Baby Update: Week 29

Baby:  According to "What to Expect", the baby is about 3 pounds and can be up to 17 inches long.  It also says that in the next eleven weeks, the baby will double and even triple its weight right now.  (Since Mitch was over 8 pounds and I was over 9 when I was born, I'm confident little Thor will be tripling his weight.  So sweet of him.)  And where is that weight going?  Straight fat to plump him up.  As he gets bigger, his rolls and kicks will start to change over to jabs and pokes from the cramped quarters.

Mom:  I can attest to the fact that it's starting to get a little crowded in my belly.  Just a few minutes ago as I was straightening the house, Thor had one heck of a move that made me pause what I was doing.  It was the first time that his movement had been so strong when I was standing up.  Ah, so many fun things to look forward to in the next eleven weeks!  The heartburn, which wasn't an issue at all during the second trimester, is starting to flare up again.  I've stocked up on Tums and have them in four locations in the house.  I also think my nesting has kicked in, as I was quite productive this weekend, crossing almost everything off my to-do list.  Biggest accomplishment?  Sanding and painting the trim for our new windows which will be coming soon, and putting together the changing table all by myself!  I also have been writing thank-you notes to my coworkers, who threw a wonderful shower on Friday, and attempting to master taking my picture with the camera on our tripod.  It only took six pictures to get this one.

Dad:  Mitch is sweating down in Dallas, where it was a steamy 92 degrees this week.  He thinks it would be great if I flew down there for a weekend to visit.  My response to that?  Not in that heat - my ankles would swell to three times their size!  He spent his first weekend hanging at the mall, getting a hair cut, and eating Chic-Fil-A.  He's met a few people there, so he's not alone as he explores, but he does have a bit of a cold, so he spent today resting in his fancy hotel room.  Feel better soon!

Update on the Yard

Mr. Fix-It came over this morning to dispose of the ugly, half-cut-down bush and any bird remnants that might be around.  I was only in the backyard for a minute, for fear that I might see something I didn't want to or get divebombed by the robins again.  

Thanks, Mr. Fix-It!  I can now safely open my downstairs blinds again.  :)

Training Update #1

Things are darn swell down here in Dallas. While training classes are moving at a slow pace, the hotel and surrounding area are very nice.

My hotel room is an extended stay suite with a full kitchen, living room, and separate bedroom. There is a small grocery store less than 2 blocks away, and the hotel provides happy hour and a milk and cookies buffet at night.

I hope you enjoy this photo of the sunrise as seen from my room on the 24th floor as much as I did.

And I've Been Doing So Well...

For my entire pregnancy I've prided myself in the fact that I've been able to keep my hormones, for the most part, in check.  I've had my moments while watching "The Biggest Loser" and almost had a meltdown in a restaurant when Mitch forgot to buy my pizza, but otherwise I've stayed pretty even-keel.  

Until today.

Mitch and I (okay, Mitch) has been working on the yard and trying to trim back so many of our very overgrown trees and bushes.  This morning Mitch decided, with my encouragement/demand, that one of the big ugly bushes in the back was coming out.  This bush was an evergreen sort of bush, about ten feet tall, with tons of dead branches.  He set to work in taking it out, and I sat on the patio to offer encouragement and hold iced tea.  Even Thor participated in the bush-chopping, as he had his little hammer working overtime in my belly.  After a bit, the bush was ready to be pushed over, and triumphantly, Mitch took the bush to the ground.  

And then shit hit the fan.

As he began to finish severing the wood at the base of the bush, some loud bird cries were heard.  Mitch stands up, says, "Is there a nest in this tree?" and all of a sudden, two robins were divebombing.  I stood up, the robin saw me first, and started to come after me.  I ran in the house, and Mitch backed away from the bush.  We got in the house, looked out the window and saw the nest.  Sure enough, at least one robin's nest is in this bush.  We laughed a bit, then tried to get a good picture of it all for the blog.  We ran downstairs to look out the lower level windows, which is right at ground level, when we saw it.

A little baby robin, walking along the rocks, trying to fly and find a little security from the windy day.  The poor thing isn't strong enough to fly yet, and so he was just getting tossed around by the wind, trying to get close to the house.  Mama robin was flying around, trying to figure out what to do, realizing that her nest is ruined and that her babies (we're pretty sure there's at least one more out there) are most likely not going to survive.

And the waterworks came.  And came.  And are still coming now, as I recall the tragic events from fifteen minutes ago.  I can't get it to stop.  

I'm confident that I would not have reacted this way had I not watched this poor little baby bird.  But the thought of this young little creature not surviving because I wanted this ugly bush gone is just killing me.  Mitch is not quite sure what to do, as he has reassured me that no one is going to come and chop our house down, and that we'll be able to take care of our baby, but anytime he says anything, it just makes it worse.  I just cry harder.  Because of this, I will not be posting the picture of the baby robin.  Mitch has to delete them from the camera immediately.  

I have not cried like this at all during my pregnancy.  I feel like a total baby wimp, because I really just don't cry a lot.  But I now understand the the control that the hormones have over me.  I'm hoping it stops soon.  And I'm hoping that this doesn't happen again, because honestly, I don't think I can handle it.  

Baby Update: Week 28

We're in the third trimester - making the turn for the end now!

Baby:  According to "What to Expect", baby is about 2 1/2 pounds and about 15-16 inches long.  This week baby masters the skill of blinking and REM sleep cycles.  While his lungs are almost fully mature, baby still needs to pack on some pounds before he gets to make his big arrival.  

Mom:  Thankfully, I am NOT packing on the pounds right now.  Since my doctor has said, "I'm not worried about your weight - yet...", I've really watched what is going in my mouth.  Some days are better than others.  :)  I think a little bit of my nesting instinct has come in, as I went on a mad cleaning spree this weekend and am starting to think of all of the things that need to be done before Thor makes his arrival in a few months.  With the warmer weather here, I've had some swelling in my legs and feet, and so I've been taking it a little easier, taking more breaks than I'm used to so that I don't get too tired.  And, here's the updated pic from the weekend - 

 

Dad:  Mitch has also been busy cleaning and organizing, but mostly in the yard, tending to the lawn and cutting back some of the ridiculously overgrown bushes and trees.  He's also been moving furniture as I did a major spring cleaning.  He leaves for his training in Texas on Tuesday, and so I will be living a bachelorette lifestyle - as much as I can with a baby growing inside of me, anyway.  While he's sad to leave me and the baby, he's very excited about the food options he'll have in Texas, especially the abundance of Chic-Fil-A!

More Babies!

Congrats to Colleen, Mitch's cousin, and her husband Eddie! They have a brand new baby boy, Evan, and both mom and baby are doing well. This is their first, and I'm sure they are beyond excited.

Evan

Tonight we also found out that our good friends Ron and Nicole also had their second, Ronnie Jr., early this evening, and everyone there is great, too! Ronnie was 6 lbs 15 oz, and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Ronnie Jr. Jr. and mom!

We couldn't be happier for everyone!

We May Be Taking It Too Far....

It's a known fact that the baby's in utero name is Thor.  It's cute, it's funny, it's powerful, and fits in well with the Scandanavian culture here in Minnesota.  A couple of weeks ago, this came in the mail - 

- and here's the story.  A few weeks before, Mitch had been to a comic book show and spoke with one of the artists.  The artist said he would draw a picture of Thor holding a baby for the low price of $5.  Mitch of course, didn't tell me about this transaction, and so when it came in the mail, he said to me, "Don't be mad, and this only cost $5", and showed me the picture.  How can you be mad at that?  We had a good laugh, and plan on framing it for the baby's room.  

Fast forward to Monday night.  A box arrived at the house addressed to Thor.  We opened the box, and out came this guy - 

- with a card that said, "We know you'll grow up to be a Superhero!", from Boston and Katie.  Again, Mitch and I had a good laugh, and poor Mitch says, "Well, I guess I won't give you the Thor I bought you as a surprise shower gift."  He had bought the same thing months ago!!  What a riot.  Thor takes turns guarding the Diaper Genie and the new closet shelves.  Notice the hammer is in his left hand, as we want to encourage little Thor to be a leftie.  

This will all be really funny if the poor baby is a girl.

The First Potluck

Mitch (this last weekend):  "I have potluck at work on Wednesday.  What should I take?"

Tina:  "Dessert or salad."

Mitch (today on his way home from work):  I signed up for dessert.  What can we make?"

Tina:  "I have stuff to make chocolate chip cookies."

Mitch:  "I want to take something that will really impress them.  Maybe almond bars!"

Tina:  "I don't have the stuff for that.  You'll have to go to the store."

Mitch (at 6:30pm):  Goes to the store for supplies.

Tina:  Goes upstairs to put up her feet, as her cankles became extraordinarily large with the extreme heat today.

Mitch:  Only asks for help a few times while making them.  Dresses the part and cools himself off as he works.  

I have no doubt his coworkers will just love the almond bars.  Hopefully they won't taste like beer.

Baby Update: Week 27

Baby:  This week, "What to Expect" tells us that the baby, measured head to toe, is about 15 inches long (already!), and baby is over two pounds.  The baby's taste buds are developed, and he actually has more taste buds now than he will when he is born.  It means that he tastes everything I eat, and can react accordingly, depending on if he likes it or not.  (Not that I could tell one kick from another)

Mom:  It's hard to believe that this will be the last week of the second trimester, and that the third will soon begin.  There's still so much to do before baby comes!  I've been feeling really good, sleeping well (for the most part), and trying to eat more sensibly.  My belly button is thisclose to popping out, which is freaking Mitch out.  And as you can see from the pictures below, as the baby grows, I'm growing, too!  All this growing has made it slightly difficult to find appropriate professional attire for this week's big interview, but I think I'll be able to pull something together after a little shopping today.  

Week 26 (This shirt does a good job of hiding the bump)

Week 27 (This shirt, clearly, defines every curve of the bump and leaves nothing to the imagination)

Dad:  Mitch has been hard at work this week, putting together the crib (pics to come soon, I promise!), installing the closet shelves in the baby's room, and getting used to his new job.  He has a few things left to finish on his "honey do" list before he leaves for Dallas next weekend.  Mitch has a knack for missing all of the baby's good moves, as the baby's kicks and movements are now easily seen from the outside.  Mitch will watch for minutes, and then as soon as he looks away, Thor is kicking again.  I have to say, if you think about this whole baby movement thing too much, it really is strange, alien, almost.  It's so weird to think a real person is just running around in there!  We are both relieved to know, though, that a moving baby means a healthy baby!

Random Things Going On...

• There is some potential seriously awesome stuff brewing on the job front.  Get those prayers going!  It's going to take a small miracle for administrators to look past my belly and realize that I'm worth hiring a sub for a few months.  
• I have a concert tonight, and it's going to be really good.  I'm excited!
• Tomorrow is Friday.  Woo hoo!
• This weekend "Angels and Demons" comes out in the theatres.  I don't know what I'm more excited about - the movie or the fact that I get to eat movie popcorn.  (No drinks - I'll be peeing through the whole thing)
• Send good thoughts to IL - no more rain!

Baby Update: Week 26

Baby:  This week, the baby's weight is compared to a two-pound chuck roast.  An appetizing thought.  Baby's eyes are beginning to open, but the pigmentation isn't complete yet, so we can't guess what color Thor's eyes will be (although from what I remember from freshman biology, I'm sure they'll be brown).  Baby can see now, and also has a heightened sense of hearing, so he will react to light and sound.  Time to start playing more Mozart!

Mom and Dad:  I just came back from my doctor's appointment, and I don't have the gestational diabetes, which is a good thing!  We spent the weekend registering and attempting to put the crib together.  It's still a work in progress, as we were missing four bolts from our package, and it's taken three trips to the hardware store to find the right size.  (It has been beyond frustrating, to say the least)  We'll hopefully have pictures up by the end of the week.  Mitch started his new job today (yay!) and I'm in my last busy week of school, as I have a concert this week.  After that - smooth sailing!

Happy Mother's Day!

To Mom Mondy and Poke, and Grama Poke and Vinnie,

Thanks for always being there for us, for making us laugh, for making sure we're ok, and for all the little things that you do that we sometimes forget to acknowledge.  We love you!

Mitch and Tina

Letter from the Womb Part II

Dear Pa Poke, 

Mommy, Daddy and I are so proud of you!  We can't believe that you have been smoke-free for almost a whole month now.  I know this is a hard thing for you, and even harder because of all the weather I hear you're having.  It's always a beautiful 98.6 degrees where I'm at! I know that I am part of the reason you decided to do this, and I am so happy that you won't be stinky now or out of breath when you chase me around the farm.  Mommy and Daddy say that even though your lifestyle has been "unhealthy" so far, with all the vices and farm chemicals and sun exposure, that you were going to live to be 104.  Now who knows how long you'll live to torture them and spoil me!!

We are proud of you.  Keep up the good work.  I'll be wishing for good weather so that you can have a good crop and buy me lots of toys.  

Love, Thor

P.S.  Don't kill Grama, OK?

Our Florida Weekend in Pictures

The lunch of champions from the Paradise Shrimp Company - shrimp, stone crab claws, and personal containers of lobster and salmon dip.  

Can't get enough of those crab claws!  Thanks to Winnie for the Florida State tee.

Feeling weightless and stylish in the pool.

Winnie and Aunt Rhoda on the beach - maybe the most beautiful beach day we've ever had.

The whitest people on the beach.  Hawt.

Aunt Rhoda and her brother Kidda at dinner.

Even after being sunburned, I can't even get close to Winnie's permanent tan.

The three of us at Guy Harvey's on the beach.  

We had a great weekend - thanks to Winnie and Aunt Rhoda - we miss you already!

If They Weren't Dorky Before....

.....they solidified it on Boston's news broadcast today.  I particularly liked the matching aprons, and also love the fact that they can't get through the segment without arguing!  Enjoy!

http://www.wicd15.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wicd_vid_813.shtml

What on Earth?

So, on the Today show, a new bath product for babies was advertised.  The "Tummy Tub" is from Europe, and it is all the rage over there.  Apparently it re-creates the comfort of the womb when babies are bathed, keeping them in the fetal position and calmer until about 6 months old.  They are selling the product in the US now.  Here's what it looks like:

Is it just me, or does this kid looks like he's ready to be cooked?

Baby Update: Week 25

Baby: According to "What to Expect", baby is over 9 inches long and weighs over 1 1/2 pounds.  Blood is forming, lungs are becoming more developed, and the nostrils are becoming unplugged.  Also, his vocal cords are functioning, so he will be able to hiccup.

Mom:  I'm completely off my schedule with our trip this past weekend, and am looking forward to getting back on track this week.  My ankle swelling is still an issue (and I'm sure will continue to be) and can feel the baby moving around like crazy, although his movement has been slowed down this past weekend (I'm hoping due to the traveling, and not because he baked in the sun too long).  See Dad section for more on that.  

Dad:  Mitch became very overprotective this weekend, and frankly, he's starting to freak me out. Thursday's sprint through O'Hare and the sitting on the place made me pretty sore on Friday, and he was convinced something was wrong.  I wasn't worried at all.  Then, we went to the beach on Saturday, and while I went back and forth from the sun to the shade to the water to cool off, I did fall asleep for a little while in the sun and woke up warm.  Mitch is afraid the baby might be hurt because of being in the sun too long (in addition to a little sunburn I may have).  I didn't think anything of it, but now I'm overanalyzing everything - is the baby moving enough?  Are his kicks different now?  Did I ruin the baby? 

Help, experienced moms - should we be worried?  Is Mitch justified?  Or is he being a normal, overprotective new daddy?  Everything I have found says that baby should be just fine.  

Travel Update

We made it home Sunday evening and our luggage made it back too. I commented to Tina as I dragged the suitcase upstairs to the bedroom, "I don't remember the last time we had such a heavy bag, and we didn't even wear most of the clothes!"

We're pretty exhausted so look for some new posts later in the week.

Day Three: Luggage is Here

About freaking time.

Day 2: end of the night

Spoke with the United call center in India four times today. Each time I said that my pregnant wife needed medicine that was in our suitcase. This was an outrigt lie designed to make them get our bag here faster. After being assured that this would get it here on the "emergency", "priority", and "expedited" lists, I was told that it would get put on another airline asap OR in the "worst case" scenario it would come tonight on the same flight we came in on last night.

It's now 11:46 pm and we have no bag and have not heard from the airline since I called at 8:15 and was told that the bag was on the plane and would be delivered tonight.

Day 2: no luggage yet

United Airlines sucks.