Monday, August 30, 2010

My massage experience

I was really hoping it would be more relaxing. I'm going back next month, but I'm going to have to request a different therapist. Kristen has one that she loves at that same location so I know I'll be in good hands next time. Here's what happened.

As soon as I walked in the room, my MT informed me that I couldn't have found someone with more prenatal experience. She has been taking classes for 8 years, and just finished a 5 day refresher workshop last month. Good! I like to hear this.

She explains the millions of bolsters and pillows on the table and asks a few questions (the lady at the front desk already asked them so I told her it was all written down). I said I'm pregnant, I'm tired but I can't sleep, and everything hurts. She left so I could get on the table.

She came back in, made sure I was comfortable, and asked a few more questions while she got started. At first it was okay. She asked about my commute because my paper said that I drive 2 hours every day. I told her I live in Blanco and drive to San Antonio. She asked a couple of questions about that. I told her I wanted to come back to Austin. I didn't really want to talk, but she kept the conversation going and I felt like I had to keep talking to her. She told me where she lived. Good to know? We discussed the roads in her neighborhood, they're horrible.

The conversation finally stopped so I started to relax. She got to my back and poked at my tattoo. "Cute! Cute, cute, cute. We're not allowed to comment on tattoos here. We can't even say nice things about tattoos, blah blah blah, haha." Okay, well then don't do it, lady.

She got to my feet and asked if I get pedicures. I told her I just got one yesterday, thanks. She told me she knew a place that used prego safe products for their pedicures. I said yeah, there's a pregnancy spa on Brodie that I thought about going to but their prices are a little too high. She whispers "that's where I work." I thought you worked here? I then felt bad for commenting on the prices and once again was NOT relaxed. I tried to explain, I don't know why. I don't even know why I was talking. Why couldn't she just let me relax? I said, well I guess the place sounds more luxurious and she laughs and says "I wouldn't call it luxurious. It's just the products that we use."

Okay bitch, listen. I'm trying to be nice. I don't know why. You're just supposed to give me my massage so I can sleep tonight, but instead you're making me feel stupid.

I said, well I'm not going to pay prices that high for a place that doesn't have a reputation yet. For all I know they're charging that much just because it says "pregnancy" on the door and they know people will pay. "Oh, they do have a reputation..." I block out the rest of what she's saying and try to relax. It has something to do with the economy and the lady that owns the place and more about prices and organic whatevers.

She asks if I've heard of Watsu massage. I haven't, but I say I have, hoping she'll stop talking. She said "oh really?" I said yeah I used to work at a Massage Therapy school so I'm familiar with some of the terms. "What school?" Lauterstein Conway. "Oh. I'm NOT a graduate of Lauterstein." That's too bad, lady. "I didn't want to be!" Ugh. I ignore her.

I don't know what she's talking about but she eventually starts talking about money. She asks me how much I'm paying today. She shouldn't be asking me that, don't tell her. I tell her. I can't help it, I didn't know what to do and I'm feeling uncomfortable. She talks more, and THEN- she makes a comment about tips. She is complaining that some people don't know how to tip, "and then they only leave ten dollars- oh, I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

I was planning on leaving ten dollars. Should I leave more? I thought that was okay. Should I leave less because she had the nerve to even say that?

She then says something about how $20 is more reasonable. WTF.

By this point I can see the clock and the massage is almost over. I find myself wishing I could have enjoyed the past 45 minutes instead of stressing out about how to make the situation more comfortable. Her technique was great, it could have been a really great massage, but she was so inappropriate!

As I left, she handed me a card with her hours on it. You know, so I could request her next time. Yeah right.

Oh, I left her $15. That's right, I was guilted into leaving her a bigger tip. I'm ashamed.

Friday, August 27, 2010

35/35

Yesterday I made it to a pretty important milestone- 35 weeks pregnant, only 35 days to go! That's 5 weeks! Miss Emily Jean could be here in the next couple of weeks, although I'm pretty sure she's going to hold out until October. It's surreal to think that I could be holding her any day now.

I've been having what I think are BH contractions just about every day for the past week, but they aren't frequent or regular. I usually get them after I get home from work while I'm trying to cook dinner or do the dishes. I think it has to do with sitting all day at my desk, sitting in my car during traffic, then standing for an hour, leaning awkwardly to keep my belly out of the sink. They're pretty painful, but don't last very long. It's like a sharp pain that wraps around the bottom of my belly from one side to the other and my belly gets really hard. I'm going to be such a wuss during labor, but I'm getting better at handling these. Occasionally I'll get one that is so bad I have to lay down, but for the most part I can just walk it off.

Work is getting more and more difficult for me. At my 33 week appointment, my doctor recommended that I start working from home at 35 weeks since I'm so far from the hospital (it's a 2 hour drive). She said that if something were to happen, she wants me to go to the nearest hospital and said I shouldn't try to make it to Austin. She hasn't said she thinks Emily will show up early, she just tells me that she could come at any time.

I got the okay from work to start working from home at the beginning of September (36 weeks), but they haven't gotten a temp for me to train. They seem to think that I'll just hang around until they get someone. They almost had a temp but changed their minds and decided to keep looking! This baby isn't going to wait on a temp! I won't be having this baby in San Antonio at an unfamiliar hospital with a doctor I don't know. I feel bad, but I'm going to talk to my doctor at my appointment next week and see if I can get a note from her saying I should be working from home. I'll still work and train someone, I'll just have to do it from home! I'm not taking any chances, having a baby is kind of important.

I've got my 35 week pictures but I think Chris took the camera. He's going to New Orleans for a bachelor party this weekend. I'll admit it, I'm pretty jealous. I want to go to New Orleans. However, I'm glad I'm not going on this trip. Seven dudes are taking a big van on an 8 hour car ride and then packing themselves into 3 hotel rooms when they get there. No thanks! Roger and I get the king sized bed all to ourselves while he's gone.

He told me I'm not allowed to have the baby this weekend. He said no shopping, no walking around too much, no spicy foods and no sex, haha. I guess I can handle that. I'm spending the day with Kristen tomorrow doing girly (non stressful) things. I miss him already, hope he has fun, and it wouldn't hurt if he happened to step into a casino and win some money while he's there. :)

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Full Moon

Old wives tale says that a full moon can make a pregnant woman go into labor. Some people have told me that they have friends who work in L&D at a hospital, and they make sure to have extra staff on hand during a full moon. There are some studies that show more women go into labor during a full moon, some that show there are more false alarms during a full moon (lots of contractions, no actual labor), and then others that show there is absolutely no correlation.

I don't know. A few of my friends from thebump went into labor last night, but it is getting awfully close to their due dates so maybe it was just a coincidence? There were lots of mamas who had strong contractions last night, and I know that I had some unusual pains in the middle of the night but nothing that would send me to the hospital.

I definitely woke up 4 times to pee, does that count?

My friend Heather didn't have her baby during a full moon, but from what I remember her telling me (correct me if I'm wrong!), she went into labor the first time during a full moon, and ended up having Eric about a week and a half later. Crazy stuff.

The next full moon is a week before I'm due, maybe Emily will show up then! I'm sure that at 39 weeks I'll be begging her to come out.

Friday, August 20, 2010

34 weeks!

I decided to switch it up a little and take my belly pictures from the other side. Whoa, I know. I'm so unpredictable. I also straightened my hair today. Watch out.

My pregnancy is still going well. Everything is normal, my doctor's visits are short, and I'm happy to know I've got a healthy bouncing baby girl cooking in there.

She's still a mover. Less kicks, more rolling. And hiccups. SO. MANY. HICCUPS. I feel bad for the girl, but at the same time I feel bad for me. She gets the hiccups every single night as I'm trying to fall asleep. I can feel her entire torso jump every time. It's the weirdest thing, and honestly I really don't like it that much. It just doesn't feel right! I don't mind her wiggles, but the hiccups are driving me crazy. I have to push (gently) to move her up a little when it happens, that seems to help.

Chris has been super helpful the past couple of weeks. He's always been helpful, but I wouldn't say "super" helpful, haha. He's been helping me cook dinner more often, actually does the dishes (without me saying anything), and does laundry occasionally. He also mows the lawn, takes out the trash, fixes things, moves the crib when I decide it's not close enough to the wall, all the man stuff. My favorite thing is when he does the dishes. For real.

It's the little things, guys. If you have a pregnant wife (wife, I'm allowed to say that now!), try to help her out as much as possible. Easy chores like sweeping and pulling laundry out of the dryer become very complicated tasks for a woman who is 8 months pregnant. Even cooking dinner. I have to stand a foot away from the stove and lean a little to get near a pan. Of course, if I stand for too long doing that (sweeping, cooking dinner or washing dishes), I start to get these lovely contractions.

Painful contractions. They wrap around from one side of my back across the bottom of my belly the whole way to the other side of my back. Some are just uncomfortable and if I walk around a bit or sit down they'll be fine. Others have me laying on my side swearing to Chris that I'm going to die in labor because I cannot take the pain. You all know by now that I'm a huge wuss, don't act surprised. Every time that happens Chris wants to take me to the hospital. Every time, I say "no, I'm fine" with teary eyes.

Hopefully when it's actually time to go to the hospital I let him take me. I have a feeling I will.


Thursday, August 19, 2010

Swing!

I finally ordered a swing I really like. We had originally gotten the Khaki Sands travel swing by Fisher Price, but when we got home and put it together it made the most awful noise when the vibrating feature was on. It didn't make sense because the one on display at Target didn't make any noise. I didn't want to get another one, bring it home and have the same problem. So, I found one that was twice as expensive and decided on that! Thank goodness for gift certificates from the baby shower!

Here it is, in all it's glory. The Fisher Price Lil' Lamb Dream Swing:

Yay!

Monday, August 16, 2010

33 weeks

Sleep.

8:00p - lay down in bed
8:30p - get up, carry Roger to his bed (he won't follow me because he doesn't want to go to his kennel)
9:00p - Chris turns tv off
9:05p - Chris is asleep
9:05p - 3:32a:
- wake up to pee
- wake up because it's too hot, take covers off
- put covers back on, attempt to roll over
- roll back over, push Chris' leg away from me, try to stay still so baby will stop kicking, fall asleep for a bit
- wake up to pee, fall asleep after 30 minutes of trying to get comfortable
- wake up because I'm hot AGAIN, try to roll over, ask Chris to please roll over so I can move
- enjoy my freedom to roll over, take covers off, try to fall asleep but end up singing the black eyed peas "let's get it started" in my head for far too long. I only know like 2 lines of that song.
- put covers back on, manage to fall asleep
- hot again. Push Chris' foot away so I can stretch out my legs. Baby starts to move again.
- wake up to pee
- dammit I'm turning the air conditioning down, I don't care what our electricity bill is this month
- look at the clock
3:33a - I have 1 1/2 hours until the alarm goes off. I can do this.
- think about how I don't want to wake up and go to work
- how am I still hot when the AC is turned down to 65?
- does Emily realize that it is 3:30? Why is she rocking out in there? Probably has that song stuck in her head too.
- look at the clock
4:46a - I have 30 minutes to sleep. Try putting in earplugs for maximum quietness.
- oh, this is comfortable, I think I may fall aslee-
5:15a - alarm.

Fml.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Jessica gets married

Chris and I said "I do" 17 days after our engagement. It was perfect! The gazebo was beautiful. Our parents, siblings and grandparents attended. The ceremony was short and sweet, we didn't forget the rings, no one passed out and I only cried a little.

We had a slight altercation with a wasp landing in my hair, but my mom was able to swat it away without me noticing. I felt something tap me on the back of my head but I was in another world at the moment so I didn't really know what was going on. The only thing that distracted me was the heat! I didn't feel incredibly hot, but I literally had sweat rolling down the back of my legs. I know it's not what everyone pictures on the beautiful bride, but there it is. It tickled so I kept rubbing my foot on the back of my leg. After the ceremony, my dad said "did your legs itch?" Haha.

After the ceremony, we took tons of pictures, had a great lunch, and ate the most heavenly cake ever. Chris got cake up my nose- thanks babe!

Here's some of my favorite pictures from the wedding:

32 weeks!

I swear I'm working on the wedding post, I just have a few more pictures to edit! Here's my 32 week pictures :)

And a bonus picture from this weekend, because who doesn't like a pregnant chick in a bikini?

Roger and I spent Sunday afternoon on the deck. I floated in the pool (yup, I laid on a float in a foot of water) and Roger made sure I didn't drown.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

31 weeks

I'm behind on my posts! My apologies, I've been just a little busy this past week!