Cambridge

Monday, April 29, 2013

Boy, oh boy!

I think this post is pretty self-explanatory, right? Last Tuesday, Jake and I went to my ultrasound appointment where it was confirmed that our upcoming baby Jones is indeed a boy! It was a bit of a shocker...and I'll leave it at that. :)

During the ultrasound, the radiologist lady did all sorts of things besides just tell us the gender (which wasn't until the very end because apparently baby Jones did not want to spread his legs and show his naughty bits). Pictures were taken of baby's brain, heart (we could see all 4 chambers), spine, aorta, kidneys, cranium size, etc...all to check that he is growing healthy and normal. It was a crazy appointment, and not what I had expected as far as the pictures went. I thought I would see a baby with facial features and didn't expect such skeletal pictures...baby's skin is still transparent so I think the radiologist explained that is why they do this ultrasound around 20 weeks because the organs are fully developed and can be checked for any problems before the skin completely develops. Seeing the spine was crazy! And baby was very active for his picture session. I think it may have been due to my drinking Sprite before my appointment, which is rumored to make the baby more active for an ultrasound. I'm saying it worked. One second he was posing for the camera, and then the next second he decided to flip over to be in some other position where we'd have to reposition the monitor to find him. Oh! And we could clearly see baby opening and shutting his mouth every now and then. Whoa. I think one of the funnier moments was seeing my full bladder on the ultrasound as this big, black bubble next to curled up, squished baby and right after the radiologist had me use the restroom to empty myself, baby suddenly had a lot more room to spread out and decided to have his legs out straight. I think the cutest pictures we were able to take home with us out of our bunch is a couple different foot print pictures. Baby feet are kind of cute. Aww...

Later that day after my appointment, I had Paradise Bakery make a giant 12" cookie to surprise my parents and Gage with that evening. Our surprise was the first time Gage was hearing the news, so he was the most excited to hear about a little brother on the way. I don't think a day has passed where he hasn't mentioned it or asked questions about the baby such as, "Is Junior kicking yet?"...Junior?! Oh heavens. Note to self: Gage does not get to be included in nick-naming or naming the baby.

So now, the nesting period begins! Boy stuff here we come.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Pregnant Chicken

I have been following the Pregnant Chicken blog now for quite some time (even before I was pregnant) because the blogger is soooo hilarious and outrageous. She gets right to the point of all things pregnant without sugar-coating it, and I may find her profanity extremely funny. For example, when she posts about possible medical problems a new pregnant mom does not want to think about that may occur during pregnancy/labor, Pregnant Chicken refers to these posts as "The Scary Shit Series". Another post titled "Porn for Pregnant Ladies" (which I was hesitant to click on at work but did anyway) show pictures of hot male celebs like a topless Hugh Jackman with captions of them saying things you'd want to hear such as, "I hope you still have cankles after the baby gets here because they totally turn me on." Are you a fan yet?

Anyway, when I did become pregnant, I was able to sign up to be on their email list where I'd be sent a weekly email with updates about my developing baby and what's going on during my pregnancy that week. This week's was particularly hilarious so I figured, "Why not share?!" Here is my update...
WEEK 17
Way to pork up, kid! No, not you, your baby, well, if you’re like me, then you too (high five). Your baby is about 5 inches long (from head to rump – I have no idea why they don’t count legs. Legs count in my book but whatev) and weighs about 5oz. So it’s the length and weight of an iPhone. Your awesome little minion is also starting to suck and swallow (punch anyone in the face that says something pervy about that) and is moving joints in preparation for doing the running man at weddings. Yes!
 
You are probably showing now.
 
If you are like me you laughed at that because you started showing when the pee stick showed two lines, or you wondered what the hell I am talking about because you’re wearing the same pants you did a year ago. Both are normal so don’t panic and ignore anyone that comments on your size. I have no idea why people feel compelled to point out a woman’s weight gain (or lack there of) while they are gestating a person when, at any other point in her life it would be considered rude. Keep in mind that very few of these people have much reference for how big you should or shouldn’t be so try to chalk it up to making conversation and go about your business.
 
Also work on your ninja moves because people are going to start touching you too. It doesn’t bother some women, but to others it’s like reaching out to stroke their tongue – awkward and gross. When my friend was pregnant and someone would touch her belly, she would just gently reach over and touch theirs in the same way. It was hysterical and stopped people dead in their tracks.
 
As with commenting on your weight, I don’t think people are trying to be rude, I think they’re just locked in baby mode and forget that the baby container is an actual person.

Friday, April 5, 2013

And it Starts...

Well, my curiosity about maternity clothes has arrived. It's not that I'm busting at the seems, but sitting down in buttoned pants isn't the most comfortable. I decided to go see what all the fuss was about...negative fuss, I might add. It seems that the few comments I've heard from previously preggo peeps is that they hated maternity clothes shopping and that stretchy waist pants felt like they were falling down all the time. They couldn't be that bad, right?
 
Luckily, the new outlets at Traverse Mountain by my house have a maternity store that I could venture off to. I went to Motherhood Maternity (Jake accompanied me...aww) and found a plethora of bright and colorful spring clothes just waiting for me to buy. The store ladies were so nice and helpful, loving the fact that this was a first for me and giving me words of encouragement like, "Don't let the clothes freak you out." After gathering up an armful of clothing, it was time to try them on. I...was...in...heaven! Everything is SO comfortable and light and stretchy. I hate shopping--especially trying clothes on--but this was a great day. I loved that I didn't have to feel guilty about being chunky and that size blah-blah-blah was too tight. These clothes expect you to be chunky! Deal. They even had a small, round belly pillow in the dressing room you could stuff under your shirt to help you visualize your upcoming Buddha belly. Hilarious. So, after a good half hour in the dressing room, a runway show for Jake, and a few dollar signs later, I had purchased new clothes that I just love! I vowed to even shop there when I'm not pregnant because the T-shirts were the most scrumptious material ever. The non-pregnant store rep lady does and you'd never know it. So even though my plan was to save my clothes for a few weeks when I'd more appropriately fill them out, nope, I like them too much that they shall be put to use pronto. Yay! See the Princess Jasmine colored green shirt? FAVE.

Easter

The Easter Bunny came to our house!...and not for Gage since he wasn't with us this year. No, Mr. Hunny Bunny brought a special delivery for me! 
There I was, groggily waking up at the wee hour of 10 a.m. on Easter morning giving myself a pep talk about how I should get up to slap on some makeup for church in an hour. Mornings are not my thing. But alas, my buns were dragged out of bed and I was off to first search for my hubby in the house since he doesn't sleep in past 8:30 a.m.  And what to my wondering eye should appear? My hubby in the kitchen making me a delicious breakfast omelet so dear. Sausage, cheese, avocados and tomatoes. Oh my yum. And there was another surprise - awaiting for me on the table was my very own Easter basket with flowers, shoes and treats from See's Candies. Look at all the fun goodies! Darn him for being so wonderful. Sigh. I LOVE it all. LOVE him. Bestest sneaky Easter bunny. Made me feel guilty for only getting him a Reese's peanut butter egg.

After church we headed up to my parents' house to spend the afternoon. It's a tradition to color eggs, so I came prepared with my Neon egg dying kit I scouted out at Walmart. (Side note: I've always been an anti-plastic egg person. Growing up, my brother and I always colored real eggs which where then used for our egg hunt in our backyard and then used for egg salad sandwiches for the week. I was baffled when I got older to hear people did the plastic egg thing instead and had candy or money hidden in them...isn't that what comes in your Easter basket?? Seems stupid and seems like a buttload of candy afterwards. It's not Halloween!) Anyway, I got Jake to join in the egg-dying fun since he does spectacular ones every year. Here's our final product! 
Easter ended with a delicious dinner of spiral ham, funeral potatoes (mother calls them "holiday potatoes" because she hates the funeral term), asparagus with lemon pepper and raspberry fluff made by me...well, Jake. It was a nice Easter and such a beautiful day outside! I just wish Missy Moo could've been around so I could've taken her for a walk at the park.