No baby yet!

I'm sure since it's been so long since I've posted, you may have been thinking, "JoDee had her baby!"  No.  I haven't, I've just been really lazy!

My due date is next Monday, February 8.  As of today... the plan is to induce next Thursday if I don't have him before then. Am I in love with this plan?  Not really.  Am I happy to know that he'll be here in a week at most?  Yes. 

I would really like to go into labor on my own.  I don't know why I have such an opinion about this, because I'm not Nature Woman who plans to let my baby come as late as he wants to and not use any drugs and squat down somewhere in a field and poop him out.  I intend to deliver in a hosipital, with an epidural, and with lots of people to tell me how awesome I did and how beautiful my son is.  So why care about being induced?  I think it amounts to this (as stupid as it sounds): I feel guilty about planning on an epidural, and would like to avoid other interventions so as to not feel like an even bigger wimp. 

I keep trying to tell myself that it doesn't really matter how he gets here, the most important thing is that he gets here safely.  I am so ready to meet him.

Sean and I took a few baby classes at the hospital recently.  It wasn't really fun or all that educational (I am a nerd who has read lots of books, articles, and watched many an episode of The Baby Story) but it was great to spend that time with Sean, and to see all the babies in the nursery!  For one class, we had to meet to eat dinner early at a Mexican restaurant near his office.  The class was from 5-8 pm, and we knew we couldn't wait to eat until 8.  When we walked out of the restaurant, Sean says, "Nice parking job."  When I looked at how I parked my car, I couldn't stop laughing! 

How did I not notice this?  Can I blame it on pregnancy brain?  I have to tell you, I have had more giggle fits since I've been pregnant than I have since I was 13!  These hormones have put me in a pretty good mood and I've been laughing at myself nonstop!  I guess I can't complain too much about being really fat, because I've been pretty happy!

And now, the terrible moment I've been putting off... the 39 week belly picture.  I am so huge. 

You may be thinking... why did she choose this picture to post for the world?  I know.  Believe me when I say that this is the best picture.  I'm not photogenic on my skinniest, best skinned day... so this is pretty much as good as it gets nowadays. 

An update: I am at home today.  I decided to take a few days off to rest and relax before Carson is born.  At most, I will be home a week before the induction... hopefully he'll come before that.  Not working is weird.  I feel like a big wimp about not just finishing out this week.  Do I really need time off?  I don't know.  I feel so tired when I'm at work, maybe it is better to just let someone else take over for a while and give the kids what they need.  I cried my eyes out about it.  I thought it would be so much easier than it actually was.

Sean is glad I'm at home and resting.  He's been AWESOME lately.  I've always thought he was pretty cool, but the last few months, he's been the BEST husband and partner anyone could ever ask for.  I feel spoiled rotten and lucky as hell to have him.  I can't WAIT to see him holding his son.  That's what I'm looking forward to more than anything.  In a week at the most...

We have a name!

On Christas Day, Sean and I (OK, actually Sean, because I was way too chicken) announced the name we chose for our son.   Sean's dad had the same initals... so we chose this name with his memory in mind.


 

Carson Lane Hale

What was the first response... "Carson Daley!"  (No.... Carson Hale, thank you for mentioning it though.)  We like it, and our families like it.  Hopefully he will too!



Today, I decided to get ready for the hospital.  Technically, we could go any day here, so I want to be prepared.  Plus, I'm getting pretty excited/nervous/totally freaked out and need something productive to do.  So, after church and bagels Mom and my sisters and I went to JCPenny to buy some hospital type things.  I got the least sexy nightgown EVER.  And, very probably, the same zipper-up robe as thousands of grandmothers around the US.  What's really funny about it... I love them!  They are super comfy and mommyish and I can't wait to wear them and hold my sweet little baby!!!

I also got some really practical cotton undies and socks as well as a nursing bra.  I also got Carson some cute little footed sleepers, socks, ands pants.  He'll be so handsome, I'm sure! 

On the way home I stopped at Target and got more practical items to pack in my hospital bag.  I picked up diapers and wipes and just about every travel sized toiletry in the store.  I now feel pretty good about this part of the journey, at least.  I may be in for some serious pain and gross experiences, but at least I have a mini travel tooth brush and a tiny deodorant to make things easier.

Happy Anniversary, Fatty!

Saturday was Sean and my third anniversary, but I would like to remind you that we have been a couple for a total of 11 years.  I hated when we got married after 8 years that suddenly those years didn't count any more.  Not all of those eight years were blissful pre-marriage dating with wild romance... they need to count.

That being said... we decided to go out to a nice dinner to celebrate.  Sean was getting dressed in the closet when I got out of the shower.  I proceeded to rub myself down with belly cream in front of the mirror and Sean sticks his head out of the closet and says, "So.... are you supposed to get a lot bigger than you are now?"

My reaction was something like this, "I don't blanking know!  Blank blank, Sean!  I've never done this before!  I know I'm blanking fat, I'm eight months pregnant, give me a blanking break, here!"

During my entire speech Sean is cracking up!  So, of course, I'm cracking up too!  It's a good thing we aren't technically newlyweds, because on our actual year three anniversary, I wouldn't have been able to handle him staring at my hugeness and wondering when his slender wife would return.  Now, I find it pretty comical.

Later, to redeem himself, he says to me, "I mean, I like you pregnant because my baby's in there, but I also like you not pregnant." 

I press him, because why not? "What does that mean Sean?" 

"Well..." he's realized he's trapped (I love the look on his face when he's realized there's no possible way to make what he's about to say sound good, you know, the OH SHIT look- cracks me up), so I help him out,

"You mean you'd like your skinny wife back?  And you'd like a little more action, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much." (More laughing.)

I didn't choose that time to remind him that we won't be having any action for at least six weeks after baby's born... it was our anniversary after all, I'll let him dream a little! Ha!

I don't need a camera cord?

While I was looking for my camera cord yesterday, Sean looked at me (with pity and disbelief) and said, "You don't need a camera cord.  Our computer has a card reader.  Just stick your card right in the top of the computer."

Ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Good to know.

So now some picture catch-up from this past month...

Snow in Katy, Texas!!

This is me and my student teacher, Alyce.  Look at those flakes coming down!

Two of my teammates, Emily and Sarah.  Aren't they cute?

The kids, needless to say, were totally crazy this day.  Some of them had never seen snow before so it was a pretty big deal.  It was really cool... the snow stuck on the ground for a few hours and it looked beautiful!  We let the kids stay out just long enough to come in fairly soaked!

My house!  With snow on the ground!

Baby Shower!

My mom and sisters and aunts all worked together to throw me my first baby shower.  The food was sooo good!  I only wish I could have had a mimosa too!

Here's my grandmother measuring my belly.  Trust me, it's much bigger than it looks in this picture!

Here's one (of about 50) of me opening a gift. I got so many really nice things!  And, my dutiful picture taker, Sean's cousin Lisa, took at least one for each gift I opened! This is one with a less dorky look on my face, in most of them I look like this...

The shower was so much fun!  I laughed when I saw the next picture, because it looks like everyone is having possibly the worst time ever. 

I promise it wasn't this boring! Ha!

Here's Sean's mom and my mom.  They are both so excited! 

Me and my grandmother.  She and Grandpa flew in all the way from Wisconsin and stayed with me for the week.  I wish Sean had been home because we all really missed him.  My dog was SO happy they were here- he loves how much they spoil him!

Here's me and my aunt Nina.  This picture is a good reminder that I should never have a full-body picture taken while pregnant, standing next to skinny people!  I look like a monster!

Here's me and my aunt Stephie.  She helped me so much over the week!  We had dinner at my house four times and she was right there in the kitchen with me each time- thank goodness!  I'm always a little too ambitious and stress myself out, so having her help was priceless!  Nina and Steph both flew in from Minnesota.  I wish they lived closer!

We went home and in an EXHAUSTED DAZE I watched my mom and Stephie set up the nursery.  I felt like I was going to cry I was so tired.  It had been such a long and busy week.  After I ate some dinner, I felt a little better, but WOAH was I tired.  So, I was totally useless while setting up the baby room, but my mom and aunt Stephie got it all done.  It was hard to get a good picture due to the angles in the room, but here are couple...

Like the nighstand? Ha!

Needless to say it's still in progress, but it's looking so cute already!  Sean has gone in about three times since he's been home just to take a look.  So cute!

Well, for now, that's about it.  I need to do a TON of Christmas prep this week.  And, coincidentally, Sean is out of town again!  I wonder if he planned to be gone hunting while I will be shopping for gifts, cleaning the house, and baking and prepping food for Christmas Day- when all our family and friends are coming over?  Hmmmm....

Quick Update

Appointment and ultrasound yesterday!  This little boy is doing great- at 32 weeks, he's about 4 lb. 3 oz.  That's the 40th percentile. (I didn't know what that meant... embarrassing.)  I had the kids in my class guess how much the baby weighed before I told them (thought it would be good for a laugh, it was).  One little girl said, after I told them how much he actually weighed, "I'm surprised he only weighs four pounds, because you eat A LOT!"  Ha!!!

Sean is currently off-shore and missed it, but honestly, the baby's getting so big it was hard to see anything.  Except his little package- he is certainly proud of it! 

Sean will be back Friday (late) and he leaves again on Sunday morning to go duck hunting until Wednesday.  He reminded me that he "did not think he'd be off-shore so close to this trip he planned"... well, it still stinks. 

I have LOTS of pictures and fun things to type about, but again, still looking for the cord for my camera.  Will (hopefully) find it and catch up over the weekend.

OH!  I almost forgot!  I lost a pound!  Probably not, actually, but at least that means I didn't gain any!  Whoo hoo!

After I have the baby...

I will lose all the weight I've gained, plus 5.
I will get facial liposuction.
I will work out more.
I will do crunches.
I will not eat sugar.
I will be bathing-suit ready by July.
I will get a tan (real or fake).
(I will try not to cry as I come to grips with reality. I can already hear all the moms laughing.)


For now, I will try not to look at any pictures of myself. It's like when you hear a recording of your voice and think, "do I really sound like that?" I look at a picture of myself and think, "do I really look like that? What the hell happened to me?" Pregnancy is beautiful- it's just not beautiful spread out all over my ass.


I am strong. I don't need the cheesecake. I don't need the pumpkin pie. I want the salad. I want the lean meat and skim milk. I want to exercise. I don't. Aww, shit.


On one hand, I want my body back and am ready to have the baby. On the other hand, I am freaked out about being a mom and what I'm actually going to be dealing with and I am not ready to have the baby. I also know that I sound like a huge baby and need to grow up. Why am I so pathetic? Why am I so obsessed with my pregnancy weight? And why do I share it so freely with the Internet world? (I start sweating when someone tells me in person that they read my blog. I immediately feel the need to apologize.)


BTW- in my haste to find the actual number of pounds I've gained, I messed up my mental math. I'm not up to 30 pounds yet, so far I've gained 25 pounds. I'm sure it'll be 30 by my next appointment. I needed to post that correction for very obvious reasons.


I read somewhere that you should take the pregnancy photos even if you don't think you want to, because someday you'll be happy you did. I disagree. Who wants to remember themselves when they were at their highest weight and lowest self-esteem? I think people are idiots.


I promise I'll stop bitching now. I'm even making myself nauseated.

(OK, completely unrelated... I changed my blog backgroud to the most boring ever because I keep having trouble with the formatting of my text. Was my background just uncompatible with blogger, or is blogger just really crappy? We shall see.)

(Also unrelated- I can't find the cord for my digital camera.  So... I  have lots of cute pictures to post and stories to tell, and can't.  Although I can't really use that as an excuse for this whiny post.)

Update

Oh my goodness! Thanks so much for all the advice and freebies... Kristin and Roni I'll be emailing you! :)

I had a massage today, and it was heaven. Heaven. I am so glad I went. I am pretty sure that my back will still bother me until after I deliver, but why not get the massage anyway? Plus I really love my massage lady... highly recommend Gaynell! She's at least 100 times better than any spa massage you'll ever get. Seriously- try her!

I will probably hold off on the pillow for now, and see if I can get by with my make-shift system. I would rather spend my money on something else... we'll see.

I went back to the doctor yesterday, and everything looks fine! I got checked for leaking again, this time it came back negative! My doctor basically told me she thinks I peed my pants on Monday, but I really don't think I did. I have a lot of experience peeing and I really don't think that was it. Oh well. As long as the boy is good, then I'm good. I guess I'd rather pee my pants everyday than have something happen to this little guy. That's so strange to say.

I also got to see a little glimpse of him since Dr. Levin did a short ultrasound to check my water level. He is definitely a boy! He was showing off his man business big time! I cracked up when she said, "There's his scrotum, and there's his hand!" Ha!!! He's playing with himself already! He was also head down and lots bigger than our 20 week ultrasound. He wouldn't really let us get a look at his face, so I'm looking forward to my next appointment when I'll have another ultrasound to check his weight and position. I can't believe how close we're getting to meeting him.

Sean's outside putting up Christmas lights, so I think I'll go check it out. I'm so excited!