10 Days Remain

The C-section is scheduled for the morning of April 2nd.  So, in no more than 10 days, Andy and I will have a baby to love and take care of.  It doesn’t seem real.  I am still half expecting to go into labor one of these nights and have the baby on the way to the hospital.  If I continue to take it easy, I just might make it to the 2nd.  My parents are on a working road trip to St. Louis and then Chicago so I’m forbidden from having the baby until they get back (Monday, I think).  I’ll try my best to fend off labor.  But, I think our little guy is getting crowded in there and is making more and more moves toward the exit. 

 

 

Protective Mother

Even before I read the story of the woman who posed as a nurse and kidnapped a newborn baby from a Texas hospital, I had made up my mind that our baby was not going to leave the sight of me or Andy during our hospital stay.  I have always been a worrier and I’m sure that will only get worse once I have our little one.

His Birthday

Our little guy’s birthday has been scheduled for April 2nd.  However, there is a good chance that he’ll come before then.  I learned yesterday that the contractions I’ve been having for the last 5 days or so have caused me to dilate to 2 cm.  Another contraction woke me up at a little before 6 a.m. this morning and I had 2 more of them before 8 a.m.  I hope the little guy can stay inside until April 2nd, but I’m sort of doubting it.  The doctor didn’t give me any activity restrictions.  Too bad he didn’t forbid me from doing any housework.  Until the doctor orders otherwise, I’ll continue on with my hectic schedule. 

31 Days Remain

On Monday, the delivery date will be scheduled.  At this point, it looks like it will by scheduled for April 2nd or the end of March.  So, at the most, 31 days remain.  It is terrifying.  The good news is that we are all ready to roll.  We’ve now either gotten or purchased everything we need for the baby.  His room is ready.  His car seat has been installed and inspected by the police department.  I’ve got my bag packed for the hospital.  I hope the baby stays in as long as possible, but at times, I feel like he is going to just fall out.  He’s a heavy little guy and he’s making me uncomfortable.  I’m really looking forward to seeing him. 

7 Weeks and Counting!

In about 7 weeks (or less), we’re going to have our baby.  The whole thing is still unbelievable to me.  I really wish I had see-through skin so that I could see the little guy and believe that he’s really in me.  I thought it would sink in my head when he started moving around.  But, he’s been moving since week 14 (for about 18 weeks) and it hasn’t sunk in.  Last weekend, we made a lot of progress on the list I posted below.  It really helped that I didn’t have much work to take home with me last weekend.  If all goes according to my master plan, we’ll be completely ready for the baby after this coming weekend. 

An Early Appearance?

Now I’m really glad that I’ve been on Andy’s case to finish up the house projects because we learned at my doctor’s appointment yesterday that our son may make an early appearance.  I really didn’t want to have a March baby, but now it is a real possibility.  The following are the main things we have to finish up before the baby comes:

  • Andy has to install shelving in the closet in the baby’s room.
  • We have to buy and install a curtain rod and put up the valence.
  • We have to buy some more living room furniture (coffee table, end table). 
  • We have to buy, install and get the car seat inspected. 
  • We have to buy other essentials (changing pad covers, wearable blanket, things we’ll need for diapering, etc.).
  • Pick out a middle name for the little guy.
  • Wash his clothes.
  • Get a tripod for videotaping his birth.
  • Get the house thoroughly cleaned.
  • Find a day care we like and secure a spot.

Family Cook Book

After copiling the Andy and Jessica book, based on this blog, we would like to compile another book. The idea is that it will be a family cook book. It will be professionally bound with a spiral binding (to allow it to sit open at any page while preparing a recipe). If you are related to Jessica or me, be it immediate or extended family, we’d love for you to submit something to us for the book. It can be one recipe, or a few. If we can get enough to put together an entire book, we’d like to start compiling it next fall so that it will be available for order by Thanksgiving so anyone interested can get their copy in time for Christmas. They will be available at the same shop on cafepress as our current book, at minimal cost.

Please be mindful of copyright issues if you wish to submit a recipe. Because it will be available online, there is always the possibility of any copyright owners finding it and coming after us. Grandma’s sugar cookie recipe would be wonderful, but please don’t submit Martha Stewart’s raspberry tart recipe.

The best way to submit is by email, as it will dramatically reduce the time needed to compile the book, I can copy and paste and reformat as necessary. You can email me at andy at- andyandjess dot net, or andy at- aolson dot net. You can email Jessica at jessica at andyandjess dot net.

You can also mail them to us. If you need the address, please email me or Jessica.

Our Son’s First Name

I won’t tell you WHAT his name is. But, I will tell you HOW WE CHOSE his name. Andy and I printed a list of the 1,000 most popular names from the social security website. We didn’t want to give him a popular name, it’s just that there really aren’t too many names to choose from unless you want to go really crazy and make up some random name or name your kid after a fruit or something. While we were driving around one day (Andy was driving, I was riding), I read off each name on the list starting with #1. If either of us didn’t like it, it got crossed off the list. It was a pretty fast process. After going through the list of 1,000 names, there were only a dozen or so that we thought could be a possible first name. Then we ranked those names individually. Andy and I both came up with the same name as our 2nd choice first name, but we had different choices as our 1st choices. Andy didn’t really care for my #1 choice. I wasn’t sure about his #1 choice. So, we decided that we had narrowed the first name down to the name that was both of our 2nd choices or to Andy’s #1 choice. I told Andy that if he wanted me to go along with his #1 choice name, he had some convincing to do. He’d have to research the name’s meaning, etc. That’s when Andy began referring to our son by his #1 choice name. At some point, the name just stuck and I knew there was no turning back.

Countdown Begins – 11-1/2 Weeks and Counting

We are now only about 11-1/2 weeks away from the birth of our son (assuming he doesn’t decide to come early). The time is going so fast and there are still many things to get done before he arrives. His room is painted (thanks to Andy, my dad, Andy’s mom, my mom and my aunt Donna for the help painting). Oh and thanks to me for doing all the prep work (like taping, etc.). The room is bright turquoise with bright white trim. It looks great. Andy and my aunt Donna got the cool bunk beds my dad made set up in the baby’s room. The crib is also assembled. I organized the material possessions he has already acquired. It’s coming together. Just yesterday, we had an egress window installed in the basement so that we have an escape route out of the basement in the event of a fire. It also makes the office into a legal bedroom. Tomorrow is our first pregnancy class. We will learn “All About Babies.” That includes how to bathe, diaper, etc. the baby. Andy and I are clueless about how to take care of a baby so the class should be helpful. Andy is not looking forward to it, but he needs it more than me. Weeks ago, I decided to test his knowledge and asked him if the baby should be put to sleep on his back, stomach or side. Andy confidently answered (incorrectly) “on his stomach.”

What We’ve Been Up To

 

  • The week or two before Christmas, I had to go into what I call “self-preservation mode.” Self-preservation mode is always triggered by being so busy at work that I have to work several weekends in a row. Self-preservation mode involves me being really selfish with my time (essentially all work and no play). Andy hates that mode because he doesn’t see me as much and has to help out more around the house. I skipped writing a Christmas letter this year because of self-preservation mode. Thankfully, things slowed down now that Christmas is over.
  • It was a busy Christmas weekend. My good friend from law school, Kevin, got married near San Francisco, CA on December 23rd. You may remember Kevin from our wedding (he had the honorable job of coat taker). I was one of Kevin’s 3 groomsmen. So, we flew to California Wednesday night and didn’t sleep a wink on the flight. Thursday morning we toured Alcatraz and the Fisherman’s Wharf area. Friday we crossed the Golden Gate bridge and think we spotted a migrating whale at a rocky beach. Friday was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Saturday was the wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. We caught a 12:30 a.m. flight home and arrived at 6:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve. Christmas went by far too fast and I ended up feeling disappointed Christmas night that it was already over.
  • I’m already in my 26th week of pregnancy. The baby probably weighs about 2 pounds and is probably about 15 inches long. I just want him to keep growing so that I don’t have to worry about him so much.
  • We picked out a first name and have the middle name narrowed down to two possibilities. We’re keeping the name a surprise.
  • Andy and my parents are going to paint the walls in the baby’s room this weekend. We’re hoping to convince Andy’s mom to help him with painting the trim soon thereafter. If I could safely paint during pregnancy, the job would have been done months ago!