Revel on the local news

WJZ.com came to the hospital to record some of the new Christmas babies. Alyssa and Revel were featured.

Read more and watch the video on WJZ.com

Introducing Revel Carlberg West

Revel Carlberg West was born at 7:07am on Christmas Day. He weights in at a respectable 8 lbs 7 ozs and 21 inches long. Both baby and Mommy are doing fine.  According to my count, he has 10 fingers and 10 toes, but we're having that looked into by a specialist. :)

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Watch the Youtube video:

Big Belly Tuesday – Week 41

Week 41? Week 41? I thought that babies were "done" after only 40 weeks. Well it turns out that the first rule about pregnancy is that there are no rules. Today, Alyssa is now officially 1 week overdue or as we like to think of it, "balancing out the average".

We went to our midwife appointment today and are happy to report that the baby got a clean bill of health. So now we continue to wait again, still.

To keep the crying at bay

Here are my daily mantras these days:

1) Patience is not only a virtue but a cornerstone of parenthood. This is just practice for what we are going to have to do anyway after they come out.

2) I am blessed with a healthy, happy pregnancy. Many women can not say that. I am fortunate to be in the situation of waiting for my healthy baby.

3) I am just taking my rightful NORMAL place on the NORMAL bell curve for the average gestational period. Some of us need to be on the other side of 40 weeks to have made it the average.

4) Babies born on time or later do really well and labor tends to go well.

5) This is the way my body needs to do its job. Trust the process and it will treat you well.

more cooking...

More cooking for both me and the baby. He is still teaching his parents that patience is an important part of having a kid. I'm also seeing it as doing my part for the statistical average of 40 weeks gestation - there need to be a few of us on the other side to make it an average.

The days and nights and days kind of merge and slip into each other lately. We try to keep so busy during the day that all of the sudden it is time to go to bed again. Yesterday we went to the market for another chicken so I could make another batch of soup. Then last night I made more gingerbread cookie dough. It sat in the fridge overnight and then this morning I made them. We decorated quite a few this afternoon. I finished up the 'pick the meat off the chicken' part of the soup today, as well.

I spent a couple of hours napping and hypnobaby-ing, as I didn't get a great night's sleep. I didn't really have any contractions to speak of last night. On and off, sure, but nothing consistent or uncomfortable. I think I was awake willing them to happen. I wasn't very hungry today so I have had little meals.

There was more cookie decorating before dinner. Then I started to be sad that he might not be here for Christmas. I know there is a lot of time til then, but I was so excited for all the family and the baby to be here. As time goes on the chances seem less likely. I have to let go of it and realize what will be will be and it will be great.

Donavon suggested a bath, which was a great idea. We just sat in the bathroom talking and it relaxed me to just float.

Donavon is now foregoing his own dinner to continue cookie decorating. It is a very zen thing for him. He makes a beautiful cookie.

busy night, still no baby to show for it...

Most of you should know well enough that I like to take my time with things. It took 6 years to graduate college. I'm still working on this MD thing. I like to go slowly and deliberately. I like to be prepared, practice, make sure I get it right. And sometimes, on occasion, I can have a tendency to put things off until the last possible moment. Why should my uterus be any different? There was certainly more progress last night and I'm happy to report that things seem to be moving along well, but no, there is no baby today.

I started more contractions at 12:42. They were regular every five minutes. Totally painless, just hard and kind of neat to watch. They lasted about 30-45 sec. At around 2am we decided to get some sleep. At 5am I woke up with more contractions that were different. As in, they actually registered as somewhat uncomfortable, maybe a 2 or 3 out of 10 on the pain scale. They were still only 5 minutes apart and lasted only 45 sec, maybe a minute. But the good part is that they definitely felt different. I lay in bed just practicing breathing and relaxing. That probably lasted less than an hour. Confusing the situation was that I was starving so there were hunger pangs mixed in with the crampiness. So Donavon got up with me around 6 and made me eggs and toast and juice. SO tasty. By then, there were still contractions but they were back to being totally painless. After our breakfast, we decided to go get some more sleep and stayed in bed until 10:45! I woke up a few times with more of the totally painless contractions. I'm glad we got the extra sleep as I can tell we are approaching the big day...whether it is today or not I'm not concerned. I just know we are making progress.

I'm planning to stay busy and active today, much like yesterday. We will do more slightly unnecessary errands to get out of the house and keep me walking and distracted. We've already taken the dog for a walk in the miserable rainy/sleety weather. But there are presents to wrap and things to do before the family gets here, beginning Sunday night. So, I'm just going to keep going :)

no squirrel news is good news!

No squirrel incidents today.

In other news, we kept very busy. I slept great again last night, so I was up pretty early, around 7 feeling pretty good. This morning I wrapped more presents then walked the dog. Then I spent a couple of hours on birth stuff. We headed to Target to return some things and do more shopping - both for Christmas and for baby. We had dinner at Chipotle while we were out. When we got back we promptly headed out to the market to get supplies to make cookies, which is how we spent the evening. We have an additional batch of Tollhouse cookies on hand for the holidays now. We also decorated the house some more, with lights and some cool holiday flowers.



I have been walking and doing pelvic rocks and squats today and I feel that the baby is low, as low as he has been if not lower. It seems like when I lie down to nap, he moves back up a little and I just want him to stay down. So it is past 11 and I don't want to go to bed! I am just ready to have him. I want one of those velcro suits and walls so I can just sleep plastered upright :) He seems like he has gotten himself into a position that is good - just a gut feeling I have. And I am hopeful that he has been waiting to get himself arranged and that NOW he is ready. However, I'm going to assume that not getting sleep tonight is probably not the brightest idea :) I'm just so ready to do this and I feel like it could really happen soon.

Midwife Wednesday

After a wicked good night's sleep, the day started with finding a dead squirrel behind the toilet in our first floor bathroom. We are guessing that he wasn't smoked out before the hole was patched up and found his way in the house. Or else he crawled in through the open window (which was open to get rid of the smoke) and found his way downstairs. To die by a toilet. Oh well, let's hope this is the final scene in the squirrel tragedy.



I had an appointment today for my 40 week checkup. All good news. My blood pressure was 104/74. I have had mild swelling in my hands for the last week - my ring is a little tighter. This is actually a good thing as mild swelling is actually another sign of the body getting ready for labor. Think of it as storing up for the rapid fluid loss that will occur in birth. Mancub's heart tones were 140-150s, still a nice strong but normal rate.

The midwife assistant said she thinks he is probably engaged but she wasn't sure of her own ability to tell. She also wasn't sure if he was still ROA Or OP, so I'm not worrying about it. My midwife is much more confident in palpating the position of the baby. The other thing the midwife assistant thought was that he was an 8-9 lb baby - again I don't entirely trust her assessment. Just a few weeks ago the midwife thought he was somewhere around 6 lb and there is no way he grew that much. But he HAS grown. My belly measured 41 cm today (i.e. 41 weeks). I also gained 2.5 lb from last week! Part of that has to be swelling...and part because I have been eating like a pig for the last week. I think because he has dropped and my stomach isn't squished I can finally eat a normal meal before I get full. And my appetite has been keeping up. I also think I am packing away some energy for the birth and nursing...just my own theory for the huge appetite this last week.

I had some contractions during the appt. When the midwife assistant felt them she complimented me on my 'fit uterus'. Hah. That made me giggle. She also reiterated the idea that whatever 'work' I do know what all of this practice labor is good. Basically, I'm spacing it out over days instead of one long session. The active labor should go faster, which can only be good for stamina and energy. Nice to hear.

Then we were off to Target for some last minute shopping errands. I was waddling around and having contractions the whole time. I could feel him really low and it was pretty uncomfortable walking. I was happy to lie down and do birth practice when I got home.

We ate the homemade chicken soup for dinner. It was my first chicken soup ever and it is spectacular.

THEN we discovered one last wrinkle in the squirrel story. There were squirrel poops in the baby's room. And a few dusty rodent footprints on the baby stroller. And some squirrel fur in the under storage compartment of the stroller. Ew. Donavon cleaned it up and we are now hoping it really is all over. Although we have been going over what we think might have happened - assuming it was the same squirrel that eventually died in the bathroom. Curious.

With that, we headed to bed and played a little "let's distract Alyssa" game of Yahtzee.

Big Belly Tuesday – 40 Weeks!

Today is Alyssa's due date! Let me repeat that… TODAY IS ALYSSA'S DUE DATE! It's weeks 40 and the little man cub has yet to show his face.

BTW, this week's BIG BELLY TUESDAY theme is because a few weeks ago Alyssa joked saying "what's next, are you going to put me in space"? With this possibly being the last week, I just had to. :)

Due date part 2

It's 7:30 pm and I am realizing there is little chance this kid is going to be born on his due date. Oh well.

There was still drama today, although not the kind I might have hoped for.

The landlord came to fix the squirrel problem, as mentioned in my previous post. He decided that the best way to approach it was to first smoke out the squirrels, then patch the hole. In order to smoke out the squirrels, he used this: Revenge Rodent Smoke Bomb.


He put it in the ceiling between the second and third floors. However, it did not remain contained to the ceiling space.

Due to cabin fever, Donavon and I had gone to Starbucks for a snack and then did a couple of other errands around town. This was when the smoke bombing occurred. When we returned home, it smelled like sulfur on the first floor. When I asked the landlord about it, he said that he used something to smoke out the squirrel. When I mentioned my concern, he assured us that he had asked for something non-hazardous. Unfortunately, if you read the packaging, which we promptly asked for, it says cartridge emits "toxic gases" and that the fumes "may be harmful if inhaled". (How else would fumes be harmful, I wonder.) Not to mention that it is called "Revenge". How do you buy that and think, sure, that's not hazardous.

We put the cat outside, took the dog and sat in the car deciding what to do. Our neighbors were nice enough to let us hang out in their apartment while we calmed down but not before writing angry emails to the landlord's wife. The kicker was not just that he used this thing in our house. But he did it without warning or maybe just asking if it was OK, given that we are pregnant and have pets. I never occurred to him to just clear it with us - maybe ask if were going to be out of the house for the day so we wouldn't be disturbed by the sulfur smell. But no, not any warning or consideration that we might want to just KNOW about it. Forget the 'I didn't read the toxic gases' part on the packaging. After being annoyed and not wanting to be annoyed (I'd rather be calm and happy and waiting for a baby to come) we went to Home Depot and bought a second air filter to put on the second floor. The landlord agreed to pay for the filter.

Anyway, it was kinda stressful and upsetting and now it is almost 8 pm and the day is gone to squirrel fumigation. The good news is that he did close up the hole where the squirrels were entering. The original squirrel problem should be fixed at least.

I went straight to practicing hypnobirthing after we returned from Home Depot so I could just chill out. I had some raspberry leaf tea and now I feel better. The only other concern today is that I put Reno out to avoid the fumes and he hasn't come home. It is sleeting and gross and way past his dinner time, which has me unsettled. He is a tough cat and I know he can handle the weather just fine. But I would rather he be home and safe.

Now, time for some spicy food and walking.

P.S. At 8:15 Reno came home, soaking wet. Finally, everyone is back safe in the house. Now if that baby would just come and complete the family.

Due Date!

Yay! It's officially the due date. How exciting.


Yesterday I had only Braxton Hicks all day, despite the nighttime contractions earlier. I was in a chipper mood though, because of the last night's progress.

We kept busy around the house. I finished making the chicken soup, I wrapped presents, I started setting up and organizing rooms for family to arrive on Sunday and the dog got a walk.

Then we were lucky to have a friend in town for business stop by for dinner. Donavon whipped up some chili and corn muffins and we had a great visit with him.

We got to bed around 11, hoping for more night time contractions. Which did come. At 1:41 I woke up with them about 6-8 minutes apart. He was SO active between them, I was really amused. I decided to go back to sleep around 2:15 though. Throughout the night I woke up with them. Obviously, they were not patterned and never started getting stronger. But until 8:14 this morning I was having them intermittently enough.

Now we're up for the day. In contrast to the Braxton Hicks contractions, these seem to subside when I am active. I'm just going to focus on breakfast right now.

Oh, and our landlord has decided that my due date is a good day to come to town to fix our squirrel problem. Hah.

Monday morning

So, we were both able to go back to sleep, with Donavon rubbing my back. I woke up a few times with more contractions but was able to go back to sleep. I woke up at 8 for a bit, then got a little more sleep until 9:30. The contractions have definitely stopped for now. We have not called the midwife yet. I do have a tummy ache and some crampiness. I just had some oatmeal and I'm going to make red raspberry leaf tea and go about my day, trying to stay distracted enough to let nature takes its course. Yay progress.

first contractions

I woke up tossing and turning and was very sad to see that it was only about 2 am. Having gone to sleep after 12, that was not really a significant amount of sleep to start the 'tossing and turning' phase of the night. In addition, the extra spicy shrimp mei fun I ate at around 10 pm was creating serious heartburn. I tried to get comfy for awhile...left side...right side...left side.

Then I tried the 'when all else fails, maybe I can sleep sitting up against pillows', which would also help with the heartburn. I was sitting up, getting somewhat relaxed and comfortable. I started to hook up my earphones to listen to some relaxation stuff, when Donavon woke up and rolled over to say hi. I asked him if he would rub my back to help me go back to sleep - it is magic the way I fall asleep like a baby that way. He said yes, after he got up to pee and proceeded to start to fall back asleep with his hand on my belly.

I had my hands on my belly, also, when I realized that it was getting tight. This time I could feel it get tight and then subside, in a wave, as opposed to the Braxton Hicks I have been having. It also seemed like my belly was even harder. I tested against my forehead, then against my belly, and back, and it definitely seemed like it was very hard at its peak. I checked the clock on Donavon's side of the bed and it said 3:04, so I estimated that it started at 3:03. Then I paid attention for more. After two more of these contractions at 3:08 and 3:13, I mentioned them to Donavon. He started poking my belly, then my forehead, then my belly, then my forehead and agreed these were REALLY hard. (I've been making him feel my belly for weeks now when it gets tight, so his opinion is relevant.)

For the next hour I have had short, pain free contractions - they are maybe 30 seconds long - I have yet to seriously time their duration. Basically, they have been every 5 minutes. After the 3:13 one, they have come at 3:17-3:18, 3:21-22, 3:27, 3:31-32, 3:37, 3:41-42, 3:44, 3:47, 3:52-53, 3:57-58, 4:03, 4:07-8, 4:13, 4:18...and counting.

At around 3:30 I asked Donavon for some more water and a Tums from the first floor. I didn't want to move until an hour of contractions had past. After that, I got up to pee and sure enough, that didn't make them go away.

Now, I know we are going against the cardinal rule of 'get some sleep' when they start in the middle of the night. But I wanted to gather information and take it all in as it was a new sensation...and let's face it, it is exciting. I have been convinced that I wouldn't have a real contraction ever. Now at least I know what they feel like on a very mild level and I am revelling in the lastest progress. Even if they stop or taper off and we don't have him for a few days, I'm just happy that something new is happening.

4:24-25 - another one...I went downstairs to get my stopwatch and another glass of water and some red raspberry leaf tea...4:33 - another one. Either I didn't have one or I missed one while in the kitchen...4:43 - another one...they could be tapering off now or I am missing them in moving about.

So, despite how much I want to sit up and document every contraction, I am going to try to rest. Maybe not full on sleep but definitely rest as much as possible. I am going to wait to call the midwife until the sun is out at least. And I'll be making note of when and if anything gets more exciting.

I want him out

It was a gorgeous day today. Sunny, chilly, a perfect December day. I got a reasonable night's sleep. I told the cub he could come today. It would be a good day.

We watched Meet the Press. Then walked the dog. Walking makes the Braxton Hicks really strong, so I like to do it. Then we showered and headed out for a spicy burrito lunch at Chipotle. I wanted to keep walking so we browsed at Barnes and Noble for some more Christmas presents. Then when we got home we walked the dog again. They were still just Braxton Hicks - although I definitely feel them in my back now. I believe I said, "I want him out" a few times.

I do not want to stop walking - I don't know what that means. I am just really restless. But it's 6:30 as I write this and I am guessing he isn't going to be here any time soon. The most recent guess is that he will in fact arrive on his due date, as only 5% of babies actually do. I so hope.

Time to watch some West Wing episodes and do jumping jacks.

no baby yet

So, still just trying to keep myself busy and distracted. I did lots of errands yesterday to be out of the house.

Today I made chicken soup from scratch (never done that before), went for a good walk with Merle and Donavon (which brought on contractions that start at back and wrap to front, a new type for me), did about 3 hours of hypnobirthing because I kept falling asleep, and watched two episodes of the Simpsons and one episode of the Daily Show. I got such a horrible night's sleep last night that I was actually hoping I wouldn't go into labor today because I was such a zombie...until the napping.

Tonight we watched Ray while I tried to find a comfortable position to sit. SUCH a great movie.

Just another Thursday

I got a very good night's sleep, thanks to a pre-bed back rub that took me from total grumpy to at least sleepy grumpy. I managed to stay in bed until about 9, sleeping on and off.

I spent a great deal of the day online shopping, on facebook or watching home remodeling shows on TV. Then I took some time for birth practice and nap.

By dinner time I had such cabin fever that we went out to Bertucci's for my favorite pizza, then grocery shopping and some other errands. I keep stocking up on things that I want to have on hand. Like meat. We are going to have a freezer full of meats. I was just happy to be out of the house even though I was waddling around like a penguin the whole time. We managed to kill the evening and now I want to play more Yahtzee, like we did last night before bed. Then hopefully I will lobby for another one of those pre-bed backrubs.

It's been a dreary rainy day, from morning til night. I'm glad the cub decided to wait this one out. Maybe tomorrow? As I predicted? I'll have to check the weather.

Big Belly Tuesday – Week 39 One Week to Go!

We're almost reached our goal. There's just one week to go until Alyssa's expected due date of December 16th. Mom and Dad are counting the hours.

midwife wednesday

I went for my 39 week appointment today. Baby is good. In terms of his positiona, he isn't floating but he isn't engaged either. He moved from right occipito-anterior (ROA) position to occipito-posterior while I was lying on the table...he is still moving around now and will change positions until he is engaged, she said. We eventually want him in the ROA position though, so I'm talking to him daily about this. His heart beat was good, in the 140s. My blood pressure was normal - 96/64. I'm measuring 40 weeks now. I gained another half pound since last week. He is definitely growing. It was by all accounts a fine appointment. But I'm fighting impatience for him to just get here already. Getting...grumpy...can't....walk....

I had a poor night's sleep so I'm tired. There is a good chance I am going to spend the rest of the day watching the West Wing. Ideally I would like to lie on the couch and watch the West Wing until the baby comes, but I'm assuming I'll get a little restless before then. For right now, that's all I'm doing.

Christmas prep weekend

We had a fantastic weekend with my sister, Kristen, and her family. They arrived Friday night and stayed til Sunday afternoon. We decorated the tree, made tons of cookies, made 3 beautiful wreathes, listened to a LOT of Christmas music and watched The Grinch; Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown; Olive the other Reindeer and Rudolph. Oh yeah, it was festive. The only snag came when after detangling a ridiculous nest of lights, for which my family gets lots of credit, most of them didn't work and we had to start over with a whole new light collection. Usually I put the lights on the tree but this year, there was no chance. I'm too big to get close enough and no one was letting me up on the footstool to reach the high parts. So Kristen did a beautiful job, up to my picky standards.

Since then I have wrapped and purchased a few more Christmas presents. We finally have some under the tree, too! Most of the baby stuff is taken care of at this point, so the only thing I have been doing to prepare is some cleaning. Not any manic nesting like they speak of, but definitely getting things clean in case today is the day.

I did buy another baby item. On the recommendation of a new mom, I bought a Slumber Bear. It is motion and sound activated to play womb sounds. Could be good.

I'm working hard to stay relaxed and not get impatient. He will arrive when he arrives and in the mean time, I'm trying to enjoy the free time and the quiet. I'm fairly uncomfortable, but I manage enough. I take the dog out sometimes and play with him. I walk up and down the stairs as much as necessary - sometimes I still ask D to bring me stuff - but mostly I'm embracing the idea that being active will bring on the process.

39 weeks

From babycenter.com:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

My sister's birthday

Happy Birthday, Kristen! No little nephew to share it with you today, though. Shouldn't be too far off though.

I spent the morning finishing up the online tutorial for school. This time participating in the practice live classroom session. I'm all set now for how to take a class online when the time comes.

Today was big auto thursday. Donavon took the car for maintenance. Last time we were in they scheduled us automatically for a 9 month checkup on Dec 17th. We laughed and assured them we would be in a little sooner, what with a Dec 16th due date.

Then we had the car seat reinstalled. Yes, we had this done once before by a certified installer at a store. (Recall the video of her standing on our car seat base to get it to work and then proclaiming that she had discovered the 'trick' with our car's seat belt.) After an hour and $25 and a lot of her struggling with different contraptions, she thought it was figured out. By the time we had driven home, the base was crooked and loose. It just looked bad. We found a good reference at www.seatcheck.org with state certified, official inspectors and installers. We were much relieved to go yesterday and deal with a serious professional. She recognized that our base wasn't leveled properly (which the previous installer said she could just eyeball due to years of instinct) which had made the standard installation so difficult for the first person. She also informed us that the cute little sherpa snuggly, the headrest and the mirror we had installed to watch our kid were all instruments of death. Good news is the seat is safely installed and we're, um, in contact with the person who did the first salesjob, I mean installation, for us.

Other than that, it was another quiet day around here. We are sort of getting the house ready for my sister and her family who are visiting for the weekend. Sort of. And our friend Maxine called, checking in, offering lots of kind words of support and excitement and answering a few parenting questions. Very sweet.

D and I had a good heart to heart that reminds me why we are so good together. I didn't find time to practice much birth stuff today, so I'll just fall asleep to the CD. (Not really what you are supposed to do but I believe better than nothing...) Early bedtime (10ish?) since I slept pretty poorly last night.

another day, another list of mundane pre baby chores...

Midwife appointment - All is well. Baby is still head down, in a Right Occipito-Anterior position (ROA). That means he is kind of facing backward, which you want, but his back is curled more to right, against my belly/side. Ideally, he would be curled up nice and straight, with his back in line with my belly button, my midline. But most babies aren't straight on like that until they start to come out, if then. The thing we want to avoid is Occipito-Posterior (OP, i.e. his occiput, or the back of his head, is facing backward). More simply put, he is facing forward, his spine to my spine. Apparently that makes for some extra unpleasant, although still manageable, labor. The exercises I do are supposed to help keep him in this more OA position. Plus, I'm starting to talk to him and let him know that he needs to get in line. Literally.

His heart beat was in the 140s. Good sound heart beat. My blood pressure was more in the normal range than the last two visits (I'm convinced it was because I saw my midwife instead of her assistant). I was 98/68 or thereabouts. I measured at 39 weeks (39 cm belly) but from feeling around on my belly she thinks he is not that large. She guessed he is in the 6 lb range at this point - again according to her magic touch of just palpating him. The measurement has more to do with how he is lying and distending my belly. I had only gained a pound which prompted her to ask if I was eating enough. I think over the last few weeks, my weight gain has tapered (despite a LOT of thanksgiving pie?). It is probably because I am more active now than I was there for a spell.

She answered some more questions for us. She said they usually stay about 2-3 hours after the baby comes to make sure we are all doing well. They take cord blood right away for lab tests, to check the baby's blood type and do a basic panel. They will make sure I get help nursing right away. They will stay until I have a meal :) They will make up the bed and tidy things. I think that is about it. I see her again in a week if I don't have the baby before then!

Baby briefcase - I found this great organizer for baby records. It is dedicated storage so that it all stays in order, which makes me happy. But the thing is $30 for a case and some nice file folders, albeit preprinted. I love the idea and it would make a nice gift but I couldn't bear to spend so much on something so simple. We went to Staples and made my own version for far less than $20. And that was with splurging on the REALLY nice folders :) I WILL have to struggle with labeling the folders myself...I think I am up to the task. It functions as a little briefcase with dividers and all for folders. Plus there is a handy expandable side pocket with zippered mesh pouch! I'm pleased with my substitute. It's better looking, too.



Baby binder - I finally gathered all of the little keepsakes we have had along the way and made up a binder. I'm not exactly a scrapbooker, so this will have to do. All of his ultrasound photos, the cards from his shower, the mementos from our babymoon in Williamsburg and a few other things...collected in one binder for him to be bored with later in life.

Sleeper with crib sheet- We've had this for awhile and I think I posted about it when we first bought it. But here is a little snapshot of his sleeper all set up in our room, with the crib sheet I made awhile ago. That is his sleep sheep, which makes soothing noises. Like whale sounds (I'm not sure I find that one soothing, actually.) I love that thing. We will also have a crib set up in his nursery for naps and such, but this will be for night time for the first few months. The open side pulls up against the bed, next to me, so I can nurse easily at night but so that he isn't actually sleeping the bed. We picked this up on craigslist and it was such a find. They don't make them like this anymore - it is all wood and really simple. The new ones are froofy and fabric and incredibly ugly. It turns into a crib with the addition of the side, and then with some more hardware it turns into a desk. But that's later. For now, it is just waiting for him.



Washing the dog - He was washed. Finally. You can all thank us when you come to visit.

Hypnobirthing - As required, I listened to the daily suggestions and visualizations and relaxation sessions. Very soothing and yes, I fell asleep in the enchanted forest section again. I don't know what it is about that forest. Hehe. Donavon has been very dedicated to helping with his part, too.

Cat - Here is proof that the cat needs no invitation to make himself comfortable. Once he climbs up, which I do kind of help with at a point, so I am not shredded by claws, he is on his own. He has learned how to be like one of those monkeys, just adjusting himself on my shoulder whether I assist. It's impressive but if I am not wearing a good thick sweater, it IS painful.



Tested the BabyTV babycam - For a while, there has been that link on the left advertising BabyTV. It is a teaser since we don't have an actual baby to broadcast, yet. Inspired by the now famous shiba inu puppy cam, Donavon set up a Ustream account for our baby. We got the webcam today and set it up for a few test runs. Both Grandma and Aunt Kristen were our remote testers and I am pleased to report that it was a success! The channel will be password protected, since it broadcasts to a website. We will primarily use it as a video baby monitor - with the camera on him while sleeping - accesible from any computer instead of just a monitor. Most of the time, it won't be interesting to anyone but us, unless you like to watch a baby sleep. But on occasion we will let people know when we will have him on there in a funny outfit or just to say hi. BabyTV. Stay tuned for schedule information.

I wanted to finish the curtains I started last night, but I am way too tired. I'm off to bed at 10:30 and will listen to CDs to relax myself to sleep.

Big Belly Tuesday – Week 38

It's week 38 and there are just two weeks to go! Well, I guessed December 8th, so according to my estimation, there's only one week. In any case, today we went out and got our Christmas tree (hence the "Christmas Tree Edition").

In other news, Alyssa's getting BIG and Merle doesn't know what to think of it. Woof!

38 weeks!

from babycenter.com

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

So, the real due date for babies is more of a range, with anytime between 38-42 weeks being normal. Hehe, that is pretty cool. That means it could be any day now. I don't feel like it will be this week, but I can tell it is getting close. Things are stretching and creaking and I'm having more and more trouble walking.


Today makes up for all of those non productive days. I was up early - through no fault of the cat, strangely enough. I practiced some fancy breathing techniques, one of the final things I need to be doing to be all ready.

I took the dog out for his romp. Lately, Donavon has taken on the role of single dog parent. I think the exercise is good for me at this point, so I'm venturing out to play stick and ball. I'm probably not that fun to play with if you ask Merle as I am pretty easy to evade. It was a gorgeous sunny day though and the fresh air felt great.

Donavon brought up all the Christmas stuff from the basement. Yay. It is sitting and waiting to be hung or strung or bedecked. *Random family anecdote* - My mom had my sister on Dec 4th, going in labor while getting Christmas decorations out. That's too early for me. It is a really fun time of the year to be expecting, I have to admit.

The Brinks guy came to wire some areas of the house that we have wanted more secure. I'm very happy about that before we have the little one.

We went to IKEA one last time - I needed some curtain fabric and we decided to buy an extra little cheap changing table for the first floor. It looks like something a little kid would use for her dolly, but hey, its for changing diapers. Fancy is not required and compact is good.

We also got our Christmas tree! It was all tied up so its branches are still settling down. It should be photo worthy by tomorrow...although not decorated until this weekend.

In the time it took to ride to IKEA and Home Depot, I almost finished another bootie. Those things go fast.

I squeezed in some hypno and breathing practice with Donavon. Then he made yet another batch of chili for the freezer and for dinner. It's so good.

I wrapped some presents and we then we ordered some more. And then I made some curtains for my workroom, which will double as a guest room for family over Christmas.

Yeah, productive day. I'm exhausted.

I felt some cramping and twinges. And the cub seems to just be slowly going lower. He is still moving around a lot. We just tried to get some video of it, but it is hard to see. I can't wait for our checkup tomorrow. Not that we are going to find out anything new but it seems like something exciting could happen.

cyber Monday

I shopped for more Christmas presents. FYI, PayPal has a sweet promotion that starts today. They are giving up to 20% cash back for purchases made with PayPal. Not sure how long it lasts, or if all merchants participate, but it is a potentially good deal.

I spent the morning satisfying a required Introduction to Online Learning course (online, of course) for school. In order to take online classes for my program, you have to prove that you can do things like post to a bulletin board and use Adobe Acrobat. Turns out I am computer savvy enough. There is another section I have to do on Thursday, but the majority of the training is out of the way. Yay, the first thing for school. So exciting. I also found out that I am NOT required to take a class on campus during the two week session of Jan 5-16. The cub will be only 2 weeks old at that point (depending) and I would prefer not to be on campus, even though it is only a few hours in the morning. It is just so soon to plan on giving him a bottle or to assume nursing will be going well yet. I will have to go to orientation on Jan 3-4, which is on campus and will be a bit of a juggle, but it is just orientation and I'll do my best. If I need to duck out of a talk on how to set up my email, so be it. Actually, we will do our best. Donavon is going to be superdad that weekend while I try to stay awake. Ok, he is going to be superdad all the time but he will earn some stripes.

As usual, the cat won't get off of me without engaging in some type of claw or tooth warfare. The dog has ramped up his efforts to stick with me and Donavon, climbing the stairs much more often than he used to if it means being near us.

Here are the latest pair of baby socks - technically I finished them up yesterday. I love them so much you can expect another pair of the same color scheme but inverted. Yes, it is the same pattern again. I have it memorized and it goes so fast, I'm not ready to branch out to another.



I had ordered this really cool baby organizer and it came today. It's got a form or a checklist for everything I want to write down or reference. Ever. They had one for pregnancy, too, that seemed equally cool but by the time I was confident about being and staying pregnant, it seemed a waste. This one seems very useful.

I had a small crying spell tonight - it seems about that time. I desperately wanted all of the things on my list done and they weren't happening fast enough. Luckily, my sweetheart reminded me that if the dog doesn't get washed, well, he will be stinky, but life will go on. And more importantly, we are ready enough to have a kid soon whether that stuff gets done. I still really wish the dog were washed and the tree were up and the presents were wrapped, because there could be a kid anyday, but I'm done crying about it. I'm just thinking about the kid now.

We ventured out to buy nursing bras. Ok, I bought nursing bras while Donavon ate free samples at the See's candy stand. I've been putting this off but it finally seemed like the time to get it done. I'm a 36D. Hah! That's funny. Well, that is with room for milk, according to the expert. We'll see.

Yet again, Donavon fed me well with his yummy pork dish and sweet potatoes. He's been amazing at taking care of dinner almost every night now. Thanks, honey.

If it's Sunday...

...it's Meet the Press. Even though Tim Russert is gone, it is still part of the Sunday morning routine. I made possibly the best bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and promptly started knitting the second of a startlingly cute pair of yes, more booties. I'm on a roll. They are very satisfying to make AND my kid needs socks. So, it's actually quite practical. Here is the latest pair, with Donavon modeling:



Just as a recap, I wanted to get on the record all of the things I've been doing, particularly since 36 weeks, to prepare for this adventure.

• Herbs: alfalfa, evening primrose oil, nutribiotics (plus prenatal vitamin and DHA that I have been taking all along), in addition to pregnancy tea and red raspberry leaf tea - at least 2 cups of each daily.
• Relaxation CDs: Obviously, I have been doing this for awhile now, but I'm ramping up the review.
• Exercises: Nothing drastic here, but staying limber and active is supposed to be helpful at this point, keeping the hips all loose. I do a lot of cat stretches (on all fours, arching and rounding) and the goofy hula hoop move whenever I am standing around. I think I was doing it unconsciously in the market yesterday.
  
• Baths: Almost daily, I'm in the jet bath for two reasons. It is one of the more comfortable places to be, what with defying gravity, and it is very relaxing, which helps my back and all the ligaments and muscles that need to be all limber. It augments the relaxation stuff and the stretching exercises.
• Drinking a LOT of water: I'm staying as hydrated as possible, drinking water or tea constantly.

I spent a good three hours on hypnobirthing - there is this one section on the final CD during which I always fall asleep so I have to go back and then I fall asleep again. I don't think it is a bad thing to go over it again and again, but it makes for a long lazy afternoon. That also included practicing with Donavon. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that one can overdo...personally I would like to spend the next two weeks or so in a constant state of bliss.

Donavon watched "Hancock" while I did things around the house - mostly because I just didn't want to sit. It is definitely the least comfortable position.

We did address a few more Christmas cards before bed. Christmas is starting early around here this year!

The cub seems to be getting lower. And he is still moving around in there. His little pokey parts are really hard and sharp now, it is incredible to feel, like so little separates us.

Sleepy Saturday

After another craptastic night of attempted sleep, I managed a few good hours this morning. I got up just before 10. I took a long bath. I had a couple of moments of fear while looking at my giant belly in the bathtub. That thing has to get out and I hope I'm ready.

Donavon and I went to Chipotle for lunch and then grocery shopping.

There were more booties and then more birth practice.

We had another movie and dinner night (at home). Although this one wasn't a surprise. After a long discussion about James Bond at Thanksgiving, we were inspired to watch one last night. We picked "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". And D made burgers. We were in bed by 10 something.

Black Fridayversary

No, we did not partake in the life threatening black friday madness. Never have, never will. Someone was actually killed by trampling at Walmart. That's not right.

Today was spent making more baby booties and then listening to just about all of my birthing CDs. It is sort of like cramming for an exam, I am in constant review mode now. Plus, I want to be as stress free and calm over the next few weeks so that whenever it happens, I'm in the best frame of mind possible.

I've also started doing funny pelvic exercises at any random moment of the day - kind of like a hula hoop move - as it is supposed to help with labor.

Donavon surprised me with mystery movie night (at home). He queued up "The Way We Were" which is one of my all time faves. That was awesome.

We did have a late night romp in the field with Merle where we met a couple of guys with their hyper pup. It was amusing because they actually wanted Merle to growl at their dog and teach him some respect. So, Merle sat around growling at this other dog while they tried to get him to mellow out. We don't usually encourage this behavior, but they appreciated it.

Happy Thanksgiving

We did two things today. I made a pumpkin pie this morning. Then we spent the rest of the day around our friends' table eating and enjoying their wonderful company. That is it. It was wonderful and we couldn't be more thankful.

The cub seemed to enjoy being fed little pieces of turkey, vegetables and pie every hour or so. He was moving around a lot.

Good day

I had another poor night's sleep - it's not comfortable these days. Oh, and the pre-bed pizza dinner was a ticket for serious heartburn. I was up for a few hours, watched some news, then went back to sleep, with the help of the hypnobirthing relaxation CD. Magic stuff.

We received another boatload of goodies in the mail today - baby bottles, the last of the cloth diaper bounty, a few baby toys, another swaddler. Cute stuff requiring more laundry.

I spoke with Evelyn, my wonderful midwife. She was very understanding and even appreciative that I told her my concerns about her new assistant. She promised I would see her for my last few appointments and reassured me that I would not be alone with the assistant for the birth. I'm comforted and reminded how excellent she is.

I made something TOTALLY unglamorous - a diaper pail bag. When you cloth diaper you need to have a waterproof, washable liner for the pail that you can throw in the wash along with the diapers. I had an extra nylon shower curtain, the right material, so I sewed that up. Not as cute as the booties, but a necessary item that only took about 15 minutes to make.

We filmed a video for Donavon's HomeserverHacks blog. He is writing an article about our sweet new video camera, the Flip MinoHD, so I got to play director and camerawoman.

I hauled myself outside to play with Merle. Donavon has taken over all daily dog romping activities in the last month or so since I just really am not that fun to play with. But I ventured out today with them to witness his latest favorite toy - a golf ball he found in the field. It's pretty cute to see him acting like a dog, chasing a ball, running. It is not his normal state of being.

As usual, D and I did our birth practice and then I did the part on my own...I fell asleep, which I seem to do every time. So when I woke up I had to listen again.

Dinner was yummy Donavon chili - a couple of bowls out of a big batch that is going in the freezer. I really hope I can eat somewhat spicy food while nursing...I've been eating it all pregnancy so he should be used to it! And we have a LOT of chili in the freezer that I want to eat.

We watched a bunch of news, mostly about the terrorist attacks in India, while I knitted. I started another pair of booties but can't show them yet. I was having way to much fun making them, I stayed up pretty late. It's 11:45 and I am off to bed. Sweet dreams of turkey and pie...

Big Belly Tuesday – Week 37

This week's Big Belly Tuesday comes to you from the Land of Enchantment.

Big belly Tuesday 37

I had a pretty bad night's sleep last night, so I started the day a bit grumpier than normal. Donavon made me toast and eggs, because he is swell. I felt a little better after that.

I made really cute baby booties/socks. Here is one in Donavon's hand.



I had a 37 week appointment this afternoon. All is well - baby is still head down. His heartbeat was in the 120s-130s, which is a little lower but in the normal range. My blood pressure is starting to get a little higher, which she said is normal. It was 112/50, kind of a weird reading but still just fine. I'm measuring 38 weeks. The only upsetting thing about the appointment is that I am not entirely comfortable with the new birth assistant that my midwife brought in. She had an assistant that I really liked and got to know, and then she left. At around 32-34 weeks, this new one came on. She is medically competent, which is certainly good. But at the last two appointments I have noticed that she smokes. The smell on her is faint because I think she probably does try to manage it. But you can't hide that smell and it basically repulses me when she is touching me. I find it upsetting in a health care setting. And the thought of smelling that while I am in the middle of managing labor is upsetting. And the thought of her touching and caring for my minutes old baby is really upsetting. While the smoking is the main thing that makes me uncomfortable, I don't exactly love her personality, either. In theory, her job is to help my midwife. But depending on schedules and other births, there is a chance that I could spend some of my labor with her alone and then, heaven forbid, there is even a chance she could catch the baby. Distressing me. I've got a call in to my midwife to share these concerns and I really hope she understands.

We did some grocery shopping where Donavon got to play with the new scan as you shop technology at Giant. He had a better time than I did, I think. I mostly just wanted to sit down and eat something and cry a little about the appointment.

In the evening, we went to a happy hour with the boys next door from Alter Urban. They are the architects who totally redid our house. They redid the house next door as well, where they put in their office. I stayed too late and stood way too long, but otherwise it was a fun night. They are good guys and they have nice friends. Again, one of those last nights of getting out that I appreciate.

We ate a way too late dinner of Donavon's yummy pizza and were in bed before 11.

Some other things I have made

I made a stack of baby blankets, wipes and burpcloths a while ago but forgot to post. The blankets are just one ply of flannel with rounded corners, raw edges covered with bias tape. The wipes are two ply - recycled white tshirt on one side and flannel on the other.

37 weeks

from babycenter.com

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Some days are kind of useless

Despite a long list of things to do, it turned into a somewhat useless day. Basically, I spent the majority of the day online, shopping for Christmas presents but settling on only a few things I liked. I did buy a couple of cute newborn toys since we have about two right now. That was kind of fun actually, picking out his first few toys.

I did make all four of my remaining weekly appointments with the midwife! That is kind of exciting. Tomorrow we have a checkup and then every Wednesday until my due date. Will I make it to my due date? Will I need a fifth appointment? Such a crazy mystery this is.

I practiced daily relaxation stuff, first with Donavon and then the part I do on my own. And then Donavon and I were off for special dinner date night. We went to Woodberry Kitchen and it was SUCH a delicious dinner. It was also precious to spend the time together like that, before baby. I think we both realize how special this last period is and are grateful we can enjoy it. Here we are stuffed and happy (and as dressed up as I have been in a while).



We think we might have one more of these nights in us. Well, it is really up to me and I think I might have one more of these nights in me.

One of the last Sundays before Sparky arrives

Donavon and I were both up early. I suppose we REALLY should be sleeping in. We chatted about how Donavon is going to help me while this child is trying to get out. I've been listening to the CDs on my own for a while now, and he hasn't had a chance to be a very big part of it...beyond pinching my thigh really really hard so I can practice the techniques. Obviously, he needs to have different skills ready for the actual day. So, we are starting to go over the specific suggestions and reminders he can do to augment and encourage everything I have learned so far.

My wonderful friend Kathy came up to visit from DC. She and I went to the farmer's market under the freeway for crepes - yum.

Donavon and I spent the afternoon at babies1st, a store in Columbia, MD, where they installed our car seat. Apparently, our car is a little different and it took the woman an hour to do it. At one point she was physically standing on the base of our seat inside of the car - see video below. This is what you get what you pay a professional to do it the right way.


She actually gave us a discount for shooting the following instructional video of her doing it, to show how our car installation is so unique. As you'll see, she's impressively serious about her work.



We picked up some more random baby wares - a sun shade for the car window, a sherpa sack to keep him cozy warm in his car seat, a miracle blanket (kind of a strait jacket for babies, which apparently they like).

Tonight was supposed to be nice dinner out date night but I was exhausted. It's been postponed until tomorrow night. Tonight became order Chinese delivery night.

We practiced birth stuff together. Now, I am sewing up some nursing pads (with a cat at my shoulder and a dog at my feet) before heading to bed to practice some more on my own.

Oh and mancub is moving all around as I write this. He's been dancing for about a half hour now.

One of the last Saturdays before Sparky arrives

I did go back to bed at some point this morning and slept in, til about 9. Then, as is house tradition, we had Sci-Fi Saturday morning, which means watching whatever we recorded from Sci-Fi Friday night but were way too busy partying till all hours to watch. These days the only show in the line up is Stargate Atlantis. Then Donavon and I focused on domestic tasks, mostly for Christmas. I wrapped presents while Donavon not only designed but also finished making all of the Christmas cards.

In addition, I sewed a crib sheet. It came out perfectly fine and it was pretty easy, although I want to tweak the pattern a bit.

The diaper trial package came today. Those things are so darn cute. They have to be washed a few times before use, so yay, more laundry :)

I practiced hypnobirthing/napped and then Donavon and I had a late but ever popular breakfast dinner = waffles, eggs and sausage.

Meanwhile, the cub is definitely positioning himself lower. Donavon claims I have been saying this every day for the last two weeks. I have noticed that I am not getting kicked in the ribs anymore even while he is clearly getting much larger. Plus, I swear I felt him being pushed down with a lot of those Braxton Hicks the last week.

4 am

I have been pretty lucky lately, sleeping through the night. I usually get up once around 3 and fall back asleep pretty easily. But tonight, I'm up. This time I'm hungry and thirsty and my head is full of thoughts. Mostly good thoughts - baby, Christmas, the whole giving birth thing. I woke up around 3:30 and tossed and turned until 4:30, when my growling stomach finally got me out of bed. A little toast and tea should help and then I will listen to a hypnobirthing CD to float off into space or wander through the forest or go somewhere equally mind numbing and soporific.

Little cub seems to be awake, too. He's stretching around and kicking for over an hour, in what must be very tight quarters.

Oh and to add to the cat behavior documentation, he now sleeps with me every night, curled up next to my belly. He used to do that occasionally, maybe a few times a month, but it's become a nightly habit. And since I am up now, he is wandering around meowing like crazy and looking at me as if to say, "Why are you not holding me or in a position where I can be sleeping on you?" And then he runs REALLY fast to another area of the house, his claws scraping and sliding on the hardwood floors. The dog is still quite happily curled up on his bed in our bedroom. Good dog.

Friday

Since the days of just the 2 of us, before there are just the 3 of us, are numbered, I'm thinking I should write down the banal stuff we do in these last few weeks...for posterity. As much as we have been planning, we are at the point of "Oh hey, we really should get that car seat installed" and a few other things that haven't been crossed off the list, yet. And we are trying to seize the preciousness of these last days of relative freedom.

LAST weekend, I took Donavon on a mystery ride - a longstanding family tradition that he is trying to embrace, although they usually make him nervous. I surprised him (kind of) with Quantum of Solace, opening weekend, at the new Landmark Theater in Harbor East. That place is sweet. Bond and a beer - I think he was happy. The seats are comfy enough for an 8 month pregnant lady, which is saying something. It was one of our last date nights without requiring babysitters and nursing arrangements. As unwieldy as I am getting, I want to fit as many of these nights in as possible.

During the week we made the uber important champagne purchase. We got a half bottle for the two (three?) of us, for right after he is born, and then another to celebrate when the whole family arrives. Something exciting about having champagne chilling and waiting. That is the general mood in the house - chilling and waiting.

Yesterday, I went on a diaper buying spree. It occurred to me that will need a serious supply of them. We are planning to use cloth, but for the first few weeks, not knowing if he is small...and with the umbilical cord care...and since we don't know what we are doing...and since there will be lots of family around, I figured it might be wise to have disposables on hand. Just a whacky thought. And although I bought about 8 or so newborn cloth diapers a few months ago, that is not nearly enough. So I finally rounded out the supply, including a cool trial package with all the different types that allows you to return whatever you don't like. (And yes, there are MANY types of cloth diapers - it is way beyond the white squares of cotton these days.)

A portion of every day is inevitably spent doing laundry, washing all of the new baby items that smell like plastic or just plain weird. (I realize this will still be the case when there is an actual baby, although stuff will smell weird for other reasons.)

For today, the big fun was a trip to IKEA for some last minute things. We got a Poang chair for the nursery (gift of Grandma) and a few other baby things. Like crib mattress protectors and other boring items that babies need. We also bought meatballs because those IKEA meatballs are greasy and salty and tasty (not for the baby).

I spent a good fifteen minutes of my life amused by the Sarah Palin interview shot on a farm, unfortunately in front of the guy bleeding struggling turkeys for slaughter.

Otherwise, we had a quiet night in, with Donavon's chili for dinner and watching last night's episode of The Office. Sparky had big hiccups shortly after I ate and was moving around for about 10-15 minutes. From now until bed time I will practice Hypnobirthing stuff with Donavon. And we'll probably take a minute or two to watch some puppy cam. Those guys are getting big and rowdy.

the cat and the dog

The cat, Reno, has always been lovey. He is an affectionate man. But since about Monday or Tuesday (36 weeks) he has been aggressively affectionate. It is only 9 am and he has bullied his way into my arms 4 separate times today. And he is spending less time outside - which means more time inside meowing incessantly and trying to get on my lap or in my arms. It could all be coincidence, but this seems like that 'animals know when something is up' kind of behavior that you hear about. The dog, Merle, comes looking for me when he can't find me...but he has kind of always been that way. He whimpers more since I got pregnant, but I can't tell if it is escalating more recently as the day approaches. There is some chance he is a bit more attentive, just not as striking a change as with Reno. It's so fascinating.

Guess and Win!

The baby is due on December 16th, just 26 days to go! Wow, it seem like only yesterday that Alyssa started feeling like cr@p in the morning.

When will the baby actually come? Leave your guess here. The winner will receive bragging rights and maybe even get to hold the man-cub a minute longer than everyone else.

Leave a comment with your name, date and time (any missing time will be entered as noon). The one who is the closest wins!

<a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=e7e6084e-00ab-443c-93b0-1a770a13e489" target="_new" title="Guess and Win">Video: Guess and Win</a>

baby sling

We found a cool baby sling that we liked, but the store didn't have the right size. So, I decided to venture into the world of DIY on the internet and I found a pattern to make a knock off. It was incredibly simple and took maybe 4 hours total. And now that I have a custom pattern, it will be even faster if I decide to make more. Here is Donavon modeling it with a flour sack baby to provide a little ballast (and a potato for a head).

And here is a little video of Donavon using it to steal groceries. It's sideways for a bit because I didn't realize that, unlike taking photos, you can't shoot sideways and turn it around later...

Big Belly Tuesday – Week 36 (Video Edition)

Today marks week 36 or in other words, only 4 more weeks! And to celebrate, this week's Big Belly Tuesday also includes a video for your viewing pleasure.

 

36 weeks

The midwife and assistant came to the house today for a home visit. They did the normal checkup - urine dip all normal, blood pressure 108/60, heart tones good (150s) and the baby is head down, still. They also checked out the supply kit I had ordered and got the layout of the house for when the big day comes. (Homebirth "supplies" includes things like an umbilical clamp, newborn hats and various things that absorb stuff...you can get ANYTHING on the internet.) My fundal height (i.e. baby containing portion of belly) is measuring 37.5 cm which translates to 37.5 weeks, which could mean he is a little big or it could mean nothing...he is likely not small though. I asked if they thought I might go early, considering size and the fact that I have lots of contractions now. The old wives' tale she used to see how long I would go said that it would be 3 more weeks, which would be early but within full term. (The test is how many of the mother's fingers fit between the xyphoid process and the top of the uterus. I fit 3.) We'll see! Overall, it was pretty exciting to finally have the home visit. From now on I have weekly visits at the office.



Also, as of today, here is the assortment of evening pills. In addition to taking a daily prenatal, nutribiotics (basically grapefruit seed extract) and DHA supplement, it's time to add alfalfa and evening primrose oil to the line up. Alfalfa contains vitamin K, which is important for coagulation, thus limiting bleeding after birth. Evening primrose oil prepares the cervix to let the kid through nice and easy. It is used more aggressively to induce labor if one gets to 41 weeks or so. In addition, I'm drinking as much red raspberry leaf tea as humanly possible, which is supposed to support all over uterine health. When not drinking tea, I'm to drink as much water as humanly possible. Dehydration is the most preventable problem that can occur during labor and birth, so I'm on that one.

From babycenter.com:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.

One month to go...

While due dates aren't supposed to mean much, as of today, November 16, we have one month left. So we decided to celebrate with a special 8 month belly photo session. Yeah, amazing that thing is going to keep growing for another month.

Belly video

Today while watching Meet the Press, I got some good footage of the little cub stretching and grooving. We'll see how much more alien it gets over the next month.

Christmas stocking

I made a stocking for the cub. He really better be here for Christmas. Many years ago, my mom knitted stockings for me and my two sisters. I clearly remember her working them during football games. I want to continue the tradition - although without the football.

Big Belly Tuesday – Week 35

This Tuesday we are in New Jersey visiting Peter, Kristen and the kids. This will be our last trip before our self imposed travel embargo.

gestational update

So, there are some little milestones that should be recorded. I'd say at about 33-34 weeks, sparky started having hiccups. I wasn't sure what that would feel like until sure enough, it feels like nothing else. My belly turns into a metronome. He gets them at least once a day, 3 times max. Oh, he has them right now :)

About a month ago, I did finally get a sweet tooth, as I think I have mentioned. I have to watch it now as, frankly, if I could live on cake and cookies, I would. In these last few weeks, I want to get back to real healthiness though, getting my body ready for the big day.

As long as I was mobile and energetic, I have been keeping busy. Making food to stash away in the freezer, Christmas planning, knitting and sewing soft tiny things for the little creature and otherwise getting the house ready for baby and family. We've also been taking advantage of every party or chance to get out and be with friends, appreciating it while we can. Each day I have been able to do stuff, I have, anticipating that at some point, I won't want to move.

Well, I might be at that point. The election night party might be the last big event until baby. In the last few days, I have hit the wall, to use a marathon analogy. Within a couple of hours of waking up, I am ready for a solid nap. In fact, I've been getting a little woozy in the morning if I don't quite eat enough or drink enough water. Today, for example, I sewed a little burp cloth and that was the extent of the morning's accomplishments, aside from three small meals and many glasses of water. I moved myself to bed with some knitting and the laptop and eventually fell asleep for a few hours. When I woke up, I took a warm bath and then listened to Hypnobirthing brainwashing. I'm on a modified self-imposed bedrest because 1) I get Braxton Hicks after a seemingly lame amount of activity, 2) I'm just really tired, 3) my blood pressure was really low and I was woozy at my checkup on Thursday (84/60), which as I said, has happened every morning since then and 4) because I can.

It's all got me a little grumpy. I don't enjoy asking Donavon to run upstairs for things or to constantly bring me water. I REALLY don't enjoy doing so little - it makes for a boring day without much accomplishment. There are all of these things I want to do for the baby and for Christmas. And overall, I'm pretty much uncomfortable all of the time. Until this week I would get uncomfortable intermittently during the day, after too long sitting or standing, but it really is just starting to be perpetual. Basically, as I told Donavon to his amusement, I'm losing that can-do spirit. Intellectually, I am embracing the quiet and the ability to sleep as much as I want, as I know it will be very different soon. But truth be told, I would rather be busy.

From what I hear, this is the normal progression of things. I have another five and a half weeks, and who knows, maybe I'll rally again. But I'm accepting that I'm at the stage of sitting at this bus stop quietly, stuck on the bench waiting patiently with a pile of crossword puzzles and knitting to keep from going crazy, until my ride finally comes.

Big Belly Tuesday – Week 34

This week, Tuesday falls on election day. So I present to you this Big Belly Tuesday Election Day "Special Edition".

(click to view larger)

34 weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

from babycenter.com

Sparky Voted

Alyssa and I just returned from voting. The line was only about 20 people long and we were in and out in less than 20 minutes.

I'm pretty sure that Sparky voted for Obama!

Look Ma, No Hands

Alyssa is modeling the knitted pants that she made for young Sparky. She went to hold them up for the picture when I pointed out to her that with the belly shelf, they would stay up all by themselves.

Big Belly Tuesday - Week 33

Here are your belated Big Belly Tuesday pictures for the week.

Happy Halloween

Yesterday was Halloween. Alyssa dressed up as a pregnant cowgirl, Sparky as a future wrangler (complete with cowboy hat and bandana) and I dressed up as a crazy McCain supporter (you know, then one who that faked an attack by a 6'4" back man and carved a backwards "B" in her face).

I'm a PC

Following in his father's footsteps, I know that young Sparky will be a Microsoft guy. I made these onesies using a cool and easy to use silk screening process called StencilPro.

View from the Baby's Room

With about seven weeks until the baby is due, we're pretty much done with the baby's room. There's no crib yet, but he will be sleeping in a co-sleeper while Alyssa is nursing.

Here are a few pics (click to enlarge):

 

Sparky's room has 3 frosted windows that look out onto an open stairwell. They bring in a lot of natural light. They have huge sills on which I've placed my Tonka toys that I had when I was a kid. My research shows that they are from the mid 1960's.

 

 

 

Alyssa made these great elephant curtains for young Sparky's room. The elephant and the clouds are made from felt and are sewn on appliqués.