At least I tried...

So since I was a bad patient and did not comply with my doctor's request to get compression stockings (he was joking anyway, right?), I decided to take his second piece of advice (he must have known that I was going to need a second option). He told me that if I could get my feet above my heart for at least 15 minutes sometime in the middle of the day, it would help with the swelling.

So today after lunch and a little more work, I closed the door to my office (my closet/shared work space/storage room), laid a blanket down that I took from laundry and laid on the floor with my feet up in my chair. It was uncomfortable but I stayed there for 20 minutes or more trying to help my tootsies.

Alas, it did not work very well. Maybe my shoes were a touch looser when I got back up but not by much if at all. The stint on the floor hurt my back and just made me want to go home and take a nap!

Oh well....at least I tried!

Breastfeeding Class

Tonight we had our breastfeeding class. I decided that I knew enough about the birthing process, having been on the receiving end, that I didn't want to take a birth class, but I have never been around breastfeeding very much so I wanted to learn some tips and techniques.

So Joey and I went but he came prepared with a book to read in case it was all women. I knew a good bit of it, I learned a good bit more....and I was witness to more people touching their breasts than I ever thought possible in one small room! She was not about to just tell you how to hold the baby while feeding...she wanted you to practice.

Also, Joey and I were not late but we weren't the first ones there either. Everyone was supposed to get a baby, but the class was so full that the daddies had to give theirs up. Joey and I ended up with one of the African American babies ;)

Other things:

1. We practiced the art of suckling with blow-pops.

2. We had a buckeye that represented the size of the baby's stomach after 4 days of life.

3. Hamburgers and hotdogs were analogies for how to hold the breast for feeding.

I'm sure there was more. I promise that we didn't crack up during class but there were several times that I didn't feel like I was nearly mature enough to handle everything that was being said...

OH and she said that the most sleep that I will get at one time during the first couple of weeks will be 1.5 hours!!! I am already tired ;)

Big Weekend for the Eason Family

This past weekend was one I had been looking forward to for two weeks...having to work through last weekend was just not my idea of fun! And on top of that, having SO much to do to get the house in liveable order and get ready for Hayes too!

So I had big plans for this past weekend. We were going to get some more painting done, get the rest of the items on my list for Hayes, go see Harry Potter (yes, this was on the "To-Do" list), try out another church, go grocery shopping, etc. I let Joey sleep in Saturday morning (because I knew I was going to wear him out with my list so I needed him to have his beauty sleep) so we didn't get started until mid-day. We knocked a few things off the list right away including some Hayes items. It was a nice day Saturday, but being late July south of the Mason-Dixon, it was not cool exactly. So when we went to look at the dreaded compression stockings, I chickened out...my vanity almost couldn't take the thought of wearing them everyday, then it was 95° outside, they cost more than I wanted them too, AND that day I didn't have any cankles. It was a no-go!

Then we went to see our old friend Harry for a few hours, tried to get some more shopping done (the Target at Short Pump was very disappointing), ate sushi with a friend of ours from Birmingham (who now lives in Charlottesville), hit a couple of stores looking for a chair for Hayes' room, and then headed home nearly worn out.

Oh but then my hormones kicked in...I got back to the house and nearly broke down in tears because I could no longer stand the sight the MESS. So I nested for a while all over the house and Joey helped me get the living room ready to be painted and finally crashed into bed after ten.

Church was interesting Sunday morning. We have been looking for a church nearby that fits and I think we are going to have to expand our radius. We were the youngest there by decades, again. And even though there were only 15 or so people there total, a sweaty man who really liked to talk sat down in the ONE seat that I left between my chair and the aisle....I have a bigger personal bubble than most other people and I nearly need to be medicated when someone other than my close friends and family sit down RIGHT NEXT TO ME!

Then we went to the Target near our house (they were well stocked), Wal-mart for a grocery run (ugh), came home and painted the living room and the dining room table (again). By the time we finished dinner we were both so worn out that we BOTH went up to bed! This is not really that unusual for me because I love being in bed but for Joey to say he was that tired was definitely saying something!

35 Weeks!

I went back to the doctor today. I only gained 1.5 pounds since the visit 3 weeks ago (and I think she rounded up unnecessarily) and he said that I am measuring correct for my dates. He listened to Hayes' heartbeat and said that it sounded appropriate.

One thing that he didn't care for was how much swelling I have (the cankles). I don't have any other signs that I have a condition to be worried about (like a blood clot or pre-eclampsia) but he said that I should feel like I have more energy if I take care of the swelling.

How, you may ask, do you handle that? Yep...the answer would be compression stockings! I asked him if he knew how hot it was outside. He said that he did (but I didn't really believe him since he stood his ground on the stocking idea).

So I guess I will be a good patient and go get the stockings....there will definitely be pictures so you can share in the hilarity!

The Hospital

I am now preregistered for the hospital (a big step, I think!). And last night I packed an emergency bag for the three of us! Joey has been trying to get me to pack a "Bug-out" bag, as he calls it, for several weeks now and I just got around to it.
A new friend of mine, also in medicine, completely freaked me out yesterday by asking if I knew whether or not I would have a private room at the hospital. I did not think to be worried about that but now it's just about all I can think about!!! All the hospitals I have worked in have gone to private rooms for L&D but what if this one hasn't?! I tried to investigate that today when I was getting preregistered and the girl didn't know the answer to that other than there are at least some private rooms. I am not going to be a happy camper if I have to share a room...not. at. all.

I separated all of Hayes' clothes (and his hand-me-downs from Jay) into sizes last night and the kid will have some clothes! I am so excited to see him in the precious outfits that we have been given...he's going to be SO cute!

We are going to meet a friend this weekend out where a lot of the shopping in Richmond is, and I am going to try to get the rest of the things we need for him and be completely ready! We'll see if that happens...I just want the transition from hospital to home to be smooth and not hectic.

I'll keep you posted!

Hayes' Room

Hayes finally has furniture! Here is his crib all set up in his room:

The side view:

His precious bedding from Mom and his airplane mobile from Aunt Emlyn:

This is the dresser that we're going to use as his changing table too:

You can see the airplane painting from Mrs. Ann and Mr. DeWayne that goes perfectly with his bedding. Mom got his bassinet all ready for him before she left Richmond so he has actually had a bed to come home to for a while!

We are far from done but it is actually coming together now. I am washing all of his clothes now so I can put them away and inventory what I have and what I need. Hopefully we will have the full 6 weeks to get prepared!

Just remember...you asked for it!

I have had a number of requests for the dreaded belly pictures...so I have taken some. The song "Go big girl, what you gon' do" comes to mind!

He's getting pretty big now! I can't believe we are 34 weeks along. It seems like such a short time ago that we were telling our families at Christmas that we were expecting and time shot by! Breathing while sitting down is getting harder. Like his mother, Hayes likes his personal space and does not appreciate when I put something on my belly (most especially my computer but he even kicks when I rest my hand on my belly).
Not too much longer now!