that one day in september

Yesterday happened to be the re-match of the AFL Grand Final, but that's not what I'm blogging about. While the Grand Final is synonymous with the phrase "...that one day in September", for me it was different. Yesterday also coincided with what happened a month ago, on a day in September. 3rd September, to be more precise.

The start of September usually heralds a few things - the start of spring, goodbye to coldness (although you wouldn't have known much difference in the weeks that followed) and my beloved late Nanna's birthday. This particular year, it was also the day I found out I was expecting our second child. It's something I'm still grappling with, not so much the shock, but the realisation settling in. This pregnancy was planned, or rather, in the words of my husband, "We should get onto that", as if it was yet another task that had to be done, like mowing the lawns.

A test was conducted, me musing, "hmm, what if" and there it was, 2 pink lines on a stick. I said a quiet "Happy Birthday Nanna" to myself, knowing she'd be tickled pink to know - or perhaps she already did on same other level. I kept the stick, showed my husband and we kept quiet for a good month. It felt good to have a nice little secret all to ourselves, but when we started telling people (at 10 weeks), the excitement and happiness was infectious which made it seem all the more real.

In the meanwhile, it's business as usual with the daily grind. I'm not stopping myself going to the gym, I'm determined to not blow out of proportion, though I'm a bit dismayed to see the middle "tyre" returning. I'm thankful now that I'll be moderately "with child" during the summer period, instead of heavily pregnant, it ought to make the summer a bit more bearable. That, and maxi dresses.

So happy birthday Nanna, you're not here to share this news with us but it made your birthday a little more special, even if I was the only to know it.

and then...

It's sunday. It's 4 days after my due date (weds, 20th feb). Nothing has happened yet. I've been booked in for induction tomorrow (mon, 25th feb) so hopefully someone will arrive tomorrow or tuesday. fingers crossed.

a week less

Somehow I've skipped from 3-weeks-to-go to less-than-a-week-to go, according to my last entry. Feeling huge, uncomfortable and not appreciating the persistent acid reflux. Sleeping patterns entirely disrupted (yes, I'm aware that it will never be the same), with regular toilet trips to switching sleeping positions (left, then right, then left, then right) every hour or so. The acid reflux is more acute when I'm on my left side and I've found humbug lollies to be a makeshift remedy.

The midwife visit last week saw me receiving treatment for higher-than-normal blood pressure. Not only was I prescribed medication to lower it, but I had to get more blood tests, urine tests (for protein) and undertake a 24-hour urine collection. Thankfully, blood pressure has responded well to treatment. Despite this, the obstetrician at Frankston hospital wanted another visit next week (a day shy of 40 weeks) so an induction can be arranged, given that I've had high blood pressure (even though its at normal, lower pressure since the medication was started). So now it's a waiting game: will baby start the labour process itself, or will I be induced?

In other news (this time, short but sweet):
a) Catherine threw me a fantastic baby shower last Sunday, with many rellies making the effort to come along. Sadly, many of the friends invited had prior engagements. It was good to see my matron-of-honour Carol there as well.

b) Rohan and Kinga had their housewarming last Sat, which went very well. Quite nice to see the house actually looking like a house and not a work in progress/construction zone. Lots of family and friends managed to make it too.

c) Attended 5th antenatal class, this one focussed on breast feeding. Classes are all the more enjoyable now that everyone's familiar with one another.

d) We saw Juno (albeit a pirate copy) the other week. Quite a nice, quirky movie about teenage pregnancy, and very mature too.

e) The bathroom is s-l-o-w-l-y getting there, and Corey hopes to have the majority of it finished this weekend. Fingers crossed.

So that's the last couple of weeks summed up. Not so succinct, but there you go. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to post in the next couple of weeks, so for the 2 (or so - now I'm optimistic!) readers that actually read this, be kind/patient! :)

after the deluge

The week before Christmas - the week I was off sick recovering from the UTI or kidney stone - the building I work in was heavily affected by storm damage. Work's location - in East Burwood - was one of the worst hit. I had heard on the news (when at home) that the storm was particularly bad in Glen Waverly. So Building 4 was hit worst. Specifically, the first floor - the floor I work on. The rain apparently came down so hard it was almost black outside, and the gutters overflowed and the rain seeped through the ceiling. One workmate said it was like someone had turned the fire alarm sprinklers on inside.

Consequently, the whole floor was practically gutted - and everyone on that floor was relegated elsewhere to work. I came back to work today - all the others in my team were still on holidays and don't come back for another 2 weeks - to no desk, no computer, nothing.

Venturing over to the other building (building 8, the main building), I found a desk, and spent half the day setting up the makeshift computer. I traipsed back to the other building, where the carpet had been pulled up (all that was left was the concrete floor), and the floor devoid of furniture. The walls had been repainted, and I managed to find some boxes of my work stuff in a far corner. Thankfully I had been organised prior to taking leave, so it was easy to grab some work and head back to my makeshift desk.

Given that I only have 2 weeks before I start maternity leave, I had considered pissing off home again, but I think I'll make the best of it and tie up those loose ends.

gah... before christmas

Well, the weekend started off good. Until it got to Saturday evening, when a visit to the hospital was necessary (after discovering my urine had turned to a nice port colour). After a series of tests and lots of waiting, was finally allowed to go home on Sunday afternoon.

By Monday afternoon, I had excruciating pain in my back, lower right side. Another trip to the hospital, waiting, waiting, waiting. This time I was put on a saline drip and given antibiotics (by drip). I should have been put on antibiotics on Sunday, but the symptoms of a urinary tract infection or possibly kidney stones (which the ultrasound didn't show) hadn't shown up properly (so I was deemed a-symptomatic) .

By Monday evening, the results were back and the diagnosis given (as above). I finally got to go home on Tuesday early afternoon. Thankfully, was given the rest of the week off work (in what would have been my last week of work before Christmas) to recuperate.

So now I am back to a relatively normal state, as normal as a 7-month swelled belly can account for.

3/4

Today marks 30 weeks of gestation... which means 10 more weeks (or thereabouts) or 70 days (or thereabouts). everyone comments how quick it's been, but it doesn't feel like that to me!

Had yet another blood test last saturday, to test for iron levels/deficiency. heard back from the doctor's clinic today that it was perfectly normal. So that's yet another relief. It's been strangely comforting that (touch wood) everything has been going so well. No morning sickness, no gestational diabetes, no iron deficiency, no problems with blood pressure. The only complaint is the heartburn, but that comes and goes.

Stomach is getting bigger and harder. Doesn't take much to prompt movement from the baby. No odd cravings either, come to think of it.

Ok, that's enough of obligatory gestation talk.

keeping it short

to clarify:

i'm pregnant with first child, but this blog won't necessarily become a progress report on how the gestation is going. There will occasionally be the odd post about it though.

i'm married. 2 years in January. I'm not going to share the wonders/delights of married life in this blog either, although I may occasionally post about it.

i still live in the town I grew up in. I'm not going to sell the town in this blog, although I may post about it.