Little Miracle

Our big ultrasound is tomorrow. Before we find out what the baby is, and more importantly if it's healthy, I thought I should share why this baby is already a little miracle for us.

After my experience last time, I wanted to have a much better doctor this time around. The entire year that we were trying to become pregnant, I asked everyone I knew for recommendations, feeling like I would never find a doctor who would be what I needed. Finally, my visiting teacher mentioned her dr and I just got a good feeling. So when I was nearing 12 months of nothing, I called to make an appointment. Afraid to admit that there might be a problem to the receptionist (and to myself), I simply scheduled a new patient appointment, which meant a three month wait. Because I was afraid of what he might find at the appointment, and that he might not be a good fit for me anyway, I was ok putting it off.

A week later, I was at the temple. Frustrated after a year of trying and pleading, I didn't want to pray about getting pregnant that time. No, not just didn't want to, I flat out refused. So I went, focused on other things. It wasn't very far into the session when I was overridden and received a very direct answer. I very distinctly heard in my head "Call and move up the appointment." Not the kind of answer I'd been looking for, and one that made me worry about why, but an answer.

I called and explained that I needed to discuss fertility issues and that I just didn't feel like it could wait. Apparently my dr's assistant had been covering the phones and something I said made her fit me in where she wouldn't normally. I had an appointment for a week later that turned out to be fitted in between surgeries.

When I arrived for the appointment, I sat in the car shaking, afraid of what he might say. After a quick exam (everything normal), we talked about my last pregnancy. He completely agreed that I needed to plan for large babies and talked about inducing weeks early as an alternative to a C-section. And he was appalled by the level of care I'd had, assuring me that he would make sure I had what I needed the next time around. Then we talked about why I wasn't pregnant. Normally, he would prescribe something to make me kick out more eggs or send me to a fertility specialist who would start the testing with John, but he agreed with me that maybe some hormone testing and checking my ovaries for viable eggs first was a better course this time. I left with a huge smile, so relaxed.

A few weeks later, I had my tests. The hormone levels were all normal and the ultrasound of my ovaries was surprising. I had eight immature follicles on one side and three on the other. I also had one VERY mature one. This told us several things. First, that I was glad I hadn't taken the clomid route (the drug that makes you kick out more eggs) because I could have kicked out eleven at once! Second, that I didn't have a problem, just that the mature follicle was going to be released earlier than we expected. Early enough that we'd been missing the egg each month. The tech was hilarious and said "That's going to pop any day now. Do what you've gotta do."

I started feeling sick about a week later. Yay! We've felt hugely blessed to have found this Dr who I'm sure would say he is following his gut, but seems to be in tune with the spirit. Between the things that John and I had been prompted to do, and the promptings that our Dr listened to, we were able to have our eight week visit a week before my original appointment. We don't know why the timing of this baby was so important (other than my mental health, and possibly keeping us here in Boston to use this doctor), but we are grateful for it. We know that without the direction we received, we might still be struggling to get pregnant.

Gotta Love This Boy

After Ethan recovered from our week of craziness, he's been the cutest kid!

Yesterday, I was cleaning in the kitchen and asked him to pick up some of his toys in the living room. He balked (of course), but then disappeared. When I looked in, he was just finishing the last of the three things I'd asked him to do! I mauled him with hugs and kisses and then we finished cleaning up the other toys together. Later, I was doing laundry and he wanted so badly to help. I pulled things out of the washer and he put them into the dryer. Then he threw an entire load into the washing machine one item at a time. Once that was done, he ran over and helped dad mix up the scrambled eggs he was making for dinner. Ethan used to be a little helpful, but lately has been more obstructive. (I'd even been thinking about instituting the rule that if he wants to be with me when I'm busy he needs to be helping.) This day of help was great.

This morning, I was woken up by Ethan, who promptly asked where the baby was. He couldn't see my stomach buried in the blankets and wanted to be sure he didn't jump on it. While I was finishing breakfast, Ethan asked to sit on my lap. Thinking this was the start of a clingy, miserable day, I grudgingly obliged. Nope. He wanted to check on the baby. He pulled up my shirt to poke at my basketball sized belly and ask if the baby was hurting me today. (It's still low enough that it's stretches and flips can be rather painful. Hopefully it will pop up soon and I won't grimace each time it moves.) We talked about seeing the baby tomorrow at the dr's (Yep, ultrasound is tomorrow!) We talked about how it would grow really big and then come out. We talked about mom going to the hospital to take it out after Ethan's birthday. We talked about it living with us and even about Ethan and the baby sharing a room. The boy is very enthusiastic about all of it. He is starting to understand a little, now that my belly is hard to miss. And just in case you were wondering what he wants, he says different things when asked directly, but he always calls the baby a "she".

#200

That's right! This is post #200. And I don't have much to say.

First, I just discovered that because I post photos that come from large, higher quality files, you can click on them and see Ethan up close and personal. Great when he is making his crazy expressions.

Second, I'm in Montreal, enjoying some relaxation. And you're not. ;)

The Beach! Sorry, no, Plimoth Plantation

We spent a great day at the beach today. Good enough waves for John to go bodysurfing, lots of sand for Ethan to dig, and plenty of friends for me to talk to. All of us came home a little pinker than planned, but who can remember to reapply sunblock when you're having fun!

As usual, we forgot the camera. So here are a few pictures from our trip to Plimoth Plantation last month (and yes that is the correct spelling.) This is a favorite of ours particularly because the first person to step off the Mayflower, Mary Chilton, is an ancestor of mine. It's fun to go ask questions of the actors and learn more about what life was like for her and her family. You can easily spend hours talking to them if you want! This trip we talked quite a bit with a gentleman about their religious practices. So interesting!

Anyway, here are a few shots of Ethan enjoying the trip.

Ethan running around in a canoe at the Wampanoag homesite. This native american tribe makes the canoes by burning out the interiors of tree trunks. You can see the smoke house in the background. Their regular homes are similarly built, but much larger.
Ethan's favorite part of the trip. Pushing his stroller. This is in the 1627 Village, set seven years after the Mayflower arrived so that we could see a semi-established community. It's really interesting to learn how interdependent they were, while each family was also so self-sufficient.

Ethan and John's cousin Ben. (Congratulations on getting into med school!) This is also at the village, walking along one of the smaller streets.

The boy loved this cannon. Not sure if he really loved the big gun or the red cart... This was part of the little fortress building at one end of town, able to see over the protecting walls. I think to protect from Indians. It appeared to be used more as a meeting house.

Playing below decks on the Mayflower 2. This is a full-size re-creation of the original, and they have actually sailed it across from Britain! It's amazing to see the living conditions that they endured. What you see here is all the space an entire family would have had for the voyage. And they were rarely allowed above decks.

Random Photos 2

I opened Photoshop Elements to do something else and realized that John had uploaded photos from the camera recently. So here are a few random shots. I'll post some more later.

Ethan hugging Mags

Mags hugging Ethan

The boy and his bear in diapers - look at those scrawny legs!

Shooting some hoops

Playing with mom before bedtime

Motionsickness

If only this baby were really as calm as the one floating in the little bubble. I remember seeing Ethan during his ultrasound and being grateful that I couldn't feel all that action. Not so lucky this time. I'm weeks away from my ultrasound and am feeling so many flips and kicks it's been making me nauseous. Not looking forward to when this baby gets big and fights against being cramped in there.

No ears

Hopefully this will counteract the big monkey ears my family has.

So is he using the potty?

Hmmm.... Sometimes. After the one great day, we've been doing ok. We've been out of the house so much it's hard to keep him in underwear, or even pull-ups for that matter. (We use the feel-and-learn ones, so he wants to be changed immediately after he pees.) I just don't feel like running for a bathroom at this point when he can only hold it in for a few seconds.

So peeing in the potty is going well when we're at home. He's even started keeping his swim diapers dry (weird, I know) and peeing when we come home from the spray park. I think he's realized that they don't hold in pee, so because he doesn't really like to play in the water, the pee is obvious when it runs down his leg.

Pooping is another matter. He has been telling us, and trying to do it on the potty, but it's not as easy as it seems. Even when he clearly has a poop coming, something about sitting instead of his usual squat is keeping it from happening. It may also have something to do with the ridiculously small hole in his potty. He sits really far back to pee so that he has room to watch, but isn't happy about scooting forward so that he can poo. Maybe this will have to wait until we try to get him back on the big potty.

G Diapers

Thinking about using G diapers with this baby. Some of the earthy benefits of a cloth diaper without being a cloth diaper. They have a cloth outer, a liner to keep the outer clean when diapers are messy, and use flushable inserts. I probably would only use one or two a day, and I wouldn't start until the Medium size (the small just isn't worth the investment with our big babies). Even if I throw away the inserts rather than flushing them, they are still so much more biodegradable.

Anyway. Still just thinking about it. Finances may determine that we stick to our Pampers, but I like the idea of these diapers.

Skybus

Just found out about this new airline called Skybus. They guarantee at least 10 seats on each flight will only cost $10. Then the price increases slowly as more seats are purchased. You can even pay an extra $10 per seat for priority boarding (it's a no seat assignments type deal). Currently all flights have to go through Columbus, and you have to pick up your baggage and recheck it if you are going on, but for ten bucks, I'll totally do it. We're already on the watch for when they post schedules for next fall when we plan to head to Disney.

By George, I think he's got it!

Our boy is consistently peeing in the potty instead of his diapers! Most of his attempts before were twenty minutes of reading books and making silly faces. We still have a few of those (when you spend half your day in the bathroom, you're bound to), but it's becoming a much quicker thing.

I think the thing that did it is the next car hanging on the fridge. So far, he hasn't recognized the cars until we told him who they were. And he earned them with a single pee on the potty. (Now, he gets a ViewMaster story for peeing, but I think that will quickly change to just a jellybean.) The car currently on the fridge is Doc Hudson. Ethan has to poop on the potty to get him. He has been trying soooo hard. This has lead to the great peeing on the potty, and Ethan trying to convince us that gas is poop.

I'll let you know if he keeps improving, or if this is really a short term thing. Hopefully, were on our way to not having two in diapers. (Cross your fingers for us!)

Update: For what happened that evening, see John's comment

Scary FYI

Google has now integrated it's reverse phone # search with Mapquest. Handy right? Not if you have kids. If your child gives out their phone number, anyone can type it in and not only get your address, but also a map with directions to your house.

Luckily, you can get your number removed. Go type your phone number (555-555-5555) in the search bar and see if your address pops up (it shouldn't for cell phones.) If it does, click on it and then click "Request to have your name removed from this list". You fill out a form and it takes a few days to take effect. (Mom, I already did yours.)

Sometimes this information age is a little scary.

The Quickening

I think that's what they used to call it. Anyway, I thought I'd pass on to the grandparents that this baby is just as active as Ethan was. I've been feeling little kicks and stretches on occasion for the last two weeks or so (I know! Crazy early!) I'm only certain that I'm not making it up b/c I feel it every day now. I get little kicks right in front where the baby spends most of its time (I think that means the placenta is in the back padding my spine. Yay!) and occasional pushes against my already sore round ligaments on my right side. This baby clearly knows where it prefers to hang out. Picky already.

Not a Rough and Tumble Boy

Talking to a friend today about boys and realized I don't have a stereotypical boy. (My weirdness probably plays a huge part in this.)

First of all, he's cautious. He's not shy or wimpy, just wary of new situations and new people. Just like his mom.

Second, he is obsessive about cleaning off his hands and face while he's eating. As soon as he sits down to eat, he asks for a paper towel. He has even been know to wipe pretend crumbs off of our faces.

Third, one of his favorite times of day is storytime. We happen to have multiple copies of one of his favorite books. Lately, we'll each take one and read it together.

Fourth, some days he would rather spend at home rather than the park or with friends. Of course they always fall on the days when I most feel like I need to get out of the house....

Anyway, the point is that Ethan is not what I think of when I think "boy". And I like it.

Just what I needed to hear today

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-1994 Inaugural Speech, Nelson Mandela

Thanks Bryn.