Smile!

Antoshka is getting better at holding his head up by himself. He can also sometimes flip himself on his back from on his tummy! While changing him tonight, he managed to smile with his eyes open! It was quick, and I'm sure he didn't know what he was doing, but it was nice to see him smile while awake... previously he'd only smiled while asleep (in the midst of his experimental facial expression rotations).

This guy has some powerful BMs! Today while changing him, Antoshka managed to poo while naked on the changing pad. The poo shot out about 6 feet to hit the side of our bed, and it looked like someone had over-squeezed a mustard bottle... amazing.

Similarly, he's an awesome urinator. He hadn't yet peed on me until tonight. Having showered the floor while being changed by Igor, I was on the floor cleaning up the pee, when I felt a warm liquid hit my back. For some reason, it doesn't feel so bad to be peed on... after all, I supplied him with the food.

It's been exciting... and hilarious... to see him develop everyday. :)

Circumcision!

Today our little guy lost a small part of his manhood. :(

...and then gained it back afterward with the best circumcision story ever. The doctor brings him back in the room and lets us know that it took so long because our son has a huge penis. Apparently the parts they needed to use only went up to 1.6, which they were having trouble fitting on Antoshka. They ended up using a different method (the ring). Antoshka did a great job with the actual snipping part, no fuss at all. While struggling to find the right size, apparently Antoshka got impatient and managed to pee twice and poo.

A funny story! Igor is super proud. :)

Day 10

Today Antoshka's black disgusting umbilical stump finally came off, so we decided to give him a little washcloth bath. No sooner had we put a little hooded towel on the guy (and took a cute video), he spit up A TON of milk all over himself and the towel. It must've been at least a cup's worth of spit up projecting outward. It was amazing. He'd only spit up a little bit (like a teaspoon) previously, so it was a bit of a surprise. Wow. We couldn't stop laughing.

It's a good thing this guy is so cute. It makes it a lot more difficult to hate all the gross and inconsiderate things he's so good at. ;)

Week 37 - Full term!

This week we've made it to full term! At the OB appointment, they hooked me up to a machine that tracked the little dude's heart rate and contractions - the same type of machine they use during labor. Apparently when they did the weekly heart rate check, his heart rate was a little slow. They tracked him for a while, and told me that he was fine (in fact an over achiever!), and that he's getting enough oxygen, which I guess was what they were worried about. They also found that I had a couple contractions while I was there! Exciting!

At work, everyone was asking me this week "Are you ready?". The answer has been, yes. Let's do it already. He's full term, how about coming a little early? Sounds good to me! I just can't wait to not be pregnant anymore. I managed to write all the work shower thank you notes this week, which was quite a feat! I'm not sure I even finished all the wedding thank yous. :( I've mainly been working on "how to be Andrea while she's gone" documents. I'm going to be training people how to do all the technology-related stuff I do at work, so I'm making a lot of "How To's".

This weekend Igor and I went on an adventure to get the rest of the baby stuff we hadn't gotten yet. We got to use gift cards from Target and Babies R Us, so we hardly spent anything, but we got a lot of stuff. :) A lot of stuff that now we need to wash before we can actually use. Good training for the massive amounts of laundry I'm going to need to do soon once he comes. :)

This week was also full of more hemorrhoids and a mysterious pain in my jaw. Not sure if the pain in the jaw was from grinding my teeth or, as my OB suggested, possibly allergies. Well, it's subsiding, but it was annoying.

Our kid this week:
He weighs about 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches!

This week's funnies!

I can't eat, I can't sleep, but I can do a great imitation of a beached whale. Seriously, are we almost done with this?

How you'll know you're in labor
• It suddenly looks like somebody coughed up a big loogie into your undies.
• Your lower back feels like someone is pressing gently on it with a jackhammer.
• The movie version of your underwear would be called A River Runs Through It.
• You have a sudden desire to clean the house despite being doubled over in pain from contractions.

Week 36 - Less than a month left!

OK, the amount of sleep my body is seeming to want is crazy. Getting up before 7am does not seem like an option anymore. Two more weeks of work, and then I can sleep all I want. We had our last furlough day this week. I'm going to miss having those days off. How are we ever going to get used to 5 day weeks again??

My coworkers also threw an awesome baby shower at work this week. It turned out really well! There were a ton of people that showed up (even a few guys!), and everyone was so generous in gift giving! Lael was a life saver, and made a list of all the gifts everyone gave for easy thank you note writing. It's like she's done this all before or something. :) Anyway, I am taking this idea for every other gift giving event I go through. So smart! I felt very lucky and loved to have so many people show up for my shower at work (including some people who are pretty high on the totem pole!), and we all had a great time. Cindy (my supervisor) even got this AWESOME carrot cake, which was HEAVEN!

I started washing all the baby clothes this weekend in preparation of getting to play dress up (several times a day). This Dreft detergent actually smells pretty nice, but it's really expensive. In other news, we attended two evening classes this week: Becoming a new parent, and infant/child CPR. The new parent class was really helpful, we got a pretty pissed off looking doll to practice correctly dressing, diapering, holding and swaddling. The CPR class was helpful as well, but possibly a little longer than it needed to be. But hey! That's it for classes! It feels good being done, and I'm looking forward to not having to wake up early, or stay up late to attend them. It was also nice that we got a ton of handouts to remind us of all the content.

Our kid this week:
He's gaining about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. We're all waiting for this kid to drop, but apparently it still hasn't happened yet. My OB told me this week that he's still floating around, happy as a clam. Let's move it kid!

More funnies!

Five things you never thought you'd say:
• "Let me just finish this can of frosting."
• "Would you mind tying my shoes?"
• "Does my stomach look too small to you?"
• "Can you please massage my perineum again?"
• "Help, I can't get out of bed."

Week 35 - Swelling and more classes!

This week starts the weekly (instead of the previous monthly and then bi-weekly) OB appointments. Same old stuff, the baby's just still in a massive growth spurt. My hands and feet are swelling like crazy, I basically have one pair of shoes that (after I loosened the straps) still fit. How annoying. I had another one of those sciatic nerve pinches at 5am one morning this week. Sitting up seems to help, but getting back to sleep is not an option. Boo.

We went to a breastfeeding class this week, and also took a tour of the birthing center at the hospital where we'll be having our kid. Who knew breastfeeding could be so... difficult? So many new terms and techniques- I kind of thought it was a natural process. Well, let's hope I (or at least Igor) remember what we learned when it comes time. The birthing tour was fine. The rooms look pretty nice, but the hospital definitely has the hospital smell. It was good to be acquainted with the place I'll be spending some quality scream time. :)

Our kid this week:
He's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew)-
about the size of a large sheet cake. Yum, sounds good!

Some funnies!

Useful comebacks to rude pregnancy comments
• "At least I made somebody's heart and brain today. What did you do?"
• "You're huge too — and you don't have the excuse of another person living inside you."
• "Go ahead, but I'm not touching yours."

Week 34

This week I'm definitely feeling a lot more kicking/movement. It's getting more and more difficult to wake up as early as I usually do. At work, the women in the office have decided that I am no longer capable of doing manual labor, which is very nice. I'm starting to accept that I can't do everything I used to. It's becoming more uncomfortable. I've also noticed that I'm retaining a lot more water recently. Crossing my legs at the ankles produces an interesting indentation that doesn't go away for quite a while. I suppose I should drink more water, that's supposed to help with swelling.

We're getting closer to being prepared for the grand entrance every week. This week we had a fun lunch at Sonoma Chicken Coop with family and close friends, which was really nice. We got a very nice Babies R Us gift card from my mom and bro, which we used to get a super comfortable glider-rocker for breast feeding. Igor and Vladi did a great job putting it together in our room, which now feels a lot more complete and ready to receive the little dude. Thanks Vladi and Heather for all your help!

We also finished the prepared childbirth class this Saturday. It was really great to learn what to expect during labor and birth, and the lady who was our teacher was super helpful and fun. I started packing bags for the hospital this week, as that was our homework for the class. I researched a lot of different websites and made a spreadsheet with all the stuff I wanted to include. I've got a good start, but there are a few things I still need to find... like a handheld fan and a small back massager. It's a work in progress. :)

Our kid this week:
The little dude is about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. Getting closer!

Funny comic from this week: a pregnant lady with the caption "I can't sleep, breathe or walk. How am I supposed to find the energy to glow?" Amen!

Week 33

Caution - this paragraph may contain TMI for some readers, but this is unfortunately pregnancy reality. So skip over if the mere sight of the word hemorrhoid makes you uneasy. Apparently not only sitting for too long can cause them to appear, standing for too long can also do the trick! I guess I stood a little too long during the shower, and for this entire week, I've had issues sitting, getting up from sitting, and anything having to do with moving the lower half of my body - not to mention going #2. The bleeding is disgusting. And confusing if you've been learning about signs of pre-term labor. Bleeding down there is not a good sign while pregnant, especially if you're not sure where it's coming from. Anyway, no worries, no pre-term labor for me.

Not only did this pain in the butt situation hit me this week (yes, the whole week), I woke up one morning at 5am to the feeling of extreme pain where my leg bone meets the hip. My first thought - "Is this a contraction or a pinched sciatic nerve?". Igor made fun of me for that very logical thought. Apparently the more acceptable thought is "OMG, THAT HURTS REALLY BAD." It didn't last too long, just long enough to be very annoying.

We went to a (very crowded) movie this weekend, where I learned that I can no longer sit in one spot for an extended period of time. :-(

I did learn this week at the OB appointment that this little guy is now situated upside down, and will probably not flipping back from this point on. Well, we're progressing. :)

Our little guy this week:
He weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark.

And because I've been so negative in this post, here's a little funny for those of you who made it to the end. :)

Pregnancy survival skill: How to get out of a soft chair

Put your feet flat on the floor and bend from the hips. Push on the armrests with your hands! Use your stomach muscles. If upward motion is still elusive, pick up your magazine and yell for more peanut butter chocolate ice cream. (Standing up is totally overrated anyway.)

Week 32 - Baby Shower!

I've been having a lot of back pain this week. What's new? Anyway, I had another interesting baby dream. The baby was born.. not sure how, but Igor and I were waiting at home to see the little guy. My deceased Uncle Jim was on his way to bring him to us. Not sure how he got out of me, but it was interesting.

This week at work we were all dealt a blow (on Tax day), when we found out that they were announcing layoffs, and a (very special) person from our office would be laid off. That was a crappy day for sure. It could've just as easily been me that would be laid off, since I haven't been around much longer, but I feel really terrible for my coworker. Well, a lot can happen between now and July. There is still a chance she may not be laid off after all. Cindy is definitely raising some hell about the situation. Go Cindy!

We had another Transfer Orientation on Friday. I'm still doing ok with walking/standing around, but I wasn't able to stay around the whole day. After check in, I went back to the office. Because Cindy was out this week, they painted her office Friday. The fumes were unbearable! Everyone was complaining. I tried keeping my door closed, but I started feeling pretty bad, and the little guy was squirming around more than usual. It felt instinctual to leave. I just felt like I was somehow hurting the baby by staying there, and by the time I left I was crying. While I hate crying, especially at work, I felt pretty good about displaying some maternal instincts to protect the little one. It wasn't just me, apparently the closed the office at noon because the fumes were so bad.

Saturday we had our second childbirthing class, and today we had a co-ed baby shower! It turned out really well. A lot of people showed up, we had a lot of food (including a cake to die for, thank you Heather!), and Jade did a great job with the decor and games! We got a lot of great gifts as well. :) We had a lot of fun! Thanks to all that showed up and put it together!

Our kid this week:
By now, the little dude weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, about the length of a hot pair of above-the-knee boots, of which one day I hope to own a pair. ;)

Week 31 - Classes start!

I know I said I was finished with taking classes, but there's something different about sitting through hours of lecture/lab when it's about the little squirmy kid inside you. Our childbirth classes started this week on Saturday, much to Igor's dismay (hey, I could've chosen the ones that started at 9:30am rather than 12:30pm!). :-P It's nice being around other women who are due around the same time I am - one couple is even due the same day! We got some handouts, talked about what to expect during labor, how to relieve some pregnancy pains, and learned (and practiced) some breathing techniques and positions to get through those nasty contractions. Lovely.

I hear dreams can get more vivid nearer to the end of pregnancy. While I don't remember any kid dreams, I did have one about being in a haunted house. I remember turning around in this hallway, and for some reason, I felt like I should scream, so I tried. I remember thinking in the dream, why is it that I can't scream too loud? Well, I was apparently screaming through my nose, lying next to Igor in bed. Kinda freaked him out, which I can't blame him for. I don't remember ever doing anything related to my dreams in real life before, so that was kind of weird. I blame the pregnancy. A great excuse for everything! ;)

This week, I start going in for OB appointments every two weeks. I asked why the increase, and apparently they just want to check out the baby more often, as he's growing A LOT from here on out. Otherwise, I guess I shouldn't expect anything too different. They're only about 15 mins, so not terrible. I get to hear the heartbeat, and they measure my belly. Strangely enough, usually the measurement (in cm) is the same number of weeks we've conquered (that's right, survival of pregnancy is an active process and I am conquering. :-P). So this week, the little guy measured 31cm, and I'm at 31 weeks.

Our baby this week:

He measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds, about the same length as a... miniskirt? He's going to keep gaining about half a pound a week until shortly before he becomes external (I like that better than saying gets shoved through the birth canal). It's about time he started gaining like mommy. ;)

Week 30 - The beginning of the end

30 weeks down, 10 to go. I've heard that the third trimester gets unpleasant again, and I suppose that's correct. OK, this is going to be a list of the badness, so if you're not in the mood, skip over:

-Noticeable nose clicking in enclosed, quiet places (like my office when meeting with students)
-Hips spreading->sore bones when walking
-Lower back pain when walking
-Inability to walk in a fast manner, or for any lengthy period of time (greater than 15 mins)
-TIRED. First time napping regularly since preschool.
-Trouble sleeping in bed on either side due to hip pain. Pretty sure this is in preparation of the several times a night I will need to feed this little dude.
-Very frequent bathroom trips... hasn't been as much of an issue up til this week.
-Little dude has started daily hiccupping - usually accompanied by lots of squirming.
-New favorite place to hang out - using the bladder as a pillow, and complaining when it is emptied.

BLAH!

Yes, it feels like all of this has started THIS WEEK. I've told the pregnant ladies at work to make sure to skip from week 29 directly to week 40. Tomorrow I have another OB appointment, and this marks the start of the biweekly appointments. Next Saturday starts the birthing classes.

Baby in week 30:
Little dude weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long, about the size of a Chihuahua. Only cuter :-P When he's awake, his eyes are now wide open and he's whittling away the hours looking around.

What we should be doing this week according to Parent's Connect:
Now's the time to research your different child-care options: day-care centers, home providers or nannies. Because all major decisions in life are better made over food, why not share a mega hot-fudge sundae with your partner to discuss? Extra whipped cream will probably help you make a more informed decision.

To quote a hilarious furry robotic toy from the past - Yummmm...

Week 29 - Are we there yet?

This week was a long one. No furloughs, no holidays, and lots of work up the wazoo. Saturday we went to Igor's coworker's wedding in Roseville, about a 2 hour drive. We stayed in a hotel. Dude, this hotel was SWEET. I guess that's why they call them suites. :) Spacious, full sized comfy couch (which was very convenient for the post-cake... and brownie... and mini eclair... heartburn that ensued at 3am - COME ON, it's a WEDDING!), huge TV, free wireless, good lighting, aesthetically pleasing, comfy bed, mini fridge, microwave, huge walk in shower with a door! Not curtains! If we have to come back to Roseville, this is where we are staying. A+, Marriott SpringHill Suites!

Not too much has changed in babyland. We're still kicking and rolling... and rolling while kicking. All day, many times a night... and I'm pretty sure we were hiccupping at 3am last night. Good job little man! It still doesn't hurt when he kicks (or whatever he's doing in there)... which is weird to me. It seems like if there is something THAT big inside you, growing at a steady pace, kicks and punches should hurt. OK, I don't want to jinx myself, I'm sure stronger is coming. I guess his gestation chamber is doing its job of softening the blows. I can't wait for him to settle in his upside down, ready to come out, constantly pushing on the bladder, position in a month or so! Apparently that's when the waddle becomes inevitable. OH JOY!

Here we are at week 29:
This week he's a little over 15 inches long—about the length of a loaf of bread—and weighs about 3 pounds, as much as a Macbook Air laptop (which is not the best, I would not recommend the laptop). Due to the impressive advancements of medical technology, if this guy is born this week, he'd have a 9 out of 10 chance of survival, which is seriously great news. He's starting to look more like a Pampers model and less like a Depends model (that's right sucker, start beefing up just like Mommy... and Daddy ;) ).

Week 28

Ah week 28. Here you are, and here I am - still pregnant. A lot of people have been asking me whether I'm ready for the little guy to be out already. You know, I'm still ok with pregnancy. I'm still enjoying the long-ish periods of sleep, and the constant kicking and rolling is still kind of cute. Ask me again in a month or so. ;)

This week during our (ever-stimulating) staff meeting, I'm pretty sure I was able to distinguish the part of his body which decided to collide with mommy's insides - an elbow. It didn't hurt, but I could tell it was definitely pointy, as I had my hand over my tummy at the time. As the movements become more pronounced, I sometimes like to look down at my tummy and watch it move on its own. I'm still waiting for the Alien moment when he bursts out in a fit, drooling acid... Maybe I should cut down on the SciFi channel.

Another new development in the past couple weeks: I now CLICK at the end of my sentences. Yeah, really? I hear and feel a clicking noise right when I stop talking, coming from my upper nose area. I figured it must be due to pregnancy, since my nose has been making dry boogies overtime the past trimester or so. Igor's doc friend (whose name is also Igor - I love it) confirmed that it is due to pregnancy. I believe the exact wording was "You want the short version or the long version? In short, it's because you're pregnant." Which has been his answer for a lot of things I bring up. Haha! Alright, if you're curious, it has to do with the cartilage all over my body (because you can't just target the cartilage down there apparently) becoming more flexible everywhere.. widening hips, blah blah blah. I just hope it goes away afterwards.
Igor has confirmed (and laughed) that he can hear it when the room is quiet. I can only imagine what my students think when they're in my quiet, small office for an appointment. "What can I help you with today? CLICK." Thanks pregnancy!

Week 28:
He is about 15 inches long, about the length of an amusement park cinnamon-sugar-coated churro (yum!), and weighs 2 to 3 pounds.
His eyes are partially open now and can blink. He can also now become a shiny, happy person as he has begun having rapid eye movement (Get it? REM? Shiny, happy people?? OK, I thought it was funny :P ) I wonder - does that mean he dreams?
His eyes have color now, too. It may not be the color he ultimately ends up with, especially if they're light gray or blue. Oh, I'd love for him to have blue eyes! The eyes typically don't settle on a final hue until nine months after baby is born.

Week 27 - Third Trimester

So begins the third trimester!

I feel like I've doubled my belly size in the past week. I had a midwife appt. on Tuesday. It looks like the walking has paid off a bit - I only gained 6 pounds this month, unlike the 10 pounds from last month. *shudder* Usually it takes a little while at the doctor's to find the baby's heartbeat, but it seems like this time, we heard it as soon as she put the instrument to my belly. She told me that it sounds good, and that my belly is growing well.

I had a glucose screening for gestational diabetes, and the results were in the normal range. Hooray! No diabetes for me - only a little surprising with all the friggin' chocolate I've been craving/eating. I blame this little bugger. I still haven't had any real cravings (besides the chocolate). No olive, pickle, and anchovy sundaes for me. Heartburn and backaches are getting worse with the growing baby. I guess I don't have to have ALL the pregnancy symptoms, I suppose I should be happy about that!

This weekend was SUPER productive. Igor's friend helped us get the crib from the store to our house (and then back again because they gave us the wrong crib, which we didn't see until we got home) on Thursday.

On Saturday, we went to THREE Babies R Us stores to check out strollers and car seats. Ours didn't have a Graco MetroLite on display, so we went to two others until we found one. We were looking into the Graco Hamilton travel system (includes a stroller and car seat), and comparing that to buying the stroller and car seat separately. Igor's sister had suggested we check out the Graco MetroLite, which we found was quite lighter. However, it was ugly, and difficult to fold/unfold. Plus, it wouldn't match with the car seat we were looking at... not the biggest deal, but I wasn't the biggest fan of either separate.

Plus buying them separately was more expensive than getting the Graco Hamilton travel system. It matches, easily folds and unfolds with one hand, and it's so pretty. Yeah, it's a little heavier and bulkier, but what the hey. We're first time parents, we're going to learn one way or the other. So yeah, we bought the travel system. And the box even fit in the Civic's back seat. Yay! We (ok, Igor) assembled it Saturday night, and it's happily sitting in our kitchen. :) We now have the ever essential carseat required for taking the baby home from the hospital. We can travel with the baby.

Today, Igor and I assembled the crib, and rearranged our room so that it fits next to our bed. We cleaned up/moved around a whole bunch of crap, and took some pictures as we assembled. The crib is right next to my side of the bed, for easy night access to the baby. We're thinking of getting the mattress next weekend. We accomplished so much this weekend and our room is slowly getting ready for baby's arrival! I'm getting a lot more excited now. :)

If our baby boy was born this week, he'd have an 85% chance of surviving, which is WAY higher than the past couple weeks. This is apparently due to his developing lungs and immune system. His size development:
"Your baby now weighs in at approximately 14 1/2 inches and just over 2 pounds, or about the size of that roast you made last time your in-laws were in town. (OK, the baby is the size of that roast you meant to cook before you decided that ordering Chinese was a much better idea.)" Haha!

Week 26 - Spring Break

We had one week off for Spring Break - two furloughs and three holidays on top of the weekend. After Friday-Thursday off, I went back to work for one day before the weekend. It was a pretty non-busy (in terms of student traffic) day, and I felt like I got a lot accomplished.

I found out two more people are now pregnant! They'd been trying for a while, so I was super excited to hear they've joined the club! It's nice to be able to share and contribute to others' journeys to motherhood.

A funny thing happened while leaving Costco this week. The guy checking my receipt looks at my items, sees the Diet Pepsi I got for Igor, and says "You aren't drinking that, are you?" Haha! It seems that I am finally showing enough to not be mistaken for a big lady. Hooray! Of course I told him no, and he goes "Just trying to do my part." Funny guy. :)

Last weekend we bought a crib! We've been looking at recommended cribs in our Baby Bargains book for a while, and we decided to finally go to Babies R Us to see if they had samples to check out. As a side note, they had maternity parking, and we got a spot! It was the first time I was able to take advantage of expectant mother parking, and Igor even took a picture of me next to the sign. :)

Surprisingly, they had both Graco cribs we were looking into on display, and decided on (and purchased) the Graco Lauren model in the color "Natural". They had to order it, and said it would take 7-14 business days, but we got a call on Thursday saying it arrived! We went to the store Friday night, and found that the box was waaaaay to large to fit in the Mustang. Oooooops. Hopefully Igor's friend can help us pick it up this week with his huge truck.

This week, our baby boy is developing air sacks in his lungs, which means he's just about ready to start breathing. He's also working on being able to recognize my and Igor's voices. I think I'm starting to get more excited with that realization. This kid is going to recognize us as his parents. Until now, any contact I've had with kids under the age of about three has been the same: The kid stares at me. No recognition, no nothing. This kid is going to rely on ME! I am going to be MOM. I'm pretty sure I'm feeling the eyes starting to grow in the back of my head.

As for his size...
"Your baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as your primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months)." OH BOY!

Week 25 - Preparations!

This week, we bought a dresser at IKEA, which also is the correct size for the baby changing station. We finally got to use our IKEA gift card from our wedding, so it was free! The changing table's pad was donated to us, as well as three covers. We're in good shape!

Last week, we brought home a TON of baby stuff from Igor's sister. I went through all the clothes, and separated it all by age (0-3months, 3-6months, etc.). Then I put it all in the dresser! Our baby can now be clothed! For over a year! Exciting. :)

I've also started cooking a little. I don't cook. But I'm trying. It makes me feel accomplished to be able to cook something for Igor and myself. It's good practice for when this boy gets to be able to eat stuff we can cook. I want to be able to cook our family dinner. Might as well start now. :) The stuff I've made so far has been pretty good, according to Igor, so that's encouraging!

This baby boy is starting to not only kick more, but also roll. Rolling is a very odd feeling. I can feel him moving from one side to another - up and down, left and right, front and back. The weirdest part is feeling my skin under my clothes. It's kind of like a wave - I feel parts of skin moving fabric, and then other parts moving away from fabric. I can't distinguish which body parts are making the movements yet, but I can definitely see jiggling in the tummy region. Sometimes I'm ready for him to bust through like in Alien. He's also found my ribs. It's like he's playing a xylophone on the ribs. Thanks little guy.

Baby's size development this week:
"Your baby weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13 1/2 inches long—roughly the length of one of those recorders you played in elementary school music class. Who's up for a round of "Hot Cross Buns?" " :)

Week 20/21 - It's a boy!

Yes, it is true. We are having a baby boy. We went for the ultrasound on Thursday, and the lady was able to tell us within the first 5 minutes that he's definitely a boy. :) He was moving around like a madman, which made it a bit difficult for the lady to get the pictures she needed for measurements, etc. It turns out that there is a purpose to an ultrasound appointment other than to see the baby move around and find out the sex. Imagine that! ;) I have to go back this week because he was not cooperating in a way for the lady to take a picture of a certain angle of the spine. We got a couple of unidentifiable (crappy) pictures to take home. Each has two circles in the shot. I'm guessing one is the head. I think I'm going to ask for some better ones this week when I go back.

Having a boy has definitely come as a surprise. Igor and I were pretty much fully expecting to have a girl. Now we need to find boy names! Even though I wanted a girl, I'm not feeling disappointed. I think I'm just relieved to know. Everyone I talk to who has had boys says that they have really enjoyed having boys, and that there's a special bond between a mother and her son. Cool.

This week we are having our master shower replaced (it's a stand up shower stall, not a tub). We hadn't actually used the shower since we moved in almost two years ago, and it's going to look really nice when we're done. We're having light green tiles with some stone tiles on the floor and a decorative glass tile strip. We also got new fixtures, and a new glass door system. We definitely needed somewhere to shower for when we replace the tub in guest bathroom... so it's nicer to bathe the new little one. :)

In other baby news, it looks like the original due date of July 6th (rather than July 1st) is again the most accurate due date. Now I have to re-change all my due dates on the websites that send me weekly emails back to 7/6. Boo.

This week he's about 3/4ths of a pound and about 10.5 inches long head to heel (as long as a... carrot?) I have stopped weighing myself weekly at home, and when they weigh me at the Dr., I turn around so I don't have to see it. It got depressing. I can't wait to be able to start up the weight loss journey again.

Week 20 - Halfway there!

We've officially made it halfway through the pregnancy! Hooray! :)

Just within the past couple of weeks I have started pretty noticeably showing. Not through a jacket or anything, but with a fitting shirt you can tell. Yesterday Igor and I went to a mall and found a huge baby section of Burlington Coat Factory. They had pretty much everything on the list we made of the stuff we'll probably need, and then some. They even had MATERNITY CLOTHES at REASONABLE PRICES! Wow! It was all quite exciting to look at.

This Thursday is THE ULTRASOUND appointment. This little bugger better cooperate. I want to know. I want to stop referring to it as "it".

This week, the baby switches being measured from head to rump, and now is measured from head to heel! SO! We're at about 10 inches and 10.5 oz. this week - about the size of a large banana. The top of my uterus is apparently at my bellybutton now.

Week 19 - More house/baby duties

So this is the first weekend in a while that Igor and I have had to ourselves. Hooray!

I've been a little worried this week. Everyone keeps asking whether we've started getting ready for the baby, and I can't really say yes. We've definitely been working on the condo a bit (mostly changing the ugly doors), but no real plans for baby stuff, etc. SO! Igor the problem solver made a to do list for this weekend, and we totally did everything on the list for Saturday! This included making a list of stuff we think we'll need for the baby. That was quite an achievement. We shared the list we made (in Boogle Docs) with Igor's sister, who was nice enough to give us tips on which of those things we'll actually need, what else we'll need, and what she's going to give us. We're like, halfway to a registry already.

I've been feeling fairly steadily unproductive these past four-ish months. This weekend was the exception. We're having our "master bath" (HA!) shower all tiled next week, and we picked out and purchased all the tile and fixtures we think our guy'll need. We also did an AWESOME job cleaning our room so they'd have room to maneuver as they need to (and we don't have to feel like people are seeing our dirty room). We had a bunch of stuff stored in that shower because we never used it. It's all out now. And we took care of a bunch of paperwork. We are GOOD.

We had another baby appt on Friday. Igor and I got to meet with Carla, the midwife. She's the same lady who gave the "you found out your pregnant-now what?" class in October I went to. Hilarity ensues around her. I LOVE meeting with her. Not only is she fun to get along with, she gave me all good news for the questions I asked. It's 100% fine for me to take Aciphex for heartburn, I can drink decaf Lipton tea in the mornings, and turkey/roast beef lunch meat is fine to eat during pregnancy. Hooray!

We of course, also took some very necessary "nothing" time to veg on the couch and watch TV. Even though we did a lot this weekend, I feel fairly relaxed and ready for next week.

This week, the baby's... ok, I have to copy what I read on parentsconnect.com for this week, because I think it's funny. "He or she now weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as a turkey sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herbs and Cheese bread (or Honey Oat bread, or Oregano bread or ... )" Haha!

BTW, I finally caught up, so this blog is now current, which is probably why I wrote enough for an essay this week. Hooray!

Week 18 - Igor's B-day!

Happy birthday to Igor! Today Igor is 28 (which is not old). This means that when the baby is born, Igor will be a year older than me. Haha. :) I'm able to do more stuff now, and I even got out to buy him balloons and cheesecake - all by myself. I'm so proud. ;) Of course, I don't like cheesecake, so I though I'd be homefree when it came to birthday dessert... and then I went and also bought banana bread. I'm not sure anyone else was able to eat any of that bread. I might have eaten the whole loaf. It was pretty good though. :)

I haven't had too many cravings. I'm not having as many aversions, and I'm trying to eat better, but it doesn't always work. I'm still kind of hooked on chocolate, and I tend to buy snacks at Target that make it look like I already have a 5 year old (red vines, cookies, fruit roll ups, gushers, etc.). I'm not sure any of those are cravings as much as, hey, I'm at the store, this looks good on the shelf, I think I'll buy it. And consume it all tonight. Yeah, I really gotta cut this whole eating too much thing out. I've been lucky enough not to have the bad heartburn, but I think the baby gets squished when I eat too much, and complains. Stomach aches and fullness suck big time right now. Sigh...

How about dreams? Yes, I've pretty much been able to recall my dreams everyday for the past couple weeks. Boy are they odd. You'd think I'd have baby dreams - not the case. Mine are about random things that have pretty much NOTHING to do with ANYTHING. IGOR is, however, having baby dreams for us both. His are pretty funny - he gets to skip over the whole helping me through labor part of the deal, and he comes home one day to me with baby (the sex differs), and I've already like, picked out a name and everything. Lucky him! :) No, really though, Igor's been the biggest support throughout this whole time, and I am the lucky one to have such an awesome whoooosband. Thanks hunny. :-*

This week the baby's about 5.5" long and 7 oz... the length of a bell pepper.

Week 17

Another four day work week. Furloughs aren't all bad. Anyway, I'm pretty sure this little one is making his/her presence known. There's definitely some fluttering going on. It is tough to determine between fluttering and gas (thanks hormones), but every now and then there are odd feelings in that general regions, especially when I'm sitting cross legged or on the couch with my knees close to my body. I think it's saying "Hey, stop squishing me!"

This week the baby's about 5 oz and 5" from head to rump. We're both bulking up nicely.

Week 16

This weekend we went to Igor's sister's home in San Diego for her birthday. It's been such a nice time each time we visit with Igor's family. They seem so excited for us, and it makes me more excited. I haven't felt all THAT excited yet, I think I'm saving it for the end. Every once in a while at home though, it kind of hits me that I'm going to be a mom. And then I'm in this amazed stupor for a minute or so, and I continue with what I was doing. :)

Not too much going on right now. Just really hungry. All the time. I started taking the Aciphex again for my heartburn. I got the OK from a doctor, so I'm not too worried. Apparently it's not so good to take it during the first trimester, but I'm so out of that now. :)

The baby is 3-5 oz and 4-5" in length - apparently about the size of an avocado. Big!

Week 14/15 - First OB appt and ultrasound!

OK, I've officially made it to Trimester 2. This Monday I went in for the Nuchal Translucency part of the CA screening program, which for me meant the first ultrasound!

Awesome parts: being able to see the little bugger moving around (which it did - A LOT), getting pictures of the little one to show off.

Not so awesome parts: Having to come in with a full bladder and being jabbed near my bladder with the ultrasound instrument in order to get the baby to the position needed for the screening.

They were really nice there, and it was a very cool experience overall. They told me that by the size of the baby, I was actually probably almost a week further along than originally thought by the last period date calculation. Hey, if they add on a week every time I go in, I'm gonna be done in no time!

A few hours later Igor and I went to our first OB appointment. The doc seems nice enough. She decided we would wait for the 20 week ultrasound to determine whether we should move the estimated due date up, or keep it at July 6. I've changed all my baby website subscriptions to July 1st though so I can get the next week's information sooner. ;) There wasn't much to do at the appointment, we heard the heartbeat again (150 BPM, slower, this is good :) ). We got some questions answered. I was a little sad they didn't do another ultrasound so Igor could see, because he wasn't at the one earlier in the day. I guess he's going to have to wait until week 20. :)

This week we're about the size of an orange, about 4 inches and 2.5 ounces!

Week 13 - LA/SD

This week we drove down to LA and San Diego to spend New Years with Igor's family. It was a good time. I had lots of good food. I did manage to get my lovely excruciating painful heartburn one night in SD. I guess my heartburn free days have run out. The Dr. told me to stop taking the Aciphex (which was working so well!) at the beginning of the pregnancy, and stick with Tums and Maalox. Well, if either of those had worked during the past 12 years, I wouldn't have needed Aciphex. Grrrr...

Anyway, I got some great pregnancy and baby related books from Igor's sister, and it looks like they're going to be donating to the zingerbaby cause with a bunch of stuff from her pregnancies. Hey, I'm totally up for taking gently used baby necessities if it means we need to buy fewer things! And I figure we're helping them clear out some space! :)

I'm still not showing all that much, although I've definitely gained weight. I made my first real visit to Motherhood Maternity this week and bought my first maternity pants. My still-losing-weight-bigger-than-I-wore-before-pregnancy pants are starting to become tight. Blah.

This week the baby's the size of a peach - about 3 inches from head to rump, but still less than an ounce! Do I have to go back to work next week?