Pregnancy Perks

I'm the first to tell people that I do not love being pregnant.  I'm just not a happy, shiny, preggo person.  That being said--I really am enjoying this part of the pregnancy process.  My bump is still small enough where it's "cute" (and not yet laborious), I can still be mobile and active, and my energy and sense of motivation are magnified by the sunshine and pretty weather we've been having.  One of the BEST parts of pregnancy at this stage is preparing for our baby's arrival.  In hopes of narrowing down items we need to purchase, Adam and I went with my mom to several baby stores to check out the goods.  Our experience boiled down to: Babies 'R' Us is incredibly overwhelming and overflowing with waaaaaay too many pregnant people, The Right Start had excellent customer service and we love the items they carry, and Giggle was cute (minus the children's nursery rhymes playing on a loop throughout the store).  It was a lot of fun shopping (without spending) and testing out items.  I loved watching Adam get fitted for a baby carrier, and my mom be amazed at all the products out there for babies these days.  Speaking of my mom, it warms my heart that I can share this experience with her.  I know she's been itching for a grandchild for ages now, and it's such a blessing to see her excitement.  It occurred to me that our miscarriage last year was almost as much a loss for our parents as it was for us.  We didn't get a chance to celebrate that baby and plan for its arrival.  We didn't get to know it and name it and talk about all the places we wanted to take it.  Needless to say, I am so incredibly grateful for this time--the time I get to share with my mom, with Adam and with this little one fluttering inside of me.

We all had a lovely time shopping and eating ice cream and just enjoying each other's company in anticipation of our child.  I dreamt of car seats and strollers and bouncing zoo animals, but I woke up to the peace of knowing that God gives us each day to celebrate and be joyful in the creation of life.

Buying for Baby

Shopping.  I'm awesome at it.  Online, in store, anywhere.  I'm not a shopaholic, but I do love me some pretty things.  So having a baby is just the thing for fulfilling my heart's shopping desires, right??  :)

Now that we've reached our halfway mark and there have been murmurings of nurseries and baby showers and nesting, I figured I should start collecting data on what we'll need for this little one that is consuming so much of our time and attention these days.  I have to say that Adam and I are trying our hardest to not over-buy.  We don't want to end up with a bunch of stuff we'll never use or that our baby will outgrow in a blink of an eye.  We have enough pug toys and clothes laying around that drive me crazy as it is.  Like that shark costume I bought Remy with visions of him running around with his fish-shaped bone in his mouth.  Remy hates costumes.  (So the shark has not made an appearance since it's departure from the Target store.)  So we will try to focus on the essentials for the baby.  (Though it's hard not to start collecting headbands and ruffled skirts because our daughter will just love them. Really!)

Looking through all the baby stuff out there I am as overwhelmed as any new mom-to-be with all the products.  I'm narrowing down my search thus far to true essentials (plus, I have a test to study for and can't be spending too much time daydreaming away):

1. car seat (apparently they come in handy when you want to actually bring the baby home)
2. stroller 
3. breast pump
4. travel crib/pack and play
5. baby carrier

So, I'm putting a call out to all parents who read this blog (those of you out there with all  your purchasing wisdom) to share your take on your preferred items above.  I would love to know how you narrowed down your search.  Keep in mind that I am a sucker for aesthetics so it helps if the product is cute, too.  Except for the breast pump.  I mean, how cute can a breast pump be?

My Bump, My Bump, My Lovely Baby Bump

I should be better at taking pictures of my growing belly, but I think I'm still having a hard time reconciling the "growing" aspect of my body.  Anyway, here's me and my bump at 20 weeks.

I should note that the bump grows the more I eat, so by the time I go to bed, it's 1.5 times larger!

If I Smile, Does the Baby Smile, Too?

I have always been an autumn kind of girl.  I love the change of the seasons from warm and balmy weather to crisp, cold fall air.  You don't get much of it in southern California, but I take what I can.  Lately, I think I might be converted just a little to loving spring, sunshine and warmer weather.  We've been having beautiful weather in the high 60's.  Nice and cool with just the right amount of sunshine.  It has definitely been lifting my spirits and making me feel all happy and glowy inside.  Perhaps it's because I'm finally getting over this horrible cold I caught last week and am remembering what it's like to be healthy again, or it could (likely) be because our baby girl is coming along and the reality has finally set in.  All I know is that our household is overflowing with so many blessings and just a sweet, simple sense of gratitude and joy.  It's just so nice to wake up and smile in the morning.

Adding to all the happiness we Hollidays are having around here is being able to share our pregnancy with our friends and family and receiving such outpouring of love and support.  We had a wonderful double date with our friends, Kelly and Evan, last night and came home to two packages sent from Adam's family in Washington.  These two gifts touched me so much last night (hello, Pregnancy Hormones!) and we are just so grateful for the people in our lives.  So, thank you Smith Family and Aunt Sharon for the gifts.  ALL our children (pug and human alike) are grateful!

A sleep sheep from the Smiths.  It has white noise settings for the baby.  Our favorite is the "whale" setting because it sounds like the pugs snoring (which they do a lot of while resting their heads on my baby bump).

Remy got a gift from Aunt Sharon.

5 Ikea rats!! Why Ikea makes stuffed rats for kids, we don't know.  But Rems loves their tails!

This is his old rat.  It was WHITE.  He swallows the tail and pulls it out.  It's his favorite past time.

Adam wanted to give him the full rat experience.  Remy didn't know which one to choose.

A truly happy pug!  (Mia is just glad he'll stop bugging her so much.)

Tickled Pink

Meet our baby girl at almost 20 weeks!  *Warning* The 3D images are a little creepy.  She looks like she was formed out of mashed potatoes.  Or pudding.  I guess pudding sounds cuter.  Regardless, it probably isn't her best photo, but we won't tell her that.  We love our pudding baby no matter what.

Apparently she likes to hang out in the same position every time.

We did the second trimester anatomy scan and everything is looking good.  We got to see all her parts and make sure she was developing as she should be.  My favorite part is still seeing the heart beating, which looks like a dragonfly fluttering in her chest.  We got to share the experience with our moms, and it was so nice to be able to see them watch their first grandchild move around.  I'm definitely happy to be reaching this half-way point in the pregnancy!

Married to a 12th Man

Adam & his sister, Ashley, at the Seahawk v. Saints game

Adam is a huge Seattle sports fan and was beyond thrilled to watch Marshawn Lynch run 67 yards to score a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints this past weekend in Quest Field.  The fact that I 1) know who Marshawn Lynch is, 2) know that running 67 yards to score a touchdown is a big deal, and 3) watched it happen on TV at home and cheered while he was doing it says A LOT about how far our relationship has come.  And by "our relationship" I mean "my relationship with the Seattle Seahawks."  It's no secret that the subject of football (and sports in general) is a contentious one in our household.  You see, when Adam and I were dating I knew he liked the Mariners and the Seahawks, but I don't recall ever having to endure so many endless conversations about who got traded where and how the defense is looking good this year.  With the exception of the 2006 Superbowl and the few t-shirts and baseball caps that Adam had, I didn't really feel like the Seahawks were part of our dating relationship.  But upon being married, we have spent three football seasons (and occasionally a portion of baseball season) negotiating the number of games that were appropriate for Adam to attend.  He would gently bring it up, and I would shoot it down.  Then he'd bring it up again, and I would shoot it down again.  He'd get excited texting with his buddies the latest sports news, and I would roll my eyes.  Watching two grown men talk about Ken Griffey Jr's comeback to the Mariners was like watching two women enthuse about the latest Louis Vuitton purse.  I was dumbfounded.

I am not a sports fan.  There.  I said it.  Some women are, and sometimes I wish I was one of those women.  But me?  I'd rather be getting a mani-pedi and watching a musical.  But my good friend Grace once shared some wonderful words of wisdom for me when I vented my jealousies about the Seahawks: "You can win the battle, but you can't win the war."  *Sigh*  She was right.  Yes, Adam would give in and go to the Container Store with me on a Sunday afternoon instead of going to the Seahawks bar in Culver City when our arguments ended up with me throwing a tantrum and declaring that he loved his team more than he loved me.  But the next Sunday would come around and we'd be at square one again.  So this year I caved.  Well, I like to think of it as compromising.  I waived my white flag (with a giant blue and lime green 12 on it) and ordered the NFL Sunday Ticket and watched every single football game with him.  I learned the rules, found players I liked, and continued to giggle like I was 12 every time the sportscaster would say something remotely dirty sounding.  I go to games with the promise of an endless supply of hot dogs and popcorn and good seats.  I own many a Seahawks and Mariners sweatshirt and our pugs even have sports gear.  While I wouldn't say I'm a football fan or sports fan by any means (I can only watch games where Seattle is playing), I realize that sports is more than just beer and cheering for Adam.  It's an experience he got to share with his father when he was young, and that means a lot to him.  And what means even more is that he'll get to share the experience with our children.

So I'm happy to say that this is what our marriage is about: give and take.  And I am especially excited for when we get to apply it to the many musicals I have lined up for us to watch!  I think I'll even get him a sweatshirt with RENT on it.  Or better yet, Mama Mia!

Pink or Blue?

We had another doctor's visit yesterday, and were so excited to see the baby again!  It felt like it had been forever since our last ultrasound, and we were really eager to see see how the baby was doing and even find out its sex.  I'm usually pretty elated and relieved after every appointment, but I felt especially warm and gooey after this one.  I think it's because our baby now has an identity and it just feels all that more real.  Here's the ultrasound picture (though it's not a very good one):

Our baby's best impression of a peanut.

We were mesmerized by its little movements while the doctor was checking its size (a little over 1/2 lb) and heartbeat (144 bpm).  We could even see the mouth moving and sucking and the little arms and legs twisting about.  We have a pretty good idea what we're having, but we'll be saving the big announcement for after the anatomy scan in two weeks to confirm the gender.

And just for fun, here are some old wives' tales about figuring out the gender of the child:

Highs and Lows: if you're carrying high, break out the pink. If your bump is low, you're carrying a boy.

Be Still My Beating Heart: According to legend, 140+ beats per minute indicates a girl, and below 140 a boy.

Sweet and Sour: Craving ice cream every single day? Some people believe this means it's a girl. If you have to have salty or sour stuff, then it's a boy.

Even and Odd: Legend has it that the Mayans determined a baby's sex by looking at the mother's age at conception and the year of conception. If both are even or odd, it's a girl. If one's even and one's odd, it's a boy

Spot On: If you're breaking out like crazy, blame it on your girl babe. The belief goes that girls steal their mother's beauty, hence, those annoying zits.

Queasy Does It: Sick as a dog during the first trimester -- or still? Signs indicate you're having a girl. Little or no morning sickness points to a boy.

So how do I score?  I'm carrying high(er), the fetal heartbeat at our last appointment was 144 bpm, I've been craving fruit, root beer, and boba tea drinks, I was 29 when I conceived in 2009, I have not had any  skin breakouts or irritation, and I was nauseous throughout my first trimester but I never threw up and it subsided right around the 14 week mark.  Any guesses on the gender of our baby??

Hormones + TV = Lots of Tears

As of my 16th into my 17th week, I started to feel the baby move inside of me.  The best way I can describe it is that it feels like bubbles popping.  I wasn't sure if it was fetal movement until my OB confirmed that the baby was indeed hanging out on my right side, where I've been feeling all the flutters.  It's been slight and random (usually in the evenings around dinner time), but it's nice to know that's what's going on in there.  It still amazes us that there is a little human being inside just doing its thing.  I can't express how humbling this experience has been for us.  Having lost our first baby, we definitely don't take any milestone for granted.  I was watching "Guiliana & Bill" on TV and found myself bawling at their struggle to conceive.  It's a very honest look at how difficult that journey can be, and how no matter how much you want to conceive, it doesn't always happen.  When they found out their second try at IVF failed, Bill talked about how they couldn't let that define them as a couple and how they already had so much in their life.  That really affected me and I hope that in our journey to have a family we remain constant in our greater purpose in life and faithful in the identities that God gave us as individuals and as a couple.  I truly believe that a child is a blessing and not an entitlement, and am so grateful for this little life inside of me.  That being said, I am sure I will rant about the pitfalls of pregnancy (I'm still learning to say goodbye to my boobs as they once were), but I know that ultimately this is a gift, and one that I hope I never take for granted.

Family, Friends, Food, and Fun!

After Christmas we drove up to our cabin to spend time with family and friends, get away from city life, and ring in the New Year.  It was great being able to host our loved ones!  It was just a glimpse into the many memories we will make there.  With the exception of a failed water pump and the 7 hour drive back through inclement weather, we had a wonderful time.  Here are some photos (with more to come):

Our moms enjoying the sunshine on the deck.

Mia lounging on the chair.

Remy taking in the views.

More Mia lounging.

Enjoying the short bit of sunshine outside, which made the 30 degree weather bearable.

Ashley & Remy: A match made in heaven.

Playing in the little bit of snow we got.

Happy New Year!

How quickly a year comes and goes.  The most notable change has definitely been our emotional state from this time last year.  Last January we were still mourning the loss of our first baby and looking forward to the possibilities of starting a family again in 2010.  Now as we start 2011, we are awaiting the arrival of our second baby in June.  So much will change this year and we are ready to embrace it all.  For Adam, work will take on new demands as the company will be expanding to a new facility.  For me, I am learning to accept the changes in my body as the baby continues to grow.  Now that I have more energy back, I'm definitely looking forward to prepare our home for the arrival of our little one.  As a couple, we are learning what it means to trust in God's grace and power.  A top priority is definitely to prepare our hearts to become stewards of this little life God is entrusting us with.  So some resolutions for us this year are: 

• Pray more and pray often.  It's really the only thing we have control over.
• Enjoy every moment of this year because time flies. 
• Learn to love in new ways as our roles change and redefine themselves.
• Remember to keep giving because we are constantly receiving so much.

We hope everyone is ushering the New Year with as much anticipation and hope as we all are.  Wishing you and yours lots of reasons to celebrate!!

Happy New Year!