Color Vibe 5k

On Saturday I participated in my first 5k event! I did it with my friend Jessica (and her cousin, who we lost on the run), my mother-in-law Diann, my sister-in-law Rachael, and my husband's Aunt Cate (and her son's really nice girlfriend)! Below is our before picture! See how clean and sleepy we look? :)

We all paired off and ran/jogged/walked. Rach and I went off together. It was so much fun! We only ran half of it and walked a lot of it. Then we rolled in the leftover color and danced like crazy women!

The original plan was to bring Michelle, but after the first ten minutes of color blasting, we decided to leave her with Michael in the "dad area" (tons of dads hung out with kids and strollers, gotta love 2013). Her stroller was still a sight to see :)

After the run we all got together and posed like the gorgeous models we are, then went out for breakfast and confused the non color blasted patrons.

This was a good way to ease myself into starting to run in organized events. I didn't train like I wanted to, because I had the flu for two weeks, and then we had holidays to contend with. I'd really like to start training again, then see if there are any 5k runs going on.

Yay for 2013!

xoxo

End of 2012

Man, life really caught up with me, and before I knew it, 2 months had passed since my last post! Michelle, my amazing, inquisitive beast, popped out two bottom teeth, and is now trying to pop out four more on top! Despite teething like a monster, she is so sweet and happy.

Mish had her first Thanksgiving, which was the time we started giving her vegetables! She really loves sweet potatoes, but also will eat squash, peas, and carrots. On Christmas she got a big box of baby food fruits, and she couldn't have been happier. She loves her fruit, but her tummy doesn't, so we're still working out how to regulate her system. 

Speaking of Xmas, Michelle met Santa! My dad dresses up as Santa for his town's annual Santa visits through the fire department, so we took her to sit on his lap. She was the luckiest baby there - she got a big kiss from Santa! 

For New Years Michael and I decided on the same old resolutions (lose weight, be healthier), but I also thought a lot about this last year. I realized, it has been the best year I've ever had. Had a beautiful baby, graduated college, celebrated my first wedding anniversary with Michael, and signed up for my first 5k (running it in two weeks!!! The Color Vibe Bay Area!). I decided that I'd like to make next year just as good by leading a clean life. By that I mean cleaner foods, cleaner attitude, and a clean house. Maybe clean is the wrong word, but it's what I'm going with. 

I'd love to end this blog with a million pics to update you on my little lady and our life, but I just did that on Facebook, so here's the link! Click Here!

xoxo

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.