The beginning

Last May I went to my sister's house to help her after my little niece Olivia was born. While I was down there I noticed that I didn't feel quite myself. My husband came to visit for a day and I told him it was a possibility that I was pregnant. When I got back from my sister's house I took a pregnancy test and sure enough I was preggers. Unfortunately my husband was at work and later on going to the Red Wings game so I told him over the phone. There was no way that I was going to wait until the wee hours of the morning in order to share the news.

Here are the updates that I sent out during my pregnancy:

Week 9
It has been 9 weeks and what have I learned... I have learned that there are different kinds of nausea. There is the kind that keeps you up at night that feels like a sour stomach that nothing will cure. There is the kind that gets you up in the morning when you know you need to eat but all food smells and looks horrible. Then there is the kind that occurs when you finally are hungry and you need to eat immediately. My favorite is the kind when you have diarrhea and feel like you want to throw up on top of it.

I was given the magical combo of Vit B6 and Unisom which is a sleeping pill. It kind of masks the nausea.. You still know you feel sick and you still can't stand the sight of food but you can function and pretend otherwise.

I have also been having terrible nigthmares which also comes with the territory. Only a few more weeks of the first trimester and I can honestly say I am looking forward to the next when (hopefully) these symptoms subside. Nick has been a trooper stocking the fridge with Vernors and ginger chews.

So how is the little devil spawn that is causing all my whoas... It is the size of a grape: Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are
kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

I have not put on any weight yet but I am sure that will change pretty soon.

Week 10

Still dealing with crazy nausea. It is a slight degree better in that there are actual times throughout the day when I actually want to eat food and occasionally I don't feel nauseous. This is very short lived but always welcome. I have also been having bouts of ravenous hunger where I need food and I need food now! Even with this my stomach has shrunk so much I can't eat a lot. I have been trying to eat super nutritious food but when all else fails and I can only get a bit of bread in me I do that.

For the most part food is not my friend. Even things that are normally right up my alley are now completely inedible. (I'm thinking of you corn chowder at Panera) Super sweet things are not even remotely interesting.. not even my beloved ice cream. (We have had brownies at my house uneaten for over a week- tonight they get dumped)

Even with the lack of my usual diet I have not lost any weight which is a good thing. I have not gained any either but my pants are starting to fit me a little differently with things re situating.

Evidently there is a vast disapproval of my calling my little fetus Devil Spawn or Anti Christ. Don't get me wrong, I welcome the little bugger with open arms and I am looking forward to being a mother. I am just not enjoying the first part of this process. I am open to suggestions for nicknames. Nick likes Evil Monkey right now.

Another fun development, CraZy dreams. This of course is only when I am able to sleep (I have been dealing with a little insomnia lately as well- FUN!) Death dreams- CHECK, other people dying dreams- CHECK, sex dreams- CHECK. The sex dreams I am rather enjoying, the rest
not so much.

So how is the little guy doing? It is the size of a kumquat. For Brion http://www.babycenter.com/slideshow-baby-size#1245267608451_7 A little over an inch from crown to bottom and weights less then a quarter ounce. The kid no longer has webbed fingers and toes (kind of a bummer) and the sharp little finger nails are forming. The little guy is suppose to start growing like crazy now that the main organs have pretty much formed. We are officially a fetus.

Nick has been fabulous. He has started nesting alittle early and has been on top of the dishes. I have been doing the opposite. My clothes have exploded all over the place and I haven't had the energy to do anything. I've been watching a lot more tv to try to keep my mind off my nausea. I went to the library yesterday to get some books because I have been completely void of anything good in my house. I've been taking guitar lessons but I have been slacking on practicing.

I hear that this is suppose to get better and that I will have more energy in the second trimester- Here's hoping!

Week 11

We have nearly made it through the first trimester!!!! Let me tell you, I will be more than happy when this week is up. Not that I expect my symptoms to magically disappear in one week but hopefully they will lessen a little. Nick and I went to our appointment on Monday and nothing terribly special happened. Nick got to see his first pap smear (the full Monty) and we got to meet Katherine the Midwife along with her student. There is a total of 10 midwives in all and we will be meeting them in the next few months. In the next few months we will be getting a hospital tour (Not that I need one but Nick definitely will.) We attempted to hear the heart but it wasn't happening, the Spawn was shy and tiny. When I go back in four weeks Nick and I will finally be able to hear it.

The good news is that I was given a script for anti-nausea meds that although they don't completely cure my nausea it has brought back my ability to eat food in general. My stomach has shrunken so it doesn't take a lot to fill me up these days. I have been eating little meals throughout the day to make the kid happy.

They kid is currently about 1.5inches long (slightly smaller than a large paperclip) and is pretty much fully formed at this point. Here is the summary:

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Week 12

So I was driving in my car this morning listening to NPR when they started reporting on the poison control center in Grand Rapids closing down due to budget cuts. This got me thinking about what to do if you have taken poison.. which started making me think about swallowing salt water to force yourself to throw up. That is when the first dry heave happened. This put me in a very drastic state because I knew I was going to throw up and I was at a part of the interstate where there are no exits in the middle of rush hour. After weighting my options of using my over flowing garbage or my very nice Ikea bag sitting next to me I was relieved to find an extra plastic bag that I had stuffed into my glove box to serve as my next trash bag. I was also ecstatic to find that it had no holes in it. Moments later I was saying hello to the eggs and turkey sausage I had that morning. Luckily the next exit had an outdoor park and I was able to deposit my breakfast there with minimal grossness. This was the first time during my pregnancy I actually threw up. What joy and fun.

The last few days I have not been taking my anti-nausea pills because they make my stomach feel very acidic and uncomfortable. I was still able to function which made me believe that my symptoms could be on the decline, but after this morning I will be carrying extra bags in my car. Hopefully this was just a minor setback.

On a more positive note we are out of the danger zone. Chances are we are keeping this kid. To celebrate Nick and I worked on our baby registry. It was rather enjoyable to watch Nick stalking the aisle of Baby's R Us with the gun. What do you mean newborns don't need Band in a Box? He got really excited about all the Tiger Gear but was disappointed there was no Red Wings stuff. (He is planning a separate trip to Hockey Town) We registered for a bunch of stuff but as we get hand-me-downs I will be taking a bunch off. We are the last of Nick's siblings to have babies and I know of a couple other families out there itching to throw their baby stuff our way. There are a couple of things not on the registry we will be getting from elsewhere like our nursing chair.

How is the spawn doing?

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

13 weeks

Well... no more throwing up this week which is a plus. I still am dealing with nausea and tiredness. It seems like after I eat I always want to take a cat nap.. which turns into 3 hours. Food is still a mysterious puzzle. Can I eat it? Will my body reject it? Will I once more find myself pulling off the road to dispose of a vomit bag? Currently meat has completely left me cold. I am able to eat some chicken but not a lot and not often. Nick is going to be taking me to The Melting Pot for my birthday tomorrow which should be interesting. Usually we do the Big Night Out but this time I think we will be sticking with just a cheese fondue and a desert fondue. (I can't eat large amounts of food)

<-- Pics of us pre Melting Pot More good news- After several days of my nagging Nick for my new camera he gave it to me!!! So expect to start getting pictures of my getting bigger belly and other fun stuff. Thanks to everyone that contributed to the gift. I love it and it will get a lot of use. Also, a few people mentioned that I didn't put in a link to my registry last week. So here it is www.babiesrus.com Do a registry search for my name and it will come up. Other than that... this has not been a very exciting week.

Here is the Spawn update:

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

14 weeks

I am exhausted... My little spawn has started a trend waking me up in the early hours for food. I figure that this is just training me for the late night baby feedings but it is rather annoying. The night before last I got about 4 hours of sleep, last night I got about 5 (granted I was up late cleaning the house with Nick). I pretty much want to lay my head down on my desk right now and not open my eyes. I doesn't help that it has been completely crazy at work.

Nick and I got some of our baby furniture painted and befor I get yelled at we were in a very ventilated place, the masks we are wearing was specifically made to keep out all paint oders and dust. No fetuses were harmed in the painting of our furniture.
I would write more but I just don't have the brain power.

Here is the baby update:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Week 15

Exciting news this week-
1. Nick and I got to hear our little spawn's heartbeat. 2. I started feeling the little bugger moving around a little.
I have traded in the feeling of complete nausea for just an upset stomach all the time. Emotional? Yes. You can now find me crying due to commercials, not having milk..... just because. Still not really into food but the spawn has allowed me to have some larger meals. Evidently my little 1/4 Sicilian likes Italian food.

We have another appointment next month on the 17th and then we get our first ultrasound on the 18th. If things go well we may be able to give the spawn a name. I would write more but I am exhausted. We went to the Tiger's game last night and a certain cat decided that I needed to wake up at 5:20am this morning. My ability to be whitty and entertaining is nil.

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

16 weeks

Four months gone... only 5 more to go.

According to my friend Susie this is Nipple Appreciation Week and since it is her wedding week I figure she can declare whatever she wants. Incidentally (warning there may be a little too much information for sensitive people that do not wants to think of me as having nipples) with the increase in hormones I have made a crazy discovery. I have always had this weird spot on my torso which has in the last developed into a mini nipple. How insane is that? Upon sharing my new discovery Sean showed me his, evidently it is hereditary. The spawn might be born with a third nipple. This will only add to the horns and tail.

Nausea is once more decreasing (with the exception of if I don't eat regularly) but my upset stomach remains. Nick was very sweet and picked me up some Kroger brand stomach settling liquid that works somewhat well but tastes worse than it sounds.

Sleep has not been always easy this last week. Last night I was tossing and turning like crazy for no good reason. A nice little bonus happened when I ate for the first time and my stomach decided to declare war. It was telling me "You know I didn't get sleep last night... what makes you think I can digest things?"

With the wedding and people in from out of town it shall be a challenge to stay awake and still be lively. Tonight I work until 11pm, tomorrow bach party, Friday work until 11pm and wedding on Saturday. Thank goodness for beach time starting on Sunday.

Baby update:

How your baby's growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Week 17

Cramps!!!!

This past week has been exhausting. We have had people from out of town, a wedding and a camping trip followed by a party at my house. I quite frankly feel completely broken at this point. Lucky for me I get to go home and immediately fall into my bed and not get up until tomorrow. How did the little Spawn handle the crazy? Crampy... very crampy. The ligaments at the bottom of my stomach are stretching out because I am starting to really pop and boy can I feel it. The wedding was amazing but I was grimacing between pictures as my stomach protested standing.

Nothing really planned for the next few days but recovery. Sleep, sleep and more sleep. We are scheduled to meet up with the Midwife August 17th and then we have our first ultrasound on the 18th. If the kid isn't too shy we maybe able to figure out that we are having.

Here is the Spawn update:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Until next week

Week 18

Hello again all,

Last week was crazy but we finally have a nice clean house void of all people. We love our friends but we were glad to see them all go. It took two different washings to get all the mud out of our laundry room and I still want to do it again. Perhaps this is part of the "nesting" but I doubt it- It would have driven me crazy regardless.

This week the kid has been moving around like crazy. Unfortunately there isn't a whole lot you can feel from the outside but definitely dancing on the inside. We discovered that the spawn is a fan of loud music. Nick and I attended a concert and it was moving the entire time. I think it liked the noise and the vibration.

My work finally gave me a new uniform this week. I am looking like a kid that got into my dad's closet. The shirt is huge! I am wearing a large white moo-moo with an elastic waisted blue skirt (25% made out of recycled bottles)

The kid:

How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Keep a watch out for my email next week. We will hopef ully be announcing the sex of the baby.

18 weeks Again!

Hello family and friends,

Yesterday Nick and I went in for our first ultrasound. We are officially having a little boy named Jude Oliver! Nick and I are super excited. Evidently he had a feeling it would be a boy but I had no idea. Our little guy was punching and kicking up a storm- he is definitely going to be an active kid. Fun fact- Jude means "Praise" and Oliver means "Elf Army." (German- Elf Army, English- Olive Tree... we are so going with the German) So Praise of the Elf Army.. Our kid didn't have a chance.

Considering the kind of kids that Nick and I were... we are pretty much screwed. I didn't talk and got into everything and disappeared regularly. I was notorious for breaking Yvonne and Genevieve's toys and getting into things I was not suppose to. I nearly drowned numerous times and had my stomach pumped at 2 and was found on the rail road tracks as a toddler... so I was a challenge.

Nick had fun skipping school, throwing/launching fruit at cars and I am sure a number of other things that he has not shared. (Any Klaver famil y members that want to tell stories of Nick's past indiscretions my ears are open. I consider this research. Humenays- feel free to tell Nick horror stories.)

As you can see I am once again in my 18th week. They determined a new due date around January 20th based on this kid's size.

News from the ultra sound- Now we are getting technical. My placenta is down low towards my cervix. They say that 90% of the time as my womb grows this will recede up and not block my cervix but if I fall in the 10% then I will have to have a C-section. Also, our little guy had ~4mm of urine in his kidneys. Evidently it is common for boys to hold onto liquid more than girls. If he had any less then 4mm he would be in the clear but because he was on the cusp they want to take an extra look at 32 weeks. They said that again 90% of the time this is no big deal and it will right itself. If Jude falls into the 10% that does not fix itself than he may be prone to UTI's and in extreme cases after birth they would have to do surgery to make sure the tubes leaving from the kidneys are working properly.

So.. pretty much Nick and I get to ge t to see our kid again at 32 weeks- DARN!

Our scanner has not been working for whatever reason. I am going to have Sean look at it this week so I can get my ultrasound pictures in the computer and attached to the next email. Yvonne is also demanding more pictures of pregnant me. I will see what I can accomplish and get them next week.

FROM DADDY:

Well, Daddy is just beside himself. I cannot believe what a great jolt it was to the system to see our baby boy just hanging out on TV, not to mention jumping around like a maniac. I enjoyed him smacking at Mommy's stomach as if to say "enough of this one bedroom apartment crap!" It's true we are in for quite a ride. I 'm all about praising The Elf Army, and The Olive Tree. As if our "Lord of the Rings" marathons were not going to geek out this kid enough. Mommy is happily asleep while I type this, getting a well deserved rest. We celebrated the occasion by eating greasy subs, buying a record player (Jude will first hear The Beatles on vinyl as I did), pounding through a bottle o f Champagne and seeing "Funny People", which was pretty good. Just kidding about that 3rd one, making sure you were paying attention. Here is the latest update:

Head to rump, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and weighs almost 7 ounces. He's b usy flexing his arms and legs — move ments that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. If you're having a girl, her ute rus a nd fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, although he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

(Just for the record, Jude did not hide the goods. There was no doubt as to the sex. The baby mailer has mentioned a return to Vanessa's appetite and more to the point an increase in specific cravings. This has been entertaining. The other day we visited the same Sushi spot, twice! I'm enjoying her turn towards Oriental cuisine this week quiet a bit!)

Week 19

Sleeping..

I have been having difficulty doing this since becoming preggers. I have always been a stomach sleeper and not I am being forced to sleep on my side. If I sleep on my left side then my arm falls asleep if I sleep on my right than my hip goes out of joint. Throughout the entire evening I am turning cons tantly between the two sides. Last night whenever I turned over the newly exposed side was instantly freezing but if I threw on the blanket than I got over heated within minutes. Lose-lose situation . The sheet is too thin and my blanket too thick. The only blanket that is perfectly thick/thin enough is my blankie from my childhood. In order to use this magical tool I have to wait until after Nick is asleep because he hates this blanket with a passion. (Nick has a strange aversion to anything with holes.) I think I am going to have go blanket shopping.

In celebration of the naming of t he Spawn, Nick and I got ourselves a new record player! Nick has a rather modest collection of records and sadly many of them have been scratched. We will be able to play Beatles for Jude off of vinel which is a plus. If anyone has some records that are just taking up space feel free to send them our way. I promise they will be well loved and used often! I have attached a pic of our record player.

Baby UPDATE:

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 oun ces, and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — abo ut the size of a large heirloom tomato. The hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, taking to him, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Week 20

Tomorrow I will be traveling all day and will not have the ability to send out any emails so I am sending this a day early. I know that I am going to get lectures from various individuals about "taking it easy" after sending this email. Just be sure that I am not killing myself or my baby and that I will be able to get my crib and hopefully my nursing chair in a couple of weeks as a result of my crazy week. Your concern has been noted even before you gave it and therefore I do not need various phone calls/emails.

So this last week has been completely wonderful and completely exhausting at the same time. Yvonne and Andy brought Olivia up t o visit this past weekend. Unfortunately I was not able to take the time off work just to visit so it was brief each day but quality. It was great seeing Olivia now that she is literally twice the size that she was from the last time I saw her. It is really wonderful to see her smiling and giggling .

Tomo rrow Genevieve and I leave to do massages for the Dalmac Bike Tour. It shall be interesting to try and give massages while preggers but I am sure I will do fine. We will be traveling all the way up to Pellston MI an d back down early Sunday morning just in time for me to catch my 12:30-9pm shift at the hospital. I am looking forward to next Monday when I finally get a day of rest. Counting the Dalmac (which is crazy amounts of work) I will have worked 12 days in a row. My plan Monday is just to spend the day in bed resting. Luckily I get Mon-Wed off. Nick and I will be celebrating our 3rd wedding anniv. on Wednesday.

That is all the news that really isn't news.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounc es now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long fro m head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — th e length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up agai nst his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, a nd you'll s ee it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Usually I hate bananas, but I don't mind this one.

Week 21

So yesterday was Nick and my 3rd wedding anniversary. We had a very low key day which was wonderful. We stopped by Ikea in th e morning and got ourselves some dishes along with dishes for Jude and a rug for his room. We then headed out to one of our favorite Italian Restaurants for lunch followed by a nap. Upon waking we headed over to Cold Stone for some ice cream (It was kind of funny because we sat on one bench outside the pallor and another preggo sat on the other bench with her husband. It was a preggers stake out.) and then had a bon fire just the two of us.

Gen and I did successfully live through working the Dalmac Bike Tour. It was the most exercise that I have had on over 4 months. We were crazy busy every day. I came home exhausted and sore but the only thing I really suffered from was swollen ankles which has since gone away. I should be receiving my $ from there sometime soon which means we will be getting our crib and nursing chair which will complete the furniture portion of our baby room.

This past week has been the first week where it feels like the re is something inside my abdomen that does not belong. The last few weeks I have have the flutters but now if I bend certain ways I can feel myself squishing the kid which is weird. He has definitely been incredibly active in there. No straight out kicks but those should be coming soon. I can wait until it becomes easy t o feel him on the outside as we ll as the inside.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledge d kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

Week 22

I would like to preface this email by saying I have been nothing but sweet and kind to little Jude Oliver. I went grocery shopping and have made wonderful balanced suppers the last two days. I walked a mile both of my days off and I even did pregnancy yoga yesterday. (I am not flexible but I worked through it despite wanting to strangle the hippee-dippy lady doing the online class. "Breath through your heart. .. You are doing this with your baby...")

How did my little Spawn repay me? He learned a Magic Trick!!- Mind control

Last night my little guy learned that if h e presses on my bladder in just a certain way I will have on overwhelming need to pee. After rushing to the bathroom I was rewarded with.... a trickle! Nothing substantial.. no relief. Every 20 minutes this was repeated- Lay down, get up.. trickle.. lay down, get up... drip drip.. Finally around 2ish I got pee with substance which lasted me almost 2 hours. After that the routine was the same but the time intervals were spread out. Who needs REM sleep? Evidently not me.

How your baby's growing:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His li ps, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth bu ds bene ath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you c ould see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a paddi ng of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily

Week 23

As you can see by the pictures Nick and I got our crib this past week. We spent an evening putting it together and now our nursery is starting to all come together. We just have one more piece of furnture to get (our rocking chair) and we should be all set. We still have to pick up the mattress for the crib but I did include the fabulous picture of the Return of the Jedi sheet that Nick just recently got back from storage in Mike Gusway's attic.

We had another Midwife visit this past week. Nothing new to report there. The kid was once more doing flip flops making it difficult for her to get a constant heart beat but he seems to be doing fine. My next visit I get to have my sugar to lerance tested by chugging this lovely substance called Glucola. Nick and I are tempted each time we open the fridge door to drink this lovely orange liquid but so far we have been able to resist the temptation.

Despite what my baby update says my added chubb does not allow you to see the movements of Jude Oliver throgh my clothes. I can definitely feel him moving around on the inside but he is still difficult to feel on the outside.

How your baby's growing:

Turn on the radio and sway t o the m us ic. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when she hears them outside the womb

Week 24

Hello all,

The days are quickly getting shorter and so is my time being preggers. 42-24= ~18weeks left. Umm... crazy!

Today after watching poor Nick deal with food poisoning (hopefully) all last night, I am not very peppy. In fact we are down right sleepy. Our little man is jumping like crazy this past week. In fact during his bigger movements I think you might be able to feel him through my pudge.

This week we celebrated Nick's 35th on Monday. When Nick and I first discussed the possibility of having children he said he wanted to have them by the time he was 35. Looks like we hit it right on the mark.

Nothing else really to report.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Week 25

This week has been a toughy. Yesterday morning Nick and I took Uchi in to be euthanized. It was very peaceful but also really hard. We buried her in the backyard (The root system back there from out trees did not make this an easy task.) and next spring plan on planting something there in her honor- maybe a Lilac Tree. It was a strange day yesterday with her not being around. It made watching the Tigers lose last night that much more painful.

Better news-

Our kid is now large enough to feel from the outside of my belly. His strength and size has overcome my gerth. Not all his movements are felt by outsiders but certainly his big moves are. I have certainly been feeling a difference as far as my breathing and energy levels. I definitely need to get in the gym more often then I have been, walking up a hill leaves me winded. It is like I have moved back to CO and am living at 9000 ft. I can't wait to hit the gym after this kid is born. I a m developing old lady legs- dimbles and all. I am going to have to run another marathon to get them back into shape.

This upcoming weekend Nick and I are excited about going down to OH to see my niece baby Olivia's baptism. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

BABY UPDATE:Head to hee ls, your baby now measures about 13 1/ 2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Week 26

Hey family & friends. This is actually Nick sending out the update in place of my sick lady. She is down with some rough sinus issues, a nasty cold. This week has been full of planning, planning and more planning. We set up all of our various appointments for the next few months last week. Working out appointment time with a full time musician and an employee of U of M Hospital = tricky. We have to learn how to work this now with a few months to plan for little Jude Oliver. We are exploring many options for day care down the road so that will help. The weekend brought us into Ohio for Olivia's baptism, which she handled like a pro. Vanessa has posted pics on her many online photo sites. She is still the most easy going baby ever, and we are hoping for similar luck. We had a rare chance to see Vanessa's Mom, and it was a great gathering of family and friends. The invites and arrangements for our Shower and Jude Oliver Bash have been cemented, which is exciting (thanks Yvonne!)

Monday we started making actual labor and delivery plans with our midwife, who is a very funny lady. Then we met the rest of the U of M midwifes later on that night. Instead of doing the official tour of the hospital Vanessa gave me the detailed tour her self. She knows every detail of that place of course. If she goes into labor while she's at work (which would be super convenient obviously) I now know the direct paths to get to find her in the Birthing Wing. It's very cool to now get into the logistics of what kind of labor and delivery experience she wants. Yesterday, we framed artwork from John Lennon's collection of animal drawings for Sean Lennon and placed them in various spots on Jude Oliver's wall. Our nursery is nearly complete, just a chair and many more diapers and clothes remain. We both frequently open the door to the nursery (closed from the kitties) just to enjoy the cozy room and anticipate our baby boy. The kicking has gone next level but I sadly have not felt it yet. I am patiently waiting to surprise the little man because when I get near he stops kicking immediately. Vanessa says it's my calming influence. That's why I love her. It was fun to do a guest update. Back to our original programming and hopefully a healthier wife for Week 27.

Week 27

Hello family members and friends,

I am thinking that I should have Nick do the baby updates more often because last week his was excellent. Unfortunately he is home sick today with the same cold I am also recovering from. (I'm at about 80-85%)

So...

Last week I had the lovely experience of drinking GLUCOLA. This yummy liquid substance is like Ovaltine, Tang and Country Time all rolled into one. It supposedly had carbonation but really there was nothing but a slight burning sensation as it went down. So, all those ladies out there that have had this lovely test know that it is timed. You have to fast prior to the test and then get your blood drawn an hour after drinking the stuff. My midwife failed to mention to Nick and myself that we should stop at the lab prior to our appointment for the draw. We had no order or anything so we assumed they would take the blood in our appointment. Silly us, we missed the window of opportunity because they were late calling us back into the room. This of course means that I got to drink the stuff AGAIN!!!!! Yippy for me. This morning I got up this morning and once more gagged the liquid down. I drove all the way to Canton and got there just in time for them to take my blood. I got to the lab window and told the woman what I needed and she gave me this deer in the headlight look and said, "You are suppose to be here 15 min before the draw is needed so we have time to order it." I nearly reached through the window and punched her. Luckily there were able to get me back right away after I explained it should already be in their system. The communication has been awful.

Nick and I have been receiving complaints from various friends and family about not having enough stuff on our baby regi stry at Baby R' U S. We have been getting a lot of second hand stuff from various people and have been taking things off our list as we received them. So we went back and registered for more stuff that we may need and things that we just want. For ex ample, Nick discovered the Bat Cave http://www.toysrus.com/prod uct/index.jsp?productId=3028948&fromRegistryNumber= 90665525&product_skn=975608 and immidiately gunned it. Nick was adorable on the way home making comments like, "Baby stuff is just so cute!" Anyone wanting to see the various things we have registered for put in this link www.babiesrus.com and look up our last name Humenay-Klaver and we will come up.

Also, anyone who has received an invite to my shower on Nov 8th please make sure to RVSP to my sister Yvonne. She needs a n accurate head count and few people have responded. Her number is 703-585-3743.

Last but not least, Nick finally got to feel our little martial arts expert/soccer player! Two nights ago he got a few good kicks and this morning he got to feel the little monster in his element while exercising in his personal dojo. The kid is getting huge so pretty much anyone could feel him at this point the groping from various strangers has begun.

That is all

How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby weighs al most 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extend ed. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even su cking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now . While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just rel ax and enjoy the tickle.

Week 28

Does one get the H1N1 vaccine or no? Last week they started offering the H1N1 vaccine to healthcare workers who are high risk. I had that horrible cold last week so I was not able to get in line to get it. There is a lot of stuff online telling you to get it and not to get it. I have decided after much deliberation to get it. I just received an email from the big wigs here at the hospital that they are going to be opening a Urgent Care for children showing symptoms of H1N1 from 6-10pm in a clinic that just happens to be 100ft from my desk. According to the CDC and other sights I am at higher risk of getting the virus the further along in my pregnancy because my immune system is weakened so I don't reject the baby. AWESOME! In fact my immune system was "taken over" by the fetus at week 20. So tomorrow I will be heading into Employee Health and hoping that the vaccine doesn't completely screw up my kid for the rest of his life. If I did not work in an area where sickly kids are going to be passing me by regularly I don't think I would get it but I feel like my hands are tied.

This week Nick and I have been trying to take it easy but we are also starting to get anxiety about things. We still don't have a plan post baby for baby care. He talked to a lady that runs a home school program thinking she might know someone who works out of their house that would be interested but we didn't like what she had to say. Evidently I should quite my job and be a full time mother because people should only reproduce if they are willing to ma ke the sacrifice and not have strangers look after their children. Considering that Nick and I would only need someone less then 20 hours a week I don't feel like we are having some one else raise our kid. If anyone has suggestions or knows of someone in the Novi, Berkley area that works out of their home and would love to watch an adorable infant please pass it along. Otherwise I think we will adopt wolves to watch baby Jude Oliver while we are gone.

I have also been thinking more and more about school. I work with several people going through nursing school right now and it would be impossible for me to do nursing school while working and raising an infant. So what is the next step? I am considering getting training to be a paramedic. There is a program at Schoolcraft College which is right down the street from us that is 10 credit ho urs a semester. It is two years but it would get me medi cal training and experience so that when I am able to go to nursing school I have a better foundation. It will also make me more viable when I am looking for a job. I would get my initial certification for a EMT in 6 months but I think I would go the full two years until I was a full paramedic.

I'm thinking that all those ladies out there that say they "love being pregnant" need to get their mental status checked. It is exciting feeling the baby kicking- yes, is it fun planning the baby room and shoping for clothes- yes. The things that I hate- Stretch marks. I have a belly full of them. I religiously rub oil on them every day, and lotions and creams but I am going to just have to live with them. Until this week it at least was not uncomfortable but starting last night they were stretching like crazy and itching. You can actually lightly touch the skin and feel the heat and the skin puckering. After I pop this puppy out I am going to looking like a deflated balloon. Not that you would ever catch me in a bikini again, but definitely they are not out of the question. I also hate feeling tired. Nick and I went for a hike this past Monday which was wonderful but I was ready to be carried after the first mile. Going up a flight of stairs is hard. This is crazy. I also hate being told I shouldn't or can't do things. It is when you are told you can't do things that you feel as though you must do things. I am not in infirm, I am not broken. I can lift things over 5lbs. In fact I lift more than that and do regularly when I go grocery shopping. My boss questioned my ability to walk over a car to a different area of the hospital. I understand maybe if the cart weighed 50lbs or more but it weighted less than 10 lbs and was on wheels.

Anyway, baby report:

How your baby's growing:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.Evidently he reflexively turns toward the light that he sees filtering into the womb. http://www.cherrygal.co m /images/ChineseCabbage.jpg Chinese Cabbage

Week 29

I know that pregnant women are not suppose to be graceful but damn does my belly get in the way. I have now taken to wearing a paper towel bib while I eat because I have stained every single work shirt that I own. As an adult I have not had any eating difficulties but now that my stomach puts such distance between my mouth and the table I keep dropping things on myself. Pregnant ladies should not be required to wear large tent-sized white shirts at work.

Other fun stuff- My first baby shower is this weekend!!! I am getting rather excited. It sounds like I am going to get to see a lot of people that I have not seen in forever. I have become quite the hermit these days and it seems like my friends also have difficulty getting out of their caves.

Nick and I have another Midwife appointment this up coming Monday and after th at we will be going every two weeks until th e kid comes. We are getting to the home stretch, only three more months. Nick and I will be heading to Art Van on Black Friday to pick up our nursing chair and with that we should be complete.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitam ins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Last week's picture was ve ry helpful s here is an image for this week:

http://www.kumah.org/uploaded_images/squash-749751.jpg

Week 30

Goodness gracious... time is flying by. Nick and I are less then 3 months away from being parents.

This past weekend Nick and I go t to celebrate our first baby shower with friends and family. It was a fantastic time filled with some people I have not seen in literally years. There are some photos from the shower if you care to see them on both my shutterfly account (www.octopusami.shutterfly.com) and my father's sight (www.ehumenay.shutterfly.com). I have also put additional pictures of the nursery on my sight. We were able to not only fill Jude Oliver's book shelf with every one's wonderful books (amazingly we did not get any doubles) but also with the gift certificates we purchased the mattress for his crib and additional monetary gifts covered most of the cost of the nursing chair.

We were originally going to wait until Black Friday to go into Art Van to get our chair but decided that we would rather spend a little extra cash for less hassle. It turned out to be a pretty good idea because not only was the chair on sale but they also paid our sales tax. This is the same chair that both my sister Yvonne and her sister-in-law purchased for their nurseries and it is amazing. Last night I took a nice hour nap in it.. it was glorious.

It was kind of entertaining going into Baby' R Us to get our mattress. There are located at the back of the store and we had to walk through the clothing section to get there. Immediately this little grey hat similar to this htt p://www.angryyoungandpoor.com/store/pc/catalog/thumbs/hats/9007hat.jpg made for a newborn jumped out at me. I had to get it. Than we found just a little red knit hat and mittens (They were on sale and he is going to be born in January so we couldn't resist). On the way back through the clothes with our mattress Nick's eye was grabbed by this little striped hooded sweater which again turned into another purchase. Buying clothes for babies is a sick addiction. Our littl e guy is going to be so cool .

Our midwife appointment went well. I have been dealing with a fun rash called PUPPPS which I will not place a link to because it is unpleasant. I had a mild case but I ordered this horrible smelling soap called Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap that was recommended by several baby sights and it seems to be working. I had to place the actual soap inside a plastic bag because it made my bathroom smell like three day old camp fire. We are now going to be going to a midwife appointment every two wee ks and at our next appointment we will be scheduling or next ultrasound.

Week 31

I have 6-11weeks left!

Nick and I are definetly getting down to crunch time. Last night I posted baby sign language flash cards all over the house so that Nick and I can learn it and teach it to Jude Oliver. Nick is not a big fan of the lady on the flashcards so maybe it will modivate him to learn faster. I also have a book arriving sometime this week giving us information on the Bradley Method. Nick is starting to freak out a little bit because he is now starting to realize just home much pain I am going to have to endure to get this kid out. Last night he was snuggled up in our nursing chair reading the Labor and Delivery portion of "What to expect when you are expecting." I have moved onto "What to expect the first year." He got a kick out of the section 'Dads are expecting too' they had a couple questions in there like "I saw my kid come through my wife's vagina and now I have no desire to go anywhere near it." Nick's response "What a douch canoe!"

Still working on the day care situation but I just got a great lead today and hopefully we will have that all sewn up here in the next few weeks.

No braxton hicks yet for me. I've had a couple charlie horses threaten to start but so far I have been able to get them before they truly start. Sleeping is still becoming more combersome but that is to be expected.

How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

I could post a p icture of 4 navel oranges but I thought this one was entertaining http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2350970/posts

Week 32

8 months!!! The end of the tunnel is getting near. Newest development- Cankles. I have been getting edema (swelling) at work because I am constantly in a sitting position at work. On my breaks I have been putting my feet up and I have been going home and also putting my feet up. It goes away pretty quickly but I had to buy new shoes for work to accommodate my huge feet. I'm hoping that my actual shoe size will not change in these last two months because I would hate to buy all new shoes and there is just no cute shoes that are size 11.

The holidays are upon us and Nick and I are gearing up for the crazy. My job does not really allow a lot of flexiblity. (I'm working Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. The only reason I have Christmas Day off is because one of my co-workers wants to work it.) The good news about working the holidays is that I am going to be able to convert all that Holiday Pay into Paid Time Off (ie Vacation time) which I can use once the kid is born.

How your baby's growing:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

http://assets.babycenter.com/ims/2007/10oct/20071004/32-jicama.jpg this is a Jicama- No idea... I have never actually seen or used one of these things.

http://www.fishe rie s.org/units/AFSmon tana/SSCimages/Pictures/Shortnose%20gar.jpg Here is something else that is 3.75 lbs. There is a possibility that my kid will look like this.

Here is supposedly how he looks right now http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-32-weeks

Week 33

This weekend brought us the annual friend's Thanks giving party. We hosted again this year and let me tell you there are definite benefits to being preggers. While the party was coming to a close around 2:00 a.m. I put on my apron and started getting all the dishes stacked to be washed. (I had no intention of waking up to a destroyed kitchen.) I got about two dishes done before I was promptly kicked out of the kitchen. The picture I attached is of Ben, Echoe and Christine who stepped in an did the dishes. They were all about to leave and put off their plans until after the

dishes were done.

I spent my "weekend" nesting and cleaning. Monday:I washed the kitchen floor (unlike last time I did not get on my hands and knees but rather used a mop and ammonia water.) vacuumed and washed all my 0-3 month baby clothes. Tuesday: I organized the entire garage. The next move is to officially clean the rugs. We have had a couple of parties and even though I have vacuumed I would not want my kid or any other kid crawling on the floors.

As expected I have been reading up on babies and what I could possibly look forward to. It is rather entertaining because every book warns me the my kid is not going to be cute right after birth. He is going to be cone-shaped with baby acne and smashed. My niece Olivia was adorable post birth but she definitely look different even two weeks later. Even my baby update this week mentions the cone head.

How your baby's growing:

This week your baby weighs a littl e over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a c onehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childho od.

Week 34

Nick and I had two visits this week. We met with our Midwife on Monday morning and had our last ultrasound on Tuesday morning. We are starting the process of tryin g to figure out who our pediatrician is goi ng to be (Our midwife made a suggestion and I liked an additional lady in the packet that we were given so we will probably meet both.) as well as setting up interviews for our nanny position. (Nick has been looking over inquiries we have received and will be starting to schedule interviews soon. This of course is made difficult because of the holidays but we will get it done.)

Awesome things we learned from our ultrasound:

1. The baby in "How your baby's growing" is going to be a weakling compared to our kid. At 34 weeks Jude Oliver is (approx.) 5 lbs 9 oz putting him in the 75 pe rcentile. He still has about 6 weeks to incubate so he is going to be probably larger than the 7 lbs 2 oz that both I and my niece Olivia weighed at birth.

Here is a baby that weighed 5 lbs 9 oz http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZuO4_9T0r30/SsF9a1iuHxI/AAAAAAAAAmo/pmlRyLUD57w/s320/Mommy+and+Baby+Luke%27s+Ist+pic.jpg

And yes... I will look that good post birth of my child.

2. Our kid has hair! Now the question is what color? I of course had dark hair but Nick used to be a blond.

3. I have been given the go ahead to try a vaginal birth. During the last ultrasound the placenta was too close to my cervix. If it had not moved I would have had to go with a c-section.

4. Jude Oliver is 99% viable if I were to go into labor today.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about 4 3 /4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that b abies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health proble ms generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Week 35

Leg cramp and diaper bags ...

This past week I woke up with my first massive leg cramp in my left leg. I think I scared the crap out of Nick as I shot up grabbing my leg yelling and moaning. I haven't had one this bad since I was a teenager. I jumped off the bed and immediately attempted to stretch it out but it lasted a good 15-25 seconds which is an eternity. From what I have read this may have been from the milk shake I had the night before- extra Phosphorus combined with Calcium.

My work threw me a baby shower this past Wednesday which brought us even closer to being ready for Jude Oliver. We got our highchair and money toward our toy chest. We are waiting until after our last baby shower/party Dec 19th before we go shopping for the rest of the stuff we need. From what I can tell we really are missing just a few essentials because everyone has been very generous and amazing. (Jude Oliver is going to be better dressed than both Nick and I combined. )

Nick and I did some fun baby preparing stuff this week. We each packed our diaper bags together which was both fun and interesting. (diapers, wipes, clothes, blanket, toys burp cloths etc.) It will be a work in progress as we figure out exactly what we will need and not what a book recommends.

We also attempted to put toget her our bag for the hospital- Pjs for both Nick and myself (both long pants and shorts for me because I get hot at night) clothes to go home in, toiletries, playing cards, books, baby nail clips, disposable undies, nursing pads, massage oil, warms clothes for baby to go home in, baby hat, gloves and a pillow for me. Any suggestions other from the mothers out there would be w elcome. We are waiting until after Christmas to pack the camera.

Nick got our tree this week whic h is a beautiful spruce. I have Christmas tree ornaments from my childhood which we are using to decorate the tree along with some colorful bulbs Nick bought me a couple years

ago. Growing up we got a new ornament every year which is a tradition I hope to keep up with my kids. Sadly Nick does not have any so we need to start building his collection up. (He has no idea where the ones he had as a kid ended up.)

Our goals this up coming week:

1. Fill out our birthing plan- I know this is pretty much unnecessary since it goes right out the window when you actually go into labor but it is good to have a basic guide.

2. Fill out our life insurance paperwork.

3. Sign up for an infant CPR class. (The city of Novi offers CPR classes to Novi residents. Not sure if it is free but there is no fee on the web sight.)

4. Figure out the car seat and get that installed in Nick's van.

<--Darth Santa... one of Nick's new ornaments

How your baby's growing:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing so mersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

As before noted my kid is actually larger than the fictional baby in these little blurbs. We may have to come up with a good nickname for him. We already know a children that we refer to as "The Tank," The Cannonball" and also "The Torpedo."

Week 36

Well folks we are chugging along. It has been a truly crazy week. Not only did Nick have his last performance with 'Reggie Smith and the Afterparty', but we also had Jude Bash. Thank goodness Jude Oliver has been training me these last few months on how to function with no sleep.

The Kuhnnan's show was full of good people and a lot of energy. Nick has been playing with Reggie in one form or another for the last 8 years. Nick's musical interests have expanded over the last few years and he wants to take a little time off before starting a whole new band going in a new direction. We are both very excited about this prospect. Hopefully the birth of his first kid will get the gears kicking and he will write some new originals. (As long as he doesn't turn into some cheesy Paul McCartney post John... that would be no good)

As for Jude Bash- despite the terrible weather we did have a pretty decent turn out. There is just no way to predict how the weather is going to be in December. We had several waves at the party. The first wave consisted of people with small children. This was great because they were able to take all of Jude Oliver's toys out and try them out. My nieces Sophie, Zoe and Quinn all were very helpful when it came to unwrapping presents. Quinn is currently being taught how to sew and made an adorable blanket for Jude. I do have a few friends that were thinking or even currently trying to have kids and for some of them the stimulus of having all those kids about (Sophie, Zoe, Quinn, Addison, and Maxine) made them all have second thoughts :) I'm sure they will get over it- especially when they meet my kid.

We did not get all the things off our list from last week but we did make progress. Nick has started setting up interviews for after Christmas. After the holidays we should be progressing a lot more. We are setting up preggo pictures of me and Nick with our friend Ian the first week or so on January and will eventually post those on our shutterfly account. I wanted to post some pictures from Jude Bash but for some reason my computer was being difficult this morning so I will attempt to send those out with the next email update.

This weekend my sister Yvonne and her husband Andy will be bringing my adorable niece to visit. See attached photo. She is getting so big and is just so full of joy. Everytime I see her she is giggling and evidently she has learned to clap and is doing it all the time. She will be our guinea pig trying out Jud e Oliver's nursery.

Here is the update:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs alm ost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) (Here is something else that weighs 6 pounds http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/images22 / YoranianYorkiePomMix10monthsold6poundsYoshi8.jpg) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's she dding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected him skin during her 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 his first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 4 2 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 he'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulatin g his from the outside of your belly.

See what your baby looks like this week.
Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of you r baby's develop ment.

How your life's changing:

Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more fre quent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly un comfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pr essure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bo wling ball between their legs!

Has the lightning happened to me yet? Somewhat, yes. He likes to go down and then back up. He is already turned down and has been for the last few weeks. Definitely pushing on my pelvic floor muscles and perineum. I never stopped peeing like crazy so I have not seen an increase. We have started a pool to see who gets closest to when he shows up. Yvonne thinks he is going to be early and Genevieve says late. We shall see!

Week 37

Full term!!!!!
This last week has been pretty busy. We had a wonderful Christmas with family. Nick, myself, Yvonne, Andy and Olivia all went on a field trip to Babies'R Us and got a lot of the stuff Jude Oliver still needed and now if he were to come tomorrow we would be pretty much prepared. Nick and I signed up for a short demonstration next week in how to install our car seat properly which will be after my OB appointment next Monday. We also started the interviewing process for nannies!!! We met with three this week one of which we both really liked. We have a couple more we are meeting with next week. Hopefully we will have this taken care of pretty quickly.

Also, I started going to the pool this week at my local gym. (It is suppose to help with edema) While my edema is not gone I have been getting more exercise which is great. I am actually a little sore today. Don't worry I am not doing anything strenuous. I did about 6 laps yesterday followed by lunges and kicking against the wall while in the leisure pool.

We also got pictures taken by our friend Ian. I posted them at octopusami.shutterfly.com My favorite one is attached. I know that there are some out there that just wanted pictures of me... but I hate taking pictures. There are a few of just me but to tell you the truth Ian was just playing around with the lighting and had me sit in the chair. It shows all my 11 chins.

How your baby's growing:

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 h eel (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 on ly peach fuzz.

http://www.masdudiable.com/A55C37/mdd.nsf/dx/374-Swiss-Chard-against-gat.jpg/$file/374-Swiss-Chard-against-gat.jpg

here is a baby at 7 lbs... where Jude Oliver is either at or bigger than.. remember he was 5 lbs 9 oz just a few weeks ago. http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2009/01/large_090102_baby.jpg

Here is hoping Jude Oliver is nothing like this http://8.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ksnc10wFoJ1qzflvuo1_400.jpg Those parents should be arrested for child abuse.

Week 38

The waiting game...

We went to my OB appointment this past Monday. Still looking good . My blood pressure is normal even though I am still getting pretty impressive edema in my legs. Nick and I have been going to the pool to try and force the water back into my blood stream. We discovered water weights this last time at the pool which were fun to play with.

Anyway back to the OB- We are currently dilated 1 cm and effaced by 50%. This means a whole lot of nothing because I could stay that way for weeks. I don't think that will be the case. I was up most of the night with Braxton Hicks (which Nick thinks sounds like a boy band.) and I officially lost my mucus plug.

Nanny interviews are still going. We interviewed two more people this week and are setting up more interviews for next week.

That is pretty much it.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and she'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 his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your b aby'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.)

LABOR AND HOSPITAL

As you can imagine things ha ve been a little crazy in our neck of the woods. Here is the run down:

The build up:
Last Monday 011110 little Jude decided to come a little early. I woke up at 2:05am when my water broke. This spontaneously occurs only 10-15% of the time, otherwise your doctor/midwife ruptures it while you are in the delivery room. Lucky for us I woke up instantly and jumped off the bed thus avoiding ruining our very expensive mattress. I called the midwife who told me to stay at home for the next hour to see if I felt any fetal movement because at this point I did not have very strong contractions. After an hour of Jude not moving we called back and were told to go to the hospital so they could do some fetal monitoring. Of course once we got there he decided to get active. We were given the option of going back home but we decided to stay. (both of us not really interesting in making the trip back to Novi) Nick was a trooper. We were both really calm when my water broke. I calmly went into the bathroom to clean up while Nick got out of bed and started getting our things together for the hospital. We had packed a bag and the car seat into Nick's van but that Sunday one of his tires deflate d and the battery went dead. Like a clown car we loaded up into my little Scion and set off. It wa s a good thing that we decided to stay at the hospital because later that morning while I was in labor it started snowing and the roads became rather slick. We had a pretty uneve ntful trip in compared to some.

The labor:
Nick and I had discussed a birth plan before going to the hospital but we didn't really get extensive. I knew that I wanted to try going without the epidural or other pain medication but that Nick was going to be my "go-to- guy" if I decided I needed anything. In the beginning of the labor I was walking around. We took a trip down to the cafeteria so that Nick could get a little bit of food (I was not able to eat anything other than ice chips and water at this time) He felt a little guilty about it until I told him to get over it- he needed to keep up his strength too. Walking was making my contractions come a little more intensely so we headed back to our room. One thing I discovered- I am a moaner/humming/yelling out "ouch" kind of person. Nick and I did not go to any birthing technique classes such as Lamaze or the Bradly Method. By the time we looked int o classes it was too late so we decided to let mother nature take it's course and have the nurses help us. We figured there were billions of babies born before there was Lamaze so we would be able to figure it out. The midwife and nursing staff were great but Nick was the most helpfu l. They put a port in my hand in case I would be in need of an IV during labor but Nick made sure that I was taking a sip of water with every contraction and I ended up not needing one even after 13 hours of labor. He was there to hold my hand, rub my feet or just look at me with his "I'm really sorry you're going through this" face. The build up to pushing took about 10 hours w hich was not fun. I pretty much attempted to sleep in between contractions which sounds insane but I was attempting to conserve my strength.

During the very beginning of my labor we had a knock on the door. U of M is a teaching hospital full of research projects and students. We consented to having a midwife student (who held my legs with Nick while I was delivering Jude) and a research team (two ladies) in the room while giving birth. The ladies doing research on trauma to the pelvic floor muscles during labor. They pretty much starred at my net her regions while I was pushing and then come in the next day to try and watch me do a Kegel exercise. (No easy task post baby... I'm still working on my Kegels.) This was helpful because are most of you know we were in the hospital a lot longer than we expected and we g ot $75 for doing the study which paid for some of our food and my pain medication after I got discharged.

I experienced was is referred to as "front labor" so pretty much my bladder felt like it was being torn from my body with every contraction. I discovered that you do NOT want to change position during a contraction. For the most part the nurses/midwife was pretty hands off especially during the beginning of my pushing. My cervix was dilated to 9.5 and hooked over the baby's head so she didn't want me to push too hard in case I tore. At one point mid-cont raction she attempted to move my cervi x off of the baby's head.... also not fun.
In the movies the whole "pushing" portion of labor takes about 5 seconds. Most women I talked to took 15-45 minutes. I took 2 hours. During my last ultrasound you might recall that Jude's hands were up by his head. He decided that this was how he wanted to be born. Essentially I had to deliver his hands and head at the s ame time (roughly the size of his shoulders) which was no easy task. It was touch and go there for a while. This is where the midwife started to tell me when to push and for how long. There is not much of a learning curve while in labor. It is rather strange trying to figure out just how to move and contract your body while in excruci ating amounts of pai

n. Eventuall y it call came together and the little guy came out at 3:10p.m. He laid on my chest for a little while I delivered the placenta (a much easier task) but was taken to get weighed and have the APGAR taken on the other side of the room (1 minute APGAR was 8, 5 minute APGAR was 9- this is out of a scale of 10.) I was bleeding pretty heavily so the midwife was rushing trying to stem the blood and stitch me up.

Then the troubles began:
Jude was in the birthing canal for a long time and they think he might have swallowed some amniotic fluid into his lungs which caused him to have rapid breathing. As a result I couldn't get him to latch on my breast. (Who wants to eat when you can't breath?) This is when we first meet the pediatrician Dr. Micah Long. He did a once over on Jude and later came back 20 minutes later with about 5 interns to check on his progress. During the 20 minutes Jude's breathing improved significantly so they felt there was no need for an x-ray or other measures. The day progressed and we had various visitors throughout both medical staff and friends and family. I talked to about 3 different lactation consultants because Jude was still not latching and staying latched to my breast. Later that evening I actually used a pump to get out 30 cc's of colostrum. (Know as "liquid gold" this stuff is full of antibodies and other goodness that baby's need. 30 cc's was a rather impressive number- normally you may get a few drips but I am a breast feeding machine.) Also, Jude's color started to get more and more yellow. This is not something that Nick and I noticed but looking at the pictures now you can see his color changing. We were kept over night to monitor Jude's breathing and also his color. Dr. Long put Jude on what is called a Bili-blanket which is a blue glowing slab that you wrap up with the baby. It pretty much made Jude look like a glow worm. After 12 hours the Bili-blanket did not bring Jude's Biliruben down in fact his number w as up to 20 so Dr. Long gave us the bad news that Jude was going to need to stay another night and we were being moved from the birthing/triag area to the 5th floor of Mott which i s your general sick kid floor. (Not sure how all the numbers work with the Biliruben.. all I kno w is that 20 is a significantly high number. Not dangerously high but on the cusp.) Jude was going to be placed under lights with the hopes that his Biliruben numbers would come down.

Another bonus is that I got discharged after the first night but even though Jude did not. As a result I was no longer able to get pain medication from the nurses which is why I did not get any sleep the second night in the hospital. The next day Nick and I went out and got more pain killers which.

The 5th floor...

<--Jude on the 5th floor
I am not saying that the 5th floor was a bad place. They just were not as knowledgeable as they needed to be. Jude was placed in a bed under 2 lights and on a Bili blanket. During my preg nancy Jude made me very hot. Our house stayed a cool 60 degrees while I ran around in shorts and a tank and Nick hoovered under a sweat shirt and long underwear. I hardly ever slept with a blanket. While under the lights Jude kept setting off alarms because he was getting too hot. Instead of figuring out how to keep the lights on him and cool him down his nurses started turning the lights off and pulling them fart her away. Nick and I had no idea because you always trust what the medical staff tells you but this was the wrong thing for them to do. In fact it pretty much it was a waste of time and horrible. Jude got very dehydrated under the lig hts which made it impossible to draw blood which they needed to check his Biliruben levels. He was literally getting poked every couple of hours and they were not able to get a vein and thought that the Biliruben tests they were taking were not accurate because his numbers were not really coming down. Again.. it was horrible.
To top things off we had a room m ate from hell. Jude was sharing the room with this adorable red haired elven girl who was about 18 months old. We gathered that she had a plethora of medical problems and a very young mother. I wanted to drop kick her. She would randomly go smoke a cigarette and not tell the staff where she was going. She turned on the TV to Maury and Jerry Springer (She liked watching Maury Povich because you "got to see the reactions when people were told they were the baby's daddy or not" but liked the fights on Jerry.) The TV stayed on all day until I turned it off at 2:30 a.m. The little girl would burst into tears when ever her mother went away and came back and the woman would not comfort her. She never found a volunteer to stay with her child while she went outside to smoke and the medic al staff was constantly trying to find her to discuss he daughters case. The final draw for me was the next morning when she woke up and the little girl was crying and the mother instead of comforting her said, "baby it is too early, mommy just got up and needs a cigarette." I was very glad to get out of there.
Dr. Long came in early the next morning to check on Jude's progress and was not pleased at all. Jude's number was down from 20 to 19.8. I was in the pumping room at the time so Nick got to see him. Dr. Long was down right pissed. He immediately came in, saw that one of the lights was turned off, that they had n ot secured Jude over the Biliblanket and that Jude was severely dehydrated.
<---Jude in the NICU
It took about 20 minutes before he had us off the 5th floor and in the NICU where his attending Dr. Sarkar took over. Nick's nickname from Dr. Sarkar is 'Dr. Not Fucking Kidding.' He ordered Jude to be placed under 3 lights and on a Biliblanket. We were there when the nurse got the order to put Jude under 3 lights. She was literally checking his vitals when maybe 5 minutes later Dr. NFK came in and berated her for not having a 3rd light. Jude was then placed on an IV. (w hich was put into his scalp because that is the only place they could find a good vein.) After 24 hours under the lights Jude's number went from 19.8 down t o 14. They took one light away and he went ba ck up to 17 (very common to fluctuate) only to go back down to 15.4. After another 12 hours it went down to 12.3 and they took him off the lights. After this his number started going down on its own. This was a very difficult few days because we not only were unable to see his eyes, but we were unable to hold him as well. The good news is that we did get some sleep. My sleep schedule was as follows- Monday night ~2.5 hours, Tuesday ~2 hours, Wednesday 0 hours, Thursday ~2 hours, Friday ~5 hours and Saturday ~5 hours. Nick and I had the option of sleeping in the waiting rooms of the NICU but decided that sleepin

g in our own bed would be far more produ ctive and with Jude in good hands we stumbled home.
<--Seeing Jude's eyes for the first time in a few days because of the lights.

Going home:
Sunday morning we got the good news that we would finally be going home. They felt he would have been ok to go home Saturday night but realized that Jude was going to need a blood draw Sunday and nothing but the ER would be open. To avoid this he stayed the extra night.

Su nday morning came and had one of the quickest discharges in the history of U of M Hospital. Nick and I felt like we were stealing a baby and practically sprinted out of that hospital.

Things have bee n going extremely well since coming home. Jude just lost his umbilical cord today. He is eating like a champ and is back to his birth weight of 8 lbs 4 oz. He is starting to latch better during breast feeding. This morning he actually breast fed for a good 10 minutes this morning (although we also gave him a bottle.)