Week 36: Crenshaw Melon
According to BabyCenter, Bean is shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that was covering and protecting her skin during these past nine months. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon*) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. Furthermore, she's gaining weight at the rate of about an ounce a day. (Wait, what??)
This week has been pretty busy for me at work. I've been trying to get all of my proverbial ducks in a row before I take off for maternity leave. (Next Thursday is my last day!) I'm the only person who does what I do, so I've been typing out detailed instructions for the people who will be covering for me, which it turns out is easier said than done.
We've also been stepping up the preparation efforts on the home front. We're surrounded by baby gear that has been so generously gifted to us and have been buying other necessities as well, and we we took a baby care class at our hospital last Saturday. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I think we both learned some things and found it helpful. We'll see how much we actually manage to remember when the time comes, but you know, at least the information is in there, somewhere! ;) A side note: I'm convinced that anytime you take a class like that, regardless of what it's for, the videos they make you watch are always outdated. The ones we watched were clearly from the 80s. Maybe they do that on purpose, for entertainment value, who knows! Speaking of entertainment value, I really wanted to - but refrained - from taking a picture of Brian at our class "practicing" diapering and swaddling techniques on a baby doll. Because I'm nice like that. ;)
Something I'm not really super jazzed about- we have what may be our last check-up with Dr. Bliss on Saturday. Although we have weekly check-ups from now until Bean is born, due to scheduling at the doctor's office, our remaining appointments are with different doctors. Given my past experience with the other doctors we've met so far (nice as they all have been), I'm not really looking forward to this, but I'm trying to be okay with it. So, as a reminder for myself- meeting even more doctors is a good thing because: 1) I may actually really like them, too!; 2) If I don't like anything anyone else tells me, I know I can still consult with Dr. Bliss to get her feedback; 3) This will allow me to have met with all the OBs in the practice, in the event that Dr. Bliss isn't able to deliver Bean when the time comes; 4) In reality, when the time comes I probably won't care much who is actually there for the delivery, as long as someone gets her out safely!
I have to say, looking at the crenshaw melon above, that this really does resemble the shape of my belly right now. People, the belly is BIG. And I can tell that Bean is running out of room in there, as I feel her moving around a LOT. Sometimes I feel as though she's trying to either stretch - or completely bust - out! I try to explain to her that I understand how frustrating it must be to be crammed in there like that, but that no, she can't really do that. ;)
objects may appear larger than they are...then again, they may actually be that large.
I think it's safe to say that, with less than a month to go (give or take), the reality of Bean's imminent arrival has really set in. I've started thinking about all the things I've been putting off thinking for the past 9 months (labor and delivery and the aftermath, for example). I know it will happen when the time is right and I'm sure everything will be just fine, but the anticipation is a killer. I've never been a particularly patient person, at least when it comes to stuff like this. I wouldn't say I'm in full-on panic mode (yet!), but knowing that it's close really makes me more than a little nervous. And yes- happy and excited, too!
"Soon you will be sitting on top of the world." Indeed! :)
Oh, totally unrelated to anything, but it needs to be honored: we sold Darby, my trusty old Saturn, last weekend. I loved that car. I had her for 12 years and she served me well. So while it's definitely a good thing (we certainly don't need 3 cars), it's still bittersweet. Enjoy the rest of your life with that young girl from San Pedro, Darbs. I hope she loves you as much as I did!
* Crenshaw melons always remind me of my Grandma Oato. I don't know why, but I have a distinct memory of her cutting up pieces of melon for Lisa and I during one of our "mainland" summer road trips. These melons aren't the easiest to find, but I get them every now and then, and always think of her. :)
This week has been pretty busy for me at work. I've been trying to get all of my proverbial ducks in a row before I take off for maternity leave. (Next Thursday is my last day!) I'm the only person who does what I do, so I've been typing out detailed instructions for the people who will be covering for me, which it turns out is easier said than done.We've also been stepping up the preparation efforts on the home front. We're surrounded by baby gear that has been so generously gifted to us and have been buying other necessities as well, and we we took a baby care class at our hospital last Saturday. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I think we both learned some things and found it helpful. We'll see how much we actually manage to remember when the time comes, but you know, at least the information is in there, somewhere! ;) A side note: I'm convinced that anytime you take a class like that, regardless of what it's for, the videos they make you watch are always outdated. The ones we watched were clearly from the 80s. Maybe they do that on purpose, for entertainment value, who knows! Speaking of entertainment value, I really wanted to - but refrained - from taking a picture of Brian at our class "practicing" diapering and swaddling techniques on a baby doll. Because I'm nice like that. ;)
Something I'm not really super jazzed about- we have what may be our last check-up with Dr. Bliss on Saturday. Although we have weekly check-ups from now until Bean is born, due to scheduling at the doctor's office, our remaining appointments are with different doctors. Given my past experience with the other doctors we've met so far (nice as they all have been), I'm not really looking forward to this, but I'm trying to be okay with it. So, as a reminder for myself- meeting even more doctors is a good thing because: 1) I may actually really like them, too!; 2) If I don't like anything anyone else tells me, I know I can still consult with Dr. Bliss to get her feedback; 3) This will allow me to have met with all the OBs in the practice, in the event that Dr. Bliss isn't able to deliver Bean when the time comes; 4) In reality, when the time comes I probably won't care much who is actually there for the delivery, as long as someone gets her out safely!
I have to say, looking at the crenshaw melon above, that this really does resemble the shape of my belly right now. People, the belly is BIG. And I can tell that Bean is running out of room in there, as I feel her moving around a LOT. Sometimes I feel as though she's trying to either stretch - or completely bust - out! I try to explain to her that I understand how frustrating it must be to be crammed in there like that, but that no, she can't really do that. ;)
objects may appear larger than they are...then again, they may actually be that large.I think it's safe to say that, with less than a month to go (give or take), the reality of Bean's imminent arrival has really set in. I've started thinking about all the things I've been putting off thinking for the past 9 months (labor and delivery and the aftermath, for example). I know it will happen when the time is right and I'm sure everything will be just fine, but the anticipation is a killer. I've never been a particularly patient person, at least when it comes to stuff like this. I wouldn't say I'm in full-on panic mode (yet!), but knowing that it's close really makes me more than a little nervous. And yes- happy and excited, too!
"Soon you will be sitting on top of the world." Indeed! :)Oh, totally unrelated to anything, but it needs to be honored: we sold Darby, my trusty old Saturn, last weekend. I loved that car. I had her for 12 years and she served me well. So while it's definitely a good thing (we certainly don't need 3 cars), it's still bittersweet. Enjoy the rest of your life with that young girl from San Pedro, Darbs. I hope she loves you as much as I did!
* Crenshaw melons always remind me of my Grandma Oato. I don't know why, but I have a distinct memory of her cutting up pieces of melon for Lisa and I during one of our "mainland" summer road trips. These melons aren't the easiest to find, but I get them every now and then, and always think of her. :)
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