Baby Byrd Get's a Taste

I read something the other day that said our little boy was now drinking amniotic fluid preparing his body for the act of swallowing and digestion when he's born.  Apparently, what I eat flavors the amniotic fluid... I wonder if the foods I've been eating will be ones that he will like or hate when he's born...

I thought it would be interesting to make a list of what little Brady (our name of choice as of right now) has been getting a taste of these days:

• PBJ
• Babybel Cheeses (the yellow wax and red wax kind)
• Cheerios
• Bananas
• Vanilla Yogurt
  
• Noodles with butter
• Spaghetti with sauce 
• Pizza
• Egg salad
• Grapes
• Sunday Sundaes, Monday Sundaes, Tuesday Sundaes and Wednesday Sundaes (vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, cool whip and chocolate chips)
• Cereal
• Banana bread
  
• Lots of glasses of milk

It's a pretty odd mix of things... Kinda like what a 5 year old eats. 

Ups and downs

I feel like this pregnancy has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster... The highs are so high and the lows are pretty low...

Yesterday was a GREAT day!  I felt awesome all day and didn't take any meds.  I was in a completely upbeat and happy mood.  One of my colleagues even said to me, it's like we have the pre-pregnancy version of you back!  You're smiling, joking, etc... When I have days like that, I forget how bad it is to feel sick.  I think things like, I've finally turned the corner... There's no way I could go back to feeling sick after having such a good day.  Needless to say, I was feeling optimistic.

Well, this morning began like many others... I woke up at about 5am feeling hungry and reached for the box of Cheerios.  I munched for a bit, played on my iPhone and then went back to sleep until about 9.  Since I had eaten and was feeling so good, I felt like it was safe to get up and go to the bathroom.  After I did my business I realized that I had alot to do at work and instead of getting back in bed, I should get ready and go.  Well, as soon as I re-entered the bedroom that familiar feeling came back.  I ran for the ziplock bag and puked for a few minutes.  Once I was done I zipped up the bag and went about my day... I took a kytril, b6, had a bowl of cereal and went to work.  It's so much harder to get sick after feeling so good.  The physical toll of puking doesn't even really bother me anymore, it's the hopeless feeling that I'll never feel good again that's tough to deal with.  I went about the rest of my day feeling fine.  Got alot done at work and felt pretty good overall.

Should be interesting to see what tomorrow brings!

I had a dream...

Actually, it was more of a nightmare. I lost the baby... And not, I had a miscarriage, lost the baby... I gave birth, took the baby home (this baby was a girl, not a boy, and she was suuuuuper cute) and I fed her then fell asleep (in my dream). When I woke up (in my dream) the baby was gone. I had fallen asleep and lost her in the bed. But she wasn't in the bed or on the floor or anywhere. I was baffled... Where did this helpless newborn go? She couldn't crawl... I started ripping apart our bedroom and the baby just disappeared... I started to panic and then woke up! (for real)

What could this wackadoo dream mean?

There's no way out

Last night I did something I probably shouldn't have done... I decided to watch a woman give birth on my iPhone.  I have this Babycenter.com app that has videos embedded among daily tips and other news about changes happening to me and the baby...

I noticed a link to a woman giving birth after receiving an epidural and thought it may be a good idea to begin mentally preparing myself...  After all, I only have four more months until it's my turn...  The video started off with the woman in a lot of pain.. Then she gets the epidural and she's pretty happy, joking around, etc... Then, it's time to push... Then it gets ugly... I won't go into too much graphic detail, but it didn't look very nice and there was definitely tearing...

Typically, I'm the type of person who wants to know as much as possible before I experience anything... But all this video did was make me think about how there is no painless way out of my current situation. That's when I started to freak out a little bit... I can't wait to meet this little guy, but there's no way to do it without experiencing massive amounts of pain.  If you know me well, then you know I'm a total wuss about pain... I've shed tears over paper cuts.  How in the world am I going to get through this? 

There's really no good way out... A c-section means they put a knife to my belly and cut the baby out and move all my organs around, etc...Longer recovery time and I've heard it can be pretty painful post-surgery (and it requires a longer hospital stay - ick). And the natural route (obviously the preferred scenario) just seems like so much work... I mean, I'm so tired just thinking about it, I can only imagine how tired I will be after hours of contractions... And anything that ends with me needing to sit on a donut to be comfortable just sounds terrible.  Honestly, the whole thing just makes me want to cross my legs really tight and hold the baby in forever.

My husband keeps assuring me that it will be 24 really miserable hours but then it will be over and we'll have our little man... And I know he's right, but the whole thing freaks me out... I'm a problem solver and have been racking my brain to come up with a child birth scenario that will produce the least amount of physical pain (and damage) and I can't come up with anything...  I'm really out of my scope here... I know women do this every day... But they're not me!!!

Just want to feel good again

Now I'm officially 22 weeks.  My little boy is the size of a papaya or a spaghetti squash.  He's finally reached the 1 lb mark. 

I've been a little slow with the blogging this week because I've been so busy sleeping, looking for a new apartment, researching baby items / furniture and feeling sick.  Some of the positive highlights for the week include:

• Watching a Rangers game from a luxury box at MSG (all you can eat chicken fingers!).  And randomly bumping into my good friend K who ended up in the same luxury box (what are the odds?)  I swear NYC is so small sometimes... Though the Rangers lost in double overtime, it wasn't a total bust... My husband did get his pic with Adam Graves, after all.
• Having dinner with our friends J and A and baby H at City Hall in Tribeca.  Though the food was only mediocre, it's always nice to go out with another couple and have a relaxing dinner and just chat.  And I hadn't seen H in almost 2 weeks, which is the longest I had gone since he was born.  He changed so much in that short period of time, I couldn't believe it!

And with the high points came the inevitable low points:

• Morning puke sessions (2 to be exact)
• Uncontrollable, unrelenting heartburn, bloating and gas
• Poor sleep for two nights due to 1. baby throwing party in my uterus and 2. racking my brain for a way to reconfigure our current apartment to accommodate a baby so that we don't have to move and spend gazillions of dollars on more rent, a brokers fee and movers (NOT POSSIBLE)

Honestly, I just pretty overwhelmed by everything... There's alot of change going on and while it's fun stuff - new baby, new apartment - it's just alot to take in, especially when I just don't feel like myself.   I'm so freaking tired and eating is still such a battle for me... The fact that one of my favorite things on earth has become such a burden just kills me...This pregnancy has totally changed the way I feel about food and eating... I don't look forward to meals... I just try to figure out a way to get through them... My whole goal is to get rid of the hunger in the least painful way possible. I am just really frustrated... I'm in my 5th month and everyone keeps telling me "you should be feeling better."  Well, guess what, I'm not.  I'm trying my hardest to be positive and I definitely feel better than I was even a month ago, but I'm not myself and it sucks.  I just want to feel good again so I can enjoy all of these life changes...

On my mind...

I've got alot on my mind these days... It's mostly keeping up with work, preparing for the baby and thinking about moving in a few months when our lease is up... 

Since we registered I feel a bit relieved that I got something done... I now have one place that lists everything (just about) that I need for the baby... I know I mentioned this before, but my husband is really into the baby registry... Like, he's on it every day to see if someone has bought this yellow duck robe that he's obsessed with... It's pretty hilarious... He informed me the other day via instant messenger (while I was at work and had colleagues surrounding my computer) that someone had bought my nipple shields (something that he told me not even to put on the registry - who would buy my nipple shields???)  He was shocked that they were our first registry purchase (along with a ton of other boob related paraphernalia).  Another new "thing" hubby has adopted is using the term "bugaboo" (as in our stroller name) as a monetary term... So, this costs 1/2 a bugaboo or we're up 2 bugaboos in the market today... It's very cute.  I really like how into the baby stuff he is.  It makes it even more fun for me!

The next big thing we need to do is figure out baby furniture... I've been told to order it soon so that I get it in time for my little boy's arrival - only about four months to go!  The problem is that I can't decide what I like... I don't love furniture that looks very baby-ish or kiddie... The cutest furniture I've found is from Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn Kids (I only like 1 thing they have)... The only problem is that the NYC PB Kids doesn't have the one set I like on their floor and Restoration Hardware Baby and Child doesn't have any stores.  I hate the idea of ordering furniture without seeing it in person (especially when it is SO expensive!!)  Oh and ordering furniture when you don't know where you're going to live... that's also a bit challenging... but I gotta assume that wherever we move will have enough room for a crib and changing table.

So that brings me to my next project... Moving... We're going to be moving to a new apartment when I'm either 7 or 8 months pregnant (depending on if we can break our lease a bit early).  Looking for an apartment in NYC is quite possibly one of the most painful things I can think of... Especially when my husband and I are pretty picky.  We prefer a doorman, like new buildings, need a washer / dryer, etc... I've started doing some research, but the thing about moving in NYC is that inventory doesn't really become available until a month or so before you want to move, which makes things even more stressful... I've started scouted buildings so that we have some place to start, but just thinking about it completely overwhelms me... finding a place big enough for me, hubby and baby (and the many relatives we will have over at all times!)

I've also been thinking quite a bit about baby names... There are two that hubby and I like and are debating between - Brady and Zach.  It's been a fun topic of conversation with friends, family and colleagues... Everyone has a story or an idea about names... One of the brilliant design agencies that I work with actually added naming our baby boy to our weekly status update calls and they had their copywriters come up with a super long list of names for me to consider!  Pretty funny... I think I may need to pick up a baby naming book for some additional ideas, just to be sure we've done our due diligence.

Today was a work from home day.  I usually enjoy these quite a bit, but I didn't sleep well last night (my little boy likes to party in my belly) and I puked when I woke up, which is never a good way to start the day.  I'm feeling pretty grumpy... I'm hungry, but don't want anything to eat... I keep making things, eggs and toast... take a few bites, don't want it... Mac n cheese, same thing... I just want to feel good again.  My only consolation these days is that I have a pretty active little guy and I love feeling him move... It's like a private party, just for two, me and him... Nobody else is invited.

Big Hopes

I had big hopes for today... I wanted to run a bunch of errands, go shopping, take care of baby furniture, etc... Well, that was before my crappy night sleep.  I slept about 6 hours in total and have been pretty exhausted all day.  I tried falling back asleep but nothing would work.  On top of that, we pretty much ran out of groceries so I just munched on cheerios all morning.  After my husband went to the gym we got ready to start our day.  Despite being exhausted, I wanted to get something accomplished today, especially because it was a beautiful day outside.  We set off on our errands and decided to go out for lunch first. 

Man, what a windy (but nice day).  As we walked across town (probably a little too quickly because we were both hungry), that familiar feeling came back... nausea... Uh oh, I'm gonna puke.  We "pull over" on 57th street and I start booting... It was pretty gross with the wind... it was flying everywhere!  How embarassing!  My hubby ran into the Morton Williams supermarket and stole a shopping bag so that I could salvage a bit of dignity and not just puke directly on the street.  People were looking at me like I was nuts and my husband was explaining... she's pregnant, she's pregnant... everything's ok... After I got the offending stomach acid out of my system we carried on to our lunch destination where I had a tuna melt and started to feel better.  Our next stop was Elizabeth Arden to meet up with my dad who was going to join us on a bunch of our errands.  We then moved on to Destination Maternity where I returned some too long leggings and tried to pick up some additional clothes with no luck - nothing fit... My dad and hubby were troopers... We were in the store for a while and they were patient.  Luckily Destination Maternity has a section for men that includes a TV, computers, etc... It's pretty convenient for the ladies.

My ambitious plans were pretty much destroyed... After Destination Maternity we went home... I didn't get to buy baby furniture, new shoes for my now wider feet, or anything... Instead, I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up my registry, making changes to it, reading online reviews of things that looked good in the store but I knew nothing about... I also started a new registry on diapers.com... I like that they offer free shipping and I will get a 10% completion discount once the baby is born... that should come in handy when I realize all the additional things I need once the baby is actually born...  Having them delivered (for free) to our apartment (with a 10% discount) will be much easier than running out with a newborn! The diapers.com registry has a lot of duplicate items from my Buy Buy Baby registry and also some additional things that Buy Buy Baby didn't have... I just figured it was good to have more than one store option to add things...

Now I'm just completely exhausted and counting the minutes until it's respectable to go to bed... 8 or 9pm should do...

Registering for Baby

Since learning that we're having a boy I've been very focused on making plans for our little one to arrive! Yesterday the hubby and I visited Buy Buy Baby to create our registry. Getting my husband into a store is not an easy thing (unless we're shopping for clothes for him). His usual mentality is get in and get out as quickly as possible where I like to make sure I've surveyed every option available prior to making a decision.

We arrive at BBB and go directly to the registry sign up where we fill out some paperwork, are given a scanner and we begin by tackling the most important and big ticket items first (my thinking is that if that's all we get done today, then I'm happy). We head down a flight of stairs and my head begins to spin!!! Holy cow there is so much baby stuff! Since I know that the only thing you are legally bound to have is a car seat we head to those first.

We start perusing... Graco, Peg Perego, Maxi Cosi, Chicco... They all look the same besides subtle fabric differences. I begin feeling the padding and feel completely overwhelmed. I see a nice Chicco one, remember A has it and think... Perfect, done. Hubby is controlling the gun so I tell him to zap. He's looking at the Peg Perego and thinks it looks sturdier... I tell him to zap both and I will check Consumer Reports to see which is the safest. (before heading to BBB I went to Borders to check out Consumer Reports and the store only had a book from 2009! I decided not to waste my time! I was looking at 2011 merchandise after all).

Next we head to the stroller section and we're completely lost.  Luckily there was a nice lady doing stroller demos in the store so we watched her for quite a while and then realized we were silly for picking a car seat first... You pick the stroller first (our baby's primary mode of transport) and then pick a compatible car seat that can snap in for cab travel... So we deleted our first scanned selections from the registry wand and watched intently as a nice girl named Katie provided details on all the different stroller functionalities.  We narrowed it down to two strollers pretty quickly - the Uppa Baby Vista and the Bugaboo Cameleon.  We test drove both... pretty similar, though the Bugaboos ride was definitely smoother and it had a smaller footprint.  The Vista, though, had a few more bells and whistles, could handle babies for a longer period of time (greater weight limit) and was a bit cheaper.  The deciding factor for us was the stroller breakdown.  Given that we live in a tiny NYC apartment I was hoping to avoid buying two strollers to start (one main stroller for long walks and then a travel stroller for ease getting in and out of cabs / subway, etc...)  I figured when the kid reached six months we would buy a tiny, collapsible umbrella stroller, but for now I wanted one stroller that could handle a bassinet, toddler seat AND take a car seat.  Hubby and I hung around the stroller department for quite a while, snapping in all the different pieces and practicing breakdown of both the Vista and the Cameleon.  We found the Cameleon much easier to break down then the Vista, so that pretty much sealed the deal for us despite the hefty price tag (but we figured, we don't have a car, so if this is the primary mode of baby transport, we may as well spring for it).  We picked out our color scheme (grey / black), then headed back to the car seats to see which were compatible with the Bugaboo.  Our options were Maxi Cosi, Peg Perego and Graco.  We decided to go with the lightest (and apparently most popular), the Graco Snugride.  We zapped it, registered for its coordinating stroller adaptor and we had finally made some headway.

Honestly, at this point we were both pretty beat, but we had to keep going.  Next we registered for a baby bjorn.  We went with a mesh one since I remember carrying my nephew around last summer and sweating my ass off!  Apparently the mesh is more breathable and lightweight.  The we moved on to crib bedding.  I had pretty much already fallen in love (via the internet) with the Dwell studio Gio Aqua Crib Set and we wanted to go with that.  They didn't have any of the sets available (I think it's sold out everywhere right now) so I just made a mental note to add to the registry when I returned home.  I'm very confused by the bedding sets.  EVERY SINGLE ONE comes with a bumper, fitted sheet, crib skirt and blanket.  I've read mixed things regarding the bumper... Some sites (not many) say they are dangerous and can lead to suffocation and others say that as long as they're tied to the crib properly, it should be fine.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about it and decide to talk to a pediatrician before making any decisions.  I mean, I want a cute nursery, but not at the expense of my kiddies safety.

Then we moved on to bouncers / soothers and we just zapped the Mamaroo... I heard it was a good one from another friend and decided to just go with it... I could always change the registry later. It has a huge white base, which I'm not a fan of, but if it soothes the baby, aesthetics don't matter!  There are more cost effective bouncers out there that are a bit smaller, I may add one of those to the registry later on once I've done more research.  My patience for shopping was starting to wear thin so we just picked a Chicco high chair and moved on.

Before heading upstairs to finish up our registering, we took a seat in the Dutailer gliders.  Man these things are ugly as sin, but they are so darn comfortable!  We're probably going to have to get one but we decide to tackle that on our next trip (and perhaps I can find some cuter ones!)

Upstairs we hit the bottle section first... I register for a Born Free set of bottles since they're recommended by A, her sister and seem to eliminate gas / colic.  I also select my Medela breast pump and assorted boob accessories... We pick some bibs and a bottle drying rack (do we even need this? can't we just use our dishwasher?? - must research this).  Then we start looking at baby baths... we pick one with a sling/hammock and some adorable hooded towels.  I think my hubby's favorite selection was a duck baby bathrobe (it's pretty darn cute).  We picked a couple of little toys, he selected his dude diaper bag and then we moved on to activity mats... I had a tough time with these... They are all so damn cute!  Do I want farm animals?  Garden theme?  I can't decide, so I register for two...

We are both completely exhausted at this point!  3.5 hours of registering has taken its toll.  We returned our zapper and got a nice goody bag from the store (with bottles, pacifiers, etc...). I must say, hubby was extremely into this shopping trip... Much more so then when we registered for the wedding.  I appreciated his dedication to finding the best options for our little boy.

Today we plan to tackle nursery furniture and I will begin to look for my diaper bag... This stuff is all tons of fun, but it will be nice once everything is registered for!  I'm just so happy I'm well enough that I can actually begin to enjoy part of this pregnancy.  I'm by no means at 100%, but I'm feeling much better every day.  My only gripe is that I've been having a much harder time sleeping than I ever did.  I wake up starving in the middle of the night and am up for a few hours.  Is baby preparing me for his arrival?  If so, I don't appreciate it!  Now is my chance to sleep!  The only consolation is that hubby is a bad sleeper and he's usually up at the same time... so we just kinda hang until we fall back asleep.

That's all for now!

Feeling Pretty Good

I gotta admit... On the whole, I'm feeling MUCH better than I was.  It's pretty awesome actually.  I'm still taking the meds sometimes (this morn) but it's amazing how much I enjoy not feeling puke sick every day, all day.  It makes me really appreciate my overall good health, something I've never really done before.   Being sick all the time for so many months was really isolating.  I didn't see friends, wasn't very social and it just completely sucked to prefer sleeping over anything else... I've always liked staying busy and running around so it was pretty defeating to always be tired and only feel good while sleeping!  Anyways, enough of that... I am thinking (hoping) that those days are behind me!

So, I'm having a little boy... I'm getting used to the idea.  One thing about little boys, which is great, is how much they love their mamas!  It's a special bond that mothers and daughters just don't share and I'm looking forward to experiencing it.  I'm also looking forward to my weekend trip to go baby shopping!!!  Now that I have the sex, it's time to plan a nursery!  I'm approaching this similar to how I approach all other things... I've started with research... Looking online, reading reviews, checking consumer reports, printing out baby gear guides and highlighting the relevant parts, etc... And of course, I've started a folder (which may soon morph into a binder, we'll see...)  This weekend I will visit the NYC baby mecca, Buy Buy Baby and start my registry.  Registering is so much fun... I loved it when we did it for our wedding and I'm sure I will love it just as much this time (especially because baby things are just so darn cute).  I've also been told that I should order my nursery furniture asap because of how long this stuff takes to come in (and I guess I will not be wanting to prep a nursery when I'm huge and uncomfortable in the heat of the summer).  So much to do, so little time.

One thing I'm taking full advantage of these days is sleeping... I sleep about 10-12 hours per night AND I nap... It's like I'm storing up my zzzz's for the winter (when the baby is born).  Sleeping just feels so darn good these days!!

That's really all that's happening here... Since I'm feeling so good, I'm working more, which is nice... I am feeling a bit more like myself (albeit a rounder version).

My Little Tripod Has Taught Me My First Lesson

I gotta admit, I'm still in shock that we're having a boy!  Which is crazy... I knew there was a 50/50 chance but thanks to all of the old wives tales (which I'm now convinced are TOTAL bullshit), I was really convinced it was a girl.  I want it to be clear though, that I am just as happy to know it's a boy as a girl... I actually don't know any little girls (everyone around me has adorable little boys!)

You may be thinking... Well, you don't sound that happy... But to be honest, I think it's because imagining a girl was much easier for me.  I know girls.  I am a girl.  They are quiet and contemplative, mature, love to read and play quietly, etc... (Once they hit puberty, forget it, they're a nightmare... but my mind didn't go there yet).  I guess I always envisioned my kid to be a mini version of me (especially since it's growing in my belly)... What does a mini boy version of me look like? Yikes! 

I think this is a good lesson for me to be learning before I can do any damage to the kid!  My assumption that my kid would be a mini version of me goes against everything I already know... I'm not a mini version of either of my parents... I'm a delightful combination of their best and worst qualities... And yes, I bear a resemblance to them, but I am by no means a spitting image of either.  What in the world would make me think that my little one would be this mini version of me??? It's kind of odd... My rational side knows much better than that... Also, there are some things about me that I would "prefer" not to pass on to my progeny and there are many of my husband's qualities that I would definitely want our little one to possess.  So, all in all, I guess I hadn't really thought this all through... I just had this weirdo fantasy that our kids would be little versions of me and we would all live happily ever after! 

I think my husband is pretty thrilled that our first born will be a boy.  I could be wrong, and I know he's just happy that the baby is healthy, but I'm guessing he feels much more connected to this pregnancy now than before - it's more real... In the same way that I "get" girls... I can imagine it's much easier for him to imagine a little boy... This makes me really happy because all in all I think the fathers-to-be can feel pretty left out during pregnancy... I mean, the baby is with me at all times... I can feel the baby (he can't, for now) and he can escape to his pre-pregnancy life (going out with his friends for a night and boozing, etc...) while I can't (too tired, can't drink, etc...). Now while the fetus and I are running around living my life he can imagine his life with his little boy once he's born - going to Giant's games, buying him his first pair of hockey skates, etc... I think that's all pretty cool.

Before I bring this entry to a close I want to bring up one final point... alot of people have been saying things to me like, I knew it (about the baby being a boy)!!! BULL!  You didn't know it any better than I did!  You guessed right and I guessed wrong.  Yeah, I said it.

It's a...

BOY!!!! And he's healthy! I really thought it was a girl!!!  I'm kinda shocked but incredibly excited that I can now refer to my little one as a "he" instead of an "it."

Fetus Porn: Definitely a boy!!!

 
The day started off pretty rocky... I didn't sleep well.  Woke up at 1am starving and munched on cheerios for a few hours.  Then I couldn't fall back to sleep until 4am!! I slept until about 8 and then got up and puked.  I had a feeling it was going to happen today... Morning sickness / nerves  / excitement don't mix!

After eating a pop tart, some pineapple and a babybel we were off to the hospital. I was not in good spirits... super tired and cranky.

We met up with our mom's at the hospital and sat in the waiting room until they called me in.  We went into the exam room and they propped me up on the table and covered my belly with warm gel.  Our ultrasound tech first asked if we wanted to know the sex, to which I said, hell yes!  An image starts to come into view and I begin by asking - Is that the arm???  And she says, no, that's the penis.  My mouth drops to the floor... We all start howling with laughter (to the point where nurses came by and told us to be quiet!)  I'm completely shocked... I never anticipated that there was a little baby penis growing inside of me... That just sounds so sci fi!  I also wasn't really expecting to learn the sex so early on in the scan.

We also quickly learned that HE is 12 oz which is totally healthy for his age.  My husband quickly says, that's the size of a beer... Our technician points out ... only a can of beer.   Our little Bud! 

The next hour was spent literally examining our little guy from head to toe... Brain, heart, stomach, spine, arms, legs, you name it... we saw it... They took over 75 images for the doctor to examine!  And during the whole exam, he was moving around, rubbing his eyes, opening his mouth, clapping his hands together.  It was very cool to see him so animated. He was very shy about showing us his face and our tech was awesome and tried really really hard to make it happen for us (and because she needed some measurements).  At one point she even turned the machine onto its 4-D setting (which she wasn't supposed to do) and those images were REALLY COOL... you could see everything!!  By the third try she was able to get a profile pic so we could see our little man.  He's very handsome...  has a tiny nose and what looks like big eyes (like his mama!)  His arms and legs are so cute and tiny (and now I have a visual of what's poking and kicking when it comes to all of that movement I've been feeling).

After the tech was finished, the doctor came in and examined everything one last time giving Baby Boy Byrd a clean bill of health.  What a a relief!  We sent our mom's back to NJ, the hubby went off to work and I went home to share the good news with our loved ones.  I planned to take a nap but spent the next few hours scanning ultrasound photos and talking to assorted friends and family.

Next up, I had my monthly OB appointment... It was pretty uneventful!  Pretty much the usual... I peed in a cup, had my BP taken (good) and was weighed (gained 6lbs, which is right on track).  The doctor said that most of the major tests are behind me, which I can't believe... Up until now it's been like holding my breath in between tests, but I guess now I can relax a little bit!  My appointment for next month is going to be a little harder than usual... I'll be doing the glucose test which means I can't eat from midnight onward... Then I have to go into her office, get blood drawn, drink something and then sit there for two hours to see what happens (or something like that)... Sounds pretty crappy given that when I don't eat I feel so sick, but hopefully in a month that won't be the case!!!

After the OB I crashed... It was alot of excitement for one day and I am completely exhausted!!  I was hoping to get a little baby shopping in today but the best I could do was a little online shopping.  Baby Boy Byrd Greene got his first pair of booties today!!! 

Baby Byrd Greene's First Pair of Hockey Skates

Milestones

This weekend I reached two big milestones!  First, the half-way point in my pregnancy!  I'm officially 20 weeks!!!  AND, it's been a whole week since I last puked (granted, I've taken meds three or four days this week, but still)...

It's been a pretty eventful weekend too.  It feels like a treat to be able to leave the apartment after being cooped up for so many months!  And it's especially nice since the NYC weather is getting much warmer.  I spent yesterday walking around the city with my friend K.  First, we checked out this baby store on the UWS called Giggle.  I was expecting it to be much bigger and similar to a Buy Buy Baby and was disappointed to see how small it was and the limited selection.  I was thinking I may want to register there, but after seeing the tiny store I decided against it.  We traveled all over the city, grabbing a bite to eat, walking through central park, stopping at Destination Maternity to pick up some more staples for me and then I accompanied K to get her hair done (I really needed a rest from all the walking around, so sitting in the nice salon was a welcome break).  I also realized that my cute ballet flats did not fit nearly as well as they used to - swollen feet perhaps???  I was getting blisters and desperately needed to take a load off! 

After K left the salon looking fabulous, I hopped on the subway to meet my husband and two of our friends who had gathered in a bar after the NY Rangers victory over the NJ Devils.  It was nice to see our friends L and J, but it's tough (yet amusing) being the only sober one sometimes...  They had all been at the game and had put back quite a few by the time I arrived... Conversation was super entertaining... My hubby told me the same story five times and then this morning told it to me again as if I'd never heard it before!  After chowing on some heartburn inducing bar food we went home where I chugged some Maalox and went to bed.

Today I didn't feel great in the morning so I took a kytril while I ate the french toast my hungover husband delivered to me in bed.  Then we went off to Hoboken for a visit with my dad and his wife.  My mother and father in law also joined us and we went for brunch at the W hotel.  We had a nice meal and then headed back to the city with my mother in law in tow.  She and my mom are joining us tomorrow for the anatomy scan.  Given that it's at 9am both mom's decided to spend the night in the city so that they wouldn't be late to the hospital.  We had a great dinner tonight at Ed's Chowder House and my little brother joined us.  We all debated whether it would be a boy or girl (the waiter guessed a boy)...

My long wait is finally coming to a close... I can't wait to see my little one tomorrow morning and make sure he or she is healthy and developing on track!

Wish me luck!

Do you think the baby would want to know?

Lying in bed this morning eating my cheerios to stave off the nausea I thought I felt the baby moving around. I couldn't quite tell... Is it the baby or just some gas bubbles?

In a few years I wonder how the baby will feel when I tell him or her that I couldn't tell the difference between it and a fart?

My own private cirque de soleil

I must admit... After my fall earlier in the week I was a little bit worried that I could have injured Baby Byrd.  I didn't really share these concerns with anyone but Poppa Byrd and he assured me that the baby was fine.  I also googled "falling while pregnant" and all sorts of similar things and everything I read confirmed that if the mother wasn't seriously injured, the baby was probably ok.  It has a protective sack and all that.

And besides being a pain in my ass (remember, I fell on my tailbone), I'm ok.  It hurts a little to walk but I think it's just bruising and will go away. 

I feel like the baby knew I was worried and he or she wanted to assure me that everything was ok... For the past 24 hours there has literally been an acrobatics show going on in my belly.  This baby is doing somersaults, cartwheels, I don't even know what... I just know that I have been feeling alot of movement and I like it... My biggest worry since becoming pregnant was that the baby was going to disappear.  It's great to have the constant reminder that he or she is still in there...

Now something else to consider... Last night my husband and I went to a NY Rangers hockey game.  The baby went nuts!  I don't know if it was the loud noise or what, but I felt alot going on in my tummy.  At first I started thinking... Oh, we have a little hockey fan on our hands... Perhaps this is a boy... then I started thinking... Well, mommy fell for a hockey guy, so perhaps we have a little girl who likes them too...

On Monday we'll know!!! :)

16 and Pregnant

Since becoming pregnant one thing I've noticed is that people on the street look at my belly first, then my face (similar to the way a well endowed female may experience guys looking at her boobs before her face).  This happens to me every day on my way to work.  People look at the belly, smile a bit, then look at the rest of me and I can tell they're not sure how to feel about it.

I look much younger than my 30 years.  When I get a manicure the ladies always ask me how old I am because they are shocked I'm married (as evidenced by the rings on my finger)... They think I'm 18.  I'm not complaining... This is definitely something I will appreciate as I get older...

Now let me paint the picture of me walking to work... Me and my 5ft of fury saunter down the street with my 18 year old baby face, belly in full view... Passersby see the belly and they start to smile... Then, they look at my face... She looks young, but ok... Then, they notice the backpack... That's when they start thinking, "Ohhhh, this poor young knocked up 16 year old..."  I can see the pity in their faces!  "What a tough life for her and her baby..." 

With shows like 16 and pregnant on TV, this reaction doesn't surprise me... I can't imagine being that young with a child (hence the reason I waited until 30 for my first).

I've been toying with the idea of getting a t-shirt made... "I'm 30, you can smile" and fine print could include, "And if you really must know, I have a good job and a loving husband.  Don't worry about me, I'm gonna be A-ok (besides my sore back, which is why I wear the hideously uncool backpack)!"

SURPRISE

On Monday we have our 20 week anatomy scan. First and foremost, the ultrasound is to examine the baby and see if he or she is healthy and developing properly. As part of the scan we will also likely learn the sex of the baby.  I have been met with mixed responses from people regarding my strong desire to learn the sex of the baby. People have responded with, "It's the ultimate surprise in life... Why would you want to ruin it??"

I do not understand this thinking. I will enjoy the surprise of this news very much on Monday! I mean, there's a 50/50 chance of it being a boy or girl, so how surprised can a person really be???  They tell me it's a monkey - THAT'S a surprise.

My feeling is just... Why not learn this news when I am clear minded and not dealing with a slew of other surprises?? I feel like labor and delivery are full of surprises (SURPRISE - your vagina is torn to bits, SURPRISE - your baby's head is shaped like a cone (for now), SURPRISE - you're now a parent and responsible for another human's well being!)  Also, being the organized planner that I am, knowing the sex I am able to plan a nursery / color scheme and finalize my name selection...

Also, something else to think about... Guess what would be the ultimate surprise??? If the ultrasound tech is wrong and then we get the biggest surprise of our lives in the delivery room!  Can't beat that!!  And yeah, I would have to return some things, but no big deal!

All in all, it's every couples choice to find out.  I'm just not sure I fully understand the "It's the ultimate surprise in life... Why would you want to ruin it??" argument.  A surprise is a surprise is a surprise, no matter when it happens.

Trial Run

Today was my good friend A's 30th birthday.  Her husband, J, put together an amazing day of surprises for her and he asked me to watch baby H while he pampered his wife.  They are both wonderful friends and I love H, so of course I said yes.  I was really happy to help and then J told me that he needed me to arrive at their apartment at 9:30am.  Ayiyi.  Even not pregnant, me arriving anywhere by 9:30am is tough... I've worked for myself for a few years and before then I always had bosses who were super flexible, so I've never been a morning person.

But for A, J and H, I'm gonna make it happen.  I made sure to shower at night and set my clothes out... I had one of those anxiety-ridden nights of sleep where I was terrified I wasn't going to wake up in time!  I woke up at 7am and decided it was time to start prepping for the day... I took my kytril and started my cheerio munch.  I lied in the bed for about an hour / hour and a half and then got up to get dressed and prep my snacks (banana, PBJ, red cheese wheel and choc chip banana bread).  A bowl of cereal later and I was feeling ok... Took the subway downtown and arrived in time to get a full baby briefing before A and J took off.  Phew!  I did it.  I did not ruin my friend's birthday!

A and J leave and baby H is sleeping soundly in his room... I think to myself... this isn't so bad... I'll just do some work.  I start to hear some murmurs... He doesn't sound like he's crying so perhaps he's just doing the baby coo thing... I let it go on for a few minutes and then decide I want to go see what's going on.  H is lying there and as soon as he sees me he smiles.  It's so cute!  I can do this... he's so sweet!!  I pick him up and I change his diaper... My first ever!!  It wasn't so bad... He didn't fuss or cry and it didn't even smell that bad... I wrapped one of his swaddle blankets around my face in case it was stinky and my nausea got the better of me, but it was really tolerable (I'd always heard that but didn't believe it). I cleaned up his junk, got him strapped into a new diaper and we were ready to start our day together.  I walked around holding him for a while and then put him on the play mat for tummy time.  It's crazy... this kid is a little over two months and he can already lift his head and look around... Great head control!  He lies there for a while and he's happy, sucking on his pacifier... then he starts to fuss a bit and I realize it's probably time for him to eat.  I go into the freezer and get one of the pre-labeled breast milk pouches, defrost it in the hot water and pour it in a bottle.  H made the most ridiculous faces while drinking this bottle.  He was euphoric... From his facial expressions you would have thought he was smoking a joint, not taking a bottle... His eyes were all googly and he was blissed out!  He also fell asleep at various points in the feeding... The coolest thing he did, though, was wrap his hand around the bottle like he was trying to hold it.  I'm thinking... he's too young to hold a bottle... but I decided to let go and see what happened... I was wrong... This little munchkin was holding his own bottle at 9 weeks.  I realized that I was pretty hungry while he was eating, so I mastered the art of feeding the baby with one hand while feeding myself a yogurt with the other... I assumed that at one point the baby would end up with a glob of yogurt on his face, but I was able to keep it clean.  YAY!

Once the bottle was finished I walked the baby around trying to get him to burp and then I put him back on his belly for more tummy time.  This kid loves to lie on his belly.  He promptly passed out and I decided I could get to work.  I'm on the phone with my colleague S when I hear the buzzer... I tell her to hold while I run to check the intercom.  Well, I probably shouldn't have run because my socks are no match for the slippery floor.  My legs and feet fly up in the air, cartoon style.  I go to grab a nearby table to brace my fall but instead I fall directly on my tailbone and take two glass candlesticks with me... Smash - glass everywhere... I'm lying on the floor.  I get up and get the intercom and let the UPS guy in, totally amazed that this all just happened.  There's glass all over the floor... I realize S is still on the line and just heard all of this... I run to the phone and tell her I have to call her back.  She's mildly freaked out.  The baby slept through this whole thing... I'm amazed.  I call my husband to tell him what happened, cry for about 2 minutes, call S back to tell her I'm alive and move back to the couch to lick my wounds.

I get some work done and then the baby wakes up. I decide it's time to go for a walk.  I grab the diaper bag, put a hat on H, stuff him in his Uppa Baby stroller and take off.  We walk all over Tribeca... It's a gorgeous day!  I can see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island... very cool.  H falls asleep in the carriage and we go to Whole Foods to get the babysitter some lunch.  He starts to fuss as soon as I get in line to pay for my food... It's kind of embarrassing because people start looking at you.  I'm trying everything... This baby loves motion so I start to move the carriage back and forth and he settles.  I take my lunch, walk towards battery park where I settle on a park bench and begin to munch.

After a little more walking I'm tired and decide it's time to go home and LITERALLY the second I pull up to the apartment building he starts to fuss... How does he know that the walk is over??? It's crazy!!  We squish into the elevator and H starts to really get agitated... I try walking him around, bouncing him, changing him, playing music and nothing works... I realize it's been about 3.5 hours since our last feeding so he's probably hungry again.  I decide to just put him down because he's not going to stop crying until he eats and I can prep another bottle much faster if he isn't slowing me down... He screams the entire time I'm prepping the bottle but I know there is nothing more I can do... I pick him up and he sucks the entire bottle down.  I burp him and then he goes back on the belly for tummy time where he just passes out.  It's amazing.  So easy!!  A few minutes later A and J arrive home from their day of fun and I'm a bit relieved.  I had no idea how tiring it would be to take care of a baby all day.  And he was really good!  There was just always something to do!  Eat, play, change diaper, etc... and again...

Today was good practice!  I have a new found respect for mom's... They do all of that and on no sleep!  I'm kind of excited that I still have 4.5 more months to sleep in preparation... that's a silver lining!  And on that note, good night!

Sunday Funday followed by Miserable Monday

I had a pretty great Sunday.  It was a beautiful day in NYC... almost 60 degrees and clear skies.  It was the type of day that reminds me why I chose to live in this great city.  The husband and I took a long walk on the Upper West Side and stopped at Shake Shack for lunch. If you've never been to Shake Shack, you're missing out... Danny Meyers makes damn fine burgers (and his cheese fries don't suck either!!)  The burger is perfect in every way - delicious, moist meat, a tasty and not overwhelming bun and fresh condiments (no soggy lettuce or orange tomatoes here).  And it isn't huge and nasty/icky so you don't feel gross after eating one.

After my Shackburger we went to The Museum of Natural History.  My husband works for a company that donates to all of the major museums in NYC which means that we get to go as often as we like, for free!!  It's a wonderful perk.  Museums can be overwhelming and expensive so it's nice to go often and not feel obligated to do the whole thing... We can just casually walk around, explore a floor and leave when we're ready. We're pretty predictable... we always do the same two floors... The one with the big blue whale and the dinosaurs.  Observing the exhibits on evolution was pretty fascinating given that I'm growing a little someone inside of me... Some of the images we saw actually resembled what the baby looked like during the early stages (when it had a tail and what not)... was kinda crazy!  After our two floors we decided to take off... Some of the other exhibits are super boring... I don't need to see a diaroma of New York wildlife... I grew up in jersey, it's pretty similar.

Next we walked south to Columbus Circle where we went to Whole Foods to stock up on food for the week.  I've been eating the same things over and over so it was time to introduce some new snacks into my repertoire (since I don't really eat meals, I just graze).  I bought some pistachios, salt and vinegar chips, yogurt covered pretzels, etc.. Was time to mix things up.  Then when we got home we baked a banana bread with chocolate chips - great snack for me!  After all of that activity I was so exhausted I pretty much just passed out. 

Today when I woke up I wasn't feeling too hot.  Nursed a box of cheerios in bed for a while (after my Saturday Luna Bar puke incident, I am taking a hiatus from them).  After an hour or so I still didn't feel great and I decided to work from home.  Today was one of those on and off days... Felt terrible, then ok, would eat, would feel great, would feel terrible, would have to lie down, would eat, would feel ok, and on and on and on.  One thing that did make me happy was remembering that I only have one more week before I get to see the baby again!!! That's exciting.  Can't wait for the 20 week sonogram!!

On a random note, I discovered that when I stand up these days, I can't really see my toes that well... it's kinda weird... they're slowly disappearing as my belly gets bigger.  

Tonight my doctor called to check up on me... I thought that was super nice.  When I spoke to her about two weeks ago, I was not doing well - puking, heartburn, you name the pregnancy symptom and I was afflicted by it... The call this evening was just to make sure that I was hanging in there.  It was an unexpected and nice surprise.  I really like her and thought that was considerate.

Well, since today wasn't so great, hopefully tomorrow will be better.  I have to be at work for a 10:30am meeting and I know it sounds pathetic, but that will be a struggle for me.  To prepare, I showered tonight and set out my clothes for tomorrow.  Now it's bed time.

Weekend discoveries

I think I've definitely started to feel the baby.  I've read for the past few weeks that "any day now" I would feel the first "flutters" of the baby moving around.  All the books and newsletters said that I may not even realize it's the baby the first few times it happens.  Well, they were right... The first time, a few nights ago, I wasn't totally sure if it was the baby or just my wackadoodle stomach playing tricks on me.  But now I'm pretty sure it's most definitely the baby.  It feels almost like popcorn popping and I only feel it every once in a while. It's pretty cool.  I can only really notice the flutters when I'm lying down and relaxing... I can't really feel it otherwise.  I like the reminder that he or she is still in there.  It's easy to forget when I'm puking and feeling terrible that there's a reason for it - I'm growing a baby!  Up until now I've just had to assume that the little one is still alive and well and it's hard to be patient and wait to hear the heartbeat at my monthly doctor appointments.

Also, I weighed myself today... I know I'm supposed to be gaining weight to support the pregnancy but it's still really hard to watch the numbers on the scale climb.  Based on the numbers, I think I'm totally on track from a weight gain perspective - adding weight at a healthy rate, but it still hurts to see those rising numbers and I wonder if I'll ever be able to lose it.  I had always planned on working out during my pregnancy and I have made it to the gym a few times, but I've been so sick and tired, I haven't been able to be as active as I'd hoped. 

This weekend I discovered that my husbands t-shirts fit me much better now than mine do.  Recently, whenever I put my sweats on and throw on a tee, I've noticed the tee only covers half my belly.  Not a good look.  So I dipped into hubbies tee stash and things are working out much better.

A week from tomorrow is our anatomy scan appointment. I CAN'T WAIT to see how much the baby has progressed since our last scan at 11.5 weeks.  I would imagine that the little one is going to be so much bigger!!  During this appointment we not only get to examine all of the baby's organs and assess his or her health but we also get to find out if it's a boy or girl (pending the cooperation of the fetus, of course).  I'm sooooo excited for this.  Hubby and I were talking about it this morning and I think we've finally settled on one boy name and one girl name that we both like!! Thank the lord.  We still have months to figure out names and make up our minds definitively, but I was getting worried that he and I would never agree on even one name... I would throw out a reasonable name selection and he would come back to me with something like, "What do you think about Randy Jackson?"  Ayiyi...

Well, yesterday was pretty sucky overall, so I'm thinking that today will be a good day... Getting sick really has turned into an every other day thing... One day I puke and feel terrible, the next day I'm ok...

My journey with the tomato - a love / hate relationship

When I was growing up I hated tomatoes.  I would take them off every sandwich and would specifically ask that they not be included in anything I ordered (that pulpy seed business just gets everywhere)!

As I grew up, I grew to love tomatoes.  Once I tasted delicious, red, luscious tomatoes and not the orange, unripe kind, it opened up my world.  This summer I was actually even in upstate NY and found myself in the farmers market admiring all of the different colored heirloom tomatoes.  Red, yellow, green, even purple!  I would slice them up, throw on a little fleur de sel and eat'em - yum!

I'm also a huge fan of tomato based sauces - delicious marinara, decadent bolognese... I love italian cooking and early on in my pregnancy, I was eating TONS of spaghetti and tomato sauce.  It was very disappointing to me when I entered my second trimester and encountered heartburn / indigestion after pizza and later had a pasta incident.  The doctor told me to lay off acidic foods and thus I had to stop eating tomato and tomato-based sauces. How sad!

Now lets talk about yesterday... it was a pretty good day!  I woke up, ate my luna bar and felt well enough to get out of bed without my kytril.  I showered and was ready to go to work in record time! I go to leave the apartment, open the front door and put my arm out to stop the door from hitting me so that I can reach down and pick up The Wall Street Journal that now arrives much later than my husband leaves for work.  Unfortunately, my pregnancy brain forgot to remind me that our building was painting the outside of our front door that morning, so I got paint all over my coat, hand, etc... awesome.  Thanks to the lovely painters and some smelly paint thinner we got my coat clean and I was off to work.   All in all, the work day went really well.  Had a bunch of productive meetings, got alot accomplished and at night my husband met me downtown where we had dinner at Bubbies in Tribeca with A, her husband J and little cutie H (who at 8 weeks, was very well behaved, just sleeping in his car seat or just looking around the whole time).  Wonderful start to the weekend!

Woke up this morning and started my typical ritual... reached for my Luna and started munching.  Played on my iPhone a bit and discovered on one of my many pregnancy tracker apps that at 19 weeks our baby is now the size of an heirloom tomato.  I'm thinking I LOVE heirloom tomatoes... It's gonna be a good day.  After lying in bed for a while I'm thinking I can get up and start the day... WRONG... The second I stand up my mouth fills with nasty, acidic puke... I reach for the Ziplock and the flood gates open.  Barf Barf Barf... And my hope is dashed...

I've always had a tumultuous relationship with the tomato and I guess the drama continues...

TOM TOM TOM

I have a new obsession... TOMS.  As you've read here, I've been a bit challenged in the wardrobe department since my belly grew in.  Well, something I have not yet touched on is footwear.  I really like cute shoes but comfort is also of paramount importance to me.  Living in NYC you are forced to deal with the elements every day which means you also need shoes that are tough and can withstand the crazy and unpredictable weather. 

Now that it's officially spring and we have had a few warm days I've had to assess my warm-ish weather shoe situation.  I'm thinking that flats are probably my best bet since my equilibrium is off a bit now and I'm a little more "middle-heavy." They're pretty comfortable and stylish... I typically prefer something with a slight heel because of my small stature, but flats seem to make the most sense given my travel and comfort needs.  I have two pairs of flats from last year and on the first semi-warm day I try them both on... They both seem to squeeze my feet a little bit more than I remember... I ignore the slight discomfort thinking, I've been in boots for so long, my feet aren't used to a snug fitting shoe... Well, by the end of the day, my tootsies are on fire.  I think my feet may have grown or expanded... Perhaps another pregnancy symptom?? 

Feeling ever so discouraged, I start digging through my closet for an answer and all of a sudden the sun comes out and the clouds part and I discover a pair of TOMS.  I put them on and think, I'll give this a try.  They're cute and definitely comfortable thanks to the support they provide (unlike most other flats).  Yes!!  I've found shoes that will get me through the next couple of months.  AND, on top of being functional and cute, the whole premise behind TOMS is that once you buy a pair, they donate a pair to a child in need.  That sounds like a wonderful, motherly thing, so I am quite pleased with my closet discovery... My PR / marketing brain starts going into overdrive and I really think they have an angle here to go after pregnant ladies...

What other flats:
Are wide enough to accommodate your expanding feet (and they stretch!) 
Are canvas, so machine washable (nice for when you puke on them)
Come in a variety of stylish colors and patterns
Are affordable (at $45)
Provide support and seem to be able to withstand the NYC streets
AND allow you to give back in an oh-so-motherly way because of their One to One shoe donation program

I dare you to find another shoe who can top that...