I’ve been tasked with finding a pediatrician by tomorrow. I’ve known about this for two weeks but I’ve totally ignored this impending deadline. As much as I’d like to use the pediatrician at my current OBGYN, it’s not the easiest place to get to especially with a newborn. I can’t take a newborn on the subway and parking for free in the city is nearly impossible. Paying to park would run me at least 25 dollars and paying for a cab each and every time I have to get to the doctor is not in our budget. (My doctor is on the Upper West Side. We live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. See map below.)
All that said, I’m trying to find a doctor a little closer to home and this isn’t easy. I don’t mind going to second-rate doctors if need be, but I am going to be a lot more cautious when it comes to the baby. I’m hoping that the doctor I have in mind (and I do have it narrowed down to one office) will be totally awesome.
I put on two more pounds last week. I’m not happy about it at all. My feet aren’t either. I have put on 28 pounds since getting pregnant. It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to get up off the couch, pry myself out of bed every other hour in order to pee, and pick up around the house. And I don’t sleep well at all these days. I’m lucky if I get 3 hours at a time. Perhaps this is nature’s way of preparing me for a plethora of sleepless nights once the baby is born. Here are a few pictures of me and my belly. Check out the scary tattoo around my bellybutton!
I finish up 36 weeks tomorrow at which point my doctor’s appointments become a weekly meeting. Tomorrow we start the internal exams to see if my cervix has “effaced” (the shortening or thinning of the cervix). My doctor is also going to check to see if I’m dilated. I’ll also get to see what position the baby is in during an ultrasound. I’m looking forward to seeing him again but getting to the doctor every week from here on out without being able to drive is going to be tough. I won’t lie. (Damn walk to the subway. Damn subways stations and their stairs. Damn riders and their inability to give up their seats.)
Let’s see, I also started applying this stuff to my nipples twice a day. The application routine remains very much the same every day. I start to put it on, it hurts, I scream, “THIS AIN’T NOTHING, BITCH! DEAL WITH IT! IT’S GONNA GET SO MUCH WORSE!” I put myself through Boob Camp twice a day, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman style. (That makes for my second war movie reference in two days.)
What else…. My mother gave us her car, which has been incredibly awesome because it has air conditioning and it doesn’t leak through its roof. (The Volvo has a leaky sunroof). Speaking of the Volvo, it’s for sale as of today. I’ve purchased signage for it. All we need to do is give her a nice bath and clean her out. I’m hoping to get enough cash to pay for everything else we need to pick up before the baby arrives. It will be sad to see the Volvo go, but moving two cars in order to abide to the daily alternate side parking calendar has been really tough. And that will only become tougher once the baby is born. So, if you know of anyone who wants a really sweet looking 31-year-old, 164 Volvo, please send him or her my way.
It’s hard to believe that in just 3 or 4 short weeks I’ll be a mother. I can’t wait to meet the baby. I can’t wait to sleep on my tummy again, flip over without groaning, shave my legs quickly, tie my shoes properly. I’ve employed the infamous “side knot” for two months now.
I can’t wait to eat sushi, have a beer, drink some high-octane coffee, shed some of this weight (my goodness, do I ever need to shed some weight), and eventually go for a jog. As my due date gets closer, my patience with being pregnant becomes effaced.
Mihow 
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