Pregnancy Indulgences

Ooooh, another discovery since I've been pregnant is the chiropractor! A couple months ago I had mentioned to my midwife these constant headaches I'd been living with since forever, that they were starting to bother me and interfere with my sleep. She referred me to a chiropractor. My first visit, the chiropractor had a skeleton spine as a prop and explained to me the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Then she assessed my spine and told me all the areas it wasn't lined up just right, and "adjusted" me. Lots of cracks. I was scared when she did my neck but just did my best to relax. She told me how one of the cranial nerves was compressed by the top vertebrae and adjusted that. The result was immediate. My daily head aches went away! It was so cool the obvious cause and effect. I wish medicine was like that for everything for everyone. So since then I've been going every other week or so (they recommended every week, but I haven't been able to because of my travel schedule lately). Another area that was hurting was my lower right back, so she's been adjusting that area too. It wasn't immediate relief like the headaches, but now after a handful of visits it is feeling a lot better and I didn't have any complaints last time. Everything was pretty good, nothing too off, she only adjusted my neck. She also works on the pelvis area along with the spine to make sure that the baby has the best space available and that the uterus is supported and positioned as best as possible. She makes sure everything is lined up properly to allow the biggest space available through the pelvis to help birth go quicker and easier. She can turn a breech around too if needed, isn't that cool?! She'll come visit me after baby's born to adjust the baby too....veeerrrrryy gently, she said she only uses the pressure equal to the weight of a nickle. But the baby gets all squished, pulled and stretched coming out, as you can imagine, so she helps the skull and spine recover from that.
Ahhh, and she suggested massage too. I had my first one there, and it was the best massage I've ever had. She did everything just right perfect for what I needed. And I got to lay on my tummy! She had this big cushion thing with space for my belly that she put on top of the table. Heavenly. Thank you Premera Blue Cross!!

look at that belly!

(slideshow on right) Gettin' big. My tummy's more itchy sometimes..it reminds me to rub cocoa butter on. And it seems a little pinkish. My belly button looks funny, it's almost flat...looks like a fake tummy.
But baby's grown so much, it's exciting! He's somewhere around 2 1/2-3lbs and over 15inches long (~butternut squash size), and starting to fill in that skin. All the little details have been forming, eye lashes, eye brows, etc. Can open his eyes and respond to light. Still practicing swallowing and getting hiccups now.
I've gotten leg cramps a few times while I'm sleeping, but they go away quickly when I stretch it. Eww I had the creepiest dream when I was in Marshall a couple weeks ago. I dreamt that these big bubbles like blisters were popping up on my upper legs then moving down towards my feet, and when they'd get towards the bottom a black spiky worm thing would also pop up inside the bubble, slithering around in there. In my dream I was freaking out and trying to scream, then it went away. I ran to whoever I was with and tried to tell them what had just happened and they didn't believe me. I think I must have rolled on my back and my legs fell asleep, and the dream was the tingly feeling of the blood rushing back down there after I rolled to my side again. At home I sleep with all these pillows now. My cousin Ben told me that I had to get a "Snoogle," this long curved body pillow..it's awesome, makes only being able to sleep on my sides more comfy...and keeps me from rolling on my back. Another pregnancy gadget that Ginger recommended and I enjoyed was the Bella Band. I could wear my regular jeans unbuttoned at the top and held up with the Bella Band. I was wearing my same jeans up till a few weeks ago! Now I have enough maternity pants though to last me this last little bit (thanks Ginger!).

ranodom cravings and nutrition rant

Ahhhh, just went crazy on rosemary bread and herb brie. I love it when I can satisfy a craving. That was exactly what I wanted. Yum. EJ doesn't get me sometimes when I know I want something specific but can't quite identify it...then when I can, sometimes it's something weird and random. There was a week when I wanted runts so bad, and we couldn't find them anywhere in town. Like a month later at Blockbuster we saw them in the candy aisle, but by then the craving had passed. I've had such a sweet tooth lately! We've gone to Cold Stone more times these last two months than we have in the two years since we moved home (which is still only like 4 times). Good thing is my blood sugar control is fine. My blood glucose test result at 28 weeks was great. And my iron's still good too. Really making sure I stay good and hydrated to accommodate all the new blood we're making. I'm still focusing on making sure I get enough calcium these last few months because that's when most of the baby's calcium is absorbed in the bones....soy milk, calcium fortified orange juice (loving OJ a lot more than normal too!), jarred salmon, yogurt, cottage cheese, and a bunch of other cheeses, I love cheese! And omega-3 fatty acids because the brain is growing so rapidly right now...salmon, walnuts, flax seeds. Ugh, I'm even taking cod liver oil to supplement...see how much I love you baby! Don't ask my why I didn't get it in capsule form. Tastes like I burp fish bones afterwards. Still not doing so great on the exercise though. My mom and aunties told me that walking regularly will make labor quicker and easier. Maybe now that it's warmer and the slush is mostly gone...no more excuses.

Happy Spring!

It's so nice out today...it's good to feel the sun again! I love it! It should be reaching 60 by this weekend..yay, it's Spring! Just wanted to share some love. It's been a while since I've posted anything. I have a bunch to catch up on, and some new belly pics.

daddy EJ

Can I just take a second to get a little cheesey...
I'm really excited to be a mama, but I'm super excited to see EJ as a dad too. He's already such a good daddy. He's already bonded so strongly, always talking and singing to baby, kissing my belly, and making sure to take good care of me. And baby responds to him now. When he talks to her and when he puts his hands or ear on my tummy baby starts kicking away. It's fun. I'm glad that he gets to feel her too now. It makes him really happy...big goofy smiles and laughs. I'm so proud of him, how much he's learned already. He's right there along with me with all the prenatal stuff, learning about pregnancy and birth...so into it...more than I thought he'd be. I have complete trust and confidence in him, that together we'll be able to do this....have the natural home birth that we're planning, raise this lil' munchkin. I know he'll be there for everything and learn as much as he can about baby and kid stuff too. I love my baby daddy.

crazy Alaska weather

snow then slush then snow then slush, volcano eruptions, ash and earthquakes oh my!
My last 2 site visits were already canceled because of weather. I hope my flights make it out these next few trips!

boy dreams

I had another dream last night that I had a boy. I remember that I was in labor and my midwife said the baby was coming, but I couldn't feel anything. Then next thing I remember EJ was cuddling this little baby. It was this brown chubby cheeked big eyed baby boy with straight black hair sticking up. I was looking to see who he looked like, but couldn't tell. That was the 4th dream I've had that it was a boy.......