New Project

I'm fortunate to have found a wonderfully fun and supportive group of women who had babies in August of 2010 (or at least we were all due with babies in August - some came early, some came on time, some came late).  From all over the country, we've shared a number of challenges and celebrations; we've commiserated and vented all over the place.

One sub-project is a 365 day challenge, and I am taking part.  Starting January 1st, I will be taking one picture a day for 365 days - there will be a variety of themes along the way, but I'm hoping to keep to it.  If you'd like to check it out, the link is: http://michal365.blogspot.com.  Enjoy!

Four Month Stats

I realized that I never updated M's four month stats... they are:

Height: 26" (20 3/4" at birth) - 97th percentile!

Weight: 15 lbs., 1 oz. (8 lbs 6 oz. at birth) - 75-90 percentile - not sure what THAT means

Head Circumference: 16.5" (14 1/4" at birth) - 75th percentile

I'm not convinced she really weighs 15 pounds - not that I think the scale at the doctors' office was wrong, but she's been sick lately and not eating as much.  I bet we'll have an above average gain in two months.  We also did not get our four month shots, as it turns out she has an ear infection.  We will go back in two weeks for an ear check and all of our shots.  Poor kid - she screamed more when the doctor was dealing with her ears (read: digging out wax so she could see inside) than when she got her shots at two months.  

As of four months, M is regularly smiling for J and me, and occasionally gifts a smile to someone other than us.  Sure fire tactics for getting a smile: visiting the baby in the mirror usually gets at least one smile per visit, stretching her arms and legs for her, going in to see her first thing in the morning - HUGE smiles, and one that J discovered - dancing - the kid likes moving to music.

She also seems to want to skip some milestones.  Never one for loving her tummy time, she has skipped over the easier roll for now - from tummy to back - in favor of trying to figure out how to roll from back to tummy, which apparently is the more difficult one.  She's gotten 95% of the way there, just needs to figure out what the heck to do with her arms, which get stuck under her body.  She also wants to stand up all. the.  time.  She's cool with supported sitting, but she just loves standing.  Holding onto a finger or two, she can balance herself pretty well  no problem.  Crazy kid.

We're still only giving her bottles, although her pediatrician has given us the go ahead to start solids.  In the next few weeks we probably will start slowly, although I'm in no rush.  She's obviously growing quite fine and seems satisfied with a normal (if not slightly below average) amount of milk.

Recipe: Individual Meatloaves

I haven't tried many meatloaf recipes (mostly because so many incorporate dairy ingredients, which doesn't mesh with the whole kosher no-meat-with-dairy rule), but this is absolutely delicious. As many of my favorite recipes do, this one comes from Ina Garten.

Individual Meat Loaves

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense.
4. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on asheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

Freezer option:
Prepare through step 4. Wrap each loaf in plastic loaf, place in a freezer bag. To cook - let each loaf defrost in the refrigerator, then finish step 5.

Back to Normal

I'd really like to get there. But I'm not there yet. I only hope it won't be long yet.

The first few weeks after M was born, I thought I was incredibly lucky. Aside from the normal baby blues, I was feeling okay. With a history of depression, I knew I was at a higher risk for PPD, but it seemed as if I'd dodged a bullet.  Sure, there was a bit of transition going on, and we were learning from each other how to become this new family, but in general, I felt fine. I think I even took joy in moments with her and came to appreciate the four weeks J was able to take and be with us.

I don't remember an exact moment when I realized it wasn't okay. I'm not sure if the PPD was triggered by something or if the family drama or major work issues just coincided by chance, but things were not good. I am not even sure I can explain the feelings - many of them were just too deep, dark, and horrible to even talk about without feeling like I am giving in to melodrama. And it wasn't all bad. There were moments and stretches of time during which it seemed, upon reflection, that the bad stuff wasn't nearly as bad as it felt or as frequent as it seemed. But it was. I've always had a difficult time seeing things clearly, but J is always there to serve in part as a mirror for myself. He has been a saint through all of it, and even though I'm sure it was frustrating being with this shadow of a person, he never gave up on me (even if he did throw his hands up in frustration at times).

I finally got to a point where I was able to acknowledge that things were just wrong. To top it off, it was on a day where I was going to try to meet up with some friends, but in the end, I needed to just take care of myself, even if I felt guilty for flaking out on them yet again. J met me at the doctor's office, and I started the process.

I've now been on meds for 6 weeks, had the dosage increased once, and I feel like I'm just now starting to see a slight difference. Slight = fewer absolutely horrible days. This weekend's been tough. M's been sick, and that has just destroyed me. Today started out okay, but by mid-afternoon, I just felt dragged down by it again. I've been thinking about writing this blog post for a few days today, mostly to just get some of the feelings out on "paper." I was hoping it would be cathartic, and I guess maybe it has been. Very few people know about all of this, and I feel horrible that some of them have born the brunt of my misery, but their reassurances have been helpful.

Just going to continue to take it a day at a time and try to find joy in those baby smiles.

Four Months!

M hit the four month mark this week, one day before the anniversary of finding out we were pregnant. What an amazing year it has been. We go for our four month check-up and shots on Tuesday, so I'll report back with stats then.

In the meantime, in four months I have learned...

four months do pass in the blink of an eye

baby smiles first thing in the morning are magical

swaddling is a lifesaver

sleeping through the night doesn't count if YOU go to bed around 1am

some babies like to skip milestones

apparently standing is tons of fun

you can make a competitive sport out of finding ways to get formula for free

even though we had our issues, I so miss nursing M

Three Month Check-in and D Day

A couple of weeks late for the three month check in, but since we didn't have a 3 month doctor's appointment, it's all a bit of an approximation anyways. Somewhere around her official 3 month "birthday" (what do you call that, anyway?), she was just about 14 1/2 pounds. Not too shabby, although she's starting to outgrow her clothes in leaps and bounds. Okay, maybe not leaps, per se, but she's just about midway through her Carter's 6 month clothing (which is really 3-6 months, I think). We ended up hitting the outlets this past Saturday (yes, the weekend after Thanksgiving and Black Friday - you'd think we were nuts, but it was a ghost town) and picked up some decent deals on 9 month clothing. We have TONS of the 6 month-ish stuff, so it might be worth it to not go overboard with the clothes.

The big new thing (aside from the smiles, the chatting, the giggling and funny throat-clearing "laughs"), is that tomorrow is D Day... D... for day care. We've been fortunate that I have been able to take her with me to work since I went back "part time" (it was never fully part-time) two months after birth. While some of my coworkers think she should continue to come with me every day, it's probably not a bad idea, especially for my productivity, that she start spending time with other people during the day - especially other kids. So, two days a week she'll be staying with a wonderful mom who runs an eco-friendly day care near our home. I've managed to NOT think about today for a while, but that had to run its course, and so tonight I've started to get a little sad thinking about her not coming with me to work. Of course, I probably won't be so productive at work tomorrow, but I know it'll get easier over time.

And the day care lady is totally up for the cloth diapers. So awesome. I'll probably post about CDs soon - I've had a decent number of people ask me about them, so I figure I'll just put my thoughts down on e-"paper." Needless to say - I've drunk the Kool-Aid.

Crying Over Spilled Milk

I did not go into motherhood with particularly strong feelings about breastfeeding. When people inevitably asked whether or not I was going to breastfeed our brand new daughter, I usually responded with positive intentions of breastfeeding while acknowledging that I was open to whatever would happen, not knowing if it would work for us or not.

From the beginning, like so many new mothers, we had a few problems with the process, but nothing insurmountable. She took to it pretty well, but she was a lazy eater and would fall asleep constantly. We tried EVERYTHING to keep the child awake - tickling her feet, stripping her naked, and once we even resorted to using ice on her feet to try to bring her back to consciousness - in the end, it was too mean and didn't work so well. The nurses in the hospital suggested we start to supplement with formula, as she was also beginning to show signs of being dehydrated. We went along with it, trying to not give her too much, since we wanted to stay with the breast milk as much as possible. Whether it was her sleepiness or a lackluster amount of milk, the babe started to lose weight. While this is fairly common in the first days of life, she continued to lose weight, and after several appointments with the pediatrician with declining weights, we were told to definitely supplement, as it was clear she was not getting enough from only nursing. All along, we continued to breastfeed, always nursing first and then giving formula to help fill her little tummy.

At a week and a half old, she had her two week check-up, where she had a positive weight gain - success! However, we couldn't return solely to nursing - it was abundantly clear that my supply was low and she was hungry after nursing, even if the session last 45 minutes or more. I started attending a support group where I was able to weigh her before and after nursing her, and I was never able to give her more than 2 1/2 ounces, about half of what she should eat in one session. So we continued on our way, nursing on demand and giving a bottle when she seemed to be hungry afterwards. In the past few weeks, it seemed as if my supply was beginning to grow, even if quite slowly. Things seemed to be going well.

Unfortunately, our time nursing has come to an end. Due to some potential side effects of a new medication, the baby and I had our last experiencing nursing this week. While I knew the supply issues would make a lengthy practice of breastfeeding increasingly impractical, I thought I would at some point make the decision to stop nursing her. And yet the decision was made for me. I'm a little surprised at how upset I am with this. Despite all of the struggles and attempts to increase my supply (Fenugreek - an herbal supplement, Mother's Milk Tea, increasing hydration, power pumping, pumping after nursing, etc.), I loved nursing her. It was such an amazing bonding experience that was special, just for the two of us. I know that breastfeeding is not for everyone, but it was something I grew to love, for more than just the beneficial health reasons.

So now I begins the painful next steps, and I hope they pass quickly. In the meantime, I delight in the smiles, the "conversations" we have, and the wonderful newness of each day.

Two Month Stats

A few weeks late, but here are the babe's stats as of 2 months, 5 days:

Height: 23.5" (20 3/4" at birth)

Weight: 12 lbs., 4 oz. (8 lbs 6 oz. at birth)

Head Circumference: 15.5" (14 1/4" at birth)

As of two months, she was just starting to smile and starting to have greater control of her neck and head. On her two month birthday, we went on a tour of the White House Grounds and Garden. Not too shabby - we're going to have to up the ante next month!

Two Months!

Somehow, M turned two months old this past Saturday. Crazy to even ponder.

Some things I've learned along the way:

My absolutely FAVORITE is the scrunchy stretch she does right when she wakes up

video monitors are a gift from God

breastfeeding can get easier!

a+a have the best blankets

catching one of those fleeting smiles just makes your day

fluffy butts are the best

a poop is definitely a reason to celebrate - especially after four days!

baby farts are hilarious

it takes forever to get out of the house with a baby

all of the books on sleeping babies contradict each other

the White House is the perfect place to celebrate two wonderful months!

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Tomorrow (or, rather, technically today by this point) is our 6 year anniversary, so we took the opportunity to go out for dinner without the kid. We drove up to Baltimore to J's mother's house, got everyone situated (explained the cloth diapers, which she has been a rock star with), and went out to dinner. Of course, it took us forever to get out of the house - haven't quite mastered that one yet - so we ended up giving up our reservation to super fun, newish restaurant, and instead got last minute reservations at good, standby restaurant. Food was great, company was greater, and we got a chance to celebrate our relationship. It was a great evening.

The most fun part was the realization that even though we had an evening 'free,' we are not at the point (at least, not yet?) where we felt like we needed to escape the baby. Or, even, that the evening was made better by having escaped. It was nice to have together, adult time, but our time with the baby is also quite wonderful. It's nice to not feel like we are completely different people, just because she is here. Of course, much has changed, but much has stayed the same.

So, happy anniversary to us - 6 wonderful years of friendship, joy, and much love.

Mea Culpa

I have to admit, when I started this blog a while back, I had every intention of writing regularly and using it as a place to not only keep track of my thoughts and feelings, but also to post about the development and discoveries as our daughter (and family) grows. Somehow, I did not quite account for the whirlwind of craziness that happens after a baby arrives. Instead of writing and posting pictures, I watched many episodes of Supernatural and Bones as I nursed Michal.

The past month (or 5 1/2 weeks, really) has been great. All in all, Michal is an incredibly easy baby. She does not fuss or cry much, but I'll tell you, when she does, she really means it. She can be one serious baby! She has started to lighten up a bit over the past few weeks, and we've even seen some smiles over the past few days. She's a pretty decent sleeper - in general, she sleeps between 2-3 hours in between feedings.

Feeding has been a little trickier. While we were fortunate to not have any physical issues with the latch, I do have an incredibly low supply. I've been trying a number of different supplements and tricks to try and get my supply up, but suffice it to say that we have had to supplement with formula since day 2 or 3 (initially for hydration issues, then for weight issues). She was born at 8.5, left the hospital at 7.12 (Friday). We went for our first doctor appointment the next day, where she weighed 7.11, and we were asked to return on Monday for another weight check - 7.10. At this point, we were still supplementing a very small amount, but clearly it was not enough. The pediatrician asked us to supplement as much as she desired to see if we could turn around what she was calling a "downward spiral." By Thursday, Michal was up to 7.15, and two and a half weeks later, at her one-month appointment, she weighed in at a hefty 9.10. It's frustrating that I cannot exclusively breastfeed and pump, but it is reassuring that we can help her to grow and be healthy (despite the recent Similac recall!).

The only other thing of note is that we are still cloth diapering! We are mostly using fitted diapers with covers (have a lovely stash of Kissaluv Fitteds that we love - KL0s), but I am slowly expanding our supply of pocket diapers - we now have two Fuzzibunz, a few BG 3.0s, a 4.0 on its way, and a new Blueberry on its way as well. Yay for fluffy mail!

Will check back in more frequently with news and photos, but here are a few images to tide you over in the meantime!

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl

It is so hard to believe that she is already two days old! Finally have a moment to sit down and recreate our birth story - we are set to be discharged tomorrow morning.

I went into the hospital Sunday evening at 8:30 to be admitted and start cervidil, due to my chronic hypertension. My docs did not want me to go past my due date, so inducing a week early was always in the cards for me. My last appointment had been Tuesday, where I still had made no progress - no dilation, no idea about effacement. Going into the hospital, we were very open about where the birth process might take us, knowing full well that as long as we had a healthy baby and a healthy mom, we would have success. We started the cervidil at 10:30 (I was 0cm dilated and at a -2 station. Around 11:40, they gave me an ambien to try and sleep through the night.

Contractions did begin overnight (at least, painful contractions, not those fun BHs), and at 8:05am, my water broke - quite the dramatic gush! They checked me - barely 1cm, but still, the cervidil obviously did SOMETHING, and at 8:50 they started the pitocin. Mom (who flew out from CA) and J really helped through the labor - it was definitely strong - and at 1:45, my doctor checked me and I was at 4cm. I was given the go ahead for the epidural, but was first started on magnesium - something usually reserved for pre-eclampsic patients, which I wasn't, but given my bp issues, they decided to do it all the same.

By 6:30 PM, I was at 5cm and 100% effaced, but desperately started to need a booster of the epi, which I got. At this point, I was only at a -1 station. By 9:30 I needed another redose of the epi, and I was at 6.5 cm. Doctor mentions that she feels baby's head with some swelling, inserts an internal monitor to check the strength of the contractions - she wanted to see if it was worth adjusting the pitocin or if the contractions should have been enough. By 10:35, there was no change - the contractions should have been strong enough without additional pitocin and the call was made to go ahead and find another exit strategy. At 10:50, DH was scrubbing up, and I was being prepped for surgery. At 11:33pm, Michal Kalanit was born.

Her first name, Michal (mee-chal... like "hall," but with a gutteral "h"), is for J's late father, Michael. Kalanit is for my grandfather, whose middle name was Kahn - the Kalanit is a lovely wildflower found in Israel. She was 8lbs, 5oz., and 20 3/4 inches long at birth.

The Plan

Houston, we have a plan.

I went for my weekly doctor's appointment on Tuesday (yes, Tuesday, I've been negligent, dear readers - my apologies) - just a tidge over 38w. As per my normal Tuesday routine, I got hooked up to the NST machine (this being the LAST APPOINTMENT, J came with... so he got to experience the fun of being left on the monitor for a good 20 minutes longer than necessary), where the monkey did quite well. She bounced around and was active for the first 20, 25 minutes, then promptly went to sleep. Finally the doc came in and released us. She took us to another room, did a check, and responded that yet, I'm still Fort Knox inside, and we're going to go ahead and schedule the induction for next week. She explains how it all works, and then that's it, we're done. We leave thinking, okay, someday next week, it'll all happen.

And then I get the call... Sunday night, 8pm. Holy crap. Having it on the calendar (a few days sooner even than anticipated!) was a little shock. So we will be checking in to the hospital in just over 2 days at this point, where I will first be treated to a dose of Cervadil, which will hopefully get the Fort Knox situation to let up a bit. I guess Pitocin will start in the morning - I can't remember all the details, and you think I would, right?

Aside from being a bit nervous about my chances at a "normal" delivery (non-section) due to the less than favorable starting position, I'm not really nervous about this next step. I guess it goes in line with my unusually-chill response to pregnancy this entire 9ish month period. I am open to whatever is going to happen. I do not have anything specific in mind for what I want this to be. I don't have a birth plan (save: get baby out healthy, keep mom healthy). I trust my medical professionals to make the right choices for me, and I hope I'll be able to be a good advocate for myself if that doesn't seem to be the right path.

On a nice surprise note - my mother is arriving tonight! J thought this would end up being the case the entire time, but way back when, she asked if I wanted her there for the birth. Knowing the rather unknowable nature of the timing of a baby's arrival, I said that I'd rather her be here for the big religious ceremony that we will have in a few week's time, since we could schedule that. It wasn't that I didn't want her here for the birth, but if I had to choose, that made the most sense. Well, my sister came out a few week's ago on a surprise visit, and mom even at that point mentioned coming out (finding pretty amazing deals for a last minute flight). She asked the other day, once we had our schedule, if I minded her coming out, and of course I said no - I'd love my mom there (although, in the actual delivery room? Just me and J... this is no three ring circus, at least not any more of one than it'll already be), I just hadn't thought it would be really feasible before. Bonus here - mom's an RN, so I feel like I'll have an extra advocate on the side.

So, there you have it. At some point Monday or Tuesday (please be Monday, Tuesday seems that much farther away from the starting point!), the monkey will be here. And pictures will follow, of course. Am I excited? Nervous? Terrified? Yes, yes, and yes. But it's surreal, and I haven't quite gotten my head around it. I treasure each of these last little bumps and nudges I feel from within, and simply wonder at who is going to great us in the coming days.

Final BPP today... hoping that everything still looks fine to continue on THE PLAN... on that note, should go drink some water!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I made these a few weeks ago but neglected to add the recipe to the blog. They were tasty - not much more needs to be said. Originally from The Joy of Cooking.

Ingredients
4 bell peppers (any color)
2 T. olive oil
8 oz. ground beef
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 t. dried thyme
1 c. hot cooked rice
1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. dried basil or marjoram, crumbled
red pepper flakes to taste
salt & ground black pepper to taste
1/2 c. fresh breadcrumbs
1 T. olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a baking dish in which the peppers will fit snugly.
2. Steam bell peppers over boiling water for 10 minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add and saute over medium heat the ground beef, onion, and dried thyme until the beef is lightly colored, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the rice, tomato, eggs, garlic, basis/marjoram, red pepper, salt & pepper.
5. Fill the peppers with the meat mixture and set them in the baking dish. Combine the breadcrumbs and olive oil and spread over the tops.
6. Bake until the peppers are tender and the filling hot, about 25 minutes. If necessary, brown the tops under the broiler.

Stuffed Shells

Part two of my dinner-making marathon. J preferred these to the manicotti, although I forgot to add the basil and think it might have pepped things up a bit. All in all, a nice go-to baked pasta dish. This is actually an amalgamation of several different recipes, so it's almost like I came up with it myself!

Ingredients
1 box (12 oz) Jumbo Shells
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 bag (6 oz.) baby spinach, chopped
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
22 oz. ricotta cheese
3 oz. Parmesan cheese (grated)
3 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 lg. egg, lightly beaten
1 jar tomato sauce
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley.

1. Preheat ove to 400 degrees.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot for the pasta. When the water is boiling, stir in 1t. salt and the jumbo shells. Cook, stirring often, until the manicotti is almost tender but still a little firm to the bite. Set aside and let cool.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach, onion, and garlic; continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg and blend well. Let mixture cool.
4. Mix together the ricotta, 1 c. of the Parmesan, the mozzarella, egg, basil, 1/2 t. of salt and 1/4 t. pepper in a large bowl. Add in the cooled spinach mixture.
5. Fill each of the shells with approximately 1-2 T. of cheese-spinach mixture. Arrange the filled pasta in an oiled 9x13-inch baking dish.
6. Pour the tomato sauce over the filled pasta.
7. Wrap the dish tightly in foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the ricotta filling is hot, about 25 minutes.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the parsley and remaining 1/2 c. parmesan cheese.

** To make ahead/freeze: Prepare as directed through step 6, wrap carefully, and freeze. When ready to make, defrost in the refrigerator, then bake according to the instructions.

Recipe: Spinach & Mushroom Manicotti

Last night I made two dinners - enough to put away in the freezer and to taste test for our actual meal. I preferred the taste of the manicotti, but J thought the mushroom taste was a little on the strong side (I think he didn't mind it, but preferred the Stuffed Shells).


Taken from the back of the Barilla Manicotti box...


Ingredients

1 box (8 oz.) Barilla Manicotti
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
6 oz. mushrooms, chopped (I used baby bellas - crimini mushrooms)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bag (6 oz.) fresh spinach, chopped
2 eggs
1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
1 t. salt
1 jar marinara sauce (I prefer Classico)
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook manicotti 7 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach; continue cooking 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl. Stir in ricotta, basil, and salt. Stir in mushroom mixture.
5. Spread 3/4 c. sauce over bottom of baking dish (13x9 works well). Fill manicotti with mushroom mixture; place in dish. Pour remaining sauce evenly over filled shells; sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; continue baking 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings.

Tip: Substitute 1 box (10oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained, for fresh.

** To make ahead/freeze: Prepare as described through step 5, but do not bake. Place manicotti in a freezer-safe dish and cover well. When ready to cook, defrost in refrigerator, then bake as instructed.

Update: 37w 5d

Just a quick update from the latest growth ultrasound/biophysical profile, which was yesterday:

• Baby - still head down (good job - no flips here!)
• Practicing breathing - definitely her mother's daughter... practice makes perfect!
• Measurements - everything's measuring between 37w and 40w (yikes! although, for the belly to be ahead is just fine... it's when the belly is behind that problems are evident)
• Weight - 7lbs 9oz... say what!? This shouldn't be a surprise since 4 weeks ago baby weighed in around 5lbs 3oz... and if, on average, babies gain 1/2 a pound a week, this isn't so far off of "normal." Somehow, hearing your soon to be child is already about 7 1/2 pounds (even if they can be off on the estimates as much as a pound in either direction), well, that's a bit daunting.
• Fluid - dropped a little low again - last week, it was around 11 1/2 (normal being 10-20 at this practice), yesterday it was a 9. She even checked twice to try and give me as much as possible. So, back to hitting the water for me! Luckily, the docs at the high risk practice where I go for these tests didn't seem to be overly worried, so I still get to keep my once weekly appointments and not bump it up to twice weekly.

Got a couple of cute pictures - once I get a chance to scan/photograph them, I'll post them. Highlight from this week's photos (no pouts this time!): cutest cheeks ever.

On your marks... get set...

I'm just not ready yet. Now, I know what you'll say - you're never truly ready for something to change your life so completely. I totally get that, and I really do agree. I have absolutely no idea how my life will be changed in just a matter of days, and to be completely honest, I am really okay with that. The current plan, if you can call it a plan since there are still some unknowns, is I have my biophysical profile and growth ultrasound tomorrow (that is, if the sonographer actually DOES the growth u/s... new sonographer last week simply forgot after two reminders - grrr), then another week of the same routine (Tuesday - doctors appointment and exam, Friday - biophysical profile), and then, in the words of my doctor from Tuesday, "we'll make plans for delivering you." When you put it that way... holy crap! All of this, of course, is predicated on the current path that I do not go into labor on my own between now and, oh say, a week and a half, give or take a few days.

So.. am I ready? Great question, and I honestly do not really know the answer. I hear from many pregnant women do right around now that they just cannot wait for the baby to arrive. They're uncomfortable, they're in pain, they are antsy to meet this new little person - I don't begrudge them their reasons. I'm just not where they are. The monkey has been super active lately, proving wrong all of the thousands of baby/pregnancy-related emails who caution that in the last few weeks of pregnancy, the baby doesn't move much due to a lack of available space. Every time I think about her impending arrival into this world, I get a little sad. I won't say that I'm one who has LOVED pregnancy - to be honest, I simply haven't minded it much. I don't love attention, and there is nothing that gets you more attention, more comments, more inquiries, than having a giant belly precede you into any room. But feeling this little being moving within? Feeling the nudges, the bumps, the kicks, the flutters... nothing has been more magical or amazing to me. So while others might declare their excitement over setting "eviction dates" for their little ones (a term that I cannot help but think slightly inappropriate or weird), knowing that I will have this particular type of experience for only a short while longer makes me a little sad. It's obviously bittersweet, since it will be replaced by a whole new experience and sense of intimacy, but since this is the only one I know so far, allow me to get a little teary.

We won't even get into whether or not we have enough gear/bottles/diapers/wipes/anything!

Self Portraits

Having frequented a message board for pretty much all of this pregnancy, I know a lot of ladies out there spend good money and time on maternity photos. Some of them have amazing photos, but for some reason, I hate photos of myself. That being said, I knew I should at least attempt to document the changes I was going through with the monkey. So... here are some of those shots... in reverse chronological order. I'll try to add more as we go along...

37 weeks... I was tired of trying to get a good smile or something, so I went for the full-on tongue-sticking-out pose...

I think this one was right around 35 weeks... apparently J's work bathroom is not nearly as nice as mine!

32 weeks... most comfortable dress ever!

26 weeks... guess I missed a few photos in there somewhere!

24 weeks...

As Promised...

I took some time to scan in some of the more recent monkey photos... these ones were fun. Often when we go in for an ultrasound, the sonographer points out the hands that are held up near the face. At first we used to make jokes about how she was shy, or how this pointed to a future football fan, since she was clearly signaling a facemask violation. Always, though, the sonographer attempts to ease the hands away to get a clear picture of her face. Two weeks ago, this was the result - some adorable pouting!

New Arrival

Hehe.. not THAT kind of new arrival. Our crib arrived this morning, so the monkey room now looks like it'll be for a little one soon. Kind of weird and scary. Crib is bigger than I thought it would be (looked so much smaller in the store next to the REALLY big cribs), so now I need to rethink what is going to go where (or, really, where the crib will go, and if I'll have room for the glider and where THAT will go).

No monkey pics for now - last few ultrasounds have only had a couple of good pics (although one really awesome pouty one - she didn't want to move her hand from in front of her face), so I'll try to remember to scan them in when I can. Or use the fancy new camera to take a photo - see if the fancy camera was worth the $$!

Update

All is quiet on the western front. Or eastern, depending on how you look at it.

Since my last actual post about the fluid levels, the numbers have rebounded amazingly well. Two weeks ago, my fluid level was measuring at around a 9.9 - just shy of "normal" - but still within an acceptable range, but last week, it was down below that, somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8. We did a repeat BPP this past Tuesday, where I was able to get my levels up to the 11 range - excellent news! Apparently drinking lots of water and resting when possible works. Today we were just shy of 12, so we can resume the previous schedule of NST/Doctor's appointment on Tuesdays, with a BPP scheduled at the high risk place on Fridays. Bonus: I was able to request the same sonographer we've had the past two visits - we liked her a lot!

Aside from that, I'm feeling great. We're having some ridiculous weather in the DC area - tomorrow is supposed to be a high around 100 with a heat index of 110 - not good for ANYONE to be out in, let alone a wilting flower like myself. Planning on hanging in doors as much as possible - maybe make a few more freezer meals (recipes will be posted), maybe work on the baby's room, heck, maybe even wash the few items of clothing we have already. Oh, and all the usual housework that needs to be done that I've been putting off. Had a freak out earlier this week that WE ARE NOT READY, which included (mind you, at 4:20 am) really silly things, like our bedroom not being cleaned, or my hospital bag being ready to go.

Biggest new complaints: puffy feet and sleep. My ankles have been swollen for a while now, but the newest discovery is the puffy nature of the top of my feet. Just strange - it doesn't go down very easily, as my ankles do. Oh, and sleep.... yes... I do realize that once baby is here, sleep will disappear. I also acknowledge that there is a certain biological reason for my inability to sleep through the night - some say it is training for when baby is here. But seriously... it's been at least a month since I've had a night's sleep uninterrupted. I'm not even asking for 8 hours... I'm simply asking for an evening where I do not wake up at least once... usually between 3-4:30AM. Sleep is at a premium now, and I can't even take advantage of it.

Oh... not to end on a whiny note - best part of today - awesome new sonographer was able to get some adorable photos of the monkey. As usual, hands were up by her face, and once, after trying to get her to move her hands, we got the perfect shot of a little pout. So much fun.

Recipe: Roman-Style Chicken

This is one of my favorites from The Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis - quite tasty, and even if you omit some items (as I did last night - no capers, bacon, or artichokes here!), it's still a delicious meal. The freezer directions are courtesy of Joelen's Culinary Adventures.

Roman Style Chicken
recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 slices bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup artichoke hearts
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. In a heavy, cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and bacon and cook until the peppers have browned and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the artichokes, tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes. Just before serving, add the capers and parsley; stir to combine and serve.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the chicken as directed above. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and cool completely, then place in a gallon sized freezer bag. Prepare the sauce for the dish as directed above, omitting the stock, capers and parsley (which will be added later). Cool completely before adding the sauce to the gallon sized freezer bag. Freeze the bag. When ready to prepare, defrost the freezer bag completely. Place the contents of the freezer bag into a slow cooker/crockpot. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Just before serving, add the capers and parsley; stir to combine and serve.

Recipe: Cincinnati-Style Chili

In an attempt to make the most of my time pre-little one, I'm starting to make meals that I can have ready in the freezer. Most of these are meals that I've had before, so there is a certain level of comfort with how they'll turn out. First up, a favorite ever since we took a random road trip to Ohio and Kentucky last Labor Day. While we visited Cincinnati (and the Creation Museum - check out our travel blog for a review on THAT experience), we happened to dine at Skyline Chili, a must according to our Cincinnati resources. While I had their vegetarian chili in the restaurant, the following is their meat chili, an absolutely delicious meal filled with a variety of spices. Definitely try the 5-way variations - we like it inverted!

Cincinnati Chili (from America's Test Kitchen)

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups canned tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 lbs 85% lean ground beef

Directions
1. Saute onion in oil until soft and edges are beginning to brown. Add garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, salt, pepper and allspice. Stir for about a minute until spices are fragrant.
2. Add broth, tomato sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer, being sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
3. Add meat to sauce. Use a potato masher to break meat up into small pieces. Simmer just 15 minutes.
4. Serve chili over spaghetti.

For "chili five ways," top with diced raw onion, rinsed and drained kidney beans and shredded sharp cheddar.

(Vegetarian note: when using ground meatless as we did, you want to stir fry it so add it as step 1.5 rather than after all of the liquid has been added.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the chili as directed above and allow to cool completely. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze. When ready to enjoy, defrost completely and bring to a simmer over medium low heat before serving.

Water, Water, Everywhere...

Well, we just got back from our first BPP - biophysical profile. As I mentioned in my last blog post, the BPP, in coordination with the NST test I had on Tuesday, help determine how the baby is growing and developing. I guess when you have a high risk scenario, these things are important, especially in determining when a baby might have to be delivered early. Since this pregnancy has been without much stress (relatively speaking) so far, I went into these appointments with some mild concern, but overall pretty confident.

The NST on Tuesday was fine, aside from some issues with time management at my OB's office (you are hereby saved from THAT rant), and even though the baby decided to take a nap during the NST, we were able to coax her with cold water and apple juice to move enough to show periods of activity. Today's BPP was also an example of the little monkey doing her job. The sonographer showed us the heartbeat (right in the higher 140s - all good) and showed us the evidence that the baby is practicing her breathing - all in all, she's doing all that she is supposed to be doing. Good girl - an excellent student, just like her mama!

Unfortunately, aside from the baby's great performance, it seems that my amniotic fluid levels are on the low side. Last Friday (one week ago), I was told that the levels were low. On Tuesday, the midwife explained that the "normal" range is between 9 and 20, and last Friday, I was at a 9.9. On the low end of normal, but normal. So, great, I didn't leave the office worrying too much - I just committed to making sure I was getting enough water every day.

Today, however, the levels had dropped. The tech's first measurement came out around 6.4 and the second measurement was slightly better at an 8.6. The high risk doctor came in (who we love!) and discussed what this meant for where we are at right now. I'll be going in again for another BPP this Tuesday to see where we are at - in the meantime, I'm going to try to keep my water intake up (it never hurts to stay hydrated!) and rest as much as possible. The doctor cautioned, after my inquiry about simply upping water intake, that it might not just be a matter of hydration (although, second reminder, it's good to keep your body hydrated!). It's entirely possible that this might be an indication that the placenta is starting to poop out (her words), and not do an adequate job of getting fluids into the amniotic sac. So, we're in a wait and see scenario. While the doctor didn't say this, my reading between the lines brought me to the conclusion that this could be the first step towards being put on bed rest, or potentially even welcome the little monkey into the world a little earlier than expected. I'm at 34 1/2 weeks right now (give or take a few days for varying calculations of the due date), so the longer the little one can cook, the better.

For now... I have a liter of water next to my side of the bed, a laptop with Netflix Watch Instantly loaded and ready to go, and my copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ready to be read. Bring the weekend on!

Negligent

I knew it had been a while since I'd written for the blog, but it wasn't until I logged in that I saw my last post dated at May 13! Wow... sorry, blogosphere for this negligence in writing duties!

On the good side, there has not been much need for an update. Sounds kind of strange, considering the whole growing-a-baby thing seems to be a relatively dynamic process, but there you have it. Since May, things have been trucking along. We have had several growth ultrasounds to make sure the monkey is growing enough - as stated in the last post, one possible side effect for chronic hypertension is IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction), which can cause the baby to not grow enough or as quickly as he/she would under "normal" circumstances. Luckily, that has not been our situation - at 29w, she was measuring about a week and a half ahead and weighed approximately 3 lbs., 10 oz. This past Friday, just a few days past 33w, she was still measuring a bit ahead (maybe a week?) and weighed in around 5 lbs., 3 oz. Everything seems to be developing quite appropriately, so we are obviously very happy with the progress.

This week begins my twice-weekly appointments - another part of the whole high risk experience is extra careful monitoring of how I'm doing. I know it's not what someone having a "normal" pregnancy would experience, and it almost seems silly since I feel so great, but I know that I'm quite fortunate to have such wonderful medical care. On Tuesdays I will visit my regular OB's office for a non-stress test (NST) and doctor's visit. The NST (so named because it does not cause any stress to the baby while it is administered) measures fetal heart rate and contractions. Movement, heart rate and “reactivity” of heart rate to movement is measured for 20-30 minutes. The primary goal of the test is to measure the heart rate of the fetus in response to its own movements. Healthy babies will respond with an increased heart rate during times of movement, and the heart rate will decrease at rest. I've scheduled this appointment to follow lunch, so hopefully baby will be active after a yummy Pan.era lunch!

On Fridays, I begin my weekly visit to the high-risk office where I've had all of my ultrasounds for a biophysical profile (BPP), which is another test to determine the baby's health. This test is like any other ultrasound except it looks for five attributes to help determine how the baby is doing: breathing, movement, muscle tone, heart rate, and the amniotic fluid. The score will help determine how the baby is doing and will help determine the plan ahead for when she will be born. We're still at the current plan of inducing at 39w unless something earlier (determined by the NST, BPP, or my blood pressure/situation) makes an earlier induction necessary. All in all, the monkey's been flying all of her tests with flying colors, so I can only hope that she continues her streak of taking after mama as an overachiever!

The one unfortunate byproduct since the last post was the cancellation of our vacation/babymoon. We were schedule to go to California in June for our last baby-free adventure. We would have spent a day in the Bay Area visiting family and friends, then spent a week down in San Diego, exploring, resting, and generally enjoying ourselves. Unfortunately, the day we were to leave, I had a doctor's appointment to see how my blood pressure was doing, and the numbers were just not good enough. It had been a little erratic lately, so my doctors grounded me. As incredibly disappointing as it was to have our plans cancelled just HOURS before we were to leave for the airport, I knew it was better to be safe than sorry. Silver lining (there always is one, of course!) was that my mom was able to leave last minute (the next morning, if you can believe it) to visit for a few days. It was wonderful to still have time with her before the baby comes.

Long post, but long overdue!

Strike a Pose!

I've recently been diagnosed as "high risk" - even though this does not come as a huge surprise (chronic hypertension, weekly or biweekly doctor visits since I was 8 weeks along... I'm not a brainiac, but even this, I know, is slightly unusual for a "normal" pregnancy), it does seem slightly funny to me. I guess whenever I have heard of women having a high risk pregnancy, it is often accompanied with tales of a difficult pregnancy, including anything from multiples to mandatory bedrest to any other assortment of situations. If anything, I feel like I have been experiencing what might be the easiest pregnancy on record: I have, as of 25 weeks, only gained 2 pounds, I never experienced any nausea or morning sickness, my bouts of exhaustion have been few and far between, and really, it's only recently that I have grown enough that people KNOW there is a little one growing within. So, high risk, even though the reasons for that distinction ARE quite serious, and I am taking them seriously, it seems a little funny at the same time.

I also found out at the same appointment that there is absolutely no way I will still be pregnant at my estimated due date - at the very least, I will be induced at 39 weeks (which, to my accounting, would be mid-August, instead of later-in-August). There is always the possibility that I will go into labor before needing to be induced, or that I might even develop some of those high-risk-associated conditions that would cause for me to have the baby earlier. I do hope that the ease of this first 2/3 of pregnancy only continues and the terms attached to my medical chart are only there for show.

On quick benefit of the chronic hypertension induced high risk diagnosis is that I am supposed to have ultrasounds performed every four weeks in order to make sure the little monkey is growing at the appropriate rate. Chronic hypertension can affect the vascular system, and can, in turn, affect the growth of the baby, so ultrasounds are used to measure the baby's growth and make sure any conditions (like intrauterine growth restriction) does not happen. We had our first of these ultrasounds (we already had one at 12 weeks for early screening of possible issues as well as our big 20 week anatomy scan) yesterday - the great news is that not only is the little monkey growing right on schedule (or a bit beyond - I was 25 weeks yesterday, overall measuring at just under 26 weeks, and her arms were measuring 27 weeks - a little monkey she is indeed!), but she's super cute and knows how to pose. Here is the glamor shot the ultrasound tech was able to catch (after jiggling my belly a bunch to get her to move her hands away from her face, shy girl!).

It will be so interesting to see how these early snapshots compare to the real thing!

It's a...!!!

It's a baby! A few weeks ago, we went for our big anatomy scan. Everything looked perfect with the little monkey - both the tech and the doctor said that everything looked great - weighing in at 13 oz. - and we should be welcoming a little girl into our lives in August!

All of our families seem quite excited - my side, because they have declared it is more fun to shop for a girl (I'm not convinced, but whatever!), and his family because there hasn't been a girl around in a long, long while. Apparently shopping has commenced, and so far everyone is adhering to the request that nothing be sent or brought to the house until August.

How do I feel about this latest discovery about the little one? It's strange - for a long time, I "felt" like it was a boy - not really based on anything concrete at all, just a feeling. Now that we "know" it's a girl (I'm not sure it's 100% accurate), I realize that all of my fears about finding out are completely gone. For a while, I was nervous that maybe I was hoping for one or the other, an I was afraid that when they did tell us the sex of the baby, I might be disappointed, thereby uncovering this deep-seated preference for a boy over a girl, or vice versa. In the end, when she told us "It looks like a girl!" no such excitement or disappointed surfaced. In the end, the news washed over me as just another discovery about this little person, much as the bumps and nudges that come from within remind me of her presence.

The Gender Game

I have found that when one announces the impending arrival of a little, wriggly baby, one of the first questions (after the congratulations and excitement) is whether or not one will find out the gender of the baby before he/she arrives. It's perfectly understandable - in an age where technology has come leaps and bounds past the early shadowy ultrasounds of decades past (we actually saw examples of 3rd trimester ultrasounds in the late 1970s compared to those of today - the contrast was absolutely mind boggling), most parents opt to find out the sex of the baby once technology and the baby's development make it possible to do so.

For the longest time, I was really split on this big decision - to find out or not, what to do? On one hand, there was the practical, pragmatic side of finding out - while I am staunchly in favor of gender-neutral clothing/decorations/anything, it is a simple fact that sometimes one has to choose the "girl" or "boy" option when using the radar gun to choose that perfect item. On the other hand, there is something pretty spectacular about not finding out until the little one enters the world.

I came to a realization one day, though, that I wanted my husband to have the decision over whether or not we'd find out the gender of the baby. By definition, I'm closer to the entire process - while it still feels surreal that there is life developing inside of me (made more surreal by the lack of any of the "normal" pregnancy symptoms), I will be the one getting the kicks and nudges from within. In allowing him sole responsibility over this decision, I hope he gets something special in the process - while it is all special, I wanted this to be completely his, completely for him to have control over.

He's decided that he wants to find out - I think the practical/pragmatic reasons won him over - so we will hopefully find out this Friday whether it's a boy or a girl. And while this does not mean that we will run out and register for pink/purple or blue/green in force, perhaps it will make everything just that much closer to real.

Alien yet Familiar

It's been a rather uneventful pregnancy so far, aside from some pesky blood pressure issues that seem to finally be under control (? - knock on wood just to be sure). In fact, since we confirmed the pregnancy, I rarely FEEL pregnant. Well, aside from the random bits of fatigue... and more-than-occasional instances of diminishing appetite... or the lack of weight gain. Most days, I'm barely aware that something BIG is going on within me, and it's been hard to grapple with that. Sure, I've had more than my fair share of ultrasounds (due to aforementioned b/p issues) that confirm that yes, there is life growing inside of me, but since I haven't been exposed to the more notorious pregnancy symptoms (nausea, puking, etc.), it often feels as if nothing extraordinary is happening.

And then I started to feel... something. They tell you that at first it feels like flutters... or taps from the inside. Right around 17 weeks, I did feel something, but honestly, it very well could have been my system adjusting due to digestion. Even if it was ongoing, it was hard to feel as if it were some small being inside saying hello. And yet they continue, and I have to admit, it's freaking WEIRD.

Every so often, I feel it.. a series of taps or flutters, or an occasional adjustment - that was a weird one, walking through Macy's with J, stopping because it felt as if things were simply MOVING inside. It was kind of nice, though, as my insistent need to find the closest ladies' room was suddenly abated. Thanks, little one!

But what has been the weirdest thing so far has been the extraordinary juxtaposition of these feelings being all at once alien and yet so familiar. There are times when the movements just strike me as sublimely surreal. I mean, really... there is something growing inside of me. A soon-to-be person... it's hard to wrap my head around. And so when said person makes his/her presence known...well... it brings about feelings and ideas that are simply difficult to grapple with.

And with all of the strangeness of it, the movements occasionally feel something akin to familiar. As if I have experienced this before. As if it were.. natural? Maybe I'm getting used to it. Maybe my body recognizes this as a process much greater than my simple individual self. I'm most likely over thinking all of this (surprise?). In any case, it's something I did not really anticipate when this started.

Just a Bit Overwhelmed

It's been a while since I've written a post for this blog, which was not my original intention when I started the blog. I had aspirations of writing regularly, updating the world (?) on my thoughts of going through this experience. Unfortunately, I've been slightly overwhelmed.

Not an abnormal phenomenon, I am sure. At a certain point, one must simply give herself over to the process, riding the hormonal emotional roller coaster, giving one's body over to another person-to-be, and so much more. All of that is quite reasonable and expected, but that's not what truly overwhelms me (although at times, it feels rather surreal).

No, the current, continuing struggle relates to all of the choices one must make when getting ready for a baby. Cloth versus disposable (which is really the eco-friendly choice?! - it is not as straightforward as one would think). Which car seat to get (and do you just get one infant version now, do you get a convertible, etc.), which stroller to get (just a snap-n-go, a travel system, or something a bit lighter?), etc. The list goes on and on and on, and one of the most frustrating aspects of all of this is the simple question of who to trust? Consumer Reports has always been my go-to source of research, information, and opinion on value and safety, but I've heard tales of faulty reviews. I have a number of friends who have children - their opinions are freely given (no membership fee required!) and they often have great advice as to what you will REALLY need and use. So, where is a girl to turn?

In the end, I am endeavoring to keep from extensive and endless research, as it really can lead one in circles, and just do the best I can. Until then, I continue to make my way through this new world of gadgets, gizmos, and gear.

Very First Post

Well, today is as good a day to start as any! Welcome to our brand new blog, where we will include all information and photos for our newly expanding family. J and I have been married for just over 5 years, and I'm just about 3 months pregnant with our first little monkey, entering into my second trimester today. We are excited to welcome this little one into the world, hopefully somewhere near the end of August.

It's taken me a while to get this blog started, mostly due to a lack of an obvious starting point. We found out Thursday evening, December 17th, and while we were quite excited from the moment the second line showed up on the test, we were understandably a little cautious about shouting it to the world. You never know what can happen, and it was still quite early. So, I chose to wait to start writing about the experience. With the advent of the second trimester and the subsequent announcements via Fac.ebook, Twit.ter, and good ole' fashioned conversations (face to face and telephone), I decided to go ahead and get the blogging party started. I aim to post somewhat frequently and have this be the main place for baby information (and not on Fac.ebook).

Hope you enjoy the ride - it's sure to be a fun one!