A Visit from Grandpa Deetz and Uncle Zander!

Lily was so happy to meet her Uncle Zander and Grandpa Deetz.

Maybe next year she'll be able to visit them in Colorado!

Lily's First Christmas

Lily enjoying her present from Santa

Terra really enjoyed opening her present from Santa

Santa Baby

Best presents under the tree

Fast asleep in Granny Janny's arms

Our Big Little Girl

Lily had her one month check-up today, and everything looks great! She now weighs 9 lbs. 13 oz. which puts her at the 75th percentile for weight. She is 22 inches long which puts her in the 90th percentile for height. (She should enjoy that now because given the stature of her parents, that status will not last long.) Overall, she is a very happy, healthy baby - even if her father is not. Carl has a cold but nothing major. Of course, he has to keep anti-bacterial, anti-viral, strip-your-skin-of-everything-and-anything hand sanitizer in every room to keep the cold germs away from Lily. I guess it's better to introduce her to her father's crazy ways early on.

Even though Lily is still very much a newborn, it is evident that she is growing quickly, and I'm already lamenting the passing days. Recently Lily outgrew about 4 sleepers and I was so sad to think that that period is now over, never to return. They were all "newborn" size which is actually supposed to be 5-7 pounds, so this was to be expected, but I can see that this is just the beginning of my "growing pains" when it comes to Lily's development. She is so small and precious; it's hard not to want her to stay that way. Right now I can cuddle her all I want without objection. And, she is so portable. I often walk around with her in the Baby Bjorn infant carrier while I do chores around the house, so we are very attached. I know that these days will soon come to an end so I am trying to enjoy them while they last. I know that there are many great things to come and milestones to look forward to, but I am enjoying this so much. I just don't want it to pass by too quickly.

Beautiful Baby

First Visit with Santa

"Santa, if I'd known you were going with the lumberjack look this year,

I wouldn't have worn a contrasting plaid dress."

Flying Solo

Today, to celebrate Lily being 4 weeks old (can you believe it?), we decided to go on our first solo trip - just me and her. It was very brief, lasting from approximately 9:45 - 11:00 am. I have to say that it was daunting to go out on our own for the first time, but we made it through and here are some things that I learned along the way:

• Strollers simply aren't worth it for short trips, like going to TJ Maxx - much better to go for the carrier and shopping cart combo instead.
• "Popping into" a store is a thing of the past.
• When deciding whether to go to two or three stores, go for two - even if they are right next to each other.
• During the car ride home was the first time that I have not been able to attend to Lily immediately when she gets upset. Lily definitely does not approve of this situation and made it quite clear during the 15 minute drive home.
• Fifteen minutes can sometimes feel like 15 hours.
• When you haven't had fast food in a long time, do not start again with Burger King.

All in all, it was a successful trip but definitely exhausting for both of us. Maybe when she's five weeks, we'll tackle the mall...

Daddy's Little Girl

Do you hear what I hear?

Do you see what I see? (Bored to tears)

These pictures are for Daddy, who hates to leave his little girl in the morning.

We're thinking of you while you are gone!

The Sleeping Dilemma

The first question that we are often asked by both strangers and acquaintances alike is "How does she sleep?". My theory about why everyone is interested in Lily's sleep habits is two-fold. First, newborns basically do three things: sleep, eat, and poop. The latter two aren't really suitable topics of conversation because if she's not eating or pooping, you have really big problems that go beyond the casual conversation. So, we are left with sleeping. I think that the second reason for asking about the baby's sleeping habits is to ascertain the parents' mental states (just how "out-of-it" the parents are).

When it comes to sleeping, Lily has been very kind to her new parents. During the first week, she was up every hour. But after we got past the first week, she began waking up every 3-4 hours during the night for changing and a feeding. After she eats, she typically falls asleep within 10 minutes with a little rocking. Since her bassinet (with changing table), glider, and food supply are all in our room, the nighttime routine has not really been all that disruptive and has worked well for everyone involved.

Recently, Lily has been sleeping even longer during the night, waking up every 4-5 hours. This still seems within the realm of normal, and so I was not concerned. But Friday night, she slept for 7 hours straight. This is a little beyond what I am comfortable with for such a young baby. We have not been setting our clock to wake her up because she has been on such a good rhythm by herself. I'm also not really comfortable with imposing any schedules on her right now. I have been following her schedule all along and feeding her on demand which seems (to me) to be the only way to go with a 3-week old. So, it seems that with the sleeping issue, there is a very delicate balance of sleeping enough but not too much. As for us, I'm going to continue to follow Lily's lead. As long as she's gaining weight (and she certainly is!), I think we'll be fine. As for being "out-of-it", I can't really blame that on sleep deprivation...maybe I can still get away with using unstable hormones for my excuse.

Everybody hop on pop

Rockin' in my Fuzzi Buns Diapers

The Girl's Got Skills!

Lily has been having a blast with "Tummy Time" on her boppy.

As you can see, she is a head-lifting pro!

Our First Walk

Today Terra, Lily, and I went on our first walk together. Although it snowed yesterday, it was quite warm today. The full snowsuit was probably overkill but it is so cute on her, how could I resist?

Hangin' with Lily

A visit from Aunt Ingrid - what could be better?

Sleeping on Daddy is sooo comfortable

Lily loves her Gymini

While the baby's away, the dog will play!

Bathtime with Daddy

Lily's first doctor's visit

Thanksgiving Dinner with the Fam

Grandma Meyer with Baby Lily

Life with Lily

First, I want to send a huge thank you to my mom who stayed with us for a week and a half after Lily was born. We were able to focus all of our attention on Lily while my mom took over the entire household - cooking fabulous meals, doing the laundry, dishes, grocery shopping....and the list goes on and on. It truly helped us to ease into our new life with the baby. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, mom!!

We were also fortunate enough to have my sister, Angela, come to visit over the Thanksgiving holiday. It was so nice to celebrate the day with family, especially since we cannot travel with little bits quite yet. Also, thanks to Ang for helping us put up the Christmas tree - a task that certainly would have been a lot harder without help.

In fact many things that seemed easy before are a lot more...well, involved. Going to the store, working on my projects, or just eating or showering all have become things that require some strategic planning if they are actually going to happen. This of course was expected but like many things, you can't fully appreciate it until you live it.

We are extremely fortunate that Lily is a very easygoing baby. For the most part, she only cries when she is hungry. Otherwise, she is very content and very alert. Within one week, we fell into a sleeping/eating rhythm, and she only gets up twice during the night to feed. This will most likely change as she goes through growth spurts and other things, but we are thankful for the current situation while it lasts.

My favorite experience with Lily thus far occurred just last night. Lily woke up and made her normal nighttime sounds - not crying, just noises of discontent. When I picked her up and held her, she looked into my eyes and fell back asleep within 60 seconds. No rocking, feeding, etc was required. It made me feel so good because I felt the power of being "the mom", being able to calm and comfort just by my presence. By far, the coolest thing ever.

The biggest challenge thus far (no surprise) is breastfeeding. This is a mentally and physically challenging task that should elevate breastfeeding moms everywhere to sainthood status. I have had a great support system to get me through the grueling first weeks - a big thank you to my friend Gretchen for the advise and inspiration to persevere. I think the worst is behind us and soon Lily and I will be old pros.

Having lived through the first couple of weeks with a newborn, I must also mention my undying devotion to a few things that have made my life infinitely more pleasant. In order, they are...
1. Epidural
2. Nipple shields (for breastfeeding)
3. Swaddling blanket
I was/am a much more sane person because of these things.

Lily had her first doctor's visit yesterday, and she is gaining weight beautifully. She is now 8 lbs. 8 oz. She did not have to get any shots, but they did a heal prick. For the first time, I saw real tears, but like the trooper she is, she calmed down quickly and even fell asleep by the time we went downstairs to visit my work/her daycare. (Her pediatrician's office is located on the second floor of the same building as The Young School - how cool is that?)

So, all in all, life is great. As my father would say, "It just doesn't get any better than this".

Pictures of Lily

What's In a Name?

As many of you know, the name for our little Calabasa was under discussion and debate for quite some time. The following are the reasons that Lillian Meyer Deetz came to be:

First and foremost, Lillian Meyer is the name of my grandmother (my dad's mother). My grandmother cared for me until she passed away when I was three years old. Even though we did not have a long time together, I have memories of her and know that we had a special bond during that time.

Secondly, Lily is symbolic of innocence, purity, and beauty. Kathleen means "pure one" and so we thought it fitting that as mother and daughter, our names share a common meaning.

When I was married to Carl, I took my maiden name, Meyer, as my middle name. So now Lily and I also share the same middle name.

Lastly, lilies happen to be my favorite flowers. Last year we planted lilies in our garden, and each one came up perfectly this year. As this does not happen consistently with the flowers that I plant (or attempt to plant), it must be a good sign.

Simply Amazing

Lillian (Lily) Meyer Deetz arrived on Wednesday, November 16th at 6:09 pm.

She weighed 8 pounds and was 20 3/4 inches long.

Ready or Not, Here She Comes!

Today we had (hopefully) our final doctor's appointment with some mixed news. My blood pressure was very high (160/100 - my highest reading yet) but then went down with just a few minutes of laying down (118/80). The worst part of the exam was that my cervix has not changed at all!! I could not believe that NO dilation and NO effacement has taken place (the doctor's technical term for this - "a stubborn cervix"). We also received the results from the sonogram last week. At 40 weeks, 2 days the baby weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz. We are now at 41 weeks, 1 day which likely means that she is currently in the 9 lb. range.

The doctor was reluctant to induce this week because he did not want to increase the likelihood of a c-section any more than it already is (currently about a 50% chance). However, my mom, Carl, and I persuaded him to induce tomorrow based on the fact that my mom never went into labor without an induction with 4 children and my sister's first and only baby thus far was also an induction. Even though Suzanne's baby, Mary, was 9 lbs. 6 oz., she did not have to have a c-section so I have some hope of a natural delivery, small though it may be.

Although the scheduled induction takes some of the surprise away, it does work out nicely for planning purposes. This way, we can take Terra to her boarding/daycare facility in a more calm and relaxed manner before going to the hospital.

So, the plan is to check into the hospital tomorrow at 7:30 pm. We will likely welcome the baby into the world one way or another on Wednesday, the 16th. We will call everyone on Wednesday with any news!!!

Although we had another ultrasound yesterday, we didn't find out much. The technician said that they have to run the results through their computer program before they can accurately determine things like weight. Even then she said the margin of error is about 1 pound which seems like a pretty large margin of error to me. But, we did confirm that she is in fact a girl, and it was fun to see her again in a more fully developed form on the screen, even if we can't see her in person yet.

The new game in our household is to try every old wives' tale (within reason and that does not have negative side effects) in order to get the cervix ready and induce labor. When I went to a water aerobics class yesterday, like usual, everyone asked when I am due. When I tell them that I was 40 weeks last Sunday, they typically act surprised, laugh, and then the advise comes. Some of the funnier ones that have been suggested are as follows:

Eating Eggplant Parmesan
Eating bean sprouts
Eating spicy food
Blowing up balloons
Mall walking
Taking a bumpy car ride
Swinging
And the list goes on...

Currently, I am drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, and I'm going to try Evening Primrose Oil which are both supposed to help get the cervix ready. As we go on, we are narrowing the possibilities for a birth date and now we know for sure that she will be born on a double digit day in November. I know, I'm reaching for certainties here but it's all I can do to keep on going. As one woman in our Ethical Society meeting said on Sunday, "I never knew a baby that didn't come out". So, one way or another, I know it will happen. I guess having absolutely no control over how or when is the most difficult part.

40 Weeks and Frustrated

Unfortunately, I have nothing exciting to report after our doctor's visit today. My blood pressure was lower today than it has been for the entire pregnancy. Go figure since I basically disregarded the bedrest recommendation. The baby has dropped a bit but still NO progress has been made with dilation/effacement. We asked about possibly inducing next week but he said that something would have to happen with the cervix in order for him to induce so as to not increase the risk of a c-section.

We have a sonogram scheduled for tomorrow because he wants to get a better sense of just how big she is right now. He is estimating that she is currently around 8 pounds. Since babies put on about 1/2 pound per week at this stage in the pregnancy, we have to watch her weight to make sure that she doesn't get too big - another c-section risk.

I entirely counted on the fact that the baby would be late and that we would have to be induced in order to start the labor process. I did not count on not even being able to get to the point where we can safely induce with a reasonable expectation for a natural delivery. Such is life I suppose. I am allowing myself this day for a little frustration and self-pity, and then tomorrow it's time to get over it and move on.

Waiting and More Waiting

I just thought that I would write a quick note to let everyone know that we are still here waiting. No baby yet! Carl has been taking my blood pressure several times per day, and I seem to be doing okay. (Sometimes it comes in handy to be married to a med student.) Yesterday I actually had a reading of 125/6o so I took myself off of bedrest for the day. I limited my activities but I really needed to get up and move around, and it seemed to work out well. I was, of course, under the supervision of Carl who does not let me get away with much. I'm now finished with my embroidery and announcements so tomorrow I will be moving on to some handmade Christmas gifts. I am very anxiously awaiting our appointment on Monday, and I will update with any news at that time. Also, I want to congratulate my niece, Courtney, for making the honor roll. Way to go!!

No Treat Yet!

So today we had a bit of a Halloween scare. We went to the doctor for another check-up. Unlike previous visits, I lost weight (7 pounds since last week according to their chart) and my blood pressure went up considerably. The spike in blood pressure won us a trip to the hospital for further testing. The doctor said that they would monitor my blood pressure and if they found that it decreased and stabilized, I would get to go home but be on strict bedrest for the remainder of the pregnancy or if it didn't decrease, I would be induced. This was definitely a big surprise considering that past visits have been so uneventful, and I really haven't had any abnormal symptoms or problems over the past week. But, my blood pressure did decrease while they were monitoring me, so I was able to go home. No Halloween baby!

So now a tough phase begins because I really dislike bedrest - especially the strict part. The doctor basically said that I can get up to go to the bathroom and that's pretty much it. Now I have no excuse for catching up on some reading! It isn't so bad because this can't last more than 2 weeks and more than likely, it will only be about a week or so. We go back to the doctor again next Monday unless some other symptoms arise, and we'll see how things are then. We are actually only 6 days away from the due date so this era is coming to an end regardless. The reason that the doctor does not want to induce now is because my cervix still has not made any progress, and the baby is still very high. However, next week we are definitely bringing the labor bag and all other necessities just in case we are sent to the hospital again and we aren't able to go home. I have a feeling that he may want to induce next week even if no progress has been made with regard to dilation/effacement. Since he normally induces on Wednesdays, November 9th may be a very significant day this year and in years to come. Who knows! One thing is for sure - the days of uneventful doctor visits are over. Happy Halloween to everyone!!

Halloween Party Pics

These pictures are from a Halloween party we went to last night hosted by our friends Jen and Aris. No, we did not plan on having the same costume. Both Jen and I had "buns in the oven" and Carl and Aris were bakers. I guess great minds just think alike!

So Close, Yet Sooo Far Away

With about a week and a half until our due date, we still have made no progress or even slight moves toward the birth. Unfortunately at our doctor's appointment yesterday, we received the same information as always - no change. I definitely suspected that this would be the case since I have not felt any prelabor or Braxton-Hicks contractions to date. The only pains/symptoms that I have currently are of the non-productive variety. I occasionally get shooting pains in my back when sitting; ear aches, leg discomfort, nausea/indigestion when sleeping; and my favorite, overactive saliva glands (aka drooling) - mostly when sleeping...but sometimes when I'm not. So, I am biding my time with various projects - embroidering towels, working on the birth announcements, etc. I am also going to start very low-level water aerobics classes on Friday. It basically has come down to a waiting game, and I'm determined to not let it get the best of me.

Happy Birthday Tori!

Happy 29th Birthday to Tori! This picture was taken of us during our Freshman Year at Lake Forest College.

Just sending a word of encouragement to my Aunt Loretta. She is having surgery on her shoulder today, and we want to send her our best wishes for a successful surgery and speedy recovery.

Comfy Cozy

It's no secret that I absolutely love autumn, and Terra and I have been doing our best to get out and enjoy the awesome weather lately. We really like walking along a trail in a park near us, along with the stay-at-home moms and retired folks who are out mid-day. Yesterday, a 70+ year-old man was walking the trail with us, and he lapped us not once, but twice. And, the trail is only a half mile around! So much for power walking while pregnant.

In baby-related news, we had another doctor's appointment today. My blood pressure has actually gone down but my weight gain has risen to a total of 35 pounds to date. My doctor checked the cervix, and it looks like no progress has been made there at all. No dilation, no effacement. Cali seems very cozy right where she is. She has not dropped, but she is at least turned the right way - head down. The doctor thinks that she is about 7 pounds right now. This means that we are in for one big baby. As Carl says, if you're going to do it, do it big. Very big words for someone who does not actually have to give birth to this enormous baby. But, she still has a nice strong heartbeat and is apparently comfortable where she is. And, as long as she's okay, we're okay. Maybe if she decides to stay too long, we'll just have to make the environment a little less pleasing. Spicy food anyone...

The Times, They Are A Changin'

We are officially full-term today (37 weeks)! Even though I have been as big as a house for weeks now, I have been relatively comfortable and sleeping very well. Until about 2 days ago, I was thinking that all the discomforts of late-term pregnancy were just going to somehow pass me by. Oh, not so. The latest in my pregnancy story is this...

• The wonderful first trimester nausea has returned along with a friend, indigestion.
• I move so slowly now that we have to leave 15 minutes earlier to go anywhere.
• I have been extremely moody (Carl has been such a trooper on this one!)
• Sleeping has been a little more of a challenge. I have always been a very good sleeper, so even the indigestion and general discomfort of the additional weight have not been able to completely overcome my body's strong drive for a full night's sleep. As a side note, when I woke up from the indigestion last night, Carl got up with me and decided that we would have a picnic in bed (saltines and a carbonated beverage). Yeah, he's great.

Still, I know things could be worse - and probably will get worse with 3 weeks left to go. Although we are technically ready for the baby (the room is ready, clothes washed and put away, car seats in and inspected, etc), I am still coveting the few weeks left to do things that I want to do. I don't think that we have to worry about going into labor early, judging by the track record of my mother and sister. In fact, I think of the due date as the earliest date that we would have the baby. More than likely, the actual event will occur sometime in the week after the due date. I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Hopefully, we will get information about any dilation and effacement, and I will report it then.

Oh My God!!!

I can't believe it! I'm going to be an aunt once again. My sister Suzanne just found out that they are expecting a June/July baby. Congratulations to Tim, Suzanne, and Mary - we are so happy!!!

This picture shows me at 36 weeks and my friend Jen at 22 weeks. It has been great having a friend to go through this process with. We are so excited for her and her husband Aris.

Singin' in the Rain

From a drought last month to floods this month - Terra's prepared for anything!

Good Things

On Tuesday, we had another uneventful doctor visit - a good thing. Yesterday, Carl and I celebrated our dating anniversary. Yes, after 4 1/2 years of marriage, we still celebrate the day that we had our first date. My friend Tori will remember this well. Carl asked me to go to a movie and then was afraid that I wouldn't go (even though I had already said yes) so he said to invite Tori too. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since he probably hadn't seen Tori and I apart at that point. So, I invited and then promptly uninvited Tori - with Tori laughing at our craziness all the while. So, how long have Carl and I been together? 9 years. Insane.

Yesterday I was treated to a Pampered Mom-to-Be Spa Day and a great Italian dinner by my awesome husband. We also had the car seats checked in our cars (a little change from previous years). I have to say, as the due date draws near, I think that I'm going to miss being pregnant. I have gotten used to this state of being, and I kind of like our co-existence. Of course, I am looking forward to actually seeing her and being able to hold her and getting to know her personality. But, I am going to try to enjoy these last weeks of living together as one.

So, I decided to bite the bullet and post pictures of my very pregnant self (35 weeks). The first two pictures are at the Taste of Baltimore which was at Camden Yards this past weekend.

Terra

These are pictures of our first baby, Terra. The first picture is in the family room. We put the floors in this summer (while I was 4 months pregnant). The second picture is on the deck which overlooks the woods in the back.

House Pictures

I thought that we should add some pictures of the house for those who have not seen it. The first picture is from the outside, the second is of the kitchen, then the dining area. The last picture shows flowers from our garden from this summer - Carl put together the bouquet! (Maybe if the doctor thing doesn't work out...)

Family Updates

We had another doctor's appointment this week, and he says that everything is okay. The heart rate dropped slightly to 134 (from 145) but this is apparently normal in later pregnancy as the baby gets bigger. I am very glad to report that I have felt very little pain in my left side for the past couple of days. I am back to my normal self; I can now bend and lay in all positions again! We have another doctor's appointment on 10/4 (Roger's birthday) and after that, we will be seeing the good doctor every week.

Although not much has been going on with us, a lot has been going on with my family recently. Both my brother and his family and my sister and her family moved into new homes. Congratulations to them - I can't wait to visit!! My dad was recently bitten by a brown recluse spider and underwent surgery to remove the infected area. He is currently recovering at home with his nursemaid (my mother). Anyone who knows my dad knows that he is not one for resting on his laurels (even for brief periods of time) so our thoughts and prayers go out to my mother as well as my father.

Otherwise, Carl was in a minor fender bender this month which aggravated his lower back, and he has started physical therapy. He has only had a couple of sessions so far but we are hoping for good results. In a few more years maybe Angela (my little sister) will be able to help out with this situation but only if she starts studying for her GRE for the grad program in physical therapy (just a little push - it's my job as an older sister)! And that's all the news for now!

33 Weeks and Counting

Just as I was in my blissful state of pregnancy...

Saturday morning I woke up to a very sharp pain in my left side. The pain seemed to radiate out across my lower abdomen, and I thought these pains may be my first painful Braxton-Hicks or warm-up contractions (albeit a bit early). However, as the day went on, the pain seemed to stay on the left hand side and became very intense when I got up or shifted while sitting. I think that more than likely I pulled something either at work or by coughing and sneezing from the cold. The doctor recommended bed rest for the weekend so this is weekend #2 without being able to go out.

I always thought that bed rest didn't seem like such a bad thing. You have a legitimate excuse to lay around all day and relax without feeling guilty. I have found that laying around all day, like most things, is not as much fun when you have to do it. So, this weekend has been spent watching movies (Something to Talk About, Stepmom, Sleeping with the Enemy, Bad Company- most of which I've seen at least twice before), reading (baby magazines and books), downloading songs at itunes, preparing materials for work and writing in the baby book.

I am sincerely hoping that this injury heals quickly. I have a newfound appreciation for women who are put on bed rest for extended periods of time. I'm not sure how you find ways to amuse yourself over several weeks, or God forbid months, but I certainly don't want to find out. I also would not want to deal with the extra pounds that most definitely would accompany weeks of laying on the couch. At our last doctor's appointment, I had gained a total of 26 pounds during the pregnancy. Not terrific, but I guess not bad either - we shall see what the last weeks bring.

We are now at 33 weeks with only 7 weeks (give or take) left to go. It seems unreal that we are this far along. I am so happy that the last weeks of the pregnancy will be during the fall - my absolute favorite time of year. I am looking forward to watching the changing the leaves, picking apples and pumpkins at the pumpkin farm (and the subsequent baking), going to a nearby vineyard for their fall celebrations, and maybe even catching a Ravens game. The only remaining baby-related things we have left to do are: a breastfeeding class and infant safety class during the next 2 weeks, a car seat inspection (scheduled for early October), and waiting for the stroller and glider to arrive. Our next doctor's appointment is this week, and I will provide updates of any news then.

Counting Our Blessings

So, I figured that I should update our blog just so that no one thought there were circumstances (especially bad ones) that were preventing us from posting. The truth is that everything is eerily quiet right now. We have been in a rhythm lately in which everything has remained calm, and we are just going along with the ebb and flow of life.

The only things of note lately: I caught a cold from the preschoolers at work and subsequently passed it on to Carl. Nothing major - I haven't had a fever, and I think that I'm now on the upswing (although Carl is probably at the peak of the cold right now). It put a damper on our weekend plans - we were supposed to go to the Maryland Seafood Festival which I was very excited about, but it was also nice to stay home one day and totally veg out (you know, lay like broccoli).

Also, the Director of our school introduced me to the owner of the school yesterday, and he said that he had heard a lot of good things about me and wanted to talk to me about some things that he has in the works. I very calmly said great, anytime he was available we could meet, but what I really wanted to do was jump up and down or do back flips or somersaults or something(although these acrobatic feats would be quite a sight to see in my very pregnant state). Nothing was revealed beyond that fact that he wanted to set up a meeting, but I love new opportunities so I'm just excited by the fact that new possibilities may exist.

We completed our childbirth class on Tuesday with a potluck dinner. It may sound completely stupid, but because almost everyone there told me personally how much they like the spinach-artichoke dip I made, I have been in a particularly good mood all week. It is strange how something so silly could totally make my week. It also reminded me to compliment those around me more frequently - you never know when someone may really need that pick-me-up and it doesn't take much to do it.
At the last class, we were also making plans to see the other class members at the Stroller Mommies program at our mall and at the Reel Moms program at our movie theater. I have to say that there are a lot of really good programs in our area for new parents (even if they have held on to some sexist titles), and I am really looking forward to being a part of them. Hopefully, it will help with the postpartum feelings of isolation and general baby blues.
During our class, I was talking to one of the women about going to the bathroom at night. She said that she gets up probably every 45 minutes to an hour to go to the bathroom. I felt bad saying that I usually only get up once or twice and never more than 3 times. It really made me stop to take stock of how lucky I have been. I have been sleeping fairly well through the night, and although I have definitely started waddling and it takes a little longer to get up from the couch, I am not really uncomfortable. Not bad for being 8 months pregnant. Even if things take a turn for the worse tomorrow, I have less than 8 weeks to go. (Although, I suppose those 8 weeks could feel like 8 months, depending on how bad the symptoms are.)

I know I sound like Little Miss Sunshine right now, and I could turn into Ms. Negativity tomorrow (especially with hormones such as they are), but the real reason behind my happiness is that I was recently reflecting on where we were last year at this time and around the time of the baby's due date in November. It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since our scare with Carl's testicular cancer last November. Everything from the discovery to the diagnosis to the surgery and recovery went so fast that even now it seems almost like a dream. But, I know that it was not. And, even though I didn't think it was possible to love or appreciate Carl more before all of that happened, something profound happened when being faced with the very real possibility of losing a person who is the center of my world. I can't really express my gratitude to not only have him healthy but to now also be starting a family with him. I'm sorry about the sappiness of this post, but sometimes these things need to be said - or written. I guess when you are feeling particularly happy, you just want to pass those feelings on to everyone else. So, my wish today is that anyone reading this will also take a moment to take stock of the good things in their lives. I don't think we really allow ourselves to do this fully with the momentum of life but maybe we can remind each other every once in a while.

Boring is Good!

There's not much new to report. We had another doctor's appointment yesterday, and we will be seeing him every other week now. Our appointments last about 5 minutes and basically consist of him saying "How's everything going?", we say "Fine", he measures my abdomen and listens to the baby's heartbeat, and we're done. I really am thankful that we have had such an uneventful pregnancy and even the unpleasant things (early pregnancy nausea, current indigestion, etc.) are completely normal and expected. The baby's heartbeat has been very consistent as well, ranging between 140 and 145 each time.
We also had another Childbirth Preparedness class last night. One of the women in our class actually had her baby over the weekend and brought him to the class. What a wake-up call! It is still hard to believe that there is a baby in there. As part of our graduation next week, we have to bring our labor bag to class. It is getting hard to deny that the big event is getting near, although I am managing to not obsess about it too much.
We have just started the Pet Prep with Terra in order to get her ready for Calabasa's arrival. During the first week, we are listening to pleasant baby sounds in the nursery, then we move on to the unpleasant baby sounds, and then introduce her to baby smells (only the pleasant ones!). We also have to wrap up a "baby" (in our case, a Care Bear) and hold her while introducing Terra to the sounds and smells. I don't know if any of this is really going to help with the main issue - Terra giving up her place as queen of the house to a newcomer - but we are doing what we can. Terra is also a prominent part of our birth plan because we have to take her to Doggie Daycare once I am in the beginning stages of labor. The hospital is only 10 minutes away from our house but the daycare is is 20-30 minutes away in the opposite direction - it should be interesting!
That's all for now - I guess at this stage of the game no real news to report is the best thing.

Third Trimester Thoughts

So today we reached the 30-week point. It is both exciting and scary to think that we are 3/4 of the way to the finish line - that is, if I deliver on time. This is probably not likely considering that I've never been the most prompt person. At least there is intervention ready by way of induction in case Cali decides that she prefers to overextend her stay. I am hoping that we won't have to go that route but if anyone is betting on the date, I would put my money on a later rather than earlier date. (My guess is November 16th.)
The only recent changes in the third trimester of pregnancy are as follows:
1. I am radiating heat like a furnace. It doesn't seem to matter if I'm outside in the heat or inside in the air conditioning - I can't seem to regulate my body temperature to that of a normal human being. Sometimes when it rains, I think that I can actually see steam rising from my body.
2. The baby has become much more active, especially at inopportune times. I was in a meeting this week and Calabasa gave me a huge kick in my side. I was so startled that I jumped and put my hand on my stomach. Suddenly, I had all eyes in the room on me, all wondering what they would do if I actually went into labor (both an embarrassing and amusing moment to me).
3. Probably the most amusing change has been concerning my dreams. I suppose that it is subconscious nervousness about the baby's impending arrival. In the latest dream, we were coming home from the hospital with the baby when I realized that I hadn't called anyone to let them know that the baby was born. In the dream, we lived about an hour away from my parents, and I got the great idea to just drive to their house to surprise them with the baby. Then in the car (in the middle of the night), I realized that I did not bring any clothes, diapers - nothing - for the baby. Could this mean that I'm not feeling ready for the baby's entrance into the world? Hmm...
The truth is that I am not yet overanxious for her to arrive. I'm not really uncomfortable (yet), and I find myself continuously thinking only 10 more weeks of this fairly easy and predictable lifestyle that we have settled into. I know that it will be wonderful when she arrives but I almost feel like I should make a list of things that I want to accomplish in these last 10 weeks of relative freedom, as if I were preparing for a life sentence of house arrest. I feel a bit odd and guilty about that thought but it just seems that every parent hits you with "Just wait, if you think you're busy/tired/etc now..."
Terra has been doing her part to prepare us though. She was sick this weekend. We think it was an allergic reaction to something she ate but she broke out in terrible hives. She also woke up about 4 times in one night with diarrhea. We gave her Children's Benedryl and worried like crazy until the massive bumps went down. This meant that our weekend was pretty much spent at home nursing her back to health. However, she is back in good health, and in the end, everyone being healthy is all that really matters.

Belly Laughs

Just a couple of updates...
We had our second "Prepared Childbirth" class this week. I really look forward to these classes not so much for the information but more for the support group atmosphere. Everyone shares their funny pregnancy stories, and everything (even morning sickness) seems far better when shared among others going through the same thing. It has been a while since Carl and I were in class together. We took one class together in college, and it was definitely all work and no play. However, it seems that the past 7 years since our college days has changed Carl because the reverse now seems true (although setting most certainly contributes to the change in attitude). During our classes concerning bringing our child into the world, Carl cannot resist making comments to make me laugh. For Seinfeld fans, it is a lot like Jerry putting the Pez dispenser on Elaine's leg to make her laugh during the George's girlfriend's piano recital - Carl purposely tries to make me laugh during what is supposed to be very sentimental and heartfelt moments. Well, during our last class, none of Carl's antics were necessary to get me going. This week we watched yet another childbirth video. In this video (clearly set in the early eighties judging from the big hair and short shorts), the father's name was Carl. They showed Carl being a very supportive husband throughout his wife's labor. At one point, the woman is on an exercise ball in the shower to relieve some of the pain. For some unknown reason, Carl decides that this is the perfect time to sing "She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes..." to his wife, and to make matters worse, he had a very distinct Boston accent which distorted the song. I started laughing so hard that I was in tears, and I had to excuse myself from the class to get myself together. Unfortunately, I know that this episode means that it is guaranteed that Carl will be giving me his own rendition of this song when we go into labor.
During the past week, we also had another doctor's visit. From the beginning, I knew that our doctor was wrong about the due date. We have been subtly hinting at this fact since the beginning, but now that the date is approaching, I have lost my ability to be subtle. So the negotiations began... Our doctor figured our due date to be November 19th, I determined that our due date is November 6th, and the sonogram put us at November 8th. After strongly encouraging him to reconsider our date, he stated that actually November 20th would be the date. This was definitely a step in the wrong direction. I was ready to pull out the big guns for this battle. Finally, he agreed to re-consult the magic cardboard wheel o' fun for a final word on this matter. He said the wheel showed November 13th to be the due date and so we had a winner...at least for now...

I had to post this adorable picture of my niece and goddaughter, Mary Mackenzie. Happy 1st birthday baby!