Rainbows

September 15, 2011
31 weeks, 1 day

I love fall.  I love the changing weather: how one day it can be deceivingly warm, as though summer is still upon us, and the next turn cool, the day filled with a chilly breeze and cloudy skies.  I love layering: breaking out my down slippers, a beanie and a down parka (because it is never too early for down!).  And I love that this year it means putting on my hubby's because my belly is just too darn big to squeeze into my coat.  I love hot cocoa as the rains pour and the skies crack down thunder and lightening.  I love baking: everything pumpkin and good so that my kitchen warms and the smells as you walk in fill your heart with love.  I love the anticipation of snow.  I love hearing the elk bugling.

I love that, for us, fall means new life.

The other evening after an incredible hail storm, I was mesmerized  by the most beautiful double rainbow shining through the heavens across the street from my house. A friend at work caught it over EMS and the clinic:

It reminded me of God's promise in Genesis 9:12-13:, "And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come.  I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth."

I feel very pregnant.  My sciatica hurts constantly, I can't sneeze or cough without holding my crotch, I waddle, I feel bloated and uncomfortable, I have cankles, I can barely put shoes on, when I do put my shoes I can't breath, I cry and laugh within seconds of each other.....So you would think, with a list like that, life would be challenging.   To be perfectly honest, I have never been so happy.  Baby jabs me in my ribs and I smile.  I take at least 20% longer on my walks with Owen in the morning:  and I thank God that I have 20% longer to be out in the glorious weather.  I race to the bathroom (since I can hold all of maybe 50 ml max) and I laugh thinking about Baby resting his head on my ever shrinking bladder.  I get up, cringe at my butt cheeks for the stabbing pain they are causing me and then gather a sense of peace knowing that not only is this temporary, but it means that Baby grows bigger daily. 

Perhaps this is a classic case of the "glass half full".  I do not know.  But, I do know that as the time draws nearer I grow more excited to meet this little pumpkin ('tis fall after all!) growing so adamantly inside of me.  As I told the little pumpkin on our walk this morning, "You just take your time.  You come out when you're ready."

I've filled my day with cooking and baking.  Chili and cornbread; pumpkin cranberry bread (in honor of my Little Pumpkin); banana chocolate chip bread.  Owey's little nose has been exploring the kitchen for scraps all morning.  What a fabulous day!

Fun Baby Fact: Baby weighs in at over 3 lbs and 18 inches long.  She is now processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five senses.

Fun Pregnancy Fact:  I had a week of what I like to call "The Lull".  A bit down, super emotional and overwhelmed with the prospect of being a Mama.  With the aid of my beloved, prayer and a few nibbles of chocolate, I feel revived and ready to conquer motherhood (ok, that may be a bit extreme....but I feel great!).  On to every 2 week OB checks-- my last one a week ago: my fundal height is at 32 cm (perfect!) and Baby's heart beat was fluctuating between 140 and 152 - a healthy sign as a variable heartbeat indicates good neurological growth.

Coming soon: An Updated Belly Photo!

Twenty-Nine

September 3, 2011

Belly 9/1/11

29 weeks, 3 days

I couldn't have planned it if I tried:  turning 29 during my 29th week of being preggie.  LOVE it.  And it was indeed a fabulous birthday.  CJ and I celebrated early and headed down to Flagstaff Tuesday night- dinner and then we got a hotel room in town and watched hours of the boob-tube.  Considering we don't have television, this was an exciting evening for us!  It is truly incredible how much time can be spent staring at a screen....but I have no complaints at all!

Wednesday we ventured out into the San Francisco mountains for a  late summer hike through the aspens and meadows.  So freakin' beautiful.  My sciatica has started acting up this past week (perhaps because I worked 6 of 7 days....which as you know is a lot for Mrs. Part-Timer) but I am managing to move through it and try stretching as much as possible.  Sciatica or not, it was a memorable pre-birthday birthday celebration.  The temperature was a breezy 75 degrees with patchy cloud cover.  Heaven.  Even Baby stirred a few times.

Baby continues on movin' and shakin'.  My right rib seems to be the location of choice this week.  Significantly better than the bladder, I might add.  It is quite apparent that Baby is nearing 3 lbs by the size of my belly.  It still amazes me that a baby is growing inside of me.  She hasn't been keeping me up at night but CJ did tell me that several times through the night he wakes up because Baby is hammering into his back. 

We got a hand-me-down baby carrier backpack.  It is CJ's new favorite toy (well that and our Bob stroller courtesy of my grandma).  He put the backpack on and was walking around the house last night with it.  Classic CJ, "This makes me excited to be a dad!"  If that is all it takes, great!

Family Photo on our birthday hike

Fun Baby Fact: Baby, who measures in around 17 inches, is mighty close to his birth length. However, this week fat, called white fat, starts developing under her wrinkled skin.  White fat serves as an energy source versus brown fat (which Baby had previously) which is necessary for temperature regulation. 

We get to start counting kicks twice a day!

Fun Pregnancy Fact: Thought you all might like a diagram of what is happening my body... Please notice the increasing limited space for organs besides my uterus:

Into the third trimester....

August 27, 2011
28 weeks, 3 days

I am in a bit of shock that the third, and final, trimester has crept up so suddenly.  It feels like just yesterday I was secretly smiling to myself as I walked through the streets cherishing the being not yet the size of a pencil tip.  And now I rub my belly and wonder what it is that is growing so rapidly inside me and that is so insistent on kicking me at the most inopportune times.  For instance, he has taken to using my bladder as a trampoline on car rides.  Last night, as I was laying to go to sleep, I swear she did a full somersault with a few strong jabs in my ribs.  

Don’t get me wrong- I don’t mind these little games one iota.  I embrace these movements and take comfort knowing that Baby is alive and well.

The big event of the week has been diapers.  Exciting, I know.  Originally, I was turned off at the prospect of cloth diapers.  Disposable just seemed way more convenient.  However, over the past week I have been doing some research and talking with Moms and, frankly, cloth diapers these days seem much more user-friendly than they were 30 years ago.  No diaper pins needed.  Although the option of a diaper service for us is definitely out of the question, doing laundry every other day will be a reality as it is.  I got the hubby involved and I think we are now going to try it out and see what happens.  For long trips and camping outings, I have a feeling we will default to disposable.  But, I think we could do a lot for the environment by using cloth on a day to day basis.  And wouldn’t you rather have organic cotton on your bum than plastic?!

I am in “nesting” mode.  Both a good and bad thing.  Good:  I want to set up the nursery, clean house and start stocking up on food in my deep freeze.  Bad:  my 28-week body doesn’t want to let me.  That and my shower isn’t for another month.  I can’t tell you how tempting it is to go out and start buying all my sheets and such so that I can be super prepared!  But I resist the temptation and find other means to fill my time, i.e. doing our Italy scrapbook and working on our yearly photo book for 2010.  I even started thinking about Christmas presents…..if that’s not nesting I don’t know what is.  My mom and I did wash all the hand-me-down baby clothes and put them away in the dresser which was fun.

The past week or so I have noticed a significant shift in my body.  I find it is telling me to SLOW DOWN.  Let’s be honest: I am NOT good at this.  But, my morning walk has slowed and I force myself to stop every few hours and sit for at least 15-20 minutes with my feet up.  Irritating at first, I have come to relish these mini-breaks during my day as a time to connect with Baby.  

Fun Baby Fact:  Fat begins to accumulate under the skin, toenails and fingernails appear, and downy hair sprouts on the body and scalp.  Baby weighs in just over 2 lbs 6 oz.  Baby is about 16 inches long and at birth will be somewhere between 19 and 21 inches long…

Fun Pregnancy Fact: My uterus is the size of a basketball.  The upper half of my belly button is peaking out now.  No exciting “pop”, but more of a creeping.

Givin' some love to my puppy dog...our little seal

Belly Holes and Beaches

August 15, 2011
26 weeks, 5 days


26 week Belly shot


I have spent 3 significant days at the beach.  And I have 3 more!  We celebrated my moms 60th on Saturday.....and we ordered 60 mini cupcakes for the occasion. Did I mention that I have been having a major sweet tooth the past month?  Forget my normal binges of chips and salsa.  No more.  Bring on the cookies, brownies (Trader Joes are particularly fudgy), chocolates, etc...  I have never been one for sweets but I guess I never knew what I was missing.  The 60 mini cupcakes?!  Fabulous idea.  Between chocolate, strawberry, coconut, vanilla and lemon I have been satisfied daily.

At the coffee shop this morning, I decided on a new phrase, "A doughnut a day keeps the doctor away."  It has a great ring to it, huh?

I dug my very first "belly hole" the other day over at the bay.  My bro and mom were playing an intense game of smash ball, CJ was entertaining himself throwing the ball to Owen and I was desperately searching for a comfy position in the sand.  That's when it hit me - the perfect time for a belly hole!  I got to work diggin' away and within a few minutes had the perfect spot.  I haven't laid on my belly in months.  And it was incredibly comfortable.  I plan on taking full advantage of the sand over the next few days.

Clearly, there is no denying the fact that I am pregnant any longer.  Leaning over to pick up things is a feat and a half, my bladder cannot sustain itself when I sneeze and my ankles....let's be truthful:  they have become cankles (because I refuse to wear compression stockings at the beach).  At least the extra water weight will leave me rapidly after Baby has popped out.  Forget keeping my clothes clean.  I have the oddest habit of spilling things all over my belly now a days. 

I have determined at the suggestion of others that I am carrying Baby "high".  Family has determined this means I am having a boy.  One thing I don't understand:  if I am carrying Baby so darn high, how is that he still manages to kick on my bladder on a relatively consistent basis?  One second I can't hold it any longer and the next I feel empty.  A vicious cycle.  And then when he starts poking me under my hip bones.  It tickles - I swear!

Fun Baby Fact: Baby measures in at about 15 inches and is over 2 pounds.  Its eyes are starting to open now!

Fun Pregnancy Fact:  I am eagerly awaiting the "pop" of my navel.  My brother thinks it is just a matter of time - and then, BAM!, I will feel it the moment it pops out.  I'll keep you posted.

Busy Bees

August 8, 2011

Zach, Uncle Ceej, Athena, Aunt Heather, Tatum and Owen
at Oak Creek Crossing



25 weeks, 5 days

Phew!  It has been a crazy fun week - my brother-in-law’s kids came out and visited us at the Canyon for a whole week….I have never spent a week of my life with a 15, 13 and 9 year old and, let me tell you, it was memorable.  A taster of what is to come?  Perhaps.  An adventure with the youth of America?  Definitely.  And all with a broken dishwasher.  How ‘bout them apples?



From an IMAX and condor show to monsoons to hikes to swims to rock climbing to bowling to a multitude of intense games of “Blokus”, it was 6 days excitement.   I even made them write their very first postcards.  I am an evil aunt, I know.  Their highlight was climbing in Oak Creek – and finishing the climb in the rain.  Uncle Ceeej, the perpetual teacher, was incredible.  Athena and Zach got to rappel down the climb and all 3 kids made it to their “goal” spots on the climb.  I loved seeing their faces as they dipped their hands into the bag of chalk for the first time ever.  



My highlight?  Standing back and taking pictures as my husband and the 3 kids “blokused” the waterfalls in the creek and swung off of rope swings.  And then sprinted to shore for an occasional brownie or handful of chips. Owen meanwhile either swimming eagerly between the kids and checking up on them after each jump or busying himself in the shallows as he attempted to dig up a hidden stick from beneath the mud.  I couldn’t help but chuckle as the other families eluded to us as a “family”.  Which we are.  But not in the “Mom-Dad”  sort of way.  How young do you think we started?!

I am, however, incredibly thankful that we are starting with one child.  And working our way upward from there -ease me into the whole “parenting” thing. 



I did all this while carrying an eggplant in my belly!  Yes, Baby is over 13.5 inches long now and weighing over 1.5 lbs.  And Baby is quite the active little dude.  Several times during the day, Baby will kick so hard that I produce a squeal- something to the effect of “Eeeep!”.  My fellow employees or my husband will look at me startled: I usually start laughing and blame it on Baby.  It is just such a trippy feeling.  This little alien thing poking from the inside out.  I LOVE it!  



I had another baby dream the other night.  Again, a beautiful baby boy.  This time it was just born and the most precious thing you ever did see.  Dark hair, eyes just like CJ.  The odd thing?  (There is always something odd when it comes to my dreams…) Baby’s skin was a beautiful deep tan.  Weird, yes.  These dreams serve one purpose- the make me extremely curious as to what Baby is and what Baby looks like!  Just under 15 weeks….

Fun Baby Fact:  Baby is inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs.  The second trimester is coming to a close....



Fun Pregnancy Fact: I have officially outgrown several of my scrub tops.  With a nice sized bosom and a blossoming belly, the non-stretch cotton fabric is not forgiving.  Anybody have any hand me downs?  I refuse to buy a few tops for 3 more months.  I would much rather have the money for Baby…  Pregnancy hormones?  Forget those light, occasional cries.  I love the full emotional breakdowns.  They can be so cleansing (and draining…). My sweet, sweet husband.

My 23-week belly!

July 20, 2011

22 weeks, 6 days

As I write this, Baby is playing away inside my uterus.  Kicking, prodding, poking, dancing….enough for CJ to feel when he puts his ear to my belly and whispers, “Baby?  It’s your Papa…I love you!”  I think it is one of the most wondrous feelings I have ever experienced.  I am truly blessed!

What is even more incredible?!  Baby is officially a pound this week.  A POUND!  Wild.  And about 8 inches long, from crown to rump.  I am still in awe over the growth that this new human has to overcome in just a mere 40 weeks….and now to gain another 6-7 pounds in 17 weeks?!  I will naturally be gaining that as well plus the necessary additional blood volume, fat stores, etc to support Baby.  Phew!


We took our first big family off-road trip to Colorado last week (first with Baby onboard, that is!).  We joined CJ’s sister, Julie, and family and embarked on an adventure from the North Rim to Durango to Silverton to Ouray to Telluride.  What magnificent country!  We explored peaks and passes and relished in the color green.  Southwest Colorado just seems to be exploding with color!  From fields of luscious green grass to paintbrushes, columbines, and blue bells…oh my!  We off-roaded to silver and gold mines and camped in the high mountains next to mountain streams (which were quite chilly!) and snow fields not yet melted.  Thunderstorms rocked the evening skies, somehow managing to hold off just long enough for dinner and s’mores.  My nieces asked me nightly, “Does the baby like s’mores?!”  And my reply? Of course! Maybe a little too much ;-)

High Camp, San Juan Mountains outside of Silverton, CO

I will admit, however, that driving bumpy roads 22 weeks preggie is not the best decision I have ever made.  I eventually managed to determine the best method: pillow braced to the belly and seat tilted as far back as possible.  Relaxation is key.  Sightseeing consists strictly of viewing those things window level and above.  But it works wonders!  

We are set for girl names. We are in a search for some rad boy names.  We’ve got some goodies in the running but we always appreciate input.  Maybe I’ll bake you cookies if we choose the name you give us!  I make a mean oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip….

Fun Baby Fact:  My nieces nicknamed Baby “Mayo” on the trip…I had a rather fitting mayonnaise container that was determined to be the size of the said babe this week.  And approximate weight.  Although, the picture of a large jar of mayo in my belly is a bit disturbing…. Baby’s inner ear is developed – giving him his own sense of balance.  We’ll make a climber out of Baby yet.

Fun Pregnancy Fact:  According to my daily email from “What To Expect”, babies of moms who exercise throughout pregnancy score higher, on average, on general intelligence tests by age five.  If that’s not motivation to get my groove on, I don’t know what is!

Half Way There!!!

Family time at Glorietta Bay in SD

July 2, 2011
20 weeks, 3 days

We have officially hit the halfway point!  So exciting....We had our ultrasound on Tuesday and Baby weighed in at a whoppin' 11 ounces.  CJ remarked, "It still has a lot of growing to do!"  Yes, yes it does.  And apaprently so do I! 

From our ultrasound, we ventured south to San Diego for a quick few days...Baby got its first boat ride (although I opted out of tubing off the back of the boat....)!  As I was laying in the bathtub later that night, Baby was going crazy.  One kick even made my belly rise!

You may be wondering, "What do we look forward to now that the 20 week ultrasound is over?"  I was asking myself the same question.  And then I realized, "The REAL deal, people!"  Hehe.  We are starting to collect our things and have spent many an hour talking over names and plotting the best way to cram baby stuff into our little home.

Here are a few shots from Tuesday of our precious little dumpling:

Baby chillin' out in utero



A fabulous 3-D shot of our photogenic Baby


Fun Baby Fact: Baby's uterus is fully formed....or its testicles are dropping from the abdomen!  Exciting times....

Fun Pregnancy Fact: I learned something new about my husband - he eats watermelon with a spoon scooping out circles from the bottom up!  How did I never know this?  I have officially recovered from my gnarly attack of The Canyon Bug (aka coming out both ends....) and have regained the lost 4 pounds with diligence ;-)