Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Santa, i KNOW him!!

Yes, Charlie officially met Santa this week and had his picture taken. He did a great job and was so good for all of the pics we made him take before he smiled. And Santa was an even bigger trooper. I went with 4 other moms from my Next Steps group, so Santa had to sit through many poses with 5 3 month children (and their moms). But all of the kids pics came out fantastic!



We are taking Bailey to see Santa at the pet store this weekend. Proof that we really don't pay as much attention to her anymore -- All of the malls have had "pet nights" when you can bring you pets in to take their pictures with Santa. Of course in any other year, I would have known about this for months and would have been to at least one mall. But sadly, this year I missed all of the dates, or can't go to the ones that are coming up. We were supposed to go the 30th, but I got a last min ticket to the Pats-Steelers game, and went there instead. As that was the worst game ever, I regret not taking Bailey to the mall. Then I find out that Natick has Pet night on Monday, with the 15th being the last day. Of course that is my holiday party. I wish I knew about that mall earlier bc we could have gone on Monday. And sadly, I have been to that mall like 5 times in the past month. So bummed :(

Last night, Isis washaving a 30% off sale (and they never have anything on sale there). So I got a new infant carrier and a bunch more stuff for Charlie for Xmas. This kids has enough for 2 Xmases just from us alone! But it's all stuff he needs (like 3-6 month clothes) and a bunch of toys he can use throughout his 1st year. It should get him through to his 1st bday :)

Friday, December 5, 2008

Charlie's holding his bottle!!

I am such a slacker when it comes to posting on this blog. Every time I add an entry, I always tell myself that I will be more consistent about posting, and then I never do. So my goal is to post every day about Charlie... let's see how long that lasts!!

Last week we survived Charlie's 1st major holiday... thanksgiving. He did really well. I wasn't sure if he'd be overwhelmed with the traveling and visiting with so many people, but he has really turned into a social butterfly! He prefers to be entertained, so I enjoyed passing him around to everyone. But he was in relatively good spirits both at Ronnie's and then again at my mom's. There were so many people there that he was constantly getting attention and having a ball. We only had 1 incident on the drive from N. Reading to NH. We got half way to my mom's and he woe up (stupid lights on 101) and screamed the rest of the way (45 minutes). He screamed so much he was choking. Normally he will settle himself after a few minutes, but not that night. Once we got to my mom's he let out a burp and was better. I am sure his screaming caused the need to burp. At least we know why he was miserable, and it wasn't the car seat or the car.

Charlie and Daddy wore matching sweaters that day. How cute:


He also got to try out his jumperoo and high chair. He wants to be upright at all times and prefers to sit and stand rather than lying on his stomach or back. But he is not ready to sit unassisted quite yet, so we need to find equipment that gives him support so he can sit without being held. We weren't sure if he was strong enough to use these things yet, but he did really well (for 5 minute stretches).


He has become much more aware of his hands, and that he controls them. So he has been exploring all of his small toys... batting them, hitting things, and holding toys with both hands. He really likes his firefly, which has crinkles in the wings. Here he is playing with toys dangling from his piano:

He has also used this skill for productive purposes.. last night he held his bottle to feed himself! Such a big boy!

His sleeping has been getting better, some days. He still has those nights where he is up 4 or 5 times. But then he does give us nights where he sleeps for 5 hours, and then another 2-3 hours. Last night both Steve and I were so tired, and we were so happy that Charlie decided to give us a good night. He didn't nap well in the afternoon, so he got a bath a 6:30 and was down at 7:30 (30 min in the crib!!). he stayed down until 10, when he woke up and ate (after yelling for a bit - Not sure why he wakes up so angry at times). Then he went down until 3:15, and then he slept until 6 and then 7. Yay!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Charlie is almost 3 months old!

Wow time really has flown by these past 6 weeks. I didn't always feel this way... in the 1st 6 weeks, I had some of the longest days of my life and time went by so slowly. But after we hi the 6 week mark, time has really picked up. Charlie has become so much fun. He has found his hands and is completely fascinated by them. He was fighting falling asleep for about a week and i swear it was because he was too interested in his hands to sleep! I hope he learned that they don't go away during his naps!

He has also begun playing with all of his toys. I have no clue why manufacturers promote some toys for 0+ months, when they don't really notice any of them until they are 3 months... well obviously to sell toys to 1st time parents who don't know any better. But now he has really taken to some of his toys, like his piano... he loves to kick and this piano is activated when the baby hits the keys. So he is getting very good at that! He is also grabbing at toys when they hang in front of him.

He has become so vocal. He talks all the time in the car seat to his little guys that hang in front of him (rather than sleep...). He is great with tummy time and has started rolling front back to front a bit more often. Next goal --- getting him to sit without collapsing!

We have been visiting with lots of friends and family recently and Charlie has become pretty good at adapting to new places. Of course he is best when we have our home routine, but I will go nuts if we never go out. So we try to mix it up! A few weeks ago, my wonderful "NK" friends threw a "welcome Charlie" party, so he was able to meet some of his aunts -- like Alexis, Niecy, Kristen and Kelly.

Unfortunately many of the girls were busy getting a new puppy and preparing to have twins! So we made a second round of visits this past weekend. We got to meet Amanda and her new puppy Lyric. He is a Viszla... what a cutie!! And his big brother Bruno was so interested in Charlie. Bruno is a jumper, so I was worried we'd have to keep them separated. But he was on his best behavior... he just sat and started at Charlie. Amanda, i think Bruno is ready for a human baby! lol Then we went to see Kristen and her animals... so needless to say, Bailey was pretty tired from all of the dogs!!


On Sunday we visited with Alyssa and met the new girls, Amelia and Eliza. They were both ~ 5 pounds, so they were TINY! The preemie clothes were too big for them! But it was so amazing to see newborns again and realize how quickly they grow. I almost forget how tiny Charlie was. only a few months ago. Alyssa and Jeramey also have 2 poodles and they were so funny with the babies. Sadie in particular was very protective of her mom and which ever sister was in mom's hands. Whenever Bailey got near Lys, Sadie was right there to make sure everything was ok.Bailey on the other hand had no problem with 2 poodles sticking their noses in Charlie's face. She was more interested in getting up on a couch to take a nap.

We start playgroup on Thursday. Unfortunately we signed up for one that didn't have enough people so it was canceled. So we scrambled to find one with an opening. It's at the Boston location, so it's a bit more difficult for me to get to, although not sure if we'd be walking to the Brookline location like we did in the fall, as it is getting so cold! We couldn't get into any of the ones that started this week, so we joined one in progress. Weird that some were full with waitlists, but mine only had 2 people. I am a bit bummed that we missed the first week, but at least it will end before I go back to work in January. Hopefully we can learn some tips on how to get Charlie to sleep better for us.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Are we settling into a new sleep routine...

Or was it just the shots?

Charlie had his 1st set of vaccines yesterday. He did a great job and mommy got through them ok. I can't believe how hard it was to go through. I went into it very scientifically -- it's only a few seconds, it'll make him healthier, etc. And I figured he has such painful sounding screams anyway, that I would be used to the sound. Before he got the shots, he was already crying and fussing, and when she gave him the first shot, his scream wasn't any worse than when he would refuse to eat from gas pains when he was only a few weeks old. But i still started to tear up when she adminstered the shots :( I felt like I couldn't do anything to help him. But he was so brave and calmed down once I started nursing him.

He actually did really well for the first few hours at home, without any tylenol. He took a nap and when he woke up, he must have been sore because then he was miserable. But after a dose of tylenol, a long nap and a bath, he was back to his old self. I was glad I didn't need to give him any more medication. And he slept great last night! 9:30-3, 4-6:30 and then stayed in bed til 8.

He has been giving us a longer 1st sleep for the past few days now, so I really hope he is settling into good pattern (and it wasn't just the shots). Even more exciting -- we don't have to hold him anymore. We can actually put him down, on his back and he will stay asleep! Even after his night feeding... granted it's in our bed, but one hurdle at a time.

I have also started putting together his Xmas list... more to get me organized and figure out exactly what he needs. I keep thinking of things but then forget. I have begun to write it down. Luckily most of the big things he will need in the next year he already has -- like the next car seat, stroller and high chair. So we basically just need "fun" stuff -- like toys and winter clothes.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Happy Halloween!

Happy early Halloween! Charlie had his first taste of Halloween over the weekend. We went to the Prudential for the PruBoo event and opening of the new Isis store. He got to wear his peapod costume and walk in the parade. he also had his picture taken by a photography studio. We also did a little (too much) Xmas shopping at the Isis sale. We need to figure out if he really needs all of those toys!


Charlie has really grown a lot over these past few weeks. He smiles and laughs a lot -- especially in the morning. His favorite toy is his Wally mobile over his changing table. He talks to him the entire time he is being changed. he has also started to notice some of his other toys as well, and occasionally and accidentally he'll grab one and hold onto it.

He really enjoys tummy time and is very good at holding his head up without being propped up. he can prop himself up on his elbows now. and if we put his on the boppy, hewill play with toys in front of him. his favorite toy is his mirror. all if this tummy time has helped strengthen his back and neck and he has moved on to sitting, with assistance. he can sit well in his bebe pod positioner and is working on a tripod sit.


he also is a big fan of music. we think it may be due in part to all of the rockband we played this summer :) he loves when i sing to him (probably the only person who does!). we have learned lots of songs in playgroup, although his favorite is take me out to the ballgame. man he will love fenway next summer with the singing and the life-sized wally!

playgroup ends this week. i am so glad i went to a class. i have learned a lot about infant development and ways to play with charlie. plus i met some great moms. i am sad this will be ending, but we will take the next session starting in a few weeks.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

A few firsts...

Charlie got to take his first trip down to Fenway this week. And his first trip on the "T" also. On Thursday after play group, we hopped on the T and went to the Twins shop on Yawkey Way to buy a gift for my smart godson (who has declared himself a Red Sox fan in a Yankee household...). Of course Charlie got something as well ... he has no winter Red Sox clothes! The T with the large stroller is an experience. Luckily there were a few nice people getting on the train who helped carry the stroller for me. But it was still a pain. I can't imagine how difficult it would be for people in wheelchairs. Plus on the train, the stroller took up so much room. I am glad we got home before rush hour. I guess this is why we'll need an umbrella stroller.

We had lots of visitors this week... Auntie Dottie, Auntie Betty, Babci and Papa all came by this week to visit with us. It's nice having visitors! And Charlie is usually well behaved when others are around.

Most people know we belong to a playgroup... this is what the babies do while we are there. I think they are plotting against us...


One of my favorite things to do is dress Charlie. I love putting him in all of his outfits. How can you not get excited about these:

Monday, October 6, 2008

6 week update

Charlie is now past that 6 week mark and hopefully things will start getting easier (like all of the books say...). I will say that while people keep commenting on how time flies, it really feels like it has been longer than 6 weeks... i feel like he has been here for much longer!

He went to the Drs almost 2 weeks ago and weighed 9 3/4 pounds and was 21.5 inches long (1/2 inch shorter than the 2 week measurement!). He is now in the 50th percentile for both weight and length, so he has filled out. If you do the math, he has gained like an ounce a day! And he isn't even drinking formula.

Speaking of formula, we tried to introduce a few bottles, just so i wouldn't be as stressed about building up a supply and so i can leave without being tied to the amount saved in the freezer. Unfortunately, Charlie didn't do so well with it the first time around. We started with soy right away, as he had trouble with dairy in my diet. He became so gassy and it was affecting his (and our) sleep. Poor kid seemed uncomfortable all the time for about 3 days. This also coincided with a slow down in he "output" and he didn't poop for 4 days. Whether he was gassy bc of the formula or the decrease in BM, i don't know. so we have decided to hold off on the formula for a few more weeks.

Charlie has been lifting up his head like a champ. He loves his tummy time. He has also started tracking objects that move by his face and noticing more every day. He loves his mobile above his changing table. he laughs at wally every time we turn it on and when we change him, he waits for wally to start dancing. very cute :) now we just need to get him a good one for his crib.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Time for Playgroup

I know it sounds silly, but Charlie and I signed up for playgroup for newborns, which started today. It really is just an expensive way for us new moms to meet other moms and share all of our experiences (good and bad). Jen from school is in the group, so it will be nice to catch up with her and her son every week.

Today we discussed our birth experiences, tummy time (and learned new exercises which Charlie loves!), swaddling (and i bought 2 new blankets to attempt to swaddle him ... something HAS to work to keep him settled at night for more than an hour at a time), and tummy massages. It's nice to hear others' experiences to realize you are not alone and to appreciate some of the things your baby isn't doing!

Charlie has been taking the pacifier a bit more. Granted, mostly for others and not me, but i am glad he has taken it. It really helps him calm down a bit. Hopefully once he is used to it, he'll take it for me also. Of course right now, he knows i have the boob, which is probably mush nicer to suck on than a plastic pacifier.

We also started him on Zantac, poor baby. I don't think he has reflux, but honestly i'll try anything to help with his tummy issues. He gets so stiff, red and screams in such pain after meals. I think it's gas, but it may be a touch of relfux. Hopefully the meds plus swaddling and massages will help reduce the discomfort.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Charlie's 2 week milestone


Today Charlie rolled over. Yup our 2 week old baby decided that he wasn't showing off enough by lifting his head and looking around on day 2... so today he rolled from his belly to his back two times! Of course i missed it, but he did it with steve (and in front of cousin Nicole for proof). What a little over achiever! I hope we can catch it on film tonight or tomorrow. I am such a proud mom!

Today we went down to Mansfield for Steven's surprise 60th bday. Actually today was the day for many events.. we had 3 invites to celebrations! I really wanted to go to CT for Lys' baby shower, but after our crazy weekend last weekend, we thought it would be best to stay local for Charlie. Especially with his crabby moods lately. So we were able to visit with the rest of my dad's cousins. Some weren't at the Labor Day affair last weekend, so there were a few people meeting him for the first time. We also got to see Taylor (1 year) and Mercedes (4 years), who were both so adorable with him. Taylor's dog is also named Charlie, so she was a bit confused at first when we kept asking her where Charlie was. But she is a smart cookie and figured out that the baby was also a Charlie :)

Poor Charlie has been really gassy lately, which has led to tired Mom and Dad. He likes to scream for hours between 7 and 11 pm.. it's exhausting. Hopefully the Mylicon and extra burping during the feeding will provide some relief. But we may be at the Dr on Monday if things don't get better soon. Poor baby looks like he is in pain after eating, and i feel just awful. And it makes us not want to feed the kid. And while screeching, all he tries to do is eat more, which makes it all worse.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Charlie has arrived!



Baby Charles Theodore arrived on Wed at 1:11 pm! He weighed in at 7 lb 11 oz and was 20 inches long. Obviously things have been a bit hectic over here, so i will have to share the birth story another day.

Monday we took Charlie out for the first time. We went to the Dr office... he has gained 5 oz and grew 0.5 inches (probably more measurement error than real growth). It's reassuring that the breastfeeding is going well :) He is in the 25th %tile for his head, 35th for weight and 65th for height. He's long and lean (just like his parents... ha ha).

Everyone always asks how Bailey is adjusting to life as a big sister. She is so proud of her little brother! They get along very well, as you can see from the pictures. Bailey likes to play with Charlie and his toys :)



Charlie is also starting to sleep much better. As most babies do, he had his days and nights all mixed up. He would sleep for hours during the day. He slept so soundly that we couldn't wake him up to eat. So then at night, he'd be up every 45 min to 1 hour for a feeding. But he's already begun to adjust his clock. He is now sleeping for 2-3 hours at a time both in the day and at night, which is a big help. It's helped both of us get a decent amount of sleep (considering we have a newborn)!


And as if we didn't have enough pictures already, we have our photographer coming over tomorrow for our 1st photo shoot. We are splurging and will have her take a series of 3 photoshoots over the 1st year of life -- 2 weeks, 6 months and 1 year. I am excited to have her come to our house, so we can include Bailey in some of the images.


Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Baby watch day 2

Our due date came and went rather uneventfully... so now we are on heightened baby watch. I definitely have been feeling more uncomfortable and feel like things are happening, but the process is going very slowly. At the Dr office, i wasn't quite 2 cm dilated and the bay is only 50% effaced. Bc of the BP scares, the Dr are not comfortable with me going beyond 41 weeks, so i think i will be induced if this baby doesn't decide to come on it's own. The pressure of an induction plus the anticipation of meeting our little one makes it very hard to relax, which I know is what I need to do!

But at the Dr, you would have thought i was a week late, the way they have already jumped on the induction path... it has me feeling like i am late, and due date was only yesterday.

We saw the baby on the u/s yesterday and it was totally just chillin inside me, hanging out. It looked WAY too comfy for 40 weeks... i guess it's stubborn like its mom... and enjoying it while it can. But I guess who wouldn't want to hang out in there, enjoying all of those sundaes at Cabot's.

I am also avoiding my phone, so if anyone wants to call, i really don't feel like talking... i know everyone means well and just wants to check in, but i keep telling the same stories over and over.

Right now, I am just really crampy during the day, with occasional contractions. Although last night, they started coming 20 min apart and i was hoping they were just going to get more frequent. I even stayed home today hoping i was going to continue to progress.

Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully we'll have some news soon!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

39 weeks...


Wow it's been a while since my last post... hopefully I'll get better at this when the baby is born!! Lots has happened these past few weeks. Some highlights:

-- The nursery is mostly set up. We got the furniture delivered and the bedding is on the crib, changer on the dresser and diaper depot ready to organize! This past weekend, steve's parents came to visit and his mom and I went shopping and got most everything we needed. I really like how the nursery has come out, considering we haven't really done much decorating yet. But we figure even though the goal was to make a gender neutral nursery (to use again in the future), we can buy some decorations for the wall after the baby is born that are gender specific.

-- put together the stroller last night... those were officially the WORST directions I have ever seen. They would tell us to attach something to a part of the stroller, but gave no diagram of the stroller parts. SO we had no idea where anything went. Then it was accompanied by a picture, but the pictures were either too close up or too far away, so you couldn't see where anything went! Luckily we were able to figure it out ourselves and didn't even get into a fight! That may have been the first time...

-- started to put together the pack n play, but realize we have NO place to put it. So i guess for now we'll save it for traveling. And once the baby is out of the cradle, we can use that space for the PNP. But it seems rather easy to assemble, so that is good!

-- The cradle... man what a pain! I guess most cradles now are made a bit bigger, so we are having a hard time finding cradle sheets that fit the mattress. and what's weird is the BRU sells the mattress in the size we need (33x15) but no sheets that size. I found some online, so hopefully they arrive before we get home with the baby! Or I guess we'll be using the PNP after all.

-- Crazy week on Monday. I'm sure most have heard the story by now, but I was almost induced on Monday! My regular Dr (Cindy) is on vacation, so this week i had an appt with the nurses. They measured the baby (estimated at 6lb 10oz +/- 1 lb) and did the u/s, and put me on the monitor and everything was normal. Then they took my BP which was slightly high (120/95) and i guess 95 is a bit too high. Now i told them i had to do a tv interview that day so i was a bit anxious, but the back up Dr did NOT like the BP reading. I always have high BP with him... i never do with Cindy. But bc i have had slightly high BP before, he decided to do bloodwork to test for pre-eclampsia. And if it was positive, then i'd have to deliver.

Luckily everything was fine at the hospital... my BP was normal, all tests were negative for pre-eclampsia and i was sent home (in time to do my TV interview... talk about flustered!). But i don't understand why he had to jump the gun... i mean i would have expected them to take my BP a few more times first, as that was the first time my DBP was that high... it usually was in the 70s and low 80s. Even the nurses at the hospital said the same thing. But he is used to dealing with high risk patients, so i guess when his patients have a bad BP reading, it's usually more than just a bit of anxiety. He is such a nice guy, but man does he stress me out.. i have to go back on Thursday... i hope i can stay calm enough to get a good reading. I really want to wait until the baby is ready on it's own or Cindy is back in the office!!

But that whole experience really was a wake up call for me. Now i realize that in the very near future i will be in labor and have a baby. But I guess it just hasn't seemed real at all. I called steve and was a complete wreck at the thought of going into the hospital and having the baby... but now i think i am starting to get excited for this all to happen. I have heard so many women tell me that as soon as labor started or their Dr said they would be induced, they felt completely unprepared and not at all ready to have the baby. Which is exactly how I felt on Monday. But then last night, i was having mild cramping and thought, well if this is the start, now i think i am ready. We'll see if that is the case when it is time!

Steve doesn't understand why i am nervous or not ready. He is so matter of fact about it. But I also think that when i was being sent to the hospital, all i could think of was i am having a baby today and it freaked me out. Steve probably assumed it was nothing and i would be sent home. I wonder if when this all actually happens and it really is time, if it'll affect his differently. Not that he'll ever tell me, but i wonder if he'll have any reservations in his mind. Maybe, maybe not. we'll know soon enough!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Full term!

Wow we have made it to 37 weeks and the baby is now officially full term. Amazing! Some days I feel like this pregnancy flew by and other days I definitely feel like it was 9 months... but it's coming to an end and we are preparing to start the next chapter in our lives as parents, yikes!

Had our baby shower this weekend. My mom and sister did an amazing job decorating the place and coming up with some fun games. The centerpieces were stuffed animals which were all super cute :) and the baby won a cow (my favorite non-dog animal!). My mom also did a great job with the diaper cake. And i got my Konditormeister cake! I went with lemon and it was so yummy! I was very happy with my choice :)

Overall it was so much fun and much less overwhelming than my bridal shower. I think it really helped that I got there early and could greet everyone. Gave me extra time to socialize and i didn't feel so rushed.

We got so much stuff, i haven't even gone through it all yet. Half of it is still at my aunt's house. We got a lot of cute clothes, but between what I have bought already and everything we have received, i think i will put some aside and exchange them for gender specific things once the little one arrives. We also received almost everything we needed from the registry. We just need to go through the stuff to make sure we have those last few items we need for when the baby first comes home. The only thing i thing we have way too many of are blankets. So we can return those to get some of the little things we still need.

Had a Dr appt yesterday... nothing exciting to report. Still barely dilated and the baby has to drop a lot more. So it doesn't sound like it's in a rush to be born. Which is good, because we need a bit more time! But then again, it can all happen so quickly, so we need to be prepared just in case!

We get the furniture delivered this weekend, and then I think we'll feel much more ready. Right now stuff is just everywhere. Once the furniture is here and we start to get organized, I think it'll make a big difference. We also bought Dreft, so i can start washing all of the baby clothes.

This weekend we plan on having one last "hurrah".. going "out" in town with some friends one last time before the little one gets here. So excited that we will have visitors! It gets so hard having such great friends in CT... we never get to just hang out. I am so excited that Alexis is coming up! And I am dying to have others visit for the weekend also (some of whom read this blog... you know who you are!). We will go out on Sat and then Sunday I think Steve will cook us brunch and maybe go up to my aunt's pool (probably should see if they are around!) if it is nice out. Can't wait!!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Busy weekend!

Steve and I are half way through our busy weekend...

Yesterday, we made more progress on the apt, unpacking and organizing. We have to finish cleaning out the baby's room, to make room for the furniture that will be delivered next weekend. Plus we have to make the spare room functional. Starting next weekend with Alexis and Manny, we will be having lots of overnight guests, especially once the baby arrives. So we really no longer have any "spare room". The last 2 apt, we have always had that extra room, for "everything else". With the baby arriving, we really won't have that any more.

Then we met with Lily, our doula, to discuss the birth plan and all of our roles during the birth. I guess up until now, this whole process has been very abstract and it was just something that was going to happen one day. But now that we are a few weeks away, i can't believe everything that will happen. I am REALLY glad we have found a doula. I think it will be the extra support person that I will need during the labor.

Today we have my shower. Yay! Steve and I have to go pick up the cake at Konditermeister. With my desire (ok demand) to have a cake from that bakery, we got put on cake duty. I don't mind bc it will be SO worth it! I am SO excited!! Then we are off to Nashua. I am excited to see what my mom has been working so hard on for the past few weeks.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

36 weeks

Wow I can't believe I have hit the 36 week mark! The Dr told me that the baby is big enough that if I go into labor, they won't intervene -- crazy! But luckily I am not very dilated (<1/2 inch), the baby hasn't dropped and I haven't had any "pre-labor warm-ups" (the Hypnobirthing language for braxon-hicks). So she was pretty sure i'd make it to the shower on Sunday and I'd see her in the office the next week. We are down to weekly visits... all on Monday afternoons.

We have started to get everything ready for the hospital... started the overnight bag. made sure to have the most important things on hand --- snacks and candy :) Hey, it's on the list provided by the hospital! I am just the worst planner. While I know it's good to be prepared, in my head, I also know that a) we live 5 min away and someone can bring us anything we forgot and b) there is a CVS next the hospital if we forget anything. So other than my glasses, contacts and nursing bras, i don't really know if there is anything that I need to have that can't be replaced at the hospital. I have to go buy most of the stuff anyway, since i can't pack my toiletries I use at home. Plus, Steve will have to go home to get my make-up and clothes to home in... none of those items can be put in a bag and not used for the next 2-6 weeks!

Interviewed a day care provider yesterday. It was the 1st person we interviewed and it went pretty well. In the end, I know the most important thing is that we like the person and feel comfortable with him or her and with the day care site. But to know if you like the person, you need to carry on a conversation for a while to get to know them. But I found a list of questions to ask, so that helped us get an idea of what we needed to know.

This women was so nice. She is licensed to have 10 kids, because she has multiple people helping her, including her husband (a retired doctor), her 2 college-aged kids and a hired assistant. However, she only has 6 kids right now, and not all are full time. All of the children are the younger siblings of kids she used to watch. So the repeat business is a huge selling point for me. we have another 2 people to interview, but i am glad this started off on the right foot!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Back from the babymoon

Just returned home from our week long beach vacation in Maine. We had such an amazing time with amazing beach weather! Looks like we picked a great week to go, as next week the forecast calls for rain every day.

We stayed at the "Shell Camp" and my expectations were not very high. We have seen other houses up at Higgins and they aren't the most updated places. So when the real estate agent called to discuss this place with us and warn us that it wasn't the most modern house, I was really nervous. But it was great! We'd definitely stay there again, given the fact it is pet friendly and the price. The shower could be improved (leaked ALL the time), but it was also used a lot by 6 adults!

Bailey had a BLAST. She was such a happy well behaved dog. Every morning Steve and i got up and took her to the beach to run and play. We'd walk to the other end, to see my family, also staying up there that week, and to let her run in the water and play in the sand. At first she wasn't very sure about the waves and tried to avoid them. But by the end, she was jumping over them and using them to carry the ball back to shore. Such a goober :)

We had amazing weather most days... except Friday afternoon/evening, when some severe storms rolled through. We lost power for a while and there was even a tornado the next town over! Luckily we just got rain and thunder. But it altered our dinner plans up at Two Lights :( So I STILL haven't been to eat and watch the sunset... i am definitely going next year!!

We definitely are excited to go back next year. We really had a blast with the people we stayed with, but also having my mom and aunts there. It was so much fun to spend time at the beach with the kids. Everyone was planning for next year when the baby is there to play in the tide pools formed during low tide. I really hope we will be able to get the same week as my aunt and uncle get next year. They want to plan for late august, as jesse will have baseball next summer in july. Maybe we can spend the baby's 1st B-day in Maine!

I absolutely LOVED wearing a bathing suit on the beach this year... for the first time i didn't feel self-conscious on the beach in a bathing suit. Yet another benefit to being PG in the summer!

We had a nice time with the 2 couples we stayed with. I didn't realize how much younger they were than us and it was very apparent this past week. Not in a bad way... they are all in their mid to late 20s, out of grad school and beginning their careers as professionals. They reminded me of us a few years ago... no immediate plans for kids and just enjoying being "Dinks" (Duel income no kids). I guess i just realized how much steve and i have changed to prepare ourselves for becoming parents. At one point Lavina even said how it was like we were the parents taking care of them. We joked that we were the cruise directors. But i did feel like i was taking on a lot more responsibility than i normally would. So maybe we are ready to become parents!

Did a lot of reading.. mostly preparing for the baby... read the hypnobirthing book and started the happiest baby on the block. They both brought up the concept of the "4th trimester" and how to help the baby adapt from a small, tight environment, full of noises, constant stimulation and being held 24/7 to this world of freedom. There are techniques (and explanations) for the use of swaddling, white noise, swinging/bouncing and other things to help teach the baby to adjust. I have heard great things about the happiest baby book, so i think we will try to apply these techniques. We'll see how it goes!

Now that we have moved and got back from vacation, it's now time to start to plan for the baby... getting everything ready for the hospital, the overnight bag, washing clothes, getting the furniture, etc etc. Lots to do in just a few short weeks!!!

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Proud dog mom

Bailey finally got over her fear of jumping in the water yesterday and did some dock jumping!! We are so proud :) Our friends Kristen and Todd's dog Bella has been competing in dock jumping competitions and it looks like it's so much fun! And it's not even that I want her to compete in the competitions, but I think Bailey would have a blast. And it's a great excuse to take her swimming! But she is afraid to jump into the water.

So yesterday, we went up to the camp in NH and after some coxing, we got bailey to jump off the dock! We even taught her to get a running start, although she still slowed down right before she launched off the platform. She was starting to get the hang of it and was jumping maybe 4-6 feet at times (Bella's record is almost 15 feet!). In the end, she was starting to push off her back legs, but for the most part, she looked like a 300 pound dog belly flopping in the water. But she was just too cute. I wish we brought the video camera... next year I guess!

Bailey didn't leave the water except when we leashed her up and forced her to take a break. So obviously bailey had a great time. We did too. Jamey's family is just so nice and welcoming. We really enjoy going up there. Maybe one year i'll stop being a wuss and camp with everyone else. But as sleeping in a bed has gotten more uncomfortable for me, I didn't want to sleep in a tent on the ground this year.

We got to see Taylor yesterday as well.. she is just so adorable. She loves Bailey (and all dogs) and had fun throwing the ball for her. Taylor was hysterical watching bailey. So cute! Bailey played so well with Taylor also... she's going to make a great big sister.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Happy 4th of July

So excited that it's 4th of July weekend! There is just something about BBQs and spending time with friends and family that makes this holiday so fun.

We started off the weekend a bit early (on Wednesday) by taking a trip to the Cape. It was Steve's first time ever on the Cape! Being from CT, I guess it's just not a place that his family went on mini-vacations. He spent the morning golfing with my dad, uncles and cousins. Then I met them down there in the afternoon with Grandma at Ken and Nancy's vacation home. Ken and Nancy rented this AMAZING house, right on the water. Absolutely beautiful. Fro the living room, if you looked out the back doors, all you could see was the ocean. Just breathtaking.

All of the "CA cousins" were there so it was nice to see them again (some for only the 2nd time). And of course Karen and Stephen were there as well. Got to see Karen's new cottage... which was only a mile away. Super cute and she did a great job decorating. Very cozy.

On the way home, I decided I wanted taffy, so Karen sent us to Yarmouth to a pick your own taffy place. It was so weird to drive down route 28.. i recognized all the places we had shopped (Xmas tree shop, Job Lots), mini-golfed (Pirate's Cove), ate dinner, got ice cream and stayed over from my skating days. I can't believe it's been that long since I have been there. Maybe Steve and I can start taking weekend trips down there with the baby...

Working today.... but then tomorrow we are going to Nicole's in law's camp up in NH. They have a small cottage on a lake and so Bailey will be in HEAVEN! She wouldn't come out of the water last year! I think it's supposed to cool down for tomorrow, but i hope it isn't as chilly as it was last year! But it will be fun. Then i am sure we'll be BBQing at my aunt's house this weekend, sitting by the pool. Maybe i'll get to model my new maternity bathing suit. Fun fun.

We probably should spend some time this weekend unpacking. We finally have everything in 1 apartment, now we just need to organize everything! It's like every room I walk into, I try to figure out what needs to be done to straighten it out. And in the end, it all comes down to the fact that we need to move boxes into closets, but right now the closets are full of junk that needs to be moved into the basement. Tim showed Steve where our stuff can go in the basement last night so I am looking forward to making progress tonight!!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Senioritits...

As I am no longer a student I guess I can't call it "senioritis"... but what is the comparable adult term for not being to concentrate and get my work done? What ever it is, I am suffering from it right now! I am slowly checking off everything on my "to do" list and don't really have the drive to start new projects.

I guess part of it is just knowing I have days off soon. I have tomorrow off (to plan for the move on Saturday and start unpacking) and then next Wednesday we were invited to the Cape for some golf (well steve will golf) and a BBQ with the CA cousins. Then i work Thursday and have Friday off for the 4th. Then one week of work before the vacation! Then of course the baby will arrive at some point in August (hopefully not sooner or later...). So I guess I am having a hard time getting motivated to start something knowing I won't really finish it.

Back to trying to get some sort of work done...

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

32 weeks

I just looked over at the Pregnancy countdown and realized that I have 54 days until my EDD. Wow, that isn't too far away!!

This morning on my walk to work, and as I am nearing the end of this part of the journey into motherhood, I began to reflect on the pregnancy. So many people have asked me if I like being pregnant or not, and of course often tell me their own personal experiences with their pregnancies :) I have known people from both extremes... some who loved being pregnant, to the point they couldn't wait to do it all over again and some people who just absolutely hated the experience (for many reasons). For me, I guess I don't quite feel strongly either way. This pregnancy has been very easy on me, much more than I anticipated with my back issues. But also, I had minimal "symptoms". I didn't have morning sickness, no bleeding or spotting, haven't gained a lot of weight. The few things I have had to deal with -- swollen feet, mild back aches, an early season heatwave -- are nothing in the grand scheme of things. I also realize that i have a few more weeks to go and the baby is rapidly growing. I am sure things will become even more taxing on my body, but up until this point, things have gone better than expected. I was even able to pack all of the crap (and was there a LOT of it) in the apartment and move into a new place, and barely felt the effects of the pregnancy. Of course, my body hurt and it was difficult to reach too far, but that was the case prior to the pregnancy with all of my back issues. So it really didn't seem too different for me.

While this experience has been great, I wouldn't say I absolutely loved being pregnant. It's been an amazing experience, and i have enjoyed it. I liked that I was responsible for growing another person in me, and it's been cool to have this time to bond with my child. It's been enjoyable, it's been fun, i have liked the experience and am grateful I have had the ability to carry our child. And after this pregnancy, I definitely look forward to doing this again, if we are lucky to have another child. However, I wouldn't go as far as to say I have loved it. I think that while this has been a great experience, after 40 weeks, and as the summer continues and the baby hits 6, 7, 8, 9?? pounds, I will be ready to move to the next stage of life.

Tonight, Majken and I are going to the game! Steve was nice enough to give Majken his ticket so we can go together :) It'll probably be the next to last game I get to this year (the last one being a the July Yankee game) so I am glad I get to go with her. We always have a lot of fun together.

Then starting tomorrow, we have to really finish packing everything up so we are ready for the movers when they arrive on Saturday. I am taking Friday off to wait for the cable installation and will start unpacking the boxes. It will be great to get the kitchen in order. Then I need to call and set up the baby furniture delivery so we can get the nursery ready. I haven't been bitten by the nesting bug yet, but I also thing it was because I knew we were moving and I would have the opportunity to start fresh in the new apartment. I think that is my favorite thing about renting and moving so often... you get to start with a clean slate and begin again!

Oh yeah -- and now that the shower invitations have gone out, i can start registry stalking... i know I shouldn't and it definitely took away some of the surprise for the wedding shower, but i certainly can't NOT stalk... anyway, someone bought the #1 item on my list :) The Red Sox Mobile... i am super excited! Someone also bought the infant car seat, and technically that was the most NEEDED item on our list... but yay!! I am so excited!!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

31 weeks!

I had my 31 week appointment today. Everything is looking good and baby and mom are doing well. The baby is head down (yay) and 3 lbs 7 oz. Right on track!

As for me, my BP was normal at the first reading -- 2nd time in a row! I think the hypnobirthing relaxation is helping a lot! My 2nd pap smear came back normal (phew and sorry if that is TMI!) so hopefully the first abnormal lab was just due to pregnancy hormones. And the internal u/s was fine as well.

My new craving is cake... this all started last night, when we were watching everybody loves raymond and Ray, Robert and Frank were all sitting at the table eating this yummy looking cake. So of course I really really wanted cake, and Kirkman's was closed :( But Steve and I went to the store and bought Funfetti cake mix and Steve baked me a cake! Unfortunately something's wrong with our oven. The cake didn't rise and is falling apart. This isn't the first time we have had issues caking cakes/breads, so i really think it's the oven. Seriously, how can you screw up cake from a box?? But at least it's yummy :)

Tonight I frosted the cake. But I guess Bailey has been waning some herself... after i threw the frosting container in the recycling bin, she dug it out and licked it! She has NEVER done anything like that before. Luckily I washed it out so there wasn't much in the container. I know for some of my friends' dogs, they get much more creative to steal food ;), but that is just so unlike Bailey.

Everyone asks us what we think Bailey will do when the baby arrives. And we are both confident that she'll be very good and won't do anything to harm the baby. But my concern is that she'll start acting up to gain attention if she feels slighted... she is such a good, well-behaved dog, and i really hope she doesn't become disobedient. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come!

And I just wanted to take a moment to say something about my friends... it can be so hard sometimes to be going through something that none of your friends are experiencing. And sometimes it's hard to be an AW or share info when you don't think people are at all interested. It happened during the wedding planning (which led to finding some of the most amazing people), and i was so afraid it would happen with this baby. Especially bc so many of my friends are either not in that place at all or want this so bad and haven't been blessed with their own child quite yet. And PG can really come between friends, and I have noticed that some people have been more distant (whether bc of this PG i don't know). It makes it hard sometimes to share silly insignificant news sometimes. However, i am amazed at how supportive and genuinely interested my closest friends have been, regardless of their situation. Having this support system consisting of some wonderful friends and of course my wonderful family is one of the main reasons I have enjoyed this PG so much. To all of my friends and family in MA, NH, CT, NY, OH, CA and everywhere else, I am truly grateful you are all in my life.

I ran into a colleague last week who had a baby 5 months ago and she commented on how happy I was talking about the baby and all of the exciting things we have planned. And for the first time in my life, I feel so happy. Over the past 8 months or so, Steve and I have never been closer, or got along so well. I am just content with the way so many things are going right now. While things aren't perfect, and there are so many things I still worry about or wish were different, I am very accepting of the situation we are in, and am not so worried about the future at the moment. I think we are on a path and as long as we stay the course and work towards our goals, that is all we can do.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Summer has arrived...

well, at least it feels like it has! We are in the middle of an intense heatwave, and it's not even officially the summer yet. A few more days and then we will drop to a "cooler" 80 degrees! But after the cool spring we had, i am excited for the warm weather to arrive.

We had a few graduation parties to attend yesterday... congrats to Hillary and Janelle! I am one of the oldest of the cousins, so it is will be a lot of fun to watch all of the younger ones grow up and hit the milestones in life... graduations, weddings, babies, etc. Steve and i were discussing how in the next 5 years, we are going to be attending so many graduations!! But it is so exciting... i am very proud of hem all! I just can't believe that it's been that many years (13) since i went through this! I feel old.

So everyone yesterday had the same question for me... how am i handling this heat? And I am NOT a summer person... if given the choice between extreme hot and extreme cold temps, i would certainly choose the cold. But so far, i am handling it OK -- considering it's really only been 2 full days of the heat. and this weekend I was by the pool and in houses with AC, so it can't be that bad! I am sure at work i will be in sweaters, as the ac is always on too high. i really don't feel any different than prior years when it has been really hot. I just have to remember that it's even more important to stay hydrated when i am outside. But ask me again in August after it's been 2 full months of this :)

One of my wonderful friends recently announced her pregnancy... i am super super excited for them!! and that they have shared with everyone so i don't need to keep a secret ;) This will be baby #2... they have lil Joey at home who will be ~16-18 months when this one arrives... we don't know how far along she is quite yet. I would have never thought of having having 2 so close, but the other girls who recently had babies less than a year ago also have baby fever. So maybe i'll feel the same after this one is born! But I am so so happy for them, as I know that they wanted to have have #2 right away. It is so great that it happened for them!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

One step closer...

to signing our new lease! Oh man, this has been the most difficult apartment to settle, but i think we are almost there. We have the lease in our hands, with Tim's (the landlord) signature. So we were instructed to take it home, read it and bring it back. Then of course he needs to send it to FL to his ex-wife, as they co-own the apartment, before it is all official. But I will be surprised if we are not living there next month... so close.

Went to dinner with Ed and Steph last night... we went to a new place (for us) in West Roxbury Center... pretty good food. I just love that area. As much as we want to stay in Brookline, I definitely would like living in W. Roxbury if we were near the center. Lots of stores, restaurants and ice cream places -- yummy! We'll have to do more exploring with Ed and Steph over there... Ed's eye looks like it is healing well. You can't even tell he had surgery on his eye.. no scars or anything! They did a great job. His pupil is dilated from his meds, so his vision is still blurry, but hopefully now that he has stopped those eye drops, his pupil will begin to contract and help with his vision.

And how about Manny and HR #500!! How exciting for him! He has been in a bit of a slump.. hopefully now that the pressure of hitting #500 is gone, he'll go back to being Manny.

Oh and we were able to stock up on some baby toys from our friends, so we have some of our Xmas shopping done... yay!! We got a wagon, a leap frog table, a piano toy and a bathtub. So I think all we need is an exersaucer and we will be good. It's kind of ridiculous how much this baby already has and will need.

Today we are off to Steven and Nadine's for dinner and cards with the family. Should be lots of fun. Haven't played in a few weeks, so I am ready to go :)

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Rough tick season

Poor Bailey - we can't take her anywhere any more. she is a tick magnet! We spent Saturday afternoon at Karen's down in Stoughton and when she was finished playing fetch, she came over to us with at least 10 ticks crawling on her. Then on Sunday, when she was playing at Auntie Betty's, we found more ticks on her. I am so paranoid that she is going to bring them into the house, so we are constantly checking her. I even found a tick on our couch today. Not good at all. We have been using Frontline on her, but this is the first time she has been this much of a tick magnet. I hope it gets better this summer.

In other news, Steve has decided to invest in a bicycle to commute to work. We are only about 6 miles from his office, so it won't be too bad of a ride. I am so proud that he has decided to do this. I love that we can live with only 1 car to begin with, but now to not be a slave to it all the time is even better. This whole oil thing is out of control, but it does force us to be a bit more environmentally friendly. Luckily we haven't really settled anywhere and can make these changes in our life... not buy outside the city, take alternate transportation to work etc.

News from friends... our friend Ed had a bad accident at softball over a week ago. Basically got hit in the eye with a ball. Luckily he wears glasses, and while they broke caused a lot of damage to his eye socket, it probably saved the eye itself. So he had surgery on Tuesday to repair his eye socket and now has a titanium plate in his face. We have to visit his this weekend... hopefully he will get some good news for his long-term recovery...

Aedin went back to the UK :( While she was gone, her lovely husband Bill allowed their 19 year old au pair to have her friend, another 19 year old au pair, move into the house. Aedin was NOT happy about returning home to two 19 year old austrian women living in her house!

Lots of people have shared some great news today!! But i will leave that for another post :)

Monday, May 26, 2008

Third trimester...

And I can no longer bend over! The belly is officially getting in the way of putting on socks and picking things up. It really became noticeable to me yesterday, as we spent the day at Auntie Betty's and I was throwing toys in the pool for bailey to retrieve. I had to keep bending forward to get her frisbee out of the pool and i had to stop after a while. It was not easy!

It is really funny though, bc on Saturday, when I saw all of my cousins, I spent 10 min talking to Elisa, and she didn't even notice my belly. It wasn't until she talked to Steve and asked if we were planning to start a family soon, that Steve had to tell her we are expecting in August! I definitely don't think i am that big considering i am in my last trimester and only have 12 weeks to go, maybe less! I have belly pics to post, once i download them off the camera and onto my computer. Hopefully that'll get done tonight.

In other baby news, we got our crib skirt made! My friend Bridgett hooked me up with her friend Beth who made it for me. I don't have it yet, so haven't seen it in person, but it looks great in the pics!! I can't wait to see it with our crib and the matching sheets!!





Off to our last Memorial Day weekend cookout! Enjoy this great weather!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Unofficial start to summer!!

I am SOO excited that it is Memorial Day weekend and the summer season is upon us! i can't wait to go to BBQs and pools this summer (and hopefully host our own BBQ!). So much fun!

So much has gone on since my last post...

Had my 27 week check up -- had to do the glucose test, but passed (yay that i can still have my ice cream sundaes!!). My iron is a bit low, so i need to start taking supplements. The baby is 2 lb 1 oz and moving a lot! It seems to be growing a good rate, so that's good. I have gained 11 lbs since the start of the pregnancy, so i think i am doing better than i expected there. I am feeling good, and honestly don't think i look like i am 7 months pregnant. My back is getting a little stiff, which is most likely due to a combo of no yoga and no chiropractor. I am making it my goal to change both of these this week!

We had our last hypnobirthing class today, so we now have our sat afternoons free! But i really did enjoy the class and i think that it has helped me a lot. I am still working on the relaxing part, but it is slowly getting easier. Overall I think I have just learned the type of birth that I envision, and that it will be possible to achieve, even in the hospital setting. It has also helped me understand the history of birth and why things are done the way they are done in the hospital. And that it's not that the Drs are wrong or forcing anything bad on me, it's just how they were trained. Childbirth is a natural process, but things can go wrong and medical attention may be necessary. But i feel that we have armed ourselves with a lot of knowledge and know when to ask for more time and when we need to let the Drs intervene.

We also have met some great people who will be living in this area, so I am looking forward to playgroups and having moms to share stories and experiences with! Maybe even a nanny share??? The more we are in Brookline, the more i just love this area. We meet some of the nicest and most genuine people, and really hope we can afford to buy a place here and raise our kids in such an open community.

Today we are off to Karen's for a last minute cookout... the CA cousins are in town for a wedding, so she decided to invite people over to say hi. So we will take a trip to her house for a bit this afternoon. Then tomorrow we go to Betty's for some swimming (for Bailey of course) and good company. Then Monday, Ronnie is having a BBQ. Crazy weekend, but i LOVE it! Especially now that my grant is not due this week... a story for another day.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!

Monday, May 12, 2008

26 weeks down, 14 weeks to go

Yikes, I just read that title and realized that the baby will be here much sooner than I think I realize!! And we have so much to accomplish between now and then (2 grants, moving and vacation) that time will definitely fly by!

This weekend Steve and I spend some time at my mom's. We had a really nice dinner on Saturday night and played some cards. And Sunday, everyone came over to celebrate Mother's day. We also had to celebrate Babci's birthday that got over looked during the busy month of April. Spent a lot of the day talking about baby names. While I knew it wouldn't be easy to find the perfect name for our child, I never thought it would be this difficult. Every name I like, either Steve doesn't like it, we know someone with a child of that name or it's in the top 10 for baby names.

My favorite girl name is, and has been, Madison. I loved it from when I saw Splash... actually i liked it bc in the movie, Tom Hanks is listing names for Darryl Hannah, and as they walk by Madison Avenue, he says Madison. She chooses Madison and he tells her no bc it's not really a first name, it's really a last name, etc. And I thought it was such a cool name bc it was different, and unusual, but simple and sounded like a "real name". Then growing up, we had a neighbor with a young daughter named Madison (the only one i have ever met) and still thought it was really cool. Now, of course, it has been in the top 10 for girls names since 1997 and top 5 since 2000. And since 2000, it is the 2nd most common name of the decade! It's really difficult bc i want to give my child a different name that is distinguished and unique (but not weird) and Madison will certainly not meet that criteria!

I also love Abigail (#6 this decade) and Samantha (#8), but again, same issues as Madison. I also love the idea of an Italian name, but Gianna, which is my #1 name, is becoming way too popular as well... even among people not of italian ancestry. So I feel that I would be giving my child an "americanized" name, and not one based on our heritage. I kind of like Katherine and Alexandra, but my heart is still stuck on Madison. I really just don't want to let it go :( I guess I really need to decide on what I want more, a non-popular name, or the name I really like.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Slowly losing my mind

I had a conversation with a co-worker yesterday. He found out about my pregnancy at AHA in Colorado and has been a great person to talk to about all things baby, especially having a baby in the city. So he had sent me an email to ask how things were going and I told him about how the baby's movement are getting stronger and more frequent. I had mentioned how at work, the baby can distract me when it moves.

So he share the story with his wife and she laughed and said that it is the beginning of the end... that as I go along in this pregnancy, i will slowly have shorter attention span. Great. If this is just the beginning then what has been happening to my mind over the past 6 months?!?!

In the beginning, when I first found out, i had the worst pregnancy brain, and it was so hard because obviously I wasn't telling people. I was teaching a class and would forget to bring things with me. I was just in this heavy fog, and didn't get out of it until the 2nd trimester.

But now I definitely notice i have no attention span (i am supposed to be working at the moment...) and it is frustrating. I'll come to work and need to get things done by a deadline and still can not force myself to sit here and do work. It's really frustrating bc this has never happened to me before. If I had something to do, I'd just do it. That's it. Now, I don't even care... even with deadlines looming over my head, i can not motivate myself to write my grants or prepare presentations.

I am afraid of what it is going to happen next...

Monday, May 5, 2008

Steve felt the baby move!

Last night as I was relaxing the baby decided to go absolutely crazy! I was watching this large bump move all the way across my belly for the first time. Before i just small "pops", but yesterday was very different. Of course Steve was in the other room, so I yelled for him to come watch. And of course the baby stopped making any large movements. So Steve leaves the room and it starts up again, and again stops when he comes in! But luckily he was able to feel some smaller movements by the end of it all.

Last night it was so active, it was amazing! Although at 11:30 I had to talk to the baby to tell it to settle down bc it was bedtime. It was really cool when it listened and relaxed a bit!

At the birthing class on Saturday, we had this discussion about bonding with the baby. I haven't really felt the urge to bond by talking, singing or reading to the baby quite yet. Some of the other parents gave us great suggestions, like reading parenting books out loud. But as I feel the baby moving so much right now, and as the movements grow stronger, it has really hit me that I have a human growing inside of me. How strange but wonderful at the same time. And it has made this whole experience so much more real.

We have a lot of homework to do this week for class, although I don't mind that some of it includes getting massages from Steve :) Learning the light touch massage technique alone was worth the class! But we also have a lot of things to do that I think will really strengthen our family bond. This week we have to write down all of our fears and discuss them with our partners. I think it will really give us an opportunity to discuss what we are apprehensive about, and hopefully it will help me release some of the fears I harbor internally. And that will hopefully help allow me to release more during the labor.

I know my biggest fear is still giving birth at a hospital. Not that there is anything wrong with hospitals, and I do feel like I have found an OB who understands and supports me. But I am also afraid that bc the Drs at the BI deal with so many high risk pregnancies, that they will opt to go for inductions or a c-section much more quickly than if I had a mid-wife or a doula there. I still really wish we could go to the Birthing center in Cambridge, especially since all of the potential health issues I had seem to be resolving nicely. Steve did say he would be more open to a doula, so I may really have to start my search again. They are a lot more than what I would like to spend, but I am also going to look for a doula in training. That will save some money and provide someone with the experience they need to finish their training. I know it sounds silly that we need to hire a "coach" to get us through labor, but it's an awful lot to ask of both of us to "fight the system" we are in at the BI, and have to be so vocal of what we want. It is so much easier when you have people around you who are on the same page and can help create the atmosphere we will need to have a calm labor.

Friday, May 2, 2008

And I wonder why I am so tired??

Another crazy weekend is upon us. Although I love having lots of places to go and people to visit, i think we have a bit too much on our plate :)

Tonight we are off to the Sox game. We actually tickets for last night, but our friend offered us a pair of seats for tonight. It'll be fun to go with Ida and her man Chris!! And since we also have a game on Sunday and are really busy on Sat, we sold our tickets last minute at the game last night so we could do our errands!

Tomorrow is just going to be nuts. We are having our Second annual Cinqo de Mayo Fiesta tomorrow night. So I still need to clean up a bit in the morning. Then we have our birthing class at noon-2:30 then up to N. Reading for Julia's communion party. Then back home to cook for the party. Then the party. I am tired thinking of it all!

In baby news, I had my 24 week check-up on Tuesday and every thing seems to be going well so far. I have gained 8 pounds total (although I am pretty sure I lost a few in the beginning). The baby is about 1.5 pounds, in the 63rd percentile for growth and is very active. We had a hard time getting a good pic on the u/s!

Week 24:

Also everything with my cervix is looking good. The surgery didn't shorten the length so that shouldn't affect the chances of a natural delivery -- yay! But I still have to go in every month for checkups to make sure things don't change as the pregnancy progresses.

My next appointment is in 3 weeks, where I have my glucose test for diabetes and blood work to make sure i am not anemic. But things so far are moving along well. I can't believe in a few months I am going to have this baby!!!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Can I bring the playstation into the labor and delivery room?

I finally got a chance to play the "Rock band" video game on Playstation 3 tonight. OMG that is the BEST game ever!! Well, I am absolutely awful on the drums, I was able to get through a few songs on the guitar/bass. So I think I have decided that Steve and I need to bring the PS2 to the hospital and I can play Guitar Hero to pass the time in labor. What a better way to take my mind off of the delivery!! How funny would it be if I added "Guitar Hero" to my birth plan for the Dr??

We had our 1st birthing class today. We (ok I) have chosen the hypnobirth method for our natural child birth technique. Most people don't know what it is, but basically it was created by a women in NH who was a hypnotherapist, and it uses the theory of hypnosis to aid in the birthing process. The underlying theory is that labor hurts because of fear, which causes tension and this causes the pain. It uses self-hypnosis to put the woman in a deep relaxation, which allows the muscles to relax and allows the body and muscles to work the way nature intended.

We watched a few births today and it was absolutely amazing to see these women birth a child with no screaming or yelling, and in a calm and relaxed (albeit laboring) state. It was amazing, and nothing like the "Baby Story" show that I have seen, which scare the crap out of me!

The whole process seems so interesting. It will teach us techniques to get me into a relaxed state of mind. I have heard that these techniques are applicable to so many other situations in life, as it is a type of hypnotherapy, so I also hope it helps me to mediate and relax myself in general. I am too stressed in life as it is and hope i can learn how to become more laid back.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Just saw the baby move!

Yup, I just saw my belly move! I felt the baby move a bit and when i looked down at my belly, I actually saw the belly pop out. Such a cool thing to see. I hope the baby does it again when Steve gets home!!

Time for swimming!

Took Bailey for a walk after work today. It was so nice out, we took the long route and decided to stop at the pond for a bit of swimming. I wished i had my camera, bc she is just the happiest dog ever when she is in the water!

I have also finally started our registries this week. We have been registered at Babies R Us (although still figuring out what we are getting from friends who no longer need their baby items). We are also registered at www.findgift.com. We are listed under both of our names so it shouldn't be too hard to find!

And I think I found someone to make us a crib skirt! Thanks to Bridgett, she hooked me up with someone who can make one for me. I am super excited bc I really wanted Caden Lane bedding, but there was no way we were getting it. So I think we will order fabric from the company and make a crib skirt our of that material and then just order the sheets to match. So I think overall it is a great compromise :)

It's time for ice cream!

OK, well as I have said many times before, it is never too cold and you can never be too full for ice cream. But the weather's getting warmer, which means it's time for our regular trip to JP Licks! We love going there for the ice cream, and bc they have outdoor seating, but also bc they make "cow paws" (doggy ice cream) so Bailey can get a treat as well!

So Jess and Todd met us over at JP Licks last night for an after dinner treat. Unfortunately they had no Cow paws (or anything that jess and i tried to order...). They gave me some dog cookies in a bowl for Bailey though. But when i gave her the cup, she stuck her nose in it and then looked up at me without eating a cookie. I guess she was expecting an ice cream treat. We hadn't been in so long, we figured she wouldn't remember, but i guess she did. Poor puppy. Now we have to go buy her some at the store.

Jess has talked to her landlord about us moving into their apartment in June, so hopefully we'll know soon what we are going to do. I think not knowing what is going on is really the worst part of moving. Making the decision to end a lease without having a new apartment to move into... hopefully we can figure this all out soon!!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Next time we'll double check the date...

Steve and I thought we had tix for today's Sox game... planned our whole weekend around it and everything. Decided we wanted to eat at Beer Works before the game (rather than eat at Fenway) so we got ready early, put on our Sox gear and went to grab the tix. Only we don't have tix for today... our game is this Thursday!! Steve must have looked at the time (it's a day game) and assumed it was on Sunday and not during the week. Oh well. Had a yummy lunch at Beer Works anyway. Got a few laughs and comments on my "future Sox fan" tshirt also.

So with my free day, I decided to go summer shopping. Of course my other option was cleaning so it was a no brainer. I actually went to get sandals, but didn't find anything I liked. But got some great spring/summer clothes at the Gap. AND they took my BR coupons! So I think I will be set for a while. And all the stuff I got will transition well through the post-baby summer months. Now if I could just find shoes...

I ran into Steve's co-worker Jen and her husband and BIG Newfie at the pet store. What an adorable dog! She is over 100 pounds, but thinks she is a lap dog!

Yesterday we went to Taylor's 1st b-day party... she is just the best baby. She is very dangerous bc she makes everyone want to have one! She is super adorable though. She says dog, hi, bye, dada, and a few other words. She also clicks her tongue to "call" the pony (her mom and grandmother have horses so she is learning quickly). Bailey had a blast also... besides getting to be outside all day (a luxury for a city dog), she got to play with about 7 other dogs. Everyone there brought a dog! It was like being at a dog park.

And we got invited to the Jamey's family's camp for the 4th again this year. Can't wait to go - -last year was so much fun. Hopefully the trip up will be much less eventful. Last year we got lost and our car overheated. But once we were there, it was a great time. Jamey's whole family is just so welcoming. They really made us feel right at home.

That's about it for the weekend, where we weren't quite as busy as we thought we would be!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Week 22... time is flying!

Wow it's been a long time since my last update! Lots to catch up on!

Let's see...

-- the baby's really beginning to move now. This week i have really started to feel much more deliberate movements. It sort of feels like the baby is walking inside of me. I can even feel it on the outside, although Steve hasn't been able to feel it for himself yet.

-- The baby went to its first Sox game last week. We even got a picture to commemorate the day :) Click here to see: http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=fanfoto&gallery_id=1029109&tcount=87&scount=5

-- We have now ordered the crib and dresser for the nursery! So excited to have some of the bigger things purchased. I am on the hunt for bedding... we have decided to forgo the bedding set, but i definitely want to get a nice crib skirt. Of course all of the ones i like are over $200 (for fabric)... and all i want is something simple. This is when I wished I knew how to sew.

-- We may be moving again. I know that no one is surprised to hear this, but the thought of having the baby on the 3rd floor, plus having to budget for oil heat for the winter, we just think we need to move to a different place. Our friends around the corner are moving in June, and there place is really cute. So we have to talk to the landlord (who is a friend of my friend Ann) to see if we can work out a deal. He wants someone who can garden, and Ann is willing to teach me how.

-- Busy weekend coming up (as they all are these days). Going to NH for Taylor's 1st birthday. Should be fun to see Nicole and Jamey and everyone up there. Then Sunday we have another Sox game!

-- Starting birthing classes next weekend. We have to complete 12 hours of class (over 5 weeks). We have decided to try hypnobirthing, which is basically teaching us relaxation techniques to use during labor. I can't explain it very well now, but i have heard good things about the technique, so fingers crossed it's what I am looking for!

That's all for now. Going to watch the rest of the Sox game (Big Papi just hit a grand slam!!)

Monday, March 17, 2008

18 weeks old

Today we had our fetal scan with the fetal specialist, Dr Cohen. He took pictures of everything... the face, heart, arms and legs, the head, spine. He gave us a few to take home. Here is a great picture of the baby looking right at the "camera" (such a little ham already!):
He was able to see almost everything except the heart. He said there are 2 angles from which he likes to see the heart, and because of the position of the baby (the baby is currently breech), he couldn't see the both angles. He was able to see all 4 chambers though. Also, the baby kept moving around, which made it difficult to see everything.

Because of my previous history, he also had to examine the length of the cervix, but all looked great. We have to go back in 2 weeks because my BP was a bit high (not surprising after my Colorado trip) and he wants to try to see the heart again. Also, the placenta is in front of my cervix, so he wants to watch that as well.

But overall things look great. The baby is 7 inches and is the right size for its age. So we left with outstanding news!





Sunday, March 16, 2008

Fogged in

Ida and I are stuck in Colorado Springs, due to an extremely heavy fog... there is NO way we are making our connection in Chicago :( I am hoping they cancel this flight soon so we can try to drive up to Denver and get a flight out of there (no fog).

We have had a blast here in Colorado Springs for AHA... we have met a lot of New England transplants here, and my guess is that didn't move voluntarily, but got stuck here and decided to stay! Last night we decided that we could totally live in Colorado... it's so laid back and everyone is really nice and it is SUPER dog friendly! But now we may not have a choice lol. But seriously, this place is just gorgeous... and i will totally come back with Steve on a family vacation.

Ida and I also decided that AHA needs to come back to Colorado, as we now have figured out how to do this vacation right! Our hotel was so nice. We were very spoiled there, with our nightly turndown service, fancy chocolates and luxurious bathrobes. It is great to go to conferences and experience hotels we'd never go to on our own!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Shopping for the baby

We have a crib! and a stroller too... so excited! Babci Di and I went to Baby Furniture Warehouse yesterday and picked up a crib (on sale -- score!) and the Phil and Ted's Stroller. They were having a sale where you got the doubles kit for free, so now we have a double stroller for the future. I am really excited about the stroller... it's the one item where I decided it was most important to splurge. Based on our city lifestyle, I think it is really the best investment we could have made. Plus a few friends have this stroller and say it was the best thing they bought.
My mom and I had a blast in the store. Although shopping there could be dangerous. It was filled with lots of really cool, but unnecessary, stuff. I have to remind myself we need to be practical. Plus I have to remember we will eventually move... and I hate packing!

And I found this cool Widget that I added to the right side of this blog. Now I will be able to countdown the days to the lil one's arrival! I can't believe in 5 months we will have a child to bring home. On some level, it's all still so surreal.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

17 weeks

Wow it has been a while since my last post. I have been spending my time enjoying this experience rather than writing about it :) Let' s see .. lots to update...

- feeling the baby move - such a cool feeling! My friend Kelly described it best as feeling like "butterflies". It also feels like the baby is tickling me on the inside, which makes me want to giggle. The first few times it was so faint that I barely felt anything, and wasn't sure if it was the baby moving or not. But now it has been happening daily, usually at work when I am sitting at my desk and it is unmistakably the baby. Love it!

- Big Ultrasound - is next Monday! We'll be 18 weeks along, so we'll be able to see everything... including the sex. However I think we have agreed to be strong and keep it a surprise... but I will post pics as soon as I scan them in!

- new Doctor - we decided to switch our OB to someone at the BI. I liked that hospital better (for a hospital), and i feel that Steve and I clicked much better with our new Dr. She seems a lot more supportive and helpful when it comes to approaches to a natural birth, which is the plan. She also has experience with Hypnobirthing, which we hope to use as our birthing method. As much as I want to hire a Doula, I don't think we are in the right place for it for this pregnancy. I hope we will get to experience a birth with one at some point though!

- buying gear - we are lucky to live in Boston with an extremely active Craigslist... we have been lucky to buy a few items at a reasonable price. We have gotten a swing and bouncer/vibrating seat and the Snap-n-go stroller so far. We figured the baby can only use these things for about 6 months, so they can't be too worn! Plus there are just so many things we need to buy new...

- furniture - we may have found some nursery furniture. We really like the lines (and prices) at USA Baby, but the closest stores are in CT. So Steve and I went to a store up here in Reading. We lucked out and found a great crib that is discontinued, thus is on sale. And there are several other brands that match really well with the crib. So "Babci Di" and I are going today to hopefully get the crib and order a dresser. And the stroller we really like is on sale, so we may grab that as well! And Memere bought us a beautiful glider that will match the furniture perfectly. And the furniture matches our BR set, so we will use our extra night stand (or 2) in the baby's room, as we have no room for it in our room anyway!

That's about all I have for now. Going to Colorado this week for a conference... my last "hurrah" before the baby arrives ;)