We Fell In Love All Over Again

...but not only with each other, also with that sweet chubby cheeked baby of ours. Josh and I had a 34 week checkup yesterday afternoon and Dr. Ryder asked if we'd like to see the baby. Our goofy grins quickly told her the answer and voila, there was our precious 5 lb 6 oz surprise right before our eyes - and head down!

The baby sure put on a show for us, too. We saw little lips purse up and blow us kisses and Baby tried to suck on his hand. We saw the baby practicing breathing as it's chest moved up and down. Baby had a full bladder that we could see too, which I am guessing he gets from his mommy already. We could see Baby's closed eyes with the sweetest little eyelids and even a grimmace or two. Those cheeks, though...those cheeks are going to be the most kissable, the softest, and the chubbiest little cheeks ever. And I know it's just a black and white fuzzy sonogram, but if you could just see them you'd understand.

I am going to go stare at our latest pictures now and dream of when we'll meet. I am such a starry eyed momma right now!

It's Official...I'm Pregnant

Goodness gracious I don't think I can fit anymore baby in me. And it still has to grow some more. I just don't know where it is going to go. As of this week, I am officially not able to keep up with whoever I may be walking beside. I officially cannot bend over forwards, at least not without smashing baby painfully into my ribs, liver, stomach, diaphragm and lungs. I officially have pregnant woman's bladder. We're clocking in at every two hours to pee at night - and the other night was FIVE times! And I officially cannot fit into almost all of my old shoes anymore. My feet always look funny when I get home in the evening - chubby and swollen!

Yes, it's true...I am officially pregnant! Six weeks and counting!

Hee Hee Hoooo: Lamaze Day 3

Yes! We learned the "hee hee hoo" method of breathing called Patterned Breathing. I had to slow down at first because I started to feel a little light headed, in fact I don't think I can fully appreciate this method until I practice it a little more. It is supposed to be slow paced and random, not like the stereotypical heeheehoo that many people think of.

This is how this one works: Josh will tell me one, two, or three in any random order and that is how many hee's I give. I finish with a hoo after each set of hee's. It's not like what you see on television where the pregnant lady is panting like an animal...I guess they just thought that makes for good comedy. My hee is a slow breath in through my nose then a slow exhale out through my mouth that sounds like "heeeeeee". I do that once, twice or three times according to what Josh tells me - basically to make me think and keep my mind off of the contraction. Then to let Josh know I am ready for my next random number I take a slow deep breath in and exhale slow with a "hooooooo".

We learned some different ways to deal with back labor, which is when the baby is facing front rather than facing mom's spine. This means that the boney part of the baby's head is pressing hard on mom's spine and causing unrelenting back pain. It occurs in 25% of labors. There are different positions to get in to let baby turn the right way, by opening mom's pelvis wider and also to relieve pressure.

We went over alternatives to pitocin which can be given to induce and stimulate labor. Pitocin is very commonly used but has many cons as well as pros. Most importantly to me, it can cause very severe contractions that are unnecessary and can cause stress on the baby and mom. There are a handful of natural alternatives that release pitocin that I can do on my own if need be. For now I have faith that my body knows what to do and will do it when it is ready...we'll see, won't we?!

I've got my labor, delivery and recovery bag packed as homework. This one is not for postpartum but just for the delivery room. I have my house shoes, robe, mouthwash, hair ties and snacks for Josh. I'm gonna tell him I'll allow him some snacks if he'll sneak me a bite. We've already agreed to sneak me water too cause I know ice chips ain't gonna cut it!

I hope everyone has a good hump day!
Love to all and baby says hello (via the knee in my ribs right now)!

One for You, One for Me

Why do I weigh so much?! Well I happen to have the answer right here!

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a weight gain of 25 to 37 pounds during pregnancy, for women who were a normal weight before pregnancy. Here is the breakdown:

7 1/2 pounds is about how much the baby will weigh by the end of pregnancy
1 1/2 pounds is how much the placenta weighs
4 pounds is attributed to increased fluid volume
2 pounds is the weight of the uterus
2 pounds is the weight of breast tissue
4 pounds is because of increased blood volume
7 pounds is attributed to maternal stores of fat, protein and other nutrients
2 pounds for the amniotic fluid
Total: 30 pounds

Pretty amazing numbers if you ask me. That is a lot of extra fluids and blood flowing around in me - 10 whole pounds. And a two pound uterus? Yikes!
But I am not planning an exercise regimen just yet...I am still enjoying the turns and wiggles going on inside me too much!

Out With the New, In With the New....

We bought a new truck, we bought a new truck! We are both very excited to introduce to the world our new 2007 GMC Sierra crew cab!

**In very offical car show lady-on-the-platform voice**
This handsome four door pick up truck in Silver Birch Metallic can hold up to six passengers and tow up to 8500 pounds. It's power windows and locks, 360 degree approach to safety, all terrain handling, active fuel management, stalibitrack traction control system, and GMC warranty makes this truck the best in it's class and rated the 2007 truck of the year.
**back to Heather voice**

I just copied all that great info that doesn't really mean much to me from the GMC website. We've really really enjoyed driving it so far and Josh gets to practice parking in the garage at his work this morning. That is the biggest adjustment so far. We've had some good laughs trying to get that thing in and out of the driveway with all the neighbors trash cans and fences in the alley. The actual handling is great and I know before long we'll be whipping in and out of tight places. I love the feel of it on the road and I really really can't wait to throw some camping equipment in the back or lower the tailgate for the fourth of July. Tailgates are just a good thing to have around if you ask me!

Here are some pictures of the sad little Mazda 6 as it was deemed a total loss. On a funny side note, the adjusters name was Bobby Roberts! I know it doesn't look like a huge mess from the pictures as its mostly internal. What we've figured out is that labor costs A LOT, plus many parts for new vehicles are just darn expensive. Take for example the headlights alone were almost $500 each. The water pump was almost $1000. There was a ton of electrical that was severed and of course the big whammy was the frame was bent. That seems to always be the clentcher. So now we say goodbye to our good friend the Mazda and welcome to the family our new addition.

Wordless Wednesday: Chicken Say Whaaa...

Lamaze: Day Two

Lamaze was a little less eventful this time. I think I was overly excited last class so I was a little like a child in a candy store, whereas for the second class I had a little more lamaze self control! Josh had to fly to Houston yesterday for a training conference but he made it back in plenty of time, luckily. His flight was cancelled going out due to weather in Houston, but then arrived back earlier than expected in the evening. We thought he might just be a little late at first...but he was there right on time with bleary eyes to help me carry all my pillows in!

I don't know why I always feel like I have to stir up trouble for myself. I feel so strongly about certain labor and delivery policies that I know I am bound to get myself kicked out of the hospital. But without stirring up trouble with you, my loyal readers (all five of you!), I won't go into detail here b/c everyone has varying opinions. Besides studying these policies and procedures on my own, these are items that we talked about in class last night and I feel myself become even more adamant about what I want done with my baby. This shouldn't be a conundrum anyhow. The hospital should want to make me feel comfortable with their "standard procedures". It should be centered around the family and should be able to look past the standard to instead do what is right in each situation.

Now, with allll that being said...Josh and I have not yet met with the Medical City educators to go over all this in greater detail. I have only visited with my Doctor and Lamaze instructor over what is usually the policy. I will know more of exactly what goes on in labor and delivery after this coming Saturday...and boy am I itching to go down my list of questions and points with them!

As you can tell, Lamaze last night stirred me up...but in more ways than one. We watched our first video! I really really had every intention to prep Josh with a video as home first (babycenter.com has some great ones) but since even the teacher didn't start with a disclaimer for the graphic nature of the video I figured we would be ok! I thought it was just a "regular" video on the stages of labor. Not right! I've seen that same one on babycenter.com but it still startled me and every male in the room when all the good stuff started happening. But just like the first time I watched it...a wealth of emotion came out of nowhere. I am still a little in first time denial about it all so let me enjoy the idea that it will be an incredible experience! Ah yes, I will embrace the pain! It will be wonderful!

Signing off for now...
**Love and Hugs to All**

To Protect and Serve???

I had a most unfortunate run in with a Plano police officer yesterday. Not quite as unfortunate as having to stand by as Josh's info was taken for the accident report last week...but unfortunate none the less.

As the trains pull in the station there is a mad rush of people who get off the train and trudge across the parking lots, pedestrian cross walks, sidewalks and thorough fairs to get to their car. If I estimate 50 people per train car (which is an under estimate considering it's rush hour) and 6 cars per train then that is about 300 people trying to walk to their cars at the same time every five minutes as the trains arrive. I give you this background to stress that there are hundreds of people in this area. The Parker Road train station area is fairly self contained - I mean that anyone who is over there at that time of the day is probably not "just passing through", but knows that they need to slow down and that pedestrians have the right of way. It's like a school at 3:00 when the bell rings! Kids running around, crossing the street, and parents waiting in cars....

I am among a group of pedestrians, not too many at this point as people have taken on their own walking pace and others have turned off the sidewalk as they neared their cars. There was a car sitting at a parking lot driveway waiting to turn out and she waved us across in front of her and smiled. Before we could take a step a police car turns into the parking lot without paying the pedestrians any attention. Mind you, there are police cars driving around the area everyday keeping an eye on everything...protecting and serving the people of Plano, so this isn't alarming or anything. Then I hear a soft-ish screech and see another police car (SUV) that stopped suddenly because someone was crossing the street in front of him. He starts to go again but this time me and a man behind me are the victims! We have started to cross the driveway to the parking lot and he doesn't want to wait for us! He hits his breaks and throws up his hands and screams "COME ON!". To clarify the "come on" - this was not a "hurry hurry get across the road please" type of exclamation. This was a "what the hell, you crazy people!" kind of tone. Yeah, he yells at a 7 month pregnant lady who isn't even doing anything wrong to COME ON! His windows were all down and that's how I could hear him so perfectly. I wonder if he could hear my feelings being crushed in confusion and hurt. So maybe I am a little emotional right now but he still hurt my feelings.

Everyone stared at him like he was a crazy alien from another planet, probably all equally shocked that he was yelling at us like that....NO blue and red lights on, NO white or yellow lights on, NO siren on, NO light (or hard) horn tapping, NO warning or indication that he is en route anywhere important. Even without these standard police warning devices turned on in an area with hundreds of people crossing the streets, I will give that sorry guy the benefit of the doubt and assume he was going to save someone's life...with the windows down and the breeze in his hair. Judging by his "jovial" size and arm casually dangling out of the window I will not assume he was on his way to eat some donuts at 7-11 or perhaps the early bird BBQ special at Dickeys. No, I will hope that he was going to help a pregnant lady deliver her baby or save a man from jumping off a bridge.

I will not be mad at the men who took an oath to protect and serve. I will not be mad at the men who have only ever given me tickets or appeared b/c of a car wreck. I will not be mad at the men, police men whom I personally know, who drink and drive, have questionable morals and values, who mistreat their family pets, who walk around with chips the size of the empire state building on their shoulders.

So maybe in their line of duty and from the tragedies they see everyday they have taken on a cynical view of their job. Well, so have I, I guess...
I just hope he wasn't late for his date at Dickeys.

Lamaze: Day One

Yesterday was the big day! I learned my first breathing techniques! I started out the day so tired because the Cowboys played a late game. I actually went to bed before the game was over and once Josh thought they might lose he came to bed too - but turned the game on in the bedroom. I was nice and cozy dreaming of sugar plums and other various fruits when Josh's cheering in the last CRAZY seconds of the game woke me up. I didn't really care about what was going on with the game; I just wanted to get back to my plums. As I fell back to sleep, Josh did also except he dreamed of field goals and Bills fans crying. So, we were very tired the next day and I just wanted to go home after work...but I had to go learn how to breathe.

Our instructor, Wendy, is a registered and/or certified everything under the sun having to do with breastfeeding, Lamaze and child birth. She is my new best friend! Wendy has been a doula for over 30 years and most recently her passion is being a lactation consultant. I soaked up her every word from the edge of my seat. She had already told me to get off her lap once. Yes, yes, such the teacher's pet, I know. Last night we had an overview of labor, roles of the coach (push 'em out, push 'em out, waaaayyy out!), comfort positions and breathing basics - including slow paced breathing - and progressive relaxation.

We timed how many breaths we take in a minute, laying down and relaxed, and everyone was around 10-12 and I sat at 17! There was also a 21 so maybe she feels my pain of not having the greatest lung capacity right now with Baby squishing everything around. She went around and showed us how we should be sleeping and where the pillows should be...and then I showed her what works for me! She assured me I would appreciate her positioning once I get further along. We all had padded tables to lay on which was really the best part. Josh and I thought we were going to be on some sorry pad on the floor. They use the tables for physical therapy during the day and they are nice and big and soft. She told us to bring 5 or 6 pillows so I had plenty to lie on and around. My most surprising discovery was the birthing ball. Tammy has told me how much she liked it with her babies but I just didn't see it. Then I mounted the big green monster last night and felt like a million bucks. If only they could guarantee that I would feel like a million bucks hours into labor. Basically it relieves pressure in all the right places and makes my tail bone feel like cottony softness. I now officially hate chairs.

Josh has to go to Houston for a day trip with work next class day so he may be a little late, but I can't wait to learn more. It has been very inspiring to me and even a little eye opening. And that was only the first class. The series is 7 weeks long and I am about 9 weeks out from my due date so hopefully we didn't time that too close! We'll see...

Oh and another fun fact: I used the restroom three times during class and two other girls used it twice. No one else used it! I was shocked. I guess I am doing a good job keeping my fluids flushed and clean and everyone else's babies are drinking dirty amniotic pee water! I am such a good mommy!

On This Day 28 Years Ago...

...Baby Heather was barely one day old. In fact since she was born last night I think she is closer to around 12 hours than one day old right now! I think I hear the angels singing just now....!

Why is the Beatles song "Birthday" so inherent to my family? We were born with it in our brains. Installed right next to the wrinkle that says "Conscious Fact: October 3 is my birthday" is the wrinkle that says "Subconscious Fact: Birthday Equals Beatles". So that is what is being heard in my head right now...and all day yesterday. And it never gets old! You say it's your birthday...!!

I had the most wonderful day! Bright and early yesterday morning we had a group email going full of the "fun-derful" reply-all's as only the O'Brien family can do - out of control with birthday wishes and jokes. Josh and I had planned a dinner at Sullivans Steakhouse in North Dallas for yesterday evening. It was a nice, cushy, 1940's jazzy groovy place, daddy-o. I had a tomato and mozzarella with greens salad, filet stuffed with shrimp and three shrimp scampi, sautéed spinach (YUMMM-O) and au gratin potatoes. And since I am so special...we received a chocolate soufflé on the house! It was my first soufflé and I've always heard how delicate and particular they are. I know it's a disappointment when they deflate so of course our deflated before it made it to the table. Our waiter was just beside himself when he saw it. But it came with two sparklers and no singing waiters, so it was great in my opinion! By the way, I'll take a good ol chocolate cake over that soufflé thing any day...I guess it's an acquired taste.

Some of my favorite birthday wishes were from my good friends whom you might recognize.



A bithday you are having, hmmmm? I sense a happy one it shall be.




I pity the fool who doesn't wish you a happy birthday!





28?! Whatcu talkin bout Willis?






I hope you have the Ultimate birthday! Grrr!





And Alicia's precious Carmen also sent birthday wishes my way! Thanks CJ!

30 Weeks/7 Months!

Only 10 more weeks to go! Ahh but whos counting?! Certainly not the proud mommy and daddy! Our baby's latest developments are getting baby more and more ready to survive on it's own. The baby's brain is developing it's grooves and indentations which allow for an increased amount of brain tissue. The growing brain is beginning to be able to regulate body temperature, in combination with the increased body fat. So, my baby's sweet first peach fuzz style body hair (lanugo) will begin to disappear now. Another huge change...our baby's bone marrow has begun making red blood cells!

I still don't feel that big, although I do feel very pregnant. Everything is tight and pinching and stretching and I can hardly breath and eat these days. I am good if I can get down half a can of soup with the heartburn and stomach aches that accompany it. I often feel a thumping/rolling right in between where my rib cage converges into my breast plate. Even more frequently I feel what I think is a head under the right side of my ribs. It kinda makes me mad that this child has made my rib cage his or her home and I am couting the days until the baby drops down lower. Hopefully he'll drop lower. Won't the baby drop lower? Oh don't answer that.

In the mean time I can attempt to overlook the necessary evil and concentrate on the new bundle of joy baby will be! Josh gets to feel big time kicks and punches these days. It's funny to watch my whole stomach jump and move. I try not to think about Aliens too much since it hits close to home. My baby will not be an alien, my baby will not be an alien. Josh and Bob finished sanding the baby's room and retextured last weekend...so it's time to slap on a coat of primer and paint! We're getting closer to it being a real bedroom!

I got all of my pre admission forms filled out and mailed off yesterday. That was a nice little check off the list of to dos. We start lamaze next week and I am really looking forward to that. The instructions are to bring 5-6 pillows and a blanket to class each time so I am pretty sure this is my and Josh's style of class!

My love to you all this week! And in the wise words of Jerry Springer from his closing monologue each show...take care of yourselves...and each other.

***Tums and Zantac Free Wishes to All***