Full Term

Today I am just a few days past 38 weeks - which means baby is officially full term...which means baby can really come any time now. This weekend I did some nesting - I did many loads of baby laundry. Everything from the tiny tiny clothes to the swaddling blankets to the bedding. We stopped by Ikea and picked up a few more things like a lamp to go by the cozy recliner in our bedroom I'll be using to nurse. Have a few more things to put away and organize but all in all I feel good about all that we accomplished.

Last week we had our last Baby Care class - it was mostly about breastfeeding and feeding in general. Despite what I thought, breastfeeding does not always just happen easily and naturally and can be frustrating at first while both baby and mama learn what to do. But we picked up a few good tips and I am looking forward to the breastfeeding journey with our baby. I plan on breastfeeding for 6 months - research shows there are so many benefits of breast milk over formula - how could I not?
We are now done with all our classes and in theory now know everything there is to know about birthing and baby care - LOL. Of course there is no better training than on the job training but we are glad we took these classes. A lot of what we learned was common sense as far as I am concerned but it's always good to hear it out loud. With all the methods and theories and what not out there, we felt like the classes we took made sense and there really wasn't anything I didn't agree with or thought was too far out there. We definitely picked up a few great things along the way so for us, these classes were well worth the time.

Liam

As many of you know, I occasionally look on the Berkeley Humane Society (where we got Benny & Foxie from) website to see what dogs are up for adoption, just because. While at times I think we could have a third, I am not sure we would want to disrupt what Benny and Foxie have.

A while ago, Liam came online. Liam is an American Bulldog, 2 yrs old, adorable, and also deaf. As we obviously know a thing or two about living with a deaf dog, I emailed BHS to just offer ourselves as a resource should anyone interested in adopting a deaf dog have any questions. Well, unfortunately, Liam wasn't getting any takers and has been at the shelter for 2 months :(. We had mentioned Liam to Laura, Jim's sister, who lost her beloved chocolate lab Gus earlier this summer. She decided it was time to start thinking about another dog and to make a long story short, Laura ended up adopting Liam yesterday! I am SO excited since this dog is awesome and I am so happy he is a part of our family. Benny and Foxie like their new cousin and we wonder if Benny & Liam will have their own special language...

Last hoorah!

Last weekend was not only our last weekend with Barney & Pauline before they left to go back to New Zealand but also our last weekend at Clear Lake before baby comes. We can't wait to go up in the off-season with baby but with 2 weeks to go, I want to stay closer to home.

Clear Lake Bass Tournament #3 - the one and only fish caught.

Winners: Kiwis!

Ceago Winery on the lake

Barney the Monkey

Barney made like a monkey and climbed one of the tallest trees around the cabin and cut down several huge branches that were obstructing our view down to the water. The before and after is amazing. Thank you Barney!

Thanksgiving Lago Style

We will be hosting Thanksgiving again this year and have decided we will smoke our turkey. So, we decided to give it a test drive by smoking a turkey up at the lake while at the same time showing the Kiwi's a taste of American Thanksgiving. The turkey was delicious and we had a couple nice sides - mashed potatoes (made by Pauline), cranberries, and a nice spinach salad. We are very much looking forward to our first Thanksgiving with baby.

Sweet Rides

Last weekend we stopped at the Calistoga Car Show on our way to the lake. This orange and white car was our favorite...what a beauty!

Almost Full Term

I could give birth at anytime now. At 37 weeks, baby is considered preterm but could survive no problem. However, every additional day spent in the belly is good - baby is gaining about 1/2 oz. a day and practicing for life on the outside with sucking, breathing, moving. For about the last week, I have had a lot of pain in my lower abdomen caused by everything loosening up to get ready for birth and all the extra weight. The baby seems to be in the head down position and I can feel his or her legs and feet (at least that's what I think they are based on how the doc said the baby is positioned).
I attended Baby Care #2 class by myself on Wednesday since Jim was in NY and it was pretty interesting. We covered bathing, crying & soothing, SIDS, sleeping, swaddling, etc. Learned for example, that research shows that babies who spend less time crying alone and the more consistent and faster your response is to their crying in the first 6 months, the less likely they are to cry later on. Babies do not have the logic to manipulate you into picking them up to comfort them, it is a basic need they have so it is not ok to just leave them crying their little eyes out in hopes of them falling asleep, etc. Even if you cannot completely stop them from crying by holding and soothing them, this type of crying is physiologically and psychologically better for babies. Next week we cover breastfeeding and feeding in general.
Last night we both attended our last Birthing Class. We mostly reviewed what we had learned and basically at this point, we should be ready for labor. I'm glad we took this class because I definitely feel like I now understand the labor process and what sorts of things to expect much much better. As each labor is different of course, at least I feel somewhat prepared for what can come. In general, I have very positive feelings toward labor - not to say I am not somewhat anxious of course - and am keeping my eye on the prize: our little baby!

Do you remember?

With Jim being in NY this week, I channel surfed until I came across the new 90210. I think it started last week and having watched this show religiously in its heyday, I was curious if this new rendition is any good. Kelly and Brenda and the Peach Pit are all a part of the show - not sure who does what but I guess Kelly works at Beverly High and apparently has a son with a mystery father. Well, in true 90210 Brenda/Kelly drama fashion, it is revealed the father is none other than Dylan McKay who Brenda says Kelly is still in love with! And of course, this is where the episode ends. The new show didn't have quite the same draw as the old show of course, though I must admit I am intrigued as to how the Kelly/Dylan/Brenda drama plays out. Will I watch again? The jury is still out.

Lovely lake

Even Foxie can't believe the big belly
Another beautiful evening
and beautiful calm morning
Handsome Benny
Barney knee-boarding
and waterskiing!

The Clear Lake Bass Tournament Part 2 resulted in zero fish caught all weekend. The full moon was one theory as to why the fish weren't biting. Regardless, we had a great time with Barney & Pauline who are finishing up their 3 month US stay. Barney even dusted off the old waterski's and you couldn't tell it's been 15 years since he had skiied. I love the lake.

Baby Care Class # 1 and Birthing Class #3

As mentioned, it's been a very busy week and finally it is Friday - hooray! I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow at the lake :)

On Monday, Jim and I "interviewed" a pediatrician who was recommended by one of my co-workers. Yes, not only do you have to have a pediatrician picked out before baby is born, but you can also have a consultation with them since this could potentially be a long-term relationship. We really liked her so we can check this one off the to-do list.

On Tuesday, I had a doc appt - I will now be seeing my doc every week. She said all looks good and thinks baby is in the right position for birth (which is a good thing because somewhere I read that breech babies can be hereditary, and yes, yours truly was breech).

On Wednesday, we had our first Baby Care class. This class basically takes over from what happens after baby is born. We discussed all sorts of things including disposable vs. cloth diapers - along with practicing putting each type on a baby doll. Jim and I are going to try using both - cloth at home, disposable on the go. There are a couple of diaper services that will wash and deliver clean cloth diapers to you on a weekly basis which is certainly convenient and we planned on doing. However, after evaluating the cost vs. buying our own cloth diapers and doing laundry ourselves, we are going to go this route. Not only is it the most cost effective way, Jim brought up a good point - even though the diapers from the service are clean, we really don't want to think about some other baby's poop or whatever else as we put these on our own baby. Laundry is own of those chores I really don't mind doing and with having a washer & dryer right down in our basement, I think it will work out just fine. So, perhaps we are crazy, but we're going to give it a whirl.

On Thursday, we had our third birthing class. We went over the options for labor pain reduction via medication and epidurals. I am certainly not opposed to having medication or an epidural, I don't have any points to prove by trying to go natural. My feeling is I will just go with the flow and knowing what options I do have, will make my decisions once in labor. If I can do without, great. If I can't, bring on the drugs - ultimately, all that matters is that baby is born safely. The only thing I feel really strongly about is not having a C-section - not sure why some people choose this option right off the bat - but again, if that becomes the only option then all that matters is that baby comes out safe and sound. We also did the tour of the Labor & Delivery floor. There are 24 L&D rooms and while it was pretty quite there last night, September & October apparently are usually the busiest times. So, hopefully when baby is ready, the hospital won't be packed. Touring the hospital brought another level of reality that my pregnancy is coming to an end and baby's birth is right around the corner.

At 36 weeks today, I have 4 weeks to go - in theory. A baby is considered full-term at 37 weeks and the doc said most babies are born between 37.5 and 40.5 weeks - I'm hoping to go the full 40 :) I have 4 weeks of work left, yes, I am working up until my due date on the 10th. And I hope to have a few days at home before baby comes but since everything happens for a reason, I will be ready to welcome our baby whenever he or she decides it's time. Jim is ready too and has been great through this whole thing - I am so lucky baby is going to have as an amazing father as I have a husband.

Birthday celebration

My 30th birthday celebration was super fun. We spent the day at Tilden Park, which is only about 5 mins from our house. From hiking, to an animal farm, to an old-fashioned merry-go-round, to steam trains, to Lake Anza, and of course picnic spots, Tilden Park is an amazing place we try to take advantage of often. We are so lucky to be so close to this incredible place and we foresee many future kids birthday parties, carousel rides, and everything in between. It was a beautiful day and our picnic spot was perfect for the hot day as the eucalyptus and redwood trees provided much needed shade. My bro did a great job of being the grill master and our guests brought some amazing dishes to share. We had about 35 people, 7 dogs, and 7 little kiddies and I couldn't have asked for a better day! Thank you all for celebrating with me! More pics here.


Since it's been such a busy week, I really haven't even thought about the fact that I am now 30 - so it's been a relatively easy transition so far. And as I approach the first full week of being 30, it's really not so bad :)

35 weeks and turning 30

Today I am 35 weeks along and baby should weigh about 5.5 pounds - like a honeydew melon - and be about 18 inches long. Baby would have a 99% chance of survival if born now. Baby's physical development is pretty much complete and now he/she is going to spend time putting on more weight. Not having much room to move around, the kicks and punches are much different now, kinda just rolling around but really pronounced. Baby has been quite active, especially in the late evening/as we're going to bed. Since they say the awake/sleeping habits in the womb are similar to baby's pattern on the outside, looks like baby will be a night owl. I am still feeling pretty good - the biggest discomfort is being hot - we are having amazing weather right now and I get super hot. I can barely sleep under a sheet at night. But, with 5 weeks to go, I think I can survive :)

My excitement about getting to meet our little baby soon is a nice distraction from the fact that on Saturday I turn 30. I am not quite sure how I feel about it yet though I suppose it's not exactly something I can change :) I had a really hard time going from 24 to 25 for some reason but since then the birthdays and years have sorta just gone by without me being too concerned. I am not super opposed to turning 30, I just kinda like being in my (late) 20s. BUT, at the same time, I definitely have many wonderful things to look forward to and after all, it's just a number. So, see you on the other side!!

Infant CPR

Did you know hot dogs are the #1 food item kids choke on? Along with popcorn, peanuts, grapes, and hard candy, these are the five most common choking hazards. However, being in health conscious California, kids are more likely to choke on carrots, tomatoes, and other various raw veggies/fruits. We didn't have our birthing class this week but instead had signed up for Infant CPR. It was a great class, albeit a little scary - the techniques are quite simple but could save your baby's life. We went over what to do if baby is choking as well as how to perform infant CPR. I had taken CPR in the past few years but since 2006 the methods have changed pretty drastically and the American Heart Association now recommends 2 breaths followed by 30 compressions - whether for a baby, child, or adult. I feel a bit safer, though it makes you also think of all the things in your house your baby could potentially get into - choking hazards, poisons, etc etc. We'll definitely be doing some baby proofing.