Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Pregnancy update: 36 weeks

36 weeks! That's almost done! Now I am officially freaking out over how much I need to do and how little time I have. Like deep clean the entire house, including dusting. Yes, I really do need to dust. Between cutting marble tile and sanding drywall and trimming cement board with an angle grinder, there is dust everywhere.

I am super anxious to get all of the renovation materials out of my bedroom. The bathroom is really coming together. I finished painting yesterday, and we hooked up the water lines this evening. Everything works! We filled up the jacuzzi and the kids and I had a nice hot bath together before bedtime. They were splashing everywhere. It's pretty exciting to have a real tub after using rubbermaid bins in the shower for 2 1/2 years. We didn't see any leaks in the tub, so the leak seal and Plast-Aid must have done the trick. Things left to do in the bathroom:
  • hook up all of the switches in the outlet boxes
  • install framless glass shower door
  • cut holes in antique marble-topped washstand for the sink & faucet, and then install it. (Later on this spring, once the baby is born and it's warm enough outside, I'm going to strip and refinish the whole thing.)
  • install pencil-edge marble pieces around the tub tiling
  • install & repaint all baseboards & door trim
  • put up towel bars and toilet paper holder
I even have a big stack of super soft, fluffy Egyptian cotton towels. Rich, deep red. I haven't had new towels since I got married twelve and a half years ago. The old ones will go upstairs and be "new" towels for that bathroom. The old upstairs towels will become birth towels. And the old birth towels have already become renovation towels. That's how we recycle at the Freezes.

My pelvis is starting to come unhinged. It's especially bad when I get up after sitting for a while. I hobble around like an octogenarian and laugh at myself when I'm not wincing. Yay for relaxin.

I sewed together most of the birth quilt. I'm missing one square and am holding out for my friend to get hers done. But I can't wait forever, because it has to be put together with the batting and backing in time for my blessingway on February 5th. Speaking of blessingways, I'm hoping to hold a virtual blessingway for all of you who'd like to take part but can't be here in person. Gina (aka The Feminist Breeder) mentioned a virtual blessingway last week and I thought it was a great idea. More later once I figure out the details.

I've been sleeping well thanks to the neti pot and nasal strips and canceled the sleep study. The baby's been switching back and forth between ROT and LOT. I've had some practice contractions this week that were definitely crampy, just enough to remind me what's coming...

...which makes me a bit nervous. Nervous and excited. I've done it twice before and know I can again. But still, I have to do it. No one else can for me. I'm not sure if I feel any more or less confident about labor even though I've done it before. Every labor is different. You never know how long or short it will be, or if it will be mega intense or slow and putzy, or if you'll have something funky like a malpresentation or nuchal hand. I don't want to get too cocky. But still, I also know that I can do it.

9 comments:

  1. You're coming right along!

    I hear you about that relaxin. It was the bane of my existence in the last 10 weeks of my last pregnancy. I was going to the chiropractor twice a week, and my bones STILL weren't staying in place. I had to take hot showers every night, or my muscles wouldn't relax enough for me to sleep. It sounds like you haven't finished that jacuzzi tub a moment too soon. Do we get to see pictures soon?

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  2. It's wonderful to hear the tub isn't leaking and you are sleeping at last.

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  3. Rixa-
    I've had 9 children and I still have to have that realization of what is coming and that I have to do it, I must do it, and I have to do it myself. The last two times though it hasn't really hit until the very, very end of the pregnancy, like the day before the birth.
    I used to tell dh but his response was "oh hon, you'll be fine, you're good at this" :sigh: He tried.

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  4. Well at least you don't have to worry about baby gear with this baby. That's my least favorite thing about this first pregnancy, the accumulation of stuff for the baby. A crib, a car seat, stroller, diapers, clothes. We've been pretty good about only getting essentials, but I hate all the stuff cluttering our room, and yet I worry at the same time there's not enough. I can't wait for the day when it's all old hat for me.

    I hope you have an easy labor and a great birth. Best wishes on the newest little one!

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  5. I felt exactly the same as you before my second birth - grateful for the first, complication-free birth of my first child, confident that I could do it, but still a bit nervous about facing another birth. I guess admitting all of those feelings is a good start.

    For me, things got easier, mentally once the proper labor contractions started. Then I couldn't stew over my fears anymore; I could only focus on the moment. Nothing like a good, strong contraction to focus the mind!

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  6. Hwy no word confirmation!!! yay!

    You CAN do it, and you DONT have to obsess about it. It might seem really wierd to NOT, but as much as some pregnancies require focusing, obsessing, all of that, it is ok too to just live.

    Love you!

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  7. Definitely getting close now! Yay!

    If you are hobbling too much or are really uncomfortable, consider the pregnancy chiropractor thing. This late in pregnancy you are just going to be loosey-goosey no matter what and chiro won't prevent that -- but if you're uncomfortable or having difficulty walking at all, the chiro can really be helpful.

    In the meantime, hang in there! You can do this!

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  8. As always, love your updates, Rixa! Can't wait to see the quilt and hear more about the virtual blessingway. Much love to you and the crew!
    j

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  9. hello my love,
    it's been so long...since i have been here
    and look at this! more and more blessings.....
    to you and to your circle of love.
    holding you while you find your way once again around the birth spiral.
    xo
    mb

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