Duck, Duck, 22 Week Goose

So today I had a parent at school tell me, "It's so nice to see someone as thin as you are, waddle." Ummmm, yeah.

I know she didn't mean anything mean by it but, crap, it pissed me off. I'm waddling because my inner thighs feel like I've been riding a horse for a year and my hips feel like they are being pulled from their sockets.

Then I had another parent comment how I looked the same from the back but once I turned around, whoa! *sigh* People love to make unsolicited comments to pregnant women don't they?

Anyway, here is my 22 week belly shot.



Comparing this shot to my 20 week one I can see how my uterus has moved up. It doesn't feel like anything has moved up though. My little boy is planted firmly on top of my cervix it seems.

What's in a Name?

Alex and I are in the process of nailing down a name. It's not the easiest thing. We had narrowed it down to:

Sébastien Sylvan Wiepke K....
Sébastien Wiepke Sylvan K....
Sebastian Sylvan Wiepke K....
Sebastian Wiepke Sylvan K....

We are wavering between the French spelling and pronunciation and the English. We have been leaning toward the French, but I realize that people may use the other pronunciation anyway.

Sylvanus is my deceased grandfather "Pompy's", middle name. He was the most important man in my life growing up and was so very special to me.

Wiepke is my deceased FIL's name. He was Dutch so that's why the different name.

Out of those we are closing in on using Sébastien Sylvan Wiepke K. Though, Alex is also really getting into the idea of using Sylvanus. So then we have Sébastien Sylvanus Wiepke K.

Arg! Either way, I expect certain members of my family to be rolling their eyes at our choice.

I Felt Him!

Despite my stupid anterior placenta, I know I felt him this morning for sure. Of course I had to lay on my back (something neither of us likes) to do it. I laid there with my hands on my belly and I felt him kick my hands. I felt him do this over a week ago when I did the same thing but I wasn't positive because, how weird is it to feel something on your hands but not your belly? Now I can just hope I feel him normally soon.

Yay, go baby.

Excited for the Future

Last night I was thinking about all the things I can't wait to do with this little boy and decided to make a list. I like lists, what can I say?

- Go to the library every week for a mommy and me reading time.

I love reading and especially loved reading as a kid. I'd go to the library every week, sometimes twice, and would check out tons of books to enjoy. I can't wait to share that with my child.

- Take him to Disneyland

Yeah, this one is going to have to wait awhile which is sad but I do love that place.

- Take him to two of my most favorite places on Earth, Maui and London. Really just travel in general.

I love, love, love to travel and think it is so important for children to go out and see the world. I've always planned on traveling with my child.

- Teach him things.

Literally teach him. As a teacher I've always been so excited at the prospect of being my child's first teacher. Hell, I'd even consider homeschooling. Educational/teacher supply stores practically give me the fits with how many wonderful things there are in them. I can't wait to stock up.

- Take him to art museums and science museums.

I love fine art and think there is no reason kids can't get into it too. We have some kick ass science museums in the Bay Area for when he is older. I loved going to them as a kid and look forward to exploring these with him in the future.

- Go to the symphony.

I had season tickets for a few years as a kid and loved going. DH was also a classical music fan as a kid. I hope we can pass on that trait to our boy.

- Teach him about tolerance, social activism, community involvement, and how to be a global citizen.

What is there to say about this? Yeah, I'd love to do all these things as they are really important to me.

There's many more but these are just some of the most prominent things I'd love to do and can't wait to do.

Our Big Baby Boy

I had my real "big" ultrasound today. I say real since we cheated and went to the 3d place. I almost felt guilty saying yes when the sonographer asked me if I wanted to know the sex. I also had a hard time not refering to the baby as "he" before she told me.

Alex couldn't go so my mom went with me. She loved it although she couldn't figure out what most things were on the screen.

Turns out our baby boy is measuring quite a bit ahead. Seriously MW's office, I know you like to go by LMP but really, I'm right with my ovulation EDD. He's even measuring a week ahead of my O EDD, 21w6d! He is also 15oz.

The sonographer said everything was looking beautiful and said he is perfectly healthy looking. She even complimented his nice round head. LOL I think he's taking after daddy in that regard.

Anyway, he can cool it on the growing thing. Don't grow too fast my baby love. Mama wants to push you out med free.

So without further ado here are a pic from both Thursday's extra ultrasound and today's "big" ultrasound.

Thursday he gave us great profile shots though we missed getting a pic of him drinking some amniotic fluid. That was so stinking cute.



Today he wasn't having any of it in regards to profile pics. This made me very glad we didn't wait until today to find out what he was, especially since I didn't get any pictures of him at all during our NT scan.

These types of pics, and we have quite a few, remind me of the Terminator. Alex agrees. My mom just ooed and ahhed over them thinking they were the cutest ever. Just like a grandma. She even said he looked like a cute Jack Skellington. LOL In this pic he has both of his hands up by his face.



He was pretty active this afternoon but of course I couldn't feel him. I found out the reason why is my placenta is anterior. I'll just have to wait a bit longer before he kicks me good and hard enough so I feel something.

I do have pics of the goods but I'm not going to be the mom that flashes my son's junk on the internet. He can choose to do that later in life.

And for all those belly stalkers, here is my 20w pic (better late than never) and an actual fully clothed shot my mom took of me after a tiring day at work at 20 weeks exactly because she's good like that.

My Husband Really Loves Me

I have to brag on my husband for a moment.

At our valentine's day dinner he gave me the most awesome present. He's sending me and Megan (MayT) to Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa in Sausilito for a long spa weekend. It's some special pregnancy spa package. I can't believe he did this for me, let alone think of it in the first place. It's so unbelievably thoughtful.

Alex of course joked it was part valentine's present and part "push present" since we were cracking up over the concept a couple weeks ago. Silly man.

It's a....

I guess she isn't psychic. I'm in absolute shock. It wasn't what I was expecting at all and to be honest I am scared out of my mind. I didn't grow up around boys. For family, I had my mom and my aunt. Both of them had girls, my mom one, my aunt two. We didn't even really have many male influences around us. I'm not into boy things. I hate sports. I don't like rough and tumble behavoir at all. I like ballet and art. I like frilly things and am pretty girlie, girlie. So yeah, I'm scared.

Alex did say to me that one thing is for certain our son would always love me, his mother, and I guess this is true.

And I'll always love him. I just have to get used to it first.

My Husband Loves Me

Alex is taking me to the 3D/4D ultrasound place in San Jose today. I can't believe he decided to do it and boy am I grateful. Hopefully they aren't a bunch of quacks, baby is cooporating, and we can see something. We'll just be doing a 2D gender determination.

In other news, I *think* I may be feeling the baby here and there. I was woken up in the middle of the night last night, and this time it wasn't from a terrible dream. Instead I felt weird twinges. I say think because I have been waiting to feel the flutters and bubbles popping that everyone talks about and I never get those. Instead I get twinges. So baby or not, I gues I won't know.

I Should Expect This Sort of Thing

After all, nothing has ever come easy.

I checked my phone after work to get my confirmation for my ultrasound tomorrow. Instead I got a cancellation. Apparently the ultrasound tech isn't going to be there. They also notified me that I have been rescheduled for Tuesday at 4pm. Nice.

So as a result I've been crying my fool head off for about an hour. I call Alex and I cry, I call my mom and I cry. I am so upset and disappointed. I feel like my big opportunity to meet my baby has been snatched away and all my exciting plans I had for Thursday through Sunday, shit on.

Alex is pretty mad too. He probably isn't mad enough to drive me to San Jose to go to one of those 3D/4D imaging places tomorrow since I got the afternoon off anyway. It's only $80. I'm hoping I can convince him.

And yes, I realize how ridiculous it is to be so upset after all we've been through, but shit, I am.

19 Weeks, the Pox, and Other Drama.

I know, I know, I lag when it comes to the belly pictures. I did take one last week and then never put it up out of laziness/being too busy/what have you. So before it gets too late here is my 19 week shot.



This week is going to drag, what with the big U/S looming on Thursday. That is if I can get it done.

This morning one of my students tells me that one of my girls is out due to chicken pox. I hadn't received any word from the child's mom that this was true but I did see weird welts on her leg that she was scratching Friday. They looked like bug bites, not anything how I remembered chicken pox. It kind of bothered me considering her desk is right next to my chair and computer desk.

About an hour later I really take a look at the boy who sits next to her. He too has rashes and welts on his neck and arm. I ask him to go to the office which he doesn't want to do. They immediately pull him. Chicken pox.

So now I am down two students and I start to freak.

I called my midwife and after some drama with my cell finally get ahold of her, never mind that I'm flipping out and wanting to cry. She tells me that even though I probably have childhood immunity because I had the pox in 5th grade, I should get blood drawn to make sure I'm immune and mentions off hand that I shouldn't be around pregnant women and she'll send me something. Ummmm does this mean I can't have my big ultrasound on Thursday? I didn't ask. I didn't want to press the issue.

After more drama with finding a lab with decent hours, calling Alex with info so he can take me there, cell phone going in and out, and calling the midwife back so she can fax the order, I feel a bit better. Of course I had to break down about two times more for good measure.

Next up, after school I go to get my blood drawn. They hadn't gotten the lab order. *Tears* They call the main lab and found that my midwife hadn't signed the order so I'm told they probably can't complete the blood draw. *More tears* So they send me off to the lab to talk to the lab tech there (He's who took my beta draws) and he takes pity on me. He calls and finds out they can take the draw and call my midwife's office for verification afterwards. *Even more tears*.

I get my blood drawn and then am told it probably won't be back until Friday because it has to be sent out of house. Ummm what? Hells no!

I'm surprised I didn't fall into a blubbering pregnant mess right on the floor.

Oh. my. Lord. If I get a call telling me I can't get my big U/S on Thursday I am going to flip my shit!

I could kick myself for panicking and probably making things worse when I'm probably fine.

So yeah, I need some quick lab results dust sent my way pronto and some stay away chicken pox cooties spray for extra measure.

Psychic or Not?

I have a parent of one of my students who supposedly has some sort of psychic intuition. I've heard some interesting stories of things she has said to other people/teachers that support that. She also doesn't talk about it so it's not like she's telling everyone's fortune or anything like that. Nor has she ever mentioned anything about it to me.

A couple weeks ago we had an IEP meeting for her daughter and afterwards we were talking about the baby. She asked me if I knew what it was. I said no I'd find out in a couple weeks. She blurts out, "I know". But then wouldn't tell me anything else.

On Thursday her daughter asks me if I know what the baby is yet. I tell her that no, I'll find out in a week. I asked her what she thought it was. "My mom says it's a girl".

Ah ha! We'll see if she's right.

So what do you all think? Shall we take bets?

Can you tell waiting is killing me?