You are a part of me
The Long Awaited Pregnancy Update
9 weeks vs 29 weeks
I think it is about time I do a pregnancy update here, no? Today we hit 36 weeks! Or rather 36 weeks hit me.
I am very large, very pregnant, and very tired.
Since I was a bigger girl before I got pregnant my doctor and the dietician both said I should be looking at gaining only about 10 lbs. I have gained about 5 so far but I am getting quite large. Clothing has been an issue for a while, I got that pretty much sorted out thanks to some borrowed clothes but now those hardly fit. Not quite sure what I am going to do, you all might have to put up with me walking around with nothing on at this point.
35 weeks
This whole pregnancy has felt like a life time. It has just dragged on up until recently. Now, I am in panic mode. I am so close to being done and this little one will be here before I know it. Really though, 37 weeks is term and that is in a week. I can also officially say I am due this month! I am really excited to hold our new little love but I, regardless of all the pains and issues, like being pregnant. I love the kicks and movement and everything that comes with all of that. I miss it when it is gone and it will soon be gone. Plus, I am getting anxious about labour and birth again now that it is in sight.
No help to some of my own issues (which I will talk about once I find the way I want to get this out) and my low iron I am incredibly tired. I have been exhausted the whole pregnancy but I am to the point where it is hard to do anything. Not only that but I am not sleeping much despite being so tired. I have trouble being able to fall asleep or staying asleep. It is difficult to get comfortable in general but sleeping only on your sides is very painful; things no one tells you about pregnancy, eh?
The last few months has been hectic for us as well. On top of the holidays and our son’s third birthday I have had a couple of problems. At 25 weeks, I ended up in labour and delivery triage to be checked out for contractions a few minutes apart. They checked everything out and were not concerned since the same thing happened with our first but I still carried him to full term (40 weeks). I also got to register for the hospital that week which was exciting to do again.
A few weeks later I did the glucose test which I passed, obviously great news! Let’s face it we all know I would not do well on a restricted diet. I need my junk and carbs, sometimes it is all I can live on these days. I was picky before I got pregnant but this pregnancy food aversions, heart burn, and nausea have been around the entire time. With my first I did not have any issues surrounding food or eating.
At about 28 weeks, my doctor sent me for an ultrasound to do a biophysical profile on baby because I had not been feeling as much movement. They also checked cervical length and his growth to make sure everything was looking good. I was still getting some contractions but mostly just dealing with a lot of cramping and losing some mucus plug. Everything came back fine with that ultrasound.
At about 30 or almost 31 weeks, I ended up being sent to Labour and Delivery Triage again but this time by my doctor from his office. I had been having some spotting, cramping, and losing a lot of plug along with baby not being very active again. He sent me in for them to monitor me and baby, do an ultrasound, a cervical check, and a fetal fibronectin test that would tell them if I was going in to preterm labour.
Ultrasound looked good, everything they monitored was great, they could not find a reason for the bleeding, I am about a cm dilated, and the test came back negative for pre-term labour.
A week or so later the spotting started again and I was losing large pieces of plug. My doctor was not concerned and he says it is normal to be dilate a bit at that point with subsequent pregnancies.
Everything is looking good regardless of those few hiccups. This pregnancy (although still faced with issues like the subchorionic hematoma well into the second trimester) has gone a lot more smoothly than my first. I am thankful for that. The only thing I need to double check now is that the placenta is away from the cervix enough for a safe vaginal delivery since it was slightly too close to it a little while ago. Aside from that it is just the waiting game for labour to start from now.
Little Mr is excited about baby and often tells me that he loves this little one. It is quite sweet. I cannot wait to see them together.
Big brother checking out the bump
I think this was a good brief overview of what has been going on lately. I will also update on the YouTube channel in the next couple days. For now, I just wanted to let you all know I am still pregnant, 36 weeks to be exact and I am still here just struggling to be as present as I would like and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our newest tiny human to the family.
IRL Birthing Affirmations
I recently discovered birthing affirmations. Since my second birth is coming up fairly soon I have been trying to find ways to cope this time around. So, I created my very own “birth affirmations” inspired by my first experience. I think they will speak to some of you. Enjoy!
Happy 2017!
Baby # 2 !
Little Mr is excited to be a big brother!
I did not think I could love more than I already do but magically, my heart grew big enough for two.
Family Friendly Fun Review: Pokémon Go
When I was in grade school Pokémon was all the rage. Everyone had the trading cards and watched the show. I got consumed by it myself. Everyday after school I would watch the show, every time I had some change I went to the corner store and got a pack of cards. It was a rush to crack open a fresh pack and see what surprise critters waited for me inside; maybe I would get a shiny or one I adored from the show. It was a little silly that I was so obsessed with the cards considering the majority of the people in school playing the game were boys and they were not anxious to have me join them. I never actually learned how to play but I still enjoyed collecting. One day in grade four during recess someone went into my cubby spot and stole my shiny Hypno; I am still mad about it. That is the power of this game. I am sure a lot of the hype is nostalgia but for good reason.
I certainly was not the only person who enjoyed the show and games. Pokémon became a vital part of many millennials’ childhood. Many of us grew up playing and never actually stopped. In fact, for my 24th Birthday my partner and I went and got a pair of Nintendo 3DS’ along with a pair of Pokémon games so we could play together. My partner is actually a much bigger fan than I am and he has helped me fill in a lot of the information I was not able to catch on to when I was younger. We have watched all the seasons and movies together and now that our son is old enough to enjoy the show, we watch them with him as well. Pokémon Go could not have come at a better time for our family. It is exciting for us to be able to share such a big part of our childhood with our children now; to have our children enjoy something we loved so much. Pokémon Go brings our childhood wishes alive; we can be Pokémon trainers!
Picture taken while playing Pokemon Go
The game appears to be getting a wonderful reaction. It seems like everyone I know, young and old alike, are enjoying this game. Of course there are people out there that are not impressed or it just is not something they enjoy but I am really impressed with the game for various reasons. Although there is a lot I would like to see added or fixed, the game itself is fun and what it has accomplished is even more amazing. This game is doing what many others have tried and never quite accomplished on such a large scale. Pokémon Go has gotten people out of the house to get exercise and fresh air but it has also, which I never realized would happen but I am pleasantly surprised, made people socialize. In a world where technology and social media seems to distance us while claiming to bring us together here comes a game where people just happen to find real community while playing. This is not a forced kind of socializing; you go out not even expecting to meet or talk to people but you do. You have this connection, you have tips, and jokes, and you have a good time with it all. It is exactly what the world needs right now. It is exactly what makes it such a great family friendly game.
Little Mr was excited to see a “Pikamon” on his stroller – Picture taken while playing Pokemon Go
My son is two and a half and he loves to go catch “Pikamon”. Today alone we spent at least an extra half an hour walking around while doing errands just to have fun with this. Something that would normally be rushed and boring became an adventure. We even went up a level while simply walking to the store. While my son does not quite understand how to actually catch the Pokémon and I am not sure he gets the whole augmented reality thing, he is able to get excited about walking around and catching them. He cannot swipe to throw the balls but he tries, most of the time I do it for him quickly and he presses the button on the ball while the critter is being caught, he feels like he is doing it. Once the Pokémon is caught he jumps for joy, we high five, it is a blast and it makes him so happy. Maybe a part of it is because he recognizes the characters, I am sure it is also partly exciting to be doing it with Mommy but I love to see that joy on his face. I love that it is getting us out of the house longer, it is something we both enjoy.
Grocery shopping with some Pokemon – Picture taken while playing Pokemon Go
We are not the only family playing this together. My Facebook feed is full of my peers and their children trying to “Catch ‘em all”. Honestly, I cannot find a con to playing this with your children. It is something you can all enjoy and bond over. There are a few things I will say in warning, if you are interested in jumping on the Pokémon wagon: 1. Be cautious and teach your children how to use caution while playing- people have been seriously injured or worse while not paying attention while playing 2. Be mindful that this game does use the data on your phone if you are not connected to Wi-Fi 3. Be present and play with them, this is a great opportunity to have fun with your children- simply driving them around for them to do it defeats the purpose, and yes I saw a mom driving her two children around in a minivan doing this a day ago.
All in all, I say I am down with PoGo as family fun! It is a great way to get out with your kids and explore your neighbourhood or even travel to find new places with new Pokémon. You can easily make a whole day out of this. I really love that this is fun for all ages. It is available on the Android Google Play Store and Apple App Store and is free to play with the option to buy items in game.
Let me know what you think about Pokémon Go as family fun in the comments below. Is there any other game you enjoy playing with your kids?
If you are looking for a different Pokémon fix or perhaps to wind down after a long day of Poke hunting, Netflix Canada has plenty of Pokémon episodes and movies for you to enjoy; we certainly enjoy watching them there!
Niantic (the company that created the Pokémon Go app) actually has another augmented reality game called Ingress that my partner and I had started playing a few months ago. If you aren’t a big Pokémon fan but still enjoy this particular type of game Ingress is definitely one you should check out. I would not consider this a family friendly game. This is more of an adult game.
10 Things I Learned while Potty Training my Toddler
Potty training my son has been quite the journey and is, unfortunately, not over yet. I have learned quite a bit from the experience though and I thought it might help some of you mentally prepare…
- Shit, shit everywhere
- I didn’t realize how much a little body could hold. Seriously, how does a two-year-old pee enough to fill a small pool?
- Not only will there be shit everywhere but it is apparently fun to play in it, just ask my potty training toddler
- Potty Training children can be spiteful – Even though he knows how and likes to use the potty he will only use it if he is in the mood. I think it’s a conspiracy, he’s out to get me
- Potty training diapers are needlessly expensive. I don’t understand how they are so much more expensive than regular diapers which are already priced too damn high for something the kids soil
- Did I mention the shit? I would much rather change a diaper than clean it out of toys and off the floor
- Consistency is key… and I suck at it
- You need to be mentally prepared
- You are going to spend most of your day in the bathroom. They go a lot, you will need to go, and sometimes they just like to sit on the toilet for no reason. They will want you to sit on the edge of the tub beside them while they do all of this. You might as well set your life up in there and have your meals delivered
- One day they will be wiping their own butts and wanting privacy… and you will miss all of it
Good Luck,
Apparently a Mom
Monsters Eat… Youtube Channels?
Were you aware that monsters main source of nourishment comes from grass. Also, did you know there is an Apparently a Mom Youtube Channel?
How My Toddler Eats
I am no chef but I do try my best to provide my family with some delicious and healthy meals. I often put thought and effort into my meal planning. I take into consideration what my Little Mr is liking at the moment and I try my best to accommodate, but if he had it his way he would live on cookies. No matter what I do, even if it’s something he normally likes, my home looks like a tornado swept over his plate after every meal. I am not sure how he gets food as far as he does and I am not even sure how it happens, even if I have my eyes glued to him. I might just have a pitcher on my hands and a good one at that.
Not to mention that when he does eat he almost always just picks out the starchy food. I am fairly certain he is just living off of bread and potatoes at this point. He can have a lovely Thanksgiving feast in front of him and I am lucky if he eats a couple bites of turkey along with a roll and some mashed potatoes. Seriously, who passes on Thanksgiving dinner? It’s my favourite dinner, we even have our Thanksgiving dinner for my Birthday Party because they are close enough together. I’m still not over it and Canadian Thanksgiving is at the beginning of October.
Toddlers are strange creatures.
*** Guess what? We now have a Facebook Page for Apparently a Mom! Be sure to join in on the fun and see some exclusive extras for the page – https://www.facebook.com/apparentlyamom
Apparently a Mom 