Bottle Strike

Tonight was hard... Lauren's been refusing bottles lately, and we've been using the gentle approach - offering tiny bottles before or after a feeding, and she always cries like we're feeding her poison. She absolutely has to be willing to take a bottle before we send her to daycare. Plus, in a week, we're heading on yet another 8 hour road trip, and it's soooo much easier to pump and feed while we're on the road.

This morning, I woke up with a really sore nipple, from too much nursing to sleep... It was the perfect opportunity to try and get her to take a bottle. For 3 hours, we distracted her and kept her entertained while she got hungry enough to finally break down and take the bottle. Zampano played the guitar, I walked circles around the apartment while holding the bottle in her mouth... She didn't cry, but she would just chew on the nipple, without sucking.

I was just about to break down and nurse her when she finally took the milk... one tiny bottle, and then a full big one... So I guess it's bottles from now on, at least most of the time. It's a shame, because nursing is so much easier for me, and I really enjoy it. There's nothing to wash, nothing to heat up...

In other news, I've been feeling really down lately, and I think I may have Seasonal Affective Disorder. Looking back at my patterns of depression, it always seems to get worse in the winter, and definitely got worse once we moved up north. I may consider buying one of those lights... one of my professors swears by it!

Almost 3 months!

Just a few more days until Lauren turns 3 months! She'll start daycare in mid-late December and so we're trying to prepare for that. Unfortunately, she's decided that she doesn't want to drink from bottles anymore, just from the breast. She cries and fights anytime we offer it. I don't know what we're going to do - for a while she'd take one a day and then now, none at all.

In good news, the dermatologist actually helped my skin a lot! She put me on Finacea, which is azelaic acid. It's just about the only thing you can take while nursing, and I can't believe it actually worked. I'm not acne free by any stretch of the imagination, but it's such a dramatic improvement that I'm amazed. I've got so many red marks that still need to fade, but hopefully makeup will help a lot with that.

I do have a fun Lauren story to share today... We bought an ocean wonders aquarium on ebay, and she really likes it. We've only had it a few days, but the other night we put her down and left the room. Then, over the baby monitor, we hear a thumping noise, and then music starts playing. In disbelief, we walk into the room, and she's actually turned the thing on by herself! She turned herself around 90 degrees and kicked it until it turned on. I thought it was a fluke until it happened again today! It won't be long till this kiddo is mobile so it looks like it's time to start babyproofing. Yikes!

Sleeping through the night

Last night, Lauren slept from 1:30 to about 8am! She's started to be increasingly fussy in the evenings, nursing lots and lots, to tank up for the long night. Last night we went to bed as usual (I nurse her to sleep) and even though she got lots of milk, she still fussed until we gave her an extra bottle. She's been sleeping around 4-5 hours at night but this was the longest ever, to my knowledge. After breakfast, she usually sleeps till about noon, and then all of us eat together.

These last few weeks, she's really started showing lots of personality! She smiles all the time now, and loves to babble. We're so lucky to have such a happy, sweet girl.

It shouldn't be long before she's able to play with more toys. When she plays on her play mat now, she's much better with her hands - grabbing the rings on her butterfly toy or the dangling ladybug. She also loves the Lamaze Giraffe toy with the jingling bell legs.

Lauren sings!

Lauren sings!
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

She Sings!

Last night, Lauren did something really cool. Zampano's been telling me for a couple days that she will mimic him if he sings to her. So I tried singing lots of songs to her - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, the ABC song, Happy Birthday.... Didn't work. She didn't seem impressed at all.

So then he showed me what he was doing - just singing 3 notes at a time. If you do that, she'll sometimes give you a huge smile of recognition, and then she'll try and copy it. She doesn't always get it right - sometimes she doesn't sing back 3 notes, just 2, but it's incredibly cool that we're actually COMMUNICATING!!!! Even after we stopped playing the game last night she kept on singing - in her swing, on her play mat....

I shot an incredibly long video of last night's attempt, but it's too huge to put on flickr. I have to edit it down, or shoot a shorter one. It's coming though!

Happy 2 Month Birthday!

Awesome crochet hat
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Well, we're home from our visit to Virginia, which was lots of fun! Everyone misses her already and hopefully we'll be back very soon, by Christmas at the latest.

Right now Lauren's been sleeping in her swing for a few hours, which is way longer than she usually tolerates it. She's been sleeping through the night with me, which has done wonders for my mood, although my skin still looks like crap. Hopefully a trip to the dermatologist will help.

Usually Lauren wakes up a few times during the night to nurse, and then in the morning around 7 or 8 she starts kicking to let me know she's had enough and wants to go play.

This month she's really started smiling a lot and her eyes are much more focused. Zampano noticed yesterday that she was really watching him eat his dinner. She still loves playing in her play gym and practices standing up all the time. She has such an array of cute hats but really dislikes wearing them. Makes for a fantastic picture though!

Quite suddenly at around 6 weeks, she started pooping way less. It used to be with every feeding, and then all of a sudden it was once or twice a day. Big, huge yellow poops that smell oddly like buttered popcorn. Yesterday brought a giant blowout diaper that leaked in her cute new pants. I spent a long time trying to get the stains out but finally they faded to an acceptable level.

She has her 2 month checkup in a few days. Can't wait to find out her height and weight! She's grown so much I can't believe it. Our bathroom scale says she's 13.2 pounds!

8 weeks

This week Miss Lauren is visiting all her family in Virginia. We took our little traveler on her first road trip, down through Philly, Delaware, Maryland and finally Virginia Beach. It took 11 hours, but she was good for 80% of the time. Spent a couple days visiting with the grandparents and great-grandparents. She cried a lot, maybe because she was gassy or tired, but eventually charmed everyone with her sweet smiles. We got to go through Zampano's baby pictures and baby book, and I think she is really starting to look more like him every day.

And then it was up to Richmond to visit with my sisters, who were just dying to meet her. Right now she is napping in my sister's arms, while my other sister is still asleep upstairs. Later today we'll go shopping for some winter outfits. Tomorrow we head back toward home. I'm really sad and wish that we lived closer to everyone. You never know, fate may bring us back down here!

Happy 6 week birthday!

Oh Miss Lauren, you're growing so fast!  This week brought lots of new cooing sounds, more rolling over, and a transition to almost 100% breastfeeding FINALLY!!! (except when I'm asleep, when we give her pumped milk in a bottle).

A couple of her onesies are starting to get really tight, and my favorite white footie PJ's (pictured) are starting to get a little short in the legs.  She also graduated to the single-head support pillow in her car seat!  I can't wait till her 2 month appointment so we can get her weighed and measured.

I had my 6 week OB checkup today and the ladies in the office were beside themselves at how cute she was.  One of the nurses walked her around the office and everyone said she looked like a little doll.  Even my normally somewhat grumpy OB was very charmed by her.

There have definitely been some moments when I've been completely exhausted and overwhelmed during these 6 weeks.  There have been many days that I haven't left the house at all, or showered till late in the afternoon because I couldn't get a second to myself.  But just sitting here writing, after she's been asleep almost 3 hours, I REALLY MISS HER.  I can't wait until she wakes up the next time, because my arms just ache to hold her.

I'm not quite sure how things will work out when I go back to school.  I found another 3rd year medical student on Ravelry who continued to breastfeed after she returned to school, and that gives me hope.  I don't know exactly how long I really WANT to breastfeed.  It's a lot of time and effort, and my acne probably won't get better until I go back on the pill...  But it's nice to know that it's possible.

I also started on weight watchers today.  Time to drop some poundage and eat healthier!  I can't imagine my breast milk is very healthy for Lauren when I'm eating nothing but chocolate and cereal all day :)

Video of rolling over

DSCN1651
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Baby's 4th rollover, caught on camera. I think she gets lots better traction on the yoga mat. Her play mat is just too slippery!

5 weeks!

Today Miss Lauren had her hip sonogram to check for dysplasia, which is common with breech babies.  I'm happy to say that her hips are perfect!

After her exhausting workout last night, Lauren slept for 5 hours, which is a new record!  And this morning she flipped over again!

Today was also my first time leaving the house with Lauren alone.  I wasn't supposed to drive or exercise for 6 weeks but today I did both.  It's been 5 weeks and I've honestly had the easiest recovery ever. I feel fantastic.  My exercise was the stationary bike for 15 minutes and I took a little nap afterwards.

Well, time to feed the baby again!

She Rolled Over!!!

Lauren enjoys lots of tummy time on her play mat.  Usually if she gets fussy after a meal, we put her down on her tummy and she lifts her big head up and down a little bit.  It always seemed to quiet her down.

But everything changed today, because she realized that she can roll over.  She got really close a couple of times today, just as the camera ran out of batteries.  It's a hell of a struggle - she thrashes around, kicking her legs, spinning around in circles on the mat.  She can't quite coordinate which arm and which leg to use to push herself over.  But tonight she actually did it... TWICE.

And then tummy time was never the same.  No longer a quiet, easy exercise session, she actually remembered rolling over (which amazes me!) and immediately tried again and again to do it.  After a very intense workout, she took a huge bottle and fell asleep deeper and much faster than usual.  The kid is one day short of 5 weeks old.  I think it's normal for babies to roll from front to back at 2-3 months.  

This absolutely requires a video.  One will be posted tomorrow if we can capture the moment!

Note to self

1.  NEVER drink coffee again until you stop breastfeeding.  Not even if the baby books say 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day is fine.  Doesn't matter how tired you are.  Power through it!  You will end up with a cranky, bitterly angry baby who will fall asleep for 2 minutes and then wake up screaming...  This cycle will repeat for hours, until you want to throw yourself out the window.  Don't do it.

2.  Less important, but still potentially embarrassing.  Do not eat dairy!  Not even those Mexican popsicles you love so much.  Not even if you take a lactaid tablet with it.  It will not help.  Your baby will be gassy and uncomfortable, and will fart loudly like a little old man, attracting the attention of everyone around you.  Not to mention the smell... 

Happy 1 month birthday!

I can't believe Lauren is already a month old!  It's taken us a while to figure out this whole parenting thing but I think we're starting to get the hang of it!  Zampano and I take turns sleeping and then have together time in the afternoons/evenings.  Finally I feel slightly rested!

Probably the best purchase we've made so far is our Graco swing. (on sale for $89 at target!)  She adores the nature sounds and even if it doesn't put her to sleep every time, it at least entertains her for a half hour so I can pump/wash bottles/shower/eat something....

She's starting to make some new noises and might be starting to social smile (at least I thought so a couple of times)...  She loves tummy time and really enjoys crawling upwards on my belly.  If I give her something to push her feet against she can crawl all the way up to my face!  I weighed her today on our highly inaccurate bathroom scale and she was an even 10 pounds!

Just to keep things organized, I've started a new flickr set for her second month of life.

Loose Change

Loose Change
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

I know this is a baby blog and all, but this is so crazy I just had to share. Zampano likes to buy scratch off cards occasionally at the supermarket, and apparently we've hit on a winning streak. These 4 scratchers are worth $56... All 4 are winners, and we've only played these 4. We should totally go back to the store tonight and buy the whole roll!

Burger King

Zampano and I took a nice drive to walk around the lake at Skaneatelas yesterday.  On our way home, we stopped at the Burger King drive-thru for some food.  Lauren rarely ever cries when we're in the car and driving, but the second she smelled the food in the car, she was hysterical.  Unfortunately I was in the front seat so somehow I had to maneuver around, remove the front seat headrest and stuff a bottle in her mouth.

Apparently I used to cry at restaurants when the food would arrive too.  :)  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

3 weeks

Lauren at 3 days...

and at 3 weeks!

She's really filling out nicely!  Her newborn clothes fit a lot better now.  Won't be long before we're moving on to the next size.  Zampano bought some onesies for her and we're hoping to at least get one use out of each before she outgrows them.  These PJ's are the best though since it's already starting to get chilly here in Syracuse.

One of my favorite times of day are those early morning feedings when we curl up together on the couch and fall asleep.  She always starts breathing heavy and her eyes roll back in her head.  Then she'll squeak and grunt, and do some stretching.  It's the cutest thing ever.  I think she's starting to have trouble sleeping without me though, which is a bit hard, since occasionally I like to shower and do other things.  But she's still so young and I really don't want to deny her anything.  For now Miss Lauren gets whatever she wants. 

In bad news, my post-baby weight loss seems to have stalled.  For a while there, I was losing 1 or 2 pounds a day (probably all water).  And now I'm stuck at 12 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight.  Time to start cutting back on the chocolate, I guess! :)

The horrifying cystic hormonal acne has not yet decided to leave, or even improve...  Maybe it's the breastfeeding, maybe the extra weight.  Most likely it's the lack of birth control pills.  Maybe a combination of all of the above, since I NEVER had acne like this before I got pregnant.  The worst of it is on my jawline, but it's all over the place - back, shoulders, chest.  I've got these awesome giant boobs and can't show them off!  It's a disgrace! :)  Anyway, I guess I never planned to breastfeed forever so at most it'll be a couple more months.  Maybe I'll go see a dermatologist...

Almost 3 weeks

Well, haven't had much time to blog lately with the baby keeping me busy, but I figured I'd better write down a few things before I forget them entirely.  The days go so fast now, it's ridiculous.

1.  Milk - I've got ridiculous amounts of milk now!  The fridge is stocked with an overflowing number of bottles on the top shelf.  It took awhile (probably longer than for most people) but now Lauren is on 100% breast milk with plenty to spare.  Pretty soon I'll need to start freezing it, since it only keeps 3 days in the fridge.

2.  Sleep - very unpredictable.  Sometimes she sleeps 3 hours at a time, sometimes only 1 or 2.  I'm completely exhausted but I've found that I can sleep pretty well with her in my arms on the couch.  The worst part about breastfeeding is that I have to pump or feed her every few hours.  If I wait too long, then supposedly my milk supply will decrease.  Haven't had that problem yet but I don't want all my hard work to go to waste.

Ugh.  Too tired to write more... must go take a nap while Zampano cares for her for a few hours...

2 milestones today

DSCN1383
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Guess who got her social security card today! Plus, she also lost her umbilical cord stump, so it's time for her first REAL bath!

Yet more pictures

My new favorite Lauren Picture
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

If you aren't sick of this kid already, more new photos added to the flickr set, including this one, which I think is her prettiest yet! I think this one will go on the birth announcements!

24 new photos

DSCN1307
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Just posted a with the grandparents!

Success!!!

This is what success looks like to me today!

That would be 50 cc's of breastmilk!!!  I've spent days and days pumping 7, 10, 20 cc's and all of a sudden, BANG, 50 comes out.  I swear I felt like poor Lauren was starving to death, always looking hungry and rooting and making her baby bird face at me.

All the lactation consultants assured me that yes, eventually my milk would come in, and no, Lauren wouldn't starve as long as she was making X amount of dirty diapers per day.  But it's the worst feeling in the world, not being able to feed your child.

But now I'm thrilled to be able to go out and buy nursing bras and a nursing cover so I can nurse in public.  YAY!!!!!

Off to take a well deserved nap!

Homecoming

homecoming
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Baby Lauren Grace is home, as of yesterday afternoon! Zampano and I were so exhausted that this cell phone photo was the only one we took for the occasion. My camera and cell phone were packed away somewhere in the cartload of stuff we brought home from the hospital.

But as of this afternoon we are all doing well, after having a few good meals and at least *some* sleep. Lauren even had her first home sponge bath last night. Apparently baby has inherited her mom and dad's greasy hair. :)

I am really struggling with breastfeeding. Don't ever let anyone tell you it's easy. It's way, way harder than I ever could have imagined, and I was warned going in to expect a challenge.

Anyway, I present to you the grand Flickr set of baby photos...

A+ sleeper

A+ sleeper
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

After a very rough first night, Lauren Grace had a much better second night, sleeping 3 and 4 hours at a time. Mom and dad are soooo impressed!!

Post bath nap

Post bath nap
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

she is tall!!! 22 inches!

Baby girl

Baby girl
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

8 pounds, 1 ounce... Name still pending...

Mom and baby both healthy!

Still breech!

Still breech!
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Well, baby girl hadn't turned after all.  C-section is on for tomorrow.  Apparently she has lots and lots of hair!  

They didn't do the weight or length or anything at the ultrasound, just confirmed that she was still head up.  And I have never been so happy!  I can't wait to meet her!!!

She is frank breech, which means her feet are up by her head.  We got to see her 5 cute little toes, but she was kind of hiding her face, which is why this ultrasound is not the greatest.

I still cannot believe that we will be parents tomorrow!  The car seat is in the car, the bottles are in the dishwasher, the huge box of diapers sits in the baby's room....  And it still hasn't really sunk in.  But tomorrow, our lives change forever.  I can't wait....

And now, Zampano and I are off to the fairgrounds to enjoy one last day of freedom before heading off to the hospital at 5:15AM...  With any luck, we'll have pictures and details posted by noon tomorrow!

Turned around?

Tomorrow is the big pre-c-section ultrasound, to confirm that she is indeed, still breech.  If she is, then we get the c-section early early early friday morning.  

But here's the thing.  I think she turned in the last few days.  I didn't feel anything, so she must have done it while I was sleeping (which is like 12 hours a day anyway).  I've been feeling for her big round head at the top of my belly, and all of a sudden, one day, it wasn't there anymore.  Plus, I hear her heartbeat way, way below my bellybutton now, when it used to be several inches above.

On the one hand, I'm so ready for her to get here!  My BP has been rising and I'm getting more and more swollen every day.  I swear, if I have to wait 3 more weeks, I'll be climbing the walls in desperation!  But on the other hand, we'd save probably around $1500 - $2000 if she comes naturally.  My insurance only covers 80% for C-sections, whereas a vaginal delivery would be free.  Plus, a vaginal delivery would be healthier for both of us.  

I have strong suspicions that she's turned around, but the only way to know for sure is at tomorrow's ultrasound.  Stay tuned for an afternoon post!

One more thing:  this coconut water is the greatest thing ever!!!  I found them today at Wegmans and was stunned to see the whopping amount of potassium they have!  I drank one this evening and already my ankles are way less swollen!!!  Thank you Gluten Free Girl for a great rec!

Horrifying pregnant foot

Horrifying pregnant foot
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Vine Lace Baby Hat

DSCN1201
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Yet another finished baby object. These things are just way too quick! I think I'm going to take a break from the baby knitting and do a Lace Ribbon Scarf for myself with the rest of this blue yarn.

38 weeks, 2 days

Ugh.  Just 5 days until baby arrives, and I am counting the minutes.  My hands and feet get more and more swollen every day.  I wake up in the morning (supposedly the best time for edema) and my hands are already numb.  Not great for someone whose hobbies include knitting, Nintendo DS and using a computer all day.

But it's not all bad.  I have a new, desperately needed computer chair, at long last.  We finally found a good deal at Staples and pulled the trigger.  It's fantastic and comfortable, and I have it jacked way up high so it's easier for me to stand up out of.  I love it completely.

We're catching up on sleep and movies, since those are two things that will definitely go away after the baby is born.  We've seen the Dark Knight, Wall-E, and Tropic Thunder in the last few days.  Today, probably Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

At my last doctor visit, the doctor was feeling for the baby and totally looked surprised when he said "Hmmm, not that big!"  I guess maybe she'll be a normal size baby, although I was sort of figuring she'd be enormous, since I am enormous...  I guess there's no correlation.  Then when I was checking out, the lady at the front desk told me that my belly was "really tiny" for someone whose due date was so close.  Weird.

I will definitely, absolutely be going on a diet once the babe is born.  We were watching the mens shotput competition and I was astounded at how close my current weight is to theirs.  I DON'T WANT TO LOOK LIKE I AM A MALE SHOTPUTTER!!!!  I'm sure a lot of this weight is fluid and baby, but still...  I've been too heavy for far too long, and I want my daughter to look at me and not be ashamed.

So that's all for now...  C-section on Friday, unless she decides to come out before then...  

Baby Bell Bottoms

DSCN1199
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Yet another finished project for baby! They seem a bit big although I knit the newborn size. Baby projects are great for using up those small quantities of yarn!

Nursery Pic

Nursery Pic
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Still need a dust ruffle for the crib since you can see into the little drawer underneath the mattress.  Buying the right color dust ruffle is hard because most of them come in sets with a bumper, sheet and quilt.  We didn't want to do a bumper because supposedly they're dangerous, but now we can't find the right color ruffle.  Oh well.  Not really a high priority.

Tomorrow is my big pre-op OB appointment.  Will post more then!

Insanely swollen feet

Insanely swollen feet
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

37 weeks

I've been thoroughly enjoying my "babymoon" before baby arrives.  Here's a rundown of my activities since the USMLE:

1.  Finished knitting 1 baby sweater, 1 baby hat

2.  Setting up crib & nursery (totally loving how it looks!!!)

3.  watched Season 2 and 4 of Project Runway, along with the current few episodes of season 5

4.  Read 2 books (itching for more good ones!  Will probably go to the bookstore tomorrow)

I'm feeling better about choosing to have a c-section now.  Zampano and I discussed it with the doctor today and she was totally cool about it.  I feel a little guilty but I really think it's the best option.  While I am curious about experiencing a natural childbirth, the idea of going through so much pain really terrifies me.  While I've heard it's a different pain from, say, breaking a bone or something, still, it's not something I'm all that eager to experience.  And someday, far, far in the future, maybe I will experience it with our second child, if we have one.  

And it's not so bad to get to meet our baby a week early!  :)  We're so eager to meet her.  I can't even imagine waiting another 5 weeks, which is the absolute max she could stay in there.  All this relaxation is nice and all but I'm starting to get a little... dare I say...  bored?

Breech

Ugh.  I've suspected for weeks that Baby Girl was breech...  Everyone always talks about their babies kicking them in the ribs.  I've never once felt her do that - and I thought maybe it's because I'm overweight and she sticks out too far or something.....  But today my midwife felt for her position and suddenly said, "Hey, that feels like the head up here."

So we marched down to the ultrasound room and there it was.  A big baby head in exactly the wrong place...

So now I'm looking at 3 options...

1.  she turns on her own

2.  external cephalic version

3.  c-section

The first option just means I'll have to spend a lot of time on all fours with my butt in the air, to encourage her to turn.  There are definite risks associated with the last two....  And I don't want anything bad to happen to the baby!  So this is definitely not good news....

36 weeks

Life is good.  Zampano took the NY Bar on Tuesday and Wednesday and now we're back home from Buffalo, relaxing.  Since the USMLE, I've watched the entire season 4 of Project Runway and am now downloading season 2.  I might or might not watch it right away.  I've heard great things about Battlestar Galactica and would love to give that a shot.

I'm knitting another little baby sweater and would be done with it already had I not made 2 catastrophic mistakes that required me to unravel half my work.  

Zampano and I were looking through a baby memory book at Walmart tonight and there were lots of questions in there that I can't remember the answers to.  When did I first start to feel the baby kick?  Don't remember!  Thank goodness I have this blog or else I probably would forget the whole pregnancy!  I definitely want to fill out the baby book because when I was little I looked at the one my mommy made for me and was mad that there weren't more answers in there.  She started off strong and then trailed off, as I'm sure most moms do when things get busy.  I don't think she even bothered doing ones for my sisters.  I wonder where that baby book is now?  Lost in the sea of boxes, I'm sure.  Hopefully I can do a little better than that. :)

35 weeks

Today was a momentous occasion for me.  I finally took Step I of the USMLE, after 10 weeks of hardcore studying.  Well, at least as hardcore as a massively pregnant lady can study.  I had finally put the test off as long as I could.  Any longer, and we risk Baby Girl coming DURING the test, and that's not particularly good for the performance. :)  She behaved quite well, only squirming around a little bit.  If I tapped on my stomach in a rhythmic way she would stop and listen. 

It was a difficult 8 hour test, but you know what?  It wasn't nearly as bad as I'd expected.  I'm so completely glad to get it over with.  Now I can knit!  And read!  And watch Project Runway!  Life is good again.  It's a tremendous sense of freedom to be able to close the door on this chapter of my life.  You should see the stacks of books I have strewn around the house.  I've never studied like this in my entire life.  

So....  I ordered a crib!!!  There were a few that I looked at on Craigslist and just didn't love enough to purchase.  I would have loved to have saved money on a big item like this but my super-generous mommy decided to give me a great gift, and so this is the one we chose:

And I also ordered these wall dots for decoration:

I'm so excited to finally start nesting.  The house is a neglected mess from the two of us frantically studying, so I'm tempted (even at this hour) to put on a good long podcast and start cleaning.

It's going to be a great last 5 weeks!!!

H&M

Boy, I hate to spend money on new maternity clothes with just 6 weeks left in my pregnancy. But today it was necessary. I'm down to just one pair of pants that's comfortable to sit down in, and it's starting to fall apart at the seams. I'd read on one of the Ravelry forums that H&M had maternity clothes, which was news to me.  So when Zampano and I decided to mall-walk today, I had to pop in and check out what they had, very skeptical that they would have anything in my size.  I'm too fat for their normal clothes.

But their maternity wear was GREAT!!!  Most everything fit just fine.  I tried on lots of things and surprisingly, they all fit.  I walked out of there with a pair of pants that I will probably wear every day until I give birth.  YAY!

34 week belly

34 week belly





28 week belly

Pretty big difference!

First post from cell phone

First post from cell phone
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

This adorable little guy is a gift from my sister. Thought I'd test out blogging directly from my cell phone so I can post pix of the baby as soon as she's born!

almost 34 weeks

Had a good doctors visit today after a very long wait in the waiting room.  It was my first time at this particular branch of the practice and I will never go there again.  It took over an hour before I even got a room.  The office closer to me runs far more smoothly for some reason.  One woman got to the front desk and stormed out of there practically in tears, saying "I'm going to find a different doctor."  Apparently they get backed up a lot at this office.

I didn't mind too much though, there were a bunch of cute babies and little kids, and I had my new book to read, Rockabye.  It was worth the wait to find out that Baby Girl is definitely head down.  The midwife actually showed me how to feel for the positions of her butt and head, which was awesome.  The doctor I'd seen twice before wasn't able to tell, which worried me a lot.  I knew this lady would be an expert though.  Love, love love her!

After that, Zampano and I headed over to the birthing center and went over our birth plan with the nurse.  Everything went well and we're all set to give birth there in a few weeks!  

In other news, I AM GINORMOUS!!!!  I need to post a picture.  It's starting to get really uncomfortable to sit or stand or do anything, really.  My belly feels like it's grown a lot in the past couple days.  Which means I will be taking the USMLE just in time.  Just 11 days to go....  

33 weeks

Our stroller is here!!!  One of the most amazing, generous gifts we received at the shower was from Zampano's aunt.  She got us a whole travel system, which includes a matching stroller and car seat.  Mailed to our apartment.  How awesome is that?!

You can see pictures here.

It was really, really easy to set up and I just love how it looks!!!  Practically everything we have now is pink, and I swear I was never really into the whole girls wearing pink thing, but IT IS ALL JUST TOO CUTE TO RESIST.  Well, at least Zampano has a few things for her that aren't pink.  A yellow "Long live the punk cabaret" onesie is coming.  

Home Again

Well, I'm back home after a trip to Virginia for my baby shower.  My amazing MIL and Zampano's aunt threw it for me and it was fantastic.  We ate lots of delicious food and I could not believe how many people showed up!  Several people made long road trips to be there!  Two people hand-crocheted baby blankets for Baby Girl, and she got tons and tons of presents!  I was overwhelmed with everyone's generosity.  We had so much stuff that it looks like my parents will have to drive it all up when they visit for the baby's birth.

The games were really fun, and it was just such a fun, happy time.  I met a lot of new people and it was so good to see Zampano's cousins, who were so excited about the baby.  I can't wait for her to meet everyone at Christmas.  We haven't decided yet whether we're going to drive or fly.  Which is better with a 4 month old?  Both sound pretty daunting to me.

In other news, my big medical licensing exam is in 10 days and it's definitely time to get down to business.  Suddenly time has really started to fly.  I really, really do not want to have to push my date back again, (all the available dates are in August) so I'm hoping that I can get a lot of cramming done in the next few days.  I've pushed back all my prenatal classes and even a doctor's appointment so I will have no interruptions in the coming week.

Wish me luck!!!

The Birth Place

I am feeling SO much better about labor now that Zampano and I have visited The Birth Place - our birthing center which is attached to St. Joseph's hospital.  Everything was incredibly nice and the nurse took us through the whole process and answered all our questions.  You get your own private room with a private bath, and they dim the lights and help you to have a peaceful, relaxing birth.  It was EXACTLY what I was hoping for.  Couldn't have created a nicer environment.

I think even Baby Girl was excited.  She squirmed the entire time we were there.  

Are you ready baby?  Your mom and dad are SO looking forward to meeting you!  I can't believe I'm saying it but I'm really, really excited about going into labor!

Now all I have to do is find a good pediatrician!

almost 32 weeks

How cute is this necklace!!!!  

In other news, I'm investigating natural childbirth options.  Zampano and I will be watching The Business of Being Born this week when our beloved Netflix sends it our way.  Who knew giving birth was so darn controversial these days...  It really says something to me that when I told my OB that I was in medical school, he looked me straight in the eye and said "Go into dermatology, not obstetrics."  Didn't even crack a smile when he said it, either.  Yikes.

I figure that women have been having babies since the dawn of time without epidurals or pitocin...  Why can't I do so as well?

Wilco / Jeff Tweedy

Totally loving Jeff Tweedy's Sunken Treasure Live audio from the DVD!  I've always been a sucker for a man with a guitar. :)  Favorite tracks - One By One (Woody Guthrie cover) and Shot In the Arm.  

31 weeks

Just got home from Target where we bought our first little package of newborn diapers and a pack of wipes.  Gotta be ready in case baby comes around early!  We will also be looking at car seats over the next few weeks.  Can't bring baby home without that!

Zampano has done a magnificent job of cleaning out the baby's room.  It's not really set up to be a nursery yet (we still have no crib) but now that we have the co-sleeper that's not really such a high priority.  The changing table is set up and we just need a changing pad to put the baby on.

We've been going on some nice long walks in the park for exercise lately (usually 3 miles) and I've been having a lot of pelvic pain.  Baby is heavy!!!  So I have one of those lovely sexy maternity support belts to wear, and it helps a lot.  I'm still sore a lot but it prevents me from screaming out in pain every time I sit or stand. 

I've heard from other moms on Ravelry that first time moms usually deliver a week and a day or so after their "due date" so I'm preparing myself for those tough last few weeks.  Life will be so great after the USMLE is over with, I don't think I'll know what to do with myself!  Hopefully I will be relaxing and knitting lots of little baby hats and sweaters!

Oh, by the way...  About David Duchovny...  His appearance on 3 episodes of Twin Peaks are quite possibly the highlight of the whole series.  I was really, really surprised when he first made his appearance.  Can't say more than that.  It was awesome.

30 weeks

Ugh.  I am a monstrosity.  The acne has never been worse.  I think I found my first stretch mark today.  And I am fat and getting fatter.  Even the maternity pants are starting to scream out in protest.

But in good news, I passed my Gestational Diabetes screen.  YAY!  Plus, now I can hear the baby's heartbeat pretty clearly with my stethoscope.  It's nice, even though it's totally unnecessary since she kicks me every two minutes.  

Weird.  My printer just made a bunch of noises like it was cleaning the print heads and then powered itself off.  And it won't turn back on.  Spooky.

Zampano and I are making our way through 30 episodes of Twin Peaks.  Totally awesome stuff, I highly recommend you check it out if you've never seen it.  Supposedly David Duchovny does a few episodes near the middle of Season 2.  Haven't gotten there yet.  Can't wait to see what he does.

I'm feeling somewhat better now that I'm taking iron supplements and B6 every day.  Still tired, but less so.  The ladies on the Pregtastic podcast recommended a few other nutritional supplements that I want to try.  Maybe those will help too.

I think part of the reason I'm not sleeping well is that Baby Girl loves to kick me when I'm laying down.  A few days ago I woke up and she was apparently practicing her punching because all I felt was BANG!...  BANG!....  She was hitting me in 2 different places, back and forth...  I think this kid is really going to be something else.... :)

29 weeks, 1 day

29 weeks, 1 day
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

The belly is getting bigger! (Along with the rest of me, hah!)

In other news, I've found out that I'm anemic... Hopefully getting more iron will help me have some more energy!

Also, the guest post on Dooce today is especially funny. I'm sure Zampano will get to experience many of the same sorts of things once Baby Girl is born. We're even more unsure about a name now. As Zampano said last night, "no name is good enough for my little girl!" We thought we had it nailed down a few weeks ago but now we're not so sure. Suggestions?

28 weeks, 3 days

I AM SO TIRED!!!!! Just a few words before I collapse into bed at the late hour of 9pm. The "honeymoon period" of the second trimester is definitely over. I'm tired all day long now. Today I get up, have breakfast, head over to school, sit down at the computer and immediately want to take a nap. After lunch, I am tired again. And after a few hours of feeling pretty good and productive, I had dinner and barely made it through. THE SUN IS STILL IN THE SKY, PEOPLE.

Part of the problem is that I wake up every day at 5:30 am. The happy sun comes pouring through the windows and I wake up. Horrifyingly awake. That would be wonderful if I wasn't married to the world's greatest night owl who is practically still awake at that hour. And I love to stay awake with him and watch movies and hang out.

In Baby Girl news, she is more active than ever. Normally her kicks are at or below the level of my navel, but today, as I was sitting in the computer lab, I felt her kicks way, way higher than that. I was stunned! I didn't think she was that big yet, or that my uterus went up that high. I can feel her turning around and changing positions. It's the craziest thing ever.

Well, hopefully tomorrow will bring lots of energy for me and more good kicking from her. :)

Almost 28 weeks

Almost 28 weeks
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

My morning belly. Usually by the end of the day I've gained at least a few inches of bloat. No stretch marks yet although I've got them on other parts of my body so I'm sure they're coming.

Baby Sweater

DSCN1017
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Finally finished knitting my organic cotton baby sweater! It turned out so cute and I just need to find some nice buttons and it'll be perfect. It's probably about the right size for a 4-6 month old.

This yarn is cool because when you wash it, the colors actually deepen! I can't wait to see what happens!

27 weeks

After a slow start to May, time is suddenly flying by. I can't believe June is almost here! Baby Girl is getting bigger and bigger and there is sooo much to do before she comes. We still have no crib although we have signed up for Lamaze and a whole bunch of other classes. Hopefully things will get easier once the USMLE is over. June 28... Just 30 days to go. It's time to really buckle down and get to work...

One of my favorite things to do is listening to the Pregtastic podcast. I may have mentioned it on here once before but it bears repeating. This podcast is my new best friend. It has taught me so much about all the little details of becoming a mom. I had no idea that so many women had trouble with breast feeding! It seems like such a natural thing but apparently it's a skill that has to be learned just like anything else.

Well, back to work. The studying never ends...

26 weeks, 4 days

Just home from our last road trip for a while (hopefully). In the past two weeks I've been to Syracuse, Pittsburgh, back to Syracuse, Toronto, back to Syracuse, Pittsburgh again and back again to Syracuse. Our car finally hit 100,000 miles, and it's only a 2003. No wonder!

Zampano's law school graduation was Saturday, and we got to hang out with his parents. His mom was so excited to feel the baby kicking! Got to eat some great food at Lidia's too.

So I'm ready to settle in for awhile and enjoy my un-air conditioned apartment. We'll be spending lots of time in the library so it's not really so bad. And it never gets to be that hot here, not compared to Charlotte.

Baby girl is still kicking like crazy and especially enjoys her Glow Worm. When Zampano held it close to my belly tonight and played a song she gave lots of happy gentle kicks. Supposedly her ears are getting better and better these days and she can hear more of what's going on around her.

I'm knitting her a February Baby Sweater in some soft organic cotton that my sister got me for my birthday. It's almost done and I'll post pictures soon.

Baby girl has also acquired a few new outfits. A Pittsburgh Pirates pink onesie, a Canada onesie and a Pitt t-shirt. There are so many tiny cute outfits out there and we can't wait to dress her up!

25 weeks

Life is pretty good now that school is over and I have my sanity back. I'm thrilled that I passed all my classes and am moving on to third year! Looks like the earliest I will be back to school is January. That just leaves one giant hurdle to cross before the baby is born - the USMLE step 1 exam. I'm taking it on June 28 and it basically covers all the information we've learned in the first 2 years.

It's gonna be tough.

So all is well with the baby. In 3 weeks I have my big test for gestational diabetes, and I'm starting to make the rounds with all the doctors in the practice. Any one of them could be delivering my baby (depending on who's on call) so I have to meet them all. I met with a midwife during this last appointment and she was fantastic. She asked me about a lot of things that the doctor never asked about. Very thorough.

We have tried and failed to find a crib! Every IKEA seems to be sold out. There are 4!!! in Toronto, and they were all sold out of every crib except the blue one. My mom seems to think the blue one wouldn't be so bad, but I just don't like it. It looks like Babies R Us has some decent ones for an okay price so maybe we'll look there next...

All Moved In

Well, it was a tough weekend to end a tough week but I am very happy. Zampano and I think we have a name picked out that we really like. Now we just have to figure out a middle name to go along with it. Could be tough.

So this was my weekend... On just 3 hours of sleep, I had my last exam on Thursday and drove to Pittsburgh afterwards. On Friday we packed up all of Zampano's things into boxes and ran errands. On Saturday Zampano and a mover packed everything on the truck while I cleaned and packed more stuff. We drove all the way out to IKEA with our moving van only to find they were out of all the cribs, except the bright blue one. I was so mad. We drove back to Syracuse, and fell asleep around 4am. Woke up at 11am on Sunday and unpacked the truck. We spent the rest of the day unpacking, and the apartment looks pretty darn good right now! There's still a long way to go but I'm proud of our efforts.

I haven't slept well in at least a week so I'm hoping to get a good 10 hours in tonight... We'll see how it goes!

24 weeks

It has been a rough week, Baby Girl.  And you know it.  I have not been a good mommy to you.  I have eaten garbage and slept little and drank caffeine to stay awake.  And I am more tired than I have been in a long time.  My whole body hurts this morning.  From what?  I have been sitting in one spot for the past 2 weeks.  I'm dying to get outside, get exercise, get fresh healthy food.  And it will all happen soon.  Soon your dad will be here to take care of me and make sure that I take good care of you.

I am so excited about knitting you cute little sweaters and hats.  I'm excited about buying your crib this weekend, and setting up your little nursery.  

If I can just get through this day in one piece...  It will all be over at 4pm today.  And then we can collapse in a big pile on the floor.

23 weeks

One more week of hell to go, folks, and then it's all over with.  Got one exam tomorrow, one Monday, and the worst of all on Thursday.  And then it's time to hit the road and move my husband to Syracuse!

It's still amazing to me that we got through these two years apart, and managed to create a baby in the process...  But I couldn't be happier about how it turned out.  After all is said and done, we get to be a family.  It was worth it.

Even my mom is coming around.  She sounded so chipper on the phone this week, talking to me about a TV show on ultrasounds.  She was talking about buying a crib and which stroller to buy, and which car seat was best...  I can't believe how excited she is now!  She was just so shocked at first, but now that she knows the baby is kicking, and that it's a girl, somehow it became real.

It's the same way for me, a little bit.  The 20 week visit changed everything for me.  Before that I was filled with worries, every day.  I couldn't quite imagine being a mother before that point, but now it's really easy.  Every kick reminds me that the baby is happy and well.  Before that, I had to rely on the ultrasounds.  There were moments when I would forget that I was pregnant.

The weeks ahead are still going to be hard.  As soon as Zampano gets settled in, we pretty much have to get down to studying for our respective exams in June and July.  But I think it'll be so much easier having him around.  I miss him too much otherwise. :)

Time for Change

Got on the scale this morning after a weekend away and BOY was I surprised.  And not in a good way.  When I first met with the doctor about my pregnancy, one of my first questions was about how much weight I should gain, being already overweight.  He said to try to keep it at around 15-20 pounds.  Well folks, at just over halfway through my pregnancy, I'm at 14 pounds...  And you're supposed to gain most of it in the third trimester.  Gulp.  

I can't remember the last time I put on my sneakers.  Will they still even fit my obese feet?  It's definitely time to make some lifestyle changes.  After feeling sick during my first trimester, I've been making up for lost time in the second, eating candy and chocolate and doughnuts like there's no tomorrow.  I do not want to give birth to a 20 pound baby!!!

Time to go to the store and stock up on veggies, chicken breasts and egg beaters.  And put on those damn sneakers and go for a long walk.  Ugh.

22 weeks, 3 days

It was a very rough week but baby and I got through it! Just 4 more hoops to jump through and I will be a third year medical student! Impossible to believe that I'll be seeing patients next year.

Baby girl is kicking all the time now, getting bigger and stronger. We love her and can't wait to meet her! I've been drooling over all the cute little pink outfits that they have at Target. I should just start buying them already. She'll be here soon enough and we're not nearly ready!

Baby Booties

Saartje's booties
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Just finished knitting these up! Cute, huh?

21 weeks

Nothing too big to report this week.  It's time to buckle down and get some work done.  Got a big test on Friday the 25th and then a whole bunch of finals to worry about.  I've seen Zampano for the last time before the end of school.  But the reward at the end of all this is that we will move him and all his goodies (Bigger TV!  Comfy couch!) up to Syracuse!  We'll also be buying the crib and changing table from IKEA, so we can start setting up the nursery.  

I am going to miss Pittsburgh a lot!  It's a fun city with lots of good restaurants, great shopping (Trader Joe's, IKEA, Costco).  But I'll miss his neighborhood, Squirrel Hill, the most.  It's a great neighborhood with everything you need just a short walk away - grocery store, movie theaters, restaurants, Barnes & Noble...  There's a gorgeous park nearby with lots of trails and lit tennis courts.  He lived there happily for 2 years without a car, and was even able to take the bus to the airport.

Syracuse has its advantages too.  It's 4 hours from NYC, Boston, Philly, Toronto...  The state fair in August is lots of fun (especially the huge bunny show!), and it's a good place to raise a family.  You really do get used to the snow after awhile.  I guess growing up in the South I always get a magical feeling when I see it snowing outside.  Like, YAY, no school!

Anyway, back to the grind.  I don't know how I'll make it through the next few weeks but it sure will be nice when it's over!  Then I have to settle in and study for the USMLE.  It never ends :)

The Fun Part

One of the other moms at my school was telling me that the second trimester was her favorite, and up until this week, I wasn't really sure what all the fuss was about.  I definitely get it now.  It's so much fun to feel the baby kicking around in there.  Every day when I head to school, it's about a 10 minute walk and up 3 flights of stairs.  My heart is usually pounding by that point (yes, I really am that out of shape) and so when I sit down to class, baby girl just goes CRAZY.  For weeks I had felt her moving but wasn't sure if it was really the baby.   It doesn't feel like I had imagined it would.  I'd imagined it would be more obvious - to me it feels like your heart pounding after a good workout, but much lower down.

Baby girl definitely loves her dad!  When he talked to her over the weekend through my belly, she gave the biggest, best kicks I've ever felt!  I'm sure the two of them will be best friends as soon as they meet. :)

IT'S A GIRL!!!

Well, my premonitions were WRONG!  We're having a girl!  Pictures coming!  She's healthy as can be, which is wonderful news.

almost 20 weeks

Tomorrow's the big day!  We have the big hour long sonogram and we get to find out the sex of the baby!!!!  The baby's really started moving around this week.  I've felt little pops here and there and I wasn't sure that it was the baby.  But this week, it's unmistakable.  It's really moving!

I'm SO excited about tomorrow.  The best part is that I can start knitting gender-specific outfits for the baby.  I've made some dark purple green and blue booties that I thought would be neutral but it turns out they look very girlie.  There are some CUTE outfits that I really want to make.  So look for a post here tomorrow evening!

19 weeks

Feeling pretty good this week!  My energy is good, and I'm starting to wear some of my cute new maternity shirts to show off my growing belly.  And this week I have a silly new widget for you.  I hope the babe fattens up a little, he's looking a bit skinny in the widget. :)

18 weeks

Ugh.  I have a cold.  Spring break was last week and I guess all the traveling around must have finally gotten to me.  It was soooo great to spend almost 2 weeks with Zampano.  The end is near!  We will be together again by mid May.  I can't believe it's been 2 years already!

Tonight, I am dying for my favorite comfort food - Hong Kong style wonton noodle soup.  It's a very simple dish but it has to taste a certain way.  Dim Sum in Charlotte did it right.  Ka Mei in Pittsburgh does it even better.  I have yet to find a place here in Syracuse that serves it at all.  I'm sure someone probably must...  I could make it myself but I don't really feel like cooking.  I barely feel like getting out of bed at all.

According to Baby Center, baby Desmond is now the size of a bell pepper and weighs 7 ounces.  I am starting to feel some faint movements - at least I *think* I am...  It's so subtle and hard to tell.

Zampano's aunt has decided to throw me a baby shower, which is so incredibly nice of her!  It'll be just after I take the USMLE Step 1 exam, on July 5.  I have the best in laws ever, I swear!  

Just 2 more weeks until we find out if baby Desmond is a girl or boy.  SO EXCITED!!!!

16 weeks

Just got back from my doctor's appointment and everything is fine.  Next appointment we'll find out the sex!  I am just way too excited about that.  We'll see if my suspicions are correct!  Zampano will be flying in so we can find out together.

Tomorrow is yet another big test, and then Zampano and I will be headed down to Pittsburgh for my Spring Break!  I've barely been out of the house in a week so it will be FANTASTIC to actually relax and see a movie or two.  Then on Wednesday I'll visit my folks for a few days.  I'm sure they're expecting to see a huge waddling pregnant lady and will be surprised when I walk in looking pretty much the same as I did at Christmas.  My mom wants to take me maternity shopping.  I'd much rather shop for the baby instead! :)

Zampano is making an Emeril recipe today - Portuguese Style Garlic Roasted Pork, and Portuguese Rice.  The smell of the garlic, to a pregnant lady, is QUITE overwhelming.  But in a good way. :)

Finished Baby Blanket

finished baby blanket
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Here's the first item knitted for baby Desmond David Hume Smith. One gender-neutral blanket from Knit and Tonic. The pattern is called Tender Blankie and it was a very quick project, just over a week from start to finish. Next up will be a sweater, I think.

15 weeks

Not much to say this week.  The bump is growing a tiny bit, but maybe that's just me eating more.  We'll see what Zampano says when he sees me, since it's been two weeks.  Feeling pretty good overall. Tired, but good.

I think the word is starting to get out at school that I'm pregnant, which is weird.  People are being oddly nice to me, saying hi in the halls and stuff.  Smiling.  I'm so used to being anonymous that the extra attention is kind of strange, but nice.

One more week of studying hard, and then it's Spring Break.  And boy, do I need it...  Sometimes the hormones and loneliness and stress just get to me.  It'll be nice to sit around and knit all day, go to the movies and maybe shop for baby furniture at IKEA.  I'm ready to start setting up the baby's room.  The apartment is such a godawful mess that drastic changes will need to be made.

14 weeks

Well, the weeks are flying by, since I've got mountains of work to do before the end of the semester.  Did take time off tonight to watch Lost, of course...  Another great episode, undoubtedly the best show on TV.  Love the direction that season 4 is going...  Love Daniel Faraday too, what a great new character!   

I really like this idea... Glampyre called her baby Hugo before she knew she was having a girl.  Zampano and I figured out a good boy name that we really like, last night.  Unfortunately if you combine it with our last name, it doesn't work out so well, it's the name of a famous person.  But we're still considering it anyway, that's how much we like it.  So anyway, since Glampyre's fake baby name is related to Lost, I suggest we call ours Desmond for the next 6 interminable weeks.  Just because tonight's episode was so utterly mind blowing. :)

Why I think I'm having a boy

IMG_0884.JPG
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Zampano and I have been together a long time, since 1996. At his family Christmas party in 1997, I heard about this weird coincidence for the first time. The family calls it the Rule of 13's. The little girl in the photo was just a few months old, making her 11 now.

All 5 of these ladies are descended from the same man, Zampano's grandfather. All of them were born exactly 13 years apart. They are the only females in the family, all the rest are boys.

So new Baby Smith has to be a boy, because it's not time for a girl yet! But who knows? I've never been one for following rules!

Baby Clothes

Baby Clothes
Originally uploaded by linuxgrl

Here are some adorable unisex baby clothes that Sylvia bought for us! Today we found out that in the Chinese Zodiac, our baby will be born in the Year of the Rat, which is also Sylvia's sign. Zampano and I are both Horses which means we will be very incompatible with the baby. Not good!

After a good meal at Benihana's, I'm feeling much better since yesterday's rant. There were 6 of us at the table including myself and Zampano, and one of the girls sitting with us was also about 3 months pregnant! The hibachi chef was also having his 4th baby in May, which is amazing. Everybody's breeding!

13 weeks. Lots of bitching and moaning.

This week was rough for me in a lot of ways.  School's not so good and sometimes I worry that I'm losing my mind.  I'm so forgetful these days!  Something happened at school that I can directly relate to "pregnancy brain" and I'm beating myself up like crazy for it.  Most of the time it's just little things, like putting on my deodorant twice or forgetting my access card to the hospital.  But this big thing could really be kind of an issue.  Ugh.   And being extra-emotional from all these hormones doesn't help either.

My hip hurts too, especially when I walk.  And my face is covered in acne.  I even have one on my neck.  Who the hell gets neck acne?  I'm starting to get some energy back and the nausea is definitely gone for the most part, so that's good.  But I feel really down right now.  Hopefully my weekend in the 'Burgh will cheer me up.  Good Chinese food always helps.

12 weeks

Everything was good at the 12 week visit.  Definitely won't find out the sex until 20 weeks, but everything seemed fine so far!  The most amazing part was seeing the baby's hands today, and some small movements.  Very cute!

Juice juice juice

The cravings in pregnancy are the weirdest thing ever. I crave juice constantly now. While I may not be able to eat as much as before, I can pour a glass of orange juice down my throat like a man dying in the desert.

Russ and I were at the Eat and Park recently and I ordered the largest orange juice they had. I think I had finished it all before the waitress came back to take our orders.

When I can't have orange juice, Crystal Light Lemonade is taking its place. I can drink down 2 liters of that a day, easy. Whatever I drink, it has to be sour, or it doesn't satisfy. Plain old water has never been so unappetizing. And meat... meat of any kind just sounds revolting. I love tofu though so hopefully I can get my protein that way.

A tie in Syracuse

Wow, my vote did make a difference!  Check this story out.  Clinton and Obama exactly tied for votes in Syracuse. 

Baby's first vote

Well, today I headed over to my polling place (walked a whole two blocks!) to cast my vote for Barack Obama.  Sadly, it looks like Hillary will take New York, but maybe my vote could help him get an extra delegate or something.

I'm watching the returns come in on msnbc.com.  They let you watch streaming video from MSNBC, which is nice since I no longer have cable.  As a matter of fact, I'll be getting rid of Time Warner Cable entirely on Thursday...  Verizon FiOS is coming over to install their stuff.  Screaming fast internet, YAY!!!

I've been completely spoiled by downloading all my TV shows... no more commercials to fast forward through!  And the shows are usually available just hours after they air on TV.  I've got hulu.com for old episodes of Arrested Development and other FOX shows.  I only really miss cable when Russ comes over and we just want to veg out on the couch and watch food TV or HGTV.  And sports....

Well, back to the books. sigh.

Mushroom Lamp

OMG How cute are these little mushroom lamps?!  I'm suddenly feeling a Super Mario Bros. theme for the baby room.  Kidding!

10 weeks

At the excellent suggestion of my friend Melanie, the husband (Zampano) and I decided to blog about my pregnancy here.  One of my favorite bloggers, Dooce not only blogged about her pregnancy, but writes monthly letters to her daughter after she was born.  And now it's going to be a book, which I can't wait to buy.  I'm not nearly the writer that Dooce is, but hey, at least everyone can come here and visit to see what's going on. 

Today I am lonely and studying hard for a big test on the 11th.  Said goodbye to Zampano for two weeks - we won't see each other again until Valentine's day.  So it goes.  I always feel better when he's around, so I'm not looking forward to this time apart.

Today in baby news:

• considering Bella bands (you mean I can't just wear sweat pants my whole pregnancy?)
  
• thinking about buying cribs on Craigslist, or getting a new one from ikea
  
• just hit 10 weeks on Thursday. in 2 weeks I have a doctor's visit where we'll do genetic testing... scary.
  
• starting to feel less queasy and more hungry.

Listening to:

Radiohead - In Rainbows. baby needs some good depressing music.