36 weeks for me

36 weeks along...

Insulin
My blood sugars are absolutely incredible.  Lessons learned the hard way include:  Subway's flatbreads are NOT low carb.  In fact, I'd wager there's lots of sugar or HFCS in that dough.  What's crazy is - before starting insulin I was eating mostly Paleo/ whole foods anyway - but this one TINY dose of insulin at night seems to regulate my blood sugars all day long.  In fact, we've lowered my dose from 16 units to 10 units.  Dropping down means my fasting sugars are almost always between 80 and 90... I'm not waking up hungry in the middle of the night and I'm sleeping better.  But for some reason, since dropping to 10 units my numbers have stabilized through the day.  I totally don't understand how that works but having stable sugars is wonderful  The whole point of this is to make sure baby boy doesn't go hypoglycemic when he's out on his own, to keep him from being a giant baby (under 9lbs is the goal)  and also to try and keep me from becoming a full blown Type II diabetic.  Honestly, I made all of my previously-discussed lifestyle changes before getting pregnant specifically to prevent Type II Diabetes.  I will always be at an increased risk thanks to developing gestational diabetes.  I will always have to be very careful with what I eat and have to lose this extra weight to decrease my risk in the future.  We all have our challenges, right?

Contractions.
I'm one of the "lucky" women who has never felt contractions... sort of.  With my 1st son they broke my water and gave me an epidural at the same time.  It happened so fast because if my platelets dropped any lower I wouldn't be allowed to have an epidural - and they needed that line in because a c-section was a pretty high possibility.   Also, I was NOT interested in having a natural childbirth... especially an unmedicated but pictocin assisted labor.  No thanks.  They did turn the epidural off after my 2nd hour of pushing. Yea - that's a horrible shock... to go from zero pain to feeling everything in an instant.  They thought it would help me deliver faster but really I think I just ended up shouting swear words and screaming from the shock of it.  I was so weak and out of it that I don't remember anything beyond "PAIN."   I never went into labor with my 2nd and never really had contractions along the way for whatever reason.   Anyway... long story short... I don't know what contractions feel like.  Or I didn't.  I have them every night now. I've had them all day today. In fact, I've even been timing them.  They're nothing to get super excited about - the most they come is about 15 minutes apart.  When I do have them they are absolutely exhausting.  I also know if I do a lot of walking I'll do a lot of contracting so when I hit 37 weeks it's game on. 

Name
He still has no name.  We have a top 3 between the husband and I.  Both boys also offer their own suggestions which is super duper cute.  Husband is leaving it up to me.  I don't like the pressure.  Can't he just come out with a name tag on?  I have always laughed at people who wait to decide on a name when the baby is born because all babies come out looking like Winston Churchill.  I'm waiting for my husband to say "you know, go with xxxxxx" but he's not saying anything.  Maybe when I get to look him in his eyes his name will be obvious. 

Travel
Husband is off to San Diego for his cousin's wedding next weekend... when I'm 37 weeks along.  I do have an ultrasound, NST and OB appointment in the morning before he leaves so we will have a good look at things and can always just nope out of it last minute if needed.  I hope he's able to go... this is an important wedding.  I also hope I'm not in labor with kids farmed out across town until he gets back from, you know, the other side of the damn country.  Once he gets back it will be game on for getting this kid out.

Nesting.
Nesting is nuts.
And exhausting.
And if nature doesn't let my kids be in school for the next 3 weeks to allow me a few hours of alone time before I never have alone time again (you know, until this kiddo can start preschool) I'm going to need extra medication sent home from the hospital with me.
I have these incredible bursts of energy and do things like pull up all the rugs and mop all of our hardwood floors.  Or go through the kids rooms and clean out all of their toys and closets.  Or clean out our closet. 
And then there are days like today where I'm horizontal for most of the day watching the Olympics or Top Chef and just wishing for relief and energy.

Cravings:
Because I'm on a very restricted diet I'm craving the following things:
Bruscetta
Orzo Salad
Wine
Sushi
Fried chicken with mashed potatoes
A bowl of cereal
Rhode Island style Calamari
Fish and Chips
A strawberry milkshake
Linguni with clams
Mashed potatoes
Pancakes
Broccoli salad (okay, I can make that one on my own, no excuses for this)




Now, most of these are not things I really ever eat but believe me I would push an old lady with a hip replacement out of my way to get a bite of those as soon as I'm cleared to eat solids post section.

3 weeks max until baby day. I'm ready for him to be here.