Wow...I guess I'm starting to show.Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
31 Weeks (2 months left)
We had the Most Delightful Holiday Weekend Ever. You know how all long weekends end with the sentiment "I don't want to go back to work tomorrow," no matter how much you love your job? It usually feels like "I need a vacation from this vacation, I'm so tired, I just can't bear the thought of working tomorrow!" Well, this time, as we fell asleep on Monday night, we both felt the "I don't want to go back" part, but it was more of a "I just want more of this" feeling instead.
We ate a lot of ice cream.
We played with our dog.
We boated and fished.
We played with our family.
Best of all, we lay in the grass on our front lawn, under the maple tree, just taking in the most perfect weather of all time, with Riley at our feet grinning and wagging and resting along with us. It was, to be entirely accurate, delightful.
One of my other favorite activities this weekend was our brunch at Joe's Boathouse in South Portland. (If you've never been, you MUST try them for brunch. Not dinner - dinner's fine, but their brunch is wonderful. If you're a benedict person - definitely ask for a crabmeat benedict, and tell them exactly how you want your egg poached.) My brother and his girlfriend were visiting from Boston, so most of the local family members met there on Sunday morning. I accidentally told one of my brothers the wrong time, so he got there early and got us the best table out on the deck. Not only was the food delicious, the conversation hilarious, and the setting gorgeous, but I was on a "I'm so proud of me" sort of high....
Dan and I rode our bikes there.
That's right. I rode my $5 Goodwill-purchased classic beach cruiser (that means it's old, heavy, and has only one gear) the entire 3.1 miles. I'm going to go ahead and toot my own horn, because I just think it's so cool that I (a non-athletic person) rode the aforementioned bicycle (pretty, but rickety) 6.2 miles round-trip.
Now, I would be proud of this feat normally. I would be bragging about it to people who are more fit than I. I would be grinning ear to ear.
Add to the equation that I'm 7 months pregnant, and my thighs bumped into my belly with every pump on the pedals, that I'm about 25 pounds heavier than usual, that I've got twice as much blood pumping through my body...et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. How proud am I of myself?!? (So proud. My ears hurt from my big grin.)
Mom and George spent the day on Saturday helping me paint the nursery. They did most of the work. (Wow - can my mother ever cut in! Like a pro.) The room is now the perfect lilacy-colored purple, and is almost ready for furniture. The changing table is on order, and we've picked out a crib. I will probably need a chest of drawers, too...we'll see! I'll put pictures up when it's furnished.
Here's the news on baby Vi:
Your baby measures about 16 inches long. She weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for another growth spurt. She can turn his head from side to side. Of course, she doesn't yet understand that this movement means "no," but you'll be surprised how quickly she picks up on that and other gestures after she's born. The fat layer she's been accumulating for the last few weeks has caused her arms and legs to fill out nicely.
We have an ultrasound scheduled for June 4th - I'll get those pictures up ASAP.
We ate a lot of ice cream.
We played with our dog.
We boated and fished.
We played with our family.
Best of all, we lay in the grass on our front lawn, under the maple tree, just taking in the most perfect weather of all time, with Riley at our feet grinning and wagging and resting along with us. It was, to be entirely accurate, delightful.
One of my other favorite activities this weekend was our brunch at Joe's Boathouse in South Portland. (If you've never been, you MUST try them for brunch. Not dinner - dinner's fine, but their brunch is wonderful. If you're a benedict person - definitely ask for a crabmeat benedict, and tell them exactly how you want your egg poached.) My brother and his girlfriend were visiting from Boston, so most of the local family members met there on Sunday morning. I accidentally told one of my brothers the wrong time, so he got there early and got us the best table out on the deck. Not only was the food delicious, the conversation hilarious, and the setting gorgeous, but I was on a "I'm so proud of me" sort of high....
Dan and I rode our bikes there.
That's right. I rode my $5 Goodwill-purchased classic beach cruiser (that means it's old, heavy, and has only one gear) the entire 3.1 miles. I'm going to go ahead and toot my own horn, because I just think it's so cool that I (a non-athletic person) rode the aforementioned bicycle (pretty, but rickety) 6.2 miles round-trip.
Now, I would be proud of this feat normally. I would be bragging about it to people who are more fit than I. I would be grinning ear to ear.
Add to the equation that I'm 7 months pregnant, and my thighs bumped into my belly with every pump on the pedals, that I'm about 25 pounds heavier than usual, that I've got twice as much blood pumping through my body...et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. How proud am I of myself?!? (So proud. My ears hurt from my big grin.)
Mom and George spent the day on Saturday helping me paint the nursery. They did most of the work. (Wow - can my mother ever cut in! Like a pro.) The room is now the perfect lilacy-colored purple, and is almost ready for furniture. The changing table is on order, and we've picked out a crib. I will probably need a chest of drawers, too...we'll see! I'll put pictures up when it's furnished.
Here's the news on baby Vi:
Your baby measures about 16 inches long. She weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for another growth spurt. She can turn his head from side to side. Of course, she doesn't yet understand that this movement means "no," but you'll be surprised how quickly she picks up on that and other gestures after she's born. The fat layer she's been accumulating for the last few weeks has caused her arms and legs to fill out nicely.
We have an ultrasound scheduled for June 4th - I'll get those pictures up ASAP.
Friday, May 25, 2007
30 week update
Here we are, in the single-digit countdown of weeks remaining...wow! I had a 30-week checkup yesterday, and all is fine! Baby's heart rate was about 155, Mom's blood pressure was normal, and my uterus measures 30 centimeters (I'm still astounded by that coincidence). I gained 4 pounds in the past 4 weeks - still well within the "suggested" weight gain.
Your baby's a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and fills out your uterus. Your baby is now able to distinguish between light and dark, and she can even follow a light source back and forth. Once she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but won't be able to see more than a few inches in front of her face. You'll want to hold her close as much as possible so she can get a good look at you.
In other news:
Dan's been riding his bike to work! Not only do I feel better about our carbon footprint :-) but he's really reaping the benefits. He hopped on the scale today and decided it must be broken, because the number was too LOW. How often does that happen to any of us? Good for him.
The nursery is getting the base coat of paint tomorrow! Mom & George will help me turn our pistachio-ice-cream guest room into a magical-lavendar nursery. Then, Mom and I will do some stenciling around the molding for a cute border - butterfiles and dragonflies. Once I have all of the furniture in place I'll post pictures!
Your baby's a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and fills out your uterus. Your baby is now able to distinguish between light and dark, and she can even follow a light source back and forth. Once she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but won't be able to see more than a few inches in front of her face. You'll want to hold her close as much as possible so she can get a good look at you.
In other news:
Dan's been riding his bike to work! Not only do I feel better about our carbon footprint :-) but he's really reaping the benefits. He hopped on the scale today and decided it must be broken, because the number was too LOW. How often does that happen to any of us? Good for him.
The nursery is getting the base coat of paint tomorrow! Mom & George will help me turn our pistachio-ice-cream guest room into a magical-lavendar nursery. Then, Mom and I will do some stenciling around the molding for a cute border - butterfiles and dragonflies. Once I have all of the furniture in place I'll post pictures!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Baby Vi's first pony
Last Thursday was my Last Thursday at Huston & Company. I worked there as the bookkeeper for three years - three great years. I became very, very close (and silly) with my office mate, and enjoyed the laid-back, positive-attitude, fun work environment thoroughly. This is one of those places - when you walk in, you know there's something joyful happening. I decided a few months ago, when offered a broader position with my other employer (one that would allow me to work from home some, qualify for Short-term Disability aka Paid Maternity Leave, and make it possible for us to avoid the expense of day care for several months), that the right decision for me and my family (my family!) was to leave my position with Huston, however tearful the departure would be.
So, Last Thursday I made my final 35-minute commute to beautiful Kennebunkport for my Last Thursday at Huston.
It was a beautiful, sunny, good-smelling Spring day in Maine. At lunchtime, we found ourselves - the entire company - sitting around the picnic table, some of us on benches, some leaning happily against the tree. I was presented with a pretty gift - smaller than a bread box, wrapped in white paper with a pretty orange ribbon - and a sweet "baby girl" card. I opened the gift, to discover it was a box of tissues.
This was very well-timed.
Suddenly, Bill has shown up next to me, carrying this:
This is a solid cherry, norwegian designed rocking horse, with wood inlays for the eyes and hand-sewn fuzzy ears.
Hand-made by every single person at Huston & Company.
For my baby.
Now, tell me you didn't just well up with tears!
So, Last Thursday I made my final 35-minute commute to beautiful Kennebunkport for my Last Thursday at Huston.
It was a beautiful, sunny, good-smelling Spring day in Maine. At lunchtime, we found ourselves - the entire company - sitting around the picnic table, some of us on benches, some leaning happily against the tree. I was presented with a pretty gift - smaller than a bread box, wrapped in white paper with a pretty orange ribbon - and a sweet "baby girl" card. I opened the gift, to discover it was a box of tissues.
This was very well-timed.
Suddenly, Bill has shown up next to me, carrying this:
This is a solid cherry, norwegian designed rocking horse, with wood inlays for the eyes and hand-sewn fuzzy ears.
Hand-made by every single person at Huston & Company.
For my baby.
Now, tell me you didn't just well up with tears!
How do you cope with pain?
In my last post, I mentioned the childbirth prep class Dan & I are taking. One focus is on understanding our own instincts towards coping with pain. There are many ways of coping with pain, but two basic instincts: internalization and externalization. Some people like to focus on something outside of themselves to ignore the pain, and some like to focus on something inside themselves to address the pain. The main thing we're encouraged to remember is that neither way is "right" or "wrong." That's why Lamaze - a very specific pain-coping technique - worked wonders for some women, and not so well for others; it involved very externalizing methods which just don't click for those who tend to internalize pain.
One very intersting point is that labor pain is expected, whereas most all other pain in life is not - so we react to it differently.
One exercise we did was holding an ice cube for 60 seconds - the length of the average contraction. Some people in the class didn't find that painful, so they would hold it on their wrist or to their temple.
The first round was done with no instruction, just to see what we instinctively did. I kept my eyes closed and relaxed, focusing my attention on my breathing and directing my breath and attention to the pain in my hand. This is pretty much what I do when i have a migraine - I try to "be with the pain" and relax the rest of my body. That worked pretty well for me in the ice cube trial. It occured to me that I am one who uses the internalization methods more often than not.
The second round we were told to use focused, patterned breathing, whether that meant counting breaths, timing breaths, hee-hee-hoo-ing...whatever was focused and patterned for each person. That worked okay for me, but wasn't enough. I felt like I was trying to ignore the pain, and of course, the pain wasn't actually going away.
The third time we talked about the "Theory of Equanimity," a buddhist theory that basically says no one thing is more interesting than any other thing. So, we were instructed to widen our field of vision - try to look at the ceiling and the floor and all of the walls, all of everything in the area, without focusing on one particular spot - and to do the same with our other senses. It was really interesting! There were candles burning in the room, art on the walls, patterned slipcovers on the sofas, other couples sitting together, the instructor's soft voice, music in the background, traffic on the street, the feeling of the ice in my hand, the feeling of the breeze from the window, the cushioned sofa, the air flowing in and out of my nostrils... I was so surprised by how well this worked for me! I was so completely relaxed by the end of this 60 seconds, and the pain had just been a part of all of the sensations I was taking in. I had doubts about this technique, since in trial #1 I had realized, acknowledged, and grasped onto the idea that I Cope With Pain Using Internalization...like, it was a new law in my life or something. I remembered learning that "be with the pain" technique about 10 years ago, and that it's something I have practiced since then...always a conscious choice to cope that way, rather than what I could call an instinct.
I'm finding this stuff FASCINATING.
Again, I'm hoping for that 2 1/2 hour labor during which I won't need to know much of this stuff, anyway! (But, it's always a good idea to be prepared.)
One very intersting point is that labor pain is expected, whereas most all other pain in life is not - so we react to it differently.
One exercise we did was holding an ice cube for 60 seconds - the length of the average contraction. Some people in the class didn't find that painful, so they would hold it on their wrist or to their temple.
The first round was done with no instruction, just to see what we instinctively did. I kept my eyes closed and relaxed, focusing my attention on my breathing and directing my breath and attention to the pain in my hand. This is pretty much what I do when i have a migraine - I try to "be with the pain" and relax the rest of my body. That worked pretty well for me in the ice cube trial. It occured to me that I am one who uses the internalization methods more often than not.
The second round we were told to use focused, patterned breathing, whether that meant counting breaths, timing breaths, hee-hee-hoo-ing...whatever was focused and patterned for each person. That worked okay for me, but wasn't enough. I felt like I was trying to ignore the pain, and of course, the pain wasn't actually going away.
The third time we talked about the "Theory of Equanimity," a buddhist theory that basically says no one thing is more interesting than any other thing. So, we were instructed to widen our field of vision - try to look at the ceiling and the floor and all of the walls, all of everything in the area, without focusing on one particular spot - and to do the same with our other senses. It was really interesting! There were candles burning in the room, art on the walls, patterned slipcovers on the sofas, other couples sitting together, the instructor's soft voice, music in the background, traffic on the street, the feeling of the ice in my hand, the feeling of the breeze from the window, the cushioned sofa, the air flowing in and out of my nostrils... I was so surprised by how well this worked for me! I was so completely relaxed by the end of this 60 seconds, and the pain had just been a part of all of the sensations I was taking in. I had doubts about this technique, since in trial #1 I had realized, acknowledged, and grasped onto the idea that I Cope With Pain Using Internalization...like, it was a new law in my life or something. I remembered learning that "be with the pain" technique about 10 years ago, and that it's something I have practiced since then...always a conscious choice to cope that way, rather than what I could call an instinct.
I'm finding this stuff FASCINATING.
Again, I'm hoping for that 2 1/2 hour labor during which I won't need to know much of this stuff, anyway! (But, it's always a good idea to be prepared.)
Thursday, May 17, 2007
29 Week Update (late again)
Here's the technical update on the baby's development:
Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week she weighs about half a pound more than she did last week (about 2 1/2 pounds total) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is getting bigger to accommodate her growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.
My glucose tolerance test came back completely normal, but my iron was a bit low. After a little light-headed scare on Tuesday, I have learned the importance of staying VERY hydrated and constantly-fed. (Don't freak out, but my blood pressure dropped to 100/50 while I was at the doctor's office that day. I was kept under a watchful eye and not allowed to drive, and given very good instructions on how to prevent such "spells.") I've been packin' PB Crackers and Cliff Bars and other snackable items. And, I've been told by my doctors to move more slowly. So now I'm waddling in slo-mo...very attractive! I do find that I feel really good if I eat every hour and a half, or so. And the slight increase in my iron (just through my diet) has helped, too.
I think Dan has finally hired enough staff, his sales are picking up, his store looks GREAT, and, how many times can I say how much he likes his boss? This guy is really doing his job well - helping his managers meet their goals by advocating for them, getting them to think outside the box, and motivating them with positive reinforcement and optimism. Who ever heard of such a thing?! We like this guy. A lot.
We started our Childbirth Preparation courses a few weeks ago, based on the "Birthing from Within" model. (Where else would one birth from? everyone asks me.) It's a very informative class, that helps expecting couples prepare for their own way of giving birth, rather than a step-by-step instructional on one method of coping with pain. Part of the course focuses on the technical stuff - vocabulary, biological/anatomical/physiological functions. The other part is - this might sound hokey - more of a self-exploration, especially for the mom-to-be. How do I instinctively react to and cope with pain? What are my pre-conceptions of labor? What is important for me to consider? It's been an educational experience for both of us, and very reassuring that Dan and I know and support each other well. We've been through a lot in the past few years, and I think our pain-coping skills (while mostly emotionally based) will come in handy.
Dan's going to be so great as a birthing partner. Not only does he have the strong back and quadriceps that I will most likely require as I squat, stand, hang and dangle myself around the delivery room while dilating, but he also has that gentle spirit that some of you have had the pleasure of witnessing. Plus, he makes me laugh like nobody else. That MIGHT come in handy, but I might not be in the mood for jokes.
Part of the course is bio-research: what is the story of my birth and Dan's birth? This has been interesting...I will try to spend some time this weekend creating a post for each story, for those of you who are interested. I'm hoping that labor patterns are genetic, though..so far my preganancy has been very similar to my mother's pregnancy with me, and she had only 2 1/2 hours of hard labor with me. I'm not getting my hopes up, but wouldn't that be nice?
Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week she weighs about half a pound more than she did last week (about 2 1/2 pounds total) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is getting bigger to accommodate her growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.
My glucose tolerance test came back completely normal, but my iron was a bit low. After a little light-headed scare on Tuesday, I have learned the importance of staying VERY hydrated and constantly-fed. (Don't freak out, but my blood pressure dropped to 100/50 while I was at the doctor's office that day. I was kept under a watchful eye and not allowed to drive, and given very good instructions on how to prevent such "spells.") I've been packin' PB Crackers and Cliff Bars and other snackable items. And, I've been told by my doctors to move more slowly. So now I'm waddling in slo-mo...very attractive! I do find that I feel really good if I eat every hour and a half, or so. And the slight increase in my iron (just through my diet) has helped, too.
I think Dan has finally hired enough staff, his sales are picking up, his store looks GREAT, and, how many times can I say how much he likes his boss? This guy is really doing his job well - helping his managers meet their goals by advocating for them, getting them to think outside the box, and motivating them with positive reinforcement and optimism. Who ever heard of such a thing?! We like this guy. A lot.
We started our Childbirth Preparation courses a few weeks ago, based on the "Birthing from Within" model. (Where else would one birth from? everyone asks me.) It's a very informative class, that helps expecting couples prepare for their own way of giving birth, rather than a step-by-step instructional on one method of coping with pain. Part of the course focuses on the technical stuff - vocabulary, biological/anatomical/physiological functions. The other part is - this might sound hokey - more of a self-exploration, especially for the mom-to-be. How do I instinctively react to and cope with pain? What are my pre-conceptions of labor? What is important for me to consider? It's been an educational experience for both of us, and very reassuring that Dan and I know and support each other well. We've been through a lot in the past few years, and I think our pain-coping skills (while mostly emotionally based) will come in handy.
Dan's going to be so great as a birthing partner. Not only does he have the strong back and quadriceps that I will most likely require as I squat, stand, hang and dangle myself around the delivery room while dilating, but he also has that gentle spirit that some of you have had the pleasure of witnessing. Plus, he makes me laugh like nobody else. That MIGHT come in handy, but I might not be in the mood for jokes.
Part of the course is bio-research: what is the story of my birth and Dan's birth? This has been interesting...I will try to spend some time this weekend creating a post for each story, for those of you who are interested. I'm hoping that labor patterns are genetic, though..so far my preganancy has been very similar to my mother's pregnancy with me, and she had only 2 1/2 hours of hard labor with me. I'm not getting my hopes up, but wouldn't that be nice?
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
28 Weeks
This week should be a better, calmer, happier week in the Walsh household! I don't think Dan will be working 60+ hours, I won't be working 40+ hours, and we have a couple of birthdays to celebrate this week!
I would love to post the video of the exam, because she looked RIGHT AT US and BLINKED. This was when she was taking a break from sucking on her big toe.
******************
Plus, we had our 28-week ultrasound yesterday:
She has little fuzzy hair growing on her head.
She is practicing breathing, and drinking. Her little ribs expand every time she takes a "breath."
She has cute little ears and chubby little cheeks - already! Can't you just smell the baby smell?!
I would love to post the video of the exam, because she looked RIGHT AT US and BLINKED. This was when she was taking a break from sucking on her big toe.
According to the measurements, she weighs 2 pounds 12 ounces - she's in the 65th percentile. That means she's a bit chunky already. We'll see how cute that sounds in 11 weeks. Here's this week's BabyCenter.com email:
By this week, your baby weighs a little over 2 pounds and measures about 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can open her eyes — which now sport lashes — and she'll turn her head toward a continuous, bright light from the outside. Her fat layers are beginning to form, too, as she gets ready for life outside the womb.
******************
I forgot to post the last ultrasound pictures, from 24 weeks. Here they are, so you can see how much she's grown in just one month. In terms of weight, she has DOUBLED in size. Don't worry...most baby's don't double in size every month...I think...
CRAZIEST BUSIEST WEEK OF OUR LIVES...so far
Last week was so insane at work for both of us, so I didn't have time to post the 27 week update. Here it is:
How your baby's growing: Your baby is really starting to fill up your uterus. This week she weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with her legs extended. She can now open and close her eyes, and she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. She may suck her fingers, and although her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if she were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and isn't bothersome to her, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what she's thinking?
How your baby's growing: Your baby is really starting to fill up your uterus. This week she weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with her legs extended. She can now open and close her eyes, and she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. She may suck her fingers, and although her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if she were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and isn't bothersome to her, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what she's thinking?
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