So, tonight Guy says to me "don't stand like that, it makes your belly look big"
to which I reply, standing normally, "like what? thats just the way it is"
yes, I am getting bigger. and today I really felt like it as I had to go back and forth from my desk to various locations in the building...
and hungry too... I actually debated "stealing" a piece of cake that I saw one of our Operations staff put in the fridge (and, no I didn't... but I thought about it for a minute).
guess I'm lucky tho - I've made it this far without much to complain about!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Home Again
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, or whatever else it is you celebrate!
Guy and I made it home from FL today - another uneventful trip, aside from the 30 mins spent waiting to get off the plane when we arrived in Ft Myers. It was nice to see the family, hang out and relax in the Florida sun for a few days. I will spare you the pics of me in a bikini..... (j/k, you couldn't get me near a swimsuit right now!).
I guess this will be our last trip for awhile now, well at least for me & JP anyway. And that's just fine ~ those long plane/car trips are getting old! I'll let ya'll come and visit me next time :)
Guy and I made it home from FL today - another uneventful trip, aside from the 30 mins spent waiting to get off the plane when we arrived in Ft Myers. It was nice to see the family, hang out and relax in the Florida sun for a few days. I will spare you the pics of me in a bikini..... (j/k, you couldn't get me near a swimsuit right now!).
I guess this will be our last trip for awhile now, well at least for me & JP anyway. And that's just fine ~ those long plane/car trips are getting old! I'll let ya'll come and visit me next time :)
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Baby's first Christmas
Since we're going to be in Florida for Christmas, we decided to open the presents we have here tonight. Aunt MoMo was very good to JP ~ he's going to be one stylin' kid! Thanks Maureen!
Vegas, Baby!
We just got back from our trip to Las Vegas - by the time JP is born, he will have been to 5 states! The intent of this trip was for Guy to be able to get a better feel for what the Vegas Valley is like. I'm not sure how representative this trip was - it snowed the day before we arrived and was quite chilly the entire time we were there.
The flights sucked, of course. No delays or anything, but let's face it - those seats aren't very comfortable to begin with and even less so now (for me anyway). On one leg I was squashed into the window seat. Its a good thing that was the short leg of the flight! I can't tell you how many miles we walked during the course of our stay. Another activity that isn't very high up on my list these days. All in all, a good trip. We drove around some of the neighborhoods, hung out with some old friends and ate good food. A little mellower than my last trip to Vegas... but when you come to visit, I'm sure we'll have a good time ;)
On the baby front, I'm at 30 weeks and have gained just over 30lbs. Lots of movement, but no hard kicks... yet!
The flights sucked, of course. No delays or anything, but let's face it - those seats aren't very comfortable to begin with and even less so now (for me anyway). On one leg I was squashed into the window seat. Its a good thing that was the short leg of the flight! I can't tell you how many miles we walked during the course of our stay. Another activity that isn't very high up on my list these days. All in all, a good trip. We drove around some of the neighborhoods, hung out with some old friends and ate good food. A little mellower than my last trip to Vegas... but when you come to visit, I'm sure we'll have a good time ;)
On the baby front, I'm at 30 weeks and have gained just over 30lbs. Lots of movement, but no hard kicks... yet!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Just for fun...
because I know everyone wants to see my belly....
I've got to admit it's getting bigger
A little bigger all the time
It can't get no worse
I have to admit it's getting bigger, it's getting bigger
Since you've been mine (Getting so much bigger all the time)
I've got to admit it's getting bigger
A little bigger all the time
It can't get no worse
I have to admit it's getting bigger, it's getting bigger
Since you've been mine (Getting so much bigger all the time)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Baby's first road trip
Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! Guy and I spent the day at Linda's with her parents and son. The food and the company were wonderful and although I missed cooking for Thanksgiving, I sure didn't miss the cleanup!!
After Guy got off of work on Friday, we dropped the dogs off at the PetsHotel and headed down to the Coast. We figure it has been a year since the last time we were both down. Poor Guy drove the whole way - most of it raining. As for me, it was hard to get comfortable - just couldn't sit still for any stretch of time. In a day and a half we managed to squeeze in time to visit with all the family and even some friends. Most of it centered around food :)
We were lucky enough to help Brooklynn celebrate her 4th birthday. She is into gymnastics at the moment, so the party was at the gym. I think everyone - kids and adults - had a great time.
It was certainly a quick trip. We turned around to head home on Sunday morning. The trip back wasn't much better for me, although we didn't get any rain 'til after Grenada.
Brooklynn on the balance beam.
Braden gives the rings a try.
Happpy Birthday!
After Guy got off of work on Friday, we dropped the dogs off at the PetsHotel and headed down to the Coast. We figure it has been a year since the last time we were both down. Poor Guy drove the whole way - most of it raining. As for me, it was hard to get comfortable - just couldn't sit still for any stretch of time. In a day and a half we managed to squeeze in time to visit with all the family and even some friends. Most of it centered around food :)
We were lucky enough to help Brooklynn celebrate her 4th birthday. She is into gymnastics at the moment, so the party was at the gym. I think everyone - kids and adults - had a great time.
It was certainly a quick trip. We turned around to head home on Sunday morning. The trip back wasn't much better for me, although we didn't get any rain 'til after Grenada.
Brooklynn on the balance beam.
Braden gives the rings a try.
Happpy Birthday!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
to Doula or not to Doula, that is the question
actually, there's not much question about it. I am pretty set on having a doula present during labor for support. so far, I have met with two... one is training to be a midwife, so she has more of a holistic/medical background. the other started as a doula after the birth of her 1st child (she has 4 now... the littlest one was adopted from china). I will probably meet with at least one more before I make a decision.
so why do I want a doula? well, as you know by now, I am pretty set on having as natural/normal of a childbirth as possible. with labor, one intervention leads to another, so the longer I can put off or avoid interventions the more likely I am to have the style of birth that I envision. induction/epidural lead to IVs and continuous fetal monitoring which restrict movement and make laboring more difficult, which in many cases leads to a c-section. yes, guy is going through the childbirth class, but since he's new to all this too, he might need a little extra support once we get to the hospital. and the nurses aren't there to cater to my needs only... they have all their patients to focus on. so a doula will help us both get through labor and childbirth as comfortably as possible.
so why do I want a doula? well, as you know by now, I am pretty set on having as natural/normal of a childbirth as possible. with labor, one intervention leads to another, so the longer I can put off or avoid interventions the more likely I am to have the style of birth that I envision. induction/epidural lead to IVs and continuous fetal monitoring which restrict movement and make laboring more difficult, which in many cases leads to a c-section. yes, guy is going through the childbirth class, but since he's new to all this too, he might need a little extra support once we get to the hospital. and the nurses aren't there to cater to my needs only... they have all their patients to focus on. so a doula will help us both get through labor and childbirth as comfortably as possible.
Latest Stats
Went to the doctor yesterday for a quick checkup...everyone got a clean bill of health
so far, I have gained 25lbs OMG! and I still have 14 weeks to go...
his heartbeat is still going strong - between 140-150 bpm.
fundal height measured 27 cm, so still within range (should be within 2cm of gestational age)
my next visit is at 28 weeks and after that I go back every 2 weeks...and the real countdown begins when I have to go in every week. whew! that's a lot of doctor appointments!
so far, I have gained 25lbs OMG! and I still have 14 weeks to go...
his heartbeat is still going strong - between 140-150 bpm.
fundal height measured 27 cm, so still within range (should be within 2cm of gestational age)
my next visit is at 28 weeks and after that I go back every 2 weeks...and the real countdown begins when I have to go in every week. whew! that's a lot of doctor appointments!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Should I stay or should I go?
wow. what a week.... as many of you know, harrah's has been contemplating what "to do" with the memphis office. we've been anticipating a decision, and yesterday it was made to completely close the memphis office. there are just over 300 people here in memphis, and about 20% are being offered relocation. i guess i am lucky - i am only of the 50 or so with the opportunity to move. the alternative being stick it out through september (after the data center moves) and take severance.
so on top of a new baby, guy and i have another huge decision to make in the coming weeks.
i guess it could be worse - i could be at citibank where they are laying off fifty thousand people...........
so on top of a new baby, guy and i have another huge decision to make in the coming weeks.
i guess it could be worse - i could be at citibank where they are laying off fifty thousand people...........
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Back to Class
To get ready for the birth of our baby, Guy and I have signed up to take a Bradley method childbirth class. The class is 12 weeks long and meets through the end of January. Last night was just the second class... so far so good. There are 3 other couples in the class ~ small world, the husband of one of the women in the class also used to work at Harrah's.
Anyway, the class is all about preparing for a natural childbirth and what it takes to get there. I have a series of exercises that need to be done daily (which I will do as soon as I am done with this!), relaxation (which for some reason seems to be difficult to make the time for) and for the next four weeks I need to track what I eat for the quantity of protein. I am supposed to have between 80-100grams of protein a day - wow!! Making sure that I eat and drink enough is somewhat difficult at times. I haven't had any funky cravings yet and I'm also not a place where I feel hungry all the time.
The class isn't all about me though. One of the focuses of the Bradley method is that Guy will act as a "coach" to get me through labor. Some of the classes focus strictly on the coaching while others will go through techniques on getting through the first and second stages.
In addition to the class, I am thinking about hiring a doula to assist with labor support. I have a list of recommendations - just need to start interviewing and get that out of the way.
Not much else going on in babyland - I don't go back to the doctor until next week. We did sell the TV stand - my first foray onto Craigs list! and I've bought the paint for the nursery - no VOCs! Guess its time to get down to business before I get too big...
Anyway, the class is all about preparing for a natural childbirth and what it takes to get there. I have a series of exercises that need to be done daily (which I will do as soon as I am done with this!), relaxation (which for some reason seems to be difficult to make the time for) and for the next four weeks I need to track what I eat for the quantity of protein. I am supposed to have between 80-100grams of protein a day - wow!! Making sure that I eat and drink enough is somewhat difficult at times. I haven't had any funky cravings yet and I'm also not a place where I feel hungry all the time.
The class isn't all about me though. One of the focuses of the Bradley method is that Guy will act as a "coach" to get me through labor. Some of the classes focus strictly on the coaching while others will go through techniques on getting through the first and second stages.
In addition to the class, I am thinking about hiring a doula to assist with labor support. I have a list of recommendations - just need to start interviewing and get that out of the way.
Not much else going on in babyland - I don't go back to the doctor until next week. We did sell the TV stand - my first foray onto Craigs list! and I've bought the paint for the nursery - no VOCs! Guess its time to get down to business before I get too big...
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Baby Steps
Finally decided on a theme for the nursery... Kidsline "Play Ball" - teddy bears & sports. Its cute but not too baby-ish. Went ahead and bought the bedding today so that we could find paint that color coordinates well. I think we got it figured out! Blue, of course. The bottom half of the room will be a dark blue and the top will be a couple shades lighter. Instead of a border, we're going to put up a chair rail (Guy has something against wallpaper...) Now we just need to sell that TV Stand and get it out of the way...
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Baby Update
Just a quick update from my Drs. visit last Friday...
His heartrate is still in the normal zone - bouncing around between 140-150 beats per min.
Also, the doctor measured the "fundal height" - ah, here is something new. This is a measurement from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus (approximate). The distance in centimeters should be right about the number of weeks along. While some find this method "antiquated," I guess it is still a good way to track progress without excessive amounts of ultrasounds. The measurement was pretty dead on though - 21cm at 21wks.
So, he's doing just fine at this point!
Another new development is that I can really feel him now. No kicks or jabs yet, just turning somersaults in my belly! Definitely more active in the evenings. Its kinda cool to just lie down on the couch and feel him wiggling around :)
His heartrate is still in the normal zone - bouncing around between 140-150 beats per min.
Also, the doctor measured the "fundal height" - ah, here is something new. This is a measurement from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus (approximate). The distance in centimeters should be right about the number of weeks along. While some find this method "antiquated," I guess it is still a good way to track progress without excessive amounts of ultrasounds. The measurement was pretty dead on though - 21cm at 21wks.
So, he's doing just fine at this point!
Another new development is that I can really feel him now. No kicks or jabs yet, just turning somersaults in my belly! Definitely more active in the evenings. Its kinda cool to just lie down on the couch and feel him wiggling around :)
Friday, October 24, 2008
Burning Ring of Fire
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down down down
The flames they went higher
And it burns burns burns
That ring of fire
That ring of fire
That ring of fire
To put it bluntly, this sucks! I've never been one to get heartburn except on a rare occasion... starting this week, my pregnancy seems to have changed all that. And here it is, almost 3AM and I cannot sleep because of it (yes, I am playing the sympathy card - do I get any?)
I've searched the internet high and low and if I come across one more website with helpful hints on avoiding it, I will scream! What I want/need is a natural remedy that is baby-safe... no drugs (hint: read my last post). So right now I am sitting here drinking a glass of apple cider vinegar water. Which the poster swears by... and it is not doing a damn thing for me.
If I also didn't have a sinus cold at the moment (more sympathy!), I could drink some milk or eat yogurt. But the whole dairy thing won't really play nice with the sinuses. Which I can't take any drugs for either
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Ten Americans
As a mother-to-be, I am inundated with advertising in magazines, parenting websites and even maternity stores to bank my baby's umbilical cord blood. I don't know how long this has been around... maybe a few years? Five? Anyway, for those of you who don't know, the stem cells in the baby's umbilical cord can be "banked" on the chance that at some point your child will develop some disease or illness and then these cells can be used in treatment. Other options for cord blood include donating for research to help find cures.
(By the way ~ for those of you who are against stem cell research, the umbilical stem cells offer a non-controversial way of obtaining the cells. So you might want to re-think in which cases you might approve of this type of research, since this doesn't involve the embryos.)
I don't know yet if Guy and I will choose to bank the cord blood or not... that really isn't the point of my post here tonight :) Bear with me... I am getting to it!
In my nightly trip around the internet, I came across the video "Ten Americans" from the Environmental Working Group .
Well, I certainly learned something new and I hope you all did too! In all the talk about umbilical cord blood, I never have heard, read or would have expected that that many chemicals and toxins would have been found. Even scarier, if its in the umbilical cord blood, guess what ~~ its in my baby too!
We need to wake up and start taking care of our environment, ourselves and our children's futures! Please pass along the link to the video and support the Kid-Safe Act to the update the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 - http://www.ewg.org/kidsafe.
(By the way ~ for those of you who are against stem cell research, the umbilical stem cells offer a non-controversial way of obtaining the cells. So you might want to re-think in which cases you might approve of this type of research, since this doesn't involve the embryos.)
I don't know yet if Guy and I will choose to bank the cord blood or not... that really isn't the point of my post here tonight :) Bear with me... I am getting to it!
In my nightly trip around the internet, I came across the video "Ten Americans" from the Environmental Working Group .
Well, I certainly learned something new and I hope you all did too! In all the talk about umbilical cord blood, I never have heard, read or would have expected that that many chemicals and toxins would have been found. Even scarier, if its in the umbilical cord blood, guess what ~~ its in my baby too!
We need to wake up and start taking care of our environment, ourselves and our children's futures! Please pass along the link to the video and support the Kid-Safe Act to the update the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 - http://www.ewg.org/kidsafe.
Monday, October 13, 2008
*** Happy Birthday Guy ***
We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog to bring to you a very special announcement!
Today is Guy's 30th Birthday... Happy Birthday Guy!!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
When innies become outies...
OMG. I am beginning to feel like a turkey with those popout timers that tell you when its done (supposedly). My nice innie bellybutton has recently decided to come out, literally. Needless to say, the little guy is not even close to being done yet!
Here is a shot of my belly, so you can see for yourself. And yes, I am starting to get a bit round... as I was just telling a friend, its a bit strange when you can't quite bend over to put on your socks and shoes!
Here is a shot of my belly, so you can see for yourself. And yes, I am starting to get a bit round... as I was just telling a friend, its a bit strange when you can't quite bend over to put on your socks and shoes!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
My, how he has grown!
So, our little jellybean is just past the 19wk mark. Not quite half-way, but almost! I went to the dr. for a full fetal anatomy scan today. Everything checked out normal - arms, legs, fingers, toes, all facial features. It was really neat to see the heart beating and pumping blood through it too.
Just "for fun" the tech took some shots with the 3D ultrasound. Thought I would share them with you. Guy says he has his nose... can you tell???
Aww... how cute!
Already sucking his thumb...
Just "for fun" the tech took some shots with the 3D ultrasound. Thought I would share them with you. Guy says he has his nose... can you tell???
Aww... how cute!
Already sucking his thumb...
Monday, September 29, 2008
What's in a name, part II
Guy and I have finally agreed upon a name for the baby. I hear/read lots of stories about people putting in their 2 cents about why they don't like a name or don't think a particular name should be used... so, to that end, I'm not gonna tell you now. Ha! Just gonna have to keep you in suspense for a little while longer.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Found!
The search for a new doctor is over! I met with the 3rd and final potential doc today and by the end of the appointment decided that she was the one. So there is one thing to cross of the ever-growing list of to-dos!
Why I like Dr Wilson - she has a warm personality, the meeting wasn't ever awkward in any way and she made sure that I asked all my questions and she even asked me some "what do you think about x, y, z" to make sure we really did cover everything, and she'll definitely work with me on a birth plan for a natural/normal childbirth. Bonus: she delivers at the hospital that is 2 miles from my house - yay!
While I was there, we listened to the baby's heartbeat. He's going strong, right around 150bpm. Go Bump!
Why I like Dr Wilson - she has a warm personality, the meeting wasn't ever awkward in any way and she made sure that I asked all my questions and she even asked me some "what do you think about x, y, z" to make sure we really did cover everything, and she'll definitely work with me on a birth plan for a natural/normal childbirth. Bonus: she delivers at the hospital that is 2 miles from my house - yay!
While I was there, we listened to the baby's heartbeat. He's going strong, right around 150bpm. Go Bump!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
All Quiet on the Western Front
Yes, I realize it has been over a week since my last post. Quite honestly, there's not a lot to report at this time. I'm still looking for a new doc (I have my final consultation this week), still looking at nursery furniture, still shopping for a new car, and Guy & I are still playing with names.
At least we have all the choices narrowed down... its just a matter of making a decision (and spending a few $$$ in the process!)
So stay tuned... I'm sure I'll have more to report here shortly!
At least we have all the choices narrowed down... its just a matter of making a decision (and spending a few $$$ in the process!)
So stay tuned... I'm sure I'll have more to report here shortly!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What's in a name?
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
~ Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene II
For those of you who don't already know, Guy's full name is Guy Dennis Guidry, Jr. Seeing as our baby is a boy, he would like to name him (yep, you guessed it) Guy Dennis Guidry, III. Now the name is fine - for my guy. But for the little one, I would like him to have his own identity. Its already confusing enough when we go to visit his dad ~ we've got big Guy and little Guy. So now what will we have? Baby Guy, Old Guy?
Please, don't tell me "well, you can call him Trey." Not to offend anyone, but I don't really care for that. And Trip just sounds too preppy. Besides, what's the point of giving someone a name that you'll never call them by, unless you are screaming at them at the top of your lungs to stop whatever it is that they are doing and get their butt to the dinner table?
I would like to know your thoughts, 1 vote per visitor please... See the poll over to the left.
Monday, September 8, 2008
On the baby front
Oh yea, you all might just be a little interested as to what's going on with the little guy growing inside of me (hmm...does it sound kinda weird stated that way? kinda like Alien or something!)
Anyway, at the last dr visit, all they did was check the heart rate, which is still going strong at about 145bpm.
You will all be happy to know that my weight is at an all time high (no, I'm not telling, but its still lower than the baby's heartrate!). I'm sure a new record will be broken on a weekly basis - kinda like gas prices were for awhile there. I have finally broken down and bought some maternity pants...not the full-on, over-the-belly kind. And ya know what? They are actually pretty dang comfortable!
Anyway, at the last dr visit, all they did was check the heart rate, which is still going strong at about 145bpm.
You will all be happy to know that my weight is at an all time high (no, I'm not telling, but its still lower than the baby's heartrate!). I'm sure a new record will be broken on a weekly basis - kinda like gas prices were for awhile there. I have finally broken down and bought some maternity pants...not the full-on, over-the-belly kind. And ya know what? They are actually pretty dang comfortable!
What's Up Doc?
sooooooo..... Iamthisclose to switching doctors. Well, in my mind I already have even though I haven't officially done it yet. It is surprising the number of women I talk to that either switched or wish they switched. Its not that I feel my current doc is a bad doctor - I just don't think he is interested in me or my pregnancy all that much. And what does that say for how he will be during labor? Oh, and lets not forget the fact that the practice is more of an advertisement for cosmetic surgery than women's health. And that their billing office can't get a damn thing right! Although that is minor in the scheme of things... If I liked my doc I would put up with endless calls to Cigna and the billing dept. But I don't. So back to my main point, I am switching.
Those of you who know me would laugh. I am armed with a spreadsheet of potential doctors, all received through references in the local natural childbirth scene. The spreadsheet has basic stuff like what hospital they are affiliated with, who is in/out of network, phone number, etc. It also has a list of questions that I am going to ask, which I probably should have asked my current doc, if he wasn't too busy trying to push me out of the exam room and over to the billing department. For those of you interested, here's the list:
1. I would like to have a natural childbirth, with as little intervention as possible. What labor practices do you use routinely?
2. I am interested in learning as much as possible about pregnancy and childbirth. What books / websites would you recommend?
Tangent: more books to add to the shelf! The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving birth with confidence and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation
3. I have signed up to take a childbirth class based on the Bradley method. What do you think about it?
Tangent 2: if anything, I will be the most informed pregger chick out there!
4. How do you feel about a doula present for support during labor?
5. For what reasons would you insist on inducing labor? What percentage of your deliveries are initiated by induction? What methods do you use to induce?
6. I would like to labor as long as possible prior to a caesarean section. For what reasons would you advise having a caesarean?
Wish me luck. My goal is to find a new doctor BEFORE my next visit with the current one!
Those of you who know me would laugh. I am armed with a spreadsheet of potential doctors, all received through references in the local natural childbirth scene. The spreadsheet has basic stuff like what hospital they are affiliated with, who is in/out of network, phone number, etc. It also has a list of questions that I am going to ask, which I probably should have asked my current doc, if he wasn't too busy trying to push me out of the exam room and over to the billing department. For those of you interested, here's the list:
1. I would like to have a natural childbirth, with as little intervention as possible. What labor practices do you use routinely?
2. I am interested in learning as much as possible about pregnancy and childbirth. What books / websites would you recommend?
Tangent: more books to add to the shelf! The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving birth with confidence and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation
3. I have signed up to take a childbirth class based on the Bradley method. What do you think about it?
Tangent 2: if anything, I will be the most informed pregger chick out there!
4. How do you feel about a doula present for support during labor?
5. For what reasons would you insist on inducing labor? What percentage of your deliveries are initiated by induction? What methods do you use to induce?
6. I would like to labor as long as possible prior to a caesarean section. For what reasons would you advise having a caesarean?
Wish me luck. My goal is to find a new doctor BEFORE my next visit with the current one!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Heading South - Update
just wanted to let everyone know that we are back in memphis. keep your fingers crossed for family and friends that live on the gulf!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Oh boy!
Got a call from the doctor's office yesterday. My CVS test results are in... first and foremost, the results are normal...whew! What a sigh of relief! Secondly, the test is able to tell the baby's gender. It just so happens that all preliminary indications happened to be correct. Our baby is a BOY. Guy, of course, is ecstatic about the news. Now I just have to stop him from putting up an 8x12 mural of Yankee stadium in the baby's room......
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Heading South
Guy and I are heading out of town this weekend to Lafayette, LA for his dad's wedding. We leave there on Sunday AM, plenty of time to get back to Memphis before Gustav makes its way out of the Gulf.
Have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Pushed
Just finished reading "Pushed - The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care" by Jennifer Block. What an eye-opener! I guess not having kids or friends nearby who have recently given birth, I was pretty ignorant on the whole process. Now, however, I feel armed with information and have a pretty clear idea of what I do and don't want when it comes time to actually give birth.
If you know me at all, you probably already guessed that I would want a natural childbirth. No pitocin for me, thank you very much! And while I'm not saying I won't end up screaming for an epidural in the end, at least I now know there are different levels of epidurals ;)
Here's a list of some of the other books I am reading:
Your Pregnancy, week by week ~ Curtis & Schuler. Like the title says, a basic guide to what's going on with me and the baby week by week
Magical Beginnings, Encanted Lives ~ Deepak Chopra. If you've read or heard of Chopra, you know he's all about yoga, meditation, ayurveda, self-awareness, etc.
Celebrating Motherhood ~ Gosline, Bossi & Beanland. This is a collection of essays, poetry, and quotes on motherhood.
If you know me at all, you probably already guessed that I would want a natural childbirth. No pitocin for me, thank you very much! And while I'm not saying I won't end up screaming for an epidural in the end, at least I now know there are different levels of epidurals ;)
Here's a list of some of the other books I am reading:
Your Pregnancy, week by week ~ Curtis & Schuler. Like the title says, a basic guide to what's going on with me and the baby week by week
Magical Beginnings, Encanted Lives ~ Deepak Chopra. If you've read or heard of Chopra, you know he's all about yoga, meditation, ayurveda, self-awareness, etc.
Celebrating Motherhood ~ Gosline, Bossi & Beanland. This is a collection of essays, poetry, and quotes on motherhood.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
It's a ...
don't know yet - ha! however, the chinese sex predictor says it's a boy. and you just don't mess with ancient chinese knowledge.... how many people do you know that its been wrong for???
in all seriousness tho, the ultrasound tech gave her opinion yesterday and she agrees. while she can't confirm 100%, she pointed out that the pelvis appears notched, which would indicate a boy. and no, the arrow is not pointing to what you're thinking!! I think that's his (well, could still be a her...) leg.
in any case, the cvs test will tell us for sure. had it done yesterday... now I just need to wait. and wait. and wait for the results. keep your fingers crossed - no nasty side effects.
here is a better overall pic... you can see the cute little nose and mouth. doesn't look quite so "alien" although if you want that, I've got those pics too!!
stay tuned!
in all seriousness tho, the ultrasound tech gave her opinion yesterday and she agrees. while she can't confirm 100%, she pointed out that the pelvis appears notched, which would indicate a boy. and no, the arrow is not pointing to what you're thinking!! I think that's his (well, could still be a her...) leg.in any case, the cvs test will tell us for sure. had it done yesterday... now I just need to wait. and wait. and wait for the results. keep your fingers crossed - no nasty side effects.
here is a better overall pic... you can see the cute little nose and mouth. doesn't look quite so "alien" although if you want that, I've got those pics too!!
stay tuned!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Decisions, decisions....
Throughout the pregnancy, I know that Guy and I will need to make lots (hundreds? thousands?) of decisions... what color to paint the room, what to name the baby, pampers or cloth diapers, etc etc etc. However, I was not fully prepared for the weight of this first important decision that has been tossed my way -- do I want genetic screening to test for downs syndrome?
For those of you who did not know, I am OLD to be having a baby. The risks for chromosomal defects go up along with the mother's age. I know lots of people who were my age or older when they became pregnant and they all had healthy babies.
The doctor has offered me choices... sequential screening, which could lead to amniocentesis if the risk is high or chorionic villus sampling (aka CVS, not to be confused with the pharmacy!). On one hand, sequential screening sounds good -- the test involves screening my blood, so there is no risk to the baby. But it is not as effective as amnio or CVS -- only 90% accurate with potential false positive/negative results. And, if the results indicate high risk, well, I'm off to have a needle inserted through my belly anyway for the amnio... CVS, while a bit riskier since it is intrusive, offers more peace of mind. The cells being sampled are from the placenta which have the same chromosomes as the baby. About as accurate as you can get in the testing world. It is also done earlier in the pregnancy, which would give me more time to prepare for the worst.
We haven't made a decision yet which route to take, but I don't have long... the CVS procedure, if we opt to have it done, needs to be done in the next couple of weeks. Part of me says to do it, since it is the most accurate. I guess you'll have to come back and read more to find out which way we decided to go...
For those of you who did not know, I am OLD to be having a baby. The risks for chromosomal defects go up along with the mother's age. I know lots of people who were my age or older when they became pregnant and they all had healthy babies.
The doctor has offered me choices... sequential screening, which could lead to amniocentesis if the risk is high or chorionic villus sampling (aka CVS, not to be confused with the pharmacy!). On one hand, sequential screening sounds good -- the test involves screening my blood, so there is no risk to the baby. But it is not as effective as amnio or CVS -- only 90% accurate with potential false positive/negative results. And, if the results indicate high risk, well, I'm off to have a needle inserted through my belly anyway for the amnio... CVS, while a bit riskier since it is intrusive, offers more peace of mind. The cells being sampled are from the placenta which have the same chromosomes as the baby. About as accurate as you can get in the testing world. It is also done earlier in the pregnancy, which would give me more time to prepare for the worst.
We haven't made a decision yet which route to take, but I don't have long... the CVS procedure, if we opt to have it done, needs to be done in the next couple of weeks. Part of me says to do it, since it is the most accurate. I guess you'll have to come back and read more to find out which way we decided to go...
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
10wks, 4 days... its alive!!
Had my first of many OB appointments today... doc couldn't find the baby's heartbeat so he had an ultrasound done. I got to see the baby and hear her heartbeat (ok, so we don't know yet if the baby is a boy or girl, but one can dream, right?)
Thought I would share the pic with you... the first of many, I'm sure :)
Thought I would share the pic with you... the first of many, I'm sure :)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
9 weeks
OK, so its been a couple of weeks since my last post. Really though, not much going on yet... I go back to the Dr in another week. By that time, he says he should be able to detect the baby's heartbeat.
Still no morning sickness. For that I should be glad!! A bit of queasiness here and there, but that's it. It is a chore trying to make sure I eat enough - in general and the "right" food. And don't get me started on the food that I'm not supposed to eat. I thought it was bad when sushi was the only thing on the list but now I've been told no soft cheeses - ie: feta, bleu, gorgonzola, goat.... What's next???
Not much to see yet either. I haven't gained much weight - maybe a pound or two. However, some of my clothes are starting to not fit quite right. Too early for maternity clothes and too late to buy anything new. So, if you see me wearing the same outfits over and over again, you know why! And, yes, I did wash them in-between wearings ;)
Well, almost bed-time (yes, I am more tired lately). Talk to you all later!
Still no morning sickness. For that I should be glad!! A bit of queasiness here and there, but that's it. It is a chore trying to make sure I eat enough - in general and the "right" food. And don't get me started on the food that I'm not supposed to eat. I thought it was bad when sushi was the only thing on the list but now I've been told no soft cheeses - ie: feta, bleu, gorgonzola, goat.... What's next???
Not much to see yet either. I haven't gained much weight - maybe a pound or two. However, some of my clothes are starting to not fit quite right. Too early for maternity clothes and too late to buy anything new. So, if you see me wearing the same outfits over and over again, you know why! And, yes, I did wash them in-between wearings ;)
Well, almost bed-time (yes, I am more tired lately). Talk to you all later!
Friday, July 11, 2008
6wks 4 days
Well, I've never been much of a blogger. I spend too much time around computers at work to really want to have much to do with them when I'm at home. But I figured I'd give it another go so that y'all can stay up to day on Baby G's progress.
Found out positively that I am positive earlier this week. Had suspicions, but also my doubts (after all, I've never done this before!!) My friend Linda thinks I'm insane for not having spent the 10 bucks or whatever it is for a home test... I rationalize that I already had the Dr appointment anyway, so why not just wait.
Can't tell much of anything yet. Clothes still fit. No morning sickness so far either... although I find myself "tasting" the food in my head first. Weird? Maybe, but there has been food that I don't want after I've thought about it for a moment. Oddly enough, nothing out of the ordinary. And I still want Sushi.
Guy claims to be stressed. Then again, he told everyone he knows within 30 mins of receiving the news. So I'd say he's just a tad bit excited. I am happy with the news as well, just a bit more reserved about it.
'nuff for now. I can't give it all away in the first post if I want to keep you coming back for the next 9 months. Stay tuned!
Found out positively that I am positive earlier this week. Had suspicions, but also my doubts (after all, I've never done this before!!) My friend Linda thinks I'm insane for not having spent the 10 bucks or whatever it is for a home test... I rationalize that I already had the Dr appointment anyway, so why not just wait.
Can't tell much of anything yet. Clothes still fit. No morning sickness so far either... although I find myself "tasting" the food in my head first. Weird? Maybe, but there has been food that I don't want after I've thought about it for a moment. Oddly enough, nothing out of the ordinary. And I still want Sushi.
Guy claims to be stressed. Then again, he told everyone he knows within 30 mins of receiving the news. So I'd say he's just a tad bit excited. I am happy with the news as well, just a bit more reserved about it.
'nuff for now. I can't give it all away in the first post if I want to keep you coming back for the next 9 months. Stay tuned!