1st Outfit

And the baby's first outfit will be...

Did you expect anything less?

Baby Shower

So thanks to everyone who got us all the neat stuff. The baby shower was on Dec 06, and Ellen did an amazing job. Her house looked great, the food was amazing, and the little baby details everywhere were really cute. The baby games were fun too.
The pictures weren't taken on my camera, so when I get a copy of them, I will post some.

Since the due date is getting close, we have gone ahead and bought most of the organic items that we needed that weren't purchased yet. There are still some miscellaneous items from Babies R Us that we still need to get, but they don't have to be pre-ordered, so we will take care of that later.

I'm still amazed that with all the books we received, not a single one duplicated! That was a really good idea of Ellen, different and very special.

Thanks again.

Gift Registry

So, there were some change in plans.
I didn't like the way the online registries worked. So, we went to BABIES R US and registered.
But we didn't register for everything. There are items that we want, that Babies R Us just doesn't carry. At least, not in the organic/environmentally friendly version that we want.
Or, all the options were ugly.
I will be updating this post with additional items that we would like, but you are going to have to tell us if you are planning on buying it. Otherwise, we could end up with duplicate of items that are hard to return.

Of course, the number one thing that we are registered for remains VIACORD.

Amy's Wedding

The pictures below are from Amy's wedding.
We flew up on Thursday and came back on Sunday.
Mark was too sick to make the trip. :(

The weather was perfect. Timing was just right to watch the leaves changing colors.

And the Nemacolin Resort... phenomenal!

Dad & Chris horsing around under a Fire Maple tree.

Craven Family

Amy & Kevin waltzing there way into the reception.

The Cravens and the Bradys.

That is Frank Llyod Wright's Fallingwater house behind us.

The rope swing obstacle course.

Just one of the many amazing things to do at this resort.

Nusery

We decided on the nursery!

The above Mikey & Minnie piece will be the border. It will run through the middle of the walls. The wallpaper to the right will be below the border and the walls above the border will be the light yellow from the background.

Very tropical. Mark is big Hawaiian shirt fan, and I'm a keys rat.

It fits, doesn't it?

Work begins this week.

More Songram Pics

We got to see it practice swallowing too!

Nice Profile... don't you think?

22 weeks

So we had a great ultrasound appointment on Monday. Everything is perfect, and the tech said this is the last time we can get a picture of the whole baby. All of him or her won't fit in the same screen after this.

Our tech guy was moving along, like they always do, saying the same thing.
"Everything looks perfect"
"This is what I'm measuring now..."
"And that looks perfect..."
And then stopped, and let out with a "Cool!"

Our baby is already practicing breathing movements. Apparently, that isn't something they look for until more like 32 weeks, not 22 weeks. So our baby is an overachiever.
The tech said that our kid was going to break windows with its scream when it is born.
Mark just looked at me and said "That is her kid."

The tech also referred to our child as "Disobedient" and "Energetic". Our kid is ALWAYS moving. And when the tech would jiggle my tummy to make him or her move into a different position for a better picture, he or she would move alright, and keep on moving right past where the tech wanted him or her to go and straight into another unfavorable position.

So, it seems like I might have reproduced asexually. :)

I've already told grandma that her wish has come true, I'm going to get what I deserve... a baby just like me.

Getting Sick While Pregnant SUCKS!

So, I basically just took a week off from work because I literally had no voice.
What started off as a cold, turned into a sinus infection (which is common for me).
But the sleeping in a seated position to help alleviate the nasal pressure, led to nasal drip, which irritated my throat and I proceeded to cough my way into no voice.
That part that sucked more than usual is the not being able to take my trusted Musinex to clear my sinus faster.
I was so sick feeling, I actually having been hungry in over 5 days. This is coming from a person who's stomach will wake her up to let her know it is time to eat... even when not pregnant.
Happy to say today, that I have a voice again, and I'm feeling good enough to go to work tomorrow.
I did have to postpone my birthday festivities to another weekend. Really just relaxed yesterday.

Michelle

Breast is Best

Everyone knows that breastfeeding is best. Your doctor has told you, even the formula commercials and containers tell you so. (Check out the Gerber website. They can't seem to stop telling you that, even while they are selling their second-to-breast products.)

Here is a link to a website on breastfeeding that will answer ALL of your questions. Yes, I said ALL.

Reasons why breast is best:

1) It's the perfect food. Even with all of our science, we can't reproduce all of the proteins and good stuff found in mother's milk. Trust me, they have tried. There is no better nutrition for baby.

2) Easy on the digestive tract. Remember, the digestive tract is not finished forming when baby is born. Nothing is easier on baby than mother's milk. Let's make baby as comfortable as possible.

3) Immunity. The first few days, what comes out of the breast is more immunity than food. Breastfed babies are healthier for a reason; they get mom's immune defensives through her milk.

4) The connection that is built between mother and child can never be replicated by bottle.

5) Always the right temperature.

6) It is free. Think of all the money you save!

7) It is much better for mom. It helps the uterus contract quicker, and helps shed those prego pounds faster.

Now, some women have problems that lead to them not being able to breastfeed their baby. But just because you can't supply it, doesn't mean it still isn't best for baby. Check with your Midwife or Doctor to see if there are any donation banks near you.

Interested in donating? If you have enough for two, but only one mouth it feed, talk to your Midwife or Doctor. You could help improve a life.

Pregnant Pics

So, I was getting requests for pictures of me looking pregnant (I am 5 months along now).

Is this good enough? :)

We went to my 10 year high school reunion this past Saturday. The other couple in the picture are Becca & Dan. Becca is my friend from high school that some of you might remember as the matron of honor from our wedding.

Michelle

HOUSE OF BABIES

Michelle will be giving birth at the Miami Maternity Center. Discovery Health Channel did a series on the Miami Maternity Center called House of Babies. Click on the link and it will take you to a page with the next schedule air dates for the different episodes. There are 26 episodes in total, focusing on all sorts of different pregnancy issues.

So, out-of-towners, you can still see where it will all happen, check out the waterbirth method, and meet the head midwife Sheri Daniels.

In town family will be waiting outside of the birthing room, but in the birthing suite. They even having rocking chairs on the porch. Michelle says the more the merrier in the birthing room, but Mark's family seems to be a bit squeemish.

The Complete Organic Pregnancy

This is the book that Mark got for me when we started trying to concieve. It was a life saver. I knew I wanted to be as healthy as possible... but what does that mean? Where do I start? How many things are in my house, effecting me right now, that I know nothing about?

If you are serious about doing everything you can to have as healthy a pregnancy and baby as possible, you should read this book.

We highly recommend it.

Michelle

EPIDURALS

The following is a link to the American Pregnancy Association. I think they do a good job of being non-biased and presenting all the information on Epidurals.

I, of course, focused on the Disadvantages and the the Q & A towards the bottom.

I just don't feel that it is worth the side effects on the labor, delivery or, most importantly, the baby.

The next link is to a sample consent form you might be asked to sign at a hospital if you were to elect an epidural.

It reads like one of those drug commercials we all laugh at because the side effects are worse than the symptoms the drug was supposed to treat in the first place.

Michelle

The Business of Being Born

This is a link to the trailer / preview of a documentary by Ricki Lake called The Business of Being Born.

It really looks fabulous. I hope a lot of women see it before they become pregnant and so are more informed about the choices they should make.

Michelle

We're having a baby!

POPULAR QUESTIONS

1) When are you due?
January 26
2) Is it a boy or a girl?
We want to be suprised. Won't find out till he or she gets here!
3) Have you guys thought of any names yet?
If it is a boy, we are pretty much set on Keith Richard. (yes, you read that right. call for the
whole story on how that came about.) If it is a girl, the current favorite is Layla Ann. (Named after a song, just like Michelle was.) But the name does mean "dark beauty" in Arabic, and it is possible for us to have a blonde kid. If so, second choice is Danielle Lee. (Sharing momma's middle name like Keith will share his daddy's.)
4) Do you have a birth plan yet?
Yes, but not on paper. Michelle plans to do a water birth at the Miami Maternity Center
under the care of midwives. They also do the prenatal care. Absolutely no drugs, as natural as
possible. It is very important for both Michelle and Mark, and it obviously what is best for the
baby. Michelle then plans to breastfeed, for the same reasons.
5) What about your baby shower?
Mark's Aunt Ellen has volunteered to do the baby shower. No ideas yet on time. We won't be
registered at a convential store though, everything we want is either organic, or enviromentaly friendly. We also won't be registering for any clothes. We have plenty of hand me downs, and stronly believe in reuse, recycle. You will be able to access our online registry from our blog at a later date.
6) What is Viacord?
It is a service that collects and freezes your baby's umbilicord blood. That blood is full of your
baby's stem cells, and might save his or her life in the future, if the unthinkable should occur
and your child develop cancer. With Michelle's family history, it wasn't even a choice for us. It
is part of our gift registry, and the most important thing anyone could buy us... piece of mind.
7) Is Michelle going to work after the baby is born?
No. Michelle will stop teaching the 1st or 2nd week of January, and then she will become a
stay at home mom. She will do some computer and calling work from home for her parent's
company, so we are fortunate to have that income opportunity.
8) How is Michelle feeling?
In true Craven form, if something is worth doing, then its worth doing perfect. Michelle is having a wonderful pregnancy. Her morning sickness passed with the first trimester. She had some food aversions, but they have passed as well. She is eating as perfectly as she can, very organic, exercising, and the lab results are coming back great.