Did you miss me?

Wow. It has been quite awhile since I last posted a Julien update, hasn't it? It's not like I've been busy or anything..... ha! But here I am. Friday night, 7:30. Julien is asleep. Guy is at the Yankees meetup victory party. I *could* be playing another marathon of bejeweled blitz on Facebook, but I decided to give ya'll a little peek into what our little man has been up to this past month.

So on the developmental front, Julien is "cross-crawling" now. This is the style where baby moves the opposite arm/leg in crawling. And he's getting quick about it too! Not walking yet, but still pulling up on everything from the coffee table, to mom and dad. Better balance, not such a weeble wobble. From time to time he will "forget" and let go with both hands (well, most of the time he is only holding on with one hand and holding a toy in the other). He can hold it for a split second... anything longer and baby go boom! When he means to go down, however, he does so with control.

The teeth have been coming in fast and furious. All four lower incisors have cut through, one of the top incisors is in and I can see the other 3 right behind. Needless to say, we have bought stock in tylenol. I don't know what it is, but he doesn't care for the cold teethers very much... I'm thinking about getting Sophie the giraffe. I hear she's a hit!
(yes, I know... you can't see his teeth in this picture. I keep trying.. I must have taken 100 pics and still no teeth in plain view! he's very shy about showing them off!)


Julien's weight gain has slowed down quite a bit. Not sure if its all the extra activity or what. Not worried - he still has rolls and not only is he still nursing, but he is also eating a variety of cereal, fruits and veggies. No jarred baby food for my little man. Its all fresh, steamed, blended and frozen. All the fruits are his favorite - bananas, pears, peaches. All I have to do is wave a spoonful of pears under his nose and as soon as he smells it the mouth is open. Green beans don't quite make the hit list, but he can be enticed to eat them if "hidden" with fruit. Yep, already tricking him into eating his veggies.

Last weekend was Halloween. Harrah's had decorating and trick-or-treat at the office for the kiddies. So, I picked up Julien early from daycare and we paraded him around in his oh-so-cute Chewbacca costume. Felt bad for the neighborhood kids... trick-or-treating time coincides with Julien's bedtime routine so I had to keep the lights out. I've never purposely evaded trick-or-treaters before, but they don't have to deal with a cranky crying baby!

I guess that's all for now... I've rambled on long enough. 'Til next time. and hopefully you don't need to wait another month!

My, how time flies!

Yes, it has been over a month since my last blog post. I haven't gone and dropped off the face of the earth... just busy working and being a mom! Which, by the way, is changing and growing -- almost daily it seems!

Since my last entry, Julien has gotten a bit more mobile. He sits up very well now without any kind of support. He will also reach waaaaay over to pick up a toy (or grab at a dog) and right himself back up without toppling over. Hasn't quite figured out getting onto all fours this way just yet. But crawling isn't going to be his thing. Oh no sir, this boy is going straight to walking! His favorite thing to do these days is have someone hold onto his fingers while he pulls himself up to standing. He will do this over and over and over (and over) again. And while he's up he just wobbles around as he tries to find his legs. Its something like a cross between a drunk and the Ally McBeal dancing baby ~ but not as creepy ;)



Julien has also gotten a lot better at entertaining himself. In fact, right now, I hear him "talking" in his crib. Yes, he is quite the talker... "ba ba ba" "da da da" and the occasional "ma" come out. When he's happy, when he's mad... the only difference is the tone accompanying the babble.

When Julien turned 6mos we started to feed him some additional food as well. Bananas and avocado are the two he has had so far. And not "baby food" -- real bananas and avocados; peeled, mashed and mixed with a little breastmilk for consistency. From what I understand from Julien, everything goes good with breastmilk!

Uh oh, the talking has gone from happy baby to "hey mom, where are you" ... gotta run!

Mmmm Mmmm Good!

Today was Julien's big day... rice cereal! Another first for our little man, and he was a natural. I was expecting him to resist, not know what to do with this strangely textured milk in his mouth, not knowing when to swallow. A little surprised, but not really given the fact that he's been following my fork from plate to mouth at dinner lately. I actually made more of a mess spilling the bowl than he did eating!












Now I just need to make sure not to overfeed him. I started with the "recommended" amount for first feeding - 1Tbs of cereal to 3-4 Tbs of milk. I think I spilled about half, so when he was done I mixed up some more. And he still wanted more.... more reading and research for me now. I've read somewhere that babies who gain weight more quickly in the first 6mos are more likely to be obese at 3 in our "supersize me" world.

Feed me Seymour!

Julien is coming up on 5mos... hard to believe, isn't it??? I've started to think about introducing him to "solid" food... solid, that is if rice cereal slurry is considered solid. This past week we've started getting ready... baby spoons in bright colors and a box of organic (no GEI) rice cereal have been purchased. We even took Julien to Babies 'R Us yesterday to try out some high chairs. We decided to go with the Chicco... it seems pretty comfy and has a nice large tray with removable inserts. Sorry Babies 'R Us, I ordered it online... found a place that was way less expensive, plus no sales tax or shipping. I can wait a few extra days for it. After all, I said we are getting ready to start. Haven't pulled the trigger yet!

Here's a pic of the chair, and no it is not pink.. it is blue and tan.


And here's a few pics of Julien that I took yesterday. He is sitting up pretty good supported now, still a little wobbly but I can tell he is using those abs to pull himself forward/back when he goes a bit too far. Of course, if he goes way to far one way or the other, he will fall.

Got Teeth?

So, I think I know why Julien was not feeling so well a couple of weeks ago... last Thursday I just happened to notice two little teeth sticking out through the gum line, bottom center. They are so cute. But poor little guy, it must hurt. He hasn't been sleeping as well the past few nights and lucky me.... I get to play the part of "Human Pacifier" for (what seems like) hours on end. And they may be small, but man, when he chomps down it hurts!

Side note... went for his 4-month well vist two weeks ago. Julien is now 16lbs, 10ozs. Still 24.5in long. Yes, quite short and chunky, nothing at all like his mommy... must take after his dad :)



P.S. Getting a shot with teeth was not easy... so sorry if this is a little blurry!

Poor Boo Boo

Poor little booboo (yes, that is our "baby" name for Julien. not sure where it came from, but it has stuck! sometimes its just boo, or little boo, sometimes boo-bear...). Last week he had a fever on Monday. His/our first. I stayed home with him and took him to the doctor. No other symptoms with the fever, so not sure what happened....

And now, a week later, he has a cold. Poor little guy was so stuffy last night. I know he wasn't sleeping very well. I wasn't either, since I slept sitting up with him in my lap so I could keep him a bit more upright. The things we do for our kids! So far it doesn't seem too terribly bad. No fever, his nose is running clear. Drinking plenty of fluids and plenty of wet diapers. He hates the saline drops and aspirator that we use to help clear things up.

I feel so bad for him. There is only so much we can do. I guess the main thing is to hold him and love him. Which we do anyway, just more so right now :) Oh, and wipe his nose, over and over and over again...

Get better booboo!

Musings

I just put Julien to bed for the second time tonight. I love when he falls asleep in my arms. He looks so sweet and innocent.



It is times like these that I think "I could have another one." But then I remember...

* that I haven't had a full night's sleep since he was born. Yes, I can function through the day, but just thinking about sleep without being woken up multiple times is more fantasy than reality. I just read today too that it takes breastfed babies longer to sleep through the night than their bottle-fed counterparts. I forget why tho...yes, short-term memory loss is part of the lack of sleep!
* that I'll probably be 40 (or darn close to it) before Julien's brother or sister comes along. It's been challenging enought with one, I can't imagine taking care of another little one AND Julien. On top of being exhausted all the time all over again, I also have to worry about an increase in problems (for me and the baby) during pregnancy. I had such a good pregnancy with Julien... I would probably be pressing my luck for a repeat.
* the economy is still crap. Guy and I have been lucky in that we both have jobs. Yes, I took a pay cut and it took Guy a bit longer to get hired on this time around than the last time he was searching. Can I bring another child into the world in these uncertain times? Of course, I look around and see pregnant women and women with small children everywhere. It doesn't look like having children has slowed down as the economy has worsened. In fact, I bet the statistics show that it has actually increased. As I seem to recall, there was a baby-boom in MS/LA after Hurricane Katrina. Something to do with not much else to do.....

So for all the reasons I can come up with for not having another one, why do I find myself contemplating it? I've even started looking for a doctor that is pro-VBAC. Just keeping my options open, I suppose. Who knows, maybe we'll just get another dog instead :)

Julien goes to Daycare

After 2 weeks of private care in the home of a lady I used to work with, Julien will be heading out into the world and going to daycare. It is unfortunate the in-home care did not work out, due to some health concerns on her part. So, last week I looked a 3 daycare facilities and made the tough choice deciding on one. Starting Monday, Julien will be going to Kids R Kids... I hope he enjoys it!

One nice thing about this facility is that there is internet-monitoring. So I can see my little boo boo during the day, which is one thing I couldn't do before. Hmm... I hope its accesible through our company firewall...

The whole daycare thing has had be re-thinking vaccinations to a certain degree. I've been delaying Hepatitis B. I really didn't see it as being an issue with private care/limited contact. But in reading more about it, I think I will go ahead and start the series. For those of you who don't know, Hep B spreads through blood exchange of an infected person to a non-infected person. Most young children with Hep B have no symptoms. So, being in a daycare setting, I'm thinking, what if another child bites my child? If that child is infected, then Julien could get it too. On the flip side, I still think delaying IPV (Polio) will be safe....

Last Sunday was Father's Day ~ here's a pic of Guy and Julien on their first Father's Day!

Not much

Not much going on, just thought I'd add a new pic for all ya'll. Julien in his new bebePod "chair" - great way to help strengthen those abs without doing traditional "tummy time"

3months... wow!

Julien turned 3 months yesterday.


We went to the new Dr. in LV earlier this week for a couple of shots (HiB and pc - or prevnar). He did not like that AT ALL! Poor baby... Of course, he also got measured while we were there. 15lbs and 24.25in ~ oh my, what a big boy!

I think I like his new ped, Dr. Hyun ~ she is pro-breastfeeding and open to an alternative vac schedule. The office isn't as nice as our soc in Memphis tho.... but its the doctor that counts, so we'll go back.

Other developments.... Julien "talks" quite a bit and he can get LOUD. Don't know where he gets that from as Guy and I are both fairly quiet. Still working on rolling. Tummy time is not his favorite... What he does like though is water and the bath. He kicks and splashes and will stay in the tub until he looks like a little prune!

Rock 'n Roll

ok, mostly roll.... for all of our family and friends who can't get to see Julien in person, here's a short video on his latest feat - rolling to the side! (you don't have to watch all 3 minutes... unless you want to - I don't think he'll mind)

I'm a big boy now!

It is truly amazing how much Julien has grown - not just since he was born, but in the last month or so. He is well over 13lbs now and is covered in baby fat! He is also starting to do things like - hold onto rattles, lift his head and shoulders up in tummy time, and roll - just a bit - to the side.

We've been busy in Vegas catching up with old friends and hanging out with some of the other Memphis transplants. Of course, Julien is the star of the show. Even got to see Gamma Jill for a few hours on her way back home from Best Friends.

Here are a few pics until my next post...

Greetings from Las Vegas!

Well, a new chapter has begun in the life of little Julien - we have officially completed our move to Las Vegas! Still unpacking boxes but it is starting to come together quite nicely. The house is smaller than our house in Memphis, although about equivalent to the downstairs. The yard, on the other hand, is much much smaller. Fortunately for the dogs there is a small patch of grass. Need to work on the sprinkler system though before it all dies!

Here's whats been going on since my last post...

Papa Guy and Grandma Carolyn came to visit while we were still in Memphis. We had a nice weekend with them and enjoyed some Central BBQ one last time. The next weekend we drove down to the Coast for a visit with Granny (Judy) and PawPaw (Dave), Great-Grandma Jean and Great-PawPaw. I thought there was going to be a fight between the grandmas and aunts over who got to hold him! The drive was long as always, but Julien slept most of the way up and down. While on the Coast we also got to visit with Kaye and Kellye.

Julien had his 2mo. checkup a couple weeks early. He had DTaP and Rotavirus vaccinations. I am holding of on the others just a bit. I would have delayed them all if it wasn't for the move, but I didn't feel comfortable having him around a lot of people at the airports without Rotavirus and Pertussis (which only comes as part of DTaP these days...). He has grown quite a bit since his 2wk checkup - he now weighs 11lb 9oz and is 22in long. Still a shorty as far as the averages go... 25% percentile for length, but 50% for weight. He's just a day shy of 9 weeks now and last time I weighed him "unoffically," he was 12lb 9oz.

He has found his hands and tries to suck on his fingers but he hasn't quite figured out he has to open up his fist for that, so he usually just ends up sucking on the side of his hand. Still doesn't like tummy time too much, but he can raise his head up and hold it pretty good now. He also doesn't bobble his head as much when being held.

The flight to Vegas was uneventful. Julien fell asleep at the airport before we boarded and somehow managed to sleep the ENTIRE way to Vegas. He didn't even wake up or cry during takeoff and landing... absolutely amazing!! We stayed with Brandon and Jamie (co-worker/friend from Memphis who have also moved to LV) for a couple of days until daddy arrived with the dogs and our stuff was delivered at the house. Brandon and Jamie have a 2yr old - Kyra - who was totally into the baby.

Yes, I know this post is all over the place. A little disorganized, just like me lately! Hopefully once things start to settle down and we get into a routine I'll be able to keep the blog more up-to-date. I promise.... really!!

One month old

have ya'll given up on me? I realize I haven't posted in awhile. let's just say I've been busy :) julien is getting big - he weighs just under 10lbs according to the new digital scale I bought specifically for the purpose of weighing him. must be all that good milk he is getting ;) speaking of milk, I have started pumping so that daddy and others can give him a bottle. I was a little concerned that he wouldn't take a bottle but I was wrong! he took it on the first try and sucked it all up! good boy :)

not only is julien getting bigger, but he is developing in other ways too. he has found his hands and feet and loves to kick. he will also follow objects with his eyes - like the mobile in his pack and play. he'll just watch those teddy bears go 'round and 'round. oh, and he smiles... big baby smiles :) and talks baby talk "goo"

for those of you that haven't seen him lately, here is a short vid.

Two Weeks

Where does the time go? Julien was two weeks old yesterday... amazing! In the past week, Julien has gained 1lb - he is now up to 7lbs, 15oz. Apparently, my milk came in full strength and he is getting plenty of it (even with the spitup)! He hasn't gotten any longer yet - still at 19.5in.


There are days where I think we're getting close to a "routine" - definable periods of sleeping, eating, and being awake/alert. But then we get to the next day and it is completely different. Unfortunately, like most babies, Julien likes to sleep more during the day and is up every other hour at night. Mom is tired, although I think I am getting used to the schedule and don't look so out of it (but you'll have to ask Guy.. I may have just forgotten what I used to look like!).

Doc gave us the OK to try out a pacifier. However, Julien will not take it. If/when it gets inside his mouth, he just pushes it right out. Maybe this is for the best - I'd hate to be trying to get him to give it up when he gets "too old" for one when I'm the one who pushed it on him in the first place. This does limit our pacification options tho as sometimes nothing else but getting that sucking reflex satisfied.

We had a good visit with Gamma Jill. She got into town on Wednesday and left this afternoon. It was nice to have some extra help in the day while Guy was at work, even if the help was just watching Julien so I could take a nap!!

Update - Day 6

For those of you following little Julien's health status, I am happy to say his jaundice has gone down to levels that are no longer a risk. When we went to the pediatrician on Tues, the total/direct level was at 12.9 (which was already slightly down from where it had been). We kept him on the biliblanket and went back again today. While he still has slight jaundice, the measurement is 8.5, which means the jaundice is no longer a threat. Yay! No more biliblanket!!

In addition to the jaundice going down, his weight is going up. He has already gained back the weight he lost after birth and surpassed it by an ounce. Yes, he is a little piggie when I can get him to stay awake long enough to eat!

Mom and Dad are doing well too, altho a little sleepy. I think I have finally lost that "glazed" look in my eyes and am not too sore from the c-section. Guy is great with Julien and a big help around the house.

Thanks to everyone for the congratulations and well wishes!

Julien has arrived!

If you haven't heard by now (and if you haven't heard, you must be living under a rock with no phone or internets), Julien Paul came into this world at 11:33PM on Friday, March 13th. At birth he weighed 6lbs 14ozs, 19.5in long with lots of dark hair. My first view was in an spinal haze across the operating room -- it would be a few more hours before I could be with him. Poor little guy had an elevated heart rate and was "grunting" (another term for having some breathing issues) so spent his first few hours in the NICU.

From the start of my pregnancy, I had hoped to have a natural childbirth. And up until the end, my labor was fairly "textbook" - contractions coming at regular intervals for the right duration, cervix dilating at 1cm / hour, etc. etc. However, towards the end it became clear that a change a plans would be needed. His heartrate was very high and on top of being occiput posterior, his poor little head was getting swollen from bumping into the side of the cervix instead of through the middle. While my doctor did offer up other options besides a c-section, I felt it would only prolong the inevitable and perhaps make things worse for Julien. For the RIGHT reasons, c-sections are definitely OK and I felt that this was indeed the right situation.

We spent 3 days in the hospital before being released Monday afternoon. My doc was ready to release me on Sunday, but Julien developed jaundice at levels that the pediatrician and nurses felt needed some extra observation and preventative measures. He's been on a biliblanket since Saturday evening and is starting to do better. Poor little guy has had his heel pricked so many times for blood :( At least he gets a break now until Thursday.

When I get more time (ha! what's that?!?) I will fill in more details on the story leading up to the birth and recent events. Until then, we will just be getting to know our new little bundle of joy at home.

Pineapple Express

Yesterday morning, I ate an entire pineapple for breakfast. Do you know how much pineapple that is??? Well, I'll tell ya... it's an awful lot! Why pineapple, you ask? The enzyme bromelian in it is supposed to soften the cervix and bring on labor. It has to be fresh, not canned, and it needs to be eaten in one sitting. Unfortunately, other than making my tongue raw, it didn't do anything :(

So today, on to the next installment of natural induction -- acupuncture. Will let you know how that goes. It can take up to 24 hours to take effect, so not expecting anything to magically happen this afternoon but ya never know!

One Week

The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part

~ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

One week. Overdue... like a library book, that will be $1 please. To go...the countdown timer is on. Mom and baby are both perfectly healthy, but doc draws the line at 42 weeks. So, sometime this week Julien will either decide its time to come out on his own or extra measures will be taken. If I don't go into labor before Sunday at 7:30PM, we will be at the hospital getting induced. I've also talked to my doctor and doula about a castor oil "cocktail." While still not a natural way of going into labor, it is not a medical intervention which means a) we'd still be able to stay at home as long as its comfortable to; b) we wouldn't be on continuous monitoring; and c) we're not on the hospital's clock. So.... for those of you who know what castor oil does, yes, I'm not entirely looking forward to it. It may or may not get my labor going. But it still somehow seems preferable over cervidil (and possibly pitocin).

Even though I knew this was a very real possibility, I was a bit disappointed/saddened by the news this morning. Logically, I know it shouldn't bother me. I will be happy to have a healthy baby. But emotionally, I guess I am still hoping everything goes "normally."

Childbirth Education hits 100,000

well, my blog will probably never get 100,000 hits, but thats quite alright. I've kept it pretty private amongst friends and family. but kathy over at woman to woman childbirth education has gotten that many hits - yay kathy! to celebrate, she is giving away a copy of the book Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy by Laura Keegan. This seems like a really neat book on breastfeeding - I might buy it even if I don't win it :) You can check it out here.

Friday Afternoon

What I'd like to be doing.... having a baby!!!

What I've been doing.... walking (and reporting the pool company dumping dirt in the empty lot to the city), laundry, getting things ready for the baby, eating, getting rid of unneccesary kitchen crap, wasting time on the internet.

Yes, I am "officially" 3 days late now. That's OK ~ ultrasound of amniotic fluid levels checked out good on Wednesday. Fluid needed to be at 5cm and its at 12. Still trying to figure out how/why they measure liquid in cm, but that's what it is. Go figure. Anyway, point being since fluid levels are good, doc will let me continue up to 2 weeks over. Not that I want to go two weeks over, but at least I'm not being induced, sliced or diced any sooner than that.

By the time I feel like nesting (oh, had a brief burst of energy last night that involved cleaning the refrigerator), everything will already be clean. Need to kill time somehow. Maybe I'll go shopping :)

In the home stretch

Well, here I am on the eve of my "official" due date. Went to the doctor today - fundal height, heartrate are both good. I will be going to get an ultrasound this week to check the amniotic fluid levels. If the fluid levels are good, then I'm set to go all the way to 42 weeks before other measures are taken. Oh yea - I am 90% effaced but have only begun to dilate a very small bit.

So to help the process along, here are some things I will be doing this week...
- walking. I wish the weather was warmer, but at least the sun is out. I walked 4-5 times last week, about 1mi. each time. Going to bump it up a notch this week.
- eat lots of fresh pineapple. the enzymes are supposed to ripen/soften the cervix. its also yummy, so either way can't go wrong!
- drink raspberry leaf tea. not a labor inducer, but good for overall uterine health.
- acupressure. there is a point above the ankle (about 4 finger-widths up) called spleen 6 which is supposed to help. also, the hoku point, in the webbing between thumb and index finger.

There are other means, not suitable for children, which I will not mention here.

I am open to other suggestions as well. Not planning on going the castor oil route unless I get really desperate... still plenty of time before I go there!

Pink and White

Back in January, my wonderful husband got me a gift certificate for a pedicure at one of the local Spa/Salons. I finally got around to going yesterday... figured I should have pretty feet for the delivery - ha! See... aren't they pretty?


I was the fourth pregnant woman there and the closest to her delivery date. Must be some kind of a trend going on... While I was there, it started sleeting, which quickly turned to snow that came down all afternoon and well into the night. Needless to say, I am quite glad I did not go into labor yesterday! The roads are suspect today as well, at least until it starts to warm up a bit later on in the afternoon.


JP, you are welcome to come into the world whenever you are ready, but give us enough time to navigate the roads to the hospital!

Baby Pics

i was looking at the u/s pics of julien the other day, trying to figure out who he looks like... so, I started going through all the photos guy and I have. plenty of me as a baby, but none of him! his mom just sent some, so now i'll leave it up to you...

guy


julien


becky


yea, ok, so maybe its a little too soon to tell from these pics, but i thought they were cute anyway ;) he'll be here soon enough, we'll figure it out then!

Getting Closer

Well, I am over 39 weeks now... according to just about everyone, Julien can come at any time now. My doctor even asked if I've started doing anything to help bring labor on. I hadn't, but I decided to get some more exercise - walking, yoga...

Everything looks good - 38cm fundal height and heartrate @ 150bpm

Pat and Corrine sent us the swing we registered for. Guy put it together last night. It is so cute! Have to buy some batteries to really test it out - the only D batteries that we had were quite old and didn't really do the trick. I guess we're just about ready .. just a few more odds and ends to pick up.

Maybe my next update will be to tell you he's here!

Socks and Mittens

I've been busy washing baby blankets, sheets and clothes. To my amazement, while folding up the last load (really, there's not much folding, everything is so small!), one sock and one mitten came up MIA. What the ??? How does that happen! Finally found them - the sock hiding out in one onesie and the mitten tucked up in another one. Tricky little buggers, aren't they?

For some reason the socks are the cutest of all... they are so tiny, yet still "sock-shaped"!

38 weeks... gettin' closer

Just another quick update from the Dr. this past Monday.

Fundal height and heartrate are good (in range of 140bpm). Head is down-center, yay!
Mom has gained a couple more pounds... this has to stop!!

Getting things ready around the house for little Julien. Picked up some more necessities at Babies 'r Us this weekend, washed all his clothes, blankets, etc. The bassinet bed is made and ready to go.

I am getting lots of "are you ready to pop yet" comments - from co-workers and strangers alike. Yes, I am ready, but he can wait another couple of weeks if he wants to. Doc says she'll let me go to Mar. 15 before we need to take other measures.

Update, 37 weeks

Just a quick update on me & JP, from our 37-week appointment last Monday...

fundal height has caught back up, measuring 36cm. doc is happy
heart rate still a strong 140bpm

I don't think I've gained much more weight at this point, but it sure as heck feels like it!!

Baby Shower

Last Saturday was my baby shower (yes, I am a week late getting around to writing about it, but I wanted the pictures first). Linda, my best friend in Memphis, hosted the shower at her house. If you ever need a party planner, give her a call ~ she throws a great party (she also helped out with my wedding the day of... couldn't have done it without her!).

Everyone had great fun...

taste testing the "mystery" baby food ~ i won, with 4 out of 5 right


guessing how big my belly was ~ Mukti was the closest by far!
> > >

and of course, the ever popular fight for the most diaper pins. it was shaping up to be a fight between Brandy and Maureen, but in the end Brandy took the prize!








Linda also had a raffle - whoever brought a package of diapers was entered to win. I should be set for the first month now (I hope!) Maureen won that fabulous prize...a Target gift card and no, it wasn't rigged!






Of course, the goal of the shower was accomplished. I received many gifts that will help out tremendously with Julien ~ clothes, bath items, sheets & blankets, the pack 'n play, toys, etc. etc. A big thanks to all!! and yes, thank you notes are on the way:)



While we all had a good time, in some ways, the event was bittersweet. Many of my friends that were there also work(ed) for Harrah's and have all been affected one way or another due to the announced closing of the office.. laid off or having to make the decision to move to Vegas or stay behind and find other employment. I am grateful to have so many friends show up to support me, Guy and Julien!

Ankles? What Ankles?

OK, so up 'til now things have been going along fairly well. Yes, I've lost a few hours of sleep and had some heartburn here and there along the way but that's really been the worst of it. Well, add another one to the list. I woke up this morning and thought hmm... my shins feel a little tight. And then I looked down to see that my feet were beginning to look like Fred Flintstone's. I thought it would go away as the day wore on, but I was wrong. In fact, my feet/ankles got more swollen to the point where it doesn't look like I have much of any ankle at all. Waaaaah! I did stand a lot today, so I'm sure that didn't help any... Took a bath, which felt good, but didn't help the swelling. Maybe it will go away tonight after I go to bed... could I be so lucky???

1:30 am

I've read, or heard (or both?), that the times I wake up in the night during pregnancy are indicative of the times I will be waking up after the baby arrives. For the most part, there is no pattern to my night wakefulness but one time has remained constant for the past couple of weeks - 1:30am. Now, its not exactly 1:30 on the nose, but give or take 10-15 mins on either side and there you have it. The reasons for my wakefulness vary - I have to pee, I have heartburn, the dogs woke me up to chase some invisible creature in the backyard. I never feel Julien kicking or wiggling inside of me. Perhaps he just gently rolls around causing me to wake. After I've woken up and do whatever it is I need to do for this instance, I usually fall right back asleep. At least 1:30 doesn't extend to 2:30 or 3....

OMG, now that's a big baby!

In a break from my regular "its all about me" blogging, thought I'd share this article I read (link courtesy of the Unnecesarean - see side bar on the left).

Woman gives birth to 12lb 9oz baby!

Suffice it to say, that will NOT be me!!

School's Out

Last night was our last night of childbirth class... 12 classes over the span of 14 weeks. I've talked to some people who have not taken this in-depth of a class because they say they don't have time, but I think it was well worth it (not always easy tho, and made for a lot of long mondays!). I'm not sure I would have gotten the variety of information any other way, and being around other pregnant couples has been comforting. We've also become friendly with the others in the class and we all celebrated the completion of class with a potluck dinner. Now I just hope I pass the "final"!! Have I mentioned, only 4 weeks to go??

JP & Me

Had my 36-week Doctor appointment yesterday. Guy came along too, so he could meet Dr. Wilson... I thought it would be good for him to get to know her just a little before the big day! As of now, I weigh 163 lbs (wtf! where did that come from!!). Still, though, doc thought that I am measuring a little small, so even though his heart rate is still strong, she sent me off for an ultrasound. Well, the tech looked at his various parts and pieces, measured across his head and declared us to be 36.5 weeks along, and JP weighing in at approx. 6lbs 7oz (ok, so these u/s weights aren't the most accurate, but with 4 weeks left to go I'd say he's doing just fine!). She was also able to confirm his positioning - head down (but not straight down), which was a relief to know. I have this fear of being breech and needing a c-section.

We finalized the birth plan as well, which will be faxed over to the hospital. Of course, I'll bring an extra copy or two just in case.. you never know. So far, so good... I just need to make it through this last month!

Until next time, here's me & JP at 36 weeks...

....isn't he cute! :)

Latest Update

So, went to the doctor on Monday. Everyone is good, but my fundal height measurement was a little off this week (measured 32cm, when should be in the range of 33-37). Will be going back on Monday and if its still low, doc is sending me in for an ultrasound. Maybe I will just be blessed with a smallish, yet healthy, baby?

A full night's sleep has become a thing of the past. I wake up multiple times a night - sometimes to go to the bathroom, but sometimes for no reason at all what-so-ever. I suppose it is nature's way of preparing me for what's to come. Imagine if all throughout pregnancy I was sleeping great - the shock I would be in after baby arrives! Hey, if this is the worst I have to deal with then I don't have too much to complain about.

I ordered a sling/wrap today for carrying JP around. Its a Moby Wrap ~ check it out. It might take a little to get the hang of it, but I think he will enjoy it and I know I'll enjoy having two hands free while keeping him close.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more exciting baby news!

Pillowtalk

Do you know how hard it is to sleep comfortably through the night with the weight of your belly pulling down? I'm supposed to sleep on my left side, to avoid compressing the aorta (mid-line) and vena cava (right side) - not a problem, I'm mostly a side-sleeper anyway. But it hasn't been very comfortable lately and I am tired of waking up multiple times a night trying to get comfortable again. This is in addition to the extra trips to the bathroom, by the way.... So, turns out they make "special" pillows for pregnancy. There is the full body pillow, but that's a bit too much. Almost like having another body in bed with you. And between me, Guy and Jack there just isn't any more room! My lifesaver has been the wedge... a little foam wedge that slides under the belly to provide some extra support. The cost of this little pillow was probably twice what I paid for my regular, full size one... and it is worth every penny!

Only five weeks to go ~ I need all the rest I can get!

Shameless Plug

yea, just can't help myself...

Happy birthday to me!
Happy birthday to me!
Happy birthday dear Becky,
Happy birthday to me!

Stretched?

It was bound to happen, right? All the Burt's Bees "Mama Bee" oil in the world wasn't going to stop it... (btw, you should've bought stock, I'm on my 4th bottle of it already!) Perhaps I am fortunate, 34 weeks and just now getting them. Wait, stop - you say - what the heck are you talking about? Why, stretch marks, of course. Granted, I only have a couple of faint marks on the right side of my belly... so far... but still... I have a feeling this is only a sign of things to come (yes, laugh at me if you will).

I've found an interesting website - The Shape of a Mother - view at your own risk. It does contain some nudity (gasp!) but its more about mothers coping/dealing with the changes in their bodies that pregnancy has brought about.

Don't get me too wrong... So far, I like my pregnant belly.. even if it is harder to tie my shoes and get comfortable to sleep at night. I enjoy feeling JP move around and find the whole process amazing. But can't I just have it with a few less marks? :)

Baby Gear

This weekend Guy and I took care of the most important item needed for baby - we bought an infant car seat. There are a lot of baby items that one can make do without but the car seat just isn't one of them! Yes, I still have 6 weeks to go, but its not something I want to leave to the last minute - after all, what happens if he decides to come early?

After much research, we narrowed it down to 2 - the Britax Companion and the Chicco Keyfit 30. Both are very highly rated, but in the end, we decided on going with the Keyfit 30. One of the things we like about the Keyfit 30 is, as the name states, it will hold an infant in the rear-facing position up to 30lbs. Most infant seats only go to 22lbs. The best part is, I got it online for the same price as their 22lb model plus no sales tax or shipping charges - yay!

**Update 1/21
Wow! Car seat arrived in the mail today.. that is one thing I will miss about Memphis - everything gets here fast in the mail! Guy had the stroller put together in no time at all. He didn't even have to read the manual. Had some fun chasing the dogs around the house with it... if they don't like it now, just wait 'til there's a baby in it!!

Is there a doctor in the house?

The latest item on our baby to-do list is find a pediatrician. We have been to two - well I have anyway...Guy was sick yesterday and didn't get to meet Dr Hanson... poor Guy :(. Of the two I have seen, I think I like Dr Hanson better. He seems more up to speed and willing to work with us on the hospital procedures - for instance, as long as the mother is negative for HepB, then it is his standard practice to hold off on the vaccine until the 2-month visit. Some other items that I asked about and he has agreed to - half dose of vitamin K and delay of eye ointment up to 2 hours. He also performs out of hospital circumcisions. While I am not affiliated with any local temple and don't feel like a Bris is necessary, I also can't see having the baby circumsized when he is just a day old. For those of you who are not familiar, in Judaism, a Bris is a circumcision ceremony performed on the 8th day. Factoid: there is also evidence to support that by the 8th day, baby's vitamin K levels have built up sufficiently for blood clotting.

The other doctor, while very passionate about "her kids," doesn't seem as confident/comfortable with deviated from standard hospital procedure.. even though when asking the hospital, the defer to the pediatrician on some items.

I am still wavering on my stance regarding vaccinations. The whole topic is highly debatable - how effective are some of the vaccines? do the vaccine ingredients put your child at a higher risk for other conditions? why is the US the only country with such an aggressive schedule? etc, etc. While I don't necessarily think it is a good idea to have so many vaccines introduced at one time or so early in life (have you seen the CDC vaccination schedule lately?? 7 different vaccinations at 2 months!) the possibility of a move to Vegas and the introduction to different people/environment makes me think I should just go ahead with them on schedule. The other option is to do more in-depth research and only go ahead with the most critical (ie: most prevalent/highest risk) vaccines at 2 months and delay the others.

There is still time to make all of these decisions, and I am glad we are starting early in the process on both fronts!

Baby Stuff... lots of stuff!

Last weekend I ventured out on a new mission - setting up our baby registry at Babies 'R Us. Managed to register for quite a few items... more than for our wedding, at any rate! I was reminded by a co-worker not to neglect the "cute factor" so I hope I succeeded in that area :)

Some things I still need to figure out - like what kind of baby monitor, do diaper genies *really* work?, bouncy seat and swing or just 1 or the other, etc. If there are any other moms or dads out there reading, I am open to your suggestions.. What was the one item you just couldn't live without???