Thursday, December 31, 2009
Christmas Eve 2009
Christmas Eve was a pretty fun and relaxing day for us! Andy and I were both at different stages in the cold that has blown through our little family, so we decided to take it as a cue that we should take it easy for the day. The only thing we really needed to do was get out to a drug store for some last minute Christmas Eve shopping. We weren’t missing anything major, just some little things... Like candy. We had planned to go sooner, but being sick stopped us for a few days! So about halfway through the day we headed to Rite Aid and then stopped at McDonald’s to grab lunch. Rite Aid was not overly crowded and the McDonald’s was good. :)
We spent most of the day listening to Charlie be really excited about Santa coming, and talking to him about what was going to happen that night. We made chocolate chip cookies for Santa and watched some Christmas movies. Then the sun finally started to set, the lights came on, and dinner was over. Charlie was practically jumping out of his skin with anticipation. We read the Bible story and talked about the meaning of Christmas... Although I am not sure how much Charlie was listening! He was much too excited to open a present.
We had Charlie open up a pair of new pajamas from us. He was very, very excited because they were Buzz Lightyear. They are the same style as the Lightening McQueen pajamas he got last year. Then, it was time for him to pick the one present that he was going to open on Christmas Eve. I already knew which one he planned to open, because he’d been pulling it out every day since it had arrived. Andy’s sister had sent Charlie a present wrapped in Frosty the Snowman paper. Charlie loves Frosty. Everything has been about either Frosty or Santa this Christmas. So, he was absolutely positive that was the present he was going to open. When we told him he could rip into it, he could hardly believe his luck. He declared the present, “Just what I always wanted!” It was a flannel board with the different continents and animals. So we spent some time that evening telling flannel board stories with him. He really likes it – thanks Kristina!
Then it was Andy’s turn. Andy opened a small present from me – a tape measurer. He really likes this tape measurer because it does both inches and metric. Then it was my turn, I opened a present from Kristina as well – a new cookbook that looks really nice!
After Charlie put his pajamas on, he came back downstairs to play with us and get some of his wiggles out. We set out some cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer, then headed upstairs to read “The Night Before Christmas” and put him to bed. I do not know if he went to sleep right away, this is highly doubtful, but he at least stayed in his room!
All in all, it was a very relaxing Christmas Eve!
We spent most of the day listening to Charlie be really excited about Santa coming, and talking to him about what was going to happen that night. We made chocolate chip cookies for Santa and watched some Christmas movies. Then the sun finally started to set, the lights came on, and dinner was over. Charlie was practically jumping out of his skin with anticipation. We read the Bible story and talked about the meaning of Christmas... Although I am not sure how much Charlie was listening! He was much too excited to open a present.
We had Charlie open up a pair of new pajamas from us. He was very, very excited because they were Buzz Lightyear. They are the same style as the Lightening McQueen pajamas he got last year. Then, it was time for him to pick the one present that he was going to open on Christmas Eve. I already knew which one he planned to open, because he’d been pulling it out every day since it had arrived. Andy’s sister had sent Charlie a present wrapped in Frosty the Snowman paper. Charlie loves Frosty. Everything has been about either Frosty or Santa this Christmas. So, he was absolutely positive that was the present he was going to open. When we told him he could rip into it, he could hardly believe his luck. He declared the present, “Just what I always wanted!” It was a flannel board with the different continents and animals. So we spent some time that evening telling flannel board stories with him. He really likes it – thanks Kristina!
Then it was Andy’s turn. Andy opened a small present from me – a tape measurer. He really likes this tape measurer because it does both inches and metric. Then it was my turn, I opened a present from Kristina as well – a new cookbook that looks really nice!
After Charlie put his pajamas on, he came back downstairs to play with us and get some of his wiggles out. We set out some cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer, then headed upstairs to read “The Night Before Christmas” and put him to bed. I do not know if he went to sleep right away, this is highly doubtful, but he at least stayed in his room!
All in all, it was a very relaxing Christmas Eve!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Robot Helmet
Sometime in the beginning of the month, we made what I deemed my final trip to Costco of this pregnancy. Why final? Well, people are not very nice when they are shopping before Christmas... It turns out that it doesn’t matter whether you are pregnant or not. You still get shoved and run into, although people do tend to apologize more once they notice that you are huge and pregnant. But when you are 9 months pregnant, these annoying shopping trips are even more frustrating then normal. So we made a really, really big Costco run and decided to call it quits until after Little Bit’s arrival. When we got home, there was a lot of stuff to put away, and I was having a hard time trying to fit it all in. So, I unpacked some of the snacks from their boxes and combined them so that there would be more space. I gave one of the boxes to Andy, who was helping me keep my sanity by taking things to the recycle bin for me. He had a better idea on the way to the recycle bin, when he paused to watch Charlie staring at himself in the bathroom mirror. He put the box over Charlie’s head, which Charlie thought was insanely funny. But then Charlie started saying, “Dad, where are you? I can’t see you Daddy!” So, Andy took out his trusty pocket knife, which is always on him, and cut out an eye hole so that Charlie could see. (Of course, the box was not on Charlie’s head while he did this.) Charlie ran around with his helmet on for a good hour or two. He thought it was the best thing ever.
The next morning we were downstairs talking and waking up, and somehow Andy and I came to the conclusion that it would be even better if it was a robot helmet. Charlie had no idea what we were talking about, but went with Andy to the kitchen table and “helped” as Andy covered the thing in tinfoil. Then, Charlie understood and thought it was really cool. I wasn’t sure how long it would last, but the thing is still hanging in there with very little damage, and Charlie is still putting it on. The second that he dons the helmet, he starts talking in his monotone robot voice. It is really cute!
The next morning we were downstairs talking and waking up, and somehow Andy and I came to the conclusion that it would be even better if it was a robot helmet. Charlie had no idea what we were talking about, but went with Andy to the kitchen table and “helped” as Andy covered the thing in tinfoil. Then, Charlie understood and thought it was really cool. I wasn’t sure how long it would last, but the thing is still hanging in there with very little damage, and Charlie is still putting it on. The second that he dons the helmet, he starts talking in his monotone robot voice. It is really cute!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Charlie's Preschool Christmas Program
The first Friday of December, Charlie’s preschool had its annual Christmas program. The program consisted of both classes, the youngest is 3-4 and the oldest is 4-5 and both classes have about 9 kids, with each child having a line to say and several songs being sung between the recited lines.
Charlie was really, really excited for the program. They practiced for about a month beforehand, and Charlie would come home and “practice” for us too. He would get up on the bricks in front of our fireplace and tell me, “Okay! This is my stage. And here are my sheep. And now I am going to perform for you.” He would often do a little dance and then take a big bow. He sang all of the songs endlessly, at home, in the car, even in the grocery store. I knew most of the songs, but there were a couple that were unfamiliar to me.
The night of the program we headed over to his teacher’s with the salad that we were supposed to bring for the potluck afterwards. Charlie was really excited up until It was time for him to go up to the stage. Then he got really nervous. He had one of the first lines - “I hear it! What IS that sound?” - which was followed by the song Jingle Bells. He did say his line, very quietly, but he did not sing the songs. Instead he stared out at the crowd with a big blank face. There were a couple of other kids in his class, the younger one, which did the same. He actually looked quite embarrassed.
By the time the older class was saying their lines, Charlie was laughing more and more – but still not singing. I knew that this meant trouble, because it meant that he was finding something very funny. Sure enough, he started yelling at the other children in the second to last song, which was a very loud rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, “Stop! Stop singing everyone! This is too loud! Stop means STOP!” He thought it was funny, the kids just sang louder and giggled, and some of the adults started giggling too. So, of course he repeated his performance while the other kids sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas. And then he took a very big bow. He was very proud of himself.
What can you do with a child that would be 4 in a few days? We smiled and told him we were proud of him for performing in the program... Later, the next day, we talked to him about politeness. :) With where we were sitting we really couldn’t get any good pictures or video, so I apologize for the lack of that! We did take a picture before we left the house.
Charlie had a lot of fun sitting at the table with all of the other preschool kids and eating dinner. There was another adult who was at the little table with them for most of the time, named Miles, that Charlie was trying to keep up an adult conversation with. It was pretty funny! Once Charlie was done eating, it was time for us to leave. All in all, it was a very cute program and Charlie had a good time at the party!
Charlie was really, really excited for the program. They practiced for about a month beforehand, and Charlie would come home and “practice” for us too. He would get up on the bricks in front of our fireplace and tell me, “Okay! This is my stage. And here are my sheep. And now I am going to perform for you.” He would often do a little dance and then take a big bow. He sang all of the songs endlessly, at home, in the car, even in the grocery store. I knew most of the songs, but there were a couple that were unfamiliar to me.
The night of the program we headed over to his teacher’s with the salad that we were supposed to bring for the potluck afterwards. Charlie was really excited up until It was time for him to go up to the stage. Then he got really nervous. He had one of the first lines - “I hear it! What IS that sound?” - which was followed by the song Jingle Bells. He did say his line, very quietly, but he did not sing the songs. Instead he stared out at the crowd with a big blank face. There were a couple of other kids in his class, the younger one, which did the same. He actually looked quite embarrassed.
By the time the older class was saying their lines, Charlie was laughing more and more – but still not singing. I knew that this meant trouble, because it meant that he was finding something very funny. Sure enough, he started yelling at the other children in the second to last song, which was a very loud rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, “Stop! Stop singing everyone! This is too loud! Stop means STOP!” He thought it was funny, the kids just sang louder and giggled, and some of the adults started giggling too. So, of course he repeated his performance while the other kids sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas. And then he took a very big bow. He was very proud of himself.
What can you do with a child that would be 4 in a few days? We smiled and told him we were proud of him for performing in the program... Later, the next day, we talked to him about politeness. :) With where we were sitting we really couldn’t get any good pictures or video, so I apologize for the lack of that! We did take a picture before we left the house.
Charlie had a lot of fun sitting at the table with all of the other preschool kids and eating dinner. There was another adult who was at the little table with them for most of the time, named Miles, that Charlie was trying to keep up an adult conversation with. It was pretty funny! Once Charlie was done eating, it was time for us to leave. All in all, it was a very cute program and Charlie had a good time at the party!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Oh Christmas Tree
We finally got our tree up a little over a week ago. Charlie helped Andy bring it in from the garage... It is easiest for them to bring it up our front steps, and Andy uses his dolly. First he gave Charlie a short ride on it! Then Andy assembled the tree with very little help from me this year... He did a great job! Of course, we got it all put together the day Charlie started getting sick – so we waited a couple of days for him to feel well enough to participate in the decorating.
Charlie’s special ornament is a Snoopy Hallmark ornament that we got last year. So we let him hang it on the tree first. He was really excited because he has been enjoying the Charlie Brown holiday specials this year, and he got a Woodstock toy from preschool one day... So he’s been playing Snoopy a lot lately.
After he got the first ornament hung we all put the ornaments up pretty fast. We also had some candy canes and cookies from Grandpa Kovar to put up on the tree. Charlie put 4 candy canes all right next to each other. Then, every day when he goes downstairs, he runs over to them to let us know that HE put them there.. All by himself. It is pretty funny!
I didn’t do as much decorating as I usually do this year, and having the tree up really made it feel like Christmas. I think I may wait a little bit to take it down!
Charlie’s special ornament is a Snoopy Hallmark ornament that we got last year. So we let him hang it on the tree first. He was really excited because he has been enjoying the Charlie Brown holiday specials this year, and he got a Woodstock toy from preschool one day... So he’s been playing Snoopy a lot lately.
After he got the first ornament hung we all put the ornaments up pretty fast. We also had some candy canes and cookies from Grandpa Kovar to put up on the tree. Charlie put 4 candy canes all right next to each other. Then, every day when he goes downstairs, he runs over to them to let us know that HE put them there.. All by himself. It is pretty funny!
I didn’t do as much decorating as I usually do this year, and having the tree up really made it feel like Christmas. I think I may wait a little bit to take it down!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
3rd Annual Stutzman/Zaniewski/Kovar Progressive Dinner
For the past three years we have had a fun tradition of getting together with two family friends – the Stutzmans and the Zaniewskis – for a Chrismas progressive dinner. This year it really wasn’t so progressive, it was more of a potluck. Being 37 weeks pregnant, I wasn’t much up to hosting – so the Zaniewski’s were really nice to let all of us bring our food to their house.
I must have been really tired because I didn’t take very many pictures, but there are a few! Carleigh was in charge of dessert and she made a special 4-year-old cupcake cake because Charlie had just celebrated his birthday. He really enjoyed it!
We like this tradition and can’t wait to do it again next year... Hopefully we’ll be able to make it more “progressive” again!
I must have been really tired because I didn’t take very many pictures, but there are a few! Carleigh was in charge of dessert and she made a special 4-year-old cupcake cake because Charlie had just celebrated his birthday. He really enjoyed it!
We like this tradition and can’t wait to do it again next year... Hopefully we’ll be able to make it more “progressive” again!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Fun Christmas Crafts
This year Charlie and I were able to work on a few crafts for Christmas before he came down with his cold... Which lasted for a good week and a half right before the holiday. My goal this year was to teach him how you could stack shapes to make different pictures... So we were drawing a lot of Christmas Trees and snowmen. :) He really fell in love with Frosty this year, so it worked well!
Charlie had fun assembling a little Christmas tree to put at the top of his countdown-to-Christmas paper chain. I thought it was interesting that he lined up all of the ornament shapes. He tends to categorize things like that!
We also spent a bit of time coloring pictures this year, mostly of Santa Clause. Looking back at last year, his coloring has definitely improved. He also likes to write his name on everything that he does.
One of his friends invited him over to make gingerbread houses one day as well. We had a lot of fun doing that! Charlie had very definite ideas of which candies should go where, and I again thought it was interesting that he would make sure that all of the same color or type would go in a line. He is definitely still a sorter!
We didn’t do as many crafts as we did last year, but I think Charlie still had a lot of fun with what we were able to accomplish.
Charlie had fun assembling a little Christmas tree to put at the top of his countdown-to-Christmas paper chain. I thought it was interesting that he lined up all of the ornament shapes. He tends to categorize things like that!
We also spent a bit of time coloring pictures this year, mostly of Santa Clause. Looking back at last year, his coloring has definitely improved. He also likes to write his name on everything that he does.
One of his friends invited him over to make gingerbread houses one day as well. We had a lot of fun doing that! Charlie had very definite ideas of which candies should go where, and I again thought it was interesting that he would make sure that all of the same color or type would go in a line. He is definitely still a sorter!
We didn’t do as many crafts as we did last year, but I think Charlie still had a lot of fun with what we were able to accomplish.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Gifts from the Elves
This year I decided it would be fun if Santa’s elves brought little gifts to Charlie throughout the month. So, on some mornings, Charlie would come down to find “surprises” waiting for him. A couple would be wrapped on the table, and some would just show up randomly on a chair or in his toy bucket. It was a pretty fun new tradition, and he was always excited to find something. I think we will continue it in the years to come!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Charlie's 4th Birthday
We celebrated Charlie’s fourth birthday last week on December 9th. Charlie was so excited to be turning four! He talked about it for months and months beforehand... And not just to us, but also to perfect strangers just about anywhere we went. He really likes talking. A lot.
We planned a pretty low-key day for him, and decided to let him chose to do his favorite things. It all started with him picking out what he wanted to wear. Of course, he chose everything red that he could find. He even chose red socks. In the morning I told him that he could watch whatever he wanted on TV. I thought that he would ask to watch a movie about Santa Clause or the movie Cars, but he surprised me by choosing Toy Story 2. He did not budge during the entire movie and laughed repeatedly.
We started letting him open his presents around lunch time. Awhile ago my sister told me that she lets her kids open things throughout the day to spread it out, and it works really well! Charlie asked for only one thing for his birthday. He wanted a new Lightening McQueen car. Every time I asked him what else he wanted, he would answer, “I need only one present!” Of course, we weren’t going to give him just a Lightening McQueen, but it is nice to know he could be so easily satisfied! Andy and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what else he would want during the two months prior to his birthday, but every time we showed him something he would only answer, “I don’t have that one.” He is too funny. Of course, on his birthday he all of the sudden started saying that he wanted dolphins and dinosaurs. We did not know to buy him one dolphin or dinosaur, so we suggested he put it in his letter to Santa. By the end of the night he had so many things he was excited about, the dolphins and dinosaurs were temporarily forgotten.
A few days before his birthday, I told Charlie he could have whatever he wanted for dinner, and he looked at me with a blank stare. So I asked him what his very favorite food was. His answer? MCDONALDS!!! Sounded fine and easy to me, so he got a cheeseburger Happy Meal for dinner. He was so distracted by the presents and excitement that he ate the apples, took about one bite of his cheeseburger, chugged his milk, and wanted to open more presents. Of course, we let him. (He finished the cheeseburger the next day.)
Charlie got a lot of things that he was very excited about. Andy and I have done most of our shopping by Amazon lately, and we believe in their frustration-free packaging, which means that a lot of things are in brown boxes. The first box that Charlie opened contained a pirate ship. He was so excited when he unwrapped it, he started screaming, “A box, a box, I got a box!” And when he found out what was inside of it he was even more excited. Every “box” he opened after that got the same reaction.
Charlie’s only other request for his birthday was a cake with cars on it. We took advantage of our local Safeway bakery and bought one. Charlie was really excited to get two hot wheels from his cake. He was also excited to eat the cake. We were a little surprised at how he attacked that thing!
Charlie literally opened presents all day long, and paused to play in between. We watched the Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the old cartoon) and then tucked him into bed. He had a huge smile on his face. Now all he talks about is opening presents on Christmas!
We planned a pretty low-key day for him, and decided to let him chose to do his favorite things. It all started with him picking out what he wanted to wear. Of course, he chose everything red that he could find. He even chose red socks. In the morning I told him that he could watch whatever he wanted on TV. I thought that he would ask to watch a movie about Santa Clause or the movie Cars, but he surprised me by choosing Toy Story 2. He did not budge during the entire movie and laughed repeatedly.
We started letting him open his presents around lunch time. Awhile ago my sister told me that she lets her kids open things throughout the day to spread it out, and it works really well! Charlie asked for only one thing for his birthday. He wanted a new Lightening McQueen car. Every time I asked him what else he wanted, he would answer, “I need only one present!” Of course, we weren’t going to give him just a Lightening McQueen, but it is nice to know he could be so easily satisfied! Andy and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what else he would want during the two months prior to his birthday, but every time we showed him something he would only answer, “I don’t have that one.” He is too funny. Of course, on his birthday he all of the sudden started saying that he wanted dolphins and dinosaurs. We did not know to buy him one dolphin or dinosaur, so we suggested he put it in his letter to Santa. By the end of the night he had so many things he was excited about, the dolphins and dinosaurs were temporarily forgotten.
A few days before his birthday, I told Charlie he could have whatever he wanted for dinner, and he looked at me with a blank stare. So I asked him what his very favorite food was. His answer? MCDONALDS!!! Sounded fine and easy to me, so he got a cheeseburger Happy Meal for dinner. He was so distracted by the presents and excitement that he ate the apples, took about one bite of his cheeseburger, chugged his milk, and wanted to open more presents. Of course, we let him. (He finished the cheeseburger the next day.)
Charlie got a lot of things that he was very excited about. Andy and I have done most of our shopping by Amazon lately, and we believe in their frustration-free packaging, which means that a lot of things are in brown boxes. The first box that Charlie opened contained a pirate ship. He was so excited when he unwrapped it, he started screaming, “A box, a box, I got a box!” And when he found out what was inside of it he was even more excited. Every “box” he opened after that got the same reaction.
Charlie’s only other request for his birthday was a cake with cars on it. We took advantage of our local Safeway bakery and bought one. Charlie was really excited to get two hot wheels from his cake. He was also excited to eat the cake. We were a little surprised at how he attacked that thing!
Charlie literally opened presents all day long, and paused to play in between. We watched the Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the old cartoon) and then tucked him into bed. He had a huge smile on his face. Now all he talks about is opening presents on Christmas!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Hallelujah
Today has been a great day so far, and it is only 1pm. So good, that I can hear the Hallelujah Chorus being sung in my head.
Why is it so good?
#1 - Today Little Bit and I have completed 37 weeks of gestation. Why does that matter? It means that we are "full term"... he can be born safely at any time now. I really did not think we would make it this far!
#2 - Charlie has been really sick for the last three days and all sorts of thoughts have been going through my head, like... what if I need to go to the hospital now, how can I have anyone watch my sick child? He even started to show signs of a croup cough last night... (he is more susceptible to it for longer than some other children because of his background.) But, he did not have a croup fit last night, and I did not have to sit in a steamy bathroom for hours, AND today he sounds much less congested!
#3 - Andy started his vacation today... and, with our current need to deliver the baby a week early, will be home until early February. I am looking forward to spending so much time with my husband, even if we will be super tired during the majority of it.
#4 - We finally received disclosure from the state for Charlie today. We have been waiting for this since August. What is disclosure? All the information the state has about his background, which they are required to provide to an adoptive family prior to the adoption. We were waiting for this to be able to move forward with adoption support negotiations. And adoption support negotiations are the LAST STEP that we need to complete prior to setting a court date. Of course, this is right before everyone leaves for holiday vacations, and with the baby coming any day... it will still be awhile before we are able to close the loop. I am sad that this could not happen before our new little boy joined the family, but so relieved to feel that the completion is now tangible.
#5 - By the end of today I will be almost ready for Christmas! I really waited to the last minute to even start getting ready this year... and I am so happy to be almost done now. All we have left is one last run on Monday that we plan to make after my next doctor's appointment.
Yesterday I was feeling pretty down, and ready to not be pregnant anymore. Today I am still ready to not be pregnant anymore, but I am feeling pretty encouraged! I am also wondering what else might actually go right. :)
Why is it so good?
#1 - Today Little Bit and I have completed 37 weeks of gestation. Why does that matter? It means that we are "full term"... he can be born safely at any time now. I really did not think we would make it this far!
#2 - Charlie has been really sick for the last three days and all sorts of thoughts have been going through my head, like... what if I need to go to the hospital now, how can I have anyone watch my sick child? He even started to show signs of a croup cough last night... (he is more susceptible to it for longer than some other children because of his background.) But, he did not have a croup fit last night, and I did not have to sit in a steamy bathroom for hours, AND today he sounds much less congested!
#3 - Andy started his vacation today... and, with our current need to deliver the baby a week early, will be home until early February. I am looking forward to spending so much time with my husband, even if we will be super tired during the majority of it.
#4 - We finally received disclosure from the state for Charlie today. We have been waiting for this since August. What is disclosure? All the information the state has about his background, which they are required to provide to an adoptive family prior to the adoption. We were waiting for this to be able to move forward with adoption support negotiations. And adoption support negotiations are the LAST STEP that we need to complete prior to setting a court date. Of course, this is right before everyone leaves for holiday vacations, and with the baby coming any day... it will still be awhile before we are able to close the loop. I am sad that this could not happen before our new little boy joined the family, but so relieved to feel that the completion is now tangible.
#5 - By the end of today I will be almost ready for Christmas! I really waited to the last minute to even start getting ready this year... and I am so happy to be almost done now. All we have left is one last run on Monday that we plan to make after my next doctor's appointment.
Yesterday I was feeling pretty down, and ready to not be pregnant anymore. Today I am still ready to not be pregnant anymore, but I am feeling pretty encouraged! I am also wondering what else might actually go right. :)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Making Blankets
I had a roommate my first year in college, Carolvee, who taught me how to crochet the right way. Before she worked with me on how to hold the yarn and make an even stitch, my creations looked a little bit like floppy elephant ears. Incidentally, Carolvee was excellent at teaching crafts. She taught nearly all of our entire dorm floor (40 girls) how to crochet well - and most of the people made blankets for friends or family as Christmas presents that year. Once everyone else had finished their blankets, they were pretty much done with it. Not Carolvee or I. For the rest of that year, and several years after, I continued to crochet at a rate of at least one blanket every three weeks. Imagine my joy when my friends and sisters started having babies and I found that I could make smaller, cuter blankets to cuddle little ones at a rate of anywhere between 3 days and 2 weeks!
For years and years I made a blanket for pretty much everyone I knew that was having a baby. Several people also got booties, sweaters and hats. In a way, it was how I dealt with my unsatisfied baby obsession. It is just in the last couple of years that I started to step away from being able to keep up with this hobby... not only were more and more babies being born to people I knew at a phenomenal rate, but I also started coping with the absence of my own baby in other ways.
When I found out that I was pregnant, and was in so much stress about the well being of my little baby, Andy had a great idea. He said, "Why don't you make our baby a blanket?" I went out and bought yarn that day. And it worked. Instead of obsessing over blood pressure and other such things, I was able to escape for hours at a time into the monotonous world of crocheting. We didn't know the gender yet, so I chose to make a white blanket with a green trim. When it was done I felt a little bit closer to my little boy.
But that wasn't enough. Now that I knew he as a little boy, I wanted to make something a little more gender-specific. Plus, I was only 5.5 months pregnant. So we went back to Michael's to buy more yarn, and I made him this little play blanket.
I still had some yarn leftover when I was finished (four days after starting it,) so I decided to make something for Charlie too. I'd like to introduce you to Jeffory... the baby Charlie started caring for this summer after exclaiming that our baby should be named Jeffory. I made him a little play blanket in corresponding colors to match Little Bit's. Charlie was pretty excited, and now Jeffory looks like this every night...
I've also made a hat and have started a bigger blanket for Charlie. It is nice to be crocheting again, and to have something to occupy my time while we wait for our boy to arrive.
For years and years I made a blanket for pretty much everyone I knew that was having a baby. Several people also got booties, sweaters and hats. In a way, it was how I dealt with my unsatisfied baby obsession. It is just in the last couple of years that I started to step away from being able to keep up with this hobby... not only were more and more babies being born to people I knew at a phenomenal rate, but I also started coping with the absence of my own baby in other ways.
When I found out that I was pregnant, and was in so much stress about the well being of my little baby, Andy had a great idea. He said, "Why don't you make our baby a blanket?" I went out and bought yarn that day. And it worked. Instead of obsessing over blood pressure and other such things, I was able to escape for hours at a time into the monotonous world of crocheting. We didn't know the gender yet, so I chose to make a white blanket with a green trim. When it was done I felt a little bit closer to my little boy.
But that wasn't enough. Now that I knew he as a little boy, I wanted to make something a little more gender-specific. Plus, I was only 5.5 months pregnant. So we went back to Michael's to buy more yarn, and I made him this little play blanket.
I still had some yarn leftover when I was finished (four days after starting it,) so I decided to make something for Charlie too. I'd like to introduce you to Jeffory... the baby Charlie started caring for this summer after exclaiming that our baby should be named Jeffory. I made him a little play blanket in corresponding colors to match Little Bit's. Charlie was pretty excited, and now Jeffory looks like this every night...
I've also made a hat and have started a bigger blanket for Charlie. It is nice to be crocheting again, and to have something to occupy my time while we wait for our boy to arrive.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Boy is Breech
Today we had another routine appointment for our almost-37th-week of gestation. The last four times we have gone in for an appointment there has been a new surprise. This week may have been the biggest.
Last week we found out that I had excess amniotic fluid. They aren't sure why, and there are lots of possibilities. Because of this I was feeling him move less, and so I was put on a schedule of twice weekly NST's to monitor his movement and weekly ultrasounds to check my fluid levels.
A couple of days ago the boy was moving around like crazy. I was hoping that he was moving out of his slightly-transverse position into the more traditional one. As soon as the ultrasound started this morning we learned that this was not the case. Little Bit decided to do a complete flip, and his head is now resting right by my left rib cage.
In good news, there is a lot less pressure on my right rib cage now, so I am not having as much pain there. Also good news, my fluid volume has decreased. Bad news, this will make it more difficult for Little Bit to flip back to where he should be. Very few babies are able to turn on their own after 37 weeks, although it can happen.
Right now he is in a complete breech position, with his legs folded underneath him... which means we are now planning to head for a c-section around 39 weeks. Yes, there is another procedure we could try, where the doctor would try to manually turn him, but with everything that has happened in this pregnancy we don't feel like it is our best option. It is possible that procedure would end in a c-section itself, and then he would have two weeks less to grow. Might he turn again on his own? Yes, it's possible... but I'm not holding my breath.
On the positive side, this means that we may actually get to plan the birth to a degree ... a luxury that very few get. Within the week we should have a date that we expect to go in for the surgery... unless he has turned again. :)
Last week we found out that I had excess amniotic fluid. They aren't sure why, and there are lots of possibilities. Because of this I was feeling him move less, and so I was put on a schedule of twice weekly NST's to monitor his movement and weekly ultrasounds to check my fluid levels.
A couple of days ago the boy was moving around like crazy. I was hoping that he was moving out of his slightly-transverse position into the more traditional one. As soon as the ultrasound started this morning we learned that this was not the case. Little Bit decided to do a complete flip, and his head is now resting right by my left rib cage.
In good news, there is a lot less pressure on my right rib cage now, so I am not having as much pain there. Also good news, my fluid volume has decreased. Bad news, this will make it more difficult for Little Bit to flip back to where he should be. Very few babies are able to turn on their own after 37 weeks, although it can happen.
Right now he is in a complete breech position, with his legs folded underneath him... which means we are now planning to head for a c-section around 39 weeks. Yes, there is another procedure we could try, where the doctor would try to manually turn him, but with everything that has happened in this pregnancy we don't feel like it is our best option. It is possible that procedure would end in a c-section itself, and then he would have two weeks less to grow. Might he turn again on his own? Yes, it's possible... but I'm not holding my breath.
On the positive side, this means that we may actually get to plan the birth to a degree ... a luxury that very few get. Within the week we should have a date that we expect to go in for the surgery... unless he has turned again. :)
Monday, December 14, 2009
A Few Nursery Pictures
Andy and I finally got Little Bit's nursery "done" to a point at the end of November. In reality, there is more for us to do, but we are holding off a little and working on other projects first... since he won't be using the nursery much for at least a few months! I still need to find shelves that I like and I need to put his name up on the wall... but I won't be posting his name until after he's born probably anyway. :)
Now both Charlie and Little Bit have transportation themed rooms... but they are both different, and I think they are cute! Having the crib and everything put up makes me realize how close we are to having our baby come home. Andy, Charlie and I have all spent time in this room imagining.
This was the beginning of a nesting craze that I have gone through, which has had moments of intensity interspersed with days that I don't feel like doing anything. I just wish I could focus the urge to clean and organize on the things that need to be done first. I spent hours working on our pantry... Not really the biggest priority right now!
We'll be "full term" on Friday... just 4 short days away. It is all getting so close!
Now both Charlie and Little Bit have transportation themed rooms... but they are both different, and I think they are cute! Having the crib and everything put up makes me realize how close we are to having our baby come home. Andy, Charlie and I have all spent time in this room imagining.
This was the beginning of a nesting craze that I have gone through, which has had moments of intensity interspersed with days that I don't feel like doing anything. I just wish I could focus the urge to clean and organize on the things that need to be done first. I spent hours working on our pantry... Not really the biggest priority right now!
We'll be "full term" on Friday... just 4 short days away. It is all getting so close!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Sleeping Charlie
Charlie has reached a stage where he is again falling asleep anywhere. It cracks me up when he is running around with so much energy, and then he’ll just lay down somewhere and crash. Last night we were at an annual progressive dinner that we do with some family friends, and Charlie just looked at me at 8pm and asked if I could sit next to him on the couch. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – the old claymation one – was on the television. He put his Woody toy (from Toy Story) between us, and was sitting upright at first. Then he put his head on my belly, (which I really think he will miss soon.) About five minutes later he was hugging Woody the way that he always hugs one of his toys as he goes to sleep. In a few more minutes he was patting my leg in rhythm. He was completely out and snoring by 8:20. That might not seem super-fast, but I think it was considering this is a boy that is always begging to stay up later and often doesn’t go to sleep when he’s supposed to. He was running around crazily just minutes before... And there were three other little ones that were still up and running as well as six bantering adults. In other words, it was pretty noisy in there! Little Bit was nowhere close to sleep and was actually kicking Charlie in the head pretty much the whole time. Charlie slept until we had to wake him up to go home, and promptly went to sleep when we got home.
Last weekend we had a fun day with Charlie when Andy put up the Christmas lights. We did a whole bunch of things with him that day, I can’t even remember everything. But he was really excited to be outside with Andy for a couple of hours “helping” to put up the lights. It was really cold outside for us – somewhere in the 20’s I think – so he was all bundled up. When his nose finally looked red enough, I had him come in for hot chocolate. This is a rare treat for him and he was really excited. A few hours later we were eating dinner, and as usual, Charlie was eating a lot longer than Andy and I. About 10 minutes after we left the table I turned around to find him head first in his macaroni and cheese asleep! My laugh woke him up pretty quickly, and this one was pretty embarrassing for him!
Charlie also is obviously having some interesting dreams. One time when he woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he looked at me and told me that, “the little robots come from the big robots tummies.” He was practically sleep-walking when he said it, and I just started laughing... Which fully woke him up, and then he couldn’t remember what he was talking about anymore. I love when he does things like this because they give me a glimpse into his imagination, which has been so very active lately. Apparently Charlie has decided that robots also get pregnant... Even though we have talked about how robots are built. :)
Last weekend we had a fun day with Charlie when Andy put up the Christmas lights. We did a whole bunch of things with him that day, I can’t even remember everything. But he was really excited to be outside with Andy for a couple of hours “helping” to put up the lights. It was really cold outside for us – somewhere in the 20’s I think – so he was all bundled up. When his nose finally looked red enough, I had him come in for hot chocolate. This is a rare treat for him and he was really excited. A few hours later we were eating dinner, and as usual, Charlie was eating a lot longer than Andy and I. About 10 minutes after we left the table I turned around to find him head first in his macaroni and cheese asleep! My laugh woke him up pretty quickly, and this one was pretty embarrassing for him!
Charlie also is obviously having some interesting dreams. One time when he woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he looked at me and told me that, “the little robots come from the big robots tummies.” He was practically sleep-walking when he said it, and I just started laughing... Which fully woke him up, and then he couldn’t remember what he was talking about anymore. I love when he does things like this because they give me a glimpse into his imagination, which has been so very active lately. Apparently Charlie has decided that robots also get pregnant... Even though we have talked about how robots are built. :)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
A Long Day at the Doctor
On Tuesday I had a routine appointment with my OB. It was at 11:10am, and I figured we'd be home by noon. I was a little off on that estimate, as we didn't get home until 3pm. So what happened?
Well, first of all the doctor was running significantly behind. It would have been nice to have had a heads-up on this before we were sitting in the lobby for 45 minutes, because we would have skipped out to eat lunch while we were waiting... but oh well.
When we finally got back to see the doctor my blood pressure was a little elevated... Quite possibly an indicator of how I had been feeling out in the lobby. I also wanted to talk to her about the fact that I had felt him moving less in the last couple of days. Those two factors combined led to the decision to do an NST - a non-stress test. In this test they hook up a monitor to sense contractions, and another monitor to measure the baby's heartbeat. You then sit there and push a button every time you feel the baby move... for about twenty minutes.
Well, Little Bit didn't much care for the monitor. He was kicking directly at it, and then he'd move away. After the first attempt, they were unable to read the results because he moved so much. So then they tried it again while holding a doppler, instead of trying the strap on monitor. This too did not work.
At that point, we'd been there for at least two and a half hours. We were starving and tired, and I think they took pity on us... so they decided to send us to an ultrasound room. So I got my only good surprise of the day - another look at our little boy. It was pretty quick because they were only checking for activity, but it was nice to be able to see him.
How was his activity level? Fine. And he was taking "practice" breaths with his diaphragm, which is one of the major things they look for. So he is okay. And although it was a long day, I am happy that I got to see him again.
Why was I feeling him less? Well, they aren't sure. Educated guess is that it is because I have more amniotic fluid then normal, not too much to be concerning, but it could be providing more of a cushion between him and me. This means that I am not feeling all of his movements right now. And we heard several movements during the NST that I did not feel - so I think this is a good guess at an explanation.
What did I learn? Bring more snacks. A LOT more snacks. And more water. Next time I will be prepared. And since we go to the doctor every week until the end now, next time is not far away!
Well, first of all the doctor was running significantly behind. It would have been nice to have had a heads-up on this before we were sitting in the lobby for 45 minutes, because we would have skipped out to eat lunch while we were waiting... but oh well.
When we finally got back to see the doctor my blood pressure was a little elevated... Quite possibly an indicator of how I had been feeling out in the lobby. I also wanted to talk to her about the fact that I had felt him moving less in the last couple of days. Those two factors combined led to the decision to do an NST - a non-stress test. In this test they hook up a monitor to sense contractions, and another monitor to measure the baby's heartbeat. You then sit there and push a button every time you feel the baby move... for about twenty minutes.
Well, Little Bit didn't much care for the monitor. He was kicking directly at it, and then he'd move away. After the first attempt, they were unable to read the results because he moved so much. So then they tried it again while holding a doppler, instead of trying the strap on monitor. This too did not work.
At that point, we'd been there for at least two and a half hours. We were starving and tired, and I think they took pity on us... so they decided to send us to an ultrasound room. So I got my only good surprise of the day - another look at our little boy. It was pretty quick because they were only checking for activity, but it was nice to be able to see him.
How was his activity level? Fine. And he was taking "practice" breaths with his diaphragm, which is one of the major things they look for. So he is okay. And although it was a long day, I am happy that I got to see him again.
Why was I feeling him less? Well, they aren't sure. Educated guess is that it is because I have more amniotic fluid then normal, not too much to be concerning, but it could be providing more of a cushion between him and me. This means that I am not feeling all of his movements right now. And we heard several movements during the NST that I did not feel - so I think this is a good guess at an explanation.
What did I learn? Bring more snacks. A LOT more snacks. And more water. Next time I will be prepared. And since we go to the doctor every week until the end now, next time is not far away!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Happy 4th Birthday Charlie!
Today Charlie is 4 years old. He has been looking forward to turning 4 for the past several months, announcing to everyone that he is "3, but almost 4 on December 9th." His requests for today were pretty simple... he needs a new Lightening McQueen, a cake with cars on it and a Mickey Mouse balloon. Whenever we asked him what else he wanted, he kept saying, "I get only one present for my birthday." (He has more than one waiting for him.) If we showed him something to see if he had interest his answer was, "I don't have that one." Silly boy!
Birthdays always make me think about what has happened in the past year. Charlie has been with us now for 20 months. When he came here he was a barely-verbal 2 year old, super-shy, but always very sweet and cute. Since he turned 3, he has sprouted, is no longer shy, and definitely (loudly) verbal.
We are so lucky to have this little boy in our house, and I can't wait to see what the next year brings!
Birthdays always make me think about what has happened in the past year. Charlie has been with us now for 20 months. When he came here he was a barely-verbal 2 year old, super-shy, but always very sweet and cute. Since he turned 3, he has sprouted, is no longer shy, and definitely (loudly) verbal.
We are so lucky to have this little boy in our house, and I can't wait to see what the next year brings!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Assembly of the Crib
Of all of the preparations we have made for our little boy, the boy's bed has proved to be the most challenging. Researching, selecting, finding, ordering and receiving a crib that will be safe for our little boy took much more time and effort than I'd anticipated. (And once we'd done that, finding a mattress that fit it was an entirely different matter!)
But we finally found the crib we were looking for... no drop sides, a nice natural look, and we ordered it online so that it would come to our door. Andy put it together that night.
I think Andy really likes putting furniture together, and it's been awhile since we've had something new that needed to be assembled. He is pretty good at it too!
Andy carefully took out every single piece and inspected the wood. He approved.
Assembling the top of each side is probably what took the longest, but Andy was in his element. :)
Andy with the finished assembly...
And the crib on it's own, against the blue wall... We really like this crib!
Pictures of the nursery to follow at a later date. This was just a teaser!
But we finally found the crib we were looking for... no drop sides, a nice natural look, and we ordered it online so that it would come to our door. Andy put it together that night.
I think Andy really likes putting furniture together, and it's been awhile since we've had something new that needed to be assembled. He is pretty good at it too!
Andy carefully took out every single piece and inspected the wood. He approved.
Assembling the top of each side is probably what took the longest, but Andy was in his element. :)
Andy with the finished assembly...
And the crib on it's own, against the blue wall... We really like this crib!
Pictures of the nursery to follow at a later date. This was just a teaser!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Andy's Pirate Treasure
There's been a lot of moving, cleaning and rearranging in our house for the past month as we make more room for Little Bit. One of the rooms that has been rearranged is our bedroom. As part of the changes, Andy decided to clean out his bedside table.
Andy has always been a change collector. He comes home and empties out his pockets. For some time now, he has been doing this into the drawer of his bedside table. I figured he had a little bit of money in there, but when he showed Charlie and I enough to nearly fill up a popcorn tin, we couldn't help but explore further.
First, we were just going to look at the quarters. Here you go... Want to venture a guess at how much money in quarters we had?
We sorted them into dollar piles. Why not? It was a good opportunity to work with Charlie on stacking, sorting and repetitive counting. Plus, I used to be an accounting student and every now and then I really like monotonous tasks, especially if they involve money.
Yep that was a lot of quarters... no wonder that table was too heavy for me to move!
But it didn't stop there. He also had enough dimes, nickles and pennies in his collection. We couldn't help but finish counting the rest!
Andy has always been a change collector. He comes home and empties out his pockets. For some time now, he has been doing this into the drawer of his bedside table. I figured he had a little bit of money in there, but when he showed Charlie and I enough to nearly fill up a popcorn tin, we couldn't help but explore further.
First, we were just going to look at the quarters. Here you go... Want to venture a guess at how much money in quarters we had?
We sorted them into dollar piles. Why not? It was a good opportunity to work with Charlie on stacking, sorting and repetitive counting. Plus, I used to be an accounting student and every now and then I really like monotonous tasks, especially if they involve money.
Yep that was a lot of quarters... no wonder that table was too heavy for me to move!
But it didn't stop there. He also had enough dimes, nickles and pennies in his collection. We couldn't help but finish counting the rest!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Little Bit's Growth
Now that we have probably had our last ultrasound of this pregnancy, I thought I would post this slide show of the progressive profile pictures we received... from 10 weeks to 34 weeks, look at how our baby has grown!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Charlie's First Field Trip
In October, Charlie went on his first ever “official” field trip with his preschool... To the pumpkin patch. He was very excited to be going on a real, live field trip. It was pretty cute. They started with the kids in the barn, gave them each a cookie, (yes at 10am,) and told them a couple of stories. Then they let them into another barn that had a small petting farm and some toys, including a pretend rocket ship. (Don’t ask me what rockets have to do with pumpkins or farms, because I don’t think there’s an answer!) Then they were each able to go out and pick out a little pumpkin from the patch, and spend some time playing on the things that were set-up outside.
Charlie was so busy eating his cookie in the beginning that I don’t think he really heard the story. I am thinking we might not give the boy enough sweets. He was also very, very hyper for the remainder of the morning. When it was time to pick out pumpkins, he was very concerned about how muddy everything was. In fact, when he first picked up his pumpkin, he immediately dropped it and gave me a very sad look, holding up both hands to show me the mud. He did do a very good job picking out his own pumpkin though! He also had a lot of fun playing on the boats, teepees and tractors!
Charlie was so busy eating his cookie in the beginning that I don’t think he really heard the story. I am thinking we might not give the boy enough sweets. He was also very, very hyper for the remainder of the morning. When it was time to pick out pumpkins, he was very concerned about how muddy everything was. In fact, when he first picked up his pumpkin, he immediately dropped it and gave me a very sad look, holding up both hands to show me the mud. He did do a very good job picking out his own pumpkin though! He also had a lot of fun playing on the boats, teepees and tractors!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Trick or Treating at Microsoft
What’s one nice thing about being so busy at work that you never get to take vacation time? You end up with a whole bunch at the end of the year that you have to take off... Or you lose it. And at a company like Microsoft, they aren’t going to let you lose it. Andy was so busy all year that he barely took a day of vacation. The result? He has taken one to two days off every week for the last month or so. We have had a lot of fun and gotten a lot done because of it. I will miss it when it is over!
One of the days that he took off was the day before Halloween. But we still headed into his work so that Charlie could have his first Microsoft Trick-or-Treating experience. Actually, it was my first time at the affair too. Microsoft has a facility called the Commons on Main Campus that is basically like a little mall and a big food court. It is pretty nice. This year they did it up for Halloween and all of the vendors had buckets of candy for the kids to enjoy.
We headed in around lunch time and had fun looking around. Charlie was pretty excited about the DJ they had in a little dancing section, until the DJ started talking to him. Then he got really shy. They also had some fancy pumpkin carving going on, which more interested me then it did Charlie. We got a family picture taken in front of a pirate ship, which was perfect given Charlie’s costume... Although we don’t have the print yet. They had set-up a treasure hunting place where the kids could dig in hay for gold coins that kept Charlie entertained a couple of times. And he got his face painted with a ghost.
Of course, we also ventured from store to store and let Charlie get his candy. This was good practice for the actual event. (The day before they’d gone “trick or treating” at preschool as well, so he had it down pretty well by Saturday.) After awhile I realized I was really thirsty, so we headed to one of the free drink stations so that I could get some water. Charlie was very excited to get his own chocolate milk. The kid is never happier than when he has a whole chocolate milk to himself!
We had a great time at The Commons and hopefully can go back again!
One of the days that he took off was the day before Halloween. But we still headed into his work so that Charlie could have his first Microsoft Trick-or-Treating experience. Actually, it was my first time at the affair too. Microsoft has a facility called the Commons on Main Campus that is basically like a little mall and a big food court. It is pretty nice. This year they did it up for Halloween and all of the vendors had buckets of candy for the kids to enjoy.
We headed in around lunch time and had fun looking around. Charlie was pretty excited about the DJ they had in a little dancing section, until the DJ started talking to him. Then he got really shy. They also had some fancy pumpkin carving going on, which more interested me then it did Charlie. We got a family picture taken in front of a pirate ship, which was perfect given Charlie’s costume... Although we don’t have the print yet. They had set-up a treasure hunting place where the kids could dig in hay for gold coins that kept Charlie entertained a couple of times. And he got his face painted with a ghost.
Of course, we also ventured from store to store and let Charlie get his candy. This was good practice for the actual event. (The day before they’d gone “trick or treating” at preschool as well, so he had it down pretty well by Saturday.) After awhile I realized I was really thirsty, so we headed to one of the free drink stations so that I could get some water. Charlie was very excited to get his own chocolate milk. The kid is never happier than when he has a whole chocolate milk to himself!
We had a great time at The Commons and hopefully can go back again!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Almost 35 Weeks!
In two more days, Little Bit and I will be at 35 weeks of gestation. The fact that we are pregnant is a miracle, but the way this pregnancy has progressed well is one in and of itself.
So how am I feeling? Huge, uncomfortable and tired. :) Take a look at the belly growth from week 16 to week 33...
Even though I am more uncomfortable, I still find myself happy most days... to be pregnant, to have a super-active baby that brings me comfort with his movement, to still be healthier than anticipated, and to know that I am going to get to hold my little boy someday soon.
Everyone keeps asking me if he is active. Um... yes. He lets me know he is there, even in his quietest moments, at least once a half an hour. Typically I only have to wait 2-8 minutes to feel ten movements. The boy wiggles, jiggles and jerks non-stop. It is a very interesting sensation to see/feel my belly acting like a pot of boiling water. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it. Charlie finds it entertaining. Sometimes it makes me queasy, and I have lost whole nights of sleep because the movement is so intense. But, I am usually able to remember that it is a good thing that he is so active and I try to be glad that I have constant reminders.
We have had an interesting few weeks. Around week 32 I had some interesting (read: painful) contractions that were coming fairly often. This was on top of Braxton Hicks contractions, which I still get regularly. Luckily the painful contractions have subsided and it appears Little Bit is staying put. In week 33 I tore one of my round ligaments as I was getting out of bed in the middle of the night. Now that was painful. And just in time for that to heal, I started having pain in my upper right quadrant this week. Turns out that this little guy is putting some pressure on a gallstone that has developed. It's all part of the fun.
When I started developing the new pains this weekend, I called the doctor to talk to them about it. Similar pain is one of the things I was told to watch for with pre-eclampsia, as it could be a sign of liver problems. So, to be safe, they bumped up my 34 week appointment to today. So we got to see our baby a whole day early. The gallbladder and the liver are very close to each other when you are pregnant, so it was my gallbladder causing the pain... no harm to me or the baby. Now that I know he is alright, I can handle a little bit of pain.
Here are some of the pictures that we got today. He is a lot bigger and more squished now, so they look different than the past ones!
Here is his little foot with all five toes - right by my rib cage, just in case you were wondering.
I like this picture of his leg because it shows how much his bones have developed - and it's nice to see more chubbiness around the bone as well!
We also got five pictures of his face. Here are my two favorite. In every picture he was waving his arms back and forth. He also gave us another thumbs up today!
How is he positioned? He's head down but turned to the left... which means I have a very lopsided belly right now. It also means that he is putting constant pressure on my right rib cage, hence the gallstone bothering me, and battering me with his feet and hands on the left. At least he doesn't kick as hard any more, I don't think he can now that he has less room!
How big is he? It's only an estimate at this point, but they are saying 5 lbs, 6 ounces... which is right where he should be at this point. I, myself, am measuring about one week ahead. He should gain about a half pound every week until he is delivered.
When will he be here? I wish I knew! He'll be considered full term when we hit week 37, which is December 18th. He could make his appearance anytime between then and January 8th. If I do develop pre-eclampsia at any point after week 37, we expect him to be delivered right away. All three doctors we saw today said that they thought it would be sometime this month. I am good with that! But, of course, it's most important to Andy and I that he be healthy.
Are we ready for him to come home? Yes and no. We have most of the big things done that need to be done... but there are some interesting little things we haven't taken care of yet. We also need to finish packing bags for the hospital and for Charlie, as well as preparing for labor itself. I think, perhaps, I am slightly in denial about the impending labor. We have decided to work with a doula, and I'm feeling really good about that decision!
I just keep thinking about the moment that I'll get to see his little face and hold him in my arms... and the first time that I'll get to see Andy hold him. With my pregnancy hormones, it's enough to make me cry every time and decide that I can handle cysts, gallstones and labor. I just can't wait to meet him!
So how am I feeling? Huge, uncomfortable and tired. :) Take a look at the belly growth from week 16 to week 33...
Even though I am more uncomfortable, I still find myself happy most days... to be pregnant, to have a super-active baby that brings me comfort with his movement, to still be healthier than anticipated, and to know that I am going to get to hold my little boy someday soon.
Everyone keeps asking me if he is active. Um... yes. He lets me know he is there, even in his quietest moments, at least once a half an hour. Typically I only have to wait 2-8 minutes to feel ten movements. The boy wiggles, jiggles and jerks non-stop. It is a very interesting sensation to see/feel my belly acting like a pot of boiling water. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it. Charlie finds it entertaining. Sometimes it makes me queasy, and I have lost whole nights of sleep because the movement is so intense. But, I am usually able to remember that it is a good thing that he is so active and I try to be glad that I have constant reminders.
We have had an interesting few weeks. Around week 32 I had some interesting (read: painful) contractions that were coming fairly often. This was on top of Braxton Hicks contractions, which I still get regularly. Luckily the painful contractions have subsided and it appears Little Bit is staying put. In week 33 I tore one of my round ligaments as I was getting out of bed in the middle of the night. Now that was painful. And just in time for that to heal, I started having pain in my upper right quadrant this week. Turns out that this little guy is putting some pressure on a gallstone that has developed. It's all part of the fun.
When I started developing the new pains this weekend, I called the doctor to talk to them about it. Similar pain is one of the things I was told to watch for with pre-eclampsia, as it could be a sign of liver problems. So, to be safe, they bumped up my 34 week appointment to today. So we got to see our baby a whole day early. The gallbladder and the liver are very close to each other when you are pregnant, so it was my gallbladder causing the pain... no harm to me or the baby. Now that I know he is alright, I can handle a little bit of pain.
Here are some of the pictures that we got today. He is a lot bigger and more squished now, so they look different than the past ones!
Here is his little foot with all five toes - right by my rib cage, just in case you were wondering.
I like this picture of his leg because it shows how much his bones have developed - and it's nice to see more chubbiness around the bone as well!
We also got five pictures of his face. Here are my two favorite. In every picture he was waving his arms back and forth. He also gave us another thumbs up today!
How is he positioned? He's head down but turned to the left... which means I have a very lopsided belly right now. It also means that he is putting constant pressure on my right rib cage, hence the gallstone bothering me, and battering me with his feet and hands on the left. At least he doesn't kick as hard any more, I don't think he can now that he has less room!
How big is he? It's only an estimate at this point, but they are saying 5 lbs, 6 ounces... which is right where he should be at this point. I, myself, am measuring about one week ahead. He should gain about a half pound every week until he is delivered.
When will he be here? I wish I knew! He'll be considered full term when we hit week 37, which is December 18th. He could make his appearance anytime between then and January 8th. If I do develop pre-eclampsia at any point after week 37, we expect him to be delivered right away. All three doctors we saw today said that they thought it would be sometime this month. I am good with that! But, of course, it's most important to Andy and I that he be healthy.
Are we ready for him to come home? Yes and no. We have most of the big things done that need to be done... but there are some interesting little things we haven't taken care of yet. We also need to finish packing bags for the hospital and for Charlie, as well as preparing for labor itself. I think, perhaps, I am slightly in denial about the impending labor. We have decided to work with a doula, and I'm feeling really good about that decision!
I just keep thinking about the moment that I'll get to see his little face and hold him in my arms... and the first time that I'll get to see Andy hold him. With my pregnancy hormones, it's enough to make me cry every time and decide that I can handle cysts, gallstones and labor. I just can't wait to meet him!
Ahoy Matey!
This past August, when I asked Charlie what he wanted to be for Halloween, I wasn’t sure what type of response I’d get. Last year I just got a blank stare, so I had to give him three choices. This year, he answered very quickly, “A pirate or a dragon.” I have found, lately, that he usually has a very clear opinion about what he would like. It is a change that I (usually) appreciate!
By September, the dragon was out and all he wanted to be was a pirate. In fact, he decided that he wanted to be a robot pirate. What is a robot pirate? It is a boy, dressed as a pirate, that speaks pirate-talk in a monotone voice. It is a Charlie creation that I laughed at for about two months. We picked out a pirate costume in late September, and Charlie enjoyed wearing it several times leading up to Halloween. His favorite part of the costume? The telescope. We offered him an eye patch, a telescope, or a bird for his shoulder. (The bird was in honor of my sister, Liel, who once became fascinated with a fake bird at Christmas time.) Again, Charlie had a clear opinion and said that he needed a telescope. Actually, he kept calling it a stethoscope... So we repeatedly were talking about the difference between the two! Charlie still plays with his telescope almost every day.
On Halloween, Andy and I had the final day of our Labor and Birth preparation classes. So Charlie got to go play with Candice, Tanna, and Candice’s parents. He was respectfully worn out by the time we picked him up, after hours of playing with the baby, playing in leaves, and photos – which I think Candice has up on Facebook. He woke up really quickly when we got home though! We only had an hour or two until trick-or-treat time, so we watched The Great Pumpkin and ate some dinner. Then he and Andy headed out to go door to door. I was amazed at how much candy he was able to collect in a short period of time. How does that happen? All in all, it was a great Halloween!
By September, the dragon was out and all he wanted to be was a pirate. In fact, he decided that he wanted to be a robot pirate. What is a robot pirate? It is a boy, dressed as a pirate, that speaks pirate-talk in a monotone voice. It is a Charlie creation that I laughed at for about two months. We picked out a pirate costume in late September, and Charlie enjoyed wearing it several times leading up to Halloween. His favorite part of the costume? The telescope. We offered him an eye patch, a telescope, or a bird for his shoulder. (The bird was in honor of my sister, Liel, who once became fascinated with a fake bird at Christmas time.) Again, Charlie had a clear opinion and said that he needed a telescope. Actually, he kept calling it a stethoscope... So we repeatedly were talking about the difference between the two! Charlie still plays with his telescope almost every day.
On Halloween, Andy and I had the final day of our Labor and Birth preparation classes. So Charlie got to go play with Candice, Tanna, and Candice’s parents. He was respectfully worn out by the time we picked him up, after hours of playing with the baby, playing in leaves, and photos – which I think Candice has up on Facebook. He woke up really quickly when we got home though! We only had an hour or two until trick-or-treat time, so we watched The Great Pumpkin and ate some dinner. Then he and Andy headed out to go door to door. I was amazed at how much candy he was able to collect in a short period of time. How does that happen? All in all, it was a great Halloween!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Pumpkin Patch 2009
This year we visited the pumpkin patch a little bit late – just one week before Halloween. As a result, the patch that we visited was a tad short on pumpkins in their main field. So, we ventured to their “south” field, which had barely been touched. In fact, many of the pumpkins were still on the vine. They all looked so good that it was difficult to choose one. When we asked Charlie which one he wanted, he pointed to about seven different pumpkins and then ran off in a different direction... With me reminding him that running in mud puddles while wearing rubber boots is not a great idea. (Luckily he did not fall.) When we finally all found a pumpkin we agreed on, Charlie helped Andy cut it off the vine with Andy’s handy pocket knife. It was a quick trip to the patch this year, but still a lot of fun!
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