a couple months ago, i had to start getting my plans figured out for how i was going to schedule my maternity leave from work. after talking to other working moms and moms-to-be, i decided to work the last couple weeks until my due date strictly from home, take 4 weeks of PTO/leave once i actually have the baby, and then work an additional 2 weeks from home (or turn them into 2 more weeks of leave, depending on how the birth/recovery goes). HR told me that nothing is set in stone until i actually have the baby and figure out what’s going to work best for me, so that may change. but so far, that’s my plan.
well, my due date is in 7 days, so last week was my first week of working from home. and as uncomfortable as i’ve been, i wasn’t exactly looking forward to it. no one to talk to. no background noise except for loki’s snoring. just me and the computer and my thoughts. did not sound like fun. not to mention, daytime television is awful. i leave it on for background noise because otherwise it’s just TOO quiet. and because of that, caylin is going to have a special bond with gunsmoke, because it comes for like 2 hours after i love lucy and the andy griffith show. my mother will be so proud.
in hindsight, i’m thanking my lucky stars that i planned it out this way. between the contractions and cramping and my skin being on fire, i wouldn’t have lasted in the office. not without being completely miserable and about half as productive. my skin hurts so much that all i can wear is sports bras, big t-shirts, and sweatpants.
by about wednesday, i started to get used to the routine, if you could call it that. i wake up a little before brett does and make him coffee and pack his lunch. take care of the animals. i don’t have to shower right away, so i can just start working instead of rushing around to get ready to go. eventually i take a break to shower and eat lunch. i use my little elliptical for 20-25 minutes every day while i work, which ends up being like 6-ish miles on average. i can get laundry done and dinner is ready by the time brett gets home. not too shabby. plus, i barely have to use my car, which means no money wasted on gas. AWESOME.
i never pictured myself being 26, knocked up, and geeking it out from home. but life is funny that way.
aside from work, the pregnancy has been going fine the last few weeks. weekly doctor visits have been normal. i’m not dilated AT ALL :( but i still haven’t had any of the unfortunate side effects that seem to plague so many other women, knock on wood. no heartburn, stretch marks, breakouts, crazy weight gain, swelling–nothing. just the general discomfort of lugging around about 20 extra pounds, and random contractions here and there. i’ll take that any day, as long as i have my 1-2 glasses of wine a week to soothe it every so often. i took benadryl last night because my skin hurt so bad, but even that did nothing this time. i tossed and turned all night long, even in my sleep, so neither of us got much rest. one more week, hopefully.
also, the paper pom poms i ordered a few weeks ago came in the mail today, so i hung them in the nursery this afternoon. they were the last little bit i was waiting on, so as far as i can tell, the nursery is finally FINISHED. such a good feeling.
we’ve been re-watching band of brothers every night, sprinkled with some preseason football games and hard knocks. brett is practically bursting with joy since he gets a baby AND football season all within the same couple of weeks. i had no idea he would be so giddy over this whole thing, but it’s awesome. it makes being pregnant that much more bearable. i couldn’t ask for a more supportive, patient, and loving person to experience this with, so i bought him this book last week. half joking, half not. :)
as for loki, SHE IS DOING AWESOME. talk about stress relief. she is off the prednisone as of last week. and for the last month, she has been on one medication. this is her 3rd one (palladia, ceenu, and now this, i forget the name). and for a whole month, her tumor has not swelled up one bit. i can’t tell you how happy this makes me. the other meds kept it centralized but they didn’t shrink it, and this one has kept it suppressed for 5 times longer than any of the others. she goes to the vet on the 4th, and we’ll see if this medication is actually kicking the cancer’s ass or just shrinking it so much that it’s almost non-existent. either one is good, but i will be beyond thrilled if it’s actually working and killing the cancer this time.
after almost a year of fighting, loki will live to be a big sister! i absolutely cannot wait until she and thor get to meet caylin.