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May 6, 2003
26 Weeks –
How can you resist reading this entry with a hook-title like this week’s, huh? Impossible! Just to draw it out a little bit further, I’m going to write a bit about the beginning of the week first, so all you loyal readers will just have to sit tight for a couple of paragraphs :-)
First of all, with this week, I am officially six months pregnant… I am not sure how I feel about this, because it is rather conflicting. In one sense, I am so happy to have made it this far with essentially no problems at all for my health, or the baby’s health. On the other hand, my journey seems to be rapidly coming to a close, and I have so enjoyed this pregnancy so far, I can see how some women just relish their time being pregnant and almost grieve when it is over. It’s a really amazing time right now also because of the way in which pregnancy is divided into trimesters. When I was three months, it was special; now that I am six months wow is all I can say. I am really beginning to love this little person inside of me and I haven’t even met her or him yet. I just feel so honoured to be able to take this journey, when so many are not able to for a variety of reasons. I love you, Little One, whomever you are going to be :-)
On Wednesday night, we went out to see a movie. Shocking news, I know, but hear me out. We have allocated ourselves a monthly entertainment budget of $25 and because it is so bloody expensive to go out to movies, we only go to those that would be best viewed at a movie theatre. Simon got a DVD player for Christmas this year from my Mum and we have a really kick-ass stereo system that is all hooked up to the TV etc, so we end up not losing much of the effect of the movie when we rent it and watch it at home. Anyway, I digress a bit. We usually rent DVD’s, and see a movie in theatres once every couple of months, so that we don’t blow our budget. This time however, the movie was free! My neighbour had received a free ticket to the opening of The Good Thief, with Nick Nolte, but couldn’t go so she passed the tickets on to us. The movie was… interesting. It was extremely slow moving for about an hour and a half of it, to the point where I was really starting to yawn. The cinematography was neat, I liked how they weren’t using the standard fade-in, fade-outs to get out of scenes etc, which suited the more ‘artsy’ flavour of the whole film. All in all, however, I am not certain we would have even rented the flick; I didn’t come out of the theatre saying that it was a good movie or that I enjoyed it really. But, at least we got out for a movie, even if it wasn’t really stellar.
Oh, the other thing I really, really despise about going out for a movie is that after I have paid all this money to go, I have to sit in front/behind some ya-ya who either talks, not whispers, to their friend(s) the whole movie, doesn’t turn their cell phone or pager off and it rings during a really quiet scene, or is incredibly loud with whatever food purchase they have made at the concession stand. This literally drives me insane. I am really glad however, that I have no problem being aggressive in terms of making them shut up, except for the food-eating, crunching, rustling people. I just turn around and say something like I’m paying to watch a movie, not hear your interpretation of it. Most people are just shocked and embarrassed that I actually have heard every comment they have said and then shut up from then on. But, what kind of person nowadays *forgets* to turn off their cell or pager? I mean, come on, we’ve all seen the ads they do at the theatres to remind people to turn them off, and it is such a simple little thing, really. That is the major reason why I enjoy renting movies in the quiet solitude of my own house. The other reason is that I can pause the movie now when I have to go to the bathroom, now that I am more and more unable to hold my bladder for long periods of time :-)
Also this week, we went out and bought a weight scale. Our old one was so on the fritz that the first time you step on it, it would give one number, jumping up and down a few numbers, never staying long on any number. You would step again on it, and it would range up and down from a different ‘base’ number. A third step resulted in a third number range. We were never really sure what exactly either of us weighed. While this may not seem like a big deal to most people, Simon decided a couple of months ago that he was going to try to lose one pound a week until the arrival of the little one. He could not determine, however, if he had lost any weight in a week when the scale was giving him a number that could range between 2-3 pounds or 5-6 pounds. I too, was curious as to what I was weighing week to week with the (seemingly) rapid growth of the Little One.
We had thought that this was not going to be a really difficult task, only to discover that it indeed was going to be a little more difficult than we initially realized. Simon’s feet did not fit on the majority of the scales. Mine barely did. The scales were meant to weigh people with tiny feet! The really expensive scales had larger foot pads, but we weren’t interested in buying a fancy scale, we just wanted a basic one – step on, what’s the weight, thank you and get off. We ended up at Walmart after a few other stops, where we were finally able to find a scale to suit our needs. So, now I can know exactly what my weight is as I progress through this pregnancy and the Little One grows and grows :-) As far as I can determine, I have only gained 13 pounds so far. That is going off of the weight I was just before I left for my Grandmother’s funeral, when the old scale was still somewhat reasonably accurate. Not bad, given that I am trying not to gain too much for the health of my poor knees and pelvis. I’ve been able to keep up my fitness routine that I talked about a few entries ago, which is good. I’ve had to omit a couple exercises because of my expanding belly, but I have compensated by adding a couple more pelvis opening poses, which is something that I should be focussing on a little more now as well, as I am almost in my third trimester! :-)
Alright, you have waited patiently enough I suppose for me to tell you about one of the things from the title… We have found out that it had been a very busy November on the cul-de-sac *wink* *wink* While we were shocked to find out that our neighbours were pregnant, we were beyond shocked to find out that there are TWO other couples on our small cul-de-sac expecting little bundles in August. I haven’t seen anyone else looking pregnant, but then again, if I am wearing baggy clothes I don’t look pregnant either, and they would be very similar sizing to me right now if they are due in August. But still, oh my gosh! We thought we were the only ones! This is like a baby explosion here! The two couples who are expecting were some of the last people to move onto the cul-de-sac, the houses were only completed in late July last year, so there really wasn’t that much time to socialize or meet anyone. Everyone was really busy trying to settle in, get gardens and lawns started and things like that that what was remaining of summer literally flew by. So, I think that as a neighbourhood we should be getting a little closer this year, now that we have had the chance to settle in a bit, we shall see. I am very curious to know when they are due, hopefully we’ll find out soon. We still don’t know when our neighbours are due, so I am sticking with my estimate of the end of May to mid-June until I hear otherwise! This is going to be a very hopping place soon though, with this many new arrivals on the way :-)
We have just found out that we have been approved for our application for health care with a private company – I was talking about this a few weeks ago. But, one of the things that they won’t cover are orthodics, because I have pre-existing flat feet and require them to make sure that my body works as well as it can. So, we made appointments for each of us to get orthodics made while we were still covered by our university health plan, which does cover the costs. My appointment went really well. I talked quite about what I was looking for this pair to do and the various pairs I have had in the past. She was really nice and friendly, talking to me about what I was experiencing with the pregnancy and what she found different when she was pregnant. Unlike that horrid dental hygienist however, this woman was really positive about everything, which was so wonderful! She also thought that I was looking small for being almost six months, but I do carry weight really well and the Little One could have just been in a position that didn’t extend my belly too much that day. So, soon I will have a brand new pair of orthodics, which is great, because optimally you should have your feet assessed every two years, and I only have one pair that is that recent. I have lots of other pairs (I think I have four pairs) in other shoes, but many of them are older and the orthodic has deteriorated a bit and doesn’t provide the support that I need.
What else, what else before the last part of the title… Oh yes! I had a package arrive on Friday that I have been waiting for, for a couple of weeks now. I had ordered my first maternity clothes online at the Gap, but because they don’t think there is anything north of the 49th parallel, I had to have it shipped to someone in the states, and then have them ship it to me. At the same time, I also purchased a Baby Bjorn carrier and had to do the same process. I had everything shipped to Jeanette and she was a real sweetie to open up everything, remove the tags and re-box it and label it as a gift so that I wouldn’t have to pay customs on it :-)
The issue of maternity clothes was something that I have been worried about for a while now. For the past two weeks, I have not been able to wear anything but my sweatpants while I am working on my thesis, as nothing I have really fits me anymore. The problem is, I am quite tall, I have to wear a 34” inseam for my pants, otherwise they are just too short, but women’s pants RARELY come in that length… I have been wearing men’s jeans for instance since I was thirteen because I could get the length! But, they don’t make men’s maternity jeans unfortunately, so I had to find somewhere that had pants with long enough inseams so that I wouldn’t look like a complete freak. The other thing is that I am just big enough to be in the plus-size clothing market, so even if I wanted to, nothing at the one maternity store here would really fit me and my expanding belly. I got an email from some baby/pregnancy website that Gap online was having a sale, and checked it out. Man, were they having a sale! I then had to talk with Simon about what exactly I would need in terms of maternity clothes, as we were trying very hard not to go over my monthly clothing budget, despite having to essentially buy a whole new wardrobe to fit the new pregnant me. The best part about the Gap stuff is that they had a size that would fit me, and even one larger, which was really wonderful. I found some jeans as well that came in three lengths, one of which was a 34 inseam! I was literally jumping with joy :-)
So, I ended up ordering four shirts, one exercise t-back shirt, the jeans and a pair of jean shortalls. They phoned a few days later to tell me that they didn’t have any more of one of the shirts, so I ended up only getting three, but that was still better than wearing my old t-shirts, which I usually don’t wear in an oversize, so they were getting pretty tight. When I opened up the box, I swear, it felt just like Christmas. It was really a moment that I will remember for a long time, getting my first maternity clothes, for my first pregnancy. I chose things that I can wear easily this summer and be able to augment in future pregnancies, to make the most of the shopping spree.
Being the organized people that we are, we wanted to make up a master shopping list of everything that we were going to buy for the Little One, toys excluded. I could then go and price out each item and make sure that we were paying the least for each thing, because as any of you parents know, these things can REALLY add up! :-) And, because we don’t know anyone here basically, we knew that we weren’t going to get things donated to us or anything. The only time when we could possibly receive anything is if someone hosts a shower for me, which I don’t know is going to happen, as, like I said, we don’t know too many people here! So, I made up an excel workbook of things divided into categories. My categories were layette, diapers, linens, nursery, gear and feeding. I then went through lists that I had printed out of other’s suggestions on what to buy and made up my own, based on what we thought was right given our particular circumstances etc. I have to say that I did have fun doing this, it is something that so totally suits my personality to be this organized etc, and it felt good to be doing something pro-active about getting ready for the baby, since we haven’t really done a thing so far.
So, on Friday night we went out to Toys ‘R’ Us for me to fill out some of the price and SKU info. I wore my brand new shortalls and maternity t-shirt, which Simon said I looked really cute in, and he sat and read while I went up and down aisle after aisle filling in information and adding items that I had not thought of or remembered when I made up the lists. We still have to go to Sears to fill in more info and I have a couple of online sites that I want to also fill in information from, but it felt so good to go out and do this little thing for the Little One! :-) I would be happy to share with anyone the spreadsheets I made up for this Master Shopping List, why not benefit from all the work I did? The prices of course are going to be from Canadian stores, but at least the items and quantities would be applicable to just about anyone.
Yoga again was wonderful to go to, I’m not sure how it’s possible, but with every week I seem to treasure it more and more. I am sure that it is because of the combination of all the pregnant women who are being so proactive about their health, my wonderful teacher (who I know I talk and enthuse about way too much, but she is really so amazing) and being able to just spend that small amount of time each week with other ladies who have felt the same things I have :-)
**Talk to Me**
Do you find you enjoy watching movies more at home now because of DVD technology, or do you really enjoy going to the theatre, despite the increase in price? If you like the theatre, what do you do about those inconsiderate people?
When did you first go out and buy maternity clothes, where did you buy them and what were your requirements for them? Did you have any problems like I do?
When you went out shopping for baby things, did you find yourself just buying everything, did you use those lists every baby website has, did you get help from a friend or did you use your own common sense?
Namaste, Laura and the Little One
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