Favorite new blog: Let's Panic About Babies!

http://www.lets-panic.com/



It's only now, after many months of reading the scary books, and checking the daunting blogs, that I can laugh at this.  And, I must admit, I laugh a lot.

it's already Thursday, and we're moving away from fruit!!!

We went down to Atwood Lake with family for Father's Day, and stayed to enjoy some golf, some wine, or some grape juice, depending on who you ask.  It was a very nice time, and I haven't felt that relaxed in ages. We're heading back there in about a month and I can hardly wait.  Also, it seems that if you go on vacation on a Sunday and return to work on Thursday, the week FLIES.

We're already in the middle of the 14th week (13w4d) and we had another OB appointment yesterday. We heard the heartbeat again, and of course I cried. We also found out two interesting things: We will have our anatomy scan (aka: the search for privates) in the next month or so, and I will be participating in a 24-hour urine collection to gather baseline information about kidney function. I am excited about one of these; let's see if you can guess which one.

Also important, we are no longer comparing the kitten to produce -- this week, (s)he is the size of a clenched fist.  I've begun to feel something that I assume is the beginnings of quickening.  Nothing like a jab, but kind of like when your eye twitches, only relocated into your uterus.  It's early to feel anything according to the interwebs, but just try to convince me that I'm mistaken.  I've got a few clenched fists that will tell you otherwise.  :)

what's in a name, part deux

Interesting: Hazel was the 18th most popular name in 1897.
Also interesting: Today it's the 343rd most popular name.

Priceless:  I get to call her Hazelnut.  :)

P.S. We do not know the sex yet, but I saw this coffee in the lunchroom and felt like a genius for thinking up the nickname. :)

what's in a name?

We've had names picked out for weeks now, so we've decided to announce them so all our friends can't steal them and use them for their own pending children.  (Brilliant, isn't it?)

If we have a boy, his name will be:
Daniel Shaniuk Kennedy

and if we have a girl, her name will be:
Hazel Kennedy Shaniuk

We decided months ago that we'd split the last name decision by sex, since we both like our last names.  We'll likely find out the sex in the next 4-8 weeks, and we're both very excited to know.  So far, we're just having a baby.  By then, we'll be having a girl or a boy.  It's the little things.

It IS starting to feel real

As much as we still feel strange when one of us says 'Hey, we're having a BABY,' it's getting a little more normal to think about.  I still can't get over the fact that she is in there, moving around like a little soccer player.  Karen said that I'll be in serious trouble when she gets to be a little bigger and I feel her kicking those goals.  I'm more focused on the fact that someday she has to exit my bod.  I'm pretending not to focus on that, but it's tough.

Also cool is the fact that I get to document all this, and have not only friends and family comment, but also other people in my situation, whose blogs I read.  Very cool of you to stop by, Melissa, A. and S.   Thank you!

It's volleyball night tonight, and of course, it's pouring out.  May  be an excuse for a little additional couch time, of which I can't seem to get enough these days.

Have a good Wednesday, all.  :)

New Pictures - oh, and she's a peach. :)

I woke up so excited, you'd think I was expecing presents. We had our nuchal translucency scan today which means 'BONUS ULTRASOUND!' So exciting every time it happens. Today, we found the kitten completely asleep, which caught me off guard. The ultrasound technician showed us the heartbeat, and measured the base of the kitten's neck, and almost as soon as the technician was done, the baby began doing little bouncey moves off the walls of her little room. I laughed so hard we lost the picture for a moment. She's measuring just where she should be, size is 'perfect' (and for those of you playing along at home, she's the size of a peach) and she had a strong heartbeat of 168bmp. I can't stop looking at these pictures. She's sucking her thumb in the top one. And she's got huge lips. Go ahead, try to stop looking. It's not humanly possible.

At least for me. :)

Welcome to the thirteenth week

We have an ultrasound appointment tomorrow.  I found affordable maternity jeans online.  My  head is killing me today.

You know what they say about two out of three...

good stuff

I've noticed a few good changes lately, and figured maybe I should list the good with the bad: good hair, strong nails, and everything tastes great.  Carrie told me about the difference in food, and I figure it's nature making up for taking away lunchmeat, soft cheeses and alcohol.  I had a subway sandwich with chicken today that was so good, I should've gotten a foot-long.  I'm drinking cran-grape juice that is better than chocolate.

I'm still pretty tired by the end of the day, and I still take an almost daily afternoon nap in one of our darkened conference rooms.  The trade-off for feeling hit by a truck: amazingly creative dreams.  In the past week, I have been involved in a bank heist, been on vacation somewhere they didn't speak English, jumped over buildings, and gotten into a huge fight with my mother because I didn't like her drawing in a coloring book.  Needless to say, it's better than the movies, and occasionally, it's refreshing to wake up and find that I'm not disowned or in jail.

a LEMON, ladies and gentlemen

Since all the websites and email generators compare the fetus with fruit, imagine my delight to learn that Hazel / Daniel is now the size of a lemon!!!  Now that's big!  My uterus is also the size of a softball, and I have the belly to prove it.  I'll post some obligatory belly shots as soon as I get over my vanity and admit that this probably isn't just bloating anymore.

Also, it seems to be the time of constant bathroom trips again -- happened in the very beginning and it's happening again.  From what I read (and read, and read) this is because the uterus is cramped and growing out of my pelvis, which also may explain the pot belly. 

Five days until our ultrasound, and ten days until vacation.  Twelve days until our next OB appointment, where she's tentatively promised that we will hear the heartbeat using a doppler. Everything is now a countdown, I'm learning.  197 days until Christmas and D-date, which is only 28 weeks away.  Time is flying and crawling at the same time.

slacker blogger

Before we were pregnant, I wrote religiously about everything thought and felt.  Now that we're pregnant, I'm pretty boring.  I suppose I do continue to look chubbier -- yey me!  We also have another ultrasound next week.  I can't wait to see how big the kitten has gotten.

Tonight's volleyball, and if you ever forget what night volleyball is on, just look at the forecast for the rainy night.  Since I'm a delicate flower these days, I will be on the sidelines taking pictures. 

the kitten's newest paparazzi photo

The best part is we get to have another ultrasound a week from tomorrow!

feeling a little more relaxed

After the last entry, the spotting returned, and was heavier than before.  I had the obligatory freak out, called Karen and mom crying, and made an appointment for an ultrasound.  When they squeeze you into the imaging department, there's a likely wait, and they even told me to bring a book.  I didn't even really mind the two-hour wait, since mom and dad kept me company.  The scan showed that all is well, we got a new picture of the kitten (whose head is now about half the size of her body -- crazy) and the doctor told us that spotting is common, and that we were the third person that day to come in with that concern.  She also said that my baby had the best outlook of all three, a strong heartbeat at 178bpm, and he was even waving at us -- much like the animation to the right.  I'll post the sonogram when I get home. 

I used to tease Karen about how I desperately wanted hot dogs and feta cheese.  I figured we were being overly cautious.  After this week, I no longer joke.  I'm just happy that everything is going well, and I can wait until January for a hot dog.

Oh, and they updated my due date.  I am now due on Christmas day.

Fifteen minute car naps

I just took a tiny naplet in my car, and can't remember the last time that I could successfully get in a whole nap in fifteen minutes.  I take one almost every day now.  The people who were out smoking behind the building either didn't notice that I emerged from a non-running vehicle, or were at least silent about it.

bit of a scary morning

I woke up to a tiny bit of spotting today.  Nothing bad, nothing bright red, but enough to send hormonal, dramatic me into a bit of a tailspin.  Karen's in Milwaukee for a few days, so I immediately googled possible causes and outcomes.  Note to self:  never do this.  I spoke to Karen a little while later, and she was calm and rational, and told me to relax and call the office.  They took my info and said they'd 'return my call within the day.'  Clearly, not an emergency, so I went to work.  Finally, I spoke with the doctor's nurse, who told me not to worry, that it's common.  While I figured this in the back of my mind, I still worried. I have had no sighting since first thing this morning, though I check diligently every hour or so...  I still have a stomach ache.