It's a boy!

Finally, our little BOY has arrived!

Brenan Matthew

born June 22, 2011 11:19am

9 lbs 6 oz, 21 inches

...birth story is soon-to-come!



Making progress (!)

I am 41 weeks pregnant today.

I never thought I would make it this far. If you had asked me a month ago if I thought it was possible that I would still be pregnant on June 20th I would probably have laughed.

Alas, here I sit, pregnant as can be.

The doctor's appointment was much more encouraging this week, though. My body is showing all the signs of impending labor, and the baby is doing well. They said I'll probably have this baby in the next day or two by the look of things!


Note: I don't have any pictures for you because our computer is on sick leave. The fan has stopped working completely! I'm using my very old college laptop to write this post - it only took about a half-hour to get the "new post" page pulled up on blogger...

Congrats D&T!

The Mr. & Mrs.

Sunday, June 12th, Joe's sister tied the knot! We were both able to attend the wedding (Joe was a groomsman), and it was absolutely beautiful!

Final countdown: 0 weeks to Baby

It's finally here: Baby's "due" date.

I have to clarify a little though... we've been publicly stating that the due date is June 16, which is the date we were given early on in pregnancy based of an ultrasound we had done while in Bulgaria. When we returned to the States the doctors agreed that June 13 was a more appropriate date, but we didn't want to add to this past weekend's wedding stresses by mentioning that the baby was not only due the same week as the wedding but almost the same day.

SO, surprise! the due date is actually TODAY, folks!

Due dates, however, don't really mean to much. They just help to give you a ballpark idea of when to expect your baby. They are sometimes, unfortunately, taken a little too seriously in the medical world and used as a reason to medically induce labor or even surgically remove baby from mom. Our sincere hope is that we don't have to deal with this issue, but if Baby doesn't come in the next week we likely will.

Joe and I had a discouraging visit to the doctors this morning. My OB said that my body really isn't showing signs of being ready for labor, and she started talking about induction. It hadn't occurred to me yet that after today my baby is "overdue." I guess I think of overdue as being after 41 weeks... not immediately after the due date. Anyway, I was devastated. I have learned so much in preparing for labor and delivery about the risks of induction that now I fear having to experience it.

Using the artificial hormone, Pitocin, to start, lengthen, speed up, and strengthen contractions can take your body past its natural limits. Labor goes beyond the natural levels of pain and the strength of the contractions can stress baby beyond what he/she is designed for. Mom often ends up with pain medications even when she hadn't originally planned on them and baby sometimes ends up being born by Cesarean due to fetal distress. In short... it's better to let your body do what its designed to do on its own and not interfere. Even if that means waiting a little longer for baby than your "due date" would suggest.

I'm trying to trust and surrender this worry. In some ways it still seems so unreal that this is all happening to me. I don't have a way to explain away the belly, but everything else seems like it's all a dream... maybe I'll just wake up and find out that I'm actually not having a baby. Joe and I were saying the other day it feels like we're waiting to win the lottery or something... like there's only a small chance that I'm actually ever going to go into labor and deliver this baby. Thank goodness that's not true!

So... we wait. Sometimes patiently, sometimes impatiently... but always hoping that today will be the day.

Belly talk

You might be about to have a baby if...

I've been trying to come up with a list of the signs of late pregnancy. It's one of those things, though, where you can think of a TON until you decide to write them down, and then you're stumped. Here's what I've come up with so far: 

You might be about to have a baby if...

Your belly gets wet every time you do the dishes

Someone has to help you out of bed in the morning

You can't fit in booth seating when you go out to eat

Only 2 items from your wardrobe still fit: pajama pants and oversized t-shirts

You're wishing for that peed-in-your-pants feeling (signaling that your water has broken)

You find it impossible to get something off the floor from a sitting position

You dream about labor, delivery, breastfeeding, and diapers

Also, your wedding rings don't fit. (For that matter, nothing fits.)

My engagement ring was due for inspection, so I got it out yesterday and tried to put it on, thinking I could just wear it a little snug for a few hours to get back and forth from the store. ...I didn't realize how much my fingers have swollen!

My rings on wedding day

My rings now

It's so sad! Although, it worked out okay... the clerk at the jewelry shop offered to send them out and have them cleaned more thoroughly. Since I'm not wearing them anyway, we decided now is the perfect time to go ahead and do just that. So now, when the swelling goes down postpartum and I can wear my rings again they'll be especially shiny!

Final countdown: 1 week to Baby

39 weeks

I have to admit, Joe and I were hoping Baby would arrive this past weekend. I particularly liked June 5 as a possible birthday. I don't really know why... although 6-5-11 would be easy to remember (since 6+5=11). But alas, we woke up this morning with bulging bottom lips, pouting that we had to start another day of waiting.

Cliche, I know... but I like it anyway.

It's not actually so much that we want the pregnancy to end (although I have to say the idea of laying on my stomach is glorious). It's more of a schedule issue. (Note: I think we should probably be concerned about wanting our baby to come because of what's on our calendar... but that's another concern altogether...)

Besides Baby, coming up in the next two week period: Joe's sister gets married, my parents stay with us for the wedding weekend, and staff training starts at camp (which Joe is in charge of). So, it seems to us that the best possible time for Baby to be born would be... well... now. I would love to not be 40 weeks pregnant in those wedding pictures.

I'm glad we don't have to wait forever. I think waiting could probably be listed as a form of torture... maybe even a cause of death in extreme cases. Joe and I hold our breaths with every cramp or twinge of pressure I feel. I think it's actually worse for Joe than it is for me. We're both just SO excited!

Oscar and I took this one just for you, Katie

Waiting on Baby

I have come to decide that being full term (or at least being aware of it) is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it's a huge relief to know that I don't have to worry about preterm labor anymore. On the other hand, it means I think about how close I am to having Baby in my arms (and not my belly) and whether I may or may not go into labor at a certain moment ALL THE TIME. In fact, it's hard to think about much else.

I can definitely tell a difference in my body, too. Up until a week or two ago I've felt what I would call "comfortably pregnant." Recently though, and especially since the baby has started to drop, I feel more like a cow-sized duck. (Cow because of size, duck because of the waddle.) I don't want to complain to you, though. I don't know anyone who enjoys listening to complaining.

Image source

I can't wait to finally meet my son or daughter face to face, but there are some things I will miss about being pregnant with Baby... the persistence of his/her hiccups, the squirming during car rides, the nudges in the middle of the night... I'll miss looking in the mirror and being reminded of the awesome work of creation going on inside of me. It is humbling to know that I've been entrusted with a life... a life that began so fragile and dependent there was no way it could continue without me.

As the time nears for Baby to begin life outside the womb, I'm realizing that I'm going to have to get to know him/her all over again. I have grown accustomed to each and every intricate movement, but I haven't yet felt the softness of Baby's skin or smelled that fresh baby scent. In the coming weeks I will have to learn Baby's hunger cues, soothe him/her to sleep, and ease him/her into the harshness of the world outside of my womb.


The day is drawing ever-closer when I will hear that wonderful first cry and see my baby's face for the first time... oh what a glorious day that will be.

Congratulations, graduate!

Joe's sister, Donna, graduated from high school this past weekend. We attended the ceremony along with parents and our very soon-to-be brother-in-law, Tyler.

What a lovely couple

Donna and Tyler are getting married exactly two weeks from her graduation day - Sunday, June 12! We are all so excited about the wedding. Although, I have to say I'd really like to not be pregnant at the wedding. So... it's time for you to come out now, Baby!

Unfortunately, Baby is already showing signs of defiance and going against momma's wishes.

Proud parents

Congratulations, Donna!