nursery update...

Before I unveil the continuing nursery project, I want to update you all on the status of the pregnancy. I went to the hospital on Friday to be monitored for fetal movement. All is good. He was moving around like a little champ. His heartbeat was strong, even during the practice contractions. The midwife used ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid, which was good, and to see how he was doing. Turns out, we have a thumb sucker on our hands! It was so amazing to see him sucking his thumb and sticking his tongue out. How cute is that! And again, the midwife assured me that he has a beautiful set of lips, without any sign of cleft lip...yes, I'm still on that. I had my 36 week visit yesterday which included a pelvic examine, I know, awesome, right? It is very awkward and uncomfortable. There are plenty of other things I can think of using my $10 co-pay for, trust me. However, there was a bit of exciting news: while my cervix is still closed, she was completely shocked at how low his head is and she even said there is no way I'm going to make it to my due date!!! I wanted to kiss her, which I didn't...but I did let her make it to 3rd base and even paid her $10 to do it!

So, the nursery is still a work in progress but at least now I have pictures to share. The color theme of the nursery is gray and yellow. I didn't want anything too babyish or classical nursery style, so you won't see any animals or cars. Its a pretty modern and sophisticated room...for a newborn. It took 12 hours, but the paint job is great.

Next came the rocking chair. I wanted this chic modern rocker, which was absolutely beautiful and cost every bit of $800. So I finally decided to go the completely opposite direction and buy a old bentwood rocker for $20. I wanted an older piece in the room just to balance things out and this was the perfect choice. We took a simple chair, sanded it, painted, and added cushions:

Next I decided I needed an ottoman, so that was my next project. So out came the sewing machine and this is what I got:                                                                                                                                               

 Finally, the bedding. Some parts are, lets just say, a little rustic. But over all, I'm happy with the result. Picking the fabric was the hardest part.



There's still a lot more to be done, but I'm so happy with the results, thus far. Stay tuned....

31 days and counting....

It seems like a lifetime ago that I shared the big news that I am having a baby. Now I have only 31 days until D-Day. The baby is looking healthy, and even better, small! Andrew and I both were small babies so it looks like our little guy is following the family tradition. He does, however, have a new name...well at least its been  narrowed down to two: Logan Asher Joseph Mack or Logan Asher Mack. Many of you may know that Logan is my maiden name and Joseph is a family name for the Partridge clan. So this way, Andrew and I both can honor our families.

I recently had a check up and everything looks good. I need to eat a bit more, but baby looks fine. I am having regular practice contracts. They pretty much feel like your stomach tightening into a rock. But currently there is no pain. I just feel like I have abs of steel every ten minutes. Starting next week I have graduated to weekly doctors visits.

The nursery is still very much a work in progress. In this coming week I will begin making the bedding. That's right, I said making the bedding. Its a bit ambitious and quite frankly, I'm freaking out! But who knows, it may be a master piece...or a piece of crap. Fingers crossed!

I do apologize for the lack of writing but "there's been a lot going on" or "I've been really busy", all of which is code for, I'm getting a divorce...8 months pregnant. I don't plan to discuss it any further on this blog, since this, in my opinion, is not the platform for such matters. But since this is a defining point in the pregnancy, and my life, I do think it is worthy of note. This is never how I imagined things and I'm just as shocked as everyone else that this is the path my life has gone. But apparently, we humans are very resilient, and while I currently feel like I'll never survive, I'm sure I'll be OK.

So, since we are down to the wire, I hope to keep you all updated...more than once every 12 weeks! I did have some pregnancy pictures taken and that turned out pretty good. Here's a small sample:

There are more, but lets just say they are a bit more intimate. But they are very very beautiful. And yes, my jeans are buttoned!

third trimester....

So its been a while, but I'm back. I have officially entered the 3rd trimester! That means only 12 weeks to go....I'm not ready!!! Our little man has a name now- Harwyn Asher Mack. And yes, we know his initials will be HAM. The name Harwyn came from an elderly man Andrew met. It means brave friend and has an English origin like parts of Andrew's family. I'm completely in love with the name Asher and have every intention of calling him Ash-unless of course he's being a brat, at which I will refer to him as Andrew's Spawn...I mean Harwyn Asher.

Finally he is big enough and the placenta is high enough so I can actually feel him moving around. For those of you who have never been pregnant, the baby kicking feels like massive gas bubbles or for you ladies, huge butterflies moving around your stomach. Often times it feels like a alien trying to escape. Sometimes it tickles and other times, when he kicks you just right, it'll send you running to the bathroom, but with in a second, that urgent, gotta go feeling is gone...but you'll probably still go to make sure that little kick didn't cause a little leak. Our little guy can now even be felt moving from the outside. In the evening, if I've been laying on one side for a bit, you can feel a bulge the size of a baseball on that side of my stomach where he has settled in and got comfy. And if I stand up pretty quickly from that position, one side of my stomach will stick out a tiny bit more then the other side. I'm actually really enjoy this because I feel like I can bond with him now. Its also helping me learn his daily routine, which involves a lot of naps. He even dreams! How cute is that?!

 A lot has changed since my last post, mostly my waistline. I seem to be expanding over my entire body. There is not one square inch of your body that is not effected at all by pregnancy, even your nose falls victim. My ideal nose has started to do this weird thing were it is swelling and spreading across my face. My cheeks look as though I've been hiding nuts away in them....I promise I haven't, however, peanut M&M's do sound divine right about now. I can clearly see the changes in my boobs and stomach, they're huge, but my face, well, lets just say I was blissfully unaware of the, "I just got stung by a Bee and I'm having a allergic reaction," look I've been sporting. It wasn't until I seen a picture and thought, " What's wrong with my face? That is a horrible angle." Then I looked at two more photos when shock, horror, and dizziness set in-its not the camera, the angle, or the lighting...its my face!! There is no preparing for that realization!

So the little guy who has taken my body captive isn't quite so little anymore. I had another ultrasound today and he is almost 3 lbs! He can blink his eyes now, which have been sealed shut up until recently. He is even growing eyelashes. And our little guy is getting chubby. Before he was growing longer and developing all his functioning parts, but now his job is to beef up, because we all love a fat little baby. So in the next 12 weeks we're gonna have a heavy weight....well, a little heavy weight 6lbs 8oz, fingers crossed (I'm not cut out to push out any 10 pounders), with an average size head. Our little man is busy, preparing for his big debut. He has been having intense practice sessions in breathing and swallowing. He practice breathes the amniotic fluid in and out so he'll be a pro when its time for his first breath. He's also been busy at work on learning how to suck and swallow food. Since his taste buds are up and running, when he swallows the amniotic fluid, he's getting a taste of my last meal...hope he likes pasta!

Weighing in at 2lbs 12oz, he is in the 54 percentile. So he is right on target. This is a big relief for us because about a month ago we found out the the location where the umbilical cord is attach to the placenta, is in the wrong spot. Instead of being dead center, (on the placenta, not the baby, his belly button will be in the right spot) the umbilical cord is attached at the very edge of the placenta. This can cause the baby to receive less nutrients, causing low birth weight. But for now, he looks good.

So that is the latest with us. Later this week I'll post some pictures on the progress of our nursery and maybe a photo of my exploding stomach.

week 21...

Sorry, I've been on hiatus, but I'm back. Today I am officially 21 weeks along. We are past the halfway point! I am really showing now, which is exciting and hard to adjust to all at the same time. Its very strange for someone to ask if you are expecting, because they are pretty much saying, " Wow, your stomach is huge!" Before this moment, that has always been a massive insult, so I have to change gears and just enjoy it. The first time someone asked I felt my jaw drop to the floor. What did this lady just ask me....oh wait, I am pregnant. Let me pull my jacket back so I can flaunt it in her face. Why yes, yes I am, expecting, feel free to bask in my radiating glow.

Thankfully, I can still fit all of  my clothing. However, depending on the jeans I'm wearing I do have to do some adjusting. For example, last weekend after going out to dinner, before I went to the movie theater, I took my belt off....it gets worse. As soon as the lights dimmed in the theater, I unbuttoned my pants! I felt like an old man, but it was so nice to be able to breathe. I almost bought my first maternity item, but I just wasn't ready for that yet. So I carefully placed the item back on the rack and ran the other direction. But I'm pretty sure in the next week or two I'll be purchasing a belly band ( its kind of like a tube top, but it only goes around your waist to either cover the fact that your pants don't zip, hold up maternity pants that are still a bit too big, or to hold up your maternity pants post delivery).

So last Friday we had our big 20 week ultrasound. To prep, you have to drink 32oz of water, so that the tech can see you cervix. On paper that sounds fine, but when you already have a weak little bladder like me, this is a major feat. When I drink water it goes right through me, usually in 6 minute intervals so I have to run to the bathroom every 6 minutes. Its quite the inconvenience. Not to mention having a small child sitting on and kicking my bladder. But imagine me having to hold it for over an hour, it was a nightmare. When she said I could finally go, I was praying, literally, not to wet myself. I did quite the little dance in the bathroom while trying to unbutton my pants....I hope they don't have cameras in there.

So from what they can tell from the ultrasound, our little baby is healthy. And everyone can have a sigh of relief, it looks like our baby probably does not have cleft lip or spinal bifida. Those were a couple of the defects that were keeping me up at night, even though no one in either of our families has those disorders. I'm a worrier, what can I say? And guess what? We are having a little baby boy! A boy, I knew it! I guess that maternal instinct is kicking in already. During the ultrasound, there was absolutely no mistaking it was a boy. I was kind of hoping for a girl, but I'm thrilled to be having a boy. I can't wait for that "mother-son" relationship. Andrew, watch out, there's a new man in town!

Here are a few pictures taken during the ultrasound. Enjoy!

This is a view of his little face. It looks like a skull, which is creepy, but I guess that's what it should look like.

This is his cute little profile.

He is all boy!

Seriously?!?....

I don't know if I should cheer or vomit. Brace yourselves, Forever 21 sells maternity cloths! For those or you who don't know, Forever 21 is a very cheap (cheap in price and in quality) clothing store for teens and 20 somethings. If I'm in a jam or going for a certain look, one that might not be fashionable the next week, I'm not embarrassed to say I'll run through this store. I've actually found some pretty cute tops, but of course, they disintegrated in the wash, but thats Ok cause they usually only cost $10 anyway.

This store is made for teens though. I find it a little nauseating that a teen store is selling maternity clothing. Its sad that businesses have found a new, target customer, teen moms. But at the same time, now I can buy really cheap, but still cute clothing to fit my growing belly. So I guess I'm capitalizing on teen moms too. So I guess I'll cheer, yay!

18 weeks....

I'm so sorry to say, well, not really, but the 2nd trimester is not nearly as entertaining as the 1st. As I mentioned last time, I've got my body back!! The only symptoms I'm having now are congestion and swollen gums. Pregnancy is such a strange thing. I used to watch "I Didn't Know I was Pregnant," and I thought pregnancy was more of a state of mind than anything else. For those women, they never really had any symptoms, they only gained 10lbs at the most, and labor only felt like you need to have your appendix out. All of that, to me, means pregnancy equals cake walk. And if you are in the right state of mind you don't really experience the trials and discomforts of it. Well, I can say, from experience, pregnancy is not a state of mind! It effects, not just your lady bits, but your ENTIRE body. Literally, from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes, pregnancy infest. However, in certain areas, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. My hair is absolutely fabulous. And my boobs? Amazing!! Unfortunately, those are most of the perks, the rest is bad, bad, bad.

 As I mentioned, my gums are swollen. In the 2nd trimester those hormones that make you congested are working their magic on your mouth. It causes your gums to swell and bleed. Awesome. Even better is the fact that now I'm more susceptible to plaque and bacteria which may lead to tooth decay. So while I have luscious locks and an amazing rack, I might not have any teeth. Thanks baby! I remember my mom would say that she used to wear a smaller shoe size and she would blame pregnancy for her larger foot. I pretty much thought my mom was insane. Really, having kids makes your feet bigger too? Really, we're saying that? Really?! Well, turns out she's right. When you're preggo, your hormones are nuts, completely insane, thus the uncontrollable rage and then the uncontrollable sobbing. Well now, let me introduce you to Relaxin. This hormone loosens joints and ligaments so your pelvis and hips widen to fit a baby. Sadly, this hormone isn't reduced to just your hips, which is bad enough, but it spreads all over your body, feet included. Some women gain a full shoe size! After birth everything tightens up again, but for some, their extra large feet are here to stay. Sad, scary, but true. Fortunately for me, my feet are the same size and maybe if I wear small shoes my feet won't have room to grow...maybe.

The baby is now about 5-5 1/2 inches long from head to bum. The baby now knows how to yawn. How cute is that?! He is even hiccuping. He can roll around, kick, and punch, which I'm pretty sure I can feel sometimes. The baby may already have a preference for his left or his right hand. Did you catch that? I said he. I have no scientific reasoning or explanation, but I feel like we're gonna have a boy. I think its kinda funny myself, because I have not one reason for why I think its a boy. Maybe its because I want a girl so bad my subconscious is at work so I won't be too set on a girl and/or disappointed if it is a boy. That's my theory, anyway. Either way, the baby has all its parts to make me a grandmother. If its a girl, her ovaries are already forming eggs. That's kinda weird to think about, so lets not. If its a boy, he has all his parts, but some are still tucked away. They'll drop more in the next month. How exciting.

Well, that's the latest. Our 1st big ultrasound is in 2 1/2 weeks and I'm excited and very nervous about it. I'll keep you posted on our progress.

to cloth, or not to cloth...

So, call us crazy, but we have decided to use cloth diapers instead of disposables. Let me give you a minute to laugh...are you done? I am completely serious about this and I'm actually looking forward to trying it, I mean, dominating it. It's hard to believe that most people my age and older were all cloth diapered, it was apart of life. It was really no big deal, because everyone used cloth. But now, you even hint at the idea and you'll be laughed off the block. "Cloth diapers?! That's so gross! You'll never be able to do it. What do you do with the poop?" Those are just a few comments I've heard. I've learned to make my cloth diapering ambitions my little secret, so I'm not ostracized by my peers. Well, this is my coming out party! Yes, I will being using cloth diapers!

Why cloth, you might ask? Well, the pros far out weight the cons...at least right now, considering I've never changed or even seen a cloth diaper on a baby. Cloth diapers are better for the baby. The material is softer and more breathable. They don't retain as much liquid, so you change them more often, keeping baby dry. As a result, cloth diapered babies have few instances of diaper rash. They also don't wick away wetness the way disposables do, so your baby feels the wetness, leading cloth diapered babies to be potty trained earlier. Let's be honest, it's not very cute to see 3 year in diapers. Its green! Better for the environment, blah, blah, blah. Honestly, the environment didn't even register in my reasons for going cloth. The biggest, brightest, most wonderful reason of all? MONEY!!! Babies are expensive and so are their throw away panties! I can't, in a million years, every imagine spending almost $900 for a years worth of underwear that just goes into the trash. Granted, I'm not pooping in my underwear, but still, you are literally throwing money away. Lets just say I invest $500 into cloth diapers. In 2 years, when my genius baby is potty trained and wearing cartoon character underwear, I still only spent $500, not close to $1800. I'm no mathematical genius, but I'd say that those savings are about half the cost of a couples getaway to Mexico. The savings are phenomenal. Not to mention you can use them for baby number 2. Or, don't get sick on me, you can resell your used diapers for 75-90% of the original price, based on the condition of them.

I'm not going to lie, there are some major, major cons, poop being number 1 on my list. I have to agree with most people, cloth diapering is gross. So is the idea of carrying a dirty diaper around with you. However, depending on where you are, even if you use disposables, you have to carry dirty little diapers with you. And yes, I'm completely disgusted by the idea of flipping poop from a diaper into the toilet, yuck. But again, you may have to do that with a disposable, the directions suggest that you do so every time. I'm worried bout the smell and the washing, but I think I can handle, fingers crossed.

There is a large community of cloth diapering families online and its kind of inspiring. If you look up cloth diapering on YouTube, a million videos pop up. What really has cemented my determination is the fact that women who cloth diaper don't just tolerate it or even like it, they are enthusiast, they love it! They all swear by it and are kicking themselves for not doing it sooner. They all say its really easy. Plus, cloth diapers have come along way from those massive safety pins. They are also super cute now, and I'm not going to even going to try to deny the fact that their cuteness played a big part in my decision too (need I remind you of my love of shopping). Maybe I'm being overly ambitious and after one week I'll chicken out and give up, but I'm feeling pretty determine. I got this! I think...I hope...I'm a good 45% sure I got this. Did I mention that I've never changed a poopy diaper before?

I already bought a few, experience their cuteness: