T-minus 4 weeks and counting!
And boy do I feel like I'm going to explode. Mostly things are great in the land of Pickle's womb - although I found out that the achy tight feeling I've been getting over the last couple of weeks is in fact Braxton Hicks Contractions. Not that it is a bad thing, actually good to know that I am having them. They just aren't what I thought they would be. For one thing, the books/online all say "painless" - I must have a very different definition of painless. They're more like the feeling right before your body starts cramping during that time of the month. Secondly, I don't feel the muscle(s) contracting in my stomach, I'll just be getting up from sitting, or I'll move and all of a sudden my tum-tum is real tight and achy. It goes away after a little bit. The thing is I don't feel it contracting, it just goes from normal to contracted - which I still think is weird. I thought it would be more like a sit up where you can actually tell the muscle is working. However, the pain isn't intense or anything, just achey and annoying. I can't wait for labor (hahahaha) seriously I'm going to be the raving Beeotch who cusses and screams until her pain control kicks in, I've already warned Jamers.
Xinebot was kind enough last night to give me her last worry stone that she has used in the past to help control her pain. It's sort of a meditation focus to help control the pain. I'm taking it with me everywhere and although she says she hasn't been able to find anywhere up here that has them, I'll probably start looking. Jamers and I have read through one of the books his momma sent to us regarding aromatherapy and pregnancy/birth/afterbirth. I am open to the idea that essential oils can help during times of stress, pain, etc - so I think we are planning on going out and getting two EOs sometime soon. I have no idea where around here we can get said product, but maybe when we find a store, they will also have the little worry stones :)
We had baby shower at work this last Wednesday and it was so heartwarming to see how everyone contributed to getting gifts for little Xander. The amount of clothes and baby care items we brought home is just astounding to me. It really made me feel special and that although the corporation might not give a fricky doo of a difference about me, the people I work with really do. On top of that, mom and Cat(Annie) sent up a big ole box of brand new baby clothes. Apparently my sister is going bonkers with becoming an aunt - which leads me to the next thing:
She is seriously, seriously thinking of moving up here to take care of Xander when he gets here. She has mentioned several times that she doesn't want to be the aunt he sees only once a year and that she needs change. This is most welcome news. It would solve the "James gets a job and we have to find babycare that will take more money away than we can afford" how are we going to do that problem. Or conversely if Jamers doesn't find a job, and she moves up, she would be able to help us out around the house if/when she were to get a job. Plus she would be here to spend time with Xander and watch him grow up. A win-win situation all around.
Jamers had a job interview Friday that looks very promising. If he passed this round there would still be two other rounds before he would be potentially hired. Even if he doesn't get hired, the fact that he had an interview is great. It has helped his self-esteem and happiness levels which is important. Of course, best case scenario he would be hired and money worries would go mostly away. However, neither of us are counting on anything happening in the positive right now so that we don't get our hopes up only to have them smashed.
Other than that, everything is going okay. My temp is driving me nuts and I don't think she'll be able to handle my full desk. I'll talk to my supervisor on Monday and see what duties we can perhaps distribute out to make sure everything gets taken care of while I'm gone. The training and worrying about my desk during my absence is causing me a ton of stress which totally bites.
All the furkids are doing well. Xander's room continues to be a work in progress. He continues to grow and move. My new doctor continues to be an understanding and awesome lady. She hasn't complained about my weight gain once. At this point I'm up 25.5 pounds, which is still well within target of a normal pregnancy gain - just not for someone who it overweight to begin with. But as I've stated before, my health has always been (with the exception of the weight) top notch so there is no worries about the weight gain being over the overweight women's recommended gain.
Well yummy breakfast awaits downstairs and Xander is most anxious to see what daddy has made us this bright sunny freezing morning - toodlies!
Xinebot was kind enough last night to give me her last worry stone that she has used in the past to help control her pain. It's sort of a meditation focus to help control the pain. I'm taking it with me everywhere and although she says she hasn't been able to find anywhere up here that has them, I'll probably start looking. Jamers and I have read through one of the books his momma sent to us regarding aromatherapy and pregnancy/birth/afterbirth. I am open to the idea that essential oils can help during times of stress, pain, etc - so I think we are planning on going out and getting two EOs sometime soon. I have no idea where around here we can get said product, but maybe when we find a store, they will also have the little worry stones :)
We had baby shower at work this last Wednesday and it was so heartwarming to see how everyone contributed to getting gifts for little Xander. The amount of clothes and baby care items we brought home is just astounding to me. It really made me feel special and that although the corporation might not give a fricky doo of a difference about me, the people I work with really do. On top of that, mom and Cat(Annie) sent up a big ole box of brand new baby clothes. Apparently my sister is going bonkers with becoming an aunt - which leads me to the next thing:
She is seriously, seriously thinking of moving up here to take care of Xander when he gets here. She has mentioned several times that she doesn't want to be the aunt he sees only once a year and that she needs change. This is most welcome news. It would solve the "James gets a job and we have to find babycare that will take more money away than we can afford" how are we going to do that problem. Or conversely if Jamers doesn't find a job, and she moves up, she would be able to help us out around the house if/when she were to get a job. Plus she would be here to spend time with Xander and watch him grow up. A win-win situation all around.
Jamers had a job interview Friday that looks very promising. If he passed this round there would still be two other rounds before he would be potentially hired. Even if he doesn't get hired, the fact that he had an interview is great. It has helped his self-esteem and happiness levels which is important. Of course, best case scenario he would be hired and money worries would go mostly away. However, neither of us are counting on anything happening in the positive right now so that we don't get our hopes up only to have them smashed.
Other than that, everything is going okay. My temp is driving me nuts and I don't think she'll be able to handle my full desk. I'll talk to my supervisor on Monday and see what duties we can perhaps distribute out to make sure everything gets taken care of while I'm gone. The training and worrying about my desk during my absence is causing me a ton of stress which totally bites.
All the furkids are doing well. Xander's room continues to be a work in progress. He continues to grow and move. My new doctor continues to be an understanding and awesome lady. She hasn't complained about my weight gain once. At this point I'm up 25.5 pounds, which is still well within target of a normal pregnancy gain - just not for someone who it overweight to begin with. But as I've stated before, my health has always been (with the exception of the weight) top notch so there is no worries about the weight gain being over the overweight women's recommended gain.
Well yummy breakfast awaits downstairs and Xander is most anxious to see what daddy has made us this bright sunny freezing morning - toodlies!