2 months

Our little man is now two months old. And how much he has grown in such little time. He's no longer the little newborn that simply ate, pooped, slept and cried. Of course, he still does those things, but he also smiles and coos. He now shows interest in things. He gets more alert everyday and likes to look around to soak in his surroundings. He definitely knows the voices of his mommy and daddy. He loves his activity mat. He is so proud when he makes contact with one of the toys dangling down towards him. He loves music. He loves lights. He loves mirrors. He is kicking his legs more and getting bigger every day.

Each day my love for him grows stronger. His smiles light up my world. I love when he's tired and snuggles against my chest. I love when he talks to me.

In the last month, we celebrated Owen's first Christmas. Christmas Eve began with a visit to the doctor for a well check and some shots. The shots made him pretty crabby, but I guess that's our payback for taking him to the doctor on Christmas Eve. The report from the doctor was good. She called him a star baby! But he still did good at church. There was something truly special about holding your infant son while singing hymns about baby Jesus. He was so tired at the end of the day on Christmas that he didn't even wake up when we put his pajamas on him or changed his diaper. Owen gave me a great Christmas present -- sleep. Since Christmas he's slept 6 or more hours each night...that's a trend I like. He too got lots of great presents that I know he'll love in the months to come. It's crazy to think that next Christmas he'll probably be walking around and he'll be able to open his presents on his own. It'll be fun, but this Christmas was definitely special with our infant boy.

I wish I could keep my little boy a baby forever so I could always protect him and keep him safe. Last week we went to a funeral for a girl that I have known since my childhood. We played soccer together from elementary school all the way through high school, and although she was a year younger than me, we went to the same school for most of those years too. She committed suicide. During the funeral, I held my baby tight to me, gave him kisses and told him I love him. Although I can't protect him from the evils of the world, I pray that he knows he'll always be able to find a safe place in my arms and that his daddy and mommy love him unconditionally. We would go to the end of the world and back for this guy.

Two months means that there is less than one month left until I go back to work. As that day gets closer, I find myself increasingly yearning to soak up this time with my little guy. If I don't feel like I held him enough during the day, it makes me a little sad...as it's a day with my boy I won't get to do over. So we cuddle a lot. We sing songs and talk together a lot. And he still eats, poops and sleeps a lot. I don't like thinking about going back to work, but sometimes I force myself to think about it and visualize it so hopefully I can prepare myself a little bit for that difficult time. It also helps me remember that this time is for me and Owen and to take advantage of my time with him. That's why you haven't seen as many blog posts from me. Sorry, but given the choice between having a laptop in my lap or my baby, I'm going to choose my baby.

J.B.

It's Christmas.

New light. New hope. New love. New joy. New peace.

This Christmas is like none other before.

My arms have never been more full of light, hope, love, joy and peace.

My heart has never been more full of light, hope, love, joy and peace.

With more light, hope, love, joy and peace in my arms and heart, I have more to give. May God help me to do just that.

I wish you and your family Merry Christmas.

J.B.

We fought Mother Nature and we won!

Alternatively titled: Dave graduates!

Can you see the irony in this? Dave didn't want to walk in his college graduation ceremony. But I wanted him to, and I convinced him to do it. But then the nastiest snowstorm these parts have seen in the last 18 years decided to appear the same day, threatening to force us to stay home.

But we're hardy Minnesotans and Mother Nature couldn't stop us!

At some point during the week, the meteorologists started predicting a big storm for the day of his graduation ceremony. This storm was unpredictable and they were predicting everything from a few inches to over 20 inches. So pretty much anything. But as the day got closer, it became clearer that this was going to be a big storm.

Fast forward to Friday afternoon. Dave got a couple of emails saying graduation would not be canceled due to weather. We decided we better make the hour drive to his school that evening, so we could safely get to Mankato before the storm started. Especially with our little man, traveling safely was our number one concern. So we hurried about that afternoon and successfully out ran the storm, getting to the hotel shortly after the freezing rain and snow started. Us - 1, Mother Nature - 0.

Saturday morning we woke up to a snowy mess with a nice thick layer of ice underneath. Graduation was still on so we bundled up Owen and ventured out into the middle of the storm. We slowly made it to campus and Dave dropped us off at the door and we were safely inside the nearly empty auditorium. Dave met us inside after slipping on the ice and smacking his head on the ground. Us - 1. Mother Nature - 1.

Although it took a bit of extra effort to get to Dave's graduation, it was well worth it. I was so proud of him. He's put in so much effort over the past couple of years and overcame so many obstacles to get his degree -- all while working full time and driving 50 minutes each way to get to his school.

Even though Owen won't remember being at Dave's graduation, it was important to us to have Owen there. Owen, Chubs and our future children were Dave's inspiration for finishing his degree. So Owen had to represent. The two of us sat there together, so proud of Dave. Actually, Owen slept. I held Owen as I cheered as loud as I could when they announced Dave's name -- while also taking pictures and crying.

Our original plan after the graduation was to drive to the next town and reassess the snow situation. We have friends that live there, so we figured we could hang out with them if the storm made travel too difficult.

But the conditions deteriorated significantly since the beginning of the graduation ceremony. This was seriously the kind of winter storm that would have killed pioneers if they got caught in it. Lots of snow. Winds sustained at 35 mph with higher wind gusts, creating white out conditions where you can't see more than a few yards in front of you. Ice covering the roads. Snow on top of the ice, so you can't figure out where it's extra slippery. Enough snow on the roads that in some places it was hard to even tell where the roads were. They literally pulled the snow plows off the roads, because conditions were that bad. Us - 1. Mother Nature - 2.

Needless to say, we were maybe three minutes away from the university when we decided to stay in Mankato. We called up the hotel we stayed at the night before to see if there were any rooms available for that night. Thank God there was! I gave them our credit card number while I was on the phone to reserve our room. We weren't risking driving the rest of the way to the hotel to reserve our room only to find that they had booked up in the meantime. We weren't risking hanging up to try and book the room through Priceline only to have no rooms available. We needed that room and we got it. And good thing we got that room, because they actually closed the highway that was our route home. So we couldn't have gone home even if we tried. We spent the rest of the day and night there. We at food from Friday's for three consecutive meals (it was attached to the hotel). Despite getting stuck in Mankato, we had a good afternoon. We were safe. We were together. We had time to relax and do nothing except snuggle with our little guy and stare at his precious little face. Us - 2. Mother Nature - 2.

We woke the next morning to lots and lots of snow plows clearing the road in front of the hotel (a road we couldn't even see from our room the day before). The storm had cleared. We could go home. And that's exactly what we did....with a baby in one arm and a diploma in the other.

Us - 3. Mother Nature - 2. We won!

J.B.

Newborn photos

My sister-in-law is a photographer. If you've followed my blog for any length of time (or know me in real life), you probably know that. So for several years now I've been oooing and ahhing over newborn photos. I hoped that when we had a baby there would be a way for her to travel from North Carolina to take newborn photos of our little one.

So when the time came, my wish came true. Not only did Katie fly to Minnesota to take photos (and to meet her nephew), but so did a photographer-friend of hers, Jessica. Two photographers took pictures of my little guy! Newborn photos are kinda complicated. They have to be done within a certain number of days of birth. So even though she had her flight and we had studio time scheduled, we weren't 100% certain we'd be able to get the newborn photos we wanted. But Owen was born just in time (he was a little old, but was still a champ for his session). He must have known how badly his mommy wanted these photos.

Last week, Jessica blogged our photo session. Check out how cute my little guy is! She is a great photographer and I would recommend her for anyone looking for a photographer in the Twin Cities.

I had a great time watching Katie and Jessica take pictures, especially after admiring pictures of other people's newborns. It was cool to see how they do it. I never would have guessed how much work goes into getting these pictures. The baby must be sleeping...and there are several strategies they use to get him to sleep and to keep him that way. So obviously there is a time constraint. Then there is other photo-related stuff they have to figure out, like the lighting. Finally there is the positioning of the baby. But in the end, their hard work was worth it....and I get to reap the benefits of having beautiful pictures of my little guy to keep forever!

J.B.

Full of Thanks

The little man is sleeping, so I can blog again! I wanted to write a Thanksgiving post, but that day was a little crazy and I enjoyed the long weekend hanging out with my husband and child. So here's that post now.

I am thankful for...

my son who is my everything.
my body that feeds and nourishes my son.
my husband loves and cares for me.
my parents who support me unconditionally.
my sisters who are great friends.
my parent- and sis-in-laws who consider me one of their own.
my grandparents for their health.
my friends who stand by my side.
my house that provides me shelter.
my job that provides me with security.
time off work to bond with my boy.
food that gives me energy and strength.
sleep that refreshes my body.
faith. life. love.

J.B.

4 weeks

It's already been four weeks since the little man has arrived. Each and every minute of the last four weeks has been cherished.

In those four weeks, much has changed.

Now I live my life in 3 hour increments. And man, time goes much faster when you live life this way.

Now my little man depends on me for his nourishment. For his sense of security. For his survival. No one has ever depended on me like this before.

I've experienced the hopelessness you feel when your baby is in pain and there isn't anything that can be done except to rock him and hold him closer (and give him gas drops and tummy rubs).

I've experienced love like I've never felt before. There are not enough hugs and kisses in this world that could express to my baby how much I love him.

I've experienced so much joy. The joy of watching my husband sing to the little guy. The joy of watching friends and family love on my boy. It's so incredible that there is so much love for something Dave and I created. Never have I done anything in my life before that brings out so much love and joy from people. I love sharing him with others.

But I love mommy and son time so much too.


I've experienced how frustrating it can be when you're so tired, you just break down in tears, because you're little one won't go to sleep. But then, two seconds later, I've experienced the sense of accomplishment of rocking that cute little bundle sleeping your arms.

My world has become more beautiful. My son is beautiful. Watching my husband and my son together is beautiful. Watching my son and my nieces is beautiful. Watching my son meet his grandparents and aunts and uncles is amazing.

My baby and I are learning so much about each other. I'm learning his schedule. His cries. His grunts. I've learned that when he poops, he's going to be hungry in 5 minutes. And if he's hungry and hasn't pooped yet, he will almost immediately after he starts eating. He's learned how to eat. He's learning how to hold his head up and he's strengthening his neck. He's growing so much. My skinny little boy is filling out and getting heavier.

And when people tell you that when you're a mom, you'll talk about poop; they're not kidding. The color of poop. The amount of poop. The sound of pooping. The sound of a 2nd round of poop. Being pooped on. Poop is good.

These last four weeks have been the most rewarding four weeks thus far in my life. If I there is one word to some it up, it is LOVE. I'm surrounded by love. I'm experiencing love more deeply and more authentic. I'm love my boy. I love my family. I love that we are finally parents. I love my many blessings from God. I'm in love.

J.B.

Owen's birth story

Boy, how much life can change in a week.

Last Thursday morning I was convinced that I was going past my due date and would be heading in to work on Monday morning.

Little did I know that Boo had different plans.

That evening while watching The Office, I started getting contractions. I wasn't sure if it was the real thing. The contractions weren't very strong. Dave could actually feel my stomach tighten before I could feel the discomfort. So they were really hard to time. Dave wanted it to be real. He went to the store to buy me some spicy jalapeno potato chips to snack on. He told me to get up and walk around (I wanted to take a nap in case it was real...I had worked that day and was tired).

It wasn't long before I realized this was going to be it. I took a shower (supposedly if it's not real, the shower will slow things down), but in my case, things kept getting more painful. The contractions were pretty close together -- they were never longer than 4 minutes apart. I spent the next hour or so on our exercise ball breathing through the contractions. Then we called the doctor. At this point, the contractions were lasting 50 seconds and between 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 minutes apart. So the doctor told us to go in to the hospital and get checked.

We left for the hospital around midnight. We still had some stuff we needed to pack. The dogs had to go outside one last time. And I was moving a little slower that usual as my contractions were getting worse.

We made the half-hour drive to the hospital. As this point, the contractions were coming every two minutes. I definitely had to breath through them. Once we got to the hospital, we left our bag in the car. Thinking we'd make sure we got admitted first before lugging the suitcase through the hospital.

I got checked by the nurse around 12:30 a.m. and was still only dialated 3 cm. That was a little disappointing to hear because my contractions were hurting. Bad. My blood pressure was elevated though, so they wanted to keep me. So I was admitted!

We decided to call my sister, Becky, to let her know were were admitted. She was going to join us in the delivery room. Dave left a voice mail saying that we were only 3 cm and they wanted to monitor my blood pressure and would keep her posted as we didn't know how long things would go. The contractions were happening fast, and Dave was doing great at coaching me through them, so we hadn't called anyone else yet.

I had to get my platelets checked to make sure I could get an epidural. As I prepared for labor, I knew that an epidural may not be an option, so I tried to prepare myself as much as I could for a natural labor. Yoga classes. Childbirth prep class. Labor relaxation techniques class. Reading books. So my birth plan was that I'd go without any drugs as long as possible. But it was honestly more painful that I imagined. Actually, I think the pain wasn't so much out of my realm of imagination. The bad part was how frequent the contractions were happening. I was feeling like I wasn't getting any break from the pain. At one point I asked the nurse how often they check my progress, and the nurse said every two hours.

But when we got the blood tests results back, and my platelets were high enough, I said I needed the epidural. Stat. I figured the pain would only continue to get worse and I still had hours and hours of labor left. So the nurse left to call the anesthesiologist for the epidural. And by this point my sister had arrived.

It was about 1:45 a.m. I'd been there for an hour and fifteen minutes.

All of a sudden, I had a crazy contraction. I felt all this pressure like I needed to push.

So I tell Dave that I need to push.

He yells at me to not do it. And I yell back to call the nurse.

She comes in and said she'd check me and if I was less than 10 cm, I could still get an epidural.

So she checks and says, "You're just about ready."

And then things got a little crazy. I had my eyes closed at this point. Just trying to focus. But there was a lot of commotion. Three or four nurses came in to get everything ready for birth. Getting towels and blankets and bowls. Taking off the end of the bed. Getting the stuff ready for the baby.

It was about 2:00 a.m.

Thank goodness my doctor happened to already be at the hospital. The nurse had me pushing before the doctor got in the room. She got in their as the baby was crowning and pretty much just caught the baby.

At 2:24 a.m., Owen Michael was born. 5 pounds, 15 ounces. 19 inches. A perfectly healthy little peanut.

When he was placed on my chest, it was the most amazing experience ever. One of the first things I thought was the relief that the labor was done. Owen was here! My son was in my arms! All the waiting and the trials we went through to get to this point were done. I was a mom. We were parents. We have a family. A beautiful baby boy. I was thanking God for this moment and bringing this little boy into my life.

It all happened so fast. Our bag was still in the car (and our camera). Thank goodness for cell phones! We hadn't called anyone yet in the family yet to let them know were were in labor. It was fun to call them to say that Owen is here!

This past week has gone so fast. We've been getting settled in. He eats and sleeps a lot. But he's been a great little guy. And we love him so much.

J.B.

39 weeks!

We've really made it to the home stretch! It's so sureal that within the next couple of days -- or hours -- or weeks yet if he's stubborn, our little guy will be in our arms!



I had my weekly doctor appointment today. We had an appointment just last Friday, so I was happy to hear that things have progressed in the last couple of days. I'm now 2 cm dilated and the baby is lower too. We're having a crazy wind storm, so I'm hoping that it might bring more progress.



Although I'm 39 weeks and some days pregnant, I still managed to go to my yoga class. Yoga has been such great thing for me throughout this pregnancy. The fact that can still get into yoga poses at this stage in the game has been really empowering. And I think it's helped me stay comfortable too. It wasn't until this past Saturday that I first felt my back getting pretty sore.


That's pretty much all I have for now. Being pregnant has been a great adventure, but I'm really looking forward to what comes next!

J.B.

Dropping?

I've had to take some self portraits to document the pregnancy as of late, since Dave is out of town and the pups refuse to take my picture.

Today I've gotten comments from two people that it looks like Boo has started dropping. What do you think? I'm not totally convinced...although I have had to pee more. But I think it's too close to tell....it doesn't help that I'm wearing two different shirts (but both polka dots). Enjoy the fake smile while you're at it.

37 weeks.

38 weeks

J.B.

Won't you light my candle?

We recently honored/observed (not sure what's the right word) the one year anniversary of our miscarriage. I started, but didn't really have the words to write a coherent blog post about it. To make my thoughts more scattered was the fact that right before the anniversary, my old roommate caught me up on what was going on in her life.

At her 19-week ultrasound, she found out their baby didn't develop kidneys. That basically meant that her baby couldn't survive outside the womb. Before the ultrasound, the baby appeared to be growing well and thriving. She could feel her kicks. So finding out her baby was sick was devastating. At that time, the doctors told her that the baby would continue to grow to full-term and then die within hours of being born. But, their baby actually died one year and six days after Chubby.

Her situation is no doubt more complicated than mine was. But it's still a loss of a baby, and a loss of hopes and dreams for that particular child. But not all hopes and dreams of having children have to die.

I pray for my roommate and for others who have experienced such a loss that not all hopes and dreams for the families that they want to have are lost.

As Dave and I talked about Chubs and the anniversary of our miscarriage, the thing that really touched both of us was how much can change in a year. After the miscarriage, it just seemed like our journey to have a family was such a long road -- and we were moving on that road painfully slow. I was hopeful we would have a family someday, but I just didn't imagine it could happen within a year. But it did. And we're so thankful.

And for some twisted reason, being pregnant again and preparing for our little guy has helped the grieving and healing process. That's another thing we talked about. From the loss of Chubby, we were given the gift of Boo. "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."*

Chubby is part of our story. He always will be. Our dream was to be parents, and he made that come true. He taught us about hope and preserverence. He taught us about grieving and healing. He taught Dave and I that we need to rely on each other for support, especially during difficult times.

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, so I'm inviting you to take a moment and think about all those who were lost. Today I'm taking this moment to finally publish a post of scattered thoughts of my miscarriage experience. And, tonight I'll be lighting a candle in memory of Chubs.

J.B.

Gracie plays hide and seek

We have a cat. Remember?

I was uploading some video from my phone onto the computer and this one of Gracie hiding completely under the covers makes me smile.

J.B.

Wage your guess

The countdown for the big day is definitely underway. As of today, there are 19 days u till my due date -- we're in the teens! Of course, Boo's birthdate could be earlier or later than his due date....all of which we'll be finding out in a couple of weeks. I had fun reading everyone's guesses when I posted about guessing Boo's gender, and now it's time to get everyone's guesses for Boo's birth.

This time, everyone should leave comments guessing Boo's birthdate, height and weight.

Here's some quick facts that may or may not be helpful in your guess...

• This is my first kid
• At my 36 week appointment, I hadn't really started dialating or effacing
• Today at my 37 week appointment, I was 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced and had a -1 station
• I also haven't really had many contractions or other signs of labor
• I was born one week after my due date
• Dave was born on time, but was induced
• My sister had both of her kids 10 days early
• Dave is out of town until Oct. 21
• My due date is Oct. 31
• My ultrasounds showed due dates ranging from Oct. 29 - Nov. 2
• My measurements have been on track

Leave your guess in the comments!
J.B.

My nursery rhyme shower

Katie posted pics on her blog from the baby shower that she, Diana and Mary threw for Boo and I. Like I said before, their attention to detail was AMAZING. You really have to check out the pics to see what I mean!

Check out the pics!

J.B.

10 days

The first two years I knew Papa Bear, we lived in different states. He spent a year deployed in Iraq.

So him leaving for 10 days should be a piece of cake, right?

I hope so. It's so crazy how your perspective changes. Seven years ago, only being away from Dave would have been a dream. Today, 10 days seems like a long time.

Considering the fact that I'm 37 weeks pregnant, 21 days away from my due date and he won't be home until 10 days before my due date; the circumstances are a little different this time.

But still, after I dropped him off at the airport, I was not the mess that I was when I said goodbye to him as he deployed to Iraq. That day I literally felt like someone close to me had died. Given where we left things, I wasn't sure if I'd ever talk to him again and I hated the thought of possibly losing someone who had become such a dear friend in such a short amount of time. That's not even considering the fact that he was headed into a war.

This time I knew I'd talk to him before he boarded the plane, after he landed in Chicago and at least once more before I go to bed. And I know there will be many more phone calls, text messages, emails and numerous Skype conversations before he's back home. Thanks goodness for technology! He's close enough that he could drive home if Boo decides to show up early -- but I'm really hoping that doesn't happen.

But I still miss him. I think mostly I'll miss being able to grab his hand so he can feel Boo. And the smile that spreads across his entire face when he feels the kicks too. I'll miss him waking me up at 11 p.m. (after he's taken the pups outside), so that I move from the couch and into bed. I'm missing hugs and kisses. I'm missing his runs to DQ to get me some ice cream. I wish they delivered.

I only have to miss him for ten days and then he'll be home. And there is definitely a thing or two to look forward to in the days after he comes home too.

J.B.

36 weeks + some days

This whole being nine months pregnant, work full-time and get ready for baby thing is exhausting. So you'll have to excuse my lack of blogging. And it's not even that I have a lot of stuff going on -- well, this week I didn't have a lot going on -- it's just that by the time I get home from work the only thing I have energy to do is changing the channel on the remote as I lay on the couch.

This week we had our 36 week appointment. Boo must have had a bit of a growth spurt as his measurements were right on track for how far along we are. His heart rate is still great at 136 bpm. My platelets were tested and increased!!! So now my anxiety about delivering Boo without being able to get an epidural has decreased significantly. The doc also did the first check to see how I'm progressing towards labor -- and the results -- I haven't really started making any progress. But that was pretty much what I was expecting. I still feel fairly comfortable, can still sleep, etc -- and I figure if I'm still feeling this way, the little guy inside me is probably feeling the same way. So I wouldn't be surprised if I'm like my mom and go past my due date. Which is okay with me because....

Dave got a new job!! He just started this week. He has to go out of town soon for training and won't be back until 10 days before Boo's due date! So we've already started lecturing the kid about how he needs to stay put for two more weeks.

Last weekend, my mother-in-law, both sister-in-laws and my youngest niece came into town to throw my a baby shower. We had a great time. The shower was beautiful. Beforehand, I couldn't fathom how they were spending so much time in NC planning it when they had to fly up here...I knew they couldn't bring a lot of stuff up with them on the plane. But once I walked into the the party, it all made sense. The details and decorations were amazing! There will be pictures someday for me to share. And of course, I couldn't be more blessed with all the family and friends who literally showered us with gifts and love. It's amazing to me how many people already love our little boy and are so excited to meet him.

During their trip we also went to a Twins game, apple orchard and Katie did a mathernity session for Dave and I. Here's a link to the sneak peak on Katie's fan page. If you're not a fan already, while you're there, "like" her and leave a comment!

J.B.

34 weeks!

Another appointment down! After my next appointment, I'll start going every week. Just another sign that the pregnancy is almost over.

If you asked me during the first trimester, I never would have said this....but I've been enjoying being pregnant. It's so cool to know that there really is a little guy living inside me...and I'm growing him! I love his kicks and his hiccups and watching him make my stomach move.

Once again, we had a good appointment. I'm growing and he's growing. His heart rate is at 135 bpm. I got my flu shot. Asked the doctor some questions.

We had our childbirth prep class at the hospital over the weekend, so the actual thought of giving birth is at the forefront of our minds these days. I'm glad to know that we know where to go when that time comes. Our due date is six weeks away, yet the doctor said at this point in the pregnancy there is no trying to stop labor once it starts. So at some point soon, I'll have to think about washing some baby clothes, getting our hospital bags packed and getting the car seat installed. I have a little bit of time to procrastinate...but at the same time, we definitely want those things ready to go!

Here's me just shy of 33 weeks...up on the shores of Lake Superior in Grand Marais. Even though this pic is a week old already, it's the most recent on I've got. :)

J.B.

Baby Bumps

Priceless

Me @ 31 weeks and Michelle @ 34 weeks

J.B.

Lucky Day

Today's been a great day. It started off normal. Got up at a decent time...(yesterday I woke up at 4:00 a.m. unable to sleep because I could breath...stupid allergies). Went to work. Something was a little off when I noticed some of the lights were out and the big sign by the elevators that said, "Elevators broken. Do not touch. Elevator company has been called." I wasn't too thrilled to see that sign. I work on the sixth floor and this pregnant lady wasn't looking forward to climb up all those stairs. But as I started climbing up the first stairwell, I saw someone who worked on my floor. She informed me that the power was out and might not be back on until noon. So I quickly got out of the stairs and started calling some of my co-workers to see what the plan was for the day. Eventually, I found out that I got to go home (HR didn't want me climbing up all those stairs)...and I'd get a call when the power came back so that I could go in. The power ended up taking longer to get back on than anticipated (I actually don't even know if it's back on yet), so I got the whole day off without taking PTO. Woo woo! It's like I landed on the Free Parking space in Monopoly. Dave was home today too, so we took the dogs on a walk, went to Caribou for a while, put the crib skirt and sheets on Boo's bed, enjoyed a home-made lunch and watched some Good Will Hunting.

Today was even better because we had a doctor's appointment. Boo is still looking good and healthy. I'm measuring right on track and Boo's heart rate was 134 bpm. There was a medical student shadowing my doctor today, so we got to hear Boo's heart rate twice. Once from the student and once from my doctor. So once again, I got lucky today and heard Boo's heartbeat two times!

I'm 32 weeks pregnant now. I officially only have 8 weeks until Boo's due date. The pregnancy is still going well overall. My biggest complaint right now is my allergies. My pregnancy is making them worse, because I can't take my normal medicine. But I'd be dealing with allergies this time of year pregnant or not. So honestly, I can't blame that on the pregnancy. Of course, I'm still feeling Boo kick. But it's turning more into a stretching/pushing out my stomach feeling that jabbing kicks. I guess that's because he's running out of room inside me. For the most part, I'm still fairly comfortable. There's been a couple of time when Boo's pushes himself up against my ribs, but that's hasn't been too often.

The rest of our week will be pretty nice too. Since we had the holiday Monday and the "free" day off today and I have plans to take Friday off, I'll only have to work two days this week. And tomorrow we're going to the Twins game. Lots of fun for Boo, Dave and I!

J.B.

September!

September is here! That means next month is the month Boo is due! The weeks counting down to his due date are also in the single digits. Time is going by so fast!

Last weekend a couple of my friends threw a baby shower for us. It was so much fun! I'm so blessed to have such great friends that came out to celebrate baby Boo. He is already spoiled! My friends did a great job of making feel special and loved. Hopefully I'll get some pictures. I never took out my camera, but I know there were pictures being taken.

This month is going to be a fun month. Dave and I are taking the dogs up to the North Shore one weekend. We're renting a tiny cabin and both of us are looking forward to relaxing and spending soem time together.

We also have our childbirth prep class.

One of my sisters and my dad have their b-day.

And at the end of the month, my mother-in-law and sister-in-laws are coming into town. We're going to a Twins game and they're hosting a baby shower for me. Katie is also taking my maternity pictures.

It's going to be a very busy, but a very fun month. And I'm looking forward to it!

J.B.

Time to get ready for Boo!

That title is a little misleading. Dave and I have spent a lot of time getting ready for Boo. Our nursery is done. We've taken a breastfeeding class. We're going to lots of doctor appointments. We've started stocking up on diapers and wipes.

However, I feel like I have a lot of "business-type" stuff to get ready that I haven't been able to tackle. You know -- the not-so-fun stuff like figuring out daycare and the pediatrician and getting pre-registered at the hospital. We also have more classes to take and I have a couple of books I want to read.

I am ready to tackle all of that stuff. My summer class is over! IT'S OVER! I'm done with having class two nights a week and homework on the weekends and feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can finally breath and finish getting ready for our little dude.

J.B.

Dates

Isn't it funny how sometimes an anniversary or birthday or other important day arrives and you remember it, but sometimes a day just as important comes and goes and you just totally blank.

This August I've had a lot of those important dates coming and going without even noticing the significance of that day.

I forgot Cooper Joe's 3rd b-day. I forgot my friend Michelle's b-day. I forgot my 2-year anniversary at work. (Thankfully, I remembered Stevie's b-day and Diana's b-day!)

But there is another day that I did not forget.

Today. August 23.

Dave got up early and went fishing with his friend, Sean. I got up several hours later and decided to take a pregnancy test. I had taken one a couple of days before that had been negative, but I guess intuition told me to try again. And so did the fact that a monthly visitor hadn't arrived yet.

The test was positive. I was pregnant. After close to a year of trying.

Unable to wait until Dave came home, I called him. He told me to take another one. You know, just to be sure.

I did.

I remember feeling like I was on a cloud that day. I didn't know what to do with myself. Life was so beautiful. I was going to be a mommy. My life was forever changed by one test.

The truth is. I couldn't forget this day. Not when I still think about Chubs almost every day. Especially lately. There is something about being pregnant again during allergy season that reminds me of my first pregnancy. The pain isn't so raw anymore. In fact, being pregnant again has definitely brought a lot of healing. Although Chubs is still missed.

Even though that pregnancy didn't end the way we wanted it to, that doesn't take away the happiness and excitement Dave and I felt on this day one year ago. We were so excited to find out we were going to be parents. And today, one year later, we're ecstatic to be parents. That day is coming so soon. And while Chubs won't be the little boy that's in are arms, Chubs will still be in our hearts.

I love you, Chubs.

J.B.

Allergy season.

For most people, the end of summer means state fairs, back-to-school and cooler weather.

For Otis and myself, it means allergy season.

And this week, allergy season has arrived in full force.

Poor Otis. He's given himself scabs on his eyebrows, ears and leg pits (I guess that's what you call where his front legs meet his torso.) He spends half the night scratching instead of sleeping. We're trying to help ease his discomfort as much as we can. We give him Benadryl and we've been giving him extra baths with anti-itch shampoo. This week I ordered him another shampoo and a leave-in conditioner to try that one of my co-workers recommended. He just looks sad and miserable. For those of you that know Otis, you know he is miserable when he doesn't even want to cuddle. That's right. He doesn't want to cuddle. He just lays on the cool tile floor. Thankfully, our efforts seem to provide him some relief and hopefully our new shampoo will arrive soon and will provide him with even more relief.

And yes, I'm dealing with allergies too. I knew this was going to happen. My third trimester and my allergy season were going to coincide. And here we are. For the first time this whole pregancy, I've had to break down and take medicine (doctor-approved, of course). But it just doesn't provide the same relief as my prescription allergy meds. Constant itchy eyes and a runny nose. The extra dander floating around the house from Otis' scratching doesn't help much either. But there isn't much I can do, but deal with it, keep tissues handy and pray for an early frost.

All right. Enough complaining. Happy Friday!

J.B.

28 weeks. 7 months. 3rd trimester!

Ok. I've now made it to 29 weeks, but I have to back up a little bit and give you a 28 week update, since I had an doctor's appt and had a photo taken (a really good one too!...if I can say so myself.)

My 28th week started with a blast. I went to the wedding of my friend, Carrie, along with my friends from high school. In true high school fashion, we went without our significant others (since we never had boyfriends...haha). We got together before the weddind to get our make up ready and hair done and all dressed up and ready to go. The wedding was a ton of fun. We laughed. We danced. We ate cake. We danced some more. Boo is already a hit with the ladies on the dance floor. I got home around 1:30 a.m. in the morning. I don't even remember the last time I stayed out that late.

The next day was not so much fun. I was exhausted. My internal alarm clock forced me up by 8:00 a.m. I'm not sure why, but I can never sleep in when Dave and I have a day off together. I guess I'm always too excited for the day to begin. So we made fried egg sandwiches and bacon. Yum. But by 10:30 a.m., I was sleepy and needed a nap. I slept for 3 1/2 hours! I've been known to take 3 hour naps, but not 3 1/2! It was a hot, hot day. Dave and I ran some errands, which mostly meant go buy things for Boo, I guess. Some books is what we intended to go find, but we were diverted from our mission when we drove past guys standing on a street corner holding signs for a furniture going out of business sale. We found a great rocker/recliner for Boo's room. It's so comfy and I can't wait to rock him to sleep in it. After that diversion, we got back on track and made our way to the book store. We found a cute children's book about a dog with no tail. Just like our pups! The dog looks just like Cooper -- even has blue eyes -- except in the story, the dog's name is Henry. We also found a bored book that has the same name as our baby boy.

Yes, that is right my friends, Boo has a name.

After the book store, we stopped at the grocery store. But the heat had definitely started gettting to me. We had to make it a quick trip to that store, as I was starting to get light headed and dizzy. We made it home. I made my way back to the couch and pretty much stayed there the rest of the day.

We also took our first daycare center tour. It was really nice, but it's probably out of our price range some. We have some leads on some other places too, so I'm sure we'll be able to find Boo a great daycare that fits our budget too.

Then I had a doctor's appointment. Boo is doing great. His heartrate was 150 bpm. He appears to be growing right on track. The not-so-good stuff had to do with me. I failed my 1-hour gestational diabetes test. And my blood platelets have dropped more....enough that my doctor called the next day to have me come back in again and get retested. So Friday, I went back to the doctor for more bloodwork. I passed the 3-hour gestational diabetes test! Hooray! And I got the platelets retested, but since they're just monitoring them, I probably won't get the results until my next doctor's appointment. Which is only a week away now.

It's crazy how fast time is going. I'm already in the third trimester. Boo is going to be here in 2 1/2 months. I'm excited to meet this little guy who keeps kicking me. I'm excited to see if he'll get my brown eyes or his daddy's blue eyes. We are getting close to being ready for him. We even got our car seat yesterday as a present from my aunt and uncle. So we can officially bring our little guy home from the hospital with us.

So now what I'm sure you've all been waiting for....the picture....although it's the same picture that was on Facebook, so it's probably not even new to most of you. Sorry for the tease!

J.B.

Boo's nursey

We're done with Boo's nursery! Dave did so much work putting it all together for me -- from painting to assembling the crib and hanging everything. From the beginning, I wanted a "retro" theme, so my mom and I spent time going to antique stores to see what we could find. Then Dave and I went to Ikea and fell in love with some star lights. So on one wall we had baseball, another wall had circus and another wall had stars. None of it really went together, but it wasn't too overwhelming one theme over another. I wanted one more thing for the wall, but didn't want to throw off the balance. But I found the perfect canvas at Target last weekend. It was an alphabet with a different objects for each letter of the alphabet -- it has stars, a baseball glove and animals -- representing all of the room decorations and more. I'm so happy with how it turned out. I can't wait until Boo gets to see it! Can you tell what stuff my mom and I found at the antique stores? Hint: the pups are not antiques. Here are some pics...

J.B.

Yoga

This morning I had my first prenatal yoga experience. I really enjoyed it. I hadn't realized how much I missed taking yoga classes. And it felt great to be exercising a little more than walking. There was one move I was doing -- going from a plank to a lung (you have to bring one of your legs up front.) I was like, "whoa. There is a stomach in my way." But other than getting used to that one move, there wasn't too much that was different. Although it was kinda weird when you're supposed to be concentrating on relaxing, breahing and poses when the little guy starts kicking. He apparently wants my focus on him. Lol.

Well, I'm going to try and get some cleaning and organizing done around then house this afternoon. I better quit procrasting and go do something.

J.B.

Summer fun.

Here are a bunch of pics from our spring and summer. I've spent too much time looking over these pics and am now starving...so this post is all in pics. Lots of Twins games (and on the field for batting practice!), Jameson's baptism, Grandma's Marathon (see if you can spot Dave...he's got a yellow hat), a day trip to Pepin and relaxing with the pups.

J.B.

The Boo Report

I had my 24 week appointment today. Everything is looking healthy and normal for both Boo and me, for which I'm grateful. His heart rate was 145. And I'm growing right on track. I was a little nervous (well, not really), for the big weigh in. The doctor's scale always says more than my scale at home, and this appointment was in the afternoon (versus the mornings for all my previous appointments when I generally weigh less). But it wasn't so bad. The doctor said it was fine anyway. As well as my blood pressure. Like I said, healthy and normal.

I'll have the glucose screening at my next appointment to test for gestational diabetes as well as more blood work, so they'll be checking my platelets again. The doctor said if they go to 100 or below, the epirdural becomes questionable. And as far as I know, they are still above that (I think she said it was 140).

As far as other Boo updates go....he's kicking A LOT more. Dave can feel several kicks in a row now. And on Sunday, we both saw my stomach move. I love that he's making his presence known. It makes things seem more real. I read somewhere online that 24 weeks marks the edge of viability. I pray that doesn't happen....but it's reassuring to know that doctors would do whatever they could to keep our baby alive if he was born this early.

6 months!

J.B.

Oh blog, how I ignore you.

Time is moving quick. And that combined with a lack of anything really blogworthy and quite a bit of laziness makes for not a lot of posting.

Here's a quick Baby Boo update. I'm nearing the end of my 22nd week. As you can see in the pic below, Boo is making plenty of room for himself in my belly. Or else, he keeps growing bigger. Hmmm...yeah, he's probably growing bigger. Once thing seems to be getting smaller -- my belly button. I really hope it doens't pop.

As you can also see in the pic, we've painted the room and set up the crib. Once it's all decorated, I'll post more nursery pics. This is just a preview. Shortly after we learned Boo was a boy, we went to Home Depot and picked out paint colors. Then I came home from work one day and the room was all painted and the nursery set up. All I can say is that my husband is amazing and I'm excited that he's so excited for Boo that he'll paint the whole room by himself. It was a really nice surprise.

Me and Boo at 22 weeks

Boo is definitely getting more active. It's lots of fun to feel him kicking. It's even more fun when he cooperates and Dave feels the kicks.

These days the pregnancy thing is going great. I feel good. Boo seems to be growing. We're starting to get some things organized. We're pretty much down to two names -- both of which we both like, which is a good dilemma to have. Live is just pretty sweet right now. We're so excited to meet this little guy. I keep daydreaming about it -- but as much as I daydream about meeting Boo, I know it's going to be so much better in real life

J.B.

Otis' birthday!

Here are some pics from Otis' birthday that I've been meaning to post...I think Otis and Cooper had a good time.

J.B.

Boo's half-baked!

We're halfway done with the pregnancy! Halfway to meeting our little baby boy! Otis says, "Hooray!"

The last couple two weeks have been pretty good. Our ultrasound last week showed us a healthy little boy growing. I had a doctor's appointment Tuesday and everything seems to be normal and good. The doctor said Boo had a strong heartbeat. My blood platelets are still low. But the doctor said not to worry about not being able to get an epidural. Nothing can be done to increase the platelets. It's just something they'll keep monitoring. Boo's kicks are getting stronger and more frequent. We also picked out the paint for the nursery. Jamaica Bay and Cornmeal. I came home from work to a nearly completely painted nursery. It's looking good so far. The rest of the week has been busy, so we haven't finished it yet.

Here's me at 20 weeks. Getting bigger. All over. 

J.B.

Adventures with food

We got another CSA box this week. This week's box included salad greens, red oakleaf lettuce, asparagus, spinach, green garlic, dill, rhubarb, garlic scapes, strawberries and kohlrabi. Some interesting stuff, huh?

Kohlrabi is certainly something I'd never seen before. Kohlrabi is German for cabbage turnip. Apparently it tastes like broccoli stems. It's used a lot in Indian food. Here's a pic.

Thank goodness for the Internet, so I can figure out what the unfamiliar vegetables are....and so I can find recipes! I've yet to get a vegetable in my CSA that I don't like, so I'm excited to try another new one.

With all the green leafy vegetables we have, I've been trying to figure out new ways to prepare them. I discovered a great way to prepare spinach. A smoothie! Yep, it probably sounds really weird, but you honestly can't taste it.

Spinach Smoothie
Blend:
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
1 banana
1 apple
1/2 cup canned pineapple
1 cup vanilla yogurt
And some ice cubes

The smoothie is green, but it's delicious. Dave even told me he wanted one of my smoothies today. Dave generally likes the food I make him, but it's not too often that he asks for certain items.

Tonight I made an asparagus casserole. I'm not going to say "hot dish"...sounds too Minnesotan. But the dish was creamy, the asparagus crisp and overall delicious...just like a hot dish should be. Haha. I modified a recipe I found online with what was in my kitchen.

Asparagus Casserole
1 lb fresh asparagus, chopped
6 strips of bacon
2 T butter
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (plus 1 can milk)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add cream of mushroom soup and water. Stir. Add cheese. Cook until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally. Separately cook the bacon and chop into pieces.

In casserole dish, add layer of asparagus, followed by bacon, crackers and soup mix. Repeat layers. Top with crackers. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

J.B.

B. O. Y.

What can I say? The big ultrasound was today.

We're having a boy. A little baby boy.

I've had a smile on my face all day. We couldn't be more thrilled.

Well, the fact that Boo is healthy makes us more than more thrilled. He's growing completely on track. Has a healthy heartbeat at 152 bpm. All of his measurements are normal. He was quite the active guy during the ultrasound -- most likely a sign of things to come.  

It is quite a feeling to know that there is a little boy joining our family. It's real. It still seems surreal. I've been feeling his kicks all afternoon. His kicks.

Only 144 days until I can tickle his toes and kiss his head.

J.B.

Wow.

At this time tomorrow, we'll know if we're having a boy or girl. It is so exciting and seems unreal at the same time. It just seems like a lot of things for getting ready for the baby is dependent on knowing it's gender. Getting the nursery ready. Registering for baby stuff. Buying baby clothes. Picking out a name. Get the idea?

I know all the above can be done without knowing the gender....but since we are going to find out, it just makes sense to wait to do it all until we know.

Whatever Boo is, both Dave and I are going to be thrilled.

Wouldn't it be funny if Boo decides to be shy tomorrow....I'm guessing that will be the case.

We've really enjoyed reading everyone's guesses about the gender. Thanks for helping us pass the time until the big reveal. The results...

Girl - 18
Boy - 16

So close! There is still a little bit of time left for you to guess if you haven't yet! You can guess here.

J.B.

A golden birthday

Today our first born, our little guy, Otis is celebrating his golden birthday! He's four years old. Which means in dog years, he's the same age as Dave and I! We were so excited for little Otis to join our family. We'd been waiting for years to get a dog. But we waited and waited until we had our own house. And then we waited for after all the wedding craziness to bring this guy home. He was such a cute pup -- he still is so handsome. His little soul patch is gone. It's morphed into more of a beard. He still loves to sleep. He loves attention. He loves people. He loves cuddling. He loves treats. I love Otis and I'm so glad he's our pup.

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

Veggie fun! CSA week 1

We got our first CSA box of the summer season yesterday. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically, we bought a "share" of a farm for the summer and we get a box of their produce every week throughout the summer. The farm is in SE Minnesota, so all the vegetables are grown locally. They also grow their produce organically. It's amazing how yummy such fresh food tastes. Since it's early in the season, we got a lot of different types of lettuce. We also got radishes, cilantro, asparagus and spinach. As more vegetables are ready for harvest throughout the summer, the contents of our box will increase.

I love trying new ways to cook the vegetables and trying new stuff. Yesterday I made radish cilantro salsa. After letting all the ingredients sit overnight, I have to say that it's really good. Except I made it a little spicy. Tonight I made pasta with asparagus sauce. Dave wasn't too happy that I was making him something so out of the norm, but it was pretty good, although a little bland. It definitely doesn't beat asparagus wrapped with bacon and cooked on the grill. We still have more asparagus, so there is time left for some of that deliciousness. We only have a week to eat up all these goodies. We get another box next week!

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

18 week pic

Here's the belly you've all been asking for

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

For Jana...

Our cousin Jana wanted to see a picture of me. So here you go! A little preview of me at 15 weeks (I'm 18 now).

What a difference three weeks makes! I think I'm 15 weeks in this picture and I'm 18 now. It's crazy how much bigger I've gotten. I'd take another picture today, but I haven't taken shower yet...and am grubby and dirty from taking the dogs to the dog park. So maybe in a while I'll take another picture....although it'll probably take me 3 weeks to post it.

J.B.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

Lesson learned: Do not Google.

At my 16-week appointment, I had some blood work done. The checked my blood platelets again, because they were low when they were tested at the beginning of my pregnancy. Low, but stil in the normal range. I guess my platelets haven't improved much this last time they were tested, so it's something that they're going to continue to monitor.

So during a spare moment at work, curiousity got the best of me and I googled, "low blood platelets and pregnancy."

The scariest thing I found....women with low blood platelets can't have an epidural during labor.

Scary. I know it can be done. But that doesn't mean I want to give birth without an epidural.

Granted, I'm assuming one's platelets have to be extremely low not to be able to have an epidural. And since I'm still in the normal range, I'm assuming that I still can have one. But it's something I'll definitely be asking my doctor about at my next appointment.

Giving birth. It scares me. But being forced to give birrth without an epidural. That really scares me.

Any there is no turning back now!

Also! I love all the comments you've left about Boo's sex. The big reveal date is set for June 8, so there are just 10 days left to leave your guess. 10 people have vote for a girl. 8 for a boy. If you haven't guessed yet, there is still time to do so. You can guess here.

J.B.

The question...

There was one question I knew would be coming my way soon.

"Are you expecting?"

I was curious when someone would ask me, because I see my stomach every day. It's kinda hard to tell if I'm really showing or just looking fatter. So I figured, the day that question came, it means I've started looking obviously enough pregnant to the outside world.

You may have figured it out. That question came my way today. 17 weeks. 1 day. Is this a normal point in your first pregnancy to start getting that question or not, I don't know. I ran into someone I know that I hadn't seen in a long time. I was wearing a maternity shirt, so it was probably a little more obvious looking that I am in this condition than if it was a normal shirt where people might be more apt to think I've put on a few pounds.

On the other hand, I have been asked this question on more than one occasion when I'm not pregnant....so I guess it's pretty good that I made it more than 4 months into a pregnancy before getting asked if I am.

So, my friends, Boo and myself are growing. To all those that are wondering, yes, I guess I can now officially say now that I'm showing.

And maybe someday I'll take a picture to share.

J.B.

16 week appointment

I had my 16 week doctor appointment today. Everything is looking good and is on track.

Boo's heart rate was 155.

I love hearing the heartbeat. Best. Sound. Ever.

Don't forget to vote on what gender you think Boo is. You can guess here.

J.B.

What is Boo?

In a couple of weeks, we're going to find out if Boo is a boy or a girl (assuming Boo cooperates). I know everybody has an opinion on what they think it's going to be.

Here's Boo at 7 weeks before Boo even knew its gender.

So friends and family, I want to know what you're thinking. And I'd like you to leave your opinion here, so Dave, Boo and I can have something to go back and reread your thoughts. Please let us know your guess. There is no prize for getting it right...but you can brag all you want.

If you've never left a comment before. It's easy. I even switched up the comments, so you don't need any sort of account. At the bottom of this post, there is a link that says 0 Comments (or whatever that number is). All you need to do is click on that link. In the comment box that appears, leave your guess. Right below the comment box, there is a drop down where you select the profile you're using. If you don't have a Google or any of the other accounts listed, choose anonymous. (But if you're leaving the comment as anonymous, be sure to leave your name in the comment box, so we know who you are.) Then just click the "post comment" button.

Thanks, everyone! I look forward to seeing your guesses!

J.B.

Finally...some pictures

Here are some pics from two weekends ago. I've been meaning to post them, but I've been lazy. And busy finishing up the spring semester. If this is any sort of indicator of how good I'll be at sharing pics once Boo is here, well, I'm sorry in advance. But pictures of my child will be more interesting than pics of me, and I'm sure I will be excited to share, so I guess we will see. 

Here's a pic from my birthday. My awesome in-laws felt bad about the special b-day plans Dave made for me getting canceled (getting my hair cut and colored at the salon...my stylist got sick). So together they ordered my this adorable flower cake and balloon. I almost didn't answer the door when they were delivered (you try opening the door with two psycho barking dogs) since I assumed it was some door-to-door salesman....but I was oh-so-happy I answered the door anyway. It was such a thoughtful gift and it totally made my day.

The following night we went to the wedding for one of my family's friends. It was really fun because my sister Stevie came home for the wedding. She was there along with one of my best friends Krissy and my parents. I hadn't been to a wedding with these special people since my own, so it was fun to hang out with them. And my other good friend Michelle was there too, since it was her sister getting married. Her sister was beautiful.

Me and the father of my child :)

Me with Krissy and Michelle. Our friendships go back. way back.

The little lister. She is looking really good. Especially since she had her gall bladder removed a little over a week before this picture was taken.

 

This was probably the highlight of my night. A polka came on and he asked Stevie to dance with him. My mom was impressed with his polka skills. She said he was the best polka dancer there. Apparently, she's never seen him polka before. So then when a second polka came on, he asked my mom to dance. It was so fun to see them dance together. I wouldn't be surprised if my mom picked up a polka CD and played it sometime so we could have a polka party. 

J.B.