Carrie

Week 18!

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:29:59 GMT

In Week 18...

You're 18 Weeks Pregnant. Your baby measures 5 to 5.6 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 5.25 ounces. The rapid growth spurt is tapering off, but reflexes are kicking in. He can yawn, stretch and make facial expressions, even frown. Taste buds are beginning to develop and he can now distinguish sweet from bitter. The baby can suck and swallow, and he may even get the hiccups. The eyes have become sensitive to light, so if a bright light is shined on your belly, baby will probably turn away. Your uterus, about the size of a cantaloupe, can be felt just below your navel. You're most likely feeling the baby move at this time.

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I had one of those "Slow the hell down! You're pregnant!" moments this week.
Hubby and I flew up to Providence, to visit some people at Brown on Saturday, coming back Sunday evening. It was a great weekend, and I went to the Brown store and bought a onesie! And booties! My first baby clothes purchase!!! And we saw a lot of old friends and had, in general, a good time.

But the travel, despite being pretty smooth and easy, took a lot out of me. I didn't sleep well on Sunday and Monday nights. When Tuesday rolled around, I wasn't feeling so great. And then I had a fainting spell at the office. Embarrassing and distressing? Oh, you bet.
So I went home, and spent the day sleeping. Fortunately, I had Veteran's Day off, so that was an extra day to recoup.

The real bummer? I had all this stuff planned for that day off. A lot of cleaning and scrubbing, a lot of cooking and baking. There were errands to run and a new exercise video to try, and sewing, and the library...

As it was, I did get some laundry done, and cleaned a good portion of our bedroom (enough that Hubby has to hold up his end of our deal and put up the new blinds that I bought weeks ago!), cooked my pretty fantastic (if I do say so myself, even if it's impossible to find diced prosciutto these days and I had to settle for the thin sliced junk) ragu, and baked peanut-butter cookies and lemon bars. We're having some friends over tonight to eat said ragu and yummies. And I made a LOT of ragu, so we can freeze a few batches and haul that out next week when I have no time to cook because I'm putting out last-minute fires for Anime USA, or later on when I'm simply too tired to pull together dinner.

But the fainting thing was a kick in the ass. I keep getting those. I'm pregnant, my body is exhausted from supporting this little developing parasite, and I have to find time somewhere in my schedule for actual rest. It ain't happening much over the next week+. Anime USA has started consuming my life, just as it does every year. I'm staying up later because that's when most of my co-staffers are available. Instead of sitting quietly during the few lunch breaks I manage to take during the week, I'm usually sending emails, making calls, and frantically going over spreadsheets, music lists, staff requests...

It's a very good thing that Hubby has decided to attend the con this year. He'll remind me to take breaks, even if it involves hauling me back to my hotel suite by an ear.

But coming back to the resting thing. There just isn't enough time in the day. I'm up at 5, out the door by 6:30, and home by 6:30 or 7. And there's dinner, dishes, laundry, and whatever other cleaning to do, and convention work...

Okay. I know. This is easy-peasy practice for when the kid's here, and growing up, and there will be extra-curricular activities and homework, and who the hell knows what else. But I'm more stressed and tired than usual right now, when I'm supposed to be relaxing and focusing on growing a baby, and all of the other mommy crap that the mothers around me keep saying.

I hate to say it, but I'm thinking seriously about cutting back on my work hours. I may arrange to leave at 3:30 or 4 instead of 5. It's not like I actually get that lunch break anyway - unless I actually leave the office, no one respects the whole "I have a plate of food in front of me. Go away until I'm finished eating" concept.

I'm going to think pretty hard on it for the new few weeks, and talk with the doctor at my next check-up. But having even that extra hour or so in the evenings would be a big help. I could go to bed earlier, or take a little nap . . .

Eh, I'll figure it all out one way or another.

Week 17!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:30:41 GMT

...in Week 17

Lanugo, Vernix and Baby Fat... Oh, My!

Your baby measures about 4.4 to 4.8 inches from crown to rump and has doubled its weight in the last two weeks to about 3.5 ounces. Fat begins to form aiding heat production and metabolism, the lungs are beginning to exhale amniotic fluid, and the circulatory and urinary systems are working. Baby doesn't look the way you'd expect her to. She's covered in lanugo (downy hair) and protected from her watery home by vernix, a white cheeselike substance. Though they seem strange, the lanugo keeps baby warm, and the vernix keeps baby's skin from dehydrating.

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Yeah. This is one of the "oh, what is that thing in my uterus" stages.

Long week, made better by the fact that I'm actually able to sleep comfortably at night, thanks to the body pillow.

I get a little bit frustrated sometimes. There's so much that needs to be done, and there aren't enough hours in the days, and my stupid commute wastes so much of the time that I do have. My current cleaning streak has yet to wear itself out, and Hubby isn't particularly interested in helping with the little day-to-day stuff. For instance, I'm doing the dishes after dinner every night, because he's not, and I hate letting it all pile up until I'm threatening that "there won't be dinner tonight because we don't have any damn forks to eat it with." (Which, for the record, is how Hubby has operated for years.)

I asked Hubby to deal with three dishes last night. THREE. A bowl that needed to soak, the spoon in it, and the pot from cooking pasta. I dealt with all of the rest, and wiped down the counters and stovetop, before heading upstairs to get through AUSA work that needed doing.

When I came downstairs this morning, those dishes hadn't been done. I calmly (no, seriously. I made myself take several deep breaths, counted to 100, and fed the cats first) informed Hubby that I was feeling a little pissed. His excuse was that he'd been tired. You know what? We're going to be exhausted once the baby comes, and shit will still need doing. Being tired isn't going to be an acceptable excuse any more, because it's not just us that we're taking care of.

I know that this will work itself out. I know that Hubby needs more time to wrap his head around how much our lives are going to change - will need to change. And I think that if we start changing just a little at a time, it will be so much easier in the end.

But in the meanwhile, the front lawn desperately needs raking, the back yard/postage stamp needs trimming, and at some point Hubby really does need to clear out his damn office so that I can start turning it into a nursery. Because I've got my own housework to do, and I'm too busy and exhausted to cover his jobs as well.

Just glanced up through this post. How is it that I go to write out a quick baby update, and yet I end up spewing these long rants all over the page? I'm tired from just reading over it!

Hooray for Weekends

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:35:53 GMT

This was such a nice weekend!

Hubby and I threw an impromptu Games Night/Party on Friday. Beer, chips, veggies, dip, lots of different games, friends. I ditched for bed around 11, and Hubby says that people left around 2am. I'm really glad that I hang out with such a relaxed group, that the hostess feels comfortable leaving them to their own devices.

And that's a pretty damn good thing, because Hubby has talked me into throwing a New Year's Eve party . . .

Remember last year? All I wanted was a quiet evening with my Hubby, and he dragged me out into really horribly cold, windy weather to a party in northern VA. I didn't have fun, I was exhausted by the time we got home, and yes, it was pretty miserable. So this year, I don't have to go anywhere, it'll be pot-luck (although I'm going to try to get that day off from work for a little cooking and decorating), and I can go to bed whenever I damn well feel like it. Still not the quiet evening together, but I think that this is a good compromise. Especially since Hubby has PROMISED (and I have his sworn word in email) to clean up all dishes and trash by 3pm the next day. That'll be a nice reversal, since I'm always the one to collect and clean after our rarely-thrown parties.

My massage and facial on Saturday were heavenly! My masseur went over some really great stretches and relaxation techniques for my lower back and hips, and he convinced me to go ahead and buy myself a body pillow, which I'd already been considering. Pregnancy massage has some very interesting differences, since you can't lie on your belly. But it was all wonderful, and I've scheduled another session for December. I wish I could do it two or three times a month, but our budget doesn't really support that!

Halloween brought us some great Trick-or-Treaters. The number of store-bought super heroes and princesses was down, while the home-made and inventive stuff was up! Hooray! It just warms the cockles of my heart. There was a really fantastic set of Celtic warrior twins, with kilts, woad, and all (and yes, I know the historical inaccuracies. But these kids were pretty young, and they came up with it all on their own. So shut up). These two must have been about 14, and they really made my night. (Also, between the face paint and the loose blouses, I realllllly couldn't tell their genders. All I know is that they were clearly identical twins. Young, strong, and attractive faces. I would have loved to pull them in for photos, but I didn't want to scare them!

Hubby went to church on Sunday, and Officially Became a Member. I tease him about belonging to the Church of Believing Everything and Nothing, but I really do like Unitarians. When he got home, I dragged him out to buy a New Lamp!!! The old lamp, which has been in our den for years, came from a parent's attic (I can't remember which one, although I think it may have been my Dad's). It was fine, servicable, didn't actually match anything, but fine. and then Branwen knocked it over a few months ago, and there's been a piece broken out of the base. But I stopped suggesting that we replace it abot two years ago, because I was tired of being shot down. And then, out of the blue, Hubby suggested that we replace it! I promptly had to jump up and perform the Happy Booty Dance of House Furnishing Victory.

Yes, I really did. And yes, Hubby laughed very loudly, and declared that he loved me very much.

Damn straight.

So we bought a new lamp, and I also bought my body pillow. And sleeping on it last night brought one of the first full nights of relatively comfortable sleep that I've had in weeks. It's awesome. From now on, I'm putting a body pillow on the list of Things That Every Pregnant Woman Must Have.

And I did a little cleaning, and tried a new preggers exercise video, and watched the Vikings beat the Packers. Since we didn't particularly care about either team, Hubby and I just cheered for Brett Favre. (To be honest, the defense for both teams completely sucked, and should be horribly ashamed of themselves.)

And now it's Monday, and I feel like I can actually get through this week intact. (Until I start thinking about how close Anime USA is, and I start hyperventilating just a teeeny bit...).

Week 16! (And a rather long update...)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:44:13 GMT

...in Week 16

Quick, Do You Feel the Quickening?

Your baby now measures about 4.3 to 4.6 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 2.8 ounces. As this week begins, your baby has fingernails, and the hair on his or her head is starting to grow. Although baby's brain is still tiny, it is beginning to send signals to muscles that allow arms and legs to begin moving. She also begins to have the ability to make facial expressions. Because her facial muscles are more developed she is able to squint and frown and starts to make sucking and swallowing motions with her mouth. Also around this time she finds her first toy—the umbilical cord. She grabs and pulls on it in much the same way she’ll play with toys after she is born.

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Okay, that last part? A teeny bit disturbing. Hubby compares it to a robot tugging on his power cord.

It's been a rather long week, with a rather busy weekend.

I'm knitting three different projects (okay, this isn't ALL that unusual): my afore-mentioned baby blanket; a baby dress for a friend who is due in March, and a big soft throw that compliments our den rather nicely. I'm knitting it out of Karabella's Puffy, which is a soft, chunky wool blend that knits up about 4 stitches to the inch on size 15 needles - so it's growing quickly!

I'm also cleaning the house rather compulsively. I expect that this will slow down once I have it out of my system, but hopefully I'll actually get to some things that need doing first. I promised Hubby to get the basement "finished" by New Year's, which means, among other things, that all of our books will finally be sorted, alphabetized, and placed neatly on their shelves. At present, said books are shoved every which way onto these shelves, and there are a LOT of them. Books are the one thing that Hubby and I buy compulsively (hey, there are worse things, right?), so we're constantly adding to the chaos!

Then there's the vacuuming (every other day, for the past week), the laundry (run and folded immediately after drying, every two days), the dishes (rinsed and stuck immediately into the dishwasher, instead of waiting for Hubby to feel like loading), the sweeping (daily) . . . you get the picture. Hubby and I are, admittedly, slobs. And this has always driven me a bit crazy. But there's finally something driving me to make a change, and I'm dragging Hubby, kicking and screaming (okay, actually grumping and groaning) along with me. It feels good!

I've started sleeping on my side. Obviously, I can't sleep on the belly. I'm also apparently not supposed to sleep on my back past the fourth month (please note that front and back are my preferred sleeping positions). Laying on my back for prolonged periods of time reduces the amount of blood flowing to the uterus... So I'm trying to get used to sleeping on my side. Ugh! It's awful! My shoulder cramps up, and the hip on the bottom leg does too, resulting in my waking up far too often. I'm experimenting with extra pillows, between the legs, under the neck, or under the waist . . . nothing's working so far, and I hate it. I've got to find something that works soon, or I'm going to collapse into an exhausted heap.

And then there's what may be pregnancy-induced sciatica. I could be sitting, or walking, or just standing, and I'll become aware of a growing ache over my tailbone. It starts as uncomfortable pressure and works up to stabbing pain that won't go away no matter what position I'm in. This lasts for about ten minutes before it wears off, and it happens a few times a day. I actually bit through the edge of my lip yesterday, trying not to cry at work. I'm not entirely sure what to do about this one. I'm going to try buying a new heat pad. And I've got a pregnancy massage scheduled for this weekend (oh, yes! Yes! YES!) and I'll talk to the masseur (who is a trained physical therapist) about possible aids.

Anime USA is less than a month away! Aaaahhhhhhhh!!!! Actually, Marketing/Press is coming along smoothly. There are the anticipated issues arising in OTHER departments, but for the first time ever, I feel pretty good about our department. It figures that just as I finally get the hang of things, I'm ready to step down...

The Con artwork just blows my mind. I stumbled across three gold mines in the artists I found last year, all of whom came back for 2009 and have churned out some truly gorgeous stuff. People, including artists from other conventions, consider our flyers some of the most visually appealing out there, and our program cover is mind-blowing. I fully intend to buy a big print of it to hang in my house. Actually, I'm going to talk to the artist about commissioning a little set of paintings for the baby's room - still developing this idea, though. After the con, I'll post thumbnails or links to everything, but I want to keep some of it under wraps for the present.

In addition, the Formal is going to be great - need to start working on the music list. And we've got a great steampunk band opening the ball with 30 minutes of wonderful music! I anticipate that the steampunk Fashion show is going to involve some last minute crises, but I've cleared my Saturday schedule to deal with whatever those are.

I actually snapped just a teeny bit on Tuesday. I talked back to the President. This is, in general, a bad idea, because no matter how you do it, it's regarded as disrespectful. But I actually stood up to accusations of sloppiness, refuted them, and talked OVER an angrily-raising voice to explain what I saw as my side of the problem. This resulted in a thunderous brow and dark expression . . . but silence from the office for an hour. And yesterday, when I was given an assignment, the President actually asked if I had any questions, and then he calmly went over things when I did ask a question (remember, questions are usually discouraged and brushed aside with a "Just figure it out.").

And this morning, I was actually complimented on the assignment! I can't remember the last time this happened. I don't know what happened to make him actually listen to me this particular time -in the past, it's resulted in thumping on the desk and reprimands - but it worked.

Oh, what else . . .

I received my H1N1 vaccine last Saturday. On Friday, I receive a phone call from Hubby. "Can you leave work right now?" The answer was a big NO, because we were rushing to get a draft package to clients. Then Hubby churns out this story about the county hospital trying to take my OB's office's supply of the vaccine, so if I want it, I have to go at that very minute. So I'm rushing around, clearing the hour+ off, soothing an angry President (who understands that yes, this is really important, even though he's pissed at the timing), dealing with a hundred little issues . . . and Hubby calls back. I'm to call the OB's office. So I do, and it turns out that the entire story was bull. They simply received their batch earlier than expected, and were bumping up their vaccine clinic to the following day. *groan*

So I got my butt up on Saturday morning, and made it in by 9. I'm so glad I did, because the line was very long! I've never seen that many baby bellies before. But the shot was quick and painless.

Hubby and I went from there to the Renn Faire! It was wet and muddy, but we saw some good shows, ate Stuff on a Stick (a staple of the Renn Faire - you can get any sort of food on a stick, including fried macaroni and cheese.), and purchased honey stuff from The Bee Folks. I got two Mead-making kits (spiced and elderberry), and a bottle of cranberry honey, which is wonderful, with just a hint of tart.

In any case, I'm looking forward to a relatively empty weekend. Just my massage (and I threw in a facial, because if I'm going to pamper myself, I'm damn well going to Pamper myself!), and getting my new laptop set up. And I want to clean the bedroom (or maybe I'll start working on those books). And I'm going to sleep! I'm not getting out of bed until 9 at the earliest, both days. Hooray!!!

And Halloween will be fun. Hubby has gotten tired of watching Sleepy Hallow, which we watch every year on Halloween (come on, it's Johnny Depp! In period clothing! Hawt!), so perhaps we will watch The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Huh. This was long. Well, I did warn you...

Week 15!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:32:42 GMT

...in Week 15

Baby's Building Strong Bones

The growth spurt continues and your baby's skeleton is staring to really take shape. The bones are hardening and beginning to retain calcium, so it's vital that you continue to eat low-fat dairy products and other calcium-rich foods. Your baby will thank you!

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Dairy food. Yuck. I've never been a big fan of dairy. I can only eat yogurt or cottage cheese for so many days straight before I gag when putting it in my mouth. Even icecream gets boring. I've started drinking a mug of warm milk before bed, instead of my usual tea. Aaaaand calcium pills won't stay in my stomach (like most large pills, they upset things in an uncomfortable way...).

But, as another preggie friend mentioned in her own blog, this is about making sure I have a healthy, happy baby! So milk it is.

I woke up yesterday feeling horrible. Elevated temperature, headaches, body aches, sore throat, the works. I sat up, croaked something, and Hubby said, "Stay home." So I called in, croaked out a few messages, and went back to sleep. It paid off, and I woke up feeling great, helped, no doubt, by the chocolate-chip banana bread that Elizabeth brought with her. Yummmmmmmmy.

Oh, right. We have houseguests for a few days! Which meant that I had to go through and de-cat the guest room. Can I help it if the cats consider it one of their favorite rooms when Hubby and I aren't home?

Week 14!

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:26:40 GMT

...in Week 14

Baby (and Mom) Hit a Growth Spurt

Chances are, not even that rubber band trick from a couple of weeks ago is working. You're really starting to show and probably wearing your maternity clothes by now. You might want to hang on to your clothes for as long as possible, but you'll feel more comfortable in clothes that fit and can accommodate your expanding belly.

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Ain't that the truth! There are still a few large shirts and stretchy or too-large slacks that I can wear comfortably (thank goodness I didn't return those pants that were too big in July...), but that set of clothing is shrinking. I bought a "belly sleeve" - a stretchy piece of fabric which allows me to wear regular pants unzipped and unbuttoned - and that also helps. But I'm really trying to hold on to some of the regular wardrobe until Black Friday! Probably really unrealistic. But I hate shopping, and the idea of replacing my entire closet is depressing.

Also, it's rainy and cold this week. I got plenty of sleep last night, but this weather brings me down, and makes me feel so drained.

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:22:49 GMT

First of all, parasaur and her T-kun's wedding was lovely! Yes, it was windy and cold (Bar harbor in October. Duh.). But the ceremony was so nice, and fit them perfectly, and the reception was such fun! And Parasaur looked so gorgeous. The dress that she sewed herself fit her perfectly, and I really loved the non-traditional color. We had a lot of fun doing her hair and make-up; it was nice to have a little hour or so to just sit, and breath, before everything started!

It was great to catch up with Alpha Delt friends. Sharon is pregnant, and due 4 days after I am! I sense a competition/betting pool...

The second big thing is that I felt the baby move on Friday night! Just this quick little flutter over on my right side. Yeah, it could have been gas or a muscle spasm, I suppose, but I can't remember ever feeling a sensation like that. And I felt it again last night, so I'm pretty sure that's what it was.

OB check-up yesterday wa quick and easy, and everything's looking great. I got to hear that little heartbeat patting away. Hubby and I have been ordered to give the house a good tidying and scrub-down, in an attempt to keep me as sniffle-free as possible this winter.

And I really need to talk with OB-Daddy about the H1N1 vaccine. I've already received the regular flu shot, but I really need to research the H1N1...

Week 13!

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:29:42 GMT

...in Week 13

A Facial Growth Spurt

This week your baby is approaching 3 inches (7 cm) in length and weighs between .015 and .02 kg (0.5 to 0.75 ounces). Your baby has nearly doubled in size in the last two weeks! Baby's growing into his head, so to speak. The growth of your baby's head will slow down now as body growth accelerates, allowing for more proportional development. The eyes will move from the side of the head towards the middle of the face, while the ears will lie flat against the skull. Genitals are developing and an ultrasound may be able to tell you if it's a boy or a girl, but most women don't have an ultrasound until 20 weeks. Your baby's intestines will also begin to move up from the umbilical cord into the abdomen.

Your weight gain will definitely begin to show, but your tummy may only be bulging a little bit, resembling a soft, smooth ball. Your breasts continue to grow and may also feel "lumpy" as glands and milk ducts begin to form. Veins frequently become visible just under the skin as the weight of your breasts increases. Before pregnancy your breasts weigh about 7 ounces each. At the end of pregnancy, they can weigh as much as 28 ounces each.

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So, mommy breasts can potentially quadruple their pre-baby size . . .?

I seriously doubt I'll grow that much. But if it does happen, I'll need a wheelbarrow just to walk down the street! Or maybe we could buy one of those double strollers with the front/back set-up? Oh, gods.

Knitting for Baby

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:02:13 GMT

I've started my first knitting project for the baby.

The image quality isn't great, I'm afraid, so you can't really make out the fun little stitch pattern. But I'm basically knitting dozens and dozens of little squares, that are sewn together into larger blocks, that are then sewn together and a border is knit and sewn around, to create a blanket!

And I think that I'll ask knitting family and friends to knit one or two squares as well. This 1) lessens the chance that I'll go nuts before all the little squares are finished and 2) make this into a big baby blanket of family/friend love!

I'm currently using a lovely soft blue. But that does, of course, mean that I have to explain to EVERYONE that no, I don't know the sex yet. Yes, I just happen to like blue, and there will be blue accents in the nursery no matter what the baby's sex, and frankly the cultural color/sex assignments are so incredibly stupid that I grrr every time someone says anything these days.

*sigh*

I think that I'll be going back to my L.Y.S. for some nice lavender for some of the blocks. We'll see.

But to be honest, yes, I've found myself thinking of this kid as male. I have absolutely no evidence for or against that; I just do. One of those weird mommy things, probably.

Moron Me

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:40:58 GMT

Note to self:

No matter how much I want to watch football, and no matter how exciting the game is (the SD Chargers really rallied, and almost, almost got that last touchdown against the Steelers to tie it into over-time), sleep is important. Staying up until 11:30 when I have to be up at 5 is NOT SMART. The baby needs sleep, and SO DO I. Not to mention that it makes Hubby a grumpy, clumsy bear.

Dummy.

Weekend, and the First Craving!

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:21:57 GMT

It's been such a nice weekend. We went to a house-warming on Friday, for some friends who moved into downtown Laurel. It's a beautiful, big old house, and just perfect for Nate and Kerrie. I actually went home pretty early, and let another couple drive Hubby home.

On Saturday, I bought my first maternity clothes (holy crap, these pants are SO comfy!) and checked out a local Dutch farmers market. Pretty great place! I was really hoping for some honey crisp apples, but settled for sweet corn. We went out that evening for dinner with the Podcasting crew, because Earl Newton (creator of the Stranger Things web-series) was in town.

She showed me some interesting breast-feeding techniques while she fed GrailPup. I'm definitely going to take the breastfeeding class. Honestly, the idea of my breasts getting even larger and more sore when my milk comes in is scary. They're already so huge and sore...

We were going to head to the Renn Faire today, but I wasn't feeling so great, and over half of the group had already dropped out. We've got another outing planned for the 17th, so I'm not upset. Instead, I hemmed new pants and did laundry. And Hubby went to church! His parents' Unitarian community is filled with wonderful people, and I'm glad that he wants to be more involved. The idea of organized religion still squicks me a bit, but I'm happy for Hubby.

I've been hit by my first weird preggy craving! Not food, though. I really, really wanted to watch football. Didn't matter who was playing; I just had this odd need to watch a game. So Dallas and Denver are tied, and I can't take my eyes from the screen.

Huh.

(Edit: Denver's Brandon Marshall just made an awesome catch and touchdown! Denver's 7 up, with only 1:45 left for the fourth quarter. So exciting! I love being able to watch a game without actually caring who's playing.)

I think I'll bake some cookies afterward, to send to my stepbrother, who's in his freshman semester of college. I love my sibs, but Sethie is currently the best of the bunch.

New Sonogram Pictures!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:18:24 GMT

Today was the afore-mentioned nuchal translucency sonogram. Everything looks great! The little brat was so squirmy - it took a while for the tech to get all of the shots and measurements that she needed. Not that I minded having extra time to stare at my baby.

Next sonogram is the anatomy sonogram on Nov. 19th, when the docs can check out physical development and (hopefully) we'll find out the sex.

Week 12!!!

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:54:59 GMT

From BabyFit

...in Week 12

From Now on, It's a Matter of Growth!

Most basic body structures are already formed, so from this point forward it's a matter of growth. By now, your baby's heart is beating and you can hear it via an ultra-sensitive Doppler ultrasound. Baby is about the size of an egg, and his (or her) fingernails are starting to develop! Bones are starting to form, and fingers and toes are separating. Tufts of hair may even be starting to form!

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Yup, Week 12. You know what that means? It means that MY FIRST TRIMESTER IS ALMOST OVER!!!! On the one hand, I can't believe that I'm almost a third of the way through this. It's gone by so quickly! On the other hand, I can't WAIT to be into my second trimester. I'm ready for the nausea to go away, for my energy to come back, and for my sex drive to ramp up with a vengeance!

I go in for my nuchal translucency sonogram tomorrow. That's the one that - along with MORE bloodwork! - screens for Downs Syndrome and some other chromosomal abnormalities, as well as major congenital heart problems. The test uses ultrasound to measure the translucent space in the tissue at the back of the fetus's neck. Babies with abnormalities tend to accumulate more fluid at the back of their neck during the first trimester, causing this clear space to be larger than average.

So, I'm a teeny bit nervous about this one. Over-active Imagination Lady here always thinks about the horrible "what-ifs." I've also read some pretty heart-breaking accounts from mothers who've miscarried or had doctor-recommended abortions based on discovery of horrible defects. Ugh (damn it, Carrie, stop thinking about that stuff! Better yet, stop reading about it!). But I'm young and healthy, and I've been taking care of us both, so there's a pretty good chance that things will be fine. In any case, please keep me in your thoughts!

Miracle Party

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:00:52 GMT

I'm almost through my first trimester. Hooray!
I purchased my first maternity bra today. Here we go...

I attended a very fun little party on Saturday! A friend of mine obtained Miracle Fruit tablets. Miracle Fruit, if you haven't heard of it, does some funky chemistry with your taste buds, making sour and bitter things taste sweet. Pretty cool, huh?

We had slices of lemons, limes, and grapefruit, garlic, fresh ginger, apple vinegar, bleu cheese, a goat cheese, horseradish, baking chocolate, sour candy, Guinness, cheap red wine, and cheap Brut champagne.

The fruit (or maybe just the tablets) seem to work better on sour things than on bitter. The citrus all tasted really wonderful; sweet with this slight hint of tart. The apple vinegar tasted like a spicy cider. The cheeses tasted like cream cheese frosting. And I'm told that the Guinness tasted like carbonated yoohoo, the red wine tasted like dessert wine, and the champagne tasted more like a sweet rose. As to the other foods... None of us noticed any difference in the garlic. I thought that the horseradish tasted softer and sweeter, but everyone else chalked that up to pregnancy taste-buds and the fact that I like the stuff to begin with. The baking chocolate didn't taste like much at all. And regular sweet foods (we'd had some fruit and regular chocolate stuff earlier) were almost sickly sweet.

Now, the neat/weird thing is that the tablet only affects your taste buds. We found that they worked best if you let it dissolve on your tongue, and worked up some saliva to swish it around your mouth. And the taste change only lasted until you swallow; once it hits your throat, it's back to the original taste. Swallowing the vinegar was very odd; cider to VINEGAR!!! ACK!!!

So, all in all, it was fun. Something I'd probably be willing to do again, if I'm with people who haven't tried it before.

Week 11!

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:58:28 GMT

...in Week 11

Baby's A-Head of the Curve!

Baby's head is still quite large--about half the size of his or her body. The body will catch up with the head soon. The liver and kidneys are starting to function, and baby even urinates. (The urine and other wastes mix with the amniotic fluid, then crosses the placenta into your bloodstream so your body can dispose of them.)

------

Busy baby. No wonder I'm so exhausted.

Work's been horrible lately. There was an office-wide fuck-up last week that wasn't discovered until Monday. And although no one else in the office agrees with him, the President has decided to lay the entire problem at my feet. Yup, I'm wholly responsible if we lose out on some badly needed business.

I spent 20 minutes on Tuesday thinking "I'm going to get fired." And then I spent the next 20 minutes thinking, "The only reason he's not firing me is that I'm pregnant. Holy crap. If I wasn't knocked up, I'd be out on my ass."

Apparently I looked shell-shocked enough that one of the other brokers (the de facto VP) called me into his office to say that he considered it all the fault of another broker who was technically running the deal, and that he had my back 100%. I really needed to hear that at the time. This was a horrible screw-up, and the entire office is going to suffer for it. I accept my part in it, but I also resent it ALL coming down on me.

But hey, only two days till the weekend. Maybe I'll actually get around to that DragonCon post . . . almost a month late.

Weekend + Goodbye Hot tub!

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:57:16 GMT

I had a very, very busy weekend. First of all, I was stuck at the office on Friday until almost 8pm, which sucked. I spent the night at a friend's, which was fun.

The reason for that was to simplify transport for the Yelp DC Cupcake Crawl that we took part in on Saturday. The goal was to visit as many cupcake-specialized bakeries in the DC Metro area that we possibly could. We started in Alexandria, at the Farmers Market. Wow, it was great. Beautiful morning, and I bought some fantastic apples and home-grown-and-jarred pickled brussel sprouts and dilled green tomatoes. Tasty.

I actually cut out half-way through the day, but the hands-down best for me was a small shop in Alexandria called Lavender Moon. Negatives, from what I've read in various reviews, include the fact that their hours are inconsistent and the business is just too small (a husband-wife duo) to bake enough for the demand. Apparently they often close very early, after they've sold out.

However, the cupcakes that I tried were wonderful. The Triple chocolate and the Hummingbird with cream-cheese frosting were fantastic. And the bakery itself is absolutely charming! So, I guess that if you get there first thing in the morning (around 11), you should be fine.

But as fun as the Crawl was, it can't beat the hot-tub removal that took place on Sunday evening. We'd been been trying to get rid of this hot tub - which we haven't used more than a total of 20 times in the years that we've lived in this house - for about 2 years. I received an email early last week from a friend. Turns out that the husband of his ex-wife (I think I got that right) was interested in the tub, and wanted it ready in time for a Halloween party. So we corresponded, I sent pictures, and he said he'd be by at 5 on Sunday evening with friends and a truck.

Okay. It's a big hot tub, and it's up on a high deck, and there are trees and a steep hill right behind our house. I figured that the guy would get there, take a look, make a face, and then spend 30 minutes making plans to come back for the tub next weekend.

Never underestimate the power of determination. Within 2 hours, that puppy was unhooked, emptied, taken as apart as it could be, and slid (sort of, with much grunting and back pain) down the railing of our deck stairs, then carried up the hill to a nearby street (which, yes, was easier than carrying it around the row of townhouses to our own front walk and parking area).

I took pictures. If you're on Twitter and you're interested, search for #goodbyehottub, or search for me and my tweets (@cwseidman).

After that, Hubby and I exchanged VERY satisfied smiles and high-fives, and settled down for dinner and bed. It was great! I wasn't allowed to help. The one time I picked up a piece of siding, I was firmly told ,"No!"

Yes'm, Miss Lisa, ma'am.

So, between those two doings, the "BlenderCon" get-together Hubby and I attended in Virginia, and the AUSA meeting that I made the tail end of...

I'm exhausted. Could I have a weekend to recover from my weekend?

Also, my baby-belly apparently doesn't like an overload of sugar. I really tried to be careful, and I was sucking down water like no one's business, but dinner did not stay down on Saturday. There were some iffy moments over dessert and breakfast the next day. *sigh*

Sonogram!

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:50:49 GMT

Yes. So, yesterday was my first sonogram.

See that? That's my baby!!!!
When the image initially came up, Baby was facing us, rolling a little from side to side and waving those tiny arms. I starting leaking happy tears immediately, and Hubby looked a combo of amazed, intrigued, and freaked. (Yes, about what I expected.) (S)he's right on size for 10 weeks, and looking great!

Unfortunately, Baby rolled over to wiggle that little butt at us before we could take the photos. But that's okay. It's a cute little partially-formed butt.

After that, we met one of the OBs in the practice, there were the standard uncomfortable exams and samples taken, and I was sent down for more bloodwork (standard Jewish ethnicity panel - screening for TaySachs, mostly).

This made it all so much more real. I knew (s)he was in there, but to actually see, and see the movement. . .

I'm so in love right now.

Week 10!

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:31:14 GMT

...in Week 10

Your Embryo is Now Officially a Fetus

How are you feeling this week, Mom? You're a quarter of the way through your pregnancy, so congratulations! Your baby is only the size of a plum, but he (or she) is growing every day. He's out of the "embryonic stage" and entering the "fetal stage." Fingers are separating this week, and webbed toes will soon follow. Baby's tail is quickly disappearing, too.

---------

Wow, already a fourth of the way through this thing? Wow.

I purchased a couple of exercise videos yesterday. Two Tai Chi (one of which is specifically for moms-in-waiting) and a "total pregnancy workout" video. We'll see.

Hooopefully, I'll have a second post this afternoon with a picture from my sonogram! I'm so excited!!!!!

Hubby made burgers last night, because I wanted them. No blue cheese inside, and they did have to be cooked to medium, but damn were they good.

I have to go shopping for an outfit for Jamie and Thom's wedding. Bar Harbor, mid-October, and I might be showing just a little bit by then. Erm...

Week 9!!

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:57:29 GMT

From BabyFit:

Week 9

Your embryo measures about 0.9 inches to 1.2 inches from crown to rump, or the size of a strawberry. The arms and legs are getting longer, and the fingers might be a little swollen where the touch pads are forming. The head is more erect and the neck is more developed. Your baby now moves its body and limbs, and this movement can be visible during an ultrasound, but you won't be able to feel it yet. Your uterus is continuing to grow, and your waistline is thickening. But unless you tell people the good news, your pregnancy still won't be noticeable to others. Weight gain is small, if at all, since you could be experiencing food aversions (or cravings), heartburn, indigestion, nausea and bloating. Mood swings and weepiness similar to PMS symptoms are also common.

Mood swings? Oh, fuck yes. Especially when I'm tired. We got home from DragonCon after midnight, and I was completely wiped. And dear little Branwen had gotten into some yarn. And the suitcase wheel got wrapped up and stuck, and I was sitting there on the stairs trying to un-wind it, and all of the sudden I found myself yelling, "Oh, fuck it! I don't care! I'm too tired!" And there were tears in my eyes and it was so unbelievably stupid that I had to sit there and blink for a second. Then I cut the yarn, dragged the suitcase upstairs, and went to bed.

And yes, there are some serious food aversions, and I experienced my very first heartburn ever, and it sucked. Nausea and bloating have been there for at least two weeks already.

But my little strawberry-fetus is moving on its ownsome! And I'm going in for my very first OB visit on Thursday. And I'll have a nice long post later about DragonCon, hopefully accompanied by pictures!

Week 8!

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:44:59 GMT

I received this email today from BabyFit.com, which I joined mainly to help keep track of my daily nutrition. Still, the weekly update emails are something that I've decided I like:

. . . In Week 8

Face Time for Baby

Your uterus is the size of a grapefruit or a softball by now. Baby, meanwhile, is starting to form ears, a nose and lips! Her head is still pretty big compared with the rest of her body, and it's resting on her chest. Your baby looks somewhat like and is the size of a small shrimp! (A cute shrimp!)

(That nose, by the way, is just a tiny little bump over to the side of her face. She's like a little Picasso painting!)

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In other news, Hubby and I head down to Atlanta for DragonCon today! I'm soooooo excited.

I've still got a butt-load of stuff to do on my costume, especially since my sewing machine crapped out on me last night. It's been about 5 years since I had it serviced, so I guess it's time. But that means a lot of hand-sewing. And I haven't even really started on the gun holster. I have my faux-leather, liner, stiffener, cardboard, and a glue gun. Let the fun begin! I was up until about 12:30? 1? last night/this morning. So I'm pretty damned tired.

Hubby was actually planning to bring the unfinished flash gun in his checked luggage.
Yes, you read that correctly. The man wanted to bring a toy gun in his carry-on, onto a plane.

. . .

Silly man.

I need to learn the last bit of the Thriller Routine. I'm so excited about this; we're going to try to break the Guinness World Record for most people performing the "official" version of Thriller in the same location. After last week's attempts in Spain, England, and Mexico, we need a bit over 550 people. We've currently got about 450 signed up. I know that some of those won't actully show, but I think that we'll be able to get a LOT more sign-ups at-con. Keep your fingers crossed!

Do! Want!

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:53:20 GMT

I need this book.

Seriously.

Uuuuugh

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:18:37 GMT

WARNING: I'm going to be fairly candid in my pregnancy posts when discussing the changes to my body. If mention of breasts, inside bits, etc, makes you uncomfortable, don't read. After this one, I'll start putting these under a cut.

--------

A lot of mothers have mentioned to me the morning sickness and general queasiness, the exhaustion, and of course, all the issues that will arise as you start putting on the baby weight. You know what they don't mention?

The bloating, the constipation, the constant stomach cramps, the heartburn. Oh, and the acne, as my harmones kick into overdrive. Between that and the mood swings, I feel like I'm back at puberty.

And my boobs are killing me! Aaaaaggghhhhhh!!!! For those of you who don't know the biology, the body increases its levels of estrogen and progesterone early in the first trimester. This increase in hormones causes blood to rush to the breasts, making them sensitive to the touch. In addition, milk ducts and milk-producing cells are starting to form. The resulting growth and shape change also contribute to the tenderness. So my boobs are really hard at work right now. They're sensitive, and tender, and it really sucks. I'll probably start wearing a bra to bed if this doesn't level out, because just the sheets moving over the nipples is verging on painful.

And I'm assured, now that I ask, that this is all completely normal.

Pregnancy is an awesome, amazing thing, and I'm still in the "I'm knocked up! Score!" phase. But damn, is this uncomfortable!

I will, hopefully, be posting my first belly photo and weigh-in tonight, assuming I remember.

Success!!!!

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:08:51 GMT

So. Some of you may have noticed that there's been little-to-no discussion of the baby-making attempts of late. Partially, that was because I didn't want to make people sick of seeing my whiny, wishful posts on the matter. Partially, it was also because I was starting to get a little depressed over the issue, and I couldn't focus on that. Not healthy.

Well...

My period was late, but that's happened before. And I had been experiencing these little twinges over on my right side. I'd chalked it up to pre-menstrual cramps, and left it at that. Then tomato sauce, which I normally adore, made me feel so sick. Just the smell sent me running to the toilet.

So, yeah. I took a test. And then another. And then, on the next day, another, because hey, they're sitting around the house/office gathering dust, right?

I'M PREGNANT!!!!!

My OB/GYN father is estimating my due date to be April 15th. I've a doctor's appointment in early September, and I figure that we'll probably confirm that. The family is thrilled. And so far? I'm feeling pretty good. I'm completely exhausted, and I've lost a few meals, but feeling good overall!

So that's that. I think that we'll be doing that silly weekly photo to track my belly growth. I need to dig up my camera.

So, yay! And yay again! Hooray!

Oh, the Weekend...

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:28:40 GMT

Hubby and I spent the weekend up on Long Island, visiting my maternal grandparents. My mother and her sister were there as well!

My grands live in a lovely old neighborhood, in a lovely old house. With ancient wiring. And only one full bathroom. And no central A/C.

The weekend itself, with the people, was quite nice. The temperature was not so nice. We had a few box fans around the house, but mid-afternoon and night were pretty miserable. On Saturday, we went to see an afternoon showing of District 9. Partly so that we could sit in A/c for a few hours, and partly because we really wanted to see the movie!

I think that this was one of the most well-done sci-fi movies I've seen in ages. So that's what you can do with good plot, well-done CG, and no holds by Hollywood or big name actors.

Now, I'll point out here that this is not a movie I would sit and rewatch several times. It's not that sort of movie for me. It's not the Alien movies or LoTR, which I consider watchable comfort movies. And it's not for kids. I was absolutely appalled to see a couple come in with their two very young sons (ages 4 and 6, maybe?) - who they instructed to sit in the row behind them. The kids did not enjoy the movie. At all.

Um, yeah. So, my weekend. Hubby says that this is the last time he'll visit anyone who doesn't have central A/C during the summer. That's okay. My mom and aunt both ditched their husbands for the weekend too, so we can start making this a "girls only" trip every year.

And now, my evenings for the next three weeks will be devoted to 1) Finishing Books & Braun, because Tee and Pip have been waiting SO patiently and 2) relly start working on my steampunk costume for DragonCon. Whee! I'm dreaming about clock parts these days.

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:11:00 GMT

I have a cold. Actually, Hubby and I both have colds. And I want nothing more than to be home, tucked in bed, with a nice, tall glass of cranberry juice.

My head feels four sizes to small, my throat hurts, and my nose is a snot factory. I should wrap biohazard tape around my entire damn cubicle. Because, yes, I'm at work. After taking a real vacation, I can't stay home for the sniffles.

(Edit, one hour after I originally started typing this entry. Fuck it. I'm catching an early train home.)