All Aboard the Party Bus

Here's a picture of Monica's favorite play time activity. I like to call it The Party Bus. She piles nearly all of her stuffed animals on the musical car and drives very wrecklessly around the house. I guess it's some sort of "imaginative" play, which is fun to see, but it's a little painful when she runs into my ankles.




On another note, I'm still pregnant. The due date was yesterday, which came and went without much fanfare. I'm definitely having contractions and moving in the labor and delivery direction, but no baby as of yet. I can't decide if knowing there's progress and still no active labor is more nerve wracking than the situation with Monica, in which nothing happened until I went into labor which lasted 24 hours. However, it is a comfort knowing that this labor will be further along when it does start and therefore, will most likely be shorter.

We started a novena to St. Gerard a couple of days ago, but now I'm thinking that we should have started it over 2 weeks ago. Alas. All in God's timing, no matter what. I hope we'll have some good news to post very very soon!

T Minus Two Days

Yup, still pregnant.

My due date is on Monday and the gracious contentedness I cited in the last post seems to have waned...a lot. I've had a lot of prelabor symptoms which keep me hopeful that this little guy will make his appearance soon. However, there is really no way of knowing, and it's starting to drive me batty. I was 8 days late with Monica, so it's not as if I have a history of early deliveries. There's just this serious urge to meet our son and not be pregnant any longer.

I've been re reading Story of a Soul (as you can see in the side bar), which is the autobiographical work of my patron saint, Therese of Lisieux. I try to read through it about once a year, as it is very encouraging and humbling and grounding. This read has been no exception. In the chapter I finished this afternoon, St. Therese is recounting her excruciating wait to enter Carmel, the contemplative convent she believes is her true spiritual home on earth. Her sole desire is be with Jesus and to live the life of work and prayer she believes she is called to. However, she wants to enter the convent at the unheard of age of 15, which presents a lot of problems in obtaining permission from the superior, the local bishop and even the pope himself. It seems to her at times that her heart's desire, her life's dream, will never be realized.

I feel you, Therese. It is totally irrational for me to think that I will always be pregnant, but there are moments when I really wonder whether this child will join us or just feel the need to stay in the womb forever. I know on an intellectual level that this is preposterous, but I'm not as rational or intellectual at 9 months pregnant as I would like. Reading about this saint, this spiritual friend, who had similar feelings (despair, hope, longing) is a comfort. I'm not alone in the human struggle of waiting and frustration. While I cannot really connect with a burning desire to enter a convent, I do understand the desire to fulfill what you truly believe is the next step in God's plan for you. Those times when it is so close you can almost see it and feel it are some of the most challenging.

So, deep breathing and prayers for patience are the order of the day...or the next several days. And, with past graces as proof and the support of friends and family on earth and in heaven, the last few days of this chapter can be peaceful and joy-filled.

The Big Reveal

As I said in a previous post, Kevin and I found out the gender of Little One on the Way, but decided to keep it as a surprise for everyone else. After a few months, we decided the secret was not a fun one and the "cover up" was just getting silly.

Due to the availability of relatively accurate ultrasounds, people are used to knowing the gender of their baby and everyone else is used to finding out as well. When people see the belly, one of their first questions is, "What are you having?" to which I would reply, "We found out but we're not telling." I guess it would have been easier to just say "It's a surprise" but we did know so it wasn't a surprise to us so I felt bad lying. The "we found out but we're not telling" response usually just created awkward silence or further questions as to why we weren't telling and was too much in conversing with strangers and kind of sad/awkward with family and friends.

On the plane to visit Kevin's parents in AZ, I had a long conversation with the passenger next to me, and told her the gender. Kevin shot me a sharp look and I just said, "Hey, she won't tell anyone we know." Then I told the flight attendant. Then Kevin told his barber...and then we realized the whole "secret gender" thing was just silly. We were willing to tell people who have no stock in this child's life, but those who care the most aren't allowed to know?

So, here goes...


It's a BOY!


Little Man should be here sometime around June 14th, but the name is still TBA. I really thought this baby was a boy from the very beginning, but when it was confirmed, I was a tad sad that Monica will not have a sister so close in age. I guess, having grown up with a younger sister myself, I just assumed this is something she needs and should have. Now that I've had some time to get used to the idea of having a boy, I'm excited for Monica because she gets the gift of a brother, which I always thought would be fun, though I did not have the chance experience it. Kevin is excited to have a son to share man-things. Not that he can't share his love of hockey, college football, running, hiking and general ridiculousness with Monica, but I think having a son to do all of those things will be special in a different way.

So, on with more adventures in parenting. Ready or not, here HE comes!

Halfway!

We all went to my 20 week ultrasound this morning and saw the baby. It was really encouraging to see the little one on the screen! Most days, I get really focused on feeling pregnant (read: nauseous, tired, achy, moody) and I forget that there's a child in there. So, good to see you Little One!

We were surprised with Monica's gender at the birth, so this time, I wanted to find out ahead of time. Kevin was not so sure so we just had the tech write the result on a piece of paper so we could take it out later. Since Kevin was really really not sure, I hid the paper away for the remainder of the day. We took it out at dinner and looked at the result together, and it's a...surprise to you and everyone else! Sorry but we're going to keep it a secret from fam, friends, and the blogosphere.

Monica (obviously) did not really react. When she sees the ultrasound pictures of the baby, she says, "Puppy!" If that presumption continues, she's going to be sorely disappointed in June. Kevin ended up being sad about finding out. Not that he is sad about the baby's gender, but he is sad about missing out on the surprise in the delivery room. I feel a little bit of that, but I am looking forward to mentally and emotionally connecting to this baby in a different way than I was able to with Monica.

I'll post a little pic of Baby Dos as soon as I can. The motherboard on our laptop died a couple weeks ago and we're in the process of getting a new computer and extracting our other data. Oh, technology...

Swaddle Sense

Interesting infancy tidbit for you...

Last week, I had lunch with a friend who is expecting her first baby. Very exciting! Naturally, we talked a lot about baby care and newborns. The topic of swaddling came up, and she recently heard (via her husband who is an orthopedic surgery resident) that swaddling can contribute to hip dysplasia in infants. Wah? I had never heard that before from doctors and nurses at the hospital or my pediatrician. We swaddled Monica for 8 months! Had I done some kind of hip damage unawares?

When I got home from the lunch date and put Monica down for a nap, I Googled the topic and came up with this letter to the editor from the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics and this article on the NY Times website. Basically, it says that swaddling is not harmful as long as you have the right technique. A lot of references to swaddling that causes/contributes to hip dysplasia originate in cultures that swaddle babies to hard boards. I was really curious what this would look like and I found this:



I wonder how long that little guy stayed like that?!

So, I thought this was good info to pass along. If God blesses us with another babe, I think I'll make a point to ask about swaddle technique. Gotta take care of those hips!

First Moments

The Babe has officially arrived! Here are the stats:

Name: Monica Kateri
Day: October 22, 6:55pm
Weight: 7 pounds, 3 ounces
Length: 20 inches

It was a harrowing labor, but oh so worth it. This is one beautiful and amazing baby girl! Here are a few of our favorite pics:




I think my favorite moment today was taking our first (short) walk through the neighborhood.



As Kevin said, "I think this is the proudest moment of my life."

Yes, I'm Still Pregnant

Nearly 41 weeks pregnant and still counting...



Here are some nursery pictures. Now all we need is the baby, right?!

You Know You're Incredibly Pregnant When...

• The shark-like furniture salesman alerts you to the location of the store's restroom before the fabulous sale and 0% financing on that leather sectional sofa.

• The customer service employee at Lowe's asks if you want to ride one of those motorized scooters around the store "so you don't have to walk".

In Case You Were Wondering...

...we're still waiting on The Babe. My due date is less than a week away (October 14th), but babies are not like term papers and utility bills. There is no hard and fast time line for little ones, in most cases.

So, I guess this is a good time to grow in the virtue of patience and enjoy the Andrea Time I have left. Please pray for a timely, safe, and healthy delivery. I look forward to sharing good news and pictures very soon!

Growin' Up Right

Kevin has decided that our baby's first major sporting event should be a Red Wings' hockey game at the Joe Lewis arena. Why?

In Kevin's words...
"I wasn't Red Wings fan for the first six years of my life. I don't want that to happen to our child."

36 Weeks and Lovin' Every Minute of It

"Lovin'" might be a bit strong, but here's the latest belly shot.

Babe-ness Abounds

On Saturday, my friend Cassie threw a wonderful shower for me at her home. For some reason, this event really brought the reality of The Babe's impending arrival to a head. Some of my friends and family shared stories of their most difficult birthing and infant-care moments. As I am now 33 weeks pregnant and nursing a cold that threatens to blow my sinus cavities, I was not in the best place to receive these tidbits and take them in stride. By Saturday night, I had worked myself into a small worry-mess. I woke up on Sunday morning with tears in my eyes, telling Kevin that I am, officially, scared to be a mom.

What if the birth is like a nightmare?
What if the baby is not healthy?
What if the baby is colicky?
What if the baby never sleeps?
What if I suffer with postpartum depression?

I realize that some of the above "what ifs" are more likely than others, but bottom line, fear had set in. Yesterday, I started to take an inventory of the baby trappings we've accumulated over the past few months. I went through all of the shower cards, looking for gift receipts, gift cards, gift lists, anything important. One particular card's handwritten message rang out some serious truth:

"Ahh...Motherhood...The path to holiness! May [God] take you there. May you grow in great virtue, true fortitude, faithfulness, patience, love. Remember, as you lose your life, you will gain it."

That was not a message promising all that is easy and adorable in children like so many baby cards. It hit on what is real and necessary in motherhood: God's power to grant ever-increasing holiness. And is that not what God has for us in our vocation? No matter what may come, he promises to provide all that we need to become holy: ready to enter heaven to rejoice with the blessed. And apparently, the sufferings and joys of motherhood are part of my journey toward paradise. Mom-dom, even in this pre-birth stage, ain't always rosy, but it is my path to holiness and TRUE JOY. I'll do my best to embrace it.

Chic Baby Wear

I've been a little article happy lately so here's an update on the latest in our lives.

Last weekend my mom and sister were kind enough to throw a family baby shower. It was a small shower, and I loved the intimacy of it. We used fabric paint to decorate little white onesies. Here are some fun ones:

This child's blood runs blue...

...much to the chagrin of my aunt and cousin who painted this little number. But, as Kevin said, I can accept MSU, but an Ohio State onesie would have been a offense on our child's inherent human dignity.

Our sweet pea will be here soon. Eight weeks!


I'm feeling much more excited to meet this little one as my due date approaches. In the months prior to this, I don't think the fact that this child will actually come out into the world seemed very real. Since the baby is currently going through a serious growth spurt and becoming much stronger, I am continually reminded of his/her presence. There are times when my insides get a serious beating. Maybe we have an athlete on the way!

Where Did the Energy Go?

I'll tell you where.
To my belly!

Yesterday was filled with grocery shopping, painting, laundry, and a late-night baptism class. Where did that leave me at 11pm? Putting sheets on the bed I need to sleep in, while whimpering and tearing up in utter exhaustion.

Growing a person takes a lot out of a woman, but I'm banking on the grace that God provides in the vocation of motherhood, and not on the fleeting feelings of frustration and exhaustion when, at three in the morning, it feels like the babe is dancing on my insides. Being pregnant is absolutely an alternate state of being.

Cleaning Out the Old Digital Camera

I'm finally getting to Craigslisting the old digital camera. Here are random pictures I found:


What's so strange about this picture? The fact that I'm actually ironing? Nope. The dog is laying underneath the ironing board, of which he is definitly afraid. When we bring it out, he normally retreats to another room. However, that evening there was an extended period of lightning and thunder. I guess we found out that he is more afraid of booming thunder than the ironing board, and felt the need to draw near to me, no matter what stood in his way. You've gotta do what you've gotta do.





Here's Pope Benedict XVI in his Popemobile at Yankee Stadium this past April. That was a great day with so many blessings!





A belly picture from the end of April. The baby has grown, along with my belly, by leaps and bounds since then. I think I've nearly forgotten what it feels like to be without the belly!

Nesting?

I think Kevin's paternal instincts are starting to kick in. The other night, he decided to tuck the dog in. Yes, that's weird, even for him. He really does love the dog, as evidenced here and here. My only explanation is that he's preparing to do the same for the baby. Though I promise that we will not be crating our child at night. Cribs and bassinets only!

The Crossroads of American Humanity

There are those places in town where you could meet just about anyone. The Department of Motor Vehicles, the gas station, Dunkin' Donuts (if you live out east where you can't drive 1 mile without seeing two Dunkin' Donuts stores, one on the right side of the road and one on the left)...and the Sprint Store.

Kevin and I have finally taken a leap into the 21st century; each of us now have our own cell phone. I went to the Sprint store yesterday to add a line and pick out a phone and I was amazed at the array of people.

• a female construction worker seeking the water/dust/heat/practically bomb-proof phone

• the executive in shambles over his fritzing Blackberry

• the teenager smacking gum and pouring over the picture taking, MP3 playing, super-texting phone

• and me - the pregnant lady who just wanted a phone with good reception that won't get crushed in my abyss-of-a-purse

After about 45 minutes of decision making, activating, phone book transferring, and money spending, I got the phone. It does take pictures, so I promptly snapped one of Buck, which is now the display on the little phone screen. In a few months, perhaps the picture will change to the Babe! (and I mean our baby...not The Great Bambino)

The Babe

We had the 20 week ultrasound yesterday and Baby is doing well! We didn't find out the gender, and we're planning on keeping it under wraps til the little one is out in the world. Here are some pics. The tech was really great!

Cheap Date

Yesterday was my first Mother's Day. Granted, the baby is not out in the world yet, but let's face it. A person is a person, no matter how small. (Dr. Seuss) And, my life has changed a lot although the little one has not taken his/her first breath. So, it was a milestone for me.

Kevin offered to take me out to eat, wherever I wanted to go. Did I choose the tasty brunch at the Olde Shaker Inn? No. What about the fabulous family-owned Italian place, Scotti's? Nope. I decided on pineapple pizza from Pizza Hut. Mmmmmm... As Kevin would say, that's my belly talking.

Belly is rather boisterous about food these days. My sister just got engaged a few weeks ago (Congrats Martin and Beth!). While we were on the phone dishing about the wedding plans, she told me she was considering an Italian stir-fry bar for the reception meal. So, naturally, I suggested gelato for dessert. It's better than ice cream and it coordinates with the Italian food theme, right?

Kevin, who was in earshot, gave a hardy laugh and suggested that was a Belly intervention, if he'd ever heard one. My sister said that she was going to hold off taking food advice from me until after the baby is born. "Who knows? You'll start suggesting salami-wrapped pickles as an appetizer."

Thanks for the votes of confidence, family. Though I must admit I bought salami the day before that conversation and that very afternoon I caught a whiff of dill pickle from a deli and thought it seemed mighty good. Perhaps they weren't too far off.

Encouraging Words?

Here are snippets of this week's pregnancy conversations.

(In lieu of us moving back to Michigan)

Kevin: This fall, you'll be so big we'll have to roll you to Uncle John's Cider Mill!

Me: Thanks, babe. Thanks a lot.

***

Male Acquaintance: I have a daughter-in-law who is also pregnant. She's two weeks away from giving birth, and man, she looks like she's swallowed a watermelon!

Me: Great...something to look forward to!