Introducing Owen....

Just a very quick post.

Owen Michael was born Friday afternoon. 7 lbs 14 oz, 20.5 inches. we're home now, and getting used to each other. It's been a wild ride, and I know we just started the craziest (and best) part. Thanks for all the support. I'll update and add some pictures when I've had a nap. Or a shower. Maybe even both.

:::::::::::::::::::::::HUGS::::::::::::::::::::::::::

36 weeks and counting

About 4 weeks to go. Yikes!

Everything seems to be going well. Dr. C says so, anyway. We're seeing him weekly now. It looks like I'll keep working for another couple of weeks, and then start my maternity leave at about 38 weeks.

We've survived two of the three prenatal classes, and the last one is Wednesday. They haven't been terribly informative, but They're better than nothing, I suppose.

We're scrambling to get everything done in these last few weeks. Jeremy keeps reminding me that there will be time after the baby comes, and we're both home. I keep trying to tell him we won't be up for much but taking care of the baby. He doesn't really believe me. I'd like to be wrong, but I just don't think I am this time. Oh, well.

I'm having more mood swings now (poor Jeremy!), mostly because I'm tired. Sleeping in the recliner, while less painful, isn't really conducive to a good night's sleep. People keep telling me it's good practice for after the baby comes. I really want to ask them if that means dieting is god practice for starvation. I have managed to hold my tongue so far. :-)

Not much else to report, so I guess I'll close with this:

I am immensely grateful for all the advice, reality checks, indulgence, gifts, and support I have received. I am truly fortunate to have so many kind and generous people in my life.

Love to all.

Guess who's posting again so soon?

I am sure you will be stunned (as I am myself) to see that I am posting again, a mere 2 weeks after the last! Go me! :-)

We had another OB appointment this week, and all is well. I let one of my more paranoid friends convince me that I needed to ask the doctor about the H1N1 vaccine. I knew going in that the vaccine isn't even scheduled to be available before October, and I am one of those who scoffed (love that word) at the extreme paranoia that closed schools all over town -- it basically shut down the entire town of Cibolo, and people who had to DRIVE THROUGH Cibolo were scared to go to work! Okay, rant over. Still, I asked.

And the doctor made a smart ass remark about delaying the baby until the vaccine is ready, then suggested we wait to see if it is even available in October. See why I love my doc?

Even my paranoid friend had to be content with that. :-)

We have decided that there must be something in the water at work. With only about 50 employees, we have 4 pregnancies! Just found out about the fourth this week. Too funny! Apparently, that fits the pattern at PCI. They threw me a shower last night that was really nice. Even with judicious applications of "adult beverages" everyone behaved themselves, even those who really REALLY don't get along. I was relieved that it went as well as it did, and completely overwhelmed at the generosity my co-workers showed. I truly did not expect it, and I am humbled by it. For all that I gripe about the politics at work, the people are amazing.

Well, that's it for now. Off to run errands, usual Saturday stuff. All the best to everyone, and I will try to post again soon.

Mea Culpa (and an update)

Well, as it turns out, I'm terrible at maintaining this blog. Nothing since June. I am (almost) ashamed. I am sorry for the meager information. I meant to be better about it, if that's worth anything.

Here's the latest. 30 weeks, and all is well. We had a small scare when the first glucose tolerance test came back a bit high, but the results from the more intensive test were within the normal range. What a relief! The baby is moving quite a bit, and I'm having some of the uncomfortable symptoms - heartburn, swelling, trouble sleeping and concentrating, etc., but nothing unbearable.

I will admit I am in love with our new recliner. I haven't been able to sleep in the bed for a few weeks now, and my beloved Ikea chair filled the need, if a bit uncomfortably, until the recliner arrived. I have dismissed the Ikea chair to the living room, and I am now sleeping in the recliner. My aching back and hips are much happier.

We are in the midst of the next phase of the constant remodeling - new flooring in the nursery/guest room and Jeremy's computer room is going in Monday and Tuesday. Once that's done, we start putting the nursery/guest room together. Of course, while this is going on, the rest of the house is a disaster. As I am not very good with chaos, it's been stressful. I'm practicing my meditation and reminding myself that it will all be over soon. :-)

Thanks to all of you for your good wishes. I will try to update this again soon, but no promises. :-)

Hugs all around!

Here he is! Week 20

Twenty weeks and all is well. Halfway there.

I know it's been a while. I hope you all believed me when I said I would update this infrequently. If not, I bet you do now.

Okay, here's the latest. It's a boy. So far, all seems to be in order. The parts that need to have developed by now seem to have developed.

I had a screening for neural tube defects, and it came back clean (yay!). I also had a couple of unexplained bleeding incidents, but the doctor says there doesn't appear to be anything wrong, so we're just keeping a eye on it for now.

I am officially in maternity clothes, too. Shirts, anyway (Thanks, Erin!). I have yet to brave the maternity stores here in town, but it will not be optional much longer. That shopping trip is definitely on the agenda for next week.

To answer the most popular questions:
We haven't picked a name yet. We haven't decided on a nursery theme yet, but we're working on it. And I felt the tiniest flutter twice, but that's it.

I see the perinatologist again on the 16th, and I'm planning to take my mom to that visit, so she can see the sonogram. After that, it's back to the OB on the 1st of July.

More news as I have it.

Results

The results from the ultrascreen are in. "Everything looks great." I'm not entirely certain whether there is a quantifiable definition of "great" or not, but it can't be too bad, or they wouldn't have said, "We'll see you on May 26." Yay!!

More when there's different news...

Week 13 and sonogram pictures.

Well, we went for the ultrascreen on the 14th. They measured the nuchal folds and drew blood for the genetic screening. The perinatologist said that the measurements were within the normal range, but we still need to wait for the results of the blood test before they can let us know the odds of our baby having Down's syndrome, Trisomy-21, or Trisomy-18. I'll post again when we have those results. Until then, thanks to the families who gave us such boring medical histories (yay!!!), and keep your fingers crossed. The results of this screening will help us decide whether to have the amnio done. We go back in six weeks for another sonogram.

The sonogram that went with the ultrascreen was pretty intense. The baby was very active. It was almost surreal to see so much movement without being able to feel anything. I'm posting the picture at the end of this post, along with the previous sonogram picture (taken when all there was to see was a blob). This picture shows a face and a hand. Some of my friends are referring to the baby as Skeletor, because the facial features are very indistinct, and the skull is pretty prominent. I guess it's better than Whirlpool! :-)

The tech was fairly certain (and convinced Jeremy) that she could determine the baby's gender, but the doctor said it is still too early to be certain. We should know after the next sono on May 26.

I had my regular appointment with Dr. Calderon on the 16th. All looks good. I asked him about the frequent nosebleeds (every time I sneeze!), and he was very reassuring. This was the first visit where we could hear the baby's heartbeat with the Doppler thingy.

I'll post again once we get the results. Love to all!