Eight month update

Christmas Eve, we got the gift of 8 months. Thirty three weeks down, only 6 to go (as of today)!

All is well.

My last two midwife appointments yielded good stats. I'm on track for weight and belly size and the baby's heartbeat is still strong and at the right pace. And given my still ultra-low blood pressure (98/68!), clear protein tests and absence of edema, there's no evidence of any pre-eclamptic or HELLP issues. I have had some liver pain lately, but we figure since the baby's now in kicking range of it, we can just chalk the pain up to the crowding and the fact that I've had liver issues (w/ Zoe's pregnancy) in the past.

One more week and we're clear to deliver if we have to (NOT that I want to!), and I'm feeling quite positive that we'll make it at least that far.

Other preg-symptom-wise, I'm good. Certainly changing, but good. I seem to be hitting the insomnia stage now (past few nights have been long), so I'm really pretty tired. And apparently my iron's low so that doesn't help. (Dave! more steak! creamed spinach!) Heartburn's reared its ugly head, too, but it's not bad enough to have changed my eating habits.

I'll admit that the fatigue does make me a bit more impatient at times. Zoe is such a joy and such a good baby, but I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that I'm VERY ready for her nap and bedtimes lately. She is nearly two, after all ;) What's funny (?) is that she and I seem to be on parallel emotional courses: laughter is big and boisterous while tears come hard and heavy. Poor Dave...

Body-wise, I'm not huge (well, that's totally relative if you ask me!), but I'm certainly not myself. Everything feels different and I'm in constant flux between an out of body experience (like, this feels so different, it can't be my body I'm in right now!) and too much body experience (as in, there's too much body to deal with, thank you!)

Zoe's certainly noticed I'm bigger as she regularly points to my belly and says "baby in there!". She even paused to put her dolly blanket on it the other night. All together now: Awwwww.


Z: "here, let me help you with that"

Happy Holidays

We have had a great holiday season and Zoe has really come to enjoy all the 'trimmings'. A few highlights:

The tree. Since moving bedtime stories out into the living room (where there's a bigger chair for her and I to share with the bump), her new deal is to give hugs and kisses to the tree...and to the rest of the decorations. Very cute, very sweet, but I can't tell - is this a deliberate attempt to stall going to bed??



Visitors. Thanksgiving, our holiday brunch, and then Xmas brought lots of her favorite people to her house - some have made multiple appearances! - and she goes to bed and wakes up talking about them. Grandma, Nana & Pepere have made the mentions list many times, each ;)



Gifts. She certainly understands what the gift wrap is about now and has a great time tearing it off, handing each piece off to me or dad with either a 'thank you' or 'there you go' (we like to think we're hearing the former of those two).



I will give her credit due for 1) not opening anything until prompted and 2) sharing the joy of opening with others. Both are examples of that give and take we're quite proud to be seeing more and more of.



Snow. As previously documented here, Zoe's not at all dismayed with a bit of snow like the rest of us can be. She's had lots of fun in it and lots of fun pointing it out to us as it falls (and falls and falls) out our windows. Good to see someone's not sick of it.



All that being said, what I think *I* love most about all of this is the chance to see her enjoying it. Cabin fever aside, our down time at home in the company of all of the above has made this season warm and bright.



Thanks to everyone - near and far - who helped make it everything it was.

Endless winter fun

So it seems.

The snowy and cold weather, being quite relentless in the past week, has been making Zoe's week off from daycare a bit more - and less - eventful.

More in that the snow (still) offers some fun diversion:


Blankie takes a turn


Santa?

Less in that before my midwife appointment Tuesday, I hadn't left the house for three days!

At least the surroundings were pretty:

Holiday festivities

Saturday, Dave, Zoe and I hosted a warm and lively bunch for brunch. While the weather was a spoiler for some and I failed to take many pix, all in all, the turnout, and the food, were great.

Thanks to everyone who could make it for braving the icy cold and snow - your presence certainly warmed our holidays!

Hope to see you all next year - and sooner!!

I love Play Doh

Because it captivates my ~two year old:



But what does it mean when your child is more interested in organizing the toy than playing with it??

Snow day

Given my bumpy state, Dave and I are playing it pretty cautious with the recent snowy/icy weather. So today was a lovely snow day!

After a phone meeting with my boss, Zoe and I got bundled up to venture into the snow a bit.


Getting her snow legs on


Making a run for it

We were greeted by a team of kids and neighbors making good of the great hill at the end of our street.

Zoe was a little reluctant at first, but ultimately took up a neighbor's offer to get pulled around on a sled.


I'm OK as long as you hold my hand

She even took a few turns down the hill!


Later, mom!

Buns frozen, we went back in and told daddy all about the sledding.

So much fun.

Party girl

I never thought Zoe would get to wear this hilarious and ridiculously impractical and awesome coat we got from our great friends, Paul and Michelle. But when Dave's office party ended up being kid-friendly, I figured there was no better chance.

She loved it. As did I!



And the dress:


But I shouldn't fail to give my mom the satisfaction and mention the fact that she almost boycotted the darling shoes that went with the ensemble:


- those are the mismatching slippers she was determined to wear until the last minute.

There you go, mom, a tiny bit of retribution for my childhood shoe foibles ;)

If...then...

We're noticing that Zoe is now understanding the laws of give and take.

Let the negotiations begin!!

Last night, we managed to get her to understand that if she ate one bite of hamburger, she'd get the bun she was cranking (crying, hankering, cranking) for. (FYI: She's the one who insists on separate and not equal ingredients.)


Partaking of some post-park cheese

Today, while I was working from home, she was crying at my side to sit on my lap and look at pictures of babies and kids on the computer. So, I relented, explaining that she could look at a few pix while seated on my lap, but then after, she'd have to view the pix on her own. She was game.


Zoe manning the slideshow

Then, icing on the cake, when I told her she was all done, she got up and went off to play.

She's been getting abstract ideas like 'other' and 'that one' and 'over there' for quite a while, but this kind of cause and effect was new. HOW HANDY!!

Oh! and while we were viewing pix together, I was able to get her to change gears a bit and look at 'tiny Zoe baby pictures' (she seems to prefer pix where she can recognize herself and others a bit more) and I rediscovered some gems, like this:



Awwww. Man, I can't wait to get my hands on our new little one!

7 month update, sort of

I haven't had a midwife appointment recently so it doesn't feel like I really have much to report at 28 weeks (as of 11/26), but I have come to notice a few note-worth things in the past few weeks:

* This baby is busy, and predictably so. I get lots of 'visits' all day long, but the 9-10pm hour is apparently PARTY time in my womb! why else would baby be boogying so? Crazy. Every night at about that time you'll find me on the couch with shirt and feet up, watching the show.

* This baby has some serious hiccups. Zoe used to drive me to distraction with her seemingly incessant hiccups all day long. Her sib's got them too - less persistently though, but certainly stronger. The little tell-tale rap-tap-tap is more like thump-bump-bump with this one!

* Cankles, cankles. I've been told that I look "compact" and "roly poly" (it was a compliment) and like I'm carrying a basketball. Is that all to say that I'm 'all baby'? My cankles and thighs wouldn't quite agree, but thanks - it's nice to hear such things ;)

* The "sisters". They keep growing. I've got quite the little crumb trap between 'em and am certain I could hold at least a Sharpie pen beneath 'em.

* Ask and I shall receive. Since complaining out loud that both my children have favored the upper right side of my womb, this little one has obliged by spreading the pokey joy. I swear I could feel kicks on the top of my left thigh while sitting at my desk the other day!

* Forget me not. My memory is the PITS! If I don't do or say something as soon as I think it, it's as good as forgotten. Notes are helpful...when I remember to write them. I caused a co-worker to spit out her coffee the other day when I was explaining that I've had all of 5-6 months of clarity since becoming pregnant with Zoe, because it seems that breastfeeding hormones mess with (my) memory, as well. So, if I forget your name or owe you a thank you card, don't figure I'll remember it until sometime in spring 2010. Reminders welcome!

* All cravings aside. I still love red meat and cheese, that certainly hasn't gone away, but I'd be more apt to say that I'm just enjoying FOOD right now... just at that point where I am running out of room for it. I guess that's just as well - this way I get to eat more often! ;)

* Am I really already and only 7 months along? I could swear I feel bigger than that, but that I'm already here is a blurring reality, to say the least.

The bump:


(yes, the turkey's done)

Oh! And I should mention that the C has officially been scheduled for 11:30 on 2/12/09. So, assuming this little one doesn't want to make an early appearance, we'll be seeing them, then. I'll admit that it's REALLY odd knowing when to expect this baby, even for this 'calendar' girl, but alas, some things aren't best left to chance...

Three little words

that make a mother's heart melt:

I love you.

Wow. I love you too, bug. Sweet dreams.

What I'm really thankful for

The list that feels quite worthy of publishing this year:

* A really blessed life. As much as I can let little things get to me and big things worry me, I really have a pretty great life.

* A wonderful husband. He's my partner and my rock and my laughter and my nutrition (figuratively and literally ;). I don't show him enough what he means to me.

* A wonderful daughter. Her sweet, smart, beautiful soul never ceases to amaze me. Her wit and smile and kisses and laughter alone make it all SO EASY. I can't love her enough. I'm still so in awe of the fact that she's ours.

* A healthy pregnancy. This one's been harder to come by or at least to fully appreciate, but I'm so glad to really be in a space where I can simply feel this life growing inside of me. I truly love pregnancy and mean to enjoy it as much as I can until the day I get to enjoy this little person, in person!

* A great family. The love and support my family has given us this year (and last!) has been tremendous. You are all great examples of the kind of spouse/parent/sibling/child/niece/cousin I want to be.

* Really good friends. We don't see you enough or write or call enough, but we love you! We've had lots of friends over the years, and I know I speak for myself when I say this, but I'm most grateful for the ones we have now. You are all high-quality peeps to me!

* A good job. As much as it can feel like a grind, I have it pretty good. A really great boss and set of co-workers, lots of paid holidays, paid vacation and sick leave and the flexibility to care for my family go a long, long way to help me keep my non-family priorities straight (doing good work, being a reliable and productive team member, setting and meeting goals). It also helps that I work for a non-profit education program!

* A fast, fair sale and purchase of our houses. I couldn't let that one go without mentioning. We were SO lucky to finally find what we'd been looking for and then turn around and sell our home so quickly. I know there are millions of others out there who aren't nearly as fortuitous as we were.

* Hope for a country headed back in the right (or rather, left) direction. Lots of things are seriously screwed up right now (to name a few: the war is STILL going on, the economy is in shambles, policy is whacked, we're doing nothing REAL to help the environment) but I now have HOPE that it will get better, that somehow the election of a good, strong person will put us on the path to recovery as a nation and as a planet. Things can't help but change and that is such a good, good thing.

Happy Thanksgiving

A belated Happy Thanksgiving! to everyone.

Main Entry:

thanks·giv·ing

Pronunciation:

\thaŋ(k)s-ˈgi-viŋ also ˈthaŋ(k)s-ˌ\

Function:

noun

1: the act of giving thanks2: a prayer expressing gratitude3 a: a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness bcapitalized : thanksgiving day

Ours was great. Full and great.

Monday, Dave's mom, Lani, made the trip up from CO to stay with us. She and Zoe picked right up from where they left off on their last online chat (video chat, via instant messenger). I was so grateful to see it because Zoe's always been friendly and it's made me a little sad to see her playing shy.


Zoe and Grandma Lani


Familiar combo: Grandma Lani, Button Hat, Computer and Z


Baby loves computer

Zoe, Lani and Dave got to spend some q-time while I was at work (I'm now beholden for that lovely, short and quiet week) and my folks came up Wednesday with their truck full of T-day fixings (mom & Dave split the meal) and amenities. I was so appreciative of their help - less clean-up and more hang-time for me!!

Thursday, we hosted a small crew of family; the Alonzos 4 and Chris and Erin all joined us.

Z and Erin


Happy full

Thankfully we had a table full of my favorites: stuffing, gravy, creamed spinach, pumpkin cheesecake and chocolate cake...oh, and turkey and spuds, etc ;) Zoe didn't partake of much of the food (do crackers count?) but had a BLAST entertaining the crowd. So many people! at her house! FUN!


Playroom supervisor


Pensive Zo


Gourd girl, again

Friday morning, Zoe was gracious enough to let us sleep in a bit, having partied much of the evening away. It was quite gracious of her, giving us enough rest to digest Dave's awesomely yummy breakfast of homemade eggs, biscuits and gravy.

Later (sorry, Dave - much later) Friday, Dave, Zoe and I hit the road for Vancouver to join the Coffield side of Dave's family. Zoe was fantastic. She graced us with a bit of quiet reading and a pretty good nap. I was in the back seat to entertain her for only about an hour (not bad for a nearly four hour car ride!).


Zoe, en route

Once at Grandma and Grandpa's Zoe hit her stride again, catching up quickly with her cousins and Auntie and Uncle and Grandma - not surprising since she'd last seen them that morning!


Zoe touching base with Hannah, hanging with Cameron and meeting with Auntie Tammy

And of course, on Saturday, we were joined by the rest of the Coffield family for the the traditional early Xmas "white elephant gift exchange after T-day dinner, part deux". (Personally I just can't get enough of that kind of food, so I was pleased!)


Overseeing the turkey smoking


Refueling before the festivities


Two peas...


Zoe getting into the action

Sunday, we made a relatively early break for the road and amazingly, bizarrely, fantastically, we didn't hit any traffic until we hit downtown Seattle. That never happens on our drives home from Vancouver. Never. I had SO much gratitude for not having to push Zoe's patience any further. She was a perfect child on the way home (OK, yes, I said that word, but it's true!) happilly reading and sleeping her way home.