Enjoying the ride.
I can't believe I have a daughter. And it has been a fun time to bring her home to our condo in the sky for these past 9 weeks. The first part was intense as we kept alive a newborn. The second part was emotional as we recovered from the birth and learned about moving. This last part has been fun and busy as we soak up the last few days here and enjoy our two month old as she learns new things.
The first child is a unique experience. Sorry to subsequent children but it's a big deal to get the first. I am thankful for this time even when I am exhausted. It makes me appreciate my own parents and relationships. We also have the privilege to enjoy being parents in this time of history with all the abundance and even more so as first time parents. Now if only I can figure out what to do with my job... :)
We made it to full term and I do feel well-endowed as a pregnant woman. A lot of places are sore. I don't have my usual mobility. It's crazy: there is a baby, a very little person inside me waiting to come out. She's head down.
Thank you Matt for your daily help and love with this. I couldn't have done it without you. I am so glad we can figure out the next part together as well.
The third trimester is not easy. More patience is required especially if you have chosen the natural route of waiting for the baby to make its move. I have to rest more, eat often, rest some more, drink water, sleep, walk, etc. It's challenging to not overdo it each day especially since I am so project-driven. And I feel badly when I didn't accomplish something -- a habit I need to overcome. The anticipation for something I have never experienced is so unique. It feels far away but it can happen any day.
By now I am on maternity leave thankfully so work is done for a long while. I can't believe I worked through 39 weeks. My friend called me a trooper and indeed that is what is needed to finish. My coworkers are really encouraging and I will miss them. I wonder how I will do after several weeks of not working. This will be my longest stint away from the office since I started working after high school. It feels like vacation even though everyone says that the baby care is a lot of work. I hope the training was sufficient for the coworkers I left behind.
Managing everyone else's expectations is another aspect of hitting the due date. People are excited and check on me often, especially with the social networking and texting options. They also have suggestions on how to trigger getting the labor started. I won't be drinking castor oil!
Can you believe that Mary was riding on a donkey looking for a place to stay and just about to give birth to Jesus? And I am sure the birth place for Jesus isn't as prim and proper as we like to illustrate in song and nativity scenes. It was a most holy and miraculous event, but I am sure there was a nervous couple in a barn with a very small, helpless baby dealing with a very physical moment in their lives. The Savior of the world came to us this way.
An induction is scheduled for me on January 3 if nothing happens before then. That feels far away and it seems there is plenty of activity in my body as proof that she will come before that. In the meantime I am excited for Christmas and family and baking and presents. It's a beautiful season and I am blessed to experience uniquely. Merry Christmas!
This week has been interesting with work projects because I am about to go on maternity leave and there are still a couple of important projects to complete. One of them is updating a USB driver to work on the 64-bit Windows 7 operating system. I can write that in one sentence but do you know how many steps that actually requires?
I am only at step 3. It has taken almost 3 days to get this purchase order number. As an engineer, this kind of delay is very annoying. It is too bad I could not have used a credit card. And this process does not cover how long it took me to debug the fact that the driver needed to be recertified on Windows 7 64-bit in the first place (which was like a week and is another story). Supposedly the next steps are easier and faster; I just can’t get to them yet and now the weekend is upon us.
This kind of thing has happened before and I have slowly worked through the steps to success. You have to; it has to be done correctly. But it amazes me that the timing for this instance occurs before a huge life event for me, when I would love to have things squared away here at work. Maybe it’s some sort of test; maybe it’s just life.
I hope the full moon this weekend doesn’t put me into labor.
Update: Just as I am about to post this, the purchase order comes through. Go figure.
The third trimester entails soreness, stiffness, and a big tummy. I get cranky when I am hungry. I get delirious when I am tired. My poor bladder and stomach are squished. My lower ribs are super tender and stretched. It even hurts to turn over in bed. And the baby pushes and pokes with more intensity. The emotional mixture of anticipation, physical issues, and concern for the pregnancy climax of delivering a baby are taking a toll. I am tired of the recent emotional swings. Sometimes I can cry at the smallest thing; other times I can conquer the world while packing this baby!
A friend at work reminds me that if it's worth doing, it's going to take some effort. Indeed I am in the middle of that now.
The last few years at my in-laws' house we have set up a movie to play during trick-or-treating or the Christmas parade. At first we just had a white sheet on the fence but a couple of years ago we got an inflatable screen that is about 90 inches on the diagonal. We have this older projector and a couple of ways to do sound depending on what cables we can find, if we can find them. (RCA to 3.5 mm adapters are not popular.) This year we had access to a Dell laptop to run both the video and sound. And these outdoor speakers are great for projecting. There are just cables everywhere for power and all the signals!
It's fun to watch a short Christmas movie with hot chocolate and popcorn. And neighborhood kids think it's fun. One time we watched the movie Giant on it during a summer evening.
As a side note don't you think Charlie Brown cartoons are depressing?
My family is crafty! I am so thankful for these beautiful baby gifts. I am sure there is a better way to take blanket photos but hopefully the colors and patterns can be seen. My brother and sister-in-law made the fleece one. My sister made the little quilt. I can't wait to use them. Actually the fleece one is big enough for me and so perfect during a nap. What a blessing.
My plan is to give this loaf to our friends at the concierge desk, but it's so tempting to keep it all.
I am surprised I attempted this little project, since it was a busy day and I am achy all over from being 9 months pregnant. Will I be able to make my 8 am meeting? I am sure a muffin will help!
Good night!
Baby, what are you doing? It must be a growth spurt. You feel heavy and put pressure in uncomfortable spots. I know you are getting bigger and there are about 6 weeks left. It seems a long way off especially when I can't sleep at 3am or move well. (My legs get so achey at night!) But then it seems close when we get the baby bed and other gifts in preparation for your arrival and I can feel you move so distinctly.
We had the baby shower party last night. I guess that is part of the reason i couldn't sleep -- it was so exciting. It felt like it went by quickly. I loved having many friends and family over for BBQ. My sisters, mom, Betty, Lauri, and everyone did a great job. It was a beautiful event. I am truly blessed!! I can't wait until you meet them all. And they can't wait to meet you.
I hope your dad feels better soon. He got a cold this weekend and his voice is horse. On top of that a silly dog bit him in the calf while he was out working! It's not a serious bite but it was annoying for him especially when he is trying to work. Maybe you can give him a hug later. ;-)
Love, Mom
