updated photos

Wednesday marked 30 weeks; I feel like I'm entering the final stretch and it is amazingly scary and exciting to think in about 10 weeks Peanut will be here!

In response to some questions I get asked multiple times a day:

• I'm feeling tired (no, I'm not sleeping well)


• I'm feeling big


• no, I'm not carrying twins (gee, thanks)


• yes, I do REALLY have 10 weeks left; I'm sorry if I look like I'm "ready to pop" ahead of schedule


• yes, that is indeed "one big baby" in there

Notice the trend?? I'd like to state for the record that I've under-gained weight; the 20 lbs just happens to pretty much be all in my stomach area. Cut me a break - I'm pregnant. It happens! Though it is nice to have my boobs not be the biggest thing on my body anymore - ha ha ha. The shirt I am wearing below isn't even a maternity shirt...

Oh, and I just had to show the cool cake my mother in law made me for my Easter birthday. It may look like a sunflower, but the "petals" are sugar peeps! mmmm, peeps!!!

Happy spring, Easter, & 34th bday!

I just got back from my birthday "extravaganzapalooza" afternoon / evening. Dave had planned a special day to celebrate my birthday tomorrow. I only had been told to be ready at 3:00 and to get dressed up. As I was getting ready, Dave had my present ready for me. A pair of beautiful diamond earrings was in a lovely wrapped box with a sentimentally sweet card.

We then headed to Phipps Conservatory for their spring flower show. Neither of us had been there for years. It was so beautiful to see so many flowers in such creative ways - and the smell... heaven!!

Next we went to the Gandy Dancer at Station Square for drinks (for Dave) and a small appetizer since I was hungry. We had a little time to kill before our dinner reservations at the secret restaurant.

When the time came, we pulled up to Isabella's along Mt. Washington!!!!!

I'd always heard of how romantic and wonderful the food was here, and we were not disappointed in the least. We had a corner table along the windows overlooking the point and the entire city. As amazing as view was, the 7 course meal was even more amazing! Our courses were:

1. Blue crab & avocado salad with cilantro


2. Caramelized leek and cauliflower soup, crispy Gruyere cheese (for me - probably my favorite course) and Ancho Chile-Cherry braised duck leg, ricotta cheese polenta (for Dave)


3. Halibut fillet, sweet potato gnocchi, crème fraiche (for Dave) and red curried corn crusted sea scallops, sweet mango juice, cilantro-yogurt foam (for me)


4. An intermezzo of pineapple lime sorbet


5. Cabernet braised Kobe skirt steak, Porcini mushroom, poached garlic risotto (for me) and venison leg steak, blood orange jam and potato-parsnip puree (for Dave)


6. A salad of baby greens, dried apple, goat cheese & vanilla-cardamom vinaigrette


7. Blue cheese cheese cake, dried pears and port wine reduction (for Dave which he adored) and house made chocolate truffles (for me which was excellent and I could've had 4 orders!)

And I had a glass of wine as well, which tasted so wonderful. We shared our meals with the exception of the cheese cake, which I wanted no part of. I can't remember when I had such a good meal. And Michelle, I thought of you every single course!! (It started as soon as I saw they had a leek soup, but then every thing tasted so darned good that I knew you'd really appreciate it. You need to leave the Boss with me one evening and take your hubby for any occasion!)

We had an amazing day, and I'm heading to bed soon. Tomorrow we'll have a nice breakfast, head to church and then see Dave's family all day. Being 34 doesn't really feel any different than 33 (or any of my recent years to be honest) but I can say that I'm looking forward to the upcoming year and know it will be one of the best in my life! I hope you all have an Easter that is as blessed as I feel right now (and that just isn't the wine talking).

Shower RSVPs

Just a quick note- if you haven't called Angie already to RSVP for the shower on April 12th (not to be confused with the other shower on April 19th), please don't forget!

If you'd rather email your response, you can always email me for Angie's email address. Deadline is April 1st! And don't forget to include your meal choice.

She said YES!

My brother asked Kelly to marry him last night, and she said yes!! I am so excited I can't stand it! They are away in Vegas; I just may show up at their house on Friday to give them a huge hug when they get back!!! Pics to come I hope!

Early Celebrations

Hope you had a great weekend! I got to spend time knitting with my friends this Saturday, and today some of my family came over to celebrate Easter & my birthday early. (My niece and nephew are spending time with their biological dad next Sunday, so we opted to celebrate today.) After a yummy lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, we came back to our house to give the kids their Easter bags.

I got to open some gifts too! I got a "Mommy & Me tub time" themed gift from my mom - wonderfully soft bathrobe and slippers, towels, soaps, and a robe and wash clothes for Peanut. I got beautiful bookends that I've wanted and a tea kettle and a maternity outfit as well from my bother, Kel & and my "extended family". Best of all, we just had a blast.

Dave is snoring on the couch right now (rough weekend, right?) and I'm trying to motivate to go grocery shopping. Do I look any bigger at 7 months? Someone asked me at church today if I was having twins.... ugh, I guess I look big huh?

7 months = trip to L&D

Well, yesterday was 7 months pregnant and we had quite an evening to show for it. It started when I wasn't able to sleep well early Wednesday morning. I had a very weird pain right near my belly button from 3-4 AM. It was strong enough to wake me and then keep me from falling back asleep. I'd chalked it up to Braxton Hicks contractions (which are normal at this stage and a way for the uterus to prepare for delivery). It was in a new spot and felt a lot stronger and more painful. But who am I to question? When your uterus expands to 1000x its normal size (no exaggeration) you assume things like this will occur.

During the day I'd felt fine, but then in the afternoon around 4:00 I started to get that pain again. And it wasn't going away by 5:00. So I did what any person would do who didn't want to bother her OB after hours - I searched for info on Braxton Hicks on the internet newspaper (ha ha Anna - I had to work that in...) It said that you weren't supposed to have >4 an hour or for them to be painful, and I thought "uh-oh!". So Dave came home at 5:30 and it was still going on every 5 minutes or so. He convinced me to call the OB; after speaking with her, she did what I thought she'd do and said there'd be no way to know what was causing the pain unless I went to the hospital. Great...

But she did bring up something that I didn't think about (which is why it is always important to call your doctor) - my placenta is in the front and they wanted to make sure it was still in place and not tearing away. So it was with an equal mixture of fear and foolishness that we hopped in the car and went to UPMC Magee Women's Hospital. When Dave eventually got us there via Greenfield the long way (thanks to the Oakland detour and probably nerves), we were seen right away, which leads me to ask why all ERs don't work this smoothly.

They did all my vitals and hooked me up to a contraction monitor which I was familiar with thanks to my experience with Angie's delivery. I got a little scared when the bottom line started zig-sagging up and down since this shows if you are contracting. I think my exact words to Dave were "Dude - holy crap I am contracting!" Alas, it was just the monitor moving thank goodness. Agh, to be naive.

After blood work, and internal exam (ouch) and lots of questions, we were running out of explanations. The final step was an ultrasound to look at the placenta, muscle, and baby. So I got to experience my first ride in a wheel chair and away we went. We were seen right away and it is no understatement to say Peanut is HUGE! Our little over-achiever is in the 81st percentile for weight and measuring 3 weeks ahead of schedule. A whopping 3lbs 3ozs already!! (normal is around 2 lbs 4 ozs). I just looked at Dave (who weighted over 9lbs at birth) and gave him the "you're to blame for this, aren't you?" stare... never mind my chocolate ice-cream cravings.

The bottom line is that they couldn't find any reason for my pain. Peanut and I are both fine. The pain finally subsided around 9 PM - so a total of 5 hrs of on & off pain (mostly on). They said that I wasn't silly to have come in, as much as I felt like I wasted their time. I have instructions on what to do should the pain return (which is basically just to head straight there), but I'm hoping it doesn't. It hasn't been back since, and I slept like a rock.

At least we learned where to go when you're in real labor, got to test run the driving detour in a stressful emergency, and found out that the hospital pillows really suck. Oh, and that triage can be a very scary place when all the women around you are screaming and moaning. That was honestly an eye-opener for me. Heck, the couple that came up to the triage window when I was registering - the woman laid down on the floor and I think her eyes rolled back into her head. I kindly asked that she be seen before me - good heavens! As I told my sister-in-law today, a planned c-section would circumvent all this! And at the rate Peanut is growing, that may seriously be an option!

Aaaaaaagh - relaxation!

Last night I took the inaugural soak in the new bath tub. Wow - now I wonder what was I waiting for! It felt so good that I honestly felt like I was in a spa. It made for a great night cap before bed (the only kind we pregnant folk can really have these days) and even helped reduce the swelling in my feet.

A lot of people have asked what I'd like for my birthday (on Easter Sunday this year, but I don't mind sharing as long as I get some caramel eggs!). Well, truth be told, there isn't much I'd need, but that excuse doesn't seem to cut it for some people. So in random order are some things that would be neat to have (I've left off things like a new car, world peace, painless labor, etc):

• a new tea kettle or a gift certificate from Bed Bath & Beyond to go towards purchase
• Macy's gift card to go towards purchase of a new robe (I figure I'll need this in the hospital)
• Lowe's or Sear's or Home Depot gift card (we need a new grill, a sun umbrella, and a deck storage bin. Plus it is always just fun to shop at these places! Mmm - power tools!)
• Aveda gift card (my new obsession for body products)
• Vera Bradley tote bag like this in color "peacock" (for the hospital, and I'm sure will be used again & again)

10 days until Spring as well, and I'm ready!

New Bathroom Photos

The bathroom is 99% done. I say only 99% because we're missing a very important part.... for privacy at least. A door! Dave still has to apply the gel stripper to the door to get rid of the hideous blue paint; once it's down to the wood grain, we can stain it like the rest of the bathroom wood. I don't think the wall color shows up as well here - it's more green and called "Crocodile Tears"

Looking in from the hall

The corner tub for 2 (or one very pregnant woman)

The glass shelf was Molly's idea - and a good one!

The new vanity & medicine cabinet - the lights dim too!

If the shoe fits... oh wait, it doesn't!

Yesterday it was 34 degrees outside, and I wore a dress to work with flip flops.

No other shoe really fits!

Can you find my ankles in this shot? Oh, and this was taken in the morning BEFORE the big swelling sets in....

Nursery - check!

We had a really busy weekend, especially with me getting over the flu (and Dave looking like he is going to come down with it). Oh, and an emergency trip to the ER Wednesday night. Did I fail to mention that Dave accidentally sliced his thigh with a box cutter? Yeah. The cut was really bad and needed stitches. He's recovering okay and the stitches should come out next week.

The bathroom is 95% done, and I'll post some pictures in a few days when we're 100%. But Dave and Mike moved in the nursery furniture, and Dave put together the crib on Saturday.

Now that the room is just about done, we both find ourselves just standing in the room without reason, looking around. Doesn't it look awesome? Yeah, we think so too.

But we knew it was only a matter of time before this happened.....

This may mean trouble.

We also moved the computer and desk up into the "office" (our smallest bedroom) and redid the entry way. It's now a little reading nook (picture below). So upstairs, 3 of the 4 rooms are completely made over, and with the new carpet (which looks amazing) - it almost looks like a new house up there!

Today I had lunch with Angie and had some great girl time. We talked and laughed and saw the new movie "The Other Boleyn Girl" (since we both read the book). The movie was really good, very true to the book. And the acting was superb. I've always been a fan of Tudor history and that period. I guess you'd enjoy the movie even without knowing the history behind it all (heck, Eric Bana is pretty easy on the eyes, though supposedly Henry VIII wasn't that attractive, but whatever...) All in all it was a fantastic weekend, but back to the grind tomorrow. At least it's March now - spring and my birthday!

double digits!

I'm under 100 days! 98 to be exact!

Up 15 lbs total...

26 weeks (or 6 and 1/2 months) today!

And my ankles have disappeared due to swelling.

Yoi no more

Myron Cope (born January 23, 1929 in Pittsburgh with the given name Myron Sydney Kopelman) has passed on today. My terrible towel is at half-mast. Maybe it is due to the pregnancy hormones, but I really think it is due to just being a Pittsburgher through and through that I cried when I learned this sad news. I know many people found his voice annoying, but I thought it really made for a unique flavor to the Steeler's coverage.

I also wanted to show some pictures of the snow from this morning.

The bathroom is 75% done and looking fantastic! The upstairs carpet will be installed tomorrow and we'll set up the nursery furniture this weekend. I should have some great pictures with the new camera come Monday. Last weekend we picked up our foyer bench from the Amish gentlemen who hand-made it. It looks great, and as you can see, the resident "tester of new things" seems to like it!

"That's what friends are for"

I am really excited to start a new knitting project, one that almost didn't happen. I had purchased hand spun, hand dyed beautiful yarn earlier this month at the knitting festival. It's a soft and warm angora and silk blend (I think if I recall). Beautiful hues of purple, berries, blues and silvers. Really unique.

I was so excited to start knitting with it that I began without the yarn (about 500 yards) being wound into a ball. I figured that it wouldn't matter. ha ha ha ha ha ha. Boy did I learn the hard way! After about 10 rows, the thing became a huge tangled mess. And while I enjoy untangling knots, I found myself really frustrated with this. I tried one end. I tried the other. I tried from the middle. Nothing! It just became a huge mess!!!

I almost threw it away - $30 down the drain and a hard lesson learned. Well, luckily I just threw it into a ziplock bag to revisit one day in the future. Or to offer to anyone who wanted a challenge; they could keep the darn yarn as their prize - I just had to step away! I took it to my friend's party last weekend for any takers...

Well, my friend Michelle took up the challenge and said it was like her Zen project - she sat with it in her lap last weekend and some how, lord only knows, got it all untangled! I told her that she needed to keep the yarn, but she refused. She gave the yarn back on Tuesday in the sweetest fashion - it literally brought tears to my eyes. Note the sweet message on the bag.

I know just the project I'm going to make with it. It is a bit more challenging than I'm used to (considering I'm a square / baby blanket making kind of girl) but I am up to the challenge.

Busy, busy, busy

It was a crazy busy weekend, and there is a lot going on this week. Unfortunately, this post won't have any personal pictures because our digital camera kicked the bucket. Time to buy a new one I guess! The other was from 4 years ago when I gave it to Dave for Christmas. I have my eye on this one, and thanks to a work bonus, I may convince Dave to have us purchase it!

Last Saturday I went to a great children's clothes store (I just can't stay away!) at the Galleria Janie & Jack Then I went to a friend's daughter's first birthday party to assist setting up, and I got to stay and enjoy the festivities as well. This little girl is just darling cute (if you need proof, check out a recent photo shoot she did...) I also got to see a bunch of my "internet friends" and their children which was a treat.

I don't say much about this internet community I am part of, but it all started in 2004 when I found the Knot and we were all planning our weddings. Sometimes I am amazed to think that I've known some of these ladies for close to 4 years. I am so very grateful to have made friends with them. I have always considered myself lucky to have a small group of close-knit friends instead of a lot of various acquaintances - quality over quantity, you know? But knowing these ladies has exposed me to so many new experiences and ideas. They've been part of my support system with the ups & downs of trying to get pregnant for 2 years. They've provided me with cooking ideas, parenting information, laughter, deep thoughts, silly pictures, knitting, new restaurants, and reassurance that I'm normal (for the most part). I was really reflective of this on Saturday night when I got home (exhausted!!) after seeing some of them. You all know who you are, and please know that I am forever grateful to know you all!

Sappiness aside (pregnancy hormones allow me to change subjects easily so I don't cry, which I'm apt to do these days) - Sunday was busy too with car inspections, church, lunch at Aladdin's (mmmmm) shopping at Becoming Mommy in Squirrel Hill, then hitting the mall for more shopping at baby Gap, Banana Republic for Dave, and Aveda & Motherhood Maternity for me. Oh, and then we went food shopping. So leaving at 9:15 AM and not returning home until 6:45 PM left me really exhausted. And my feet hurt. I don't think I've recovered since (foot wise!)

I've been feeling well aside from tired easily and my feet hurting a lot. Sadly I had to buy some new shoes yesterday in a full size larger to accommodate my spreading Fred Flintstone feet. I wonder if they'll shrink after giving birth?? Well, at that point it'll be summer and I can be in sandals, which isn't really an option now.

Our bathroom is coming along great - we had a set back last week when a pipe burst from the cold weather. The plumber came over last night to fix it and put the mixer on the bath tub. So now we can finish dry-walling the last wall and my father-in-law can start tiling the bathroom floor. That means putting the toilet in (hurray! no more 2 AM trips to the cold basement to appease my bladder....). We painted the one wall the final color ("crocodile tears") and Dave hung the medicine cabinet, and it really looks great! I am hoping to have it all done by the end of this month. We're getting the new carpet upstairs on the 28th, so we have to clear out the staging area (also known as the nursery) prior to that.

Lots going on this week too with Dave's brother & sister in law in town and various things we need to do this week. I thought the 3rd trimester meant slowing down?! Oh wait, that is just ME, not the rest of the world!

6 months today

Officially 6 months today. Peanut is growing well (and so am I as you may see!)

Slowing down, can't sleep, and decided to get up at 4:45 AM and get ready for work rather than lay in bed.

Turning the corner

This weekend we turned a few corners.

1. Our corner tub was put in place. A lot of work still left to do, but as you can see from the picture, the tub is already being put to good use.
   
   



2. I turned a knitting corner and now have 3 projects underway. So much for my "one project at a time" philosophy. I went to the annunal Pgh Knitting festival with Anna and Lisa on Saturday and purchased many, many hanks of yarn for future projects (3 baby sweaters, a scarf, and extra yarn to just hoard as it is so nice). We had a great time and a wonderful lunch at Bistro 19 in celebration of Anna's birthday.
   
   
3. I'm rounding the corner out of being comfortable in my pregnancy. As the 2nd trimester draws to a close, I find myself not sleeping very well again. I've been having some very intense dreams unrelated to the baby. I wake up either scared out of my mind from horrible images or sobbing from emotionally intense dreams. It leaves me feeling emotionally drained and not very well rested. I'm also then having trouble falling back asleep.
   
   I'm also having more pain in my hip and butt area. While I'm doing my exercises from my friend who is a PT, I think the fact that I sit all day doesn't help things. Funny, since it hurts to walk around! I think I'm starting to slow down; I can't do as much as I was doing up until now.
   
   
4. Finally, we're rounding the corner of baby kicks. The baby is finally kicking hard enough that Dave can occasionally feel it. The problem seems more that as soon as we put a hand there, the child can sense it and stops. I honestly have no idea where this "shyness" comes from! ha ha

Hope everyone is well and warm!

How pretty is this picture?!?

Call me Giselle, but I love to see Tom Brady on his back!

Picture taken from Boston Herald's website

Finished projects

Soon after I first found out I was pregnant, I began knitting a baby blanket for our own baby. Friends suggested a pattern that began with knitting squares that I'd eventually join together. I could even add a boarder if I wanted to. So I lovingly picked out the colors and the yarn - a nice soft bamboo which is anti-bacterial too (cool huh?!). I began knitting in October I think.... well, this weekend I finally finished. And while it was a labor of love, I'm not sure if I'd do this particular pattern or work this yarn again. The blanket has a few design features (as my friend Lisa calls them) or flaws if you didn't know any better, but hey - it's a work that is definitely hand-crafted! Picture below, and special thanks to Anna & Lisa for helping me along the way.

Another finished project is the framing of the Christmas picture from my mom. She'd given me a print I'd wanted to hang in Peanut's room from artist N.A. Noel. It's an angel with the title "Destiny" and I thought it would make a nice guardian angel for Peanut. The only problem was the print size - 25" x18" is an odd size. I didn't want to pay an arm or a leg to have it custom framed, and my friend Cyndy suggested to check out places that sell pre-framed artwork. She said it's often cheaper to buy something pre-framed and just replace the print. So since Christmas I checked out various art stores, thrift stores, clearance racks, and such. I finally lucked out when a store in the local mall was having a big sale. I found a frame that was large enough for $15! I came home and replaced the print, and voila! I am super pleased with how it turned out, and for such an inexpensive purchase! The colors are really vivid, but unfortunately do not show up well in the picture below.

The one project that remains unfinished is the bathroom (ugh!) We’re making progress but current plans are on a week hold, hinging on the plumber coming in to set the tub next weekend. Once that is in, we can finish dry-walling, start to tile the floor, and put the toilet and sink in. (leaving painting and other decorative stuff.) Then we can get the new carpet installed and then set up Peanut's room with furniture. I can't wait! I just hope that we don't hit any big hiccups. Or if we do, we can at least reinstall the toilet in the mean time...

"Joys" of Pregnancy

Last week I was in Dallas for work, which was only a few degrees warmer than here. Brrr! It's always good to be home though. This past week I began discovering some of the aches & pains of pregnancy. Sitting on a flight for a few hours will make one's butt fall asleep. And when you're stuck in your seat and can't move about, it doesn't help. But it seems to be when I'm in any seat for more than 30 minutes it feels uncomfortable. My lower back is starting to ache a little, and my hips are out of alignment (women secrete a hormone called relaxin during pregnancy, which does as is sounds like - relaxes your joints to acomidate for the baby. Progesterone does the same thing, and who knows how many other hormones are altering my body right now). Well, mis-aligned hips --> sciatic nerve pain when I go up stairs or lift my left leg.

At least I got to experience one of the better joys of pregnancy this week - feeling the baby kick! I am somewhat late to the game in feeling this due to the placenta being anterior, or in the front. It is between the baby and myself, which means while the baby has been beating up on me for some time, I've not been able to feel it since the placenta acts as a big rubbery cushion. Now that baby's kicks and punches are getting stronger, I can feel them. It still isn't with any frequency, and I have to be still to feel it, but it is very cool!

And in typical Beth over-prepared fashion, I've been reading up on all sorts of things - cosleeping, breastfeeding, doulas, and post-partum depression. I figure that knowing as much as I can can't hurt - the problem will be of course if I remember it. And these days with the pregnancy amnesia... anyway.... I came across and article this weekend that states that women who undergo IVF are more than twice as likely to experience PPD than other women. Basically, it states that infertility that precedes IVF undermines a woman's confidence in herself and her body, as well as her mental state. (So true) And ultimately that when women give birth, they feel that they are so grateful to just HAVE a baby, that they have no right to complain about anything and that they just somehow need to cope better (so not true!).

I have to admit that PPD scares me. This pregnancy has been rough on me emotionally with constant worrying in the first few months that we'd lose this baby too. And then, I just don't know how to describe it - I just don't feel like myself. I feel like I'm still somewhere in my body, but that I'm not in emotional control. I've tried to explain it to Dave, because he is most often (unfortunately) on the receiving end of my swinging back and forth emotionally. I just don't feel like myself. He's graciously said that he thought it would be worse.... I don't know if that should make me feel better, or scared that I could really be awful!

But PPD is a very real thing, and it's not like I know how to be a good parent. I'm scared of the sleepless nights and having a baby constantly attached to my breast. I already feel like I'm "touched out" and feel very protective of my space; my normally touchy huggy self has been replaced with just not wanting to be touched as usual. What happens when I have a tiny baby latched onto me non-stop? I'm worried that I won't be able to do it all like I used to be. Even now I struggle with my pregnancy-imposed limitations - this independent soul hates asking for help and not being 100% self-sufficient.

So as I've said, I've been trying to educate myself as much as I can now, to set up my safety net. A great article on how to help anyone limit PPD can be found here - thanks to the wonderful Ask Moxie blog for having this available for everyone. If you want to help me down the line, please take a moment to read the tips, because who knows if I'll ever learn to ask for help!

Now I best be going - my butt is starting to fall asleep!

Good times, bad times

Having been born in the early 70s, I am a huge Zepplin fan. And while it's definitely not my fav Zepplin song (Kashmir, Ramble On), their words of "Good times, bad times, you know I've had my share" echo in my head this week.

1. I made a HUGE oversight last posting to not mention our adorable nephew's 7th birthday. This past Sunday was his family birthday party - pirate themed! Good time for certain!!! So HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY to our very favorite nephew NATE!!
   
   
   


2. We found out some very sad news at the end of last week. Someone we hold very dear to us, her mom was discovered to have another bout with lung cancer. Unfortunately, she is not able to have surgery again to remove the tumor, and will be undergoing chemo which has a lower success rate. If you are so inclined, please pray and send light to her and her family. We continue to hold out hope and stay positive, but this really isn't the news we wanted to hear. Definite bad time.