Team BLUE!

We're having a baby boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The tech said he never gives more than a 99% chance, but this was a 99.99% chance of all boy:)


His little feet are beyond perfect:


He decided to show us some somersaults during his hour long show:


Although he really didn't want to show us his profile, I can still tell it's adorable:




And by the end, he had both hands up by his face just like a little boxer. Maybe he's been punching me and not kicking me, after all!


I find it hard to put into words how incredibly happy we are right now. Not just because both Nate and I had gut instincts about us having a son (and the Chinese gender chart and every other predictor out there). But because we got to see our son moving around, beating heart, stretching out, and being....well, so perfectly beautiful that I still can't wipe the smile off my face.

Before the tech told us the gender, I thought I saw a little wiener poking out and glanced over at Nate....who gave me the same knowing look. And then all of a sudden the tech goes, 'And that doesn't look like the cord anymore.' After searching around a little more he said, 'Yep, that is a baby boy if I've ever seen one.' Seeing Nate's face light up, sporting a grin from ear to ear, and hearing him let out a little giggle was one of the best moments I've experienced so far. He's already talking about a miniature Tiger Woods, and coaching little league and.....you guys, he's going to be such a great dad. And now the testosterone levels in our house just got even more out of control! Nate, Henry, baby boy and little old me...holding down the Estrogen fort alone. I think I love it.

Our son (eeek!!) weighs 13 ounces at this point, which is 58%th percentile. His head and heart and spine and cord and lungs all look fabulous (although the tech wasn't really supposed to say either way). My placenta isn't too low, my bladder was insanely full as instructed (I almost peed myself, for real), and I have a real live healthy baby boy in there. It's sinking in and I'm totally in love.

So that is all for now. I'm off to look at the 25 pictures we got of our baby. I'm going to be a mommy, you guys! This is one of the best days ever.

Twenty Weeks

Holla at your girl. I'm halfway done, baby! Five months pregnant, 20 weeks, and housing one of these giant fruits:


A cantaloupe, really? Wasn't it just a blueberry yesterday? I can just imagine a round cantaloupe in there, can't you? {Also, please note my giant boobs. Out. Of. Control}





Big freaking milestone this week? We're going to see the little nugget's goodies on Wednesday! I really hope he or she is feeling like an exhibitionist and spreads 'em wide open for us to get a peek, but I guess we shall see. I also have a regular OB appointment on Tuesday, where I will get weighed. Since I do not own a scale {nor do I ever plan to own one, since it makes me a crazy loon thinking way too much about the number}, it should be interesting to see what is in store for me. Let's remember I had gained a total of 6 pounds at my 16 week appointment. And lately, my butt feels like a giant squishy pad of tissue. Big. And dare I say it, FAT.

I believe that any pregnant woman gets about 3 free passes throughout her pregnancy to complain about feeling fat. So I'm NOT going to use one of my freebies in this post but OMG...I am never wearing those black Nike pants for another belly shot again. My arse looks like a giant flat reflective elephant butt. I'm hoping it's just the pants combined with the flash and the shadows, but disgusting! Also, if I have gained more than 15 pounds total I am COMPLETELY blaming Nate. You see, he's practically force feeding his pregnant wife in the name of making his baby healthy. I'm all, 'I'm full' and he's all 'Have another cookie, dear.' I'm like a force-fed cow, and it's all his fault. Rant over, I still get three more freebies, my dears.....no eye rolling from you!

Other bits of awesomeness this week? On Friday night I was sitting at this very computer when baby started kicking up a storm. I put my hand on my belly like always, and discovered that it was strong enough to feel from the outside. We had a few false alarms before, when I got all excited and ran over to Nate to make him feel but then the baby was all shy and shaken up from my sudden movement. So this time I slowly sauntered over to Nate and made him gently feel my tummy. Sure enough, he felt the kick nice and strong! He felt his child moving inside of me, you guys. How freaking cool is that?

Even cooler? The next morning, on Saturday, as baby went to town again, I pulled up my shirt and SAW my stomach move. I called Nate to come over and sure enough, he saw it too. So we went from no external movement to both seeing and feeling it. How insane is that?


Other way cool things I accomplished this week? PURCHASES! I finally sucked it up and shopped for some real maternity clothes. Mostly because of my giant elephant butt and the fact that my tummy makes shirts creep up to places they shouldn't go. I hit up Old Navy for these babies:


And some work pants. Come on, these are so HAWT, aren't they? They came in talls and I figured even if the enormous panel is too much right now I'll probably need it in a few weeks?

And these fabulous gray leggings from maternity Gap. These were the most expensive piece, of course, but don't they look SO comfy?
And after scouring Craigslist every freaking day for at least a month, I finally found our dresser/changing table combo. It's all the way up in Madison, so we have to drive up there and get it Friday morning before I fly to St. Louis which sort of sucks. BUT, just look at the potential here!
It was custom made from real wood, no nasty particle board, 15 years ago. I plan on repainting the white and replacing the knobs with some pimped out ones. That strap on top will be perfect for a new printed changing pad. PROJECT! Another freaking project and another awesome nursery find on Craigslist for a whopping $75. I'm starting to get addicted, my friends. Next up? The rocker. I'm totally stalking C-list every day like a crazy but I can't help it.

So yeah, on Friday I'm flying down to St. Louis to throw Hannah's baby shower and I cannot wait. My mom is picking me up from the airport and we are going to pull everything together before the big event on Saturday. Let me just tell you, planning a baby shower for your best friend when you live hundreds of miles away ain't easy. But I'm feeling pretty good about how it's all coming together thanks to the help of some other lovely STL ladies. And dude, baby showers are JUST as fun to plan as bridal showers, if not more fun. Lots of pictures to follow, I'm sure.

Enough about me, what about that cantaloupe in my gut? Well this week baby is starting to form poop. Yep, you read that right. Meconium is forming in his or her tummy to get ready for that awesomely disgusting first baby poop. Also the genitals are fully formed and ready for our viewing. I know I complained about waiting until 20.5 weeks for our big US but it really wasn't that awful to wait. And plus, baby is moving around like a fetus on acid nowadays so I guess it's better that we waited a bit.

So that's 20 weeks: halfway mark, an elephant butt, external movement, maternity clothes, and a new Craigslist purchase. And lots of anticipation for Wednesday!

Organizing this pregnancy blog

All things pregnancy, in case navigating labels is too time consuming for you:)

Pregnancy posts by the week, for your pleasure:

The Big Fat Announcement: 08.17.09
Four Weeks: 08.18.09
Five Weeks: 08.24.09
Six Weeks: 08.25.09
Seven Weeks: 08.26.09
Eight Weeks: 08.27.09
Nine Weeks: 08.28.09
Ten, Eleven, Twelve Weeks: 08.31.09

Thirteen Weeks: 09.07.09
Fourteen Weeks: 09.14.09
Fifteen Weeks: 09.21.09
Sixteen Weeks: 09.28.09
Seventeen Weeks: 10.05.09
Eighteen Weeks: 10.12.09
Nineteen Weeks: 10.19.09
Twenty Weeks: 10.26.09
Twenty-One Weeks: 11.02.09
Twenty-Two Weeks: 11.09.09



Belly shots:

First Trimester


Second trimester:



Pregnancy time line and milestones:

07.06.09: got my BFP! Second month of 'trying, but not labeling it TRYING'. That was quicker than we expected! Due 03.14.10.

07.17.09: almost six weeks, told our parents and my grandparents the big news. First grandchild on both sides equals lots of squealing.

08.10.09: first appointment, at nine weeks, with transvaginal ultrasound. Saw the ticker! Could breathe again.

08.11.09: started telling close friends and other family. Letting it all sink in...

08.17.09: ten weeks, started telling the whole wide world including this blog, facebook, and work.

09.01.09: twelve week appointment, with doppler. Heard the ticker ticking away at 160 bpm! Total weight gained = 1 pound.

09.20.09: fifteen weeks, felt the first baby movement! Lots of jabs and flutters.

09.29.09: sixteen week appointment, heard the heartbeat again, this time at 145 bpm. Total weight gained = 6 pounds.

10.09.09: almost nineteen weeks, started wearing a Bella Band for my snug-fitting pants. Still no full-fledged maternity pants yet, but getting close!

10.23.09: almost twenty weeks, Nate was able to feel the baby kick for the first time. The next morning we both saw my belly move, too. Whoo hoo!

10.27.09: twenty week appointment, heard heartbeat at 153 bpm. Total weight gained=13 pounds. Gulp.

10.28.09: big ultrasound and IT'S A BOY! Weighing at 13 ounces and moving around like crazy, our son spread 'em wide open for us to see his gender. Nate has never been so happy.



Nursery progress:

The Inspiration: modern, eclectic, bold, NO pastels, and functional. Oh, and relatively inexpensive, please:



The Before: 08.29.09. The second bedroom as a guest room and office.



09.27.09: We bought a crib on Craigslist for freaking $40!!


10.04.09: We bought a pimped out rug from Ikea!


10.17.09: I painted the whole nursery myself in six hours, nearly killing myself. It's called 'Rushing Stream' by Valspar.


11.06.09: Mom comes to town and I put her to work on numerous fabric projects while I refinish two more furniture finds. Changing table/dresser from Craigslist $75 and rocking chair was free from my in-laws attic!





and another ugly panoramic to give you a better idea:

Neuroses

I suppose I've always been somewhat of a worrier. But seriously, being pregnant has brought out the freaking CRAZY side of me to the point that I annoy myself with my worries. When I start off any sentence with 'What if....' or 'I'm worried that.....' Nate immediately says, 'Oh here we go again, what is the worry of the hour?' And you know what? He's right. I have enough worries to freaking fill up the ocean. Some are so stupid and embarrassing that I almost want to laugh at myself. Some are probably very normal. And some are bordering on the over-dramatic.

I was contemplating my bundle of worries the other day and decided that since making lists makes me feel better, I should totally write out a 'quick list' of my current worries regarding this baby. Now please don't get me wrong... I would not trade this pregnancy for the world and I swear I'm enjoying it to the max. I really have surprised myself and love being pregnant (so far, at least). I would take a million more worries in exchange for the end result. It's totally worth it, my friends. I know how lucky I am to be here so please don't think I'm ungrateful.

HOWEVER, please read my 'quick' list below and tell me I'm not crazy. I could add to this puppy all night but I must stop here for now. Enjoy yourself!



About the baby....
1. Are you sure it doesn't have two heads? Anything else not completely normal I should know about?

2. I know everything I read says it is probably fine since it was before the baby got nutrients from me, but did those alcoholic bevs I consumed before my BFP really not matter?

3. What if the baby has colic....will I lose my mind?

4. OMG, are you SURE there is only one in there? Because the other night I swore I felt two simultaneous kicks on opposite sides of my stomach.

5. Please, God . Let me get one that sleeps at least a little bit of the time.

6. How many dirty diapers do newborns produce per day again? FRIGHTENING.

7. Babies need a lot of paraphernalia. How in the heck am I supposed to know what to choose when I've never done this before? So overwhelming. Also, where in the heck am I supposed to store all of this crap? You know I hate hoarding and clutter.



The financials
1.CAN WE AFFORD THIS? (my head is exploding right now)

2. Will we blow our nice future 'down payment' nest egg on the baby?

3. Dude, if I'm neurotic about money now when we DON'T pay for daycare, how will I remain sane afterward?

4. Will I drive Nate completely insane with my financial (and every other) worries?




The Stupid Superficial:
1. Will my hips spread permanently after pushing a bowling ball through my pelvis? If so, will I never fit into my skinny jeans again?

2. Stretch marks?!?!

3. Please God, do not let my face balloon up like a swollen sausage. I just hate when my face is fat (ie every picture from my semester spent in Spain)

4. Will I ever be able to run at a decent pace again? Will I ever have time to train for my second full marathon?

5. Dude, my boobs were small to begin with. Is it true they become like flat pancakes after pregnancy and nursing? Because I'm totally screwed, then.

6. Will I automatically become that haggard mom who neglects herself? As in mom jeans, horrible hair, and bad skin? I don't want to be that mom but I'm afraid it happens without warning.




The (tip of the iceberg) parenting concerns:
1. Will I be a good mother?

2. Will my child resent me later in life? How bad will it suck to raise a teenager, anyway? I think it was pretty rough BEING one, let alone being responsible for one.

3. Will we totally screw the kid up to the point of no return?

4. What if Nate and I let our marriage slip to the wayside as we focus on being parents? I love our marriage right now and sometimes I don't want it to change.

5. Will we also let our social lives die, lose touch with all of our friends and hobbies, just to be parents? No!!! I no likey.



Post-Partum worries
1. Will I get Post-Partum Depression? (It does run in my family)

2. Will my 12 week maternity leave go WAY too fast, and will I spend the whole time worrying about it going WAY too fast?

3. How bad is it going to suck to drop my newborn off at a daycare full of strangers....full time....while dropping mad cash in this facility? Will it be too much to handle?

4. How bad is it going to suck to work full time, always thinking about my newborn baby while I'm away? Will I be a jealous wench of anyone NOT in my position? Will I shut myself off from anyone who doesn't have to work full time and put their kids in daycare?

5. Will Nate be too stressed with taking finals and being in school to enjoy being a parent in those first few months?

6. Will it be too hard to be 8 hours away from my Mom?



That whole delivery thing....
1. Dear God, I have no idea what's coming to me, do I?

2. What if I push for a whole year and nothing happens? Has that ever happened in the history of mankind?

3. What if my entire lower half of my body tears into two pieces. Is that possible?

4. Pooping on the table sounds like fun...or totally awful.

5. I know it's really really rare, but what if I die during the delivery?

6. What if my baby has a prolapsed cord/other issues and doesn't make it through delivery?

7. How bad is recovery going to blow?

8. Won't it ruin our mattress if my water breaks in our bed? (Mattresses are too expensive to ruin one with disgusting internal fluids!)



The completely, utterly, ridiculous
1. What if our baby is a hermaphrodite (this is probably just on my list because I'm reading the book Middlesex right now)?

2. What if I let the house cleaning go to the wayside so badly that massive amounts of dust accumulate and it makes our whole family fatally ill? Is that possible?

3. How in the heck will I have time to hand wash our stupid dishes with a baby? Will our entire kitchen become unusable due to dirty dishes? I SO want a dishwasher more than ever. Or maybe just disposable plates will do...

4. Will we forget about our first born baby, Henry? Will he hate us forever for having a baby?

5. What if we get a Milwaukee blizzard on the day I deliver and then we can't make it to the hospital in time and the baby is born in the back seat of the car? I will be SO pissed at Mother Nature then....you have no idea.


See? I told you it was a lot of worries.

As my mom told me during the first few weeks of my pregnancy, the worrying never really goes away. That is just a part of being a parent. Heck, my parents probably still worry about me {and maybe after reading that list they are rightfully worried about my mental health? :) } and I'm 28 years old. So I guess it makes sense that from the moment of seeing that positive pregnancy test, you become a mom and start with the worries.

Just getting them out in words makes me feel better already. Whew.

And I hope I'm not the only one with neuroses like these. Whether you are a mom, pregnant, or not there yet....perhaps all women have some of these same concerns? (I hope).

Apples indeed

On Sunday, Nate and I went to pick apples at the same orchard we visited last year. In fact, I think this was the same weekend we chose to go as last year. Funny thing, though: this year I have a pimped out camera and 10 months of experience with it. Also, instead of ME just coming off my first marathon, it's Nate. And also, I'm with child, in case you didn't know:) So much changes in a year, right?

This year we weren't so into the pumpkins but we totally owned the apples. Nate had to coax me into moving a bit faster since everything was distracting me and my camera. But it was worth it!


















The best part of the trip (besides getting a butt load of apples for $16, fresh honey, and a jug of spiced apple cider?). This:







I love fall.

I still want to get some pretty leaf pictures and we were going to do it after this trip, but alas---the leaves weren't QUITE as bright as I'd hoped. We shall see. I'm sure it has something to do with the abnormally chilly weather for this time of year. Whatever.

Nineteen Weeks

Two things this week's fruit reminds me of: 1. The hilarious SNL skit with Mango (Mahhhhngo), and 2. The most awesome clothing store I visited in Spain, besides Zara:


I can almost see a little mango in there, can't you?



Meh. Still not TRULY looking pregnant. But dang, all of a sudden I have the lower back sway I swore I'd avoid, don't I?

So what's new this week in the pregnancy front? Let's see...my uterus (from here on to be called the 'ute') is big. I mean, seriously, when I lay down flat it pops out a bit. In between my two hip bones used to be a land of nothingness, sinking downward, empty. And now? A little mound of hardened ute muscles. Weird, huh? And plus, when I poke around I can feel the top of it pretty substantially right under my belly button. Sometimes it's harder than others, almost like it's doing some sort of crunches on it's own. Creepy and cool, no?

Baby is still kicking up a storm, except Saturday night and into Sunday I had a minor panic attack because I couldn't remember the babe kicking too much since Friday. I began speaking in soothing tones to my abdomen, rubbing it, and then I even borrowed one cup of Nate's 'real' coffee on Sunday morning to light a fire under baby's butt. That didn't work, of course, but a few hours later the babe started moving around again with abandon, as if to say, 'Look lady, you are a total psycho and I'm fine in here. Just resting. Why don't you do the same while you can?' And that was my stint with a near-meltdown THIS week. Many more to come, I'm sure.

Speaking of meltdowns, guess what I did ALL FREAKING SATURDAY LONG? I painted the nursery! Alone! In a well-ventilated, freezing cold nursery room while blaring Miley Cyrus and Brittney Spears. Not sure many mature mommies-to-be crank Miley and Brit while painting nurseries but I guess I'm one big oxymoron.

I was too excited to sleep in on Saturday morning, so I was up and prepping the room by 8 am. Nate had to work and I was all over this project, literally counting down the hours until I could transform this sucker into my vision. I slapped on the first streak of paint at 9:15 and finished the second coat, finishing trim, and inside of the window box by.........3:30. Three-freaking-thirty in the afternoon. For a miniature nursery. Are you serious?

Anyway, Nate and I picked out the color on Friday night and I'm so glad he went with me to be my sanity. I could NOT decide between all of the shades of aqua and finally Nate just grabbed this swatch out of my hand (as 15 others fluttered to the ground) and announced Rushing Stream to be the color of our nursery.



(I paired it with the pink in the rug because all day I was feeling like baby is a girl, and I will totally pull this shade of pink in the room if so). We also used the "Cool Rain" darker shade inside of the window box.

So here we go...


My 'helper' ready to work hard, of course:


And the after...




The darker shade of the window box doesn't 'pop' as much as I had hoped but I honestly do not care at this point. I am SO done painting for a while.


Isn't it just glorious with the rug?


And the crib? All of a sudden it looks so fancy-shmancy with the aqua walls, no? It's almost like a Tiffany blue I guess but not quite. Rich for sure, just like my $40 crib.




And really, with the old vintage style of the whole room, I think the shade works well. I was SO worried about the natural wood with a bright color but really....I love it!


So let us remember the humble beginnings of the nursery (former guest room) by looking at awful panoramic shots. Before:


And the current 'during':


Totally psychedelic rug, man. And I'm not sure why the wall color looks so cold here but whatev. You get the idea. Do you likey? Are you envisioning the big picture with fun bold bedding, curtains, window seat cushion, and artwork? Sigh.

So hello to 19 weeks: minor panic attacks, near meltdowns involving painting for six hours, Rushing Stream aqua, and only ONE MORE WEEK until the big ultrasound! Whoo hoo!

Fourth Burfday

Hello readers,

It is I, Henry. Today is my fourth birthday. Please take a moment to jot the date on your calendar for next year. I'll wait.

My mother made me pose for an obscene number of pictures today with that stupid hat she makes me wear every year. I was less than thrilled.















But then she regained her title as best mom in the world and decided to skip the healthy, gourmet treats from the local pet store. Instead, she went for the gold with a peanut butter plate of goodness. I thought I died and went to doggy heaven, no joke.



Mom and Dad keep saying things like, 'We can't believe you are getting so old' and apparently, I'm exactly the same age as my parents when you take into account dog years (four years old, times seven is twenty-eight....same as the folks). My crazy Mom got a little teary and said, 'Oh great, now you will always be older than us. Stop getting old, Henry!' and gave me a big hug.

I guess I'll put up with their antics for another year. As long as there is more peanut butter involved, of course...

The Best Birth

With my giant list of 'must read' pregnancy, birthing, and parenting books I figure I should attempt to write reviews of some of them. Then maybe I won't forget everything I've read when I need it, right?

Before I start, let me say that I am fully aware that this subject is one of the many 'hot topic' sensitive issues out there in the world of pregnancy and delivery. I have my opinions but believe everyone is entitled to theirs as well. And I mostly just want to reiterate what this book states, knowing it is not the end-all book out there. No judgment here, no matter what you believe about labor and delivery, okay? We as women need to do a better job of supporting each other in these circumstances instead of judging or putting each other down. Let's all hold hands and sing, shall we? :)

A lot of people have heard of Ricki Lake's book called 'Your Best Birth' and I still have that one on my list, too. But Hannah recommended 'The Best Birth' by Sarah McMoyler and I wanted to read this one first. It is kind of like the 'light' version of Ricki's book and I highly, highly recommend it to you if you are interested.

The author is a Labor and Delivery nurse with twenty-plus years of experience. She is very realistic, encouraging, and straight-forward. The McMoyler philosophy goes something like this: "healthy mom, healthy baby, however you get there". She is NOT anti-hospital, since she (like me!) is a healthcare professional herself. However, she is also encourages moms to try for a low to no intervention birth if possible. Basically she is not an extremist who pushes an 'all or none' theory at us. I really enjoy a realistic, middle of the road book every now and then:)

A few thought provoking points to consider:

1. The McMoyler method makes Dad a major player during labor and delivery, believing that as you give birth to his child he should NOT simply be a spectator. Many years ago, Dads weren't even in the delivery room with the mom (but then again, many years ago women were totally unconscious during delivery.....talk about creepy!).

She even goes so far to say that although some doulas are wonderful and helpful, most of them are unlicensed with no medical training. Although they may have your best intentions in mind, sometimes they will go up against the medical staff to fight for your 'birth plan' even when it puts the baby at risk. As a medical professional myself, I plan on taking advice from my OB--the one who went through years of medical schooling and formal testing and who is required by the state to stay up-to-date on her licensing. McMoyler suggests that you already have the best doula you can get in your husband. He knows you better and loves you more than anyone else, knowing your fears and desires, with a big stake in the outcome. She puts dad front and center as your primary support person and wrote an entire chapter just for dad. Nate is reading it right now and likes it for the specific techniques she lists to help me through the pain of labor.

2. McMoyler also proposes that the medical team at the hospital are NOT the bad guys. They aren't out to get you, ready to slice you open for a c-section and rush you through the biggest day in your life. Sure, there are some bad apples out there in the medical world just like any other profession. But the vast majority of doctors and nurses involved in labor and delivery love what they do and are committed to providing the best and safest care possible. She says that if you want a low-to-no-intervention birth they will support you any way they can. But if something happens that jeopardizes your or the baby's healthy, they will do whatever is necessary to keep you both safe.

And as a side note, as someone who works in a hospital myself, it NEVER hurts to do a little butt kissing to your nurses (I do it all the time and it works!) Be respectful of them, be kind, and a few compliments here and there go a long way. They will be a huge part of your day and you want them to be on your good side. Rolling through the door and saying, 'Don't touch me, I don't want you people to do anything because I'm going all natural' is a good way to put the nurses on the defensive. Not good. Another well-kept secret in the hospital world? We love food. Bring us some cookies or treats and we'll go the extra mile for you. We're pretty easy to please:)

I'm not going to go into all of the details here, but in chapter five the author goes through common myths about hospitals and interventions provided there. The two big ones for me (that I had heard before, and was a little worried about) were the idea that epidurals slow down labor and lead to many complications with the baby, and that hospitals intervene and do c-sections even when there is no medical need just because they make more money/it's more convenient.

For the Big E (epidural) dilemma, I'm of the group that would definitely like to try and avoid one but I'm not going to completely rule it out, either. You get no gold medal for going drug free and it's not a competition, so if I've been pushing for 15 hours and I'm only 3 cm dilated you better believe I'll consider an epidural. Sometimes, as the author states, an epidural lets your body relax and possibly even get some sleep which sometimes allows you to further dilate. A good epidural will let you feel pressure, not pain, so that you can still time your pushing without being completely numb. And in some hospitals you can even get a 'walking epidural' so you aren't totally bed bound afterward, since lying on your back is really not the best position for birthing. Epidurals sometimes spread out contractions but not always. Yes, if you have one you will probably need IV fluids, a catheter, and possibly Picotin. But I just think there is no way to plan whether or not you will need an epidural or not.

For the big C-section dilemma, obviously I want to avoid one at all costs. I do not believe that c-sections are more convenient for docs since they take a ton more time and delay the doctor getting out the door to another patient. I do think that some doctors might be more inclined to push for a c-section if there is ANY chance of fetal distress because of the fear of liability. And honestly, if my baby's heart rate is dropping with each contraction leading the medical team to think the baby is not tolerating a vaginal birth well I will not mess around with continuing to push for a vaginal delivery. The author also points out other valid reasons for a c-section (breech or transverse positioning, placenta or umbilical cord issues, and maternal indications) although she agrees that they should be used as a last resort. In the end, I just want my baby to be healthy and if something goes wrong I will trust my doctor to make the right decision.

3. Which brings me to an AWESOME point made by this book: no regrets. I think especially us women tend to get down on ourselves when plans fail, when things don't go the way they are 'supposed' to go. Although it's VERY tempting for me to write out a detailed birth plan of what my ideal scenario would be, I know that for me (and many others) putting ideas down on paper is like carving them in stone. And even though I've never been through labor and delivery before, I'm not naive enough to think that things go according to plan when you are pushing out a human being from your nether regions. If I hand over a piece of paper to my doc that says 'absolutely NO epidural, and NO c-section' I know I'm setting myself up for failure in the case that something does not go according to plan. As the author talks extensively about in the book, she has seen many women go in with the 'natural or nothing' mindset who end up having complications, needing an epidural and or a c-section. What is really sad is that these women end up regretting their birth experience, feeling negative and depressed and like a failure because they had to have drugs/interventions. I mean really, having a healthy newborn baby is a HUGE reason for celebration. Why would you waste one second feeling bad about yourself or your birth experience when you have an adorable new baby to care for? Throw in a little sleep deprivation, your whole world being turned upside down, and feelings of inadequacies and you are a shoe in for hard core baby blues, right?

So no regrets. Yes, you should spend time discussing your ideal situation and hoping for a low to no intervention birth is a fabulous goal (and mine!). But flexibility is key here and remember there are no gold medals for going all natural. The biggest reward is that little bundle of joy no matter how they got there. And at the end of the day, I want to be able to look over at Nate and say 'We did it!' because I fully expect him to be a major player pushing me through contractions and supporting me during one of the most intense moments of my life. He proved himself to be a great coach during my marathon and I know that he will be a lifesaver during this other type of endurance sport:)

Basically, I think that every single woman is different and each birthing experience is unique. I think it's great if you want a home birth, a doula, no interventions, etc. Maybe you're of the camp that prefers to be hooked up to an epidural immediately to avoid as much pain as possible, which is totally fine by me, too. But I just hope that whatever your 'plan' you know that sometimes the unexpected happens. And as long as a healthy baby enters into the world after delivery, the event was a success in my eyes.

I'm so grateful that I will be giving birth in a medically advanced time with so many options out there. And of course, I intend to read a zillion more books about this subject not because it gives me more control, or prepares me for every little thing about delivery, but because it's so freaking awesome to think that in about 4 months I'll have my own birth experience. GAH!

From the Marathoner's (proud) Wife

Whew.

Dude.

Watching a marathon amidst 2 million other spectators is no walk in the park, for reals. Especially when you take into consideration these additional two factors: 1)I'm pregnant and thus I have to pee every hour and I do NOT do well without food every 3 hours, and 2) It was effing 32 degrees outside. Yes, I am serious. New record for the course with freezing temps....of course the year we go to Chicago Mother Nature brings out the works.

But enough of my negativity, let's recap the day, shall we? Although Nate's adorable post that he requested to write himself was all encompassing, I feel that we must commemorate the big day in a little more detail.

However, if you'd rather not read this 'marathon' of posts, here is my cliff notes version: the Chicago Marathon is an amazing race to run, not so amazing to watch for spectators. I speak from experience although I'm sure some disagree.

And for the details...

We took the train with Nate's dad from MKE to CHI on Saturday afternoon and met Ryan and Maggie right away. We all went to the Expo to get our numbers and soak in the atmosphere. Since I paid the entrance fee and planned on running, I still got a number and a pimped out Nike shirt which is kind of rad. Our little foursome was perfect because both Maggie and I have run previous full marathons AND we both just so happen to be pregnant right now. She's due May 13, two months after me, and we were ready to cheer on both of our husbands who have never done fulls before. How cute, right?

Went to an awesome pizza/pasta dinner Saturday night (where we saw Kathy Griffith! without makeup! waiting in line for dinner and then leaving before they got her a table!) and then headed back to the burbs to Nate's cousins. Nate had to lay out his loot and his spectators had to make signs. Typical night before the marathon full of nerves and excitement and gas. Lots of gas in our case:)

Our alarm went off an an ungodly 4:15 am on Sunday morning and surprisingly, even I was pretty excited and awake. We were out the door by 5:15 and hopped on the L back to downtown, where I am not kidding you....the entire train was packed with hundreds of runners already. So freaking cool and you better believe I wanted to take a picture of everyone on the train but didn't want to a psycho. Totally kicking myself now.

After grabbing Ryan we walked over to the start line and hit the porta potty line. Insanity, I tell you. But Chicago at sunrise is one of the most beautiful urban sights ever.







Then I gave Nate a quick hug and kissed and sent him off to the start line for the 7:30 gun time. I could not get over the 45,000 runners (well, 44,999 I suppose) :) Such an amazing sight.

Nate's dad, Tony, and his cousin, Patrick and I hit the nearest Starbucks and headed towards mile #2. Seeing the elite runners sprint by in a blur made me want to hurl a little. Maybe cry a tad, too. Some people are superhuman, I swear.

Then we saw our men coming along and looking fabulous! Sighting number one: a success!


So we were back on the L towards mile 8 and feeling a little frosty at this point. I seriously wondered why it hadn't warmed up in the slightest since 5:30 in the morning but tried to be a trooper. Don't worry, I had approximately 4 shirts, plus a jacket, 2 pairs of pants, and gloves with a hat on but was still cold. Ah, winter. You know you are my homie.

After finding an opening in the crowd at mile 8 we hunted for the boys and saw them, and seeing their smiles and fist pumps made it all worth while. I remembered how important it was to me when I saw my fans and knew Nate and Ryan were glad we came. My pride for Nate was already swelling up in my throat a little bit. I couldn't believe he was running in his first marathon and kicking so much tail. Sighting number two: success! This wasn't so bad...


the costumed runners were quite entertaining...

So next we headed back down south via the L towards mile 12. After walking a few blocks over to the race we discovered that we had missed Nate by about 15 minutes. Curses! I guess we overestimated the speed of the L with so many stops, so many people, and of course the fun waiting times. How can you even begin to estimate public transit in a city that isn't your own? Ugh. Potential sighting number three: epic fail.

Hustling back to the same train stop we rode the red line for awhile then did a fancy maneuver to switch lines to the pink. We somehow managed to do this successfully without our heads exploding. After all of my researching and planning and diagramming the race course and the L stops, I think this was one time it paid off. We pulled up to the race at mile 19 and waited for Nate to round the bend. I was worried he might be hitting the wall at this point but when we saw his grin we knew he was still kicking major A. Actual sighting number three: success!

And this was where the road forked for us spectators: we wanted to head to mile 23 (where I would jump in with my marathon man!), which gave us about 40 minutes until Nate hit that point. The pink line did not run a straight shot to mile 23, so we needed to do another switcharoo to green if we wanted to get there by L. But my thought was that it would take MUCH longer than 40 minutes to pull it off and thus, we should try a taxi cab. Well funny enough, at mile 19 there was a virtual 'no taxi zone'. We walked over a ways and waited and called and waited and nada. Finally I freaked out and told Tony and Patrick that we were wasting too much time and had to hop back on the L. Total and utter chaos! Since I was planning on jumping in to run with Nate at 23 until the end, I had my number on ready to go. He was expecting me and I wanted to be there for him like I had planned. Thinking of him looking around for me without luck made my heart hurt a little bit.

After waiting for that train for 15 minutes and wasting 15 with our cab idea we had literally 10 minutes to get all the way down to 23. We knew it was impossible so we made what we thought was a great decision to head to the finish instead, and walk back a ways to meet him at 25 or so. At least I could run a mile with him, right?

Well after transferring trains and feeling a bit delirious with the weather and lack of food and whatnot, we somehow missed our effing stop. So we ended up going one more down to stupid mile 23, which was our original plan, but by that time we were 30 minutes later than planned. I was nearly positive we'd missed Nate by a long shot but we still watched the runners go by a bit just in case we were off on our calculations. In my gut I knew we'd missed him and I'd lost my chance to run in any of the race. Now we just had to bust our butts back to the finish (and not miss the freaking stop this time) to try and see him at the end. Missed opportunity number two=Epic fail. Boo!

After waiting for another 20 minutes, we finally boarded the train. I was surprised Nate hadn't called me yet to say he was totally finished but of course, as soon as we got off the train we got the call. He sounded good and apologized for missing me at 23, figuring he just didn't see me. Oh, if he only knew. He said he was walking through the finish area which was total chaos and would meet us at Buckingham fountain. We missed him at 23, I didn't get to run with him, and we didn't even see him finish. And now he'd have to wait at least 30 more minutes for us to even get to him.

Great. Just great.

I had to remind myself that this race was not about me, it was about Nate, and he finished feeling pretty darn good. He wasn't too bummed to run alone and understood our issues with transportation once I explained it to him. And he looked so adorable sitting on the grass by the fountain, you guys. SO cute.

His official time was 4:15:43 which was exactly 3.5 minutes faster than my time last year. We make a pretty good running pair, don't we?

Yes, he is sore. And a bit euphoric. He so deserved this day, you guys, and the cold weather didn't even phase him (of course).

Bottom line: the Chicago Marathon is a FABULOUS race to run with amazing crowd support. It's just not that fun to watch your husband using public transportation in a different city. If we had to do it over again, I think I'd just pick one spot about halfway through to watch and then at the end. I just wanted to see him as much as possible which totally did not happen, obvi. Oh well, you live and learn.

Baby and me are freaking exhausted from walking and riding all over greater Chicago but we are so insanely proud of our guy.

And no, he hasn't mentioned signing up for another one anytime soon. I'm hoping we can both take at least the first part of next year off from big races to focus on parenthood....then maybe FINALLY do a full together as a mom/dad duo. Perhaps third time is a charm?

Eighteen Weeks

Apparently 18 weeks equates a hairy, pointy baby with really ugly dimples and a giant crack down the front. Attractive little sweet potato, right?
And the belly shot, bare tummy:



And shirt down:


Yeah, nothing really new this week to report except that last Wednesday, or 17w3d for those of you detail oriented peeps out there, I started to feel the baby's kicks go from little taps to much stronger jabs. It will catch my attention even if I'm doing something else now which is pretty freaking cool. I even put my hand on my stomach last night as the baby went to town hoping I could feel it from the outside but alas, I think it's still too early for Nate to discover his child's forceful kicks:)

Another big event? I finally succumbed to unbuttoning my pants. It just feels SO good, you guys, and although I can still zip and button just fine it's not very comfortable. It was the last straw when right after lunch one day at work, I couldn't take it anymore and let it all hang out. Of course the rest of the day I was worried I looked like white trash with pants that were gaping open and falling off. So immediately Nate made a trip to Target to get me a Be Band. I was skeptical at first since I really thought they had a hook system to hold on tight to my unbuttoned pants but really, it's just a tight band of fabric. I gave it a go on our way to Chicago with some jeans and I really liked it! It just looks like a long tank under a shirt and you can't even tell my jeans are open in the front, right?



I wore it again today to work and was so much more comfortable. Sure, it's a pain to rearrange it after every bathroom trip but I think it beats sucking it into my pants and feeling restricted. I know I still have a long way to go until maternity pants fit me so this will do for now.

Baby is now a regular gymnast in there, doing flips and kicks and sucking his thumb. Of course, part of me thinks, 'Oh man, if the radiology department would have let me I could be getting my big US this week!' But then the other part thinks that the next two weeks will fly by and we'll be seeing our son or daughter very soon. So.freaking.weird.

Eighteen weeks equals Be Bands and stronger jabs....we are making progress here, people! :)

Marathoner (Nate's post)

Before...alarm went off at 4:15am...foreshadowing!:


After...finished in 4:15:43


95% Irish Wisconsinite...5% Kenyan. My roots helped me endure the conditions (temps in the 30s)! The Kenyans finished some 2 hours before me...but they heard my footsteps.

Julia's post to come...she'll be hard at work maintaining my ibuprofen levels for the next few weeks.

With clothes on, plus Chicago!

As per your request, dear readers, here are two pictures of my belly with shirt down (that makes it sound like I run around lifting my shirt for every picture like a hoochie mama, doesn't it?)

So this is me, at 17.5 weeks, in my work clothes. This is what I look like when I get the majority of my 'OMG you aren't showing, when are you going to look pregnant?' comments.

And really, with a loose shirt you really CAN'T tell that much, right?

But here is me in my lounge wear and when Nate looked through the camera view-finder for this one, he literally said, 'Holy cow.' Yes, literally.

Maybe if I start wearing really tight tops to work everyone will get off my back?

And in other news, this weekend is the Chicago Marathon! If you do recall, both Nate and I were training for this bad boy all summer long until my pending motherhood forced me to step aside for Nate to shine solo on this one. Allow me to collect my thoughts for a second...

One year ago, I completed the Lakefront Marathon without my husband although we both trained together for that one, too. He injured his ankle on our longest training run at 22 miles and basically did not have enough time to devote to running in the midst of his most difficult semester in grad school. And so, what was supposed to be OUR first full marathon became MY first full marathon. Nate was the most amazing supporter ever (aside from my other fans who stuck it out in the cold weather--my in-laws and parents!). He didn't whine about feeling sorry for himself because he couldn't do the race. He simply yelled for me on the sidelines and then ran the last 5 miles with me constantly saying things like, 'You are doing so awesome, baby. I'm so proud of you. You look great and are kicking major A.' Even though I didn't believe him and was a raging witch while he coaxed me through he was my lifesaver. I know, without a shadow of doubt, that my time would have been significantly slower if it were not for my biggest fan. I'm sure I would have finished but I might have had a mental breakdown and...heaven forbid...I might not have beaten Oprah's time without Nate.

So fast forward to this year: we signed up for Chicago in March after I pushed for it, saying that I really wanted to do Chicago and beat my time. Nate decided to saddle up and pray for no injuries this time around and so we began our training together. But of course, when I got knocked up and later could not run at a decent pace to save my life, I had to be smart...just like Nate had to do last year when he was hurt...and bow out. This means that Nate will get to run in his first full marathon without me, just like I did last year. We will be on an even playing field with one and one for fulls:)

But part of me SO wishes I could at least run the last 5 with him. I just know that if I did, I wouldn't help speed him up at all. And if I felt awful, with my thick pregnant blood, I wouldn't want him to worry about me and lose focus on his race. I just don't think I will be helpful, like he was for me. So most likely, I will just cheer him on with all of my might (and baby will be cheering for his Daddy, too) and know that maybe someday we'll actually cross the finish line at Chicago together. Sure we've done two halves together but it's just not the same.

I am so proud of Nate already, you guys. He has kicked major training butt lately and even on the long 22 mile run, he stayed healthy. Training by yourself totally sucks sometimes but he stuck it out. And when I think about seeing him at different points during the race, it makes me a little emotional already. All of his hard work is truly going to pay off this time and the feeling he will experience at the finish line, 26.2 miles behind him, will definitely be indescribable. I know that feeling and how amazing it is. And I cannot wait for him to get his moment in the spotlight.

He's totally going to represent our family like the stud he is....and I betcha a hundred bucks he beats my time from last year. Secretly, I think that might be his goal even though he says he just wants to finish. :)

Here's to Nate, kicking butt in the frigid cold Chicago weather on Sunday morning! I plan on being a psycho photographer wife all day long, don't worry:)

Seventeen weeks

Week of the onion, huh? I'm pretty sure this isn't a fruit but whatev.

And for reals, this is an undeniable bump now:

About freaking time! I'm still wearing my regular pants though but I'm contemplating the Bella Band for the immediate future. Just a little uncomfortable by the end of the day but nothing major yet. With my shirt down you still can't tell I'm pregnant and people are still like, "OMG, you are barely showing! What a small bump! There's hardly anything there" all the freaking time. And I'm all, "Dude, I can tell even if you can't. This is more than bloat, trust me."

Still feeling the little bugger tap and jab, a little more frequently. Still peeing all the freaking time. Still feeling a bit more tired than my usual but highly energized at times, too. But don't worry, all last week I managed to avoid running for no good reason besides not feeling like it. And I was on such a good streak....maybe I'll get back to that sometime soon.

Baby now has finger prints which is pretty sweet, along with fat deposits. I hope he's growing some massive chunk around his thighs and cheeks because I can't wait to squeeze the heck out of his squooshie-ness. :)

On Saturday we attended the fourth and final wedding of the year and of course it was out of state (aren't they all?) in Illinois. It was fun seeing some of our friends and being in the open about my current state. And I'll tell you one thing, when you can't partake in an open bar you become thoroughly obsessed with the food. And OMG, we had the BEST twice baked potatoes, you guys.

So on our drive back home Sunday, Nate and I stopped at Ikea for one specific purchase: I finally committed to a rug for our nursery. It's been quite the emotional roller coaster, let me tell you, from the time I thought they were discontinued because they weren't online, to the time I wasn't sure I REALLY wanted all of that color, to the point where I finally said: "Nate, we are going to buy it and that's it. Take me to Ikea on the trip home, you fool"

But the drama didn't end there. Of course it didn't right? We get to the Swedish mecca and find my beloved rug as if a spotlight shone down from the heavens:

But then my lovely husband turned his head ever so slightly to the right and discovered this somewhat similar number. And thus began the debate of a lifetime:
You see, although I was dead set on my striped rug I was having a difficult time swallowing the price tag of $200. It's a 5x8 and real wool so actually it's not THAT expensive but it might easily be the most pricey part of our nursery. And Nate's version? Only $40 freaking dollars for a slightly smaller, slightly thinner rug. So immediately my mind raced thinking, 'It IS a lot cheaper and has similar colors. Maybe I can make it work even though I've seen it a million times online and never fallen head over heels in love for it, like I did for the Strib". I just felt like I needed to compromise what I truly wanted for what I should pay. Just like the crib: I really WANTED one that was $1000 or even $300 but searched around and made a $40 crib work just fine. I really WANT a rocker that is $300 but will most likely make an old rocking chair work for nearly free. So why not just settle on the rug, too, in the name of finances.

I went round and round while Nate patiently chimed in things like, 'It's your decision, but I really like the Lusy Blom one. But do what you want, you should be happy with the choice.' Then as I sighed and moaned and whined more about this great decision, he said, 'Okay, I'm going to look at the coffee stuff and when I come back, have one of the rugs in the cart. Either way it will be fine. It's just a freaking rug.'

So what did I do? I had my first pregnancy hormone-related breakdown and seriously got teary eyed while staring at these beautimous rugs. I couldn't believe I was freaking crying in Ikea over rugs but then again, I just couldn't help it. At that very moment it seemed like the entire world was resting on this decision and it was just too much to handle. Stupid Estrogen.

But then I pulled it together and made a decision. Yes, the Lusy Blom was cheap and pretty cute but it was less-cohesive in my mind. More difficult to plan bedding and curtains and pillows around that wild pattern. Plus it was off-white as a background which makes me nervous for dog vomit and baby poo....not to mention our bright white furniture would clash with the cream color. And so, my friends, I got the freaking Strib rug and never looked back. Yes, it was $200. But I'm seriously in love with this sucker. I've vacuumed it about 5 times while speaking in baby talk to it. Sometimes I roll around and sing lullaby tunes into the fibers. In the nude. Just kidding about that last part....

Henry totally digs it and thinks it's his new bed:






And because it is too beautiful to have scrunched up on the floor, smashed between the crib and the bed that no longer has a home....I went into full nesting mode and got rid of the bed. I say that like it was no big deal but seriously, it was quite the feat. The bed is now standing upright in our only storage closet....after much purging, cleaning, organizing, and pleading with Nate to stop hoarding crap. Yes, it was quite the ordeal but oh-so-worth it (in my opinion, at least).

Please note that these bare walls, crib, and rug are just SCREAMING 'I'm going to be a nursery, for real!"



I cannot wait to paint the walls now and plan on doing it in the next week or two. I'm strongly leaning towards an aqua for the walls. Then if it's a boy, I'll pull more of the bright greens and oranges for the rest of the room. For a girl, I'll pull pinks and yellows. It's going to be freaking fabulous.

Oh, and besides my beloved rug check out the other purchases:


You know I love me some brightly colored frames and getting 9 of these bad boys for $14 is pretty much a steal. Most of these are two packs and Tthe regular wooden ones will be painted by yours truly, probably a yellow and hot pink. Then comes the real fun of making and/or buying prints. Squeeeeee!


And because I have a thing for giraffes (Nate has always said I resemble this animal more than any other), I just HAD to get this adorable little creature.




I think if Henry could will himself inside the crib to lick the giraffe's face off he would do it in a second. Between the toy and the rug Henry wrongly thinks he's scoring way cool stuff for himself. Poor little buddy just doesn't get it yet.

So that is week seventeen: more of a bump, tears over a rug, and progress with our nursery. Just 3 more weeks until we see the little nugget's face (and other important body parts) at our big ultrasound! Where is the time going?