Chickie sure is One Cute CUC!

I can hardly believe it's been 30 weeks already! Sometimes it feels like I've been pregnant for years, and other times it feels surreal that my little cucumber will be fully cooked and ready to play with everybody just 10 short weeks from now! 10 weeks is still a lot of time - over 2 months - but it definitely feels good to have made it this far and to know that we're in the home stretch. This week was a little off for me. My mom and I went shopping on Tuesday at THE CUTEST baby store in town (which I really do enjoy, but won't name here, and you'll see why in a second). Strange enough, while I was bent over looking at some awesome Ergo Babies, a whole shelf of something heavy came toppling down on the back of my head. My usual clumsy self didn't even touch any of it. The store owner was very nice and rushed over to make sure I was okay. I didn't want to cause any trouble since she had been so nice, so I ended up buying this beautiful black and camel Ergo (which I LOVE), but left the store more than a little shaken up.

After an hour nap on my parents' couch I felt better, but that night brought on THE WORST migraine ever! I couldn't sleep more than 10 minutes here and there because I can't lay on my stomach these days and the back of my head was killing me. From about 1 am - 5 am, I came out to the living room and laid down on the couch with packs of frozen veggies literally surrounding all sides of my head. I finally caved and took a couple of Tylenol around 5:30. The Tylenol really seemed to help ... that and a nice hot shower, some Mickey D's for lunch (thanks Robo and Gramma!), a few hours of "Property Virgins", and free pie Wednesday at Baker Square with Sean ;) My head still hurts a little bit here and there, but it's very VERY minimal compared to how I felt Tuesday night. I have my next doctor's appointment this coming Tuesday, so if my head still hurts at that point, I'll probably ask if there's anything else I should be doing.

And now for more fun Chickie Updates!!! ...

• Chris and I opened a savings account for Chickie! Maybe, with any luck, a semester or two of college will be in Chickie's cards by 2030 ... :)
• Chickie's book recommendations of the week: Goodnight Moon and Elmo's Guessing Game (*both books received 5 solid kicks ... the highest rating there is!)
• In fact, Chickie is continuing to kick all the time, especially when I'm lying down.
• Chickie's somewhere around 3 lbs (which means that at least 3 of the extra lbs I've been carrying around lately is NOT me! really it's not)
• Chickie's brain is really starting to take shape and is even capable of regulating body temperature.

Crib!

Second edition to the nursery was just as successful .... Yay Chris!

All that's missing is Chickie!

ACORN SQUASHed

29 weeks - one more to go until the real countdown begins!! - and size-wise Chicken Fry is measuring somewhere between a 2.5 and a 3.8 lb acorn squash. I don't know whether Chickie's facing up or down, right or left, punching or kicking, but one thing's for sure - our little ACORN SQUASH is starting to feel more than a little SQUASHED him/herself inside those tight quarters and isn't afraid to let that frustration show! This past Tuesday, I was lying on the couch after dinner when suddenly these tiny (yet fierce) kicks/punches started bouncing off me like rapid fire and didn't stop for over an hour! Chris LOVED this. The truth is that I did too. We're so happy to know Chickie is growing stronger and stronger and getting more and more excited to come out and meet everyone soon.

The doctor's office called with the results of my gestational diabetes test. Everything checked out normal, so naturally Chickie and I celebrated by treating ourselves to some Mickey D's :) Our next appointment is scheduled for Tuesday, April 3rd, and it looks like I'll have to keep checking in every 2 weeks now that we're getting close. Mid-April should be our next ultrasound ... can't wait to see that cute little face again!

Things I've Done:
- Started picking out/putting together some baby furniture for Chickie's nursery
- Started registering
- Started collecting info about Pediatricians in the area
- Signed up for Child Birth and Parenting Classes
- Put in for Maternity Leave

Things I Need to Get Done:
- Finish putting together Chickie's furniture
- Finish registering
- Decide on a Pediatrician
- Start decorating Chickie's nursery
- Decide on Insurance for Chickie
- Pack a Hospital Bag
- Probably a million other things that I'll figure out sooner or later ?!?!? ;)

Chickie's Nursery (Part 8)

Chris' parents gifted us with this beautiful espresso brown dresser, which matches our crib and changing table perfectly.

Chicken Fry is one lucky chick! Thank you!

Chickie's Nursery (Part 7)

I originally wanted to have a Winnie the Pooh themed nursery for Chickie, but when I actually went to start looking for various items, the quality of the products I was finding just wasn't as cute as I had envisioned. I have a few Pooh bear stuffed animals, and the beautiful Winnie the Pooh quote to display behind Chickie's crib, but that's about it, at least for the time being. One of my favorite craft websites is etsy, and while I was looking for cute Winnie the Pooh stuff, I actually came across a lot of really cute owl decor - not that I want the theme of Chickie's nursery to be exclusively owls, but at least it's a starting point. The chains on the ceiling fan in the room are all broken and beat up, so I placed an order for two new owl chains. In an effort to remain gender neutral, both owls will have green wings (not pink) and dark brown heart-shaped feather on their bellies. I decided to keep the heads blue because we have a blue couch in the nursery anyway, plus I happen to LOVE the color blue, so I'm thinkin' it will work well for a boy or a girl. I also ordered this hedgehog woodland light switch cover. I think it will tie in nicely with the bedding I found, which also happens to have an owl and a hedgehog on it. I'm still in the process of searching for some cute prints to add a little excitement to the walls, but I don't want to overdo it on the owls, so we'll see what else etsy has to offer!

Happy Spring!

Back to School

After my appointment this morning, I had some time before I had to go back to work, so I finally sat down and registered Chris and I for some childbirth preparation and parenting classes at Lutheran General Hospital. On Sunday April 1st, I am going to take their Prenatal Breastfeeding Class since I am pretty much clueless and my doctor keeps warning me that this can be a much trickier process than you'd think! This 3-hour class helps prepare expectant mothers to recognize and prevent common problems. It also teaches technique and positioning strategies. Partners/support persons are also encouraged to attend (eh-hem Chris ;) ). In addition to that class, I also signed Chris and I up for the Compact Childbirth Class. This two day - 12.5 hour - class is offered the weekend of May 19th (Happy Birthday Gramma!) and 20th from 8:30 a.m. 'til 3:30 p.m. Topics include the birth process, breathing, physical care, safety, sleep, feeding, common concerns, and immunizations and development. Participants are also given tours of the Labor, Delivery, and Recovery rooms, the Mother-Baby Unit, and the Newborn Nursery.

Yay! I feel like I've had a productive morning and am being a good mommy ;)

Tuesday TESTday

This morning I had my one hour Glucose Tolerance Test, where they draw blood to see how well my body processes sugar (glucose). The results of the test should be available within a day or two. While weight gain, cravings, and hormonal shifts are all normal during pregnancy, it is important to maintain healthy glucose levels. Apparently if the test results report that my glucose levels are too high, I may have the potential to develop gestational diabetes. I sure hope that's not the case!

In order to prep for the test, I was given an orange beverage at my last appointment back in February. My instructions were to finish the entire bottle within 5 minutes and be done by exactly 8:15 this morning. I followed my instructions to a tee and finished the beverage by 8:15 on the dot!

Chickie's heartbeat today was a little lower than the last two appointments, but still above 140 (if that means anything!) and still strong at 145 bmp. As the doctor was searching for the heartbeat, she felt some solid kicks coming from within. Someone was sure awake and ready to go ;)

Changing Table!

First edition to the nursery was a success .... Way to go Chris!

Happy Birthday Uncle Kevin!

Sick Chick :(

Sometime between Thursday and Friday, Chickie and I managed to catch that 24 - 48 Cold/Flu that's going around. At first I thought it was just my allergies acting up, but yesterday, struggling to get through 8 hours of work was probably the very pit of my pregnancy thus far. I had constant chills and sweats, my nose was itchy and stuffed all day long, my legs and lower back ached to the point that it was painful to walk, and my eyes had to fight to stay open. I pretty much spent the day counting down the minutes, and when the bell rang at the end of the day I jumped in my car, stopped at Dominick's for some OJ and diet 7 UP, and literally wrapped myself in a blanket and crashed on the couch. Chris had an event after work, so when his train came in around 8:20, I met him at the Walgreens near the station to buy a thermometer and Tylenol. Both times I took my temperature, it was around 100.4, so I decided to call the on-call doctor. She confirmed that I probably did catch the bug that's going around and that as long as I wasn't experiencing any stomach pains or bleeding I should take two regular strength Tylenol, drink plenty of fluids, and get plenty of rest. Although I was very hesitant to take the Tylenol since I hadn't taken any medication throughout the first 28 weeks of my pregnancy, she explained that they recommend Tylenol to pregnant women all the time, and that the best thing for me to do would be to break the temperature so that Chickie doesn't overheat. I followed her instructions and did get a pretty good night's sleep last night. So far this morning I still have a stuffy nose and some sweats, but my legs and lower back feel better, and I haven't had any major chills yet. It doesn't seem like I have a temperature right now so I'm going to hold off on taking any more Tylenol. Last night I had only liquids and canned fruit for dinner. The very thought of anything else made me completely nauseous. Thankfully my appetite seems to be back today. I'm sad that I'm missing out on this beautiful holiday weekend, but hopefully Chickie and I will be back to our normal selves by Monday!

Rowlenfefer? Rosinbagger? Runamucker? Rowengardner? RUTABAGA!

How I L.O.V.E. "Rookie of the Year" ... best baseball movie ever! The Cubs are still out in Arizona, making the most of their preseason practice, yet yesterday would have been a most beautiful day at the ballpark here in Chicago. With plenty of sunshine - and a high of 79 - we definitely caught a glimpse of summer out there before spring even got a chance to bloom. I'm normally an unusually chilly person - so much so that a near 80 degree day might typically warrant a light jacket - yet yesterday I was practically melting - toasty, rosy cheeks and all. Thankfully I had purchased two pairs of maternity capri pants the night before, otherwise I probably would have passed out at some point, I'm sure of it. On top of that, this change in weather has caused an immediate change in my sinuses ... allergy season is officially here folks!

Other things that are officially here:
- St. Patty's Day
- Kevin's 25th Birthday
- Week 28
- Month 7
- Trimester 3 !!!

It feels great to be 2/3rds done. Chickie is gaining more and more fat, and is now the size of a 1.5 to 2.5 lb rutabaga. His/her lungs have actually matured enough that Chickie would - knock on wood - most likely survive if born at any point from this moment on. Keep growing sweet baby Alp ;)

Chickie's Nursery (Part 6)

My mom and I spent this beautiful Sunday strolling through the aisles of Babies R Us. Who knew just how much baby stuff there actually was?! I was - and still am - completely clueless. A HUGE thanks to my mom (and dad) for gifting us with this gorgeous crib and matching changing station for Chickie. We can't wait for it to come in within the next few weeks so that we can finally start decorating the nursery!

"Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education" Mark Twain

Today marks the first day of our last week of our second trimester, and WOW are the weeks really starting to fly by now. We have so many things piling up on our to-do lists that we don't even know where to start.

Here is just the smallest little sample of what I mean:

- Select and purchase baby furniture
- Register
- Research and select a really, really, really, REALLY good pediatrician
- Sign up for lamaze classes (and actually go to them!)
- Decide on insurance for Chickie
- Decide on maternity leave

And the list just goes on and on and on ...

Anyways, while we're busy procrastinating, here is what Chickie is up to in week 27:

- Stretching in at 13.6 to 14.8 inches from head to toe
- Weighing in at 1.5 to 2.5 pounds
- Breathing!! (it's amniotic fluid, not air, but it still counts)
- Practicing inhaling and exhaling with his/her rapidly developing lungs
- Showing brain activity!

We're sure glad our little cauliflower is putting that college education to good use, otherwise, we'd get absolutely nothing done around here ;)

Cooking Countdown!

3 months!

Lettuce Feel More Kicks!

26 weeks and our little Beckham is finally back! Not only have I been feeling little kicks - especially after dinner - but Chris finally felt A TON of little thumps coming from my belly last night. It was really the first time he has ever truly felt something coming from in there. We were lying on the couch, watching American Idol, and I started to blurt out and smile every time I felt a little special somethin' somthin'. Chris got jealous - shouted "let me see this" - and reached over and planted his hand right over Chickie. Normally when this happens, Chris gets bored and gives up, but last night was different. He felt Chickie almost immediately, and experienced many first kicks throughout the night.

Lettuce feel more kicks, our little head of lettuce!