I’ll have J take a picture this weekend for the sake of posterity. I’m sleeping at night. That is the big positive difference between these pregnancies. I do get up at around 2:00 am for a couple of hours (to study Russian, eat, and do “stuff”) most nights. They say that is just hormones. Thankfully, I can then sleep in until 6:00 or 7:00 am when Maia wakes up. I need to keep switching sides because of that nagging pain that comes up in my hips but it’s not like last time. I think last time was the result of more weight and pelvic misalignment (that was corrected this time by the chiropractor). This time, though, I have heartburn that comes and goes. You need to get up with it and I burp around the apartment like a 15-year-old boy (or outside, at the playground, the store, wherever). I am the uncouth pregnant woman but that’s the only way to feel better.
He is still down in proper position. I am still wearing an itchy belly band all the time (when not in the shower or drying the band). I freaked out a week ago when I wash/dried it and he seemed to move every which way. He’s turned. He’s turned. What is wrong with him? He may have turned but he turned right back around and now he is very low and ready.
I have eased up on my dietary restrictions now and again. I realized that things will get worse when he’s born. Then I’ll be on the full-blown anti-colic diet with no wheat, soy, or dairy along with no onions, garlic, citrus, raw veggies, or cruciferous veggies. That will pass. You may wonder if it’s worth it. The only way you can wonder that is if you didn’t have a baby with colic. It’s hard enough dealing with a newborn but nothing sets you up for madness like hours of daily colic. I think of how it must have been back in the village when you could call your friendly neighbor and she would help you out while you walked in the woods or something. It’s not like that anymore. Now that friendly neighbor charges at least $20/hour and you don’t know if you can trust her because you have no idea who she is beyond some references and a resume. Do you have a community? Right now I envy you.
How old will I be when he is born?- Maia asks. You’ll still be 3 and a half. Can I put him to sleep? Yes, you can try. I’ll hold him as soon as he’s born, she says. I won’t let anyone else hold him.
We have a picture of her on the fridge when she was only a few hours old with the headphones on for her hearing test. It seems so long ago and not really. I breastfed her for two years and nine months. That’s behind me as well. I had no idea I would go that long. It eased all of our transitions and she was NEVER sick. Her “sick” was one single scary high-fever night in El Salvador during which the embassy nurse drove over from her home to give me a suppository because she would not swallow the nasty kid’s Tylenol that I had to open that night. The next day she was perfectly fine. We got to know the medical staff well, though, because of the dog bite and a bunch of bumps resulting from a very active toddler/preschooler. I can only hope this one is a little calmer but I will take vivacious over boring.
So, my bag is somewhat packed for the birth. I have a packing list up for J to see. I don’t have extras of most things. I’ll need to finish packing right before. We have an ipod playlist. Maia’s bag is more packed than mine. I bought some snacks to take along. I have my awesome doula-in-training to call when the time comes. My parents are completely in the dark but I know they realize the time is pretty close. Just a little and there will be four of us and then we’ll be in Kiev and then who knows….
