33 weeks

I am 33 weeks yesterday!  We had a very eventful week this past week.  There will be two posts.

Here are the fruit comparisons:

Eli

• weighs a little over 4 lbs (~ the weight of a pineapple or an adult duck (I wonder if he's a witch))
• is ~ 17in long (ladies, think of the length of your favorite collarbone length necklace)
• has hardening bones and he is gaining more fat and looking less wrinkly 
• has an almost mature respiratory system
• can tell the difference between light and dark/night and day (I'm sure he'll forget this knowledge as soon as he arrives and sleep all day and fuss all night)
• kicks and punches with more force now.  

Mom: 

• has to pee all the time.  Frequently rushes to go and then the bladder only releases about 3 drops.  It is obnoxious.  
• has started waddling a bit.  My hips and pelvic bones are sore, especially going from laying/sitting to standing.  
• has been reading a ton about labor and delivery, so I'm starting to feel much less nervous about it.  I'm trying to go into it with an open mind about what I want since things will happen how they happen and I will just adjust accordingly.  Although an epidural scares the bejeezus out of me.  
• Heartburn...yay
• My fingers have been swelling a bit.  I wear my wedding rings on a chain as a necklace.  
• I'm tired.  Naps are frequent and frequently unintended!  

Dad: 

• is doing well in school and has been looking into an alternative to the UMD fire protection degree.  This other option is Capitol College and is a degree in Astronautical Engineering.  Either one would be pretty awesome.  
• has been taking over a bunch of chores for me (vacuuming the stairs, taking the dog out, carrying the laundry up and down the stairs, etc)
• has been procrastinating on learning about labor :)  I think he thinks 7 weeks max is a long way away.

Mika: 

• pees, poops, eats, and demands attention.  What good practice!  
• got many many treats this week

So I started washing baby clothes and prepping the hospital bag this weekend.  I have all the 0-3 month clothes washed and sorted.  I might do the 3-6 months in a week or two.  We are also going to give the cloth diaper thing a try and we have a good starter stash built and prepped.  We have pockets (bumgenius and fuzzibunz) and prefolds with covers (thirsties, flips and 1 econobum).  I got almost all of them used and almost all of them will last through potty training, so if we keep up with it and don't switch back to disposables, we'll be spending a max of around $300 for diapers.  If we don't, they have a great resale value, so I'll just sell them for about what I paid for them.  Not much risk there.  We plan on using up the disposables we have received first while we get settled with Mr. E and find a general routine.  

I had an appointment on Friday and everything was great.  Heartbeat was 143.  Fundal height (my belly) measured right at 32 weeks and the doc told me to keep up the walking and my eating habits.  My pelvic bone hurting is normal.  That was really it.  I go back the first week of December (36 weeks), then again two weeks later (38 weeks), and then every week (39, 40 weeks...they won't let me go past 41 weeks).

We took an infant care class and learned a bit about diapering, bathing, things that happen at the hospital, skin care, sleeping, swaddling, dressing, nails, etc.  

People have been asking us what we need so I'll list it here.  This isn't a request for items, I just can't think of things on the spot when asked because we really are good to go for the first few weeks.  I've been trying to think about it, but we really do have the basics to get us going.  We could probably use a few more bottles for when I start pumping.  We have a few Avent bottles and some babies r us brand drop ins (like the Playtex nursers), but a few more probably wouldn't hurt.  I know many people swear by the Dr. Browns, but we would prefer not to have bottles with a ton of parts to clean and worry about.  (I've heard the Dr. Browns leak if they aren't put together just right).  We could also use a bottle drying rack and dishwasher container.  We don't have many socks or mitten things.  We could probably use more crib sheets.  

Things we have a ton of: heavy blankets, 0-3 and 3-6 months clothes, bath time stuff (shampoo, soap, lotion, towels), teether toys.  

Larger items we have: car seat, play pen, swing, bouncer seat, boppy pillow, bumpo seat, crib, dresser, stroller, bassinet, diaper caddy, backpack (diaper bag)

Here is our registry again in case anyone wants to look.  Again, this isn't a request for items.  People just keep asking.   http://www.amazon.com/registry/baby/3C6NTSMZVLTNU

I'm a terrible blogger: 29 weeks

Here, have some pictures first to appease the masses: 

29 weeks 3 days.  Not a maternity shirt so it looks weird.  I was feeling lazy, and you're lucky I'm even wearing pants.

29 weeks 3 days

29 weeks 3 days

Sorry I haven't updated (again).  I'm a terrible blogger.  I'll make up for it today by writing a thousand page novel.  I have just been tired and too lazy to bust out the camera.  And not having pictures was a great excuse to be lazy with typing.  Who cares about the pregnant lady unless you can see the bump!

Obligatory fruit comparisons and such:

Mr. E:

• is about 2 1/2lbs (about the weight of a butternut squash...mmmmm butternut squash is delicious and now is the season!)
• is about 15 inches long from head to heel.  That is long.  That is longer than a ruler.  I'm having a baby.
• is developing a ginormous head to cause me pain and make room for what will be his genius little brain.
• is further developing in his bones, lungs, and muscles
• is starting to grow his fat stores.  He will be less skinny from here on out.  
• has teeth under his gums
• is going to be cramped soon.  He's trying to get in all the movements he can before then.  Believe me. 
• can distinguish between bright sunlight and artificial light, not that he knows what it is, he can see the difference though.  

Me:

• I can no longer type in baby at ## weeks into google images.  This leads to pictures of babies born at 29 weeks.  I don't think of that.  I keep explaining to Mr. E that he isn't allowed to come out yet and to stop knocking on the door.
• I have started kick counting as advised by the doctor.  Even though Eli moves a ton, I don't have the attention span to make it to 10 movements at most times throughout the day.   So I do it when I lay down to go to sleep. 
• Heartburn is actually not as big of a problem this week as it has been the last month or so.  I'm telling myself it is because Eli is hanging out attacking my bladder and cervix instead of my ribs and stomach.  
• I'm pretty sure I saw an arm/elbow or leg/knee bulge out of my stomach the other day.  That was cool, although a little uncomfortable so I'm glad it didn't last long. 

Brian: 

• School is going well!  It is midterm week and he only had one midterm (how lucky is that!).  
• The spring schedule looks like we might not need full time childcare.  Who here can see Brian being a work at home dad two days a week?  It may just happen!!
• Has had two realizations that baby is coming soon: 
• He said, "What do you want for Christmas? Christmas is soon you know.......That means baby is coming soon!"
• He was emailing a hotel that he has been to before (about returning for a stay) and wrote something to the extent of "I will be returning with my wife and son."  He said that using the word son felt strange.  I am very excited for him.  He doesn't get all the bumps and kicks and heartburn and bathroom trips to remind him all day long.  So I am excited that I get to share more of the excitement/nervousness that I feel with him because I think he is feeling similarly. 

Mika: 

• Doesn't even know what's going on
• is currently snoozing like a rockstar because she went to camp today.
• has been licking my belly so maybe she does know something is going on.  
• loves bananas and applesauce and cheese and pumpkin and...

So for those of you who can't resist buying cute baby things and sending them to me (you know who you are...grandmas!)  We are pretty set on newborn and 3-6 month clothes.  Our neighbors are awesome and have a boy about 10 months.  We are getting tons of his hand-me-downs!

For those of you that are getting titles with this birth, we would love to know what you would prefer to be called.  I'm sure we'll have an Oma and a grandma and an Aunt (like ant) and an Aunt (like aunt) and such.  So if you know what you want to be called, let us know.  Also, if you have a recent picture you could digitally send me, that would be awesome.  I want to put family pics on his wall and start a picture book for him so we can "visit family" who we don't get to see often.  My older sister had a little photo album for her kids and I love the idea.

I had a doctor's appointment last Friday.  There weren't any real updates before then anyway (another excuse for being a terrible blogger).

• I do NOT have gestational diabetes which is great.  
• First off, that glucose stuff they make you drink is gross, I am so glad I didn't have to do it again for a 3 hour test.  It tasted like a flat orange syrupy soda.  I don't like orange soda and if you are a drink that tries to taste like soda you better have carbonation and a lot of it.   This weirdo husband of mine likes to shake his sodas so there isn't as much carbonation.  I glare at him.  Anyway, the orange stuff is gross.  Most of you know me well enough to know that I love my sweets, so you would have thought that I would have loved an uber-sugary drink.  
• Secondly, I'm hoping this will prevent a doctor from trying to tell me I'm going to have a 20 lb baby and demand a c-section and then baby comes out at 5 lbs.  
• I'm a bit anemic but I practically begged not to be put on extra iron supplements.  I'll feel fatigued a lot, that's fine. Most of you ladies that had to take prenatal vitamins with iron probably know the reason why.  Everyone else can just be left hanging. 

The doc at my appointment was great.  This was the first time I had questions and she listened very carefully and answered thoroughly.  Also she felt comfortable laughing with me.  That was nice.

• Laughter suddenly turning into uncontrollable sobbing is perfectly normal, even if you are still trying to laugh BECAUSE you are sobbing so hard you can't breathe.  She got a giggle out of me explaining the deer in headlights look Brian gets when this happens (poor guy).  
• Punches to the cervix area are normal and not a cause for concern unless it is consistent pressure.  I like to tell Mr E. to go away ("no one's home!") and come back in a few months.  I actually think I preferred it when he was exploring all the different ways he could hit my ribs.    
• Sadly, my left arm and hand has started to get tingling in it again.  This is a first since my surgery, so it scared the crap out of me.  I spent many moments trying not to cry about it (stupid hormones) during the three days between the tingling starting and my doctor's appointment.  
• The doc recommended going to a regular doc and getting my hardware checked on and anything else they might think is necessary.  
• She also explained that my progesterone levels are already on the higher side of normal so my tendons and ligaments may be relaxing quite a bit to prepare for birth.  This could be putting stress on the nerve going down my arm.  
• She also thinks I may be compensating for my belly with my back which could cause strain on that nerve somehow.  SOoooo (why aren't there various sizes of the letter o so I could make that soooo get smaller in increments?), she provided me with a pregnancy belt.  Now anyone sitting inside my mind during my plane ride home to Indiana would know that I made fun of the pregnancy belt advertisement in the magazine I read.  However, it made a difference just in the 40 minutes I wore it that day.  So I'm suppose to wear it when I have to walk a lot (in and out of work, renn fest (ooops, forgot it), shopping, etc).  And I get to be the dork in the pregnancy belt.

That's all for now (are you really still with me?  woooow!).  I'll update again this weekend.  If I don't, make sure you blame the photographer.  Or maybe the dog.

Routine Dr Appointment

I am posting this from my phone so sorry for any mistakes.
I just left my 16-20 week appt. Everything is right on track. I didnt like the provider as well, but she was nice. Fundal height is right on track for 18 weeks. Sweet Potato's heart beat was 146 bpm. My blood pressure was a bit higher but they weren't concerned.
The practitioner told me that the umbilical cord pulse was the same rate as baby and that is an indicator of good health. I love the doppler. It was worth it to have one at home.
My part one sequential screening blood work came back negative for increased defects risk so that is good.
That is all I have for now. I am taking a tour of the maternity ward in a bit. Hooray!!!!! Naptime in the car first though.

Ultrasound 2

I was 10 weeks 2 days on Monday at my 2nd OB appointment and the little bean has grown 10 times its size since the last visit from .54 cm to 5.3 cm and looks more like a gummy bear now! The heart beat was 169 beats per minute and was awesome to hear again! The morning sickness is mostly gone and I'm feeling much more energetic! hooray!




This picture has the heartbeat. The heart is between the two yellow lines. The head is at the orange arrow and the length is between the two red lines. The green boxes show the measurements.

This picture is a little closer up, the length is between the two red lines and I think the nose is at the yellow arrow.

The midwife at the appointment was awesome.  She couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler, so she gave me an abdominal ultrasound!   She was friendly and paid attention and this was a great change from the last "midwife" at my orientation. I plan on sticking with Walter Reed Bethesda through the entire pregnancy, so I'm glad that this experience was much better than my last visit. The midwife was great because she listened to me about my thyroid, showed me a little squishy model of what our baby looks like right about now, and was generally just nice and friendly and cool.


Brian and I have been working really hard on our registry since Jill is throwing me a shower in about 6 weeks! We know nothing about bottles or strollers or swings/bouncers or other baby related stuff other than what I remember from Kendra and Abby. I'm sure we'll figure it all out though. We have decided to do it through Amazon though.  The link is http://www.amazon.com/registry/baby/3C6NTSMZVLTNU


Mika is just being Mika. She saw a young groundhog today on our walk and pulled so hard that I had to let her go. I have been working with her a lot on loose-leash walking so that she doesn't pull that hard, but she lost control a bit. Hopefully she'll keep getting better or I will have to stop walking her eventually. We are also working on her stair etiquette because she frequently pushes up against me while I'm going down the stairs and we don't want any falls.