So I'm sure most of you have read Mike's entry on the baby name dilema we find ourselves in. He also mentions the repetiveness of questions we get asked by all sorts of people. Therefore, I'm doing another FAQ that will hopefully let y'all in on a few more details about our little one:
Ooooh, you getting big. How many months are you now?
Well again, this question depends on how long you think pregnancy is. If you are of the 9 month mindset, we are 7.5 months. If you are of the 10 month (40wk) mindset we are 8.25 months (33wks).
Do you have a name?
No. We're working on it. But I won't officially name her anything until she is born and I can look at her beautiful face. (I'm not biased already ~ haha!) I believe a name has to fit the person, and I won't know if whatever we are leaning toward fits until I see her.
Are you excited?
Yes, I am excited and nervous. I really can't wait to meet the little girl who has been sharing my body for the past umteen months. I daydream about her personality and what she'll look like, who she'll become, what she'll be passionate about etc. But I'm also still nervous to start this chapter of my life. Oh, I think it will be vastly rewarding, but it is completely new. But yeah, I'm excited!
Getting close, is the nursery ready?
Well, we are actually not setting up a nursery right now. Mike and I will be moving into a house in April, and that is where we will be setting up the official nursery. As for the current situation, I am not quite there yet. I will have a basinet and changing table in my room along with some other miscellaneous newborn things. But since she will only be a month and half when we move, there is no point in overcrowding my limited living space with stuff she won't need until later. On that note, Mike is being a big help in moving all the many bins I have packed up to storage so there will be space for her when she arrives. It's kinda funny, I keep insisting that these bins are extremely heavy, and he lifts them like they are packed with feathers... which they so are not! Regardless, poor thing has become my personal mover of all things bulky or heavy. Good thing he loves me!
So do you know where you will deliver?
Yes. We are planning (finger's crossed) to have her at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. My OB practices out of that hospital and I've had a really good experience with them. Plus, it's rated number one for hospital births in the area. Bonus!
Are you planning to nurse?
Kind of a personal question, I'm not used to being a completely open book with everyone I meet, but yes. I do plan on nursing. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and work out. I am taking a class on this subject matter next week to be more prepared for possible obsticles.
Speaking of classes are you taking any?
Yes, as mentioned, I will be taking a class on nursing (which I need to insert a big shout out to my mom for agreeing to come with me! I love you!) and then Mike and I will be taking a 6 week birthing class as well (you go once a week). I have to say that I'm a little nervous about completing the course, because the last class is on Feb. 15th just 5 days before my due date. We really are in the home stretch!
So what names are on the short list?
Really. We don't have a name picked out. I really really really(!) liked the name Sadie, but Mike has since veto'd it. I had him just about convinced when he saw like 3 shows straight all with dogs named Sadie in them and he ruled it out. I, of course, point out everytime I see a little girl named Sadie referenced anywhere, but it hasn't helped. We are back to square one. I would say some of the names we are considering, but I feel like it's too wishy washy to even do that.
When is your shower?
Now this is actually a good question, I have no idea. I am hopeful to have a date worked out for it soon. But it should be towards the end of the month.
How long are you taking for maternity leave?
I will be taking 8 weeks as of now. I wish I could take more time, but I don't think that's a possibility at this point. It will, of course, be hard to come back to work so soon. But Mike will be taking care of her while I work, so it's comforting to know that she'll be with her daddy instead of in day care. On the two days a week where our schedules overlap by about 2 hours, she'll be staying with Mike's mom right up the street from where I work.
Do you have a birth plan?
I have an idea of things I would like to happen, but I haven't written out an actual plan yet. Our baby is quite healthy (i.e. large) so my plan is going to have to be pretty flexible when it comes down to it. Most of what is really important to me about the birth are for after she's already here and have to do with her care. I'll try to write a post about those things soon(ish).
And finally, How are you feeling?
Well I'd be lying if I said it was still a breeze. Mostly I'm still doing great. I got a little overwhelmed and emotional before Christmas. I had a couple of embarrasing moments where I started crying and my rational brain knew it was ridiculous. Once was at the mall on Christmas Eve, I really should've known better than to go there right before the holiday on my own. And the second was picking out a birthday card for my big brother. This one was truely ridiculous, as the card I read that set it off wasn't mushy or overly emotional, but there I was, in Target, crying in the card aisle. My tearducts have a tendancy to be over active anyway (I'm that girl that cries every time I laugh, and when I get really mad, and when there's any type of allergy in the area, and any other time they feel) But now I can't trust them at all.
But back to the point. I'm a little front heavy at the moment. I'm becoming aware of my belly more and more. I misjudge where I end a lot. It is very strange for me to sit cross legged right now because my whole lap is taken up with the belly, even that space in between my legs. I feel like my legs are hugging her when I sit like that. I'm also incredibly clumsy right now. I don't know how many times a day I drop something for no reason other than my hand decides to let go. And as much as I hate to admit this, I waddle. It's true, I'm slow as dirt and I waddle. Don't feel bad for me though! I can still pick things up that I dropped, and get up and down off the floor, and I'll make it to where ever I'm going eventually. I haven't had a lot of pain, so I still consider it mostly good. Plus I still can sleep in between bathroom breaks, which is a super bonus!
Whoops! True to form I forgot something. I also have massive pregnancy brain. I forget stuff all the time. This is probably the most frustrating thing at the moment. I feel like a complete ditz several times a day!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
My baby is how big?
**Warning this post contains pictures from inside of me**
So we just got back from the baby doctor. We were scheduled to have an ultra sound today as my fundal height has been measuring about 4cm large. I bet you can't guess how big our sweet baby girl is... Let me preface this by saying the average fetus at this stage is around 3.75 lbs on average. Babies are also putting on around a half a pound a week from here on out. I'm letting you in on this information so you can grasp the surprise we were faced with today.
I've known that large babies run in our family forever. My mom's children ranged from 8.5-10.8. So I wasn't too surprised when he said that she may be a bit bigger, but wanted to check her weight anyway. Leena, our ever sweet ultrasound tech, took us back to look at the little one. She was being somewhat active this morning, so we did get to see her doing some pretty cool stuff. For awhile she was sucking on her hand and we could see her little tongue bobbing in and out. Then she grabbed her toes and was double kicking me with her foot and hand together. She also turned and looked at us to say hi. All in all there were very sweet moments realizing just how developed she is now. I'm confident that (God forbid) anything were to happen where we'd have to deliver early, she'd be just fine. She's already filling out into a newborn.
So now that the fun stuff was over, it was time to take the measurements. They measured the circumference of her head and belly and few other parts to put together their best estimate. We asked how accurate these measurements are, and she said usually within a half pound or less. She then pulled up this graph that shows where average babies are and where we were currently sitting. Curious yet as to how big our child is? Because I was....
She is weighing in at a whopping 5.5 lbs already! On the graph she was teetering right below the upper line. Still "average" but really close to being larger than average. If that won't make a new mom's mind spiral into scenarios about birthing a baby, I don't know what will... I have (up till this point) conveniently avoided thinking about having to birth a baby at all. My mental blocks fell today as the reality hit that this child has to enter the world somehow.
I'm somewhat nervous about sharing this information with the general public, as I'm scared it will inspire even more mothers with horror birth stories to share. If you've had a large baby and have some horrifying tidbit to share, please don't. I don't need any help coming up with stuff; and if I haven't imagined it, I don't need to now.
I am happy that our baby girl is healthy and I love her no matter what. That hasn't changed, nothing really has except my perception of how this could go. Our doctor said that it's nothing to freak out over. It just means she'll likely be over 9lbs. It may also mean an alternate birthing plan when it comes down to it, but we'll take that one contraction at a time when the time comes. He said we should prepare ourselves to go a little earlier also. There are still a lot of unknowns, but it adds to the adventure of having a baby.
So there's our update from today. We have a healthy little girl in there (that was also confirmed again today). She's looking good and is active as ever.
So we just got back from the baby doctor. We were scheduled to have an ultra sound today as my fundal height has been measuring about 4cm large. I bet you can't guess how big our sweet baby girl is... Let me preface this by saying the average fetus at this stage is around 3.75 lbs on average. Babies are also putting on around a half a pound a week from here on out. I'm letting you in on this information so you can grasp the surprise we were faced with today.
I've known that large babies run in our family forever. My mom's children ranged from 8.5-10.8. So I wasn't too surprised when he said that she may be a bit bigger, but wanted to check her weight anyway. Leena, our ever sweet ultrasound tech, took us back to look at the little one. She was being somewhat active this morning, so we did get to see her doing some pretty cool stuff. For awhile she was sucking on her hand and we could see her little tongue bobbing in and out. Then she grabbed her toes and was double kicking me with her foot and hand together. She also turned and looked at us to say hi. All in all there were very sweet moments realizing just how developed she is now. I'm confident that (God forbid) anything were to happen where we'd have to deliver early, she'd be just fine. She's already filling out into a newborn.
Chewing on hand
32 weeks hand and arm
32 weeks profile
This one is harder to see, but she's grabbing her foot with her hand
So now that the fun stuff was over, it was time to take the measurements. They measured the circumference of her head and belly and few other parts to put together their best estimate. We asked how accurate these measurements are, and she said usually within a half pound or less. She then pulled up this graph that shows where average babies are and where we were currently sitting. Curious yet as to how big our child is? Because I was....
She is weighing in at a whopping 5.5 lbs already! On the graph she was teetering right below the upper line. Still "average" but really close to being larger than average. If that won't make a new mom's mind spiral into scenarios about birthing a baby, I don't know what will... I have (up till this point) conveniently avoided thinking about having to birth a baby at all. My mental blocks fell today as the reality hit that this child has to enter the world somehow.
I'm somewhat nervous about sharing this information with the general public, as I'm scared it will inspire even more mothers with horror birth stories to share. If you've had a large baby and have some horrifying tidbit to share, please don't. I don't need any help coming up with stuff; and if I haven't imagined it, I don't need to now.
I am happy that our baby girl is healthy and I love her no matter what. That hasn't changed, nothing really has except my perception of how this could go. Our doctor said that it's nothing to freak out over. It just means she'll likely be over 9lbs. It may also mean an alternate birthing plan when it comes down to it, but we'll take that one contraction at a time when the time comes. He said we should prepare ourselves to go a little earlier also. There are still a lot of unknowns, but it adds to the adventure of having a baby.
So there's our update from today. We have a healthy little girl in there (that was also confirmed again today). She's looking good and is active as ever.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Is It Time to Panic Yet?
Join me in my slightly panic'd mind:
There is a line from the TV show Friends that keeps running through my head...
"You're going to have a baby and you need to be prepared for it."
This year the holidays have been very unusual for me. I am normally totally into Holiday's and like to decorate and get into the spirit of things. But this year, it's as if my brain has switched off and is refusing to acknowledge the season has already approached and is nearly over now. I've been trying to figure out why this is, and I think I've come to a conclusion...
Once the holiday's are over, there's nothing left to focus on except the imminent arrival of baby Gill. I'm starting to get very nervous about having a baby. And by having a baby, I don't mean the actual birth, I mean the responsibility and life altering changes I'm about to encounter. I don't want to say that I'm intimidated by these changes, merely that it's a realm and a world that I can't comprehend right now. And these thoughts make me apprehensive. Nearly every parent I've encountered and had a conversation with has told me that there is nothing like raising a child to turn your world upside down.
I feel like I've lived my life in stages. The first stage being "growing up". The time when I was safe within my parents bubble and it felt like no harm could ever come to me as long as I was with them. The second stage being "independence". This is the stage that I'm currently in. The time when you've left your parents bubble, faced the world head on and whether you sink or swim is up to you and you alone. I'm comfortable in this stage because every decision I've made while in this stage only affects me. If I succeed or fail miserably at something it's only myself that will have to deal with the consequences. Not to say that I don't have family and friends that will share in those emotions, but you know what I mean. It's my decision for my life and I am responsible for how I choose to live it. I can jump into anything with both feet because they're my feet, I know my limitations, and I trust myself to be able to handle the outcome.
But now comes "parenthood"... Complete and total responsibility for another human being. I can't look at life the same way. I will be responsible for creating that safe bubble for my child. I will have to make all the decisions for this helpless little being until she matures enough to handle those decisions herself. I know I have Mike to share in this responsibility, and we have a great support system. But really, it's up to us. Mike, being the self assured veteran at this, told me last night that I'm over thinking things. He was being so sweet in trying to reassure me that everything will be fine, but he said something to me that I haven't been able to get out of my mind: "Being a parent is the one time in life that your opinion is fact". <--- (Scary!) He went on to say that there are no perfect parents. There are no right answers, and there's never going to be a report card for how your doing. He said he knows how I work and that I can read all the books and articles I want, but no parent was good at it to begin with, and every one of them made mistakes. I guess that's true, but it's still intimidating. I want to be the best mom I can be, and I don't know how to prepare because I don't know what lies in our future. Every baby is different and the world is constantly evolving, so there is no sure fire way to be ready.
I'm hoping these sentiments are normal and every new mommy to be goes through this. It's just really starting to get real. Two months until our due date. That is not a lot of time considering yesterday was Thanksgiving and Halloween was last week. My rational mind knows we'll be fine and it will be wonderful, but my insecure emotional mind is winning the battle right now. Maybe it's just the holidays and everyone reminding me that the next time they see me I'll have had the baby...
Me with a baby. I've got to get used to that thought...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In other news, we have started going to the doctor every two weeks. During our next appointment, between Christmas and New Year's, I'll be getting another ultrasound to check the baby's size and position as I'm still measuring large. Large babies run in my family, so I'm not too concerned about it, but keep us in your thoughts and prayers anyway. Also, last week was the first time Mike and my sister could see the baby move just by looking at my stomach and that Bethany got to feel her. (She's really shy when it comes to other people feeling her....)
Thanks for checking in with us ~ I'll try to be better at posting regularly :)
There is a line from the TV show Friends that keeps running through my head...
"You're going to have a baby and you need to be prepared for it."
This year the holidays have been very unusual for me. I am normally totally into Holiday's and like to decorate and get into the spirit of things. But this year, it's as if my brain has switched off and is refusing to acknowledge the season has already approached and is nearly over now. I've been trying to figure out why this is, and I think I've come to a conclusion...
Once the holiday's are over, there's nothing left to focus on except the imminent arrival of baby Gill. I'm starting to get very nervous about having a baby. And by having a baby, I don't mean the actual birth, I mean the responsibility and life altering changes I'm about to encounter. I don't want to say that I'm intimidated by these changes, merely that it's a realm and a world that I can't comprehend right now. And these thoughts make me apprehensive. Nearly every parent I've encountered and had a conversation with has told me that there is nothing like raising a child to turn your world upside down.
I feel like I've lived my life in stages. The first stage being "growing up". The time when I was safe within my parents bubble and it felt like no harm could ever come to me as long as I was with them. The second stage being "independence". This is the stage that I'm currently in. The time when you've left your parents bubble, faced the world head on and whether you sink or swim is up to you and you alone. I'm comfortable in this stage because every decision I've made while in this stage only affects me. If I succeed or fail miserably at something it's only myself that will have to deal with the consequences. Not to say that I don't have family and friends that will share in those emotions, but you know what I mean. It's my decision for my life and I am responsible for how I choose to live it. I can jump into anything with both feet because they're my feet, I know my limitations, and I trust myself to be able to handle the outcome.
But now comes "parenthood"... Complete and total responsibility for another human being. I can't look at life the same way. I will be responsible for creating that safe bubble for my child. I will have to make all the decisions for this helpless little being until she matures enough to handle those decisions herself. I know I have Mike to share in this responsibility, and we have a great support system. But really, it's up to us. Mike, being the self assured veteran at this, told me last night that I'm over thinking things. He was being so sweet in trying to reassure me that everything will be fine, but he said something to me that I haven't been able to get out of my mind: "Being a parent is the one time in life that your opinion is fact". <--- (Scary!) He went on to say that there are no perfect parents. There are no right answers, and there's never going to be a report card for how your doing. He said he knows how I work and that I can read all the books and articles I want, but no parent was good at it to begin with, and every one of them made mistakes. I guess that's true, but it's still intimidating. I want to be the best mom I can be, and I don't know how to prepare because I don't know what lies in our future. Every baby is different and the world is constantly evolving, so there is no sure fire way to be ready.
I'm hoping these sentiments are normal and every new mommy to be goes through this. It's just really starting to get real. Two months until our due date. That is not a lot of time considering yesterday was Thanksgiving and Halloween was last week. My rational mind knows we'll be fine and it will be wonderful, but my insecure emotional mind is winning the battle right now. Maybe it's just the holidays and everyone reminding me that the next time they see me I'll have had the baby...
Me with a baby. I've got to get used to that thought...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In other news, we have started going to the doctor every two weeks. During our next appointment, between Christmas and New Year's, I'll be getting another ultrasound to check the baby's size and position as I'm still measuring large. Large babies run in my family, so I'm not too concerned about it, but keep us in your thoughts and prayers anyway. Also, last week was the first time Mike and my sister could see the baby move just by looking at my stomach and that Bethany got to feel her. (She's really shy when it comes to other people feeling her....)
Thanks for checking in with us ~ I'll try to be better at posting regularly :)
Thursday, December 1, 2011
I Say We Just Name The Baby "Baby"
Recently, I've been feeling pretty intense pressure to start defining a list of names for the unborn bundle of joy we presently refer to as "baby Gill". Mostly because a thousand people have been coming up to us and asking, "What are you gonna name the baby??"
When I announce that I don't know and I don't yet have a list of possibles, they give me this befuddled look and accompany it with this tilt of their head that is similar to what a dog does when you make a noise it does not understand. "Well, shouldn't you be thinking of names?? It's only a couple of months away now." Yes, I should be. But since this isn't a movie script and I don't need a working title until it's finished, I have ruled out spending hours laboring over baby names only to come up with one 5 months before she's born and subsequently having second thoughts and changing it a thousand times up until she's born.
I like to imagine that Jenni and the baby are growing a maternal bond right now and that, through this magical bond, one name will speak louder than the rest and at least give us a direction to go in. Plus I suck at picking baby names and I really just want her to do it. Don't tell her I said that. Shhh...
Right now, she's leaning towards Sadie. That's fine by me, but I have a feeling that's not going to be the final product. Why? Because it's freaking December and the baby isn't due until February 20th. Factor in that the decision will be made by a woman who is in the third trimester (and likely to become increasingly more fragile and hormonal with every passing day) and a man who would exceed his creative limitations by naming a dalmatian "Spot", and pretty much anything is fair game at this stage.
We are a somewhat indecisive team, Jenni and I. Picking out restaurants can be emotionally exhausting at times, for both of us. But I think that will make this both fun and interesting down the stretch.
The only part of this equation that sucks is that all these people are getting antsy and trying to squeeze a name out of me. I am not a mobster kingpin and this is not an interrogation room, people... I don't know who he works for or where the loot is hidden. If you try and beat it out of me, you're just gonna wind up with a mess and no answer.
This unrelenting questioning is starting from my own family first. I do understand why, though. Mom wants to get started on knitting things for the new grandbaby, and my siblings want their opportunity to Christmas shop with a name in mind. My friends and co-workers are probably just asking to make small talk when they see me, but I'm pretty certain they could care less. Still, it contributes to the volume of the same question-and-answer process.
So let this be a warning to you over-zealous little badgers... keep it up at this rate, and I'm gonna name the newborn "Baby".
What??
Yes, I said it. And if you know me, and if you know Jenni, you know that I could pull this off.
If it's one other thing we share, it's a wild sense of humor. I often thing that's the only thing we have in common and part of the only reason she's kept me around all these years. Which is fine by me. After all, if she was only just about my looks, she may have left me a while back when my hair started running away and my belt line start approaching a 36. I suppose as long as I don't become a manic depressive, I'll always have a fighting chance. :-)
Anyways...
I could totally convince her to name it Baby. And the whole world would be quite irritated. And I would smile.
I'd probably have to provide an "out clause", like promise that we would change it after a couple of months or something like that. But could you imagine what those couple months would be like? Totally amazing. At least from our perspective.
I could watch all the strangers on the street or in the mall who come up and ask,"What's her name?" become totally horrified when I tell them "Just baby," and then pull out the matching birth certificate to prove it. Someone call MTV, this could be a reality show hit!
Plus, we could watch her features develop and then appropriate a name based on what she would look like. I think everyone, in their mind, has a certain look for names like Nancy, Ann, Heather, Brittney, etc. So maybe that could be a nice plus.
None of this is in line to happen as of yet... but keep it up with the full court press, and all this could be a possibility. So just hold your water, everybody. We're working on the problem and we'll get back to you soon.
Don't be that person who causes our child to have an ambiguous first name. :-D
When I announce that I don't know and I don't yet have a list of possibles, they give me this befuddled look and accompany it with this tilt of their head that is similar to what a dog does when you make a noise it does not understand. "Well, shouldn't you be thinking of names?? It's only a couple of months away now." Yes, I should be. But since this isn't a movie script and I don't need a working title until it's finished, I have ruled out spending hours laboring over baby names only to come up with one 5 months before she's born and subsequently having second thoughts and changing it a thousand times up until she's born.
I like to imagine that Jenni and the baby are growing a maternal bond right now and that, through this magical bond, one name will speak louder than the rest and at least give us a direction to go in. Plus I suck at picking baby names and I really just want her to do it. Don't tell her I said that. Shhh...
Right now, she's leaning towards Sadie. That's fine by me, but I have a feeling that's not going to be the final product. Why? Because it's freaking December and the baby isn't due until February 20th. Factor in that the decision will be made by a woman who is in the third trimester (and likely to become increasingly more fragile and hormonal with every passing day) and a man who would exceed his creative limitations by naming a dalmatian "Spot", and pretty much anything is fair game at this stage.
We are a somewhat indecisive team, Jenni and I. Picking out restaurants can be emotionally exhausting at times, for both of us. But I think that will make this both fun and interesting down the stretch.
The only part of this equation that sucks is that all these people are getting antsy and trying to squeeze a name out of me. I am not a mobster kingpin and this is not an interrogation room, people... I don't know who he works for or where the loot is hidden. If you try and beat it out of me, you're just gonna wind up with a mess and no answer.
This unrelenting questioning is starting from my own family first. I do understand why, though. Mom wants to get started on knitting things for the new grandbaby, and my siblings want their opportunity to Christmas shop with a name in mind. My friends and co-workers are probably just asking to make small talk when they see me, but I'm pretty certain they could care less. Still, it contributes to the volume of the same question-and-answer process.
So let this be a warning to you over-zealous little badgers... keep it up at this rate, and I'm gonna name the newborn "Baby".
What??
Yes, I said it. And if you know me, and if you know Jenni, you know that I could pull this off.
If it's one other thing we share, it's a wild sense of humor. I often thing that's the only thing we have in common and part of the only reason she's kept me around all these years. Which is fine by me. After all, if she was only just about my looks, she may have left me a while back when my hair started running away and my belt line start approaching a 36. I suppose as long as I don't become a manic depressive, I'll always have a fighting chance. :-)
Anyways...
I could totally convince her to name it Baby. And the whole world would be quite irritated. And I would smile.
I'd probably have to provide an "out clause", like promise that we would change it after a couple of months or something like that. But could you imagine what those couple months would be like? Totally amazing. At least from our perspective.
I could watch all the strangers on the street or in the mall who come up and ask,"What's her name?" become totally horrified when I tell them "Just baby," and then pull out the matching birth certificate to prove it. Someone call MTV, this could be a reality show hit!
Plus, we could watch her features develop and then appropriate a name based on what she would look like. I think everyone, in their mind, has a certain look for names like Nancy, Ann, Heather, Brittney, etc. So maybe that could be a nice plus.
None of this is in line to happen as of yet... but keep it up with the full court press, and all this could be a possibility. So just hold your water, everybody. We're working on the problem and we'll get back to you soon.
Don't be that person who causes our child to have an ambiguous first name. :-D
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Pregnancy Love
This week we entered our 3rd trimester. Throughout my pregnancy I have been hearing "You just wait". Anytime something new and exciting would happen, as soon as I shared it with anyone I heard a chorus of the "You just wait's". For example, Me: I think I felt the baby kick this past weekend! Them: "You just wait until that baby is kicking you so hard you wonder if a bone is broken" or "You just wait until that baby kicks you so hard in the ribs it takes you breath away". This got really frustrating for me as I just wanted to bask in the little milestones that make being pregnant so special.
I have loved being pregnant. I feel like I've been chosen to do something way more significant with my life than my previous world could imagine. It's like God smiled down on us and thought we would be the perfect people to raise this little baby. I know I'm not Mary and didn't get visited by an angel in my sleep, but I can imagine what she felt like being chosen to carry God's son. It's an honor and priviledge to carry a little baby within my body.
So onto the reason for this post. I've been told the "honeymoon" phase of pregnancy is about to end and things will get really uncomfortable. Baby girl is growing quite fast at this point and I can see where that may be true in the last couple of months. So before I get to that stage, if I get to that stage, I wanted to record all the many things I have enjoyed throughout the past 27 weeks:
1. I love feeling you kick and move everyday
2. I love seeing your little heartbeat on the ultrasounds
3. I love hearing your heartbeat at every appointment
4. I love watching my belly grow and watching my belly button disappear
5. I love daydreaming about who you are and who you will be
6. I love talking (and sometimes singing) to you when no one else is around
7. I love guessing what position your in
8. I love seeing the excitement in our friends and family for your arrival
9. I love that you've mellowed me out
10. I love the two tiny strechmarks on my scar from the last time
11. I love that you have been so easy to carry
12. I love how protective I've become of the people I love
13. I love figuring out what you like and don't like to eat
14. I love making things for you
15. I love the new realms of humor that being pregnant produces
16. I love critiquing the bathrooms at every establishment I visit
17. I love being overwhelmed because everything is new and unpredictable
18. I love that my hair is so thick and healthy right now
19. I love that I don't have to wear makeup because of the "glow"
20. I love not being cold all the time. For once I can warm Mike up...
21. I love not having to lift heavy things
22. I love not being concerned about the number on the scale
23. I love playing clothing roulette every morning when getting dressed
24. I love learning about how your growing every week
25. I love having a reason to browse the baby section guilt free
26. I love walking to one side every morning because you grew over night
27. I love the strength of Mike and I relationship now
28. I love that your stubborn when it comes to other people feeling you move
29. I love the smoothness of my skin
30. I love that I get to carry you with me always
31. I love the night vision that comes with going to the bathroom 5 times a night
32. I love all the snacks
33. I love going to the doctor
34. I love the chivalry of total strangers
35. I love that you stretch everytime I stand up into whatever space is created.
36. I love rubbing my belly
37. I love that for once my belly is the first thing to touch in a hug
38. I love that my body knew what to do to nurture you
39. I love the happiness that just the thought of you invokes
40. I love being pregnant. I simply love being pregnant!
Thanks for checking in on us, nothing too exciting is going on right now. We're mainly just growing at this point. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I have loved being pregnant. I feel like I've been chosen to do something way more significant with my life than my previous world could imagine. It's like God smiled down on us and thought we would be the perfect people to raise this little baby. I know I'm not Mary and didn't get visited by an angel in my sleep, but I can imagine what she felt like being chosen to carry God's son. It's an honor and priviledge to carry a little baby within my body.
So onto the reason for this post. I've been told the "honeymoon" phase of pregnancy is about to end and things will get really uncomfortable. Baby girl is growing quite fast at this point and I can see where that may be true in the last couple of months. So before I get to that stage, if I get to that stage, I wanted to record all the many things I have enjoyed throughout the past 27 weeks:
1. I love feeling you kick and move everyday
2. I love seeing your little heartbeat on the ultrasounds
3. I love hearing your heartbeat at every appointment
4. I love watching my belly grow and watching my belly button disappear
5. I love daydreaming about who you are and who you will be
6. I love talking (and sometimes singing) to you when no one else is around
7. I love guessing what position your in
8. I love seeing the excitement in our friends and family for your arrival
9. I love that you've mellowed me out
10. I love the two tiny strechmarks on my scar from the last time
11. I love that you have been so easy to carry
12. I love how protective I've become of the people I love
13. I love figuring out what you like and don't like to eat
14. I love making things for you
15. I love the new realms of humor that being pregnant produces
16. I love critiquing the bathrooms at every establishment I visit
17. I love being overwhelmed because everything is new and unpredictable
18. I love that my hair is so thick and healthy right now
19. I love that I don't have to wear makeup because of the "glow"
20. I love not being cold all the time. For once I can warm Mike up...
21. I love not having to lift heavy things
22. I love not being concerned about the number on the scale
23. I love playing clothing roulette every morning when getting dressed
24. I love learning about how your growing every week
25. I love having a reason to browse the baby section guilt free
26. I love walking to one side every morning because you grew over night
27. I love the strength of Mike and I relationship now
28. I love that your stubborn when it comes to other people feeling you move
29. I love the smoothness of my skin
30. I love that I get to carry you with me always
31. I love the night vision that comes with going to the bathroom 5 times a night
32. I love all the snacks
33. I love going to the doctor
34. I love the chivalry of total strangers
35. I love that you stretch everytime I stand up into whatever space is created.
36. I love rubbing my belly
37. I love that for once my belly is the first thing to touch in a hug
38. I love that my body knew what to do to nurture you
39. I love the happiness that just the thought of you invokes
40. I love being pregnant. I simply love being pregnant!
Thanks for checking in on us, nothing too exciting is going on right now. We're mainly just growing at this point. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Finally... A Nursery Vision
I have been struggling with coming up with a clear vision of what I wanted the baby's nursery to look like. I knew I didn't want to do anything that is too mainstream right now, which is tending to be on the outdoorsy / woodland creature / owl side. Not that those aren't adorable, because they are, I just have seen several friends have the same category of nursery. And while I may get some criticism for the direction I'm taking, I'm happy with how it will look (if it comes out anything like the vision in my head...)
So on my quest come up with something cute and a little outside of the box, my parents offered me some artwork they purchased when we were little and didn't use. There are three limited edition prints by Ron Rodecker, a southern California artist who does dragon drawings/watercolors. He is also responsible for the drawings on the PBS show Dragon Tales. These particular prints are from a different line and all feature a whimsical dragon and balloons. Here is my favorite of the three:
I love this set! It's not too princessy (yes I made that word up ;) ), it has the castle that ties into the dragons, it's still pink and girly. All of the flowers are ribbon appliqued on. Perfect! Now I just had to get Mike on board. Not very hard, he tends to agree with whatever I decide I like, as long as the baby will have bedding he's cool. Mikey likes it! So I set off to find and register it. First site, out of stock. Second site, out of stock. Third site, out of stock. Fourth site, out of stock. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here... please tell me they're still making it... Please tell me they're still making it. Ah, manufactures website, go. Discontinued!?! Can I start pouting now? You know I haven't had the emotional break down yet, maybe this will be my calm and cool ruin... I could however, find sheets, the other blanket, diaper holder, and mobile. What good will that do me if I can't get the crib set? I even checked eBay to see if I could find it there, nothing! Finally, I found it on Sears website through a third party seller. They had a new set in stock! Yes! Ordered. Done. Happy bubble restored :D.
Now I'm just waiting for it to arrive. I hope it's as pretty in person as it is in all the pictures. I'm still working on a lot of the details, but I'm thinking I will paint the walls a light pink and have the prints matted and framed in one of the other colors on the set once it gets here. At least I finally have a direction and vision of what the nursery will look like. So if you are reading this and want to get us something for the nursery, think more castles and dragon's than princess... I know "princess" is a popular theme right now, but I don't want it to go too far in that direction... Pink and flowers or whimsy is more the vibe I want to establish. It'll be awhile before I can post pictures of the actual nursery, but this is my starting point... Whew... One stress down.
One stress down and two up... The third trimester starts in a week! What!?! I thought I still had loads of time left. Who is stealing all the time? Give it back! Don't make me have words with you father time, I know your holiday is coming up... EEK!
hop hop. help.
So on my quest come up with something cute and a little outside of the box, my parents offered me some artwork they purchased when we were little and didn't use. There are three limited edition prints by Ron Rodecker, a southern California artist who does dragon drawings/watercolors. He is also responsible for the drawings on the PBS show Dragon Tales. These particular prints are from a different line and all feature a whimsical dragon and balloons. Here is my favorite of the three:
As you can see there are lots of colors in the print to choose from, but I still struggled with how to pick out bedding and wall color etc.
Then last week my mom and I went to start our baby registry and none of the options at the store were jumping out at me until we went down the clearance isle and ran across a set that had a castle on it, well actually, it was princess motif. We sat there for a few moments discussing the possibilities that this set could hold, but at that point we were both pretty tired and I was past the point of being able to make another decision. Registry shopping is overwhelming and exhausting! So we left and I went online the next day to look at the set and see if it could work. Wouldn't you know, I couldn't find it in their online catalog. So then I tried googling it and still couldn't find what I thought I remembered from the store. Why didn't I write down the brand name or set name? Stupid pregnancy brain! In curiosity I then googled for anything princess and nursery. Now, I really didn't want princesses, I was more interested in the castle because dragons and castles go together. Then something caught my eye.
I love this set! It's not too princessy (yes I made that word up ;) ), it has the castle that ties into the dragons, it's still pink and girly. All of the flowers are ribbon appliqued on. Perfect! Now I just had to get Mike on board. Not very hard, he tends to agree with whatever I decide I like, as long as the baby will have bedding he's cool. Mikey likes it! So I set off to find and register it. First site, out of stock. Second site, out of stock. Third site, out of stock. Fourth site, out of stock. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here... please tell me they're still making it... Please tell me they're still making it. Ah, manufactures website, go. Discontinued!?! Can I start pouting now? You know I haven't had the emotional break down yet, maybe this will be my calm and cool ruin... I could however, find sheets, the other blanket, diaper holder, and mobile. What good will that do me if I can't get the crib set? I even checked eBay to see if I could find it there, nothing! Finally, I found it on Sears website through a third party seller. They had a new set in stock! Yes! Ordered. Done. Happy bubble restored :D.
Now I'm just waiting for it to arrive. I hope it's as pretty in person as it is in all the pictures. I'm still working on a lot of the details, but I'm thinking I will paint the walls a light pink and have the prints matted and framed in one of the other colors on the set once it gets here. At least I finally have a direction and vision of what the nursery will look like. So if you are reading this and want to get us something for the nursery, think more castles and dragon's than princess... I know "princess" is a popular theme right now, but I don't want it to go too far in that direction... Pink and flowers or whimsy is more the vibe I want to establish. It'll be awhile before I can post pictures of the actual nursery, but this is my starting point... Whew... One stress down.
One stress down and two up... The third trimester starts in a week! What!?! I thought I still had loads of time left. Who is stealing all the time? Give it back! Don't make me have words with you father time, I know your holiday is coming up... EEK!
hop hop. help.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Hop Hop... Help
I am used to being a fairly independant person. I don't rely on others to do for me what I can do myself. Throughout this pregnancy, I have been known to say that I'm pregnant, not an invalid. However, this pregnancy thing has really slowed me down to the point that I now have to ask for help on things that I never thought I would (or at least never thought I would at age 29). So maybe I am becoming an invalid...
For example, this past weekend I actually had some free time to work on getting my house ready to make space for all the baby stuff we will be needing and using. While the organizing and cleaning part went smoothly without any hiccups, I decided now would be a great time to rearrange the funiture in my room to make it more spacious. This included moving my bed. I almost immediately realized that I would not be able to move this piece with the same ease as I did before pregnancy, but did that have to stop me? Nope. I worked it out. I proceeded to sit on the floor and move the bed corner by corner using a pushing technique with my feet. I was so proud of myself for thinking of an innovative way to move furniture that didn't strain my back and I didn't have to pick anything up or bend over. Score! Or... actually... not score. I got my bed into place, took a break to eat dinner and quickly realized my back did not agree with my previous assessment. Man this pregancy thing takes a toll on your body. Everything health wise has been so smooth that it catches me off guard that I can't do everything that I want to. Between belly and boobs my poor back has about all the weight it can reasonably handle. And I'm supposed to get bigger? Yikes!
Another example, Monday I get to work and our Crystal Water cooler was empty. It's one of those that holds a five gallon jug. Normally I would just grab a new one, but after the weekends debacle with the bed and my back, I had to decide what would be the smart thing to do. Bend over, pick up the jug, heft it up to the proper hieght and change it? Or swallow my pride, realize my limitations and go get someone to do this for me. I think you all will be happy to know that I went and got a man to help... It was embarrasinig, but I have gotten to that point. Look at me growing ~ haha!
Then yesterday, my car was car was acting up on my way to work. I could not get it to accelerate properly and quickly realized there would be no way I would make it to Gallatin. I pulled over and called Mike to come rescue me, which he gladly did. Once he got there and we worked out our game plan on getting the car to the mechanic and me to work we set off. Here is our conversation in the car:
Jen: My knight in shiny black (he was wearing a black fleece), thanks for rescueing me! I know you don't like getting up in the morning...
Mike: No problem, I was still up from taking Haley to school
Jen: Well I really appreciate you coming back to Hendersonville for me
Mike: Well I can't have my kangroo out here stranded...
hop hop. help
hop hop. help
(Now, I'm sure you all know Mike and can hear him saying this to me, and his "help" was really small and pathetic sounding)
Jen: Hahahahahaha! I'm not that pathetic yet, am I?
Mike: Nope, but I gotta make sure I take care of my momma kangaroo
Jen: Well, we love you knight in shiny black
Mike: Love you too, now can I interest you in some drive through breakfast?
I guess I should have prefaced this conversation by letting you all know that Mike has been calling me his kangaroo ever since my baby bump started showing. (Because I have a pouch with a baby in it). While this analogy bothered me at first, I've come to really love it! Just in case you didn't get the same mental picture of being a kangroo I mocked up the following cartoon:
I guess I should be happy that have people around me all the time who are willing to help. I'm trying to get used to my new limitations, but it's hard to adjust. Hopefully at some point, I'll start to enjoy being able to sit back and direct! I hear it's a perk of being pregnant :D!
For example, this past weekend I actually had some free time to work on getting my house ready to make space for all the baby stuff we will be needing and using. While the organizing and cleaning part went smoothly without any hiccups, I decided now would be a great time to rearrange the funiture in my room to make it more spacious. This included moving my bed. I almost immediately realized that I would not be able to move this piece with the same ease as I did before pregnancy, but did that have to stop me? Nope. I worked it out. I proceeded to sit on the floor and move the bed corner by corner using a pushing technique with my feet. I was so proud of myself for thinking of an innovative way to move furniture that didn't strain my back and I didn't have to pick anything up or bend over. Score! Or... actually... not score. I got my bed into place, took a break to eat dinner and quickly realized my back did not agree with my previous assessment. Man this pregancy thing takes a toll on your body. Everything health wise has been so smooth that it catches me off guard that I can't do everything that I want to. Between belly and boobs my poor back has about all the weight it can reasonably handle. And I'm supposed to get bigger? Yikes!
Another example, Monday I get to work and our Crystal Water cooler was empty. It's one of those that holds a five gallon jug. Normally I would just grab a new one, but after the weekends debacle with the bed and my back, I had to decide what would be the smart thing to do. Bend over, pick up the jug, heft it up to the proper hieght and change it? Or swallow my pride, realize my limitations and go get someone to do this for me. I think you all will be happy to know that I went and got a man to help... It was embarrasinig, but I have gotten to that point. Look at me growing ~ haha!
Then yesterday, my car was car was acting up on my way to work. I could not get it to accelerate properly and quickly realized there would be no way I would make it to Gallatin. I pulled over and called Mike to come rescue me, which he gladly did. Once he got there and we worked out our game plan on getting the car to the mechanic and me to work we set off. Here is our conversation in the car:
Jen: My knight in shiny black (he was wearing a black fleece), thanks for rescueing me! I know you don't like getting up in the morning...
Mike: No problem, I was still up from taking Haley to school
Jen: Well I really appreciate you coming back to Hendersonville for me
Mike: Well I can't have my kangroo out here stranded...
hop hop. help
hop hop. help
(Now, I'm sure you all know Mike and can hear him saying this to me, and his "help" was really small and pathetic sounding)
Jen: Hahahahahaha! I'm not that pathetic yet, am I?
Mike: Nope, but I gotta make sure I take care of my momma kangaroo
Jen: Well, we love you knight in shiny black
Mike: Love you too, now can I interest you in some drive through breakfast?
I guess I should have prefaced this conversation by letting you all know that Mike has been calling me his kangaroo ever since my baby bump started showing. (Because I have a pouch with a baby in it). While this analogy bothered me at first, I've come to really love it! Just in case you didn't get the same mental picture of being a kangroo I mocked up the following cartoon:
I guess I should be happy that have people around me all the time who are willing to help. I'm trying to get used to my new limitations, but it's hard to adjust. Hopefully at some point, I'll start to enjoy being able to sit back and direct! I hear it's a perk of being pregnant :D!
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