Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hypnobabies

How stoked am I that tonight we begin our Hypnobabies classes tonight? SUPER STOKED!

I have been working on 2 different hypnosis scripts over the last month and feel that they are truly helping me relax and reprogram my mind in advance of my birthing time. I am happy and comfortable to know that with the help of P and our Doula Lynne, I know that my birthing team will do everything possible to help me reach my goal, and not just for me, but for Peanut as well.

Now some people feel that this idea and plan is a bit kooky or spooky and that's OK - they just need to educated themselves more on it. Read up on Hypnobabies here:

http://www.hypnobabies.com/



And really, when you can have a birthing experience like those below, why would you want to try and aim for anything less:



Monday, February 20, 2012

Predictions

P and I have opted to be on Team Green for this pregnancy. I am so excited to hear the words .. Its a ..... when little Peanut arrives.

For me, like I have mentioned before, when I picture Peanut, I see a little boy. P says he sees a little girl. 12 more weeks and we shall know for sure, but until then its interesting to see what old wives tales and online predictors says is happening in my belly:

  • One of the popular theories on baby gender prediction is based on the baby’s heart rate.The theory states that if your baby’s heart rate was 140 beats per minute and above, you would be having a girl. If the heart rate was under 140 beats per minute, then you would be having a boy.(http://www.babygenderprediction.com/babys-heart-rate.html)NOTE: Peanuts heart rates has been between 145 - 160 since we could find it.

  • Chinese Gender Predictor: Legend states that the Chinese Gender Chart was buried in a royal tomb near Beijing over 700 years ago. The original is allegedly currently in the Institute of Science in Beijing. Rumors have it that this chart is over 90% accurate when used properly but please remember that this chart is for entertainment purposes only.


BUT another predictor says otherwise:


Guess only time will tell!



Predictions

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

26wks and Counting

Almost in the home stretch. Here are some of the highlights from the last few weeks:

  • Peanut is an octopus, I am sure of it. That or they are going to be world class gymnasts when they grow up. How can I be punched in the ribs and the pelvis at the same time, riddle me this.
  • Turned 33 … and ate 6, delicious, moist, to die for vegan cupcakes to celebrate. Yup - they were fabu and I have ZERO guilt
  • Passed my GTT, though I am pretty sure that that test we designed by a Man who seems to think that starving a pregnant woman, then forcing her to guzzle orange sugar water and sit in a cold, clinical room for hours only to have her start twitching and shaking and then crash and pass out. What a stupid test.
  • Have been doing nightly Hypnobabies sessions and while I cant tell yet how this will all work out, I can be sure that I am more relaxed now and able to relax myself better that ever before. P & I start our in class sessions next week so things will ramp up to some degree then and I am interested to see where they go.
  • We bought our stroller, or rather should I say P’s parents bought it for us. THANKS GRAMA & GRANDPA M! After much debate and testing we settled on the Britax B-Ready. Its got all the bells and whistles that we wanted, plus we can change the configuration of the seat(s) to all sorts of things depending on our needs. It even converts into a double stroller so if Peanut gets a little sibling within a few years, then all we need to do it buy another seat and off we go
  • I have started nesting HARD. Been cleaning, cooking, baking and even taken up crocheting. It is seriously my new addiction. I have decided I wanted to make a baby blanket for Peanut so after a visit to Michaels and a few visits to YouTube I am now well on my way to making something that is filled with love and warmth for my baby to be. It may not be perfect, but its being made from the heart and as my Mother says, that is all that matters.
  • Beginning to feel like a house on legs; stiff, stuffed and unable to move in ways that I know I used to.
  • My brain is a mess – every night I have mental dreams and wake up feeling lost, scared, insecure, sad ... you name it. Then of course I cannot get back to sleep and toss and turn for ages
  • I can no longer tie my shoes up, I simply cant reach them without almost passing out or falling over. Time for Momma to buy some slip ons.

That is all.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Mexican Tofu Scramble

I have never actually had a tofu scramble that I like. They all seem to have that awful nutritional yeast in them - YUCK! Sorry fellow vegans, but I will never be able to accept that that stuff is suppose to be a "cheese" replacer. Tastes like feet, smells even worse.

So needless to say I have been forever disappointed in my filling, hearty typical vegan bunch options. So needless to say I needed to come up with something of my own, and by golly I have to admit- Momma done good.

Mexican Tofu Scramble
  • 1 medium onion - diced
  • 2 cloves garlic - diced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable stock
  • 4 cups sliced mushrooms (I love crimini for their hearty flavor)
  • 1 pkg organic tofu - firm & pressed
  • 2 cups chunky salsa
  1. Over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in vegetable stock for about 5 minutes
  2. Add in mushrooms and continue to saute another 5 minutes
  3. In a small bowl, break tofu into crumbles 
  4. Add tofu and salsa to pan and cook for 10 minutes over low heat, or until all juices have been absorbed.
Serve and enjoy!


Worry Wart ... now and forever

Well, after a day of being blue and uber paranoid, Peanut is back to kicking up a storm.

Maybe she was just resting yup for Super Bowl? Or maybe he was just taking a lazy Saturday. Whatever it was, Mommy was a mess.

For a good 12+  hrs there was no movement coming from my little tenant - and of course, being me that sent me into a massive emotional tizzy. I woke up feeling very blue. I had slept all night, not something I am used to these days as I am generally up a few times between 11 - 6am thanks to bladder needs and internal somersaults. So 9am rolls around, sun streaming in the windows, birds chirping. A beautiful winter weekend morning, and all I wanted to do was cry. I had no good reason to worry or be concerned  but something in me was giving me bad vibes. I tried to push it aside.

I got up, made a super yummy breakfast of Mexican Tofu Scramble and fed my belly, thinking this may wake up the little squirt.

Nope. Nada.

I did some laundry, I read, I stared blankly at the TV, I napped. Still nothing, not even a gassy bubble.

I cried. I was convinced something was very wrong. P was a star. He rubbed my back, hugged me, tried to offer reassurance and asked if I wanted to call the Dr.

I didn't want to do anything. I wanted to feel little kicks in my ribs and belly button. I wanted to feel my baby moving and grooving. I didn't want to think anymore about negative possibilities, but I couldn't get them out of my head. Horrible images ran through my brain, sadness washed over me. I felt empty and so lost. I was sure this was the end.

I got bitchy and argumentative. I took it out on P. I acted like a cow until I went to bed at 11pm.

And then at 1am I cried again. Tears of joy. Peanut was kicking the shit out of me, rolling and flipping and she didn't stop till 6am, and only then for a slight reprieve before gearing up again, he's doing jumping jacks even as I type this.

So all is well. I can relax.

But clearly I cannot, and no matter how chill or melow I think I am while navigating this pregnancy, that is simply not the reality. I am a paranoid, worried, scared mess of a woman. I never anticipated my losses and struggle would have left such a long lasting impression on my mental state. I thought I had come to terms with all that had happened last year. I am now 25 weeks, fully thought all of this would have passed by now.

Ha! Wishful thinking ... worry will be my middle name - now and forever.