Pregnancy Perks

I am realizing my expanding girth has its perks.

A couple weekends ago, JVD and I attended the Minneapolis DFL convention to nominate R.T. Ryback for mayor. (Side note - political conventions are great places to people watch and observe human behavior). Though we were both "delegates" for our district, we really only cared about nominating R.T. and doing our part in the political process. We sat for over 3 hours, listened to the Convention outline the rules and procedues, were suprised by a guest appearance and speech by Al Franken, R.T. was nominated....I was ready to go home....even though the convention was not yet done.

As we were leaving, a convention usher looked at us and said, "Are you leaving? Can you stay for the parks and recreation discussion?" JVD and I both looked at him, pointed to my stomach and said - "I (she's) pregnant and hungry. We have to go."

The man simply nodded, didn't say another word, and ushered us out the door.

Yesterday, I was flying home from San Diego and was seated in First Class. (Side note - my husband travels quite a bit for his job, and though sometime the travel is tiresome (for both of us) - I'm not going to lie....that First Class upgrade is so worth it! :) ) The choice for breakfast was: A bowl of cheerios with Fruit or an Omelet with Bagel or Croissant and Fruit. By the time the flight attendant reached my row, there was only one of each breakfast options left. The Flight Attendant looked at the gentleman seated next to me and said, "Well, there's one Cheerio bowl left and one Omelet.....who's going to pick first?" The gentleman looked at me and looked at the Flight Attendant and said, "She's eating for two, so she should choose the breakfast she wants."

I totally did want the Omelet....and so I took it! Nice guy. I thanked him for letting me choose. :)

5 years

Next week marks our 5 year wedding Anniversary. I know 5 years is considered a substantial marker of time, but in many ways, I feel like we have been married a lot longer than 5 years....

Perhaps it is because we have already had to replace some of our wedding presents? i.e. new sheets and towels to replace ones the ones that have since become "holey" and "thready."

Perhaps it is because I have known JVD almost 8 years now.....and from the moment I met him, my life set out on a completely new course and direction....

Perhaps it is because (and this is really true)..... I cannot imagine my life without my Joseph Valentine.

I am grateful for our years together....I reflect on the last 8 years (and 5 years of marriage) and I just love every part of our story and the journey that we are continuing on together...I love where we have been and I love how life has, and continues, to unfold. We do not have a perfect marriage or a perfect relationship.... such perfection simply does not exist in any human relationship. But, without a doubt, JVD is my very best friend and the person I look to first for love, support, conversation, guidance, laughter, fun, wisdom, companionship....he is the first person I want to share what's happening with...the first person I want to do things with....the first person I want to spend my time with. I fall asleep everynight happy to have him next to me....and wake up every morning, thrilled to have another day with him.

And so here we are, in beautiful San Diego this weekend, to celebrate 5 years....and anticipate several more (happy) years ahead. Happy Anniversary to us!

Success!

I successfully sold our Cuisinart Food Processor through Craigslist. $85. Sweet. We received it as a wedding gift (my apologies to whoever bought it for us...thank you again....however, we simply have not put it to use). I used it only once....years ago....it is a great appliance, but it has sat unused, stored away in the back of a cabinet, inaccessible and forgotten. It is now going to belong to a retired couple whose 20 year old Cuisinart recently went kaput. They love to make cole slaw. I am happy my unused Food Processor has found a happy home.

And my $85 profit may now be used to help fund the purchase of some (much needed) new items of clothing.....

a sign of things to come?

I had my 16 week check up on Wednesday and hearing the baby's heartbeat is now a regular part of the appt. As soon as my midwife would find the heartbeat, there'd be a swooshing sound and the sound of the heartbeat would stop....she'd find it again, heart beating, another swooshing sound and no more rhythmic beats. She looked at me and said, "you have a very active kid in there....it doesn't want to sit still."

I am relieved that this little baby is fully developed, heart is beating strong and moving all around. But if he or she is this active in-utero, I am wondering if we are going to have our hands full with this little one.

White Coat Syndrome

I have developed "white coat syndrome" over the last couple of years. Everytime I get my blood pressure checked at the doctor's office it is always (alarmingly) high....for a woman of my age and stature. It all started a few years ago when I had a regular Dr.'s appt. scheduled and happened to have received news of a car repair that was going to cost us thousands of dollars before the appt. My blood pressure was high. Understandably. But because of family history and that I was taking the pill which can elevate blood pressure and cause blod clots, my Dr. was a little alarmed. And that, in turn, alarmed me, as they said they wanted me to come back to get it checked in a month. I think I was a little freaked out anticipating an appt. solely for the purpose of monitoring my blood pressure. It was high again.....and that has been the story ever since....

So, something has clearly clicked in my brain where I begin to feel nervous hours before a scheduled Dr.'s appt. I try to put the thought behind me, but it stays prominent in my mind. I arrive at the Dr.'s office, my heart is beating hard and fast, I feel a pressure in my chest, I try to take deep breaths - to no avail -all with the anticipation of taking my blood pressure and fearing a high reading. I have been even more freaked out in light of this pregnancy and knowing high blood pressure and pregnancy is not a good thing.

So, though I am growing this little life inside me, the focal point at the Dr.'s office these past few visits has been my high blood pressure readings and whether or not I have prehypertension or not. I was instructed to take my blood pressure at a different location a few times before my scheduled appointment yesterday....the first time I take it, it is a little high . The second, third, fourth, fifth readings (and so on) are all just fine....117/78 or 113/74. Yesterday, at my appt. it was 146/85....the second reading a few minutes later was 132/82.....and then on my way home I stopped at the pharmacy (the wave of stress associated with getting my blood pressure taken completely gone post appt.) and it was 113/73.

My midwife and OB-gyn both agreed that right now, there is no cause for alarm ....I seem a likely candidate for whitecoat syndrome and we should just throw away the first blood pressure reading....in the meantime, I am still instructed to check my blood pressure away from the Dr.'s office every two weeks....just to be sure....but really can't help but feel like I am a headcase. My mind is clearly affecting my body in this weird way....and now I am wondering if there is a way to cure myself of this Dr.'s office anxiety I have developed? They are such nice nurses and Dr.'s, too....not at all scary or threatening. So, in addition to caring for this developing life, I am also going to try to figure out a cure for whitecoat syndrome....I have so many Dr.'s appts. ahead of me and I would really really love for it to go away!