Dr. Appointment

On Monday, Jon and I went to our latest Dr. appointment. This was the appointment where they test me for gestational diabetes, so 30 minutes before, I had to drink this orange syrupy stuff. I'd heard horror stories about it, so I poured it into a cup with a little uncertainty. I decided that chugging it would be the best way to get it over and done with, but after my first huge gulp, I realized it basically tasted like flat orange soda. So, no, not the greatest, but not horrible, either, so that wasn't bad.

The stats are always the first thing at these appointments, so here they are:
My weight: gained less than half a pound! Total weight gain of 10 pounds.
My uterus length: 27 t0 28 cms. The number of centimeters should correspond with how many weeks along I am (which was 27.5), so we're just fine there.
My blood pressure: 99/66
Caleb's Heart rate: 143 bpm

So all that looks good! The nurse took two little vials of blood for the glucose test. That didn't go so great, because my vein wasn't giving up its blood very willingly. By the time the tourniquet came off, I couldn't feel my fingers very well, but at least it was done. But then they remembered I needed more blood taken because I'm Rh negative, so another tube from the other arm. That one went much better, and I was thankful that I don't have a huge problem with needles. I also got my Rhogam shot, again because I'm Rh negative.

So what exactly is Rh negative? Well, if you know your blood type, and if it has a "-" on the end (as in O-, like me), you're Rh negative! It's not as common as positive, which has two affects. First, you're on everyone's list to call when there's a blood drive, and second, if your baby is born positive (which is likely if your spouse, like mine, is positive), there's a possibility that your body will see any future positive babies as "foreign bodies" and miscarry.

So, if Caleb is positive, nothing will happen to him, but, at the point of his birth, it's possible that his blood and mine could get mixed, at which point, my blood will start forming antibodies to his positive blood. The next time my blood comes in contact with positive blood (at the next baby, perhaps), there would already be antibodies there to "fight the intruder." That is obviously not what we want, so I get a shot now, and if Caleb's blood is positive, I get another shot after his birth. If he has a negative blood type, then no worries for now, but we'll go through the same process for the next baby. Thankfully, modern science has it all figured out, so there's really nothing to worry about, and a couple shots is a minor inconvenience compared to not doing it!

The nurse joked with Jon and I about how I should have picked a negative person for my spouse, and how, when we have a little girl (if she's negative as well), we'll have to tell her, "Pick a negative man, but ONLY in blood type!"

Let's see...other than that we just had a few questions for the doctor. She said she would allow a video camera for the whole delivery, but the nurse may not, so we'll have to see. Basically, I want to get a few shots of the actual pushing ("I really did it!") and then shut the camera off until Caleb's there to steal the show!

The dr. also said that I could hold Caleb before they do all the cleaning and eye drops and all that, and she explained how they'd hand me a warm towel to receive him, I'd rub him down really well, and then hold him next to me with a warm blanket on top. Most babies are swept into the warmer, where they get rubbed down, measured, drops in eyes, and hat on head, which is not bad, but I'd like to do this as a science experiment, really. (I know, my poor kid is subject to my experiments straight out of the oven.) My mom had sent me information about something called the breast crawl, and I want to see if it happens. If it does, I think that would be totally cool. There is a site you can go look at for more information, but I'll warn you, it's all about nursing, so you can decide for yourself if you want to see it. It starts out with a bang right on the front page, so don't even click the link if you're not interested.

And that was my appointment! If the glucose test comes out unusual, I should know by tomorrow, and then I'd have to go in for more in-depth testing. Other than that, I go back in three weeks.

What to tell work

NOTE: I started this post April 21st, before I told work that I was pregnant. I was going to edit it for today, but decided to leave it as is and then add edits to the end. So this first section was written before work knew about my pregnancy.
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When I first started working at Texas Life (part time, in 2004), I worked in the office. When I moved, I broached the topic of working from home. It was quickly squelched. Evidently, someone had done it before (who didn't live in the state), and had gotten pregnant and had a baby without the company even knowing. That left a bad taste in their mouths, and they wouldn't think of it.

Well, we all know that at some point they changed their minds, because I now work at home for them, and have for 3 years. However, I'm not sure how my being pregnant will affect their attitudes. In some ways, I think it will be fine. My boss is a granddad and likes to think of himself as a father figure to me. He worries about me and makes sure I take enough time off, etc. And almost everyone on the marketing team has kids. However, they've all got crazy lives, crazy schedules, and most have divorces or dead marriages because of the life of a salesperson. I'm not sure many will understand that I never have found my fulfillment in work, and having a baby will make that more obvious.

Having a baby will also bring up the question, "What will you do after the baby is born?" Many women take their maternity, go back a couple weeks, then quit their jobs. The problem is that I don't know the answer to that question. The truth is, I would love to quit. I've seen work-at-home moms, and it's hard, if not impossible, to keep up the same level of productivity with a newborn.

On the other hand, it just may not be in the cards for me to quit, yet. And that's fine, too. But I can't give work a confident, "Yes! I'll be back and more ready than ever to work hard for this company!"

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Here starts the post from today:

So I told work, obviously, and it has not been quite roses since then. Well, I thought it was until last week, when I got my performance reviews in (reviewed by my boss and peers). It turns out that the people in my department don't feel I'm pulling my weight, or sacrificing enough for my job. They feel it's just a job to me, and no more. Which, if you just read the first section of this post, you'll know is true. My work is not my life, and I sadly work in a department where most people have sacrificed their lives (and the lives of their families) for their work. Now, there are two sides to every coin, and I'm not saying the review was completely off the mark, but this is the first review I've gotten in three years that has been less than exemplary, so I do know there's a connection.

Last week I also had a discussion with my boss about my maternity leave. At the time, we knew of no one in our department who had set a precedent for maternity leave--everyone came into the dept. with kids already (which tells you the age difference between myself and everyone else). The day I announced my pregnancy, I'd asked for 6 weeks leave, and I described when I would take off and get back, supposing Caleb came the day expected. However, last week, my boss wanted me to outline again exactly what I wanted, and he implied that I needed to be available for emergencies, and stay in contact at least through part of my leave. Well, I know what an "emergency" is in a marketing department: it's any crazy project you promised to a client to be ready by Friday. They come up every week. So I knew I didn't like that idea, but didn't know exactly what to do.

Yesterday I went to lunch with a lady who has 5 kids and hasn't been in the department very long. She stressed the importance of 6 weeks of leave, and how I was doing the right thing to expect it. Knowing how our department works, she did suggest a compromise by my offering to be available through e-mail the last two weeks. Then, evidently, after I left for home last night, she went in and talked to our boss, expressing my frustration about it. It turns out he had done a little research himself, and found that one lady in our dept. did take maternity leave, and she took 12 weeks! My friend told him that she thought my request for 6 weeks was very good, and she would support it. She called me this morning to tell me, but still reminded me that offering to be available the last two weeks was still a good move. And I agree.

So, here is what I will request (and you can put edits in your comments): 6 weeks maternity, leaving Nov. 21st to return on Jan. 5th. The last two weeks (Dec. 22-Jan 2), I would be available through e-mail only, and only do edits of existing pieces, no creation of new pieces. Any time I spend working will not be counted against my maternity, including 30 minutes per e-mail.

So what do you think? Now, I realize that's the holiday weeks, and I can't imagine that they would find a reason to e-mail, but I'm willing to still answer any e-mails. Plus, Caleb will pick his own time to come, so the last two weeks might not fall on the holidays.

The following paragraph subject to change due to further instruction from God:

Beyond my maternity leave, Jon and I have decided that I will quit my job when able. That means that if Jon has already found a job starting in January, I will probably go ahead and quit, with perhaps a couple of weeks to prepare things for the next person coming in. If he has not yet found a job, I'll keep working until he does, and he'll keep on with his part-time security job, which will allow him to stay home with Caleb on the days I go into the office. When I quit, I become full-time mom and part-time photographer.

And with that paragraph, my life changes!

Twenty Six...and Twenty Seven....Weeks

Well, pooh, I've almost made it to the end of this week, and I never posted about last week! (Counting for the week ends every Wednesday.) So, I think I'll smoosh the two weeks together, since they're mostly smooshed in my mind, anyway.

I had a dream last night that Caleb was born. The birth was so easy--the only hard part was that I'd gotten bee stings all over my arms from a random swarm of bees, who were all now dead, through an even more random poison in the house that obviously affected no one but the bees. I guess I figured, after bee stings, what's a little labor and delivery, eh?

Last night was our second Lamaze class, and we saw two videos, not just one. As a side note, these videos remind me a lot of nature videos. We're watching this natural occurrence (which looks very unnatural, by the way) which takes about the same time as watching a snake molt--and almost as boring until the very end--and there's a soft narrator in the background: The mother draws inside herself, no longer worried about the world around her, but pulling from the strength of her instincts. Her family gives her constant and quiet support. She rests when she can.... I'm pretty sure they just pull the script from "How Farm Animals Are Born" and add in a bit about families or something to make it for us. Thankfully, the end of the movie ends in happiness and tears, whereas the other nature movies usually end in, "And the mother eats her young, thus negating all her hard work." Every time a baby is born in these movies, I tear up. It reminds me of when Ian was born, and what a relief to see him and hear him. I know I'm going to cry when Caleb's born, and it's a pretty safe bet that Jon will be crying (Caleb, too, now that I think of it), so you can bet we'll be a big snotty mess at the end of our ordeal!

On another note, last night's videos were about the different positions to be in during labor. Everything was fine until they showed a lady screaming during contractions. I thought I could do this, and then it turns out they've been editing out all the horror stories. That one just managed to slip through the cracks, and now I'm not so sure I want Caleb to come out. Ever.

Speaking of the little guy, let's see what kind of growing he's been doing the last couple of weeks.... Caleb is almost 2 pounds now! He's 14.5 inches long, and his lungs are developed enough at this point that they would be able to function (with medical intervention) out in the open. Let's hope he doesn't have to try them out for several more weeks!

I've been trying to notice things about Caleb: does he have a sleep pattern, has he gotten the hiccups, how is he situated in the uterus. But, alas, I have no idea about any of these questions. I've never been good at noticing developing patterns. I think I would've noticed the hiccups, though. I do notice that he seems to have direct access to my hip bone, because I could swear he pokes it every once in awhile. Sometimes his pokes actually make me jump, though they're so fleeting that they don't really hurt.

My belly seems to have slowed its growth--maybe it's absorbing the 8 pounds I packed on last month, which evidently did NOT, in fact, go to my belly. I know this because I now have stretch marks on my rear, not my belly, and I know that Caleb is not growing in my rear. That's all me....sigh.... Anyway, there's a girl who's 8 weeks behind me, and her belly is as big as mine! Granted, she's teeny tiny, so she's all belly, but still, I have an 8-week jump on her! I guess Caleb is just spreading out more than balling up in front.

Otherwise on the pregnancy front, I've noticed it's getting harder to get up and down from the floor, which is where I spend a lot of my time during photo shoots! I've also cried more--twice in two days last week--which is very unusual for me. On a good note, I'm sleeping through the night, now! It turns out that it wasn't me having to get up to pee that made me wake up. It was the cats. They've been kicked out of the room, and I'm sleeping very nicely. A couple of nights in a row, I slept very fitfully, but I think it was from an overworked brain still trying to think things out. Three photo shoots and the Big Shift in one weekend can do that to you, I guess.

Speaking of the Big Shift, it's almost complete! Our living room is all shifted around, desks and computer added, and I really like it! I mean, not just, "oh, I can tolerate it for the next few months." I really like it! I think it's a good layout, and won't feel too cramped at all. So that's nice. When we get all the random stuff put away, I'll take pictures.

And I think that about covers these last two weeks! More to come on this exciting journey!

The Big Shift

To prepare for Caleb, we need to make the living room serve as the living and office area. Hence, the Big Shift! Because there are large pieces of furniture involved, we only want to move stuff around once, so one night I measured out everything in the house--the walls and everything that had a footprint on the floor--and drew it out on a grid. I drew the furniture on a separate grid, then cut out each piece. My mom put some adhesive on the back of the pieces, so we could arrange and rearrange all the furniture on the grid. It worked so great, and only took an hour or so of time! Since then, we've come up with two possible plans for how to arrange the house. I didn't have the foresight to show you the way it looks currently, to give you a comparison. I guess I could rearrange it all and scan that one in, but...nah.... Here are the two plans:

KarenD came up with this layout, and I think it's the winner. It brings our office space into the living room, but, as she pointed out, gives room next to my desk for Caleb to play (at least until he's mobile!). It uses the space in front of the fireplace, too, which spreads things out a bit more.

(click on the image for a larger view)

The next layout is the one my mom and I actually came up with first. (I just scanned in the living room area, because nothing else changes.) It splits the room more into two separate spaces: living and office, but it ends up being a little more crowded. Plus, my desk is the one in the back corner, leaving no space for Caleb to play where I can watch him while I work.

(click on the image for a larger view)

So, there you are! Jon's off on Monday of this week, so I'm hoping we'll get a lot of it moved around then. After that, the nursery (because then it'll be an official nursery!) will be open for us to start sorting things and going through the storage closet.

Very exciting!

The first Lamaze class

Last night Jon and I went to our first Lamaze class. I had so much fun! Jon wouldn't go that far, but he did say he enjoyed it. And yes, he even made it through his first birthing video!

There were 6-7 couples there, most due in early October. (We're going a little early because of schedule conflicts with the later sessions.) We all introduced ourselves, and we got to put in a plug for my photography business, letting everyone know that I do maternity and newborn. So, in that way, it's handy that we're going early, because I'd actually be available to do all these people's shoots, if they wanted. We'll see. I had my business cards with me, but it seemed a little too cheesy at the time, so I'll pass them out next week.

Anyway...I love the instructor! She reminds me a lot of my mother-in-law. Her mannerisms are similar, and she did a great job of writing down little facts about each of us, and then remembering them and referring to them in her lecture. She's a registered nurse for labor and delivery, plus a certified doula (a birthing coach). Even though the subject matter can be a little personal (therefore uncomfortable to discuss with strangers), she did a great job of adding humor in to lighten the mood. She is also very expressive with her body language, and watching her do all kinds of motions to refer to "down there" and the way to push or the way the baby is going to wiggle his way out...I was cracking up.

So, the instructor went through the 5 or 6 points of Lamaze. It was an overview, and evidently we'll be covering each one in further classes. She talked about medical intervention vs. the natural method. Of course, the natural method is her preferred method, though, as an RN, she's very familiar with inductions, epidurals and everything else.

After her lecture, we watched the birthing video, outlining the stages of labor. Jon had been reading the labor chapter in the What to Expect book, so he was able to follow along with the terms and everything very well. I, of course, have seen probably 10 birthing videos since the second month I was pregnant (and so had most of the expectant moms, I'm sure), so it was funny to see all the women in the class look to our white-faced husbands at key points in the video: the baby's head crowning (our first look at some random person's hooha), when the baby comes out, and then when the placenta is delivered. All the guys did very well, I must say. The video reminded me of when Ian was born, and I kept leaning over to Jon to affirm that yes, that really is how babies are born, because I've been there. I know! :) I'm so thankful to Karen for letting me be a part of that, both for the memories as family, and also for the experience it's given me. I've read that childbirth used to be a female affair--every female in the family helped out, and by the time it was your turn to have a baby, you'd already been exposed to it before. It's not like that now, and I'm grateful that I've seen it firsthand. It's not some mystery behind closed doors for me.

The class ended with relaxation stretches and breathing. That was the best! Jon and I had to do all our stretches together, either pulling/pushing each other, or back to back with our hands together, so we did every stretch in sync. It was a lot of fun, and reminded me how important my Pilates exercises are (which I finally picked back up last week). The last relaxation thing we did was to imagine a "happy place" and consciously tense and relax our muscles. Some of that, as Jon explained, is to help you relax more--tensed muscles tend to bounce back further than neutral muscles. It was also a way to learn, "Okay, it's going to hurt, and I'm going to tense up naturally, so I have to make a conscious effort to relax my muscles, which will help the rest of me relax, too." We'll see if I remember my happy place in the throes of contractions. Haha!

Overall, it was a good class. I'm glad we're going, and I look forward to next week.

Pervasive: My Two Loves

"Daddy, how do I know when I'm in love?"
"Well, love is...pervasive."
"Oh. Um...okay. Thanks."

That conversation--though I didn't understand it at the time--changed my life. Pervasive: it permeates everything. It's the explanation I've passed on many times to girls asking the same question. When you think about the future, do you think of [fill in blank with potential spouse] with you in everything? Not just running through fields of joy together, but do you think of him as the guy who sits across the table from you every morning, who deals with your imperfections, or who holds your hair back for you when you're puking? That's pervasive. That's love!

My conversation with my dad answered my question--yes, I was in love with Jon, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

Now, without realizing it, I find another pervasive love creeping up. A love I really hadn't expected to appear until November.

As I'm sitting in church or talking with friends, I look down at my belly, or place my hand over the spot where Caleb is moving. I drift away into daydreams--taking Caleb to the zoo, rocking him, singing to him, and eventually teaching him to sing and play and be an active little kid.

In these daydreams, Jon is always with me (pervasive, remember?)--my first love together with this new love! What a blessing to be in love!

Twenty-Five Weeks!

Caleb has grown to 13.5 inches this week! He weighs a pound and a half, which is quite an increase from last week. I can tell, too! His kicks are getting to be a bit more than love taps. Jon and I watched my belly hop and jump for a few minutes last night. It feels kind of like muscle spasms, or big popcorn balls popping.

As for me, I've noticed a few disturbing things from the first trimester creeping back in. I'm starting to get crabby again. Woohoo. And my face has started to break out more. And I'm tired again. Well, actually, I think I've been tired all the way through! :)

A friend of mine who is a couple months ahead of me said that she experienced the same thing--even with a bit of morning sickness--when she hit the third trimester. The hormones must be realigning again or something. She did assure me that it lightens up a bit...not back to 2nd trimester bliss, but a bit!

And for once, I really have kept my update short! More later!

Dr. Appointment

Yesterday we went to our 24-week doctor appointment. It was pretty routine, but still fun. Since the last appointment, I'd gained 8 pounds! So, not exactly the pound a week I'm supposed to be gaining (try TWO pounds a week), but Dr. K said it put me right where I'm supposed to be right now, since I hadn't gained much weight until now. But, that does mean I can't let "being underweight" be my reason for the Wendy's Frosty any more. :) (Just kidding...I've only had one Wendy's Frosty this month!)

My blood pressure is still just fine: 110/70. And Caleb's heartbeat is a strong 146bpm. "Perfect," as Dr. K said. I like to think so! Remember how I said that the Dopplar takes WAY too long to find a heartbeat with? There's just too much tension waiting for that little heartbeat to come through. Well, this time, Caleb's heartbeat was the first thing we heard, loud and clear!

My uterus measures at 26 centimeters. This measurement is taken very precisely...the doctor pokes around on my abdomen until she finds something, then she spreads a tape measure across my belly. The measurement should be about the same as the number of weeks I am, give or take 2 cms. So, I'm 24.5 weeks, and I measure at 26 cm, which is just fine. I asked if that extra was me or the baby, and Dr. K said it could be both, but (and she looked at Jon for this) Caleb's probably going to be a big baby. Haha!

And that was pretty much it. We asked a few questions. One was about my cartilege ring that still hasn't healed completely. I was hoping it was related to pregnancy in some way (since I got it pierced 2 weeks before conceiving), but nope, it's just me, evidently. So, though I like it very much, and have endured the healing (or lack thereof) for 6 months, I think it might be time to pull the plug. We'll see.

We made more appointments for the next couple of months, starting every 2 weeks after this next appointment! I've added them to the sidebar. One exciting bit of information is that I get another sonogram at 36 weeks! I guess they figure the tape measure method isn't exact enough (go figure), so this will let them know what the next steps should be. If he's big, we might induce early or schedule a C-section, and if he's a normal size. we'll just let things happen. (That's me totally guessing why we might have the sono; I really don't know.)

We tried to pre-register at the hospital while we were there, but the lady that does it said it would be much easier for us to do it online. We both thought, "Wow, she's completely negating her job" but we didn't say it. We did find out that without insurance, the hospital costs would be $4,000, unless we stayed extra days (like for a C-section), in which case it would be $6,000. Evidently, when we register, the hospital will give us a more accurate figure based on what our insurance covers. We'll do that pretty soon so we will know what to expect. From our doctor, we found out who the anesthesiologist would be, so we can make sure they're covered under our insurance. (Yeah, things to think about!) People have made having a baby so complicated these days! :)

And that's all for this update! Tune in next time!

Diaper Bag Purchase

We ordered our diaper bag today! Because it's a pretty big (and long-term) purchase, I was nervous about making the perfect choice. From talking to moms I know, it seemed important to determine the kind of mom I might be. Will I just grab a diaper and a bottle and go, or will I have every possible scenario of the day covered, with sunscreen and a sweater in the same bag, "just in case."

So I thought about what kind of purse I carry. I have two favorites: one is very small with only the basics, and one is very large, with all kinds of random stuff inside. Hm...that doesn't help. But, of all the random things I put in my big bag, it's mostly just because I have the room and not because I need it. I do like lots of pockets, and I don't want to carry a bag and a purse at the same time. I want something I can carry saddle-bag style across my chest, and something that Jon wouldn't mind carrying as well. Finally, I didn't want it to scream, "I'm a mommy!" with it's fluffy diaper bag-ness.

Enter the Skip Hop Expo!

I think it's going to be a perfect fit. It's very streamlined (only 3.5 inches deep), but the bottom expands to 7 inches for those longer trips. So, I can keep it pretty small, and add more when I wish. And it looks more like a book bag than a diaper bag--one I would be happy to carry wherever.

Belly pic oddness

Well, I added Week 24 pic to the sidebar, but my belly is definitely smaller-looking in 24 than 22, which is weird, because I've had two weeks to grow! So I'm thinking I must have been taking a deep breath the first time, or sucking in this week--why, I have no idea.

Plus, we learned from yesterday's update that Caleb has expanded above my belly button, so maybe he's just shifted around. I read that my uterus is the size of a soccer ball!!

Twenty-Four Weeks

Ack! It's already been another week! I reported a little late last week, so that made this one come much faster. Caleb has gained about 4 ounces since last week! And he's been wiggling away! Sometimes I can feel him move--not kick--just roll around a little. That's kind of a weird feeling. And I definitely feel him above my belly button now, which up until recently he had not resided. The other day, I even saw my belly jump when he kicked!

The glider is here, and it is as lovely as we remembered it being in the store. My Grandma is working on sheets and curtains and a skirt and pillows. That has been the first commitment to the nursery plan that I've made, so we're running with it now! I think it's going to look great. I'm still having a hard time visualizing it all. Hopefully soon we'll start making some changes around the house so it will start coming together.

I don't think I have any more pregnancy signs to report, or any other big purchases that I can remember. Oh, that reminds me, I do think I'm more forgetful. My mind has started blanking out sometimes, and people have asked me to do something at work and I've immediately forgotten it. I hope I haven't forgotten anything important! If you ask me to do something for you, please remind me about it a day or two later, if I still haven't done it. I've always been forgetful, and my general tactic is to do things right away, but sometimes that's not possible. Once again I'm thankful for Jon, who keeps my head on straight!

Speaking of Jon, let me just say that he has been so great lately! I mean, he's always great, but it seems that he's transitioned into a new role lately. We went to a German restaurant yesterday (which is another story altogether). Being German food, it was very heavy, and I ate only about a third of what was on my plate. Even though it was very expensive, Jon apologized and said we'd pick up something for me on the way home. That wasn't necessary at all, but I appreciated that the immediate thought was for my needs and not for the price of my uneaten meal. He's also been quick to help out with Bonnie & Clyde, our little test babies (poor cats). He changes their litter, helps me clip their claws, and takes an active role in their training and upbringing. Sometimes I can see that it's a conscious effort on his part. He would rather not deal with the cats in the middle of the night if I'm already awake to deal with them. But he realizes that it won't be just me dealing with Caleb, and he wants to get ready for that and set the precedent of being involved now.

I've always been amazed at Jon's intentional nature. I can make goals all day, but by the time I've written them down and set the paper aside, I've forgotten. It's only two days later that I think, "Oh! I was supposed to do...." Jon, on the other hand, can make a mental note, and it's there. Any lack of follow-through on his part is another conscious decision. He's always been that way, and I'm grateful to see he's making a decision to handle parenting as a team, with grace and patience, just like he's doing with Bonnie & Clyde.

Note: I added the Week 22 pic to the sidebar! Sadly, we missed the 23 week picture, so we'll take 24 on Saturday (if we remember!).

Twenty-Three Weeks

The weeks are zooming by! I'm going to make this a quick post this time....

Caleb is 11 inches and just a little over a pound, now! He loves to move, and I feel him all the time!

For me, nothing much new. My belly's a little bigger, my hips still hurt, and that's about all there is to report! I've slept on the couch a couple of times--not through the night, just when I wake up and then can't get comfortable again. The couch isn't really any more comfortable, but at least then I'm not keeping both myself and Jon awake!

I've been working on my registry this week. I have all the big-ticket items, which is really great. Holly went with me to Target the other day, and we got a lot registered for. I still haven't picked out toys--something about that aisle of colors and noises is overwhelming for me--but I think I'm pretty far on the rest of it. However, between Babies R Us and Target, I've gotten things in a bit of a mess by registering for the same thing at both places, and some things are only available online or in stores. Probably not a huge deal, but I'll be working on cleaning it all up this week.

I might cut some things out, too, because I always feel a little indignant when I print off someone's registry and it's 17 pages long. Just how much do they think I'm going to buy them? So I may take off the diapers and other miscellaneous things. Otherwise, I went with the philosophy, "Register for what you want, and if you don't get it, buy what you can afford." So I registered for some things that I probably wouldn't buy for myself, but it sure would be nice to have.

Okay, that's about it. It's past my bedtime and I might turn into a pumpkin. :) I'm trying to do much better about getting enough sleep...we'll see if I do better this week. What am I going to do when I have a kiddo who won't let me sleep more than an hour at a time??

Twenty-Two Weeks

Today is July 21, and Caleb is due November 21. That makes ONLY FOUR MONTHS to prepare! Holy cow! I cannot believe that we're that close.

So, what has happened this week? Well, Caleb has certainly made his appearance! He is 11 inches long and weighs almost a pound! I've now had two people who didn't know, ask me if I was expecting or how far along I was. I'm working on a nice round belly, and am a little nervous about the fact that it should grow quite rapidly all the way to the end. My muscles have felt so tight around my abdomen, it literally hurts to take in a big breath of air and stretch it further. Sneezing has become quite dramatic (or traumatic), first because of the pain and fear of bursting associated with big breaths, and then with the effort to not pee from the force of the sneeze. Yeah, maybe that's TMI, but there it is. Pregnancy.

I have gotten so many goodies from family and friends! I've been taking pictures, but new things keep coming, and it's hard to keep up! So hopefully soon I'll be posting all the new things for Caleb.

Jon and I have picked out our glider, which is uh-ma-zing and comfy. It's big enough for Jon to be comfortable, which was important for us. And my grandparents have wonderfully helped pay for it, which is a big blessing that we'll be enjoying for years to come.

My other grandparents are providing the bedding for the nursery, through the sewing talents of my Grandma. One day, we both went to JoAnn's in our respective towns, and came back with fabric. Grandma came back with exactly what I told her I was looking for, and I came back with something completely different! Haha! I haven't completely made my decision, yet, but I think I'm going to go with what Grandma picked, with the addition of a couple more colors in the form of accents. It's fun to pick out all these things, but still hard for me to visualize since the "nursery" still looks like an "office" to me.

So, along those lines, Jon and I have August 9 on the calendar for the beginning of the Big Shift. Organize the garage to make more room, move the computer(s) to the living room, and everything else to the garage. My parents are coming Labor Day weekend to help us get the nursery together--mostly for my mom to help me organize. So yes, we are cleaning out the garage in August in Texas. I'm voting for a 6am start time so we'll be done by 11, and hopefully it won't hit 100 degrees, yet. I'm also voting for LemonBerry slushes from Sonic to be on tap.

Sheesh, there's so much planning required to have a baby! Besides that, what else is going on?

Oh, my worst fear has come true--my ankles are swelling. I know, you're all thinking, "So...what's the bad part?" I mean, in the spectrum of things that can happen during pregnancy, swollen ankles don't seem so bad, but my ankles are my vanity. I think they're pretty, and now they're swollen. Not bad, yet, but I have more (and hotter) months to come. So sad. It would figure that God had a plan to cure me of my pride.

My hips are still hurting, and--with the help of a friend--I believe I've diagnosed myself with sciatic nerve pain as well. Woohoo! But as long as I'm sitting on a nice cushy chair, I'm okay. Sleeping with hip pain/discomfort hasn't been the greatest, and that's been hard on both Jon and I. I could swear Jon used to be a heavier sleeper than this, but once I'm awake and shifting around, he can't sleep either. He said this morning, "Well...there's more of you to shift, now, and it shakes the whole bed." That's my sweet man. :) I TRY to not move too much, but I end up tossing and turning, which is hard to do when a body pillow (and two cats who have planted themselves on the body pillow) is involved. Okay, so Jon might be right about shaking the bed.... I slept better on Karen's couch over the weekend, and I'm wondering if it's because of the way her couch cushions sink in so nice. I may be moving to the couch (or the soon-to-be-acquired glider!) sooner than I expected!

Well, I think that's enough for today. I've been finding myself getting a little overwhelmed with all the decisions required in the next few months. I can only think about it for a certain period of time, and then I'm done. :) So, after this post of all the things that need to get accomplished, I think I'm finished with baby stuff until this afternoon, at least.

Registry Question

I just realized that I need to be registered in the next month or so, so Jon and I are looking at the books and trying to figure out what we do and don't have. But here's a question for you moms who registered out there: Is there a reason why I need to register at more than one place?

I was initially thinking I'd register at Target and Babies R Us, but if Target has everything I want, I don't want to double up, right? So should I register for everything I can at Target, and then add just what's missing at Babies R Us? Put a full registry together at both in case people just go to one or the other? What do you think?

Just thought you might want to know....

There's a baby in there!

Pregnancy Picks

I'm just barely over the halfway mark of pregnancy (note the 21-week belly pic in the sidebar!), but I thought I'd post some things I've found most useful thus far.

Water Bottle:
It's important to drink lots of water, so get a bottle that you like, and that makes you happy to use. Also, while some women experience increased saliva, my mouth has actually dried out, and I wake up in the mornings with a sore throat and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, so it's nice to have some water on hand. Pros: Healthy! Cons: Just another thing to carry around.

Trail Mix:
This is for the first trimester. I kept a bag of it by the bed and in my purse. I just mixed peanuts, raisins and pretzels together, and the protein and carbs help keep your stomach calm (and full). Pros: Cheaper than buying a pre-made mix. Cons: The pretzels got stale from the moisture of the raisins.

Bella Band:
I never did a demo of this, but I ended up wearing it almost every day until I graduated to maternity. Pros: The white went with almost everything. I got to wear my normal clothes longer than otherwise. Cons: It extends down to your hips (past the zipper of your pants, if you've unzipped them), which also closes off pockets. Sometimes it got bunched up and felt tight around my stomach.

Arbonne Rejuvenating Cream:
This cream is the absolute best for your belly. It's expensive, so I tended to use it so sparingly that it wasn't serving its purpose. However, Arbonne offers a membership discount, as well as opportunities to build your own business, making more than enough money to pay for your cream. Pros: All-natural, no smell, not sticky, absorbs quickly. Cons: Expensive ($35 for 2.2 oz)

Mama Bee Belly Butter:
This cream has been my fall-back cream. It's still very nice, but has a smell and tends to be sticky for awhile after putting it on. I like that the ingredients are things like sunflower oil. And I've actually gotten used to the smell, now, and it goes away, so you won't be smelling it all day. Pros: All-natural, inexpensive ($12.99 for 6.6 oz in Motherhood stores) Cons: Sticky and has an odor.

You will go through a lot of belly cream. Despite its name, you put it a lot more places than just your belly. I started too early, but I've probably gone through 12-14 oz of different products.

Body Pillow:
I have a love-hate relationship with this thing, but it does help keep me on my side, which the books say is better. It also helps keep my hips aligned because I hold it between my knees. A friend of mine recommended the Snoogle. I didn't get it because I already had the body pillow, but I think it would be a good purchase. Pros: Keeps you where you should be. Cons: Acts like a heater and a third body in the bed.

Benefiber:
Fiber is a prego lady's friend! Fruits, vegetables, and Benefiber. Last night I added it to pomegranate juice, and there really is no extra taste, and it really did dissolve all the way. I've added it to OJ many times, and I seem to have more trouble with it dissolving in that, but maybe because I was trying to put too much in too little juice. Pros: Really makes a difference, no added taste or texture. Cons: Kind of expensive, but worth it.

Prenatal Pilates 10-Minute Solutions:
Granted, I have not been as good about doing this as I should, but it's still really great. There are several different 10-minute workouts, so you can do 2 or 3 at a time, or just one when you get a break. It's all fairly simple stuff, but challenging enough to make you feel like you're doing something. Pros: Fits in your schedule, inexpensive. Cons: No one next to you to actually make you do it!

Hanes Bra:
I've always been a bra snob, and I buy my bras at Victoria's Secret. I realized that I would be going through several sizes of bras through the pregnancy, and I wasn't sure what to do. I was pretty sure my first "upgrade" wouldn't need to be a nursing bra, but I didn't want to buy some expensive bra that I'd only wear for a month or two. A trek to Wal-Mart found this Hanes bra for $10. It's style G601, wireless and padded. It fits great, feels almost as good as my VS bras, and will work just fine until I need a new one. Pros: Inexpensive, comfortable. Cons: It might have ousted VS from my dresser drawer!

Bra Extender:
While your cup size will get bigger on your bras, the measurement around your chest will, too, as your lungs and belly expand. So, to make your bras last a little longer, get a bra extender! They're less than $2 at Hobby Lobby in the sewing notions section. Pros: Inexpensive way to spread out your bra purchases. Cons: Pretty specific sizes (number of hooks and width between hooks), so you might need to get a couple different ones.

Well I think that's enough for one post! If you're just starting on the pregnancy road, or maybe you're thinking about it in the next year or so, maybe these suggestions will help you when you get there.

Twenty-One Weeks

Well, what's happened this week? I've started to have some of the discomforts of pregnancy. It's getting a little harder to bend down to put my shoes on. I've got the "crunched up" feeling like I'm slumped over, but I'm not. (You'll see in my 20 week photo to the right that my belly is starting to grow above my belly button, and not just below.) I keep trying to stretch out, but it doesn't seem to help! My hips have been hurting...I'm thinking that's them doing what they're supposed to be doing as they grow and spread. And sometimes my abdomen is just sore and uncomfortable, like it needs an ice pack or a hot pad. Jon likened my aches and pains to growing pains, which if you've seen him you know he's familiar with! I'm glad he understands, because even I have started to get annoyed that I grunt every time I pull myself out of a chair. :)

The other day I had Fun Dip on my mind. You know, the packet of flavored sugar that you eat with a sugar stick? They're so great. Anyway, Jon was heading to the gas station to fill my car up before I went into the office the next day. As he walked out, I asked him to bring me back some Fun Dip! Woohoo! Well, 30 minutes later he's still not back! Finally he calls and says, "I've been to two gas stations and the grocery store, and I can't find any Fun Dip!" He sounded so dejected. Here I was with a random wish for a random food--don't know if I would call it a craving because, as I've said before, I'm pretty spontaneous in my food desires anyway--and he can't help me! He said as he was staring at the candy aisle in one of the gas stations, a guy came up and said, "You must be here for your kids." "No, my wife," Jon said. "Is she pregnant?" was the man's response! How funny is that!

So, no Fun Dip for me. My friend Cliff had told me earlier that day that he used to make his own Fun Dip with Kool-Aid and sugar, so I tried it with lemonade and sugar. Eh...not the greatest, but it had to do.

I've quit weighing as much, since my scale seems to be way off. The last time I weighed, it said I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Well, looking at the belly photos, I think we can all agree that can't be right!

Oh, a random thing that some people don't know about is veins. The amount of blood in my body has increased dramatically, and all my veins have dilated to accommodate the greater blood flow. Sounds like something I might never notice, but au contraire! I'm thinking that my headaches might have been linked to that, because perhaps the vessels in my brain hadn't expanded, yet. Also, blue blood vessels are much more prominent, especially across my chest, where it looks like a road map of Texas. And I've also got spider veins in random places. Supposedly all these things will go away after pregnancy. We'll see!

Caleb is still lively and kicking away! Jon's felt him a couple times, now, which is really cool. The other day he e-mailed me and asked, "How's my boy?" That made me feel good. Jon has a little boy, even though he can't hold him, yet, or love on him personally. He already loves him, despite that.

Caleb is about 12 ounces and 10.5 inches long. So, since last week, he's only gained 1.5 ounces and half an inch. I'm waiting for the time when he catches up to the cats. I wonder if he will, though, since they're growing, too, and should be about full-grown by the time he's born (so about 10-12 pounds). Whoo, I hope he doesn't keep up with them!! It would just be cool to have a visual. "Look! Here's my cat. He's the size of Caleb!" I know, that's probably weird. But it would still be cool.

Sidenote: The belly pics in the sidebar will only run through three times now, so it will end on the most recent picture. I don't have a whole lot of control over what it does--I can decide how long each photo is up, and how many times it loops--but if anyone has a preference, let me know.

My First Touch With Caleb...

Well, being the Dad is sometimes difficult, what with all this waiting! However, after a couple weeks of Lydia poking me when Caleb is fluttering around inside her, I got to feel his kicks tonight for the first time. I just barely put my hand on Lydia's belly, and, after a short wait, I got a fairly firm bump from the inside.

This is starting to get really cool!

Twenty Weeks

I'll try to keep this one short, since my last post seemed to cover a lot. Caleb is kicking like crazy! I feel him every day, sometimes up to four and five times a day! We're pretty sure my mom felt him kick from the outside! It took a little poking and prodding, and some patience, but there it was!

It's still odd to call our baby Caleb. I'm so used to Newbie, it's taking an adjustment. But I like it. Little Caleb. He's 10.5 ounces now, and 6.5 inches. At 20 weeks, they start to measure not from crown to rump, but from head to toe. So that measurement is about 10 inches. Almost a whole ruler!

I haven't had a whole lot go on with me. One random thing that's happened throughout pregnancy is that I seem particularly sensitive to grass, now. After a photo shoot, I have to go home and wash my arms and legs (because I get in the grass to take baby shots). Otherwise they're red and itchy. So that's interesting.

I've been at a slight loss about mosquito repellent. I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to use it, but I also know that mosquitoes love me. LOVE me. Last week, from two outdoor photo shoots, I had 20 bites on my legs from the knees down. I've tried Skin So Soft with no luck. Yesterday I used the Awaken scent of the Arbonne aromatherapy line. That seemed to do very well, except that I wasn't sure there were even mosquitoes out. I guess I'll test that one out a little bit more.

I've also noticed that I've been much more tired in the past week or two. I didn't expect that in the second trimester, but oh well! :) And I think that's about it! Not much to report this week--certainly nothing "20-week specific." I'm officially at the halfway point of this 40-week journey!

How we found out

As you know from the previous post, we got our sonogram a week early. This is how it happened.

I'm still tracking my basal body temperatures during pregnancy. A maintained high temp (in relation to my normal BBT) is an indication that pregnancy hormones are still present, and I'm still pregnant. A period of several days with decreasing temp indicate a possible miscarriage. Well, for several days, my temps had been fluctuating low, then back up, then lower, then back up, but not as high, then even lower. By the third low temp (this one lower than it had been since pre-pregancy), I was getting a little worried. I thought, "Well, it might be a fluke. I won't worry unless I have actual signs of miscarriage (cramping, bleeding, etc.)." So I let it go.

But then, when I stepped on the scale, I had lost 8 pounds. Oh my gosh! So the two together certainly worried me. I started thinking about how tired I'd been lately, and how I hadn't felt that well on Sunday. Oh my gosh I could be miscarrying.

I called Jon, who was at work and couldn't answer his cell phone. I left him a message with what was going on and that I would call my mom to see if I should go to the dr.

When my mom answered, I immediately teared up. There's something about having someone else around (or on the phone) to be the strong one during a hard time, and I'm sure she could tell I was scared. She said I should definitely go, despite my lack of cramping, etc.

On the way to the dr, I left another message for Jon, letting him know. Then I called the dr's office. They seem nonplussed about my "possible miscarriage" because I wasn't bleeding. However, I told them I was already on my way, and I would just feel better if they could listen for the heartbeat.

I made it to the dr. and realized I'd left my wallet at home, which was fine, since they have all my information, but...well, oh well. I sat down in the waiting room, fully expecting to be called back quickly to assess if I was indeed losing my baby. After about 20 minutes, I realized that I was waiting in line like everyone else, and I reluctantly opened a Parenting magazine. Jon called to check on me, and again I had the urge to cry. I told him I was just waiting.

Finally, the nurse, Rosa, called my name. Rosa is an interesting lady. She's very business-like, and doesn't comment any more than she has to. When she checks my weight or blood pressure, it's very fast, and if I don't pay close attention, I won't even know what the numbers were. At the weigh station, the scale registered that I'd gained a pound. So much for my eight-pound loss.

My blood pressure was fine, and then Rosa said Dr. K would probably want to go ahead and do the sonogram, since we were only a week away. Ak! I didn't want Jon to miss that! I asked if hearing the heartbeat would be enough, and she said, well, Dr. K will still probably want to do the sono. She left me to wait, and I quickly texted Jon, asking if he could get off at all.

Finally, Dr. K came in, ever a spirit of sweetness and calm. She pulled out the dopplar to listen for a heartbeat, and just at that moment Jon called to see what was going on. Dr. K held the dopplar speaker up to the phone so Jon could hear as well. (What a nice doctor!) And let me just say, those dopplar things are not the best for a woman worried about her baby. It takes WAY too long to find the heartbeat! We listened to my heartbeat, we listened to what Dr. K said was our heartbeats combined, and finally, after a few tense moments for me, we heard the baby's heartbeat, measuring at 138 beats per minute. It was nice and strong and steady. I was worried because the last heartrate we'd known was 168, but she said it was normal for the heartbeat to slow as the baby got bigger.

I kept the phone line open as Dr. K explained that that was enough confirmation for her if I didn't want to do the sono today. She could see the uncertainty in my face. I didn't want to be a high-maintenance pregnant lady. I wanted that heartbeat to be enough. Jon also wanted it to be enough. And getting him off work would be a bit of a finagle. Okay, we decided. We're fine. We feel better. We promise.

Dr. K urged us to come back in if we decided it just wasn't enough for us. As I left, I heard her tell the scheduling lady to let me have an afternoon appointment if I called.

Back home, I went back to work. I waited for the baby to kick. Nothing. Hm.... The couple times I thought could be kicks, I just couldn't really tell. Jon called at lunchtime to check on me. I told him I felt fine, but neither one of us were that convinced. Realizing that I was going out of town the next day, and that the doctor seemed so fine with moving the sono up, we decided to go. Jon arranged to get off an hour early, and I called the dr. to let the know we would be coming in. Just doing that helped me feel a little better.

At 3:00, Jon called to say he was on his way home. I answered the phone with, "Hi!" and he misunderstood me to say, "Hurry!" "What? Are you okay? What's going on??" "No, I just said hi...."

So obviously we were on pins and needles, and I was glad we'd made the decision we had. At the office, again we waited. I regretted that we weren't going into this Big Appointment with more happiness. Our day had subdued our excitement over learning the gender, and we were more concerned with seeing a wiggly baby, no matter the gender.

When we made it into the sonogram room, the technician began her explorations over my stomach. Again, it takes WAY too long to find babies. Seriously. But, when she found him, we were glad. Again she found the hearbeat (this time 151bpm)--crazy baby. We didn't really breathe a sigh of relief until we saw him move around. He wasn't very wiggly; he looked like he was just adjusting in his sleep, but it was enough for us. Our little guy was okay. And a boy!

Emotionally drained, it took a few phonecalls to excited family to really lift our spirits from our concerns of the day. Nothing was wrong. We had a healthy baby boy.

I promised Jon that I wouldn't be that high-maintenance again, and I thanked him for believing my concerns and supporting me through the day. The being that was making my belly bigger every day had his hold on me, and I didn't realize how much until I thought I could lose him. I'm told that that hold will only get stronger, and will be more than I ever imagined when I have him in my arms for the first time. Only 20 weeks away! The time is going so fast!