The calm before the storm...

I feel like I'm definitely in a calm before the storm hits.  Not much has been going on with Cayla.  I know there's still a ton to do before she gets here, but I'm not too worried.  I've just been going through the motions of each day of which includes a nap.  I'm not really sleeping very good at night, thus the naps.  It's been nice not having to worry about a ton of doctors visits although I go each week now to see Dr. Rajabi.  I still am quietly amazed at times to realize I'm pregnant again.  I'm just kind of in the place where I know this is all really happening, but until she's here, I still feel like it's a far off happening that I can't quite imagine.  I guess it's still a little surreal.

Today's OB appointment was a little different.  No measuring her for size, or looking at the same things in the past, but during the ultrasound, she was taking a test to see how she's doing.  She got 2 points for each thing the tech was looking for.  I didn't realize this until close to the end, so I'm not sure what all she was looking for.  She said that Cayla passed everything but she couldn't get her to exercise her lungs and "pretend" to breathe.  She wanted to see her lungs breathe a certain number of times in 30 seconds.  It's not really breathing, but just practicing.  We'd been in there a 1/2 an hour and she only had about 5 minutes or less to get her to complete this.  But, at the last minute, Cayla decided she'd cooperate and did what they were hoping to see her do.  Yay!  So, she passed that test... barely, but she passed.  :o)

Then I got swept away to another room for another test.  They wanted to do a non-stress test on her.  The nurse strapped two monitors around Cayla and me and then she gave me a button to push everytime I felt her move.  Meanwhile the monitors were keeping track of her heart beat and any other possible contraction-like movements.  They wanted to make sure her heart rate increased when she moved.  Well, the little stinker had been moving a good bit during the ultrasound and now was apparently ready for a nap.  She barely moved.  This machine was set to run for 20 minutes of tracking this and she had to have a certain number of matching movements and heartbeats during that time.  Since she wasn't moving, they brought me a glass of ice water, although I think the cranberry juice sounded better, just don't tell Dr. Rajabi.  She caught herself and realized I had gestational diabetes and just brought me the water.  That made Cayla do a huge jump a few minutes later.  Needless to say they got all the movements they needed over the last 5 minutes and she passed with flying colors. :o)  The little procrastinator... where, oh where, would she get that??  Certainly not me...

Overall, she seems to be doing fine.  She had her face down so the picture they sent home with me isn't very good.  He said my sugar numbers were good.  Although I have really struggled with this whole blood sugar thing the last couple of weeks.  I'm craving milk, Rice Krispies, and still peanut butter and tuna fish although not as much on the last two.  I could just pour a gallon of milk directly into a box of cereal and chug it all down.  Problem is, if I even have just the serving size of cereal with less than a cup of milk, my sugar spikes.  It went to 230 after a small bowl the other day... I am getting to a point where being really limited on what I can and can't eat is getting to me.  I'm on a gluten-free diet, a low-carb diet and a very low budget diet right now, which means very little variety.  Boo, hiss.  Just had to vent a little.  Cayla seems to be doing fine and getting all she needs which is good.  I am thankful that Giant Eagle has their "Fruit on the Bottom" yogurt on sale for 50 cents a piece. That has shook up my snack variety a little.  I have 3 and 1/2 weeks left.  I can do this.  I will try to not complain.  I will be thankful for my eggs almost every morning and my tuna almost every lunch. :o)  I will be thankful for the "millions" of apples I get to eat and for corn tortillas and lettuce and salad...  I'm hoping that writing this out will help convince me.  Not sure it's working, but it's worth a try.

My friend, Ann Sutch, brought over a bassinet and an electric baby swing Saturday
with a crib and more to come in the next week or so.  So precious.  I never had a bassinet with Samuel, and I love the thought of being able to have her close to me at night.  We don't have a separate baby room for her, she's just going to have to share with us which is fine with me.  I don't think I could sleep with her in a different room, even with monitors.  I think I'd worry too much.  Lowell thinks the bassinet would be handy downstairs for naps and just use the crib upstairs.  I just love the little bassinet though.  He said we can move the crib next to our bed.  I don't know, we'll see.

I still look at myself pregnant and am just amazed at the thought.  It still seems like a dream at times.  I love feeling her move around... most of the time.  A well placed kick isn't always nice, but you know, you take the good and the bad.  Love the looks people give me.  I can't quite tell what they're thinking.  Many times I think they're thinking, "Isn't she too old to be pregnant?"  Who knows? 

Some more random things...  I was reminded about baby announcements and realized I do need to send some out.  So, since I don't want to have to buy any, and I have everything I could possible need to make my own with all my Stampin' Up! stuff, I'm making them.  Purple, green, flowers and Dazzling Diamonds glitter = girly.  Simple cards, but cute.  :o)  This started out fun, but it's taking more time than I want it to.  Finding addresses and deciding who to send them to is actually more work than making them.  :o) You know how it is.  It's making me get organized.  Why do I want to do that?  Ok, I do want it, but lack the skills to make it happen right now... Time is against me.  I've let my dishes go again and I have got to get in and clean the bathroom.  Lowell did the shower on Saturday, but the rest is still staring me in the face. Glad we only have one bathroom right now.  :o)  I thought I titled this, "The Calm before the storm"?  With all my complaining it doesn't seem to be as calm as I think it is.  Oh well. It's all good. 

I love 1 and 2 Corinthians.  I found these verses again this week and want to share them.  I've used this phrase before, but these verses are where I'm at right now.  Jesus Christ is the only reason I'm where I am today and who I am today!  I love these verses, and I love my Savior for promising this to me.  I'll say goodnight for now before I go do a little more stamping.  :o)

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:

for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,

that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

...for when I am weak, then am I strong."

2 Corinthians 12:9, 10b