I felt like the stay puft marshmallow man

I had my regularly scheduled doctor's appointment yesterday. Now that I'm getting closer to the end I have to go every 2 weeks. Usually the appointments are pretty much the same. Up until this last appointment no one has said a word to me about my weight gain. I guess I was pretty much on target...was on target. At this last appointment I had gained 7lbs since my previous appointment which had been a month ago. I didn't think it was that bad. I guess I was wrong. The nurse actually said to me, "So, you've gained 7lbs. Do you really think it could be 7lbs? I'm going to have to have my scale checked." Thanks a lot! It's the summer! I'm retaining water! I'm allowed a little bit of ice cream! I saw her glance at my sausage fingers; I don't think she was convinced. When the appointment was over I immediately became very aware of the 7lbs. I felt like the stay puft marshmallow man from Ghostbusters as I waddled out of the office.

As I ate my 6 piece chicken mcnugget I thought about my diet and decided I really needed to continue eating the healthy foods I was already eating, but cut down on all the bad stuff. The first and second trimesters were easy since I really wasn't that hungry, but these last couple of weeks my appetite has dramatically increased. I'm hungry all the time and somehow the salad and fruit I have for lunch every day just doesn't cut it. I'm going to challenge myself these next two weeks to still eat enough, but make sure that it is all good stuff I'm eating. I'll show that nurse! Next time if she tells me she has to have her scale checked, I'll politely tell her where she can put that scale.

I think someone is getting jealous

Last night Nigel and I talked about how we will have to get our cat Ty in a routine of not sleeping with us for the first few months while the baby is in our room. I woke up this morning with my arm completely asleep. I had that moment of panic where I literally could not feel my arm at all. Then came the sharp pins and needles that lasted a few minutes until I could feel the blood making its way back through my arm. What could have caused such pain.....

Remember the movie Aliens...

And he shall be named Leonidas.....or not

Naming your first child can be a very difficult task, but for us I thought it would be a breeze. Nigel has had a boy name picked out since before we were married. I didn't love it at first; but after mulling it over for 9 years it's grown on me. Then he watched the movie 300. He decided he really liked the name Leonidas. For those of you who don't know about the movie 300; it is about King Leonidas and a force of 300 men who fight the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C.
Leonidas....seriously? "It's a strong, masculine name" Nigel said. For a split second I thought, "Well we could call him Leo". Then I thought about that kid in school whose name the teacher always mispronounced during role call. I thought about the little 1st graders who would taunt our son. Leonidas? More like Pee-on-idas.
I immediately came to my senses and put the kibosh to Leonidas. Nigel still thinks we should have a back up name, but my guess is we'll go with the original and leave Leonidas to the Spartans.

Washington DC

I went to Washington DC this weekend to visit my friend Audrey. This was the last time I could get on a plane before the baby comes so I packed my bags and waddled my way through the airport. The humidity was at an all time high. By the time we were ready to board I was so thirsty and out of breath I thought I might pass out. Now you would think watching a red faced and panting pregnant woman try to hoist her bag up into the overhead compartment would cause some nice person to jump out of their seat to help, but no. The guy sitting in the aisle seat of my row just sat there. I thought to myself, "I hope you don't mind as I thrust my huge belly in your face. And please pay no attention to the grunting noises your hearing. I'll be just fine." I mean really. Don't be fooled by the swollen man hands and sausage fingers. I'm really not that strong and could have used a hand. I sat in my chair and put the air on full blast. Fortunately the flight was only an hour long.
I had a great weekend. It was the perfect amount of site seeing and relaxing. Even though Audrey lives in the city and usually takes the metro everywhere; she went out of her way to drive me around so that I wouldn't have to walk too much in the heat and humidity. We saw the Pandas at the zoo, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Jim Henson exhibit and ate at a few fabulous restaurants. To top it all off they have central ac and full cable with DVR. By the end of the trip I was ready to go home and see Nigel, but I'll miss the cable.
Thanks Audrey and Jesse!!

Getting up to Speed.

As the months have past I've enjoyed every milestone that me and my little guy have hit. The little taps that were once so sporadic have now turned into full blown karate kicks and punches. I've said goodbye to my waistline and now hold back tears as I step on the scale at every doctor’s appointment. I've embraced the sausages that are now in place of my fingers and the thick luscious hair that has grown everywhere but on my head. I've accepted that the bump in my front is equally as big as the bump in my ass. I've even welcomed the "girls" that have shown up from the Dolly Parton collection. It all comes with the territory. Fortunately aside from all the aches and pains I can honestly say that every day is a good day when I know our little guy is safe and getting ready to meet us.

It's a boy!

At 18 weeks Nigel and I had the big ultrasound scheduled. The doctors would check all of the baby’s vital organs, measurements and finally tell us what we were having. It was amazing seeing the baby on the screen; the little feet, hands and profile. It was such a change from the first ultrasound. The technician took her time. She started at the head, moving down to the arms then the heart and stomach and then finally the moment of truth. It took all of 2 seconds for us to realize what I already knew...we were having a boy! There was a part of me that really wanted a little girl, but I just knew in my gut that we were having a boy. For a few minutes I have to say I was a little disappointed, but then I looked at Nigel's face. He was so excited. I started to envision the two of them playing together and learning from each other. I have a few friends that have just had boys and I've decided that I am thrilled to be having a boy first.

Heartbeats and Headaches

I was so anxious for my first doctor’s appointment that the weeks literally felt like months and months of waiting. Then finally the day came. Nigel and I knew that the doctor was going to try to listen to the heartbeat for the first time. We were so nervous. After talking with the doctor for a bit, I laid down on the table and he pulled out the Doppler monitor. He told me to be patient. That it sometimes can take a few minutes for him to find the heartbeat. With Nigel by my side I laid there and listened. After about 5 seconds I began to cry. I had been through this before. Nigel held my hand tight and we waited as the doctor passed the monitor back and forth over my stomach. Then finally we heard it. It sounded like a little freight train. We were only able to hear it for a couple of seconds because I burst into tears which made it difficult for the doctor to keep the monitor on my stomach, but it was there and we were thrilled.

March 6, 2008

March 6, 2008 is a date that will be forever etched in my mind. I started the day off with mixed emotions. I had been feeling a little off all week. I decided on a whim, not even thinking about the significance of that day, to stop at the grocery store on my way to work and purchase a pregnancy test. After months of trying to conceive I didn't let myself get too excited; I had been fooled before. But somehow this time, I felt different. I got to work, walked down to the bathroom and did my thing. 3 minutes later everything changed. I couldn't believe it. I was pregnant.....again. What made this day even more special was that March 6, 2008 was the due date for my first pregnancy that sadly resulted in a miscarriage. I can now look back on this day with some peace and closure. Not too forget. I'll never forget what could have been, but to celebrate what will be. That day I was blessed again with the chance to be a mom.