Baby Kee is at it again... Here are some photos from the past couple of weeks, now available on the flickr page. She had some playtime with the nurses at Bayview, and her official sonogram. Yesterday, we practiced our sonograms at the pregnancy clinic (another nurse and I are working toward being able to do them independently, which requires over 50 supervised sonograms), and she was proclaimed very photogenic. The machine there lets us put in a dvd and record the sonogram, so we have video of her bouncing around, waving her hands, and sucking and swallowing.
This sharing of my body with another person is starting to get interesting. I've had a couple of contractions in the last two weeks, which was an interesting sensation. It's completely normal for your body to practice these things long before the big day, so it's nothing to worry about. They weren't painful at all, just the flexing of a muscle, and I would have missed it if I was busy at work or something. Just yesterday, her kicks and hiccups were big enough that I could feel some of them up high in my uterus (which is above my belly button now) and some on top of my bladder. It's a little weird to be going about my day, emailing or lost in my own thoughts, and have her rolling around in there, doing her thing. I find myself stopping to talk to her when she moves, talking to her when we change activities, talking to her about Cocoa when he snuggles us, talking to her about the food I'm going to eat when I'm hungry. And on these warm days when we're lounging on the beach, I tell her how much fun she's going to have swimming this summer and playing with Cocoa in the water =) I'm really looking forward to the day she arrives, to holding her, and getting to know her. Only four months left!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
20wks 6days - Daddy felt the baby move!
This little one has been bouncing all over the place, and in just two weeks has gone from movements that I feel about once a day, to movements that are reliably felt every few hours. And very explosive movements at that! Every now and then I feel a tickle or a soft bump, but often, when she gets started, it feels more like a fireworks finale of punches and kicks and jumps and rolls. I've been able to feel these movements on the outside of my belly with my hands every once in a while for a few days, but Dan hasn't been able to catch one yet.
Until tonight! Tonight, after work, laying on the couch just before bed, I felt her start moving. Then the gymnastics started, which I announced with glee, and Dan had his hand on my belly for just a moment when she gave a humongous kick! Dan's eyes lit up while I was asking "Did you feel that?" He just bent over my belly and started talking to the baby and kissing my belly and saying silly things and generally being quite excited about his first contact with his daughter. He's such a proud papa and so attached to her already. He felt her kick one more time before she quieted down, and he said it felt like a tiny little bump.
Now I just wonder what Cocoa will think when she's bigger and we're cuddling in bed one morning and his head is getting bounced around on my belly from all her activity...
Until tonight! Tonight, after work, laying on the couch just before bed, I felt her start moving. Then the gymnastics started, which I announced with glee, and Dan had his hand on my belly for just a moment when she gave a humongous kick! Dan's eyes lit up while I was asking "Did you feel that?" He just bent over my belly and started talking to the baby and kissing my belly and saying silly things and generally being quite excited about his first contact with his daughter. He's such a proud papa and so attached to her already. He felt her kick one more time before she quieted down, and he said it felt like a tiny little bump.
Now I just wonder what Cocoa will think when she's bigger and we're cuddling in bed one morning and his head is getting bounced around on my belly from all her activity...
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Names
With three sets of grandparents, it's going to be fun to hear what everyone wants to be called. Bob and Jordan already have a few grandchildren from Jordan's kids, and they have been Grandfather and Mimi for years now. When you get down to it, pretty much all the grandparent names sound a little funny. My great-grandparents were Memar (the r is silent) and Pappy, and my grandparents were Grammy, Grandpa, Grandma, and Grandaddy. Dan's were Grandfather and Grandmother... so formal sounding to me. I wonder what our parents will want to be called? And I wonder how these things get started? Like is there some family meeting where this is decided, or do they just start referring to themselves by a name? Or do you wait and see what the grandkids actually call them... and then they're just stuck with "Gaaa!"
My little one year old cousin Kaylee calls my dad Parper. It's so adorable! Maybe he'll be Grand-parper =)
And then there's the question of what to name the kid--What do you think of Fisher Kee? (btw, I'm laughing because I know some of you will think I'm joking and most of you will think I'm not and will be scared to say so... I'm just going to leave you hanging on that one for a while) Don't worry--we won't be announcing her real name until she arrives =)
My little one year old cousin Kaylee calls my dad Parper. It's so adorable! Maybe he'll be Grand-parper =)
And then there's the question of what to name the kid--What do you think of Fisher Kee? (btw, I'm laughing because I know some of you will think I'm joking and most of you will think I'm not and will be scared to say so... I'm just going to leave you hanging on that one for a while) Don't worry--we won't be announcing her real name until she arrives =)
Friday, March 16, 2007
19wks 6days - Look, Grandma! More pictures!
I just posted a few photos from the past few weeks. A couple, like this one, are in 3D, which is kind of fun. We've actually gotten to see the baby's face, now! You can visit our Flickr site to see the whole collection, of course. The 3D technology involves taking several 2D photos, which are like slices of the baby's body, and putting them together, so you can get an idea of what the baby's outside really looks like.
This week, Dan and I went for an official sonogram. This is the one that everyone gets midway through the pregnancy to check for normal growth and development. It was the first time Dan has seen her in a couple of months, and he has been quite the proud papa all week, telling everyone about how well she's doing. He's convinced that she moves more and has grown better and is generally more perfect than any other baby has ever been. They're both quite cute.
This week I've also gotten a new wardrobe. Our neighbors, Bill and Maria, have had two girls in the past several years, and are now being generous enough to donate tons of baby clothes and loan me an entire maternity wardrobe. It's so nice to have options in clothing, as I have pretty much gotten down to two pairs of pants and one shirt for the warm weather we had this week. This belly is really popping out, and not much of my regular clothing will fit over it anymore.
This week, Dan and I went for an official sonogram. This is the one that everyone gets midway through the pregnancy to check for normal growth and development. It was the first time Dan has seen her in a couple of months, and he has been quite the proud papa all week, telling everyone about how well she's doing. He's convinced that she moves more and has grown better and is generally more perfect than any other baby has ever been. They're both quite cute.
This week I've also gotten a new wardrobe. Our neighbors, Bill and Maria, have had two girls in the past several years, and are now being generous enough to donate tons of baby clothes and loan me an entire maternity wardrobe. It's so nice to have options in clothing, as I have pretty much gotten down to two pairs of pants and one shirt for the warm weather we had this week. This belly is really popping out, and not much of my regular clothing will fit over it anymore.
Monday, March 12, 2007
19wks 2days - A multisensory experience
So, today, having felt this baby move off and on all week, I got to take a peek on ultrasound and watch her while she moves. And I felt her move at the same time!!! At this point in development, babies go from napping to bouncing to napping pretty frequently, so there's almost always some movement going on, but what I got to see on the sonogram is what she's doing when I can feel her move.
Sitting there quietly, waiting to see what's going on in her little world, I get a chance to listen to her heart beating, and look again (yes, she's still a girl). But then she starts peddling her legs, and then a little wave of her fist. Obviously, I can't feel any of that. But then, she starts jumping and bouncing a little, and I still can't feel that. I start talking to her, and then I sneeze, which looks like a major earthquake on the sonogram :) She responds by giving a mighty kick with both feet, straight up on the roof of her little home, bouncing her whole body back and forth. That, I feel. A few pictures for keepsakes and I get back to work. She's so precious!
Sitting there quietly, waiting to see what's going on in her little world, I get a chance to listen to her heart beating, and look again (yes, she's still a girl). But then she starts peddling her legs, and then a little wave of her fist. Obviously, I can't feel any of that. But then, she starts jumping and bouncing a little, and I still can't feel that. I start talking to her, and then I sneeze, which looks like a major earthquake on the sonogram :) She responds by giving a mighty kick with both feet, straight up on the roof of her little home, bouncing her whole body back and forth. That, I feel. A few pictures for keepsakes and I get back to work. She's so precious!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
19wks 1day - Ahh, Sabbath...
The morning started out with plenty of time to get ready for church, and head out to play with our little ones in the nursery...until we realized it was not 8:24, but 9:24, and we were supposed to be there 45 minutes ago! Woops!
No crisis, though, as there was staff to cover our lapse. We talked about the parable of the lost son, and were charmed by this little group of 2&3 yr olds who thought it would be really fun to have a party when the son comes back :) Beautiful worship time, with baby kicking at the music, and again at the end of the sermon, and we head home.
Our day of rest is an amazing gift and we strive to not have a to-do list on Sundays. This afternoon we rested for a while and ate a little before Cocoa decided to voice his opinion, and so we went to the park. The windows were open and the sun was shining and he was immensely happy to be heading to the dog park. We spent a little time with the other dogs--there were lots of families and puppies playing today. Cocoa got a few drinks from his squirt bottle, and a few water gun style squirts from Dan. Eventually he headed toward the gate, which is his way of saying, "ok, next thing now, please!" and we took a walk around the park. He loves to explore while we walk the path, and he managed to find all the mud puddles and water holes and fun places to get dirty. We finally ended up on the lawn in front of our car, and I collapsed to soak in the sunshine. Dan and Cocoa played with the now empty water bottle, and Cocoa had a ball with all this undivided attention. They ran circles around and around me and I sat there and laughed and felt the baby kick! Dan stopped to put his hand on my belly, and she kicked again, but not underneath his hand. We all laid on the grass and rested for a while, before heading home.
We piddled around the house, reading a bit, laying in the window seat with the kitty, chopping wood in the backyard. As warm as it was outside today, it's chilly in the house, especially after dark, so we lay a fire and cozy up in front of a movie with some chinese take-out. And here we are, Dan and Cocoa and me and the baby, cuddled up on the couch, dozing occasionally, talking softly, and she's kicking again. Just little blips here and there, and I don't even realize at first what I'm feeling, but there it is, persistently thumping around. I smile and snuggle down and doze off again. How sweet is this day, this moment. This is the gift of Sabbath--to know the sweetness of a moment and to live in it, without thought for yesterday or tomorrow.
No crisis, though, as there was staff to cover our lapse. We talked about the parable of the lost son, and were charmed by this little group of 2&3 yr olds who thought it would be really fun to have a party when the son comes back :) Beautiful worship time, with baby kicking at the music, and again at the end of the sermon, and we head home.
Our day of rest is an amazing gift and we strive to not have a to-do list on Sundays. This afternoon we rested for a while and ate a little before Cocoa decided to voice his opinion, and so we went to the park. The windows were open and the sun was shining and he was immensely happy to be heading to the dog park. We spent a little time with the other dogs--there were lots of families and puppies playing today. Cocoa got a few drinks from his squirt bottle, and a few water gun style squirts from Dan. Eventually he headed toward the gate, which is his way of saying, "ok, next thing now, please!" and we took a walk around the park. He loves to explore while we walk the path, and he managed to find all the mud puddles and water holes and fun places to get dirty. We finally ended up on the lawn in front of our car, and I collapsed to soak in the sunshine. Dan and Cocoa played with the now empty water bottle, and Cocoa had a ball with all this undivided attention. They ran circles around and around me and I sat there and laughed and felt the baby kick! Dan stopped to put his hand on my belly, and she kicked again, but not underneath his hand. We all laid on the grass and rested for a while, before heading home.
We piddled around the house, reading a bit, laying in the window seat with the kitty, chopping wood in the backyard. As warm as it was outside today, it's chilly in the house, especially after dark, so we lay a fire and cozy up in front of a movie with some chinese take-out. And here we are, Dan and Cocoa and me and the baby, cuddled up on the couch, dozing occasionally, talking softly, and she's kicking again. Just little blips here and there, and I don't even realize at first what I'm feeling, but there it is, persistently thumping around. I smile and snuggle down and doze off again. How sweet is this day, this moment. This is the gift of Sabbath--to know the sweetness of a moment and to live in it, without thought for yesterday or tomorrow.
Monday, March 05, 2007
18wks 2days - I felt that!
I've been wondering about feeling this baby move for the past week or two. Every now and then I feel a tickly brush like a butterfly's wings, and I even thought I might have felt a poke, maybe, but I was never sure.
Today, driving in to work, it was unmistakable. I felt her move! Two swift kicks and a sweeping motion. That was it, but it made me look down at my belly and say, "What was that?!" I have no idea what she must have been doing in there for me to feel her, but whatever it was, I hope she does it again. (yes, I know, all you experienced mothers are out there saying, "just you wait, you won't like it so much in a few months" but I don't care! this is amazing!)
No more movements today, just the one, and I wonder how long until I feel it regularly. And how long until Dan can feel it? Poor thing, he wants to hold the baby so badly, and I can't wait until he can share this.
Today, driving in to work, it was unmistakable. I felt her move! Two swift kicks and a sweeping motion. That was it, but it made me look down at my belly and say, "What was that?!" I have no idea what she must have been doing in there for me to feel her, but whatever it was, I hope she does it again. (yes, I know, all you experienced mothers are out there saying, "just you wait, you won't like it so much in a few months" but I don't care! this is amazing!)
No more movements today, just the one, and I wonder how long until I feel it regularly. And how long until Dan can feel it? Poor thing, he wants to hold the baby so badly, and I can't wait until he can share this.
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