Watch Out Angelina -- this girl's got lips

Wow, it is hard to find time to blog with a newborn (6 weeks tomorrow)! Cate is an angel though. She tries so hard to be good, but between the reflux & gas, the poor little thing is just hurting. She has definitely managed to perfect her pout though...

Day 12 - Cate's World

Cate has been here for almost 2 weeks now & we are slowly learning to understand each other. She has a million different expressions and quite a few interesting noises as well. Some of my favorites are the suckling pig, the billy goat and the coyote. The doctors say newborns should eat every 2-3 hours, but she really is quite the piglet and prefers to snack more frequently than that. I am trying desperately to space that out so I can get a little more sleep at night, but for now, what Cate wants, Cate gets! I really hope it's true that you can't spoil a newborn! She goes through a startling number of diapers, including the five changes at the pediatrician's office (in 40 minutes). And this doesn't even include when she peed on the table in between changes. Sean and I are learning to wait a little bit before we change her!
Someone wrote this on the bottom of one of her diapers -- so true!

She's Here!

And I am in love. Sweet Baby Cate made her arrival into this world at 1:42pm on October 30, 2008. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 3 ozs and was 18 3/4 long. She is absolutely perfect and beautiful!

Here's our little pumpkin's first Halloween costume...

In the Hospital

A few pics from Cate's Birthday...

Mom at 9 centimeters




Mom at 10 centimeters (and still smiling, thanks to the epidural!)


Meeting Cate



And our little thumb sucker

Week 40 - Where Are you?

Well, it's my due date, and still no baby to be seen. I have officially been pregnant for over 42 weeks now and I am definitely getting a little weary of it! I came back to work today even though I officially gave the hand-off on Friday. I have lots of aches & pains, but I don't think they qualify as contractions. Maybe tomorrow!

Week 39 - Small Watermelon?

Isn't "small watermelon" one of those oxymorons? That's what BabyCenter.com says the baby is the size of this week. I personally don't think any watermelon is small when it is lodged between your ribs and your pelvic bone.

So, I had my final doctor's appointment today, which is very weird to think about. Unfortunately, I have made virtually no progress. I am still 1 cm. Actually, she said 1.5 cm, but I think she just told me that to make me feel better. I am 50% effaced and at -2 station, which means the baby is still pretty high up there. It is looking likely that this will go until the induction date. And according to Baby Center, she will be the size of a pumpkin by then. I suppose that is all very fitting given the upcoming holiday!

Week 38 -- Baby's New Ride

We ordered my new car this week! It is expected to be here the first week of November. Here's a photo of it:


Now just picture it piled high with baby gear and full of crumbs! A true Mommy-Mobile!

Went for my weekly doctor's appointment yesterday and I am dilated 1 centimeter. I know that is not very much, but I am encouraged by the fact that I got that far without feeling any real discomfort. Just 9 more to go!

We've washed the baby clothes, packed the hospital bags and installed the car seat. And Sean got lots of pats on the back from the firemen who inspected it. They told him it was done exactly how they would want to see it, but rarely do. Way to go Sean! I also just bought a cute little Halloween costume for her. It says it's size Newborn, but they may not have contemplated her being just 1 day old.

Week 37 - Charlie Brown Head and Chipmunk Cheeks

What a relief to be full-term! We had our ultrasound this past weekend and another Doctor's appointment yesterday. The u/s showed that Miss C is weighing about 6 pounds right now. But, the u/s tech said most of that was head -- uh oh! We did notice some rather large chipmunk cheeks, so she will fit right in with the rest of the Bechs!

Everything else on the u/s and at the exam looked great. My fundal height was 33cm yesterday, so I did increase 1 cm from last week. I do not appear to be dilating at all yet, so it looks like we've got at least one more weekend to prepare. I think she must have dropped a bit though because the nerve by my ribs is not pinching as much. My hip and finger bones are feeling very sore now though. Always something!

Oh, we went to a child care class on Monday night and learned how to swaddle, bathe, burp and diaper. Once we figured out which end of the diaper was the front, we weren't too bad! But, we have a lot of practicing to do with the swaddling! I am really thankful that we have a nice stash of Swaddle Me wraps at home -- those are going to be a lifesaver!

It will definitely be a busy weekend -- we need to pack the hospital bags, install the car seat and probably make several trips to BRU. I also have to get my car inspected since I made the ridiculous mistake of removing my inspection sticker rather than my vehicle registration sticker. I thought pregnancy brain was just a myth before, but I have never done that before!

Week 36 - On my Nerves

I have now reached the stage of pregnancy where I go to the Dr. every week. This morning, she confirmed that Lil C is head-down (yay!), measuring small (double yay!) and still sitting high, which explains the sharp pains I've been having near my ribs. Apparently there is a nerve that runs along my rib cage & she is sitting on that. Ouch. This should get better once she "drops", but we're not in any rush for that! Oddly, my fundal height decreased by 2 centimeters since my last visit to 32 cms. They have asked me to come in for an ultrasound this weekend to see why I am measuring small. She told me she was not worried though, so I am not worried either. I am just thinking she is a petite little girl. Sounds good to me! I, on the other hand, have officially gained 35 pounds since my first appointment around week 6 or 7. Hopefully I will be one of those people that lose a pound or two in the last couple of weeks! Still no decrease in appetite and have not had to resort to eating multiple smaller meals. Oh well!

Week 35 - Aren't Work Parties Fun?

The folks at the office were kind enough to throw me a baby shower. They were incredibly generous & went all out with the food, decorations, & gifts. That must be why they were too worn out to smile. Or perhaps that's just because we're lawyers.

Week 35 - Guess which one I am

Week 34 - A Perfect Storm

Our little bundle of energy has survived her 2nd major storm & she hasn't even arrived yet! Hurricane Ike came through last Friday night as a Cat 2 and wreaked havoc on the Houston & Galveston areas. Thankfully we were only without power for a little over 40 hours. This follows our excitement with Cyclone Gene (cat 2, 110 mph winds) in January. I also learned that low pressure from storms may bring on labor! Maybe just an old wives' tale, but I was definitely feeling some extra energy from this little girl during Ike! I was holding onto my belly and willing it to stay still! That is happening less and less these days as she (and my belly) grows bigger. She is definitely active. And mostly at night. We're in trouble!

Week 33 - My Thoughts Exactly

Week 32- The Big & Small of it All

Yesterday was another Dr. appointment. They are quite routine at this stage, and actually a bit boring. The Dr. was, however, not impressed with my massive weight gain since my last appointment -- 6 pounds (where it should have been closer to 2 or3). Oops. Despite my girth, she guessed that I would likely have a small baby based on how I have been measuring. Her estimate was 7 pounds or under. Yay!

We were in Colorado for the Labor Day weekend, which was my last opportunity to fly the friendly skies for a while. Thankfully, I did not have to use the Dr.'s note certifying that my belly would not cause the plane to tilt dramatically to one side. And despite much concern and discussion about Hurricane Gustav causing us to be stuck in Colorado (the horror!), our travels were uneventful. Although the baby did kick non-stop throughout the flight. I imagine she was just practicing to be the toddler that kicks the back of your seat though.

Here's a picture of one of our "hikes".
From this distance, you can hardly tell I have a belly the size of a basketball!

Week 31 - Baby Blues (and browns and whites)

We've made lots of progress! including painting the nursery! We ended going with "Endless Summer" - a very bright teal.
As Sean says, Puerto Rico really rubbed off on me.

I think it looks great, but can't wait to see it with the furniture! Hopefully it will arrive before the baby does!

We did hear today that the Glider and Ottoman have arrived, so those will soon be added. Here is a pic of one similar to the one we ordered, but ours is in "Chocolate Twill" (no polka dots).


I also ordered the infamous Bob stroller today -- 20% off at REI! I hope this thing is as magical as I'm told. Ours is in cocoa/coffee (pictured).

Week 30 -- What won't he try?

We moved into our new house this weekend! I thought I might get out of a bit of the legwork being 7 months pregnant and all, but Sean had other plans. He went and crashed on his bike, putting him in a full leg brace! He actually was quite the trooper, but preparing for the movers was definitely a little rougher on both of us than we expected! During the move, I actually felt great. It was the most active I've been in several months, hauling boxes up and down the stairs, climbing stepstools to put away odds and ends, chasing cats into carriers... I was exhausted afterwards and drank enough water to fill the Great Lakes, but it felt good. Except my feet, they were so sore! Amazingly, they don't seem to have swelled and my work heels are still fitting -- whew, at least that's one new thing I don't need to buy! Right now, the nursery is filled with Christmas decorations and miscellaneous attic-bound boxes, but soon it will be transformed. I hope to paint it this weekend and have decided on a teal color. Well, I haven't decided on a color, but here are two of the ones I am considering, both by Mythic paints, which are non-toxic and safe for use during pregnancy.

Week 29 -- Strong to the Finich (cause I eats me spinach...)

Had another Dr's appointment today, and all is on track. Heartbeat, blood pressure, uterus size, etc. all looks right. We didn't do an u/s this time, but did get to listen to the heartbeat, which is always fun. Dr. said the baby is about 3.5 pounds now. According to Babycenter.com, it is the size of a butternut squash. yum.

Dr. also said that I will DOUBLE in size from where I am now! How can that be possible?! Of course that made Sean laugh, as I am currently weighing it at what he claims is his ideal weight. I've been experiencing my first real food cravings of my entire pregnancy, and thankfully (amazingly) it's been for spinach salads. With fresh strawberries and blueberries and blue cheese. I guess my body knows it needs iron right now. It's just so odd, because I have NEVER craved salad, especially spinach.

Week 28 -- Cabbage Patch Doll

This week, the baby is the size of a "Chinese Cabbage". And in case you don't already know what a Chinese cabbage looks like, a picture is attached. She is about 2.25 pounds (or, as I like to think of it, 9 McDonald's quarter pounders) and 15 inches long. And she soon will have a crib, bedding, changing table and glider -- all were ordered today. Whew.

Week 21 -- Piggly-Wiggly

Well, apparently I'm no better at keeping an electronic journal than I am at a hand-written one -- It's been almost 6 weeks! I'm about 21+ weeks right now & my belly is growing everyday. People are still telling me that I'm not even showing, but I think I must just be gaining weight everywhere! I've put on about 15 pounds already, so it's going somewhere! I am still feeling good, though having a belly is uncomfortable -- I don't like the way it feels when I sit -- maybe this will encourage me to get a flat stomach after the baby! ha!

The big baby news is that she has started wriggling all over the place. Everyday now I feel weird sensations in my belly. At first it felt like pushing from the inside out. Now it feels like "lurches" -- like your stomach might feel on a roller coaster. It just lasts a couple of seconds and then it's gone but it is so odd when it happens in the middle of a meeting or something! I haven't yet noticed a pattern of timing, but I think later in the day may be when she's more active. There are no noticeable movements from the outside yet -- can't see anything moving & Sean hasn't been able to feel it yet, but he does listen to my belly which he says is really weird.

well, that's all the update for now. I have a Dr appointment this weekend, so more updates to follow soon!

Week 16 -- Name Reservations

This past weekend was Mother's Day and we finally got to spill the beans on the sex by giving our moms pink brag books. Everyone was very excited, except Jonathan, who was hoping to have a baby boy cousin to push around. We have a couple of weeks before the next Dr's appointment, but all seems to be going well.

On the belly-size front, Carrie, Julie & Susan were nice enough to loan me some maternity clothes, but I am still able to wear my old clothes. I really do feel giant, but I know nobody can tell yet, except maybe wondering if I've put on a few pounds.

So, my current dilemna is wondering how to avoid telling people our Chosen Name. Well, we haven't officially chosen it yet, but only because I like to reserve the right to change my mind until the last minute. But I really don't see us finding anything we like better. The middle name is still TBD, with a few top choices. Our friends and family don't take to kindly to secrets though & I can foresee this being quite the struggle. For example:

On Mother's Day, James & Shawn got a new puppy and guess what?! Yep...they chose the name! I mean, it's not the Chosen Name, but it's a definite back up! I need my back up or otherwise the Chosen Name is as good as chosen! I'm not ready for that kind of commitment!

I spent the rest of the day subtlely trying to convince them that a Weimerainer needs a good German name like Greta or Olga. No luck.

Week 14.5 -- Pretty in Pink

We went for our 14.5 week appointment today, and confirmed our suspicions...It's a girl! She was wriggling all over the place with her feet climbing the top wall of my uterus, but her little bottom was hidden way down so we couldn't quite get a look. The doctor took a guess and asked if we wanted to do the "invasive" u/s to confirm. Of course! Well, sure enough! The Doctor felt very certain that this was definitely a girl and not just a case of a boy hiding his business. I'm shocked I didn't cry, but I have been smiling the rest of the day. Sean is already planning the two story dollhouse/fort he is going to build, complete with a "no boys allowed, except Daddy" sign.

We also asked about the fibroid that the u/s technician mentioned to us at the last visit. The Doctor said it was extremely normal and only an issue when they were inside the uterus. Mine is outside the uterus, so a big who cares.

In other great news, we got the official results of the Down's Syndrome & Trisomy test. I had already been told the results were "normal", but now found out that my results were the same as if I was a 20 year old. The baby thinks I'm only 20-- I love her already! My odds for Down's were expected to be about 1/400, but they were about 1/8000. And my odds for Trisomy, I can't recall what was expected, but they were >1/10,000, which she said is as high as the scale goes, so essentially means 0 odds. Yay!

Week 14 -- Intro to Blogging & Tight Pants

Keeping a hand-written journal is a lot harder than it's made out to be. But as much as I want to write at the end of the day, I just cant put the pen to the paper. I am hopeful that putting fingertip to keyboard will come easier. I've never kept a blog before, so, we'll see...

It's now week 14. I am not showing yet, but my pants are definitely tighter. We had an appointment on April 19 for the ultrascreen test & found out our results were "normal". I am definitely relieved, but the Type-A in me wants to know how normal: A+ normal...or C average normal?? We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and should find out more. Although perhaps they don't tell you these things for a reason! The other exciting news is we might even find out the sex tomorrow! It could be too soon, but I am really hoping we find out so we can surprise our mom's with the news on Mother's Day! I think it's a girl.