Baby Bean Is Here!

So it's been quiet around here... but for the best possible reason.



Dominic Matthew
arrived on 6/18/2010 at 2:40pm.
6lb, 13oz & 18 inches long.







He's only 12 days old but I can't believe how much he's grown. We're exhausted but happy beyond belief. We had a natural birth after 14 hours of labor.

I'll post more details soon (it's hard to type with one hand and a baby in the other!)

39 Weeks

Well, I'm still here and still pregnant. About 2 weeks ago I was on a "get-this-baby-out-of-me-NOW" wave, but that has settled down and I'm enjoying maternity leave (HELLO long-lost home and craft projects) and spending time with Matt before we become a family of 3.

The anxiety of "ANYDAY NOW!" is starting to wear on me a bit, but I'm trying not to think about it manically.

So here we go, hopefully this will be my last Baby Bean entry and I'll be able to move Baby DMC entries :D !

How far along? 39 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: (+32) since pre-pregnancy. I have no idea where this weight has gone, and what a joy it is to think of losing it again ;).

Maternity Clothes? I'm almost exclusively wearing strapless sun dresses since the temperatures have moved up into the 90s around here. However, my pre-pregnancy shirts seem to fit better, DMC has dropped and my belly now has a different shape to it.

Stretch Marks? Still none. Amazed.

Sleep? Pretty good. Matt and I are trying to sleep as much as humanly possible these last couple weeks.

Best Moment This Week: Two things. 1) MATERNITY LEAVE! and 2) Coming to peace with the fact that this is almost over and we get to meet our little boy VERY soon!

Movement: Very strong pushes and rolls. Since he's down in my pelvis he's putting a lot of pressure on my bladder and I've got some pain in my hips.

Food Cravings: Cravings seem to be letting up. However, still some small cravings for Carbs. I could eat waffles for every meal! I am really hungry all the time, and being home all day does not fair well with that!

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Very crampy at nights. Last night was the first time I was having consistent contractions - about every 30 minutes for 4 hours. As of 37 weeks, I am/was 50% effaced.

Belly Button - In or Out? In - but looks different due to the change in my belly shape from the dropping.

What I miss: RAW SUSHI... I am seriously making Matt stop on the way home from the hospital. I don't care if it's 10am.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting our little guy any moment now.

Weekly Wisdom: Something about the end of pregnancy makes even sane people a little crazy. I've been getting phone calls and texts all week from family members asking "Baby news?" Mind you, this is close family, like my mom and MIL. I was tempted to tell my mom the other day "OH YEAH, I've been in labor for 6 hours, I just forgot to call you." Seriously people, you WILL be notified, I promise. Until then stop, you're contributing to the anxiety.

Milestones: 1 week to due date, all systems are ready for GO!

Pregnancy has been making me even more domestic that I am on a regular basis. Hand-Sewn Burpies AND Sour-Cream Lemon Poundcake from scratch? I could get used to this.

Preggo Rebel

I don't try much to hide the fact that I am a pregnancy rule-breaker. Chocolate? Started that up around week 15 when the nausea went away. Soft cheese? About week 20 (don't even get me started on how much blue cheese I've had in the last month). Wine? I finally said screw it and ordered (and enjooooooooooooyed) a glass of red at my sisters Bachelorette party at 25 weeks. Sushi? Started sneaking bites of Matt's spicy tuna around 30 weeks. I'm of the opinion of everything in moderation and my body will tell me when I shouldn't be consuming something.

This week it is Chai. OMG, I've been totally craving it the last week. The weird thing? I've only drank it once in my life before now. I happened to be crusing around the grocery store the other day (BAD idea to let me do this BTW, I can't tell you how many random items have made their way into our pantry as a result) and for some reason the box of Tazo concentrate caught my eye. I read somewhere that because it has caffeine and spices (Anise I think?) in it that it's bad blah blah blah... but I had a glass last night and baby DMC and I are still here to talk about it. Yum.

Anyway, not sure why I told you that story but what I MEANT to blog about was how hard it's been for me to SLOW DOWN and keep my feet up when my body is clearly telling me to (oh HAI Braxton Hicks as I type this). I know I'm only a couple days away from being full term and at this point labor wouldn't be risky, but I still feel like I have so much to do. Rooms to reorganize, clothes to wash and fold, swings and rockers and monitors to put together.


Katy clearly has no problem relaxing and putting her feet up.

I've also been kniting baby items like mad. MAD I tell you. I hope that Fresno plans on freezing over this summer because I have clearly forgotten that I live in a DESERT and DMC is going to be born in late May or June.











It's seriously a little nuts.

I've also now got an uncontrollable urge to knit socks again. Which I don't usually wear. ESPECIALLY FROM MAY-NOVEMBER.


Cest La Vie. At least I'm using up some stash yarn from like 5 years ago.

---

Other photos from the iPhone. My rose tree, AKA the Pride of the Backyard, is blooming and I LOVE IT.


I plan on sitting under it tomorrow morning with my sock and chai (shhh... don't tell the preggo police)

AND


Matt trying out the BabyBjorn. It's a good look on him. All he needs is a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other and he's a shoe-in (or shoo-in? I can never remember) for Father of the Year.

I think we should put Viva in there since she's about the same weight of an infant, but I don't think either of them share my enthusiasm for this idea.

36 Weeks

How far along? 36 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: (+25) since pre-pregnancy. I don't even care anymore, the NAUSEA is back and I'm only eating what sounds good. And french fries ALWAYS sound good.

Maternity Clothes? Regular bras are torture devices. I've been loving strapless dresses that don't require one.

Stretch Marks? Still none. Amazed.

Sleep? Ehh. When I can get to sleep, it's great. But DMC has settled on a nerve and I'm having MASSIVE pain in my lower-back, compounded by the fact that my chair at work is NOT made for a pregnant woman.

Best Moment This Week: Putting all the finishing touches on the nursery & starting to pack the hospital bag. We're about 90% finished with everything.

Movement: He dropped sometime around week 34. Feeling lots of movement in my pelvis-region, and my hips are sore. It's a fun game to guess what appendage is sticking out of my belly these days.

Food Cravings: Fruit Ice, pasta. Meat is a complete and total turn-off.

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Getting tightening-like BH's every day. I've also been feeling some menstrual-like craps every couple days first thing in the morning and at night before bed. Hopefully all these "workouts" translate to fast labor!

Belly Button - In or Out? In - and looks totally normal again.

What I miss: SUSHI... I saw an advertisement for a local sushi joint and I almost cried because I want raw ahi so bad. And a very strong urge for a margarita.

What I am looking forward to: Maternity Leave - Only 10 more days of work!

Weekly Wisdom: I'm over pregnancy. Ready for him to be born ANY TIME NOW.

Milestones: Only 5 days until we are full term! (37 weeks)

Sissy's Big Fat Greek Wedding

The photographer from my sister's wedding just posted some of his favorite shots. And holy cats, they turned out great. Click below to see the post.

Sissy's Big Fat Greek Wedding.

I - well, the baby in my belly - made the slideshow.

5.5.2010

Baby DMC's first time @ the Elbow Room, our local hangout of choice.



Matt & I at Sissy's wedding


Please ignore the fact that I desperately need some lipstick!!!

Baby items are taking over our house and our lives!


Zen Knitting with Eco wool and garter stitch:


Pre-Natal Vitamins are doing AMAZING things for my fingernails


And quiet nights at home with Katy

---

34 Weeks. Less than 6 weeks to go. O. M. G.

Finally: A Face With A Name

Once again I've been thumped with the "never-say-never" stick. Last night we went and plunked down the cash for a 3D/4D ultrasound to see little DMC. And I have to say....

...it was the best $100 I've ever spent.




He opened his eyes!

Pardon my foray into the cliche, but I had no idea you could love someone you've never even met this much. He totally has my nose - it looks exactly the same as mine did when I was a baby. I need to find some baby pictures of Matt and I and see what the actual comparison is.

We also got a 2nd, um, VERY CLEAR confirmation that this is indeed a boy. He moved to a somewhat head-down position... more of a diagonal-head down (his head is by my right pelvic bone).

46 days to go until his due date... but only 25 until he's full term and I'm somewhat convinced he's coming early.

25 days! Holy Crap.

---

How far along? 33 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: (+23) since pre-pregnancy. I've been holding steady at this weight for almost a month, so I'm thinking I'll be at somewhere between +25 and +28 by the time he arrives.

Maternity Clothes? Yes please. Empire-waist dresses from Old Navy are life-savers. Any bra gives me unbelievable pain in the middle of my chest.

Stretch Marks? Still none. I can't be this lucky, can I?

Sleep? Pretty good. I wake up about every 3 hours, but fall right back asleep. I don't know what I'd do without my body pillow.

Best Moment This Week: The 3D/4D ultrasound!

Movement: Starting to get uncomfortable, like he's trying to make an Alien-the-movie-style exit from my body.

Food Cravings: Frozen yogurt, Italian Ice, French Fries, Pasta. All that totally healthy stuff.

Gender: BOY. No doubts.

Labor Signs: I had a couple scary days around my sissy's wedding. I think the stress and constant running around was causing multiple BH's... at one point, I had 5 in about 75 minutes. Since then I've vowed (and Matt has enforced) much more idle time and that has seemed to clear things up. But I'd say I'm still getting them about once or twice a day.

Belly Button - In or Out? In. And it's back to looking like it did pre-pregnancy. WEIRD. But then again, what ISN'T weird about pregnancy.

What I miss: Raw sushi. Happy Hour. OH MY GOD I WANT SASHIMI SO BAD.

What I am looking forward to: My final two showers this weekend and next.

Weekly Wisdom: Strangers will only tell you horror stories about labor and delivery, mostly unsolicited. No, I DON'T want to hear about your sisters 36 hour labor.

Milestones: Only 3 weeks until we are full term. OMG.

Sissy Ties The Knot

My little sissy got married this past weekend. She was amazingly gorgeous and they are very, very happy. They've been dating for 6 years, it was about time!

They tied the knot at the Greek church here in town.


I was the matron of honor, at 33 weeks preggo. WOO!

---

Back on the home front, baby's room is totally coming along:




Speaking of coming along, I am starting to feel quite LARGE.


This was taken at 32 weeks. I'm starting to feel like a beached whale whenever I settle into the couch. I no longer simply 'stand up', it's more of a heaving of myself off the couch, complete with grunts and groans.

Weekend mocktails for the pregnant people in the family:

Strawberry Mom-jito. Strawberries, Basil, Lime Juice, FRE Zin, and 7-up. It's quite tasty.

Vices for those of us who are not:

This One Week In April...

It's no secret my blogging has gone... downhill. I'm not going anywhere, hoping that the desire to document my life for the unknown internet readership (except for family - hi Dad!) will return once the kiddo is here.

Anyhow, where I've left off on composing actual posts I've picked up on daily photos with the iPhone.

So here's a glimpse of the past week:

Opening Day @ AT&T Park, year #7


How young is too young to get kids listening to Keith Richards?


Amazing rainbow @ the U. after a freak hailstorm


Really Katy, make yourself comfortable wherever you see fit.


Flora in the yard is exploding and I LOVE IT.


And imagine that, my kid is being difficult.

30 Weeks

How far along? 30 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: (+20) since pre-pregnancy. OYE!

Maternity Clothes? Yes please. I've moved on to nursing bras as well.

Stretch Marks? Still none. I can't be this lucky, can I?

Sleep? Pretty good. DMC likes to kick like crazy at night so he'll keep me awake for a few extra minutes whenever I get up to use the bathroom.

Best Moment This Week: Noticed how many people are noticing ME being pregnant. There's definitely no if, ands, or buts about it now.

Movement: Moving away from kicks to jabs. I can see him pressing body parts into my belly.

Food Cravings: Frozen yogurt, cupcakes, cheese. Luckily the sugar craving is NOT GD, since I found out I passed my test no problem. Sugar-free fro-yo has been a GODSEND.

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Starting to feel Braxton Hicks here and there. DMC WAS in the proper head down position at my 28-week appt, but I am pretty sure he flipped around. The doctor found his heart way higher this time.

Belly Button - In or Out? In. But it's spread open wide!

What I miss: Raw sushi. Happy Hour. I have an unbelievable desire to go to Las Vegas right now.

What I am looking forward to: We decided on a 4-d ultrasound @ 34 weeks, so I guess that!

Weekly Wisdom: Belly size is relative. I've been told repeatedly how small I look, but the Dr. told me today I'm actually measuring a little bigger than 30 weeks. I swear this kid is coming early!

Milestones: Weekly countdown in now in single digits!

28 Weeks

How far along? 28 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: (+19) since pre-pregnancy. OYE!

Maternity Clothes? Yes please. Can't even pull up my non-maternity pants anymore.

Stretch Marks? Still none. I can't be this lucky, can I?

Sleep? Bipolar. One night it's great, I sleep all night and get up only once to use the bathroom, and the next I'm up with insomnia. Go figure!

Best Moment This Week: First baby shower! It makes it even more real now that we have infant seats and play-yards sitting in our living room

Movement: Strong and consistent. I'm feeling (and seeing) kicks and body movement. We found out he's already head down, so let's hope he stays that way.

Food Cravings: Frozen yogurt, cupcakes, pasta. Anything sugar!

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Starting to feel Braxton Hicks about 2-3 times per day.

Belly Button - In or Out? In. But it's spread open wide!

What I miss: Raw sushi. Happy Hour.

What I am looking forward to: Putting in more work on the nursery



Weekly Wisdom: Weight gain is going to happen regardless of what you do, so trust your body and know it's doing what is right for the baby.

Milestones: 3rd trimester here we go!

On Cupcakes and Onesies

Want to see my absolute favorite thing about being pregnant?



Cupcakes.

People, I have developed a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe. I've NEVER had cravings for sugar - EVER, and now I can't get enough. My favorite has definitely been cupcakes. I am beyond thankful that there isn't a Sprinkles or other cupcake bakery near my house, or we'd be in trouble. My mom treated me to this guy after lunch today.

Mom (Nonni, as we are going to call her) had some other surprises for me today:


DMC's outfit to wear home from the hospital, and...


How freaking cool is this. He's going to be a Classic Rock junkie before he can even walk!

---

In knitting, I get a big fat FAIL in the Ravelympics this year. I got everything but 1 sleeve and the finishing completed, which is something, but not enough for the win. However I have gotten some of my knitting mojo back, which was one of the intended consequences anyway.

I've been working on this for the babe:


Kid is going to be born in the height of baseball season, so he needs SOMETHING Orange and Black. Full photo once I finish the neck.