There Really IS a Baby In There!



Crib and Dresser on right.

Robin and I bought the baby's crib on Monday and it and the dresser went on sale this weekend.  My husband is a big negotiator so he got the items price matched (they "don't do that") plus we used 20% off coupons on both.  We saved almost 50%!  Rather than go with a changing table, we decided to go with a dresser and changing pad on top.  Most of our friends said that a changing table is great for babies and small toddlers but after that, they're too long.  Plus, we like the idea of a piece of furniture that will grow a bit with the baby.  Here's a picture of our set.

I had a monthly checkup on Friday.  One thing I haven't told you yet is that we didn't go with an OB/GYN.  When I took the first positive test at home, I called my doctor and found out she doesn't do prenatal care.  I've never been to an OB/GYN; I've always had a family practitioner.  I hate to say this but I was actually glad.  In the time I've been in Kansas City, I've been going to the same office but they've changed my doctor 3 times.  I loved the doctor I had previously but she left when she had a baby and wanted to be closer to her family.  The current doctor is very new and she's a big reason why it took 3 months to get a diagnosis for my colon issues.  So when the receptionist told me she didn't do prenatal care, I was a bit relieved.  I asked for her suggestions and she said the health system I was already in had a Nurse Practitioner who was also a midwife.  The word "midwife" was a little scary but the receptionist said I could go to her to have everyting confirmed and decide from there if I wanted to stick with her or she would help me find an OB/GYN.   

Jeanie is amazing!  We both really like her and she spends a lot of time with us when we have appointments.  The main difference between an OB/GYN and a Nurse Practitioner-Midwife is that she will spend a lot more time with us in the hospital than a true doctor would.  She will go through coaching with us and she won't have to run to and from other delivering moms.  She has delivered more than 5,000 babies and has been in on over 2,000 C-sections.  She has an OB/GYN backing her up everyday in case anything goes wrong and though she can't do a C-section herself, she will be there if we need one.  One question we had was if we would be delivering at home or a hospital.  Thankfully we are delivering at a hospital and it's only 5 minutes from our house.  Another question I had was if I could have an epidural if I wanted it and I can.  Honestly, I don't do pain well and I just want to have the option available if I want. 

I saw Jeanie yesterday and the first thing she did was pull out the doppler and let me hear the baby's heartbeat.  I can't explain how cool that sound is unless you've experienced it yourself.  The baby was very active and kept "running away" from the doppler.  I just had to laugh.  I love knowing I have an active little one in there (get back to me on that when he/she is kicking me in the ribs).  I still can't feel the baby but Jeanie said that it'll take me longer because the placenta is attached to the front of my uterus, meaning the baby is facing my spine for now.

One concern we've been having is the level of nausea and vomitting I've had.  I started taking Zofran more regularly thanks to a suggestion from Stacy back home.  It's a lifesaver!  I haven't been sick since Monday.  I've still had some problems gaining weight but I did gain another 2 lbs meaning I've gained 3 lbs. since my first appointment.  I'm happy that it's coming on slow but I just want to make sure I do gain enough for the baby.  Still, even with only a slight gain, I can't button a lot of my pants anymore and my bowels have moved pretty far up according to Jeanie's exam.  She thinks by the next appointment, I'll be showing!  The only bad news we got was that our next appointment is not when we will find out the gender.  It's 6 weeks from now when we'll be able to tell and that's too long between appointments so Jeanie is having me see her in 4 weeks then go back 2 weeks later to find out the gender with a sonogram.  Now it looks like it'll be about the first week of November when we find out.  It'll be a good early Thanksgiving present!

I'll leave you with my 13 week picture.  Not much has changed since my week 11 picture!  Atlas definitely knows something is up.  He loves to cuddle on my lap so I've started to put a pillow there so he can't hurt the baby.  Atlas is 70 lbs, much too large for a lap dog, but he doesn't know that!  These days he's fairly gentle with me and has started cuddling next to me rather than on me.  Sometimes when I'm sitting at the kitchen table, he lightly snuggles his nose into my belly and lays his head with his ear against me and just stares up.  I truly think dogs know when something is different and I wouldn't doubt it if he's trying to bond with the baby.  Robin and I both agree he will likely start sleeping in the baby's room or in the hallway between our rooms.  Here's a pic of him, just so we all remember who was the first baby in the house, and to celebrate his 3rd birthday which is Wednesday, September 29th!

Happy Birthday, Atlas!  Pretty smile!

My First Maternity Adventure

This morning was a really great morning.  I woke up and laid in bed for a while until a little wet nose decided it was time for me to get out of bed.  (That would be our dog, Atlas, if you haven't heard about him yet.)  It's hard to believe in a couple of years it'll be little fingers and giggles getting us up on a Sunday morning!  Robin made muffins and I used up my caffeine first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee.  It tasted SO good!

I decided to take advantage of feeling better, made a small "things we need list", and headed to Target while Robin was at the driving range with friends.  Before I describe my first maternity adventure, let me note that I should never be left alone in a Target.  I worked at Target for 2 years when I was in college and I think I wasted at least 2/3rds of every paycheck there as soon as my shift was done.  I never leave the store without spending at least twice what I originally intended.



A couple ways to wear the Bella Band.

 Back to my trip.  I grabbed the usual household items we needed and headed to the maternity section, "just to check it out."  The first thing I saw was the Bella Band.  Though I haven't gained much if any weight (I'll find out for sure on Friday, September 24th), some of my pants are a little snug.  I'm at that stage where all I feel is fat, not pregnant.  My main problem is my jeans fit fine but as soon as I eat even the smallest meal, my belly gets big and my pants get way too tight.  That's where the Bella Band comes in.  I don't have to button my pants, this baby just keeps them up for me.  I'm wearing it as I type this and so far it's working great.  The only strange thing for me is that it sits above my belly button unless I fold it over and right now that's not a sensation I'm used to feeling.  All in all, great investment.  I paid $16.99.

Next I stopped by the clothes racks.  First I found the longer maternity tanks.  After talking to Marsha the other night, I decided I'd probably need a couple of these.  She was kind enough to give me a lot of her maternity clothes that she no longer needed and there was a black tank in one of the bags.  Of course, I had to have another color.  I grabbed a white one and I'm wearing it right now too.  I love how long it is and there's room for more belly growth.  I paid $10 and though I'm sure I could find a cheaper one somewhere else, I was AT Target.  Why wait!?

Similar dress, mine's black.

Then came the danger zone, the clearance rack.  I'm not lying when I say I saw at least 6 things I would have bought on the spot but then I realized it's still way too early to be buying too many clothes.  I did find a basic, black dress that I think I can wear year round and in a lot of different ways.  The one pictured here is pretty similar in a different color.  I'm thinking I can wear a cardigan over it in the warmer fall months and in winter I could wear a sweater and leggings with it.  The best part is it can go dressy or casual.  (Do you see how I can justify ANY purchase??)  My favorite part is the price.  I paid $9.98 for the dress!

Finally, I got myself out of the clothing section and headed to my last stop on the maternity adventure, the lotions.  I was "lucky" enough to inherit the familial wide hips so I have had some stretchies there for years.  They don't really bother me, it's rare I notice them at all, but I really don't want anymore if I can avoid it.  I picked a lotion with vitamin E and a few other skin savers and called it good.  The 8 oz. bottle was $4.50 and thankfully, it doesn't smell like I just bathed in cocoa.  Let's hope the old stretchies will not invite new friends over the next couple of months!

There you have it!  This trip probably sounds fairly inexpensive...except that I then had to buy some food and snacks.  We almost never buy groceries at Target and now I remember why.  They just aren't that economical.  Even though I overspent, I think my first maternity outting was a success!  I didn't spend as much on those items as I thought I would and I got some great basics.



12 Weeks, 9/19/10



Finally, I leave you with my 12 week belly pic and Robin's first purchase for the baby.  I feel this has been the longest 12 weeks of my life and I'm really hoping the 2nd trimester will be much easier and more fun.  I have this month's check up on Friday and I think the October check up is when we'll find out if we're having a boy or a girl.  Obviously we're taking these pictures on weekends because I look slightly tired (ha, ha).  I promise I'll take some better ones when I get my energy back!



B-E-A-R-C-A-T-S!



The booties will go nicely with the Bearcat onesie we plan to buy for the baby to come home from the hospital.  This kid has no chance; he or she will be a Bearcat even if he/she decides to go to another school!  Have a great week!

The good, the bad, the just plain ugly!

I'm one of those lucky new moms struggling with extreme nausea.  Before this point in my life, I hadn't vomitted much at all other than when I had a good case of the flu in the 4th grade and one horrible experience with Sprite and peach vodka (shudder) in college.  Today I thought I'd list out the things I'm craving (the good), the things I really don't want at all (the bad), and the things I cannot stand to even think about (the ugly).

The Cravings (Good)!
At this point I don't have many cravings, probably because I'm still dealing with the nausea.  One thing that I seem to want constantly is fruit. My favorites are bananas, strawberries, and grapes of all colors.  We go to the grocery store about twice a week just to ensure I have enough fruit to take to work and snack on over the weekends.  They're my go-to snack!

I also have a huge hankering for Biker Jim's Buffalo "Hot Dog."  Check out the website, specifically click on the menu, here:  http://bikerjims.tumblr.com/.  Biker Jim was on Anthony Bourdain not too long ago and his food is freaking amazing!  The problem is, he's in Denver and I'm in Kansas City.  Let me explain to you the awesomeness that is Biker Jim's.  First, this is a hot dog stand.  He is opening a restaurant now too but there's nothing like a good hot dog stand.  Second, he starts with a fresh dog.  You choose what it is, they're all unique.  I had the Buffalo dog and I think Chad and Lindsey had the Venison or Reindeer dog.  Robin chose the good old Koshur hot dog.  Biker Jim (or his staff) cook it up right there in front of you on a cast iron skillet.  He also cooks up some sauteed onions but they aren't your everyday onions.  These are sauteed in Coke.  Delicious!  He opens up a fresh baked bun from a local bakery, sticks in your piping hot dog, and then comes the magic.  He squirts a line of cream cheese on top.  Amazing!  Then he puts on a good helping of onions and you choose your condiments.  Price?  Hot dog, chips, and a drink for around $6 or $7.  My stomach is now growling!

The only other craving I had was triggered by a commercial and thankfully my husband was at WalMart. I really had to have a Snicker's Ice Cream Bar.  My grandparent's have always had them in their freezer and I LOVE them!  Yum, yum!

The Aversions (Bad)!
I have no tolerance for meat right now.  It doesn't matter what kind of meat it is, I can't really stand to eat it.  I do try so that I get some protein going but it's really hard these days.  The worst is red meat, specifically roasts or hamburger.  Strangely enough, I really don't crave ice cream either.  The Snicker's bars were the exception.  I love ice cream.  It is one of my biggest challenges because I am my father's daughter in this department.  Middle of the winter and 20 below, I'm eating ice cream!  This is a big change for me.  I've only bought ice cream once since we found out we were expecting. 

Foods that have a really smooth texture don't work so well for me either.  It's not that I can't eat them but they aren't very appetizing either.  Examples would be yogurt and pudding.  Both are bummers because both are typically in my fridge and in my lunch box!  I think the texture just makes me go "BLAH!"

Other than these, no food really sounds good.  I describe myself as extremely food averted.  I eat because I know I have to, not because I really want to eat what I'm eating (other than the good category).  The saddest aversion I have is for most if not all veggies.  I can eat salad to a point but things like broccoli, carrots, etc. sound really disgusting.

The Puke List (Ugly)!
I am a food fanatic, fueled by my brother and sister-in-law who have introduced us to all kinds of amazing types of foods and restaurants in KC.  So for me to say that I cannot STAND the thought of Vietnamese food makes me a little sad.  A few weeks ago I had some...and it then took revenge!  That was the worst night I've had so far and I will not repeat it for many, many months. 

Cheeze-Its.  I made the mistake of feeling sort of yucky and thinking "crackers will help" so I ate some of these babies.  Needless to say, I relinquished the contents of the box to my husband immediately.  He took them to work...so I don't have to see them.

Hot dogs.  Just shoot me if I have to eat another hot dog.  I'm not talking Biker Jim's amazingness.  I'm talking the kind we all had in our freezer for the summer, thrown on the grill, and eaten up American style.  Disgusting.  My gag reflex is kicking in....

Other than foods, I've also noticed a few smells.  #1 on this list is the foamy soap here at the hospital.  I used to love this smell.  Semi-antiseptic and clean, it made me feel I was killing any critters on my hands but now the smell makes me want to vomit immediately.  At least it's in a good location...the bathroom.  #2 is this reed diffuser my coworker has in her office.  Gag me now!  I'd probably like it any other time but now it just makes me think of really bad things.  #3 is flowery lotion.  Some lady put lotion on her hands when we were on the shuttle to work the other day...and I had to fight the urge to slap her.  What was she thinking???

There you have it.  The good, the bad, and the just plain ugly!  I'm sure each category will expand in the near future but it's interesting to document step by step what's fantastic and horrible about being pregnant.

Introducing Baby Sol!

If you're reading this post, no doubt you've already heard our good news.  Baby Sol is on the way!  Since both Robin and I have family and friends in far flung areas, I thought it would be fun to keep a blog of our experiences leading up to Baby Sol's arrival and what happens when we become first time parents.

I think I'll start by answering some common questions that we've been getting.  Here we go:

9/13/10 - 11 Weeks

When did you find out?  I took the first test August 2nd while Robin was at work.  I took a half day and met him at home with a bib that said "I (heart) Daddy."  We had everything confirmed at the doctor later that week.  We are ecstatic!  A couple of weeks ago we finally got to hear Baby Sol's heartbeat which was by far the coolest thing I've heard in a long time and I mimic that sound a lot.  The baby still looked like a little blob but the sonographer said he or she has a big head.  I really just wanted her to turn around and take a look at my husband.  Perhaps that would explain why the baby has a big head!  Haha!

When is the baby due?  Our first due date was April 10th but I was moved up to April 3rd because the baby is measuring larger.  I'm anticipating a late baby but I comfort myself and stick with the April 3rd due date.

When will you find out the gender?  We do want to know the gender and will find out around Halloween.

What names are you thinking?  Robin and I have had our names picked for over a year now.  Even when we weren't attempting to have kids, we were naming them!  Unfortunately for you, we aren't sharing our names with anyone though a few people have heard them because we knew they wouldn't share.  We don't want any influence on what we like or dislike so for now, we refer to the baby as Pablo.  Yes, Pablo.  If it's a girl, we'll call it Pabla, according to Robin.  He's truly nuts.

We told my parents with a scavenger hunt!

When did you start telling everyone?  I told my bosses at the beginning of week 8 because I've been so sick.  They very excited and I feel so blessed to have this job.  Last weekend we told our families the good news.  Everyone had a different reaction but they were all positive and some were even comical.  My mom screamed and hugged us both while my dad looked flabbergasted.  My Grandpa was really funny.  He said congratulations then followed up with, "Whatever you do, if it's a boy don't name it after me.  I hate my name.  And don't name it after my sister, Ines, either.  She hates her name too."  Robin's dad cried when he finally realized Robin was telling him we were expecting and his family cheered.  We told our friends this weekend at a bbq.  Most of them said they noticed I hadn't been drinking but they weren't all that surprised I didn't have a drink in front of me; I haven't been drinking much this year anyway.  Overall, the reactions have been really great!

How is your stomach issue now that you're pregnant?  The funny thing is my colitis is basically gone.  I haven't had an issue whatsoever since about the 6th week.  I am allowed to take my meds but I've been VERY sick with my pregnancy so I haven't bothered to try.  Instead, I have my face in a toilet frequently enough that I'm on some anti-nausea meds.  They mostly work but other days they just don't.  I never know how I'll feel which is really odd and annoying and instead of having "morning" sickness, mine is literally 24 hours a day.  I even wake up in the middle of the night.  My pregnancy has been nothing like both of my mom's though she craved fruit and that's something I eat constantly now.  Everyone reminds me that this will be worth it but right now, all I can think of is what tomorrow will bring. 

Was this planned?  This isn't a super common question but most people are pretty surprised that we're pregnant to begin with so I think it crosses their minds.  The truth is yes, we've been working on this since earlier this year.  We just didn't tell many people because we didn't want the pressure.

So I guess these are the most common questions I've gotten so far.  Robin has been really great and that's why I keep saying over and over on FB that he's the best.  He knows when I don't feel good that there's nothing much I can do but lay around and pray it passes.  He cleans, he cooks, he runs out to get something I need or want, and he carries the really heavy stuff.  He even lets me have hormonal moments where I bawl or scream with very little reaction.  I am so happy to have this man in my life and I really can't wait to see him as a Daddy.  He's gonna be really great!