Nesting (Part 2)

We've passed the 6 month mark, and are taking big steps toward getting ready for our little one's arrival. We still have a lot to do, but we've crossed some things off our list...

• Reserved a doula (labor assistant) to be with us throughout the birthing process 
• Signed up for childbirth and baby basics classes (including a tour of the hospital where I'll deliver)
• Assembled a crib and a changing table and bought a big green rug for the nursery
• Accepted a large infusion of baby-related items from a high school friend (Thanks, Brandy!)
• Received a rocking chair passed down from Joanna's family and silver bib clips used in Tommy's
• Knitted the cutest cap in the world to keep her little head warm

People have been asking about our registry, and we welcome help to prepare a soft nest for our little Boo's entrance into this big world. I'm happy to announce that we're registered at Amazon and Babies R Us  (for those who prefer an in-store experience, but also available online).

Nesting

We've got a start on the nursery, as you can see from the pictures. Mom helped me attach the family tree decal that Tommy's parents got us for Christmas. Tommy and I assembled the crib and changing table in one weekend. The previous owner of the house helped by painting the room pale yellow. Now I'm working on compiling the registry, with lots of help from friends on Facebook. Well, I should say registries. We've got one on Amazon and one at Babies R Us for those who prefer an in-store experience. But I wonder, what did people do before the internet?

I've also started her baby book. I want to fill in all the info about pregnancy before she comes and I forget it all.

Almost Halfway There!

At our midwife appointment yesterday, Boo's heart sounded like a galloping horse! 143 beats per minute, and detected immediately, which was a big relief after last time when it took FOREVER to find the woosh-woosh sound. I'm also happy to report that my "uterus is exactly where it's supposed to be." What a relief,  Ms. Midwife, I was worried it might be migrating!

Monday will be 20 weeks, and last night I felt small kicks for the first time. I can't wait till Tommy can feel them too. It will also be amazing when Brie is lying on my stomach and feels it move from the inside. She's going to flip out.

I officially need to wear maternity pants, but thankfully many of my empire-waist dresses are functioning just fine to cover the bump. A generous donation of clothing from our friend Jen Lai is also saving us plenty on shirts and sweaters. There's one hooded wrap in particular that I love to cozy up in after the gym or just around the house.

With the kicks and my growing belly, I'm more aware of Boo's presence daily. I find myself talking to her any time we're alone. Nice to know she can hear me now.

Dude Looks Like a Lady!

So we had our second ultrasound this week. And finally the answer to the question we've been wondering for months. Turns out those 3 parallel lines the tech kept pointing our weren't some weird deformation on our baby but actually her LADY PARTS! 

Lots of friends had guessed what we were having, one even had a dream about it, but it took a long time for this new information to really sink in. I had to keep repeating it throughout the evening. "We're having a girl. We're going to have a daughter. The Dude is a girl." You get the idea. It just wasn't clicking.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against girls. It's just that I have so much more experience with boys. Five years teaching in an all-boys school and I like to think I learned a few things. Plus I just feel like there's so much less to worry about with boys, so much more to protect girls from. Maybe it's that growing up as a girl I know firsthand how hard it is to become a woman that you can be proud of. There are just so many... pressures. Quite frankly, when you think about them all, it's terrifying.

Add to that the fact that Tommy's just waiting to spoil her rotten. I've gotten a small glimpse of what this might look like given his special treatment of our rescue kitty Brie, and I just have a feeling I'm going to have to be the heavy.

But a few deep breaths and a few days later, I'm ready to accept the challenge. I'm reading up on raising girls right and interviewing all the parents of girls I know for tips and wisdom. I'm reflecting on all the AWESOME parts about being female, imagining all the special ways she might add to our family and even dreaming about how she might change the world. And I'm announcing happily to friends and family that The Dude is undergoing a name change to reflect her new reality. For the next 4.5 months, we're going to refer to the little one as Boo.

(Don't worry, we'll have a more permanent moniker ready by June. The website's going to keep its name, however. And she will most definitely wear the Dude shirt she was gifted for Christmas!)

The Dude's First Christmas

And he's not even born yet!

Look at the loot he pulled in this year from the womb:

Cat book from G&G Barker

Eggplant hat from Tommy's Cousins Noelle, Eloy and Carly

Dude shirt and black hightop Chucks from our friends Ashley and Tricia

Sock monkey onesie from G&G Stone

Thanks to all for the well wishes and happy thoughts!

First Ultrasound

I'm now 13 weeks along, and I signed up to be part of a study through the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development looking at new moms to be. They're studying 10,000 first-time pregnant women trying to find out the causes of premature labor, low birth weight babies and hypertension. The upshot for me is a small stipend and 3 free ultrasounds. The Dude wouldn't cooperate with the technician when it came time to be measured and to have his photo taken, but we got to see some great movement as he floated around. We also got to hear his heartbeat and to verify all limbs accounted for. It's too early to tell his gender from the ultrasound, but maybe next time! What an amazing, intense experience. Tommy was even a little teary-eyed for a bit. The photos didn't scan well, but I promise all looked great in person.

Things I like about the second trimester so far: 1. Not being nauseous around the clock. 2. Starting to show! 2a. Being able to go up one loop on belt with no guilt. 3. Extra energy. 4. To be continued....

We're Pregnant!

Positive pregnancy test on Saturday, October 10, 2011

Due date: June 11, 2012

(Which also happens to be mom and dad's anniversary, and two days after my birthday!)

We had decided in the spring of 2011 that we wanted to try to get pregnant (well, actually, Joanna decided while watching a Flyers game from Tommy's friend's company box, but she got Tommy on board eventually). We decided to wait until Joanna came back from India, and within a few months, a positive pregnancy test confirmed our success. We struggled to wait until the start of the second trimester to tell everyone, and finally announced on Thanksgiving.