Blog Poll Number 2 - Communication

Okay okay - I get it. Based on the results of the Mothers Day Poll, I have already purchased a gift, and it is already on Anny's hand. With the heat and such, her hands have swollen a little bit, so I got her an interim-wedding-band. Yes, it's only a seven week gift, but it's what she wanted.

Yes, I can be too practical sometimes.

Now, onto our next Poll: How do you want to be notified that Abby has arrived?

We have a dear friend who has moved to Texas that has prompted this particular poll. Her mother, bless her heart, called us at 2:30 am to let us know that their daughter was born. While we apreciated that we were included, it was an announcement that could wait until morning.

I have several choices for you this time, since I know that some people prefer to hear in different ways. You will notice that "a phone call" is not on that list. It's nothing personal aimed in your direction, but we want to be practical about how many people we will want to be on the phone with after a hopefully-simple birth.

So - your choices, in no particular order:
An e-mail would be nice - You'll simply get an email when we know all of the good details!
A test message for me - I'm cool. I'm hip. I can send a text message out to folks too!
A good, old-fashioned card in the mail - I don't want to take away from the traditionalists out there!
I'll just wait for pictures to be posted here - Trust me, it won't take very long!
Other - I'm open to creativity. I will draw the line at "get on the news by doing something crazy to let me know that she's arrived" but would be open to suggestions!

Your mission - 1) answer the poll over on the right; 2) send us an email with your current contact info. We've already set up an email address for the little one, so send info to abigailmonroe@gmail.com. I can check that from anywhere and can send out announcements from anywhere!

As always - please feel free to comment below for the world to see. Please do not include any of your personal information, as this IS a public site!

Baby Class Number 3: Video and Tour

We both continue to think that the classes need to be updated in a serious way.

Last night we got to tour the maternity section of the hospital that we will not be delivering at. Kind of weird, but kind of cool at the same time! We got to see a baby that was about 20 minutes old. There were others in the nursery too. One re-new dad (his fourth) walked by and congratulated us all. Someone asked "which one is yours" and his response was the classic "I'm not sure.....they all look the same!"

We found out last night that about half of the couples in our class are not even delivering at this hospital. With so many around us, it's easy to take a class at one and deliver at another. (We have at least seven hospitals that are within a half hour drive from the house!)

We got to see a labor-room, complete with whirlpool. Someone asked how often women use the pool, and the nurse (teacher) said that it was rare. Some guy asked "if she (mom) is progressing nicely and there is some down time, can we as fathers' just take a quick dip?" What a jerk. Senseless and selfish.

Yes, it was me that asked the question. Only to get laughs, what a surprise!

Last night's other big feature was the birth video. Yum. There were two stories:

One woman went to a traditional hospital. She had an epidural. Her labor was good aside from that. She had her baby.

One woman went to a birthing center. She did not have an epidural. She got to demonstrate different positions of delivery because her baby just would not come out.

I was okay with watching both of these. I had mentally prepared myself for seeing all of it, I guess. What I could not deal with was the teachers description about the epidural. I don't know why I freaked out over hearing words more than over seeing video, but I did. Apparently I was still extra-pale (imagine Rob, but lighter!?! wow is that white!) from the dizziness.

I've had several surgeries in my life, and I think that is the difference. As she was describing getting the needle to the right spot, stopping, then starting the drug-flow I could vividly feel the biopsy needles that went into my back. I almost had to leave the room. I toughed it out.

That was an aside, I apologize. The videos are VERY old. The key giveaway: the guys glasses. The doctor and one of the husbands have the classic ~1976 black rimmed glasses. We were reminded several times that things in the videos have changed since they were made, like the epidural process. (they used to do doses, now have constant feed systems for better pain relief) If they are so out of date, MAKE NEW MOVIES!

We have a hospital tour of the hospital we will deliver at on May 5th. It will be fun to hear the differences between the two hospitals, since they are part of the same system!

Have a good weekend, and keep on voting about the Mother's Day gift. I sure could use a few more in the "no" column!!

Our First Blog Poll (see Right~~~>)

I've decided to have a little more fun with the online experience, so I added a poll to the blog this morning! I hope to change it once a week, and hope that it's relevant.

I have been asked if I am going to do something for Anny for Mothers Day, May 13th. I am not sure where I fall on this issue:

YES -
She's almost a mama, and deserves to be riddled with gifts anyway.
Any excuse to buy her chocolate is a good one.

NO -
She's not quite there yet. Close, but the fat lady has not sung yet....
I like my money and should be able to spend it on me just this one last time.

So, alas, I am at a place where I need input from you! Please register your opinion on the right with our Weekly Poll. Feel free to comment here as well, but your vote does not count unless you click on "VOTE" on the right.

The Big Reveal: Baby Name!

We have certainly not been hiding our baby's name from anyone that has asked, but yesterday our "Team" shirts arrived. I figured out a fun way to tell anyone that we have not gotten word to.

Our little girl will be Abigail Carolyn.

Abby for a nickname, unless your my brother. He's picked up Gail. A co-worker is planning on using A.C., as in AC Slater from Saved By The Bell.

My brother seemed a bit jealous that he didn't get a shirt. :o)

(Thanks to all for not pointing out that my belly looks as big as Anny's.)

"We" Put the Crib Together!

We decided to put the crib together yesterday, so that we have a feeling of a little more progress. There are too many projects to count around here, so when we get something done, we're going to brag about it!

Ben and Steph had a crash-test-baby, but we find that Rusty works well to test out our assemblywork.

I'm glad, in retrospect, that we painted the green hills as high as we did. I didn't even think about the crib when I was designing the room! The hills are higher than the crib, and that's a good thing!

I feel productive, so will take today off.... just kidding!

Baby Class Number 2, Bi-Weekly Doc Visit

In several different contexts last night we heard "just wait until class 4." Apparently that's when we get to see the C-Section video. I'll sit as far from the tv as I can. In the meantime....

Last night was a good class. Anny had a chance to nap prior to dinner, so she was less grumpy than last week! We also did the relaxation stuff during the middle part of the class, rather than right at the end, so I think that helped too.

Last night was mostly anatomy, with a little car-seat-safety tossed in at the end. We got to see just how big 10 cm is, and I hope that Anny has not gotten too worried about that part. Places to have your water break was also discussed, but I will not share that in this public forum.

The class lost one couple because they had their baby, and another couple has joined us. The room does not look all that full until all of the pregnant ladies are laying on the floor practicing relaxation. They get to lay down and tense up, then release. Then tense again, and release. My job? "You're doing really well, honey. You're relaxing better than anyone else here! If it were a competition, you're definately winning!" I guess it worked, because she didn't punch me.

There was a doctor visit on Wednesday to report on, too. Two weeks ago the baby was measuring about a week ahead of "average." Average, of course, is just that. There is no change in the due date. This week the baby is measuring a week and a half ahead. I've told Anny that at this rate it will be several weeks! It's those good Iowa genes from Anny's side of the family!

Everything is going well. Even the growth spurt is nothing of concern. With the nice weather this weekend (into next week) we'll get out there and get some good walking in, which is going to help psyche overall too!

Next week I plan on two big posts:
How do you want to hear about the baby's birth?
Do you have any good jokes for me to tell during labor?
Don't answer these questions now, I'm just writing them down so that I don't forget!

A Post to Pass Your Time

http://www.pregnancy.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=727524

I could have posted all of the pictures myself, but this is easier!

We check in with the message board for June babies from time to time, to see what others are going through and get good tips. It's an interesting mix. When we saw these pictures yesterday, we both laughed out loud.

Had to share!

(as an aside - a big shout to Sarahlynn for being Visitor Number 1,000 to our baby site!)

No Three B's for Us!

Turns out that the "Three B's" from yesterday is not the same Three B's that we signed up for! Since we're taking the class at the other hospital, we learned last night that there will be no Breastfeeding piece to our program. Oh well.

We also found out last night that the class starts a half hour later at Shady Grove than at Washington, so we were there REALLY early. I volunteered to cut out name tags to pass the time, but really should have taken a nap. We didn't end until a little after 9:30, so we didn't get home until well after 10.

Last night we did some getting-to-know-you stuff, some anatomy, watched a video (but not the gory one that I assume we'll see) and practiced some relaxation stuff. It was really hard to stay awake during the relaxation stuff! (I can say the same for Anny, too!)

Noting that this is only our first class, I had a observation. Birth classes might need to be updated now that there is SO much info you can get from the web. I've heard from two other couples that the class was useless. One of them got some baby-buddies from it, though. Since we're going out to Rockville for ours, I just don't see that happening very easily, but it might. I'm always optimistic that I'll make new friends!

It's a six week class, so there will be lots to hear from us for a while. I think that Anny goes back to her regular doc next week, so there will be an update then too!

The Three B's

Tonight we start our Birth, Baby and Breastfeeding Class at the hospital. Not really at OUR hospital, because they did not get enough people to take the class at our hospital. Luckily there are a few hospitals in the system over at Adventist Health Care, so we can take the class at one, and just do a tour at the other to orient ourselves.

"Bring a blanket and pillows tomorrow night. We will be doing some 'floor work'" was the message that we got yesterday!

Another tick off of the put-off-my-projects clock. There are some things that remind me that I have a TON to get done:

• Feeling how strong her kicks are. Absolutely amazing.
• Looking at a calendar at work that has bright green highlighter on our due date.
• Dinner with our best-of-friends who are due literally ANY day now.
• Spring Break has passed for Anny, so the countdown to end-of-school has begun.
• Starting the six week class that ends less than four before our due date.

So - there is still a lot to get done, and a little time to do it all. I have come to understand that "Due Date" means nothing. I need to not schedule things up until that date, but am also aware that it could go longer.

I secretly wish for a shorter timeframe for Anny's sake. I also secretly wish for a longer timeframe for the sake of getting things around the house done.

As tonight will probably be awkward, I'm sure that I'll have a good story or two tomorrow!

Easter Belly Pic - 4 8 07

This year I hid only one Easter Egg, and I thought we should share the pictures of it!

We start with our regularly scheduled belly pic of Anny. Can you find the egg?

Here's a second picture of the belly. Can you find the egg yet?

THERE IT IS!! YOU FOUND IT!!

Yes, this IS the way that I thought we should spend our time before celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. We'll head to church later, but this was a fun little project.

It's almost a shame that we have only Mothers Day and Memorial Day between now and the due date. :o( No good painting projects.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!