Entering the third trimester

Hey kids,

So yeah 27 weeks today...13 to go. Apparently that's officially in the last trimester. Getting load of movement from bubs. GB was poking my belly last night and she was kicking back - he loved it. End of the day though I'm being poked and kicked in the stomach! I'm off to the OB again tonight - think he'll give me a referral for the gestational diabetes test. I'm sure he won't be impressed with my weight gain - hell I'm not. Despite my best efforts over the past couple of weeks particularly, the scales have continued to increase. It's weird, I'm still in my size 14 work shirts (which yes were quite big to begin with) - except for the last button - but my arse and thighs appear to be where the weight is going. I still don't have the cute round belly at the front either which isn't helping my body image. I have a top tummy sticking out (can still feel my port though), then I have an inward gap and then a lower tummy too (not sticking out as much as the top tummy). I realise a picture would be beneficial here but photography has been banned in our house so you'll just have to imagine it!

Last week I did my pilates class on Wed night, then aqua aerobics thurs night (which was tougher than I thought it would be!) and tried out a "Baby Bump" Group PT session on Saturday morning. I am still trying to recover. Literally. I had to take yesterday off work because I could barely walk. Soooo many squats! My quads are still sore today but at least sitting on the toilet is a tad more bareable. Try being 6months pregnant, needing to pee every 30mins or so but being too scared to because it hurts so bad to sit down!!! I'm still kind of waddling today but it's a lot better. I have an OB appointment tonight and because he's always about an hour behind schedule at least and the aqua aerobics is at the same hospital I might try to squeeze in a class first.

Our baby furniture arrived last week so we did a mad dash to pick it up on Saturday. GB and I talked about it and because we're getting an a/c installed in the nursery plus doing stuff to the walls it would be better to leave everything boxed up for the time being. So while I'm getting changed I hear him call out that he's just going to take a peak. 2mins later I walk into the room to find the chest of drawers completely unwrapped. Then yesterday he decides he wants to put together the cot and change table too. So we decide to pull it into our bedroom so we can have the a/c on (it was 37C yesterday!) while we did it. We had the cot together except for tightening the screws when it suddenly occured to GB to see if it would fit out the door. I had thought of it earlier but incorrectly assumed that my very handy husband would have checked it first. Turns out it wouldn't fit. So we had to take the whole thing apart, move the pieces into the nursery and reassemble it in the sweatbox that the room was! I'll take some pics of the pieces we've got and post them up soon. Still a ways to go but slowly getting things together.

We're off down south to Busselton (a couple hours away) for an extended weekend on Friday for hubby to take part in the Ironman triathlon. I've mentioned before he's doing the marathon leg (42.2km run) as part of a team and unfortunately he's not had a good preparation with a morton's neuroma in his foot and leg pain. He's stressing out about it but I'm sure the adrenalin of the day will get him through - even if he has to walk some of it. Hoping it's not too warm as it's a long event and he'll be running through the heat of the afternoon. Still it means I get a mini-vacay down south - not heading back until Tuesday!

Today is the last day I can eat chocolate until Xmas day. The detox will do me good I'm sure!

I've noticed a few new people have joined my list of blog followers (hate that word). Leave me a comment if you also have a blog so I can have a gander! Or leave me a comment if you haven't got a blog and just say hi! Me loves comments :)

Ok kids, better do some work!

Birthday Boy!

Baxter turned 1 today! So of course I sat him down and told him now that he was no longer a puppy, we wouldn't be putting up with any of his shenanigans. I think he took it well...

Warning: A lot of bitching and moaning in this post

Look at that - 3 posts in one week! And just noticed that the last post was my 200th. Can't think of a better topic than that to hit a milestone with. Glad this one isn't my 200th that's for sure!

So what has made me put finger to the keyboard today? Mainly I just want to whinge about myself. So feel free to skip this entire post and maybe head here where they have free worldwide shipping and some great savings on clothes instead!

I did a bad thing this morning. I weighed myself and lordy bigordy I did not like what I saw. Basically I've exceeded my entire planned weight gain for this pregnancy already. You know how when you have a dodgy week eating wise and you say to yourself "oh I've probably put on 2kgs this week" and then you weigh yourself to be pleasantly surprised it was only 1kg? Yeah well I knew I'd put on weight. Had to buy new undies for a start. And my clothes are getting tighter by the day. Oh and I'm eating like there's a food famine around the corner. Well guess what. I WASN'T pleasantly surprised by the scales, I was devastated.

What has become abundantly clear is this. I need a lapband. If it were gone, I'd be in some serious trouble. At the moment I have next to no fill in so it's as close to not having a lapband again as I can be. And I'm back to old tricks. When I'm hungry, I eat. When I'm bored, I eat. When I'm walking past the fridge, I eat. When I'm not hungry, I eat. When move to the left, I eat. When I'm sad, I eat. When I'm happy, I eat. When it's a day ending with Y, I eat. You get the idea. Portions are bigger and carbs & chocolates are a staple. Not cool. I know I shouldn't be doing it but I am. Of course, if I could exercise a modicum of control I would never have got to 135kg in the first place but you would think after 2 odd years of living with the band, losing weight, being so close to goal, that I could manage to control myself for 9 months. Turns out not so much. And I couldn't be more disappointed in myself.

I made a step in the right direction at the beginning of the week - I bought yoghurt & weight watchers bars as snacks so I wouldn't eat chocolate at work. Well guess what? I've eaten the WW bars AND chocolate each day and the yoghurt is still in the fridge. I did manage to drag my arse to the gym for 30mins on Monday & Tuesday and Wednesday did 45mins pilates class (which my obliques are still aching from!). Hubby has cooked me chicken and vegies most nights for dinner but portions have been way too big. Add to that some icecream with topping and a myriad of other things during the day. I know it's not good. But I can't seem to get my head to make my hands stop it! So as I finish off my can of coke (yes I know!), all I can say is that I hope at some stage my brain will kick in. I bought some new boardies (size=massive) so hope to start water aerobics and some swimming next week. At least I can try to minimise the food damage by trying to keep up the exercise.

It's a constant fucking battle people.

An email to my Federal Member of Parliament

Hi there Mr Irons,

I understand you're asking the people of Swan for their views on marriage equality. I cannot express how strongly I feel that marriage should be an option for EVERYBODY. The old fashioned adage that it is only between man & woman is ridiculous in this day and age and purely based on religious history. Given that my husband and I were able to be married this year despite the fact we don't have a religious bone in our bodies goes to show that the government need to move with the times. Marriage is a commitment between two people who love each other, the sex of these two people shouldn't even come into it. If churches don't want to allow same sex marriages then that's fine but they should still be recognised. Much like we had a non-religious ceremony performed by a celebrant, such should be the option for same sex couples. Frankly I don't even understand why anybody would oppose same sex marriage. If you don't want to get married to someone of the same sex - don't. Others being able to do so, doesn't in any way denigrate your own marriage! It's about equality Mr Irons. Equality for ALL. I hope that in a decade, we're embarrassed that this was such a debate as we are now embarrassed about the forced segregation of blacks and whites and the lack of voting privileges for women and indigenous Australians not so long ago.

I'm currently just over 5 months pregnant and I hope by the time my daughter is old enough to get married it won't matter who she wants to get married to. I hope I'll be able to tell her about the day the Government stopped legislating against equality and choice and recognised that any two people who love each other can make that ultimate commitment if they so choose.

While you're moving with the times Mr Irons, may I suggest you get a twitter account, allowing real time interaction and feedback with your constituents.


Love & kisses (lucky I'm not a bloke!)

Em




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Note: I did not actually sign off that way :) I encourage all of my Australian blogging friends to contact their Federal Member of Parliament whilst this debate is in the forefront of discussion.

25weeks and still kicking!

Hey my lovely blogging friends!
Long time no talk!

Let's see what's been happening?

Sydney - GB and I took off for Sydney on the midnight horror flight from Perth. I assumed given that I feel like I could sleep on a bed of nails these days that I would be ok to sleep on the plane overnight. It's a 4.5hr flight from Perth to Sydney plus 3 hr time difference so we left Perth at 11.45pm and arrived in Sydney just before 8am. And I didn't sleep a wink. By the time we got to my aunty & uncle's place and exchanged pleasantries I was nearly talking jibberish! GB and I took ourselves to bed and slept for about 4 hours which was great. We took it pretty easy - I've been to Sydney many times before although GB only once for a weekend. We took a drive up to Palm Beach for lunch one day which was nice and we ate at one of Sydney's top restaurants - Aria. After I twittered about it earlier in the day Matt Moran the head chef came up and said hello to us. GB nearly jizzed in his pants he was so excited! We spent a few days some 500km north of Sydney at another of my aunties & uncles place. So beautiful up there, no phone reception, 30km from the nearest town so we just got to kick back and relax. Unfortunately we had torrential rain the first two days and I ended up with a fever for some reason for 24hrs and couldn't get warm. I had GB's tracksuit pants on over mine, plus 2 tshirts, 2 jumpers and 2 coats on. I looked like the michelin man! There's a hilarious photo of me on our camera I'll have to post later. Also I couldn't keep any food down. The next couple of days I felt a lot better though. Back into Sydney and we had a walk around the city (plus a trip to the Lindt Cafe - best thing ever!). I was going to catch up with LapbandGirl but the stars didn't quite align - next time for sure!

We went to Bondi Beach and had lunch and caught up with an old school friend of mine for coffee & cake from one of the countries best pastry chefs - Adriano Zumbo. Those of you in Australia may know him for his croquembouche and/or macaroon tower challenge in Masterchef. I'm telling you they were the best things EVER. As you can see, food still a big part of our holidaying experiences!! Add to that, my uncle's business is about filling lolly machines so he had big boxes of M&M's at his place. GB now is sure I'm going to give birth to an M&M!!!

Needless to say, I'm far too scared to step on the scales! Now that we're back to work both of us are trying to get into a routine of more healthy eating and exercise. GB is training for that marathon (tried to do 30kms when we were up in the hills but underestimated the terrain and the water he'd need and ended up dehydrated on the side of the road unable to speak. Luckily my two uncles decided to head into town early (we were meeting him at the pub for lunch) and picked him up. He was unable to move from the back of the ute for about 90mins. By the time I got there, he'd been resting for an hour and they'd given him powerade. I gave him some more electrolytes and the lady at the pub let him have a shower and he started to come good. Bit of a reality check for him though! Anyway he's amping up his training with only 3 weeks to go and has sworn off alcohol until after the 5th December! He's also staying off potato chips and noodles - his two favourite food groups. I'm not swearing off any foods... yet (choc detox from 1 Dec til Xmas day in the works though). But going to get more into exercise. Went to the gym last night for 30mins on the bike and will do that again tonight. Pilates on wednesdays and water aerobics on thursdays is the plan. My gym membership expires in a couple of weeks so I'm thinking about doing pregnancy PT once a week after that. Will check out the $$$.

Baby wise - all is going well. Getting lots of movement, mostly at night when I'm lying down. Unfortunately getting awful heartburn for the past week and the Pariet and quickeze not doing the job they usually do. Also getting a side pain/stitch when I walk/bike so keeping an eye on that and not pushing too hard. OB was happy with everything last time we saw him and said all is looking good, baby is a good size etc. The next test to pass is the Gestational Diabetes test which I'll have at 28weeks. I wonder if my M&M diet will impact on this??? hahaha. Got 3/4 names on a shortlist which won't be revealed till the baby announcement. Happy that GB is finally coming around to the names I like - hahaha! Haven't bought that wall art from my previous post... yet. GB said I could though - YAY! For S who asked - it's called the Cocoon Couture Enchanted Tree from the wall sticker company.

Anyway kids, I've gotta go troll all your blogs - it seems I have 159 posts to catch up on so forgive me if I don't comment!