Love much?

My wonderful friend surprised me with some peanut butter from her trip home to the States... So happy right now. Apples and peanut butter. What more could you ask for??

Tchau,
Sara

38 Weeks

Two weeks left until my due date but I am so ready for here be today! My mom sent me an article on NPR about healthy babies and not inducing early or scheduling c-sections. There is a large movement started by the March of Dimes called 'Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait'. Of course I know this to be true because I have seen it all first hand. What I want is for Belle to be ready to come now not for me to schedule it when it's convenient for me. Trust me, planning an induction would have saved Nate and I the trouble of moving to Rio and other costs.

Since that is not an option for us we try to wait patiently. This morning before getting out of bed I already new that she didn't drop because a little foot kicked me in the sternum. So for now I want to believe that she will drop and I will go in to labor that same day. What I really don't want to happen is for me to have to be induced because she is overdue which will happen at 41 weeks according to my doctor.

Technically I am not overdue until after 42 weeks but I agree with my doctor on inducing at 41 weeks. The whole meconium aspiration, where the baby inhales the poop they expelled in utero, scares the crap right outta me.... pun was originally not intended. I am not sure that Brazil has lung by-pass (ECMO- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) for infants which can be needed if the situation is serious enough. Even my hospital in Houston didn't have it and we would have to transfer infants to another location. I have never seen an infant though that needed it but a few that have come close.

Just thinking about how crazy I am by new things to be terrified of each week. Right now I am more afraid of breastfeeding than actual labor... I think because breastfeeding is a reoccurring event while labor is just one huge event that most people forget about the pain enough to have more children. Then again people continue to breastfeed. Still, that's my fear now and what if I am not good at it?

Onto some changes for the week:

Swollen hands and feet

Achey hands- like they need to be popped or are out of joint

Less sleep than ever but if I wear myself out then I can get in 4hrs uninterrupted which I am very very thankful for

My hip joints are still unstable and I  find it very hard to just stand without swaying or even walking in a straight line!

If I want to look at my feet I have to look around my belly :)

Sometimes I fantasize about hitting Nate while he sleeps just because he is sleeping. While I toss and turn I take a moment to stare at him while the thought crosses my mind.

If I get up really fast I have to catch my breath.... embarrassing!

40% of the time when Belle moves it seriously hurts or at least takes me by surprise. It's no longer cute all the time!

If I drop something I seriously contemplate picking it up. It all depends on where I am at: When at the grocery store the item stays on the floor if I am at home most of the time if it can wait then it does.

Belle still loves to stretch out her legs and I keep telling her if she really wants more room to come out already! That girl is going to have some strength when she comes out.

Almost all of my shirts are too short to cover my belly. I will probably be rotating three shirts for the next couple of weeks! Nate even made the comment that when I meet my friend for lunch today that I should probably wear a longer shirt- hahaha. It's he so funny. (said sarcastically)

Nate threatened me with another month of pregnancy this morning before he left for work. Thanks babe.

That seems to be about it! Tomorrow we are touring hospitals and I have another Dr. apt so another update for you all!!

Tchau,
Sara

Praca VX

Here are some pictures of our weekend in Rio. We met up with some other bloggers from Rio and did a tour of the Praca XV area. Since I am terrible at history there will be no lesson and you will have to make do with the names of the places we visited and click on the links if you want more info.

The back of Nate in Arco dos Teles

Arco dos Teles

Rua da Carioca- These house are so old but way too cute and not something
you typically see in Rio.

Imperial Palacio Tiradentes

Beautiful church we stubbled upon having service in honor of the saint
for that day...  Not sure the name of the church but the inside was spectacular! 

Close up of the altar

Confeitario Colombo- We just grabbed snacks and continued
on our tour but I would love to have a sit down meal here!

Beautiful ceiling inside!

Surprisingly this is a church- Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro

The inside of the cathedral

Lapa Arches- you can ride the trolley above so something for us to do
on our next time visiting.

Lapa Arches

Cinelandia

At Amerelinho in Cinelandia which has been open for 90 years!

Overall the day was great with some really neat people. To be honest I was completely worn out after walking for three hours and then a long lunch. The good thing about wearing me out is that I actually sleep good which is rare these days. 

Tchau,

Sara

Swollen Feet

My feet have taken a turn for the worse! My hands started off the trend but it was only really bad when I went to sleep. Now my feet have slipped into a trance following their leader the hands. You know your feet are swollen when flip-flops leave indentions.

Not my feet but this is what they feel like!

Did I freak you out mom with the picture? Ha! Well just so you know I have increased my water intake, still walking and at night I prop them up on a pillow. Anything else I should be doing? 

Feeling more and more pregnant with each passing day.

Tchau,

Sara

View from Ultrasound Place

We haven't been to an ultrasound since 32 weeks but I found these pictures to show you. Most of the places that Nate and I have to visit include amazing view points of Rio and it's hard not to take advantage of and get used to 'just seeing them' everywhere.

Below is just the waiting area in the lobby. There are about ten cubicles sectioned off by glass and when your appointment time comes then someone will come and get you from your little area.

The little cubicles 

Each cubicle is full wall window and the view is amazing!

This is the view- Sugar Loaf mountain with the ocean to the left of the photo

Part of the reason I think they do this is to calm down the patients when they have to wait for an extremely long time! Waiting with a view= tolerable patients? 

Next time I visit the doctor I will take a photo of where Nate and I eat lunch- On a clear day there is perfect view of Christos!!

Tchau,

Sara

Belle's Just Hanging Out

Turns out she still isn't anywhere close to being ready. The doctor now estimates that I will go past my due date of August 1st :( I just keep telling myself that things can change overnight and she will come when she wants. The doctor will wait until August 7th to induce me if that time comes and I pray it doesn't!

Dr. J also said Belle is just floating around and is very far from dropping despite all my walking and pineapple eating. I guess life is really good for her at casa de Sara. All I can do is wait and enjoy the quiet peaceful moments of having nothing to do except read, walk, and search the internet.

Nate and I settled in at our friend's house yesterday and life will pretty much continue the same as if I were at home in Macae. Just minus the friends to walk with in the morning and afternoon. The apartment is very similar to our apartment at home and there is a rooftop pool that I can lounge around by and possibly get in if the weather stays warm.

I fleeting moments of being nervous but they pass pretty quickly and I just feel excited. Nate doesn't seem to be nervous at all which helps to keep me calm. He's been such a great protector for me. All day yesterday while we were walking around to my appointment and lunch, he would grab my hand to cross the street, walk in front of me when we were going up stairs and walk behind me when we went down any stairs. (Yes- I am like a child these days)

Just because he is being nice doesn't mean that he has stopped laughing at me every chance he gets. The other night while I was trying to roll over he actually laughed at me in his sleep.... funny guy :) He also just picked up laughing at me getting in and out of the car. The seats are so low it's hard to do without stomach muscles!!

Well, off for some breakfast!

Tchau,
Sara

We're Off!

Leaving for Rio today. All our bags are packed and ready to go!!! We have a doctors apt today as well so it's going to be a very long day. I will update as soon as I can but I fear Belle still isn't going to meet the world anytime soon.

Tchau,
Sara

Sara

The Sticks Family

It's official. Mrs Sticks popped out three little babies. Actually they look almost the size of their full grown parents except they have the soft feathers right now. I know the pictures are hard to see but all I had was my iTouch :( 

Since I leave for Rio tomorrow to have my own baby I am not sure when I will be able to take a better photo. 

Congrats to you Mrs. Sticks. One question- Epidural, C-sec, or au natural? Ha- looking for some positive reinforcement because the nerves are kicking in right about now!

Mr. Sticks with three youngsters.... The Mrs. was watching from another angle.

Crappy close up of them- still too cute!!

Tchau,

Sara

Translation Gone Wrong

Love the English menus in Brazil! The translations are horrible and most of the time we ask for the Portuguese menus.... Couldn't help but sharing the translation below for Spaghetti Bolognese, which I probably just messed up! I love bologna with grinded meat! Haha- hope this makes ya smile for the day because it made me :)

Tchau,
Sara

End of Labs

Hopefully today was the last day that I have to give blood or pee in a cup. The labs taken this morning were for iron, rubella, urine culture and sensitivity, CMV (cytomeglovirus), and Toxoplasmosis. All labs that I have taken before and tested negative for but just taken for precaution which I am all for! Also, I checked the results for the Group B Strep (GBS) and I am negative so zero antibiotics for me when I go into labor..... (labor= scary word for the next few weeks... .ahhhh!).

Nate and I tried to go on Saturday to do these labs but the website for the lab failed to mention that lab draws will not be accepted after 1030 in the morning. Lucky for us we show up at 1040. Of course this made me extremely upset and I actually wanted to throw my urine sample at the girl. Not only did I have to unnecessarily pee in a cup but now I had to take the sample home with me and find some way to dispose it!  Until recently I was too pissed to write about it and probably would have said some things I didn't mean.

On a good note we leave for Rio tomorrow! Also a friend of mine is bringing back peanut butter for me today and I have lunch plans with the girls :) What a beautiful day in Macae!

Tchau,

Sara