Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween, I'm a WITCH!!

Today I feel like crap and anti-social

I must be getting closer because now I don't feel like doing anything but hanging out on my couch and watching the tube and knitting. Before, I felt like eating soup and tuna sandwiches, which is precisely what I did. Oh yeah, I feel pretty crabby too. But I just made a tea. Hopefully that will help my mood some. If I think about it, I worked up until yesterday. Now I don't feel like doing jack.

But, that's cool. Right?

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Best Costume Award Winner

Yes, it's true. At the Italian American Association Halloween Party yesterday I won for most realistic costume when I dressed up as a PREGNANT LADY.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Visit this Morning. All ok. Baby not even close...

So my blood pressure is something like PERFECT (119/75), the baby's heart is pumping like normal. She's moving around in there okay, so it's all good. No contractions, no signs of labor.

I have to go back in next Tuesday morning at 9am. I was supposed to go in on Wednesday, but since it's a holiday (San Giusto, Trieste's patron saint), they're having me come in a day early, which makes me wonder what happens if Sugar feels like being BORN on a holiday. Will we have to catch her ourselves?

No matter. I feel good. I'm going to work this afternoon.

So that's it. No baby yet, I'm fine. I'm not fed up yet, I'm not annoyed. I feel fine. All is good. Please don't worry about a thing. Will let you know if anything changes.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

50/50 Boy/Girl??

Looks like the voting was fixed to me (and I'm not smart enough to figure out how to do that, so what's up?)

What about all the junk you guys have been telling me over these 9 months?? 

If it's a point it's a boy.
If you're round all around it's a girl. 
Mamma bella sarà una putella? (beautiful mom, it will be a girl)
You're all belly, it's definitely a boy?
Ugly mom, it's a girl (baby girls steal mom's looks). 
Carrying high, must be a boy. 

Now, what am I supposed to think?!?!??!




My Back Hurts

But I did take the dog out this morning (haven't done that for about a week. Just FELT like it today), work from 4-8pm  (I was mostly sitting down, of course, but what a tough chick working a day after my due date. I am Tank Girl) and I sat in an uncomfortable chair to knit this morning (I am a stereotypical pregnant woman, or granny) and was on my feet making an apple pie (I am a domestic goddess, hear me roar)  and that sort of thing today, so it may just be that...

But my friend Bad Hippie's last comment made me paranoid about my sore back.We'll see tomorrow morning at 10:30 when I have to go in and get monitored at the hospital. My friend Rachel, who has been through this deal twice (last baby 13 days late) tells me they'll have me come in every two days for monitoring (seems a bit extreeeeeme, especially since I'm feeling otherwise very fine). I will let you know every detail of what happens. Promise.

Here's my favorite quote from yesterday. Phone call on my cell:

Ring ring.
Me: Hello?
Davide: Hey Karoline. Aren't you supposed to be having a baby or something?
Me: Well. The due date is today, but nothing is happening so far.
Davide: Oh. Well, then it is DEFINITELY a BOY!

ha ha.

Still Nothing, But I May be Nesting

Got up today and felt like doing NUTHIN. My back hurt a bit so I took a shower (which is what I did before going to bed because my back hurt). It made me feel better. Then I checked in at work by phone (I'll go in this afternoon). Then I knit for a while. Then I made a homemade apple pie with apples from my mother-in-law's tree. It's in the oven now. Mmmm. Bringing it over to our friends' house where we're having dinner tonight.

I'm thinking that apple pie is some kind of sign. I don't often feel like making crust (I don't often feel like paying 4 euros for two store-bought crusts either, which is what I did last time).  Also Luna is acting very strange. Do you think she knows something we don't?

Other than the apple pie thing and Luna's weird behavior (all lovey with us even though it's NOT meal time), no symptoms. Will let you know, though if any show up.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The Game Plan

Man, I am sleeping sooooo well, Sugar seems so good in there I don't see the point of letting her out! But she'll have to come out some day, and that's why I have to call the number at the hospital that no one answers and ask for an appointment for sometime in the next couple of days. (They really don't answer the phone. I've been to the office there in person and you can hear the phone in the background ringining constantly and no one making any sort of move to pick it up. I'm not kidding. But I don't say a thing, knowing that I am LUCKY that SOMEONE has actually MADE TIME to talk to me when I show up IN PERSON at least).

I'll let you know what they say (when I go in to talk to them in person because they don't pick up the phone).

A question for the knitters

Ok. So I'm doing a cable knit blanket but I simplified the pattern because I can't concentrate enough to count. I am using the same pattern as Sugar's hat basically (which obviously is one-sided since you wear the pretty side out). Is it possible to do cable knit on BOTH sides of a blanket without it looking stupid?

Bad Hippie? Mom? Anyone else?

If it only looks good on one side, I could get someone to sew a layer of polar fleece on the ugly side so it would have a warm and softer side, too, so don't feel like you're hurting my feelings if you say it can't be done without looking awful.

Thanks!

HAPPY DUE DATE TO YOU!

HAPPY DUE DATE TO YOU!
HAPPY DUUUUUUUE DATE DEAR SUGAR!
HAPPY DUE DATE TO YOU!

Sing it with me now!!!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

No News Yet

Although I have given Sugar the go-ahead that she (or he) can come out now, it looks like she's staying in until I'm (or she is) 40.The exciting news is that my bellybutton is about to pop out like on a turkey (wouldn't it be cool if it popped out on the duedate??). I never thought it would happen. See, I have one of those deep-set belly buttons, a MEGA INNY, so I never thought it possible. The bigger my belly looks, the more I try to squint at it in the mirror and pretend that it's perfectly flat, since my bellybutton finally looks kind of great! 

But that's just my belly vanity. Other than that, I'm still feeling pretty good, with a feel minor aches here and there. Nothing to complain too much about. This pregnancy has been easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

Tomorrow is my last sort of official day of work, meaning that I have two classes to teach, then I'm  taking a little break from that and just doing what I feel like doing. 

Right now that means a lot of knitting. 

Nothing fancy. I made a couple of hats. One for Sugar to wear home from the hospital, and one for my friend Klementina's baby. Now I'm making a blue baby blanket. I know. I'm not sure it's a boy, I just like this color blue. It goes with the blue of the stroller and the walls of the baby's room (which we painted blue two or three years ago).  If it's a girl, I will trim everything with red I guess. I hate pink. 

If Sugar is a girl she will probably like blue like I do anyway... And if not, she has all her life to get over any gender confusion I may cause. 

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Still Here, Still Big

Don't take my blogging absence as anything but working like a madwoman!! There's so much going on here, workwise that I hardly have any time at all to think about the Sugarbaby (except when SB gives me no choice, which is often)! Luckily Sweetie fixed the goodie bag for the hospital (including the disposable underwear that was on the list... Not seeming like such a bad idea in general at this point, really!)... We still have 6 days until the due date, and the belly is "high" according to most local experts, so let's not expect any news soon. At the Italian American Association we have the Ambassador coming on Friday morning and Sugar promised not to make a move until at least that visit is over...

Will keep you up-to-date though, PROMISE!! You should see the belly, though, it looks like a serious BEER BELLY...

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Sugar's first iphone?

Gramma Mag, Gramma Mag!!

Check this out!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Interview with the Anesthesiologist

So if you want any kind of pain relief during labor you have to plan ahead by getting an appointment with an anesthesiologist. I went to my friend, Denise's old roomate for mine. He told me you have to do a whole bunch of paperwork (which we did) and you're probably not going to get an epidural even if you ask for one anyway. He says only 10% of women actually get them at this hospital. He is pro-epidural because he thinks all pain can be resolved or at least lessened. The problem is that babies at this hospital are delivered by mid-wives who tend to be anti-pain relief. He said most of the doctors are indifferent ("it's not THEIR pain, after all") and even some of the anesthesiologists prefer not to give them because if anything goes wrong, they get blamed for everything. He said it's a Catholic thing-- "The Catholics think pain is good" he told me (he's not Catholic, obviously, but neither am I).

I hope I won't need pain relief, but I'm glad I got the paperwork done anyway. It sounds like you have to fight for it and you probably won't get it anyway , but at least the interview and having the paperwork done makes for two obstacles less if labor goes long and I need some relief...

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Stroller Passed the Shark Test


It's hard to believe we don't know Sugar's sex yet, especially when you consider the color of the walls of his/her bedroom, the color of his/her stroller and the choice for a first gift from daddy!  But it's true. We really don't, and it really doesn't matter!

Last Doctor's Appointment was Today

So, it's official. No more visits with my doctor until after Sugar is born. He was happy with test results, all good. He was happy with my weight gain (5.5 kilos). I asked him if the baby would be smaller since I didn't gain too much weight. His answer: "Do you think that those ladies who gain 30 kilos have 30-kilo babies??)

The best news was that he reassured me that as of this afternoon I was not anywhere near in labor (thank God! I still have work to do!!). He said it could happen any time, but he doesn't it foresee it happening right away (phyoo).

Then he said the due date is October 27 (it used to be October 26), and that I should call the hospital the day before and make an appointment if nothing happens before that.

Fine with me.

We were a little sad that it was over. So we went and consoled ourselves with an ice cream and then we felt better.

Now we are going to finish putting together the new stroller. THANKS MOM AND GRAMMA.

Will post pics soon of baby's room and nifty new stroller.

Monday, October 11, 2010

TWO MORE WEEKS!!

OMG! It's coming up tooooo soooooooon!

Sweetie finished putting together the furniture today. That's good. Next step, stroller out of the box. Not that we'll be strolling anytime soon, but because there is a car seat in there that could come in useful at some point. I guess now I am supposed to prepare my bag or something. The only thing I can remember to put it in it is a knife, fork and spoon, since I have been told over and over that the hospital does not provide these items because of fast turnover or something like that (Um, no time to do the dishes?).

Anyway, I'm banking on Sugar being late to the birthing party. Aren't they usually the first time around? I won't finish working until the end of next week. I even have to write a letter to the school I'm teaching at exonerating them from any responsibility for my "advanced state of pregnancy". Wouldn't want them to take the credit for causing me to go into labor (or putting me in this advanced state)!

On the nesting front: I am not into cleaning or anything, but I did knit a little hat for Sugar to wear home from the hospital. I have to reinforce the pregnant lady knitting stereotype (booties are too complicated for me).

That's about it for now. Tomorrow I go for my checkup. I'll let you know how it goes!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

In Case You Didn't Believe Me

Before.

 During.
After. 

I Can No Longer Tie My Shoes Without Help

Just thought you'd like to know. That was the news for yesterday.

Today's news is that we went swimming in the Adriatic this afternoon. It was me, Sweetie, Leo (his birthday party and our tradition), a couple of other folks, and of course, Sugar. It felt great! It was a beautiful and sunny day and the water was not as cold as you would think for this time of year. We even stayed in for a little while.

Plus we went in RIGHT after lunch. And we were FULL. And NOTHING HAPPENED.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

A Good Ole American Baby Shower

Denise planned a very nice shower for me and for Raquel last night. There was a group of four American girls, one Canadian (Yukon territory no less!) and an Aussie. We went out for "American" at this place owned by a guy named Marino who lived in New York for a few years and here's what he brought back with him for our menu.

Starter: 
Cole slaw
Shrimp Coctail

Salad:
Cob salad with some kind of ranch dressing and 5 (I'm not kidding) pieces of bacon on top

Entrée:
Kentucky Fried Chicken (his name for it, and it was close!)
4 potato wedges fried in something like shake-n-bake

Dessert:
Bananas Foster 

It was a great dinner, really. I would have eaten a whole bucket of the chicken if there were one. Instead I ate the two pieces on my plates. As far as tastes, tops, but as far as portions: definitely Italian. I couldn't believe how good the cole slaw was. Now that I know you can make it anywhere outside the States, I'm going to have to try. Anyone got a good recipe? Please don't include the ingredient "Buy a bag of already cut slaw". 

It was nice hanging out with the girls. I never imagined I would have any kind of shower in my life except for the kind I have at my house every morning when I get my hair wet, so THANK YOU DENISE and GIRLS!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Belly Update

No one is telling me how "small" my belly is anymore. At 37 weeks I have BALLOONED OUT. Old Triestine ladies get up and give me their seat on the bus now (and anyone who lives in Trieste knows that old ladies do not part with their seats easily-- they're more likely to make a person with crutches and a cast get up for them and surrender their seat). People are saying things to me like "ah. Still pregnant!" and the likes even though I'm still a good 3 weeks shy of my due date.

Sleeping is not so bad anymore, at least the belly is no longer an issue, as it rests its weight on the mattress now rather than being suspended like a dead weight requiring pillows under it. Turning from one side to another is a collossal task (just ask Sweetie). There is no delicate way to do it anymore.

Other than my cold, which keeps me awake at night now, all else is fine. I'm feeling weaker as far as my physical structure goes. I only take the dog out in the first half of the day now because by late afternoon I've had it.

I'm working normally and feeling generally upbeat. Not psychologically ready for the actual baby, but getting closer. The house is definitely not ready either but we have a plan for the weekend.

That's where we're at.

Monday, October 4, 2010

No no, I am not in labor

I was just in bed ALL DAY YESTERDAY and MOST OF TODAY with some type of cold/flu thing. Thankfully I started feeling better around 3pm this afternoon and taught my two English classes tonight and now feel fine except for my stuffy nose.

I was at IKEA the day before, maybe that had something to do with it? Anyway now Sugar has a nice dresser (Thank you Manu and Fabio) which is already put together, no thanks to me, and armoire (still in the box) so we can start putting her/his clothes away.

Tomorrow the baby will be considered full-term (ding!). But that doesn't mean we're ready, so let's hope she's in no hurry and can wait til the due date (October 26). I'm still feeling great pregnancy-wise, just irritated at having a cold.

Hope all is well with you!