Sneak Peek of the Nursery

In West Africa there a commonly used expression is, "Little by little, a bird builds its nest."  I've used the same line of reasoning with my home, and also with Baby Mac's nursery.  I've been "planning" the nursery since the day I found out I was pregnant.  Ok, ok, you got me....since way before I ever got pregnant!  But I really took my time with each purchase, one step at a time.  I'm very pleased with the way its turning out, and am happy to report I've gotten most items as on a budget, and with the help of very generous family and friends (thank you for the Nursery gifts!).  I wanted the room to be cool yet warm, hip yet traditional, stately yet innocent babyish....  And most importantly, like the rest of my home, I want it to be COMFORTABLE (yet chic).    I can confidently say its become my favorite room in my home.  I often find myself lurking in to it to take a quick nap on the glider, or just soak in a few rays of sunshine from the morning light. 

I don't want to post the final pictures yet, because we are still missing a few items and need to do a few more DIY projects.  In the meantime, I'll leave you with a few details:

 

 

 

8th Prenatal Appointment - 32 weeks - Baby don't Breech! (to the tune of Papa don't Preach)

I skipped writing a blog post about my 7th prenatal visit since there was no ultrasound there, and am moving right on to the 8th.

Today, our little boy passed all his growth tests with flying colors.  Although he is only in the 41% percentile, thats still well within average, and on the road to being a very healthy kid.

Today his profile looked adorable to me, more so than his previous ones (no offense baby Mac), yet his little fists were blocking his face so all we could see at the front of his face were his sweet little lips opening and closing.  It looks like he was practicing breathing.  Practice makes perfect, so good job Baby Mac!

The only problem is that at this point, a baby should already be head down, positioning himself for delivery.  Not only is our boy breech (head up feet down) but he has never been head down this pregnancy, so the doctor is concerned he just may not flip.

That said, our doctor is one of the best in trying to manually move the baby around, her rate is 60%.  So at my 36 week appointment, if he has not flipped by then, she will try to manually move him around in my uterus.  In the meantime, my chiropractor told me she also will use her methods to open up my pelvis and try to get him to flip.  And finally, I'll be doing specific prenatal yoga breech exercises at home, to try to get him to flip.

This is how I watched TV last night  I added an icepack to the top of my uterus and a hot pad to the bottom (trying to get him to move to the warmth).  I did feel him moving around a lot trying to get away from the ice pack.  Will try again and again.

Let's see if he gets any of our hints...

If he doesn't flip, it may mean there is a cord around his neck or the placenta is blocking him, or he is just not getting the hints... so we won't force him to turn if its too hard.  There might be a reason.  If thats the case, my doctor will schedule me for a Cesarean at 39 weeks (October 16)...  He is clearly his father's son already, stubborn, as my hubby was born breech too, causing his mother to have a Cesarean.  This is something I am comfortable with as a last resort, but would like to avoid if possible, so listen to your mama boy!

Profile shot at 32 weeks.

Going au naturel?

Hubby and I just finished an intensive three day child-birth seminar intended for first-time parents who pretty much have no (expletive) clue what to really expect during labor.  That was us.  Honestly, despite the gazillion stories my friends have told me about and despite my more mature age, I guess it never really sank in, because it just wasn't relevant to my life yet.  Well, as soon as I started cooking this bun in the oven, I really began freaking out on how I was going to get it out....  Boy did I listen in class. In fact, I was that annoying girl asking a million questions prolonging each session past its allotted time.  Although every other expectant mother in there was probably thankful, I am sure the partners were not.

Anyway, what I've come to understand is (for those of you like me who had no clue), that its actually the labor contractions that are the really painful part of pregnancy,  and the last stage of them is the absolute worst (for some reason, I always thought it was the delivery part, when the baby actually gets pushed out).  Also, I never really knew that what a contraction really meant or is -- it is your uterus pumping/expanding your cervix to make it bigger (dilated) to crank open the passageway.  Although the contractions get worse and more frequent until the baby is out, they are temporary, and immediately stop as soon as the baby is out. 

Most of my friends have recommended I get an epidural as soon as contractions begin to make the delivery pleasant and, however, I've learned that with an epidural you don't really feel contractions at all, just pressure.  And as a result you may not even be able to feel the push, or push at all, increasing changes of some sort of intervention (forceps, induction, vacuum).  The class left me conflicted. 

One the one hand, not having any pain in the labor sounds IDEAL.   But on the other hand, I'm wondering if maybe I am able to deal with the pain without medication.... I mean, billions of women do it right?  And those that I"ve talked with said they forget how painful it is right afterward. 

I feel very conflicted.  However, am still absolutely terrified of the pain of tearing....and the dreaded ring of fire.  I am pretty sure I'll opt for the epidural, but I'll see how long I can handle it first...

Where's the Playpen?

I like to call it chic, others may use the word boring, but my home décor style is pretty minimalist, clean, modern and mid-century.  I use a lot of walnut and greys. 

After buying our first home last year, I went to great lengths to strategically choose each piece of furniture and am pleased with the way things are coming together.

Now here comes Baby Mac.  I KNOW he will transform my house from top to bottom in primary colors sooner than later, however I am trying to prolong the inevitable as long as possible.  Therefore, I've invested in several furniture pieces with lots of storage so I can put all his toys and supplies away, and am choosing neutral colors for most of my baby gear so it will blend in a little bit more.

As my home is three stories, we've invested in a multi-use playpen for our home,to put on our main floor so we don't have to go up and down all day long.   The playpen also acts as a bassinet (to nap in), a changing pad, and comes with storage and a laundry hamper -- and the best part is, its grey :) 

We've put it together and tucked it away in the middle of the room as discreetly as possible.  Can you find it?

I can already hear you mothers out there chuckling, as I'm pretty sure a week after I bring baby home, my house will be a downright mess for the rest of my life :)  I'm holding on to some dear hope in the meantime, trying to minimize looking like a daycare facility. 

 

Gimmick Alert! 3D / 4D Ultrasound

We found out our baby was a boy VERY early on, and due to some complications, we get to see our boy on the small screen (ultrasound) quite often.  Thus, when we learned you can get 3D/4D ultrasounds done (outside the doctor's office), we dismissed it right away.  We thought we could save one surprise and see what this little guy looked like until I delivered.

Until I saw a Groupon for one, and I started wondering....  Wouldn't Baby Mac like it if I had real 3D shots of his face, and a DVD of him moving around when he grew up?  Operating under a, life with no regrets mentality, I bought the Groupon with high hopes.

Going into the session, I was nervous.  What if baby boy looked weird and I would get freaked out.  Well, ladies and gentlemen, I had reason to be cautious.  What. a. joke.  First of all, Baby Mac was not positioned in a way to capture a frontal shot, so the lady tried to get a shot of his profile. He just would NOT face us (clearly he is smarter than we are and didn't want this to be his first impression).  Furthermore, the 3D technology is so poor that the whole time you are looking at it, it looks like the baby's skin is made of liquid and bubbling around.  Freaky!  So yes, he looked weird.  Not probably because he looks weird in real life, but the technology is just not there yet.  We left with a very poor picture of the side of his face (kind of) but his skin looks all bubbly and full of craters (due to the poor technology - couldn't get one still shot), and a poor quality DVD of him kind of moving around but you can't really tell its him.

Bubbly baby. 

I know it was my idea, but I admit, I was wrong.  My advice - save your money and use it towards the nursery!  (Which is coming along beautifully but I'm not ready to post pictures just yet).

Anyone else have better luck with 3D/4D?

Hometown Baby Showers

Baby Mac (and I) are so lucky to have wonderful friends and family on both sides.  We were blessed recently with two baby showers, one at my mother in law's cottage in Michigan and one at my mother's home north of Chicago.  Unfortunately, I don't know if anyone took pictures of our Michigan shower, but it was lovely and the memory will always live on -- as it was my first baby shower.  The setting couldn't be more beautiful, as it was hosted at my in-laws' cottages in southwestern Michigan.  There I was surrounded by my lovely in-laws which included aunts, cousins, and friends, ate a delicious home-baked brunch, and was the recipient of many generous gifts. 

My mother and sister also threw a shower for me, our family, her friends and my friends at her beautiful home just north of Chicago.  Unbeknownst to me, she rented a tent, and got it catered by an amazing chef.  I had requested a "backyard Texas barbecue" but what I got was more of a "Real Housewives of the North Shore" baby shower extravaganza (as one friend referred to it).   I can't remember the last time I was surrounded by so many dear friends.  Although the shower started at 3, the last guests didn't leave until 10 PM, and they were coming out of the pool.  Success!  The whole event was downright fabulous. 

Figs with blue cheese, arugula and candied pecans

Mango salsa

Tent and table set up

Looking back at the house from the pool

Delicious alcoholic sangria, and non alcoholic citrus punch

Gift and crafts table

Guests arriving.  My BFF, me and my good friend from college

My sorority sisters (3 of us are pregnant, can you guess who?)

Freshly grilled chicken, beef tenderloin and rock shrimp

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3 

Table 4

Decorating blocks for Baby Mac

My mother, me and my mother in law - We've got great genes!

Opening gifts - an heirloum baptismal gown from Florence, Italy from my mother in law

A glimpse of the party from afar

Lucky Dog

My first baby, our pup Tito, has been a staple of our little family since the beginning - we adopted him two weeks after our wedding.  Every one who knows us, knows how crazy we are about him, and how we treat him like a human...and he reciprocates.  He acts like an only child.

Nonetheless, there are big changes coming for him.  He is used to being incredibly spoiled, coddled, snuggled and paid attention too.  Although I am confident that I will continue to shower him with love, I know that it will be compromised due to the needs of Baby Mac.   A lot of my friends and family worry that Tito will be too aggressive in trying to steal all the baby's toys, but I believe that Tito will be Baby Mac's very first friend and playmate.  I think it will be good for the both of them!  I could just see Tito interacting with the baby in a game of chase, maybe even encouraging the baby to crawl around to get back his toys.

In the meantime, Tito is really enjoying the baby bump -- I think he thinks its his personal pillow.  He often sits on my lap with his little booty on the bump, keeping Baby Mac warm.  I wonder if Baby Mac can feel him too :)

Snuggling with Tito in MI resting on the belly

Tito stretching out under Baby Mac

Tito has already begun playing with gifts intended for Baby Mac, but I am quickly training him to refrain from attacking Baby Mac's stuffed animals.

 Tito respecting Baby Mac's first stuffed animal - gift from Phyllis.

It's not only Tito that likes cuddling on Baby Mac.  My best friend Maggie's Doberman really enjoyed the warmth of snuggling under the belly as well.

Quincy snuggling with Baby Mac

29 Weeks Pregnant (Photo)

At the Michigan cottages

Prematurely Graying

I found my first gray hair a month ago, when I was about 25 weeks pregnant.  Coincidence?  I think not.

I don't even know this baby boy yet, but if I had to guess, he is going to keep me on my toes.  I think he is playing tricks on me...

After a fabulous weekend RELAXING in Michigan with family, I grew concerned yesterday because my normally very active boy seemed to be laying low and sleeping more than usual.  Perhaps he was relaxing too, I thought.  Bu then when I didn't feel him kick or jolt or twirl on Sunday at all, I grew concerned, so much so that I woke up in the middle of the night freaking out when I realized 24 hours had passed without me feeling him.  So I did what any healthy mom would do.  I woke up at 3AM and tried to get him to wake up with me.  I ate chocolate, drank coffee and and chewed gummy bears.  I was determined to wake him up from his long slumber.  To my chagrin, he didn't.

By the time it was 7AM I left a panicked voicemail on my doctors emergency line.  She called me back immediately and told me to go to the nearest hospital to get a baby stress test done, but reassured me, that he was probably fine.

So that is how I ended up in the hospital this morning, crying and wondering if this baby was alive.  You see, Baby Mac has a two vessel cord and thats enough to make any mother go mad.  After reading the "internet" I learned although MOST two vessel babies experience NO  problems, there are some cases where they are born stillborn (probably only when gone undiagnosed or in Africa, but still, it happens).  Given the frequent monitoring I am getting, its unlikely this will happen to me since he is so closely watched.  However, I jumped to conclusions and freaked out.

The hospital nurse hooked me up to the baby monitor to perform a baby stress test.  As soon as she found the heartbeat and exclaimed, "You can relax now," I broke down in sobs.  After I got it all out, after the relief settled in, the nurse proceeded to perform the rest of the stress test which baby Mac passed with flying colors.  Not only is he healthy and alive, he was EXTREMELY active.  Go figure.  And already playing tricks on me....  The nurse thinks the placenta is in the front of my uterus, therefore the baby must kick really hard for me to feel anything.

Any way, I'll continue plucking the gray hairs until there are too many - then I'll resort to hair dye.