Pride and Pregnancy: Birth Day

March 28, 2013 (26.5 weeks... based on July 1st delivery):

We spent the whole day gardening and weeding thistle on Saturday, we didn’t even end up making it out to our planned dinner with my friend Julia that evening. We did however use 5 items from our coop vegetable box in the meal I made for our dinner. Sunday we woke up and headed out for our hike along the ocean (something I have been greatly missing). Gus decided he wanted to bring me to a place that he used to climb at when he lived along the Russian River in Sonoma County instead of going to a place with lots of people. So we drove to Dry Creek Sea Crag by the mouth of the Russian River.

The smell of the ocean began to fill the air as soon as we started our drive along the river, and it grew stronger as we approached the west. The mist seeped slowly into the redwood groves as our truck hugged the corners of the winding road. I was happy that Gus and I had switched off driving because I was able to take in all of the surroundings. It reminded me of Humboldt County, but much warmer with more traffic. As we approached the ocean, the groves of trees faded to rolling ranches with healthy cattle snacking away at the green grasses. I long to be near the ocean all the time and I was so excited that we committed to taking a 2 hour drive just for a small hike. The dogs had their noses to the windows the whole time (when they weren’t falling over from the turns). The hike down was pretty steep but manageable, and as we neared the ocean the grass, lupine, and shrubs quickly became boulders and rocks for us to scramble over. We spent the rest of our “hike” exploring tide pools and getting our feet wet in the small breaks of the cold waves. In dog terms, that meant completely submerging themselves in the chilly pools of salty water. There were sea lions barking from a rock a hundred yards out, sea anemones, mussels, hermit crabs, the ocean crashing into the rocks around us and even with all of the sounds there was a wonderful feeling of peacefulness. We had a great time and took a different driving route through Calistoga and Lake Berryessa back to change up the scenery.

The Monday’s doctor’s appointment was pretty standard, and I was happy to hear Sierra’s quickly beating heart again over the speaker. All vitals are normal and I am progressing along well. Of course, the doctor said, “Well you are heavier now than we would like to see you.” (again) “And you might want to start watching what you are eating.” I decided I would respond today (since I had sufficient evidence to support my claim at this point). “So besides the first trimester when I had a big jump one month, I have consistently been gaining about 1 pound a week, right?” My doctor flips through the pages, “Oh, yes that does appear to be the case.” “So what exactly do you suggest I do at this point?” “Well, it seems like you could just keep up with the same then and you are pretty tall so gaining 36 pounds for your pregnancy should be okay for you it’s just over the 20-30 pound weight gain range that we would like.” Ah ha. So now I know that essentially, I’m doing just fine. He also mentioned that based on my last ultrasound it looks like July 1^st is probably when she will be making her big debut! I was given paperwork for gestational diabetes and CBC blood work to complete before our next appointment which is a month away. After that appointment I will be coming in every two weeks as my due date approaches (perfect timing since in a month my work schedule will begin to ease up).

After work on Monday and Wednesday Gus and I did trail runs together at Pena Adobe, a place where we used to mountain bike together on the weekends. I feel so much better about prego life the more we do together outdoors. It just feels more normal for me, like I haven’t given up on my “old” self. Gus definitely has taken notice since I brought it up a few weeks ago and has made a real effort to do things with me (even go on runs instead of his regular mountain bike rides with his now very slow wife). It’s really important to me and it means a lot too. I feel lucky to have such a supportive partner through everything.

At the pool this week and in other places while I have been “out and about” I have started to see people checking out my prego belly in a way that suggests that the know I am prego. I especially notice the “older” generations because they usually look at my belly and then look at me with this oddly over-joyous smile. Either way it has been kind of nice. Otherwise, I have been counting down to my 30^th birthday on Friday, because we are flying out tonight to visit my best friend and her fiancée, Onkar, in Las Vegas for the weekend. Gus was putting in overtime every day last week and he really deserves an extended weekend too!

The approaching “big” 30^th birthday has been interesting for me as I am carrying around this kicking life inside of me. I realize how much the focus of my entire life is about to shift and how my birthday suddenly means less to me now than it has in previous years. Not that this will ever stop me from making it a special celebration (or as Gus jokingly calls it the week long festivities), I am just more excited about Sierra’s up and coming day of birth, when we finally get to meet the little one. Speaking of birth days, my fears of “the pain” of delivery have finally subsided and truly so have my fears of being a parent during all of those “annoying” child ages (that I previously have associated with screaming, lawless kids in grocery stores and airplanes). I am finally coming to an awesome point where, “It’s all going to be okay.” Whatever unsubstantiated fear it is that comes up money, parenting, housing, schooling, day care, being a working mom… it will all work out and it will all be okay.

Here I am at 26 weeks pregnant and 21 pounds of pregnancy weight gain: