Belly Photo!

Hi Everyone! I've been slacking in a major but wanted to post a picture of "the belly." This picture is already a week old and I feel I've (she's) grown bigger. Rob and I had our "L&D" chat about expectations, which was really me creating a list of stuff that I wanted and him reading it. I'm not nervous, - I know my body will just do what it needs to do. I just want to meet her.

Rob and I have a tour set up in about two weeks so we know where to park and what to expect. Despite having already had one baby, I feel like I'm less prepared this time around because I know what's going on.

Happy Holidays everyone!

A view from the Top!

I figured we were due for another baby update. No pun intended! Despite having received the world's best baby book (thanks Nygaards!), we have no idea what she will be called. I told Isabel that when she comes out, she'll just tell us. In the meantime, Isabel has fun making up the different names. Last week, it was Aurora. Before that? Saoirse. So, no, no names have been decided.

I think I've officially popped as I'm about 17 pounds into this and she's been really active lately. I'm thinking growth spurt. Anyway, Mom is usually tired by the end of the day but she tries to get her 30 minutes of cardio before work because anything after work, watch out! I'm pretty much non-functional.

We have another, standard, appointment this Wednesday where they check the heartbeat and how big she has gotten but nothing major. I'm dreading the sugar test (aka Glucose Tolerance Test). And, they should be scheduling that soon as it's between 24-28 weeks. If you don't remember what this is ... and, I didn't, I blocked it out.

First, you drink a special glucose (aka sugar) mixture (think flat soda). Then you sit and wait. Exactly one hour later, your blood is drawn and tested for glucose. If the results are high, it means you have to take the next test. You drink a different glucose mixture and then your blood will be drawn three more times, at one, two, and three hours later. Triple the fun!

Much love to you all!

Baby Naming Contest??

If you have any suggestions as to what this beautiful baby girl should be called, please reply to this post via the "Post a Comment" feature.

This was a cool website about baby naming that I came across when googling: http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#

The Kind of Stuff I think about These Days....

Infant Survival Rates...
Up until 21 weeks: 0% survival rate
at 22 weeks: 0-10% survival rate
--- Here's where we are ---
at 23 weeks: 10-35% survival rate
at 24 weeks: 40-70% survival rate
at 25 weeks: 50-80% survival rate
at 26 weeks: 80-90% survival rate
at 27 weeks: greater than 90% survival rate

Roberta in my Belly

It's a girl! Congratulations to us and the fact that we can use all those clothes we saved. :)

Robert or Roberta?

Still unknown by the Brady family... My sonogram tech knows but we don't... and won't until next week. The envelope with the picture and announcements sits unopened at our house. Just waiting for the right time and Rob's out of town until Wednesday, so clearly, it's not today. Just wanted you to know that we don't know yet. We are not hiding any information.


Profile Shot

"Hi Mom!"

Update!

We have a new due date - January 23, 2012. I guess my babies like Mondays....

Coming Soon! To an Email box near you...

The determination of whether Isabel has a little brother or little sister. That doctor's appointment is tomorrow morning (ET), so I'll keep you posted. In all fairness, I'll probably post the announcement here so that "technically," everyone on this subscription receives an announcement at exactly the same time. ;)

20 weeks an counting... Baby Facts
Finally people are beginning to notice that you are indeed pregnant, as your uterus pushes your abdomen out at the belly button.

It is now possible to hear your baby's heartbeat with a special stethoscope, called a Delee stethoscope. Some providers begin to use this type of listening device instead of a doppler. It may now be possible for your partner to hear your baby's heartbeat by placing his or her ear against your bare lower abdomen. If you can't hear it right away, try the other side. Listen every day and you will be rewarded with a tiny, fast, rhythmic beat.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY
From this point forward, your baby will put most of her energy into gaining weight and, not coincidentally, so will you! Right now your baby weighs approximately 10½ ounces and is about 6½ inches long, about the size of a can of Red Bull.

Almost September ... In Maryland!

After many weeks in the camper, a rushed drive cross-country, and a hurried week of unpacking, we are almost ready to call Maryland our home. What has changed since my last post? Well, the baby's moving more and I can, occasionally, feel him or her. Isabel is still excited to be a big sister. I have returned to work, Rob has returned to the road, and Isabel is basking in the greatness of back-to-back weeks of Nanas visiting. Hopefully, school for Isabel starts next Tuesday and then we can all have a more regular schedule.

About the baby... 19 weeks:
Our favorite womb-hijacker is suddenly huge, at 6 inches in length!

This week he/she starts bulking up and packing on the grossly named "brown fat," he'll need to keep warm when he gets evicted from his comfortable uterine home.

Vernix, a milky white coating that protects your baby's skin, appears all over your baby's body to keep his skin from getting pickled in the amniotic fluid... Under the vernix, a fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo now covers baby's body.

Good news: Your baby's kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine this week. Bad news: That means there will be lots of diapers in your future. But so far you're safe—at the moment the pee just passes into the amniotic fluid.

He or she now weighs about 8½ ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as a turkey sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herbs and Cheese bread (or Honey Oat bread, or Oregano bread or ...)

It's a Girl, it's a Boy,...

No, it's still unknown. This past check-up was your standard "let's hear the heartbeat and answer any of your questions." I'm sure that it is important and all but I really just want to focus on my job not taking off for three hours to have 5 minutes with a doctor that's not delivering our baby. But, I digress...

I have an appointment scheduled in Maryland for September 7th so we better be there by then! That's the goal at least - leaving something between August 22 and 29... Still TBD but at that next appointment, we should definitively learn the gender. Woo hoo!

17 weeks (that's 119 days) - "the belly" changes daily so some days I look bigger than others. Today, for instance, completely small and it looks like I ate a little too much last night. However, and I'm not quite sure how this happened but I've gained about 10 pounds (!) since getting pregnant back in early May. I do not think it looks like 10 pounds but Rob will have to confirm or deny that (to be truthful).

Fun facts about Momma at 17 weeks?
Yes, I'm feeling the bubbles this time whereas last time? No bubbles. I also feel like this baby is very low in my pelvis compared to Isabel. Indigestion has already (sigh) started occurring, versus third trimester before, but it's milder so definitely manageable. Overall, I'm feeling good and wish I got more exercise in (hit the gym about 4 times a week for 20-40 of cardio and 5-10m of light weights -- I'm tired!) but I still have some good muscle tone in legs and core so that makes me happy. I cannot wait to wait a ridiculous bikini in Florida and just be big and not care. Now, for the stuff you all really care about...

Fun facts about Baby Brady at 17 weeks?
I've got an onion. That's right s/he has lots of layers (Shrek anyone?). Given that onions are of various size, that translates to about 5 inches in length. (Crazy to think that I was born just a short month or two after this point.) Coincidentally, the littlest one is also a 5 in weight ... 5 ounces. I know what you're thinking - how much is that really? Well, if you convert into dry measure, it's between a 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup (which seems miniscule).

"Their little limbs have nearly reached their proper proportions and will continue to grow evenly with the rest of the body from here on out. They're now becoming capable of hearing and reacting to sounds even though their ears are not yet structurally complete or fully functional. Meanwhile, different parts of our mini-Einstein's astonishingly complex brain are developing to process our little one's hearing and other senses, (you know, sight, smell, taste and touch)."

14.4 Weeks and A New House!

Potential tenants? Check! New house acquired? Check! Moving date set? TBD!
Our new home is in Elkridge, MD, officially a suburb of Baltimore but also convenient to DC. It has three bedrooms with a room for Rob's cave aka Office aka "Where Megan throws all his shit when she's frustrated at the state of the house" and a finished basement/play area. Much room for visitors! While neitherhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif Rob nor myself have seen it, we are very excited to move into it officially (especially since we are paying for it!).

In related news... I'm still pregnant. Yippee! Anyway, I just wanted to write because it has been a while and also provide some fun facts about the size of the baby. Everyone but me still thinks it's a girl but I still call it a "he" so I guess we will see! In approximately two weeks, we will know if it's a "Robert" or "Baby Girl #2."

Fun Facts about the Baby
Our 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.

In other news: Our 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.) 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.

Vedauwoo!

Ah the wonders of technology! I write this from Vedauwoo, Wyoming, overlooking I-80, with my family. We are here from some "R N R," climbing and restoration after a chaotic week. Officially, we are in the second trimester and are starting to share the good news. Isabel has shown some great skills as a budding climber. Mommy mostly watches but not because of the pregnancy but becaus of ill fitting shoes. Rob, as usual, is in his element and I look forward to us doing this in Maryland.

12 week check-up and continued chaos

A crazy weekend is over and a semi-chaotic week is in my midst. Rob is almost to the east coast; Isabel had her first major accident (requiring glue to close the cut); I have a super important presentation to C-level executives tomorrow, with no formal clothes nor presentation prepared. On top of this, I've lost the dog twice in the past five days. Sigh. At least the baby is healthy - check out the picture! He/she is waving. At 12 weeks, he/she is about 2.25 inches, weighing about .5 ounces (about the size of a lime).

"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. With the most critical development behind the fetus, the chance of miscarriage drops considerably after this week."

Almost to safety...And, Welcome to Hell Week

So, my next appointment is Monday and is approaching quickly. Unfortunately, I have an entire house to finish packing by Saturday afternoon (and Rob is out of town). Never fear! I think I'm just over-estimating. It's mainly just the stuff that we use day-to-day that's left *or* stuff that we're donating... That huge donation pile gets in the way a lot!
On a related note, I'm am frustrated with the house, on the whole. Isabel and I returned from work/school/long weekend of camping last night about 7pm and (1) the TV remote had stopped working over the weekend (much to Jenica's annoyance! I would have been annoyed too) and (2) the kitchen light bulbs (both of them are dead). Replace the light bulbs and the tv remote batteries, right? No problem! Except...
The light bulbs are those stupid pin light bulbs that you cannot find anywhere, so you have to (a) replace the fixture or (b) order the replacements online. GRRR. Second, the tv remote was still broken after replacing the batteries. But, alas, I remembered we had two remotes!! Aha! So, I put the new batteries in the "never-been-used" remote and then spent about 20-30 minutes trying to configure (that's right, configure...) the dang thing.
Oh yeah, and while this is happening, I'm exhausted, the house smells, I smell, Isabel smells - I just wonder if I would have had more energy if not pregnant. Maybe then I would have packed up the remains of Rob's office instead of sitting on the couch, eating a fudgsicle, and watching Covert Affairs before bed.
Until next time! My goals for this evening?
A sane commute home, a frozen meal for the family, a boxed up office and linen closet. Maybe even a load of laundry but let's not be too hasty.
To be continued.

11 Weeks!

No, that is not our baby but I thought the image was pretty cool. I've been showing Isabel the weekly images of the baby. Apparently, it turned into "our baby" this week.

Ah, the First Trimester

Here I was getting all worried because my body wasn't really changing all that much in my first trimester. Well, I am still not quite to the second, but I read last night that you should *not* gain any weight in your first trimester. In fact, after that, the rule of thumb is a pound a week.
You know what that tells me? That I was a lazy pig the first time around. I gained upwards of 45 pounds with Isabel (I stopped tracking after 40 but I think I hit 45). Thus, given my current trajectory and "the norm," I should only be gaining about 27 pounds.
Anyway, the point being, yes, my pants are getting tighter but the fact that I do not weigh any more than I did "pre-pregnancy" makes me feel a lot better. The same book stated that I should keep a food journal - that's not going to happen! Granted, today's breakfast was 410 calories and 10g of fat (the pop tarts called to me) is not a good way to start the day off and I do not need a food journal to tell me that I should not do that every day. But, as Rob said this morning when I told him about the weight fact, he said, "At least you're not eating butter out of the tub yet."
C'est la vie. Maybe it'll be closer to 30 pounds... Love to you all!

Desiring Zen

Impatient? Only 10.4 weeks!
It seems like I've known I been pregnant for-ev-er already but still no major physical signs except for the occasional/often bout of exhaustion. I hope that I feel better once my body starts showing and my hormones take a chill pill. My clothes are definitely getting tighter and I either need new pants or some stretchy elastic. I remember everyone telling me how quickly the "baby years" go by - why can't the pregnancy go by just as quick? Let's get to the fun, less icky, part! Hopefully, in a couple of more weeks (next check-up is July 11th), I will be singing a different tune.

Still can't believe I'm pregnant! What a lovely thing.

Announcement

10 weeks (06.22.11)

So, here it is. Rob and I are expecting baby number two in January 2012. We are both very excited about this and nervous at the same time. Me? I'm trying to compare this pregnancy to my first, but in truth, I cannot remember much about the pregnancy. I do, however, have fine memories of the labor, delivery, and first few days at home and the trials of breastfeeding. Some challenges this time around? We're moving across the country, I'm working full-time, Rob's traveling a lot with his new job, and we have a three year old who never seems to want to go to sleep. So, clearly, we have our hands full, but nevertheless, we are excited and thankful for the opportunity to meet the baby that chose us. We have been extraordinarily blessed with Isabel. I bet we will be equally blessed with this bundle.

8.5 week check-up