Week 31, Day 7: Your Nursery

Dear Junior, 

This week, we finished construction on dad's workstation because we made a deal to clear out the 2nd bedroom exclusively for you. Closer to your delivery date, I'll be able to confirm if we were able to successfully move out all of our junk.

Here is the before and after picture! I am pretty proud that we had the idea to create a space for dad rather than him camp out on the kitchen table and do work. The area feels so much more lighter and useful!

          

  
Photos of before and after workstation. 

I read the book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I read about it on Cup of Jo and it was available for free through the New York Public Library. It helped me and ultimately your dad part ways with our old books, papers, memorabilia to make space for all your goodies. For me, the best advice from the book is to thank your old stuff for its service to you and wish them a proper farewell. And there was no place to 'squirrel it away' in the words of dad.

Dad was genius and able to consolidate all his tools and put it on his side of the closet.

We are looking for wall decals and a new rug. Going to move around the frames somewhere in the apartment or to the opposite wall. Dad's old desk that we loved and had shipped from an Etsy artist from NC will be repurposed to your changing station.

Cousin Cynthia and Cousin Kim gifted all of their kids stuff to you so dad and I don't have to spend a dime on a crib, clothes, bouncer, carrier.... everything.

We have yet to put everything together and still need to make a trip to the Salvation Army to donate some more stuff but the plan is in place... and slowly we are getting ready for you.

Love u
Mom

Week 31, Day 7: Being Pregnant

Hello Junior,

The 7th month of carrying you has been A LOT harder than the previous months.

In my first trimester, I was not nauseous, sick or hypersensitive about smells and sights. I, thankfully, continued to treat patients in all of their torpedo turds, catheter bags and other bodily fluid glory with only slight nausea. My back does not hurt. The feet are not swollen. I did not send out Dad for midnight cravings for Pizza Hut, grilled cheese or pints of Haagen Dasz Butter Pecan ice cream, not that he would go get it for me. I was just nervous of losing you because I was under a lot of stress with Uncle Elliott's job search, Grandpa Randy's spotty memory and your dad's bicycle accident. I didn't want you to go away.

Second trimester was generally fine as well. I continued to move patients, climb ladders, walk from the Village to Times Sq with Auntie Naemeh, and cook daily. I didn't get heart burn with spicy food. My gym workouts were only down to 2 per week. I didn't even get mad when people didn't get up for me on the train. I was always SUPER tired and I snuck in a 45-min nap at work during lunch. All in all, I plugged along with modifications but nothing serious.

Then the 7th month hit. My belly is so big that I can't bend over and that its encroaching on my boob territory, making it hard to slouch. Its harder to breathe unless I sit up tall. I have trouble getting up from a chair and need to push off with my arms. I need momentum to roll out of bed. When I was walking from base to the train station with my coworker Nicki, her regular pace was actually very tiring and hard work on the belly. I have 'crotch pain' which is just my ligaments at my pubic symphysis getting lax and no hip muscles to keep it together. I am lucky to get to the gym once a week and I'm definitely pairing down on all my social activities. OH, and I had to pee a million times when I went to the MET with Uncle Elliot and Grandpa Randy. To be fair, it felt like 100 degrees with the humidity and I was sucking down a lot of water.

On the flip side, you are getting so big. On Sept 7th, you were 3lbs, 10oz. I can see you when you kick. You make my belly shudder. No one really notices but me so I feel like your movements are my little secret. Its all worth it.

Can't wait to meet you darling.
Love u,
Mom

Picture of me at 7months and my very attractive stain at the belly button.