Thursday, October 29, 2009

99 days

99 days of pregnancy to go,
99 days to grow.
Go to sleep, wake up again,
98 days of pregnancy to go!

The countdown is really on! Jackson is growing so much these days. I mean, I can't see him, but he sure is making mommy's belly grow!


I wish I had been taking pictures of my belly all along, but I just now feel like I have a "baby bump." It seems like I woke up one day last week and BAM! there it was.
Jose took this picture of me on Friday when I was officially 25 weeks. bump!
We will try to take a picture every Friday to share the growth of the baby

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Crazy Dream

Many have told me to be prepared for odd and vivid dreams during pregnancy. Well, I sure am having them! I thought I would share one from Wednesday night with you.

I dreamed that a teacher from school offered Michelle, Sarah, and I flight tickets to Orlando, FL for $12. We wanted to go but I was pregnant. Well, Jose agreed that I would need one last vacation before Jackson came along so I went. Here's the catch- I left my belly (baby and all) with Jose. My WES girls and I went to Disney World (those tickets were only $28).

While there, I got a phone call from Jose who told me, "Jackson is here!" We flew home and I went straight to the hospital. I walked in the room and there was Jose in the bed, recovering from child birth. I walked over to where Jackson was and started crying because he was so beautiful. The funny part- he had Jose's haircut. As soon as I started to talk to Jackson, he opened his eyes. reached out, and said "mama!"

My parents came to the hospital and told me that they helped Jose through labor and delivery. Jose was so glad they were there and showed him how to feed, clothe, and diaper the baby.

I woke up laughing. How funny would it be if you could just hand your pregnancy off to someone else so you could go on vacation? Or maybe for a good night of sleep? And, what if the father could choose to give birth instead of the mother? Sounds like a good trade off; 40 weeks of carrying the baby for mom and a day of labor and delivery for dad.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Today's Doctor Vsiit

I love going to the doctor! OK, maybe it's not love, but I really enjoy going to my OB check-ups. Today's appointment went really well. My vitals were good, my weight was on target (I've gained 9 pounds since July), and Jackson's heart sounds great!

Hearing his heartbeat makes me smile! I wish I could record that beautiful sound, but I am too nervous to ask. I know that some women rent gadgets that allow them to listen to the heartbeat anytime. I know that I would never put it away if I had one at arm's reach.

Dr. Johnson and I talked about the H1N1 shot. Because I am around germy, young kids every day she thinks I should absolutely get one. I expressed my concerns and she listened. She, along with the other doctors in the practice, are confident that the shot is safe. She told me that they would have the shots within the next 2-3 weeks, so I have that much time to make my decision. In the meantime, she said if I had flu-like symptoms or multiple kids in my class diagnosed with the flu I needed to call. They could give me some medication for early intervention.

Well, the next appointment is scheduled for mid-November. I can't wait to hear his precious heartbeat again! Here is to continued good health for baby and me!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Me first!

Jackson's movements have been inconsistent. I assume that it is normal at this point in the pregnancy. Some days I feel him moving more than others. He is typically most active when I am crawling into bed but he has been moving a lot more when I am sitting on the couch with my feet propped. Just two days ago, I was sitting here on the couch with my laptop on my lap, looking down at the keyboard when I could feel and see him move. It was the neatest thing. I just sat and waited for him to do it again. He seemed to settle back down until I started typing again. He must love the tapping of the keys.

Today, I visited my parents and sister. Mom and Kelly are fighting over who gets to feel him kick first. They crack me up, really. I wish I could take a video of their bargaining. They fight over who gets to put their hand where. They talk to him, sing, play music, and even give him a little threat. He never responded to them. I tried laying different ways and giving a little poke here and there, but he just didn't want to play.

Jackson is already one loved little boy. He definitely won't be deprived of attention when my family is around. I really can't wait for them to be able to feel him move. For now, I will continue to enjoy the special mommy and Jackson moments only we can share.

Mommy loves you, baby boy!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Oh why?!

Why is it that I can go hours during the daytime without a bathroom break but I can't go one hour in the late evening without several trips? I swear I am using a roll of toilet paper a day. Geez... lay off the bladder for a while!

Generation Next!

I am glad to be a part of Generation Next! With easy access to the internet, I am able to read a lot about my pregnancy and Jackson's development.

One of my favorite websites is http://www.justmommies.com/pregnancy_calendar.php. I can put my due date (2-5-2010) in the boxes and a day-by-day calendar pops up. The calendar says how many weeks and days Jackson has been growing and gives a tip, fact, or measurement. I like to check it out every couple of days to keep tabs on what's going on in my belly. According to the calendar, Jackson's crown to rump length is 20 cm or 7.9 inches and he weighs about 15 ounces -1.1 pounds. He is also starting to make antibodies.

I also like getting my weekly emails from other websites that tell me all about how the baby should be growing and some milestones to expect.

I must say that I mostly enjoy reading the message boards on several mommy websites. There are a variety of topics to choose from so I often spend hours a week reading what other parents have to say about baby care, health, parenting, and more.

I remember life before the internet, the dawn of home access, to the now widespread availability of the world wide web. Technology has boomed in the last 10-15 years. I can only imagine what the future holds for Mr. Jackson Lee!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Registering


Who knew that registering for baby items would be so stressful and overwhelming? Mom, Kelly, and I spent all day Sunday picking out the things Jackson would need when he arrives.


I spent some doing a little research before taking on the task, but it didn't seem to aid much in the decision making process. With every trip I made to Target in the past few months, I browsed the baby section to get an idea of what we might need and what we like. I have also spent coutnless hours browing websites and other people's registries, trying to make early decisions.


We went staright for the baby aisles at Target. I had already chosen the brightly colored jungle animal bouncer and take along swing, so they were the first things I aimed the registry gun at. I just think they are adorable. I picked out a matching stroller, highchair, and Pack N Play. I chose a stroller that came with a carrier/carseat. I need to find a base for the carseat. It didn't seem to come with one. I know that Jackson won't be in a carrier forever, so I wanted to register for a seat he would be in for years. Jose and I had looked at the convertible carseats a few weeks ago. We picked out a few that we liked and I researched them. I was glad to register for a Titan Elite!


Bedding was the major thing on my mind. We wanted to stay away from the traditional nursery blues and greens and have a lot of color since we can't paint the walls. I thought I had the bedding and everything picked out. When we get to Target, they don't have it in stores so I needed to chose something that was accessible to more shoppers. Target had a really adorable jungle animal print that was cute and colorful. They had a few matching accessories, but not much. I went ahead and registered for it knowing that if I found something better elsewhere, I could change it.


Check out the bedding at Target.com.


We spent hours at Target. We probably spent half an hour trying to decide on bottles alone. There are so many things to consider- size, shape, volume, etc. I chose the Avent brand. They were a bit pricey, but the name felt safe. We also picked out some onesies, a bathtub, grooming kit, sleep accessories, pacifiers, an adorable playplace, and a few other odds 'n ends.


Finally, we called it quits at Target! Mom was dying to show me some wall art that she spotted on a previous trip to Target. They were adorable canvas paintings of jungle animals. We put them in the cart to buy right away.


When I turned in the registry gun, the woman printed my registry and told me it would be online in 3-4 hours.


We headed to lunch at Red Robin. After devouring a yummy chicken sandwich and fries, we went to Babies R Us. Honestly, I wasn't too impressed. We spent about an hour there looking at their strollers, swings, and other big items to see if there was something there I liked better. I decided to stick with what I picked out at Target. I did pick out one major item, a swing. I registered for some blankets, a changing pad, a boppy, a baby monitor, nursery accessories, and some things for the car.


When I got home, I was disappointed that neither of my registeries were available. I wanted to show Jose everything I picked out! It took Babies R Us three days to get it online and it took Target four days. So much for a few hours. I was excited to find more nursery items to match the bedding from Target. The hamper, lightswitch plate, curtains, diaper stacker, and some of the sheets are only available online.


In the end, it was a long day but a good experience. Who knew Jackson would need so much! Thank goodness for my mom and sister! They offered suggestions and helped me make decisions that were difficult. Also, I appreciate that they have bought the beautiful baby bed and dresser for Jackson's nursery. I love you and Jackson appreciates it!