So I guess the best way to describe what I've been busy with lately is nesting.
Brandon and I have been working on the house a lot, cleaning, organizing, making space. The garage sale definitely freed up some area in the storage room, but we still have a ways to go to make room for baby. Aside from that, I've been acquiring and filling out paperwork: marriage license stuff, applying for food assistance (we've definitely been racking our brains trying to figure out how to live on one Barista's meager salary), trying to figure out if I'm getting the right Medicaid coverage for my new non-cancerous situation. It's a freaking full time job.
On top of those recent activities, we have an ultrasound scheduled Thursday, where hopefully we'll find out the gender! Squee! Although, from what I've seen so far, the little one does NOT like to be bothered, thankyouverymuch. Anytime we've tried to listen to it's heartbeat, it kicks the probe! Let's hope it feels like showing off come Thursday. After the ultrasound, we'll start going to the Birth and Women's Center for our prenatal care and eventually, delivery. Some people think I'm crazy for wanting a birth outside a hospital without being numbed up and drugged out, but I just feel very comfortable at the birthing center. It's not sterile and reeking of alcohol. No stainless steel and beeps of monitors. It feels right. The way I see it is, I'm not sick anymore. And seeing as hospitals are for sick people, (and I'm not even considered high risk) I don't see a need to be in a hospital for this amazing event. Hospitals are for treating and curing disease, and for the first time in a long while, I'm disease free. The last thing I want is to turn the most natural process in the world into something involving tubes hanging out of me. Bad memories, you know? Anyhoo, after the 28 week mark, we start having appointments every two weeks instead of every four, and then there are birthing classes to attend, and I still have my check ups at the Cancer Center... whew. Busy busy, you see?
On top of all of that, I'm still hanging on to a couple of shifts at PT's. Although it's slowly been getting harder and harder to work my two little four-hour shifts a week lately. I feel like I never really got a chance to recover fully from the transplant when it comes to strength, energy and stamina, and now that I'm getting larger by the week, (and oh, how those abdominal muscles are stretching...) the little tasks that are integral to being a Barista are getting more challenging to do. You know, I didn't really realize how much strength and stamina working at a coffee shop took until the first round of cancer treatment. The all-around fast-paced environment, walking and standing all day, the repetitive arm motion of dosing out espresso, the abdominal muscles used for tamping, the strength it takes to lift an air pot full of coffee... it's a physically demanding job. You just don't notice when you're normal and healthy. Being a Barista, if you're a good one, is non-stop. Even when it's a slow day, you're washing dishes, taking out heavy loads of trash, wiping down tables, deep cleaning, sweeping, stocking... I managed to keep up while going through chemo and radiation the first time, (barely, some days) but honestly, I feel like I never really was able to preform as well after the transplant. Before I got back to 100%, I got pregnant. So, basically, I think my time has finally come to leave the wonderful world of Barista-ing behind me. I know I'm going to miss it big time, but I also know that my PT's family will still be there for me even if I'm not on the payroll anymore. I really do feel like PT's is my family. They will always live true to their motto: "Without the love, it's just coffee."
Besides, I'm giving up my 6 ounces of daily coffee cold turkey starting November 1st until I'm done breastfeeding. Eeek! You, know, I'm thinking I should probably just stay in bed for that week so no one has to deal with the grumpy pregnant chick going through withdrawal. But anything for the wee one, I say. :)
Well, I've rambled long enough. There is laundry to finish and home-made banana bread to be eaten. Next time I check in, I'll be knee-deep in either boy or girl baby names!
Much love!
