she's graduated!

Last year, I wrote this about my brother and sister who technically don't share my blood. Last year, it was Chris who graduated from college. Now he's off being smart at Johns Hopkins. Layne finished her time at KU today, and we are so proud of her especially the fact she survived a lot more physics and chemistry classes than the two of us combined.

We started as babysitter and kid. Grew to be friends and self-proclaimed sisters. I sat in the stands at her softball games, and she stood beside me at my wedding. Now, I can't wait for our little boy to meet his Aunt Layne and to see all the exciting things coming her way in the next couple of years.
 

 And my favorite picture of the day:

 

Congratulations on the beginning of what will no doubt be an exciting journey.

almost famous

We made our gender reveal video only to show our parents and other family members since they are both far away. Plus making pink and blue cupcakes is a lot of work.

Guess some other people liked it too: Yahoo: 6 awesome baby gender reveals. Check out No. 5!

It also got picked up by a pro-life blogger.

Sweet!

panic onward

My nursery has a white dresser. And a mobile in a box. Paint cans. Towels soaked with dog pee. And a box of pill bottles. Some days I think this means I have failed as a mother already. Other days I think baby stuff pretty much stinks. I have zero desire to even buy a swing or bouncy seat. Because it's so big. And annoying. And a waste of money. All he needs is a crib. Diapers. And love. Except a $450 jogging stroller. That's definitely a need. Last night I was crying. Because I'm worried my marriage will suffer. And that I will actually care that I can't jump on a plane to Cabo tomorrow. As if I have ever done that.Then the baby boy jammed his head against my sciatic nerve. As if to remind me he does not want to go to Cabo. He's getting bigger and moving low. Which freaks me out. Because as I told my midwife, I'm most scared of tearing. Without drugs. Tearing and my body should not be in the same sentence. Tearing is for paper. Then I think about how when I am laboring at home I want peanut butter. On a spoon. And maybe some cheese cubes. I'm reverting back to the first trimester. I'm nauseated. My stomach has lost the fight for space. I am exhausted. Not just a little tired. Bone-crushing exhaustion. My back aches. And my nipples are sore. It's the truth, deal with it. And whatever little ligament connects my hips to my pelvis. That hurts. Despite this, I love pregnancy. I will miss the kicks. And the looks of endearment from strangers. And people not letting me lift anything because, you know, the baby. Who is coming in less than three months. But he still has like five pounds to gain. I don't think he will fit. Or my stomach might bust open. I'm not ready. I don't have a daycare. Or a pediatrician. Nor did I realize I needed one before there is a baby. I have window sills with dust and cobwebs. A basement with no washer or dryer. A broken bedroom window. A nursery with only a dresser. And pee-soaked towels.

things i love this week

Baby Name Voyager
Very cool graph representation of the popularity of names which 1) confirmed the name we've chosen for baby boy and 2) visually represented why I hate many popular names today.

Google Internet in KC
Pretty cool. Hopefully it's cheap.

Burt's Bees Body Butter
The hubs rubs it on my lower back and belly every night. I don't even care that it's $13 for six ounces. It's worth it. Cheaper alternative: Vaseline Deep Conditioning Cocoa Butter.



Facebook in Real Life
Don't worry, we'll only share this info with 600 million people.

sara + abraham
Pretty much everything on this site, but more specifically this adorable plate.

a pass and a fail

The most important news: I passed the glucose test, with flying colors I might add.

I drank the sugary drink, which much to my surprise was only a small five ounces. And it was not red and fruity, and I did not have a choice of flavors. Instead I got flat Sprite, which really was not THAT sweet. To my surprise, I didn't feel nauseated or dizzy until close to the time of the blood draw. Though I was glad I'd eaten eggs and a cheese stick for breakfast otherwise it might have been a different story.

I then had my normal appointment which we found out:
1. I've gained a total of 19 pounds, which the doctor likes. I think six pounds in four weeks is a bit intense but she insists it's healthy for me.
2. Baby is now head down. YAY! He could still move around but midwife says that in smaller women they usually stay head down until they arrive. He hasn't "engaged the pelvis" yet.
3. If we're doing Bradley Method, I can stay home until I feel the urge to push. Woah.

An hour later, the nurse came to give me the finger prick. As recommended, I asked if I could have a regular blood test, but was denied. However, the finger pricker was much different than the other ones I've seen and didn't hurt, even a little, despite my scrunched up face.

She came back with the good news I passed the glucose test. However, I failed the hemoglobin counts meaning I'm anemic. Midwife says this is why I've been feeling crummy. I'm happy for a reason and happy that fixing it only means iron pills and eating more hamburgers.

I celebrated this happiness and a healthy baby boy by eating an entire can of spaghetti o's and a pudding pack. Because I can.

27 weeks

Dear baby boy,

We're now less than three months til we get to see your beautiful face! You're about 15 inches long and over two pounds. Your brain is in high gear, and you're opening and closing your eyes.You are very very active, now switching to rolling around more than sharp kicking. Sometimes we can feel your foot or hand and as we press down, you'll pull it away. Daddy tells people he holds your hand each night. I'm starting to realize how much I'm going to miss feeling you kick.

Mama is tired and requires more lower back rubs from daddy. The belly is getting huge and a little bit more difficult to manage. You must be sitting on your mama's stomach because bouts of nausea, dizziness and loss of appetite rule the day. I have gotten well acquainted once again with my coworker's floor. It's a little first trimester deja vu and frankly, I am not a fan.

We are working on our Bradley Method books and doing crazy things like pelvic rocking, squatting and butterfly exercises. We're doing everything we can to make sure we at least set ourselves up for what's best for you from day one.

We finished painting your dresser, and you've got a brand new white door (pictures soon). Tomorrow we get to hear your heartbeat again and find out what position you've landed in this time around. Here's hoping your head is finding its way toward the exit door. We'll also do our glucose test. Sorry in advance for the lightning shock of sugar you'll experience.

Love you, and welcome to the home stretch!
Mama

the one i've been dreading

Since I have gotten pregnant, I've been dreading this appointment. I've had it ominously marked on my calendar since January.

I was a little nervous about the multiple vials of blood I had to give initially. I am a pretty nervous about the whole pushing the baby out of my body in 13ish weeks (what?!). But I am downright terrified of my glucose test Wednesday.

First, I have to go in and chug gross, sugary juice at 11 a.m. Then I have my regular appointment to hear the heartbeat, talk about odd things like "do you allow squatting?" I have to do all this without passing out or throwing up from the intense sugar rush. Considering I had to lie on the floor of my coworker's office for an hour this morning after eating OATMEAL, I have lost all confidence in my ever-shrinking stomach. Luckily the hubs is accompanying me to hold the barf bag.

Then I have to go back to the lab at exactly one hour and get my finger pricked. This is the part that makes me want to pee my pants.

Last time I had to get my finger pricked for a cholesterol test, I almost fainted. At work. Give me a long needle in those visible arm veins any day over knowing that at any second I will get stabbed in my poor finger pads. 

Here I am facing the most pain I've ever faced in just a few months, and I am mostly worried about my fingers. Super lame, I know. And if I fail, which many people do, it's the three-hour test with blood drawn every half hour. Oh my soul.

Any tips from ladies that have taken this test?