Dear Baby - Week 25

May 10-16 

Mommy @ week 25

Dear Poppy,

This week Mommy celebrated her first Mother’s Day.  It was a lovely weekend.  First Daddy took Mommy out for a yummy dinner at one of their favorite places, Atlantic Fish.   Daddy gave Mommy 2 presents – a pass for 5 massages to keep Mommy nice and comfy until your arrival, and a book from you!  The book is called “My Mom – Her Story”.  It’s a book where I can write memories and stories for you.  It is going to be fun to fill out and share with you.  You have a very thoughtful Daddy!!  On Saturday we celebrated Mother’s Day with your Gigi (Grammy McGowan) and then on Sunday we celebrated with your Grammy & Great-Grammy Andersen.  We are so fortunate to have lots of loving family nearby.  It is going to be wonderful for you to grow up knowing your grandparents. 

This week we also started interview doulas for your birth.  Mommy is really committed to having a relaxed and natural birth for you and we think having a doula present will really help us achieve that.  Plus studies show that a doula’s presence at birth tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications.  We are all for that!

In other news, Daddy noticed this week that Mommy’s belly button is starting to change.  It’s slowing moving from an innie to an outie.  Still technically an innie this week, but it seems to be about half and half this week.  How funny!

Current Size:  Cauliflower (13.5 or so inches long and 1 ¾ lbs)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Dear Baby - Week 24

May 3-9

Dear Poppy,

Week 24 is a big milestone – you are officially viable and could potentially survive on the outside with lots of medical assistance.  But we’d prefer you stay in for another 4 months.  Mommy must be looking pregnant to strangers because she got her first offer for a seat on the T this week.  It was from a very sweet grandmother, and of course Mommy couldn’t say yes, but it was really nice to have the offer.

After we got home from Jamaica we saw our midwife for our monthly check up – everything still looks great with you.  We also had a visit from the Cannons.  Daddy turns 30 this month and Mommy wanted to surprise him with a big party.  The Cannons came to celebrate and to help pull off the surprise.  Lots of friends came and Daddy was completely shocked.  Next year we will throw you a big party for your 1^st birthday! 

This week you went to a Red Sox game with Daddy and the Cannons too!  Daddy was very alert the entire game to make sure we didn’t get hit by any stray balls.

Mommy & Daddy @ the Red Sox

Current Size: Ear of Corn (over 1 foot long!  You are also gaining lots of weight now – you probably weight at least 1.5 lbs now)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Third Trimester!!

28 weeks - third trimester officially begins today!!  Although I'm not sure who came up with the 14 week, 14 week, 12 week trimester schedule.  Maybe because some people go 42 weeks?


That's 83 days until my due date, max of 97 days (if I go 42 weeks and they induce) until we meet  little miss andersen!


So exciting!

Dear Baby - Week 23

April 26 – May 2

Couple's Tower Island Resort

Dear Poppy,

This week you went to Jamaica!  By the time you are born you will be a very well-traveled little fetus.  So far you've been to Argentina, Brazil, Iceland, all over New England & New York, and now to Jamaica.  We are going to have to apply for your passport when we apply for your social security number!

Couple's Tower Island Resort

Mommy & Daddy had lots of fun in Jamaica on one last vacation before you arrive.  Mommy did lots of relaxing on the beach & loved pregnant swimming! Daddy got to go some scuba diving four times too.

Us on the resort's private beach

Daddy & his scuba buddy from NH (also going to be a new dad!)

Daddy scuba diving at a shipwreck 

Snorkeling & 23 week baby bump

We got off the resort a few times for some activities - our favorite was hiking the Dunn’s River Falls.   Daddy was a little concerned about Mommy hiking, but we were very careful & had lots of help from the guides.

Hiking Dunn's River Falls (start of hike)

End of Dunn's River Falls hike

Mommy & Daddy had nice dinners together and took nightly walks around the resort.  There was also a Piano Bar with nightly sing-alongs.

Yummy Jamaican Food

Enjoying the sing-along at the Piano Bar

Another baby bump picture

 The resort also had a veggie bar where Mommy would get fresh smoothies everyday instead of island drinks.  You would bounce around lots after those smoothies!

At the Veggie Bar

Overall Mommy handled traveling at 23 weeks pregnant pretty well.  She did go to the bathroom 13 times on the trip down (2x at home, 2x at Logan Airport, 1x on first flight, 1x at Philly airport, 4x on 2^nd flight, 3x in Montego Bay airport), but the doctor said it was good to move around a lot while traveling.

Last day at the resort

Current Size: Large Mango (11.5 inches long)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Dear Baby - Week 22

April 19 – 25

Dear Poppy,

Big developments this week – Daddy felt you kick!! He’s been anxiously waiting for this the moment Mommy felt you.  He’s been trying almost every night since I told him that she could feel you and thinks it’s really unfair that you made him wait so many weeks.  Daddy can be a tad bit jealous sometimes- something for you to keep in mind for the future, hehe.   Since I’ve been feeling you I’ve noticed a few patterns – you make extra movements when I eat something sweet or caffeinated.  You seem to move more when Mommy gets really hungry (are you telling me that you are hungry too?).  I notice you most in the evenings – Mommy read that during the day you like the movements I make and it lulls you to sleep.  At night when I’m quieter you wake up!  Mommy thought your movements would be fun to feel at first and then becoming a little irksome but they are still super fun.  I love knowing you are doing well and having a good time in there.  So far you haven’t done anything remotely painful or uncomfortable.

Current Size: Papaya (11 inches long & weigh 1 lbs!)

Current Cravings: still nothing out of the ordinary.  Just the usual favorite foods.  

Love,

Mommy

Dear Baby - Week 21

April 12 – 18

Dear Poppy,

This week Mommy officially picked out your nursery bedding.  She’s been browsing different looks for awhile, but it’s much easier now that we know that you are a girl.  Mommy & Daddy both really like animals so your room is going to be pink with green, orange, & animal accents.  Your room is rather long, so part of it will be your play area too.  I think we might paint that area green for some definition.

Mommy started getting a burning in the back of her throat this week.  The heartburn begins :(  Mommy’s never really had heartburn before, so it’s a pretty new sensation.  Not too uncomfortable, but a little annoying.  She has no plans to give up spicy foods though, at least not now.  They are just too yummy!  Daddy was really sweet and bought Mommy lots of tums so she could keep them at home, work, and next to the bed too.  He’s very good at taking care of his girls.

Current Size:  Banana (10.5 inches long)  Now that you are past 20 weeks they start measure head to toe as opposed to head to rump.  You are also ¾ lb now

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Dear Baby - Week 20

April 5 – 11

Dear Poppy,

You are half way done!! We can’t believe how fast the time is passing.  Now that you are getting bigger Mommy is starting to have some low back pains – nothing too bad yet, so hopefully it won’t get much worse.

This weekend Mommy and Daddy went shopping and picked out your crib and mattress.  It’s white, fairly traditional, with curved sides that make it look a little bit sleigh like.  It won’t be ready for 6-9 weeks, so it’s a good thing we went early.  Your room is still full of other stuff, so it’s ok that we don’t have it yet.

Mommy must be starting to look pregnant because she got her first seat offer on Easter.  Mommy & Daddy went to Easter Mass, but of course all the seats were taken when we arrived (even though we were almost a 1/2 hr early!).  Mommy and Daddy stood for awhile, but right before the service began the priest insisted that we sit in the front in the seats reserved for the disabled.  Mommy really appreciated the priest's kind gesture!     


We also signed up for some classes so we are ready for your arrival.  Mommy & Daddy are taking infant CPR, newborn basics, and a natural child birth class called “Mind, Body, Birth” that emphasizes the use of mindful techniques and other methods to facilitate deep relaxation.   Mommy wants you to be born in a calm, peaceful environment, free from any drugs or unnecessary interventions.  This class should help Mommy & Daddy learns ways to achieve this goal.  We can’t wait to start them in June!   

Current Size: Cantaloupe (6.5 inches long)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Dear Baby - Week 19

March 29 – April 4

Dear Poppy,

This week we told everyone that you are a girl!   Right now it’s popular to have a “gender reveal parties” so Mommy decided to throw a little one just for the family.  She had your grandparents & great-grandma over for dinner and baked some chocolate Guinness cupcakes for dessert.  Inside the cupcakes Mommy filled the middle with pink frosting.  Mommy and Daddy had fun making everyone wait until dessert to find out – your Grammy Andersen was especially anxious to finish dinner!  After dessert we finally announced on facebook so everyone interested could finally know that we are having a girl.  

Mommy & Daddy also got lots of stuff for you this week.  One of Daddy’s co-worker’s, Zaid, had 2 babies in the last couple of years and doesn’t need a lot of her stuff anymore.  She very generously gave or is letting us borrow many items, including her maternity clothes for Mommy to wear.  We picked up the stuff on Saturday and met her 2 ½ year old daughter, Zoey, and her 6 month old son, Finn.  They were both so cute and fun!  Hopefully you can meet them too!  It’s also really exciting to have some of your stuff in the house.  Mercedes is already scared of your car seat – she is going to have to get used to lots of new things soon!

On Tuesday Mommy is finally certain she felt some kicks!  People kept saying it feels like butterflies or gas, but I describe it a bit differently.  It’s amazing to finally feel you though!

Current Size: Mango or Heirloom Tomato (6 inches long)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Dear Baby - Week 18

March 22 – 28

Dear Poppy,

You’re a girl!! Just like Mommy thought.  We are so excited to finally know!  You already have your Daddy wrapped around your tiny unborn finger.  We have a very short list of girl names for you, but we are going to wait until you are born to announce to everyone.  Plus we might change our minds too.  For now we will try them out at home and hope we don't slip up in front of other people.  Mommy is so excited to be able to start planning your girly nursery too!  She also felt a new sensation during the ultrasound – maybe a kick?

Current Size: Sweet Potato (5.6 inches long)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Baby Kicks & other news

Behind on the blog again - oops.  Tax deadline strikes again!  I promise I'll catch up soon.


We had an exciting milestone last night - Arthur felt Poppy kick!  I've been feeling her for the last couple of weeks, and Arthur has been very jealous.  You think I'm joking, but no, he thinks its unfair he had to wait to feel her...no comments there.  She was pretty active last night, so I had him wait with his hand in position and then it happened!  He felt her multiple times.  I don't think I've seen him this excited about the baby since the first ultrasound.  She's getting so big & strong!


And in other news - tums are my new friends.  Arthur bought me almost 300 of them yesterday to help with the burning in the back of my throat.  Not terribly uncomfortable, but annoying.  Extra calcium has to be good, right?


Today also marks the day I graduated from demi panel to full panel maternity pants.  They are soooo comfy!!  I'll still wear the demi ones (as I only have this 1 pair of full panel), but I bought a pair of cropped pants in full panel last week for our trip and I'm loving them.


Babymoon is next week and we are so excited!!  Can't wait for a week at the ocean :)

It's a...

healthy baby!!!  Sorry to disappoint, but we aren't spilling just yet.  I wanted to have a"gender reveal party" that seems to be so popular these days, so we are having a little gathering with the grandparents on Sunday to reveal the news.  I've always been a fan of a little suspense and so is our baby!  While they were taking measurements of the legs and feet baby was being very modest.  It wasn't until the very end of the hour long ultrasound that they went back to see and finally gave us a confident boy or girl answer.  Towards the middle I was getting a bit worried baby was going to keep us waiting!

Overall the appointment went really well.  Baby was moving around like crazy (might have something to do with the cupcake I ate right before the appointment...)  All the measurements checked out normally, and we got to see lots of different parts.  The office we go to just updated their ultrasound machines a few months ago and it's amazing the detail you can see - both lobes of the brain, the heart valves opening and closing, every little bone in the spine, etc.  Apparently baby has a "very nice head shape" & very long fingers.  Mostly the doctor just said we had a boring baby, which is exactly what you want.

In other news - I might have felt my first kick.  Right when the ultrasound started I felt a little pop, like a kernel of popcorn popping.  Might have been something with the ultrasound machine, but it was different than anything I've felt before, aka not a gassy feeling.  I am amazed how much baby is moving without me feeling anything though.  Now I just need to feel it again to confirm!

It's Finally Here!

Anatomy Scan Day!!  I am so excited to see Poppy in a few hours!! I can't wait to see how much the baby has changed since our 8 week ultrasound, and I really want to find out if everything is progressing as it should.  Overall, I have had very little worries with this pregnancy so far, but a few days ago a lady on my August 2012 birth board posted that she lost her baby at 19 weeks.  Since then, I've had just a tiny nagging worry about our Poppy.  I keep telling myself that its much more likely than not that Poppy is just fine, and she is just 1 out of over 12,000 women on that board, but it will be nice to be able to confirm everything today.


And we get to find out if it's a boy or girl!! (provided Poppy cooperates, of course).  Everyone polled so far is leaning towards girl, so either we are all right or we are in for an awesome surprise.  I honestly don't care either way - a girl would be super fun, but I do remember my little brother being awfully cute too. 


3 more hours!!


*update* I just realized I'm wearing blue today.  Maybe my subconscious isn't quite as certain of baby being a girl as I thought?  Or maybe my wardrobe just has a lot of blue in it?

Post Labor Meal

Arthur and I have visited 2 hospitals now (Mount Auburn & Newton Wellesley) and during both visits the topic of food has come up.  I guess this should come as no surprise that pregnant ladies need to know the food situation at the hospital where they will be spending a few days.  While the hospitals claim their food it pretty good, it seems quite common for people to order in their favorite dishes to enjoy post labor.  I've told Arthur several times what I'd like, but he's worried he'll forget so he's asked me to write it down.  So bookmark this page, honey.


From Haru:
1 Kiss of Fire roll
1 Gramercy Park roll
2 orders of salmon sashimi
1 spicy tuna roll
extra wasabi, please
plus whatever you want because I'm not sure I'll want to share :)


You can even do Online Orders 


Of course I don't really have any idea what I'll really want come that day.  Maybe food will be the last thing on my mind?  For now, this is definitely what I would like, preferably with a glass (or 2) of white wine.  I'm pretty sure the hospital would frown on that though...

Dear Baby - Week 17

March 15-21

Dear Poppy,

It’s been another quiet baby week.   I hope you are this chill when you are born!  Over the weekend Mommy & Daddy got to see lots of friends.  First Mommy’s friend Claire was visiting with her cousins.  Mommy & Claire met at Camp Matoaka back in 2005 and have stayed in touch over the years.  Her cousins from the UK were visiting the US, so we met up with all of them while they were in Boston.  I hope you are able to experience all the fun of summer camp someday.  Mommy really enjoyed her time both working and attending camp.  On Sunday Mommy & Daddy went to South Boston for a little bit of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.  Mommy showed off her little bump to a few people who hadn't seen it yet too.  Overall it was a very fun weekend.

Current Cravings: nothing much.  I think I’m back to eating the same as pre-pregnancy, minus sushi & wine.  I did kind of want a beer on St. Patrick’s Day though.  

Current size: Onion (5.1 inches long)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

A Little Comedic Relief

This video is making it's rounds on all the babycenter.com boards - it made my morning.  I hope I have this much energy when I can't see my feet!!  


Watch for a good laugh :)

Pre-Pregnancy Splurge

Kate Spade Denise Baby Bag

Back in July my favorite flash sale site Rue La La had one of my favorite designers, Kate Spade. Le sigh – I just adore her beautiful, overpriced goods.  I browsed the loot, and while there were quite a few cute items, nothing stuck out until I saw it…a beautiful black and white Kate Spade nylon Denise Baby Bag with patent leather straps.  What?!  I wasn’t pregnant.  We weren’t talking about having babies (at least not after the honeymoon scare).  But there is was and I wanted it.  Rue La La sales run for 48 hours and they sell out very quickly so I thought I would let fate take over.  I’ll wait and check back tomorrow to see if they still had it.  Which, of course, they did.  What to do?  Arthur and I hadn’t been married that long, so we hadn’t 100% figured out our whole discretionary spending budget/habits yet (I like smaller more frequent purchases; Arthur prefers larger purchases less often).  I wasn’t pregnant, but I knew we weren’t going to wait that long.  Also, I knew I could never justify a $400 diaper bag, especially once we were expecting.  But at 70% off…and Kate Spade stuff is pretty classic so even if we didn’t have babies for a couple of years it would still be cute.  Moms need cute things.  I could just picture myself strolling baby, Mercedes, & my new bag through the Boston Public Garden.  And I liked that pictured.  A lot.

So I bought it.  And hid it and only told my mom about it (she was rather amused).  And I’m very happy I did.  Won’t it look so cute with a red stroller?

Tons of storage

2 separate waterproof sections

Lots of pouches & storage sections (I counted 13)

Separate pacifier pouch

Changing pad

Changing pad folded

Arthur has informed me that he will not carry such a beautiful bag unless I am present, so the hunt is on for a nice manly bag too.

1 Week!

Only 1 week left until we found out if it's a boy or girl!! When we booked the appointment 3 weeks sounded like a long time, so I didn't get too excited, but now that we are down to just 1 week I can't stop thinking about it.  Soon we can stop calling the baby "Poppy", although I do think Poppy is kind of a cute girl name.  I can almost start shopping!! I'm also really anxious to see our little bundle on the screen again and to make sure everything is ok.  I still haven't felt any movement yet, so every so often I wonder if everything is still on track.  


This week is definitely going to drag.

Crazy Pregnancy Dreams

So I had heard your dreams get pretty intense when you are pregnant, and boy is it true!  I've been having rather vivid dreams on and off since I got pregnant, but last night's dream was over the top.  Arthur was having an affair with a much older woman, and I was livid.  I've read the infidelity is one of the most common 2nd trimester dreams, so I guess this is just par for the course, but it was still a bit disturbing and I woke up a little bit angry.  


In the dream Arthur was happy I found out his affair and wanted to have both a wife and mistress (a la Ernest Hemingway in "The Paris Wife" that I finished about a month ago).  I wouldn't have any of that so I stole all his credit cards and went on a shopping spree to Louis Vuitton and Gucci (neither of which are store I particularly like or own anything from) just to make him mad.  Then I stole the mistress's passport and burned it so she and Arthur couldn't go on any exotic trips together.   I'm pretty sure there were a few other schemes in there too, but I can't remember those now.

Andrea Parker aka
Jane of Desperate Housewives

Seriously, out of control.  When I woke up I could still see the mistress's face and knew that I recognized her from something.  Finally on the way to work it hit me - it was Jane from Desperate Housewives!  If you don't watch the show - Lynette and Tom are separately and she is Tom's new girlfriend, only on the show she is the same age as the other characters.  I found this extremely amusing.   Does this make me Lynette and Arthur is Tom?  


So I guess Pregnancy + reading The Paris Wife + watching Desperate Housewives = dream with Arthur having an affair with a woman 12 years his senior.   I wonder what crazy thing I will dream about tonight...










*Update* I might need to start a dream journal.  The next night I have to fly to London and have 24 hours to ride a train all across Europe escorting my classmates home.  Only the inside of the train looks like a school bus.  I guess I'm the leader/teacher, but we are all 20ish, and I have no idea what school we all attend.  We take our journey and finally reach Istanbul, which in my dream is the capital of Kazakhstan.  It is very dangerous and the remaining classmates and I must sit very quietly while some sort of military searches the train that looks like a bus.  We don't drop anyone off, and then continue back to London.  I wake up completely exhausted.  No Arthur.

Dear Baby - Week 16

March 8 -14

Dear Poppy,


It has been another fairly uneventful week - Mommy really likes easiness of the 2nd trimester.  Mommy still has her cold, but it isn't as severe.  Daddy fought it for a week, but he has it now too - hope you don't get it!  


We worked hard on the office/guestroom space this weekend and its nearly finished.  We just need some curtains and a few decor items now.  Mommy is excited to start planning your nursery, although it will be easier once we find out if you are a boy or girl.  Only 13 more days until we find out!


Mommy is belly is growing too!


Current Size: Avocado (4.6 inches long)


Current cravings: red meat


Love,
Mommy & Daddy

The Toothbrush Cleaning has Commenced!

And it was awesome.  On Saturday Arthur implied I was being a bit lazy napping all afternoon while he built furniture (pregnant + cold =naps in my book.  I think he’s definitely reconsidering now that he has my cold too…) so on Sunday I thought I would prove him wrong and clean the house.  We are both a bit stubborn like that.  Once the cleaning started I just couldn’t stop.  Now to be fair, I actually really like cleaning, so this isn’t an entirely pregnant thing.  My roommates in college used to joke that if you gave me a couple glasses of wine the apartment would be clean in no time.  I love the smell of lemon floor cleaner & playing with my pretty red vacuum cleaner.  And nothing gets the gunk out of little crevices like a toothbrush, especially when you have a dog that likes to get in the shower every morning and then jump out with muddy paws.  It was a very satisfying day.