I saw my OBGYN today and she said I'm dilated to a one! My cervix is "effaced" 50% and feels "nice and soft". The baby's head is down... all things indicating my body is getting ready to birth this lil guy. I didn't mention to the doctor, but I had what probably was a contraction last night just before Jason got home. It felt like a cramp, stayed for several minutes, and didn't return when it went away.

The doctor said I'm a pretty easy-going person (she said I don't complain much); knows that I want to pre-labor at home, and she knows I'm not going to be one of 'those' women who show up and get sent home for false labor. Heh. She gave me the signs of what to look for; when to call the hospital; and she acknowledged that when I do show up, I'll no doubt be 'really' ready to birth. :) I do hope our lil guy comes sooner than later (don't all women?)... and I'm hoping my body's on course to do so.

We still haven't got the car seat yet; completed the hospital forms; washed any baby clothes; and we haven't packed our bags for the hospital...but we did purchase organic baby detergent and we do have a "starter set" of gDiapers, though it's no where near enough to even get us through a day or two. We're hoping to get some things done this weekend, though we do have a birthing class to attend Friday night and all day Saturday (offered via the hospital).

One day at a time...

our first shower

Today, Jason and I enjoyed our very first baby shower as parents-to-be. It was a lovely free-flowing event (think 'open house') hosted by his Mom and step-Dad (Karen and Joe) at their home. Truly lovely and enjoyable. We brought some of the gifts we've been given - clothes, shoes, burp cloths, gDiapers, receiving blankets, and toys to display as a "thank you" to our community. The hosts did away with traditional name tags and instead, guests got to choose from tags with baby-oriented themes like, "Cribs" or "Drool" or "Cupcake" or "Poopy" or "Stroller". Only one game was played - which was a lot of fun: upon choosing your name tag, you were given a mini-clothes pin along with instructions that you could not say the word, "baby" - or you would loose the clothes pin to the first person who caught you saying the forbidden word. The person with the most pins would be declared winner. I, of course, lost my nearly right away. But then I had fun flaunting the "baby" word when others could not. hehehe

There was also a poster board where people could offer their suggestions to give our baby his first name. I will post that list + an on-going list of suggestions (Grandpa Joe comes up with a new first name every week, it seems) for folks to chime in, if you'd like. :)

belly art

Chris Haberman, our friend and favorite local artist, painted my belly tonight. It was a lot of fun even if I couldn't see all of his work without a mirror!

Chris is a well-known and successful local artist who has seems to have continuous art showings around town. In addition to being a curator and muralist, he is first a poet and is releasing his third book of poetry this Thursday.

It is quite an honour to have his art on my belly - even if it's temporal (he used non-toxic, water-based ink pens).










This is a small portion of the painting I commissioned Chris to do for Jason as a surprise in 2006. It incorporates dozens of our love haikus. The painting hangs above our headboard in our bedroom.

a funny

Today I got to see a little friend who is all of seven years old. She gave me a little flower after our visit. Too sweet. Her Mom e-mailed to say that after seeing me, she went home and told her Dad, that she got to see me and my baby, and that my "privates have gotten really big." Too funny!

From the mouths of babes...

getting my waddle on

The last two times I was pushing a cart at the grocery store I realized that I was pushing the cart to sway in time to my waddle. Made me laugh.

biker dudes

On Thursday, Darwin, Jason's pop, came up from California with two friends to ride Trek Tri-Island with Jason and Katie this year. It's a 130 mile bike ride through the San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington (an annual benefit ride for the American Lung Association of the Northwest).

Friday night we had a lil BBQ for Darwin, his two friends, his sister, his niece and nephew, his Mom, ~and~ his ex-wife (Jason's mom), her hubster of 30+ years, and their daughter, Katie. Heh. Sounds a bit awkward, but Jason's parents get along swimmingly. We had a good time, with lots of laughs. An enjoyable evening. Yea!

At the BBQ, Jason's aunt informed me that the tightening I've been feeling in my tummy are actually Braxton Hicks contractions. Those are the "practice contractions" that occur towards the end of the seventh month of pregnancy. I had to laugh because my OBGYN has been asking me if I'm feeling the Braxton Hicks contractions yet, and I keep saying, "no". Well, it seems I've been feeling them over the past three weeks, but didn't know it! I've been feeling them more and more... several times a day. My body's getting ready to push this lil guy out. :)

The bike riders left the next morning after I cooked them up a yummy French toast / egg / bacon / OJ breakfast. I had the weekend to putz around the house, puppy-sit a friend's mini-daschi, canned plum jam, and prep salsa to can, run errands, do laundry (which Jason blessedly usually does), catch up on some e-mails, relax in the hot tub, and take power naps (love those!).

It was sure good to see the riders return last night. I enjoyed my time to putz around, but there's just nothing like having my "whimsy guy" (Jason) at my side.

Cheers to you all on this second day of autumn!

reality check

Today my friend Heather e-mailed Jason and I. She re-minded me that her son came when she was just 36 weeks pregnant. Today I'm in my 33rd week. It was a bit of a wake-up for Jason and I to realize that "Wow... our son could be here in three weeks time!"

While the "due date" is November 3rd, he can theoretically come anytime between 38 and 42 weeks. Needless to say, we're starting to feel like things need to be done to be prepared for the arrival if our baby: purchasing the car seat, get it properly installed, get the hospital bags packed, fill out the pre-admissions paperwork, etc.

It feels like there's still so much to do... all the clothes and blankets he's been given need to be laundered; the bassinet needs to be set up; diapers and bottles need to be purchased... my my my. I do believe the "nesting phase" is here!

All in time, right? :)

cousin Trish says...

I spoke with my cousin Trish this evening. She's a nurse for many years and is a long-time lactation specialist to boot. For years and years I've heard all the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding and just knew I would, should I choose to have a child.

One of the things she wanted to remind me of is that the women on my side of the family give birth really fast. After my mom gave birth to me, she recalled thinking, "That's it? What are all these women complaining about?" In the past few years, my cousin helped two younger cousins pre-labor at home and wanted to remind me to be sure to tell my labor nurse that there's a history of fast birthing in my family.

How fast? One cousin went to the hospital dilated to 4 cm and birthed in two hours; the other went to the hospital dilated at 6 cm and birthed within one hour. That's fast!

I'm holding the intention that the birth of my child will be the same. :)

organic baby fair adventures

Saturday morning we met up with another couple we met in our HypnoBirthing class to learn about baby-related things like: how to make your own baby food, baby sling styles (and how to wear), baby massage, etc. Besides the seminars and workshops, there were loads of vendors to talk to about doula or midwifery services, financial investments, pesticide-free parks in Portland, organic cotton clothes, toys, baby food, diapers, and more. We enjoyed our time there and ... bought our son his first baby booties, along with a matching outfit to wear home from the hospital (all organic cotton, very soft). That was a fun find. We also found what looks like the perfect swaddling cloths and even 'ergonomic' burping cloths (shaped to fit your shoulder) made from the same soft organic material.

The baby massage instructor (see first photo) asked me if I brought my baby. I patted my tummy and said, "yep".







Here's the "going home" outfit we found. We still need to find a top, but we have booties, a hat, pants (they are tiny!) and a sleeper.

just not ~this~ week!

Jason's been reading, on occasion, the horoscope ("Free Will Astrology") for our son, who seems like he's set to be a Scorpio. I saw his Free Will 'scope today and it made me laugh. He can come early... just not this week or the next couple!

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)
It's "Let It Go Week" Scorpio - also known as "Just Drop It" Week. This is a fertile moment in your astrological cycle, a time when you'll be rewarded with a creative influx if you surrender your tight grip, give up your obsessive hold, and stop clinging to your hardened expectations. So I urge you to summon your most brazen vigor and get yourself as completely unstuck as you dare. And please keep in mind that this should be relaxing fun, not a worrisome ordeal.

last hypnobirth class

Jason and I both find it fairly incredible that six weeks have passed since we first started our HypnoBirthing class! It's a little daunting as we realized our lil boy could be birthed within six weeks time... and how fast the time went. Wow.

According to the weekly pregnancy update Jason gets via e-mail (those are often a riot as they are addressed to him: "Jason - as this time in your pregnancy, your breasts may begin to feel tender and sore."), I'm at 33 weeks. Jason (who is well-read and knows these things) said the baby can come anytime between 38 and 42 weeks. We're getting a feeling of "better hurry up" and get prepped for this baby - just in case he decides to come 'early'. We figure it'd be wise to get the car seat installed (thank you Grandpa Darwin and Grandma Lisa!) and get a few bags packed and put in the car, as well as getting the hospital's paperwork filled out so check-in will be smooth as silk.


Our last HypnoBirthing class was quite pleasant. Our instructor had a new (2nd time) mom talk to us about her birthing experiences - the first birth took place in San Fransisco, was a good 24 hours, and had every intervention possible with the baby being in ICU for the first 4 hours after being born. Inn contrast to her second birth which was about 6 hours, mostly labored at home, no intervention and delivered within one hour of checking in at the hospital. We got to ask her questions, which was most helpful. Her most recent birth was at the same hospital where I plan to birth - and her impressions were the same as what I've felt when I visited (including the attitude that the hospital really wants to please the mother and help her make her birthing experience the best possible).

On one hand, time seems to be moving quite slow... and on the other, it's moving so fast. I feel like I've been pregnant for a long time... and yet I know that it will be just a blip in the history of time we'll get to share with our son. Time and perception are amazing!

(Photo is me last night outside of class, modeling a new top Mom sent me.)

maalox is my friend

Oh thank goodness for maalox
I sing your praises oh makers of maalox
you helpeth me lay down to sleep
with tremendous esophagus
comfort I reap

our "Baby Wish List"

Hello lovely friends and family!

We finally have our "Baby Wish List" available to perusal, should you desire. We are in awe of how much our community has expressed their desire to spend time with our lil guy. It looks like we are well-covered for any date nights we may want... if we're able to pull ourselves away from him. *grin*

Here's the URL for the Baby Wish List: http://www.travelersjoy.com/members/gablebaby/

As it turns out, we've already been given lots of clothes, through size 3T and the collection of shoes he's been given is quite impressive. (The brown Ugg-like boots he's been given are flippin' adorable!)

road trippin'

Jason and I spent the weekend with my boss and his wife at their place near Sisters/Redmond, Oregon. What a perfect weekend. We attended the Redmond Swap Meet (very popular with the locals), and the annual Sisters Folk Festival (excellent music). The weather simply could not have been better. We sure enjoyed ourselves, and hope you had a lovely weekend too!













"Does this buggy make my butt look big?" *hahahaha* I couldn't resist posing with the antique buggy.











Overlooking the Crooked River.

"he's big, but he's within normal range"

- so declared Matt, the ultrasound technician, at the end of our appointment. In yesterday's post where I say I'm now in my seventh month, I quoted a magazine given to us by the hospital that reads, "...at the end of the seventh month, your growing baby weighs about three pounds and now measures about 11 inches long."

Well, it seems our little boy* is already just shy of five pounds (4 lbs, 14 oz). Hmmmm... Matt assured us he was within "normal range" and that I would in fact not be breaking any records for birthing the world's largest baby.

It was good to see our baby again. So much bigger this time. He didn't move a whole lot, but gave Matt a forceful shove at one point. Below are the three photos taken: two of his face, and one in profile.

* The magazine quoted below said his "testicles begin to descent from the abdomen" during the seventh month, but they are most certainly already ~there~!

Cheers!

Baby's face.


Baby's face (again).


Baby's profile.

i passed!!!

I "barely" didn't pass my initial gestational diabetes sensitivity test and so yesterday I went in for a three-hour long, four-needle poke (blood draw) to *really* test my body's reaction to sugar. Oh the fun! This morning I got a call with great news: I passed the test! Whoo hoo!

the last trimester!

Today marks my seventh month - the last trimester of my pregnancy. From here on out, it's all about growing the baby - he'll "nearly quadruple his weight-his brain is growing particularly fast...at the end of the seventh month, your growing baby weighs about three pounds and now measures about 11 inches long."

Other highlights: the baby will start to slowly open his eyelids and he's even growing eye lashes. Interestingly, his taste buds are "well developed, and he can respond to sweet and sour tastes by changing the expression on his face. (The amniotic fluid tastes slightly salty.) For a reason no one can explain, a fetus has many more taste buds than he'll need after delivery, and some of the taste buds disappear before birth."

He can make "grasping motions with his hands, and the hair on his scalp is growing longer." And... his "testicles begin to descent from the abdomen." Aren't you glad you know that?? Hahaha

Thursday we'll be heading in for an ultrasound to see the babe again. Stay tuned for photos and (eventually) video. We're excited to get this opportunity to see him again. :)

Love and Joy!

(source: American Baby, Vol 17, No.1, 2008)

my feet LOVE three-day weekends!

I've had my feet back for three days (including today) and it's soooo exciting! MY FEET... not the swollen, "whose feet are those?" feet that have been making their afternoon/nightly appearance. :)

I'm seeing my chiropractor twice a week for the swelling (and related issues) with my hands, and Jason is augmenting some of the same treatment (deep tissue massage on my fore-arms... ouch) on the days I don't see the chiropractor. I'll know tomorrow if my insurance will cover acupuncture to help treat the numbness and pain. Already the pain that's present in my right wrist is reduced. *happy dance*

Hooray for long weekends!

shhhh! don't wake Joe and Karen

My in-laws, (Grandpa) Joe, (Grandma) Karen, and (Auntie) Katie stopped in Babies R Us last night to test-drive some gliders with us. They look mighty comfy on those gliders! :)

(Shhhh.... Joe's still sound asleep. Poor guy... all tuckered out from his golf tournament.)

happy buddha bellies

Lee says he's having twins. :)