Babymoon in Canada

29 Weeks at Royal Ontario Botanical Gardens

We embarked on our "last hurrah" on July 5 from Big Rapids to Toronto. Neither Nick or I had ever been to Canada before, so we were excited to do this trip together. The drive was about 6 hours and we stayed in downtown Toronto at the Hotel Intercontinental. We tackled the city right away and embarked on several days of eating our way through Toronto. It didn't take us too long to figure out the subway system, but we still had to do a lot of walking. Unfortunately the heat wave continued and the temps were quite hot.

Due to the weather and lots of walking, I was starting to feel really pregnant...my feet and hands were swollen and any liquid I drank seemed to go right through me, and through me again. The constant need to find a "washroom" became a bother. Nick did a great job in scouting out some great restaurants in Toronto and we ate like Kings and Queens! Thank goodness I was diabetes-free.

Enjoying pizza in Toronto

One of our favorite places was Pizzeria Libretto, which is an authentic and certified Neapolitan pizza restaurant. We ended up going here two times and enjoyed delicious Margherita pizzas that really did taste like Italy! Another day we ventured into an area called "The Beach" for some Pakistani food at a place called Lahore Tikka House. We happened upon a South Asian Festival en route and it was packed with people and the air full of delicious smells. The food was great, but we got a bit waylaid on the way back due to bus route changes and it made for a long night.

Carly on the Toronto Islands

For sights we took a ferry to the Toronto Islands, which was a  fun ride, but we found the actual islands to be a bit cheesy! We also went to Honda Indy Car race and had a great time. We met Emma Davies Dixon at our hotel pool earlier in the week  and she was the wife of one of the racers. We cheered for Scott Dixon, but unfortunately he was out early due to engine failure. Nevertheless it was a fun experience and a first for us as well.

Joey and Nick after Maid of the Mist

On Monday, we left Toronto and headed to Niagara Falls to meet up with Nick's brother, Joe. It was about an hour and a half drive from Toronto. Niagara Falls reminded us a little bit of Reno with its hotels and casinos and seemingly small town feel. We joined the throngs of tourists at the Falls and were amazed by their magnificence. On Tuesday the three of us went on The Maid of the Mist, which is a ferry that goes into the Falls. We also stayed in a really nice hotel with a great aerial view of the falls and I also watched a tightrope walker from my room's window. After two days in Niagara Falls we were ready to get going home. We headed out towards Nashville, where we spent one night. It was fun and we met up with an old friend of Nick's downtown. We had a nice dinner and then enjoyed the bar and music scene in Nashville. Our last leg was a 14 hour drive...Nick drove the whole way and when we finally arrived back at our apartment at 1:30 a.m., we were so happy! It was a great trip, and we saw so much, but it was time to be home to our cat and to start focusing on the next great adventure...our Baby (who still does not have a name)!

Michigan!

We rolled into Uncle Fred's place around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday and were greeted by family and a nice meal. It was so good to finally be there! His place looked as good as ever and we had fun getting some pictures out on his deck and lawn.

At Croton

We went from there to Big Rapids and spent the night at the cottage. It was a full house...Mimi, Sarah and Ryan, my parents and Nick and me. We spent the night and the next day just hanging out...it felt so good to do more sitting and relaxing. I went kayaking a couple times and on Tuesday, there was a gorgeous full moon! The only bad thing about our time here was the heat. The heat wave had us miserable. There is no A/C at the Cottage and the temperatures outside were even hotter than Dallas temperatures.  Nick and I were very fortunate that my Uncle Fred let us sleep at his apartment in town. That was definitely a saving grace!

Carly & Mimi 28w4d

Kayaking with Mom under a full moon 7/3/12

Meet Me in St. Louis

Nick and I left Dallas at about 6 a.m. on Saturday and headed North for St. Louis, which is the half-way point from Dallas to Michigan. It was a great day of driving...well I didn't do anything except sit there and read or sleep! It was so nice to literally just sit back and relax! We made it to St. Louis around 4:30 p.m. and checked into the hotel, which was right across from The Arch.

28 weeks in St. Loius

We went to check out the Arch and it was so hot! It was 107 degrees...hotter than it had been in Texas when we left. I could barely stand it! From there we ventured out to find dinner and ended up having an Italian meal in Lafayette Square and the coming back to rest up for our next day's drive.

Glucose screening

Tuesday I went in for my glucose screen at 7 a.m. I was pretty worried about it from all that I read and I hate getting blood drawn. The worst part about it was having to fast and then downing the sugary drink and waiting. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated, but I was very eager to learn my results. On Wednesday morning, I got a call from the doctor's office saying that I failed the test by 6 points and I would need to come back for the full 4-hour exam.

Needless to say, I was not pleased! The thought of getting diagnosed with gestational diabetes and going on vacation out of town for two weeks was really overwhelming. I don't really know much about diabetes, so I got some books at the library. I read though them and still felt like it would be a very difficult challenge for me, especially with my chaotic work schedule and being on the go all the time. Wednesday afternoon, I had a breakdown and was just really worried. I wasnt sure that I would even know the results before we left for Michigan and that made me nervous. Should I go ahead and just live as if I did have GD?

I went in on Thursday at 7 a.m. to start the 4-hour long test. I barely slept a wink all night because I was in such a state of dread. Luckily I had talked to my friend who had GD and she helped ease my fears and other friends were supportive, too. I came equipped with plenty of reading material and my iPhone. It was actually a good time to catch up on my Twitterfeed and also wait for the SCOTUS ruling on the health care bill to come in. When it was all said and done, I headed up the road to a little breakfast cafe and in indulged in a full breakfast before I started on to work for the day. I was very happy to have that behind me, and glad I didn't pass out from hunger.

I was kind of resigned to that fact that I would get a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. When the phone rang on Friday morning, and the nurse said that I DID NOT have diabetes, I was so happy! Yay! We were leaving for our vacation after work and it was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Nick and I celebrated by stopping of at Baskin Robins! Although I am relieved that I wont have to change my diet for the remainder of the pregnancy, I do think that I will make more health conscious choices anyway.

Time Flies

26 weeks and Happy

Have I mentioned lately how fast time is flying by? Well it really is! Today is June 21, so that means exactly 3 months until Baby Bassett's due date! I went to the doctor this week and things are looking fine. The ultrasound image was not very clear, but I seem to be growing right on track. This time she measured my belly, which was 28 in. Next week I have to go in for the dreaded glucose screen and blood test. I am really hoping that I pass the glucose screening...I would  not be excited about checking blood sugars all the time, especially with vacation just days away!

Can you see my little face?

This past weekend was a lot of fun. Elizabeth and I went down to West Sixth Street on Saturday night for a little bar-hoppin', which was great for me because all my drinks (i.e. grapefruit juice and Perrier) were free. Was a cheap night out and fun to partake in some nightlife. As everyone is telling me, "enjoy it while you can!" After that I met Nick and a friend for some salsa dancing at Gloria's, which is just a stone's throw from out apartment. It was a good thing because we were out very late! I told Nick that I don't think I will ever be up that late again--unless I am in labor! Sunday was Father's Day and we slept have the day away.

It's been a long work week and being on my feet has started to take its toll on my body, my back especially. Someone told me that getting in the pool every day helped her prevent swelling and I am going to try to do that. But despite the long work week, I have been feeling pretty happy! We leave for Michigan a week from tomorrow and I am hoping that the ride is pleasant and really hope that by the time we get to Big Rapids, that this Baby will have name!

Adventures in Parking

North Austin Medical Center made my day!

On Friday, I hit the 26-week mark and also realized that we are under a 100 days to go here! Woohoo! It also marked a milestone for me in the parking department.I finally found some designated pregnancy spaces...albeit they are outside a Women's Center at a hospital, but marked clearly none the less. I was in a hurry to get to a crisis a the hospital and parking there always kinda reminds me of what the parking lot at the mall looks like on Black Friday (and it's 100 degrees). I pull up to the backside and see a whole section for "Expectant Mothers Only." Score! I felt a little funny about it since I am not a patient, but the sign had no other qualifiers, so I decided that I deserved to park there. I did take off my work badge, just to make myself a little less discrete. The roller bag and clipboard screams of "vendor" but I don't care, My dress is snug and there is no denying I am expecting! Ahh...the little joys.

Could they have made it any LESS visible?

In other parking news, I finally located the "stork parking" that my friend assured me was at the local HEB Grocery store. You would't know by the looks of it, seeing a tall dark male in a large pickup truck get out of one of the two said spaces, that they are designated for "Moms to be." You actually wouldn't know unless you like me, happened to park in the way back of the lot and walked on top of the spots in your way up to the store and noticed a faint color blue paint, and actually tried to make out the words..."MOM TO BE." Well, Alicia was right about the spaces, but I would put money on it that 99.5% of people who park there are not pregnant and probably half are men!

This week I also started to experience lower back pain. It mainly hurts when I walk or stand...i.e. my whole work day! I would like to try going to yoga 2x a week if possible, but the weeks are starting to fill up quickly. Last week Nick and I went to a Thai Cooking class with our friends, Alicia and Roberto. It was fun, but again, 3 hours of standing!  With only 2 weeks to go before vacation, I can at least see the light... I can make it through 2 more weeks of work. My next OBGYN appointment is on Tuesday. I am thinking I will probably have to schedule my glucose screening before our trip. I am so not looking forward to that!

Surrender

Birth, like death, is not fully controllable. We weren't meant to understand birth or to control it. We are meant to take responsibility for the parts of it that we can, and then just experience it... At some point, we must let go and allow the process to be. Faith is not belief without proof but trust without reservation. Nancy Wainer Chohen

I read this quote this week from Terry Hershey's "Sabbath Moment" and it echoes a sentiment that was shared with my by someone I really admire at work. Nancy describes herself as an "Earth Mama in Ann Taylor clothes." She is a chaplain, spiritual director and executive at Hospice Austin. She is one of those people who you really wish you could be more like. Anyway, Nancy loves talking about birth. She has two adolescent sons and raises her family on their Organic Blueberry Farm outside of Austin. Very cool.

I was talking to Nancy about my fears and anxiety about labor and she told me that she too had similar feelings before her first son was born. She explains that she was telling a trusted friend about this, and also about the work in hospice she was doing at the time. The friend responded, "Oh, you work in hospice? Then you will be fine." Nancy questioned her, "How do you mean?" The friend responded, "Well, because you already know all about surrender." 

Wise, wise, woman!  SURRENDER. Like the quote above states...we weren't meant to control it, we must let go an allow the process to be. So often in my work we explain this to families as their loved ones face the end of life. I have seen with my own eyes, how much patients (and families) who try to control it, end up suffering, struggling, and hanging on....not allowing the natural process to take its course. Of course resistance is often the result of fear...fear of pain, fear of the unknown, and fear of letting go of control. Conversely, those who allow for appropriate intervention, pain relief, and understand the natural course of things, usually have a much better experience. 

Nancy also told me about the morning of her birth. She attended her prenantal yoga class that morning and felt strange. She said the instructor had a picture of a large sunflower at the front of the room. She said it helped her to meditate on that image...beautiful and open for the experience that was about to rock her world!