I Hate Needles

I have decided that tomorrow morning, I am going to try to get my rear out of my wonderful Cali.fornia King, snuggly haven at an early hour and go to the hospital to get my pre-natal blood screening and testing done. The lab is open from 8am to noon, so hopefully I will make it. It has become increasingly difficult to fall and stay asleep as I am trying to wean myself off of Tyelnol PM (thanks for the insomnia gene, Mom), and given that I have to pee quite frequently during the night. Plus, Guiliani has become increasingly clingy and insists on falling asleep on my head as soon as I lay down, whereas before he waited until I was already asleep before nesting on my head.

If I do make it up to the hospital in time, I am supposed to have a regular pre-natal workup, as well as screening for cystic fibrosis and toxoplasmosis (Due to ethnicity and love of felines). I HATE NEEDLES. I get all jumpy just thinking about it. My doctor asked me to go in within a week, and I wish they would have just done it then. Now I actually have to willingly go, and have someone stick a sharp, pointy needle in my arm. It makes me nauseous...more so than I already am.

I am not worried about the outcome of the actual tests. Seeing Baby Lahman and the little beating heart was a huge weight off my shoulders and I feel a ton better. I am worried about how I am going to handle the needle. :( I may force someone to go with me. Bleah.

Additionally, my favorite lip gloss now makes me nauseous and I can't use it. I put it on this morning and nearly tossed my tacos...the smell, the taste...BLEAH, BLEAH, BLEAH. Upon further investigation, I found that I can not put any sort of chapstick, lipstick, or lipgloss with taste or smell onto my lips. Regular old lip balm it is.

Any volunteers to get their arms stuck instead of me? Anyone?

The Last Time

When one of my friends from VS was pregnant with her son, she went through this brief period in which she was kinda sad about how things were changing and such with no warning. She really wanted to have a baby, and we all knew it, and were all happy for her. She was just kinda sad that things would not be the same anymore. And I guess I never really understand what she was feeling until now.

You never know that the last time you do something may be the last time it will ever be that way. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but as I was driving to meet a friend, it kinda hit me. This was going to be one of the last times I would see her sans Baby Lahman in tote. And that thought made a little sad despite my pregnancy euphoria.

I thought of my birthday, which I actually made into a big deal this year. I usually don't want to celebrate in a big way, just shopping with a friend and dinner with Ben. This year, we planned a big dinner and I took a day off work so I could have lunch with those who couldn't make dinner. It was a big celebratory weekend, and it was alot of fun (and also very expensive). I was looking back at the photos from the dinner, and I guess I just never thought that that may be the last birthday dinner I had like that, throwing back bottles of prosecco and wine with reckless abandon and so forth. Needless to say, I am very very glad I had that weekend like I did. It means even more to me now than it originally did.

If you ignore the red eyes that everyone is sporting, you can see the glazed, happy drunken look in my eyes caused by that empty wine bottle in front of me. :)

The last supper :)

The times, they are a changin'. I am was happy with my life when this picture was taken, and I am even happier now. I just got caught up in thinking about how rapidly life changed, all within the 20 seconds it took for that stick to show two pink lines.

The First Look at Baby Lahman

That's right! We got our first glimpse of Baby Lahman today at the doctor's appointment. Everything went really well, other than the fact that I had to pee the entire time because some receptionist told me to drink lots of water before the appointment...so I did. I was told that this would cause the bladder to expose the uterus more. (Sidenote: apparently this is not true. If any of you become pregnant, it is not necessary. A full bladder does not enhance the baby viewing process...it simply makes you uncomfortable through the exam.)

Anyway, the doctor was very nice, and Ben and I both liked him. He was very patient with us, and answered all our questions, including my husband's crusade against Tylenol PM. He took alot of measurements and said many things to the nurse practitioner that I did not understand, but said everything looks normal and very good. He pushed the due date back to February 13th. This is what we saw:



I know to anyone else, this is not extremely exciting. Baby Lahman is that teeny whitish peanut shape that and is about 6 mm in size. And at the bottom of that peanut shape, by the two black indentations is a teeny flicker that is the heartbeat. Baby Lahman is alive and kicking. :)

The next appointment is July 23rd. Before then I have to go into the hospital for bloodwork.

To end this entry, I will share the first two baby gifts that Baby Lahman has received. The book is from my mother, who insists on being called Nonnie, as Nana has been long claimed. (For those "Fri.ends" freaks out there, this is the book that Joey read out loud at Emma's first birthday...Again, it all comes back to "Frie.nds.") The little socks are from Kelly, and were mentioned in the previous post.


And in this picture, are the first two things that Ben and I have bought for the baby. Both coming from The Ma.rine Mam.mal Center, the book is about Chip.py, the wayward sea lion (who is discovered to have a hidden gunshot wound...I think Ben just wants to teach Baby Lahman about guns as soon as possible), and the bib says "Waddle I Eat Today?" :)



On my list of things to do:
1. Go to hospital for bloodwork
2. Buy previously mentioned mats and rug
3. Continue to look at adorable baby things and pester my mother for puffcorn.

Baby Day #1

Today is my first ultrasound! I am so excited. I am told after this visit, you actually feel pregnant because you can see and hear the baby. And hopefully, today we will be able to tell if it is one baby or two... :)

I went shopping with Karen this weekend and we went in all the cute baby stores and squealed over all the small clothes and shoes. It is hard to wrap my mind around the fact that in February I will actually be putting those teeny tiny clothes on my baby. It just doesn't seem real to me yet, I guess. Kelly sent me the most adorable pair of little green socks with giraffes on them. I will try to figure out how to put up pictures one of these days. I have many cute baby things to show off ;) .

Even though we don't have to worry about it for quite some time, Ben and I have been looking at baby furniture and swings, etc. We have an idea of what we like. I like to give him sticker shock so he will stop wasting money. I guess the more pressing issue is figuring out where we are going to live and when we can actually move. I have also been scouting houses for rent in Pe.taluma, where it is a little cheaper than Sonom.a.

Anyway, fingers crossed for a great first doctor's appointment!

Baby Names

The hubby and I now spend a good chunk of time each evening thinking up baby names. He is convinced that all our children will be boys (Note: This may be my fault as I told him that he was the deciding factor in whether the babies were boys or girls...but apparently the genetics conversation led him to believe that he could just "will" the baby one way or the other). After quite a few vetoes (Imagine the scene in "Fri.ends" in which Ross and Rachel are vetoeing each other's names...really everything always comes back to "Frie.nds somehow...), we have come up with tentative, phase one names.

For one girl we came up with Madeline Elisabeth. And because of the genetic lottery of twins, which will most likely be the only lottery I will ever hit, for two girls we came up with Aimee Bella and Cynthia Rose, after our mothers. These names are only in play if there are twin girls in our future, in order to prevent carnage between families.

For one boy we have come up with Jonathon Andrew, the middle name inspired by my father, Andres. we have been unable to decide on twin boys names, but would most likely use the forementioned. We also like the name Matthew. Ben is working hard on the boy names, as we have to "find something that will look good on a sports jersey."

I have had much input from the family, particularly my little British grandmother who is higly opposed to Madeline...oddly enough. When we first told her about the baby, she insisted we find a traditional name and not one of those "modern oddities being passed off as names." Ben also claims we need a Christian name. I said that was fine unless he started to suggest things like Hezakiah and Ezekial and so forth.

Any input?

Ignorance Is Not Bliss...

In recent conversations with several Ohioans, I am always asked how things are in my area because of the "gay marriage" thing. According to many, the heat wave is due to gays and lesbians committing to their life partners. I have several things to say about this.

1. Blaming the "heat wave" and/or grass fires on a gay marriage simply proves ingorance on many different levels, including meteorology, Califor.nia geography and history, and most importantly...religion and faith. Perhaps we should also say that it it is hot over in the middle east because somewhere there is a solider killing another human life. Do you ever hear people saying that? No, because it is assinine.

2. It is no hotter in Cali.fornia on average than in the past few years. Granted the temperature fluctuations are happening a bit more rapidly, but it usually breaks 110 in Sono.ma in June, July, and August. Do I notice an increase in temperature. Yes, of course I do because I have normal human skin that heats up in the sunlight. Do I notice an increase in a sulfure smell, because clearly hell in burning up the modern day "So.ddom and Gomo.rrah" that Bay area has become (In case you couldn't tell, that was loaded with sarcasm)? Please. Think about what you just asked me.

3. Whether or not you agree with the homosexual lifestyle is clearly up to you. You don't have to, by any means. No one is asking you to. You don't have to agree with anything you feel opposes your religious beliefs, but don't take it to an extreme in one case and let things slide in others....say binge drinking or swearing or wars or adultery. There are no perfect Chri.stians or Buddhi.sts or Jew.s, etc. Herego, don't pretend like you are so much more holy than other people.

And FYI, it was 49 degrees this moring in Son.oma, rather than the average 65 to 75. What should I interpret that one to mean?

Flubber, Not Blubber

This past weekend, Ben and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. We planned a whole little weekend in San Fr.ancisco, and were really looking forward to it. On Saturday, I picked him up from the tire store and we checked into a hotel down by the wharf. Then we ate at Hoot.ers (Do not judge me, we love, love, love wings). I then managed to convince him to talk my nightly walk with me (I am being a good pregnant girl and taking my 30+ minute walk every night). We walked down to P.ier 39 to see (and smell) the sea lions. He let me go in the marine mammal store, and I bought the first thing for the baby! We got a penguin bib and a book about Chip.py, the wayward sea lion. They had such cute little baby shirts, we agreed to go back when we learn the sex of the baby (meaning that I announced I would return to buy a shirt or two at that time, and he didn't challenge me).

On Sunday we were scheduled to go whale watching. We paid for the expedition cruise out to the Fara.llone Isla.nds, about 26 miles off the coast of the City. I was sooo excited, given the possibility to see blue whales. So up at 6 am we were, and at the harbor by 7:30, and on our way by 8, all bundled up and eager.

Once we got out of the SF Bay, the water got really calm, and we assumed it would be a great trip. About a mile later, the waves were huge and the wind had picked up. It was HORRIBLE. The captain had slowed the boat way down, and about 10 people were seasick. Ben tried to get me to eat some cheerios, since I was doing ok. My doctor had ok'ed taking Dram.amine, so my nausea was not so bad...until I went in the cabin. It was so stuffy and hot in there, I just couldn't take it. I had to go back on deck where all the pukers were. About 30 minutes later, the naturalist came around to say that we were turning around as the waves and wind were only picking up, and so many people were very seasick, and we were only about halfway to the Islands. It was 11:30 and we were only halfway there. The waves were just too big to see anything, and they were only going to get worse. I have to admit, I was turning green around the gills myself, and most likely the pregnancy nausea didn't help.

So it was a rather disappointing trip. :( We did get a nice little cruise along the coastline and around the Bay. The highlights of the day were the red fur seal and some harbor porpoises. The birdwatchers on board were thrilled by a pair of black oyster catchers and some pigeon gillemonts, which will most likely excite a certain birdwatching friend of mine, Great Blue Heron. :) Alas, there were no whales of any sort to be seen.

It was nice to spend the time with my husband, of course. :) Especially since this is the last anniversary that it will be just the two of us. We agreed that we would try to go again, maybe later in the summer when the weather is nicer. It was interesting to explore the coast a little, as well as the Bay. All in all, I don't really feel as though we were gipped, it just wasn't what was expected.

Scatter-brained and Ultrasounds

This morning before I left the apartment, I forgot to put on my earrings and necklace and spray myself with perfume. I never forget to do these things. My mother tells me that my "concentration" may start to go as the months go on. So it begins.

And....I called the OB this morning and my first ultrasound will be on June 25 at 4:30 pm! The doctor wants to see me at 8 weeks. :) I am so excited! Hopefully, I will be able to hear the baby's heartbeat?

Can Cats Tell?

This may seem a bit odd, but can cats tell when a woman is pregnant? Specifically, can spoiled little boy kitties tell when their overly gushing, slather them with love caretaker is housing another human being?

I have two cats. One, who is a recent addition to our family, is a small siamese mix with big blue eyes and alot of energy. Her name is Princess Layla Penelope Lahman. She is highly independent, vocal, loves to play with the other cat or just by herself, and really only wants attention when it is time to be fed. The other cat, my baby kitty, we have had for almost 2 1/2 years...Guiliani Rufus Lahman. He is black, long and lean, and very dependent on his mama. He sleeps on my head, and follows me around the house when he is not playing with Layla.

Layla is behaving the same way. But over the past few days, Guiliani has been extra clingy, extra vocal, and puts more soul into his eyes when he stares at me. It's like he knows he won't be my baby anymore, so he is trying to get in as much time as he can. Is that possible? Can he sense the impending change?

Could it be that he is feeling neglected because for the past three nights, I have been dominated by talking on the phone and have not been able to feed them as soon as I should, etc?

Yes, I really am this concerned about my cats! :)

Fresh Starts

I have been wanting to revamp my blog for awhile...I have never really written for a specific purpose other than to hear the sound of my own voice. Now, with the help of Zarafa and a new pregnancy...it is time to start Maylily's journal over. I am going to try to focus on my pregnancy, but lords knows my attention span suffers, and other stories will most likely appear. Living thousands of miles away from the majority of my family, I have been forced to swear that I will give updates regularly and post pictures, etc. to keep everyone well informed about how this midwestern princess is coping with this new, life altering, change.

So let's begin. I found out on Monday night that Ben and I were going to be parents. This was not exactly planned, but it wasn't unplanned. I went off birth control in the end of April. Neither of us thought it would happen this fast! But there I was, holding the positive test in my hand (3 minutes, my ass!) in sheer disbelief. The next day, it was confirmed by the doctor...I was indeed knocked up.

Countless phone calls, text messages, emails, and cyber bulletins later, here I sit. About 6 weeks pregnant, due on the 4th of February. (I should note that I think this date is bogus...I am convinced it will be closer to March). I haven't really had any extreme first trimester symptoms yet, so fingers crossed. I have felt a little nauseous by certain smells but I am attributing that to them being gross smells. I get waves of fatigue, but that may just be because I can be pretty lazy and can no longer drink coffee.

I did, however, experience what I am calling the first pregnancy craving. All evening, all I could think about was celery. That's right....celery. And let me just say, I hate celery.

I will finish this entry by saying that Ben and I are so absolutely thrilled and excited about our coming child. And to show that I am taking an active role in being a pregnant woman, these are the things that I hope to get done by the end of the week:

1. Call the OB that my insurance company referred me to
2. Get my prenatal vitamins (Not my fault I don't have them yet)
3. Buy non-slip mats for the tubs and a rug to cover the phone cord running across my floor.