Baby's Heartbeat - Cam

(Posted by Cam) Today Dani and I listened to the baby's heartbeat - 150-151 beats per minute. Very exciting.

Pedal faster, Barbie!

Friday was my first day of spinning (cycling) in 2 weeks. It is great that the class instructor is back, however I feel rather large atop the bike, in my skinny bike shorts and slim cycling shirt. There were some new girls in the class, barbie-doll types. I found considerable comfort in the fact that I could still pedal faster and harder than they could.

I start my yoga classes next week. I decided to drop one cycling class in favor of a yoga class. It is something that I've always wanted to try, and now that I will be soon losing access to the company gym, I figured I should do it before I leave in October. Additionally, a lot of my baby books recommend yoga for expecting mothers as the breathing and stretching is really good training for labour (seriously!). I think the meditation part will be good too, for later when the baby is crying all the time. :)

On Monday I have a doctor's appointment in the afternoon. The doctor will do all the regular monthly checkup stuff, weight, bloodpressure, palpitation, etc. Also, he will set up a Doppler machine which will allow the baby's heartbeat to be heard. Cameron is coming too - I checked with the doctor's office and they are happy to have Cam accompany me on my appointment. In fact, they seemed happy to be able to meet him! The receptionist/nurse there is really sweet - she is the doctor's wife too. For as long as I have been going there, every time I leave she always tells me that she thinks that I am "so cute".

Unofficial weigh-in at the gym on Friday was 133 lbs (last month I was 131 lbs at the doctor's office). This puts me at a total 5 lbs gained. Most pregnant women have gained 8-12 lbs by now, according to the books I have, however there is a big caveat on your frame size, activity level, metabolism & what kind of foods you are eating.

Waist now measures 32" (33" after dinner!). Clothes that I can still button up: one pair of grey flannel pants and one pair of brown pinstripe pants and a black skirt for work. Casual clothes: my stretchy, lower-waisted jeans, sweat pants & my exercise clothes (stretchy stretchy!). All other pants must be secured with a blue broccoli-bunch elastic band from button hole to button, and paired with a long top in order to conceal the rubber band.

Shorter tops now have a tendancy to creep up, so a big "thank you" to my cousin Jocelyn who, for Christmas, gave me a lovely green long sleeve tee which is quite long waisted! A big "thank you" goes to my friend Anne too. Anne is expecting as well (due in August), and received a pile of mat. clothes from a coworker - some are too short for her, so she is passing them on to me - very nice!

Fart Bubbles??

This week has been quite exhausting! Have been having trouble sleeping at night, mainly due to getting up to use washroom or just general discomfort (sore back, headache). Taking a bath before bedtime really obliterates this problem, so will try switching to bedtime baths instead of morning showers next week.

Some funny things happened this week: I was laying on the couch watching TV a few nights ago and I thought I felt some fluttery movements inside me. It felt like a pulse, but in my gut. I haven't felt it since. Wonder if it was just fart bubbles.

Also have been having trouble with my internal thermostat. My geophysicist colleage is a father of two, and thinks it's hilarious when I turn suddenly pink, and whip off my cardigan and start fanning myself. His wife had similar issues when she was pregnant (both times). Some reading has revealed that if you get hot flashes during pregnancy, you're almost certainly going to get them through menopause too. So I guess this is a preview to that part of my life. Haha!

My belly is starting to "show" now, so that people can point at my gut and say "I HEARD you were expecting, congratulations!" It is funny, I rarely have an eye-to-eye conversation at work, most people stare at my belly.

The Seven Dwarves of Pregnancy

I feel like I am living with the pregnant version of the Seven Dwarfs:

Hungry
Cranky
Sleepy (Nappy)
Gassy
Crampy
Bloaty
Barfy

That last dwarf is only popping up on morning C-train rides now. Not nearly as bad as before, but every time I try to read in order to pass the time, I feel motion-sick.

Our vacation to Radium was really good. A much needed get-away! We visited some natural hotsprings near Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park, and the springs were caught in several pools, running downhill towards a river. The closer to the (glacier-sourced) river you got, the cooler the pools got. I found one that was warm like bathwater and sat in there. I just stuck my legs in for the most part in the warmer pool where everyone else was.

Easter is coming! We will be going to 2 Easter dinners: one on Saturday and one on Sunday! My Hungry dwarf is looking forward to the weekend!

Hot Springs Here We Come!

Can't....sleep....ahhhhh! Woke up 2 hours ago and have not been able to get comfortable/asleep again! At least today is daylight savings time, so bedtime will be coming 1 hour earlier tonight. Late night movies aren't so great, ya know. :P

The baby is now 3.5 inches long! My tummy expands like crazy after eating, especially after supper - usually have to undo button on jeans. :) My friends think this is hilarious.

We will be going on a mini-vacation next weekend to Radium. Looking forward to going for nice walks, looking for wildlife, soaking in the hot springs (medium-temperature pool only, no hot tubs allowed!), etc. We will be joined by 4 friends from Calgary, it should be a great weekend!