Surprise. . .I'm pregnant!

3 month mark

2008-10-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-27T19:43:00.001-07:00

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

2008-07-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-07-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

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

I'm in labor

2008-07-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

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!!!!

2008-07-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-07-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-07-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-18T08:52:00.001-07:00

Still not yet.

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

Pregnancy: The Extended Plan

2008-07-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-14T09:26:00.001-07:00

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)

2008-07-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-08T10:06:00.001-07:00

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

2008-07-07T02:44:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-02T16:41:00.001-07:00

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

2008-06-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-24T13:44:00.001-07:00

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

2008-06-23T13:06:00.001-07:00

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

2008-06-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-05-20T11:08:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-19T14:53:00.001-07:00

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

2008-05-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-05-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-05T16:54:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

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. . .

2008-04-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

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

Here are more photos of marzipan babies.

via Noahbrier.com

Week 29 update

2008-04-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-25T15:42:00.001-07:00

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?

2008-04-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-22T10:52:00.001-07:00

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!

Week 27 Update

2008-04-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

Here we are at week 27 and I am happy to report that the week of pain is over! My neck pain worked itself out and my back has been feeling good lately.

My current complaint involves a horrible taste in my mouth that won't go away no matter how many times I brush my teeth and no matter what kind of food I eat. I think perhaps eating a lemon will help. We'll see.

The McNugget is now about 14.4 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds "like the head of a cauliflower" according to our friends at babycenter.com.

This week is one of the hardest ones to define in pregnancy math. Some places tell me I have just entered my third trimester (woah, already?!?!), others categorize me as 7 months in and still other places say I'm still at the six month mark for another two weeks. I give up.

Other things I've noticed lately include a failing memory. Some days this is more pronounced than others. It's embarrassing when I can't remember the names of people I once worked with or an old TV show. Other days I am pleasantly surprised by what I can recall. I hope this gets better after the McNugget arrives, or not long after that.

My insomnia and anxiety dreams persist but I am getting better at dealing with the awake time (i.e. no more scaring myself about D-day). Last night I woke up from a weird (fortunately not terrifying) dream around 3AM and wasn't able to fall back asleep until 5AM. The insomnia does not seem to be entirely McNugget related, it's not as if persistent kicks are waking me or keeping me up but I am sure the McNugget still has something to do with it.

Speaking of whom, I'm impressed at how much the McNugget lets me do even this late into the game. On Sunday it was ridiculously hot in LA (the temp hovered just above and below 100 degrees all weekend) and I still managed to go on a walking tour with a group of people in the social justice fellowship I'm doing this year. We spent the morning in Boyle Heights (read Boiling Heights) and then spent some time downtown. I left before the last one and a half miles (quit while you're ahead, right?) but I felt great when I did leave and was pleasantly surprised at the McNugget's cooperation.

The week of pain

2008-04-10T17:02:00.001-07:00

So remember how I was having a relatively "easy" pregnancy? I guess technically I still am but I have experienced a lot of miscellaneous pains this week.

For the past few days I have had odd stomach pains. They don't seem to be related to the McNugget, they just feel like regular stomachaches. I had one this morning and didn't want to get out of bed but once I did, it went away, only to make room for my next complaint. . .

Yesterday I noticed some pain in my neck, the kind you get from sleeping in an awkward position. I assumed it would go away but today it came back in a big bad way. I'm in a ton of pain and there isn't much I can do to relieve it. I am allowed to take Tylenol which hasn't really helped and the heating pad I have attached to my neck has only offered mild relief. If the pain persists, I can get a prescription for Vicodin or another painkiller but I would rather keep the McNugget off the stuff if I can.

Since I am talking about pain, I should mention that I have had some slight back pain but really, it's not so bad. My neck is far worse than any back pain I have had in a while.

And while we are on the subject of having an uncomfortable week, I am happy to report that I had good results to my blood glucose test (meaning I am not one of the 7% of pregnant women to develop gestational diabetes) but I did have a horrible experience (physically) going through the test. More on that in another post.

Leggo my prego eggo and other tips for dealing with a pregnant woman you don't know very well

2008-04-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

Everyone told me this would happen and they were right.

When you are pregnant, you get a lot of attention. Some of it is fun but for the most part, a lot of it is unsolicited which means you never know what someone is going to say to you (or, in some cases, exactly who is going to feel more than comfortable reaching out and copping a feel of your bump).

It's funny but I find that for some people, my bump is simply a sign that reads "hey, come talk to me about your wife/girlfriend/friend who is pregnant" or "please tell me how awful your labor was."

So, for those of you who don't encounter many pregnant ladies and want to know how to act when you do come across one, here is some advice I can give based on my own experience:

-Just because your wife/girlfriend/friend is pregnant, does not mean that I want to talk about my birthing plan with you here in the grocery store/at work/in line at the airport. I realize you are excited about the pregnant lady you know but perhaps we can get to know each other first before you ask how I will labor?

-Unless we are old friends or I have a giant bug on me, please ask before reaching out and touching my stomach.

-Please remember that I am new at this and scared before you retell (in graphic detail) the story about how hard your sister's delivery was, how there was "a lot of tearing" and that "even a week later she was still in a ton of pain and on heavy painkillers." If I ask to hear about it that's one thing but offering up this info when we don't know each other very well is a little jarring.

-You are more than welcome to look at my bump and notice that I look really different these days but please look me in the eyes once or twice while we're talking.

But I assure you, it hasn't been all negative. Outside of a few people who seem to be more overzealous than Jonathan and I have been about the pregnancy and have shared a bit too much, most of the people I come in contact with have been very respectful and often really cute about all of the changes I am going through. And many of you read this blog, so thanks!

Liveblogging from the doctor's office

2008-04-08T09:46:00.001-07:00

I'm at the doctor's office for a little while this morning to take a few blood tests. I considered liveblogging this event since I have my work computer and internet access with me but so far, it's been pretty boring. I have spent lots of time in the waiting room and the only thing I can report is that one selfish woman thought it was appropriate to make a number of work-related and personal calls from right here in the crowded waiting room.

So, while I wait, I guess I'll talk more about the pregnancy. As I reported yesterday, it seemed like overnight things had changed with the McNug's movements and the size of my bump. Up until now this pregnancy hasn't really been much of a burden and I am concerned it is now going to get in my way.

My mysteriously strong dreams continue. Two in the past few weeks have been so intense that the beating of my heart actually woke me from my sleep. The first time, my heart was beating so fast I thought it might rip through my chest. The second time was more mild, but still pretty intense in its own right. For the past two nights, I have again woken up in the middle of the night but not because of nightmares. It's generally to take a trip to the bathroom and when I return to bed, I can't fall asleep for a really long time. During that time, my mind tends to wander to not-so-constructive topics like how painful D-day is going to be, my nervousness about how I will have to care for something so needy on so little sleep, etc. I hope this passes.

Week 26 update

2008-04-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a long time, I have a lot that's "new" to report in this week's update.

But first, your fruity stats from the folks at BabyCenter.com: the McNugget now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches, about the length of an English hothouse cucumber.

So here's what's new: Last night, the McNugget was more mobile than I've ever noticed before. I usually feel the McNug's movements on my own but they're not really big enough for others to feel. Those days are gone. The McNug came out swinging last night and I could actually see my belly move from her punches and/or kicks.

I also noticed this morning that I can feel parts of the McNugget poking different areas of my stomach. I can't tell exactly what they are but they are hard spots that I imagine must be a head or some other part of the McNug's anatomy. Jonathan can feel these too which is fun.

Lastly, my belly has grown a lot more and today I noticed I'm walking differently to compensate for my bump. I also find that it gets in the way more than it used to. I notice this when I wash my hands in the bathroom and lean up against the sink, or when I try to squeeze between two chairs. Even getting in and out of my car is a little bit different.

I also learned via a blood test that I am low on the iron front and need to take a supplement. This is funny to me because as many of you know, I am a serious red meat fan.

I'm sorry if I sound distracted in this post. Jonathan is watching TV; I'm listening in and I really want to join him. More on the McNugget's progress in a bit!

Nesting in Full Effect

2008-04-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

You can always count on me to post about the home-related items, the less touchy-feely parts to this pregnancy (though those that know me know that I am actually plenty touchy-feely). Anyhow, we made our first "big" nursery-related purchase last night, on a whim.

We've been wanting to purchase a glider for the nursery -- I enjoyed rocking my nephews Zachary and Asher in one a few years ago and since then I knew I wanted to have one. Let's face it, you can't beat the rocking motion. . .these chairs are just so comfortable.

Being a victim to various pressures (namely, the pressures to buy the "it" glider brand, the Dutailier), we researched diligently. Our friend and fellow blogger Caroline gave her sister some space to wax poetic about this brand of overpriced gliders here, so you can read about it for yourselves. We've seen them in the stores and they retail for about $650-800 (yes, for a rocking chair).

Last night was a flurry of activity when we decided it was time to bring one of these nurturing wooden sleighs into our home. We went to Craigslist and found a used one listed right near Jamie's parents' house. Moments later we borrowed our neighbors' Jeep (thanks Jody and Dennis!) in anticipation of a potential purchase. We got to the house, inspected the chair, and bought it right then and there, for $65!!!

Now the only issue is that the chair needs new cushions (the current ones look a bit worn and aren't the right color at all) and that is another racket entirely (replacement cushions are very pricey as well). However, we saved SO much on buying the chair that we can luxuriate in a great fabric choice.

I'm happy, and I'm sure the McNugget will be as well.

-Jonathan

Week 25 update

2008-03-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

Here we are at week 25. It’s amazing how quickly the weeks have gone by although I still feel like we are a while away from the home stretch.

A check-in with the folks at BabyCenter reveals the McNugget is now about a pound and a half which is “not much more than your average rutabaga” which of course begs the question (again), when was the last time you came in contact with a rutabaga?

The McNugget and I enjoyed a treat yesterday: a pre-natal massage researched and organized by Jonathan. The highlight of the hour was the fact that I was able to lie flat on my stomach (aided by special pregnancy pillows) which is a position I gave up weeks ago and have sorely missed. It was also neat that the masseuse told me she was able to feel the McNugget move while she worked on my back. I’ve only felt the McNug from the front.

Some of you have asked for pictures of me and the McNug in our current state. I haven’t taken any for two reasons. One, my camera is at home and Jonathan and I have mostly been staying at my parents’ house while they are away. We go back to our house often to pick up things we need or have forgotten but I keep forgetting to grab the camera.

The second reason is the more compelling one. As some of you know, I worked for a while on a legal show on MSNBC and spent way too many hours working on the Laci Peterson murder story. As you may recall, we and other networks flashed those photos of a pregnant Laci Peterson showing off her bump more times than I care to remember. The sad images are etched in my brain (one in particular that I couldn't find a link to) and has perhaps contributed to my aversion to posing for those kinds of photos. It’s not that I think something major will happen to me and that photo will be the one the Today show uses when discussing me -- (although who am I kidding, I know how these things work, of course they will) -- I just feel squeamish posing for it. I realize this might sound weird but it seems no weirder to me than certain food cravings (more on those later). My own feelings aside, I have absolutely no problem or judgments looking at other people’s pregnancy poses. In fact, my friend Becky who is due in early June just sent me the most adorable photos of her pregnant belly and it definitely gave me bump envy. She looks great.

Speaking of looks, I’ve noticed that pregnancy makes me look older and younger all at the same time. I say older because I have noticed a small patch of grey hairs near the front of my head. I realize this happens to people as they age but since it all happened so quickly, I blame it on the pregnancy. I believe I look younger because my skin is oilier as a result of the McNugget and I am noticing more blemishes on my face which remind me of being young.

I should find out today what my travel schedule is for the month of April. There is a chance I will take two work-related trips very soon and I am anxious to find out whether the McNugget will continue as a world traveler.

I mentioned cravings earlier. I’ve had two lately. One, for a certain kind of cookie I enjoyed as a kid. It’s actually two buttery cookies held together with a drop of chocolate butter cream. Half of the delicious sandwich is then dipped in chocolate. There is absolutely no nutritional value in such a cookie but the McNugget clearly has a sweet tooth. The cookies are made by the Viktor Benes bakery and sold exclusively at the Gelson’s supermarket near my parents’ house. Thank goodness I am not staying there for much longer as this craving could get out of control.

The other craving came on suddenly and is once again a product of Trader Joe’s. What is it with me and that store? Regular readers will remember my cravings for TJ’s egg rolls and pita chips. Jonathan and I were shopping for some essentials yesterday and I noticed they were giving away a sample of trail mix. I took one and was hooked. The McNugget responded immediately and needed more. Sadly, although they were sampling a bag of “Tempting Trail Mix” that day, the store was completely sold out of that variety. I settled on a substitute, “Organic Trek Mix,” but it’s just not the same.

My anxiety dreams have subsided for now but I still continue to have strange dreams. Also, some of the themes I was dreaming about earlier continue. For example, last night I had the same concern I've dreamt of before: I am told the McNugget is a girl but I keep thinking we might end up with a boy on D-day. I wonder why this troubles my slumbers so?

Renovating our home and our family

2008-03-27T14:51:00.001-07:00

Many thanks to friend and blog reader Maggie for pointing us to this article in the New York Times today.

It's an article I would have read on my own had I been able to find the paper this morning. Jonathan and I have moved into my parents house while they are in Asia for a few more weeks and I am still figuring out the quirks to their place like why their brand new dishwasher is even more difficult to use than their old one and where the newspaper is delivered on days when Jonathan isn't there to bring it in for me.

But I'm getting off topic. The article is about other pregnant couples like us who go about home renovations while waiting for their McNuggets. It's been pretty difficult so far but I am enjoying the house sitting part that we get to do now.

Jonathan promises to update our renovation blog soon.

New use for the bump

2008-03-27T11:08:00.000-07:00

I was due for a new cell phone so I went to the LA Cellular store (name of cell phone company changed to protect the guilty/those who took advantage of the guilty party’s offerings of free things) near my office yesterday. As usual, there was a very long wait for help.

After watching my name slowly creep to the top of the waiting list, it was another 20 minutes before I was called. During that time, I tried to take my new belly out for a spin, sticking it out as much as possible hoping someone would take pity on the poor pregnant lady forced to stand and wait just to spend more money at this store. I made sure that every sales person saw me looking rather “sad and uncomfortable.”

Lo and behold, my name was called (I don’t think the stomach stunt had anything to do with it) and I walked up to the counter for help. As I already have a Blackberry with Internet access for work, I explained that I simply wanted a standard free phone and a one year contract.

The salesman was very friendly. He looked me up in the system and when he noticed that I was eligible for a corporate discount, he started asking me lots of questions about my job, telling me about his day, etc. It was slightly awkward, he seemed a little too nosy when asking about me but I figured this was some new way LA Cellular was training its employees to extract information from customers so that they could later market more overpriced cell phone accessories and plans to us.

When we walked over to examine the few phones that fit my criteria, I learned, as I suspected, they were only free if I signed a two year contract. I picked a phone I liked and while the salesman fetched it, I mulled over whether it was worth paying for this phone just to get a one year contract.

When the salesman returned, to my surprise, he offered to give me the phone I wanted, for free, with a one year contract. He explained he was doing this because, as he put it, “you’re cute.” I said “thank you.” I assumed he meant that I was a cute pregnant lady who he wanted to help out. But he then corrected himself by saying, “actually, I shouldn’t say you’re cute. Someone told me that if you tell a woman she is cute, you end up as the friend. So, I should say, ‘you’re attractive.’” He then went on to tell me how young I looked and again mentioned that I was cute/attractive. At this point, I was utterly confused. I had no idea that I was still eligible to be hit on in my current state. Let’s review the evidence that is really hard to avoid:

I’m 6 months pregnant. There is a definite bump in front of me. So, there is a pretty good chance that while I might not be married, I am more than likely involved with someone or was up until pretty recently and will probably be too busy to date in a few months. Granted, he was only looking at me from behind a counter with just a chest-up view but did he really not notice my “sad and uncomfortable” pregnant lady strut across the store for 20 minutes? What about when we walked over to look at cell phones? Does he just have a thing for bellies or the possibility of an unattached mom-to-be?

Either way, if he was going to ignore the facts and participate in some sort of fantasy that resulted in me getting a free phone with a one year contract (and at this point he also offered to waive the $20 transfer fee of my phone numbers and pictures and upgrade my existing plan to give me 150 more text messages a month) who was I to correct him? Feminism aside, this was going to save me a lot of money.

At the end of the day, I have a new phone which I really like, a new cell phone plan, and a new outlook on the utility of my bump. May the free stuff continue.

Senior moment or junior moment?

2008-03-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

They say that pregnancy and new motherhood effects your memory. I have been loathe to accept this over the past few weeks as for years and years I have always relied on a great memory. (It's not only helpful at school or work but at dinner parties too!)

I have to admit, it's happening to me. This morning I could not remember my sister's area code. I knew her phone number, but not her area code. After a minute of trying to recall it, I broke down and looked it up in my cell phone. I am so ashamed. Just now, I went to the printer at work to pick up a document. But, when I got there, I realized I had forgotten to print it. I suppose this is what having a "senior moment" feels like. It's not fun.

Predictive facial mapping?

2008-03-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

In my Week 24 update, I mentioned that I have to work on visualizing this whole process. I have made some great strides in this area since I first learned of the McNugget's imminent arrival but I have a long way to go.

I think one problem I have is a little mystery I have been focusing on for weeks. Namely, I really really really want to know (and have an incredibly hard time imagining) what the McNugget will look like. It's more than just wondering whether the McNug will resemble me or Jonathan. I really just can't picture the McNugget at all. Well, that's not exactly true. Jonathan and I are quite certain the McNug will arrive with a bounty of hair but below the hairline it's all a complete mystery.

I think this is sometimes why I can't wait to meet the McNug. We might know the sex of our future baby but we won't know what she looks like until D-day. I am sure there is some kind of futuristic predictive facial mapping we can do, and we might get some clues from our 3D ultrasound in week 36, but for now I guess we'll just have to wait and wonder.

Thank you commenters

2008-03-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to thank you all for reading and especially for commenting. There is not really a proper way to respond to all of your comments but both Jonathan and I read them all and are flattered that you take the time to interact with our blog.

If I didn't have an audience, I would probably write about this stuff anyway. It's much nicer however to know that we have the support of many of you who seem to enjoy knowing what we are going through.

Again, thank you.

Week 24 update

2008-03-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Here we are at week 24 in the pregnancy. This is where the pregnancy math gets complicated. According to some sources, I started my 6th month last week. Others say that it starts next week. If we are going by the pregnancy = 40 weeks rule, I think that makes today the beginning of the sixth month.

This math (which has never been my forte anyway) is made easier when you outsource it to baby websites that volunteer to do it for you. Sites like Babycenter.com will send you a newsletter every week letting you know what's up with your uterus. They are the ones who tell me for example that this week the McNugget weighs "over a pound and is almost a foot long -- picture an ear of corn." I am not sure why I can't just picture a ruler, the universal symbol for "foot long" but I digress. So, in addition to giving me these fun food facts about the McNugget, it's the e-mails that remind me where I am in the pregnancy.

Some things I have learned this week:

If you are wearing your pre-maternity clothing trying to "make it work" and you sense when you are getting ready in the morning that perhaps your dress is a tiny bit too short, you are right. It is definitely too short.
There are a lot of pregnant women who live near me and all want to take the same prenatal yoga class on the weekends.
People can get really competitive when talking about anything related to their pregnancies.

On that last point, I think most people get so competitive because, like me, they are probably really insecure about their choices. I have no idea whether I am going about pregnancy the right way but listening to other people talk (most of whom I don't even know) with such confidence and judgment about their plans and paths is difficult. The worst part is, I imagine this atmosphere of judgment won't end here and will follow me into the delivery room, onto the playground, etc. I realize there is judgment everywhere, I just never considered it in this arena before.

Another realization I had today: the McNugget won't be a baby forever. As you might know, despite the lack of posting on our other blog, we are in the middle of a big-time renovation to our house. Jonathan was talking to me about paint colors today and suggested we pick a color for our office that will work should it eventually turn into the McNugget's "big girl" room (the McNugget will, for the time being, be stored in the room that is now our guest room). This was the first time I ever considered the McNugget would become anything larger than, as Babycenter.com might put it, a small watermelon. I think I need to work on visualizing this all a bit more.

I of course picked my favorite color: orange.

What's cuter than the McNugget?

2008-03-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

We haven't had a chance to take a look at the McNug in a few weeks but we imagine Ms. McNug has a few more weeks to go before she resembles anything that's "cute."

This fetus however has hit the prime cuteness stage. It's a photo of a baby elephant in its mother's womb. As you may know, elephants are pregnant for 22 months (OMG) before giving birth. This elephant fetus is 12 months along and 26 pounds:

More photos are here.

Fussy Furniture Finds

2008-03-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

Some might call us fussy, some might call us particular -- whatever you call us, you know that if we have a chance to research something, we will research it ad nauseum. While not focused on our home renovation (which requires lots of focus and lengthy trips looking for appliances, tiles, etc) we are focused on thinking about creating a space for the McNugget.

I'm particularly particular about furniture -- I like the glides to move easily back and forth, and to not feel like, well, the IKEA stuff I used to have. I feel like the baby's dresser will gets lots of use and, ideally, grow with the kid too.

Add to this hysteria with glides, the idea that we want something modernish for the room -- so not totally traditional, like the stuff found in most baby stores (read: white wood). The stuff that we did find that was modern didn't appear to be incredibly durable.

I stumbled upon a neat little company based in the Bay Area called TrueModern and we totally love the stuff (from the pictures). I had several email exchanges with the owner and even a phone conversation. I grilled him on the quality of the furniture. He indicated that his was one of the few companies of this type that delivered furniture fully-assembled and used commercial-quality glides.

There was no store in Los Angeles that carried the stuff so we dispatched Paul -- my former boss and all-around great guy -- to do some field research in Berkeley (thanks to Frances for offering as well!). Paul reported back that these dressers are head-and-shoulders better than IKEA.

Sold! -- to the fussy pregnant lady and her fanatically fussy husband!

-Jonathan

Week 23 update

2008-03-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's been another week of pregnantness for me and the McNugget.

The McNug is now about 11 inches long and over a pound, about the size of a large mango. How very perfect for a summer baby.

We have also been enjoying some prenatal yoga classes together. Well, at least I hope the McNug is enjoying them as much as I am. I naively assumed that prenatal yoga would be about stretching and relaxing but boy was I wrong. These are real workouts! But, I do enjoy some of the positions and the chance to interact with other moms-to-be.

I'm also noticing some mood swings. I sent a particularly nasty e-mail to a company's customer service department yesterday. Jonathan very delicately suggested perhaps I was overreacting. I had no idea what he was talking about until I reread it today. The good news is, the company's customer service department is so bad, I don't think they will even read it.

Here's a real-time update for you: the McNugget it kicking me right now.

Everyone is blogging baby

2008-03-14T14:40:00.001-07:00

Since I've been pregnant I've been watching a bunch of pregnancy themed TV shows from Notes From the Underbelly to Scott Baio is 46 & Pregnant. I'm also looking forward to Lauren Ambrose's (of Six Feet Under fame) return to TV tonight on a new show called The Return of Jezebel James since I think it has something to do with pregnancy.

I've also noticed that some of my favorite blogs, pregnant or not, have touched on some prenatal or mom themes. Just this week I found:

Mindy Kaling (yes, Kelly Kapoor from the Office) wrote about baby hair today here

and

Brian Sack (humorist I've read for a while who is occasionally on CNN Headlines News) wrote about these ridiculous but true baby gear items here

I'm A Walking Hormone

2008-03-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

At least I think it's hormones. I keep having the most intense dreams. The other night I had such a vivid dream I was sure it was reality. After a long trip with Jonathan, I gave birth (in my seventh month) to a boy. Yes, this seems to be a recurring theme. Also recurring: the fact that I keep reminding myself in these dreams to update this blog lest any of you be misinformed on the sex of my child. I find this rather funny considering I wasn't even planning on finding out whether the McNugget was male or female in the first place. I also remember a dream a little while ago when I was sure I had given birth in my fifth month.

Another dream this week included one where I spent some time with Tim Gunn and we went to Disneyland where we were assaulted by a gang of male attorneys. They actually wore shirts that said "Male Attorneys" on the back. Luckily, I did not give birth in the magic kingdom.

I am also blaming on hormones my occasional EXTREME enthusiasm about the McNugget's arrival. Yesterday I had a few bouts of this behavior. I simply could not wait to meet the McNugget. Jonathan and I discussed how this feeling is similar to one I have when I am cooking or baking something. I am constantly wanting to open the oven to see if it's ready, or to take it out and move on to the next thing. I suppose in this case the risk is far greater than salmonella poisoning or a fallen souffle so I will wait as patiently as possible.

Current craving: Greco's New York pizza (which isn't that great)
Current complaint: some back pain

Week 22 update

2008-03-11T17:02:00.001-07:00

Hello there.

It's week 22 and I don't have a ton to report. The McNugget is almost a pound these days and is about the length of a spaghetti squash. My current cravings include wraps and salads from California Chicken Cafe which is a welcome change from my recent cravings and dreams about ice cream. At least this is a healthy craving I can satisfy often.

I've been feeling good lately although I've been pretty tired. And, while I used to only notice the McNugget's movements in the mornings and evenings, I can now report the McNug is getting some serious aerobics work in during the day.

I had a dream last night that at a check-up our doctor told us he thought the baby might be a boy but wasn't sure. What's more, I actually dreamed that I would have to blog about this new development here on surpriseimpregnant.blogspot.com. I even had a title for the blogpost in my dream! It was "Maybe Baby Boy."

We are readying ourselves up for the next few months. We've signed up for a few classes on birthing, infant care, and breast feeding. I am also enjoying reading "The Birth Book" as I continue to learn more about what D-day (delivery day) will be like.

More on jeans (not genes)

2008-03-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

Some of you regular readers may remember my rant on maternity jeans.

Well, it appears I spoke too soon. I am happy to report that I am wearing my Paige Premium Denims today and they have been staying well above my knees for the past few hours.

How did this happen? Well, I don’t think my growing belly had much to do with it. I have my friend (and blogreader) Emily V. to thank. Emily reminded me of a product I bought earlier on in my pregnancy but had since lost track of. I don’t know where I’d be without it today. Oh wait, yes I do, working out of my car because my pants were falling down and I was too embarrassed to step into the office.

My secret is The Bella Band. It’s an elastic piece of fabric that I can put around my belly and waist, over my jeans, to help keep them in place. They still sag a little bit but this is a huge improvement! According to the Ingrid&Isabel website, the Bella Band has a whole bunch of uses throughout pregnancy so I am very happy to have rediscovered it. Thanks Emily!

That's my daughter in the water. . .

2008-03-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

Well, to be a little bit more correct, I suppose I should say, "that's my female fetus in the amniotic fluid" but it just doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?

This is probably the most exciting blog post we've had since we announced the pregnancy. For a number of reasons we won't get into here, we decided to find out the McNugget's sex and we hope the 45% of you who voted in our poll are happy with the results and we hope the 55% of you who wanted us to wait are not too disappointed.

For those of you who aren't into rhyming or our charming wit, we'll spell it out for you: WE'RE HAVING A GIRL!!

We have heard a few stories lately about parents who were told they were having girls only to deliver healthy baby boys and vice versa but our doctor was pretty sure he got this diagnosis correct so we're going with it.

Barnard class of '30 (??) here she comes. . .

Our little McNugget is either waving at you or sucking her thumb:

I think our friend Annie put it best when she looked at these ultrasound photos and said "aren't you glad it's not coming out yet?"

Week 21 update

2008-03-03T14:30:00.000-08:00

We are now onto week 21 which means we are now even closer to the end then we are to the beginning.

For those of you keeping score at home, here are your weekly stats:

The McNugget is now about 3/4 of a pound and is the length of a carrot
My recent cravings have included pizza and ice cream/milkshakes*
Pregnancy side effects I am noticing these days include some stomach discomfort

*Not only am I craving ice cream when I am awake, I have had several dreams about ice cream. Usually in the dreams I am waiting to get some ice cream or figuring out how to get to an ice cream store on my way home but I never actually get the ice cream. Last night I had a very involved dream that included the ice cream theme. For part of the dream I was at an old fashioned ice cream shop. The ice cream lady (what exactly do I call her? Is there a term for someone who serves ice cream? Barista won't work here, right? How about Scooper? Or Milkshake Shaker?) was making me a milkshake. It looked amazing and I got to pick out lots of great flavors and toppings to go in it (this was not an easy task) but she took so long that eventually I had to leave the shop to get some other things done and never had a chance to pick up my milkshake. I wonder what this all means. . .

Another thing I have noticed is that many of my pregnancy symptoms/side effects last for one week and then don't return again. I felt nauseous for about a week. I had back pain for about a week. I had acid reflux for about a week, etc. It's almost as if my body is trying to check off some list of common pregnancy complaints. Still, I realize that I have had a relatively easy time so far so I am not complaining!

There was a request for more "cute nephew reaction" to the pregnancy. Alas, I have no videos of them but I can report that Asher has asked me the same question about 16 times: "Did the baby come out yet?" I guess everyone wants to ready themselves for the big day.

I wonder if anyone owns www.themcnugget.com?

2008-03-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

Forget naming your child after a relative or friend or favorite literary character. Maybe we should all be more practical like these parents who pick their children's name based on Internet domain availability.

BREAKING NEWS!

2008-02-29T22:07:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles - In a stunning turn of events, Jamie and Jonathan have had a change of heart and decided they will learn the McNugget's sex. They arrived at this decision for a number of reasons and while they were looking forward to the surprise on July 14th, they think they are making the right choice.
No matter what they learn about the McNugget, they will certainly keep referring to him/her as "the McNugget" until he/she is born and receives a new name.
This story is still developing. Stay tuned for more updates. . .

More cute nephew reaction to the "baby in my belly"

2008-02-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

Asher - "Jamie the baby is cooking in your belly, right? When I can see the baby I am going to feed it and tell everyone to shh! because the baby is sleeping." "I think it's a baby girl."

Zachary - "I think it's a baby boy. I want it to be a boy like me." Later on: "I think it's going to be a bunny-rabbit baby."

Week 20 update: half-way home!

2008-02-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

Today I am 20 weeks pregnant which means I am exactly in the middle of this whole process. I can hardly believe that tomorrow I will be closer to the day I deliver than I will be to the day I wasn't even pregnant yet.

Here are some vital stats about the McNugget as we round this corner in the journey:

Current weight: about 10.5 ounces
Current length: about 6.5 inches long or roughly the size of a banana (wow!)
Current mom-to-be craving: a warm baked potato with butter, sour cream and chives. This is interesting to me because until recently I hated sour cream.
Current cute 3-year old nephew reaction to the news: Asher - "Is there a baby in your belly?" Me - "Yes." Asher - "Take care of that baby in your belly. Zach - "If there is a baby in your belly, why can't I see it?" Me - "It's still cooking, like in an oven." Zach - "oh, OK."

On Thursday Jonathan and I will get another sneak peek at the McNugget at our 20-week ultrasound. The neo-natologist will take a look at the McNug's development and let us know whether things are A-OK in there.

Is that a baby in your belly or did you just have a really big meal?

2008-02-25T10:06:00.001-08:00

There is no getting around it; I have a real baby bump that I can no longer hide under a bulky sweater or coat.

However, I noticed on Saturday night that after a big meal, my bump seemed even bigger for the next few hours. I suppose this happens to most non-pregnant people after a big meal but it's funnier when you are already carrying almost a pound of baby plus extra fluids and other fetal "stuff" around your middle. It gave me a taste of what I imagine I will look like in a few more weeks. Thank goodness I was wearing a loose fitting dress.

Week 19.5 update

2008-02-22T16:06:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention a new pregnancy "side effect" I've discovered this week: acid reflux (also called heartburn, indigestion, etc). I've never suffered from it before and it's pretty awful. I will spare you the details.

Also, there was a request for "obsessive blogging about food cravings." I'll do my best. Here's what I can tell you for now:

My cravings have calmed down lately. And, they've changed their strategy. Instead of craving random foods I might not have eaten in a while, I now get obsessed with certain foods I've eaten recently. It all started with some Trader Joe's pita chips. I had them at a party a few weeks ago and then HAD TO HAVE THEM. Since Jonathan believes in a policy of "GET IT WHAT IT WANTS," we stocked up. I went through 4 bags in 2 weeks before settling down.

Last night, a new craving set in for Trader Joe's vegetarian egg rolls (what is it with me and that store?!). I had two for dinner last night and woke up at 4AM today (partially due to jetlag) and HAD to have another one. The craving was so strong that I had to stop off at Trader Joe's this morning to get some more to have for lunch today. While I was there, I of course picked up another bag of Pita chips (old cravings die hard). I'd like to think I'm done with the egg rolls for now but writing this only makes me hungry for more! When will this end?

Also related to food cravings, I dream about some foods these days. I remember two different dreams about ice cream while in Argentina. And now I am missing the ice cream in Argentina. Maybe I should stop writing about food. . .

Jamie's Newest Accessory

2008-02-21T14:14:00.001-08:00

We are back from our amazing trip and in addition to Jamie's new jeans, she is also sporting a new pillow. After complaints of discomfort sleeping on a very stiff Argentine mattress, she came home to a surprise Snoogle waiting on our bed (I wish I could take credit for the surprise, but it's all Joan Rubin!)

Needless to say, I'm delighted that Jamie is sleeping better and she really does look adorable curling up each night with the big snakelike pillow. An added bonus of this new accessory: we find ourselves constantly yelling the silly name "SNOOOOOG-EL" around the house. I assure you this is much funnier in person, or perhaps it's really only funny to Jamie and me. . .

Also, it appears that we can save this important accessory for our old age. Granny looks pretty happy hanging out in the donut...

Many thanks to Snoogle for bringing peaceful slumber into our home!

-Jonathan

Mom Jeans

2008-02-21T12:43:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago a new friend revealed she was jealous of my pregnancy because it meant that I got to wear maternity jeans. She longed for the days of chowing down on a huge meal in elastic waist pants, or easily slipping on a pair of skinny jeans without having to stuff herself into an unforgiving zipper or buttons.

Unfortunately, I must deliver some harsh truth: maternity jeans are nothing special.

First and foremost I should concede that this is a completely biased report as I only own one pair of maternity jeans which I am wearing today for the first time; but I am willing to bet they are all about the same.

Those of you who know me well know I am not a huge jeans person. In part, I don't wear them often because I prefer the fun of black pants or skirts or even denim skirts to boring jeans but another big reason is the cost. I don't really like plain Gap jeans but I can not bring myself to spend upwards of two or three hundred dollars on the designer brands which I do enjoy. I just haven't been able to spend so much on a single item that is supposed to make me look relaxed. Who can be relaxed at that price?

But, like lots of you have before or will after me, I fell for the maternity jeans myth and got a pair hoping for the best. And, I don't own just any pair; I actually bought a designer brand (Paige Premium Denim for those of you who care). My friend Nancy who is an amazing dresser owns the same pair in a non-maternity style so I figured I couldn't go wrong with my own set. Also, they were on super duper clearance as the Liz Lange Maternity store in Beverly Hills is going out of business (again, for those of you who care, this is a great place to grab some deals) and, the decision was made a lot easier given the fact that my mom was paying.

So today I am trying out my materno jeans and I am so disappointed. The elastic band at the waist is supposed to sit below your bump and while this works while you're getting dressed at home, by the time I sat down and walked around my office for a few minutes this morning, my pants were falling off of me. Thank goodness I had the foresight to wear a long top or I'd be mooning the entire office each time I went to pick something up off of the printer. I took several bathroom breaks before lunch to pull them back up and when I did, they were fine for a bit, they're actually quite flattering if I do say so myself, but they just wouldn't stay put. They are simply too low for this prego to go.

Also, an important thing to note for you non-pregnant ladies who are dreaming of swimming in your jeans once you get here: maternity jeans are not actually bigger jeans. You buy the same size jeans you always did, the only difference is the top of the pant is replaced by an elastic band. You don't get any more wiggle room in the thigh or hip area. So, they might make Thanksgiving dinner a little bit easier but don't fool yourself, these are no sweat pants.

My only hope is that maybe one day my bump will be big enough that it will hold the elastic band up keeping the jeans up with it. Until then, it's back to the tried and true black pants routine.

Week 19 update

2008-02-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

The most important week 19 update: the McNugget survived his/her first international trip. Jonathan and I arrived home from South America yesterday and I had a check-up with my doctor today. The McNugget's heart is still beating strong and fast. We'll get another look at him/her next week at the 20-week ultrasound. We haven't seen him/her since January so we're looking forward to some changes.

For those of you keeping score, the McNugget is now around 8 and a half ounces, about the size of a large heirloom tomato. I missed the week 18 update as we were somewhere on the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay at the time but during that week, the McNugget was a mere bell pepper.

We'll add more once we get over jet lag and everything else we need to catch up on. Thanks for reading!!

The pitter patter of little feet

2008-02-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

Over the last week or so, I was pretty sure I could feel the McNugget kicking me once or twice. Last night, I knew for sure it was trying to make contact (or, more likely, just stretching its legs) for about 45 minutes or so.

Sadly, it was kind of painful! I'm glad to know the McNugget is growing and maturing but I'm a little nervous about what the next few months are going to feel like.

Who knew?

2008-02-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

I knew about a few of the quirky things pregnant women encounter before entering into this experience myself (odd food cravings, nauseau, etc) but have recently discovered a few surprises along the way. Here are things I didn't know I would deal with but are apparently pretty common "side effects" (for lack of a better term) to pregnancy:

Shortness of breath. I get out of breath doing rather mundane things. Sometimes even just talking really fast for long periods of time can do it.
Stuffiness. I sneeze and have to blow my nose all the time. Am I allergic to the McNugget?
Extreme fatigue. I thought this was a phase pregnant women experienced for a week or two. I have found myself ready for bed by 9PM most nights for at least the last two months.
Occasional dizziness. Pregnancy sure is one wild ride!
Vivid and quirky dreams. So far they are all anxiety filled, which I am told is normal.
Center of gravity shifts. I can't explain this one. It just feels weird to walk around these days.

Week 17 Update

2008-02-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

Week 17 marks the first week where I really can't wake up forgetting I am pregnant anymore. This is in part because I have the beginnings of a real bump these days, but also because I have the most vivid and upsetting dreams and am often relieved just to wake up.

The McNugget is now 5 ounces which apparently makes it about the size of a turnip. This is not helpful information to me because I can not remember the last time I came across a turnip. Can you?

The McNugget hits the campaign trail!

2008-01-31T15:55:00.001-08:00

Last night was a first for me. It was the first time I worked for more than 24 hours in a row while working for two. As part of Yahoo!'s original election coverage, I was camped out at the Reagan Library Wednesday night to produce and coordinate a debate/series of interviews with the Republican candidates for President. You may remember that I was in DC last September doing the same thing with the Democratic candidates pre-McNugget.

The McNugget pulled through the night like a champ, rarely slowing me down as we plowed through the interviews and the lengthy editing process. I wonder if the McNugget will remember meeting all four of the current candidates, Paul, Huckabee, Romney, and McCain, Mrs. Romney, Mrs. McCain, and having a close call with the Governator. I considered asking them all to sign my stomach lest the McNugget have no memory of the night, but I decided that might make this newsie look just a bit too partisan. Neutrality is key so I will save the autograph signings for celebrities of the Hollywood variety.

I don't know about the McNugget but right about now, I need a nap.

The Pollsters Visit

2008-01-28T15:33:00.000-08:00

What can I say -- the political atmosphere is causing me to throw in political terms wherever I can. (Don't even think of asking who I'm supporting in next week's primaries, but I will tell you that I'll be out voting on Feb 5 -- if you are in California or any other Super Tuesday state, I trust you will be too). Ok, back to the topic at hand. I'm being swayed -- and it's not by high-priced political consultants, it's by YOU, our loyal readers. Maybe we shouldn't find out the sex of the Avocado-sized McNugget? Perhaps it is better to just wait? I am, after all, a very patient person.

I think I can handle the wait now...will I regret writing this in 6 weeks when I really want to know but feel that I trapped myself by writing this post??? These are the types of predicaments I anticipate...who knows? Can I reserve the right to change my mind -- hereby proclaimed on this public forum?

-Jonathan

Week 16 update

2008-01-28T12:08:00.000-08:00

The McNugget is now 16 weeks old but in pregnancy terms, I am actually 4.5 months along. I will never understand this math.

Our little gal/guy has grown from the size of an apple to an avocado. How very California.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning and was able to listen to the McNugget's heartbeat. It was loud and very fast (which I am told is normal). He/she/it must be working really hard in there.

I bet the McNug is readying itself for our upcoming trip to Argentina. This trip was planned last summer as a fun getaway for Jonathan and me but now I guess we can call it our "babymoon."