Wednesday, August 12, 2009
How far along? 26 weeks and 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: At my last OB appt, I was up 2.5lbs. Yesterday, I was weighed during an exam for life insurance, and I'm back to being down 11lbs.
Maternity clothes? Red peasant top (non-maternity), black maternity gauchos, and black wedges.
Stretch marks? More are definitely forming. My itchy belly is the dead giveaway.
Sleep: It's certainly getting more difficult to get comfortable, and it's taking longer to actually fall asleep.
Best moment this week: Sunday night, I saw my belly move!
Movement: Lots! Inside and out. She's moving right now, in fact.
Food cravings: Not really. I'm still all about the dairy - going through a gallon of milk every 3 days.
Gender: Girl!
Labor Signs: I think I may have experienced Braxton Hicks Monday afternoon. Nothing since, though.
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Sleeping comfortably
What I am looking forward to: So much!
Weekly Wisdom: Carter onesies are far superior to Gerber onesies. Thanks, Tribies!
Milestones: Seeing discernable belly movement Sunday night - and entering my 3rd trimester on Tuesday.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
99 Days Left!
I can't believe I'm already at the double-digits mark in my pregnancy. 99 days left.
99. days. left. (!!!)
And, to mark such a milestone would befit yet another milestone.
Last night, I saw my belly move. A lot.
The bean was pretty active yesterday, but her movements were fluid and fish-like. Nothing new - until around 8pm when I polished off a glass of milk, sat on the couch with my laptop, and proceeded to feel something that felt like a kick.
Could it be?, I thought. And then I felt it again.
So, I stretched my t-shirt taut over my belly, watched, and waited.
And there, just to the right of my belly button was clear and distinct movement. A kick. A punch. Or a jab. And then another in the same spot.
To say "it was awesome" would be quite the understatement. It was surprising, amazing, and totally beyond awesome.
Unfortunately, Tony was out when this all occurred, but sleepy Sancho was my witness. Well, sort of. He was dozing off on my shoulder when I exclaimed, "Yay!". Curiously, he lifted his head, but unimpressed, he laid it back down. So, I went into my mother's room, sat on her bed with her, and described exactly what happened. And, together, we cried a little. It was one of those moments when we weren't just mother and daughter. We were girlfriends. Sisters - sharing a tiny but pivotal event that only two women can share and understand.
Thanks, mom.
So, by the time Tony got home - around 11pm - I was still riding the high of our little girl making herself noticed. After describing to me how his evening went, he sat down next to me on the couch to watch that last innings of the Yankees/Sox game. The Yanks were up 3 runs to 2. At that point, I knew a 3-game sweep was inevitable. So, in mid-play, I shared my news with Tony.
"I saw my belly move for the first time tonight", I said to him.
Silence.
"Baby?"
"Hmm?... That's great sweetie", he answered never removing his eyes from his iPhone, as he was clearly reading a text message or e-mail from his buddy and fellow Sox lover Art.
:::Sigh::: OK, I'll admit it. It may not have been the best time to direct his attention to me, but still.
Needless to say, I went up to bed after that - completely disappointed. But, it was short-lived. Lying there on my side and rubbing my belly, I felt another kick or jab. My baby girl was just letting me know that soon enough, her papa will come around and completley lose it over his baby daughter. We'll have a lifetime of amazing moments like these, and daddy's faraway distraction over a baseball game will be but a faint memory. So, until then, I'll get to continue sharing my own little moments with the bean.
Ha! She's not even born yet, and already, I'm being schooled by my daughter, whom undoubtedly will join her papa in teaching mama what patience and love are.
Aww.. sweet baby girl. Mama is counting the 99 days or so to meet you, too.
99. days. left. (!!!)
And, to mark such a milestone would befit yet another milestone.
Last night, I saw my belly move. A lot.
The bean was pretty active yesterday, but her movements were fluid and fish-like. Nothing new - until around 8pm when I polished off a glass of milk, sat on the couch with my laptop, and proceeded to feel something that felt like a kick.
Could it be?, I thought. And then I felt it again.
So, I stretched my t-shirt taut over my belly, watched, and waited.
And there, just to the right of my belly button was clear and distinct movement. A kick. A punch. Or a jab. And then another in the same spot.
To say "it was awesome" would be quite the understatement. It was surprising, amazing, and totally beyond awesome.
Unfortunately, Tony was out when this all occurred, but sleepy Sancho was my witness. Well, sort of. He was dozing off on my shoulder when I exclaimed, "Yay!". Curiously, he lifted his head, but unimpressed, he laid it back down. So, I went into my mother's room, sat on her bed with her, and described exactly what happened. And, together, we cried a little. It was one of those moments when we weren't just mother and daughter. We were girlfriends. Sisters - sharing a tiny but pivotal event that only two women can share and understand.
Thanks, mom.
So, by the time Tony got home - around 11pm - I was still riding the high of our little girl making herself noticed. After describing to me how his evening went, he sat down next to me on the couch to watch that last innings of the Yankees/Sox game. The Yanks were up 3 runs to 2. At that point, I knew a 3-game sweep was inevitable. So, in mid-play, I shared my news with Tony.
"I saw my belly move for the first time tonight", I said to him.
Silence.
"Baby?"
"Hmm?... That's great sweetie", he answered never removing his eyes from his iPhone, as he was clearly reading a text message or e-mail from his buddy and fellow Sox lover Art.
:::Sigh::: OK, I'll admit it. It may not have been the best time to direct his attention to me, but still.
Needless to say, I went up to bed after that - completely disappointed. But, it was short-lived. Lying there on my side and rubbing my belly, I felt another kick or jab. My baby girl was just letting me know that soon enough, her papa will come around and completley lose it over his baby daughter. We'll have a lifetime of amazing moments like these, and daddy's faraway distraction over a baseball game will be but a faint memory. So, until then, I'll get to continue sharing my own little moments with the bean.
Ha! She's not even born yet, and already, I'm being schooled by my daughter, whom undoubtedly will join her papa in teaching mama what patience and love are.
Aww.. sweet baby girl. Mama is counting the 99 days or so to meet you, too.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
25 weeks today!!... and all things nursery
How far along? 25 weeks today!!
Total weight gain/loss: Up 2.5lbs since my last OB appt 4 weeks ago.
Maternity clothes? My oldest and dearest friend, Betsy, recently brought over a bag filled with her maternity clothes. I accepted it graciously, even though I suspected I'd need a shoe horn and to be able to fit into her clothes. Well, surprise surprise. Most of the contents in that bag actually fit. Comfortably. So, today, I'm rocking a pair of Betsy's khaki capris, a longish black non-maternity shirt of my own, and my trusted black wedges.
Stretch marks? None that are new.
Sleep: Not a lot - thanks to funny face Petunia, my 1 1/2 year old pug. Her witching hour happens to be a solid three hours before mine.
Best moment this week: Finding the perfect and most funky notecards, which I'll morph somehow into Baby Shower invitations. Stay tuned for the post.
Movement: She's swimming around in there like a little fish, and I love every second of feeling my babygirl's movements and knowing pretty soon, I'll get to see and hold her.
Food cravings: Chocolate ice cream. Specifically Hagen Daz.
Gender: Girl!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Can't think of anything right now.
What I am looking forward to: Entering my third trimester next week!
Weekly Wisdom: Betsy talked me into registering for a bottle warmer, which I never thought I needed. She told me that just the fact that the baby's nursery is on the 2nd floor of our house, it's best to have a bottle warmer up there. Thanks, Bets!
Milestones: Signed up for the birthing and breastfeeding classes at my hospital. Yay!
So.. I finally decided on crib bedding.
Since the last pregnancy, I had my eye on the Emmy crib bedding set from Pottery Barn Kids, but alas, it became discontinued by the time I was ready to start looking again. My mother in law, God bless her, even called her friends there at PBK, but to no avail. No store anywhere in the country carried it.
And ebay was no help, either.
So, I told myself to move on and find something else. Something with the same colors. Something not too cartoony. Something with monkeys.
Well, I hit the jackpot - sort of - when I found this..
It's "Tahiti" by CoCaLo Couture. Pretty, isn't it?
OK. So, it doesn't have monkeys, but it does have that subtle brown and cream animal print without being ostentatious. And, that print alone ties up the whole modern global vibe I'm going for.
As for the monkeys, I can incorporate them by mounting a few of these "Glitter Monkeys" by Twelve Timbers to the nursery walls.
A couple more accessories that complement the theme are a Rattan Elephant Hamper and a Jungle Friends Mobile.
Total weight gain/loss: Up 2.5lbs since my last OB appt 4 weeks ago.
Maternity clothes? My oldest and dearest friend, Betsy, recently brought over a bag filled with her maternity clothes. I accepted it graciously, even though I suspected I'd need a shoe horn and to be able to fit into her clothes. Well, surprise surprise. Most of the contents in that bag actually fit. Comfortably. So, today, I'm rocking a pair of Betsy's khaki capris, a longish black non-maternity shirt of my own, and my trusted black wedges.
Stretch marks? None that are new.
Sleep: Not a lot - thanks to funny face Petunia, my 1 1/2 year old pug. Her witching hour happens to be a solid three hours before mine.
Best moment this week: Finding the perfect and most funky notecards, which I'll morph somehow into Baby Shower invitations. Stay tuned for the post.
Movement: She's swimming around in there like a little fish, and I love every second of feeling my babygirl's movements and knowing pretty soon, I'll get to see and hold her.
Food cravings: Chocolate ice cream. Specifically Hagen Daz.
Gender: Girl!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Can't think of anything right now.
What I am looking forward to: Entering my third trimester next week!
Weekly Wisdom: Betsy talked me into registering for a bottle warmer, which I never thought I needed. She told me that just the fact that the baby's nursery is on the 2nd floor of our house, it's best to have a bottle warmer up there. Thanks, Bets!
Milestones: Signed up for the birthing and breastfeeding classes at my hospital. Yay!
So.. I finally decided on crib bedding.
Since the last pregnancy, I had my eye on the Emmy crib bedding set from Pottery Barn Kids, but alas, it became discontinued by the time I was ready to start looking again. My mother in law, God bless her, even called her friends there at PBK, but to no avail. No store anywhere in the country carried it.
And ebay was no help, either.
So, I told myself to move on and find something else. Something with the same colors. Something not too cartoony. Something with monkeys.
Well, I hit the jackpot - sort of - when I found this..
It's "Tahiti" by CoCaLo Couture. Pretty, isn't it?
OK. So, it doesn't have monkeys, but it does have that subtle brown and cream animal print without being ostentatious. And, that print alone ties up the whole modern global vibe I'm going for.
As for the monkeys, I can incorporate them by mounting a few of these "Glitter Monkeys" by Twelve Timbers to the nursery walls.
A couple more accessories that complement the theme are a Rattan Elephant Hamper and a Jungle Friends Mobile.Fun, aren't they?? I can't wait to see it all come together!
Until then, we'll be cleaning out the room, the closets, putting up crown molding, and then finally, picking out paint color(s). We're still undecided. Tony wants some shade of tangerine, and I want something a little more subtle like ::gasp:: off-white.
I'll keep you posted on our progress.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
24 weeks and baking up a storm!
Today, I am 24 weeks. Yay! That would be 6 months, correct? But, according to thebump.com, my third trimester doesn't begin until I'm 26 weeks.
Not that I'm rushing it or anything. I'm actually enjoying every second of this pregnancy, especially now that my energy is up.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
How far along? 24 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: -11lbs thus far.
Maternity clothes? Yes, a cute sleevelss maternity top (Thanks, Betsy!), black wide leg capris, and black wedges.
Stretch marks? None that are new
Sleep: OMG.. Petunia, my 1 1/2 year old black pug, has been getting into the habit of wanting to go out at 3AM very morning. Sometimes, it's at 3:30. Other times, at 4. But, sweet Jesus that's early! So, between getting up to pee 5 times a night, having to take the pugs out at not quite the crack of dawn - when it's my turn - is not helping.
Best moment this week: Finally ordering my crib bedding!
Movement: Lots! Feels like there's a fish swimming around in there! And, when Tony rubs my belly, I feel her even more. Already this kid has her daddy wrapped around her finger!
Food cravings: Nothing notable. Although, I'm going through a gallon of milk every three days.
Gender: Girl!!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? Still in, but it's a matter of time now.
What I miss: Sleeping until 6am.
What I am looking forward to: My 24 week OB appointment this Thursday.
Weekly Wisdom: Nothing to report this week.
Milestones: 6 months today!... I think
Speaking of energy, I know I'm not quite at that "nesting" stage, but lately, I've been baking up a storm. Well, OK, not really a storm - more like I baked two things, which is a lot for me, since I'm hardly what one would call a baker.
A couple of weeks ago, a friend handed me a ziplock bag filled with a loose doughy batter and asked me if I were interested in making some Amish Friendship Bread. "Why, sure!", I responded - not really knowing what I was agreeing to take on.
Well, it wasn't as hard as I thought. As long as you follow the directions precisely, it's a pretty simple recipe. Just dump everything in a bowl, mix it up, and pour into two loaf pans. The tricky part is the ten days prior to baking. Each day, the bag of starter has to be massaged and burped.
Yes, massaged and burped.
Here's the recipe:
Amish Friendship Bread
DO NOT REFRIGERATE
If air gets in the bag, let it out (burp it).
It is normal for the bag to expand and ferment.
Day 1: Do nothing. This is the 1st day that you received the batter.
Day 2: Massage the bag.
Day 3: Massage the bag.
Day 4: Massage the bag.
Day 5: Massage the bag.
Day 6: Add to the bag - 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Massage the bag.
Day 7: Massage the bag.
Day 8: Massage the bag
Day 9: Massage the bag
Day 10: Follow the instructions below.
So, I listened, and I made it. And, it was a huge hit. Here's the recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/ricotta-orange-pound-cake-with-strawberries-recipe/index.html
I didn't have strawberries. So, I used blueberries, instead, and the flavor of the blueberries went nicely with the orange flavor of the pound cake.
Someone once told me I should be a pastry chef. I think basic knowledge of weights and measures is required to be one. So, I don't see a career change happening anytime soon. Until then, I'll keep them all guessing with those yummy sweet treats.
Not that I'm rushing it or anything. I'm actually enjoying every second of this pregnancy, especially now that my energy is up.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
How far along? 24 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: -11lbs thus far.
Maternity clothes? Yes, a cute sleevelss maternity top (Thanks, Betsy!), black wide leg capris, and black wedges.
Stretch marks? None that are new
Sleep: OMG.. Petunia, my 1 1/2 year old black pug, has been getting into the habit of wanting to go out at 3AM very morning. Sometimes, it's at 3:30. Other times, at 4. But, sweet Jesus that's early! So, between getting up to pee 5 times a night, having to take the pugs out at not quite the crack of dawn - when it's my turn - is not helping.
Best moment this week: Finally ordering my crib bedding!
Movement: Lots! Feels like there's a fish swimming around in there! And, when Tony rubs my belly, I feel her even more. Already this kid has her daddy wrapped around her finger!
Food cravings: Nothing notable. Although, I'm going through a gallon of milk every three days.
Gender: Girl!!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? Still in, but it's a matter of time now.
What I miss: Sleeping until 6am.
What I am looking forward to: My 24 week OB appointment this Thursday.
Weekly Wisdom: Nothing to report this week.
Milestones: 6 months today!... I think
Speaking of energy, I know I'm not quite at that "nesting" stage, but lately, I've been baking up a storm. Well, OK, not really a storm - more like I baked two things, which is a lot for me, since I'm hardly what one would call a baker.
A couple of weeks ago, a friend handed me a ziplock bag filled with a loose doughy batter and asked me if I were interested in making some Amish Friendship Bread. "Why, sure!", I responded - not really knowing what I was agreeing to take on.
Well, it wasn't as hard as I thought. As long as you follow the directions precisely, it's a pretty simple recipe. Just dump everything in a bowl, mix it up, and pour into two loaf pans. The tricky part is the ten days prior to baking. Each day, the bag of starter has to be massaged and burped.
Yes, massaged and burped.
Here's the recipe:
Amish Friendship Bread
DO NOT REFRIGERATE
If air gets in the bag, let it out (burp it).
It is normal for the bag to expand and ferment.
Day 1: Do nothing. This is the 1st day that you received the batter.
Day 2: Massage the bag.
Day 3: Massage the bag.
Day 4: Massage the bag.
Day 5: Massage the bag.
Day 6: Add to the bag - 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Massage the bag.
Day 7: Massage the bag.
Day 8: Massage the bag
Day 9: Massage the bag
Day 10: Follow the instructions below.
- Pour the entire contents of the bag into a NON-METAL bowl.
- Add 1 1/2 cups plain flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 1 1/2 cups milk. Stir with a NON-METAL spoon.
- Measure out a cup in four ziplock gallon bags. (There will be some left over). Keep a starter bag for yourself (you'll be making another batch in 10 days). Share the remaining three bags with friends along with a copy of this recipe. The bread is very good and makes a great gift; it also freezes well. Only the Amish know how to create a "starter", so if you give them all away, you'll have to wait until someone gives you a "starter" back. Should the recipe not be passed on to a friend the 1st day, be certain to tell the friend which day it is at when presented to them.
Baking Instructions
Preheat oven to 325. Add the following ingredients to the remaining batter in the bowl and mix with a mixer:
3 eggs, 1 cup oil, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 cups flour, 2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding, optional: 1 cup raisins and/or nuts.
Grease two large loaf pans. In a seperate bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Dust the greased pans with half of the cinnamon mixture. Pour the batter into the pans. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture over the batter. Bake for 1 hour.
I did not have cinnamon. So, I used pumpkin pie spice, which contains cinnamon, and it tasted delicious. I would actually add 1 cup less of sugar, because the addition of the pudding makes the recipe sweet enough.
I loved the finished product - moist, filling, and very autumnal.
The other item I baked recently was for Tony's cousin's high school graduation party this past weekend. I caught part of an episode of Everyday Italian on the Food Network, and watched Giada make a Ricotta Orange Poundcake that screamed to be made.So, I listened, and I made it. And, it was a huge hit. Here's the recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/ricotta-orange-pound-cake-with-strawberries-recipe/index.html
I didn't have strawberries. So, I used blueberries, instead, and the flavor of the blueberries went nicely with the orange flavor of the pound cake.
Someone once told me I should be a pastry chef. I think basic knowledge of weights and measures is required to be one. So, I don't see a career change happening anytime soon. Until then, I'll keep them all guessing with those yummy sweet treats.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
"... let them eat Cake!"
I’m telling you – Marie Antoinette was on to something.
This morning, a very dear friend of mine surprised me with my dream diaper bag – The Cake Society Satchel by Petunia Pickle Bottom in Midnight Blackberry. Great name, right?
This generous-sized diaper bag has and does practically everything, except leap tall buildings with a single bound.
This morning, a very dear friend of mine surprised me with my dream diaper bag – The Cake Society Satchel by Petunia Pickle Bottom in Midnight Blackberry. Great name, right?
This generous-sized diaper bag has and does practically everything, except leap tall buildings with a single bound.
It can be worn as a backpack (my favorite feature)...
a shoulder bag or across the body... 
or simply as a hand bag...
There are pockets galore inside and out for bottles, diapers, and other baby gear...
It comes with its own changing station, which includes a changing pad and a case for wipes...
and it even comes with its own stroller straps...
Stroller straps! Genius, this bag.
So, how did I get so lucky, you ask?
Yeah, I too am pretty blown away by such an extravagant gift. There are just not enough words of appreciation that I can say to thank my friend for her generosity. She knew my heart was set on it, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d own it.
Peggy, if you’re reading this, I love you very much, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This baby will be one well-accessorized princess, thanks to you! And I suspect her taste for the finer things will be directly related to both you and her fabulous bag.
Mon Dieu! Another Marie Antoinette in the making, indeed.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Level 2 Ultrasound.. part deux
So.. a second level 2 ultrasound was scheduled a month after my 1st one, because our baby girl would NOT stop moving. She made it very difficult for the tech and doctor to properly measure her heart. So, I was asked to return in four weeks - when the heart would by then be the size of an olive.
Well, today was the day.
Mom came with me to the ultrasound. The technician - this time - spent most of the appointment talking to me about her own medical issues, as I lied there straining to catch glimpses of the bean's head, belly, and limbs on the monitor. I was a little annoyed, because with all due respect, lady, I'm not here to talk about the goiter that was removed from your thyroid gland, thankyouverymuch.
When the tech completed her measurements and finally stopped talking about herself (!!!), she stepped out of the room, and few minutes later, the doctor came in - along with another tech - not the same one from earlier, thank God... or so I thought.
The doctor proceeded to zero in on the bean's heart. There it was - beating at 150 beats per minute - nice and strong. It was amazing to see - as clear as day - all four chambers of my baby girl's heart and from every angle. The doctor expressed how pleased she was with everything she saw. Music to my ears!
She did ask the tech to schedule another ultrasound for me in another 10 weeks - due to my hypothyroidism, which is caused by an underactive thyroid. The tech made my appointment and came to stand next to the doctor as she finished up with the bean's measurements. I could clearly see that she too was pregnant.
As I stared at the monitor, both the doctor and tech conversed about the tech's pregnancy, and the next thing I know, the tech is asking the doctor about cleft palates.
Well, today was the day.
Mom came with me to the ultrasound. The technician - this time - spent most of the appointment talking to me about her own medical issues, as I lied there straining to catch glimpses of the bean's head, belly, and limbs on the monitor. I was a little annoyed, because with all due respect, lady, I'm not here to talk about the goiter that was removed from your thyroid gland, thankyouverymuch.
When the tech completed her measurements and finally stopped talking about herself (!!!), she stepped out of the room, and few minutes later, the doctor came in - along with another tech - not the same one from earlier, thank God... or so I thought.
The doctor proceeded to zero in on the bean's heart. There it was - beating at 150 beats per minute - nice and strong. It was amazing to see - as clear as day - all four chambers of my baby girl's heart and from every angle. The doctor expressed how pleased she was with everything she saw. Music to my ears!
She did ask the tech to schedule another ultrasound for me in another 10 weeks - due to my hypothyroidism, which is caused by an underactive thyroid. The tech made my appointment and came to stand next to the doctor as she finished up with the bean's measurements. I could clearly see that she too was pregnant.
As I stared at the monitor, both the doctor and tech conversed about the tech's pregnancy, and the next thing I know, the tech is asking the doctor about cleft palates.
:::blink, blink, blink:::
Um... do you think you could wait until the end of MY appointment before you start consulting with the doctor?? I mean, cleft palates?? Seriously?? Not exactly what a girl wants to hear while pictures and measurements are being taken of her not-yet-born baby. Not THIS girl, anyway.
Despite the uber-annoying technicians, I was happy to have the opportunity to see my daughter and how much she's grown in the last four weeks. She now weighs 1 pound and 3 ounces. Little bean.. And, I was also relieved that the doctor was happy with everything she saw.
I even received a great profile shot of the bean - doublechin and all.
Ha! Yeah, she's my kid.
Um... do you think you could wait until the end of MY appointment before you start consulting with the doctor?? I mean, cleft palates?? Seriously?? Not exactly what a girl wants to hear while pictures and measurements are being taken of her not-yet-born baby. Not THIS girl, anyway.
Despite the uber-annoying technicians, I was happy to have the opportunity to see my daughter and how much she's grown in the last four weeks. She now weighs 1 pound and 3 ounces. Little bean.. And, I was also relieved that the doctor was happy with everything she saw.
I even received a great profile shot of the bean - doublechin and all.
Ha! Yeah, she's my kid.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
How far along? 22 weeks exactly
Total weight gain/loss: Thus far, down at total of 11lbs
Maternity clothes? Today, I'm wearing black gaucho-style maternity pants (thank God for elastic waistbands!), a black sleevless top, and my favorite pair of black strappy wedges.
Stretch marks? This morning, I found a couple on my lower belly. Joy.
Sleep: It's getting increasingly difficult to sleep comfortably - even on my side.
Best moment this week: Seeing my babygirl again at my 2nd Level 2 ultrasound.
Movement: Yes! I can finally feel her swimming around in there.
Food cravings: Sushi. So, after my u/s, I grabbed a shrimp tempura roll and a sweet potato roll from Fuji, my local Japanese restaurant. So good!
Gender: GIRL!!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Sleeping through the night.
What I am looking forward to: Getting to enjoy my backyard once Tony puts up the fence this weekend. Yay!
Weekly Wisdom: Never leave home without your Tums!
Milestones: Every day of this pregnancy is a milestone.
How far along? 22 weeks exactly
Total weight gain/loss: Thus far, down at total of 11lbs
Maternity clothes? Today, I'm wearing black gaucho-style maternity pants (thank God for elastic waistbands!), a black sleevless top, and my favorite pair of black strappy wedges.
Stretch marks? This morning, I found a couple on my lower belly. Joy.
Sleep: It's getting increasingly difficult to sleep comfortably - even on my side.
Best moment this week: Seeing my babygirl again at my 2nd Level 2 ultrasound.
Movement: Yes! I can finally feel her swimming around in there.
Food cravings: Sushi. So, after my u/s, I grabbed a shrimp tempura roll and a sweet potato roll from Fuji, my local Japanese restaurant. So good!
Gender: GIRL!!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Sleeping through the night.
What I am looking forward to: Getting to enjoy my backyard once Tony puts up the fence this weekend. Yay!
Weekly Wisdom: Never leave home without your Tums!
Milestones: Every day of this pregnancy is a milestone.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
An update to our visit to the new Babies R Us
The store is huge. Tony knew exactly how to get there, as he's originally from the New Haven area. Mom came along to see in person what we registered for. And, my Baby Bargains book was nicely dog-eared and ready should we need to consult it on our visit.
Like I said, the store is ginormous. The entire space houses a Babies R Us as well as a Toys R Us. Everything was shiny, new, and in its place. We went from aisle to aisle looking for our registered items, inspecting them and discussing them, while mom looked around - ready to make her very first baby purchase. She's cute - that one.
When we arrived at the stroller section, we found the Snap 'n Go we wanted and immediately pushed it around the aisles looking for our car seat - the Chicco Cortina Key Fit 30 in Extreme. When we found it, we placed it in the Snap 'n Go. It fit nicely. It didn't actually "snap" in, though - just rested on top snugly and anchored with red tabs and a safety strap. So, we tried the carseat on the Graco version of the SnG, and again, no snapping - it simply rested on top - but no strap.
Let me briefly interrupt this post to let you in on one of my many pet-peeves: bad customer service. Hate it. Customer Service used to be the nature of my job. So, I know how important it is both to the seller and the customer, and as a customer, I expect nothing less in terms of knowledgable and courteous customer service reps and/or employees.
Well, the sales-people at Babies R Us were very friendly. They were everywhere you turned - at the door, in every aisle, and even behind the Registry counter. Everywhere.
But the ones who offered us assistance in the stoller and car seat section were, A: young enough to practically be children themselves, and B: not at all knowledgable about any of the products.
Sure. They were friendly and quick to offer assistance, but none of them knew a lick about a Travel System versus a Snap 'n Go - nor did they have any clue which carseats were infant, convertible, or booster.
Seriously, Babies R Us??
Nevertheless, we did our own browsing, and thank Goodness I brought the Baby Bargains book with me. We were able to choose the crib mattress, the baby bottles, as well as decide to stay with our original plan of getting the Snap 'n Go.
Goes to show an informed consumer is a happy consumer. By the time we left, we were confident of our registry choices and relieved that we did our research ahead of time.
And Rosa - having found a pink bib that reads, "My heart belongs to grandma" - was on cloud nine for the rest of the day.
I'd say our visit to the new Babies R Us megastore in North Haven was a huge success.
Like I said, the store is ginormous. The entire space houses a Babies R Us as well as a Toys R Us. Everything was shiny, new, and in its place. We went from aisle to aisle looking for our registered items, inspecting them and discussing them, while mom looked around - ready to make her very first baby purchase. She's cute - that one.
When we arrived at the stroller section, we found the Snap 'n Go we wanted and immediately pushed it around the aisles looking for our car seat - the Chicco Cortina Key Fit 30 in Extreme. When we found it, we placed it in the Snap 'n Go. It fit nicely. It didn't actually "snap" in, though - just rested on top snugly and anchored with red tabs and a safety strap. So, we tried the carseat on the Graco version of the SnG, and again, no snapping - it simply rested on top - but no strap.
Let me briefly interrupt this post to let you in on one of my many pet-peeves: bad customer service. Hate it. Customer Service used to be the nature of my job. So, I know how important it is both to the seller and the customer, and as a customer, I expect nothing less in terms of knowledgable and courteous customer service reps and/or employees.
Well, the sales-people at Babies R Us were very friendly. They were everywhere you turned - at the door, in every aisle, and even behind the Registry counter. Everywhere.
But the ones who offered us assistance in the stoller and car seat section were, A: young enough to practically be children themselves, and B: not at all knowledgable about any of the products.
Sure. They were friendly and quick to offer assistance, but none of them knew a lick about a Travel System versus a Snap 'n Go - nor did they have any clue which carseats were infant, convertible, or booster.
Seriously, Babies R Us??
Nevertheless, we did our own browsing, and thank Goodness I brought the Baby Bargains book with me. We were able to choose the crib mattress, the baby bottles, as well as decide to stay with our original plan of getting the Snap 'n Go.
Goes to show an informed consumer is a happy consumer. By the time we left, we were confident of our registry choices and relieved that we did our research ahead of time.
And Rosa - having found a pink bib that reads, "My heart belongs to grandma" - was on cloud nine for the rest of the day.
I'd say our visit to the new Babies R Us megastore in North Haven was a huge success.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy 4th of July!.. and other musings...
Happy 4th, friends! The forecast for today is 82 and sunny. The sun, however, seems to have other plans. Whatever YOUR plans are, be safe!
We started our 4th of July celebration early. On Thursday, after yet another downpour, I left work early and met Tony at home. He had also left work early and stopped at Hall's Market on his way home. Hall's is our neighborhood grocery store. It's not really in our neighborhood, but it's here in town, and it has the best butcher shop and deli around. Tony brought home ground sirloin, bacon, cheese, and hamburger buns. That night, we feasted on bacon cheeseburgers. And did I pay for it afterward! Originally, I planned to only eat half of my burger, but Tony made them sooo juicy and flavorful, I just couldn't stop at just half. Big mistake. Huge. I was STILL full the next day. Note to self: Don't be such a glutton, Patty!
Which brings me to my 20 week OB appt last Thursday morning. It totally went well. The best part was hearing the bean's heartbeat, which continues to be fast and strong. Grow, baby, grow! My blood pressure was 120 over 80, which the nurse said was normal. Yay. And, yes, I'm still losing weight. Total weightloss is 11lbs since the beginning of this pregnancy. The doctor I saw at this OB appt didn't seem to worry about it. She said I was ahead of the game compared to other expectant moms, who've managed to gain 20+ lbs by this point, which she said wasn't good for either mom or baby. She also told me I'd begin to start seeing an increase of a pound a week, because this is the point when the baby begins to grow and gain its weight. So, as long as I continue making the right choices, taking my prenatal vitamins every night, and drinking plenty of water, she had no concerns with my weight. Cool, because for the record, I'm NOT dieting. I'm eating smaller meals several times a day, and more importantly, I'm making better choices - lots of protein, fruits, and vegetables, and yeah, the occassional ice cream for good measure. ;-)
So, we're just about complete with our baby registry. We started it the day we found out we're having a girl, and little by little, we've been adding to it from the comfort of our own home. Thank God for the internet - and for Baby Bargains, THE bible of babygear, and no respectable Tribie would even THINK about registering for baby without it. Today, we'll be visiting the newly opened Babies R Us/Toys R Us in North Haven. I'm hoping there will be more gear to try out and see in person. Plus, I have a couple of coupons burning holes in my purse. So, I'm hoping I can use them on two of our larger-priced items. I promise to report back how it turns out.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
How far along? 20 weeks, 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: Down 2lbs, bringing my total weightloss to 11lbs.
Maternity clothes? Not presently. I'm still in my PJs.
Stretch marks? None that are new.
Sleep: I'm now considering getting a body pillow.
Best moment this week: Hearing my little princess' heartbeat at my 20 week OB appt.
Movement: I'm starting to feel the occassional flutter and pop. They're fun.
Food cravings:
Nothing notable.Gender: Girl!!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Not that I miss drinking, but on a day like today, I'd KILL for a margarita on the rocks with salt, if you please. 'K thanks!
What I am looking forward to: Visiting the Babies R Us/Toys R Us today!
Weekly Wisdom: See above for the aforementioned bacon cheeseburger.
Milestones: 20 weeks, which means I'm officially half way done baking this baby bean!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Where to Begin?
Life these past eight or nine months has been crammed with a lot of highs and a few lows, all of which have left me with no time or energy to blog. Recent events, however, have me confident that I can now commit to updating this on a weekly basis.
Ambitious? Probably.
So, without further ado, let me get you up-to-speed on all things Patty and Tony since last November ’08.
We started the month of November off with a bang – literally. We were pregnant (!!!) - and surprised as heck that it happened so fast (We didn’t officially start trying to conceive until October on our first anniversary). Thanksgiving with Tony’s family was such a treat sharing our happy news. Sure. It was early. I was only 7 weeks along, but when you go to a big Italian family gathering, you better have a rock solid excuse as to why you’re not drinking. So, we caved and told the truth. Needless to say, everyone was thrilled.
Christmas Eve was also very special, because it was our first scheduled OB appointment. We were rather disappointed that we were not given an ultrasound, but happy and excited nonetheless with the thoughts of a joyous ending to 2008 and a hopeful beginning to 2009.
Everything changed the morning of January 9th - I was 13 weeks exactly. I noticed I was spotting and called my OB’s office as soon as I walked into work. They took me in first thing that morning. The ultrasound (my very first one ever) was so quick, I can hardly remember it except for the basics… “fetus is measuring only 9 weeks”… “no heartbeat”… “I’m sorry”.
Heartbroken can not begin to describe what I felt on that table, legs spread wide, hearing those words come out of a stranger’s mouth, and feeling completely and utterly alone.
The next 30 minutes were spent listening to the doctor (not my OB) give me my “options” – allow the pregnancy to end naturally or elect instead to have a D&C. Did I mention I was alone? I had no idea which option was best for me. I just knew I wanted it all to be over, and that maybe a natural miscarriage might be too painful physically and emotionally for me to handle. So, the D&C was scheduled for the following Monday.
That weekend was hell. I continued to spot sporadically – thankfully, without any cramps or discomfort -besides the fact that I knew I had a dead fetus in my belly, and come Monday, it would be surgically sucked and scraped out of me – the way I felt my life had been at discovering I miscarried.
The D&C was uneventful. It’s an out-patient procedure. So, by that afternoon, I was home, on my couch, cuddling with the pugs, and feeling completely empty, literally and figuratively.
Anthony, family, friends, and coworkers were all super-supportive. I would not have gotten through the next few months without any of them. But still, I mourned the loss of our “blueberry”, a term of endearment I took to in the two or three months of the pregnancy. I missed being pregnant and envisioning what life would be like with “blueberry”. I missed the excitement of telling people I was pregnant, and I missed knowing that come July ’09, my baby would be born.
In March, my period was due to arrive on the 15th. Well, the 15th came and went, and all I had to show for it was one day of flow. That’s it - just one measly day. I knew something was amiss, because my periods typically last between four days to a week at most. So, on a Sunday afternoon, I tested. Tony was out golfing with his dad and wasn’t due back until the afternoon, but I just couldn’t wait to know for sure. Was I? Wasn’t I?
So, there I sat – in my first floor bathroom – door wide open and pugs running about. The day outside was gorgeous – one of the first beautiful days that hinted of Spring. And, in less than one minute, the display screen on my Clearblue Easy test stick went from blank to “Pregnant”. Pregnant!!!! Immediately, I tested again using another test stick, and that time, I waited a solid 10 minutes – just to be sure – and there it was again – “Pregnant”.
To say the least, I was overjoyed. I allowed the happiness to descend on me, but only for a little bit. I knew I had to be careful to not get too excited, especially that early. I was a mere five weeks. So, I took a picture of the test strip with my camera phone and sent it to Tony. He was cute. “Are you sure?”… “Are you positive?”… “How many times did you test?” Like me, he was terrified of getting too excited, but when I confirmed to him that we were in fact 100% pregnant, I could hear and feel his happiness through the phone.
A week later – at 6 weeks - I spotted, and our hopes dashed out the window. Not again, we thought. So, I went in for an ultrasound, saw the fetus, saw the yoke sac, but saw no heartbeat. The technician - God bless her - told us not to give up hope – that it was too early in the pregnancy to see or hear a heartbeat – and then scheduled me for another ultrasound the following week.
At 7 weeks exactly, with our hearts in our throats, we watched the ultrasound monitor and saw the best flicker in the entire world – the heartbeat of our baby, the “bean”. That tiny movement was just the validation we were looking for. It was Christmas, Thanksgiving, and our birthdays wrapped up into one, and I never thought I could feel as much love for anything or anyone as I did on that day for our little “bean”.
The next four weeks were filled with cautious optimism, and yet each trip to the bathroom was accompanied by an Our Father or a Hail Mary. I prayed for the tiny life inside of me, and in His mysterious way, God answered my prayers with full-blown morning sickness that lasted all day – morning, noon, and night. My only reprieve from the nausea was to eat, but without an appetite, eating was the LAST thing I wanted to do. Nevertheless, I ate small meals every two to three hours throughout the day just as my doctor instructed me to, and all the while, I welcomed the persistent nausea and feelings of seasickness, because I knew it was a sign that we had a tiny “bean” baking away in my belly.
At 12 weeks and 1 day, I had my 1st Trimester Screening, which tests for chromosomal abnormalities by measuring the pocket of fluid at the back of the baby’s neck (this test is also known as the Nuchal Translucency Test). The second part of the test is a finger-prick blood test, and that for me was the worst part of the screening. The tech could not get any blood from the first finger she tried. So, she had to prick another one. It seriously looked like she was milking my finger! The ultrasound, however, was a whole other story. The first sound we heard was the baby’s heartbeat - just amazing how fast and strong it was. And then, we saw the “bean” - so indescribable. We could clearly see a baby - profile, body, hands, legs, awwww... little alien. At first, it was sleeping. So, the doctor had me cough a few times. Still nothing. So, after a few prods from the doctor, it began to move around - its arms and legs, and even lifted its head, which the doctor loved. He was happy with how the baby was measuring and that the Nuchal Translucency was only at 1.2, as anything over 3 at that point is less than ideal. So, we left that appt feeling elated that we got to see and hear the “bean”, which was now more baby than it was “bean”, and that it was right on target and everything from the doctor’s perspective looked fine.
Less than a week later, I received three separate phone calls from various receptionists at my OB group to say my finger-prick results came back normal. Yay for normal! Such a huge relief! I expected to get an actual ratio like 1 in 20,000 or something. But, "normal" is good. I'll take it. I was also told that my Level 2 Ultrasound was already scheduled. A Level 2 is offered to every woman over 35 regardless of the test results from her 1st Trimester Screening. At the Level 2, both the doctor and the technician measure the baby’s head, the brain, the major organs and just about every one of the baby’s bones, including its pinky bones and the bone in its nose. Wild, right?
So, the next five weeks were filled with a huge sense of relief that we were at “All systems go!” and with eager anticipation that soon we’d get to see our baby again, and God willing, we’d get to see if we were on Team Pink or Team Blue.
This was the point where I thought it safe to begin documenting the progress of my pregnancy. I knew I wanted something to look back on as well as a vehicle in which to immortalize my thoughts of how I was feeling, what I was craving, why I was so emotional, and what were the best moments and milestones.
This was my first entry – at 18 weeks and 3 days:
Friday, June 19, 2009
How far along? 18 weeks and 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: Down 9 lbs… and not even trying.
Maternity clothes? Not today
Stretch marks? None that are new
Sleep: Yes, I sleep pretty soundly, but I get up 4 to 5 times a night to pee.
Best moment this week: Feeling and seeing my belly more pronounced.
Movement: I haven’t felt any movement as of yet, but my doctor said any day now, and that I might mistake it for gas. Lovely.
Food cravings: Dairy – cheese, ice cream, milk, lots and lots of milk.
Gender: God willing, we’ll find out on Monday! Three more days!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Definitley in.
What I miss: I miss being able to sleep on my stomach.
What I am looking forward to: Finding out the gender at my Level 2 ultrasound on Monday.
Weekly Wisdom: Breakfast burritos are truly the devil.
Milestones: Nothing notable.
At 18 weeks and 6 days, we went to the hospital for the Level 2. We surprised my mom by asking her to come along. This was her first grandchild. No one else besides Tony and me had more of a right to be at that Ultrasound than my mom did. I was instructed to arrive with a full bladder, but wouldn’t you know, it was too full?? So, during the two-hour ultrasound, I got up to pee three times. First, the tech did her measurements, and while she attempted to catch the precise moments to measure a foot, or a leg, or an arm, the baby just wriggled around, playing with its hands and its feet and kicking its legs and arms all over the place. It was surely a sight to behold. And, if all that didn’t make it hard enough for the tech to do her job, the baby was also head-down and face-down in my uterus. So, trying to coerce it to flip over long enough to take its measurements – or even get a basic profile shot - was a feat in itself! I flipped from side to side, I coughed, and the tech prodded HARD. Still, this baby made it difficult. And, it was no better when the doctor took her turn. In all honesty, watching my baby play like that was truly the highlight of this pregnancy. Active little bean… And then came the time to determine the sex. As playful and active is this baby was, it would not spread its legs. Good sign of things to come, right? And, just when we thought it just wasn’t going to happen, the tech found the exact angle, and there it was – the money shot - three little horizontal lines one on top of the other. GIRL!!! What a moment! My mom and I began to cry, and Anthony exclaimed, “Yeah! A Girl!”. The two hours on that table, the constant peeing, and the flipping from side to side were all worth it in the end. A baby girl. A daughter. My heart just over-flowed. It was the only time – since my wedding day – that I’d wished my Dad were there with us to share in our happiness.
Monday, June 29, 2009
How far along? 19 weeks and 6 days
Total weight gain/loss: Down 11 lbs… If this keeps up, my next OB appt should be interesting.
Maternity clothes? Today, I’m wearing black (shocking!) matte jersey pull-on maternity wide-leg capris (yeah, they’re as cute as they sound), a hot-pink cotton babydoll top, and black strappy wedges (I’m rocking the heels while I still can).
Stretch marks? None that are new
Sleep: Last night was a sleepless night, and I’m paying for it now by practically falling asleep at my desk.
Best moment this week: My Level 2 Ultrasound, where we discovered we’re having A GIRL!! Yay for Team Pink!!
Movement: Yesterday, after breakfast, I could have sworn I felt something.
Food cravings: Tapioca pudding. Let’s just leave it at that.
Gender: Girl!!!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Definitley in, but has been itchy as of late.
What I miss: Painting my toenails. What an ordeal that was yesterday!
What I am looking forward to: My 20 week appt this coming Thursday.
Weekly Wisdom: Travelsystems are useless, especially if you’re having a Fall/Winter baby. I would highly recommend going with a Snap & Go, instead. Thanks, Leah!
Milestones: Seeing my baby girl up on the ultrasound screen was indescribable. It made me want to hurry this pregnancy along so that I can finally see her face-to-face, hold her, and slobber all over her clearly noticable chubby cheeks. This kid is sooooo my daughter!
Ambitious? Probably.
So, without further ado, let me get you up-to-speed on all things Patty and Tony since last November ’08.
We started the month of November off with a bang – literally. We were pregnant (!!!) - and surprised as heck that it happened so fast (We didn’t officially start trying to conceive until October on our first anniversary). Thanksgiving with Tony’s family was such a treat sharing our happy news. Sure. It was early. I was only 7 weeks along, but when you go to a big Italian family gathering, you better have a rock solid excuse as to why you’re not drinking. So, we caved and told the truth. Needless to say, everyone was thrilled.
Christmas Eve was also very special, because it was our first scheduled OB appointment. We were rather disappointed that we were not given an ultrasound, but happy and excited nonetheless with the thoughts of a joyous ending to 2008 and a hopeful beginning to 2009.
Everything changed the morning of January 9th - I was 13 weeks exactly. I noticed I was spotting and called my OB’s office as soon as I walked into work. They took me in first thing that morning. The ultrasound (my very first one ever) was so quick, I can hardly remember it except for the basics… “fetus is measuring only 9 weeks”… “no heartbeat”… “I’m sorry”.
Heartbroken can not begin to describe what I felt on that table, legs spread wide, hearing those words come out of a stranger’s mouth, and feeling completely and utterly alone.
The next 30 minutes were spent listening to the doctor (not my OB) give me my “options” – allow the pregnancy to end naturally or elect instead to have a D&C. Did I mention I was alone? I had no idea which option was best for me. I just knew I wanted it all to be over, and that maybe a natural miscarriage might be too painful physically and emotionally for me to handle. So, the D&C was scheduled for the following Monday.
That weekend was hell. I continued to spot sporadically – thankfully, without any cramps or discomfort -besides the fact that I knew I had a dead fetus in my belly, and come Monday, it would be surgically sucked and scraped out of me – the way I felt my life had been at discovering I miscarried.
The D&C was uneventful. It’s an out-patient procedure. So, by that afternoon, I was home, on my couch, cuddling with the pugs, and feeling completely empty, literally and figuratively.
Anthony, family, friends, and coworkers were all super-supportive. I would not have gotten through the next few months without any of them. But still, I mourned the loss of our “blueberry”, a term of endearment I took to in the two or three months of the pregnancy. I missed being pregnant and envisioning what life would be like with “blueberry”. I missed the excitement of telling people I was pregnant, and I missed knowing that come July ’09, my baby would be born.
In March, my period was due to arrive on the 15th. Well, the 15th came and went, and all I had to show for it was one day of flow. That’s it - just one measly day. I knew something was amiss, because my periods typically last between four days to a week at most. So, on a Sunday afternoon, I tested. Tony was out golfing with his dad and wasn’t due back until the afternoon, but I just couldn’t wait to know for sure. Was I? Wasn’t I?
So, there I sat – in my first floor bathroom – door wide open and pugs running about. The day outside was gorgeous – one of the first beautiful days that hinted of Spring. And, in less than one minute, the display screen on my Clearblue Easy test stick went from blank to “Pregnant”. Pregnant!!!! Immediately, I tested again using another test stick, and that time, I waited a solid 10 minutes – just to be sure – and there it was again – “Pregnant”.
To say the least, I was overjoyed. I allowed the happiness to descend on me, but only for a little bit. I knew I had to be careful to not get too excited, especially that early. I was a mere five weeks. So, I took a picture of the test strip with my camera phone and sent it to Tony. He was cute. “Are you sure?”… “Are you positive?”… “How many times did you test?” Like me, he was terrified of getting too excited, but when I confirmed to him that we were in fact 100% pregnant, I could hear and feel his happiness through the phone.
A week later – at 6 weeks - I spotted, and our hopes dashed out the window. Not again, we thought. So, I went in for an ultrasound, saw the fetus, saw the yoke sac, but saw no heartbeat. The technician - God bless her - told us not to give up hope – that it was too early in the pregnancy to see or hear a heartbeat – and then scheduled me for another ultrasound the following week.
At 7 weeks exactly, with our hearts in our throats, we watched the ultrasound monitor and saw the best flicker in the entire world – the heartbeat of our baby, the “bean”. That tiny movement was just the validation we were looking for. It was Christmas, Thanksgiving, and our birthdays wrapped up into one, and I never thought I could feel as much love for anything or anyone as I did on that day for our little “bean”.
The next four weeks were filled with cautious optimism, and yet each trip to the bathroom was accompanied by an Our Father or a Hail Mary. I prayed for the tiny life inside of me, and in His mysterious way, God answered my prayers with full-blown morning sickness that lasted all day – morning, noon, and night. My only reprieve from the nausea was to eat, but without an appetite, eating was the LAST thing I wanted to do. Nevertheless, I ate small meals every two to three hours throughout the day just as my doctor instructed me to, and all the while, I welcomed the persistent nausea and feelings of seasickness, because I knew it was a sign that we had a tiny “bean” baking away in my belly.
At 12 weeks and 1 day, I had my 1st Trimester Screening, which tests for chromosomal abnormalities by measuring the pocket of fluid at the back of the baby’s neck (this test is also known as the Nuchal Translucency Test). The second part of the test is a finger-prick blood test, and that for me was the worst part of the screening. The tech could not get any blood from the first finger she tried. So, she had to prick another one. It seriously looked like she was milking my finger! The ultrasound, however, was a whole other story. The first sound we heard was the baby’s heartbeat - just amazing how fast and strong it was. And then, we saw the “bean” - so indescribable. We could clearly see a baby - profile, body, hands, legs, awwww... little alien. At first, it was sleeping. So, the doctor had me cough a few times. Still nothing. So, after a few prods from the doctor, it began to move around - its arms and legs, and even lifted its head, which the doctor loved. He was happy with how the baby was measuring and that the Nuchal Translucency was only at 1.2, as anything over 3 at that point is less than ideal. So, we left that appt feeling elated that we got to see and hear the “bean”, which was now more baby than it was “bean”, and that it was right on target and everything from the doctor’s perspective looked fine.
Less than a week later, I received three separate phone calls from various receptionists at my OB group to say my finger-prick results came back normal. Yay for normal! Such a huge relief! I expected to get an actual ratio like 1 in 20,000 or something. But, "normal" is good. I'll take it. I was also told that my Level 2 Ultrasound was already scheduled. A Level 2 is offered to every woman over 35 regardless of the test results from her 1st Trimester Screening. At the Level 2, both the doctor and the technician measure the baby’s head, the brain, the major organs and just about every one of the baby’s bones, including its pinky bones and the bone in its nose. Wild, right?
So, the next five weeks were filled with a huge sense of relief that we were at “All systems go!” and with eager anticipation that soon we’d get to see our baby again, and God willing, we’d get to see if we were on Team Pink or Team Blue.
This was the point where I thought it safe to begin documenting the progress of my pregnancy. I knew I wanted something to look back on as well as a vehicle in which to immortalize my thoughts of how I was feeling, what I was craving, why I was so emotional, and what were the best moments and milestones.
This was my first entry – at 18 weeks and 3 days:
Friday, June 19, 2009
How far along? 18 weeks and 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: Down 9 lbs… and not even trying.
Maternity clothes? Not today
Stretch marks? None that are new
Sleep: Yes, I sleep pretty soundly, but I get up 4 to 5 times a night to pee.
Best moment this week: Feeling and seeing my belly more pronounced.
Movement: I haven’t felt any movement as of yet, but my doctor said any day now, and that I might mistake it for gas. Lovely.
Food cravings: Dairy – cheese, ice cream, milk, lots and lots of milk.
Gender: God willing, we’ll find out on Monday! Three more days!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Definitley in.
What I miss: I miss being able to sleep on my stomach.
What I am looking forward to: Finding out the gender at my Level 2 ultrasound on Monday.
Weekly Wisdom: Breakfast burritos are truly the devil.
Milestones: Nothing notable.
At 18 weeks and 6 days, we went to the hospital for the Level 2. We surprised my mom by asking her to come along. This was her first grandchild. No one else besides Tony and me had more of a right to be at that Ultrasound than my mom did. I was instructed to arrive with a full bladder, but wouldn’t you know, it was too full?? So, during the two-hour ultrasound, I got up to pee three times. First, the tech did her measurements, and while she attempted to catch the precise moments to measure a foot, or a leg, or an arm, the baby just wriggled around, playing with its hands and its feet and kicking its legs and arms all over the place. It was surely a sight to behold. And, if all that didn’t make it hard enough for the tech to do her job, the baby was also head-down and face-down in my uterus. So, trying to coerce it to flip over long enough to take its measurements – or even get a basic profile shot - was a feat in itself! I flipped from side to side, I coughed, and the tech prodded HARD. Still, this baby made it difficult. And, it was no better when the doctor took her turn. In all honesty, watching my baby play like that was truly the highlight of this pregnancy. Active little bean… And then came the time to determine the sex. As playful and active is this baby was, it would not spread its legs. Good sign of things to come, right? And, just when we thought it just wasn’t going to happen, the tech found the exact angle, and there it was – the money shot - three little horizontal lines one on top of the other. GIRL!!! What a moment! My mom and I began to cry, and Anthony exclaimed, “Yeah! A Girl!”. The two hours on that table, the constant peeing, and the flipping from side to side were all worth it in the end. A baby girl. A daughter. My heart just over-flowed. It was the only time – since my wedding day – that I’d wished my Dad were there with us to share in our happiness.
Monday, June 29, 2009
How far along? 19 weeks and 6 days
Total weight gain/loss: Down 11 lbs… If this keeps up, my next OB appt should be interesting.
Maternity clothes? Today, I’m wearing black (shocking!) matte jersey pull-on maternity wide-leg capris (yeah, they’re as cute as they sound), a hot-pink cotton babydoll top, and black strappy wedges (I’m rocking the heels while I still can).
Stretch marks? None that are new
Sleep: Last night was a sleepless night, and I’m paying for it now by practically falling asleep at my desk.
Best moment this week: My Level 2 Ultrasound, where we discovered we’re having A GIRL!! Yay for Team Pink!!
Movement: Yesterday, after breakfast, I could have sworn I felt something.
Food cravings: Tapioca pudding. Let’s just leave it at that.
Gender: Girl!!!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Definitley in, but has been itchy as of late.
What I miss: Painting my toenails. What an ordeal that was yesterday!
What I am looking forward to: My 20 week appt this coming Thursday.
Weekly Wisdom: Travelsystems are useless, especially if you’re having a Fall/Winter baby. I would highly recommend going with a Snap & Go, instead. Thanks, Leah!
Milestones: Seeing my baby girl up on the ultrasound screen was indescribable. It made me want to hurry this pregnancy along so that I can finally see her face-to-face, hold her, and slobber all over her clearly noticable chubby cheeks. This kid is sooooo my daughter!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
I've been bad... very, very bad.
I’ve been so neglectful of this blog, there really isn’t any reason for me to return to it after an almost 1 year hiatus, except to say, “it’s sure been a BUSY 2008!”. How can I write down every important detail without boring you, my reader?
Pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.
OK, here goes….
January:
We finally moved in! And, I am NEVER moving again. This is the house that Tony and I will grow into, set down roots, raise our family, and make amazing memories in.
Our nephew Benjamin was born! This little guy is the sweetest baby ever. Hardly cries, goes to anyone, has the best belly-laugh of anyone I know, and has brought our family a bundle of light and joy that only a healthy and happy baby can bring.
February:
The best decision Tony and I made – besides getting married and buying our first home – was to get a puppy. Meet our pot-belly pug, Sancho Panza Altieri, the light of our lives, and majah kudos to you if you can correctly figure out the Sancho Panza reference. Here’s a hint: He chases windmills.
Sancho is my very first pet.. ever. In the short months we’ve had him, he’s enriched our lives tremendously. When we brought him home, he was a mere 8 weeks old, and slept most of the time – especially in the crook of my neck or on my chest. When he was old enough, we signed him up for obedience class. In no time, he learned sit, down, stay, leave it, and come. Of course, it didn’t happen over night, and we still struggle with his stubborn nature. Sancho will sit when Sancho wants to sit. So, having treats in hand helps, as he’s extremely food-motivated. Aren’t we all? He’s our funny little “dark seeker”, our crazy monkey, and our baby dinosaur. One minute he’s sweet, and the next, he’s sassy. Everywhere we go with him, he manages to turn heads and inspire groups of children (and adults) to want to pet him. He’s very polite. So, it’s easy to fall in love with him. I like to think he knows and understands just how very special he is to us. Tony and I have come to the point where we can not remember not being in our home – nor can we remember our life before Sancho entered it.
March:
We hosted our very first family holiday in our new home – Easter. Tony and I have “claimed” it as “our” holiday. Christmas Eve is at Leah and Mike’s, and Thanksgiving is at Cousin John and Beth’s. I love tradition... And, I love my new family. So Easter was our obvious choice... And I know I’ll look forward to it for years to come. Family, friends, and a handful of ‘orphans’ with no place to go came over on a beautiful Easter Sunday. The house smelled amazing, the Vinho Verde flowed freely, and Sancho managed to nip at everyone he came in contact with. Ah, the joys of a teething puppy..
April:
My best friend Claudia gave birth to the smallest and pinkest baby I’d ever seen. Nigella, and yes, that’s how it’s spelled. At only 5lbs, she was a tiny bundle of pink sweetness. The second I laid eyes on her, I knew I was going to love her forever. Just the most lovable baby-girl ever born, and to see her is to fall head over heels.
With the warmer days, much of the plants surrounding the house have begun to bloom. So, we decided to give a crack at some first-time gardening. We planted some hydrangea, an herb garden, and a lot of annuals in our window boxes. The wisteria has STILL yet to bloom any buds, but the vines are green and lush. The peonies are pink, white, and HUGE, and the roses are yellow and blooming. My friend Robin, the Earth Mother Goddess, came over and named everything growing in front, behind, and along side the house. Apparently, we have lavender, lots and lots of hostas, lilac bushes, and even a couple of chive plants! The surpise sleeper is definitely the azalea bush in front of the house. The flowers are this shocking shade of fuschia, and they envelop the bush entirely. What a beautiful surprise to wake up one Saturday morning and be met with the most flaming pink vision on my street.
May:
The big 3-5. That’s right, I turned 35 this year.. and my wonderful husband semi-surprised me with a great night of family, friends, pizza, and ROCK BAND! Great friends and fellow rabid Pandemonium groupies Chiara, Robb, Bobbi, and Fal rocked out with Tony and I (and Sancho) until the wee hours of the morning. Coming soon to a karaoke bar near you!
My sister-in-law Leah (Tony’s sister) did us the honor of asking us to be Benjamin’s Godparents. It was an honor we instantly and proudly accepted. We love that little boy! I wonder if I can teach him to call me madrinha (Godmother in Portuguese)…
June & July:
The first weekend of June was Sancho’s first Pug Meet-Up. Yes, a “pug meet-up”. A few months ago, a Nestie/Tribie found it online for me. It’s called the Hartford Pug Meet-up Group, and it meets on a monthly basis. This one met at the Happy Tails indoor play yard in Cheshire. Picture thirty pugs of all ages and sizes and colors (black and fawn) playing, frolicking, and chasing each other is mass euphoria. It was most definitely the funniest and most fun dog-related activity Tony and I had ever experienced. And, Sancho loved it too! In fact, he was a hit. He was by far the smallest one in the bunch, but he held his own by chasing and running from the other larger and faster pugs. That morning Tony and I realized how much having another pug to play and grow with might tremendously benefit Sancho. We’re still considering it, but with the new house and the projects we have planned, a new puggy playmate may have to wait just a bit until it’s more feasible for us.
One of the ‘milestones’ when having a puppy is having it neutered or spayed. In Sancho’s case, he was neutered, and ever the over-protective parent, I agonized over it for weeks – only to be pleasantly surprised at how quick the surgery went and how soon Sancho was back to his sassy self.
Summer was the best excuse for Tony and me to finally put our little touches into the house. Here’s the breakdown…
1. Subdued the womb-pink bathroom by painting the walls and ceiling white and putting up some artful touches (thanks IKEA!):
2. Removed the wall paper in the upstairs bathroom, painted the walls a rich khaki, and put up some prints that compliment the plush chocolate brown and monogrammed towels we received as a shower gift from my generous in-laws:
3. Installed crown molding in our bedroom. If you look close enough, you’ll see the hundreds of nail holes filled in with putty and screaming to be sanded, already!
4. Completely made the finished basement that much more cozy and inviting by painting the walls and beams a warm Mark Twain Tan (color by Valspar), putting up artwork, and installing a plasma flat screen TV and surround sound, thank you very much. Tony doesn’t mess around when it comes to enhanced video and audio.
5. Removed all the unsightly brush (overgrown bushes, small trees, and poison ivy) from the back of the yard and gained a 70 feet wide by 10 feet deep mass of area – while at the same time displacing entire families of woodland creatures (chipmunks, squirrels, moles, God-only-knows-what-else) living in it. Gotta love urban renewal.
Our plans for fencing off the back yard and building a paver patio behind the house were placed on hold, thanks to this sh!tty economy. Better to NOT spend a chunk of change right now, as Tony so eloquently put it.
August:
The hottest month of the season was spent mostly indoors. Thankfully, the first floor is enough of an open floor plan to allow for plenty of air flow from the one powerful a/c unit Tony installed in one of the windows in the dining room. The upstairs stayed cool from the a/c in our bedroom, and the rest of the 2nd floor stayed cool from that as well. Granted, the huge, boxy, an semi-noisy units are ugly as all heck, but the alternative – irritable, hot, sticky, sweaty Patty – is just sooo not pretty.
Took advantage of our fancy shmancy flat screen to watch really amazing and entertaining movies, such as Cloverfield, I Am Legend, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Into The Wild, American Gangster, 28 Weeks Later, 30 Days of Night, and Dan in Real Life.
We also tuned into the start of the 2nd season of Mad Men, presently the absolute best show on television.
Blue Back Square here in town recently opened a small movie theater. Some of the movies we saw there this past summer are the new Indiana Jones, the hugely popular Dark Knight, the one movie I should never have seen in light of my current paranoia of home-invasion - The Strangers, and the huge disappointment - The Happening. The theater is very old school – it TRIES to be anyway. Large vintage-looking marquis out front, seats that are NOT stadium seating, and even the way they pop and season the popcorn is very authentic to the period it inspires. Yet, as much as they attempt to make it seem vintage, they can’t help but also make it very shiny and expensive. Having gone there made me weep for the old days of the Elm 1&2, an even smaller, family-owned movie theater on the other side of town that was forced to close its doors thanks to the popularity of VCRs, DVDs, and movie rentals. Pour a little out for the Elm, folks, where I saw Annie, Stand by Me, Top Gun, and Dirty Dancing among countless others back in the day. Today, on my way to work every morning, I pass the building that used to be The Elm 1&2. :::sigh::: Alas, it is now a Walgreens.
In the August evenings (on Wednesdays to be exact), we’d venture outdoors to the free concerts at Elizabeth Park, where we’d feast on some wine and a picnic dinner we’d pack ourselves, listen to the variety of bands invited to play, and people watch. We would also bring along Sancho, who’d manage to break everyone’s heart with his playfulness. And, we’d also meet up with our godson Benjamin, who’s growing in leaps and bounds, by the way.
At the end of August, Tony and I made the 2nd best decision in our marriage, and that was to finally get a companion for Sancho. She came in the form of a 5 month old black pug named Petunia:
The second we brought her home, they instantly began to play and chase each other around the first floor – and then, plop down together in Sancho’s bed.
Petunia took to our little household like a champ and quickly bonded not only with Sancho, Tony and I, but also with each and every person that has stepped foot in our home since coming to live with us. She is the text-book definition of a lap-dog. Her face is the funniest, sweetest, and the most expressive I’ve seen, and her snorts sound less like snorts and more like Morse Code. At her most awake, she’s the wriggliest of puppies. So, holding her can be tricky, as she seriously has the strength to fearlessly leap from your grasp. I’m convinced she must have been a cat in her past life, because she springs from couch to couch to rug to couch to lap effortlessly and lands on all four feet with a feline ease every time. Did I happen to mention that her funny face and dome-like head smell like violets, and her chubby paws smell like cornchips? Yeah. She’s our little gargoyle - who perches herself on the backs of our sofas, barks at Toyota commercials as well as at her own reflection in the window, and then cuddles up on our laps to doze off.
Mornings with the puggies are always interesting. If they’re not tackling each other, or chasing each other to get the ONE toy out of dozens they already have, they’re each perched on either Tony’s shoulder (Sancho) or my lap (Petunia), and if there’s only one of us around, they’re both the clingiest of peaches and follow us from room to room – or wherever one of us goes. The downside to their co-dependence of us, however, is that we are now faced with having to repaint our downstairs bathroom door and much of the moldings along the base of the walls. Separation anxiety sure is a b!tch..
September: New job, new boss, new salary… life is full of happy surprises.
October: Wow.. October has sure been a whirlwind of a month. So much has happened already, and there’s still more to come before November arrives.
October 2nd - Rosa’s birthday
October 4th - West Hartford Park Road Pug Parade
October 13th - Patty and Tony’s 1st anniversary!!
Still to come…
October 27th - Bookclub (I wonder how much of Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen I can read from now until Monday..)
October 29th - Petunia’s spay
October 31st - Tony’s birthday!!! And… our very first Halloween in our home.
Pictures. Lots and lots of pictures.
OK, here goes….
January:
We finally moved in! And, I am NEVER moving again. This is the house that Tony and I will grow into, set down roots, raise our family, and make amazing memories in.
Our nephew Benjamin was born! This little guy is the sweetest baby ever. Hardly cries, goes to anyone, has the best belly-laugh of anyone I know, and has brought our family a bundle of light and joy that only a healthy and happy baby can bring.
February:
The best decision Tony and I made – besides getting married and buying our first home – was to get a puppy. Meet our pot-belly pug, Sancho Panza Altieri, the light of our lives, and majah kudos to you if you can correctly figure out the Sancho Panza reference. Here’s a hint: He chases windmills.
Sancho is my very first pet.. ever. In the short months we’ve had him, he’s enriched our lives tremendously. When we brought him home, he was a mere 8 weeks old, and slept most of the time – especially in the crook of my neck or on my chest. When he was old enough, we signed him up for obedience class. In no time, he learned sit, down, stay, leave it, and come. Of course, it didn’t happen over night, and we still struggle with his stubborn nature. Sancho will sit when Sancho wants to sit. So, having treats in hand helps, as he’s extremely food-motivated. Aren’t we all? He’s our funny little “dark seeker”, our crazy monkey, and our baby dinosaur. One minute he’s sweet, and the next, he’s sassy. Everywhere we go with him, he manages to turn heads and inspire groups of children (and adults) to want to pet him. He’s very polite. So, it’s easy to fall in love with him. I like to think he knows and understands just how very special he is to us. Tony and I have come to the point where we can not remember not being in our home – nor can we remember our life before Sancho entered it.
March:
We hosted our very first family holiday in our new home – Easter. Tony and I have “claimed” it as “our” holiday. Christmas Eve is at Leah and Mike’s, and Thanksgiving is at Cousin John and Beth’s. I love tradition... And, I love my new family. So Easter was our obvious choice... And I know I’ll look forward to it for years to come. Family, friends, and a handful of ‘orphans’ with no place to go came over on a beautiful Easter Sunday. The house smelled amazing, the Vinho Verde flowed freely, and Sancho managed to nip at everyone he came in contact with. Ah, the joys of a teething puppy..
April:
My best friend Claudia gave birth to the smallest and pinkest baby I’d ever seen. Nigella, and yes, that’s how it’s spelled. At only 5lbs, she was a tiny bundle of pink sweetness. The second I laid eyes on her, I knew I was going to love her forever. Just the most lovable baby-girl ever born, and to see her is to fall head over heels.
With the warmer days, much of the plants surrounding the house have begun to bloom. So, we decided to give a crack at some first-time gardening. We planted some hydrangea, an herb garden, and a lot of annuals in our window boxes. The wisteria has STILL yet to bloom any buds, but the vines are green and lush. The peonies are pink, white, and HUGE, and the roses are yellow and blooming. My friend Robin, the Earth Mother Goddess, came over and named everything growing in front, behind, and along side the house. Apparently, we have lavender, lots and lots of hostas, lilac bushes, and even a couple of chive plants! The surpise sleeper is definitely the azalea bush in front of the house. The flowers are this shocking shade of fuschia, and they envelop the bush entirely. What a beautiful surprise to wake up one Saturday morning and be met with the most flaming pink vision on my street.
May:
The big 3-5. That’s right, I turned 35 this year.. and my wonderful husband semi-surprised me with a great night of family, friends, pizza, and ROCK BAND! Great friends and fellow rabid Pandemonium groupies Chiara, Robb, Bobbi, and Fal rocked out with Tony and I (and Sancho) until the wee hours of the morning. Coming soon to a karaoke bar near you!
My sister-in-law Leah (Tony’s sister) did us the honor of asking us to be Benjamin’s Godparents. It was an honor we instantly and proudly accepted. We love that little boy! I wonder if I can teach him to call me madrinha (Godmother in Portuguese)…
June & July:
The first weekend of June was Sancho’s first Pug Meet-Up. Yes, a “pug meet-up”. A few months ago, a Nestie/Tribie found it online for me. It’s called the Hartford Pug Meet-up Group, and it meets on a monthly basis. This one met at the Happy Tails indoor play yard in Cheshire. Picture thirty pugs of all ages and sizes and colors (black and fawn) playing, frolicking, and chasing each other is mass euphoria. It was most definitely the funniest and most fun dog-related activity Tony and I had ever experienced. And, Sancho loved it too! In fact, he was a hit. He was by far the smallest one in the bunch, but he held his own by chasing and running from the other larger and faster pugs. That morning Tony and I realized how much having another pug to play and grow with might tremendously benefit Sancho. We’re still considering it, but with the new house and the projects we have planned, a new puggy playmate may have to wait just a bit until it’s more feasible for us.
One of the ‘milestones’ when having a puppy is having it neutered or spayed. In Sancho’s case, he was neutered, and ever the over-protective parent, I agonized over it for weeks – only to be pleasantly surprised at how quick the surgery went and how soon Sancho was back to his sassy self.
Summer was the best excuse for Tony and me to finally put our little touches into the house. Here’s the breakdown…
1. Subdued the womb-pink bathroom by painting the walls and ceiling white and putting up some artful touches (thanks IKEA!):
2. Removed the wall paper in the upstairs bathroom, painted the walls a rich khaki, and put up some prints that compliment the plush chocolate brown and monogrammed towels we received as a shower gift from my generous in-laws:
3. Installed crown molding in our bedroom. If you look close enough, you’ll see the hundreds of nail holes filled in with putty and screaming to be sanded, already!
4. Completely made the finished basement that much more cozy and inviting by painting the walls and beams a warm Mark Twain Tan (color by Valspar), putting up artwork, and installing a plasma flat screen TV and surround sound, thank you very much. Tony doesn’t mess around when it comes to enhanced video and audio.
5. Removed all the unsightly brush (overgrown bushes, small trees, and poison ivy) from the back of the yard and gained a 70 feet wide by 10 feet deep mass of area – while at the same time displacing entire families of woodland creatures (chipmunks, squirrels, moles, God-only-knows-what-else) living in it. Gotta love urban renewal.
Our plans for fencing off the back yard and building a paver patio behind the house were placed on hold, thanks to this sh!tty economy. Better to NOT spend a chunk of change right now, as Tony so eloquently put it.
August:
The hottest month of the season was spent mostly indoors. Thankfully, the first floor is enough of an open floor plan to allow for plenty of air flow from the one powerful a/c unit Tony installed in one of the windows in the dining room. The upstairs stayed cool from the a/c in our bedroom, and the rest of the 2nd floor stayed cool from that as well. Granted, the huge, boxy, an semi-noisy units are ugly as all heck, but the alternative – irritable, hot, sticky, sweaty Patty – is just sooo not pretty.
Took advantage of our fancy shmancy flat screen to watch really amazing and entertaining movies, such as Cloverfield, I Am Legend, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Into The Wild, American Gangster, 28 Weeks Later, 30 Days of Night, and Dan in Real Life.
We also tuned into the start of the 2nd season of Mad Men, presently the absolute best show on television.
Blue Back Square here in town recently opened a small movie theater. Some of the movies we saw there this past summer are the new Indiana Jones, the hugely popular Dark Knight, the one movie I should never have seen in light of my current paranoia of home-invasion - The Strangers, and the huge disappointment - The Happening. The theater is very old school – it TRIES to be anyway. Large vintage-looking marquis out front, seats that are NOT stadium seating, and even the way they pop and season the popcorn is very authentic to the period it inspires. Yet, as much as they attempt to make it seem vintage, they can’t help but also make it very shiny and expensive. Having gone there made me weep for the old days of the Elm 1&2, an even smaller, family-owned movie theater on the other side of town that was forced to close its doors thanks to the popularity of VCRs, DVDs, and movie rentals. Pour a little out for the Elm, folks, where I saw Annie, Stand by Me, Top Gun, and Dirty Dancing among countless others back in the day. Today, on my way to work every morning, I pass the building that used to be The Elm 1&2. :::sigh::: Alas, it is now a Walgreens.
In the August evenings (on Wednesdays to be exact), we’d venture outdoors to the free concerts at Elizabeth Park, where we’d feast on some wine and a picnic dinner we’d pack ourselves, listen to the variety of bands invited to play, and people watch. We would also bring along Sancho, who’d manage to break everyone’s heart with his playfulness. And, we’d also meet up with our godson Benjamin, who’s growing in leaps and bounds, by the way.
At the end of August, Tony and I made the 2nd best decision in our marriage, and that was to finally get a companion for Sancho. She came in the form of a 5 month old black pug named Petunia:
The second we brought her home, they instantly began to play and chase each other around the first floor – and then, plop down together in Sancho’s bed.
Petunia took to our little household like a champ and quickly bonded not only with Sancho, Tony and I, but also with each and every person that has stepped foot in our home since coming to live with us. She is the text-book definition of a lap-dog. Her face is the funniest, sweetest, and the most expressive I’ve seen, and her snorts sound less like snorts and more like Morse Code. At her most awake, she’s the wriggliest of puppies. So, holding her can be tricky, as she seriously has the strength to fearlessly leap from your grasp. I’m convinced she must have been a cat in her past life, because she springs from couch to couch to rug to couch to lap effortlessly and lands on all four feet with a feline ease every time. Did I happen to mention that her funny face and dome-like head smell like violets, and her chubby paws smell like cornchips? Yeah. She’s our little gargoyle - who perches herself on the backs of our sofas, barks at Toyota commercials as well as at her own reflection in the window, and then cuddles up on our laps to doze off.
Mornings with the puggies are always interesting. If they’re not tackling each other, or chasing each other to get the ONE toy out of dozens they already have, they’re each perched on either Tony’s shoulder (Sancho) or my lap (Petunia), and if there’s only one of us around, they’re both the clingiest of peaches and follow us from room to room – or wherever one of us goes. The downside to their co-dependence of us, however, is that we are now faced with having to repaint our downstairs bathroom door and much of the moldings along the base of the walls. Separation anxiety sure is a b!tch..
September: New job, new boss, new salary… life is full of happy surprises.
October: Wow.. October has sure been a whirlwind of a month. So much has happened already, and there’s still more to come before November arrives.
October 2nd - Rosa’s birthday
October 4th - West Hartford Park Road Pug Parade
October 13th - Patty and Tony’s 1st anniversary!!
Still to come…
October 27th - Bookclub (I wonder how much of Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen I can read from now until Monday..)
October 29th - Petunia’s spay
October 31st - Tony’s birthday!!! And… our very first Halloween in our home.
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