From the Peanut Gallery- Week 25: The Rutabaga

Yet again, a produce that I neither know or understand.  Anyone out there familiar with the rutabaga?  Is it a fruit or a vegetable?  With my finickiness (which I am praying baby doesn't inherit), I have no desire to try a rutabaga.  Even without knowing anything about it, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it.

We've reached a milestone, people!  As of yesterday, we have officially begun the 100 day countdown.  So that means that as of today, only 99 days until my due date!  That's kinda crazy, no?

Current Stats:
Weight gain: -5 lbs
Waist expansion: +7 inches
Baby appointments: 6 down, 8(ish) to go
Days until due date: 99

Q: How was this week's baby appointment?
A: Great!  Since my practice has seven doctors, they rotate me through all of them, so that when d-day comes, the on-call doc won't be a stranger to me!  So far I've liked all the docs, but the one this week was my fave so far.  She started off the appointment by sitting down, and asking us to hit her with all of our questions!  It was nice to know right off the bat that she wasn't in a hurry.  Especially since my husband is ever the worrier, and he always has questions.

The biggie this week?  Contractions.  I think I've started feeling the Braxton Hicks.  No worries, they're perfectly normal!  As long as they remain few and far between, there is no cause for concern.

Also, measurements show that my uterus (and therefore baby) are growing, growing, growing!  Growing 3 cm ahead of schedule, as a matter of fact.  Hoping that this doesn't mean that baby will be too big...fingers crossed!

Baby is not in position yet.  These doctors can feel things that I cannot!  She could feel around to find his head.  At that moment, he was just about sideways in my belly, at only a slight diagonal.  No worries here, though, either.  He still has lots of room to move- which he does, a lot!  Doctor says that she won't worry about baby "heading toward the light" (I loved this!) until 36 weeks.

Q: How are the emotions?  Still crying a lot?

A: Yep.  Just can't help it.  And every time something ridiculous makes me cry, I just say "Sorry.  I'm so pregnant!"  Lately, anything father/son related makes me bawl.  But that's understandable, right??  (Also, my epic failure at making cheese fondue...we ended up at The Melting Pot...maybe that one wasn't so understandable.)

This weekend, J and I went to the NC State football game (thanks, Richard!!).  There was a dad holding his son on his lap, making his little arms move along with the music in between plays.  There was also another father and baby son, wearing matching jerseys.  I was on emotional overload, seeing all these cutie things and imagining J and baby doing the same cutie things in the not-too-distant future.

On a side note here, baby LOVED being at the football game.  He was kicking up a storm!  Maybe I'm baking a future quarterback?  At the very least, he's definitely a future Wolfpack fan!  (At least he'd better be, since Mommy, Daddy, and Uncle Richard all have degrees from NC State, and Uncle Scott is currently working on his!  He doesn't have much choice in this matter.)

Q: What are you eating these days?

A: You know, I'm starting to get a little crazy about food.  I seem to think that I need more than I actually do.  I've been cooking as though I'm preparing to feed an army.  But there is no convincing me that I am making too much.  We'll just inevitably end up with lots of leftovers, after I get full about halfway through my first plate.

When my friend Cecie was pregnant, I recall a gathering of about 4 girls at her house.  I had heard stories about how she was highly irrational and a little crazy about food, so I didn't dare argue when she thought we needed to order 3 large pizzas for the four of us.  I giggled internally at the insane amount of leftover pizza that night.

Well, I am Cecie.  Giggle if you will.

Also, baby has a sweet tooth.  He just does.  Dessert is my favorite.  I may have sent J on a special run to the store for Swiss Cake Rolls this week.  And I may have purchased three boxes of Christmas Tree Cakes yesterday.  But hey- those are seasonal!  You never know when they'll run out.  

I've got no weight gain and no swelling, but by God, I will before the end of this pregnancy!

Q: What's new with baby this week?
A: Just putting on the baby fat!  (And hey- I'll bet those Little Debbies are totally helping!).  His weight should be up to about a pound and a half now.  And I think it shows in my belly.  (Either that, or maybe it's the Christmas Tree cakes :) )

I realize that I have a seemingly extreme number of striped maternity shirts, but what can I say- the maternity apparel industry likes to emphasize the bump.  My choices are limited.