Week 35 with 35 Days to Go!

On the pregnancy & motherhood message board I post on, this milestone (35/35) is quite often celebrated. I'm not sure why, but it's probably because it's cool that when you hit week 35 you only have 35 days left.

Eek!

I only have 35 days until my due date! And we've barely done anything. I have a busy month ahead of me and I hope the baby doesn't come early, so I'm able to finish everything. Well, me and McHubby. He's the muscle.

Now for my weekly update...

How far along? 35 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: Haven't weighed myself since last week, but I don't think I've put on more than half a pound.
Still wearing wedding rings? On a chain around my neck.
Stretch marks? Same as last week, so far, so good.
Sleep: Not this week.
Best moment this week: Feeling baby move after I rubbed my belly.
Movement: It's mostly rolls now. Baby doesn't have a whole lot of room now.
Food cravings: Still no true cravings. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed that I haven't sent my hubby out to get some odd food or relieved. I'll go with relieved.
Labor Signs: Thankfully baby seems to be happy inside and I hope baby remains that way for the next 5 weeks.
Belly Button in or out? Out.
What I miss: Besides sleep, wearing shoes. I'm in flip flops now.
What I am looking forward to: Buying the baby's dresser and getting the crib from my sister-in-law.
Weekly Wisdom: Don't worry about "what ifs". Last week I was concerned that I had cholestasis, a liver disorder that would have caused an early delivery (via induction or c-section). Luckily I don't have that and just have VERY itchy feet. I'd rather suffer with that, than risk my baby's health. But I should have relaxed and not worried before I had to (luckily I didn't).

Six Weeks Left!

I can't believe that I'm in my 34th week now. Only six weeks to go. Well, just under that, but you get the point. Next Thursday I'll be at 35 weeks—with 35 days to go! It's CRAZY! I'm getting so impatient to meet my little one. But I want the kiddo to cook until the very end, better for lung development and for my pocket (ie. insurance change). However, whenever Baby comes as long as it's after 37 weeks (full term), it's when it's supposed to happen. Though I'd still prefer a little Leo baby.

Now on to this week's pregnancy quiz! The photo was taken last Saturday. I didn't take one this week but will make my hubby take one of me tomorrow (for one during week 34).

How far along? 34 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: I'm up 30.5 lbs.
Still wearing wedding rings? Around my neck on a chain again. I don't plan to put them back on my fingers until AFTER the baby is born.
Stretch marks? So far, so good.
Sleep: Not so much. The soles of my feet itch so much that it makes it hard to sleep. And the baby's head is too close to my bladder to go too long without needing to go to the bathroom.
Best moment this week: Nothing specific, though I loved hearing the heartbeat today.
Movement: Lately more so during the day and early evening. It's mostly rolls and turns now that Baby is 4.5 to 5 lbs.
Food cravings: Until I started typing, I'd have said nothing. Yet I could really go for some fresh peaches or nectarines.
Labor Signs: None so far. Yay. Though baby has been head down since week 28.
Belly Button in or out? It's out. I hope it goes back to an innie after I have the baby.
What I miss: Sleep.
What I am looking forward to: Finishing the nursery (my husband painted... we just need to clear it out and finish it).
Weekly Wisdom: Don't Google every pregnancy-related symptom. I'm having a test for liver function and it's possible (though VERY rare) that I have a problem that would make me high risk. But I don't know and I shouldn't assume until AFTER I have the blood work drawn on Monday (results within 2 days).

My First Anniversary

One year ago today, I married my soul mate. We were married after a 7-month engagement at this lovely, older hotel not too far from where we live. The day was stormy, so most of our photos were taken indoors, but the weather didn't affect our joy.

This is how my husband first saw me, outside of the hotel's main entrance.



The day went by in somewhat of a blur. I'm told that all wedding days are like that. But at the same time, it seemed to take forever. For many years, I'd thought I'd never get married and now it's my first anniversary, and we're expecting our first child in just over six weeks.

Life changes so quickly. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, you can't predict the future and need to be flexible and willing to bend. Luckily my hubby and I seem to move on the same path, but I know there will be times when one of us will need to change something so we follow the same route. And adding a child to the mix will be both a pleasure and a challenge.

Here we are a year later (well the pic was taken two weeks ago, but close enough). The casual photo was taken at my mother-in-law's birthday party on June 6th and the formal one at my cousin's wedding on June 7th.



I'm looking forward to our first "family" portrait. And hopefully I'll manage to get at least one with our dog Casey.

So happy 1st anniversary to me! I'm looking forward to the years ahead.


PS: If you haven't seen them yet (and want to), here is the link to most of my professional wedding photos:

Professional Wedding Photos

Too Tired to Blog

No quiz this week... no blog, really. I've been so busy that my brain is pretty fried.

Only updates are that Hubby painted Baby's room. We may need one more coat, but otherwise it looks pretty good. And we ALMOST have all the stuff out of our place. We have a daybed frame that belonged to Hubby's aunt and she wants it back, but hasn't figured out how to get it out of our place. We need it out of there soon, since it's currently sitting against our dining room chairs--and there is very little room in that alcove.

In other news, have been taking a prepared childbirth class with an emphasis on Lamaze breathing. I suck at breathing. But will practice in hopes that I won't pass out during labor and delivery.

I guess that's it for now. Will try to be more diligent in updating my blog, but the way I've been feeling lately I doubt it will be too often.

Week 32 - Only 8 weeks to go!

I'm officially in my 8th month. It's crazy that I have just under 8 weeks to go now. Those first 8 weeks, it was like nothing going on (besides the fatigue). And the fatigue never went away. But I'm almost there.

Hubby and I are taking childbirth classes. We've gone to 2 thus far. I liked the 2nd better, which went over the signs of labor and some Lamaze breathing techniques. I'm glad it's a sort of overview class, and I hope I remember what I'm being taught.

Well, here's my pregnancy quiz for the week.

How far along? 32 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: I'm up 29 lbs.
Still wearing wedding rings? This week I am! Though with the humidity, my fingers have swelled up a bit.
Stretch marks? I'm pleased to report nothing new.
Sleep: Some nights I can go 4 hours in a row without waking up to pee or to ease a leg cramp. But others really suck.
Best moment this week: Feeling Baby move during the Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood concert on Wednesday. Baby apparently likes the songs from the Blind Faith album. I need to buy that!
Movement: Pretty consistent, though not on a schedule. Though movement does seem more pronounced during the late afternoon and around 10 PM each night.
Food cravings: Just water. I've been super thirsty this week.
Labor Signs: None. Which is fine, I have 8 weeks to go.
Belly Button in or out? Pretty much completely out. That's SO weird!
What I miss: Lox. I want a bagel and LOX!
What I am looking forward to: Getting the baby's room ready—FINALLY!
Weekly Wisdom: Don't forget to ask your questions! Even writing them down, you often forget. LOL!

Well, folks, that's all for now. Have a great weekend.

Belly Pic Progression

While I am a bit of an attention whore (must be the Aries), I don't normally post so many photos of myself! But I thought a progression of my belly pics would be a good Monday blog, especially since I didn't do a "pregnancy quiz" last week.

Weeks 16 & 18 (just "barely" showing)


Weeks 20 & 22 (a bit more obvious)


Weeks 24 & 26 (not much changed)


Weeks 28 & 29 (I've gone to weekly pics)


Weeks 30 & 31 (2nd pic at my cousin's wedding)


Looking over these photos, I noticed that my belly really began to "round out" around week 28, when I started my 3rd trimester. Before then it was kind of lumpy and I could easily hide my belly with looser clothing. Not any more!

I have just over 8 weeks to go now. Now to finish the nursery!

I HATE health insurance

No pregnancy quiz this time, even though as of today I'm 31 weeks and have entered my 8th month. Only two more to go... yikes. Mostly because I'm in a pissy mood and it's all because of how much money I owe doctors and hospitals due to my crappy health insurance.

I'm thinking of that movie, As Good as It Gets, and the line from Helen Hunt's character "Fucking HMOs!" I agree... and wish that my husband and I had realized HOW restrictive my PPO (almost the same as an HMO) was and had switched me to his insurance, even though it was more expensive, last year after we got married.

We THOUGHT it was saving us $100 a month. However, by me remaining on my insurance, we've now paid over $3000 out of pocket in the last twelve months. And since some of that was from calendar year 2008, it doesn't mean I've met my annual $2500 deductible. Nope, I still have around $600 to go before I hit it. And it's scary that I WILL hit my deductible, which means I've paid (or am paying with a payment plan) that out of pocket.

Basically my insurance is ridiculous. With my plan (Oxford Liberty) they'll pay 100% of my ultrasound if done in my OB's office. Well, my OB's office doesn't do ultrasounds, so I've had to pay the hospital the negotiated rate ($283 for the 1st, $324 for the 2nd and $517 for the 3rd). I also had to pay the perinatologist, who did the scans, but the first two bills have been @$40 each, so I just paid those. I haven't paid for that last u/s yet, but used my wedding savings to pay for the first two (done in January). And there will be one more bill for $80 and change for my anatomy ultrasound that was done in March. But since the doctor hasn't billed me yet, I'm not paying it yet. Especially since she doesn't take credit cards.

And then there's my emergency trip to the hospital in Celebration Florida. In this case, it's not my health insurance I hate but the hospital. When I got to the emergency room, they wouldn't check me in or help me and just sent me up to Labor & Delivery. It's their "policy" for pregnant women.

Now if they HAD billed this as an ER visit, my cost would have been my $100 copay for emergency room visits. I can handle $100. Not well, but I can. But noooooo... their policy is to bill all L&D trips as an "outpatient" procedure and they won't rebill to ER. So, basically, I'm screwed.

The bill from Florida Hospital is $2,731.24 but my insurance is putting $602.04 towards my deductible and paying them nothing. I HOPE this means I'll only get a bill for the $600 and not for the $2700... but I have no idea. My uncle is an attorney and I may ask for help with this, if possible.

It's so sad that if I were an illegal resident with NO insurance, the hospital would have treated me and I wouldn't have had to pay a thing. But I DO have insurance and was from out of state and am now getting screwed.

And then there's my RhoGam shot. ONLY dispensed at hospitals and I have no clue if my insurance will actually PAY for this ($713.00) or put it towards my deductible (even at a lower rate) and then I'M respsonsible.

So I HATE — all caps and bold — health insurance and how much it costs. And I don't think the government getting involved (ie. nationalizing health care) will help at all. I just think it will be MORE paperwork and less care. Though, possibly, it will cost less but we'll be taxed more to pay for it, so in the end it won't.

So I pray and pray this baby will be born after August 1st, when I'm on my husband's insurance. I'd much rather have a $500 copay for our (mine and the baby's) hospital stay rather than having the first $600 go towards my deductible and then be responsible for 70% of whatever remains. I'm sure I'll get screwed even further.