Inches Away

Nowhere, in any book on becoming a parent, is the term "pillow thief" mentioned. So I'm going to reference it once, then move on. Now that Lindsay is carrying around what appears to be a Butterball turkey, she is requiring more and more sleeping props to get a full night of sound sleep. As a result, I've been waking in the morning to find myself laying on a corner of a single pillow, and teetering on the edge of the bed feeling like I've been sleeping on a portaledge 600 feet off the ground. (I love you, dear.)

Moving on.

Lindsay is somewhere between her 31st and 32nd week, and our little man is really growing. In reading one of the many scary baby books we now own, I learned that from rump to crown, he's roughly 12 inches. However, if measured in full (from toes to the top of his head), he's about 19 inches, and he apparently is weighing in at a solid 5 lbs, although Lindsay would contest this, saying he's probably closer to 20 lbs, what with all the discomfort he's creating! We've been noticing a lot of movement recently; movements that sometimes feel like he's playing a wicked game of backyard wiffle ball, some that feel like he's practicing thai chi, and yet other bumps and thumps that make us think he's sleeping restlessly. Feeling (and seeing!!)his little feet, hands, rear, and head is quite easy now, and no less amazing. Just knowing that he is inches away from us, yet completely anonymous to us and foreign to our touch, is such a trivial and anxious feeling for both Lindsay and me.

The nursery is complete, save for a clock and a framed picture, thanks to everyone who attended both baby showers. I'm a bit reticent to hang a clock simply because I don't want to be reminded of what ungodly hour our little love is waking us up at. Rumor is, there's another shower in the works with people at the hospital.

Here's a great little quote I found recently about babies:

"A baby is an angel whose wings decrease as his legs increase."

Exponential Growth

The latest belly photo at 26 weeks. This past week has been a "good week." Unlike last week when I was unable to hold anything down for 24 hours, this week I can't eat enough to feel full. Which, let me remind you, is the best feeling in the world for anyone who has had nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
The little man remains happy as a clam kicking his mother and "fist punching" his dad. I am a little nervous that he has yet to get off the night shift though. He continues to be very active in the middle of the night. I am hoping that all the practice I have had will pay off if this proves true.
Work has been wonderful. It has made a world of difference in my attitude and energy level returning to a normal routine. Mabel continues to hate us and targets things around the house. I feel horrible that she is so unhappy but I honestly can't blame her for being upset. Her life has completely changed too and not for the better. If you have any tips on dealing with severe separation anxiety in dogs then please send them our way. For now we will continue with Ativan and puppy Prozac!

Hi There!

Here is our most recent ultrasound pic. I oriented the ultrasound still shot so that his face was upright and zoomed in. If you look closely, he kinda looks like he's smirking at the camera. His chin, cheeks, nose, and lips are very present in the picture, as well as his eyes. The large shadow you see over the upper left portion of the picture is his hand.

There's something in there....

Well it's Friday evening, and Lindsay's belly is growing exponentially. Our latest ultrasound went really well. We saw his face, and we could even see him lick his lips. To see our little dude moving, and showing us his beautiful face is magical. From the ultrasound, he looks a lot like Lindsay; cheeks, chin, and all. She'd deny it, but I swear it's the truth.

Our lives are beginning to change for the better. We're focusing our attention on the house, the baby's room, and our schedules. Lately, we've been focusing on finding a good daycare, which has been not as tough as we'd thought it to be. Anyway, our friends are here, so I must go...Ciao for now.

"The Kicking Foot"

Little man Duca's foot in action!

24 and counting!

This picture is my most current belly photo at 24 weeks. It still doesn't look like much but feels like a transformation. I can't image what the next few months are going to be like! Despite feeling large everywhere, things are going pretty well. Chris and I picked up little man Duca's first Patagonia snowsuit and long underwear last weekend at the Patagonia outlet. Our neighbor's Dennis and Michelle, who recently gave birth to their beautiful daughter Elise, handed down 2 boxes of 0-3 mos clothes as well as an infant car seat! Chris and I have been working on the registry as best as we can without completely overwhelming ourselves.

Little man Duca has been a kicking machine lately and kicks harder when Chris attempts to feel the movement. At times you can even see the kicking! Again, I can't image what it will be like when there is less room to move around.

Mabel is dealing with this transition as best as she can. With a few sedatives added to her diet she is no longer destroying the house.

This week we have another ultrasound (US) to view the baby's lips and nose which we could not see from the first US because his hands were in the way. I of course was simply delighted to just see a full spine, intact head, and 4 chambers of the heart.

Welcome to our new site!

The picture to the left is me at 8 weeks when I "thought" I had a belly...

As many of you already know, I am 22 weeks pregnant. I am delighted to be over the first trimester and into the second with increased appetite and energy. I am restarting our blog site to keep you all posted with belly pictures and more. I thought it would be nice to list the things we still need in preparation to the arrival of little man Duca. We are registered at Baby's R Us; however, we certainly do not mind used clothing or anything else anyone would like to donate. If you can find an item on our list that is more affordable some other place then please let me know and I will take it off the registry. Lastly, there are a few items that Chris and I are interested in that are not available through either registry. We will post those in the near future.