Vomit In My Hair

Admittedly, this is not the first time I've had puke in my hair. But it is the first time I've had puke in my hair that is not my own.

As you can see, I was trying to give C-line a ride on my shoulders. Typically, she likes this but tonight, it must've been too wild a ride. I guess she's not yet ready for the "Shockwave" at Kings Dominion.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy 1st Valentine's Day.

We love you, Caroline!

xoxo,

Mommy & Daddy

(and Luci, too)

Tummy, Back, Sitting up... and Teething?

Recently, it seems like playtime is all about changing positions. Caroline is moving and lunging all over the place, never content to stay put in one spot for too long. Here are some pics of playtime from this past week.

What I used to call "torture time," tummy time has now become one of Caroline's favorite activities of the day. She has developed quite a bit of strength, if I may brag a little, and looks like she's about to start crawling. She moves her legs and kicks but can't seem to get them to propel her forward yet. She's figuring it out, slowly but surely, and it's so fun to watch.

She's about to roll over in this shot.

Taking a breather on her back. Being in the push-up position is tiring, Mom!

Look at me, sitting up. Well, almost. For a few seconds at a time. But it's hard to sit up-- or do anything, really--when you constantly need something in your mouth.

Whether it's a few fingers...

a teething ring...

or even a foot...

something is always in this girl's mouth.

I swear, Caroline is going to cut a tooth any day now. Every morning at breakfast, I pry open her mouth, pull back her lips and do a "tooth check." Corey thinks I'm nuts, but I just know she's gonna have some chompers soon!

Solid Food Debut

February 8, 2009-- Caroline eats rice cereal!

At Caroline's 4-month well check, I was advised by nurse Robin to start to introduce solid foods as part of Caroline's daily diet within the next several weeks.

When I got back from the pediatrician's office, I ran upstairs to the attic to search for the spoons and bowls I'd been given so long ago. I remember thinking to myself that I was being silly for registering for all this feeding paraphernalia, thinking that it would be forever before I'd actually get to use it.
Well, forever has officially arrived!

Day 1 on rice cereal went okay. I think Caroline got more on her face and bib than in her mouth, but feedings improved tremendously as the week went by.

After another week or so and I see that she's getting the hang of it, we've got the green light to move on to oatmeal with fruits and veggies. First up, PRUNES!!

Lil' Wahoo Baby

February, 1, 2009--UVA v. Duke, first hairbow

As some of you may know, Corey has applied and been accepted to the Duke Executive MBA Program (congrats Cor!).

Many people, upon hearing this news, ask with utter disdain, "Does that mean you're going to cheer for Duke now??"

Well... maybe... sort of. I mean, it would be nice to actually be a fan of a team who wins every now and then. But I promise we won't be going over to the dark side completely. When Duke plays UVA, we'll always cheer for our beloved, though freakin' terrible, 'Hoos from Cville. Besides, Caroline looks fantastic in orange and already knows a Virginia cheer!

" U "

" V "

" A "

" GO 'HOOS GO! "

My Baby's Got Sauce

January, 2009--First time 'saucin

On a visit with our friends, Julia and Holden, Caroline tried exersaucing for the first time. While Holden is still a bit young to 'sauce, Caroline, being 2 months older, tested it out and loved it. Though her toes could barely touch the bottom and she wobbled a bit back and forth, she loved the new gizmo and was enthralled with all the fun gadgets displayed in close range. I immediately came home, found our exersaucer in the attic and assembled it for play time.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what an exersaucer is exactly, I describe it as a "baby power seat." The kid sits in this little bucket-seat and they are surrounded by all kinds of crazy things to spark their interest. Pretty cool. This is especially cool for me and Corey because Caroline has started to play the game called "grab toy, drop toy, cry or grunt for toy, Mom and Dad pick up toy and hand back to baby, and Repeat." No toys can be dropped from the exersaucer--gotcha Caroline!

Other Firsts I Forgot to Mention...

December 30, 2008--Caroline's first experience with a babysitter

We have been very lucky that though neither set of grandparents lives locally in Richmond, both have made lots of visits to see their angel. And while in town hanging with C-line, they've given Corey and me the opportunity to go out and maintain some sort of social life. But the charity won't go on forever, we realized, so we began our search for a babysitter.

We decided to go with an agency recommended to us by friends that recently had twins. WeeCare pre-screens all their "childcare technicians" and all are required to have some basic medical knowledge including infant CPR and first aid, in addition to strong references and several years of experience. Especially with C-line's heart issue, we thought it a prudent choice for these months when she's so young. With all the paperwork and interviews complete, we hired Miss Tina to come and care for our baby so we could have a bowling night out with friends.

A word of advice for all of you new parents or parents-to-be who will eventually be ready to leave your precious bundles with a stranger: Make sure whatever you are doing that night involves some sort of activity. Bowling was the perfect choice because I was forced to release the cell phone from my hand at least 10 times during the evening.

I was a nervous mess all night but I couldn't help it. As soon as Miss Tina came in, C-line put on her best "princess pout" and just started crying. It was awful to watch. I melt when she puts on that pout. Her beautiful bottom lip sticks way out and those eyes just scream, "I'm really mad at you, Mommy, how could you?!?" Oh, the guilt!

I tried to stick around for a good half an hour once Tina got there to see if Caroline would calm down and understand that everything was going to be okay, but the crying and pouting would not stop. Corey, thank goodness, grabbed my arm and just said, "We're going." If he hadn't, I don't think I would have left.

We came back about 4 hrs later to hear from Tina that it was a little rough but that Caroline finally stopped crying when she fed her. (Note to self: child will accept food bribes in the future.) Other than that, Tina just held her and rocked her until she fell asleep.

It was a hard thing leaving my sweet baby so upset, but the time had to come sooner or later. Now, I am pleased to report that C-line didn't cry or pout one bit when I left her at the gym's childcare center last week. Nor did she put up any fuss when Miss Jessica came to watch her last Thursday. Hopefully, I won't have to see that pout again until the teen years!

you can kinda see the Princess Pout in this picture with Gramps...

January 9, 2009-- Caroline's first "poop-up-the-back"

When Caroline arrived, many veteran parents took great interest in telling me what I could expect in the world of dirty diapers. Green poop, yellow-seedy poop, poop that smelled sweet, poop that didn't. And as a fan of potty humor, none of this grossed me out. In fact, I asked for more. People love talking about poop, and with a little probing I learned which kid in the neighborhood was known for reaching in their diapers and smearing the poop on the wall, and that when kids are toddlers, they will deny having pooped despite the smell coming from their bottoms and refuse to be changed. While these poop stories were about older kids, I was warned that even though Caroline was just a couple months old, girlfriend was still capable of performing pooping feats of strength, the most common being the ol' classic "poop-up-the-back."

Caroline has managed more than a few stinkers in her short time on this earth but never had I seen a poop up the back. She had pooped up the front, so high that I found poop in her belly button once, but that was about as crazy a diaper dilemma I'd experienced until this January day.

Of course I had Caroline dressed in a new outfit, one given to her by my friend, Laura, that I had been dying for her to wear. Finally, Caroline fit into the adorable striped, knit pants and onesie combo from Talbots kids when she took it upon herself to achieve this pooping milestone. And when I say "pooping-up-the-back," I do not mean just above the rim of the diaper but all the way up to the shoulder blades! It was incredible! It defied gravity! As you can imagine, it took about 30 wipes to clean plus a bath. Wow!

Lucky for you, I didn't take a picture.

I'm Back, Baby!

I haven't logged on and blogged in what feels like ages. Many of my faithful readers have been a little disappointed with me and are always asking when I'm going to quit being lazy and get back on the horse. Well... I believe the time has come.

I won't be blogging in the same way, but I intend to use this blog simply as a journal so that I can remember stuff. That whole concept of "pregnancy brain" stays with you even after baby arrives (that, as well as the need to pee often). And I never got one of those baby books to record all of Caroline's milestones, so I thought I would resurrect the blog and use this in its place.

Caroline is now 4 1/2 months old and so much happens every single day that I just don't want to forget all the little funny things she does and how rapidly she changes. So without further ado....

Here's what Caroline has been up to the past 4 1/2 months:

Three days old and not exactly being the sweetheart her onesie claims she is.

Two weeks old. I loved that she always slept with her little hand to her cheek. Doesn't do that anymore. And man, do I look tired. All of you who told me I looked great are such liars!

Three weeks old. Professional shot by Mel of Worthington Photography.

About 6 weeks old. Now we're starting to have some fun... at least in the fashion department. Thank you Ryan and Jeremy!

Baby's first Halloween. BOO!

This is a couple weeks after Halloween. Caroline is wearing silly cow pjs that were loaned to her from her friend Sydney (check out Laura's blog for more on Syd.)

Mid-November in Duck, NC with friends Claire Kapinos and Brayden VandeSand. Her first trip across state lines!


First headband. Even at 4 1/2 months, sistah still doesn't have enough hair for a bow. But headbands, we love!


After postnatal yoga sporting her funny "I Stroll New York" onesie. Thank you Miss Noa!

Playing with Gramps the day before Thanksgiving.


More Thanksgiving pics


Playing with Gramps on his visit to Richmond.

Caroline letting us know she no longer needs her sleep-positioner.

Wearing ridiculous tights for her first Christmas.


Caroline's first trip to Charlottesville, posing on the steps of the Rotunda with Mimi and Poppi. Will our little girl be a 'hoo???


Pictures from earlier this week!



December 12, 2009-- Caroline rolls over!

We were at the cardiologist for Caroline's check-up and as we were getting her undressed, she rolled over (tummy to back) for the first time! Corey and I were both shocked. We'd been seeing her twist and contort herself for weeks, getting almost over but never quite making it to her back. And then, like it was no biggie, she rolled right over... twice!

January 21, 2009--Caroline laughs... unprompted!

Caroline has been smiling and laughing for some time, yet we always have to do silly things to get her to do it. Today, though, she found something funny, all on her own, and let loose that adorable chuckle that is just music to my ears.

Caroline was sitting in her Bumbo seat in her room while I was cleaning up her toys and getting her room ready for bedtime when Luci the dog entered. Luci is not really allowed in Caroline's room, nor is she allowed to lick or get too close to Caroline-- sorry, but I'm a little neurotic when it comes to contact with the dog. But Luci wormed her way in and right in front of Caroline, proceeded to do her "doggie breakdancing" routine where she wiggles and rolls all over the place, belly up, I think in an effort to scratch her back, but who really knows. Caroline found this absolutely hysterical! Girl could not stop laughing. Even I was in hysterics just watching the whole scene unfold. Hopefully, Luci will have an itchy back again real soon.

January 22, 2009--Being a Mom Rocks!

Caroline, my sweet Caroline! Also known as The Bird, Chicken, Boo, Chicken-boo, Chicky-Booby, Boobs, Buddha, Bubba, Bubba-cakes, C-line. We're probably going to have some issues with this child recognizing her name. She'll likely respond to Buddha before Caroline. Just the beginning of my screwing her up...

At 4 and 1/2 months, I can say without a doubt that I am truly in love with Caroline. I love spending my days just watching Caroline grow and discover the world. Everyday, it seems, Caroline notices something new and reaches that perfect little hand towards it--the phone, the fake plant on our console table, my blue spatula. It's all so cool. Wonder what it will be today??

I love being a mom. In fact, I think I scare Corey a little when I tell him that I want lots of kids. What exactly do you mean by "lots?" he always asks me. "Two, three... MORE than three???"

And I'm pretty surprised. Babies were never my thing. I never wanted to hold someone's baby or made a fuss over a baby. They were just bald blobs that did nothing but made unwanted noise and bad smells. But now that I have a baby of my own, my whole world has changed.

Example...I went to get my nails done today and this woman had her infant with her, who happened to be fussing as soon as I walked in. Mind you, a year ago, I would have been pissed that someone had the nerve to take their crying brat into a place whose sole purpose is for pampering, tranquility, relaxation and beautification. How on earth can I enjoy my mani with all that racket?!

But today, I ignored the little Asian woman who was desperate for me to "pick my color" so she could get on with the long line of customers, and instead went over to the new mom and asked if there was anything I could do. I wasn't in a rush and I wouldn't have minded holding and rocking her little boy if it meant she could actually enjoy her foot massage, I told her. She shook her head and gave me the look I know all too well. The look that says, "Oh, no. He's just a little fussy. It's totally normal. And I have it all together. This is no big deal." Despite the brush off, you could tell she was beginning to get a little embarrassed at the increasingly loud cries. So, I stuck my head in the infant carrier and made goofy faces, danced a little and cooed at him for a few minutes, and he settled right down. When I stood up, she thanked me and I just winked.

HELLO!?! Was that really me?? My mom... now that's something she would have done. Maybe I am just turning into Lois. But no, really, when I stop and think about it, it's something any mom would do. The world is just different now.

Like any new job, it takes a while to get the hang of things, to get into a routine and to feel like you know what you're doing. Same goes for mommyhood. I used to dread the morning feedings, but now I so look forward to being the first person Caroline sees in the morning. Poop doesn't faze me anymore either, and sistah has some blow-outs. Now I find myself cheering when she does a "good poopy!"

So yes, I am severely deranged but I love this child more than I thought I could love anything. It's unexplainable. Just wonderful.

I realized I completely reverted back to the old me. I ignored what I just said about how I was going to use this new phase of my blog, and instead, unleashed my inner-monologue yet again. I'll do my best to keep things rather short and sweet and all about Caroline in the future. But hopefully, you all enjoyed the recap on everything. I look forward to updating you on our next adventure! Ciao for now!

Meet the New Boss...

Well, it's been 1 month exactly since Miss Caroline Moore Benjamin was brought into the world, and what a month it's been!

Let me start from the beginning.

How it all went down:

So much for thinking I was going to be induced! Ha!

It was Friday, August 29th and I was having lunch with my gal pals and fellow belly buddies, Amy and Kat. A fish taco and a trip to Cold Stone for ice cream must have been the perfect recipe for going into labor because as soon as I got home, I started to feel some mild but real contractions. They continued that night and got a little more intense. The next morning I woke up with continued contractions but they still didn't meet the 5-1-1 rule.

The 5-1-1 rule is: call your doctor and get to the hospital when your contractions are coming every 5 minutes, lasting for a minute, and this has been going on for an hour. Mine were more like 10 minutes apart and lasting not even a minute.

So, I told Corey I wanted to try and go for a walk as a nice distraction. We leashed up Luci dog and hit the pavement. By the end of our 3-mile loop, it was obvious that this was the real thing-- the contractions were coming closer together and with more pain. We dashed home and took quick showers and headed over to St. Mary's Hospital.

Unfortunately, my beloved Dr. Rinehardt was not the OB on call that weekend. Instead, I was greeted by Dr. Wilbanks who determined that though my contractions still weren't meeting the 5-1-1 rule, my water had broken. Imagine that. I had no idea. No gush of water, no trickle either. Oh well. I was immediately hooked up to an IV, put into a hospital gown and we began the wait for dilation.

What a wait it was.

We were admitted around 10am dilated 1cm and it wasn't until about 8pm that I was ready to start pushing. The nurses prepared the room, Wilbanks got into scrubs and gloves, and after about 15min of pushing, our little princess arrived!

(In case anyone was wondering, yes, I had an epidural and it was HEAVEN! Didn't feel a thing!)

The First Month

Everyone says that being a mother is the toughest job there is, and now I am beginning to understand what they mean. It's amazing how much you can love this little baby who does nothing but eat, sleep and poop. Nursing every 2hrs, no sleep, tons of diaper changes, rocking and soothing... you give, give, give. But it's all worth it when you smell the sweet smell of baby, or catch a fleeting smile. I don't know, it's hard to explain, but this has been the most emotionally and physically draining month in my life, yet at the same time, one of the best months of my life.

My Angels

Both my mom, Lois, and my mother-in-law, Nancy, came to help out during this first month, and I really don't think I could have managed without them. Not only did they take care of everything domestic while I was busy with Baby C-line, but they also served as my personal shoppers, took care of poor Luci who I have seriously neglected, and gave me much needed daily pep talks of encouragement. I can't express how wonderful they were and how thankful I am for all they did.

I should also mention how much I appreciate all the gifts, cards, phone calls, emails, text messages, meals, and visits by our other family members, friends, and neighbors. Corey and I both feel so lucky to have such wonderful support, and it's certainly made the transition into parenthood a lot easier knowing so many people are thinking of us and willing to help with anything we need.

The Hiccup

Baby Girl is perfect in every way, except for this little, nagging hole in her heart. She was diagnosed in the hospital with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), which, as I understand it, is actually pretty common. It means that there is a little hole in her heart that is preventing blood flow in the proper direction. The impact is that her heart is having to work much harder than normal to do its job.

Regular visits with her cardiologist and pediatrician reveal there are 3 ways that this little issue can be solved:

1. The hole closes on its own. As Caroline grows, the muscle tissue in her heart will grow and hopefully fuse together.
2. Caroline has a minor cath procedure to put a patch on the hole.

3. Surgery to put a patch on hole.

The biggest thing we need to be concerned about is Caroline's weight gain. Hopefully, we can get her to grow and either this hole will close on its own, or at least she'll be big enough that we can avoid surgery. We've been trying a number of different feeding regimens to try and get the little bird to beef up, and I'm happy to say that after yesterday's weigh-in, she gained 5 oz in 2 days and tipped the scales at 8lbs!

Potty News

Caroline has managed to pee on Daddy twice now, and poop on me once. Fun, fun!

A Baby by September 5th!

I went in for my 39 week appointment yesterday. Since this was potentially my last appointment, I decided to do a little something special for Doc and his nursing staff to say thank you for taking such good care of me throughout this entire pregnancy. And what says thank you like breakfast?!

When the nurse retrieved me from the waiting room and saw that I was holding 2 big bags from Panera, she nearly did a cartwheel.

"That's for us??"

"Yes, it's the least I can do to say thank you for all you and your colleagues have done for me. I have genuinely looked forward to each of my visits here, and I just wanted to thank you guys for making this such a great experience. So please, eat up!"

You would have thought I'd written each of the nurses a blank check or something, they were so appreciative. It made me feel good that such a small gesture meant so much. Nurse even said I'd lost 1 lb from my last weigh-in. Wow, I thought, I should've brought in food earlier-- probably wouldn't have gained more than 10lbs had I known. Ha!

So enough of the sucking up...

My vitals were all good and the nurse said Baby Girl's heartbeat was pumping right along, nice and strong.

Then Doc came in sporting a little color, but not what I would have expected after a week at the beach. He told me that though they had wonderful weather in Duck, he's a lot more careful with sun exposure now that he's getting on in years. As a kid, he said it was like a race to see who could get burned first. Anyway, he said he ate lots of great food and had a really relaxing time. And he said, "See, I told you this baby wouldn't come while I was away!"

We talked about my appointment last week and I caught him up on my latest-- feeling good overall, a little more tired, swelling only on the really hot days, a random contraction here and there but nothing major, no bleeding.

Since there were no big changes, he went ahead and did the internal exam, which revealed that I am still not dilated or effaced at all. Doc said this is normal. Some people walk around 3cm dilated so he knows that their bodies are starting to prepare for the labor process. Other people, like me, don't dilate or anything until their water breaks and then their cervix does all the work at that time.

To be on the safe side, Doc wanted to go ahead and put a date on the calendar for an induction, just in case I come back next week for my check up and still nothing. That way, we've got a spot at the hospital and we don't have to go for more than a week past my due date to get this baby delivered.

I heard from his nurse this morning that I'm scheduled to go into the hospital at 4pm on September 4th, at which time they will apply a gel with prostaglandins to my cervix. Prostaglandins, from what she and Doc said, contain hormones to get my cervix to "ripen" or dilate. If that's not enough to start my labor, then on the morning of September 5th, Doc will manually break my water and give me a drug called Pitocin that is supposed to bring on contractions. If after all that and labor still isn't progressing at a proper rate, then we talk C-section.

I'm still hoping Baby Girl comes on her own, but it's nice to know we have a plan B if she decides she wants to keep hiding out.

The news that I'm going to be a mom by September 5th has started to sink in and I'm getting really excited to finally meet this little person we've created!

Week 38 Recap

Highlights from my 38th week of pregnancy:

1. Picked up the recliner/rocker/swivel chair for the nursery!

Finally, my furniture is starting to arrive and I can finally begin to put the room together. This chair is SO comfy I could even sleep in it! I tried to pick a really good one since I have a feeling I'll be spending a lot of time there.

2. Peed in my pants.

One of the joys of pregnancy is that as the baby gets bigger and starts descending, there's increased pressure on the bladder. This, coupled with the fact that it's pretty easy to give me a case of the giggles, and I'm destined to wet my pants just about every time I laugh now.

Monday's incident was full-blown peeing in my pants. Not just a little trickle, not just having to cross your legs do the "pee pee dance." I'm talking full-on bladder release lasting about 7 seconds. The best part was that it happened in my front yard so anyone passing by or peeping out their windows (old man, Art) got quite a show.

It went down like this...

Corey and I had just gotten back from picking up the recliner (see #1) and we were carrying it into the house when he started making jokes:

"You sure you can lift this? I don't want you to poop out the baby."

"I think I just had a let-down in my pants."

And on he goes making silly comments about all the gross and disgusting things that are going to be happening to my body in just a few days, and I lost it. Literally.

It started out as just a leak, but keep in mind I had 2 hands on a new, 50lb, micro-suede chair and I couldn't exactly drop it and run inside to pee. So, I just let it flow.

Now my friend Alice is threatening to mail me a package of Depends.

3. Banana-cream cheesecake

(Yes, this is a "highlight" to my week. Anything food-related these days is considered an event). Had a nice lunch catching up with my former manager, Kristie, at The Cheesecake Factory. I think we ate pretty healthfully, considering the numerous options on the menu. We both ordered salads and then shared the heavenly banana-cream cheesecake.

Our thinking was Bananas = fruit = Healthy!

4. Appointment with the Nurse Practitioner

You all know that Doc was on vacation so I had to see his nurse practitioner, Marci, for my weekly check up. She wasn't Doc, but she was a great substitute. I loved her. Friendly, warm, and thorough, she spent a lot of time going over my chart with me since I was a new patient to her. And we even did that with my pants still on.

Don't you hate that when doctors want to have a 30min conversation with you while you're half naked? And then they wonder why you might be a little nervous or fidgety? Maybe it's because she's a woman, or it's just her style, but she did the whole consultation/review before the physical examination while I was still fully clothed. She got a gold star for that.

After my vitals were checked and she conducted the internal exam, Marci pronounced me "not going into labor anytime soon." She said I have at least until my due date, and encouraged me to keep up the good work and to live it up these last few weeks. Go out to dinner, take little trips, go to the movies--whatever I can do to keep my mind off waiting for the baby. She made it sound like the chances for going beyond my due date are pretty high. But we'll see what Doc says.

5. Dinner with the Cohen's

Annie and Zac came over on Thursday for a southern-style meal that even Paula Dean would have loved. Well... we probably didn't use enough butter or cream in our recipes, but I still think she would have been impressed.
We had:

Ribs, baked beans, mac n cheese, cornbread muffins, cole slaw, tomato & cheese pie, sauteed spinach and an orange-flavored bundt cake with caramel and chocolate sauce for dessert!

I love that our friends love to eat.

And the BIG EVENT... drumroll please...

We got our CRIB and DRESSER!

We've been waiting for this furniture since the middle of May. It'd been so long, I'd practically forgotten what the heck we even ordered. But it was worth the wait. We love it! Hope you do, too, Baby Girl!

Savoring My Final 2 Weeks

I can't believe when I turned the page on my pregnancy calendar today that it said I have 14 days till my due date.

14 days? How could that be? 14 days!

I feel like it was just yesterday that I woke up in a slightly drunken state and peed on the stick that would reveal my life forever changed, and yet, though I've had 8 1/2 months to get used to the idea that I'm bringing a new life into this world, and a huge belly as proof, it doesn't seem like it's time. It's all come so fast!

In thinking about it, it seems that being pregnant for the first time is kind of like wedding planning. For the better part of a year, you spend most of your waking hours talking about, thinking about and doing things in preparation for this momentous event.

You get all worked up. You plan and plan, reading all the right books, going on special diets, and getting professional council. You even find yourself subscribing to magazines and surfing websites you didn't even know existed before that ring was on your finger or before you had that first ultrasound.

But in the end, you're thrown into action for about 5 or 6 hours (let's hope my labor lasts only as long as my wedding) and it's all over.

I made the mistake of being too stressed during much of my engagement to enjoy it. I loaded myself down with to-do lists, and spent countless hours planning every last detail. And I've found myself, at times, doing the same thing during this pregnancy.

And now that it's all coming to a rapid close in 14 days (14 days!), I decided to put together a little list of advice for all of my belly buddies out there who are stressing themselves out and needlessly worrying about babies, nurseries, registries and so forth.

Moms-to-be, let's not put so much pressure on ourselves and try and do some of these things on my Top 10 List so we can enjoy and relish this special time! You'll see that 9months goes by in a blink of an eye!

So here goes.
Remember, these are just my own opinions. Feel free to agree or disagree as you wish.

1) Bask in the attention.

Some of it may be unwanted and accompanied by a stranger's hand on your belly, but there's just something about seeing a pregnant woman that typically brings about a smile. Maybe it's the hope and excitement of a new little person joining the world, or maybe for some it brings back happy memories of a similar time. Just enjoy being doted upon during your pregnancy. Once baby comes, everyone's attention will be on the little face in the stroller, not Mom.

2) Eat what you want, when you want.

If you satisfy that craving for chocolate with a trip to ColdStone, that's much better than resisting. My philosophy is that if you resist and try eating other things to relieve your aching sweet tooth, chances are you'll end up still smacking your lips having consumed more calories than if you'd just eaten the freakin' ice cream in the first place.

3) Save money for a post-baby vacay and borrow maternity clothes from friends.

The thought of buying a whole new wardrobe that I'm only going to need for a short period of time isn't so fun. I'd much rather spend that money on a vacation or something fun post-baby. My advice is to accept clothes from willing friends of all sizes. Don't underestimate the power of elastic--you'll likely find a couple pieces in anyone's maternity wardrobe that will fit during some stage of your pregnancy. Plus, husbands like it when you put on a "new" outfit and it didn't cost a penny! Only rule here is that you must loan out your maternity clothes to pregnant friends when you're back in your skinny jeans. Pay it forward.

4) Double your expected waiting time for all orders--manage your expectations.

Maybe it's just my bad luck but I would double whatever estimated delivery time any company gives you for furniture, pack n plays, whatever. Better to set the bar low and be pleasantly surprised when all your gear arrives before you're even in your 3rd trimester. You don't need the added stress of worrying who will when the race--baby or crib.

5) Don't listen to that crazy lady in the grocery store.

This kind of goes with #1. Everyone who has had a baby suddenly feels like they can come up to you and share their own stories of labor, childbirth and becoming a parent. (And I do realize I may be accused of this myself since I'm writing this list of advice). But I'm talking about the people who tell you about the random, 1-in-a-million situations that freak you out.
Like yesterday, this woman held me hostage in the produce aisle telling me about her son who was born with some terrible disease where he aged rapidly, and when he died at 6months, he was really the equivalent of a 72-year old man.
No one wants to hear that, least of all someone who is about to give birth! These people aren't intentionally trying to psych you out, they just don't know how to shut up. So, ignore them and their stories. Concentrate on what your doctor tells you. That's all that matters.

6) Milk it.

Something I realize I did not do enough of now that it's coming to a close. This is a chance for you to get your husbands to pitch in some extra effort whether it be simply carrying the laundry basket upstairs, giving you a back rub or unloading and putting away the groceries. Go ahead and ask for help or for a little extra TLC. Hopefully, by routinely taking on these new duties, the husbands just might get accustomed to doing them even after baby.

7) Have sex... a lot

I know you're tired, you feel fat and you've spent a good part of the day throwing up or suffering from terrible heartburn. But it's important to turn on the red light special for you and your baby daddy every now and again. Especially towards the end cuz Doc puts you on lockdown for at least 6 weeks after baby. Plus, from what I hear, having a newborn doesn't exactly do anything for your mojo. So, get it while you can.

8) It's okay to take naps

I think my nickname during this last month should be "Nap-a-saurus Rex." At first, I felt guilty taking a break in my day to sleep, but then I reminded myself that my body has been busy making a whole other person! It's not easy making livers and spleens all day long! It's okay to be tired.

9) Pamper yourself

Now's the time to truly take care of you. You're taking the vitamins, you're eating extra fiber and you've given up alcohol. So complete the package and get a weekly pedi or a mani, and try a prenatal yoga class. It will make you feel better about your expanding self and could lead to more of #7. And more of #7 means more of #6.

10) Be alone.

Once this baby is on the scene, that's it. From what I'm told, showering isn't even done alone--you've got the bouncy seat in the bathroom with you so you can keep one eye on junior while trying not to blind yourself with shampoo. So take the time now to read an Us Weekly at a coffee shop alone, or go for a walk, even without the dog.

You should all know that I am taking my own advice to heart. During these last 14 days, I've committed to having dessert every night, I've made lunch dates with several girlfriends and have an appointment for one last prenatal massage. Those of you who have more than 14 days, make them count! Enjoy your bump!

West Coast Family Expansion!

It's official!!

My sister-in-law Sara and brother Cosmo are expecting a little one in February 2009!

Their doctor appointments have been very positive so far, and the ultrasounds show a cute little critter developing nicely with a very high heartbeat in the 170s. Early guess by the parents-to-be is that it's a GIRL! Baby B can't wait to meet her California cousin!

All the best to Sara and Cos for a healthy, happy pregnancy!

Check out news on Baby Dags at http://andiamamaternitygirl.blogspot.com/

37-Week Appointment

Today, I had my 37-week appointment with Doc.

All the vitals were just as they should be, and weight gain from last week was only 1lb, putting my total weight gain so far at a whopping 25lbs.
(Note: According to my scale at home, I had calculated my total weight gain at closer to 29lbs so this was great news to me!)

We listened to Baby Girl's heartbeat and it was bumping right along in the low 130s-- strong and healthy. When Doc came in today, he seemed unusually perky. I think because he leaves for vacation on Friday. He asked what questions I had, and I really only had 2 this time:

Q1. Can I take something for my allergies? My sinuses have really been on overdrive lately.
Answer: Yes, Benadryl and even Claritin are fine at this stage.
Reaction: Great, because I have been getting so congested lately and I need more than just blowing my nose for relief. And hopefully I won’t snore so much—sorry Corey!

Q2. Can you tell about how big Baby Girl is at this point?
Answer: According to my weight gain and my size, Doc thinks I should have about a 7- pounder, an average-sized baby. He said there are no really accurate ways of determining the baby's size, but he can assure me that if I were having a 10lb baby, I'd be a lot bigger.
Reaction: As long as she doesn't have the shoulders and head of a 10lb baby, I'm okay.

With my questions out of the way, Doc asked if I’d had any bleeding or contractions or pains that are so bad I feel I need narcotics. Since my answers to both were negative, Doc hopped right to business measuring my belly and feeling all around. I measured 37.5cm—right on schedule—and he confirmed the baby’s position is still head-down. All good!

The next thing Doc wanted to discuss with me was my result from the Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screen last week. I tested positive, which means I am a carrier of this particular bacteria. Doc said it’s nothing to be concerned about, that about 30% of women carry this harmless bacteria. When pregnant, however, the risk is passing this on to the baby, potentially causing infection. Doc said to prevent this, all they do is give me an antibiotic during labor and chances for any kind of complication are drastically reduced.

Next, it was time for my physical exam and Doc checked my cervix. Doc said he didn’t find much difference from last time, so, again, it doesn’t look like Baby Girl is coming any earlier than her due date.

I think he was a bit surprised when I was so content with my progress, or lack thereof. Usually, Doc said, he has women complain if there’s no dilation at this stage, and they start trying to coax him into early induction or elective C-section because they’re sick of being pregnant. He said it was so refreshing to have a patient that was so “easy,” and “just goes with the flow.” (I think he likes me!)

All-in-all, Doc said I’m as “healthy as a horse” and he couldn’t be happier with my pregnancy. He urged me to keep up the good work these last few weeks and he looked forward to seeing me once he returns from vacay.

Last Weekend Getaway Before Baby

Corey and I decided we wanted one last hurrah before the arrival of Baby Girl and our world is rocked. So we cashed in a gift certificate from my brother Cosmo for a stay at the Boar's Head Inn and spent the past weekend in Charlottesville, VA.

We arrived Friday night and went straight to dinner at Zocalo's on the Downtown Mall. We were starving and ordered fried cheese balls and a spinach salad with bacon vinaigrette dressing to start. Not exactly a cholesterol-friendly meal but scrumptious! For mains, Corey got the strip steak and I got the salmon with a virgin mojito, and we dined outside taking in the scene.


Both of us remarked at how cool the Downtown Mall is now. There's tons of restaurants and shops, and it's not just weird townies that hang out there. There were lots of families and young singles there, making for a really nice atmosphere. I encourage all to check it out if in the area.

Saturday, I had booked a 10am reservation for us to go tubing on the James River. What could be better than to waste away a beautiful summer day floating on an inner-tube and taking in the gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains?!

Well, unfortunately, we overslept and missed it.

Oh well.

Instead, we threw on some workout clothes and headed over to the Corner for a breakfast at Bodo's followed by a walk around Grounds.


While walking down the Lawn, Corey and I reminisced about the glory days, and decided to check out our old Econ building, as it was during our Monday and Wednesday classes where we first met. The feelings of nostalgia quickly evaporated when we entered the doors of Rouss Hall and saw that it had been completely transformed.

The old Rouss we remember had peeling paint, no air conditioning, a unique musty smell that never seemed to dissipate and these horrible wooden desks.

The new Rouss, however, is now part of the Commerce School. So, of course, only the best for those little nerds with their group presentations, O.B. class and ridiculous grade inflation. Mock trading floors with real-time ticker tapes, dual flat-screen monitors, ergonomically designed chairs, bathrooms that were stocked with an abundance of t.p. as well as cans of air freshener. Even the snack machines had an assortment of treats that were within their expiration dates.

I was in shock. This place was nicer than any office I'd ever worked in. I just couldn't believe it. Corey and I both remarked that we may have actually gone to class more had we had such nice facilities. (Well, maybe Corey would have... I can't say for sure.)


We continued on past the old dorms, new dorms, the football stadium and then down JPA to Newcomb for a little something for Baby Girl. Her Daddy picked out these booties and she is going to wear them for every Cav football game!
Back at the Boar's Head, we laid out and soaked up some sun at the pool for a few hours, and then got changed up and sought out a place for food and sports. We found ourselves at Wild Wing Cafe watching the Olympics, the Giants pre-season game and the Yankees play the Angels. We topped off the night with a trip to Arch's frozen yogurt for a large Black Caesar. Heaven!

What a wonderful weekend away!

Week 36 Update

I had quite a busy week so I thought I would give a quick run-down of all newsworthy events from my 36th week of pregnancy.

Adventure 1--The Finger

The week started off a little shaky with a trip to the hospital. No, not for anything with Baby Girl, but for my left index finger. Tuesday morning, I got up and was busy cleaning up the kitchen from the previous night's dinner when I clumsily dropped a water glass and cut my finger pretty badly.

Good News: Corey hadn't left for work yet and was able to drive me to the ER. There would have been no way I could hold a bandage to my hand and steer at the same time.

Bad News: When I walked into the ER, there was no one to be found. Some random guy in the waiting room had to help me find a nurse.

Good News: I got checked in right away (once I found the nurse). I guess Tuesday mornings are a good time to find yourself at the ER.

Bad News: We were reviewing my medical history and the computer said that I was last treated at the hospital for "a whole in the head."

Um... what?

First of all, the only holes I have in my head are purposeful (like nostrils) or are self-inflicted (pierced ears). Secondly, hole isn't even spelled right on my chart.

I started to explain to the nurse that the last time I was at the hospital was about 2 years ago for sitting on a knife. When I saw the look on her face, I said, "You know what, just leave 'whole in head.' That's fine."

(For those of you who don't know the story of me stabbing myself in my ass-cheek, wait until you do something really stupid and embarrassing and then call me. I guarantee once I tell you my story, you won't think what you just did was bad at all. I've got you beat, I'm sure.)

Good News: I was taken back and put in a single room, and a nurse came right in and checked the wound. "Yep, you cut yourself alright." Gee, what a brilliant diagnosis.

Bad News: I ended up waiting for close to an hour for the doctor to come in and do his magic. I should have lied and told the nurse that on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the worst pain I've ever had, that my finger was more like an 8 than an honest 2.
Good News: Dr. Azie didn't have to stitch me. Because I had a nice, clean cut, he was able to use glue.
Bad News: He used about a mile's worth of gauze to wrap my finger and I have to wear this ridiculous bandage until tomorrow (Friday). Check it out.

Adventure 2--Appointment with Doc

At this visit, in addition to taking the vitals, listening to the heartbeat and getting my fundus measured, I had my first internal exam. Not exactly the most fun I've ever had, gotta tell ya, but a necessary procedure to see if I have dilated at all at this point.

Doc said to forget about an early arrival--my cervix was almost fully closed and the baby's head hadn't dropped deep into the birth canal yet. No worries, though. Doc explained that some people dilate gradually until their due date, and others don't dilate at all until their water breaks and they go into labor. He'll check me again next week and every week thereafter to monitor my progress, and hopefully get a better idea of when this baby might come. But for now, he told me to plan for a September birth.

Cool, because a) Doc is going on vacation in a couple weeks and b) we still have no furniture for the baby's room.

Adventure 3--Shrinking Boobs

I've decided that I'm going to give the whole breastfeeding thing a try. If it works for me and Baby Girl, then great. What I'm not going to do, however, is pressure myself to keep doing it if both me and B.G. are miserable. But since I'm going to give it the ol' college try, that means I need to stock up on nursing bras.

I made an appointment for an official bra fitting. Unbeknownst to me, the shop where I made the appointment was actually part of an office dedicated to the breastfeeding cause. There was a ton of literature on the subject scattered all over, and all sorts of newspaper articles posted that were so severe that they almost suggested that anyone who formula-feeds is a terrible mother. As if! Luckily, I was able to sneak past the lactation consultants and the 'boobies are best' cheerleaders and go directly in for my bra fitting, avoiding any unwanted confrontation.

The woman running the desk came right over with her tape measure and asked me to lift my arms to she could determine the right bra size for me. She came up with 34 B.

How could my boobs have shrunk?? I've always been a 36 B or, according to those women at Victoria's Secret who love to flatter me, a 34 C. But 34 B?

Oh well. I ended up buying 2 sleep bras (size small) and another nursing tank that I thought will be great for layering come the fall.

Successful shopping, especially since I had a coupon for 20% off, but a little discouraging.

34 B, eh?

Adventure 4-- Baby Girl's First Massage!

Today, I had a prenatal massage with Traci, one of the massage therapists at my yoga studio. She made me feel so good last time I saw her that I couldn't wait for today's appointment. Traci focused on my neck and back, as requested, and ended with my favorite-- the scalp massage. But she also changed things up this time and massaged my belly, essentially giving Baby Girl her first massage. I'm already turning this little girl into a spa-junkie like me!

Adventure 5-- Accused of being a "Bad Shopper" at Pottery Barn Kids

Now that I've had all of my baby showers, I have spent a lot of time this week organizing and taking inventory of all my loot. Turns out that I have gotten a lot of duplicate gifts. And since I still have some things outstanding on my registries that are necessities, I decided to make some returns and exchanges.

I first hit Babies R Us. They barely even looked to see if I had the receipts to go with the merchandise I was returning and gladly issued a hefty store credit. Nice!

My next stop was at Pottery Barn Kids. I was quickly greeted by a bubbly sales associate who offered to help me. When I told her that I had several gifts to return, she admitted she was new and had to ask her manager to step in.

Manager was a total monster.

Monster: "What's the reason for all of these returns??"

Me: "Well, some are duplicates. And some are things I registered for, but I've changed my mind."

Monster: "Changed your mind? I shouldn't even agree to take these things back. You asked for them, and now you're returning them? That's just bad business. Bad shopping."
Me: "I'm not allowed to change my mind?"

Monster: "I'll honor these returns, but just know that we wouldn't normally do this."

I felt like telling her to go F herself. A bad shopper? I've never been so insulted. I'd say I'm a great shopper because now I know never to buy anything from them again since their customer service sucks!

The Stroller Incident

My husband, Corey, is a wonderful person. He's funny, good-looking, sincere, smart, thoughtful... I could go on for pages.

But there is one quality that he's missing, and I can't help but find it funny as it has become more apparent recently with all of the new gear we've been getting for the baby.

Corey...how should I say this... has a severe lack of ability/understanding of how to put things together. And I think I find this to be so amusing because:


a). it's one skill that I (surprisingly) have that he doesn't


b). he gets so frustrated when he doesn't get simple mechanics


Ask him to figure out how to decrease the area of the Earth by the area of Virginia and he can actually give you a sensible answer (at least according to the people who administered his case-study problem for the Jefferson Scholars exam). But replacing a hinge, assembling furniture-- it's usually up to me or it's hired out.


So you can understand why I was astonished when Corey actually wanted to be part of the assembly for the stroller. He actually asked that I not do it and wait for him so we could do it together.

"Have at it," I said.

I was roaring when I was watching him try and put together the stroller and carseat combo Grammy Dot gave us. He was cursing like a sailor the whole time, and I think he had about 3 beers to help him get through the entire ordeal.

I do have to give him props for trying-- he definitely puts forth a good effort. And, some of those manuals aren't exactly the easiest to follow. I know I was ready to pull my hair out the first time I tried putting together the pack n play. But watching him struggle locating the harness button was just too funny to ignore and not document for the blog.

Thankfully, though, after a couple hours of labor, we're all ready to go. I "supervised" the stroller project and made him practice getting the carseat in and out of it. And I also got the carseat installation checked by the local fire department so we're all set to drive home from the hospital with Baby Girl!