Nursery

So I have been working hard on turning our computer, craft, book, etc room into a nursery. It has involved creatively storing stuff, and getting rid of a lot of stuff to make room. But here is how it looks now! (Pictures taken with iphone- pardon the blur.)

The crib, with cute monkey wall decals. 

 Dresser/changing table. And glider.

Our friends actually made and painted this toy box. It is pretty awesome I have to say!

The waiting game

Up until about Monday, I have been telling Baby Brown to stay in because we are not ready for him yet. With working, traveling, and exhaustion I had not finished up some of what I thought was important to get our house ready for him.  Once the anxiety of not being ready for him was taken care of, it is amazing how quickly I have transitioned into "Come anytime baby, I can't wait to meet you!"  I know that I probably have about 3 weeks left, with it being my first baby and all. But I can feel myself quickly entering that phase I see pregnant women reach, where they are willing to do anything to get that baby out and in their arms! This, for me, comes from:
-Anxiety about his well-being- wanting to see him and make sure he is okay
-Exhaustion from sleeping very very little at night- I would rather be up with someone-especially this baby, if I am going to be awake anyway.
-Eagerness to start the next phase of life, instead of anticipating it for what seems like forever
-Ready to have the big scary labor over with, instead of just wondering how it will go.
-Curiosity about what he looks like, and will be like
-General pregnancy discomforts are getting really old- I want to be able to reach things, and move easier
-The crib is looking so darn cute, but EMPTY!
- I am getting bored. I don't do well with not working, even when I am not working because it was too difficult.
-I honestly can't wait to see Brigham as a dad
-I am super baby hungry- every infant I see I can't help but stare at and want to hold and snuggle.
-I keep thinking about how babies gain weight rapidly at the end of pregnancy, and how I have 2 nephews that were 11+ pounds at birth.... Me and Brigham both have big heads, we don't need those genes too!

I am not that desperate to start labor yet, which is good, because I am fully expecting to go past my due date at this point. But I am getting more and more eager to meet this little guy. They say the last month of pregnancy is brutal. I would have to agree. Pregnancy is not for wimps! But I guess neither is being a Mom.

Update on the Accident

I heard there was a memorial placed out at the scene of the accident yesterday. Found this article about it. The man died a few hours after the accident. Apparently the motorcyclist was only 29 years old, and engaged. Life is so fragile. This is really sad.

Accident Kills Lake Forest Motorcyclist

Non-pregnancy craziness

I was just thinking I haven't had any crazy nurse stories in a while... Serves me right.

So I was making my trek back from the grocery store, and saw some cars stopped in the middle of the road and a motorcycle on the road, with someone laying in the road. There were no paramedics there yet, and that little voice in my head from nursing school reminded me I should stop and see if I could help. I know that maternity nursing is what I am good at, but I do know basic first aid and CPR, so I thought there was a chance I could help.

I got out of my car, and asked if anyone was injured and if help was on the way. They said help was coming, but they pointed out the guy on the ground and said he was severely injured. I looked, and it was the motorcycle driver.  He was unconscious and appeared to be having seizures. He was foaming at the mouth a little, his eyes were rolled into his head, he was moaning/breathing in a weird pattern, and his arms were moving out of control. I told them I was a nurse and stepped in to help until the paramedics got there.

There was no blood which was weird I think,  and it appeared to be all internal injuries. But I was immediately thinking head and spine injuries. So I made sure they didn't move him at all. Even though he was have a seizure, I didn't want to turn him to keep his airway clear. I checked his breathing, and he was still breathing, and looked him over for other injuries. He was unconscious, and had pinpoint pupils which is interesting. Usually I think fixed and dilated with a brain injury, but I don't have much experience with them thank goodness. With no other injuries, I just made sure he kept breathing, and stayed immobile until the paramedics got there. He scared me a couple of times because he did stop breathing, but then started back up, but I had just started to open up his shirt to get ready to give CPR if needed, and was checking his pulse, when the paramedics arrived. Thank goodness! I have no idea how they do what they do. That was crazy and scary. I didn't even do much, besides keep other people from doing something stupid, and kept them calm.

I stayed until they loaded him in the ambulance, and then left. I hadn't seen the accident and didn't do much, so I wasn't any use at that point. There was also a huge crown gathered at that point, with the one guy video taping the whole thing with his phone.  Really helpful buddy.

I have been thinking about it all day though. It is crazy to see someone so injured, and close to death. Even if he makes it, he will never be the same. I said several prayers that he would get good help. I also feel bad for the car driver. The car was turning left onto a street, and the motorcycle was going straight. Apparently the motorcycle hit the car, although I am not sure who was at fault. The car driver was fine, no injuries. But emotionally, I have no idea how I'd cope if I'd seen someone that injured and known I had something to do with it. My heart goes out to him too.

And I have also concluded that motorcycles are so dangerous! I already knew that, but this cemented it even more. If he had been in a car, the most he would have had was whip-lash. Not possibly permanent and serious injuries. He was wearing a helmet, but it doesn't offer that much protection. It wasn't even on the freeway, it was on a residential street, with the car stopped. I don't think anything crazy caused it, it just happened.

What a crazy day. I wouldn't mind if I am never the first one on the scene of an accident again. But I am grateful that everyone I know is safe, and not fighting for their life in a hospital somewhere.

Getting close!

I'm 37 weeks today. Very exciting milestone. That is considered term, and while it would be better if baby stayed in a couple more weeks, he would do fine if he were born now. I don't feel ready at all to have this baby, but I am getting more excited at the idea of seeing him and holding him. I wonder what he looks like, what kind of baby he will be, what kind of mother I will be, what unique challenges we will have, and who he will grow up to be. It is such a weird idea that I am going to be a mother soon, and have this little life to take care of. And that I am going to go through childbirth myself, and be the person having a wet screaming baby placed on her chest. I have been the one to put the baby on mothers for so long, instead of being that mother.  Hard to imagine.  When I would see ultrasounds it was weird to think that was my baby, instead of one of the random babies I look at all day.

Some more pregnancy insights:

It is extremely difficult to pee in a cup, like they ask you to do at every doctors visit.  I'm not going to explain why, it just is.

Doing dishes is very difficult. My belly is so big it is hard to reach the sink, and hurts my back to bend in a way that I can- I'm not just trying to get out of doing them...

You kind of forget what it is like to not be pregnant. This has become my new normal, and it will probably be weird to put on shoes easily.

Most of the day my thoughts are about this baby: either excitement, worry, planning, etc. Sometimes though first thing in the morning I forget I am pregnant- until I try to get out of bed that is.

I don't sleep well enough, or for long enough periods anymore to have crazy pregnancy dreams. Those happened earlier on. Still haven't had any about childbirth though. Interesting.

I had been pacing my weight gain for the end, when baby would put on weight like crazy. However, my appetite has decreased and I can only eat small amounts because there is no room.  So it actually has gotten easier to keep the weight under control lately.

Here is  a picture of me from about a week ago. Big belly! Hopefully not a gigantic baby though.