I came over to blog Saturday morning and my account was locked out. I thought it was going to be this coming Friday before we could get it back in business, but my husband, because he loves me and my silly priorities surprised me (even while working all weekend) with an up and running blog on Sunday. And as I finally made the time to sit down and write now, I realize it’s been a whole 2 weeks since I last visited. It’s not just that life is so busy (which it is) but also that there is a lot going on in my extended family. And if you’re a long time reader you know that when things get heavy, when things get hard, I get quiet. But there are still memories I don’t want to lose so here I am.
First of all, are you still checking my sidebar (especially if you’re reading me in a reader)? Because every few weeks I’m updating that little ticker with a new video of how the baby is developing at each stage or week. Those videos are from The Endowment for Human Development they made a full length dvd called The Biology of Prenatal Development that aired on National Geographic. I just wanted you to know that there is a neat informational dvd out there about how babies really develop (because you do know they are not just blobs of cells that can be eliminated without someone dying, right?)
I am now 26 weeks along. My varicose veins are ridiculously bad. My midwife warned me they would get worse. And they have. I now have them on my other leg as well and the originals are hideous, not to mention painful. As far as I can tell the geranium oil helps relieve them some and as I understand it will work better in the long term. MyMiddlest asked me the other day if God healed either my eyesight so that I wouldn’t have to wear glasses or make these veins go away. Totally and completely the veins. It’s not just vanity anymore (though that plays a huge role), but I could definitely do without the throbbing and pain.
I tried to do my glucose test at home on Saturday before Matt left for work. I changed my mind and opted for the grape juice only option. All I had to do was test when I woke up, drink just over 2 cups of grape juice within 15 minutes, wait an hour, test again, wait one more hour and test one last time. That’s it. I tested with Matt’s help. We couldn’t remember how to work the little tester and I thought he had stuck my finger for naught when we couldn’t get it to work. I don’t do needles well at all the first time for a reason, much less when my blood is sitting there ready to be wasted. I also have no poker face so I’m sure my eyes were shooting darts at him. He got tickled and said in his best Gollum voice “stupid fat little hobbitses!” I might’ve been thinking something along those lines. Then it came time to drink the juice. I don’t drink a lot of anything anyway (it’s really a struggle for me to stay hydrated) so that much that quickly is a hurdle. I was chugging it from a measuring cup (because I tend to be practical) and he pulled out a wine glass and said to pretend I was drinking to have the desired fun effect of the fermented variety. I did, we giggled, and went about our business. I guess maybe in hindsight I should’ve sat down and chilled out. Instead I switched the laundry and got a shower. Proceeded to fix breakfast for the kiddos. And increasingly felt lightheaded. It was not setting well with me. I usually need protein and less sugar anyway, but I thought I had this since I also frequently drink a cup of coffee and don’t have breakfast for a while. I did not have this. At 40 minutes into waiting the first hour I started feeling really not well. Sweating, stomach churning, going pale. I was fighting it with all I had. I was feeling dizzy and really bad. I went to the trash can absolutely determined to have mind over matter. It did not work. I got sick and voided the whole test. I was so frustrated. And really, really sick to my stomach. I ate some cheese to ease back into protein, but the effects of it lasted several hours on me. I talked to my midwife and she assured me that did not mean anything as to the results of the test – it didn’t mean I was automatically gestationally diabetic (yes, I might’ve made that term up). She said she won’t automatically fail it. We’ll try the breakfast diet next time. If I throw that up we’ll keep trying different options until I get a true pass or fail. So, I’m still praying over the results (and now even the process) of that test that is still before me.
Baby Girl is still kicking like crazy and encouraging me. I’m still doing great. I was so sick and deeply depressed with the last pregnancy (ugh, I hate to even say that, I SO looked forward to him, yet the pregnancy was overshadowed with gray for me), but anyway this time I have none of that. Just excitement (and maybe a little nerves over a new baby, c’mon! That happens every time!) and anticipation.
The kids still hug and kiss and my belly and talk to her using her name. They have felt her and they talk about her all the time. As with the last couple of pregnancies I’ve found myself counting her as part of our family, as in “I have 6 children”. I imagine her here all the time. So when I’m in public and doing a head count as to where the kids are I now stumble over how many children I’m actually counting. Crazy, right?! But that’s how it is in the Parker family, you’re counted from day one whether I have an actual sweet little head to count or not. Too funny.
So that’s the catch up. I hope to pop in more often and share with you. In the meantime, I’m just glad I have an account that I can pop in to.
