Seriously, she's here.

Meet Ellise "Ellie" Clementine Love Strong. Born on April 8, 2010, at 12:29 am after an unexpected induction the morning before. A perfect 7 pounds 11 ounces; 19.5 inches long.

On Wednesday, C and I showed up to what we hoped might be our last OB-GYN check up. C's blood pressure had measured high at the beginning of the previous three appointments and we weren't surprised that this visit was the same. Oddly, this time around her blood pressure stayed up. Our doctor sent us down the hall for a non-stress test. Thirty minutes later C's only thought was how late she would be for a meeting she had scheduled at work. After a third high blood pressure measurement our doctor came in to point out that our baby's heart rate dropped slightly after a mild contraction. This was enough to convince her to order us to labor and delivery. She realized how panicked we looked and asked if we were packed. Nope! She told us to go home, pack, eat something, and check into the hospital as quickly as possible...
(to be continued)

Family Time

Picked this up at the library--just what I was looking for; more or less a reggae album for kids. Ziggy Marley's Family Time. So far so good--too excited, I couldn't wait to get through the whole album before posting about it. The album features other Marley siblings, Jack Johnson, Toots (Hibbert), Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, and others. Very mello and upbeat, not far from the great Bob Marley, but with tunes that really focus on family. So great! Can't wait to rock this while dancing with Ms. Baby, enjoying a warm and sunny day, or brightening up a gloomy one. Enjoy!

Week 39

week 30 v. week 39

Prep

We have 8 days left until Ms. Baby is expected to arrive, in theory. Looking ahead to what might amount to chaos (or at least total exhaustion), C is in the middle of preparing 4 casseroles to freeze. Last week she made a large lasagna and froze all that we didn't eat. It's pretty awesome, 'cause C is a good cook and has some impressive instincts when it comes to personalizing a recipe to make it even better.
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Meanwhile, working on the last of the baby laundry which is mostly flannel receiving blankets, sheets, and miscellaneous fitted covers for stuff... Need to finish up some art and might even go to a nearby antique store for extra decor... I promise, nursery photos will be up soon.

She's here!

Our baby has arrived! April Fool's, I keed, I keed.

But April has arrived; the month of the birth of Ms. Baby. C is getting anxious and I don't blame her. Sleep has become hard to keep straight for her. The doctor keeps saying she's not yet dilated. What the d? But things are great though. Slowly but surely the nursery is getting finished up. On this beautiful, sunny, 79-degree day I unwrapped our crib mattress and have it propped up outside to air-out per the recommendations of others. Just need to finish up some art projects for the room and we'll be rollin.

Lots of love

This week: full moon, fools day

This week presents a few challenges:
A full moon tomorrow which, if you are superstitious, could trigger the birth of Ms. Baby

Also, April Fool's Day on Thursday, which at the very least will mean C will call me to say she's going into labor and even if it's true I will think she's lying

All good + Census?

All is well according to our doctor who was super nice and reassuring today and complemented C on her "perfect baby bump." In fact, the news was great. Even C's blood pressure measured high at first, but at the end of the appointment it was back down to normal--she was stressed about nothing! In the cervical exam, still no dilation but the doctor felt Ms. Baby's head! Say wha?!
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Anyway, the 2010 Census form has been sitting on our desk at home, waiting to be filled out. The question remains: how many people will be living in our home on April 1st? Problem is, we don't know yet! I'm pretty sure it will still be 2, but can't know exactly. So, I want to get that mailed back--and let me just say, I was pretty disappointed with the Census; I thought it was going to ask cool questions like How many times do you bike each week? Do you smoke drugs? What's the craziest thing you've ever done? or What do you want your government to do for you?--but I feel like I should wait until next week.
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Still no name...

T minus 3 weeks

We are well into 37 weeks and the pressure is on; mostly pressure on your mom's back and feet, but also the pressure of finding a pediatrician, looking further into daycare options, and, lastly, deciding on a name for you, Ms. Baby.
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As a point of reference, in the timetable of our own pregnancy, my cousin Emily would have already given birth to her daughter Audrey by now. The pregnancy calendar we follow online says that Ms. Baby can do everything a "newborn" can and that all the extra time spent in the womb is allowing her brain to develop some awesome stuff. Pretty amazing.

I am pretty close to start packing a bag. Also, I decided today that I would go ahead and put our car seat bases in our two cars, just to be a little bit more prepared in the event of "Here we go!"

Sleep

(I'm relaying this story at C's request)

Let me be the first to admit, based on the accounts told to me, I have a habit of talking in my sleep.  It's not gibberish, but coherent if not ridiculous words, strung together in sentences, and usually in response to something very real. Last night was one of those occasions. I guess my latest instances of talking in my sleep have been to "shush" anyone or thing making noise. At some point, after being awake for over an hour in the middle of the night, C coughed, and I instantly let out a prolonged "Shhhhhhhhhh." She laughed, and as I moved to reorient myself in bed, I responded "Thanks a lot for waking me up." C called me a jerk, to which I continued "No, seriously: thanks for waking me up." At this point I was partially awake, since I remember saying "No, that's not what I mean" but then go on to say something about the paint in the room, according to C.

Anyway, C keeps bringing this up, and we have been laughing about the fact I might have a lot of trouble trying to wake up for Baby Girl. I can just imagine her crying and me saying "Shhhhhhhhhh."

In other sleep news, C has been consistently waking up at 3am and staying awake until around 5... she has been painfully annoyed during those sleepless hours but admits she hasn't been suffering with fatigue during the day.
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Weather has been amazing, recently, and we're trying to get so much stuff done, especially doing stuff outside, including walking Alden. Today on a walk we connected with a neighbor who just had a baby girl in November. I'm excited about having another young new parent on the block and hope we can get together soon.

Transcript of our chat

C: i forgot to put my wedding ring on today and it feels really weird, even though i've not been wearing it at nights

me:  OMG. dudes will be hitting on you 

C:  haha, probably

me:  promising to help you raise your baby

dont go with them

C:  although at tim horton's in the bathroom one woman says "you look super great!" and then she walks out and another girl says "i love your belly"

haha

me: really?! that's rad

C:  the "you look super great" comment was weird

like crazy doll-lady on tv show weird

me:  ha

me:  that's going on the Dad blog 

Imagining

I was trying to explain to my brother yesterday how excited and anxious I am to meet our daughter. We're starting to organize her room--setting aside this space for a new person--and everyday her presence is becoming more and more realized. Lately, in just the past week, I've been trying hard to imagine holding her in my arms and connecting with her, learning her personality, absorbing everything she is. It's impossible to do right now, but I know my world will be flipped.

Yesterday I heard a sound bite in a commercial for a new show about "parenthood," and one of the characters (presumably a dad) said something super negative about having kids. It made me so mad! I wish I could remember the exact words. Maybe it had to do with giving up your personal life, or sleep, or whatever, but it was intended to be depressing. Granted, the show is fiction; part comedy; but it was something I could imagine some jaded, cynical asshole saying to scare some other expecting father, like a war story, to gain some sort of credit and back-patting. It sucked to hear because I am excited and ready for this to be the best thing ever. Is it worth hearing some bad news to expect the worst, while hoping for the best? I think it's more about attitude, shaped by optimism and love combined with a healthy mix of humor and altruism.

Baby's Delight: "Coz I'm D - J - Dad"

On Sunday, at Chipotle*, I was feeling really good (like usual, when I have a steak fajita burrito in my hands). For whatever reason I was reminded about when, in college, I got serious about buying some turntables and a mixer and learning how to scratch records. My friend Brody was a DJ and would let me goof around on his tables. (I still think I could be a pretty good mix-ologist and constantly think of songs to mash up. For example: Ludacris's "How Low (Can You Go)" with General Larry Platt's "Pants on the Ground." I know, right?)

Anyway, I asked C if she remembered when I wanted turntables. She mentioned I should get some and set them up in the basement. I agreed and instantly considered the fact that I could throw dance parties for Baby Girl; then I realized I could DJ all of her school dances and simultaneously keep watch over her and, while rapping about whatever, I could throw in some lines telling boys to keep their filthy little hands off of her. So, in Chipotle, I started rapping out loud in an old-school rap voice (a la Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight") about being DJ Dad.

So, that's the new persona I created and intend on using throughout Baby Girl's childhood, to her delight (not embarrassment, duh!).

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*Side note: I'm so glad that C still likes Chipotle!

Gift + End of Showers

We found this in the mail today - a gift from a far away friend from college; this awesome pink skull beanie from Anitra with this note:
Congratulations on your future daughter! She will be totally awesome and badass. Best of luck! Anitra

How cool is that?!
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This weekend was the second baby shower and it was great. Lots of fun to celebrate the next member to be initiated into our crazy big family, especially when you get to share that with those who will be Baby Girl's Great Grandmas and Great Great Aunts.

Today we've spent the afternoon sorting out all the stuff we received from both of our baby showers; moved the futon out of and moved a new Ikea dresser into the nursery; started a monster sized laundry load of all clothes that should fit a baby between 0 and 6 months; and packed up all the stuff that Baby Girl won't need for after then. Things around the house are starting to finally take shape and I don't feel like we're behind in any way. At the very least we can tell people that we do have space for Baby Girl.

Getting overly excited now!

36 week ultrasound + Nursery + Daycare

We went for our last ultrasound this morning and were relieved to once again hear all is well. Baby Girl is only measuring slightly ahead--an estimated 6 pounds 6 ounces--which will put her at about 8 pounds at term.  The best news is that she's low and head-down, and shouldn't be able to sneak her way into a breech position between now and whenever.

We have also been setting up some of our gear. This week, in the mail, we received two gifts from our registries: a bouncer and a travel system. I figure this has two benefits: 1) our dog Alden can get used to a new family member crowding into our space and start learning what he's not allowed to chew on; and 2) that stuff will be together and usable when we have better things to worry about.

A dresser (which will double as a changing table) is on its way, and I've decided we should get a rug and some sort of book shelf too. With that, the nursery will be nearly complete. I've been getting frustrated as people have asked increasingly if we're done with the nursery. They ask it almost rhetorically, expecting my answer to be an exasperated "Yessss! Months ago!" and give me a disgusted look when I huff out a "Nope." Plus, all the pregnant women C works with are proud to announce the completion of the nurseries in month 3. Well Eff that.

Oh yeah, and I've started into searching for infant daycare, and that sucks. Lots of responses, which is encouraging. I just wish it was more straightforward. And cheaper. I wish we could figure out some sort of trade-off system with three of four other people, to rotate stay-home days. Probably not going to happen. I never thought it would be so smart to live nearby our parents for this reason.

March Showers Bring April Babies

Like I said in the last post, this weekend was the first of two baby showers. While I had very little to do with the happenings and can't be too sure what went down, I was able to show up before the guests had departed to thank them for the mountain of gifts that were piled in the corner. Lots of great people, smiles, food, and gifts.

One of the stand out gifts of the shower was a quilt made by C's Nanny (grandma). I've been so excited since I found out Baby Girl was going to get a Nanny quilt, since this will be the closest I'll be to getting one of my own. It's awesome. C has one too and it's just as great.

Another stand out gift was a wrap that is to be used like a sling to hold a baby in a multitude of positions. It's super hippie style. I even got to try it out with our cousin's 5 month old baby girl. Fortunately I have a few more weeks to practice with puppy Alden.

Anyway, it was a fun weekend, hanging out with family. After getting back to our town, we exploded into our house and realized we (currently) have no place to put any one thing we got. Crap!

March is here! (a.k.a. 34 weeks) (a.k.a. T-minus-6 weeks!)

I can't believe we are at 34 weeks already. The uncertain amount of time left is presumed to be an even month-and-a-half and we're starting to bite our nails. The suspense is getting heavy. At my job, I've got a project looming over my head which promises to take me out of town for three three-day trips. We haven't "won" the job yet and the more I think about it, the more I get sick thinking about being so far from home and C going into labor. Anyway, I'm trying to be optimistic that luck will guide us through this month. I mean, I have two four-leaf clovers that I've been saving for some time now and figured I could cash one in for March in the spirit of Saint Patrick's Day. Sure, I can't be too certain that I have any Irish blood in me, but I suspect that in this case "it's the thought that counts."

I feel like as soon as April 1st hits, our baby will be on its way, arriving any minute thereon.

Meanwhile, I'm looking into other career options and wish that looked a little brighter. It seems like there are only a few doors available to me, and most of them lead back to school. Dammit!
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In other news, we picked up and assembled our crib this weekend! Woohoo! We also added a few more splashes of paint to the nursery.

Also, we're preparing for the first of TWO baby showers which will be this weekend and next.

Inspiration: Forest Kindergarten

The forest kindergarten at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs is one of a handful in the United States that are taking that concept [reconnecting children with nature] to another level: its 23 pupils, ages 3 ½ to 6, spend three hours each day outside regardless of the weather.
from a nytimes article (here)

Tummy Tales

At her appointment this morning the doctor told C that the mysterious stomach aches she has been feeling frequently could be Braxton Hicks contractions! Not so fun for her as they've been a source of discomfort--but a relief for me to think they could be a sign that her body is working the way it should!

Sleep

C has been waking up at 4AM on the dot. That sucks. For her, not me, duh. Amazingly, I've been waking up, too, and managing to talk to her, even if only for a few words before passing out again.

Her back has been really hurting and she's been having an achy stomach or heartburn which seem to alternate randomly. I can only figure that this is the build up before the storm. Mostly she is tired all day long after a crappy night's sleep, and it's not helping that she has been working so hard. Taking naps in the evening is only working against her.

Anyway, we're working hard to stay positive..!

Gifts, House, Bathroom (T Minus 7 Weeks)

Not much to say--actually, plenty is going on, just nothing to write about. All you need to know is Time is moving slow and fast.

We received our first present off our registry from our cousin in the mail!(Phew! Count the number of prepositions in that sentence!) And we ordered our crib yesterday! That should be here... probably before the baby comes. More art is getting finished and our baby's room is going to be rad-with-a-capital-R, as they say.

Plumbers are supposed to be here tomorrow to start the first step in constructing a second bathroom in our basement. I have no clue what is to be done and am worried that it's going to be messed up on my watch. Messed up and expensive. I can deal with "awesome and expensive" but not "messed up."

What does that do with being a dad, you ask? Everything. Ultimately this bathroom will serve our babysitters friends and family and hopefully attract a few more to stay for longer trips; longer down the road, when our daughter is an angst-ful, hormonal teen and getting ready for dates school or whatever, we wont be fighting over the space. Anyway, we agreed a while ago it was something to get done before Baby arrives, so here we are: the eleventh hour.

Birth 101

This weekend was our "Express Labor & Delivery" course. I can't believe that it was as bad as C expected, but I'll say that she wasn't too impressed and that I know she wouldn't do it again. Honestly, it was a lot of fluff; stuff we've read about a lot of times, in books and on the internet. But it was nice to see examples of how women deal with pain and stress relief, and I do well with multiple, supplemental modes of learning. I even took notes. Altogether, I figure, some of that information has got to stick in my head.

I was pretty glad to be done with it, and couldn't imagine going to that class drawn out over 5 weeks. The most useful 2 things I think we walked away with is (1) the email of the instructor who seems to be the nicest, kindest nurse ever and (2) a tour of the maternity pavilion. I was also pretty impressed with how useful a fitness ball can be during labor. I've already developed an idea of what a perfect labor would be, but, as we keep reading, we can't go in with very many expectations.
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That said, I have big hopes that we can get in one of the three rooms with a jacuzzi tub in it. Cause I'm bringin my swim trunks.

Doctor Visit: Week 31

Joined C on a doctor visit this morning. All is well. C's baby bump is measuring 33 weeks when we are really at 31 weeks, which might only mean a big bambino. Baby's heart rate is good and normal. I asked about the somersault the baby did this morning, and apparently that's still okay at this point.

These appointments go really fast. The doctor is only in the room for about 5 minutes or so. I'm not sure what else to expect from her, but I just wish she would offer up more details about what we should be looking forward to. I suppose the problem is we never ask good questions. I bet that would spur her to talk.
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I haven't been to every doctor appointment. Not because I don't want to be there, but C has insisted that they aren't very important and that she doesn't care if I'm there. When she says "I don't care" I hear "I don't want you to be there." Because if she did want me to be there, she would care. I'm okay with not being there if it's easier for her to be there alone with the doctor. But that's not it. She admitted yesterday that it's about making a (big) deal about going to the doctor when it shouldn't be that way. I think it's important, and I feel like an unsupportive jerk when I don't tag along.

Last night, realizing that my work schedule has changed quite a bit, I didn't even have something I needed to do (i.e. my job), so I made the decision to join her. If nothing else I got her to laugh a bit and it was nice to hang out a little while longer before trudging to the office.

Breaking News in the Real World: Work less, but not work-less

My company isn't doing so hot, so this Monday morning we three employees were told cuts in hours were to be made, effective immediately. Fortunately, for me, this means a 32 hour work week at the same pay rate, keeping my benefits (which may or may not be necessary), and potentially an extra day of my week devoted to the personal time I value so dearly.

This isn't necessarily permanent (my boss explained this change should only last 2 or 3 months, until seasonal work picks back up); but without having consulted our budget, it could prove to be a great situation for our family. A day I could devote to being Daddy Daycare; a day less of paying some stranger to watch our kid; a day less of wage earning to pay for some stranger to watch our kid, thus helping to balance this change in our income....

Not sure what will come of it, exactly, but for now the mood is very positive! Good life go!

As they say: To be continued...

Names, Art, More Prep

This weekend: finished a little bit more art that will go in your room, Baby. Also, added more items to the registry at Babies "R" Us; and started looking at Italian and Polish girl names (and found a bunch I like!)...

Also, your Aunt Amanda and Uncle Andy came up to visit from Cincy. We gave them our bed and Mommy and I "slept" on the futon in what will be your room. It was probably because of all the white snow reflecting light, but it was bright as day all night long. Today I installed some nice white blinds in your room and am pretty proud of how they turned out.

Lots of love!

Proof

Baby School + Baby School of Rock

Yesterday, after a long time of procrastinating on making a decision, I called the "Moms" hotline at our hospital to reserve our spot in an upcoming "labor and birth class." I'm pretty pumped about it--I do well with instruction; C isn't so pumped. For that reason we chose the 2-day Express option for next week. I told her it's my Valentine's Day gift to her. I keed. But I am excited, and I think it will be a good milestone to add to this journey. I was a little weird-ed out when the telephone operator (nurse?) suggested that we were scheduling our class a bit early relative to our due-date and that we could forget stuff... WTF? I'll make sure to write my notes down.

Also, last night I finally busted out some big ol' headphones and grabbed my iPod and, while C was engaged with Cougar Town on the couch, I pumped some jams into her belly. C got first pick: Passion Pit's Little Secrets (one of her recent favorites); for sentimental reasons I opted for Come Away With Me by Norah Jones (the first dance at our wedding); C got impatient at this point and allowed one more song--my choice again: Sizzla's Praise Ye Jah which I'm sure really got Baby inspired...

I hope to keep this as a pretty regular occurrence. I have lots of music that I'd love Baby to hear...

ABC

Maybe this is cool?

"Alphabet City: Out on the Streets" a board book by M. De Feo

Nameless + aches, house

We are really struggling to come up with a name for you, Baby.

Trying to find one with a good meaning, maybe something that is derived from a family member, something that fits with our last name...

At one point we started straying from names to nouns, but hopefully soon we'll find something we just love. Even if it's a noun.

--

C has been feeling good, generally. Foot aches, waking up multiple times in the night, frequent need to pee, other back and joint aches... all add up to be pretty exhausting. She has to deal with a lot over the course of a day, so piles of dirty dishes, laundry, messes in the kitchen, unfinished projects around the house all seem pretty overwhelming and depressing. Lately, I've made it my first priority to make sure a dish doesn't sit in or around the sink for more than 24 hours. I especially try to get every dish done right after dinner. I think it's helping.

Timbuk 2 Messenger Bag Diaper Hack

So, I decided that the Timbuk2 2010 Classic Messenger Bag (size Medium) will be the ideal diaper bag conversion. This new style, released within the last week or so, appears to be a HUGE improvement over the older classic messenger bag. It comes standard with a bunch more pockets, including the novel "Napoleon Pocket" (accessible even when the flap is closed), external and internal organizers, a divider in the main compartment, and strap pad... I'm not pumped about the standard color options, but the cost difference for a "custom" option isn't worth it... This bag is $90 (I got 10% and free shipping, so $81 for me); custom option would be around $145... I also wish a "grab strap" came standard. Here are some images of the bag--can you see why I think this would be a good diaper bag? Much better than diaper bags marketed to "dudes."

I'm partial to the big open compartment because that's what I have in my big Seagull messenger backpack.

If anyone from Timbuk2 comes across this blog and wants to help hook up a young, soon-to-be parent that cares to review some good and useful stuff, get at me: j.david.strong@gmail... (Heh. Fat chance, eh?)

Add a changing pad that also holds a case of wipes, a bottle cooler... What else? I'm still trying to figure that out... Timbuk 2 also has these clear flex packs in 3 sizes which could offer storage for extra diapers and other things...

Heart Rate

Had a crazy shake-up this morning. I don't have a lot of details because I wasn't at the doctor check-up today, but apparently the baby had an unusually high heart rate, up around 180 bpm. The doctor was freaked out enough to send C to get more extensive monitoring (Non Stress Test, or NST) over 30 minutes. The heart rate fluctuated between 140 and 210 bpm throughout that time, and apparently it would rise when the baby was moving. The doctor took this as a good sign of relatively normal conditions.

Of course, C told me this over the phone while crying--she was rightfully shaken and stressed out about the surprise experience--so I felt super helpless and confused. What can we do? Is there a way we can monitor in case this condition gets bad? Apparently not.

I met C at a McDonald's and though while I wasn't perhaps as comforting as I should have been, at least felt like I was able to be a little bit comforting. It was just nice to control something (i.e. travel the 1 mile down the road to see C and give her a kiss) instead of just sitting behind my desk and failing at finding answers on Google...

After calling my mom with the update I came to the conclusion I should probably go buy one of those at-home doppler heart-rate monitoring devices... and maybe calling the doctor's office to find out more about at-home monitoring we can do... Fortunately we've started our 2-week visits, so monitoring will happen more frequently.

Hiccups

I can't believe I forgot to post this: the baby had hiccups the other day. It had to have been hiccups because there were so many little bumps, once per second, for I don't know how long. It was so unbelievable and adorable. I actually started to feel bad because you just want to be like "it's okay, it will be over soon". Haha... too funny.

Diapers - You've been bamboozled

I've spent parts of this morning looking up information about diapers - specifically, cloth diapers. I've read some pretty persuasive stuff from the companies trying to convince me to buy their stuff. But it seems pretty legit. I got a little freaked out when I learned that newborns need about 10 - 12 diaper changes per 24 hr period - which equates to needing 24 - 30 diapers (and 7 to 8 diaper covers) in the first year. But still, over two and a half years, the cost should be nearly half of what disposables cost...

Anyway, I found that one particular product is called "The Bamboozle" (cause it's made of bamboo fibers). This immediately reminded me of the Friends episode where Joey is auditioning for a game show called "Bamboozled" where when you lose (or something) he says "You've been Bamboozled!" So, when you realize you need to change a poopy diaper you could say, outloud, "You've been Bamboozled!"



Anyway, I think I'm sold on the cloth diapers thing...
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Off to go register at Babies'R'Us...

Crazy + Gear + Diaper bag hack

Ok, ok, ok. So, after reading my last post, C more or less implied I was insane for thinking the baby was going to come so early. She is convinced we are right on time--no less--with our scheduled schedule. So week 28 it remains.

I guess I'm just getting a little freaked out about the stuff we intend to do before Miss Baby is born--add plumbing in the basement, finish the basement, organize our art room, and, finally, finish the nursery. I live by the "expect the worst, hope for the best scenerio"--not that the baby coming early is in anyway the "worst" of anything, but it shortens a schedule to complete things I mostly don't know how to do...

In the meantime, we're bracing ourselves for a couple baby showers--not even thinking about for what we will register--and figuring out what else we need. Speaking of gear, I'm fixated on getting a dope (bicycle-) messenger style bag and hacking it into a hipster-friendly diaper bag. I don't want to say man-friendly, because that's not what I mean. I mean cool and legit, and something that could be used well beyond the diaper years, especially when I ride my bike. The front-running brand seems to be Timbuk 2 and its relatively low cost-to-pockets ratio. A local company, Seagull Bags, is a bit more expensive but offers stuff like custom pockets and organizers. It would be great if C liked it too--I may be able to tempt her with a nice color palette... Probably not. This idea would cost us around $100 more than those "man-friendly" diaper bags.

Week 28? Fast Forward?

I've got a sneaking suspicion that we are actually at least one week ahead of where we think we are in the line of pregnancy. After our last big ultrasound the doctor said Miss Baby was a little bigger than she is supposed to be; and at the last check-up, when measuring C's belly, she again said we seemed to be "ahead."

So, this morning, when checking "my stories" (i.e. blogs), I find that this one woman jumped from 19 weeks--where she thought she should be--to 21 weeks after their ultrasound. Hmm...

I'm not trying to get ahead of myself, but I'm putting together a timeline of when stuff needs to get done around the house, and I think to be safe I need to count on Miss Baby arriving around April 1st--or, dare I say, the end of March. Crap.

Not "Crap". I mean, we have a house--so we aren't that bad off. A 3 bedroom house at that. The only problem is, while trying to finish half of our basement, the other 2 bedrooms are staging areas for loads of junk. We could move it all downstairs but we're supposedly getting work done down there... If worse comes to "Crap" (for real) then we'll move everything downstairs or in the garage. We'll make it work. My one goal is to have a pristine and magnificent baby room finished before the baby needs it.

We have another ultrasound scheduled for Week 36--that's 2 months away, and could potentially be the day our baby is born! Yowza.

3 months to go!

Today marks 3 months until our April 11th due date. Yikes. And Yeah!

We need to get some stuff done around the house, much pronto! Hold on baby! Keep growing and wiggling, but don't come too soon. We'll try to get stuff done so you can be a week or two premature to help mom out and still have a place to comfortably stay when you get here. Word? Word. I knew you'd understand. You're like me and keep it chill and easy. No worries.

Astrology

On the phone, C just pointed out that Baby Girl will most likely be "an Aries+--born between March 21st and April 20th. This is the abridged version of what I found out about "The Ram":

* Adventurous and energetic
* Pioneering and courageous
* Enthusiastic and confident
* Dynamic and quick-witted

On the dark side...
* Selfish and quick-tempered
* Impulsive and impatient
* Foolhardy and daredevil

Nursery Inspiration

I can't convince these pictures to line up in pretty ways, but here is some stuff I like:

amy coe Westport Combo Changer

amy coe Stamford Combo Changer

 Carter's Sleep Haven Single Crib

 Monte Design - Luca Glider

 Andrea Rund (Ikea)
  

 Hampen (Ikea)

 Ikea PS Maskros

Paternity Leave?

I promised C that I would talk with my boss about taking time off after the baby is born (a.k.a. paternity leave). In the US, a dad can take 12 weeks of unpaid leave--and have a job at the same pay when he returns--if that job is the government or is a company with more than 50 employees among some other stipulations. Unfortunately, my company, which has the most employees it's ever had, is over-staffed by 5 people.

This is what Babycenter.com has to say:

How and when should I request leave?

...Consider discussing paternity leave with your employer as soon as you're ready to announce the pregnancy — usually after your partner's first trimester... You'll be in a stronger position to negotiate a leave if you approach your boss with a specific plan and allow him or her plenty of time to help you implement it. (If you have trusted co-workers who have been through this before, ask them how they handled their leave and what kind of reaction they got.) Offer your boss solutions rather than problems by having some ideas for how your work can be handled while you're away. Consider asking for leave and getting approval early in the pregnancy even if you're not sure you'll want to or be able to take unpaid leave when the time comes. It's easier to come back early than it is to ask for more time.

What if I don't qualify for leave under FMLA?

If you work only part time or for a small company, you don't qualify for paternity leave under FMLA and your employer may not provide this benefit. If this is the case, it can't hurt to ask your boss for a leave of absence anyway. Many companies may still be willing to negotiate some sort of time off for a valued employee. The earlier you start making a case for yourself as a valuable, hard-working person, the better position you'll be in for bargaining...

If you're still not getting anywhere, make sure you find out whether you're entitled to some kind of leave under your state's laws as these benefits may be more generous than the FMLA. Talking with other new dads about how they managed time away from work might also give you more creative ideas about how to take the time off to bond with your newborn child.

How can I make the most of my time with my family if I can't take unpaid leave?

If you're not able to take paternity leave, here are a few ideas for maximizing your time with your new family:

•  Consider working overtime before your baby comes and exchange it for time off after the birth.
•  On nights when you don't have to work the next day, have your partner wake you up when the baby is finished nursing so you can be the one to rock her back to sleep. Or take turns getting up for feedings.
•  Your child will experience many "firsts" in her first year of life. Whenever these events can be scheduled, do so when you have time off from work.
•  During the first year of your baby's life, look at any activities that take you away from your baby. Consider saying no to some of those events to spend more time with your newborn.

Week 26

For a long while now, C has tuned into the FitPregnancy online pregnancy calendar for weekly updates on the growth of Miss Baby Girl. This is what they say for Week 26, which started yesterday:

Your baby weighs about 1 1/2 pounds and has undergone a growth spurt in the past few weeks... [She] would be about a foot tall if she could stand. This week marks a major milestone in your baby's hearing and sight. Your baby's hearing system (cochlea and peripheral sensory end organs)... is now completely formed, and over the next few weeks, she'll become increasingly sensitive to sound. In about a month, you'll feel her jump if she hears a sudden loud noise. Sound passes easily into your uterus, which helps her ears develop. Her eyes are almost fully formed. ...The air sacs of the lungs, called alveoli, will be developed by the end of this week and will begin to secrete a substance called surfactant that keeps the lung tissue from sticking together.

Pretty dope. Sounds like we should be talking, reading, and singing to Miss Baby Girl...

2010 is here and just like I anticipated I feel the pressure to get the house prepared for B.G.'s arrival. We found a crib we both really like, and maybe even a dresser. Over the weekend we organized a bunch of hand-me-down clothes and even bought some kid-sized hangers. I'm also a proud owner of a Babies-R-Us rewards card. All that is left to find is a comfy chair, an overhead lamp, a large rug, curtain fabric, and some wall art... Piece of cake, right?