Plane trip

So Eli took his first plane trip to DC on Sunday and did smashingly well! He slept both ways and I was very proud. He was an excellent little trooper.. Now, the HARD part of the trip was sharing a room at night.. We had our own room but he slept in a pack and play that wasn't familiar to him and was moving/talking/waking up every hr BOTH nights we were there. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time we got back. Its hard being a baby and traveling alot. And to make it even harder/more challenging, we are driving to TN. on Sunday for a week long vacation...

Once again we will have our own rooms but thankfully this time it will be a suite, so we actually will have our own rooms and I can shut the door and he can get some sleep. And in DC our rooms faced L Street and in TN hopefully they will face nothing but quietness :) So we will see but another life experience- I had a blast in DC, although I, of course, didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see!!

Now that Eli is 6 months and change, we have started a more solid food routine (well we started it today actually). I will be doing oatmeal with a little bit of jam in the morning and a vegetable/fruit every night pretty much for the next 3 months. I also give him bits of bread, banana and mashed potato when its around. My goal is by 9 months to have 1 big bottle when wakes up, breakfast of oatmeal, another big bottle around lunch time, a snack & smaller bottle in afternoon, and "dinner" and another big bottle at sleep time. Currently we do 6 bottles/day and I would like to reduce that down to 3 bottles of 8 ozs and 1 bottle of 6 maybe. The bottle is the main source of nutrition until age 1, and food mostly at this point is just a learning exercise but having those 3 "meals" will help him better in daycare and just overall :)

He is doing better with his sitting up! He can stand up holding things with a little bit of help and is 100% interactive with people :) Alright here's a pic to go!

Older

It's really interesting that when you have a baby your body changes... I heard it, but was like "I'm young! No big deal" but I think it is also changes for a number of reasons- and I'm not talking hormonal, biological changes.. mostly physical... First of carrying a baby, delivering a baby, then carrying this baby (generally until they are 30ish lbs), can do a tremendous number on your body. I am not sure how to reverse the changes, as you obviously had a baby so you could carry it around :) But it something I need to process really and think about.. My mother said it was like training for a marathon, which of course I didn't believe, but now I think I am starting to.

Tis it- Eli turns 6 months on Tuesday!

Brand new world

Well, SO much has been going on that I have been amiss in not documenting it! We are grabbing for things, eating things, standing (with help), talking more, watching people/animals/things.. I think 5 months was a big one in terms of development. He works everyday on trying to sit up.. He is half way there. I love it. :D

And the womyn!! Ha! Seriously everytime we hit a girl btwn 3-5 they just melt around Eli. I have had at different points girls on both side of Eli's stroller touching him, talking to him.. 1 girl today said she loved him- and they just met! I don't know, I might have to be fighting girls off him his whole life!! Its sooo cute, and Eli's like who is girl?? Its soooo adorable. I want to take pics!

We are working our way through the holiday season- we did Rosh Hashanah/Halloween/Fall/Thanksgiving (a vegetarian one for him) and now we are working up towards Hannukkah, then I can take a rest for a while! He will be 6 months in about a week- my little boy will be hitting the 6 months mark- totally cool. I give him all sorts of food now to taste. He just kinda sucks on most of the stuff for now, but when I give him a bagel or hard bread he partly chews on it. He always has his hand in his mouth, and I think its pre-teething.

But thank g-d everything is going well.. I just wanted to leave you with a pic!

food and all night benders

Well my bebe has started on solids.. well kinda of. I was going to wait until he was 5 1/2 weeks but I figured my extended fam that was in last weekend would want to see it.. So I had everyone around the table, with the camcorder on, and.... he ate the 1/2 tsps worth of banana no problem. Then the next day the same. But then it was taking him longer to *you know use the little boys room* so I figured I would wait a little longer before I try again. Since, for now, I am making him his own organic baby food. I went out and got this gigantic organic sweet potato that I boiled, then pureed, then put in 2 ice cube trays, which I will then put in a ziploc bag for him for later. My goal is when he is a more regular eater that he will be eating all sorts of stuff- yogurt, peas, avocado, sweet potato, oatmeal, carrots, etc. So I hope to have little plastic baggies with this stuff that I can just let it thaw and serve!

Since he will be a vegetarian, as he gets older he will be having almond butters, tofu, whole wheat products, cage-free eggs, cream of wheat. I will be holding off on the meat-alternative products until he is a little older.. maybe in the 1 yr oldish range? But its good.. I was ready :)

So last night I put Eli down at 9:30ish, my normal time.. and he is talking to himself for a little then falls asleep. Then I hear him at 2:30 and his legs are caught in the slats (but he's fine) and I take them out, and leave the room. Then I hear him at 4, 5, and 6:45 still talking to himself. I have no idea if he got any sleep at all! It's his first all nighter without me!!

Cuteness with his older cousin!

My almost 5 month old

So, my beautiful baby is starting solids in 2 weeks! My beautiful baby I believe is pre-teething. My beautiful baby sat up for the first time last night! My beautiful baby.. is well.. beautiful! Can you tell I am biased ;)?? He's super cute. I'm glad he's mine. Your life changes so much when you have a child. I hear so much rhetoric about just everything, but I am guess you just don't understand the commitment until you grow in your love with your child as they grow. I have to be honest, when Eli was first born I didn't feel that motherly connection you hear womyn having "ohhh from the moment I saw him I fell madly in love!!"... Nah, I didn't have that. You grow in love as you get to know your child- their wants, needs, feelings, smiles, kisses,etc.. Love def. has to grow.. And its not just love. It's pride, satisfaction, love, sweetness, heart, growth.. its alot of different feelings.. I love being Eli's mother...

But it does take time.. Only now can I start to reflect on what was. I didn't want to think about the birth story really, I needed some time away from it before I could delve into what it was. Being a mother is such a bodily experience. From Birth, to caring for, to existing to everyday (puke, poop, drool- everything!)...

So, yes, I have changed.. for the better :)

Halloween!

So I thought that I should put up the world's cutest Halloween pic of a baby in a pumpkin costume :) Things are going well, Eli turns 5 months on Monday. I am starting him on solids in t-2 weeks! My little baby is going on solids- wow! I was just watching him sleep and he is such a little man. I love him and can't wait to watch him grow up!!! Alright here in the pic- will update more hopefully later, been reflecting alot on the whole pregnancy journey and where I am headed :)

PS- t- 18 months until I start again- woohoo!

Let's see

Hello all- What are some new developments in baby world? Well, Eli is def. starting to touch/feel things and thats sooo cool! He now rubs my arms while we cuddle and he is starting to play with his toys in his exersaucer. Its just cute in general. He has been staying up during naptimes these last 2 days and has been super cranky at night.. But no day here is consistent- lots of noise, movement, etc and so there is no real quiet place for him to go to rest! So I am trying to change his night schedule so he can go to bed earlier. We shall see!

I made my pumpkin puree today for my pumpkin bread that I am making tomorrow. I got a nice size pie pumpkin from the store for a loaf, but tomorrow Eli and I will be heading down to a local farmers market to pick up some pumpkins to carve and some more pie pumpkins to make loaves for everyone.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur went well. We made it to services each time and sat for a bit. Its hard though b/c my baby is a talker :) :) and during quiet time likes services it gets hard. But now we are in Sukkot and this year really is to early for him to enjoy/remember a sukkah- so next year- fo sure!

So Eli has a toy chest now and a bunch of toys I got from others and tonight I was going through them and putting them in age appropriate boxes/chests/etc.. Then I did the same thing with his clothes.. And its amazing how many things he has, in terms of clothes that he really hasn't been able to use that he has now grown out of! But its like half sad and half proud, as I put his clothes in storage (for either another boy down the line or something) that my little boy will never be that size again and proud that I got him this far! In though he is a baby he clearly has a personality and just needs love and support and nourishment to make everything grow. My little baby boy is gonna be 4 1/2 mths old on Monday!! I can't believe it!

I am starting to think about foods and how I am going to make them and its sad :( But happy at the same time..

I love my boy!! Hope everyone is well!

Rolling over! Scooting!

Wow- so much has happened in the last couple of days.. I have had some major bonding time with Eli and it has been wonderful. I think as I become a more long-time mama I am feeling so many things that I hadn't before!! I just am so much more involved with everything now- he rolled for the first time yesterday and today my Dad said he "crawled" aka scooted for him! My little almost 4 mth old boy (on Monday) is becoming a real life baby :) :) :) So I am very happy and love to cuddle and snuggle and give a million kissies a day to him :)Tis all for now!

First portaits

So yesterday Eli & I were at one of our playgroups at the JCC and the preschool was taking school portaits and they asked if I wanted Eli's pic done- well of course!! I had been planning for weeks to get it done but just hadn't, so it all worked out :) If I like them I will older more, if not.. well then oh well! Didn't have to pay for the sitting :) We are well- I am ready for Rosh Hashanah. Did all my holiday cards, baked honey cakes for sibs and family, know where I am going to shul :)

After RH is done, then of course Yom Kippur, but then after that is Sukkot! I am hoping or going to figure out how I can get a sukkah done in our backyard.. I am thinking PVC pipe or something or the sort! And concurrently I will be carving pumpkins and making pumpkin pie/breads :) Also I am in the process of making Eli his first quilt so we shall see how that works out. I LOVE LOVE the fall- its my favorite time of year and this year I can begin my traditions :)

I bake challah every week but since tomorrow is my 29th Birthday, I am going to make my challah today, freeze it and heat it up tomorrow night for dinner :) I am going to make a round raisin challah- so we shall how that works out.. So everything is good, thank g-d! And if I don't post again before the New Years- L'Shanah Tovah!

My mother was right!

My mama once made an offhand comment when asked if she had seen this particular tv show in the '90s and she said "I was too busy raising my kids." And boy, was she right! Its so hard keeping up with everything- the news, the weather, etc. If I don't glance it on a headline or hear a soundbite somewhere I am totally out of the loop. I pretty much missed most of Hurricane Ike- I only really heard about it when the gas prices started rising. But I am glad that I am so busy raising my son, that its okay!!

Well, also not to mention a house full of animals- really. I have 2 cats, my parents have 2 cats, 1 dog and I am turtle-sitting 2 turtles for the last month or so. So on a daily basis I take care of 7 animals!

I am starting to get excited about Rosh Hashanah. I have purchased the new year cards (5769 is pretty exciting!), I am figuring out what where we are gonna get family portraits and I am going to try my hand at round raisin challah and apple cake! Also I am going to do something special for my Sunday School class just not sure what yet... I think we are going to exchange new years cards and do something apple related!

On the Halloween/Fall front, Eli, myself, my sister and her boyfriend are going to go pumpkin picking this Sunday! I have to buy some cooking pumpkins and make a batch of pumpkin breads with a variety of things in them; freeze 'em, and enjoy all thoroughout Oct/Nov :)

But Eli is 14 weeks now. He can laugh now. His vision has improved tremendously- he can follow you as you walk across a room and he's starting to see other people/animals around him and just watching. He has half rolled and I am waiting anyday now for the full roll. He is a very vocal baby with his coo and squeaks.. It's tres cute- and he still sleeps through the nite!

Alright must go- feeding time :)

latest

Well I figured it was time for a proper update!! What is the latest goings on?? Well, Eli & I went to synagogue for the first time last weekend. It was nice, there is a subsection of babies there who Eli will grow up with as they will be in the same grade. I never had the opportunity to say "i grew up with this person and that person" b/c we moved so much, so I hope to stay here long enough for Eli to be able to say those things.

He is still sleeping through the night wonderfully. I am glad we cleared that hurdle! B/c in about a month or so, we start pre-teething which means we will be up again at night, so at least I get some sleep before that starts :) But I am totally on his schedule, so if he needs to get up or his body gets him up- its okay- he's a baby :) And he's my baby!

I really like being his mommy. Sometimes I want some time to myself, but I would say 99% of the time, I love just having him in my life. Its def. a growing process. Thankfully he's an easy baby. We are working on him sitting up and grabbing toys. Its all happening, just slowly. He makes alot of cooing and talking sounds. In fact, we were in shul actually and he started "talking" during the bat mitzvah girl reading her speech, so we had to leave ;)

What else?? I had my FIRST labor and delivery dream last night, ha! I never had a single dream about babies or delivery all through my pregnancy and post partum! I knew the dream had to come eventually :) And here it is! It was an easy labor and delivery in my dream- so it was a nice dream.

One of the other mommies is 7 1/2 mths pregnant, and has a 14 month old son and I swear the "wanting to be pregnant" hormones started swirling. There must must be a biological trigger when a womyn sees a baby. It must be a survival of the species type of thing. I was like "awww, I want another baby." And I'm not like that, I am happy to not be pregnant b/c I enjoy my caffeine and having my body back... But seeing other pregnant mommies thing is hard!

So I hit 29 this month! And I am telling everyone that I am going to start in the late summer/early fall of '10 to have another baby. So I am on the "clock" so to speak. Why am I rushing to have another child? I just want to have my little family intact and together. I don't feel satisfied with just 1 child. I need another. At least.. and/or maybe 3 children? I feel just not settled- not completed- not done. I know I want more, so this is the time. The younger I have them, the younger I will be to watch them grow, etc. It's hard to sit and wait. Technically, I could get pregnant by Spring if I wanted to. But, I think 2 yrs (well less than that now) is a good time... Eeekkk..

We shall see!!!

Latest tricks

Well, Eli is nearly 13 weeks!! His major accomplishments are he found his hands :) Now they are in his mouth constantly and he loves it. I think one day he will fit his whole fist in his mouth! He is sleeping through the night (thank g-ddess)! He goes to bed around 11ishpm and wakes up around 7ishAM. He is starting to grab toys but he doesn't realize why yet. He is starting to sit up better.

And he is still super cute!!

:)

Let it be marked here~

Tonight at 8:15pm during Governor Richardson's speech at the DNC, my son Eli briefly sat up for the first time eva!!!! Uh-oh from now on- big stuff is gonna be happening!!

He's 11 weeks and 4 days :)

Pics

Promised pics of the nursery :)

Crib & Rocking Chair (where we read every night)


His ever-growing bookcase :)


Diaper changing area and cat (Moshe)


And finally- my baby- the first time sleeping in his crib :)

the crib is up!

So my sister's boyfriend came over today and helped me set up my beautiful lovely delish crib. I need to take pics tomorrow and post them. Also, I have a new stroller- why you ask? Haven't you been using 1 since day 1?? Well, I had been using my beautiful wonderful Eddie Bauer Travel System but it had started just breaking apart. Different pieces would come off on different days. The last straw that broke the stroller's back was when a rather large piece that held the "roof" of the crib fell off, I knew it was over. I wanted a stroller that certainly was going to last me longer than 2 1/2 mths!!!!

I wanted one that would last until Eli was walking and my next child was walking! We are talking a min. of 6 yrs- so this wouldn't cut it. So I went back to Babies R' Us and they were kind and generous enough to let me exchange it for a wonderful Graco crib (it was the Catalina model). I like this one thus far and have purchased the warranty should something happen.

In terms of development Eli is of course growing leaps and bounds and his eye contact and head movement has improved greatly over the last couple of days. He can now move his head completely from the right to the left and is starting to recognize toys- which is cool! He also found out he can scream too ;) His vocal capabilities are getting better by the day!

I don't know how I am going to transition him to his crib. But I feel it should be slowly. I don't think that suddenly I will be able to put him down there and magic will happen. I think it will be a work in progress type of thing! I don't know how I feel abt my baby going into this own room. It works so well with him being right next to me- but the pediatrician said that the 3rd mth is a good month for him to transition to his own room. Well he isn't 3 mths for another week and 2 days.. So I think during the week I am going to attempt to put him in his crib for naps... Then one night I will just let him sleep in there!

Eeekk :)

Hope everyone is well :)

My baby is no longer a newborn!

I have been meaning to blog but I have been out of town for the last week and life has been super busy! Well, let's see where are we... Eli is 10 weeks old tomorrow (2 1/2 mths!) and is still super dee dooper cute. Its kinda scary but we get stopped at restaurants, in grocery stores, pretty much everywhere we go. "Omg your baby is so pretty/beautiful/gorgeous!" Its weird- sometimes I close his stroller up so ppl can't see him or I go to a different grocery store so I don't get the same comments. I mean thank goodness right- a beautiful, healthy baby- I couldn't have asked for more!!

He did very well with his great grandma in Pensacola :) We went to the beach and he got his first dip in the Gulf and his first time with sand. No doubt he won't remember a thing, but I have proof!! I plan to post some pics of course when I download them.

I am slowly working on getting him to sleep in his own room. They (the "experts") say the 3rd month is a good month to transition them to a crib in their own room b/c around the 4th month they realize the connection btwn crying and being picked up! So over the next 2 weeks I am going to strive to let him take naps in his room and using the monitor more... Also during labor day I am going to set up the crib :)

Alright, so I want to leave you w/some pics! If smiles came in Starbucks sizes-

You'd have a tall:


You'd have a grande:


& finally you would have a venti:


:D

Welcome to Parenthood

As Eli gets older (8 weeks on Monday!) I have begun to get more mobile- which is exciting! But I have to tell you that more mobile we are, the more he can do, my priorities have shifted. I think right after birth I tried to attempt to maintain my previous life/ideals/etc... but I am starting to realize that yes truly my reality has changed. I still have my life long goals, but they are more focused now and do include my family.

It's amazing the difference a little concentrated parenting does on a child.. So babies cry.. And I was taking Eli to my favorite veggie chinese place and we were driving from my house and he starts crying on/off. I knew he was tired, but I wanted to see if it would stop. And it didn't.. So I am abt 5 minutes from the house and have another 20 minutes on the drive and a) I could have let him cry it out (which you really shouldn't do with a newborn) or b) I could pull over and find out whats wrong. So I pull over to a local gas station and I took him out of his carseat, sat for a couple of minutes rocking him in my arms, he falls asleep, I put him back in his carseat and BOOM he sleeps the rest of the way there.

I know I am new parent- but I liked it. I liked that this little bit of extra attention went the distance. I know that in the future there will be things that distract me (TV, internet, other stuff) and that I am going to say "I am this child's mother- thats whats more important" and put everything else away and concentrate. Thats why I had kids...

Not sure why I am sharing this story but parenting is such a learning experience. Eli has alot more visual control now and is staring at more things, fab neck control and not yet sleeping for longer periods at night, but I know its coming!

Here's a pic! I'd like to think its a "mommy pic me up" pic! :D

6 weeks and buying a crib

So as the days progress and Eli gets more awake and alive, its much harder to be on the computer! Our house is pretty busy and guests will be coming in/out for the next 2-3 weeks so thats all consuming! So my little Eli is 6 weeks today. His neck control is getting better everyday. He is def. more kicky and stretchy and moving his legs in a "I want to get up and run around" type of way. Hmm, he is super cute.

I get more grins/giggles when we have one on one time and I sing him our song. He is def. cooing and developing language skills. Nightimes are slowly, s-l-o-w-l-y evening themselves out. Night by night. I am working on giving him 1 feeding a night, then eventually none. But since he is only 6 weeks we are doing a fab job. I have tentatively decided that mid-August will be when I move him into his nursery. I figure he will be a little over 2 months and will have had some time to adjust. Its gonna be hard- and weird and all that sorts of stuff. I will def. be one of those mothers than runs in to check to see if he is breathing several times/night.

Also I bought him a crib today!!! And I say "wow, that is freakin' expensive!" You have to buy the crib, then a mattress, then sheets (haven't done the sheets yet) and I won't tell you how much it is. But I included a pic! Its a convertible one and its cherry.. So I will eventually use the crib for this child and future child (g-d willing) and then use the headboard/footboard for me b/c I like it so much! So I think it was well worth it. But I have no plans on putting him in the crib or even transitioning him into a crib until the High Holidays in late September, which means he will be abt 3, 3 1/2 mths.. So I feel slightly better abt it.

There are a couple of things on my mind that I might as well share w/the blog world. I am still worried abt the vaccines, I bought the Dr. Sears Vaccine book. Apparently Dr. Sears is to our generation what Dr. Spock was to our parents generation. He is due for his first part of his series on August 11th..

But on a lighter note, I can't decide whether to do family portraits of he and I before the high holidays or new years... Also I am starting to think of his halloween costume (which not surprisingly enough they were selling at babies r us!). So thats gonna be fun!!!!

Okie, tis it for now!

:)

stretching him out and cooing

So now that my little baby boy is 5 weeks old, we (meaning me) have started stretching out his feedings at night in order to eventually.. one day.. be able to sleep through the night.. Now he kinda wakes up around 2:30ish and basically chills in my arms till abt 4:30ish, when I feed him then he sorta goes back to sleep until 6:30.. However this morning he was awake and therefore I was awake. Around 5:45 this morning my son learned how to coo. I hear this low grunt, then it starts getting higher, then a cooooo, then it goes down again. It was very very very cute and I didn't mind having been up since 2:30- I just sat and listened to him.

So that was exciting. He is just my very cute baby boy. Have I said that yet? I need to work on getting that Dr. Sears book before his first shot appt in 3 weeks- eek! I need to do that tomorrow. I am constantly reading all my baby books to see what's next and what they say abt this and that. But I really think parenthood kinda comes naturally. If he cries, you see whats wrong and fix it. But I have to say having my parents here have been a big help, as my mother has over 30 yrs of child-rearing experience :)

I have soo much stuff I want to do in the next couple of weeks and months. I had a really relaxing day today though and I watched several tv shows (better get it all in before I tone it down perhaps??) and I swear each show I watched had a pregnant womyn giving birth! And now I can relate to them. Its cool.

Okay I have to go to bed now, but all is well..

Decisions

Well in the end we couldn't decide abt the baby nurse. My initial indecision rubbed off on my parents and after much bally-woohing, we decided (scratch that-- MY PARENTS) decided that they want to vacation locally and see the sites during the day that they haven't yet. I was perfectly fine with them going on vackay. I told them so, multiple times, but alas, they chose not to go on their vacation that was only 3 hrs from the house, and decided to stay local. Meaning out of the house during the day, back at night for like 3 days. *Sigh* What am I going to do? Force them out of their own house??

So I let them be big boys and girls and make that decision. Whatev. :)

I am going to move past it and beyond it, it will just take a little bit. Its not like I am going to be stopped by anything when I have my mind set to it. If I want to see the United States in a balloon, I will. Nothing will stop me. But parents are as parents are.

What else is new in babyland? I have already retired his 0-3 months clothes :( They no longer fit him. He had his 1 month appt yesterday and he is 10 lbs, 1 oz., 22 inches :) His next appt is his 2 months where he starts his series of vaccines which I have decided to space out over a period of time as he gets older. I think the 2 main arguments abt the links btwn autism and the vaccines are that there are so many so close to each other and that some shots are simply unnecessary.

This is all subject to change but this is what I am doing thus far-
1) Breaking up the main shot of DTap, Hep B and Polio (Hep B is only needed for daycare, so a 2 mth old doesn't need the shot now)
2) Only allowing 2 shots per visit, then doing 2 shots every 2 months.
3) Breaking up the MMR and going to wait until he is a year and a half or maybe even later as that is the big one.

Thimersol (mercury) is no longer in the vaccines, minus the influenza one, but there are aluminum in each shot and I don't want to for aluminum buildup anywhere. Also I said no to the Hep B shot at birth (it should only be required if the mother has it IMHO).

I plan to do alot more research on it, but for now I am at slight peace with it.

:)

my first grin and baby nurses

So I think I got my first bonafide non-gassy grin today! It was fleeting but super cute :) We have our 1 month appt check on Wednesday and we will see how much he has grown and what the latest and greatest is. He has started sleeping a little longer at night which is nice! His legs are long and thin and he is super adorable. I figured I am going to use this blog to mark his milestones till I have time to write it in his baby book..

So my support system aka my parents are going out of town for a week for a vackay for my mother's bday. So we interviewed a night nurse that can help out for 3 nights to take the baby while I am sleeping. But its hard. Really hard- I have to trust a total stranger with my baby. She came to the house today and we met her and she took the baby and the baby slept in her arms the entire time she was here. And I was alternatly thinking "wow it would have been so nice if I had the money to hire a nanny for the baby" and I was thinking "she has my baby!!! I want him back! NOW!".. So I am torn whether or not we should hire her. I mean I will be alone with the baby for 3 days- which is a nice thing but of course I will want to sleep and/or a break.

My mother said sleep on it and that is what I shall do. She has 3 kids of her own and I would say is in her mid-late 40s... seemed friendly and personable. Gave my mother and I a hug when she left. But I don't know. Sleep is a positive thing and lets me handle the baby better during the day.

If we don't use the night nurse, then a neighbor is going to come over around 6amish so I can get like 2-3 hrs uninterrupted sleep before the day starts. But if the night nurse comes I would get like 7-8 hrs of sleep. A luxury I haven't had in a while...

I don't know.. I will keep processing. Otherwise baby is good. Normal baby stuff- sleeping, eating, using the restroom, being cute.. Okie, here's another pic! Enjoy :)

stem cells and insurance- oh my!

So we just got word back today that the stem cell aka cord blood banking that we did during labor came back good. Meaning if I should ever need pure stem cells (g-d forbid) we have 'em on ice up in good ole' NJ!

Also, we got baby Eli insurance yesterday with Blue Cross Blue Shield- so thats another yay! I got his SSN in the mail on Saturday and now we are waiting for his birth certificate and we are GOLDEN. He will be legit- to legit to quit. And I started a college savings bank acct for him. So I feel that alot has happened in 3 weeks. We got him off to the right start.

Now its my turn to start putting the pieces together of what I want to do once Eli is old enough to go into daycare. Let the future begin!

:)

Newborns

I am learning that with newborns there are 4 distinct things they are trying to tell you when they are crying. 1) they are tired 2) they are lonely/bored 3) they are hungry 4) they are wet.. But I think there is a 5th that you don't read abt- 5) being gassy. Babies have a harder time processing gas and when it works through their little bodies its hard on them and Eli especially makes all these littles faces.. He scrunches up and squirms and worms around until he feels better. Last night he sucked his thumb for the first time. It was really reallyyy cute. When I have a camera near and he does it again I will take a pic :)

Tis all for now- he is sleeping away!!

:)

Edit: Tired Post...

Well it turns out yes, I was tired, but really what was causing me to be extremely sleepy was the fact that my blood pressure is now LOW. So I went from medium-high blood pressure during pregnancy, then towards the end it went up a little bit, so I was high blood pressure. Then post-delivery it went SKY HIGH, so I went up to the highest meds I could take.. Now my body is starting to slowly come back to normal and all these meds are messing w/my system causing ultra low blood pressure yesterday and today. I went to the doctor and I was 98/62. Ya. When my normal bp is like 130/85ish. So I am reducing my meds slowly and we will see what happen. In addition to the bp meds giving me low bp it also gave me a nice red bumpiness thing happening on my leg.

Woohoo.

But how is my darling son you ask? Well, darling, of course :) We just went for our nightly walk around the block, I will give him his bath, then storytime in a bit, then I drop him off with one of my parents then I go to sleep!

Tired post

Well I was doing my best to keep newborn tiredness at bay but it seems I have failed. I am exhausted and just want to sleep and rest all day. They say 'sleep when the baby sleeps.' But thats nearly impossible- it really is. Then a human being can't do anything and I don't want that. So I am exhausted. Yes, this is the tired post.

Nothing really new. I do love my baby- super cute and adorable and lovely. And thats it for now. Good night.

Pediatrican appts & yes, a 2nd child

So we had our 2nd pediatrican appt today. He is doing well! He grew over an inch in a week and about 6 oz.. He lost about a lb post birth which is normal, so now we are working him back up to his birth weight. He eats about 2 1/2-3oz of formula every 2-3hrs. And he is doing very well. :) He does have a fractured calvacle (sp?) from coming out of the birth canal so quickly- but the ped. said that alot of babies have that and it just have to heal naturaly.

Okie, so I am going to declare it now. I see myself having or starting to try for a 2nd child by summer of '10. I have always a minimum (perhaps a maximum) of 2 and I wanted to have all my kids by 32. Since I will be turning 31 that fall its a good time to start trying. Having said this and it be completely overwhelming as I just had my first child there are certain steps I have to take now to be ready by then.. as this child was def. a multi year project :)

First I have to get rid of all the baby weight I gained with this child.
Second I have to be physically able and ready to handle both a toddler and a pregnancy/newborn.
Third I must get rid of the high blood pressure I got during the pregnancy and get off all meds associated with it.
Fourth I must be fiscally sound before starting such a venture considering I am now talking about having 2 children at camp at the same time, at preschool at the same time, etc.

I am sure as time goes on I will be adding more to this list, but starting today really I will be working on the first and second thing. I am restarting my walking and will work on toning/shaping my body to a pre-pregnancy look. So I really have to think more about it and have to get myself in a place where I can start planning again while at the same time soaking in every single moment of this baby now.

Tis it for now!
~Rachel & Eli, 11 days old :)

Bris

I might have to make this quick and all future blog writing quick until Eli gets a scheduled nap thing going. As a newborn he sleeps up to 20 hrs/day- I just never know when! But he's been asleep for the last 2 hrs or so, so I know he will need a bottle soon. He is 9 days old today- which means he had his bris yesterday. It was really cool. I have to say I think it was quite a proud moment for me!! My son- my SON! had his bris and he did beautifully. It went off w/out a hitch. We ended up using the same mohel that my cousin used and of course my dad lead the ceremony.

We had abt 85 people at the synagogue and it was nice. We had family in from South Florida and it was all because my son was born. Its a nice post birth- Jewish ritual experience. :) I got all dolled up and got him comfy for his experience and we did it. Alright he is waking up now.. so I will write more later.. but cute pic huh? Its from our 4:30am feedings!

Birth and Baby

Hello all- As most of you know I had my beautiful baby boy on Monday morning, June 9th at 8:20am.. And hereinlies my birth story for all to see and hear about. The baby is sleeping at this very moment but I will type as fast as I can or I will come back later.

My body had been preparing for labor for several days prior. I could feel weird things in my legs as the days progressed. I had been drinking my red raspberry leaf tea very vigorously and walking every night. I had slowly increased my walking and length the days beforehand. On Sunday night we decided to check out this famous restaurant that almost guarantees a womyn that she will go into labor. So of course no one in the family really believed it but we all thought it would be cute to try. So we go on in Sunday night and order the eggplant parmisan. There is something about the way they do their marinara sauce w/the basil and the oregano....

So after dinner, we get home. Dad leaves to do Shauvot services, I walk around the block and am feeling not much just extreme heaviness in my lower abdomen area. I get home, go to bed around 12:30ish and wake up to my water breaking at 2:30am. Now I had read TONSSSS about how labor takes forever and you are supposed to labor at home for a while beforehand. So my water breaks and I am looking up all these things in my books about what to do next. Around 2:45 I call my ObGyns answering service and they are supposed to contact the midwife on duty and she is supposed to call me back. No one does..

I am having intense pains in my legs- one right after another. I can barely walk and decide around 3:20 that I need to call my mom and ask her for help. So my parents and sister get up, my mother has me recall the answering service and my midwife calls back almost immediately. I had the Group B Strep thing (its a strep that lives in your intestines that you need to have an antibotic for during labor- doesn't harm you at all) and you are supposed to go into the hospital w/in a few hours if you have this...

So we leave for the hospital around 4ish, and get there by 4:20-4:30ish. They already had my paperwork as I pre-registered and w/in 5mins tell me to go to a room on a floor. No wheelchair- just start walking. I get about halfway down a hall and literally have to lie on the ground I am in so much leg pain. They quickly get me a wheelchair and I am wheeled down several long hallways (how was I supposed to walk that???).

We get to my room and I send my dad/sister out and they tell my mom to wait in the waiting room while I fill out more forms. By this time my legs are killing me and I don't know whats going on. They do a quick test on me and determine that it was in fact my water that broke (my amniotic fluid). And then they start having me fill out alllll these forms and signing all this crap. I am now in this intense pain. And to top it off I had a headcold so was all stuffed up and had just taken my high blood pressure meds so I was out of it. I tell the nurse I have to call my mom and want her in there.. So they give me a phone to call her.

She comes in and helps me sign all the forms. By this time its almost 5am and they tell me I am 3 cm dilated. I automatically ask for an epidural and they say they have to give me my IV, draw my blood for the cord blood and other things and then they can give me one. By this point I am lost in whatever world I was in. My leg pains were coming quick and fast and my mom was holding my hand I was trying to breathe through them...

All I know is that w/in the hour I had an epidural. I don't remember when he came in; I barely remember the procedure- it was all a big blur.. The epidural did cause me to violently shake for a while which sucked majorly but it was better than the pain. My initial midwife came in around 7ish and she was getting off and she checks me and she says I am 8/9 cms dilated... Which means I went 5 cms in abt 2 hrs.. And she said she would stay w/me till the new midwife came on duty.. Around 7:30 the new midwife comes, and she says I am fully dilated and that I could start to push soon..

I have to say pushing and lifting ones legs are very hard when they are numb and heavy due to the epidural!!!! So I don't remember exactly when I started pushing.. Around 8ish?? But I had little boy Eli Samuel Slomovitz at 8:20am.. I had a 1 degree tear which meant I needed a stitch but I was all cleaned up and good by 8:45...

The whole labor is a bit of a blur. I remember closing my eyes at some point and it was dark outside and the next time I opened them it was light outside. All I can say is that I am glad it's over and that it went quickly!!!

From there the baby gets checked out and still had some mucus in his body (the mucus gets squeezed out during delivery but b/c delivery was so quick it hadn't all had time to work its way out). He had to be monitored a little bit for it, but thankfully all is well now.

The Womyn's Center were I delivered was really fab... The staff was SOOO nice. We had our own private rooms- we had the paper delivered to us each morning. The food was good.. It's very pretty.. It was a great overall experience and I am glad I delivered there.

I have to say I am willing to go through this again for 1 more child but after that I am done!!!! :) Phewww and thats my story! Here's a new pic of baby:

39 weeks and pre-labor

So I am 1-2 cms dilated and 70% effaced. Yayyy.. That means my body is starting to prepare for labor. Also I am noticing other signs of pre-labor. I don't know when my body will start full labor but I am on my way! Will let you know :)

& Happy 39 weeks!

~39w,0d

t-7 days!

my first contraction

Well I believe I had my first contraction yesterday. *sigh*. I was sitting in my seat and I go to get up and it was like a lightening bolt in my body and suddenly I couldn't stand.. But I managed to hobble over to the couch and it lasted abt a minute.. And that was it. Haven't had another one since. But I've been feeling light pressure all day in my stomach and "down there."

I had another ultrasound today and the baby measured around 8 1/2 lbs :) and he was alll the way down. My guess is that he is engaged and ready to go! I am ready to go as well. I want to meet my son and start mamahood. Right now its really just a waiting game- life can't start until baby is here! I feel that perhaps I should enjoy these last couple of days- 10 to be exact. But I don't want to. I want to start the process. I want to start labor and go through it so I can get to delivery, etc.

I went to Target after my appt today and I started wandering around registering for more baby items :) I needed some in-store stuff as well as online stuff b/c it looks like my invite list to the bris is gettin' big! But, regardless, I started wandering over to the big boy section and I was like "well I can start stocking up on this and that..." And I could just hear my mother in my head "You don't need any of this stuff now, you don't have room! are you crazy???" So the little voice in my head stopped me from going crazy in the big boy department at Target- hehe..

But I did buy some Similac, some breast soothing stuff, a couple of baby boy clearance items and 2 cards- 1 for the papa for Father's day and 1 for the Mama to thank her for all the hard work she has done this pregnancy. Awwww....

:D

~38w, 4d- t-10 days!!

Anytime now

Well I am 38 weeks :) My baby is full term, mostly baked and could go at anytime. I have started my family tree scrapbook that I am making for him and am pretty much ready to go on most things. I went yesterday to the Womyn's Center where I will be delivering in hopes of getting a nursing bra and getting more info about breast pumping etc. But they said I was to early!! I really hope to get some time to pump instead of solely baby on breast b/c I think that I will want that "me" time and I want someone else to feed the baby by bottle. Maintaining breast feeding is often a problem b/c the mothers breast milk doesn't come in for a couple of days and/or breastfeeding could hurt. So if I can pump enough or just pump for a bit each day it can build up a reserve and he could drink off the bottle not only me. I think that would be more helpful. Even if its only a day or two of reserve..

But there are costs of either renting or buying the pump. Renting is abt $60/month, whereas buying is about $300... So I think I will rent the first month, see how it works out then if it works out then I will either buy it or figure out how long I want to breastfeed for. Since I, g-d willing, plan to have a 2nd child, I will most likely want to breastfeed again. Plus in addition, you have to buy special attachments for the pump, breast cream, nursing pads, etc. However in the long run its healthier for the baby, provides a good attachment to your child and is all natural. I don't like the idea that my child will be eating out of a can till he goes to solids.

My breastfeeding goal is till about 6 months when the switch to solids starts. I don't want to do it forever, but I think the beginning months are critical and since I have no plans to fulltime work until Spring, I think its a doable thing.

So what else is left before baby arrives? I still need a swinging chair for baby... But if I don't get that on my registry I will just find one somewhere. I have a stroller, carseat (2 of them actually), diapers, bassinets (pack n' plays), a high chair, a baby tub, etc.

I'm excited! I have started to up my walking levels to encourage him to move on down and out :) But only when he's ready- I will not rush him, of course once they induce me, they want him out. But I will be 1 day short of 40 weeks when thats happens and thats okay w/me. Thats appropriate :) Also I am cordblood banking so I have that set up. I need to doublecheck on a couple of other things, but mostly I am good to go at anytime. My bag is 90% packed and I'm practicing my labor breathing..

I hope one day soon to have a labor and delivery story for you guys/gals!! :)

~38 weeks :)

the countdown will soon commence!

Life is a very interesting thing. We change and evolve and grow and experience and all we can do is be open for it. B/c I have a huge belly everywhere I go people ask me when I'm due and how I'm doing and the sex of the baby and everything. The attention is focused solely on me and its great. I pretty much can ask for anything and I will get it. But soon enough, the focus will be off me and on my child. Suddenly my world will change and my priorities. Its a natural, biological thing. The next generation will start with no knowledge of what it was like to live in the 20th century, no knowledge of pre-computer days, no knowledge of pretty much everything I've grown up with. He will be a baby of the 21st century and will g-d willing live to the 22nd long after I am gone.

So I think as I get close to having my first son, I just am nostalgic. I am starting my family and working my way down the path of life. I saw his feet and his toes and fingers in the ultrasound today and g-d willing thats all mine in 16 days. All those toes and those fingers I will spend the rest of my life worrying and wondering about.

I watched a labor and delivery video last night complete w/labor intensity in those infamous pre-epidural days.. and it didn't deter me or scare me, it made me even more excited that my little boy is coming. I just can't wait for him to be in my life. I run across of alot of single mothers (not really by choice) and they talk about how hard it is.. But I think really there is a difference btwn single mothers by CHOICE and single mothers who didn't think they would end up that way.

In terms of symptoms I am monitoring my blood pressure each night with my home blood pressure monitor and taking my meds accordingly. I have minimal salts. I get tired easy when standing. I walk each night around my block several times, but otherwise I am jazzin :)

I AM READY FOR BEBE!
~37w, 4d :) :) :)

I've entered the interventionnnn zone

So I had my Group B strep test today and they tested my iron levels. The Group B was a real quick "internal" (wink wink) exam which lasted about 20 seconds- no biggie. The blood test was rather quick as well. To amuse myself during it I started thinking about how many CNN anchors I knew and I really didn't get far, so I started naming all news correspondents I knew.. Ya...

So I am thinking about doing cord blood banking. Its the latest rage in stem cells- they take a sample from the baby's umblical cord, they harvest the cells and store it in case they are needed. I just found out that they need 3 freakin' TUBES of blood from me before or after I am in labor. So along with the many things that will be coming out of my body, there will be another 3 tubes of blood joining the chorus..

So as a result of all these things set to leave my body, I am going to start preparing my super bulking up in iron, protein and calcium. All of which I think are essential things in keeping me strong on the big day (t-3 weeks!). So every morning I am going to egg it- whether with an omelet or french toast or something that includes 1 full egg (organic OF COURSE :)). Then along with my cereal that contains 50% of my daily iron, I will add two additional sources- haven't fully determined what that is yet to make sure I exceed my daily 100%. My prenatal vitamin offers me 150% of my daily total but I dont take that until I fall asleep at night.

My protein which is super important to me as a vegetarian will come in the way of nuts, tofu and something else. Calcium will come through various organic cheeses :)

So 21 days left- cooooo :)

~36w, 6d!

latest ultrasound

Sooo today is a tireddd day but I have things to do- including 2 meetings at the shul. We will see how that goes! My latest ultrasound guesstimation (b/c thats what it really is- it can go either 30% up or down), is the baby is 7 lbs, 13 ozs :) :) Ha! So when the ultrasound womyn told me that, she gave me this "thats a BIG baby" look. I want a big baby. I think big babies are healthy and strong and full of life. I fully predict I will have a large child, as I am a big boned womyn and the donor is 6'0"- if I had a 5 lb baby I would be worried!

He is in the 96% for his height and weight :) Hahaa. I think its funny. I'm enjoying it. However the bigger he gets- the less likely its gonna become that I have a vaginal delivery and I would have a c-section. Which means lots of fun medical stuff.. But at least it would be planned and over within a short amount of time. It means IVs, catheters (sp?), epidurals, stitches, oxygen most likely and cutting open my abdomen. And most likely for 2nd child another c-section.

And the other question would be when? I would say he can still grow for another 2 weeks which would make me around 38ish weeks and be around 9 lbs. But since there is such a room for error- what if he is only 6 lbs now and they are measuring wrong? Ya know? I don't want go into a c-section thinking I have a big baby and doing it prematurely and then end up w/a smaller child that I could have had vaginally...

It's something to ponder. I am not sure.. but I am not exactly at that cross-roads yet, but will start letting the thought ping-pong in my brain. At this point I would say that I hope to labor naturally, which also I believe will end up with IVs, epidurals, pitocin (thats the only thing I wouldn't have if I had a c-section), catheters, etc..

So we shall see. Ahh, the processes of a medical birth.

eeeeeeekkkkkk

~36w, 4d

cooking

So I am 36 weeks and 1 day and I have to say I am starting to feel like my old self again.. Not physically of course (more in a bit), but emotionally, psychologically. I think that because I can see the 'goal' and the fact that pregnancy is nearing an end, I am ready to move beyond it, with baby of course. These last couple of weeks have really been about what my life will be like after I have the baby. I feel blessed that I got to 36 weeks and will feel more blessed this upcoming Friday when I hit full-term. I don't think I am ready to give birth until after 38 weeks though. So in theory I would feel comfortable delivering in 13 days from now. Which is weird, but good b/c I am ready for the mommy part and to see my little boy grow.

My brother said the oddest yet most insightful thing tonight on the phone. He said that the 9 months of pregnancy are the longest, but the 1st year of life goes by like a flash. So I am ready. :)

I am due to attend a black tie event next Sunday night at the Aquarium downtown, so I would like to do that but really, I don't know. There is almost a peace thats going to come with the craziness of labor and delivery. Am I ready to go into a hospital and be hooked up to monitors and IVs and all of that? Its like you can either fight against it or you can just accept it and move on. I am somewhere in the middle.. But doing visualization and really accepting all the good and the bad will help me in the long run.

Physically it is tiring to be pregnant. I can't be on my feet for long periods of time, walking up/down stairs is a challenge, bending over is almost impossible... But its all only temporary for a wonderful cause! My bebe :) :)

I got a really super baby gift from my extended fam on Friday- the Eddie Bauer travel system and a 2nd bassinet. So other than the crib, I think I am mostly golden.. The real costs will be in diapering and perhaps formula (although I want to breastfeed).

So thats it for now..
~36w, 1d :D

Time fliesss

So I am in week 35 and I do 2 ultrasounds a week. Today baby was rubbing his eyes when we peeked in, like we had woke him up! Soooooo cute :) Everything looked good. But I just realized this is a quiet week in terms of doctors appt, next week they do a growth check (only 2 left really until delivery), my Group B strep test/iron levels checked... So this week will be a quiet doctors week, then week 37 should be a quiet doctors week, then week 38 and 39 are cervical checks looking for dilation!

eekk- we are getting closer!!
~35 w, 4d!

Things to do w/children

So last night I realized that I wanted to re-create a list that I had made when I was in LA in December abt things to do w/children. I wanted a non-TV, non-computer informal list of things I can do with a child of varying ages. One of the main reasons for this list is that I will be able to come back to it when he is older (g-d willing) and reference and utilize some of these ideas. I hope to add to this list. I believe I did this once before but since its my blog- I'm gonna do it again! :D And of course if you have any suggestions feel free to tell me so!

A- arts n' crafts, acrobatics, airplanes, aviation, animals (zoos, owning/taking care of), automobiles, astronomy, astrology
B- baking, baseball, basketball, books (reading, creating, writing), building, bowling, boy scouts, bird watching
c- cooking, crafting, canoeing, clay, collecting, cartoons (reading, creating), camping (in or out), cleaning (daily, weekly, spring), chalk (drawing, using)
d- dinosaurs, dancing, drawing, decorations (creating for holiday), dolphins (swimming with and taking care of), dress up
e- eating, entertaining (friends, family, etc), farms (animals, visiting)
f- friends, finances (saving money/doing chores), football, firetrucks (play with), film/camera (creating, making, watching)
g- gardening, goals (soccer? personal? attaining those), geology, geography, golf
h- helping mom around the house (taking care of animals), hobbies, history (learning of), hockey, helicopters
i- ice cream (creating, making), instruments
j- jack n' the box, journalism (making a house newspaper/family newspaper, giving it out), judaism
k- karate, kickball
l- listening (music?), learning, lincoln logs, legos
m- museums, music (concerts, listening, creating, playing), marbles, mozart, monopoly
n-
o- octopus (visit Aquarium)
p- playing, photography, puzzles, pirates (treasure hunts, map readings), picnics, parks, planting, police (pretending, playing, learning)
q-
r- relaxing (beach?, travel?, other forms), records (music), reading, rafting, rollerskating, rollerblading
s- sports (soccer), singing, Sunday School, social skills (working on and improving), science, scrapbooking
t- travel, tubing, tennis, trucks, trivia games, trains (actual and toy), telephone (pretending with)
u-
v- violin, viola (music lessons?),
w- watching stars (buy a star?)
x-
y- yo-yos
z- zebra (animals? adopting one?), zoos

*this is all I can think of in the moment, but I will be back w/more. I just want to make sure life isn't boring. I don't want parenthood to be a struggle or something that is just existing, I want to create life, nurture it and watch it grow. :)

Mama's Day

A womyn yesterday at the grocery store wished me "Happy Mother's Day".. awww...

My first mama's day wishes :D

~35W,1d

almost 35 weeks!

So I've done alot in the past week- I've gotten the carseat professionally installed. The county has a place set up in a local county govt area every Wednesday. We had a fireman working on the carseat- showing us how to move the belts, how to put a newborn in and how to install it. It was a very good lesson on the how-tos. We set up the bassinet in the nursery so its ready for him. I plan to buy a crib with my government refund and some gift cards I got- its gonna be exciting. I want one that will convert to a toddler bed :)

I am 35 weeks tomorrow, so I have been going to do ultrsounds twice a week now and will have my Group B Strep test done in 2 Thursday, also have my iron check. Then starting in 3 weeks I start having cervical checks for dilation and contractions!! But the good stuff is that I will be full term in 14 days from now.

We are actively planning the bris. We went to a local kosher like bagel place today and sat down w/a womyn and are getting a dairy meal prepared.. That should be nice and she made it not sressful which is good too :)

So really all I have left is to buy some diapers, prepare mine and his hospital bag (which I hope to do early next week), get the room a little bit more cleaned up, do one more massive shopping for baby- pacifiers, more diapers, nursing stuff, perhaps more socks/shoes.. then I'm ready :) I am trying to forsee things he will need in the future- he will need a convertible car seat in about a year. Obviously his eating habits will change when he is 6-7 monthsish, so I want to get one of those books about how to make organic babyfood.

I still have to go through labor and delivery and whatnot, but its reassuring to see him on ultrasound. All looks good when I go and if I can keep him cookin' for another 2 weeks I will be cool to deliver after that :) So thats not to shabby- 14 more days and he will be full term. My baby!!! I got to see him practice breathing on the ultrasound today.. Coollll huh?? :)

~34w, 6d :)

34 weeks

Just had the coolest ultrasound today and saw the baby suck his thumb!!! Soooo cute :) :) :) He put his hands to his mouth then down again. My baby is a real boy! :)

33 1/2 weeks :)

So I have been going every week for a non stress test and an ultrasound to monitor baby due to my pregnancy induced hypertension (which I hope will go away after I have baby) but now they want me in for 2 ultrasounds/week and no non stress test anymore. I spoke to the midwife for a while, who awesomely listened to everything I had to say and answered all my questions, and she basically said that its something you monitor. I am high risk b/c of the hypertension and it needs to be monitored.. Its a delicate balance in the 3rd trimester btwn what mama and baby needs. I like the fact that I get to see baby that much more each week- but its a royal pain in the tush to go to so many appts. But it won't last forever and one needs to do what one needs to do. This practice is so much better than my old one in terms of location, size and parking!

So the baby is doing well, they just want to make sure that he does everything he should while I have this hypertension. Woohoo. I can't believe that I am going to be 34 weeks pregnant on Friday. I only have 6 weeks left! And it's May on Thursday marking my last official full month of being pregnant. I am ready to be not pregnant- I just want my baby to fully "cook" before he joins the world! :)

I think that labor and delivery seems more realistic and less scary as time goes on b/c the baby has to come out and you really want to meet baby.. Also I want to start using his name in public- I say it to him privately but I am starting to want to use it in sentences and stuff but I find that I have to stop myself. Hopefully I will be able to put it off for another 6 1/2 weeks- we shall see! ;)

32 1/2 weeks!

So now that I am high-risk and have pregnancy induced hypertension (that seems to have gotten under control with the meds I am taking)- I get to see the OB twice a week. On Monday's I get to go for something call a NST- a non stress test, they strap these 2 monitors to my big belly, one monitors contractions, the other monitors baby's heartrate. They are looking for kicks and movement that raises then lowers the heartrate by a certain amount. It doesn't hurt at all and you get to see your baby's heartbeart (well hear) for 30 mins while it records all the goings on.

So my child never kicks when they want him too- it doesn't mean there is something wrong, they just want to make sure he can do everything and kicks appropriately and the baby responds correctly. So he doesn't kick like they want him too, he's just not a big kicker- I don't know what to do abt that- he just doesn't. So then they make me come back for a biophysical which is also called an ultrasound. SO they did one this morning and I am measuring at 35 weeks, 1 day and they think the baby weighs 5lbs, 5oz!!! I have a little man in my belly!!!!

I was happy to hear that, I rather be larger than smaller- he's following after mama's footsteps. But he always passes the biophysical and he is faced down (meaning not breeched) and who knows- he could be getting ready to be born! The thing is even though he might be a bit larger (94 percentile for his age group), he still needs to grow internally at the right pace- nervous system, lung functioning, brain, etc... So we want him to stay still for a bit longer- another month or so, and then I would be more comfy if he wanted to come out.

My mid-wife said that if the baby grows to like 9 1/2 lbs they would offer me a c-section (also the ultrasound tech was like "your baby has a big head!")... and really, I don't know how I feel about it. I mean I would miss most of labor (presuming I don't labor naturally before due date) and it would be so much quicker, but I don't want to have surgery if I don't need to.. And it would be scheduled, so things could be much more planned for.

But as of this moment, no changes have been made, just a big baby- which makes me very happy- good, hearty stock!! After all both the donor father and I are of russian heritage- which makes for good strong people! Hehe!

&&&& I bought my bassinet yesterday and we are gonna make great progress on nursery this weekend! Woohooooooo :) :) :) :)

Childbirth class, nursery

So I didn't update as quickly as I wanted abt the childbirth class - but here I am! It was about 5 hrs, we heard a talk by a peditrican, a cord blood bank rep and saw a couple of videos abt the stages of labor, and some breathing techniques. One of the midwifes in my practice led it, and mom and I sat in the front row so we got to ask any question that came to our mind easily! I would say there was abt 50 people there, so it was good that we sat in the front row! I really want to learn more/focus on breathing and focal points, and just get some more of that down. I have been reading some literature on the breathing stuff- deep breaths, hee- hees (where you kind of put your teeth together and breathe through them) during labor and whatnot. I plan to bring a small photo album with strong pictures in them that will take my mind off of labor and onto other things. We shall see if that works!

I got a happy belated hanukkah present from Ames yesterday for me and bebe! It was 2 Thanksgiving bibs (tres cute!!) and a gift card from Babies R'Us!!! I loved it- thanks!!! I can't remember if I thanked the jeanie/adamz on here abt their gift- but they got me a Rainforest bouncer and that rocks too! Thanks :)

We are starting to set up the nursery and I have to tell you its weird feeling!!!! I mean I have been buying things here and there for a while now, but now its like I am creating a space for another human being to live in- talk abt expectations- I am going to be a mother, a parent, someone who for the rest of their life is going to be looking to me for support, knowledge, guidance, etc.. Very overwhelming but good.

So, its quite a trip this pregnancy thing. And its a long one, but I think it's important to have. Also I think there seems to be several myths surrounding pregnancy. I have had a number of friends mentioning sickness during pregnancy "Oh I hope you aren't to sick" "or I hope baby isnt making you sick." One doesn't really get sick during pregnancy. I mean sickness means an illness and generally your body doesn't have that- generally your body just preps itself for baby. So some womyn experience nausea first trimester- but not all. I didn't.. It's really if your mother did, and mine didn't. I had a couple of moments for sure that I thought I was gonna puke, but I didn't.. I mostly had tiredness this pregnancy. I mean every body, and every baby is completely different. So there is no one way during pregnancy...

Just thought I would leave you with that!!

~31 weeks, 3 days!

Childbirth class

So I attend my first childbirth class tomorrow and hit 31 weeks! Woohoo :) It will be with a midwife from my practice and it should be interesting- I will update tomorrow and tell you all abt it! :)

Pic #1

Enjoy!!!

~30 weeks, 5 days!

TV, Hendrix & nursery

So I have been thinking more about the having TV, not having the TV thing and I had been waivering but I am back to the minimal TV thing.. I rather enjoy and find exciting the possibility of having to think outside the TV box! There is so much to do in this short life of ours and I am eager to start experiencing it... So partly being realistic and realizing that my child will see TV at grandma/grandpas, aunt/uncles- I get that, but when at home we will majorly just live life doing other things. TV/videos are a rainy day type of activity. But I am def. up for the challenge of doing and living life.

Now Hendrix- I am starting to think about labor and delivery and what I am going to focus on while I am there to get me through contractions, etc. I am going to bring a series of pictures and music that hopefully will distract me during contractions and provide some fun brain candy during my stay at the hospital. I am really going into this prepared. I hope to in the next 2 weeks or so start making up my hospital bag and find some really awesome stuff to bring w/me. A womyn told me a story about how she brought a ship with many sails and she said by the time she counted all the sails on the ship her contraction was over. And I thought that was brilliant so I plan to do the same. More on that later..

So I/we are starting to clear this room to prepare for an eventual nursery! How exciting!! yayyyyy :) We are moving out the old and putting in the new (or rather changing furniture around the house that can be utilized in different ways).. which I love reusing things b/c its so great and just makes the world a more functional place- less material footprint type of thing. I will take pics as the room unfolds. We started moving a bookcase today and hopefully this weekend will do some serious moving of stuff around.

I have pics! That I will post tomorrow :) Be on the look out!

They moved my due date by 2 days.. So I am now due June 14th.. So my new week starts every Saturday.

SO I am technically 30 weeks and 3 days today!! ta-ta!

30 weeks tomorrow- eeek!

So my aunt/cousin soooo lovingly decided to give me their bassinet (w/mattress- which you are always supposed to check expiration dates), another infant car seat, and some blankets w/toys for future baby! That makes me happy- papa and I go on Friday to pick it up from their house.

Now I know I have alot of pics to show and I promised a belly shot.. But since I only have a cell phone camera to use the pictures are somewhat smaller and hard to tell.. but I will try!

Here is the baby book I had as a child and I found an extra copy of:


Here is a belly pic- enjoy!


~29 weeks, 6 days!

a mellow Sunday

Well, here I sit, still battling a cold (with coughs) at 29weeks and 4days! I have had this darn cold for about 2 weeks now. So I am excited about hitting 30 weeks on Thursday. Its kinda just a little pick me up that I will be 7 1/2 months pregnant. I think the more and longer I am pregnant the more its just this intense experience that you really have to pace yourself for. I have been having days that have left me exhausted and other days that I am doing well. I have had a bit of swelling around my ankles but none on my hands, so me thinks that its alot of just water retention.

I started the pre-stuff for an eventual nursery. I took out alot of baby/child focused videos (including all my Disney vids) and Mr. Rogers tapes out. My goal this week (perhaps on Friday) is to start cleaning all the clothes (I bought baby laundry detergent- EXPENSIVE- but worth it in the beginning :) :) and sorting them for now. We have this great open wire draw thing that would make a fab diaper changing table and a great sorter for different clothes. So thats my goal later this week and I really need to make a list of what I need and how to get it. We ran into a bunch of family this weekend and one has a slightly bigger than a bassinet to give me and something else so that should be good. But I will make a more detailed list when I know!

I had been searching for a baby book and I was rummaging through my father's library and I found an extra baby book that my parents didn't use after they had us kids.. While it looks slightly 70sish, its never been used!!! And its Jewish based so thats good :) I am also gonna borrow my Dad's new digital camera and take real pictures for the baby book.

So I think thats the latest for now.. Just pacing myself, not overdoing it, taking all my meds and vitamins and just being!! :)

~29weeks, 4 days!

blood pressure

So I am officially 'high risk' b/c I have high blood pressure. Woohoo. I had a temporary blood pressure scare early on in the pregnancy so I had a feeling it was coming, and now its back! It mostly means that I have to be on meds twice a day and am monitored more closely for the rest of the pregnancy including but not limited to non stress tests (where you lay down for 20 mins and they monitor baby's heartrate) and more ultrasounds. I had one last week and the baby looked good :) So I think that was my main concern and I am kinda glad I get to see him more often towards the end of the pregnancy.

Its basically a wait and see game now, but my feeling is each hour I can keep this child in the womb and healthy, then its an hr well spent. Its been a bit of a mind game trying to not try to accomplish and not even thinking of trying to accomplish things in general. I really just need to sit back, put my feet up and wait it out. Its like when you are pregnant, your mind, body and pregnant belly are all on different paths. One wants to do this, the other this and the 3rd being like "yo womyn you need to chillax." So I am trying to listen to my pregnant belly and just chillax for a bit. But I have alot of nervous energy that needs to go somewhere!! So one day at a time.

7 months tomorrow :)

So I have a cold :( my first in this pregnancy. It's not a cold yet though I must say, just a stuffy nose! And I get to go on air today with it! woohoo!! Just wanted to update about new occurences, my belly is starting to change shapes. One day its rounder, the other days it more vertical. Me thinks that its the baby moving around and trying to get comfortable. In terms of word usage, around week 32, I am officially going to change from "bebe" to baby in my language and then around week 37I will start officially using "my son." Although I am bit hesitant until baby is actually born, but bebe is considered full term at 37 so we shall go from there.. I have other "week goals" for myself.

Week 30-31- Start washing all clothes I got for bebe/ sorting them into bins
Week 32-33- Purchase bassinet, start putting bebe's room together
Week 34-35- Start on bebe book (including printing out this blog and putting it in book format)
Week 36-37- Purchase stroller, diapers, rocker, more clothes, finish making bebe room pretty
Week 38-40- Freak out appropriately and enjoy my last bits of sleep!

All subject to change of course as I feel that I am going to be delivering early. But, I went to Thai food w/my dad last night and he got a fortune cookie that said "Three months from today will be an important day" which of course made us think that the bebe will be born June 18th (when the Estimated Due Date (EDD) is June 12th/13th). So we shall see!!

~27 weeks, 6 days- 7 months tomorrow!!

midwife

So I just watched "the Business of Being Born" which is a documentary abt the goodness of home birth and the badness of hospitals. It was very moving and very compelling and very like "womyn can do it- its natural- don't make it bad."

It was interesting. I am fortunate to go to a OB/GYN practice that has both midwives/doctors in equal numbers. I was going to have a doula but it looks like I haven't really taken up the lead on that one- but we shall see. So, if I use a midwife then they are less likely to make me want to do drugs. But I will still be in a hospital setting and most likely doing things I don't want to do. But, I don't know.. I have to sign all these legal forms for the hospital basically giving them consent to do whatever they want. I mean I hope to labor as long as I can at home until contractions are 10 minutes apart I believe... Then head to the hospital.

My thing currently is I hate the idea of IVs. I don't like 'em. I don't want 'em.. If I can have my baby delivered safely, then why do I need to have drugs fed to me through my blood?? So I am working on that emotionally and mentally. We shall see what turns up.

So tis it, I freaking can't believe I will be considered full term in 9 weeks and 3 days. I mean the time is just slowly melting away. Somewhere deep inside expects me to deliver early- I don't know why. But I just kinda feel it. I think thats why I am counting the way I am.

So thats my latest prediction: early delivery. We shall see what happens!! About once/week now I have been going by my nearest Super Target (which is about 2 mins from my house) and stocking up on great little boy clothes in the discount area. Makes me feel somewhat more prepared. Now I just need a bassinet, stroller, diapers and I think I am ready for the first 3 months of baby.

:) ~27 weeks, 3 days!

27 weeks

I thought I would show a picture of 27 weeks! I have my next OB appt next Monday I believe-



I will try to update on Sunday when I hit 3rd trimester :)

Hospital Tour

Well I am now 26 weeks and 2 days preggers. I took a tour of the Womyn's Center in which I will be both laboring and delivering. It was a bit overwhelming in the beginning, but as we started going around I have to say each fear- I think the fear of the unknown- kinda melted away. It was reallllyyyy warm and nice and friendly and we saw babies.. They have snack rooms, warm blanket centers, DVD/VHS/CD players in each room.. It was just weird and kinda cool and scary at the same time to think that I will be spending the most 48 most intense hours of my life in that building, in those rooms, and g-d willing coming out w/a beautiful bebe boy :)

My mama came with me, but there was another womyn there who didn't have a partner (she said her husband was busy), and others. But really you are just caught up in you during that time. You are so picturing yourself in those hospital rooms, watching the contractions, feeling it all or not (yay epidurals!) and just going at it.

I am pretty confident at this point I am going to be working with a midwife, as half of my new practice has midwives, so thats good. I am hoping on Monday to sign up for a Childbirth 5hr class thingie w/these same midwives. So it will be great to be studying from the same ladies who will be there for the birth.

When one is pregnant 37 weeks is considered full term.. I will 37 weeks in 10 weeks and 5 days, so really time is coming to a close. I have to also fill out my birthing plan and pre-admission form this week and send it to the hospital. My goal is also in about 3-4 weeks to make my hospital bag up, plan bebe's first outfit, buy things that I haven't gotten yet (bottles, pacifiers, diapers, bassinet, etc) and just get ready. Also on the legal front I plan to get life insurance this summer, as they require a physical and I don't want to do that while I am pregnant- to much stress..And I know that I need to create some sort of will, another subject that I will broach emotionally/mentally in the next couple of weeks.

And lastly, HELLO 3rd trimester... Literally 1 week from tomorrow begins my 3rd trimester (27 weeks, and 3 days).

So thats all the news for now!!

the results

Well, I know that you were eagerly awaiting the results from my gestational diabetes test and here they are....

I am...

NORMAL :) :) No Gest. Diabetes for me!!! :) The nurse totally made my day when she came back with the results. I had been worried about that one for a while, but it looks like it wasn't meant for me! Thank G-ddess, thats all I can really say. It would have been quite a psychological hurdle to have to draw my blood multiple times a day while in the last trimester of my pregnancy. As it is I am already starting to feel achy in certain parts of my lower belly as the baby gets bigger- and I know I will only get bigger from here!

I am now 24 weeks, 5 days and 25 weeks is just around the corner. I have trouble bending over to pick something up from the ground, have an achy lower right side of my belly.. I mostly suspect that from growth AND bending over alot when I was moving.. And thats another thing-

I have moved to Atlanta to be w/my family for these last couple of months and beginning of baby and thus far its been good. They are literally doing all the heavy lifting and I get to just sit and be uncomfy and bear it all. But, no, its a good thing- I def. think this was a wise decision for me and baby. Also G-d willing there will be a bris in which alot of my family who already lives here won't have far to drive to attend it.

But I can't believe I will hit my 3rd trimester in 16 days. My 3rd trimester. Then my son comes (g-d willing again of course). My son.. and thats it. I'm a parent. A mama. Forever and always till death do us part. And I will always be a Jewish mama! I guess in someways that is what I was destined to be along with an political historian. But there are so many doubts on the way to parenthood, but I think in the end, its all about raising the child in the best way you can possible. I don't think its about the money or the fancy this and that, its about being there when your child needs you- because thats the greatest contribution you can give to the world and of course your greatest legacy. Of course I say this all pre-screaming baby :) But I think those are my feelings for now.

And thank g-ddess no more blood testing for pregnancy until around 35 weeks when I think they do the Group B Strep test. I believe that determines if you need special meds while delivering (which is really the biggest prenatal test of all!).

:) ~24w,5d

Baby stuff!

So I had a super fun baby day today! At my synagogue they gave me a goodbye cake and got me these cute little things- a photo album, a photo frame and a really cute burlap giraffe height chart thing. Then I went to dinner with some awesome grad school friends (yay Ashley and Eric!) and they got me a highchair/booster and a Winnie the Pooh boy's outfit!! Tres cute!



I love it! The great thing about it is that it's portable and will eventually convert to a booster seat! Thanks again! :) :)

Pic

Here's my latest belly pic- well from about 3 days ago.. So I would say 23 weeks and 5 days at this point:

Test over

So I took the gestational diabetes test today. I had kinda psyched myself up, then relaxed myself about it. I slept late today, I ate all proteins and basically very low sugars, got to my appt early and took the test. I had to drink this super sugary fruit punch that had a bad aftertaste in about 5 minutes, then I had to wait an hour then they took a bit of blood. Then I did my blood pressure and it was the lowest its ever been!!!! 118/80! I was like "no way!" But way. So I had a major sugar crash like an hour or two later and I was like "must eat solid foods now." And I did. And then all was well. I get the results tomorrow or Monday!

~24w today!

Gest. Diabetes

So this Thursday I have my Glucose testing done to see if I have gestational diabetes... Its a 1 hr test in which you have to drink some sugary suggarryyy drink and then wait an hour and have a blood test, then they tell you a day or two later if you need to come back for a more intensive 3 hr test. Then I am going to have a final check-over with this OB and I will let everyone know how it goes!!

~23weeks, 5 days!

note

Well as I approach the 6th month mark in 5 days, I am just very content. I am still very much vibing off this preggerness thing. So today for the first time I was compiling some important documents for my son, and I wrote him a little note. It was more of an insurance type of thing for me, if I am not able to be there when he needs this information- he will have it. And I spoke to my soon to be born son and I left him a bit of our legacy and it was really beautiful.

Being a mother of a son who was conceived via donor insemination presents a set of challenges and rewards in general. And I was given what I believe was a bit of a reward today. I know that my child has 2 half-brothers somewhere in America who were conceived via the same donor. And one of them is 2 1/2 yrs old and the mother emailed me and said that he is a happy boy with a good sense of humor. So that was nice to hear, as I believe I have a good sense of humor and hopefully this child will as well. So as pregnancy is long, its good to get those little 'billboards' along the journey telling you whats coming up.. and I did!!

So I got to hear about the temperment of his half-brother AND I wrote him a note.. all in all a good day.

:) :) :) ~23weeks and 2days preggers

my 1yr anni

So 1 yr ago today, I took my first steps into the fertility office that gave me this preggerness. I had a meeting with the doctor, then the nurse, and was told all the steps I would need to go through in order to get pregnant. This is what I wanted, and I was going to do what was necessary to get there. I had do initial bloodwork, meet with a counselor (required of all patients using a fertility doctor), start monitoring my cycles, and other technical stuff. So 1 yr ago today I started my journey, and here I am 23 weeks pregnant with a baby boy. I have to tell you other than a turbulent first trimester, its gone rather smoothly. It did take me a couple of months to get pregnant, but looking back it was hard and it made me doubt myself at point and the 2 week wait is horrible! But in the end I think makes you appreciate your pregnancy even more.

Pregnancy is like this fragile existence. Anything can disrupt it- so you just lay low, don't overexert yourself to much and try to ride it out doing the best you can and still surviving. I am moving in about a week and a half and thats going to take alot of physical energy. I am doing my best to all the prepwork for it, so that the actual day of the move, it won't be so stressful. And having my mama come on Monday will help get everything ready to go and packed up. But my main goal in all of that is just to breathe, take care of my pets and do the best thing I can for my baby... Better to move in the 2nd trimester, then the 3rd- for sure!

Since actual pregnancy is a small part of a womyn's life, I do want to savor these moments. Drink up the sweetness, breathe in the realities, and just happily exist. I have def. been feeling more movement down there.. But it's not consistent yet.. I will get great spurts from him and feel him moving all over, then like nothing for a day or two, then movement again- my guess is that as he gets bigger I will feel him more.. As my natural padding is buffering some of his kicks..

But yay- tis it for now- Happy 1 yr anni to me! :)

22 weeks, 5 days

On Thursday (g-d willing), I will enter into my 23rd week of pregnancy. And seeing how the 2nd trimester is only 27 weeks I will have begun my initial descent into 3rd trimester. Pregnancy is a long, wonderous experience and will I have just reached the peak of the pregnancy and begun to work my way down, I find it humbling, awe-inspiring and currently- a bit normal. The turbulent first trimester brings hormones, body changes, confusion, tiredness, sometimes sickness, and a strong faith that everything will work out. The 2nd trimester brings somewhat of a cruise control of pregnancy- you sit back, hope that everything maintains course, you feel like your oldself again and start seeing some life happening in your body...

What the 3rd will bring- who knows? I have yet to experience that joy and miracle. In the last 48 hours I have begun to feel some major movement, my bebe was breech but I feel that he isnt any longer.. There was a ton of movement going on last night this morning and I don't feel the same hard bump at the top anymore.. perhaps he has moved??

So here is a pic from 22 weeks from babycenter.com- just so everyone knows what the bebe looks like now (g-d willing):