Sooo, no sign of the baby yet Went to the ultrasound on Tuesday, and everything’s fine in there. Had a prenatal checkup later that day, which showed proteinuria and leukocytes in my urin. The doctor told us to come back the next day for another check, which gave the same result plus a high blood pressure, so he sent us to the hospital just to be sure. They checked the baby’s heartbeat and contractions, and took blood samples. I felt fine though, but they wanted to make sure it wasn’t preeclampsia. I was surprised to learn that I had regular contractions, though. And we could see that our little baby girl got a raised heartbeat when I had contractions, and then calmed down afterwards, and that’s good. She’s so cute, poor little thing.

I have a new appointment at the hospital on Monday, so we’ll see. At least I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna happen soon, which I didn’t before.

Christmas so far has been gooood. We’re just taking it easy, hanging around the apartment watching movies (and I’m playing my New Super Mario Bros. Wii!) and I’m trying to walk every day. Oh, and we still have got some presents under the tree, for the baby, that we decided not to open until we bring her home

Hope everybody’s having a great time — Happy holidays!

I can’t believe it’s Christmas next week! I’ve been so caught up in all this pregnancy thingies that I’ve totally forgotten that what we’re also counting down to is Christmas Eve. We bought a Christmas tree last week, and Christian decorated it like only a German can. I mean, they are so much better than us Norwegian with decorating a Christmas tree.

Anyway, we’ve already put the presents under it, and Rora is checking them every now and then. It’s funny how half of the gifts are for the baby even though we don’t even know if she’s born by Christmas Eve Fortunately I’ve gotten all the presents shipped on time so I don’t have to do the usual panic shopping this year.

But you know what else? I’m REALLY looking forward to be a mom, and not be pregnant, and to lose some weight and have our little girl in our arms. Really, really. I’ve tried everything said to help induce labor: Cleaning windows, walking up steps (two at a time), eating cinnamon and licorice, acupressure, that sex thing, spicy food, pinapple(?) and walking.

Pleeeaaase, Santa, I’ve been good this year!

Isn’t it typical that I’m starting to warm up to our midwife just when we’re about to never see her again? At least not in this pregnancy… Had a prenatal checkup today, and I asked tons of questions about whatever’s happening to my body and the baby. She said that what I had felt the other day probably was the baby descend, and she confirmed that the baby’s now engaged! Yay! Even though it doesn’t feel like it, something’s happening in there, and we’re getting closer and closer to holding our little darling in our arms!

I told the midwife that I was a bit worried that the baby would be too big, but she said that it looked like she was the right size for a tiny person like me. Okay, she didn’t call me tiny, but I am. Ah. Good news.

And this is a picture of me a couple of days ago, still in week 37, enjoy

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!

Yes, I know what you’re thinking, I’ve known now for about 250 days now that I’m pregnant, but I still feel like it was just yesterday. I’ve had a really great pregnancy so far, knock on wood, sans the nausea (but I honestly don’t even remember that now), and I’m really thankful for that. I’ve said all along that I don’t mind that it takes 9 months as it’s so much to take in, so much you need to get for the baby, and then there’s the thought of labour.

The past week has been a little too much for me. I’ve gained 11 kg (24 lb.) and I feel heavy! And this is before the serious water weight sets in. So I actually said that I didn’t mind if the baby came last week. But I lied.

We went to the last preggie yoga session last Tuesday. It’s for couples and how the men can support the women, and how the women can breathe through the contractions, and positions to relax and stuff like that. And it was then it really dawned on me: I’m really gonna give birth to this little baby inside of me. Like, really, give birth. Through my you-know-what. And it’s gonna hurt. A LOT.

But I’m hoping the pain won’t be unbearable, and I’m planning to give birth without any pain medication. Uhm, that’s the plan, at least. What I’m trying to say is: I’m a bit freaked out right now.

My sister is very interested in my pregnancy. Not in a way that you’ll think, like: “How are you feeling today?” or “Would you like me to send some good lotion?” or “Is the baby and mother alright?”. No, it’s more like: “How fat are you now?” and “Do you have any stretch marks yet?” and “Where on the whale scale are you now?”

And don’t get me wrong, I love my sister, and she used to be overweight so she knows how it is, and I don’t mind that she loves my weight gain a little too much.

So today we spoke on the phone today, and she asked me again about the stretch marks, which she also did yesterday. And I said, “Noo, I can’t see any, but I’m HUUGE! Seriously huge!” and then I walked past the mirror (and since I just had come home from preggie yoga and my yoga pants were wet from the nasty weather we have now, I was pantless. And then I see them. THE STRETCH MARKS. And I scream for Christian to come, and ask him, if that’s what it is, is that a stretch mark, OMG, can it be true?!!

And he just says: “Nah.” And I just stand there, trying to wrap my eyes around that big belly of mine and look under my belly, and when that doesn’t work, try to check in the mirror again, but I can’t really decide if it’s a stretch mark or just the strange colour of my skin nowadays, but I’m pretty sure it is a stretch mark, and I run to the toilet to find a lotion to rub on.

So there it is. I managed to get 10 kg bigger, 35 weeks into my pregnancy, that’s 245 days(!), until I got a stretch mark.

BOO!

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.