Our Little Tax Write-Off

Wow, time is flying by now. I went over the calendar with David yesterday and there is a lot going on between now and when Baby B will be born. Between work, appointments, weekend activities, and all we still need to do to get the house ready, it will be hard to sit with my feet up!! I am sure I can find some time soon, though.

With just over 10 weeks left, I still feel pretty good (all things considered). The hardest part is managing my Gestational Diabetes. Testing 4 times a day has been difficult, but I am finally getting the hang of it. Mostly I miss all those goodies that baby (well, mom really) craves. I know that I need to stay away from all the sweets, though, to make sure baby is not being set up for difficulty as he grows. I am lucky that this was caught when it was, and he is measuring right on track.

So, on to more little tasks that need to get done 🙂

Yesterday was our second wedding anniversary. After a wonderful dinner in Beverly Hills, Valerie and I exchanged cards. Accompanying her card was a little wrapped gift. When I finally opened it, I saw that it was a little baby onesie from Old Navy that said “I Love My Daddy” on the front. It was adorable and I absolutely loved it. I remember passing through a store one time and seeing “I Love My Mommy” or “I Love My Grandma” baby shirts and thinking, “Where are all of the ‘I Love My Daddy’ shirts?”

We painted the baby’s accent wall. And by we, I mean me. But Valerie picked the color and went with me to get the samples so it was a team effort. She loved the way it turned out. It will look really nice with some furniture and pictures hanging on the wall. Well, just the pictures will be hanging on the wall, not the furniture. Now we just need to have the room cleaned and we can begin scheduling the delivery dates for the furniture.

Now that the third trimester is started, I know things are supposed to get a bit harder. However, I am glad I can still tie my own shoes, shave my legs, and sleep relatively comfortably. While I am celebrating these small victories, I have new challenges to face.

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which, while I somehow deep down thought would be possible, was still a big shock. My numbers were really high after the test that my doctor immediately referred me to a specialist. So I have been learning how to test my blood sugar 4 times a day (my poor fingers) and will find out today if I may need to add insulin. So far, I have extremely cut down my carbs and eliminated sugars (except a few grams found in some foods). I really hope that by managing my diet I can avoid having to give myself shots. The good news is that this should go away after I have the baby.

Another interesting development is the appearance of my first stretch marks despite my daily moisturizing routine. I am going to have to double my efforts now!

Aside from these challenges, I am excited that time is marching forward. There is about 3 months left, and Baby B is having a great time exploring his snug home. He’s been very active, with lots of kicks, hiccups, and rolling around. I have even seen him make my whole stomach jump from side to side. It is so amazing and a little funny. We have also started working on picking the color and decor for the nursery, and started our registry.

So it is an exciting, interesting time! Lots to do, and lots to look forward to. Can’t wait to meet this little man!

On Saturday, according to her iPhone app, Valerie entered her third trimester. We also started the shopping for Baby B’s nursery. On Saturday, we purchased the crib and dresser for the baby’s room and selected a color for the accent wall that we (and by we, I mean me) will paint. On Sunday, Valerie and her sister Erica went through Buy Buy Baby and started adding things to the registry. I arrived at the tail end of the trip to watch them work the scanning device as if they were in the Wild West gun fight and barcodes were the bad guys. At one point, I said “That’s cute” to a product and all I heard as I walked away was “beep” from Valerie scanning it.

So it was a busy weekend, but I am glad that Valerie is having fun.

I was just looking at my countdown and I have 97 days until my due date!! Where did time go? There is still lots to do (or start doing) but I am sure Baby B will give me enough time to get it all done.

Next week I will start my third trimester, which is supposed to be the hardest part. I can already tell where I may find some difficulties. While I can still get around okay with only slight waddling, I can feel the sides of my back start to get sore by the late afternoon. Some of my shoes don’t really fit anymore. I have begun to experience heartburn. Well… At least I am still able to flip sides in bed!!

The exciting thing is that Baby B is growing and getting much stronger. His kicks are very noticeable and frequent. David has been able to feel him more 🙂 I will soon be ready to let others feel when he is moving too! It is a strange and magical time :).