Todd Finally Gets a Day Off

It has finally happened. Todd got to take a day off. It was his first day off since Aug 2. He was home from 6 am Tuesday morning until 11 am today (Wednesday morning). We will have to see how bad things are screwed up when he gets back to STEIN's.

Of course his day off involved spending 90 minutes at the doctor with me (they are always behind) and his extremely stubborn son who would not move at all for the ultrasound technician, and he has to move a certain number of times or he fails the wellness test. The more she poked and pushed the more he became like a statue. Stubborn. Stubborn. He finally did it, but just enough to pass.

It also involved a trip to Sam's, bill paying, and dealing with a car accident in front of our house (all while I was at work). Mrs. Larew (from behind us) hit an oncoming car on the curve. It was bound to happen sometime. Luckily no one was hurt, but the cops didn't come very fast, so after an hour Todd called Rhett, the cop next door, and he came by and took care of it.

Well, I am finally off to work. I think 2.0 dropped a little last night (shooting crotch pain - book says sign of baby dropping) and suddenly I was starving for the first time in a month, and oddly the more I ate, the lower my blood sugar got. It was low this morning too, so I stayed home til it straightened out.

Glad to have the rain, but I hope it rains on the weekend, all weekend. Bad weather = increased bar sales.

Good Baby

Today I learned that when your child actually behaves the nonstress test only takes 20 minutes versus the 45 minutes for a crabby, stubborn baby. My main agenda for this weekend is nap, nap, and nap some more.

Tuesday Apptmnt

Today's appointment went well. Todd came home after close last night so he slept at home, went to the doctor with me, and took me out for lunch.

2.0 is still perfectly healthy. They didn't measure him since he was just measured Friday. Got another 12 pictures! He was being stubborn on the non-stress test and kept moving around but they were able to get what they needed. Next appt is Friday.

Not much else new, I am prepping at home and Todd is prepping at work for the employees to run the place without him. I am spending a lot of time in the recliner.

Ok, that was scary!

Friday was a long scary day. I went in for my OB appointment and my first non-stress test. The test monitors his heartbeat and whether I am having any contractions. The test is 30 minutes long. Of course, 2.0 is stubborn and kept moving, so it was difficult. I noticed that several times the heartbeat dropped from 140 down to 65 or 72. The nurse didn't act like it was a big deal. However, the dr was concerned - she said she couldn't tell if the 65 was 2.0's heartbeat or mine, so I could either go to the Perinatal Center or the hospital to repeat the test and do a BPP ultrasound. I chose the Perinatal Center (that's where I do all my ultrasounds) and was shocked to find out that they could get me in for the test in an hour. (Side note - I later found out that they didn't get me in so fast because it was an emergency - they just happened to have an opening then.)

Of course this freaked me out, so I started calling Newton. It further freaked me out when the manger at Subway (I had to eat) came over to my table and asked if I was ok. Well, it took about 30 phone calls before Todd finally woke up. He threw on clothes and rushed to Des Moines. By the time he got there they were just finishing the ultrasound, but they had a student doing it over just for practice, so he got to see 2.0. It was a relief to have him there with me. Then they hooked me up to the non-stress machine again for 30 minutes.

The results: the baby can get up to 8 points on the BPP ultrasound, which measures how healthy the baby is. There are 2 points each for fluid, movement, tone, and breathing. Our baby got a perfect 8. 2.0 must have figured out I was worried, because during the second non-stress test he did not move around too much and his heartbeat didn't show any problems. Apparently, the first test was just a fluke or the first machine wasn't working properly. From now on, all my tests will be at the Perinatal Center and I will be having weekly ultrasounds and non-stress tests twice a week. It was a relief to find out that nothing was wrong. I was terrified that I would be having a c-section Friday afternoon.

Oh, one more thing. 2.0 is not going to be small. With 7-8 weeks to go, he is already 5 pounds, 2 ounces!

Dead Brain Cells

In addition to not sleeping, heartburn, etc., I have discovered that 2.0 is killing my brain cells.
I lost my ATM card and had to cancel it, and I keep redoing the same !@#$ numbers at work.

So Much for a "Real Meal"

Well, my home-cooked meal didn't work out. I rushed home last night and discovered the only thing I could make for Todd was a box of mac n' cheese or scrambled eggs. So, he took me to Red Lobster instead! We had a great time, and his steak was cooked perfectly. That is so weird that the only place in Des Moines that can cook a steak is a seafood place. I also showed him all my shower gifts and he was shocked at how many there were! It was great to see him. Things in Newton are going well (knock on wood) so he will be home more now.

My shower on Saturday went really well. A lot of people came, and Kathy and Heather did a good job of planning it. Sandy's cupcakes and mints were a hit as well. It was very enjoyable. When we got home with my gifts, it was an unpleasant surprise to find I was locked out of my house. 45 hot, sweaty minutes later, the locksmith finally came and unlocked my car so I could use the garage opener to get in the house. I was very proud of myself because I did not get upset. Apparently our house and even my 11-yr-old car are more secure than Fort Knox.

After that, Mom took Heather and me to Joe's Crab Shack for supper, which was very nice. It is always fun when the Schweitzer women hang out. 2.0 moved off my stomach for a few hours, so I cleaned my plate and was the first one done, which never ever happens. I am always poking along.

Sunday Mom and I went to see The Constant Gardener, and later she planted my Goatsbeard and geraniums (they had been on back-order and just came in the mail) and moved my strawberries because they were getting too big. I hate requiring help, but I can't really bend over.

I am now 33 weeks, and I have gained only 14 pounds. I have been lucky to have a very pleasant, uneventful pregnancy. I have just now started to feel miserable when I walk and when I try to sleep. Supposedly you carry boys low, but this one is right under my rib cage which makes it hard to sleep and breathe. I think he must be really long because he can kick me in the ribs and in the crotch simultaneously. I can't believe that I only have 7 weeks to go. I figured it up, and that means 1,302 shots down and only 294 shots left to go! Whoo-hoo!

Today I bought some Dreft and a package of diapers, so it is time to start washing things and packing for the hospital. I want everything ready to go by October 1. Then what will I do?

Todd's Coming Home!

Todd's coming home! Todd's coming home! He just called and is on his way home for the first time since August 14!!! I'm heading home to cook him a "real meal". I'm so excited!

Photo Hogs at Walmart

I had a frustrating trip to WalMart last night. I wanted to print out about 20 pictures. So I get there, and this lady with a cute hair cut was ordering pictures on the machine. For each picture, she would adjusting the lighting, cropping, order different sizes, etc, which is reasonable. BUT After adjusting each picture she would run her hand (with big long nails) through her hair and fluff it, and then touch the screen again. Ick. So I went and did my shopping. 30 minutes later, I come back and she is still cropping and fluffing her hair every 10 seconds. It took everything I had to not tell her she was a disgusting germ spreader and if she would stop fluffing her hair, maybe others could use the machine. I waited another 15 minutes and asked her how many she had left. She said tons. They were from her honeymoon and she was only on picture #169, but they had another machine. So, I go to the other machine, and the lady ahead of me was printing pictures from 10 different XD cards!! So, I ended up printing my 20 pictures on the Kodak machine, which costs double what the other machine costs. Sigh... I finally got home at 7:15 pm and I got there at 6:00 pm. !@#$ Wal-Mart!

Update

Things at Stein's seem to be going well. There are new challenges every day though. Todd is gearing up for his big grand opening on Saturday. Hopefully he can start spending more time at home.

Saturday is also my shower, which I am looking forward to.

I spent last weekend at the farm. My mom came and got me so I didn't have to drive. I mostly slept and ate, which I hadn't been doing much of at home (I lost 5 lbs during weeks 30 - 32; not so good for 2.0), and she did some alterations to my maternity clothes for me.

Only one dr. apptment this week, then I start doing non-stress tests two times a week until the end. Luckily my job is very understanding!

Not Much New

Not much new. Todd is working hard trying to get things running smoothly at Stein's. I have been trying to catch up at home and have been dozing a lot in the recliner. This weekend I am helping at Caleb's Adoption Party, but other than that, I don't have any plans.

I have pictures of Stein's to post, but no computer at home, and I am too scared to upload them on my computer at work. Guess we'll just have to wait.

Stein's is Open!

Stein's is open! It opened at 3 pm yesterday and looks awesome. I even had a hot dog out of the new cooker, and it was awesome too. I haven't heard from Mr. Stein, so not sure how the evening went. I was comatose in the recliner.

I am thinking about sleeping in the recliner all the time. I can lie on my side and on my back for a little while in bed, but changing positions is painful, and every time I roll over it sounds like a bone in my pelvis pops. Maybe he'll move and I can get comfortable again.

I'm Done

I am done with my volunteer hours! This morning I worked in the garden at the State Fair and finished up my 40 hours. I am now officially a Master Gardener.

This may be my last post for a while. Todd is taking the computer to Newton. I am running around the house collecting the list of 50,000 things he wants in Newton, then going to Walmart for him, then delivering to Newton. Then I am going upstairs and lying down. The bar is opening tomorrow at 3 pm. I am going up to take some pictures, then I am coming home and going to bed! It will be a relief to go back to work. It's much easier there!

I had a good time at Alisa's BBQ yesterday. The kids were all really cute. Saturday is Caleb's adoption party, so we should see everyone again then.

Munchkin Update

It has been a busy week. I took Monday off to hang out with Mom, and took 1/2 Wednesday and Thursday off to help Todd at Stein's. I also had a dr. appt yesterday and ultrasound #3 today. I am going to Stein's to help tomorrow and then to Alisa's BBQ in the afternoon. I have to work at the State Fair on Sunday. Whew!

Our munchkin has really grown. In the past 3 weeks, he has more than tripled in size. Last month he was 18 oz., and today he measured at 3 lbs. 4 oz! He is 28 weeks 5 days old, but is measuring at 30 weeks 6 days. I also learned that he is very stubborn and limber. He has his feet on either side of his head up by his ears. The technician tried everything to get him to move his feet so we could see his face. No such luck. I was on my back, I was on my left side, I was on my right side; she poked, she massaged, and she used a buzzer, but he would not move! She would move the wand away, and he would move, then up the feet went when she tried again. The exam table and I were both covered in lubricant from all the flopping around. I accidently stuck my arm in it, then touched my face, so I was slippery all over. Uck. She did get a good 4D shot of 1/2 of his face and his foot. Maybe next time... yep, I am scheduled for ultrasound #4 on Sept 20. God bless Wellmark health insurance.

Well, off to bed, finally. I have to go to Rieman's for some speaker adapter for Todd in the morning before I go to Newton. Joy.

This and That

Congraultations to Jen on her big scrapbooking win at the State Fair! She deserved it. I didn't even place, but I did overhear two ladies admiring my page, so that was nice.


Saturday I ran errands. I love living in Des Moines. I went to the bank, Hobby Lobby, and the grocery store and was home in less than 1 hour. If I was in Aurora, that would be a 3 hr trip minimum.

Sunday I was to meet my mom at the Fair at 2:45 in front of the ag building. At 11:45 am I decided that I needed to see my husband with my own eyes and make sure he was doing ok. He hadn't slept at home since Wednesday. So, I jumped in Old Blue and headed to Newton. I got there, checked the place out (it looks great!), decided Todd was doing fine, ran to the hardware store for him, bought him some lunch, then jumped back in Old Blue and hit IA 80 again. Since I was running behind, I decided to stop at SE Polk and take the bus to the Fair. Well, the first lot was full, but luckily I found a place in the second lot, jumped on the bus, and arrived at the Fair at 2:45. The problem was, I was supposed to meet my mom at the Ag Building, and the bus dropped me off behind the 4-H building! So, I started walking and when I turned the corner by the cattle barn, I saw this wall of people coming at me! I thought "Why do I come to this???? This is nuts!"

Mom and I finally met up at 3:00. She went to SE Polk too, and they wouldn't let her park because it was full, so she had to come to the fairgrounds and park. It was soooo crowded in the afternoon, but we had a good time. We checked out the scrapbooking, the big animals, the 4-H building, and the Varied Industries building. We also took a lot of breaks. Between her hip and me being pregnant we could only make it so far before sitting down. I finally got home at 8:30. Mom stayed behind for the Garrison Keillor/Prairie Home Companion show. When I got home, Todd was there, which was nice.

I ended up not going to work today. I had taken today off because we were supposed to be in Ohio, so I decided to still take the time since mom was here. We had a nice day. We both slept in and didn't even get dressed until noon. Then we ran some errands and went and ate at Joe's Crab Shack and tried some cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory, which was a special treat for me. That's about it. She left about 4 pm and has to stop in Wloo to pick up H's dog, so it will be a late evening for her.

Hmm.... my 1/2 piece of choeesecake has 2.0 all jazzed up. He is jumping around like crazy!

Attempt at Serenity

I am trying to be a serene pregnant woman. This is tough when you are seven months pregnant, trying to plan for a 3 month maternity leave, and your husband is trying to open a bar in eight days. One benefit is that my house is extremely clean, because cleaning makes me feel better when I am freaked out. I tried to relieve some anxiety by baking Tuesday night, but ended up giving all the baked goods away because eating them did not produce good results for 2.0. Oh well, this was all expected and pre-planned, so as Peyton says, you just have to go with the flow.

On a sad note, my Great-Aunt Neva Mae broke her hip Sunday and is having surgery today. This is upsetting of course, but also because Todd's Great-Aunt Annabelle broke her hip and passed away last week. Not a good month for hips. Hopefully I will be hearing good news about Neva Mae from the Arnold hot-line tonight.

Going to the State Fair for a few hours on Sunday afternoon with my mom. Then I can find out if any of us won in the scrapbooking competition. Who knows, we might run into the Hansens there. It's not like there will be many people or anything! Ha.

Kick, Kick, Kick

Todd 2.0 is kicking, kicking, kicking. Then Todd puts his hand on my stomach, and 2.0 stops. Todd pulls his hand away, and 2.0 kicks, kicks, kicks. Todd puts his hand back, and 2.0 stops. Repeat. Poor Todd, he thinks his son doesn't like him.

Tonight the kicking has been exceptionally low. This freaks me out because I can't stop thinking about this diagram in one of the books that showed a woman with a foot hanging out of her. It said to go to the hospital. Duh! One of the other books said one of the symptoms of pre-term labor is "you feel like your baby is going to fall out". As a result, I have quit reading the books.

I am pathetic.

I am pathetic. All summer I have wanted Todd out of the house (and so did he), and now he's gone most of the time and I miss him. It is too darn quiet around here. He is also freaking me out. He was up at 6:30 am this morning and out the door by 7:45. Bizarre. That's usually when he is going to bed.

I am going to try finish cleaning the upstairs today. Hopefully it will keep me busy enough to keep from eating everthing in sight. As my great-aunt Donna says, "I'm so hungry, I could eat the ass-end out of a skunk!" Todd 2.0 must be in a growth spurt, because I am starving 24/7.

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Todd called. He's actually going to be home about 8:30 pm tonight instead of working all night at the bar! I've kind of missed him this week. Anyway, off to make him some supper. The first meal I've cooked for him since last Sunday.

Saturday

I dropped off our entries at the State Fair, then headed to Newton. Todd has been there since yesterday. He slept on a mattress on the floor of the bar last night. When I got there, Todd, his parents, and Shawn were all painting the wainscoting red. They had to prime it first with Kilz and put on multiple coats, so it was slow going. It looks good though. I left to pick up lunch and when I came back, three more guys had shown up to paint. They were doing the entryway, hallway, and bathrooms. Todd seems much calmer today. Yesterday was a nightmare. He spent over 3 hours at Lowe's because they screwed up mixing his paint. I guess the clerk kept paging a manager, but no one came. After 30 minutes, Todd called the store on his cell phone and asked them to send someone to the paint department! Then after that, the clerk rang up the carpet remnant as $40 a foot instead of $40 for the whole piece. He ended up missing an appointment with a vendor because he was stuck at Lowe's.

While I was in Newton today, I went upstairs and looked around. There are 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, two bathrooms, and a gianormous living room above the bar. If I weren't having a baby and would have to commute to work, I would seriously consider selling the house and moving there since we are paying rent on it anyway. But, I love my house and yard too much. And raising a baby above a bar seems a little weird.

I came back early and have been vegging ever since. I should go run around the house a few times since I just ate half a can of pringles and a Hostess cupcake. It's the baby's fault. I was planning to have a BLT for supper later, but I can't find the bread. I know there was some left last night, so what did I do with it? I looked in the bread drawer and the fridge, and it's not there. Hmmm. Another mystery.

Random Stein News/Schweitzer Girls Rule

Todd has been working 18-hr days to open Stein's. He usually works there until 5 am, then drives home, gets some sleep, and leaves again at 10 am. I am feeling quite useless. I can't even help paint or clean tomorrow with the rest of the crew because 1) we don't want to expose the baby to any paint or cleaning fumes 2) my ankles will swell up to the size of watermelons. He is way stressed out, frantically trying to get everything done before the grand opening. I guess the phone has been ringing off the hook with former customers wanting to either work there or know what is going on. A stressful time, but a good stress, he says.

I survived my trip to KC. I must say, Schweitzer girls rule! H and I were both born with keen senses of direction. We are both very good navigators. This is the 4th time I have been to the Westin Crown Center KC with Sean and Matthew for a CENRAP meeting. The previous 3 times I sat in the back and we got lost on the way there, lost on the way back, and lost in the parking garage. This time, the I-35 bridge over the river was closed, so I sat in the front seat and navigated. I must pat myself of the back. We drove straight to the hotel and got a spot right next to the entrance to the lobby. On the way back we even had to take a different route, and I got us directly to I-35. The men were appreciative, but sheepish. Catharine, Pete, and Chad all drove separately and ended up in Kansas. Good for me! Pat, pat.

The meeting was not as helpful as I expected, but I did schmooze with some big wigs and eat two fancy meals. Mom says anywhere that puts squiqqles (fancy sauce drizzles) on your plate is fancy. The first place put a fresh orchid blossom on my steak! I went over my food allowance, but I consider it an investment in my future. You never know who you might meet. The first night we ate with Pete, who is a my former bureau chief and a big mucky-muck at MidAmerican Energy (cost $48 just for me) and the second night I sat next to the chairwoman of the North Carolina Environmental Protection Commission (cost $38 just for me). A little over budget, since we only get $40 a day for all three meals!

I am cropping tonight, and I cropped last night too. My new setup upstairs works pretty well. I am trying to finish up several pages to enter at the State Fair. I have about 6 possibilities and can't decide. Tomorrow morning I am taking Heather's, Jen's, and my entries out to the fairgrounds. Might as well dehead the roses while I am out there... only 7 hours left to go for Master Gardening. Last night I was picking cucumbers at home, and I screamed! I thought I saw a rat in the cucumbers, but it was a baby bunny. He was so cute that I forgave his parents for chewing the blossoms off my daisies.

I am still feeling good, just tired. He is really growing, and that darn baby keeps sending me messages to give him junk food. I try to resist but ... don't worry, my blood sugar is good.

I need to call my mom and catch up on the news. I hope my dad had a good week at work. He works third shift and rides with another man from Aurora. Last Thursday night they had a flat tire on the truck, Saturday the brakes went out of the truck, and sometime this week they hit a deer with Harlan's car. Heather had to drive them home from work one morning at 6 am. Poor H.

That's the news for now. I should get a lot done around the house since Todd will be in Newton all weekend.