DUE DATE

Well, here we are: 40 weeks! Just got back from my appointment, and not really anything to report. I'm a fingertip dilated but baby's head is way down low, so no telling what could happen. We are assuming that it is going to be a while- like... many days. But technically, it could be anytime.

Mom is here, and today we are planning on cooking and freezing some meals to try and keep our minds off of things. Mom leaves this Saturday so we still have a bit of a window for him to make it before she leaves, but we certainly aren't banking on it!

Thanks for everyone's support and love. We will certainly keep you all updated on any changes.

The Final Stretch

The Start to our Baby Mobile

Well, 20 days to go until our due date. It is so unbelievable. I can't explain how excited I am! We are doing pretty well in being prepared; we have most of the needs for baby, and I am meeting with potential pediatricians next week. The nursery is set up, but just needs some decor to spice it up a tad. I am making the baby mobile, which I must admit is pretty darn cute. I can't wait until the room comes together completely.

We had our last BlissBorn: Hypnosis for Childbirth class last night. BlissBorn is like hypnobabies except that it is taught by a licensed hypnotherapist. I am so happy that we decided on that route for our birthing class. We had to have private classes since Mike works most nights, so we didn't get to meet other couples doing the same thing, but it ended up being a blessing. We were able to open up, and in a lot of ways it was like a therapy appointment - we talked about our fears and our expectations and feel so much more confident because of it. Plus, I think it brought Mike and I even closer. :) I have to practice daily the techniques, but I think it will be totally worth it. Check out their website: http://bliss-ed.com/

37 weeks!

Aside from our weekly blissborn classes, we've recently had a newborn class and a breastfeeding class, and our 37 week appointment was yesterday morning. We have been buuusssy. I am still feeling amazingly good (knock on wood) and I haven't even started swelling yet! On the other hand, I haven't had any braxton hicks contractions either which makes me wonder how long we are going to have to wait to get some labor action. Our midwife said that 80% of their first time moms are still pregnant on their due date. That's fine. I don't mind that, but I really don't want to go 2 weeks late and have to be induced at a hospital!! I've started on evening primrose oil which may help soften my cervix. Who knows...

Sarah says my belly looks like a torpedo, and I am inclined to agree. Baby is pointing straight out and he just keeps growing. According to my iPhone app, baby is the size of a watermelon. I'm carrying a watermelon. Crazy! Still just wondering what this baby is going to weigh and look like and act like... the list goes on. That is one problem I am having- I haven't been sleeping all that well lately. I think I am just so excited. My mind does not stop! But it's not every night. It goes in waves- two or three nights of no sleep then two or three nights of great sleep. So I guess I can't complain.

That's it for now! I hope I can update with a finished nursery soon, before we update with pictures of a new babe!

46 Days to Go - CRAZY!

30 Weeks - Drive through the Rockies to See the Changing Aspen Leaves

It's been a long time since our last update; since Mike started back to school, there are a lot more responsibilities that I am trying to take care of! He has been super busy, so I am doing a lot more around the house and taking care of the pups and such. I am even - get this - COOKING! Occasionally. I think I've put together 2 meals without Mike taking over, and one of those meals burned. But I've been thinking about cooking more! It's fun. Kinda. Normally I end up as the prep cook for Mike's meals, but I'm getting a hang of things. Must be the motherly nesting, eh?

I hit 33 weeks this past Monday. It's funny when I look at what I said was my "huge, round belly" in posts below. I couldn't have imagined it getting bigger - yet here I am! I am still feeling good; I'm exercising and keeping up with things at work. It's kind of exciting because I started interviewing my maternity replacement this week! It's crazy to think that I'll be training someone soon to take over. My last day at work is scheduled for Wednesday, November 24th - the day before Thanksgiving and 5 days before my due date. Mom also gets into town that night. She's scheduled to be here from the 24th to the 3rd of December hoping that she would be here for the birth. Of course, after we booked her flight, my midwife told me not to expect the baby for 10-12 days after my due date. Great! So Mom will be here, I'll be on maternity leave already, and no baby? We'll see. We are hoping for the best, but prepared for a 2 week late baby. Mike is actually hoping for a later baby since his finals week at school is the week of Dec 13th, but I say no thanks. Mike's mom is coming to town on December 3rd (almost passing my mom at the airport) and staying for 10 days. Wouldn't that be a hoot if both moms came and missed the baby completely? :(

In September, I went home for my first ever baby shower! It was so fun to see all the ladies of the family and my Augie friends. Mike couldn't come because of school and work, and I didn't get to see Joel or my nephews, but it was a nice quiet weekend with my parents which was actually a nice change of pace. Plus, we got to watch a Gator game together while I was home (and we actually won that one)!

Next weekend, Heather & Sarah are hosting another shower for both Mike & me here in Denver. I'm so excited - it's a co-ed halloween themed shower/party. :) Also, Summar and her family are coming to town as well as Amanda from NYC so it's going to be a lot of awesome people getting together for probably the last time before we are parents. Weird!

I was able to capture the baby's movement on a quick video around week 29! You may not be able to see him, but he's there swimming around. :)

99 days and counting!

Well, we are now in the double digits. Just 99 days to go. I'll be 26 weeks tomorrow! And now, we have taken on a rather large project for the two of us - we are getting our wood floors refinished. I'm not sure if it's the nesting or what, but I felt the need to get these floors fixed up and shiny before baby comes. I knew it would be very difficult to do once the baby comes, and it had to be done before we ever sell the house... plus, having dogs, the wood was getting pretty beat up. But, the timing could have been a little better.

25 wks, 6 days in our newly emptied living room.

Besides me being 6 months pregnant, Mike starts school tomorrow. He's taking 5 classes and will have to work a minimum of 4 shifts a week at Izakaya in order to keep his job. He's got enough to worry about, and now we're moving all of our furniture into the garage, and taking the dogs to a Motel for 2-3 nights. And we still have to finish the baseboards in the nursery! Agghh! Why am I so nutso about getting this house so perfect?? Besides the nesting excuse, I think it's got a lot to do with boredom. Mike works nights, and I don't have grad school to keep me busy anymore (THANK GOODNESS), so I mostly come home and clean and read a little and play with the pups. It gets boooring. Mike got me a couple of puzzles to keep me busy, but we find one random piece here or there in the yard with lil doggy teeth marks in them, so I never even get to see a completed puzzle. Oh well. One day soon here I'll be so un-bored that I'll wish I could have this time again, right?

Daddy & Baby, Black Flag Fans Forever

Mike and I found this Black Flag shirt at a local boutique after searching for something like it on the internet for months. So fun! Although, I refuse to disclose how much we spent on it. I think Mike and I are going to start a baby band t-shirt business. We may even use organic cotton so we can become millionaires! I cannot believe how much some of this baby stuff costs, but there is obviously a market out there if, as much as I complain about the price, I still buy it.

24 Week Birth Center Visit!

Well today was our first prenatal visit at Mountain Midwifery Birth Center. I am so happy we decided to go with a birth center as opposed to a hospital birth. Of course, there is always the possibility that I will end up in the hospital, but at least it would be with the guidance of a midwife that I know will have our needs and wishes in mind. I feel a lot more relaxed already! Here is a video off of the MM website that shows the center and describes why midwifery care is so helpful. Be forewarned though, there is a labor and water-birth shown! It is not extremely detailed or graphic, but may be a bit shocking if you were just expecting an interview. I actually found it very touching, but that could also be the pregnancy hormones...


A lot of the focus at MM is on the health of the mother, which I really appreciate. They are extremely vigilant when it comes to weight gain and diet. An employee there who was getting her PhD did a study that showed that there is definitely a correlation between the weight gain of the mother and the need for interference at a hospital. I really appreciate their nudge in the direction of health and fitness.

I was told that the c-section rate there is only 6.7% which is insanely low in comparison to the national average of over 30%! I really hope that I can be one of the 93.3% that gives birth in one of those beautiful rooms.

I'm still feeling great! Here is a picture of my huge, round belly (measuring right on time though!) at 24 weeks.

Our nursery is coming along - hopefully it will be prepped and ready for baby furniture by next week! We did receive a surprise visit from the UPS man this past week. He brought us our crib  and all of our crib supplies! It was a wonderful surprise from Mike's parents. I really think this baby is truly blessed to have such amazing grandparents on both sides. I am certain that this baby will never be short on love, I can guarantee that.

We've pretty much finished registering (so we think), and had no idea the loads of things that come along with new babies. We are registered at Target, Babies R Us and Amazon.com. That way we have (almost) everything covered! I am working on building a cloth diaper collection, which has already started out pretty well with the help of hand-me-downs from cloth-using friends (thanks Melissa and Sarah!). I am now just shopping for one-size diapers, buying one here and there as to not break the bank too hard. And our clothing collection is already more than enough (thanks Summar!) so we are really on our way to being ready for this lil guy!

It's A Boy! And Other News...

I know, it's old news by now - we are having a BOY! I haven't been able to update the blog because we were having trouble getting some of our pics off of our computer, but we have it all figured out now...

This is a profile shot of the little one. This ultrasound day was probably one of the most amazing days of my life. The excitement and anticipation had Mike and me overwhelmed. I am pretty sure that our adrenaline was at its height. Mike held my hand, and the lady asked a few times if we wanted to know the sex - and we were CERTAIN that we did, we assured her. It was like the moment she placed the wand on my belly, she announced, "It's a boy!" Our reactions were ecstatic - tears of joy and smiles from ear to ear, squeezing each others hands... I wanted to jump up half naked and dance around. It was AMAZING. I'll never forget it.

Here is a pic (left) of that same day, the day we knew who was inside my belly, 20 weeks & 1 day pregnant.

 After all of this excitement settled down a little, we went camping with our boys (Rolex, Adela & Jesus- our dogs, plus the lil man in my belly) and Nick & Travis. It was a beautiful trip! Nice to get away from the 90 degree weather we had here in Denver (I know, weird!). Mike, the dogs and I went on a 4 hour hike and had a blast. This was when I was 22 weeks.

 I am now 23 weeks along, and feeling great. I've started exercising even more - going to the gym at lunch and just doing the elliptical or something and doing prenatal yoga at this great studio, Spiral Yoga. I am loving it there. I really think it is helping me stay in somewhat ok shape, too. I've read that 3 out of 4 pregnant women do not exercise as much as they should and I am hoping to be that one mom who does. Besides, I've heard it helps with labor and delivery, getting back to normal weight post-pregnancy and sleep (I can attest to that!). I am totally motivated. I hope it lasts!

We have our first appointment at the birthing center next Tuesday - I cannot wait. I have a list of questions in my head that I still need to jot down! I'm also getting excited about the baby showers to come. I'll be heading home to FL next month (I know, ALREADY!) for a shower which will probably be my last visit for quite some time. Then in October, the girls are going to have one here in Denver for us - Halloween themed. :) I am still trying to come up with an original belly costume - because by then, belly will be BIGGG. I'm excited to have some parties to look forward to! September - party, October - party, November (or more likely with my luck, December) BABY!

Mike is painting the nursery as I type this! I finally found the right dreamsicle orange. I think it's going to look delicious, just like I wanted! There is a lot of other remodeling involved with the nursery (baseboards, door frames, etc.), so I'll post the before and afters as soon as we have some afters.

Baby Kicks

It is the strangest, loveliest feeling in the world! I had been feeling this little funky feeling in my lower belly for a few days, but wasn’t looking too far into it. Then, the night of Friday July 2^nd as we were going to bed, I started feeling it again. So, I had Mike check it out – and sure enough, he felt a thump from the insides of my belly! So weird. SOO cool.

Since then, every time baby kicks, I make Mike feel it. It seems every waking moment I am putting Mike’s palm on my belly because this baby is now moving all over the place! I love it.

We just got back from Florida where we had a great time with friends and family - we got to meet a bunch of babies for the first time and they all left me more excited about getting our turn with our own. They were all sooo sweet and cuddly and squishy and lovey! I thought I would be super nervous with my first little one but I was totally impressed and surprised at how laid back my new mommy n daddy friends were about everything. It doesn't have to be as scary as I have it in my head! YAY!

The belly has been quickly and steadily growing – it is quite round and pokey. People tell me I am carrying “out front", I’m just still learning what that means, if anything! I hope my back can support a big baby though, because I learned this weekend that my brother was over 9 lbs and I was about 8 ½. Yipes! The baby is only about 10 oz. right now and I already feel like I am carrying quite a watermelon. Hopefully the yoga and stretching will keep me in shape to carry and birth this potentially large Swanpenter baby.

We find out the sex of the baby in 5 days! I can’t believe it. I think most people are thinking girl. I’m keeping a mental tally, so if you have a vote let me know!! I have a strong feeling that it is a boy, but of course will be SO excited for a girl. I’m just worried how much shopping I would do, really...

Next update: It’s a _____ !

18 Weeks & Headed to Florida!

Yeehaw! Two days left of work before we head to St. Augustine! I am so ready to get there. I'm not sure if it's the hormones or what, but I have recently been extremely homesick and wishing that we could just move to Florida already. As much as I love my Denver family, I really want to be taken care of!! Parents and siblings and aunts and cousins are soo nice for that. :) I am happy though that I do have such a strong base of friends here that do honestly feel like family. I would hate to leave that.

This is my 18 week belly picture from this morning. It's really getting big! We got a new camera (SPLURGE) so I hope to get some cooler shots than this soon. This is just with my iPhone - I've taken pics every week since week 5 like this. Now that there is actually a belly there, a new camera can capture the growth! We decided to splurge on the camera because it is such a treasure to be able to capture those baby moments in clarity and with creativity. The camera comes with photography classes too, so maybe I'll get a chance to actually learn how to use the thing before the baby comes!!

I was able to get in at Mountain Midwifery for our 24 week appointment! I'm so happy about that. I wish we could have gone sooner, but it is what it is. We still have one more visit with our current doctor which is good, because otherwise it would have been difficult to get an ultrasound to find out the sex! And there's no way we could make it without knowing... I really think the 20 week appointment is going to be amazing. I'm so excited to connect to the little boy or little girl we have growing! I know it would be so exciting to wait until the birth to find out, but we are waayy too ready to know. Plus, it's nice to break up the 40 weeks of pregnancy with some exciting news!

Our 20 week appointment is scheduled for July 13th, 1:00 pm MST. Two weeks and 1 day to go! So crazy! We are so close to the halfway mark. I'm still totally comfortable - able to sleep, still have energy, still exercising, etc! I am relishing in that since I know that the last weeks aren't quite as fun. So for now, we our loving our lives and the little life inside me.

15 Weeks Down, 25 To Go

So here is my 15 week belly pic from this morning, although it doesn't seem to do my belly justice. I think it is twice as big before I go to bed! I am pretty much into maternity clothes, but really I'm still in that awkward stage where I don't look all the way pregnant yet. It's at the point where people may wonder, but would never ask because it could just be a gut. Sometimes I poke it out a little more to try and make it more obvious. :)

I'm feeling pretty good- a little tired from our trip to Santa Fe for Sarah's wedding this weekend (which was beautiful by the way), but overall healthy and happy! Mike and I babysat Inzo for a little while on the night of the wedding so Sarah could let loose, and Inzo was adorable and hilarious. He did not want to go to bed, so he just kept clapping (his new trick) even though his eyes were mostly closed. Mike was such a sweetheart - he hung out with me and Inzo instead of partying it up with the rest of the crew. I gots me a good one. :)

I'm still dealing with insurance drama, but we are trying to get into Mountain Midwifery for the second half of my pregnancy (http://www.mountainmidwifery.com/). We toured the place and fell in love! It just looks so much more inviting than a hospital room - so much more personal and relaxed. Plus, the possibility of c-section is sooo much lower there. I think the c-section rate of their patients is like 2% compared to the national average of about 30%. Oh, and I could even do a water birth there if I wanted!

I'm still trying to determine what kind of childbirth classes to take. So far, it's between the Bradley method and Hypnobirth method. I really am leaning towards Hypnobirthing since I think it will take the anxiety away from the pain and fear. But it's not very common, so I'm still researching. I have a friend Vanessa who just started her first class and is due in July I think, so I'll soon know how she does.

My 16 week appt is June 15th with my current doctor. Then we are off to FL on June 30th for Fun on the Fourth! I'll let you know when we get our 20 week appt scheduled to find out the sex! It will be sometime in mid-July. Mike is really leaning towards a girl now, while I'm still thinking its a boy.

I still have NO idea what kind of cloth diapers, stroller, crib, playpins, swings, etc that I am going to want/need, so any advice in those areas would be great! Sarah is taking me on a little tour at Babies R Us next weekend to let me know what she would have liked so I can get a sense of what works, but it's all pretty overwhelming. I can't even decide what kind of body pillow I want, much less what kind of gadgets and doohickeys I'll need for a child that I don't even know yet!!!

2nd Trimester! Yippeee!

Well, I made it. As of last Monday, I am now officially in the 2nd trimester. And I made it through the first trimester without too many qualms! Never did get any morning sickness, although there were about 2 weeks there that I was soooo tired that I was totally depressed from laying around so much. It stunk. But I am feeling great now! And I'm SOOOO HUNGRY. The day I turned 13 weeks (the beginning of the 2nd trimester) I started eating a whole lot more! It's kinda making me nervous... I don't want to gain more than the recommended amount of weight because I hear what a bitch it is to lose! So I'm trying to at least eat healthy when I gorge myself. Doesn't always work!

I'm in NYC right now for Amanda's wedding (beautiful bride, beautiful wedding!) and my friends Courtney and Bryon kept calling me Cheech because I always have the munchies! Haha. I actually ran across the street right before the the wedding ceremony to pick up some peanut m&m's that I was munching while the ceremony started. I was hungry!

8 Weeks, 3 Days Ultrasound

He/She's getting bigger!!

6 Week Ultrasound

Can you see it???

Baby Benjamin Button?

So... Mike decided to do one of those online baby maker programs where you take pictures of the mother and father and combine them to see what your child will look like. Apparently, we will be giving birth to a living, breathing Benjamin Button! Tie, receding hairline, and everything!

YIPES!

And Here We Are

We are so excited to announce our new journey. Baby Swanpenter is on his/her way! We are a little behind on the baby train, I know, but at least we can be the caboose. Besides, some of you may be ready for another by now (hint, hint). :)

Here's a little on our story:

On March 20th, Spring Equinox, I took a pregnancy test first thing in the morning. Probably about 7:00 am. As quick as day, a positive line showed up. My reaction was "Holy $h1#!!!!!!" I started yelling for Mike, he came rushing in, and we just started jumping up and down laughing and crying. I will never forget that moment. There has never been a feeling like it.


Mike wanted reassurance, so I took another test. Positive. Still half asleep, we called parents and siblings immediately. It was too exciting to hold in even for 5 minutes. We had to keep reminding each other what was really happening, and that we weren't dreaming.

We had some errands to run for our foster pup that morning, so we stopped in Target and picked up a digital test so that it would say "PREGNANT" and then we could really, hopefully, let it sink in more. Sure enough, we got home and stared at the thing until it verified our happiness.

I really didn't think it was going to be positive because I hadn't had any symptoms. I had some weird stomach pains the previous week, but nothing that I would suspect more than any other month.

We are now 5weeks 1day along, and I am feeling pretty good. Still on cloud 9, I guess, and trying to figure out how I am going to keep all of this information hidden until we are comfortable going public! Our due date is November 29th, so even though I promised I'd come home for Thanksgiving or Xmas this year, it looks like that is going to be postponed until 2011. :)

35 weeks and counting! Hang in there lil bean!