Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween. This year I'm going to stuff a pumpkin in my belly and pretend to be pregnant-- oops, got that all wrong, I'm going to be way pregnant with a belly the size of a pumpkin. HA! We are going to a costume party tomorrow night...not sure exactly what I'll be wearing, but I'm sure photos will be involved and we'll upload them.

Speaking of photos, check out this one.... Little B's arrival could actually be something Boomer looks forward to. Finally, someone else to dress up once a year. He actually does like the costume (most likely b/c it comes with tons of treats from Mike & I). We seriously aren't big on dressing up Boomer all the time....but this one day, we do. I really think Boomer thinks his pumpkin costume is actually a blanket that he can wear. And we all know how he feels about blankets-- they're a prized posession.

In other news...I had my weekly doctors appointment today-- nothing "scary" or "spooktacular" there. Little B appears to be quite cozy just where she/he is. No changes (at all) since last week's visit. Personally, I kinda say that in this case "no news is boring news." Maybe I really will be the stuffed bird at Thanksgiving. The baby appears to have dropped a little, but even my laid back doctor who I adore, made the comment, "the baby's pretty high still...its gonna be awhile unless you both surprise me." Not the words I was hoping to hear. The good news is that he'll be out of town for 4 days prior to my due date, so Little B staying in place until after he returns would be very nice. Would kinda like him there at the delivery (and by the word, "kinda" I really mean "mandatory attendance required please"). So, this could all be good.

Talk to me in 3 weeks if nothing has "changed" and you may find a very impatient woman ready to take matters into my own hands. Lets hope we don't go there. All of you who guessed later, may just be right. I hate to admit it but you may be on to something. Books say that on average, a person's first child arrives a week after their due date. I was hoping to be "the exception" to that rule.

For now, I happen to be in total agreement with what my favorite niece and god daughter in the whole wide world said a few months ago: "Aunt Kris, that baby's just gotta get here already." Amen, Cam!

Little B's Coming Home Outfit

By this point, I'm supposed to have packed our bag for the hospital. I'm doing it in stages, as I've never been one to pack a bag way in advance. I did make a copy of a list of helpful things to bring with us from a pregnancy magazine and its laid on top of the suitcase that we'll be packing up for the big day. I just haven't brought myself to actually fully pack it yet. There are a couple items in there.....I packed two nightgowns (I'm not wearing the hospital ones any longer than I have to :), a robe, socks. chapstick, toothpaste & a new toothbrush, hair bands, our video camera (which will NOT be taken out of the box until AFTER we all look cute...i.e no birthing documentaries are going to be done). I also have rechargable batteries (and the charger) for the camera...which also won't be used until after the event...same rule on the subjects of the photos being clean, cute and snuggly will apply to that piece of equipment as well :).

I guess there is more in there than I realized. And now there's something new in there....Tonight, Mike & I picked out 2 outfits to take with us for Little B's "going home" wardrobe. We picked a cozy, brown, newborn jumpsuit (complete with a "bear feet" and "bear ears" on the hood of the jacket)...I think that's our first choicc...and we have one blue and one pink newborn-sized onesies to go underneath. If Little B's bellybutton doesn't seem to jive with that outfit, we also have a really cute white romper with (red and gray animal designs) that we'll also take with us as a possiblity. They're washed and ready to go. So, I guess the "bag" is getting some essentials-- with more to come. Oh, and please, if you think of something that you with you would have taken with you to the hospital, please let me know- I'm all ears....so please post advice...afterall, I've never done this before :)

Tomorrow is my next doctor's appt...so we'll see if any progress is being made. My gut is telling me that I'm going to go past my due date....I don't know why I have this hunch, but I do. It does feel like Little B dropped,so that's good. Details to come tomorrow:)

We'll call this post "Belly Perks"

I know as I get closer to the exciting delivery day, that I'll get less and less comfortable as the belly gets bigger and bigger. I remember my close girlfriends going through this--- and no one seems to avoid the effects of a baby's "expansion" in the final weeks of pregnancy. So, I am quite certain there will be times in the very near future (ahem, like tomorrow), when I may find myself complaining (probably even writing about), my "belly aches" as they progress.

But first, I wanted to point out that there are some really neat things about being 9 months pregnant and the baby bump that accompanies this state. Yes, I'm serious, the belly has a couple of advantages....and I'm thinking now is a perfectly good time to share them.

1) Random Smiles from complete strangers. Granted, they my look at your belly before glancing at your face, but still, its nice to exchange smiles as opposed to apathetic walk-bys.

2) You can fold laundry standing up, using your belly and a folding tool for shirts and just about anything. You no longer need a table-- your perfect folding "ledge" is with you always.

3) Everyone offers you a seat-- even when you would really prefer to stand. We had a large group meeting at work a few weeks ago-- the room was packed and all the seats were taken. I walked into the meeting and I might as well have been the Queen of England, cause about 14 people stood up and insisted I take their seat. I'm not saying I prefer this kind of royal treatment, but rather that I appreciate the nice gestures people make, especially when I never ask for them

4) Baby hiccups and movements, which are more pronounced and visable due to the space restrictions imposed upon Little B, make you giggle and smile. You can be having a blasse day or a great day....you can be sound asleep and then awakened by the motions, but they never feel annoying and ALWAYS put a smile on your face. I'm serious about this-- I caught my cheek muscles moving the corners my mouth into a smile when I was half asleep and Little B decided to do some exercises in the middle of the night.

5) People offer to help you with you not even asking or really needing it. They're just nicer. Case in point... I had 4 associates ask me if I needed any help while in Lowes for only 20 minutes-- and they weren't trying to be annoying or intrusive, but instead seemed genuine. Another person offered to load an item in the the back of our Jeep because it "looked bulky." I haven't opened a door for myself while in the company of others in a long time.

6) And finally, people say nice things about your appearance. "You look great" "You're glowing"...I think part of the reason pregnant women tend to glow is because everyone is so freakin nice to them-- it can make you a bit giddy.

Anyway, these are just some nice things I've noticed as my belly rapidly increases in size. Yes, I do feel a bit uncomfortable-- more so every day--- but there are some perks to the bump. The biggest one, of course, is Little B!

p.s. A special congrats to a dear family friend, Kristen, and her husband, Keith, who just welcomed a baby boy yesterday. Congrats Kristen-- so happy for you and your family! Welcome John Logan! Can't wait to hear all about it & glad to know that you're all doing well :)

The Snuggly Puppy

We all know Boom, our dog, is very cuddly. He loves being under a blanket and/or laying very close to people just as much as he likes steak bones. That’s nothing new, but some of his behaviors suggest his need to feel even closer to us. In many ways he’s gotten to be even cuter and cuddlier as of late. There is no “scientific evidence” that dogs or other pets can tell someone is pregnant, but I will say that I notice some subtle differences.

For example, if I laid down on my side, his favorite way to lie with me was behind my knees in a reverse “C” position. Well, lately, he’s been doing something a little different. When I lie on the couch, he’s all about laying right in front of my belly. Forget the fact that we both don’t really fit—he doesn’t care. That’s where he wants to be—and he’ll work hard to fit into this coveted space in front of me. He does the same thing now at night. He’ll start out at the bottom of the bed. I’ll be sleeping on my side using a body pillow and every morning I wake up (or during the 8 times I wake up in the middle of the night to pee), there’s Boom….head on my pillow, nestled between my belly and the body pillow. Its unreal.

Its not like he’s being protective, because he’s not showing any of those behaviors, but he is wanting to be closer than he has been in the past. He’s just being a little more “clingy” than he typically has been. Every now and then he’ll paw at me as if he’s trying to communicate something (like, “Hey lady, its time to go on a diet. I don’t know what you’ve got going on there, but am I the only one around here noticing that your belly is huge?”)

I wonder if he does know that something’s going on? I jumped online to see if I could find some info on pets sensing pregnancy--- here’s what I found: Happy Reading

http://www.baby.com/view.aspx?cid=531&pid=199

Hospital Tour Day

Our last "to do" item in terms of prep work with baby classes and birthing education stuff was to do a tour of the hospital and maternity ward. We did this today, so now we're all done. Taking a tour is a really good idea-- as the last thing you want to do when you're having contractions is try to navigate through an unfamiliar hospital with only the use of signs and arrows. Its not like you have your own "walking GPS" to guide you or tell you where to park, which door to enter, which elevator is the quickest, whether or not you need to sign in....etc. This is especially important for late night admissions into the hospital, when, for example, the hospital is extra secured with only one entrance being opened (oh, and if you guessed that the open entrance would be the main entrance, you'd be wrong at our hospital). Can you imagine trying to run around the outside of a hospital to find the coveted "open access door" in a condition like this? Yikes!

So, the tour was time very well spent. Hillcrest Hospital is going through a major renovation-- they are adding on a whole new tower and totally revamping the maternity ward. The work on the maternit ward is about half way done--- as they need to do it in small stages (you can't exactly close down one of three maternity wards for the Cleveland Clinic). So, parking lots and entrances are all changed around a bit. Its nice to know our way around any potential detours (in and out of the hospital).

I feel way more familiar with where to go, and we're pre-registered, so there will be no need to stop for admissions paperwork when its go time. That's a nice perk of the tour. Another great thing to know is that we don't have to stop at every information or check in desk....we just proceed to the delivery area. When we call our doctor to let him know that the contractions are coming regularly etc and he says "go to the hospital," he then pages the Maternity Ward and alerts them that we are on our way. This way, they have our room ready to go and completely prepped so we can just walk right in. Its nice that they coordinate all of that for you. Oh, and valet parking is free on the day we arrive and the day we leave...never would have known that if we did tour.

We also were able to learn about the hospital's pretty intense safety and security protocols-- which make you feel very secure about your infant being very safe in the confines of the maternity ward. Once born, Little B will get thoroughly checked over in our LDR (Labor & Delivery Room). Once his/her vitals are checked, he'll/she'll be given ankle bracelets on both ankles. These are coded with an ID # that will match the bracelets that Mike & I will wear. These are then verified and signed off on by our doctor and two nurses to ensure that everything matches. From there, we will be the only ones who the nursing staff will be authorized to give Little B to. So, after baths and/or any check ups that are done outside of our room, they'll verify by the bracelets that our baby is only given to us. In addition, each infant is fitted with a small, special tracking device. This way, at any given time, the hospital's secruity team will know where each baby is. Should a baby go too close to any exit from the Family Maternity Ward (and by any exit, we're talking public & employee only stairways, elevators, and even the laundry shoots) an alarm will go off. All exits surrounding the ward will lock until the specific alarm associated with the infant's sensor is correctly secured again. Its good to know that they are so careful with these newborns. In some ways, its sad culturally that they have to put such security practices in place. Although they haven't had any incidents with their maternity ward, we all have heard news stories of the unthinkable, so its better to be safe than really, really sorry.

Lets see, what else did we learn? Well, we'll be in the LDR until about 2 hours after Little B is born. This will give me time to begin the intense part of recovering and give Mike & I some quality "alone time" with our newborn. Once I'm feeling up to it (and Little B is showing consistently good vitals etc), upto two visitors will be allowed to come back to the room at a time. The hospital suggests that we really do limit visitors and the time they spend in this room during the first 2 hours after Little B is born b/c the nursing team will need to be interacting with us (especially me and the baby) a lot during this time. Having too much commotion in our LDR room can make that difficult. That seems to make sense--- afterall, its just for 2 hours.

Once it appears that I'm recovering well, they will move us to a Post Partum Room. We've requested a private room, and most of their rooms are, so that once in this room, the quantity of our visitors isn't restricted. While we're being switched over from the LDR room to this new hospital room, Little B will get his/her first thorough bath and then spend about 30 minutes under a heater getting all warm. Then, once Mike & I are settled, Mike can go to the nursery to pick up Little B and bring him/her to our room. We'll be in this 2nd room for at least 48 hours after the baby is born (i.e. when they release us to go home).

Visiting hours are from 11am-8pm and for the most part, Little B should be rooming in with us. The reason they restrict morning visiting hours is because the doctors, nursing team, and lactation consultants do a lot of rounds and check ups in the morning. They also offer some "Getting to Know Your Newborn" classes in the morning for new parents covering an array of topics, so that's nice as well. Separate from visiting hours, one "support person" (Mike) can be with us at all times. Should we need a little break (to take a shower or sleep) Little B can go to the nursery at any time for a bit, but they do suggest that having the baby rooming in with us will allow us to begin to pick up on Little B's cues (i.e. "I'm hungry signs," "I need to cuddle signs," "I'm sleepy signs"). So, thats our plan.

Hillcrest Hospital also has a Level II NICU, so that comforting to know. Hoping we won't need to use it, but its nice to know that the Cleveland Clinic's best experts are there if we do need them. Oh, and the entire hospital is connected with WiFi...so the laptop will be going with us, and maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to upload updates with photos and videos onto this site from our room. We'd like to do that so our family and friends who live out of town can meet Little B as soon as possible...even it if is over the internet. Oh, and something else that's really neat: Whenever a baby is born, they play a lullaby over the entire hospital's P.A system. That's pretty neat. It gets played about 4,000 times a year.

So, that's what we learned today-- lots of good stuff!

Reminder: Don't forget to upload your prediction about Little B! We've collected a couple so far-- the more the merrier. Just post a comment with your guesses on the following: When will Little B arrive? What will he/she weigh? How long will he/she be? Oh, and will Little B be a boy or a girl? If you're unable to post, shoot me an email and I'll add your prediction in. Once we have everyone's I'll put them all together on a post --- and then we'll see who's the closest.

Little B is on his/her Best Behavior

Maybe, just maybe, we have an obedient child coming our way. Yes, I know this is a comical statement (as well as a pipe dream), but I'm goin with it. I asked Little B to figure out which way is out, and he/she did. They did an ultrasound and Little B is doing a headstand like we want him/her to. Our hunch about the hiccups being lower was right-- and confirmed. We also got to see the little peapod...that looks quite large on the ultrasound. Its amazing. The last time we had an ultrasound, we could see the whole baby all at once. On this one, we could only see a certain body part at a time. And the doc was very careful to stay above the belt-- no peeking to see if its a he or a she.

Anyway, this is great news and means that there's a good chance Little B can enter the world naturally, instead of through surgery that would require me to be completely under. Not to be territorial, but it would have been a bummer if I didn't get to meet Little B until an hour or two after he/she were born as would have been the case if we did need to schedule surgery. It wouldn't have been a traditional C-Section...so I'm relieved in a big way.

In more good news, I was telling someone yesterday that there was so much to do at work that I really needed Little B to not be early--- but rather to wait until he/she was good and ready (Interpretation: Anytime after 11/15 would be perfect). As if the baby is going to work around MY schedule...ha! Again, I know that my schedule holds absolutely no significance once the baby decides to arrive-- its all about them. Anyway, I joke. But, in my exam today, it looks like I'm not showing signs of early labor. As the doctor put it "Baby's pretty locked up in there-- no signs of the door opening super soon." And that's just fine with me (I say this now. Ask me again in a couple of weeks when my stomach has been pushed up into my throat). I told Collette, and she coined the situation perfectly: "So, we've got a slow cooker in there :). In all seriousness, I don't want the baby arriving sooner than he/she wants to. Its about when Little B feels ready-- unless of course Little B has gone a week or two past his/her expected arrival date-- then its all about me and my time table. Kidding!

Then, our doctor went through his "call me when any of these happen" conversation. And then he said to stay as active as I want to be-- that the more active I am, the more likely the baby will arrive on time. So, the Nester is still allowed to Nest. Look out closets, rooms, anyplace stuff can be organized and strored....I'm coming your way.

I just have to rave about our doctor a little.... and thank Sharon for letting me know about him. He's so nice-- with one of the best personalities I've seen in a doctor-- we're really lucky. He said "There's no reason to be a martyr, so if something doesn't feel right or you're in a bunch of pain, just call us. That's our job." As for future appointments, I'm now on the "see you every week" plan. I'm sure there are a lot of great OB/GYNs out there (I had a great one in Cincinnati with Dr Lum), but if someone needs one in NEOhio....let me know and I'll give you Dr Peskin's information. He's just great. And as Sharon says, "you haven't even seen him in action on the big day--- that's when he's most impressive."

As for predictions-- it might be fun to start some. When will the baby arrive? What will Little B weigh? How long will Little B be? Oh, and the other important one-- is Little B a boy or a girl? Start posting your guesses in the comments. I'll consolidate them and group them in a future post. Then we'll see who was closest-- they get to change the first diaper. Kidding. I'll find a fun prize.

A good omen for tomorrow

Today, Little B was quite active....even more so than normally. We must have both gotten a good night sleep last night. I say this b/c I woke up at 5am wide awake, refreshed and ready to take on the world. That is a major rarity at such an hour for me.

Anyway, back to the subject of this post-- the good omen. Remember how I've been saying that the hiccups I feel all the time have been quite high in my abdomen? Well, for the first time in a long time, Little B's hiccups were way lower today. So, that's gotta be a good sign, right? Here's my logic: When you hiccup, your upper body kinda jolts up. Your bottom doesn't really move when you hiccup. I'm not sure if the same holds true for babies in utero, but if it does, then this could be a good sign. Low hiccups would suggest that maybe, just maybe, Little B is in the head down position.

We'll find out for sure tomorrow at the doctor's office. From here on out, I'll be going once a week. Exciting times! We'll be sure to share what we find out asap tomorrow after the appointment.

Tomorrow's Milestone

Tomorrow will be 37 Weeks for Little B...technically, once babies reach the 37 week milestone and are at least 5 1/2 lbs, they are considered full term. So, from this point on, if it looked like I was in actual labor, medical staff most likely won't try to stop the process. In most cases, its safe to deliver once the baby is full term, even though we're just fine with Little B waiting the next 3 weeks or so to make his/her grand entrance. Hence why we're staying nearby and not doing anymore roadtrips.

As for Little B, he or she is gaining about half an ounce a day--- and I can tell as space becomes more and more compact. For those of you who've been saying that my belly is small, I assure you that its getting bigger at a rapid pace. An average baby at this age are about 6 to 6 1/2 lbs and about 19 inches long.

As for me, those Braxton Hicks (fake) contractions are coming more often now. I've had them periodically for a couple of months now. What's changing is their frequency and to some extent, their intensity.

We'll know more about how Little B is progressing on Friday when we have an ultrasound and see Dr Peskin. We're hoping to see Little B in the right position (or as the doctor says, "we'll be hoping that the little kid figures out which way is out"). Wish us luck! Not that there's anything Mike or I can do to affect Friday's ultrasound and what position Little B is in, but positive thoughts can never hurt :)

At home in Cleveland-- for the long haul

In the past two weekends, we've been able to see just about all of our immediate family and close friends who reside out of town. Pretty amazing, huh? It would have been nice to be able to do one more trip out East (to see Mike's brother Danny in NYC & some of my family in Maryland/PA/Virginia), but we weren't able to squeeze it in. The good news is that we'll be able to see those we missed at some point during the holidays-- and that's spectacular. And this website will help those near and far who want to stay updated do so as much as possible.

As we drove back up I-71 last night (we ended up staying at Kev & Collette's until 9:30 cause we were having so much fun hanging out), we both had a similar thought: There's a real chance that the next time we see everyone we've been able to visit in the past few weeks, we'll be parents. My oh my. I know, this comment may seem a little dramatic-- know that I don't mean it to be-- but it is true. It really did put everything into perspective for us....and the perspective is a good one. We can't wait.

So, now we're back in NE Ohio with no weekend travel plans until Christmas. This is a big change for us, as we're typically pretty "on the go" with our weekends. Mike has a good outlook on this, saying that we're doing a little "hibernation" for awhile. It'll be nice having time at home (as well as visitors later on).

Lessons learned from a wonderful shower

We just got back from a fantastic weekend away in Dayton and Columbus. During our travels, we were able to spend time with Mike's Mom, Aunt, Grandmother, Kevin, Collette, Calvin, Cameron, my Parents, Scott & Sarah, Jen & Lance....and this was all in one weekend. Spending time with all these great people was just...well....wonderful! I wish every weekend we could see so many people who we're close with :)

Mike's Mom (Mamma G) hosted a wonderful shower on Saturday-- and seeing all of her friends together with us was just great! She has a lot of really great and supportive women in her world-- and getting to spend time with all of them together at one place was terriic. Some I've known for years, others I've heard so much about and appreciate the fact that I can now put a face with a name. They also gave a lot of terrific and meaningful advice....which I made sure I wrote down.

As we opened each gift, Mamma G asked everyone to share a good piece of advice and a funny story about being a mom. This turned into some of the best advice a mom-to-be could get. So, here's what I learned-- some of it is very practical, some tips are just hilarious (and so true), some thoughts are insightful and deep, and some are all of the above. All of the insight is great. These ladies should write a book!

ADVICE:

1) The most important thing you can do for a baby is to let them know that they are so very loved. That they have a lot of people around them to guide them through this new world they've entered

2) Be patient with yourself and all yourself time to figure parenthood out.

3) Read Read Read! It doesn't matted what we're reading, but just spending time with books-- reading them out loud so the baby gets used to how words are formed and reassured by the continual sound of your voice.

4) Sleep when the baby sleeps. As tempting as it my be, don't worry about housework (Amen), but rather allow yourself to be human. Sleeping in 2-3 hour increments requires superhuman abilities, so don't be hesitant to ask those around you for help.

5) Write as much as posssible so you remember this special time. It doesn't last long and includes some of the most innocent interactions a person can ever have with another and as a family.

6) Cover the baby's frontal region when you are changing a diaper-- to avoid the unpleasant "surprise attack"

7) Be yourself. Its always good to educate yourself and learn different parenting tips, but see them as suggestions, not "must do's." The only real "must do's" are to be yourself, trust your instincts and do what feels right for you and the baby

8) Know that the sleepless nights won't last forever and go with the flow as much as you can

9) Don't over-gadget your baby. Swings and seats are nice, but one of the best things a parent can do for a baby is to allow them to play on a blanket on the floor. Whether on their back or on their bellies, spending time in these positions really helps with their motor skills, muscle and intellectual development

10) Enjoy every moment--- even the ones that may not feel enjoyable at the time...because babies don't stay little forever. They actually grow very quick.

Now this is some great advice :) Thanks to everyone who made Saturday such a special day. The gifts are so nice-- I especially love the ones that are "baby favorites" of your children. The books, and outfits and blankets and toys and helpful gadgets (read: new parent survival essentials)...they're all just wonderful! And the bookcase-- well, its just as darling as its contents/

36 Weeks

So, 36 Weeks it is!

As for what’s physically happening now…. A baby at this point weighs about 4 ½ to 5 ½ lbs pm average. As for length, the average is about 17-18 inches…we’ll see our bean pole is compared to this.

In addition to Little B bulking up over these last weeks, which is his/her primary job, there are a few other neat developments. For one, Little B’s sucking reflex & muscles (you know, the ones that will allow him/her to eat) are now fully developed. The baby starts to practice blinking—and is very sensitive, even in utero, to lighting changes. So, if a bright light was to be shined directly on my belly, the baby would turn away from this. Don’t worry, I’m not going to test this—but that’s what research has shown from doing this while a baby is being viewed on an ultrasound. Baby’s brain and lungs are also rapidly developing as Little B prepares to go from the underwater world to the one we live in.

As for Little B bulking up, I’m all for it if it means the very pointed body parts that “greet” my body parts get more rounded. On other fronts, some research now suggests that when the baby’s brain and lungs reach complete development, that they send signals to start the labor process. Some researchers suggest that once the brain is fully developed, it could trigger the adrenal glands to release the hormone, Cortisol. This hormone could effectively alter the metabolism of Progesterone & Estrogen in the placenta, causing labor to begin. Other researchers believe that it’s the lungs that initiate labor. Their explanation is that once the lungs are ready to fully function, they begin to secrete enzymes that can start the delivery process. Either way, those are interesting theories--- and its pretty cool if that indeed is the case. Its kinda like Little B is ringing the doorbell saying “Let me in, World!”

We’re on our way to Dayton & Columbus for a final get away. Mike’s Mom, “Mamma G” is hosting a baby shower for us on Saturday. I’m really excited to see our family & friends there…..it will be nice and I’ll be sure to post pictures. Then, on Sunday morning, we’ll be heading over to Mike’s grandmother’s house to have breakfast before we head to Columbus. My parents are coming to Ohio for the weekend to spend time with Kev, Collette, Calvin & Cameron. We’ll get to spend the afternoon with them on Sunday, which will also be nice.

Ahh, our last weekend away for awhile.

The Coveted Home Stretch

Its funny-- I'm full of totally contradicting emotions right now, but I assure you they are all good.

Part of me is going to miss "my little buddy" who makes these crazy movements in my belly all the time. There's something really cool and different about the relationship I feel I have with this little one. Everytime Little B moves in some way...even if its a motion that wakes me up in the middle of the night...I feel myself smile a little bit. Even though I'm a bit sleep deprived, I find myself waking up an extra 20 minutes earlier than I neccessary so I can let the pup out, get something to drink and then jump back in bed to see if Little B is awake and moving. Usually she/he will do some sort of wiggle as I lie there getting ready to greet the day. Seriously, its the most enjoyable "snooze button" ever. I'm going to miss this on some level.

On the other hand, I just cant wait to meet this child. How wonderful will it be to finally meet a person that you sort of bond with whiole pregnant. From this standpoint, I just cannot wait for the D Day (Delivery Day) to arrive. I just cant wait. So part of me is like "get here already...hurry up." Meanwhile the other part of me is rooting for Little B to take his or her good 'ol time so that they are really ready physically to arrive. Like I said, conflicting feelings, but all of the very good variety.

We were at our last Infant Care Clase last night and the instructer said something that really registered with me: "Once this baby arrives, you will always have this new person on your mind in some way." Its not that I didn't realize that, but her comment just really put everything firmly into perspective. She's really right.

Oct 13th- Happy Birthday Mike!

Today is Mike's b-day. Columbus Day nicely matched up with the holiday schedule this year, so he is enjoying a day off as well. Actually, he's golfing right now, which is great. I think we're going to go out to dinner tonight to celebrate. So, this should be fun. As for a present for Mr Mike, I was completely practical this year with his gift, which was a combination "Happy Anniversary & BDay gift." I gave Mike a digital camcorder-- the Sony Handycam DVD Recorder to be exact. It was almost like buying a gift for myself, b/c this is really one that will keep giving. Its such a small device that does so much-- it'll allow us to upload digital video files to this website (so once Little B gets here, those close to us who live out of town will be able to readily watch videos of the baby). The camcorder also makes DVDs-- its really quite neat.


Its funny-- Mike's BDay is 10/13 and our baby is due on 11/13. This fun fact didn't hit me until last night. Quite interesting that these two dates are exactly a month apart. We're within a month of Little B's expected due date. Now, remember, I've been told tons of time that the date they give you for your due date is most likely NOT going to be the actual day that the baby arrives, so I'm well aware of that. Its just cool to know that its literally just around the corner. Take a look at the peapod tracker.....did someone press down on the gas pedal and forget to let up? Its zooming across the screen. My mom said this morning that she's going to miss seeing the peapod-- to which I sighed, temporarily agreed, and then pointed out that one of Little B's pointed body parts has found great satisfaction in lodging itself in my right hip bone. I guess what I'm saying is that I can live without the tracker, as it'll mean Little B is already here. But don't worry, Mom, there will hopefully be more pregnancy trackers in our future....and I've found the cutest tracker for Baby's First Year. I think you'll like! If not, there are plenty more that we can create.

Be Afraid Closets. Be Very Very Afraid

As we close out an out of town weekend, you'd fully expect that Sunday would be a day where we'd come home and rest. That seems like a good plan. But then, I got the idea in my head on the way home from Columbus that it was time to go through the first floor closet from top to bottom. And by "its time" I should just flat out say "Its getting done today."

Saturday, when at Easton, I went to one of my favorite shops-- its called the Container Store. Its a simple, very self explanatory retailer that I just love. It helps those of us who need organization in our worlds (and all the help we can get acheiving organization in our lives) adequately structure our surroundings with some of the coolest containers you can find. They had a sale yesterday, and well, the place just inspired me. This, combined with the maternal nesting instinct that I used to think was a load of bull (and now admit that I was clearly in the wrong about) has resulted in an all afternoon productive project.

My mom, who may be the most organized woman I know, would be so proud (and is probably shocked reading this, as she's seen what my closets have looked like when I lived at home). I told her that I was about to do this while driving home and she said "I'm not sure I know which closet you are talking about." I replied "Its the closet I never open with people around for fear of bodily harm and embarrassment." Maybe, just maybe, this instinct that has possessed me to eliminate clutter will stick around for a bit after the baby arrives. Fat chance, I know, but a girl can dream, right? Seriously, Mike used to have to fear me going to the shoe store. Now, he needs to be way more concerned about the Container Store. Poor guy-- at least he gets to enjoy the end result of Operation Organization...as with shoes, well his feet are a bit bigger than mine.

So, I say "Closets be very, very afraid." See, we have this double-door closet on the first floor in the hallway next to our laundry room. Its one of those spaces that has become a "miscellaneous storage area" over the past 4 years. And store we have-- as in everything from bulk packages of paper towels & toilet paper to extra sheets & blankets to pillows to off season clothes to Boomer's toys. And over the years, this closet has been acculating a lot of these items (and then some).

Well, this afternoon, the closet met its match: A nesting me accompanied by the Container Store loot. Four hours later-- and a lot of stuff packaged to go to Goodwill and other more appropriate places in the house--we have tamed the closet beast. Before, the closet doors had to be kept as closed as possible to avoid it from exploding. Now, its pretty nicely organized. I'm a happy girl. Time to go back to my other mode-- sleepies!

BEFORE & AFTER:

I'm not kidding when they say that this "nesting thing" is 100% legit. Someone should figure out how the heck to bottle whatever makes us expecting women go through this stage. The photos don't even do the improvement justice (which might have something to do with the fact that I'm not showing you the "real" before photo). Imagine the inside of that closed closet filled about 5 feet high with clutter.

And as for the "after photo," note the storage shelf that I proudly assembled myself and the coolest, collapsable, stackable brown fabric containers in the planet are terrific for storing stuff in an organized fashion. Every extra blanket, comforter, and sheet set is folded and flattened in a plastic container. And yes, the toys that will be being used to entertain Little B shortly after his/her arrival are all easily assessable on the top shelf. Oh, and the taupe container-- that's stacked to the rim with diapers, endless wipes and special "baby cleaning needs" for that area, which we'll need to have readily assessible soon. And there are 2 other "stations" just like this one for the other floors of our house. Scary, I know. Ah, my work here is done.....at least for now. Other closets (that aren't in nearly as bad a place, but still can improve) have officially been put on notice.

Weekend in Columbus

Despite the fact that I wasn't feeling all that hot on Friday, we did manage to make it down to Columbus as scheduled....and I'm glad we did, as it was great to see everyone. Mike went down on Friday night (I insisted) and I stayed home (more specifically, I went to sleep at 8pm on Friday). Then, on Saturday, feeling a lot better, I headed down to Mike's brother's place in the morning with Boomer.

Kevin organized a nice tailgate-- it was a lot of fun. We hung out with Kevin & Michelle, Mike's Dad & Chris, and a bunch of Kevin's friends. What was really cool was that my brother and Calvin were also able to stop on by for a bit. The food was great, as was the weather, and of course the company. Believe it or not, it actually felt a little hot for a college football Saturday, but who can complain with a sky so clear? Not me.

A long time ago, when we were planning this weekend, Mike & I decided that I shouldn't get a ticket for the game-- as it would be too much. And turns out, that was a good decision. So, I was able to hang out with everyone and then have the flexibility to take a nap if I needed to. After the tailgate, I did get to spend sometime with my friend, Carrie, which was just great. Then my "after game festivities" involved me & Boomer snug as bugs in rugs on the couch. It was a great day.

I had the best intentions of taking a bunch of photos. I even put the camera in the car the night before I left to make sure my "baby brain" didn't preclude me from doing this. It wasn't until the way home from spending time with Carrie @ Easton when I realized that I never took the camera out of the glove box. Geez!

However, I do have one little photo-- and its pretty cool. Mike's Dad & Chris gave us a pretty cute gift for Little B...and very appropriate for a Buckeyes tailgate. Its a lightweight OSU Buckeyes stroller. We love it! How fun!

Little B @....oh my...35 Weeks!

Yes-- 35 weeks it is. Kinda speechless....we're getting close, meaning that all the emotions are growing, as is the excitement. I just wanna meet this little person.

I've found some new cool websites (I'll add them to the list to the left in a bit)...that talk candidly about what goes on during each week of pregnancy. One in particular makes me laugh out loud.

Here are some fun facts about what's happening inside Hotel W @ 35 Weeks....from 3DPregnancy.parentsconnect.com (I love their hilarious take on things)

- By now, Little B has pretty much taken over my belly. Pretty much all of my organs that used to call my belly home are now flattened and mildly displaced. What's amazing is that in the final weeks, Little B's toes could actually rub up against my heart--- quite literally mind you. Wow. Who knew?

-In laymen's terms Hotel W is now the size of a watermelon. Got that one loud and clear. Lets just say, when Little B first checked into Hotel W, it was the size of a closet in a NYC studio apartment. Now, we've moved on up to a "Delux Apartment in the Sky"

- We're putting the final touches on the masterpiece we call Little B...as he/she continues to put on pounds, her/his movements become more like wiggles, rolls & mini-jabs....not the knockout punches and kicks from earlier weeks. Thats nice. I'll also say that Little B is awake a whole lot more than he/she used to be. There are times when the baby makes my belly giggle more than Jello.

- Little B's liver is also beginning to function as it will shen he/she makes her grand entrance. So that's kinda cool. And his/her toenails are growing by leaps and bounds-- in fact, they say that many newborns need them cut right way. Wow. Must be all that milk I'm drinking.

- As for size, Little B should weigh between 5 and 5 1/2 lbs...and be about 18 inches long (if he/she could stretch, she/he'd measure about as long as one of those half sheet cakes).

Oh, and their really frank (but very good) advise about how to mentally prepare for birth..."Stop thinking about the 'OUCH' and start thinking about the 'OOOOOH of meeting your baby for the first time." Thanks-- I kinda like that logic.

All is well in Babyland

My doctors appointment went well this morning. I'm measuring exactly where I should be-- down to the centimeter! My doctor finds this quite amusing as my belly's measurment is precisely where it should be. As for being on track-- we're on our way. They think that Little B's head is faced down, which would be good, but they also said that its very difficult to differentiate the baby's head from its butt at this point, so we can't be sure. To be on the safe side, mt doctor wants to do an ultrasound in two weeks. It'll be neat to see the baby and with any bit of luck, Little B will be in the right position.

So, after that appointment, we'll have a pretty clear picture of how the final weeks of the pregnancy will be going. Hopefully we'll get the news we want and be on our way to a natural delivery. If we find that the baby isn't head down, then they will most likely schedule a planned C Section. We'll cross that bridge if we need to head in that direction. Because of my previous surgery, it wouldn't be a 'typical' C-Section procedure. Instead, it would be a little more complicated (I'll explain in more detail if we do indeed have to go there) and would most likely require general anesthesia. So, for now, we're rooting for getting to see Little B in the right position.

Little B's hearbeat is strong-- I love hearing it. As for movement-- as the doctor says "this kid's getting the hang of muscle coordination, which is great." He told me to look for this to continue. The movements might not be as abrupt as Little B gets a little more space-restricted. He also said that I shouldn't be alarmed by an occasional contraction---either of the Braxton Hicks variety or the kind that hurts and can pop of randomly. He said that these are to be expected and not to be concerned unless they develop into a consistent pattern. So we're all good :)

Photos from this weekend

Ah, what a fun event. Here are some photos. Not too shabby for 34 weeks pregnant. We had a blast!

From Friday Night @ the Rehearsal Dinner:







From the Wedding on Saturday:

Celebrating 6 years

10/5/2002 was one of the best days ever....its the day we got married. Fast forward to now, and things are better than they even were then (and they were good).

Some of the bigger highlights:
- We purchased and moved into our first home in Mason, OH
- We made the decision to go after a promotion for Mike, resulting in a move to Cleveland
- We sold our first home and purchased our 2nd home in a suburb of Cleveland (all within a 2 wk period-Crazy!)
- We adopted Boomer, a dog who went from the streets, to a rescue group to dog heaven (we just love him)
- We both saw our careers take off, with each of us being promoted
- We saved and researched and saved and explored our options to start a family (and saved some more)
- We paid outright for our donor IVF and it turned out to be the best investment we ever made...finding out a couple weeks later that "for sure" we were expecting our first child

Now we're within a month and a half of meeting this new person. Pretty cool. This is by far the biggest accomplishment we've made since 10/5/2002....but many of these other landmarks directly contributed to us being able to make this happen.

Instead of going out for an anniversary dinner, like we usually do, we decided to make a great dinner at home. Afterall, this was a busy weekend away. So, while at the grocery store, I picked up some nice filets, broccoli and red-skinned potatoes. The filets were prepared and grilled just right (seriously, in my mind, it was comparable to what we would have gotten at many good restaurants)....it was a great end to a wonderful weekend.

Walking Down the Aisle...

Saturday was such a fantastic day. The sky couldn't have been prettier and the temperature was just perfect. Scott & Sarah's wedding couldn't have been more beautiful, both literally and figuratively. Its was just great to be a part of it.

Who knew when we got married that just about six years later (almost to the day) Mike and I would have the opportunity to walk down the aisle again, standing up for our friends?!? It was quite possibly one of the best ways to celebrate an anniversary. Hearing their vows reminded me of ours-- and both were beautiful. It also reminded me about just how far Mike & I have come. I'm not only referring to the six years we've spent growing our relationship, which has been great...yet there's more. With this is baby so close on the way, we've overcome the uncertainty of how we'd start a family. I have to admit, I got a little emotional on the inside as we walked together while entering and exiting the ceremony.

I'll upload the photos on Monday...there are a lot of great pictures--- as there was a lot of great times had at the wedding and reception. Catching up with friends is the best-- especially at such a nice occasion.

A big weekend...

Our friends, Scott and Sarah are getting married this weekend, so we're off to Dayton. We're pretty excited about this weekend's festivities...both Mike & I are in the wedding. These are two wonderful people, so it will be great to see them take this step together. Its also nice how events like this help everyone get together-- everyone's schedules get busy, especially when many of us live in different places--- so it'll be really nice to see the whole group. Can't wait!

The other cool part of this weekend...and totally in theme with the weekend's festivities....is that this Sunday will be our 6 year anniversary. Kinda cool to be in a wedding the day before your anniversary :)

Tomorrow will be 34 weeks

Holy cow! Its absolutelty wild to think about the fact that we're really getting close to the end. I can tell in my walk-- its gotta little waddle in it, I'm not going to lie :). I can tell when I try to squeeze through a space sideways (like I always would), only to realize that I'm bigger when turned sideways than I am facing straight forward. And every Wed, as I read about what is happening in utero (i.e. in "Hotel W"), its becomes very apparent... we're getting close.

According to BabyCenter.com-- Little B is about 4 3/4 lbs and about 19 inches long. His/her central nervous system and lungs are continuing to mature....all of which is very good. In addition to this, Little B is bulking up-- i.e. putting on fat layers and getting rounder. This will prepare them to be able to regulate body temperature when they arrive.

The other cool thing about being 34 weeks is that fact that should something happen that causes the baby to arrive early, chances are, everything will be fine with the baby. That's something nice to think about.

As for me, I'm feeling pretty good. I actually had one of the best nights of sleep in a long time-- which was needed b/c I think I'm probably averaging about 6 hours of good "quality" sleep a night. Trust me, I try for much more than 6 hours of sleep a night--it just doesn't always work out that way. The other hours I spend tossing and turning, thinking, going to the restroom, falling back a sleep, being woken up by either a shooting leg cramp of a circus inside my belly. I'm functioning well though, I think...all things considered :)

I have my next doctors appointment next Wednesday-- that's when we are hoping that we'll get clarification that the baby is in the "right place"...i.e. head down. If Little B is, my chances are pretty good that I'll be able to avoid a C-Section. Technically, I'm at a higher risk for a C-Section because I've had what they call "invasive uterine surgery" in the past. But, my doctor seems pretty impressed with how everything is "holding up" - so as each week passes, he becomes more optimistic that I won't need one. That's good news!