Another great doctor appointment! 37 weeks!

Yesterday Nic and I went to the doc. We're on weekly appointments now. Everything was spectacular as usual. We saw the missus instead of the mister. I think we'll be back to mister next week. She had us cracking up as usual. We were chatting about all the things that aren't talked about regarding pregnancy, delivery and post partum recovery. It was refreshing to see that she, even as an OB doctor, didn't know everything going into her pregnancy either. It was pretty comical.

We did the typical weigh in, blood pressure and fundle heights. Those stats coming a little lower. She also confirmed what I suspected last Wednesday. The boy did, in fact, drop! How exciting! She felt his head while I was laying down and said that he was most definitely engaged. All signs read go! Another big positive is that I am GBS NEGATIVE! From what I understand, this is a very common bacteria present in the birth canal. It's this bacteria that leads doctors to want baby OUT within 24 hours of the water breaking. Since I tested negative, we aren't too concerned about an infection and I wont need antibiotics during labor. Another nice thing is that I wont be in a rush to get to the hospital. The doc made it very clear that I can stay at home as long as I'm comfortable and if it happens late at night that I don't need to call until morning. Ahhh, what a relief. I really would like this labor to go smoothly and let my body lead the way. I'm very thankful that I have doctors that agree and all three of us feel that medical intervention should be a last resort. It's very comforting.

When we talked about the contractions I've had this last week and where I was feeling them, she gave me a few pointers and positions to try. Turns out, that's exactly what I did. :-D I was feeling it a lot in my back so I got on my hands and knees. A little hip swaying felt much better too. Both things she suggested. She also said that counter pressure would have been a big help too. I couldn't help but chuckle and give Nic a knowing look. The morning after the contractions (when I was telling Nic about them) I had told him that I would have loved to have him pushing on my back but I didn't want to wake him up. It was nice to hear her suggestions and was even more reassuring knowing that my body knew what it needed and I could, again, follow its lead.

So that's the gist of it. This is a belly picture that I took once we got home from the doctor. Getting big and more and more low everyday.


So, here are the stats...
How far along? 37 Weeks 3 Days
Total weight gain: 28 pounds!!! I had a 2 pound increase this week. It kinda washes with the 1 pound increase I had for the 2 week period last appointment. Yeah, that's it! Actually, I think it's because the boy dropped. Since I've had the extra room, my appetite has been out of control. I never feel full anymore. I made myself a 1.5 lb. steak last night and still went back for a giant bowl of cereal. Yeah, cereal has been another big craving lately. I just can't get enough! I told Nic that I could easily see how some women gain 60 pounds! If I felt like this the whole time, I would be a blimp!
Maternity clothes?: Ha! Barely. I rarely leave the house anymore. There's so much to do here and very few reasons to get me out in this winter weather. I have my favorite jeans, several sweaters and shirts to rotate through but at home I'm in tshirts and pj pants. :-D A girl has to stay comfy!
Sleep: What sleep? I kid, kinda. I'm good until about 3 or 4 AM. Then hips ache, arms/hands tingle, full bladder begs to be emptied and contractions kick in. I think the contraction have something to do with a full bladder and lack of fluids those hours that I'm sleeping. As soon as I relieve myself and quench the desert in my mouth, they go away. I do sleep with a liter of water on my nightstand but I don't wake up until the contractions are starting. I still don't know if that's good or bad. All I know is the end is near!
Best moment this week: Nic telling me about his Daddy bonding time with the boy while I was asleep. Such a sweet moment!
Movement: Yes but much less. Of course this isn't a concern to the doctor. He is clearly running out of space in there. I still feel him several times a day and much more in the evening and when I'm getting ready for bed. It wont be a concern unless I feel him less than 3 times in an hour. This boy far surpasses that!
Gender: Boy! Without a doubt!
Labor Signs: What signs don't I have?! I've lost the plug, have dropped, get regular contractions through the night, you name it, I've had it! The only thing I'm lacking at this point is actual labor!
Belly Button in or out? Out by about 1/4 of an inch. Barely anything.
What I miss: Oh many, many things! Belly sleeping, sleeping at all, sitting on the couch comfortably, sitting at all (I can't rotate my hips since he's dropped. I just perch on the edge of chairs) ribs that don't ache, peeing like a normal person, normal sized ankles, hands that don't tingle, feeling my finger tips, typing without a million type-o's, being able to walk upright without back aches, getting out of the house, being productive, having energy, hmmm....I should probably stop now.
What I am looking forward to: The opposite of everything listed above! ;-) Oh and having a precious little boy in my arms.
Weekly Wisdom: The end is hard no matter what! The outcome is worth it!
Milestones: Dropping! Woo-Hoo! Another step closer!
Fundle height: 37cm
Mama's waist size: 42 1/2 inches! Holy crap!!!! It's amazing what a woman's body can do. I look forward to seeing what happens post partum!

Yea for progress!!!!

I love progress. Especially when it's on a project that's been the only thought on my mind! Nic has been a working fool. He's so good to me. We've procrastinated and hesitated and dragged our feet on getting this nursery done. I know he wants to do it and get it done but it's hard to find the motivation to work on your day off. He does this stuff 5 days a week and thinks about it 24/7. I can't blame him for not wanting to put in full days on Saturday and Sunday but this Mama has been chomping at the bit to get something completed. He made me a very happy camper this weekend.

All day Saturday he worked on electrical. He was in the attic for about 90% of the day, pawing through insulation, discovering hidden junction boxes and scratching his head at the mess of wiring this house has. It was no small task to get new wiring to the nursery but he prevailed. My honey bunny did it! He had a big helping hand from my dad, Grandpa O'Brien. I would have done my best but I probably wouldn't have been as big a help as he was. They made a good team.

On Sunday, I was the assistant. With the majority of the electrical in place, it was time to put up new drywall. It sounds like the electrical part would have been easy considering there wasn't drywall up but we were putting the drywall over the plaster. It would have been a mess and very costly to tear all of the plaster out. It was much easier just to go over it. We covered the ceiling with 3/8 inch drywall and the walls with 1/4 inch. It was a little more costly to do the 1/4 inch but we had to. The original idea was to take off the baseboard, refinish it and put it back on after the drywall. When we tried to remove it, we discovered that the baseboard ran behind the floor (another 3/4 of an inch below floor level) and the wood floor was toe nailed to the base. Needless to say, it wasn't coming out without cutting it or damaging the floor in the process. It's a good thing we like it and planned on keeping it. We just refinished it in place. The 1/4 inch drywall allowed us to still have a reveal and a lip to put the decorative trim piece back on. When everything is said and done, you shouldn't even be able to notice the difference. It makes my head spin just thinking about it. We're not completely done yet. We have completed the ceiling and 2 walls. We still have 3 walls to go. Huh? A room with 5 walls. Yeah. The way the closet is bumped out, it's technically 3 with a small door wall...but I didn't count that one. It's only going to take a few scrap pieces to cover that anyway. I was hoping to have the wall board finished today but I'm still pleased with how much we accomplished. It was tough work and I'm glad Nic let me help. We'll probably finish the wall board tomorrow and he can work on taping the joints. As soon as that's done, I can get going on sketching the mural. :-D

It was a beautiful day here today too. Believe it or not, we had the windows open the entire day. It was in the 50's which is unseasonably warm for Vermont in the end of November. I'm thinking it might just stay warm enough for me to have the windows open while I paint too. :-) That would make for a happy Daddy. It's cute the way he's become so protective. Sometimes I snap back at the things that he wont let me do but he has a good rebuttal. He says, 'Do I ever tell you that you can't do something when you're not pregnant? Then just listen to me when you are. You can do anything you want after you have our son.' I guess I really can't argue with that kind of logic. He's just looking out for our best interest.

So, as predicted, here are a few shots that show what we were working on today. I didn't manage any of the electrical day since I was out running errands for a lot of it and neither Nic nor Dad were in the mood for photos. I doubt I would have been able to get a good one of him in the attic anyway. As usual, I'm not in ANY of these photos. I have to remind Nic to take a few pictures of me all the time. It's like I wasn't even there. Vacations too! Today I couldn't really blame him. He was busy. I managed to snap a few as he was doing things I couldn't help with.

Here Nic is assessing the situation over morning coffee. Notice he's still in his pj's and not quite fully awake yet. Up and at'um!

Now we're in work mode. We've been working for a little while now and we're still working on the ceiling. Notice my pencil drawings getting covered? I knew they would. That was my trail run. I'm looking forward to doing the mural. :-D I only have to wait until the mud is done!

Still working on the ceiling. He started to yell at me at this point. He just doesn't appreciate my documenting process.

Ok. Well, I still managed to get a smile out of him.

Here we're ready to move onto hanging the walls but we need to mark where the electrical boxes will be. Wouldn't you know, the very first one we try to do, we hit a stud. Duh. Great start huh?! Thankfully the rest were relatively pain free. It's not very easy going through plaster and cement board.

Another angle of the same hole. Sometimes I just can't help taking pictures of my handsome man.

Yea! Progress! Notice the headlamp. Since this room doesn't have electric at the moment, Nic needed some sort of supplemental lighting. It starts to get dark at 4 around here. Sheesh! Since this room has East and North windows, he needed some light help before 3! How's anyone supposed to get some work done?

Look at that posture! hmm...there goes more of the doodles.

This is the last wall that we got done today. We had a few more pieces to put up after this long sheet but they were smaller pieces around the door. Once we finished that, we could barely see in front of us let alone the tools we were using and spare pieces of drywall. The headlamps could only work for so long and Nics shop lights are at the job. Oh well, work with what ya got....right?

So that was our day. I'm pooped and Nic is already passed out in bed. I guess I forfeited the belly rub when I let him climb into bed without me. I need to blog earlier next time!

Updates and Pictures

What an interesting title for a post...not. I'm slacking. There has been a lot going on in the last week. It seems like that is my new normal so I should just get used to it. We have had a birth class, a doctors appointment and another ultrasound.

The birth class went well. It was a very long crash course but very informative. A lot of it I already knew from all the reading I've been doing. Most of it was new for Nic, or so he let on. Most importantly, it sparked conversation between us that, otherwise, wouldn't have been thought about until my actual labor. I found it most helpful to see the stages of labor and how to cope with them. They showed us many positions for comfort and assisting the process. Nic was shown how to make me feel comfortable and assist as a coach. I'm glad we went. We learned a lot. I wasn't too nervous about being in labor and giving birth but that class gave me even more of a calming feeling. I fell like I can do it and I can handle what's about to come.

The doctors appointment went really well. We're now seeing the doc every two weeks. This visit had been 3 weeks since the last. Somehow we got on an off week but now we're caught up. The stats are as follows:

How far along? 32 weeks 6 days. Only 7 weeks 1 day to go until we hit our due date. :-)
Total weight gain: 24 1/2!!! I'm pretty excited about that. It looks like I can very easily keep it in the normal range of 25-35.
Maternity clothes? Yes, for some time now. I even have my favorites.
Sleep: Is going well. Only a handful of early morning potty breaks. I purchased a snoogle body pillow since the last update. It's incredibly comfortable. It took a little getting used to because it's a little tough getting positioned into it with such limited moving abilities. BUT, it was well worth it! I sleep like a baby, I don't toss and turn anymore and I'm waking up much less. Even Nic noticed enough to comment. :-)
Best moment this week: I'm still getting the belly rubs which feel amazing. He's even nice enough to rub my hips and lower belly aches. Highlight of the week though was definately the 4D. It was just so neat to see little man acting like a real baby does. Yawns, eye rubs, blinking, finger sucking. I just love it all!
Movement: You better believe it! This kid is active! I rarely get a moment when he's not moving around.
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: Nothing worth worrying over. I have had Braxton Hicks. The doc confirmed that when I had one as he was measuring my fundle height.
Belly Button in or out? Out. It's mostly flat but slightly popping out if I'm doing anything other than laying down.
What I miss: Not much. I miss being a normal active woman. I'm the kind that says, I can do it myself. It's hard when Nic tells me I'm not allowed to bring in the firewood or I can't do something that seems simple to me. I feel a little useless. Mostly because I feel like I can do it, not harm the baby and he wont let me.
What I am looking forward to: Finishing this nursery! It's the only thing that's really weighing heavy on my mind.
Weekly Wisdom: We're never going to be 100% ready. We just need to take it as it comes.
Milestones: I'm not sure I've hit any in the last week. I think my next milestone will be hitting full term. It's coming up fast!
Fundle height: 32cm
Mama's waist size: 40 1/2 inches...WOW! It doesn't feel that big?!

The ultrasound that we had on Wednesday went very well too. That one was mainly just because. The doctor gave a reason of checking his size but it really wasn't necessary. I had fun checking him out again though. As it turns out, little man isn't so little. At our 18 week ultrasound he was measuring about a week ahead. This time he was measuring about 2 weeks ahead. Uh oh! The day of the ultrasound I was 32weeks 3 days. His head and belly both were measuring 33 weeks 3 days. The humerus bone (his upper arm) was measuring 35weeks 3days! This might be one tall dude! With those measurements, the belly measurement weighing in as one of the most important, this guy is weighing in at 5 pounds 3 ounces!!!! Holy crap?! I still have 7 weeks to cook this guy! I'm hoping that he doesn't top the scales at 9 pounds but I'll take a healthy baby no matter how much he weighs. The task at hand is a little daunting though. :-/ We even had the same sonographer that we had at the 18 week appointment. He was very nice and even gave us another 3D of the face. This face shot seems to have more detail. We were able to see the hair much easier. One of the eyes was covered by the umbilical cord though. I'm looking forward to seeing the doctor again on the 1st to see what he says about this little guy really being a big guy!

Here's some pictures. Enjoy!

All that wispy stuff on his forehead is hair! I guess the old wives tale isn't true. I have a baby with a full head of hair and not a single day of heartburn. :-) I think he's beautiful.


Look at those cheeks! OhMyGoodness! I love it! I can't wait to kiss them!

We're having a Boy! Oh, did we already know that?

Well Friday was a pretty big day! Nic and I ventured almost an hour to Keene New Hampshire to get a 4D ultrasound. I made sure to have a little something to get him moving. (I wasn't too worried about it since he's quite active but better safe than sorry.) Nic was excited but I was SUPER excited. I couldn't wait to see when our little man looks like and said it only a few dozen times on the way there. :-D I also wanted her (Kim, the ultrasound tech) to double and triple check the gender because the very day before, I had another dream about a baby girl. Yeah. It made me nervous because we have already had a baby shower. We've already made purchases with a baby boy in mind. Not to mention we'd be starting from ground zero on names. Well we're not much further along on boy names anyway. That's a whole other story. Let me just say that I am thrilled we are having a boy and it's not just cause it'd throw of our game plan so far. We found out that he's already in a head down position and the big bump on my left side is his tush. It was also nice to see that the poking and prodding I get in my ribs and on my right side are his precious little feet. I don't feel so bad pushing back now since I KNOW it's not his head! ;-) So lets get the pictures started! The video will be posted in a separate post as soon as Nic shows me how to edit it and shorten it a bit. Don't worry, I wont take out any good stuff...just the extra stuff that makes it 40 minutes long!

Here's Daddy. Wishing I didn't bring the camera...again...

Me, giddy and ready to see my boy!

This is the sweet little room that we did the ultrasound in and the TV in which we were able to see him.

This is Kim. She was a sweetheart! She was very nice and made sure that I was comfortable through the whole process. She even let us run a little late since she didn't have another appointment after us.

She was even nice enough to take a picture of us. She was a little worried about using my camera. It could be a little daunting if you aren't familiar with a dSLR. :-)

Here I am all jellied up and waiting to begin.

This is a cute flower that Kim made of my belly. The belly sure looks smaller when I'm laying on my back. :-D

Here's our little man. Eyes open and a little smirk to go with those big, fat cheeks.

Here he has his eyes closed and his chin resting on his hand. Just like Mama does often.

I love this little scrunchy face.

Lets pucker up and how off those cherub cheeks!

This is a 2D shot of him flexing his toes. Can you see them? His hand is just to the right of his toes. He just finished tugging on them. Too adorable!

This is just further proof that we have a boy on our hands! We didn't get a picture to prove the gender at our 18 week ultrasound so here it is. Just in case anyone had a doubt...now you don't! Hahahaha

Finally, this is one of my favorites. I must say that the 3D picture we got of this man at 18 weeks was the spitting image of Nic. This one reminds me of a baby picture of myself. I can't wait to hold him in my arms, study his face and really see the combination of the two of us.

Such joys await us. Hope you like the picture!

Where have I been?

Shoot it's been a busy week and then some! I've been wanting to BLOG for days...scratch that...weeks!!! So much has happened. Let me share a few things with you.

1) I finally started my career as a professional photographer. It's going to be a slow, long road but I've started the journey. I was asked to take some photos for a real estate project. They decided to buy 7 images! Woo-Hoo!!! That very same week, I signed up on google business. I listed kristiinasheree.com on the google maps as a photographer in Windsor, Vermont. Within 6 days I received a proposal for a wedding next summer. This one hasn't landed in contract yet but I'm on my way.

2) I am done with work. I have mixed feelings on this one. I'm excited to be done. I'm nervous to no longer have the income. I'm relieved I have more time to prepare. I feel the need to pull the purse strings a little tighter which pretty much limits how much I can prepare. I like that I'll be able to relax and enjoy the end of my pregnancy. I can't help but think the decrease in activity will make labor a little harder. So many things spinning around in there... It'll get better. It'll all come together. Even if the nursery isn't done when he gets here, I'll have a couple months before I'll need to use it on a regular basis. Now let if we/I have the time with a newborn.

3) We refinished our wood floors on the whole first floor. Zoinks! What was that? Yeah. The. Whole. First. Floor. What were we thinking? We are on a tight schedule here. The impending birth of our first child only countable weeks away. What were we thinking?! We have had to strip the kitchen floor of peel and stick tiles, plywood and laminate. After a heat gun, various tools, hand scraping and a whole of of sand paper, the kitchen was ready for finishing. We also found a patch in the oak with pieces of maple. Interesting... Thank goodness it's where we intend on putting in a few pantry cabinets. It shouldn't show. I must say. It looks fantastic! It's the original oak to the 1930 build. It looks brand spanking new but with character. The wood in the sun room is fir. That turned out to have a lot more red in it than I thought it would. Also very pretty. Wouldn't you know, we discovered a roof leak in the sun room within days of having the floors finished. Talk about freak out! But all is well, no marks on the floor. It looks so good, we're going to arrange the furniture differently and Nic's itching to do the upstairs too. (but it's been put on the to do list with a much lower priority) It's also lit a bit of a fire under his butt to do inside renovations this winter. He wants to work on refinishing the trim so that it all looks good together. Gotta love that man! I am glad we did it. We got one heck of a deal on it. Only minor inconveniences. I will be happy tonight when I have my kitchen back and the refrigerator is out of the basement. Yeah. The basement. That's where my stove is too. I've never wanted to cook so bad in my life. I'm so sick of take-out, restaurant food and whatever is ready made or microwaveable. Ugh.

4) I harvested carrots. They are too cool. I planted a row of short and sweet. I have so much carrots! I have gumball size that will be frozen for soups and stocks. I have some that will be used for muffins, breads, cookies and cakes. (The way carrots should be enjoyed!) I'm sure I'll use some for salads and dinners too but what fun is that?! I definitely plan on planting another row next year!

5) My checklist of updates:

How far along? 29 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain: 16 pounds so far but we'll see tomorrow at the next check up.
Maternity clothes? Yes, for some time now.
Sleep: Is going well. No midnight potty breaks. Not many aches (hips and ribs on occasion). He woke me up the other morning jumping around. It was the first time his movement disturbed my sleep. Still laughable. Ask me about it again in a couple weeks.
Best moment this week: The nightly belly rubs from Nic. He's been very helpful putting on the cocoa butter before bed and feeling his little man kick.
Movement: Tons and Tons! I've been feeling all kinds of rolls, jabs, kicks, hickups, you name it, I felt it. A lot in the ribs that don't hurt yet and several to the bladder. That is an interesting feeling! I think I can now start to feel body parts. I can tell head from butt from feet. Sometimes it feels like he's stretching his neck and moving his head from side to side. So cool!
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: None thankfully. I think I may have felt a few braxton hicks but nothing painful. My belly gets tight for a few moments then it's soft again. I can only guess, that's what it is.
Belly Button in or out? Out. It was mostly flat up until 2 nights ago. Then I noticed that it's ever so slightly an outie now. Hmm...I wonder how far out it will end up going?!
What I miss: Belly sleeping. I love love love sleeping on my belly. Sometimes I just can't get comfy on my side.
What I am looking forward to: Getting more of the nursery finished. I feel so behind.
Weekly Wisdom: Don't spaz. It'll all come together.
Milestones: Identifying body parts from the outside. So cool!


This is me at 28 weeks 1 day. It's flying by!

99 Days!

It's official! I'm in double digits! Only 99 days until I reach my due date and I (hopefully) will eagerly be working towards having our son in our arms.

This has been a pretty awesome week. So many great things have happened. On Tuesday I had a doctor appointment. Everything is going great. I'm still gaining weight in moderation. We're both growing right on track. My belly is measuring 25cm. He even told me that we can do another ultrasound in a few weeks for fun. :-) I love my doctor! We had a great talk about many things to expect in the weeks to come and with delivery. The more and more I do my research and pick his brain, the more I realize that I found a doctor that has the exact same protocols as I would prefer. He's well read, laid back and will let nature take it's course rather than intervene. I don't think I could be as comfortable with another doctor. He's awesome! He does a great job of keeping Nic involved at all of our appointments too. He makes sure to ask both of us questions instead of just addressing me.

I have also noticed that little man's movements have changed. They feel more deliberate and prolonged. They aren't spastic pokes anymore. They feel like rolls and pushes. He's been very active and most days I wonder when he actually sleeps. I can feel him early in the morning when Nic kisses me goodbye, in the later morning when I'm laying in bed, after I drink my morning coffee, all day long when I'm running around at work, ALWAYS when I'm puttering around in the kitchen cooking, A LOT when I'm hanging on the couch with Nic and then again as I'm laying in bed trying to fall asleep. I. can. not. figure out his sleep patterns. Does he snooze for 15 minutes at a stretch and then kick me for half an hour and repeat? Don't get me wrong, I love it, I love feeling him. I just wonder if I'm ever going to sleep again once he gets here!

I also had an exciting week professionally. No, not at the restaurant. Waitressing is just a means to get by. I'm talking about my photography. For quite some time I have dreamed of turning my hobby into a career. My passion into a profession. My creativeness into an income. Since moving to Vermont, I have focused on landscape photography. I have also made it a point to document the massive undertaking Nic has taken on as a job. Well, my documentation has turned into my good fortune. The owner of the house saw some of my photography and LOVES it. He has asked me to take photos for marketing and real estate listings. This will be my first paying gig under my own professional name! No longer a second shooter. No longer letting someone else make the big money off my work! This gives me great hope for building a career out of pictures. I longed to do something that I loved. I want to be able to make my own hours. I want to be able to stay at home with my son yet still contribute to our household financially. This is an answer to prayers. This makes me happy.

So, I've floated through this week. I hope I have several more. just. like. this. :-D

161 days down and 99 more to go. So many things to do!

2 are growing to 3

Well, after a little trying, the hubs and I are expecting again. With great joy, we've gotten through the scary part and are sailing well in our second trimester. Actually, by the end of next week I'm officially 6 months along. I haven't really done it on purpose but I've managed to not blog, not take many pictures of my growing belly or even keep a journal. It's quite strange really. I'm excited beyond belief! I've just found it hard to keep tabs like I was with the first pregnancy. We found out on Mothers Day that I am pregnant. It was a pretty cool day to find out, I think. We were able to hear the heartbeat at our 12 week appointment on June 2nd. It was a rocking 153 per minute. Since then we've had our 16 week appointment and a 21 week appointment. This pregnancy has been flying by with ease and with very good health reports. My BP is a wonderful 110/58. I've had no morning sickness since about 14-15 weeks. I've had many healthy cravings of beef and milk. That's not exactly out of the normal for me but the doctor seems to be very pleased with my choices. I've been able to feel the baby move since 14 1/2 weeks and Nic has been feeling it since 18 1/2 weeks. At first it was sporadic and caught me by surprise but the last week has been very regular. I can feel the movement just about anytime I look for it and I even felt it when I was running around at work the other day. I think that was the first time when I was busy and not sitting completely still. I can feel the increase of hormones. I'm not an emotional person by any means and have caught myself getting teary in the simplest of situations. Once when I was walking through the baby section at Kohls. I made sure to hightail it outa there asap since I was alone and looked like a crazy person. Another when I was reading though my mothers blog about missing my grandfather. He would be beaming with joy, I just know it. I still miss him often. It makes me tear up thinking about it now. It's still a little overwhelming and surreal to think that we're bringing a life into this world. Just last night I was looking at my belly in the mirror as I was getting ready for bed. I've wanted to be a mother for so long and we were always waiting for the right timing, it just felt like it would never come. I can't quite put into words the joy it brings me to grow our family, to have a child with the man I love, and to witness the miracle of human life. Yet at the same time, I'm concerned about the changes it'll bring in our relationship, the trials that child rearing will inevitably bring or the never ending life lessons that will fill our days to raise a moral and well mannered child. It's strange how many things I can feel at once. No matter what thought runs through my head or new emotions course through my body, joy still rules my heart. Sometimes I think it's just going to burst. I can see myself being a blubbering fool on delivery day. It's ok though, I welcome it.

Oh and I must say, we've also had our fetal scan at 18 1/2 weeks. This would be the ultrasound that scans for healthy growth, measures organs and makes sure that everything is developing properly. It is most commonly known as the gender scan. :-) Of course everyone is hoping for healthy reports but look forward mostly to discovering if their little peanut is a boy or a girl. Our little peanut didn't want to cooperate. Legs were crossed and tucked up tight. There was moving and wiggling a lot through the ultrasound but no shot to give us a sneak peak. Well daddy and I were quite eager to know and we also wanted to be able to plan accordingly (that's the type A personality coming out in me). We looked 3 times! On the final shot, the very end of the exam we discovered....we're having a BOY!!! Of course daddy did a double fist pump in the air and emphatically said, "I got my Boy!" I'm so happy we're getting a boy first. I'm giddy that I can give my husband a son. I'm overjoyed that our little man is healthy, strong, active and cherished (even before birth). We can finally plan a nursery. We can start purchasing items that he'll need. We can FINALLY start talking names. Goodness, that will be a while before we can agree on one!

Such a sweet little man. He was a total of 6 inches long and 10 ounces in weight. It was only because we had a great and generous sonographer that we were able to get a 3d shot. I'm still blown away by his detail. He's so small yet so perfectly formed. I could stare at this picture all day. I see his father in every part of it. He already has his fathers lips, chin and head shape. He's so handsome and so beautiful. I can't wait to be holding my healthy baby boy.

Thank you for following my ramblings. I realize that most of this is a bit disjointed but I promise the following blogs will be better. :-)

Days 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 66

Day 61

The colored portion of the eye will begin to develop over the next three days.  Over the next two days, the eyelids will meet and temporarily fuse shut.

Child birth in other cultures...In sweden, all births take place in hospitals managed by highly trained midwives.  Prenatal care is free and provided for every woman.  Absence of prenatal care is unheard of.

Day 62

Ossification centers are established in the skull; those in the long bones continue to develop as the baby becomes more solid.  The baby's bones and muscles are growing rapidly.  The baby's developing body begins to attain proportions more like a newborn baby's.  Although weight gain fluctuates from week to week, my average weight gain is about a pound per week.  

Today was another measurement day...my waist size is 26 1/2 inches and my weight is 124.  So far so good.  :-)

Day 63

The skin has become thicker and less transparent.  The vagina is beginning to develop in females.  The penis is now distinguishable in males.  The baby has now attained a more upright posture.  In one short week, the baby more than doubled its weight, to between 1/4 and 1/3 of an ounce.  Every baby shows a distinct individuality in behavior by the end of the third month.  This is because the actual structure of the muscles varies slightly from baby to baby.  

Childbirth Then and Now...The first attempt to make newborn feedings follow a schedule was based on Dr. T. S. Southworth's observations in 1906.  He recommended ten nursings a day for the first month, and eight a day in the second and third months.  TOday, nursing more frequently (8-18 feedings per day in the first weeks) improves milk production and reduces nipple soreness. 

Today was a day to chart how I am feeling.

Mood: Normal, slight annoyance.  I'm finding my patience running very thin.

Energy:  Normal (Finally not dragging butt anymore.)

Appetite: Normal (Finally not eating everything in sight anymore.)

Morning Sickness: None (That was gone long ago.)

Cravings:  Chicken and Beef Burritos; Red Grapefruit 

Day 64

Sometime during the next three weeks, the urine that is formed by the baby's kidneys will be excreted into the amniotic fluid.  The urine is sterile and is carried away in the regular replacement of the fluid.  By late pregnancy, about a half liter (a little over 2 1/4 cups) of urine is added daily.

Day 65

Over the next three days, the baby's fingernails will begin to grow from the nail beds.  The baby's skin is sensitive all over.  Any type of touch causes the baby to move.

Did you know...Good skin tone, good nutrition, hydration to encourage skin elasticity, and gradual wight gain can precent or minimize stretch marks.  

Day 66

The baby's brain now has the same structure it will have at birth, but it's just a smaller size.  Between now and week 16, the mechanism that enables the baby's senses of smell (the olfactory system) is developing.  The thyroid, pancreas, and gall bladder will complete their development during the next three days.  With rate exceptions, I wont feel the baby move yet.  The baby's newly formed muscles are weak and the baby is so small that the womb has barely expanded and is still contained within the framework of my hips.

This has been another installment of "A Pregnancy Journal, By A. Christine Harris, Ph. D.

I must say, this week has been largely uneventful.  No more morning sickness, appetite back to normal and I've even resumed my normal sleeping schedule with very little tiredness during the day.  It almost feels like I'm not even pregnant.  I've read that this feeling is normal as I approach the second trimester.  Most soon to be moms see nearly all of their symptoms diminish before they begin to have visible signs of pregnancy.  Since I had very few symptoms to begin with, I've begun to have these feelings (or lack of symptoms) a little sooner.  

Days 56, 57, 58, 59 & 60

Whew! Where have I been?!  Working and sleeping, that's where!  Lets try a quick catch-up  here.  

Day 56

The critical period for the baby's leg development has ended.  This means that the legs are now at their proper location and proportional size for this stage in development.  The shoulders are present and have rotated out to place the arms at the sides of the body, with the elbows pointing down toward the hips.  The legs have rotated in and are squarely in line with the trunk; the knees point up to the face.  The fingers and toes are separated, and the soles of the feet are visible.  By today, the thin layer of ectoderm that has covered the baby has been replaced by a layer of rather flattened cells, which will become the surface layer of the baby's skin.  The intestines have begun their migration into the body cavity, but are still primarily located in the umbilical cord.  The baby's genitals are beginning to form but don't distinctly look male or female.  The baby measures about 1 1/16 of an inch in length and can easily be held in the bowl of a tablespoon.  

Day 57

This is the first day of my 3rd lunar month.  The pregnancy journal that I'm using counts from the day of conception and in 28 day increments.  Yea for week 9!  

Over the next four days, fingernails, toenails, and hair follicles will appear and the baby will assume a more upright posture.  The joints began to develop during week 6 now resemble adult joints.  Week 9 is  a period of rapid growth.  The first several weeks have been a time of exceeding growth but the baby will begin to grow even more rapidly from this point.

Did you know...The baby's growth period as an embryo has just ended.  From now until birth, the baby is technically a fetus.  The word fetus comes from the Latin meaning "offspring".

Day 58

The baby's head now makes up more than half of its length.  For the time being, the face is broad, the eyes widely separated, the lids are closing and the ears are low-set.  By the end of this week, the baby will measure nearly 2 inches in length.  He or she stands about as tall as the short side of a credit card.

Day 59

The baby's body continues to straighten; its torso lengthens and its posture becomes more upright.  Even though baby's legs are short and the thighs are relatively small, the lower limbs are now completely vascularized.  My uterus is now about the size of a small grapefruit.  By the end of this week, about 3 tablespoons of amniotic fluid baths the baby.  This fluid is renewed every 3 hours.

Day 60

Over the next four days, the baby's skin will thicken and become less transparent.  It will take another week or so for the intestines to complete their migration.  I need to do everything I can to avoid environmental tobacco smoke and exposure to other pollutants.  Smoke and other pollutants are absorbed through the lungs and carried through the bloodstream along with the oxygen.  They are easily transferred to baby's system in the oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange.

This has been another installment of "The Pregnancy Journal" by A. Christine Harris, Ph. D.

Thankfully have my full appetite back with a complete lack of nausea.  I have been enjoying my pregnancy and the many cravings to the fullest!  I have given up some of my favorite foods for the need of better nutrition but we're both better for it (me and baby, Nic has always had a great diet).  Sadly, I've given up all fried foods...french fries being my favorite.  Nic has been a wonderful supporter making it a point to tell me he's proud of me when I ask for a side salad instead of my standard fries.  (Sounds simple but I'm not a fan of leafy stuff)  He helps me watch my sugar and sodium intake and is more than willing to blend up a smoothie for me when I'm craving a dessert.  I find that I want water.  A lot of water!  Some of it may be keeping me up at night too.  Normally I'm a pretty heavy sleeper.  I don't wake till morning once I go to sleep at night.  It's become a pretty regular occurrence that I get up between 4 and 5 to go potty.  I've tried to hold it a few times only to have it wake me up over and over...fine...I'm getting up!  I guess this is something I'll have to deal with for quite some time.  I woke up this morning leisurely and spent my first hour awake lying in bed reading my book.  I've been somewhat of a bookworm lately.  Anything I can get my hands on, I'm reading.  That might be another reason why I'm so behind on my blogging.  Chat with you soon!

Well, it's off to stick my nose in a book.  :-)

Day 55

Over the next two days, the male scrotum will begin to form. The baby's head now looks rounded and is disproportionately large, making up almost half of the baby's length. The tissue that will become the scalp has appeared as a band near the crown of the baby's head. The neck region is established.

From this week on, there will be a 40-50 percent increase in my blood volume, mainly in the liquid portion of the blood (the plasma). There will be only a slight increase in red blood cells.

Food Facts...Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, seeds, and nuts are main sources of protein, iron, B vitamins, and zinc. One serving size equals 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat or the equivalent. The protein equivalent of 1 ounce of lean meat is 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans, one egg, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 1/3 cup nuts or seeds.

Childbirth in Other Cultures...In Sweden, pain medications are available to women, but the decision as to what have, if anything, is theirs. Birth is seen as the woman's accomplishment.

Today was a measurement day. My waist size is currently 26 1/4 inches while my weight is 123 pounds. Not too bad considering that I was measuring 26 inches and 119 pounds at time of conception. I still haven't been having any weird food cravings even though I have been having cravings. Tonight I plan on having soft tacos because I've been craving a little spice again. Last night and the night before I ate an entire grapefruit as dessert. I peeled it just like an orange and savored every bit of sour! Well, it's off to work for me. Have a wonderful day!

This has been another installment of "The Pregnancy Journal" by A. Christine Harris, Ph. D.

Days 53 & 54

At 22-24 mm in length, the baby is four times as long today as it was just one month ago.  If I experienced a comparable growth rate, within a month from now, I would have to duck to stand in a room with 20 a foot ceiling.

The baby's eyelids are more developed now, and the tongue is fully formed.  Today, the external ears assume their final shape, but they are still low-set.  The baby's toes are now unwebbed and appear longer.  For the first time, the baby's limbs are capable of purposeful movement.  

The rapid rate of growth experienced over the past three to four weeks will not slow, but the pace will continue and , at times, even quicken.  I will need to do all that I can to stay well nourished, well hydrated, well rested and relaxed.  

This has been another installment of "The Pregnancy Journal" by A. Christine Harris, Ph. D. 

Today (day 53) was a day off for me.  I've been extra tired lately and spent the day lazily.  I slept in and even laid in bed for a while once I woke.  I played with the girls (my fury little punkins) and read my book.  Actually I read a lot of my book.  I just started it last night and I finished it today.  Tomorrow (day 54) I plan to do a little photography.  It's been quite some time since I've been to Nic's project and I'd really love to get some good snowy pictures of Woodstock and the ride to the job.  We will see if the weather wants to cooperate.  If it does...I just might have a few pictures to post.  :-)

Day 51

The retina of the eye is now fully pigmented. The baby's arms are longer and now bend at the elbow. The fingers and thumb have lengthened, but are still short and webbed. Notches, or grooves, have formed between the toes on the foot plate. The baby's tail is still visible but stubby, and disappears by the end of this week.

I may notice my clothing becoming a bit tighter around the waist and bust line as my body changes and the baby grows. Am I showing yet? (Surprisingly, I haven't seen much change to my waistline. I have noticed a change in my bust but not enough to warrant a new bra or see a different in my shirts. That might also have to do with the fact that I'm wearing a minimum of 4 layers these days. I even still have some definition in my tummy. Not quite a ripped 6-pack anymore but still visible abdominal muscles and the remnants of my 'V'. I'm still holding my tummy tight when I stand and can feel the difference when I 'let it all hang out'. A few times I may have overeaten slightly...OK, totally...and my very full belly hung out like I was 7 months pregnant!)

Food Facts...Fruits provide carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and like vegetables, are important sources of vitamin A and C. One serving size equals one medium piece of fruit; 1/2 cup of berries; or 3/4 cup fruit juice.

Child Birth Then and Now...In 1652, Philip Barrough in 'The method of Physick' recommended breathing through the pain of childbirth: "And if she was unskilled of pains of travell admonish her to hold her breath strongly, and let her thrust it out to the flanks with all her might." During that time it was widely believed that birth pain could be eased if the woman would relax her pelvic region, a belief still strongly held today.

So far I haven't had too many funny cravings. The nausea of morning sickness left me weeks ago and I find myself to be tired more than anything else. I am craving water, meat and sour. I've been adding much lemon juice to my water and even indulged in a small pack of skittles when I couldn't find any sweetarts. I must say though, the other night I was craving waffles. I looked up a recipe, pulled out the waffle maker and went to town. I couldn't possibly smother it with maple syrup in good conscience so I opted for a healthy dose of peanut butter with a little bit of strawberry jelly. Yup, it's official...I'm pregnant!

This has been another installment of "The Pregnancy Journal" by A. Christine Harris, Ph. D.

Day 50

The surface of the baby's brain is now beginning to develop the rounds and fissures characteristic of humans. The upper lip is fully formed. Primary ossification centers are appearing in the long bones. These centers direct the replacement of cartilage by bone. The ossification process always starts in the upper arms, where the first true bone cells will replace the cartilage. If the baby is a girl, the clitoris is beginning to form (from the same tissue that the male penis develops from). By this time, the critical period for the baby's heart development has ended. The heart will continue to grow and develop, but not at such a fast pace.

For your information...The baby's heart has been beating strongly. The stomach can produce some digestive juices, the liver can manufacture blood cells, and the kidneys can extract some waste products (uric acid) from the baby's blood stream.

Food Facts...During pregnancy, take car to safeguard the nutritional value of the foods you eat. Baking a vegetable in its skin preserves most of its food value; microwaving vegetable skins on is likewise beneficial as is grilling, provided a little oil is used.

This has been another installment from "The Pregnancy Journal" by A. Christine Harris, Ph. D.

Day 49

Over the next three days, the baby's arms will lengthen somewhat and begin bending at the elbow. The fingers and thumb have appeared, and are short and webbed with folds of skin between.

Did you know? The baby's arms at this point are only as long as this number 1.

Food Facts...Vegetables, including potatoes, provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals and are important sources of vitamins A and C. One serving size equals one cup of raw, leafy vegetable, 1/2 cup chopped or cooked vegetable; or 3/4 cup vegetable juice.

This has been another installment of "The Pregnancy Journal" by, A. Christine Harris, Ph. D.

On a side note...IT'S COLD IN VERMONT. As rumored, it IS colder today. When Nic and I woke this morning, our thermometer outside was reading -19! Needless to say, we're going to be late for work. Neither of our vehicles want to start. Thankfully, we have a block heater for the Dodge and it's currently 'plugged-in' and should be started shortly. Nic's Jeep is just giving up altogether. It gave 2 or 3 attempts and flat lined! Thank goodness for AAA! Hopefully he'll be able to make it to work eventually, otherwise, it's a snow day! HAHAHA Welcome to the North East!

Day 48

The structure of the baby's eye is now well developed (it's not mature enough to do any visual processing yet, though). Over the next three days, the tongue will begin to develop. The external ear canal is present and the ears are set low on the baby's head. As development proceeds, structures literally get pulled from one location to another. The baby's ears will not stay low-set (unless that is a family trait). They will be pulled to their normal position as the head grows in size and shape. Likewise, the eyes, although well formed, are located on the sides of the baby's head, much like a rabbit, but they too, will migrate forward as head development continues. The baby now measures 16-18mm long and weighs about .94 grams (that's about as heavy as a teaspoon of water!)

During this time, any diseases I have can be communicated to the baby. I have to avoid contact with people who have cold, flu, or other illnesses. Simply washing my hands often will liken my chances of staying healthy.
Did you know? Between 1 and 2 teaspoons of amniotic fluid is now present in my uterus?
For your information...Even though the baby is surrounded by fluid, it does not drown because it does not depend on lungs for air. Oxygen comes to the baby from me through the umbilical cord blood. (I think most people know this. At least anyone that has a general idea of anatomy.)

This has been another installment from "The Pregnancy Journal" by A. Christine Harris, Ph. D.

On a side note...IT'S COLD IN VERMONT! As promised, we're talking about weather. Today it's was -6 when I woke up. With wind chill...I'm not quite sure because I didn't watch the news! The high for today is ZERO! With wind chill that's more like -20! (At least that's what they said on yesterdays news. Thank goodness tomorrow is supposed to warm up more. (I'm hearing through the grapevine that tomorrow might be colder...) I still think we're going to be in the single digits with wind chills in the negatives! Yowza! Boy am I glad I've learned how to layer!

Day 47

By today, the baby's eyelids have begun to form. Over the next two days or so, the baby's basic body proportions will change: The trunk will begin to elongate and straighten. For the time being, most of the intestine is found in the umbilical cord since the abdominal cavity is still too small to accommodate this rapidly growing organ along with the large liver.

Did you know? The bottom portion of the stomach grows faster than the top portion, giving the stomach its characteristic curved shape.

For your Information...During this week, the baby's backbone begins to develop the individual discs that act as cushions between each vertebra. In addition, the sacral vertebrae in back of the pelvis fuse.

Pretty Darn Cool huh? This has been another installment from "The pregnancy Journal" by A. Christine Harris, Ph.D.

You can also follow along with me by becoming a friend of mine on whattoexpect.com My profile can be found at http://www.whattoexpect.com/profile/Biinaboo

On a side note...IT'S COLD IN VERMONT!!! We woke up this morning to a temperature of 0 Degrees. Not so bad, we've dealt with zero before but with wind chill...it feels like -19! Ahhh...! OK well, it's going to warm up today, right?! NO! We have a high of 2 with continued wind chill that feels like -15. Sad thing is that tomorrow is going to be worse. I'll let you know what that feels like tomorrow...geesh. :-)