Lilypie First Birthday tickers

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Being Late

This is Josh: Waking up in a blur. Throwing clothes on and rushing outside. Running to catch the train. Missing it, continuing to run straight for the next 10 minutes. Not in running shoes. Showing up at class five minutes before it ends. Putting my paper on the stack in the front of the room. Sitting down in class, sweating, breathing a sigh of relief. I made it.

Versions of this scenario replayed itself many times throughout college.

Of course, by most people’s standards, I didn’t make it. I was over an hour late. Most people would’ve gotten to class five minutes early, especially on a day when a paper was due. But I, unfortunately, am not most people in this regard. I’ve always been late to things, even when those things are important.

But in the end it always works out.

I was thinking about this as I woke up this morning. Our baby’s due date is today, and he has not yet decided to show up. But, there’s still time.

In fact, he can safely show up anytime in the next two weeks. And, given his procrastinator heritage, I’m guessing he will wait a significant amount of those two weeks before showing up at the last moment.

So I’m not stressing it. I know he’s enjoying his last days in the womb, partying late with the placenta and umbilical cord, waking up in the outfit he wore yesterday.

But I have one message for him: he’s about to enter a new stage of life, and the outside world won’t tolerate such tardiness. He should thank his mother for putting up with him. - Josh

Thursday, April 8, 2010

40ish week appointment

I don’t usually write about my appointments with our two midwives Becky and Emily. Basically because all I do is get on the scale (and grumble), pee in a cup, get my blood pressure taken, hear the baby’s heartbeat, have my tummy measured and chat with the midwife a bit. Even the appointment where we went over the birthplan was ho hum as all of our preferences are pretty much the status quo with their clients. The main benefit is getting to know our providers!

But TODAY was just a little bit different. I’m 40 weeks this weekend. I didn’t expect to be checked. I mean everything I’ve read says that internals are useless. You could walk around at 3cm for 3 weeks, or you can go from zero to baby in a day. However, you really don’t know how you are going to feel about something until you experience it. I needed to get SOME information. Plus it’s all a prequel to the birth story. So when Emily asked if I wanted to be checked I said: YES PLEASE

Some background on birthing a baby: Your cervix must open from 0-10cm (dilation), and thin out (effacement) from 0 percent to 100 percent. Additionally the baby drops from -4 station (high) to +4 station(seeing the head).

So to have a baby you have to be 10 cm dilated, 100 percent effaced. I’m not sure what station is needed to start pushing. Too lazy to google.


Anyhoo!
I am dilated 1cm, 50 percent effaced and at -2 station. I love my little stats! I mean I’m already halfway effaced! I’d like to stitch these stats into a quilt and wrap myself up with them. They are warm and cozy to me. Next Thursday we will see if I have progressed any more.

I have a non-stress test, and an ultrasound to check fluid levels after 41 weeks. 42 weeks is the longest the practice will let me go before I am medically induced.

Monday, April 5, 2010

The Horror!

Josh said that once I hit full term that it will be like a horror movie. He will never know when he will get “The Call” that I am in labor. That is just so freakin’ sweet. But the fact is that it could happen at any time. Such as right now as you are reading this, is both exciting and extremely draining.

Meanwhile I am dealing with all these “maybe” contractions. Is it gas? Should it feel like cramps? Should it be cramping and tightening? Should I have to “breathe” through them for them to count? I think about timing them, but I feel stupid. I have a feeling josh might get several horrific calls before the real deal.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

How far along?

How far along? 39 weeks

Total weight gain: 35 pounds. Okay fine 37…I just chose to round down there.

Maternity clothes? I can no longer fit into my maternity pants, and 80 percent of my maternity shirts. Which doesn’t matter because they are long sleeved, stained and ratty. Special thanks to Mandy S for the dresses on loan!

Stretch marks? I got some a couple days ago. I discovered them using a hand held mirror cause they are under my belly. I’m okay with them since they are shiny and light. But you know what Bot? If you had came already I wouldn’t have gotten any.

Sleep: Sporadic. Benadryl is my new BFF

Best moment this week: Bot really likes the song Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix. I put it on to show josh and as soon as it started bot kicked me really hard and shook my whole belly. The song is about a man killing his wife for messin’ round town. I have to ask Bot when he is older whether he thinks she deserved to be shot down or if he was upset at the misogynistic nature of the song.

Movement: I hate how he head butts my bladder while stretching his butt out really hard. There are rolls and ripples. Punches to my cervix. He mainly hangs out on the left hand side. The other side of my uterus must have the tv. Sometimes his hands are tickle me, like he is smoothing back his hair.

Food cravings: Cream of Wheat! Kani sushi (crab stick on rice) with lots of wasabi ginger and soy sauce.

Food aversions: just red sauce. And I can eat it, just don’t want to.

Gender: Boy. I just learned that most babies pee immediately when placed on your chest after birth.

Labor Signs: Two false labors. Both petered out in a couple hours. Both freaked us out on how utterly unprepared we are. But really have kicked us into gear. Bring it on!

Belly Button in or out? It pokes out, but I’m not calling it an outtie cause it is just the edges.

What I miss: Turning over in bed. Putting on pants without sitting. Walking at a decent speed without pain. Being able to sit, get up, or do anything without pain.

What I am looking forward to: Baby bot. I cannot wait to see his little face. CANNOT WAIT! Will he have hair? Will he have josh’s nose? Will he be chubby? I just want to see him blink. How cool would that be?

Weekly Wisdom: After 38 weeks, anything elastic around your waist is the devil’s work.

Milestones: Full term!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

To Lily, Maya, Ella, and Luke:

This is Josh: You have provided the entirety of my experience with little kids. Lily has taught me that life does not end with kids – you can still see a drive-in movie and go on vacation. Maya showed me that life can continue past a baby’s bedtime. Ella has shown me, through several visits over her 3 years, that a few months in baby time mean a whole lot more than a few months in adult time. Luke showed me that moving your body the way you want it to move is an innately exciting activity.

My resume of experience with babies and toddlers is short, and I thank you for the little time we’ve had together. I remember being a teenager, when I had little use for adults. But you’ve reminded me that for the first years of life, adults are all you have, and we’re all the better for it. - Josh

Friday, March 26, 2010

Laundry Situation

So for years (years!) I’ve always wanted to have a washer/dryer NOT in the basement. Every time we moved (which is often: 3 times in 5 years) I would search for months for a place that would have the following:
-Clean (preferably newer) bathroom/kitchen
-Allows cats
-Washer Dryer NOT in the basement
(not to mention location, rent etc.)

This was near impossible and became a fantasy rental when I added the following two stipulations in our most recent search:
-Allows dogs
-Fenced in backyard.

Well I came as close as I could with our current duplex. Clean bath/kitchen, allows pets, fenced backyard and washer dryer hook-ups (but no washer dryer) in the basement. I really wanted to be able to do laundry but my spider phobia just won’t let me down there. I tried one time but literally a huge spider dropped from the ceiling in front of me. No lie. So, Josh washes the clothes, and until I got pregnant, I cleaned the bathrooms and managed the pets. I think it is a good deal that worked out well.

Well nearly a year later, we still don’t have a w/d. Josh decided that he’d rather drive to the laundry mat and wash 6 loads at a time and be done in 90 minutes twice a month. I have no argument there. But since getting pregnant I have been campaigning for a w/d because everyone gets this incredulous look on their face mixed with pity or horror when I tell them we don’t have one. Oh, and that we must be brain damaged to think we won’t be doing laundry every day with a baby.

It was back in October that I witnessed the destructive nature of babies and clean clothes. My nephew luke in just a few hours, not only pooped out his own clothes, but got poop on his mom’s pants while she was holding him. He then proceeded to spit up milk on me and then his father. That’s half a load of laundry right there!

I begged josh. I sent him w/d ads on sale then used w/d ads from craigslist. There was even a set a man would sell us and then deliver it! I told him horror stories, and tried reasoning with him. I even tried guilting him that all that time at the laundry mat was time away from his son! I tried asking him the tough questions: Are we just going to have poopy sheets sitting in the house for a week?!!

His response is either a version of “I’ll take care of it” or “It’ll be fine”
Because in the end, he does the laundry not me, so he ultimately decides.

Plagued with visions of stained and thus ruined clothes piling up in the hamper all week, I’ve come up with a plan to salvage them. I decided to fandangle a bucket system in the basement. Poopy, spit-up items will be rinsed in the sink and then soaked in a large bucket of water and oxyclean in the basement until laundry day. Josh promises to go once a week to the laundry mat. I suppose his task will also be emptying the bucket of water.

This is the best I can do to make the situation better? A bucket?!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Aches and Pains

25 days until the due date, and on Sunday I will be full term. I don’t know what to think of this. On the day of the birth, two huge changes are going to happen:
One: I will have a baby and
Two: I won’t be pregnant anymore.
It’s amazing how quickly I’ve gotten used to the status quo.

It officially hurts to walk, I have bad joint pain in my hips and pelvis. I am so very tired at work and my feet/ankles balloon at the end of the day. I am getting by the best I can. It’s just that anything physical is an (often painful) effort. The days I work at 1pm, I go to bed around 11:30 and stay in bed until 11:30. And I could stay there all day. I know this is a finite time in my life, so I’m just taking it day by day. I’m also scared that next week will be much worse. And if I can’t cope now, I’m screwed.

Still, I’m not ready for him to be here yet. I know the names of the streets in the hell that I am in at least.

On the plus side, Bot is doing well. He’s probably pretty cramped himself. He keeps trying to stretch me out. I feel pressure low and his big butt keeps pressing into my lungs. My favorite thing to do is to trace the outline of his feet when they poke out of me. The food that gets him moving is cream of wheat, because I put loads and loads of sugar on it!

And now a message to Bot:
Dear Bot: Sorry about the Wendy’s today. I know there was nothing of nutritional value there. But how delicious was that premium fish fillet with added cheese and no tartar sauce? I smothered it in ketchup. Soooo yummy!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Completed nursery!

I had a blast doing this nursery. Thank you to my mom, sister and josh for letting me pepper you with emails on opinions. I feel like I got a lot of great deals, and with it being Ikea heavy, you know it was on a budget :)

Enjoy!
Bird Mobile off Etsy.com (there is a bird theme going)

Dresser and curtains from Ikea

Eventually there will be a chair there instead of a stool (maybe).

I impulsively got these alphabet cards off etsy.com because it was such a great deal!! And it took up a lot of wall space not to mention being educational :)

Wall decal of birds and branches off etsy.com (can you tell I am addicted to this site?)


Josh purchased installed these shelves!

Bot's cage...err.. I mean crib.

Close-up of the scary owl faces blanket and sheet I got off of etsy.com. I needed a touch of spooky to make this nursery juuuuust right!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Nursery Progress Pics

Putting together the crib
Futurama playing in the background (of course!)

Only one missing screw! (barely wobbles)


Upacking the new lamps from Ikea

Painting the nursery "smoke screen" gray blue

Ikea dresser parts (enjoying our affordable Swedish crap)

Those Swedes know how to put in almost everything you need!

Undecorated room, but painted and furnished!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

35 weeks

The front
The flip side
The bump side

Hmm, I guess you can see my belly button from the front. I guess any denial that it has gone from an innie to an outie is over. ..

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Awesome

This is Josh: Stefanie, you are awesome. I could not imagine having a roller coaster going on for 9 months. Thank you for carrying our baby and being there with him at all times. I know your voice and your rubs comfort him when he's wondering why he's still in his oceanic environment. He'll be with us on land soon! - Josh

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Hypnobirthing - part 2


So, 3-4 weeks in, what’s it like so far? First of all it is a freakin’ struggle to stay awake for the 30 minute hypnosis sessions (there are 12). You take some calming deep breaths, you relax your muscles and just when you think you are completely relaxed… “you go deeper…much deeper”(the lady’s soothing words, not mine).

Then the lady tells me that I am so relaxed I can’t move my arm (true!) and then she tells me that my skin feels so good (yup). Then she tells me to come up with a special safe place (For me: I am lying on a hammock on the beach in a orange bikini and I am smokin’ hot too!--- hey it’s my special place, my rules!). In my special place I hold my baby cause we are in this together (check!). Next thing you know she is telling me that she is going to count to five and each number will take me 10 times deeper into relaxation and hypnosis. You feel like you are drifting, floating and your mind is completely empty. And each time she says a number it intensifies like a wave going through you. And I am literally on the beach so RELAXED! And right before she gets to some instructions….I’m out like a light.

Last night I finally got through the “Creating Self-Anesthesia” track. I did really well with the finger drop technique (a cue where you raise your finger and lower it and are instantly relaxed and in your special place) and turning my light switch (that controls my muscles) completely off. Now I am working on centering my light swtich so that I can move/talk/interact while the area between my chest and my thighs (birthing muscles) is still completely relaxed. It is a warm buzzing feeling. Like I can’t describe it.

I had a major setback a few days ago. I woke up screaming due to a calf muscle spasm. Usually it works itself out, but this one was a mutant spasm because as soon as it ended it would spasm harder again and again. I thought for a second “ Oooh I should use hypnobabies!” But all I could think was that word “hypnobabies” and couldn’t think any further. I was completely focused only on the pain that kept coming and coming. So I thrashed in bed, yelled, and had josh rub my leg. After it was over, I thought holy hell I can’t even manage a calf muscle spasm. Granted it was the mother of calf spasms that turned into four in a row. But actually josh said I did a good job. And I asked him embarrassedly “But what about how I thrashed and yelled?… I mean that wasn’t really me in a hammock/ on the beach/orange bikini moment.” He said that’s okay and he’s going to be there with me like he was that morning too. (swoons) And it is true that my labor isn’t going to go from 0 to 60 and wake me up discombobulated in the middle of the night. Anyway, to be fair, I am only practicing anesthesia in my torso not my left leg.

Still.

We will see how this goes.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Hypnobirthing

I’ve been getting harassed by josh to post another entry. So let’s talk hypnosis. It is really hilarious to me that so many things I am doing in preparation for this birth is just so off the wall. And I know it too. And I already know you know it. But stay with me here.

I decided to go with hypnobirthing as my pain management technique. Lamaze and the Bradley method are so yesterday.com! Even though hypnobirthing isn’t new, it has recently been updated so you can be hypnotized with your eyes open and talk and move. They call it “eyes open” hypnosis. Pretty fancy hey?

When you think hypnosis, you think parlor tricks. But really it is more a form of meditation and the power of the mind. It’s very peaceful and actually pretty awesome.

I decided to go with the Hypnobabies brand. A 5 week home study course, with 8 CDs (purchased from ebay!). And it accomplishes and addresses three major areas:
1. Childbirth is natural and normal, and people who have a positive expectations of childbirth can deliver without pain and fear. The first step is internalizing this through positive affirmations. For example: “labor” is now referred to my birthing time! That “contraction” is just a pressure wave!

2. Freedom from fear can make a significant difference. Fear in labor can create tension, which creates pain, then more fear, and the cycle continues. I will use self-hypnosis to clear that fear.

3. People have been using self-hypnosis as a method of natural anesthesia for years. It has even been an effective anesthesia in surgeries.


And you can read more about it here: http://www.hypnobabies.com/mylink.php?id=4570

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Being a Kid

This is Josh: As snow falls in Columbus, and much more falls elsewhere, I’m delighted that schools are closed. A snow day for a kid is just about the best thing in the world. It’s not like Christmas, where you look forward to it forever. A snow day is somewhat random, and just unleashes freedom like no other event. Not to mention the snow – snowmen, snowball fights, sledding – these are things that are only possible when the weather randomly makes them possible. And it’s that much greater when you can play in the snow all day on a Tuesday rather than on a Saturday.

It got me thinking about what it’ll be like for our son growing up. Stef and I grew up in the eighties, and we experienced being teenagers in the nineties. I remember a typewriter in the house. Sometime in high school we got the internet. It required that you get a magazine because it literally took ten minutes to load every page. It was revolutionary when I got to college and websites popped up right as you clicked.

All of this is the same as saying “Back in my day, blah blah blah”. I can’t recall this to my kid without sounding old and boring.

These days, kids grow up with keyboards and texting and the internet and it’s changed the way they interact with the world. I imagine it must also change their perspectives on life. This isn’t to say it’s a bad thing. In fact, I think the world is constantly improving, progress is being made, and these technological changes make life better.

From a parenting standpoint, though, I think it might create new challenges. I imagine we have to be a little more proactive about what our 9-year-old is doing for an hour on the internet than we’d have to be if he was watching TV for an hour. So maybe parenting is harder today than it was back in the day? (That question totally acknowledges that I have no idea what it’s like to be a parent, today or back in the day).

On the other hand, it seems that snow days now are the same as snow days in the eighties. So maybe some things don’t change too much. - Josh

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Why I Write

This is Josh: Often I write something about my experience as a soon-to-be-dad, and I soon realize that my thoughts are generic. I do not provide great insight into the human condition, or enlighten the world with ideas unlike any other.

I do not think this is a problem.

Over the weekend Stefanie and I discovered some old photos of us from college. The photos are now several years old, and they create a special feeling when viewed years later. At the time they were just photos, the kind you push yourself to take because you know it’s worth it, even though it’s always sort of a hassle to take the photo right then. Only after sitting dormant for some time do they begin to take on an exceptional quality. And these aren’t the graduation-type photos, where everyone’s posing. The best ones are the ones where someone just grabs the camera in the middle of a party, or while someone’s reading a book, and captures the random moment.

In the same way, I hope the writings here will prove to be interesting over time. Ten or thirty years from now, I can imagine getting great joy from the thoughts in this blog. They would be interesting to an alien who came down and wanted to read what an average American in 2010 has to say about having a child. It seems like there’s value in recording them, and I look forward to revisiting these posts when my child is in high school, and beyond. - Josh

Monday, February 8, 2010

31 weeks belly shots

Okay so I haven't done this in a while. I think compared to the 26 week one he might have gotten a little lower.
I'm smiling, but I'm really very tired and my neck hurts from a long day at work. I took about 15 pictures and this is the one where my face looks the least fat.

I'm giving the bare belly because Mom requested it. Other decent folks can shield their eyes! You can't see it, but my innie is very close to being an outie!






Monday, February 1, 2010

Another look at the goods

So we went in for our 3D/4D ultrasound on Saturday. We aren’t the type with a lot of disposable income, so I’d never consider this little luxury except for that damn 25 percent chance that bot was a girl according to the random doctor who did our anatomy scan. Also I would like to say this is partly our insurance's fault for only covering two ultrasounds in the first place.

Anyway, it was really weird getting on an examining table without someone first taking my weight and blood pressure… but it was actually a very nice environment. They even had a huge movie screen in which the ultrasound was projected. We got a 20 minute DVD of all his little motions and 20 pictures.

Bot was halfway cooperative, he showed us the nuts and bolts. And what a boy indeed! (that one was for you Lindsey :0)) Having said that he was in a breech position with the cord covering up his mouth, and finally getting that sorta out of the way he put his foot over half of his face. It’s not like he doesn’t look like a 3D claymation mud baby regardless of these obstructions… The best part was nice seeing him in motion. He kicked and swallowed stretched his neck.

The biggest relief was that yes, he did have face, all four limbs and apparently at least four toes from what I could see. Josh would like to point out that bot indeed has a set of genitals. He also likes to smoosh his face up against my placenta, which apparently is the womb’s pillow, in order to provide lame pictures.

Here is the "best" one!
His foot is on his left eye, but you have a good profile shot of his little eye, nose and lips.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Enjoying the time

This is Josh: I know I’m not the one who’s body is morphing inside and out, so this may not come as a shock - I am enjoying this time before our child is born. I remember the early days of Stefanie’s pregnancy, where everything was starting from square one and we had a long road ahead of us. There was a lot going on. Now we are entering the third trimester. While I think Stef is experiencing a form of senioritis and can’t believe there’s still months to go before birth, I feel like I’ve hit a peaceful calm before the storm.

This is not to say that I wouldn’t love to have our son magically and healthily appear now, just as if tomorrow were the 40 week mark, because I would. The longer until birth, the longer I have to worry about the baby’s health, even though every checkup gets a thumbs up. (I am told these worries about our child will continue after he is born, on up through high school, but I’ll worry about that later).

This is also not to say that Stefanie is absolutely miserable, because we’re both having a good time hanging out just the two of us. I just think that she would prefer it if she could breathe and walk like normal. If I had to go through that, I wouldn't be too happy, so she's doing a million times better than I would at this pregnancy thing.

In the eternal battle of work versus life, work loses right now. I have actively taken on less work recently, knowing that working endlessly will not be remembered over time, but the final days with my wife before our son is born will be. (I won’t slack off (much), but I also won’t be working every weekend like I was in November and December.) These last days are precious, and while I am not rushing off for a final road trip to discover America or vying to ski across the Alps, I am sharing hot chocolate with Stefanie in our living room. And it's just been really nice. - Josh

Monday, January 18, 2010

Third Trimester starts.....NOW



I’m in the third trimester! Well according to some books, that milestone was two weeks ago, but some tell me I’m just starting it today.



Ever since I got pregnant, people have been telling me that the 2nd trimester is the best. I was juuuuust getting used to it, and I feel like someone dropped me off at third trimester’s doorstep and drove away without a note. I’ve expected some doom and gloom music this morning, but I feel fine. I get dizzy spells and pressure on my chest (it feels like my fat cat Leela is laying on me). I also find that turning over in bed is a three step process. Going up the stairs has an intermission where I reflect on life and catch my breath halfway. I can’t pick up anything off the floor lower than a shoe without grunting. I’m clumsy so I end up grunting a LOT at work. When I drop a book, I sort of stare at it for a while in awe of how far away it is. Sidenote: even not pregnant I could never touch my toes. I was like 6 inches away. So it’s almost like I have to compress my tummy to bend over, and it just doesn’t work. Someone told me to bend my knees. I mean really! Thank you Mr. Obvious! That stomach is just in my way.
A woman I was helping at work took one look at my belly and said “you’re due any day now, huh?” I was like, actually more like 2 months! So assume I will become hilarious looking.

Bot is doing fine. Well, he gave us a scare on Saturday when he didn’t move all day or all that evening. I had gotten so used to him giving me his good night kicks in bed, I felt weird going to bed without them. So I ate three oranges and a bowl of chocolate iced cream. I did feel one small kick, but it was so light, I was worried he was sick. On top of that, my bump seemed to have . But he’s moving up a storm right now a few days later as I type. I’m still drinking water like it’s my job. On Thursday rushing around and setting up for a program I had so many Braxton hicks contractions, I thought something was terribly wrong. I am trying some deep breathing techniques. I find I need to rest and drink 16 ounces of water before walking to my car at the end of the day. As you can tell exercising is out of the question. I have to walk slow to avoid my uterus turning into a hard ball o’ cramp. I know according to my midwife it is too early to have them this frequent. But I am still taking them in stride as best I can. What else can I do? Lots of water and moving sloooooooow helps.



And now a message to bot:
Dear bot, you scared the shit out of me on Saturday! My mind went through a thousand scenarios, and I know now that this is just the beginning of worry worry worry. So far a lot of my thoughts of you are wondering what position you are inside me. As you know my placenta is right in front, so it took me a while to feel you moving. I wish I didn’t have that extra layer between us (stupid placenta.. move already!) I’ve heard that I can see a foot, or feel the difference between an elbow and a knee. I do think that the other day I felt your head sitting right under my chest. It could have been your butt. Either way I patted it and laughed which I always do when I feel you moving. I hope you stay in there as long as possible and get healthy and strong. I hope you can feel how big my heart has swelled in love for you. I’m ready for the third round in trimesters!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The results are in!

I don’t have gestational diaBEETus. I really do know it is spelled diabetes… but that oatmeal guy pronounces it like that, and it is too damn funny. Here is a picture of that guy if he was a Persian cat.

I am still anemic despite the dangerous amount of iron I’m taking. According to the box the iron pills came in, I should have called the poison control a long time ago. I’m taking 3 times the recommended amount. But my iron levels remain unchanged. Diagnosis from the nurse? Why more iron pills of course. Duh!

Anyway, besides that little set back, I still feel great. Well besides the crippling exhaustion. I have to take a break halfway up the stairs. And I go up the stairs a lot to pee.

The contractions are getting better. Perhaps it was a stressful week after all. They say to drink 64oz to 100oz of water a day, and I have been drinking at least a gallon 128oz or more. I’m a thirsty woman. I drink 45 of those ounces throughout the night when I’m supposed to be asleep. (Have I mentioned on this blog about my insomnia currently untreated by se-da-tives?) I still get contractions when I walk up the stairs or stand up, but I guess I’ve tuned them out.

We made a delicious crock pot meal! All we did was throw a roasting chicken in there. I slathered it with butter, rosemary, spices, and stuffed it with some garlic cloves. We put in on low for 9 hours and went to work. We came home to the best smelling house. Poor Charlie must have suffered so. And it fell off the bone and was so tender and juicy! Especially the parts that were soaked in the chicken oil and butter. It really felt like someone cooked for us! I whipped up some couscous and string beans as a side, and we had a little feast. WTF did we do all these years without one? Thanks mom! Hope you are enjoying yours Janeen, share those recipes!

And now for a message to baby:
Dear bot: I found out your little secret. When I drink cold water it makes you kick me. Did you know you have motivated me to drink so much water it’s not even funny? Our relationship is already symbiotic. I love that about you.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Progress

This is Josh: I put together the crib. Now there’s an actual spot for the baby. Before we just had a snazzy outfit, but he had nowhere to sleep. Problem solved.

Sure, there’s a car seat to get, and I’m sure there’s about 50 things that we’ll need that I’ve never heard of before, but things are getting done. We cleaned our bedroom over the weekend, so now it looks like a respectable place to raise a baby rather than the one room that obtains all the junk we remove from the other rooms in the final hours before we have guests.

Another bonus - Stefanie learned a new meal last night and cooked it to perfection, so now we have one more trick up our sleeve when we’re at the grocery store and have no idea what we’re going to eat in the upcoming week.

At the same time we’re upping our level of adult-like accomplishments, Stefanie’s belly is getting big and beautiful. It’s pretty wild. I’m intrigued of what it’s like, but Stefanie assures me that the movie Junior was terrible, so it shows it wasn’t meant to be.

2010. As futuristic as it’s ever gotten up until now. 4/10/2010. Sounds like a cool date to open a blockbuster movie on. That’s the date that’s in our minds for now, because it’s the coolest one around the official due date. But a mother of two cautioned us over the weekend that if we’re due in April, it very likely could be March. A simple concept, one that we’ve heard before, but it took on a new meaning in the first week of January 2010 than it did way back in crusty old 2009. - Josh

Saturday, January 2, 2010

26 Weeks


Big milestones! Last week, bot became viable. This means that if he were born today he'd have an 85 percent chance of survival. Not only that, but this week his eyes have started to open. I am so excited to know that no matter what, I will get a chance to meet him, and he will be able to see me too!

Every week that passes is just another week to fatten him up and let his beautiful brain develop enough to take the wheel on life. AND!!!! We are in the double digits! 99 days until he’s an air breather!

I absolutely cannot wait for him to be here. Oh, and we'd love it bot if you came on April 10th. That would flow so nicely: 4/10/2010!
Bot's parents

I can't believe it is 2010! It sounds so futuristic. We'd assumed when we got pregnant, our baby would be futuristic, and therefore a robot. This is why he is our baby bot. I also suspect that he will be coming out the womb in a flying car or wearing a jet pack or something like that.