~ 36 Weeks

I look at this and think it's amazing I can hold myself up. It makes me feel better to say I'm a day away from 37 weeks, but does it really matter? Nicole (no h) just got back from the doctor and he said she's having a big baby. She just needs to stick with me and no one will believe her, even though, believe it or not, the circumference of our bellies are measuring exactly the same. I swear. We just didn't measure top to bottom.... anyway, enough of my trying to justify things, here we are with our beautiful bellies.

The Year of the Tiger and more Chinese

My colleague just spent a month in China and has shared with me some of the superstitions around having a baby. I cannot help but be thankful I have yet to strike an animal over the past nine months. This list also inspired me to read a little about the Chinese zodiac and learn about the year of the Tiger (also below). Interesting and also amusing stuff....

When having a baby:
*If you're pregnant, use of glue will cause a difficult birth. So will sniffing glue.

*If you strike an animal during pregnancy, the newborn child will look like that animal and behave like one. If you're ugly this might be an upgrade.

*You should never praise a newborn baby because it will invite evil spirits and ghosts. "Oh! What a ghastly wretch of a baby!"

*A concave navel means a prosperous life. Inny's are the best!

*A baby with more than one hair crown will be mischievous and disobedient. All party officials have two.

*A baby with wide and thick ears will live prosperously. Ear modeling was big in the Tang dynasty.

THE YEAR OF THE TIGER

02/14/2010 - 02/02/2011 (Metal)

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2010 is the Year of a Golden Tiger, which begins on February 14, 2010 and ends on February 2, 2011. The first day of the lunar New Year 2010 falls on the 14th day of February, which is Saint Valentine's Day, so it is a day the West celebrates as a lovers' day, a day of romance. To the Chinese, it is the start of the Golden Tiger Year. The Tiger is the third sign in the cycle of Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs. It is a sign of courage. This fearless and fiery fighter is revered by the ancient Chinese as the sign that wards off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts. On New Year's day itself, it is beneficial to celebrate, to be happy, to have smiling faces, and to refrain from scowling, quarreling, or criticizing anyone.

- Nichole, with an h

Foods of our labour

When you are pregnant, there is a cool website (www.babycenter.com) you can sign up on, that guides you through the 40 weeks of your pregnancy. It gives you fun facts about what body parts are growing, how to prepare for the new baby, vitamins, healthy foods, etc, etc. I use to say to Brian I grew a nervous system today, what did you do?

This site also gives you a comparison on the weight (W), size (S) or length (L) of you growing baby. Horizontal and I have had a good laugh on some of their comparisons. Here is their list.

Week 4 Poppy Seed (S)
Week 5 Sesame Seed (S)
Week 6 Lentil Bean (S)
Week 7 Blueberry (S)
Week 8 Kidney Bean (S)
Week 9 Grape (S)
Week 10 Kumquat (S)
Week 11 Fig (S)
Week 12 Lime (S)
Week 13 Medium Shrimp (S)
Week 14 Lemon (S)
Week 15 Apple (S)
Week 16 Avocado (S)
Week 17 Turnip (L)
Week 18 Bell Pepper (S)
Week 19 Heirloom Tomato (S)
Week 20 Banana (L)
Week 21 Carrot (L)
Week 22 Spaghetti Squash (W)
Week 23 Large Mango (W)
Week 24 Ear of Corn (L)
Week 25 Rutabaga (W)
Week 26 English Hothouse Cucumber (L) – Quite specific on the type of cucumber…
Week 27 Cauliflower (W)
Week 28 Chinese cabbage (W)
Week 29 Butternut squash (W)
Week 30 Head of cabbage (W) - This vegetable comes in handy after the baby is born too...
Week 31 Four navel oranges (W)
Week 32 Jicama (W) - What the ---- is this?
Week 33 Pineapple (W)
Week 34 Cantaloupe (W)
Week 35 Honeydew melon (W)
Week 36 Crenshaw melon (W) – Another one, What???
Week 37 Stalk of Swiss Chard (L)
Week 38 Leek (L)
Week 39 Mini Watermelon (S) – I’d say a full watermelon, but that is just how I feel

36 Weeks!! Yea!

That's right...36 weeks, I don't care what anyone says. I haven't vented about this much on the blog (thought I'd spare you) but healthcare providers really struggle with counting up to 40 weeks. There was some debate at the perinatologist's office as to how far along I was, which ended on the number I had been telling them all along. Today, back at the OB's office, the ultrasound tech said I was 36 weeks, 5 days. Trust me, I would notice those bonus 5 days. Then, today when my OB said I was 36 weeks, I corrected her by telling her, "No, I'm 35 weeks and 7 days." Yeah, that really sounds stupid when you say it out loud. She said, "Yeah, 36 weeks." So there you have it. I'm 36 weeks as much as anyone can tell. With that magical number comes a lot of good things:

• I've graduated from "strict" bed rest, and can move around and sit up (still can't work or do housework - no lie). This is the bed rest people envy. However, now I don't feel like moving....not even an inch; I'm so stinkin' sore and uncomfortable.
• The only major development still going on with twins is weight gain during these final weeks (lungs, liver, kidneys - all done).
• No more meds, which means I can go to bed at 10 pm (instead of 12 am after I had taken a dose) and I don't have to wake up at 6 am to take another dose.

The boys are getting more stubborn (sleepy, lazy) but they managed to get all their points for the biophysical and NST tests today, which means they are not under distress, their hearts are beating well, they are moving around and they are practicing their breathing. The doc checked my cervix and it's still closed, so no signs of labor yet. Only 2 more weeks until the doc decides it's time to force them out into this crazy world. Rich is chomping at the bit, but I am patiently waiting. I know it will get only get nuttier when they arrive.

- Semi-vertical Nichole, with an h

Cheap Entertainment

You probably cannot read this sign, but it cracks me up where they have it placed. It says, "For Patient Privacy Please Wait Here Until Called". Can you see how close it is to the counter? That was really nice of them to consider the patients' privacy, not that it's really needed unless someone is trying to be anonymously pregnant (hard to hide at a perinatologists office).

Pretty much any pregnant woman's body (even non-pregnant) expands from the counter to the sign. I'd for sure feel like a creepy stalker if I stood at that sign while someone else checked in for their appointment. My twin boys would be close enough to kick them in the back! I did fantasize about how funny it would be to stand there like I thought it was normal while someone else was checking in. That, sadly, was my weekly entertainment at the perinatologist's office for 8 weeks. Although it would lose all entertainment value, I suggest either moving the sign back a few feet or changing the verbiage to say, "Wait here to freak out the hormonal pregnant person in front of you. And, good luck."

Back at my OB/GYN's office, they have the same sign but it is positioned about 5 feet from the counter. Clearly the person responsible for that sign has the same space issues I have. No wonder I'm happy to be back there (well, and I think my OB walks on water).

Today marks 35 weeks and 3 days. After 9 weeks of bed rest, I could not feel luckier. Now we're just watching for signs of labor. Life is so good.....

- (Still) Horizontal Nichole, with an h

Being Vertical

Yes, as the other prego said, being Vertical has it's disadvantages. There are always things keeping you from doing important things like blogging (sorry it has been so long again), but it does have its advantages, you can get your own oreos whenever you want. And I have been making sure I am getting them WHENEVER I want. 6:30 am with coffee, 10:45 snack, 12:00 before lunch appetizer, 2:30 mid afternoon, 6:30 dessert with the family, or a 9:30 snack to make it through the night. I don't believe I've ever had an Oreo between the hours of 10:00pm and 6:00am, but there is still 4 weeks, 6 days and 19 hours left before she arrives....... Something to look forward to.

This is Nicole the Oreo Obsessed Vertical One signing off.

Oreos

If you are wondering where "Vertical Nicole" is and how she is doing, I'm afraid you are going to have to wait. Her little baby girl is demanding Oreos - lots of Oreos (lucky for my boys, they share) but Nicole is really busy keeping her little girl satisfied. What a good mom, taking one for the team. She promised to update you more often in her last entry, so keep checking back. Being vertical has its disadvantages, it keeps you much busier. :-)

Baby Bellies: ~33 weeks

"Vertical Nicole" is 33 weeks in this picture and "Horizontal Nichole" is 33 weeks, 4 days (I'm hoping the 4 days means something since my belly has taken on a life of its own).