Big Brother

Quinn is going to be a big brother in 2011!! We've started a blog to journal this pregnancy and compare notes.

New blog address:
http://BigBrotherQ.blogspot.com/

Quinn George

Our perfect man arrived on Monday August 24th, 2009 at 4:45 pm, weighing 6lbs, 8oz and 20.5 inches long.

I'm recovering well but let's just say my body felt as though he was a 9 pounder, so it's going to be a few weeks before I'll be feeling great, but I'm so in love it doesn't even mattter!!!

I'm typing one handed so I'll leave you with some pictures from his second day, my mother has better ones of his birthday. I may or maynot get a chance to post our nearly 33 hour labor and 4 hours of pushing in the near future, but here he is:

A BABY in 24hrs or less...

MY WATER BROKE AT 820 THIS MORNING!!!!

Everything is good and we've been given the A-Okay to labor at home until I feel like i need to come in. So I'm trying to keep busy. I'm feeling pretty good still 2 hours later and we're anxiously waiting for the baby! :-) :-)

39 week appt

Wow... my doctor's office must have been reading my blog and knew I was disappointed by the wait last week. I got in right away with MY Dr as scheduled and was already in the exam room 2 minutes before my appt. YAY! I could have hugged him I was so happy.

So anyway, the update:

1. I'm now 3 cm dilated. So I went from 1 cm week 36 to no change by week 38 and now week 39, we're at 3cm. YAY!! I am happy that's less dilating my body will need to work on when I'm in labor. But it does not mean anything when it comes to how close I am to going into labor.

2. Dr B "stripped my membranes." Click here if you care to read about what that means.

3. If we go overdue, we have a NST (non-stress test) scheduled for 8/27 which is at 40w 3d, which is also the day of our last scheduled appt. Click here to learn about NSTs.

4. If everything goes okay at the NST and 40 week appt on 8/27, and we don't go into labor naturally, we are officially scheduled to be induced at 41 weeks 1 day on Sept 1st - 630am.

Baby,
Momma and Daddy do not want to wait until 9/1 to see you. If we're induced it can lead to needing more pain management and potentially an increased chance of a c-section from the drugs slowing down labor. So... If you insist on staying nice and cozy and want to be born on 9/1, that is fine, but please be sure that you've done your part to come naturally on the 1st without the need for induction. I promise you that you won't be cold when you enter this world. It feels like Florida here, which is not usual. But you would like Florida, that's where Mickey Mouse lives and we promise we'll take you there when you're a bit older... so come on out, Sweetheart, we really can't wait to meet you - Neither can your 5 Grandparents, 5 Great Grandparents and countless Aunties and Uncles! You will be one spoiled baby - I only had 1 Grandparent and I was spoiled rotten... What other ways can I tempt you?
Love, Mommy :-)

SURPRISE work shower!

First of all, yes, we're still "with child" :-)

As you might have imagined, being very pregnant can make anyone cranky - and I'm no exception, especially at work.

On Monday I get a note from my manager's admin scheduling a "transition meeting" with him and my replacement for Thursday (today). I was sooooooooooo irritated by this for 2 reasons.
1 - I was mad that he was waiting until later in the week - what if I had gone out early (obviously this didn't happen)
and 2 - Didn't he trust that we had everything under control with my replacement and all the other prep I had done?! Call me parinoid, but I was really upset by this.

I should mention at this point that I had vented about this to anyone that would listen throughout the week.

So, I go down to his office this afternoon and he says, let's go in the conference room. Ugh.. really, why, it's just the 3 of us and your office is so big it has a couch... Okay - whatever.

We walk out to the nearest conference room and both have their doors shut. So I say, "oohh they must be booked" He says, "no, they're not" (If you know my mgr at all, you'd know that he would normally have no idea if a room was booked or not - duh, he has an admin)

I decide to be difficult and say "well you can open the door because I got stink eye from someone the other day when I opened the door on them in their meeting" So he obliges and SURPRISE....... all the women I have ever worked with during my 6 years at work are sitting in the conference room, beautifully decorated with yellow streamers, yummy yellow and green cupcakes that said "Congratulations Andrea" (thanks Ursula) and tasty brownies and the Oreo mud pudding pie dessert that is just heavenly! (Kate, it was so tasty - thank you for organizing)!!

I immediately start crying - I had a surprise bridal shower before, but I am a detective, even subconsciously and found out about it. I can honestly say that this is the first time (besides Christmas gifts from Santa as a kid) that was I truly surprised.

Thank you ladies for being so thoughtful and making one of my last days before the baby comes enjoyable at work.

1 week to go...

No picture today, I came home from work at 330 and took a much needed nap for a couple hours.

It's been a bit warm, to say the least, and yes, people, it's a bit uncomfortable for me. But I'm trying to stay positive and grateful for the A/C we bought for our bedroom earlier this summer. Hey... it's still better then early February in North Country NY, right girls?!

How far along? 39 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: SIGH!!!! 27 lbs... I'm hoping this will be my last post at my weight... I've gained 3lbs in 1 week! Pretty amazing considering my meals are equal to the amount of food you'd feed a picky 1 year old. And no, it's not water weight, my rings are fitting and my feet look the same.
Stretch marks? Still the same one, I feel like I have some hidden ones that will show their ugly faces after baby is born and I can see my whole body again.
Sleep: Hmmm... not going to complain because I am still getting more sleep then I will in a week or two, but I will say again "it's a tad warm..."
Best moment this week: Enjoying the weekend of "waiting" with some friends at bbq's/picnics!
Movement: Still lots, but slower today, I have heard that babies will rest up and slow movement in the few days prior to being born... fingers crossed :-)
Gender: We'll be finding out shortly... yay!! WE CAN NOT WAIT!! Can you believe this mega planner still doesn't know?!?!?
Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks --- 1.5 cm dilated as of July 31st -- but only 1 cm dilated (and 75% effaced) on 8/13... do the different Drs use different metric rulers?
Food Cravings: Still no room for food in my bell - but the scale tells a different story.
Belly Button in or out? It's still half out, just the top, but when I have contractions it flattens out--- weird weird.
What I miss: The last few weeks it's been my independence, yep same thing this week, though I'm so grateful for the stuff that Chip is doing for me... he took off my chipped red pedicure.
What I am looking forward to: Meeting Baby, obviously!!!! This will not change until the baby comes.
Weekly Wisdom: My replacement asked me if the Drs estimated how big the baby is, and I told her that even though I'm on the smaller side, he thinks the baby is large according to the ultrasound at 34 (?) weeks. She then said, "ooh you're going to end up with a 'C'. " First off... for some reason it irritated me that she just says "C", secondly... why would you say that to someone?!?!? It's like saying, "oooh good luck going under the knife and then being able to take care of an infant in the weeks during your recovery." So add this to your list of things you DON'T SAY TO A PREGNANT WOMAN!
Milestones: 1 week left hopefully... though the date 9/1 is ringing in my head. BOO!
Shout outs to new followers: No new followers this week, but I'm glad you're all still hanging in there with me... we're almost done!!!
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: blah... don't remember..
Wedding Band Status: Engagement ring off, but I wore it on Sunday - that's how I know none of that is H2O weight and swelling. Still have my wedding band :-)
Weekly Belly Pic: None today, I'm too sleepy looking.

Two and a Half Years

Chip and I will be married 2.5 years tomorrow. We think it'd be pretty fun if the baby were born on this day, but... alas, no signs as of yet.

If tomorrow's weather is anything like it was today, it couldn't be more opposite of the day we got married. There was a fresh coating a snow from the Valentine's Day storm a couple days before and although it was sunny, it was a very very cold day. Anyway, I'm just getting a little sick of the waiting game, so I figured I'd post something a little different. Here are some pics from our big day - we absolutely can't wait for our next big day - when we are a family of 3 :-)

On to week 39...

"Pregnant Forever"

That's how I interpret today's appt.

I waited nearly 1.5 hours for the Dr to tell me today that I am no further dilated then I was 2 weeks ago, 1.5 cm and that I'm 75% effaced. One Point Five Hours!! I've tried to be understanding about Dr's being called over for deliveries and for them all going on vacation at the same time... but this is getting a tad ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ohhh and by the way, I thought the head was low, it feels low, and it is according to Doc., but it's not "nearly where it needs to be" again... lovely!

All other vitals for baby and I were good, but I'm pissed that I waited that long for them to tell me what I already knew! GRRRRRR...

So, as you all may recall from week 34's surprise ultrasound... you know the one where he said that the baby's head was measuring 2.5 weeks ahead... Yeah, well that means that the head is now about 1 week overdue... how's that for anticipating labor ::: tear:::

Please don't misunderstand, I know we've not passed our due date, that's not what I'm frustrated about - I'm irritated about the wait in the doctors office week-after-week. But I guess when you're an OB, you work hard and play hard, but if I ran that practice, 75% of the delivering docs wouldn't be able to take vacation all at the same time. Note to self, for child # 2, do not plan pregnancy for summer or the holidays or school vacations or....

Still here!!!!

Since a few of you guessed week 38 as the week little Schaller will make his or her grande appearance in the birthday poll, I feel I owe you a status. I'm still here and hate to say it, but I think you're going to lose the poll! In fact, I've convinced myself that those of you who picked week 39 are also going to lose.

Still here...

Appointment tomorrow afternoon, I'll post any exciting news following that. Off for a nice walk with Chip in hopes that gravity will do what it does best --> As Sir Isaac Newton once said... "Drop it like it's hot!"

Starting Week 38

Last night I had to go pee more then normal and then around 3am, I started to feel nauseous and my back was killing me, so I thought... oooh maybe this is it. Got myself all excited and wouldn't you know, 17 hours later, no labor. Oh well. They say that when you first start going into labor you should try to rest. But I ask you... how can you rest when probably the most important day of your life is upon you?!??! If I can paint a quick picture, it's like when you're a little kid and it's the day before school... but a million times more happy anxiety!

How far along? 38 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Again, whoever "they" is lied... my weight has not plateaued, in fact I gained 2 lbs since last week!!! So I'm up to 24 lbs.
Stretch marks? The one above my button is getting larger still and I'm starting to see random spots on my tum that could turn into stretchies here real soon if baby doesn't come ASAP.
Sleep: Notice I'm officially no longer saying "relatively not bad."
Best moment this week: The whole long weekend!! Saratoga with Mom and Chip on Friday, getting pampered at the hair dresser and then dinner with Chip on Saturday, and ordering almost the rest of the stuff off our registry that we absolutely need.
Movement: Baby was trying to escape out my belly button stretchmark today, I'm sure of it!
Gender: We'll be finding out shortly... hopefully in less then 14 days!
Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks --- 1.5 cm dilated as of July 31st -- and of course my "chicken little the sky is falling" nausea last night.
Food Cravings:Still no room for food in my bell.
Belly Button in or out? Perhaps I should change this question to when it's going to go back in...
What I miss: Last week, I said I was missing my independence, yep same thing. Chip pushes me up the stairs when we go up for bed at night. Classy!
What I am looking forward to: Meeting Baby, obviously!!!! This will not change until the baby comes.
Weekly Wisdom: See post below about the dentist.
Milestones: Baby is over 7lbs... though s/he feels like 10+.
Shout outs to new followers: Welcome Lyryn!
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: I can't recall any conversations any more - I think I'm going to set my last day at work as my due date, regardless of whether or not I go past it.
Wedding Band Status: Engagement ring off, but still have my wedding band on... I've been fearing I'd look like a knocked up teen without them, so I'm glad my band still fits.
Weekly Belly Pic: I posted two today. One of this afternoon after work. And the second comparing a few of the weeks. You can tell in week 9 that I felt like CRAPPAH!

Note the new hair do!!! :-) Of course I can't do it exactly the same way as my hair dresser, but let's face it, when you're more then 9 months pregnant, the last thing you want near you in the dead of August is a steamy flat iron!

Labor play list - suggestions?

Making up a labor play list for our ipod tonight...

Any good suggestions? Humorous, calming, fun... I'll take any and all :-)

Reason #891 I love my husband

Chip wanted to do something nice for me before the baby came, so he scheduled me for an appt with our friend's hair dresser. I really like mine, but the last few times she's cut it, it has not turned out good, I think she's just too chatty! So, when Chip told me he made an appt for me to get my hair done, complete with high and low lights, I was so excited because my friend Kate has raved about this guy - and her hair always comes out great.

I just got back from 2.5 hours of hair pampering and love it! I'm really happy with what he did to my hair and feel so pretty! :-) Thank you, Chipper :-) xoxo

Tonight we're going to dinner to my friend Molly's husband's restaurant called Frankie's. I've been a few times with girlfriends, but Chip hasn't been yet, so we're heading down for a late date night.

Congrats go out to the Phillips family as they welcome their second Grandbaby this year. Chris and Lisa had a baby boy last night! Baby and Mommy are doing very well and she was only in labor for a few hours!!

I'm obviously so happy to hear that the baby was born nice and healthy and everyone is doing well... who doesn't love to hear about new babies being born!!?! But this lead me to realize that
all my friends who've had babies this year have gone early, so I know there must be just as many people to help keep the "due date average" and I'm going to be one of those lucky women!

Also, the average labor is about 16 hours... Since both Allyssa and Lisa had shorter labors, I have started to accept that I will also likely have a longer labor to help maintain that "average." Oh well, I look hot after getting my hair done today, so I'll just continue to look fresh until baby comes :-)

37 week appointment

I get there in time for my 3:10 appointment and they tell me Dr K, who is the only delivering OB in the practice I hadn't seen yet, just got called next door to the hospital for a delivery, but he'll be back in 45 minutes. This is the 3rd time that this has happened to us, but just as I told him when he apologized for the delay - it could be us soon, so I'm not upset.

So I took advantage of the time, ran to the post office and then brought my lappie into the waiting room to get some more work done.

My weight, bp, urine, measurements were great. Negative group B strep test, so that's good, no IV administered antibiotics needed during delivery! He then pressed down on my abdomen in between my hips to see if the baby was still head down and it was quite tender, like I'd done 1000 crunches the day before. I assure you, I can't even sit up without moaning, so this was certainly not the reason for the soreness. He said the baby was nice and low - yay!

But that's about it... not that I had wanted another exam, but it would have been nice to know all the Braxton-Hicks I've been having have been leading to some progress.

I am however, hoping that the baby does hold off until at least Saturday morning, we've had a week full of beautiful weather, so Chip, my Mom and I are going up to Saratoga tomorrow to enjoy some pony races! Hopefully, we'll come back with some extra dollar$ :-)

In my lungs

That is where the baby is today. I had a dentist appt first thing this morning. While I was waiting in the room, sitting straight up, mind you, I was having issues breathing. Like I'd just done a 100m sprint.

So I get into the dentist chair for my cleaning and you know how they angle the chair down so it's easier for them to get at the teeth... well, gravity moved the baby even further into my lungs. We tried shifting me in the seat, tried moving the chair up and I still couldn't breathe. Also, the light they use to see what they're doing is like one of those freaking red bathroom heating lamps.

I start sweating...

I can't breathe...

I sit up to get a sip of water, lay back down

I'm sweating even more...

I still can't breathe

So I finally ask the hygienist to stop, holding back tears, because, I am an hormonal mess this week, and she says don't worry, we'll reschedule for after the baby comes. Oh sure, because it'll be super easy for me to get here at that point!

So... my new "weekly wisdom" is that, if you're 9 months pregnant, don't torture yourself by going to the dentist. You already have 1 regular dr appt/week, so don't try to add in another appt... it will just screw with your hormones! BOOOOO.... now I get to anticipate this next month too. GRRR.

And... we're at TERM!

... If baby were born today he/she would be born with strong lungs and ready to greet the world!!!

37 WEEKS :::YEEEEEAAHHHHHHHH:::

How far along? 37 weeks, 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 22.

Stretch marks? The one above my button is getting rather LARGE! Crap!

Sleep: Starting to get worse, but I'm not going to complain too much.

Best moment this week: Picnic lunch with Chipper on Saturday :-)

Movement: Holy uncomfortableness today... not in my ribs but at the top of my belly, now it hurts to touch... I'm so very ready to be done... I hope the next 21 ish days go by quickly.

Gender: We'll be finding out shortly...

Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks --- 1.5 cm dilated as of last Thursday.

Food Cravings: There's no room for food in my bell.

Belly Button in or out? Bottom is starting to pop too, must mean baby is dropping.

What I miss: Well Chip had to help me put my shoes on this morning... so I guess this week I'm missing my independence.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Baby, obviously!!!! This will not change until the baby comes.

Weekly Wisdom: I've got nothing this week.

Milestones: We're at TERM today :-) Healthy baby here we come!

Shout outs to new followers: No one new this week, but glad you're all still hanging in...

Baby Brain Moment of the Week: Oh man, I'm still so clumsy.

Wedding Band Status: Engagement ring off, but still have my wedding band on... I've been fearing I'd look like a knocked up teen without them, so I'm glad my band still fits.

Weekly Belly Pic: View from the monument at the top of Mt Greylock... you can see me with the navy shirt on.

Nursery Pics - Finally!

Well, it's not 100% complete, but I'm going to share with you anyway :-) since you've been patiently waiting.





Crib: Complete with matress and wall decorations. Yes, I realize there shouldn't be any stuffed animals or blankets in the crib when baby is sleeping, they WILL come out, as did the bumper already.



This is my parents old recliner. I LOVE it! It's so 70's but it's super cozy and my mom nursed my brother and I in it, so it's special.


The mobile was made by Mom and I. She did the hot air baloons, they each have animal stickers on them and cute ribbons and baskets hanging from each. A couple weeks ago we built the top part of the mobile, it's hard to tell, but it's star fabric and supposed to be a blue sky'd day :-)

Also notice the small rocking chair. That was mine :-)

Here is a view of the dresser/changer.


This is an old rolling cart we had that I think will make my life a bit easier to access from the recliner when I'm nursing the baby. The diaper cake is the one Mom made for our shower a couple weeks ago. She's so super crafty!!!


It's a small room, but really, all we need to do is to get a small carpet for the center of the room and we're good to go :-)

Here we are...

into Baby S' birth month! Is it even possible????

Some days I feel like I've been pregnant forever, other days it feels like just yesterday we got a positive test. I'm sitting in a finished, albeit kinda unorganized baby room enjoying all the items we've picked out for the baby. I hope s/he likes it in here, it's by far, the happiest room in the house.

For the most part I've enjoyed being pregnant, mostly because I've felt pretty good and have been able to enjoy the anticipation of our family starting a new adventure. I feel so grateful to have had a healthy pregnancy and hope to continue that trend right through to baby's birthday :-) Though I'm incredibly excited to meet our boy or girl, I'm also a bit sad that the baby won't be with me 100% of the time and I won't feel every little movement, even the annoying little hiccups on my bladder.

I don't think Daddy can wait any longer. He couldn't be more excited to meet this baby... it makes me fall in love with him all over again. I can't wait to see him hold his son or daughter for the first time.

We're still taking suggestions for baby's name, does that make us bad parents!? haha. We're pretty set on a girl's name but are still not 100% on a boy's name, though we have a list to chose from. So... please, suggest away :-)

Happy Weekend!

Appointment Today - PROGRESS

This afternoon was our first weekly appt... from here on in we go each week - is it even possible we've been pregnant for this long that we're in the home stretch?!?!

Well folks, we have progress. Dr's exam showed that I'm 1.5cm dilated. I realize that women go for weeks being more then 3cm dilated without going into labor, while others won't show any progress and have the baby the next day. So basically, that means nothing except for that's 1.5 less centimeters that will have to dilate while in labor! Yay!!!

Baby's heartbeat was strong at 138 bpm and my belly is still measuring a bit small. But the Dr reiterated how large the baby measured at our last appointment 2 weeks ago when we had our ultrasound. It didn't sound like he thought we'd be making it to the due date and left smiling saying"Give us a call if anything exciting happens." So... I hope he's right, but I can't help but think that maybe he just jinxed us into 4+ more weeks of pregnancy.

In other news related to progress: I don't think I look like the baby has "dropped," however, I can feel him/her a little further south than even just a couple days okay. "They" say that once the baby drops you feel like you can breathe better, but this kid is still way up into my lungs too, so we've got a long baby for sure. Plus the fact that I'm so short probably doesn't help much either.

I'm off to bed... can't wait for the end of the work week tomorrow afternoon :-)

36 weeks - 1 week until "Term"

Happy Birthday Grandpa-to-be (again) George!!

One piece of exciting news today - Our hospital doesn't have a NICU, so if you go into labor prior to 36 weeks, they transport you about an hour away to a larger hospital that does have one. However, at 36 weeks and later, they'll deliver at our hospital. We've reached that week this week... yay for not having to travel more then 5 miles to the hospital!

We're getting so close to meeting our baby... we're incredibly anxious but I'm so nervous I won't have the courage to say no to an epidural as I have planned. Chip will be amazing though coaching us through, so I'm not worried about that, I really just want to avoid being stuck to one position and numb... fingers crossed.

How far along? 36 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 21. Yep, broke the 2o lb mark and that means that in the last 2 weeks I've gained 5lbs! Yikes, hopefully I don't get a talking to at the Dr this week.
Stretch marks? I think I found a new one developing on the side of my bell, which wouldn't surprise me with how sore/tight my skin has felt.
Sleep: Again, I think relatively well.
Best moment this week: Realizing how much I had saved at BRU this weekend. I said it before, I'll say it again. I. AM. AWESOME. HA!
Movement: They say the baby slows movements down as it moves out of room. Well... "they" are a bunch of dirty fibbers!
Gender: Still thinking boy despite another girl dream last night. Chip is holding strong with baby being a girl
Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks - we should keep it that way for another 1 week at least! Really only 6.5 days, Baby S --- stick it out for at least that long, please.
Food Cravings: None really, I love picnic foods and have gotten another weekend of enjoying it at a baby shower Sunday - perhaps that would explain my 2week 5lb gain. Eek.
Belly Button in or out? Consistently just the top, perhaps that's how I'll know when baby has "dropped" when we see that the bottom of the button is finally out too.
What I miss: Not having to blindly shave, tie my shoes, bending over, being able to get off the couch without help, etc... etc... etc...
What I am looking forward to: Meeting Baby, obviously!!!! This will not change until the baby comes.
Weekly Wisdom: We've had a rainy summer.. as a result, we have a LOT of mosquitoes... and all day long too, not just in the evening. When you're pregnant, you have more lovely blood coursing through for them to feast on - so when you're at your husband's softball game, make sure to wear long pants so you don't look like you've been attacked from the shins down. But I'm not speaking from experience or anything.
Milestones: Hmmm....... the baby book says baby is almost 6 lbs, but we know our chunker was that big a couple weeks ago. SO, we'll just patiently wait for next week's milestone when baby is considered term and is welcome to join us at that time.
Shout outs to new followers: Hello to blogger, Kerri.
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: Still dropping EVERYTHING, let's hope I don't do the same with baby!
Wedding Band Status: I took my engagement ring off and am just wearing my wedding band. I could still wear it, but with my band being so thick, my engagement ring sits higher up my finger, where it's a tad bigger. So we'll call this a precautionary removal :-( boo, I LOVE mine.
Weekly Belly Pic: Mom thinks I've dropped... I think it's just the funky pattern of the dress. See my lime kayak, "Kiwi" in the background. Poor thing has been very neglected this summer, I've only paddled once :-(

I AM AWESOME - PERIOD.

... and so is my friend Jess!

We went to Babies R Us today. I came loaded with my BRU coupons, but didn't expect I'd be able to use more then one on a single item. Why we're awesome:

1. Crib Mattress: Priced at $85 ~~~~ paid $49 = $36 saved
2. Stroller: Priced at $170~~~~ paid $123 = $47 saved
3. Other leftover pre-birth needs: Priced at $123 ~~~~ Paid $113 = $10 saved

Total amount saved: Nearly $93!!

And THAT, my friends, is why we're Awesome :-)

So, I'm spending the evening nesting, washing and organizing baby clothes, bedding, etc. I might even search for some fun crafts to do in the next weeks as we wait for our little Baby S!

Thanks for coming with me, Jess!

Holy sleeping in Batman!

Is it even possible that I slept in until 1130 this morning?!

...don't start judging me, I work a 9/80 schedule, so I get every other Friday off and have gotten in all my hours this week...

I got up a couple times for preggo lady peeing, but Chip left for work a little before 9am and I slept from then until 1130! It was GLORIOUS!

1 wise guy at 35 weeks

Okay... I want a confession... who's the wise-guy who picked week 42 for baby to arrive? I'm going to assume that your mouse slipped. :-) I do not want to go into September waiting to meet this baby!

Playing the waiting game, I don't have much to update so I'll just get right to the survey:

How far along? 35 weeks!!
Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 19 - holy heavens - you got that right, a 3 lb gain this week - I guess all the leftover shower goodies can be to blame.
Stretch marks? Still just the one unless there are more I can't see, which is entirely possible.
Sleep: Compared to what I read from other pregnant women, I think I'm still sleeping relatively well, though I wish I were sleeping a tad better concidering I may not sleep this week again for many years.
Best moment this week: Probably date night with Chip Saturday at Tanglewood.
Movement: Soooooooooo strong, we have a boxer or a soccer player in there.
Gender: Still thinking boy again... Chip still thinks baby is a girl, he's not as indecisive as I am
Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks - we should keep it that way for another 2 weeks at least!
Food Cravings: Today I really wanted cake, so I made a funfetti cake with chocolate frosting. Just finished a nice fresh piece, in fact :-)
Belly Button in or out? Oh yeah for sure now - someone politely pointed it out in the cafe at work today! That was a tad embarassing.
What I miss: Not being out of breathe most of the time.
What I am looking forward to: Meeting Baby, obviously!!!! This will not change until the baby comes.
Weekly Wisdom: Nothing intelligent to put here this week, again.
Milestones: We have come to an agreement on some names - and no, we're still not sharing, Mom!
Shout outs to new followers: Hello to blogger Emily
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: Nothing, but I am still dropping everything. Chip has actually told me that if I don't need what I drop right away, I should just leave it and he'll pick it up later. He's so good to me! I honestly don't do this too often, but if he's around, I will ask him to pick stuff up (yes, it happens THAT often.)
Wedding Band Status: Still on.
Weekly Belly Pic: Yes, that's the monitor on the heater in the pic, we're testing it out today... it's working :-)

New Poll & the Weekend

Take a look to your left... I've officially put up a poll I've been excited to post for many months... take a swag at it - the majority of you were correct in the "Belly Button Watch 2009" poll, so please be kind in your selections :-)

We had a relaxing weekend so far, Chip worked yesterday morning, but was able to get in some quality hammock/book time after. We decided to go to Tanglewood for the Boston Symphony Orchestra's film night. Our friends Jess and Tony typically hit up Tanglewood with us, but they were coming back into town after an exciting 2.5 week x-country vacation (which we can't wait to hear all about). So we had a cute little date night, packed up the cooler, the warm bags for our grilled chicken, some beer and n/a drinks for me (that was a first...).

I normally don't play the pregnancy card very much (besides to get a good back rub from Chipper) but we asked if Chip could drop me off near the entrance so I didn't have to walk from a couple parking lots away, they told us that we could park in handicap so I wouldn't have to walk after the concert either! YAY!!! In Chip's words "... might as well use the pregnancy card while we can, you've earned it!"

The concert was very good and we were happy to get in at least one visit there this summer since we always make it to the James Taylor show, and this year it is the weekend after baby is due (we clearly didn't plan our conception with the JT concert schedule, darn!) :-)

Hopefully off to Target today to return some duplicates and get some essentials.

34 week status

MOST EXCITING NEWS:
My very good friend and one of my roomies from college, Allyssa, had her baby this week! Just when I was having the worst day at work I got an email saying that she'd had little Grace. She was due just 12 days before us, and obviously went a couple weeks early but she's doing great!!!

APPOINTMENT:
We had our 34 week appointment this afternoon. The office is normally packed, as is the parking lot, but both were empty, so when we walked into the ghost-town of an office, I was convinced it was a Saturday!

Anyway, our Dr. was the only one working that afternoon, so we were lucky enough to not have to wait very long. My weight was up 5 lbs from my last appt 3 weeks ago, but I think I'll stick to my home scale which I use every Monday morning which would result in a much more pleasant 3 lb gain. My BP was great, Baby's heart rate was 138 BPM and.... drum roll please...
Baby is no longer breech!!

But wait... there's more: Dr B says, "want to see if the baby really is head down?" Well I've never had an ultrasound in the office because there is an imaging center in another part of the building that we've gone to for the other two ultrasounds, but SURPRISE, there's a super top secret u/s room in our Dr's practice! Before I realized he meant let's literally "see," I thought I might be getting my first 3rd tri internal, nope that's in two weeks at 36 weeks.

So, the ultrasound: Baby is confirmed head down! yay!! His/Her weight is approximately 5lbs 14 oz - nearly 6 lbs!!! WOW!!!! Here are some of the other measurements:

• Head circumference is measuring 36weeks 2days (1 week and 5 days ahead of our due date)
• Abdominal circumference is measuring 35weeks 1day (4 days ahead)
• The femur measured 35weeks 4 days (1 week ahead)

So... with news of Allyssa's baby coming early, I've gotten a bit anxious that maybe we'll go early too, but today was so reassuring to hear that if baby comes early s/he will be strong and big. We're on track for an 8.5lb baby at this point!

Chip and I were so gitty after leaving our appointment, we're ready to meet this little (okay, big) love of ours!!

On to the weekly survey, which yes, is 4 days late! I know!

How far along? 34 weeks!!
Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 16 - no gain this week according to my favorite home scale on Monday!
Stretch marks? Still just the one between the two piercing holes from my button piercing.
Sleep: Lovely since Dad and Chip installed a ceiling fan in our room! Amazing!
Best moment this week: Obviously the shower last weekend. I love picnics and there's nothing better then spending time with friends and family!
Movement: Getting soooooooooo strong. In a meeting this week, I physically had to stop what I was doing and stretch to get baby's leg out of my side, it was a combo tickle/painful pinch.
Gender: Still thinking boy again... Chip still thinks baby is a girl, he's not as indecisive as I am!
Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks
Food Cravings: Well tonight I wanted some wings from Patrick's, but we had salmon and grilled potatoes and zucchini instead.
Belly Button in or out? The top is always out, bottom is slowly making it's way there.
What I miss: Since we've finally had summer weather this week, I'm going to go ahead and say "a nice cool beer!"
What I am looking forward to: Meeting Baby, obviously!!!!
Weekly Wisdom: Don't really have anything knowledgeable to say this week.
Milestones: Surprise ultrasound today and almost a 6lb chunker in there!!
Shout outs to new followers: HELLOOOOO to Grandpa George!!!
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: In that same meeting where baby wiggled it's little foot halfway around my waist, I went to give a status and think I started to speak Ukranian or something. I had to start over, no idea what was trying to come out of my mouth.
New Question: Wedding Band Status: They still fit! YAY!
Weekly Belly Pic: I think I'm smaller this week then last, or at least look smaller. Dr B said my belly (aka fundal height) is measuring a tad small, but that the baby's measurements proved otherwise!

Can you even believe that there is a nearly 6lb baby in there!!!

Another wonderful SHOWER

We had such a nice shower this weekend hosted by my mother. It was quite overwhelming how many friends and family came and how generous everyone was to Baby S. This kid is
S-P-O-I-L-E-D already!

Here are some fun pictures:

Dessert table, YUM!

Belly Picture Game, no one got even close to the right order of belly pics:

My Clarkson Girls who traveled in for the shower - Tara, Tilley, me, Dana & Liam, Katie, Jodi and Kenney:

Marissa helped me to open gifts while Meg wrote everything down and Jodi helped with the gifts. Here's the fleece blankie that Meg made the baby!

Here's Chip and I near our cake in the sunroom. He was such a trooper and bbq'd for all the women. It was DELISH!

4 Generations - Here's Grandma, Mom and I

Mom and I and the diaper cake she made us!

The whole day was perfect, if anyone has pics, please email them to me. Mom did such an amazing job with everything. Thanks to everyone who helped. Again, I can't believe how generous everyone was. We have just about everything we need and are so anxious to meet this little baby! We have the carseats, pack-n-play, his and hers diaper bags, a half dozen cloth diapers to get started with, a baby bijorn, many many cute outfits, blankets, diapers, wipes, bath gear... I could go on and on.

One very creative gift that my Clarkson girls (the picture only showed about a 25% of my favorites from CU) was a basket of children's books that each one of my girls dedicated to the baby. So many favorites and lot of them reflect each of Baby S' Aunties' personalities! Thank you so much ladies and to everyone for being so very generous!!!!

Moby-D as in D-luxe!

When we were at the cloth diapering workshop last week, the owners showed us a sling/wrap that she uses with her kids. She and another mother that were there swear by it. I follow a cloth diapering blog and they had a link to the Moby-D wrap and it's on sale!! Get on it!!
http://clothdiapers.blogspot.com/2009/07/tgif-deal-of-deal.html

Devoni Dreamin'

I had a dream very early this morning, it was the first time I've had anatomical proof of Baby S' gender.

My dream starts with me being in labor and laying on my living room floor, where one of the Drs from my practice was there. (So were various other family members and Chip - we already know it will JUST be Chip in the room with me... this is not a circus!) The Dr whipped out a pair of forceps and I freaked. I told him no way in hell and practiced "changing positions" as recommended by our childbirth instructor. So I decided to get up and do laps around the house.

For some reason I was wearing khaki pants. Just as I was rounding the coffee table, the baby started to just kinda fall out of me into my khaki pants. After quick removal the reveal was BOY! At which time Chip yelled out, "Devoni, his name is Devoni!" Ewww... what kind of name is that?!?!? Even though we're not sharing names (we don't have a name for a boy anyway at this point) there is no way this baby will be named "Devoni!"

33 Weeks!

Wow - Only 4 more weeks until we're "Term" and 7 weeks left!!!

How far along? 33 weeks!!

Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 16

Stretch marks? One between the two piercing holes from my button piercing.

Sleep: Surprisingly well the past week.

Best moment this week: Chip just finished the patio!!!! YAY!!!!! And Mom and I had a good time putting some finishing touches on decorating the nursery.

Movement: Oh yeah... and I feel like baby may have flipped and may not be breech anymore.

Food cravings: Chocolate covered cranberries! Yum.

Gender: And back to thinking boy again... Chip still thinks baby is a girl, he's not as indecisive as I am!

Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks, I've noticed they're inevitable if I let my bladder get too full - weird.

Belly Button in or out? The bottom of it is hanging on for dear life, but I'll go ahead and say it's popped.

What I miss: Not waddling when I walk - yup - that should be a "milestone" too.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Baby!!! And of course seeing friends and family at our local shower this weekend! :-)

Weekly Wisdom: All pregnant women in their 3rd trimester know there's no stopping the nesting instinct, regardless of how tired, right Jenn?? My wisdom for fellow nesters - put on your sneaks while you're running up and down the stairs, your back, hips, and feet will thank you for it!

Milestones: I guess, waddling, belly button poppage.. oh and baby is nearing the 5lb mark!

Shout outs to new followers: No new followers this week.

Baby Brain Moment of the Week: I just asked Chip if I had any BBMotW's last week and he said "you're just really scatter-brained!!"

Weekly Belly Pic: I found that cute shirt at Target for $4.26 yesterday!! What a steal!

Busy Few Days

We've had a busy few days, but very very productive and fun:



Thursday - Cloth Diapering Workshop: I couldn't believe it when I stumbled upon a small store in our county that actually carries cloth diapers, and as luck would have it, they were having a cloth diapering workshop! I've done a lot of research online but hadn't had a chance to put my hands on them. I think we've found the ones we're going to get, they can be used from 7lbs up to 35lbs, the FuzziBunz One Size Diaper. Also met a few other Moms and Moms-to-be that have invited me to play groups! Yay!!! New Mommy friends.


Friday - Nursery Work: Mom and I got an early start to the day and got started on some of the nursery decorations. She made some awesome hot air balloons and we worked on making them into a mobile-like decoration that will be in one of the corners of the room. I'll post pictures when we're done. Chip and I also went over to my friend Becky's since she was in town and had a great time catching up.



Saturday - 4th of July!!: YAY! One of my favorite holidays! Chip ran in the road race before our local parade. Going to the parade has been a tradition for me since I was a kid. We sat with my Grandma and Aunts & Uncle and some of the cousins. Chip and I left a bit early to get ready for the BBQs we were headed to. Parades, BBQs, friends, family and fireworks - it's what it's all about!!
He's by far the happiest runner out there!!


Today - Working that To-Do list: I didn't post a to-do list this week, but trust me, there was one. Chip spent all day on the patio and it's almost done!!! Just in time for the shower next weekend! I worked more on the nursery, cleaning some of the baby bedding, running errands and cleaning the house. We're getting there. I can't wait to finish up the nursery and post some more pictures for you all to see, it's really coming together.


This will be a busy week, but we're really making progress!!!! Work will not be fun, but at least home activities will be exciting.

Pics of Chip's Family Shower

As promised, pictures of our shower from a couple weekends ago. The afternoon was perfect, minus the weather. There was a pool at the clubhouse and the nieces and nephews would have really enjoyed it, but it was a blah late spring day, as was most of June in the Northeast.

This is Baby's Great Aunt Eileen, Grandpa George, Great GrandDad and Great Gramma.

Here's Chip and I opening some gifts, in honor of the 4th of July coming up this week, I've posted one of us opening up a very patriotic Red, White and Blue long-sleeved onesie. Can't wait to put baby into it!!!!

Above is Baby's Great Uncle Doug. He manned the grill bravely in the rain all afternoon. Everything was DELISH!!!!

One of my roomies from college, Baby's Auntie Allyssa and I. Allyssa's baby is due just 12 days before ours, we're so excited for our August babies to be born so closely together!

Baby's Auntie Michelle, Grandma Lil, Aunt Maureen and MOMMY!!!

The photographer behind all the pictures above was the Hostess with the Mostest, Baby's Grandma Chris. So this picture is from the next day after we did some stroller shopping on Father's (to-be) day. Grandma Chris, DADDY & MOMMY :-)

Thanks again Chris, for a wonderful shower and visit!!!

To-Do Update

1. Return air conditioner for our room and get one that doesn't need to be screwed into our new windows! Turns out we just needed to get a support bracket. - DONE
2. Finish painting shelves for baby's closet. DONE
3. Work on patio - goal, get halfway done. Chip's more then halfway done - looks AMAZING!
4. Put away shower gifts from last weekend. Started, will finish this week.
5. Visit couple a couple daycares. DONE, see below post for details.
6. Trim reamining hedges. Started, will finish this task next weekend.
7. Finish painting outside doors. Did not start, will likely do this week.
8. Arrange furniture in nursery - rearrange office as needed. Started, will finish this week.
9. Finish cleaning sunroom. Started, will finish this week.
10. Finish mulching. Did not start, will likely do this this weekend.
11. Pack hospital bag. Started, will finish this week.
12. See a movie or something else fun! DONE - we saw "The Hangover" super funny!! Also, we had a great dinner with Jess & Tony and Lenny & Kelly. L&K just got back from their honeymoon, so we got to hear some great stories from their trip :-)

we got a lot of other things done, so I'd call last weekend a "GREAT SUCCESS" (quick, name that movie!)

8 Weeks left (32 WEEKS!!)

I just realized I haven't posted any shower pics from two weekends ago. I will get on that in another post later this week. I also need to reveal how many checkmarks we got off our weekend to-do, I will do so tomorrow for accountability of course :-)

How far along? 32 weeks!! Or should I say, T-minus 8 weeks, or only 56 days or only 36 working days left :::squeeeeeeee!!!!::::
Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 14, no weight gained last week.
Stretch marks? I'm really not sure, like I said last week, I can only see 2/3 of my belly, so who knows if there are any from the underside.
Sleep: Terrible last night, but we installed the A/C in our bedroom tonight, can't wait, I've never had A/C before :-) I live in New England, afterall!
Best moment this week: Finishing up our Childbirth Class - seems like a good milestone, though I'm still terrified of what the delivery will be like.
Movement: See the video in my previous post.
Food cravings: Still nothing too specific.
Gender: I'm officially back to thinking girl! Chip still thinks baby is a girl.
Labor Signs: Mostly just practice Braxton-Hicks, but I think I did have a "real" contraction on Sunday afternoon, just sitting on the couch eating lunch. OOOH man, this labor thing is going to be rough.
Belly Button in or out? The bottom of it is hanging on for dear life!
What I miss: Not getting head-butted in the ribs.
What I am looking forward to: Baby moving from being breech to head-down in position.
Weekly Wisdom: For those of you who are at your due date or very close, save this link, a friend of mine knows the owner of this restaurant and lots of overdue women eat their not-so-secret eggplant parm: http://www.scalinis.com/Bambino.htm Even if you're not pregnant, it has a cute article too.
Milestones: The average baby at 32 weeks is about 3.75lbs and is almost 17 inches long. One of my weekly emails says that baby is gaining roughly a half lb a week!! That means that s/he will gain about half of her/his birth weight during the next 8 weeks getting ready for the big reveal!!!
Shout outs to new followers: Hello to fellow Mommy to be blogger Stephanie!!
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: Just super clumsy - I drop EVERYTHING!
Weekly Belly Pic: Forgive the mess I am, we had just finished installing the A/C.

Squirming Baby S!

I have been trying for almost a week now to capture our squirming baby S on video for friends and family that are far away. I was sitting outside researching which stroller to add or our registry and Chip was hard at work on the patio (finally - a day without rain!) and I was able to video Baby S.

Without further ado - your feature presentation - what you're seeing move from the right to the left and back again is the baby's head:

Honestly, the baby moves like this most of the day, no wonder I have no more motivation at work, I'm too distracted by our little wiggler! Knock on wood, I've been pretty lucky that baby knows that when it's Mommy's bed time, no more wiggling is allowed :-)

31 week appt and DayCare!

I got a lot done today, including a visit to two daycare centers, both with nice infant rooms and very friendly staff members. Chip had a half day and was able to visit the second one with me, he was impressed with that one also. They're a bit pricier but they allow for part-time care, which is what we're thinking we'll need when I go back to work after maternity leave, at least for a few months at first. So anyway, that's a huge weight off our shoulders... if we had to make a decision this moment, I'd be very happy with the second place!! :-)

We had a healthy, uneventful appointment this afternoon. Baby's hearbeat and my BP were good and according to my last appt, only up 2 lbs in the past 3 weeks. Whoo hoo!! Half of that is probably baby's weight! My uterus was measuring between 30 and 31 centimeters, so that's right on for 31 weeks.

The only news that wasn't so great to hear is that baby is breech right now. I've been able to feel a hard bump that is typically up near my belly button and it's consistently been the head - now that I know it's not the bum-bum. He didn't seem concerned and thinks we have another month before we need to take steps to get baby to flip.

Good news about my car - insurance is covering $800 of the $1300 to replace my clutch after the floods last week. THANK GOODNESS, $500 is still a lot, but it's much more bearable then the $1300!

We're off to go see "The Hangover." Heard it's pretty funny!

This weekend's To-Do

We're in town this weekend, time to post our weekend To-Do for accountability!

1. Return air conditioner for our room and get one that doesn't need to be screwed into our new windows!
2. Finish painting shelves for baby's closet.
3. Work on patio - goal, get halfway done.
4. Put away shower gifts from last weekend.
5. Visit couple a couple daycares.
6. Trim reamining hedges.
7. Finish painting outside doors.
8. Arrange furniture in nursery - rearrange office as needed.
9. Finish cleaning sunroom.
10. Finish mulching.
11. Pack hospital bag.
12. See a movie or something else fun!

In all honesty, it will be successful if we only get number 3 done.

31 weeks - single digit weeks remaining...

We had a wonderful shower this past weekend with Chip's family... I don't have any pictures right now, need to wait for the Grandmas to send them along. Everyone was so generous and it was great to visit with everyone!! I'll post pics as soon as I get them.

In the mean time, quick weekly update:

How far along? 31 weeks!!

Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 14

Stretch marks? I believe they're going to keep slowly popping up, though I can only see 2/3 of my belly, so who knows if there are any from the underside.

Sleep: Not great... some nights are better than others.

Best moment this week: Seeing family and Allyssa at our shower Saturday. Also seeing my cousin Helen and her family tonight while they're in town from Tennessee.

Movement: I think today I felt my first kick on my right ribs... I would rather stretch out further in front then have the baby wedged under/behind my ribs.

Food cravings: Nothing too specific.

Gender: Since last week, I've been back to thinking girl! Chip still thinks baby is a girl. We are so anxious to know if we'll be living a life with pink dresses or little blue overalls!!!

Labor Signs: Still just practice Braxton-Hicks.

Belly Button in or out? Half and Half... depends on the baby's position.

What I miss: My skin around my back not feeling like it's going to tear. The only thing I can compare it to is when you're sunburned, but it doesn't hurt as much, thank goodness.

What I am looking forward to: Getting gifts put away and organize baby's closet. Also, our last childbirth class this week. We're having a practice labor and have to bring the supplies that we're going to bring to the hospital, birthing ball, pressure/massage tools, etc. I'm nervous, but excited to see what others bring.

Weekly Wisdom: We had to drive almost 5 hours to Chip's hometown to visit the family for the shower... my advice, if you can schedule long trips for earlier in the pregnancy - do it... it's exhausting, takes an hour longer because of pee-breaks and it's just uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, it was well worth it... but that's what I would recommend to others.

Milestones: The average baby at 31 weeks is about 16 inches long and weighs just under 3.5 lbs.

Shout outs to new followers: Hello to fellow Mommy to be blogger "Mrs. Pink"

Baby Brain Moment of the Week: I was in a funk last week, so I'll just say the whole week was a bummer until the weekend came... I guess losing keys and ruining the transmission in my car and all... this... rain... is bound to reflect my mood. BUT I'm feeling much better now.

Weekly Belly Pic: I'm hoping that next week's pic you'll find me in an organized nursery. I feel MUCH larger then this picture portrays! Holy cow- look at those chipmunk jowls!!

Found...

I
LOOOOVEE
CHIP!!!!

Simply put, he is my H-E-R-O

He found items one and two on the lost list - both sets of my keys! Guess where they were - in my laptop bag that I take to work Every...single...day! I looked there, but obviously not into the nooks and crannies like he did.

My hero - now that the work week is over and I have some keys (to a car that won't shift into gear- oh well)... let the weekend begin! :-)

Lost it...

... and by "it" I mean the following:
- My main set of keys which includes my car key and house keys (a week to 10 days ago)
- My extra car key (Monday)
- My sanity
- My feet (can't see them standing up...)
- My sense of humor
- My motivation at work
- The ability to sleep
- My ability to not drop everything that I'm holding onto
- Obviously, my brain.

If found, please return to me please... I would say you'll be rewarded handsomely, but... my car won't go into gear, so we'll have to pay for whatever needs to be fixed there. How'd I start my car without a key, you ask, well lucky for me, I haven't lost my valet key... yet. How the hell does one LOSE BOTH MY REAL KEYS!!!!!!!!!!!! Perhaps my car is just upset that Chip's new car is getting all the attention.

Maybe my keys are with the sun.... WHEN IS THE RAIN GOING TO STOP?!!?

Can you tell I've had a rough week? :-( One more day of work this week, let's see if I can make it through without tears (a new development to this pregnancy) or without going off on co-workers who bag my meetings!!!!!!

Looking at the positives, Baby and I are healthy and even though I've lost control of me, my husband hasn't and made me feel a lot better when he got home from work today. I love him.

30 weeks! WOW!

I skipped last week, so I promised myself I'd be prompt with today's weekly update.

How far along? 30 weeks, 3/4 of the way there!! Only 10 more weeks to go!
Total weight gain/loss: Total net + 13
Stretch marks? Mark the calendar - I believe I can see two (which probably means there are more...) One right above my belly button where my old piercing was and the other is in the oddest spot, on the upper right of my belly where it's not really even being stretched.
Sleep: Last week was pretty consistent with one potty trip in between tossing and turning, though surprisingly sleeping well. But last night was awful... I just couldn't get my mind to stop thinking of all the things we need to get done.
Best moment this week: Today, we had just picked up the new car! yay!... and I felt a kick way over to the right side, so I rested my hand on it, which is almost instinct now, and think I felt the whole leg. Then baby decides to do a series of kicks which felt like me being tickled from the inside - I literally giggled out loud and couldn't stop, it was a nice moment :-)
Movement: All the time , see above :-)
Food cravings: Still avocados, but I also had a craving for cheese doritos on Saturday... that's come and gone though.
Gender: Last night was the first night I was back to thinking girl in a long time!!! Chip still thinks baby is a girl.
Labor Signs: Just practice Braxton-Hicks.
Belly Button in or out? The top of it is trying to pop.
What I miss: I'm a little embarrassed and feel quite vain saying it, but I'm looking forward to having my body be my own again... does that make me a bad Mom?
What I am looking forward to: Our shower with Chip's family this coming weekend!! I haven't seen most of the family since the holidays so I'm really looking forward to it.
Weekly Wisdom: I may have said this one before, but to women who are getting up multiple times a night, it's worth mentioning again - After dinner, keep drinking your fluids, but have milk instead of water or juice. I don't have to go during the night if I drink milk in the evening.
Milestones: 30 weeks!! wow... 75% done!!
Shout outs to new followers: no one new
Random belly rubs: Just from friends and family.
Baby Brain Moment of the Week: I'm an engineer and should be good at math... I could not do simple multiplication/division to figure out the square footage of the patio and as a result, took 1 hour at Home Depot to figure out how many pavers we would need... I still got it wrong.
Weekly Belly Pic: Please don't judge... I got poured on twice today! We actually had such crazy rain that water was leaking from the roofs AND coming up from the floors at work, I've worked there 6 years and have never seen water flowing down the halls like I did today! As a result of all this water, I had to walk through knee deep water to just leave work today - no, I'm not kidding, pregnant woman, in a rain jacket that no longer zips, with a backpack on my back, took my socks and sneaks off, rolled up my work pants and waded through the freezing water just to leave work! I'm sure THAT was a site.




Here's a picture of what I see when I look down... notice there are no toes peeking out from underneath there. Also, it's surprisingly symmetric, normally the right side sticks out further then the left, which I believe is baby's bum... poor thing is going to have a ghetto booty like Mommy.

Some time this week I'm going to try to video tape some of baby's rolls so you can see how I'm entertained for hours on end just watching this baby, imagining what he or she will look like - will he/she be a he or a she, will he/she have dark hair like Daddy or red hair like Mommy... Will she/he be as active outside the womb as s/he is inside? Will baby sleep at night like s/he is doing now?? Let's only hope :-D

Well, if you looked at our to-do list, we didn't get 8 out of those 10 items done, but had a very productive weekend, that I would call successful. An update to our to-do's:

1. Test drive a few more SUVs and decide which one we want to purchase. - DONE - We decided, got a great deal and purchased a 2009 Toyota Highlander - picking it up tomorrow!!!
2. Work on the patio - Saturday I trimmed the hedges while Chip was working so we'd be able to get to all the patio area, they were quite overgrown. When he got home we finished more of the yard. Then today, we got a call from Tilley and Scott offering to drive 2 hours each way to help us out getting the patio started. Many HUGE thanks to them, such a god-send, we couldn't have gotten started without them.
3. Purchase an air conditioner for our bedroom - DONE
4. Rearrange the furniture in our bedroom (so I am closer to the door for midnight bathroom trips - We will do this tomorrow night.
5. Mow lawn - DONE
6. Clean up sunroom - Started
7. Call a few daycares - Started Friday, we're on a waiting list and have plans to visit a few day care centers later this week.
8. Finish the last coat of paint on the exterior doors that we replaced earlier this year - I will work on this tomorrow while Chip's at his fly fishing class.
9. Morning/afternoon kayaking excursion. - We had to cut this, even though the weather was perfect for it, we'll have make sure to get this in soon.
10. Meet Tilley to borrow their tile saw. - It came with them today when they came up to help with the patio.

So... there it is, we also started to paint the baby's closet and mulched half the back yard flowers, so we're getting there. Top outdoor priority will be the patio until it's done.

Found this other survey that's more of a one time deal, thought maybe some of you were getting as bored as I was with the weekly one.

About My Pregnancy
Is this your first pregnancy?:Yes
When did you find out you were pregnant?:12/17/08 a Wednesday!
Was it planned?: Yes
What was your first reaction?: Completely surprised!
Who was with you when you found out?: I was in the bathroom getting ready to shower for work... Chip was in bed still, but knew I was taking the test.
Who was the first person you told?: Obviously Chip.
How did your parents react?: Everyone was very surprised and excited.
How far along are you?: 29 weeks 4 days
What was your first symptom?: Sweating at night, in Dec a week before we got a positive, I knew then.
What is your due date?:8/24
Do you know the sex of the baby?: No - last big surprise in life!!
Have you picked out names?: We have a girl's name, but no boy's.
If so, what are they?: We're going to surprise everyone when baby arrives.
Have you heard the heartbeat?: yes, at all appointments

About the birth
Home or hospital birth?: Hospital
Natural or medicated birth?: I'd like to do it naturally, but I'm learning about the different meds too.
Who will be in the delivery room with you?: Chip and ONLY Chip.
Will you breastfeed?: I'm really hoping to.
Do you think you'll need a c-section?: I hope not!!
Will you cry when you hold the baby for the first time?: Probably :-)
What's the first thing you might say to him/her?: How can you even plan something like that?!?!
Would you let someone videotape the birth?: Never! Perhaps baby's first hours after, but no way... I think I'd only like to experience that once.

To-Do

At our childbirth class last night, we learned that one of the couples, at 35 weeks, was home having contractions and wouldn't be attending the class! Another couple, at 32 weeks, has had two weeks worth of early labor scares. She tested positive for pre-term labor and was given a steroid shot to speed up the development of the baby's lungs in case she delivers early.

Since I'm between 2.5 and 5.5 weeks from these two women, it prompted me to revisit the to-do list. Here's what I'd like us to get done tomorrow on my day off and this weekend:
1. Test drive a few more SUVs and decide which one we want to purchase.
2. Work on the patio - maybe even finish it.
3. Purchase an air conditioner for our bedroom.
4. Rearrange the furniture in our bedroom (so I am closer to the door for midnight bathroom trips.
5. Mow lawn
6. Clean up sunroom
7. Call a few daycares (this is a morning priority that I must do tomorrow!!!)
8. Finish the last coat of paint on the exterior doors that we replaced earlier this year.
9. Morning/afternoon kayaking excursion. (have to have a little fun!!!)
10. Meet Tilley to borrow their tile saw. (in the coming weekends you'll see "tile back entry" as an item on the to-do list)

I figured if I post this to the blog it'll make us more accountable. Minus weather changing our plans, we'll call success getting 8 out of 10 items done!

Flying Colors

Just a quick note - I got a call back from my Dr office saying that I had passed my glucose test and my iron levels look good! We've been so lucky this pregnancy (knock on wood)! I'm thrilled that both tests were negative... no need to cut out the sweets and goodies... whew!!! :-) That would have been tough!

Glucose Test

For those of you who don't know, women around 28 weeks have to have a test for Gestational Diabetes. As I mentioned last week, I had mine on Thursday. If I don't hear back tomorrow, or Tuesday at the latest, I am in the clear.

The orange drink was what I expected... it wasn't terrible, but have no desire to ever drink it again! I had to drink it in about 1o minutes time (did it in about 4 to get it overwith) and then go to the lab and have blood drawn an hour after finishing finishing the liquid orange sugar. The lab techs had a hard time finding a vein, I told them I had a wedding to go to this weekend and would really appreciate not being bruised, they joked with me, but of course by the time I left my appt that followed, I was bruised, and still am. Thanks kids!

Our 28 week appt went smoothly. The doc measured the belly and it was right on at 28 cm's, so even though I appear to be carrying on the small side, at least I can be reassured that my uterus growth is right on track, which is a strong indicator of baby being on track too. The doc seemed a bit surprised that I was having Braxton- Hicks already, but from what I've read, it's not uncommon. I feel confident that I've learned enough from him and our childbirth classes so we'll know what to recognize if they change from B-H to regular old labor progressing contractions. Baby's heart beat was strong. My BP was right on target. Things are looking good still, Chip and I couldn't be more grateful that we've been very blessed with a healthy pregnancy to date. Back for our next appt in 3 weeks, it's hard for me to believe that we're starting to go more frequently now!!