Not feeling so gross today, but also probably not going to deliver any time in the immediate future . . . The doctor said I had dilated about 1 cm, though. I guess that's better than nothing. They have these paper measuring tapes to check the 'fundus', and the measuring tape only goes to 40, and it ran out before it got to the top of my belly!! Then, after about 20 questions about when my last period was, (um, 9 months ago, genius . . . ) and a lot of probing on the belly, he said, "looks like he might be a . . . good size baby." I liked his choice of wording, but I could tell he wanted to say "incredibly HUGE baby" And for those of you who don't mind TMI --- I did loose the mucus plug this morning. That can be a sign of labor starting. But the contractions are very irregular. One or 2 will be pretty strong, then I barely feel them for the next hour or so. So, we will just wait for our "good size" boy to be ready.

I should post another amazing growing belly photo, but unfortunately, I am not lookin so good this past week. I am a sweaty, swollen mess! The melasma has gotten worse, stretch marks -worse, heart burn- worse, mood - worse . . . and this will be a short post as writing, typing, holding a glass of water . . . really, doing anything with my hands gets the carpal tunnel going really quick. The whole array of 'pregnancy symptoms' that were miraculously avoided with Ezri - are coming at me full force! The past 2 days, I've resigned to reading the mushy vampire book on my shelf. UGH! I don't know why everyone likes it so much....but it was better than buying a tabloid, I suppose. Well, right hand just went numb, better stop.

WOWZA!!

sleeping beauty



"It looks fake . . . like you put a watermellon under your shirt . . ."

Now, there's something ya don't see everyday!!
definitely not a watermelon. Can you say streeeeeeeeeeeeeetch marks?

Sorry if those last 2 are a bit t.m.i., it's just amazing to me!! Wait, he will be born a mere 7 lbs, like Ezri, and this belly will be even more of a wonder.

And the Gold goes to . . .

It's the last 2 weeks of my big bad Blog Contest!! Amy Bateman and Jessica Slorah: can you e-mail your mailing address to nettysgirl77@hotmail.com? Emily B, I have yours already . . . I think these are the 3 finalists - the order is yet to be determined . . . (I never did get to see Karaoke video highlights, an element that would have surely tipped the scales for the first to post them. . . hint hint)
I want to thank all the Bloggers for keeping me occupied with your stories and random thoughts. I just might have had a breakdown this summer without the sense of keeping in touch with friends and family, so, thank you all for sharing.

I used my Target gift cards today . . . . I intended to get infant diapers, infant seat . . . but something in my brain said, "get the Nike+ and a nano, you can get the other stuff later"
Now I feel a bit guilty, and want to wrap it up and save it for my birthday or something - but I can calibrate it for walking and get a head-start on exercising before baby is here. Still, the guilt . . . I am not going to take it out of the packaging until I talk to Christian, just in case. (he is at the zoo with Ezri)
I think talking to the nutritionist the other day influenced this sort of impulsive buy. Her plan for me is way aggressive. I was thinking we would plan to take off the weight gained from this pregnancy, slowly . . . no.

I guess I'm kind of excited to have a weight loss advocate, but I was shocked to hear the goal she set up for baby's first birthday.

135 pounds

really? I weighed more than that at my wedding . . .


I was like, "really . . . that's . . . wow. Um, in 12 months? really??"

She was like - "you've already admitted you know how to do it, have done it before, and know you can do it . . . so why the surprise? What's stopping you?"

I don't know, it just seemed, I don't know, like a lot of work? I guess since I don't have a job, there's really no excuse not to put the time and effort in to 'just do it.' Still, I'm kind of shocked. I'm glad she set the goal, though. I would have been like, "Oh, a pound a week sounds good."

So, my apologies in advance if I turn down the refreshments, or seem like the up-tight weirdo ordering, "can I have that cooked with no oil and no salt?" And yell things like, "Don't look at me while I do Tae-Bo! Get out of here!!" or "Donuts!? DONUTS!! Are you kidding me?"

"we would have only let you gain 25 pounds . . . "

So, I finally found my doctors today. They were all very caring at the clinic - it was clean, nobody suddenly started speaking another language in front of me then burst into laughter with the other non-english speakers . . . The doctor didn't suddenly leave the exam room - with the door wide open - or advise me to take a toxic amount of supplements . . . and I can deliver at the hospital that has private recovery rooms!! And working elevators! And free parking! And the towels don't look 20 years old! Yay!! What a relief!
My only criticism was the program director's quote of the day, "It's never too late, but, we would have only let you gain 25 pounds . . . "
"Ha!" I though - "you would have failed, because I gained 25 pounds before even realizing I was pregnant. Ha!"
When I sadly admitted that I gained well over 100 pounds with my first pregnancy, and was only able to drop 65 to 70 before getting pregnant again . . . she told me that was actually really good. Some people don't take any weight off in between, and part of the post-natal care they will provide involves an exercise group, nutritional classes, and weight loss support appointments. Her plan for the next 29 days is surprisingly aggressive and strict. No sugar, no fat, no fast food, and not even diet soda!! No diet soda!? Aw man!
So far, this clinic far exceeds the expensive health care we were paying for all those years. Thank you, tax payers . . .

Here is a picture of "steve"here is a picture of what I thought "Steve" might look like . . .
Maybe with some color, and a blow-dry, a little hard wax . . . I guess it's essentially the same cut.
The good news is that I washed it last night before bed, and that was it. No conditioners, no 45 minutes drying, no sore arm from straightening, no smelly smoothers or hair sprays . . . and I like how the bangs hide the nasty Melasma on my forehead.
(Don't worry belly fans . . . my next post will have a shot of the boo-bah belly._

now the fun part

there must have been 20 firemen and a dozen policemen there. All very friendly and understanding. If I ever get hurt or in trouble . . . I hope it's in Burlingame! They had us cleaned up and taped up in no time. (the GEICO dude was also pretty cool . . .no picture, though.)

tahoe first

We drove to Tahoe this weekend for a wedding reception. Ezri had so much fun swimming in the lake, throwing rocks, and running around looking for chipmunks.
"Mama!! LOOK!! Chick-munk! Popping head!! Rocks...ohhh, she's cute mama chick-munk! Go home to babies, mama chick-munk!"
I think we spent more time in the car than at the lake, but Ezri was such a good sport! I've never known a kid to be so good in long car drives.
I have one or two pictures on my cell phone and they will be up later.