So, we still have six months, but we've done a fair amount of name searching. Girls names came fairly easily, but boys names are pretty tough. I've talked to friends that had the exact opposite experience though - so I guess it varies.
We won't stress too much about it. We'll continue to leisurely discuss it over the next 6 weeks until we find out (assuming we do) what the gender is. Then it will be time to get down to business.
I wonder how much it matters? How much does your name really affect your life? None of us are probably very qualified to answer that unless we've lived the same life twice with two different names....and I can't think of too many people that have done that.
I can think of a lot of names that are cute for a baby, but not as cute for a college student. There are a lot of names that are good for an adult, but not all that cute for a baby. But coming up with a name that is cute for a baby, not embarassing for a teen, and professional for an adult is a bit tougher. Got to find a name that won't get your kid made fun of in middle school, and won't turn your child into a stripper when they are in their 20's......that's a lot of pressure.
I like names that are a little less common....but at the same time - don't make people roll their eyes when they hear it. I'd like it to be a little different...without trying to sound too much like you're trying to be different. We'll get it figured out - and really, it's a pretty fun process (until we get it narrowed down and don't agree on which one is the best).
Now - an update on the baby - we had an appt with Dr Sullivan(OBGYN) Tuesday. All is well. Baby's heart is rolling right along. Mommy's blood pressure is fantastic. Mommy still hasn't gained any weight - which isn't abnormal. She should gain 11-14 lbs over the next 10-11 weeks. Doc confirmed that we are indeed thru the first trimester and are early in the second trimester (Wooo Hooo!). And he also confirmed that I can ease up on the eating restrictions. Deli meat is ok as long as it's from a reputable place. And when asked if getting steaks cooked medium is ok....his response was "I prefer medium rare". Thanks a lot Doc.
For the record, he did say it was good that I was being strict during the first trimester since so much of the important baby development takes place during that time. But now that we have made it trimester #2, we can relax a bit more on those restrictions. He patted me on the shoulder on the way out and thanked me for taking care of mommy - so it wasn't all for nothing!
Doc also assured us that he will be there, day or night, for our delivery (assuming we don't do it some crazy time like 34 weeks and he's on vacation).
So, no appointments for the next four weeks - then we'll see Dr Sullivan again. And at that time - we'll schedule our next ultrasound (the famous gender determination one).
14 weeks and 1 day today!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Looking Like a Real Baby!
As I mentioned - Here is the latest photo. You can see the left arm pretty well. The right arm is up in front of babies face. You can also see the umbilical cord.....and don't miss the cute little crossed legs!
Latest Dr Visit
We had our nuchal translucency ultrasound yesterday. Almost all good news - along with some very, very minor bad news (don't worry).
Good News:
1) Ultrasound results were very good. Baby's chances of having Downs Syndome or other chromosomal issues is something like 1 in 12,000.
2) The baby has come a long way in the last 3 weeks. The limbs are real live arms and legs....looking more and more like a real baby. This was our first trans-abdominal ultrasound.
3) The heartbeat was rolling right along at a very normal pace.
Bad News:
1) If the baby continues to be as active over the next 6 monts as it was during our ultrasound.....Anne is going to be in a baaaad mood.....
Ok, so that's not really bad news. It was actually very exciting to see how active the little thing was. It took the ultrasound lady many tries at getting the proper measurements because the baby would kick and jump every time she tried. Practically doing somersaults in there....
I was relieved after this visit. Three weeks without an ultrasound seemed like an etnernity after getting one every week or two. I suppose I need to get used to that, because I don't think our next one is for like 8 weeks now.
I asked the genetic specialist (no doctor this time - this lady is the one that determines how worried you should be about risks in your pregnancy)....anyway - I asked her if the 1st trimester was over AT 13 weeks, or at the end of that 13th week. Her response? 16 weeks. What? That's the first we'd heard of that. When I divide 40 weeks into 3 - I sure don't get 16.
Anyway, we are 13 weeks tomorrow - so however you want to chop up the trimesters - we are at least winding down the first.
3 months down - 6 to go!
AND NOW..... momentarily I'll share our latest 4-D ultrasound...
Good News:
1) Ultrasound results were very good. Baby's chances of having Downs Syndome or other chromosomal issues is something like 1 in 12,000.
2) The baby has come a long way in the last 3 weeks. The limbs are real live arms and legs....looking more and more like a real baby. This was our first trans-abdominal ultrasound.
3) The heartbeat was rolling right along at a very normal pace.
Bad News:
1) If the baby continues to be as active over the next 6 monts as it was during our ultrasound.....Anne is going to be in a baaaad mood.....
Ok, so that's not really bad news. It was actually very exciting to see how active the little thing was. It took the ultrasound lady many tries at getting the proper measurements because the baby would kick and jump every time she tried. Practically doing somersaults in there....
I was relieved after this visit. Three weeks without an ultrasound seemed like an etnernity after getting one every week or two. I suppose I need to get used to that, because I don't think our next one is for like 8 weeks now.
I asked the genetic specialist (no doctor this time - this lady is the one that determines how worried you should be about risks in your pregnancy)....anyway - I asked her if the 1st trimester was over AT 13 weeks, or at the end of that 13th week. Her response? 16 weeks. What? That's the first we'd heard of that. When I divide 40 weeks into 3 - I sure don't get 16.
Anyway, we are 13 weeks tomorrow - so however you want to chop up the trimesters - we are at least winding down the first.
3 months down - 6 to go!
AND NOW..... momentarily I'll share our latest 4-D ultrasound...
Friday, April 9, 2010
What Will Day 1 Be Like?
I was wondering this morning exactly what it will feel like once the baby actually arrives. You hear people describe it - but I'm sure it's something that you just can't understand until it's happened. I'm wondering how I'll handle it. In a lot of ways I still feel like a little kid myself. Am I actually allowed to take care of a little miniature human? And am I qualified?
Then, I realize I'm 35 (yeesh). My brother already had all 4 daughters by the time he was my age. When my dad was my age, my brother and I were 11 and 8 for crying out loud. I really can't imagine that. I mean, I remember my dad back then. To think I can remember my dad when he was younger than I am now is a strange thing. He sure seemed to know what he was doing. My kid will look at me sitting around, typing on a computer in my shorts and wonder what he/she got themself into. I think maybe men matured earlier back then. When my Dad was 20-21, he was half way around the world fighting a war. When I was 20-21 I was goofing of in Introduction to Business class, playing video games, and eating 99 cent cheeseburgers at midnight.
The whole thought process makes you take inventory. I'm not all that worried about being a decent parent. But you have to ask yourself if you have all those skills you need, all the knowledge you need to be a really good parent. The kind that can drop their kid off at college 18 years later and know that they've given them the best possible preparation for life.
Somebody remind me to ask my parents if they knew all of this stuff when they started, or if they made it up as they went along. I mean, they had to figure it all out at some point for me to turn out as good as I have..... : )
Then, I realize I'm 35 (yeesh). My brother already had all 4 daughters by the time he was my age. When my dad was my age, my brother and I were 11 and 8 for crying out loud. I really can't imagine that. I mean, I remember my dad back then. To think I can remember my dad when he was younger than I am now is a strange thing. He sure seemed to know what he was doing. My kid will look at me sitting around, typing on a computer in my shorts and wonder what he/she got themself into. I think maybe men matured earlier back then. When my Dad was 20-21, he was half way around the world fighting a war. When I was 20-21 I was goofing of in Introduction to Business class, playing video games, and eating 99 cent cheeseburgers at midnight.
The whole thought process makes you take inventory. I'm not all that worried about being a decent parent. But you have to ask yourself if you have all those skills you need, all the knowledge you need to be a really good parent. The kind that can drop their kid off at college 18 years later and know that they've given them the best possible preparation for life.
Somebody remind me to ask my parents if they knew all of this stuff when they started, or if they made it up as they went along. I mean, they had to figure it all out at some point for me to turn out as good as I have..... : )
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Hormones Make An Appearance!
So far I haven't seen much proof of Anne having any hormone related mood swings or irrational behaviors. Today, I think I've seen the first occurence.
We have a rock pathway (ie; 1" to 2" river rocks) that goes along the side of the house. Anne went out and pulled some dandelions out of the rocks - and where the weeds were - the rocks were a little muddy. So....she decided that she was going to pick a bunch of these muddy rocks up, move them over into the yard and the driveway....and wash them off. I told her I didn't really think it was necessary, because we were outside and the rain would wash the rocks off. That wouldn't do. I decided - judging by the look on her face at my questioning this decision - I better let it go and went inside.
10-15 minutes later I went back out and she had muddy feet, muddy pants, muddy hands....but the rocks were nice and clean and are now back in our pathway with the other rocks.....
When I went back out - she was smiling and I told her that it was one of the weirdest things I'd ever seen - and we could just blame it on the hormones.
We have a rock pathway (ie; 1" to 2" river rocks) that goes along the side of the house. Anne went out and pulled some dandelions out of the rocks - and where the weeds were - the rocks were a little muddy. So....she decided that she was going to pick a bunch of these muddy rocks up, move them over into the yard and the driveway....and wash them off. I told her I didn't really think it was necessary, because we were outside and the rain would wash the rocks off. That wouldn't do. I decided - judging by the look on her face at my questioning this decision - I better let it go and went inside.
10-15 minutes later I went back out and she had muddy feet, muddy pants, muddy hands....but the rocks were nice and clean and are now back in our pathway with the other rocks.....
When I went back out - she was smiling and I told her that it was one of the weirdest things I'd ever seen - and we could just blame it on the hormones.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Baby's First........
Well, even though baby is still months away from making an appearance - he/she had a first major milestone two days ago......Baby's First Royals game.....!
Baby thoroughly enjoyed the day - the weather, the food, the smells.....Ahhhh. Unfortunately, the Royals weren't able to pull out the win for us, but we're rather used to that at this point.
11 weeks today folks!
Baby thoroughly enjoyed the day - the weather, the food, the smells.....Ahhhh. Unfortunately, the Royals weren't able to pull out the win for us, but we're rather used to that at this point.
11 weeks today folks!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Break Time
It's been a while since my last post. I apologize to all of my fans for that.......
We're in a bit of a lull right now. We were in Eureka Springs on a little vacation for a few days. It was our "babymoon"....a little calm before the baby storm.
We are also, for the first time, in an extended period without doctor visits - so the news is slow. Our next doctor visit is April 19 - when we have our nuchal translucency ultrasound. For those of you that are nuchal rookies (like me), it's main purpose is to check for chromosomal defects such as Down's Syndrome.
Baby is currently 10 weeks and 2 days. It's exciting to get up into the double digit weeks, and to be only a couple of weeks from completing the first trimester. Apparently the baby is somewhere between 1 to 1 1/2 inches now - or around the size of a small plum.
During our last visit, which I haven't mentioned on here - we actually got a 4-D ultrasound done, where you could see the baby a bit better. I haven't scanned it yet, because it's connected to several other scans, and I haven't gotten the nerve to take the scissors to them yet. It does have more definition - you can see limbs, ears, etc. It also kind of has a bit of a lumpy, alien look though.......
Anne is still feeling really good. She had one day last week where she had a really bad headache and was exhausted - but by the next day whe was fine. She also got a little winded on some of the steep hills in Eureka Springs, but nothing serious. She's actually lost 2-4 pounds during the pregnancy so far. That's realitively common for women having morning sickness, but Anne hasn't had that. Last week,, the doctor told her to eat a double cheeseburger.....I don't think she minded that advice.
We've got our fingers crossed. For the most part, sickness is only in the first trimester and has usually subsided after about 12 weeks. A couple of more weeks and we're likely out of the woods.
Happy Easter everyone!
We're in a bit of a lull right now. We were in Eureka Springs on a little vacation for a few days. It was our "babymoon"....a little calm before the baby storm.
We are also, for the first time, in an extended period without doctor visits - so the news is slow. Our next doctor visit is April 19 - when we have our nuchal translucency ultrasound. For those of you that are nuchal rookies (like me), it's main purpose is to check for chromosomal defects such as Down's Syndrome.
Baby is currently 10 weeks and 2 days. It's exciting to get up into the double digit weeks, and to be only a couple of weeks from completing the first trimester. Apparently the baby is somewhere between 1 to 1 1/2 inches now - or around the size of a small plum.
During our last visit, which I haven't mentioned on here - we actually got a 4-D ultrasound done, where you could see the baby a bit better. I haven't scanned it yet, because it's connected to several other scans, and I haven't gotten the nerve to take the scissors to them yet. It does have more definition - you can see limbs, ears, etc. It also kind of has a bit of a lumpy, alien look though.......
Anne is still feeling really good. She had one day last week where she had a really bad headache and was exhausted - but by the next day whe was fine. She also got a little winded on some of the steep hills in Eureka Springs, but nothing serious. She's actually lost 2-4 pounds during the pregnancy so far. That's realitively common for women having morning sickness, but Anne hasn't had that. Last week,, the doctor told her to eat a double cheeseburger.....I don't think she minded that advice.
We've got our fingers crossed. For the most part, sickness is only in the first trimester and has usually subsided after about 12 weeks. A couple of more weeks and we're likely out of the woods.
Happy Easter everyone!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
