The results are in!

First off, the glucose test results finally came back yesterday, and my readings were normal. I celebrated with a piece of carrot cake :)

My 3 hour glucose test experience was interesting. I'm one of those people that research everything before I do it, so I found lots of sources (some reputable, some not so much) that gave me a lot of insight into the test. What I found so interesting is how inconsistent the medical community appears to be about the administration of the test. Some doctors (and the Mayo clinic website) advise a carb load the 3 days prior to the exam, not exorbitant, but at least 150-200 carbs a day. On one obstetrics website, I even read that dessert was mandatory on those three days (now that's a doctor's order I could get behind!). Other practices (and this includes mine) gave absolutely no direction about what should be eaten in the days prior to the exam, other than that I had to fast at least 8 hours before the test had begun (this, I should say, is the only consistent thing I found...fasting for this test is standard, though the number of hours varied from 8-12). Another oddity was water...could I drink it or not? My practice was absolutely against any water at all between going to bed the night before the test, and when the test was over. That meant that I'd had absolutely nothing to drink (other than that nasty glucose drink they gave me) for over 12 hours by the time my test was done. Other practices want you to fast except for water, and some even allowed water during the exam itself. During the test, I was instructed to sit still in the waiting room between blood draws. Some obsetricians encourage (and one even required) the expectant moms to walk the hallways while they waited, to help metabolise the glucose.

In the end, I just followed my practice's instructions (and lack thereof, in the case of what to eat beforehand), and I still passed. I guess it all worked out, but is it too much to ask that the test be consistent? Maybe that's my snobby inner scientist talking. I do have a degree in biology, after all. ;)

I expected to be hungry when the test was over, and oddly, I wasn't (though I'd been without food by that time for 15 hours). What I wanted was a big, fat, tall glass of water. I had two before I even thought about food. :)

This week's focus: cleaning my house. The most important task, I'm ashamed to admit, is cleaning out my closet. From the smell, I'm pretty sure one of the cats got in there and peed the last time I had my niece over. They hate babies, and this is their way of showing it. Lesson learned: all closets stay closed, all the time, when Locke comes. Because I fear this is just a sneak preview of things to come.

Ah, well. They've had Matthew and I to themselves for over four years, I shouldn't expect them to be happy about a major life change at this point.

I'll be 31 weeks tomorrow! It seems so close (only 7 weeks and he'll be term!) and so far away (another 2 months???) at the same time. I don't know if I'm ready yet. I'm excited and ecstatic to be meeting him soon, but at the same time...as much as I think about it, as much as I prepare, as much as I organize and plan, will I ever feel really ready to be a mom? They're going to hand me this tiny, fragile, alien creature and send me home with him, and I'm not going to have a clue what to do with him. Luckily Matthew has three weeks of leave to help me...we can be clueless together :D.

SAHM: Day 1

The baby isn't here yet. He's not due for another...lemme think...10 weeks, 2 days. But as of today, I officially have one job and one job only: I'm a professional mother.

Is that too early to have quit my full time gig? Well, I admit I wondered the same thing myself a time or two over the last month or so. But due to the peculiarities of my job (heavy lifting to the tune of over 2k lbs a day + constantly on my feet=one very sore and worn out Kimberly), I'm actually pretty proud of myself that I made it as long as I did.

So...now what?

Obviously, a lot of my time will be spent getting ready for Locke. I have his room to finish setting up, more things to buy and organize, and my apartment needs a thorough top-to-bottom scouring. (nesting instincts ftw!)

But first, tomorrow...(cue doom music)...3-hour glucose test!! Aiieeeeee!!!

I failed my 1-hour test pretty badly, so I'm bracing myself to find out I have gestational diabetes. I mean, I hope I don't, but I'm afraid the odds are probably stacked against me. So much so that I've already given up white sugar in every form (well, okay, I broke down and had a piece of the going-away cake from my last day at work), I've decreased my carbs and upped my proteins, and I'm going on walks after meals to help metabolize.

Other than missing ice cream, the changes haven't been onerous so far...though, I suppose I'll have to wait until I talk to a nutritionist to make sure I've actually done all the right things. The thing I'm dreading the most is having to prick my finger all the time to check my blood sugars. I'm kind of a wuss about needles! So much so that I have a deal with Matthew...for every needle with which I get stuck during this whole pregnancy thing, I get a truffle from my favorite chocolatier (Debrand's in Fort Wayne, IN). So far I'm up to 6, and tomorrow's test will shoot me up to 10. I guess the finger pricks better not count, or we'll have to declare bankruptcy to pay for the chocolate!

Don't ask me how I'm going to handle the epidural. I'm just hoping to be in enough pain from the contractions to not give a damn how big that needle is. ;)

Regardless, I know it will all be worth it. I know it every time I feel my lil guy wiggling around in my belly. :D

Wish me luck tomorrow!