I remember last week (you know, last week, when I first found out about this pregnancy) going through the week-to-week fruit comparisons and when it got to Honeydew Melon - the 35th week - I just assumed they were joking, because there's no way a melon would fit whole inside a belly. No way right?! Way.
Here's proof:
(and I took and edited these pictures myself, only so I could insert here that "selfie" was nominated Word of Year 2013. It's a sad sad world you're coming into, baby, sorry about that.)
So yeah, way! Whole melon right there!
This was a big week: Daddy and I participated in Antenatal/Parenting classes during the weekend and it was great! We met other first-time mums and dads from the Ashburton area and Cara the instructor was so nice and helpful and answered all my never-ending questions. On a side note, I baked oatmeal raisin cookies and over heard people commenting on how good they were. Yeah!
We talked about labour and pain and all the things that can happen, we visited the maternity centre to get a good feel for the place, we saw the birthing pool, we learned about hormones, breastfeeding and taking care of a newborn and so many other things. It was nice to know that every pregnant lady has the same fears and doubts I do. Daddy liked it too and it made me love him just a little bit more, because in general he hates lessons and classes, but this one was very important and he really stepped up.
I'm feeling great even with the heartburn still going strong. The Bump is huge but beautiful and you keep squirming and squiggling like there's no tomorrow. I waddle ( = to walk like a penguin.) now and make grunting noises when getting up from the couch. I believe I'll give up the couch soon and just park my large pregnant bum on the computer chair that offers good back support and no grunting. It's taking me a bit longer to settle down, but sleeping is still my favourite sport and I do it beautifully. Still haven't got that haircut sorted, so hang in there. And birth favours are driving me mad, because I can't find anymore Owlivers to buy.
Only a couple of weeks till Grandma and Granpa and Sandra and Julio arrive, it's so exciting!
I do have this nagging feeling we should be doing more, buying more stuff like endless books, crayons, swimming togs, cricket bats and superhero costumes. I feel like I want to be prepared right now for your whole life, birth to college.
We learned in class that one of the early signs of labour is Nesting, a feeling you have to complete projects and have your "nest" clean and ready for baby. At 35 weeks, I can't tell if my sudden urge to clean the fridge and kitchen drawers is "nesting" or just a normal Tuesday in my life. I cleaned it anyway.
What I also did this week: decorated the Christmas tree. Looks awesome!
Caro neto Oliver
ReplyDeleteÉ impressionante a diferença do que chamarei de "ambiente cívico" entre a Nova Zelândia e o Brasil e isso, que já foi destacado por sua mãe, inúmeras vezes, talvez seja a razão principal de você ter nascido aí. A calma e o profissionalismo com que os kiwis tratam os assuntos mais importantes são, realmente, uma demonstração de que a sociedade - aí - está em um estágio evolutivo mais avançado do que aqui. Bom pra você! Nas aulas pré parto, os assuntos mais operacionais são abordados e esclarecidos para que o aspecto emocional não seja dominante e cumpra sua função desde o início: amá-lo incondicionalmente, às vezes até irracionalmente. Fico pensando qual será o seu comportamento emocional, quando você crescer. Será você um kiwi bem resolvido, racional, metódico e até um pouco gelado, mesmo diante das agruras que a vida lhe trará? Ou se tornará um latino, passional, irracional e destemperado, que vive nos extremos da emoção, tanto boas quanto más? A vida me ensinou que, na maior parte do tempo, o bom senso está no meio e é isso que espero para você: uma boa mistura kiwi-brasileira, que lhe permita curtir o melhor dos dois mundos. Um beijão e a benção do Vô Kiko.