This weekend we went to a pig roast where family and friends were in attendance. It started off awkward for me, as we got there early to help set up, and the only other person there was a good friend of the hosts. I happen to know that her final IVF ended in miscarriage not so long ago, and they've moved on to adoption. I also know all too well how it must feel for her to be confronted with a pregnant woman. Our mutual friend also knows it's hard on her, because when I first told her two months ago that I was pregnant, she mentioned that she was not going to even tell her for a while. So, I was a little horrified when my friend starting talking about my belly (I am getting VERY round in front!) in front of this poor woman. I know it's been a few months since her miscarriage, but I also know all too well that a few months is nothing it all. After a few months, it still feels like yesterday. With a final IVF behind her and a new path ahead of her, I'm sure she still feels the pain.
Needless to say, she disappeared in pretty short order, and I didn't see much of her for the rest of the day. I wish I could've said something, but I'm probably not supposed to even know about her situation. I hurt for her, though. Unfortunately, a lot of people who knew her kept coming up to me all day to talk about my pregnancy, and I kept trying to change the subject. Yes, I'm thrilled. No, I don't want to talk about it at the expense of another woman.
I mentioned to a few people that I didn't want to talk about it in front of her. Their responses really floored me. One friend-a very sensitive, caring woman-shrugged and said "life goes on.". You can always tell the women who've never been there. They don't truly get it, even when it's explained to them. It was shocking to me, actually, how almost callous people seemed. She can't have her own child. It's not like she founf out that the grocery store was out of Wheaties. But the reactions to my concern for her mental health were essentially along the lines of "she should be over it." Sigh. You always carry that with you, even if you reconcile yourself to it. I wish people got that.
Later on, a family friend who didn't know I was pregnant saw me and was completely floored. Again, the belly giving me away-it was kind of fun, actually. It's the first time someone has found out by looking at me. The expression was priceless. The line of questioning that followed was not:
Friend: So, was this a surprise?
Me (knowing full well what she was asking): Was what a surprise?
Friend: The baby?
Me: To me?
Friend: Yes.
Me (snorting): No, the baby definitely was not a surprise to me.
As though this wasn't bad enough, a family member chimed in on the fun a short time later:
Her: So, how sure are you about your due date?
Me (again knowing just what she was asking): What do you mean?
Her: Well, are you sure it's right?
Me: Huh?
Her: Well, with my kids, I was never exactly sure of, you know, so I never was exactly sure the dates were right.
Me: I'm positive that my due date is accurate. I was keeping a pretty close eye on things.
Ugh.
And then, at another function this week, it was a not-so-nonchalant "I gained less than 20 pounds with each of my kids." Personally, I think this is an incredibly unhealthy weight gain, especially since she then went on to tell me that her babies were only 5 pounds. But more than that-why say that to ANY pregnant woman? Is it a competiton? A challenge? I am going to gain as much as I can (meaning 30-35 pounds, which is a lot for me, considering how I struggle to put on weight), to have as big of a baby as I can (within reason, of course), because that's HEALTHY, and NORMAL, and BEST FOR THE BABY. Women are so competitive, but we've got to draw the line at the "minimal weight gain during pregnancy" competition. That's crazy, and unhealthy for our children.
Speaking of which, stat's this week: +12 pounds from pre-pregancy weight. Crap. This means I'm down another pound or so, which makes it two weeks in a row. I can't figure out why, since I feel like I'm constantly eating. I went to a pig roast, for crying out loud, and hovered over the appetizer table for two hours until dinner was ready! I ate chips! With dip! And cookies, pork, pasta salad, veggies, and two kinds of dessert! I have a doctor's appointment this week, so I'll have to chat with her about my weight gain, and whether I'm on track. I am eating lots of healthy snacks between meals-fruit, nuts, cheese, veggies, and hummus-so it's tough to say why my weight is so static. I feel like I'm constantly eating, and constantly full.
Work has been really crazy, as I gear up for an upcoming project. I am doing a lot of blog reading on my phone, as I have a few minutes in between things, but I can't always access the commenting screen, for reasons I can't figure out. But I'm always reading, so don't feel ignored.
And finally, the name thing. Everyone is constantly asking what the baby's name will be. We have no idea. People think we are just keeping it a secret, but truthfully, we have no plans to name her until she is born. We have a "short list" of a dozen or so names, which is constantly evolving. It just feels right to meet her before we name her. I feel like we'll know the right name when we see her.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
21 Weeks
Today marks 21 weeks, and I ushered in this week with a bang. . .literally. I took a massive fall in the shower this morning. I had jumped out of the shower to lock the door behind my husband (who, I could tell by the lack of the sound of the lock turning in the door, had forgotten to lock the door behind him when he left this morning), and when I stepped back in, I slipped. We have a very beautiful, but very sharp, wooden molding on the side of the tub, and as one foot slipped out from under me in the tub, the other leg came crashing down on the side of the molding, and then slid along it. I ended up landing entirely in the tub, with one knee bent under me at an odd angle. Baby is fine, but my leg is a mess. There are bruises and scrapes down one calf and down my foot, and it hurts to walk on. I am nothing, if not graceful. Thankfully, I landed the way I did, and not in a way that hurt the baby.
Otherwise, things have been going really well.
Weight: +13 pounds overall (I seem to have lost 1.5 pounds from last week; not sure why).
I found a great sale at www.bab.ycatalog.com on the bedding that we picked out, and they were having free shipping as well, so on Monday I bought it (it was $40 cheaper than in my local store). It got here today, which I thought was super quick! I totally love it. It's a mix of polka dots and stripes, sort of bright green and chocolate brown. Hopefully, it will match the wall color.
And, we've hired a doula. After all of my research and agonizing over who to contact, a number of the doulas didn't even respond to my inquiries. Two were already booked, and two were available. One of those that was available gave such a lackluster response that I excluded her. So, we only got one response back that I really liked. We traded emails and then talked on the phone for a long while, and I liked her, but I wasn't sure what T. would think. We set up an appointment for this past week so that he could meet her in person. He's been pretty lukewarm on the whole doula thing. . .he didn't really understand what she could do for us, or why it might be beneficial to have her there. So, I explained to him that we'd meet with her, and then we'd talk about it, and then we'd let her know. But he must've REALLY liked her, because toward the end of the meeting, he told her she was definitely hired! She seems terrific, and it gives me peace of mind to know that she's on this journey with us. It makes me feel like I'm more likely to avoid the interventions that I don't want, and to have the kind of birth that I really do want.
The only question that remains is whether we'll be able to use our Heal.th Sav.ings Account to pay for the doula. Under the IRS reg's, I think it's a qualified expense. But when I contacted my benefits company, they initially denied my request. I asked them to provide a legal basis for their determination, and cited the parts of the IRS reg that I believe support my request, and received a response back--from the woman who denied my claim--saying that they were now considering it, but the person who "had all the answers" was out of the office. I found it a little disturbing that they would just deny it out of hand, and then when I pushed it, all of a sudden, they were at a loss. On the bright side, at least they are considering it, and hopefully they will see things my way!
Otherwise, things have been going really well.
Weight: +13 pounds overall (I seem to have lost 1.5 pounds from last week; not sure why).
I found a great sale at www.bab.ycatalog.com on the bedding that we picked out, and they were having free shipping as well, so on Monday I bought it (it was $40 cheaper than in my local store). It got here today, which I thought was super quick! I totally love it. It's a mix of polka dots and stripes, sort of bright green and chocolate brown. Hopefully, it will match the wall color.
And, we've hired a doula. After all of my research and agonizing over who to contact, a number of the doulas didn't even respond to my inquiries. Two were already booked, and two were available. One of those that was available gave such a lackluster response that I excluded her. So, we only got one response back that I really liked. We traded emails and then talked on the phone for a long while, and I liked her, but I wasn't sure what T. would think. We set up an appointment for this past week so that he could meet her in person. He's been pretty lukewarm on the whole doula thing. . .he didn't really understand what she could do for us, or why it might be beneficial to have her there. So, I explained to him that we'd meet with her, and then we'd talk about it, and then we'd let her know. But he must've REALLY liked her, because toward the end of the meeting, he told her she was definitely hired! She seems terrific, and it gives me peace of mind to know that she's on this journey with us. It makes me feel like I'm more likely to avoid the interventions that I don't want, and to have the kind of birth that I really do want.
The only question that remains is whether we'll be able to use our Heal.th Sav.ings Account to pay for the doula. Under the IRS reg's, I think it's a qualified expense. But when I contacted my benefits company, they initially denied my request. I asked them to provide a legal basis for their determination, and cited the parts of the IRS reg that I believe support my request, and received a response back--from the woman who denied my claim--saying that they were now considering it, but the person who "had all the answers" was out of the office. I found it a little disturbing that they would just deny it out of hand, and then when I pushed it, all of a sudden, they were at a loss. On the bright side, at least they are considering it, and hopefully they will see things my way!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
20 Weeks: The Agony and the Ecstasy of Being Halfway There
Wednesday marked the halfway point for us, and things have been going fairly well, if completely crazy, between baby planning, new job seeking, house renovations, my current workload, and work for a board that I am on. Time is FLYING by, and I never quite feel like I've accomplished as much as I'd like to.
Weight this week: +14.5 pounds from pregnancy. (Wow!)
I had pretty severe lower abdomen pain on the lower left side this week for about 24 hours, starting on Wednesday. Although I wasn't entirely constipated, I suspected a digestive issue, so I had the brilliant idea of buying some prune juice, which I had never drank before. Upon opening the bottle, I discovered that the prune juice was a little thick, so I cut it in half with soda water. Thinned out, I discovered that it really reminded me of molasses, which I kind of like, and I downed a glass easily. And then a bit later, another. And then another. . .let me advise you, dear reader, that if you ever decide to try prune juice, you should start slow. Indeed, the prune juice DID do the trick. . .albeit a little too well, all the next day. But hey, the pain was gone!
The baby has been really active over the last couple of days, although less active today. It's really fun to feel her moving. Yesterday, T. felt the baby move for the first time, which was really cool.
On the completely vain front, I have finally cobbled together a decent maternity wardrobe for work. I have a couple of Olian suits, a bunch of dresses (some maternity and some not), some Old Navy and Gap maternity, and a ton of eBay finds. The funniest part was that I bought a pair of Olian maternity pants in a size XS, to correspond to my "normal" prepregnancy size. They looked really nice on the hanger, but when I tried them on, they were obscenely tight, and I had to exchange them. But then I bought two pair of nonmaternity pants with a stretchy waist at Ne.w Yor.k & Company, in a size small, and they fall down when I walk! Who sizes this stuff???
And finally, we are hard at work on the baby registry. It's taken most of the weekend to try to figure out what we need and what we want. I wasn't giving it a ton of thought and was sort of thinking I had months to get it done, but one of my friends came in and plopped herself down in my office this week at work, and announced that I needed to register. She thinks I am having four showers, at a minimum (thanks to incredibly supportive friends and large families). She also knows that I am getting really busy at work, and in her words, "if you don't hurry up and register, you are going to get crap." In fact, she was so insistent about it that she returned a while later with a list of suggested stores, and then again after that with a list of suggested items to register for.
And, we are such hapless idiots when it comes to baby equipment!!! When I came home and told T. that she had said we needed to register, I happened to show him a bassinet that I like, which I'd like to use next to the bed. His response? "But I thought we were going to get one of those crib thingys." I was actually confused by what a "crib thingy" was, but further prompting elicited confirmation that he meant "the big things we looked at at Bab.ies R' Us." Um, that would just be a CRIB. Oh, the learning curve is going to be very steep for us. . .don't even get me started on the two of us wrestling with car seats yesterday in the store, trying to sort out how the infant seat/base/stroller worked. Let's just say that we need some schooling, preferably in the remedial class.
The final verdict is that we are registering at both Bab.ies R' Us and a local baby store, mainly because the local store has a better selection of furniture, but they don't carry all of the everyday types of necessities like BRU does. I am off shortly to go finish looking at a few things at both stores, and hopefully then I will be done with this madness! The only question I have left is whether I have registered for too many items, or for not enough. How many individual items are/were on YOUR registry?
Weight this week: +14.5 pounds from pregnancy. (Wow!)
I had pretty severe lower abdomen pain on the lower left side this week for about 24 hours, starting on Wednesday. Although I wasn't entirely constipated, I suspected a digestive issue, so I had the brilliant idea of buying some prune juice, which I had never drank before. Upon opening the bottle, I discovered that the prune juice was a little thick, so I cut it in half with soda water. Thinned out, I discovered that it really reminded me of molasses, which I kind of like, and I downed a glass easily. And then a bit later, another. And then another. . .let me advise you, dear reader, that if you ever decide to try prune juice, you should start slow. Indeed, the prune juice DID do the trick. . .albeit a little too well, all the next day. But hey, the pain was gone!
The baby has been really active over the last couple of days, although less active today. It's really fun to feel her moving. Yesterday, T. felt the baby move for the first time, which was really cool.
On the completely vain front, I have finally cobbled together a decent maternity wardrobe for work. I have a couple of Olian suits, a bunch of dresses (some maternity and some not), some Old Navy and Gap maternity, and a ton of eBay finds. The funniest part was that I bought a pair of Olian maternity pants in a size XS, to correspond to my "normal" prepregnancy size. They looked really nice on the hanger, but when I tried them on, they were obscenely tight, and I had to exchange them. But then I bought two pair of nonmaternity pants with a stretchy waist at Ne.w Yor.k & Company, in a size small, and they fall down when I walk! Who sizes this stuff???
And finally, we are hard at work on the baby registry. It's taken most of the weekend to try to figure out what we need and what we want. I wasn't giving it a ton of thought and was sort of thinking I had months to get it done, but one of my friends came in and plopped herself down in my office this week at work, and announced that I needed to register. She thinks I am having four showers, at a minimum (thanks to incredibly supportive friends and large families). She also knows that I am getting really busy at work, and in her words, "if you don't hurry up and register, you are going to get crap." In fact, she was so insistent about it that she returned a while later with a list of suggested stores, and then again after that with a list of suggested items to register for.
And, we are such hapless idiots when it comes to baby equipment!!! When I came home and told T. that she had said we needed to register, I happened to show him a bassinet that I like, which I'd like to use next to the bed. His response? "But I thought we were going to get one of those crib thingys." I was actually confused by what a "crib thingy" was, but further prompting elicited confirmation that he meant "the big things we looked at at Bab.ies R' Us." Um, that would just be a CRIB. Oh, the learning curve is going to be very steep for us. . .don't even get me started on the two of us wrestling with car seats yesterday in the store, trying to sort out how the infant seat/base/stroller worked. Let's just say that we need some schooling, preferably in the remedial class.
The final verdict is that we are registering at both Bab.ies R' Us and a local baby store, mainly because the local store has a better selection of furniture, but they don't carry all of the everyday types of necessities like BRU does. I am off shortly to go finish looking at a few things at both stores, and hopefully then I will be done with this madness! The only question I have left is whether I have registered for too many items, or for not enough. How many individual items are/were on YOUR registry?
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
19 Weeks
The baby has moved up during this last week. When we had the "big" ultrasound last week, she was fairly low in my stomatch. But over the last week, my belly has really become quite round. I had a regular doctor's appointment this week, and the doctor decided that because of the spotting I'd had this month, she wanted to do a manual exam and another ultrasound to check my cervix. All appeared well with the cervix, but when they did the ultrasound, the baby was up by my belly button. It is totally weird to see how quickly things change!
Weight: +12 pounds since getting pregnant.
Things are otherwise going well. My back is starting to bother me a bit, and I think I'm going to have to give up high heels. My shape has changed just enough that it's become a chore to walk up stairs in them. My doctor saw a pair that I was wearing at my appointment, and mentioned that I'm going to have to give them up soon. Soon, I won't have any clothes OR any shoes!
I found two maternity suits online for a reasonable price, so I bought them. Once is pretty nice, and has a very comfy skirt. But on the second, the pants were so small that I couldn't even button them! So much for maternity pants!!! I'm going to return them and buy a size two sizes bigger than I normally wear, and hope that they fit.
It was also my birthday this week, and I got a gorgeous diaper bag from my MIL (the weight gain must be from all of that birthday cake!). I told T. that I've officially been eclipsed by the babe in my MIL's eyes, and he laughed and agreed with me. It really is fabulous, though.
Edited to add: The baby's heart rate was 156 on this week's ultrasound. The tech said that she was moving around a ton, so her heart rate was a little higher than she expected.
Also, I think I forgot to mention that I've been feeling her move over the last few weeks. At first, I wasn't sure if that's what it was. It sort of feels like someone is tapping me from the inside. It's very cool!
Weight: +12 pounds since getting pregnant.
Things are otherwise going well. My back is starting to bother me a bit, and I think I'm going to have to give up high heels. My shape has changed just enough that it's become a chore to walk up stairs in them. My doctor saw a pair that I was wearing at my appointment, and mentioned that I'm going to have to give them up soon. Soon, I won't have any clothes OR any shoes!
I found two maternity suits online for a reasonable price, so I bought them. Once is pretty nice, and has a very comfy skirt. But on the second, the pants were so small that I couldn't even button them! So much for maternity pants!!! I'm going to return them and buy a size two sizes bigger than I normally wear, and hope that they fit.
It was also my birthday this week, and I got a gorgeous diaper bag from my MIL (the weight gain must be from all of that birthday cake!). I told T. that I've officially been eclipsed by the babe in my MIL's eyes, and he laughed and agreed with me. It really is fabulous, though.
Edited to add: The baby's heart rate was 156 on this week's ultrasound. The tech said that she was moving around a ton, so her heart rate was a little higher than she expected.
Also, I think I forgot to mention that I've been feeling her move over the last few weeks. At first, I wasn't sure if that's what it was. It sort of feels like someone is tapping me from the inside. It's very cool!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sadness
There is a place that I love to eat at in the summer. It's the kind of place that only locals and well-informed tourists can find, as it has no website, no signage, and in fact no real menu to speak of. It sits on a somewhat dilapidated pier that juts out over the water and looks upon more well-heeled establishments on the opposite shore. The tables and chairs are plastic, the owners' black labs amicably greet you in the driveway, and it's strictly BYOB--BYO hors d' oeurves, too. The atmosphere, in short, simply can't be beat, and it has long been a treasured place to bring friends for a few hours of lounging by the water and enjoying perfect seafood. T. and I found the place by accident years ago, after lamenting that a former favorite place of ours a few miles away had lost its charm after it started putting directions from Boston on the placemats.
But the best part of the place was Teddy, the owner. He was raucous and frequently foul-mouthed, and told hilarious off-color stories. He was well-traveled and engaged in fascinating business ventures and side projects, and always had a crazy story at the ready. And, he never told the same story twice. T. and I, and loads of friends who also came to love the place, spent countless nights drinking beers and smoking cigars with Teddy on that deck, long after our meals were finished and everyone around us had left. Well, we drank and smoked, since Teddy really did neither.
The place is only open in the summer, and as I told Teddy last summer, the last time I saw him, he "was summer to me." Each spring, I look forward to seeing the umbrellas appear on the pier--the only way to know that they are open again. Each spring, I look forward to our leisurely meals on that pier, listening to Teddy's crazy stories and getting the scoop on his winter hijinks.
When I saw Teddy last summer, I knew that he wasn't doing well. In fact, over the last few years, he'd had a number of incidents. Although he wasn't particularly old, he suffered from some chronic medical conditions, and he seemed weaker last summer, more vulnerable. And yet, still himself, still full of piss and vinegar. We had one hell of a night that night, and I remember telling him how much he and the place meant to me.
We've tried to go a bunch of times this summer, but the weather has been dreadful, and the place doesn't really work in the rain. I've been worried all summer that maybe he didn't make it through the winter. I worried all last spring about the same thing, though, and there he was last summer, larger than life. This year, though, there were little signs everywhere telling me that maybe he didn't make it. . .a renovation on his house that seemed half done for a very long time, other things that just seemed amiss and unlike the usual bustle that surrounded his place.
So, it was with some trepidation that we made our way over there this past weekend. Teddy wasn't around, but we went in the afternoon, and he often wasn't around in the afternoon. His wife waited on us, and she seemed a little different, a little quieter than normal. T. and I and our friend talked about how he was maybe out fishing, out busy with some task. But when I went to use the bathroom, I knew. To use the bathroom, you used to have to walk through Teddy's elaborate basement workshop, a maze of tools and equipment and grease. It was one of the charms of the place. On this day, however, the workshop was gone, with what equipment was left relegated to a small corner of the basement. T. talked to Teddy's wife, out of my earshot, and asked about him, and she said they lost him this past spring. His face looked funny when he returned to the table, and he ushered me out of there pretty quickly. He'd promised that he wouldn't tell me until we were in the car.
He was just a guy that I'd see when I patronized his restaurant, but he was something of a summer icon for me, and it makes me incredibly sad that he's gone.
But the best part of the place was Teddy, the owner. He was raucous and frequently foul-mouthed, and told hilarious off-color stories. He was well-traveled and engaged in fascinating business ventures and side projects, and always had a crazy story at the ready. And, he never told the same story twice. T. and I, and loads of friends who also came to love the place, spent countless nights drinking beers and smoking cigars with Teddy on that deck, long after our meals were finished and everyone around us had left. Well, we drank and smoked, since Teddy really did neither.
The place is only open in the summer, and as I told Teddy last summer, the last time I saw him, he "was summer to me." Each spring, I look forward to seeing the umbrellas appear on the pier--the only way to know that they are open again. Each spring, I look forward to our leisurely meals on that pier, listening to Teddy's crazy stories and getting the scoop on his winter hijinks.
When I saw Teddy last summer, I knew that he wasn't doing well. In fact, over the last few years, he'd had a number of incidents. Although he wasn't particularly old, he suffered from some chronic medical conditions, and he seemed weaker last summer, more vulnerable. And yet, still himself, still full of piss and vinegar. We had one hell of a night that night, and I remember telling him how much he and the place meant to me.
We've tried to go a bunch of times this summer, but the weather has been dreadful, and the place doesn't really work in the rain. I've been worried all summer that maybe he didn't make it through the winter. I worried all last spring about the same thing, though, and there he was last summer, larger than life. This year, though, there were little signs everywhere telling me that maybe he didn't make it. . .a renovation on his house that seemed half done for a very long time, other things that just seemed amiss and unlike the usual bustle that surrounded his place.
So, it was with some trepidation that we made our way over there this past weekend. Teddy wasn't around, but we went in the afternoon, and he often wasn't around in the afternoon. His wife waited on us, and she seemed a little different, a little quieter than normal. T. and I and our friend talked about how he was maybe out fishing, out busy with some task. But when I went to use the bathroom, I knew. To use the bathroom, you used to have to walk through Teddy's elaborate basement workshop, a maze of tools and equipment and grease. It was one of the charms of the place. On this day, however, the workshop was gone, with what equipment was left relegated to a small corner of the basement. T. talked to Teddy's wife, out of my earshot, and asked about him, and she said they lost him this past spring. His face looked funny when he returned to the table, and he ushered me out of there pretty quickly. He'd promised that he wouldn't tell me until we were in the car.
He was just a guy that I'd see when I patronized his restaurant, but he was something of a summer icon for me, and it makes me incredibly sad that he's gone.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Sunday Grab Bag
Yesterday, we were planning on attending a friend's birthday party. It was a cookout by the lake, with lots of kids, dogs, and family in attendance. Another friend was supposed to meet us there with her kids, but she wasn't feeling well, so we took her kids with us so she could get a little sleep. I've often noticed (but never had to directly deal with the fact) that her kids don't listen. She's recently divorced, so I've chalked it up to the fact that perhaps she's a little over-indulgent with them, not wanting to be the "mean parent." But somehow, I thought they would listen to us, adults who are not their parents. How wrong I was. "Don't throw sand." Clunk--a handful hits his brother squarely in the back. "Time to get out of the lake." Splash, splash--they are further from shore than before. You get the idea. Are all kids like this? Because I may want to rethink this whole thing.
Earlier in the afternoon, I went to pick up sandwiches from a fabulous bakery that's near our house. As I was going in the door, a woman was coming out with a brand new baby and a tiny toddler in tow. I looked down at the baby and had this oh-my-god moment: in a few short months, we're going to have one of THOSE. In OUR house. It feels like we have been wanting and waiting and trying and not trying and trying and failing and finally succeeding and then waiting some more. . .forever. It is amazing to think there is such a short time left before the baby is actually HERE.
And finally, I am hopelessly lost when it comes to baby equipment. People keep offering us stuff, and I have no idea what any of it is, or whether I need or want it. Suggestions welcome.
Earlier in the afternoon, I went to pick up sandwiches from a fabulous bakery that's near our house. As I was going in the door, a woman was coming out with a brand new baby and a tiny toddler in tow. I looked down at the baby and had this oh-my-god moment: in a few short months, we're going to have one of THOSE. In OUR house. It feels like we have been wanting and waiting and trying and not trying and trying and failing and finally succeeding and then waiting some more. . .forever. It is amazing to think there is such a short time left before the baby is actually HERE.
And finally, I am hopelessly lost when it comes to baby equipment. People keep offering us stuff, and I have no idea what any of it is, or whether I need or want it. Suggestions welcome.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
18 Weeks and the "Big" Ultrasound
We are at 18 weeks today, and my belly has really "popped" over the last week or so. Regular clothes that I was wearing last week won't even come close to zippering this week! We went to the lake this past weekend, and I packed not realizing this. When we got there, I tried to change into a pair of pants I was sure would fit, only to discover they didn't even come close!
Weight: Still at +10 pounds since getting pregnant. That was what I was at last week, too, but hopefully this baby is just growing in fits and starts, and next week I'll be up more.
We had our "big" ultrasound yesterday. On the way there, we saw a big rainbow. When we got there, we only had to wait a few seconds before the very pregnant ultrasound tech called us in. She spent some time going over everything with us: cervix, placenta, and baby. When she reviewed the baby's parts, she pointed out the kidneys, stomach, brain, heart, arms, legs, and spine, among other things. It was really cool to see everything, because there was so much detail. It was particularly cool to watch the heart beating.
T. told me later that he really had no idea what they were going to be doing during the appointment. He said he was glad that he had not known the level of detail the ultrasound was going to get into or what they were looking for before we got to the appointment, because he would've been really nervous about them finding something wrong. Sometimes I forget that I'm reading a lot more than he is, and I don't always remember to fill him in. It's also funny--I was really stressed about the NT scan and the CVS, but I was totally calm about the ultrasound.
After the ultrasound tech went over everything, she printed out a million photos for us, which I thought was really cool of her. We got some good ones where you can really see the baby's arms, which I will post soon. The doctor came in then, but it had really started to rain quite hard outside, and it was sort of hard to hear her over the rain hitting the air conditioner. She said she needed to move quickly through the ultrasound, because they lose power during every storm! Sure enough, the power started to flicker while she was going back through the ultrasound. But, great news in the end: the baby's growth looks great, the baby looks great, and she doesn't think there is any difficulty with any sort of neural tube problem, which was the one thing we couldn't test for with the CVS. So, a terrific outcome!
When we went to leave the office, it was pouring absolute buckets. We were only parked about 20 feet from the door, but it was raining so hard we knew we were going to get soaked. We tried to wait it out, but it wasn't letting up at all, so we finally made a mad dash for it. I was wearing a silk skirt, and got completely soaked in that short run! T. was in a cotton t-shirt and shorts, and he was totally drenched by the time he helped me into the car and then went around to get in himself. It was pretty funny. We treated ourselves to a nice breakfast at our favorite breakfast place after, to celebrate the great results.
Weight: Still at +10 pounds since getting pregnant. That was what I was at last week, too, but hopefully this baby is just growing in fits and starts, and next week I'll be up more.
We had our "big" ultrasound yesterday. On the way there, we saw a big rainbow. When we got there, we only had to wait a few seconds before the very pregnant ultrasound tech called us in. She spent some time going over everything with us: cervix, placenta, and baby. When she reviewed the baby's parts, she pointed out the kidneys, stomach, brain, heart, arms, legs, and spine, among other things. It was really cool to see everything, because there was so much detail. It was particularly cool to watch the heart beating.
T. told me later that he really had no idea what they were going to be doing during the appointment. He said he was glad that he had not known the level of detail the ultrasound was going to get into or what they were looking for before we got to the appointment, because he would've been really nervous about them finding something wrong. Sometimes I forget that I'm reading a lot more than he is, and I don't always remember to fill him in. It's also funny--I was really stressed about the NT scan and the CVS, but I was totally calm about the ultrasound.
After the ultrasound tech went over everything, she printed out a million photos for us, which I thought was really cool of her. We got some good ones where you can really see the baby's arms, which I will post soon. The doctor came in then, but it had really started to rain quite hard outside, and it was sort of hard to hear her over the rain hitting the air conditioner. She said she needed to move quickly through the ultrasound, because they lose power during every storm! Sure enough, the power started to flicker while she was going back through the ultrasound. But, great news in the end: the baby's growth looks great, the baby looks great, and she doesn't think there is any difficulty with any sort of neural tube problem, which was the one thing we couldn't test for with the CVS. So, a terrific outcome!
When we went to leave the office, it was pouring absolute buckets. We were only parked about 20 feet from the door, but it was raining so hard we knew we were going to get soaked. We tried to wait it out, but it wasn't letting up at all, so we finally made a mad dash for it. I was wearing a silk skirt, and got completely soaked in that short run! T. was in a cotton t-shirt and shorts, and he was totally drenched by the time he helped me into the car and then went around to get in himself. It was pretty funny. We treated ourselves to a nice breakfast at our favorite breakfast place after, to celebrate the great results.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)