Weekend Fun (part 2)

Notice a theme about the last part of our weekend? Pumpkins! We dressed up Michelle as a cute little jack-o-latern and took her to our local produce stand's pumpkin patch. She had fun eating hay and getting hugs from her cousins. I have some ideas about the 5 pumpkins we picked out...but I'll save that for another blog.

The evening was spent at our usual Sunday night hangout - my husband's parents' house. We cheered on the Giants while eating homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons (chicken wings for the rest of the carnivores) and strawberry shortcake. The perfect ending to a great family weekend.

xoxo

Weekend Fun (part 1)

Celebrating our parents birthdays was a hit! Michelle had so much fun all weekend long, and it was nice to be surrounded by family.

Mish happily got carried all over the city in the Boba carrier

Misha getting attention from Auntie Rach and Uncle Ant; then everyone played in the candy shop!

Friday night was spent with my husband's family in North Beach, San Francisco to celebrate my mother in law's birthday. We had dinner at a great Italian place, dessert in a tiny (but amazing) cafe, and tons of taffy! Our feet hurt from walking, our stomachs hurt from laughing, and our taste buds got a workout from tons of great eats! Michelle got so much attention and affection, she didn't know what to do with herself!

Cassie with our girls and me with the handsome Max!

My three gorgeous nieces and Michelle 

Saturday night was spent at my parents' house having a pizza party for my dad's birthday. My parents recently built a pizza oven out back, so we had fun rolling dough, putting on random toppings, and catching up with friends and family. I got to see three of my favorite mamas (Cass, Nikki, and Melissa) and all of our kids had fun running around and chewing on each others fingers.

xoxo

Five Facts About Michelle

5 Random Facts About Michelle

1. She was born with a head full of hair.
It was beautiful. I loved to brush it and swipe it across her head.
Somehow, this angered the hair-gods and she slowly lost it, starting on her forehead and moving back. During these dark times I called her Ira because she looked like a little balding Jewish New Yorker. I don't know. It seemed funny at the time.

2. She looks just like her dad. She may have bit and pieces of me, and makes faces that look just like my dad, younger sister, and oldest niece, but she's a white version of her dad. Ok, a bald white version of her dad. Ok, a mini, female, bald, white version of her dad.
It's okay, I think he's pretty good-looking. And I think she's the cutest thing in the world.
But seriously, it's scary how much she looks like my husband.

3. She takes after me in temperament.
Patience? What's that?
And don't let her get hungry or tired...she gets grouchy. What can I say? We know what we want.

4. She has a birthmark that resembles a suspension bridge. It's the cutest mark I've ever seen on a body. Cindy Crawford, eat your heart out.

5. She's only eaten from a bottle once: on my graduation. Other than that, this kid drinks straight from the tap. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself. Now how do I get her to sleep without my breasts as a pacifier? Ah, the mysteries of motherhood.

xoxo, Jess

Happy Birthday, Parents!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, Dear Parents!!! Happy Birthday to you!

Tuesday the 16th was Papa's (my dad, Steve) 50th birthday! My dad is pretty awesome. He is a firefighter reserve with his town's fire station (basically he is a firefighter for fun - he saves people because he loves it!), and loves taking my mom on motorcycle rides! To celebrate, we're having a pizza making party at my parents' house! Woo!

Today, the 19th is Grandma's (Michael's mom, Diann) birthday! She's turning 49, and according to her, this is the last time she's growing older on a birthday. From here on out she's turning 49 every year! Di is especially cool because she rocks out to crazy Bay Area rap and enables my sweet tooth <3 I'm pretty sure we're going to San Francisco to celebrate her day!

Hooray for parents/grandparents and birthdays! Here's to many more!

Meeting Aunt Jessica

Blurry Photo Courtesy of Diann Bergman!

This past Tuesday Misha finally got to meet her Aunt Jessica! 

Michael was so excited for his sister to meet Michelle, because at 4 1/2 months old, our little babe is already so big and advanced. She's already growing teeth!

Jessica has been teaching on a farm in Alaska for the past year or so, and just got back to the Bay Area. Looks like Mish already loves her Aunt!

We spent the evening looking through old Bergman family photos, having rootbeer floats, and eating from the world's largest pizza (not really, but it's big!). Hooray for family time!

xoxo, Jess

Our last week in pictures and words

We have a teether! Michelle's first tooth broke through the gums and anything in her reach goes right into her mouth. Things I've found her chewing on include her toes, her shirts, and her best friend Mackenzie's fingers.
At four and a half months old, Mish is the same size as most 9 month olds! I came across Michael's baby book, and she meets up with his measurements when he was 10 months old! She definitely measures big like her mama.
xoxo

New Face

It's been a long time since I've updated my blog. In fact, I changed a lot about my blog. The title, the description, the layout...all new. I decided that if I was going to start writing again, I needed a new face.

Since it's so late and I have a sleeping baby on my side, I'm going to make this brief, but I'm excited to get back on the blog-wagon. Hopefully I'll have something interesting to say. <3

Quick Birth Info

Silly me, I thought I'd have time to blog after having a baby. Lol. I think one of these days I'll get around to blogging my birthing story. It's not something that's ready to spill out of me. However, here are some deets:

No Baby Yet

Well, if you've read the title of the blog, you can see that I didn't have the baby yesterday. Looks like we're having a June-Bug! :)

Kaiser kept telling me to call back every two hours because apparently yesterday was the day to have kids. We finally got called in, but there were no available rooms or beds, so we did some monitoring then started the process of induction by putting in a foley catheter bulb. It was the WORST thing I have ever felt, and it gave me the worst contractions. We headed home and within forty minutes the bulb dilated me to 4 cm and it popped out. It was gross, and painful, and annoying, but at least my cervix has started to open (forcefully is better than nothing). After it popped out, I didn't have anymore contractions. My cervix is still posterior, so I think that's why it was extra painful for me.

Kaiser asked me to call in today at 7 this morning so I can come in, but then again, they told me to call back at 10. So, we'll see what happens. My OB is on call with Labor & Delivery tonight, so there is a HUGE chance than she'll deliver Michelle. It's exciting because I adore her, but I'm worried because she really wants me to get an epidural (because my BP rises w/ pain. It was HIGH after the bulb was put in..like, really high).

Cassie told me that today is Marilyn Monroe's bday. That would be so cool if Misha was born on her bday. I was obsessed with her for a long time in high school and beyond, so it would be so fitting :)

Hopefully my next blog is extra happy and exciting, describing the events of my labor! :)

EDIT:
Called back at 10; was on hold for 10 minutes (literally) before they picked up and said they'd just call me later. So, here I am, waiting around again. I can't keep doing this. I didn't want this in the first place! THEY are the ones raising my blood pressure. :(

Last Day of Life w/o Baby

Yesterday I ended up making an appointment with another doctor so I could get some answers. It ended up being with the chief of medicine for women's health in the Solano-Napa area. She checked me out (still 2 cm dilated and same effacement), and said that despite my BP being a little bit lower than normal, we still have to induce on Thursday. She told me that I won't need that catheter-bulb to open my cervix because it's already opening on its own. She said we'll probably start with pitocin (ew!), but I might be able to just have them break my water bag to see if my labor starts naturally. I really hope Labor and Delivery will let me have a say. Michael and I are really bummed that they're pushing this so hard (and it gets frustrating when friends/family tell us how bad it is and that we should fight it, because we already know it), and it's confusing because they said I shouldn't go past 40 weeks, but a due date is a GUESS; it's an estimate. What's even more weird is that Michelle measured small in the beginning, so who knows if she is really due May 31. What if she is really due on the 4th? I think that every day she's in my womb is another day for her to develop to her full potential. Better lungs, better brain development...I dunno.

So today I'm going to do as much homework as I can, clean the house (bedding, sweeping, put away junk), and go grocery shopping. Tomorrow we're supposed to call L&D whenever we wake up (7 at the earliest) and head over whenever they say. It might be right away, and if they're busy it might be later in the day. Then we'll head over and la-de-da. I feel ridiculous, but I'm going to shower, straighten my hair, and put on makeup (waterproof, of course). Lol. Then we're bringing the iPad, DVDs, and speakers so we can stay entertained during the wait. I really hope my body kicks in and does its thang because more medical interventions are going to suck ass. 

Well, if I'm going to get anything done I better get off here and get to work. My next blog might be about my labor! Eep!

Keep your fingers crossed for us! We're hoping our little lady is healthy, the labor goes well, and we get out of there safe and sound <3

Update

I think with everything going on, I keep forgetting to stay positive. At the end of all of this drama, I get a beautiful little baby. That being said, here's an update.

Today I was supposed to meet with my Doc to discuss the induction, monitor my BP, and check my cervix. Well, she called in sick, so I'm seeing another Doc just to check my BP and cervix. I'm a little stressed about Thursday now. I don't know what to expect; will I be induced? If so, when? Where do I go? What time?
I have to remind myself to breatheeeeee because stressing will just raise my BP.

I feel bad about my venting blog from the other day. My mom really is supportive and helpful; I just needed to get everything off my chest.

So, Michelle has been extra active today and yesterday evening, but it feels REALLY different. I think she might be facing outside instead of facing my rear. I think I can feel her knees and feet kicking my belly. I hope she's not sunnyside-up, because that will cause hardcore back pain during labor. Also, I was so sure I was going to go into labor last night. I was having killer contractions last night, but they cooled down once I got into bed and rested. Ah! I just wish she'd come on her own; I don't want to induce. :(

Headache

On Friday my doctor told me that if I don't have the baby before my due date that we're inducing labor on Thursday. Thursday is my due date, so that's cool...? No.
She's also trying to push me to have an epidural because pain causes BP to rise and she said I will be in too much pain to handle it. No. None of these things are okay. This is the worst thing that we imagined happening for the birth of our daughter. I wanted a un-medicated, naturally occurring birth. My doctor is being overly cautious because my BP is borderline high. It's not in a danger zone. It's just on the cusp between normal/high. I'm happy she is thinking in a preventative way, but I don't want it to be at the expense of my wishes. People just won't HEAR what I am saying. My wishes don't seem to matter.

To make matters much shittier, my mom is mad at me because I'm tired of people getting on my ass about having Michelle. Babies come when they come. But apparently I'm being lazy by not doing anything to speed up the process. There is NOTHING I can do to make my cervix dilate. Nothing. Sex will help ripen my cervix, but it won't open it. Walking will give me contractions, but if I sit down and they go away, then it's NOT labor, it's Braxton Hicks. My mom got pissed because I said there is nothing I can do, and she basically told me it will be my own fault if I'm stuck with induction and strapped to a bed. Nice. Now she is ignoring me because I said that was horrible and told her how I feel. My mom doesn't like to hear how I feel. She likes to say how SHE feels, then blocks everything out because she said her piece and that's all that matters to her. I don't think it's fair to do this to me days before my kid is due. This time is about me and Michael and our kid. I don't think I'll ever forget this. Ever. What should I do if I go into labor now? Call her up and have her be "blah" about it? Have people come in the room and watch me birth like a fucking zoo animal? What help is she going to be? She won't even text me back, so what's the point?

Sorry I'm not 16 and having a kid, so people can boss me around. I'm 25, very well educated, and informed about this step in my life. I don't need help. I don't need guidance. When I need those things, I am mature enough to ask for them. However, I'm apparently useless.

All I did yesterday was cry. And today is already starting off horribly. I don't want to bring my kid into the world while I'm feeling sad and upset. It's fucked up that I can't enjoy this.

Woooo!

Man oh man. The cervix is a very sensitive thing when you are not ready to deliver. Doc decided to check me again, to see if I'd made progress. I did, but it was minimal, so she decided to strip my membranes. Um, ouch! Haha. At least Michelle is still healthy and happy in her warm little water bed. I'm feeling great, except for the contractions that I get in my sleep, but who the heck could complain about that? It's more odd than bothersome. I just wonder why they come at night.

I have ANOTHER appointment on Friday, gonna get checked and possibly stripped again. My poor popo. She needs a break. Although, that break will only come after the baby is born, so I'm gonna have to deal with a little more pain. Lol.

On my last appointment Michael and I also got our vaccinations up to date. Ah! I hate needles. Is it true that I have to keep a needle in my arm the whole time I deliver the baby? :-/ Not my cup o' tea.

Popo stuff, butt stuff, and whatevs

Man oh man.
So, after Wednesday I was pretty shaken up. We had a follow up appointment on Friday with the doctor to make sure my BP was going down. It didn't really change. So my doc decided to do a cervix check to see how close I was to delivery - in case I was ready enough to induce labor.
Ok. Why hasn't anyone warned me about this horrid torture?! After my body was ripped and torn apart by one touch, we found out I was 1-2 cm and 40% effaced. Doc said to expect Misha sometime this week, and since yesterday I've been losing my mucus plug/bloody show. I've also been having really low cramps, and the pain is coming from the same area that hurt when I got my cervix checked. I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon, so we'll see if I'm dilating. I really hope I am! My due date is the Thursday after this next one, so it's not too early.

Michael has been the BEST. He is so supportive of me, and has been an advocate when I feel like I can't speak up. Michael. He is fucking the best. He has been taking care of me like crazy. I can't imagine going through this without him. He's just awesome. We joked and laughed through our Baby Care class, he gets up close and personal with my hoohah and my booty ( I was worried I found a bump and that it was a hemroid..it wasn't. Haha. It didn't hurt or anything, just me bending weird when I was showering my ass and the skin bunched weird. Michael thought I was cute...I thought I was being disgusting. Haha), and he puts up with my CRAZY hormone fluctuations. One second I'm crying, the next I'm screaming, then I'm horny and need sex asap. Michael, he just goes with the flow. Awesome guy. <3

Ok, hopefully I'll have another blog tomorrow, or a baby..who knows!

Venting blog, if you're offended then don't read it.

This is going to be a grouchy post. So feel free to bail on this one.

Yesterday I had my 38 week appointment and it didn't go very well. Apparently my blood pressure was through the roof and the doctor started freaking out about preeclampsia and saying that I had to go to labor and delivery to get checked out. She was really sure that I would have to be induced. I was freaking out. It was especially scary because we didn't have anything - our hospital bag is in my car (we took Michael's to the appointment), and we haven't turned in our birth plan.
After going to L&D I was hooked up to a cuff and told to stay in bed for an hour while my blood work got examined and my blood pressure was taken every 15 minutes. It went down very quickly, and my blood work was great. Doctor thinks I am too stressed and that I am pushing myself too hard with school and life. She kinda doesn't want me to return to school, but my follow up appointment is on Friday, so I'm going to class for sure on Thursday.

"How are you feeling, Jess?"
"How's life/school/the pregnancy?"
"Do YOU want to vent for once instead of listening to my problems?"

No, I don't hear any of that. It's going to be frustrating when I hear "How's the baby?" "Can we come by and see her?" "Wanna hang out?". Really? You want to hang out now that I have a cute baby? No. I don't want to visit. No, you won't get an update. I'll be too busy spending time with MY kid to update you. Come to think of it, I'm thinking of not updating a LOT of people about my labor and the baby. Maybe I'll ask my sister to make the twitter account an invite-only one, if some people think it's dumb. Maybe I'll tell the nurses not to announce any info unless the room is cleared and that phones are banned in my delivery room so that NO ONE gets updated from anyone. yeah, maybe I'll do that.

Ugh, I felt rude just typing that. It was rude. I just need to vent. And since I only have this blog as a 100% venting tool, this is where it is.
Blah.

Baby baby baby, labor, and moneyz

Baby baby baby! My mind is constantly on labor-watch. Is it time yet? Was that a Braxton Hicks contraction or a labor contraction? I need to finish packing my bag, but we've already installed the car seat :)
Only three more weeks and the baby is starting to drop. My ribs are feeling so much better. For the past week I've literally been crying because the pain was so bad. One rib kept popping out of place and I'd turn or stretch a certain way and it would pop back into place. Worst pain ever. Thankfully the pressure is going away. I just hope it stays gone.
I have one big paper to write, then another smaller paper due and I am done with the stress of school. My last day will be Monday the 21st, which is awesome. I just hope Michelle will wait until then!

On Wednesday Michael and I went to Folsom to pick up our new car! I am so happy that he finally has a comfortable car that is not only reliable, but luxurious and perfect for him :) Michael is so hardworking, and he is smart with money, so he deserves this. <3 It's nice that we can sell his BMW and have a savings account for when the baby comes. Having a big savings is his (and my) top priority from here on out - well other than taking care of Michelle. Lol.
We have so many plans. I'll be staying at home for a year, we have the car payments, and we want to go to Monterrey for our first anniversary in September. Having a savings is really important for taking care of our immediate family. The three of us are a team - we are our main focus from here on out. It's so weird to say that, but it's true. When people have kids, things change. This is our immediate family now. Weird!

Ok, well I guessssss I could start working on the small paper due Friday. Hmm, how about no.

Lips and Legs

My daughter is apparently a model. We had an ultrasound yesterday to check if she was head down (which she is; yay!) and my doctor decided to check her size. At first, she was just measuring her head and stomach, but then when she went to measure her legs, the doc literally said "whoa!". Apparently, she has some of the longest legs the doc has seen. Haha. :) She gets that from my dad's side of the family. Because she is gonna be so long, we couldn't get an accurate reading of her weight (her long legs threw off the calculations I guess). The doc gave us a number (6 lbs 14 oz) but said it was WAY over. Haha. I was expecting her to be 7 at birth, so now I have no guess. Will she be smaller? Bigger?

Also, we got another clear shot of her lips! The are so big and beautiful! Doc even made note of them, saying "with those legs and those lips, you guys better be careful!" Haha.

I can't wait to meet my little lady. I just want to hold her and kiss that little face all over!

Below is a picture of her big lips :) It's a shot looking up at her face from down below. Look for the nostrils, then you'll see her lips (they look like she's wearing lipstick). <3 AND, there is a pic with doodles to point it out.
<3

Update, woooo!

I'm HUGE! This pic is from 34 weeks, and I'm 36 weeks this week! :)

For the past month Michael and I have been going to baby classes. We went to a breastfeeding class, a hospital tour/ labor prep class, and a childbirth preparation class. The childbirth prep class went on for the whole month, and it was awesome. I wish we would have signed up for another class, but with how busy I am with school, it's probably best that we didn't. Although, I'm a little worried about concrete methods of focus. I really should read a hypobirthing book.

Also, this month I had my baby shower! It was so exciting to show people my bump, which I thought was huge, but got tons of comments about how small I am. I think I've gotten a lot bigger since then though. We got so much stuff at the shower. People are so freaking generous. Michelle is going to have the cutest clothes on the block! I couldn't believe how many diapers we got, and how we've pretty much gotten everything we need for the baby's arrival.

So, I'm a little grouchy with my doctor. She cancelled my appointment because she was sick (not why I'm irritated), but then didn't reschedule me for two weeks later. I haven't been to see her in over 6 weeks! I'm at the end of my pregnancy, so I'd really like to make sure everything is smoooooth sailing. Is my baby face down? Is my blood pressure ok (I'm awfully swollen these days)? Did I gain too much weight? Oh shit! I forgot to mention, I gained like a million pounds! It's making me worried. I was hoping to reach this current weight when I was about to give birth. Ugh. I guess pregnancy is an event that I can't control.

SCHOOL is stressing me the hell out. I have so much stuff to work on; it's almost laughable how much work I have this quarter. This is supposed to be my easy quarter. Ha. Life has a funny way of working out. I told my teachers that I am leaving school on the 21st and 22nd, so I only have three more weeks! Ah! Three weeks and I am FREE from Davis! It feels awesome.

Appointments and wah wahs

Last week I wanted to update my blog on my most recent appointment, but I was feeling a little crunchy from stress and whatnot. Now that it's been a week and a half, I'm forgetting some of the finer details. Ah well, such is life.
So, last Friday (the one that was a week ago) Michael and I went in for our routine baby check-up. Everything was going great until I mentioned two sore spots. I've been having cramping in my lower stomach and in my ribs. Well, it's completely normal, said Doc, until I mentioned I'm having those pains even without eating a lot and when I'm fully hydrated. I didn't realize that mentioning those facts would make me end up getting poked and prodded by many annoying devices. First, I had a cervix check (which was annoying because I showered the night BEFORE, not the morning OF, which is something I always do when I have "lady appointments") which involved a transvaginal ultrasound. I was super annoyed, until the doctor said we could do a quick ultrasound to see the baby! The machine is not the high-res clear one in the diagnostics area, but an old one that can easily be moved from room to room. However, we still got the clearest shot of Michelle's face! THOSE LIPS! AH, they are so cute! She definitely gets them from her daddy :)
After seeing the baby, I was happy and thought that was the end of our time at Kaiser..nope. I also had to get blood work done because the pains I was feeling (since they weren't signs of early labor) could be strain my organs, so I had to go to the lab and get poked by some student. I usually don't like the students taking my blood, but the other guys working in there looked a little...um...crackheadish, so I stayed with her. Lol

Michael and I are going to be so immersed in baby-hospital stuff from here on out. We have a weekly Tuesday class for childbirth (every Tues in April), a few classes for tours, newborn care, and breastfeeding, as well as more appointments. AND, my baby shower is in two weeks! Alas, my stomach isn't big and my belly button still hasn't popped (and it isn't even flat yet!), so I feel like I won't be that woman getting molested by aunts and other female friends. Which is totally fine by me, but I wish I was a little bigger :)

Today is my first day of class for the LAST quarter I'll have before graduation! I am both excited, and nervous, because I worry that my teachers are going to be mad that I'm not going to be at school for the last 2 1/2- 3 weeks. Well, what can I do, ya know? It is what it is, so we'll see what happens after I go to class today.

Last update is regarding crafts! I blame Cassie and Melissa for my curiosity in crochet!! I decided to see if I could do it (because it looked so much more efficient than knitting), and guess what, I can! It is so fun, and so addicting, that I've already made a gazillion hats and flowers. Michelle is going to be the only May/June newborn with a huge selection of wool hats for those hot summer days. Lol

Cats and babies. HELP!

I don't know about you, but I don't think it's safe for a pregnant chick to run around the house, screaming at a cat, and getting herself all worked up into a sweaty, breathless mess. However, for me, this is a weekly routine.
 My cats are jerks. Plain and simple. I have to keep the nursery closed up at all times because my cats are obsessed with that room. Baxter likes to sleep in Michelle's crib. Zooey likes to steal her toy/clothes/small objects and chew them up and hide them throughout the house.

Call me crazy, but I think it's ridiculous to tiptoe around animals. Every website I've researched either employs two philosophies. The first is from cat-advice websites. They suggest I buy a throne and crown, and bow down to my evil cat; regardless of his actions. But honestly, they suggest I jump through hoops to keep doors closed (I don't want to! The paint smell still hasn't gone away and we painted months ago! It needs air!), put foil on everything, buy my cats new expensive toys (why? They like to steal my cheap stuff anyways..), and make sure my baby knows that the cats are boss. Um no. I'm boss. I'm the queen ruler of this house, and no one dictates my life. So that option is scratched.

Option two is the advice I get from baby-advice websites. Half the people say similar things, like getting nets to put over cribs, or foil in bassinets. But, then half of the people say toss the cat out on his ass or re-home. Yeah, that's not an option either. I don't know about other pet owners, but I love my animals (despite their desire to be evil dicks) and I took on a commitment to care for them. Putting them outside isn't an option either, as we live across from a big field. Our neighbors warned us against letting small pets outside for too long, as coyotes are a problem? Um, scary! To re-home Baxter would kill him. I'm not exaggerating; Baxter would have to be put to sleep if we brought him to a shelter. He can't even go to the vet without the vet and vet-techs all crying and begging for us to come rescue them. He ONLY likes Michael and me. So, I'd literally be killing him if I re-homed him. Zooey could be re-homed, but my cats are so attached to each other and I couldn't stand the depression it would cause. It's annoying, really.

So, what are my options? Put up with their bulls**t, scream at them on a weekly basis like a banshee, and get my heart rate up by chasing them around with a knife? Or rip my heart out of my chest and become a meat-eating animal hater who would put two cats out in the cold? Hey, I'm pregnant, I'm allowed to be dramatic.

HELP!
I need sound, solid advice. Should I set up booby traps? Should I put tacks in a sheet and lay it in the crib? Should I set up a motion-detecting robot that will shoot lasers at them when they come in contact with baby stuff? :(

Belly pics and cooter rants

Ah, pregnancy. I love you so. However, my vagina is extra angry at you today.

What a weird way to start off a blog, eh? Well, we'll get to my angry popo in a bit. First, I'd like to share updated pictures of my baby bump! The first pic is a side view, and the second is looking straight at me. I was already curvy/plus sized before I got pregnant, so my shape from the front isn't any different than it was pre-pregnancy.

28.4 days pregnant

 Front view. Woooo.

You wouldn't think I was having trouble getting around or staying comfortable due to my smaller bump, but I am! I don't know what is happening to my ribs, but they've decided to start stretching out, and without a muscle surrounding them, it hurts to rub them. It is the weirdest thing to complain about sore ribs, but there's pregnancy for ya :) Always an adventure.

So, onto my angry cooter. See, my awesome bump may be small for someone my size, but that doesn't mean my kid is small, nor does it mean my stomach is soft and flabby. That thing is hard as a rock! It makes it super hard to bend over and tie my shoes, cuff my pants, and shave my darned lady bits!

Today I thought I'd be courteous to my beastly husband, and clean up the goods. I had a nice hot shower, and thought, "hmm, my legs and armpits sure could use a shave; poor Michael is married to a yeti!" so I went to town. At the last minute I thought, "ah, better attack the undercarriage too!". Mistake. Big mistake.
See, I can't see my hoohah without a mirror, and bending over really far hurts like a mother, so I blindly started attacking the growing sprouts of hair. I think you can guess where this is going. I cut myself!

To many of you, it's not that big of a deal, but to me it was a huge one. My poor vahjayjay is already going to get turned into an unrecognizable piece of meat in a few months, does it really need this horrid abuse now? I finally get 9.5 months of freshness, freedom from Aunt Flo, and doctors staying out of there, and then I abuse my lady friend with a dull razor and slippery conditioner. Next time, Michael is on shaving duty.

So, now that I've fully disgusted you, my dear reader, have a wonderful day...and treat your vagina right!

p.s. No shame here, I have no sense of modesty. Feel free to blast me. Mock away! ;-)

Yeti Baby

Guess what I should be doing? If you've guessed "write a paper" then you must be an avid reader of this blog. Since I have a 5 hour deadline, I thought I'd create more of a crunch and write a bloggity blog.

On Tuesday, Michael and I went to our follow up ultrasound to get a clear shot of the little lady's heart. The last tech couldn't get a clear shot, but we were fine with it since it meant we got another glimpse of our girl. She's healthy and lovely, and apparently she's hairy! Below is a picture of her ultrasound, and if you look at the back of her head you might notice her hair. I bet it'll be thick and black!

The ultrasound tech also told us that she weighs 3 lbs (plus or minus 7 oz.). Wow! I hope she doesn't get too heavy; I want to get out of my labor with a semi-normal cooter.

Ok, on that gross note, I'm off to sweep my stairs, or whatever else people do to procrastinate.
<3

27 weeks and a quick update

No news on the weight gain front...I think I've gained one pound, so not much to brag about.
(At the end of this post is a picture from Thursday of my bump - 27 weeks!)

How can I tell if this new desire to have my house clean all the time is nesting, or me actually starting to care about having a messy house? Either way, it's nice to be able to have people drop by without the humiliation of a bra hanging from the chandelier and a sex toy peeking out from beneath the couch cushions. Haha. Obviously I'm exaggerating. Why on earth would we have our sex toys downstairs?! Lol

I feel like I'm getting bigger, but after looking at pictures from last week, it's apparent that I'm the same ole' me. Either way, the baby feels heavier. My back is starting to ache a bit, which has resulted in me waddling when I get sleepy or sore. Haha, Michael thinks it's hilarious to watch me waddle and do my "pregnancy stand up" when I get up from the couch. Lol.

Today is Izzy's fifth birthday party, and I am so excited to go and see everyone. Is it weird that I have baby fever? I mean, I carry a baby with me all day, but I am so excited to see and hold a new tiny baby. I think my bestie and my baby's bestie (Cass and Mackenzie, and Mark and Max) are staying home today cos her little guy is sick. I feel so sad for them! I don't know what I am going to do when Misha gets sick for the first time. I imagine it's both scary and sad. Scary cos I'm a stress case, and sad cos I know how much it sucks to be sick as an adult (when you have control over everything), so I can't imagine how much it sucks when you are a small kid. :( Feel better soon Max!

 Here's a pic of my belly. Do I look bigger (in the stomach. Ignore my fat arms..or else!! lol) to you? I feel bigger. Just for fun, I'll also throw in a picture of my front. I think I look a little bit wider (also, please disregard my headlights showing. Also disregard the fact that they are facing different directions. I didn't have time to primp my nips). Who knows.

6 months, update and a weight/natural rant

 Today - 26 weeks pregnant

 Today - 26 weeks pregnant

 February 8, 2012 - about 24 weeks, and hiding my face because I felt like a heifer. Looking at this pic now, I realize how crazy people can be when they are feeling hormonal (welcome to the wonders of pregnancy!)








I LOVE being pregnant. I love watching Michelle's body move across my stomach. I love the fact that she kicked Michael on the face when he was resting with me. I LOVE that she responds to our voices, and that she is healthy. I am in love with my bump, with how healthy I feel, and I feel so honored that pregnancy has been so wonderful for me. It makes me sad when people complain about their pregnancies, but there is nothing I can do to control others. I mentioned this a week or two ago on twitter when I was angry about the complaints..but now I'm just sad for the people who are stuck feeling that way. I thought I should update that thought on here, so I can remember this when I'm pregnant again :)

Ok, so time for a rant!

I was so nervous about my weight when I first got pregnant. I have always struggled with my weight and perception of myself, so I was worried about gaining too much and not being able to lose it. So, I have been taking really good care of myself and what I eat. I'm a vegetarian, so it's both easy and hard to eat healthy. Sometimes veggies don't sound good, and I just want a big plate of pasta.

When I first got pregnant I lost 10 pounds (how, I don't know!) without being sick or changing much about my lifestyle. As time has gone on, I haven't gained back but 2 of those ten pounds. My last doctors appt (last Friday) was frustrating for me because my doc said if I don't gain 5 lbs by my next appt she is sending me to a nutritional counselor. Um...if my baby is measuring normal (which she is), and I am healthy, then what is the problem? My mom only gained 16 lbs during her pregnancy with me!

I think doctors try to control pregnancies too much. I understand that some people have complications or problems, but so far nature is letting my body do its thing, and everything is great. I want my body to naturally progress the way it wants to, and I want to birth naturally. So far, I've had to make sure to repeat these things over and over because people think they know best. Sorry, but women have been giving birth for as long as there has been people, so I think that instinctively my body knows what to do.

This all being said, my doctor is totally for my desire to be all natural, she's just obsessing over my weight. Oddly enough, it's other people are trying to talk me out of natural childbirth! Natural. NATURAL. What my body was made to do and feel. Ah life, if there is one thing I hate, it's other people telling me what to do, especially when I've never asked for advice.

Ok, rant over!

Sophie, Skirts, and Baby Autumn

Tonight Michael surprised me (well, Michelle) with a Sophie la Girafe! It was so sweet of him to get this for her...especially when I only mentioned the toy to him once or twice :)

I've been thinking a lot about birthing outfits and whether or not I should make my own dress/skirt to wear for the delivery process. I don't want to wear a hospital gown while I'm squatting or kneeling on a birthing ball...my butt is not for show! lol. I'm thinking nursing sports bra and a skirt/dress thing. I'll decide/figure something out once I get a little bigger and talk to my doctor about our birth plans.

My cousin Melissa gave birth last night to a beautiful baby girl! After a really hard labor and recovery for the baby during her last pregnancy, this was very happy news! It's always amazing news when someone has a good labor and a healthy baby, but when they have a history of complications, it's extra relieving!
Welcome to the world, baby Autumn! You have a wonderful family, adorable brothers, and I cant wait to cuddle you!!

Kick kick kick

I think I have a ninja baby. She loves to kick and dance about in my womb. I think it's freaking awesome; I love each little movement she makes. She especially moves when Michael is talking. I think she likes him more than me; I'm gonna have to start competing with him!

On Sunday my mom was able to feel Michelle kick! She is the first person other than Michael to have the privilege. Later that day, Rachael felt her kick too! My stomach even jumps around and moves when she is particularly active. I can't wait until it moves in a huge wave and looks like a scene from Alien. Lol

Also, this weekend my family's friend Kris and her sister Dianna came by and brought us a baby book, and keepsakes for the nursery! It was so sweet and generous; I can't wait to fill up the baby book and album, and add little treasures to the keepsake box. We're very lucky to have such sweet friends and family.

Not much else to update on...just wanted to stay active on blogger, since I tend to disappear if I don't stay motivated.

<3
Jess

Nursery Progress!!

Michelle's room is finally starting to get worked on again! My sister Nikki surprised me with a beautiful homemade quilt she made for the nursery, and since we are getting a new rocking chair for the room tomorrow, I had to start getting more stuff done.

My mom came over and we put putty in the holes on the baseboards, sanded them, and painted them! Then, we re-vacuumed the room, hung up her hanging lantern, and put up her window valance! My mom also hung up all of the baby's clothes in the closet, but since we are adding racks and stuff in there, we will have to rehang them in a bit. Either way, the room looks awesome!

Below are some pics of the room, and the pretty quilt my sis made on the crib! We have so much more to do (wall decorations, tying down the wires from the lantern, and painting Misha's toybox...but it looks freaking awesome so far! <3

-Jess

 Here's my mom (Grammie) tidying up after all the work we did.

 Michael resting after doing "dad stuff" in the room ;-)

Pretty crib and quilt! Thanks, Nik!

Long time, No Blog

A lot has happened since my emo-ridden post in December. I hit the halfway point in my pregnancy, started working on the nursery, and had my first (informal) baby shower with my four close friends. The get together was very nice and it was so generous of my friends to buy us gifts already! I felt so loved and I know Michelle will feel the love too :)
Yesterday we had an ultrasound appointment at Kaiser to check Michelle's progress and learned that she is one pound one ounce..already!? Dang girl, I hope she stays on the smaller side. :) She is a very active baby in the evenings and late afternoon, but was barely moving for the ultrasound at 9 am. Definitely a Bergman baby! She likes her sleep :)
Tonight there is a prenatal yoga class being offered in Fairfield by my house, but I am scared to go. My doctor really recommended me to go to one, but I hate doing stuff like that alone. I haven't been in a yoga classroom in about 7 years, and my belly bump isn't as pretty and round as other girls. I really should go though! I've been having back pain and my muscles feel tight, so this would be awesome for me, but socially, I am a turd. Lol
I started school in the first week of January and it's already stressful, but way better than last quarter. I am taking two education classes and one sociology class (yay!), so I am immersed in stuff I actually enjoy learning about. The only bummer is that I couldn't get into a Soc class I NEEDED to graduate, so I have to take it next quarter and risk missing the last few weeks because I'll be giving birth or something. Ah well, I'm just gonna let the universe handle this one and see what happens. At least I'll only have one academic class next quarter along with the two art classes I am planning to take.

Below are some pictures from the ultrasound. The first is Misha's profile, the second is her little foot!

 

Next, here are some pictures of her room, with the new wall color, handmade blankets and pillows (by me!!), and cute wall plaque with her name. 

And lastly is a shot from way back at 19.6 weeks (I'm 22 now). I am chilling on the bed so my bump looks much rounder and cuter ;-)

Sorry for the delay in updating. I'll be back soon!

-Jess