36 Weeks - The 9 Month LIE!!!

Hi Everyone!

     36+ weeks down, and less than 4 to go!  As I sit here staring at a blinking cursor, wondering what to write (there's a million thoughts going through my head), I reflect back on my decision to start this blog back on week 13, and I'm so glad I did.  This journey is truly amazing ... but it is FREAKING long, I'll admit.

Here's my problem.  Everyone talks about pregnancy lasting 9 months ... but they lie.  Everyone LIES to first-time preggos.  It's not 9 months.  It's 10!  So, why ... WHY do they LIE?  Guess what ... I have a few theories:

~ My Angry Preggo Theory ~ It's completely psychological (hey, I was a psych minor in college!). The reality of going from one-digit months, to a two-digit month, is too much for a hormonal, potentially suicidal pregnant person to handle. By the 9th month, you've lost all ability to think like a rational individual.  EVERYTHING is annoying, and EVERYONE is an a$$hole. Yup, I can say a$$hole at 9 months pregnant, as long as the S's are replaced with dollar signs $$.  It lessens the blow.  If everyone said the gestational period was 10 months long, then all reproduction would cease and we would die off as a species. Two digits, is too much.

~ My Thoughtful Preggo Theory ~ with the one rational brain cell I have left, this is what I've come up with.  The gestational period is typically 9 months and 'X' days long.  On average, the baby comes out before hitting the 10-month mark ... so they can't say 10 months ... they must revert to leaving it at 9 months.  Reminds me of when I was in college and I had a 3.67 average in marketing, but my jerk professor wouldn't give me a 3.7 ... (which kept me out of qualifying for the 5-year graduate program by .02 of a grade, no less), because ... "If I gave you a 3.7, then I would have to do it for everyone." Such a BS reason!  But ... "almost doesn't count" ... right?  So, we are stuck with the 9-MONTH-LIE, and no masters degree. 

It is really long, though.  It doesn't seem as long when you watch someone else go through a pregnancy ... but when YOU'RE the one going through it ... it's long.  On my pregnancy tracker, it says that I've been pregnant for 257 days.  257 DAYS!!! Yup.  It's funny, though, because eventhough I've been pregnant for 70.4% of a year, I still sometimes forget that I'm pregnant.  Not in a dangerous way ... ("Yes, bartender, please pour me a vodka, straight up, and keep 'em coming! ... and yes, and I'll have the filet extra-rare with a side of ham and cheese sandwich and a hot dog ... thank you!")

No, what I mean is ... in my head I still feel thin, trim, and agile.  I sometimes forget when I'm laying down that I can't get up by sitting straight up.  It's sort of funny, too, because I attempt to get up by sitting up straight, and I just flop back down on my back. I then remember that I have to roll over to the side and prop myself up sideways ... oh yeah!  And, I sometimes put on a shirt I THINK I can fit into because it used to be one of my "bigger" shirts, until I put it on and it doesn't even cover Isabelly. In my mind, I still think of myself as this skinny, sun-kissed, beach-bum girl:

Until I catch my reflection in a mirror or window and, "AHHHH! Who IS that?"  haha it's true!  Ahhh ... will I ever be that little athlete again, or is my fear of becoming a washed up, "once upon a time" athlete inevitable?  I'll let you know post-baby.  If I remain in this forever-pregnant body, I will change my name, move to Oklahoma, and become a gypsy.

In the meantime, we had our 2nd of 3 September weddings this past weekend.  Our friends Mark and Daniela got married in Boston at the State Room and it was AWESOME.  We had so much fun! Dave was their Best Man, and for the last ... oh ... year, he's had some anxiety over giving his best man speech.  He worked very hard on preparing, and rehearsing his speech over and over again, but when it was time for him to get up there and speak, I think I was more anxious than he was.  I soon realized that this is what it must feel like to watch your child perform. I'm thinking ... at the free-throw line with .2 seconds left on the clock in a tie game.  Or in a spelling bee or something ;) You have absolutely no control over the situation, and there is nothing you can do but hold your breath, cringe, and hope to god that your child will succeed.  I all of a sudden had some serious respect for Ally Raisman's parents from the Olympics Gymnastics team:

In this case, I just hoped that Dave would be able to deliver the way he had done over and over in practice ... and thank god ... he did it!  He got laughs where he had hoped to, and he got the "aweeeeee"'s where he had intended them to be.  Phew!

In baby news this week, our little guy is the size of a FREAKING WATERMELON.  I can't say "watermelon" without the word FREAKING in front of it.  Because ... I AM GROWING A FREAKING WATERMELON INSIDE ME! Yesterday, at the grocery store, I saw a mom and a daughter tapping the whole watermelons to see which one they wanted to "take home", and now I am thinking ... I HAVE ONE OF THOSE INSIDE MY BELLY ... WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAP MY BELLY, TOO? IT KICKS BACK!!!  or, "Hey Lisa, how are you feeling?", "ohh, good, good, thanks ... just growing a FREAKING WATERMELON inside me".  jeez. 

Anyway, Bob is about 6.5lbs, but we will know a more accurate weight after next week's doctors appointment when we get our last ultrasound done :) At yesterday's appointment, the doctor measured me, and where she measured him having dropped last week, he was back "up" this week.  She said it could just be how he is positioned, but that he's "right where he should be".  I'm starting to get annoyed with that answer, hah. 

My blood pressure was a little higher than usual this week.  Because of how far along I am, she had me get some blood work done to rule out preeclampsia. She doesn't think that I am at a risk for this, but she wants to be sure.  I am not worried, either. I feel pretty good, and I think this was just a day of running around that led to a raised BP.

She also measured ... errr ... things downstairs, and I am not dilated at all at this point.  Looks like we're in for the long haul.  Hopefully, next week after our ultrasound, I'll have more info!

How far along? 36 Weeks, 5 Days

Countdown: 3 Weeks, 2 Days (or, 23 days!!!)

Total weight gain: at the doctor yesterday, I STAYED THE SAME WEIGHT! YAAAYYY!  Down to the ounce, baby! No weight gain this week.  Thank god!
Maternity clothes? yup!  Still mixing in some non-maternity outfits.  The dress I'm wearing in this picture is actually a regular dress, but I find that wrap dresses are easy to maneuver around the bump.
Stretch marks? No, thank god
Sleep: Sleeping okay ... last night was tough.  Lots of tossing and turning and mind racing.
Best moment this week: MARK AND DANIELA'S WEDDING! And also going to watch my SHOCKERS co-ed softball team play a game. It was nice to see all of my teammates and cheer them on.  Luckily, I still fit into my jersey, so I was able to sport that from the sidelines!
Miss Anything? yes ... everything! This fall-feeling weather makes me want to go for a run so badly.  Unfortunately, it's going to be a while before I'm out there running the streets :(  Oh ... and wine ... and a ham and cheese (again).  Oh ... and playing with the SHOCKERS!
Movement: Yes!!! lots! He is always rockin' and rolling!! I love it!
Food Cravings: a ham and cheese CALZONE. Yeap, I've upped the anty ... a regular ham and cheese sandwich won't do anymore ... it's gotta be a CALZONE.
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs: Nope!

Symptoms: still feeling the "stabby-stabby-hoo-haa" pains, mostly when I'm walking Charlie, or when I get up too quickly.
Isabelly Button, In or Out? fairly flat ... sometimes (like when I'm full), it seems more out ... but I'm starting to think it may never pop out.  Oh crap, now that I've said that I'm going to wake up with the biggest outtie ever.
Wedding rings on or off? very unfortunately off.  Probably not worth buying a replacement at this point.
Happy or Moody most of the time: happy! but definitely "done"!
Looking forward to: next week's doctor's appointment, and SEEING OUR LITTLE MAN on the last ultrasound!!!!  YES!!!