Life

Happy Labor Day!

| cheriarmour

I was almost scared to entitle this blog post as such because everyone is going to freak out and think I went into labor.  I did not.  I’m holding steady here at 40 weeks and a few days, very very cranky, but feeling ok considering.  What I am a little sick of?  The insane comments I’ve been getting, mainly from men on how “huge” I am, and folks asking if I’m sure there aren’t two in there.  I understand that people may not know what to say.  So say nothing if you feel uncomfortable.  Please don’t just say whatever pops into your head because I really can’t promise I won’t completely lose it on the next person who’s asked me how much weight I’ve gained, or points out my boobs.  It’s not nice.

So for Labor Day, we had an absolutely uneventful day.  I woke earlier than Austin, and headed out to Whole Foods just to get out of the house.  Halfway through the short drive though, I sort of glanced in the rearview and realized I looked completely a mess.  My hair needs a retwist, I wasn’t wearing any makeup, and I generally looked really…just not good.  And I always run into people I know at Whole Foods, so I hanged (hung?) a right, and went to Tropical Smoothie, where I had a coupon for, and I ended up paying ten cents for my smoothie.  Avocolada, no extra sweeteners.  Light and delicious.  When I do my smoothies at home, I’m so in love with avocado in my smoothies now for a little calorie/fat boost in the morning.  Game changer. Except it turns your smoothies a repulsive color, but I can get past that.

By the time I got back, Austin was mowing the lawn, and I took a quick bath (I was feeling a little uncomfortable) before Austin, my brother, and I went to CrazyFire Mongolian Grill for lunch.  I normally can’t even with that place – haven’t been there since I was severely hungover in Elon, but I figured I could throw some innumerable amount of pepper on the dish and walk around to get things moving.  Food was good and spicy.  Did not work.  I will add spicy food to the list of things that don’t really get labor going.  But it tasted bomb!

I napped while the boys did our grocery shopping – I got really lucky with that, and after I decided I was sick of having been in the house for a few hours, Austin and I went to Whole Foods and sat outside to eat a cookie and drink a kombucha (me, not him since he finds my “vinegar drank” repulsive).

No pools for us this year.  No Fripp.  No Ft. Lauderdale. But Labor Day, all and all was nice, and I wish I had an extra day with Austin to hang out and take laps around the neighborhood.  He’s a good egg, that one is.

What did you to for Labor Day?  Did you have the day off of work?  

| cheriarmour

What a week what a week what a week!

So, some updatey-type things.  I am still pregnant lol.  Every day I walk into work, I see my boss’s eyes widen, and he’ll (in the nicest way) be like “Oh thank God, you’re here!”  It’s funny, like on Wednesday, I was feeling a little pukey, and I ended up lying around the house for a long time, and on Thursday when I came in, everyone was like, “Oh!  We thought you might have had your baby!”  Nope, still here!

The week’s been good.  Productive at work, and not so much at home, but hoping for that magical burst of fairy energy that will help me straighten up and get that last push to get things together.

First let’s talk about the funniest thing that happened last week – this spine thing.  So like a year ago, someone left this really really elaborate, doctor-grade spine in my office, and we could not figure out where it came from.

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Since I’m going to be out on maternity for a while starting sometime soon, I’ve been straightening out my office, and the spine had to go. So I put it up for free on one of those buy/sell/trade/free pages on Facebook, and within MOMENTS, I had requests left and right for this thing. And then I got these unbelievably weird comments. One suggesting that I send the spine to Obama, and another simply stating that there were plenty of spineless people in this country that could use it. Uhhh…ok weirdo, do you want this thing for your classroom that you’re decorating or not? Anyhoo, a guy ended up coming to get it, and I hope it works out for him. I had ZERO idea that I was in possession of such a hot ticket item, but glad this somewhat offbeat item could find a home.

I think I found a new occasional lunch spot?

I sort of mentioned this last update this place I found in downtown Raleigh, Raleigh Raw, which is this really crunchy kind of juice place with really interesting food combos.  I will caveat this place by saying it is pricey for lunch, okay?  I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but it costs more than snagging something quickly at like Wendy’s, but hear me out. IMG_9351.JPG

My friend Devin went and told me exactly what I needed to order, this bowl thingie with rice and sesame seeds, and mango and watermelon and some salmon…I don’t know, there was a lot going on, but it was delicious, super super filling, and I didn’t feel the least bit crappy when I finished it. Now, someone in my office complained about what that horrible smell was, but hey, can’t win ’em all.  If you’re local and and all into this sort of thing, check it out.  They also had kombucha on tap and some other interesting stuff in their grab-n-go, so it’s worth checking out.

I also swore I was retired from teaching as of last week I think, but that was not to be.

I had to fill in last minute for class two times this week, and I think I’m really retired now.  This Zumba class I did today, I did a lot more coaching than I am used to, but it was literally exactly what the baby wanted, and I couldn’t do more without feeling like I was overdoing it.  I am so grateful for the fact that I have remained active for so long, and I plan to keep walking and stretching, but my Pump/Cycle/Zumba days are on hold for now, and that’s what the baby wants 🙂

On that note, I am so excited for when the time is right and I’m able to run again.  I miss it.  More than missing running, I miss the social aspect and the efficiency of being able to go for a run and then pretty much being done with my cardio for the day. I’m not good at doing things slowly, and sometimes I’m too slow for my own liking these days.  But that’s okay.

What are your plans for the weekend?

37/38 Weeks

| cheriarmour

I know, I know.  I took some time off the past few days.  I’m getting to that point where I’m uncomfortable and not sleeping a ton, so instead of doing as much writing as I’d like to, I’ve kind of been sleeping where I can, and then I’m up and down to use the ladies room all night.  I promise, I will be a little better about it.  Not immediately, cause I’m about to give birth, and I’m not absolutely delusional about the division of my time.

Baby is the size of a:  Winter Melon?  Once again, I’m finding these fruit comparisons to be highly unrelateable.  This other app said romaine heart, and I totally know what that is, but I feel like it doesn’t give me a sense of how much he weighs, and all I can think about is cradling a romaine heart.  It’s weird.

Due date: Sept 3rd, 2016

Total weight gain:  I have not hopped on the scale in a while.  I think I’m holding it down around 30ish pounds of boobs and belly.  Seriously, these things are out of control.

Sleep:  Ha.  Sleeping is not really a thing, but I figured out a trick to help me sleep okay WHEN I’m actually sleeping.  I’ve been doing a short lavender bath before bed and that has helped with some comfort.  I’m up even more often using the bathroom and every time I wake up, Austin is like ::gasp:: “are you okay?”

Best moment this week:  It’s always nice to hear the baby’s heartbeat really strong, and since I’m up to my weekly appointments, I got to hear it again with the doctor I hadn’t met.  I have a little doppler machine at home, but the doctor’s thing is fancier so you really can hear what’s going on.

Food cravings:  I drank an entire case of seltzer in a really really obscenely short period of time.  Like, really obscene.  I can’t even say.  I also had this amazing raw food bowl thing at this juice bar place in Raleigh.  It was TOO expensive, like I can’t be there all the time, but it was SO delicious, and now I want another one.  But there is no way I can routinely spend that much on lunch.

Food aversions:  Hm.  I don’t think so, I mean I’m still not able to eat a ton, but nothing is making me want to just fall out when I smell it.

Symptoms:  There’s just a lot going on toward the end.  I am going to the bathroom like crazy, and moving slower.  I’m really sad because I think yesterday was the last class I’m going to teach, like I feel like it’s time, but it makes me sad, because even though I’m still moving, I feel like I’m moving underwater.

Looking forward to:  Shoot.  Now that I’ve talked about this damned raw food bowl, I’m kind of thinking of getting one.  And now, I want one.  Blah budgetary constraints!  But if I WAS getting one, I’d really be looking forward to that, later on today…

ICYMI…

35 Weeks, 34 Weeks, 32 Weeks, 31 Weeks, 29 Weeks, 27 Weeks, 26 Weeks, 25 Weeks, 24 Weeks, 22 Weeks – Changing it Up!, 21 Weeks (A little late), 20 Weeks – Halfway There, 19 Weeks…it’s a…, 18 Weeks, 17 Weeks, 16 Weeks, 15 Weeks, 14 Weeks, 13 Weeks, 12 Weeks