I wrote this morning on Twitter that I no longer feel human. That I feel like an incubator glued to a couch being fed Cheez Its as fuel.
I think that accurately sums up the last month of pregnancy. It’s just not fun. Your brain stops working, everything is beginning to swell and hurt and your uterus thinks it’s fun to randomly contract here and there. Because of the excruciating heartburn, there are like six things you can eat without burping lava.
It’s a miracle that I’ve got makeup on in this photo of my 35th week. My hair is even done. I am wearing a bra.
We had a little bit of drama a few weeks ago with the pregnancy. I am currently classified as high risk for some issues, and so every week I go in and have a few tests done on the baby to check that he’s growing well and is healthy.
Well, during one of these tests, the baby was terribly uncooperative and decided to take a nap. Not just a light snooze, mind you, but one of those mouth-open, deep-sleep on the couch naps you take during the first trimester. Nothing would wake him up, no amount of buzzing or shaking would get him to respond.
So the doctor stamped a big ol’ FAIL on our test results and sent us up to Labor and Delivery for an afternoon of constant monitoring.
I was kind of in shock, having expected a quick 30-minute visit first thing in the morning. My phone wasn’t charged, I hadn’t eaten breakfast, and I had other plans.
But, nope, we got into an actual labor and delivery room, had to put on a gown and get into bed and get strapped with heartbeat and contraction monitors. I was so nervous that I put the gown on backward. (In my defense, I was thinking, “Well, they’ll want access to my front so it should open to the front.”)
Check it out:
Whatever, backward or not, my lovely lady lumps and I totally rocked that gown.
Anyway, baby further frustrated people by turning himself so his back was against my back and his hands and feet were in my belly. The monitor couldn’t pick up his heartbeat for more than a few minutes, so we couldn’t get the 20 straight minutes we needed to be released.
I sat there for four hours with my mischievous fetus until the doctor finally decided I’d been tortured enough with hospital food to let me go home with a clean bill of health.
Luckily, we passed our tests last week (I may have visited Starbucks on the way to the appointment) and didn’t have to repeat this procedure, although I’ve been warned that it will most likely happen again, and in the event that he doesn’t cooperate and pass monitoring in the hospital, it’ll be “Happy Birthday Baby.”
Meanwhile, life goes on as usual around the household. Hubs is still working lots of hours and is so very much my hero lately. He takes care of so many things that I normally do and to show him my appreciation, I planned an afternoon of fun this weekend at a traveling music exhibit.
My husband is a music geek of the highest caliber. His iTunes collection is massive, we have all kinds of noise-making apps and gear and I’m often treated to long lessons on music history, theory and various performance critiques. (Well, it could be worse, he could be addicted to baseball too. Oh wait…)
Anyway, Union Station in Kansas City is serving as the first stop for a traveling exhibit called The Science of Rock. The exhibit is extremely hands-on and a blast for all ages and levels of musical experience.
Along with a couple of our friends, we marveled at the displays, played with the instruments and laughed as Monkey made it his personal mission to try on every pair of headphones in the place.
On the way out, we had to do some train watching, of course.
If you’re in the area and would like to visit the exhibit, you can plan your outing here. In addition to the exhibit, Union Station offers many activities perfect for family outings and also serves as a great date night destination.
Linking up with Greta and Sarah for #iPPP this week!
Mamamash 
Yeah, you totally rock that bump (and the hospital gown!).
Sorry you had to endure that at the hospital, naughty sleepy baby! (what are the chances he’ll be a good sleeper when he’s born? Pretty good?)
My first did that DURING labor. He was fast asleep, didn’t want to come out and the midwives made me drink some sweet stuff to try and get him to wake up so that he COULD BE BORN. I tell you, these dudes.
It’s so close, so excited for you!
Girl, we got a good sleeper the first time around. I doubt we get lucky twice!
I am cracking up at your boy snoozing during labor!
Mama you look incredible!
If these children understood half of the drama they put us through while cooking in the oven (my duo was DRA-MA) and I nearly went insane on 3 months of bed rest. Literally. They need to just be the sweetest most well behaved munchkins for ever and ever and ever. Or at the very least sleep through the night from the get go. I’d take that trade off. 🙂 You’re in the home stretch!!!
Yes! Exactly. They must understand. (So ready to be done!)
You really are gorgeous.
I remember the excitement and nervousness as the time got near. But you’ve got this! This is baby #2
Thank you Leighann. 🙂 I feel pretty when I’m showered and made up. The rest of the time I feel like a haggard housewife, no lie.
Your hair looks absolutely fabulous!
Thank you. 🙂 I must thank this child, (and Brazilian keratin) for these locks. This is my most favorite hair ever. Perhaps I should have it made into a wig so it will always look this good? That’s weird though. Sigh.
The time is getting close – how exciting! I remember loving my hair when I was pregnant, too; every day was a good hair day then. 🙂
I don’t even have to style it most days! Just run a brush through it and hello Cindy Crawford! 😀 I will miss it when it all falls out.
Oh so close, so very close!
Every time I eat clementines I think of you!
Haha, awesome! I love right now when they’re so cheap at the market. Like candy, I tell you.
Your hair really does look amazing! If baby hadn’t been stressing everybody out, that would have been such a nice, relaxing day in the hospital. Ha! I’m glad you had fun at Union Station (and didn’t nearly pass out or anything, I hope)!
Next time (if there is one) I am so ready to enjoy the alone time. I’ll be far enough along to not freak if we need to take him early, and I will have a book AND a charged phone. Of course, being this prepared means that it won’t happen again. 😀
JULIE!!! You look amazing-ness! Poor lil pumpkin is just cooking and napping and enjoying his stay in Chez Mama ❤ But enough about him 😉 The end of pregnancy is a BEAST. You are rocking it. R.O.C.K.I.N.G. IT.
Thank you! Some days I’m all RAWR but other like today I just sort of whimper on the couch. 😉 Almost there…
you do look amazing! just wish you were feeling more so. I’d say hang in there, but that kind of comment warrants a throat punch….i should know…I keep company with a lot of pregnant ladies 🙂 I’ve hung out in “the end of pregnancy land” a few times myself 🙂 the end is in sight. xoxo
Thanks! I purposefully avoid real people in social situations in the last month so I don’t have to overcome the throat punch urge. 😉 Today I counted up the days and realized that we were less than a menstrual cycle away. Hah, such a dork.
You look great, my friend!
I hope those last few weeks fly by and you little man cooperates – looks like the big guy already does 😉 xo!
Thank you, Kerstin. 🙂 Things are feeling kind of speedy all of a sudden. I am ready to meet this person already!
You are so right… at this time in all three of my pregnancies I was so done. I’m was soooo happy when both my girls decided to come 2 weeks early! The exhibit sounds like fun. My husband is a music lover, critic, geek too. I’ll have to see if it will come down here at some point! Good luck to you!!!
I hope it has dates near you guys! It was a lot of fun. 🙂
You’re getting so close to the end!!! So excited for you! I remember mine being a pain in the behind like that, making the Dr’s think he was coming early like his brother and then in the end having to kick him out! You look amazing! and totally rock the gown
My husband loves the gown picture. Haha, he’s a fan of all the bumps I guess. 😉
I’m glad all is well. I hope the rest of the pregnancy goes along swimmingly. Good luck with the birth!!
Thank you! 😀
You look amazing Mama!!! I’m sorry things got a bit scary for you and baby. I still can’t believe you are 35 weeks along. I remember when you announced it on twitter. It seems like yesterday. Try to rest and enjoy these last few weeks as a family of three! Hope your son is excited to become a big brother!
How scary!! I was high risk with Lil Duck. I had the weekly appointments from about 19 weeks on. I hate when they scare the hell out of you! Very happy that all ended with some Starbucks and happy hearts!! That Rock exhibit was much fun. The boys loved it and Lil Duck literally had to be dragged out of the recording room. The mic and tv screen proved too much for her vanity.
What a beautiful belly you have! Sorry about your drama, tho. That stinks.