 |
| Please excuse the dog toys scattered about in the background :) |
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Christmas, Doctor Visit #8 and 31 weeks
Whew, so much happening! It was a long, but nice weekend for us. I was off work on Friday, so I ran last minute Christmas errands and hung around the house. Saturday was Christmas Eve. Chris and I went to Indiana to see his mom's side of the family for Christmas. We ate lasagna and had a white elephant (believe it or not, the gift everyone wanted was a fire safe -- I even wanted it, but by the time it was my turn, it had already been stolen too many times. But I got the softest blanket in the world, so it was still happy). Then they surprised me with a mini shower. I got some great gifts and I am so grateful for everyone's generosity! We all hung out and visited (and ate waaaaaaay too much) for a while longer. After the festivities wrapped up, Chris and I headed back home to Illinois. After spending over 7 hours in the car in one day, we were beat!
 |
| From what we've heard, this little rocker thing is a lifesaver! |
 |
| Chris checking it out |
 |
| Is it sad that I have like 5 pictures of the dog opening presents? At least next year it will be a person (but I'm sure there will be a few of Daisy as well) |
 |
| I think there's something in there! |
 |
| Merry Christmas! |
We pretty much crashed after that. The trip to Indiana was tiring, especially for me since sitting in the car is super uncomfortable these days. Later that evening, we stopped by my mom's house to give/get presents and eat some dinner. While dinner was cooking, we had a surprise power outage (rumor has it a poor bird met a sticky end in some sort of power device) that lasted about a half hour. Good thing Ritch is prepared for the apocalypse (which if occurs, I am not invited since I make fun of his stockpile of Costco goods :) but no worries, Chris and Johnny are more than welcome) and had these little battery power things that he plugged the oven and crock pot into so that dinner would not be ruined. After we ate, we headed back home for some more rest and avoided watching the Bears get creamed by the Packers.
 |
| Being lazy :) |
Monday we were both off work and we decided it was time to actually start getting some things done for Johnny. We went to Home Depot at 9:30 am to pick out paint for his room. We decided on a nice green that matches the green in his bedding. Chris then got to work painting. He got it all painted, it just needs a second coat. It looks so nice! Now we just need to have the furniture delivered and it will start to look like a real baby's room!
 |
| Getting started -- I wasn't allowed to help |
Tuesday I was off work because I had my next doctor's appointment. Johnny is looking good -- his heart rate was 147 and I am measuring at 33 cm (at one day shy of 31 weeks). My blood pressure was good, still no swelling, and I didn't gain any weight this time. My doctor reminded me that I can still gain 13 pounds. I assured her it wasn't for lack of trying...I ate plenty, especially over Christmas. Maybe it will have caught up with me by my next appointment. I get to have another ultrasound, too! This one is to check growth and make sure everything looks as it should. Speaking of, I need to call and schedule that today! She also informed me that she is going to be out of the country from the 9th to the 30th! Yikes! I have to see her before she goes, so in just 10 days, and at that point she'll decide if I need to see another doctor while she's gone or if I can wait until she gets back. I also got some pediatrician recommendations, so Chris and I need to set up appointments to meet with them soon.
And today is 31 weeks! I am still feeling pretty good, but I have been assured by my doctor that the next couple months are going to get painful. Apparently, my pelvis, which is currently like one bone and always has been, will begin to separate and rub together, which is going to hurt since it has never done that before. Sounds like a barrel of laughs :) Oh well -- I think all that makes mothers wish for labor instead of dreading it. But I really must say, I don't really have any complaints that are serious. Just minor aches and pains here and there. He's been hiccuping a lot lately...it's kind of a funny, rhythmic tapping feeling. When it first happened, I wasn't sure if that was it or not, but a quick google search confirmed that it was. Now I feel like he gets them all the time. His movements are really big now, too. Less kicking, more pushing out, making it look like there is an alien inside of me. Chris can't believe how visible his movements are. But to me, it all means just one thing...he's growing like he should :) A moving baby is a happy baby, so they say.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
30 Weeks
Only 70 more days to go! Our furniture has arrived, so all we need to do now is schedule delivery. We want to paint first, though. Not sure when we're going to get that done...maybe Monday? But once that's finished, we can start putting his room together, which will be so much fun.
I'm really starting to get to the uncomfortable stage. He's getting bigger, taking up more room, which means I'm getting bigger. I have a lot more aches and pains and my stomach is upset a lot (but that could also be from me stressing myself out -- which I'm totally doing better with, I promise!). But, like I've said before, it's all worth it if it means that the little man is healthy and growing in there. In the past week I've talked to a couple girls who have had babies in the last few months, and they both said they have already forgotten about the uncomfortableness of pregnancy and the suckiness of labor. So there's that to look forward to :)
It's great to see Chris really getting excited for John to be here. We went and visited our friends Mike and Liz and their little guy, Matthew, this weekend. He's two months old now and such a cutie pie. Chris held him for a long time and he even fell asleep in Chris' arms. That night he said he wishes that it was time for John to be here now so he could hold him. All in good time, though. I feel like the next 10 weeks are going to fly by. And who knows, it could be less than that. My mom, the great predictor, things I'll go in the beginning of February and Chris thinks it will be mid-February. Just as long as he's healthy and ready, I'll just be waiting for him to come when he decides.
Here is a not so cute picture...bad lighting, bad hair, but at least you can see the bump.
I'm really starting to get to the uncomfortable stage. He's getting bigger, taking up more room, which means I'm getting bigger. I have a lot more aches and pains and my stomach is upset a lot (but that could also be from me stressing myself out -- which I'm totally doing better with, I promise!). But, like I've said before, it's all worth it if it means that the little man is healthy and growing in there. In the past week I've talked to a couple girls who have had babies in the last few months, and they both said they have already forgotten about the uncomfortableness of pregnancy and the suckiness of labor. So there's that to look forward to :)
It's great to see Chris really getting excited for John to be here. We went and visited our friends Mike and Liz and their little guy, Matthew, this weekend. He's two months old now and such a cutie pie. Chris held him for a long time and he even fell asleep in Chris' arms. That night he said he wishes that it was time for John to be here now so he could hold him. All in good time, though. I feel like the next 10 weeks are going to fly by. And who knows, it could be less than that. My mom, the great predictor, things I'll go in the beginning of February and Chris thinks it will be mid-February. Just as long as he's healthy and ready, I'll just be waiting for him to come when he decides.
Here is a not so cute picture...bad lighting, bad hair, but at least you can see the bump.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Childbirth Class
This past Saturday, Chris and I took an all day childbirth class. It was given by the hospital where I am going to deliver. It was a pretty good class. She went over what we'll go through during labor, pain coping strategies, pain relief options and several other such things. Chris found out that he's got it pretty good, too. At one point we separated girls and boys and he said that some of the guys have some crazy pregnant ladies on their hands who cry all the time and make crazy demands. Truth be told, we both though I'd be that crazy lady, too, however, I'm actually a very well behaved pregnant woman (excluding a few weeks in the first trimester, but I felt awful, so I think I'm excused).
We also watched a few babies be born. I was a little worried about Chris at this part, but he did great. So great that he's decided that he wants to hold a leg while I'm pushing instead of staying by my head. That's huge progress! He said it wasn't as bad as he had imagined. Although I will not be delivering completely naked like some of the women in the video did. More power to those who do, however I feel like enough of me is going to be exposed to strangers, might as well keep some things mysterious.
After the teaching part, we got a tour of the maternity ward. I have been in there before when friends have had babies, but Chris had never seen in. It's fairly new, and soo nice. The shower in the bathroom looks like it could be in a hotel! The rooms are huge and private and have a pull out couch for Chris to sleep on. He was very impressed and it made him feel more comfortable with the whole delivery process. He is visual, so being able to imagine where we will be helped him out a lot.
The only down side to the class is that now I'm convinced every 5 minutes that I'm going into labor. For those of you who know me, you know that I can bea little a lot paranoid about some things. Well, my current fixation is pre-term labor. Every pain I feel, I wonder if it's actually cramping leading to labor. If my stomach is upset, it's my intestines cleaning themselves out getting ready for labor (when actually it's probably from me stressing out about everything, leading to nervous tummy). Oh, my back hurts, that means labor is starting. I think the main catalyst in all this are the braxton hicks contractions. I get them fairly often, and despite having a talk with my doctor and getting a clear explanation of how real contractions feel and when to call her, I still freak out. Which I know is not good for me or the baby. So I'm trying to take deep breaths and calm myself down so I don't drive Chris insane with my paranoia. Johnny boy is nice and cozy in there (and kicking me like nobody's business, like, all the time) and he's going to stay in a little while longer.
We also watched a few babies be born. I was a little worried about Chris at this part, but he did great. So great that he's decided that he wants to hold a leg while I'm pushing instead of staying by my head. That's huge progress! He said it wasn't as bad as he had imagined. Although I will not be delivering completely naked like some of the women in the video did. More power to those who do, however I feel like enough of me is going to be exposed to strangers, might as well keep some things mysterious.
After the teaching part, we got a tour of the maternity ward. I have been in there before when friends have had babies, but Chris had never seen in. It's fairly new, and soo nice. The shower in the bathroom looks like it could be in a hotel! The rooms are huge and private and have a pull out couch for Chris to sleep on. He was very impressed and it made him feel more comfortable with the whole delivery process. He is visual, so being able to imagine where we will be helped him out a lot.
The only down side to the class is that now I'm convinced every 5 minutes that I'm going into labor. For those of you who know me, you know that I can be
Thursday, December 15, 2011
29 Weeks, 1 Day
Only 11 weeks to go, how crazy is that?! He's all formed in there, now he's just maturing and gaining weight. I have a friend whose little boy was born at 29 weeks. It's crazy to think he about him being born at this point!
I'm feeling ok. Sleep is, as always, increasingly uncomfortable and interrupted which means I'm a lot more tired than I was it the second trimester. Today I was having pain right around my belly button, which apparently is due to the stretching of my muscles and ligaments and the lack of support around my belly button. It's awesome. I've also noticed more Braxton Hicks contractions. I've been able to feel them since very early on (like around 14 weeks), but they are more noticeable the bigger my uterus is. They don't hurt and they aren't regular, so nothing to worry about at this point. Other than the general aches and pains, I really don't have much to complain about. I'm still not swelling at all and the actual baby part of me is not too uncomfortable yet.
Since he's running out of room in there, I can feel him moving all the time, which is great :) Even when it's slightly uncomfortable (like when there is a foot wedged under my ribs), I still love it. It's just affirmation that he's doing what he's supposed to be doing.
Here is this week's belly picture. It's the same shirt I had on a few weeks ago, but a HUGE change in my belly :)
I'm feeling ok. Sleep is, as always, increasingly uncomfortable and interrupted which means I'm a lot more tired than I was it the second trimester. Today I was having pain right around my belly button, which apparently is due to the stretching of my muscles and ligaments and the lack of support around my belly button. It's awesome. I've also noticed more Braxton Hicks contractions. I've been able to feel them since very early on (like around 14 weeks), but they are more noticeable the bigger my uterus is. They don't hurt and they aren't regular, so nothing to worry about at this point. Other than the general aches and pains, I really don't have much to complain about. I'm still not swelling at all and the actual baby part of me is not too uncomfortable yet.
Since he's running out of room in there, I can feel him moving all the time, which is great :) Even when it's slightly uncomfortable (like when there is a foot wedged under my ribs), I still love it. It's just affirmation that he's doing what he's supposed to be doing.
Here is this week's belly picture. It's the same shirt I had on a few weeks ago, but a HUGE change in my belly :)
 |
| We had to change our background -- due to some re-arrangement to accommodate our tree, the wall we usually use is currently home to a bookcase...so, landing it is :) And we're back to white socks. |
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Holiday Fun!
This past weekend, we had a lot of holiday fun!
Friday night, my mom's side of the family celebrated Christmas since many of us are not able to make the traditional Christmas Eve celebration this year. Almost everyone was there (there are 5 kids in my mom's family with their spouses plus 15 grand kids (and one great grand kid on the way ;) ) so it can be challenge to get everyone in the same place at the same time. We had a nice dinner, played an ornament exchange game and had a great time :) As soon as my Aunt posts pictures that I can steal from her, I'll add them to this post since I only managed to take one :)
Saturday during the day we ran some errands and cleaned out the garage (well, Chris cleaned out the garage) so that we had a place to put all the stuff we took out of John's room. That evening, we put up our Christmas tree. We had the fireplace on and the snow falling channel on the tv. It was a nice little evening :)
Sunday, we went to church and then to breakfast for my Grandma's birthday. After that, we came home, took a nap and watch the Bears lose. Sunday night, we had our annual Chrismas cookie decorating at Janet's house. The girls made nice cookies, the boys made inappropriate ones. My mom and Janet put a puzzle together like they usually do. Janet had snacks and chili for us. It was a fun night with good friends and family.
Friday night, my mom's side of the family celebrated Christmas since many of us are not able to make the traditional Christmas Eve celebration this year. Almost everyone was there (there are 5 kids in my mom's family with their spouses plus 15 grand kids (and one great grand kid on the way ;) ) so it can be challenge to get everyone in the same place at the same time. We had a nice dinner, played an ornament exchange game and had a great time :) As soon as my Aunt posts pictures that I can steal from her, I'll add them to this post since I only managed to take one :)
 |
| Cocktail Weenie Wreath :) We were proud. Tiffany made an excellen bow out of dough. |
Saturday during the day we ran some errands and cleaned out the garage (well, Chris cleaned out the garage) so that we had a place to put all the stuff we took out of John's room. That evening, we put up our Christmas tree. We had the fireplace on and the snow falling channel on the tv. It was a nice little evening :)
 |
| Not the most flattering angle, but then again, what is when you're 7 months pregnant :) I swear I took a picture of Chris haning up ornaments...I think that maybe when he took this picture he deleted it. Tricky, tricky :) |
 |
| Lots of cookies! |
 |
| My very appropriate cookies (I won't show you the inappropriate ones) |
 |
| Maggie and Christopher |
 |
| Bethanne and Maggie hard at work |
 |
| Chris enjoying his cookie |
I had Monday off from work. I had lunch with Jessica, her mom, Patty, and her two boys. It was great to see them all. Everyone has such busy and different schedules, it's sometimes hard to see people, even if they live close by. After that, I went home and just took it easy. It was nice to relax a little bit after such a busy few days.
 |
| My mom working on the puzzle and Ritch relaxing |
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Counting Kicks
So all the books and websites say you should start counting kicks at 28 weeks. My doctor didn't say anything to me about it, but I thought I'd give it a try for fun. It said to pick an active time and then time how long it takes to feel 10 kicks, and that it shouldn't take more than an hour. I made it to 12 in about a minute. I think we're good, and maybe even in a little trouble :)
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
28 Weeks
I am officially in my third trimester. Now I'm really starting to think about meeting our little guy. Who will he look like? Will he have Chris' eyes or my hair. All things I'm so excited to find out, but at the same time content to wait. I know he needs to cook a little more before that day comes :)
So a lot of people complain about pregnancy...and it's true, there is plenty to complain about (I've done my fair share), but there are some things that are so cool, they make it all worth it. My favorite thing, the best part for me, is feeling him move. I was nervous that I would be creeped out by it, like I would feel there was an alien inside me or something (and it for sure feels like it sometimes!), but it's not weird at all. It's so cool. I think, too, it's a confirmation that he's ok in there. When he kicks, or rolls around, or does whatever he's doing in there, I want everyone to feel it, to share that moment (except random strangers...random strangers are not allowed to touch my belly...luckily I haven't had this happen yet, but I've heard stories). And no matter what, it makes me smile, even if I flinch first -- bladder kicks are not the most comfortable.
Belly pic coming soon :)
So a lot of people complain about pregnancy...and it's true, there is plenty to complain about (I've done my fair share), but there are some things that are so cool, they make it all worth it. My favorite thing, the best part for me, is feeling him move. I was nervous that I would be creeped out by it, like I would feel there was an alien inside me or something (and it for sure feels like it sometimes!), but it's not weird at all. It's so cool. I think, too, it's a confirmation that he's ok in there. When he kicks, or rolls around, or does whatever he's doing in there, I want everyone to feel it, to share that moment (except random strangers...random strangers are not allowed to touch my belly...luckily I haven't had this happen yet, but I've heard stories). And no matter what, it makes me smile, even if I flinch first -- bladder kicks are not the most comfortable.
Belly pic coming soon :)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Whoa Baby!
Kicks so big, my belly is rolling!! Watch to the left around where the wrinkles in my shirt are. There are some especially big ones toward the end. Just for perspective, this is a top down shot...I'm sitting in a chair. The black in the top left corner are my pants...you can see the white tank top sticking out from underneath the bottom of my sweater.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Success
Now we just need to pick out paint...and I won't show you a picture of our guest room right about now.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Doctor Visit #7
Note: I meant to publish this yesterday, but like many things in my life these days, I forgot...so here it is :)
I had my next visit today. All is progressing well. I gained 4 pounds (so adhering to the pound a week rule this past month) and grew 4 cm, putting me at 30 cm total. His heart was good and strong. I can't remember his heart rate, but I know it was in the 140s (I'm proud for remembering that much. I swear I lose more brain cells each day). My blood pressure was a smidge high, but I had just run in, so no one was concerned. I have no swelling, which is good news.
I go back for my next visit in 3 weeks, when I'm at 30 weeks. I think after that I'll start going every 2 weeks until we hit February, then it's every week 'til the little man makes his arrival.
Chris and I are making a big push to clean up John's room today. We got some bins and are armed with trash bags. Here is a shot of the room, mid clean up...it will soon be empty, ready to paint and fill with baby things :)
I had my next visit today. All is progressing well. I gained 4 pounds (so adhering to the pound a week rule this past month) and grew 4 cm, putting me at 30 cm total. His heart was good and strong. I can't remember his heart rate, but I know it was in the 140s (I'm proud for remembering that much. I swear I lose more brain cells each day). My blood pressure was a smidge high, but I had just run in, so no one was concerned. I have no swelling, which is good news.
I go back for my next visit in 3 weeks, when I'm at 30 weeks. I think after that I'll start going every 2 weeks until we hit February, then it's every week 'til the little man makes his arrival.
Chris and I are making a big push to clean up John's room today. We got some bins and are armed with trash bags. Here is a shot of the room, mid clean up...it will soon be empty, ready to paint and fill with baby things :)
 |
| Seriously not as bad as it was...you literally could only open the door. That pretty painting has been destined for the space above our fireplace for over a year. We really need to hang it up. There is also a very large bookcase packed with books just to the left of this shot...still trying to figure out what to do with it. |
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
27 Weeks
One more week down. Time is really starting to race by! Tomorrow is December!!
Baby business is going pretty well. He seems to be growing every day (or at least my belly seems to be growing more every day). He's moving around a ton. They say I could be feeling him hiccuping, so I'll be on the lookout for that :) Sleeping is continuing to be uncomfortable. I just can't seem to find a position that I want to sleep in (besides the not allowed position of on my back). I've tried so many pillows in different places, but to no avail. It probably doesn't help that I have a dog glued to my side. And if I move her, she just comes right back. I need to have Chris take a picture of her one morning to you can see how she insists on sleeping most nights.
I have my next doctor's appointment on Friday, so we'll see how much we've grown :) I think after this appointment, I may have to start going every two weeks! Oh, and I passed my glucose test and I am not anemic! Hooray! I can still eat sugar and I don't have to take extra pills.
I found this funny labor prediction site online. Here are my results. We'll have to see if they come true :) Funny part is that I didn't say I was having a boy, so she guessed that part right, at least.
Madame Zaritska, using her mystical powers, has the following prediction:
The day you deliver, outside will be windy. Your baby will arrive in the middle of the night. After a labor lasting approximately 13 hours, your child, a boy, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 5 pounds, 6 ounces, and will be 17-1/2 inches long. This child will have light gray eyes and a little patch of brown hair.
Some exciting news: Chris' cousin Jeremy and his wife, Alicia, had their baby girl this morning (about a week late, too!). Welcome to the family, Aliya!
New belly picture coming soon! I don't really want to take it right now while I'm on the train. People might look at me funny :)
Baby business is going pretty well. He seems to be growing every day (or at least my belly seems to be growing more every day). He's moving around a ton. They say I could be feeling him hiccuping, so I'll be on the lookout for that :) Sleeping is continuing to be uncomfortable. I just can't seem to find a position that I want to sleep in (besides the not allowed position of on my back). I've tried so many pillows in different places, but to no avail. It probably doesn't help that I have a dog glued to my side. And if I move her, she just comes right back. I need to have Chris take a picture of her one morning to you can see how she insists on sleeping most nights.
I have my next doctor's appointment on Friday, so we'll see how much we've grown :) I think after this appointment, I may have to start going every two weeks! Oh, and I passed my glucose test and I am not anemic! Hooray! I can still eat sugar and I don't have to take extra pills.
I found this funny labor prediction site online. Here are my results. We'll have to see if they come true :) Funny part is that I didn't say I was having a boy, so she guessed that part right, at least.
Madame Zaritska, using her mystical powers, has the following prediction:
The day you deliver, outside will be windy. Your baby will arrive in the middle of the night. After a labor lasting approximately 13 hours, your child, a boy, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 5 pounds, 6 ounces, and will be 17-1/2 inches long. This child will have light gray eyes and a little patch of brown hair.
Some exciting news: Chris' cousin Jeremy and his wife, Alicia, had their baby girl this morning (about a week late, too!). Welcome to the family, Aliya!
New belly picture coming soon! I don't really want to take it right now while I'm on the train. People might look at me funny :)
Monday, November 28, 2011
26 Weeks (and two days), Thanksgiving and Chris' birthday
Whoa, what a packed few days it has been. Wednesday I turned 26 weeks! That's 2/3 done! We took a picture yesterday, so here I am at 26 wk 1 day.
What do you think? Any bigger than last week?
Yesterday was thanksgiving and Chris and I cooked our first full thanksgiving dinner. I think it turned out pretty well, too :) We made turkey, mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes (we love our carbs) and Swedish corn pudding (a Snider family tradition). My sister, Janet and Eric and Cheryl, Chris' mom, all joined us. My sister made green bean casserole and Janet made sweet potatoes and brownies. It was such a tasty meal :)
Pictures from the day below:
Chris' birthday also happened to fall on thanksgiving this year, so we had one more thing to celebrate :) He opened his presents at about 6:30 in the morning like most newly turned 31 year olds :) We had to prep for our meal so it wasn't the most exciting of birthdays, but we did have Portillo's chocolate cake with cool candles that burned different colors :)
What do you think? Any bigger than last week?
Yesterday was thanksgiving and Chris and I cooked our first full thanksgiving dinner. I think it turned out pretty well, too :) We made turkey, mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes (we love our carbs) and Swedish corn pudding (a Snider family tradition). My sister, Janet and Eric and Cheryl, Chris' mom, all joined us. My sister made green bean casserole and Janet made sweet potatoes and brownies. It was such a tasty meal :)
Pictures from the day below:
 |
| The table, kind of set...I was excited to use my pretty napkins for the first time, however I wasn't quite sure how to put them into the napkin holders :) |
 |
| Chris carving the turkey |
 |
Bethanne decided to dress Daisy up |
 |
| Eric and Chris passed out after dinner |
Chris' birthday also happened to fall on thanksgiving this year, so we had one more thing to celebrate :) He opened his presents at about 6:30 in the morning like most newly turned 31 year olds :) We had to prep for our meal so it wasn't the most exciting of birthdays, but we did have Portillo's chocolate cake with cool candles that burned different colors :)
(I meant to publish this Friday but didn't do it 'til Sunday, my bad)
So, continuing for the rest of the weekend. Yesterday was pretty low key. We pretty much hung around all day. Today we went to church and then afterward we went to Babies R Us to register. I found a little ornament for expecting parents. Isn't it so cute:
Chris also found a little Cubs shirt for John that he just couldn't resist :)
 |
| Sorry this is sideways. If anyone knows how to flip pictures in blogger, advice would be appreciated :) |
After we got back, I ran to Old Navy with my mom and sister. I got John a little fleece one piece thing for cold weather (I'm afraid in February all the spring stuff will be out and I won't be able to find cold weather stuff for him). It has little teddy bear ears on the hood. It's too cute :)
Chris had an afternoon of sports and I just hung around. Overall, it was a great weekend, especially since mine was 5 days.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Weekend Activities
We had a semi busy weekend and actually got some things done!
On Saturday, I was up bright and early to take Daisy to the groomer (she was so shaggy, it's not even funny) and head over to the lab to have my glucose test done (you don't make an appointment, so the earlier you get there, the better). I got there at 7:15 and had to wait 45 minutes to have my test done. Boo. They pricked my finger initially to get a fasting sugar reading. Then they gave me a sugary drink to drink. Now, from what I've heard everyone say about this drink, I was expecting some thick, syrup-y, most disgusting thing I'd ever ingested drink. However, it was nice and cold and tasted like fruit punch. I drank it down with no problem (it helped that I was pretty thirsty, too) and didn't feel nauseous afterward like my mom said I would. I had to sit there for an hour to let my body process the sugar, and then they drew blood...this time for real because they also do another CBC to check my iron level to make sure I'm not anemic. So I should hear sometime this week if I passed. If not, I have to go back for a 3 hour test to determine if I have gestational diabetes. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen. And I really, really hope I'm not anemic. I don't think my intestinal tract could deal with having to take iron pills, if you catch my drift.
After that, I went with my mom to visit my grandparents and an old family friend, Lois. We had a very nice visit. And while I was gone, Chris started cleaning out the baby's room. He said he threw out 6 bags of trash and it didn't even look like he made a dent. WHAT? Oh well. I need to start working on my portion of stuff in there, too. Hopefully I'll find some time this week to take care of some stuff (I'm off starting Wednesday, whoo hoo!)
Speaking of the baby's room, last week Chris and I ordered his furniture! We're so excited to get it :) We got one of the those convertible cribs that turns into a toddler bed, then a full sized bed, which means the furniture we just bought is the furniture until he moves out of the house. Sweet. We had a little bit of a scare when we went looking at furniture last weekend. We're browsing, checking stuff out and the lady at the store proceeds to tell us that it takes 8-12 weeks for the furniture to arrive. Chris and I looked at each other, panic stricken. 12 weeks?!? So we were like, ok, we have to order this, like, yesterday. But we got it all taken care of (and we are both happy with it, bonus!).
Saturday night we went out for our friend Laura's birthday. We had dinner at Carmine's, an Italian restaurant in Chicago. We had a great time...it was fun to see everyone. Too bad the pregnant lady needed to go home and go to bed, so we missed the going out after dinner part.
Sunday we went to church and then went to finish registering. Can I just say, registering is not fun. It's pretty stressful, actually. They give you a checklist and everything, but still, I've never done this before, I don't really know what I need and what I don't. Thankfully, I have friends with babies who can help me out on that front :)
After that, I was super sleepy, so we came home and I took a nice nap on the couch while Chris watched football. We had a pretty lazy day the rest of Sunday. We probably should have been preparing for Thanksgiving, but we'll leave that 'til later :)
PS...OMG! 100 days to go!
On Saturday, I was up bright and early to take Daisy to the groomer (she was so shaggy, it's not even funny) and head over to the lab to have my glucose test done (you don't make an appointment, so the earlier you get there, the better). I got there at 7:15 and had to wait 45 minutes to have my test done. Boo. They pricked my finger initially to get a fasting sugar reading. Then they gave me a sugary drink to drink. Now, from what I've heard everyone say about this drink, I was expecting some thick, syrup-y, most disgusting thing I'd ever ingested drink. However, it was nice and cold and tasted like fruit punch. I drank it down with no problem (it helped that I was pretty thirsty, too) and didn't feel nauseous afterward like my mom said I would. I had to sit there for an hour to let my body process the sugar, and then they drew blood...this time for real because they also do another CBC to check my iron level to make sure I'm not anemic. So I should hear sometime this week if I passed. If not, I have to go back for a 3 hour test to determine if I have gestational diabetes. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen. And I really, really hope I'm not anemic. I don't think my intestinal tract could deal with having to take iron pills, if you catch my drift.
After that, I went with my mom to visit my grandparents and an old family friend, Lois. We had a very nice visit. And while I was gone, Chris started cleaning out the baby's room. He said he threw out 6 bags of trash and it didn't even look like he made a dent. WHAT? Oh well. I need to start working on my portion of stuff in there, too. Hopefully I'll find some time this week to take care of some stuff (I'm off starting Wednesday, whoo hoo!)
Speaking of the baby's room, last week Chris and I ordered his furniture! We're so excited to get it :) We got one of the those convertible cribs that turns into a toddler bed, then a full sized bed, which means the furniture we just bought is the furniture until he moves out of the house. Sweet. We had a little bit of a scare when we went looking at furniture last weekend. We're browsing, checking stuff out and the lady at the store proceeds to tell us that it takes 8-12 weeks for the furniture to arrive. Chris and I looked at each other, panic stricken. 12 weeks?!? So we were like, ok, we have to order this, like, yesterday. But we got it all taken care of (and we are both happy with it, bonus!).
Saturday night we went out for our friend Laura's birthday. We had dinner at Carmine's, an Italian restaurant in Chicago. We had a great time...it was fun to see everyone. Too bad the pregnant lady needed to go home and go to bed, so we missed the going out after dinner part.
Sunday we went to church and then went to finish registering. Can I just say, registering is not fun. It's pretty stressful, actually. They give you a checklist and everything, but still, I've never done this before, I don't really know what I need and what I don't. Thankfully, I have friends with babies who can help me out on that front :)
After that, I was super sleepy, so we came home and I took a nice nap on the couch while Chris watched football. We had a pretty lazy day the rest of Sunday. We probably should have been preparing for Thanksgiving, but we'll leave that 'til later :)
PS...OMG! 100 days to go!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
25 Weeks
So, I've popped. I feel like I've suddenly gotten huge. Since Chris took a long time to tie his tie this morning, he didn't get to take a picture, so I'll have to take one later. But seriously, he's suddenly there.
So how am I feeling now (besides huge)? Well, I've noticed that if I sit hunched over or when I'm laying down, sometimes I need to take deep breaths. They said that would happen. He's taking over my lung space. Movement has picked up. I'm starting to feel sharper body parts as opposed to little bumps...it's like an elbow or a knee jamming into my stomach and then wiggling around. Luckily it has not yet become uncomfortable (except for when he decides to dance on my bladder or cervix -- NOT FUN). At church on Sunday, you could see my stomaching bumping from the little party John was throwing inside. Apparently, he likes to rock out to church music.
Heartburn is happening still, but it's not getting worse yet. I've been trying to take the recommended precautions to help head it off, at least for a little while. I'm trying to eat more often, not drink mass amounts of water on an empty stomach, chew non-mint gum (did you know mint can make heartburn worse...and your saliva can neutralize stomach acid, thus the chewing of gum to produce saliva), and keep my tums close by my side. Ice cream and chocolate milk help, too :)
We've been making headway on the getting ready for baby front, as well. I signed us up for a childbirth class yesterday. Because of our work schedules, we aren't able to take the one that meets for an hour over a 6 week period. Instead, we get to spend an entire Saturday learning about the joys of labor and delivery :) We'll get a tour of the hospital, too. I'm hoping we also get snacks.
We've also started registering (there's not much on there yet...hopefully we'll get the rest of it done, soon) and we picked out furniture for our little guy's room. Too bad his room STILL isn't cleaned out. Soon, I promise. It's kind of crazy thinking about how his arrival really isn't that far away. And can you believe Thanksgiving is next week??
So how am I feeling now (besides huge)? Well, I've noticed that if I sit hunched over or when I'm laying down, sometimes I need to take deep breaths. They said that would happen. He's taking over my lung space. Movement has picked up. I'm starting to feel sharper body parts as opposed to little bumps...it's like an elbow or a knee jamming into my stomach and then wiggling around. Luckily it has not yet become uncomfortable (except for when he decides to dance on my bladder or cervix -- NOT FUN). At church on Sunday, you could see my stomaching bumping from the little party John was throwing inside. Apparently, he likes to rock out to church music.
Heartburn is happening still, but it's not getting worse yet. I've been trying to take the recommended precautions to help head it off, at least for a little while. I'm trying to eat more often, not drink mass amounts of water on an empty stomach, chew non-mint gum (did you know mint can make heartburn worse...and your saliva can neutralize stomach acid, thus the chewing of gum to produce saliva), and keep my tums close by my side. Ice cream and chocolate milk help, too :)
We've been making headway on the getting ready for baby front, as well. I signed us up for a childbirth class yesterday. Because of our work schedules, we aren't able to take the one that meets for an hour over a 6 week period. Instead, we get to spend an entire Saturday learning about the joys of labor and delivery :) We'll get a tour of the hospital, too. I'm hoping we also get snacks.
We've also started registering (there's not much on there yet...hopefully we'll get the rest of it done, soon) and we picked out furniture for our little guy's room. Too bad his room STILL isn't cleaned out. Soon, I promise. It's kind of crazy thinking about how his arrival really isn't that far away. And can you believe Thanksgiving is next week??
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
24 Weeks
Whoa, 6 months! Can you believe it? I know I can't. Just 4 more to go (since technically, it's 40 weeks -- I have 16 weeks left). My little countdown to the right will soon be under 100 days!
I'm still feeling good. One bad thing, though. Heartburn has started, I think. In the past week and a half, I've had it 3 times. You're probably like wimp, what's 3 times, but I NEVER get heartburn...I think I can count on one hand how many times I've had it before now. And frankly, I don't know how people deal with it -- it's awful! And what a horrible thought that it's probably just going to get worse. My friend, Gina, told me to get a big bottle of tums and carry it with me at all times, because I'm going to need it. I've started to notice kicks up under my ribs during the day at work, and the heartburn usually starts around midday, so I wonder if it's our little Johnny actually kicking the acid out of my stomach that is causing it. Thanks, buddy :)
Can you believe the holidays are almost here? Starting after this weekend, I feel like things really start to pick up and we're not going to have time to take a breath until the new year. And then the baby is almost here! I knew that would happen once November hit. We've got to find time to decorate John's room sometime soon, though.
Belly pic coming soon...
I'm still feeling good. One bad thing, though. Heartburn has started, I think. In the past week and a half, I've had it 3 times. You're probably like wimp, what's 3 times, but I NEVER get heartburn...I think I can count on one hand how many times I've had it before now. And frankly, I don't know how people deal with it -- it's awful! And what a horrible thought that it's probably just going to get worse. My friend, Gina, told me to get a big bottle of tums and carry it with me at all times, because I'm going to need it. I've started to notice kicks up under my ribs during the day at work, and the heartburn usually starts around midday, so I wonder if it's our little Johnny actually kicking the acid out of my stomach that is causing it. Thanks, buddy :)
Can you believe the holidays are almost here? Starting after this weekend, I feel like things really start to pick up and we're not going to have time to take a breath until the new year. And then the baby is almost here! I knew that would happen once November hit. We've got to find time to decorate John's room sometime soon, though.
Belly pic coming soon...
Friday, November 4, 2011
Doctor Visit #6
Today I had my next appointment. Everything is looking good. I gained 5 pounds this month, whoops, a pound more than ideal. John's heart rate is at 154 beats and I measured at 26 centimeters. Remember when I said that it's supposed to be 1 cm per week? Well, that means I should be at 23 cm +/-2 cm. So apparently our little Johnny isn't so little. I asked the doctor what that meant and she just said it meant he was growing well :) My mom and Maggie came to the appointment so they could hear the heartbeat. The doctor was having some problems getting a good reading because he was moving around so much :)
I have to go next week for my glucose test. What happens is I fast for 3 hours, then go get my blood drawn. Then they make me drink some nasty sugary drink and wait an hour, then draw my blood again. If my sugar level is good after that, then I'm all good. If it's high, I could have gestational diabetes, so then I have to go for a three hour test to know one way or another for sure.
You may not know this about me, but I can sometimes freak out about things that otherwise sane people may take in stride (if you've ever seen me when there is the threat of a tornado, you know what I'm talking about). Anyway, my ever present tummy ache fulfills many of the symptoms of preterm labor. Yesterday I was totally convinced that I was going into labor. Well, shocking, I wasn't. I just had a stomach ache all day. Just to be sure, I asked my doctor today how to tell the difference between a stomach ache and labor. She explained much clearer what preterm labor would feel like, way clearer than the books, whose job I think it is to scare the crap out of you. Now I know and this will save me plenty of moments (or hours) of panic.
And here is the belly at 23 weeks 2 days:
I have to go next week for my glucose test. What happens is I fast for 3 hours, then go get my blood drawn. Then they make me drink some nasty sugary drink and wait an hour, then draw my blood again. If my sugar level is good after that, then I'm all good. If it's high, I could have gestational diabetes, so then I have to go for a three hour test to know one way or another for sure.
You may not know this about me, but I can sometimes freak out about things that otherwise sane people may take in stride (if you've ever seen me when there is the threat of a tornado, you know what I'm talking about). Anyway, my ever present tummy ache fulfills many of the symptoms of preterm labor. Yesterday I was totally convinced that I was going into labor. Well, shocking, I wasn't. I just had a stomach ache all day. Just to be sure, I asked my doctor today how to tell the difference between a stomach ache and labor. She explained much clearer what preterm labor would feel like, way clearer than the books, whose job I think it is to scare the crap out of you. Now I know and this will save me plenty of moments (or hours) of panic.
And here is the belly at 23 weeks 2 days:
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
23 Weeks
We've made it to 23 weeks! John has been kicking up a storm, sometimes so strong that we can see my stomach move. I tried to get a video of it last night, but of course he wasn't cooperating then.
I'm still feeling pretty good. Sleeping is getting increasingly uncomfortable and I pretty much always have a stomach ache (gotta love gas), but if those are the worst of my complaints, I think I'm doing pretty well.
We've been trying to make decisions about baby stuff (Only 17 weeks left!!). We picked out bedding this weekend. It's got whales on it and is super cute :) We still need to get his room cleaned out though, it is currently a disaster.
Belly pic coming soon (I'm on the train right now. It would be quite a sight for me to try and take one now).
P.S. I had some more interesting dreams last night. In one, I was helping out this homeless guy. I got him some food and I was going to give him some money but I couldn't find my debit card to withdraw money. In another I was at the Quarry (the ghetto old one with the blue bottom and chain link fence. Batavia people will know what I'm talking about). My brother was there and he brought Daisy for some reason and then he lost her. I was so angry at him but he told me not to worry because there were some salt caves under the Quarry and she was probably hanging out down there. And then she came swimming up to us. And I think there may have been one about boogers. It was a busy night.
I'm still feeling pretty good. Sleeping is getting increasingly uncomfortable and I pretty much always have a stomach ache (gotta love gas), but if those are the worst of my complaints, I think I'm doing pretty well.
We've been trying to make decisions about baby stuff (Only 17 weeks left!!). We picked out bedding this weekend. It's got whales on it and is super cute :) We still need to get his room cleaned out though, it is currently a disaster.
Belly pic coming soon (I'm on the train right now. It would be quite a sight for me to try and take one now).
P.S. I had some more interesting dreams last night. In one, I was helping out this homeless guy. I got him some food and I was going to give him some money but I couldn't find my debit card to withdraw money. In another I was at the Quarry (the ghetto old one with the blue bottom and chain link fence. Batavia people will know what I'm talking about). My brother was there and he brought Daisy for some reason and then he lost her. I was so angry at him but he told me not to worry because there were some salt caves under the Quarry and she was probably hanging out down there. And then she came swimming up to us. And I think there may have been one about boogers. It was a busy night.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Dreams
Pregnancy can bring on some very odd dreams. It's even more odd for me since most of the time, I can't remember my dreams. For your amusement, here are just a few that I've had since I became pregnant.
Just last night, I had a dream that I was in the hospital to have surgery. I had a new doctor who was going to perform the surgery, who was studying under my OB/Gyn (although I was not pregnant in the dream, nor did the surgery have anything to do with girl parts). I waited and waited, but no one came to do the surgery. So finally I was like this is stupid, I'm leaving. But when I tried to leave I found out the hospital was on lock down because they had been doing some kind of experimental treatment with radioactivity on athletes (??), and it had leaked, so we were all potentially radioactive. They were performing tests on people to see if they could leave. Basically, if you hadn't become totally stupid, you were fine to go. I was totally fine and trying to leave, but then this army general looking guy was trying to make me stay, so then I had to escape. I was running away through the parking lot when I woke up.
I've had a few marriage ones, too. One, for some reason, our marriage certificate had expired and we needed to get married again. The oddest part was that the wedding was at my OB/Gyn's house and she was performing the ceremony. But then she said she couldn't do it because Chris had been divorced before. They had even had a cake, but they wouldn't let us eat it because we couldn't get married.
I also had one where we were getting married again. I was upset because I didn't like the wedding dress I was wearing and just wanted to wear the one I wore for our first wedding.
Way back in the beginning, I had one where my friend Jessica and I were competing at the state gymnastics meet. My old gymnastics coach was there and she was yelling at me and told me I had to do bars (now, if any of you know anything about my gymnastic ability, you know that bars was always a joke of an event for me -- in high school, I was even told I could skip that rotation at practice and just do floor or vault again instead). I didn't have my wrist bands for my grips, so I had to borrow Jessica's which were like 3 inches thick, so I could barely get my grips on. Also, there was a huge mat under the low bar that left like a foot of space. I asked the judge if I could move the mat because I couldn't mount if it was there, but she told me I couldn't. My coach yelled at me again and told me my feet better not touch the mat (which was impossible, since there was only about a foot space between the mat and the low bar). And then it started raining in the gym.
I know there are more random ones like these, I just can't remember them anymore. I've heard a lot of people have dreams about giving birth and the like, but I'm not even pregnant in any of my dreams. It has been fun for me, though, to actually remember them. I think Chris just thinks I'm crazy :)
Just last night, I had a dream that I was in the hospital to have surgery. I had a new doctor who was going to perform the surgery, who was studying under my OB/Gyn (although I was not pregnant in the dream, nor did the surgery have anything to do with girl parts). I waited and waited, but no one came to do the surgery. So finally I was like this is stupid, I'm leaving. But when I tried to leave I found out the hospital was on lock down because they had been doing some kind of experimental treatment with radioactivity on athletes (??), and it had leaked, so we were all potentially radioactive. They were performing tests on people to see if they could leave. Basically, if you hadn't become totally stupid, you were fine to go. I was totally fine and trying to leave, but then this army general looking guy was trying to make me stay, so then I had to escape. I was running away through the parking lot when I woke up.
I've had a few marriage ones, too. One, for some reason, our marriage certificate had expired and we needed to get married again. The oddest part was that the wedding was at my OB/Gyn's house and she was performing the ceremony. But then she said she couldn't do it because Chris had been divorced before. They had even had a cake, but they wouldn't let us eat it because we couldn't get married.
I also had one where we were getting married again. I was upset because I didn't like the wedding dress I was wearing and just wanted to wear the one I wore for our first wedding.
Way back in the beginning, I had one where my friend Jessica and I were competing at the state gymnastics meet. My old gymnastics coach was there and she was yelling at me and told me I had to do bars (now, if any of you know anything about my gymnastic ability, you know that bars was always a joke of an event for me -- in high school, I was even told I could skip that rotation at practice and just do floor or vault again instead). I didn't have my wrist bands for my grips, so I had to borrow Jessica's which were like 3 inches thick, so I could barely get my grips on. Also, there was a huge mat under the low bar that left like a foot of space. I asked the judge if I could move the mat because I couldn't mount if it was there, but she told me I couldn't. My coach yelled at me again and told me my feet better not touch the mat (which was impossible, since there was only about a foot space between the mat and the low bar). And then it started raining in the gym.
I know there are more random ones like these, I just can't remember them anymore. I've heard a lot of people have dreams about giving birth and the like, but I'm not even pregnant in any of my dreams. It has been fun for me, though, to actually remember them. I think Chris just thinks I'm crazy :)
Thursday, October 27, 2011
A Good Sign?
So Daisy has always been a cuddle bug. When we first got her, she used to sleep across my neck like a scarf (waaaaay to heavy to do that now), then for a long time, she slept curled up by my head. I have always been a stomach sleeper, but due to the insistence of my dog (a cold nose incessantly nudging your face in the middle of the night is good encouragement), I had been sleeping on my back a lot so she could sleep in her lately preferred place in the crook of my arm. She's always been a hot little dog, so she would sleep with me or Chris for a bit, then jump down and sleep under the bed for a while to cool off.
Since I've been pregnant, however, her sleeping habits have curiously changed. She now will dig at the blankets until I lift them up for her to go under, and then she curls up right against my bump. At first, I thought it was because I had a pillow between my legs and she wanted to lay on the pillow, but she does it if the pillow is there or not. I wonder if she can feel it when he kicks at night. In any case, she is already cuddling with her little brother (yes, we are those kind of dog people...I'm probably going to get her a shirt that says Big Sister. Unfortunately, Daisy is not one of those kinds of dogs. We will put it on her, take a picture, and then have to take it off before she rubs up against every wall in the house trying to get it off. It makes Chris proud).
I hope this bodes well for when John gets here. Hopefully she will like him and not be too mad at us when the level of attention she gets drops (luckily she is too small to drop her ball in the crib for baby Johnny to throw to her). And for those of you who fear I may be slightly crazy, no, I will not allow the dog to sleep with an infant. I may love my dog, but I'm not dumb. She will get supervised visits, though. And once John is big enough, they will be best friends. Especially once he learns to throw that ball.
Since I've been pregnant, however, her sleeping habits have curiously changed. She now will dig at the blankets until I lift them up for her to go under, and then she curls up right against my bump. At first, I thought it was because I had a pillow between my legs and she wanted to lay on the pillow, but she does it if the pillow is there or not. I wonder if she can feel it when he kicks at night. In any case, she is already cuddling with her little brother (yes, we are those kind of dog people...I'm probably going to get her a shirt that says Big Sister. Unfortunately, Daisy is not one of those kinds of dogs. We will put it on her, take a picture, and then have to take it off before she rubs up against every wall in the house trying to get it off. It makes Chris proud).
I hope this bodes well for when John gets here. Hopefully she will like him and not be too mad at us when the level of attention she gets drops (luckily she is too small to drop her ball in the crib for baby Johnny to throw to her). And for those of you who fear I may be slightly crazy, no, I will not allow the dog to sleep with an infant. I may love my dog, but I'm not dumb. She will get supervised visits, though. And once John is big enough, they will be best friends. Especially once he learns to throw that ball.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
22 Week Belly
 |
| I think that's the same shirt I had on for last week's picture. My maternity wardorbe is not varied. |
22 Weeks
Another week down! We think I'm getting bigger every day, which I suppose would make sense, as the little guy is growing leaps and bounds. He's a kicking machine these days, and he's definitely starting to follow a schedule -- I know for sure certain times of the day when he's going to wake up and have a party in my belly. It seems, too, that one of his favorite places to kick me is right in the cervix (sorry if this is too much information for some people). I was reading about it online, and apparently it happens to a lot of people, but let me tell you, it is not the most comfortable thing in the world. It kind of feels like he just might fall out. But I've been assured that that won't happen (and the fact that it has been happening for weeks now and he is still where he should be is a good sign).
I've started to notice my belly getting in the way a little more, too. I'm misjudging spaces that I would have normally fit through (like between the table and chair) and end up bumping my belly against something. And if I'm sitting and bend down to put my shoes on, I can't quite reach as far as I could before. I wonder when Chris will have to start putting my socks and shoes on for me :) I already asked him if he would paint my toe nails when that day came. He said he'd just pay for me to have a pedicure, which works just as well for me!
Another thing that seems to be getting worse is the pregnancy brain, also known as I can't remember anything anymore. I wasn't bad in the beginning, so I thought maybe I would escape this particular pregnancy side affect, but whoa, has it arrived. An example...Monday, I was supposed to work out of a different location. The company was doing a drill to see how functional employees were at a location that they did not normally work at. I was really excited to participate because the location I was going to was about 15-20 minutes from my house, as opposed to my approximately 1.5 hour commute I slog through daily. But guess what. I totally forgot. I went to work as normal and didn't remember that I wasn't supposed to be in Chicago, but rather Downers Grove until I was digging through my bag for my key card and felt my little container of paperclips that I had brought home with me on Friday so I would have them on Monday. I was so embarrassed. I had to call a few people to let them know that I would not, in fact, be participating in the drill because I have no memory.
This week's belly picture coming soon...
I've started to notice my belly getting in the way a little more, too. I'm misjudging spaces that I would have normally fit through (like between the table and chair) and end up bumping my belly against something. And if I'm sitting and bend down to put my shoes on, I can't quite reach as far as I could before. I wonder when Chris will have to start putting my socks and shoes on for me :) I already asked him if he would paint my toe nails when that day came. He said he'd just pay for me to have a pedicure, which works just as well for me!
Another thing that seems to be getting worse is the pregnancy brain, also known as I can't remember anything anymore. I wasn't bad in the beginning, so I thought maybe I would escape this particular pregnancy side affect, but whoa, has it arrived. An example...Monday, I was supposed to work out of a different location. The company was doing a drill to see how functional employees were at a location that they did not normally work at. I was really excited to participate because the location I was going to was about 15-20 minutes from my house, as opposed to my approximately 1.5 hour commute I slog through daily. But guess what. I totally forgot. I went to work as normal and didn't remember that I wasn't supposed to be in Chicago, but rather Downers Grove until I was digging through my bag for my key card and felt my little container of paperclips that I had brought home with me on Friday so I would have them on Monday. I was so embarrassed. I had to call a few people to let them know that I would not, in fact, be participating in the drill because I have no memory.
This week's belly picture coming soon...
Friday, October 21, 2011
End of an Era
For those of you who converse with me on my cell phone, you are quite aware that I am capable of about a 3-6 minute phone conversation before my phone dies. And then, if I have access to a charger and an outlet, it takes about 6 more minutes for the dang thing to turn back on. And when it does turn back on, it usually has a full battery, only to die again after another 3-6 minute conversation. Oh, and don't even try pulling up a website or having an extended text message conversation.
This is because I have had the same phone for 3 1/2 years. Chris got it for me for my birthday in 2008. Props to RIM for making my little Blackberry Pearl so resilient (seriously, I have put this phone through hell) because seriously, how many of you out there have had a phone last for that long. And really, I think the problem is not the phone, but the 3 1/2 year old battery.
Anyway, this brings me to my point. Hallelujah, I have finally gotten a new phone...or at least ordered it. Yes, friends, I am finally going to be the owner of an iPhone! An iPhone4S, to be exact. So very soon, I will be able to communicate and browse the web (maybe even at the same time!) without fear that my phone will poop out at any second. No longer will I have to preface all phone conversations with, "if I suddenly am gone, don't worry, my phone just died" or "I'm going to call you back from my house phone in two seconds before my phone dies"
So Pearl, as of the 28th, or somewhere thereabout, you will be retired. It has been lovely.
This is because I have had the same phone for 3 1/2 years. Chris got it for me for my birthday in 2008. Props to RIM for making my little Blackberry Pearl so resilient (seriously, I have put this phone through hell) because seriously, how many of you out there have had a phone last for that long. And really, I think the problem is not the phone, but the 3 1/2 year old battery.
Anyway, this brings me to my point. Hallelujah, I have finally gotten a new phone...or at least ordered it. Yes, friends, I am finally going to be the owner of an iPhone! An iPhone4S, to be exact. So very soon, I will be able to communicate and browse the web (maybe even at the same time!) without fear that my phone will poop out at any second. No longer will I have to preface all phone conversations with, "if I suddenly am gone, don't worry, my phone just died" or "I'm going to call you back from my house phone in two seconds before my phone dies"
So Pearl, as of the 28th, or somewhere thereabout, you will be retired. It has been lovely.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
21 Weeks
Exciting baby news, but not our own. Our friends Mike and Liz had their baby today!! Now baby Matthew just has to wait a few months for his best friend Johnny to be born.
And here's this week's belly picture...I know, my CTU sweatpants are hot.
Monday, October 17, 2011
A Beautiful Bride
That's what Kelly was this weekend! In addition to the excitement of finding out we're having a little man, one of my best friends, Kelly, got married!
And some photos that I took from other people, since my camera was in attendance, but decided to die. Awesome.
It was an excellent weekend for such an event. We had the rehearsal on Friday and the rehearsal dinner at this cute Italian restaurant. The meal was served family style, which was excellent. I got to have a little of everything, and as much of it as I wanted. Sadly, the as much of it as I wanted didn't match up with how much my stomach can hold :) We had penne with meat sauce, fettuccine alfredo, meatballs, chicken parmesan and salad. Yummmmm :)
After that, the bridesmaids went back to Kelly's hotel room. We watched Bridesmaids, ate snacks and just enjoyed Kelly's last night as a single lady. I brought the snacks -- word to the wise, if the pregnant lady gets snacks when she is hungry, watch out. We ended up with chocolate and cheese: Milano cookies, little chocolate donuts, cheese pringles, tortilla chips and pretzels to dip in cheese dip....and grapes.
The next morning we all met back in Kelly's room to get our hair done. Her immensely talented cousin did all 5 of our hairs, and everyone looked beautiful. Mine felt 60s-ish to me and I was loving it :)
Saturday was sunny without a cloud in the sky. Kelly was so stunning and her now husband, Patrick, was quite handsome (but Kelly wins :) ). It was an outdoor ceremony with a pond and forest preserve in the background. The reception was just inside in the Greenbelt Cultural Center. We had a mexican buffet for dinner and dang was it good. But I think my favorite part of dinner was the sweet table :) Kim, the other pregnant bridesmaid, and I led the way to it :)
And some photos that I took from other people, since my camera was in attendance, but decided to die. Awesome.
 |
Before the ceremony |
 |
| Oh, beautiful bride! |
 |
| The Wedding Party |
Sunday, October 16, 2011
All of Chris' dreams have come true
That's right, it's a boy!! (For the record, my dreams would have come true either way -- I want one of each, so I would have been thrilled with a boy or a girl) We are so excited! We already have a name, too. Our little man will be named John William Collins -- John after my dad and William after Chris (if you didn't know, Chris goes by his middle name). Chris is already planning camping trips :)
He was kicking up a storm, rolling over, covering his face and just being difficult for most of the ultrasound (signs of what is to come??). However, she was just scanning around, looking for the next thing to measure, when bam, little one kicked his legs wide open and all three of us were like "WHOA!" and our tech was like, "Well, you saw that, too. It's a boy!" The picture doesn't do justice to what we saw at that moment. It was so clear, you had to laugh. You could clearly see his legs, feet, toes and....his, you know. Then the rest of the ultrasound, apparently he was totally flashing us (that part we didn't see, we just took the ultrasound tech's word for it). He heart was at a strong 150 beats per minute (we got to see all 4 chambers of the heart opening and closing...so cool). I can't wait to see his little face in real life!
A technical note -- I know some of you have had issues posting comments...the issue should be fixed now, so commenting shouldn't be a problem.
 |
| This is the best profile pic she could get -- you can see his little mouth open |
 |
| Not gonna lie, this one is a little creepy -- the white blob in the middle is his face -- the dark circle in the white blog is one of his eyes and you can see half of the other one toward the top. The c shaped thing is his little hand up by his face. |
 |
| And here is the proof he is a boy :) The white curved line just below the arrow is one leg -- if you look above that you can see the other leg and right in the middle where the arrow is are his little boy parts. |
A technical note -- I know some of you have had issues posting comments...the issue should be fixed now, so commenting shouldn't be a problem.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
20 Weeks 1 Day
 |
| Please excuse my sleepy expression -- it was 6:45 am and I hadn't put on any makeup yet. And I promise I don't wear white socks with black pants -- it is raining today and I wore my rain boots. And no worries, I have appropriate footwear at work :) |
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Half Baked or 20 Weeks
Well folks, we've made it to the halfway point in this pregnancy. I am 20 weeks today! I'm feeling good, but also feeling like I'm getting bigger every day, which I guess I probably am. That's a good thing, for sure, but it's still a little sad to see the scale say a number I've never seen before. Ah, the sacrifices we make for our children :) What to Expect When You're Expecting breaks down your expected weight gain and I was astonished to see that by the end of the pregnancy, a woman will have gained an average of 4 pounds of blood! Really, of the 30 ish pounds you gain, only about 7 pounds of that is fat -- the rest is all baby stuff, like the placenta, enlarged uterus, amniotic fluid, etc.
Other changes occuring -- I think my belly button is getting ready to pop out. I feel like it could be a little early, but I also have a feeling I have a funny belly button that is just made to pop out -- it is an innie, but there is a part in the middle that is an outie within my innie and that outie is just itching to pop out. We shall see. I will spare you all a picture since some people think belly buttons popping out are gross (cough *Gina* cough), but will, no doubt, keep you informed of its status.
I didn't get a chance to take a belly picture yet, but we will do it tonight. Two days....
Other changes occuring -- I think my belly button is getting ready to pop out. I feel like it could be a little early, but I also have a feeling I have a funny belly button that is just made to pop out -- it is an innie, but there is a part in the middle that is an outie within my innie and that outie is just itching to pop out. We shall see. I will spare you all a picture since some people think belly buttons popping out are gross (cough *Gina* cough), but will, no doubt, keep you informed of its status.
I didn't get a chance to take a belly picture yet, but we will do it tonight. Two days....
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Chris' First Kick
But let's first start with our late night visitor last night. I went to bed early (as usual) and Chris stayed up to finish watching the Bears game. When I go up to bed, Daisy usually comes with me, and then when Chris comes up, he gets her and takes her out before bed. This all went down as usual. But instead of them both coming back up to bed, Chris is suddenly yelling to me at the top of his lungs to get up, that I needed to come help him. So I fly out of bed without my glasses on (for those of you who don't know, without my glasses or contacts, I can legitimately run into walls), thinking that somehow Daisy has escaped into the night and is lost forever. So I'm completely disoriented from being woken up, I can't see, and am yelling to him trying to figure out what is the matter. Finally I hear him say there's a big dog in our house and he needs help with the dog and Daisy. What?!? And barrelling up the stairs come a black lab to say hello. In my unseeing, sleepy state, I'm 90% sure it is Dexter, our across the street neighbor's dog. So I call him and he totally responds, but then decides to explore our house a bit. He was just sniffing around in all his black lab excitement. Daisy was terrified. Every time I tried to put her down to try and corral Dexter, she would freak out. Finally I just carried her upstairs with me, put on my glasses and then sat on the steps where Dexter came for some love. I was trying to remain calm for both dogs' sake, but Daisy clawing her way up me was not helping in the least.
Chris is all, what do we do? I was like, well, I bet Ben, Dexter's owner, is looking for him, so why don't you go out front and see if he is outside. And he was. Apparently Dexter was out for his before bed potty as well, but saw a rabbit and was gone. Good thing he came to say hi to Daisy!
And on to the kick. I've been feeling some good ones lately, ones that I was certain could be felt from the outside. They were so sporadic, however, and usually only happened one at a time, it has been hard to get the timing right for Chris to feel it. This morning when we woke up, we were laying there before actually getting up, I felt two good ones. I grabbed Chris' hand and held it to my tummy, and not 5 seconds later, we got another good one! Yay! He finally got to feel the baby :) It was a good little kick and he said it was stronger than he thought it would be. I told him I think it may have been a foot, since that can probably deliver the strongest nudge right now. I'll leave it up to your imagination as to what he decided it was :)
Chris is all, what do we do? I was like, well, I bet Ben, Dexter's owner, is looking for him, so why don't you go out front and see if he is outside. And he was. Apparently Dexter was out for his before bed potty as well, but saw a rabbit and was gone. Good thing he came to say hi to Daisy!
And on to the kick. I've been feeling some good ones lately, ones that I was certain could be felt from the outside. They were so sporadic, however, and usually only happened one at a time, it has been hard to get the timing right for Chris to feel it. This morning when we woke up, we were laying there before actually getting up, I felt two good ones. I grabbed Chris' hand and held it to my tummy, and not 5 seconds later, we got another good one! Yay! He finally got to feel the baby :) It was a good little kick and he said it was stronger than he thought it would be. I told him I think it may have been a foot, since that can probably deliver the strongest nudge right now. I'll leave it up to your imagination as to what he decided it was :)
Monday, October 10, 2011
One Year of Wedded Bliss
This Sunday was our one year anniversary! Since I'm pregnant and supposed to be taking it kind of easy until my ultrasound on Friday, we couldn't really do anything crazy, but we had a great weekend all the same. We started our celebration a little early -- Saturday night we went to the Blackhawks home opener. Lucky for me, Steve had un-missable plans, so I got to go in his place. Chris likes to be at the games early, but Saturday we were so early that we were literally the first people in our section.
We had a great time and the Hawks won. However, it looks like Chris and Steve may have inherited a new season ticket holding neighbor who is, quite possibly, the most annoying person ever. And he screams like a girl. Have fun with that one, boys :)
Since the game didn't end until about 10:15, I was struggling as it was waaaay past my normal bedtime these days of about 9:15. I think I was asleep as soon as we got in the car.
Sunday, our actual anniversary, was a beautiful day -- the weather was about exact to that of our wedding day -- hotter and sunnier than we ever expected. We decided no gifts (we're saving for a kid, here), but we always get each other cards, so we had our card exchanging. Then it was off to church. After that, we went to Kuiper's to get apples and, most importantly, apple cider donuts. We also got some apple cider (one of my favorites!!) AND in their little cafe, they had apple cider slushies. Can we say delicious?! We didn't actually pick our own apples. The line to do that was waaaaay too long, and we figured that was more walking than I'm supposed to be doing. But we had a nice time all the same and both of us accomplished our goals -- for me, tasty treats and for Chris, we we didn't dawdle.
We came home, ate some lunch and then watched football/took a nap. We wanted to go to the Roundhouse for dinner, the same place we had our reception. It was recently sold to new owners and is now called Two Brothers Roundhouse. We were pleased to see that the inside hasn't changed much (we were afraid renovations would take away its charm) and dinner was good, too.
 |
| A little lonely... |
We had a great time and the Hawks won. However, it looks like Chris and Steve may have inherited a new season ticket holding neighbor who is, quite possibly, the most annoying person ever. And he screams like a girl. Have fun with that one, boys :)
Since the game didn't end until about 10:15, I was struggling as it was waaaay past my normal bedtime these days of about 9:15. I think I was asleep as soon as we got in the car.
Sunday, our actual anniversary, was a beautiful day -- the weather was about exact to that of our wedding day -- hotter and sunnier than we ever expected. We decided no gifts (we're saving for a kid, here), but we always get each other cards, so we had our card exchanging. Then it was off to church. After that, we went to Kuiper's to get apples and, most importantly, apple cider donuts. We also got some apple cider (one of my favorites!!) AND in their little cafe, they had apple cider slushies. Can we say delicious?! We didn't actually pick our own apples. The line to do that was waaaaay too long, and we figured that was more walking than I'm supposed to be doing. But we had a nice time all the same and both of us accomplished our goals -- for me, tasty treats and for Chris, we we didn't dawdle.
 |
| These apples are so good! Nice and crispy. |
 |
| mmmmmmm...... |
Then it was back home to attend to the time honored tradition of eating year old cake from the freezer. Our cake topper (well, half of it, since we ate the first half the day after the wedding -- I didn't get any chocolate at the wedding and I didn't want to miss out!) held up pretty well. I took two bites for tradition's sake. It didn't taste as bad as I had anticipated, but it was, after all, year old frozen cake. Chris ate a bit more than I did, but we still ended up throwing most of it away (and it completely fell apart as it completely thawed)
 |
| Fresh out of the freezer...still pretty! |
 |
| Ready to eat |
 |
It was a great weekend together and we look forward to many, many more! Four days 'til the ultrasound!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)