first bath

Asher got his first bath yesterday!

He still has his little umbilical stump, so it was just a sponge bath. Based on how he reacted in the hospital we assumed bath time would equal a major emotional meltdown. This boy does not like being naked!

I was pleasantly surprised when the pacifier was enough to keep him calm. Asher didn't seem to mind the warm water at all and smelled so good afterwards!

old habits

Does this...

look familiar to anyone else?

Too cute!

asher's first few days...

We've been extremely busy around here getting to know {and care for} a certain someone, so I don't have time to post the birth story just yet.

Here are some more photos, though, as promised!

our bean has arrived!

Please welcome...

Asher Thomas Wilkinson

born December 13, 2009

7 pounds, 5 ounces

19 inches long

Mommy, Daddy, and Asher are doing well and spending lots of time together!

Lots more photos and the whole {surprise} birth story to come in the next few days!

baby quilt

It's finally done!

Yesterday I managed to finish the baby's quilt that I've been working on for the past few months. A lot of that time was wasted because my sewing machine broke. This quilt was a lot easier to make than my first attempt. I don't have a specific idea of how it will be used right now. Mostly I just want baby bean to have a comfy quilt to cuddle with or play on.

My mom made me quilts growing up and they were always my favorite blankets to use. I want my baby to have those same memories!

I started small (since he'll be small), but will make something bigger if he wants one someday! The colors and patterns don't exactly scream "baby" but I like it.

Basically I'm just glad the thing is staying together and that the pattern looks (mostly) planned on purpose.

In other news, my first day at home was very productive! Although I am super tired today, so maybe I overdid it a bit. Yesterday I managed to:

1) finish the quilt

2) make + freeze 2 cookie doughs

3) run several errands

4) wrap Christmas presents

5) do 2 loads of laundry

Just 5 (or fewer) days until the bean arrives!

first day off work

Today is my first day at home. The baby isn't here yet, but I decided to take a few days before he arrives to get some things done at home and just re-adjust my mindset. I think it would be really disorienting to go straight from working in the lab to being a mommy. These few days should be great.

Plus I'm not sleeping well at night and having the freedom to nap whenever I want is a luxury I need to take advantage of before it's too late!

However there's always a catch.

Before I had a chance to get too comfy at home I remembered that I forgot to give my boss back the lab Procurement Credit Card yesterday. Great.

This isn't something that I feel comfortable mailing in, so I'll be making a trip back to the lab! I just can't stay away.

Over the next few days my goals include walking as much as possible and eating lots of pineapple to encourage the bean along. I guess one more trip back to work won't mess with this too much!

the end, the beginning, the drop

Today is my last day of work for...I'm not sure how long. As I mentioned a few months ago, with the birth of this baby I'm starting a new career as stay-at-home Mom!

I know this isn't something that every family can do and I feel so blessed and lucky to have this chance.

While I'm really excited to have all of my time available to spend with the bean I'm also pretty nervous about what my new life will look like. Ever since I graduated from college I've been working. If you haven't been able to tell yet I love having a schedule. Work provides this. Babies do not.

Things will undoubtedly be different, but I'm confident that, with time, the bean and I will figure out a new "normal" together. I can't wait!

Since today is my last day of work, tomorrow starts my final baby countdown to-do list. I am (really, honestly) going to finish his quilt today. After that, over the next 6 days, I need to make some cookie dough and clean the house. Assuming I don't go into labor this should be very do-able. In fact, if doing all of this puts me into labor I won't complain.

If the bean doesn't force his own early timetable then in just 1 WEEK I'll be in the hospital getting ready to meet my little boy.

OH MY.

Drew and I try not to talk about it in those terms too often because it's just too anxiety inducing exciting.

In other news, I think that winter has finally reached Cleveland. We've had pretty mild weather so far this fall, but Mother Nature looks ready to hit us good.

Check out the temperature drop between today and tomorrow.

Yikes.

Let's all pray that things warm up a little and the snow stays away for my trip to the hospital next week!

38 weeks

Another week down -- we made it to 38 weeks!

How funny is this shirt?

It's the same one that I was wearing for this 17 week photo -- much difference?

I think the baby grew a little over the past 21 weeks.

I've been having lots of signs that the bean is ready to make his appearance, but I'm pleading with him to wait a few more days. There are only 8 days until my induction and I would really love for him to come on the 16th.

On one hand, starting labor naturally is much much preferable.

But.

On the other hand, I have a couple of reasons (purely selfish) for wanting to wait until the 16th:

1) my to-do list is scheduled out evenly over the next 7 days

2) my Mom has a plane ticket to arrive on the 15th

3) my in-laws will be back from Florida and able to come meet the bean by then

All of these things are flexible -- our parents can change their travel plans and if the cookie dough doesn't get made it will be ok. Truly I have everything done that needs to be done for the baby to arrive, so whenever he wants to come I'll be excited!

Today is my 38 week OB appointment, so we'll see if any progress has been made since 36 weeks. Stay tuned!

How far along: 38 weeks
Net weight gain: 25 lbs.
Maternity clothes: made of some pretty amazing material (see photos above)

Stretch marks: nope
Belly button: out/flat -- weird
Sleep: getting worse -- lots of hot flashes and bathroom breaks

Baby movement: slowing down a little

Food cravings: caramel popcorn, yum!
Food aversions: nothing, very hungry

What I miss: sleeping on my stomach

Looking forward to: the 1 week countdown!
Best moment this week: our last date night as a childless couple on Saturday

Milestones: the bean is totally ready and could meet us any day now...

springing a leek?

I'm still here.

That's right, we made it to 38 weeks!

Baby Center claims that the baby is now about 19.5 inches, about as long as a leek.

He weighs almost 7 pounds and is ready to spring this joint at any time!

I'm not quite ready to insist he leave yet. As much as I'm growing weary of the backaches, hip pain, and nasal congestion I really like having him so close.

There won't ever be another time when he is so warm and safe.
There won't ever be another time when he is so easily moved from place to place.
There won't ever be another time when he is this quiet.

That said, I also desperately want to kiss his little cheeks and snuggle into that new baby smell!

Tomorrow is my 38 week OB appointment, so we'll see if any progress has been made towards a delivery date!

let's pick a birthday - remix

Since I now know the latest date that baby bean will make his appearance I decided to make a new poll. Shameless copying off of Jocelyn is my new favorite thing to do.

Currently we have:

1 vote for Nov 29 - Dec 5
3 votes for Dec 6 - 12
14 votes for Dec 13 - 18
1 vote for Dec 19
9 votes for later than Dec 19

I have reset the poll to be daily, so feel free to vote again if you want!

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

One thing I've noticed since entering the 9th month is that people are really starting to pay attention to what I do and where I am. There are a couple good stories relating to this from the past few days.

1) Monday morning Drew accidentally "butt dialed" his parents at 6:00am while putting his Blackberry in his pocket. When they saw that it was him they both assumed it was baby-related and bolted out of bed, ready to hop in the car for the 7 hour drive to Cleveland. Luckily they got him on the phone before starting to drive!

2) Then on Wednesday I didn't have anything interesting to post here, so I simply didn't. Apparently this lack of blogging got the attention of my friend Karen (hi, Karen!) who immediately wondered if I was in the hospital. Don't worry Karen, we'll give you a call when the big day comes! :o)

3) Yesterday I decided to take off from work and get some stuff done around the house. Of course, I called my boss to let him know, but I didn't think about telling any co-workers. They all assumed I was gone for good and were pretty surprised to see me this morning!

4) Just this morning I called Drew around 7:00 (which I do every day, by the way) and the first thing he said, before 'hello' was "Is this it? Do I need to come get you?"

It's so sweet of everyone to be on high alert for us! There aren't too many times in life when people will assume that an early morning phone call or lack of blog posting correlates to you being hospitalized.

I already told Drew that he needs to bring his laptop when we go in for the big show. Once I'm all hooked up to the epidural and cruising through labor (hey, a girl can dream -- it is Christmas after all) I'll post updates on how we're doing.

Or maybe I'll just take a nap. We'll see.

Have a great weekend!

the final countdown

We have an end date!

At my 37 week appointment on Tuesday my doctor suggested an induction date of Wednesday 12/16 and I'm going for it!

It's still totally possible that the bean will decide to arrive before then, but it feels good to know that we won't be waiting beyond the 16th.

Having that knowledge is the good part.

The fact that it's now less than 2 weeks away is the scary part!

As anxious as I am to meet the bean (and finally announce his name!) I'm also pretty nervous about actually having a newborn to care for. It feels like there are still lots of things to get done around here. In reality, we're all set with the priority items. We have all of the baby stuff washed, set up, and battery powered.

The things I still need to finish include:

1) making Christmas cookie dough to freeze now and bake later
2) thoroughly cleaning the house (including all those little spots that always get overlooked, like the baseboards and behind the bed) Can you say nesting?!
3) finishing the baby quilt
4) buying and wrapping the last couple Christmas gifts

We'll see how much actually gets done!

37 weeks

The bean is full term!

I have to admit that throughout this whole pregnancy part of me has been waiting for something bad to happen. At first there was the fear of a miscarriage, then later of pre-term birth and months in the NICU. At this point, however, it seems pretty sure that we are actually going to have a baby and that he'll be born ready to breathe on his own!

God has blessed us so abundently!

Today is another weekly OB appointment, but I'm not expecting anything exciting. I'll get the results of my Group B Strep test, but that's about it. I decided to opt out of a cervical check this week. Either I'll go into labor or I won't -- there's no point in knowing more details at this point.

We still have the option of doing a voluntary induction at 39 weeks, but I'm really hoping that won't happen. My best case scenario would be to go into labor naturally and have some time to labor at home before heading into the hospital.

We'll see what happens!

By the way -- anybody need a "Mary" for a live nativity? I don't claim to be carrying a Savior, but I am quite round and not the least bit afraid of stable dwelling livestock.

How far along: 37 weeks

Net weight gain: 23 lbs.

Maternity clothes: the bands on my jeans are getting uncomfortably tight

Stretch marks: not yet

Belly button: out for the remainder, I assume

Sleep: interrupted by lots of bathroom breaks
Baby movement: still very strong -- he wants out!

Food cravings: peanut butter Smidgens

Food aversions: nothing, very hungry
What I miss: having more constant moods (I think this is Drew's pick too)

Looking forward to: finishing the baby quilt

Best moment this week: getting a pedicure with my mom-in-law!

Milestones: the bean is full term!

lettuce out

I think that's the anthem the bean and I are singing together.

Based on his very strong pushes and punches I assume he's getting tired of being smooshed in there and wants out soon. I'm cool with that.

Over the weekend we reached 37 weeks! That means the bean is full-term!

In some ways I'm really excited about this (we'll meet him soon!) but in other ways I'm a little sad (this special time is almost over...). The great news is that he could be born any day and would be completely developed.

Baby Center claims that he is about the length of a stalk of Swiss Chard (19 inches) and is 6.3 pounds. At this point all babies are a little different, so I'm not sure how much stock (stalk? haha) I put in this.

At any rate, we're doing great. I feel more tired and achy than ever, but I know it's for a good cause. I'm also starting to have some major mood swings -- which I thought were supposed to come after the birth -- but can't be fun for anyone else. I literally go from crying to happy to grumpy in a matter of minutes. Awesome.

Thankfully I feel like I can indulge a lot of my exhaustion with naps and general laziness. Most of the baby prep is finished. The nursery is stocked and ready for a little one. We have diapers, clean clothes, and lots of blankets. What else could a bean want?

Oh, and we have a Christmas stocking for him! Now I just have to finish getting ready for the holidays and we'll be all set.

we did it!

We did it!

We made Thankgiving dinner!

Drew and I had a wonderful day at home yesterday. I was a little nervous that being alone for the holiday this year might be sad or lonely, but it was actually really nice.

Since we were making a turkey breast it only took 3 hours to roast, so we were able to sleep in. Benefit #1! Drew and I spent a little time watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade (which I really want to attend one day, by the way), then got started on the cooking.

Drew was in charge of making the stuffing and did a great job. We made it in the Crock-Pot since our oven couldn't handle the roasting pan plus anything extra. I highly recommend cooking stuffing this way -- it's so easy!

By 3:00 we were ready to eat!

The rest of the day was spent doing dishes, eating pie, and watching Star Trek from Netflix.

I'm so thankful for Drew and the wonderful holiday we were able to spend together as a couple.

Unfortunately, Drew is trying to save his vacation days for after the baby comes, so he headed off to work today. His parents are coming to visit us this weekend, so I'll be spending today at home getting ready.

Look what we woke up to....

1st snow of the season! This was very unexpected since it's been in the 50s every day (until last night, apparently). It's supposed to melt away today and be back in the 50s over the weekend, but for now it's a winter wonderland.

Welcome Christmas season!

thankful

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and Drew and I are cooking a feast.

For two (well, three).

The thing is that we've never made turkey before. Honestly though, from what I've read it doesn't sound all that hard. Since we're such a small party this year we decided to stick with a turkey breast, rather than the whole bird, which should simplify things significantly. A little herb rub, some butter, a foil tent, and a couple hours in the oven should do it.

Right?

Why do I see this ending badly?

The thing is that both Drew and I have families who live pretty far away from us. Normally we would take off from work on Wednesday and start the 8+ hour drive to where ever we were celebrating the holiday. This year I'm not able (or willing) to ride in the car for that long, so we're kind of stuck here.

Except that I don't feel stuck. At first it was pretty sad to think about eating turkey by ourselves, but now I feel much more excited about this change in our traditions! When we're a family of 3 we might not want to travel so far for such a short holiday, so making Thanksgiving dinner ourselves could become the new norm. Might as well get started now!

Truly, I have so much to be thankful for this year...

I'm thankful to have a baby bean who in fewer than 4 weeks will change us from a couple to a family.

I'm thankful to have 2 sets of grandparents and lots of aunts and uncles who are as excited about baby boy's arrival as Drew and I are! I know they will always show him an abundance of love.

I'm thankful to have a partner in Drew who is endlessly patient and supportive of me during this exciting (but challenging) time of pregnancy. He tells me every single day how amazed he is at the fact that I am growing our baby. It's my pleasure, really.

I'm thankful to have a home and a job and much more than I need.

I'm thankful to know that God has a plan for me and won't ever cast me aside.

These are the biggies, but (if I'm being really honest) I have to add 1 more thing...

In my current state what I'm most thankful for is the fact that if the turkey burns up and the potatoes are lumpy, there is a perfect pumpkin pie and an entire tub of Cool Whip waiting for me at home.

I'm really hungry.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

new blog look *update*

I changed some things about the header already.

The last one just wasn't sitting right with me, but this I love!

How long before I change it again?...

Hopefully only 3 more weeks, then I can add the bean's name and an actual photo of him to it!

36 weeks

So much to tell this week!

The bean and I are in our 36th week together. That means we have fewer than 4 weeks left before he joins Drew and I at home! Yay!

Yesterday I went to see my OB and got an appointment with all the bells and whistles. She did the Group B Strep test, an internal exam, checked the heartbeat, measured my fundal height (belly size), and determined the baby's orientation in there.

So, how did we do...

• Group B Strep results will be in next week -- update then
• strong heartbeat = healthy baby!
• fundal height is 35.5 cm (it often slows towards the end, so this is fine)
• baby is head down!
• cervix is 70% effaced and 1cm dialated

All of this is great news and means we're moving in a positive direction towards having a baby in the next few weeks. Since there was so much going on during this appointment Drew came along too. We asked the doctor what our chances of having the bean at home before Christmas were and she surprised us by saying that if we want to induce at 39 weeks that's an option!

Once I get checked at my 39 week appointment we'll see if there has been any additional progress and make a decision then. From what I understand the bean will just be putting on weight during these last few weeks and shouldn't have any problems coming out a week early.

Anyone out there have an induction and feel one way or the other about it?

Hopefully baby boy will decide to join us for Christmas all on his own!

How far along: 36 weeks
Net weight gain: 22 lbs.
Maternity clothes: getting a little boring

Stretch marks: not yet
Belly button: popped like a turkey timer
Sleep: good for the most part

Baby movement: surprisingly strong at this point
Food cravings: pumpkin pie!!
Food aversions: nothing, very hungry again

What I miss: getting out of bed or off the couch without rolling off
Looking forward to: seeing Drew's parents this weekend
Best moment this week: learning that the bean is in a great position for delivery!
Milestones: the bean is plumping up for life outside the womb

new blog look - kind of

I've been playing around with HTML and Photoshop recently, trying to do something new and interesting with my blog.

I managed (by following lots of directions I found online) to make a custom header, signature and post divider!

What do you think?

I also designed a new button, so feel free to grab it!

These are the things I don't think I'll have much time for once a certain little boy makes his debut, so might as well play around now!

melon, what?

A few days ago the bean turned 36 weeks!

Less than 30 days to go -- wow. I'm feeling a mixed bag of excited and anxious. Drew helps a lot with the excited part because he is so excited to meet the bean. He claims I've been "hogging" him so far and is anxious to get his hands on the little guy.

I think that most of my anxiety revolves around what life will be like post-birth. Sure, I'm nervous about the labor and delivery portion of things, but I recognize that for the brief time that it is. At some point not too long after the big push (-es), those doctors and nurses will actually let us take him home.

As in out of the hospital. Away from people who know what the heck they're doing.

However, in the words of our new pediatrician,

Some anxiety is good. If you aren't a little anxious, you probably aren't a good parent. Parents who are too laid back don't check on their babies when the kids are really quiet for a long time. That's bad.

Haha -- I guess things will be ok.

I'm so grateful that both my parents and Drew's parents are planning to be available (at different times) to help us get settled and comfortable at home once baby bean arrives. That's the backup I need!

This week baby boy is the size of a crenshaw melon.

Seriously? A what?

I'm getting impatient with these silly comparisons. However, with only 4 weeks to go my OCD won't let me stop posting them now. Sorry everyone.

The baby now weighs about 6 pounds and is 18.5 inches long. From here on out he will be gaining about 0.5 ounce every day!

This afternoon starts my every week OB visits. Today we're going to check the baby's position to make sure he is head down and ready to exit. My OB is also going to do an internal exam and see if I'm starting to progress at all.

Since this is extremely personal information you can be sure I'll post it here tomorrow.

let's pick a birthday!

Since I realized yesterday that I am only 30 days (now 29!) away from my due date, I've been obsessing thinking a bit about when the bean will make his debut. Then I was reading Jocelyn's blog this morning and saw the awesome "Baby Arrival" poll she added.

I love the idea and am shamelessly copying it here!

Our bean has a due date of December 19th. When do you think he will actually arrive?

Please vote at the poll on the right!

In other news, I met with our soon-t0-be pediatrician yesterday. It was great to meet with him and get a sense of what he feels is most important for our baby.

I was fairly certain we would get along just fine -- there was only 1 thing that made me nervous and necessitated this visit.

When I called to make the "meet and greet" appointment, I spoke with the doctor directly and he mentioned that meeting on Thursdays was best for him. Ok, that's fine by me.

However, he couldn't meet last Thursday because he was:

celebrating his mother's 100th BIRTHDAY!

That's great, except, well...how old must that make him?! I didn't want to start a relationship with a pediatrician who would be retiring next year or who seemed too out of touch and "set in his ways."

Thankfully that wasn't the case at all! He is certainly in his 60s (at least?), but seemed very, um, hardy? That seems like a weird way to put it, but is very true. I feel confident that he is on top of things and will be a great caretaker for my precious little one.

Plus, his office is right down the street from my house. :o) Let's not forget the practical side of things here.

Find a pediatrician, check. Another big item off the list!

Don't forget to vote and have a wonderful weekend!

he was with the maasai before this

I'm convinced that Drew was a Maasai warrior in a previous life.

Not so much because he defends our home with spears and orinka (clubs), but because of his capacity for battle readiness from dead sleep.

The other night around 3:30 I was stumbling back to bed after going to the bathroom and I misjudged where I was. Getting in and out of bed is a bit of a production these days under the best circumstances. Adding in pitch-black darkness and the half-asleep state that I was in didn't help matters.

As I was raising my leg to swing myself back into bed, my knee bumped into my nightstand.

That's all.

Not a bang, not a crash...

A small bump and {probably} a grunt from me. I didn't knock over the lamp or cry out in pain. It really wasn't a big deal -- much less so than, say, stubbing a toe on the bed frame would have been.

Drew disagreed.

No sooner had I bumped my knee than he was sitting straight up and was over to my side of the bed asking if I was ok. Seriously, maybe he was in some kind of dream state, but it was amazing! I guess the bean and I really have him on high alert these days.

He didn't seem willing to take my word for it that, "yes, I'm fine. I just bumped my knee. No, I'm not in labor. Yes, the baby is fine. Mostly he's just tired and wants to get back in bed."

All this time I'm still standing next to the bed waiting for him to move so I could get in.

Eventually I had to shove him gently {I hope it was gently} and explain {more clearly, apparently} that I just wanted to get in bed and go back to sleep.

This calmed the warrior down and he was snoring again before I knew it.

What a sweetie -- so concerned about my well being. Don't worry, warrior friend, when the bean and I need you there won't be any question!

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As a sidenote....check out my ticker at the top of the blog.

Only 30 days to go!!

all packed up

I mentioned on Monday that I packed my various "baby" bags over the weekend. Heather asked that I post a list of the things I packed and I'm happy to do so!

While Drew and I were taking childbirth education classes we compiled quite a list of things we would like to have available both during labor and in the few days I'll be recovering at the hospital. Plus, I guess, we'll end up needing some things for a certain little bean that will be coming home with us.

Because of this I ended up with 3 separate bags that need to come along for the ride.

My labor bag has lots of things that {I hope} will be helpful in getting me through labor and delivery.

Inside you'll find:

• rice filled heat wrap
• washcloth {for a fresh, not hospital, -smelling cool face cloth}
• Listerine Pocket Pacs {I hate, hate having bad breath}
• cinnamon scented satchel {the hospital smell really bugs me, can you tell?}
• slippers w/ hard bottom for walking the halls
• Chapstick
• paper plate to use as a fan
• iPod + player
• massaging tool {Nukkles}
• warm socks
• inexpensive robe
• Photo/focal point to focus on
• birth ball
• all our notes on breathing techniques + labor positions
• unscented massage cream
• popsicles {not allowed to have real food}
• book {in case the epidural happens and I can actually relax!}

Then, of course, I need some things for the 2-4 day hospital stay after the baby is born.

In this suitcase I have:

• sweatpants {$5 each from Wal-Mart in case they get, um, yucky}
• nursing tops
• nursing PJ gowns {in case I have a C-section and don't want to wear pants}
• toiletries
• phone cards
• more socks
• maternity jeans to wear home {again, if I feel up to having any kind of real clothes on}
• nursing pads + lanolin cream
• nursing bras
• granola bars for when I can finally eat again!

The hospital provides most of what the baby will need during his first few days, but I plan to bring a few things along anyway.

In his diaper bag is:

• 2 coming home outfits:
• 1 in size newborn
• 1 in size 0-3 months {in case we have a BIG boy!}
• warm, fleece hat for the ride home
• a few diapers + wipes
• burp cloth
• pacifiers {I don't plan to use these for awhile, but you bet I'll have 1 on hand just in case}
• 2 blankets
• sample sized baby toiletries, including lotion, diaper rash cream, Purell, etc.

That's about it! I know it sounds like a lot, but it easily fit in a small suitcase, gym bag, and diaper bag. Drew has the option of staying at the hospital with me overnight, so if he isn't going home we want to have everything already with us!

Now all we need is a reason to put them in the car!

35 weeks

I think my mind might be going.

In fact, I'm starting to see things.

Last weekend I went Christmas shopping -- I know it's early, but it's now or never this year. Most years I'll make my list and hit store after store until the list is finished. These days, however, I just can't go all day like I used to, which is really frustrating. I was out from 10-4 and, apparently, that was too long.

My second to last shopping stop was at Old Navy. I needed a warm hat for the bean and hoped they might have one on the cheap (they did!).

I also happened to find this adorable fleece one-piece that became his back-up coming home outfit. Yay for sale price + 30% off!

On my way out the door, a rack of really cute little coats caught my eye.

How had I missed this on the way in?! What if they have something better here than what I just bought?!

I started browsing through them and noticed that something seemed a little off about their style. I finally, finally noticed that they were DOG coats. They weren't even for humans. Oh my.

Like I said, I'm losing it.

Anyway, we made it to 35 weeks!

Love you bean -- I promise to never dress you in pet clothes (on purpose).

How far along: 35 weeks

Net weight gain: 19 lbs.

Maternity clothes: actually getting too tight -- is that possible??

Stretch marks: still lucky

Belly button: out and loud

Sleep: some nights good, some nights bad.

Baby movement: yes, oh yes.

Food cravings: always with the french onion soup

Food aversions: chicken -- hopefully turkey will be exempt!

What I miss: doing anything all day without needing to rest

Looking forward to: starting my every week OB appointments next Monday

Best moment this week: getting my bags packed

Milestones: the bean is growing brain cells at an amazing rate

my honeydew, his honey-do

I'm lucky to be in such an equitable marriage. This week featuring his and her honeydews (-do).

The bean is 35 weeks! He is now about the size of a honeydew melon, weighing in at 5.25 lbs and over 18 inches long.

He has been rolling and kicking and punching like a UFC champ in there. I know all that movement should be reassuring (and it is), but sometimes it gets so violent it feels like he's having a seizure or something. Should I be worried?

I had a terrible night's sleep last night and really noticed how awake he was as well. Do I normally just sleep through all his movements or was I keeping him up? Chicken or the egg, I suppose.

Last night I woke up at 1:30 to go to the bathroom and suddenly was awake. Like wide awake. What do you do in that situation? I considered going downstairs to empty the dishwasher or do other small chores, but was afraid that would just fuel the fire and keep my brain awake. I opted for laying in bed staring at the wall. Not much better.

The great news is that the bean could be born at any time now and be perfectly healthy! The next few weeks will be spent putting on weight, but little else. His vital organs are all accounted for and his lungs should be ready for lots of breathing and crying.

Only 2 more weeks until we're officially "full-term" -- after that I'm ready whenever he is!

Drew and I have both been working feverishly to finish up our baby readiness "to-do" lists over the past few weeks. Daddy-to-be has been especially busy. He got the infant carseat installed this week, so that will be ready for a little boy whenever he decides that he's tired of riding with me.

We just need to get it inspected by the firefighters. Who else thinks that is a completely random service they provide? I'm glad they do -- it just seems strange to me!

Drew also patiently helped me pack my labor and hospital stay bags. I was pretty indecisive about a few items. I hate, hate overpacking, but there are so many unknowns with this trip that I don't want to be there wishing I had something and not have it.

That being the case we're going to need a bellhop cart to get to the maternity floor.

However, it also means that I have all my bags packed! Our childbirth education instructors strongly suggested that we do it early, so I'm all over that. We also have the diaper bag packed for little bean's first days.

I feel like I have a lot to say today, but will stop now.

If you're still with me, thanks!

More to come...

which way to the Emerald City again?

Based on some recommendations by certain people in my life {hi, Moms!} I bit the bullet and bought some nursing bras.

With only 6 weeks to go this seemed like a good time to get prepared.

I don't know about you, but shopping is usually a fun activity for me. There are, however, certain items which I avoid having to find at all cost. The following make the short list:

1) jeans
2) swimsuits
3) bras

Finding a bra that is comfortable, fits well, supports the goods, looks nice, and won't zero out my bank account is NOT easy, in my humble {yet experienced} opinion.

And that's under completely normal circumstances.

Now add in the fact that nursing bras need to be functional, durable, comfortable, and, oh yeah, a mystery size.

When I started looking for options and realized how many additional conditions they had to fill I almost gave up. Plus, it turns out that very few stores in my area stock nursing bras, so I would have to order them online.

Are you kidding me??

I'm expected to order online something that is a very specific size in a brand and style I've never worn before?

Who else smells disaster?

Just when apathy towards the whole situation was setting in and I found my mind wandering off towards what was for dinner the bean gave me a swift kick. That quickly reminded me that he's not going to feed himself and getting this task done really will be for my convenience and comfort.

So, I started my research. If you know me, you'll know that I research everything extensively. In fact, it's amazing I can come to decisions at all since one path typically leads to another.

Stupid Google. You get me lost down the decision tree of life all. the. time. I would be much better off with more yellow brick road and less Name Your Adventure.

At any rate, I finally found some that looked really promising! Since every website I visited touted how much your size will change from...

pre-pregnancy to pregnancy to 3rd trimester pregnancy to birth day to Day 3 post-birth (here comes the milk!) to breastfeeding at Week 6 (stability)

...I decided to go with the Bravado Original Nursing bra that promises to fit several band and cup sizes. Perfect for the transition time between late pregnancy and the size stability that comes with breastfeeding consistently. Once things settle down I'll invest in a few that are a more specific size.

Ordering bras online still seemed like a bit of crap shoot to me, but with no other options I did it. They came the other day and I couldn't be happier! The size is snug in a good way, but with obvious room to grow. Perfect.

Last night I decided to take one on a test run and see how it did overnight. Oh my, I'm in love. I might have to start sleeping in them all the time.

I have no idea how well it will work out when the instigator of this whole adventure comes on the scene. But you can be sure I'll let you know. Because after this post it's clear that I've lost all inhibitions I once had.

:o)

afraid of the dentist? who me?

I'm afraid of the dentist.

But not for the reasons that you're probably imagining.

I didn't have a traumatic experience as a child. Or no experiences at all.

Ever since I was a little kid my sisters and I went to the dentist every 6 months like clockwork. In fact, I kind of looked forward to it! We had a great hygenist (Bob), who had the driest sense of humor ever. I realize now that he was trying to joke with me, but as a kid I just didn't get it. We also had a kind dentist (Dr. Tartara) whom I never once saw, in 18 years, without his mask on.

I assume he had a normal face beneath that cover, but can't know for sure. What I do know is that his smile always reached his eyes, because that's the only part I could see.

I never had a cavity and simple cleanings were a breeze.

So where does this fear come from?

Let me tell you.

Ever since I've been "on my own" going to the dentist has been a major hassle. Drew and I have moved several times since we got married and each move means we have to find a new dentist. This wouldn't be a big deal except that every dentist we've found in VA, PA, and OH have been convinced of our impending dental catastrophe.

They X-ray, they poke, they scan -- and always find a problem. Often several problems that will cost thousands to repair.

How is it that I have:

1) no pain
2) no previous symptoms
3) an electric toothbrush that I use 2-3 times/day
4) Costco-sized bottles of Listerine
5) dental insurance

And yet, STILL, have dental problems that will cost me an arm and a leg.

The truth is that I don't believe I do. Honestly, I think they use the technology to find every little pit or crack and declare it a dental emergency.

The main reason I think this is because every time Drew and I got an estimate for $2000 in fillings, etc we would go to another dentist for a second opinion and he/she declared us perfectly healthy! How can that be??

Despite this belief, I'm not the type of person who can hear "you have a problem that needs to be fixed" and just walk away not caring, so this news is always very distressing. In fact, I put off going back to the dentist this time around because I was scared he would find something new to fix.

Just last year I had a root canal and subsequent crown on a molar. This wasn't the highlight of my year, to say the least.

But I know that dental health is important, so I bit the bullet and went for a 6-month cleaning yesterday.

And it was wonderful!

Because I'm pregnant they didn't bother taking x-rays. I think it's safe, but from their perspective, why take a chance? With no x-rays or other dental scans all they could do was look at the outside and ask about pain.

I'm pain-free (in the dental region) and had very little plaque/tartar, so I got a clean bill of health!

If I ever needed an argument for Duggar-like childbearing, I think I just found it.

nose bleeds, back aches, leg cramps...oh my!

It's getting to the point where I don't recogonize myself anymore.

If you had asked me last week, I would have said, sure my belly is getting BIG, but things are still pretty normal.

Well...that was last week.

I don't know what changed over the past few days, but my body has started to turn on me.

For instance, at about 2:30 last night I got a major nose bleed for no reason whatsoever. One of my most persistent, but also random, pregnancy symptoms has been nasal congestion.

Did you know that was a common pregnancy symptom?

It is. At least according to "What to Expect."

And I've been stuffed up for the past few months.

{Better in the nose than the other place "What to Expect" warned me might get stuffed}

While uncomfortable since I can't take decongestants, this wasn't a big deal.

Until last night when my nose started "running" and I just assumed I had finally caught a lucky break and things were draining on their own. I blew my nose and fell back asleep (I'm pretty tired these days).

Yeah, well, it wasn't your normal nose stuff that was running. How gross is it to wake up with a bloody pillowcase?? I felt like that guy from the Godfather who wakes up with a horsehead in his bed.

{Ok, it wasn't that bad}

But still, yuck.

Plus my back has started aching out of nowhere and I'm extremely sore -- ah-hem -- below the belt. Sorry, TMI.

My doctor clarified this one for me -- apparently the relaxin has set in and my hips are literally loosening out of their joints and widening. That stretches all kinds of ligaments and can lead to some major pains in that general region.

Awesome.

I don't mean to complain too much. Really, things aren't that bad and I've been extremely lucky so far in this pregnancy. I will definitely miss having a growing bean inside me once he's gone.

I just won't miss the lovely friends he brought along for the ride.

34 weeks

Most ridiculous pregnancy fear to date:

If someone poked me with a pin, I'm fairly confident that my belly would burst and the baby would go shooting across the room.

Crazy, I know. But, seriously, you need to feel this thing. My bump is so tight -- hopefully it's anti-burst.

Drew and I call it the torpedo. If we didn't know via ultrasound that we were having a boy, I'd be fairly confident at this point. He is carrying high and very tight -- just like all the old wives tales claim. I have to be careful in sporting goods stores so no one thinks I'm trying to smuggle out a basketball. Or a watermelon.

By the way, I'm fully aware of how much I will miss this tight belly once the baby is born and it deflates into a spare tire!

At 34 weeks, the bean and I have a pretty good system worked out. He pokes me in the bladder as a reminder that I need to remove his waste products (and I do). Somehow the baby knows that pregnancy brains are very forgetful, so he's kind enough to remind me of what needs to be done. In return I get to buy cute baby clothes.

Very symbiotic.



I can't believe there are only 6 weeks to go!! Fewer than 40 days at this point. Drew reminded me this morning that I only have 22 days of work left. That's just crazy. I know I'm about to start a whole new job (only without pay. and requiring about 148 more hours per week), but still, it feels strange to know that I won't be getting up and going to work every day.



I'm so excited to start this new journey with the bean!



How far along: 34 weeks
Net weight gain: 18 lbs.
Maternity clothes: still love them. I don't want to give back my elastic waistbands ever.
Stretch marks: still lucky
Belly button: turkey timer
Sleep: getting worse. Lots of tossing and turning.
Baby movement: yes, oh yes.
Food cravings: fresh pineapple
Food aversions: still don't like chicken breasts very much. Hopefully this eases up after the birth.
What I miss: fully caffeinated coffee
Looking forward to: packing my labor and hospital stay bags
Best moment this week: checking a bunch of baby prep items off my to-do list!
Milestones: the bean is over 95% likely to be perfect fine if born at any time!

pediatrician help and BRU rant

This post has a two-fold purpose.

First, I'm calling out to all my blogging friends for help.

I'm meeting with the bean's potential pediatrician next Thursday and want to come armed with a list of good questions for him. This doesn't need to be an interrogation, but I also don't want to show up and simply stare at him for our time together.

I have a short list so far, but would love to hear what you asked your pediatrician during the "Meet and Greet" or anything that you wish you had asked back when.

Leave me a comment or feel free to email by clicking on the button to the right.

Secondly, I have a small rant directed towards Babies R Us...or maybe just male managers.

The other week Drew and I bought a gummi-style crib rail protector from BRU in the hopes that it would keep our brand new crib looking nice, even if the bean sprouts fangs and decides to go all werewolf on it.

I put it on the crib and all seemed great -- it fit fine and was snug enough to be safe.

But then I tried to reposition them and found the most awful residue left behind!

I had read the directions and box insert very carefully and saw absolutely no warnings about this kind of thing. I wouldn't have used it if I had!

I wasn't about to leave them ruin our crib -- if something (-one) is going to ruin this crib, it might as well be my child -- so I took them off and hauled them back to Babies R Us for a quick return.

Of course, initally I thought they were wonderful, so I threw away the box. BUT I still had my receipt! I know better than the ditch those. Ever.

Naturally, the cashier balks at my plastic rail covers in the bottom of a bag. I expected that and politely asked to speak with the manager directly. As far as I'm concerned these rail covers are defective and should be sent back to the manufactuer -- it wasn't a loss for BRU and they shouldn't have a problem giving me a refund.

Let me reiterate -- it's not that I don't like them. They damaged my furniture after promising to be safe. That's a defective product in my book.

Anyway, Greg the manager comes up to the register and gives me the same bologna that the cashier did about not being about to accept returns without the original box. I argued with him a little and made my point about them being defective. He stood firm. We went back and forth a few more times. Neither of us was willing to concede.

Drew happened to be with me and after awhile, very quietly spoke up and simply said:

"Greg, after all the money we spent here ourselves and our friends and family spent through our registry, we'd appreciate it if you could give us the $12 back."

Wouldn't you know, Greg folded like a house of cards. He immediately offered a merchandise credit (fine) and took the offending strips away.

This was completely a case of a man conceding to another man. Greg didn't want to argue with Drew about it, but didn't mind spending all day telling me that there was "nothing he could do."

Grrr...actually this might be more of a ROAR.

Ok, it's off my chest. I feel better.

Thanks for letting me vent. :o)

melons on the way

I'll admit it.

I peeked ahead at what food comparisons are coming down the pike.

It turns out that the bean will be 1 melon or another for the next few weeks!

At 34 weeks, he is now about the size of a cantaloupe!

The bean weighs in at 4.8 pounds and is about 18 inches long. Good grief, no wonder my back hurts. Never, at any other time in my life, would I consider strapping a cantaloupe around my midsection and living life that way a good idea.

I don't know that it was a particularly good idea now.

At any rate, baby boy is doing great! He's constantly punching and rolling around in there. Drew thinks he's testing all sides of his home for weaknesses in a search for the exit. I welcome that search. Good luck, little bean.

Only 6 weeks (40 days!) to go before we meet this little guy. Wow!

knockers for the greater good

**I want to preface this post by saying that you'll see a familiar word spelled strangely here. That's not out of any shame on my part, but completely to keep the weirdos out there from Google-ing said word and finding this blog. **

Last night was my bre@stfeeding information class.

I don't know about you, but what I've heard from other people about lactation consultants is that they are {typically} pretty mean. We're talking hard nosed ladies who won't hesitate to smear the guilt and condemnation thick like zinc oxide on any woman who doesn't (or can't) feed her baby au natural.

For 18 months.

While working full-time.

Theseare the ladies who make Stalin look like a tender hearted puppy lover.

Look, I'm not saying it's true, this is just what I've been told.

Needless to say, I went into the class with a tiny grain of fear.

I plan to bre@stfeed, but what if she grills me on the specifics? What if I don't hold the dolls correctly? What if I admit that the whole idea makes me a little squeamish?

CAN SHE DECLARE ME UNFIT?

Oh gosh. This is stressful.

Panic attacks aside...the class went really well!

Despite all of these prejudices other people {kindly} gave me, I decided to calm the heck down and save judgment for myself. I'm really happy to say that I found our instructor to be super nice and informative!

Of course her main objective was to encourage bre@stfeeding...that's why I was there in the first place anyway. I didn't need any convincing, just some practical tips and we got lots of those.

Although I do have to say that some of the handouts we received were pretty hilarious. It honestly looked like some of the hand-drawn bre@sts and babies came from someone's "blind sketch" turn during a game of Cranium.

That aside, I'm actually looking forward to the visit from a lactation consultant after the bean is born. I know that I'm prepared mentally now, but physically could be another matter entirely.

Now if I can only find some decent nursing bras without losing my mind or the baby's college fund, we'll be all set.

tours and cravings

Last night Drew and I got a tour of the Maternity floor at our hospital. It was technically the last class in our Childbirth Education series. Yay!

I had very mixed feelings while we were walking around.

On one hand, it was reassuring to get a lot of my many, many questions answered. It was good to see where we'll go and what things look like.

On the other hand, it was pretty unnerving to see where we'll go and what things look like.

The labor rooms are very utilitarian (and very medical). Sure, there are rocking chairs and a t.v. but overall it's fairly cold and, well, a hospital. We've been planning to labor at home for as long as possible and this trip solidified that idea for me. I can't imagine spending 12+ hours in one of these rooms.

Hopefully I will be able to tough it out in the comfort of my own home until the bean is well on his way. We'll see. The plus side of the hospital room is that they have the epidural machine permanently set-up next to the labor beds.

:o)

Another great thing about L&D is that while we were there we heard the unmistakable cry of a new little one entering the world. I got all wrapped up in the sterility of my surroundings that I forgot for a minute what happens on this side of the floor.

My baby will arrive here! I love it!

Then we strolled over to the recovery side where I'll spend 2-4 days getting settled with the bean. It was so much better!

This whole area was a lot warmer (carpeted, pretty wallpaper, etc) and relaxed. We still saw all of the medical equipment available in the rooms, but it wasn't nearly as scary. All of the rooms are private (HUGE plus!) and they even have an extra bed in each room for Dad to stay the nights, if he wants.

Tonight is our very last class of any kind...Breastfeeding 101.

To celebrate the end of classes, Drew and I are meeting at Steak 'N Shake beforehand for some dinner. I'm starving for it already! I think the bean must be having a growth spurt because I'm hungry all. the. time.

Yay for milkshakes and fries! {Gotta keep baby healthy}

uplifter

In the midst of my bummer post I forgot to mention something wonderful that happened yesterday.

At the end of our childbirth education class last night the instructor told us to go upstairs for a special surprise. So we all got ourselves up to the other classroom and waited for our "surprise" to arrive.

Then what does our instructor come wheeling down the hall, but a newborn! Our instructor is also a nurse in Labor & Delivery, so she asked a couple who just had their son yesterday if it would be ok to bring him over to meet us.

They are extremely brave people. I don't know if I could have done that!

He was the most precious, tiny thing I've ever seen. Little Aidan was only on his 2nd day of life outside the womb and he was beautiful. There was some crying, but that was mostly me. {Just kidding}

I can't wait to meet my little one -- whenever he arrives!

why, oh why

Yesterday a vendor came by the lab to sign me up for a service we need.

Normally we have vendors stopping by all the time to tell us about special products or give out samples. They are all salespeople and, as such, always smile and want to chat.

I'm a little mixed on this whole process. On one hand, it's nice to get free samples and hear about things that might make my job easier. On the other hand, it's kind of obnoxious to have people interupting my work at random times to try and sell stuff.

But that's besides the point.

This woman had an appointment and I invited her, so it was all good.

Until she started talking.

Now, like I said before, she's a salesperson. As such I automatically assumed she would possess above average interpersonal skills.

I expect the random stranger to say things that are thoughtless, but honestly figured that someone who talks their way into the wallets of strangers would be more suave.

The first thing this woman says after putting down her bag is, "Oh, when are you due?"

That's fine -- it's obvious I'm pregnant and I love to talk about it!

So I respond, "December 19th"

Then she smiles and says, "Oh! A Saggitarius!"

Apparently astrology is her thing. Oh my.

I'm trying to be nice and keep the conversation going in the direction she pointed us, so I respond with, "Well, maybe. The 19th is right on the line, so if he's a little late he could be whatever comes next." {astrology is not my thing}

To which she then replies,

"That would put his birthday on Dec 20th or later. I always hate to see that. These poor kids have to grow up sharing their birthday with Christmas and that's just a shame."

Crickets.

I'm speechless.

I don't know about you, but I typically save the phrase "I always hate to see that" for things like house fires, domestic abuse, and abandoned puppies.

NOT the birth of a child.

Still trying to be nice, I just smiled and immediately changed the subject to business.

But on the inside I was saying something more like,

"Listen, lady. Do you know how long my husband and I were trying to get pregnant? We certainly weren't going to skip a month just because it might result in a December birthday!! Our little boy will be cherished. Every birthday and holiday will be special because we'll make it special for him. If you can't understand that, then just BE QUIET."

But I didn't say that. Mostly because I was shell-shocked.

But also because I really need what she was selling.

Why can't people think before they speak? Why can't they see how things might sound to the person they are talking to?

I'm more sad than angry now. Mostly because I'm really afraid that what she said is true.

Ever since I learned my due date this is something I worried about. I want the bean to have a special birthday and I feel like I ruined that for him (not that I can control it, but you know). Drew and I will do our best to make it special, but the fact is, Christmas is kind of a big deal and has a way of trumping everything around it.

Despite these fears, I want to let my baby know that whatever day he comes will be much more special to me than any holiday ever could be.

{Sorry, Jesus -- I'm sure you understand}

33 weeks

The bean and I are on our 33rd week together!

I feel like things are moving along pretty well. The baby is definitely getting bigger, faster these days. My changing body is something that I can't quite keep up with.

Just the other day I bent over to tie my sneakers and had to come up for air in between feet. He is all the way up in my lungs! I feel out of breath after the smallest exercise and can't bend over to do anything anymore. Small potatoes!

All in all we're doing great. Daddy and I are getting very anxious to meet you, but stay in there for another 7 weeks bean!

How far along: 33 weeks

Net weight gain: 17 lbs.

Maternity clothes: nursing bras make my head spin -- where to start?

Stretch marks: not yet {this category is totally going to jinx me, I need to remove it}

Belly button: gentle outie

Sleep: good for the most part

Baby movement: lots of rolls and punches

Food cravings: french onion soup...still!

Food aversions: nothing. I love food.

What I miss: tying my shoes without issue

Looking forward to: finishing the childbirth education classes

Best moment this week: realizing that next year I'll have a little cutey to dress up for Halloween

Milestones: baby boy's skin is filling out so he'll be chubby and cute at birth!

pineapple express

We're steaming on towards the finish line over here. The bean is now 33 weeks along and doing great!

He is about the size of a pineapple...

which is really funny because just this weekend I was telling Drew how much I've been craving fresh pineapple. I ordered a fruit cup with my oatmeal when we went out for breakfast and picked out all the pineapple immediately. So good!

Baby bean weighs about 4 pounds now and is over 17 inches long. I believe it. He's starting to feel really heavy on my back and hips.

There are still a lot of things I need to get done before baby boy arrives which is starting to stress me out. I can't do much anymore without needing a break, so I'm a lot less efficient than I used to be. Which means that things I think will take an hour or so to do end up taking a LOT more time.

This weekend I started working on a quilt for the bean (I've had the fabric for awhile) and at 1:00 on Sunday my sewing machine broke. Grrr....

I was really on a roll and hoped to get it close to done yesterday, but now it's not even halfway finished. I did use that extra time yesterday to do some other things, but I was really hoping to get the quilt underway.

Now it's not done AND I have to find someone to fix my machine, which I'm sure will cost much more than I hope. I know these are just little frustrations, but in my extra sensitve pregnant state, they seem much bigger.

In a show of gratitude, I do have to say how happy I am that the bean is growing well and moving a lot. He gets the hiccups almost everyday which always makes me smile.

Tomorrow night starts our marathon childbirth education sessions for the week...wish us luck!