Triumph Over Pregnant Enemy #1

Last Friday, at the conclusion of a period of seemingly endless optimism in which I kept saying "Oh no, this nausea will go away soon," I finally got an acupuncture treatment at a chiropractor's office in Lufkin.

YAY.

Actually, the evening following the treatment, I kind of felt the worst ever, but as the good doctor had told me I might, I was bracing myself. Imagine my delight when I woke up at 5 a.m. the next day bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and feeling like a human for the first time since December. It was a breakthrough! I wish I could say it's been constant sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows since then, but I've still had some stomach hugging moments. However, I've had a lot more good days than bad and the bad moments pass quickly. I'm also eating dinner again almost every night, which is truly a victory.

I have another "tune-up" with Dr. Roberts on Monday and I am hoping with continued treatments every couple weeks or so (not covered by insurance but which are mercifully highly affordable), I can banish my old frenemy once and for all.

I know you're all really wondering if Baby Turner is a boy or a girl and I am distracting you with some acu-tastic sleight of hand. Would you feel more enthusiastic about my triumph over nausea if I told you it will all be worth it to hold my little boy in September? Because I think it really will. :)

P.S. I know this is a public blog, but please keep Little Boy Turner out of the major news media outlets. I still feel a desperate secrecy about my treasure among bizards.

Baby Gifts Galore!

I apologize for the extreme delay in posting all of these photos after I have been teasing you with them for so long. Life is hard for the nauseated; what can I tell you?

The complete album is 14 pictures (and I will keep growing it as I get ready for baby!), but below are a few highlights.

It's definitely no secret that I am the world's worst photographer, but these should give you a general idea.

First, a sampling of the Rumpsters all-in-one diapers my sister gave me--28 in all in four colors and three sizes! AWESOME!



Second, me wearing a couple of different slings: the Maya wrap and the Karma Baby silk brocade one, both from my sister.



Third, Baby Boden cotton sleepsuits from my mom.



Fourth, baby's first book courtesy of Lady Jen.



Fifth, stylin' sneaker socks...courtesy of ME! Ha.



But I won't post all the photos. You'll have to visit the album to see all the great and generous presents for yourself! Thank you notes coming soon (sorry they are SO late in a number of cases), but interim shout-outs to: my sister, my mom, Lady Jen, and Chrissy. Baby is so lucky I know you and so am I!

Frick or Frack?

I am losing my mind trying to choose a car seat. No kidding. This is why I let Matt buy toothpaste; all these decisions stress me out. It's bad enough when we're talking about a little tartar control, but the safety of your child? Holy LORD. I mean, logically, I realize that some of this is just a total racket/mind job playing on parents' fears and guilt. You didn't choose the one with XYZ? Oh, your child will surely die in a fiery crash...

Even though most parents would like a definitive answer to: which one is the safest? There really isn't one. All seats have to pass the same rigorous government testing standards. That said: some do more. Some install more easily/fit better in certain cars. Some depend on if you want a convertible seat (faces both front and rear for all the newbs, out there) or if you want to buy a baby seat...and then a convertible seat (told you it was a mind job). And the most expensive is not necessarily the best.

Are you confused yet?

I have looked in various online forums and I even found a database that tells you which seat fits your car best. I kind of had to majorly LOL when some posts said that everything was tight in the Volvo S40 and I should consider another car. Oh yeah...let me just go do that.

I am to the point where I want to walk into a store blindfolded and just load one into the buggy.

That said, I have narrowed it down to the Britax Boulevard or Roundabout and the Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL (I am sure those letters are in the wrong order...whatevs). The Boulevard or the Roundabout are gigantopotomous and I think the Radian is super heavyopotomous. How often will I be moving this thing? Hopefully: never. I really like the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio (does that sound like a perfumed vagina to anyone else? Gross.) infant seat, but it's $250 and you have to switch to a regular seat after Baby reaches 22 lbs, or at about 6 months. Not a great value, unless like the super amazing Jo, you can get a loaner in great condition from a trusted friend for free! (Brilliant!).

I think I will just have to go to Babies R Us, where I hear they will let you try them out in your car or if you do buy one and it doesn't fit, you can return it easily. One thing's for sure though: I will have that seat securely installed well in advance of Baby's debut. I like to have killed myself attempting to install Lucie Jane's car seat for her unplanned ride home from the hospital in March. There was a label that said "Even if you think installing this seat seems simple, please follow instructions in the manual." Simple? I nearly gouged my own eyeballs out! And my sister told me that one was rated as being "easy to install."

And you want to know the best part? My mom had 5 kids and they hadn't even INVENTED baby seats until my sister was born. Even then she got whatever one was made by the car manufacturer. And we all lived! But I know, I know--I don't want to risk Baby dying in a fiery crash. But I really don't want to risk Baby having a totally insane mother. Might be too late for that, though...whoops. I will be very glad when the car seat is purchased and all I have to worry about is being a good and effective parent. Ha!

WHAMMY!

Long time, no see, right? I know. I know. I don't know what to tell you. I've had some...indigestion. I have more news coming soon, but I thought I'd show you a real Regretsy I found this morning on Etsy.



[Shudder.]

Nice how the mom's head is cut off because she is not important to the process. She is just a baby-carrying vessel. The important part is the BUMP! OMG! [eye roll]

Also: ultrasound picture is kind of creepy. Amend that: SUPER creepy! Look, it's cool to be excited about your ultrasound (I am excited about mine--more on that later), but let's be honest: to anyone who's not you, your baby kind of looks like a fuzzy alien. And maybe even to you, if we're really being honest.

Good news. Great news. BETTER news!

I hate to jinx myself by telling y'all that the last few days I've been feeling quite a bit better, but I wanted you to know: I've been feeling quite a bit better. The evenings are still a little hard with headaches and nausea, but having gained back 3/4 of my day, I'll take it!

Except for the snow (the snow!), this weekend was one pick-me-up after the other and I think that contributed greatly to my well being. First, Chay made me the most delicious moon pies of all time. They are heavenly and encouraging me to drink more milk, which makes me feel great! Second, I am pretty sure I have whooped bronchitis. I still cough a few times a day, but everything else bad is gone and I have put the Nyquil back in the medicine box for keepsies. Third, in preparation for a weekend guest, I somehow mustered the energy to tidy up my house. Yay! Fourth, Anne drove a million hours out of her way to visit us on her spring break! Her charming company and good cooking was just the thing! Fifth, there is a vase of daffodils on my kitchen table smiling at me at every meal. :)

But let me tell you about my greatest relief of the weekend: the Stupak amendment. Yes, with the passage of healthcare reform Sunday night, America was treated to Rep. Bart Stupak's huge victory over the reformists by asking the president to re-affirm that public funding would not be used for abortion. Why am I, a pro-choicer, so relieved about this? Well I wasn't until I heard a woman categorize Stupak's maneuver as now guaranteeing that every woman in this country can carry her baby to full term if she wants to. THANK GOD!

Just think, in one fell swoop, Stupak has ended domestic violence and homicide against pregnant women (their #1 cause of death). In addition, he has turned the big kidnapper van of vigilantes out to thieve my baby from my womb right around. No longer will abortion be forced on me in my own home! THANK GOD! THANK GOD! I have been so worried about this.

Also, the Maw is back and dude, I need some Doritos STAT. Nom. Nom. Nom.

I know I promised pictures and I vow they are on the way THIS WEEK! The will of Stupak declares it must be so!

Same Song, Second Verse

Well, now that I think my twitter feed can't get an more graphic or disgusting, I thought I'd take a minute to give you all a junior update: I'm still nauseous! Alright! Go Team!

Not really. It feels awful and now that I am well into second trimester (16 weeks today! In another month, I'll be halfway!), I'm thinking: where is the light at the end of the tunnel I've heard so much about? It's coming; I know it's coming. I wish it would hurry.

To all my friends, I am sorry if it seems I've dropped off the face of the Earth. I really have mostly been laying in bed, although I play solitaire on iPhone a great deal.

In other fun news, my belly is really getting nice and big and people have started asking me when I'm due instead of just assuming I'm fat. +1! I'll post a pic here in the next few days. I'm glad I can still get around pretty easily though, so I'm not too huge. I do not eagerly anticipate my beached whale days.

But I'll take them sooner rather than later if it means I won't feel so darned SICK!

Another unusual change of pace: the Maw has really settled down. In fact, I'm hardly hungry at all anymore and sometimes I have to force myself to eat when I am feeling so, so nauseous. Emergen-C is my new BFF and I usually have two or three of those a day, so at least I'm getting *some* nutrition.

Mostly, I just want everyone to know that I'm alive, baby is doing great, and I'm hanging in there. My midwife appointment last week went great. I'm measuring just right for my gestational age, my blood pressure is right on target, and baby's heart rate is a racy, but normal, 152 bpm.

Let's hear it for health!

P.S. I didn't forget about the layette item pics! Some of y'all are used to Sonnie's excellent and timely photography, but I am way less reliable than she is. Stay tuned though; I won't forget!

With This Life, This Death

Here's a little secret: pregnancy is not for the faint of heart. I was reading Week 14 of "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and I had to laugh when it said something like "Hey, nothing to this pregnancy stuff now, right? It should all be a breeze for you in second trimester." This was clearly written by an alien who was not pregnant with a human baby. I would certainly not classify the week I've had as breezy.

For those that don't know: I am blogging from NC where any minute now, we are hoping and praying my sister will go into labor. Really, we've been hoping and praying for this all week, but it's not like we've just been sitting here.

My sister's dog Ginger, a very beloved pet friend to me, was diagnosed last week with end-stage cancer that began in her liver and was rapidly spreading to her lungs.

I knew Ginger almost from the day my sister "accidentally" brought her home from the pound. She had gone to get her neighbor's roaming cat out of impound and was quite taken with the "male lab mix," who if 6 weeks old, was barely that. The "male lab mix" turned out to be Ginger, our beloved girl, and American Pit Bull Terrier to the stars. This pocket-sized pup went to grad school with my sister: in her purse! She used to rip up everything in her reach: books, shoes, it was all fair game. But she was always the sweetest, kindest, gentlest dog I ever knew. When I lived with my sister, Ginger and I went everywhere together. She even went with me to my therapist's office--no kidding. Louise didn't offer dog-bringing to all of her clients, but Ginger had a gentle way of making everyone adore her and by the end of most appointments, she was asleep on the couch next to me. Ginger also loved bubble baths and I am not kidding when I say she took one--with me!--nearly every single evening. It was my love for Ginger that inspired me to get Molly, though after meeting rambunctious Molly, I actually considered asking my sister if she might trade me for Ginger (!), though I knew she never would. All of this is to say, Ginger was my great friend. I love her so very dearly.

As you may know or have guessed by now, Ginger is no longer with us. When my mom and I arrived in NC Monday, Ginger was so very thin, but still managed to get on her hind legs and put her front paws on me in welcome. But she was fading fast. Wednesday night, my sister and I were with her around the clock as she began to struggle to breathe and could not seem to lie still, panting and eventually crying for pain meds. Thursday, we knew what we had to do, though the decision was excruciating. A wonderful veterinarian from Peaceful Passings came to my sister's house on Thursday afternoon, confirmed what we knew--that Ginger's body was shutting down--and we petted and held our girl as she crossed over. It was a very precious moment and I could see immediately when she had left her body.

Even though I no longer live with Ginger, it has been so strange that she isn't here. We are incredibly lonesome for her wonderful spirit and steadfast love and I keep expecting her every time I walk in the back door.

So we've had a hard week, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I needed to be with my sister and with Ginger, though it left us all so much worse for the wear. For the first time in my pregnancy, my nausea turned to vomiting and it wouldn't stop the whole day of Ginger's death. Between the crying and not being able to keep water down, I felt my heart was dying right along with Ginger. Even Baby Turner was mourning. On top of that, I now have a rattling cough, a sore throat, and well, I don't want to admit the rest to myself for fear I might actually be really sick. My sister, exhausted, stressed, and grieving, had long, strong contractions, but we are still waiting on baby's debut.

For now, we're optimistic baby will come tonight,but have decided to stay in NC through Sunday evening and leave Monday morning to return, instead of in the morning as originally planned. Please think good thoughts for us all as we celebrate the life of our dear Ginger and also prepare to welcome a new life to our family.

Love,
Mary, the Maw, and family

P.S. On a cheerier note, my mom and sister kick-started my layette with adorable sleep suits and onesies and a TON (maybe 24?) of brand new all-in-one cloth diapers in three sizes, a diaper pail liner, three wet sacks, cloth wipes, 2 dozen Indian pre-fold diapers, and more. Anyway, this is exciting stuff, so I will blog more about it when I am feeling cheerier and can post pics. Stay tuned!