Belly Update

I don't think there is any doubt anymore. I have officially "popped." Just thought I'd post a picture (taken yesterday, 30 weeks) for those of you that don't see me on a regular basis.

Childbirth 101

Saturday, Nick and I attended childbirth class, interesting in its own right but it was made much more interesting by the other students, particularly one who seemed like she had something crawling in her pants all day. I first noticed this woman when she ran (literally) out of the room during our breathing exercises. Mind you, everyone was lying on the floor with pillows and blankets, there was spa-like music playing in the background, and the instructor was going over breathing patterns. This was supposed to be a calm environment, but I guess the babbling brook got to her, because this lady bee-lined out the door, presumably to the bathroom. Then on our way to the hospital for our tour, she pushed through about 3 of her fellow pregnant students and their husbands, again running frantically toward the bathroom. Poor lady. Well, as if this didn't bring her enough attention, she spent the whole tour doing awkward stretches and squatting while sighing and moaning. The final straw though was when she rounded the corner, reached under her blouse and took her bra off. She proceeded to look at the group, including the teacher and say, "I'm sorry I just had to do it." Then she carried the bra around for the rest of the tour. I guess pregnancy affects women differently, but man, this one brought on the drama.

Well, aside from my classmates funny behaviors, the class was very informative. They described what labor was like, how you know you are in labor, how to deal with the pain, and showed several videos, which were slightly traumatizing because the women were frowning and moaning a lot. Simply put, they were miserable. Well, then I realized that those were mostly women who didn't get any anesthesia. During the second half of the class, they showed videos of the women who did get anesthesia, and that appeared to be a much more pleasant experience for all involved.

So, all in all it was a great experience for Nick and me. I'm pretty sure I got some major sympathy points after he saw what I was going to be going through, but I am excited and I know it will all be worth it to see our baby's sweet little face!

Our Little Performer

Today we had another ultrasound. We were a little nervous because I had to go to another part of Brookwood to get it, but lo and behold, the technician was great and more importantly he was in perfect position for us to see his little face. It was so weird because she had that wand all over the place, including right below my left rib where his big foot was!


It was so great to see him again, everything measured well, and he looks perfect! Seeing him on that black and white screen never fails to bring Nick and me tears. It is a great reminder of what a miracle this baby is. We are both very thankful for him and are praying everyday for his continued health.

Growing and Growing

As both titles suggest, I have been expanding as of late. I am officially in my third trimester, and I am amazed at how quickly time is going by. Before I know it, it will be over, and then the real fun will begin. For now, we are thoroughly entertained by things such as the increasing convexity of my mid-section and my ever changing belly button.

This weekend we went to Target to pick out some stuff for our registry. It was a sea of bouncers, swings, pack 'n play's, strollers, and on and on. By the end we were lost and confused. And here I thought it would get easier as it came closer to time to have the baby. In the midst of our baby gear browsing, I had to go to the bathroom (shocker), and apparently while I was gone Nick snuck one of those home baby heart monitors into the cart. Well, observant as I am, I didn't even notice until we got home and he pulled it out to show it to me (Nick has always been really good at surprising me). Now, I am pretty skeptical when it comes to stuff like that, and I acted excited although in my head I was thinking, wow that was a waste of money. But, I went with it, and much to my surprise, it actually worked! We could hear a faint but definite and repetitive sound once we got it positioned correctly. Now, I know what you're thinking, but I placed in on my chest and the rates were distinctly different, so I knew it wasn't just my own heartbeat we were hearing. In fact, we separately counted and we both got 132 bpm as his little heartrate. I had to give Nick credit because this $20 purchase actually was worth it after all. It was just one more reminder of the miracle of pregnancy that we thank God for every day!

A Tribute

Okay, so we all know it takes two to make a baby, but let's be honest, pregnancy is focused almost entirely on the mother. So, for that reason, I have decided to dedicate this entry to my husband and all the men out there who go through pregnancy and all that it entails with their wives.

I would like to start with patience. For the entire first trimester, I was basically in a coma. While most men are greeted by their loving wives and sometimes even a warm meal when they arrive from a long day at work, mine arrived to a sleeping wife, sometimes with remote in hand and no prospect for a meal of any kind. He never once complained, in fact, most nights he came in kissed me on the forehead, and made dinner for himself and sometimes me, if it was working for me that day. Some evenings, I would literally sleep from the moment I walked in the door from work until the next morning. I'm not sure how either of us survived that period. Fortunately, I was too tired to be moody, so he didn't have to deal with my attitude in addition to my inactivity.

Next is persistence. Nick has gone to almost all of my doctor's appointments with me, which has been great, but it has also made him hold me accountable to what my doctor says. For example, our first visit, the doctor suggested I take a fatty acid supplement because there is some research that shows it may help with brain development. From that day forward, it became his mission to get me on those fatty acids. Prenatals did NOT agree with me, so I was not so big into pills of any kind. But he never gave up, and now every night I have an Expecta fatty acid and a glass of water waiting for me before I go to sleep. Speaking of sleep, another recommendation by the doctor and witnessed by Nick is that I am only to sleep on my side, not my back. Well, apparently I am quite fond of sleeping on my back, but I never stayed there for long before I would get that gentle nudge from Nick that put me right back on my side.

Finally, I have to acknowledge his support and love through all of this. Pregnancy so far has proven to be wonderful in many ways and also a challenge in many ways. The biggest challenge for me has been not knowing how I'm going to feel from one moment to the next. Having a loving supportive husband to go through it with me has enriched the experience, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to do it without him!

So this is just a small tribute to the silent soldier that is my husband because I may be the one carrying the child, but heaven knows he's going through it all with me.