A Baby In My Belly

A Baby Out of My Belly

2010-07-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

By the way...he's here!!!

Week 39 Belly Shot

2010-07-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

As promised...

Week Thirty-Nine

2010-07-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Today I'm 39 weeks and one day pregnant. So far, week 39 has not been good. I have terrible acid reflux, I'm sleeping poorly, and my groin and lower-back pain have returned with a vengeance. My body generally feels like what I'd imagine it might feel like when I'm in my eighties. I've also had more bouts of contractions, but no real labor. Lame.

I actually did not sleep at all last night. I'm trying to think if that's ever happened before. Maybe once. It started with staying up late reading Breaking Dawn, then it turned into "Oh my gosh, my husband snores SO loudly—how am I ever going to fall asleep??", followed by "Maybe I'll be more comfortable on the couch...", and that took a turn in to "Oh! I'm having contractions again!?!", which subsequently got me up walking around, then eating, then my contractions subsided and it was back to the couch to watch some Beverly Hills 90210 on DVD in hopes of being lulled to sleep. After deciding to get back in bed around 5:45am and realizing fifteen minutes later that I had little chance of actually sleeping at this point, I got up and sat down at the computer. And here I am. So if I'm coming across very babble-y, now you know why.

The physical stuff sucks, but I'm also getting really worked up mentally, which is probably worse. Here's some background on why: Logan's due date based on my menstrual cycle & conception was November 14th. His due date was moved to November 5th at some point because he was measuring "older" early on. He was then born on the 9th. While he was four days late according to my changed due date, he was "technically" born at 39 weeks and two days when calculated from my last period and the actual date of conception. Jude has had one due date which does line up with conception, so here I am expecting him to follow Logan's "early" precedent. On top of that, I've been told that subsequent babies often come a little earlier than the first, so that has my expectations raised as well. And then there's the mere fact that getting through each day seems impossible given my physical state in combination with my daily responsibilities with Logan, so I feel like I deserve to have this baby early. Thankfully my mom will be arriving in town in a handful of hours, and I'll be getting the help I need to see me through to the end.

So that's week 39 so far...me being a huge baby while I'm waiting to have this baby. I haven't taken this week's picture yet, so I'll have to post that a little later {hopefully today}.

Hope everyone else had a lovely night's sleep! And hopefully the next time you hear from me, I'll be in a much happier, more coherent state... :)

Week Thirty-Eight

2010-07-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

It decided to get hot this week. And I'm still pregnant. Noooo.....!

I found out this week that my doctor doesn't do internal exams until you've hit or passed your due date, unless you specifically request before then. This is very different from my last experience, where I had a different doctor up there every week from 37 weeks on! So I'm appreciating my doc letting things be for now.

Jude has dropped further, and based on his current positioning, my previous delivery, and the fact that this is the second baby, she *thinks* he'll be here next week. I'm SO hoping she's right!!!

I actually woke up last night {at 3am!} with some mild contractions. They seemed to be recurring pretty consistently, about once every eight to ten minutes. I finally went back to sleep {at about 5am}...only to find them completely gone upon waking. How disappointing is that?? I didn't really experience early labor the first time, so this makes everything all the more confusing for me.

Anyway. Wish me luck on staying distracted. I really need it right now...!

Week Thirty-Seven

2010-07-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Full-term, baby...YAY!!!

Now, please just don't keep me waiting for another three+ weeks because I'm impatient...
Sound good?

This will be a short but sweet post.

Short, because I'm tired and huge and don't want to linger on the fact that I'm still pregnant.

Sweet, primarily because my results came back from the GBS {Strep B} swab and I tested NEGATIVE!!! I'm so SO thankful for the negative test result; I feel like I've been given the chance to have a completely different labor experience. This time—God willing—*when* I check in to the hospital will be determined by how close I am to pushing a baby out, and not by how soon the doctors want to start me on antibiotics. I'm really excited at the prospect of laboring at home, and I'm so excited to work with a doula who can help us do that.

So that's week 37! At this point I'm almost 38 weeks, so I'll likely be back to update again soon.

Week Thirty-Six

2010-07-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Still here and still pregnant. I really should stay on top of these updates at this point...I'd hate to leave you wondering! I wrote a tiny update for 35 weeks here, but there's so much more to say about week 36—so let's get on with it.

Remember how my fundal height measurement was 34.5 cm at 34.5ish weeks? Actually, you probably don't...who really cares, right? :) Well, at my 36.5ish week appointment, the measurement was only up to 35.5 cm. That's actually not a big deal at all, but... turns out that the measurement didn't increase much because Jude is hanging out so stinking low! He is head-down and snuggled tightly at the bottom of my uterus. Perhaps he wants to come out a little early? We shall see... :)

I also got to share our "birth wishes" with our doctor, and she is totally on board with everything! I'm excited to be working with someone this time who will allow the process to happen in its own time and way. Here's what we came up with:

We are very excited about birthing our second son, Jude, with Dr. [R] and the medical professionals at [Hospital]. Jess' first delivery was natural and uncomplicated, and we anticipate a similar experience. As long as Jess and Jude are doing well, we request that the following wishes be honored during this birth. We thank you in advance for your help and support in working toward this goal!

Birth Attendants
In addition to Dr. [R], we plan to have present at this birth the father, Chris, and our doula, [R], for support. We ask that all other visitors, students, and unnecessary staff be turned away until we have delivered and had time alone with our new son.

Labor Environment
The birth environment is very important to us. We ask that the lights be kept dim, noise be kept to a minimum, and the door be kept closed for privacy. We will bring our own music, and Jess may like to wear her own clothes during the birth.

Medications/Procedures
Our primary goal is a natural birth, and we would like to try to avoid all medications during the birth. Please do not offer medication unless it is requested. We understand that some interventions may be necessary for the health of Mom and Baby, but we request the opportunity to accept or refuse any procedure except in the case of an extreme emergency. If there is evidence of fetal distress on the external fetal monitor, we would like this to be verified with an internal fetal monitor before any action is taken.

Delivery Goals
We would like for Jess to be allowed to begin & continue pushing as she feels the urge and at her own pace (Mother-Directed Pushing). To help prevent tearing, we would like to use warm compresses and oil on the perineum, and avoid any external moving or pulling of the tissues around the vagina as the baby is crowning.

After the Birth
Immediately after the birth, we wish for our son to be placed on Jess' abdomen/chest to bond and breastfeed. We also ask that the cord not be cut until it stops pulsing and until the placenta has been birthed.

Newborn Care
Please delay weighing, measuring, eye ointment, & non-urgent procedures to allow time with our baby. We wish for Chris to accompany our son once it's time for these procedures.

Birth Recovery
Mom, Dad and Baby would like to all stay in the same private room until discharge unless we request that the baby be brought to the nursery. We would also like to request an early discharge and return home as soon as possible.

My doctor also did a swab for GBS at this last appointment, which I'll find the out the results for this coming Wednesday. When I was pregnant with Logan I did test positive for it and had to receive antibiotics during labor. That was stressful because I wanted a natural childbirth and didn't know how needing the antibiotics and being on a "time-line" might lead to other, unwanted interventions. Everything worked out and I still largely had a birth experience like I had hoped for, but it's just one more thing that I don't want to have to think about again. So, here's what I did to hopefully help fight off the possible infection {these were recommendations from our doula}:

Ten-day "fast" from refined sugars—I cut out sweets from my diet and tried to cut back on processed foods that tend to be high in sugar
Grapefruit seed extract—fifteen drops 3x per day for ten days {none the day of the swab}
Tea tree oil va-jay-jay "inserts"—once a day for four to five days {not the day of or day before the swab}
A whole lotta prayer...!

TMI? I know... Sorry :)

So! Next time you hear from me I'll most likely still be pregnant, but at least full term!! It's getting SO close—I'm SO excited!!!!

Week Thirty-Four

2010-06-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

I keep forgetting to publish my updates over here—agh!!! We were traveling during most of weeks 32 & 33, so this is the closest thing I have to a weekly update for those. Here's week 34...

Well, I already gave you a pretty hefty dose of some of the challenges I'm facing at 34 weeks this time around—probably more than you wanted to hear!—so rest assured I'll spare you any more of that right now. I am definitely feeling more sane today than I was Monday, and I just wanted to say thank you all again for your kind and supportive words!

Jude is doing really well and things are good as far as the pregnancy is concerned. At my appointment this morning my fundal height measurement was 34.5 centimeters and I'm just about 34.5 weeks pregnant...guess you can't get much more exact thaan that. :) But then there goes my theory that I'm somehow actually 39 weeks along and this baby surely must be arriving any day now...because, that's how big I feel. Apparently I've *only* gained 22 lbs at this point, so again, there goes that theory. Otherwise, blood pressure has been good and Jude's activity level is through the roof, so I'm happy about both of those!

I'm also happy about the amazing weather we've been having!! It's currently about 65 degrees with broken clouds...hard to ask for anything better while eight months pregnant in the middle of June! Summers here tend to be a little ugly with the "June Gloom" {gray skies and cool most of the day}, but this summer I definitely don't mind. In fact, when my water broke with Logan in November, I was walking on the beach in shorts and a tank top on a day hotter than today! So maybe in Santa Barbara a summer baby is the way to go...?

Anywho.

The belly this week and a growth update for month eight {from TheBump.com}:

Baby’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month.

Week Thirty-One

2010-05-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot to publish this last week—whoops! I've started publishing these updates over at my Beach Town Family blog as well, so if in doubt, check for an update over there!

ORIGINAL POST:

Nine weeks to go—the nesting is ON!

Saturday I...

planted some foxgloves in our garden.
finished off the pleated panel and cut the rest of the panels for Jude's crib skirt.
altered one of two valances for the nursery.

We also...

got rid of the futon in Logan's room to make way for crib #2.
moved all of the furniture out of the nursery and dining room and got those rugs {professionally!!} cleaned.

Unfortunately, this week...

my back has been hurting like crazy by the end of each day {the fact that I'm up and about most of the day *probably* doesn't help}, and I've been getting nasty heartburn.
Logan has been on a tantrum kick the past couple days, and I have NO idea why.
I still have eight million things left on my to-do list.
the little guy growing inside me has taken a liking to inflicting painful kicks and jabs, which I do not remember happening so much during the last go around!!

But I'm...

feeling really good, otherwise!
at the exact same weight this week as I was at 31 weeks along with Logan.
super-excited to be on the home-stretch and to be that much closer to meeting our newest family member. :)

Here's the belly this week:

Logan and I have been spending a lot of time outside—am I looking fabulously tan? ;)

-----------------

Completely unrelated, but last week I found Logan's blanket with a huge tear in it...
Any ideas on how I go about repairing this? Even though this thing is SO beat up by now, I'm scared that I'm only going to make matters worse!

Week Thirty

2010-05-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm now into my thirtieth week and finally feeling like I've entered the home stretch! Between the number of projects left to finish and little things planned here and there—including a weekend away to this fabulous oasis...
...where we will do nothing but swim and sleep and eat—I'm thinking the time will pass quickly and we'll be meeting little Jude before we know it!!

I actually got to see our little man this morning at a check-up. The doctor offered to do an ultrasound, and she showed me his sweet face {chubby cheeks included!—I wonder if that will be the reality when he's born...} and confirmed the presence of his "family jewels". It's nice to know that there will be no gender surprise this go around; I've really enjoyed "bonding" with our baby boy, and it would certainly be hard to make that adjustment again!

So last week I challenged myself to finish the first of the boys' crib skirts by Sunday—a goal that I wasn't completely sure that I could hit. Guess what? I finished Logan's crib skirt on Saturday night! What a learning experience... The project probably took me 8-10 hours over Friday night and Saturday, in part because I was figuring out how to construct the thing as I went, and second guessing myself all over the place! I'm already working on the second one, but more gradually than the first. I think I should be able to finish it this weekend, though! Anyway. I'll share the final result of the first and some details about the process in my next post on This Beach Town Family.

Here's the belly this week. Please excuse the terrible picture. I blame the bad lighting conditions on the rainy morning, and the bad bedhead on the fact that I wore my hair "wavy" the day before.

With regards to the bump itself, I'm thinking it expanded upward toward my ribs rather that making much progress out...? I thought it looked more extreme last week!

I'm feeling good overall, though sometime I'm just sore. My lower back aches pretty often {I wonder if this has any connection to the fact that most of my pains during labor were in my back...?} and I woke up yesterday with a charlie horse in my calf—ouch!!! That spot still hurts.

Alright! Off to make sure Logan is actually going down for his nap, and then to catch up on some of your lovely blogs. Have a great day!

Week Twenty-Nine

2010-05-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm into the third trimester, but still early within it, I feel like I'm hovering in an interesting place. On one hand, eleven weeks is over two months away and feels like it can't get here soon enough...but on the other hand, when I stop to think about how much I/we need to do between now and then, I can't figure out how exactly we're going to get it all done.

I've finally started working on the bedding...

Does it at least look like I know what I'm doing...? :)

...now I just need to get some momentum on pushing through each project {two crib skirts and one bumper} instead of letting them linger too long. This weekend should be mellow, so maybe I can make it a goal to finish the first one by Sunday...!

Physically, I'm doing pretty well. The extra weight definitely takes its toll on me some days, and I feel far beyond my years. I don't know if this is the same or worse than before, but rolling over in bed, getting things off the floor, and getting up down from sitting are all things I dread! At this point I think I've gained 18-20 pounds...lame.

Jude continues to grow more and more active. Right now, for example, I can feel movements at four different points! It's so wild how, in utero, babies feel like these crazy little energetic creatures, flipping around and pushing about... Yet once they're born, it's all about lazy days of sleeping, with a few breaks for nursing and pooping thrown in there! Talk about misleading.

Here's the belly this week...

And a size & growth update from The Bump...
Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

Week Twenty-Eight

2010-05-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Third trimester... YES!!!!! {As I was typing it, I realized how ridiculous it is that I would still use the word "yes" as an expression of excitement. Apparently I am somehow both pregnant and ten years old...}

I am beyond excited to be entering my final trimester of pregnancy. It's also nice how that coincides with the start of a new month. That means there's just May, June, and some portion yet to be determined of July left in this journey. If I make it to August, though, I might start pulling my hair out.

My check-up this week went really well. I passed the glucose screening with flying colors, which was a big relief. I didn't think that I was really at risk for gestational diabetes, but I do end up having a little something sweet most days...so that made me a tad bit uneasy. Fortunately, it seems that my boys are as content with sugar as I am!

My doctor also remarked how my appointments are so "easy", which is always a good thing to hear! Good blood pressure, good weight gain, good heart beat, no problems or questions really... just easy. What a blessing.

She asked me if I'm feeling the baby often, and I told her I am, especially in the morning and at night...when I'm actually sitting still! At this point she said to make sure I'm taking time to rest a bit and be aware of the movements throughout the day, and that I want to be feeling Jude at least once every four hours. Since then I have been paying more attention and turns out he is at least that active, but really even more so. Just one more thing to be very grateful for!

There are probably more things I could update on, but I'm still recovering from our long weekend away. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have made some good nursery progress and can start sharing that!

Here's the belly pic this week...

When I look at the thumbnails of these pictures all together, it's wild to see that some weeks I really grow a lot. This appears to be one of those weeks! Oh. I also got my hair cut and colored last week. It looks terrible in the picture, as it does in most, since these are my straight-out-of-bed pics. The color has already mellowed out a bit since last week, but I'm so glad to have the weird red/blonde color out of my hair now! This is *closer* to what it should be!

Here's a sketch of baby at 28 weeks {from The Bump}. I think next week there's another food comparison!

Week Twenty-Seven

2010-04-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I go in for my glucose screening—yuck! I'm fairly certain that I can conjure up the taste of the sickly-sweet concoction just by thinking about it... I suppose on a positive note, though, Chris will be doing the morning thing with Logan while I'm there, so I'll have an hour all to myself...even if it is in a waiting room. Must remember to bring something interesting to read.

What's new this week? Lately I've definitely been feeling less excitement about the experience of pregnancy during this second go than I did when it was novel and new. Don't get me wrong; I love feeling my precious, growing baby squirming and kicking, I love that I've been given the opportunity to nurture and house this little life until he's ready to come into the world, and when all is said and done, even giving birth is not that bad... And getting to meet and nurse and cuddle a new little life is incredible. But right now I'm struggling with the notion of "giving up" my body; both in a physical and emotional sense.

What is it specifically? I guess it's hard seeing myself put on more weight than Jude requires of me; it's both so easy to justify and so hard to control. It's challenging that I find myself not wanting to be intimate with my husband as often because of how I feel about this body, even though I "should" think that I look beautiful. It's true that I love the belly, but I'm not a size 2, 4, or even 6 with a baby bump...I'm a size 10 with all of the curves to go with it. At some point it feels like a girl can only have so many curves, and on my figure a belly is just one too many! How frustrating is it that I still have body issues even when I'm growing life?!

Feeling waddle-y, the difficulty rolling over at night, and the miscellaneous pain here and there definitely all contribute to the exasperated feelings of, "How do I still have three months left of this?!?". But I think just through writing this out I'm discovering that I probably wouldn't mind those things—that I wouldn't "mind" pregnancy—as much if I felt at peace with my physical shape.

I certainly don't know how to reconcile all of this myself, and the truth is that I probably can't. Logically, I think I need to seek better nutrition for the sake of being healthy versus vain. Emotionally and spiritually, I think I need to bring my body issues to God and realign myself with His greater purpose and plans.

In spite of all of my whining, here's this week's belly pic...

And the 27 week sketch {from The Bump}...

Week Twenty-Six

2010-04-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

The countdown has moved into the double digits—less than 100 days to go...!

Jude is moving around like crazy these days! Sometimes I think it borders on harassment, especially when it comes to the movements that feel more like wriggling fingers and toes opposed to the big kicks and flips. Are you trying to tickle me, little man, or what?? In reality, I of course appreciate the reassurance of a happy and thriving baby! I'm so excited to meet the little guy.

This was the first week in awhile that I didn't gain any weight, which is definitely a good thing considering that I've gained something like ten pounds since week eighteen!! I think that puts me at 12-14 lbs gained so far. Yikes...

On the nursery front, I went ahead and ordered the crib I mentioned in the last post, and paid only $6 more than I did for Logan's. I've also decided to make coordinating bedding for the boys, and I officially have all of my fabrics for that! I'm excited to share more once it's underway!

Here's the belly this week.

My tank top rides up if I pull it tight around the top of my bump, so from here on out I think I'll use my hand to outline the top of my belly.

Here's a little sketch from The Bump {is it just me, or does this drawing look like a miniature monk?!?} and an update for the week. Still having the Braxton Hicks, so there ya go!Don't panic if your uterus suddenly starts tightening and relaxing -- Braxton Hicks contractions often begin around this time. They're simply your body's way of practicing and preparing for labor. (If the contractions are regular or particularly painful, call your doc just to be sure it's not the real thing.)

Week Twenty-Five

2010-04-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

This and the next couple of weeks feel a bit like limbo; the third trimester is so close, but until that next marker there doesn't seem to be much going on.

In case you missed it on our family blog, we've picked a first name for our little guy—Jude! So I'll refer to him by name from here on out.

Jude continues to become more active each day. Sometimes I swear he's trying to tickle me from the inside! I've also been noticing some Braxton-Hicks contractions {where my belly (uterus) tightens up around him}, which I was completely oblivious to during my pregnancy with Logan. It's crazy to see my stomach turn into a hard, small ball. I feel a bit bad for little Jude during those incidents!

We've also been doing some work on the nursery, and high on the to-do list is to pick up a second crib. I've been delaying, though, because we got a great deal on the same crib for Logan this past October—$140 on Amazon—but since then Amazon has stopped selling it. Until tonight I hadn't seen it lower that $150 before tax and shipping, and I'm too cheap to spend more than what I originally paid! But I think my patience has paid off: Walmart just dropped their price to $135 and I can pick it up at the store {a mere 35 miles away—blah!} without paying for shipping. I can handle tax in this scenario. Sold! Our next project: figuring out how on earth to fit two cribs into a 10x10 room that has windows and/or doors on three walls!!!

Here's the belly pic this week. I'm not sure why I have a look on my face like I'm going to eat someone... oh well.

Here's a new veggie/fruit comparison for this week {from The Bump}, as well as a growth update:

Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required). Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.

Week Twenty-Four

2010-04-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

Very late posting this week...whoops. I think I'll blame it on my cold on Monday, a day trip to LA on Tuesday, and pure laziness on Wednesday!

I'm now about six months along. I feel close enough that I'm transitioning into, "Okay, let's start getting things ready for this baby" mode, but I also feel like it's going to be a lonnnng 3.5 months. It's draining to get so big!

Anyway. As part of "preparing", I find myself eying a number of things that I didn't use with Logan, but would be interested in this time around. One of those things in particular are nursing tanks.

Glamourmom is a name I seem to come across a lot—any one out there used these? Available in an array of colors and for a relatively reasonable price, it seems like a great one to try. I know Bravado Designs makes nursing tanks, too, though I haven't heard much about them one way or another.

I saw this Yummie Tummie nursing tank in a local baby shop, which looks amazing.
Sucking in my postpartum stomach, while providing easy nursing access?—yes please! I felt so dumpy for so long after giving birth the first time around, and I could see this helping with that. But at $82.oo, I imagine I'm going to have a hard time justifying that purchase. Boo...

Speaking of tummies...
...the 24 week bump. I don't think this shirt is going to fit a whole lot longer!

Here's another baby sketch from The Bump {since we're still in the papaya stage}:
Until next week!

Week Tewnty-Three

2010-03-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm eating mini donuts while writing my post today—how ~~awesome~~ pregnant am I??

Anyway. If you've landed on this blog, there's a good chance that you have or are expecting a little one of your own! If that's the case, be sure to visit my main blog—This Beach Town Family—and enter my homemade burp cloth giveaway!

Okay. On to the weekly report.

I've definitely reached the point of feeling "big" movements now, though it's not all day long yet. In fact, I hardly notice the little guy until I get in bed for the night. Then the jabs, kicks, and punches start rolling in. Sometimes they're strong enough to see from the outside, too...that's always fun. :) I'll have to remember for next time that it's in the early twenty-weeks when the movement sensations start to feel like a baby, and not just some foreign internal bodily function!

Here's the belly this week...

It doesn't look much bigger than last week, which seems like a good thing considering the rate it's been growing at over the past month or so!

And since I'm out of fruit comparisons over at thebump.com until week 25, here's a little sketch from their site of a week 23 baby:
Kinda cute :)

Week Twenty-Two

2010-03-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hmmm... What's new this week?

I guess one thing that's been particularly prominent lately is that I've been having lots of crazy dreams. I don't know what about, exactly, it's more just the fact that they're there, and they make my sleep feel a bit less restful. It's all very strange.

The other thing that comes to mind is that I feel a little out of control with eating and my weight. I think at this point I've officially surpassed my weight gain from the same point during pregnancy number one, even though I'm walking a lot and chasing Logan around like crazy! My stats from last time are a little skewed, though, because around week twenty my due date got moved nine days earlier, so that's more than a week that I skipped ahead without adding on the pounds.

I know I must sound like a crazy person going on about my weight gain so often. I really want to have a healthy pregnancy, but somehow it gets hard to make sure that happens... I'm trying to make more of a conscious effort now, so hopefully it's something I'll feel less worried about as time progresses.

Here's the belly this week...

I would include weekly updates here, but turns out that thebump.com only does monthly updates after week 21. So here's the "five month" update:

Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

Week Twenty-One

2010-03-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

I hit me this week that, although I'm halfway through my pregnancy now, this second half is definitely the lonnng half.

It's the half where my lower back feels in constant need of a massage due to my changing body and lifting my 27ish lb toddler far too many times a day.

It's the half where I'm transitioning from "normal" clothes to maternity clothes, and somehow feel like a whale regardless of which I put on.

It's the half {this time, anyway} where the weather will continue to get warmer as I continue to get bigger, until I deliver this baby—which will probably be on the hottest day of the year!

It's the half where I wake up most mornings feeling like I was beat up the night before, only to remember that growing another person just takes a whole lot of energy!

Case in point: week 21 picture...

8:30am Monday morning; very tired, and looking rather large... Oh yeah, did I mention that my baby is apparently shaped like a lunchbox?!?

This IS also the half, though, where our little guy's movements feel stronger each day and the bond between us grows right along with them. And at the end of this half, I'll have much more than a bulging belly to show for it...

Here are some growth updates for the week {from TheBump.com}:

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Week Twenty - Halfway There!

2010-03-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Twenty weeks down, twenty(ish) more weeks to go! It's nice that this pregnancy has been going by relatively quickly...with much thanks to Logan, I'm sure!

Today was my twenty week check-up. My doctor spent something like two or three minutes {felt like an eternity!} listening to the heartbeat, and reported that I've got a very happy, very active little man on board!

I also asked her what my weight gain has been so far. According to their scales, I've gained about four pounds since week eight. That was certainly great news to hear! I weigh myself at home once every few days, and if I calculate my weight gain considering both the lowest and highest weight I've tracked since conception, I'm looking at closer to seven or eight pounds. I tend to vary a few pounds from week to week when I'm not pregnant, so I'll cut myself a little slack and just stick with the number on their charts. :) Overall, I'm aiming for 25 to 30 pounds gained this pregnancy; I think I gained somewhere between 32-35 last time around.

ANYway. I think we've made some serious progress on the name front, and I'm sure I'll be spilling that soon {or more specifically, once I can think of a really creative way to share!}.

Here's the photo from this week {Please excuse the grainy quality; we had some exposure issues with the first couple shots—this among them—but it ended up being the one I liked best!}:

And here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

It's a...

2010-03-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

Well, first of all, it's a healthy baby. Weighing about twelve ounces and at twelve inches long, this little one is right on track! We also got the final results back from the first trimester screening, and our score was as good as it gets: the baby a has less than 1 in 10,000 chance of having a trisomy disorder.

That said: today, at our nineteen week ultrasound appointment, we found out that we are having
a. . .BOY!

A 3D image of his little face
The photographic evidence—two shots, just to be sure {we all know how important this is given our last gender ultrasound!}:

As we were waiting for the doctor, I was observing all of the photographs of babies & families decorating the walls of the room. Many of the families pictured had "two girls" or "four boys", and my wheels started turning. I began to think of how many families I currently know with same gender kids, and I thought to myself, Are we really going to be an exception? I, of course, got my answer fifteen minutes later: NO!

I'm definitely still recovering from the shock! For one, I had never been told before that I was expecting a boy, so I guess my brain just assumed that pregnancy = girl in belly, though not necessarily out of belly. :) I also took this little test. While I refused to let myself get attached to these results, in the back of my head I was certainly thinking, How many incorrect baby-gender results can a girl expect to have in a lifetime?? For me? At least two, apparently. I'd be interested to see if now, ten weeks later, the same test would give me an accurate result...

Anyway. After chewing on all of this for the first part of the day, there are a number of things that I am really excited about...

* I'm stoked that Logan will have a brother, and particularly, a brother who is very close in age. It seems great that they'll be able to play and wrestle and get dirty together, and that there is potential for strong friendship.

* I'm so happy that Chris will have a little brood that he can take on "manly adventures" like hiking and surfing.

*And there's the mere fact that, through being Logan's mom, I've learned that I really like having a little man around! Sure, this boy keeps me on my toes, but I do love a "mama's boy".

On the other hand, though, there are a number of things that have me feeling a bit like a crazy person...

* First, I cannot at all picture what a second male combination of Chris and I will look like! It's easy to fantasize about my little girl, but a boy? After knowing what one already looks like? Nope. Can't see it.

* Second, I cannot believe we have to pick another boy's name! Two names, actually, since there's the crazy concept called a "middle name", too! We have made zero progress on this front, and I definitely don't see it being a quick decision.

* Third, we now know that—God willing—we will have at least one more pregnancy in our future! Chris and I both have a strong desire for a daughter, and we hope that somewhere along the line God will bless our family with that added dynamic. Not to favor one gender over the other {I was thrilled that our first turned out to be a boy, and I totally wouldn't mind having a whole pack of boys with a daughter plopped onto the end!}, I would just really like to experience the joys {and challenges!} of both sexes. But until that day comes, bring on the boys! ;)

In continuing our tradition from my last pregnancy, after the ultrasound I headed downtown and picked out an outfit for our expected little man...

Logan's was a little too girlie, so he never actually got to wear his :) ...

Last but no least, here are a few more pictures from our appointment {I was actually hoping that I woudn't even be bothering with pictures—we have a DVD of the whole ultrasound session!! Unfortunately, getting video off of a finalized/encoded DVD is more complex than I'm able to take on myself, so I have to wait until Chris gets home to get that figured out. But the video is way cool, and I'm excited to share!}:

Spine

Creepy skeleton face!

Arm

Whew! What a big day...

Week Nineteen

2010-03-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm going to keep this short & sweet, because I know that I'll have LOTS to say after Thursday. On Thursday we go in for the anatomy ultrasound!!! Very excited, but trying to keep my mind off of it as much as possible...

This week I've felt some bigger movements, which has been nice. Sometimes when I wake up at night, I can reach down and feel a hard little ball-of-a-baby. Chris thought he felt the little one move on Saturday night, but I'm not going count it as "official" because I didn't feel the movement myself. :)

Nights can be rough. Lately I find that I have lots of crazy dreams, and I've been getting up to pee as often as five times a night! On occasion I take some Tylenol "Simply Sleep", which definitely helps my sleep to be more restful.

I'm still eating like it's going out of style, but I paid the price for it this last weekend. We were out of town, so we ate a good number of meals out. The meals that were homemade just so happened to be huge and delicious. So when I got on the scale this morning, my weight had gone up THREE pounds...just since Friday morning. Fortunately, I know that number is totally inflated, and that getting back to my normal eating habits will bring it back down. I'll keep you updated, though ;)

Here's the post-weekend belly...

...and growth updates for this week {from TheBump.com}:

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

Week Eighteen

2010-02-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

Two people {one stranger, and one acquaintance whom I hadn't seen since the fall} asked me if I was pregnant today, so I guess it's starting to become more obvious! I was actually really surprised when the first woman asked; I was wearing a somewhat flowy shirt with an unzipped hoodie over it, and I assumed the layers would have made a bump difficult to identify. But this woman was a little eccentric {was going off about Logan's blue eyes and her ancestors with blue eyes...}, and didn't exactly come across as someone who is particularly good at guarding her words! I'm just glad for all our sakes that I was able to answer "yes" and no further awkwardness ensued :)

Anywho... Recently I've been looking back over notes from my last pregnancy, I think in part because I remember things being a bit different. For one, it seems like the baby's movements that I do detect are pretty faint and don't occur particularly often. I expected, with this being #2, that I'd be feeling stronger movements sooner. But either I'm too preoccupied with other things {aka Logan} and not paying close attention, or perhaps I'm confusing what should be happening in this point in the pregnancy with what I remember more clearly from the later weeks of my first pregnancy.

I'm also feeling like an eating machine these days, and in general am just feeling "softer" than I'd prefer. I've discovered that my ice cream flavor of choice has changed this pregnancy: last time it was Rocky Road, this time it's all about Cookies 'n Cream. I think perhaps I should start drinking more fluids to help keep these hunger pangs at bay.

Turns out my ravenous appetite isn't anything new, though. I checked my notes from last time and, sure enough, my weight jumped 1.5 pounds between weeks seventeen and eighteen. I don't know if I mentioned this already, but almost every week my weight has been exactly the same as the first time around {I weigh myself on the day that marks the start of a new gestational week}. I was certain that there was no way I was going to make that same 1.5 lb jump this time; a simple half pound would be fine. But it turns out that I gained a pound, so now I'm a half pound lighter at week eighteen this time than last.

This is all very riveting, I know...

Here's a picture for this week. Instead of going off about how terrible I look, from now on I'll just let you know when I am satisfied with my belly pic! :)

Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com; it's a sweet potato, btw}:

Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

Week Seventeen

2010-02-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is the first week that I feel like I'm actually starting to look pregnant {bye bye "fleshy mound"!}. It's exciting :) Other people seem to be recognizing it as well, though it's certainly not at the point where I'm being asked about it randomly. But any way you slice it, the reality of the baby bump is here to stay! Well, for the next twenty-odd weeks, anyway.

Not much else new. I never quite know how to answer these days if someone asks me how I'm feeling. Since I'm well out of the first trimester, I just sort of expect people to know that this is just one of those uneventful stages. But it's understandable if they haven't been pregnant themselves, or it's just been too long, and ultimately I suppose it's nice to have people around me who are interested rather than not!

Here's another sleepy preggy pic for this week. But the sleepiness seems justified this time around—it's the morning after Valentine's day, after all!!!

And here are some growth updates for the week {from TheBump.com}:

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

Week Sixteen

2010-02-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

This week started out with a prenatal check-up—something I definitely look forward to each month! I got to hear Little One's heartbeat, though it turned out that he/she was hiding lower than the doctor initially expected. My doctor is so funny; she said that it made sense that the baby was lower because I'm so "beautifully long waisted"... or something like that. That was certainly the first time I've ever heard those words spoken about my torso! I'm perhaps just over 5'5", so it's hard to imagine myself having "long" anything. It was sweet, though, and I've enjoyed getting to know our doctor more over each visit.

Things are still looking/feeling good, though one of the few symptoms that I've actually experienced in the two times I've been pregnant decided to resurface last week. This one never fails to boggle my mind...it just seems so odd. What am I talking about? Why, it's the pregnant nosebleed, of course! Strange and annoying. Anyone had these while pregnant? They've been pretty minor, but still require at least a tissue or two before I can return to life as normal.

Here's me today. I was even up early enough to throw on a little make-up!

According to my doctor, I've gained two pounds so far. I don't know what it is about the scales they use, but at home I weigh one thing, and then an hour later at the doctor's office, I weigh 4-5 pounds more! Drives me batty.

A friend of mine described the early-2nd-trimester-bump so perfectly. She said for awhile it just looks like a "fleshy mound", and then all of a sudden it seems like it pops into a hard little "official" baby bump. That is SO how I'm feeling these days. Looking at these pictures definitely makes me a bit crazy; all I can think when I see them is fleshy!

Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender.

Week Fifteen

2010-02-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

The weeks just keep going, don't they? I feel like I'm writing one of these posts every other day! But you know what else that means... time flying by = pregnancy flying by. And the second time around, it is certainly feeling quick. I'm sure, though, I can give Logan a little credit for that. That child keeps me on my toes!

On the pregnancy front: I've been feeling baby movements here and there {for probably a couple of weeks now}, but I'm uber-eager for this little one to make a routine of it! The movements of your baby in the womb are intimate and reassuring and beautiful; it has to be the next best thing to breastfeeding. And right now my desire to start doing that dance with our little one is on my mind even more than the upcoming anatomy ultrasound! I'm assuming that feeling the movements consistently will happen before that appointment {19.5 weeks}, but we shall see!

I took another picture this week, but oh man...it's rough. Please excuse the self-loathing present in the next handful of sentences; apparently I'm in that sort of mood. I can't believe how tired I look. Actually, it looks more like I went and did some drugs and then stumbled into the bathroom so that my husband could take a picture of my pregnant belly!
AND...I'm getting a *little* annoyed that this so-called "bump" really just looks like an exaggerated and unflattering pooch. It's not that coveted little, "Oh look, she's pregnant!" mound... It's more of a, "That girl needs to get her a** to the gym and work off that baby fat!" flabby lump. Oh well. Our day will come soon enough...

Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements.

Week Fourteen

2010-01-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

This time last pregnancy, I was bathing my wannabe bump in the Hawaiian sun...

This time around, not so much. Rather, it's the middle of winter, I've got a birthday this week {that's fun, I guess?}, and the bump {as some of you have prepared me for!} is trying harder to pop out.

Just about the only thing that has been the same about this pregnancy at this point—aside from the fact that I feel good!—is my weight; I'm pretty much exactly the same weight now that I was last time at week 14. That's certainly a surprise given how terrible my eating has been on some of these days! Oh well.

Here's my pic from this week...

...and some growth updates {from TheBump.com}:

Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth.

Week Thirteen

2010-01-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

I think I'm allowed to say that I'm in second trimester now—exciting! Perhaps it's just the contrast of regaining health after being so sick, but my energy already seems up this week. I am so looking forward to the perks of mid-pregnancy!

My belly is continuing to look a bit bloated, but my weight hasn't really changed and I'm still able to lie on my tummy at this point. I've insisted on still wearing my regular jeans, but now wear them unbuttoned with the aid of a hair tie and a belly-band. I do have another pair of "regular jeans" that are a size larger that I can button normally, but they look unflattering, as they're also a size larger in the legs and thighs.

I was successful again this week getting a picture, a trend I'm really hoping to continue!:

How many weeks do you think I'll be before I have to give this tank top up?!

Food-wise, I'm not sure what's up, but my food "cravings" have been 180 degrees opposite from those during my pregnancy with Logan. Before I still generally ate the same foods, but seemed to have an affinity for bananas, orange juice, and Rocky Road ice cream. These days, however, I basically protest anything that's actually good for me and I feel like my stomach has taken on the personality of a five year old. Pb&j sandwiches, macaroni & cheese, chocolate milk are just a few new staples to my diet. So basically comfort foods. And Japanese food. I'll also accept anything with white rice topped with some sort of light-ish Asian cuisine. So not that picky, right?

So far the only justification I've come up with for such different cravings is *obviously* a different sex. :) But there are still six weeks to go before I can confirm that theory, or not.

Anywho. Last, but not least—here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.)

Week Twelve

2010-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

This week I was defeated by my *second* cold so far this pregnancy. I get sick so seldom that I forget how completely miserable the whole ordeal is, but now I remember... it sucks. And the first time around {right when I found out that I was pregnant}, wasn't nearly as bad. I guess what has been hard this time is how it compounds my fatigue, my body just feels so weak, and the tight throat, stuffy nose, and inability to smell or taste are all demoralizing.

But aside from that whole mess, pregnancy stuff seems to be going well. I have not one, but two baby appointments on Wednesday, and will definitely have some fun ultrasound pics to share after that!

Speaking of pictures... I said that I'd start taking pictures at week twelve, and I did! I certainly didn't mean for it to be so...sexy? {I'm not sure that I can claim myself to be such first thing in the morning with no makeup...}, but this is what we've got.
Sadly, I don't have much of an explanation for why there's such a large bump already. While I can tell things are changing, I do have some post-Logan pooch {though I never had a "flat" tummy to begin with} that's contributing to the whole "situation".

Anyway! That's enough from me. Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed.

Week Eleven

2010-01-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

Pregnancy-wise, things have pretty good this week. Wish I could say the same about everything else...!

It was so wonderful to come home from Christmas to beautiful weather in Santa Barbara, and Chris made sure to get us outside and moving! We've been doing a 25 minute walk/jog routine, which has been a great balance given the fact that I'm both out of shape and pregnant.

My body has been changing slowly but surely. I'm wearing my "fat pants" these days because they're more comfy, and my stomach feels a bit poochy, particularly from my bellybutton up. My tummy certainly isn't the only thing growing these days... I had purchased a new bra right around when I found out I was pregnant, and while the cups were a little roomy then, they certainly aren't anymore! This "growth" has been a bit of a surprise to me; the first time around I remember the tenderness, but not the very noticeable fullness. I'm sure the change is more apparent post-breastfeeding...things aren't exactly in the state they were before. :)

I think that's about it for this week. Starting next week I'm really hoping to get on top of the belly pics—this baby deserves some effort, too!!

Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through it. But fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds, and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

Gender Prediction Test

2010-01-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

UPDATED
Here's the response I received after contacting IntelliGender:

Based on this picture this is a girl result. The only thing that matters is the color of the urine and there can be dark sediment on the bottom.

Congratulations and please let us know when you confirm!

Crossing my fingers!!!

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Some weeks ago, my friend told me that she saw in a pregnancy magazine that there is now an over-the-counter baby gender test available. Yup. Not an am-I-pregnant test, but a what-am-I-having test! If that in itself didn't peak my interest enough, she said that the test could be used as early as six weeks after your first missed period / eight weeks into gestation / ten weeks pregnant. I was probably no more than four or five weeks along when she told me about it, so I just decided to file it away in the back of my mind.

I don't remember what reignited it, but last week {before we left for Christmas} I started thinking about that test again...and I decided it was time to do some research. I googled the concept and found that IntelliGender is the company who makes the test. After reading through the website and watching all of the videos, I knew that I could not not try it!

Here's some info from their website about how the gender test works {they don't reveal what chemicals are used to react with what hormones—I'm assuming this is because they don't want to help any potential competitors!}:

IntelliGender Gender Prediction Test is a simple urine analysis similar to the pregnancy test you took a few weeks ago. It uses first morning urine and a proprietary mix of chemicals which reacts with a combination of hormones to indicate the gender of your baby. It can be performed as early as 10 weeks (six weeks from the first day of the missed period). It only takes ten minutes for the results. It is an easy test to perform and provides quick results in-home so the news can be shared right away.

Laboratory results show 90% accuracy and real world studies indicate 82%. IntelliGender regularly commissions independent surveys to compare real world results with laboratory results and the test is constantly being monitored for improvements.

IntelliGender reminds all pregnant moms that seeing an obstetrician as early in the pregnancy is critical for the health of the mother and the baby and should follow the advice of their physician.

You simply collect first morning urine and insert into the test vessel. Swirl rapidly in a circular motion, place the test on a flat surface undisturbed for 10 minutes. Read the test at eye level and match the color to the boy or girl color chart on the test vessel. Below are examples of test results:
Read your gender result promptly at 10 minutes. If your urine has turned green to dark/smoky green, you are having a boy! If your urine stays relatively unchanged or turns a deeper yellow or orange, you are having a girl!

Intriguing, right?! I searched for where I could order the product, and found it for under $30 {with free shipping} at Overstock.com. I placed my order before we left for Christmas, and when we arrived home on Wednesday night, it was sitting on my doorstep!

I was able to test yesterday morning. Wanna see the results?

It *appears* that we're expecting a girl!

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There are a couple reasons, though, why I can't be *too* excited at this point.

I've emailed customer service about the dark residue at the bottom because I want to make sure that it does not indicate that the test results are inaccurate or that the test didn't work. On IntelliGender's "Sample Results" page, many of the "girl" real-life results appear to have little to no residue remaining, so that made me start second-guessing things! Hopefully I'll hear back in the next day or so; I just sent the email this morning.

The other thing, as you read above, is the test doesn't promise to be 100% accurate. Because of that I'm not holding on too tightly to the results, and rather looking at it as tipping the scale of a 50/50 chance in favor of a girl. Science has already failed me once in the gender department—and that ultrasound result was supposed to be 99.98% accurate!—so secretly I'm praying that I'm off the hook for false results this time!

We're looking at about eight more weeks before the anatomy ultrasound, so it won't be too long before we'll {hopefully} get to confirm whether or not we're bringing "Kate" home this year!

Week Ten

2009-12-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

So. Before Christmas, I was struggling with my lack of energy as the holiday approached. But now having experienced my first Christmas as a 1st-trimester preggie person {or pregnant at all, for that matter!}, I have a new gripe: food. Dirty, evil, delicious food.

The situation has been pretty ugly. Between traveling and spending time with family, the opportunities to eat have been endless. But that's to be expected at Christmastime. So then the real issues have been the following: a) I'm pregnant and therefore a bit more hungry, but really I feel that I have the "right" to eat, and b) I'm pregnant and therefore more tired, plus it's freakin' freezing up here in Northern California, so why would I even consider going outside to exercise?! The outcome? I've eaten tons of food and spent a lot of time sitting on my ever-expanding butt.

All I know is that as soon as we get back home, things must change. Hopefully that shouldn't be too hard—our fridge is void of Christmas temptations and the forecast shows 69 degrees for New Year's Day!!! My next appointment is on January 13th and I *refuse* to go in weighing four pounds more than I did just four weeks earlier. This is only my first trimester!

Anyway! Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com; week ten is a prune!}:

With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)

Week Nine

2009-12-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

I had never considered that this could be an issue before now, but I'm totally not digging being in my first trimester during Christmastime! I'm SO tired and do not have the energy needed to do those Christmasy things I usually enjoy doing this time of year. Basically, that translates into no baking or candy making, minimal shopping, shotty decorating, and zero entertaining!

I'm thankful to our friends, though, who have instead made an effort to hang out or have us over for meals. It might sound counter-intuitive, but I'd much rather go visit and eat with other people when I'm tired than stay home and feel further drained by the necessity of cooking and cleaning. So again...thank you, dear friends, for bringing Christmas cheer to an exhausted pregnant mommy!

Here are some growth updates {aka why the life seems to be sucked out of me this Christmas!} this week {from TheBump.com}:

Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!

Week Eight (Ultrasound!)

2009-12-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

This week we got our first peek at Baby Deux! It is so wonderful to see that little one for the first time...to hear the little heart beat and see its little body wiggle. And I'm happy to report that Baby Duex has arms, legs, a torso and head, and has a strong & regular heartbeat!

The doctor gave us our due date, too: July 26, 2010!

Here's the little one:

Btw—this baby is already so the second child: the printer on the ultrasound machine was down, so the only pics we got were the ones taken on my phone!!

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We have a new doctor this time around—Dr. Ramos—and I'm so thrilled!

I actually did really like the very first doctor I saw last pregnancy {who ended up being pregnant herself}, as well the midwife I saw for most of the rest of the time. The drawback was that they were both part of a larger group in which we had to see all of the other doctors, and that didn't feel very personal. That group is also known to be a bit less supportive of those of us who prefer a natural, less invasive approach to birth, and that was not something I wanted to deal with this time around.

Anyway! Our new doctor has a very laid back, yet warm personality, with a tad of spunk thrown in. :) After telling her about my labor and delivery with Logan, she responded with something along the lines of, "Good for you, sweetie!". It was cute. She's also very supportive of natural childbirth and alternate birthing experiences, and she is our doctor for the entire pregnancy. Yay!

--------------------------------

Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

Your baby is growing like mad, putting on about a millimeter every day and continuing to straighten out in the trunk. Though you can't feel it yet, baby is moving those little arms, legs and (now only slightly) webbed fingers and toes like crazy.

Week Seven

2009-12-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

The theme of this past week: naps! Almost every day when Logan went down, so would I. Tiredness certainly isn't a new pregnancy thing for me, though I don't recall being such a consistent napper last time around. I just hope that this week will afford me the same napping opportunities—things are certainly looking busy!

Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com}:

Baby's brain -- both hemispheres! -- is growing fast, generating about 100 new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging as joints start to form, and a permanent set of kidneys (baby's third!) is now in place.

Week Six

2009-11-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

Six weeks today! This week I've noticed that I've been having what I call a "sensi" tummy {Scrubs, anyone?}: my stomach has been really sensitive, but I wouldn't classify it as full-on nausea. Light nausea, perhaps? It certainly doesn't prevent me from eating, that's for sure! It's just that it hurts a bit more than normal.

I've also had a couple nights where I've slept terribly. I decided to start taking a half dosage of an OTC sleeping aide, which I'm fairly certain is fine—I'm just looking forward to discussing it with my doctor. When I'm as tired as I am during these early pregnancy days, I can't afford to be having restless nights, and then a job and one year old to tackle the next morning!

That's all for now. The fun thing about documenting things this time around is that I can look back at the same point from last time and see if things were the same {or not}! Here's my post on week six from Logan's pregnancy, though the first part of turned out to be almost identical to week seven!

Here are some growth updates this week {from TheBump.com; this week is a "sweet pea"}:

Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks and chin. Those little hands and feet- still webbed like paddles- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate.

Week Five

2009-11-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hmmm... Not sure that I have anything to report yet, aside from the fact that I'm still pregnant—which is certainly something I'm thankful to be able to say during these very early, uncertain weeks.

During my first pregnancy, I included growth illustrations from BabyCenter.com. They are fantastic illustrations, it's just that, well...it seems like "everyone and their mom" includes them in their pregnancy posts these days! What can I say, though, I'm a trend-setter... ;)

This time around I'm going the food route. As you may have seen in last weeks' post, TheBump.com has some really great {tasty!} comparison graphics to chart baby's growth development. I'm not sure that I'm a huge fan of the website overall, though. While I'm sure there is lots of good information to be found, it's a bit busy and certainly not "crunchy" enough for me to give my official stamp of approval. :) Even so, I think the pics are fab and the growth summaries are short & sweet, as well as interesting.

Speaking of, here are some growth updates this week {that's an apple seed, fyi!}:

Your embryo (looking kind of like a tadpole) is starting to form major organs (heart, kidney, liver, stomach) and systems (nervous, circulatory, digestive). Baby's presence in your uterus triggers production of hCG (the hormone detected by pregnancy tests)... which triggers production of other hormones like estrogen and progesterone... which trigger all those great symptoms you've probably been noticing!

Pregnant—AGAIN! (Week Four)

2009-11-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

It has been almost exactly one week since Logan turned one year old, and with party planning behind me, it seems there's now baby-planning ahead! Yup, here starts the journey of pregnancy number DEUX...!

I decided to take a pregnancy test this morning, for two reasons: 1. despite the fact that I was supposed to start my period tomorrow, I have had none of my usual premenstrual signs, and 2. we were hoping to be pregnant again, so the normal lack of pre-period signs had me very optimistic. It's funny that my "I think I might be pregnant" symptoms would be a complete lack of symptoms. No cramping, no spotting, no real sense of nausea, no breast tenderness (actually still breastfeeding once a day!), etc. I have had a cold since Wednesday night and have been extremely tired, so that might have been a symptom!, but until today I just assumed it was the cold that had me so fatigued. I did notice today that I was having some ligament pain in my stomach. I didn't really realize it was something that could show up so early!

Anyway! So it's back on the preggie train for me. Time to start remembering {and following} all the rules, and paying some extra attention to my health and wellness!

Here are some growth updates for this week {from TheBump.com}:

In week 3, sperm meets egg, and voila: conception! Your little zygote sets off on a six-day trek through your fallopian tubes, dividing and redividing into identical cells as it travels to your uterus.

In week 4, now safe in your womb, the ball of cells (blastocyst) splits in two, becoming the embryo and the placenta. The amniotic sac and fluid are forming around baby, and will act as a cushion for the next eight months.

What you've been waiting for...

2008-11-11T00:36:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for THIS??????

Hospital... sort of? definitely!

2008-11-08T18:53:00.000-08:00

My bag of waters started leaking while walking on the beach today (how "Santa Barbara" of me...), and it's still going. We called the hospital once we got home, and they said that we could go ahead and wait a few hours to see if the contractions kicked in, but ultimately they want us to come in tonight to check up on things. I think we'll likely be staying b/c of the GBS antibiotics, but I should know more in the next few hours. I have no idea if we'll have internet access at the hospital... maybe now will be the time to start "tweeting" from my iPhone. (Okay, just added Twitter to my sidebar!) Anyway! We're just about to head out... so please pray that my contractions start soonish & on their own, as well as for a safe and healthy delivery all around.

Sooooooo excited to meet our baby girl!!!!

Week 40 (and a day)

2008-11-06T19:08:00.000-08:00

I hope no one's been holding their breath... I'm still here and still pregnant! I am hoping to at least throw up a quick post before we leave for the hospital, so you can keep an eye out for that.

Anyway! I'm officially "overdue" now (but not post-term yet). Kate's official due date was yesterday, and though it's a bummer that she didn't arrive by then, the day didn't go by uncelebrated! During the day my mom and I took a nice day trip to the Santa Ynez valley (if you've seen the movie Sideways—that general area). It was a really beautiful drive and just a fun time to talk. We then stopped in Solvang and had a yummy danish lunch and some amazing Aebelskiver. Sooo good.

Once Chris got home, I put on a "cute" outfit and we went to a really great local Italian restaurant (I know... lots of eating out!). I'm so thankful for the array of amazing restaurants in Santa Barbara—it always makes whatever you're celebrating that much better! Anyway, we had a really nice dinner and just enjoyed each other's company and conversation. I didn't have a ton of energy after dinner though, so we came home and watched a movie. To top it off, I got about eight hours of sleep last night, which is something that doesn't happen often these days! All in all, it was a really pleasant day... even if it didn't end with a sweet baby :o)

It doesn't appear that tonight will end with a sweet baby either. The waiting has been a bit more bearable this week though since my mom arrived in SB on Sunday. It doesn't seem like having your mom hanging out 24/7 waiting for you to have a baby would be a good thing... but it's really been a godsend! She's been an amazing help around the house (she's a much better homemaker than I am!), she keeps me company/distracted during the day, yet she still gives me/us space as needed. Her work is very mobile and flexible, so she has her little "office" set up in our breakfast nook that allows her to do some work here and there while I nap, read, or whatever. But since she arrived, we've gone to Ventura for Target and Babies R Us runs, made a pillow for Kate's room and hemmed the drapes for her window; gone on three or four walks, had our Solvang date, and weeded, purchased flowers for, and planted flowers in two flower beds! She's also been cleaning up all sorts of things around the house... it's amazing :o) And we still have two or three sewing projects planned! So, as you can see, the waiting process has been made much easier with so many distractions.

The physical tolls of waiting have been a bit harder though. Lots of lower back pain this week, and I definitely feel like a pengiun when I walk around. I haven't been as good about tracking my weight over the past couple weeks, but I believe I'm at about 33/34 lbs now?

Anyway! Time to get this baby out!!! Maybe I'll post a pic before then :o)

Here she is this week:

Appointment Updates

2008-11-04T17:32:00.000-08:00

Quick updates:
- Definitely more than 3cm dilated, but "close" to 4cm
- 60-70% effaced
- Belly (fundal height) measures 38cm

I scheduled my 41 week appointment for next Tuesday, but we're hoping not to make it to that one!

A "Roomy" Three

2008-10-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

We learned at my check-up yesterday that I'm a "roomy" 3cm dilated and about 60% effaced. So... some progress, but not a lot. Ultimately it sounds like things are more up-in-the-air than I had originally thought. The progress only means that my body is on the right track and things *may* be a little easier once active labor starts, but really Kate could still be born any time between now and week 42...

Despite my impatience, I'm really thankful that my body has done this much work already. My midwife commented that my pre-labor is basically "done" at this point. I'm also thankful that it looks like Kate won't be born on Halloween (I like the holiday, but would feel weird as a birthday for my firstborn... or any of my kids at that). Tomorrow is Chris' birthday, and I do think it would be so sweet for his little girl to share his own special day. But I'm not holding my breath for anything at this point. She'll come out of there eventually... and I just need to keep remembering that it's all in God's timing and not my own!

But I'm sooooo eager to meet her!

Okay... I need to go distract myself. More cleaning!!!

Week 39

2008-10-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Update: Week 39 photo added below!

I've been secretly hoping this week that I wouldn't be writing a week 39 post! Since my last appointment I feel like I've started playing "the waiting game"... and it's proven to be much harder than I had hoped (especially for someone who is too impatient for their own good— although I'm working on that!). I think the waiting has felt more difficult because I'm aware of how dilated I am. On one hand, it's really exciting to know that my body has done this much work already... and I've hardly noticed a thing! But on the other hand, I expect that since I've come this far, it only seems logical that my body should just go ahead and start the labor process. And when I tell people about how much I've dilated, they tend to look at my like I might start pushing the baby out right then and there. So every day I'm in this, "okay Kate... are you ready today???" sort of state. If no one told me that I was 3cm dilated at 38 weeks, I'd just be anticipating the due date to roll around rather than waiting for labor to kick before 40 weeks!

At points I've felt more resigned... like maybe it's possible to just continue to be at 3cm for the next three weeks? Cleaning and resting have really helped keep me distracted. Beach walks are good too. And spending an evening here and there with good friends has really helped keep my mind off of waiting. Although, despite how nice it is to have the company, some days I feel super hermit-y and am not really interested in seeing or talking to people. Not really sure what the explanation is for that...?

I'm feeling a bit more encouraged (though extremely tired) this morning because I woke up last night with contractions. They were very light/mild, but they were consistent, which is something I haven't experienced yet at all. I have no idea how I got to 3cm without anything obviously definable to me as "contractions," but recognizing them last night made me feel like the time may be drawing near. I was up from 4-7a: first I just laid in bed and tried to think about how long they were lasting & how much time passed before another started; after about an hour or so I got up and tidied up the house for a bit; laid back down and felt a couple more (less frequent, but a bit stronger); got up again and showered; laid back down and didn't feel much... besides the 2.8 earthquake just outside of SB this morning!, and then finally drifted back to sleep. In the time since I woke up this morning (around 9a), not much has been happening. I notice my uterus/stomach tighten around Kate every now and then—sometimes accompanied by a cervical cramp, but often not. Anyway! I'm really thinking things could be happening in the next few days. If I wasn't already 3cm I probably would not think that... but experiencing "real" contractions on top of being that far must mean my body's close, yeah?? I'll keep you updated :o)

Here's "Kate" this week (and the article):

Here's "Kate" again. I'm very tired and am lacking in the makeup department in this photo... so yes, I look a bit rough! But the belly's so impressive at this point I thought it worth posting anyway :)

Week 38+

2008-10-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I hit 38 weeks, and yes, I'm still pregnant. Though perhaps not for long...? I had a check-up today and the doctor said I'm still 50% effaced, but am now a solid 3cm dilated!!! The progress is exciting b/c it implies that Kate will probably be coming soon-ish. He even said that it's likely that she could show up within a week, though not to hold him to that because it could still be two :o)

Oh, more good news: I really liked the doctor this week! He was very kind and had great personality and bedside manner. The only "weird" thing was that he was young(ish) and attractive... is that even allowed as a male OB/Gyn?? He reminded me a little bit of Peter from Heroes as well as Trey from SATC. Probably some other people as well, but no one else that I can pinpoint at the moment. Aside from that though, I think I would be really happy to have him deliver our baby. He's my number two pick out of the group :)

Anyway! I am very excited. I'm working on making sure that our bags are packed and things are in order. Tuesday was my last day at work, and since then the nesting has really gone into overdrive. Yesterday I washed the curtains in our living room, and this morning I was up at 9am ironing them. Ironing curtains... honestly??? I don't iron anything. But apparently Kate will not feel at home if our curtains aren't cleaned AND ironed. It really makes no sense at all, but I guess that's the nature of the beast.

I think that's all for now—short and sweet! Plus, I have other business to attend to (the sconces are begging to be dusted and Windex-ed!). Here's the article and pic. Hopefully my next post will be MUCH more exciting ;-)

37+ Weeks (FULL TERM!)

2008-10-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday I hit 37 weeks and am now considered full term! I'm really excited, but also more eager than ever for Kate to hurry up and get here!! I just keep trying to remind myself that it's not about my timing...

Anyway, this weekend has been bittersweet so far. Chris and I decided to both take the day off yesterday to spend time relaxing together before putting ourselves to work for the weekend. The day started out with my 37 week appointment... and unfortunately that was what left me feeling "off" for a good part of the day. The biggest contributing factor was that the screening came back positive for GBS (Group Beta Strep). This essentially means that once I go into active labor I'll have to receive a dose of antibiotics through an IV every four hours. The upside is that it's not a continuous IV (like Brea mentioned in her comment last week), and when all is said and done, Kate should be better off by me receiving the antibiotics.

I still can't help but feel bummed out, even though I really shouldn't. But the reason I do feel that way is that our childbirth educator told us a number of things that we should be doing in the ten days prior to the screening in order to be negative for GBS. I did a few of them half-heartedly, but ultimately some things either seemed too "earthy" or too inconvenient... so I didn't bother. Thinking back though, if I did those things and still came out positive, at least I could feel that I did everything in my power to prevent it, and I wouldn't feel like it's somehow "my fault." But I didn't... and I'm feeling a bit like a failure, or a bad mom.

I also really don't want this situation to start a snowball for other interventions. I guess we're just going to have to do more homework now to understand where all this could lead. The doctor definitely made it sound like it's not a big deal at all (let's hope so!). I also did a little research after the appointment and it may be that in some ways this can actually help us avoid some other interventions: internal fetal monitoring (the "scratch" they make on the baby's head for the monitor could make them more susceptible to the bacteria), artificially rupturing the membranes (keeping them in tact keeps the baby protected longer), and excessive vaginal exams (each exam "pushes" the bacteria closer to the baby). Anyway, I'll let you know as I learn more.

The other thing that was kind of "blah" about the appointment was that I really didn't click with the doctor. He seemed to already be walking out of the room as he was asking if we had any questions! This is the second doctor in the group who I've felt like that about, which just makes me feel more nervous about the whole delivery. It's important to me to have someone who respects what we're hoping for in our birth and will work with us to get there, but so far it seems like we'd only get that from the midwife we've been seeing and maybe one other doctor. We've heard positive things about the doctor we meet next week... but with this whole group/on-call thing, it feels like a total crap shoot.

Sorry to be such a downer. I really shouldn't complain too much... I can't expect to have a completely perfect pregnancy :o) Anyway! Continued prayer is definitely welcomed, and Chris and I need to have continued faith and trust that God will provide the exact "right" birth experience for us.

On the upside, the doctor told me that I'm 1-2cm dilated and about 50% effaced. I don't think that guarantees that I'll go into labor within the week or anything, but he said that it's a great start for a first-time mom. Hopefully she'll be here sooner than later though :o)

After that, our day got better. First we went to breakfast at a local coffee shop that we've been frequenting often these days. It's about two blocks from our house and two blocks from the hospital, so it's the perfect Saturday morning or post-appointment date. Then we went to the beach with the dogs, which was very relaxing. It was probably 78 degrees or so and there were maybe ten groups of people on the whole beach. There were also dolphins gliding up and down the coast. It was definitely an incredible day in Santa Barbara! Here are a couple pics...

"Kate" getting a tan (37 weeks, 2 days—huge!!):

Beach dogs! Maeby and Xander:

The pretty dolphins:

After the beach we relaxed at home for awhile, then went out for our monthly "Irish fare" dinner at Dargan's with Wyatt and Sarah. On the 17th of each month the Irish food is half off and there's live music... basically the perfect set-up for a fun night. I was thoroughly jealous of Sarah's hard apple cider, but my day is coming again soon! It will be really fun to add Kate to our monthly outting too :o)

We ended the night with Pink Berry-esque yogurt and enjoying each other's company back at home. Overall it ended up being a really nice day off and I'm feeling better about everything today. But now it's time to start our long list of chores! And eat waffles!

Oh, one more fun pic. I ordered a Moby Wrap and decided that I needed to try it out as soon as it came. It recommended practicing with a baby doll, but since I don't have one I decided to practice with my first baby:
Excuse the grainy quality... camera phone. Anyway! It seems like it will be a great baby-wearing option. I'm so excited :o)

This week's article and pic! Bfn!!

Week 36 (NINE MONTHS!!!)

2008-10-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

Today I'm nine months pregnant... that seems like such a crazy thing to be able say. Today is also the start of a sort of "limbo" week: by next Wednesday I'll be considered full term... which also blows my mind. It's all so crazy!

At 36 weeks I'm actually doing pretty well. I'm definitely feeling heavy and pregnant... and being 26 pounds heavier, I guess that would make sense! I've been fortunate though in that most of it is sitting right in front of me, although some has certainly crept into my arms, face, and thighs. I do get tired relatively easily, but I'm still able to be pretty mobile and active. As soon as I get some time off work I want to plant some bulbs in my garden and do some serious dusting & deep cleaning around the house. Who knows... maybe that will help kick-start my labor!

This past week was tough though. Before the weekend, I was fairly certain I was losing my mind. One morning I assembled the blender minus the blades (apparently Chris was in the middle of cleaning that part for me) and decided to start pouring milk in anyway. The milk got all over the blender base and in the motor. We were able to save it, but I didn't get my banana breakfast smoothie that morning :o( The same night, as we got out of the car to go into our childbirth class, I looked down at my feet and shrieked—I was wearing two different flip-flops! One black foamy one and one gold/copper-ish leather one. I felt so ridiculous that I took them off and walked to the house barefoot. Thankfully everyone takes their shoes off at the door anyway, so I don't think anyone was suspicious. It felt like a very bad day though.

The rest of the weekend was busy in an overwhelming way. We spent all of Saturday painting our bedroom... something we'd been meaning to do for months. Sunday Chris still had to finish up some painting and I started giving the dogs haircuts. I don't recommend grooming small dogs while almost nine months pregnant. They are squirmy and uncooperative to begin with, and the belly and hormones just complicate the whole thing. That chore ended up in one dog mostly groomed, the other only half groomed, and me sitting on the toilet lid, sobbing uncontrollably with dog hair all over myself. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but it was definitely the straw that broke the camel's back. It just made me start thinking about all of the other things I want to do before Kate gets here: getting the house as clean as humanly possible (picked-up, dusted, vacuumed, scrubbed, etc.); doing the same general thing to our yard; making sure the dogs are bathed, groomed, nails clipped, flea meds applied, and so on; getting our budget and finances up to date and making sure we're staying within that; taking inventory of what we have for Kate and deciding what other things we need before her arrival, making sure those things fall within our budget, and then getting those things; making sure we've prepared ourselves for her arrival (practicing our relaxation techniques, finishing the birth plan, deciding what we need to pack from the hospital, etc) and generally coping with the unknown; and finally figuring out what the heck is going on with my job! Anyway... it felt like the stress of all of these things fell on me at once and it was much too heavy. I think ultimately there was a battle taking place between my nesting instincts (which make me want to make the world perfect before we bring our daughter into it) and the reality of things (there is only so much time and I only have so much energy). But sobbing it out and sharing all of my concerns (through snot and tears) with Chris really helped. I'm in a much better place now :o)

We have made some good progress on a handful of these things since Sunday. Since it seems like most of our "projects" are behind us, we've been able to dedicate more time to cleaning the house. By the end of this weekend we anticipate that it'll generally be in a state that we're content with. Same goes for the yard. Also, Sarah and I have made plans to go to Target & Babies 'R Us on Saturday—which is about a 45 minute trip one way!—but we're making a date out of it. I also had my check-up yesterday, and the birth plan went over well & is all squared away.

Probably the biggest thing that got resolved was figuring out my work situation in the upcoming weeks and months—which just happened today. I work in a really small office that recently got even smaller, as my only other coworker left a couple weeks ago. So right now it's just me (and my boss). She's an interior designer and now I basically run her business. But recently I have a lot less energy and as I "mentioned" above, there are tons of things I'd like to be doing at home. So I was getting nervous because she hadn't said anything about who would be filling in for me, and I was unclear on how soon she'd be hoping for me to come back. But I brought it up with her today, and she told me that both her daughter and daughter-in-law were interested in working. She actually gave me the freedom too to let them know when I'd like to take time off, how much time I want off, and when I want to come back. So today I started up a dialogue with them to basically determine my "maternity leave." My whole job situation is super flexible—which is generally a great thing—but getting this part of it squared away takes so much stress off me. I'm sure I'll update when I know more, but ideally once I hit 38 weeks I'll be done with work and just preparing for my little angel :o)

Alright. I think I've definitely unloaded enough at this point. I will get the results from the GBS test at my next check-up (a week from Friday), so please continue to pray. Kate's health sounded good at our appointment yesterday. Our midwife said that her growth is good, though it doesn't seem like she's a particularly big baby. I'm really interested to see how big she ends up actually being, since my mom had all 8lb+ babies. Exciting stuff! Here is this week's article and pic. Time for bed for me!

Quick Prayer Requests

2008-10-07T09:39:00.001-07:00

Later this morning is my 36 week check-up. Normally I'm not nervous about going in, but there are two big things today.

First, they'll take a sample to test for "Group Beta Strep," which is a bacteria that sometimes shows up in pregnant women. It's generally something that comes and goes, but if I test positive for it now (statistics are that 10 to 30% of pregnant women do... although that does seem like a broad percentage to me), the doctors will want me to be hooked up to antibiotics during labor. I really want to avoid this because I worry about the effects they could have on Kate, and because it's a step in the direction of a more medicalized birth experience. More than anything right now I'm praying that God allow Kate to come in His time and through the most natural means possible. So please pray that it goes well and that I test negative today!

Also, we'll be sharing our birth plan with our midwife today. On that front, I think we need a) wisdom and confidence when explaining our desires, b) an open mind and positive attitude with which to receive her thoughts, and c) hopefully support and receptiveness on her end. So please pray for those things as well! Of all the doctors/physicians in that group, I'm glad that we'll be sharing it with her first... so I feel good about that at least. I guess it just seems challenging to ask for things that go against the grain!

Thanks for your support :) I'll report back later.

Update: Baby Shower Pics

2008-10-06T23:38:00.001-07:00

Apparently I'm super motivated tonight! I blame it on intense nesting instincts. Anyway, here are some pictures from the shower:

Jess and Kate...

...Mom and Cake :)

The amazingly adorable sign that Danielle made:

"Unwrapping" the stroller:

Another "details" collage! (just discovered this on Picasa! It really makes more sense than posting that many pictures though...):
Notes for the collage: Danielle made the cute banner and favors; my boss made the amazing flower arrangement; I don't know the background on the cookies aside from "a lady made them," but they were sooo good!; the silly little girl is my six-year-old sister; otherwise friends and family mingling. And gifts :)

Fun times!

Nursery Pics!

2008-10-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share some quick nursery pictures since it's really been coming together over the past couple of weeks! I've included a "general" shot, as well as a collage of some of the details. It's not quite done yet... I have a few things on my list still. First, the crib is a hand-me-down from my mom. It's really beautiful and great quality, but ideally I'd like it to be white. Quite frankly though, I'm/we're sick of paining... so Kate will have to live with it for awhile! Second, I'm seriously lacking in wall decor. I'd like to do name letters over her crib, and either shelves or a cute artwork over the changing table. Third, my mom is working on making us a futon cover, so that's not in place yet. I will probably want to do another throw pillow or two as well. Last (for now anyway), I need to "complete" the changing table/dresser. This means changing pad, changing pad cover, and baskets for the cubbies. These additions will probably end up being a bit gradual (stupid budget... grumble, grumble). So much to do and less than a month till my due date... gah!!!!!!!

Week 35 & Baby Shower!

2008-10-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of week 35! Only two weeks until Kate's "due month" starts... it's so unbelievable to think that she could actually be here that soon. Realistically though, I feel like I'd be lucky if she actually shows up by 40 weeks considering my mom's history with late babies. I guess we'll just wait and see!

So this past Saturday was Kate's baby shower—and it was wonderful! The flowers, favors, food, and decor in general all coordinated in a really cute pink and brown theme. It was so nice having such good friends around me, and I was so grateful for our moms making the long trip down to be there too!

Anyway... Some special thank you's are an order: to Sarah and Patti, who were the "official" hostesses of the shower and who I know put in a lot of work into pulling everything together; to Danielle, for contributing such cute and thoughtful details that were the perfect finishing touches; and to my boss Jennifer who made the most beautiful flower arrangement. Everything was amazing and it really felt so elegant and special!

I want to say a general thank you too for all of the gifts (don't worry though, the thank-you cards on on their way!). Since Saturday I feel like I'm almost actually prepared to have a baby in our life! We now have lots of baby clothes and a really good amount of general care items (washcloths, towels, teethers, etc). Patti gave us a basket full of baby "essentials" that will be super useful... full of things like nail clippers, baby wash, rash cream, and so on. We even got bedtime books too!

But I have to share some of the "big essentials" we received—partly because they're just so fun and exciting, but mostly because they were extremely generous gifts and we're so so so grateful for this kind of support. So here we go!

Kate's new wheels (from Chris' mom):

This stroller is so amazingly cool. You can see from the pic that it has a baby/toddler seat, or if you put on the bassinet you can use it as a pram! The seat also comes out to face towards or away from you, and reclines in three different positions. It has a rain cover, a mosquito net, and a bootie for the bassinet. Barb also got us the car seat adapter, so we can just pop the car seat in whenever it's most convenient. I'm thinking it will be really nice to use the bassinet for the first few months on our downtown walks, use the car seat adapter for when we're out & about in the car, and use the baby/toddler seat as she gets older. Overall, it's just really amazing and loads of fun... even without a baby ;) Ha! Apparently little Violet has the same one... except in "violet" of course.

Kate's ride... for in our ride (from my grandma):

Isn't this the most beautiful car seat you've ever seen? I especially love it because it works equally well for either gender, and it's one of my favorite colors! Besides being super-beautiful and super-safe (and Italian!), it also accommodates a higher upper weight and height limit than most infant car seats. I desperately want to install this in the car now... but I feel like that may be jumping the gun a bit. Hurry up and get here baby girl!!!

Kate's sleepy spot (from my mom):

This is a great playard / bassinet / changing station combo. It fits next to the bed (with about three inches to spare!), so we're going to try to use it for the time that we keep her in the bedroom before she transitions to the crib. The bassinet part is nice and high, so I'm hoping that I can essentially roll over and "grab" her when it's time to nurse. It should also be great if we're going to spend a day at the beach, and definitely for visiting the soon-to-be grandparents. Anyway, it's super cute! Although that may prove to be an issue if Kate ever has a brother... Hopefully that would just be one of those memories he could successfully repress :)

Kate's naptime spot (from a family-friend):

I posted about this really early on in my research. This is so cool! It's a glider that swivels, so it can sway in any direction. It also has a really wonderful, gentle movement to it. It seems especially ideal to use for napping or quiet time wherever I am. I'm so eager to use it that I just want to strap the dogs in!

Just a couple more! These are gifts from my best friends that I just wanted to share really quickly.

Danielle gave me a wonderful gift basket full of lots of really fun and cute items. Since she already has the pics up on her blog, you can check it out on her post. She is always very thoughtful and thorough, which are both things I really value about her friendship!

Rachelle got this beautiful mobile for Kate:

I love this because it's not at all "practical," yet it's so classic that Kate could have it in her room throughout her youth and adolescence, and even hang it in her own daughter's room. This was one of the only decor-type items that I received... but thank goodness because I'm in desperate need of cute accents for the nursery! I was with Rachelle when we spotted it and I think it was meant to be, since she values great interior design as much as I do. I so appreciate that she would indulge me in something like this :) Once I take some nursery pics you'll really be able to see how amazing it is!

Last but not least, my wonderful friend Sarah (who helped throw the shower) is also knitting Kate a baby blanket! That just makes me smile to think about because it really reflects Sarah's personality: warm, homey, and dedicated. I'm so excited to see it!

Alright! That's probably enough for one night. Thank you again to all who made this past weekend so special! Here's what Kate generally looks like this week, as well as the article.

Week 34+ and Hospital Tour

2008-09-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

I'm into week 34 now, and I've been feeling particularly pregnant and exhausted lately! Yesterday I woke up at 5:00a and felt completely awake. I was really worried that I was going to be up for the rest of the morning. Instead I ended up reading until about 6:15a or so and fell back asleep. This morning, however, I woke up at about 6:15a and have been up since (I usually sleep until 8:00a or so)! These early mornings have to be contributing to my general tiredness... but I'm sure it's this little growing life as well :)

Anyway, yesterday we went in for my 34 week check-up. All continues to be well—which also means my appointments are relatively uneventful (not that I'm complaining!). According to my weigh-in, I've lost two pounds since the last check-up. But... last time my appointment was at a different location (different scale), and I'm sure my outfit or breakfast affect things as well. My scale at home (which I visit at least once on most days :) says that I've kept up the 1.0 lb gain a week... putting me at 24.0 now. Anyway, in spite of the lower weight at the doctor's office, my tummy measured between 34-35 cm, so that's good news. We also walk to all of our appointments, which felt great on the way there... but I felt like an elephant as we were walking the last block on the way home!

Tuesday night we also walked to the hospital for the maternity tour. I have to say, I'm so much more excited about giving birth now—the tour was really reassuring. The maternity "ward" (is that the right word?) is on the third floor of the hospital, and has two designated sections: Labor & Delivery and the Mother-Infant Care Unit (or something like that at any rate...).

For labor and delivery, you are set up in a private room with what looks like a twin bed. The bed is actually separated into three sections and each part adjusts individually. The last third of the bed comes off, and there are no traditional "stirrups" on the bed (thank God!!!). There is a height-adjustable place to put your feet though. The bed also has a place for a birth bar, and each room has a private bathroom and shower. Anyway!!! All that to say that the room set-up and the nurse were both reassuring that, even though it's a hospital setting, there's a lot of freedom to labor in your own way.

After the birth you then get moved to the mother-infant part of the floor, where you're set up again in a private room that has a place for you, Dad, and Baby all to stay. This room also has it's own bathroom and adjustable bed. The decor is definitely hospital-ish, but at least there's privacy and everyone can stay together. I also found out that you don't have to stay in the hospital for more than 24 hours, so it's nice to know there's that option. Overall the tour was reassuring and the staff seemed kind. Hopefully I'll have the same opinion after this whole experience is over!

That's all I've got this week—mostly because I don't have much time right now (ok, and I'm lazy...)! Kate's baby shower is tomorrow and I already have out-of-town guests rolling in! Here is the weeek 34 article and pic. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Week 33, Blankies, and Pic

2008-09-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

One more week down! Today marks the start of week 33, which means (ideally) seven weeks to go! Kate continues to be as active as ever, except she's so substantial now when she moves. Generally this is really fun and endearing, but I have to admit that sometimes it seems like she's just trying to torture her mom :o) Otherwise, I've gained 22.0 lbs and as of today my tummy is still stretch-mark-free (though I can't say that's the case everywhere else!).

So far this has been a good week. As you know from my last post, I put the website up on Saturday, so I'm generally feeling less stressed with that behind me. Chris and I are continuing to work on some features there, but the individual parts aren't as daunting. Sunday we had our good friends Wyatt and Sarah over for dinner, conversation, an old episode of Lost, and banana bread. It was the first time I had ever made banana bread... and I have to say it turned out really well. Chris couldn't quite get over the fact that bread that good came out of our oven. Although, come to think of it, he shouldn't have been so surprised--I'm an excellent baker! My homemade cookies were probably the deciding factor to propose marriage in the first place ;-)

Anyway... I spent yesterday in LA with another good friend, Danielle, for her birthday (which is actually today - Happy B-Day Danielle!). We went spent the day talking, shopping, and eating--the perfect recipe for a great day! A funny theme throughout our day was random men feeling the need to inform me of my current condition. At least twice I was confronted with, "Hey--you're pregnant!" In case I had somehow forgotten or had missed it altogether, the men of LA were there to point it out. Another guy at a bakery asked when I was due, if I was scared, and informed me that it's going to hurt. Thanks!! Granted, these guys were definitely characters (one a Crate & Barrel employee who completely reminded me of Tracy Morgan) and it did make the day that much more memorable. Danielle posted about our day too, and you can see the fun little gift I got for her!

I'm going to go off on a bit of a tangent now... definitely a superficial one, just to warn you. Also yesterday, while visiting one (of many!) baby stores, we came across some amazing baby blankets. Now, I don't recall ever really having a security blanket as a child, but that's probably because they didn't make them like these. (although, I did have the same comforter from about four years old through high school!) The blankets are made by Little Giraffe, and I didn't discover until yesterday that they actually make a line of blankets. I had seen the standard satin-trimmed chenille blankets, which I really like, but after seeing the other two options... I think I'm in love! The first is their Velvet line: specifically the Velvet Dot blankets. They are a really nice velvet on one side and the most amazing silky satin on the other.
They even come in an adorable small travel size. The pink one has the cute polka dots.
The other is the Luxe blanket. There are a few different patterns, but I think the solid with the satin trim is really cute.
These are so amazing because they feel just like the incredible "teddy bear blankets" (as I call them) from Restoration Hardware. If you haven't felt them, you need to walk in to your nearest RH and just go pet one--now. They're incredible!!! Yesterday we actually saw that they started making these blankets in light pink.
I liked the color better in person, but you get the idea. So maybe what Kate "needs" is a Velvet Dot security blanket and a pink RH teddy bear throw to lay on... Now Kate, I know you really wanted the latest butterfly-ballerina-fairy Barbie for Christmas, but Mom has other plans in store for you!

Anyway! Tomorrow's lunch with my friend Sandi then birth class in the evening. Chris and Matt have continued to work on the painting in Kate's room and the goal is to be done (with paint) by Sunday. I'm so excited :)

Alright... Grand finale. Jess at 33 weeks pregnant:

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Please excuse the 1) back-fat, 2) pregnancy-pants-line, and 3) the chubbier-than-usual cheeks :) Now it's starting to make sense where all that weight is going... I cannot believe how big I look in this pic!!!!!

Here's the article and pic. See you later!

Week 32+ (Eight Months!)

2008-09-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

Late again! I have lots of good excuses this time though! But to start off... it's now only about a month-and-a-half until Kate's due date - how freaking exciting?! I'm still a little impatient to meet her, but with how this month is flying by, I know she'll be here before we know it.

So fun updates for this week... I'll start off with the biggest (although not baby-related, sorry!) one. Today I uploaded my first major website design. That's right--my design is out there for the whole world to see :) This project was such a beast because I was basically learning as I went along. At the beginning of the year I decided I wanted to learn html and web design, so I read through a great book and did all the exercises to familiarize myself with html and CSS. After that I went to our Worship / Creative Arts pastor and offered to redesign the site for the church b/c the previous site was terrible. They had received a couple exorbitant quotes (I think one was for somewhere around $10k!), so they were more then happy to let me do it free of charge!

In the end the project included designing the look/layout, writing the html from scratch, creating design elements (tabs, banner, artwork, etc), photo editing, and incorporating all of the content... for a total of twenty pages! It was so much work, but I'm glad I did it. I'm planning on creating a couple more (smaller ones) soon, and maybe this could eventually end up being something I can do at home for extra income... we shall see :o) Anyway, the site is www.oceanhills.org, so feel free to check it out! If you see any typos or things acting strangly please let me know--it was so nerve-wracking to put such a big site up by a deadline! And I definitely feel a little vulnerable putting my "baby" out into the world!

Alright! Back to the real baby! We had our 32 week check-up on Wednesday, and it was definitely the quickest appointment to date. At this point I'm meeting the other doctors in the group, and this one was a kindly older gentleman (he was my friend's primary OB, and she referred to him as "Grandpa"). He basically just listened for her heartbeat, measured the bump (it's 32 cm this week), and told us that Kate is probably around 4lbs now and should about double in size over the next eight weeks. He then asked if we had any questions, which we didn't really, and that was it!

I do need to think more about questions before I go into those appointments... I'm always a bit thrown off when they ask. I guess it's partly because there is so much info already available to me (books, internet, etc) that I assume they'll just tell me anything else they think is important. One thing that surprised me (and that I should have asked about on Wed) was at my 30 week appt, the Dr. said that after 32 weeks I shouldn't be traveling more than 1hr outside of SB. What I've been able to find online is definitely not going very far after 36 weeks, but 32 seems a bit early to me especially since I'm not high-risk. I'd be curious to know if others have been told similar things from their doctors...

The last fun thing this week (told you I had good excuses!) was our first childbirth class on Thursday night. I ended up really liking it, though I have to say it's kind of weird being with a bunch of other pregnant couples--I'm so used to being the only one!

Anyway, we met at the house of the instructor (Tracy) and we all sat in a big circle around her living room. We were told to wear comfy clothes and bring four sleeping-pillows... so with forty pillows and ten couples, things were definitely a bit crowded! We did introductions, Tracy did a quick overview of the night and of the course, then we did a mommy-daddy communication exercise, a positioning & breathing exercise, had a snack break, then watched a couple home/water birth films. The communication thing was fun. We had to sit facing each other, touching, with daddy's hands on mom's belly. Tracy then gave us prompts like, "The thing I enjoy most about you being pregnant is..." and dads would respond first. So it was just a nice intimate time to talk with each other about things we're enjoying now, what we're excited or fearful about, things that we hope for with the birth or for our baby (one prompt was on family traditions we'd hope to maintain), and so on.

In general, I really liked Tracy's demeanor, her way of teaching and exercises, and general views on birth (quick background: she's a Christian woman who's given birth to five kids - at home!). Her view on the birthing process is that not only is it something that we were physically designed for (our bodies were set up so we could deliver children vaginally without drugs), the whole process is intended to create a deep emotional bond between families (mom, dad, and baby). The emotional part she explained as being based in the intense hormone levels that happen at birth; through them, the ability to connect and bond with your partner and baby during the process is tremendous. So labor isn't merely for delivering your baby, but it was also designed for your family to connect and experience the miracle together. I'm sure she was much more eloquent and logical in her explaination, but in general it seems like a really great way to think about what lies ahead :o)

A few more fun things about the class... It's very much a "daddy" class, and the daily homework includes helping mom with good nutrition, good exercise, and both participating in at least 20 minutes daily of good conversation / cuddle / physical time. We also have a big spiral-bound book that we're supposed to read nightly. Did I also mention that the class meets for three hours on Thursday nights for five weeks, then two hours on Tuesday nights for two weeks?? We are going to be experts ;-)

Alright! That is definitely enough for one post. I know I said in my last post that I was going to put pics up, and I will try really hard to take some tomorrow!!! Until next time, the article and growth pic. Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!

Week 31+

2008-09-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

My apologies for the late-ish post! It's been a busy week for me as we're approaching the launch date for the new website at church (it's my first major website design - I'll post a link when it's up!). Anyway!!! I'm now into week 31, though there's not much new to report. My weight-gain has remained pretty much on track... I'm hovering around 21/22 lbs gained with +/-9 weeks to go. It seems likely that in total I'll gain around 30 lbs or just over. I can't believe I'm already carrying so much more weight! I don't feel a lot heavier and it mostly looks like it's all gone to my belly, but obviously neither of those are actually the case :o) I will try to put some new pics up within the next couple days and you can see for yourself!

Chris has started painting the trim in Kate's room. Fortunately he has a good friend (Matt) who's been helping him out. I think having the support of a friend has helped motivate him and generally provided some much needed camaraderie for such a task, so I'm very grateful for both of their efforts! Our goal is to have the painting done and room put back together by the shower (end of this month), so I will share some pics then.

I think that's all for now! Danielle is here and we're going to go out for breakfast :) Here is this week's article and growth pic. Until next time!!

Appointment Updates

2008-08-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Just a few quick updates from my doctor's appointment this morning! At thirty weeks my fundal height measures thirty centimeters, so I'm right on track there. We heard Kate's heartbeat again and it still sounds excellent. The doctor was also able to confirm that she is in the head-down position, and said that ideally she'll stay that way for the rest of the pregnancy. Seems a bit uncomfortable and boring to me, but hopefully she's enjoying herself! What else... The results from the glucose screening said that I don't have gestational diabetes and am not anemic - definitely a good thing. The doc also gave us a run down of the things that could happen from here on out, and broke them down into things not to worry about and things that, if they happen, we should just go to the hospital for. This was my first appointment with this particular doctor and it was definitely a bit of an experience. He was sort of intense, but sort of goofy, and was always numbering things out ("...four contractions" ..."five minutes"...etc). He was nice enough though. He pointed out that we had the same birthday and that was definitely a funny little moment :) Anyway! On our way out the girl at reception was able to schedule the rest of my appointments from here to week forty--how crazy is that??

I think that's all really. Kate continues to kick like a crazy person and because of it, it would appear that I spend a good amount of time trying to impersonate one of those roller/massage chairs. Still fun though :o)

Week 30 and Fun Things

2008-08-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

Today is the start of week 30! I'm now three-quarters of the way through my pregnancy... definitely making some good progress ;) Apparently I look further along than that (or people need to be exposed to more really pregnant women), because so many people have been commenting about my size! "Oh, you must be due soon!"... "Are you sure you're due in November??"... and a delivery guy at work today, "So you must be due next month, right?" The comments don't really bother me, it's just unbelievable that people think I'm so close when I still have +/-10 weeks of growth ahead still! It's daunting to think of the state I'll be in then!

Anyway, I've had a couple fun/interesting things happen this week that seem worth sharing. First is that Kate and I received the invitation to our baby shower! My friends Sarah and Patti are hosting the shower, but it sounds like there's a whole crew of people who've come on board to help! In addition to all of the party-planning tasks that Sarah and Patti have taken on, Danielle will be helping with decor and cute-ifying the party, my boss Jennifer has offered to make flower arrangements, and of course my mom has offered to help with whatever the girls need. I'm so grateful and honored to have such wonderful women so willing to go out of their way for me/us, but I have to admit that I struggle with feeling worthy of such treatment! I know it's not easy to sacrifice time, energy, resources, peace-of-mind, and whatever else in our busy lives... so do I really deserve having people do those things for me?? I think it comes down to fearing that I may be inconveniencing someone, but I'm going to try to remember that the fact of the matter is that I have wonderful friends who care a lot about me and my little family. What a blessing!

The other thing that happened was super random! Chris and I were leaving our friends' apartment complex last week, and we were stopped by a young woman (maybe twenty?) who had a little baby girl with her. She said she noticed I was pregnant and asked if I knew what were were having, because she had some newborn stuff that her daughter either never used or had outgrown. So we exchanged information, and last night Sarah and I went over to talk to her and pick up whatever she was willing to part with. I ended up with a good amount of jammie-type outfits and other clothes, as well some things like a boppy, sling, muslin blankets/cloths (from Israel!), and brand new diapers (even though I plan on doing cloth, I can't imagine that it's unwise to have some disposable back-ups!). I also took some things that I don't necessarily need or want, but I felt like it would help her to get everything off her hands. It was so unexpected, but so kind and generous of a stranger to offer something like that! My heart really goes out to her though... We brought over some blondies I made that night, and she told us a little bit about her story. She basically said that the conception of her daughter played out just like the plot of Knocked Up! She was in her freshman year of college and ended up getting pregnant. After lots of moving back and forth between parents and after the birth, she decided to go back to UCSB b/c the dad said he wanted to be involved. But it sounds like the only involvement he's really committing to is watching their daughter while she's at class (and she sounded skeptical that he'd even follow through with that). Otherwise it's just her and her baby living in student family housing. I can't even imagine how difficult her situation must be, and I think she definitely needs some prayers sent her way! I'm hoping that I can stay in touch with her a bit and check in on her... I'm certain God has put her in my path for a reason.

Hmmm... I think that's it for now. I have a doctor's appt on Friday, so I'll be back if I have any fun updates. Here's the article and pick for the week. Bfn :o)

Week 29+

2008-08-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in the second trimester anymore...

Week 29... who'd have thought that things could change so much in a week?? Well, they didn't change sooo much, but enough.

The wedding weekend was a lot of fun, but it definitely sucked a good amount of energy out of me. Waking up Saturday morning after two nights of events, we both couldn't really believe that the wedding hadn't even happened yet! It ended up being a really wonderful event though. Kevin's dad (a pastor) married them, which made the ceremony incredibly special. The reception was beautiful, and it was so nice to catch up with friends. Here are a couple preggie pics from the weekend:

I got to visit with one of my best friends, Rachelle, while up north. She looks so fab! And yes, that's the shirt again :o)

Chris and I after the ceremony and before the reception. I won't be offended if you think I look like a house, because I totally do!!!

Since returning from our weekend, I've been exhausted. I don't want to do anything, yet there is sooo much to do. Normal chores seem daunting, going to work every day feels draining, I stubbornly don't want to finish the website that I'm so close to completing, and the idea of taking care of home improvement projects before Kate's arrival just seems impossible. Plus I feel like I weigh as much as a dump truck (18.0 lbs total weight gain as of today - yikes :-/) and that I need a forklift --or at the very least a heroic tug from Chris-- to get me back off the couch. But all whining aside, I've felt better since yesterday, so it may be that the weekend was enough to knock everything out of me for awhile. I can't imagine it's going to get a whole lot easier though!!!

Kate, on the other hand, just keeps getting more amazing. Last night she must have woken me up, so I put my hands on my tummy and could just feel her little body somersaulting all around. It was the closest I've come to being able to feel what's what and "understand" her movements. It was so cool because I could sort of follow her around as she moved. What a little blessing - God is so good! I'm so excited to meet her :o)

Alright! Off to work for the day! Happy Thursday to everyone, and enjoy this week's article and pic.

Week 28... THE THIRD TRIMESTER!!!

2008-08-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Now it's official: I'm in my third trimester of pregnancy. It's so crazy to be this far along, but still have almost three months to go! I'm very excited though, and feel very blessed that the pregnancy has gone so well thus far. I think 30 weeks will feel like another milestone (just because I'll be out of the 20's) and after that one I imagine it'll be the big 37! Creeping closer...

Kate is doing wonderfully (as far as I can tell!) and continues to be very active. I think it's getting to the point where she's starting to wake me up at night, or keeps me from sleeping as well as I'd like to :o) I'm feeling her a lot higher up now too --closer to my rib cage-- which is definitely a new development. For the majority of the time since I first felt her move it's been pretty low... usually below my bellybutton. But not anymore! It's interesting too to pay attention to the differences between her little busy-body movements (which feel like a series of taps, jabs, and jolts) and her big changing-position movements (which feel more like a sea creature doing somersaults below the surface of my stomach!). Personally I look forward to the sea creature ones because I get more of a feel for how substantial she really is.

Anyway! I'm continuing to stay very busy, which definitely helps to curb my impatience. Tomorrow Chris and I leave for the Bay Area for a wedding weekend! (Congrats Kevin and Bethany!) I'm super excited to go back to our old stomping ground and see a lot of Chris' old Stanford buddies. Chris also has a lot of commitments throughout the weekend (being a groomsman and all), so I get to spend a lot of time visiting my friends who are still in the area. I'll be hanging out with Allie (who was my roommate at Theta and MOH at my wedding) Thursday night, and then visiting with my forever-friend Rachelle (who I've been super close with since junior high!) Friday and Saturday days. It's going to be so fun!!! I really hope hanging out with a big preggie like me doesn't cramp their style ;-)

Okay! I think that's all for tonight. Gotta pack and all that stuff... it takes a lot of planning to look cute and coordinated for four days straight when you're seven months pregnant!

Here's the weekly article and pic. Have a good weekend!

Sale at Blogs By Danielle!

2008-08-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

I just wanted write a quick post to give a little special attention to my good friend Danielle (who will likely be known by Kate as "fun Aunt Danielle"). First thing first... I love my new blog design - thanks Danielle!!! Hopefully we'll keep this one till the end ;-) Anyway... today is the one year anniversary of Danielle's blog design business --Blogs By Danielle-- so she's having a great sale on blog designs until midnight tonight (PST - since we're Cali girls)! She is having an anniversary sale all month, but today is the "extra special sale" since it marks the exact date. All of the really cute designs you've seen on my blog were created (with love) by her. So if you're interested in getting a really fab blog design, definitely check her out! And if nothing else, it's fun browse through all of the amazing work she's done. Danielle-- congrats on your thriving business and thanks for always being one of my biggest cheerleaders!!!

Week 27+

2008-08-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

I'm now in week 27 and am only six days away from entering my third trimester! I did just learn though that sometimes doctors just flat out divide the pregnancy into thirds, so I could technically already be considered to be in the the third trimester:
- 40 total weeks divided by 3 trimesters = 13.33 weeks per trimester
- 2 completed trimesters = 26.67 weeks
- My current number of weeks =27.14 weeks (yay math!)
Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and stick with the relatively standard 28 week point as marking the beginning of the third trimester. So yeah, six days to go :o)

Before I continue any further though, I wanted to say Happy Birthday to my mom! She's 45 today... talk about a young grandma!! I guess she brought it on herself though by having me at twenty ;-) I wish I had a cute picture of her pregnant with me, but *sigh*... I don't.
***Happy Birthday Mom (I love you!!)***

As far as pregnancy updates, there's not a whole lot new. Yesterday I went in to get blood drawn for a glucose screening (to test for gestational diabetes). I don't generally mind having blood taken, but for this test you have to first drink something called "glucola" (a 10 oz drink that looks and sort of tastes like orange soda), then wait at the clinic for exactly one hour, then get your blood drawn. You only get a five minute window to drink the glucola, which ended up being a challenge for me since I'm a notoriously slow drinker. So in the last minute I basically had to "chug" half the bottle, and that was especially awkward as I was in a room full of people who weren't drinking this funny neon-orange drink! It was also a bummer having to spend an hour of my morning in a crowded waiting room, but Chris came with me and kept me company, so I was very appreciative for that. I'm praying for normal results, both for Kate's and my health, and also so I won't be subjected to an additional "three hour glucose tolerance test" (which my flier from the doctor tells me is the next step in the case of abnormal results - yikes!!!).

Anyway! Kate's continuing to do well and stay active, and I've been doing a bit better with that myself. My weight has also dropped a tad this week, so I'm feeling a lot healthier after gaining twice as much as I was hoping over the two weeks prior! I'm also so excited that we're in August now. I feel like these next two months at least are going to fly by, and we're that much closer to meeting our little girl!!!! I can't wait :-D

Alright, sadly I think that's all I have for now! I'm feeling a tad burnt out --I'm filling in for my coworker this month, and there have been lots of little things going on this week-- so I'm going to go have some "me" time! Here's this week's article, and look how cute and baby-ish Kate's getting this week!

Week 26+ and Preggie Pics

2008-07-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

Alright... I keep getting pestered to post some "bump" pics... so here they are (you just have to promise to not make fun of how goofy I look... I loathe "posing" for pictures!)

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This is me today:

All I can say is.... OMG I'm HUUUGGEEE!! The camera adds 10 lbs, right?? (This is my favorite preggie top btw!)

This picture looks way bigger than I feel, but oh well :o) I'm totaling about 15 lbs right now with 14 weeks to go, so I think I need to commit to walking more and taking a little better care of Kate and myself. Although at my appointment this morning, the CNM said they have me down as only gaining 10 lbs since they started seeing me, so I don't know what's going on there. Anyway, I can't believe I have at least three more months of growing ahead of me!!!!

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This is 2.5 weeks ago:

... and 4 lbs ago :-/ Maeby's kept her slim little figure though :o)

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This is at about 17.5 weeks:

just the belly!

I think that's everything I've taken since Hawaii. I will try to be better about being more consistent! Otherwise, things are continuing to go well. The past two weeks or so were super busy with going to see our fam, having family visit us, Danielle and Jill visiting (which was so fun!), and misc appointments and meetings. It seems that my "busy theory" I posted about a couple weeks ago is working! Anyway! Like I mentioned above, I had an appointment with the midwife today and we got to hear Kate's wonderful, healthy little heartbeat. She also measured the fundal height, which measured 27 cm and means I'm "right on track" (she said you generally want to be within 3 cms of your current number of weeks of pregnancy). So everything is going well and I'm enjoying spending time with my little girl :o)

Here's the pic and article for the week:

Until next time!

Week 25 and bumGenius Giveaway

2008-07-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

I'll start with the giveaway: Sarah sent me this link for a chance to win twelve bumGenius cloth diapers at Baby Cheapskate (thank you Sarah!!). I'm so excited - these are the cloth diapers I'm registering for! How cool would it be to win some?! But I can't get my hopes up... I don't think I've ever won a drawing or raffle before. Anyway, check it out if you're interested!

Today is the start of week twenty-five! I'm generally feeling well, although I've been sort of wiped out since our trip this past weekend. I think part of the feeling also comes from the fact that this week has been busy and will continue to be through the upcoming weekend. So just thinking about everything exhausts me! Perhaps Kate and I are going through a little growth spurt too, which may be contributing? My weight jumped up two pounds this week instead of one - eek! I'm okay with it though as long as that doesn't become a trend (the two-pounds-a-week, not the weight gain part!).

Kate's been a little busy body this week. Her movements have changed recently too: I'll either feel a sudden "jolt" or "kick" from her, or else I'll feel her sort of "roll" across me. When she does her jolty movement I can often see my whole stomach bounce - so wild! I can definitely say that feeling her move has been my favorite thing so far about being pregnant. I love to lie down and try to tune in to everything she's doing... it's major bonding time! I've told Chris that I really wish he could experience it the way I do, even for a moment... to feel so intensely connected to this little person who you still have yet to meet! It's wonderful :o)

Anyway, here's the pic and article for the week. Happy Wednesday!

Super-Sweet Gift

2008-07-21T22:19:00.001-07:00

Chris and I visited our families this past weekend and we had a really nice time. We had a BBQ with both sets of families on Saturday, and Sunday my mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes while Chris spent the afternoon with his family in the pool. Also while we were there, my dad gave us a gift for Kate from one of his patients, Karen. Here's a pic of the items in the gift (sorry for the weird lighting - I took it at night!):

Anyway, we were in total disbelief about how kind and generous she is to give us a gift like this! I really love everything (especially the little set of onesies!) and I'm really thankful that my dad has such wonderful patients who would care about him and his family like Karen does. So I just wanted to include a big thank-you from us and Kate!

Made me laugh (out loud!)

2008-07-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

I just came across this link on Baby Blog Addict... it's so ridiculous, but funny. Enjoy!

20 Baby Products Great For Traumatizing Infants

Week 24 (Six Months Pregnant!!?!)

2008-07-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

Update: I decided to take a warm (not hot!) bath to relax a bit, and not long after I got in Kate was back to her normal squirmy self. Perhaps she just enjoys a long bath and a good book as much as her mom does. Needless to say, I'm feeling much better now!

Today is the beginning of week 24... how crazy is that? I cannot believe I can say that I'm six months pregnant now! Even though I still have four weeks before I start my third trimester, it's kind of feeling like the final stretch. I think what really makes it feel like it's going by quickly (or not) is a matter of how much "stuff" is going on aside from our weekly routine. Here are the things on my calendar from now through September (aside from work, church, impromptu outings with friends and/or each other, and my website project):

- Nor Cal to visit Fam (this weekend)
- Xander to the vet (next week)
- Grandparents visiting (next weekend)
- Appt w/midwife (following week)
- B-day party (second weekend of August)
- Start of 3rd trimester (that next week)
- Wedding in Bay Area (third weekend of August)
- Appt w/doctor (last week of August)
- Labor day, out of town friends visit?? (first week of Sept)
- Appt w/doctor (second week of Sept)
- Birthing class starts (second week of Sept, through mid-October)

And then I'm in October, which will be the real "final stretch" of my pregnancy. But see how the next two and a half months will just fly by?? Well, maybe not really. I guess I just want to lessen the wait time left to meet Kate, so distractions seem like a good thing. And to some extent it's been working :o)

Updates this week... I've gained one more pound and I'm at a total of 11 now. I have 16 weeks left (give or take a couple), so I think I'm on a good track for 25-30 lbs total. Yesterday I walked to work, which was a total of four miles round trip (reminds me of walking to class every day in Rome... **nostalgia**), so continuing to do pretty well on the exercise front. Oh! I have noticed though that my fingers are definitely feeling a bit more swollen these days, so I've taken to just wearing my wedding band on my ring finger and putting my engagement ring on my starfish necklace. It actually looks pretty cute having the two together :o)

I think I do need some extra prayer for peace of mind this week though. I've previously been spoiled by Kate constantly squirming and dancing around, but she hasn't been doing that as much since my last post. Usually when I'm sitting at work, sprawled out on the couch, or laying down to go to bed, she likes to do her thing and I'll feel at least one big kick and she'll squirm in a way that tickles. But I really haven't noticed those things over the past few days. I don't know if I'm being a paranoid mommy-to-be, if I'm over-analyzing the situation, or if it's an actual flag that I should be calling the doctor, but whatever the case it's making me feel a little confused / uneasy this week. I'm trying hard to trust that God knows what's going on and would let me know more clearly if something more serious was going on, and that's definitely helping. So prayers would be much appreciated, or if you've had a similar experience / freak-out that you want to share I'm open to that as well!

Anyway! Here's the little sweetie this week, as well the article:

Week 23 and Birthing Class

2008-07-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

I'm now in week 23, although I feel a little weird claiming that since I haven't technically been pregnant that long! Oh well. There hasn't been loads going on, but there are a few things.

Kate likes to move around (a lot!) which has been a really fun experience. I find that the more I feel her move and squirm, the more likely I am to end up talking to her. I guess it seems like she's asking me to acknowledge her presence... so I do :o) Also when she gets really active I tend to grab Chris' hand and glue it to my stomach. He's able to feel her a little bit (definitely when she does something big), but really he's looking forward to her actually being here and holding her so he can say with certainty, "Jess - I can feel her!"

Regardless of all the exercise Kate's getting, I'm trying to continue mine as well! We still do a good amount of walking, as well as lots of yard work on the weekends. That has actually been a really rewarding outlet for physical activity. I think my next step needs to be incorporating more stretching and strength training. Baby Center has sent me a couple good articles on that-- I should print them out and stick them on my fridge! Other updates... Total weight gain so far: 10.0 lbs. Total number of new stretch marks: four or five :o) But don't you worry, there are more impressive numbers still to come!

Also this week I took my first steps toward what I'll call, "Operation: Getting Kate Out." More specifically, I got a great recommendation and signed up for a natural childbirth class. After spending some time looking online for a local Bradley course (only to find that the nearest one is in Ventura), I was getting discouraged that I wasn't finding much. The courses and/or educators that I was finding seemed less appealing because there wasn't any way for me to confirm that they would be a good fit (no association with a national organization, didn't have any recommendations from friends, etc). I thought we would just have to sign up for the course at the hospital and take whatever scraps of natural childbirth information they would throw us. But I ended up asking my coworker if she had any suggestions (she's a SB native and very much another mom-like figure for me), and she told me that she did. She gave me the name of a woman who's been an educator for over ten years, had five children naturally at home, and who is also a strong Christian woman. I was delighted to find this out because I was worried about the possibility of ending up in a "New Age" birthing course and feeling way out of my comfort zone. Instead, this woman comes at it with more of the approach that God designed us to do this, and it can be a really wonderful thing. Anyway! I spoke to her yesterday and found her to be very kind and very grounded. She also has lots of connections to the Christian natural birth medical community here, so she was able to give me all sorts of names and recommendations. Turns out that the CNM (certified nurse midwife) that I've seen a few times is also a Christian woman. So, I went ahead and signed us up for her September/October session. There will be a total of eight couples meeting for seven weeks, and then there's one more meeting after the baby's here. I'm especially excited because it sounds like it will be a wonderful opportunity for fellowship, as well as just meeting other couples who will have babies Kate's age.

On a loosely related note, Chris has gradually been memorizing some different Psalms and is sort of "building up an arsenal" in a way. The idea is that when he's stressed or just doesn't feel like he's in the right place, he can meditate on a Psalm and find peace in the Lord. I decided that I'd like to do the same thing and start building up my own arsenal for labor. I know that things like meditation/prayer, scents and sounds, massage, etc will be important alternatives to the lack of medication, and I think that having some Psalms to concentrate on could be invaluable. I would love your suggestions if you have a particular Psalm or verse(s) that you'd be willing to share. I came across this one the other day and I was really drawn to it (I think this is the first one I'll memorize):

Psalm 16:7-11 (NIV)

7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

I just found those words to be really peaceful and comforting, and it's a good reminder for me that God's really at the center of everything.

Alright! That's all for now. Here's an idea of what Kate may look like this week, as well as the weekly article:

Summer Reading

2008-07-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

I've picked up a few "parenting" books recently since I've pretty much exhausted the couple I have on pregnancy. I'm really happy with my selections so far, and they're interesting enough that I've been able to get through them pretty quickly. I suppose I should forewarn you, this post is a bit on the "dry" side... so read at your own risk of boredom!!

The first book I read is called Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality by Dr's. Laura A. Jana and Jennifer Shu. The authors are both pediatrician-moms and the intent for the book is to be a sort of "manual" for your baby (although they do acknowledge that every baby is a bit different). They cover baby basics (changing a diaper, washing and dressing your baby, supporting your baby's head, etc) as well as things that aren't necessarily common knowledge (what colors and consistencies of poo mean what, step-by-step and illustrated instructions on swaddling, how to get your baby to properly latch when breastfeeding, and so on). The book also covers things about going out and traveling with your baby, car seat installation and safety, as well as the general physical health of your baby. It was a fun and interesting read, and I can imagine that it will be useful to flip back to it now and then when Kate is here.

I also read The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears this past Sunday. I first decided to start reading up on vaccines because there's definitely some controversy around them, and I realized that my own knowledge on vaccines was essentially zero. It seemed that now would probably be a good time to start getting some better facts since this is something we'll be needing to make decisions on soon. For people who are in the dark about all of this (like I was), here are a handful of the "issues" that I've come across about what makes vaccines today controversial:

- There has been an increase in the number of vaccines given to children, as well an increase in the frequency of disorders such as Autism, ADD, etc manifesting in children. It's thought that these may be linked.
- Mercury in vaccines is possibly linked to Autism as well (although as of 2002 most vaccines are now mercury free).
- Some vaccines contain ingredients that are known to be toxic, such as aluminum and formaldehyde.
- Some vaccines have higher risks of serious side effects, which a child may be more susceptible to than ever contracting the disease itself.
- There is general concern over exposing young children to too many vaccines at once; the current AAP schedule recommends up to four at a time for infants.

So that's what prompted me to get this book, and I'm happy that I did. I really liked it! I found it to be very informative and interesting, generally unbiased, and overall I think it's a really useful tool when it comes to deciding on vaccines for your baby. Basically, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) lists twelve different vaccines for children to be administered according to an established schedule. In this book, Dr. Sears dedicates one chapter to looking at each disease/vaccine pair, and addresses the following in each of those chapters:

- What is X [disease]?
- Is X [disease] common?
- Is X [disease] serious?
- Is X [disease] treatable?
- When is the X vaccine given?
- How is the X vaccine made?
- What ingredients are in the final vaccine solution?
- Are any of these ingredients controversial?
- What are the side effects of X vaccine?
- Reasons to get this vaccine
- Reasons why some people choose not to get this vaccine
- The way I see it...

So as you can see, he gives you a lot of information. There were a few things I especially appreciated though. In the section about how the vaccine is made, he also tells you if more than one company makes the vaccine, as well as which (and how much) ingredients are in each formula. So for example, if you feel strongly about a certain vaccine, but are wary of aluminum in vaccines, you can see which formula has less aluminum, or determine if one has none at all. I also liked that included opinions on both sides of why or why not to get the vaccine. The opinions presented were generally those of a number or patients, rather than his own. Instead he had "The Way I See It" section at the end, where he gives a pretty honest look at his thoughts/feelings on the particular vaccine. So whether he thinks one is really important or that you could reasonably skip another, he'll tell you that. He even mentions toward the end of the book that he does not administer the Hep B vaccine to children (even though it's on the AAP schedule) because he really feels that it's not an infant disease and should be given later. I just appreciated his honesty.

Dr. Sears goes on to write seven additional chapters about other issues concerning vaccines (more on research, side effects, and ingredients; combination vaccines, travel vaccines, special cases; myths and questions; delaying vaccination; and so on...). He also offers a couple of alternate vaccine schedules: one that presents his bare minimum vaccination schedule recommendation, and another that still includes all the vaccines but with a rearranged schedule, limits it to two vaccines at one time, and does not include more than one aluminum-containing vaccine at each vaccination. You can check out his website for more info on vaccination schedules, vaccines and autism, and so on.

After finishing the book, I feel like I have a better understanding about vaccinations and a clearer picture of the decisions I'd like to make for our children. I still have one more book that I'm starting, which I'll probably post on later. I have to say, I'm very thankful that I've started reading up on parenting "stuff" while still pregnant. It's nice to be thinking about and researching things now rather than discovering them after the fact or in the midst of things. Plus, right now I've still got the time :o)

Our Family Car :o)

2008-07-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Over the last month or so we've started car shopping. Originally we wanted a Toyota Prius, primarily because of the amazing gas mileage, but also because the four-doors and hatchback would be a step forward in accommodating our growing little family. But once we actually set out to get one, we came across a major road block: the demand for and mark-up on the car are both outrageous. We basically wouldn't be able to get what we'd want for less than $30k, and at that point the extra cost completely undoes the savings we'd accumulate from spending less on fuel.

So! We started looking at our second choice, the Honda CR-V... more roomy, reliable, very cute, and decent fuel economy. Last week our car guy found one going up for auction that Friday and was able to get it for us at an amazing deal! It's a 2007 EX-L trim (top of the line!!) with just over 11,500 miles on it. On Tuesday it arrived from Nevada and I walked downtown to pick it up. It's in great condition, and I really think I'm in love! It's so fun / nice to drive, and I can already picture Kate in the backseat :o)

Here are some pics Chris took last night. If you haven't heard yet, The Gap Fire has been burning in Los Padres National Forrest (behind Goleta) since Tuesday evening, so you can see the tint of the smoke in the lighting.

Now I just need a car seat to put in it... :o) Well, I guess a baby too.

New Due Date! (Week 22 / 18 Weeks Left)

2008-07-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

This morning I had a short and sweet doctor's appointment. A few things came out of it. First (and biggest), my due date has been moved up to the earlier date. Dr. Terbell said that since the ultrasound equipment measures so accurately and the ultrasound doctor had estimated an earlier due date at both appointments, she is adjusting my date to November 5th. It still means that Kate is going to come when she comes, but it also means that if she doesn't show by the 19th they will want to induce. So please pray for (in the words of my friend Sarah) a "timely and cooperative baby girl." I really want as little intervention as possible for the birth. Otherwise, she said that my weight gain is good, and that my fundal height measures on track for my new date. She asked if I've felt a lot of activity lately, which I told her I have, and when she listened for the heartbeat she laughed at how much we could hear the baby moving. I guess Kate prefers to speak for herself :o) It was a good appointment and I seem to generally come away feeling even more excited about our little girl.

I'm a bit bummed, because this was the last appointment I'll have with my doctor. She's going on maternity leave next month, so from here on out I'll be meeting with the other doctors in the group. I have to say... not so excited about that. My next appointment is with the nurse-midwife though, so when I see her I will ask if she can be my new primary caregiver for the rest of the pregnancy. I know that it won't really change things, but it would be a least nice to know that I have her to ultimately turn to.

I'm including the image for this week, as well as week 21, since I was sort of "robbed" of a week :o) Here's the most current article as well.

Halfway There

2008-06-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

I now in my twentieth week - officially halfway through my pregnancy! It's sort of a funny place to be, probably because a lot of the excitement of the situation has calmed down. Thinking about it, the first half of pregnancy has been full of pretty big events: finding out that we're pregnant, the first doctor's appointment and ultrasound, seeing my body transition into looking pregnant, feeling Kate move around, and of course, the anatomy ultrasound... not only getting to see how she's developing, but finding out the sex and meeting her in a way! I know there are still plenty of exciting things ahead: my body becoming really pregnant, decorating the nursery (although spending $$... not so exciting), a shower eventually, and of course the birth itself. But I really just want to hurry up and have her, and for her to be with us. I cannot believe that I still have twenty more weeks before that happens! I didn't realize that forty weeks could be so long!!! But then again, I've never been very good at the whole patience thing :o)

Aside from all of that, I'm doing well. At the start of twenty weeks my total weight gain was at 9.0 lbs. Although it's under my 10.0 lb cap, I still feel a little out of control with it. Over the past four weeks, my gain pattern has been 0.5 lbs one week and then 1.5 lbs the next. It just feels crazy because I'll be going along at a steady weight, then it will jump up a pound and a half overnight and stay there the rest of the week! Obviously weight gain is inevitable and important... I just don't want to overdo it. I'm doing a good amount of walking to help stay on track, but I think I need to figure out a little more activity to be doing now that my spinning class is over... at least until Kate comes anyway.

We're also in the middle of getting our new "family" car (Honda CR-V), which is pretty exciting. We finally won't be a two-door Pontiac household anymore!!

That's all for now. Here's the article and pic for the week:

Week 19 and All About Kate

2008-06-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'm now at nineteen weeks and thought I'd share some growth updates... for both Kate and myself! During this past ultrasound, the doctor confirmed that baby Kate is keeping up her faster growth rate, which means she's still on track for the earlier due date. He said from head to heel she measures eleven inches, and Chris thinks he said that she weighs elven ounces as well (although I wasn't listening at this point, as I hadn't gotten over the surprise of learning she was a girl!). So I still have no idea why she seems bigger or older, except that babies must each grow at their own pace... to some extent anyway. I also have no idea when she's going to show up either. Considering that I have one due date for November 14th, one for November 5th, as well as taking into account that my mom's babies were always late (I was twenty days overdue!), I'm thinking that she could show up anytime between the 1st and 28th! Can you believe all the trouble she's already causing?!? :o)

Okay... here's some fun stuff: our most recent pictures of Kate. This first one is of her sweet little face. She's lying on her side and you can make out the left half of her face (she's looking at you, not a profile):

I love this next one!! It's just so amazing to see. It's a picture of her little hand:

This shows her spine:

And this shows that she's a "she." Now... I think this one is really hard to make out. The arrow is pointing to a tiny white line just above the arrow and to the right. It's hard to explain, but her bum is leaning towards the right top and her legs are on either side of the arrow, sort of bent a bit. It's okay if you can't figure it out though... we'll just take the doctor's word for it!

Those are all of the ultrasound pics, but I've got one more fun thing. As part of our anniversary evening, Chris and I made a stop downtown after our beach picnic. We decided it would be fun to pick out our first little "gift" for Kate, so we bought her her first outfit from Mommy and Daddy. I wasn't sure we would find anything worthy of a first outfit, but I really loved this one when I saw it (plus it was on sale for $7.80, which made it even better!):

I was really drawn to the color (obviously!), the lines, and the really sweet patterns. And the little butterfly is a separate (3D) element. I love too that it's more of a jumper and not just a onesie. I can't wait to see her in it! Here's slightly closer up:

That's all for Kate (for now)! As for myself, at nineteen weeks I've gained a total of 7.5 lbs (2.5 lbs during the first trimester and 5.0 lbs so far in the second). So I'm sticking pretty well to 10.0 lbs by 20 weeks (guideline suggested by my doctor). After that she recommends 1.0 lb per week for the next 20 weeks (yikes!). I'll continue to keep you posted... it's a good way to keep me accountable! I promise I will post some bump pictures soon... just need to find a time that I've actually put some effort in making myself look photo-worthy :o)

Oh! Almost forgot the article and pic for this week. I forgot to mention too, I recently discovered that Baby Center has a week-by-week slideshow using their food comparisons! Here's the link for that as well (now I know what a turnip looks like!).

The Bump is Performing!

2008-06-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Today is our three year wedding anniversary (yay!!!), and to start off our day Chris and I walked to a local coffee shop to share a mocha and pastry (raspberry streusel - yum!!!). It was so nice and relaxing to sit outside on a beautiful morning and talk. We also had fun thinking about repeating our little date in the future with Kate in her stroller beside our table... our sweet little family :o) Anyway!! On our walk back to the house we ran into our neighbor from a few doors down. She's a very sweet woman in her sixties who just loves to chat and gossip (she has a Shih Tzu too). As we came up to her to say hi, she asked with some excitement, "Are you having a baby?!?" (it had been awhile since we last spoke!). That question totally brightened my (already wonderful) day! I laughed and said that I was, and that she was a brave soul to ask because no one has asked without me saying something first. Even last night when I got my hair cut, my hair dresser said she thought I was, but didn't want to say anything... just in case. Anyway, it was just refreshing to have someone notice and acknowledge the bump; it's nice to start really feeling pregnant!

It's A Girl!

2008-06-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

Well, if you've visited my blog at any time during the last nine hours or so (thanks to my friend Danielle!), you already know that Chris and I are having a baby girl! The shock of finding that out is still wearing off! I was convinced that today we would receive confirmation of what my gut was telling me... that we were expecting a son. Thanks for nothing, Intuition! The only consolation I have that I'm somehow in fact connected to my baby are the crazy dreams I had last night. I slept terribly (probably because I was so excited about today), and in the wee hours of the morning I kept dreaming that I was wrong about the sex and that we were having a girl... I told Chris about it this morning, but said that I still didn't think it was significant. How wrong was I?! I'm pretty sure my response to the doctor was "NO WAY!" But he showed us the little line "with nothing in front of it," and said, yes way, we're having a girl :o)

I am getting very excited about all the "girl" things as it's starting to sink in. One thing is that the nursery cuteness factor will be far superior to that of a boy's room... hands down! I'm also very excited about dresses (and girl clothes in general). Dresses are so much fun, especially in a beach area. Oh! And baby girl bathing suits!!! Frilly stuff aside, I'm also looking forward to watching her grow up as "daddy's little girl." I still think it will be wonderful to see Chris with a son someday, but it will be so special for him to have a daughter. He is such a tender, loving, and thoughtful man, I can imagine that he will be the world to our little girl (and vice versa). It will be fun for me to do the mother-daughter things too... I loved getting to do a special weekend with my mom, or just taking time to talk about anything and everything. I already know this is going to be an amazing and unpredictable journey - what a blessing!

Last little bit of news... we already have a name picked out! When we first got pregnant we had no trouble agreeing on a girl's name (it's the boy's that are tough!). So, in November we will be welcoming baby Kate. Her full name will be Katherine Vivian. Katherine is so that she can have a formal name if she ever wanted to use it professionally, or for whatever other reason. Plus I love the idea that both versions are really historical and sophisticated (Katherine of Arragon, Katherine Hepburn, Kate Spade, etc.). Vivian is my grandmother's middle name and it's a name that I always knew I wanted to use when I had a daughter. I think it was the way my grandma signed her name that made me love it... her writing was so pretty and there was a special beauty in how she wrote Vivian. It's a family name too; I learned from her that it was her grandmother's maiden name, and that her great-grandparents (the Vivians) were from Cornwall, England. So I guess I'm sort of ending up with a little Brit, who has an Irish surname, but will in fact be a California girl... Seems logical.

Okay! That's all for tonight. As wonderful as the day was, it wiped me out! Thank you though to all of our friends who sent their well wishes and congratulations our way... we really appreciate everyone's love and support. And also for the couple sweet little gifts we received... everything is so cute :o) I really look forward to sharing more about baby Kate as things progress! I will also post some new ultrasound pics and size stats later in the week.

Goodnight!!!

Week 18

2008-06-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Today is the start of week eighteen, which puts me at four-and-a-half months. I can't believe I'm just around the corner from the halfway mark! According to the Baby Center article this week, the baby measures roughly the size of a bell pepper from the top of its head to the bottom of its bum :o) I have to admit, I do enjoy the food comparisons! A couple weeks ago it was as long as an avocado, last week it weighed as much as a turnip (although honestly, I don't think I've ever purchased a turnip... so I would have been okay with a different food!), and now the bell pepper. I wonder when it will outgrow the salad stage?

Anyway! This week has been going by soooo fast, but mostly in ways that we were not expecting. After I got out of the shower on Monday morning, Chris tells me he has some bad news: his kidney stone is on the move and he needs to go the emergency room. The poor sweetie... it took over an hour for them to get us into a room and Chris started on pain meds. In the meantime he's in unbearable pain and I feel completely helpless to do anything for him. In the end, we were there for five hours and the stone still had (has) not passed. The medication they gave him there had completely relieved his pain, and they sent him home with a prescription to help with the contractions if they start again. They were also able to tell us that the stone was en route from the kidney to the bladder, so hopefully it's in the bladder by now. We're really hoping he passes it soon so that he doesn't have it constantly lingering in the back of his mind. I just told him he can't let it happen again this Monday :-P

Aside from the kidney stone, we've both been busy at work and have had frustrating car "stuff" to deal with (car not starting, problems at the smog place, car hunting, etc.). With all of that, there really hasn't been much time to think about the big day. (Oh, the appointment on Monday is at 9:30a, not 9:00a, which I think I had said in my last post.) When we do get time to think about it we both get so excited! It's been especially fun for me to observe Chris' attitudes about everything. He covers the spectrum, jokingly saying something like once we know the sex and possibly have a name, he might feel like the baby's already "here" and that after Monday we'll never have privacy again! Then on the other end, he'll get very tender and starry-eyed at the thought of this new little miracle coming into our life. I know I've mentioned this before, but I am sooo excited to see him become a dad, and to experience parenthood with him by my side.

Last update: recently I've been feeling the baby moving a lot! It's the hardest thing to describe, and I wouldn't call it a "flutter" or "tickling" as some will say about their experiences. Instead I would say it feels like the faintest drum beat or a tiny bubble, if that makes sense at all. I'll have to see if the sensation changes over the next couple weeks or if it just intensifies. Hopefully by then I can describe it more accurately.

Here's the article (if you missed it above) and pic for the week. Poor little guy is already looking cramped :-/

Week 17+ and First Baby Gift

2008-06-08T13:41:00.001-07:00

There's not too much going on this week, but things are getting exciting. (The movie was very fun last week btw!) I'm half way through week seventeen and just about one week away from my anatomy ultrasound! I am beyond excited for this appointment :) If you're in my or Chris' contact list, you can expect at least a text message sometime that morning (the appointment is at 9a on 6/16). If we're not in touch then, I'll be posting that day. We have a good amount of errands / appointments / tasks to take care of in the coming week, so I'm hoping those will help to make the time pass more quickly.

We did receive our official first baby gift from Danielle this weekend (she came up to visit). It's a really sweet/cute plush froggy rattle :) Here's a pic:

Well, I think that's all I have for now. Obviously there will be some more interesting things to post about soon :) Here's the article and pic for the week:

Week 16+ and "Fashion Bags"

2008-05-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

In honor of the new Sex and the City movie opening this weekend (which I will be seeing mere hours from now!), I thought I'd dedicate some space to fashion and style. Although I have to clarify: I believe that "fashion bags" in mommy-to-be speak roughly translates to "very cute diaper bags." So maybe not completely SATC worthy... but Charlotte could appreciate it :o)

Anyway, there are lots of fun bags around now and during one evening of online browsing I found a handful that caught my eye. I think I could be equally satisfied with any, but if you know me well you're welcome to put in your two-cents! A couple notes about my taste: I love color (especially blue), and I love paisley, floral, and graphic patterns in general. I don't wear lots of prints, so I especially gravitate towards them for things like this that are allowed to be fun :o) One more side note: I'm not factoring gender into diaper bag selection because this falls under mom-fashion for me. Anyway! Here are my top five picks (in no particular order), enjoy!

Fleurville: Re-Run Messenger in Ogo

OiOi: Pink Floral Bouquet Messenger

Bumble Bag: Jessica Messenger in Buttercup Bliss

Fleurville: Lexie Tote in Geo Black & White

Timi & Leslie: Large Bebe Bag in Ricky

I didn't include any Petunia Picklebottom bags here because, although I think they're generally cute, I feel like the Asian influence is a bit too strong and I would feel like a poser.

I'm also officially in week sixteen now, which is very exciting!!! Total weight gain so far is 4.5-5 lbs (I think I'm on a good track for 10 lbs at 20 weeks). The article this week mentions that the size of the baby is roughly that of an avocado. Besides sounding delicious, that seems like a really significant size! I remember reading about it's size during one of the early weeks and discovering it was as big as a poppy seed, then a sesame seed, etc. An avocado?!?! Crazy. And don't worry parents/grandparents who think I sound naive... I do understand that it will continue to grow even larger! The steps along the way are just exciting :o)

Last update. I'm pretty sure that God's been reading my blog too because over the past three days or so I've definitely been "popping" a little more! It's getting to the point where it's starting to look cute (and noticeable). I do wish that it was all baby and nothing else though! Here's the pic for this week - enjoy my little avocado!!

Revamped Chandelier

2008-05-28T14:30:00.001-07:00

We always knew that when we bought our house that a lot of changes would need to be made in our second bedroom. When we moved in, the walls were a salmon-y pink, with pink matching blinds, and a gold & white chandelier with pink flowers painted all over it. Yuck! We painted the walls immediately (there's a pic of the current wall color in an earlier post), and just recently got around to changing the blinds. This weekend I decided it was time to deal with the chandelier. Even if I'm having a girl, this fixture is so not my taste. And I have been very much looking forward to getting rid of it. Behold... the offending chandelier:

I always assumed that when the time came to replace it, we'd find a new (but reasonably priced) one at PB Kids or eBay. But then it struck me that I could actually try to salvage the current chandelier. What a novel idea! I mean, if all the people on HGTV can do it, why can't I? The only thing at stake was about $12 in paint and a half a day. So we took it down, I cleaned it, sanded it, and spray painted it... and I think it turned out to be a very workable chandelier. It took a lot of coats of paint because the white bulbous parts are actually a glass material, so I guess the paint did not adhere as well. I will probably get some chandelier shades to add some color, as well as try making a cord cover for the chain. Here's the finished product:

Anyway! I'm very excited to be moving along on the nursery. I will share more projects as we complete them.

Week 15+ and Eagerly Waiting...

2008-05-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

Today I'm about halfway through week fifteen. Sometimes I can't believe that it's going by so quickly, but other times it feels like the pregnancy can't progress quickly enough!

One thing that makes me feel a little impatient is the slow physical transformation... I still don't really look pregnant. I'm at the point where I need a larger bra, my pants fit tightly, and my form-fitting shirts are the last thing I want to put on in the morning. Otherwise, things aren't at the point where people notice. Yesterday I went shopping at the Nordstrom sale and found a bunch of cute, cheap, flowy shirts that I can wear from now through August or so (hopefully). I was very excited about my finds, which I was relaying to the girl at the counter. Her response was, "Oh! You totally don't even look pregnant." It was funny because she meant it as a compliment, but I want to hear the opposite! The most luck I've had with looking like I have a bump at all is when I wear a dress. Here's a pic from Hawaii (granted a bit of it is definitely vacation weight), but you can kind of see what I'm talking about (I was try to catch chickens btw!):

Please ignore any unflattering-ness! Fortunately about 1.5 lbs came off once I got back, but the trip definitely sped up the weight-gain process a little quicker than I would have hoped. Oh - this is a belly shot that Chris took over there as well... I think it's kind of sweet :) Plus I like the dress a lot:

But anyway, I don't think I'll be worrying about things "speeding up" once I start to get a distinct pregnant belly. It'll just be too much fun to bask in it!

There's one other thing that I'm more than a bit eager for, and that's the anatomy ultrasound. Our appointment is scheduled for three weeks from today! It definitely feels soonish, considering it's been almost four weeks since I scheduled the appointment. Anyway, my "mommy" instinct is that it's a boy (I don't know how much weight that carries... but I thought worth mentioning!). Originally I was really hoping for a girl, mostly because girls are just cute :o) I would love doing a feminine nursery, the clothes are sooo cute, and girls are just fun. And I do still want a girl, but now I think I want a boy first... so I'm hoping my instinct is right. I keep growing fonder of the idea of a little man around the house, and I would love more than anything to have another little Chris :o) I know Chris will be an amazing father, and to see him raise a son would be so wonderful. Plus, I do really love the big brother dynamic. I was an older sister to younger brothers... and it definitely wasn't my favorite arrangement. Obviously my strongest desire is for a healthy baby regardless of the sex, but I think I'm still entitled to a bit of preference :o) Anyway... I can't wait to see what happens!

On the health front, things have been much better since my incident last week, and I'm happy to report that since it's cleared up I've had no spotting whatsoever. I do have a cold today, which I'm not very happy about. But overall I'm feeling really good. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers!!

Here is the article and pic for the week. Happy Memorial Day!

Week 14+ and Third Appt

2008-05-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Well... it's really just about week fifteen, but I've been gone / busy and am just now getting to posting!

Fun stuff first. Last week Chris and I were on vacation in Kauai :o) It was nice to relax and spend time together, and just be away from everything. We went snorkeling, hiking, boogie boarding, and swimming while we were there. I also have a pleasant tan established, so excited for that too! Yay summer!! Unfortunately eating out every day artificially sped up the baby-weight gain process, but I've already come down a bit since getting home.

Aside from the vacation, my second trimester has definitely been a bit more rocky than I would expect / hope. I had some spotting the week before we left, which concerned me because I hadn't had it before that point. So I made an appointment with the midwife at the doctor's office to check it out before we left, and she said everything was fine. By the time we left for Kauai it had tapered off, but I ended up having two separate bouts of it over the course of the trip, each lasting two to three days. It was distressing, but I knew that really I shouldn't worry.

And then Monday night happened. It was our second night home and my (third) prenatal check-up was the next morning. We went to bed around 11:30 or so, and I woke up around 2a to use the bathroom. When I got up, there was a huge dark spot on the sheets. After turning on the lights I saw that it was a circular blood stain (about 4" across). I woke up Chris in a total panic. He ended up calling the emergency room and talking to a nurse there. After explaining the situation, she told him that we could come in if we'd like, but most likely we'd spend a long time waiting and would just be referred to my doctor anyway. She said if there was pain, excessive bleeding, or dizziness, then we should definitely come in. Fortunately, I wasn't having any of those symptoms. So we went back to bed, awaiting my appointment in the morning. Needless to say, I did not sleep well the rest of the night!

At my appointment the next morning, I explained to my doctor what had happened. She first checked me and was able to determine that there was no active bleeding anymore, so that was good. Then she used the ultrasound to take a look at the baby, and found that it's doing just fine. We saw the heartbeat, and she said that the baby overall looks really good. She also told me that she actually had a very similar experience with her current pregnancy (she's about 24 weeks). She experienced a sudden gushing of blood, and was convinced that she was going to lose her baby. But then it stopped, the baby was fine, and it never happened again. When I asked her what she thought the cause might be, she said that she can't know for sure, but it likely had to do with the placenta being moved. She suggested that the baby could have even kicked it :) Regardless, she said that the placenta will likely move higher as the pregnancy progresses, which would ideally prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future. Anyway... baby is fine and I'm fine, so good news there. We'd love for you to keep us in your prayers, as we could especially use them now!

Hopefully once the stress of this passes and everything is back to normal, I can do a fun post soon. Here's this week's article and pic.

Week 13 and Birthing Documentary

2008-05-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

Last night I finally watched The Business of Being Born. After seeing it, I definitely think that everyone should watch this film! It was so interesting and it really sheds some light on how birthing is handled in our country. For those of you with Netflix, you don't even have to put it in your queue... you can just watch the film streaming from your account! We did that, and the quality and streaming speed were both fine. You can check out the film's website too.

Today is the start of week thirteen and things have continued to progress smoothly! I think I've been doing a better job with exercise over the past couple weeks, and that's been making me feel a lot better. I do spinning with my friend Sarah on Monday's and Wednesday's, and Chris and I have started waking up early to go walking on Tuesday's and Thursday's. We used to walk in the evenings, but we were more inconsistent and our walks were much more leisurely. Now I feel like I'm actually exercising at least four times a week. So far I've gained ~3 lbs which I'm pretty content with. My doctor said 10 lbs by 20 weeks is a good goal, so I hope to stay on track for that. Here's the article and pic for the week. I'm so excited that my baby is looking like a baby!!!

Week 12+ and 2nd Ultrasound

2008-05-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I went in for a " Nuchal Translucency Screening" or a NT scan. It's basically a first trimester screening that assess the risk of downs syndrome and some other chromosomal abnormalities. Based on the ultrasound the doctor said everything looks normal, and they'll get results on the blood work in about a week. After that I'll get more blood drawn between weeks 16-18, and then a follow-up / anatomy ultrasound between weeks 18-20. I decided to do the screening b/c it's so non-invasive, it's another opportunity to see our baby, and if it ends up having downs then we can start preparing and learning as much as we can before it's born. Sounds like I'm pretty low-risk though, considering my age, family health history, and what the doctor saw today.

Here are the pics (they're all profile shots; the bottom one is a close-up of the face).

What was really interesting about the ultrasound is that the doctor told us as he was setting up that the baby should be around two inches. But when he took the CRL measurement, it actually measured between 2.8 and 2.9 inches (or between 7.14 and 7.37 centimeters, as you can see on the pics). My first reaction was, "Noooo! I don't want a huge baby!" He said that more likely the baby is further along than we thought; today's CRL measurement puts the estimated due date closer to November 5th. That's nine days earlier than my original due date! This is especially confusing b/c I kept a really close watch on my cycles and ovulation. I know for sure that the first day of my last cycle was February 7th, and that we conceived on either the 19th or 20th. But the size of the baby right now suggests that it was conceived on the 10th or 11th... which really doesn't even seem possible based on my own cycles (it would mean we got pregnant during the 3rd/4th day of my period!). I really enjoy following the development and understanding what's going on... but this is totally eluding me! Is it possible that the baby could just be developing faster without being conceived sooner?

But aside from all that, I was really happy to see our baby, and to see that it's generally looking really healthy. My follow-up is scheduled for June 16th, so I should be able to find out the sex then!!!!

Here's the article and pic for twelve weeks (whether or not it applies to me!!).

Hippie Mom? (Part II)

2008-04-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Ok! Back for more :)
Another decision I've made is that I want to use cloth diapers instead of disposables. After doing some research, it really became apparent that this is such a good idea.

*Cloth diapers have come such a long way! I plan on using "bumGenius! 3.0 One-Size Cloth Diapers" to ease into cloth diapers. They snap on in the same way as a disposable, and have a waterproof lining and absorbent removable insert. You can read all about them at their site. Plus they are super cute! I like the white, but I think I'd throw in some pink or blue depending on what I'm having!

*They are much more economical than disposable diapers. I really like how this site breaks it down. Basically, for a baby in diapers until two-and-a-half, you're looking at spending $2,500+ per child on disposable diapers. You can spend anywhere from $300 to $1,000 on cloth diapers (depending on how fancy or not you want them), and use them for all of your children. I have to admit, this is a huge motivation for me. Even though we can afford disposables, it makes so much more sense to invest that money elsewhere... like in a college fund for our child!

*Cloth diapers encourage better hygiene and earlier toilet training. Because disposable diapers are mutant-ly absorbent, moms tend to change them less often. This leads to more diaper rash (as does the plastic-y material), and more bacteria / uncleanliness overall. Cloth is more breathable and soft, and babies have much less diaper rash because of it. Also, because disposables hold so much liquid, a baby can't sense that they're wet as well. As a result, they are less motivated to start using the toilet, since they associate urinating in their diaper as a way to relive themselves and not be uncomfortable. (A baby in diapers longer also = more $ and more waste, and possibly even lower self-esteem... think 4-yr old in diapers.) So, while cloth diapers are very absorbent and prevent leaks, your baby is still able to identify that they're wet. And being privy to wetness is great motivation to potty train sooner!

*They are easier to clean than you'd think. For an infant that is exclusively breastfeeding, any waste can remain in the diaper - which you just fold up and put in your diaper hamper. When you're ready, you just throw your load of diapers in. When they start eating food, you just dump solids into the toilet first. This site has a good info about cleaning / caring for cloth diapers. There are also washing instructions on the bumGenius! website, or on the site of whatever manufacturer you choose.

*Disposable diapers result in ~1 ton of waste per child! Just thinking for myself, I'd like to have between two and four kids! And all of that is going into landfills. Now, I wouldn't call myself particularly "green" or anything (we recycle and in general I try not to be wasteful), but cloth diapers seem like something that could make a really positive impact. Someone at our small group made a comment a couple weeks ago, that even though we don't need to be extremist about it, as Christians we should all be environmentalists to some extent. God entrusted us with this world to take care of, and in a lot of ways we could / should be doing a better job. I thought that was a really neat and important thought, and I think this could be a good way for me to do that.

Okay... I think those are all of my points about cloth diapers. Now, I wouldn't judge people for using disposables. I just think that helping to get the info out there can be help to change how we think. I know that once the baby comes, I will be able to stay home a lot as well as bring the baby to work with me... and I know that will help tremendously in being able to do cloth so easily. But anyway, something for all you moms / future moms to consider!

Here are more websites with some interesting information:
http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php
http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/diapers.htm
http://www.chunkymonkeydiapers.com/page/page/3973870.htm

Alright... last one!

I mentioned in Part I that I definitely want to breastfeed. I should reword that a bit. While I plan to breastfeed when I'm feeding the baby, I want to give my husband the same opportunity to bond with our baby through feeding times. So I've been doing some research on bottles. I had heard that plastic baby bottles are really bad for your baby because something from the plastic can get into the liquid. During my research I'd found out that it's a chemical called bisphenol A (I'm not going to bother trying to sound all scientific or like I know all about it, but this article talks about it). After learning about BPA, I found this:

It's the "Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Baby Bottle"! Or you could just call it the "Natural Nurser"... but I prefer things that sound over-the-top and ridiculous :) Anyway, there are three different bottles for each stage of nursing (less or greater flow), and they're designed to feel more like a breast to your baby.

And of course, it's BPA free. (It actually sounds like BPA-free will be the norm in the near future. Baby Blog Addict did a post about how more U.S. retailers are getting rid of baby bottles and products containing BPA. The article above talks a bit about it too.) So I think this would be really ideal for daddy feeding times (I can't wait!). Btw- any suggestions for great breast-pumps? Haven't had the energy to look into those yet...

Okay! Thanks for exploring my little hippie side with me. I can really start to feel my inner Berkeley student come out... I always knew it was in there somewhere!

Week 11+

2008-04-25T09:05:00.001-07:00

I forgot to mention that yesterday marked the beginning of week eleven - yay! Here's this week's article and picture.

Hippie Mom? (Part I)

2008-04-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

One thing that's really surprised me in all of my pregnancy and baby research is my interest in embracing the "natural." Some of the things I'm interested in are pretty common, while others make me feel like I'm trying to be "green." But really my main motivation is to do what's best for our baby and family, and if it contributes otherwise, all the better.

The first is natural childbirth. Even at eleven weeks, I'm positive that I want to do everything I can to deliver my baby naturally. Right now the idea completely scares me! But when the time comes, I want to trust that God really did design my body to do what it's meant to do. I mean, most people that were ever born were born without epidurals. I'm hoping that through birthing classes, the support of others, and the aid of things like meditation and relaxing scents/sounds, I'll feel confident enough to face the challenge ahead of me.

What's been really rewarding about sharing my thoughts on this is that I've received a lot of encouragement and insight. There are a couple people in particular that have surprised me with their comments in really positive ways.
One was a friend from college who I was chatting with online about the pregnancy (I don't think we had ever talked about pregnancy/ childbirth/ babies before this point). Now, maybe I assume that all young women in our culture are completely scared to death of giving birth because of how our society portrays it in media. I think it comes across like a "condition" to be dealt with rather than an experience. As a result, what I tend to hear from women my age (mid twenties) is that not only is a drug-free birth unthinkable, but many think they would rather have a voluntary cesarean because of their fear of vaginal birth (pain, tearing, etc... but won't go into all that now)! Anyway! I was sharing about wanting to deliver naturally and drug-free, and she was like, well... isn't that always what you aim for unless there's a really serious issue? ... Huh? Totally not what I expected to hear... but it was so refreshing! I guess it's just so nice to discover like- mindedness on things you feel strongly about, especially when you anticipate the opposite!
My husband had made the other most surprising comment. I think I was whining about not wanting an epidural, but that I felt so scared that I wouldn't be able to handle delivering without it (I had probably just read or heard something that I shouldn't have...). Seems silly to be obsessing over it so early on, but I tend to think ahead a bit too much. So I asked him his thoughts. He told me that he thinks that I have an ideal figure for giving birth, and that he has no doubts that I'll not only be able to handle it, but anticipates that I'll be really strong throughout the whole process. Really?! I guess this was so surprising because I expected him just to sympathize with my complaints, and tell me generally that it'll be okay. Rather, he responded with thoughtfulness, encouragement, and most of all, complete confidence in me. His words just felt really empowering at that moment, and it makes me look forward to having him alongside me during this journey :o)

I have ended up in some disappointing conversations about childbirth, where someone is telling me, "Oh, you definitely want the epidural... it just makes things so much easier," etc. I usually hear these comments from women who have actually had children, and had an epidural themselves (out of convenience? fear? usually not necessity...). Now, if I need an epidural or cesarean because the baby and/or I am at risk otherwise, I won't be an idiot. But not even giving your body the opportunity to do what it's supposed to...? And isn't it another drawback of drugs that they interfere with your body's natural intuition of when to push, etc?? Anyway... I just get frustrated when I get the vibe that I must be an idiot if I don't want drugs.

Wow... this is way longer than I anticipated.

Really quick, my other natural "body" thing is breastfeeding, for at least a year, period (granted I'm able to produce). I don't think that one needs a lot of explaining or justificiation.

I think I'll do a "Part II" post either tomorrow or this weekend. That will allow me to get into the more consumer-type "natural" baby options.

Week 10+ and Second Appt

2008-04-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had my second prenatal visit. More technically it was a "health in pregnancy educational appointment." In other words, we met with a nurse- midwife and talked about nutrition, exercise, and so on. There wasn't really any physical exam (except weight & blood pressure), but we did get to listen to the baby's heartbeat for the first time! That was an especially cool experience because the midwife had advised us not to worry if she didn't find a heartbeat, and in that case she would just do an ultrasound. But it was only an instant after she touched the fetal doppler to me that we could hear the heartbeat. Between this experience and seeing the baby wiggling in the very first ultrasound, it's just been so nice to know that it's strong and thriving.

I also received an email yesterday from Baby Center, and there was a reader's choice article called "Seven Pregnancy Products You Can't Live Without" (although I'm pretty sure I could). Coincidentally, one of the products on that list was a fetal doppler. Apparently you can buy or rent them from a site called storkradio.com and listen to your baby's heartbeat at any time. I thought that was fun little find, especially considering the events of the day :)

Here's the article and pic for the week. I can't believe that I'm almost at eleven weeks! Eleven weeks might as well be twelve, and that's the end of the first trimester!! Very exciting :) Now I just need my belly to start popping out so I can look cute and pregnant and not just fat for when we go to Hawaii next month!

Fetal Development

2008-04-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for sites with great week-by-week fetal development images. I've found three so far that I really like: Baby Center (these are the images I include in my posts), I Am Pregnant (real fetal images!), and Parenting.com (also real images?). The links all take you to eight weeks b/c I think it's a good human-looking starting point. Please let me know if you find any other amazing sites so I can add the links to my list!

Week 9+

2008-04-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

I meant to post before the weekend, but we left to visit our families in NorCal on Thursday night. So here it is... late again. We had a relatively pleasant trip, and it was nice to talk about the pregnancy with everyone. I also got to see my crib this weekend! My mom is giving me the one she used for my little half-sister (she's five). I don't have any pics yet b/c it wasn't assembled, but as soon as we get it and paint it I'll put some up! The one bummer of the weekend was the weather (which sounds like it was an issue all over CA). It was definitely in the 90's most of the weekend and we spent a lot of time outside. On top of that, the car we borrowed had a mostly-busted A/C... so basically I was constantly hot. I don't have the big pregnant tummy or anything at this point, but I've definitely decided that being pregnant and hot sucks.

Other pregnancy updates... Last week I started up spinning again with my friend. It's felt so good to exercise; I feel stronger and healthier after each class. I still haven't had morning sickness, which has been a huge blessing. I have definitely been really tired though and I think it's gotten a bit more intense over the past week. Until this point, Chris has been so spoiled with my general lack of symptoms... and it actually led to a bit of a misunderstanding the other night. It was about 9p and we had just gotten back from our weekend up north. After eating and watching some TV, I crashed into bed and couldn't bring myself to get out again. There were still some things that needed to be done, and I could tell my huny was a bit irritated and thought I was being lazy. He just let it go though and I went to bed. When I talked to him the next day while at work, I was complaining that I really needed a nap (even though I probably slept nine or ten hours the night before). I think it clicked for him then that the energy my body has been using to make another life is what's been making me so tired!!! So after clearing that up, I'm sleeping as much as I can :-D

Well, I'm hoping to do a fun post soon... I think I'm going to start some diaper research :) Here's the pic and article for the week:

Oh! And thanks to Danielle for my cute blog design! It's much more fun to look at :)

What I see...

2008-04-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

In case the first pic was super confusing, here's what I see:

Week 8+ and First Appt

2008-04-07T16:09:00.001-07:00

I just had my first prenatal appointment today and it went really well! My doctor is Dr. Terbell and she is very sweet, down to earth, and reassuring. Her personality is just a great fit. With every aspect she was very, "use common sense," "do things in moderation," and "when it comes down to it, babies tend to be 'just fine.'" So I really appreciated that. The only food caution she gave was not too many servings of fish, but otherwise said it's totally okay to be eat turkey sandwiches. I just like her :)

Of course... some things are too good to be true. Turns out she is 18 weeks pregnant! That's right... she will be on maternity leave on my due date (which is "officially" November 14th). So I will have to switch to another doctor around my the third trimester.

Anyway - here's the ultrasound! She said that everything looks really good and "normal." The head is at the left "x" and the bum is at the right (it might help to enlarge the image). It was truly one of the most surreal and unbelievable things I've ever see. We could see the heartbeat, which was a constant little flutter, and we even saw the baby wiggling! Chris said that he almost threw up b/c he was so excited :)

Here is the anatomy pic too... although mine is obviously way better ;) And the article.

Week 7+

2008-04-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

I really need to stay on top of my posts... I'm almost at eight weeks and am just now posting week seven!! I guess time has been going fast.

I've actually been feeling a little icky since last night. My stomach has been way more sensitive and finicky, but I'm not vomiting and I'm not sure that I'd say I'm overtly nauseous. I guess I would say that I don't really "look forward" to eating, which I noticed yesterday. Then after dinner I felt wretched, but didn't feel like I could throw up. I just ended up taking some Tums and passing out. I have definitely been more tired too!

I went on a really long walk with a friend today - probably about five miles! It felt really good to get some exercise. Last week was a pretty lazy week, so I'm trying to build back up to it before starting spinning next Monday.

My first appointment is next Monday as well! I'm very excited and hope that the doctor is really cool and can give me some good information. Patti mentioned that she had an ultrasound at her first visit - so I'm crossing my fingers for that! I guess I will also have to have blood drawn though... ick.

Here's the article and pic for week seven. It still looks pretty gross!!

Week 6+ and Baby Gear

2008-03-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

I'm just past six weeks now! Everything is still feeling / seeming good, so that's encouraging. I still haven't had any morning sickness, but every now and then I've had aversions toward certain foods. Here's the pic for this week's development (another very strange image) as well as the article.

I've spent a little bit of time looking at baby items (because honestly, isn't that half the fun of being pregnant??). Here are a couple cute gender-neutral "pacifiers" that I like.

This seems pretty fun. It's called the Soothing Motions Glider. There are tons of good reviews on Amazon and BabyCenter. It seems to be the preference in the bouncer category... moms swear by it! I have a feeling that I will want something that can hold and comfort the baby when I need a break! I could bring this to the office too. Here are some extra images:

This is cute too... it's called the Papasan Swing. It could be an alternative to the glider, but it's more pricey and the glider would probably be more portable. Anyway, I think the Starlight one is the sweetest (they have ~5 different themes), pictured below.

I'm sure I'll have more stuff to share later. I've already been thinking about strollers, but I'm planning on doing a lot more research before diving into that one. Once I do, I'll be sure to do a nice big post :)

Beginnings of a Baby Room!

2008-03-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Since it's so early right now, I've been having fun looking at some of the neutral aspects I can do with the nursery. Here are some pics and cute things that show the direction I'm thinking for the room.

This is the wall color. It's called "Perfect Pear." We painted the room this color when we moved in last year (with a nursery in mind). I really like it because it's neutral enough to work for a boy or girl, and with the right decor I think it will really compliment either sex. I also like that it's bright, yet still soft.

Here's my first nursery purchase - a cute brocade paper lantern. I found it at World Market for $3.50! I'm thinking of doing a little corner of the room with different paper lanterns - probably a trio. My friend brought me home a paper star lantern from Australia (like the one below, but aqua), so I thought it would be cute to incorporate the idea into the room.

One other thing I've been thinking about is a new light fixture for the center of the room. Right now there is an awful brass/white/pink painted flower chandelier, which needs to go regardless of the sex! I was originally thinking a something white with a few crystal accents, but Chris doesn't love the idea of crystal if it ends up being a boy. I think it would be fine if it was minimal enough, but on the other hand I haven't really been able to find anything that fits that description. I'm looking for something that has at least four lights too, and the ones that I find that I think might work for either sex always end up being only 3-light chandeliers. Anyway... this one from PB Kids actually seems like a really good compromise, and it's priced really well compared to many. (Shades are optional)

I could go in a completely different direction and put in a fan with a light, but I haven't looked into that much. Really though, I feel like a chandelier would add a much more special touch!

Alright. More later!

Pregnant! (Week 5)

2008-03-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday I took a pregnancy test after having some suspicious symptoms over the preceding two weeks (sore breasts and a touch of nausea). Turns out I'm pregnant... and very excited!

Things haven't been much different so far. I haven't experienced many of the first trimester symptoms at this point. The nausea went away, but my breasts have definitely remained tender and are already growing! I have also started to alter my diet (no more hard apple cider at Dargan's, one tuna sandwich a week max, drink more milk, no cold deli meat!, etc). Aside from those few things, life is pretty much operating as normal. I did have one unexpected experience yesterday though. I had a dentist appointment, and when I got there they said they needed to take new x-rays. I was really surprised by this b/c we've only been going there a year - how often do they need new x-rays?? I felt a little uncertain about the situation, but had read in the pregnancy books that x-rays should be fine as long as you wear the lead apron. So I hesitantly followed the technician into the x-ray room. The first thing I noticed when I waked in was a sign on the wall that read, "If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, please let your technician know." My eyes must have gotten big because the woman looked over at me and said, "You're pregnant?" Yeah... wasn't anticipating that I would have to tell complete strangers that I'm pregnant at five weeks along!! It was weird. So, no x-rays and no dental work (except the routine cleaning) until I'm past week 12.

Anyway, here's what things look like at five weeks, and the article to go with it (definitely looks like a gross caterpillar at this point!).

I will continue to post updates as well as links for fun baby stuff!