Two Months Old!

Oliver is two months old today! His doctor's appointment isn't until next week, but I guesstimate he's 25 inches long and 14.5 pounds.

He continues to sleep well at night, usually from 8pm to 6am, waking up once for a feeding around 2am. He still struggles with naps, but we're working on that. Around noon every day, I lay with him in bed and nurse him to sleep. An hour later, I slip away. He'll sleep on his own like that for a half hour or up to three hours before waking up and realizing he's alone. If he doesn't nap well, he'll continue to doze off and on in my arms throughout the afternoon.

Ollie has also been drooling a *lot* and likes to chew on his teething ring, making me wonder if his first teeth won't appear soon. Also a big change this month has been his babbling! He "talks" to us whenever he's happy. My favorite is when he pulls his knees to his chest, coos, and starts chatting away.

Ollie's Likes:

Nursing

Being carried facing outward

The stove vent

Getting his diaper changed

His monkey teething ring

His duck rattle

His bouncy chair

His play mat

Music

Car rides (as long as we don't stop!)

Playing "Hands and Feet"

Getting pat on the back

Bright lights

Sucking his hands

Babbling
Bed time
His reflection

Dislikes:

Napping
Being set down
Tummy time
Whenever whoever is holding him sits down. Keep moving, he demands!
Red traffic lights (why aren't we moving?!)
Waiting to eat
Wet diapers

What to Expect with Mirena and Delivery

I went to the doctor and got Mirena today. While I still feel optimistic about it, I'm having some unforseen side effects. First, my lower back hurts. I thought it was something I'd done until my mom asked me if it couldn't be a side effect from the IUD. So, like any computer savvy person, I went online. I read that lower back pain is a potential side effect, and it can last for the first few days or even weeks after insertion. Hopefully, it'll go away soon because it's already made it difficult to hold the baby for any length of time.

The other side effect is that I'm being poked by the strings occassionally. It feels like a sudden poke with a needle, and it fades just as quickly. Still, it's such a shock each time, I almost yelp aloud.

My plan is to call my doctor tomorrow. I read online that the strings soften over time (in one forum I read, the woman said her doctor told her 3 weeks to a month), but I'm hoping she can trim them a little shorter so that I (hopefully) won't have to deal with the stabbing feeling any more.

I have to be honest, though. It's very difficult dealing with pain and complications healing from delivery and now the IUD. Before having my baby, I'd heard some horror stories of women delivering babies, but I'd never heard the stories of women who had difficulty healing afterwards. It really is awful. It'll be two months tomorrow, and it still hurts for me to sit, go to the bathroom, or ride in a car. The chronic pain occassionally effects my emotinal well-being, too. It truly depresses me when I can't sit long enough to nurse the baby or that I can't do things I love, like run or be with my husband. Looking back, I wish so badly I'd had a C-section because at least I'd be healed by now and the pain would be in my abdomen and not where I sit.

I read a few blogs online from women who also had a hard time healing after their deliveries. Many said they were in pain for three to four months. I didn't read anything from anyone that said it took any longer than that, so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! At this point, then, I guess I'm half way there. Things certainly are improving (I don't have to take ibuprofin every day anymore, and I don't cry when I drive), but they're still not OK.

Barnes and Noble Online is a Waste

I did most of my shopping online again this year, but it's been a much bigger hassle than ever before. My target.com order was delayed, but at least they had the courtesy to let me know. I approved the delay because I paid with a gift card and then threw it away. I don't want to lose that money! Better to wait a few weeks for the items.

The bigger problem, however, is with Barnes and Noble. A month ago, I went to barnesandnoble.com and tried to place an order for a book for Andrew, a DVD for his uncle, and a couple of items for my dad and Colleen. The two items were on a delay and wouldn't ship until December 18. It was going to cost a ridiculous sum to have the book and DVD ship separately from the other items, so I cancelled my order. Instead, I re-ordered everything with two separate orders to make sure we'd get the DVD and book in time for Christmas.

A week later, Andrew called me from work and said he'd just received an email that my Barnes and Noble order was cancelled because I'd never responded to their request for more information. I'd never received that request. Andrew searched through his deleted email and junk email, but there was nothing from them. I was a little frustrated, but since it was just the DVD and book, I decided I could pick those up from Target or somewhere later. And I did (for much cheaper, I might add).

So here it is, December 23, and I'm waiting for the other items that were supposed to ship on December 18. I tried to track my order online, but it wouldn't recognize my order number. I called their customer service department instead. The lady who helped me was very nice, which was a relief, but she told me my order was in its "second delay." She said they currently don't have the item available and don't know when it's going to be available to ship. She was so nice, so I didn't want to complain (it wasn't her fault), but I asked her to cancel my order.

But, come on, seriously? It's two days before Christmas, and they didn't even call or email to say there was going to be a delay. We have company coming tonight, which means I have one day--Christmas Eve--to figure out how to go shopping with a baby to get last minute Christmas gifts.

Grrrr.

Ollie and the Yucky Diaper, Part II

After almost two weeks with no troubles, Oliver had a mucousy diaper today. It's so scary finding all these terrible things in his poopy. I think this explains his mood last night, too. Normally, he sleeps so well, only waking up once in the night to eat. Last night, however, he was up every hour, crying. I could tell he was in pain, and he was gassy. Poor baby.

It's true I've been eating a lot of dairy products again. Since he hadn't been having issues for so long, I assumed his problem was a fissure and not dairy. So, I've been eating pizza, grilled cheeses, lots of yogurt, and cheese & crackers for snacks.

I called Colleen, Andrew's mom, who is a gastroenterologist PA. She also said the mucous is a sign of an intolerance to cow products. She's going to talk to one of the doctors she works with to see if he concurs.

Meanwhile, I'm also waiting to hear from Ollie's family doctor to discuss my diet. Dairy is one of my main sources of protein, so I'm concerned. I'm also worried for Oliver because, according to the ER doc at Children's, it can take up to two weeks for the bovine proteins to leave my system. I don't want him to be in any more pain and distress. I absolutely don't want to stop nursing, though, unless I have to.

Oh, what to do. Poor Ollie.

No Naps for Ollie

My son hates to nap. The weird thing is, he sleeps so well at night. After his first week at home, he'd sleep from 8:30pm to 5:30am, waking up for feedings. These days, he only wakes up for one feeding and can sleep as late as 7 or 8am.

When it comes to napping, though, he's a stinker. He'll sleep as long as he's in my arms. As soon as I set him down, he wakes up crying. His longest nap in his crib is 15 minutes (he did that twice this week!). I've tried setting him down when he's still a bit awake, but then he cries as soon as he's touching the crib. I'll try a few times a day to set him down for a nap, but I don't want him to start associating his crib with crying. So, inevitably, I give up. He needs to nap, so I let him sleep in my arms. More recently, I've started laying down on my bed with him curled next to me. He'll sleep for two hours in that position.

I'd love for him to be able to nap on his own for those two hours. Then, I could shower! Currently, I can only shower when Andrew's home. I hate that, because he gets home at 6pm every night, and I go to bed at 9pm. Sometimes, I shower in the middle of the night after Oliver's feeding, just to maximize my time with Andrew. I seriously go three days without a shower at times. I could also straighten up the house more if he would nap. Right now, I can quick do a load of laundry or dishes as he happily plays in his bouncy chair, but I'd love to be able to deep clean and get our house looking really nice.

How do you teach your baby to nap? It seems like all the advice online is how to teach a baby to sleep through the night, but he's got that down pat!

Ollie's OK!

Last night at 5pm, I was changing Oliver's diaper and was horrified to find spots of blood in it. I cursed myself for not changing his diaper a few minutes earlier before the doctor's office closed, and then I called the office to get the after hour's number.

Dr. Drexelius was very kind. He told me not to panic. Although he advised me to take Ollie to a hospital that evening, he said I don't have to rush straight there. I thanked him and started gathering up Ollie's things as Andrew drove home to pick us up. Even though I felt reassured after talking to the doctor, I couldn't help but break down a few times while waiting for Andrew to make the snowy drive home.

We went to Children's Hospital, armed with his bloody diaper. The doctors there were so kind (Yes, plural. They had us see two doctors to get two opinions. I was very pleased with that). The first doctor found what she thought to be a small tear at the entrance of his anus. She said it's possible the tear bled during a forceful pooh. The second doctor came in, and he looked at the tear. He also thought the tear could possibly have caused the blood, but he said, if that wasn't the culprit, then Oliver is most likely allergic to bovine proteins (which he would get from me consuming dairy products).

At first, he suggested to me that I cut out dairy now just in case. I explained to him my concern with my protein intake, since dairy and soy are a major staple in my diet. He listened to me and conferred with the other doctor. They ended up recommending that Andrew and I clean Oliver with water at diaper changes to let his cut heal. In a few days, if there's still blood, then I need to stop consuming dairy and speak to my doctor about my diet to make sure I'm getting enough protein.

I felt so much better after leaving the hospital, and--good news--Oliver's had no more bloody diapers! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the problem was just the small tear, and hopefully it'll heal quickly and not cause him any pain.

Oliver and the Bouncy Chair

Oliver is just over a month old, and he's able to use sweeping motions with his hands to hit his dangling animal toys.

One Month Old Already!

Oliver's a month old today! Where has the time gone? I feel like we've just taken him home.

He's definitely getting bigger. We weighed him on our scale, and he's coming in at over 11 pounds! Yesterday, he wore his first 6 month sized outfit, and it fit perfectly. He still wears some 0-3 month old outfits, but he's also outgrown some of his 3 month old onesies. And forget the newborn onesies! Those are long gone.

Oliver also sleeps most of the night now. He usually sleeps from 9pm to 5:30am, getting up 2-3 times to be fed and get changed. More and more frequently, he sleeps from 9pm-1am straight through!

Ollie still cries frequently, but we're getting pretty good at calming him right down. He has one crabby period every day from about 6pm to 8pm. During that time, Andrew and I trade off putting all our energy into soothing our little guy.

Also, he's starting to get pretty mobile! During tummy time, he moves like the hands on a clock. His head stays put, but he's able to move his body all around! He lifts his head for longer periods of time when he's "sitting" or put over someone's shoulder. He also holds his fists to his mouth for longer periods of time.

Likes:

Being held

Nursing

Bright lights

Tummy time

Looking at faces, especially when people make funny faces!

Listening to me sing

Listening to his daddy read

Sucking his fists

Car rides

Getting pat

The bouncy chair! Oliver just tried it for the first time today.

Dislikes:

Hats

Pacifiers

Baths

Being put down (he wants to be held all the time!)

Changing clothes

Meet Oliver

My friend, Sam, updates her blog with her son's likes and dislikes every month. I love reading how her little guy changes and grows, and so I've decided to do the same for Oliver.

Week one, and we've started learning so much about our baby.

Likes:

the swing

the glider

gazing at faces

being talked to

being swaddled

tummy time

skin-to-skin time

nursing!

having his head rubbed

sucking his hand

Dislikes:

the cradle

diaper changes

changing his clothes

sponge baths

hats

Oliver Comes Home

Oliver got to come home today! I got him set up in his Halloween costume as his returning home outfit. He's adorable in it. I especially like the skull cap, which didn't make it into his photos (he hates hats!).

I worried about what it would be like at home vs. the hospital, but so far, it's wonderful being home. Nursing is even easier and more relaxed. He loved the glider and fell right asleep, and now he's staying asleep in his swing. It's giving me time to eat the meal Andrew made me as well as update my blog. Still, I'm typing as fast as I can in case the little guy wakes up!

Here are some photos of his homecoming.

Oliver is Here!

Oliver is here! He was born on Friday, October 30, at 2:07pm. I'm so grateful I was able to deliver him because the doctor had started talking about a C-section when he hadn't dropped on his own. She decided to let me try to push him down on my own, and I was able to!

They put him immediately to my stomach for me to hold. Andrew cut the umbilical cord, and then the nurses took him away and weighed him at 7 lbs, 10 oz. He was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I sat in the bed crying from the emotions, waiting to have him back. It was definitely love at first sight.

Andrew and I spent the next 48 hours at the hospital learning as much as we could. I learned I love nursing, and Oliver was good at it. He latched on like an old pro.

Starting Saturday afternoon, though, he started to get really fussy. I'd nurse him for an hour, and afterwards, he'd continue to "root" and try to feed. He'd cry. That lasted through this morning. The nurses would bring him back to me after he'd nurse for an hour, and they'd say he was still hungry. Once, I nursed for nearly two hours, finally got him to stop crying, and then the nurse came back with him half an hour later and said he needed to nurse some more. He was insatiable (literally) and crying whenever he wasn't feeding. His pediatrician told me that he seemed healthy; he was having the correct amount of stools and everything, and he hadn't lost too much weight. However, I told her (in between Oliver's sobs) how he wasn't happy unless he was eating. She didn't really pay attention, but then a nurse came in and listened to me.

The nurse suggested I supplement Oliver's diet with a little formula. At first, I was against the idea. Then, she told me I could feed it to him through a small tube as he was nursing. He wouldn't need a bottle or anything, and he wouldn't lose his ability to nurse. We tried it. Oliver drank 20mL of formula! He was so happy! And, for the first time in a day, he fell asleep contently. He woke up an hour later and needed more. Then, an hour later, he needed even more! A lactation nurse came in and helped, and said he was quite the piggy.
Since then, Oliver's appetite has settled down. He went two and a half hours without another feeding, and now, he's sleeping quietly in his swing. I'm so glad he's full and happy!

In Labor!

I'm at the hospital in labor! Andrew and I drove through the 16 inches of snow to make our appointment at 7:30pm for me to be induced. They checked us in, got us set up in a labor and delivery room, and used some tablets at 8pm to start thinning my cervix. I received a second dose around midnight, and around 2:30am, I woke up with contractions!

The contractions were immediately severe, and they were only 45 seconds apart. I went to the bathroom to pee, and I had two by the time I finished. I went back to my hospital bed, trying to decide if I was supposed to wait for a while or not. After a couple more that were even more painful, I decided I couldn't handle them on my own. I woke up Andrew. Andrew got the nurse, and she reviewed the contraction monitor. My contractions were so close together, I barely got a break from one when the next would start. She told me that can be one of the side effects from the tablets.



She started an IV (eeeieii!) to try to space out the contractions. She gave it 15 minutes, but the contractions got even worse. I literally was shaking with pain because there was no break from them. She checked my cervix, and I was dilated to 4cm. She called the anesthesiologist, and he made it to my room within 10 minutes. Those 10 minutes felt like forever since I had at least that many contractions. I started to cry. When he arrived, he asked me if my contractions started out that severe, and I said, "Pretty much."

The nurse injected me with a pain medication to help for the epidural. It immediately made me dizzy and sleepy, and I could no longer keep my eyes open. Getting the epidural didn't hurt at all, and it helped almost immediately. I kept telling the anesthesiologist, "Thank you so much."

Labor's been super easy ever since. I'm now dilated almost 7cm, and all I've been doing is napping and relaxing. Of course, it's not easy being hooked up to so many things. I have the IV because I'm not allowed to eat or drink. I have the epidural in my back, and a cathader as well. On my stomach, I have a fetal monitor and a contraction monitor. On my left hand, I have a pulse reader, and on my right arm, I have a blood pressure cuff. Also, even though the baby's pulse is fine (in the 120s), it's lower than it was, so she gave me an oxygen mask to wear. As she put it, "The baby's getting tired from the medication, too."

My doctor is going to arrive in about an hour to break my water. From there, I'm hoping things will speed along, and hopefully, I'll have a baby soon!



I'm getting a little nervous again, but definitely more excited than anything. I'm wishing my mom was here, though, to tell me everything's going well and will be fine. She took the day off today, so hopefully she'll be here soon to help. Delivery will just be me and Andrew, of course. I think we'll take a couple of hours to ourselves to marvel at our little wonder, but then we'll see our visitors and show off our bundle of joy. Just a few more hours!

Baby Update

October 27, and still no baby. I went in for an appointment yesterday, and there was still no change. I'm 1.5cm dilated, and 60% effaced.

After the appointment, I had a few "practice" contractions. I call them practice because I've had them before, a few weeks ago. They don't hurt, and they don't last long. Still, it was nice feeling *something* going on with my body.

Today at work, I had a terribly painful event that might have been a contraction, but the tightening occurred in my back. It was quite intense. I'm hoping labor does not feel like that, but, alas, I'm thinking it will.

I'm hoping something regular starts occurring soon. I was planning on going to work tomorrow to take my mind off of everything going on, but now there's a foot of snow forecast, so I'm reconsidering. Maternity leave might officially start for me tomorrow!

Meanwhile, I'm getting a little tired emotionally. I'm getting pretty sick of people rubbing me and asking me how I feel. Is that bad? I go through moments where I don't want any visitors at the hospital. I just want to do my own thing! Maybe these mood swings indicate change...

Are You Coming Soon, Baby?

I went for my 39 week appointment today (Baby is due on Monday!), and I still haven't showed any new changes that indicate he'd be coming soon. Pooh! So the doctor set up an appointment for me to come in on Monday, where we'll then set up an evening to start inducing. She said she'd recommend Monday evening, Tuesday evening or Wednesday evening, but she said definitely no later than Thursday evening, which means he'll definitely be here by next Friday! Within a week and a half, our lives are going to be changing big time!
I guess it's certain, then, that we're having an October baby. Hurray!

10 Days Until Baby!

Our little guy is due in 10 days! I'm starting to suspect he'll make a late appearance. On October 1, before Julie's wedding, we went to the doctor to get her approval for me to drive to Omaha. Of course, she said yes! Turns out I wasn't dilated at all. A week later, I went back to the doctor, and I was surprised to hear I'd dilated a centimeter and a half. That was easy! I wasn't effaced at all, however.

Two days ago, on the 14th, I went back to the doctor again. I hadn't dilated any more than the week prior, but now I'm completely effaced. Does this mean I'll start dilating this week? I sure hope so! I'm hoping Baby can make it without having to be induced.

My doctor let me know it's not healthy to let the baby stay in too far past his due date. The longer he's in the womb, the larger he gets, and the more likely I'll have a C-section. Also, the longer he's in the womb past his due date, the more likely it is he'll pass his first stool... and if he inhales that, it can lead to a lot of breathing complications.

I go back to the doctor on Wednesday. If I'm not showing signs that the baby will be here any day, I set up an appointment for my due date (approximately), and we start discussing plans and options from there. I can't believe how close we are!

Our New Toilet

The top photo is our new toilet, and the bottom is the old one.

Andrew and I have a new toilet! Haha, it's funny what's all exciting when you're a home owner. Really, though, it's quite the improvement. The last toilet ran all the time, used gallons of water to flush, and was really (really) gross. I don't think the last owners were fans of cleaning their toilets, to be honest.

We removed the last toilet, and the last floor, and the last baseboards, and the last sink & cabinet. We also removed the toilet paper holder because it was crazy-crooked.

Since then, we've gotten the new floors in; we put in the new, thicker baseboards; and, today, my dad installed our new toilet. It's so exciting! Once we get the piece we need, we'll put in the sink, add the mirror and towel ring, hang a few photos, and call it good!

Baby Shower!

Jean and Colleen threw me a baby shower today! It was for all our work friends. I was excited to go, but I had even more fun than I expected. Everyone was so funny and so generous. They spoiled me and the baby! ;-)

They held it at Jean's house, which is so beautiful. The food was great, and the conversation was hilarious. I really had a great time. I'll post pictures soon!

New Floors!

The flooring is offically done in the dining room, kitchen and living room! Once we get our bathroom pipes moved on Tuesday, we'll finish the flooring in there, too. It looks so much nicer in here, and it feels great to be rid of all the stinky (literally) blue carpet.

It's Something Out of Alien... or Spaceballs

My poor stomach. It started as a good thing. At 4am this morning, I woke up to a (most likely) foot stretching out sideways in my abdomen. The little guy really got his stretch on! I wasn't able to go back to sleep, so I laid there feeling the baby move and stretch. He's getting so strong (and long)! I'm not sure if it could have caused my stomach distress or not, but he was pretty active today, and my stomach's been quite sour.

I went to the doctor's on Wednesday where I saw Dr. Oster. She felt my tummy and said she'd estimate the baby at 3.5 pounds. She said I'm measuring a week and a half large (which is down from 2 weeks large at my last few appointments). I take that to be good news... hopefully, I'll be able to deliver this mega-baby!

I also signed Andrew and me up for an infant care class to learn how to bathe and diaper the baby (It's three hours long! Hopefully, we'll learn a lot). Andrew's mom, Colleen, got us a book that our house inspector recommended called The Happiest Baby on the Block. I like it a lot, and I think I'm learning a lot from it. Is it enough to figure out what the hell we're doing when the baby gets here? Probably not, but I like to hope so!

Tomorrow, I reach the 33 week mark. Seven more weeks to go! I'm starting to get very excited. I find myself wondering what he'll look like, and I'm excited to finally hold the baby that's been in my belly all these months. Soon!

You're Protesting What?

I'm amazed at how many parents are protesting the broadcast from President Obama to our schools. On the radio, people were calling in and saying there should be permission slips to parents so they can opt their children out.

In our public school system when I was growing up, we frequently had speakers. I remember listening to Miss America in 5th or 6th grade talk against drugs, and I remember hearing the fire chief discuss fire safety. Speakers were in and out all the time, and they never caused a commotion.

President Obama is speaking to our kids about staying in school and the importance of a good education. How is this topic controversial?

I read an article today where they interviewed a man who said it scares him that there's a direct communication line between the President of the United States and students. Why is that scary?

It's true that I'm politically quite liberal. Still, when I was in school, I would have been thrilled to have the chance to hear any president speak, whether I agreed with him politically or not. As it stands, however, the president is not speaking on controversial issues that have partisan divisions. He's simply speaking about the importance of an education. Isn't it an incredible opportunity for our students?

I brought the subject up to some of my coworkers today. I told them how weird it seemed that so many people are up in arms over this stay-in-school broadcast. The drug rep who provided lunch said she didn't approve of the move because the President was going to have celebrities on the broadcast who are pro-UNICEF. I didn't argue with her, really, but all I could think was, "Who can be against UNICEF? Do you not want to prove food and health care to poor children around the world?" Instead, I said, "There's no speaker that everyone will agree with, but I think it's a wonderful opportunity for students to get to hear directly from our nation's leader."

It's so bizarre what some people take issue with.

Welcome, Henry!

Henry is here! I'm a few days late on the post, as he was born on August 26. He's the son of Amanda, one of my most favorite cousins, so he'll be our boy's second cousin. They'll be so close in age! I can't wait to meet him. As long as everything goes as planned, I'll be able to meet the little fella in Omaha in October when I'm there for Julie's wedding! :)

Check out those chubby cheeks! I'm thinking it's a family trait because my cousin Missy's little baby boy has the cutest set of cheeks on him, too.

Tearing out the Flooring

.

Ah, fun with home ownership. My parents want to get Andrew and I new flooring as our housewarming gift. Unfortuantely, as it works, before the new stuff comes in, the old stuff must come out.

The kitchen and bathroom floors were raised about two inches higher than the rest of the downstairs flooring. We knew, of course, that this meant previous owners had failed to remove the layers of old flooring before adding on their new choices. So it came down to Andrew and me to remove the layers (and layers) of Pergo, linoleum and sub-flooring.

OK, so Andrew did most of the work. I scrubbed down the kitchen appliances as they were moved, though, and that was pretty much the nastiest task ever.

At this point, half the kitchen is down to its subfloor, and the other half has one more layer of linoleum left. Thankfully, it doesn't appear to be glued down. Point one for us. On the other hand, it's held down by approximately 2.3 million staples. It appears someone had a little too much fun with their staple gun...

Baby Shower

I had so much fun on Sunday at the baby shower. My mom and I arrived at Tre Jolie just before two. Aminta and Julie were setting up, and it looked stunning. There were bunches of balloons behind my seat, gifts lining the window, and baby bottles full of M & Ms at every place setting.

They organized a few games (Price is Right, Baby Style! and How Much Ribbon Does it Take to Circumnavigate Becky's Belly?), and every time someone won, I won, too!

There were so many gifts, from a baby monitor to diaper bags, from a baby swing to teething rings. I had such a good time, and I'm starting to feel a little more ready for Baby to arrive.

Moving In

Here is the "before" picture of our front door and living room wall:

Here is the after photo:

We're moved into the new townhome! There's still about half a dozen boxes to unpack, but it's definitely starting to feel like home.

Andrew and I went to work right away! We moved in on the evening of Wednesday, July 15 with the help of our parents and family friend, Taylor. The following day, my mom was off work and stayed at our place for the afternoon. She waited for the cable guy and cleaned the carpeting in our bedroom.

That weekend, Andrew taped and primered over the hot pink wall in the bedroom. Let me just say, that's no exaggeration. The wall was hot pink. Then, he helped me tape the rest of the walls (he taped high, and I taped low), and my mom and I painted all the walls a bright yellow. I thought it would contrast nicely with our dark furniture and navy headboard. We traded the fabric drapes for some white mini-blinds, and my dad replaced all the outlets and switch covers in the room. That Sunday, we moved the furniture in. Rather, the three of them moved all the bedroom furniture in while I worked on unpacking boxes.

Next, we moved on to the living room! Andrew removed all the old window coverings that I didn't like. They were straw and over-sized and very dirty. He then primed and painted the purple wall. I had so much fun picking the color for the living room and finally settled on a color called "witch's hazel," which is a very earthy green. It looks nice against the stone fireplace and the new white outlets. I then painted the door with a fresh coat of paint, which did wonders because the door was so dirty and had purple squares painted on it. My mom took me out and bought me some new drapery that's a little darker than cream and looks pleasant against the walls.

Our next project is the main bathroom. I've stripped the wallpaper border from the room (thanks to my coworker Tonette who told me I could just use hot water to remove it!). Andrew pulled up the floor. Well, the first layer, anyway. There's still another layer to go! I think we're going to wait on that until it's time to replace the floor. Our parents are both wonderful... my mom and dad are treating us to a new floor throughout the first floor of our townhome, and Andrew's parents just bought us a new washer and dryer (to be delivered August 15).

We're definitely working hard. I have a constant "to do" list in my mind that Andrew thinks has a lot to do with my nesting instincts. They might be strong, but I'm waiting to do the nursery until I can't stand it anymore! I think that's going to be the most fun room to do (after the bathroom maybe ;-) ).

I might add, we're very grateful for the first-time homebuyer's grant. It's allowing us to do a lot of work in our new place :)

Andrew Feels a Kick

Andrew made me a snack of apple slices and peanut butter. Soon after I started eating, our little boy started going nuts in my tummy. I started to feel all sorts of kicks. Andrew put his hand on me to try to feel them, and at first missed out. After a little lull, I started to feel the kicks again, only this time hard enough to make me jump. Andrew came over and put both hands on my stomach just in time to feel a whole series of sharp kicks! It was so exciting. He looked up at me, giggling, and said, "What have we done?" (sarcastically, of course). I love that he felt it, too... that someone else gets to feel the little thumps our baby boy makes.

Packing Up the Apartment

We're expecting our new home to be ready July 8, and our lease is up here July 14. Today, I decided to start some packing. It's weird to think we might be moving all this stuff out in less than two weeks.

I'm really excited about our new home and having a permanent place with Andrew. Still, it's bittersweet. This is the first place I've had as an adult, and the first place Andrew and I have had as a couple. Two years went by really fast, and I'm going to miss it.

I hope I like the next place at least as much. There won't be a big pond in the backyard and no ducks, but we will have forest and (hopefully!) deer. Our second bedroom is going to be a nursey instead of a computer room, and I wonder know where our bookshelf and books will go. In the attic? Weird.

It's amazing to me how much life has continued to change for us over the last few years. We went from planning a wedding and getting married to moving into our first apartment to losing a lot of people who were dear to us. We moved on to new jobs, started looking for a home to own, and now we're expecting a baby boy. This, all in the matter of a couple of years. While it's a little sad to move on, I'm looking forward to some consistancy... to being able to enjoy our current stage of life and hopefully not have to deal with too much at once.

It's going to feel so satisfying to move this stuff over to our new place and know that some of the big changes are coming to an end. We can focus then on one, big change... having a family.

Swelling in my fingers and toes (Oh my!).

On Wednesday, my feet started to swell a bit. I came home, elevated them, and Andrew rubbed them a bit. They stayed swollen, but it wasn't an issue.

Today, I was trying to fix dinner. I couldn't get a grip on any of the pans because my fingers were swollen. Zero dexterity.

Fast-forward a few hours later, and my ring finger is starting to ache. Only I can't get my wedding band off. It took a few minutes of holding my hand up over my head and a lot of saliva, but my ring finally slipped free. Now, I feel exposed and a little sad with no wedding band.

I had to relinquish the engagement ring months ago. The wedding band, once too large for my hand, fit well until today. I'm currently wishing I'd thought to buy a backup before this happened.

I went on Kohls.com and bought a nice sterling silver ring in a size 6 for $9.99. Not a bad deal, and I'll have it to wear for four more months. Still, I don't even feel like going a week without a wedding band. I'm hoping tomorrow my swelling will be down enough to put the ring back on. For now, it's residing on my pinky.

First Kicks

On Monday, Andrew picked me up to go look at some townhomes. As we were driving, I felt a little thump in my lower abdomen. I thought it was unusual, and then about five minutes later, it happened again. I couldn't be sure, but I thought it was probably our baby kicking!

That night, I was laying down and reading, and I started to feel it again. And then yesterday (Tuesday), I felt some thumps at lunch. It's so exciting! And weird, to know there's a person inside of you, kicking you. I'm getting excited to meet our little guy, but I'm also excited for the rest of the pregnancy, when Andrew can start feeling those little thumps, too!

It's a Boy!

It's a boy! Boy, oh boy! Andrew and I went to the OB, where we met our parents (Andrew's dad had to go out of town for work unfortunately). Dr. Oster was called away to deliver a baby, so we waited (and waited). I didn't mind so much, but I wasn't supposed to pee before the ultrasound. Wooie.

We got into the ultrasound room, and she started looking for the baby. She first thing she found was his butt. Its butt was definitely more like Andrew's. Then she went down the legs and commented, "Those are really long legs." Haha, that's not exactly from my gene pool.

I was pretty sure I saw some boy parts when she went down the legs. She asked me if I had any idea what I was having. I said, "I was pretty sure it was a girl until you started the ultrasound. Now I think I saw a ball sack." She told me I was right and took some photos of the baby's boy parts for proof.

She then scanned over the baby and showed us his heart (all 4 chambers, sweet), and looked at his brain and spine. She checked out the umbilical cord and said everything looks perfect. Also, she said our baby has a stomach and has learned to swallow. Hurray! I'm glad all my tiredness has paid off so far into creating a beautiful baby boy.
From the waist down, the baby certainly takes after Andrew. It has his legs and butt, and I told him, "He sure didn't get a penis from me." It'll be fun to see our little boy in person after he's born to check out all of his other traits.

I'm so happy. So's Andrew, and so are our families. We started calling people almost right away. Andrew called his dad, and Colleen called Grandma Jackie. After Andrew and I got to talk a bit in the car, I called my brother and sister, and he called his brother.

Most people were just as sure as I was that we were having a girl. The only two who seemed confident that it was a boy? Julie and Colleen's good buddy, Jean.

Now it's time to work on names :)

Today is Here!

We've been counting down the weeks and finally the days, but today is here! My ultrasound is scheduled for 4:15pm, and we're going to find out if we're expecting a little boy or a little girl. I'm so excited!

These last few weeks have been weeks of change. My body is getting quite large. I've gained 13 pounds so far, but it's all tummy. It's getting harder to sleep, and my hips are frequently sore. I still have no nausea or constipation, thankfully. But also, I don't feel the baby move. I'm pretty disappointed at that. All my books inform me that people typically feel their babies move at 16-20 weeks. Saturday, I'll hit 21 weeks and still nothing.

Andrew's been reading my What to Expect. I saw him reading the delivery chapters yesterday, and I wonder if he's as nervous as me. I find myself singing a lot to Baby, hoping it'll get to know my voice. Andrew introduced himself to Baby the other day, and when he referred to himself as "Daddy," I almost teared up.

But, yes, today's the day. My parents and Andrew's mom are coming with us to the doctor. Paul, unfortunately, was called out of town for work, so he won't be able to make it.

Me, I still think our baby's a girl, but if they tell me it's a boy, I'll be happy and surprised. They'll also look at all its organs again. I get nervous whenever they look for abnormalities. So, yeah, I'm nervous for the appointment, but also insanely excited.

Andrew's making me a breakfast burrito this morning. I do my best to eat eggs and cheese and such. Frankly, fruits sound better and better every day, and everything else pales in comparison. I even dreamed about fruit yesterday... yum.

Houses and Town Homes

Andrew and I have been on a mission with our house-hunting these last few months. We started looking before we were expecting and even put a bid in on a home. After re-crunching our numbers figuring in the cost of our upcoming baby, we made the tough decision to pull our bid on the house.

Now, we're looking for more affordable places to live in town homes and such. The problem is, all the nice ones always seem to have offers on them already!

Finding a home seems impossible, and now we have 60 days to move out of our apartment! Actually, the apartment people did say we can do month-to-month after our lease is up, but that'll cost an extra $100 a month. Bogus!

So Much Emotion!

Well, those pregnancy hormones seem to be kicking in full force! I'm used to feeling happy and content and, well, frankly, used to even laughing at those who get all riled up over nothing. Now, it seems, I am those people!

I'll tell you what, I've been getting very angry these last few weeks. Either I get mad at nothing, or I get really mad over something quite small. And the anger seems to last, too. I've never really been an angry person. Well, maybe during my years of teenage angst ;-) But I have no idea where these emotions are coming from!

Also, I've started to feel very sad over small things, too. I can't shake off the feeling that everyone's unhappy with me. I know it's stupid, and I know people aren't unhappy with me. Still, that feeling lingers...

I read in my book that week 16 is supposed to be the peak of all this pregnancy emotion overload. I'm now at week 15, and I'm definitely feeling it. While normal, it doesn't make it any less disturbing to me. I'm also freaking out... what if this means I'll have post pardum depression? I wonder if that's a rational fear, if it could be linked to being overly emotional during pregnancy, or if it's something completely separate. I hope so.

Andrew's being uber supportive. He's so sweet to me, but even with him, I keep thinking I'm disappointing him or something. I just don't feel like I measure up. Blech, I need to work on shaking these feelings.

On the up side to my emotional swings, when I feel happy, I definitely feel very happy. I feel like all my emotions are amplified. Even the being tired part ;-).

I'll work on getting a bit more control over all these new extreme emotions. At the very least, I'll have to make sure to work on controlling my actions with them! The last thing I need is to have another angry outburst (This weekend, I completely embarrassed my brother by scolding a waitress who was being inexcusably rude to my dad. The worst part is now, even though he accepted my apology, I still feel overwhelmed with guilt and feel horrible. How sad is that? Logically, I know it wasn't that big of a deal, but emotionally, I can't shake it).

I feel like it's possible to get a grip on my emotions in normal circumstances. Now, I just need to master the art of controlling my pregnancy-amplified ones. I wonder if I'll be able to? Hopefully my future blogs won't be littered with desciptions of embarrassing emotional outbursts!

What'd You Say?

Nothing I can write could emphasize how exhausted I am all the time. Even on weekends, when I get to sleep in, I find myself crawling back into bed a couple of hours later. Taking Bailey outside to pee drains me, and at work, it's all I can do to stay awake.

The worst part is how it effects my memory. I don't have the energy to remember anything, and it's hopeless to even try. Never in my life have I ever felt so stupid, but I find myself completely clueless when people are talking to me. What are they referring to? Am I supposed to know what they're talking about? People will crack jokes, and I don't even realize it. It's pathetic.

Everyone assures me it's normal. Indeed, I've read about exhaustion and memory loss in my pregnancy books, but I didn't realize the extent to which they'd occur.

I've been told it gets better at the 2nd trimester. Well, here I am, week 13, and still not feeling a bit better.

It's simply frustrating being so exhausted. My personal relationships are suffering as I never feel like leaving the house to see people, and I don't have the energy to keep up the house to have people over. I want to do my share, but how can I when all I want to do, even now, is crawl back into bed for more shut eye?

April 1, Part 2: Bad

This evening was very craptastic. At first, I was excited about my expanding belly. Then, as I was packing for Chicago, I was freaking out about having nothing to wear. Five out of seven days a week, I wear my scrubs. I don't need many other clothes.

I started to go through my drawers, and I was disappointed to find that I had nothing to wear. My maternity jeans and my nice black pants with the super loose waist.... and that's it. Shirts are not an issue at all at this point, but, still, one cannot go out of town for 4 days with 2 pairs of pants.

Andrew's suitcase found a similiar fate. None of his white collared shirts had been brought to the dry-cleaners, so he had no shirts to wear for the funeral and wake. I suggested we run out to Walmart, since it was 10pm.

Walmart was rough. They didn't have shirts in Andrew's size, and I could not find the maternity section for the life of me. I scowered the women's clothing, trying ot find pants where the waist had some give. There wasn't anything. I was just about to resign and try to shop in the plus section when Andrew found a small maternity section in the infant department.

By small, I mean, they had 4 maternity shirts and 4 maternity shorts. Chicago in shorts in early April? I decided it's better than being naked, so I bought a pair (on the plus side, they were only $3). Not before nearly crying in Walmart, though. These hormones have been making me cry over everything and nothing this week.

I think Andrew sensed the tears coming because he insisted the shorts were very cute.

Once we got home, I decided to finish folding the laundry and putting the clean sheets on the bed for Phuong while Andrew took Bailey for a walk. Let me tell you, Tamarac Apartments suck at ice removal. I've called on it twice since we've moved in. Andrew went out there, stepped down onto the cement, and fell straight down. His back fell into the stair. He limped his way up, and collapsed on a heap on the bed. I got him some Ibuprofen, and he laid down, not moving for a little while. I didn't know what to do, so I just kept apologizing.

That's when I decided to open his shirt from Walmart. Wouldn't you know, it was short sleeved.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I turned to Andrew, who was head down into his pillow, and I broke the news. That poor man. He thought it would be OK if he wore a sweater over it. Sweater number one: huge, gaping hole in the elbow. Sweater number two: huge, gnarly pills all over the front. Sweater number three: wide-necked, which Andrew explained you cannot wear with a sweater.

Shit.

I started to put back on some warm clothes to go back out in the cold, but Andrew insisted there was no reason for us to both go. And so he is out, back at Walmart, trying to locate a tall man's long-sleeve shirt. At first, I tried on my clothes from Walmart. The shorts were cute and comfortable, definitely worth $3, but seeing my portruding belly caused me to feel quite fat. I'm used to having some pudge around the middle. Add in a little baby and an expanding waist line, and I feel like I'm all stomach. Once it's clear that it's a baby, I'm hoping the belly will be cute. However, staring at it in the mirror, all alone in the apartment after a difficult evening, I felt absolutely ugly.

All I can say is, I'm glad I have a few days off. I'm glad I'm going to Chicago to see my family. And I'm glad that tomorrow can only be better than today.

Good night, folks.

April 1, Part 1: Good

Today, I went to my second appointment with my OB-GYN. First the nurse took me back and had me take a urine sample and checked my blood pressure and such. Then, she pulled out this funky instrument and said, "Let's try to hear its heart beat." I must have look surprised because she explained that there was a good chance we would not hear it at this visit. Apparently, from 9-12 weeks, luck has a lot to do with hearing the heart.

It took a few minutes, but the nurse finally found it. It sounded echo-y, like it was from a cave. Definitely very neat!

After that, I was taken to meet Dr. Susan. She was so nice! She discussed me going to an endocrinologist to make sure my thyroid levels stay perfect throughout the pregnancy. Then, she proceeded to do the ultrasound to make sure that everything was growing properly.

I couldn't believe it. My blob was replaced by a very definite human fetus. I could see a head and arms, and then it started to wiggle! It was so neat. It waved it's arms all about. I laughed and was surprised that I couldn't feel any of its crazy movements. She told me that it's a very, very good thing to see a fetus moving at this stage. Everything seems to be healthy!

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed that Dr. Oster had told me I didn't need to bring Andrew for this visit. Of course, she couldn't have known I'd get to hear the heart beat and see the fetus move and wiggle around, but if I'd known there was a chance for those, I would have definitely brought Andrew. I had to give him the play-by-play after the appointment, and he got pretty excited for me.

In other news, I can definitely see that the bottom of my belly is bigger. I'm certain it's no longer my imagination! Some of my panties are too tight for me to wear now, and I've stopped wearing all but my loosest pants, scrubs and maternity pants.

I'd gained 3 pounds. It doesn't seem like it'd be enough to make one switch pants, but it definitely is...

Dinner with Phuong

Phuong and Cactus came over yesterday to cook dinner for us and my buddy Aminta. So delicious! They made a fantastic stir fry along with some bok choy and egg. Nom nom nom.


After we filled our bellies, we were taught how to play Mah Jong! I mean, I've played Mah Jong the solitaire game online before. This version was more poker, and it takes four people to play. Actually it was a lot like gin or rummy. I enjoyed it! Plus, it taught me all the Chinese number characters. Well, at least one through nine.

Hurray to a great night with friends. Thanks, Phuong!

It's a fetus!

This week, we officially have a fetus! It has all its organs. My modified due date is October 26, and I'm anxious for my next visit on Wednesday to make sure everything's going well.

Andrew and I have adjusted to the idea of being parents. He loves the ultrasound picture and smooches my belly. Which, by the way, I think is starting to grow! Or maybe that's just me...

I lost 5 pounds during the first weeks of the pregnancy, and now it appears that I've gained 4 of them back. That's a lot of gain! I think I read that you're only supposed to gain 3-5 during the first trimester. Ooops. I've definitely gotten my appetite back. At work, I go to lunch at 12pm. Around 10:30am, though, I start getting the worst hunger pains that turn to nausea. As soon as I eat, they disappear. Which makes me want to eat every time I feel hungry... but I'm thinking maybe smaller servings!

It also doesn't help that I'm so exhausted all the time. Actually, things have improved this week some. I can stay awake at work now, for one thing. But I take a lot of naps at home and find it nearly impossible to get up in the morning. I've tried to work out a bit and go for long walks when I don't feel too tired, but as soon as I do, it drains me, and I come home and sleep.

But, yes, my belly is feeling a bit tighter. When I bend over, I feel a weird pressure, so I'm trying not to bend over too much. I've stopped wearing my regular jeans in favor of maternity jeans to keep the pressure off my tummy. They're unusually comfortable. It's going to suck going back from all these comfy clothes to normal clothes again one day.

Meanwhile, when I'm not working or sleeping, Andrew and I are house hunting. Let me tell you, it is not easy! Still, I'm confident we'll find something soon...

My 1st Baby Ultrasound

I went to the OB-GYN on Monday! Really, I had no idea how long the first appointment was going to take. It took quite a while! They had me pee in a cup, they drew four viles of blood, and asked me a bazillion questions on family history. I was given books and pamphlets and sample packs and ultrasound albums. Crazy!

I browsed through the pamplets while waiting for my turn to go in and meet the doctor (Heidi Oster) to have my ultrasound. I looked mostly at pictures of the fetus at 10 weeks, because that's how far along I thought I was after my visit to my regular doctor. I read a little about the embryo before that stage, and peeked at pictures of the undefined blob that was starting to form the shape of a head.

When it came time for the ultrasound, it took the doctor only a few moments to let me know that I was not 10 weeks along... I was only 7! And, sure enough, there was my blob on the ultrasound screen. She pointed to a flickering on the screen, in the middle of the blob, and told me it was the heart beat.

I was sent home with a picture of the ultrasound as well as bags of goodies, including books, information on breast feeding, coupons, and other important info. I'm still quite nervous, but looking forward to my next visit on April 1, when I'll have another ultrasound to make sure the baby's growing normally.

And the doctor says...

...I was 7 to 8 weeks along for my appointment on February 26. I added 32.5 weeks from then and came up with an approximate due date of October 12.

This means in a week or two, I can call an OB-Gyn to set an appointment and have my first ultrasound! From there, they'll be able to give me a more specific due date.
Andrew's being a strong resource for me. He doesn't seem nervous at all and frequently offers to help me with anything and everything. I came home yesterday to some hot dinner and clean dishes. Honestly, I think he's worried about the possibility of having a girl, though. I don't think he knows what to do with a girl!
While I can't control my due date, I feel terrible that it seems to be about a week from when my sister wants to have her wedding. I don't want to miss it, but I can't see myself travelling when I'm so close to delivery. She's going to be such a beautiful bride and deserves to have her sister there for her big day. I told her, as long as it's physically possible for me to go and the doctor says it's OK, I'll be there.

In other baby news, my cousin Amanda is also expecting! She's due at the end of August. I can't wait, and I'm already thinking about how fun it will be that she'll have a kid the same age as mine. Julie and I always got so excited to see Tara and Amanda when we were growing up (of course, we still do! But I don't think our enthusiasm can match when we were little). I'm excited to pass that fun on!