39 Weeks

Wow... 39 weeks!  You would think 39 weeks is a long time... and ya, it is a LONG time if you really think about it.  But I clearly remember the FIRST TIME I really thought I was pregnant.  We were in California for the Rose Bowl and I was feeling this awful, empty pit stomach and I kept thinking to my self - "I have to eat right now or I might pass out....OH MY GOD- am I pregnant!?"   Ya, almost 39 weeks ago, I had not even missed a period YET, but I remember that crazy rush when I told Tyler sitting in the airport to go home from Cali, "I would put all my chips in- I am pregnant, babe."  Ya, and when I think about it that way, I remember it like yesterday.  

But with all that we have done and accomplished in the last 39 weeks I am truly amazed at how fast this went.  We have moved from our apt into a home, where we have been constantly working to make it "ours".  From seeding the yard to decorating, organizing, and making a sweet man cave for daddy... and just around the corner our fence will be put in for Baya to roam the backyard.  It is crazy to think that we have been rasing a crazy little puppy into a fabulously well behaved dog and we cannot wait for Salvatore to share in that joy with us.  Looking back at how our lives have revolved one step closer and closer to being parents makes me assume this is why God creates this time frame from pregnancy to birth.  It allows us to grow, mature, and become ready to take care of this innocent life that we are blessed with.  And crazy enough I cannot express to you how READY I am now... which is WAY MORE  ready than 39 weeks ago, thankfully.  Our God, He works in mysterious ways....    

My overall feelings about pregnancy are a total toss up.  I am so ready to be done right now.  It is great to see the light at the end of the tunnel and have the wiggle monster out of my tummy and in OUR ARMS!  It will be great to have that first martini and sushi roll.  And on the other hand, I will not be hesitating to get pregnant again any time soon.  It was a a little roller coaster-ish, but I really have nothing too much to complain about!  Maybe... just hoping the next babe doesn't find comfort being jammed up in my rib, but other than that, only 25 lbs later, no major pains or awful symptoms... I think this went way  better than I had expected and I know I could do this again a couple more times! (right, Ty?)

Exercising?   Just some walking.... feeling so heavy and low that it is just uncomfortable to do anything more than sit.  Even then, that gets a little uncomfortable!  He is basically sitting in my lap when I sit down...
     
Maternity clothes?  Packed some VERY comfy clothes and looking forward to lounging in them while we get to know our little guy.  I assume after a C Section, cute clothes are far from your mind, but I do hear it feels great to be wearing YOUR OWN CLOTHES over the gowns provided by the hospital.  Still looking forward to getting into may old jeans, cute top, and heals for a night out... but yes, I understand that might be a ways away still......

Sleeping?   Still attempting.... nothing is comfortable though... Not laying on my right side, not laying on my left side, and not even resting in a recliner like many people have kindly suggested!  And with the C Section, I assume it will still be a while before I get to comfortably sleep on my tummy.... so I think I will just look forward to that day - sleeping on my tummy.  Sleep, in general, is something we can't complain about because we get a beautiful little baby from all of this!

Missing Anything?  Nothing really to miss right now... when there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is no anxiety about missing anything because in a short time I don't have to miss anything!  Well maybe my sanity, but that's another story.       

Food cravings?   Oh it was really hard to cut back on the sweets and salts, but I just wanted to end this on a great note.  I did have a little ice cream here and there and a piece of chocolate, too, but did very well eating my veggies and fruit along with high protein and fiber snacks!        

 Heartburn?  It was really hard to eat this week.  I felt sick after every meal and yet I have been so hungry.  Bad combination.  I would be really hungry but as soon as I started eating I would feel too full and my tummy would hurt.  I think it is safe to assume my tummy is ready to have some time without Sal poking his head in the way all the time!

Anything making you queasy or sick?  You know... I forgot to mention this earlier, but dog poo makes me gag, big time.  We will be walking and if Bay drops one and I get a whiff of it...  I literally start gaging and almost throwing up right there on our walk.  I can't believe that my senses are still so heightened and I hope that calms down after the pregnancy because I might be using Sal's diaper pail as a puking bucket every time I have to change a diaper!  I have never been sensitive to SMELL before I was pregnant....  please tell me this goes away!    

This Weeks Symptoms?    Waddling and swelling... even my neighbor said that I look like I am waddling more now.  Haha... I suppose she would know - they are sitting on their porch a lot and they see us walking Baya all the time!  And ya, still a little swelling.  I still see my ankles though, so that makes me feel better!

 Any Movement?   I forgot what it feels like to NOT have something constantly wiggling/punching/kicking inside of me.  I am missing having my own space.  I think 39 weeks is long enough to share and I am grateful I had the ability to do this for Sal, but I really just need a little alone time in there!  I don't know if this is just what happens when babies are breech, but I am pretty sure his foot gave a nice lofty kick down the birth canal which was pretty much, by far, the most unpleasant pain I have felt yet from his constant moving.  I thought they were suppose to slow down towards the end... find a sleep pattern...not move as much... something like that... because as far as I know this kid does not sleep.  

Labor Signs?   Still some MILD cramps that are getting stronger (last week I wrote craps, so I hope people realize I was not talking about my digestive system!)... And still feeling braxton hix contractions here and there, which are also getting more uncomfortable. (should I be happy that I don't have to feel contractions with a C section? - but then again that's what those great drugs are for!)....  
 
Belly Button: in or out?  How long does it take to go back to normal?  Haha... this just entertains me too much.    

Wedding rings on or off?   Still off... the fake one is still doing it's job: fending off any single men that might be interested in this hot mama... or maybe it's the big round belly that deters them... Whatev, I like to think it is the ring.  Haha.       

Overall Mood this week?  Pretty DAMN excited!  I am feeling confident and ready to go.  Almost finished with a great book - BabyWise (recommend to me by one of my cousins) ... TOTALLY recommend it to anyone who is pregnant and hoping to get their baby to sleep from 7pm-7am by three months even if it is a breast-fed baby!  This book offers tons of GREAT advice for breast-feeding and sleeping structures for a newborn.  Of course, all advice is subject to torture by other mothers but I personally gained most, if not ALL, of my confidence for breast-feeding and sleeping structures through this book.  It even has charts in the back and check lists for making sure your baby is getting the nutrients it needs to grow (especially because the number one question of the breast-feeding mom is "Are they getting enough to eat!?")... I just recommend to you to look at it and consider it as a guide to make sure that you are in control of how you want to structure these things with your baby.  And yes, I don't know any better, because, silly me, I have never had a baby before...  BUT I do know that confidence and structure will help for successful breast-feeding and sleeping structures ALONG with keeping the baby blues away for the mommy!!  So if none of this works to a tee, at least I am going in with confidence and realistic goals.  I do understand the first couple weeks are COMPLETE AND UTTER SURVIVAL MODE... so it does ALSO say in the book, to keep in mind the first weeks are VERY hard to set ANY structure or time frames - in fact they recommend you DON'T put that pressure on yourself....  but with the understanding of the BabyWise advice in the back of your head you can begin to achieve success within WEEKS/MONTHS!              

Looking forward to?  The minute I get to lay my eyes on my little man!  OH SOOO SOOO SOON!

Pit of the week?  There is NO pit for this week.... we are finally getting to meet this precious human that we made!!  I was not letting ANYTHING bring me down this week!             

Peak of the week?  Ummm... so I suppose my peak would be feeling prepared and confident.  Never thought, that I, Jackie (Palasz) Foti, would be PREPARED and CONFIDENT to bring a little newborn baby home.  And you know those "motherly instincts" that I have NEVER felt in my ENTIRE LIFE... well I think they are there... I think they just all of a sudden appeared!  I mean ya, there are some quarks that I know I need to learn, but BRING IT ON, baby, BRING IT ON!!!    

* * *

Now we move onto the best years of our lives... first smile, first laugh, first tooth, first haircut, first walk, first word... these are things we will look forward to as a family. And I could not be more excited for it all to just HAPPEN already!  Starting Monday, September 10th, at approximately 10am, Tyler and I will be the proud parents of little Salvatore John Foti and we cannot wait to share that joy with the world.  This leads me to say; no more pregnancy posts....  My goal would definitely be to update the blog still and talk about what life is like with a baby in the picture (but I know there will be a lot to juggle right off the bat).  Plus this has just been a great resource of knowledge with the many people who have provided amazing feedback so I do look forward to all the moms I know out there continuing to send their advice my way once Sal is here!  I will for sure be asking for it!!  Thanks again for sharing in this amazing journey, but the best part is yet to come!  Cannot wait to introduce to you our newest edition!  Hope you all get some sleep for me tonight, because I am wide-eyed, rearing to go, so I do not see much good sleep in my evening!!   Much Love Everyone!  And of course to close it out, some lyrics I want to dedicate to my sweet Sal by one of my favorites, Shinedown (I know originally done by Lynyrd Skynyrd - but I hear Shinedown when I read these!)

"Simple Man"
Well mama told me, when I was young
Said sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this, it'll help you some sunny day

Ahhh
Yeah it will

Or take your time don't live to fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman and you'll find love
And don't forget that there's is a someone up above

[Chorus]
Be a simple kind of man
Be a something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh won't you do this for me son if you can
(if you can)

Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need now is in your soul
And you can do this(oh baby)if you try
All that I want from you my son is to be satisfied

[Chorus]
And be a simple kind of man
Be a something that you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh won't you do this for me son if you can
(if you can)

Oh don't you worry
You'll find yourself
Follow your heart
And nothing else
And you can do this(oh baby)if you try
All that I want from you my son is to be satisfied

[Chorus]
And be a simple kind of man
Oh won't you do this for me son if you can
So baby be a simple be a simple man
Oh won't you do this for me son if you can


Jax 
xo