Now I know why...

J wants to be a nurse instead of an opera singer! It's all about the "uniform"!

Case in point...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Okay, maybe that and helping people and having a work/life balance that enables him to sleep in the same bed every night. Not to mention the stability of a salary and benefits. But really? I think it's the clothes. Scrubs are almost as comfy as PJs. Opera costumes made of heavy upholstery fabrics, leather, tight collars, long capes and itchy tights? Not so much.

First Bump Photo

Well, here I am...in all of my early second trimester glory...17 weeks pregnant today:

I am rocking the glasses 24/7 now because my eyeballs are rejecting my contact lenses. My doc says it's normal since all of the increased fluid in a pregnant woman's body can also affect her eyes while she's pregnant but after the baby comes it goes back to where it was. I am still wearing some pre-pregnancy clothes (the capris in the photo above are not maternity pants) but each week I seem to be transitioning more and more into maternity wear.

Good thing I got some great deals on gently used maternity wear from eBay and last weekend at the Just Between Friends event. I picked up two pairs of jeans. a pair of black slacks for work and 3 work tops for $65! Once the weather cools off a bit I will definitely be sporting it all.

JBF was very cool...I got in early as a first-time mom and took my mom with me. The first hour I swore off all things "girlie" but by the end I broke down and did get some newborn and 0-3 outfits that are all girl. The prices were so good (many items were lots of 2-3 things for $4-$5) I figured if, by chance, it turns out that we're not having a girl (we should know for sure on 09.11.09) that I could always resell them at the next JBF event. I got the cutest little boots that look like pale pink Ugg Boots. What else?

A red snowsuit from the Gap (can be used for a girl or a boy and a must-have for our chilly February and March weather here); a Boppy Pillow; a My Brest Friend Pillow; a bunch of sheets and swaddlers; a Lionheart Wipes Warmer (still in the box); baby bath towels; lap pads (waterproof); five sleepers; and about eight one-piece daytime outfits. All for about $150! So I am set when it comes to the baby's newborn layette. No clothing needed until 3-6 months and beyond!

I also updated my Amazon registry...finally deciding upon a crib and matress. We're going with BabyMod Cadence 4-in-1 crib in Honey Oak and Colgate Classica I Foam Crib Mattress in White. Both are rated well for safety and fit our budget. Now the question is...do we order them soon? I chose Honey Oak for the crib since it matches some other furniture we already own that we're re-purposing for the nursery. What's super cool about the Amazon Registry is this Universal Wish Registry application that allows you to add any item, from any retail web site to you registry at Amazon! Too cool!

While researching baby gear, it also dawned on me that I would like a collection of books for our children that include our favorites but that also include some stories with characters/families that look like us (interracial). Sadly, there's not a ton out there! But I did find this:

Black, White, Just Right! by Marguerite W. Davol

I added it to our registry, along with some other books that I like. I want our kids to love books and reading and we plan to ready to them every night as part of their bedtime routine. We'll utilize the library too, but I would like a small collection of books that we own at home.

Ahijado turns one!

Where does the time ago? I can hardly believe our little godson is one year old! He's having a party in the backyard of his mommy and daddy's new home in Modesto, CA. We so wish we could be there! We have sent some fun toys for him to unwrap, but rather than presents, I wish we could be present.

Ah well...here are some photos from his big day!

We can still remember the day that our friends, Chris and Sandra, found out they were expecting. We were there when she bought the tests and then we all went back to their apartment and waited while she took the test! We remember seeing this little one on the ultrasound machine when they declared, "It's a boy!" Unfortunately, we moved just months before he was born, but we were on the phone, soaking up every detail. I visited just a month later. And in April, J got to meet him too. We miss him and his mommy and daddy very much, but are so glad they had a great day among family and friends. Feliz cumpleano!

Second Trimester Update

Whoa! Where does the time go? I am now approximately four months pregnant. And I am defnitely starting to look pregnant. I promise to post a bump pic soon since I have now, finally, located the USB cord for my camera! Now I just have to recharge the batteries! I also finally have a ton of photos from winter that I need to post too.

Let's see, where are we with all of this "preparing for baby" business?

We have started our registry at Amazon.com after pouring through the Baby Bargains book and dozens of review web sites. We've decided upon the major things that we need before baby comes...a bassinet (Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper in Cherry), car seat (Graco32 in Zurich with two bases, one for each car and the stroller frame), bath (Spa Baby European Style Tub aka Tummy Tub), baby carrier (Moby Wrap in Sienna), and swing/infant seat (Fisher Prices Zen Collection Cradle Swing).

We have researched cloth diapering and are pretty sure that we're going to go with unbleached Indian cotton prefolds, snappis and thirsties diaper covers.

My mom has already bought us some "gender netural" clothing on sale from consignment shops and off-price retailers like Ross and Marshalls. I am headed to Just Between Friends on Saturday evening here in Tulsa, but hope to hold off on buying more clothes until we know for sure whether it's a girl or a boy. We should find out on September 11. That's when I have my Level II Ultrasound scheduled. Just in time too...the Monday after that I am off to Scotland and England for a week! By the way, my bloodwork for the Triple Screen has come back and everything is good. YAY!

We are already looking into our daycare options, since we need a place for the Little Being during the days/times J is in school. We plan to visit St. Dunstan's Preschool next week. I hope we like it in person. It comes very highly reviewed, is conveniently located between our home and my work as well as J's school and work and they offer part-time care, which we want. We only need 1-2 days/week, at least to start. And their prices are right....so I am praying that this is the place for us!

From even before we got pregnant, we were considering hiring a doula to help us with labor. We've since nixed that idea, since the dozen or so local ones I've contacted are all unavailable for my due date. So, we've decided to go with the Bradley Method, i.e. "husband coached childbirth" and have hired a private instructor to come to our home for classes in November since we have such wacky schedules that never permit us to be able to attend the regularly scheduled classes in our area. Chris and Sandra, parents of our godson who will turn one on Friday, highly recommend the Bradley Method, so we're feeling pretty positive about it too.

J is actually excited about this and feels confident in his ability to work with my mom in coaching me through labor. My main concern is not heading to the hospital too early because we're panicking. So hopefully in the coming months we will feel more prepared on how to handle laboring at home. I am also reading Ina May Gaskin's "Guide to Childbirth" and it really makes me want a home birth. Maybe next time? By then J will be an R.N. so maybe it will something we'll feel more comfortable with doing.

Oh, and I have found a local photographer who has offered us a fantastic deal on a maternity shoot as well as newborn, 3, 6, 9 and 12 month sessions. Our first photo shoot will be in November...us (with my big belly) and our pugs too.

Whew! It's been a busy couple of weeks. It's like, all of the sudden, I've realized that we're going to be parents in 6 short months. So I have flown into major planning mode. And nesting mode! Sunday morning I scrubbed the kitchen floors until they sparkled, same with the stove and washed down all of the cabinets and appliances. Next, I'll tackle the bathroom. I guess my second trimester energy is kicking in. I still get tired, but am not exhausted like I was in the first trimester. And my nausea has all but gone away at night (I sometimes get a little queasy if I've stayed up too late).

So, life is good. J started school (books are SO expensive these days...sheesh!) and we're looking forward to the weather changing soon. It's been one hot summer! Our second wedding anniversary is at the end of next month, so we're starting to think of how we'd like to celebrate. Whew! Where does the time go?

A Peek at the Little Being 3.0

So yesterday was our third doctor's appointment and third ultrasound of the Little Being. It's always great to see and hear the life that I know is inside of me, but that I am not directly feeling quite yet. The doctor got a peek at the Little Being's bottom to determine the gender and she thinks we're having a girl. Because it wasn't a great angle, she had to make an educated guess.

We're hoping to have a better look next month when I have a Level II Ultrasound. We hope to know for sure if we're having a boy or girl after that. For now, we're just thrilled that BabyW is growing big and strong and all looks well. And we'll hold off on shopping for pink or blue until we know more.

The Well Traveled Fetus

I found out today I will be headed to Scotland and England next month for work. I will be over there for a week. This got me to thinking about our Little Being. What a well-traveled fetus! Auckland, Washington D.C., Detroit all before week 13 of gestation and now Glasgow, Birmingham, Reigate, Brighton and London plus Nashville in the Fall. All before he or she makes it to the big wide world. WOW! Here's hoping I do okay with this overseas trip now that I am into my second trimester. At least the international flight will be business class. Thank goodness!

First August Post

Well...since I only had two in July, I am already half way there for August, right? But seriously, I mean to be blogging more, but quite honestly, our life is very predictable right now. Sleep is my top priority and it seems I can never have enough! And then there's work...which right now means Saturdays a couple times of month for the next few months.

Last Saturday I worked and all was going well until late in the day when one of the committee members, who came in from out of town, started to feel ill. She got hot and her heart started racing. Long story short, we called 911 and the paramedics took her to the hospital to check her out. We finished our meeting a couple of hours later and I took the other two members to go see her at the hospital. She was still in the emergency room and hadn't much information for us at that point. The doc did say she'd have to stay the night for observation. So we flew into action, canceling her flight for the next morning and checking her out of her hotel room. I took the two others to get a bite to eat and pick up a sandwich for their comrade in the Emergency Room since she hadn't eaten for hours.

The next day (Sunday) the other two members flew back home to their respective cities and states and the one left in the hospital called me to say that she was being discharged, but that her friend was already en route to Tulsa. So I rebooked her a room at the hotel where our company has a contract, picked her up at the hospital and checked her into the hotel. Then we went to the Tulsa Airport to pick up her friend. They asked if we could swing by my office (which is National Headquarters for their organization) and I gave them a quick tour of the building. Finally, I dropped them at the hotel. Whew! Not the way I had planned to spend my weekend, but I was glad to have been there for her in her time of need. Turns out her episode was most likely stress coupled with lack of sleep, and too much caffeine! I am glad it wasn't worse. And I feel like it's good karma for when I am traveling in the coming months...God forbid anything should happen to me or the baby, but I would want someone local to be there to help me in my time of need too.

So I basically worked both Saturday and Sunday last week. So I took this past Friday off. Which was great. I caught up on sleep for sure! Thankfully, last Sunday morning, J and I were able to attend church for the first time in nearly a year. We're going to All Souls here in Tulsa and are really enjoying it. We plan to go again this Sunday. Since he's no longer working double shifts on the weekend, it is something that we can do together, consistently, which is great.

Speaking of J, he arrived home late Thursday evening (I picked him up around midnight Friday morning, actually) after being in Las Vegas with his folks since Tuesday. Unfortunately, his father was readmitted to the hospital just after his arrival and is still there. We think the docs have figure out what is going on, but it's still scary. He is now receiving dialysis five hours each day! J plans to go back in early October, after he completes his five week CNA course at TCC. Please keep J and his parents in your thoughts. It's been rough to have both his mother and father with failing health. If anything, it has motivated both of us to become as healthy as possible so that we aren't in the same situation 20-30 years from now.

What else is going on? We have an appointment with our OB/GYN on Thursday and will get another peek at the Little Being. Hopefully we'll get a good, clear pic to post! And I think I am starting to "pop." At least my pre-pregnancy chub is getting firmer and starting to look more like a baby bump. I am still in my pre-pregnancy clothes, but feel it's only a matter of time before I will be in my maternity wear. I've scored some great pieces for work of eBay!

I am also in the process of contacting a doula to help us when our Little Being decides to come. I hope that I can find someone we like. I am sure that we will...luckily Tulsa has some great options. Now, if they'd only start a diaper service!?!? We want to cloth diaper and since there's no diaper service here it will be DIY for us. Women have done it for years, so I know that I can too, but a diaper service would just make it so much easier. Ah well. We're committed to making cloth diapering work. So I've just started my research on it all. Wish me luck!