It's a Trap

Ever since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I've been dreaming about all of the things I can eat again once the baby is born. Nevermind what my doctor says about needing to follow the diabetic diet for the rest of my life because just having GD makes me twice as likely to develop type II diabetes at some point in my life. I'm planning on making some adjustments to my diet, but for a little while after I have the baby I am going to take a break and eat things that I have missed. I told Rob that after the baby is born, I expect a pound of See's chocolate. He said he would "see what he could do."

Last night, we went to Costco, and Rob started looking at some Kirkland Signature assorted chocolates and asked me if I would be OK with getting those because they were so cheap. I told him to keep on walking to another part of the store where he could buy a gift certificate for a pound of See's. We got to where the gift certificates were and he's looking at the package and he started complaining about how much more expensive the See's candy is above the Costco brand. I said, "What, I'm not worth the See's?" This guy walking buy with a cart full of kids says to Rob, "Don't answer that. It's a Trap!"

Needless to say, Rob got the See's certificates.

T Minus 5 Days

Not that anyone cares for an update on my cervix, but there has been no change since last week. Still 1 1/2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. My mom, Rob's mom, and the labor and delivery nurses kept telling me that I would go into labor before my induction next Monday but apparently all of the pressure in my pelvis hasn't been doing a darn thing. Now I know why a lot of doctors don't even do progress checks... it's just dang frustrating when there's no progress during a week. And you know what my doctor said to me? "Frankly, I'm glad that there's no progress because I'm going out of town tomorrow and I don't want you to go into labor while I'm gone." Well, OK. When he puts it that way...

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, but the last few weeks have been really hard. I've never known such discomfort in my life, and just when I think that the discomfort can't get any worse, it does. I am grateful, though. I start to think about the miracle of bringing life into the world and the more I think about it and the more I get into actually doing it, it seems like more of a miracle. I'm simply fascinated by how it all happens and it's been a huge test of faith. It would be an understatement to say that I like to have control over a situation. In this situation, I have had to give up all control to Heavenly Father and remember that my little girl was His daughter before she will be mine and that I have to trust that He will take care of her and me. It's still hard, though. And the next few days will be hard, too.

And speaking of hard... who knew that pregnant bellies were as hard as they are? I've always been a little squishy around the middle and expected the squishy layer to surround and protect the bump. Not so. And since I never made it a habit of rubbing pregnant women's bellies, I never knew they were so hard.

T Minus 12 Days

I had 2 doctor's appointments today... one with the perinatologist and one with my regular OB. Last week, my regular OB said that there was not a chance that I would be induced early because first time moms and inductions usually turn into a c-section. Today, after having an ultrasound and seeing that this little baby isn't so little (7 lbs 14 oz) with almost 3 weeks to go, the perinatologist suggested that I be induced sometime next week (38 weeks), but not later than 39 weeks. Well, my OB is subscribing to the no later than 39 weeks instructions and I'm being induced on Oct. 18. Which is a little weird, since I'll be 39 weeks next Saturday. But whatever... 5 days early is 5 days early. I'm excited, but a little scared. I just hope that everything goes well with the induction and that, to quote the perinatologist, my "cervix is favorable." At my appointment today, I was 1 1/2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I don't even know if that's good. I just keep reminding myself that whatever it takes to get this baby here, and here in good shape, is what has to happen. Wish me luck!

Will Your Parents Protect You?

When I was growing up, I never doubted the answer to that question. I always knew that as long as I told my parents the truth about what happened, they would both go to bat for me. My dad told me that he would even stand up for me if I smacked a bully in the face and got sent to detention... as long as I tried other non-violent means before I resorted to face smacking.

Lately, Rob and I have been talking about how important it is for our children to know that we will always protect them and stand up for them. That's what parents do. And when something bad happens to your child, they need to know that you will protect them if they tell you. Like in the case of bullying or heaven forbid, something even worse.

I was watching Today on NBC and they were interviewing a disabled girl, who was a victim of bullying, and her parents. If you haven't heard the story, the girl comes home and tells her dad that kids on the school bus have been making fun of her, calling her names, and even throwing condoms at her. The dad walks onto the bus and goes nuts, yelling at the kids and even cursing at them. Now, I'm not so sure I would have done it the way that he did, but I would have defended and protected my child from that sort of treatment, too. Now this dad has been charged with some sort of misdemeanor for "assaulting" the kids on the bus. What about all of the assault that was committed against his disabled daughter? Where is the justice in this situation? Why is their no punishment for the bullies and their parents, or even the bus driver?

I probably would have contacted the school before charging onto the bus and unleashing a tirade of profanities. But if the school didn't take any steps to stop the bullying, I probably would have taken matters into my own hands. What would you have done?