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26 weeks

The Little Miss and I hit a milestone today - a stranger asked if I was expecting!  Yay for looking pregnant, finally.  And suddenly this week I'm really noticing the belly.  Like, picking up Jack's toys has become really, really bothersome.  It's so much easier to just kick them under the couch.  The leg cramps have started back up again, especially when I'm rockin' the heels.  But I will continue to rock the heels because, in my humble opinion, they make my legs look skinnier.  And with baby girl pushing me over the 16.5 pound weight gain this week, I'm all for the thinning techniques.

Actually, I've gained the same amount with this pregnancy as I did with Jude at this point.  And surprisingly it's slightly more than I did with Jack at 26 weeks, but we all know how that pregnancy ended.  And, maybe not so ironically, the post I started writing out in my head earlier today about being 26 weeks pregnant sounded an awful lot like the post I wrote at 26 weeks pregnant with Jude.  And that's why I'm glad I blog.  Because if I hadn't just read over that post right now, I'd probably be wondering (for the third time in three years) why I'm feeling so small at 6 months pregnant!  And also realize, yet again, that I only feel small until I see a picture of myself.  Look at that belly ... oh snap!

Other than the heightened awareness of being with child, I'm starting to get a little psyched for this upcoming birth (not that we need to rush it along or anything).  Jon and I took a tour of the birthing center I've been visiting these past few months.  He wasn't too impressed, but I am very excited about delivering there.  For those of you who don't know, it's a place where "healthy mom deliver healthy babies."  Well, at least according to the midwife last night, or midhusband.  What do you call a male midwife?  Anyway, it's very low tech and high touch.  In fact, for my upcoming glucose test I don't even have to drink that nasty, sugary, flat 7-up stuff.  Instead I drink a glass of orange juice and eat a banana an hour before going in for my appointment.  Convenient and tasty!

There are 4 midwives there, and they make sure you meet all of them before you deliver.  There are three rooms to choose from, all look like normal bedrooms with regular beds, showers, jacuzzi tubs, birthing balls and a big birthing pool if you want it.  There's also a kitchen and living room.  You just show up when you're well into labor, have a baby any way you want to, and then leave 4-12 hours later.  No epidurals, no IVs, no pitocin, no being strapped down to the bed with cuffs and monitors, no being woken up every 2 hours for check-ups after the baby is born.  Um, heaven?

The way I see it, I've had two fairly swell deliveries in a hospital, a military hospital at that.  If this next one is anything like the first two, it should be a piece a cake when I can have my own way.  But I better not get too haughty now.  Time will tell.
Now that we're thinking about giving birth and on the downhill slope to d-day, I picked up this joker - Birth Matters: A Midwife's Manifesta - for my Kindle when we go to beach this summer.  Yup, Ina May has a new book out, and I'm always up for a fresh perspective on natural childbirth.  It still feels strange to think we'll be having another baby in a few months, 3 months actually.  In some ways it just hasn't hit me yet.  But I'm sure it will all become very real once the first contractions hit.  Until then, we're just going to enjoy the summer, our boys, a new house and a big belly.

They say she'll steal my beauty

Wednesday marks 24 weeks, and that's viability week baby!  And let me tell you, this baby reminds me of her viability and LIFE every day!  I thought boys would be more active in the womb, but I was oh so wrong.  Our Little Miss here likes to kick me all day and night.  I go to sleep with her pattering and am woken up extra early by her thumps on my bladder.  I'm convinced she wants me to start thinking about ballet classes now!

Baby girl also has an appetite!  I gained 2 pounds in one week.  For those of you who don't know, that is not normal nor recommended.  What's that little one?  You want Chipotle again this week?  Not-a-problem.  I've also been told, by some well-meaning people I suppose, that my hips are much bigger this time around.  Thanks for that, well-meaning people.  The picture above is actually from 22.5 weeks.  As you know, we're in the midst of moving and this was the last shot I got.  Poor #3.  Her mama is just not keeping up with the weekly belly shots. 

It was so much easier the first time around, when I didn't have to worry about babies knocking over the camera or toddlers trying to get in on the photo shoot.  When I actually had my hair and make-up done everyday and could look decent for a picture instead of waiting weeks on end for a "good day" when I'm okay with having my image captured for all eternity.  When I felt young and full of life and not old and tired and creaky.  Yes, it was so much easier then...

Since baby girl had herself a bit of a growth spurt last week I finally fit into most of my maternity clothes.  And I got a little excited when I pulled out the summer wardrobe.  I had forgotten how much I love summer baby bumps.  How much less frumpy you feel when you can show off your skinny parts - neck, arms, ankles (well, for now!).  How just a bit of sun can help out with that motherly glow.  And yes, in case you're wondering, I did color my hair.  It's gotten so dark since having my boys, and I knew there wasn't enough free hours in the day for the sun to lighten it, so I took matters into my own hands.  At first I didn't like it, but either it's fading or beginning to grow on me, because now I don't mind it so much.  And someone remarked yesterday that the "sun has really lightened my hair!"  So I figure - mission accomplished.  And I need all the help I can get, because if you haven't heard, baby girls steal their mother's beauty.  Google it, it's true.

That's really all I know.  I've been hearing it for years now and have lived in dread of carrying a baby girl for that very reason.  But what I really want to find out, is do they give it back?  Please baby girl.  Yes, mama is tired, and busy taking care of your brothers, and doesn't always have time to fix hair and primp eyelashes and take cute pictures so that you'll remember for all time.  But I am trying.  And we all know it's what's on the inside that counts.  And what's on the inside is a growing baby with a healthy appetitie.  So I promise to keep you well-fed.  More tacos?  Not-a-problem.

It's guessing time!

We hit 18 weeks on Wednesday! And that means soon we'll find out if #3 is a boy or girl. I'm not saying when my big ultrasound is because we're going to have to keep the results a secret for a "a little while" until we have an opportunity to tell our frineds and family. And the last thing Jon needs (or myself for that matter) are phone calls and texts trying to eek it out of us!  Just plan on us making an announcement in about two weeks.

This is technically 17.5 weeks.

But before we get to that, I FINALLY had a doctor's appointment this week. This is my third appointment. The first was just an ultrasound to determine the due date and the second was just a big waste of time (over an hour wait for someone to check my eyes, ears and throat??).

After that experience I decided it was time to move on from military healthcare.  Mainly because I can right now.  Our area currently has a program where you can continue to use your full military benefits at certain civilian clinics.  Who then, in turn, can you give you a referral to a civilian OB and wa-la!  I now find myself at a Birthing Center.  Woo hoo I'm so excited!  Jon isn't as thrilled, but I'm sure he'll come around.

So after a lot of paperwork and referrals and driving to Annapolis and back and waiting for appointments, I finally got in to meet my midwife yesterday.  And then I had to wait over an hour since there was a birth going on upstairs.  Which isn't a big deal, I'm sadly growing more and more accustomed to hanging out in waiting rooms for long periods of time.  So basically we just talked a long time about history and this pregnancy.  The center offers tours/orientation once a week so hopefully once we move and find a babysitter Jon and I can make a visit to fully understand the process, but for now I'm just happy to finally, FINALLY hear this baby's heartbeat.  Even though I've been feeling some kicks and flips for a few days now, I just wanted to hear that sweet sound.

It took a while to find, and once she'd find it baby was off moving again.  This same thing happened with Jude too, you can actually hear the baby swishing and moving, which is kinda cool.  But at the same time I really just wanted him/her to lay still so we could catch a few beats!  We finally did, a strong 155 bpm.  EXACTLY what both my boys were at this stage.  And precisely what my trusty website, http://www.babybpm.com/ predicts to be a boy:

So now I have to wonder yet again:  Is this heartrate thing really accurate or just a fun game?  And even if it isn't, does the fact that both my previous boys had the same heartrate mean anything?  Or will all my babies be fairly consistent with one another?  So really, I'm just left with more questions at this point.  And that's fun, it's all part of the anticipation building.

And anticipation it is!  The midwife asked if we were going to find out.  Yes, we are definitely finding out this time around, because the results could potentially rock our world.  Ok, so maybe not that dramatic.  But if this baby is a sweet little girl, mama has some clothes to buy and a cute nursery in our new house just waiting to be decked out.  And since I'm the only one with kids in my family (and my mom's the only one with kids in her's), a little girl would be somethin' special.  And since, out of the 8 grandchildren in Jon's family, only one is currently a little lady, well we all know what they're hoping for. 

Then there's our little family.  Jude has no opinion.  Jack used to say he was getting a "sister" but lately he's switched that to "brudder."  Jon thinks/hopes it's a girl.  And I just can't make up my mind.  At first I was thinking girl and just for kicks I'm already planning out her nursery and scanning Etsy for little treasures.  But about halfway through my first trimester I started feeling like it was a boy.  If I had to go with my gut, I'd say boy.  But now I'm wondering if my gut is just too worn out from two other boy pregnancies and can no longer read the signals.  And everytime we're around our family I think it's a girl because that's mainly what we talk about.  There's not much to say about a third boy except (1) my grocery bill is going to be killer in a few years and (2) we'll save some money on weddings.  Oh and (3) WE HAVEN'T GOT A NAME!

You'd probably think I was at least hoping for a girl right now.  But actually, I think I'm split about 50/50.  I mean, a boy would be terribly convenient.  And if God intends for me to have 3 boys I'd much rather have them 3 in a row.  But that would mean that we'd have at least a 4th child ... or maybe a 5th! :)  Which leads to my next point.  If we have a girl, hubby wants to call it quits.  And honestly, I'm just not ready to make that decision.  I certainly don't anticipate having another baby 18 months after this one, but to never, ever experience this again.  Ah, I shudder to think of it.  Of course, I may change my mind in about 6 months, but I'd like to cross that bridge when we come to it.

So what's your guess?  Vote on the poll in the upper right column and we'll find out in two weeks who is right!

Measure Up

Well I wasn't going to do another pregnancy post so soon, but while reminiscing through my blog earlier this week I rememebered that I compared belly shots at 16 weeks with both boys, and figured I couldn't leave my third offspring out.  I even donned the same faithful sweatpants that have stuck out multpile semesters and finals weeks, three months abroad, several years of lazy Saturdays and now a third pregnancy.  Let's just say, they don't fit like they used to.  So here it is, a 16 week comparison shot (from left to right - Jack, Jude, #3):



Can I just say that Jon and I have really been missing Viginia Beach this week, and the fact that my latest belly shot wasn't taken in our old master bedroom, right between the door and closet, makes me even more sad?  Shake it off Janine.

Anyway, hopefully the background don't throw off the scaling.  I keep going back and forth, but overall think I look slightly bigger, or maybe "more pronounced" would be a better description.  Two days ago I thought I wasn't showing at all, then I look at this picture and think I'm "huge", and then I leave my house and a lady today said she would have never guesssed I was pregnant because I'm so small.  I just don't know anymore!!

Anyway, if you want real data.  I'm measuring bigger around at this point than I was with Jude (I didn't start measuring with Jack 'til 21 weeks).  In fact, I'm measuring the same size that I did with Jude at 19 weeks.  But on the flipside, I've gained less weight.  But who knows, I could've just eaten a lot of Chipotle right before I measured.  I can't even remember.  So all this to say ... nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  But it sure is fun wonder!

Anyway, no more baby news.  I don't get to meet my new OB for another two weeks.  So still haven't got to hear the heartbeat, not feeling any movement yet, and I'm practically forgetting I'm pregnant until I try to tie Jack's shoes and it feels like I'm bending over a football.  Okay, maybe not that bad, but close.  We've got a full weekend ahead of us celebrating with our little birthday boy, who is cutting another tooth and pretty much displaying all symptoms of teething known to man - clingy, not sleeping well, drooling, gnawing on my sholder, snotty, nasty diapers, even nastier rash, etc, - at one time. 

Happy Easter to you and yours!

Off roadin'

No, we did not take Jack for a 4-wheel drive. It's just that we are all a little road-weary from so much traveling recently, and I'm so far behind in my blogging, that I'm declaring the next two months "off-road." We're hanging out at home and lying low until Christmas, when we get to do it all again!

So anyway, to catch up, after we got home from Pennsylvania we spent 3 days in Virginia and then were off again on our way to Connecticut. Remember Jon's Coastie friends Nick and Lindsey who had baby Rose 4 months ago, and who we visited in Key West early in my Jack-pregnancy? Well, they've returned to the old stomping grounds and invited us to visit. I was very excited about being in New England for the fall. Connecticut is on my list of places to move to after our DC stint, not that it matters, the government only cares about what's on Jon's list, but hey a girl can dream! So we braved the 10 hour trek with a 1 year old.

By the time we got to New York City it was getting old. We had watched several Baby Einsteins, both Jon and I had the Maisy song stuck in our head, read every board book in my book bag at least 5 times each, and went through all our lullaby CDs trying to get Jack to fall asleep. It was after 8:00, Jack was wide awake and not happy to be in his seat, and we were stuck in NYC traffic. I turned to Jon, who was regretting our decision to not take the long way around the city, and said, "I hope getting your Nick-fix this week is worth this drive to you, because I will never do this again." Well it was, nothing could hinder his excitement about spending 5 days with his best friend, former college roommate, former post-college housemate, former cutter roommate and, as I liked to refer to Nick the first year of our marriage, the "other woman." After 4 years together at the Coast Guard Academy and after living in the same city for 2 years and sharing a ship for those same 2 years, I'm still not sure if I've caught up to Nick in the "amount-of-time-spent-with-Jon" category.

So the two boys got to spend some quality time together, and the rest of us tagged along and heard all the same silly stories that get told every time these two get together. Ear-muffs Jack, your father didn't really skip a mandatory lecture to hide in the bathroom where Nick tutored him in Trig before the big test...




So anyway, it was fun to be back at the Academy. We caught a CG football game, gave Jack a tour of his future college, visited the Old Mystic Cider Mill, walked around Mystic and ate Mystic Pizza and ice cream at the Draw Bridge. Nick and Jon got in a golfing match and Lindsey took me to a baby sign language class. Connecticut was everything I had dreamed of in a New England Fall. The leaves were gorgeous, the weather mostly perfect and the old houses, stone walls and graveyards were interesting to see. Unfortunately, we all caught colds and Jack had one miserable night where he had a hard time breathing through his nose. He was up at least once an hour, couldn't fall back to sleep unless I was holding him upright, and then couldn't stay asleep as soon as I tried to lay down and get some rest myself. It was the worst night we've had since he was just a little baby, and probably the worst night Jon has ever had since he was in the same room with Jack and I this time. :)

Rose has gotten much bigger since the last time we saw her. Jack tried to grab her face a few times, and he also crawled over top of her whenever she was lying in his way, but for the most part he thought the two dogs and two cats were way more interesting than the baby. He spent most of the week chasing them around the house. I'm sure the dogs were wondering who the tiny human was that walked liked them. They would edge close enough to sniff his diaper, then run off as soon as Jack would try to "pet" them. We're working on being "gentle" when it comes to babies and animals...

So we returned to Virginia, and an 84 degree "fall" day last Wednesday after yet another long drive. It's much easier now that I don't have to pump on the way, or stop to nurse. But I definitely miss the baby boy who would fall asleep asleep as soon as the car would start moving. Having a DVD player definitely helps, but anyone would get tired of being strapped to a seat for 10 hours, especially an energetic little boy. Well, it won't be long before he has a buddy back there to play with and Mommy has yet another child to keep entertained on the long drives...

More pictures of our little man

Today we volunteered to have an ultrasound at a local community college. Basically, it's when a medical student "practices" a scan on you with an instructor. In other words, you sit through an hour of baby's legs, femurs, belly, spine, brain, liver, bladder, kidneys, etc and at the very end they give you a few minutes of 3D action.

Both the technician and instructor thanked us over and over again for such a perfect ultrasound. Apparently Lil' J was very cooperative and the images she took were of textbook quality. Both ladies confirmed that J is indeed a boy, or as the technician put it "a little man." It would seem that J is appearing somewhat large these days... The ladies also commented on his "huge thighs" and "chubby cheeks." What can I say, I feed him well.
This is J playing shy, like his Mama. He's hiding his face behind his right arm.



Dismally, J's cooperative spirit did not carry over into 3D portion of the ultrasound, thus the not-so-good pictures we have here. Despite all our jiggling and twisting, J's face remained facing back towards my spine, both his hands were in front of his face, and the umbilical cord was in front of his nose. So sadly, these were the best images we could get. They might be a little hard to figure out, I think they look better when you take a few steps back. For most of them, it's a side profile picture of the right side of his face. And no he does not have a huge nose, that's just the cord.

Our little spunk kept kicking the wand but now Mama knows exactly what all that bumping and knocking is under her right ribs, and what's been keeping me from bending forward. So we just wanted to share pictures of our beautiful son with you all, now it's off to pack for a weekend trip home to PA!

Cap'ns Quarters

Our guests have left, the house is cleaned, mid-terms are over, and our plans for this weekend's guest have been canceled. So I'm suddenly left with a teeny, tiny bit of unexpected "free time." And by free time I mean an hour or so each evening after dinner and homework where my mind is free enough to start thinking about baby plans. Now that we've actually started registering, the big thing on my mind this week is the nursery. The challenge here is to turn a Coastguardman's Office/Guest Room into fun and functional baby nursery ... without removing the futon or painting the walls :(. While debating over colors and patterns, Jon and I have finally come to a happy medium - a nautical nursery. Ergo, over the next 3 months we'll be working to transform said second bedroom into a miniature Captains Quarters for lil' J.
Here is what the office/guest room currently looks like...





And here is our nursery inspiration ...




As much as I was planning to steer away from "themes" I just can't help myself with this one! After all, we do live next at the beach. Looks like a great opportunity for mom to get creative and crafty!
Unfortunately, I may have missed my energetic window of opportunity. The third trimester will be upon us next week (gasp!) and I'm already feeling a return of the familiar first-trimester symptoms of tiredness and heartburn. But it's not baby's fault. He seems to be doing well. He's moving around more than ever ... I'm just glad I don't have to run after him at this stage, I'm not sure if I could keep up with this little ball of energy. Who knew getting punched and kicked in the gut could be so much fun?!

Childproofing

In just a few short hours Handsome Coastie's sister, her husband and four little boys will be here to visit for 11 days!! We've just finished making beds, stocking up on kiddie foods and hiding every valuable or deadly item in the house. These next few days are going to be full of fun, energy and good practice for us parents-to-be!

Also this week I've been slammed with twice as many school assignments while still trying to work between two jobs. It's been a challenging June and all this busy-ness had made the time fly by. This Friday I'll be 6 months pregnant and not much more prepared than I was 2 months ago. Thankfully hubby took me out on a romantic date for my birthday at Salacia, where we had seaside seating on the verenda. The candlelight, salmon and salty air were a perfect change of pace from baby registries, curriculum projects and prospect databases.

Today J and I had our monthly check-up and things are lookin' good. In fact, J is actually measuring slightly ahead of his due date, and surprisingly, mom's belly is measuring slightly bigger than her weeks. Looks like J might be an over-achiever. His heartrate is the same as always, but that's just because he's consistent like his parents. :) With 4 months to go (give or take a week or two) baby-daddy and I are planning out a nursery and still discussing names.

Nesting

According to pregancyweekly.com, "Around the fifth month of pregnancy, the "nesting" instinct can set in. This is an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world."

Well, between work, school, and traveling/visitors every weekend, I don't think I will be feeling the "nesting" urge too much these next few months. In fact, I have specifically set aside all weeks after August 24th for just the purpose. But in the meantime, I've been busy practicing a different kind of nesting - the kind that takes place every night in sweet slumber.

You may have noticed that I haven't complained about backaches, leg cramps or lack-of-sleep in some weeks. I have my sister-in-law to thank for this ... and her generous lending of what both of our husbands have dubbed - THE NEST.

THE NEST is this amazing pregnancy pillow that pretty much surrounds my entire body while I sleep. Not only does it provide support for my pregnant body in all the right places but, my personal favorite feature, it guarantees that I get my half of the bed each night. No more whacks to the head by hubby's flying elbows - compliments of THE NEST.

Unfortunately, THE NEST does not travel well. Frankly, it's huge. So when we went home to PA this past weekend I paid the price for nestlessness. I had another attack of the leg cramps and have had a slight limp ever since. As a result of lighter sleep, I also had some crazy dreams. For instance, in one dream the doctor who was about to deliver my baby walked into the room. He looked like Albert Einstein but when he reached out to shake my hand I realized he was wearing a ring the size of his entire fist that spelled out "Gangster." This revelation was followed by a real-life flailing elbow from aforementioned husband and I succinctly woke up, unable to complete the dream. Thankfully I am now back home, sleeping safely in my nest each night.

The rumors are true ...

... pregnancy brain is real. And apparently it's not going away anytime soon. Studies have shown that many pregnant women do experience memory loss and that this can last up to one year after birth. I used to think this "momnesia," as some call it, was just a sorry excuse that pregnant women use. But I have to admit, I appreciated the stereotype when I sent out 4 letters last week without address labels. Or when I went frantically searching in the bathroom at David's Bridal for my purse. (The assistant was kind enough to point out that my it was hanging right next to me in the dressing room.)

Ask my husband, who often receives the brunt of my strategic (perhaps selective??) memory -- forgetfulness is not in my nature. So what else could I blame such carelessness on but the pregnancy?

If you're like me, you need to know "Why is this happening??" According to the highly-informative webmd.com, "The brain is being marinated in a huge amount of [the pregnancy hormone] oxytocin during pregnancy." Which has been shown to have amnesia-like effects during pregnancy. If you want to get really deep, some believe that this is nature's way of notifying mothers that it may be time to simplify their lives and get ready for the baby ... or it could just be nature's way of reminding us to take our pre-natal vitamins.

Whatever it is, you can rest easy because not only is "pregnancy brain" completely normal, it is also, as one doctor says, "not something that makes women dangerous."

Halfway!

This weekend I reached the 20 week mark, which is technically halfway, even though we didn't know we were pregnant until 5 weeks into it. Either way, it's a good reason to celebrate! I'm starting to show a little more each week, although I'm sure people who don't know me just think I have a gut. But the best part of this past week was really, truly feeling Lil' J move!! There's been lots of little bumps and pops, especially at night when I'm sitting on the couch doing homework. Jon even felt him last night - he thought it was "just gas." Note to the wise: Never tell a pregnant woman "It's just gas." When I can see my hand moving when it sits on top of my belly, I'm pretty sure it's not gas. :)
Last weekend my family came to visit for the holiday. We found out J was a "he" just in time for Marmie to come down for some shopping. Knowing it's a boy and starting to buy some little outfits has made this pregnancy much more real. One of my favorites was the "Litte Sheriff" set complete with faux vest. Sadly, Handsome Coastie is not a fan. He says J is not allowed out of the house in the sheriff outfit, but he's not the one that's going to dress him every morning. :)
We also attended a "Budgeting for Baby" class that the Navy offers new parents. It was more about budgeting than it was about babies but definitely worth the free layette we received at the end. We got a canvas tote that says "Baby's first sea bag" full of onesies, sleepers, bibs, burp cloths, and sheets, plus a handmade afghan. We also came away with a few pointers such as the best places to buy formula, how much money you can save a year by nursing and that most babies go through 2300 diapers a year. Good to know.
In other news, my friend Janine had a baby girl yesterday! A perfect little 5 pounder. She's the littlest, newest baby I've ever held! And yes, that's right. I have a friend also named Janine. We worked in the same office and even answered the same phone line, which was just a little confusing. We are also both short and blonde. For awhile we used to reference "other Janine" as "the pregnant Janine" but that lost its effectiveness 4 months ago. In referencing my former post about trying to pick a less-than-popular baby name, I'm sure our parents could have never guessed that their daughters would one day work with another girl with the same name.
Speaking of names, we're working on it. Most people know we're pretty sure of the first name, but we're having a hard time agreeing on the perfect middle name. We'll keep you posted!

The results are in ...

Well we had our big ultrasound this morning and were very excited to find that we're having ... A BOY! Woo hoo! Now that we got the important stuff out of the way I'll talk a little about our visit to the Navy Hospital.

Here he is!

I scheduled my appointment for as soon as possible - 7:00am on the first day that Handsome Coastie had off, so in typical J family fashion we arrived and were waiting by 6:30am. We have to laugh when we look at our ultrasound pictures and see 6:41am stamped on them - who gets ultrasounds that early in the morning? I think it was early for our ultrasound tech too because she was lookin' a little groggy. We were forewarned that the "big ultrasound" is really to check your baby's anatomy and not specifically to find out the gender, so we patiently waited until our task-oriented techie was through looking at my uterus, placenta, bladder and ovaries.

This is J with his hand on his head.

We finally got to the exciting part when she began pointing out the head, hands, arms, legs, little belly, and beating heart. Then she got real technical and showed us the brain, liver, kidneys, stomach and spinal cord. It was fascinating to see his little fingers waving about. I couldn't take my eyes of the screen, and then when they started watering I realized how much I had been staring and that I should probably blink them occasionally.

I think he looks like his dad in this one.

It was also really strange to see this little baby moving all around but I still can't feel a thing on the inside! Finally, finally she zoomed in on the "nether regions" and both Jon and I knew before she said anything - it is obviously a boy. But just in case, I asked her how sure she was before I went out and started buying little Coast Guard ball caps and football jerseys. She responded as pleasantly as one does before their morning cup of coffee, "Well, we're not supposed to be 100% sure on these things, but if I could be I'd say it's definitely a boy." That settles it, I'm going shopping this weekend!!

Teeny tiny foot.

And so, mama is happy, daddy is pleased, Marmie and Poppa are excited to take their first grandchild out fishing, and Nonnie and Poppy are looking forward to grandson #6 and finally a little one to carry on the family name. And of course the rest of our family is ecstatic as well. Kudos to Kate for calling us all the way from Israel at 7:30am (while we were still sitting in the ultrasound room) and being the first to know! And a pat on the back to all of you who voted "boy" on my little poll, and to those of you who originally voted girl and then changed your vote after I posted the heartbeat predictor, well half-a-back-pat to you.

To know or not to know

On Thursday, May 22nd at approximately 7:00am, Lord and Baby J willing, Handsome Coastie and I should find out whether we're expecting a boy or a girl this fall. The anticipation is really getting to me!
Those of you who were in on my pre-pregnancy plans may be surprised to hear this, because a few months ago I was dead-set on leaving the sex of my baby a surprise until the day it was born. But my dear husband will have none of it. As a planner, I rarely find myself really, truly, downright surprised. I figure this is my one opportunity. But as a planner who is married to a planner, my husband needs to know what we're having so that he can spend the next 5 months preparing, mentally and physically, for a son or daughter.
Now that we've made the decision to find out, I'm beginning to see the many advantages which include a.) being able to buy baby things before J's arrival in colors other than yellow or cream and b.) being able to get to better know and bond with J prior to the birth-day.
So vote on the poll if you haven't yet because one week from now the secret will be out. And hopefully I can get my surprise baby a few years from now when go for round two!

Wild (Charley) Horses

I am now 17 weeks along. Baby J is a whopping 5 1/2 inches and at this point I'm carrying around an extra 5 pounds. Apparently, those few extra pounds have brought on a new phenomenom of the second trimester - Charley Horses. For the past 5 nights I have been waking up in the wee hours of the morning writhing in pain and biting my pillow to keep from waking my husband.
According to BabyCenter.com, either my legs are tired from carrying around "all that extra weight" or my expanding uterus is putting pressure on the blood vessels that return blood from my legs. Whatever the reason, it kinda hurts!
Ironically, I just finished reading Childbirth Without Fear by Dr. Grantley Dick-Read, in which he explains the "fear tension pain" cycle common in labor. In other words, fear causes tension which creates pain which leads to more fear which in turn creates more tension resulting in additional pain and so on. Sounds simple enough when you read it. But the past few nights have been a "wake up" call, if you will, to what this cycle is really all about. The other night, in the midst of trying to massage away yet another knot in my calf, I couldn't help but think, "If I'm having this much trouble relaxing during a muscle cramp, how in the world am I going to manage labor?" So far, I don't have an answer for that. What I have concluded is that if eating a banana a day isn't going to solve my 3am problems then I'll simply take advantage of this opportunity for the next 5 months to practice relaxation and pain management techniques. Now if only I could convince my husband of this perfect occasion to work on his coaching skills ...

14 week-a-roos!

Today reminds me of that quote by Winston Churchill that is probably written several times over in your high school yearbook: “Now is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
There is some debate over when exactly the first trimester ends and the second one begins. Some say at 12 weeks, other say at 14, and the rest choose somewhere in the middle. I say it’s over when you feel like it’s over. And for me that is today. Today is the end of the beginning!
For me, at exactly 14 weeks, there are several reasons why I believe I have arrived at the glorious second trimester. First, this is the second morning in a row that I haven’t thrown up! Second, I stayed up past 10pm this week. Granted, Jane Austen was on Masterpiece Theater, but the fact that I was able to do that speaks volumes. Third, I made dinner, a real dinner … more than once. My husband is especially grateful for that. Fourth, I ate a salad. It was a little difficult at first, but after 2 months of salad aversion this is a huge step in the right direction. And finally, I find myself waking up each morning with even more excitement and a little less anxiety than the day before.
Here is a picture of me at fourteen weeks (it is also a picture of me with straight hair, compliments of Misty). There was a complaint made by an unnamed friend that my last post didn’t include a picture of me, but rather “some hippie girl.” I never thought of Amy Grant as a “hippie,” but she is maternal. And as I’m sure we have all heard, Amy claims the “Baby, baby” song was really written for her 6 month old daughter, and is not about a guy despite what the music video would suggest ... yeah right. I digress.
This weekend also marks the end of the spring semester. I get a short break to cram in every pregnancy book I’ve wanted to read before I hit the ground running for my final and very full semester this summer. Studying is certainly not the way I envisioned spending the last summer of “just the two of us.” But I know that come August I am going to be very grateful that I forced myself to get grad school done and out of the way while I could. In some ways, it will be nice to be busy and active this summer, but I don’t want the time to fly by too fast! Even so, I’m looking forward to two full months of “nesting” after school ends and before baby arrives.
So we’ve reached the end of the beginning, over a third of the way through. Time really flies when you’re making babies!!

Baby, baby you put my heart in motion

Sorry, but after today's doctors appointment, I just couldn't resist bringing up this early nineties "hit." This morning I got to hear Baby J's heartbeat! It was so fun! A strong whoosh, whoosh sound ringing in somewhere in the 150 bpm range. According to old wives tale and http://www.babybpm.com/, this is slightly on the slower end of heart rates for my gestational age, which would indicate baby is a boy. But you never know with those things. It was a very short doctor's visit, just like this post, because it's my last week of class and I've got finals to work on. Just wanted to let everyone know that baby has a heartbeat and mama has heartburn!!