Movement

I felt Jack move!

Taylor has been feeling it for several weeks now, but last night, I felt him move for the first time! Taylor was getting ready for bed and said she could see her stomach moving where Jack was. So, I put my hand on her stomach to feel it.

Nothing.

We tried a couple of places and every time I moved my hand away, he moved. I couldn't see it or feel it, so I assumed it was still too early to feel him.

Then, the most amazing thing. I kept my hand for a few seconds longer and felt what can only be described as the feeling of touching the outside of your cheek and gently pushing with your tongue. It was so slight and so gentle, it was awesome! I felt it a couple more times and then we hit the sack.

Only 4.5 months to go. I cannot wait to feel him more and more!

On the next episode of Cribs...

So, we bought the crib! Yes, we purchased it from The Land of Nod. Man, this kid is going to be trendy. But, the prices! There is no small fee for safety and quality. So, next we have the ever expanding list of furniture and supplies to start buying. Thank god for baby showers, or we would never be able to afford all this stuff! But, I gotta say, I am having a blast getting ready for Jack.

Ultrasound 2

So, here we have the results of our second Level 2 ultrasound. Due to the inconclusive nature of the first ultrasound, they wanted us to have another one this week. The Quad Screen Test Taylor took came back with a positive result that obviously put us on edge. Turns out that was due to a miscalculated conception date: Jack is 21 weeks now rather than the initial estimate that would put him at 24 weeks today.

This time, the doctor put our fears to rest. No Spina Bifida, No brain or heart malformations, no cleft lip. Everything looks perfectly normal for a baby at 21 weeks. Of course, we did get confirmation that there is a single umbilical artery, but all of the books and the doctors say it is the most common defect in pregnancy and is only a concern if the baby does not develop normally. But, since everything looks great, the doctor suggested we get normal ultrasounds every 4-6 weeks until the due date just to keep an eye on everything. Also, as soon as labor begins, we are supposed to go right to the hospital so they can monitor Jack to make sure everything is ok. SUA can cause acceleration and deceleration of the heart rate, so they would want to put a monitor on him at that time.

We are so relieved that we can just enjoy everything now and not have to worry that something is wrong. Let the fun begin!

20 Weeks

Ok...so is it just me or does my face match my red shirt in the week 18 profile shot? Jeez.

Anyway, it is week 20. Half way through the pregnancy. It doesn't 'feel' half way though. It still feels like the last leg of the 1st trimester. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm not totally huge yet (even though co-workers and Alex have commented that I've popped and am getting bigger every day). Maybe it's because I can still move around quite normally and quickly considering my condition. Maybe it's because I can still sit on the couch Indian style and be relatively comfortable. I try to imagine what the next 20 weeks will be like....hmmmm.

I'm still amazed every time I feel Jack move around. The other day, he gave me a swift kick/punch in the stomach. My favorite is when he kicks me in the bladder of all places. Sigh.

I heard on the radio this morning that it is now trendy to be pregnant. I'm not sure who did the research on this, but I wouldn't be surprised if an industry related to babies and pregnancies were involved. Let's think about this for a moment. Will it also be trendy to have middle of the night feedings? Bags under the eyes from lack of sleep? Or how about being stinky from hanging out in the same outfit for 3 days straight because you just didn't have it in you to shower, fix your hair and act like Katie Couric ( I hate peppy people)? Pregnancy as a trend? Obsurd!

Profile - Week 18

CNN: "Being a mom could be a six-figure job!"

Click here to read an article that shows how much being a mother pays if we actually gave them paychecks! So, any person who claims being a housewife or stay-at-home parent is easy, think again!

Tai Chi

It ususally happens after a meal. I'm sitting on the couch, relaxing and watching TV, letting my dinner digest and then it happens.

I wouldn't describe it as a flutter, or butterfly wings (what sap made up 'butterfly wings'? Probably the same guy that sings about butterfly kisses and what not...sigh). It's more like a muscle spasm or a slow 'wake up from bed in the morning' type of roll. Jack's moving.

I started feeling these sensations about two weeks ago, but of course had no idea what they were. I thought it was either gas or my stomach muscles spazing out due to my ever expanding middle. My sister who's been preggers before asked me if I'd felt anything. When I said no, and then began to describe these 'other' sensations I'd been having, first she laughed, then told me that was the baby moving. Wow.

Jack's active. Maybe he can't get comfortable. Maybe the energy from the foods I eat give him a boost to squirm around inside and do cartwheels.

But sometimes, when the sensation is slow and strong, I picture Jack inside me doing Tai Chi, with the look of a peaceful and wise older Chinaman who'd just had the most delicious bowl of noodles on his face.

You Can Tell!

I guess not everyone at work heard that I was pregnant.
Someone at the office stopped me in the hallway and said, "Ok, so you're obviously pregnant! How far along are you?"

Cool! I no longer just look like I'm letting myself go, packing on the pounds. Phew!

This also means it's time to go shopping, one of my favorite past times, albeit it's shopping for fatter, maternity clothes, it's shopping and hitting the mall which I've not done since late January. I've been at the mercy of one maternity jean since late February which is getting smaller on me as the days go by.

Welcome To 2nd Trimester

I've read in books that the 2nd trimester is supposed to be the honey-moon phase?

To that I say a big, sarcastic, HA!

Let's take morning sickness. In my case, it did not fade, get better, go away, lessen (or any other phrase you want to use) at 12 weeks/first 3 months. B.S. mine lasted four months, and played tricks on me. On week 16, I felt 'better' enough to eat some sloppy joes Alex made. Bad idea. I don't think I'll eat sloppy joes ever again.

One book said I should see a decrease in frequency of bathroom trips. I saw an increase.

Headaches - oh my gosh! Every day for one week I had one every day. I had to stop wearing my glasses, start taking my prenantal vitamins again (was on Flintstones instead till I threw that up in week 14).

Fatigue - the books said I would feel a surge of energy during the 2nd tirmester. Nope. Having a meal was always followed by drowsiness. As for the evening, I can stay awak 30 minutes longer now, so my bed time changed from 9:30pm to 10:00pm. Whoopie for small miracles, right?

Swelling - I read I'm not supposed to experience this till later in the trimester. Phooey! Any days above 70 degrees, my ankles swell up. Can't wait for August in Chicago, baby! Hoo Ha! Bring it on.

Varicose veins - also something I read I wasn't supposed to get till later in the trimester or not till the 3rd trimester altogether. Can someone tell the area behind my left knee this information? My vein is not a putrid green. My vein is what I like to call 'wife beater purple'. :-)

Flatulence - I can fart anyone into oblivion. 'Nuff said.

Weight gain - books say you should gain 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound per week. I put on 2.5 pounds this weekend.

So.....when I look at all of this....I think 3rd trimester is going to be as fun as WWII. Wish this soldier luck.

Baby Cubs Fan

Went to the Cubs game tonight and picked up the first item since learning our baby will be a boy. Never to early to start the Cubs fan momentum!

There is a dangerous amount of things out there to buy for little Jack. I need to show restraint! I need to remember he will grow out of this stuff so quickly. The big money will be saved for when he is a toddler and the outfits can really be worn more than a few times.

Ultrasound Pictures: It's A Boy!

Profile - Week 16

So, starting this week, we are going to post a photo taken each week to show how the baby is growing. A little late in the game, but it will be something cool to show Peanut when he is all grown up.

4 Month Check-Up

We got to hear the hearbeat again today. 158 bpm, which the doctor said is still very good. We got our ultrasound form and need to schedule the appointment for 3 weeks from today. So, by the first week in May, we will know what we are having! It is so exciting!

We also had the test to see if the baby has Down's Syndrome. I am less excited about that news. It is scary, but it is something we need to know. That we will find out the results of in the next two days. The anticipation begins.

Week 17

The Mom:

Having trouble finding a comfortable way to sleep? It's a common complaint in pregnancy as they progress. It's recommended that pregnant women not sleep on their backs. As your uterus grows, when you lie on your back, it puts pressure on several important blood vessels. This can decrease circulation to your baby, and yourself.


You may find it more comfortable to sleep on your side, with a pillow between your knees. This helps keep your hips in alignment. Some women find comfort with placing a pillow under their growing abdomen, or in using body pillows.

Experiment with what works best for you.

You may also have already felt your baby's first movements by now. This is called quickening. It feels like a butterfly fluttering in your stomach. It's also been describes as "bubbles". It will be a few more weeks before you start feeling kicks and punches.

Your uterus is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches below your navel at this point.

SYMPTOMS YOU MAY EXPERIENCE

* Breast Changes, tenderness, fullness, darkening of the areola
* Frequent Urination
* Constipation
* Indigestion or heartburn
* Occasional headaches
* Stretch Marks (cocoa butter can help with these)
* Itching

The Baby:
This week, your baby is starting to develop fat layers. Did you know that by the time your baby is born, fat layers will be about 3/4 of his total weight? Speaking of weight, your little one now weighs on the average 3.5 ounces and is almost 5 inches long.

Potato Baby

They (meaning I heard it from somewhere but I don't know where) always say that what a women eats predominantly during her pregnancy has something to say about the child inside.

Well, if that is true, our baby is a potato.

Yeah, I know, I like the nickname Peanut, too. But, Taylor has eaten more potato products than anything else so far in this pregnancy.

McDonald's hashbrowns, tater tots, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, french fries. I am afraid to buy a Mr. Potato Head toy for fears she might gnaw on it.

I don't know if there is anything I can do about this. I cannot force her to eat anything different and I learned my lesson in suggesting other foods (another blog entirely). So, I am going to sit back and watch her eat starches and turn our baby into one of Idaho's Best.

Glider

Based on a head's up from our friend Yea, Taylor and I are checking out a used glider a woman is selling through a classified ad. It is a Dutailier brand glider and she is selling it for less than $200. According to Amazon, this brand sells for around $149 to $400, depending on the model. We are going to check it out this Saturday. Hopefully, if it is one of the higher end models and it is in good condition, we will get it. It would end up being the first piece of furniture we buy for Peanut. We shall see this weekend!

Pregnancy Make-Over!

My battle with morning sickness has been one of utter despair, weight loss, and losing the ability to enjoy foods I used to love as well as any usefulness I felt I was around the house, at work, and the general public.

Nausea stopped me in my tracks, cold! I could no longer do household chores that used to make me feel good. I could no longer pump gas (the smell), I could no longer open the pantry without gagging or wretching - yes, the sight, thought and smell of food disgusted me, I could no longer take hot showers without feeling dehydrated, having to take sips of seltzer water inbetween shampoo and conditioner. I felt as useful as the brail found on ATM machines.

Here are some precautions/wisdom/changes I picked up from my experience:

Do not reheat food in microwave in plastic containers - you can taste plastic - it's true!!!

Do not let tea cool in a plastic pitcher - again, taste plastic! Use glass instead.

Do not eat canned fruit (peaches) - you can taste the can.

I read you should find those things you like and stick with them throughout the 1 trimester - it's BS. Do not eat one kind of anything for more than 4 days (like yogurt) - it will make you sick

Carry around a Nausea Emergency Bag - Tums, sour candy, barf bag, small towel, saltines (although they didn't work for me), B6 tablets, and any and all anti-nausea suggestions/perscriptions your doctor's office suggest.

Do not lick stamps under ANY circumstances!

Always have your husband inspect the cats before you hug/kiss them for traces of 'the box' smell.

Seltzer water only stays 'seltzery' for 5 minutes after opening - 3 if left sitting on the bathroom counter while showering.

Decision

Well, we decided to find out what the baby is going to be. It just made more sense for us to find out. I mean, I think the suprise would be nice, but practicality and planning necesitates that we know. So, we will learn what the gender is in just about a month.

Taylor began to feel sick again today. She has pretty much slept the entire time. I left for a few hours to run some errands, she stayed home and mostly slept. We looked through a few baby books this afternoon and talked about the pregnancy a bit, she even made a pound cake using our new oven, but then she took another nap, which she is in the middle of as I type this update.

Not much else to report on the baby front. But, depending on whether it is a boy or a girl, look for a change in this page layout and title to reflect what Lil Peanut really will be!

The Debate Rages

Should we or should we not find out the gender of our baby?

That is the central discussion we are having these days. We are just about a month away from the ultrasound and we are still baffled by what we should do.
There are pros and cons to both sides.

PRO: We can call the baby by the name we have picked out.

CON: We may begin to think of more names and have trouble picking one.

PRO: We can start planning the nursery and what to buy.

CON: We will want to buy instead of save money.

PRO: We can tell everyone what we are having.

CON: We won't be surprised the day of delivery.

PRO: We can stop calling the baby "it."

CON: We will have an entire lifetime to know what they kid is going to be.

For every point, there is an opposite answer. Like Taylor says, we will probably decide the day of the ultrasound. And, knowing our track record, we will probably end up finding out if we do it that way.

Why My Wife Thinks I'm An Idiot

I am almost done reading the book by ESPN's Mike Greenberg. It is a funny collection of his journal entries about being married, having a pregnant wife, and dealing with life, sports, and kids. The book does discuss sports, but only in how they relate to his personal life and how he plans on raising his kids. I respect that, and it is a parenting book in a style to which I can identify. I like that and I hope he continues to write books.

I have found myself smiling and relating to a lot of what he is writing about, including the book title. Greenberg is a funny guy, a self-proclaimed metrosexual, and a sports buff. I always liked his mornng show on the radio and I listen to it every morning on my way to work. With less than fifty pages to go, I thought I would note his list of the 5 Simple Rules Every Parent Should Understand (Particularly Dads):

1. If you find a minivan in your driveway that you cannot identify, run.

2. You cannot remove snot from cashmere.

3. You cannot vacuum puke off a tile floor.

4. When alone with the children, hide the key to the liquor cabinet (from yourself).

5. Never bring home one of anything.

The book makes me laugh and look forward to the perils of parenthood. He makes it sound absolutely horrible and wonderful at the same time. I am starting to think it is that way for every parent, but in its own way.