Baltimore

Hooray! Chris got a job! Two years ago, we would never have imagined that we would end up in Baltimore, and it's also a surprise to us that Chris won't be a lawyer. He will actually be taking a position with the Social Security Administration as a budget analyst. They seemed happy that he had a law and public policy background, and we feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity. I think he would have done a great job in law, but we are both really grateful that he'll have a 9 to 5 job instead of a 60-80 hour work week at a law firm. It is definitely a big pay difference, but I very much enjoy time with my husband and I think I would have gone crazy having him gone so much. So this works out great for me! Thanks to everyone for their faith and prayers on our behalf. We feel very much that we have been led to this position.

Chris will start on September 16th, which will hopefully give us a little relaxation after the baby comes to spend with friends and family in Washington.

Speaking of the baby, we have a new baby bump picture for 23 weeks. I missed the 5 month mark, and so I'm already well into the 6th, but oh well. I know some women feel like they look fat with the baby bump, but I've gotta say that I'm loving it. Everything seems to be going great. Peter is proving to be a very active little boy. He gives me lots of kicks and nudges throughout the day. I think he's gonna give me a run for my money!

We've been having fun with our Bradley method classes. Our Bradley instructor is very mellow and pragmatic, which is really quite perfect for Chris and myself. The classes are quite comprehensive and they also emphasize nutrition, which is nice. The hard part for me is getting adequate protein. They recommend 80 grams of protein per day, which is a lot for me! I'm used to getting between 50 and 60 grams, and it's hard to fit in that extra 20-30 every day. I'm hoping that my anticipated appetite increase in the third trimester will help me to get 80 grams more comfortably. It seems quite important to get in lots of protein. Harvard did a study that found that in women who consistently had 80 grams of protein per day, there were NO instances of toxemia/preeclampsia. So, 80 grams it is!

Baby Boy

We had our structural ultrasound today. It was very exciting for the most part. What I wasn't expecting was the pain and discomfort. My back was killing me from laying down flat after only a few minutes. Then I started feeling nauseated and overheated and lightheaded. I felt like such a wimp for asking for a break, but the technician was very polite. She said that it happens to a lot of women because the baby puts pressure on the spine and arteries. She gave me a wet towel and let me sit up for a minute and then lay on my side for the rest of the time, which made all the difference. So, after that, I was finally able to enjoy the experience of seeing our baby for the first time. It's been an exciting time for Chris too, because he felt the baby move for the first time last night. Not bad for only 20 weeks along! So much fun!

This is pretty much the whole baby from the side. After all the measurements, they said his due date was August 4th. My date based on ovulation was the 6th, so we're not too far off base.

This is the baby's leg and foot. Chris was happy that the baby had two legs and two arms and no horns or wings. He is a bit of a worrywart!

This is the baby's first head shot. The tech gave us about five pictures of his face for some reason. I'm pretty sure you can't tell at this point who he looks like, so I'm not sure why five of ten pictures is necessary, but oh well.

Another head shot. They did not give us the shot showing the gender, but we are most definitely having a boy. Chris actually spotted that he was a boy early on, but I didn't realize until she pointed it out at the end--I think I was a little distracted from the discomfort until the second half. Anyway, I guess I have not been remiss in referring to the baby as "he" and "him" for the past two weeks. I can't honestly say that I had any intuition about it. I was basing it solely on the data from our fertility charting. I'm not even sure how reliable this is, but it was right in this case at least. So, Peter it will be. We are so excited!

It is so amazing to think that our bodies can create and carry babies. It's a wonderful experience, at least for the moment. Not so wonderful in the first trimester, and maybe won't be wonderful in the third, but I'm really liking the second!

Visit to Ankeny

Last weekend we took a trip out to Chris' parents house. Chris had an interview in Kansas City, and since Ankeny is only three hours away, we decided to make a weekend trip. We had a very nice time and were amazed by the crazy snowfall! Apparently they have had more snow this year than they've had since 1865! It's a little crazy driving in this, because you can't really see over the snowbanks if you're in a tiny Honda civic. In the picture above, you can barely see the mailbox poking out of the snow.

Okay, here's 17 weeks. I think I look fat rather than pregnant right now, but at least we're making progress! When I wore this shirt for my 13 week picture, the sweater was not pushed out by my belly nearly as much as it is in this picture. It's fun to see.

I also saw my doctor again, and everything's still great. Apparently I'll get to feel the baby kicking soon. Although, I suspect I may have already felt the kicking. It's hard to know if you're feeling it when you don't know what it's supposed to feel like! But, it's all very exciting.

I have scheduled our ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby for March 22nd. Chris and I suspect a boy, but hopefully we'll know soon. We're planning on Peter if it's a boy--we like it especially well since it's not on any top 100 boys name lists.

Speaking of babies, my lovely sister-in-law, Ann, just sent me a great book: Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I think all women who are having kids would benefit from reading this book. It really helped me feel so much better about the upcoming birth experience. I feel strangely empowered from reading it, whereas I think I was almost scared silly before reading it. There is some strange hippie stuff in it, but overall it is great! Thanks Ann!!

Thoughts

So far in my pregnancy, I have found it both interesting and comforting to gain knowledge about the details of pregnancy and how the body works and changes. But, I think I need to stop using internet research to find out what a normal pregnancy should be. Today I looked up photos of what other pregnant women look like at 16 weeks, as I am also approaching my 16th week. What inevitably followed was my feeling that something must be wrong with my pregnancy. So many of the pictures were women with HUGE bellies. I am still very small, and so this made me quite paranoid. It seems like there are endless things to worry about when pregnant, and internet research seems to make it worse! So, now I am trying to assume everything's fine until it is proven otherwise. Sometimes it's so hard to wait for the next doctor's appointment...

13 weeks

Well, since I heard the baby's heartbeat at 13 weeks, I figured it's time to post the news on the blog. We've been a little bit concerned with complications over the past week, but as of yesterday, things are looking pretty good. Above is a picture of the tiny baby bump. I doubt anybody but Chris and I can actually tell there's anything there, but I know I'm growing because I haven't gained any weight, and these are basically the only pants I can wear right now. I bought them a couple weeks ago in a larger size than I ever used to wear, and I'm grateful to have them to lounge in right now because they're so comfy!! I did have a picture that we took at 4 weeks, but it turned out blurry. But this is a pretty good starting point for documenting my growth since there's hardly anything to see.

I'm finally starting to get my energy back, which is nice. It was kind of amazing to me how tired I felt. But now what is even nicer is that I don't feel nauseated all day! Now I only get morning sickness in the morning, but I'm crossing my fingers that that will come to an end soon also.

Chris and I have decided to do the Bradley Method classes, which begin in March and end in May. After that, we're off to Washington to have the baby. Illinois has not been friendly to the midwives out here in terms of insurance coverage, and that is one reason why we want to have the baby in Washington. I am hoping to be able to have a CNM (certified nurse midwife) at St. Peter's Hospital. It will be kind of fun to have the baby there, because it's where I was born.

Happy Christmas! and other things

I was able to visit my parents for the second week of December. This was a special treat since I won't be able to visit for Christmas or Thanksgiving. It was a fun week. Dad let me go with him to get the tree and then Brandon pretty much decorated the tree all by himself. It was great to see my family!

Every time we have gone tree shopping, Dad always goes to the first tree he sees--usually a little tree--and wants to buy it. Poor Dad, I think I may have dragged him through all the nobles at that tree farm til we finally found one.

Brandon steadying the tree. I think it's a little crooked, but I also held the camera a little crooked too.

Sweet baby Grace and Becca.

The happy and ever-mischevious Will. What a cutie!

The finished product with Christmas village over the fireplace.

Since graduating and being unemployed, I've enjoyed making jewelry. Here is a fun woven bracelet and a pair of Venetian glass earrings. Fun fun.

We actually have never had a tree in our five years of married life. Kind of sad, but I've compensated a little by decorating our windows.

This is my first ever blueberry pie, from my mother-in-law's excellent recipe--better than Cook's. Kind of random, but I was happy with how it turned out, so I thought I'd add it to the post.

Summer in Chicago

We haven't been very good about posting lately. Mostly, I have neglected to bring the camera to any of the fun things that we've gone to, and I don't like to post without pictures.

Chris has been very busy this summer with an internship at Schiff Hardin Llp. It has been a great experience for him and he has really grown to appreciate the firm. We are prayerful and hopeful that it may work out into something permanent. We should know by the end of August what will be going on.

When Chris wasn't working, we were able to do some fun things in Chicago. We went to the Taste of Chicago (which, by the way, is overrated and overpriced, and the Bite of Seattle is much better in my opinion), or the exciting circus show on Navy Pier, The Spirit of Shanghai. We've had lots of fun walking around Chicago and visiting some fun restaurants and visiting the Art Institute on the free evening. While we don't really have pictures documenting these activites, I have collected a few pictures to post.

This is a bird's nest right outside our bedroom window that we only realized was there the day we took these photos. These baby birds look old enough to take flight very soon.

Baby birds with the mother. Very sweet.

A lovely painting at the Art Institute. I can't remember who it's by, though! I'll have to go back and find out.

Van Gogh's self portrait. Somebody said that it looked like Chris could be related. Beyond the red hair, I'm not sure I see it, but we thought we'd take a picture anyway.

This sunburn was the aftermath of our trip to the Taste and the Circus (which I do not have pictures of).