Week 34

Again not much going on for you this week. You are practicing those essential skills still. You are cramped. Your fingernails have reached the tip of your fingers, which means this mama had to get some nail clippers just for you (and these have a magnifying glass on them, cool, right?). You are still mostly just gaining weight and getting taller. I wish I had more exciting things about what you are up to, but unfortunately I do not. You are just growing away in there, exactly as you should be doing. We did find out that you are a week ahead, measuring in at 6 pounds 1 ounce. And you have a long femur, so you, my sweet girl, may just have long legs like your mama.

I wish I could report that I have been doing better. This pregnancy has not exactly been an easy one for me. Although I'm not getting sick on a daily basis anymore, I am definitely still getting sick on occasion. Sometimes this gestational diabetes feels like it's going to get the best of me when I'm trying to figure out meals and I realize that I have no idea what to feed us because everything I want is something I can't have or don't know if I can have. But I push through and find different things or make the things I do want (lobster bisque, broccoli cheese soup for examples) work. It's just a frustrating road sometimes. I do feel ten times better having everything all ready to go for you. Your room is all put together, crib and all. You are all set to sleep in our room for awhile with your new port-a-crib. You are living the high life, baby girl! And I can't wait for you to come out so I can meet you and you can give me my body back. But mostly I'm excited to meet you and for you to be in the world.

So by now you all know I have gestational diabetes. And I manage. I get through it. Some days are harder than others. But that completely depends on if I want something I can't have that day or not. But four more weeks and that will be over with. But I'm not here to talk about the eating or the having to take my blood four times a day (which is not so high on the fun factor by the way). No, instead I'm here to talk about the other part of having gestational diabetes that I get to experience each week. Ultrasounds! Yup, each and every week since I found out I had gestational diabetes I have to go in for an ultrasound, actually to be more exact I go in for a biophysical profile.

So honestly, in the scheme of things getting to see my daughter each week isn't so bad, but it is something I have to do. But we aren't just looking at her pretty pretty face (although I do have LOTS of pictures now). She has a test to pass.

One of the really bad risks with gestational diabetes and actually is very rare is stillbirth. And since that's really not so good, we have to keep an eye on her to make sure she is doing good each week. So there are four things that they look at and if she passes her test then we are good for another week. If not then...well, let's just say we have passed every test so far so I"m not going to worry about what happens if she doesn't pass her test.

They first listen to her heart then we watch her belly. Babies don't breathe when they are in the womb but they do practice, and what they watch her is her practicing. She has to do it consistently for at least 30 seconds. Then they measure the amniotic fluid. And they have to see her move. The moving is the one that Addison definitely hates the most. Because they use a little buzzer that they put against my belly and she does not like that at all! But it gets her moving.

And like I said, so far she has passed her test every time (fingers crossed it will continue that way - although she's an amazing little girl, so I have no doubt). Then after she passes her test, the fun begins. We try to get a picture of her face in 4D. And let's just say that she is a stubborn little girl. She does not like to show her face. The last two times she has had her arms up over her face or she is too close and we can't get a good picture of her.

But as much as I would love a good picture of her now, what's really important is that she passes her test each week. That means we have a healthy baby girl and this gestational diabetes is not getting the best of both of us. Although she is measuring at least  a week ahead, but if that's the worst then I'll take it!

(Monday, September 24 - Sunday, September 30)