32 week appointment

32 weeks (56 days left)
Midwife Allison (1st time ever meeting her)

Baby B's heartbeat:  120-125
Stomach measurement:  32 weeks YAY!!
Gestational Diabetes:  NOPE!!!!!  Passed my 3 hour.  Thank goodness.  Apparently I am just a repeat 1 hour failure. 
Left Leg pain:  just normal Sciatica.
Workouts:  Still cleared for anything and everything except laying on my back, rock climbing and treadmills.  Starting a plank challenge today along with my regular routine.  Join the plank challenge here (pregnant or not). 
Big babies/early babies:  there is no hard and fast rule, every baby just does what they want so just because G was 13 days early and 9 lbs 4 oz, it doesn't mean B will be anything like that.  We just have to wait and see.
Remaining Appointments:  I scheduled the next 4 appointments through December 11.  It sounds so close now. 
Work funny: 
1.  My boss was running late this morning so she asked me to go to her Friday morning meeting for her which I did and have done many times in the past.  I arrived at the last possible second but I made it, huffing and puffing maybe a little.  Pregnancy does things to your oxygen supply I think due to blood volume or whatever, but not critical, just a normal part of the process.  Anyway, the 2 other DC managers told my boss later that she shouldn't be sending her pregnant supervisor to her meetings for her.  She asked why and they said because she is pregnant.  So she asked why that was a problem and they said because she is sick.  What????  Oddly I workout in our work's fitness center everyday at the same time as one of these managers and he tells me daily how proud he is of me continuing to workout and how it looks like it is working to keep me in shape.  So apparently pregnant women are fine to workout, but are too sick to attend meetings.  Men....LOL. 
2.  Everyone keeps asking me when I am going to leave for maternity leave.  My reply:  When the baby falls out!  I can't predict this baby's arrival anymore than the next person.  Why waste vacation on being a large, tired, pregnant woman.  I'd rather use the time for actual baby cuddles. 
Room/Closet Remodel:  I ordered Baby B's full name in street signs earlier this week to match the ones we have for Garrett and they arrived in 3 days.  Amazing!!!!!  Check out Personalized Street Signs to make your own. 

As for the closet, all the clothes are now on hangers, but I need to finalize the arrangement so it makes sense.  Thank goodness for walk in closets. I think it is time to organize the guest/toy room closet as it seems to have become baby overflow zone/randomness.  I hate randomness in closets.  Then off to tackle my closet which also serves as the garage for G's big Ford truck. 

Perfection

I'm not perfect.  There I said it.  Guess what?  I don't need to be and neither do you. 

Perfection or at least the concept has been the topic of conversation all around me lately.  It comes up in marriage, parenting and just as often in fitness. 



This is been on my mind for a long time.  Probably since I became a mom, but lately it has really weighed heavily.  I think it is the Facebook curse...too many mom groups...too many tired parents trying to fit in to a mold that doesn't exist..too many posts of how do I's? and why won't my child?, etc.  It is heart breaking to read these mom's posts.  They are doing what is best for them and their child and in addition to the questions and comments from random people, these moms scrutinize every choice they make.

So I say stop attempting to be perfect.  Don't be average either.  Be unique.  Parent in a way that is unique to your child, unique to your family.  Research typical behavior, growth and milestones, but then be prepared that your child may not follow those charts to a T and that is okay!!!  Do you hear me?  I am saying that is okay.  You and your child are unique.  That is what is so loveable about you.  You are not the same as me.  Sure, we can relate to being a mom, maybe our love for fitness, and a ridiculous obsession with avocados, but what is great is that we are learning and growing each day and we are different.  We don't have everything figured out and sometimes we wing it. 

In some ways I spent most of G's 1st year wondering why all "those other moms" were able to keep their house spotless, get their baby to sleep all night in their own crib, and fit in some super workout.  I never was able to accomplish any of those before he turned 1.  He was a breastfed baby and he loved mommy all of the time, day and night.  Then I figured it out.  It was all a show. Sure, sometimes the stars lined up and they had a "perfect" day, but they did not get things perfect all of the time.

I guess what I hope is that my children will grow up experiencing life, the good, the bad and even the mistakes.  I want them to own every experience and not ever feel like they are unworthy because they are not fitting a mold that is either unattainable or not meant for their purpose in life.

My house will never be 100% clean (at least not all the rooms at the same time) and we may eat out more than we should, but we have this amazing love for one another and the patience to be who we are now.

~Rachel