An Interesting Read

Lately I have been reading piles and piles of literature regarding bringing baby home. This was an interesting story of a successful Kenyan woman and the struggles she had before learning to read her baby.
Peaceful parenting: Why African Babies Don't Cry

Elliott

Little Elliott the cat relaxing on a hot Tuesday afternoon.

Lazy Days

The summer days are winding down and school approaches. I've been spending my summer watching Mad Men on Netflix, dreaming of living in a mid-century designed world with fancy dresses, shiny convertibles, and sipping old fashioned's . Oh, and Don Draper...mmmm. I've also been painting a little. A small piece for the baby's room of Leonard Nemoy as Spock, because what baby doesn't want to grow up looking at the coolest Vulcan in the universe?
I've also begun shopping for little items to decorate my little man's room. I think we are going for an Atomic 50's style, complete with vintage toys, science books and starburst everything. We still have so much to buy and I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed. I've also been getting a little weepy lately, which is driving me crazy (and michael I'm sure). I think once school starts, and I am once again preoccupied with teaching freshmen Biology and helping seniors pass their proficiency exam, I will be ok. I've just been sitting idly with my thoughts and troubles and it certainly isn't doing anyone, any good.

Aside from this, I look forward to every bump, kick, and somersault my baby offers me. It is truly an amazing feeling and I am just so happy and grateful to be able to experience these moments.

Bend it Like Beckham

Michael and I were in the car Saturday afternoon, driving to the university, so he could finish some lab work. I stared out the window, soaking in the fabulous rainy weather we'd been receiving lately, when out of nowhere a strong series of poking erupted at the very bottom of my tummy. It scared the crap out of me at first, as it was a feeling I had never experienced before. Then I realized that this must be my little man kicking the crap out of me, and not just a case of some crazy gas bubbles. Throughout the rest of the day I felt more baby nudges but nothing like what I first experienced in the car. The next morning I laid in bed trying to feel more little kicks, and sure enough, they started up again. They were really really strong and I knew it had to be possible for Michael to feel them. There was no way he wouldn't be able to, so I woke him up, grabbed his hand, and placed it on my belly. For a little while there was nothing, but eventually our little baby felt the need to kick the hell out of my stomach, and Michael was finally able to feel it. It was the best feeling ever, knowing that Michael was able to feel our baby as I did. I am so excited for all the new and upcoming surprises that will be heading our way throughout my pregnancy. 20 weeks left! My oh my.

Boy Oh Boy

Well, it has been definitely been a while since I was last on here, and quite a bit has occurred since then. First thing's first, our little munchkin, who has been growing inside of me for the past 19 weeks, is in fact a little baby boy. We are so very excited and I can't express in words just how anxious I am for this little dude to come out and join us.

Michael was very very pleased with the news, as I knew he would be. The ultrasound took a little longer than usual, because the technician was having trouble showing us our baby's tiny...wiener. haha. He kept his little legs closed tight, but eventually we were able to see a glimpse of his profile...and sure enough there it was. And boy oh boy, let me tell you, he is most definitely a boy.

Once we found out what we were having, we took a quick trip to babies r us to see if we could buy our first few bits of baby clothes. To our dismay and...disgust....boys' clothes these days apparently all look like white trash rags. I don't get it. They either all have a sports theme, cartoon theme or slogans. What is this crap? ugh. So, I think we will be buying a silkscreen kit and making our own clothes, or shopping on etsy for a bit. This shop is pretty awesome.

Besides all this, I am doing well. I am 19 weeks and starting to regain my energy again. woohoo!! I went to the library this past weekend and rented a cheesy Buns of Steel prenatal workout video. It's pretty bad, but it helps me feel like less of a fat ass.

Well I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. Have a wonderful night!!!

what's been catching my eye?

Lately I can't stop perusing the interweb for nursery ideas and overall house upgrades. Yesterday I found this....
I absolutely adore this nursery! If I have a girl, it would be perfection and if it's a boy, all I need to do is change the curtains!

Here is another photo by elle moss photography. I adore her!

A living room that I am obsessing over. I think it's the color of the walls. There is something about that blue, accented with the deep shade of red that puts a smile on my face.

Here is another nursery that is probably more reflective of what mine will look like once the babe is older. :)

also, I've been pretty keen on:
These amazing terrariums
Morgan's amazing house
This beautiful couch

So, how's the baby?

Well, lately my life has been so busy that it seems to be flying by, and I barely take the time to notice what's happening to my body. I have no nausea which I am so very thankful for, and my tummy has been progressively puffing out little by little...though it mostly looks like I just ate a huge burrito.

I haven't been able to poo which sucks majorly. I actually get jealous of my co-worker when she says she has to go to the bathroom...that's how desperate I am.

School is finally out, which means Summer time is here. I still need to finish my thesis, but the thought of it makes me want to gag.

Also, for the past three days I've had a terrible migraine that chooses to throb with every beat of my heart. The pain is crippling. Michael bought me this amazing hot compress called "The Bed Buddy" which succeeds in numbing the pain for a little while, but then, to my dismay, loses its effectiveness and the pulsating ache returns with a vengeance. sigh...

This weekend I meet with the midwife I am considering for my delivery. I am so very excited to discuss everything with her, and surprisingly, so is Miguel. He has been so involved in this whole process, and I am so grateful to have such a loving and caring partner.

So, hopefully everything works out this weekend

...and hopefully this damn headache peace's the fu@k out....
good night all...
peace and love. peace and love.

n

Busy Sunday

Today I worked on my thesis for a good four hours. Have I mentioned how much I can't wait for this damn paper to be finished? Sigh....



After working, I decided to tend to my pretty flowers. They always put me in the best of moods. Here's a look at some of them.






Goodnight! I hope you all have a lovely Sunday evening. :)

The Plans Have Changed

I originally wanted the birth of my child to done in a hospital, because let's face it, this is how it's been portrayed on television and in movies...it's how I came into the world, and my brother, and my husband. So of course it made sense to me to follow the advice and practices of others and partake in a birthing experience in the confines of my local hospital. In addition, Michael and I are both science nerds, and have come to trust the advances of modern science medicine. We were in the experienced hands of a good doctor, so we had nothing to worry about. Right?

It wasn't until I stumbled upon a post in one of my favorite blogs when I completely shifted my views on what the birthing experience should truly be like. I read that this woman was choosing to go under the care of a midwife, because she wanted to be in control of her delivery. She didn't want to have to lie down in bed, hooked up to machines and iv's. She wanted to be able to move around and let her body do what the female body has done for thousands of years. Why didn't I think of that? I mean honestly, you can't fuck with hundreds of thousands of years of evolution.


In retrospect, I trusted the hospital system. I honestly didn't believe that they would knowingly go against my natural birth plan. I mean, if they knew what I wanted, wouldn't they follow my lead?

Yeah, well that whole idea was shot down after watching The Business of Being Born. I came to realize that doctors will do what is convenient for them, even if it means putting the inconvenience on the patient. My own doctor offered to induce me a week early and provide me with a Caesarian when the time came. Ugh.

So now, Michael and I are looking into midwives and I am so excited to take an active role in my child's birth instead of just sitting on the sidelines, letting others call the shots.

Inspiration

I haven't been doing as much artwork as I would like, so in an attempt to fill this void in my life, I thought I'd share some of the things that have been inspiring me.

Elle Moss Photography has been my obsession for the past few weeks. I just recently bought some of her photos this weekend and I can't wait for their arrival. Also, my best friend Stacey is an amazing photographer. Here are a few of her photographs that I love.

Shannon and the Clams having been running through my brain for the past few days, which can be quite a problem when I am supposed to be focusing on my damn thesis. Regardless, they are AMAZING and I can't get enough of them.




Oh, and last but not least....

One of my all time favorite books <3

I hope you all have a wonderful day!!

N

13 Weeks 5 Days

I am a very active person. Before I was pregnant, I would run, or ride my bike, and eventually worked myway up to completing two triathlons. But lately, all I want to do is SLEEP! I have never been this exhausted in all of my life. Today I woke up at 7am, fed my pups, made myself a smoothie, and crawled back into bed.

Then I woke up, took a shower, munched on some homemade hamantashen and homemade potato salad, plopped down on my bed with a belly full of food, and snoozed for another hour.

If sleeping all day didn't make me so groggy and my body so stiff, I don't think I would object to doing it.

I am thirteen weeks and five days pregnant today, and with each passing day, I grow more and more excited for my son or daughter to arrive. Michael has been so sweet since we found out I was pregnant. He takes such wonderful care of me, though I try my best not to milk it too often. I can't stand when pregnant women refuse to do anything because of their "condition." I prefer to do things on my own, and sometimes I tend to bite off a little more than I can chew.....but, if my love offers to clean the dishes or vacuum the house, or make yummy cookies and banana bread...how could a girl refuse?!

It is Memorial Day today, and unfortunately I will be spending the day writing a few pages of my thesis, due on July 1st. I can't wait until this is over, so I can enjoy my summer and start setting up the baby's room. With school and work, I barely have the time to wipe my own ass (just a joke)....so hopefully once things settle down, I can focus solely on the arrival of my little bebe.

Speaking of asses....the constipation I have been experiencing for the last few weeks has been mind blowing! (I apologize if this grosses anyone out, but I have always been the one to blatantly speak about what's on my mind). Does anyone know of a natural, pregnancy safe remedy for this large problem? I asked my doctor and he stated that mirolax is fine to take, but after researching it online, I found out it is actually a class c drug, which is not recommended for consumption while pregnant. Did I mention that I am in the process of changing doctors?

Well I hope everyone has a lovely day, while I am stuck in my office typing away!

Peace and Love. Peace and Love.

N

The Happy News

I came home from a long day of teaching. My students just started their unit on human body systems, so we worked on a squid dissection. The smell of the squid really got to me, which was surprising, since I am usually never bothered by the scent of preservative.


I was really tired when I walked through my front door and debated whether or not to walk on the treadmill or take a nap. I decided to spend a few minutes walking on the treadmill .... so I could indulge in a few scoops of ice cream (the best motivator ever).

I walked and walked, thinking about the homework I had to finish for my grad classes, and all the laundry I had to do before tomorrow, when suddenly I realized that my period was 2 days late. Hmmmm.... I stopped walking, and drove to the grocery store to buy a pregnancy test. Michael was still at work when I got home and peed on the little stick. I walked away for a few minutes not really believing that I was pregnant. It seemed impossible, but sure enough...the little stick declared that I was indeed pregnant. I took two more just to be sure.I couldn't believe it. I was going to be a mother! I was so excited, and terrified, and happy all at the same moment, and couldn't wait for Michael to come home so I could tell him.

As soon as he walked through the door, I couldn't keep that stupid grin off my face.
Me: "Guess what!?"
Michael: "What?"
Me: "I'm pregnant!"

The initial shock lasted a few minutes for both of us, but once we kept repeating, "We are going to have a baby," over and over again, reality sank in. We are going to be parents to a beautiful little baby and I can't wait to meet him/her.