Not the End of the World

What a day I had yesterday! It felt like the worst day of my entire pregnancy. I was so emotional, like I thought it was the end of the world- all because I ran my brand new minivan into a pole in my parking garage. I just felt so stupid- because it was 100% preventable... and that morning we had a very light snow on the ground so I was concerned about driving but oh, driving was fine. I dropped Lina off at school, made it all the way to Target and back without any problems. Yes, it wasn't until I had safely made it home into my dry parking garage that I mess my car up. I blame my pregnancy brain. I just wasn't paying attention. I think I just have so much on my mind with baby coming, and since I was driving in a very familiar place, I was just kind of driving on robot mode. Then I had a rude awakening from it with the sounds of the side of my car crunching. Doh! It just feels so bad when you create problems for yourself by being careless, ya know?

So I cried like a maniac about it, of course. I am certain I would not have been crying about it much at all if I weren't the intensely emotional pregnant lady I have earned a reputation for. I called Noel during his class to tell him, I just couldn't wait til he was done. Then I called both my parents to cry about it some more. I know. It's just a car repair, it will get fixed, that's what insurance is for. But nothing was making me feel better- I just let myself be hysterical til I passed out for hours. I woke up still sad.... Finally by about 7pm I forgave myself for this accident. I know I shouldn't have been so hard on myself. I just felt so bad- because it's not just my car, it's my husband's car too- that we share. She was our perfect car. But these things happen. And here she is now... our poor car, who has now earned the name Tina Turner:

I believe this picture doesn't reveal how deep the dent really is.

Aside from my accident, things are great. Baby is kicking and wiggling a ton. Last night I thought to myself, "Oh my god- he is SO big... and he has to squeeze out through that little hole!?" EEK!" But I'm not crying or being as much of a scaredy cat about it as a few weeks ago. Just ready for him to come already. Wow, that was 2 weeks ago today that I had my meltdown about my fears of childbirth. Time FLIES! My due date will be here just 2 weeks from today! Amazing.

37 weeks

Today, 38 weeks.
I think I may look larger in person.
I think I even look larger in my 37 week picture above,
probably because of that dress I was wearing.

My belly button hasn't popped out. I'm wondering if it ever will. It's just looking really shallow. Sometimes I have felt like the kid is pushing out on it, and it feels so strange, like my belly will burst open because he's trying to bust out that way. Today he has been moving non-stop. Perhaps it's the country music we have been listening to. Maybe that's what is getting him going.

My prenatal checkup on Thursday was extremely uneventful. Everything is looking good! My midwife gave me a chart to help me keep track of his kicks. I've done it once. You're supposed to lay down and time how long it takes to get 10 movements. You need to have 10 in an hour. I don't really feel like filling it out when I know that he's way beyond 10. I feel like I can just tell he's doing fine. I always notice when he hasn't been as active and that's when I lay down to count.

I've started taking these "gentle birth" herbs that are supposed to help my body in getting ready for labor. I think they are working because I've been feeling more contractions everyday and Ben is looking a lot lower now. Last night I think I had a few contractions that woke me up. They weren't painful, I just felt my tummy tightening all on its own. D-day really is getting close! And all I want to do is stay home in my nest. I don't really feel like being out there in the world driving around... especially after what happened yesterday!


Last weekend we went to a Filipino festival out in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It was fun to be introduced to some of the culture and food. Fortunately, I liked most of what I ate! The best part was that Noel's language teacher dressed us all up in some traditional festive garb.

Awkward family photo... lol!
I am sure we have many more of these kinds of photos in store for us in our future.

Noel trying out the jumping/dancing stick thing... "Tininkling" they call it. The ladies on the ends opened and closed the sticks while he  had to jump in and out of them. 

The "cebuanas" dancing

Hanging out before things got started

Chillin' after enjoying some good catnip

Well I'll be keeping everyone updated! Pretty soon I will be retiring this baby belly blog... closing the book on the baby belly days! Woohoo!

Peace and Love to all!