I had so many plans when I got materinty leave. I was going to read up on animal nutrition, behaviour and anaesthesia. I was going to sew that Santa suit for Aurora that I didn’t find the fabric for last year (and still haven’t found the white fluff for the collar), I was going to finally be able to read The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, I had time to watch It’s Me or the Dog and I had time to just relax.

So what have I done? I’ve read a little bit nutrition (I’m doing a course and need to send in my answers soon!), I’ve seen half of the episodes of IMOTD, and NOTHING else. Seriously. I’ve either slept on the couch/bed in the middle of the day, done a little baking (after all it is Christmas soon) and watched episodes of House. Oh, and played FarmVille on Facebook. God, that’s addictive! It’s going to be a hard transition when the baby finally decides to come…

And speaking of the baby: No signs of labour yet. She likes it in there, it seems. We are scheduled for an ultrasound and a prenatal checkup on Tuesday. Can’t wait to se our baby girl again! Although it’s only on a screen

Thursday was my first day on maternity leave. It feels great to sleep in and take it easy. People at work have kept telling me that they think it’s great that I’ve been so healthy and come to work (more or less) every day, and one colleague even said that I’m her role model of what she wants to be like when she gets pregnant. That really keeps your spirit up when you feel like a whale

The past couple of days has been a drag though. I kinda thought I wouldn’t retain water since the only times I’ve done so was in Lisbon and if I sit still for 3 hours, which I normally never do, but my right foot keeps swelling now. I wear maternity support stockings, but it doesn’t feel like its much help. I’m just glad it’s just one foot, and not my entire body

Other than that I’m really ready for our little girl to come. Too bad there isn’t a full moon until December 31st, cause I really, really, really hope to me a mom before Christmas. Did you hear that, Santa?

A couple of days ago, or nights ago, I couldn’t sleep. The baby was squirming around like usual, when suddenly it felt like she slid down an inch or two. It was the weirdest feeling. So I grabbed my phone and surfed the web like a maniac if this could be “lightening”. But I couldn’t really tell, and it freaked me out. I never imagined that you could actually feel the baby slide down… If anybody knows anything about this, please let me know!

I can’t really wrap my head around the fact that it’s less than 5 weeks until I have her in my arms!

5 days after I got vaccinated against the new influenza, it was actually on the way home from one of our date nights, I started having problems breathing properly, and I felt like shit. Yes, I said it: Shit. I crawled to bed shivering while trying not to get hysterical that it felt like I was gonna pass out from lack of oxygen. So I managed to take some pain killers and get some sleep.

The next day I called in sick, and then I read on the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s website that pregnant women need to call their doctors if they get sick. A week back they were wondering if Norway had a different strain of the virus since there are more sick people here than in other countries, but let me tell you this: I know why! When I called my doctor’s office and told them who I was and that I had flu-like symptoms I was told that: “Well, then you just need to stay in bed until you get better!” I was a bit put off by the reply and said a little quiter that I had read that I was supposed to call since I was pregnant. And then she just said: “Oh, but then you need to get an appointment today!” So I did. But the doctor didn’t think I had the flu, but gave me sick leave for 11 days.

So here I am. My lungs hurt like hell when I cough, but the fever is gone, and if I don’t walk outside I have no problems breathing. I’m not welcome at work for another week cause they are afraid of getting sick too (which I don’t blame them for), so I sit here, playing FarmVille on Facebook, browsing the Internet for calendars and other things cute, and eat clementines. Could be worse.

Our little baby girl is having a blast though. Since I’m not moving too much nowadays, she’s awake more often than she usually is, so she’s kicking and squirming like there’s no tomorrow. I usually sleep through the night without having to get up to pee, but the past nights I’ve woken up cause she’s tossing and turning, and there’s a moving lump showing on my belly. I groan, cause, well, it hurts, so Christian wakes up. His response is always a cheerful: “Oh, hahaha, would you look at that!” Then he gently strokes the foot or whatever it is she’s using to try to make a way out of the womb with (I always imagine one of the aliens in the, uhm, Alien movies, when she does that), until she stops.

I really do. Have I told you before? Did it make you jealous? I don’t care. I love it. I love the location (although the building is old and in need of a makeover), I love the people I work with, I love what I do and I love our patients (not too fond of diarrhea, vomit and bad breath).

Seriously, what could make my job better? Well, we are underpaid big time, but at least I love my job.

Did I mention that I love my job? Oh. Okay, I’ll shut up now.

Sooo.. It’s only five days until we leave for Lisbon, and I’m so not prepared. For anything.

The dress looks blah. It looked good on me when I tried it on with a 3 month pregnancy belly (was it 3 months? I can’t even remember), but they ordered the skirt part in two sizes bigger than I normally would have used so I could fit a fat belly in there. Now it looks like a sack, and I’m not happy. So I asked the tailor if she could fix it, but there wasn’t much she could do. I look like a fatso. A not so pleased fatso. And I’m spending my savings on it.

Okay, so it’s just a dress, but if I was just happy with the outcome, then I’d gladly pay to get it fixed. So I’m a bit angry at myself for not choosing the dream dress I tried on with a fake preggy belly, but rejected cause it was expensive and used.

Anyway! Everything else is under control, I think. I need to start packing tomorrow to feel that I’m doing something cause I have two yoga sessions this week, two doctors appointments and I’d like to have everything ready for the lecture I’m giving in October. (Why, oh why, did I say yes to give a two day lecture for the veterinary nurse students?)

At least I’m getting married to the bestest man I could ask for

Dear Baby Doe,

It’s finally week #20 and only 20 weeks to go! Ahem, if everything goes according to plan, that is. I’ve really enjoyed the past weeks, with only one breakfast puke and a thousand bathroom breaks, but mostly just relaxing on the coach feeling your kicks. I’ve started to feel very tired again, but I suspect that work is tiring me out as it’s too much to do when other clinics are closed.

I’ve started pregnancy yoga and I’m doing weekly classes until my last trimester, and then we’ll see if I can start a new class where we focus on breathing and that stuff. So far I love it and highly recommend it for other preggers ladies out there

Names. We have names ready if you’re a girl, but we don’t know which ones of the four names we want to use. I myself have four names, and I don’t want that for you, little Baby Doe While searching for baby names, I came over this funny little thing. Oh, Internet, you can amuse me for hours and hours!

It’s week 9 and you’re now called a fetus, not an embryo. Exciting! You’re now about the size of a large grape, and I’m pretty sure my belly has grown, although it could be my love for soda and chips.

Today I found out that it’s normal for breasts for grow 2-3 cup sizes bigger until you start breast-feeding. Whaaah?!

Your dad and I has our first official prenatal care appointment this week. We talked A LOT and after we got home I still was confused about what to do next, haha. The doctor measured my blood pressure, which was normal, and took lots of blood samples. I’m very interested in the result of the toxoplasmosis one, as it would be very helpful at work if it was positive. Your dad looked like he was about to faint when the nurse took the blood I, who also hate these things, was asking the nurse: “Are you really gonna use that green one?” and “Is it necessary to take that many vials?”

Poo, I do this to animals all day long.