Oh Happy Day!

Last Friday I had my additional gestational diabetes screening.  For the three days leading up to the screening, I had to "carb load," which involved eating either three candy bars a day or six slices of white bread a day, in addition to my regular caloric intake.  Then, I had to fast for 12 hours prior to the test.  I swear, those were my doctor's orders.  I know that eating three candy bars a day sounds like fun, but even with my tremendous sweet tooth, it was not exactly enjoyable.  In fact, eating that much sugar just made me feel a little nauseous and slightly jittery.  On the day of the test, we arrived at OBGYN of Atlanta at around 7:20 and were almost immediately taken back to the lab.  My blood was drawn and then I had to drink a sugary, orange-flavored drink in under two minutes.  After that we had to sit in a waiting room for an hour until my blood was drawn again.  We did this for three hours and the first hour was definitely the worst because the drink made me feel very sick.  Luckily, the longer we sat there, the better I felt.  By the end of the third hour, I wasn't feeling sick anymore, but I was very thirsty and ready for some food. 

Overall, the test was pretty awful, but I am thrilled to report that I do NOT have gestational diabetes!  Brad and I are so relieved and I can finally check that one off of my worry list.  I am so thankful for the favorable results, but I am also thankful for two very special people.  I am thankful for my sweet, supportive husband, who has come such a long way from telling me corny jokes in an effort to distract me.  These days he does such a great job of getting my mind on other things and helping me to focus on the big picture, a healthy and happy baby.  I'm so glad he was able to make it to the appointment because I don't think I would have handled it all so well by myself.  I am also thankful for one amazing phlebotomist, who drew blood from my left arm four times in three hours with hurting me or even leaving so much as a mark or bruise.  She even made me laugh a little in the midst of everything.  She just might be my new BFF!  I asked her to accompany us into the delivery room when the time comes, but she just laughed. 

I know that no matter what the results of the screening, we would have done whatever needed to be done to ensure that our little guy remains healthy, but I am just so happy to know that we are still on the right track and that things are still going smoothly.  This good news was such a wonderful Christmas gift!  

24-Week Check-Up

Last Wednesday we had our 24-week check-up.  As a part of this appointment I had my glucose screening test, which is the initial screening given to all pregnant women to test for gestational diabetes.  The screening involves drinking a sugary liquid, waiting an hour, and then having blood drawn.  I am very sad to report that Kim, a nurse from OBGYN of Atlanta, called today to let me know that my blood glucose level was too high.  This does not necessarily mean that I have gestational diabetes, but it does mean that another test must be run to rule out the possibility one way or the other.  I will go in for the next test on Friday and will have to stay at the office for three hours so they can draw three different samples on the hour.  It turns out that between 2% and 5% of pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes and it is a manageable condition, but I am really sad and worried about it because I am trying so hard to take the best care possible of Little E and myself. 

On the upside, we also saw Dr. Wooten, my favorite doctor so far.  He said that everything else seems to be right on target.  My blood pressure is great and my weight gain is right on track.  Little E's heart rate is still right where it needs to be and he is moving around more than ever these days.  We even heard a couple of hiccups while Dr. Wooten was checking his heart rate.  So cute!!

I hope to report back with good news soon!

So Much to be Thankful For

24 Weeks

We have had such an amazing, productive week with our parents and I am so thankful for their continuous love and support.  Brad has been so wonderful throughout my pregnancy and he is always willing to do anything that I need him to do, but having our parents around this week has really helped us move forward with our baby planning and preparation.  It is such a relief to have so many things checked off of our to-do list!

My mom arrived on Saturday with my thirteen year old cousin, William, in tow.  William was only here with us for one night before he joined his grandfather in Augusta for a deer hunt, but boy did he earn his keep!  After a little tennis practice and dinner at El Porton, Brad, William, and my mom were charged with moving furniture so that we'll be ready for the baby furniture when it arrives.  This involved moving a 100 year old chiffarobe into the nursery and the desk into the guest room.  The chiffarobe has been in almost every bedroom I've had since I was a child and my mother has refinished it twice in my lifetime.  I am very attached to it.  It probably isn't normal to have such an attachment to a piece of furniture, but I'm fairly certain that it is in my genetic makeup to love old furniture, so I won't worry too much about it.  While the chiffarobe is beautiful, it is not exactly what I would call structurally sound.  I was so nervous about them moving it that I couldn't even watch.  My mom helped guide Brad and William while I sat downstairs with my fingers crossed, trying not to listen to every bump and creek.  After successfully moving the chiffarobe, it turned out that moving the desk was a breeze.  In the end, they all did a great job of rearranging things and placing the furniture exactly where I wanted it and I am so thankful to have that huge item checked off of our to-do list. 

On Sunday, we went to mass and then my mom and I drove William to meet his grandfather, while Brad worked in the yard.  Afterward, my mom and I went to the mall and to lunch before heading to Publix to stock up on groceries for the week.  On Sunday night, my mom and I washed and sorted all of the hand-me-down baby clothing that we've gotten from my co-worker, Sandy, and my sister-in-law, Christina.  It was so much fun looking through all of those tiny, adorable clothes! 

On Monday, while Brad and I were at work, my wonderful mother cooked chicken and sausage gumbo for us and went to Babies R Us for more clothes for Little E, as well as some blankets, bibs, and burp cloths to help stock the nursery.  After work, we went for my third and Brad's first tour of Primrose.  At the end of the tour we registered Little E for his first school experience, which will begin in August, when I return to work.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I spent several weeks researching child care centers in our area, but in the end, we decided that Primrose is the best choice for us.  Getting that done enabled us to check another huge item off of our to-do list.  My mom came to work with me on Tuesday and Brad's parents arrived at our house shortly after we got home that afternoon. 

http://www.kookoobearkids.com/

Wednesday was definitely our most productive day.  After breakfast, my mom, Brad's mom, and I went to Koo Koo Bear Kids to order the furniture for the nursery.  Because I had already ordered the bedding online and because I had already researched and made decisions about the crib and changer that we wanted, the whole experience was really fun and exciting.  The staff at Koo Koo Bear was really friendly and knowledgeable and the whole order was placed in a matter of minutes.  Of course, Koo Koo Bear is such a cute store that we spent quite a while looking around and getting ideas for wall decor for the nursery after placing the order.  The best part of all is that the furniture should be here in three weeks or less, which is a lot sooner than we expected!  We celebrated our success with manicures and pedicures before returning home where Oscar and Brad were hard at work replacing the light fixture in the hallway upstairs, as well as the fan in the guest room.  Unfortunately, they were unable to replace the light fixture in the nursery with the fan we purchased because it isn't currently wired for a fan, so we'll have to call someone to install that one for us.  Mom, Mary, and I spent the rest of the day in the kitchen.  My mom cooked her amazing spaghetti and meatballs from scratch, while Mary and I worked on preparing some of our Thanksgiving dishes.


Shopping at Koo Koo Bear Kids with My Mom and Brad's Mom

Brad and Oscar Hard at Work

On Thursday, I made a yummy spinach and bacon quiche and blueberry-lemon coffee cake for brunch and then we spent the rest of the day watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and various football games while cooking the rest of our Thanksgiving dinner and setting the table.  Everything looked beautiful and dinner was delicious!  We made turducken, rice dressing, balsamic mashed sweet potatoes, spinach madeleine, bacon-wrapped green beans, cranberry salad, and pecan pie.  YUM!!!

Our Wedding China, Crystal, and Flatware

Hard at Work Again, This Time on the Turducken

Our Second Thanksgiving

On Friday, Brad and his parents took a break from all of the hard work and went to see the movie Unstoppable.  While they were out, my mom and I went to Hobby Lobby, where we purchased fabric for the nursery.  My mom's sister, my Nanny Kay, has graciously agreed to make window treatments and pillows for the nursery that will coordinate with the crib bedding.  It is all going to look so cute!  That evening, to celebrate all of our hard work and productivity, we went out for dinner at JCT Kitchen and to see Cirque Du Soleil's, OVO.  Dinner was delicious and OVO was incredible!  It was a great evening and a great way to end our week together. 

Dinner at JCT Kitchen

The week flew by and it is nice to be back to just Brad, Hank, Little E, and I around here.  Our parents all made it home safely and I'm sure they are enjoying a little peace and quiet as well.  We are so grateful for all of their hard work and generosity throughout this week as we checked off several items from our baby preparation to-do list.  It is hard to believe that by the time we celebrate Thanksgiving together next year, our baby will be around 8 months old!  Like I said, we have so much to be thankful for!

A Girl's Never Too Old to Miss Her Mama!

My Mom and I at My Baptism

My mom is here visiting us for Thanksgiving and I couldn't be happier!  I am honestly giddy just to have her around!  When my mom and I don't see each other for a while, I miss her terribly.  Even though we talk to each other daily, somehow it just isn't the same as being in her presence.  I'm thankful for so many things this Thanksgiving and always, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention how thankful I am to have her here with us, especially as she helps us prepare for the arrival of our baby boy.  She is my best friend (after my sweet hubby, of course), the person I talk to about everything, and someone whom I have no idea how to live without.  I'm sure many people feel this way about their mothers or fathers or someone else in their lives, but I can only speak for myself here.  

It was just about a year ago that my mother was having a very difficult time with a heart condition that she's had for fifteen or so years and it really hit me for the first time that she may not, in fact, live forever as it had always seemed she would.  As I sat with my brother, two aunts, and a family friend, in a hospital waiting room, for her doctor to deliver some kind of news as to how her surgery was going, I realized that I would one day have to figure out how to do it all without her and it was one of the most terrifying realizations I'd ever made.  I spent that night with her in the hospital.  It was my first experience with sleeping, or not sleeping, in a hospital and I think it was also the first time I experienced what it means to really worry.  It isn't that I am dependent on her in any way, in fact, I've always been a very independent person and I've never been one to do as I'm told or take direction very well.  It is just that I've never had to experience anything without her overwhelming presence, support, or occasional disapproval before.  She thankfully made it out of surgery with flying colors and is doing wonderfully to date, but that experience was enough to make me think of things, of her, in a whole new light.

You see, my mother has always seemed sort of indestructible to me.  She is, by far, the strongest person I've ever met.  She can do anything and endure anything, or at least it seems that way.  She raised my brother and me pretty much all by herself and taught us how not to be resentful of the fact that she had to.  She is a problem-solver and a listener and a selfless giver and everything a "good" mother is supposed to be and then some.  I do not doubt that there is anything that she would not do for me or pretty much anyone else.  She has never disappointed me in any way that truly mattered and if she ever did, I'm certain it was or would be for my own good.  She is always ready to voice her opinion, even when I don't want it and she has always supported me in everything I have ever tried to accomplish.  She is my biggest fan.  She tries very hard to live an uncomplicated, drama-free life and even though that doesn't often work out, she makes the best of what she's been given with a joie de vivre (joy of life) of which I'm sure most people would envy.  As a good friend loves to remind me, I may not always have the best luck, but I definitely won the "mama lottery".

Mom, because I know you are reading this too, I love you and I'm thankful for you everyday!  You are the kind of mother I aspire to be!
  

My Mom and I Today

We're Half-Way There!!!

I normally try to post something new every Sunday, but for some reason, I am way behind on this one!  Sorry to those of you who read the blog regularly!!!  I'll try to get back on track!

Half-way There!

We are half-way to meeting our sweet baby boy, or possibly more than half-way, depending on when he decides to grace the outside world with his presence!  I can definitely see why so many women favor the second trimester, because I feel wonderful!  I'm not nearly as tired as I was during the first trimester and I really just feel good overall! 

We had our 20-week check-up on Wednesday, November 3rd.  This appointment consisted of an ultrasound and conversation with Dr. Sharon, no exam or blood work.  Hooray!!!  Leading up to this appointment, I was so excited about seeing our baby again and about having new pictures of the little guy to post on the blog.  Unfortunately, I left very disappointed.  Little E (our newest nickname for the baby) would not show his face no matter how much the ultrasound tech, Mary, poked and prodded, and boy did she poke and prod!  At one point, she was pushing on my belly so hard that I was squeezing Brad's hand, sure that my belly would be bruised the next day.  I was really sad that even though I endured the pressure that Mary was putting on my belly, the baby would not turn around.  We eventually left the ultrasound with pictures of his spine, arm, and boy parts, but no face.  The good news it, he is definitely a boy!  The bad news is that I got beat up and still didn't get to see his sweet face!  I have to admit that I shed a few tears about it, but that is probably just because pregnant-Allie is even more emotional than not-pregnant-Allie, if you can believe that! 

Spinal Cord and Back of Head

Arm

Little Boy Parts

After the ultrasound, we saw Dr. Sharon, who informed us that Little E is doing great!  That definitely lifted my spirits after the ultrasound.  All of his organs are in working order, his heart rate is exactly where it should be, and he is exactly the right size, which means that he is still expected to arrive on March 18th!  Dr. Sharon was pleased to hear that we're already registered for childbirth preparation classes and he gave us a homework assignment; he asked us to start thinking about birth plan options.  Some of the things we need to consider are doctor versus nurse midwife, pain relief preference during labor, who will cut the umbilical cord, cord blood banking, and several other options that I won't mention.  We are pretty certain that we want the baby to be delivered by a nurse midwife, but we haven't really decided anything else for certain yet.  Luckily, we have a while to make those decisions. 

Now that we know the gender and overall well-being of our baby, the new question that I find myself pondering all the time is, "When will he get here?"  I'm so anxious to find out if he'll be early or late or right on time.  I'm sure that most pregnant women wonder about this very same thing, but I think it stays on my mind all the time because I so want my mom to be here for the delivery.  With her being a ten-hour drive or an hour and a half plane ride away, it is going to be really difficult to coordinate her arrival in Atlanta with Little E's arrival into the world.  Unfortunately for me, it is all completely out of my control, so I guess all I can do is wonder about it and pray that it all works out.


Also, New This Week:

My friend Jane was in town from Indiana for the weekend, so I had a very busy weekend and Little E had two nights out with the girls.  I went out for dinner and drinks at The Grape with Jane and nine other fabulous ladies on Friday night, although I didn't eat or drink anything other than water because it was way past dinner time for me.  On Saturday, I attended a baby shower for my friend Stephanie, who is due in December.  After the shower, Brad met Jane, Sarah, Laura, and I at Atkins Park for dinner.  Brad and I tried to hang out at Atkins for a while after dinner because several other friends were there by then, but the bar was way to smoke-filled and crowded, so we headed home.  It was so fun to have a weekend out with friends, but I definitely can't keep up with the non-pregnant folks these days!


Dinner at The Grape



Atkins Park

New This Week!

1.  Baby Prep Classes
I am very excited to report that we are now registered for all of our baby preparation classes.  We registered for Childbirth Prep, Baby Essentials, Infant and Child CPR, Daddy Boot Camp for Rookies, Becoming Parents, and Breastfeeding, which are all offered at Northside Hospital where I will deliver our baby.  We won't start these classes until January, but we were told that the classes fill up pretty fast, so we went ahead and registered for all of them.

2.  Childcare Research
We have decided that the best choice for us is for me to continue to work after the baby is born.  Because I will be going back to work in August, we will need to find a childcare provider for the little man, so we've started researching childcare providers in our area.  Brad asked me to visit providers in the area to narrow down the search.  Once I've narrowed it down to the top two, Brad will visit and tour the schools to help me make the final decision.  So far, I have only visited Primrose, but I was very impressed!  I plan to continue to visit other childcare providers, but it will take a lot to top what I experienced during my tour of Primrose. 

 3.  Feed Me
I am very happy to say that I haven't gained very much weight so far, but I have a feeling that is about change because lately I feel like no matter what I eat or how much I eat, I am still hungry.  My stomach feels a little bit like a bottomless pit!  I'm trying to make sure I fill myself up with fruits and veggies and other good-for-me foods, but I am just hungry all the time!

4.  Baby Bump
There is no more hiding the fact that I am expecting because I have a definite baby bump these days.  It is really fun to watch my belly grow because I know that it means that Peanut is growing as well.  I love checking out my belly in the mirror right when I wake up in the morning because I swear it looks different everyday!  It certainly makes getting dressed for work slightly more interesting, not to mention the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to tie my own shoelaces.

5.  Brad has Joined the Party
I mentioned in an earlier post that Brad was not yet able to feel the baby moving, well that changed this week!  A few nights ago, Brad was reading Peanut a bedtime story and Peanut was really moving around.  Brad put his hand on my belly where I was feeling the most movement and he was finally able to feel a few faint movements.  It is so exciting that Brad is a part of the action now!!

6.  Brad's Better Two-Thirds
Like many husbands, Brad will sometimes jokingly calls me his better half.  This week we came to the conclusion that I am currently his better two-thirds, as our family is no longer made up of two people.  We are now a family of three, plus a dog, of course!

We Survived!!!

Brad and I survived creating our baby registry at Babies' R Us!  We went to Babies 'R Us yesterday afternoon around 1:00.  When we arrived, we promised each other that we would leave by 3:00 or before either of us got frustrated, whichever happened first.  We started with all the big stuff, the stuff that I've been researching for weeks and everything was going really well.  I had my list and Brad had the scanner gun and we were on a roll.  We scanned our infant car seat, swing, Pack 'n Play, high chair, diapers, Baby Bjorn, diaper bags (one for each of us), Snap 'n Go, Bumbo, Boppy, and monitor without any trouble at all.  We weren't even derailed when we realized that Babies' R Us doesn't even carry the stroller we want.  We were having fun and feeling pretty confident in our baby registering abilities, probably a little too confident.

Brad Comparing Infant Swings

When we turned onto the next aisle and the next section of our registry checklist, the "infant care" section, everything kind of started to fall apart.  Because I had a really hard time finding any of the answers that I needed about these products before hand, I had a feeling that I was going to be totally overwhelmed and my feeling was certainly correct.  We spent quite a while just walking through this section, confused.  Then we sought the help of a Babies' R Us employee, who was really no help at all, although she did give us some coupons.  Brad kept trying to remind me that the baby isn't even going to realize that there are so many varieties of bottles and nipples, he is just going to be happy to be fed, but I think we thoroughly covered my decision-making process in an earlier blog post, so you can probably imagine that we had arrived at an impasse.  Finally, I just had put on my big-girl panties and make some executive decisions and hope for the best.  Once we finally made it out of the infant care section, we headed over to the nursery and bedding section, but we shortly realized that both our time and our patience had expired.  I was so spent by the time that we got to the clothing section that, even though that probably would have been my favorite part, we didn't even try to register for anything.  Brad did a great job of trying to be supportive and helping me approach things from a logical perspective, but in the end I still ended up in tears.  Decisions not supported by research are not my strong suit.  Thank goodness that it was nothing that a Founder's Favorite in a chocolate-dipped waffle bowl from Cold Stone couldn't fix!!!



Founder's Favorite



Also, New This Week:

1.  Peanut is a Busy-Body! 
The little man moves all day, every day.  I felt him move for the first time on October 9th, but after that his movements were sporadic or I was only feeling them sporadically, but now I feel him all the time.  It is such an incredible feeling to know that there is a little human being growing and stretching in there!  I am amazed and excited every time it happens!  Brad has not been able to feel it yet, but we're hoping he will be able to join in the fun soon!

2.  Bedtime Stories
We read that all of Peanut's senses are now in working order and he can now hear what is going on outside of the womb, so Brad now reads him a bedtime story every night.  It is really adorable!  We get all cuddled up in bed, (except for Hank, he has to cuddle up on the floor) and Brad reads aloud to my belly.  So sweet!

3.  Yoga
I started taking a prenatal yoga class this week.  The class is full of mommies-to-be who are anywhere from 12 weeks to 36 weeks pregnant.  It is designed to help us stretch and strengthen our growing bodies and it is relaxing and wonderful!  I've never taken yoga before, but I already love it!

4.  Touching the Belly
People have started to walk up to me and touch my belly.  These people are very politely asking first, but they are touching nonetheless.  I know that this is a pretty common thing for people to want to do and I'm pretty sure I've even been guilty of doing it to close friends a time or two, but it is really going to take some getting used to.  What makes it seem so strange is that, while I am definitely showing, to me it looks more like I've just eaten a really big meal than it looks like there is a baby in my belly. 

5.  Maternity Photos
After talking to a friend about maternity photos, Brad and I decided that we want to have some taken by a professional photographer, something that we had not even considered before.  I did a little research this weekend and we found several photographers in the area who have taken some beautiful (and tasteful) photos of parents to be.  I am really excited about it and I think it will be a great way to remember this awesome time in our lives!

I'm Not Crazy, I Just Plan A Lot

A Look Inside My Brain Before Baby Bargains

I am a researcher and a planner by nature.  I've never made a decision in my life, except the decision to move to Atlanta, that wasn't strategically planned and thoroughly researched.  My friend Jane loves to make fun of the fact that I researched breeders of Golden Retrievers for several months before finally deciding that the dogs at Goldenway in Nashville, Tennessee, were worthy of parenting my sweet little puppy.  Now let's be honest, Brad and I love our dog very much, but he is, for all intents and purposes, just a dog.  I just had to know as much as I possibly could about him before I could commit to him for the rest of his life.  I like to be knowledgeable when making decisions, and so, I plan and research.  I just can't ever seem to make a 100% commitment to anything unless I feel like I'm a relative expert.

You can probably see where I am going with this and you can probably see how this little personality quirk can be both a blessing and a burden in life.  Well, this has proven especially true during the past two weeks.  Do you have any idea how many decisions expectant parents have to make these days when planning for their little bundle of joy???  I'm sure those of you who have had a child, especially in the last ten to twenty years, are emphatically nodding at this point.  Talk about overwhelming!!! 

When I think about it, I guess the decision-making actually started back in July, on the day we found out that I was pregnant.  The first two major decisions I committed to were which hospital and which doctors would deliver my baby.  I spent only about three or four hours on those two.  More recently, however, we have had to start deciding on baby paraphernalia, specifically, what to register for and what to purchase on our own.  These decisions include, but are not limited to the following: child care provider, crib, crib mattress, bedding, changer/dresser, infant seat, convertible car seat, stroller, high chair, swing, and portable crib.  Don't even get me started on which diapers or bottles we'll choose!  If some of you are thinking to yourselves as you read this, "slow down, you've got plenty of time," well you clearly don't know me that well.  The one bit of insight that is keeping me sane in my quest for the best for Peanut is that mothers and fathers have raised perfectly healthy and well-adjusted children all over the world since the beginning of time without many or even all of the above items.  The bad news is, I'm me and I live in present-day America.

The hardest part about making all of these decisions is that we obviously want what is best, and most importantly, safest for our baby, but everyone seems to have a different opinion on what exactly that is.  So, how do you figure out who's right without getting caught up in all the marketing hype and brand wars out there?  I've found that word-of-mouth, consumer reports, and product reviews on various websites were somewhat helpful, but not exactly what I was looking for.  Thank goodness a couple of friends suggested I purchase the book, Baby Bargains.  Getting this book in the mail just might have been almost as good as eating a coconut cupcake from Kelly Kakes.  It is the most amazing and helpful thing I've read so far!  It is 600+ pages of data on the latest and greatest in baby gear.  The way that this book differs from anything that I've read before is that it guarantees that you get the most bang for your buck and it is updated every two years to ensure that the data is up-to-date.  Instead of listing which products were most commonly purchased by parents-to-be, it provides ratings on those products by people who have actually purchased and used them.  It also provides lots of helpful tips, lists of websites, and, you guessed it, bargains!  It is exactly what an obsessive planner and fanatic researcher with a limited baby budget like me needs!

http://www.babybargains.com/

Perfect 10 for my 10/10/10

My Second Birthday

I love celebrating birthdays, my own and the birthdays of my friends and loved ones.  No matter how old I get, my birthday is still something that I anticipate with great excitement.  You would think I would have outgrown this by now, but I haven't, and I totally blame my mother!  (Sorry, Mom!)  My mother is a master at making birthdays seem exciting and special.  No matter what our circumstances were over the years, she always made sure that my brother and I were spoiled rotten on our birthdays and I know that there were times when this was no small feat.  These days Brad has taken on the role of ensuring that I am spoiled on my birthday, or birthday week as I like to think of it, and it turns out that he is great at it!  This year, my birthday held special significance for me.  First, because I am expecting a child of my own, and second, because it fell on 10/10/10, October 10th, 2010, which isn't so much significant as it is just plain cool.  So, to celebrate this year, Brad took me to Highlands, North Carolina, where we stayed at the Old Edwards Inn and Spa.  The Old Edwards Inn was rated the Conde Nast Traveler's #1 Hotel Spa of the Year, and for good reason, it is absolutely breathtaking!  


Entrance to Old Edwards Inn



The Inn

The Lodge



The Pool

Highlands is about two and a half hours from Atlanta.  We drove up on Saturday morning and arrived too early for check-in, so we wandered around the quaint, little town for a while before having lunch and eventually checking in.  After we checked in, I left Brad to his own devices and headed to the spa for an amazing prenatal massage.  The spa was incredible and I probably could have spent the entire weekend there, but I eventually convinced myself to leave to rejoin Brad, who was hanging out by the pool.  I guess Peanut really likes massages and hanging out by the pool because later that evening I got the best birthday present I could ever have asked for, I felt him move for the very first time!  He actually moved three times over the course of about fifteen minutes.  It was pretty amazing!!!  We finished off the evening with a great dinner at Madison's and wins by both Florida State and LSU, so all-in-all, it really was a perfect day! 

Dinner at Madison's.  Can You See My Baby Bump?

On Sunday, we grabbed some breakfast and then walked around Highlands a little more.  We spent the afternoon driving around, looking at waterfalls and other scenic destinations.  We finished off the day with some barbecue from the Rib Shack.  The entire weekend was so wonderful and relaxing, a perfect 10!  It is a trip I will always remember and the best part of all is definitely the amazing gift that Brad and I have already been given, our Little Peanut.

Dry Falls

It's a Boy!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is exactly what you think it is.
You are looking at our son's winkie!


Call it mother's intuition or just a hunch, but I've thought all along, pretty much since that very first home-pregnancy test, that we were going to have a boy.  Since then, I've had dreams about boy babies and I've even had a few friends, coworkers, and one relative stranger predict that I am carrying a boy.  In addition to the hunches and dreams and predictions, I've had both a fortune cookie and a diamond necklace foretell the sex of our little Peanut.

About a week after we found out that I was pregnant, we went to PF Changs for dinner.  Anyone else noticing a theme here?  After dinner, Brad and I were reading the fortunes from inside of our fortune cookies aloud to each other.  For those of you who are used to seeing lottery numbers on the back of your fortunes, the fortunes inside the cookies at PF Changs have a word written in both English and Mandarin on the back of them.   Well, the word on the back of my fortune was jia ting or family and the word written on the back of Brad's fortune was nan hai or boy.  I'll grant you that a fortune cookie isn't a very scientific or reliable way of determining the sex of a baby, but you've got to admit that it is a pretty uncanny coincidence!

Just in case we weren't convinced yet, a couple of weeks ago Brad and I were eating dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, Tara Humata, with some friends from the neighborhood when our friend Mandy mentioned that she could determine Peanut's sex by dangling a diamond necklace above my wrist.  Mandy said that the necklace swinging back and forth would mean boy, while a circular motion would mean girl.  Of course, the necklace moved back and forth over my wrist and I don't know about you, but I think that if diamonds are involved, it's got to be accurate... right?

Even with all of these indications that our baby is a boy, I still wanted to be absolutely certain.  The only way to be absolutely certain is through an ultrasound, so we scheduled one.  My doctor's office doesn't normally do an ultrasound at the 16-week appointment, but I simply could not wait until the 20-week appointment.  We went in today at 11:00.  The ultrasound tech, Cassi, lathered on the goo, apologized for not warming it first, and then we were down to business.  She started by depicting Peanut's position, which was sort of laying on his back with his head on my left and his feet on my right.  His hands were by his face and his elbows were pointing up.  From there, she showed us his little head, complete with both brain hemispheres.  She then moved around to his face, pointing out his tiny little nose and mouth.  Next we got to see and hear his heartbeat at a perfect 148 BPM, followed by his spinal cord.  She eventually made her way down for the money shot.  Unfortunately, Peanut was NOT feeling very cooperative, so she poked around for a little longer and even killed a few seconds by showing us my very full bladder.   After a few minutes of poking and moving around, Peanut finally cooperated enough for her to see his tiny little winkie, which she had to point out for us in the picture above.  At that moment, all of our suspicions were confirmed!  IT'S A BOY!!!

Coconut Anyone?

Who hasn't heard funny stories about pregnant women getting food cravings for all sorts of crazy things?  Pickles and ice cream is an odd combination that I've often heard of, although I don't know if there is any truth to that one.  I have a feeling, that one is just another one of those old wives' tales.  Either way, it is well-known enough that t-shirts have been made and I think there is even a maternity clothing store bearing the name. 

Shortly after we found out that a little bundle of joy was in our future, Brad asked what I thought I'd have cravings for.  We both suspected that I'd crave sweets of some kind because I have always had a tremendous sweet tooth.  At first, I did have a short-lived craving for the chicken lettuce wraps at PF Changs, but the one thing that I still can't seem to get enough of is coconut, fluffy, delicious coconut.  Pre-pregnancy, I could take it or leave it, but these days I seem to want it, or better yet, need it on a daily basis.  My craving is so strong that I have even begun seeking out recipes that use coconut. 

It all started with a coconut cupcake from Kelly Kakes in historic, downtown Roswell.  If you are anywhere in the Roswell area, you should definitely check out Kelly Kakes!  All of the cupcakes are amazing, but my favorite is, of course, the coconut.  There was a 3 or 4 week period earlier on when I had one of those cupcakes every weekend.  However, I soon found myself wanting coconut more and more often, so I had to find other ways to indulge myself.  Since then, we've had coconut gelato, Edy's Creamy Coconut Fruit Bars, home-made coconut cookies, coconut M&Ms, coconut shrimp, virgin pina coladas, and thanks to a suggestion made by a neighbor, coconut cake from Alpine Bakery.  You name it, we've probably had it!  Brad has been really great about helping me find something to satisfy my craving.  While visiting Brad's parents last month, we even made an extra trip to Publix just to find some coconutty goodness.  He did, however, make the mistake of thinking that I wanted an actual coconut, but my craving is more for frozen treats and sweets made with coconut.  I'm sure that one day this craving will subside, much like the lettuce wraps craving did, but until then, I'll be on the search for all things coconut!

I Miss Wine!

For the most part, I stopped drinking alcohol of any kind before I even knew I was pregnant and it wasn't really a difficult thing to do.  I can honestly say that I didn't really miss drinking... at least until yesterday.  I was standing in Trader Joe's trying to decide which flavor of hummus to purchase when it hit me, I miss wine.  The wine section was just a few steps from where I was standing and my brain involuntarily shifted from what I was actually doing to a mental picture of me taking the first sip of a glass of red wine.  I am not kidding when I say that I could actually smell it!  Believe me, I am not implying that carrying a baby isn't a worthwhile reason not to drink, I'm just saying I miss it is all.   Maybe it is because I grew up in the midst of rich Cajun and Italian cultures, cultures who not only permit drinking at a young age, but sort of embrace it.  Or, maybe it is just because I really love wine.  Either way, I am not interested in any strategies or solutions like non-alcoholic wine to try to fake myself out.  I am just eagerly anticipating the day that I can partake in wine-drinking once again.  Until then, I may need to avoid the wine section of the grocery store.

There's a Real Baby in There!

12-Week Ultrasound

We had our second appointment at OBGYN of Atlanta on September 8th.  This appointment lasted for three hours!  During this appointment, we had our second ultrasound, listened to the babies heartbeat, met with a Pregnancy Planner, had an examination by Dr. Sharon, and completed the First Trimester Nuchal Translucency (NT) Screening, which involved drawing blood. 

Being that the last time we saw our baby, it looked roughly like a peanut, it is really no surprise that my response to seeing it at our 12-week ultrasound was, "It looks like a real baby!".  The ultrasound technician laughed and said, "What did you think was in there?".  Our baby not only had a brain, spinal cord, heart, and other vital organs, it also had an adorable face, and arms, and legs, with tiny little fingers and toes.  The baby even put on a little show for us, wiggling, stretching, and responding to the pressure applied to my belly by the technician.  According to the ultrasound tech, our baby was about 6.7 centimeters long, that is just about three inches of pure perfection.  One thing I can say for certain after seeing that little cutie is that if it were up to me, I would have an ultrasound every day just so that I could watch every change and movement that our baby is going through.  Seeing our baby again and hearing his or her heart beat for the first time definitely helped to put a lot of my fears to rest, while making this whole thing seem a lot less like it was all in my imagination. 

After the ultrasound, we met with the Pregnancy Planner.  She thoroughly reviewed both of our medical histories and talked to us about our insurance coverage, birthing options, and risks associated with pregnancy and delivery.  We had to fill out and sign lots of paperwork during this part of the appointment, but overall, it was completely painless.

When our meeting with the Pregnancy Planner was finished we were escorted into an exam room.  Because OBGYN of Atlanta is a rotating practice, we will see a different doctor at each appointment so that by the time I deliver, we will know all eight of them.  At this appointment we met Dr. Sharon, who examined me while carrying on a conversation with Brad about fishing off the coast of Georgia.  Brad busied himself by checking emails on his Blackberry.  I found the whole situation hilarious!  I think Brad  found it to be awkwardly funny, but I guess we'll have a lot more of those awkwardly funny moments before this is all over with.

The last part of the appointment involved drawing blood, lots of blood!  I do NOT handle having blood drawn very well.  In fact, I don't handle needles very well.  I tried to prep Brad before hand, but I don't think he took me seriously.  Once we got started, I asked him to talk to me or tell me a story to take my mind off of what was going on.  The best he could do on the spot was to tell me the one about the priest, the rabbi, and the duck walking into a bar.  Needless to say, that didn't exactly do the trick.  Thankfully, the phlebotomist took over and did a great job of distracting me by talking about her own three-month old baby.  She did a wonderful job and it was over before I knew it!  Unfortunately, that did not keep me from feeling faint a few minutes later while we were trying to schedule our next appointment.

Several days after the appointment we received some really great news.  All of our first trimester screening results came back normal.  Needless to say, we were both very relieved!  It looks like we are moving into the second trimester with a healthy baby and a happy mommy!   

We're Gonna Have a Baby!

Pee-on-a-Stick, Over-the-Counter Pregnancy Test, Times Two

On July 5th, Brad and I realized that our lives were about to change forever after I took the very official and almost always accurate pee-on-a-stick, over-the-counter pregnancy test, times two.  Obviously, the result was positive and we were both overjoyed... and overwhelmed!   It is pretty amazing how those two little words, "I'm pregnant!" can change everything!

I was so thankful that school had not yet started because I spent the rest of the morning researching doctors and hospitals and reading What to Expect When You're Expecting, which was given to me by my sister-in-law, Christina, before I even knew I was expecting.  I eventually settled on OBGYN of Atlanta and Northside Hospital, thanks to several glowing recommendations from friends and a very nice woman named Kathy at the Northside Hospital doctor referral hot line with whom I had a 30-minute conversation.  Yes, I really can talk to anyone... and apparently, so can Kathy!

We had our first appointment with Dr. Wooten at OBGYN of Atlanta on July 27th.  We found out that I was about six weeks along and that my due date would be somewhere around March 18th.  The most fun part of the appointment was definitely our first ultrasound.  We were even given three pictures of our little Peanut to hang on the fridge.  Peanut is our nickname for the baby because that is exactly what it looked like at that first appointment.  In fact, my exact words after laying eyes on the little guy (or girl) for the first time were, "It looks like a peanut!".  Brad enjoys reminding me that the baby still had a vestigial tail when we saw it for the first time, but I prefer not to think about it.  Dr. Wooten was fantastic!  He did a great job of answering ALL of my questions and I had plenty of them.  Brad and I were both elated when we left the appointment and we celebrated with dinner at our favorite restaurant, Stoney River.  After dinner, we called our parents and my brother and sister-in-law.  It was so much fun to spread the news a little after keeping it a secret for three weeks.  My mom cried and we ended up talking for about an hour.  Brad's parents were also thrilled.  His mom was so excited that she couldn't stop talking about it and his dad just kept repeating the phrase, "That is such wonderful news!".  We didn't tell anyone else for several more weeks.  It wasn't easy to keep such a big secret from our friends and extended family, but we thought it was a good idea to keep things hush-hush for a little longer.

For the next several weeks after that first appointment I began to feel totally and utterly exhausted, especially once the school year started.  Thankfully, the exhaustion subsided around week twelve, right about the time that we had our second appointment and started letting more of friends and family in on our secret!