16 weeks and counting....

June 7, 2011
16 weeks, 5 days

Wow.  Time is flying by!  And now I am getting super excited for the 20-week ultrasound.  To save you all the suspense, we will NOT be finding out the sex of the baby.  My entire life I have wanted to wait and let it be a surprise - why should I change that now?  There is something beautiful and "old school" about waiting until the lower half of the baby's body comes sliding out to hear those magical words: "It's a .....!!!"  Plus, I really like yellows.

A conversation from earlier this week:

Heather, "Our baby can hear this week!"

CJ, "Really?  Hi, Baby!  Your Mama's beautiful!"

I love my husband.

My body continues to change and do most magical things.  For instance, I only pee once a night now.  And, I don't feel the need to nap any more.  Two truly wonderful things.  I do notice my heavy breathing as I go for hikes - making me feel like I am incredibly out of shape.  But then I reach down and give my buddha belly a little rub-ski and all is well again in the world. 

I heard the heartbeat with a doppler at my appointment last week - 155 and strong!  And, yes, I teared up.  How can you not?!  There is a little tiny heartbeat inside of me ticking away.  And to think the baby is soothed by my own heartbeat day in and day out.  Pretty rad.  So, according to legend, a heartbeat greater than 140 means it is a girl.  However, this is also only said to be true a full term....



Owen and I sunbathing in Sedona after an afternoon swim



Fun Baby Fact: Baby is the size of my palm, with a crown-to-rump length of 5 inches.  It weighs more than 5 ounces.  And, apparently the baby will squirm if you poke my belly (which CJ has been testing out diligently...)  I can't feel the movement yet, though- usually between 18 - 22 weeks.

Fun Pregnancy Fact: I am learning to celebrate my new and beautiful pregnancy shape!  With lots of love and kisses from my adoring husband, how could I not?!

Baby Bump!

The very first baby bump pic:



May 26, 2011 15 weeks, 0 days



I know that many of you perhaps were waiting for something a bit more exciting.....but trust me - it is exciting!  I have even started developing a pregnancy stance and the pregnancy belly rub.  It is just so soothing to sit and rub my buddha belly.  And, before you know it, my belly will be sprouting forth to dimensions I never thought possible.

Enjoy Baby Bump photo #1....I know I am! 

Caring For Your . . .

May 24, 2011

14 weeks, 5 days

An excerpt from Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Christiane Northrup, MD.

"Caring for Your Breasts":
"Respect this part of the body.  Our task as women is to learn, minute by minute, to respect ourselves and our bodies - whether we have small breasts or large breasts, implants or mastectomies.  When we appreciate our breasts as sources of nourishment for babies and sources of pleasure for ourselves, our relationship with them is bound to improve."

A hand-me-down book, I first read this just about a week ago and I laughed.  Is there really an entire 50 page chapter on breasts? A relationship with them?

I went shopping the other day.  But as I stood in the dressing room, moving up through the bra sizes with a combination of awe and suspicion, the 50-page chapter came together in one beautiful moment:  the bra slipped on and my breasts were happy.  I swear it.  They could have been singing "Hallelujah!".  And then I understood that I haven't been completely happy since they have been thrust into an article of clothing many sizes too small.  I had a heart to heart, apologized and we made up.  Whether you choose to embrace the relationship is your personal decision.  As a pregnant woman with a deepened understanding....well, you should listen to me ;-)

On a different note, have you ever been into a Babies R Us?  I went into my first one the other day with my mom.  One word: WOW.  There is so much STUFF.  As my husband states so innocently, "Does a baby really need all that?" Yes, a baby needs a car seat, a stroller, diapers, bottles, sheets, clothes, blankets, toys...should I keep going?  Babies R Us has it all.  And then some.  By the time I walked out of there, I felt a little bit like this.....

Thank goodness I still have 25 weeks.  Hand-me-downs, anyone?!

Fun Baby Fact:  Baby weighs in at about 2 ounces this week and is between 4 and 4.5 inches long!

Fun Pregnancy Fact: I had my very first baby dream....a bit disturbing as I gave birth and then put the baby (a boy....) back into the womb.  This has to have some significance...But, never the less, I woke up quite happy and decided that if it's a girl, she is having a mighty fine time messing with my hormones. 

Buttons



Super Sexy Bodies 2006 

 May 14, 2011
13 weeks, 3 days

It's official:  I cannot button my shorts.  It is a combination of feeling sad and feeling elated.  In one hand, I am mourning over my pre-pregnancy sexy body (hehe....) and in the other, I am eager to have this new life inside of me just keep growing!   Frankly, I can't stand the women who come up to me and say, "I didn't show until 6 months!"  Congratulations, would you like a cookie? 

Okay, I don't mean to be harsh or anything.  But, really, were you able to button your pants until 6 months?  Because that just can't be possible.  When the baby is nearing the size of a fist, how could you not be pooching out in front? 

I also have noticied that I have been more direct recently.  Startling, I know.  For some reason, my pregnancy hormones are making me respond without first filtering my thoughts.  Sometimes a wonderful thing.  Sometimes I really just need to keep my mouth in the closed position.  Perhaps this means I am carrying a boy?  The extra y chromosome affecting me?  Honestly, I don't know.  But this new found uninhibited passion is weird. 

I promise a picture of "The Pooch" soon.  Until then, I am happily using safety pins accordingly.  My scale says I have gained 2 whole pounds.  It's gotta be boobs and belly because all other articles of clothing fit fine.  In fact, I think I wear my shirts quite nice these days. 

Fun Baby Fact: Baby has "lanugo", body hair. This week's big developments: my baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his/her thumb!

Fun Pregnancy Fact: My uterus will soon be the size of a small melon.  Button that up folks!!!

You know you're pregnant when.....

May 8, 2011
12 weeks, 4 days

Happy Mother's Day!  My first Mommy's Day.....and my Mr. Wonderful made me the greatest card ever:

As the first trimester comes to a close, I felt that I should take a moment to reflect back on the beauty that is being pregnant.  For the sake of entertainment I will use the famous “You know you’re a redneck when….” format.    So without further ado,

You Know You’re in Your First Trimester When…..

1.       You measure your life in weeks.

2.       Your reading list consists of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, “How to Eat Well During Pregnancy”, “Labor: The Bradley Method”, etc…

3.       You think compression stockings are sexy.

4.       You cry for no reason.

5.       You cry for every reason.

6.       You are excited to gain weight.

7.       By 10 weeks you are desperately searching for signs of a “pooch”.

8.       You embrace nausea because it means you have lots of pregnancy hormones.

9.       By 12 weeks you swear you have a “pooch”.

10.   You have a pregnancy blog.


Farewell, first trimester!  Hello, gaining 1 pound a week!

On our 6-mile hike through Sedona on Cinco de Mayo...

followed by a fabulous virgin margarita!

Fun Baby Fact: By 13 weeks, the baby is the size of a peach, at 3 inches long.  And its vocal cords are developing....ah, welcome to the Malcolm family, little one.

Fun Pregnancy Fact:  I am in what my sister-in-law calls the “Dunkin’ Donut Phase”.  Meaning, I have a pooch but it looks more like a life ring off front than a baby.  Ces’t la vie.  Go, baby, go!

The Wave

May 1, 2011
11 weeks, 3 days

I had this realization a few days ago as I was driving home from Flagstaff, hubby next to me and puppy behind me, both asleep:  I am pregnant. 

I know, I know.   This may not come as a shock to any of you out there.  But let me tell you, this was life changing for me!

I think it all started Thursday morning as I was preparing for my ultrasound at the OB’s office.  CJ standing to my left, U/S machine to my right and OB smack dab in the middle.  I was looking at the screen and there was this thing on it – apparently a baby.  Then I saw it:  little fingers and little toes.  And then the baby did the most fabulous thing. . .it waved.  I am totally serious.  The arm went right up in front of its face like he (or she) was yelling, “Hey, Mom!  I’m down here!!”  It brought a few tears to my eyes.  I guess it still hadn’t hit me that this little thing, this amazingly fast growing human being, was inside of me.

If you look closely, the head is to the left and you can see an arm underneath saying "Hello!"

Later that afternoon, we had a “consultation” with a nurse midwife.  We were discussing prenatal goodies and the whole labor process.  Describing the glory that is the miracle of life.  And the tears came again.  Yet, as I sat there soaking it all in, it all seemed to surreal.

But somehow driving up the 180 from Flagstaff toward home, my beautiful little family fast asleep, my hand found its way to my belly and a wave of understanding surged through me.  And there I was, somewhere between Flag and home, and completely and utterly in love with this new life inside of me.  I am growing a baby.  How blessed am I?  Thank you, God.

Fun Baby Fact: The baby weighs a 1/2 an ounce and is about the size of a large plum.  I suppose we should name it "Plumkins"?

Fun Pregnancy Fact: Honey Nut Cheerios are the jams.  I could seriously eat them all day long.  But I don't.  The smell of meat?  Disgusting!

Sunny San Diego Surprise

April 23-25, 2011
10 weeks, 2-4 days

CJ and I decided that we had to tell the Malcolms (all of them!) in person.  And, it just so happened that everyone (all 17 of us....) were going to be in San Diego over Easter.  So we plotted and planned, finagled our schedules and secretly charged out to San Diego.  We spoke with Larry on Saturday morning wishing him a wonderful Easter weekend.

We had never been the ones doing the Surprise - and it was fun!  Long story short, everyone was super surprised.  I don't think I have ever heard 5 girl cousins scream as loud as they did, "AUNT HEATHER! UNCLE CEEEJ!!" (....followed by a series of incomprehensible words sounding something like, "Aieeee!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh!").  I was practically tackled to the ground.  There was no shortage of love, that is for sure.

Saturday night was dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse celebrating Natalie's 9th birthday.  CJ and I had conjured up a scheme to tell Natalie first and then have her be the one to blurt it out at dinner.  It was her birthday dinner after all.  Within 15 minutes of being at the restaurant, CJ had yet to pull Natalie aside.  I was getting antsy (shocking, I know) and had already blatantly told Rosemary that I was not pregnant.  I lovingly nudged my husband and gave him the look of "If you don't do this soon...."  He got up, pulled Natalie aside (with 17 people I don't think anyone noticed) and whispered into her ear.  Her face got bright red.

She came back to the table and started whispering to all of her cousins.....CJ captured the moment:

Athena, Natalie and Marea.....



Then, in unison, the cousins yelled, "Aunt Heather's pregnant!!!"  It was a beautiful moment.  Tears, smiles and exclamations filled the room.  Followed by Marea's ingenuity, "That means they had sex!"  Ah, the joys of being a child.

As Rosemary and I attempted to explain "womb" and "baby" to my 3-year-old nephew, Christian, he scrunched up his face and said, "That's yucky!  I'm going to through it in the trash!"  I can only imagine the image he had in his mind.  The innocence of youth.

The rest of the weekend was fabulous- more good food, wonderful memories and I even made it into Athena's newspaper:

Please note: It is still to early to know the sex....but, they may have insight that I do not!



The Malcolm Clan

(to be 18 come November....)

Fun Baby Fact: The fetus is the size of a prune!  We have nicknamed it "Prunella" this week.  Soon, it will graduate to "Haus" - as it will be the size of an avocado pit.