Then and Now

This is Kellie in my belly at 19 weeks...

And this is Kellie in my belly at 23 weeks.

I can't see much of a difference.
Except for the stretch mark peeking above my yoga pants.
The mark under my tank isn't a stretch mark. Thank goodness!
It's a mark from my clothes being too tight and me refusing to acknowledge that my bust has grown to the size that it is!

I'm hoping I don't gain much more weight.
I was at 30 pounds total weight gain, the nurse got on my case, I started eating better and now my twg is 25 pounds.

I sure hope I can plateau!
I'm okay if Kellie keeps growing and I keep shrinking!

We decided on a name! Finally!
Kellie Allison

Alternatives

Way back when... I went to beauty school. I got 1/4 of the way through my schooling and decided it wasn't for me. Later, I went back to beauty school and got my license to do nails.

Well, word got out at work that I know how to cut hair, even if I'm not licensed to do it. Consequently, I cut someone's hair this weekend. And I must say, I was a VERY surprised that I remembered how to cut hair and that having hair on my body didn't bother me as much as it used to. (I used to freak out trying to get it off me. It turned into a major fiasco attempting to shower away all the little hairs and get them out of my clothes. Those little buggers go EVERYWHERE! There is no part of the body that is sacred.)

So it made me think... What if I went back to beauty school? What if I got my license so that I could do hair (if need be)? I obviously won't enroll tomorrow. (Even though I am known for spur of the moment decisions.) But what if?

I know my stuff. I haven't cut a woman's hair in...I think it's been over a year. And I didn't screw up this hair cut. So the skill is there. But do I have the patience to do hair day in day out? Or should I just stick to nails? Because I know I love every aspect of doing nails and I'm already licensed for that. I sure wish I knew what I wanted to do. Indecisiveness is driving me crazy!

The Midwive's Birthing Center

Welcome! This is the waiting room of the birthing center we've chosen.

Contrary to popular belief, exam rooms do not require a constant state of discomfort. This is my view from the exam table.

This is the labor and delivery bed. Dim lights are available (which I prefer) or there's a light switch for classic indoor lighting.

Just across the room, this labor tub is used to naturally alleviate labor pains. Water birth is also an option! Across the room from the tub is a fireplace and candles.

Should you find that labor feels better in the shower, this personal bathroom is available for your use. Or even if you want to freshen up after delivery. These cute toddlers were running around the center. Very family friendly!

The general feeling I got here was that women posess the strength to deliver babies.
We just need to have our comfort needs met.
This center does it for me.
I can envision giving birth in that tub. And that's all I wanted.

Options

Ever since I can remember, I envisioned myself having a water birth. I always pictured it in a community pool near where I grew up. But, for obvious health and safety reasons, it's pretty safe to say that won't be happening.

The base hospital is very much in support of epidurals, episiotomies, catheters, c-sections, and the like. Most modern-day women prefer these interventions during birth. But I can't picture myself giving birth at the hospital on base. It's just not my style.

When Brian said that even going into debt was worth my satisfaction with the birth, I seriously started considering going elsewhere. The staff here on base have been kind, caring, and very professional. But I just can't get past knowing that most of the women who go in, come out with stitches of some sort.

We have an appointment for a walk-through and consultation with the midwife birthing center downtown. They offer water birth, which is awesome! Even if at the last minute I choose not to give birth in the tub, at least the option will be open to me.

All this gusto toward having the birth experience of my choice is thanks to my mom and her best friend Sheila. They've both had incredible natural birth experiences in their lives and I've only heard glowing reports.

I sure hope this meeting goes well.

I sure hope I can afford it!

Allergic

I've always been allergic to nuts and citric acid (basically fruit juice).

I was eating an apple today. I know, I know. "But you're allergic!"

If I stopped eating everything I was allergic to, my list of edible foods would be severely compromised, and I might starve.

My tongue always swells up just a bit whenever I eat the things that I'm allergic to. The more sensitive I am, the more swelling there is. Usually an apple will cause minimal swelling.

Until today.

I'm halfway done eating my Granny Smith apple (for some reason, I'm more sensitive to these than to Gala apples or Washington Reds) and I get tired of it. I quit eating, passing the rest to Kinzie, begging her to eat it. She happily obliges.

At which point I notice that the swelling on my tongue has not reached a peak. It continues swelling. It even goes so far as to swell in the middle. In the past, nothing but the edges of my tongue swell. So, I freak out even more when my throat starts to swell.

Brian brings me some benadryl.

Fifteen minutes later, I can talk normally without pain. But it's still tender.

That was some fast swelling! Really freaked me out!

I wonder what else I'm hyper-sensitive to? Kinda makes me want to rush out and see.

Swiss cheese has been the worst irritant. I wonder what that will do to me now?

She's a GIRL!

So, during a play-fight, Brian says "I hope our kid gets my nose. Your nostrils are HUGE." I think our baby got my nose!! This is her profile picture. At one point, the ultra-sound tech had me shove my hand deep into my belly to make her move over. She's a sound sleeper!

Also! About three years ago, Brian and I agreed soundly on the name Kellie Anne. Today he vehemently opposes the idea. When pressed, he says "I never thought we'd have a daughter! I mean, look at all the boys in our family!"

He agrees on the name Kelly Ann. But I think Kellie Anne looks more feminine.

Please cast your vote here!!

TOMORROW!!!

Moose

You all know about my gigantic feelings of terror regarding moose, right? Read on.

While taking Zoe out for her bedtime potty break, I hear a faint rustling in the trees in our community area. I have a fenced backyard, but the community area is literally right there. Zoe nervously looks up at the rustling as well. Her instincts, while domesticated, are still keen. This leads me to believe that I will be stomped on, my head trampled beyond recognition, if I don't rush into the house, lock the door, and bolt up the stairs to where possible-moose can't get me.

I have no logical reasoning behind my fear. None. And it's only a fear of live moose within possible pulverizing range.

Moose across a lake? Fine.
Moose in pictures? Fine.
Cartoon moose? Fine!
Stuffed moose (Ever popular in the Alaska tourist department)? Even better!

But moose in my comfort zone, waiting to trample me down and leave me for dead? NOT FINE! Anything BUT fine!

Now that I'm on an adrenaline high, my insomnia is heightened. I may have to succumb to the ever-blissful sleeping pill.

I really do hate drugging myself to get some shut-eye.

Anticipation

Our 20 week ultrasound is so close. I'm beyond excited! I can remember being 8 weeks along and feeling left-out that other women were already at this point. (There are a LOT of pregnant women at my place of work.)

Now I'm here!
Meeting ladies who are 8 weeks, I wonder if they feel the same way I did.

Knowing if this baby is a boy or a girl will help me feel more like it's really happening. We already have names picked out, so once we know which name it will be, we can start referring to the baby by name instead of by "it" or "baby."

I'm counting down!