At 27 weeks, I had an ultrasound to check on the location of my placenta.  The news is good—my placenta is out of the way, and I can proceed with plans for a natural birth.  The absolute best part of this particular ultrasound for me was the fact that our little guy was SMILING.  He had one arm tucked up under his head and a leg up by his forehead, and a HUGE grin on his face!  We got a few screenshots of his beaming face, which we will no doubt have to post.  They estimated his weight to be around 2 lbs., 8 oz.  He is an active little bugger, which the midwives comment on during every appointment since it’s so hard to maintain his heartbeat with the doppler.  He does seem to be constantly wiggling around, which I hope is not foreshadowing for hyperactivity.

I’m now at 29 weeks.  Since my 27 week appointment, I haven’t gained any weight (I’m still up 20 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight), and my fundal height hasn’t changed.  I’m still measuring 27 weeks even though I am 29 weeks along.  The midwife explained that it’s probably because his head is down and he is engaging in my pelvis already—his position may be “throwing off” the numbers.  Engaging in my pelvis already??!  I’m not ready for this!  I also got my pre-registration packet and birthing center questionnaire for my hospital stay.  Already??!!!  Really??!!  Didn’t I just find out I’m pregnant?  And now all of a sudden I only have 11 weeks give or take, before he gets here?!  Shit.  I’m also starting to get Braxton Hicks, and I’m starting to feel pressure when squatting or otherwise kneeling down towards the ground.  I’m wondering if I’ll dilate and efface early like I did with Holden.  With H, I walked around at 3 cm dilated, 80% effaced, and 0 station for about a month before he was actually born.  I remember my last midwife appointment with Holden I was at 4 cm, and I was convinced he was just going to drop out of me at any moment.  Now of course, it didn’t actually go down that way!  But I *was* very uncomfortable and felt pressure almost all the time during the last 4-6 weeks before he was delivered.  But then I got lucky and had a fast 6 hour labor.  So I wonder if things will go similarly this time around.

We’ve picked a name (we’re 95% sure of it), and Holden has even finally come around to it.  He vehemently protested our choice at first, but he seems to be embracing it at this point.  I’ve been trying to focus on spending some quality time with H while it’s still just the two of us.  Things won’t be the same once his brother gets here, and I want to soak up all of our fun Mommy-Holden dates to the aquarium, library, etc.  Last week he had his final ENT appointment, and was released from his care for good!  The ENT said his ears look great, and he shouldn’t have any further problems.  I treated H to a day out on the town after his happy appointment.  We went to the mall, walked Church Street Marketplace, bought him a new reading lamp for his bedroom, bought him a book from our favorite used bookstore, and had a leisurely lunch.  He is my little buddy, and I am sure going to miss our special times together.  I can’t believe he’ll be a couple months shy of his 4th birthday when his brother gets here.  ACK!  You know what all of this means??  It means I am growing up and getting older, too.  I. can’t. deal.  Just kidding.  I’ll get over it.

Today:  Read some articles for work.  Eat grilled cheese with Holden, made with yummy, honey whole wheat bread from Great Harvest Bread Company.  Clean out baby’s closet because it is a hot mess in there.  Drink hot chocolate.  Make lasagna rolls for dinner.  Eat more yummy bread.

Tomorrow:  More jury duty:(

What a great week!

I started my new job on Tuesday.  I work 2 days a week, and so far, so good.  I’m still in the very early learning stages of the job, so I don’t have deadlines yet (or any kind of tangible stress), but all signs point to this being a very good fit.  I don’t remember if I shared much (or anything) about the job, so here goes:  it’s essentially a 2nd postdoctoral position, where my sole responsibility is to do research.  Broadly, the research area is clinical neuroscience, which means that the studies are all conducted in humans, (e.g. this is largely new territory for me).  The specific research area I am working in is chronic pain, which is also new to me.  The primary investigational technique I will be using is fMRI, a technique with which I have very limited familiarity.  So basically everything about this opportunity is new, fresh, and exciting.  Right now I am trying to come up to speed on the methodological and statistical aspects of fMRI, since my supervisor wants me to become the programming and data analytic guru of the lab.  In 2 days at work, I’ve dabbled in two different programs for fMRI data analysis, I’ve figuratively banged my head against the wall while becoming acquainted with Linux, and I’ve done some not-so-light reading on statistical modeling for fMRI data sets.  There is so much I don’t know, but I’ve been in this position so many times, of not knowing, that it’s almost comfortable to me, and I almost find it easier to find faith in my cluelessness because I know it will be temporary and one day I will be conversant and fluid in this area.  But it will take some hard work.  And that’s fine.  Ninety percent of learning something new is about figuring out what you don’t know.

Let’s see—- other news from this week:  I had my glucose/anemia/urine screening completed.  My glucose levels are looking good (a HUGE personal relief for me because gestational diabetes significantly increases the likelihood of developing diabetes later in life, and I have a very strong family history of diabetes, so whew!  SO thankful and relieved that turned out OK!).  My iron levels are also good.  Another relief.  The not-so-great news is that I have ANOTHER urinary tract infection.  This is my 2nd one during this pregnancy.  They prescribed a 7-day course of antibiotics, which completely deplete my energy levels.  My provider also said that we would have to discuss the possibility of me being on antibiotics for the rest of the pregnancy, to ward off future possible infections.  I don’t like this idea at all, so I’ll talk to my midwife at the next appointment to see if there are alternatives.  This week I also have a follow-up ultrasound to check on the location of my pesky low-lying placenta.  So…lots of things going on with our little boy.  This hasn’t been the super smooth pregnancy that I had with H, but hey…different pregnancies, different kids.  It’s just all different this time, and I shouldn’t keep comparing them.

On the house front, I’m making progress with our little guy’s new room.  I have a closet door left to paint, and then we’ll be ready to move in his furniture, hang his curtains, and make some art work for his room.  Three more months until our little guy gets here, so there’s still plenty of time.  Other than that, nothing new.  Just keeping up with my yoga and my running (which is starting to morph into brisk walking on the treadmill).  Treating myself to some fiction-reading time each night, and cooking healthy meals every day.  Things are good.

We spent New Year’s weekend with R’s family.  We all stayed at the lovely Black Bear Inn, which is a quick 20 minute drive from our house.  R and his dad enjoyed 2 days of skiing, while I got to spend time with R’s mom, his brother S, my nephew C, and my crazy little H.  We took the kids to the aquarium in downtown Burlington, did little art projects at the house, visited the chocolate factory, and of course, made the short trek to do the Ben & Jerry’s factory tour in Waterbury, VT on New Year’s Eve.  We had a lovely New Year’s Eve dinner at the Inn, followed by a showing of E.T. in our hotel room (which my 7-year old nephew referred to as “E dot T dot.”).  We had 2 yummy days of breakfast at the Inn as well (why are pancakes always tastier when someone else makes them?)  We were asleep for a few hours by the time the clock struck midnight, although I have to say,  I TOTALLY don’t mind sleeping through New Year’s if it means that I get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  Ahhhhh…..

Today, R, H, and I all came back to the house and de-decorated our living room.  I did 45 minutes of yoga in the family room, because I wanted to start 2012 off right.  We played with H, but mostly tried to calm him down after an overstimulating weekend.  Right now, H is in bed (although it doesn’t sound like he’s asleep), a fire is going, the house is clean, and I’m ready to make myself some hot chocolate.  2012 is going to be great.

Tomorrow:  glucose screening.  Followed by last-minute work preparations (I start my new job on Tuesday!!!!)  So thrilled!

Holden is getting creative with his excuses.  We have a lovely houseguest (R’s youngest brother) who wants to sleep in during his holiday break from college (I don’t blame him!)  We let him sleep as long as he can, through the cacophony and screaming that sometimes characterizes our mornings and early afternoons.  I do urge Holden to speak in a lower voice, however, which as you know for most 3.5 year olds is a near impossibility.  Yesterday morning after speaking quietly for about 30 minutes (because Holden narrates EVERYTHING he does, all day long), Holden comes to me and exclaims, “Talking quietly hurts my throat.”  I laughed at him, of course, because we all know how respectful behavior can sometimes result in physical pain.

I do love listening to Holden’s ongoing narrative.  He has conflicts between his toys, which usually result in one of the toys proposing a diplomatic solution (e.g. “We’ll just share this delicious meal of carrion, monster truck!!!!”)  Holden incorporates a lot of what he has learned about dinosaurs and evolution into his dialogues.  He is obsessed with documentaries about prehistoric life, and has cultivated an encyclopedic-like knowledge of different types of dinosaurs, their dietary habits, and the part of the Mesozoic era in which they lived.  He knows the difference between nocturnal and diurnal animals, herbivorous/carnivorous/omnivorous animals, and the difference between mammalian and non-mammalian species.  His latest obsession is about nursing.  He knows that mammals nurse and that we are mammals, and that I will therefore nurse his little brother.  He sometimes takes out his mother and baby brachiosaurus, and pretending that they are giraffes, has the baby nurse from the mother.  It’s very sweet.

Today:  R’s parents and H’s cousin C will be visiting for a few days.  It should be fun—-H always has such a blast with his big cousin:)