The Not-so-Dreaded Insulin Shot

After visiting Dr. Kahen on Wednesday, she informed me that it was time to take the dreaded insulin shot. I had been really diligent about following a strict diet for my gestational diabetes, but in nearing the finish line, my body has been undergoing stress and the sugar is not metabolizing as efficiently. A high sugar count could lead to Maya gaining unnecessary weight and getting stressed out herself. Brad and I went to the pharmacy yesterday afternoon where they showed him how to administer the insulin. I am terrified of needles, let alone long needles, and this half-inch needle looked like it was a mile long. Brad calmed my fears and gave me my shot in the arm as we were watching Deal or No Deal. I didn't even know that he was done. No cold sweats, no jitters, and I actually had a peaceful sleep last night. When I woke up this morning, my sugar was well within range.

Grampa Salcasso

Maya has a Grampa who has finally decided to show off his talent for painting. Let me set the scene for you - a drab yellow wall that is on the side of our garage. A wall that Maya will be seeing as she looks out one of her two bedroom windows (the other window faces our backyard). This drab wall has gone from being an eyesore to being a vision of islandmode. Grampa Salcasso started out painting the wall a calming blue depicting the ocean and the sky. He then separated the two with a horizon line and from there, the drab yellow wall was history. When he returned to finish his mural, Grampa Salcasso produced a huge coconut tree on an island boasting white, blue, and red flowers, a rocky barrier covered in vines, and a sandy beach. With some input from Proud Papa Brad, a coconut tree-filled island produced itself at the horizon line. Then came a sail boat, and to tell you the truth, I think that his creative juices have just begun flowing.
What a gift Grampa Salcasso has left for his little Maya - he has created the feeling of islandmode outside her window and has set the mood for her life. Proud Papa Brad and I are indebted to him and hope that he will get our hints and let his artwork wrap around our home!

Maya is Coming Early

Well, per Dr. Kahen, Maya will be arriving the week of October 24. Brad and I are uberexcited and are now full speed ahead with the finishing touches. This weekend will be a shopping one as we need a few more things. Thanks to Grandma Betty, the windows in Maya's room transform the room into a little girl's dream, and thanks to Grandpa Salcasso, Maya will have a pretty view outside her bedroom window...when his mural is completed.
Maya is coming...Maya is coming...Maya is coming!

Baby Signs...In More Ways than One

Well, I have hit the 9 month mark - 36 weeks! Time has flown by so fast, but something tells me that these last few weeks are going to drag on and on. Went to a bridal shower over the weekend and when I came home, Brad had set up Maya's beautiful crib, and Grandma Betty had hung the curtains and valences in her nursery. It made me realize how far we have come in one year. Last year we were wedding planning, and this year, we are Maya planning. There are baby signs everywhere in our home.
Sunday (9/23) was rather interesting as I started cramping and feeling what seemed like contractions. I got really nervous and kept telling Brad that I was not ready for the pain. He is such a rock on this matter and he comforts me and keeps things light. He has taken on a lot of the load in preparing for Maya, in addition to all the stuff he does around the house. Bless his heart, I think he is as ready for this to be over, as I am.
On Monday (9/24) night, we took the grandmas and went to the Baby Signs class. For those of you with infants out there, I really recommend this program. Baby Signs is a way for parents to communicate with their infants using sign language. It doesn't interfere with their ability to speak, but it makes it easier to understand what they might be trying to say, pre-speech. We learned some basic signs for food, drink, milk, Mummy, Daddy, dog, etc. Then we learned how to incorporate these signs when reading to Maya and when singing to her. Brad and I have been practicing our signing and are getting better at it.
Tuesday (9/25) night was our second Lamaze class. It was a great class that went through early labor, active labor, and the delivery of the placenta. If any 12 year old (thinking of having a baby) out there saw the video that we saw, we would have a significant decrease in the number of teenage pregnancies. The teachers in these classes don't sugar coat the pain factor...pain is definitely a strong component of childbirth and these classes are great in teaching us how to deal with it. We learned more breathing, touching, and massage techniques, and at the end of the class, all coaches were given massages by their wives.
From my doctor's appointment this morning (Wednesday, 9/26), I have learned that my cramps over the weekend were the result of Maya dropping significantly. Her head is in the downward position which is great. As for her due date, well, that may have changed a bit. Dr. Kahen says that my pregnancy will not go past the 38th week due to any stress on Maya caused by my sugar levels. This speeds things up just a bit, so I drove to work this morning with a totally different sense of excitement. Will keep you all updated as to what progresses.

Reality is Setting In

Mother and Child-Gustave Klimt, 1905
Well, it really is setting in, the reality of being a Mom in a few weeks. There are days when I go through the really happy emotions, literally floating on cloud nine. Then, there are the days when my heart fills with fear...the fear of being a good Mom, the fear of holding Maya too tight, the fear of dropping her, the fear of her not loving me, and most of all, the fear of making every mistake that I am trying my best not to make.
The Lamaze Technique is a prepared childbirth technique developed in the 1940s by French obstetrician Dr. Fernand Lamaze as an alternative to the use of medical intervention during labor. Dr. Lamaze was influenced by Soviet childbirth practices, which involved breathing and relaxation techniques under the supervision of a "monitrice" or midwife. (www.wikipedia.com)
On Monday Brad and I went to our first Lamaze class. There were about ten other couples, some of whom we had met in our prior classes. The purpose of this class was to educate us on and ease our fears of the delivery process. My biggest fear is the length of labor and the pain associated with it. I keep hearing about epidurals and how they ease the process; alongside with that I hear about how the epidural can cause the baby to become dopey and non responsive. So many views, so many options, and so many decisions to make. We learned about signs of false labor vs. true labor, how to breathe and relax, and the art of touching. Everyone in the class is at the same point...nervous and yearning for anything that might alleviate the fear of the unknown. One of the things that Tarzana Regional Medical Center provides is great teachers. Wendy was our coach last night and she was very realistic, yet very reassuring.
Maya is still moving around frequently...a sign that she is still in her holding pattern. My sugar levels are holding steady. I now awake every two hours to make a pit stop. And, the heaviness of my body has become more evident. I am moving on all cylinders right now when it comes to being stressed out. The nursery can't be completed fast enough, my bag can't be packed fast enough, the due date can't get here fast enough...Hope that this adrenaline keeps me going when it comes to that final push.

Maya's First Baby Shower

Today was our first baby shower thrown by my Mum. It included so many friends that I have known from the time I was a teenager. These friends have seen me grow and been a part of the important milestones in my life. It was great seeing everyone and feeling like a very special Mom-to-Be. Besides the house being beautifully decorated (with the solitary Feliz Batismo balloon - my Mom's idea of a joke), the food was great, the cake was to die for, and the presents were so many. Maya's cup does runneth over.
My Dad carved a cradle out of a watermelon and filled it with a fruit salad. My Mum made a lovely chicken and rice casserole and couscous. Marlon helped out with all the decorating, eventhough he had to rush to work that morning. Grandma Betty made her famous punch and green salad, and Auntie Vivian made spicy corn fritters. The cake was from Plusco's and it was a yummy white cake filled with a champagne custard. Maria was in charge of the games and boy were they fun. My stomach was measured, very twisted motherly advice was shared, and the guests' memory was tested. When it came time to open the presents, I was excited to see what pretty gifts Maya had got. Onesies, a Taiwanese traditional silk two-piece, a pram, a bouncy chair, lots and lots of clothes, a "silver" spoon from Grandma Betty, great reading for us padres, accessories for her nursery, and last, but not least, gifts for her Mommy too. Maya's extended family has once again showered us with love. All her aunties have already begun to spoil her.
I know that my Mom is thrilled to be having a grandchild and that this shower is just one of the many ways that she has showered Maya, Brad and I with her love! As for my Dad, the watermelon cradle says it all. Friends, love, and support...Maya, Brad, and I are so lucky to have these and more in our lives.

The Learning Process (Phase One)

Breastfeeding Mother (Pablo Picasso)
“There are three reasons for breast-feeding: the milk is always at the right temperature; it comes in attractive containers; and the cat can't get it.” - Irena Chalmers
Brad and I finished our first two classes in a series of childbirth classes and boy do we have a lot to learn. In our Newborn Care class, we learned the basics of holding, feeding, bathing, diapering, and basically catering to every newborn need. What I am looking forward too is holding Maya, holding her close to my chest and feeling her little heart beating. In the Breastfeeding class, we learned the different techniques of feeding, along with the many benefits that breastfeeding has over formula feeding. Besides the nutritional value, the emotional benefits that Maya and I will share are indescribable. I pray that Maya responds to my want to feed her. My head tells me to be strong about the possibility that Maya will not want to feed from me, but my heart is a whole different story.
The key phrase that keeps popping up in these classes in "on demand". Can you believe that a newborn baby will want to feed every two hours? I guess the sporadic sleep pattern that I have developed as the result of constant latrine visits is in preparation for what's to come. One of the highlights of our newborn class was that Bo Brady (for all of you Days of Our Lives fans) was in our class. Besides that, it's nice to meet other couples who are in the same waiting game as we are. Women with backs aching as bad as mine, swollen feet, changed sleep patterns, and the general desire to want to have the baby now!
So what have we learned so far? We have learned about developing a strong sense of trust between Maya and us...we are her lifesource and as long as she knows that she can depend on us for that, the rest will fall into place. Next week we start our Lamaze class and have our first Baby Signs class...we can't wait!