Sadness for A Friend...

Last night while we were overjoyed and excited about prepping the room for our bundle of joy my friend was experiencing a nightmare .

Early yesterday morning and again this morning she had to go through the pain of laboring, knowing that her children would most likely not survive. She was due in mid-February, so was somewhere around 24 weeks.

Her twin boys were born too early, Tristan and Kieran were just too young to survive.

I have no words to express my sadness. I am so sorry for my friend.

Bo and I are both so shocked. Just weeks ago we were celebrating the fact that our friend's children would be so close in age to ours (about a month apart). We expected they would be playmates and friends.

This loss reminds us to be thankful for every day that we are still pregnant and to remember that nothing is guaranteed. Just because we are halfway there does not mean we will make it to our goal.

I realize that my friend's loss does not mean I will loose my child, but it certainly reminds me to be cautious and also thankful.

We're Getting Stuff (Hubby's Getting Crap)...

Well, it seems to have finally started... Hubby is getting crap from people about our "condition". :) People are starting to give assvice, make suggestions, and prod him about the "Is it a boy or a girl?" question. That last one is probably the kicker! He really doesn't want to know until B-day, but he's beginning to get real crap about his feelings from others.

I explained that it is probably because people are beginning to think of baby showers and such. People don't seem to like to have to buy unisex items. They want bright pink and bold blue - definite statements of gender.

I personally want to know too, but I feel sorry for him that he's getting pushed. It sucks when you feel like the rest of the world doesn't agree with your feelings, no matter how "right" you are.

All the same, I think it would be so nice to know...

We cleaned out the baby's future room tonight!!!!!! We are going to paint sometime between now and the end of the weekend because THE FURNITURE IS IN!!! Oh my GOSH!

Some time next week or soon thereafter, assuming all goes well *knock on wood*, I hope to be putting sheets on a crib, hangings on the wall, and all that jazz. I think I might invite some friends over to play at decorating with me. :)

I'm beginning to get nervous actually.... I am beginning to feel like this is really possibly going to work out with a baby maybe coming home to live with us. Oh boy... Am I really ready for this?!?!?

Oh, my Mom has been a fount of questions lately too. Not your everyday, run-of-the-mill questions more like the ones that make your head feel as if the inside has gone all squishy and you can't BELIEVE you hadn't considered that yet. THOSE kind of questions are coming up like machine gun fire. I can't believe I've left so much off my list of things to think about...

1. Who do you want with you A) at the hospital B) in the room with you?

2. Will you christen/baptise the baby?

3. Do you want me (Mom that is) to come stay with you around baby time, and if so for how long?

These are the ones that have me stumped at the moment. We are in a holding pattern until Bo and I can make some decisions.

Some of the past zingers were things like Circumcision, Christmas travel (I was 3 months along and was just hoping to be pregnant), what do we want them to buy us for our baby gift? The last question is still on hold, but an answer is pending. I'm thinking of asking them to get us a nice table for our 1/2 bath - one that can be used as a changing table and then a shelf/table later for nick-nacks and books. I haven't found what I want yet though.

Much Accomplished...

I feel like I got soooooo much accomplished today! I don't know why, but I had all kinds of energy. :) Lovin' that!!!

After all the weeks of endless sleepiness I have enjoyed the past few weeks of ever-increasing energy.

Today I did the following (in order of appearance):

- Loved and hugged on my kitty Humphries until he couldn't stand it anymore and demanded breakfast. I'd say we spent an hour deliriously happy with smiles and purrs all around.

- Went for a bagel at my favorite place AND I made myself take my butt outside to eat. It was a GORGEOUS fall day! OK, I wasn't so happy about eating around the chick that was smoking while keeping her lunch friend company, but she was too far away for me to make a fuss. It was just irritating. Grrrrrrr!!!! *note: I used to smoke, so I know how she feels and I know that I still don't like to smell that while I'm eating. So, no need to chastise me in either direction.

- Went to a nearby mall and bought maternity jeans! 1st pair of truly maternity pants I've purchased! Bought a great shirt too! Lovin' that!

- On the way home realized I didn't have any good books to read, so I went to the Library. MAN it has been AGES since I went to the library! My card was so old it had to be replaced so I could use their new automated check-out system. Kinda nifty device really. :)
- got some books on tape for my commute to work
- got some new and not so new books to read - one I'm really quite interested in

- Went to the grocery store. I really shopped too - not one of those 3-items-and-you're-out trips. Nope, I hit every isle because frankly folks EVERYTHING in our house is out of date. I know this because that's the only reason I haven't used it yet. :) I've been a really creative cook lately - using everything I can to avoid having to lug my tired ass to the grocery store. Lovin' having energy!!!!

- Came home and drug all my purchases out of the car.

- Put up the groceries

- Made HOMEMADE muffins - 24 of these suckers. I wanted a large number to freeze so Bo and I will eat a little healthier in the mornings.

- Cut jump rings. I make jewelry from silver, and lately I've been focused on byzantine chain bracelets. You need lots and lots of little silver jump rings to make them. They are kind of slow to make, but very rewarding.

- Posted on Blogger. This has sadly not been very frequent lately, but hopefully with my renewed energy I will find more opportunities to get this done.

Whew!!! Now it's time to go see my hubby who is home after a week with his family in D.C. :) Goodnight, ladies and gents!

Belly... No Belly... Belly...

Lately my belly has been playing Hide-n-Seek. I definitely have a baby bump, but like many of you it is less noticeable in the mornings for some reason.

This morning Bo and I went for brunch, and as we were walking in I told him that in this particular outfit I looked "...fat not pregnant", to which he incredibly said, "Is that good or bad?" LOL Men will never learn...

While we were walking to be seated, I was explaining cute PG bump vs. fat when, I KID YOU NOT, this woman seated nearby STARED at my belly as I walked by!!! She didn't look up, she was grimacing and following my belly with her eyes. It felt really creepy!

Bo said he figured she was just trying to decide if I was PG or not. I told him I was a little concerned she had just cursed our baby. Ugh!

Otherwise, things are going well. Nothing so amazing to report. I do have my energy back, which is an AMAZING GIFT!!!! Thank you Energy God/Goddess! Whew!

Hope everyone of you are doing well!

Hey! How Ya Been?? Updated w/US Pics...

Sorry I've been so silent... I haven't spent much time blogging, but I've spent quite a bit reading others' blogs. So, I guess it's OK, right?

I have been on a little bit of a roller coaster with the Bump. Last week, Tuesday, we had a really bad scare. I started bleed red... At 16 wks that is often bad news. I called Bo at work and headed for the OB's office. They agreed to work me into the schedule within 30 mins. I like that kind of service!

They did a really fun pelvic exam, listened to the Bump (which was happily beating away), and then sent me to wait for an hour for an ultrasound. BTW - this was Bo's first EVER attendance at a pelvic exam. He's been there for the IUI and the egg transfer, so now he's indoctrinated into the Pap club too! Luckily I have always had the presence of mind to insist he remain FIRMLY planted at the head of the bed - no peaking. There are some things a hubby just shouldn't see.

The US tech told us that while Bump looked fine the placenta seemed to be very low, verging on covering the cervix. Oh yeah, Place.nta Pre.via baby! Can't I catch a break here?? Geesh!

They told me to go on "pelvic rest" and to be sure my Paranatologist, who I was seeing on Friday) took at good look at the situation.

Well, the Paranatologist's office saw us on Friday, as planned, and did all the Bump measurements. Bump is measuring 1 wk ahead - which is consistent with all my past US too! Weird, huh, since I know exactly what day we "conceived"! :)

Anyway, we were offered the answer to the big Boy/Girl question, but declined. Well, hubby declined, but I'm beginning to really, really want to know, seeing as I'm beginning to pick out nursery stuff and all the baby paraphernalia. We had a bit of an argument about it in the parking lot, but it's all good.

Back to the US... The Paranatologist said, "Well, I don't know what they were talking about, the placenta is WAAAAAY up here (gesturing wide circles with the pointer in the upper left) and the cervix is WAAAY down here (gesturing in the entire opposite side of the screen).

I swear, it made me want to stop seeing my OBs practice, right then. Mostly because these people have been little to no actual help to this point. I've been 3 times, and I have yet to get any actual USEFUL information or guidance. Grrrrrr....

Oh well, I'm very glad that there isn't a Pre.via issue... Whew!

Since then I've had more bleeding, but just a little bit. They told me that unless it "soaks a pad" that it might just be "normal" for me. I might have a sensitive cervix. :O

My Bump is really starting to show now... I also wore my first maternity top the other day! It felt weird, and people stared, but that's OK - it's kinda nice. :)

This pic is from the Para's Office...