Travel Time!

There's a bunch of traveling going on this weekend...even international travelling! Mike's mom, Mamma G (soon to be Nona G), is heading home to Italy to spend some time with her family-- Safe Travels!!! We'll miss you-- please tell everyone in Naples we say hello! Looking forward to seeing you in October when you're back.

As for domestic travel- Mike & I (along with our fearless four-legged navigator, Boomer) will be heading to spend time with my family in Maryland. So excited! Every year since I can remember, my mom's family has a big Chesapeake Bay Steamed Crab Feast. Its grown over the years to include lots of extended family and dear friends. Last year, it moved from my grandparents home to my parents. Its one of those "staple" events that you just look forward to in the late summer.

You can count on seeing wonderful people, catching up, and just having an all around great time. Its a time when even the die-hard Steelers, Raven, Browns & Bengals fan representatives from our family can set aside our football differences and break bread (or should I say "snap crab legs") together. I'm kidding, we get along really well all the time-- its just fun to bring up footballl, as we've got the entire AFC North covered and each are pretty passionate.

Anyway, I digress...We made a trip out east around the July 4th weekend and got to see a lot of my family--but not for long enough. ..then again, can you ever get enough time together with your family!?!?! This weekend we'll have more time with them (and more family to visit with) so I'm really excited. I had a hard time sleeping last night...as did Little B...but I'm not sure which came first--- me being up or baby being up? I think what I'm saying is that we're excited. My belly has definitely changed since early July. Mom won't be able to tell me I don't look pregnant this time for sure (or I'll take her to her opthamologist as ask for a refund on her classes-- wink wink!).

I'm sure we'll come back with lots of photos (and a full belly from all the great food). The crab feast may be one day that I actually do eat for two-- its my favorite food in the whole world.

Little B @ 29 Weeks

I know I keep saying this, but I'm gonna say it again...WOW! Here's what's happening inside Hotel W this week. Only 11 weeks (or so) to go!!!

- Little B's bones are fully developed. Granted, they're still soft and pliable. Starting at this point the baby will start to absorb & store iron, calcium and phosphorus. Is that why I can't get drink enough milk and have really fallen in love with frozen yogurt. By the way, there are times when I look at my belly and actually see the baby move. Wild. Must be those bones.

- Baby is in bulk-up mode, gaining about a half a pound a week right now. Trust me, I totally see this happening. The bump is growing by leaps and bounds. So, that's good for Little B, who apparently runs to the pantry without me knowing and chows on Wheaties.

- Little B is increasingly aware (and responsive) to changes in his/her environment. For example, he/she becomes much more sensitve to light and motion. I will admit that sometimes I do try to lightly tickle-tap areas of my belly-- and Little B responds by moving around. Its a fun little game we play every now and then. Its like Little B Morse Code! I love it!!!

As for length right now, I'm not quite sure. The last ultrasound I had a few weeks ago (at 25-26 weeks) showed that Little B was longer than the average length/weight for this week. So, not sure what he/she is at in measurement right now.

Just discovered something I do miss

All along, people have been asking me if I miss anything that I can't have while being preggers. Truthfully, I really haven't...until very recently....and its an odd item to miss, but, boy do I! Its my Clarinex.

I thought I was fancy-free from allergies becasuse I usually get really bad seasonal ones in Spring & Fall. Well, this Spring was a breeze. Literally the first time in years that I didn't get a single sinus infection. I had heard that sometimes pregnancy hormones could do this, so I was singing Little B's praises for ridding me of them. On Saturday, they crept back with a vengance. Granted, we were outside all day, but its was as if someone flipped a switch and out came my allergies.

In the past, the only thing that has worked is Clarinex. And I can't take it. I really miss it. More than Diet Pepsi, a nice glass of red wine, and sushi....combined. I can take Sudafed, which I ended up having to do on Sunday, but it really knocked me out. Although its said to be completely safe for pregnant women to take, I also noticed that is knocked the baby out too. Within an hour of taking it, my very active inner-acrobat was also in a slumber, that lasted most of the day. I just didn't like the thought of that, so I've avoided since I took it on Sunday.

Now I make Sneezey from the Seven Dwarfs look like an amateur. And poor Mike said that I snored last night, so I must have been really congested cause I haven't done that in a long time. I miss my Clarinex :) So, now I'm rooting for the first frost-- yikes-- its August and I live in Cleveland, what am I doing looking forward to that?!?!? Scratch that-- here's to lots of rain instead to keep the pollen in line.

Questions From My 5-yr-old Niece

I absolutely love spending time with Cameron. Her thought process about pregnancy is so innocently refreshing, that it puts a big smile on my face from ear to ear. Don't get me wrong, I am totally saving the big birds and the bees conversation for her parents...and break out in a cold sweat when she asks questions that go remotely near such a conversation. For now, though, I just love her couriosity about what is going on with this baby in my belly. It gets better every time I see her.

This weekend, she had a whole lotta questions-- mostly because now I really look like there's a baby in my belly and also because she's had a lot of time to think about what might be going on. One of the things I love most about her is how she lives in the moment--- and a lot of her focus in many moments of this weekend was Little B.

Just exactly what questions and activities am I referring to? Here are some of the questions she asked:

Q: Where does the baby sleep in my belly?
A: He/She sleeps under my ribs-- they act like a tent to give her/him a nice place to sleep.

Q: What does baby do in my belly when she's not sleeping? (FYI, she's convinced we're having a girl)
A: He/She spends a lot of time swimming in my belly when she's awake.

Q: How big is the swimming pool in your belly? Can she jump in it?
A: Its big enough for her to swim around and here's what's really cool-- it gets bigger as she gets bigger

Q: Is baby a good swimmer already?
A: Yes. She can do flips and push off of the sides to swim. You can even feel her/him kicking in the water

Q: What are baby's favorite foods? How does she eat?
A: She eats after I do-- and pretty much likes the things I like.

Q: So, she eats like a little bird eats...with the mommy bird eating it first so its in small pieces for her?
A: Yep-- that's about right.

Q: Does baby like Apple Juice?
A: Little B really likes Apple Juice and lemonade.

Q: Does the baby take a shower or a bath? I think this is b/c she got an invitation to one of my showers...think literally
A: Well, I think babies take baths, but sometimes friends and family shower the baby with gifts-- and you'll get to be a part of that. But the baby won't be at that party. She'lll/He'll arrive later, but the presents help Uncle Mike & I get everything ready.

Q: How much longer til the baby gets out of your belly?
A: About 3 months. (To which she responds "3 months? That's way too long!...I agree :)

Q: How does the baby get out of your belly?
A: (Ummmmm) Ya know, my doctor hasn't told me how that happens yet, so I don't quite know.

Time to change the subject...."Cam, you wanna watch a movie?!?!" Seriously though, the conversations we had this weekend were so cute. I really had fun coming up with as many quick, but mostly accurate responses. Its pretty clear that this baby is going to have some very close cousins who really look out for him/her.

At one point, at dinner on Sunday, she took out her magic wand (from her fairy dress up outfit) and said "Bippity Boppity Boo, Its Time for Baby to Come Through" as she tapped the wand on my stomache. Ha!

JRF Memorial Tournament

We are spending the weekend in Columbus with Kevin & Collette, which is always fun. Today has been a jammed packed day, as I knew it would be. The four of us participated in a golf outing in memory of a close family friend's son. It was quite an event-- I am so impressed with the spirit and strengths of the Feuchts. They put on an amazing event for their son's charity-- in its first year, they had 140 glofers and more than 200 for the dinner/silent auction. It was great to be there to support our friends and spend time with great all-around people.

What really made this day special is that it was a celebration of life-- and what's really important in every day. The foundation for Jarret is rasining money to benefit the art and music programs at his elementary school, as this young person's legacy lives on through the kind acts of his family. What a special thing to be a part of-- both now and way into the future. Days like this put everything into perspective.

We played 18 holes in 94 degree heat. In a word, impressive. All I wanted to do was be able to play through the whole course--- and I did :) I'll admit that by 10pm, I was exhausted and I've never been happier to get off a golf course, but we had a great time-- for a great cause. I think I drank 10 bottles of water-- and if I'm exaggerating, its on the low end not the high side. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be asleep before I hit the "publish button" on this post. Falling to sleep won't be a problem at all :)

Nighty night!

Inside Hotel W @ 28 Weeks

Every week when I write this development update, I'm blown away by the fact that we're moving along so well during this pregnancy. It seems like for the longest time, it was going so slow. That was mostly because in the beginning, it was such a secret (one that was so hard to keep to ourselves). Later it seemed slow b/c everyone kept telling me "you totally don't look pregnant." Indeed they were right--for a long time, I didn't appear to be showing (but I assure you, I was sure noticing).

Now, I've got quite the bump going on-- and it all seems very real...and moving really fast. This week marks the beginning of the 3rd trimester. My oh my-- in about 12 weeks, Little B should be making his/her grand entrance-- that's exciting! We're starting the home stretch. According to the Mayo Clinic, here's what's happening inside Hotel W this week:

1) Baby's eyes begin to open and close this week. And by now, Little B's eye color has been determined. So that's kinda neat.

2) Little B is now sleeping in shorter segments, usually around 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Then he/she will wake up (if even for just a moment) and then settle back into a slumber. This is also when they start to develop more regular sleep segments

3) Baby has also been putting on some weight. I think this is why I've been craving milk so much. According to averages, Little B should weigh a little more than 2.5 lbs be about 15 inches long. However, we know from my last ultrasound that Little B was already measuring this long at the beginning of last week. So, its probable that he/she's a bit bigger.

As for me, I have definitely noticed changes. The biggest one is how Little B shifts up into my rib cage when I sit. Not the best feeling in the world, but also not the worst. I'm convinced this little guy/girl throroughly enjoys stretching. I say this b/c there are times when I'll feel Little B in my ribs while I'm simultaneiously getting kicked real low. That's not the most confortable of sequences (to say the least). It is good to feel all the movement though. Little B's getting big!

Baby Ballet

...or Baby Body Boot Camp...whichevery way you want to look at it. Ever since the whole sugar test debacle happened, I have been very vigilant in regards to my sugar intake. Obviously, it turned out that I had absolutely nothing to worry about, but subconciously, I think I've been taking some precautions. For example, I temporarily stopped drinking my most favorite "mocktail," Strawberry Lemonade. Well, last night it dawned on me that I haven't had this delicacy in quite some time. I popped into the kitchen, cut up the fresh strawberries I picked up earlier in the day and made myself one. Literally, I can't thank Sharon enough for introducing me to this loverly drink. Its a little piece of heaven in a glass.

Anyway, its been about 3 weeks or so since I've had one of my precious Strawberry Lemonades. So, last night, while watching the Olympics, I happily drank one. Fast forward 45 minutes and the tumbling began. I was like "wow!" Big time wow! If we didn't know better, I would have confidently said that there was a three ring circus on Olympic-caliber floor exercise, or Nutcracker Ballet, preseason NFL football game, or Billy Blank Body Boot camp workout taking place inside Hotel W. Mike was even in awe of the massive activity. It went on for about 15 minutes straight...the longest session of constant movement Little B has made.

What can I say, Little B likes strawberries!!!

Fun Sites

As you know, I've become quite the bookworm (or should I say web worm) when it comes to learning about this baby. A couple friends have asked me where I get all my info....so I thought I'd share. I really have become quite fond of some of these.:

- www.BabyZone.com They have a great week-by-week counter so you can check out what's going on in Hotel W (and what to expect as you enter each new week). One of the sites cooler features is its "deals" page, where you can get good discounts on baby products from online retailers. $10 off a $50 dollar diaper purchase at Diapers.com...not bad. They also list out sales going on at popular baby-gear and maternity websites, such as BabiesRUs & The Gap. In addition to fun quizzes and advice, they are also really good about alerting readers to baby product recalls.

- www.ClevelandClinic.org The best part of this resource is signing up for the weekly gestational development emails that they send out-- love them because there is so much customized content and medical insight. From common Q&A to parenting advice to baby's development to things you should be doing to get prepared etc. Their weekly baby development emails also contain more medical information about a baby's development. I love the free newsletter you can sign up for - they'll email you your customized "Weekly Development" update (perfect for people like me who seemed to have had a frontal labodomy about 6 months ago. Will my memory ever come back?).

- http://www.thecradle.com/ This is a great place for expectant and first time parents. Its almost like a little social village, where there are different discussion boards and you can easily access information on specific baby and pregnancy topics. When you create a log in, it will automatically adjust the site to your "stage" in parenthood or pregnancy-- so its pretty neat. You can also create a website for your family with an easy template that is quick to update, load & share photos etc. They also have an eco-friendly section with a lot of great ideas.

- www.BabyCenter.com Not to be confused with BabyZone.com, this site also offers just about everything you need to know about pregnancy and new-parenthood. Its not just for newborns either-- they offer advice & insight for bigger kids too. What makes this site rock is that it is quite possibly the most updated site I've found. They just keep adding resources and articles-- its unreal. You can type in things your experiencing or questions that you have and they'll either take you directly to a section of the site that addresses your issue/question or start working on getting an answer for you. You'll frequently find me perusing their "Most Popular Topics" section too.

- www.ModernMom.com This site features practical advice for moms who are trying to balance it all....parenting, career, health, wellness, beauty, finances and even some fun/entertainment. Their message boards are also full of great tips (things you'd never think of) and you can also find some great recipes here that taste gourmet, but don't take hours to make. The kicker-- they're healthy too.

- www.TheBump.com Remember how cool it was to track your wedding planning on TheNest.com....well, this is the "and then comes baby in a baby carrier" part of the rhyme. Its a site made by the same people as The Knot, featuring articles and insight for those trying to start a family, expecting a little one, and adjusting to being a new parent. They collect a lot of the top issues that women in these categories face, and try to help us with them by enlisting help from a panel of experts. Like some of the other sites, you can create a log-in and the site customizes to your scenario. They also offer tons of "Checklists" & "To Dos"...perfect for those of us who in unchartered territory. Totally cool.

- www.LilaGuide.com This resource is top notch--includes everything from unbiased product reviews from moms (i.e. they don't tell you just to go buy their sponsors' products) to local kid/baby-friendly events happening near you. They'll even match you up with parenting groups in your city! Literally, I used their product reviews to help pick out items for my registry (that and the candid advice of my close mom friends). There's a bunch of great stuff here.

- www.CoolMomPicks.com This site is just kinda fun. They feature a cool mom-oriented item every day. Some of the ones they feature are silly, but most of them are quite useful and different.

Happy Web Surfing! Please let me know if there's a website you've found that you like-- I'll add it to the list.

It just never gets old

I'm totally in love with the movements Little B makes. (Well most of them, but I'll explain that later). Seriously though-- the movements never get old. In fact, I look forward to them. Going into this, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about feeling the baby move. I thought might feel a little "alien" or just odd to have something like this going on inside my belly. But now that its actually having-- its quite a wonderful thing. And it never gets old.

I'm not neccessarily "in" to people touching my belly--except for those really, really, really, close to me (for example, Mike :). Its not like I walk around with a "Do Not Touch" sign pasted on my stomache, but I guess its fair to say that I'm just a little bit protective. I do, obviously, love it when Mike gets to feel the movements. Its pretty cool to think that there's this little human growing in there. Wild, but cool.

As for Little B's movements, they are changing a bit. It used to be sporadic jabs that didn't happen with a whole lot of rhythm. They were rather sharp jolts. But as Little B has grown (and become more coordinated I think), his/her movements have become more "rounded" and subtle (for the most part- I do still get the occasional "HEY!" jab/kick). Little B's mannerisms are much more fluid...as in twists and turns and rolls and stretches. At least that's what it feels like to me.

Next week, I start going to the doctor every other week. That must mean we're getting close to the home stretch. I just can't wait to meet this little baby. I've never been so excited to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV in my life (i.e. that's the time I know for sure we'll have Little B in our world-- for real).

This weekend proved that we really haven't slowed down a bit-- and I'm really glad for this. I know how to pace myself and when to give myself a break, but its also nice to still be able to have the same "fun weekend" schedules we're used to having.

Our pals, Scott & Sarah, came into town and we had a great weekend. On Friday, we went out to dinner at a new restaurant in town and then chilled on the patio for awhile. Saturday began with a steam for Mike & Scott and a trip to Target for Sarah and me--- I'd say each outing was equally therapeutic :) Ha!

Then, we grabbed breakfast and took it back to the house. Then, Mike & I headed over to Hannah's first birthday party at our friend's, Andy & Jenn's, house. What a cute girl. Seriously, I can't believe that she just turned a year old. It seems like just yesterday we got the call from Andy that Hannah arrived. I just can't wait for some time to pass so we can watch Hannah & Little B playing together. They'll be about 16 months apart in age-- it should be fun.

After her party, Scott, Sarah, Mike & I headed downtow to Jacob's Field (I refuse to call it Progressive Field-- just doesn't sound right). Prior to the game, we popped into the Thirsty Parrot and hung out on their deck for a little bit. The weather was just about as perfect as can be. It was a close game, but the Indians lost (which was a bummer b/c Scott's a big fan), but we still had fun.

Afterwards, we took them over to what may be Cleveland's best kept secret---Sunset Grill & Whiskey Island Park. Not only is it adjacent to a marina on Lake Erie, but its this wide open space, nestled right off the shoreway. Its wild that this is just minutes from downtown. There, we met up with our friends Neal & Tara, who were hanging out with a bunch of their friends. We played cornhole, watched the sunset, and then headed over to the Sunset Grill. This place is just pure, laid back fun. Its this basic restaurant/pub, with a bunch of outdoor picnic tables that are set up all over the place. There's a bit of a tropical feel to the place and its right along the lake. The food is basic & good...but what really makes it special is the bands they have playing outdoor on the weekends. Its like Key West North! We had a blast! (p.s. the Coors Light in the photo is surely not mine--it was my new standard rootbeer for me)

Its always fun when good friends come to visit-- and this weekend was no different. I know we'll be slowing down a lot later this Fall (and winter and spring)....I'm saying all of this with a smile on face, as we're looking forward to this as well.

Going to sleep now-- for the next day or so-- I'm kidding! Maybe, just maybe, Little B will grow to like being on the go too as she/he gets older! That would be nice! No matter what it will be nice to have Little B with us later this year. Less than 90 days to go. Wow!

Classes, classes & more classes...

Realizing that we have a lot to learn come November, we've decided to sign up for some practical classes. Ironically, they all start with B! Between birthing, breastfeeding, baptism & baby safety care classes, we're gonna be quite BUSY over the next 2 months.

I've heard and read many different opinions on whether or not to take "get ready for baby classes" as I like to call them. Some have taken weekly classes to learn specific strategies. Others have participated in a "quick" all inclusive birthing education session. Some just read, but didn't take any formal classes....while others took every class they could get enrolled in.

The one underlying common theme all of my friends (and books) mention is to go into childbirth and parenting with a very open mind. I'm all about that-- even as an intense planner and goal setter, I realize how important it is to let things develop naturally. I can't (and won't) let myself be a control freak. I wouldn't call this concept being overly laid back, but rather adjusting to each situation as it approaches and handling it as we see fit.

I'm not going to write out a birth plan because there are so many variables. I'm going to take a "lets get educated on our options and go with what feels right" mentality. Hence, the classes and all the reading. I hope to learn some helpful hints as I develop the strategy that is right for me, Mike & Little B, but also realize that instincts will also kick in-- and need to be incorporated as well.

So-- here's our Fall Class Schedule (if only we were back at the beloved OU :)

Wed, Sept 10th & 17th: Childbirth Prep Class (we're doin the 2-day "fast track")
Thurs, Sept 11th: Breastfeeding Class (as this is all unchartered territory)
Thurs, Sept 25th: Baby Care & Safety Basics (i.e. Infant CPR, when to call the doctor, etc)
Monday Oct 20th: Baptism Class (I'm thinking this will be the least frightening of them all...wink wink)
Sunday, Oct 26th: Hospital Tour & Registration (I won't be filling out registration paperwork in between contractions :)

If anything, some of them will help us learn and memorize the route to the hospital, as we'll be doing that a couple of times. Ha!

Little B Inside Hotel W at....27 weeks?!?!

27 weeks -- that just seems like a long time. Wow. Only a little over 90 days to go. That seems like just a little time. Pretty exciting.

As for what is going on with Little B this week, I'll share exactly what the Cleveland Clinic's Maternity Center says is happening in terms of development:

Little B now has eyelashes! Baby's eyes can move in their sockets, and Little B can tell light and dark, but cannot discern specific objects yet. Geez, I feel like I'm being watched!!

The eyes aren't the only part of baby that's developing by leaps and bound...other senses are becoming fine-tuned and more responsive to light, sound, taste, smell, and touch. Hmm, that must be what all the movements about. Little B is exploring!

Also, Little B is beginning to resemble more a "baby" especially when it comes to his/her skin. Its becoming smoother as body fat accumulates beneath the skin. And for whats going on under that cute layer of skin, Little B is getting smart! His/Her brain is developing further, and he/she can direct breathing movements.

As for me, Hotel W is apparently the size of a soccer ball now---that seems like a big object, doesn't it? As long as Little B is happy, we're happy. That's what's happening this week inside Hotel W!

I beat the Orange Goo! No GD for me!

Well, I can add on to the limited list of "nice positives" from yesterday....I got a call from my doctor's office and no gestational diabetes for me. Yippie! Me and Little B beat the Orange Goo. Its terrific news!!!

My doctor thinks that having me bulk up my sugar & carb intake 3 days prior to the test made the difference-- so my body (that's not used to consuming a lot of sugar etc) wasn't completely shocked when I drank the orange goo. So, this turned out just great.

Oh, and the headache / stomache ache / inability to do anything productive with my brain issues I was experiencing yesterday are also went away around 7p last night. Ah, its nice to be back to myself!

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday when I wrote (again, my brain was pretty much mush) was that they did do a quick portable ultrasound scan before they started my second test. The reason was just to take a peak to be sure that Little B wasn't stressing out from the excessive sugar (since clearly I was). So I got to get a quick look as baby. All is well inside Hotel W. I didn't get any photo printouts-- as it was a small portable machine, but seeing Little B was great

I didn't see anything that would give away the gender, which is good, as we do still want that to be a surprise. I did, however, get an estimate of the baby's length and weight. All I have to say is oh my. Technically, using my original due date, I would have been in my 25th week, where the "normal" size of a baby is 12.2 inches from head to heel with an average weight of 1.4 lbs. Um, Little B measured 14.8 inches from head to heel and had an estimated weight of 2.1 lbs. For comparison sake, thats what the average baby weighs at the end of 28 weeks. WOW. Apparently, I've been eating a box a Wheaties every day and not realizing it.

With this info-- and the fact that Little B grew as an embryo for 6 days prior to being transferred into Hotel W, my doctor has "officially" moved up my due date 6 days from 11/19 to 11/13. In fact, he won't let me go past the 19th and expects a delivery window of sometime between 11/5-11/19. I'm all about meeting a full grown Little B a little earlier than expected, as long as baby is ready.

Now, I'm oing to pick out an outfit for Little B to wear on Thanksgiving :) Thankfully, we should be home before then....

The Syrup Test is Over

I'm not sure how much detail I want to go into-- as I like to keep this website as positive as possible. So, the nicest thing I can say about this morning is that its over. I can also say that the technician who took my blood (8 times) was really nice. The other...hopefully...good thing from today (positive thinking here) will be that they find out I don't have Gestational Diabetes. That's about all for the niceties.

I got there at 7:30a...got my blood drawn for the "pre-crazy sugar drink intake" reading. Then was given 100mL of this tastey (said as sarcastically as possible, mind you) syrup that is supposed to taste like Orange Crush, but instead tastes like liquid sugarcane. Had to drink it all within 5 minutes and keep it down. Drinking it didn't prove to be the hardest part-- keeping it down did. I was doing great (minus the heart racing, dizzy, "I can feel the blood pumping through my veins," and queasy sensations that emerged about 15 minutes after I drank the loverly potion. They take blood at 30 minute intervals. I made it to Prick #2 and then, that last feeling-- the queasy one-- got the best of me. And, back up it came.

So, they stopped the test and gave me the option of coming back tomorrow to repeat or waiting 15 minutes and restarting the test today. Since I'm one of those "lets push through and get through this now" kind of people, I opted for option #2. I then drank Goo #2....and mentally stapled shut my mouth. I'll spare the details and get to the main point...I was able to keep the liquid where it needed to be. By 12:40, 6 pokes later, I was done.

Now we wait-- and think positive. No matter what, the test is behind me and I'm so thankful for the very proactive care I am getting. No matter what the results say, I'm confident that everything will work out fine. I have a great team of doctors working with me, and am now on a first name basis with the lab technicians. Little B & Me....we'll be just fine.

I'm still hoping for the nicest comment of all from this whole experience....the "Hi Kristin, its Dr Peskin's Office-- Your test results came back and you don't have gestational diabetes." I can hear it already :)

Boomey likes apple juice

Just how do I know this? Because as part of my prep for Monday's test, I need to consume an extra 20 oz of apple or orange juice and 2 more servings of pasta or bread each day until the test. So, I happened to put m drink down while loading up the laptop to update the site. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a certain puppy with his nose deep into my glass of apple juice. Pulling it away from him was like taking away a child's most favorite toy. But, I' m not dealing with a puppy who consumed a lot of juice-- so down the sink it went. It was funny. Who knew apple juice would be such a delicacy for a dog?

In other news, we had a really nice weekend. Mike's mom was up on Friday to watch the opening ceremonies and see us before she travels to see her family in Italy. We took Boom to the track on Saturday-- it was such a beautiful day. Then, we went to a wedding, which was totally any enjoyable time. Today, we woke up with no plans (which is odd in this house for a weekend day) and decided to go pay golf. I actually had my best score ever on nine holes. Not only was the unusually cool air refreshing (it was in the high 60s), but my unusually decent play was also quite refreshing. Its been a good time.

Anyway, tomorrow's my test-- at 8am. Hoping to have the results back late on Monday or on Tuesday morning. I'll update when I have news. Fingers crossed everyone!

Fun Mail

The coolest thing appeared in my mailbox today. Something that just makes this whole pregnancy seem really real (as if the kicks we're enough). The invitation for the shower my close friends are throwing for me arrived today. Its amazing how seeing the words "Join us to celebrate Kris's Little One" in print just makes this feel official. Pretty cool.

Thank you to Collette, Sharon, Jenn & Amy for putting this party together. I appreciate all you do for me-- for the support, and for the kind gesture of organizing this. I am really excited and grateful.

Not to get all deep, but I really need to say this: We are truly blessed. One thing has been abundently clear throughout the past few years, both as we faced my medical reality, done the IVF treaments, and started traveling down our path to parenthood.... Its the incredible support we both have from friends and family. I can't say enough how much this has helped us. Personally, I feel there is a massive silver lining that accompanies trying situations (no matter what they are)-- its the way those close to you rally around you. We're lucky...very lucky.

I just love mail like that---it made my week (and then some :) Yay.

...A Three Hour Test

I really prefer the lyrics "....a Three Hour Tour" from Gilligan's island over the title of this post. But it is what it is. Just got a call from my doctor's office about my initial Glucose Tolerance Test. And it came back saying my blood sugar level was too high after drinking the 12 oz of pure sugar they call "Glucola." So, I need to go in and do a 3 hour screening to see if I have Gestational Diabetes. Loverly. I'm so thrilled. Can you hear the sarcasm as I type?

Here's the deal-- I'm an incredibly healthy eater. Plain and simple, very little sugar goes into my body. I eat fruit, which does have a high quantity of sugar, but that's really it. Someone must of extracted my sweet tooth a long time ago. But, I've done a lot to be sure that I eat well-- its been a life choice of mine over the past year and a half. My body isn't used to high quantities of sugar being consumed in a 5 minute period (which is what you have to do when you drink the Glucola). As a result, my arms and legs got tingly and I felt like I was going to be sick big time for about 2 hours.

At first, hearing about the prospects of gestational diabetes totally shocked me, because people comment daily on how healthy I eat, especially for being preggers. But, as it turns out, having gestational diabetes isn't neccessarily related to your diet. In fact, it is tied to PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), which is what originally caused the massive ovarian tumors I had removed. In addition, many times when pregncancy hormones are high (and mine are very high-- they had to be b/c of my medical circumstances), they can actually block the usual action of insulin. As a result, your body need to produce additional amounts of insulin to maintain the proper breakdown of sugar in your bloodstream. Sometimes your body can't do this naturally and this condition emerges.

As for the dreaded "3 Hour Glucose Tolerance Test"...its like the first one, only longer and with a much higher quantity of sugary drink. After 12 hours of fasting, they'll prick me periodically throughout a 3 hour period and give me more of my favorite Glucola (with higher sugar quantities). Fun. I made the mistake of mentioning how upset the drink made my stomache-- and got a very comforting response from the lab technician-- "well, we'll block off 5 hours so that if you do get sick, we can restart the test." Thanks. Boy am I looking forward to Monday morning.

I guess when it all comes down to it-- all we care about is a healthy Little B. If it turns out that I do have gestational diabetes, we'll be able to take the preventative steps to be sure that Little B doesn't get too big and that we both maintain a healthy blood sugar level. I already have a very healthy diet, and that's usually the first thing they ask people with this condition to stick too, so that won't be a problem. In addition, my blood pressure is very low, so the risks of this leading to Preclamsyia are low. I'm not overweight (I was at a perfect BMI when we did IVF)-- and my weight gain has been minimal-- 12 lbs to date, 2 of which are Little B. So, the other factors that can cause trouble when coupled with gestational diabetes are well in check.

I just hope this next screen shows normal results-- i.e. no gestational diabetes. If it turns out that I do have it, my doctor will monitor my pregnancy more regularly-- like weekly with blood tests-- until the baby arrives. I'm sure I'll learn more about the precautions we'll need to take to be sure that Little B arrives as healthy as can be. I'll find out more if we end up crossing this bridge-- hopefully we won't though. Fingers crossed. I'll update the minute I learn more.

Extra, Extra, Read All About It!

So, imagine you're 25, almost 26 weeks pregnant and your doctor tells you the following:

1) Baby's heartbeat is really strong
2) The Baby is measuring tall, not big, but long
3) You've gained the perfect amount of weight and the baby is measuring perfectly
4) He's 99.9% sure that the baby you're carrying is going to arrive before your due date

Would you be elated or what?!?! Well, that's exactly what my doctor said today. And #4 was a direct quote.

He feels that should the conditions continue to go the way they are (i.e. Little B is developing at a terrific pace), that this baby will arrive on or around 11/13! Music to my ears! He said that they obviously don't want to rush anything-- and the child will make its entrance when its good and ready, but that the early speculation about my official estimated due date being late was right. Technically, full term from Litle B's initial "date of creation" will be Nov 5. That's when Little B will have completed 37 weeks. So, Dr Peskin said that if I'm showing signs of early labor a week after this point, that Little B will be on his or her way to be delivered before the 19th. Its not like we're gonna rush Little B out of Hotel W, but its nice to know that he/she might be eager to check out a bit early. Yay! I can't wait to meet the little guy/girl!!!

In other news, I had the screening for Gestational Diabetes today-- so we'll see how those results turn out. But for now, its all happy over here. I say this as Little B kicks my lower right rib-- Dr's right, baby is long.

Who has the earliest bedtime? Um, that would be me

Last night, I came down to Columbus to spend time with my brother's family. My uncle and 2 cousins were out as well. We had a great dinner and then sat outside by their fire pit. As its got dark, I got a little bit sleepy. Actually, a whole lotta sleepy.

By 10p, I was going to bed. What can I say, its been a long week. Here's the kicker though-- I was the first one going to bed. My 5 and 7 yr old niece and nephew outlasted me! Wow, that's a bit over the top. Normally, Calvin & Cameron are in bed much earlier, but it was a special night b/c their cousins were up. Its just funny that my eyes were closed before theirs! Little B must be going through a growth spurt-- thats usually when I'm the most tired.