Baby Names

Sorry - we're still not telling :) I know my mother-in-law is having a hard time with that, but I didn't cave in.

We have a few names narrowed down, but I'm still curious about new possibilities, so I got on the bump board for baby names. All I can say is that in another few years there are going to be a lot of screwed up children because of their names. And I feel sorry for all the teachers that will have to ask for pronunciation and spelling. Coming from a line of teachers in my family, I think they'd be rolling their eyes and saying shame on those parents. Here are a few that really stood out to me (with some commentary from me in the parentheses):

Xander, Aeriella (too close to areola for me), Braxton (maybe she read up on braxton hicks contractions too much), Calliope (guess it's a foreign thing), Harpo (um, Oprah is kinda using that one), Linkin, Thor,
Trayden and Keld (some scifi character)
Then there is the 'y' fascination - Alyx, Felyx, Wyllyam, Jaymes, Jordyn, Bostyn, Paytyn

I say this in hopes that when we do release the name of our lil one that people may remember some that are so bad, that mine will be a blessing. And so far only one name is not 'normal' but it's popular in other countries. Yep - just keep guessing - you'll find out in March :)

Still on target

I passed the glucose test and my 7 month check up looked good, still measuring on target, and the baby's heart beat was good - went up to 160 when she did a big kick. I was hoping to avoid it, but I do have a faint linea nigrea (sp?) - that line going down my stomach. I still remember shopping with my good friend Stacy when she was pregnant and I saw it on her stomach and must have sounded very shocked when I asked what in the world is that?!(pointing to her like she has a defect) She's still friends with me though and now I got my payback :)

For baby stats - she's just over 2 pounds and about 15". She is still very active and Jeff could even see my belly move last night while laying on the couch. He was trying to talk about something and I kept twitching and would look down at my stomach, and he finally saw it. So the whole movement thing is still very distracting.

On Christmas Eve I found out just how miserable I can get from eating too much food. I thought I had paced myself, and I know I could have handled that much food pre-pregnancy, but when I laid down that night I felt it just come up and sit at the base of my throat. I still haven't gotten sick, but I sure wanted to that night. My sister warned me that there will come a time soon when I can't eat a full meal, and after that night, I think I know what kind of misery is in store for me again in the future when I slip up.

And I've now had 2 official days where I could tell my feet/ankles were swollen. It wasn't drastic, but my sock mark left a definite indention. And for our Christmas dinner with Jeff's family I was very relieved to hear my mother-in-law say I was a cute pregnant lady and that I didn't look like I have gained as much weight as I have. Yeah for being tall and spreading it out :)

7 month Photo

Merry Christmas from the 2 of us :)

Storage Furniture Ideas

When work is slow, it can be a hit to the budget. I've been looking up ideas for the nursery. I have an empty wall that I want some kind of bookshelf or storage system on. I thought I'd post some pics of what I found that I like and see if my mommy friends have suggestions. For example, do I need to worry about sharp corner edges on a toy box/bench, is it best for lower book shelves so the kid and reach stuff, how many shelves do I need, etc. The first one I love, and the colors are perfect, the others have small cubes and I wonder if most books would fit in them. Feel free to send me your thoughts :)
And these are from The Company Store Kids.

Latest Nursery Pics

We got the glider chair in, and put up some shelves above the dresser/changing table. (The plants in the window won't stay forever, just there to maybe help the paint smell go away). I only have a few wall decoration pieces, so I'm open to ideas if anyone has any :)



I have been informed that I need a chandelier. I've seen some cute small beaded ones in Franklin, so I may just have to go back. I found these on ebay, but still not perfect. I like the idea of a multi-colored one.

90 Days to go

My ticker at the bottom said I have 90 days to go. That still seems like alot. Maybe my sister just intimidated me last time we talked and she warned here comes the miserable part. Since I have not been miserable so far I have my fingers crossed it wont get too bad. I have noticed the last couple nights it's not as easy to rollover. I'm sure more side effects will pop up but I'm remaining optimistic.
Monday I have the glucose test where I have to chug the orange sugary drink. I've read mixed reviews on that for degrees of grossness. Then Wednesday I have my 7 month check up.

Nursery news - it still stinks. I've never had a paint smell last that long. We moved the dresser out incase it was the polyurethane that was causing it - nope. We've had the Sharper Image Ionizer thing on and left the door open (that goes to the hall). With the door open the smell will calm down, but it's still there. Earlier this week we shut the door and put a bowl of vinegar in there. It was back to worse. Yesterday was warm enough, I had the windows open and we'll go back to leaving the door open. I have not moved the glider chair in there since it's upholstered and I don't want it to absorb the smell. After Christmas I may be taking our paint can to Lowes or another more professional paint store and asking for advice.

Another Gift already

A coworker friend of mine is also a photographer on the side. Yesterday I was asking her about this cool photocard I got and how it was printed on metallic paper and she interrupts me and practically shouts I have a frame for you. I'm thinking ok - no idea what made that pop into your mind right then :) She explained that it was in storage and she didn't need it anymore since her girls are bigger. Today she brought it in. It's beautiful! It's about 18" square and holds 6 - 3.5" square photos, and is trimmed in pink double mats and has a tiny foot and hand print on it. Now I have to wait another 3+ months to fill it up with photos.

I think I'm definitely starting to slow down. I have forced myself to sit down inbetween work that requires alot of bending (like putting up the Christmas tree lights) and I know that saved my back some grief. But lately I'm seeing a difference in how I have to move thanks to this protruding belly. Last week I was at a restaurant, and went to the bathroom and it was disgusting. Now normally, it's not that big a deal, I have long legs and will just squat over the toilet. So I go to do that and realize my tummy is in the way and it's pretty uncomfortable and the pee won't come out fast enough. I made it through, but am not looking forward to more of that in the future! Today I realized I'm getting off a normal toilet slower to avoid pressure on my tummy. I wonder if I'll need to install handle grip bars like my grandma had before long :)

That made me remember - Jeff shared an article with me on how the current toilet configuration is wrong and bad for health. (The Three Fundamental Flaws Of The Modern Toilet. It says that "squatting is the natural position for elimination -it makes the process easier and more complete". It shows a picture that looks like someone sitting on the ground with their knees up to their chest. I saw this and laughed, laughed with a small wince of how much pain that would be if I tried it right now. I'm glad someone invented the toilet! It looks like there is alot more information about poop in this article, but I did not make it much further past that picture before wondering it if the author was just full of too much crap himself.

After typing all that I realized how VERY thankful I am for one thing (of many) in this pregnancy. My toilet has been put to good use - so glad my own personal plumbing is still working. (Sorry, several friends have shared even more info and horror stories that I have not experience yet.)

I wonder how many more conversations in the future will start out normal, only to lead to poop talk. Urghhh - I'll try not to be one of those mommies.

I got a funny email from my sister who found my registry on BRU and was confused since there were just a few items on it. I had planned a trip with a couple friends, but strong storms came in Tuesday night, so we postponed it till tonight. What do you know - we're under a snow advisory tonight. So I'll finish the registry at some point :)

Photos - almost 26 weeks

A few friends have been asking - so here you go. I started off with one shirt this morning but thought the sleeves would be too hot, so I changed - my what a difference a loose shirt makes. And yes, I felt a little funny for taking my own photo, hence the cheesy smile.
(photos are clickable to a larger version)

Spent more $$

This weekend was full of baby related purchases. The glider chair came in - our most expensive purchase so far. I also spent money for what I'm calling my second husband - one who's sole purpose is to cuddle with me. (This one can't push me away after 10 minutes b/c he's too hot :) They have body pillows that are shaped like an elongated C. I think it'll help my back to sleep with a pillow between my legs. Before I'd pull one leg over which was a twisting position on my back, probably not very good. Then I finally broke down and bought a couple new bras. Eeek, I did go up a size, but not yet what I would call porn star boobs (what I've been warned about). I thought I was crazy for going into Kohls on a Saturday in December but, hey the lingerie section was near empty and the sales were worth it.

We bought the crib mattress last night. We walked into BRU, looked at car seats again but they didnt have many choices that would fit in our stroller (we got from a friend), so we went to mattresses, got one and left. I'm still overwhelmed when I go in that store. But relief is about to come. Next week I will be tackling the registry with two of my good friends that are mommies. oh thank goodness. This will be one trip I won't be dreading and maybe I won't feel so intimidated after :)

We had an all hands meeting today and I saw a coworker I hadn't seen for a while, told her I was pregnant... really... yeah 6 months.... really?! you don't look it... thanks... congrats again... bye....
Then I went to eat a cookie. oh yummy! yeah, I'll look it come Christmas time. haha.

She said it better than me

A friend directed me to a new blog to add to my reader. This lady is about my age with a 4 year old (?) daughter and another baby on the way. She's an excellent writer and also posts amazing photographs, many with her dog in it. Lately there have been a few pregnancy posts that crack me up. She's blunt, even more so than me (fair warning for those that want to read her blog). And just in the last few weeks I've discovered what acid reflux (I think) is for the first time in my life. Here is a sentences from her blog yesterday that describes that feeling:

That horrible feeling, the one where the noodles feel like they're sitting at the top of my throat, where my pants are so tight that I can't maneuver into a comfortable position, where I feel like I might hurl if I move my head too quickly, that is what I feel like ALL THE TIME.
Food tastes phenomenal, yes, but during the two hours after a meal I have to assume the fetal position and remain perfectly still.

and another one that summarizes my feelings as well

I cannot relate to women who say that they love this, that they wish they could be pregnant for years, that they have never felt more like a woman. I don't know exactly why, but there are things about this that make me feel totally disenfranchised. I have no control over my body or appetite, and I cannot do anything to improve the way I feel. The nausea is constant, the weight gain already intimidating, and my face is a plate of what I like to call Pregnant Pizza: acne, fever blisters, discolorations, and unruly hair.

So I just had to copy a few statements (written better than I can) to remind people that yes so many pregnant women put on a happy face because they happy about what's to come, but getting there is still hard. I think Heather is having a tougher time than me, but I have shared her sentiment many times :)

Living Color

I was reading about nursery colors today and found a few posts saying yellow was the worst color to paint, that it made babies fussy and cry more. I'm pretty sure they meant bright yellow. The yellow on 2 of my walls is pretty pale.
Then somewhere I found a link to a light that changes the whole room color. Sounds great! From the main Philips Living Color website it's only sold in Europe. Damn.

Hmmm, Gizmodo has an article from last year saying it kicks ass and should hit the US about now. I want it now! haha. Please keep an eye out for me. I'll add it to my registry if I can find it (and if the price comes down from $250). Just in case we have a crying baby , I'd be curious to see what happens when you change the mood of the room!

Baby Plus

I've been better about wearing my Baby Plus twice a day. (You wear it on your tummy and it makes heartbeat sounds) This has meant that I wear it at my desk the first hour of the morning. Usually I get in an hour before my officemate, so no problems. Today he got in a little early, peaks around my cube with a confused look and asks what game I'm playing. I laugh and tell him what it is and said that I can turn it off if it's too annoying. He said no, just weird, like it's a bass and needs some electric guitar. Then he goes out, comes back in the office and jumps in front of my desk and plays air guitar. it was kinda funny :)

Spent more money

Updated pics

We ordered the bedding and 2 window valances this weekend (the circle patterned material is the valance). The name is Bananafish Bubblegum. And we picked out and ordered a glider chair that is a bright green. Now the only other major purchases are a car seat and mattress. I'm holding off buying little stuff to see what we get at the shower.
The dresser I bought and painted white. I found the knobs on ebay, not a perfect match, but very cute.

Coupons

If any friends would like to donate their Babies R Us coupons - I'd love them. We have a few big items to purchase and would love to have that 15% off.
Or I'll buy some for a few bucks off Ebay.

Creative names for items

Slow work day... I'm looking up baby products and reading articles. The one on nursing and breasts going from C cup to F cup scared the hell out of me :)
Then I go on another site and see a link for 'Hooter Hiders'. Thats hilarious! They just looked be nursing blankets to throw over the baby. I just found the name funny on a serious website. Maybe they know every mama gets some real hooters! In one of the first books I read, Jenny McCarthy called them porn star boobs. Guess you have to keep a sense of humor.

Born into a new world....

I know every parent wants whats best for their kids and to create a better world for that next generation. Well yesterday was a step in that direction. We have our first black president, our first president that can give speeches that keep me listening and inspire me to be a better person. I'm excited. I'm excited that maybe my kid won't see the racism that I have seen and will grow up in a world that is that much closer to being open minded and giving equality to all. And I hope we are closer to ending the war, so my kid doesn't have to know that side of life either. Go Obama! Live up to everyone's dreams and hopes you created :)

A side note - one of my favorite Obama speeches is his Father's Day speech.

Nursery Theme

Now that I have girly stuff on my mind, I'm not feeling the jungle theme as much as I was. When we were in a store, I saw the bedding that I really liked and Jeff liked it too (yes I was shocked it was going to be that easy). It's pale yellow and green (like we already have painted) then it has hot pink and light pink circles and stripes. So now I'm trying to figure out what to do with that, what I can paint on the walls, etc.
I will say though, I'd much rather my kid get stuffed animals than dolls. I do plan on raising the kid to have a huge love for animals like I have :) So while she wont have a jungle painted on her walls, she'll still know all the animals.

It's A ....

GIRL !!!!!!!!!!!
I drank some juice beforehand and she was moving all over the place. We saw a big head and 2 arms and 2 legs. I'm measuring right at 20 weeks. The ultrasound tech didn't say too much but said it looks good.
We didn't get a good profile photo of the baby, but we did get a photo of her looking right at the 'camera'. It was kinda freaky - reminded me of skull. Maybe it's just too close to Halloween. And the whole time watching the baby you kinda feel like you're spying in one someone- watching them when they don't know about it.
We're happy - didn't care one way or the other on the sex of the first child. (as of now we talk like we want a boy for the second one- never know what will change though) We needed more girls on both sides of the family :)

5 Month checkup

I had my 5 month check up today. I asked that my blood pressure be taken before my weight. haha. (We went to the taste of Huntsville last night and I definitely overate.) Everything is still good. My quad-test bloodwork came back all negative. They asked if I have any swelling issues - thank goodness that has still not happened yet. I sat there thinking I must be a really easy patient so far. I did ask what kind of flu shot they have and it is the low mercury kind, so I'm still on the fence whether I get one. Last year they were horrible at predicting the strands of flu rendering most flu shots worthless, so who's to say this year will be better.

The big ultrasound in Monday afternoon - get to quit calling it IT :)

Early Baby Results

Have you seen the VW Routan commercials - where Brooke Shields accuses people of making a baby just get a new VW van? Well they came up with a great marketing web ad - create your own Routan Baby! Here is our result. A 9 pounder - agh!
(It asks for a photo with the parents mouth closed - so I'll go looking for a better one at home this weekend)

Felt it

I felt the baby move for the first time last night. Jeff had gone to bed early, so I was up watching tv and eating vanilla wafers. I must have given the baby a sugar rush, because there was enough activity to feel. It really just felt like when your leg twitches, but this was inside my tummy. It's the first exciting thing to happen besides ofcourse finding out I was pregnant.

Flu Shot dilemma

I have never had a flu shot vaccine but I've always heard pregnant women need it, so I started researching it. Did you know that most flu vaccines (actually over 50 vaccines) have mercury in it (a preservative thimerosal). Yes more mercury than in light tuna. Mercury is highly toxic to brain tissue, that's why they tell us pregnant women to limit our fish intake. But now they want to shoot it directly into us?!

I read where 7 states have banned flu vaccines containing thimerosal (California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New York and Washington). And all children's vaccines in the United Kingdom are thimerosal-free.

So now I'm on a hunt to find a mercury-free shot. I've called my GP - no luck. Next week I'm going to get paperwork for a pediatrician, so I'll ask the nurse there. And whenever the health dept answers their phone I'll ask. But I've read articles where it can be hard to find. Guess more people need to spread the word.

You can read more here www.safeminds.org/alert-flu-vaccine-2008.pdf. This may be an extreme organization (I don't know much about them). Also tons of info here, and page 16 here has a list of vaccines available: www.cispimmunize.org/ill/Flu/Influenza%20Recommendations.pdf

19 weeks

The books say the baby is the size of a large tomato now. I'm finally starting to show some, so I thought I'd take a picture. (One day I'll get Jeff to take one in better light). But anyway, you can see my weird shaped stomach now :) I guess since I'm on the tall side it has plenty of room vertically and doesn't need to stretch horizontally yet. I've also been told that since it's my first, I still have decent stomach muscles that aren't stretched out yet, which won't be the case with a second pregnancy - get fat faster.
I'm starting to get some pains when I move suddenly, which I read is normal. The major back aches haven't started yet - I'm dreading that. I go back to the dr next week and then the ultrasound is on the 3rd. I still have no feeling yet if it's a boy or girl. We need some more girls in the family, but there seems to be alot of Y seed on Jeff's side of the family, so who knows :)

I usually read a little bit in a pregnancy book while I'm eating cereal in the morning. Today had an entry that suggested now that you're in the 2nd trimester, announcing a no sharing food policy. And when you order dessert at a restaurant one lady even said "bring it with one fork and a stun gun". I thought that was pretty good.

Another good quote I heard today: "Life is hard enough when you're feeling good." (this guy was about to have major dental work done).

I remembered getting a 'Baby Me' brochure a couple years ago at work - a program done through Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance, but ofcourse I disregarded it then. So a few days ago I looked it up and enrolled online. It said they give you 24/7 access to call a nurse and they send you free goodies. A friendly nurse just called me and gave me her direct line. I don't really have questions so far, but it's nice to know I have another alternative besides my busy doctor.

I had my first comment (from a guy at work) that he could tell I was finally gaining weight - he could see it in my face. More like my neck. I have been cursed with my mother's genes of having a double chin. This and my stomach are the first places I gain weight. Man, was I hoping to avoid the face fat :( Jeff has a full face too, so I guess our baby should at least have cute pinch-able fat cheeks :)

I underestimated maternity clothes. I ordered long pants from Old Navy in a size Large I prefer loose comfortable clothes - but don't need pants that fall off as I walk. I guess they must want to boost the ego of maternity women. Yeah I'm a medium according to them. Maybe in a few years with another pregnancy I'll be a size small, since they can't seem to stay with consistent sizes :)

Jeff was busy working on painting the nursery this weekend. I had some left over green that I tried in the kitchen and hated it (due to a tan ceiling). Then I found some light yellow in the reject basket at Lowes for $3. Turned out they look great together (with a white ceiling). It's hard to take the photo since the room is small, but you can get an idea. I'll post more as it comes along.

4 mo checkup

Just got back from the dr for my 4 mo appt. The heartbeat is still good at 150. I'm up 5 lbs (though my scale is closer to 7). They also drew blood for the quad test that tests for abnormalities. It does result in some false positives and if that happens, they'll send me to Birmingham to a specialist.
I also scheduled the next ultrasound at 20 weeks (Nov 3), so hopefully the baby will be in the right spot to see 'the goods'.
In other news I will be going maternity clothes shopping this weekend. I had saved a couple pairs of fat pants from about 5 years ago and those are even snug in the waist. I did order 3 pairs of pants in long length from Old Navy, so hopefully those will get here soon. Then I'll try Target again since a friend said that brand runs long. Last time I was in there, what would you know - they were out of all pants sized 10 and 12. sometimes it sucks being a common size. For right now it just looks like my gut has grown, so I'll pack up some of my tighter fitting shirts this weekend. Maybe in a year it'll be like Christmas when I get to unpack all my pre-pregnancy clothes. haha.

First baby purchase

Austin is known for being weird and wanting to stay that way, well we found a store with some weird baby onesie's. This one made me laugh the most. The other ones I liked said:
Bad Mother Sucker
New to Earth (lil alien drawing)
And nope, we don't know the sex of the baby yet, just figured blue was safer (don't want a boy in pink).

Yesterday I could not button my pants so I wore a belly band for the first time. It's like a stretchy band you wear over your pants to hold them up, and if it shows it just looks like you have a tanktop or layered shirts on. It worked pretty well. Well, after putting this in an email to my sister - here is part of the email I got back:
"I have never heard of a belly band. For God's sake, go buy yourself some maternity pants!"
This cracked me up. I have not started looking for maternity clothes since I don't really need them yet. And I dread looking for pants (which I wear more of in winter) since stores don't carry tall lengths - I'll probably buy from Gap online and then have to risk return shipping if I don't like them. My sister is a tad shorter than me, so I guess regular length pants worked for her. On me they look like a fashion faux pas - ending above the ankle. Too short of pants is a huge pet peeve with me can you tell.
So anyway, at this point it just looks like my stomach gut has grown some, still don't look pregnant.

Differences I can tell between the first trimester and the second:

1st: tired all the time - body would shut down on it's own if I didnt get a nap
2nd: now I can make it till at least 9:30pm w/out a nap :)

1st: water - couldnt get enough. Even throughout the middle of the night - If I didnt drink most of a glass I'd wake up with a bad headache I assumed from dehydration
2nd: I think I only take a few sips now throughout the night.

1st: I'd pee all the time, really about once an hour, and at least 4 times thruout the night
2nd: still pee frequently, but I only pee once or twice in the middle of the night.

1st: I was hungry all the freakin time
2nd: I still eat 2 breakfasts but can manage normal throughout the rest of the day

This weekend we got the bedroom ceiling painted white (it was tan before). And I got most of the dresser painted white. I'm still not sure what if anything I'll paint on the dresser. I may wait till we find out if it's a boy or girl. We bought low-odor paint and it definitely has less smell, but I still brought in the box fan and opened both windows. Maybe we'll do the walls next weekend.

Maybe I should quit reading the internet baby forums. I just saw several ladies talking about their boobs leaking as early as 15 weeks. OMG. I'm not looking forward to that!

Yesterday was the first day I really felt fat. I'm barely showing, but it's all in my stomach. So any shirt that was fitted now makes it look like I have a tire gut. I think I have another month or 2 of this just looking fat before I look pregnant. I'm not sure if my acne will go away anytime soon. So, other than some self image issues when I look in the mirror, I still feel great. :)

At 13 weeks the baby is about 3" long and weighs nearly an ounce. (For size, they compare it to a medium shrimp) All this is already formed. Fascinating! s/he even has fingerprints.

The other day I went to a couple furniture consignment stores. And I did find a dresser/changing table. (I love having a SUV - can buy it on the spot!) I was not crazy about the color (light birch maybe), but I kinda wanted a used piece of furniture that I could paint funky. So now I really have to figure out how I want to decorate the nursery. I'm still leaning towards cream and green walls and jungle animals. Ever since I painted a giraffe in my bedroom in highschool, I wanted to finish it somehow. I've saved plenty of animal photos and other examples of paintings, so I think I'm good there. Now I just need cooler weather (to open windows) so Jeff can paint the walls.

We paid the daycare fee that reserves our spot for the baby. I know a few people that have their kids in Premier and I really liked it. It's also very convenient for our path to/from work. I'm still not sure how long I'll take off work. Probably at least 8 weeks. I still need to go by the HR dept and ask questions.

Next inline is to interview pediatricians. I've already polled a few friends and got some good leads.

To My Father-in-Law,
A big thanks for the free toilet paper. My kidneys are truly working in serious efficiency mode, about every hour.

The dr appt went well. It took a second lady to find the heart beat, but she did and it was 160, which is good. I've still only gained a few pounds which is good.
So there is not much to speak of. If work stays calm, I'll meet Jeff at the 2 daycares we like and may make a decision.

Yesterday I took a half day off work and toured 4 daycare schools. I thought I'd do the preliminary look and then bring Jeff back to one or 2. The good part was that I do like the 2 that are on our way to work and I know people that have kids in both. Ofcourse these are the most expensive ones (we're talking $10K a year). Both are filling up fast, so we need to make a decision and get on the waiting list asap. Actually the one does not have an opening till June, so I'd have to use the other sister school that is just a little out of the way. There is one thing about one daycare that is so good I could foresee having problems later. They start teaching very young and have some kids reading by age 18 months. So you can imagine when they finish kindergarten there, most are reading on a second grade level. I always thought we'd use public school, but then if you have a kid that smart, it'd be like holding him back. but I guess that's years away, so maybe I shouldn't worry about it.

Friday is the 12 week dr appt to hear the heart beat. Jeff is going with me to that one. Then I guess I may tell the bosses at work. That way I can ask more people about daycares.

oh boy, I guess the hormones are kicking in. I'm trying to read about the Democrat convention first thing this morning and this brought tears to my eyes: [Michelle Obama speaking]"He's the same man who drove me and our new baby daughter home from the hospital 10 years ago this summer, inching along at a snail's pace, peering anxiously at us in the rearview mirror, feeling the whole weight of her future in his hands, determined to give her everything he'd struggled so hard for himself, determined to give her what he never had: the affirming embrace of a father's love."

I got my first baby gifts this weekend. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law couldn't resist. I got 2 animal baby blankets, one tiger and one bear. They have a soft side and a satin side, just 12" square with an animal head in the middle.
Why didn't they make animals that soft when I was a kid! :)
I also got some body butter, and best of all it's unscented! Claire did good on that part. My already sensitive nose has gone further than I ever thought it could. urghhh.

I had another dr. appt this morning - he wants to see me every 2 weeks in the first trimester. The urine was fine, blood pressure was fine (though I thought low - 90/60) and I've gained a 1.5 lb, which he thought was great. Not much is happening with me besides the zapped energy which I know is normal, so I didn't really have any questions. For the next appointment, about 12 weeks we should get to hear the heartbeat.

So while I've been a slug and taking lots of naps, Jeff is on the ball and has been productive. This morning we bought a closet organizer for the nursery closet and he got it installed. And over the last few days he's cleaned up his upstairs old office to make room for a bed so that can be our second guest bedroom. He even had room to keep all his bookshelves with sci-fi books. Now the room is mostly cleared out so we can paint whenever I finally decide what I want. I think I want a jungle theme so I can do some custom painting. I first need energy :)

I know a few of my friends have heard me complaining about the style of shirts now days, how they are too loose and make anyone (even a size Small) look fat. Well now I'm thankful they are in style. My weight on the scale is still the same, but I do believe some of it has shifted. And due to some other issues of 'regularity' being gone, all I want to wear is loose clothes. So I went to Penney's today and got a few loose shirts to wear in the coming months. Maybe it'll help me hide it for another month at work.

Sorry, I'm a little late getting this scanned in. Had to ask a coworker for help since I dont have a scanner. So far though just 2 people know at work. Those would be my closest friends at work.
This is now 2 weeks old, so I'm at least 8 weeks along. Here's the proof.

Click on the image for a larger version.

According to the charts my baby still looks like an alien amoeba. They even describe arms as a paddles and the tailbone as a tail. I think the fingers separate next week though, that'll help with some human features :)
Last night I bought the 'What to Expect when you're expecting' book that everyone talks about. I think I've skipped over the first 70 or more pages though since it didn't apply anymore. Then I got distracted with Olympics. (The book will be there later).
At dinner last night Jeff ordered wine and I had a few sips - with his big eyes making me feel almost guilty. I know I'm a product of alcohol in the womb and I'm just fine, so I don't think 4 sips will do anything bad. Though Jeff is still trying to convince me otherwise. It's just that wine tastes so much better when you haven't had it in 4 weeks. I feel like there is no compromise on the man's part of this whole situation. Maybe my hormones will start kicking into manic overdrive and he'll have a demon to deal with. haha. So far hormones are just giving me pimples that I'm not used to.

So I've been reading some of the pregnancy boards and it seems like most people in the first trimester fall into 2 categories for morning sickness (m/s) and hunger
* They have m/s or all day/s and the thought of food is repulsive
* Or (like me) they are always a little bit nauseous unless their stomach has food in it.
I haven't puked yet and really only came close with one of the vitamins I was on - I looked after the fact and saw 90mg of iron. yikes! I'm a meat eater, so that was not necessary.
I've been craving fruit and grapes are awesome to munch on without feeling guilty, but I'm seriously wondering how women keep this up without putting on too much weight. I feel like it either feel a little bit sick all the time, or feel fine and eat constantly.
Right now I'm thankful I still feel good and I have a job that lets me eat at my desk.

Thinking of baby names is alot harder than I thought it would ever be. I can see how parent's to be could seriously stress about this. I'm not one to want to name a kid after a family member because I want him/her to have their own identity. I'm also limited in boys names since I have 6 brothers (that includes step and inlaws) and 6 nephews. I dont like freaky stylish names, certainly not for boys - it's just asking them to get beat up. And names that end in -er don't flow well with my last name. I've come up with about 14 names for each with only a couple that I love. Now I'm thinking since that's so limited I'm not sure I want to tell friends/family what I'm considering for fear of them telling me a story of someone they hated with that name :) I'd rather pop out a baby, say it's name and then if someone doesn't like it they will have to bite their tongue because it'd be rude at that point to say anything besides what a beautiful baby. ha! guess that's one way to get what I want :)
(Then again I know me and it's hard to keep a secret - my life's an open book, so I guess time will tell how it goes)

According to EHD- Endowment for Human Development just 3 days till free fingers are formed. You should check out some of the photos - pretty amazing.

I've always been a breakfast eater, but now it's mandatory. I still have cereal and OJ at home and now bring a piece of fruit or yogurt to eat about 9am. I still need to master the eat small meals and do it more often.
Yesterday I went home for lunch (the power was out here) and I took a 25 nap. It was a good day :)

First OB appt

I had my first OB appt this morning - basically a nurse just asked me a bunch of questions about my history and lifestyle. Evidently birthing classes fill up early, so I need to sign up now (8 months ahead sounds crazy but ok). I asked to make sure it was still ok to take these classes and get an epidural and she said oh yeah - they teach you what to do till you can get the epidural, and you get a tour of the maternity ward, etc.
There was some discrepancy between when I said my last period was and the results of the ultrasound. Based on my last period, my due date would be about March 18, but with ut said March 26. So I'm due sometime around there.
So far I feel fine, a little tired, definitely feel better with food in my tummy, my sinuses are a little more clogged, but thats about it which is all normal. I'm still trying out different vitamins, hopefully a more organic food based one will be in tomorrow.

This is from a funny comic strip: http://xkcd.com/

Freebies

Another part of my planning that worked out - I waited till several friends had babies so I could be surrounded by experts :) I've already been offered some books and a babyplus system. yeah!
I've mentioned how it didn't really feel 'real' till yesterday. When I said that to a friend she said it didn't feel real with the first one till she was holding the baby - till that point everything felt like a medical condition. that cracked me up!

1st Ultrasound

I had the first ultrasound today. The baby measured at 0.3 centimeters which dates it about 6 weeks and 0 days, putting it at a March 26 due date. I think hearing the heart beat made it feel more real.

Timeline Catchup -

June 1 - we talk like we could be ready. Jeff says he has super sperm.
June 26 - Alaskan cruise - didnt bring any protection with us
July 12 - I think I'm late
July 17 - leave for California, get bumped to first class but figure I shouldn't drink - damn!
July 20 - return home and tell Jeff he very well may have super sperm. We buy a pregnancy test - it's positive
July 22 - go to the Dr for an official pee test - it's positive. Nurse estimates a due date of March 18. Scheduled a 7-week ultrasound for July 31.