Welcome to December 2006!
Our Engagement Photo, Spring 2005, Wedding Photo, October 8th, 2005, & David Makes Three!!!
Thank you for visiting. We update this page every few days.... check back soon!
Thank you for visiting. We update this page every few days.... check back soon!
December 1, 2006
Calling all family and friends, near and far: We had our latest ultrasound this morning, and it is now CLEAR, without a doubt, that our strong, defiant, and headstrong little cookie wanted to be sure to let everyone know that:
Calling all family and friends, near and far: We had our latest ultrasound this morning, and it is now CLEAR, without a doubt, that our strong, defiant, and headstrong little cookie wanted to be sure to let everyone know that:
IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First today, we had our regular sonogram with Dr. Arbona, and she found the heartbeat right away, though the kid (of course) quickly then moved out of the way, jumping here and there in our now regular game of catch-me-if-you-can. But, she kept finding him, and the heartbeat always sounded nice and strong (at about 150 bps). Again, she commented that we should get ready, because this kid certainly doesn't like to sit still. But, well, look at his mom... sitting still? sleep? Why would anyone need to do those boring activites?!?
Then, we went next door to the ultrasound specialist's office, for a level 2 ultrasound, which allows the doctors to see how well things are forming and to take some key measurements. This is also the first time that we could find out the sex of the child if we wanted to. We told the lady performing the ultrasound that it didn't matter if we found out or not, but if things were blatantly obvious than we were fine with that as well.
It was amazing; we could just see SO many details of this kid: the skull, the brain's two halves, the toes, the fingers, the spine, the (strong) heart beating, the rib cage, the arm and leg bones, and, yes, even the very prominent scrotum and penis. :) He made us giggle when it was clear that he was having hiccups. :) YEAH, it all made me have tears....I never thought that, with everything that I've gone through in the last half of my life, that I was actually EVER going to be able to have this happen to me. But it is. (I'm crying right now, just thinking about it.) :)
They took a lot of pictures, including one 4-D picture, so we were really able to see his face very well, with all the details of the face, including the fact that his eyes were closed. Except for the fact that this kid didn't want to get his hand out from the front of his face....at that moment, sucking his thumb was of priority, of course. We got several copies of the regular ultrasound pictures (not the 4-D, unfortunately).
They measured many pieces and parts, and studied the brain and heart pretty extensively. We'll learn the measurements and details at the next appointment with Dr. Arbona in 2 weeks. So far, everything is looking very healthy for this stage, and David Alan Van Bruggen was declared healthy and normal. :)
And now for the updates on what they say should be going on developmentally:
Our baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom - about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. He is swallowing amniotic fluid, and his kidneys continue to make urine. This is a crucial time for sensory development: his brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Research shows that he's learning to distinguish your voice from others and he'll soon show a preference for it. Studies have shown that when a pregnant woman speaks, her baby's heart rate will decrease, indicating relaxation. The baby has the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn. He has a favorite position for sleep and recognizable active and rest periods. Scalp hair becomes apparent this week. It has sprouted and continues to grow. The milk teeth buds have already developed and over the next few days the buds for the permanent teeth will begin to form behind the milk teeth.
Then, we went next door to the ultrasound specialist's office, for a level 2 ultrasound, which allows the doctors to see how well things are forming and to take some key measurements. This is also the first time that we could find out the sex of the child if we wanted to. We told the lady performing the ultrasound that it didn't matter if we found out or not, but if things were blatantly obvious than we were fine with that as well.
It was amazing; we could just see SO many details of this kid: the skull, the brain's two halves, the toes, the fingers, the spine, the (strong) heart beating, the rib cage, the arm and leg bones, and, yes, even the very prominent scrotum and penis. :) He made us giggle when it was clear that he was having hiccups. :) YEAH, it all made me have tears....I never thought that, with everything that I've gone through in the last half of my life, that I was actually EVER going to be able to have this happen to me. But it is. (I'm crying right now, just thinking about it.) :)
They took a lot of pictures, including one 4-D picture, so we were really able to see his face very well, with all the details of the face, including the fact that his eyes were closed. Except for the fact that this kid didn't want to get his hand out from the front of his face....at that moment, sucking his thumb was of priority, of course. We got several copies of the regular ultrasound pictures (not the 4-D, unfortunately).
They measured many pieces and parts, and studied the brain and heart pretty extensively. We'll learn the measurements and details at the next appointment with Dr. Arbona in 2 weeks. So far, everything is looking very healthy for this stage, and David Alan Van Bruggen was declared healthy and normal. :)
And now for the updates on what they say should be going on developmentally:
Our baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom - about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. He is swallowing amniotic fluid, and his kidneys continue to make urine. This is a crucial time for sensory development: his brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Research shows that he's learning to distinguish your voice from others and he'll soon show a preference for it. Studies have shown that when a pregnant woman speaks, her baby's heart rate will decrease, indicating relaxation. The baby has the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn. He has a favorite position for sleep and recognizable active and rest periods. Scalp hair becomes apparent this week. It has sprouted and continues to grow. The milk teeth buds have already developed and over the next few days the buds for the permanent teeth will begin to form behind the milk teeth.
Profile view of the head,
torso, and upper arms
torso, and upper arms
It's a boy! (butt-view) :)
Lower legs and feet, crossing his legs
Two tiny footprints
The left foot moving around,
as the left hand waves at mom & dad
as the left hand waves at mom & dad
Profile view of our baby, busily sucking his thumb and moving the umbilical cord away from his face.
December 6, 2006
Now, we're just waiting for the kid to gain enough muscle mass so that his kicks/punches will be strong enough that Bruce will be able to feel him. Dr.Arbona stated that Bruce should get this present by Christmas. I think that I was having Braxton-Hicks contractions (where the uterus starts practicing how to have contractions....which are normal for this month, but still were causing us to be a little anxious). This went on about two weeks in late November, but thankfully, they seem to have gone away now. On Monday, I swore that either the kid's head or butt was pressing outward HARD, right next to my belly button. This one area was HARD, whereas all of the areas around it felt slightly softer, like they normally do now. (I had Bruce feel the difference....)
The development update is that now, we're half-way there! David is about 5.6 to 6.4 inches crown to rump (about 10 inches head to heel) and weighs approximately 9 ounces. He is now big enough that we should be able to tell when he is awake or asleep based on the level of activity, and his rapid growth stage is about over. While things have slowed down, this next stage is vital to survival. The baby's heart grows stronger. His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase muscle development occurring as well, I will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon! Immunities are being transferred from me to the baby now, and these immune cells will protect him from viruses I've already had for up to six months after birth! The baby may startle in reaction to loud sounds, because amazingly, he can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that the baby becomes accustomed to during development often are calming after birth. His blood cells take over for liver in producing blood. The gall bladder becomes functional, producing bile which is needed for digestion. As I explained in the last entry a few days ago, we saw a lot of movement in the ultrasound images....sucking his thumb, moving things out from the front of his face, repeated hiccups, and waving to us were all my favorite.
Bruce is doing excellent in his Master's program, and next Monday will be the last day of his first class. He's been getting 10/10 on almost every paper, and 98/100 on the largest one so far! :) He's getting better and much more confident in his MLA writing (the frustration of five weeks ago has greatly decreased). Also, he's enjoying working at The Disney Store, and they're giving him a lot of hours. He keeps coming home with interesting stories about his day, from the rich kids, to Santa's antics in the store, to how he seems to be getting along very well with most of his co-workers. Again, this has all contributed to his obvious increased self-confidence. Now, if only Chase or whatever other banking company would do some hiring instead of just advertising.....
I have now quit my art therapy job where my clients were juvenile male sexual offenders (I am still loving the job where the clients are children of ill parents). It just felt so good this week, to not go to a place that caused me a good deal of stress and where our baby would have to listen to the kids making greatly rude & disrespectful comments about me while I was attempting to help them in their sexual recovery. The stress is now greatly decreased (perhaps that stress accounted for the Braxton-Hicks...who knows....) So, now I'm able to teach more (and therefore make more money for much less stress). Seems a good trade-off for the time being.
Now, we're just waiting for the kid to gain enough muscle mass so that his kicks/punches will be strong enough that Bruce will be able to feel him. Dr.Arbona stated that Bruce should get this present by Christmas. I think that I was having Braxton-Hicks contractions (where the uterus starts practicing how to have contractions....which are normal for this month, but still were causing us to be a little anxious). This went on about two weeks in late November, but thankfully, they seem to have gone away now. On Monday, I swore that either the kid's head or butt was pressing outward HARD, right next to my belly button. This one area was HARD, whereas all of the areas around it felt slightly softer, like they normally do now. (I had Bruce feel the difference....)
The development update is that now, we're half-way there! David is about 5.6 to 6.4 inches crown to rump (about 10 inches head to heel) and weighs approximately 9 ounces. He is now big enough that we should be able to tell when he is awake or asleep based on the level of activity, and his rapid growth stage is about over. While things have slowed down, this next stage is vital to survival. The baby's heart grows stronger. His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase muscle development occurring as well, I will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon! Immunities are being transferred from me to the baby now, and these immune cells will protect him from viruses I've already had for up to six months after birth! The baby may startle in reaction to loud sounds, because amazingly, he can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that the baby becomes accustomed to during development often are calming after birth. His blood cells take over for liver in producing blood. The gall bladder becomes functional, producing bile which is needed for digestion. As I explained in the last entry a few days ago, we saw a lot of movement in the ultrasound images....sucking his thumb, moving things out from the front of his face, repeated hiccups, and waving to us were all my favorite.
Bruce is doing excellent in his Master's program, and next Monday will be the last day of his first class. He's been getting 10/10 on almost every paper, and 98/100 on the largest one so far! :) He's getting better and much more confident in his MLA writing (the frustration of five weeks ago has greatly decreased). Also, he's enjoying working at The Disney Store, and they're giving him a lot of hours. He keeps coming home with interesting stories about his day, from the rich kids, to Santa's antics in the store, to how he seems to be getting along very well with most of his co-workers. Again, this has all contributed to his obvious increased self-confidence. Now, if only Chase or whatever other banking company would do some hiring instead of just advertising.....
I have now quit my art therapy job where my clients were juvenile male sexual offenders (I am still loving the job where the clients are children of ill parents). It just felt so good this week, to not go to a place that caused me a good deal of stress and where our baby would have to listen to the kids making greatly rude & disrespectful comments about me while I was attempting to help them in their sexual recovery. The stress is now greatly decreased (perhaps that stress accounted for the Braxton-Hicks...who knows....) So, now I'm able to teach more (and therefore make more money for much less stress). Seems a good trade-off for the time being.
This is my belly picture #3: December 6, 2006, at 20 weeks. Only a few days after getting to see what a beautiful baby is growing inside of me.
December 9, 2006 (at 4am)
Okay, first for a disclaimer: This is going to be moderately graphic and is primarily written for the current (and future) females in the family who have yet to be pregnant (and for my pregnancy memories), so if you don't want to read it, please just skip it and tune in at the next webpage update.
Sarah, Rachel, Natalie, Ella, and whoever else, even though throughout childhood (and especially your teen years) you might sometimes HATE (or have hated) the fact that you have a sister, believe me, the annoying cliche is true: your sister is your very best friend that you'll ever have.
Three days ago (on Wednesday the 6th), Bruce commented that I was walking like I was "really pregnant." I thought that he was crazy, because, yes, I am halfway through this pregnancy, but I (thought) that I was walking just fine, thank you very much. Well, apparently he was right. All day long on the next day (the 7th), my stomach (and specifically my frontal uterus area) was, suddenly, VERY tender. Like the front of my stomach was totally bruised. I couldn't figure it out, because I hadn't done anything. It just was totally tender ALL day long. I also didn't like it that I just felt complete fat and that my entire left foot (not the right one...weirdly) was totally bloated and much larger than it has ever been...I was having memories of near the end of Debby's first pregnancy, when she was just in pain, bloated, and BIG everywhere. I thought, "wait! I'm only at 20 weeks! I don't want to get that big YET!" ("WHATEVER!" I thought....so, as I generally take pain very well, I took some Tylenol to dull the pain, and moved on to whatever else needed to get done.)
Then, yesterday (the 8th), the tenderness (and bloated left foot) went away, but was replaced with something worse: For the entire day, my entire stomach (uterus) area, from my belly button down to the frontal lips of the urinary tract, HURT (the lips felt like someone had punched me HARD right "down" there, as if the lips were now bruised). Also, every time that I leaned over for ANYTHING, I needed to hold up my stomach, because it completely felt like my uterus was MUCH heavier all of a sudden, and was just pushing HARD outward (not the kid inside, but the actual uterus itself). It's like I had a small bowling ball hanging there and wanting to fall forward/down EVERY time that I leaned forward. I was fine when I was sitting, but EVERY time that I stood up/ turned over/ rolled over, I HAD to hold up my stomach or endure a lot of pain. I told Bruce last night that, even though it would look stupid, I wished that I had a bra that I could fit around my stomach to just hold it up, in the same manner that bras hold up breasts to keep them from getting sore after awhile just from the weight and gravity. By the evening, it all really hurt, and was annoying me since my "deal with it" mentality wasn't working very well.
So, I called my mother and sister. Debby wasn't available right then, but mom said that what I was feeling was NOT natural, and to call the doctor right away. (Actually, she said that I should've called the doctor already....but, as this is my first pregnancy, hey, I'm new to this stuff! I don't know; and also, I can deal with a silly amount of pain!) So, I called the doctor, and the on-call doctor then called back, listened to my symptoms, and asked several questions. He then said that I could go into the hospital to check it out if I wanted to, but that he would be just as happy if I would take two Tylenol every 4 hours, and to just relax for the evening. (Obviously, the doctor didn't help me all that well, other than to assure me that it was nothing of immediate concern.) As the cheaper of the two options, I voted for the Tylenol regimen.
Later, Debby called back. As my sister is physically the closest thing that I'll ever have to my own body and that fact that her body has now (recently) gone through three pregnancies, I again described the symptoms. Debby ended up helping me a lot. She replied that what I was feeling was actually "completely normal." She said it was "round ligiment pain" (I think that's what she called it), and that my body was just getting ready to "pop up," as the uterus, which at this point is being held in place by the pubic bone area, will very soon get large enough that it will work it's way out from under the pubic bone and basically bounce up into the front of my stomach area. Therefore, in the next few days I'd suddenly look "MUCH more pregnant" that I do right now. So, the pain that I was (and am) feeling was my uterus pushing it's way past the pubic bone. She said that she went through this very same thing at this time with Natalie (Debby's first pregnancy), but not near as much with the following two. She also said that she had a chastity belt type of thing that she'll give me when I see her tomorrow (later today), and that it helped her a lot (in the first pregnancy; she didn't really need it for the following two) in holding up the stomach area (if it fits me...I'm larger than she is/was...if it doesn't fit, I'm going shopping this weekend). There. I'll have my "bra" that I've needed so badly for the last few days.
I've kept up doing the two Tylenol every 4 hours, and at about 3:30am this morning, it was apparently time for the next dosage, because the pain on my pubic bone was bad enough that it woke me up. Now, with meds in me, the pain has decreased, but it completely feels like I've been sucker-punched HARD; RIGHT on the front of my pubic bone. Yes, I am hurting and yes, I am definitely walking like I'm pregnant right now. Later this morning, I'll be selling pieces at another art show, then the family will be getting together with Aunt Jackie coming into town, and then I'll be doing the overnight shift later tonight. Hopefully the Tylenol regimen will do me just fine all day long.
Not everything about pregnancy is peaches and cream; that's for sure. But, I'm glad that I have Debby.
Okay, first for a disclaimer: This is going to be moderately graphic and is primarily written for the current (and future) females in the family who have yet to be pregnant (and for my pregnancy memories), so if you don't want to read it, please just skip it and tune in at the next webpage update.
Sarah, Rachel, Natalie, Ella, and whoever else, even though throughout childhood (and especially your teen years) you might sometimes HATE (or have hated) the fact that you have a sister, believe me, the annoying cliche is true: your sister is your very best friend that you'll ever have.
Three days ago (on Wednesday the 6th), Bruce commented that I was walking like I was "really pregnant." I thought that he was crazy, because, yes, I am halfway through this pregnancy, but I (thought) that I was walking just fine, thank you very much. Well, apparently he was right. All day long on the next day (the 7th), my stomach (and specifically my frontal uterus area) was, suddenly, VERY tender. Like the front of my stomach was totally bruised. I couldn't figure it out, because I hadn't done anything. It just was totally tender ALL day long. I also didn't like it that I just felt complete fat and that my entire left foot (not the right one...weirdly) was totally bloated and much larger than it has ever been...I was having memories of near the end of Debby's first pregnancy, when she was just in pain, bloated, and BIG everywhere. I thought, "wait! I'm only at 20 weeks! I don't want to get that big YET!" ("WHATEVER!" I thought....so, as I generally take pain very well, I took some Tylenol to dull the pain, and moved on to whatever else needed to get done.)
Then, yesterday (the 8th), the tenderness (and bloated left foot) went away, but was replaced with something worse: For the entire day, my entire stomach (uterus) area, from my belly button down to the frontal lips of the urinary tract, HURT (the lips felt like someone had punched me HARD right "down" there, as if the lips were now bruised). Also, every time that I leaned over for ANYTHING, I needed to hold up my stomach, because it completely felt like my uterus was MUCH heavier all of a sudden, and was just pushing HARD outward (not the kid inside, but the actual uterus itself). It's like I had a small bowling ball hanging there and wanting to fall forward/down EVERY time that I leaned forward. I was fine when I was sitting, but EVERY time that I stood up/ turned over/ rolled over, I HAD to hold up my stomach or endure a lot of pain. I told Bruce last night that, even though it would look stupid, I wished that I had a bra that I could fit around my stomach to just hold it up, in the same manner that bras hold up breasts to keep them from getting sore after awhile just from the weight and gravity. By the evening, it all really hurt, and was annoying me since my "deal with it" mentality wasn't working very well.
So, I called my mother and sister. Debby wasn't available right then, but mom said that what I was feeling was NOT natural, and to call the doctor right away. (Actually, she said that I should've called the doctor already....but, as this is my first pregnancy, hey, I'm new to this stuff! I don't know; and also, I can deal with a silly amount of pain!) So, I called the doctor, and the on-call doctor then called back, listened to my symptoms, and asked several questions. He then said that I could go into the hospital to check it out if I wanted to, but that he would be just as happy if I would take two Tylenol every 4 hours, and to just relax for the evening. (Obviously, the doctor didn't help me all that well, other than to assure me that it was nothing of immediate concern.) As the cheaper of the two options, I voted for the Tylenol regimen.
Later, Debby called back. As my sister is physically the closest thing that I'll ever have to my own body and that fact that her body has now (recently) gone through three pregnancies, I again described the symptoms. Debby ended up helping me a lot. She replied that what I was feeling was actually "completely normal." She said it was "round ligiment pain" (I think that's what she called it), and that my body was just getting ready to "pop up," as the uterus, which at this point is being held in place by the pubic bone area, will very soon get large enough that it will work it's way out from under the pubic bone and basically bounce up into the front of my stomach area. Therefore, in the next few days I'd suddenly look "MUCH more pregnant" that I do right now. So, the pain that I was (and am) feeling was my uterus pushing it's way past the pubic bone. She said that she went through this very same thing at this time with Natalie (Debby's first pregnancy), but not near as much with the following two. She also said that she had a chastity belt type of thing that she'll give me when I see her tomorrow (later today), and that it helped her a lot (in the first pregnancy; she didn't really need it for the following two) in holding up the stomach area (if it fits me...I'm larger than she is/was...if it doesn't fit, I'm going shopping this weekend). There. I'll have my "bra" that I've needed so badly for the last few days.
I've kept up doing the two Tylenol every 4 hours, and at about 3:30am this morning, it was apparently time for the next dosage, because the pain on my pubic bone was bad enough that it woke me up. Now, with meds in me, the pain has decreased, but it completely feels like I've been sucker-punched HARD; RIGHT on the front of my pubic bone. Yes, I am hurting and yes, I am definitely walking like I'm pregnant right now. Later this morning, I'll be selling pieces at another art show, then the family will be getting together with Aunt Jackie coming into town, and then I'll be doing the overnight shift later tonight. Hopefully the Tylenol regimen will do me just fine all day long.
Not everything about pregnancy is peaches and cream; that's for sure. But, I'm glad that I have Debby.
December 15, 2006:
We have just returned from the latest visit to Dr.Arbona. With the Doppler, we listened to the heartbeat again, and this time, for the first time, he actually came TOWARD the Doppler rather than hiding from it! So, we had a nice, strong, and clear sound to hear (again very healthy). She looked at our ultrasound pictures from two weeks ago, and commented that David certainly has big feet. (Must be inherited from his daddy.) :) She also confirmed that at the ultrasound (at 19 weeks, 2 days), David was declared normal. He weighed 312 grams (11.01 ounces or 0.69 pounds) was sitting breech (bottom downward), and the placenta was sitting toward my spine. Next month, I'll be taking the nasty, super-sugary test for diabetes (and therefore gestational diabetes). I don't think that I have MUCH to worry about with this, because I've been (generally) eating what I'm supposed to, my weight gain remains "very good," and (of course) my blood pressure remains "excellent."
This last week has been an experience in internal pain and how a body then recovers. The round ligament pain that I described in the last entry was particularly bad until Sunday afternoon, when all of a sudden, it GREATLY decreased. Since then, the pain re-surfaces periodically (especially at night when I'm at work, unfortunately), but I have (gradually) been able to decrease the frequency of the Tylenol regimen...perhaps my pain tolerance has increased as well. One day late this week, I've gone 24 hours without a dosage! Completely amazing, thinking back to how it felt only a few days ago. I think that David must've "popped up" sometime early this week, and now it's just the residual internal bruising that is healing (too slowly for my liking, but healing nonetheless). It's also annoying that my left foot still continues to occasionally just be HUGE.... I’m getting tired of wearing the one and only pair of shoes that truly fits me right now.
Of everyone who I've spoken to about the round ligament pain (including the females on my mom's side), Debby and my friend Jenn have been the only ones who have had it like this, so I'm guessing that it's an inherited tendency (from my dad's side). Jenn said that hers came and went as she got larger (oh joy), but she did give me several suggestions on how she decreased the pain. I'll be trying them.
Debby also gave me her support strap (described in my last entry as "a bra" for my uterus). I've been wearing it all week, and IT IS AMAZING!!!!!! I actually feel like I have a LOT of support, and it just feels GREAT. (Just like a good bra should! lol) She also gave us a LOT of baby boy clothes (Ethan's old things), her old Noah's Ark nursery decorations, and (most important to me) an old blue blanket that used to be my dad's when he was a baby that my Grandma Zamrazil made (I think).
Bruce has now begun his second class in his Master's program.....there **certainly** is a LOT of work to be done each week this quarter. He will have MUCH more work than the last class, with some pretty boring books to read and write on as well. As he described them last night: "Snnnoooooorrrre."
An update on David's growth development progress:
His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And I can certainly feel him move (the last few days, I have suddenly felt a LOT more of the kicks, though they are all too weak for Bruce to feel them yet). White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense systems, helping to fight infections and diseases. David's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque. His tongue is fully formed. He swallows more this week. After the baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that the baby sets his internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! My eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as his signals (too bad I don't do any of these things as regularly as I should...). Length measures about 10.51 inches (head to heel) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces.
We have just returned from the latest visit to Dr.Arbona. With the Doppler, we listened to the heartbeat again, and this time, for the first time, he actually came TOWARD the Doppler rather than hiding from it! So, we had a nice, strong, and clear sound to hear (again very healthy). She looked at our ultrasound pictures from two weeks ago, and commented that David certainly has big feet. (Must be inherited from his daddy.) :) She also confirmed that at the ultrasound (at 19 weeks, 2 days), David was declared normal. He weighed 312 grams (11.01 ounces or 0.69 pounds) was sitting breech (bottom downward), and the placenta was sitting toward my spine. Next month, I'll be taking the nasty, super-sugary test for diabetes (and therefore gestational diabetes). I don't think that I have MUCH to worry about with this, because I've been (generally) eating what I'm supposed to, my weight gain remains "very good," and (of course) my blood pressure remains "excellent."
This last week has been an experience in internal pain and how a body then recovers. The round ligament pain that I described in the last entry was particularly bad until Sunday afternoon, when all of a sudden, it GREATLY decreased. Since then, the pain re-surfaces periodically (especially at night when I'm at work, unfortunately), but I have (gradually) been able to decrease the frequency of the Tylenol regimen...perhaps my pain tolerance has increased as well. One day late this week, I've gone 24 hours without a dosage! Completely amazing, thinking back to how it felt only a few days ago. I think that David must've "popped up" sometime early this week, and now it's just the residual internal bruising that is healing (too slowly for my liking, but healing nonetheless). It's also annoying that my left foot still continues to occasionally just be HUGE.... I’m getting tired of wearing the one and only pair of shoes that truly fits me right now.
Of everyone who I've spoken to about the round ligament pain (including the females on my mom's side), Debby and my friend Jenn have been the only ones who have had it like this, so I'm guessing that it's an inherited tendency (from my dad's side). Jenn said that hers came and went as she got larger (oh joy), but she did give me several suggestions on how she decreased the pain. I'll be trying them.
Debby also gave me her support strap (described in my last entry as "a bra" for my uterus). I've been wearing it all week, and IT IS AMAZING!!!!!! I actually feel like I have a LOT of support, and it just feels GREAT. (Just like a good bra should! lol) She also gave us a LOT of baby boy clothes (Ethan's old things), her old Noah's Ark nursery decorations, and (most important to me) an old blue blanket that used to be my dad's when he was a baby that my Grandma Zamrazil made (I think).
Bruce has now begun his second class in his Master's program.....there **certainly** is a LOT of work to be done each week this quarter. He will have MUCH more work than the last class, with some pretty boring books to read and write on as well. As he described them last night: "Snnnoooooorrrre."
An update on David's growth development progress:
His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And I can certainly feel him move (the last few days, I have suddenly felt a LOT more of the kicks, though they are all too weak for Bruce to feel them yet). White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense systems, helping to fight infections and diseases. David's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque. His tongue is fully formed. He swallows more this week. After the baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that the baby sets his internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! My eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as his signals (too bad I don't do any of these things as regularly as I should...). Length measures about 10.51 inches (head to heel) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces.
December 21, 2006:
Bruce is still awaiting his final grade from his first Master's class (although they said that the grades should've been out by now...). However, he is confident that he got an A. Based on all of his grades, I agree. On his group paper (and presentation) that he was so worried about (primarily because a good portion of his grade depended on some of his, um, not-so-spectacular group members shall we say), he ended up getting a 99 out of 100. The professor also commented "Excellent job as usual! Very well written & nice flow throughout. Sources are very good & integrated well. Work Cited age is flawless! Keep up the great work. You are a strong student who will do very well in this program." Bruce told me that he thinks that he'll keep his editor (me). :)
For me, the last 1-2 weeks now, I have felt a LOT of David's movements. Supposedly, he has roughly 50 movements per day...I'm willing to bet that this kid does MUCH more than 50. It was weird at first, because it felt like that rush (or release) of air when you pass gas, but the release of air is in the FRONT, in the center-area of my uterus. Totally confused me at first. I now think that the initial sharp pain that I felt like 2 months ago (when I thought that was his first movements) was more likely just tendons/ ligaments being pulled. The movements that I have right now are nothing like that. Unfortunately, the baby's movements haven't been strong enough for Bruce to feel yet, but a few days ago, he WAS able to identify right where the uterus/kid was at, because just to the left of my belly button, he commented that it was much harder than the regular belly fat right around it. Now, for Bruce to get his first kick...come on, David, gain that muscle strength....
We now (finally) have the house set up for Christmas. Most days, we both work on very different schedules, so we haven't had much "together-time" (like decorating for Christmas). Recently, I have felt like I was Jewish, and Bruce had a Disney co-worker ask him if he, 'umm, didn't celebrate the holiday.' Yes, we're Christians, and yes, we celebrate the holiday. Decorating the house just hasn't been a priority this season with everything else that has been on our minds. However, we agreed that next year, we'll be decorating soon after Thanksgiving, and then be TOTALLY playing up the whole Christmas thing, since we'll have a 7-month-old baby around. :)
Update on developmental progress for week 22:
David weighs close to a pound at this point! His skin will continue to appear wrinkled until he gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his head and body is now visible. He can now hear our conversations more clearly than before, so when we talk, read, or sing, we can expect him to hear us. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero. The baby's eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks some pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed, fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers, and his lips are becoming more distinct. David's brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth, but the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around age five. His liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells. His pancreas, essential for hormone production, is also developing steadily. His testes begin their descent to the scrotum, primitive sperm have formed, and he is producing testosterone. Length is 10.94 inches (27.8cm); weight is nearly 1 pound (430gm).
Bruce is still awaiting his final grade from his first Master's class (although they said that the grades should've been out by now...). However, he is confident that he got an A. Based on all of his grades, I agree. On his group paper (and presentation) that he was so worried about (primarily because a good portion of his grade depended on some of his, um, not-so-spectacular group members shall we say), he ended up getting a 99 out of 100. The professor also commented "Excellent job as usual! Very well written & nice flow throughout. Sources are very good & integrated well. Work Cited age is flawless! Keep up the great work. You are a strong student who will do very well in this program." Bruce told me that he thinks that he'll keep his editor (me). :)
For me, the last 1-2 weeks now, I have felt a LOT of David's movements. Supposedly, he has roughly 50 movements per day...I'm willing to bet that this kid does MUCH more than 50. It was weird at first, because it felt like that rush (or release) of air when you pass gas, but the release of air is in the FRONT, in the center-area of my uterus. Totally confused me at first. I now think that the initial sharp pain that I felt like 2 months ago (when I thought that was his first movements) was more likely just tendons/ ligaments being pulled. The movements that I have right now are nothing like that. Unfortunately, the baby's movements haven't been strong enough for Bruce to feel yet, but a few days ago, he WAS able to identify right where the uterus/kid was at, because just to the left of my belly button, he commented that it was much harder than the regular belly fat right around it. Now, for Bruce to get his first kick...come on, David, gain that muscle strength....
We now (finally) have the house set up for Christmas. Most days, we both work on very different schedules, so we haven't had much "together-time" (like decorating for Christmas). Recently, I have felt like I was Jewish, and Bruce had a Disney co-worker ask him if he, 'umm, didn't celebrate the holiday.' Yes, we're Christians, and yes, we celebrate the holiday. Decorating the house just hasn't been a priority this season with everything else that has been on our minds. However, we agreed that next year, we'll be decorating soon after Thanksgiving, and then be TOTALLY playing up the whole Christmas thing, since we'll have a 7-month-old baby around. :)
Update on developmental progress for week 22:
David weighs close to a pound at this point! His skin will continue to appear wrinkled until he gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his head and body is now visible. He can now hear our conversations more clearly than before, so when we talk, read, or sing, we can expect him to hear us. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero. The baby's eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks some pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed, fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers, and his lips are becoming more distinct. David's brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth, but the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around age five. His liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells. His pancreas, essential for hormone production, is also developing steadily. His testes begin their descent to the scrotum, primitive sperm have formed, and he is producing testosterone. Length is 10.94 inches (27.8cm); weight is nearly 1 pound (430gm).
December 29, 2006:
It is now official; Bruce received an A for his first MBA class. YEAH!!!! :)
On Saturday the 16th, we went on a date downtown to see the Broadway musical "Cats." It's one of my favorites, and Bruce has loved the musical for a long time (he has the CD and the DVD), but he had never been able to see the actual show. So, we went and had loge (a.k.a. excellent) seats. We both completely enjoyed the show. Bruce did get upset as we waited to be seated, because he really wanted to buy a Cats t-shirt, but they didn't have any in his size... I told him that he didn't need some silly shirt anyway, and that I'd continue to love him, no matter WHAT size he happened to be. We agreed that we need to keep going to musicals as our finances allow... they are just SO much better than a movie or whatever else! The ONLY bad part of the evening was that it was going to rain the following day, so my right knee was completely in pain after I had to keep it in the same seated position for an hour at a time. Bruce didn't complain at all when I HAD to extend my right leg in this totally weird, twisted position that completely invaded his leg space...but by doing that, the pain completely disappeared. (I've had those problems since my teenaged years.) Bruce just rubbed my knee and held my hand. :)
The following Saturday (the 23rd), Sarah and I took Natalie and Mom to The Nutcracker downtown. Again, we had very good seats, and I was able to extend my right leg, so I was MUCH more comfortable than the previous week. Natalie enjoyed herself completely. At last year's show, she asked many clarification questions and claimed that the mice were her favorite part. This time around, of course, she is an almost-five-year-old. So, she paid attention much better, and when I asked her which was her favorite part, she responded "the whole thing, Aunt Nanny!" (with a 'why, oh, why don't you understand' look upon her little face. lol!) During the intermission, Aunt Sarah took her to see the orchestra pit, and about 5 minutes before the show's end, she had Aunt Nanny take her to the bathroom "right now."
On Christmas Eve, Bruce made his much-loved cheesecake to share with the family the following day for Christmas. Well, in the process, we learned that, yes, David can hear quite well now. I was standing in the kitchen while Bruce made the cheesecake, and when he turned on the blender for a short time, David SUDDENLY punched/kicked HARD outward, and kept his stance firm until Daddy was done making that awfully loud noise. As soon as the blender stopped, David quickly and very noticeably relaxed. So he doesn't like loud noises...fine with me! Well, except for the fact that band rooms and football fields can get on the noisy side..... :)
Christmas Day, we spent the day with my family, and we all enjoyed ripping/shreding/tearing through the gifts. Among a lot of other things, we got a lot of baby-related things, of course, and Bruce gained the start of his Daddy-qualified toolset. :) Mom also got Bruce a Ohio State polo...she claims that eventually, she'll get him to be a Buckeyes fan. lol! Bruce enjoyed spending the afternoon showing Natalie and Ethan how to work/run most of their new toys that he (or mom) had gotten for them. The Disney store has certainly been a good fit for him right now. Also, I think that he's going to have an especially good Christmas next year, playing with his new son. ;) In the evening, Bruce and I went over to Debby & Phil's, and with Sarah, we played "Trivial Pursuit, the Totally 80's version." It was one of the gifts for me from Bruce. It was a LOT of fun, but IT WAS HARD, TOO!!!! SO many silly trivia/headlines/etc that we just never thought that we'd be able to forget. Debby won, but at least I tied Sarah (who was born in 1987, btw! lol!). On the way home, we agreed that we need to get more games like that and to have game nights every so often. It was just a lot of fun.
On the 26th, Bruce's dad came up for a few days, and when I had to work Wednesday night, Bruce had some 1:1 time with his dad (which they haven't been able to have in a LONG time). We opened up presents on Tuesday night, including an especially touching one bought from his mom months ago when she knew that her illness was terminal, and that she wouldn't be around for Christmas this year. It is a Christmas tree ornament that says "Merry Christmas from Heaven," and includes a wonderfully touching poem about how she's still here and still so very proud of Bruce and all of his choices and accomplishments. It made everyone cry (and it also made me think of my dad). The following day, we went shopping for a new crib for the baby, and were (at first) just overwhelmed at all of the choices. Finally, we found one that we all like very much. It is a walnut slated wood, curved top (no hard corners), and solid so that it won't fall apart when this active cookie jumps around in it. It just looks SO nice, and easily becomes a toddler bed and then a full-size bed as David gets bigger. Unfortunately, it had to be ordered, so we'll be back to Babys-R-Us to pick it up in 7-14 days. (I have a picture of the crib, but for whatever reason, this program isn't allowing me to paste the jpg onto this website. SO, if/whenever I can, you'll see the crib!)
It's now quite easy for me to feel David's movements and often to feel where his head is located. (He's moving right now as I'm typing... he moves around a LOT; and not surprizingly, a set sleep schedule seems to be non-exsistent). Unfotunately, though, the kicks still aren't strong enough for Bruce to feel. On Wednesday morning, I placed Bruce's hand RIGHT on the area where most of the kicks were hitting me, but Daddy claimed to not feel anything.
An update on David's developmental progress:
Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since David hasn't begun to form body fat. Bones located in the middle ear harden, and he is able to hear. With his sense of movement well developed now, he can feel my movements. Those dainty fetal movements have progressed to occasional karate kicks. The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation. The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily, and he has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars. If born now, David has a 15% chance of survival, with his odds going up at each passing day. The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.
It is now official; Bruce received an A for his first MBA class. YEAH!!!! :)
On Saturday the 16th, we went on a date downtown to see the Broadway musical "Cats." It's one of my favorites, and Bruce has loved the musical for a long time (he has the CD and the DVD), but he had never been able to see the actual show. So, we went and had loge (a.k.a. excellent) seats. We both completely enjoyed the show. Bruce did get upset as we waited to be seated, because he really wanted to buy a Cats t-shirt, but they didn't have any in his size... I told him that he didn't need some silly shirt anyway, and that I'd continue to love him, no matter WHAT size he happened to be. We agreed that we need to keep going to musicals as our finances allow... they are just SO much better than a movie or whatever else! The ONLY bad part of the evening was that it was going to rain the following day, so my right knee was completely in pain after I had to keep it in the same seated position for an hour at a time. Bruce didn't complain at all when I HAD to extend my right leg in this totally weird, twisted position that completely invaded his leg space...but by doing that, the pain completely disappeared. (I've had those problems since my teenaged years.) Bruce just rubbed my knee and held my hand. :)
The following Saturday (the 23rd), Sarah and I took Natalie and Mom to The Nutcracker downtown. Again, we had very good seats, and I was able to extend my right leg, so I was MUCH more comfortable than the previous week. Natalie enjoyed herself completely. At last year's show, she asked many clarification questions and claimed that the mice were her favorite part. This time around, of course, she is an almost-five-year-old. So, she paid attention much better, and when I asked her which was her favorite part, she responded "the whole thing, Aunt Nanny!" (with a 'why, oh, why don't you understand' look upon her little face. lol!) During the intermission, Aunt Sarah took her to see the orchestra pit, and about 5 minutes before the show's end, she had Aunt Nanny take her to the bathroom "right now."
On Christmas Eve, Bruce made his much-loved cheesecake to share with the family the following day for Christmas. Well, in the process, we learned that, yes, David can hear quite well now. I was standing in the kitchen while Bruce made the cheesecake, and when he turned on the blender for a short time, David SUDDENLY punched/kicked HARD outward, and kept his stance firm until Daddy was done making that awfully loud noise. As soon as the blender stopped, David quickly and very noticeably relaxed. So he doesn't like loud noises...fine with me! Well, except for the fact that band rooms and football fields can get on the noisy side..... :)
Christmas Day, we spent the day with my family, and we all enjoyed ripping/shreding/tearing through the gifts. Among a lot of other things, we got a lot of baby-related things, of course, and Bruce gained the start of his Daddy-qualified toolset. :) Mom also got Bruce a Ohio State polo...she claims that eventually, she'll get him to be a Buckeyes fan. lol! Bruce enjoyed spending the afternoon showing Natalie and Ethan how to work/run most of their new toys that he (or mom) had gotten for them. The Disney store has certainly been a good fit for him right now. Also, I think that he's going to have an especially good Christmas next year, playing with his new son. ;) In the evening, Bruce and I went over to Debby & Phil's, and with Sarah, we played "Trivial Pursuit, the Totally 80's version." It was one of the gifts for me from Bruce. It was a LOT of fun, but IT WAS HARD, TOO!!!! SO many silly trivia/headlines/etc that we just never thought that we'd be able to forget. Debby won, but at least I tied Sarah (who was born in 1987, btw! lol!). On the way home, we agreed that we need to get more games like that and to have game nights every so often. It was just a lot of fun.
On the 26th, Bruce's dad came up for a few days, and when I had to work Wednesday night, Bruce had some 1:1 time with his dad (which they haven't been able to have in a LONG time). We opened up presents on Tuesday night, including an especially touching one bought from his mom months ago when she knew that her illness was terminal, and that she wouldn't be around for Christmas this year. It is a Christmas tree ornament that says "Merry Christmas from Heaven," and includes a wonderfully touching poem about how she's still here and still so very proud of Bruce and all of his choices and accomplishments. It made everyone cry (and it also made me think of my dad). The following day, we went shopping for a new crib for the baby, and were (at first) just overwhelmed at all of the choices. Finally, we found one that we all like very much. It is a walnut slated wood, curved top (no hard corners), and solid so that it won't fall apart when this active cookie jumps around in it. It just looks SO nice, and easily becomes a toddler bed and then a full-size bed as David gets bigger. Unfortunately, it had to be ordered, so we'll be back to Babys-R-Us to pick it up in 7-14 days. (I have a picture of the crib, but for whatever reason, this program isn't allowing me to paste the jpg onto this website. SO, if/whenever I can, you'll see the crib!)
It's now quite easy for me to feel David's movements and often to feel where his head is located. (He's moving right now as I'm typing... he moves around a LOT; and not surprizingly, a set sleep schedule seems to be non-exsistent). Unfotunately, though, the kicks still aren't strong enough for Bruce to feel. On Wednesday morning, I placed Bruce's hand RIGHT on the area where most of the kicks were hitting me, but Daddy claimed to not feel anything.
An update on David's developmental progress:
Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since David hasn't begun to form body fat. Bones located in the middle ear harden, and he is able to hear. With his sense of movement well developed now, he can feel my movements. Those dainty fetal movements have progressed to occasional karate kicks. The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation. The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily, and he has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars. If born now, David has a 15% chance of survival, with his odds going up at each passing day. The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.
Mom ("Grammy") with Ethan
and Grandma with Ella
and Grandma with Ella
The after-opening of presents disarray
Ethan, Natalie, and Uncle Bruce playing with cars
Sarah trying out her new digital camera
Natalie and Ethan opening a present together
Grandpa trying to decide which chocolate to take this time
Natalie taking after Aunt Nanny
in her "big-enough" stance
in her "big-enough" stance
Natalie and Ethan getting help from Daddy (Phil)
Debby and Ella
(age one month, 10 days old)
(age one month, 10 days old)
Natalie and Ethan....buried in Christmas paper
Christmas Day 2006