Deconstructing Christmas

Since we're leaving for vacation this weekend, we wanted to get a jump on taking down holiday decorations and packing up. It's amazing how many "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments you can amass in one holiday season! Will's wonderful grandparents, aunts, and uncles bought some lovely ornaments for our tree that I'm looking forward to putting up next year.

I also wrapped up the books we purchased this year for next year's Advent. We're still far from 25 books, but I figure it will take a couple years to build up to that. So far we have:

1. A Christmas Prayer by Amy Parker
2. The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree by Jan & Mike Berenstain
3. One Snowy Night by M. Christina Butler
4. The Nicest Gift by Leo Politi (a gift from my Grampa years ago)
5. A Snowman Named Just Bob by Mark Kimball Moulton
6. Twas the Fright Before Christmas by Judy Sierra
7. The Story of Christmas by Tom Paxton (from Aunt Karen)
8. Twas at Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore (from Uncle Pat's baby books)
9. The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman
10. Merry Christmas, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
11. The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L'Engle
12. Have Yourself a Furry Little Christmas by Naomi Kleinberg
13. Merry Christmas Mom and Dad by Mercer Mayer
14. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
15. Harry and the Christmas Dinosaurs Make a Christmas Wish by Ian Whybrow

Not bad for year one, right? Only ten more to go (well, maybe eleven since the book in slot #15 is the most poorly written children's book I've ever seen and the editor should be fired, but I digress.)! In any case, I can't wait to see Will tear into his Advent books next year.

Baby's First Christmas

Three consecutive days of holiday parties with family, and our little social butterfly survived them all! Truth be told, he was pretty wiped out on Christmas Day, and starting to get fussy, btu he rallied when we got home and opened a couple more gifts with Mommy and Daddy.

The festivities began with the Ryan family's traditional Christmas Eve Eve party. He was looking quite dapper in a fisherman's sweater and plaid pants!

Will got to meet his second cousin, Kaeden, who is 3 weeks older than him. They were totally fascinated with one another.
Getting some quality time with Papa in his cute little jammies before we headed home.

Christmas Eve was spent with the Serafin family, at their traditional Polish celebration, Wigilia. The whole extended family was there, and we had a special visit from Santa at the end of the night. Will must've been a good boy this year, as many presents came his way!

Grammy and Dzia Dzia with all the grandkids: Jack (7), Ben (5), Sam (2), Will (5 months) and June (3 months).

Christmas Day began at home with a couple presents from Mommy and Daddy. He seems quite taken with the bow, right? The music set inside was a big hit, too, and we've been shaking the tambourine all.the.time.

The rest of the day was spent with the Stift family at Great Aunt Julie's house. I wish I'd taken a moment to snap a photo of the pile of gifts around the tree (covering half the living room floor)- it was nuts! It took a full 3 hours to get all the presents opened! Will spent some quality time with GeeGee and Grampa.

Finally, we settled back in at home and inspected the lad's haul. What a lucky little boy...not just to have all these fun presents to play with, but to have such a wonderful family to share his first Christmas!

Santa Claus!

Tis the season for Santa, so I took Will to meet the big guy yesterday. I was so proud of him! Not a single tear from our brave little boy. He cozied right up in Santa's lap, eyed his beard for a bit, and then even smiled for the camera. Of course, in the smiling picture he also had half of his fist stuffed in his mouth, so take #2 was better choice.

That's How He Rolls.

Will started rolling from his tummy to his back some time ago (we think he mastered this to let us know when he was finished with his tummy time), but going in the other direction took a bit longer. He finally went from back to tummy 3 days ago! The trouble is that he seems to have forgotten that he knows how to roll in both directions, and we he lands on his belly now he gets pretty upset and wants to be picked up by Mom or Dad. Not a big deal, until this happens in his crib...for every nap...and every night. I hope the little guy figures it out soon so he can sleep more peacefully!

Could This Hat Be Any Cuter?

The answer is no.

Oh, and you should see the matching mittens. TO.DIE.FOR.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

We're just a couple weeks away from Christmas. The tree is up, a wreath is on our door, Will has his own stocking on the fireplace, and we have a new Advent calendar on the wall. I realized two things recently: first, we probably won't be able to have a big tree next year for fear that Will might pull it down as a curious toddler; second, I really love Advent. The anticipation of Christmas, buying things for the people that we love that we hope they enjoy, and making our home feel a little more cheerful. When I was a little girl, my Grama and Grampa used to buy Advent calendars for us. Each night Colleen and I would excitedly pluck our tiny piece of chocolate from behind its paper door, counting down the days till Christmas.

I decided I want to do something special for Will to celebrate Advent for years to come, and I saw a wonderful idea on another blog recently!

I'll be creating a Christmas Book Advent Calendar for our family that celebrates our love of reading and will provide an opportunity for togetherness each evening- hopefully it's a tradition that will last many years.

We'll have 25 Christmas books wrapped and tagged for the days of Advent. Perhaps they'll live on the fireplace mantle, maybe under the tree, and each night Will (and future siblings??) can unwrap the book of the day, and we'll read it together with our other bedtime stories. Year after year, we'll reuse the same books, and I'm already excited to see which Will ends up choosing as his favorites.

Time to shop for some Christmas books, right? Right now, we have 4- not a bad start. One is very special to me, and I can't wait to share it with Will. When I was a child, my Grampa gave me a copy of The Nicest Gift about a little boy, Carlitos, who loses his dog in the mercado just before Christmas. It has always been a favorite of mine, and I'm happy that year after year, as I read it to my son, I'll do so with a smile on my face thinking about my Grampa.

4 Months Old

November brought some unseasonably warm weather, Will's first Thanksgiving, and lots of fun days at home and out around town. The weeks seem to be passing a lot faster now that we're able to get out of the house with a bit more ease, and hopefully that will continue even though a Chicago winter might not always make that a possibility.

Unfortunately, Will was diagnosed with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) two weeks ago and has to take a prescription twice daily. He seems to be a happier baby with the new meds, spitting up less often and sleeping a bit better.

Our 4 month appointment was great- Will has gained weight, now 13lbs 2oz, and is 24.5" tall. The little peanut is still in clothes for 0-3 months, but he's catching up :) He was very brave for his shots and in a good mood the rest of the night.

A few highlights from Will's 4th month:

** Will almost always has either his feet in his hands or his hands in his mouth. Since figuring out that these fun little "toys" are all attached to him, he loves to spend time on his changing table grabbing his feet, pulling on his toes and smiling. His hands are in his mouth more often than a pacifier (which he can pull out of his mouth now when he no longer wants it). **

** Will has always had really great head control, and we've found that he loves sitting in his Bumbo and looking all around. **

** Cooing and babbling have evolved into full on screeching- sometimes in anger, but more often in delight at something. He sound like a baby raptor, and it cracks us up. I had to keep myself from laughing when he decided to do this in our music class! **

** He enjoys being on his tummy more now and can push himself up well. We've been putting new toys in front of him, and he seems to enjoy the challenge of reaching for them. It's a race to see if he can get them before Lucy does. **

** The mirror is Will's newest obsession. If we put his Bumbo in front of a full length mirror he'll stare at himself in fascination for quite some time. He also loves looking at Mommy and Daddy holding him in the mirror. **

** He still enjoys books (Waikiki Lullaby & On the Night You Were Born are two of our favorites to read him) and songs (You Are My Sunshine makes him smile lately).

**Will went to a Cubs game this summer, but just about a week ago he was actually ON the field at Wrigley! **

Check me out rockin' tummy time...

Yay! My first Thanksgiving!

"Hi, Lucy. Wanna be in my pictures?"

"Yeah, I know, aren't my feet fun?!"

"Ok, enough with the camera, Mommy!"

Just kickin back in my Bumbo.

Kicking Off Holiday Season #1

Will's first Thanksgiving was a wonderful day for the whole family! We gathered at Grama and Grampa's house for a delicious meal that Grama prepared and a birthday celebration for Mom, Aunt Colleen, and Uncle Pat. We're so lucky to have our family right here so that we can spend these special days together.

Among the many things to be thankful for this year, one is that Will took a 2 hour nap at Grama's house which allowed for Mommy and Daddy to eat a hot meal, uninterrupted and with two hands -a very rare occurence since the little guy came into our lives. He was such a good boy all day (after spitting up twice before leaving the house and requiring multiple outfit changes), and we're all looking forward to his first Christmas with the Serafins, Dannhauers, and Ryans.

Check out my little man in his holiday duds:

Houston, We Have a Thumb Sucker.

Will found his hands weeks ago, and slowly they found their way to his mouth. It started out with a bit of gnawing on his hand (we swear he must be teething already), then progressed to what I can only describe as trying to jam his whole fist in there. Well, over the course of the last few days he has figured out that it's fun to suck his thumb. And he won't stop.

I've tried giving him his pacifier over and over, but he really prefers the thumb. How am I going to take that away one day?!

Will Rocks!

I'm not sure whether it has anything to do with all the music I listened to while pregnant (and piped into Will via Belly Buds), but one thing is for certain: Will LOVES his music!

In the last few weeks, we noticed how much he enjoys being sung to, and now pretty much everything is a song "This is the way we take a bath, take a bath, take a bath. This is the way we take a bath every other daaaaaay. This is the way we scrub our toes, scrub our toes...." You get the idea. He listens intently to all the traditional songs, and any time we incorporate hand motions we earn bonus points by way of huge smiles.

Even more than the traditional songs, Will loves hip hop. Yep. Pretty much any song that tells the listener to "throw your hands up" is a big hit with baby boy. So, we've started dancing to hip hop every day around the house, I sing it to him in the car, play it while we roll around on his activity mat...and he never tires of it. What cracks me up is how much he loves Justin Bieber's "Baby Baby Baby". This is where I have to confess that I listened to that ALL. THE. TIME. when I was pregnant. I'm sure I'm the only 35 year old woman who loves this song, but I can't deny it. Will also used to listen to it on his Belly Buds, and he'd always start kicking. Bieber Fever! Hahaha.

Now I just need Dave Matthews to make a Lullaby CD.

Sunshine on a Fall Day

With temperatures reaching over the 70 degree mark (in November!!) there's no way we were staying inside all day, so we joined Aunt Traci and cousins Jack, Ben, Sam, and June at Lincoln Park Zoo. So much has changed since the last time I was there, and I think we'll have to get a membership so that Will and I can enjoy it next summer when he's able to run around a little more. For today, he enjoyed it from the comfort of his stroller and my arms, but it was fun to see how much his big boy cousins loved the exhibits and play areas- so much to look forward to as Will grows!

3 Months Old

Hmmm, so I'm a week late on posting (I will get better with this. I will get better with this. I will get better with this.), but better late than never, right?

I can't believe that Will is already 3 months old! While I should have been returning work this week, we decided about a month ago that I'd stay home with Will instead. I think it's going to be an adjustment, but I'm really blessed to be able to have this time with him. I looked at his sweet little face a couple days ago and got choked up thinking about all I'd have missed, this past week alone, if I'd been at the office instead of with him.

Here are a few highlights of what the little Mr. is up to these days:

** He reaches for things that catch his interest: hanging toys on his activity mat, the Oball that hangs from his carrier, my hair. I can no longer wear necklaces! **

** About a month ago, Will started cooing. That has increased and also progressed into babbling. **

** Tummy time is still one of his least favorite activities. He will occasionally push his whole chest up, but he usually gives up and thinks it’s more fun to show off how he can roll from tummy to back now. **

** He no longer wakes up screaming for food and attention (well, except in the middle of the night). Now he talks to himself for a few minutes and then smiles when he sees us coming to rescue him from his crib. **

** Will LOVES being sung to, and I turn pretty much everything into a song. His favorites are ABCs, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and The Wheels on the Bus (especially the wipers going “swish”). **

** We read books to him before bed each night and he’s becoming more interested in looking at colorful pictures. *

** Will doesn’t have any issues going down for a nap or at night. We don’t need to rock him to sleep anymore, as long as we watch for his sleepy cues and get him down before he’s overtired, he goes right to sleep. Though he starts out with a pacifier in his mouth, he generally spits it out within 2 minutes of being in his crib. **

I love my giraffe, CeeCee.

Wait, where'd CeeCee go?

And in honor of CeeCee and his Great Grama, Will was a giraffe for Halloween! We had a great day trick or treating with friends, but it was chilly enough that Will was pretty red-nosed and ready to head home after about an hour.

He'll Pencil You In

Will is a busy little guy! While we've had a lot of fun hanging out at home, just the two of us (well, and Lucy, of course), Will likes to get out on the town, too. In his first couple of months, we were fortunate to have weather that allowed for him to shop with me at outdoor malls, have alfresco lunches with my girlfriends, hit the Farmer's Market, and go for long walks around the neighborhood. But in just the last few weeks, we've had even more opportunities to get out and about.

For three weeks now Will and I have been going to a Mom & Baby Fitness class at our health club. Every Tuesday morning, we spend 45 minutes getting fit together, and Will loves being used as my weight while I do squats, lunges, and chest presses, and he laughs as I do push ups over him. We'll be going to our first music class tomorrow, which will continue each Friday afternoon.

Most recently we've taken trips to the library (Will's first time in a voting booth as I voted in this mid-term election), Brookfield Zoo, and Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm. I hope as winter is upon us that we can still keep active and do new things!

Rapidly Approaching Three Months!

I suppose there's a lot to catch up on that has happened in the 12 weeks we've had Will, so I'll try to hit the highlights here and log the details in Will's baby book (though it seems unlikely he'll want to pour over it in his adult years- that's kind of a girl thing, right?).


Meeting Will:
Shortly after Will was given his eviction notice, our Dr. decided that it was time to induce labor. There was so much talk about him being a huge baby (turns out he just had a huge head and shoulders relative to my size), and they were concerned that he'd just keep getting bigger, resulting in a c-section. Well, that was the end result anyhow, and we greeted our little boy on July 29th at 11:56am.
His daddy stayed by his side for the two hours it took for his first bath, shots, footprints, and other tests. In the meantime, I was in a post-op room and so anxious to hold my angel. We spent 5 days in the hospital, where Will had a lot of visitors, and we couldn't wait to bring him home to meet Lucy (who stayed with my parents while we were in the hospital).



Our First 4 Weeks:
While I recovered from my c-section, we had a lot of help from family and friends who were kind enough to bring us meals, help around the house, and hold our crying newborn to give me a break or a nap when it was desperately needed. Will didn't sleeep as much as most newborns and seemed to be hungry all the time, causing him to cry quite a bit. We found one thing that made him very, very happy: bath time!
Will has made two new friends for life this month- his big sister, Lucy, and his adorable cousin, June. I'm sure he'll have lots of fun with June, growing up together, as well as with all his big boy cousins. With 5 of the latter, they are sure to show him the ropes!

Month 2:
By this time, I'd recovered and Will was settling into life on the outside. Between feedings and naps we were able to go for long walks, meet up with friends for lunch, and run the occassional errand or two. After 10 weeks on bedrest, and then 2 more post delivery, this was FANTASTIC. Will has been a very alert, expressive baby, but in his second month he started smiling, holding eye contact longer, tracking us with his eyes, and developing his own little personality.

We can't seem to tell who Will looks like yet. Just as many people say he resembles his father as there are people who feel he looks just like me. So, I suppose that means he's a good combination of the two of us :) He's pretty long and lean, like his Daddy, coming in at the 10th percentile for weight and 65th percentile for height.

The End of the "4th Trimester":

Will is gaining weight more rapidly now and is finally out of his newborn clothes. He still loves baths, and a few new things on his list of "likes": looking at trees on his walks, watching any and all ceiling fans, kicking of his socks, and being sung to (especially "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "ABCs"). We've gotten past his first cold, trip to the ER, and immunizations- all of which were probably a little tougher for me than him. He's a very happy baby who smiles a ton and just figured out how to laugh, which puts a huge smile on our faces. Just two weeks ago, Will was Baptized. Here's a photo with his godparents, his Aunt Colleen and Uncle Brian:

I'm Baaaaack!

Every couple of days, I'd think to myself "Self, we really need to get back to blogging." Yet, in the midst of constant feedings, unexplained crying fits, sleepless nights, sleepy days, diaper changes galore, and frequent trips to the pediatrician, well, it all kinda fell by the wayside.

Well, NO LONGER. I will not keep my faithful followers waiting, and I will not deny you the opportunity to hear about the minutia of motherhood. You're relieved, right?

I changed things up on the site since the flowers seemed a little lame for a blog that will focus on Mr. Will. Yep, that's right, you won't be subjected to hearing all about me. This time around it's all about my Peanut. My Mr. Monkey Man. My Sweet Pea. (He's going to hate me one day for calling him these things, isn't he?)

I'm working on my first post to catch you up on what the little dude has been up to these first couple months, and then I vow to be a regular poster again!

Looking Back & Looking Ahead

What I'll Miss Most About Being Pregnant

1. The anticipation. When will he be here? What will he look like? How will I know what to do? Will I kiss him so much his skin will be raw??
2. Feeling the little guy kicking around. It's "our thing". I get to know when he's sleeping, when he's awake, if he liked what I had for dinner. I'll miss that a lot.
3. Hogging the baby all to myself. I'm going to have to share him with everyone, right? A few days ago his daddy said "I can't wait to meet him, too. I feel like you know him already, ya know?", and I guess he's right.
4. Listening to the hubby read bedtime stories. We have two favorites, meant for an inside baby only.
5. People being especially nice to me. Nuff said.
6. Reprieve from lactose intolerance. I've been one of the lucky 50% who no longer needs meds while pregnant. I'm told I'll need to start up again after the baby is born, which is probably good given my 9 month orgy of ice cream, cheese, and pizza.

What I'm Most Looking Forward To

1. Pilates and Running. I miss both desperately and can't wait to work up a good sweat and also be able to feel my abs again.
2. Wine. Oh, and beer, champagne, sangria.....
3. Sleeping on my stomach. Can't freaking.wait.
4. Peeing less than 20 times a day. What I save in bulk toilet paper I'll spend on wine.
5. Reclaiming sole ownership of my ribcage.
6. Wearing underwear designed for the under 50 crowd again. I made it to 34 weeks before caving.
7. Walking without my thighs rubbing together. At least I hope I can get back to that sooner than later. See #1.

Eviction Notice

Well, folks, I've got a squatter on my hands.

I've tried to be patient, but after careful consideration and the overriding fact that I manage the property, it's time to take action.

Dear Baby S.,

I’m so pleased you’ve enjoyed your accommodations these past 38 weeks (particularly that they continued to be to your liking the last 8 weeks), but I’m afraid this living situation isn’t going to work any longer. While I’d like to say you haven’t overstayed your welcome, this isn’t exactly the truth, and quite frankly there have been some questionable practices in your quarters of late. Advanced footwork that results in rib fracture-like feelings, ongoing bladder compressions, and the brewing of substances that burn my digestive tract has made your residency less endearing. I’m afraid you will need to vacate the premises by the morning of July 29, 2010, or you will be forcibly removed.

I’m sorry that it has come to this, and I’d hoped we’d have been able to reach a mutually beneficial agreement some time ago. To ease your transition, I’ve spent a great deal of time crafting a new living space for you. Though you may find the lack of climate control and your own swimming pool a bit disappointing, I think you’ll find the conditions to be more than suitable.

One last note, if you could please take extra care in exiting the premises it would be much appreciated. While I expect and accept that there is to be some necessary repair work to tidy up the living space, I’d ask that you leave calmly, peaceably, and quickly.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Your Mommy

Baby Loves His Music

One of my favorite pregnancy purchases has been my BellyBuds. While I've read that babies can hear music in utero, from a distance, I was looking for something that would give more direct stimulation after looking more closely at the benefits of having our baby hear music while in the womb. That, and I love music and needed to start shaping baby's likes to be similar to ours. After several jokes about sticking ear buds in my belly button to pipe the tunes in, we found Belly Buds.

Belly Buds consist of dual, two-inch modular “belly-phones” that plug right into your iPod and can be placed anywhere on the belly (it's actually a split cord so that mom can listen with her own headphones, too). The disks gently stick right to your belly with a medical-grade, reusable and skin-safe hydrogel. They pump out the tunes with a fixed, maximum sound level strong enough to penetrate to the womb while not competing with the sound of the my heartbeat. Pretty cool, right?

For the last few months Baby S has been listening to Mommy and Daddy's favorites: lots of Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, U2, The Doors, Bob Marley, and more recently the playlists I created for Labor & Delivery. It has been so interesting to see what songs he reacts to and if there is any consistency in those he seems to "like" (as determined by his dancing and kicking in there)! So far, the two he seems like enjoy most are "Lie In Our Graves" by Dave Matthews Band (good choice, young man) and anything by Otis Redding (an odd choice, but I can get on board with it). Rock on, little guy!

Weekly Status: Week 37

How far along? 37 weeks, 4 days
How big is baby? Large enough to be simultaneously pushing on every one of my organs and my ribs.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: No gain since last week
Next Appointment: Our last appointment was on Wednesday. We started with a non-stress test which showed his heartbeat is great and I'd only had a couple of small contractions in 25 minutes. An internal exam showed that I'm not dilated at all. So, my doctor continues to be shocked that he's still hanging out in there, believes it could be any day, and we see her again on Tuesday. Sigh. At least on Tuesday we'll get to see him :) They will do an ultrasound to check on where my placenta is located now, how big the baby is, and fluid levels to make sure they are not any new concerns or risks at this point. I'm worried about all these possibilities, but hopefully he'll be here before Tuesday!
Maternity Clothes: Now that I'm on high alert for impending labor, I'm actually getting dressed properly most days. I can't show up at the hospital looking ridiculous in pajamas.
Sleep: Hahahahah
Best Moment This Week: Date night with husby. We went to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner last night (where we also had our first date and where we found out we were having a boy after our 20wk appt).
Movement: He's all over the place, so maybe he's getting antsy for more room to stretch out?
Planning/Preparation: I spent some time making meals to keep in the freezer, created a spreadsheet with addresses for birth announcements, rewashed some bedding that I'd convinced myself had collected dust in the last few weeks that it has been on the crib....I'm about as prepared as you can be. ::tapping foot::
Belly Button In/Out: My belly button HURTS. It's like it wants to pop out, but there isn't any skin there to pop.
Gender: Yep, still a boy.
What I Miss: Lately I miss working out a lot. I feel like I have no core strength at all anymore and I'm worried I have diatasis recti (where your abdominal muscles completely split), which will make recovery really difficult and likely worsen my lower back issues. We shall see.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Finally meeting him!
Contractions: All day and night on Tuesday, but nothing consistent enough to call the Dr.
Milestones? My stomach in 43". I think that rivals most Biggest Loser contestants, and my regular size bath towels don't close over my belly anymore.

Weekly Status: Week 36

36 weeks, 1 day -- From the front and the side:

How far along? 36 weeks, 4 days
How big is baby? Definitely over 6lbs now, probably closer to 6.5lbs
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Enough already!
Next Appointment: We had an appointment this past Wednesday and had a non-stress test, as well as a visit with our OB. The NST came back just fine, and according to the Dr. I'm not dilated at all and am just in a holding pattern for labor to start sometime. Our next appointment is this coming Wednesday....I never thought we'd get this far!
Maternity Clothes: I currently alternate between two t-shirts (a U of I Homecoming tee and one from my sorority bid night, since they are the largest in the house) and a few pairs of shorts I can till fit in. I do actually get dressed for Dr. visits and when guests come over, but I'm sure our cleaning lady and dog walker think I look like I'm one step away from living in a box on lower Wacker.
Sleep: So they say you can only sleep for a couple hours at a time when the baby arrives, and I'd actually welcome that right now. Sounds heavenly. Between numb shoulders and hips, my aching neck, getting up to use the bathroom, nighttime acid reflux, and feeling like it's 5000 degrees in our bedroom, I'm not sleeping at all. The good news is that since the baby dropped I don't have numb ribs anymore and it's easier to breathe- if I can sort out a couple of the other issues, I think I'll sleep again.
Best Moment This Week: When I ate Corn Fritters from Brown's Chicken. Oh, or when I got my nails done last night. Sorry, it can't all be baby related.
Planning/Preparation: I wanted to do a little painting in the baby's room today, but trying to get close enough to the wall with my stomach is quite impossible right now. So I got mad, cried, stopped, and then had some Cocoa Pebbles. At least it ended well!
Belly Button In/Out: In, but it feels like it's about to burst.
Gender: Bouncing Baby Boy
What I Miss: Being able to eat a meal without heartburn
What I'm Looking Forward To: Seeing my little boy's face!
Contractions: Nope
Milestones? My Dr. thought there was no way I'd get through 36 weeks, and I only have 3 days left!

Weekly Survey: Week 35

How far along? 35 weeks, 5 days
How big is baby? just under 6 lbs, according to our ultrasound on Thursday
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still gaining, and if I can cap out 3lbs from now, I'll be happy
Next Appointment: We were just there on Thursday and had an ultrasound and checkup. This was ultrasound #14!! He just loves attention. This time we got a really clear shot of his face and huge cheeks, which look so cute. In other good news, he's still head down, measuring ahead, and all of the cervical and placenta measurements were an improvement over the last ultrasound. We'll be back on Wednesday, if the little guy doesn't make an appearance before then.
Maternity Clothes: I'm now in the mindset of getting out of maternity and figuring out what I need to buy in the way of nursing tanks and tops.
Sleep:I'm having a much harder time breathing this past week, so sleep is getting hard, too.
Best Moment This Week: Getting his baby book in the mail and getting another peek at his face :)
Movement: Still frequent and more painful with each passing day, but it's great that I can still feel him squirming around.
Planning/Preparation: Lots of random little things to do, but for the most part we're ready!
Belly Button In/Out: Flat, not popped out.
Gender: Yep, still a boy.
What I Miss: Being able to take a deep breath.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Meeting our son and hoping he looks like one of the 2 names we've chosen.
Contractions: Nada.
Milestones? I'm 2 days away from 36 weeks!

Growing Baby Weeks 5 -34

I've tried to keep up with taking belly pictures from first finding out we were pregnant. I figured that as unflattering as bathroom light can be, and as silly as I'd look in my pajamas half the time, I'd appreciate having them one day. It's already amazing to look back at the early pictures, when I thought at the time "wow, I'm getting huge already" and realize that no one could possibly tell I'm even pregnant in the picture.

I have the same top on in the 24 and 34 week photos, and it's incredible to see what a difference there is in that time span! Even more incredible to think that I still have growing to do....well, if he decides to stay put for a bit.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Weekly Survey: Weeks 33 & 34

How far along? 34 weeks, 3 days (photo above taken today)
How big is baby? We'll find out exactly next week, but a week ago he was 4lbs 14oz
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Steadily gaining as he gets bigger and bedrest continues, but still a few pounds away from my "scary weight"
Next Appointment: We have an appt and ultrasound next Thursday. Since my last post, we've been the to the doc twice. There was some concern about my platelet count, but it turns out that's fine and my anemia is back...more iron pills for me. We talked about when to call the doc, when to head to the hospital, finalized our birth plan, and got the news that our OB will be "shocked if we get past 36 weeks". Yep, that's in a week and a half!
Maternity Clothes: About all that's comfy now is sundresses and skirts, which seems a bit much for bedrest, right? So, I alternate between being a total slob in my pjs and being completely overdressed for a day of Internet surfing and tv watching.
Sleep: It varies. The hardest thing now is actually hoisting myself out of bed to use the bathroom. I sometimes need to wake up husby to push me out of bed.
Best Moment This Week: Seeing the nursery in a more complete state yesterday. My parents were over and hung curtains, rearranged furniture, and helped me put some things away. There's still work to do, but it feels more like a nursery now, and even Lucy is behaving in there.
Movement: He doesn't seem to be such a night owl anymore (fingers crossed that holds true when he's on the outside). There are periods of 30-60 min during the day that he just rolls around and kicks like crazy. Since he's running out of room, his movement is a little more uncomfortable for me, but I'm so happy I have an active baby who lets me know he's doing ok while we're on bedrest.
Planning/Preparation: We have a pediatrician now, only one more prenatal class to go, fancy new camera coming in the mail any day now, hospital bag packed, Lucy's bag packed, iPod, Flip, and old camera all charged and ready to go, baby clothes/blankets/burp clothes washed, all infant care items purchased and in the right place (thanks Mom).... how do I still have a TO DO list that runs two pages?? I need a haircut so terribly; I'm trying to figure out when I can get Andrew to take me somewhere. I'm still in the midst of reading two books on vaccines and breastfeeding and would like to finish those asap.
Belly Button In/Out: Flat, not popped out.
Gender: Yep, still a boy.
What I Miss: Being able to eat without heartburn. It's been terrible for a few weeks now.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Meeting our son and hoping he looks like one of the 2 names we've chosen.
Contractions: Nada.
Milestones? Hitting 34 weeks and knocking out an entire page on the TO DO list.

Summer School!

We started our prenatal classes a couple of weeks ago, beginning with Prepared Childbirth- when to go to the hospital, how to breathe in labor, etc.- followed by Infant & Child Safety and CPR, and Breastfeeding.

There are only 4 couples in our Prepared Childbirth class, and it's taught by one of the L&D nurses at the hospital, so it will be nice to see a familiar face when we actually have the baby. So far, we've learned a lot in the class, but being that I plan on having an epidural and there's a good chance of a c-section, there's a good portion I won't need to use (which is great, since I can barely remember this morning, much less things someone tried to teach me weeks ago).

Safety and CPR was the one class we both really felt was a must. Since I'm not allowed to strain myself, I couldn't do the chest compressions, but I was able to practice everything else. I'm pretty confident that if (big IF) I remain calm I could actually properly administer CPR or help a choking baby/child. There was another couple there who forced their parents and siblings to attend in order for them to be allowed to babysit. For real! So, I had the absurdity of that to amuse me for a few minutes as we were all introducing ourselves.

Breastfeeding. Now I'm no prude, but I'd have gotten just as much out of the class had I seen a good 10 less breasts. Yeah, I know, it's natural...blah blah blah. I just don't need to see roughly 40 minutes of zoom lens videography to get the idea, and I'm pretty sure that if you're running into issues so severe that you're wishing you'd seen more of this in your class, then you're already on the phone with a lactation consultant or calling a nurse to your room. So, as much as I was tired of seeing it, I'm guessing my sentiment was shared to an even greater degree by the 5 fathers-to-be in the room (including mine). Regardless, there was a lot of good information, and a fancy folder with crooked photocopies of things to take home. I like free, fancy folders.

This weekend had our tour of the hospital! Being that it's a new building it's all tricked out with fancy things like all private rooms that have iPod docks, DVD players, plasma TVs, beds for Dads, huge balconies on each level, extensive room service menus. Now, if I didn't have to pass a watermelon to gain access to such luxury, wouldn't that be super?! Really, it's beautiful.

One more class left, and then I'm a pro, I guess. The teacher in me wishes there were pre and post tests so I could really see how much I've learned (sadly, I'm completely serious), and little report cards so I could put mine in the baby book. Of course, I'd need instructor comments like "shows tremendous aptitude for parenting!" to really make it a worthwhile keepsake, but I guess the RNs who teach this stuff are too busy for such things. That, and we're not 12. Sigh.

Weekly Survey: Weeks 31 & 32

How far along? 32 weeks, 3 days
How big is baby? So big that I can't believe he's still supposed to almost double in size!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still in the "normal" range for what they recommended I gain.
Next Appointment: My only time out of the house has been for Dr appts, so I guess having 3 in the last 2 weeks isn't so bad. Last week, I was having some real contractions, combined with Braxton Hicks (likely set off by slight dehydration), and I ended up having an ultrasound and non-stress test at the OB's office in the morning. Everything looked good. No more contractions since, and follow up appts were also good, but I'm still on the same level of bedrest until I have my next ultrasound. We go in this Saturday for them to measure where the placenta is now.... fingers crossed that it has moved up!
Maternity Clothes: Do the hubster's tee shirts and old yoga pants count? That's what I"m wearing most days now.
Sleep: It's getting much harder to sleep. My hips and ribs are stretching and so sore. I can only lay on my side, but doing so puts the weight of the baby and my hips and ribs, causing more pain. If I do fall asleep, I wake up to use the bathroom, head back to bed, and by the time I'm comfortable, I have to go to the bathroom again. I've been up since 4am today. Next step is to try sleeping in a reclining chair.
Best Moment This Week: Finally seeing some things come together in his nursery! Glider is ordered, all newborn clothes are washed, the necessities for a newborn are all purchased, washed, and in the room. Now it's just a matter of organizing things.
Movement: He's still very active, a few times a day, and he loves listening to music with the Belly Buds. My least favorite position is his first under the right side of my rib cage.
Planning/Preparation: Much still to be done in the nursery, and I'm getting extremely stressed about it. I really want Lucy to have time to get used to the room when it's all set up- before the baby comes home. I still need to choose a pediatrician, create iPod playlists for the hospital, pack a hospital bag, finish writing the birth plan, and more. Not being able to get up really limits my ability to do what I'd like to do most...finish the nursery.
Belly Button In/Out: Pretty much flush with my belly now.
Gender: Yep, still a boy.
What I Miss: Everything that makes you feel like a normal person. You know, showering daily, making your own food, sleeping through the night.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Our ultrasound on Saturday. I can't wait to find out if the placenta has moved and if he's still breech after going into that position 4 weeks ago.
Contractions: None since last Tuesday.
Milestones? Hitting 32 weeks! See post below.

We Made It!! 32 Weeks

First, this is what he looks like at 32 weeks- thankfully, still an inside baby!

My fabulous friend Katie Ryan came over to take some maternity photos for us over the weekend, and this is one of the teasers she posted on her blog for us. I'm thrilled that we'll have these photos to look back at years from now, and I think we'll frame a couple for Baby S's nursery.


Today is the big day- 32 weeks. When I ended up in the hospital 20 days ago, they told me as soon as things took a turn for the worse that if I delivered then (at 29 weeks) there would be some issues but that they were very hopeful the baby would be okay. From that point on, they stressed over and over how important it was to get to 32 weeks. The message has been the same at each Dr. appt since. Well, here we are, and I've been in a great mood all day. Just knowing that I reached the goal they set for me puts a smile on my face- all this bedrest is not in vain. The next goal is 36 weeks, but we have two more Dr. appts this week to see where things stand, measure everything via ultrasound, and find out whether or not they are willing to lift any of my restrictions.

As of this week, Baby S has reached the following milestones:

• at least a pound heavier than when I was admitted to the hospital and adding more body fat everyday
• lungs have nearly fully developed (with the help of steroids)
• all five senses are developed
• organs are functioning on their own
• bones are fully developed and hardening

Basically, there's a good chance that he would be able to breathe and function on his own if I ended up going into labor today. He'd still be in the NICU for some time at this point, but there are far lesser concerns than a few weeks ago. I think we'll keep him in there for awhile though :)

Strollers and Rattles and Bibs- Oh My!

We're incredibly blessed to have amazing families and friends, who've been excited for us ever since we announced that Baby S was coming this summer. In the last few weeks, they came together at two showers to celebrate with us, and we have a third shower scheduled later this month!

Our first shower was hosted by all my besties in the picture below, and was an afternoon filled with good friends and all my favorite things.

We enjoyed a lunch of all my pre-pregnancy and pregnancy favorites (gourmet cheeses, olives, chopped salad, pickles galore, corned beef sandwiches, roasted veggie croissants...and more), opened presents, and had some yummy desserts. I've been friends with these girls for so many years, and we've all been there to celebrate the big moments in each others lives, but I was so touched by all the thought that they obviously put into making this a special day. Love you, ladies.


Our second shower followed my 4 days in the hospital, so you'll see how fetching I am in a brown leather wheelchair! Here we are with our wonderful hosts, who couldn't have chosen a more beautiful day to bring two families together to celebrate the soon-to-be newest little Serafin.
We had about 35 people there to share their excitement with us, who all enjoyed the beautiful views of the Lake, a tasty lunch, and fun games with thoughtful gifts for the winners! Andrew and I had a great time, surrounded by people we love and opening one adorable gift after another.

Being on bed rest has allowed me to the time to write and send over 60 thank you cards, and it's a relief to have that done in a timely manner. I love writing thank yous and try to do it as quickly as possible.

Writing the thank yous got me thinking.... I vow to you right now that now I will never, ever, do the following once I'm a parent:

1. Send a pre-printed thank you card with no personal message. If I'm going to ask you to attend a party for our child, and you choose not only to spend your day that way but also bring him a gift, you will NEVER receive a thank you from me by way of Shutterfly with his picture on the front (probably with cake all over his face) and a pre-printed message inside, shoved into an envelope on which I've slapped a computer generated address label. The pre-printed card is the real offense here, but for some reason I seem to always get these in an envelope with label, you know, just to reeeeeeally save time. Sorry, if you're so busy you can't write me a proper thank you, you needn't bother sending me your pre-printed card. I was there to see the kid with cake on his face, I'm not framing your card.

2. Send a thank you card written from the perspective of our son. Why do people do this?! I'll come right out and say it- it's creepy. Not cute or folksy. Just creepy. "Dear Auntie Jenny, I had the best time at my party! Thank you so much for coming. I just love my Tickle Me Elmo, and I'm sure I'll drive my parents crazy with it!!" Ewwwww. There must be people who find this endearing. This girl? No, not in the slightest.

Bed Rest: Day 12

If I have one more person tell me how they'd give anything to be forced to watch tv, read books, and nap all day, I'm going to scream. Really, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Sure, those things might sound fun. For a couple days. Think about not being able to get up and make food for yourself whenever you're hungry, having to rush each shower, realizing you need something from upstairs or downstairs (about 50 times a day) and not being able to go get it, and your dog giving you sad eyes and batting you with her paw to get you to play with her or go for a walk- neither of which you can do.

All that is bad enough, but when you're a Type A, anal retentive, perfectionist, control freak the list of what makes you crazy on bed rest goes on and on and on. I can get over the dishwasher not being loaded the "right way", but when the dishes are going somewhere other than their designated spots in the cabinets, I get panicky. Someone else has to do my laundry (I can't remember the last time I allowed this), which actually terrifies me. Is the garden getting enough water? Will the groceries I want (as indicated in my detailed, aisle by aisle shopping list) end up at my house? When they do get here, how will they be put in the fridge? I can tell you one thing, it's not going to be in the proper spot and with the labels all face forward. I like my yogurt containers to all look like little soldiers in there...perfectly lined up, facing forward, arranged by expiration date from front to back. No one is going to know to do this. Toilet paper needs to roll over the top, Lucy likes her food mixed with REALLY hot water (hotter than her dad makes it), the bed has to be made everyday with the top sheet folded over the duvet....

Maybe this is all a good lesson for me in letting go of the things that just don't matter at all, and focusing on a single important task- letting Baby S grow. The alternative is driving the hubster even more insane as I micromanage every one of tasks he's kind enough to take on while I'm laid up. The man is a saint. I can hardly stand myself as I hear the words coming out of my mouth, but, of course, he has been wonderful. My mom has been a tremendous help, too- keeping my company, keeping us fed, and allowing for some of my insanity.... she's had 35 yrs of this, he's had 5. Ok, they're both saints.

Weekly Status: 30 Weeks

How far along? 30 weeks, 4 days
How big is baby? 3 lbs, 9 oz.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I forgot my new policy and looked at the scale. Somehow, since my weigh in two weeks ago and sitting on my butt for a full week with a growing baby, I'm down 3 lbs. I guess not being able to get up to get snacks has helped!
Next Appointment: My 30 wk appt was this afternoon, including a 3D ultrasound. I go back again next Wednesday and am now on weekly appts.
Maternity Clothes: I've been pretty much in hospital robes or comfies for the past week. It was nice to actually get dressed for my appt today.
Sleep: I'm finally starting to catch up the last few nights, but the vivid dreams are wigging me out.
Best Moment This Week: Seeing my little boy's face today. Even though it was kinda smooshed, and only his profile, I could see him blink and move his lips, check out his chubby cheeks, and see all of his fingers and toes- which were all right by his face! He's quite the little contortionist, so we'll have to get him on the right track early....no son of mine will be in the circus.
Movement: He likes to put his feet under the right side of my ribcage, which is more uncomfortable than I think you can imagine. Most babies his age have 3 active periods a day of 6 or so noticeable movements in 30 min. I've counted 6-7 active periods a day for a few days now and pretty much constant motion for a good 20 minutes each time. He has his daddy's energy.
Planning/Preparation: Things have come to a screeching halt since being put on bed rest. I'm trying not to freak out, so I'm making a list of what I can do from the couch- write thank you cards, create closet hangers to divide clothes, finally finish our wedding album (seriously, this needs to get done before we bring him home).
Belly Button In/Out: Kinda flat now.
Gender: BIG Baby Boy
What I Miss: Life before bed rest.
What I'm Looking Forward To: For now, it's just getting from day to day. Each day we can keep him in there is an accomplishment - I will keep praying that we can get to 32 weeks, and when we get there, I'll start praying for 34.
Contractions: None since last Friday...phew.
Milestones? Hitting the f75% mark at 30 weeks!

29.5

I stopped my weekly post at 29.5 since until that point all was well and things had been pretty uneventful. All that changed midweek, and I had the chance to experience a handful of "firsts":

• taking myself into the ER
• trip to labor and delivery
• use of a bedpan
• ride in an ambulance
• overnight stay in hospital

I suppose all these things were bound to happen eventually, but they were pretty unexpected! Looooong story short: sudden bleeding, walk into ER, moved to L&D, exam shows a large cervical polyp, a few ultrasounds confirm size and seriousness, contractions going on the whole time, but things seem to be getting better. Suddenly, they are worse. Massive bleeding, more contractions, blood pressure drop, talk of delivery, decision to give me steroid shots to ramp up Baby S's lung development as it looks like he could be coming early. Ambulance transfer to another hospital with a level 3 NICU, more contractions (oh, I should mention I can't really feel these much), more exams and ultrasounds which show Baby S is huge and ...new issue: low lying placenta. Really low.

3 nights in the hospital, lots of monitoring. Finally, since all seems stable, they are ready to let me go home but on a rather restricted bed rest. I'm allowed to get up to use the restroom and to take a 5 min shower. Other than that, nada. No walking (I have a stylin wheelchair now), no working, no lifting, no driving, you get the idea.

We go to the Dr. tomorrow for another checkup, but right now the plan is to just try to keep the little guy in there for a few more weeks. They are really pushing for me to make it to 34, but everyday he can keep growing it HUGE at this point. Best case scenario- my placenta moves up on its own with the bedrest, and we make it to 37 weeks with an induction and plan for delivery. Next best- 37 weeks, placenta still low, scheduled c-section. Worst- I start bleeding again and go into labor tomorrow. Or now. Gah! NOT. READY. So, fingers crossed for the better scenarios, right?

Our family and closest friends have been amazing this past week (not that I expected anything less- I've known that I'm quite lucky in this department for a long, long time). I had a lot of visitors in the hospital, many phone calls and emails offering all kinds of support and help, and this is still the case after days of being home. My hubby is amazing and doing everything around the house, all the little things I ask, waiting on me hand and foot while he can be here, and cheering me up. My parents and inlaws have been wonderful, too- meals, and company, and errands... you name it. It's amazing how overwhelming it can be to not be able to do anything on your own, and while hubster tries to do everything he can, he's only one person and has a lot of responsibilities outside this house. I'm so grateful for all that our friends and family have done to support us, and this is one lucky baby who will grow up with all of them.

Hoping for good news tomorrow! Oh, and we get to see his little face on 3D ultrasound...I can't wait!