Bianca and I had our bi-weekly checkup this afternoon. It went well. My blood pressure was good and I wasn't dehydrated. I gained three pounds since my last visit, putting me up to 17 pounds gained so far. That number is a little scary to me because I still have ten weeks to go, but I'm only supposed to gain eight more pounds. Despite that fact, the midwife said my weight and my stomach growth look good.
The medical assistant found Bianca's heartbeat right away. Apparently, our daughter doesn't like being prodded, though. She gave me a good kick, which came through loud and clear on the doppler. After that, she "swam" away, and the M.A. had a more difficult time finding the heartbeat again. Finally, after two minutes of trying, she found it again. The heart rate measured in the 140s - still nice and healthy!
Our next appointment is on July 14th.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Congratulations!
I want to send a Big Congratulations out to my friend Michelle and her husband Tony. Last night at 11:30 PM, their son Zachary Anthony arrived, weighing in at 9 lbs 6 ozs and measuring 22.75 inches long. Welcome to the world, Precious Boy!!
And While We're Sharing Videos...
I absolutely LOVE this version of Peace Train!!
If you have any good video recommendations, be sure to pass them on to me!
If you have any good video recommendations, be sure to pass them on to me!
This Video Touched My Heart
I am obsessed with this You Tube video. I found it a few months ago, and I watch it all the time. I really can't imagine a more beautiful labor. I love this song, I love Temple's voice, I love that she is laboring in a comfortable and safe place, I love that her family is involved. It just makes me happy. (PS...if you want to watch it, you need to pause my playlist at the bottom of the page first)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Week 30
Holy moly! We’ve entered the 30s! Only 10 more weeks to go!
I think my belly officially “popped” this week. Prior to now, whenever I wore a shirt that wasn’t maternity, it was still questionable to tell if I was pregnant or just chubby. This week, though, it seems like everyone can tell I am pregnant. I have gotten more comments by strangers in the last two days than in my whole pregnancy combined. Even people I see every day have commented on how big my belly is getting. I just hope I’m not shocked by the scale on Tuesday. Wouldn’t it be ironic for me to gain more weight during the weeks I don’t eat any ice cream??
This past weekend was Father’s Day. Mom, Dad, Julie, Kris, Tanner, Damian, and I celebrated at Ladew Topiary Gardens. We had a picnic and listened to the Crawdaddies play. It was a great day! Harry couldn’t join us because he was at College Park for a basketball camp. I happened to see Kathleen there – which literally made my heart sing. She was the icing on the cake!
This week, I’ve been feeling pretty good, but extremely tired. Even if I manage to get a decent night’s sleep, I still wake up in the morning with no energy. I also was plagued with terrible heartburn. It was so bad on Tuesday I was ready to call the doctor. Luckily, it subsided after my third Pepcid (even though I’m not supposed to take more than two a day!) Tuesday was just a crappy day in general. Sorry for the negativity in my last post. I was just a cranky pregnant lady!
So what’s happening to our Little Miracle in week 30? The fine lanugo hair that has been growing all over her body is going to start falling off this week. She is also getting even cuter with increasingly pudgy arms and legs thanks to the ever-growing layers of subcutaneous fat. She should be weighing in at around 3 pounds and be nearly 16 inches long.
I think my belly officially “popped” this week. Prior to now, whenever I wore a shirt that wasn’t maternity, it was still questionable to tell if I was pregnant or just chubby. This week, though, it seems like everyone can tell I am pregnant. I have gotten more comments by strangers in the last two days than in my whole pregnancy combined. Even people I see every day have commented on how big my belly is getting. I just hope I’m not shocked by the scale on Tuesday. Wouldn’t it be ironic for me to gain more weight during the weeks I don’t eat any ice cream??
This past weekend was Father’s Day. Mom, Dad, Julie, Kris, Tanner, Damian, and I celebrated at Ladew Topiary Gardens. We had a picnic and listened to the Crawdaddies play. It was a great day! Harry couldn’t join us because he was at College Park for a basketball camp. I happened to see Kathleen there – which literally made my heart sing. She was the icing on the cake!
This week, I’ve been feeling pretty good, but extremely tired. Even if I manage to get a decent night’s sleep, I still wake up in the morning with no energy. I also was plagued with terrible heartburn. It was so bad on Tuesday I was ready to call the doctor. Luckily, it subsided after my third Pepcid (even though I’m not supposed to take more than two a day!) Tuesday was just a crappy day in general. Sorry for the negativity in my last post. I was just a cranky pregnant lady!
So what’s happening to our Little Miracle in week 30? The fine lanugo hair that has been growing all over her body is going to start falling off this week. She is also getting even cuter with increasingly pudgy arms and legs thanks to the ever-growing layers of subcutaneous fat. She should be weighing in at around 3 pounds and be nearly 16 inches long.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Why Today Is Not Fun
~ Getting up early to take care of someone else’s dog is not fun
~ Getting dog hair on your nice work clothes is not fun
~ Leaving your wedding ring at home is not fun
~ Going to a job that gives you no satisfaction is not fun
~ Being cooped inside on a beautiful day is not fun
~ Never-ending heartburn is not fun
~ Having a stomachache for three days in a row is not fun
~ Having a headache from lack of sleep is not fun
…And it’s not even 10:00 AM!
~ Getting dog hair on your nice work clothes is not fun
~ Leaving your wedding ring at home is not fun
~ Going to a job that gives you no satisfaction is not fun
~ Being cooped inside on a beautiful day is not fun
~ Never-ending heartburn is not fun
~ Having a stomachache for three days in a row is not fun
~ Having a headache from lack of sleep is not fun
…And it’s not even 10:00 AM!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Thoughts of Our Little One
My best friend from high school Erin left me a photo comment on one of Bianca’s sonogram pictures on MySpace. It’s the one with her hand resting on her cheek. Her comment was, “You know what’s funny? You used to sit in homeroom with your check in your hand like that!”
That comment really got me thinking about what our Little Miracle is going to be like. Will she take after me? After Harry? After both of us? After neither one of us? No matter what, I know in my soul that Bianca is going to be an amazing person. Whether she molds herself into a social butterfly, a skilled athlete, an artist, or a shy book worm, she is going to be the perfect version of herself. There will be no one else like her. I can’t wait to watch her grow and blossom over the years. I’m already so proud of the woman she’ll become – and I haven’t even met her yet. Is that crazy?
I really just have four wishes for our daughter:
1) That she knows true happiness
2) That she is true to herself and always follows her heart
3) That she experiences true, deepening friendships
4) That she loves passionately and has that love returned
(And for the record, when I mention love, I’m not only thinking of a life partner for her. I want her to love God, family, animals, the environment, her interests…whatever finds its way into her heart….without limits and know she is loved in return.)
Though some parts of becoming a mom scare me, the part that excites me the most is the fact that very soon, I will start to get to know this perfect little person inside of me!
That comment really got me thinking about what our Little Miracle is going to be like. Will she take after me? After Harry? After both of us? After neither one of us? No matter what, I know in my soul that Bianca is going to be an amazing person. Whether she molds herself into a social butterfly, a skilled athlete, an artist, or a shy book worm, she is going to be the perfect version of herself. There will be no one else like her. I can’t wait to watch her grow and blossom over the years. I’m already so proud of the woman she’ll become – and I haven’t even met her yet. Is that crazy?
I really just have four wishes for our daughter:
1) That she knows true happiness
2) That she is true to herself and always follows her heart
3) That she experiences true, deepening friendships
4) That she loves passionately and has that love returned
(And for the record, when I mention love, I’m not only thinking of a life partner for her. I want her to love God, family, animals, the environment, her interests…whatever finds its way into her heart….without limits and know she is loved in return.)
Though some parts of becoming a mom scare me, the part that excites me the most is the fact that very soon, I will start to get to know this perfect little person inside of me!
Week 29
I can’t believe we’re at the start of a new week already! On Tuesday, I had a doctor’s appointment. Everything looks really good so far. I wasn’t dehydrated, my blood pressure was good, my belly measured right at 28 weeks, and I gained 2 pounds since my last visit. I passed my glucose test with no problems, and – at long last – I was told that Bianca’s spine looks fine. It looks like we are having a very healthy pregnancy so far. My next appointment will be on June 30th.
At week 29, Bianca has managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of her overall body weight. Her spleen is now in charge of hematopoiesis—the process involved in building up certain important blood components. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, I need to consume plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, and iron. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in our Little Miracle’s hardening skeleton each day.
Nothing too exciting happened this week, although we did find out that Bonnie is having a girl. She and Derek plan to name her Harley. There seems to be a lot of girls being born lately. Maybe Danny and Kylene will have a boy…
At week 29, Bianca has managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of her overall body weight. Her spleen is now in charge of hematopoiesis—the process involved in building up certain important blood components. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, I need to consume plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, and iron. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in our Little Miracle’s hardening skeleton each day.
Nothing too exciting happened this week, although we did find out that Bonnie is having a girl. She and Derek plan to name her Harley. There seems to be a lot of girls being born lately. Maybe Danny and Kylene will have a boy…
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Week 28
28 down…12 more to go! Today begins my journey into the third trimester ~ the period of leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, itchy skin, aches and pains, swelling, heartburn, indigestion and . . . Bianca’s arrival! (The latter making all the discomfort worth it!)
Harry and I went to the Orioles’ game with Tony and Amanda last night. I don’t know if it was all the loud sounds, or if our daughter is already a baseball fan, but she was going crazy. I haven’t felt her move so much in a three-hour period before. Because she started “cheering” when Seattle’s starting lineup was being announced, we think she may be a Mariners’ fan.
In general, I’m feeling great. I’m just realizing how quickly time really flies by. My little brother graduated from high school this weekend, and my baby nephew got his ear pierced last night. It’s amazing watching them as they grow. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s going to be like when our own Little Miracle is walking among us. I don’t want to wish a moment of our lives away, but her Daddy will be walking her down the aisle before we know it!
As for what’s happening to Bianca this week, her eyes are doing lots of blinking because she’s now able to respond to light and dark. Also, her bone marrow is now a major construction site for developing red blood cells, while her adrenal glands are producing androgen and estrogen—which hopefully will stimulate my hormones to begin milk production. Because of my breast reduction, there’s no guarantee I will be able to breast feed, but I’m still holding out hope I didn’t lose all functionality. Only time will tell…
Harry and I went to the Orioles’ game with Tony and Amanda last night. I don’t know if it was all the loud sounds, or if our daughter is already a baseball fan, but she was going crazy. I haven’t felt her move so much in a three-hour period before. Because she started “cheering” when Seattle’s starting lineup was being announced, we think she may be a Mariners’ fan.
In general, I’m feeling great. I’m just realizing how quickly time really flies by. My little brother graduated from high school this weekend, and my baby nephew got his ear pierced last night. It’s amazing watching them as they grow. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s going to be like when our own Little Miracle is walking among us. I don’t want to wish a moment of our lives away, but her Daddy will be walking her down the aisle before we know it!
As for what’s happening to Bianca this week, her eyes are doing lots of blinking because she’s now able to respond to light and dark. Also, her bone marrow is now a major construction site for developing red blood cells, while her adrenal glands are producing androgen and estrogen—which hopefully will stimulate my hormones to begin milk production. Because of my breast reduction, there’s no guarantee I will be able to breast feed, but I’m still holding out hope I didn’t lose all functionality. Only time will tell…
Friday, June 5, 2009
Week 27
I had my glucose test this morning. The orange liquid I had to drink really wasn’t bad at all. It was a cross between Kool Aid and orange soda. My friend Andrea said she had to drink hers at room temperature, but mine was served up nice and cold. I sat and waited for an hour and then the phlebotomist drew my blood. Hopefully I passed. As soon I hear anything, I will definitely let you know.
On my midwife’s suggestion, Harry and I registered for our child birth class this week. It starts on July 2nd. It is once a week for four weeks, 6:00 – 8:30 PM. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m also looking forward to my prenatal yoga class, which I simultaneously registered for. The class begins on July 7th, and is once a week for four weeks.
This coming weekend, Harry and I are pretty busy. We will be going to my friend Kim’s wedding tomorrow and then to my brother Edward’s high school graduation on Sunday. Of course, despite the activities, we will be stopping by Miramar Landing to see if any progress was made on our house this week. But with all the rain we’ve been getting, I’m not expecting anything too dramatic.
Nothing too exciting is happening with Bianca this week. She weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. She is also continuing to slowly rotate in preparation to make her Big Entrance. I’ll know she is “locked and loaded” when I feel an unfamiliar pressure on my cervix. I don’t know if I’m looking forward to that one…
On my midwife’s suggestion, Harry and I registered for our child birth class this week. It starts on July 2nd. It is once a week for four weeks, 6:00 – 8:30 PM. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m also looking forward to my prenatal yoga class, which I simultaneously registered for. The class begins on July 7th, and is once a week for four weeks.
This coming weekend, Harry and I are pretty busy. We will be going to my friend Kim’s wedding tomorrow and then to my brother Edward’s high school graduation on Sunday. Of course, despite the activities, we will be stopping by Miramar Landing to see if any progress was made on our house this week. But with all the rain we’ve been getting, I’m not expecting anything too dramatic.
Nothing too exciting is happening with Bianca this week. She weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. She is also continuing to slowly rotate in preparation to make her Big Entrance. I’ll know she is “locked and loaded” when I feel an unfamiliar pressure on my cervix. I don’t know if I’m looking forward to that one…
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Appointment Update
My appointment went well today. I'm not dehydrated and my blood pressure is good. I've been gaining about a pound a week, putting me up to 12 pounds so far. Bianca's heart rate was beating strong in the 140s, and although I don't know her measurements, the midwife said her growth looks good.
I was happy to find out that I can definitely visit Stephanie in New York next month. Marge said that I should be fine to travel up until 36 weeks. After that, she wants me to stay in Baltimore.
I was given a referral to have my glucose test completed. I was also told that Harry & I should register for our child birth classes soon.
My next appointment is scheduled for June 16th. It's hard to believe that I've already graduated to bi-weekly visits!
I was happy to find out that I can definitely visit Stephanie in New York next month. Marge said that I should be fine to travel up until 36 weeks. After that, she wants me to stay in Baltimore.
I was given a referral to have my glucose test completed. I was also told that Harry & I should register for our child birth classes soon.
My next appointment is scheduled for June 16th. It's hard to believe that I've already graduated to bi-weekly visits!
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