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3 month mark

Chicken is now three months old. The other day it was like a switch went off in her head and she is now able to recognize me and Jonathan. She always used to smile at us but she smiled at everybody. These days however, she seems to smile because she knows it's us. This is an incredible feeling.

For some reason, she adores being on her changing table. Every time we put her down she smiles and laughs uncontrollably. I don't even think she cares about being changed, there is just something about her changing table. Today we brought her in the house after a long morning outing and noticed that she had the messiest diaper we have seen to date. It was literally running down her legs. I put her down and started to clean her up but quickly noticed that I needed Jonathan for reinforcement. He came and we were working on cleaning her. She giggled and cooed the entire time. It was hilarious. I never thought I would laugh about poo.

As it turns out, a 3 month old really needs a Halloween costume. It's apparently imperative. Thank goodness we learned this a week before Halloween and found the perfect costume. Details to come. . .

2 months later

I just want to start off this post by telling you that I think of this blog and you readers often. I always have stories to share but I don't have the same kind of free time that I used to!

Life with Chicken is going really well. For the most part she's an incredibly well-behaved baby which has allowed Jonathan and me to settle into parenting quite nicely. I thought a baby would turn our world upside-down but instead we have integrated her into our lives and she seems to like it. We take her everywhere, at all hours of the day and night and she doesn't seem to mind. Sometimes we think we take advantage of her adaptability.

Chicken and I keep ourselves busy during the week. We go to two Mommy and Me classes, a breastfeeding support group, we're part of a moms and babies walking and hiking group, and we seem to find lots of other little lectures and group meetings to check out each week. We also spend a fair amount of time with Grandma Joan. Sometimes I wonder if I am taking Chicken out too much or doing too much with her. I guess I have no way of knowing.

I've noticed that people forget that babies are people too. They constantly look at Chicken and remark at how big or small they think she is. I find it funny that people can't believe she is only 2 months because she is so big or can't believe that she is already 2 months because she is so small. For the record, we were at the doctor yesterday who proclaimed that Chicken was exactly where she should be in both height and weight for her age. Anyway, the part about people forgetting that babies are human is that we would never go up to an adult and say "my you are really small for your age." It's no less obnoxious to say it to a baby's mom!

Some moms in my classes seem too involved with their babies to read or watch the news. This bothers me, especially since there is such major news to pay attention to these days.

I play regular music in the car and I am not ashamed. Chicken is unmoved no matter what I play so I don't see the need to listen to Baby Mozart when I really just want to hear the Beatles or NPR.

While I am glad Chicken is a good baby, sometimes I wish she were a little more needy. Some babies always want to be held. I imagine this is very satisfying for their parents (but I understand it can get very old, very quickly). It must be nice to feel needed by your baby and know that you can comfort them when they are cranky. Chicken is just as happy in a sling or a bouncy seat or her bassinet or her car seat as she is in my arms. I know I am "lucky" but I have to say I wish she were a bit more snuggly.

What we needed

I have been meaning to write a post about our baby must-haves like I did with my pregnancy/labor must-haves.

Like the last list, I am sure I am forgetting a few things but here is what I remember needing/using most when we first brought Cutie home:

• Muslin blankets. These things are amazing, particularly for a summer baby. They are very lightweight large cotton blankets that are great for swaddling. They also have a ton of other uses - you can put your baby down on them if you go to the park, you can drape them over the car seat if you don't want the sun to get in your baby's eyes, you can use them to cover you when nursing, etc. Of course you can do all of those things with a regular blanket but these are so soft and light weight that they are just easier to use these. They are also much larger than most baby blankets which makes swaddling much easier. Since Cutie was born in the summer, we didn't want her to be too warm and these blankets were just the right weight. Also, we were told by a nurse that we shouldn't be concerned about her breaking out of her swaddle in these blankets; they are apparently too lightweight to be a hazard for suffocating. We actually own 7 of these and we use at least one a day (often more). It's nice because they get softer each time you wash them! We have some from a company called Aden & Anais and others from a company called Luna Lullaby. They used to only be sold in boutique stores but I'm told that Babies R Us just started carrying them as well. If I were asked what is the single most important baby item I have, muslin blankets are it!
  

• Extra changing pad covers. We started with two but quickly realized we needed three. I remember a friend in college told me her mother told her she needed three sets of sheets: one set that is in the laundry, one set that is on the bed, and one set that you put on your bed when you spill something on your sheets and you haven't done your laundry yet. That advice could not ring more true than with a baby. They all have amazing timing in the beginning and love to surprise you when you are changing them. It's no fun doing an emergency wash just for a changing pad cover. They are super cheap; buy three.

• If you plan to breastfeed, buy a pump. Whether you get an expensive electric one or a simple manual style, you will be surprised at how useful they can be to solve common breastfeeding issues in your first days with your newborn. I had to pull mine out on Cutie's 4th day of life and it saved me (if you want to know why I needed it, feel free to e-mail me and ask).
  

• Cloth diapers. These make the best burp cloths. They are sold in a number of weights. We bought one pack of very thick ones and one pack of thin ones. Both are useful. Remember that personalized burp cloths are a fun gift for people to give so don't go crazy but definitely have a few on hand.

• Food in your fridge and freezer! If you're a cook, start making freezer friendly things now. If you are like us and most other couples, you will have no time to cook when you have a newborn around. It's wonderful to be able to pull a ready made meal out of the freezer and not worry about making dinner. This would be a good place to point out to non-parents something Jonathan and I learned very quickly when we returned from the hospital: the best gift you can bring new parents is food. We used to think it was nice to show up to a house and present the parents with a cute outfit or baby blanket or something adorable and "baby." We now know that if we are visiting in the first few days and weeks, we should come with food. Another great idea I got from my sister along these lines: I did not want a baby shower so my sister organized a "freezer shower" for me. This meant that instead of gifts, guests brought dishes to put in our freezer to eat when Cutie arrived. It was fantastic. We loved every bite that we pulled out of the freezer and it was nice to think about who made each of the meals we were eating. If no one will throw a freezer shower for you, start cooking and throw one for yourself!
  

That is all I can think of for now. Also, in about a half hour, three hours will have gone by and Cutie will need to eat again. Where does the time go?!

Friday nights

Friday nights used to be fun and exciting. Jonathan and I would look forward to plans with friends, movies, events, dinner at our favorite neighborhood restaurant Birds. Now we spend Friday nights at home with Chicken.*** We do have our new kitchen though so we enjoy cooking at home to start off the weekend. I guess this must be what it feels like to be Orthodox. I take that back as I imagine few of the Orthodox blog on Shabbat. . .

It's amazing how quickly time goes by when you have a baby. I don't mean how quickly they grow up, although I am sure I will one day marvel at that too. I mean more in the sense of actual time. Cutie eats every three hours. I am amazed at how often every three hours is. I feel like I just fed her each time I do it, or that I've gotten nothing done since the last time I fed her and all of a sudden it's time to feed her again.

***I don't mean eating chicken, I mean a baby called "Chicken." Having absolutely nothing to do with her pre-partum name "the McNugget," we often call Julian "Chicken." Everyone kept comparing her weight to a chicken when she was born and she had a few poultryish poses in the beginning so the name stuck. We also sometimes refer to her as "Cutie." I'll see what name sticks for this blog as I keep writing.

Staring contests

One fun thing about newborns is that they will stare into your eyes for a few minutes. Usually it's a blank stare as they haven't really figured out how to interact with you yet but it's fun anyway. Their eyes are so big and pretty it's fun to stare back.

Also, about staring, I feel like I could stare at the McNugget for hours, especially when she is asleep. Her features are so tiny; I love looking at them. She is a very restless sleeper so it's fun to watch her pump her arms as she rocks side to side and watch the inadvertent muscle spasms in her face. They look a lot like smiles.

Speaking of smiling, on Friday Julian gave her first "social smiles" to some friends. Now each day we practice with her. She smiles, so we smile back, so she smiles again, and we smile again. Sometimes she coos in the middle. It's great fun. Until she gets bored and stops or cries. Newborns bore easily.

. . .and we're back!

Hello there, thank you for sticking with us through a brief hiatus!

The McNugget is now 5 weeks old and we're having so much fun with her. Pregnancy was fun but actually having a baby is even better!

I wish I had blogged about her from day one because there were so many things to report that I have since forgotten about but I simply didn't have the time. I remember when she first showed up Jonathan and I felt like her babysitters. In fact, on our first night as a family in the hospital, the McNugget (yes, we realize we need a new name for her right now) was crying in the middle of the night and woke Jonathan up. His first thought was "why is there a baby crying in my room? Why am I hearing a baby cry?" Then he realized it was his baby. The first week was a lot like that. The McNugget was so quiet, sometimes we forgot she was here!

Here are a few notes on being a new mom: breastfeeding is great and in my opinion, really important. However, it's hard. Know what you're getting into if you are going to do it. Get as much info as you can while you are pregnant, and get as much support as you can once you have the baby in your hands. You'll need it! But, once you make it past the first week, a lot of it gets easier. It's a really cool thing to do. If you need help with it or want to know more about it, feel free to ask me.

The McNugget is a fabulous trendsetter. Since she was born, I have heard from several friends that they are now pregnant. I am thrilled for each of them. And I have a few recommendations. If I were to do it again for the first time I would:

• buy a Snoogle!
• Get one great pair of maternity yoga pants. I have one pair that I lived in. In fact, I am still wearing them right now! They were pretty expensive but worth every penny.
• hire a doula - whether you are going natural or will request an epidural at week 17, doulas are fabulous resources who can explain everything about the process to you and make the actual laboring process as spa-like as possible
• wear your own clothes in labor. The gown you get at the hospital will be uncomfortable and unflattering and will make you feel like you are there for a procedure or worse, a prison inmate! They make really cute hospital gowns so do it in style
• Take prenatal yoga classes. They are fantastic for both your mind and body. Plus it's fun being in a room with a ton of pregnant women if you're like me and don't know many.
  

That's all I can think of for now. I will post more thoughts as they come to me. I hear the McNugget so I better run. More later!

She's here and she's online!

We'll post more here when we have time. For now, keep up with the McNugget as she explores life on the outside here.

Don't be afraid of us

I think a lot of people have this perception of new parents at home: they are harried, up all night, unwashed, and generally grumpy. Fortunately, that is not the case for Jonathan and me (at least not yet). Still, the myth persists that we don't want to be bothered and frankly, we are a little lonely. Are you all afraid of visiting us?

If so, put your fears aside. If you are in the LA area, please please please come by and visit Julian (and her parents!). We are up late and open all night so anytime is a good time, just call us and let us know to expect you.

Are you still with me?

Hello readers!
Are you still there?
Surprise, I'm no longer pregnant!

But, I'm now a parent which, as it turns out, means I have a lot of interesting things to blog about these days. Jonathan and I are going to launch a blog about Julian (the fetus formerly known as McNugget now goes by the name Julian Lily) with photos of her progress but it's for a wider audience. We won't be blogging about say, the fact that I just changed Julian and while I was moving her from one diaper to the next, she peed all over her changing table. Those kinds of details I only save for SIP readers!

So, if you're game, we'll still post here when we have the chance and we'll send you the link to Julian's more G-rated photoblog when it's ready.

Thanks again for your love and support leading up to D-day. It was so exciting to find out how many of you read and care about us!

-J, J & J

Your comments

OMG, we just read all of your comments. Who knew we had such a fan base?!
Thanks for cheering us on. It means a lot.

I labored for almost 26 hours (not counting the first 12 hours trying to get labor started). I thought I would be able to blog and post updates but turns out that labor is pretty intense and there is no time to get online!

More about our laboring story later. It was certainly trying (and also quite wonderful) but it's all a blur now that the McNug is here!

We promise more details soon!

She's here!

And she's fabulous!

We know we owe you a lot of updates but we need to spend some time with our new little girl who arrived here at 8:48 this morning.

More to come (plus her own personal blog!!!)

-Jamie

contractions getting stronger

But it's going to be a long day. . .

I'm in labor

This post is quick because I can't reach the computer with the monitors on and they need to monitor me at all time. The contractions aren't so bad. . .yet. They feel like menstrual cramps and like a lot of pressure. I did not expect to be updating this blog but so many of you have asked so I am. Using my blackberry is easier so I might try to post from there but it's slower and less reliable. I will try to have Jonathan update you through here if possible. Right now I am trying to distract myself and this is a good way. We are also watching a horrible episode of the Rachael Ray show. I feel the need to pee a lot. I also feel like a sick person because of the hospital setting. I hate that part.

It's Labor Day!!!!

We are all engrossed in the monitor that Jamie is hooked up to. It's similar to the non-stress test she's taken before, but she's got an added benefit of Pitocin, a drug that is meant to stimulate contractions.

Jamie is a real trooper -- she didn't sleep well in Hotel St. John's and she was barely fed (Jell-o and Graham crackers were NOT on the cruise menu she picked from last night) but she is keeping a positive attitude for the long day ahead.

She's having contractions, and so far they are manageable. Our doula is telling her to "welcome them." Please join me in welcoming her contractions.

-Jonathan

Picture this. . .room 2418

We are BORED and uncomfortable so we are showing you pictures.

Here is the dad-to-be bed Jonathan gets to sleep in and my "work station:"

I have no idea how many more updates we will be able to send. I am supposed to get some sleep. I don't think I will be able to but I will try. For some reason I expected this experience to be a lot more fun than it is turning out to be!

-J

We're in...

Hello, loyal readers!

We are formally checked into the hospital, and our first impressions are really quite positive. The nurses have been very nice and very informative -- they are very focused on educating us about everything they are doing (I think they are being nice but a part of me also thinks the nursing staff are wary of lawsuits and take every precaution they can).

The first "dose" of medication has gone in and will stay in for 12 hours. If labor doesn't begin in the middle of the night, the next "dose" will begin at about 8:30 am tomorrow morning. We were told we'd meet her tomorrow sometime....that's Monday.

Here are some highlights thus far:
1. Jamie got to pick her meals for tomorrow. It felt a bit like a cruise -- they asked you to order one item from each column. For example, tomorrow, Jamie's breakfast will consist of the following: scrambled eggs, rice krispies, a bagel, a banana, skim milk, blueberry yogurt and grits. I think the cafeteria representative forgot to bring me my menu....

2. Our Wi-Fi is NOT working in the hospital but a special shout-out goes to Sarah Wright who helped Jamie score an Aircard to make her time out of the office as "connective" as possible. You can all thank her for this update!

3. Pillow-mania! We were advised by our hospital tour and the nurses to bring extra pillows. My Mom got us some extra pillows and, of course, Jamie's trusty Snoogle is by her side. The point of this story is that all the people in the hallway looked at us like we were Coneheads for bringing all the pillow apparatus in. Anyhow, it's here and I hope it assures us a restful night.

Wish us a good night of sleep, or a bouncing baby girl with an easy labor. Take your pick.

-Jonathan

The end. . .or the beginning?

So here I am blogging still waiting for the McNugget to make her grand entrance. I have made peace with the induction although it is kind of weird to think that the McNugget has an expiration date.

I did everything I could to coax her to greet us today. I walked all over Hollywood, Hancock Park and West Hollywood. I drank raspberry tea. I picked up heavy items. I ate Chinese food. I am debating whether to take some castor oil now. It was a method that worked for my grandmother 60 years ago when she was trying to deliver my aunt but I am not sure I want to go through the um, unpleasant experience without the advice of a doctor and when I am not sure it will work anyway.

Things are looking up though. Jonathan and I have arranged a series of "parties" in preparation for the McNugget's arrival. Tonight is our "labor party" and we are putting Tony Blair to shame. If I had gone into labor on my own at home, my plan was to partake in a "labor project." That would be some fun activity to do while I was having early contractions to get my mind off of the discomfort and get myself in a relaxed mood, or at least get something done before heading to the hospital and delivering the McNugget. Since we probably won't get to do a spontaneous one, tonight we are working on a few labor projects. Our ovens were turned on today so we are baking cookies for the labor and delivery nurses. Our kitchen still isn't really ready for use but we have ovens and running water in our sink so that's pretty much all we need for the cookies. We are also putting away a lot of things in our drawers in the kitchen; we are hoping to get as much done in there as possible before bringing the McNugget home.

We also had our last real date tonight and went out to a nice restaurant in Silverlake. We drove there in the convertible with the top down and wondered when we would next get to drive a sporty car with no car seat to a restaurant you'd never dream of taking a baby to. It was a little sad, in some ways it felt like the last day of camp if that means anything to any of you. I know we're in for an incredible adventure and we're excited for it but it's worth noting that we are in some ways losing a way of life we have enjoyed tremendously up until now. You can tell I really am an emotional pregnant lady, I am actually crying as I am typing this out. I should stop with the waterworks, I have a fun labor party to get to!

The other party starts tomorrow -- Jonathan decided that we will have a slumber party in the hospital. For the first twelve hours I will be given Cervidil which is supposed to help me dilate more (I am now almost 3 centimeters!) and efface since I have not done that yet. The Cervidil is not very invasive so we think that after an hour or so of monitoring, we will be pretty bored. Jonathan has decided we will eat slumber party food and play slumber party games. I don't think he is going to put my bra in the freezer or anything but I think he will finally agree to play cards with me (it should be noted that this is a major concession on his part for which I am grateful). Sadly, the cable TV options in the room aren't up to my standards (no Bravo, no TLC, they don't even have MSNBC!) so we'll need to find something to do.

I'm taking my computer to the hospital and if we have time, we will certainly post an update in this space. If not, fear not, this really isn't the end. We plan to keep a blog for the McNugget so you can check in on her progress and be reminded of the good times we had here! More details on that to come.

Think of us tomorrow and Monday and wish us well!!

Love,
Jamie

Ready, Set...

Today felt a bit like the Bill Murray classic "Groundhog Day" -- we woke up, went to the doctor, went to the hospital for the "non-stress test" that causes lots of stress, and then packed up and went home. However, there were some new twists...

First off, Jamie's doctor decreed that Sunday night the McNugget will start her journey into life on the outside -- unless nature intervenes before that time. We were both disappointed that the doctor didn't feel that letting the McNugget decide her birthday on her own would be an option for us. We had been waiting for the moment Jamie would walk out of the bedroom and exclaim (in the immortal words of Lucy Ricardo) "the time has come." We imagined furiously packing our car full of suitcases and birthing balls and racing to the hospital. Also, Jamie had really wanted to avoid any medical interventions and try to deliver the McNugget in a more natural way. While a natural delivery could still happen despite an induction (when we say natural, we mean one without an epidural or pitocin, at this point we are not expecting a birth by C-section), things inevitably won't end up the way we had hoped or imagined them. However, we are working through our disappointment and trying to focus on the amazing journey ahead. It's been a rough day for Jamie but we're hoping for a brighter outlook on everything tomorrow.

So, while we wanted to keep you all in suspense, unless the McNugget takes matters into her own hands this weekend (which is still a possibility) we expect to announce the arrival of the McNugget sometime on Monday, the 21st. Jamie has always been lucky at Blackjack so a birthday on "21" doesn't sound so bad.

Thanks for all your words of encouragement...we can't wait for you to meet her.

-Jonathan and Jamie

Nope

Still not yet.

Going back to the doctor today. Hoping to avoid being induced. Wish us luck!

Pregnancy: The Extended Plan

I'm still overdue and sans McNugget but I feel an intense pressure to post to this blog to let you all know, lest you think I am in labor right now.

The Chinese food was tasty but evidently didn't do much to bring on labor. After dinner Jonathan and I went for a walk on the beach which according to some Latina women helps to get things started. The walk was nice but certainly not a means to an end. After that, we did what pregnant women do best: eat ice cream.

For the past week or so, my feet have not been very swollen at all. This could be because I drink an insane amount of water. Or, it could be that my body feels so bad for me for going this long that it has decided to do away with the whole Shrek Feet syndrome.

The McNugget still kicks a lot. I think I felt a few contractions last night but since I still am not entirely sure what they are supposed to feel like, it's hard to say. Also, I felt the McNug kicking during some of them and I thought I had heard you don't feel the baby during a contraction. Who knows?

More later. . .

Changing the topic

Ok, so I know this blog is about me being pregnant and the most major thing about my pregnancy these days is that I am waiting to deliver. But, since I have passed the McNugget's D-day, it seems the only topic of conversation right now is when she will come. Frankly, it's driving me a little crazy. So, I'm trying to think about other things to keep my mind off of the fact that we haven't met the McNugget yet.

I'm going to prenatal yoga again today. Even if it does nothing to help the McNugget exit, it's a great way to relax and relieve stress. I have certainly felt a ton of pressure in my pelvis in the last few days (it sometimes feels like I am carrying a bowling ball at the bottom of my stomach) so I imagine the McNugget has really really dropped. I wonder how this will effect my downward facing dogs and pigeon poses. We'll see.

I'm told that walking helps to get labor started but for the first time in my pregnancy, walking is really hard. I mentioned the increased pelvic pressure. With that comes a constant urge to urinate. This makes walking anywhere short of a mall very difficult. I also find that I get tired much faster than I used to while walking.

I'm also going to take a break from the supposed "natural" methods to induce labor because the results have been mostly disappointing thus far. But, they are kind of funny to list so here is what we have been doing behind the scenes so far:

• Eating the famous "salad" I mentioned this weekend
• Eating spicy chili
• Sniffing myrrh
• Pressing four fingers above my ankles on both legs
• massaging the webbed parts of my fingers
• squatting
• "spinning" - a Peruvian technique that seems to induce lots of laughter between Jonathan and me but not much laboring. It involves me lying on the floor on a sheet. Jonathan grips the ends of the sheet, pulling them up around my sides, and then wiggles his arms about so that my stomach shakes and rocks from side to side. The idea is that shaking things up in there might get the uterus to start contracting. It sort of feels like a bad amusement park ride and each time we do it we can't stop laughing.
  
• excessive walking
• excessive cuddling
  

Actually, we are going to try one more tonight: Chinese food. But, to be honest, I never need an excuse to eat Chinese food.

Non-Stress Test?

I know it's been a while, but I'm writing a post now, loyal readers!

Yesterday we went to the hospital for a "dry run." Don't get excited, it wasn't truly a dry run, it was a scheduled "non-stress test" at the hospital -- and I actually found the test quite stressful. But we'll get to that in a bit.

It started with Nurse Ratchet from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" checking Jamie into her room and barking orders at her. We told her we were there for a non-stress test and she said "what are you monitoring for?" I thought, "Oh no, I don't know. How am I supposed to know? The doctor just told us to cross the street and go take this test. Do I look like a medical professional? Does Jamie?" I'm already stressed.

Once we ascertained that Jamie is taking this test to determine the efficacy of letting the McNug cook longer in a safe placential environment, she was strapped onto a monitor (it basically looked and felt like a very unstylish pair of elastic belts with an ipod attached to it) and then the real stress began. . .

Jamie had to lean on one side and wait for the baby to be monitored. She was facing away from the monitor (which incidentally, I had no idea how to read, and yes, I've taken several classes and no, it wasn't covered in class) so I was the official "scorekeeper." I had to tell her how the scores varied, and they did vary as the baby moved around and we kept a little running track of the highest and lowest (sounds lame, but it was pretty boring in there so we had to do something).

We did this for about 45 minutes until a very friendly nurse came back, congratulated us on our great scores, and sent us on our way.

Since we were in a labor & delivery suite, I'll give you my marks, as if I'm rating one of those hotel response cards at the end of a hotel stay:

Cleanliness - 10 (that floor was gleaming)
Staff - 7 (Very friendly nurse + Somewhat mean and unpleasant nurse = 7)
Amenities - 8.5 (flat screen TV, glider, etc are nice. The Dad's bed/bench could be cozier...)
Food - 8 (The greasy burger joint across the street is amazing and California Chicken Cafe, a favorite, is a close walk. Neither are actually hospital food but they are close...)

Overall -- we're looking forward to our stay.

Wish us luck, we hope it comes soon!

-Jonathan

Overdue

Tuesday morning, still no baby.

I am sort of confused by the fact that the McNugget has not appeared yet. I am always on time and often early in everything I do. Working in news I am great with deadlines; I don't miss them. I have never even so much as turned in a library book after it was due. So, I assumed the McNugget would be just like me and we'd be napping together right about now.

Since she's not, I am trying to reassess the process. I did make some progress yesterday so I'm trying to refashion the term "due date" for myself. Perhaps I should look at it as a date that indicates when early labor is due to start, since it did, and work from there.

I think I felt some contractions last night, so I thought for sure I would wake up in the middle of the night or early morning in active labor but no such luck. I really don't want to rush the McNugget out but since I feel so ready for the process to begin, I am getting a little impatient. Maybe it will happen today.

Week 40 update

Here we are at week 40 and I finally have some progress to report! No, I do not have a baby yet but I did see the doctor today who told me I am now 1.5 centimeters dilated, as opposed to the "barely a centimeter" I had been stuck at for the past two visits. There was also another indicator that things are starting but it might be a bit too gross for some of you new to pregnancy to read about. If you really want to know, feel free to ask me about it.

The doctor performed some tests to make sure it's safe to continue the pregnancy for a little while longer and all signs pointed to yes. I then went across the street to the hospital for a "non-stress" test (an experience Jonathan promises to blog about later) and everything went fine. In fact, one of the nurses explained that the results were "beautiful." It was quite relieving to get this news and head on home.

Actually, before I got home, I stopped by my parents' house to go for a swim. It was fantastic. I am feeling some signs of early labor and I am kind of excited, though nervous. I wonder when things will really start to happen.

In other news, this is my 100th post. I had no idea I would keep blogging for this long. I hope you have enjoyed reading with us!

Will the McNugget storm the Bastille?

Here we are on July 14th, the McNugget's due date. As many of you know it's Bastille Day and we were kind of hoping for a revolutionary baby. At this point, it does not seem likely. I'm feeling pretty good and so far I have only had one contraction (my first) and it came yesterday (before the magic salad). We were hoping this would be the McNugget's birthday so we could take her to Paris to celebrate. However, this child is clearly looking out for our economic well-being. Considering the high price of the Euro, Paris doesn't make a lot of sense at the moment.

I go back to the doctor later today. Perhaps I'll have more news at that time.

Oh baby, no baby (yet)

It's Sunday afternoon and we are still sans McNugget.

However, Jonathan and I are having a fantastic day getting the house in order. We are prepared for this kid to be born tomorrow since that's her due date and we have nothing else to go by. We are moving through the house like a whirlwind taking care of the tiniest errands that we won't want to think about once the McNugget is here.

Tonight we are going out on what could be our last date as a two-person family. We are going to Caioti Pizza Cafe, one of our favorite restaurants which also just happens to serve a salad that is supposed to help pregnant women go into labor. The urban legend is that you will go into labor within 48 hours of eating the salad. I am pretty skeptical but their food is fabulous so we decided to go there and give it a shot any way.

I have no plans for my life post July 14th. If the McNug is not here by then, I don't know what I will do with myself. I am a big time planner and I hate having nothing to do. I am sure I will find something. . .

No, not yet

It's Friday night and there is still no baby. . .but there is a blog post!

I decided to go to prenatal yoga today to see if I could stir up the McNugget's cozy home at all. It was a great experience. I haven't been in weeks (maybe even months) and while I was no longer able to do some of the poses, I really enjoyed the relaxation from the breathing and the slower parts of the class where I was able to lean into cushioning bolsters. I am hoping the stretching and squatting will help get the McNugget's navigation system pointed South.

Two people (strangers) asked me today when I am due and I told them "Monday." They were both totally shocked. I am not sure why. I feel like I am HUGE. Did they think I was going to answer "November" or something? Maybe they are just shocked that I am out and about so close to my due date? (After yoga I went shopping with Jonathan and his mom and to a picnic in a park in the later afternoon). I guess people expect that when you are about to deliver you are at home on a bed with your feet up. I am afraid if I did that, the McNugget might never want to come out! I actually really enjoy the time out of the house, I enjoy that I can still drive (even though I have a hard time getting in and out of the car these days) and during yoga today I was reminded that I really do like being pregnant. While I long for the days of regular clothes (I have really run out of maternity clothes that fit) and being able to bend down, it is kind of fun to sport my belly and have random people smile at me. I also enjoy the little kicks or waves of movement I get from the McNugget. I think we connected today.

I wonder how people will respond if I don't have the baby on Monday and I have to answer that I am due "last week." I also think it's funny that people think I should "take it easy" because I am almost 40 weeks. What's the worst that could happen? I go into labor? I should be so lucky!!

Other thoughts I have been having and have meant to blog about but never remembered when I was in front of my computer:

I really need to work on packing my hospital bag.

For the past few weeks my nose has been very greasy. I wash it and wash it and still the oil continues.

I miss taking baths when I was smaller and fit in the tub better.

For the past few weeks I have been having dreams that just replay things that actually happened in life or are expected to happen with minor changes to the storyline. Sometimes they seem so real I can't remember if the thing actually happened or if it was just a dream.

One dream that didn't follow that mold and was more of the fantasy variety actually had me a little sad when I woke up because I realized it wasn't real. A few days ago I dreamed I was staying at someone's apartment for the weekend and the apartment was attached to a See's Candy/LeSportSac store. Those are two of my favorite things. As a guest at this apartment, I was able to ask the salespeople for as many samples of chocolate as I wanted and I was able to browse the plentiful sale racks at the three story LeSportSac store. I was in heaven (yet I remember being very overwhelmed by it all). I wonder if that is a feeling that will continue when the McNugget arrives -- a combination of total bliss slightly marred by fear and concern.

It's funny to me that I decided today that I like being pregnant because I have had a few thoughts over the last few weeks that led me in another direction. At particularly low points I began to wonder how people have younger siblings because I had decided I was never going to go through this again and hated the process. At the time it must have seemed agonizing and endless but today I feel like these 10 months flew by and I haven't had enough time to reflect on them.

The early bird may get the worm but the McNugget will likely get a new kitchen

I went to the doctor today to check on the McNugget's plans for a change of scenery. I have decided that this kid is a true foodie. She has made no progress since last Wednesday in her moving plans which makes me think she really wants the kitchen to be done before she arrives. If she holds out until the end of next week, she will likely get the chef's kitchen she desires. I go back on Monday (the McNugget's due date) for another check-up and some tests to make sure she's doing all right in there.

I realized that as of Monday I will be TEN MONTHS PREGNANT. Isn't that crazy?!?!

Home stretch update

No baby yet. I go back to the doctor tomorrow to find out if I am any closer than I was last Wednesday. I can't tell if I am. A part of me thinks the McNug has dropped more but I really have no idea.

I spent yesterday swimming which was such a great feeling. I felt so light in the water and I am sure my body enjoyed the break from the weight of the McNugget. I was not able to tread water though. I have no idea why. Perhaps because I am just too big? The weirdest part about swimming was stepping out of the swimming pool when I suddenly felt all of the McNugget's weight on me again. I am looking forward to hauling her around in new ways in a few weeks because I am getting pretty sick of our current set-up.

Jonathan is on the way home from the airport with his mother. She will sit with us while we wait for the McNugget to hatch. Jonathan's father will join us on Friday. This is exciting for a few reasons, one of which is because his presence here means we will have a M.I.T.-trained engineer to put together everything for the McNugget that comes in a tiny box and is supposed to actually take up lots of room.

I think they are here, more later. . .

Week 39 Update

First to the most important part of this update: no baby yet.

I am amazed at how little time I have to worry about when the McNugget will arrive. So much is going on in our house with improvements to the kitchen and elsewhere everyday that I haven't even thought about when the McNugget is going to appear. To be perfectly honest, I am hoping she is a little late so we can have a few more things ready for her when she gets here. But of course, we will take her whenever she comes!

Last night Jonathan and I went to see Stevie Wonder at the Hollywood Bowl. I wasn't sure how the McNugget was going to take it but I felt pretty good for the whole concert. And, fortunately, I was so tired by the end of the night that I actually slept for a while. Lately I have been getting up in the middle of the night and staying up for several hours. I assume this is to get my body adjusted to middle of the night feedings and no uninterrupted sleeping time in the near future? The only downside to last night's concert (outside of the two songs I wished Stevie would have performed) was a recurrence of Shrek Feet when I came home. I spent a lot of time walking and standing yesterday and my feet wanted to show me how they felt about it. Thank goodness today is back to normal (for now).

This week also marks my first week of official maternity leave which means I am trying not to think about work. It's sort of difficult to do but I'm trying to let go and focus on the McNugget (right now I am mainly focused on our house but I am sure thoughts of the McNugget will take over soon). I am thinking about going swimming today. I went swimming last week and it's a neat feeling to swim with the McNugget in tow.

This weekend we did some of the McNugget's laundry which means her entire closet now smells like "baby." It also made us think that soon all of those nightgowns and onesies will be filled out by an actual baby (which is frankly very hard to imagine).

I started packing a suitcase for the hospital a few weeks ago but have completely forgotten what's in it. I think I'll work on more packing this week. I am running out of things to do pre-McNugget so I guess that means the end is neigh. . .

I'm at the stage where I am no longer buying green bananas

I remember my grandparents joking about being so old, they were no longer going to buy green bananas (if you don't get the joke, it's because they claimed to fear the bananas would ripen only after they themselves "expired"). I think I'm at the same stage in my pregnancy. When I think about things I need to get done, I start planning them out in my calendar and picking days in the future. Then I realize, I can't exactly plan to do something next Thursday. If it needs to be done, it needs to be done right now or else it's totally possible that it won't get done for a few months. You can imagine this is very difficult for a planner like me.

This post is being written at close to 3 AM. The insomnia continues!!

One down, nine to go

So this is the problem with self-diagnosis: you're totally sure of something, and then you go the doctor and find out you're all wrong and you have to reevaluate your planning and expectations.

Here's what happened to me. I was so sure the McNugget had dropped a week or so ago. I had lots of swelling, and lots of pressure lower down so I assumed that all signs pointed to me getting ready to deliver. Well, I have been feeling better the past couple of days, (much less swelling, etc.) and I went to the doctor today to find out what's up in McNuggetland.

As it turns out, while the McNugget may have moved a bit, she has not dropped into position, she's too far up for me to be close to delivering her. What's more, I am only (warning, some of you might consider this next part TMI so please stop reading if you don't want to know too many intimate details about this pregnancy) 1 centimeter dilated (the magic number is 10) which means the McNugget will likely stay put for a little while longer. How long? No one knows for sure but I am thinking I will make it to my next doctor's appointment next week still a pregnant lady.

To be honest, I have always assumed the McNugget would be right on time or arrive late but I was getting caught up in everyone else's diagnoses (and impatience!) and was enjoying playing doctor.

It looks like all of you can look forward to a few more posts to this blog before the big announcement!

Week 38 update

It's week 38 and the McNugget is still taking her time enjoying the summer in the shade. While the McNugget might not arrive on her due date of July 14, with just 3 hours of June left to go, I think it's safe to place your bets on the idea of a birthday some time in the month of July.

I am pleased to report the McNugget is a Beatles fan. My parents treated Jonathan, the McNug and me to a fantastic concert at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend where we listened to the band Cheap Trick and a few other singers perform a bunch of Beatles hits and all of the Sgt. Pepper's album. It was so much fun and the McNug was definitely into the music.

I felt pretty good on the day of the concert but the next day was pretty bad. Lots of aches and pains in my legs, ankles, and feet. I am happy to report that the excessive swelling and "Shrek Feet" have gone away (at least for now) but the replacement aches and pains were not very welcome. And, while I am complaining, my insomnia has reached new levels of annoying. Last night I woke up every hour on the hour for no apparent reason at all. At least when I got up this morning my leg pain was gone. Pregnancy sure is a roller coaster of feelings and emotions.

I find myself trying to pack lots of "adult" things into my schedule before the McNug gets here. I am winding up work this week and want to get lots of things done in the few days I will (maybe) have before the McNugget arrives. Jonathan and I are betting on a delivery close to our due date and bought each other tickets to see Stevie Wonder at the Hollywood Bowl next week to celebrate our anniversary. I think we might be a little crazy to do this but since going to the Hollywood Bowl is my favorite thing to do in Los Angeles and we'll miss most of the season because of the McNug, we're going to try.

I haven't noticed any contractions yet. It's strange to have no idea when labor will start. I still feel like it's a long way off, especially since my swelling went away and the McNugget seems to have moved off my bladder. I still go to the bathroom a ton but it's not as bad as it was last week. I have this feeling that I will know when it's imminent even though I think it's more likely that the process will hit me from out of nowhere.

As far as I am concerned, the McNugget can stay in for a while longer. Our kitchen still isn't ready and I am hoping our contractor delivers before I do.

The Endless Pursuit of Baby’s Bassinet

In our ongoing pursuit to find quality baby products at reasonable prices, we landed on a bassinet we liked a few weeks ago and lucky for us, it was on sale! While shopping in Sherman Oaks about a month or two ago, Jamie and her Mom paid for the 1 remaining new-in-box model of our bassinet of choice and asked the store to hold it for the McNugget. It's a store where we have already bought lots of pre-McNugget necessities and they know us there so we were comfortable letting them hold onto it until we were ready to bring it home.

(We should note that our friend Lauren, expecting her 2nd child soon, coincidentally shared an interest in this same baby bed but unfortunately, it wasn’t on the same kind of sale in Westchester County or on the web, so we were pleased with our deal). In lieu of boring you with details of the sustainable wood from which this bassinet is made, I figured it would be much more interesting to share the drama surrounding its arrival into our home – below are excerpts of some googlechat messages exchanged between Jamie and me last week – they should capture the scene for you:

[Upon hearing that the McNugget had "dropped," grandma-to-be Joan rushed to the store to pick up the bassinet. But, when she got there, she was not treated very nicely by the staff or manager and after a 30 minute run-around, was told that the bassinet on hold for us was missing! They were not very apologetic about the mistake and did not offer us many options to make up for it. They thought that the company could ship us a new one but told us the next day that that process would take 4-8 weeks, carrying us well past the McNugget's due date. They called Jamie the next day and explained the only thing they had to offer us was the floor model. It was in good condition but not new condition and they did not offer to refund any of our money.]

Jamie: i talked to my mom
she told me not to worry
and she wanted me to call them
and tell them to hold the floor model and we would come in on the weekend and sort it out

Jamie: my Mom called the store
she said they weren't very nice (again)!
she asked them to ship the floor model of the bassinet to me
she said they would not because they don’t have a box
isn't that nuts? i thought they were supposed to have good customer service?
i told my mom not to deal with them anymore and to get her money back
but she knows we want the bassinet
so she is going over there to get it
to see how they are in person
Jonathan: they should discount it
because you paid for a new one

Jamie: so my mom went
and the manager who she has been dealing with on this issue mysteriously wasn't there
and if you can believe it, THIS TIME THEY COULDN'T FIND THE FLOOR MODEL!
so she expressed to them how dissatisfied she was at this service
and finally they found it
they gave her $21 off
and that was it
they were not nice
it's a shame because they have great stuff

THE END

-Jonathan

What not to wear: McNugget edition #2

On the heels of my Heelarious post, I needed to share this site with you too: BabyToupee.com: Small Wigs for Small People.

Discuss!

Tori and Dean are Inn Love with our doctor

I never watched Tori Spelling's show "Tori and Dean Inn Love" but now that she and her husband are apparently no longer "Inn" love and are back living in my neighborhood (and because nothing else is on this summer) I caught part of the first episode of "Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood" the other day. To my surprise, when they showed a scene of Tori getting an ultrasound, who did I see but my perinatologist walk in to examine her! Dr. Silverman is the same doctor who put the McNugget up on the big screen for us back at weeks 12 and weeks 20. We had no idea he was such a celebrity. Let's hope he doesn't quit medicine to become a reality TV star himself. We really liked him and his staff and if we ever end up with a McNugget #2, I'd like to see them all again.

Notes from insomnia

I'm having trouble sleeping these days so here I am on the Internet when I should be resting up for D-day.

Today almost everything I saw on TV related to pregnancy or babies in some way from the Brooke Shields interview on the Today Show about her new book on babies to the package on Good Morning America about the supposed Gloucester High School pregnancy pact. I even have the TV on in the background right now and Monica and Chandler are trying to get pregnant on an episode of Friends.

The theme continues on the internet. I just came across two very strange stories. One is about a woman who actually delivered a baby on the F train platform! The other is about "Gali Girls" which are some kind of dolls for Jewish girls. Between Gali Girls and the Heelarious heels I mentioned earlier today, I am hoping the McNugget turns out like me and is mostly interested in Legos.

Nursery update

The McNugget's room is taking shape. We still have some organizing to do and a few things to purchase but so far, we are looking good. I uploaded some photos to Picasa for those of you who are out of town and won't be able to see it in person.

Have a look:

Nursery Week 37

What not to wear: McNugget edition

I learned about a company called Heelarious last week that makes high heeled shoes for babies. I forgot to mention them here but since I saw two references to them today, I was reminded that I needed to share this ridiculous contribution to baby fashion with you all.

The shoes are collapsible -- I am not sure what that means but I think it refers to the heel -- and are intended for baby girls who have not yet learned to walk, but still want to wear "fabulous" footwear.

Are they kidding? I thought the whole point of dressing a baby was that you can put her in cute and adorable items no adult would ever wear, not so she can look like like Melanie Griffith in Working Girl (or worse, Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman).

What do you think?

Week 37 update

It's week 37 and that means congratulations are in order for the McNugget who has reached the status of full-term. My due date is still three weeks away but that's sort of meaningless now that we've crossed this threshold. Let the calendar day guessing begin.

People have asked me over the last few weeks whether I am ready to "just get the baby out of me." I didn't feel that way when I was asked but I am beginning to understand what that feeling might be like.

Pregnancy at this point is not much fun. I know I've had it easy for so long so I shouldn't be complaining but please indulge me for a moment. The worst parts right now are the insomnia and the swelling.

I have not had a good night's sleep for days. I try to go to bed at a reasonable hour but just can't seem to fall asleep. Then, once I do, I wake up in the middle of the night (sometimes more than once) and have a lot of trouble falling back asleep. I can't figure out why. Sure I'm uncomfortable but I've been uncomfortable in a bed for months. Why are things different now? Believe it or not I don't have a ton of anxiety about D day, I've kept my mind on other things, so it's not as though I am up all night worrying. I am so confused about why my body isn't taking advantage of this pre-baby time to get some R&R.

Now to the swelling. Remember I mentioned how I would get "Shrek Feet" every once in a while? I now have Shrek Feet everyday. I have Shrek ankles and Shrek hands too. It looks pretty gross. I am told the best thing to do for this Shrek syndrome is keep my feet elevated but I just have too much to do these days to hang around with my feet in the air. Maybe next week.

I'm also suffering from strange dreams. Fortunately they are not the scary ones I had earlier on in this pregnancy but they are annoying nonetheless.

I think the McNugget is beginning to drop because I have to go to the bathroom a lot more now but at the same time, I've noticed I don't lose my breath as much throughout the day. This could be a sign that the McNugget is heading for the door. I hope she holds on for a little while longer. Our kitchen still isn't done but should be in much better shape in about two weeks.

Ok, enough complaining. Now for some cute nephew reaction to the pregnancy that I got this weekend. Asher, who is a big fan of babies, asked three times "did the baby come out yet?" It's quite funny that he does not recognize his future cousin is hiding behind the enormous bump in front of me. It's also cute that he seems very excited for the news when it comes. Zachary on the other hand informed me that he often runs away when he sees babies because, and this is a direct quote, "babies bore me." I kind of see where he is coming from.

The McNugget was ready for her close-up

I have so many more updates these days, I guess because things are really moving quickly at this stage in the game.

We went in for another ultrasound today and learned, fortunately, that the McNugget's level of amniotic fluid is not something that should worry us. While we were there checking for the important stuff, we tried to sneak another peek at her face. True to form, the McNugget was hiding, this time not just behind a fist, but behind two hands and a foot! Fortunately, we were able to coax her to move around just a bit to catch a glimpse of her profile. You'll see one of her hands is still covering part of her face.

They're not that fabulous but I am including the photos here because I still think it's pretty amazing that we get to see anything at all. Speaking of which, I also can't get over how amazing it is that all I have to do is water and feed the McNugget and she grows on her own. It's remarkable.


I guess her actual form and looks will remain a mystery until we see the real thing. One thing I can tell though is that it looks pretty crowded in there. I hope that doesn't mean the McNugget will arrive soon; we still have a ton of things to do before our new roommate moves in. . .

Our friends embrace the McNugget

I mentioned yesterday that we spent the weekend working on the McNugget's room. We also spent some time entertaining our friends Marla and Jay who were visiting from Seattle. Marla and Jay helped us with the room preparations by contributing to the McNugget's first closet. They got us the most adorable outfit that totally reminds me of the clothes I wore when I was a kid. We're so proud the closet is now painted and fixed (we had some problems with closing the doors). Take a look:


And another friend recently recognized the McNugget in the most adorable way! Becca and John will be married later this summer. We received their invitation this weekend. It was addressed to the two of us but the interior envelope recognized someone else. Take a look:

We thought this was SO cute! Congrats Becca and John!

Week 36 update

I've entered week 36 which means I am now 9 months pregnant. Before I knew anything about pregnancy, I assumed this would mean that the baby would come out, like, now. But alas, this is really a 10 month process so technically I still have 4 more weeks to go. However, this isn't an exact science. By the end of the week, the McNugget will be "full term" which means "fully cooked" and ready for life on the outside. So, it's anyone's guess about when we'll get to meet the McNug.

In typical LA fashion, the McNugget was quite eager to avoid the paparazzi and anything else with a camera pointed at her. When we went for our ultrasound last week, the McNugget clenched her fist in front of her face meaning either we have six more weeks of winter or, more likely, we won't get a sneak peek at what she looks like in utero, we'll just have to wait to see her in person.

Actually, we could get another chance on Wednesday. We are going to have another ultrasound because my doctor noticed the McNug seems to be swimming in a lot of amniotic fluid and wants to check the tide levels again this week to make sure everything is a-OK. So, there's a chance we could try to check on her face again and hope she lets her guard down. Oh, we also learned that the McNug is average. She is in the 50% percentile for weight coming in at about 6 pounds these days.

Every day is different in terms of how I'm feeling now. Some days I am very uncomfortable and others I feel fine. I have noticed that if I have a day filled with a lot of activity, the kind I would do when I wasn't pregnant, I really pay for it that night and the next day. I need to get used to slowing things down.

We spent this weekend starting the process of getting the McNugget's room up and running. More details on that (and photos I hope) when I am home tonight.

Week 35 update

It's week 35 and the McNugget supposedly weighs in at 5 1/4 pounds these days, about the size of a honeydew melon. We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow where we'll get to see the McNugget on the big screen. We have not had an ultrasound since week 20 so we're looking forward to seeing the McNugget's development these past 15 weeks.

This weekend marked the end of our formal education in parenting. We took an infant care class. Sadly, we did not like it as much as our birthing and breastfeeding classes. The class was taught by a nurse at Cedars-Sinai hospital. I know Cedars-Sinai is a great place for general and specialized medical care but when it comes to routine pregnancy and birthing, it can feel a bit like a factory -- one reason I am glad I am not giving birth there.

The infant care class definitely reflected the overall feeling I have of the maternity ward at Cedars. The nurse started the course with a slideshow of all kinds of things that can go wrong with your baby at birth. I understood the point of all this, to prepare you in case your baby has any of these common ailments or problems, but I didn't appreciate the presentation. I also felt bad for the couples who were late to class and walked into photos of a circumcision being performed without any warning. We did pick up a few tips including how to bathe a newborn, how to console them, etc. but if we had to do it again, we'd pick a different venue for learning.

I'm getting uncomfortable doing fairly routine things these days like getting in and out of cars and walking around in stores. I also find sitting in a seat uncomfortable. Laying down feels nice until I'm disturbed by acid reflux. Also, I have to remember to eat less at meals because the McNugget is crowding up my stomach and there isn't much room left for food.

I also should mention that two of my friends (and blog readers) who were recently pregnant gave birth! Becky had Talia on May 25 and Meredith had Kingsley on June 4. Both girls are absolutely adorable. Congrats to both of these new families!

Random Thursday updates

I get incredibly full these days even when I don't eat a lot. This causes my stomach to get really big and firm and makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable.

I'm having trouble sleeping. I wake up a lot in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep.

Every once in a while I look down at my feet and they horrify me! They are swollen and big and kind of look like Shrek's feet.

When I am not uncomfortable from eating too much (though really not that much) I am enjoying being pregnant. People smile at me more.

I went to a movie last weekend. The seat was pretty low to the ground and when the movie was over, I could not reach down to the floor over my belly to pick up my purse.

We are slowly gathering McNugget necessities. One such necessity is a car seat. While in my sister's closet, my mom found an adorable stand-in for the McNugget pictured here:


Every time Jonathan and I hear the new Usher song "In This Club" on the radio, and, let's be honest, every other place in the world that seems to be playing it now, we can't help but change the words from "in this club, in this club" to "the McNug, the McNug." The song is now permanently stuck in our heads. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, here is the video. You can sing along with our new words to the chorus around 1:02:

Breastfeeding Class

Yesterday marked the 2nd in a series of educational events designed to make us fit parents -- yesterday's edition was devoted to breastfeeding. It may sound a bit creepy but I promise every pregnant woman in the room brought her spouse, save for one. I did not feel strange at all. The class was held at the Pump Station, which is truly a great store. (For you Angelenos reading, the Santa Monica store is bigger and warmer, but there is a smaller Hollywood store that carries the same merchandise).

The class was led by a veteran breastfeeder (BFer) named Corky Harvey, who is also a registered nurse and lactation consultant. What I liked about the class was that she offered practical advice about BF that wasn't judgemental and wasn't too militant (read: La Leche League or LLL) either. For example, she shared the suggested guidelines for BF a baby (6 months exclusively; 12 months of breast-milk (in addition to solid foods) at a minimum). In today's world, this isn't necessarily very common and who knows what Jamie will end up doing. However, I liked that contrary to LLL's opinion, she believes strongly in introducing the breast pump early on, particularly for working moms. This was refreshing to hear.

Here are a few highlights of the class:

• No live demonstrations, but there was a great video which felt almost as "real" as a live demo


• We learned a lot about how most women can make BF work even if it's initially a struggle at first. Only 2% of woman can truly not produce enough milk


• Babies are born with enough "food" on board for 7 days -- so if it takes a few days for a mother's milk to "come in," your baby will not starve


• We learned about how to store breast milk and freeze it (I'm already envisioning an assembly line of sorts for this)

In reviewing this post, it makes me a bit uncomfortable. . .I hope our readers don't think it's creepy that I wrote this post. I'm excited about the process and excited about learning more about child-rearing in general.

-Jonathan

Week 34 update

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a cantaloupe on our hands. Finally a fruit/vegetable I can get behind and imagine. This means our little one is about 4 ¾ pounds and almost 18 inches long.

In other news, I think the McNugget has been reading this blog. Since I mentioned a few days ago that I thought the McNug's movement had slowed down, I have been punched and kicked and poked at more times than I can remember. Perhaps the McNugget was just taking a day or two off.

As we get nearer and nearer to D-day, Jonathan and I have started to make some preparations. We installed the base for a car seat today in Jonathan’s car and finished painting the McNugget's room. The kitchen renovation is still in high gear and we're hoping to wrap up everything (or almost everything) before our new resident arrives.

The funniest thing about doing home renovations in Los Angeles is that most of our contractors and vendors have IMDB pages. Our floorer is not simply a floorer, he's had bit parts on “ER” and “Las Vegas.” Our painter is currently auditioning for the next Coen brothers film and the artist we hired to paint a mural in the McNugget’s room worked for us in the evenings after painting sets for a Hollywood horror film during the day. Fortunately, the results in the room were not so horrifying. We’re very excited about the look. I am posting two slightly fuzzy photos from my cell phone here. I’ll try to send photos from a proper camera when I have a chance.

Have a nice trip, see you next fall

I read that pregnant women often have balance issues due to their shift in center of gravity and the fact that they carry so much weight so suddenly in one place on their body. There is also the problem of ligaments loosening up as you near the big day. All of this compounded by the fact that sometimes I tend to try to do too many things at once means I've been finding myself face first on the ground a lot this week. I've been slipping and tripping and falling left and right and I don't know how other pregnant women handle this.

What's most strange about my falls is that they seem to happen without warning. When I've tripped in the past, (as an un-pregnant person) I usually feel myself lose balance or at least notice that I'm falling before I've actually hit the ground. These days it's almost like I black out, (but don't worry, I don't really) and have no idea how I ended up on the floor. Fortunately, the McNugget is surrounded by lots of proper cushioning and has probably not even noticed. Also, I must concede that I am likely not wearing the best shoes to prevent slippage. I seem to think it's more important to appropriately accessorize well into my eighth month than it is to keep a steady course on the ground.

Another common end of pregnancy thing I've noticed is a slow down in fetal movement. The McNugget used to be super active and to some degree still is but as space in there gets more and more tight, there isn't a lot of room to stretch one's new legs or arms about. On Tuesday I was nervous because I couldn't remember feeling the McNugget move at all. Fortunately the aerobics sessions have picked up in the last few days so I am sure everything is all right in there.

Podiatric update:

My ankles were pretty uncomfortable at the beginning of the week (they were likely silently protesting all of the walking and dancing I did last weekend, not to mention their frustration over my falling down all the time). My feet have still not grown length-wise but they are pretty swollen by the middle to end of the day. This is probably the grossest part of pregnancy. But fortunately, there is a clever natural solution: my belly is so big these days that when I look straight down, I can't even see them!

Week 33 update

Hello there and welcome to week 33 where our dear McNugget now weighs over 4 pounds (think of me the next time you pick up a pineapple at the grocery store).

It's been a pretty good week. I have some common aches and pains now and then and have even added "occasional numbness" of my feet and hands to my list of complaints.

I think I may have experienced two or three Braxton Hicks contractions this weekend. Fortunately, they weren't too brutal.

The McNugget hit a few milestones this weekend including a trip to Disneyland (well, we didn't actually go through the park but we did go to dinner in "Downtown Disney") for our friend Aaron's 30th birthday, and the McNugget's first wedding!***

Our very good friends Emily and Colin tied the knot this weekend and the McNugget was kind enough to let me enjoy the evening from start to very late finish. The new Mr. and Mrs. C. hired a fantastic band and I seemed to have no trouble dancing until the bitter end of the wedding. It felt slightly different dancing with the McNugget (it's harder to balance and move from side to side) but it was certainly fun. The McNugget even allowed me to partake in a festive hora!

Two recent discoveries to report:

1) Handicap bathrooms are a pregnant girl's best friend. I had no idea how small bathroom stalls were until I started trying to clear their doors past my third trimester bump.

2) My science teachers would not be proud as I seem to have forgotten all about the theory of water displacement each time I take a bath. There is simply more of me filling up the tub which means I need to get used to turning off the tap earlier. My eco-friendly husband is surely so proud of all of the water I will save in the weeks to come.

***Where there are weddings, there are cameras. My week 33 sized bump was photographed yesterday and I know there are some of you who really want to sneak a peak. Let me know if you want to see a photo of the McNugget's "habitat" and I'll send it along.

Gotta go gotta go gotta go right now

I've had the urge to go to the bathroom 6 times today already. It's only 12:30 PM.

How Soon Can We Check-in?

Yesterday we took a hospital tour at St. John's, the hospital where Jamie is expected to deliver the McNugget. It's definitely my favorite Labor & Delivery wing -- and also the first I've ever seen.

While it's hard to describe a hospital as "luxurious." this one really isn't too far off from the Four Seasons. All the rooms are private and include WiFi (yes, Jamie can still update Facebook and this blog while laboring!) as well as flatscreen TVs.

The only problem I saw was that the laboring Moms (or Mums according to our Aussie tour guide) sleep on beds which don't look very cushy, and the Dads sleep on window seats that look even less cushy. You might be shocked to hear that I'm willing to suffer a few nights of bad sleep to guarantee Jamie's comfort and the McNugget's safe delivery into the world.

I left the tour encouraged and excited. I noted the location of the valet parking attendant (yes, you heard me, this is LA after all) as we left. Hopefully I'll see them in just a few weeks. . .

-Jonathan

Week 32 update

Welcome to week 32. As of last Wednesday, I am now officially 8 months pregnant. The McNugget weighs 3.75 pounds, "about the weight of a large jicama."

Last week was a rough one. Forgetting that I am actually 8 months into this process, I spent Wednesday running around DC after several nights of no sleep working on the Bush interview. By the end of the day, my legs, feet, and ankles were completely swollen. I got a few hours of sleep that night but the next day I woke up to a horrible pain in my right foot. My ride home from DC was not as pleasant as my ride out there and it really took some time to bounce back from the pain and fatigue. I am happy to report that I am doing much better here in week 32. My only complaint is some occasional acid reflux. I took Tums the other day to deal with the irritating side effect of carrying the McNugget and it seemed to do the trick.

On Saturday Jonathan and I met with a birth instructor to learn more about what D-day will be like. We both found the class incredibly helpful. There is only so much I can glean from birthing books and having someone go over the process made me able to wrap my brain around what the day will be like. Jonathan enjoyed the props the instructor used to simulate the McNugget's arrival, particularly the knitted uterus which looked a lot like this. I'm a knitter myself but generally of the hat and scarf variety. I wonder if I would ever attempt this pattern?

Tonight we take a tour of St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica where I will be delivering the McNugget. If you are interested, you can take a virtual tour of the Labor and Delivery wing here. St John's happens to be the same hospital were Suri Cruise and other celebrity babies were born. I am hoping I won't have to battle any paparazzi when I go into labor.

Week 31 Update

This week's update is coming to you from the road. I am in DC with work as my team at Yahoo! scored an interview with the President. We'll be taping it tomorrow so look for a shameless plug to the link later on; we can use all the traffic we can get.

But back to the real reason you are here. I am told the McNugget now weighs about 3.3 pounds (WOW) which is like "carrying 4 navel oranges." Personally, I think the folks at BabyCenter got a little lazy with the fruit analogies this week.

My flight here was great. It was actually much more comfortable than the one I took a few weeks ago where I got to sit in the exit row. I was so proud of the McNugget for taking it so well and am hopeful the ride home will be just as smooth.

I am getting more uncomfortable doing certain things, like sitting on my hotel room bed in front of my laptop right now. It's easy to sit at a chair, especially at a desk, but plunking down on a bed is more difficult. I also can't lay on my stomach anymore (I used to do this and prop myself and my belly up by my elbows - this position is no longer comfortable). Today was the first time I really missed the way things were before I was pregnant because I am not enjoying hauling this bump around me or having to negotiate it's position in front of me while I sit. It's a good thing there are only 9 or so weeks to go.

This morning I had a pain in the top right part of my belly while I was lying in bed. I thought this could be a contraction (having a few of them are to be expected at this point) but it felt better when I stood up and as far as I know, contractions don't really go away just because you change positions. I wonder what it was. I really hope it wasn't a contraction because it felt pretty bad. I am trying to be open minded about the birth, hoping I can make it through without many medical or other interventions, but since I don't know what to expect, I really have no idea how I will react in the moment. I really hope the whole birthing process isn't like today's pain.

On Saturday I report to my first birthing class. I'm looking forward to it. There is only so much I can get from reading books. I am looking forward to having an expert explain it all to me.

There's a fundus among us

I'm just back from a check-up at my doctor's office. I now go once a week to check the height of the "fundus" (the top part of the uterus) and the McNugget's heartbeat. The McNug appears to be in tip top shape and even kicked back at the machine detecting the heartbeat when it pressed into the McNug's 'hood. This could be one territorial kid.

Things are otherwise good on the complaint front. Not too much to report. I have pretty much given up on getting comfortable in a sleeping position but fortunately some nights I am so tired that I just fall asleep no matter how uncomfortable I am. Last night I suffered from some insomnia, probably related to some stress at work, but Jonathan was very helpful in calming me down and getting me to focus on resting. He's been a great partner in all of this.

I can also report some exciting news on the travel front. I was dreading the fact that I was initially given a middle seat on each leg of my travels and after lots of agonizing and calls to the airline, I finally found a sympathetic ear who agreed that I need special assistance and gave me a primo aisle seat at the front of the plane for each flight. They even offered me a wheelchair. While a wheelchair would be a childhood flying fantasy come true, I think I'll skip it. I enjoy walking around and getting whatever exercise I can in with this bump in front of me.

What's in a name?

It came to my attention a few weeks ago that one of you thinks it's silly that we call our future child "the McNugget." I'm sorry you feel that way but we are not thinking of changing it! We rather like the reminder of an early part of this pregnancy.

However, in case our dissenter has some company among you, I thought I would share the other names this future babe goes by:

Juniper - this is a name that we have ruled out naming our child and therefore it's fair game. We came up with it when we were thinking about names and brainstorming over the letter J. I think it's kind of cute, Jonathan thinks it's absolutely out of the question. Our friend Annie's mom laughed out loud at the suggestion that we would even consider it and thus the nickname was born.

BGG - my mom invented this nickname which stands for "Baby Girl Gordin." I don't think it rolls off the tongue very nicely but she likes it.

Jamette - another Mom creation. She came up with this one before the McNugget was even a glimmer in my uterus. She enjoys talking about the things we'll do with little "Jamette." I wonder if she would have adjusted this name if we were having a boy. Perhaps she just knew it would be a girl?

There are a few others but they're not as common for us. Any suggestions from you, dear readers?

Week 30 update

Welcome to week 30. We are now at 3 pounds and about the size of a head of cabbage.

Things are going well. The heartburn I complained about last week went away a few days ago and thankfully was not replaced with any new ailments.

I was pretty tired this weekend as we hosted both our garage sale and a bachelor/bachelorette party in the same day which meant we were up from 5:30AM – 1:30AM all in one day. We also had a busy Sunday so I was sluggish last night but I’m happy to report that I’m feeling much better today.

One thing I’ve noticed is that I am not able to sleep-in anymore. I thought that I would sleep for a while after Saturday night’s fiesta but I woke up early on Sunday morning after having trouble falling asleep and waking up a few times during the night. In fact, tired or not, I usually wake up a few times during the night either to adjust my position, visit the bathroom, or ponder the mysteries of life. I miss the early days of pregnancy when I was so tired I fell asleep at 9 and didn’t wake up until the morning.

Next week I’ll take what I expect will be my last airplane trip of the pregnancy. By the time I return, the McNug will have clocked 14 plane rides in utero. Too bad we can not collect frequent flyer miles for the extra traveler. I’m pretty sure this will be the most uncomfortable trip yet and the fact that I was only able to get a middle seat on both flights won’t help. My doctor said I should get up every hour to walk around and stretch my legs. I pity the person in the aisle seat next to me. . .

Gumby was never pregnant

Today's observation:

I am getting a lot bigger these days. In some ways I feel like this is a science fiction film. I eat and drink the same amount but each day I get a little bit bigger. It's as if some strange alien being is growing inside of me. . .

I dropped my pen in the bathroom today (I was on my way to a meeting and had my pen and notebook in hand). I bent down to pick it up and noticed it was pretty hard to bend that way. Of course I dropped it again a moment later and had to do this maneuver again. Gumby I am not. I hope this bump doesn't get much worse as I tend to drop things a lot.

And now for something completely different. . .

That's not a baby. It's food.

Here are more photos of marzipan babies.

via Noahbrier.com

Week 29 update

We've made it to week 29 and the McNugget is now 2 and a half pounds, "like a butternut squash."

Two scary things happened to me while I slept last night. You can read about the first one here.

The second included a dream. The scary part about the dream was that Jonathan and I were responsible for raising four children at once: two sets of twins, one set was about 6 months old and the other two were newborns (fortunately, I only had to birth one of them). So there we were with two little boys and two little girls. The first order of business for me in the dream was to get all of their names straight (this took a while). Then, Jonathan and I looked at each other in horror as we realized we had no idea what to do next. And then I woke up. . .

We had a really active weekend as we spent two days going through our basement and organizing lots of items we'll sell at a garage sale next weekend. Our neighbor (whom we first met at one of her garage sales) is an old pro and got us into the idea of doing it together. As a kid I always wished my family had one but we never did. Anyway, I was proud that the McNugget allowed me to do so much physical activity here in the third trimester. I actually enjoy being pregnant and active. I thought I would want to take advantage of the excuse pregnant women have to lounge around the house on weekends but it is more fun to move around and see how far I can take it.

On the kicking front I am definitely noticing a lot more movement these days and their frequency has given Jonathan more chances to feel the McNugget, even without DVR. It's always a surprise where the McNugget will kick next (the McNug is quite the acrobat) and most of the kicks are big enough that you can actually see your hand move in response to feeling them.

Another observation I have: pregnancy is long. This process feels endless right now. But it's funny, I don't want it to end. I actually don't mind being pregnant (save for the acid reflux and other occasional complaints). It just seems like the end is still so far away no matter how much closer I get each day. I am really enjoying the fact that I have so few responsibilities. I suppose this lengthy process is to give me a chance to savor this time before it comes to an extreme halt?

It's baaaaaaack

I had heard this might happen and I am sad to report that one pregnancy complaint has returned: heartburn.

I discovered this via a rude awakening at 3:30 this morning. I woke up in a panic. I literally shot up out of the bed, kind of like in the movies when someone is having a bad dream. I could feel something horrible in my throat and I felt like I was going to vomit. I took a moment to compose myself before heading for the bathroom. After a minute or two I realized that I wasn't going to vomit. Thank goodness --those of you who know me well know that vomiting is really hard for me. I get very upset and scared and usually cry. A general horrible feeling of loneliness overcomes me and I'm shaken for a while after it happens.

It dawned on me that I was experiencing acid reflux again. . .only it's way worse than when I first blogged about it during week 19. I tried to go back to sleep, elevating my head as much as I could (I've heard that's important when you are dealing with it) and eventually I was able to get some more Zzzs. Sadly, the problem has continued all day today and I'm pretty uncomfortable.

Catching up

So I had several things I wanted to include in this week's update but I didn't have the time to get my thoughts down and most of them are gone. Let me see what I can recover in the next few minutes:

My current complaint is occasional cramping in my calves. Otherwise, I'm feeling great. I had one night of discomfort this weekend when I sat on a very hard folding chair at dinner for several hours. I couldn't get comfortable and had to get up and walk around to make myself feel better.

Crossing my legs has become slightly challenging and I think I look funny.

For weeks I have wished that the McNugget had DVR. I am constantly feeling kicks when no one is around to feel them, or I'll feel a bunch of them and then Jonathan will want to feel and nothing happens. If only I could push "rewind."

I have a great book about birth that is helping me prepare for D-day. I'm pretty confident when I read it and I am excited in a lot of ways about the chance to be brave in the face of such uncertainty. I hope I can keep that up.

Jonathan and I met with a pediatrician last week whom we really like. I wasn't expecting this but it almost felt like an audition; I never thought of a doctor "selling" you on his or her services but that is sort of what it felt like. I suppose it makes sense. Jonathan pointed out that the one you pick will likely be the one you see for 18 years so it's important to make a connection. We liked how accessible this doctor was and that he was easy to talk to.

We signed up for a hospital tour next month. We really are getting close.

Is it a boy or a girl? Well, what did you eat for breakfast?

I'm still super busy at work and outside of work so no time for new posts but I just came across this article suggesting that a mother's diet around the time of conception could influence the sex of the child. It made me think of the McNugget and of course all of you!

Take a look:

Boy or Girl? The Answer May Depend on Mom’s Eating Habits

Week 28 Update

Hello there. This is a quick update to remind you I am still pregnant and still blogging. I have a lot to say and hope to find the time to write about it soon.

For those of you playing along at home, the McNugget "now weighs two and a quarter pounds, like a Chinese cabbage." Perhaps that explains a craving or two I've been having.

Yesterday marked the McNugget's 12th plane ride and as usual, the McNug took it like a champ. More on our travels and what's up with the pregnancy these days soon.

Oh, also, I should mention that despite the confusion with all of the pregnancy calendars I occasionally consult, there are only 12 weeks left (OMG OMG OMG) until D-day so I think it's safe to say that not only am I in the seventh month, but I have officially entered my third trimester. Dunh dunh dunnnnnnnnnnnh!