So long blog!

You may have noticed that I have been blogging less and less and less. As a new mom, I'm super busy and barely have time to check and respond to my email, let alone blog. I'm blessed to have a great group of girlfriends (fellow mommies!) who keep me busy with playdates and am busy with getting Ike out of the house for walks and workout class (in between getting the house clean, taking care of the laundry, and making dinner).

But there is another reason too. While I have no problem talking about myself and Andro online, I find it difficult to put out anything about our sweet, innocent baby. I think we are just beginning to see the backlash from putting too much information about our lives online on facebook and blogs and websites. I'm an adult and can and will accept full responsibility for whatever I put online about myself. But Ike shouldn't have to worry in 10 or 20 years about what I said about him when he was tiny. I'm his Mama and need to shield and protect him from whatever I can as he grows up.

So this is a blog goodbye from the Dio's. If you want to know what we're up to, give us a call or come hang out with us.

Like Father Like Son

I can't believe Ike is already nearly 8 weeks old! Time is flying and I'm loving each and every day I have with him; he's amazing.

My favorite photos of Andro when he was little are these:





I love that he was a little dancing machine. And it seems that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, check out this video of Ike dancing along with his puppy mobile. WARNING: the entire video is over 3 minutes.

Enjoying the view

Last week we moved Isaac from the bassinet to his crib. He looked way too big for the bassinet, but now he looks too small for the crib. Oh well! He's been enjoying his puppy mobile, and capturing this video was a good excuse for me to start using my Flip camcorder (love it!).

One month

I can't believe it, but Isaac just hit the one month mark and that means I've managed to survive 30+ days of middle of the night feedings (like right now as I try to rock Ike to sleep). It's funny how hard it is (for me at least) to even remember what life was like before he was here, we love him so much. He is the most amazing little man, we are so blessed to have him in our lives.

At his one month doctor checkup, Ike weighed in at 11 lbs 6 oz and measured 22 inches. He is more awake and aware of his surroundings every day and is becoming a lot of fun. He gives me plenty of smiles that totally melt my heart every time. One thing that I've learned about my son, he is a morning person just like me. By 5am, he is bright eyed and ready to start his day.

He is also becoming aware of Libby and she can no longer sneak up and just give him kisses, he now tries to 'pet' her (hopefully this won't become tugging). Libby is doing extremely well with 'her' baby. She really loves Ike and is very protective of him even around us--she follows him everywhere, even when he is in our arms (Andro will often pace with Ike to get him to quiet down when he's upset, and Libby is there following a few steps behind).

Isaac and I have started venturing out and last week had our first play date with his buddies Jason and Lucas. Jason is 8 months, Lucas is 3 months, and Ike is 1 month. It's hard to believe that they will all be in the same grade level when Jason and Lucas seem so much bigger than Ike right now. It was a lot of fun at least for us mom's (Me, Jackie and Carol) to get together and I'm looking forward to our next meet-up.

All in all, we're starting to move from 'surviving' to 'thriving.' It was really tough for me to say goodbye to Momma, but we talk every day and try to get on for video chats as often as possible (which is tough, trying to find any spare moment to talk on the phone or check email is nearly impossible when breastfeeding a baby who loves to eat). Momma will be here again in less than a month for Ike's christening and I'm so anxious for her to see him again and see how much fun he is. I'm also excited for my Daddy to meet little Phillip. I think Ike is going to totally wrap his Grandad around his little finger (just like he's done to everyone else). Ike and my Daddy already have some personality traits in common; both are not fans of crowds and like to be in calm settings with only a few people around--I think the two of them are going to be good buddies as time goes on.

Ah, baby is finally falling asleep so I'm going to wrap this up and get him back in his crib. I've got about an hour and a half left before he's up for his day.

Mr. Personality

Just a few of my favorite photos from our hospital photo shoot when Isaac was 2 days old.

He is now nearly 3 weeks and has changed so much! At his 2 week check up this week he was up to 9lbs 8oz (over his birth weight) and showed the doctor just what a strong little guy he is, pushing himself up on his forearms when the doc put him on his tummy and trying to crawl up the table towards me. I'm going to have my work cut out for me when he gets a little more coordinated, this guy can move. He has started to really use his hands, poor Libby has nearly been hit a few times but she's figuring it out. Our next doctor visit is at 1 month and I'll be interested to see how big he is then, as he is going through a growth spurt right now.

After nearly a month with us, my Mom finally had to return home earlier this week. I miss her a ton, as far as I'm concerned she could never be with us for long enough, but she'll be back for the christening next month and we're trying to coordinate daily video chats (although that can be tough as Isaac either seems to be fussy or asleep when we get online). As much as I miss her, Andro and I are figuring out how to parent without her and that's good for us to do. He's such a sweet little guy, it's not hard (just sleep depriving).

We are all now anxiously awaiting news of the impending arrival of my little niece Isabella (Izzie) Campbell--due on the 10th. Wishing them a quick labor and delivery and all the best of luck during those first few days with a newborn.

Late Arrival

Isaac is 9 days old today and is on something of a schedule, giving me time in 3 hour increments to myself and letting me finally get online. He is the most handsome little man and I love him so much, it's impossible to think that 9 days ago we hadn't even met yet. On Sunday, May 16th at 40 weeks and 3 days preggers I was admitted to the hospital to be induced. We got there at 7pm and by 8:30pm I was on pitocin. Andro and I got as settled in as we could, we were both in fairly uncomfortable beds and I was so excited I barely slept at all, and at 2am on Monday, May 17th my water broke. I was so excited and thought, great, I'll have this baby out by lunchtime...but that's not what happened.

I didn't fully efface and dilate until 3pm. My nurse didn't want to worry me and tell me that I was making no progress (my water broke at 2am but at 9am I was still at -4 station), but I knew this was taking a lot longer than it probably should. I also knew that at least I would be guaranteed to be having the baby that day because my water broke. Throughout my whole pregnancy my stance on a 'birth plan' has always been that I want my baby to be healthy and whatever needs to happen for him to be delivered safely is what I would do. I don't believe in making ultimatums for a situation that you can't control, and I'm really glad for this because I never would have foreseen Isaac's birth happening the way it did.

I started pushing at 4pm, determined to get the baby out and was pushing 4 times for each contraction instead of 3. After 2 hours of pushing, my nurse took my temperature and I was up to a fever of 101. I was given medicine and pushed hard for another hour, my doctor came in and tried using a vacuum extractor but it didn't work. It felt like (and I'm guessing looked like from that angle) the baby was stuck. The doctor told me we could keep pushing--throughout the whole labor process Isaac had a strong heartbeat and was not in distress at all--but I knew it wasn't happening. I told her I wanted to do whatever she thought was best and once she said she wanted to take me "to the back" (i.e. c-section) I fully agreed.

After the first hour of pushing my epidural had begun to wear off and by the time they were wheeling me to the back it was impossible to not want to push through the contractions. Once they got me to the operating room I made sure to tell the anesthesiologist that I had feeling again and waited until I was good and numb again before we continued. Andro came back to the room and within a few minutes at 7:57pm the doctors had Isaac out. He was so beautiful I immediately started crying. I couldn't believe we had made a person and he was here safely. They cleaned him up and Andro went to the nursery with him. After they left I finally began to succumb to exhaustion and was out of it for the next 45 mins or so as they closed me up. I woke up when they told me how big he was--21 inches and 9lbs. 7 oz.

I was wheeled to the recovery room and was in and out of sleep there for the next couple of hours. At 10:30pm, I was wheeled down to my recovery room and Mom and Trini came in to say hello and goodnight. They had waited all day for the baby to be born and once we entered the room the nurse told them they wouldn't be able to see him until the next day. But just as I was getting settled in, the door opened and they rolled in Isaac. I have never seen 2 people more excited then they were at meeting their grandson. I hadn't had a chance to hold him, so I was excited to finally get to and the picture above is from that moment.

I stayed at the hospital until Thursday afternoon (it felt like I had moved in by then, I had been there for so long). Finally coming home was wonderful, but we're still working on a schedule and the first few days were really rough (especially the first night as I failed to fill my pain killer prescription on Thursday and didn't take anything until Friday afternoon...with a c-section that is a HUGE mistake). Isaac is doing well, eating, sleeping, and pooping like all newborn babies should, and looking at him just melts my heart, he is so sweet. I have been incredibly blessed to have my Mom with me and am extremely thankful that she was able to extend her visit for a 3rd time to help me take care of him. I know she is going to go home and probably sleep for 2 weeks straight. We are definitely a bit sleep deprived here, but I'm finally able to sneak in naps here and there and I wouldn't change it for a thing.

D-day

The due date is finally here. It's been 40 long weeks, and baby Isaac shows no signs of wanting to leave. Everyone (myself, my doctor, my mom) thought I would have had the baby by now, but he has proven time and again that he is going to do what he wants to and that does not mean being born 'on time.' My doctor's appointment this morning was disheartening to say the least, but an end date is looming. I'm being induced either Monday or Tuesday (waiting on the confirmation from the hospital) and while that is definitely not what I wanted, I am very done being pregnant. I made it to 40 weeks and have given him a safe, healthy place to grow and develop, I'm done now. Hopefully he'll decide to come on his own before I go in next week, but if not at least I know that the end is near.

Ugh...

I've been ready for the baby to show up since Mom got in on Wednesday. We've been running last minute errands, walking a ton (including with Libby at the dog park), gardening, going to the movies, etc. to get everything ready before the baby comes. Every day I hope it will be the day that Isaac finally decides to appear, and every day it isn't. Today I woke up determined to get the baby out, but I don't think my efforts will work. I've been cleaning everything (moping the floors, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the bathrooms, up and down the stairs about a million times to do the laundry) but I think he is more determined to stay in there now. I know all about the supposed nesting that happens right before you have the baby, but I don't think it counts as nesting if it's done out of sheer desperation...guess we'll find out.

Not yet but making progress

My guess for the baby's birthday has been (and still is) May 8th...and I think I might be right. We're making good steady progress...up to 1cm dilated (the doctor actually felt his head) and still about 60% effaced. I'm looking forward to my mom's arrival next week and am taking it easy until she gets here (I don't want to speed anything up until she gets here, I don't want her to miss Isaac's bday) and Libby and I are catching up on all the sleep we have been missing at night.

Last day!

Today is my last day at work! I originally wanted to work until this Friday, for fear that boredom would overwhelm me at home, but am really glad I adjusted it to today. I'm sore and tired and could really use the time off before Isaac moves in. But I know, come tomorrow, I'll just start counting down the days until my Mom comes. I can't wait to see her and am so excited that I get her for nearly 3 weeks, which isn't nearly enough time for me but I'll take it.

Hmm....

Went in for my weekly doctor visit yesterday and Isaac is continuing to do well. The doctor is guesstimating that he'll be in the 75th percentile at birth and thinks he's around 7lbs. right now. I went from no progress to being 60% effaced in a week (and yes, I know I can be effaced and dilated for a long time without it meaning anything, but any progress is promising :) So thankfully there are no talks of needing to induce me--I'm a firm believer in letting him stay in for as long as he wants to (provided, of course, that there are no complications)--and they think he'll decide to come on his own probably a bit before my due date.

My last day of work has been revised from next Friday to next Tuesday (I'm starting to really get uncomfortable now and am having trouble sleeping--but am still feeling good for the most part) and all I'm doing now is waiting for Isaac to decide on his birthday. I'm thinking he'll come May 8th or May 9th but Andro is thinking earlier than that.

Nearly full term

On Wednesday we will officially be full term. Wow. I'm still feeling good for the most part, my rib cage had gotten ridiculously sore from the baby, but I think he must have dropped because I can breathe and am feeling much better.

Last week, at my 36 week appointment, the doctor realized that Isaac had had a MAJOR growth spurt. He went from measuring right on track to measuring 2 weeks ahead. I went in for an ultrasound on Saturday and they confirmed that he looks great (fluid levels are good, his heart and all his organs look good) and that he is just a big baby (their guess is that he is already between 6 1/2 and 7 lbs). To be honest, I'm really not surprised.

My brother and I were both 8lbs. 10oz. and my Dad was an 11 lb. baby. The smallest babies in my family were Tine and Tommy, the twins, who were born early and were still the size of most 'average' full-term babies.

What I did find surprising was that he has made no progress towards wanting to leave...at all. I'm heading to the doctor again this week on Thursday, it'll be interesting to see if he makes any progress this week and how big he grows in a week. I'm trying to adjust my thinking that maybe he'll decide to come early, but also prepare that we could still have a long wait ahead.

35/35

Today I'm 35 weeks pregnant with 35 days left to go! Wow. Had my doctor's appointment yesterday (am now going every week until the end) and everything is great--he's doing really well and is growing right on track. I'm still feeling good and am still walking a mile a day (from the train station to work) and really can't complain (my belly button has gotten incredibly tight but hasn't popped out, I'm able to get sleep most nights, and while he likes to stretch, Isaac is not a kicker).

In very exciting news, my best friend Julie is coming to visit us this weekend (while I still feel good enough for company) and I can't wait! I'm really looking forward to a great weekend with an old friend.

A month of lasts...

Today is March 31 and my last day of work will be April 30. We have always said that we would want to have me stay home when we started our family, and while it is happening sooner than anticipated, we feel very, very blessed that I will be able to stay home full-time to raise our baby (and our furry girl too). Now, getting ready to start my last month, and training a new person in how to do my job, it's really hitting me that I'm going to be at home. I'm really excited about Isaac and all of the changes heading our way, but it is hard to wrap my head around not working too--I'm the girl who ALWAYS had a job, even in college when I was in marching band (2 hours of practice a day plus entire Saturday's gone) and taking 19 credit hours I had a job. It's hard to imagine going from the structure of a full-time job (I live for rules and boundaries, odd but true) to the flexible hours of being always on demand for a small child; but I'm excited. It really is a whole new chapter in my life and hopefully I'll be ready in 42 days or so...

Also--on a totally random note--I think it's funny to realize how many people (besides myself) have May birthdays. It seems like everyday someone tells me "well, if you go into labor early (or late) you'll have him on my birthday." I guess late July/early August is the most romantic time of the year ;)

Finished!

Well, after a rare burst of energy this weekend, the nursery is finished! Poor Andro--I woke him up early Saturday morning to help me hang the shelves (i.e. to do it for me) and then spent most of the day organizing all of the wonderful things that Isaac has gotten from our amazingly generous family and friends. After getting everything unpacked and put away, I was shocked by how much room there is!

The nursery, and in particular the glider (thank you to my Momma and Daddy!!!), is my favorite room in the house. It is so peaceful (at least right now, before the baby takes residence) and the glider is the most comfortable chair for me these days. Almost to 34 weeks and I'm starting to be plagued with 3rd trimester discomforts. I can't seem to get comfortable at all, my joints are sore from the 'softening,' and I've been suffering from bouts of insomnia. Poor Libby will wake up and halfheartedly try to find a toy to keep me company at 3am, but usually she falls asleep within a minute of trying to hang out with me. Only 6 more weeks to go! (lol hopefully!)

And...in other news, I've sent in my hospital admittance form and have a pediatrician, so I'm making progress on all of my to-do's.

Updating the To-Do list

A few weeks ago I posted my to-do list. I've been making slow progress on this, but thought I might as well update it. On my to do list:

1) Get a 'practice' baby to teach Libby boundaries [status--complete]
a. Libby has been doing really well with 'practice baby,' my infant Cabbage Patch doll. She knows that she can't jump in my lap when I'm holding him and she's learning that I need to give attention to the baby and not just to her (that's been really tough for her, she is my little furry shadow and gets tons of affection whenever she wants).

2) Get a cd of baby sounds to teach Libby to not bark when she hears weird noises [status--need to order]

3) Finish organizing the nursery and put in deeper shelves in the 'built-in' bookcase for storage [status--work in progress]
a. Over the weekend, I got the wall repaired (i.e. spackled flat where old anchors had been) and painted (miraculously got Lowe's to match the paint color) and purchased everything that I need for the shelves. Next step, getting Andro to put up the new supports, hopefully he'll do it this week. Issac has so many clothes and toys and things in general now, I need to get them put away on the new shelves. And I hate having unfinished projects staring at me!

4) Become members of a local church [status--complete]
a. We joined a local church and have been going to service and it's great! I love this church,

5) Find a pediatrician [status--almost completed, still]
a. I found a practice that I like but missed their March open house. Hoping to get some interviews scheduled and/or attend their April open house. This is a top priority.

6) Fill out the hospital registration form [status--complete and mailed in!] (and get the hospital bag ready [status--giving myself some more time before I start packing])

And 7) Figure out a way to con my Mom into living with us and taking care of the baby full-time [status--I've given up on this one, but having her here for 10 days was so wonderful...it really spoiled me, I'm looking forward to her visit in May!]

A couple of new ones to add to the list:

8) Wash all of Isaac's clothes and linens (just bought some baby laundry soap) and get them organized (i.e. in the bins on shelves and need to get some drawer organizers for his dresser)

9) See every movie that I have even the remotest of interest in before May 12 (not really a major to-do, but I love going to the movies, and have a feeling that it's going to be one of those luxuries like washing my hair and putting on clean clothes in the beginning few weeks/months of being a mom that just isn't going to happen)

Amazing weekend

Mom, Aunt Jay, Tine, and Trini threw me a baby shower on Saturday and it was wonderful. A great chance to see friends and family (including Auntie Ema, these are actually two of her photos that I'm hijacking)and celebrate the impending arrival of Isaac. The theme was Noah's ark and that cake was as delicious as it is beautiful (I'm anti-fondant, it tastes so bad I don't care how good it looks, this was pure butter cream perfection)and the decorations were adorable--animal balloons, gorgeous white roses, the blue table cloths that we had made up for the wedding. It was an amazing day and I feel very loved and very, very spoiled.


Andro and I before the big event got under way (he hung out at Mickey Finn's with some of the husbands).

I mentioned in my last post that Jackie's little boy's due date was nearing and he was actually born last Sunday. Jackie sent word the morning of the shower that she was in labor and her little boy, Lucas, was delivered early the next morning. We can't wait to meet him! All in all a pretty full, fantastic weekend.

Getting Caught Up On Photos

I've been really horrible about taking photos lately, but Layla posted some from our annual friends holiday dinner that I thought I'd share on the blog. I've noticed that I've worn a lot of black during this pregnancy, making it a little difficult to discern the bump...but he's there, although he has been cut out of the photo of me and Andro.

This year's dinner was held at Pete and Carol's which is now only 20 mins. away from us back in January. In the above photo you can see half of the class of 2028--two lil boys are still cooking, but one is getting close to being finished. Jackie is due on the 18th. Funny to think that by the next holiday dinner--tentatively being held at Mark and Tiffany's new house--there will be four high chairs set up.

29 weeks 4 days

Andro and I went to a stunning wedding for our friends Aisha and Dave at the Adler Planetarium. This wedding was simply gorgeous, beautiful flowers, amazing view of the city, and a great time for everyone. Above is a belly shot taken at the event and yes, he's getting big. Please note my arms are still the same size (and my bf Kinsey thinks they look a little thinner now because of how big the belly is). I tried to take photos during the ceremony but the flash wouldn't work...grrr...

PS (How handsome is my husband? He's the cutest and has been going above and beyond to still make me feel pretty while my belly gets bigger and bigger.)

Another wedding!

My very, very favorite thing to do is to be involved in weddings. After we got engaged, I went totally overboard in everything to do with our wedding--all the paper (stationery, invites, place cards, programs, etc.), decorations, timelines, contracts, you name it. Andro thought I'd wear myself out and be sick of weddings by the time we finished ours...but the opposite happened. I can't get enough! I was thrilled to help out our friends Jason and 'chelle along with Kinsey at their fantastic event in October and am gearing up for another one this Saturday for our friends Dave and Aisha. I'm going to pretty much being making sure that everything gets set up and is ready to go and get the bride down the aisle on Saturday and can't wait! Just got off the phone with the bakery and am so excited. It's going to be a beautiful, beautiful event!

Nesting

Tomorrow I officially start the third trimester and have begun anxiously trying to get everything in order for Mr. baby's arrival.

On my to do list:

1) Get a 'practice' baby to teach Libby boundaries
a. In What to Expect the First Year--they recommend pretending a baby doll is the baby to teach the dog about what is going to change (i.e. when he's feeding, Libby can't be right in my lap but she can sit next to me, not jumping to see what is in the bassinet, etc.)

b. So my Mom mailed me one of my old Cabbage Patch newborn dolls to practice with...we'll see what happens after it arrives

2) Get a cd of baby sounds to teach Libby to not bark when she hears weird noises
a. Not sure if this is actually going to help her not bark, but I'm hoping it'll at least get her used to the sounds that she can be expecting

3) Finish organizing the nursery and put in deeper shelves in the 'built-in' bookcase for storage
a. A reminder of what the bookcase used to look like:


b. I've since cleaned it off completely, but what you can't see in the photo is that these shelves are only 6" deep. I'm replacing them with 12" deep shelves so that I can use normal size bins and baskets to help hold diapers, toys, etc. Don't be fooled by the drawers in the desk or the closet--those are entirely full with other things (I've got an amazing ability for cramming things into 'storage space'), so we've got to go out into the open with Isaac's things.

4) Become members of a local church (almost completed)
a. I found a church that I really, really like, so now I just have to get Andro up every Sunday to go with me (I refuse to look like a girl in trouble who just found Jesus). I've got Isaac's Godparents all lined up and am actually really excited about being a member of a church again. I haven't been a member of any church since Evansville.

5) Find a pediatrician (almost completed)
a. I found a practice that I like and I'm going to an open house to meet the doctors next month.

But...until I officially have a baby doctor I can't do this one:

6) Fill out the hospital registration form (and get the hospital bag ready)

And 7) Figure out a way to con my Mom into living with us and taking care of the baby full-time.
a. Yeah, that's not going to happen. I'm thrilled that my Mom will be here for Isaac's birth (she's pretty much going to come up in early May once I stop working and wait it out until he's born), and for a bit after he's born to help us out. But I'm also excited for this new chapter in our lives.

97 days to go...

Yikes/Yay! Time is really starting to fly. I've been following all of the week by week pregnancy updates that get delivered to my inbox but just looked at a calendar and was a bit shocked to see 97 days to go to the due date. I'm excited to meet him and nervous too (like I'm sure most first time moms are) and can't help but think back to the last time I had a countdown, when it was counting down to the wedding, and how time seemed to zoom past after the 100 day mark.

Nursery (work in progress)

A HUGE thank you to Gigi and Granddad (my parents) for buying our nursery! The best surprise that we've had--after the surprise of finding out that we're pregnant--was when my parents told us that they wanted to buy the nursery. We still have a few pieces to add (a glider and ottoman and a bookcase for more storage) but I am thrilled with the way it is turning out. Andro has been hard at work, assembling the crib and changing table/dresser and did a great job. And now I get to work on the fun stuff--decorating! Libby's toys have successfully been moved down the hall, but she still will leave the occasional 'buddy' behind if she follows me in there.

Only 16 more weeks until the due date! I've been feeling good and Isaac is doing really well. The doctor confirmed what I already thought--that he looks perfect (I know, I haven't even formally met him yet and I'm already a total sucker for this little guy). Isaac is kicking up a storm and getting bigger every day. He has a major sweet-tooth, definitely an Antosik!, and I've been craving every kind of bad for you sweet that I never let myself eat.

Nursery Before Pics

We are finally ready to start getting Isaac's room set up, so I thought I'd put up some of the 'before' photos. The crib, mattress, and changing dresser have all arrived (and are the boxes you see leaning against the wall) and are waiting to be assembled. Despite my efforts to keep it clean, the nursery has become something of a catch-all for our stuff, so I have to put more of what can be seen on the shelves away.


Libby's toys--which are littering the floor--are also moving. I'm getting a 'toy box' for her and putting it in the guest room. Our big fear is that Libby will have a hard time understanding the baby's toys vs. her toys. Keeping her toys in the nursery, really doesn't help this as I often find her sitting outside the door whining to get in and play.


As you can see, two little friends are already anxiously awaiting Mr. Dio's arrival, so now I really want to get Libby's stuff out of the room. Many, many, many thanks to our friends Tom and Mona for lending us so much stuff--including the bassinet.

It's a Boy!!!

I have to say, yesterday was probably the second best day of my life (after getting married to my wonderful husband, of course). We woke up early and headed to the doctor's office for our ultrasound. Yes, I know, I've been emphatic in my stance that I would not find out the baby's gender until the baby is born in May. But in my reading, I knew that by 22 weeks the baby's 'family jewels' are fully formed and was prepared to possibly be catching a glimpse. And what a glimpse! There was no doubt, Potsticker is in fact our little man Isaac.

I cried throughout the entire ultrasound, not bawling, hysterical sobs, but I couldn't stop the flow of tears. It was so truly amazing to see him! And to see him push against the placenta and kick me (now I know how to distinguish those 2 movements and he does them quite a bit). He is healthy and normal and--to my eyes--looks 100% perfect. I am totally blown away that Andro and I made a person.

Andro is very diplomatic and has not been saying one way or the other which gender he wants. We both just want a strong and healthy baby. But I have been wishing and hoping and praying that Potsticker is a boy and could not believe it when it was confirmed. Bring on the toy trucks, little league, and legos!

Can't wait...

We are less than 22 hours away from our 22 week ultrasound and I'm so excited I can hardly sit still! I just can't wait to see what Potsticker looks like now. Our last (and only) glimpse of the baby, just showed a nondescript 8 week old fetus. But by now, as all of my pregnancy books have shared, he/she is almost fully developed externally and I can't wait to see that profile. Other news (exciting for me) is that hopefully sometime today Fedex will be delivering the baby's crib, dresser, and mattress. I'm ready to start nesting and getting ready for baby and am really looking forward to getting the room set up. I can't believe I'm over the half-way point in the pregnancy already and I'm getting more and more excited to meet this little person every day. I have a feeling that the last month is going to be like the night before vacation when I was little, I could never let myself sleep, I had to be constantly repacking and reading the guide books.

In other news, we just found out that my brother and sister-in-law (who are due exactly 4 weeks after us) are having a little girl! I can't wait to buy tap shoes, tutus, and all sorts of extra girlie things for this little girl--which has the added bonus of delighting my sister-in-law and driving my brother crazy :). And I can't wait for this new generation of cousins to meet! Nearly everyone (except my Dad) thinks I'm having a girl. But I still think Potsticker is a boy and with all the little girls being born this generation, I think a boy might be a refreshing change for everyone. Guess we'll find out in May!