We were so fortunate to have my best friend Mary offer to throw an LA baby shower for family and friends! It was so much fun to visit with everyone and Mary did an amazing job with all of the decorations and food! We all keep telling her that party-planning may be a calling of hers. :-) Thanks again to Mary, Ray, Corie, the Pearls, and the Magluyans, for all of your time and energy to make it such a fun day for us! We love you!
Now, the drive down to LA at Christmas had been pretty uncomfortable with this growing baby belly, so I knew we would have to fly for this particular trip. Luckily, that worked out just fine and we made it home in one piece! We packed a small carry on suitcase and nestled our two larger suitcases and checked them on the way down. Thanks to Southwest's fabulous 2 free checked bags per person policy, we were able to get home with all of the wonderful gifts we received, too! Of course, I unfortunately also brought home a lovely respiratory virus from my fellow passengers on that flight (Yeah, I'm talking to you, dude with the horrible cold/flu symptoms that opted to sit right next to me in the terminal...). Although it had me hacking, coughing, sniffling, and wheezing over the past two weeks, I suppose I can't complain too much since I have been surprisingly healthy throughout this pregnancy.
Since this is overdue, I'm going to skip the regular update in favor of some more great pictures from the shower! Since Joel wanted to visit with our friends, too, he ended up sticking around and taking pictures during the festivities. As always, he got some great ones! :-) Unfortunately, we have some camera shy guests so we didn't quite get pictures of everyone there. But thank you once again to everyone who was able to make it out to the shower and for everyone's incredible generosity! We are so blessed!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
32 Weeks
Well, as a friend put it, we're in the single-digit week countdown now! How did that happen? It feels so far away, but when I look at a calendar, I admit to some sliiiiiiight moments of panic when I see just how few days are left before this little one is actually here! Pregnancy feels like it has lasted forever, but these last few months have really been passing quickly.
We're wrapping up our last week of our Bradley classes this week. It's been fun to meet and check in with other couples that are at the same stage of pregnancy as us. We've made some nice friends and have plans to meet up for a 'reunion class' sometime in May with all of our babies.
I know my last update probably sounded like I was over and done with this whole pregnancy. At the time, I was! :-) But, as it always seems with pregnancy, every day is different. I've been feeling more comfortable lately, so I'm back in the swing of things. Not that I'm saying I want this to last forever....but 8 more weeks, sure...why not? :-)
How far along? 32 weeks (going on 8 months - crazy!)
Total weight gain/loss: Hovering at 30 lbs.
Maternity clothes? Yup. Even had fun shopping for some more the other day. I had some gift cards - woohoo! - although if I ever have to step foot in that Destination Maternity store again, it will be too soon. Joel went with me and even he couldn't believe how much the sales associates hovered. It's like they are trying to suffocate you! But, I digress.
Stretch marks? Ok. Sadly, I think I found two little ones. Boo. Oh well. Maybe they will fade. It was nice while it lasted.
Sleep: Sleep has been fine - just not getting as much as I would like. I even heard today that Kaiser says it's fine to sleep on my back. WHAT?!?! File that under things I would have liked to have known a few months ago! Oh well...better late than never. I can't wait to sleep tonight!
Best moment this week: We're enjoying our last few weeks as a 'childless couple'. We went to a movie the other night and we're trying to relish our time 'just the two of us'. We can't wait to share the joy of having our baby and raising a family, but we know this time is special, too!
Movement: Plenty. Kaiser has a kick count card that I'm supposed to fill out every night. So far...10 kicks in 10 minutes every night. If this is any indication of what we are in for with this kid.... watch out!
Food cravings: Mmmmm Coldstone's. I'm having a chocolate fix lately, but as always, the 'kicks' pass and I move on to something else. :-)
Gender: I still think boy, but as I've said before, we really just want healthy and happy so either way, we're excited! We really are looking forward to the excitement in the delivery room so it's worth the wait!
Labor Signs: No, but we did get to visit the Labor and Delivery department tonight for the Late Pregnancy class and tour. Thankfully, we haven't had to go in for any early visits.
Belly Button in or out? What belly button??? Mine is MIA.
What I miss: Being able to put socks and shoes on the conventional way. So much for that.
What I am looking forward to: Starting to actually decorate the nursery. That is going to be really fun!
Weekly Wisdom: I just learned that I get to consume 500 more calories a day as a breastfeeding mom vs. 100-300 while pregnant. Sign me up!!! Haha....
Milestones: Wrapping up 10 weeks of our Bradley Method classes. We're really glad we took them and feel so well prepared to approach this process having learned what to expect and how to cope with all the possible scenarios that a birth has to offer.
Current Projects: We painted the nursery this weekend (I'm standing in it in the picture above) and picked up the dressers at the store. We should be ready to move the furniture in and start the real fun stuff in the next week when we have time! Yeah!!!
We're wrapping up our last week of our Bradley classes this week. It's been fun to meet and check in with other couples that are at the same stage of pregnancy as us. We've made some nice friends and have plans to meet up for a 'reunion class' sometime in May with all of our babies.
I know my last update probably sounded like I was over and done with this whole pregnancy. At the time, I was! :-) But, as it always seems with pregnancy, every day is different. I've been feeling more comfortable lately, so I'm back in the swing of things. Not that I'm saying I want this to last forever....but 8 more weeks, sure...why not? :-)
How far along? 32 weeks (going on 8 months - crazy!)
Total weight gain/loss: Hovering at 30 lbs.
Maternity clothes? Yup. Even had fun shopping for some more the other day. I had some gift cards - woohoo! - although if I ever have to step foot in that Destination Maternity store again, it will be too soon. Joel went with me and even he couldn't believe how much the sales associates hovered. It's like they are trying to suffocate you! But, I digress.
Stretch marks? Ok. Sadly, I think I found two little ones. Boo. Oh well. Maybe they will fade. It was nice while it lasted.
Sleep: Sleep has been fine - just not getting as much as I would like. I even heard today that Kaiser says it's fine to sleep on my back. WHAT?!?! File that under things I would have liked to have known a few months ago! Oh well...better late than never. I can't wait to sleep tonight!
Best moment this week: We're enjoying our last few weeks as a 'childless couple'. We went to a movie the other night and we're trying to relish our time 'just the two of us'. We can't wait to share the joy of having our baby and raising a family, but we know this time is special, too!
Movement: Plenty. Kaiser has a kick count card that I'm supposed to fill out every night. So far...10 kicks in 10 minutes every night. If this is any indication of what we are in for with this kid.... watch out!
Food cravings: Mmmmm Coldstone's. I'm having a chocolate fix lately, but as always, the 'kicks' pass and I move on to something else. :-)
Gender: I still think boy, but as I've said before, we really just want healthy and happy so either way, we're excited! We really are looking forward to the excitement in the delivery room so it's worth the wait!
Labor Signs: No, but we did get to visit the Labor and Delivery department tonight for the Late Pregnancy class and tour. Thankfully, we haven't had to go in for any early visits.
Belly Button in or out? What belly button??? Mine is MIA.
What I miss: Being able to put socks and shoes on the conventional way. So much for that.
What I am looking forward to: Starting to actually decorate the nursery. That is going to be really fun!
Weekly Wisdom: I just learned that I get to consume 500 more calories a day as a breastfeeding mom vs. 100-300 while pregnant. Sign me up!!! Haha....
Milestones: Wrapping up 10 weeks of our Bradley Method classes. We're really glad we took them and feel so well prepared to approach this process having learned what to expect and how to cope with all the possible scenarios that a birth has to offer.
Current Projects: We painted the nursery this weekend (I'm standing in it in the picture above) and picked up the dressers at the store. We should be ready to move the furniture in and start the real fun stuff in the next week when we have time! Yeah!!!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Help for Haiti
For those of you that check this blog regularly, I wanted to share a link to charity:water's website. Our good friend Becky Straw is the Water Projects Director for charity:water and has personally traveled to Haiti to oversee the clean water projects there (see the website for a special message by Becky herself). With the recent earthquake in Haiti, charity:water's work there will only become more crucial. 100% of the donations received by charity:water go directly into projects to make fresh drinking water accessible for the millions around the world that must do without. The work they do is so incredible!
As many of you may remember, my class last year spearheaded a Water for Schools fundraiser at our elementary school to benefit charity:water. That experience made me an even bigger supporter for the cause. We know that times are tough for everyone in this economy, but we hope that if you can, you will consider charity:water if you are hoping to find a way to help the people of Haiti.
www.charitywater.org
As many of you may remember, my class last year spearheaded a Water for Schools fundraiser at our elementary school to benefit charity:water. That experience made me an even bigger supporter for the cause. We know that times are tough for everyone in this economy, but we hope that if you can, you will consider charity:water if you are hoping to find a way to help the people of Haiti.
www.charitywater.org
Sunday, January 10, 2010
30 weeks down, 10 to go!
This weekend, we had a great visit with some of our college friends. Jeff and Brandi came up to stay with us so that we could all attend a baby shower in honor of our other friends, Mike and Erin! The boys celebrated the shower by visiting a nearby drinking establishment while the ladies enjoyed the usual shower activities. :-) It was especially fun to get to see Erin and Mike as they are due the day after us in March! It was fun to visit and relate about how our pregnancies have been going and Joel took some great pictures of the future friends and their mommies out by the pool.
We also celebrated a VERY special occasion with Jeff and Bran while they were in town. On Friday, Brandi received her PhD!!! We are so very proud of her and it was really exciting to get to be with her to celebrate all of her hard work! :-)
As for the regular updates, scroll on down for the latest stats. I've come to the conclusion that pregnancy sucks for the most part, but nobody tells you that part until it's too late. Of course, there are plenty of people who will disagree with me, but I think they might be a bit delusional. :-) JK... Granted, I will readily do it all over again someday, God willing, because I know every ache and discomfort will be beyond worth it - but people....do you KNOW how long ten months is??? *sigh* Good thing this kid will be a total angel and sleep through the night right away. I'm going to be exhausted by the time they arrive. Wait, what do you mean that isn't how it works? ;-)
We also celebrated a VERY special occasion with Jeff and Bran while they were in town. On Friday, Brandi received her PhD!!! We are so very proud of her and it was really exciting to get to be with her to celebrate all of her hard work! :-)
As for the regular updates, scroll on down for the latest stats. I've come to the conclusion that pregnancy sucks for the most part, but nobody tells you that part until it's too late. Of course, there are plenty of people who will disagree with me, but I think they might be a bit delusional. :-) JK... Granted, I will readily do it all over again someday, God willing, because I know every ache and discomfort will be beyond worth it - but people....do you KNOW how long ten months is??? *sigh* Good thing this kid will be a total angel and sleep through the night right away. I'm going to be exhausted by the time they arrive. Wait, what do you mean that isn't how it works? ;-)
How far along? 30 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: about 30 pounds give or take. Eh...whatever.
Maternity clothes? Nope. I'm totally back in my size 6 clothes! Riiiiiight.....
Stretch marks? Still negative. Thank you, genetics.
Sleep: Comes and goes. Some nights I sleep like a rock, others I feel like I slept ON a rock. :-/
Best moment this week: The crib arrived this week! It's still in the box, but it's here! Yeah! (Thanks Dad & Pam!)
Movement: Constantly. We've graduated into the stronger jabbing and 'stretching' phase, where Baby Corcoran likes to push out in all directions. At the same time.
Food cravings: Still no real cravings. I guess I bypassed that symptom, too?
Gender: Well, at Erin's shower this weekend, the popular belief was that it's a girl! See, isn't this fun... 40 weeks of guessing! :-)
Labor Signs: Hello Braxton Hicks...I think. I didn't think I was having any, but just recently I started noticing times where my whole abdomen hardens up for a minute or so. If a friend hadn't described hers the same way, I don't even know if I'd have noticed them. They almost feel like a crunch or a sit-up - definitely not comfortable, but not painful either. Other than that - no labor signs thankfully!
Belly Button in or out? Still rockin my 'flattie'.
What I miss: Sitting comfortably. Those days are long gone.
What I am looking forward to: HA! Not being pregnant anymore! :-) Have you noticed a theme with this post?
Weekly Wisdom: The baby won't care where he or she sleeps, nor will they care if their nursery is set up in advance. (Thanks for the reminder Mom! I know it, but it's hard to keep it in perspective!)
Milestones: None that I can think of this week, but that's okay, too!
Maternity clothes? Nope. I'm totally back in my size 6 clothes! Riiiiiight.....
Stretch marks? Still negative. Thank you, genetics.
Sleep: Comes and goes. Some nights I sleep like a rock, others I feel like I slept ON a rock. :-/
Best moment this week: The crib arrived this week! It's still in the box, but it's here! Yeah! (Thanks Dad & Pam!)
Movement: Constantly. We've graduated into the stronger jabbing and 'stretching' phase, where Baby Corcoran likes to push out in all directions. At the same time.
Food cravings: Still no real cravings. I guess I bypassed that symptom, too?
Gender: Well, at Erin's shower this weekend, the popular belief was that it's a girl! See, isn't this fun... 40 weeks of guessing! :-)
Labor Signs: Hello Braxton Hicks...I think. I didn't think I was having any, but just recently I started noticing times where my whole abdomen hardens up for a minute or so. If a friend hadn't described hers the same way, I don't even know if I'd have noticed them. They almost feel like a crunch or a sit-up - definitely not comfortable, but not painful either. Other than that - no labor signs thankfully!
Belly Button in or out? Still rockin my 'flattie'.
What I miss: Sitting comfortably. Those days are long gone.
What I am looking forward to: HA! Not being pregnant anymore! :-) Have you noticed a theme with this post?
Weekly Wisdom: The baby won't care where he or she sleeps, nor will they care if their nursery is set up in advance. (Thanks for the reminder Mom! I know it, but it's hard to keep it in perspective!)
Milestones: None that I can think of this week, but that's okay, too!
Current Projects: Decluttering the house is our plan of action right now. We are planning to take advantage of donation pick-ups, e-waste pick-ups, and might even get a dumpster. We both tend to keep stuff we don't need to keep and we'd really like to get back to basics!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Celebrating 28 Weeks and Christmas in LA!
We have been back 'home' in LA for the week, enjoying the holidays with Jenn's side of the family and our friends that we sadly left behind when we moved up north. :-) We were really fortunate to be able to see so many people we love while we have been in town. (Thanks to everyone for making time to see us, too!)
We were also able to sneak in one last visit to Disneyland, just the 'two' of us. As one of our favorite date spots, we really miss our regular, quick visits to the Happiest Place on Earth! We enjoyed wandering around and riding all of the rides (approved for mamas-to-be of course). While it was our last trip as a twosome, it was the baby's 1st visit! We really look forward to passing on our obsession to our kid(s) and we can't wait to experience the magic through their eyes. :-)
How far along? 28 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Don't know - haven't stepped on the scale this week, but it hadn't changed much last week. I'm back to not paying much attention to it.
Maternity clothes? Yup - although I'm going to need some longer shirts soon as I am starting to notice a draft on the underside of my stomach sometimes.... :-(
Stretch marks? None that I can see...so that means no, right?
Sleep: UGH. Well, I think a return to my magical Sleep Number 45 will help, but this week has been a little rough. However, without the dogs around, we've been enjoying sleeping in for probably the last time in our adult lives.
Best moment this week: Too many to choose from! Between seeing my family for Christmas, visiting with friends, and taking our last trip to Disneyland as a childless couple... we have had a great week!
Movement: While I can't seriously use the acronym usually, OMG comes to mind! I'm slightly convinced that the poor child has run out of room in there and is trying to get out. We (namely, my rib cage and I) have noticed a major change in the movement this past week. Joel has been able to feel (and see) plenty of activity, however the baby protested performing for Nana Claudette. Sorry Mom!
Food cravings: Cheese Bread! Just kidding...well, not really - we went to Northwoods Inn for dinner on our first night down in LA. Yum!
Gender: Believe it or not, we've still yet to figure it out! ;-) According to a long list of old wives tales we read online the other day, most signs point to boy.
Labor Signs: Nope....
Belly Button in or out? Again, neither....
What I miss: Being comfortable
What I am looking forward to: Someday being able to lay on my stomach or back again. Oh how I wish I could just sleep on my back some nights!
Weekly Wisdom: When pregnant at Disneyland, wear compression stockings! I think that's why I was so comfortable for most of the 12 hours we were there. Seriously! I couldn't believe how comfortable I was all day on my feet. I'm convinced that the improved circulation made a huge difference.
Milestones: Santa brought us the crib for Christmas! Woohoo! Baby Corcoran has some furniture! :-) Aside from that, more frequent and new movement. We think we can feel the head (or maybe the rump?) pressing into my side. For those of you who have never experienced growing a human in your belly, let me tell you, it's just lovely sometimes.
Maternity clothes? Yup - although I'm going to need some longer shirts soon as I am starting to notice a draft on the underside of my stomach sometimes.... :-(
Stretch marks? None that I can see...so that means no, right?
Sleep: UGH. Well, I think a return to my magical Sleep Number 45 will help, but this week has been a little rough. However, without the dogs around, we've been enjoying sleeping in for probably the last time in our adult lives.
Best moment this week: Too many to choose from! Between seeing my family for Christmas, visiting with friends, and taking our last trip to Disneyland as a childless couple... we have had a great week!
Movement: While I can't seriously use the acronym usually, OMG comes to mind! I'm slightly convinced that the poor child has run out of room in there and is trying to get out. We (namely, my rib cage and I) have noticed a major change in the movement this past week. Joel has been able to feel (and see) plenty of activity, however the baby protested performing for Nana Claudette. Sorry Mom!
Food cravings: Cheese Bread! Just kidding...well, not really - we went to Northwoods Inn for dinner on our first night down in LA. Yum!
Gender: Believe it or not, we've still yet to figure it out! ;-) According to a long list of old wives tales we read online the other day, most signs point to boy.
Labor Signs: Nope....
Belly Button in or out? Again, neither....
What I miss: Being comfortable
What I am looking forward to: Someday being able to lay on my stomach or back again. Oh how I wish I could just sleep on my back some nights!
Weekly Wisdom: When pregnant at Disneyland, wear compression stockings! I think that's why I was so comfortable for most of the 12 hours we were there. Seriously! I couldn't believe how comfortable I was all day on my feet. I'm convinced that the improved circulation made a huge difference.
Milestones: Santa brought us the crib for Christmas! Woohoo! Baby Corcoran has some furniture! :-) Aside from that, more frequent and new movement. We think we can feel the head (or maybe the rump?) pressing into my side. For those of you who have never experienced growing a human in your belly, let me tell you, it's just lovely sometimes.
Current Projects: Clean out the nursery room.... yes I'm aware that I believe that was the current project a few weeks ago. We're REALLY going to get it done this time. Really!
27 Week Kisses
Some of you may have seen these pictures on Joel's photography blog, but since they are pretty cute, I had to post them over here too!
Here are the sweet Christmas kisses for the baby from Jack & Bridget.
We are excited to welcome the New Year, knowing that in just a couple of months, we'll get to meet our little munchkin. 2010 will certainly be a big year for us!
Here are the sweet Christmas kisses for the baby from Jack & Bridget.
We are excited to welcome the New Year, knowing that in just a couple of months, we'll get to meet our little munchkin. 2010 will certainly be a big year for us!
Monday, December 7, 2009
25 Weeks and Freezing!
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
Literally - we've had highs in the low 40s lately with lows in the mid 20s at night. Yowzers! We even had a dusting of snow at our house Monday morning. Chilly willy.
Anyhow, we finally broke out the Christmas decorations. Joel took some festive pictures (which he also posted on his growing photo blog here) for this week. Speaking of Joel... we really need to get some pictures of HIM on here, huh? I'll be working on that. In the meantime, here is the 25 week update, complete with a new category in the usual survey.
How far along? 25 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: About 22 pounds it appears. I got in trouble with the midwife, but everyone tells me if I feel good and the baby is on track, not to worry - so I'm not going to. I've been increasing my exercise and watching more of what I eat (have you ever checked Sodium content? HOLY COW!). I hadn't been allowed to really exercise for so long (I was on a mild form of bed rest for a couple months) that I got pretty sedentary and I think it caught up with me a little. Oh well I guess.
Maternity clothes? Yes. Once again... temperatures are dropping like crazy around here and I've had to take up wearing Joel's jackets, as mine are all pretty snug fits and no longer zip closed!
Stretch marks? Nada....and hoping my Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion helps keep it that way
Sleep: I'm so grateful for our Sleep Number bed - I think it's made it much easier for me to stay comfortable throughout the nights. The flannel sheets don't hurt, either!
Best moment this week: The other night, the baby was doing some serious kicking/bouncing around. I thought maybe we could "see" it if we looked. I was right! Seconds after I told Joel to watch, the baby did a monster jump and my whole stomach moved. We were both laughing at how crazy it was! We saw a few more full tummy movements. It's so weird!
Movement: Yes, aside from the above example, he/she seems to think my uterus is a bounce house. During the relaxation part of my yoga class the other night, the kid kept doing some spastic move every time I took a deep breath. Kinda hard to relax with all that action going on sometimes!
Food cravings: Nothing too specific but I crave good home cooked meals. Sadly I also crave really not good for me take out food that I am trying to avoid.
Gender: The other day I told Joel I think it's a boy. Not really sure why. We'll see at some point!
Labor Signs: No thank you!
Belly Button in or out? Is neither an option? :-/ That's pretty much where we are now folks.
What I miss: Being able to get a better stretch in some yoga positions... I was a little surprised at how limiting the belly was during yoga. I haven't done yoga since pre-pregnancy so it was weird to go to do moves with this body that knew what to do, but couldn't quite manage.
What I am looking forward to: Baby showers and nursery decorating! Fun stuff!
Weekly Wisdom: Did you know that a Chipotle burrito covers the ENTIRE recommended daily intake of sodium??? One burrito! Boo. Of course, I'll still be eating there, but at least I'll keep in mind that if I don't want to have cankles at the end of the night... I'll at least be skipping the tortilla for now. Sheesh.
Milestones: Going to the gym and walking almost every night this week. Woo hoo for feeling like an able body again!
Maternity clothes? Yes. Once again... temperatures are dropping like crazy around here and I've had to take up wearing Joel's jackets, as mine are all pretty snug fits and no longer zip closed!
Stretch marks? Nada....and hoping my Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion helps keep it that way
Sleep: I'm so grateful for our Sleep Number bed - I think it's made it much easier for me to stay comfortable throughout the nights. The flannel sheets don't hurt, either!
Best moment this week: The other night, the baby was doing some serious kicking/bouncing around. I thought maybe we could "see" it if we looked. I was right! Seconds after I told Joel to watch, the baby did a monster jump and my whole stomach moved. We were both laughing at how crazy it was! We saw a few more full tummy movements. It's so weird!
Movement: Yes, aside from the above example, he/she seems to think my uterus is a bounce house. During the relaxation part of my yoga class the other night, the kid kept doing some spastic move every time I took a deep breath. Kinda hard to relax with all that action going on sometimes!
Food cravings: Nothing too specific but I crave good home cooked meals. Sadly I also crave really not good for me take out food that I am trying to avoid.
Gender: The other day I told Joel I think it's a boy. Not really sure why. We'll see at some point!
Labor Signs: No thank you!
Belly Button in or out? Is neither an option? :-/ That's pretty much where we are now folks.
What I miss: Being able to get a better stretch in some yoga positions... I was a little surprised at how limiting the belly was during yoga. I haven't done yoga since pre-pregnancy so it was weird to go to do moves with this body that knew what to do, but couldn't quite manage.
What I am looking forward to: Baby showers and nursery decorating! Fun stuff!
Weekly Wisdom: Did you know that a Chipotle burrito covers the ENTIRE recommended daily intake of sodium??? One burrito! Boo. Of course, I'll still be eating there, but at least I'll keep in mind that if I don't want to have cankles at the end of the night... I'll at least be skipping the tortilla for now. Sheesh.
Milestones: Going to the gym and walking almost every night this week. Woo hoo for feeling like an able body again!
Current Projects: It's time to start clearing out the nursery - it currently has a LOT of scrapbook stuff, craft materials, fabric for burp cloths (yes, still making those, but have been on hiatus), sewing machine, and ironing board..... aka the random room of stuff.
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