Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Laughter

Orion's laugh has once again played my little heart strings like a violin. Last night Orion was playing with a piece of paper (yeah my kid is SUPER easily entertained) while sitting on the couch next to Ashley. She kept yelling that he was going to paper cut her face and spazing out like she is apt to do. Finally, after about 5 minutes of this, she slapped the paper that Orion was playing with and it made a loud cracking noise. Orion laughed a laugh that I have never heard, but it truly was one of pure joy. Usually his laughs are somewhat short and almost seem like he's just humoring you. This one was completely different. He was laughing like a "real" person and it really was the greatest thing I have ever heard. Ashley thumped the paper again and the laughter ensued. By the end of it Ashley and I were both laughing so hard that my stomach hurt and I had tears streaming down my face. Orion was happy and having a good time. Nothing could have made my night any better than that moment..the moment I heard the laugh my son will have for the rest of his life. Oh, I almost forgot. He also started WHISTLING last night. I have no idea where it came from, but he does it on accident I think. He makes this surprised face where he makes his mouth into a little tiny "O" and lifts his eyebrows up really high. While doing that he will blow out and yesterday he whistled. He did it all evening. Now I know it was by accident, but still. I think it's pretty amazing, especially since he was able to reproduce it after he did it on accident the first time. Damn my kid rocks.

Monday, December 7, 2009

My son is 9 months old.

I spent this weekend trying to prepare for the holiday season and spending time with Orion and Seth. It was a pretty good weekend. We got some gifts bought for O on Sunday (man it's great that he's too little to know what is going on so he can go shopping with us and test out the presents in the store!!). I really still don't know exactly what I should be buying for him because, well, he's still little but he's so smart. Oh well, I'm sure he'll enjoy the wrapping paper and boxes more than most things we can buy him anyway. He is now officially 9 months old. I can't believe how much he has changed in the last few weeks even. This weekend he started clapping on his own. It is nearly silent, but it is still the cutest damn thing I think I have ever seen in my life. This afternoon is his 9 month Dr. appointment so we'll get to see his height and weight once again. I'm excited to see where he lands there. As far as I know the only shot he'll need is the booster for his flu shot, so that won't be so bad either. Other than that, everything else is been progressing quickly. He can easily pull himself up on everything, can stand on his own when he isn't thinking about it, will walk when holding your hands (although it is a bit stiff-legged and super funny looking), and can maneuver all over if he has something to hold him up. He walks in circles around the coffee table and couch, and is starting to walk behind his push toys. It's amazing to me. He blows my mind. So that's what is happening in our life at the moment. I will try to get an update on how the Dr. appointment went this evening. Have a great day!!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Holidays are here again

So today marks the start of our very long Thanksgiving weekend. In the past Seth and I have tried our best to make it to each family to celebrate, but this year we've decided to cut back, so we will be spending Thanksgiving with his family (which is still two separate events). I'm mostly excited because this is Orion's first real holiday. We'll get to see his aunts and grandparents, as well as Seth's grandparents, which is always lots of fun. The trip back is never fun (a normal 4 hour drive done with a baby and 2 dogs making it a 5+ hour trip). I mean seriously, how do you keep a baby entertained in a car for HOURS with literally nothing to do. I mean all he wants to do at this point is crawl around, climb on things, and explore in general. Instead we have to strap him to a chair with no real view, hand him a couple toys, and say "tough cookies"? Doesn't sound like a good time to me. I will probably spend my time in the back seat with him to try to keep him calm, but he HATES his car seat with a passion. Hopefully the trip goes smoothly. My sanity can definitely not handle hour after hour of screaming baby in the car. However, what I think is even harder and more trying is attempting to make sure that each side of the family has an relatively equal amount of time spent with them so that we don't hurt anyone's feelings/piss anyone off. It's hard. It would definitely be way more convenient for us to spend our whole weekend staying at one house instead of packing up all our stuff half way through and switching, but that doesn't seem fair I suppose. It's just a hassle...and makes reason 183,585 not to get a divorce!! I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving weekend with great weather, amazing food, and cheerful family.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Oh where oh where has my time gone??

So Halloween went off without a hitch. We decided not to take Orion trick-or-treating, even though the day turned out to be beautiful. Instead we decided to spend at least 1 more year handing out candy to those desperate kids in our neighborhood (we're the only house on the block that does so we feel guilty not doing it!!). We did do other things though instead. We started Orion off in a cute little ghost t-shirt (thanks Aunt Ashley) and played around the house for a while. We then put on the adorable little frog suit which was impossible to crawl in on the wood floors. He hated the costume until he figured out how to move in the dang thing, but was then ok with it. We took him into Seward to the park where they were having all sorts of kiddy games and prizes. He was too little to do too much, but we still had fun wandering around watching all the kids in costume. We also tried to get O to play in the leaves but he just wasn't into that at all...he would stand in them while holding onto me, but would not crawl in them to save his life. We then went home and spent the evening watching movies, playing, and handing out candy. Sunday morning we woke up bright and early to a beautiful sunshiny day and decided to take full advantage of it. Orion was in his Halloween pjs but he looked so cute that I decided to leave him in them for the day. We ended up going to the park and spent tons of time swinging and just enjoying the sunshine. It really was a great weekend. I took tons of pictures, so I thought maybe I would share a few of them with you so you can see how damn cute my boy is!

From Orion 6 Months
Orion in his Ghost t-shirt. He was in such a good mood.

From Orion 6 Months
I love this picture. He looks so beautiful and serene.

From Orion 6 Months
Orion in his froggy costume. He laid around like this for a while...kind of like a turtle stuck on his back.

From Orion 6 Months
O with the bookshelves. Notice he went straight for the Linux stuff!!

From Orion 6 Months
He LOVES to swing. This is one of tons of pictures I took of him giggling!

I have tons more pictures so check out my latest Picasa album. I hope you all had a weekend as amazing as ours was.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Halloweeeeeny Feeeeling

I'm usually one that is SUPER excited to get dressed up and celebrate Halloween. I love the dramatic theatrics, the lame costumes, and the tiny demons that run the streets. I just realized yesterday that I had not even considered a costume for myself this year because I've been too busy getting ready for O's first Halloween. This boy really has changed everything! I look at him and realize how blessed I am. He's grown so quickly that I really can't believe it. I know, I know...it's said too much. However, I've started to notice changes in him the last few weeks that I never really thought about before. He has started pulling himself up on EVERYTHING which means the coffee table is no longer safe for my glass of water....or my supper.....or laptop...etc. He has also decided that it's cool to crawl and is getting pretty damn fast at it. He is growing so tall that his jeans are once again getting to the point that he's almost too tall for them but his butt is still so tiny that size 2 diapers wrap over themselves. I think he's going to be shaped just like his daddy, which is fine with me. We are getting ready for Halloween, like I said, and have already previewed Orion in his adorable little full body frog suit (tribute to mario music here). I've even debated potentially painting his face green. Is that cruel?? I probably won't go through with it, but it'd be soooo funny. We've also debated over taking him out trick or treating. I mean, seriously, he is not even 8 months old. What is he going to do with a bunch of candy? That pretty much boils down to me and/or Seth wandering around begging for candy with a cute baby as a shield. But at the same time, I want to run all over the place showing off Orions' cuteness with the world. Oh well, I guess we'll figure it out...someday, somehow. I'll let ya know how it goes.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Holy crap..what next???

So yesterday turned out to be a pretty amazing evening for little "O" around our place. It started shortly after we got home from work. I was in the kitchen looking for/preparing something for supper. I turned around and saw Orion army-crawling his way into the kitchen, which is nothing new or amazing. Usually he'll crawl up to me and tug on my pants so that I will pick him up. I turned around to the stove to continue cooking and anticipated his pull....but nothing was happening. So I turned to see what he was up to (mind you, Seth is watching this whole time) and Orion has his eyes fixed on the open cabinet where his food is kept and he is steadly scooting that direction. Once he reached the cupboard he pulled out the shelf (we have those rolly-shelf things that make it way easier to get to the back) grabbed his favorite vegetable baby food(sweet potato) and proceeded to scoot away. Once he got closer to the living room he began investigating the baby food trying to figure out how to open. I was amazed by his intelligence. He didn't happen across the food by chance, and didn't seem surprised by any step in his process. It was almost like he was sitting in the living room and decided "hey, I'm hungry. I want some sweet potatoes" and then proceeded to go get them! Needless to say, I stopped what I was doing and feed the poor child!

As if that wasn't enough, later on Seth and I were watching tv after Orion's evening nap. Orion was sitting on my lap when he spotted the remote controls sitting on the back of the couch. He lifted himself up, grabbed the back of the couch, and proceded to walk down the couch to get the remote he wanted. Seth and I were in shock....so we moved the remote to the other end of the couch and watched him walk back. I couldn't believe my eyes. He's not even 7 months old yet, but here he is walking his way along my couch! I sat him down on the floor next to the coffee table...where he decided to go from his butt...to his hands and knees...and then grabbed the side of the table and stood up ALL BY HIMSELF! Seriously! This boy won't even crawl yet and here he is trying to walk! I think we could be in trouble. He's so proud of himself...and I am too.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

My SUPER baby

Last week Seth and I decided to look at a "developmental chart" to see where Orion is in development. By 6 months he should be able to:

Hold my head up and look all around (check)
Recognize familiar faces and smile at you (check)
Coo, giggle, and make lots of sounds (check)
Push up on my hands and knees (for the most part.....he slides off his knees though)
Roll from back to stomach and vice versa (check)
Love to be held and cuddled (most of the time. He just loves to play)
Search for sounds and turn head toward them (check).

Because he had reached so many of these check points we decided to look at the 9 month chart:

Sit up without much help (check)
Begin to pull myself up and stand without help (can stand without help, can't QUITE pull himself up from the floor yet)
Crawl or scoot forward (check)
Use thumb and finger to pick up little things(close)
Recognize/look for familiar people (check)
Start to imitate and make sounds of real words (check)
Love to dump toys or things out of containers (check)

And at 12 months:

Stand alone holding onto furniture (check)
Cruise around holding on (not yet)
Take beginning steps toward walking alone (not yet)
Dance or bounce to music (check)
Respond to his name (check)
Want parents to be where he can see them (check)
Show fear or anxiety of people I don't know (check).

So here is my question: Is my son a SUPER baby, or do doctors just have REALLY low expectations for children?? I'm actually very curious about this because I've seen several other baby's that are Orion's age that don't seem to be doing half of the stuff he is. Do I REALLY have a genius, or am I just really biased because he's mine and AWESOME!!!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Amazing morning

This morning was amazing....so much so that I don't even know where to start. You know when you wake up in the morning and things just feel "right". That's where I was this morning. I then went into Orion's room since I could hear him talking (not crying) through the baby monitor and was greeted by a huge smile. I picked him up and he gave me great snugly love that only babies can get away with. We went downstairs to let the dogs out and get ready for the day and his smile and giggles just wouldn't stop. I made him some milk, he smiled...I sat him down so he could drink it, he smiled......I went to the laundry room and found his clothes, he smiled. He tried to follow me into the laundry room, which meant that he crawled out of his chair and ended up on the floor (there were a few tears), but then he licked my shoulder, and smiled. There is nothing greater in the morning than feeling such an overwhelming amount of love and happiness. It's contagious I tell ya! I am blessed to have the greatest son in the world. I honestly don't know how any other child could even compare! My son ROCKS!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Six Months Old

Orion went to his 6 month appointment last week. He is 27.5" tall and weighs 16.6 pounds. That puts him in the 85% for height! I'm so glad he's growing and happy. He's such an amazing little boy. If you haven't had a chance to meet him yet, you're definitely missing out. Over the weekend he started army crawling, which is so great to watch. He's too smart for his own good though and has even learned to us a piece of fabric to help himself slide easier. He loves to watch people and is fascinated by everything that is going on around him. I think one of his favorite things to do is to beat on my keyboard while I'm trying to do something productive. My goal for this week is to try to get some great pictures of Orion taken so that we can send them to all the grandparents,etc. for his 6 month update. I somehow believe that he has to be the smartest, most beautiful baby in the world and have to share all of his greatness with the world. I'm sorry if this seems to ramble today, but it's been so long and I really have a lot of stuff I wanted to throw out there.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

5 Months OLD!

Orion is now 5 months old. I'm amazed by all the things he can do already! Last weekend he started rolling over from back to front. He loves this new trick and rolls over every chance he gets. The only problem with that is he then gets high centered on his belly, and is stuck like a turtle on their back, or a fish out of water. He wiggles and squawks but stays on his belly no matter how hard he tries to change it. He is able to spin in circles on his belly though, so he twists around to see toys, or the dogs. He is also loving "people" food...even in it's mushed up baby food form. He loves everything....except squash. His smile just keeps getting brighter and his giggle is so catching that you can't help but join in. Other than that he's pretty laid back kid. He's starting to have a little bit of the "stranger" awareness, and it rears it's ugly head when he's sleepy. He's thrown little fits now for 2 different people that tried to hold him, but calms back down immediately when I take him back. Could be scary!! So that's what's going on in our neck of the woods. What's up with you?? (Does anyone still even read this thing??)

Circle of Mom's Survey


1. How old were you when your first child was born?

24

2. What month and year was your youngest child born?

March 2009

3. How did you feel when you first found out you were pregnant?
I was completely shocked. Seth and I were supposed to begin fertility treatments, and took the test as a precaution before starting the meds. I couldn't believe my eyes!!

4. Who did you tell first?
Seth of course, then my mom. After the official test at the Dr. office we told the rest of our parents.

5. How many pounds did you gain during your first pregnancy?
I actually lost weight throughout the entire thing and ended up weighing 10 pounds less at 9 months pregnant than I did before I got pregnant. Weird huh?

6. What did you crave while you were pregnant?
Um...Chocolate milk. That's about it.

7. Did you find out the gender of your first child? Why or why not?

We tried to, but one ultrasound said girl and another said boy so we really had no clue at all.

8. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy?
They were concerned about my blood pressure, but it never actually caused any problems.

9. How much did your first child weigh?

8 lb 9 oz

10. Was your first child early, late, or on time?
He was one week early because of induction. Ended up with a c-section.

11. What is the most difficult challenge or health issue that any of your children have faced?
Orion had a cold that seemed to last forever, but that's the only thing we've really had to deal with.

12. What's your favorite part of being a mom?

I absolutely love my son's smile. I think that is the easiest way to put it. I will do anything I can to see that smile as often as it is possible. That's what my goal is every day...to see him smile and hear him laugh, even if it makes me look like a fool.

13. Do you think it's easier to be a mom or a dad?
I honestly believe it's easier to be a mom. Dad's may not have as high of expectations for them, and may not be under as much "pressure" to be the perfect dad....but at the same time, I feel like Orion and I have a special bond because of the time he spent in the womb with me. Maybe that's crazy, but how else can you explain the overwhelming amount of love I've had for this boy since the instant I saw him?? I think that alone makes being a mom easier.

14. What is the best piece of advice you could give to someone who is about to have their first child?
Relax...and I don't necessarily mean sleep. I am a huge planner and hate not having things done in a certain order at a specific time (OCD anyone??) but having my son has helped with that a lot. It's taken some time, but I'm beginning to realize that he doesn't care if his socks match, or if he has peaches for supper. All he cares about is the fact that you are there showing him love (well that, food, and a clean diaper, but you know what I mean). Take the time to relax and have fun with your baby, even if the dishes pile up or you are running around in your pajamas because you haven't done laundry in a week. RELAX and enjoy. They are moments you can never get back, and would be extremely sorry if you missed.

15. Did you always think you'd have kids?
Yes. I never thought it would take as long as it did though.

16. What's been the biggest surprise about motherhood?

The amount of love I have for my son. I knew that you loved your kids, but I guess I never could fathom the bond you have with them. I honestly don't think it is something you can understand until you have a child of your own (yes adoption counts as "having one of your own").

17. Are there things you miss about life before kids?
The movies. I miss being able to go to the theater any time I want to, and I'm sure I still could, but I refuse to be the mom with the screaming baby in the back of the theater. That's just rude. I also kind of miss sleeping in until 10am, but that smile almost makes it worth it.


18. How many children do you have?

Just 1

19. Do you plan to have any more children?
Eventually.
20. Who's the mom that you admire most?
Can I say me?? I'm awesome right?? I dunno, I think every mom has something that you can learn from, whether it be good or bad. I refuse to pick favorites!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Four months already

Last week Orion went for his four month appointment. He has grown so much I can't believe it. He now weighs 13.5 lbs and is 25.5 inches tall! Time is going by so fast I don't even know what to do to absorb it all! He has been sick lately, but the doctor thinks it is just the flu. Today he finally seems like he feels better, which is great. I really don't like seeing my little boy sick. They started him on cereal at school yesterday, and it seemed to go ok so they are going to continue to do that. We started on it a couple weeks ago, but since he was sick he wanted nothing to do with it. Um....other changes....I'm waiting on Orion to roll over. I know he has the strength to do it (he can stand up all by himself!!) but he's just being difficult. I have a feeling though once he figures out how to do it I may be in trouble. He's so full of personality and already an obnoxious little thing. We may have our hands full! The only other exciting thing is that my sister Ashley is picking up Orion every Monday from school since she gets off at noon. It's great that not only is Orion not spending all day in daycare, he's also getting to spend one-on-one time with Ashley, which will help them bond, but also make it easier for me to trust leaving him with her as a baby-sitter whenever the time comes. I hate leaving him still, but he seems to enjoy the girls at school, and they all seem to love him, so that helps some. Orion is getting very close to sleeping through the night at this point (last night was over 6 hours!) so that's also a great thing. I'm desperately trying not to rush him into anything because time is going so fast as it is, but I do want to see him grow into an amazing little toddler...eventually. I'm thrilled to say though that Orion does love books, including comic books, and is also a total flirt. He smiles and stares at every girl he sees. I can only imagine what that boy has in store for me!

Friday, May 1, 2009

2 months old

Ok, so I pretty much fail at keeping up with blogs...but here I am. Orion is almost 2 months old already. Yesterday he went in for his 2 month well child check and had his first set of shots. Seth took him on his own, so I didn't have the "joy" of seeing my poor little baby stabbed by some ruthless nurse. Actually the doctor and nurses are very nice and try very hard to be gentle...I just get a bit upset when someone hurts my child. Anyway, they also weighed and measured him and he is 23" long (50th percentile) 11.4 lbs (50th percentile) and has a 16" mellon (70th percentile). He is getting stronger and stronger every day. I have a feeling he'll be on the move before we know it.

I have just completed my 2nd week back at work. I enjoy my job and all that, but I still hate leaving Orion at child care. He seems happy and content, but I hate not knowing what he does all day...and hate wondering if he's ok and not being able to do much about it. Not to mention the fact that it has made breast feeding very difficult. Have you ever tried to find time to pump in the middle of the day?? Yeah, it pretty much sucks.

Orion does successfully hold his head up and can turn it to look around. He follows things and people around the room with his eyes and/or head all the time. He also has the greatest smile I have ever seen...and his noises can just melt my heart. He is getting closer to sleeping through the night...so hopefully that will happen before too long. The doctor said to just stick to my guns and it can happen in 3 days, but I feel bad leaving my baby in bed to cry. That's just mean.

So that's how things are going for us. I will really try not to wait a month before my next blog. Honestly, a lot of the problem was that I was getting huge bugs with the posting part of blogger, so I couldn't do the blogs from my computer at home. I was very frustrated. I hope everyone else is doing well. Drop me a line to let me know what's new with you. <3 <3

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Almost a month

Well, Orion is now almost a month old. I already can't believe how much his face has changed. I love watching his facial expressions and seeing his personality blossom. I'm still in awe of how someone so small and special can affect me so greatly so quickly. I really don't have much productive to say, considering Orion is pretty young and doesn't do too much other than eat, poop, and sleep...but I just figured I would update and let you know that he is healthy and happy...he's gradually putting on weight like he should be and has finally outgrown the"newborn" sized clothing. We're finally getting into a schedule, but in just over 2 weeks I'll be going back to work....which I am definitely not looking forward to. I knew that I would not want to go back after he was born, but I didn't realize how hard it would be or how bad it would make me feel. I'm really nervous about leaving him in the care of others, but mostly I feel guilty that he will be spending so much time away from me and Seth...I hope to be able to remedy that someday soon, but at this point I know I don't have a choice.....ugh! Anyway, on a more positive note, Orion is sleeping a little more regularly, so hopefully before too long we'll be able to stretch out the feedings at night a little bit so I can actually get some sleep....it's been a month now since I've had a full night's sleep and I'm getting pretty tired....but at the same time I wouldn't give it up for anything in the whole wide world. I feel so loved and extremely blessed to have a beautiful son, and an amazing husband. I can only imagine what the future has in store for us.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Introducing Orion

Ok, so I'm really sorry it has been a while since I last updated my blog. Things have been very busy of course, but I have no excuse....oh....except for the birth of my beautiful son Orion Alexander!!! Orion was born on March 4 at 7:11pm. He weighed 8lbs 9oz and was 20 inches long (with a 15 inch head!). He is perfect in every way imagineable...or maybe I'm just a bit biased. The process seemed to be a long one, but the end result was definitely worth it. I suppose I can explain with my birthing story:

At my last Dr. appointment, they decided that induction should happen in order to prevent preeclampsia or anything like that from happening. I went into the hospital at 8pm on 3/3/09 to start the process. They started with a low doseage of a medicine that I can not remember the name of no matter how many times they tell me. They let the stuff go overnight with me strapped to a couple monitors, which meant nearly no sleep for me. Every time I would get comfortable the monitor for the baby's heartbeat would get moved and sound an alarm since no heartbeat was found. Between that and the nurses coming in pretty consistently I was up almost all night. After about 10 hours, no progress had been made and I was still only 1cm dialated so they decided to step it up a bit with pitocin. They started the pitocin, and the contractions picked up according to the monitor, but I still could feel nothing. The monitor looked like I was in labor, but I could barely feel the contractions or anything else. The doctor came in and checked me a few different times, with no changes at all...they even tried to break my water 4 times with no luck whatsoever. After another 10 hours of treatment with no changes, the doctor said we would do an ultrasound and that would give us one of three options....1. Go home and wait 5 days to try again (which I informed her was NOT an option. I had already been there for almost 24 hours and was not going home without a baby), 2. the baby would be head down and compliant so we'd start another round of the medicine for 24 hours and then do a c-section if there was no result or 3. The baby would be large or not in place and they would just do the c-section. The ultrasound tech came in and after 30 minutes of silent contemplation she left without a word, but not before I caught a glimpse of the paperwork she was carrying....which said my baby was 9lbs 15oz!!!! I was a bit frightened at that point, but still had to wait another 20 minutes for the official results from the Dr. When they came in, the word was that baby was a big ol guy and not actually dropped into the birth canal even though he was head down, so we went for a c-section. They dressed Seth up in a beautiful blue outfit, with his goatee hanging out of the bottom of his mask, and he kissed me and told me he loved me as they paraded me down the hallway to the sterile operating room where I would have to face the epidural all by myself. Honestly I was terrified of the epidural since I had decided I wasn't going to get one and had heard many bad things about them. However, the lady that did mine was great...I didn't feel hardly anything, and it kicked in almost immediately. They laid me out on the table and then brought Seth in at 7:09pm when they started the procedure. At 7:11p I heard "That's a big head...that's a big body....that's a big BOY!" The baby immediately started crying and his head peaked over the surgical curtain. I bawled like a baby and the look on Seth's face was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Seth was told he could go over and watch his son, so he scampered over, camera in hand so he could videotape all of the things that I was missing. They weighed and measured him, the entire time Orion cried up a storm. By 7:25pm I was completely stiched up and holding my newborn son in my arms. I have loved many people in my lifetime...and I loved my husband the moment I first saw him and love him more each and every day...but I never knew that you could love someone so much and so completely from the very second that you meet. Sometimes just watching him sleep it feels like time has stopped and my heart may explode. He is so beautiful and perfect that sometimes I find myself sitting here holding him and holding my breath, because I'm afraid that he'll blow away if I breath too loudly. I know it probably sounds insane, but I also know that I will do everything in my power to give him the best life I can. I am blessed with great friends and family who love and support us....but mostly I am blessed with the gift of being a mother. I know in my heart that this is the most important thing I have ever done or ever will do. I only hope that he will love me and his amazing father as much as we love him. Ok, so at this point I really feel like I am rambling...so sorry about that. I just had to get some things out there. I wish you all a blessed and fabulous day, and will continue to update as my son grows and changes. Believe me, this story has just begun.

Orion Alexander Doty

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Week 38--Changes and Developments.

Ok, so I am way behind this week...but here I am!! This week has been very busy trying to prepare for my maternity leave and everything else. I had a Dr. appointment yesterday that went uneventfully, and may actually have the baby's room ready (for the most part). As far as baby goes, this week there are a few little things happening:
  • Baby will be growing an ounce a day
  • Baby's intestines continue to accumulate meconium
  • The circumference of the head and the abdomen are about the same size (Ouch!!)
  • The testicles have descended into the scrotum (for boys)
  • The labia are completely developed (for girls).
The baby at this point is considered fully cooked, and because of that...if the baby hasn't decided to grace us with its presence by Tuesday evening, I will be getting induced. That's right...there is finally a finish line in the visible future. I know it's weird, but I like that there is a date and time that marks the beginning of the end. I have loved being pregnant, but the waiting game is driving me CRAZY!!! I will keep you updated over the next few days as we get closer and closer to having a new little one in our lives.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Dr. Appointment 2/18/2009

I had another Dr. appointment yesterday and it went pretty uneventfully. I lost 3 pounds this week...my blood pressure is fine....and they didn't even check my blood sugar because they won't start me on anything for it anyway at this point! The baby's heart beat is still going strong. That's about all that they did. Next week they will actually check my cervix and if I haven't gone into labor they may try to induce me at the end of next week. However, if my cervix isn't favorable they'll wait another week to get closer to my due date. At this point it's all up to the cervix. My best guarantee to have a baby in the next week.....to go into labor all on my own. So that's my goal for the next week. Who's up for it? Anyone have any marvelous ideas??

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Week 37--Developments and Changes.

Welcome to another lovely week in our pregnancy. I am still loving being pregnant, but I hate the Dr. and hospital enough that I am ready to be done. There are a few developments this week as we wait for baby to come out.
  • Baby continues to develop fat at the rate of half an ounce a day
  • Baby is getting rounder every day because of that fat!
  • The baby's skin is getting pinker and losing its wrinkly appearance
  • Baby continues to practice breathing movements.
This week also marks when I am considered "Full Term" even from the furthest due date (although the closest due date is SATURDAY! 2/21). I have a Dr. appointment this afternoon, which I expect to be pretty standard and then another NST tomorrow. I am kind of hoping that the Dr. will check my cervix today to see if I am dilated/effaced at all or anything, but we'll just have to wait and see I suppose. Sorry it's short this week....not much is happening other than the dreaded WAITING GAME!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Pregnancy Phenomenon #2: Baby Brain

Yesterday I discussed a phenomenon that happens to people around pregnant women, which I called "foot-in-mouth disease." Now, I don't want those people who are NOT pregnant to feel picked on, so today I'm going to share one that actually happens directly TO the pregnant woman in question....which in this case happens to be me. I call it BABY BRAIN (queue scary music). While I personally thought that this was just a myth when I first got pregnant, after several months of denial and hiding from the truth, I finally have to face the inevitable. My brain has literally turned into mush. At first it seemed like nothing too major, but it has gradually gotten worse and worse.

The first time I noticed my baby brain kicking in, I was sitting in my office at work and realized that I didn't know where my keys were. I began looking through the pockets of my coat and pants, searching all through the drawers and shelves, and was really starting to get nervous. About that time my boss walked in and asked me what I needed. I told her I had lost my keys, and she proceeded to pick them up off of my desk, right next to the keyboard I had been using to type all day, and handed them to me. I know she thought I had lost my mind. Unfortunately I didn't realize that would only be the beginning of the trouble. Since that time I have taken a wrong turn on my way to work after dropping Seth off (which I do 5 days a week) at least 3 times...lost my keys again....forgotten where I parked....started a sentence or a story, just to realize that I don't know where I was going, or even what I was talking about......put my shoes on the wrong feet....worn my clothing inside out....the list goes on and on. However, baby brain reached its peak with me this week. In one day I had several episodes of "baby brain" kicking in...with the final straw being me sitting in the bathtub, which I had already drained, and realizing that I still had BOTH shampoo and conditioner still in my hair. (Honestly, I would tell you about the other occurrences from that day.....but I can not remember. I had to go ask Seth about them.....yeah).

I have always been a list maker (in fact I have a list of the prego phenomenons I want to blog about sitting here at my desk)....but I have a feeling that for the next couple weeks (or less!!!) my life and my sanity may depend heavily on those lists to keep me in line. I only hope that no one comes across my list of how to take a shower....step by step.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Pregnancy Phenomenon #1: Foot-in-Mouth disease

Being pregnant is one of the greatest things I have ever done in my life. It is something that should be cherished and enjoyed as much as possible, and pregnant women should be praised!! I've never felt more beautiful, or accomplished as I have during the last few months. However, during this same time period, I have found that there are a few very interesting phenomenons that occur during pregnancy that don't normally happen during any other times in our lives. Some of these things happen to the pregnant woman in question...but others happen to those people AROUND the pregnant woman. One such phenomenon is what I would like to call "foot-in-mouth disease." This is one of those that people interacting with a pregnant woman are bound to face, and few seem strong enough to beat it. I have several examples:

1. While carrying 2 drinks into a building (1 for me and 1 for my husband) a woman told me that I should be careful or I would put on too much weight. Would you ever question the weight of a non-prego out loud?? How about to their face???

2. Several times throughout the day I hear "Holy crap, you're big enough you look like you're going to pop" or "Damn that thing is still in there??" One person even went as far as saying "Are you sure there aren't 2 of them in there??" Nothing makes a pregnant woman feel more beautiful than being told how enormous she is by every single passer-by. Next time I may be tempted to explain to you how fat your butt looks in your current pants.....I actually weigh LESS now than I did 9 months ago, and I'm carrying another living being? Can you say that??

3. While discussing induction with random people at work, one woman told me "you need to have more sex." Now, I tried to be tactful as possible and told her that I think my sex life was probably ok considering that's how I got to this point in the first place. Instead of keeping quiet, she decided "Well then you must not be using the right position." I was flabbergasted. Never question someone else's preferred method of sexual interaction.....ever!

4. Standing in the living room next to my little sister, she exclaimed "Your boobs look ENORMOUS!" I laughed it off, but at the same time I was confused...they are the exact same size as they were before. Considering how big my belly has gotten, you would thing that they would look smaller. I guess that's not really an insult at all...but still not something you would generally say to a non-prego.

I'm really not sure what causes this phenomenon. I really question what it is that makes people feel so open and honest with pregnant woman. Is it our beautiful glow that brings all in and makes them want to express their every thought? Or do we simply remind them of dear ol' "mommy" and make them want to snuggle up and tell all of their secrets. Next time you see a pregnant woman in a store, and get the desire to make a comment on her body, clothing style, or anything else, ask yourself if you would make the same comment to the fat girl across the street.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Another lovely dream.

So I've been slacking when it comes to recording the crazy dreams I've had during the last few months. However, last night I had a dream that I thought was VERY funny. A little back story on some of the details. Early on in my pregnancy I bought a pair of shoes for cheap, that are these simple black clog thingies. They are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned, and I have lovingly named them my "squishy" shoes. One of the biggest fits I have thrown during pregnancy was because Zombie got a hold of my shoe and chewed on them. Now, last night I had a dream that Zombie not only chewed on my shoes, but actually completely ripped the soles of the shoes off of them and left them as shredded fragments of slipper. He did all of this while Tyra Banks watched him, and just stared at the craziness that ensued. I walked into the room and seeing Tyra watching my dog destroy my beloved squishy shoes, I started bawling and tried to beat Zombie with the shoe itself, but it was so shredded at that point that it was like beating him with a cotton ball or something. I looked up at Tyra and she looked at me like I was nuts....and then I woke up. That's twice now that Tyra has graced me with her presence during pregnancy dreams.

The first time I had a dream about Tyra, we actually were hanging out and building a tree house. The planks that we used to build a bridge from the tree to the ground were very interesting. Each plank told a small part of a story on them, and as you approached the tree house you could read the story. Tyra dressed up as a fairy princess and there were little kids everywhere.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Week 36--Developments and Changes

Welcome to week 36. We're getting down to the wire now, and baby could literally come any day (although I'm not holding my breath). There isn't a whole lot going on this week, and Dr. appointments are taking up most of my mornings. I'm definitely ready to have the baby, but not because I'm uncomfortable. I'm simply ready to be done with going to the doctor and hospital all the time. Other fetal developments that are occurring:
  • The gums have become rigid
  • The sucking muscles are now fully developed
  • The brain is developing rapidly
  • Baby is practicing blinking.
That's about all that is going on with the baby. The only other big news with us is that we bought a new car last weekend. We traded in the Honda (which made me a little sad because I loved that car) and bought ourselves a 2007 Hyundai Tucson. It's a cute little SUV which will let us travel with the dogs and the baby safely. We both love it and got a great deal on it. I have another Dr. appointment tomorrow, so we'll see where things sit from there.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Week 35--Developments and Changes

This week marks the point that baby's measure 12 inches from crown to rump and likely weighs more than 5.5 pounds. At this point, the baby's eyes are probably blue at this point as well, but there is always a chance of change after the baby is born. Other developments that should be happening this week:
  • For males, the testes have completed their descent
  • Baby continues to gain weight and store fat all over his/her body
  • The fingernails reach the end of the fingertips
  • The lungs are almost fully developed.
There isn't a lot happening, but that's ok I suppose. That means we're getting down to the end of things!! I had the second NST yesterday and it went smoothly. Even the Dr. says "I sometimes wonder why we do these things, but we have to do what's best for the baby. " Lame!! It was even more traumatic than last week though, because they put me into the triage room, and then after I got situated (which was more difficult than last time because baby was having NO part in being monitored) they brought in another girl who was actually spotting and in major pain at 32 weeks, and wasn't feeling her baby move. Nothing like laying behind a curtain for an hour listening to someone in pain and panic and feeling guilty for hearing your baby's heart beat, and even louder movements. UGH!! I'm so grateful that everything is going well with the baby, but that was a really awkward situation to say the least. We have a Dr. appointment tomorrow where they should be actually doing something more substantial than the normal ones, so hopefully I will have something to report then.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Fetal Non-Stress Test

I went to my first NST this morning. The test went fine, but there is not much more boring than laying in a labor/delivery room by yourself strapped to multiple monitors. It was entertaining to listen to the baby's heart beat for an hour, and to see the reaction between the heart beat and movement, but it still sucked. The monitor shows that the baby's just perfect, and the heart reacts exactly how it's supposed to. Here's what went on:

I showed up at the hospital and had to report to the labor and delivery floor, where I was actually put into a delivery room. Once there they made me lay on a hospital bed, and then strapped a heart monitor on my stomach to listen to the baby. Once they found the heart beat, baby did a cartwheel and the monitor lost the heart monitor. They took off the monitor, re-gunked it up, and then went on the search of the heart beat again. They found it after a minute of searching, and strapped the sucker back on. Baby held still that time, and then they hooked up a second monitor to my stomach to see if I was having contractions (I'm not). The baby hated the second monitor and kicked the crap out of it for a while. They then put on a blood pressure cuff and handed me a button to push every time I felt the baby move. They then left me in the room by myself for nearly an hour, which gave me the chance to listen to the baby and stuff, but was really boring. They came in and looked at the sheet and the baby looked perfect, so they took off all the monitors, scheduled my next NST (for Monday), and let me go home. So like I said, it wasn't really all that eventful, and everything turned out fun, but I am not looking forward to doing it twice a week on top of my weekly Dr. appointment. Meh!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

January 27 Dr. Appointment

Today we went to the Dr. once again. From this point on it appears we will be going every week, which I am not looking forward to. I know I know, it means that we're approaching the end...but at this point it really seems like a waste of my time. Ugh!! Today's appointment went fine. Good blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, etc. They listened to the baby's heart beat and baby decided it would be fun to play the drums on the monitor while they tried to listen. Even the Dr. was surprised at the movements that were goin on in there. The only icky thing is that I have to go have an NST on Thursday, and probably twice a week from now until the baby comes. That is a fetal non-stress test where the hook me up to monitors and watch the baby's heart beat and look for contractions. They're doing this because of "potential" problems since they've been monitoring my blood pressure and blood sugar (both of which have been perfect through the entire pregnancy I might add!!!). So I'm really not looking forward to that. Going to the hospital twice a week on top of going to the Dr. once a week is going to suck, but I suppose that means we're really closing in on the end of this miracle we call pregnancy. This weekend is my baby shower and I am SOOO looking forward to it. Hopefully it will turn out well. The weather looks like it is even going to cooperate (which is pretty amazing in Nebraska, especially in January). Let's hope it stays that way.

Week 34--Developments and Changes

Welcome to a new week in baby growing 101. This week, the baby reaches 12.8 inches, crown to rump, and weighs about 5 pounds. Also this week:
  • The skeleton hardens, although the head remains pliable to maneuver through the birth canal
  • The skin becomes less red and less wrinkled
  • The toenails are present, and the fingernails have reached the tips of the fingers
  • Baby is also developing immunities to fight mild infections.
It's pretty quiet in the area of big changes and developments from here on out, pretty much only developing the lungs, and gaining weight. It makes for less interesting reading, I'm sure, but it also means that my little one is almost complete and ready for the world.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Baby Shower

I know I have mentioned it before, but I wanted to also post it here, so if someone forgets. Iwill be having a baby shower on January 31, 2009 (next Saturday) at 1pm here in Lincoln. Sorry that the invites haven't gone out yet, but I wanted to let everyone know what was going on so that I could make sure that everyone could make plans as needed. The shower will be at my cousin Amanda's house. The address is: 1810 SW 25 St. Sorry the information is pretty last minute. The invitations should be arriving soon....but I wasn't in control of them so can't really say when. At least this way you know what's going on. If you need any additional information let me know. I really hope to see everyone there. I am looking forward to a great time with some friends and family. If you need registration information....just scroll down!!

Week 33--Changes and Developments

Baby is definitely wiggling in there still, but there has definitely started to be more of the actually pushing out from him/her too. There is one spot above my belly button that apparently the baby doesn't feel is big enough, because there is pretty consistently a foot or something pushing directly against that spot. This week, baby should measure about 12 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 4.4 pounds. I also think that the baby has dropped already, getting ready for the final count down, because the movements and stuff all feel lower than they were before. I had one lady tell me that as big as I was, and where I was carrying, there is no way that I will make it another 6 weeks. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I hope to make it at least a few more weeks to be sure that the baby's lungs are fully developed and everything, but somehow I don't think that I am the one that gets to make that decision!! Baby developments this week:

  • Baby is practicing breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid to exercise his/her lungs.
  • Hair will be present now if it is going to be there at birth.

  • The baby has a normal waking and sleeping pattern.
  • While the baby is sleeping he/she may experience the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, which is the dreaming period of sleep.
  • Baby can listen, feel, and see.
  • The pupils of the eye can detect light and constrict and dilate.
  • Baby's lungs are ALMOST completely matured.
  • Fat will continue to be deposited on baby's body for protection and warmth.
  • Baby's skin color turns from red to pink.

So that's what is going on here this week. I hope to have a few more weeks of updates, especially so I can get everything ready for my leave at work! Have a great week.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Big News!

So, today was going along just like any other day, until my boss came into my office this afternoon. She's been doing some work, and I now have the opportunity to pick up hours in our IT department, making me a full time employee of the UNMC!!! That's right. I am now officially an adult, with a full time job. And part of my job even USES my degree. I am very very excited, and just wanted to share the news with anyone who is interested enough to actually read this. Before you ask, we've already got full time child care lined up and everything, so this will actually work out damn near perfectly. I just hope things keep going as well as they have been.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Week 32--Developments and Changes

Welcome to another exciting week in the growth of our baby. Things are calming down a bit finally, but I'm also starting to get very excited about the baby coming! It's hard to believe that in 2 months I will be able to hold my little one in my arms finally. The last couple days the baby has been getting the hick-ups and I can feel them in the weirdest places!! Seth has also been entertaining himself by playing with the baby. If I lay on my back the baby will usually lay on one side of my stomach and if Seth taps in the middle or on the opposite side you can actually watch my entire stomach move toward him. It's one of the coolest things I have ever seen and experienced. Of course while the baby is busy in there, there is also some growth happening.
  • The layers of fat continue to be deposited beneath the skin
  • The arms and legs are fully proportioned in relation to the size of the head
  • The baby is passing water from his or her bladder
  • The hair on the head continues to grow
  • The lanugo continues to fall off.
So that's what is happening in our neck of the woods. Needless to say we're still busy, but at least it doesn't feel so chaotic at this point.

Monday, January 12, 2009

January 12 Dr. Appointment

So we went to the Dr. this morning and it went quickly and uneventfully. Blood sugar, blood pressure, and all that good stuff look...well...good. My weight is exactly the same as the last appointment, so that's cool. The baby's heart beat was strong and the Dr. says she thinks it sounds like a boy, but I'm still not holding my breath. They're going to stick with my March 11 due date, but will probably induce me during week 39 if I haven't gone naturally by then (of course only if my membranes and stuff look good). So that's what I know so far.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Baby Registries

So I've been busy getting baby registry stuff all set up for the upcoming shower's and for anyone that's just curious what I would like to have for the baby. Keep in mind that any clothing listed can be bought in any size (I really don't care) and that most stuff should be neutralish at least since we don't know what we're having any more!

Sears Registry

Walmart Registry


JCPenney Registry

Toys R Us Registry

Target Registry

So I have now finished Shopko's registry as well, but it won't let me link directly to my list, so here's a link to their registry page and you will have to search for my name from there. There are actually 2 listed as well, but 1 of them is empty and the other has all my info in it (not sure why at all!!) Shopko Registry. Sorry about the confusion...I blame it on ShopKo being GHETTO!! If you have anywhere else you think I should (or would like me to register) let me know and I'll jump on it!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Week 31--Changes and Developments

This week is the lovely time when I started back to work after the winter vacation. It's crazy to me how vacations are never long enough, and you never get quite as much done as you had originally hoped you would. Oh well! This week, the baby's growth is actually supposed to slow down a little bit, but that doesn't mean it will stop by any means! Slowing down the growth allows the body to focus more on creating the connections between the nerve cells and other areas. Also, rather than just hearing random stuff the baby can now comprehend distinct sounds, and can even pick out voices and music! Other little developments to expect:
  • The lungs and digestive tract are nearly mature
  • The baby can see in the womb
  • The eyebrows and eyelashes are complete.
Other than that, things are pretty quite this week for both baby and us. Next week we have a couple small things going on, but at the end of the month is the baby shower, which I am REALLY excited for! Other than that, we play the waiting game.