Well, there was something I wanted to blog about...

Every night driving home from work I think of like 5 things to blog about the next day. And I swear to you by the time I get home, get Evie in the house, deal with her "I'm home and tired and haven't seen you ALL day" drama, and get 3 seconds to try and write those ideas down, I can't remember a single one. Ugh.

So since I can't remember what it was that I wanted to write about today (I remember it had something to do with second children...hmmm), I will just update you my doctor's visit and pregnancy progress.

I had an unplanned doctor's visit on Tuesday due to some outrageously high blood pressure. Well high for me. My blood pressure has been a consistent 104/62 (something around there at least) throughout the pregnancy. Its so low the nurses have been amazed and I've been secretly proud. I mean, how many people gain a ton of weight and carry an extra person around with them all while maintaining enviable blood pressure? Not many. In fact, your blood pressure is expected to increase during pregnancy. Especially since your blood volume increases by at least 50% and your heart is responsible for getting oxygen and nutrients to two people rather than its previous one. So, my blood pressure has been stellar. The nurses always compliment me on it. I'm proud.

Then last Friday I started getting this excruciating headache. My eyes were watering, my vision started to blur. At one point I honestly couldn't see out of my left eye. I thought, hmmmm, this might not be good. I did take a Tylenol and vowed to have one of the paramedics check my blood pressure when I got to work. So my blood pressure was checked. Four times.

The first it was 140 something over 90 something. The second in the 130s. The third and fourth it was down to 120/60. So I monitored my blood pressure all weekend and it stayed elevated. On Monday I called my doctor and told her what was going on. She set me up an appointment for Tuesday and told me to monitor it through the day and if I were to get anymore headaches I needed to come in. Went to the doctor Tuesday and while my blood pressure was still elevated there was only a small amount of protein in my urine so that ruled out preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is the fancy word for hypertension, or high blood pressure, during pregnancy. It's considered very dangerous for both mom and baby as the high blood pressure taxes both and puts an especially heavy toll on the mom's already overworked systems. It can lead to seizures and death.

So, since neither seizures nor death sound like fun to me I was relieved that neither was in my immediate future. The doctor did tell me to continue to monitor my blood pressure and to call if it went way up again or I had anymore headaches.

Also got my cervix checked again. (On a side note: have you ever thought about the fact that we talk about parts of our bodies during pregnancy that would be SUPER inappropriate and gross to talk about when we aren't pregnant? I mean, people ask you about them. Like, hey, you dilated yet? Feeling lots of pressure? Not just doctor people. But like, people at work. Random people. Family members. Guys. They all ask. And you answer them.Without thinking about the fact that you're discussing some of your most intimate girly parts. With a random dude. Just something to point out.) Having your cervix checked weekly should definitely be near the top of the list of the most wonderful parts of pregnancy. It's only about 3 times more fun as having your yearly pap smear. I mean...FUN! And if you've never had your cervix checked, I'm being sarcastic here. It hurts.

I'm about 70% effaced now but still not dilated. UGH. The doctor said my cervix was "very soft" though. And she assured me that at this point they wouldn't be worried if I went into labor. So yeah!

I'm still going next Monday for an ultrasound and another fabulous cervix check. My doctor does think that the baby might be "large." I seem to recall them using that adjective pre-ultrasound with my first daughter as well. Then it turned it "holy crap, we need to get this baby out of you" afterward. I'm kinda hoping it stays at just large, because while I love little chunky babies but at the same time I don't relish the thought of having my picture on the front of the local paper for a record-setting newborn. Simultaneously, I would really love to experience going into labor naturally and the excitement of rushing to the hospital and calling all the family. At the same time, I do really want to have this baby at about 37 weeks so it would be nice if the baby were big enough that they wouldn't want me to go past 37 weeks.

I feel like a big bundle of contradictions...I want the baby big but not too big...I want her to come early but not too early...I want to be dilating but not too much. *le sigh*

So my new shoes came yesterday and I started walking yesterday. They are as comfortable I could have dreamed them to be. For the first time in months I can walk without feeling somewhat penguiny. Yes, I waddle and I feel like a penguin when I walk. Just trust me. I do. But in these shoes, I feel like a normal human. A human that doesn't have a humongoid belly and feel like a baby might be falling out from between my legs at any moment. So I walked. Til I was out of breath because walking just felt so good.

And I've started sitting/bouncing on my exercise ball at night. Oddly enough it's one of the most comfortable things in the world to sit on. While on the ball, my hips don't hurt, my back doesn't hurt and I don't feel like the baby is falling out. It is rather blissful. I don't know whether or not it will actually help the baby get into position and help me go into labor but it is quite comfy.

So that's the latest.