Baby Basics II

Last night was our Baby Basic II class. This one didn't seem as full but the sign up sheet had everyone checked off so maybe it's because we showed up a little early instead of right on time. The pediatrician was there and she spoke for about an hour. Kevin was totally shocked that people here go to see their pediatricians every year until they're 18 or 21! He claims that after he got past the age of three, he only went to the doctor when he was sick. I reminded him that the health care system over there doesn't really work like ours does. Also we take our dogs to the vet every year for a wellness check, why wouldn't we take our kid?

Anyways she was nice. Our class is a quiet class for being so big so we didn't really have that many questions. Some guy did ask about the MMR/autism link and she said flat out that the original report was severly flawed and that it's never been proven since then. She did talk about Thimerosal in vaccines and said some practices (like hers) only stocked Thimerosal-free vaccines and that we should deffo ask pediatricians about it if it's an important issue for us.

The next hour was the same nurse from last week. She showed some slides of babies and common non-emergency issues that can arise after birth. Then she talked about circumcision. Kevin is adamantly opposed to it so he was fidgeting the whole time. In fact most of the guys looked uncomfortable. Then was baths and that was it!

When we showed up to the class, there were handouts on diapering options and I was hoping that she would go over it some but she didn't even mention it once! Oh well. Oooh, she did say that peoples clothes are positively teeming with bacteria which is why you should always wash your kid's clothes seperately and when people come to visit should lay a receiving blanket between their clothes and the baby. She said you can use the excuse that you don't want that person's clothes to get ruined if the baby spits up and that most people are thankful rather than offended that you want to cover them up. I never realized that's what parents were doing!

24 Weeks

So somehow my 23 Weeks post ended up not publishing and getting stuck on Save mode. So I've published it now. Check it out here!

How far along: 24 Weeks 1 Day
Total weight gain/loss: +9 lbs.
Maternity clothes: Black pants are still horrible. Also the weather is getting really nice so I might be able to skip getting a jacket and sweaters so that will be good.
Sleep: Had another "woke up in the middle of the night on the tummy" episode. It's so frustrating!
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing different.
Gender: Boy!! Over the weekend Kevin said that we could use the name I really like. The only problem is that I don't want to combine the one name we agreed on last week and this name. I want both of them to be the first name! So I think I might have to give up on the name I like. Maybe for the next boy. Ha! Ha!
Movement: It's been slowing down a bit which has got me really nervous. However a couple of mornings ago I noticed GV was hitting me in the same area so I grabbed Kevin's hand and waited. GV punched/kicked and Kevin felt it! He said that it felt like a muscle spasm.
Best moment this week: Kevin getting excited about buying GV clothes. He doesn't even get this excited about shopping for kitchen gadgets or work shirts.
What I miss: Nothing.
I am looking forward to: Kevin being able to feel GV move again. We haven't been able to repeat it since that morning.
Weekly Wisdom I was kinda annoyed that Kevin didn't seem more in awe of feeling GV for the first time. However since then first thing in the morning he reaches over to see if GV will kick his hand again. I guess I should remember that I shouldn't underestimate how excited he really is.
Milestones: 24 Weeks! According to the books, GV has a 50/50 chance of living if he's born anytime after this. Of course I'd like for him to wait till he's full term, but still.

B-O-B-I-E-S

Pronounced "bo-bees". It's Kevin's word for going to sleep. I'm not sure where he got it from but he uses it almost every night. Speaking of bobies: Crib Bedding. I finally got tired of not seeing anything I liked at the usual places like B.RU or Po.ttery Bar.n. myMom loves shopping, especially anything for GV. She's been bugging me to register so that she can start buying stuff. So I put her on the mission to find crib bedding that I would like. I wasn't really feeling the whole sports or pastel blue themes. I did like the ones that featured the alphabet and/or numbers, but hadn't really seen anything to catch my eye. I did tell her that I was trying not to paint the office walls. So she came up with some really good options. Kevin and I looked through them and we agreed on one that met all our demands. And then we kept looking. Oh no! So this is what we've got now:

Okay this next one is a little too theme-y but being from Texas how could it not catch my eye? It reminds me of Andy's room at the beginning of To.y St.ory.

With our adorable dogs, I was thinking that I might like something puppy-themed. But I couldn't find anything that was just puppies. Till I found this:

And since I did mention liking alphabet-themed ones, we did see this one. And yes, this is the front runner so far.

So the original bedding we agreed on? Yeah, it's not one of the ones above. And yes we realize that these choices mean that we would have to paint the walls.

It's Pancake Tuesday!

Last night was our Baby Basic I class. There were more people attending than I thought would be. As an intro, we went around the room saying our names, our due date, OB and other stuff. Since we were told to take the class at 20 weeks I figured everyone might be due earlier than us. Was I wrong! Most of the couples were due in March or April! There were only three that were due in June. One at the end of June, us and then the last couple having a boy due the same day as us. That was pretty cool.

This session was two hours long. The first hour was all about breastfeeding vs. bottle. There were pretty good arguments for and against both. I even learned quite a few things. They also went over proper positioning for feeding and burping. And touched on introducting solids and new foods. Next week is the second class. A pediatrician is coming in to talk to the group. I'm glad we took the class. Kevin even wondered if there is something similar for adoptive parents. We would have been lost if not!

A good thing about the class is that Kevin and I talked about if we wanted to breastfeed or do formula. He and his sister were breastfed and cloth diapered. Mum has been very odd whenever we mention formula or disposable diapers or anything that wasn't how she did it. So I figured Kevin would be totally gung ho about breastfeeding. But it turns out that he's not. He wants to do a combination (that would be mainly breastfeeding) that would allow him to feed GV occasionally and give me breaks. Sounds like a plan to me. Also because of Chicken's wedding we would need to figure something out for that evening. Next is the diapers dicussion.

Even though I knew Lent was coming up, I completely forgot about Pancake Tuesday. Ever since Kevin came here we've been celebrating it. Luckily we remembered before we left for our agility class so we were able to get the pancake batter done. Part of the fun of making the pancakes and trying to flip them in the pan. I don't always make it, but I'll get another try tonight!

23 Weeks

How far along: 23 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +8 lbs.
Maternity clothes: I got some black pants from Ta.rget but they're horrible! They're the kind with no waistband but a really long tummy panel. It does nothing to keep the jeans up so I'm constantly having to pull them up. I got two shirts from Ta.rget as well and they're good so far.
Sleep: I woke up the other night and was on my tummy. I had pushed the pillow out of the way. I turned over and my tummy felt really funny and I was having a hard time breathing. It took like half a day to feel normal (both my tummy and my breathing).
Food cravings/aversions: At my last appt my OB recommended protein bars since I was off meat and don't really like beans. I got these:

They taste kinda funny, but they're palatable. Except that claim about being filling? Yeah, they're not! Not to a pregnant woman anyways.
Gender: Boy!! We've agreed on one name. We haven't decided if it's going to be the first or middle name yet. Traditionally men in my family aren't given middle names so that their unofficial middle name can be their mother's maiden name. So yes I'm considering that.
Movement: Everyday! Although since the "tummy" night, they've been less. Starting to freak me out.
Best moment this week: Buying some stuff for GV. It was so cute and of course had a soccer ball on it.
What I miss: Peeing at a normal speed! It takes me so long to do so little!
I am looking forward to: Kevin being able to feel GV move.

22 Weeks

How far along: 22 Weeks 1 Day
Total weight gain/loss: +7 lbs. They're starting to stack up!
Maternity clothes: I'm switching between the brown ones that myMom got me for Christmas and the jeans I bought a few weeks ago. I need at least one more pair. Also I need shirts! Right now I'm constantly having to pull down the shirts I have so that they cover the belly band area. The weekends have been a washup lately because of all the snow so I think I'm going to have to go after work (which I hate doing).
Sleep: For some reason I've started waking up about 4am and stressing about various things. I can't break this habit! Funny story, last night I couldn't get comfortable because Les was sleeping where my legs & feet usually go. I finally got fed up and just pushed my legs where I wanted them to go and Les ended up falling off the bed! She landed on her feet and just stood there in shock. Eventually she walked to her bed and settled down. Then by morning she was back on our bed but this time sleeping between Kevin and I.
Food cravings/aversions: TMI but my gag reflex is at super high! If I've got food in my mouth and even slightly think about gagging I have to physically fight to keep my mouth closed. Last night was the worst. Also it doesn't matter what I'm eating.
Gender: Boy Boy Boy!! We are getting closer to a name in that I've picked out a name. It got an immediate no from Kevin but I'm fighting for it! The other day he used it in passing so I think I'm winning! I think I might have to give up on claiming the middle name too and let him pick that name if I get my first name.
Movement: Everyday! I've been really lucky that he's so active. Last night while watching the Superbo.wl I was wearing some elastic track pants (which were a little tight by the end of the day) and whereever I put the waistband he would push against it. Lower, higher, in the middle, it didn't matter. Eventually I had to just switch them out for pajama bottoms.
Best moment this week: Seeing GV on the screen! Especially his face.
What I miss: Nothing.
I am looking forward to: Kevin being able to feel GV move.
Weekly wisdom: Prayer works. No matter how small or great the request, just give it up to Him and He'll tell you what you need to know.
Milestones: 55% downloaded.

Still a boy!

This morning's appt went well.  I've noticed that after I eat a yogurt, GV gets really active so this morning I ate a yogurt right before driving to the OB's office. While we were waiting, I told Kevin. He just rolled his eyes at me. Then the u/s tech came in and after getting a good look at his heart and finishing off the measurements they didn't get last time she just looked at different angles of him. She confirmed that he is still a boy. This time I could feel him moving and she even commented that he was an active little boy. We got a few more shots. I'm sad that this is the last we'll see him until he's born.

Here's a good profile view of him:

His face (looking at you).

Another profile.

Kevin and I have been going through our calendars because it's time to start signing up for classes! We're taking a Baby Basics and Labor Basics class. Kev's taking a Boot Camp for New Dads class and I'm taking a Breastfeeding class. Then we'll have to tour the hospital...lots of stuff to schedule!

Oh, I told the DOC at my soccer club that I was expecting. I think he was a bit shocked but he recovered quickly and said congratulations. They've had a few other women coaches get pregnant during the season and he said each one has handled it a different way. I told him that I wanted to keep going as long as possible but that I did realize that soon I might not physically be able to keep up with the girls. Luckily I have an asst coach already who will be able to get more involved this season. As for next fall, well, we'll figure that out sometime over the summer.

I Told Work

Well not everyone. I told my boss and the HR lady. Cupcake had known for a while now. It's strange that the more you open up about the struggles you have the more people open up about their struggles. One is six couples deal with infertility and somehow we're suppose to keep it secret from the real world. I remember when I would tell close family about my issues, they would immediately blame my age, weight, stress and I would just think about those of you who don't have those issues and still struggle. It would make me mad when the RE kept going back to my weight as a cause and while I agreed that my weight didn't help matters, the problems I had were there before I became overweight so I had to push for him to find another reason. Still, I'm not completely satisfied that we know what's going on in there. Maybe we found a fix, but we didn't find a cure.

Even though I was rooting for GV to be a girl I was apprehensive about it actually being true. Infertility runs in on myDad's side of the family. My grandmother had multiple miscarriages and of her three daughters: Tia T also had miscarriages (but did have 7 children), Tia E was never able to have kids (she adopted) and Tia C never got married so who knows what would have happened there. The problems I have are very similar to what I know my tias went through. I know my sister is just as irregular as I am and the few female cousins from Tia T that I've shared my struggles with have similar problems. So when the tech told us that GV was a boy I just felt this relief.

And then the realization that I had no idea how to deal with a boy came over me. I mean I've had boy cousins, but most of them never lived in the same city as I did. The ones that did were roughly the same age as me so I didn't deal with them as babies. I think I'm going to have to fake my way through it.

Also I have a confession to make. I've never changed a diaper. Never. In my life. I didn't really do a lot of babysitting and most of those kids were potty trained. My cousins that did need changing always had a sister that was my age so they just did it. I moved away from extended family when I was 13 so no more baby cousins to deal with. I worked in a day care twice and the first time I wasn't allowed to changed diapers (because of my age) and the second time the youngest kids I watched were 3-4 year olds.

When I think of GV as a toddler I'm okay. When I think of him as a newborn it scares the crap out of me.

21 Weeks

How far along: 21 Weeks 1 Day
Total weight gain/loss: +6.5 lbs
Maternity clothes: I've made the switch to maternity pants. Technically I can still fit in my normal pants, but after about 5 minutes in them I'm ready to take them off. I do need to invest in some longer shirts though.
Sleep: Going much better! I think I've figured out a system that works for me.
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing major or different from last week.
Gender: It's a boy!! I'm getting more and more excited about this. I did look at some bedroom sets and I didn't see anything I liked. I'd prefer not to paint the room (it's currently a turquoise color) so I think it's going to take a while to find something that will go with those walls.
Movement: I'm pretty sure what I'm feeling is GV. I feel something at least every day so I'm so grateful for that. Now it's just waiting for them to get strong enough that Kevin can feel them.
Best moment this week: Seeing GV on the screen!
What I miss: Nothing.
I am looking forward to: Seeing GV again!
Weekly wisdom: Nothing here...
Milestones: I'm finally telling my boss about GV today/this week. I'm kind of nervous because I still haven't decided how long I want to take off and if I want to even come back.