Baby Baran Week 22

What an early morning - we brought home two foster puppies last night. So cute! 4 weeks old and they're sisters! We're taking care of them for the next three weeks and we get to name them. Everyone has been saying what a good learning experience it will be for us to take care of them. You know what we've learned:

Shawn and I are suckers. Those little girls were crying at about 2:30 and instead of just letting them out to pee and being done with it, we were stumbling around in a stupor trying to make them perfectly happy. So played with them and fed them (which takes some time) and then let them loose in the spare bedroom for the rest of the night rather than lock them up in the kennel. They whined on and off all night and at about 5:45 I realized that I was listening for them and hoping they were okay, so I went in there and played with them until 7. Total sucker. And if we're like this with little girl puppies, how will we be with our little girl? Even worse, I tell you. Get ready for the most spoiled and coddled child you have ever met.

Our little one now weighs almost a pound and is the size of a spaghetti squash (or 11 inches). She dances in my belly all day, but nothing consistent or forceful enough for Shawn to feel her. Her home is now higher than my belly button which I definitely notice if I eat too much or am going up stairs and can't get enough air. In the morning I still have a bit of a indent for a belly button, but by bed time it's all one round smooth surface. I'm just waiting for it to pop and the A-frame hugs from Shawn to commence. I'm finally getting warmer - everyone has assumed that I'm always hot, but I haven't been at all until this week. It will coincide nicely with the snow heading for us this weekend.

I started a new phase of my midwifery care where I joined a Centreing Group. This is where about 10 or 12 of us meet for appointments so that we can 1. get to know all of our midwives (because you don't know who you are going to get for the labour and 2. because they have found it to be really valuable to have women that are around the same due date to share how their pregnancies are going. I really enjoyed it. I am one of two in the group that are having their first and I'm pretty sure I'm the youngest (or at least I look the youngest, but that could just be because they all have one kid already). I think it will be great for to have all of these women around and to be able to hear that we all have the exact same concerns which makes us normal. I like it.

Baby Baran Week 20

Half way!! Although, because we found out at 5 weeks the half way perspective is a bit skewed. We still have to go through the same amount of time as we just went through plus five weeks and then we're done.

Saw the midwife during Week 19 (so sorry I didn't write - work should be more manageable now that a big gala I was helping to plan is finished). I found out that I have only gained about 20 pounds so far, my blood type is O positive (I never knew), and that baby's heart rate is about 148, but it is normal for it to slow down as we get further along. Also, I got permission to keep sleeping on my back as long as it is comfortable and I can take baths. These were two things we were concerned about because of things we had read about sleeping on your back cutting off your blood flow (because the uterus lays on top of a big vein) and being in too hot of water can dangerously lower your blood pressure. Turns out, your body knows when it's not getting the right amount of blood flow and will wake you up so that you move and the hot water thing is just so that you don't get out of the water too fast and feel faint because of the lowered blood pressure. Yay for baths and comfy sleep (for now anyway)! I had the craziest back pain of my life on Thursday night which I can only describe as feeling like I had two migraines - one in my neck and one in my lower back. Eventually the pain was shooting down my limbs and slept for about 4 hours. Not so good with swine flu on the loose and a big event to put on that night, but Shawn bought some C-boost for me and I'm still alive. Although I was a sorry mess yesterday and barely got off the couch. Today feels like a normal amount of tired and soreness and I am looking forward to visiting my massage therapist this Friday.

We had a second ultrasound on Friday (some of the pictures weren't too good in the first one, but I'm not that photogenic either) which was super fun because baby had two more weeks of developing under her belt. Yes, I said her. It's a girl!! We asked the technician if she saw what it was to write it down on a little piece of paper and stick it in an envelope for us to look at later. She said that if she could tell, she would, but that we needed to understand that she wouldn't make any guesses and would only write something down if she could tell for sure. Yesterday, (my Friday was ALL gala - worked for like 13 hours, SO tired...) Shawn and I sat down together and decided how to go about reading it. We both thought we saw what it was during the ultrasound, but hadn't said our guesses yet. So we counted to three and said what we thought. If we differed, then the person who was correct got to spend 20 bucks on whatever they wanted. If we our answers were the same then we would just read the sex and celebrate. On the count of three we both said girl and laughed. I asked Shawn to open the envelope. He pulled out the sheet and just stared at it for awhile with a concerned look on his face. I asked him what the matter was and if he was disappointed. He showed me that the paper just said XX on it. And I laughed and said, that means it's a girl. Then he smiled and we laughed and then both grimaced at the thought of dealing with the pre-teen/teenage years. But we've all survived, haven't we? So there it is: Baby Baran is a girl. We did get a copy of the pics, but haven't been able to open them yet. When we do, I'll send them out. The little girl moves around a lot and I feel little nudges now and then (I'm not going to pretend that I know which limb or which part of which limb is hitting, because I have no clue). I described it to Kate as feeling like Olivander is kneading the inside of my stomach, but instead of a 1, 2, 1, 2 paw motion, it's just one paw at a time. At least that is what the amount of pressure and area of pressure feels like: a cat paw that pushes on your face in the morning when it wants food.

So here we are - 20 weeks, a little back pain, a large belly and a little girl the length of a banana partying it up in my belly. I like this baby stuff.

Baby Baran Week 18

Well that was an experience! I cannot tell you how weird it is to see a little moving creature on a screen that is in your belly. Baby Baran is super tiny (the books says the size of a bell pepper or my hand stretched out - which to me are two completely different sizes, but you get the idea). And it looks like I'm smooshing it. There's fleshy stuff all around it and not a lot of room. Although it moves enough! OMG, it was moving all over the place and apparently does all the time now. I can't pick up on the subtle arm and leg movements, but when I feel something noticeable I think it is flipping. I got to see this on the screen and then try to be in tune to what I was feeling. It was flailing its little legs and arms and I couldn't feel a thing, but I could feel the turns. It was moving so much that it was hard for them to take the pictures that they needed. I ended up being on the table for about 45 minutes because a supervisor had to come in and retake everything. They explained that because for slimmer people there is often not a lot of room in your body for the uterus and growing baby so the uterus tilts. And Baby Baran shoved his/her little head as far down into it as it could go so they couldn't get a good picture. Baby Baran says, "I've had enough of this. I want to see the world." A few more months please, if you don't mind.

A couple of good things about the bad pics: Apparently I was slim before! I knew I was healthy, etc, but when you are feeling like a beached whale, it is nice to hear that you were definitely slim before and are still considered slim. In fact, my weight has kind of plateaued right now. I'm not worried, but will see what the midwives say about it next week. The second good thing is that my midwives might call for another ultrasound to get better pictures which means we might have another chance to find out if it is a boy or girl. Yep, Little Baran had its legs tight together during the whole 45 minutes and remains a mystery.

Some cool things that we both got to see during the "show and tell" part: little feet and toes, its heart beating, a pudgy little hand, its legs moving all around, the brain, and really creepy - the eye lenses. And it has everything that is supposed to have. Enough legs and arms to make me feel better about the little guy. And it actually has a face and a body and is real. In a little bit its going to come out of there and tell us what's what.

I am still pretty hungry and SO TIRED. I think I slept for 11 hours last night. As I said, I see my midwives again on Wednesday for another check up. Work is ruining me right now (hence the Saturday email) so I'm thinking of taking a half day to make sure that my blood pressure stays low. We'll see...

Baby Baran Week 17

Baby is about the size of my stretched out hand this week and is covered in little hairs (totally Shawn's kid). I'm not sure if I'm feeling it moving, but I sure feel lots in there. It could be gas or muscles pulling and stretching or it could be Baby Baran going for a swim. Who knows? I'm excited to be able to tell the difference.

We are going for our first ultrasound next Friday. We will be attempting to find out who this little person is, but are at their mercy. (I'm asking it to be a bit immodest next week, hoping that it won't last.) I won't be able to tell you for next week's email as we probably won't find out in time.

Sometimes I'm super tired and then I'm energetic. Sometimes I have to eat NOW and other times I eat like I used to. Sometimes I cry a lot. Recently I've been worried that I am loosing my filter: that I'm having a harder time pretending that I care when I don't - especially when someone is trying to give me baby advice, but also when they are telling me about their weekend. Hopefully I'm a good enough actress to cover, but I think I'm wearing it on my face.

Baby and I got to have a ton of Turkey on Monday for Thanksgiving! It was delish! (I cheat now because Baby makes me.)

Must sleep (slash take my brownies out of the oven - it's all for Baby...I'm using it as long as I can, just try to stop me).

Baby Baran Week 15

Some fun updates: I finally vomited over the weekend. I lost it all in the Chinook Mall parking lot. Very gross. It splattered all over my feet (squished in my toes), onto my pants and onto the BMW next to us. It also got into my hair because when I turned to Shawn and feebly said, "Hair" he misunderstood me and went looking for something for me to puke into. I felt much better afterward and, not really knowing what I looked like, tried to go into the mall. Good husband that I have, Shawn steered me back to the van and eventually to the shower because I was a dirty kid.

We also had our first Midwifery appointment this week. It was so fun and relaxing. They have a great clinic, tons of resources and really take their time with you. I now have access to someone 24 hours a day should I need them. I'm still healthy as can be, except for slightly high blood pressure. Thankfully after a couple of readings it went low enough for them not to have to turn me back over to the doctor, but it's something I'm going to have to watch. I'm trying to relax more at work (personal emailing including), but you know me - I get emotionally involved in everything that I do.

The most important thing this week is that we got to hear Baby Baran's heartbeat! We recorded it while we were there and I have attached 20 seconds for you to listen to when you have time. This is your first introduction to Baby Baran - he/she is saying "Hi Family" with a very fast heart beat. Enjoy!

We have an ultrasound scheduled after week 18, so another month until we'll have pictures or have a chance at knowing the gender. Until then, we'll all keep awkwardly referring to "it" or creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of it being a hermaphrodite.

Baby Baran Week 14

Finally Friday, ugh. Poor Shawn has gigs and work all weekend so we won't be seeing much of each other. But I am going to go to his gig (I'm his biggest fan!) and tomorrow I am meeting a friend who is going to give me some maternity pants. Yay! I've worked my way through all of my pants and pushed them to their limit; I even wore my fat pants this week with a rubberband looped around the button, but it was so uncomfortable. I am round and proud. I hope to take a picture this weekend so you can see my progress.

I should say Baby Baran's progress. He/she is the size of my fist now (so the books say). AND the best thing ever happened a couple of nights ago: I felt him kick! It was so cool slash weird. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if it was gas, so I waited a long time before waking Shawn. But it definitely wasn't. He could feel it too. What are they doing in their to make the little fluttering happen? Are they literally flutter kicking around? To make that sensation on someone I'd have to tap really quickly with my finger and Baby Baran certainly can't do that yet. I'll ask him when she gets out. I haven't felt her since, but 14 weeks is early for kicking with your first baby. Then again so is being this rotund. Is this my Sellars genes? I keep trying to squeeze behind chairs and bend over furniture. My mind just doesn't know to watch out for the watermelon that I am carrying around. ("I carried a watermelon" --the first person to cite this quote gets to cross their least favorite baby name off of our list.)

Our first midwife appointment is next week! I'll update afterward in case we find out anything interesting.

Baby Baran Week 10

Good morning everyone!

The little one (as I've taken to calling it - which is actually the translation for fetus) is doing well as far as I can tell. They say he/she is the size of a Brazil nut, but who eats those to actually know that reference. Not this lady. Baby has fingernails now and no more tail! I wanted to have my first prenatal next week, but the dumb clinic is making me have a separate appt first to confirm the pregnancy. Seriously? Why don't you say that to my face next time so I can puke on your shoes. Pregnancy confirmed. The first appt is not until Sept 8.

I'm feeling better than I have and way better than other pregnant ladies I've talked to so I'm trying not to complain. Weirdly, by the end of the day I look like I'm in my 2nd trimester I get so distended, but in the morning I look almost normal. Like I maybe ate too much junk food on the weekend but otherwise the same size. That's fun because clothes that fit in the morning do not fit by the time I get home. I am ramping up for maternity clothes.

Another fun thing is that I pretty much have pregnancy brain. I can't complete my thoughts, I switch out words for words that are not even related, and Shawn has informed me that I'm not really capable of making good decisions anymore (like leaving the van outside all night with the windows open to get rid of the skunk smell that only I can smell - apparently it's worse if the van gets stolen). The weirdest one that showed up this week is that I scare really easily. I'm not jumpy (Shawn tried to find out if it was true by grabbing me during the X files...), but I fear the weirdest things. When I was driving someone pulled into my lane quite far ahead of me, but they did it quickly and fear poured through my limbs because if the car had been closer to me I would have had to brake (a normal part of driving). Another is when we were out for a walk yesterday past a baseball field and I heard the bat crack with the ball and even though I saw the ball fly in the other direction, little tinglies of fear went all through my body because it could have come toward us. I wasn't expecting this one so it's a little bit weirder than the other symptoms.

Other than that, just eating for five, hips are getting looser and feeling achy, and I'm running out of clothes that fit. Oh and happily I found a prenatal vitamin that is not the size of my little finger so I won't have to gag them down anymore. And I love white cheddar popcorn. (This week anyway.)

Baby Baran Week 9

Apparently the little one (who's looking very old man-ish even though I think it's technically still a girl) is the size of a quarter, but it's home is the size of a grapefruit. (Makes sense why I can't fit into the 28 jeans anymore.) Other than how it's affecting my body, it's still kind of hard to see pregnancy as a reality because you can't actually see it. And it's still SO FAR away (31 weeks and counting).

But I sure feel different. I have always expected alot out of my body: forcing it to wait for food or the washroom or sleep. This is no longer an option, but I'm adjusting pretty quickly (baby makes me-the waves of hunger come and nothing else matters until I get some food in my face).

Anyone can put in their name bids. Kate's had some real winners so far (Ezra Shawn Baran was the most recent entry) so it's all up from here.

We're coming out with it tonight on Fbook, but not until later. No bigs if anyone's mentioned anything. I'm tired of looking all miserable without the excuse. People just think I'm surly.

Baby Baran Week 8

Week 6 it was a lizard.

Week 7 it was a dinosaur.

Week 8 it's getting just a bit closer to humanlike status so I will call it The Alien Baby. (Pregnant non-creative brain welcomes more creative names.)

I'm doing okay. It could be alot worse. I'm hungry once an hour and get nauseous if I don't eat, but I'm not throwing up (yay!). Also, I think my body must be producing more liquid than I am actually drinking because I have a new best friend that is smooth and white and always supports me. Also, remember how when I had more weight on me people thought I was pregnant? It's happening again. My actual stomach is getting bigger, but not because of how big the baby is, which makes me look pregnant but for the wrong reasons. I'm really looking forward to when I "pop" and don't just look fat anymore.

All that being said, I'm pretty content with the situation (other than that it is going to last for 32 more weeks...). One week at a time, eh? ;)

Baby Baran Week 6

It's a lizard baby, but we'll love it anyway. Pay special attention to the limb buds and the massive bump in the chest which is the heart. He's just in an ugly stage. He'll grow out of it.

I have been remiss...

To anyone who still reads this: Hi! I felt like I didn't have anything to say for a really long time. I don't have anything particular to expound on now, but I thought this would be a good place to give Baby and Mama Baran updates. I have been sending weekly emails to my family about how the Little One is doing so I am going to paste them here. You are about to be inundated with 12 updates in a row, but then they will calm down and be weekly. Enjoy!