37 weeks and ready to go!

12/27/06- 37 weeks! I made it!
We have a new due date confirmed by Miles size via ultrasound. They say he could arrive on 1/17/07. Which makes me 37 weeks today. Why do I care? That means if he was born today he wouldn’t be a premie! His main job right now is to put on weight. He is already 6.7 pounds, so he just needs a little more. I think he’ll be born on Jan 3rd- the full moon. We’ll see. The nurse told us to put our bags in the car and be ready any time now. I am already 1 centimeter dilated, so stuff’s happening. Here are the pix from the ultrasound.

Lotta Doctors.

12/21/06: 35 weeks or 37 days and counting!
I have to go to antenatal 2x a week for testing, the dietition once a week, the OB once a week and the Endocronologist every couple weeks. So, I am pretty busy with Doctor’s appointments! I went to the antenatal diagnostic testing center yesterday. My OB wants to make sure Miles is getting enough to eat because she feels my weight gain has slowed and reveresed a little too soon. The do a quick ultrasound (I didn’t get to keep any pix) and she showed me that Miles has a lot of hair on his head. He is also definately a boy-if there was ever a doubt. He still has plenty of amniotic fluid to float around in and appears to be doing well. He’s hanging out head down, so he’s getting ready to go. His heart rate is good and I didn’t have any contractions while I was there. All is going well.

I have packed my hospital bag, and Miles bag too. Made a birth plan and distributed it to my sis and mom and of course Keith. I made a birthing selection of music to play and packed a couple CD’s but also my iPod speakers. The nursery is ready to go...and we are ready for Christmas too. After Christmas I guess it’ll just be back to normal and a bunch of waiting. I want to get birth announcements addressed and ready to go- but I have lables for that. And I need a picture of Miles to assemble them anyway.

So that’s all the news for now. Merry Christmas!

45 days left to go- give or take.

12/13/06: 34 weeks
Only 45 days left to go! As if anyone really delivers on their due date. But seriously the end and the beginning are so near! It’s been strange to stay home for so long sans baby. I’ve been keeping amazingly busy, alternately napping. Getting ready for Christmas has been a big job. I took on the task of making Christmas cards- scrapbooker style. I made most of them before I pooped out and bought a box to send to the rest of the friends and family.

I am pretty big now- seems silly that I thought I was showing before. Lounge pants are a gift from heaven! I still manage to squeeze into my maternity jeans, but they are pretty uncomfortable. I stay in house clothes as much as possible (poor keith!).

Miles is a very active baby- pushing and rolling around. He doesn’t have much room to move around now so when I feel him it feels like he is trying to escape from the walls of my sides. Every once and a while I feel a kick to the ribs or bladder but for the most part he seems to be lodged in my left side. Keith and I play, “Guess the part” and try to figure out if we are feeling a butt or knee or elbow... I think that is the most fun part of being pregnant.

I’m still on the uterus relaxing drugs, but fast approaching 35 weeks, I’m going to be revieved of that. I need to go into labor sometime, and at this point- I’m not real worried about it. Watch him be late.

Oh- and I have been blessed with Gestational Diabetes too. I imagine a combo of weight gain and family history make me a pretty good candidate. But I think I may have had it all along. It has been a huge help for me to be on the diabetes diet. No more faintness in the morning and – I haven’t checked my weight in a while, but I feel like I’m on track. Miles is gaining by the day- inches and pounds. We should have one more ultrasound at 36 weeks to see how big he is and when we can expect his arrival. I can’t wait to see is shining face! Keith is pretty excited too.

I installed the car seat and the nursery is more than ready, clothes washed, blankets clean and folded, even the plastic taken off the powder and supplies. We are as ready as we know to be. Miles baby bag is packed and his homecoming outfit is ready. The only thing I have yet to do is pack a bag for the hospital for me. I guess I might be putting that off. It seems silly to pack when you don’t know when you are leaving, besides, I’m still wearing the lounge pants I will probably pack!

30 weeks and counting!

11/16/06:
After my last blog I ended up back in the hospital for 5 days. IV’d and drugged, with persistant contractions. I am now off work and laying low. Paying close attention to my body’s signs for contractions, pressure, cramps, and back pain. I can move around more than before but I still can’t really do much. I did make it to my baby shower though. Shelly and Gary put on a wonderful party with the help from my Mom and Aimee. It was great there was a terrific turn out and we received massive amounts of baby gear. The nursery is jam packed with baby bouncers, swings, clothes, toys, blankets and lots and lots of diapers. The only thing we needed to go buy ourselves was breastfeeding gear- which wasn’t that big of a deal. I bought a manual pump since I don’t think I will need to use it that much only on the rare occasions that I leave Miles with Keith or a family member. The days are going by very fast and I am doing a lot of little craft projects to keep myself occupied. I just wish I could clean the house- like deep clean. I can pick up but have been banned from the vaccume. It’s hard for me to rely on Keith to do the cleaning, since he has a million other projects that he wants to get done and of course he is still working full time. I guess there will be plenty time for vaccuming later in life! (little do I know)

Irritable Uterus- welcome to the third trimester

10/24/06:
I am on bedrest for the next week. Yesterday I went to work like normal, but felt a lot of pressure and heaviness in the pelvic area when I walked. I talked to a friend who told me I should call the doctor. My doctor’s office aid I should go home and lay down. After going home the feeling was the same so I called back and they sent me to Mary Birch Hospial for woman, labor and delivery. I was held for about 5 hours and monitored for pre term labor contractions. Apparently the pressure I had been having for the last few weeks were pre labor contractions. They gave me a shot to relax my uterus, which didn’t work. Then an IV, which also didn’t work. They did a couple tests which indicated I wasn’t dilated and sent me home with some medication to relax my “irritable uterus” and orders to stay off my feet as much as possible for the next week. I have a follow up on Halloween. Then well see what will happen from there. My first day of bedrest was pretty boring, I mostly read and watched TV, napped for a while. Keith was a sweety and went grocery shopping and made me dinner. It’s really strange not being able to do anything. I found myself actually wishing I could excersize today! I must be getting desperate already!

Last weekend we went to Julian and celebrated Grandma’s 80th birthday by taking her to a drag queen show. She didn't think it was as funny as we did, which was a bummer- but I hope she knows our hearts were in the right place. At least it will be memorable.

Octoberfest!

October 8th 2006 26 weeks
Last night we went to Octoberfest in LaMesa with my Sis. This is my favorite time of year. I love Fall. The weather, the holiday decorations, the festivals. All of it. It was obsenely crowded with a great mixture of drunk kids and family people. There was a fair share of old castouts from the 60’s, grey ponytail men in camoflage jackets, meandering the crowd- looking somewhat lost and totally at home. We went with the intention of Bratworst and Funnelcake but ended up at a local mexican eatery, Marios. I held my own, walking a litle funny for the shooting pains down my lower back and leg, and feet swollen and sore. This morning I feel a little like someone took a hammer to the bottom of my feet. But I imagine we’ll go back today so I can actually look at the crafts and enjoy some of the booths without the danger of someone shoving a funnel cake covered in fudge down my back.

I finally signed up for some birth classes for keith and myself to take over Halloween weekend. And it looks like my sis should be sending out the baby shower invites next week. Things are moving along at a frightening speed! Sooner than I can really imagine, little Miles will be here- maybe sleeping nearby while I blog this...

Life goes on...

September 28th 2006 about 24 weeks
Only 3 1/2 more months! Miles is getting bigger and more noticable. He gets my attention regularly with kicks and jabs that can now be felt from the outside, which is fun for Keith. We have trained the doggies not to sleep on our bed anymore, which was easier than I anticipated. They now have a big bed that they can share, or another little one if they don’t feel like being close.


I have been swamped at work, which is exhausting. Keith has been a huge help, making dinner at night and helping with the house chores. I come home dead tired and fall asleep by 9pm.

I am so excited for the holidays! I think these next couple of months are going to fly by. I imagine I’ll do a lot of my shopping online over the next few months. Partially to try and spend wisely and partially because shopping all day wipes me out now, and I imagine as I get bigger and more uncomfortable, it’ll be even worse. This will be the last year for a while that I can go shoping without a monster stroller!

Jungle Mural finally complete!

September 12th 2006
So I finally finished the mural in the baby’s room. It took me a lot of research and fear overcoming then just doing it in basically one day. I drew it out in one night and then painted it on Sunday. I think it looks pretty good! But you be the judge of that as I have posted a bunch of pictures to go with this.


I had the doctor’s (OB) appointment this morning and heard little Miles heartbeat. He sounds good and strong. I felt him moving around today, his movements seem to be getting bolder and sometimes it feels like he is doing summersaults! But mostly it’s just little kickboxing moves. Jab-jab-uppercut!

I have been feeling pretty good. Tired, and still with the crazy dreams. I mean super scary, crazy, exhausting, can’t put that on a family blog dreams. I would love to sleep all the way through the night without waking and without dreams. But I guess that wont be happening any time soon!!

We found a crib!

September 5, 2006 Day 122 (20 weeks)
We have been getting the nursery together. We have a crib (thanks to Mom!) and a changing table now. It’s looking pretty cute. All we need to do now is the fun decorations stuff. I bought some letters that spell “Miles” for the wall and hope to have some sketches for the mural done soon. I think it’ll be really simple. I am going to paint each letter of his name a different animal print and hang them on the wall above the crib. The room is so small and is somewhat crammed with furniture, so I don’t want the wall to overpower the small space.

I feel Miles moving around every day now. Still small flutterings but he usually gets my attention every couple hours or at least once a day when I’m holding still.

I’ve been feeling pretty good. With the exception of being tired more easily and feeling bigger and bigger everyday, which I suppose is very normal. So all is well!

It's a Boy!!

8/30/06
I have been super busy at work and exhausted at home, which doesn't leave me much time to blog or upload pictures. Which I hope to do very soon. We had our ultrasound yesterday and discovered that we are having a boy! And so far, he's very healthy and doing well. Looks like he is going to be long (tall) as his femor bones is long for his age. He was moving and dancing, kind of doing a movement that looked like crunches. I don't really feel his kicks yet. He is facing up and toward my spine, so he is kicking the placenta, not my stomach.

I have been feeling really good. I started taking Omega 3 (thanks Erin!) on the advice of a friend and whether it's that, or just the 2nd trimester that is making me feel good, It's hard to say, but I'll take it.

Oh, and we now have a new due date of 1/19/07. Which is a Friday. That makes me about 19 weeks and 5 days. Farther along than we thought. We need to sign up for some pregnancy classes soon. As slow as this has been going, it's going fast.

Prenatal Yoga

I went to a prenatal yoga class last night. It was awesome! I loved it. It was really nice to be around a bunch of pregos. There was the full range of 12 weekers to “my due date is tomorrow” and there were probably about 12-15 ladies in the class. I loved it. It was the first time I was in a room full of people I KNEW I had something in common with. I got home at 9:15 and crashed. I’m a little sore today. But the class was really good for me. I never realized how quickly you lose it when you don’t use it.

A few days ago

We went to Mom’s on Saturday for my Grandpa’s 84th birthday party. Shelly made great lasagna and I made a carrot cake. The Mackays came to the party and it was pretty fun! Everyone’s rubbing my belly now, which doesn’t bother me so much anymore. May be the last time someone rubs my belly and thinks it’s cute or exciting! At least until a few months after the baby is born, and then I’ll hope that’ll be Keith’s job.

I felt great all week last week. I had energy and a good mood. Today and yesterday I have been tired again. Sleepy and lead weighty. I imagine the baby’s having a growth spurt. I have started taking Omega 3 supplements, which I hear is good for baby’s brain growth and my mood for some reason. So far, I haven’t noticed a difference. I’ll take them anyway.

Tonight I’m going to make a calzone from scratch. Well kind of, I have wheat bread dough from Trader Joe’s. Yum!

The size of an Avocado.

August 17, 2006 Thursday
I have been feeling much better. Worlds better than I did. In fact I almost feel like the old me. Which makes me hopeful that the worst is over, at least for now.

The baby is now about the size of an avocado and will double in size over the next few weeks. That’s pretty exciting. There is a woman at work who is a month ahead of me and it’s interesting to watch how she grows and have a kind of guideline for how I will look in a couple of weeks.

We will get the ultrasound to see the sex of the baby on the 29th. In just under 2 weeks. So expect an announcement or tell me if you don’t want to know. Keith and I will be taking some classes at Sharp to prepare for birth and baby. I think that’ll help me, but especially help Keith know better what to expect, and take some of the scariness out of it. Not much else is going on. The weather has cooled off tremendously, and that is making life easier. I am looking forward to Fall like never before. I can’t wait until October! My favorite time of the year.

Exorcist Anyone?

August 12, 2006 Saturday 8:34 am
Okay, so I have been sick. Very scary- been to the hospital 2x this week, had an EKG sick. I know what your asking yourself, “how’s the baby?!” Thanks, the baby seems to be fine. And after 2 days of sleeping, exorcist style vomiting and comatose laying around, I seem to be much better today too. This has been a very scary week. Keith has been wonderful during this sick time. Taking care of me, calling the hospital, taking me to the hospital, sitting with me-even cleaning the puke out of my car when I let loose on the way HOME from the hospital on Thursday. He’ll be a great dad. If he can hold it together while scooping puke from the front seat, I no longer worry about him changing a diaper! He truly is a renaissance man!

I have an appointment with my regular OB on Tuesday, followed by a cardiologist. So we’ll see how everything is going along. I still think I feel the baby moving around at night, but still can’t be sure for sure. I measure around 41” around the belly button (I started at about 36-38”) and I have gained a scary 17 pounds. I gained a ton in the first few months, but now I am back on track gaining about a pound a week, which is what I should be gaining right now. Unfortunately the weight I gained in the beginning can’t be added on to my weight in the future. It doesn’t work that way. L

So now I am hopeful things will be good for a while. I am up today, showered and ready to take care of business. Just a little slower that usually is all.

Better Today

July 30, 2006 Sunday evening 8:47 pm
I have been feeling better- the weather has cooled off, even rained a bit. Coincidence? Probably not. I think I feel the baby moving around at night but it really is hard to tell. Exciting though. I am not in my 15th week a little more than a third of the way through. I bought a scrap booking album today and I intend to get started. This little blog will make an appearance for sure. I think I will make this into a paper version. With more intimate photos. I can add the baby pics and tummy pics that I wont publish otherwise.

I’m not looking forward to work tomorrow, or the next day for that matter. But what has to be done has to be done. What seems important now will soon take on such different meaning.

Sleeping beauty?

July 29, 2006 Saturday morning 7:15am
I woke up to rain. Finally! The sky has been so heavy, putrid, HOT. It finally cracked open. All the green (and brown) outside are singing. Reaching for the clouds. I went out with some string and twine and tied up the tomato plants. Found some old scissors and cut off some of the crunchy brown. The Basil unsalvageable. My poor yard! Usually I spend much more time with my hands in the earth. Although looking at the backyard on any given day, you might not be able to tell. I love digging and planting and eating what I’ve grown. There’s so much satisfaction in that. I have been so tired the past few months with the heat and humidity making things close to unbearable. Last night I fell asleep at 7pm. On Friday. My poor husband. But I needed it. I woke up at 6:15 this morning ready to greet the day! So it’s 7:20 and I feel my old self, already productive somewhat, in the yard. I’m wearing on of Keith’s old black A shirts, covered in paint stains. Damp from the mist and rain. My feet are still covered with old grass clippings. I really shouldn’t be tromping about the house this way. But I think I’ll make myself a good breakfast and set to cleaning up this place while I still feel so good. You never know when you suddenly will feel struck and need to lie down.

Baby Pictures-13 weeks!

July 23rd, 2006 8:05 Am
I am finally posting the baby pictures from out last hospital visit. I wrote little explanations on the pictures so hopefully you can figure it out. The baby is too big (how exciting!) to get him/her all in one shot, so there are two pictures, one is a good picture of the body the other is of the head.



It has been incredibly hot. So hot that it’s making me sick. We have been looking for a little air conditioner for the bedroom but it appears all of San Diego is sold out. Bad planning on our part. Yesterday it was 110 degrees in La Mesa. Now that’s just ridiculous.

I am really starting to show now- I should get a picture of my belly soon. Kind of been putting that off! But really it exciting to actually look pregnant. This is the first week of my second trimester. I am really excited to start the second trimester. I expect to be greeted with more normal emotions and bucket loads of energy. I’ll let you know how reality meets my expectations.

Movin' and shakin'

July 18, 2006 Tuesday 8:01 am
We went to the Doctor yesterday and everything is going great! My blood work came back fine and blood pressure is normal. The baby is now the size of a tennis ball and we say her/him move around and could see the heart beat. It was amazing! Thrilling! Keith and I are so excited now for this new little baby- it gets more real and real. I laid in bed this morning and daydreamed about where the crib will go and what decorations we will have. I want to start buying diapers now, although I believe I will use a diaper service- maybe not. I have some research to do. Anyone have any input on diaper services?

I have a new picture to of the baby to post, but I left it at work- I’ll do it tonight.

It's too Damn HOT!

July 16, 2006 Sunday 8:15 am
It has been so hot! It’s the kind of heat where you wake up in the night sticking to the sheets and sweating on your pillow. It may be time for an air conditioner. At least for our bedroom. It’s nice that I am due in January, so I wont be too big in the heat of summer. As I sit here typing, I’m sweating- and I have a fan in my face. When you’re pregnant your body temperature runs higher naturally, so it’s a double whammy.

I got my hair dyed at a salon yesterday. I know that’s controversial. I decided it would make me feel better all around to have nice hair. My hair was dull brown with a lot of grey. Now it’s black with cherry red streaks. That big chunk of grey in the front? Now cherry red. I was assured by the salon that they all had their hair colored during their pregnancies and they color pregnant woman’s hair all the time. I am secretly worried that my Doctor will yell at me tomorrow. We have the second doctor’s appointment tomorrow. We are pretty excited. Keith is hoping we’ll get to see the sex- But I think we have to wait until like 18-20 weeks for that. I am hoping to hear the heart beat.

Room Service Please!

July 12, 2006 Wednesday 8:34 pm
Wow, I haven’t written anything in a long time. We have been busy getting ready for Doris’ arrival- and now she is here! Whew!

I feel like I have gained weight like a madwoman. I guess I should talk to my doctor about it on Monday. I need to start an exercise regimen and stick to it. I feel pretty embarrassed about the gain. However I am conflicted too. I try to let things just go with the flow. But when you are pregnant, people freely to judge you; what I eat, drink and look like are all open to criticism. Also the gain has been bad for me all over, my ankles hurt, I get winded going up stairs, and I’m uncomfortable in my own skin.

It’s all for a good cause though. I can’t wait to hold our baby! I will have plenty of time to take off any excess weight after the baby is born. And I know I will. Right now I am just host to a wonderful guest, who is using my body as a 5 star hotel. When s/he orders room service, who am I to say no? Maybe that’s the problem!

The fun has just begun

July4th 2006. 1:30pm
I have been really busy working and trying to pull the guest room together for Doris’ stay here. Every day I think I need to blog, but then something comes up. We are going to a barbeque later today at Judy and Ted’s. Another drinking holiday. You don’t realize how much drinking goes on until you have to quit. Sad how much I miss it. I wish I didn’t have the taste for it.

I made Keith stay home instead of going out with his friends to PB and now I feel like a bitch. I guess I didn’t make him, he has free will. But I don’t like the idea of him going to PB with the guys on a drinking holiday. I have no faith that he would be home safe and on time in order for us to go to the Mackay’s. And I know everyone would be sad if he wasn’t there. (although I’m sure his friends are sad too) He is dreading his upcoming birthday and lamenting about getting older. Crying about not spending time with his friends and having to work all the time. In the back of my mind, I’m like, “oh boy, you have no idea what we’re in for.” I don’t think it has set in yet for him what it’s really going to be like to have a newborn. The longer I am pregnant the more I think it’s too bad that men have no idea. Could not have any idea, what it’s like for the woman who is pregnant.

This is kind of a negative blog entry, isn’t it? I have been fighting morning sickness every afternoon, and I am grouchy, stressed and over tired. I have crazy dreams every night and my sleep is either interrupted by having to pee or the dogs tap dancing around on the hard wood floor. I need to relax.

30 going on 13.

June 28, 2006 Wednesday- My birthday!
I had a great day today! I couldn’t wish for any better off an internet chain email (send this to 10 people and your wish will come true). Short recap of the day. Breakfast in an Ocean Beach waterfront restaurant. Quick antiquing down the main drag. Bought the baby a really cute knit hat with trains on it (Dad would approve). Bought me some ninja shoes from a hippie store. Then we went on a shopping spree at a Motherhood store and practically bought a new wardrobe so I can get dressed for work without crying (hopefully). We went home for a sec and regrouped then off to Sears and Sleepyheads looking for a twin mattress for Mom in laws stay with us. Didn’t buy anything though. I actually showed restraint. Then we went home, showered, I put on my new prego dress illustrated in the above picture and we went to our favorite local Italian restaurant, Tiramisu. We had a fabulous meal and now I am sitting fat and happy tapping away to tell you all about it.

I am definitely "showing" now. Maternity clothes are good at making you look even more pregnant. Which I guess is better than just thick or worse, fat. I’m still at the stage where no stranger dare ask. And I almost feel the need to explain to strangers that I’m pregnant. Thankfully, I refrain. I felt good all day. Great energy, and mood. I am hoping to go to yoga in the morning and am hoping I will be back to my normal workout routine now. Maybe that’ll help level off my weight gain. It’s tough to excersize when all you want to do is barf and sleep and barf then eat then sleep some more. I swear I just turned 13 not 30.

Dutiful Husband

June 24th 2006 Saturday
I just poured a piping hot cup of decaf Joe and am contemplating the work that should be done today. I really need to clean the house and I should do it now before it gets hot and I get tired. Waaah. Keith is in there over sleeping and grumpily yelling at the dogs who are trying to get him up (probably by licking his back). He’ll complain later about how his head hurts because he overslept. We are due to hit Hash House A Go-Go (http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/) at 10am to catch up with some friends. We haven’t told them yet that I am pregnant. I don’t like saying, “We are pregnant,” I think that is most certainly false. Although Keith is a loving man, he really can’t know what it’s like and he’s not the one trudging through the afternoon in his cube, with a mouth full of warming saliva and a gut pressing up against his straining pants. So I am pregnant, and he is a dutiful observer. I think he would happily agree.

new floors, popping stomachs and mother in laws.

June 23rd 2006 Friday evening
We just finished installing the new faux wood floor in the baby’s room. I say we, but I mean mostly Keith. It looks pretty great! I think it’ll go well with our pirate-y theme.

Much to my dismay, my stomach has popped out. I’ve tried to suck it in, and hold my breath, giving myself pain and gas. That sucks. I think I’ll stop fighting reality and go with it. I judge myself and say I shouldn’t be showing yet, but who’s to say that? I think my experience is unique and I need to relish in each stage. I’m not going to be this small for long. And it’s undeniable that I am beginning to look pregnant in mid week 9. I should take a picture.

I have been emotional. Let’s say- from tearing up because I think everyone will forget my birthday, to laughing hysterically until I cry and gag over next to nothing. I am basically a raging PMSing 13 year old girl again. I want to sleep and sleep and I don’t want to exercise. Even though I know I need to. We have so much to do before Doris arrives (my mother in law will be staying with us for a month or so) and Keith (my hero) is working himself to the bone at his real job, side jobs and this house. I am learning to accept that we are not perfect and the house will have a life of it’s own. Although, I would kill for a house keeper right now.

First Doctor's Visit

June 19, 2006 Monday
We had our first Doctor’s visit this morning. Keith went with me. The medical building is bland and brown. There is a tiny little waiting room, crammed full of women, pregnant and otherwise. We sat on a loveseat while we waited for awhile, until some more pregnant women came in and there wasn’t enough seating. The wait was long. I was standing and Keith plopped on the floor next to the wall. The women next to me said she had been waiting for hours, so I went up to the grouchy woman hiding behind a tiny window which led to the back office and asked how far they were backed up. We had been there a half hour after our appointed time. She said I was next and shortly after a woman came and took us into a nice little corner office full of diplomas and baby announcements. The woman didn’t introduce herself; in fact she sat us and ran out. We sat there for a few minutes looking around at the native America art and sculptures that were in a cabinet behind us. Finally a nurse came and sat at the large oak desk in front of us and started to ask me questions while inputting my data into the computer. She told us a little background of her and her daughter and her awful cesarean birth experience. It’s then that we learned that the woman who sat us was the Doctor and she had ran over to Grossmont to birth a baby really quick and would be right back.

Our Doctor is a one women show, which explains the wait time. She will be the one at our birth and completing my appointments. She has similar philosophy on birth as I, and a kind and funny demeanor. I liked her. When she returned about 20 minutes after she left, she put me in an exam room and we saw a picture of the baby. S/he’s about 1/2 inch long from crown to rump and looks like Casper the friendly ghost. It’s finally more real now. I was kind of stunned, they just stick a magic wand inside you and wall-la! There’s your tiny peanut! It was fascinating. We got 3 little pictures of our child. No way to tell the sex yet of course. I have an appointment to go back in 4 weeks, July 17th.

Telling your Boss You're Pregnant

June 16, 2006 FRIDAY! Day 40- another week gone by.
My dreams have been hijacked by a baby for sure. I had dreams last night that I was at a festival like Oktoberfest and a friend from high school was pressuring me to have a beer, and at first it was like I forgot I was prego. Then I kind of exclaimed, “I can’t drink beer I’m pregnant!” My dreams are interwoven with baby concerns, almost every night now. Also, I do wake up every night to groggily visit the bathroom. But don’t have any trouble falling back asleep.

I told my boss that I’m pregnant. I know that’s a touchy subject and everyone has an opinion as to where and when you should do this. I took a chance on an opportunity regarding going part time immediately. (which isn’t going to work out) But we did hammer out how the whole thing will work for them and for me up until delivery and leave and when I will come back. When I do return it will be part time and I am starting to look around for infant care, which already brakes my heart. Keith and I are hoping a better way will pop up. We have a lot of time between now and then. It’s really great how much time you have to prepare yourself and your world before the baby really shows up.

Just The Facts

June 14, 2006 Wednesday Day 37 week 8
I feel pretty good. I’ve have been super tired. Took a nap in my car yesterday at lunch and fell asleep watching TV last night at about 9:30. My clothes are starting to get a little tight around the waist. I read that my uterus is now about the size of an orange. I’ll need to go clothes shopping soon, at least to buy a couple pairs of pants/skirts.

I am more and more excited about seeing our baby on Monday. I am really counting down the days/hours. I’ve never been so excited to go to a doctor. I just hope everything is going and growing well. Let’s see, what else, I am hungry all the time and concentrate on getting a good balance of foods, and I have to make a lot of trips to the restroom. I pretty much just drink water now. It’s easier and better for me. Besides all the fancy sodas are expensive and full of chemicals and calories. Not to say I don’t have one now and again...

New Car?!

June 11, 2006 8:45pm Day 34
WE BOUGHT A MOMMY MOBILE TODAY! We joined the rest of the kid toting parents and bought a 2003 Saturn Vue. It’s purdy. And Orange. I’m a little shocked and hope it was a good choice. I fully intend to use my right to trade in within 30 days if I don’t dig it tomorrow. I guess the first thing we bought for this little one is a car. Wow.

We went to go visit Dad. It was a quick, fun and relaxing trip. We went swimming and just hung out. Had a good time. Here’s a picture of me, acting like I’m showing.

Let Them Eat Cake!

June 10th 2006 Saturday 7:15am
We were invited to the neighbor's for dinner last night for a little celebration dinner. They have a baby, Isabella who is about 10 months old, so it was nice to be able to talk about our pregnancy with someone who knows. Blanca made us a cake! And set the table with china, we had some great food and fun conversation. Baby Blanca even screamed her opinion on the subject several times. It felt great to have a night that was created just to celebrate and welcome our little growing baby. I’m glad they felt comfortable being more than “cautiously optimistic”. I even bought a bottle on de-alcoholized wine for me so I could partake in the celebration, (Yes, I called my doctor and asked-It’s little more than grape juice).

Today we are driving up to Borrego Springs to see my Dad. We are going to stay the night and go swimming and golfing and play tennis, if I have the energy. I hope to have a great and relaxing weekend, not worrying or working. I better get packed.

Budda Belly

June 9, 2006 Friday 6:36am
Now, I’m not really worried about looking pregnant, I understand a little baby pirate has commandeered my vessel. That’s great! It’s the fatty, lack of shape, pre-looking pregnant, that I’m going through now. That thick in the middle, not showing- just bloated, maybe I ate too much all day feeling.

I always wanted to be one of those really fit pregnant ladies. You know what I’m talking about the woman who from behind you can’t tell they are even pregnant, and then the turn around and there’s this obscene looking growth beneath their breasts. But I’m not sure it’ll be that way for me. I’ve always had trouble with food and loving to eat. Now for the first time in my life, I am not supposed to diet. Did you hear that! It’s amazing news. I am so concerned about eating the right balance of soy and calcium, veggies and fruit, cheese and bread. I don’t know how to do that within 2000-2300 calories. It’s a new day, wish me luck.

Pirate Baby

June 9, 2006 Friday, 6:12 am
Day 32. I felt pretty normal all day yesterday. Work is picking up and it helps take my mind off things. I walked the dogs in the morning and went to yoga. I told my yoga instructor that I’m pregnant and she gave me a big hug. I hope to be very active in yoga through the whole pregnancy.

I’ve decided to do a fun Caribbean/Pirate theme in the baby’s room. I want to paint a large mural on one side of the room with sand, sea, sky and a pirate ship. I picture a palm tree with bananas and a treasure chest in the sand. I don’t think there will be any actual pirates, maybe a pirate flag somewhere. I think it’ll be bright, cute and a whole lot of fun. Now, I just need to ask the Doctor if I can paint and when. Of course I would like to do this asap. I will have to have Keith paint the room, because of the fumes. I have some research to do.
I love projects.

Coffee Bean

June 7, 2006 Wednesday 9:03pm

Day 30- We’re now in the second lunar month. Every day is more exciting. I wake up in the morning and think, “Hurray!” and run to my book to see what’s happening, like a Christmas countdown calendar (you know the kind, where you pull back the day and get a candy?).

Baby is now the size of a coffee bean, and will continue to double in size as the weeks pass.

I’ve been tired like I’ve never been tired before. I wonder if I tried to exercise more, if that would be help, or if I should rest.

We are slowly telling all of our friends. I still feel a little disbelief myself and worry that we’re going to find out something is wrong or we are mistaken. Logically, I realize how unlikely that is, and reassure myself that babies are born all them time. The odds are in our favor. knock on wood.

Car Sick

June 5th Monday 6:41pm

Back to work…I was nauseous all day, with heartburn and too much saliva. That’s fun. And so tired I could fall asleep at my desk. I weighed and measured myself today and was the same, whew! Actually an inch smaller than last time. That’s a relief. We have our first doctor’s visit 2 weeks from today. I am very excited to hear the heart beat and make sure everything is going as it should.

Today I had a craving for crunchy tacos, which I haven’t had in ages. I stopped by a taco stand by my work, ignoring the salad I brought from home, and indulged in some rolled tacos. They were better than you can imagine.

I have a very long day ahead of me tomorrow. I have to go to a student retention seminar in Orange County with a bunch of big wigs. Do you think the carpool will stop to let me go pee every half hour?!

Hot Whale!

I don't have much news to report. The liver is forming today. I feel like a whale and am very afraid to weigh myself. I shouldn't even be showing yet. I'm surprised every time I put something on and it fits- tight-but still, fits.

It should be very hot today but not as hot as yesterday's 90 degrees. I may escape to a movie. Even alone. I've been working on the house nonstop, except for when I'm blogging. So I'm sick of work, and the weekend is almost over. *sigh* The rat race will kill us all.

Margaritas in babyland

June 3rd Saturday 8:45am

Baby is now .2 inches. Or 3-5mm. I have subtle stretching feelings of and on, reminiscent of cramping but not that bad. We have a funny feeling that we might have twins, but I’m sure that’s just a funny feeling. That would be crazy though.

We are going to my sis’s party tonight and I bought a really yummy margarita mix from William Sonoma so I can have yummy virgin margies. They should be called whore margaritas though, since it’s the pregnant woman who drink them.

I feel like my symptoms have actually begun to subside some. I had a major headache all day yesterday, but I don’t feel like I am running to the bathroom as much as in the beginning, although the books say as your uterus enlarges and raises out of your pelvic region, it sits more on your bladder. Makes you wonder, it’s strange how you can be so pregnant and hardly know it. I do admit, I’m a little weepy for almost nothing, even more so than before. Let’s see if I can get through today without crying…

Worry Warts

June2nd, FRIDAY! At 6:37am My Sis's Birthday!!
Happy Birthday Sis!
Today and last night I am having one of those, “What if I’m not really pregnant, and this is a cruel joke” thoughts. Those mutate into paranoid, “What if there is something wrong with my baby’s development” thoughts- and I don’t know which is worse. I read last night that after the 6th week, when the heart is beating the chance of a miscarriage goes down to 3%. And that if there is something wrong with the embryo, chances are your body will miscarry. So that makes me feel a little better. Still I find it cruel that the OB makes you wait until the 8th week to see her. So much can go wrong in that time, I guess the idea is, they want to wait until there’s really something to see, a fetus instead of an embryo. That makes sense to me. I love Fridays, and this weekend should be fun.

Insane Dreams of the Western Snoop Dog

It's JUNE 1st! Thursday 7:43am and day 24 of our adventure. (week 6)
I had crazy dreams last night. In an old western town striking deals with Snoop Dog with some friends at a saloon. Then I was being chased and jumping over stairwells running and grabbing onto a thick rope swinging fast until my body went tingly and numb, like it fell asleep. Woke up. Went back to sleep after turning on another fan, it’s hot in my room. Fell back into the same dream of stealing money from a coyboy and his showgirl, trying to sneak out the back and putting out large bowls of dusty water for my mangy dog. And the way this dream like many of my dreams ended, I was in a fancy powder room trying to pee. Which always wakes my up and send my running to the bathroom. So, now I am more tired than when I fell asleep. I have had vivid dreams like this all week. It’s exhausting.

So, to the business of the baby- Today little arm and leg buds should spontaneously appear. They should take great shape over the next 32 days, according to my book by A. Christine Harris Ph. D., “The Pregnancy Journal”. I’m not having any cravings really. Just trying to eat a lot of fruit and veggies to get in all the phytochemicals that I can. I am trying to let go of that old feeling that I shouldn’t gain weight- I better lose that feeling fast. Keith is being great and we are just happy and counting the days as they go by. I’m a little emotional, but hey- that’s not so new.

It's only just begun...

Tuesday 7:22pm May 30th
Day 22, still. Only 244 days to go. Today was not so fun. I am bloated and gassy and crampy and nauseous. I am lucking out with all the symptoms. Of course when I feel so crappy, I worry more that something is wrong. Are you really supposed to be so crampy? I am way past the embryo implantation stage, so unless I am really sensitive to my uterus stretching, I don’t get it. I’m not hungry for dinner-which Keith is nice enough to make tonight, but I am going to eat anyway. I don’t want our wiggle worm to starve.

Beating Heart

Tuesday 8:20am May 30th
Day 22- Week Six. Sometime today our baby’s heart will start to beat. It’s so exciting! I can’t wait to actually be able to hear it. We have our first prenatal visit on June 19th. I have a lot of worries and concerns to ask the doctor about. All the books I read really stress me out about what could go wrong. But as of now, I’m just trying to be optimistic. Keith is treating me a little like I’m disabled and is getting kind of bossy. We had to have a chat about it yesterday. Hopefully that’ll stop quickly. I get a feeling he’s practicing his Daddy skills!

Day 21-Sober but Hysterical

Monday 9:18am May 29th

Day 21- Ohmagosh- my boobs hurt so bad! It’s really strange to be so very aware of your anatomy. My left one is much larger than my right. I hope they even out.

On the topic of baby’s anatomy- The finishing touches are being put on the heart today and the eyes are going to be formed soon. Still about a 1/8th of an inch long. My body, the creator. Now I truly am an artist! (Hopefully not like Picasso)

The cramps are mostly gone, and I’m not sick at all. I am, however, prone to fits of uncontrollable, somewhat inappropriate, laughing fits. I mean, laugh until you sob and gag, laughing.

Last night we went to a BBQ for Memorial Day. It’s weird to be in a place where everyone but you is drinking. Especially since I used to be the Queen of drinkers. Drunky Sue, as my husband would call me. I have a plethora of juicy, seltzery drinks that I keep in tow. But still- It’s a little strange. Although I admit it feels great to be able to maintain a conversation and not be so dull and dulled. That is, when I’m not sobbing.

I have a lot of work to do today around the house. We have another BBQ to attend today and I am hoping to finish some stuff in the nursery today. And make room for me to set up a painting studio in the office. I am trying to decide on a mural for the baby’s room. What do you think- “Where The Wild Things Are”? Vote now of forever hold your peace.

First tentative documentation of the discovery of babyland

Saturday 10:59pm 5/27/06

My sis suggested I write a blog documenting my first go at pregnancy. I couldn’t imagine that anyone wants to know. But maybe I will want to look back on it someday.

It’s around day 19- which means I am about 5 1/2 weeks prego. I found out last Monday, May 22 after we arrived home from Magic Mt. A little stressed about the rides we went on unknowingly, but it seems no damage was done.

Keith and I decided to start trying, or at least stop preventing on April 6th 2006. So you can see, we’re more fertile than we expected.

I was nauseous for a few days, major headache, distracted, bloated and fatigued but other than that- I feel great! It’s funny because despite all the symptoms I just mentioned, I don’t feel pregnant. I didn’t really think I was, in fact I was convinced I wasn’t. Now even after the confirming words from a nurse…I still feel like peeing in a cup, just to be sure.

All the books say to be optimistic, so we are starting to prep the house. Partially for the Mother in Law coming to stay with us in July…But also for the baby. We already have a donated stroller and bassinette. So It was a matter of disassembling the loft bed and moving my painting supplies to the office. We have a lot of work ahead of us.

I was having some cramping, which led me to call the nurse. You can never get a doctor on the phone. She said it was normal and advised me, nonchalantly, to go to the ER if I start bleeding and passing matter because they would want to be sure I was miscarrying properly. Nice. Yeah, I would hate to do it wrong.

Keith grabbed me in the kitchen while I was making dinner last night and we danced cheek to cheek for a while. He is a better lead now than ever. Maybe knowing he will be a dad soon is making him take charge. Whatever, it was very romantic.

I need rest and so does our tadpole. So this is it. I hope I didn’t bore you too much.