Hellobee Boards

@Aandmklover: We're almost done with the nursery (no one shoot me, lol). We got curtains and curtain rods over the weekend, we got the furniture a couple weeks ago, and I went through most of DS's old stuff. I still have a few boxes to go. But all the clothes we're re-using are hung up. I also made some artwork for the room. We still have to hang the artwork and some shelves.

I had an appointment that went well - baby girl's heartbeat was right on track. I also asked for the third time (since I've gotten 2 different answers) about when my repeat-c would be. She said likely 39 weeks (so 8/15) at 8am, unless I have the same pre-e symptoms as last time and then 37 weeks (8/1-ish).

Hopefully I don't have those symptoms again, but no one knows what causes them and they're not preventable.

@Aandmklover: a perfectly neutral grey is Dolphin Fin by behr. We have a south facing bedroom, so any grey I ised that had blue or purple undertones picked up the undertones only. The dolphin fin is just grey. We love it.

@ShootingStar: Thats kinda exciting to already have a ballpark.

I think I've decided my last day in the office will be Friday 8/12. Starting work at home or leave Monday 8/15. LO1 will start school that Monday so it will be best to be home to drive her and sit on my yoga ball! Ideally I would get her through that first week of school and then baby come the following week.

@Pirouette: Yeah, my doctor said we'd do the actual scheduling when I hit 28 weeks. But because of my blood sugar stuff they'd prioritize me and do it at 8am, because I can't go all day without food without getting really sick. Also, she's in the hospital on Mondays so that's the likely day. So it's not a definite, but an educated guess .

@ShootingStar: that makes sense, and that's good news about the early scheduling! since my c section wasn't actually scheduled until the friday before (and was on a monday), it was at 2pm and they wonder why my blood pressure dropped and I almost passed out when they did the epidural! my doctor said my stomach was growling DURING the surgery - how that's possible i have no idea! of course, they made me fast so much in the 3rd tri because of the "threat" of c section that I was sadly used to having to starve all day

@Pirouette: I will literally go into a diabetic coma if I do, that considering I'm on insulin . But man, that sucks. Even on the day of my induction I was still eating - the nice nurse let me have some jello. I think i'll probably break the rules and eat some in the morning too, lol. I like to live on the edge .

@ShootingStar: oh yea, I totally understand your situation is way more serious than mine. I have no medical reason, i'm just a baby about not being allowed to eat! I normally eat small frequent meals/snacks all day, so not eating is torturous for me. honestly, the worst thing about the whole thing was after the c section, they wouldn't let me eat until the next morning (so i hadn't eaten since sunday and had to wait till tuesday). everyone told me I wouldn't be hungry, but given I was hungry DURING the surgery, you can only imagine how hangry i was afterwards. I rang for nurses all night long begging for food and they refused to serve me. There's no question i'm packing snacks for my husband to sneak me after the surgery next time around.

I'm not even kidding, the whole fasting thing is the only thing that even made me consider a VBAC!

@ShootingStar: Yay for finishing the nursery already! I'm super impressed. We're working on cleaning out the room....but have so much more to do. Yay for a great appointment. Phew!

@T.H.O.U.: So exciting to have a plan. I'm just starting to work with HR on what leave is allowed, etc. I'm at the same job, but policies have changed in the last 4 years.

@Silva: Hooray for a good appointment. Am hoping LO feels better soon and it turns out to be nothing big.

@Pirouette: Ugh, that sounds awful re: not eating all day! And, yeah, our bedroom is always really dark. I'm sure the grey isn't helping. Not sure if I want to redo that room in a different grey or go for the same tan or whatever. It needs to be brighter, though I do like it dark for sleep.

@T.H.O.U.: Ugh, yeah. I think I have to spend down a LOT of PTO even to be able to take medical leave before my due date. Last time, I could just be out at 100% pay with a dr's note without spending down my accrued time. Waiting to see what the new rules are. I would like to stay out through the end of Dec, but I don't know if I can make that happen.

Just thinking about maternity leave is stressing me out! I can't take too long without pay because my husband's salary alone isn't enough to pay our monthly bills. (Umm.. yea, that's a problem for another day.) Figuring out maternity leave is essentially the last thing on my list of things-to-do before baby comes.

I'm telling my new boss about my pregnancy tomorrow after my appointment. I'm nervous, but she has an 18-month-old so I think she'll be understanding. Feeling kind of blah about work these days anyway I'm sad my current boss is leaving -- we worked really well together. She viewed us more as partners, and I feel like she gave me a lot of opportunities that weren't necessarily in my job description. With her gone, I'm afraid my job is changing from one I loved to something not as good. Hopefully this is just transition kinks that will be worked out, but I'm feeling a bit down about it this week.

I posted over on the July board to invite any remaining July mamas here. If we do get more people, maybe we can do another round of introduction posts?

Hi ladies, I've been out of town for almost a week and wasn't keeping up with my cell phone--so much catching up to do! It's like getting back to a pile of work emails except it's fun instead of a pain in the ass

@MrsSCB: !!!! late to the party here but congratulations on your boy!!! that is so fantastic, you sound thrilled if your boss has a baby, I'm sure she will be happy and understanding (or you'd hope so, right?) I hear you on your lukewarm feelings; I'm also falling out of love a little bit with my job, even though I am so grateful to have it and haven't lost perspective on how much I do like it. and @agold: @pirouette: I also will not be getting paid for mat leave, but oddly not feeling that stressed out about it. For me it's a very conscious choice on how I'm employed that I've insisted on, so since I own it and don't just happen to work for an unsympathetic company, it's a little easier to digest, but I think once my paycheck disappears I'll be a little unnerved... we'll see how it goes, right? @Pirouette: you are a ZEN MASTER with all these employment balls up in the air. oh my gosh, round of applause. I want to be like you!

ETA: so glad to be reading about all these good appointments, everyone @Silva: hope your toddler is on the mend soon.

@LCTBQE: that's a great perspective on the unpaid leave. As someone who has always worked my whole life, no paycheck was pretty unnerving the first time, but I'm much less stressed about it this time given how quickly it all passes - im actually looking forward to the time off more this time! And thanks for making me feel like a rockstar, but the truth is i have no choice! I've said my piece to my boss to move things along, and theres not a lot else i can do at the moment! So im trying to re-immerse myself into my job and act like it's all i have for the time being. Not easy, but at least either way i have a job! DH has helped me keep an even keel too.

Just popping in while I have a moment in between feeding my kids breakfast...this baby has been SO squirmy and noticeable the last few days and I love it! I feel like it (can't wait to find out if it's a boy or girl - although I had a dream last night it's a boy) must've grown a lot the last week or so because the movement has become hard to ignore. Best part of pregnancy, for sure!

@pwnstar: i felt the exact same way with my first. the second time around, it feels different and i'm less concerned about the whole mommy tracking issue. it also helps that I'm 100% certain it's my last, so I'm hoping to enjoy maternity leave a little more rather than rushing to get back to work and "prove myself."

@coopsmama: ahhhh so jealous. i can't wait to get there! what an amazing feeling it is

@MrsSCB: I can absolutely relate to this! I am a *there's no crying in baseball* person at the office (I have a nickname at the office a la *sub-zero* Nelle in Ally McBeal) . . . but pregnancy hormones really like to grab you by your shirt collar and give you a shake down from time to time. Imo, and fwiw, I don't think it will happen with your new boss; I think it's much harder to hold back with people you know and feel more comfortable with . . . and sometimes just saying things out loud brings up more emotion than we expect. Don't let it rent too much space in your head!

@Pirouette: That is an adorable onesie! And oh gees... "Prove myself" That phrase exhausts me. I've been at my current job for quite a while and am so happy to be at a point in my career where I no longer have to prove myself. I definitely will not be rushing back to work to do that! I hope you don't have to, either!!

@MrsSCB: Good for you for turning the announcement to boss into a full discussion of work issues. Great to get it all out of the way! Good luck! And don't worry too much. What's the worst that can happen? Your boss cannot fire you. So be pleasant and firm and it should all be just fine. Tell us how it goes, please.

@pwnstar: Excellent advice.

@coopsmama: So awesome you are feeling the baby so much now! I can't wait to find out what you are having.

@thismustbetheplace: Welcome!!

@pwnstar: @Pirouette: @agold: Thanks, ladies. I'm a bit nervous about having such a big conversation (beyond the baby part) but I think it's probably better to just get it all out there while we're still in a transitional period rather than just continue feeling resentful of how things are going.

Also, appointment this morning went well. Heart rate was in the low 150s. They took some blood to test for neural tube defects and other possible issues. I think that is to coincide with the anatomy scan in a few weeks when they'll actually physically look for those kinds of issues. Hopefully all is OK, I should find out in about a week.

@thismustbetheplace: Hi and welcome!

@thismustbetheplace: yay welcome! is your first a boy or a girl? you are at the halfway mark - woot!

@agold: haha nope, i don't have to prove myself. I definitely felt I did with my first, because someone had just gone on maternity leave and decided not to return, so I had to dispel the notion that women don't come back to work after kids (i work with all older men!)