Karate Kiddo

Last night was the first time Mike actually felt Little B moving around...all over the place actually. It was a really cool experience, as the movements were so pronounced. So mark 7/30 down as quite a milestone. Its somehow validating now that he has felt the baby. Afterall, we're partners in this. I think he now understands why I have trouble sleeping between 11-2am. That's Little B's go time.

It just so happened that we were up watching a movie late last night (I'm usually in bed by 9:30), so by the time we went to bed it was just about 11pm. And as we got comfortable and laid down, Little B's alarm clock went off. "Time to practice my Olympic routine....flips, jabs, kicks, tumbling...that baby's most favorite time to do all of these things. The Karate Kid might be envious of Little B's moves. It doesn't get old for me-- I love knowing that Little B is thriving, even if it is during the time that I should be sleeping. At first, it relaxes me and gives me great peace of mind. So, now Mike has experienced Little B's routine as well-and that means a lot. Mike has felt the baby having hiccups before (the first time was last Saturday morning), but those are smaller movements.

The funny thing is that I think Boomer may have felt Little B's movements recently as well. Here's why....as I mentioned in a previous post, Boomer sometimes likes to sleep between me and my body pillow. True, it kinda defeats the purpose of the body pillow, but hey, its cute that he likes to be so close. He still likes to nestled right in front of me, as snug as he can get. Even though I try to not allow him to start out the night this way, at some point, he usually finds a way to get were he wants to be. Well, one night last week, I think Little B made a movement that Boomer felt. I'm not saying that the baby kicked him, but I am saying that something made the pup jump out of a deep sleep and bolt to the other side of the bed. It was pretty funny. Maybe this was Little B's way of saying "hi."

Inside Hotel W-- going into Week #25

The theme of this week is "bulking up." Going into this week, babies are, on average, about 1 1/2 lbs. So, that's pretty skinny. This is a week where its normal for them to put on a half pound. That's a lot for the little guy/gal. Envision a medium-sized eggplant. That's about how big Little B is right now.

In addition, Little B's hands and feet are completely developed-- even down to footprints and fingerprints. At this point, Little B also starts to learn how to move his/her fingers and toes. According to the research I read, babies are very playful creatures...and that starts at about this stage in their development. For example, they spend a lot of time grabbing their feet and touching their face. Its possible the Little B has even discovered how fun it is to suck his/her thumb. Coincidentally, Little B is flipping around right now. He/she must know I'm writing about him/her.

Oh, and apparently Hotel W is about to get a whole lot bigger, as all the things I read talk about how the "petite" little bump is about to add on a rather sizable addition. So, here's to a bigger Hotel W photo :)

Its 10, Not 9.

Literally, by the day, the list of stuff I never realized about being preggers gets longer. And this is after reading "The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy," "From the Hips," "Belly Laughs" & "1001 Questions About Pregnancy." Yes, I've become quite the blossoming reader--- as these books have all be read cover to cover. In addition, each week on Sunday nights, I read my 2 most favorite books..."Your Pregnancy Week by Week" and "The Pregnancy Countdown Book". I read about what will be happening to Little B during the upcoming week of development, which is soooo cool.

Anyway, I've just stumbled upon something I never really realized until today-- even with all the reading I'm doing. I'd like to know who told the world the pregnancy is 9 months long?!?!? Cause apparently, they are not correct. I've just learned this fun fact-- pregnancy is actually 40 weeks (4 more weeks then 9 months to be exact). If you reallly want to be particular, its 266 days from start to estimated finish. So, how'd this nine month rumor get started in the first place? Just curious.

So, I was all excited about starting my 6th month of pregnancy tomorrow-- which, don't get me wrong, its terrific. But I was pumped because I thought I was in 6 of 9 months....not 6 of 10. Geez. Cruel I tell you :) So I guess what I'm saying is we have 4 more months (or so) to go from tomorrow. That's still kinda cool!

If I was a dinosaur, I'd be a Sleepasorous Rex

By this, I mean that if there's one thing I wish I could get more of, it's better sleep at night. I have no trouble taking a nap during the day on weekends, but that doesn't exactly work with an 8-5 job during the week. This really isn't a complaint, but rather an observation.

My friend, Sharon, has really good logic as to why this happens to pregnant women. And, I really think she's on to something here. She believes its nature's way of preparing you for the sleep deprivation that is sure to accompany the arrival of a newborn. That would make sense b/c right now, it seems like the hardest thing I'm dealing with is my inability to sleep at night. Its gotten particularly more difficult in the last couple of days.

I'm sure there are a couple of really good reasons why this is happening. Some of them are actually medically-related; the others are just humorous "bonuses:"

1) Stuffy Nose: This is totally normal, especially around this point in a pregnancy. As blood production goes up dramatically, so does your mucous membrane in your nose. Therefore, its common to get very stuffy, especially at night

2) Sinus Pressure Headaches: The stuffiness leads to pressure, which can build up in your sinus cavities. Wonderful :) These pressure headaches tend to come on at night and ease up by mid morning. Rinse & Repeat.

3) Sleep Position: I've always preferred to sleep on my back. Now that I'm pretty far along, the baby can put pressure on arteries when I lay on my back, so its advised to avoid sleeping in my favorite position. So, I'm learning a new one. I literally build up a blockade with pillows on either side of me. It still doesn't quite feel natural yet, but we're working on this.

4) Boomer's New Sleep Position. When I said "we" in the previous point, I mean me and Boomer, who also isn't a big fan of our new sleeping arrangements. He used to start out the night at my feet, which worked out great. Now that I'm surrounded by pillows, he prefers to lay on top of my body pillow, as if its his throne. And if he doesn't sleep there, its between me in the pillow. Not exactly the place I would prefer him to be. We're working on this too. At least now he doesn't start out there (but he does end of there at some point in the middle of the night.

5) Midsleep Acrobatics by Little B: Apparently, Little B thinks that night time is the most perfect time set up his/her uneven parallel bars and trampoline and put them to use. I'm not kidding-- its quite unreal. I feel movement all throughout the day, but nothing like the Olympic-ready routines Little B puts on at night.

All in all, this is all well and good. I'm finding ways to cope with less sleep, which should help later on this year when its "game time." For now, I play the role of Sleepasorous Rex on the weekends to try to catch up on my zzzzzzzs. Its just an interesting observation.

Foley Fest 2008

This tradition started out in Dayton 13 years ago, before I even knew Mike. At the time, its purpose was to unite Mike's OU friends with his Dayton friends. Yesterday was the 4th (now annual again) Foley Fest in Cleveland. There was a hiatus for a couple of years until last year, when we decided to revive it. Everyone's schedules get quite busy and sometimes its hard to get together as a group with great friends who live all over. But its so worth it when we can all set aside a day to get together and hang out-- even if its once a year. That's what Foley Fest is all about. And yesterday's event was a complete success. Even Boomer got in the spirit by wearing an OU bandana.

From bocce ball to wiffleball, cornhole to caps....it was just a great time had by all. It started at about 2:30 and lasted late into the evening (ahem, morning). It was so nice to catch up with everyone and just hang out in lawn chairs while playing games, eating, and reliving funny stories from the past.

We didn't overdo it-- I promise that. And today, we spent most of the day relaxing at the pool and then back here on the couch....off my feet. I'm so glad we decided to do the party-- and we'll do it again next year. It'll be Little B's first Foley Fest (we won't let him/her stay up for the Zeppelin concert thought) and perhaps more kids will join in the fun. We'll see where the next Foley Fest takes us--- its sure to be fun every year.

We didn't get a photo with everyone in it, so we'll have to make sure we get that done next year, but here's a good group pic:

What's dressed in Orange & Black & Red and lives in Cleveland?

The answer to this fun riddle will be "Little B."

I can't help but think about how confused our Little B may be when it comes to sports. I'm not sure how this little girl/guy could properly be prepared to enter this sports family-- kidding. See, many of our friends affectionately joke about how "I was bred to date/marry Mike." He's a huge sports enthusiest and I grew up with a dad, mom & brother who are equally fanatical about sports. In fact, its very fair to say that I'm very into sports. For many reasons, including sports, Mike & I are a very good match and we hope that Little B will join in on the fun around sports.

Its fair to say, although we will not force the issue, that this child is going to grow up with the same attraction to sports that we learned from our families. The only difference is that we won't be living in the same town as the sports teams that we passionately support. In fact, we live in Cleveland, which happens to be an athletically-charged city of its own sort with sports franchises that are rivals to our teams. Its gonna be interesting. We'll be rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals, Reds & Baltimore Orioles. I guess that leaves the CAVS-- Baby can root for them, but that's really the only Cleveland team that will work.

We're usually pretty good about not being too outwardly obvious about our beloved teams. Its not like we hang a Bengal striped flag outside our house in the Fall. We just go all out with our NFL Sunday Ticket & Extra Innings Sports Packages and cheer from our basement. As you can see, we're excited that Little B is already starting to get outfits so that he/she will be properly attired for such activities. Love them-- what great gifts!!! (Thanks!!!)

So, yesterday, my Dad had a novel idea....He sent us an Orioles hat in an envelope addressed to "The Newest Orioles Fan." How cute! Anyway, we were on the phone and he promised not to send out anything purple on one condition....that Little B was dressed in Orange & Black all year long (Orioles in the Spring/Summer & Bengals in the Fall/Winter). This way, he said, Little B won't be confused on colors. Good thinking.....as long as Mike gets to add in some Red(s) in the summer months too, I think we have a deal. Afterall, the O's and Reds are in different leagues, so if this ever becomes an issue, it would mean that they were playing eachother in the World Series. We'll gladly deal with that situation should it ever happen.

Oh, and if anyone's a betting person-- I'd go to Vegas and put some money on the Bengals to go to the Super Bowl. My reasoning for this may be different than you think: This prediction is 100% based on Murphy's Law. See, Mike & I have the pact that the next time the Bengals go to the Super Bowl that we were goin'....no matter what. Well, with a 2 month old come playoff time this season, I can't see myself going. We'll make sure that Mike would find a way, but we both wouldn't be leaving Little B so early on. So, Murphy's Law puts the percentages very high that this could happen and I would think that the Vegas payout for this would be quite sizable. So, think about it! (p.s. If you do this and I'm right, I would hope that 10% of your winnings get donated to Little B's college fund-- wink wink) Who-dey!

Inside Hotel W Going into Week #24

So, some dear friends and family have been asking for a belly shot. The fact that I actually took one and posted it should let those of you who asked for this know just how much I care about you. Taking photos isn't at the the top of my list right now- especially from the side view. But I'm embracing this little belly because inside it lies Little B. So, enjoy-- this is me proving that yes, I have a bump. Cherish this pic, because I'm not sure when you'll get another one :) I'm kidding. But this is what I look like going itno Week #24 (almost 6 months along).

Now, for whats going on inside this camoflauged bump... According to the Mayo Clinic & Parents Magazine, Little B is now about 1 1/2 lbs and a little less than a foot long in total length (crown to rump length is about 8 inches). They say "the baby is about the size of a small doll at this point." Hmmm, exactly what kind of doll are we talking about? A Strawberry Shortcake Doll? A Carebear? Barbie? Gem? Skipper? Raggity Ann? Please do tell!

There's much going on...including further lung development & "practice breathing" as the baby prepare for life outside of Hotel W. This will be ongoing be ongoing until Little B arrives. That's an important and continual development, as the lungs are the last part of the baby to fully mature before check out time from Hotel W.

In addition, this week, Little B's sense of balance starts to develop, as his/her inner ear is now fully developed. I surely hope that Little B's sense of balance is a lot better than mine, as I have tended to lean more towards "cute clutz" than "graceful swan." Fingers crossed that Little B gets Mike's sense of coordination. The baby still has plenty of room for acrobatics at this point, but now he/she can tell if she's/he's up-side-down or right-side-up as he/she flips and turns. Obviously, now that the ears are fully formed, Little B's sense of hearing is pretty good, so that's fun.

In addition, Little B's fingerprints & footprints are also forming, so that's neat. And his/her face is fully in place. Now its time for baby to bulk up, which is what begins to happen in the next couple of weeks. Little B is also getting into a more consistent sleep pattern (or so they say). On average the baby sleeps 12-14 hours a day at this point. The rest of the time is spent exploring and being playful.

I just have to laugh

Its funny. There are people I see each week who still stare blatently at my belly and say "you're not even showing yet." Still! And they are sooooooooooooooooooooo wrong. Perhaps this the standard "nice" thing to say to women who are pregnant to make them feel good about their body image. But I'm surprised at how often I hear this comment. It does cause me to pop a smile (followed by uncontollable laughter at the validity of the comment). I guess its sweet, but the reality is that I've definitely "popped." And by this point, I should really show, so this is a good development.

So, back to the "when are you going to start showing" comment.... The answer is "at least three weeks ago." I almost wonder if the people making this comment have 20/200 vision. Kidding. In all truthfulness, they are probably just being super polite, and that's great. Or maybe I'm pretty good at camoflauging this bump. Or perhaps its because I get the distinct luxury of seeing whats under my clothes-- and there's definitely something there. Regardless, it makes me chuckle every time!

Love Marks

So, there's been a new development in this pregancy. Five of them, actually. Exactly what are they??? Fun, little, beautiful, totally attractive (can you sense the extent of my sarcasm yet?) patches of vericose veins. Five sets of them. Two of them have been around since the start of my second trimester. But the last three, well they just popped up this week.

Personally, I hate the sound of the medical term, vericose veins, so I've named them something else. I'm calling them "love marks" - cause that's what they are. Women commonly get them when they are pregnant, which is a labor of love, so I find this name to be quite appropriate. Look at me trying to put a positive spin on vericose veins. I'll try to find the silver (or in this case, purplish-blue) lining in just about anything.

If anyone has suggesions on these fun pregnancy side effects, please let me know. From what I've read there really isn't a lot to do to combat them. Either you get them or you don't when you're pregnant. But, I'm open ears :)

The Debut of Little B's Room

Here's how Little B's room is shaping up.... Take a peek for yourself! Granted, there's a lot more to do, but the basics are in place and I just love it. We'ved decided to keep the room the same bright, light, "Naples Blue" that we painted it a few years ago. Some people think that blue equates to boy, but we really don't feel that way. Blue is one of my favorite colors...especially blues of the bright, light, springy variety. And I just love this color matched with brown. It might just be my favorite combination. One might look at the room and think it looks like it teeters a little towards a boys room than a girls, but truth be told, I've never been a pinky-girly-girl. If Little B is a girl, there are some things we'll do to add some more "girliness" into the room. As it is now, we feel its pretty neutral....and I love it!

We'll be keeping the full size bed in the room, both for the future and for convenience during the occasional (wishful thinking, I know) long night that will be in our future. So, I swapped out the comforter for one that matches the room (and that I got at such a great price). Mike's mom found us the rocking chair which also looks cute for decoration in the room. Its quite cute.

As for the dresser, its really sturdy and beautiful. And it doubles as a changing table (thats the stuff in the box to the left that we'll put together when Mike gets back). A little later on, should we want, there's a hutch that can be purchased to go on top of the dresser. Its really nice, so we'll see if we want to add that in after the days of diaper changing have past. I'm really glad that we opted to get this set, which was a little more expensive that our original choice. Now that its here, its clear we made the right choice.

As you can see, somone totally approves of the crib...and that someone is Boomer. He made himself quite comfortable in the room, laying on the full-size bed and supervising me putting the bedding set together. Then, where I was done, we both sat on the bet looking at my work approvingly. I'm glad that he's pretty comfortable in the room as that's important to us. I ran out for some errands today and when I came in the front door, I heard a thump as Boomer jumped off the bed in Litle B's room and came down to greet me. Pretty neat! Can't wait for Mike to see it when he gets home this afternoon!

p.s. If you want to see one of these photos in a bigger version, just click on them and you'll open a browser with a much larger file of the photo. Let us know what ya think-- Boomer sure did with his head resting comfortably on the comforter! What a ham!

Registering can be a blast-- as long as you go with the right person :)

Let me start out by saying that my first pregnant trip to Babies-R-Us a few months ago was a bit overwhelming. There is so much stuff. How the heck to you know what's best to get--- there are so many choices. I literally did one lap, felt my heartrate go up, and promptly walked out to get fresh air. Perhaps I'm exaggerating a little bit, but not by much I tell you :)

One of my closest friends, Jenn, who lives close and has an 11 month old daughter, Hannah, offered to be my tour guide on Operation Registration. Thank goodness for her. She took the stress of registering and magically transformed it into a really fun experience. We had a blast.

We started out getting a little much-deserved pampering (ha, Pampers, get it!?!)....and got a manicure & pedicure in the morning. Mike & Jenn's husband, Andy, purchased spa gift certificates for us awhile back, so it was really nice to use them. What a nice way to start off the day. Registering is much more fun when you have parrifin-treated hands and feet with super cute painted nails and toes. Then we headed out to lunch and I was able to ask Jenn a bunch of questions about what products she loves the most, which ones were dissappointments etc. We also printed out another friend's registry to see what they opted for etc. This way, when we entered Babies-R-Us, we were prepared....food in belly, looking cute, and well researched.

It was funny, at the check in desk, the associate told us all the instructions etc. She asked if this was my first baby and I said yes....then paused...looked at Jenn and said, but I brought an expert. We all laughed. It was true though. Having her with me made picking out products a great experience-- and not nearly as overwhelming as I thought it would be. She was laughing at the number of infant toys I shot with the registering gun. I may have gone just a bit overboard, but there's some really great stuff! By no means do I expect to get all of them, but I like to give choices :). Truthfully, the advice, support and items I've been able to borrow from friends and family represent the best gifts a girl could ever receive-- and you can't register for them, you just have to be lucky to have an amazing support system.

Babies R Us does a really good job of making things easy. Not only do they have some suggestions, they also offer great online services. For example, people can purchase directly off a registery online, so they don't have to drive to a store and go on a massive search expedition looking for items. Also, I can update the list online in case there was an oversight or my mind changes etc. They also have a registery help desk at every store, where people can print out registeries and be directed to the exact location of the product they'd like to purchase. Its great!
There are still a couple of articles that I need to add in, but we were able to get so much of it done. Thanks a bunch Jenn!!!

Special (Furniture) Delivery

Yay! Little B's furniture arrived today. Seeing it come into the house tonight made me quite glad that we paid a little extra to have it delivered-- not only for getting it to the house, but getting it upstairs into Little B's room. It looked much bigger once it got into the house than it did when we saw it in the store. Also, thank goodness we opted for the assembly because it came in a bunch of pieces in a big, flat box. I could see the process of putting it together being a multi-hour experience....which they did professionally in about 20 minutes. Plus, they certifed the safety of the crib, which is worth its weight in gold. Afterall, there's something very precious that will be going in there.

For those of you familiar with our house, we've decided to make the blue room at the top of the steps Little B's room. Obviously, Little B won't originally start out there because he'll be on the first floor with us, but eventually he'll/she'll be up there. So, now that the furniture is here, I'm going to start to make into a cozy room. And yes, I'll upload photos as soon as it looks like its comng together a bit!

This will be a fun project for Boomer & I...we have the house to ourselves while Mike, Kevin & Mamma G are out visiting Danny in NYC. I'm really glad they all got to get together at Danny's--that type of quality family time is always a great thing. We've been on the go for a number of weekends, so I opted to stay back. The 3 boys went to a Yankees game on Friday after they all enjoyed a great Italian dinner at home made by their mom. I'm not sure exactly what their plans are for tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure it will involve going to Little Italy and getting some phenomenal pizza (okay, I'm a little envious of the pizza-- I can attest that its really yum).

I'm being tested...

This has been quite an unbelievable year. Unbelievable in the fact that we're finally realizing a dream that we've had for quite some time. For us to be able to have a baby is amazing and unbelievable in the good kind of way.

On the other hand, since I've become pregnant, there are some days when the challenges at work are also unbelievable. I'm probably tougher on myself than I need to be and may need to just take a step back and realize that I'm not doing all that bad. Still, I can't help but joke about the Ying & Yang I sometimes experience. Its almost as if a faucet of professional hurdles immediately popped up the minute I started running in this marathon I call pregnancy. I wasn't expecting them to be on the track-- and now it seems like I just can't avoid them. And I'm not a very good jumper. Its almost like I have this sunshine beaming down on me in my personal life-- with a baby on the way, a husband who is my best friend, and fantastic friends and family who are supporting us all the way. But when it comes to work, its like a mini tornado topped with a little black cloud on top that is waiting for me when I walk through the office door sometimes.

One of the traits I'm the most proud of is my ability to be positive, even when facing tough times. I'm gonna keep trying-- even if I am being tested :) I'm not someone who fails or rolls over when times get tough. I might struggle at times, but thats just not how the end of any of my chapters are written. I guess I'm just having a hard time understanding "why" this is happening. Why all the good stuff in my personal world and challenges professionally? I guess its because I'm about to really sit on the eternal seasaw of work/life balance once Little B arrives. So someone's just trying to gie me a glance at how trying juggling all of this can be.

First and foremost, our ability to have a baby trumps everything. I'm so excited about what we've been able to accomplish. I just wish things would let up a bit at work. Go away black cloud, go away! On the bright side, we all know what happens when rain is mixed with sunshine...it produces a rainbow.

Baby Likes Zeppelin?

Um, that would be a resounding yes. More specifically, Little B likes Robert Plant & Alison Krauss performing together...which includes playing some Let Zeppelin songs. Just how do I know? Because Mike & I went to see them in concert last night downtown. It was quite a performance-- and Little B was wide awake during the entire show. Seriously, it was 3 hours worth of continuous moving around for Little B-- the longest to date. Maybe it was the 10th row seats we were sitting in (afterall, this is Mike's favorite singer of all time). But Mike's gonna go with another explanation: Baby just likes Zeppelin.

It was a great night-- Mike was 19 clouds past Cloud 9 because he finally go to see his all time favorite performer in action. Seriously, I think Robert Plant could have come out singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and he would have made Mike speechless. It was very cool to see him enjoy it so much. The only thing that could've topped it for him is if we were going to an actual Led Zeppelin concert...his fingers are still crossed that this will someday happen.

As we walked up to the show, Mike looked at me and joked "Little B's gonna hear Robert Plant perform live for the first time at the same time I do." Lucky Little B. Maybe we've got ourselves a little rocker!

Little B Going into our 23rd Week

Think of a large papaya! That's what the mom-to-be websites I frequent compare the baby to in size. Total length is about 11.5 inches, but crown to rump is about 8 inches. On average, babies at this point weigh a pound or so.

As for big happenings this week-- its all about the lungs, which are getting into full gear. Although Little B won't actually use them until he/she makes her grand entrance, she/he's practicing using them now. They are developed enough so that Little B makes breathing movements while staying at Hotel W. But for now baby gets all of his/her oxygen from the placenta. Many doctors do note that Weeks 23 & 24 are significant milestones though because of the lung development that has already happened. Once these weeks are completed (they vary just a bit with every baby), the chances of survival are much better if they arrive early. But hold on Little B-- stay put please!

In other news, Little B is awake for more hours than before. A few weeks ago, he/she was sleeping about 19 hours a day. Now, the little one sleeps between 14-16 hours a week. And yes, I totally notice this change. Its cool though.

111 Posts so far...this whole experience is soo unreal!

Kinda cool-- this is my 112th post since starting this site. All those thoughts-- all stored here for me to recall later, for others to read, and for us to one day share with Little B. When I started writing this, I wasn't sure if it was the best idea. There are a lot of very personal thoughts and emotions in here-- ones that I might not neccessarily put on display. But now that I'm 100+ messages into this, I've very glad I decided to do this. The reality is that it really has been a healthy outlet for me and when I look back at some of the previous writings, I feel like it was just yesterday and remember it clear as can be. This is coming from the same person who routinely drives past her exit on the way home-- that's how well my brain is functioning. My brother calls it "baby brain" and he is so very right! So the fact that I can look back and instantly be there in the moment, although it was 5 1/2 months or more ago, is quite a neat thing.

I find that I am continuously amazed at how one's body almost goes on auto-pilot as it works to develop a baby. I just wonder all the time-- just who's calling the shots to make all of this happen. Seriously, over the past 5 1/2 months, there have been incredible happenings inside Hotel W...I'd like to see the instruction manual because its quite impressive. Who tells my uterus to move my orgnas upward? Who tells the millions of cells in Little B to start forming into organs? How does my body know to start to increase my blood volume (by 40%!) so that when Little B arrives, my body doesn't go into shock? Who tells Little B to start to practice breathing even though it will make him/her hiccup? What makes Little B squirm, swim, clutch his/her fists and kick-- all while his/her muscles are just developing? And furthermore, what makes Little B decide to suck his/her thumb as a soothing mechanism-- even in utero!?!? How does the baby know that they are supposed to develop 2 hands, five fingers, 2 legs, ten toes, a nose, 2 eyes etc? Its truly unreal.

Date Weekend!

Mike's going to be out of town next weekend, spending some Q-T with his brothers in NYC, so we wanted to do some fun stuff around Cleveland this weeked. Kinda like a "date-weekend," which I'm being told by everyone who has had a little one will be a thing of the past come November.

Needless to say, we did take advantage of being able to just "get up and go" and had a great time. We grabbed lunch and then golfed 18 holes on Saturday afternoon. Despite the rain that did at one point downpour, it was really enjoyable. Actually the rain coold things off considerably. We were just playing for fun, but I also got some pretty decent exercise. See, Mike's drive goes about 150 yards (at a minimum) past mine, so I walk down the fairway hitting my ball along to catch up. Its way better than just sitting in the cart and increases the activity level of 18 holes just a bit, which is nice. Afterwards, we came back, showered and went out to dinner at our favorite restaurant in town, The Pomeroy House. Then back to the house to watch a movie (and hang out with Boom, who isn't always the biggest fan of date weekends as they usually involve us being a way from him for a bit longer than he'd like).

Today, we slept in (I know, sleeping in is soon to be a thing of the past too) and then went to go work out at the gym. I've still (kinda) got it-- and was able to bike 15 miles. Not too shabby. Then we went to grab a bite to some Mexican for lunch, then went grocery shopping real quick on the way home. Once back at the house, we went over to the pool and read for 2 hours or so. Now we're back at the house relaxing with Boomer. Its been really really nice. Don't get too annoyed, we did spend a lot of time on Saturday morning doing yard work and cleaning (and laundry is now in progress), but it was nice to spend time just the two of us.

On a side note, its funny the things I hear all the time regarding what life will be like when Little B arrives...all of which I'm sure I'm sure are true and are shared with the best of intentions, but are still kinda melencholy. I get it, our lives are going to change in a major way-- but that's kinda what we're hoping for as the price of starting our family. I might be in total denial, but I'm not sure we're going to mind paying that price so much. I keep hearing (in no particular order): "enjoy it now," "oh just wait til that changes" and "you're not going to be able to do that anymore" and "get your sleep now, becuase that's gonna stop" etc. Its well meaning advice and I know that we'll find most of it to be 100% true, but does the painting of our future need to be so gloomy? Should a write a post titled "The Obituary to our Social Life" sometime soon? Yes, it will most definitely be an adjustment, but I also believe that it will make us appreciate this time we're having now even more. And when situations arise that allow us to have another weekend like this (now accepting reservations from grandparents, aunts and uncles-- ha~wink wink), I know we'll reallly appreciate those cherished alone times too. But when it all comes down to it, we're kinda looking forward to all the good that a child brings to the world of their parents....even if that goodness comes at 3am. I am fully aware that come 4-5 months from now I'll probably put a post up on this site that totally negates all the "goodness" I'm feeling in this last paragraph...but that's why its fun to write this--- I get to change my mind and speak what's going through my head :)

Furniture is on its way

The furniture for the nursery arrived at the store yesterday. Pretty neat. I had to go in an inspect it, which was fun. Its cool to see it. The combo changing table and dresser looks great-- no problems there at all. Now, we're waiting to have it delivered, which should happen next week.

Pretty exciting I must say :) Oh and while I was there for the inspection I didn't leave without picking up a little something. Shocking, I know. Its a little stuffed monkey that seems to match the bedding set we have. Its quite cute-- and will be more for decoration than anything else. I just had to get it.

A Doctor for Little B

When I left my doctors appointment on Monday, I was sent home with a To Do List for the first time...



1) Find a pediatrician & get Little B registered as a future patient

2) Complete my hospital pre-registration packet

3) Sign up for some sort of birthing class

4) Call our insurance company to let them know in advance (way in advance) that we'll be delivering a bay in November, get pre-authorized, and find out what they will and will not cover



Granted, these are all things that I've been asked to do prior to my next appointment, so I have a month. But I can't help but think that pre-registering at 5 1/2 months is a bit, well, "premature" (nice play on words, huh?)



Anyway, I did start on our "to dos" and found a terrific pediatric practice. And we're signed up with one of their most reccomended doctors (literally - 3 people suggested the same doctor). Little B will be a patient of Dr. Golanka starting in early December when he/she goes in for his/her two-week checkup. His practice has offices in Strongsville (close to home) and in Brecksville (close to work). They even have office hours on Saturday, which is really nice. And they have "same day sick service," where a child will be seen with an appointment the day you call if they are sick. That's reassuring...none of that "can you come in next week bull." I appreciate that. They have a website with a lot of useful links for parents etc: http://www.kidsinthesun.com/index.htm



Dr Golanka is the second in on the left. He looks a bit like my pediatrician, Dr Athanus, who I rembmer being so nice (and a good doctor). Hopefully Little B will feel the same way in the years to come. This is a big one to check off. I'll get working on the other items later this month :)

"This Bed is Just Right"

Back to the whole "What are you craving?" question that's asked of me often...well, I have a new addition. I crave my bed & sleep.

Goldilocks & the Three Bears said it perfectly...."And this bed is just right." I'm know that other beds are just as comfortable as mine etc...but being away from my bed made me crave it. Our accomodations this past weekend were terrific, but if I could have packed up every item associated with my bed (including the upteen pillows a body pillow and comforter), and taken them with me, I would have....cause they = a great night's sleep.

Boomer displayed the same sentiment. Once we picked him up from the Taj Mahal of doggy care facilities, he went to our bed, jumped up onto it and flat-out plopped down. Laying on his side, with his head resting on a pillow, he had a look on his face that said it all "My bed, my house, ahhhh." Sometimes it just nice to be back home after a busy weekend :)

On the subject of beds....Little B's bed (well really, is a crib) arrived at the store and we get to inspect it tomorrow. That's kinda exciting. Then they'll deliver it and get it all set up. I hope Little B will evenually feel the same way about his/her room as Boomer, Mike & I seem to feel about ours. I want it to be "just right!"

Oh, and yes I did have a doctor's appt today. It went just fine. Little B's heartbeat is good and boy is he/she active. My blood pressure is lower than its ever been - literally 88 over 55, but they aren't overly concerned. They prefer it to be lower rather than higher. Pregnancy induced Hypotension (i.e. my low blood pressure) is not considered to be a health risk for me or Little B, like Hypertension (high blood pressure) is for those expecting. Typically, blood pressure goes to its lowest in the middle of pregnancy (i.e. right now) and then slowly rises again later in pregnancy. I just have to be careful not to stand up too quick and keep my blood sugar in the right range (which I'm doing) to avoid problems. Only in extreme cases, and that's not what mine is, they would do IV Fluids. But as long as I'm staying hydrated and not overly dizzy, we won't have to do anything, so that's good :)