It's been a long time...

I wish I had time to sit here and write about everything that has happened since my last post. I can't, but I will say: I had my baby! :) My birthing experience was amazing. It was scary at one point, but mostly it was amazing. It was hard and it was painful, but it was wonderful. My husband was a wonderful support, my midwife was perfect, and my baby was so worth all the tears, all the waiting, and all the pain. I'd do it over and over and over again (and I probably will)!

Tyron Douglas was born on November 24th, 2010 at 4:23am after 9 hours of active labor including 23 minutes of pushing. He weighed 8lbs 9oz and was 23inches long.

And now, 5 weeks later, he weighs over 13lbs and is 25inches long. He's got big blue eyes and is making his mommy and daddy so proud, so filled with love, so amazed at God's miracles and blessings every day.

I love being a mommy. It is tough, especially after nights like last night, with very little sleep. It has been tough to make decisions that affect my baby greatly. I had to make the decision to give up breastfeeding in favor of formula feeding. It saved my sanity and we are all much happier now, but it was a really heartbreaking decision. We've already packed up the newborn clothes (and the 0-3 month clothes) and are watching our baby boy grow right before our eyes. He's beautiful and perfect, and I feel so blessed that God chose me to be his mother. What I did to deserve a precious gift like Tyron, I will never know. I strive to be the best mother I can be, even in my mistakes and imperfections. I love Tyron fully and honestly, and my goal is to raise him to be loving, caring, gentle, patient and strong like his daddy. But most of all, I want him to grow up loving God.

This whole "motherhood" thing is a lot more than I expected it to be. It's more fulfilling, more rewarding, more difficult, more exhausting, more responsibility, more time consuming, more amazing than I ever imagined.

39 weeks, come on baby!

So, I guess it's time for another weekly update! I'm actually really hoping this is my last one, but obviously only Tyron knows when he's going to be born.

He's basically done cooking. I don't know what he's doing in there now other than getting fatter. Maybe he's practicing a big dance for his debut. Sometimes it sure feels like he is! Okay, here we go:

Weight Change: gained a pound this week. Haha.

Symptoms/Feelings: Lots of "practice" contractions. LOTS. Like, every day they come and go all day long. Totally normal and annoying. This morning at like 5am they were really bad and woke me up. I walked around and they got worse, and I thought maybe it was heading toward the real thing. I decided to try to sleep, but woke up every time another contraction came. They ended up tapering off at lie 8am (right in time to wake up for the day!).

My midwife said that I can take 2 tylenol and 2 gravol to help me sleep when these things happen. I wish I did that this morning. I'm exhausted.

Also been feeling really nauseous and sick to my stomach several times a day. Apparently this is another "almost done" sign. I hope it is almost done, because I hate feeling sick and hungry at the same time.

Cravings: Chips and salsa! If I'm still pregnant this weekend, we're having a "fat movie weekend" and watching LOST seasons 1 and 2, so

Appointments: Had my appointment at 11am. All is well, really. Heart beat good, weight good, measuring good. She did a cervical check and I am 1cm dilated (she said MORE than 1cm, but not quite 2), partially effaced (she didn't specify how much) and my cervix is tilted forward. She wrote something else on my chart about my membranes, but I can't read her writing. She said she could feel his head, which I guess is a good thing. Next week we will possibly do a stretch and sweep to get things moving, but I haven't 100% decided.

Anything Big Happening? I finished Christmas shopping! I just need to get wrapping paper and stuff on Thursday.

Preparing for Baby: We're prepared. Just get here, Tyron!

Belly Pics: Kind of a crappy picture this week.

38 Weeks

Oh, hi. I am 38 weeks pregnant!

Not really much to say about Ty, as he's pretty much cooked, and we're just waiting for him to be all big and strong and ready to come meet us out here. :)

Weight Change: NADA. My weight was the same as last week (and the week before that). No loss, no gain. So weird, considering I feel gigantic, and considering I eat whatever I want, really. No complaints, though. My midwife didn't seem concerned, so I'm not going to worry about it.

Symptoms/Feelings: Feeling less pronounced movement. Now it's more of a stretching, bumping feeling than kicking and wiggling. Still feeling the movements frequently throughout the day, though. Having a lot more pelvic pain/pressure, and having a really hard time sleeping at night. Also having a lot more frequent waves of cramping (which my midwife said is contractions). They do feel a lot different from braxton hicks contractions, and they come in waves where the cramping starts of mild and then gets more painful, then tapers off.

Cravings: Really craving sushi today, and was craving pringles, but nothing really outrageous.

Appointments: Had my midwife appointment today. Things of note:
-My GBS swab results came back and I am GBS negative! Yay! This means I won't need to have antibiotics during labor. I was actually really nervous about this because I do have allergies to certain antibiotics, and it was going to be a bit more complicated than if I could take penicilin during labor.

-No weight change.

-Blood pressure slightly elevated (likely due to not having breakfast and having just made a trip to Starbucks, lol), but not high (I believe it was 130/72).

-My fundal measurement (when they measure from the top of my pelvic bone to the top of my uterus) was the same as last week- generally it grows 1cm per week. My midwife said it is likely because Ty's head has dropped into my pelvis, and when she checked, sure enough, it had! This is a good sign.

-I scheduled my induction. If I go past my due date, I'll be induced at 41 weeks, 3 days (which is November 25th). I'll have to have an NST if I go overdue, and that was scheduled as well. The NST (non-stress test) is an ultrasound where they check fluid levels and stuff to make sure everything is okay and that there's no reason to induce before the 25th.

Anything Big Happening? Going on a date this weekend with Doug! Going to have some spicy Indian food, and walk around. :)

Preparing For Baby: Not much preparing left. Just starting to do more walking and bouncing on my exercise ball and hope that things start happening soon.

Belly Pics:

Yay!

Mmmm, that's all!

37 Weeks: We're officially full term!

I'm full term! Hooray! This doesn't mean a whole lot in terms of when this kiddo will make his grand entrance, but it does mean that it could be any day now, and he would be just fine. I'm feeling in denial about actually giving birth, but I've had quite a few people tell me they think I'll have him early. We'll see!

Now, on to our last fruit comparison!


A watermelon! We're officially in the 9th month of pregnancy. I've completed 8 whole months! Wow. There's not much to say as far as development and growth go, because Ty is pretty much done. Just getting fatter and longer, and practicing all those natural reflexes that he's been working on for a while now.

Weight Change: I dunno. Last week I had lost 2lbs, even though I feel huge and thought I'd gained weight. Whatever, the baby is growing, my belly is growing, everything is growing at a normal and healthy rate. I'm so done with worrying about my weight.

Symptoms/Feelings: The newest thing has been cramping. It's not painful or anything, but I have been cramping, and experiencing more back pain with the cramps. Just for the past 4 days or so. Also losing bits of my mucous plug, and experiencing a lot of pelvic discomfort. All good things that point us in the direction of baby time.

Cravings: EVERYTHING. I seriously want to eat everything I can get my hands on. I had to purposely not buy anything "extra" at the grocery store this week, as I would have eaten it all in one day. No joke. I want real food, especially those yummy comfort foods. Chicken noodle soup, chicken pot pies, chili, stew, mashed potatoes. I am good with whatever, I just want to EAT. I've been eating a lot lately, and I have heard that right before going into labor a lot of women get suddenly hungry. Something about your body's way of storing up food as energy for birth? I can't remember. I don't really put a lot of hope in that, though. I don't feel like I'll be having this baby any time soon.

Appointments: Midwife appointment tomorrow at 10am. I will get my GBS swab, and we'll probably start discussing labor and what will happen if I go past due.

Anything big happening? Nope. Not doing anything big for the remainder of the pregnancy.

Preparing for Baby: I had a nice pedicure today and told her to hit all the labor inducing pressure points, haha. It probably won't do anything, but man that was a nice pedicure! I got a cute aqua color for my baby boy. I love it. :)



I've been trying to go for walks every day, but some days I just don't want to! I know walking will help my body prepare for labor, so I use that as motivation. The dogs enjoy the time with me, though I'm trying not to get them too used to our current schedule, as I know they won't get out as frequently once baby gets here. I also take lots of naps, as sleep is difficult at night. And I have been in SUPER CLEANING LADY mode. Tomorrow the kitchen gets SUPER CLEANED. :)

Belly Pics:

37 weeks! My belly seems a lot bigger than it was, even compared to last week (See?).

That's all! Only 3 weeks until my due date!!!

36 Weeks!

I can hardly believe we're already at 36 weeks. At the end of this week I'll be full term! It's so amazing how fast this time has flown by. Getting to see my little Ty-Guy this morning just made it all that much more real. He's so big in there! His arms and legs are all scrunched up, and his face is so much more defined (I got to see a really cool head-on shot of his face that was pretty cool!). It was so cute to see his little feet. They are so much bigger than they were 17 weeks ago!

-Ty is now around 19 inches long and weighs about 6lbs.
-At this point he gains about an ounce every day!
-He is shedding that hair that was all over his body (and that waxy stuff on his skin that was protecting him from the amniotic fluid). Now he's pretty much exactly how he is going to be when he's born!
-My uterus is as high up as it will ever get, and right now it feels like it rubs against my ribs.
-My amniotic fluid is at it's highest as well, and Ty has much less room to move around now. I've noticed his movements have decreased, but that's normal. As long as I feel him moving a little bit every day, there's no need for me to worry.

Weight Change: I'll find out tomorrow. I am pretty sure I did gain weight, though. I feel heavier and bigger! Average for 36 weeks is about 30lbs. I haven't gained that much, though. I'm still under my pre-pregnancy weight. At this point, I don't even care about the number on the scale. I'll worry about that after the baby is born.

Symptoms/Feelings: Starting to feel a lot of cramping throughout the day. Over the weekend I experienced quite a few moderately painful contractions. I think it was due to dehydration, so I've been making sure I drink lots of water and trying not to do too much. My feet also feel like they are swelling a bit. My normal shoes are getting a little snug. I'm not really sure what I'm going to do about that! Fortunately, my feet are the only things that are swelling so far.

Cravings: Junk food! I've been craving fast food a lot, but resisting. I did go to Taco Bell last week, but felt sick after. go figure. I've been craving frozen mango, and that is a craving I will indulge!

Appointments: Had an ultrasound this morning, as you can see by the picture at the top! Tyron is head down, and his back is up against my left side. No idea if he's anterior or posterior (anterior being facing my back- which is optimal for birth. Posterior or "sunny side up" which means he is facing my belly), but from the contractions I had over the weekend, I'd guess he is posterior. It's not ideal for birth, but he can still spin toward my back between now and birthing time. I didn't get a whole lot of information at the ultrasound, other than that he is head down and his heart looks good. Hopefully my midwife has the results at my next appointment.

My next midwife appointment is tomorrow morning. From now on I'll be going in every week!

Anything big happening? Nope! Just, you know, having a baby soon-ish. :-P

Preparing for baby: Like I mentioned last week, we're pretty set. Now we're just trying to spend as much time as possible together before we're a family of three. We've planned a few date nights, and are making the most of the next few weeks!

Belly Pics:


I don't really see too much difference from last week, but Doug thinks my belly has gotten bigger. It sure FEELS huge! :) My belly DOES look a bit lower, though!

35 Weeks!

35 Weeks!

-Ty is about 5 1/4 lbs and over 18 inches long.
-He's pretty much done developing, and not much will change other than his weight and length.
-He's preparing for life on the outside, and his lungs are getting stronger and preparing for his first breath. He's also producing waste for his first poop (joy!).
-We're 2 weeks from being full-term, 5 weeks from our due date and 6 weeks, 3 days from eviction date. Kind of crazy to think we will definitely have a baby within the next 6 1/2 weeks!


Here's a little diagram thing I found on spinningbabies.com. It's basically supposed to show you the position of the baby by feeling around a little and paying attention to where you feel things moving. It's backwards, with my left side on the right side of the page (like if I were looking in a mirror). So this is how you'd see the baby if you were looking straight on at my belly from in front of me!

So, the squiggles in the top are where I feel kicks most often. That would be where baby's feet are. The little curved line at the top is where I feel a bump/buldge, and that's the baby's bum. That line down the side is the hard part where I feel the baby's back. The heart is where I hear the heartbeat loudest, and the curved line is where I can feel a round bulge of the head. Pretty interesting, though I'm not 100% sure I'm right on all of this.

Weight Change: Will find out next week.

Symptoms/Feelings: LOTS of braxton hicks contractions. I get them numerous times a day, throughout the day. Also, I feel like I could eat all day long. I'm always hungry! I wake up in the middle of the night and want to eat! I also get REALLY grumpy if I need to eat. I'm assuming my blood sugar is changing, which is normal at this stage in pregnancy, and that the grumpiness comes from low blood sugar. Heartburn hasn't been horrible, but I have been having difficulty sleeping. I have lots of aches and pains, but so far everything is normal and tolerable. No swelling in my ankles yet, and i'm still wearing my wedding rings very comfortably, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Cravings: Nothing really specific. I have been in the mood to bake, but it's not really a craving. I mostly just want to be eating all the time.

Appointments: Nothing until next week. Next Tuesday I have an ultrasound to check the baby's position, so we'll see if my intuition is right! Then next Wednesday is my 36 week appointment, and from there I go to appointments every week.

Anything big happening? Nope! Just getting ready for the baby's arrival. We're trying not to do too much lately, though I want to go on a date night soon!

Preparing for baby: Still doing hypnobabies. I've also been planning meals to freeze, and getting things ready for the big day. It's exciting! I'm making lists with phone numbers, keeping emergency taxi money in both mine and Doug's wallets. I still haven't packed my hospital bag, but I don't imagine I'll need it for a while yet, so I'm not worried.

Belly Pics:

I barely look pregnant when you look at me from the front! I can't decide if that's good or bad.


I really don't feel that big. I often wonder how much bigger I will get in the next 5 weeks. I do feel uncomfortable, and the belly feels quite heavy, but I don't actually feel HUGE. I'm quite grateful for my wide frame, as I feel it carries the baby quite easily! My naturally wide hips and long torso have been beneficial in pregnancy.

Doug says pregnancy suits me. It's nice to hear your husband say that when you're 8 months pregnant and feeling quite unattractive. :) He says he can tell I am healthy just by looking at me. Something about my complexion, haha. It was a nice compliment, though, and I think Doug would be the best judge of how healthy I look, because he's seen me in various stages of health (or un-health).

Unplugged

Doug and I were talking today about how dependent we all seem to be on being "plugged in" these days. It is not uncommon to see people at dinner with their cell phones out, texting or receiving phone calls or e-mails. The portability of laptops means people carry them everywhere, and go online wherever there is free wi-fi (and the list of places offering free wi-fi is constantly expanding). It is not unusual for the pair of us to be found spending evenings and weekends with the TV on, both of us on a couch with a computer on our laps.

We're not happy with this.

Sure, we get out of the house, we have conversations, we do things other than sit in front of a screen. However, our "at home" time is more frequently spent in front of the TV or the computer (or both!) than it is spent doing anything else.

We used to have a regular night during the week that we would stay away from the TV and computers. We also did this one day of the weekend. For whatever reason, we dropped that, but both of us are realizing that, even though we spend all our free time together, we're not really making good use of that time. We're plugged in, but not connecting to one another.

So we're doing it again. Unplugging on Sundays unless Doug has to do some work. No TV, no movies, NO COMPUTERS.

I know once Ty arrives we won't have much choice in the matter, but it's a good habit to start now.

Ch-ch-ch-changing

There is no getting around the fact that everything is about to change for Doug and I. EVERYTHING. I try to imagine what it will be like when we have our little boy to consider before we do anything. When date nights out become a thing of the past (though we are planning on adopting a "date night in" policy), when a stroller or carrier and diaper bag become our new accessories. Everything is going to be different, and I find this third trimester has been all about getting used to the changes. No longer able to make commitments for any time beyond the present, we can be heard answering "maybe, it just depends on the baby" when asked to make plans or commit to anything.

For me, the changes have been gradually coming over the past 8 months. Physically, I am changing in more ways than I can count. Little changes have popped up from the very beginning of pregnancy. Now, they are more obvious (hello, belly!). This past month I've been thinking about making more drastic changes. Changes that I can control.

Doug has been making his own changes, as well. Whether he acknowledges the timing of his physical changes with the timing of this big life change or not is beside the point. He's growing a full beard. I like the way he looks with the beard, and he said he wanted to look a little older. Now that he's approaching fatherhood and his 30th birthday, I think he's feeling the same way I am.

All these changes are coming and we can't control them!

Here I sit, with dye in my hair, waiting the alloted time before I can rinse it out. The other day I took a good look at myself in the mirror and I thought, "where the heck did all those gray hairs come from?" Sure, there were only a handful. It's not as though all my hairs are turning silver. First it was just one or two. I laughed as I pointed them out to people. But then I realized they've been multiplying, and now they didn't need to be pointed out. They were there without a doubt. In an effort to take some control over the changes my body is making (without my permission, I might add), I'm dying the gray out of those suckers. And in a week or two, I think I'm going to go get a hair cut. I need it anyway, but I think I'm in the mood to make some controlled changes. To prove to myself that even though everything is changing and I can't stop it, there are still SOME changes that I am in charge of. :)

Usually, I love change. And even now, I am anxious for this baby boy to be born, to see first hand what changes his life bring to our day-to-day lives. I find change to be thrilling in the way it upsets the "norm". But lately I'm not liking the fact that I really have no control over the changes happening to me and all around me. It's okay, it's nothing an $8 box of hair dye can't handle.

34 week update

Well... we're at the 34 week mark. I feel like this pregnancy is flashing before my eyes.


-Ty is about 4 3/4 to 5lbs now, and is 18 inches long! I'm constantly amazed at how big he is in there.
-If he were to be born now, Ty would not be considered "premature" but just be considered "pre-term". His lungs are much more developed now, which is what causes that difference. I dunno, I still want him to cook for at least 4 more weeks.
-We are 3 weeks away from being full-term, and 6 weeks away from our due date.

Weight Change: UUUUGH. I gained so much weight in the past two weeks! I gained 5lbs. It's not HORRIBLE, but considering my weight has not changed a whole lot since the beginning of the third trimester, this feels like a LOT to me. I know a lot of it is Ty and all the other things in my belly. My belly feels heavy and huge now. I'm not too worried. I'm still at -19lbs total, though.

Symptoms/Feelings: Lots of pains all over! Joint pain, back pain, sciatica pain. Also heartburn. No matter what I eat. Lots and lots of heartburn. I'm sleeping less, and feeling more painful movements, especially in my left rib cage. Ty likes to stretch out, but he doesn't have much room anymore!

Cravings: Bacon. LOL.

Appointments: Midwife appointment today. I was late because of the buses, so it was a short appointment. My blood pressure is great (she said "perfect", haha), fundal measurement is at 33 weeks, baby's heart rate is good. She felt around for Ty's position, and she said the "lump" at the bottom of my uterus feels much more head-like than it had before. His back is along my left side (with him facing my right) and she said she feels much more certain that he's head down now. Before it was harder for her to tell.

Within the next two weeks I have to go in for an ultrasound to double check that he IS, in fact, head down, but I am feeling pretty confident that he is. My intuition tells me his butt is at my ribs, and the pressure at my pelvis is his head. We'll find out soon, though.

My next appointment is at 36 weeks, where we will do our Group B Strep swab, and will start discussing labor. Then after that we move on to weekly appointments. I can't believe how close we are!

Anything Big Happening? NOPE!

Preparing for Baby: Still doing hypnobabies, but that's about it.

Belly Pic:

33 weeks... getting closer to the end!

I can't believe there's only 4 weeks until I'm considered full term. It's going by SO FAST. I am both happy and sad that the time is flying by. I'm sure by the time I hit 37 weeks I'll be begging for this whole thing to be done, but right now it is just zooming by and it makes me a little sad. My midwife said she expects to see me again soon with baby #2. We do want to put a bit of space between babies, but I really do love being pregnant. I hope I love being a new mommy as much as I love being a pre-mommy. :)

I am officially in my 8th month of pregnancy, according to thebump.com.



-From weeks 33-36 baby is about the size (in weight) of a honeydew melon! There is only one more fruit comparison left. That is so exciting to me!
-Ty is about 4 1/2lbs now, and between 17-18 inches long.
-His activity level is supposed to be decreasing now, and apparently he'll sleep most of the day (the website says "as most newborn babies do", isn't that a little misleading?). However, I'm still feeling crazy movement several times a day, and some amounts of kicking/stretching all throughout the day. Usually at night it feels like Ty is trying to burst out of me through my side. It's the weirdest feeling.
-My uterus is approximately five hundred times the size it was pre-pregnancy. And will likely never go back to being the size it was before I got pregnant.


Things are getting cramped in there! I don't think this is actually what Tyron's position is, though. I really can't tell for sure. My guess is that he is head down with his back facing out against my left side. I always feel a big bump and kicking on my left side, and am pretty sure it is feet and bum and not a head and hands.

Weight Change: No idea. I've been told to increase my calorie intake, and have been doing my best. I feel like I eat all day long. I've added juice to my daily liquids (instead of JUST water), a second glass of milk each day, plus eating small snacks throughout the day (crackers, yogurt, nuts). I was already eating all day, but now I try to make my snacks a little more calorie dense (instead of eating veggies and dip or fruit, I eat veggies and fruit plus something else that has more fat/calories). It has been kind of challenging, since I don't want to just pig out. This has been SO opposite of my life pre-pregnancy. I'm used to trying to cut back, and not ADD things. It's funny. I am enjoying it while it lasts.

Symptoms/Feelings: I am feeling a lot more tired and a lot more pain. I just got an exercise ball (which I am currently sitting on), and it seems to help a lot with back pain, but I'm also experiencing a lot of round ligament pain, and a general soreness in my belly, ribs and hips. All normal things, and things I am learning to live with.

Sleep is harder to achieve. I wake up a lot in the night and have a harder time falling back to sleep. I try not to allow myself to fully wake up, and will just lay in bed singing a song or thinking about something relaxing. It's not easy, though, and I often want to just get out of bed and read or go online. Not such a good idea in the middle of the night!

Everything else is the same. Heartburn, still some nausea/vomiting in the mornings (this has never gone away, I've been dealing with this since the beginning, though some days are better than others), frequent urination, et cetera.

Cravings: Nothing this week!

Appointments: None this week.

Anything Big Happening? We're going to a Toronto Football Club game tonight. I'm excited! I've never been to a professional soccer game before. I'm sure it's a totally different experience than baseball games I've been to! We also have some out-of-town guests coming to visit this weekend. Our good friends Melanie and Trevor and their baby! We're excited to get to see them.

Preparing for Baby: We're done buying things for Ty. We bought the crib on Sunday, and that was the last thing we needed before he gets here! Now we're getting into more serious preparation with packing the hospital bags and I'm doing the Hypnobabies course in preparation for labor.

No belly pic this week, sorry!

32 weeks

YAAAAY 32 weeks! I feel really excited about that for some reason, haha. Only 8 weeks until my due date (9 weeks and 3 days until they want me to evict the baby, but I'll probably push for another 4 days of cooking time).


-Ty is about 4lbs and 17 inches long
-He will gain about half a pound per week now (wow!)
-they say the baby's movements peak this week and will start to slow down (oh thank goodness, because OUCH).
-Also, baby is sleeping 90-95% of the day (it sure doesn't feel like it.

Weight Change: This morning (at my 10am appointment) I was 237.5lbs. I don't even know what my weight change has been so far. I stopped keeping track. Plus it's hard to keep track accurately when my appointments aren't at the same time of day. My 30 week appointment was at 2pm and I was 241lbs. But my weight fluctuates a lot during the day, so it's hard to get an accurate measurement. As long as I'm not gaining too fast or losing a lot, then I'm sure everything is fine. I'm not doing anything to lose weight (or even to control my weight, I'm totally just eating whatever and I've cut back on my exercise due to increased joint and back pain).

As we stand, I am currently down 22.5lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.

Symptoms/Feelings:Tyron has been moving a lot, and seems to have the hiccups much more frequently these days.

My sciatica pain is hurting more, but not TOO bad. I also am experiencing more hip pain, and my back hurts pretty much constantly. My midwife said the sciatica and hip pain are good signs, as that means my hips and pelvis are preparing for birth. I am doing yoga still, but I've stopped going for daily walks (I now go 3 times a week or so), as the walking was causing my various pains to be a bit worse. My midwife suggested a yoga ball/birthing ball to help with the sciatica (she also suggested going to a chiropractor, which I will do if the pain gets really bad, but it's not horrible right now). A birthing ball will also help get baby into position as well as strengthen my core in preparation for birth.

Cravings: Coconut!

Appointments: Had a midwife appointment this morning. Everything looks good. My uterus is measuring perfectly on target, baby's heart beat was 145bp, my blood pressure was 128/60. Everything is going great. She couldn't quite figure out Tyron's position. She said he was laying at an angle and it felt like he might be head-down but she wasn't sure. I still think he is head down based on how I'm feeling movements, but we'll have an ultrasound in about 4 weeks in order to see for sure. I'm not really worried, though. I may have to have an appointment with my family doctor, but otherwise, my next appointment isn't for two weeks.

Anything Big Happening? Yes!!! Doug's parents are out in Toronto this weekend, so I get to spend the day with my mother-in-law on Thursday. I'm looking forward to seeing her. It'll just be the two of us during the day, but at night Neil and Doug will join us for dinner. It should be fun! Then Saturday we're going to a greyhound run and BBQ and Sunday we're going to Ikea (yes, this is BIG. Who doesn't love Ikea?). Next week on Tuesday we're going to a Toronto Football Club (TFC) game. Fun times coming up!

Preparing for Baby: On Sunday we're getting our new crib. That's the last thing we need! So exciting!

Belly Pics:


Comparing this to one of my first belly pics is so ridiculous! Check out my 17w3d non-belly:


Amazing!

Getting closer and closer!

There are only 9 weeks until my due date. Sixty-three days. I hadn't been paying attention to my tickers, apparently, because I didn't even know we went below 100 days, haha.

So the run-down is: 6 weeks until I'm considered full-term. 9 weeks until my due date. 11 weeks until Tyron would be evicted (but we're hoping he's polite and joins us in the bright and shiny world before he gets his eviction notice).

So exciting!



-Tyron is now a little over 3lbs and 16in long. Grow Ty, grow! That's about the weight of 4 naval oranges... or, you know, something normal that weighs 3 pounds. He's got more fat under the skin now, so he's looking plumper and pinker than he had before.

-he's going to be gaining weight pretty rapidly now, as that is his MAIN JOB in there. That, and practicing his breathing and strengthening his lungs for that first beautiful breath. He's also working on sucking and swallowing to help him with breastfeeding (keep practicing, Ty! Mommy doesn't really want breastfeeding issues!).

-Everything Tyron does in there is helping him get ready for life in the outside world. He's stretching (for sure, I can totally feel it and it hurts!), and wiggling, and touching and feeling. He's grabbing the umbilical cord and his feet, he's turning his head from side to side. He's looking around at things in the womb, and at the shadows of things outside the womb, when the light is just right. He's listening to my heart beat, my breathing, my digestion, my voice. He hears Ozzy barking and Doug singing, he hears water running in the shower or bath, and the sounds of my world. He remembers the tune of "Favorite Things" since I sing that to him several times a day (and he's taken to kicking me when he hears me sing it). He's getting as ready as he can for his big debut.

Weight Change: At my midwife appointment last week I had gained 1 1/2lbs in the previous two weeks. I'm at a total of -23lbs.

Symptoms/Feelings: Been feeling super hormonal lately. It's not fun! I'm also getting very territorial about food, and eating quite frequently. I'm having a harder time walking, harder time breathing and a harder time sleeping. Overall, it's not too bad. I've had a tingling feeling in my left leg that is most likely related to sciatica, so I've been doing my yoga in order to help relieve pain. The cat-cow pose has been best for my back pain.

Tyron has been kicking the snot out of me. It's getting to a point where his jabs are rather painful at times. Most likely this change is because he's flipped to the head-down position (yay) and his feet can do a lot more damage than his arms. He likes to stretch out, and press his bum into my side, while sticking his feet into my ribs and it's really sore. I don't mind too much, as it is good to have an active baby in the womb.

Most of my not-so-fun symptoms are worse at night, but that's pretty normal.

Cravings cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt. I know this means I need to increase my calcium and dairy intake. I'm working on it! I'm also craving sweets and Taco Bell.

Appointments: I had an appointment last week, and my next one is next week. It's my week off!

Anything Big Happening? Nope. This is our week of rest before we start getting really busy. I'm taking this time to enjoy myself at the mall. :)

Preparing for Baby: We are almost all set, really. Starting to really figure out what we still need (hats, blankets, bibs, diapers/wipes). My mom gave us a really beautiful crib bedding set that I'm anxious to set up soon, and I've packed Ty's hospital bag.

Belly Pic: 31 weeks!

30 weeks!!!

This feels like a milestone! I've reached 30 weeks! Seven weeks until I'm considered full term, ten weeks until my due date. We'll definitely have a baby within the next 12 weeks (technically, 11 weeks, 3 days, as they don't really want me going more than 10 days past my due date, but I can always refuse induction and tell them I'd rather wait until I'm 2 weeks past due).




-Ty is still around 16 inches long and weighs nearly 3 pounds (as much as a head of cabbage, says baby center).
-He's got lots of room and amniotic fluid to swim around in, but that will continue to decrease as he gets bigger.

I have a midwife appointment at 2pm, so I'll probably update some of this (or post a new entry) when I get back.
Weight Change: Not sure yet. I'll find out at my appointment today. I've probably gained a bit of weight, I feel huge!

Symptoms/Feelings: Leg cramps at night that make my legs hurt all day. Heartburn at night, back pain pretty much all day but worse at night. A general feeling of discomfort. The FUN ones are: lots of movement. LOTS AND LOTS. I LOVE it. When Ty is active, I poke my belly and he pokes back. Doug got to see this over the weekend, and it was pretty fun. Doug is able to hear sounds of movement when he puts his ear to my belly. Every day I've been singing "Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music because I read that the baby can recognize songs that are played/sung frequently, and will even remember them after he's born. I couldn't tell you why I chose that song. It was the first one that came out my mouth when I started singing. :)

Cravings: None this week!

Appointments: I have a midwife appointment today at 2pm, and then on Thursday night is my hospital pre-registration and tour.

Anything Big Happening? Not this week, really. It's kind of a busy week with things we've got going on, but nothing out of the ordinary. The end of the month will be more fun, though. We've got a few fun things planned for the end of September/beginning of October.

Preparing for Baby: Not a whole lot left to do for Ty. Other than his crib, that is. My mom sent us some things for him, which I am excited to get! She bought his crib bedding and I'm really excited to see it! We wanted to do the nursery in blue and brown (one of my favorite color combos), and I told my mom to surprise me with the bedding, as I am not picky and I trust her judgement! :)

Belly Pic: 30 Weeks!



A picture of my face for good measure (and because I waxed my eyebrows and wore makeup, haha).

like a beautiful song on a busted old radio

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

This video is six minutes long, and is definitely worth taking that six minutes to watch. I watched it twice and was in tears through both viewings.

When a guy is happily married, no matter what happens at work, no matter what happens the rest of the day there's a shelter when you get home there's a knowledge knowing that you can hug somebody without them throwing you down the stairs and saying "get your hands off me". Being married is like having a color television set. You never want to go back to black and white.

Lately I've had a few issues with marriage. Not issues in my marriage, but in seeing the fragility of marriage in people around me. I realize how fragile marriage is, how important it is to constantly nurture your marriage, and how absolutely vital it is to make your marriage a priority. My parents' are divorcing after 26 years of marriage, and while I can't spend any amount of time analyzing what happened between them, or trying to sort their relationship out, I have spent a lot of time talking to Doug about our marriage. We can't guarantee there won't be difficulties, in fact, we CAN guarantee that there WILL be difficulties. This doesn't mean that our marriage is doomed just because we hit a bump in the road (or a mountain). We made a commitment to each other recently, that we will put our marriage at the very top of our priority list, that we will be honest with one another about any issues that arise, and that we will not hesitate to seek help when we need it.

Right now it is easy for us to say that our marriage is a shelter, that we feel safe and secure. Right now it seems unnecessary to plan for future difficulties, but it is important for us to discuss these things now, to feed our marriage and help it grow strong. Especially now that our little boy is on his way, our little boy who will be greatly affected by our marriage.

And maybe one day there will be a video, like the above, about Doug and I. Maybe one day our marriage will inspire other people, give them hope, give them something to look forward to and to hold on to. But for now, we are content in what we have, we are content to say "I love you" as many times as possible, to never forget the meaning of the words, and the promises we made to each other the day we started this journey.

(and as a completely random sidenote, my wonderful husband has started a blog of his very own. Check it out)

29 Weeks!

So... getting closer to 30 weeks is fun! I'm excited for next week! :)

I'm 29 weeks pregnant today!


We're at the beginning of the 7th month of pregnancy! Hooray!
This month, baby is the size of a squash (a big squash?). Coincidentally (and it really is a complete coincidence), we're having squash for dinner tonight, lol.

The Facts of Ty:
-He is now around 16 inches long and weighs about 2 1/2 pounds.
-All five of his senses are in use, as he practices opening his eyes and viewing his surroundings (sight isn't really something that develops much in utero. His sight will develop and strengthen after he's born, but right now he can focus on shadows and will turn his head toward light).
-He's still moving a lot, but it's not the same squirmy, bubbly feeling. Now it feels like he is stretching or spinning. He's still breech, so when he stretches, I can feel his head hitting me up by my ribs.

Mommy Time:
Weight Change: Will find out next week.

Symptoms/Feelings: Same as always! I always forget if there is something new to mention. I've started getting back pain, so when I sit on the couch I use a pillow. I've also been doing random yoga positions which help (specifically cat-cow, which really helps, and is a good exercise for pregnant women). I've started getting really sore legs and feet, especially when I take longer walks. I've been reducing my walks to about 30 minutes instead of an hour, and it's been helping. I guess the weight of the belly is affecting me a lot!

Heartburn hasn't been too bad. My worst trigger is anything tomato based (like pasta sauce or pizza sauce), and cinnamon. It's a shame! But I can't complain as my heartburn really hasn't been bothering me too much.

Cravings: Pumpkin pie.

Appointments: None this week.

Anything big happening? Not this week! It's a really low-key week for us, though September is going to be pretty busy as we have some fun things planned for the end of the month.

Preparing for baby: My list of things we "need" is pretty short now. I need a few receiving blankets and I'd still like an exercise mat, but our main goal this month is to get the crib!

No belly pics this week. I promise I will have one next week.

New look & Green Earth Organics

I just vamped up my blog a bit with a background from The Cutest Blog on the Block! I wanted something that was more "me" while still being kind of cute in the "I'm gonna be a mommy to a baby boy" way. I also changed the name of this blog, as we fully intend on using this blog to update friends and family on our daily lives. It is hard living far away from the people we love, but the internet comes in handy! Between e-mail, facebook and skype, it is easy to stay in touch! This blog is just another tool to keep people involved in our day-to-day lives!

Doug and I decided that we wanted to start eating more vegetables, and in a wider variety than we usually eat. We fall into a "produce rut" too frequently, by eating the same veggies and fruits over and over. We decided to find a local CSA (community supported agriculture) group, but had a hard time finding one that was either close enough for us to get to, or that would deliver to us. We ended up finding a few produce delivery organizations which deliver in our area, and went with Greed Earth Organics for various reasons. We were pretty excited to get our first produce box yesterday afternoon! They dropped it off right at our front door! We decided to get the small box, as it best fits our budget, and still gives a good variety and amount of fruits and veggies. Yesterday's box had apples, peaches, bananas, red leaf lettuce, squash, red potatoes, onions, grapes, corn and savory.

We used half of one of the onions on our homemade pizza last night (whole wheat crust with tomatoes, green peppers and onions) and it was delicious! I'm looking forward to roasting the red potatoes with onions and savory with a nice roast chicken next week! We're hoping this helps us branch out in our vegetable consumption, as well as actually EAT more veggies! We pay for the veggies to arrive at our front door, so now we have no excuse not to eat our veggies. :)

28 weeks

We're 28 weeks along now!

Tyron
-Is now 2 1/4 pounds and 15 inches long. Getting bigger!
-Right now he is breech, but still has plenty of time to turn. We only have to worry about it between 34-36 weeks.

Uh... there's more stuff, but it's not really that new. Still able to see light filter in through the womb, still putting on fat, now has a 90% chance of surviving outside the womb (with medical help, of course).

Mommy
Weight Change: I gained 2.5 lbs in the past 4 weeks. Not bad! "They" say I should gain about 1 pound per week throughout the second and third trimesters. I've only JUST started gaining weight after a 30 pound loss, so we'll see what the weight gain looks like.

Symptoms/Feelings: Feeling Ty move more at night now. He responds (sometimes) if I poke him. He'll kick where I poke, but sometimes he just moves away, haha. Still dealing with a bit of morning sickness. Starting to get major pregnancy brain and crazy cravings.

Cravings: bologna sandwich with mustard and pickles. Just ate one for lunch. :)

Appointments: Had my midwife appointment today. My glucose tolerance test came back. I passed with flying colors! I was really worried, and my midwife was really impressed with my results. Everything was well within normal and not even close to borderline. My urine test came back normal as well. Tyron is breech, as I mentioned. He was laying on my right side, with his back facing out. The midwife felt his head and bum, but couldn't be sure which was which. Once she brought out the doppler and found the heartbeat was up higher, she determined that he is head up. I am measuring a week ahead, but that's not really a big deal. Everything else looks great. My blood pressure was 130/70 which is higher than last month, but still normal.

Anything Big Happening: Nope.

Preparing for baby: We are buying the crib at the end of the month, otherwise we're pretty much set!

a "pay-it-forward" kind of birthday

The wonderful Amy, at 4th Frog, is celebrating her 40th birthday today (happy birthday, Amy!).

And she wants to have the biggest birthday bash ever. But it's not just a normal birthday party with cake and presents and all that. It's extra special. There will be lots of giving, but it's not the giving of presents wrapped up in colorful paper and ribbons. It's a pay-it-forward kind of giving. Random acts of kindness in the name of Amy's birthday.

She wants as many people as possible to join 4th Frog's Fab 40 Fest. Click the link to see how she wants us to participate! I'm already thinking of what I can do to participate!

Week 27: Third trimester!

About Baby
**We are now in the third trimester! Some places say it starts at 27 weeks, some say it starts at 28 weeks, some say 26. I'm going with 27 weeks, which is today! Yay!**

-This week Tyron weighs over 2lbs (about as much as a head of cauliflower), and he is between 14 and 15 inches long.
-At this point, he would have an 85% chance of survival outside the womb. We want him to keep cooking though!
-We'll be considered full term in 10 weeks, and we are due in 13 weeks.
-He's continuing to grow at a rapid pace, and now most of our energy is going towards getting him fatter and longer.
-He continues to practice using all his body parts, and learning things about the world through me.

About Mommy
Weight Change: We'll find out next week.

Symptoms/Feelings: I can poke Ty now when he's in an active period, and he'll poke back. I can also tell he favors my right side. I've been getting rib pain as my ribs expand, and it's mostly been on the right side. Everything hurts by the end of the day, especially if I've done a lot of work. I have heartburn no matter what I eat, but thank goodness I can take Zantac. Hopefully it continues to work for me!

Cravings: None! So sad! I love having cravings!

Appointments: None this week. My next appointment is next Tuesday.

Anything big happening? Not really. Life is pretty boring around here lately!

Preparing for Baby: All our baby stuff is set up and organized. We have to buy a new crib, and then we're all set! I can't believe we're so close to being 100% ready for him!

No belly pic this week. I'll get one next week for sure!

Being a mother-to-be....

Being a first time mommy-to-be is a pretty exciting experience, and is so much different than I expected it to be. A few months used to seem like no big deal. The close of summer was an exciting time, leading to fall and then into winter and Christmas. These days, a few months seems to fly by, and I find myself planning not by seasons, but by the things we need to do before the baby arrives. We planned our "autumn cleaning" (our second version of spring cleaning) based on how big my belly would be, and thus how easy it would be for me to help out. When making plans for the next few months, everything becomes dependent on the arrival of our baby. Our traditional plans for winter and Christmas change as we imagine our lives with our son.

I've realized the strength and ability in my body. I'm amazed by the perfect creation of my body holding my baby boy, so tiny and fragile at this stage, nourishing him and providing him with what he needs to live. I feel my heart beat and know my heart is pumping blood not just for my own needs, but for the needs of this baby. When I eat, I am eating food that will not only strengthen and nourish my body, but will help my little one grow strong. It amazes me how a woman's body was created to carry a human life within her, without any sort of intervention, my body just knows what to do.

Though I have started becoming uncomfortable, my back arches a little to balance out the weight of my growing belly, my hips ache as the joints loosen and widen in preparation for childbirth. Everything becomes a little more difficult and I move a little more slowly. Sleep is not quite as restful, getting out of bed every 2-3 hours becomes more challenging, but I am amazed at my body's flexibility as it changes so drastically.

When I feel my little one thumping and squirming, it feels like a special secret. It feels like a treasure in these few months we get to be connected so deeply. I wonder, will my life always be so affected by his, from now on? Will his life be so affected by mine? I get nine whole months to learn about my baby boy before anyone else gets to meet him. He knows the sound of me, of my heart beat, my voice, my laughter. I feel so blessed to get this chance to bond with him before he's even born. His life is such a gift.

I know that with my second, and third, and fourth pregnancies it won't be the same. The way I feel now is unique to being a first time mommy-to-be. So for now, I will sit and spend time gazing at my thumping belly, thanking God for choosing me as a vessel for this life.

26 Weeks

My Baby Ty
-he is now approximately 14 inches long and weighs just under 2 pounds.
-his eyelids, which were fused shut for about a month, can now open again. He is able to tell the difference between light and dark.
-We are in the last week of the second trimester. Next week we will be 2/3 through this pregnancy!

Mommy
Weight Change: No idea. I'll find out in two weeks.

Symptoms/Feelings: Same as always. Am starting to have difficulty sleeping. It is hard to get comfortable, and I am dying to sleep on my back or belly again, but whenever I've accidentally ended up that way, it is pretty uncomfortable. Last night was the worst night so far. I feel bad for Doug for having to put up with me! Other than that, everything has been the same. Heartburn, super hungry all the time, et cetera.

Cravings: Caramel popcorn! Finally got some today.

Appointments: Had my gestational diabetes test today. It wasn't so bad, though I have a big bump on the inside of my elbow from where they poked me. I had to have my blood drawn three times (plus an extra vial for something else) in a span of two hours, and they poked the same general area all three times, so it's a bit swollen now.

Anything Big Happening? We found out we are NOT moving soon. Not until a few months after Tyron is born. We're not concerned, or bothered at all, by this, but we are now making arrangements to get our bedroom organized. We're going to put the crib and change table in there this weekend.

Preparing for baby: We're almost all set. I bought a few of the smaller things we needed today, and now I feel much more prepared. This week we're focusing on organizing the bedroom and will be washing his clothes and getting his drawers all stocked with baby Ty clothes!

Baby Needs...

We found out today that we won't be able to move into a two bedroom apartment for a few months (possibly a few months after the baby is born). So now I can put my nesting to good use and we can start organizing and rearranging the bedroom to fit a baby.

It's gotten me thinking about what a baby really needs. I was getting so wrapped up in having Tyron's room decorated with puppies and paw prints, and getting a cute swing or having a brand new chest of drawers for him that I forget that those things are more for me than for the baby. He doesn't need any of those things. He needs arms to hold him, someone to feed him, lips to kiss him, diapers and clothes to wear and something to keep him warm. He needs to be clean and fed and hugged and kissed. He needs his mommy and daddy.

It's easy to get carried away when it's your first baby. You want the best for them, you want to give them everything. It's easy to forget that all they really need are basic necessities.

I tell Tyron all the time that I love him. I tell him that I can't wait to meet him, and that I hope I can give him everything he needs and some of the things he wants. I tell him that he's never going to run out of love.

And I am content knowing that he'll be provided for. Even if he doesn't have the wealthiest of parents, he'll have everything he needs.

25 weeks

Tyron
-is now an eggplant, lol.
-he is about 13 inches long and weighs approximately 1.5 lbs.
-Tyron's taste buds are forming, and he is developing preferences for certain tastes (apparently not milk, because it makes me sick now).
-My uterus is the size of a soccer ball! Crazy.

Mommy
Weight Change: No idea. I feel like I've gained some weight, and I know my belly has grown, so I'm assuming I did gain weight. I don't really care how much, though.

Symptoms/Feelings: Everything has been pretty much the same. Heartburn, morning nausea, runny nose, feeling kicks, etc. It's been pretty low key. I can't even tell you how much I enjoy pregnancy. I feel great, I get tired and hungry a lot, but I can still move around pretty normally (minus being able to bend over), I am not swelling at all, I just feel really good. I have no complaints about pregnancy. :)

Cravings: Sweets!

Appointments: Going in tomorrow for a urinalysis. Next week I have my glucose tolerance (gestational diabetes) test.

Anything big happening? We're still waiting to hear when we will be able to move. I'm really hoping it will be September 1st, but the longer we wait to find out, the less likely that is. :( At least if we move by October 1st I'll be okay.

Preparing for Baby: We're starting to collect big things! I think our next purchase is going to be a bassinet or a washer.

Belly Pics:

I feel like my belly is really tiny compared to other people around my due date. I know part of the reason is because I have a really long torso and a high waist, so the belly has a lot of room to grow up, and doesn't need to grow out so much. And I have a feeling that I'm just going to suddenly POP one day (maybe in a few weeks) and I'll look gigantic then.

24 Weeks!

My baby boy
-Is now viable! This means that if I were to go into pre-term labor, the doctors would do whatever they can to stop contractions and keep him in there as long as possible. Before this week, they wouldn't stop contractions. My midwife said he also has a 50% chance of survival outside the womb. It goes up each week, and at 37 week (13 weeks from now, holy cow!) he'll be considered full term.

-He is about the length of an ear of corn (just over a foot long), and weighs over a pound. He's a skinny little sucker!

-He is running out of room in my uterus, which will continue to expand and give him more room (but he'll also continue to grow, so he's going to be pretty cramped in there for a while!)

Let's Talk About Me
Weight Change: At the advice of my midwife, I am no longer weighing myself on a weekly basis. However, I had my midwife appointment today and my weight hasn't changed since my last appointment ("doing good", says my midwife).

Symptoms/Feelings: Feeling Ty kick a lot! I'm feeling his patterns of activity on a daily basis, and seeing what makes him more active. I'm also feeling hiccups! I feel FANTASTIC. This is so weird for me, because the first trimester was kind of rough. I felt ugly and fat, I felt sick, I felt tired... etc. It's so different in the second trimester! I feel amazing. I feel like I look great (which I know is a really weird thing to admit, but I feel like my skin is glowing, my hair looks awesome, I feel like I look pregnant and cute, haha), I have more energy, and I just am really loving being pregnant. I LOVE it. I feel better now than I have in years, despite back pain and the fact that I wake up numerous times at night, and that I can't stay awake very late if I don't have a nap. Those are all just minor annoyances.

Cravings: Nothing really strong. I'm easily influenced, but nothing has been hitting me as far as cravings go. I was craving sweets yesterday and ate some candies, and now I'm golden.

Appointments: Had a midwife appointment today. The bad: There was protein in my urine (normally I have trace amounts of protein, today it was one square above trace- 0.3). I have to go on Thursday and drop off some pee in a cup to see if I have a UTI or bladder infection. My blood pressure was great (123/80 which is apparently "perfect"), so she said it's not pregnancy induced hypertension (or a symptom of pre-e). She thinks it's likely a UTI. An untreated UTI can cause pre-term labor, but I'll be tested on Thursday and if I do have a UTI I'll get on antibiotics and all will be just fine.

Everything else was fantastic. Baby was moving around a lot and she said that he seems really healthy (active baby is a good sign), and she felt him on my belly, said she thinks he's still head down. I was measuring at 27 weeks, which is good, and Tyron's heart rate was in the 140's (hard to get an accurate reading as he was kicking the doppler and moving away).

My glucose tolerance test (to test for gestational diabetes) is in 2 weeks. I'm doing the diagnostic test, which is two hours and requires 12 hours of fasting prior to the test. Fun! Apparently it's supposed to be more accurate than the normal 1 hour test.

Anything Big Happening? Yes! On Saturday is my baby shower!! I'm so excited. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law are coming out and Andrea (sister-in-law) is the one throwing it. I feel so blessed and SO EXCITED! I didn't think I was getting a shower at all, so this is just fantastic. And we get to spend the weekend with them, which will be fun!

Preparing for Baby: Haven't bought anything else yet. I'm waiting until after the shower, as Andrea tells me we are being spoiled. :) I did see some really cute fluffy winter suits (snow suit? I dunno... sorta. I don't want an actual snow suit, but these look really warm). They are at Old Navy and I want to get one for Ty for this winter. We'll get him a real water resistant snow suit next winter, but this winter something warm and thick to go over his clothes will be good.

23 weeks

No more weekly fruit comparisons! Now it's only every month that the fruit comparison changes. Baby is still growing, though more slowly than he grew at the beginning.

About Baby
-Tyron is now approximately 12 inches long and weighs just over a pound!
-He can sense movement now, so if I dance, he can feel it! Rocking motions of my body will rock him to sleep, which is why he tends to be more awake at night than during the day, I guess!
-Tyron is now mostly focusing on weight gain and growth, but he continues to learn and change each week. His digestive system is now mature enough to absorb nutrients from drinking amniotic fluid.
-All his senses work now, and he can sense the difference between light and darkness. He continues to explore his world with his hands and is listening to the sounds of my day. He loves to hear Ozzy barking, and jumps around when he hears it! He also loves music that is heavy on bass!

About Mommy
Weight Change: This week I gained 1.5lbs. Not too shabby! This puts my total weight change at -33.5lbs. While the average is 15lbs gained, I feel comfortable with what my body is doing. I know my body is taking good care of the baby.

Symptoms/Feelings: I'm hungry all day long! I eat every 2-3 hours, or I get sick. I got sick last night because my stomach was empty. It's really weird and unpleasant. Heartburn has started setting in no matter what I eat, but gaviscon is my friend. I'm also starting to deal with lower back pain! Nothing too bad, and I'm really really enjoying being pregnant.

Cravings: Was craving salad last night! Am craving yogurt with granola a lot. That's about it, though.

Appointments: Next week!

Anything Big Happening?: This weekend we're going to Medieval Times. We also had to deal with our first pet injury! Ozzy tore his dewclaw on Sunday. He's fine now, though I am practicing my first aid skills with changing his bandage. That's it for this week, though! Next week is more exciting. ;)

Preparing for Baby: We're starting to talk about parenting related things. I'm making plans to join a mommy group for play dates, and we're planning on taking advantage of Stars and Strollers so I can get out of the house. Doug and I talk a lot about our plans as parents, and things we want to do/values we want to instill in our son.

Belly Pic:
A different kind of belly pic this week. I find it pretty fascinating how round my belly is when I lay down. I think because laying down really shows the shape of my baby bump. And pre-pregnancy, my belly would be kind of flat looking when I laid down, so seeing this round belly popping up when I lay in bed is pretty amusing!

22 week update

From now on, the fruit comparison only goes by month. This is month five (weeks 21-24).

About Baby
-he is about 11-12.5 inches long and weighs about 12.25 ounces. Almost a pound!
-baby's brain is now growing rapidly (and that will continue for the next 5 years!)
-He is experiencing the sense of touch, and is practicing touching all his surroundings
-he also sleeps anywhere from 12-14 hours per day.

About Mommy
Weight Change: -2.5lbs this week, so I'm down about 35 lbs total. I'm trying not to worry about the weight loss, but it's difficult. Baby has always measured right on track, so I shouldn't worry too much about him. It's just weird to be losing so much weight, you know?

Symptoms/Feelings: Been feeling Ty move a lot, but still not really feeling super strong kicks. I can feel light taps, and thumps, which I guess count as kicks, I don't know what I'm really expecting to feel, though. I'm sure in a few weeks that will change and kicks will be more defined. His movement is really regular, though. Always around the same times during the day. I'm anxious to be able to feel/see movement on the outside, though.

Cravings: Soft pretzels, caramel apples, Mexican food (specifically beans and rice with salsa).

Appointments: Not until the 27th.

Anything big happening: We're getting our nursery furniture this weekend! Seeing Doug's dad, too! We're also going to find out about the two bedroom apartment soon, as well. We know there are two available in September, but we don't know which one will be ours.

Preparing for Baby: Like I said, we're getting the nursery furniture this weekend. We won't be doing much more than that until after we move. We did make a list of all the things we need, so if we end up needing to buy a lot of stuff, we won't be overwhelmed, and can put aside money for everything. We've been putting money aside, but won't buy anything until October. Also, we're going to be setting up a savings account for Tyron.

Belly Pics:

What's in a name?

Before we even decided to have kids, Doug and I knew the name of our first son. So it has been pretty easy to transition from calling him 'baby' to calling him by his name.

We are naming him Tyron Douglas after Doug's brother who passed away as a baby.

Tyron means 'land of the noble' and is pronounced like Byron. And of course, his middle name is his father's first name.

We're really excited to be calling our little boy Tyron (and sometimes Ty) before he's even born. We love him so much already!

21 Week Update

Baby is the size of a banana!
This week we start measuring the baby's length from head to toe, instead of head to rump.

At the end of this week, I will have officially completed 5 months of pregnancy! Crazy!

Weight Change: Down another 3 pounds from last week. I think I'm just going to stop with the weekly weight measurements. It's kind of pointless. I feel really awkward about my weight loss, and it's so stupid. I'll post the stats from my midwife appointments, though. My belly is growing (I took measurements, and it's ridiculous!) and I'm eating and drinking, so I just need to stop caring about my weight. At this point, I will most likely only gain enough to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight by the end of pregnancy. We'll see.

Symptoms/Feelings: No real major symptoms. My skin seems to be clearing up (knock on wood, haha), and I feel pretty great. I still throw up once in a while, but I am starting to not care much about that. I have to pee a lot during the day, and at night it's only been 2-4 times through the night (always at 3:30am!). I have felt baby move a LOT more lately as well. He thumps around in there several times throughout the day. It's much more regular than it was even just last week.

Cravings: Um... everything? Ice capps from Tim Hortons and sweets. And yes, I totally give in. I know it's not a great thing, but I sort of don't care. I am not eating junk food all day long, so I don't think it's a bad thing to give in to cravings when they hit me.

Appointments: None for a few weeks.

Anything big happening: Nothing, really. We are still planning on moving, but waiting to find out WHEN exactly. People are always moving out, and there are currently SEVEN vacant apartments in this building, so we'll definitely get one.

Preparing for baby: We were thinking of signing up for the free prenatal class in the city, but it's an hour away by bus from 7-9pm once a week for 6 weeks. I guess we could manage it, but we don't really feel it is totally necessary, and are not going to go. And we're too cheap to pay for any of the other classes. I don't feel that prenatal classes would really benefit us enough to justify the cost/inconvenience. We'd rather buy our stroller/car seat with that money.

Belly Pic: None this week. Sorry!

20 weeks!

20 weeks!

Baby
-OMG he's the size of a cantaloupe! In length, only, I assure you. :) This week, baby Ty is approximately 8-10 inches long (I know this thing says 6.5 but he was 10 inches according to the ultrasound) and weighs 10 ounces. He's growing!
-His bowels are collecting meconium for his first poop, hooray!
-We got the results from the ultrasound today, and he is head down, and on target for growth. He's also perfectly healthy and well developed!
-Not much is going on in Ty's development. Everything is pretty much formed and functional (he's even practicing breathing motions), and for the next 20 weeks he's just going to focus on growing!
-His heartbeat was great, and he was moving around when the midwife used the doppler.

Mommy
-Am down a few pounds since 2 weeks ago. According to the midwife, I'm doing really well with weight gain/loss.
-I can feel baby moving a lot now. Still waiting for bigger kicks, but I'm happy to feel him wiggle around
-No real cravings, trying to eat moderately healthy.
-My blood pressure was 130/60 which is really good! My blood pressure has actually been better in pregnancy than it was pre-pregnancy. As a whole, I think I am a healthier pregnant woman than non-pregnant! :)

Not a whole lot going on here, but hooray, I'm halfway through the pregnancy! It's so exciting! This week at the midwife, we talked about pre-registry at the hospital (which Doug and I have to do in a few weeks), and about taking a prenatal class (which we're still not sure we want to do). We also discussed the gestational diabetes test. I'll be going after my next appointment (at the end of July). They want me to do a 2 hour test, which is a more diagnostic test than the typical 1 hour test (at this one, I have to fast for 12 hours, they draw my blood, then I drink that stuff, then wait an hour, have my blood drawn again, wait another hour and they draw my blood a third time). Because I am overweight and have a "family history" of diabetes (only my grandma had type 2 diabetes), it is recommended that I do this more conclusive test. I am nervous about this, as I have always been afraid of having diabetes, but there is nothing I can do about it, and nothing I can do to prevent GD if I do have it. We'll see, I guess. I will try not to worry!

Baby Registry

We have been asked by several people to post our baby registry. Last night we went through and added all the boy things that we had wanted! :) We're not expecting gifts, and honestly, if people stray from the exact items we registered for, we don't mind. We love everything, and just registered for the things we need, and aren't really picky about exact patterns or whatever.

Anyway, here is the link to our registry. We registered at Babies R Us because people from the US can shop in store or online and have items shipped directly to us in Canada. That way people don't have to worry about getting to the post office or paying for shipping themselves!

So yes. For those of you who asked for it: there is our registry! :)

It's a....

Even though everyone who reads this has already been informed, I had to come post here with our big news!



Yep! It's a boy! We're really excited, of course!

And in other big news, I felt him really KICK for the first time today! It was super exciting!

19 weeks!

This week, baby is the size of a mango!

Weight Gain: I've gained 2lbs this week. My total gain is 3lbs, putting my weight change at 26lbs.
Doctor Appointments: Our big ultrasound is Thursday!!! No other appointments this week.
Baby Purchases: Haven't bought anything yet, but that will change soon.

More about Baby
-this week a thin film covers the baby's body to protect it from months and months of swimming in amniotic fluid
-baby's growth becomes more rapid and baby can even dream!
-it seems there is less and less to say about the baby here, as now the baby's important organs are developed, and baby is mostly focusing on growing!

More about Mommy
-I feel huge, but I still don't really look pregnant to strangers.
-I've been feeling the baby move a LOT lately.
-I've had a lot of soreness lately, as well. Sore hips and back especially.
-I can't believe I'm almost halfway done!

Um... that's it for this week! No belly shot, as nothing has really changed from last week. :)

Sweet Potato Baby

18 weeks! :-)

Tell Me About This Baby....
-Baby is now 5 1/2 to 6 inches in length, even longer if you include the length of the legs! Crazy sauce!
-Baby is super active now (compared to previous weeks), and is twisting, rolling, yawning, hiccuping, sucking and all sorts of things!
-the bones in baby's ears are now developed, and sending signals to his/her brain, so now baby can hear! This little one will become familiar with the sounds of my day (my heart beat, my voice, Ozzy barking, Jezebel meowing, Doug's voice...). Loud sounds may even startle baby!

And mommy is growing...
-I have gained 1lb this week. My weight gain so far is now -28lbs.
-Jezebel is obsessed with my belly. Even as I write this, she is laying across my belly. Baby moves a lot when Jezebel is near! It's kind of cute.
-I have felt some movement, but still it is irregular and not very strong. I am getting more and more anxious to feel the real kicks, and to have Doug feel them as well.
-this week I've been craving cottage cheese and limes (not together!)

We find out what we're having in 9 days!


Belly pic
Me, at 8 weeks, just for comparison:


And now, at 18 weeks:


I have to confess, I tend to look more pregnant in the late afternoon and at night (this was taken in the afternoon), and I also look more pregnant when I wear full panel jeans. But... the belly is totally growing. There's no mistaking it. I can barely suck in my stomach anymore. LOL.

midwife appointment update

I had a midwife appointment on Monday (why does that seem so long ago?), and everything went well.

A few things of note:

1. My due date was changed to November 16th. So I basically skipped a week. Baby has been measuring 6 days ahead since our ultrasound at 9 weeks, so my midwife thought it would be wise to change my due date, so we don't run into any complications with the hospital if I go into labor around 37 weeks (which would be considered pre-term with my original due date, and I wouldn't be able to birth with my midwife). So the next time I make an update, will be Tuesday, and it will be my week 18 update.

2. The cyst on my abdomen looked really bad on Monday, but has since been drained and is much smaller, not causing any pain, and is not infected. So all is well there. While it is smaller, it is still there. We're hoping it goes away on it's own, because I can't have it removed until after the baby is born. We'll see what happens, but hopefully it goes away soon!

3. My anatomy ultrasound is in two weeks. We're super excited to find out if we're having a boy or a girl. Both of us are leaning toward thinking it's a boy, but would be thrilled if it is a girl too, of course! And I honestly really want a little girl. I think Doug would be such a cute daddy to a little girl. He'll be great if we have a boy, too, but I just love the mental image of him with a little girl. We'll see, though! We have the whole day planned out for celebrating after we find out and I can hardly wait!

I have an avocado

I'm 16 weeks pregnant today!

About Baby
-baby is now between 4 and 5 inches in length. About the size of an avocado.
-the tiny bones in baby's ears are forming, so around this week, baby should be able to hear the sound of my voice! Awww.
-If Froggy is a girl, she's already got her whole storage of eggs in her ovaries! Before she's born, half of those eggs will die. Did you know that? Weird, right?
-Baby's eyes are now in their proper location at the front of baby's face. Baby is also a lot more proportionate with his/her legs longer than the arms, and the head lifted off the chest.

About Momma
-Have felt little flutters of movement, but nothing consistent yet. I am not expecting to feel anything major until at least a couple more weeks, just because I have so much extra "fluff". :)
-Speaking of "fluff", I have lost more weight this week. Another 3lbs. Sigh. No idea why, though. I'm down 33lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. Ridiculous. But I'm kind of hoping this means that when the baby is born, with the extra calorie burn from breastfeeding, I'll be able to get to a weight that was below my pre-pregnancy weight. It would thrill me to get back to THIS weight after the baby is born.
-I've had more frequent headaches the past few days, but they usually come on if I haven't gotten enough sleep, or if I need to eat.
-The stupid cyst on my abdomen has started draining. This is good news, but I still need to see my doctor about possibly draining it even more. And since it's infected, I'll need antibiotics. It's getting better, though, so that's good. Gross, but good.
-Today I have my second midwife appointment. I'm hoping she won't et upset about the weight loss. Also, she'll probably try to hear the heart beat again.
-I also get to make my anatomy ultrasound appointment today. :) Two weeks to go!

15 weeks

Notable Info About Baby
-baby is approximately 4 inches from crown to rump (roughly the size of an orange) and weighs about 2 1/2 ounces.
-baby can sense light, even though his/her eyes are still shut
-baby can now officially hear things going on outside the womb
-baby's taste buds are formed, and functional. It can taste strong-flavored things that I eat (via amniotic fluid. Yum)

Notable Info About Momma
-I have developed a cyst in my abdomen. Doctor says it's nothing to worry about and will go away on it's own. I had one about a year ago and the doctor said it was likely hormone induced. This one hurts quite badly at times because of the pressure baby puts on it (it is about 4 inches below my belly button- right where baby likes to hang out). The last one went away after 2-3 weeks, so I'm hoping this one will be the same. Either way, it is a cyst, and due to it's location, it can't be removed during pregnancy. If it's still there a few months post partum, I will likely have surgery to remove it. I'm not too concerned either way, just hoping it goes away on it's own because it hurts, and I imagine it will hurt more as baby grows.

-I haven't gained any weight yet. In fact, I lost another pound this week. I'm not super concerned, but it is starting to nag at me. I'm not sure what to do (if anything), because I don't want to purposely gain weight by eating bad things. I eat ALL DAY LONG, so I know I am getting enough calories. My body is just being weird, I guess.

-I don't have any appointments until next week.

Weekly Update

This week baby is the size of a lemon! Anywhere from 3.2-4.5 inches.

The baby now has fingerprints, which were created by the motion of swimming around in amniotic fluid! Amazing, right? I think this is so cool.

14 Weeks Pregnant

Baby is now looking more proportionate as his/her body lengthens. Baby's chin is now lifted off the chest, ears and eyes are continuing to move into the proper positions.

Baby is now producing and eliminating urine, and in preparation for that first meconium poop, baby's bowels are storing it up. Lovely.


Baby's reflexes and muscles are continuing to develop. At this point, baby can clench it's fist and even suck it's thumb! Being poked or stimulated from outside the womb can get baby to move, wiggle, flinch, or stretch!

During this week baby is also starting to be able to hear sounds from outside the womb. I'm going to start singing and reading to baby. Gotta start collecting books and music! :)

How I'm Doing
Well, being in the second trimester does have certain advantages. I'm feeling much better as far as energy goes.

I gained one pound this week, which (according to the list of bi-weekly weigh-ins in my paper pregnancy journal) means my total weight change is -19 pounds. Not bad. It is a mental struggle for me, though, seeing the numbers starting to go up.

I organized some of the baby things we have (clothes and diapers mostly). I love our diapers. We need about 5 more, but I'm hoping to get them from the states (Target!) because they are cheaper, so we'll live without them for a while. It is so much fun collecting things for the baby, though. It makes everything seem so real.

I'm starting to feel baby moving a bit. Usually first thing in the morning. This morning I tested my theory and when I felt the little bubbles (that feel sort of like carbonation), I pulled out my doppler, put it right on the spot I felt the bubbles, and there was baby! Then baby quickly moved away. I don't think it likes being poked at with the doppler, but it's fun to have a little game of cat and mouse while I chase a heart beat. :)