My Lil’ Parasite Baby Blog

7 days til Benji’s 1st Birthday September 3, 2009

Big things are happening with our little guy. He’s walking now–strutting really! He’s turning around on the fly and going all over the place. We were at the beach last week and that really seemed to light a fire in Benji: he started waving and smiling at the people we’d meet in the elevator. He absolutely adored the red numbers that changed as we passed each floor. He would point to them excitedly, and look around in wonder at all the passengers as if he couldn’t understand why they weren’t as amazed as he was about those flashing crimson numerals. He loved the beach, too, and the mini water park at the hotel. He had a great time floating in the lazy river and going down the water slide. He was absolutely fearless as he crab-crawled towards the crashing waves. He is our water baby and it’s apparent that we will need to be vigilant whenever we’re around any body of water larger than a puddle.

He’s started swaying to music. He also loves to beat on things. I’m thinking we could have a drummer on our hands, rather than a guitar player! I would just be happy that he played something, I mean as long as he was into it.

We noticed while we were at the beach that he’s become an impressionist, as well.  One of us went to blow our nose, and he quickly covered his nose and made a loud “pbbbtthhhh” sound.  He’d been doing that for a few days, but I didn’t understand he was mimicking us until that point.  Too funny!

I’m really enjoying every day with him and am sad to drop him off at daycare.  Weekends are a nice time to reconnect, though.  He’s growing up, but he’s still my baby.

It’s late and I’ve gotta hit the sack.  Til next time…

Goodbye, July; Hello August! August 2, 2009

We went to the Mountain Peach Festival in Roanoke on Saturday, and it was pretty small, but the peach shake Brian and I shared was good!  We took the opportunity to go to the Farmer’s Market while we were there; I picked up some squash and zucchini to make for dinner, as well as some peaches, naturally!  We had lunch at a restaurant called Nawab.  This was both Brian and Benji’s first foray into Indian cuisine, and both of them loved it!  We got the buffet and Benji enjoyed a zucchini/spinach dish that was already the consistency of baby food, curried lentils, as well as a dessert called Gajar-something-something that was made out of carrots and raisins.  We also had chocolate pudding that was to-die-for…so rich!

Today (Sunday) we went out to eat (again!) to Denny’s because we had a coupon for 2 free Grand Slams–Neither of us can say “no” to free food!  Benji fought sleep all morning, so he was exhausted while we were having our brunch.  In spite of that, he was in a great mood and was smiling and hamming it up for everyone in his immediate vicinity.  He was also ravenous and almost seemed to be sleep-eating.  He ate about half a pancake and some fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe, banana, apple).  He was crazy about the pancake–I barely had a chance to take a bite of my own before he had eaten all of his and was looking for more.

Benji has started going to bed earlier, around 8 o’clock instead of 9 or 9:30.  I don’t know if this is a good thing, necessarily, since he wakes up now pretty consistently around 5:30 am.  That’s way too early for Brian and me.  I’ve started grabbing him when he wakes predawn, putting him in his “Baby Octagon” where all of his toys are, and climbing in with him where a pile of blankets welcomes my weary head.  Last week, as I rested with my eyes closed, waiting until it was time to get up for work, Benji started smacking me and laughed as he rang a cowbell right next to my head!  I guess if he’s not sleeping, nobody sleeps!  I can’t be mad, though, he’s just too darned cute.

Well, gotta run and get the little stinker ready for bed.

Benji - 11 months July 29, 2009

Good grief…where has the last year gone?  I guess I need to start blogging again, just for my own sake so I don’t forget all the amazing things Benji does every day.  Baby boy’s 7th tooth is coming in now and the 8th is not far behind.  He has a very nice smile, and a wonderful laugh that makes me want to swell with joy and burst into tears at the same time.  I think I miss my Dad.

Last night before bath time, Benji used the potty…like a dog would use a fire hydrant: he peed on it, but not in it.  I was pretty tickled.  He’s gotten really interested in the toilet and tries to stick his hands in the water to splash around and he also enjoys jingling the handle.

Our little monkey isn’t walking yet, but he’s very close.  He can stand up in place for quite a while, and last night he took 5 or 6 steps while holding onto the hem of my bathrobe.  He is like Wile E. Coyote in that as long as he doesn’t realize that he’s defying gravity, he remains aloft.  As soon as he looks down though, he drop to the floor.  He also seems to need to have objects in his hands to steady himself, kind of like a tightrope walker.  This morning he started riding his caterpillar rocker (does that make him a Cowterpillarboy?) with Daddy’s help and enjoyed it very much.

Benji loves all kinds of food, but especially fruit and graham crackers.  We went to a picnic last week and he tried banana pudding.  It was a hit!  He got so upset when it was all gone.  Frankly, I was, too.  That was damned good pudding!

I’ll write more later…

37 Weeks Already? August 28, 2008

Our appointments are getting to be pretty routine now; just a quick wee in a cup, check the ol’ blood pressure, record my weight gain, measure my belly, and check the baby’s heart rate. All results were great today! Blood pressure was 110/70 and I’ve gained just a pound since last week. Baby’s heart rate is still good and he’s moving around lots; there is no sign of him slowing down. He’s taken to stretching out horizontally in my belly, especially when my tummy is rubbed. He braces his back against my ribs (thanks, kid, that feels great!) and pushes his feet out. Brian had a lot of fun encouraging him to do that today in the waiting room!

I’m really glad that I don’t have to go in to work now. My ribs are hurting so bad it feels like they are breaking. The only “comfortable” position is lying on my side. It’s hard to get any work done like that. Actually, it feels alright to stand up, too, but I get light-headed if I’m upright for an extended period.

We had yet another baby shower this past weekend arranged by our friends, Jessie and Brian. It was at a local restaurant and we got so many nice toys and clothes. People have been so generous with us, the attention is both heart-warming and embarrassing. Haha! I still have a ton of “thank-you’s” to write for our other showers and so much “nesting” I want to do, but can’t, at least not until Brian gets finished printing shirts for H20. Only then can we start arranging the nursery. I hope that’s soon, b/c we’ve only got 2.5 weeks until our estimated due date. I can’t believe how time has flown by!

That’s all for now. Until next week, or my water breaks, whichever comes first.

Captain, My Captain! August 26, 2008

Well, our hero could come at any second, but I don’t think he’s quite ready to make his world debut. At our appointment last Thursday, the doctor said he weighs around 6 lbs. or so, and his head is at -1 station in my pelvis. That’s one cm above “0 Station” which means he is “engaged” - like a missile ready to shoot out! The doc didn’t tell me anything about my effacement, but my cervix still has a CLOSED FOR BUSINESS sign on it. His heartbeat is still good; 140 bpm when at rest and 165 bpm when he’s agitated. My back is killing me now, so I’ve started going to the chiropractor. I felt absolutely euphoric after my appointment yesterday, and it was also my last day at work. For the next few weeks I’ll be getting things ready around the house and also getting some much-needed rest. I am starting to get extremely impatient with people and exceedingly likely to say rude things to anyone who crosses me. Best that I’m locked up until this baby arrives so I don’t get arrested! Haha.

That’s all for now. Next appointment is in 2 days.

Captain Cantaloupe August 8, 2008

Well, our appointment today was l-o-o-o-ng! I’ve been having some spotting, so the nurse put me on a fetal heart monitor for about 45 minutes. Good grief. Everything looked fine though; the baby was moving around plenty and his heart rate went up every time, so that was encouraging. Then I had what must have been my 9th ultrasound. I hope the Captain hasn’t been fried from all the imaging! The doctor estimates his current size at 5 lbs. 6 oz. and he has plenty of fluid in there. I was a little worried about that since I am very lax about drinking the requisite amount of water. I just never get thirsty, but I know I need to get more fluids in me! Baby is already head down with his legs and arms reaching out to my left, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that he doesn’t somersault into a breech position. I don’t think I want to have a c-section. So, if the baby is totally fine, then why the spotting? The doctor thinks it might be a bladder infection! Let’s hope the test results come back soon so I can do something about that if need be. That’s all for now. Toodles.

33 Weeks and Our Peanut is the size of a Pineapple! July 28, 2008

Well, last week’s appointment went really well! My rapid weight gain has finally slowed and according to the doctor’s scale, I’ve only gained 2 pounds in the last month. My scale at home says I’ve put on 38 lbs. since I discovered I was pregnant, which is a bit higher than normal, but certainly not terrible. My blood pressure was an excellent 102/60 and even though I’ve been feeling exhausted lately, a blood test showed that my hemoglobin level is an amazing 14.8 (normal is 12 - 16). I know it sounds bad, but I was actually hoping I would have a viable medical excuse to give Brian as to why I’m so tired all the time, but, no such “luck.” Ha. Seriously though, I’m amazed and thankful that everything seems to be going so well during this pregnancy.

Captain Pineapple’s heart rate was up a bit from last time and was around 150 bpm. I think that’s due to all his increased activity. It seems he’s ALWAYS moving so I don’t even bother doing “kick counts.” At my request, the doctor felt my abdomen to see if she could tell if he’s “head down” yet, and it appears that he is. Of course there is still time for him to change his mind and assume the breech position again, but I’m hoping he won’t do that. The doctor said 36 weeks is the critical point for determining his position at birth; if he’s not head down at that point, then they would have to try to get him to turn or else do a c-section.

So all in all, my pregnancy experience has proved to be pretty routine and fairly comfortable, although it’s getting a little more difficult to do some things. I can still bend over, but I have to suck in my stomach to do that without it hurting me. Getting out of the car is a lot tougher, especially if I’ve just had a meal. I’m trying to train Brian to open and close my car door without me having to whine about how tough it is to reach the door handle. Haha. I’m getting up every 2 hours to pee, which is negatively affecting my mood and energy, but I suppose it’s also preparing me for the joy of repeated middle-of-the-night feedings! I’ve also got the most EXCRUCIATING heartburn. I’m popping over-the-counter Pepcid and Zantac like candy right now, but I might need to get a prescription from the doctor if it keeps on like this. It doesn’t happen at night very often, but every few hours during the day when my stomach empties it’s a painful reminder that I need something else to eat. With all these new discomforts, I am definitely snippier than I have been over the last 7 months, but Brian is a trooper and he’s very excited to be a Daddy. Thank God for him.

We had another baby shower this weekend at my Granny’s house in Maryland. My mom didn’t have a whole lot to do with our wedding planning, so she went over the top planning this gathering. She bought such great food, had a beautiful cake made, and really worked her butt off to make sure it was a special day for us. I love you, Ma! I saw lots of folks I haven’t seen in years—the “cousins” I used to play with as a child, my real aunts and cousins, and several friends from high school. It was very hot, but a lot of fun, and we got so many nice gifts. Our baby is going to be one well-dressed little peanut with all the fabulous clothes he received. We also got a full-size stroller, an umbrella stroller, a baby sling, a swing, a Bumbo seat, many blankets, money, toys, and a lot of other items. Granny is not blood, but she and her clan have always treated me as if I was one of their own, which means a lot to me. We got so much baby “booty” that we couldn’t haul it all home. We had to send it with my aunts Debbie and Carolyn and hopefully Mom will bring it down to us soon. I’ve got a lot of things to wash and put away!

This weekend we went to go see an exhibit at the Maryland Science Center called “Body Worlds 2.” It featured the dissected bodies of several people displayed in, well, unconventional poses. Most folks would probably find it pretty disturbing, and even I found it a bit grotesque, but it was still intriguing and humbling to see what lies beneath our integument. The most interesting part of the exhibit for me was the section on reproduction. They had a woman who was 5 months pregnant at the time of her death and her uterus was incised to expose the tiny baby inside. I stood next to her and joked to Brian that I was the live model. Yes, I have a bit of a morbid sense of humor. C’mon, the woman donated her body to science, so I would think she had a good attitude about such things! I hope…

Well, that’s all for now. We’ve got another appointment next week so look for another report soon.

29 Weeks and our little butternut squash is still doing fine! July 1, 2008

Well, we had another appointment on Friday and got to meet another doctor in the practice. He was nice and had a wry sense of humor, but he talks way too fast. I really hope he’s not the one to deliver the baby because I won’t understand any of the instructions he gives me. Luckily, the odds are in my favor that I will get a woman since by the time the Captain arrives, that doc will be outnumbered by ladies 3:1. The baby’s heart rate is around 135 bpm, which is normal since the heart rate steadily decreases as the baby grows.

Captain Peanut is very excited to get out here and shiver all of your timbers! I’m getting bigger every day and it’s getting harder and harder to get out of bed or bend over. Although I can still do those sorts of things, I’ve warned Brian that he will need to get a crane and start hoisting me around like a beached whale. Total weight gain at this point is just over 30 pounds and we’ve got 10 weeks to go! I’m trying to get enough exercise, but, damn, I’m tired and it’s so easy to get out of breath!

Well, that’s all for now I guess. Look for another update in a couple of weeks.

26 week check-up - Captain Peanut is the length of an English cucumber! June 13, 2008

Well, Brian and I went in today to get a belly check and have my blood drawn for a gestational diabetes test. We won’t find out the results of that until tomorrow at the earliest, but I’m doubting it’ll be anything but normal since everything has been fine up until this point. I now weigh 170 lbs., which is a gain of 24 lbs. since I had my first exam. Not bad. By this point the books say a 16-22 lb. weight gain is normal, so hooray for me! We had the doctor we saw on our first three visits and she was nice and calm today, so I will assume that we had issues before simply because she was too stressed out from being on call.

As for the Captain, he is doing just fine. We got to have another ultrasound today; I think that brings our total scans up to about 7. We’ve sure got a lot of pics of the baby’s development!!! He is in the breech presentation (head up and butt down), which is normal for this stage of the game. It’ll just be an issue if he doesn’t flip around before the actual birth. His heart rate was 140 bpm, which is right in the middle of the appropriate range. The doc’ said based on his femur length that he weighs 1 lb. 15 oz., which is almost 2 lbs. for those who don’t know their weight conversions. That’s about what he would weigh at 27 weeks, so maybe he’ll grace us with his presence a wee bit early? I hope so! I’ve never been so excited to meet someone! We also got to see his “goods” again, and there is no doubt that we’re having a well-endowed little boy! He’s been kicking up a storm over the last few weeks and I realized that I’ve been having Braxton-Hicks contractions since the evening after our shower. They are getting stronger and more frequent, but are nothing to worry about, so sayeth the doctor.

An amusing anecdote: Our 13-year-old kitty, Selena, has always loved to perch on my belly, probably because it’s warm and squishy. Now that I’m getting more rotund, I’m not comfortable letting her get on me as much, but the other night I didn’t stop her from ascending my baby mountain. Well, she stepped right about where Captain Peanut’s head is, and he punched her foot in retaliation! It really made me laugh out loud and scared Selena a bit. She hasn’t tried to get back on me since!

From now on it’ll be doctor’s visits every 2 weeks. I will have a male doctor next time in an effort to meet everyone in the practice prior to the birth so there are no surprises on the big day. Look for another update at the end of June!

Just a little update… May 28, 2008

We had a nice little co-ed baby shower on Sunday and got some really cute clothes, a Swing-n-Bounce baby seat, a Boppy, several baby blankets, a monitor, and some various baby cleaning supplies, which I am sure will come in handy! It was nice to see Brian’s family again and we all had a great time. Later that evening, I felt the Captain for the first time while I was lying on a recliner in Brian’s parents’ living room. I’m not talking about his movements; I actually felt one of his body parts sticking out of my abdomen, most likely his rump! It was delightful, but I was very surprised that I would feel that so early, since I’m only 24 weeks. His kicks are getting a lot stronger and more frequent. I can also tell when he turns over, which, to me, feels like there is a thick rope in my belly and someone is twisting it. It’s a burning sensation, not too painful, but very foreign to this first-time mama. When I told Mom about all the baby’s activities, she said “I guess he’s not going to be a sleeper like you were!” Dang it. She’s probably right! I’m going to have to drink a lot of caffeine to keep up with this little monkey…