40 Weeks, 2 Days

Ok, ok!  I know I said that I wanted to go late and that I predicted I'd have Whitten on the 25th of October.  But, I'm ready now.  Can we get this show on the road?

(October 21 - 40 weeks, 2 days)

My next appointment with the doctor is Tuesday afternoon.  At that time, I'll be just shy of 41 weeks, and the doctor will discuss inducing me.  I've always been one of those "let the baby come when he's ready!" types of folks, so I'm not exactly excited about the idea of being induced.  However, after talking to my doctor and doing some of my own research, there are some concerns about allowing a baby to go too far past his due date:

1. The placenta can stop providing sufficient nutrients to the baby.

2. There is a higher percentage of stillbirth for babies delivered after 42 weeks.

3. There is an increased risk of meconium aspiration.

Of course, there are negatives to being induced, as well:

1. More medical intervention is required (IVs, monitors, etc.)

2. Contractions are brought on medically, so they can be stronger and more painful than natural contractions.

3. There is the possibility of longer labor, which could result in an emergency c-section.

So, basically, I'm hoping that little Whitten will arrive on his own.  And, I'm hoping he'll do it sooner rather than later.  Jeff is taking his professional engineering exam on Friday the 28th.  As long as baby comes on the 26th or before or the 29th or after, we're in the clear.  But, of course, he'll come when he is good and ready.

Send labor wishes my way!

6.4 pounds, 23 inches on October 25, 2011

"6.4 pounds, 23 inches!" predicts Margaret, my life/baby/work coach and good friend.  I had my 2-week appointment yesterday, and the doctors are still saying that Whitten is going to be a small baby, likely around 6 pounds.  Margaret is convinced that he'll be long and lean and will eventually end up with the perfect build for a career in the NBA (We won't tell Jeff this, since he'd much rather Whitten end up in the PGA).  Of course, that 6-pound estimate is assuming that I deliver on my due date.

I'm due on October 19.  Other than lower-back cramping and some pelvic discomfort, I don't feel like I'll be giving birth anytime soon.  So, I'm self-assigning a new due date of October 25.  That seems like a good date to have a baby.  And, I think I'd like to have him in the evening, just sayin'.  What are my other plans for Whitten's birthday?  There are really only two so far:
1.  Private labor and delivery
I know there are women who feel that "the more the merrier" when it comes to visitors in the delivery room during labor and childbirth.  I, however, am not one of them.  I know that our families will be at the hospital before Whitten is born (assuming they have time to get here before he's born!), and they'll want to check in on Jeff and me before things start heating up.  Of course, that's fine.  But, as soon as I start breaking a sweat or squirming from pain, it's time to clear the room (except Jeff of course...I need him in there with me).  Call me old-fashioned, but I think that labor and childbirth should be private experiences.  Friends and family are welcome to visit after Whitten has arrived and I've had some time to catch a breather (and hopefully take a shower).
2.  As med-free as possible
I've never had a baby, and I've never experienced labor pains, so I can't say for sure whether or not I'll be able to go without an epidural.  But, I can say that there are things about epidurals that make me squirm, including not being able to feel the lower half of my body, having a catheter, not being able to walk around, having a needle inserted into my back (so close to my spine!), and the potential for labor to slow down.  Call me crazy if you want to! 

Jeff and I will probably go ahead and pack our hospital bag this week, just in case my "plans" don't go accordingly.  I welcome your suggestions on additional necessities, but here's what I'm planning to include:
1. Necessary toiletries (toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, etc.)
2. Clothes for Whitten (during our hospital tour, they requested that they be gown-style, so that the baby can be easily checked by the pediatrician/doctor)
3. Fuzzy socks (I'm cozy just thinking about them)
4. Nursing pads for leaking boobies
5. A couple changes of clothes for Jeff and me (I bought a cute nursing gown to change into after the baby is born...I'm sure I'll be ready to ditch the sweat-soaked hospital gown after he arrives.  Stretchy pants would probably be more comfortable, but other mommies have made the excellent point that the doctors will continue to check things out down there during my stay, so it's best to have easy access.)
6. Camera/videocamera
7. Hair dryer and hot rollers (Yes, I said hot rollers, and yes, I do plan on hot rolling my hair while in the hospital.  I don't care what anyone says, feeling pretty helps your mental state of being.)

That's all for now, folks!

Fat Face: 3 Weeks and Counting

"Hey, chubby cheeks!"
This is how I was recently greeted by my step dad when I came to visit my sister at the hospital (when she was delivering her bundle of joy!)  For those of you who know my step dad, or "Dicki" as he is lovingly called, there isn't a mean bone in his body, and I'm sure that he didn't know that he was making me even more insecure about my pregnancy physique.

I've gained roughly 30 pregnancy pounds.  Overall, that's not so bad.  But, I've gained quite a bit of fluid in my face, hence "chubby cheeks."  The average pregnant woman gains roughly four pounds of fluid in their hands, feet, faces, etc.  While I can't get my wedding ring off anymore, my hands still look fairly normal, and I haven't developed "Shrek" feet either.  But, I do have fat face.

Fat face is one of the many things I'm anxiously awaiting for to go away once my little boy arrives.  I want my body back in general - to be able to wear my "normal" size clothes, climb in Jeff's truck with ease, sleep on my stomach again, etc.  And, what is all this about "Your skin will never look better than when you're pregnant"?  Are you kidding me?  My skin has never looked worse.  I feel like I'm back in high school battling acne.  I never thought I'd be so excited about reuniting with ProActiv...only a few short weeks, my sweet topical savior!  Don't get me wrong, I'm more than willing to have surrendered my body for little Whitten during these past nine months, but I am counting down the days!

So, what am I going to do to get back in shape postpartum?  I'm not sure, but I think Dance Dance Revolution will be somehow involved.  And, I'll be putting little Whit on the boob...a lot! 

Tomorrow is my 37-week appointment.  At that time, I'll be considered full term.  This basically means that the baby won't be a "premie" if he is born anytime after tomorrow.  His due date is October 19.  Late first babies run in my family.  We'll see.

Baby Face

Yesterday, I had my 32-week appointment.  Although my doctors don't typically do ultrasounds at this time, I got the opportunity to have one because my belly was measuring small at my previous appointment, and they wanted to check his growth and my fluids.  He is 3 1/2 pounds.  The average weight of a baby at 32 weeks is 3 3/4 pounds.  My theory is that Whitten is trying to stay as small as possible to help me have an easy delivery...what a sweet boy.  In the meanwhile, I'm feeling less guilty about sneaking in a few extra snacks during the day!

It's hard to believe that I'll be a mommy in less than two months.  Fortunately, my wonderful family and friends have helped prepare me with all of the necessities.  Jeff and I have been hard-working on the nursery, but it's just about complete.  Once I do a little bit of organizing, we should be all set. 

(Oh yes, and that little baby boy you see is ours.  He was only willing to show us half of his face...he kept throwing his hand up in front of the other half.  I think he's going to look like Jeff!)

The Baby Buldge!

Today marks my 25th week of pregnancy.  Over the past 25 weeks, I have gained 17 pounds, 8 of which I gained over the past month (I blame this on cinnamon frosted Pop Tarts, which are delicious...especially coated in butter).  My doctor said that, by the time it's all said and done, I should not gain more than 25-30 pounds total.  Considering I've already gained 17 pounds and that the baby will grow at an astronomical rate for the rest of my pregnancy, I think I'm in trouble.

As a result, I've developed a 5-step plan:
1. Reduce the number of visits to Sweet Frog from 4 times a week to 1.
2. Eliminate the usage of butter on my Pop Tarts.
3. Walk at least 2 miles, 4 times a week (this week doesn't count...holidays always throw me off).
4. Decline my colleague's invitation to eat the delicious chocolate cheesecake that she brought in...without changing my mind two minutes later.
5. Stop using the excuse that "I can't have artificial sweetner" to justify drinking regular soda.

How much weight did you gain during your pregnancy? 

Baby Belly!

Here's my baby belly at 22 weeks.  Jeff says my belly grows daily.  The baby is currently about 13 ounces and is quickly approaching the one-pound mark.  As of my last appointment (2 weeks ago), I'd gained 7 pounds...I figure that I've put on at least another pound or so, so I've likely gained a total of about 10 pregnancy pounds at this point.

Whitten is very active, especially after I eat lunch and dinner.  I started feeling his movements about three weeks ago.  At first, it felt like tiny bubbles in my stomach.  Now, his movements are unmistakable.  Jeff has fun putting his hand on my belly and feeling Whitten jiggle around.

It's time to start preparing for delivery - I need to get in shape.  I stopped exercising while my morning sickness was in full swing.  Now, it's time to start moving again.  My doctor says it will help ease the delivery if I'm in a good shape...makes sense to me!  I'll start next week.  In the meanwhile, I'm meeting friends for dinner...yum!  Adios!

See ya later, pink!

"So, it seems that your daughter has an erection."  Yes, those are the words my OBGYN used when referencing the fact that my thought-to-be girl was actually a boy.  Fortunately, I'd kept the receipts for all of the pink baby things I bought with the anticipation of having a baby girl.

We've been set on the name Whitten.  But, now I'm contemplating the middle name - first, I thought I'd use Minor.  But, now I'm thinking that maybe our baby boy should share Jeff's middle name, Allen.  So, Whitten Allen...Whitten Minor...who knows?  I suppose I'll have made up my mind by October 19th, or whenever he comes.

I'd picked out a beautiful white crib for our "daughter" before I learned the big news.  Fortunately, it will still work for Whitten.  This will be my inspiration...

First stop...Target!

I bought this great cottage style crib that will work marvelously (and, it was on sale!).  Try to see past the ugly yellow walls in this photo...

This rug will be my next purchase...



One of Jeff's first projects when we move into our new home (in July!) will be to put the bead board in the nursery, so that we can get the same effect as the walls in my "inspiration" photo.  I'll tackle the other elements.  I'm anticipating that the glider will be the biggest challenge.  Gliders are ugly, which is why they've used a beautiful, impractical, antique-looking chair in the photo above.  There are less glider-looking rocking chairs out there, but they come with a heavy price tag.  So, I'll have to put on my creativity cap!

More to come soon...I have to make up for the two months I went without blogging.

Oh, and, in case you're wondering, I'm not puking anymore.  Woohoo!

Enough is Enough!

I'm almost 14 weeks and my "morning" (what a joke) sickness isn't showing any signs of leaving.  I had a doctor's appointment last Monday, and the doctor said "You should start feeling wonderful any day now - more energy, a great appetite!"  Well, how exactly does he know that?  And, when exactly will I start feeling remarkably better?  Two days after telling me how wonderful I should start feeling, I had one of my worst days of sickness yet.  I puked before I went to work.  I puked on the way to work.  I puked when I got home, after deciding not to stay at work.  Then, I puked a few hours later.  What upsets me most is not that I am still sick but my fear that I'll be sick for a long long time.

There are those women who have never experienced any sort of morning sickness, my sister being one of them (she's 18 weeks along with her 2nd baby and has felt wonderful all through her pregnancy).  Their babies turn out perfectly healthy, so the idea that "morning sickness is a sign that you're having a healthy pregnancy" is crap.  I feel like these moms aren't having to go through a rite of passage that I am.  Yes, I'm bitter.  Because, basically, I can't find any reason that I have to be sick and other mothers don't.  I always viewed pregnancy as a really exciting, wonderful time of life.  In reality, pregnancy is a time of exhaustion, vomitting, yeast infections and helplessness. 

I hate to be a bitter Betty.  I am so grateful to be pregnant and to have had a healthy pregnancy so far.  I know that what I'm going through will be the farthest thing from my mind when my sweet little girl (so far it's a girl!) arrives.  But, right now, pregnancy is no joke and I need support from those who can relate!

Looks like Pink!

I'm 12 weeks and 5 days today, and I had my first ultrasound.  I wasn't expecting to be emotional, but when I saw our baby moving around on the ultrasound screen, I started to tear up.  The baby was moving all around and allowed the doctor to get a nice in between the legs shot, which leads me to the unconfirmed, not 100%, may or may not be news...it looks like we have a girl on our hands!

It's a good thing that Jeff and I didn't want to make the baby's sex a surprise.  While examining the ultrasound photos, the doctor came right out and said "Looks like a girl to me!"  He reviewed with us the giveaway photo, which pretty clearly indicated that there are female parts in place and a definite absence of male parts in place!  Of course, we aren't going to start painting any rooms quite yet!

I was pretty confident that I was having twins.  And, if I wasn't having twins, I was pretty sure I was having a boy.  So, there's "mother's intuition" for ya!  But, over the course of the day, I've become very excited about the prospect of having a little girl in my life.  I've been hot rolling my hair since the 3rd grade, and I couldn't very well pass that along to a son. 

Death to Ramen!

It must have been three or four years that I'd last had Ramen noodles before I got pregnant.  This is likely because they're terrible for you and have no nutritional value whatsoever.  But, I've been eating them quite frequently, since they are one of the few foods I've been able to stomach.  Today, after a few bites of Ramen, Jeff says, "I think you should have an apple with lunch."  I said, "Okay...and why's that?"  He responds, "Well, you've been eating a lot of Ramen lately and not a lot of fruits and vegetables."  Although I know he is trying to do what's in the baby's and my best interest, his comment set me off.  I insisted that I'd been eatling plenty of vegetables and that he had no idea what an extraterrestrial being taking over your body does to your appetite.  Then, I walked over to the cabinet, took out two (12 packs) of Ramen and dramatically mashed them into the trash can.  I put on my best "drama queen" face and stormed out of the kitchen.

Although I gave Jeff a hard time for implying that my eating habits need a bit of tweaking, he's right.  These first few months are critical for the baby's development, and I should be thinking about everything I put into my body.  So, after a few minutes of cooling off, I went online, searched for baby-friendly recipes and headed to the grocery store.  As a result, I'll be replacing the Ramen with chicken salad sandwiches (made primarly with plain yogurt instead of mayo) on whole wheat bread, with frequent snacks of yogurt, granola bars, apples, and peanut butter crackers.  For dinner this week, salmon, baked potatoes, brunswick stew and homemade veggie pizza are on the menu.  Hopefully, my baby and husband will be pleased.

Twins! Or, Maybe Not.

I'm pretty sure that my baby is already playing tricks on me.  I began feeling much better on Monday and was still feeling good yesterday.  Then, this morning, my head was back in the toilet!  I had another doctor's appointment today, and the doctor reassured me that I still have 3 weeks of misery remaining and not to get my hopes up for any sort of early relief.

My doctor also reassured me that the baby is growing.  Without going into too much detail, during the exam, she said "Oh yes, the uterus is certainly growing!", leading me to believe that my uterus is exceptionally large.  So, I figure that this could mean one of two things:  1) the baby has inherited my genes for height (I'm sure he'll inherit many other wonderful qualities from Jeff...a love of math, perhaps...or, those beautiful green eyes)  2) the baby is actually babies.  After all, my mom is a twin, and the "twin genes" filter down from the mama's side of the family.  So, this got me thinking...what if I have twins?

The way I see it, there are some really wonderful things about having twins and some pretty big downfalls to having twins.  Let's weigh the options:
Positives:
1. Fewer times I have to endur morning sickness
2. Fewer times I have to be in a hospital with a lot of sickly people
3. They could share clothes, therefore decreasing my expenses
4. There's a chance I could have a boy and a girl all in one shot
5. When you have two pets, they keep each other occupied...does that work with babies, too?
6. I can probably forgo a gym membership, since I'll be chasing two bambinos around
7. My nieces and nephew will have more friends
8. The more the merrier....right?

Negatives:
1. Two of everything is going to be expensive, and I will likely be living off of a diet of Ramen noodles and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
2. I could have to take leave from work earlier than planned (Should this be under the positives?)
3. I will undoubtedly be exhausted...all of the time
4. Ouch!

Well, doing a simple side-by-side comparison, it does seem that there are more benefits to having twins. I should find out in three weeks at my next appointment. Or, maybe I just have a really big baby...



Twins?



Big Baby?







Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

I never thought I'd say this, but I miss working out.  I used to have to drag myself out of bed in the mornings to go the gym.  I miss those mornings.  Although I've begun feeling better, I still can't fathom any sort of aerobic exercise.  I hope things change soon!

So, while I'm stuck on the sofa in the evenings, I've been looking at all sorts of baby things.  I know it's too early to put together a baby room, but I'll be ready when the time comes!  Although not in my baby budget, I love love love Restoration Hardware!  I would decorate my entire house from their store, if I could afford it.  Here is my favorite room...although it seems a little feminine, I think it could easily work for a little boy, with some tweeking!

In addition to baby room brainstorming, I've been baby name brainstorming!  If we have a boy, we've got the name in the bag.  If it's a girl, I'm stumped.  I've always loved the name Grey for a girl, but Jeff loathes that name.  We both like Natalie and Meredith.  Jeff thinks our little girl should have my middle name, Roan (if this happens, I will definitely add an "e" to the end!), which I think is pretty darn sweet of him.  So, here are our ideas:

Boy:

Whitten Minor Sparks

Whitten was Jeff's grandfather's name, and Minor was my grandfather's middle name.  This name is so special to Jeff and me that I almost hope we have a boy just for that reason.  

Jeff's grandfather was a hard-working family man.  He raised his five children, worked as a coal miner and was a respected preacher in their town in southwest Virginia.  Jeff remembers him as warm, loving and gentle.  One of Jeff's fondest memories with his grandfather was their trips to cattle auctions together.    

Although I was too young to remember my grandfather, my mother speaks so highly of him that I know he must have been something quite special.  Growing up on a farm in rural Louisa, Virginia, survival superceded education, and he never received a formal education past the 3rd grade.  Yet, he went on to start a successful bus line, which is still in operation today (Winn bus lines, Richmond, VA).  One of my most prized possessions is a small glass piggy bank that he filled to the top with buffalo nickels he'd find on the bus after daily routes.  

Sadly, neither Jeff nor I spent enough time with our grandfathers, as Whitten was taken by black lung and my grandfather by cancer when we were young.  But, we hope they each grin from above while they watch little Whitten Minor grow.      

Girl (only 2 ideas so far!):

Meredith Emerson Sparks

Natalie Roane Sparks

I clearly have more brainstorming to do with girl names...or, maybe not.  Maybe one of these will work!

Ok, it's almost time for The Bachelor finale - goodnight!

First Appointment

Jeff:  "She's been sick 24/7...something is wrong!  This can't be normal...Is she okay?"
To Jeff's surprise, the nurse confirmed that, although there are a handful of women who don't suffer from morning sickness (...pretty sure there is some sort of witchcraft involved there), it's completely normal for most women, and it should subside by week 12.  The nurse confirmed that I am pregnant and that Jeff should continue scooping the kitty litter box (score!)  Lucky for Jeff, the "female" exam isn't until the second appointment. 

I'm looking forward to the 12-week ultrasound.  Although the baby's gender isn't typically learned until the 20-week ultrasound, the nurse said that, if the baby is positioned exactly right, we may be able to tell.  But, either way, we'll definitely know if there are multiples in there!

In the meanwhile, Jeff has been very supportive.  He made a wonderful chicken dinner last night, which I told him I wouldn't be able to stomach, right before he set the table.  He makes daily trips to the grocery store to purchase whatever it is that I think I can stomach that day (note to self:  pizza is a very bad decision and will inevitably result in a bonding moment between my face and the toilet bowl).  He's been on dish duty for the past week and a half.  I can tell this is all starting the wear him out...he was asleep by 8:30 last night.

Oh, Baby! Here We Go!

Watching my sweet little baby bump grow, shopping for adorable maternity clothes, picking a meaningful baby name, all things that made me think that my pregnancy would be one of the most wonderful times of my life. This was, of course, until week 6 when morning sickness hit. It wasn't until then and failed attempts of using ginger gum, sea bands and saltines to ease my nausea, that I realized pregnancy is tough! And, how come nobody told me this? Well, I'm telling you! So here it is, the Diary of a Wimpy Mama!

(My husband, Jeff, holding a positive test on Valentine's Day!)

I'm now just about 8 weeks along. My husband, Jeff, and I confirmed the big news on Valentine's Day. I shouldn't say that it was a surprise, considering I'd taken a test the day before, which looked promising. What does that mean? It was negative. And, it was positive. So, here I learned my first lesson of pregnancy:
1. When the test instructions indicate that you need to wait 3 minutes to read the results, wait the 3 minutes!
I took this first test during the wee hours of the morning. After immediately reading a negative result, I trashed the test. That afternoon, Jeff and I were in the bathroom both getting ready before we went out for a bit. I told him that I'd taken a test and that it turned out negative. Without thinking much about it, I pulled the test out of the trash can. It was positive. Well, we spent the next hour on Google trying to figure out what that meant. After all, the test had been sitting in the can for over 6 hours at that point - could it really be trusted? So, we made a decision that I would take another test the next day, Valentine's Day.  Over some cheap Chinese food, served on tacky Valentine's decorations from the Dollar Tree, we celebrated what would undoubtedly be one of our most memorable Valentine's Days.