Saturday, May 05, 2007

Busy, busy, busy!

People are starting to ask if all is well, so I figured I'd better check in to let you all know that things are great. Busy, a bit frentic at times, and sometimes issued when there isn't enough milk (he gets burps from the formula so we're trying to reduce our use of it), but great.


Tomorrow we're going to Nana and Grandpa Jake's house for lunch and an afternoon of visiting with some relatives who are visiting from out of town, including my Aunt Terri and Uncle Jim, and my sister Jeanne, who also hasn't met him yet. We're all excited!


Here are a couple more photos of our little man:


Thursday, April 26, 2007

Taking a moment

Griffin's napping and I'm actually awake, so I figured I'd take the chance to post. Maternity leave is such a blur. I generally have no idea what day it is, and half the time I don't even know if the time on the clock is AM or PM. As tiring and random as it is, I'm thoroughly enjoying myself. I think Mombi and Griffin are, too.

It's so sweet to wake up to Mombi bringing Griffin into our room for a random snuggle when he's fresh and clean from a sponge bath, or when we're playing on his play mat, or just checking out the light fixtures. Watching Mombi talking to him and playing with him is amazing.

I'm doing about half of Griffin's feedings by pumping for Mombi to bottle feed, and half by nursing. He also gets a few ounces a day of formula, since I'm not quite up to speed with him yet after all the formula he got while in the NICU. I've stopped stressing about it, though, so it's all good. Mombi keeps me well fed and rested, and I try to do the same for her. Last night I actually woke up right before my three hour alarm twice in a row, so my body is definitely adjusting to sleeping in short bursts. Thank goodness for that!

We're also making plans for our first big trip with Griffin. A cousin of mine is getting married in Michigan in a month, and we're going to go up for the wedding. (Amanda, are you going to be there? Any othe relatives lurking on the blog?) We're looking forward to showing him off a bit, and seeing everyone. It's been so long since I've seen that side of the family that I'm sure I won't even recognize most of my cousins. There are over 40 cousins on that side of the family, and I'm the oldest, so I won't be able to figure it out easily! I'm sure we'll also have some sort of get-together with the other side of the family while we're in town. It'll be an adventure, to be sure!


Here's a photo I took of Griffin yesterday. Doesn't it make you just want to curl up with him and take a nap?


Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Two Pictures

Nana probably won't want to wear these earrings when we visit in a couple months.




Griffin doesn't cry often, but when he does, watch out!



Monday, April 23, 2007

Happiness is...

...posting a blog (or doing pretty much anything) with a baby sleeping on your chest.

Life is grand. Apart from some sleep deprevation, we're all doing great. The first couple days with Griffin home were definitely rough, particularly in terms of sleep (us not getting enough) and food (me not producing enough) but we seem to be much improved on both fronts. I'm coming to realize just how short a six week maternity leave is, though. He's already over two weeks old! I know that anyone else will laugh to hear it, but he seems so grown up! He had his first well baby visit at 12 days old, and had already gained an inch of length. Wow!

We took him to my brother's house on Saturday for a bar-b-que, and had a great time. They have three little girls, ages 7, 3, and 2. Sydney, the two year old, seemed so tiny and young just a few weeks ago. It's amazing how time and perspective can change so quickly.

I'll post more photos soon, I promise. Right now I've got an adorable baby snoozing on my lap, and the camera is on the other side of the room.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Monday, April 16, 2007

Welcome home, Griffin!

Griffin is finally home with us, and he's doing great! He got a clean bill of health from the neonatologist, with no need for any more special medical attention for his mystery infection. They never did figure out what it was, but his labs look great now. Here are a couple photos from today!









Saturday, April 14, 2007

Mombi Loves Griffin

Mombi spent the day creating a web page to introduce Griffin to our online friends. Even with a "mushy" warning from her before I saw it, I still teared up looking at it. She's so sweet. I love my family, my partner, and our little boy!

Griffin's First Web Site

Check it out!

Monday is our day!

Per the neonatologist, Griffin will be released from care Monday. He'll be getting his last round of antibiotics on Sunday night at 10, but we'll have to wait until the doctor is there the next day in order to do the discharge stuff. It'll be a great one-week gift to all of us to have him home again. As much as I love the staff at the NICU, the trips back and forth to the hospital are getting a bit old!

Wide Eyes

Did we mention that he's a very alert baby?

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Collection of Mental Moments

As the experience of labor begins to fade in my mind, there are moments that remain vivid and strong. What moments were best or worst? Hard to say. The entire experience was so overwhelming that it's nearly impossible to rank them in any sort of specific order. However, there are definitely a few that stand out as top contenders.

The first half hour or so after my water broke were probably the most "fun." I managed to maintain my own calm, and so I was really able to enjoy watching Mombi and my sister and her partner all running around and pulling everything together for the trip to the hospital. There were so many smiles and cases of people running around forgetting what they were supposed to be looking for. It was great fun to watch from my waterproofed spot on the couch.

The span of time when Griffin's heart rate dropped during labor was definitely the scariest, despite the drugs that kept me from total awareness. I remember trying to prepare myself for the possibility that we had come so far only to lose him right then. After hearing that steady doplar beat for so many hours, hearing it get slower and slower was terrifying. Twelve hours and one successful birth later, sleeping off the meds in my recovery room, I kept hearing the doplar in my mind. I woke up with a start several times when I thought I heard it slow down.

The moment that was even better than I dreamed it would be was the first time I looked over and saw Mombi holding Griffin. It gives me tears every time I think about it, and it's not hormones talking. We've been together nearly six years, and for at least five of those years I've been imagining what a great mom she'd be and what it would be like to have kids together. Seeing her with our child, and the pure love and joy she was pouring over him, was indescribaby beautiful.

Here's a bonus shot of my mom hanging out with Griffin in the NICU:

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Griffin's Birth

First, I have to give some huge thanks to my amazing wife, to my mom, and to the staff at the hospital. They were all amazing!

Griffin's birth was a bit scary with a few close calls. See the post below when you see a (number) if you want all the details.

The beginning was certainly uneventful. After my water broke and we got to the hospital, we discovered that I was only dialated about a fingertip, which is about half a centimeter. At ten the next morning, with 17 hours or so already elapsed, I was still at the same dilation, even though I was totally effaced. They decided at that point to increase my pitocin, give me some narcotics in my IV to help me relax, and do a catheter drain. The combination worked a bit too well too quickly, and I dilated to 6 over the next half hour. Griffin's heart rate dropped suddenly. (1) After his heart rate was stabilized, I slept for a while while they gradually brought the pitocin back up. I dilated steadily over the next few hours. When it was finally time to push, it took only about ten minutes and 7 contractions or so for him to be born. (2)

Mombi got to hold him a lot and had some great 1:1 bonding time while I was cleaned up. His Apgars were 8 and 9, and he spent the next two hours wide awake and observant as my dad, sister Amy, and sister's partner Shelley arrived to meet him.

Mombi and I are back home at last. Griffin is still in the NICU, due to a mystery infection which necessitates giving him several days of antibiotics. They were prompted to do some lab work on him after they noticed that he tended to squeek or grunt when sleeping soundly, which indicated that he was having a bit of a hard time breathing. He's doing great now, though, and he now looks and acts perfectly healthy apart from a touch of baby jaundice. We're visiting him at the hospital as frequently as possible. It looks like we'll be bringing him home on Sunday if nothing changes.

They don't know what the infection is/was or what caused it, but there are two top theories. The first is that it was related to how long his amniotic sac was ruptured. It was nearly 22 hours from rupture to delivery by my calculations, but possibly longer if it started out as a very small leak. 24 hours is the maximum they'll let you deliver vaginally after it ruptures due to risk of infection. The other possibility is that I had a cold or some other virus/bacterial gunk that I wasn't aware of that was passed to him even though I wasn't showing symptoms. Sheryl's had a bit of chest/throat funk for a couple weeks, so it's possible that I brought something home and gave it to both of them but didn't show symptoms myself.

Would I do it again? Yup! I definitely wouldn't do it at home, though, because I can't imagine how stressful it would have been to not have help at hand when it was needed. I was very glad to have been at a hospital that has a good NICU. I probably wouldn't resist medical assistance with the labor, either, but that would depend a lot on whether or not my water broke before contractions started. That really changed things. I do wish that my own doctor had been available (she was in Central America with her family for Easter) but of course that's nothing that can really be planned for so far in advance!

Here's the Scary Stuff

Caution: This post contains the more graphic and/or scary details of Griffin's birth experience. It all ended up fine, but I'm sure that many of you may wish to skip this one. I'll post the happy details right after this, but I wanted to post these first so that they won't stay at the top of the blog for long.

(1) At one point during labor, Griffin's heart rate dropped to about a third what it should have been. I was on IV narcotics at that point so I was not entirely lucid, but I remember that the room was suddenly full of medical personnel. As the nurses had me roll from side to side and put an oxygen mask on me, my mom and Mombi hovered at my sides, keeping their hands on me for reassurance. Since I hadn't had an epidural, there was serious concern about what they would do if they had to do an emergency Cesarean. I had to sign papers giving permission for general anesthesia and/or epidural. They gave him an internal monitor at that point. They gave me something to stop my labor, and luckily his heartrate stabilized. Just in case it got bad again, they put in the epidural so that they would not have any delays if it got critical again. I fell asleep for about 45 minutes after that, the first and only steady sleep I had during labor.

(2) When Griffin's head was delivered, the doctor commented that one mystery had been solved. The cord was wrapped around his neck twice, which explained his severely fluctuating heart rate. I ended up with second degree tears and major swelling due to the speed of the delivery during the pushing phase, but I'm still glad that I pushed him out as quickly as I did. At that point, I just wanted him out so that he would be safe!

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Firsts: Woo hoo!!

Griffin Alexander arrived into this world at 3 minutes to 3pm on Sunday the 8th of April. He weighs 7lbs even and is 19 inches long.

Momai is doing fine and resting in the hospital while I have come home for the evening to rest, take care of the animals and try to navigate through email, and systems I'm not familar with in order to spread the news.

Sadly I was unable to find the connector cord for the digital camera in order to post the pictures that we have.

I promise as soon as Momai gets home we'll get them posted for you.

Thank you all for your love and support.

~Mombi

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Going with the Flow!

My sister and her girlfriend came over this evening, and we were showing off the nursery and all the cute clothes and stuff when my water broke at around 5:35 PM. Fun! I'm just giggling right now because everyone is all frenzied. We're going to hang around here until my mom gets here, which will take 40 minutes to an hour. That should give Mombi time to review the videos on Babycenter.

:)

Friday, April 06, 2007

Momai, Unplugged!

Yep, lost the plug this morning. And he's moved way down. Still no regular or hard-core contractions, but we're making sure we have the bags packed and all of that. I know it could still be a couple weeks, but it sure does feel like it's going to be soon!

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Introducing... The Nursery!

I finally got to see the nursery on Sunday night, and it's awesome! It was after dark so I took photos with the "mood lighting." The twinkle lights behind the fabric wall are on a dimmer, so they can be set to glow as gently as we want them.

On the side of the room that you can't really see in the pictures, there's a set of shelves and an antique bed that will be used by guests, or by us if we need to sleep over with Griffin. The bed has a fabulous quilt and matching pillows, done in the same fabrics as the rest of the room. Mombi and my mom really outdid themselves!


I really like the colors, because they're soft enough to work for a baby but bold and fun enough that they'll still work for many years. The whole thing is so versatile! Mom also surprised us with a glider, which is very comfortable, and two floor rockers so that we can have back support while playing with Griffin on the floor. Brilliant!

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Yay for Oxygen!

I think Griffin is starting to drop. How can I tell?

First, let's look at what I have less of:
- Less heartburn. I still need the Pepcid, but I can sleep laying down instead of propped up to 45 degrees.
- Less bladder space. When I'm awake, that translates to a trip to the little ladies' room about once every half hour. When I'm asleep (and therefore horizontal) I can usually sleep for an hour or two before I have to get up & go.
- Less pain on my upper abdomen. He's hanging out in that stressed area less, which makes me very happy.

What do I have more of?
- More stretch marks. Yep, that's right folks. After 37 weeks without a single one visible, I now have about five cute little pink dots on each side of my lower belly. The good news is that they probably won't get much bigger at this late date, so they'll fade quickly. Not that they'd bother me if they hung around, but hey. It's a culture thing, I guess.
- More oxygen! Not a lot more, mind you, but enough to climb a flight of stairs without feeling like I've conquered K2. Of course, I still get overheated by anything more envigorating than reading the user's manual for a diaper pail. But that's a whole 'nother issue.

Finally, I have the paperwork from my OB. She gave me a copy to keep with me at all times so that if I find it time to go to the hospital, I'll be able to give a copy to the L&D nurses immediately. The notes from3/19 say Cx LTC, Post-VTX. The ones from 3/30 say CX LTC - VTX -1. Soft, Posterior. Can any of you L&D nurses confirm what the abbreviations mean? Looks to me like Griffin was at -1 at my last visit.

I also found out at my last appointment that my OB will be out of town M-F this week. I'm not sure where she's going, but she's flying. Since she's got a private practice, not a group, that means that if I were to have Griffin this week, I'd have a stand-in Dr that I haven't met or even heard of. Fun! Not that it will matter that much, I suppose, since most of the time in the hospital is spent with the nurses and my personal support team, but still. I like my OB, and I'd like her to be there.

Stay tuned for the Great Nursery Reveal... It's supposed to be done later today!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Getting Down to It

I was planning to work until April 13, but I think I'm done. I'll work through Friday, when I have my next OB appointment, and then ask her to clear me for short-term disability so I can go on leave early. I'm just so slow and uncomfortable and brainless that I'm not good for much more around the office than as a conversation piece. Maybe I'll work M/W/F next week. We'll see. The girl they brought in to cover for me is awesome so I'm not worried about that at all. There's no good reason for me to hang around.

Mombi and my mom are planning to have the nursery done this weekend, so Griffin and I will have their permission to do our thing as of Sunday evening. I'll take it!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Guava Juice and Goldfish Crackers

Wow, it's been a while since my last post. Sorry about that, folks. What can I say, I've been busy being pregnant.

Friday was the baby shower at work, and it was fabulous fun. My friends and co-workers were incredibly generous, and as a result we have very little left that we need to get before Griffin arrives. And we have a LOT of thank you cards to write!

From what I can tell, the nursery is really coming along. I think they're planning to finish it next week. Cool!

I had an OB appointment on Monday and my first internal check. He's positioned well, and my cervix was still long and tight. That might be starting to change, though. I've definitely been feeling more Braxton Hicks lately, to the point where it sometimes feels like menstural cramps. I've been feeling him a bit lower the past few days, although not enough to relieve my heartburn. Mombi wants him to hang out with me at least another week and a half, preferably three weeks. I'm hoping for around two more weeks, so I can get my temporary replacement at work fully trained (or close enough) but not have too much extra time to hang around the office after that.

I'm still dealing with major heartburn (thank you, Pepcid, for some sweet relief!) and the pain below my ribs on the right. Pain in that area is apparently a less-common symptom of pre-eclampsia. My OB had me get some bloodwork and an upper abdominal U/S done to check for it, since my blood pressure and protein levels have been fine. The bloodwork came back fine, and I haven't heard on the ultrasound yet. Presumably, it's fine too. Of course, that doesn't help me deal with the pain, since it's still not clear what it is. Ah well. I've also developed some pregnancy carpal tunnel in both wrists, so now I'm wearing double wrist supports, too. Fun!

Griffin is still very active, although now it's more of a shift and push motion than a bouncing kick. I still can't tell what's what in there, apart from the occasional leg-and-butt shape when he's pressed out against one side or the other. I can't tell a foot from an elbow from a hand from a knee, though. Speaking of which, time to go do my kick count for the day. Catch ya later!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Grandma Brenda, Great Grandma Kay, and Aunt Bernie!

Griffin received gifts in the mail today from Mombi's side of the family! His Aunt Bernie and Great Grandma Kay each sent him handmade quilts, and his Grandma Brenda sent a big box of clothing, receiving blankets, and other goodies. The gifts area all lovely, but we were most thrilled simply by reading "To Griffin with Love from Grandma Brenda" on the tags. Mombi's mom is very conservative, and had indicated that she didn't plan to think of Griffin as her grandchild. So this is a huge turn-around. We're so happy!

He's looking good!

We had an ultrasound today to check back in on Griffin's choroid plexus cysts. They're totally gone, and he looks very healthy. We couldn't see much since of course it's getting pretty tight in there, but he held still well enough that we did get to see his face a bit, and confirmed that he is absolutely male. He's measuring six days ahead of the average, which is in the 75th percentile at just over 6lbs.

We also got to see him "practice breathing" which was fun. The tech used the setting that they usually use to see blood traveling through the heart and the umbilical cord, and instead focused it on his face. We could see red and blue around his nose as he "breathed" amniotic fluid.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Doin' the Griffin Dance

Today was a good day. Not for any particular reason, it just felt good. I did a bunch of boring stuff at work, expense reports and so on. I went to the chiropractor after work, and then did some long-delayed grocery shopping.

Through it all, Griffin was rocking and rolling, shifting and squirming. Sometimes I almost forget that the sensations I'm feeling are actually our little boy getting more comfortable or practicing his moves. Other times, I'm so tuned in to him that I can see him in my mind as clearly as if he were out in front of me. And soon... he will be!

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Yay for Weekends!

It's been a doozy of a week. I ended up staying home to rest on Tuesday as well, apart from a trip out to my general practitioner for a possible double ear infection. Turns out my eustacian tubes were inflamed. Just another random side-effect of pregnancy. She gave me a prescription for a nasal spray that seems to be helping. We'll see.

Wednesday it was back to work and back to the chaos, since there was a LOT of stuff waiting for me. The rest of the week was a blur.

So what am I doing this weekend? Absolutely nothing, if I can help it. I spent too much time reved up last weekend, and it spelled bad news for me. So this weekend I'm determined to stay calm, rest a lot, and not look for "projects" to do. I'm going to concentrate on staying rested and staying hydrated. Everything else can take care of itself for now!

Will I manage to stick to my non-plans? We'll see...

Monday, March 05, 2007

33.5 Week Appointment, and Lots of Parenthesis.

I had an OB appointment this morning, and things are still looking very good. My growth is right on track at 34 cm (that's height of fundus, not his length!) and Griffin's heart rate was 153 bpm. I have an appointment next week to have a follow-up ultrasound to see if the choroid plexus cysts are still there, so it looks like we'll have one more look at the kid before he arrives after all. Hopefully the scan will show a very healthy (if slightly constricted) little boy.

They also had me go over to the hospital (across the parking lot) to have blood drawn to check my thyroid levels again. I'd been slightly hypo at one point during TTC, and it was never re-checked after I stopped the meds. It was such a fiasco. There was some sort of major language barrier issue going on with someone who was trying to register for a procedure that they couldn't pay for and didn't need immediately, and there was only one person doing outpatient registration. So it took about an hour to get registered. Then I had to sit for another half an hour before the two (!) women who were doing all the blood draws for the entire hospital showed up at the outpatient lab. After an hour and a half of waiting, the draw took about two minutes. At least I also got to pre-register for L&D at the same time.

Anyway, by the time I was leaving there I was overheated and hungry and my back was killing me from their waiting room chairs, and on top of being hormonal and tired from not sleeping well last night, I was a mess. Something about me standing there crying convinced my co-workers and my boss that I wasn't having a good day. I made it almost exactly an hour at work before they sent me home. So now it's 2:00PM, I've just had lunch, I'm in my sweats, and I'm heading to bed. Thank goodness for sympathetic friends at work! Next time I need to just listen to Mombi in the first place when she tells me I shouldn't go to work. She totally called it this morning, but I resisted because I had stuff to do. Some day I'll learn.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Having fun!

What a busy weekend. Well, not for me, I didn't do much other than sort out the junk boxes that have been collecting random stuff under the bathroom sinks for a few years. No, it wasn't nesting. Not yet. My mom came over this weekend to work on Griffin's room with Mombi, and she brought along a book on organizating techniques for ADD people. I read it cover to cover over two days, and thought of a lot of things I could do around the house to make it easier to keep up with the clutter, and decided that the bathrooms were as good a place as any to start.

Also, the "Fabulous Christmas Gift" from my parents that I alluded to so long ago is finally complete. I haven't taken pictures to post yet, but as I type this, I can hear the new WASHER AND DRYER doing their thing. Woo hoo! Mom & Dad brought the washer over a couple weekends ago, but we had only run it once since we didn't have a dryer yet. They came over yesterday to install the dryer. THANK YOU MOM & DAD!!!

This is huge. Our apartment complex has several laundry rooms, and the nearest one is only 30 yards or so down the sidewalk, but that's an insurmountable distance when you're pregnant or have back issues, so we've been really struggling to get laundry done for several months now. That's compounded by the fact that vandals have been messing with the machines lately, so half the time they're not available anyway.

Without the new machines from Mom & Dad, we definitely would have had to re-think the cloth diapering plans, at least for the first few months. Instead, we can now enjoy a fabulous high-capacity front-loader and a huge dryer. They aren't top of the line or anything, and the dryer is used, but they're absolute heaven to us. We had a stackable in our last apartment (provided by the complex) and we got spoiled by it, but these are in a whole new class. And let me tell you, the state of our bedroom floor is much improved already!

Griffin has been very active this weekend, and has been creating some very impressive belly contortions as he stretches and rolls. I'm starting to really feel like I have a big pregnancy belly. I've had a little one for a long time, but over the past few weeks I think I've crossed the divide from "you definitely look pregnant now" to "so how many weeks left?"

Thursday, March 01, 2007

My abs have given up.

Ouch. My body is definitely starting to strain outward to find extra space. I've got a constant burn just below my ribs. It feels hot and tingly, like I have a pulled muscle. The entire area below my belly button just plain aches. My pelvic floor feels like I accidentally did the splits. And my pelvis is getting loose, so my hips are sore, too. It takes me at least twice as long to walk anywhere, which really slows me down around the office.

Moving in general has become more of a challenge in the past week. I counted last night, and it takes me 8-10 separate motions to roll from my right side to my left (or the other direction) not counting the rearrangement of various pillows and supports. Even getting in and out of the car is a challenge. And I'm only at 33 weeks!

Being pregnant is lots of fun, and I'm totally enjoying the experience, but it sure isn't comfortable. Thankfully, I have my amazing partner to support me. She encourages me to do what I can, keeps me from doing what I don't need to do, and supports me when I get physically and mentally exhausted from trying to do too much. She really is amazing. I feel bad sometimes when I let it show that I've become upset or irritated by some little thing, like dishes on the counter or whatever, when I know that she's doing so much for me and for us already.

I try to tell her often just how much I appreciate everything, but I can't imagine how hard it must be for her to stay positive when hormones and fatigue get the better of me, and there's nothing she can do to help but bring me treats and encourage me to sleep. Still, what she does do means the world to me. She knows what I need before I do. She knows exactly where I need to be massaged, she knows when I need to eat something, she knows when to prompt me to sleep. She's absolutely the best.

Monday, February 26, 2007

The Nursery Adventure

Well, it's officially begun: the big push to finish Griffin's room before he arrives. As you may or may not know, the nursery is being kept a surprise from me. Mombi has taken it on as her special project, and I won't get to see it until it's done. My Mom came over yesterday, and she and Mombi spent several hours in Griffin's room planning things out. Then, they went shopping. They both seem very excited about it, and I can't wait to see what they're up to!

Stage 1, apparently, is to weatherproof our small back porch as much as possible, so that Mombi can work out there. I also know that there will be a significant amount of sanding involved, as well as some painting. Other than that, the only other clue I have is that it's "something I would never expect." Based on that, I did find it necessary to confirm that they haven't decided to switch the theme to Nascar. Thankfully, no. I'll keep you posted of any new developments!

Saturday, February 24, 2007

On Heartburn

Heartburn, how I loathe you, nightly,
when you make me sleep, uprightly.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Slowing Down

Ugh. Today, the question from everyone was "Are you feeling OK?"

With exactly 8 weeks until my due date, I'm starting to move slower, and more carefully. My bladder requires special coddling in order to get from place to place without staging a demonstration. My pelvic floor is aching. Heartburn makes breathing uncomfortable. Overheating is inevitable. And my left foot has started rubbing against the top of my most comfortable shoes, so I'm limping a bit.

Other than all that, though, I feel great! I just love thinking about what's coming, and every twinge and ache reminds me of the amazingness that's happening inside. Add to that how incredible Mombi is, and how much I'm enjoying the extra closeness that this experience has brought us. She's been unfailingly supportive and positive, and we're having a blast imagining life with Griffin.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Time goes weird again

Just when I think that things are moving quickly again, I realize for the umpteenth time just how long we still have to go. Last night I actually dreamt that I was ready to give birth and then realized that I still had to wait two months. And that's exactly how it feels. I feel big, Griffin feels strong, and psychologically I think that all three of us are ready. I have to consciously remind myself that I really don't want him to come this early, that it would be a hard time for all of us.

There's still much to do. The invite went out at work today for my shower, and get this... there are 40 people invited so far, and it's still growing! The person who is organizing it had to choose the date based partially on when she could get the largest training room in the building. I feel so special!!! I had a hunch that it was going to be big last week when she asked me to add to my registry, but I'm totally in awe. I gave her all the details for the cloth diapering stuff we want, in case people want to pool funds to get some for us. How cool would that be? Luckily I was included on the meeting invite, so I don't have to pretend not to know about it. And it's long enough away that I'll have a couple weekends to clean out the car!

I also still have to get everything set for the temp who will be handling my job while I'm out on leave. I've scheduled myself for an hour per day T/W/Th from now until she starts working with me in mid-March, so that I can get things all organized and written out. I've also started saying "no" to extra projects that I know will take a lot of time and may extend beyond when I have to leave. So on that level, I guess I'm finally thinking in terms of it being a short period of time until Griffin comes.

It reminds me a lot of moving to a new home. There's only so much you can do ahead of time, and there's the rush at the end that you know is coming but there's nothing you can do to spread it out or prepare ahead of time. For us, the true rush will start after the shower is done. Until then, it's a matter of staying as comfortable as possible, being patient, and finding as many positive distractions as possible!

When I start thinking that I still have a long long time to wait, I just think of all my internet friends and their new babies. The little ones are all so old already! When I remember that, I realize that there's really no time at all between now and then.

But then I think, "what if I'm a couple weeks late?" And on and on it goes, until I either fall asleep, get hungry, or find myself distracted by the rapid and impressive distortions of my abdomen.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Too good not to share.

There are some great web sites out there for parents. Here's one of my favorites: http://www.parenthacks.com/ There are reviews of particularly good products, but the majority of the site is actually suggestions sent in by parents for ways to do things easier or better, with comments from other parents. I just visited it for the first time in a while, and read that breast milk is a very good cure for eye infections. Who knew? What a great website.

What parenting sites do you really like?

In other random web news, we are now registered at Target and Babys R Us. If you know my legal name or Mombi's, you can look us up. If you don't know our true names but are longing to buy us something, let us know. We're nowhere near as stocked as some of our internet friends (we haven't even been inside a baby store since we got pregnant) but due to some very generous gifts from friends and family, we already have much of what we need.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

So Much Love!

This picture was taken a few years ago, when Mombi worked at a daycare in Denver. She had some crazy dreads at the time, so for "silly hair day" on Valentine's day, she tucked them under this black wig and a shocking pink bandana. She bucked the system and their "no hats" policy daily with her crazy bandanas. (I think she had every style they sold at the local craft store!) The kids absolutely loved her. This is one of my favorite pictures of her, because it shows her phenomenal smile and goofy sense of humor.


I try to express daily to Mombi just how much I love and adore her. I talk about her so much at work that when she stops by the lobby of my office building to meet me for something, people entering/exiting recognize her from the photo on my desk (not this one), address her by name, and ask how she's doing. She's my best friend and the greatest romance I've ever had. She has an amazing sense of humor and comic timing. (We laugh together a lot!) I love the way her mind puts things together in unexpected ways. She's constantly doing sweet things for me. She has a great smile, gorgeous eyes, and naturally perfect eyebrows. She's a great storyteller. She's amazing with kids. Heck, she's amazing with adults.

I could go on for much much longer, but I'm sure that we'll all have an overdose of "love blogs" today. So I'll just say that (as my little sister puts it) I get all warm and squishy inside when I think about the fact that next year it will be all three of us together for Valentine's Day.

I love you, Mombi!!!

Friday, February 09, 2007

.75 is a Huge Number

Wow, we're 3/4 of the way through this pregnancy! It's really amazing to realize how quickly the time has gone by.

This morning I was woken at 3:30 by my cat flopping down in the hammock made by my belly and my body pillow, and Griffin promptly attempting to kick her back off again. The cat, of course, was not disturbed in the least, so it was up to me to shift her once it got uncomfortable. That adventure over, I stayed awake for another hour or so, just playing with Griffin and trying to find a comfortable position.

It struck me all at once that I soon won't have him thumping and poking and wiggling and tickling inside me any more, and it made me rather sad. Not sad enough to wish he'd stay in there longer, mind you, but prematurely remeniscent none the less.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Full Body Pregnancy Simulator (with storage case)

Ever wonder how L&D nurses and OBs get their first practice? I stumbled across this product while looking for images of fetal location during development.



Check it out: Life Simulation Model

Tracking Time

Time keeps slipping by. It's so stealthy these days that I only really notice it when I realize that a couple of days have gone by since my last blog post. Part of the reason for this, I'm sure, is that there isn't a whole lot going on. Yesterday's big adventure was that I finally broke down and took my flex spending card to CVS and bought a good humidifier. Our apartment's air has been so dry lately that Mombi and I both have ridiculously dry skin, and we zap the animals any time we try to pet them. Not so good, especially when you consider that babies are extra-prone to dry skin anyway. So, I went out and got this:



It's a Vicks V4500 Filterless Humidifier. I was going to get a warm mist humidifier because of the bacteria/filter factor associated with the cool mist ones, but then I found this one at the store. It's so fabulously sturdy that I'm not worried about us crunching it in the middle of the night and causing an electrical problem, like I would be with the typical warm mist version. And it only requires the occasional rinse with vinegar and then bleach to keep it nice and clean. We've had it going since last night, and even after just a few hours the air in the apartment already felt much better. Eventually when we get back to a decent humidity level, we can start using the humidistat feature to monitor the moisture in the air. For now, though, we just know we need MORE!

Monday, February 05, 2007

The Power of Suggestion

I dreamt that I fell asleep while reading a book about giving birth naturally without discomfort. In my dream I realized that I could feel griffin's head way down in my abdomen, and that I could actually feel his little ears quite perfectly through my skin. It was amazing! So I played with his (very cute) ears for a while, just rubbing them and talking to him, and eventually I woke up, or so I thought. My mind messes with me this way quite often when I'm sleeping, but I never manage to catch on while it's happening.

So I was laying there, still dreaming but thinking I was awake, thinking how sad it was that I couldn't actually feel him, that it had clearly just been a dream, when I reached down and discovered that (wow!) I really could feel him! I realized then, though, that I'd never felt him nearly so low, and started to wonder if perhaps I was going to have a very early baby. After massaging his ears for a while to reassure him that we'd both be fine and that we should relax and let things happen, I decided to get up and go to the bathroom.

I stood up and found that I was leaking fluid. Luckily my Mom and a random female cousin/aunt who doesn't really exist were standing in the hallway outside my room. Now at this point, a truly conscious me would probably stop in her tracks and wonder why I was in my childhood home, and who this other female was. But in my dream (since I clearly was still dreaming) I thought nothing of it.

I walked over to them, and calmly told my mom that I thought that I might be having an early baby. She calmly said something like "oh shit, and with company here" and suggested that I should go into the bathroom and check to see if it really was amniotic fluid. In order to get into the bathroom, I had to unplug a cord that they had just rigged across the hallway in order to blow cold night air in to where the aunt/cousin was staying. This, of course, because in that house when I was younger we did not have air conditioning. It was installed just before we left Michigan and moved to TN.

Anyway, I went into the bathroom, and discovered that yes, indeed, he was coming down already and my water had broken. I was surprised, of course, but very calm, and attributed it all to the relaxed anticipation that I was feeling as a result of the book on birthing in comfort. I thought to myself that the power of suggestion truly was very strong, and woke up (this time for real) feeling very happy and secure.

No, I can't massage Griffin's ears. But I'm looking forward to the day when I can. For now, I'm going to make myself a cheese sandwich and go back to bed.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

29 Week Appointment

I had an appointment with my OB this morning (yesterday morning, technically,) and things look great. My glucose test came back with a score of 73mg/dL, which I'm told is awesome, and my blood pressure/heart rate remain nice and low and steady, so it looks like I'm doing well. I also got the OK to add Pepcid AC to my nightly routine to help out with the acid reflux problems, and I've got the "certificate of medical necessity" so that I can get a prenatal massage. I'm scheduled for 75 minutes on Saturday, and I can't wait!

Griffin is also doing well, with a heart rate of 147. He's currently head down, and the tickling I've been feeling in my very low middle abdomen has been "diagnosed" as him snuggling in with his head. What I'm feeling are his ears and nose as he wiggles his head back and forth. Based on that, I can now also identify which sensations are most likely his hands, and which are his knees and feet.

Mombi, of course, is phenomenal. Her birthday was on the 31st, and we'll be celebrating it on Saturday by going out to eat with my parents. We're also getting an AWESOME gift from them, which will have its own post later!

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

What it's all about

Check out this kid I found on You Tube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-uZN6LxIm8

I felt like looking at happy babies, so I headed over to You Tube to do some browsing. I came across this video of a seven-day-old, and thought it well worth sharing. What a cute baby! There's so much to look forward to.

Aargh! My BAAAACK!!!!

I go to the chiropractor once every other week and they help a lot, but my back is still killing me. I got my 2007 flex spending debit card in the mail yesterday, though, and let me tell you, I'm heading to the spa for a prenatal massage as soon as I get it cleared with my OB! My ribs have stretched out to the point that they're starting to ache on the sides, not just where they meet my spine. My shoulder blades are lifted off my back by knotted muscles, my hips are aching, and if it weren't for the fact that I'm having a great time being pregnant, I might give in to the urge to complain about it all.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Just hanging out.

Not much to report these days. This weekend I caught up on laundry over at my parents' place. I read a book. I'm reading another. We're waiting for the pizza delivery guy to get here.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Pining for the Craftmatic

OK, this looks a bit too propped up:



You know the commercial for the craftmatic adjustable bed, where the top and bottom fold up and back so quickly that you get pains just watching it? There are times when one of those beds actually starts to look like a good idea. I've had so much trouble with heartburn and acid lately that once every couple days I'll be woken up by a coughing fit resulting from hiccuping something toxic in my sleep. Only two things seem to help: lots of Rolaids, and propping myself up on lots of pillows so that my head, knees and right side are all elevated. I sleep like that for a few hours, but then it all gets pulled apart when I want to roll onto my right side for a while, and I'm back where I started. On the plus side, I can rationalize that I probably had to wake up to use the bathroom, anyway, so it's no big deal to make the nest again while I'm up.

Advice from Mom

As a mother of four, my mom has been an incredible resource for me during my pregnancy. She's going to be at the delivery as our "doula" to support Mombi and me. As a woman who gave birth naturally four times and descibes it as "fascinating," she's exactly the sort of person I want to have around.

Yesteday I mentioned to her that I'll have my glucose test this afternoon. Her response? "Don't drink a chocolate shake on the way there; they'll make you come back later." She didn't say which of us she did that with, but I thought it was cool that she mentioned it just in case. She's been there, done that, and is ready to save me the extra trip. Thanks, mom!

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

A Good Day

Today was a good day. Not for any particular event or occasion, but just because it felt good. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that all of the amazing things that are happening inside me are just that... amazing. Griffin spent most of the day popping popcorn (or something that feels just like that) in my lower belly. He played during my meetings, he played while I was working at the computer. He's bouncing around right now. He's so cool.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Randomness

It's been a while since I had a totally random and disjointed post, so I suppose I'm due for one.

My belly is starting to get sore. It just plain aches. Even when Griffin isn't kickboxing, it just feels like it's heavier than it was, even though it doesn't seem to be getting much bigger lately. My back is keeping my belly company in its discomfort. When I got to the second trimester and started feeling so much better, I focussed on how it was supposed to be the most comfortable trimester, but I overlooked the fact that that meant the third trimester would probably be significantly less comfortable. I'm grunting and groaning even more than previously. Mombi actually brought out a walking stick to help me pry myself off the couch whenever I need to get up.

OK, enough with the complaining for a while. There's so much fun stuff going on, and I'd much rather think about that! People are starting to ask where we're registered and when I plan to stop working. People grin at me (us) wherever we go. I've probably found every reflective vertical surface around my office, and I can't help scoping out my belly in each of them as I pass by. Friends are offering their old baby gear, and it's actually close enough to time that we can accept.

Best of all, it's only 3 months from now that I'll be able to see Mombi holding Griffin. Have I ever told you how amazing she is with kids? Ever since I can remember, I've been awed and teary-eyed whenever I've had the chance to see her interact with kids. She just has a way with them. They gravitate to her. She is going to be such an amazing mom! Not only is she lots of fun, but she manages to include learning in all the games she makes up when playing with them. It's going to be incredible watching them together. Heck, it's already fun! When she plays with him and talks to him in my belly, I can't help but giggle and grin. Griffin likes it, too!

Friday, January 19, 2007

The Shiatsu Kid (edited for clarity)

I think Griffin might actually be one of these...



It's one of those "kneeding fingers" neck massagers. I swear there's one in my abdomen trying to get out!



27 Weeks Down! One Trimester to Go!

Wow, here we are already. Looking pregnant, feeling pregnant... Griffin moves around so often that he already seems like a fully grown baby that's just hanging out and staying cozy. Although, of course, I suppose he can't be that cozy if he keeps trying to expand his living room out in each direction.

There hasn't been much to report on lately. I've been feeling a little bit of woozy in the mornings again, but I've discovered that the cranberry apple tea at work that used to be so ridiculously tart is now perfect with just the tiniest bit of sugar, and it seems to put the woozies to rest by 9 each morning. I'm finally wearing full belly maternity jeans, and they feel SOOOO good! Unfortunately I only have one pair that fits, but luckily I have a LOT of different shirts to wear with them.

Mombi remains incredible. I've been having a big sob fest once every week or two, usually when I run out of energy too early in the day and come home grumpy from work. She rubs my back and holds me and lets me get snot all over her, and eventually we are laughing together again. I ask you: If that isn't the definition of a great marriage, what is?

We're still fiddling around a bit with our registry on Target (Shame on BabyCenter for taking theirs away right when I wanted it!) although I think the important stuff is all on there now. We still need more diapers, of course, and the basic feeding and maintenance stuff, but the big one for us is this:



We love that the bassinet comes out and sits on its own stand (which can be either stationary or rocking). It's perfect for moving around the house with us, and we're not planning to have a separate changing table other than the one that is part of this play yard. And, of course, it's darned cute!

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Snow! Somewhere else!

Everyone had such pretty snow pictures to post today, but we had no snow here, and it's dark out now. Still, I hate to miss the opportunity for a theme post, so here's a photo of the current view from our porch:


That's a four second exposure so you could see something other than a black rectangle. The blur is from the wind. It's COLD out there!

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Sometimes a Gal's Got to Sculpt




I've been on a creativity kick the past week or so, and thought I'd share what I've been up to. First, I decided that I wanted a meditation focus for during labor. I have a small metal goddess figure that Mombi bought me a year or so ago that I've been carrying around with me, and I'll definitely have that with me at the hospital, but I also wanted something made especially for the occasion. So, I made myself a happy budda baby. I'm hoping that holding the baby gently during labor will help me to relax and release Griffin into the world. I still need to clean it up a bit, and carve in the toenails, etc. I may also decide to add some sort of pattern or texture on his clothes, I'm not sure yet.




Once I had the little budda ready to go, I decided to make Griffin some belly puppets. The duckies were cute, but just not very personal. So I thought about what a 6 month old fetus might like to play with, and decided that I'd make representations of the family that's waiting for him on the outside. So here we are! The cat is Basil, and the dog's name is Orange (full name Orange Nehi). Mombi's the one with the backwards cap (it's a black leather Harley biker cap,) and I'm the one with the blue shirt and short hair. I'm really bad at doing cartoon-ish people, and I definitely can't do realistic animals, so that's why we ended up without faces. Mombi says we look like pez dispensers. As soon as I figure out the best way to attach their bases to a belly band, I'll post some footage of Griffin playing wth them.



Saturday, January 13, 2007

Time

When time can simultaneously pass so quickly yet so slowly, it's difficult to believe that it is a constant thing that can be monitored by something as simple as a clock.

Imagining how the next three months will pass is even more of a stretch.

Online friends I remember as TTC are now having their babies... time passes so fast!

I'm only 2/3 of the way through my pregnancy... time passes so slowly.

I only have three months to go... time passes so quickly!

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Dreaming with Deadlines

"Realistic" dreams while pregnant crack me up. There I'll be chatting to someone or other, and my dream self will feel the need to tell them that I'm X weeks pregnant. Then I'll gesture down to my belly, which is flawlessly sized exactly as my physical one is currently. Or, someone will try to plan to do something with me for late April. "Sorry," I'll say in my dream, "but Griffin's due on the 19th so I'd be surprised if I am able to make it to that."

Lest you determine that I have a very literal mind, the same subconscious produces dreams in which I try to fit a cloth diaper on a little Griffin the size of a peanut.

100 posts. 100 days to go!

This is post #101 on our blog, and we have 100 days to go until Griffin's EDD. Wow!

It really is amazing. What is? Heck, all of it! The whole crazy concept. Conception, fetal development, labor, birth, raising a child. All the options and choices that are part of preparation for a new baby. And somehow it all manages to seem totally normal most of the time.

Today my ticker says "brain waves will start in the next few days." Holy cow! Our kid will have his very own brain waves! How does this happen? What triggers it to start? Does that mean that he'll now start deciding where/when/whether to kick/punch/head butt/barrel roll? My own feeble brain waves are stunned by the contemplation of all that's happening in our kid's world right now.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Random illness at work

Well, I guess it had to happen eventually. I got to use my trash can for something other than office trash.

I don't know what happened. I felt fine when I got to work, but a couple minutes after I sat down I suddenly felt queasy, then all hot and flushed. It got so bad that I was actually down on the floor on my elbows and knees to help my circulation, because I couldn't bend over enough to get my head between my knees while sitting. I eventually recovered enough to make it down the hall to the break room to get some ice, which helped a lot. I sipped on some organic pear juice when I got back to my desk, and chalked it all up to a random drop in blood pressure. Maybe Griffin was hanging around on my vena cava. Who knows?

15 minutes later I was feeling much better, and decided to try some food. I'd brought some Coconut Ginger Thai noodles and some Zatarains red beans and rice. (Yeah, I know, random. But since I have two small lunches instead of one big one, why not mix it up?) Anyway, I chose the Zatarains. 1/3 of the way through, I suddenly felt full-blown nausea. Luckily, my trash can was handy and had a fresh liner in it.

I still don't know what happened. Maybe it was blood pressure, or maybe the tiny bit of fruit cake I decided to try this morning before I left for work reacted with the Rolaids I took when I got to my desk. Or maybe it was just a random hormone thing. If it happens again, I'll call the doctor. Otherwise, I'll just chalk it up to one more strange pregnancy phehomenon.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Grocery Shopping While Pregnant

Have you ever had the experience of being in line at a grocery store, and looking at the purchases of the person ahead of you in line, and thinking "Huh, I had no idea you could buy that here." I'd guess that the average person only really sees 1/4 to 1/2 of the items in the store. We skip entire sections, and don't even glance at the stuff that doesn't look familiar.

When you're pregnant and grocery shopping, and even more so when you're hungry at the time, you end up buying someone else's cart of food. Things end up in there that you never would have seen or thought to buy otherwise. An example: Last night for dinner I had apple gorgonzola pizza. No kidding. And where did I find such a crazy thing? In the frozen pizza section of the local Kroger. For those of you out west, that's King Sooper. It was even the store brand, "Private Selections." I was supposed to get frozen pizza for dinner. Of all the options, the only one that looked really good was apple gorgonzola.

Mombi elected to have something else.

Friday, January 05, 2007

25 Week Appointment

I had my monthly appointment with the OB this morning, and everything is looking good. My bloodpressure is great, and my uterus is growing right on target. Griffin's heartrate is 143bpm, and once again he entertained us by kicking the doplar.

I also had a fun conversation with the RN about cloth diapers. She had no idea that they still existed, and was very intrigued when I was telling her about how far they've come. She told me about how much she loved using cloth for her two boys (who are now in their late 30's) and how much healthier she thinks they are for babies. I've decided to bring one of my bumGenius diapers to my next appointment to show her.

The only news I wasn't thrilled with was that I managed to gain another 10 lbs this month. I'm not surprised, since I haven't been making any effort to curb my intake, but it was still disconcerting to see the scale read over 200 lbs for the first time in my life. Dr. P said that as long as I don't gain more than another 20 or so, she'll be satisfied. Which is cool with me, since I had no intentions to try to hold my weight down during this pregnancy, anyway.

So what's next? Well, I have a glucose test in three weeks, and my next OB appointment in four. After that I'm guessing that we'll be switching to a two week schedule for check-ups. Fun fun!

Thursday, January 04, 2007

I love being pregnant.

Today I'm 25 weeks pregnant.

OK, so it can be uncomfortable and sometimes I'm a total wreck, but overall it's a fabulous experience being in Month 6.

The parts I could most do without:
1. Comments on what I'm eating. Yes, it's cold pizza for breakfast. So?
2. Comments on my expanding hips/thighs/nose/cheeks/etc. Yes, I've noticed it too.
3. Karate chops to the bladder. No less painful than a fierce bellybutton poke from the outside, an with much worse consequences.
4. Crushed digestive system. There's a reason it's the size and shape that it usually is, not mashed as it is now. And it's only going to get tighter in there.
5. Cycle back to #1 on this list, and you now have an answer to that question.

The parts I like the best:
1. The closeness and joy it brings to Mombi and me.
2. The little flutters that remind me that we're about to finally have a baby.
3. Catching people checking out my belly.
4. Being able to pick out a fabulous outfit for $10, even if it's WAY too small for me.

Monday, January 01, 2007

Saturday, December 30, 2006

First Tour of L&D

I was at the hospital this morning for a standard blood draw, and decided to wander through the Labor & Delivery area. The nurses on duty were fabulous. One of them gave me a short tour and a stack of information about their policies, and everything looks good. The nurse was a bit confused when I asked her how they deal with excessive volume. I'm sure I'll be vocalizing quite a bit! I have no intention to curb it for their sakes, so I just hope they'll take it gracefully.

:)

Friday, December 29, 2006

How ya doing?

It's an innocuous enough question, one that Americans give each other every day of the year. The expected reply is generally something to the effect of "great, how are you?"

This doesn't work so well when you're pregnant. And it's a question that pregnant (particularly showing) women hear often. OK, constantly. I must have had 10-15 different people yesterday pass me in the hall at work and as how I was feeling, how I was doing, how I'd been lately... all of them women, and all of them clearly referring to my ever-growing baby boy belly bump.

Now I appreciate that they want to acknowledge my pregnancy and say hello, but this does create a bit of an awkward situation. When you both know that what they really mean is "How are you doing with your pregnancy?" it just doesn't sound right to answer "Great, how are you?"

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Nerves

I've never been worried about the pain aspect, since I have a high pain tolerance. But I've decided that it's time to acknowledge that yes, indeed, there are parts of giving birth that cause me concern. There are two things about giving birth that make me nervous and worried:


Tension. I've never been good at relaxing my body. Mombi can make me go totally limp just by rubbing the bridge of my nose, though, so hopefully together we can manage to stay relaxed and loose.

Stamina. I'm afraid I'll get tired out and not be able to finish. What if I get tired out and just can't push?

I'm shifting into preparation mode now so I can be ready then. I'm reading the book "Birthing from Within" and it has a lot of great information in it on how to relax. I'm also starting to swim more frequently, which will hopefully help me to build up my core muscles, which will help with strength/stamina.

Friday, December 22, 2006

About Weirdness

Meg asked me to post some more detail about the various weirdnesses of being pregnant. In no particular order, here are a few of the weirdnesses I've experienced. I've skipped the basic stuff that everyone knows about, like having to pee every 15 minutes.

Please, feel free to add your own in the comments section.

1. Feeling the baby moving. People describe it as feeling like butterfly flutters or gas bubbles. To me, it definitely feels more like muscle twitches. Have you ever had a twitch in your eyelid or some other muscle that was tired out? Imagine that sensation in your lower abdomen, and that's pretty much exactly how it feels, especially for the first few weeks that you can feel it. Griffin is now starting to pack a bit more punch, but most of his little motions still feel like that. Now, though, he's starting to direct his little spasms down at my bladder or up at my diaphram, so that's a whole new level of weirdness to consider.

2. Twinges. Everywhere. And according to Mombi, I make some pretty interesting faces.

3. Emotions. I've done my fair share of dealing with depression, ADD, etc. But this random crying stuff, especially when I can't even find a negative trigger as a source, is downright kooky. Luckily, Mombi has a good sense of humor about it and she usually monologues on the importance of releasing toxins until either I run out of steam and pull myself together, or she convinces me to let her turn on a Harry Potter audio book and tuck me in for a nap. (Random fact: we've fallen asleep to Harry Potter nearly every night for the past 2+ years. I have a feeling that, at birth, Griffin will recognize three voices. Mine, Mombi's, and Jim Dale's.)

4. Stretching. Before becoming pregnant, I thought of it as being a bit like being a Transformer (TM). My body is designed to do this, right? So like a Transformer, I figured that some parts would flip up, some would flip down, some would pop out, and voila, the space would be there. Not so. Yes, things stretch and/or shift. But only when they have to. "Have to" means that there's something pushing on them too hard for them to resist. For example, I am now dealing with a back that hurts precisely where my floating ribs connect to my spine. They are floating higher and wider day by day, which means that all the connections have to shift. Similar events are occuring in my hips and among my internal organs. My abdominal musles are even starting to separate down the front of my belly. You've seen those drawings of where your organs go when you're pregnant? Honey, it's one thing to see the picture as a passive audience. Once you're experiencing it, those pictures get pretty scary. Looking at photos of beautiful full-term bellies? Terrifying!

5. Intense ambivalance. Sometimes, every food you hear mentioned sounds perfect. Other times, the name of the food sounds great, but when you think about it, you really have no interest in eating it. Other foods you can't stand the thought of, and then crave intensely as soon as they are no longer available. And it often seems that the hungrier you are, the more you hate the idea of food because you just know that it'll be impossible to be satisfied.

6. Dreams. See previous posts.

7. Society. Am I the only one who finds it odd when Co-workers call me Mommy or call me by my kid's name while looking at my belly? It doesn't bother me, but still, it's definitely in the "weirdness" category.

8. Time. It's worse than the week before a big vacation. Time goes so quickly, and so slowly. There's so much to think about and do, and yet there's nothing new to think about after a while, and not much you are "allowed" do.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

All done!

Well, my Solstice gifts for Mombi are all wrapped and under the Christmas tree. Now comes the hard part... trying to resist inviting her to open them right away! I'll be fairly free of temptation until she gets hers for me wrapped, but after that we're doomed!

Summary

Being pregnant feels weirder than I ever could have imagined.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

What a Great Weekend

I had such a fun weekend. I did a bunch of really fun holiday shopping, we finally got our tree up, my energy level is up and my emotional state is stable. I even finally got the haircut I've been needing for three months now. This is shaping up to be a great holiday week! I'll be working for the next two days, and then I'll have two days off to celebrate the solstice with Mombi. Then one more day at work, and three more off!

My family will be celebrating Christmas at my parents' house this coming Saturday, and that's always a lot of fun. My family all gets along very well, and we have a great time together. This year should be no exception. So far all the traditions have been adhered to. My mom has already declaired that this is the year that there will be less under the tree (she tends to go overboard,) and everyone will be in town, with the exception of my sister Amy's significant other.

The only tradition that won't be happening this year is that we won't all be spending the night at my parents' place the night before, since there won't be enough beds for all of us this year. That's fine, though, because it means we can leave the dog home and she won't be in the way while we're making a mess in the living room. It also means that I won't have to haul all my pillows over there. They'd fill up the trunk of our car, and we wouldn't have room for presents!

Griffin is now easily felt from the outside, so I have a feeling that some of the family (particularly my sister Amy) will be spending a lot of time communing with the kiddo. Which is fine with me! I totally get a kick out of it. Pun not intended, but I do love feeling it from the inside when Griffin kicks and it makes people giggle or grin. And I'm all about providing entertainment when I don't have to do anything other than lean back and relax.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

He has a name!

We're delighted to announce that we've settled on a name for Skippy. Our little boy will enter the world as Griffin Alexander. We had a different name in mind, but we spotted the name "Griffin" on a kid's drawing while we were waiting to vote at an elementary school, and discovered that we both really liked the name. It took a while to find the right middle name to go with it, but we really like the result. It's a name that could sound equally appropriate for a business man or a hippie nature boy, or anyone inbetween.

So yeah, Griffin has a name. He also has a nice large home that rests directly on my bladder. Kegels don't seem to be helping at all. And I'm not even five months pregnant yet! I'm in such trouble. Any advice on how to keep things under control?

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Getting a Nice Stretch

Life is good. There really isn't much to report on the pregnancy front, but we're having fun anticipating having a little baby boy in the house. It's all so exciting just to contemplate. Skippy is moving so much now that I feel him consistently throughout my waking hours. Mombi somehow always knows just where to put her hand to feel the next big kick. She and Skippy are going to be such a duo!

Apparently he's quite active during my sleep, too: Last night I dreampt that he gave a huge kick and stretched out to full length, and my belly took on the shape of his front side, all the way from his profile on my left side to his feet popping out on my right. Then he decided (in my dream) that he wanted to come out and hang around with us for a while, and suddenly he was there, perfectly formed and fully grown and super cute. He suffered his first "mommies don't know everything" disillusionment almost immediately, though, when we told him that we had no idea how to get him back inside me. Still, his immediate needs were met (he claimed to have come out because he was hungry) and it was a very happy visit all around. What a good baby we have!

Friday, December 08, 2006

Our Active Child

We had a check-up this morning (21 weeks, wow!) and Skippy was a very active little boy! He kept squirming around and kicking the doplar monitor thingy. His heart rate was 155, my BP is nice and low, and everything is looking good!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Time sure flies...

I've been such a neglectful blogger lately. Busy at work, worn out by the time I get home... there just isn't enough time for everything, and work and sleep usually win.

Life is good. Skippy is happily pinging away at my lower abdomen for a good portion of each day, so that's very cool. It's still more like little muscle twitches than heavy duty thumps, so it's a pleasant accompaniment to my daily routine. Energy level and all that are good, although I don't know how I'll get done all the things I want to do before Christmas. It's just so satisfying to crash on the couch as soon as I get home each day!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

How safe is your baby right now?

A study looked at the cord blood for 10 random US babies, and found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and polutants per baby. At birth, these kids already had major toxins in their bodies. Check out this website, and look up the skin/hair/etc products you use:

http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2/

If you look at nothing else, check out the list of the most dangerous (i.e. toxic) baby washes. Johnson & Johnson and Gerber both have products right up there at the top. We sure won't be using them!!!!!

And surprise surprise, almost all of the stuff in the shower at our place contains chemicals that can cause cancer, developmental problems, etc. I guess that's what we get for shopping based on packaging and fake fragrance.

I'm going shopping for new shampoo tomorrow. Hey, I've missed reading the labels on Dr. Bronner's anyway.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

20 Weeks and 2 Days Down, 138 Days to Go!

Wow, we're over halfway there. Of course that's counting the first two weeks when I was on a bunch of hormones, and assuming that I won't be significantly late delivering, which I very well may be. Still, the magical 20 weeks has been achieved.

It really is amazing how much the sensation of pregnancy can change from week to week and month to month. I can still remember how amazingly exhausted I was for the first few months, and the mild nausea I felt constantly. Those are gone now apart from the occasional gag reflex due to smells. Currently the main "symptoms" are: tickling from the boy as he thumps the sides of his swimming pool, and continued nightly dreams involving food. It doesn't seem to make any difference what type of dream it is, my subconscious manages to get food in there somewhere.

Mombi bought me some fabulous flannel pajamas with a retro snowflake pattern in red and lime green, so I'm sitting pretty. And they've got plenty of room for a growing belly, so I'll probably be wearing these very frequently until April at least!

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

One of Life's Great Mysteries

When you have a cold, you may find that there's nothing you can do to clear your nose so you can breathe through it. However, if you intentionally "plug" your nose so you won't smell something, it suddenly starts to run.

What crazy function is that supposed to serve?

Oxygen tent, please.

Stuffy-head colds are no fun. Stuffy head colds when you're already functioning with a semi-compressed set of lungs is even worse.

I'm getting chapped lips from walking around the office with my mouth hanging open so I can breathe. And then people stop me to ask if I'm OK, so I have to explain, and that restricts my O2 consumption even more. Bah.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Love those pregnancy hormones.

On my morning and afternoon commutes, I like to listen to NPR (National Public Radio.) I'm an addict. I love the commentaries, I appreciate the news, and the quirky stories make me smile. Except.... when I'm having a pregnancy hormone morning. Often, by the time I realize it, it's too late.

For example, this morning. I'm driving along, traffic isn't too bad, I'm running on time, and the radio isn't telling me anything more hideous than normal. I'm doing just fine. Then, a story comes on about the creation of the Charlie Brown Christmas special. I start tearing up, listening to how hard the creators pushed to get the music they believed in, when the network thought that jazz and christmas music couldn't mix. Luckily, I pulled in to a parking spot at work just as the children's choir number started. As it was, it only took me a moment to compose myself before I headed into the building. If I'd actually listened to those kids singing, there's no telling what could have happened.

When the story first started, I had every intention of watching it on TV tonight. Now? Let's just say I'll take the story as fair warning, and watch something safe like CSI.

Monday, November 27, 2006

So Many New Ideas

Wow, a little boy. We're so excited, and there's so much for us to learn! The last time I did any regular diapering of a boy baby was probably when I was in around 8th grade. That was quite a while ago! Mombi has done some more recently than that, but not much.

We've got some of the big decisions out of the way already, such as whether or not we're going to have the kid circumcised and what his name will be. The fact that the kid will have Mombi's last name popped out while I was talking to my maternal grandmother on the phone Thanksgiving. That was an interesting bit of conversation, let me tell you. She's been studiously glazing over the fact that Mombi and I are a couple for several years now. We've known that it would come down to this as far as whether she'll "get it" and acknowledge our relationship or not. We'll see how it goes. So far, all she's said (to my mom, after she got off the phone with me) is something about "so many new ideas to get used to" which could mean just about anything. When it comes down to it, though, babies are babies and kids are kids, and I know our family will get a warm welcome whenever we visit them (9 hours away).

There's still so much to figure out before he arrives, and even more after... It was quite a little mind-opener when Mombi pointed out that we'll have to find a sitter for the next Harry Potter movie!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Lots of Fun with Picture Pages


Well, it's a good thing we're not overly fond of pink. Looks like Mombi and I will soon have a boy in the house!


The sonogram tech actually put an arrow on the second image (removed for his future privacy) to point out the "key feature." I thought that was going a bit far for a public posting, though! Seriously, could it be any more obvious? (The baby's butt is backed up against the left edge of the sonogram image area, and he's "pointing" out into the amniotic fluid.)

Everything Looks Great!

Well, we're back home, exhausted from excitement and lack of sleep, but still in high spirits. The sonogram was awesome, and I had just as much fun watching the faces of my family members as I did watching the monitor. I need a nap now, though. More details later, when I have the energy to scan pics and such.

;)

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Anticipation

This is so much worse than the first day of school ever was. Here I am, awake at 1:30AM, with nothing more productive to do than some lower belly prep work. If that doesn't get me back to sleep, I may resort to a trip to wallyworld to buy the VHS tape for the sonogram. Mombi, the night owl, is actually in bed. Go fig.

Ping! Ping!

That's the feeling of Skippy hanging out right beneath the wasteband of my preggo pants, which never stay all the way up, but never quite fall off. I feel like a pregnant skater. Maybe once I finish with them I'll find a young punk to give them to. I'm sure the gratitude will be overwhelming.

Tomorrow is the big day! I don't know which excites Mombi more, the fact that we'll know if we're going to be living with a boy or girl for the next 18+ years, or that she can finally stop calling the kid "skippy." Me, I'm just hoping that everything looks right on the screen!

Sunday, November 19, 2006

The Cat has Spoken

Yesterday morning, our cat Basil made her prediction on Skippy's sex. As I was browsing a page of posts on a message board, she casually walked across the laptop. As she did, she precisely highlighted a single word. That word happens to be the first name we picked out for Skippy if Skippy is indeed a "she."

Yes, cats walk on keyboards all the time. but when was the last time you saw one move a mouse to a particular spot, then press down the mouse button while sliding the cursor over a single word, then let go of the mouse button before stepping off the computer? I ask you.

If she's right, she'll be gloating for months.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Things are moving...

...both figuratively and literally!

Mombi and I have both felt Skippy moving, so there's something new to think about, at least. Mainly, it's just a waiting time now until next Wednesday when we will (hopefully) find out if we're having a boy or a girl. It'll be standing-room-only in the sonogram room, since my mom and sister are going to be there for it along with Mombi and me.

I think we've finally got our child's potential names decided, so that's a plus. No decision yet on when we'll tell the world, though, since we may change our minds again in the next five months. I doubt it, but then again I thought we had them decided for sure before I even got pregnant, and they're totally different now than they were then.

So once we know the answer to the girl/boy question, that'll give us a much stronger basis for visualizing and imagining what the future will hold. Until then, there's not much we can do to prepare other than talk to my belly (or dance with it, in Mombi's case) and stay well rested and fed.

Speaking of which, the food dreams continue. Last night I drempt that I was helping to clean up after a huge corporate potluck. (For those of you who know where I work, the one I was dreaming about was not the same as the one we had on Thursday!) Anyway, I got there just as it was time to clean up, and so I was stuffing my pockets and loading my arms with all the remaining food that I could carry, including a bunch of fancy european chocolate that was melted in its wrappers because someone had set it out right next to the coffee maker. That was some of the saddest ferero rocher chocolate I've ever seen. The ones in those triangle packages looked ok, of course, but I'm sure they were mush inside, too.

For some reason there was also an entire bushel basket and a half of blueberries there, but the person in charge wouldn't let me have any of them. Not even a single berry. Ah, well. I'll get some one of these days. Probaby frozen, but that's OK by me. I love blueberries.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sarah and BB and their beautiful baby boy, Nicholas Leander!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

HOLY COW!

OK, just felt the baby for the first time for sure, not just little flutters that could be gas or could be kid. WOW, WOW, WOW. There's a Skippy in there!!!!!

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Uneventful Pregnancy

They all say that Uneventful Pregnancy is what you want. Because, of course, "events" in pregnancy are generally bad. I just wish there were some eventful things going on outside the pregnancy so I'd have something to think about other than baby registries, food, and the mystery of "what gave me gas?"

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Poem for My Wife, in the Style of Ogden Nash, Composed at 6:00 AM Sunday Morning, on a Full Belly of Hash Browns and Fried Eggs

Oh my love, my lovely wife
Purveyor of things warm, toasty, and nutritious
You fill my belly with the finest stuff of life
For the health not just of me, but of us.

Nothing could be finer than waking from sleep to find
A beautiful woman coming near bearing food and smiles
As I try to adjust my eyes to the light, and my mind
to the fact that I really am so lucky as to have a wife
who knows that I will be wanting hot food at between
2:30 and 4:00AM each morning for the next several months,
and is willing to bring it to me on a tray that by that
time she will have carried miles.

When I am full you find instead that I want water
Or a bottle of sports drink with electrolytes (or at least I oughter.)
Or maybe a huge pile of blankets to burrow in on the couch
While unwinding after work as I try not to whine and grouch.

Thank you for everything a million times over.
Without you I'd be a total mess half the time
and my mornings would not be happy ones with you and
perfectly cooked whatever, but instead I'd be alone
with some pathetic microwaved food and Russell Stover.



(Ogden Nash)

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Ways to Waste Money

As usual, a portion of my weekend has been spent browsing the baby sites and registries. I registered for a few things. I also found a few more I will NOT be registering for.

Check this out: Baby DNA Kit For just $30, you too can put some baby spit in a ziplock bag. There, now don't you feel prepared for anything?

Riiiight.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Introducing: Skippy's Game!

We'll be finding out the gender soon, so get in your votes!

Skippy's Guessing Game

(or go to expectnet.com and search for "Skippygame.")

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Election Day

Well, it's election day, and after work I'm heading to the polls. On the ballot here in Tennessee is a constitutional ammendment against gay marriage. Second parent adoption laws are currently very ambiguous here, so going to the polls with Mombi and Skippy to vote on this will be a very personal experience.

Please, Tennessee. Think of our family. These bans make no sense.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Bits and Pieces: Random Updates and News

None of this stuff felt (or feels) big enough to get a post of its own. So here, in no particular order, are some recent updates and tidbits for your reading enjoyment:

Had an OB appointment today, everything looks good. No sonogram, but we got to hear Skippy's heartbeat for the first time. It was 153bpm, and sounded like a very soft choo choo train. I have my anatomy sonogram scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving. So on November 23 or 24, look for news on if Skippy is a boy or a girl.

Yes, I did it. I went home an hour early last Thursday and sent Mombi out to rent Sound of Music. She was incredulous, of course, but she played along. It was just what I needed.

Also today, Mombi got her new glasses! Her old ones had a very old prescription and the frames were just about dead. We got her the ultra deluxe lenses and some absolutely adorable frames, and it was so worth it! She's been squinting for years now and dealing with headaches. Her old glasses gave her a fishbowl perspective, and the anti-glare coating was totally worn off. These new ones use a new technology that got rid of the fish bowl sensation, and they fit her perfectly. I'm so happy for her that she can finally see again!

Dreams? Oh yes, many dreams. All of which seem to involve food at some point. Last night it was a spy thriller. I infiltrated their potluck. I didn't get my guy, but I did manage to finish my plate before things got dicey.

So how am I in general? Doing well, I think. I'm feeling weird and achy and twingy, and I definitely show depending on what I wear. Per the nurse a the OB office today, I'm right on track with all of that. The hormone issues seem to have straightened themselves out again. The miserableness seems to have faded for now, as has my BO. I'm back to smelling fresh and clean without any particular effort. On the down side, I'm also back to feeling a bit off, like I'm about to get a cold or something. But I'd much rather deal with that than subject Mombi to the bawling lunatic she had on her hands for a few days there.

Yes, I am. No, I'm not.

This design is available in our gift shop. Click here to visit.

My dentist is 19 weeks pregnant, only 3 weeks ahead of me. It was very interesting talking to her about it while getting prepped for a crown yesterday. The poor thing... I can't imagine dealing with constant nausea and morning sickness while working as a dentist! With the smell issues I have, I'd never make it. As far as I know, she only had to dash for the bathroom once while working on me.

Once while it was just the tech and I, the tech asked me if my husband wanted a boy. I responded with the standard "My partner, actually. And yes, she is hoping for a boy." The tech fell all over herself apologizing for her mistake. I quickly reassured her that I, too, assume that any pregnant woman I see is straight. In fact, twice this week I've caught myself using the reasoning of "well, they have kids" as a reason for an assumption that someone is straight. I guess I need to work on that.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Time Goes Backwards

For a few days, I thought I was over the 4 month mark. I had to look at the calendar before I could tell myself otherwise. Then I went for most of this week thinking that I was at 16.5 weeks, not 15.5. Clearly, I'm not blogging enough, or I'd see my own ticker and know better.

Tomorrow I will be 16 weeks. Really.

Also tomorrow morning is my first appointment with my OB. I've finally been released from care with the Center for Reproductive Health, so it's time to time to join the world of "normal prenatal care." I have no idea if they're going to do an ultrasound or not. As long as they confirm that Skippy is doing well, I don't care how they do it. I had dental work done today (prep work for a crown) and although I know they said it wouldn't be a problem since they used special drugs, I still want the confirmation. Ditto with the fact that I was off Prometrium for a few days and then went back on a lower dosage. I feel like things are fine, but then again, I feel so odd most of the time that I don't really know what "fine" is supposed to feel like. I'll let you know tomorrow how it all turns out.

By the way, my sister sent me an e-mail today to mention that Ani Difranco is also pregnant. She's a trimester ahead of me, but it's still wild to think of us as being pregnant at the same time.