The wait is over (?)

My Ob/Gyn called this morning.

Didn't hear my phone ringing.

He called my hubby's phone.... he didn't hear it either.

Ob/Gyn must have been panicky (hehehe)

Finally heard the call, answered it.

"Can you come in for a check up today?" Asked my Ob/Gyn

"Sure, what time would you like to see me?" I replied.

"How about now?"

"OK"

"OK be prepared k"

"Er... OK (?)"

** Click **

"Hubby, doc wants to see me now and he wants me to be prepared" I told Hubby.

"Be prepared?"

"Yeah that's what he said"

Hubby shrugs... "OK then... "He then looks at my bulging tummy and said "Baby, looks like the doc's gonna get you out soon."

Were we feeling anxious? Not really.

Did we panic? Not at all.

On the way to the clinic, we were even discussing what to eat for breakfast! Once at the clinic we were ushered into the office. (Bypassing some other moomies who were waiting in the lounge... hehehe felt like a VIP then)

"So today, we'll do an internal examination, then a scan and then we'll monitor the fetal heartbeat for a while." explained the good doc.

"OK" we said.

Upon examination I was already 4-5 cm dilated!

"I think you'll be going into labour today!" exclaimed the doc.

"There are two options, one, go in today at about 3pm and we'll put you on the drips. If all goes well I believe you'll be carrying your baby by tonight. Option two, wait for the spontaneous contractions and then check into the hospital."

Hmmm.... door no. 1 we'll take our leisure time, pack our stuff, relax a little and then check in. Door no. 2, wait till I get my contractions about 10 minutes apart and panic and rush into the hospital Hollywood style (hehehe yeah a bit of exageration there).

"Let's do the leisure one" said Hubby.

I concured.

So here goes, in another 2 hours, we'll be checking in... and hopefully by tonight, we'll hear the first wail of our first born ;)

Wish us luck.

The wait continues...

At work yesterday on MSN Messenger:
SIL *	:	Any signs yet?
Me	:	Nope :(
SIL	:	Aiyoh she getting too comfy in there.
At dinner last night:
MIL **	:	Any signs yet?
Me	:	Nope.
MIL	:	Aunty Irene called today to ask if you've delivered.
Me	:	Oh..
This morning:
Mum	:	Any signs yet?
Me	:	Nope.
Mum	:	Your sis asks if your feet have swollen for the 3rd time.
Me	:	Erm.. yesterday it got swollen again. So I guess yeah..
Sis in background saying 'Yay!'

And yet... she's still happily kicking away inside my womb... why do I get a feeling she's mocking us? :P Hehehe well at least I'm not the only one who's anxious.

* SIL - Sister in Law
** MIL - Mother in Law

The waiting game

We're now 38 weeks into the pregnancy. My tummy has grown to the size of a basketball... it's so big that when I walk down the stairs, and I look down, all I see is a big round tummy! The only time I can see my own swollen feet is when I put them up when I sit or when I sleep.

Looking back, this journey has been insightfull. This baby that I now carry was very much like a gift for us to overcome an initial grief. Though precious to both of us, we decided early on not to be overly protective. Lo and behold, I even travelled to Jakarta numerous times within this pregnancy!

We tried to maintain a normal lifestyle, with me doing normal things without over exerting my body. I kept remembering how my beloved grandma would advice me last time 'Keep active during your pregnancy, and your labour will be short and easy'. I only wished she was still with us and to be able to see her great grand daughter... but I'm sure she's watching us from up above.

Now as the days to baby's debut draw near... I am getting more and more anxious to greet her. I even hoped that she would make an early appearance and surprise us during this long holiday break. At the last check up with the gynae on Sunday, he was happy at the progress and baby's head was already locked low. He too hoped that she will make an early debut for she now weighs in at an estimated 3.25kg! Whoa! Rough calculations would put her nearly at 4kg if she's delivered at 40 weeks!

So since the checkup, we've been making daily walks at the park, walking at the mall, walking up and down the stairs.... hoping that it'll somehow kick start the labour process. Unfortunately, she's still comfortably snuggled within my womb. Every night before I sleep I tell her not to get too comfortable in there.... hehehe

This waiting game is really getting to me ... I'm even reading up HypnoBirthing ! To keep my mind occupied, I've packed, unpacked and repacked my bag for when I go into labour. I've also packed some stuff for baby for when we get discharged from the hospital. In addition, the guest room is prepared for my mom for when she accompanies me during my house arrest confinement period. Baby's cot is also ready.... I'm running out of things to do! I must keep myself occupied before the waiting drives me mad :P

Any suggestions?

32 weeks

How your baby's growing: By now, your baby probably weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. She has tiny toenails now, and her fingernails have grown in, too. Some babies have a head of hair already; others have only peach fuzz.

My sister measured around my waist (or what used to be the location of my waist) and all I can say is that it's amazing how much human skin can stretch! -- If you're expecting me to put the number in inches.... dream on :P --

We went to the gynae's last week and he's happy with baby's progress. She's already turned down and facing my spine. According to the doc, that's a very good position. Apparently it is said that in that position, labour will be quicker and should be less painful. (I can only hope that is true and baby decides to stay that way for the next 8 weeks or so)

While doc was scanning my tum, I told him that she's really active and strong. At that very moment, she wanted to prove to the doc too... so she kicked the doc's probe. And boy was it a hard kick. Doc was SURPRISED... he had that doe caught in the headlight look for a while hehee.

I attribute her kicking habit to me watching football matches during the world cup and also EPL matches with hubby. Oh my, will she be a tomboy? *Note to self: Best not let hubby dress her up in MU jersey so early*

One day at the gynae's...

Last Saturday, we went for a scheduled check up at the gynae's. Instead of going at about 8pm like we usually do, we opted to go early at 9am. As we walked in, I found it odd, that in the waiting lounge, was only 2 guys.

Took a step back out and looked at the sign board... yup.... this is the right place. It's a 'Klinik Pakar Puan' alright.

Walked back in, handed my appointment card to the nurse. "Urine and weight" she said.. so ok, obidiently I took the cup and waddled to the ladies.

As I approached, I saw a lady bent over the WC offloading breakfast (or maybe yesterday's dinner). Oh, so one of the guys out there must be her husband, I thought.

So after filling the cup, I waddled back to the front. I was then weighed (oh man that was so depressing)... I saw the same lady again being soothed by her husband.

The other lone guy looked kind of lost amidst the 2 couples (including us) at the waiting lounge. I thought that maybe his wife was in with the doc and he decided to wait outside....

But then, the door to the doctor's room opened and out came another couple... Aiks...

Then... we saw the doc come over to the nurse counter and motioned for the lone guy to go over. After a few minutes of hushed conversation, the lone guy left.

"That's odd" I said to hubby.

Soon it was our turn to go in to see the doc. After all the check and scan, my doc suddenly said... "There are some really funny people out there"

Hubby and I looked at each other.

"There was a guy who came in just now," continued the doctor " came for a check up on behalf of his wife!"

"Huh?" we replied

"Yeah, his wife was busy, but had an appointment today, so just sent the husband instead. Amazing... I wonder how she thought I was gonna scan her husband to check on her baby"

Hubby and I couldn't stop laughing.

30 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby's a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long
now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid
surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and fills out
your uterus. Her eyes open and close, she's able to distinguish between light
and dark, and she can even follow a light source back and forth. Once she's
born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open
them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have a visual acuity of only
20/400 — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.
("Normal" vision in adults is 20/20.)

I can feel baby move a lot during the course of the day (and sometimes in the night too). However, whenever anyone else tries to feel for her movements, she keeps still (what a tease she's turning out to be).

Hubby and I are getting more excited as the pregnancy is near it's final lap. I however, am feeling less agile and I get tired easier too. I now have

• Swollen nose
• Swollen feet
• Stretch marks (arrgh!!)
• Back aches
• Pelvic joint aches (especially when I walk)

My visit to the Ob-Gyn will now be once every 2 weeks. We just went for one yesterday and this is what we saw...

28 weeks

How your baby's growing: By this week, your baby weighs a little over 2 pounds
and measures about 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can
open her eyes — which now sport lashes — and she'll turn her head toward a
continuous, bright light from the outside. Her fat layers are beginning to form,
too, as she gets ready for life outside the womb.

As we're reaching the homestretch of the pregnancy, we're beginning to gear up on the preparation. Thus far we've gotten:

1. A beginner feeding bottle set
2. 1 set of clothings for baby ( to bring her home in.... Hubby decided to go gender neutral colors -- even though doc has shown us again that he's pretty sure that it's a girl. So we bought a FULL set in yellow with duck motif :P )
3. Sanitary stuff for me to be packed into my labour bag.
4. Bedding for baby's cot... (Yes, I got Winnie the Pooh!!)
5. Some toys for baby ... (hehehe.. we just couldn't resist it)

There'll be other stuff to get but we're trying to pace ourselves.

In the mean time, baby has been actively kicking and moving. Sometimes I feel she's using my bladder as a punching bag, making me visit the WC more often.

We're feeling excited... anxious... oh the plethora of emotions .... but yet... we still have yet to think of a name :P

Nesting Instinct or just a Compulsive Behavior

I always have an urge once in a while to just reorganize my cupboard, drawer or furniture. I have had these urges since I was in secondary school.

I may come home one day and just have the urge to alphabetize my textbooks, or rearrange the pens in my pencil case (hmm... pen in pencil case... that sounded odd). I thought it was normal, you know... probably genes from my mum kicking in once in a while.

However I can't explain this major urge I've had for the past two weeks. I was again away for work in Indonesia, but had major pangs to clean my home! I even drew up a plan on what I would do.

First, I would sort out my cupboard and remove all the clothes that I do not want anymore .. (also coz I ran out of cupboard space....really, just one side of a two door wardrobe is NEVER enough for a girl).

Second, I want to file up all the bills that are lying around the house and reorganize all the files in the study room.

Third, I want to reorganize all the drawers in the house. Each of them must have a specific genre of item, instead of the plethora of items that they hold now.

Fourth, I even had the urge to reorganize some furniture... but that's a big no-no now.. so I just have to surpress this one.

Of course within these there would be the general wiping, sweeping and mopping.

I even dreamt of it!

Is this normal? Is this Nesting Instinct, or am I just weird that way?