Jack Ethan was having a tough time with hiccups again today. It had been going on for about 10 minutes and he was just getting more and more worked up/frustrated. I felt so bad for my poor guy, I decided I would try to calm him down - might help and certainly couldn't hurt, right?
So I sat down on the couch and started rocking slowly side to side with my hands on my stomach while singing "Goodnight My Angel" to him. And it worked! I officially feel like a mommy. His hiccups stopped along with his storming around and I honestly think he's asleep now!
If it feels this great to rock my baby to sleep while he's still in the womb, I really can't wait to hold him in my arms!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Jack Ethan at 32 Weeks
I know this is not the most appropriate subject matter for a blog, but I really just needed to vent about this.
At the beginning of any prenatal appointment I go to, the German nurse hands me a plastic dixie cup with my name written in highlighter on the side. You know what that means - time to pee in the cup. They do this to test for infections, protein levels, etc. - I get it - I know it's important. It was fine with me up until about month six of pregnancy.
I will not go into exquisite detail here, but leave the following question to your imagination: Have you ever tried to pee in a cup when you can no longer see the cup?
I know.... I know.... ew. Vent over.
In happier news, our little boy is doing great! He weighed in at a whopping 4.1 pounds today! Cody thinks that 4 lbs. is a good birth weight, and I would be happy to agree and have Jack Ethan here with us tomorrow, but the doctor says we need to wait at least another 4 weeks before we can start hoping for labor pains.
We also got some good pictures of him! Check it out:
Above is Jack Ethan sucking his thumb - I took the liberty of outlining it below for those of us who have trouble seeing it without the help of a doctor pointing at the screen:
And below, Jack took a break from his thumb-sucking to look at the camera head-on.
And so, all is well in Baby News! Our next appointment is November 17th - we will keep you posted until then!
At the beginning of any prenatal appointment I go to, the German nurse hands me a plastic dixie cup with my name written in highlighter on the side. You know what that means - time to pee in the cup. They do this to test for infections, protein levels, etc. - I get it - I know it's important. It was fine with me up until about month six of pregnancy.
I will not go into exquisite detail here, but leave the following question to your imagination: Have you ever tried to pee in a cup when you can no longer see the cup?
I know.... I know.... ew. Vent over.
In happier news, our little boy is doing great! He weighed in at a whopping 4.1 pounds today! Cody thinks that 4 lbs. is a good birth weight, and I would be happy to agree and have Jack Ethan here with us tomorrow, but the doctor says we need to wait at least another 4 weeks before we can start hoping for labor pains.
We also got some good pictures of him! Check it out:
Above is Jack Ethan sucking his thumb - I took the liberty of outlining it below for those of us who have trouble seeing it without the help of a doctor pointing at the screen:
And below, Jack took a break from his thumb-sucking to look at the camera head-on.
And so, all is well in Baby News! Our next appointment is November 17th - we will keep you posted until then!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Perspective and Pregnancy
Please understand that I really do appreciate it when people tell me I look great for being 8 months pregnant - that I'm really not that big - that I'm all baby. I appreciate the compliments, but here it is from my perspective:
Above is what I've looked like all my life - now look at the pictures below and tell me
I'm really not that big.
I just feel huge!
And below, just to freak you all out is a video of Jack Ethan on the move - he's such an active baby now that I worry about how much energy he'll have outside the belly!
Next appointment is tomorrow - we'll let you know how everything goes!
Above is what I've looked like all my life - now look at the pictures below and tell meI'm really not that big.
I just feel huge!
And below, just to freak you all out is a video of Jack Ethan on the move - he's such an active baby now that I worry about how much energy he'll have outside the belly!Next appointment is tomorrow - we'll let you know how everything goes!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Hiccups
I am sitting here dealing with yet another bout of the hiccups - not mine... that's right - Jack Ethan is a chronic hiccup-er.
It feels strange in the first place to have my belly bouncing along rhythmically to my unborn child's hiccups, but that's not the worst of it. Apparently my sweet little boy has a bit of a temper. He gets frustrated and upset about a minute-and-a-half into his hiccuping and starts kicking and storming around in there. He'll storm around, wait, get another hiccup and then thrash around again, trying to rid himself of the annoyance.
I think it's hilarious right now... once he has the full use of his lungs and other crying muscles.... probably not so much :).
It feels strange in the first place to have my belly bouncing along rhythmically to my unborn child's hiccups, but that's not the worst of it. Apparently my sweet little boy has a bit of a temper. He gets frustrated and upset about a minute-and-a-half into his hiccuping and starts kicking and storming around in there. He'll storm around, wait, get another hiccup and then thrash around again, trying to rid himself of the annoyance.
I think it's hilarious right now... once he has the full use of his lungs and other crying muscles.... probably not so much :).
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Growing Belly
My, oh my - the changes a month can make!! Just observe - the first picture is at 28 weeks pregnant - the second was taken today at 31 weeks.
28 weeks pregnant
31 weeks pregnant
Needless to say, I feel enormous! I suppose I can expect to get even bigger as the "big" day approaches. (*waddles away shaking her head)
28 weeks pregnant
31 weeks pregnantWednesday, September 30, 2009
Yes, I'm Obsessed With Fall
Alright, I know I keep posting pictures of the leaves changing colors here in Germany, but it's not my fault I'm so taken with it! In New Mexico there are very few leaves to watch change so this is just overwhelming! Perhaps I'm a little anxious for what Fall and Winter are bringing us too! These are pictures from my walk to the Lake today.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Nesting
Hello to all - here is a general update on our lives. I have one week left at work, for which I am extremely grateful. You never realize how much time you spend bending over and picking things up when you work with kids until you can't bend at the waist anymore! I have also been getting a number of comments from the kids which range from amusing to to downright outrageous.
"Mrs. Megan - you're still pregnant??"
"Why do you have a job if you're having a baby?"
"You shouldn't yell at us - it'll kill the baby!" (I swear I didn't make that up - an 8-year-old told me that.)
I've also gotten a number of uncomfortable questions regarding birth and conception, which I have had to redirect to parents (I always feel a little guilty for exposing them to "the talk" before they might have been otherwise).
Anyhow - speaking of the baby - Jack Ethan is moving around more than ever, sometimes making it rather difficult for mom to sleep. His kicks and other movements have gotten so powerful that they can make me motion sick. Most of the time, it just feels like he's as restless as I am - I think he feels as ready as his mom to start on life outside the womb. (*sigh) All in good time I suppose.
Cody is doing well. He was recently transferred to a new shop where he is more involved with the coordination of deployments done by his squad rather than the branch that actually goes out into the field. It is a "temporary" assignment lasting for the next 18 months during which time it will be very unlikely for him to be deployed on missions or sent on TDY. On the upside, it is almost guaranteed that he will be present for the birth of his son rather than providing comm support a few countries away.
As Cody says, I have gotten a bit "Camera Happy" since I started this blog. I recently got into my "nesting" instinct full-blast and cleaned and organized the entire house. One of Cody's first questions was "Are you going to take pictures?" I laughed and asked why I would take pictures of it. He said, "I don't know - you take pictures of everything."
Well, of course I had to prove him right.
Fall is creeping across the vine covering our house.
Above is our living room post-organization. Note the beautiful vase of lilies Cody got me for our 3-year wedding anniversary. Cody keeps the fans in the living room for the sake of cooling his big TV and his XBox. We have a stand-alone AC unit, but because of the dramatic weather changes, it was packed up in the attic for hibernation about a week after my return from the States.
Above and below are pictures of the new and improved "baby" room. The only thing that makes it a baby room at the moment is the presence of the changing table and a cozy "nursing corner."
Above and below are pictures of some of our baby loot!
I took these last two pictures to show-off my organization. (Do you think he has enough clothes? Hahaha. Seriously - those are all his - they range from "Newborn" to "18 months").
This concludes the update for now - I'll try to get another update post on here before our next appointment on October 20th.
"Mrs. Megan - you're still pregnant??"
"Why do you have a job if you're having a baby?"
"You shouldn't yell at us - it'll kill the baby!" (I swear I didn't make that up - an 8-year-old told me that.)
I've also gotten a number of uncomfortable questions regarding birth and conception, which I have had to redirect to parents (I always feel a little guilty for exposing them to "the talk" before they might have been otherwise).
Anyhow - speaking of the baby - Jack Ethan is moving around more than ever, sometimes making it rather difficult for mom to sleep. His kicks and other movements have gotten so powerful that they can make me motion sick. Most of the time, it just feels like he's as restless as I am - I think he feels as ready as his mom to start on life outside the womb. (*sigh) All in good time I suppose.
Cody is doing well. He was recently transferred to a new shop where he is more involved with the coordination of deployments done by his squad rather than the branch that actually goes out into the field. It is a "temporary" assignment lasting for the next 18 months during which time it will be very unlikely for him to be deployed on missions or sent on TDY. On the upside, it is almost guaranteed that he will be present for the birth of his son rather than providing comm support a few countries away.
As Cody says, I have gotten a bit "Camera Happy" since I started this blog. I recently got into my "nesting" instinct full-blast and cleaned and organized the entire house. One of Cody's first questions was "Are you going to take pictures?" I laughed and asked why I would take pictures of it. He said, "I don't know - you take pictures of everything."
Well, of course I had to prove him right.
Fall is creeping across the vine covering our house.
Above is our living room post-organization. Note the beautiful vase of lilies Cody got me for our 3-year wedding anniversary. Cody keeps the fans in the living room for the sake of cooling his big TV and his XBox. We have a stand-alone AC unit, but because of the dramatic weather changes, it was packed up in the attic for hibernation about a week after my return from the States.
Above and below are pictures of the new and improved "baby" room. The only thing that makes it a baby room at the moment is the presence of the changing table and a cozy "nursing corner."
Above and below are pictures of some of our baby loot!
I took these last two pictures to show-off my organization. (Do you think he has enough clothes? Hahaha. Seriously - those are all his - they range from "Newborn" to "18 months").
This concludes the update for now - I'll try to get another update post on here before our next appointment on October 20th.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Lost in the Fog
Driving to work this morning is very seriously the scariest thing I have ever done in my life. I leave for work at 6:30 am - in Germany at that time in the morning, it is still pitch dark outside. This morning, I opened the front door of the house and froze - on top of the darkness, I literally could not see more than 10-15 feet in front of me - the fog surrounding us was so think I felt like I could have cut it with a knife!
I debated silently with myself for a good 30 seconds before deciding that "fog" probably wasn't an acceptable reason to call in to work while living in Germany. As I said - it was a very scary drive, but I was very proud of myself in the end.
Here are some pictures taken after my morning shift was over - please note the *after* part of that sentence - that means that the sun had already risen and burned off the worst of it. The pictures don't even come close to what I was up against at 6:30 am in the dark!
I debated silently with myself for a good 30 seconds before deciding that "fog" probably wasn't an acceptable reason to call in to work while living in Germany. As I said - it was a very scary drive, but I was very proud of myself in the end.
Here are some pictures taken after my morning shift was over - please note the *after* part of that sentence - that means that the sun had already risen and burned off the worst of it. The pictures don't even come close to what I was up against at 6:30 am in the dark!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Beautiful Babies...
I've been very curious lately about what our little boy will look like. I know most of my family and friends have seen my baby pictures, but I wanted to post a few of Cody so you'd have some for comparison. What do you think? Will Jack Ethan look more like Daddy or Mommy?
As for me, I hope he gets Daddy's eyes and smile at least :)
As for me, I hope he gets Daddy's eyes and smile at least :)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
St. Johannis Labor & Delivery Ward
This evening we took a tour of the Labor/Delivery/Maternity Ward of St. Johannis Hospital. Here are some of the pictures we took.
Above is the reception desk - to the right of the stork is the Nursery.
Just past the reception desk, you'll see a sign that says "Wintergarden" - this is the visiting area for the new mommies and their families so that you can't bother your roommate. Cody and I are hoping to get a "family" room so that we don't have roommates and we can have visitors stay overnight.
Above and below are pictures of a couple of the delivery rooms - they are all very nice and offer a variety of birthing options.
Above is one of two birthing tubs (which I won't be using :).
Above is the nursing room where mothers can go with their babies - the midwives were joking around that many new moms use this room to get away from their husbands and visitors.
Last but not least, above is one of the maternity recovery rooms - all rooms are set up the same way - in a family room, we would have the option of pushing the two hospital beds together so Cody could stay overnight.
We did have an ultrasound today, but as usual, we didn't get very good pictures - we did get to see some great shots of his face and absolutely confirm (again) that he is a he. He is growing really well and everything looks great.
Our next appointment is October 20th.
Above is the reception desk - to the right of the stork is the Nursery.
Just past the reception desk, you'll see a sign that says "Wintergarden" - this is the visiting area for the new mommies and their families so that you can't bother your roommate. Cody and I are hoping to get a "family" room so that we don't have roommates and we can have visitors stay overnight.
Above and below are pictures of a couple of the delivery rooms - they are all very nice and offer a variety of birthing options.
Above is one of two birthing tubs (which I won't be using :).
Above is the nursing room where mothers can go with their babies - the midwives were joking around that many new moms use this room to get away from their husbands and visitors.
Last but not least, above is one of the maternity recovery rooms - all rooms are set up the same way - in a family room, we would have the option of pushing the two hospital beds together so Cody could stay overnight.We did have an ultrasound today, but as usual, we didn't get very good pictures - we did get to see some great shots of his face and absolutely confirm (again) that he is a he. He is growing really well and everything looks great.
Our next appointment is October 20th.
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