Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Updates, updates, updates!

I haven't posted much lately besides bump pics, maternity clothes, and baby stats and I feel like I should apologize for my laziness. There's been a lot going on lately, both good and bad, and I've been having trouble breaking out of my own little bubble. Here's a brief rundown:
  • We leave for Florida on Friday and will spend one GLORIOUS week basking in the sun and pretending to not have a care in the world. I'm already packed.
  • Work has been a little busy so there has been less time for posting, since this is generally the only time I even log on to Blogger. Home time is for family.
  • There has been drama with Logan's dad. Those of you who are new will have no idea what I'm talking about, so to keep you in the loop, but not bore you to death with the details...my son's "father" is a total deadbeat. Even when he was "involved", it was sporadic at best. Then he disappeared for an entire year. It's been heavenly...until last week when he emailed me out of the blue. We're considering our options now and finding ourselves the VERY best family law attorney in our state. We have a proposition to make to him that involves him signing over his parental rights so that my husband can adopt Logan and in return we won't take him to court for at least 2 years of back child support and we'll even allow him to see Logan from time to time as "Rob" the family friend but not as "daddy". It would basically work similarly to an open adoption. Hoepfully he'll accept our offer. If not, we're prepared to fight him tooth and nail and we will absolutely be pushing to have his rights terminated since we have grounds to petition for it. Anyway, I might not even have to worry about it since he hasn't even read, let alone responded, to my email. Clearly this wasn't a major priority for him. If it were me, I would have been checking my email several times a day waiting for a response. So, blech. That's been constantly at the back of my mind nagging me, but I've decided not to worry about it. We'll deal.
  • I've been working on some projects for Vivienne's room and have been trying to get Hubs on board to start turning our catch-all/workout room into a nursery. The room's already painted, but there is still a lot of work to be done. I have furniture to refinish and more projects to get working on!
  • At the very front of my mind today is our Anatomy Ultrasound that I'm leaving for in about 15 minutes! I'm so excited to see our little princess again and I hope she cooperates and gives us good face. At the last ultrasound she moved to follow the scanner, so I doubt we'll have any problems. She's a ham already! I'd be lying if I said that I'm not a little concerned about the results of the scan. They'll be measuring all of her parts and her organs to make sure she's growing to their expectations and doesn't show signs of any abnormalities or defects. We were measuring a little small at our last doctor's appointment so hopefully she's caught up now and we'll be right on target. Cross your fingers for us please!
  • And finally, just for KLaw, I'll be having some Grotto's Pizza for lunch! Mmmmmm! And I plan on eating at least half of it myself. Who's the heifer now???

Monday, March 29, 2010

Baby Bump @ 20 Weeks!

Please excuse the increasing awfulness of these pictures. Makeup-Free-Fridays have now expanded to include Makeup-Free-Mondays as well as Makeup-Free-Weekends (unless we go out), so I'm running out of "pretty days" to take pictures. This particular shot was taken after a 2 mile walk over the weekend and I had to Taaz on some makeup so I wouldn't scare you all off. My camera apparently thinks it's helping out by taking blurry pictures so you can't see my scary makeup-free face as clearly. Maybe it has the right idea...

How your baby's growing:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against her torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of her head to her bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she's measured from head to toe.)

She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).



Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Bathtub Pooping and More Unexpected Shit

MoreI started a blog a few years ago called "Bathtub Pooping and More Unexpected Shit" where I intended to share all of my entertaining stories about the little Monster - and believe me, he had some good ones (as I'm sure you can imagine based on the inspiration behind the name). Unfortunately, the Monster went through a boring phase and I lost interest in the blog. This weekend, however, he provided an excellent "Bathtub Pooping"-worthy story (although I think it would more appropriately fall under the "More Unexpected Shit" category) that makes me wish I still had things up and running over there.

You are going to die when you read this, but let me give you a little background first. My son thinks he's a dog and has even given himself a dog name: Basket. We have no idea what prompted this little game or where the name came from, just one day he announced that he was now a dog named Basket and that was that. Every so often he'll pull out his Basket persona and beg us to play fetch or rub his belly and that's usually about the extent of it. Until this weekend. He stayed with my Mom this weekend because they were supposed to take him to some train show (but ended up staying home and playing outside all day instead). Apparently on Saturday morning Mom let him go out to play intending to follow him out as soon as she finished cleaning up breakfast. (Nothing to be concerned with here. They live in a decent area and have a large fenced in yard. No stranger dangers.) When she stepped out the back door, just a few minutes later, he was in the middle of the yard pulling up his pants. "What the hell are you doing?!?" would have been my response but I'm sure hers was more preschooler appropriate and grandmotherly. He told her, very matter-of-factly, "I'm Basket. I pooped in the grass." And he did. No pretending here folks. The kid actually dropped his pants, squatted, and took a massive shit right in the middle of my Mom's back yard. I guess we can be grateful that she doesn't have a front yard for him to play in. The best part is, he was really proud of himself for pooping outside in the grass like a good dog. It just amazes me the things kids come up with. He told me all about it when I picked him up last night and we discussed how people don't go to the bathroom outside except in emergencies and all that other crap you're supposed to tell them. Honestly, I was just trying really hard not to laugh.

To all you expectant mommas, consider yourselves warned. In a few years it may be your kid pooping in the grass (or the tub) and it will be your turn to try to talk to them about it with a straight face.


Monday, March 22, 2010

Baby Bump @ 19 weeks!




How your baby's growing:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Who would have guessed I was growing a tiny little contortionist...


How your life's changing:
Think you're big now? You'll start growing even faster in the weeks to come. As a result, you may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen or even an occasional brief, stabbing pain on one or both sides — especially when you shift position or at the end of an active day. Most likely, this is round ligament pain. The ligaments that support your uterus are stretching to accommodate its increasing weight. This is nothing to be alarmed about, but call your practitioner if the pain continues even when you're resting or becomes severe.

You may be noticing some skin changes, too. Are the palms of your hands red? Nothing to worry about — it's from the extra estrogen. You may also have patches of darkened skin caused by a temporary increase in pigment. When these darker patches appear on your upper lip, cheeks, and forehead, they're called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy." You may also notice some darkening of your nipples, freckles, scars, underarms, inner thighs, and vulva. That darkened line running from your belly button to your pubic bone is called the linea nigra, or "dark line."

These darkened spots will probably fade shortly after delivery. In the meantime, protect yourself from the sun, which intensifies the pigment changes. Cover up, wear a brimmed hat, and use sunscreen when you're outdoors. And if you're self-conscious about your "mask," a little concealing makeup can work wonders.


Photo via BabyCenter

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Springing forward and draining my bank account

I haven't made a whole lot of maternity purchases yet because my belly is still pretty small, but since I have some pregnant readers, I thought I'd share with you a few of the tops that I've bought. I do have a week's supply of maternity jeans (and even a few pairs of corduroy and dress pants that I haven't even worn yet) because I carry low and needed them right away, but really, who wants to see a bunch of pictures of pants? I can tell you that all my jeans are from Old Navy, JC Penney, and Motherhood Maternity, with the exception of one pair of no-names that I bought at Ross for $11 and are among my favorites. A large number of my pre-pregnancy tops still fit so I'm just buying a few maternity tops here and there as I see something I like. This nice warm weather has me in a serious summer shopping mood, but I don't feel too bad about that considering I need summery clothes for our Florida trip in 2 weeks!


This may very well become my favorite maternity top. I love the fabric and pretty colors. The fit is perfect on me and it doesn't have a tie in the back (major bonus points for that). It will be perfect for spring/summer.


This is the top I'm wearing in my 18 Week Bump photos. I sort of have mixed feelings. It's nice and lightweight, so it will be good for spring. The problem is that it's a little tight across the shoulders and back because I have big boobs. Even unbuttoned it's tight, but fortunately the fabric has enough stretch to give a little when I move. If I were to buy it again - which I probably wouldn't - I would get it in the pretty coral fabric. I thought this lavendar would be pretty, but i think it just washes me out.


This is my new favorite tank. It looks really nice under a cropped cardigan and has more than enough room to last me the entire pregnancy. I would order more but the color options are pretty limited (Mint green and traffic cone orange? Really?)


I actually just ordered this today, but I've had my eye on it for a few weeks now. I really wanted some basic tops with side-rushing because I think that is most flattering on my pregnant figure.


Another purchase from this morning and some more side-ruching.


I could only find a picture of this in Plus Size, but you get the idea. It's SUPER lightweight and actually looks sheer on the hanger but isn't on.


I've been trying to branch out and add lots of color to my maternity wardrobe after it was pointed out by several people that I wear a lot of black. I honestly love color but I guess I revert to black assuming it will go with more stuff. It's kind of a silly theory considering I pretty much only wear jeans and anything goes with them. So I'm trying. This is a pretty good start, I think.


Letter to Baby

Dear Vivienne,
We saw your precious little face on Monday. You are perfect...and nosy, but it's ok, you get that from me. Daddy and I both teared up a little when the ultrasound tech confirmed that you're a girl - though we've known that in our hearts from the very beginning. We're so excited to have a daughter! Our family is complete now because of you.

I lay perfectly still on the couch every night just to feel you move and Daddy always hovers nearby so he can try to feel too. You kicked him for the first time on Monday night. If he wasn't already on Cloud 9, he was then. You wouldn't believe how thoroughly you have him wrapped around your finger already. He literally glows whenever he touches my belly. By the way, it was really sweet of you to send him that text message yesterday. I'm pretty sure you made his day. He said he can't wait to meet you either and loves you more than you'll ever know. He means it. You're a very lucky little girl.

Logan likes to give you kisses. It's one of his new favorite things, along with telling Daddy and I that we're all best friends. Pretty soon you'll be his best friend too. He seems to be discovering his gentler side lately, something I'm sure you'll appreciate. Grandma has been reading him a book called "Sisters are for...". Maybe that is helping.

We can't wait to meet you Vivienne. The time is flying by and your birthday will be here before we know it, I'm sure. So for now, I'm just going to enjoy all your kicks and wiggles because I know I'll miss them once you're here.  Know that you are loved and adored (and spoiled).

All my love,
Mommy
aka.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Baby Bump @ 18 Weeks

THE belly.

He gives his baby sister lots of kisses already!

18 weeks and 28 weeks

Sorry for the fuzzy pics. I thought it was just my camera that hates taking pictures inside, but apparently Karen's does too. Whatever, you still get the idea. As you can see, our bellies are getting bigger, but I still feel like the puny kid in class with my tiny little bump. I got a skeptical once over from the woman behind the counter at Once Upon a Child yesterday when I bought Vivienne a few adorable summer outfits (and the cutest, tiniest little bathing suit you've ever seen). Yes, this is my 2nd child and I know they say you supposedly get bigger the 2nd time, but apparently that rule doesn't apply to me. I feel like I was WAY bigger at this stage with Logan. This is a good thing though really, because smaller belly means lower weight gain and that's our goal.


How your baby's growing:
Head to rump, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin, and her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place.


Monday, March 15, 2010

Meet Vivienne Jane!!!

Those are definitely girly parts!!!!

Vivienne's profile.


She was looking forward in nearly every picture because no matter where the lady put the scanner on my stomach, she turned to face it. The lady said she HAD to be a girl as nosy as she is! I think she just knows her best angle already.

I call this her creepy "The Punisher" face because it looks like the skull on the front of his shirt.

Her tiny little foot!

3d - Side profile with her mouth partially open.

3d - I LOVE this shot. The lump by her forehead is her little hand.


It's still sinking in that we're going to have the daughter we had hoped for. We feel so incredibly blessed! Most likely, this will be our last child since we now have one of each, but there is always the possibility of adoption later on. It's something that we both feel passionately about - being adopted ourselves - and so we kind of feel like we should pay it forward. Anyway, that wouldn't happen for years, but it's always a thought in the back of our minds. Right now we're pretty much just floating on cloud 9. We completed our registries last night after our appointment and bought Vivienne her first little dress:


It's already clear that Daddy is going to spoil his little princess rotten. She's the size of a sweet potato and has him thoroughly wrapped around her tiny little fingers. I guess I'm not any better. I'm already planning another shopping excursion for this afternoon!


Free Willy!

Usually on Mondays I try to get up my weekly belly shot and post the stats and whatnot including what size fruit/vegetable our baby is comparable to, etc. I DID take a pic on Saturday, well actually my enormously pregnant friend Karen took the pics, but her laptop is on the fritz so we won't  be getting our 18 week shots up until she gets a new power cord. I will tell you that we got an adorable shot of my little Monster kissing his baby sister (brother?), so keep an eye out for those.

In the meantime, I did something on Friday I may regret. I went bathing suit shopping...and I actually bought something...a 2-piece. Yeah. I shocked myself with that one. Hell, I haven't worn a 2-piece since my first pregnancy - I was a skinny minnie then and barely even showing. Anywho, I tried on a whole array of suits - mix and match tops and bottoms AND maternity suits - and the 2-piece I ended up with was actually the most flattering, in my opinion. So here's what I got:


The skirt is pretty awesome because it covers my entire butt (no small task), which has always been my problem area. Being a 2-piece, it leaves the middle wide open for however much expansion this baby requires and will last me all summer. So here I am now being super brave, because if I can't show myself here in front of all 14 of you, how am I going to strut my stuff in Florida in 3 weeks? Here's the pic I sent my Hubby from the dressing room at Target:


Please ignore the weird ass face I'm making. I was really focusing on getting as much of me in the shot as possible and not thinking at all about how constipated/angry I looked. So this is me, 18 weeks pregnant with baby #2, with no help from Photoshop, Taaz, or anything else. Not too bad though, right? (This is where you tell me how great I look for someone who's cooking up Baby #2, doesn't work out, and eats whatever the hell she wants. Please?) As long as my pasty pale skin next to the strips of black don't make people mistake me for an orca, I think I'll be alright.

Tonight is our BIG NIGHT! In less than 2.5 hours I'll be heading out of the office to meet up with Hubs for our big ultrasound! Afterwards we're going to go make our registries at Babies R Us and Target and buy baby her first outfit. I can't wait!!! Hopefully I'll have some good ultrasound pictures to share tomorrow!





Thursday, March 11, 2010

Place your bets!



I liked my outfit today so I thought I'd take another belly shot. Unfortuntely my camera must not have been interested in taking any pictures today because every single one of them turned out blurry like this. Poo. Anywho, I love this maxi dress because every time I wear it people comment about how nice I look or ask why I'm so dressed up. The funny thing is, I actually wear this when I don't feel like getting dressed up. It's so comfy and soft, I feel like I'm going to work in my nightgown!

I forgot to mention that at our appointment on Tuesday, our doctor joined us on Team Pink. He said based on the heartrate, he'd put his money on girl! We'll know for sure on Monday, but his vote is making me feel good until then. Also, I've only gained 3 lbs!!! The doc and I were both really happy about that. The baby IS measuring a little small, but not enough to worry at this point. So all in all, good news even if we didn't get the ultrasound we were expecting. They did schedule us for it on April 30th, but I can't wait that long. We'll be going to a private office on Monday and paying someone cash to check out our baby's junk. Lol. Impatient is my middle name. We'll still get the anatomy scan on the 30th too though so it will just be an extra peek at our youngin!

So now that we're just a few days away, what do you guys think? Team Blue or Team Pink? Let me know in the comments!