The magic 35!

Today I'm 35 weeks pregnant... and my friend Anne pointed out when she got to this point that this means there are only 35 days left! Woohoo!

I am feeling prepared for the most part, but there are a few more things that we need to pick up yet and I have yet to pack our hospital bag. Any advice for me? What are some must-haves? What do you wish you would have known?

And I there I was feeling sorry for myself...

Today at Lamaze class, I met a lady who is giving birth while her husband is deployed. Her sister so generously is being her birth coach. I am so thankful that my dear husband is (hopefully) going to be there for me while going through labor. I'm thankful both for for my sake and for his. I just can't imagine if the first time dh meets his baby girl would be three months after she's born...

Really?

Some women say that being pregnant was the best time of their lives - that people waited on them hand and foot. Me? I think I'm about done with it.

Flu Shot?

I'm debating whether or not I should get a flu shot. CO gets one each year, on the first day he can get them. He swears by them. I, on the other hand, have never gotten one, and haven't really gotten sick before.

Enter this year. I'm pregnant.

According to my doctor, pregnant women are more susceptible to getting the flu, and if they do get it, they usually get it more severely than a "normal person." Great. She can't make me get it, but she can highly suggest it.

I'm worried about the effects of getting the shot. Could it be bad for baby? Is it worth the chance I'd be achy for a few days afterward? Should I be nervous it'd be from a military hospital?

What do you think? Is it worth it? Should I get it?

Harvard?

This has been my first experience using MTF (Military Treatment Facilities) for my medical care. Before, I had military insurance but I was able to choose my own civilian doctors (as long as they took my insurance).

I took a pregnancy test and had an ultrasound with my beloved OB back in Nashville. We heard the baby's heartbeat and saw it was progressing as it should. Good news!

Then we moved to the DC area, military capital of the world. No more civilian providers for me. It took me a little bit to get used to the idea of not having much choice, but I think I'm good now. When we got to DC, I figured out which military base I wanted to go to, and then went over the whole process again - pregnancy test, etc! Apparently we still have some North/South distrust/animosity...

After the North confirmed my pregnancy, I was able to go and see an OB here. Funny story - I had been avoiding doctors in Nashville who had gotten their degrees from a certain medical college, hearing that the standards weren't as high as others. I had managed to avoid them while I was in Nashville. Wouldn't you know that I started chit-chatting with the OB doctor on base and he said he had studied in Nashville. I then made the mistake of asking where he had studied, praying he would answer "Vanderbilt" only to have my fears confirmed that he indeed had studied at my avoided university.

At one point, we discussed what prenatal vitamins I am taking. I showed him what my Nashville OB had prescribed, and he read the name "Prenate DHA. What's DHA?" I then, in some weird twist of fate, tried to explain it to him. Me, explaining DHA to my OB. Sweet.

Me: "Well, DHA is supposed to promote brain development"
Him: "Oh, that's good."
Me: "Yes, it's the new 'hot topic' among pediatricians. The pediatric pathologists I used to work with at Vandy suggested that I look for DHA supplements, but then my OB prescribed this prenatal vitamin."
Him: "That's nice. I had never heard of it. Guess we all can't have Harvard degrees now, can we?"

What does that mean? Perhaps I should go to the other military base for treatment? Or just pray I don't get him again?

So, that's a kind of a good thing, right?

I babysat two girls last week. One was 6, the other, 4. Their mother is expecting the third child.

I was waiting for the inevitable question, and it came about 30 minutes before I put them to bed.

"Miss Julie, are you pregnant? Our mom is pregnant."

"No. Do I look pregnant?

"No. You don't look fat. You're skinny like Hannah Montana, but with a fatter head."

Miscellaneous Ramblings.

Story 1
I met yesterday with a friend from back north. Funny, because I didn't know her until we moved here. But anyway, we met and were discussing things about living in the south. One of the things that made me laugh the most is the way people can say whatever bad thing they want to about someone else or something else, and then if they add "God bless 'em" to the end of the statement, it's all ok. Examples:

"He has the ugliest nose, God bless him"

"She is a little brat, God bless her."

It's kind of crazy.

Story 2
I've been taking time off from working out due to a bad cold that has lingered. I think I'll go back soon because one of my three year olds came up to me today while we were sitting in the movie room and said, "Miss Julie, are you pregnant? Do you have a baby in your tummy?" Thank heaven her mom is pregnant and so they're just used to pregnant talk. I still will work on my pouch though!! No more slacking off for me!

Story 3
Kind of funny - just don't take it seriously.
This could be a grown-up version of my current life...