Thanks to my cousin Colleen for sharing the following!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Gestational Diabetes re-test
Last week I got the call from my doctor's office reporting that my tests were back from the lab. First, I am in fact anemic, again. Watch out neighborhood dogs, cats, and little bunnies...there's a carnivore on the loose. She told me to get some Slow FE iron...and be careful, it causes constipation. Fantastic. Like I wasn't constipated before.
Then she said with a more serious voice that I would have to re-test for gestational diabetes...my sugar test came back at 175 and they like to see it at less than 140. No clue what 175 or 140 means, what it measures, but I gather that my sugar was high. So I made the appointment for the re-test for the following morning at 6:30 a.m.
The re-test is a 3 hour test. You go into the office and they take a vial of blood. Then you drink the orange stuff. Then they test your blood in 30 more minutes. After 30 more minutes, they stick you again and draw another vial. From there they wait a whole hour and then stick you again and draw another vial...this time they tried my other arm even though I warned them that my right arm was the only one with veins that worked...we collapsed all the veins in my left arm during my infertility treatments. But they insisted, and found that I was right. So back to the right arm for the fifth venipuncture and blood draw. And finally, one hour later I had my final poke. For a total of six needlesticks in 3 hours, including the one that fired blanks.
You're not allowed to leave the lab in the timeframe of the test...they have to be accountable for you...to prove you don't go drink water to dilute the sugar in the blood. I was thinking, hang on, I'm here...paying you to test me...for the safety of my unborn child....and you think I'm going to cheat? Like on a test at college? Why would I pay for a test that I'm going to cheat on? Isn't it in my and my baby's best interest to not cheat and find out the real results?
So after spending 3 long hours in the lab with my "Modern Girl's Guide to Motherhood" manual, some Food and Wine magazines, my cell phone and some nail polish, I headed out and realized just how thirsty I was after a whole morning of not having anything to drink but the sugary yucky test fluid....maybe that's why they don't trust us to leave!
Then she said with a more serious voice that I would have to re-test for gestational diabetes...my sugar test came back at 175 and they like to see it at less than 140. No clue what 175 or 140 means, what it measures, but I gather that my sugar was high. So I made the appointment for the re-test for the following morning at 6:30 a.m.
The re-test is a 3 hour test. You go into the office and they take a vial of blood. Then you drink the orange stuff. Then they test your blood in 30 more minutes. After 30 more minutes, they stick you again and draw another vial. From there they wait a whole hour and then stick you again and draw another vial...this time they tried my other arm even though I warned them that my right arm was the only one with veins that worked...we collapsed all the veins in my left arm during my infertility treatments. But they insisted, and found that I was right. So back to the right arm for the fifth venipuncture and blood draw. And finally, one hour later I had my final poke. For a total of six needlesticks in 3 hours, including the one that fired blanks.
You're not allowed to leave the lab in the timeframe of the test...they have to be accountable for you...to prove you don't go drink water to dilute the sugar in the blood. I was thinking, hang on, I'm here...paying you to test me...for the safety of my unborn child....and you think I'm going to cheat? Like on a test at college? Why would I pay for a test that I'm going to cheat on? Isn't it in my and my baby's best interest to not cheat and find out the real results?
So after spending 3 long hours in the lab with my "Modern Girl's Guide to Motherhood" manual, some Food and Wine magazines, my cell phone and some nail polish, I headed out and realized just how thirsty I was after a whole morning of not having anything to drink but the sugary yucky test fluid....maybe that's why they don't trust us to leave!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Reality
Reality...baby is on the way.
Reality...there is a lot I still have to do.
Reality...television????
Rather than hanging the curtains, finishing the nursery's wall hangings, working on the baby registry, washing the linens that will go on the crib, or even just making my own bed...let's talk about reality TV!!!! (This is an excerpt from an email to a friend...)
Okay, on American Idol this week....
Bummer...Carly's gone. I thought she had a fantastic voice.... But I guess Sayesha did pull it out on show tunes night and saved herself for one more week. I don't know about you but I thought the theme this week was kind of tough for 20-something's. I mean, not many of them grew up singing show tunes or going to the theatre except for maybe David Archuletta...but not even sure about that. Anyway...I was bummed to see Carly go...she smiled through her whole "Jesus Christ, Superstar" performance on the night of the competition and really looked like she had a good time---I liked that she didn't look angry during that performance!
The others...as much of a cutie pie as Jason Castro is, I wasn't crazy about his performance either, but I think he just picked the only song he knew out of the song book...no? I liked David Archuletta's performance, and I thought Dave Cook was good too. But I have to say, I'm kind of over Brooke's nasally cracking voice...all of her performances are a little boring to me...I know she's a sweet sensitive girl but is it just me or is she almost always on the verge of tears??
This week on Top Chef
Okay, Top Chef...I love this show!!! I love this season! This past show I realized something though...Richard Blaze is annoying!!! His jokes aren't funny. He's always trying to prove himself witty, and he's just not! Ajay and I were cracking up when he said "my food is like me, tongue in cheek, witty"...yeah, whatever. Ajay said "did he just say "I'm witty"????" Which I thought was a great point...who walks around saying I'm witty???? And during his dinner presentation, it occurred to me one of the reasons he's not funny is he tries too hard, and then dumbs things down so people get it...like "the tofu doesn't know if it's steak or tofu...it's perplexed!!!" Yeah, we get it...you wouldn't have had to explain it, dude.
On the food...let's see..I did think the Tofu was incredibly creative and deserved to win...but I thought a lot of the other dishes looked great. But here's where I'll focus my commentary...The bottom 4 people...
First of all I have a serious beef with Lisa and Antonia...the ones that made Chilean sea bass rather than drunken polish sausage. Didn't Ryan get sent home last week for cooking California cuisine at a tailgate? Didn't Tom Collichio say first and foremost you have to cook for the occasion, and then it has to taste good...or something like that? I'm not quoting him verbatim, but this week it's like they changed the rules to first it has to taste good, then you have to follow the guidelines. Because while I do agree that Stephanie and Jen's dish was kind of a mess and needed simplifying and the bread didn't seem to work for any of the judges, at least they attempted to follow the criteria of the challenge. For that reason, I felt like the judges should have sent one of the other team home.
And by the way...I hated the Antonia/Lisa team!!!! (Even though Jen was annoying me with all the "I'm doing it for Zoi"---dude, seriously, Zoi was voted off...get over it...maybe if you try to do it for yourself you would do better!) But seriously...I thought the Antonia/Lisa team was awful...their personalities make me feel yucky! Antonia is tough to like, but the Lisa? she's just awful...you know the one I'm talking about, the one Dale told off for having a bad attitude and being negative? She's just miserable! I mean, girlfriend, you've made it to Top Chef! You're on national television! The whole country is watching you! Maybe a little less negativity is in order??? You've got a lot to be thankful for! I was totally losing it when the judges were giving Lisa criticism, she was giving them all dirty looks and just scowling. She had no humility, and was completely incapable of really hearing what they were saying...she just jumped into being totally ugly and defensive...I was hoping she'd go home. You know how some people like that are good for the show and add drama? She's not that person! She just makes mean and negative comments all the time...not good TV.
I also really enjoyed Spike and Andrew working together with the yellow love theme...Spike finally got to make his soup and his personality was fun and whimsical...they didn't freak when there was no equipment...they just rolled with it and made the most of it and had fun. I love that.
Who else...Stephanie...I felt like she kind of got the shaft...she's such a good chef and has proven herself week after week. I think she got pulled into Jens' phallic scenario and she even said early on that the bread is not going to work well...I'm just glad she wasn't sent home because she's one of my favorites. And the Kiwi, Mark...his personality is really coming out too. He's funny. I love the way he speaks. He always makes funny comments like "it's not about that, it's about this, isn't it?" with his cute inflection and accent.
Okay, that wraps it up for me...another week of dodging real reality for reality television. Maybe I'll hang the curtains...or at least brush my teeth?
Reality...there is a lot I still have to do.
Reality...television????
Rather than hanging the curtains, finishing the nursery's wall hangings, working on the baby registry, washing the linens that will go on the crib, or even just making my own bed...let's talk about reality TV!!!! (This is an excerpt from an email to a friend...)
Okay, on American Idol this week....
Bummer...Carly's gone. I thought she had a fantastic voice.... But I guess Sayesha did pull it out on show tunes night and saved herself for one more week. I don't know about you but I thought the theme this week was kind of tough for 20-something's. I mean, not many of them grew up singing show tunes or going to the theatre except for maybe David Archuletta...but not even sure about that. Anyway...I was bummed to see Carly go...she smiled through her whole "Jesus Christ, Superstar" performance on the night of the competition and really looked like she had a good time---I liked that she didn't look angry during that performance!
The others...as much of a cutie pie as Jason Castro is, I wasn't crazy about his performance either, but I think he just picked the only song he knew out of the song book...no? I liked David Archuletta's performance, and I thought Dave Cook was good too. But I have to say, I'm kind of over Brooke's nasally cracking voice...all of her performances are a little boring to me...I know she's a sweet sensitive girl but is it just me or is she almost always on the verge of tears??
This week on Top Chef
Okay, Top Chef...I love this show!!! I love this season! This past show I realized something though...Richard Blaze is annoying!!! His jokes aren't funny. He's always trying to prove himself witty, and he's just not! Ajay and I were cracking up when he said "my food is like me, tongue in cheek, witty"...yeah, whatever. Ajay said "did he just say "I'm witty"????" Which I thought was a great point...who walks around saying I'm witty???? And during his dinner presentation, it occurred to me one of the reasons he's not funny is he tries too hard, and then dumbs things down so people get it...like "the tofu doesn't know if it's steak or tofu...it's perplexed!!!" Yeah, we get it...you wouldn't have had to explain it, dude.
On the food...let's see..I did think the Tofu was incredibly creative and deserved to win...but I thought a lot of the other dishes looked great. But here's where I'll focus my commentary...The bottom 4 people...
First of all I have a serious beef with Lisa and Antonia...the ones that made Chilean sea bass rather than drunken polish sausage. Didn't Ryan get sent home last week for cooking California cuisine at a tailgate? Didn't Tom Collichio say first and foremost you have to cook for the occasion, and then it has to taste good...or something like that? I'm not quoting him verbatim, but this week it's like they changed the rules to first it has to taste good, then you have to follow the guidelines. Because while I do agree that Stephanie and Jen's dish was kind of a mess and needed simplifying and the bread didn't seem to work for any of the judges, at least they attempted to follow the criteria of the challenge. For that reason, I felt like the judges should have sent one of the other team home.
And by the way...I hated the Antonia/Lisa team!!!! (Even though Jen was annoying me with all the "I'm doing it for Zoi"---dude, seriously, Zoi was voted off...get over it...maybe if you try to do it for yourself you would do better!) But seriously...I thought the Antonia/Lisa team was awful...their personalities make me feel yucky! Antonia is tough to like, but the Lisa? she's just awful...you know the one I'm talking about, the one Dale told off for having a bad attitude and being negative? She's just miserable! I mean, girlfriend, you've made it to Top Chef! You're on national television! The whole country is watching you! Maybe a little less negativity is in order??? You've got a lot to be thankful for! I was totally losing it when the judges were giving Lisa criticism, she was giving them all dirty looks and just scowling. She had no humility, and was completely incapable of really hearing what they were saying...she just jumped into being totally ugly and defensive...I was hoping she'd go home. You know how some people like that are good for the show and add drama? She's not that person! She just makes mean and negative comments all the time...not good TV.
I also really enjoyed Spike and Andrew working together with the yellow love theme...Spike finally got to make his soup and his personality was fun and whimsical...they didn't freak when there was no equipment...they just rolled with it and made the most of it and had fun. I love that.
Who else...Stephanie...I felt like she kind of got the shaft...she's such a good chef and has proven herself week after week. I think she got pulled into Jens' phallic scenario and she even said early on that the bread is not going to work well...I'm just glad she wasn't sent home because she's one of my favorites. And the Kiwi, Mark...his personality is really coming out too. He's funny. I love the way he speaks. He always makes funny comments like "it's not about that, it's about this, isn't it?" with his cute inflection and accent.
Okay, that wraps it up for me...another week of dodging real reality for reality television. Maybe I'll hang the curtains...or at least brush my teeth?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Ummm, hellooooo...did you forget there's a baby coming?
Lately I've been enjoying myself. In addition to spending time reading cookbooks (to include my new CAKE!!!! book) I've started a few projects around here. I finally bought an easel and set up a nice little studio in my office. I prepped a couple of canvases that I plan to paint for Alia's room.
I was inspired by some canvases I saw in the Pottery Barn Baby catalog...
Anyway, I also started re-looking at strollers this past weekend. If you've read my earlier blogs, you may remember that I bought a twin stroller months ago, and when I lost my little guy, returning the stroller was really painful, and I wasn't ready to even think about single strollers until now. And so, like I said, having all the time in the world (apparently), I've begun the search for the perfect single stroller that best fits our lifestyle.
Insert the sound of a needle being dragged across a vinyl record here....riiiiiiiiiiiiiiip. Ummm, hello? If I have the baby on July 21 (which is the perfect day according to our family astrologer in India), that means I only have 13 weeks until she gets here! I haven't finished a single book about caring for babies...I'm still reading "I, Elizabeth"...a seemingly even longer epic considering I read one page at a time and then fall asleep. And if I'm not reading that, I'm reading one of my four new cookbooks. And baby shower? Haven't even given it a thought! My girlfriends have been asking me for quite awhile when I want to have it, and true to form I just keep on putting off being pinned down by choosing a date.
I remember when both my sister-in-laws were 26 weeks pregnant (like I am now) and both of them have had their babies...and it seems like the time went by in the blink of an eye! So when do I plan to read about how to make a baby live and thrive? I mean, not that I'm a by the book type of person...quite the contrary...being the youngest child, I definitely thumb my nose to authority and do things my own way....but when it comes to baby care, a little information will go a long way, considering I haven't ever cared for one. So like I said, when do I plan to read the carefully constructed library of baby books? After the "CAKE!!!" book? After "I, Elizabeth?" At this rate, that could be next year sometime! What have I been thinking???? We're going to have a baby!!!! Soon!!!
Okay, inhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.
Exhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.
It's all going to be okay.
Relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax.
I was inspired by some canvases I saw in the Pottery Barn Baby catalog...
Anyway, I also started re-looking at strollers this past weekend. If you've read my earlier blogs, you may remember that I bought a twin stroller months ago, and when I lost my little guy, returning the stroller was really painful, and I wasn't ready to even think about single strollers until now. And so, like I said, having all the time in the world (apparently), I've begun the search for the perfect single stroller that best fits our lifestyle.
Insert the sound of a needle being dragged across a vinyl record here....riiiiiiiiiiiiiiip. Ummm, hello? If I have the baby on July 21 (which is the perfect day according to our family astrologer in India), that means I only have 13 weeks until she gets here! I haven't finished a single book about caring for babies...I'm still reading "I, Elizabeth"...a seemingly even longer epic considering I read one page at a time and then fall asleep. And if I'm not reading that, I'm reading one of my four new cookbooks. And baby shower? Haven't even given it a thought! My girlfriends have been asking me for quite awhile when I want to have it, and true to form I just keep on putting off being pinned down by choosing a date.
I remember when both my sister-in-laws were 26 weeks pregnant (like I am now) and both of them have had their babies...and it seems like the time went by in the blink of an eye! So when do I plan to read about how to make a baby live and thrive? I mean, not that I'm a by the book type of person...quite the contrary...being the youngest child, I definitely thumb my nose to authority and do things my own way....but when it comes to baby care, a little information will go a long way, considering I haven't ever cared for one. So like I said, when do I plan to read the carefully constructed library of baby books? After the "CAKE!!!" book? After "I, Elizabeth?" At this rate, that could be next year sometime! What have I been thinking???? We're going to have a baby!!!! Soon!!!
Okay, inhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.
Exhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.
It's all going to be okay.
Relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Who's the fat chic?
Today I went to have my blood drawn for the gestational diabetes test. I drank the super sweet orange drink and headed to the nearest lab for the blood draw. I brought a book because with this test, apparently timing is everything and I had to have the blood drawn exactly one hour after drinking the stuff.
So I signed in, grabbed my book and sat down in the middle of a long bank of empty waiting room chairs. After taking my seat, in my peripheral vision I caught a glimpse of a heavy set girl sitting to my right.
It was weird...she moved when I moved. She turned pages when I turned pages. Finally curiosity got the best of me and I nonchalantly glimpsed to my right.
I was looking right back at myself in the mirror. I was the fat chic.
That's when I realized I do look like I'm more than 6 months pregnant. From the side, my belly looked huge. And let's just say that wearing a horizontally striped hoodie was not the best look for this girl.
So I signed in, grabbed my book and sat down in the middle of a long bank of empty waiting room chairs. After taking my seat, in my peripheral vision I caught a glimpse of a heavy set girl sitting to my right.
It was weird...she moved when I moved. She turned pages when I turned pages. Finally curiosity got the best of me and I nonchalantly glimpsed to my right.
I was looking right back at myself in the mirror. I was the fat chic.
That's when I realized I do look like I'm more than 6 months pregnant. From the side, my belly looked huge. And let's just say that wearing a horizontally striped hoodie was not the best look for this girl.
Maybe we should check my iron again...
Saturday, I was sitting at the dining room table eating lunch. I noticed how beautifully the flowers on my table were blooming. The fragrance of the lilies was filling the house. I was inspired to take a few snapshots.
Such delicate flowers...
If only I could get a better, more centered shot...hang on...let me move this out of the way....
Such delicate flowers...
The blooms just bursting open...
If only I could get a better, more centered shot...hang on...let me move this out of the way....
And just to clarify how many ribs I devoured without even stopping to breathe....
Maybe I should double up on the iron pills again...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Guilty pleasure
Rock of Love 2....there, I said it. I feel dirty, yes, but I said it.
I got an email a little while ago from a friend from college. She confided in me that this mindless reality show is among her guilty pleasures. I don't think I've admitted this on the blog before, but I have not missed a single episode of Rock of Love, season 1 or season 2. In fact, I hope Bret Michaels never finds true love so this show can air new episodes year after year. I know, I'm sorry Bret. I just don't know who else could host such a phenomenal show.
So last week's season finale got me a little fired up. I'm going to insert an email I sent to my sister that captures my feelings on Bret's choice...his Rock of Love....
So here's my email to my sister:
Okay....seriously...I think the bottom line is that Bret is stupid. Daisy is stupid. Amber is annoying. They are all just bluchgh!!!!! Here's my arm chair psychologist analysis....
Bret:
Just like last season, Bret over-thought the whole thing...he chose the girl that most people would deem the "right choice" but Amber is not the right choice for him....his reservations about her were dead-on...do you really think she's the person to go on tour with and watch him make out with other girls and have threesomes with???? Bret chose the girl who he thinks he would like to match up with, but the bottom line is that he's a trashy aging rock star who will always think with his penis and be drawn to the Daisys in the world. He's not up for a real relationship with Amber, and that's okay...a leopard can't change his spots!
Amber:
I don't think she'll be happy with life on the road. I don't think she'd be okay with an "open" relationship either if she stays behind. But Bret is a bad boy...he needs a girl on the road with him if he has any hope of staying loyal to her. And another thing...in the beginning of the finale show, when Daisy, Amber and Bret were having dinner in Cancun, it felt like Amber was trying to win in an interview...she just had the perfect answer for everything and really "handled" things...only in real life, people don't like to be handled or managed. So she made her point...I don't even remember what the point was...but it just felt like she was on a job interview and she's clueless about that characteristic in herself. I really believe Bret's gut feeling was right...this competition was something for Amber to win.
Daisy:
Oh good lord. She should just shut up and look pretty. When they were out on the boat down below having a conversation, Daisy's lack of brains and lack in ability to articulate thoughts and feelings was just painful. Bret posed some very straightforward thoughts and questions, and it was like Daisy just couldn't form thoughts or sentences. And why was she so horrible to Amber...it really did show how immature she was and how she just didn't get it. Her little attempts to start fights and say mean things were just dumb. She looked like she was just out of her league when she tried to interact with Amber.
In conclusion, the whole thing left me feeling like whatever...y'all all deserve each other. Amber will go on being perky and obnoxious and bubbly and keep on trying to prove to herself and everyone else that she is in fact sexy even though that's not really who she is, and Daisy will enter into adult entertainment and have a really nice XXX film career...or maybe she'll end up with Tommy Lee or Eddie Van Halen...who knows. And Bret? He'll have Rock of Love 3 within another year.
Now, just to keep it real, I have to say that my sister had the exact opposite opinion. She felt that Bret did in fact make the right decision by choosing Amber. She's closer to his age, is able to communicate her thoughts, and they seemed to be very comfortable with each other. My sister went on to point out that yes, Bret has lived his life on the road with tons of slutty girls throwing themselves at him, but maybe he's outgrown that at 44 years of age.
My sister has a point...if I were Bret, I would feel like a child molester dating a 25 year old. I mean, he could actually be Daisy's Dad...and that's creepy! I remember after my parents divorced, my sweet lonely Dad dated a girl...a young girl...like, my sister's age...and that was just yucky....but that's a different story for another day. Anyway...maybe Bret is ready for some one with substance...maybe he would like to be with a woman he can be proud of. Maybe Amber is his Rock of Love...I for one hope not. I'm looking forward to Rock of Love 3!!!!
I got an email a little while ago from a friend from college. She confided in me that this mindless reality show is among her guilty pleasures. I don't think I've admitted this on the blog before, but I have not missed a single episode of Rock of Love, season 1 or season 2. In fact, I hope Bret Michaels never finds true love so this show can air new episodes year after year. I know, I'm sorry Bret. I just don't know who else could host such a phenomenal show.
So last week's season finale got me a little fired up. I'm going to insert an email I sent to my sister that captures my feelings on Bret's choice...his Rock of Love....
So here's my email to my sister:
Okay....seriously...I think the bottom line is that Bret is stupid. Daisy is stupid. Amber is annoying. They are all just bluchgh!!!!! Here's my arm chair psychologist analysis....
Bret:
Just like last season, Bret over-thought the whole thing...he chose the girl that most people would deem the "right choice" but Amber is not the right choice for him....his reservations about her were dead-on...do you really think she's the person to go on tour with and watch him make out with other girls and have threesomes with???? Bret chose the girl who he thinks he would like to match up with, but the bottom line is that he's a trashy aging rock star who will always think with his penis and be drawn to the Daisys in the world. He's not up for a real relationship with Amber, and that's okay...a leopard can't change his spots!
Amber:
I don't think she'll be happy with life on the road. I don't think she'd be okay with an "open" relationship either if she stays behind. But Bret is a bad boy...he needs a girl on the road with him if he has any hope of staying loyal to her. And another thing...in the beginning of the finale show, when Daisy, Amber and Bret were having dinner in Cancun, it felt like Amber was trying to win in an interview...she just had the perfect answer for everything and really "handled" things...only in real life, people don't like to be handled or managed. So she made her point...I don't even remember what the point was...but it just felt like she was on a job interview and she's clueless about that characteristic in herself. I really believe Bret's gut feeling was right...this competition was something for Amber to win.
Daisy:
Oh good lord. She should just shut up and look pretty. When they were out on the boat down below having a conversation, Daisy's lack of brains and lack in ability to articulate thoughts and feelings was just painful. Bret posed some very straightforward thoughts and questions, and it was like Daisy just couldn't form thoughts or sentences. And why was she so horrible to Amber...it really did show how immature she was and how she just didn't get it. Her little attempts to start fights and say mean things were just dumb. She looked like she was just out of her league when she tried to interact with Amber.
In conclusion, the whole thing left me feeling like whatever...y'all all deserve each other. Amber will go on being perky and obnoxious and bubbly and keep on trying to prove to herself and everyone else that she is in fact sexy even though that's not really who she is, and Daisy will enter into adult entertainment and have a really nice XXX film career...or maybe she'll end up with Tommy Lee or Eddie Van Halen...who knows. And Bret? He'll have Rock of Love 3 within another year.
Now, just to keep it real, I have to say that my sister had the exact opposite opinion. She felt that Bret did in fact make the right decision by choosing Amber. She's closer to his age, is able to communicate her thoughts, and they seemed to be very comfortable with each other. My sister went on to point out that yes, Bret has lived his life on the road with tons of slutty girls throwing themselves at him, but maybe he's outgrown that at 44 years of age.
My sister has a point...if I were Bret, I would feel like a child molester dating a 25 year old. I mean, he could actually be Daisy's Dad...and that's creepy! I remember after my parents divorced, my sweet lonely Dad dated a girl...a young girl...like, my sister's age...and that was just yucky....but that's a different story for another day. Anyway...maybe Bret is ready for some one with substance...maybe he would like to be with a woman he can be proud of. Maybe Amber is his Rock of Love...I for one hope not. I'm looking forward to Rock of Love 3!!!!
What's going on
So there's been a lot of little things going on over the past weeks...first and most importantly, yesterday my little niece, Ciela was born after 5 in the afternoon. She weighed in just shy of 7 pounds...what a little sweetie. I can't wait to meet her!
Let's see, what else...
I've mentioned before how much I love all foods in the cake family...to include cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes...you name it. And I've especially grown fond of this food group over the last month. I've been baking quite a bit, which means I've been eating quite a bit, and I've been gaining weight (quite a bit)!
So yesterday, I decided that I can either reel this habit in, or have to lose 100 pounds after this baby is born...so I'm making a conscious effort to try to eat better. I've also been trying to take a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood everyday. With less than 15 weeks to go, and entering into the most weight-gainy portion of pregnancy, my brain is starting to wrap around the fact that the weight I gain now will eventually have to be lost in a few short months.
Yesterday I realized that I've never really dieted. Sure, my weight fluctuates, and I'm always conscious if my pants get tight, but we're talking about a 5 pound fluctuation. I've never grown out of all my clothes before, and I've never formally dieted long-term for a large weight loss. Before if I'd gain 5 pounds, I'd nip it in the bud very quickly and the weight gain never became permanent. I'd work out more, eat less for a week, and it would be gone. I haven't done Weight Watchers or Jenny Craigh...I always just turned to healthier foods and increased exercise and that would be enough.
But then before pregnancy, the infertility meds and steroids and hormones and thyroid medication and all that awful stuff piled on about 10 pounds before I even got pregnant. So looking at the reality, my 20 pound weight gain so far from the point of conception (that would have been perfectly healthy for a twin pregnancy) is a little on the high side for the six month singleton pregnancy, and let's not forget the 10 pounds I gained before getting pregnant. So really, if you really look at the situation honestly, I'm already up 30 pounds. AAAAAAAGH! That scares the bajeezus out of me! And I still have a lot of weeks to grow in this rapid-growth phase.
Inhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.........
Exhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.........
This stresses me out....somebody, pass me a cookie.
Let's see, what else...
I've mentioned before how much I love all foods in the cake family...to include cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes...you name it. And I've especially grown fond of this food group over the last month. I've been baking quite a bit, which means I've been eating quite a bit, and I've been gaining weight (quite a bit)!
So yesterday, I decided that I can either reel this habit in, or have to lose 100 pounds after this baby is born...so I'm making a conscious effort to try to eat better. I've also been trying to take a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood everyday. With less than 15 weeks to go, and entering into the most weight-gainy portion of pregnancy, my brain is starting to wrap around the fact that the weight I gain now will eventually have to be lost in a few short months.
Yesterday I realized that I've never really dieted. Sure, my weight fluctuates, and I'm always conscious if my pants get tight, but we're talking about a 5 pound fluctuation. I've never grown out of all my clothes before, and I've never formally dieted long-term for a large weight loss. Before if I'd gain 5 pounds, I'd nip it in the bud very quickly and the weight gain never became permanent. I'd work out more, eat less for a week, and it would be gone. I haven't done Weight Watchers or Jenny Craigh...I always just turned to healthier foods and increased exercise and that would be enough.
But then before pregnancy, the infertility meds and steroids and hormones and thyroid medication and all that awful stuff piled on about 10 pounds before I even got pregnant. So looking at the reality, my 20 pound weight gain so far from the point of conception (that would have been perfectly healthy for a twin pregnancy) is a little on the high side for the six month singleton pregnancy, and let's not forget the 10 pounds I gained before getting pregnant. So really, if you really look at the situation honestly, I'm already up 30 pounds. AAAAAAAGH! That scares the bajeezus out of me! And I still have a lot of weeks to grow in this rapid-growth phase.
Inhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.........
Exhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaale.........
This stresses me out....somebody, pass me a cookie.
25 weeks development
Here's what Babycenter.com has to say about the 25th week...
How your baby's growing:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.
How your life's changing:
Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but the hair you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. You may also notice darker or thicker body hair. It will return to normal in the weeks after you give birth. You probably can't move around as gracefully as before. It's fine to continue to exercise, but use your common sense: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired, and stop if you feel any pain or when you begin to feel at all fatigued, dizzy, or short of breath. Don't lie on your back too long or do any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.
How your baby's growing:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.
How your life's changing:
Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but the hair you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. You may also notice darker or thicker body hair. It will return to normal in the weeks after you give birth. You probably can't move around as gracefully as before. It's fine to continue to exercise, but use your common sense: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired, and stop if you feel any pain or when you begin to feel at all fatigued, dizzy, or short of breath. Don't lie on your back too long or do any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Definitely the cutest thing I've heard today...
Ajay's Mom, Maya is visiting his brother and sister-in-law, Amar and Lena, in anticipation of their second baby being born any day now. Maya lives in Turkey, and Amar and Lena live in New York. Amar and Lena already have a two and a half year old cutie named Haylah.
Maya told us that Amar took Haylah for the whole afternoon yesterday. After their usual stops, she wanted to go to a park, then another park. When Maya asked Haylah why she went to two parks, Haylah replied "one had no sand and then one had yes sand!"
Maya told us that Amar took Haylah for the whole afternoon yesterday. After their usual stops, she wanted to go to a park, then another park. When Maya asked Haylah why she went to two parks, Haylah replied "one had no sand and then one had yes sand!"
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Season Opener
This weekend it was hot. Really hot. Like, 90 degrees hot here in Laguna---unheard of! ... and 100 degrees plus inland. Sometime within the last several weeks, I reprogrammed our pool to run longer during the day, and added the solar heat to the daily program. Before now, the solar couldn't heat the pool up to temperature due to the shortness of days and the coolness of the nights, not to mention, summer temperatures hadn't arrived yet to fuel the heat.
So yesterday we had been out in the hot weather all day...did I mention it was really hot? When we got home, Ajay and I decide to give the pool a try and WOW...what an experience.
First of all, let's talk about my new bathing suit. This year I opted for a very large pregnancy tankini...quite a different look than what I'm used to. All I can say is this body doesn't look so hot in a bathing suit anymore, so the more of it I cover up, the happier the people around me are likely to be. I took my sister in law's advice of "when in doubt, buy the bigger size" when I bought the suit a couple of months back, and let's just say that was fantastic advice.
So here I am, in my very modest black tankini, heading for the water. I checked myself in our magical slimming bedroom mirror, and thought for a girl who's gained 20 pounds and hasn't worked out consistently since last summer, not too terribly awful...especially if I squint my eyes a little and stand way back from the magical slimming mirror. Note: I feel I should explain this mirror...I don't know why or how, but the mirror in our bedroom magically makes you look taller and thinner than you are...it's fantastic for self confidence.
So into the water I go. Ahhhh. 87 degrees....perfect water temperature. Ajay was already in the pool with the hand-held skimmer, working away. The water felt great. And even better than the cooling affect of the water was the buoyancy of the water. I felt light, bouncy, like a balloon filled with helium. I felt my normal size. And then I looked down...the roomy tankini top had grown in the water and now was floating freely around me and showed the great white beast of a belly prominently just below the water's surface. Wow, that's white. And Big. I'll bet at night time it would reflect the moonlight and act as another pool light.
So we floated around for awhile, and true to form, I concocted ways to make Ajay hold me and carry me, both on his back and in the front like a baby. I don't know why the pool brings out this behavior, but there is something inherently fun to be held and carried around.
When it was time to go back inside, sadly reality hit. As I climbed the pool stairs, I noticed the weight being poured back into my body. With every step I climbed, I got heavier, and once out of the pool, I realized exactly how a hippo would feel when exiting a river and having to go about their day in their full weight on all their joints. For just a moment, I thought this had to be a joke...how am I supposed to lumber around with all this body?
So yesterday we had been out in the hot weather all day...did I mention it was really hot? When we got home, Ajay and I decide to give the pool a try and WOW...what an experience.
First of all, let's talk about my new bathing suit. This year I opted for a very large pregnancy tankini...quite a different look than what I'm used to. All I can say is this body doesn't look so hot in a bathing suit anymore, so the more of it I cover up, the happier the people around me are likely to be. I took my sister in law's advice of "when in doubt, buy the bigger size" when I bought the suit a couple of months back, and let's just say that was fantastic advice.
So here I am, in my very modest black tankini, heading for the water. I checked myself in our magical slimming bedroom mirror, and thought for a girl who's gained 20 pounds and hasn't worked out consistently since last summer, not too terribly awful...especially if I squint my eyes a little and stand way back from the magical slimming mirror. Note: I feel I should explain this mirror...I don't know why or how, but the mirror in our bedroom magically makes you look taller and thinner than you are...it's fantastic for self confidence.
So into the water I go. Ahhhh. 87 degrees....perfect water temperature. Ajay was already in the pool with the hand-held skimmer, working away. The water felt great. And even better than the cooling affect of the water was the buoyancy of the water. I felt light, bouncy, like a balloon filled with helium. I felt my normal size. And then I looked down...the roomy tankini top had grown in the water and now was floating freely around me and showed the great white beast of a belly prominently just below the water's surface. Wow, that's white. And Big. I'll bet at night time it would reflect the moonlight and act as another pool light.
So we floated around for awhile, and true to form, I concocted ways to make Ajay hold me and carry me, both on his back and in the front like a baby. I don't know why the pool brings out this behavior, but there is something inherently fun to be held and carried around.
When it was time to go back inside, sadly reality hit. As I climbed the pool stairs, I noticed the weight being poured back into my body. With every step I climbed, I got heavier, and once out of the pool, I realized exactly how a hippo would feel when exiting a river and having to go about their day in their full weight on all their joints. For just a moment, I thought this had to be a joke...how am I supposed to lumber around with all this body?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Hungry for....well everything, but right now travel
This week I've had a definite dip in my energy...the burst of energy I felt for the past couple of weeks seems to have been replaced with lethargy and laziness. I think pregnancy just goes through phases. It could also be that for the first time in a long time, I've been having a lot of growing pains. I can imagine my little girl thinking, "it sure is tight in here...maybe if I kick at this exact spot over and over again, it'll give me some space". Two nights ago, I was convinced that she had kicked a hernia into my abdominal wall!
While I've been low-energy, I've been spending time on low-energy things. One day, I decided to re-organize my photos on my computer. I came across trip after trip after trip that Ajay and I have taken since we got together in 2003. Greece, Australia, Turkey, the Middle East, Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Spain, and shorter trips within the U.S. to New York, Miami, the Keys, San Francisco, San Diego, and weekends up in Los Angeles...as well as family visits back to Indiana and Florida. All the photos made me yearn for travel. This is probably the longest we've ever gone without a trip that requires an airplane. And don't get me wrong, I don't love flying. I don't even like flying. In fact, one might say at any given time, flying may just terrify me to the point of need a lot of cocktails mixed with anti-anxiety pills!
Last summer we took a break in our infertility treatments so we could go to Turkey for a family wedding. Since then, we really haven't gone anywhere...with a full schedule of month to month fertility treatments and procedures, and now being fortunate enough to be pregnant and grounded from travel, for the first time, summer is approaching and there are no trips on the horizon. I'm itching to go some place where I don't understand the language and cars look different! Some place I haven't been before, and if I've been there before, let it be Paris or Turkey!
With the weakness of the dollar and the strength of the Euro, Ajay and I talked about checking out South America this winter. By then the baby will be about 6 months old and ready to go explore the world. We're thinking Buenos Aires, or even wine country in Chile. Or how about Tierra del Fuego...the southern most tip of South America? I don't know if there is a single point of interest there, but ever since I took a Latin American studies class in college, I've loved the name Tierra del Fuego...I don't know why. Regardless, I imagine us traipsing around with a baby back pack of supplies on one of us, and a baby back pack with a baby in it on the other. Getting the lay of a foreign land with a new member in our little family.
While I've been low-energy, I've been spending time on low-energy things. One day, I decided to re-organize my photos on my computer. I came across trip after trip after trip that Ajay and I have taken since we got together in 2003. Greece, Australia, Turkey, the Middle East, Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Spain, and shorter trips within the U.S. to New York, Miami, the Keys, San Francisco, San Diego, and weekends up in Los Angeles...as well as family visits back to Indiana and Florida. All the photos made me yearn for travel. This is probably the longest we've ever gone without a trip that requires an airplane. And don't get me wrong, I don't love flying. I don't even like flying. In fact, one might say at any given time, flying may just terrify me to the point of need a lot of cocktails mixed with anti-anxiety pills!
Last summer we took a break in our infertility treatments so we could go to Turkey for a family wedding. Since then, we really haven't gone anywhere...with a full schedule of month to month fertility treatments and procedures, and now being fortunate enough to be pregnant and grounded from travel, for the first time, summer is approaching and there are no trips on the horizon. I'm itching to go some place where I don't understand the language and cars look different! Some place I haven't been before, and if I've been there before, let it be Paris or Turkey!
With the weakness of the dollar and the strength of the Euro, Ajay and I talked about checking out South America this winter. By then the baby will be about 6 months old and ready to go explore the world. We're thinking Buenos Aires, or even wine country in Chile. Or how about Tierra del Fuego...the southern most tip of South America? I don't know if there is a single point of interest there, but ever since I took a Latin American studies class in college, I've loved the name Tierra del Fuego...I don't know why. Regardless, I imagine us traipsing around with a baby back pack of supplies on one of us, and a baby back pack with a baby in it on the other. Getting the lay of a foreign land with a new member in our little family.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Cake
I've noticed that my love for all things cakey has grown throughout this pregnancy. From New Year's Eve when I had a migraine and a nice neighbor dropped off banana bread...it was the only thing in the whole world that tasted good at that moment...to yesterday's orange Chiffon cake with citrus cream cheese frosting, this love of mine for cake is blooming.
Yesterday for example, I woke up and my first words to Ajay were "I would like an orange cake with cream cheese frosting". And considering I love to bake things, I spent the morning going through my favorite cookbooks to find just the right recipe. I decided on a Chiffon cake because I had never made one before, and after a quick kitchen inventory, I had gathered 95% of the ingredients I needed. With a quick call to the neighbor to borrow some Cream of Tartar (what's Tartar and how does one go about creaming it?), I was up and baking.
Several hours later, I was polishing the water spots off my cake pedestal dish, and admiring my work. We invited our neighbors to join us for cake in the evening, and it was a hit. Delicious. I was right...I DID want an orange cake with sour cream frosting.
Fast forward to today. Before my a.m. shower, I got on the scale to find that I had gained 3 pounds since my last weigh-in at the doctor's last week. Not good. Then I recounted the amount of things cakey I had consumed in the past few days....let's see...Friday night we picked up a piece of my favorite chocolate mocha cake to take home for dessert after a nice dinner out, and the piece of cake was big enough to be cut into not two, but three pieces, which lasted all of 11 hours in our house (not bad considering only 8 or so hours were spent sleeping). And, oh! Let's not forget the brownie I had for dessert at lunch on Friday with my girlfriend. So that makes it a brownie and a piece of cake on Friday, another piece of cake on Saturday, and orange chiffon cake on Sunday...oh yeah, and let's count back to Thursday, shall we? I baked a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies for a nurse at Ajay's work who had done some really nice things for us when we lost our little guy...well, let's just say that the whole batch wouldn't fit in the cookie box, so I had to keep a dozen or so for us. So that makes the cakey count to cookies on Thursday, a brownie and a piece of cake on Friday, more chocolate cake on Saturday, and orange cake on Sunday. And I wonder where those 3 pounds came from? Palease! Has cake become it's own food group?
And here's the saddest dark secret part. As I was zesting and juicing oranges for the cake, and then more zest and juice for the icing, I was actually thinking "this cake has vitamin C! It's good for me!" Note to self...cake is not fruit.
Yesterday for example, I woke up and my first words to Ajay were "I would like an orange cake with cream cheese frosting". And considering I love to bake things, I spent the morning going through my favorite cookbooks to find just the right recipe. I decided on a Chiffon cake because I had never made one before, and after a quick kitchen inventory, I had gathered 95% of the ingredients I needed. With a quick call to the neighbor to borrow some Cream of Tartar (what's Tartar and how does one go about creaming it?), I was up and baking.
Several hours later, I was polishing the water spots off my cake pedestal dish, and admiring my work. We invited our neighbors to join us for cake in the evening, and it was a hit. Delicious. I was right...I DID want an orange cake with sour cream frosting.
Fast forward to today. Before my a.m. shower, I got on the scale to find that I had gained 3 pounds since my last weigh-in at the doctor's last week. Not good. Then I recounted the amount of things cakey I had consumed in the past few days....let's see...Friday night we picked up a piece of my favorite chocolate mocha cake to take home for dessert after a nice dinner out, and the piece of cake was big enough to be cut into not two, but three pieces, which lasted all of 11 hours in our house (not bad considering only 8 or so hours were spent sleeping). And, oh! Let's not forget the brownie I had for dessert at lunch on Friday with my girlfriend. So that makes it a brownie and a piece of cake on Friday, another piece of cake on Saturday, and orange chiffon cake on Sunday...oh yeah, and let's count back to Thursday, shall we? I baked a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies for a nurse at Ajay's work who had done some really nice things for us when we lost our little guy...well, let's just say that the whole batch wouldn't fit in the cookie box, so I had to keep a dozen or so for us. So that makes the cakey count to cookies on Thursday, a brownie and a piece of cake on Friday, more chocolate cake on Saturday, and orange cake on Sunday. And I wonder where those 3 pounds came from? Palease! Has cake become it's own food group?
And here's the saddest dark secret part. As I was zesting and juicing oranges for the cake, and then more zest and juice for the icing, I was actually thinking "this cake has vitamin C! It's good for me!" Note to self...cake is not fruit.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
23 week belly shots
I haven't photographed this beach ball attached to the front of my body in awhile, so thought I'd do so...
Here, I'm just trying to figure out how to get the best angle...also important to make sure the whole thing fits!
I'm looking a little more confident in my abilities in this one...
The camera caught my surprise...who's big belly is that??? Is that really what I look like? Or is it a prosthetic like they use in the movies?
And finally, perhaps most flattering, is my full frontal shot...wow...that's quite a belly I'm growing.
Seeing these pictures, I realize that I haven't measured my belly since...12 weeks? Yes, that's when I was completely baffled that my belly had grown from 28 inches non-pregnant to a whopping 35 inches in the 3 short months of the first trimester.
So today, I got out the measuring tape...
It's big...
Very big...
40 inches big at the largest part...
How in the hell am I going to fit through a door a month from now?
Here, I'm just trying to figure out how to get the best angle...also important to make sure the whole thing fits!
I'm looking a little more confident in my abilities in this one...
The camera caught my surprise...who's big belly is that??? Is that really what I look like? Or is it a prosthetic like they use in the movies?
And finally, perhaps most flattering, is my full frontal shot...wow...that's quite a belly I'm growing.
Seeing these pictures, I realize that I haven't measured my belly since...12 weeks? Yes, that's when I was completely baffled that my belly had grown from 28 inches non-pregnant to a whopping 35 inches in the 3 short months of the first trimester.
So today, I got out the measuring tape...
It's big...
Very big...
40 inches big at the largest part...
How in the hell am I going to fit through a door a month from now?
Slow motion
Yawn.
It seems like I've hit the slow spot in this pregnancy. Time is dragging. I am really thankful to be feeling so good and having all the yucky early pregnancy symptoms behind me, but here I am, right in the middle. And time seems to be standing still. 23 weeks. Over half way there but a long way to go. Still in the second trimester, with the third being nowhere in sight. And not a single sip of champagne to make it more fun! (I've always liked champagne, but why is it that now that it's off limits, my mind seems to love the idea of champagne. A champagne cocktail...or by itself...a mimosa with breakfast on Sunday. Damn you, champagne! How you taunt me!)
I know the baby is fully formed and now just needs to grow and gain weight...but knowing that she's fully formed makes me even more anxious to get her out of there and meet her! She's kicking....or more like tapping me every day now. When she taps, I tap back...it's how we interact at this point. I'm really looking forward to having my new little friend here in our house. Or in a nice baby back pack (or front pack?) traveling the world. Me and Ajay and Alia traipsing through Argentina....or India...or anywhere that requires a plane flight---which by the way, is also currently off limits.
So maybe this is the time to re-learn the lesson. I seem to be longing for things for no other reason than they're currently out of reach. So wouldn't that be a good reminder for me to enjoy the now? Enjoy the present time when I don't have to change any diapers, and my time is completely free for what I want to do?
Except drinking champagne on an airplane!
It seems like I've hit the slow spot in this pregnancy. Time is dragging. I am really thankful to be feeling so good and having all the yucky early pregnancy symptoms behind me, but here I am, right in the middle. And time seems to be standing still. 23 weeks. Over half way there but a long way to go. Still in the second trimester, with the third being nowhere in sight. And not a single sip of champagne to make it more fun! (I've always liked champagne, but why is it that now that it's off limits, my mind seems to love the idea of champagne. A champagne cocktail...or by itself...a mimosa with breakfast on Sunday. Damn you, champagne! How you taunt me!)
I know the baby is fully formed and now just needs to grow and gain weight...but knowing that she's fully formed makes me even more anxious to get her out of there and meet her! She's kicking....or more like tapping me every day now. When she taps, I tap back...it's how we interact at this point. I'm really looking forward to having my new little friend here in our house. Or in a nice baby back pack (or front pack?) traveling the world. Me and Ajay and Alia traipsing through Argentina....or India...or anywhere that requires a plane flight---which by the way, is also currently off limits.
So maybe this is the time to re-learn the lesson. I seem to be longing for things for no other reason than they're currently out of reach. So wouldn't that be a good reminder for me to enjoy the now? Enjoy the present time when I don't have to change any diapers, and my time is completely free for what I want to do?
Except drinking champagne on an airplane!
23 week development
Again, here's what Babycenter.com has to say about where we're at...
How your baby's growing
Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango). His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.
How your life's changing
If you dealt with headaches in your first trimester, they might be subsiding now. (Many women have headaches in early pregnancy, thanks to pregnancy hormones, changes in circulation, and/or sinus congestion.)You may notice some mild swelling sometime during your pregnancy, especially in your ankles and feet. It's called edema, and it happens because changes in your blood chemistry cause fluid to shift into your tissue and because your enlarging uterus puts pressure on the veins returning blood from the lower half of your body, slowing circulation in your legs. Edema is often worse at the end of the day and in the summer. Your body will eliminate the extra fluid after you have your baby (which is why you may urinate often and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery). In the meantime, put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, avoid sitting still for long periods, exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning). You may be tempted to skimp on liquids, but you need to drink plenty of water, because keeping hydrated actually helps prevent swelling. If you notice severe or sudden swelling in your hands and face, be sure to call your midwife or doctor because it may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia.
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