40 Weeks!

We made it! We've successfuly hit the 40-week mark and the Short Stranger is now officially a Pumpkin Baby! For those of you who took our poll and thought the little guy would arrive early--I'm sorry to tell you that you were wrong. What Mike neglected to mention in his poll-related post is that more than 50% of first time moms go past their estimated due date (EDD) into week 41. And this is why even though I'd hoped we'd have an October baby, I've long had a feeling he'd be a November one.

But when this little guy decides to arrive is not the point of this post...no, this is a post to celebrate this pregnancy. The Short Stranger and I have safely and happily made it through the long hall together, and believe it or not, I've really enjoyed being pregnant. Even at 40 weeks, I still feel healthy and energetic, small discomforts aside. And despite my impatience to meet him, I'm so glad the Short Stranger has stayed exactly where he is until full-term.

Though little has changed since last week, here's what babycenter.com writes about the end of this journey:

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

So what's next? Next we continue to wait, but we also start to monitor Mr. Stranger more closely--first with an ultrasound on Monday, and then with an appointment on Wednesday (that is, if we make it until then). And if it comes down to it, we'll bring the Short Stranger here by force through induction. But before that, Mike and I will enjoy what is finally decent weather in the 'Lou with lots of walking walking walking--because that seems to be the main doctor-recommended advice for helping bring labor on. Beautiful fall foliage, here we come.

That strange floating baby widget...

Does anyone else wonder what happens on Saturday to the countdown baby widget Mike added to our blog many months ago? Because I've been curious about this for a while...especially if I go over the estimated due date.

2 days left...we shall see...

UPDATE: cats vs. baby

In the newest battle between feline and unborn child, the cats now have an even greater upper hand. After purchasing a new video camera (Flip Video Ultra) so we can take videos of the Short Stranger when he arrives, the first two videos taken were of the cats ... yes, THE CATS! So, one more point for the cats.

And here's the video to prove it:

Cats vs. Baby: The cuddle offensive

This week as we've stepped up our efforts to prepare for the Short Stranger's arrival by reading up on breastfeeding, the labor process, etc., our 3 cats have responded with a coordinated effort of distraction that I'm calling the cuddle offensive. If I'm surfing early labor symptoms on my lap, one--sometimes two--cats respond by attempting to wedge themselves between me and the screen. The same goes for Mike when he tries to read any one of our books on labor and pregnancy.

This case is aptly illustrated below in two pictures of Mike attempting to read Penny Simkin's The Birth Partner, a book we strongly recommend, incidentally. It's one of the only books we know that provides an in-depth guide for a partner during the labor process (find reviews here at Amazon.com).
Notice in the second photograph that Tim succeeds at stealing away Mike's attention. Of all of our cats, he's the most skilled at this kind of face-to-face combat.

Based on these pictures alone, in the battle of cats vs. baby:
Cats: 1 pt.
Baby: 0 pt.
(Undoubtedly this will change once the Short Stranger is born.)

Eating can shorten labor

As some of you know, one of the concerns I have when I start going into to labor is that I'll get some food into my body before the hospital decides to limit my intake. Yes, I'll likely be given an IV that will provide me with sustenance, but that's not the same as real food.

Why would the hospital limit your food intake anyway? There are lots of theories (many dated) on this. For one thing, the mother probably won't want to eat much since nausea is a common labor side effect. Another: in the rare possibility that you'd need general anaesthesia for a C-section, there's a risk of aspiration. However, not only are you incredibly unlikely to need such anesthesia (since they now have a range of pain medications), studies have shown the aspiration rate to be minuscule.

Thankfully, there's a growing trend that's beginning to rethink this logic because recent studies have shown that, among other reasons, snacking can shorten labor by up to 90 minutes. Of course, this doesn't mean I should run to Micky D's for some fries on the way to the hospital. Labor is a little bit like running a marathon--light, easily digested snacks are key, along with ones that keep you hydrated--can provide you with energy throughout the process. So bring on the popsicles! Apparently, even the strictest of hospitals allow their patients to snack on these.

39 week bump goes out on the town

Mike and I decided to take advantage of what might be our last weekend as a twosome with a date night out, giving me one last chance to wear this dress.

39 Week Bump

So while Bryna is at her final yoga class this afternoon, I am posting her final bump pictures (... gotta be optimistic, right?). This is a bit past 39 weeks. We have some pictures we also took this weekend when it was all sunny and nice, but we can't find the cable that connects that camera to the computer (I really hate that every camera has its own unique adapter! What's up with that!). Anyway, enjoy ... as we enter the final home stretch to welcoming the Short Stranger into this world.
Oh, and congrats to us ... this is our 100th post to this blog! Pretty good, I think, especially since we've only been doing this for about 23 weeks (yes, you count life in weeks when you're expecting).

NEW POLL: Guess the Short Stranger's arrival date

Over to the right, we've added a Poll to see when everyone thinks the Short Stranger (aka Baby Awesome) will be entering our cold, bright, dry, air-laden world. My instincts are telling me that he'll be here on Tuesday (Oct. 27), but we'd like to hear what you're gut is telling you (or what conventional wisdom tells you). Bryna's mom thinks he'll arrive on the due date (at 6am ... to be specific). Full moon is November 2nd, for all you werewolves and lunar-types out there.

So let's see your votes in the next few days. And remember, this is NOT a reality TV show, so your votes will not help determine the date when this contestant leaves the womb (although if people vote for October dates, I'll let Short Stranger know to provide additional encouragement).

And I also found another great parenting resource (see the "Wheel of Responsibility," which can actually be purchased at WryBaby.com). This should be a huge help for everything except breast-feeding.
Signing out for now ... an anxious father-to be.

39 Weeks

We now have a mini-watermelon baby who for the time being, at least, seems content in the cozy womb. I've been pregnant for so long that Mike and I have a running joke that we'll never have this kid--that two years from now I'll still be pregnant with a 2-yr-old Short Stranger in my belly. On Monday night, he kicked me so hard in the ribs that he woke me up wondering if he understands the concept: he can't kick a hole in my side to get out! While I used to enjoy it when strangers told me I didn't look like I was due so soon, I now sigh and grumble when I get this comment. What do they mean? Do they mean I don't look ready to go into labor yet? No really, I am. The question now is--will this be an Oct. or a Nov. baby?

This week at my regular appointment my doctor told me, optimistically, that she hoped to see me before our next appointment this coming Wednesday. I took this as a sign, and I hope she's right!

This week, babycenter.com has this to say:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

For the in-utero one

Even if you've never come into to contact with a pregnant woman, you probably still know the best-selling "what to expect" series, for pregnancy, the "first year," early childhood, etc.

I just found out from good old NPR that the satirist David Javerbaum has just made a parody designed especially for the other one along for the ride--the fetus, or "the expected," as he puts it.

Although I haven't had a chance to look at "What to Expect When You're Expected" in any detail, several of the sections look promising, such as:

-"Why the Entire Bus is Allowed to Rub Mom's Belly"
-"Childbirth Classes: It's Never too Early for Parents to Get Ripped Off Paying for School"
-"MomDad"; Now It's "MomYouDad"; Guess Who Got Between Them?"
-"TITS TITS TITS TITS TITS!"

...and my personal favorite, as I wait impatiently:
-"It's the Second Monday in September, and Still No Labor Day"

There's an app for that...

Remember RunPee.com, the website I posted months ago for pregnant (and small bladder-ed) film buffs who love to see their movies on the big screen but just can't "hold it" for that long?

They now have an "app" for that.
Check it out here if you're willing to plop down the 2 bucks.
Never miss the most important scene again!

what the #$&% is a "push present"?

OK, so our friend Becca just sent us an article from the New York Times about something called a "push present," or sometimes referred to as a "baby mama gift" or "baby bauble." What the #$&%!! Not that I don't think that every woman deserves major praise, attention, and anything they want after going through pregnancy and especially labor, but this seems like another typical American consumerist craze that is most likely sweeping Manhattan and Rodeo Drive (and maybe Ladue here in the STL). Seems to suggest that fathers might feel really guilty for standing on the sidelines while their wives carry, deliver, and take care of their baby. I mean, better get her a ring and a pat on the back [sarcasm]. But maybe she might prefer that the new dad actually help out at home -- not just hiring a cleaning service to clean the house, but maybe actually changing diapers, getting up in the middle of the night, taking baby to doctor's appointments, etc. [not sarcasm].

So my "push present" may seem lame, but I plan to thank Bryna by doing as much as possible to help take care of the baby and be a parent, and help around the house as much as I can. I know, I know . . . here I go again with the same old rant. But do we really need to start buying diamond rings for women after they give birth??

If anyone has ever received or given a "push present," please post of comment and let me know your thoughts. Is it necessary? A nice perk? Total consumerism?

What we didn't see at our showers...

Thankfully, we didn't end up with any cakes like this at our showers--which, by the way is anatomically off, since at this point the game most babies are heads down, with their backsides out. The teddy bear cake worked great, thanks.

Other hilarious cakes from all kinds of events can be found at cakewrecks.blogspot.com.

The Nursery: Closer Look

The sun has finally come out in St. Louis, making it possible to take some decent daytime pictures of the Short Stranger's future home. For our friends living far away, especially, (or for those looking for nursery ideas) we thought you'd be interested in seeing what we've been slaving over in more detail:

These are the decals that formed the basis for our color scheme, which we purchased from Wee Gallery, a company that designs wall graphics and high-contrast flash cards in whimsical designs (we had troubling choosing which one we wanted the most). Mike painted the back wall a robin's egg color to set off the decals, which would have blended into the sage that covers the majority of the walls in the room.


Above the Amy Coe crib, we hung three canvases that I painted, using the patterns from the decals. Since I wasn't allowed to help with the wall painting, at least I felt like I was creatively contributing in some way!


The book shelf is from Ikea, the changing table is the infamous Amy Coe one that Mike assembled months ago. The door on the closet of this tiny room had to go, so Mike re-painted the shelves and the back wall a brighter warmer green. The wall behind the shelf is the same robin's egg that we painted behind the decals. The crates come mostly from babys shower gifts.

And the biggest project of the room: installing this ceiling fan (the fixture before was horrid, c. 1970s). There are gas pipes in the ceiling from the days when they used gas lighting in our 1906 home, soooo...this task was quite a feat. Yes, Mike is awesome! With the exception of the decals and canvases, he basically made this room happen.


The gorgeous view outside the window right now. Sweet autumn.

38 weeks

Two weeks left, we're still here, and still waiting for the Short Stranger to arrive. The main difference between this week and the last one is that now we are seriously ready. Sometime in the last week Mike and I decided it doesn't really matter what the house looks like anymore, it is time to meet this little guy--any day now. And yes, I think I've had enough of this whole pregnancy gig. Besides, if it gets any colder here in Gloomsville, USA (the Lou without sun for 5 days), I'm doomed on the maternity clothing front.

The good news from this week's doctor's appointment is that the baby's dropped quite a bit. So basically, it now feels like I'm carrying a bowling ball when I walk. And luckily for me, I can still sleep fairly soundly, once I finally adjust into a somewhat comfortable position. Mike, on the other hand, has been having a harder time sleeping, apparently plagued by foggy dreams that involve waking up frequently to check on the baby. We're both convinced he's having his own hormonally based transformation that's prepping him for parenthood.

The Short Stranger's getting big, according to babycenter.com. And I promise that if we make to next week, you'll be treated to a much more exciting produce comparison:

Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after he's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

baby's got a brand new pad

or, at least he will ... when he arrives. Because we finally finished our work on the nursery. It's been a long time coming, especially since we started work on this room over 3 years ago (while not knowing that it would become Short Stranger's room, we began by taking care of a hideous florescent green color that adorned ALL of the woodwork in that room -- see picture below).
During the first year in this house, we had the carpet removed, refinished the original wood floors, and scraped, stripped, and repainted all the walls and woodwork (it hurts just thinking about it). It basically served as our friend Becca's room (who has visited us every summer) until we found out we were going to have a new addition to our family (ie. Baby Awesome -- sorry Becca, you'll have to settle this one with him). Here was the photo we posted a few months ago when we were ready to begin the nursery/nesting mania, but had done nothing to the room other than moving out the existing furniture and rug.
Yet, most of the nursery project has been completed in the past several months, including painting, redoing the closet, finding furniture, applying decals, Bryna painting the three canvases above the crib, and installing a new blind, and putting up a ceiling fan (which was a huge pain, especially since our house still has the original gas-light pipes in every place there is a light fixture). We're super excited about the baby's new pad, and we hope he will enjoy it as much as we do (although decorating a newborn's room is WAY more about the parents than the baby). Here are the final pics -- using the nifty Panorama iPhone app to get a better look at the whole room (sometimes stitching in the cats in odd ways, if you take a close look).
So, in summary: Nursery Project 99% done, just waiting for the last touch . . . a baby (any day now, right? 17 official days to go, more or less).

The squirmy worm that he is...

Today at my weekly doctor's appointment, Mike and I enjoyed witnessing a bit of cat-and-mouse entertainment between the Doc and the Short Stranger during the usual heart beat monitoring. As the doc put the monitor up against my belly, Mr. SS scooted away, making a squooshing sound in the microphone.

Soo...instead of chasing him with her monitor, the doc decided to push at him from the other side, making him move even more--which made Mike and me laugh. Finally, with some effort, she was able to find the pulse. The best part about this little game? The doctor started giggling! She couldn't contain her own amusement with the event.

And while I'm on the subject of our doctor, I think she's starting to get almost as excited about our impending delivery as we are. Her face lights up with a barely contained grin anytime I tell her a symptom that just might be related to my progress towards the d-day. I wonder if deliveries are a little like Christmas for OB's too. I imagine that it has to be a little hard for them to contain their excitement. Soon!

37 Week Bump

Autumn chilly weather bumpage, 37 weeks.

37 Weeks: the Waiting Game Begins

We made it! The Short Stranger is now "to term," and can safely arrive any old time he likes. The question at this point in the game becomes when...will he be sociably early and arrive in the next week in a half, fashionably late and be a Nov. baby, or right on time? Although there are still things we'd like to do before his arrival, Mike and I are starting to settle into the idea that anytime soon would be nice. Preferably on a day when I'm well rested.

In case you, too, are playing the waiting game and perhaps placing bets on the day, here are some fun facts that might be of interest to you:

First, as far as I can tell, the Short Stranger has not "dropped." Apparently this doesn't always happen, but it usually does with a first baby. Second, all of my mom's children arrived late...but on the other hand, all of my maternal grandmother's children arrived right on time. And if you are a fan of Murphy's law, you should note that I'm supposed to pick up midterms to grade on the 13th, and papers to grade on 20th. But finally, the next full moon is on Monday, Nov. 2, just a couple days after our due date. Seems like as good a date as any.

After an imposing few weeks of melon-sized visuals, babycenter.com has switched gears and decided, rather anti-climatically, to mark this momentous week with swiss chard. Here's what they have to say about the Short Stranger:

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Does Alice have a sixth Sense?

It may just be the weather, but I am starting to suspect that Alice, the oldest of our three cats, knows the Short Stranger will be arriving soon. Never I seen her so attached to me and my lap. That's not to say that Alice doesn't love her owners, it's just that she's...well...not the kind of cat that loves to cuddle. She's far more comfortable lounging on the floor, as seen above, or in a distant corner where she can watch us from afar.

But for the past four days she's made sure to snuggle right up against my belly, leaving Mike in the cold across the room. I've decided to take this as a positive sign. Hopefully she'll be as fond of the Short Stranger ex-utero as she is now!

Libra or Scorpio?

One of the fun little questions that awaits us in the coming weeks is whether the Short Stranger will arrive as a peace-loving and judicial Libra, or as a passionate and penetrating Scorpio--not that I rely too heavily on the meaning of astrological signs. But if he's born on Oct. 22 or before, we have a Libra in our midst; if not, we're graced with a Scorpio.

In doing a little google research, I've learned that these two signs offer up very different personalities and temperaments:

According to the horoscope.com, Libras are defined as cooperative, fair-minded, diplomatic, and gracious types, whose weaknesses include indecisiveness, self-pity, and conflict-avoidance.

They are graceful, like harmony, and the outdoors. They're very social types, and hate being alone, but also hate injustice (who doesn't?), violence, conformity, and loudmouths.

Some famous Libras? John Lennon, Oscar Wilde, Susan Sarandon, John Coltrane, and Dwight Eisenhower.

Scorpios, meanwhile, embody an almost opposite mentality. They are passionate and stubborn, penetrating and determined. They are considered excellent leaders, resourceful, and "true friends."

They're not so much for harmony or balance--they like being right; and they like passion, truth, and embrace a worthy adversary. They are sensuous and can be violent, jealous, and secretive, and they dislike passive people and dishonesty. Or in other words, Libras and Scorpios would probably not get along.

Famous Scorpios? Hillary Clinton, Teddy Roosevelt, Pablo Picasso, Bill Gates, Ted Turner and....my brother Bob. (So you see, I know a thing or two about Scorpios!)

Which do you think we'll have?

36 week bump

A few pictures of the 36 week bump. Notice the sweater and the mums!

It's finally fall here!

36 Weeks

We made it to October!

Even though I'm not considered "term" until next week, the 36-week mark has long acted as an important deadline for us to complete the most necessary preparations for the Short Stranger's arrival. This has been due in part to our friends Jen and Jeremy's birth experience nearly 3 years ago, when their mid-December baby came 2 days before Thanksgiving (at 36.5 weeks). But also, because 36 weeks marks the beginning of October, a significant psychological milestone.

So how did we do? Not bad! If the Short Stranger came today, we'd be ready with the obligatory carseat, and a nursery that's *almost* done, and we'd have him set up with a pediatrician. Soo, a couple of our rooms might have to stay messy for a while, but we no longer have a downstairs that looks like a war zone. And by next weekend, I predict we'll be able to have pictures of the nursery up online, finito.

So here's what babycenter.com has to say about the melon ball baby:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position. But if he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating him from the outside of your belly.

new name idea

What about naming the baby "Awesome"? I know it sounds strange, but hear me out. First of all, over the next several weeks (or less) when people ask if we have a name for our baby yet, can can say "Yes, and it's Awesome!"

At the moment of birth, the doctors and nurses will surely think we're some skate-punk couple from the Pacific Northwest when we both simultaneously yell out "Awesome!"

First few months, if any meanie strangers say something like "your baby looks funny," we can always retort with "NO, he's Awesome! And he'll always be Awesome!"

Would any preschoolers pick on a classmate name "Awesome!" I think not.

Nickname: "Awesie" [procounced like Aussie, which could work with the ladies later in life]

Middle school would be rough, but who doesn't get picked on in school for some random thing-- even if they have a normal name like Aiden, Jayden, Caden, or Zayden ; )

And finally, let's say he becomes some famous author, singer, or even a famous doctor. How would the name "Awesome!" ever become a disadvantage. He would totally kick Dr. Oz's butt, and take over that slot on Oprah. And look out Prince, Madonna, TI, JT, and Beyonce . . . here comes "Awesome!"

And we would already have some t-shirts for the parents (us) as well as any baby-sitters, or even future girlfriends.

Well, now that I think about it, maybe he'll get too big of an ego too fast. . . . Oh, alright, maybe you're right . . . perhaps we won't name him "Awesome!"