Hello all! We are at the 31 week mark and everything is well. I had a doctor's appointment this week and everything looks great. I did not have an ultrasound but the doctor said everything appears well. Baby is moving around a lot and he loves to be active when I am at rest and right after I eat. Looks like he will be a good eater like his parents! He likes to hang out primarily on my right side ( we are thinking it is because of how my placenta is on my left side. My doctor had a nice little point, "Why settle in a studio apartment, when you can have a condo". I have 2 doctors. I decided since I am at a hospital that has a rotating attending doctor on call and who knows when I will go into labor, knowing 2 of the staff well will give me a greater likelihood of knowing who my doctor is. I really like them both and feel lucky that OHSU have such a great and supportive staff.
We had our birthing class. I know most people do this kind of course once a week for an hour over several weeks. Since Matt's schedule is so variable, we opted for a weekend class 6 hours each. SHEESH! If I ever say I want to get my Master's I need to be reminded that I would have to go to class which I am not cut out for...at least for a LONG time! We knew a lot of the information, Matt especially, but it was nice to have a refresher course. I knew about some of the information with my Early Childhood background, but we got to tour the place I would give birth and where we would be 48 hours after birth (2 different floors).
Good things: OHSU does not have a nursery, so baby is ALWAYS with us :) If they need to take him somewhere, Matt will be able to go, which makes me feel great!
Below is a picture of me at a break we had during our class today. This is the beautiful view that OHSU provides. Portland is really beautiful especially to all us desert folk!
I never realized how much I love reading. I guess I never really had time/did not make time before. I know I liked to read as a kid and I know I love children's books (hello look at my library in baby's room), but with this recent free time before baby, I have enjoyed reading. I read the 50 shades trilogy, started another trilogy by Sylvia Day (Crossfire), and I decided to finally read the Twilight series. Since Crossfire is still in the midst of getting published (Book 2 comes out late October), I needed something to read in between. When I unpacked all the little kid books I have and was sorting, I realized I also have the twilight series, so I decided to read it. It started off slow, and I feel like a teenager reading it, but I am really enjoying it. I look forward to watching the movies and comparing the books to the movie. I know movies are rarely as good as books ie Harry Potter, but I have held off watching any of those movies because I knew someday I would read the series. Anyways, I get into a reading binge so I started the series last week and I am nearly done. I would probably be done by now, but Matt had the weekend off and we had our 2 day 6 hour birthing class as I mentioned before.
Here are the books, I am currently on the 3rd book (Eclipse).
I have also gotten in touch with my creative side. I have always loved arts and crafts and scrap booking and with the added time (for now) I have decided to engage it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the holidays (if decorating late September for Halloween was not a telling sign)! I wanted to make a Halloween wreath so here it is :) Got the supplies from Michael's on sale and Viola! I dig it ;)
I am also working on his baby book. I realize that when he is older, he will probably not care for it, but I hope his wife will like it :) Matt and I will enjoy it if no one else does...haha :) I will add pics of the pages next time.
I am not sure when I will post maternity pictures, but I will add it as a tab like I did for the baby shower and wedding, and I will post about it! They are so great and I cannot wait to share with you guys!
Matt and I had intended to finish up the baby room (except for a maternity picture of us that will go over on canvas over his bed), but we have been super tired and busy. Those classes really took a dent into our weekend. We still have time so no worries. I am hoping by next weekend I can post pictures of his room, but we shall see. It depends on Matt's clinic schedule. I think I will call Matt's posts "Matt's Minutes" if you have a catchier title...let me know ;)
Matt's Minutes
I just finished my two weeks of neurology which went well. I learned a lot about neurology and certainly improved my neurologic exam which was something I was hoping to improve upon prior to this rotation. This weekend I was off which is why we were able to attend the class which was great. Next week I will be working in the internal medicine clinic seeing my panel of primary care patients which I always enjoy.
During these clinic weeks, I have also been working half days in something referred to as the "Chronic Illness Management" clinic which mostly focuses on treating patients with diabetes, and less commonly things like heart failure or hypertension. It is an interesting approach to health care because we focus only on diabetes and management as well as mediating risk factors and complications from diabetes. There is a coordinated approach including utilizing home calls, frequent check ins and utilizing multiple people from the health care including the nurse care managers, dieticians, and social workers to help coordinate the care for patients. This is my last week to work in that clinic until the last three months of my intern year.
After this week, I will be moving on to inpatient (hospital) wards at OHSU hospital. It has been great to see Tammy progressing along and I am really looking forward to meeting our son in a few weeks. Everything is starting to come together but in the same sense, everything is starting to get closer.
