Seriously People, This is Getting Crazy

I am a little concerned about how big I am getting. I had convinced myself that my size had plateued and I was not getting bigger. However, as you can see by the picture here, I continue to get more enormous. Actually on Sunday night I swear there was a huge growth spurt over night.

I would say I have had a very easy pregnancy so far but I am beginning to feel uncomfortable. Some of the third trimester symptoms I am experiencing now are: swelling in my hands and feet, heartburn, shortness of breath, ligament pain, I have to pee all the time and those little kicks from the baby are getting strong now!

The thing that freaks me out the most is that I have ten more weeks to go! How much bigger can I possibly get?

Madeline Gene

My "little" sister Madeline (who is much bigger than me) is 15 years younger than me. My mom thought it would be great birth control to involve me as a teenager in the entire process of her pregnancy. So I was there at just about every step of the way, at the amniocentesis, the ultrasounds and finally the birth.

However, I wouldn't say that the experience scared me into never wanting to have children. It was quite the opposite. While my mom was pregnant, I thought it was absolutely fascinating how the baby developed and I decided I was either going to be an OBGYN and deliver babies or I would be a surrogate mother for all the people who could not have children. Luckily I came to my senses!

After Madeline's delivery all of my high school friends were absolutely disgusted that I had seen my sister being born but I thought it was amazing. Besides throwing up after my mom's water broke, the entire experience was beautiful. In fact, I like to tell Madeline how I was the first person to welcome her into the world. Unlike my dad, I was in the catcher's position when she arrived!

I keep trying to remember this experience and not the many horror stories about labor that I have heard over the years. I like to think I am pretty tough but I have never been in the hospital, never had an IV or been hooked up to a machine. To be honest, I have never experienced extreme pain in my life. Like I said in an earlier post, I do not like surprises and I wish I had a better idea of how it is all going to happen. What I know for sure is how excited I am to meet our baby and as scared as I am, I am positive it will all be worth it. And, if you have a particularly pleasant birth story, please feel free to pass it along!

Boulder Open Enrollment

Last night Dave and I went with his Dad to see a documentary about Columbine Elementary school. No, this is not the Columbine school of the shootings, this is our neighborhood elementary school down the street from our house where Dave attended school as a kid.

In the early 1990's, a law was passed giving parents the right to open enroll their children in the school of their choice. This means that rather than attending your neighborhood school, you apply to the school of your choice. In Boulder, this has caused a strange phenomenon. In a town where the population is primarily upper class and about 95% white, Columbine Elementary is now 80% Hispanic and about the same percentage qualify for government assistance/lunch aid. I can't remember the exact number they gave but I think they said that about 90% of white children in the neighborhood open enroll to other schools.

I'm not going to get into the debate here about whether or not we should send our child to Columbine Elementary. There is a lot to think about, I am still undecided and have at least 5 years to think it over. But, I do think that having an open enrollment system in a town like Boulder causes serious problems. This is what is to blame for the segregation in the schools. Rather than having parents involved and dedicated to the well being of their neighborhood schools, parents now just switch them to the next school over with higher test scores. In a small, homogeneous town like Boulder there just is not a huge difference in the quality of a school, until you begin to open enroll students and create schools with segregation and huge disparities in wealth.

They are in talks now to spend 8 million dollars for a remodel of Columbine. This is not going to solve the deeper issues here. I am going to hope and pray that the open enrollment system is gone by the time Samantha goes to elementary school. It has made me begin to think about bringing up a child and how to teach by example while still keeping your child's best interests at heart. But for now, I think I'll go back to worrying about my birthing classes before I stress about kindergarten.

Rude People

This week I am in New York City for my last work trip until after the baby arrives. I figure this is a sort of "Carlymoon" and a great time to enjoy the city - the weather is absolutely beautiful here this week. I have had way too much fun coming to NYC over the past few years and going out with coworkers, I can't help wonder when I'll be back again. Work trips will most likely be a little more complicated once Samantha is here.

My rant for today doesn't have much to do with pregnancy but rather traveling. During the past three years I would say I have made roughly one trip per month for work. I don't mind traveling for work, like I said, I have especially enjoyed my trips to NYC over the years. I am a big fan of Frontier and almost always fly with them. Traveling while pregnant is not so bad either, I am feeling pretty good these days and I still go to the gym so schlepping my bags is not difficult.

But, I was reminded yesterday how much I despise rude people. When I got to my terminal, I was looking for a seat and I spotted one across from a woman sitting on the end. As I tried to get to it, she pushed her suitcase down in the aisle in front of me so I couldn't get through. I had to pick up my luggage and try to step over her suitcase to get to a seat. Of course this same woman happened to be sitting in the seat next to me for my flight. She demanded her drink before the flight attendant had gotten to us and then snapped at the woman because there was no meal on the flight.

I recently read that scientists have found that during the act of receiving something in kindness there is an increase of serotonin in the brain. The same goes for the person who is performing the act of kindness, it is truly a natural anti-depressant. I know, this is really my Boulder side showing, but come on, it really does help you and others around you to be a better and more kind person - so be nice! And, next time, help a pregnant lady get her bag down the aisle!

Baby Yoga

I figure it is some sort of requirement that if you are pregnant in Boulder you must take a prenatal yoga class. Other mandates of living in Boulder require that once you have kids, they all must wear Crocs, travel in fancy jogging strollers to Moe's Bagel every weekend and breastfeed until they are about 4.

I love Boulder but I am not really a typical Boulderite and I admit to making fun of all the hippies, liberals and vegetarians in this town. However, I did give in to the prenatal yoga class and am taking a weekly class until the end of the month. At first I was pretty bored, and I have to try hard not to giggle as we put a hand on our bellies and send gratitude to our womb, but I have to admit all this stretching and meditating does help relax me. As I start my third and final trimester I am feeling really happy, excited and at peace with the pregnancy.

Maybe I will do a really Boulder thing and sign up for a Mom and Baby yoga after Samantha arrives. Namaste...

The Nursery Comes to Life

Most of you know that I am a planner. I always tease Dave about his Excel spreadsheets and budgets but the truth is, I have also become a fan of having things in order. That's why it has been a little strange that I just wasn't in a rush to get a nursery ready. Last month, even my doctor told us it was time to start looking at cribs and ordering items that take awhile to ship.

We made our first trip to Babies R Us a few weeks ago and were overwhelmed by the crowds and the large selection of cribs, changing tables, chairs, dressers, etc. - we probably should NOT have gone on a Saturday afternoon. I will also admit that I was upset by how tall the cribs were! There were only a few that I could reach into comfortably and I was unhappy with Dave's suggestion that we build a step stool for me to get our baby out of the crib.

We finally chose a *shorter* crib and changing table online from Target and Dave did a fantastic job assembling it all this weekend. I am very happy with our selections. We still need to paint the room and get all the decorations and bedding but it looks like a baby's room in there now! I do a lot of stopping and staring every time I pass the room. It is definitely starting to feel real...

The Big 3-0

Today I am 30. This morning my Grandma sent me the picture posted here of me on my 8th birthday. What do you think of the side ponytail?

For the past six years, we have had an annual fiesta to celebrate my birthday. This consists of pinata hitting, a tequila tasting and overall good times. But, of course the year that my birthday falls on a Friday and I would have had the best fiesta ever, I am pregnant and have to take it easy. But that's okay - it will be easy to remember the year Samantha is born because it is an 8, like the year I was born and we are moving the fiesta to Dave's 30th birthday this year.

The main thing I keep thinking about as I begin the next decade of my life is how lucky I am to have such amazing friends. I have known many of my closest friends, including Dave, since I was a teenager. I have a picture that my Grandma took on my 15th birthday before school (I got to have a sleepover on a school night) and in the picture with me are Ryan, Beth and Autumn, three of my very best girlfriends to this day.

I hope Samantha is fortunate enough to find long lasting friendships. I know she will have our friends looking out for her throughout her entire life. And because I can't, if each of you could take a shot of tequila for me on my 30th birthday, I would appreciate it. If you've never tried Cafe Patron, I highly recommend it.

A Family Affair

I have a confession to make. The day I found out I was pregnant, it was a Friday and I had just returned from a work trip in NYC and was at home. When I saw the positive test, Dave wasn't the first person I called. It was my Mom. Then, I tried to call Dave and tell him but he told me he was too busy at work to talk...so he wasn't the even the second person I told, that was my Dad.

The point is, I am very close to my family, and to Dave's family too. When I had my bachelorette party in South Beach 4 years ago, my mom and my mother in law were two of the 15 females that were in attendance. I know what you are thinking: boundaries right? This is probably true but for the most part, I think I do a pretty good job at setting some boundaries and I still like to have my family and Dave's family very involved in our lives.

For my 12 week ultrasound I invited Judy, my mother in law, to the appointment with me and Dave. It was really special to have her there and she had never seen an ultrasound before. For my 20 week ultrasound Dave thought that my sister should come with us. I had been to the ultrasound to see her before she was born and Dave thought it would be cool for her to come to see one as well. Well, the invitation to her turned into an invitation to my whole family and before I knew it, Dave, my Mom, Dad and sister were meeting me for the appointment. It was hilarious - I was a little late and I literally had a welcoming section when I arrived to the hospital. The five of us crowded into the room and although I'm sure we drove the technician crazy, I loved having everyone there.

Which brings me to my final point, and the latest topic I have been getting head shakes and dissenting opinions about. The headcount invited into the delivery room with us is holding strong at 4. Me, Dave, my Mom and Judy. People think this is crazy but I think it will be pretty amazing to have them all with me for the birth. After all, it should be good karma for me. This way Samantha will involve me too someday right?

Babymoon

We leave tomorrow for our last destination in our 2008 wedding tour. This is our third wedding in three months. Dave's cousin Mike is getting married in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. This is also our last trip to the beach for awhile and our last vacation before we have a baby. All the baby books recommend that couples take one final trip before the baby arrives, a babymoon, to enjoy being alone - without baby gear and without worrying about a baby. I guess this is our last hurrah!

Happy Birthday to Audrey, Sarah and Esther while I am gone. I'll be thinking of you all from the beaches of Mexico.

Also, I added a few new pictures to the slide show - enjoy!

APRIL FOOLS!!

I know, I am very mean. I did not get an ultrasound yesterday and as far as I know, Samantha is a girl. I am sorry to those of you I tricked, but I have to admit I was giggling all day- actually it was more like I was rolling on the floor laughing. I also found out who my loyal blog readers are - it was clear who checks the blog regularly! I appreciate those who were truly concerned with how I was handling the news. My friend Annie even volunteered to help me update my registry and I got some encouraging words from Audrey about how fun boys can be.

I'm going to have to think of something good for next year!

OH BOY!!!

I went to the doctor for an ultrasound today and the doctor told me that Samantha is a BOY! I think I am still in shock. My stomach has been upsetting me and my doctor wanted to make sure everything was looking alright so we did the ultrasound, the baby looks fine....just has definite boy parts now! I guess Sam is Samuel again.