the cute pink number with strings that could be misconstrued by some as an eye patch, I’m talking the gianormous, stretchy “briefs” that, should you be caught off guard without shelter in a thunderstorm, you could take these off and just construct a tent for yourself. And a friend.

I do have to admit fault in explaining why the maternity briefs pictured above are so large. It’s because I bought a large. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m a medium, but somehow, the state of constriction my non-maternity underwear had put me in at the moment swayed my hand to the larges. And because I purchased them in a sealed 3-pack, I could not see that they were of such large proportion. Be sure to note: the picture does not even factor in the stretch element, so these dandies are indeed much larger than pictured. With all my regular briefs disappearing so deeply into the nether region below my growing belly that I can no longer see a swatch of fabric when I look down after putting them on, these maternity monstrosities are my only option on some days. So I wear them. They’re comfortable, the truth is that I’ll probably grow into them, so why not? The honeymoon is definitely over!

My 24 Week Belly

Check out the photo of my 24-week pregnant belly. More importantly, check out the background - Panda's crib! Greg indulged my wildest nesting fantasy and assembled the crib this weekend. Thanks, honey!

I also included a photo of Panda checking out her new threads (if you can't tell, the teal semi-circle in the bottom of the photo is my belly, which got in the way as I attempted to take this photo). I saw this outfit over the weekend and couldn't resist buying it for her. I am sure she can't wait to wear it when she's 3-6 months old!

In other news, Greg experienced some of Panda's acrobatics for himself this weekend. He was able to feel her movements on two occasions by resting his hand on my belly, which he thought was pretty cool. So, if we're that kind of friends, let me know that you want to feel her next time we get together, and I'll see what we can do. She has moments of lots of activity dispersed between lots of moments of chillaxing :)

Panda's Loitering

As Panda and I near the 24-week mark and both start to pack on the LBs, I’ve realized some capacity issues as far as my stomach is concerned. My theory is that Panda camps out on various parts of my anatomy, such as my stomach (but also in recent experience, my bladder), and loiters there for hours, maybe days. This is the only explanation I have for why after a few bites of lunch or dinner; I’m inexplicably full even though I was starving mere moments before. When I ignore those full feelings and finish my food (because it must be a fluke, right?) I then feel uncomfortably full for hours. I know the trick is to eat smaller portions and several snacks daily, sometimes I just don’t have time for that!

Speaking of snacks, my system of keeping snacks readily available proved to have a definite flaw this past weekend. The flaw? My baby daddy knew my hiding place and raided the snack box in my car, taking the last snack while I sprinted unknowingly inside a McDonald’s to pee! When I returned to the car and saw Greg polishing off the last Lance cracker in the pack, I started at him in disbelief before telling him that he’d reached a new low by taking a pregnant lady’s snacks. He was totally unremorseful, and simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “I was hungry” then wadded up the cellophane wrapper, tossed it in my console, and drove us out the parking lot. Clearly, I need to be more creative about my snack hiding places. If you have any baby-daddy-proof spots to suggest, let me know.

My last thought of the day is that I would do you an injustice if I didn’t share the details on my new favorite morning snack. Thanks to my co-worker Jon, I’ve discovered Quakers Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies. That’s right: breakfast cookie. It’s a delicious cookie packed with calcium (30% DV), vitamins, and fiber (20% DV). With only 180 calories (hey, it’s still a cookie!) and 6g of fat, these little gems (found in the breakfast food aisle with the breakfast bars) are my new fave. My pack is safely hidden in a drawer at work – no way am I risking taking these delights home to share! I’ve learned my lesson!