My Favorite New Year's Eve

Here I sit. At my computer. On New Year's Eve. With two kiddos sleeping soundly in their beds, and Carey and I trying to decide if we stay up to ring in the new year or grab a few extra hours of oh-so-precious sleep. I think our decision has been made, since I am sitting here at my computer and Carey is currently watching Transformers. We're both waiting. Waiting for the clock to strike twelve. Waiting to see what surprises and challenges and blessings 2012 will hold for us and our family. And yet, as we look forward to the coming year, we also remind ourselves of one of our favorite New Year's Eves. If I may borrow a page from Sophia Petrillo: Picture it: Hoboken, 2007...

Carey and I were living in Hoboken, enjoying our (rather tiny) one bedroom apartment in that beautiful town and loving the local restaurants that we frequented. We decided to ring in 2008 at Court Street. (Seriously, for those of you who live in or around Hoboken, you have got to try this place. The dining room offers a wonderful sit-down atmosphere, and the bar area is perfect for a casual bite to eat or to spend an evening watching, say, March Madness with a bunch of other crazy SU fans.) Carey made our reservation, and the evening finally arrived. We both got gussied up and walked over to the restaurant. What Carey didn't know was that I had a secret. Well, I thought that I might possibly have a secret. See, I thought that I might be pregnant. Carey and I were definitely not trying to have a baby. And at this point, I was just a bit "late," so I wasn't sure if there was a Little Ng in there or not. I didn't want to get Carey excited (or freak Carey out - I wasn't real sure how he'd react...), so I decided to wait to say anything until I knew for sure, which probably would have been another week or so. I obviously hadn't thought that since we were going out for dinner on New Year's Eve that Carey would probably order us drinks, or that our reservation included a champagne toast at midnight. Yup, definitely had not thought that far...

As we're sitting down to dinner, Carey did order us drinks. And he encouraged me to try the wine that he ordered. I took the tiniest of sips of my own drink, and politely declined trying his. But he continued to encourage me. In fact, it became borderline badgering. (Sorry Carey, but it kinda was...) Finally, I looked Carey in the eyes and said, "I don't think I should be drinking because there's a chance that I might be pregnant." I will never know what went through his mind, but he simply said "Okay" and proceeded to finish his dinner (and my drink). That New Year's Eve, Carey did ring in 2008 with a champagne toast, while I hoisted my water glass skyward, hoping that 2008 would see me become a mother.

The rest, as they say, is history. Less than a week after New Year's Eve, I did confirm that we were pregnant, and nine months later, our beautiful little girl was born. 2008 was an amazing year, and each year since has proved better and better.

So here I sit. At my computer. On New Year's Eve. With two kiddos sleeping soundly in their beds, and Carey and I feeling so incredibly blessed that we can't wait to welcome in 2012. Filled with hope for the year ahead. Ready to take on its challenges together. Prepared to witness the milestones that mark the passage of time and the growth of our babies. But mostly, prayerfully waiting to see what journeys God has planned for our family this year and hopeful that He will guide our steps. From our family to yours, warmest wishes for a New Year filled with love, health, and happiness!

Abigail's Birth Story

Now that I have a bit more time (since Abby occassionally gets in some good sleep time during the day), I thought it was time to share the story of Abigail's arrival. Please note: this post contains details of my labor, so it's not for the squeamish!

As was detailed in my post of September 11th, Dr. Siegel told Carey and I to head to the hospital around 9:00 pm to begin the induction of my labor. Bart was nice enough to drive us to the hospital, and we were checked in and in my delivery suite by 9:45 pm. After changing into one of the incredibly fashionable hospital nightgowns, I was visited by the on-call doctor, who explained what was going to happen. The first part of my induction would begin around 10:00 pm, with the insertion of Cervidil into my vagina. The Cervidil would soften my cervix and prepare it for delivery. The doctor said that it could lead to some cramping, but that would really be the only side effect. Lucky for me, there was no cramping, and I managed to get in a few hours of sleep that night. I woke up around 6:00 am on Friday and was feeling fine. The doctor came back around 7:45 am and removed the Cervidil. I was still at about 4 centimeters dilated. So, at that time he also broke my water and told the nurse to start me on Pitocin, which would bring on my contractions.


My Pitocin drip was started around 9:00 am, and I began feeling some discomfort shortly thereafter. I asked the nurse if she thought these were contractions (how the heck would I know what a contraction felt like???), and she said it was probably just cramping from the Cervidil. Over the next hour and a half, the supposed "cramps" got worse and closer together, so I asked Carey to locate the nurse to discuss some pain relief options. Well, when the nurse returned to the room to check my cervix, I was 9 centimeters dilated and having regular contractions. The measures taken by the hospital staff had worked very quickly!!

It was also at this point that we had a little scare from Abby. I had spent the entire morning on my back, so I asked the nurse if there was a different position that I could use that might lessen the pain. She said that I could roll over onto my left side. At that point, the external fetal monitor (which was strapped to my stomach) lost Abigail's heartbeat. I think that my heart stopped at that point. The nurse called the doctor in, and an internal fetal monitor was attached to Abigail's scalp. Her heartbeat was picked up right away, and the nurse assured us that Abby was fine. In all likelihood, when I rolled over onto my side, either the external fetal monitor or Abigail probably shifted, so the monitor lost Abby's heartbeat. Abby showed no signs of distress either before or after the incident, so it seems that everything was okay.

It was about another 30 minutes before the anesthesiologist was able to come to my room, so finally, at around 11:00 am, I received an epidural. (By that time, I was in extreme pain and was probably close to breaking the bed rails during my contractions...) Because I was so far along, the anesthesiologist did not hook my epidural up to a drip; he simply gave me the initial shot and left the tubing in my spine, just in case I should need additional medication. The hospital staff thought, because I had progressed so quickly, that Abigail might be joining us before lunch. But, as Abigail had taught me throughout my pregnancy, nothing goes as planned... The epidural not only dulled the pain of my contractions, it slowed them down slightly and put me to sleep. I slept until around 12:15 pm.
When I woke up, my nurse said that I should let her know if I felt any pressure, because that would signify that it was time for me to start pushing. Well, I told Lynn (my nurse) that I was feeling pressure. She said that it was probably too soon, but she checked my cervix anyway. Well, I was completely dilated and the baby's head was very low. So, we began pushing at around 12:30 pm.

The process of pushing was very hard, and it felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. To motivate me, Lynn moved a mirror to the foot of my bed so I could see Abigail's head when I was pushing. It was very frustrating to see her head appear, just for it to return to the birth canal when I took a break between pushes. I pushed for a little over an hour and made very little progress. It was at this time that my epidural wore off, and I was experiencing quite a bit of pain. The anesthesiologist was called back and administered another dose of pain medication. The nurse called the doctor back in my room, so I became a little concerned. She then explained to me that the doctor was going to check Abby's position. Even though she was head down, Lynn wasn't sure if Abby was facing up (face toward the sky) like she should be. Dr. Wagner, who delivered Abby, came in and rotated her slightly. This was around 1:35 pm.

After Dr. Wagner repositioned Abby, the process moved very quickly. He had just left the room when Lynn called him back in. When I saw him donning his scrubs, I knew that Abby's arrival was imminent! A few more good pushes, and Abigail's entire head was out, quickly followed by her shoulders and then the rest of her cute little self at 1:58 pm. The moment when the nurses put her on my chest was probably the most amazing moment of my life. To finally be able to hold the little person who had been growing inside of me for the past 9 months was overwhelming. I just kept touching her and saying "Oh my God!" I completely understand why people say that babies are miracles. At that point, I truly felt like God had sent down one of his little angels and blessed me with her care. Amazing.


By this point, the second dose of my epidural had pretty much worn off. So, as Dr. Wagner helped to deliver my placenta, I felt every push and poke. It was at this time that the doctor told me that, while they had planned to perform an episiotomy to ease Abby's birth, she came too quickly after he repositioned her. He wasn't able to perform the episiotomy before I tore. So, he had to repair the tear, which was pretty painful, considering that my pain medication had worn off. (I felt like such a wimp. I'd just delivered a baby, and yet I kept saying "ouch" when Dr. Wagner was stitching me up...) So, stitched up and incredibly tired, I was able to see Abigail one more time before she was taken to the nursery, accompanied by Carey. (At one point, after Abby was born and while Dr. Wagner was stitching me up, Carey came over to my bed to make sure I was okay. I practically bit his head off. "I'll be fine! Stay with Abigail to make sure she's okay!!" Luckily for me, Carey is an understanding, wonderful husband, so he gave me a kiss and went back over to watch the nurses check on Abigail. I don't think he's holding that outburst against me...)


In the hallway between the Labor & Delivery wing and the Nursery is a button that all new fathers are invited to push. It plays Brahms lullaby throughout the hospital, signalling the birth of a new baby. I had just been stitched up and cleaned up, and as I drifted off to sleep, I heard the lullaby playing, signalling the birth of my beautiful baby girl. I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face. :-)


At around 3:30 pm, I was moved to the Maternity wing, where I'd stay for the next two days. Originally, I was put into a double room, which I had to share the first night with a woman who'd had a C-Section. (They moved her in around1:00 am on Saturday, and from the conversations Carey had with her husband, she had a very difficult delivery. She'd tried pushing for 6 hours, but the baby's head never dropped, so her doctor performed a C-Section. It made me feel very lucky that Abigail's delivery was so smooth.) On Saturday morning, a single room opened up, so I was moved into my own room, which was great.

The doctors checked in on Abigail on Saturday and Sunday morning, and although she had lost some weight (3 ounces the first day and 5 ounces the second day) and did have some jaundice, they gave us the go ahead to go home. Hooray! So, Carey and I brought our little miracle home.

The past six weeks have been an amazing roller coaster. Carey and I have laughed and cried, but mostly, we have been thankful for the blessing that God has granted us. Each day, Abigail does something new or has a new experience that we can share together. Being a mother has been the hardest thing I've ever done, and I know that so many challenges await me as Abby continues to grow up. But I can't imagine my life without my little munchkin. :-)

Here's Abby!

Little Abigail Elizabeth Ng arrived on September 12, 2008 at 1:58pm. She arrived at 7 pounds 11oz. and 21 inches. Mom and Abby are doing great. Thank you all for your prayers and best wishes.

News from the doctor!!

Well, Carey and I had our 39 week check-up today. And, the news was all good! :-) Dr. Siegel said that my weight and blood pressure look good. Abby's head is "pretty far down" (to quote the good doctor), and my cervix is 70% effaced and 2 centimeters dilated!! Woo hoo!! However, I'm trying not to get too excited. Dr. Siegel said that labor is very difficult to predict in first-time mothers. Even though I've already started to dilate, it could be hours, days, or weeks before contractions kick in and labor gets started. So, I'm not holding my breath, but I have a feeling that I might be a mommy before the end of the week. Only time will tell, but please keep little Abby in your prayers. She seems to be making progress, and I hope it continues!!

Just in case, we made an appointment with the doctor for next Thursday. He said if I go past my due date (September 10th), he'd like to perform a non-stress test and an additional ultrasound, just to check to make sure that Abigail is still okay in there. As I was making my appointment with the receptionist, I told her, no offense intended, that I hope that I don't see her next week!!

So, right now, Carey and I are still patiently waiting. (Okay, Carey is waiting patiently and I am barely containing my excitement!) Abby is still fidgeting inside me, and I hope that soon Carey and I will be able to hold our little girl in our arms!

(P.S. - We're still experiencing problems with our computer at home. (I'm actually using Bart and Melissa's computer right now...) So, you may not hear from me for a few days. It doesn't necessarily mean that the baby has arrived. It just means that our computer is still under the weather...)

Nothing Yet (From Carey)

Just wanted to let everyone know that Kristen is resting at home just waiting for Abby. We have our 39 week checkup with the doctor tomorrow. Kristen hasn't posted anything recently because our computer is at the doctor as well. Hopefully, the computer will be back soon so she can add new posts.

Anxious, but trying to be patient...

I'm trying. I'm trying very hard. However, as Carey could tell you, I am not very good at waiting. Especially when I know what's coming. I am so excited for Abigail's arrival, and I am starting to get very impatient! I keep reminding myself to enjoy these last few days/weeks with her inside of me, and I am enjoying it. I love her movements and the way she seems to respond to my voice or Carey's voice. (Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I honestly believe that her movements are her "answers" to my questions or statements. Carey will ask her if she's giving her mommy a hard time, and if she's giving me heartburn, she'll bump me with her shoulder. Coincidence? Maybe. But interesting nonetheless...)

But, whenever I go into her room and I see her bassinet and crib set up, her clothes all washed and folded, and the stack of diapers ready for her little bum, I get so excited! But, Abby will join us on God's time, not on mine. So, I will do my best to be patient and continue to care for her as best I can until she joins us! Hopefully soon!!! :-)

38 weeks... and FULL TERM!!

Well, we've done it. Somehow, the thing we've been waiting for since January has happened. Abigail is now FULL TERM!! It's hard to believe, when you see that first ultrasound where the baby looks like a little lima bean, that the little person inside of me is now full term and could be born at any time! I completely understand why everyone says that having a baby is a miracle. I truly feel like there is a little miracle inside of me right now. :-)

And, according to the nurse who saw us yesterday, it looks like our little miracle will be inside of me for a bit longer... Dr. Siegel is out of the office this week, so we saw his assistant Trish, who is a Registered Nurse. My blood pressure and weight were fine (I went up another 3.5 pounds!), and Abby looks good. She's still in the head-down position, and her heartbeat was nice and strong. Trish also performed an internal exam, and my cervix is 0% effaced. :-( That means that Abby is enjoying herself so much in there that she hasn't yet started to make her move to join us out here. I'm actually kinda glad. The more time Abigail spends inside, the more time she'll have to finish up her development and really prepare herself for her grand entrance. On a more selfish note, I love feeling Abby inside me, moving around and being my little fidget. (Plus, on an even more selfish note, I'm scheduled to work until this Friday, and I could really use the next few days to tie up some loose ends before my maternity leave begins.) So, while I would have welcomed the news that Abigail had begun the process, I think Carey and I were both relieved to hear that we'll have a few more days to finish up some last minute Abigail-prep!

On a family-related note, my Grammy Kowalczyk is going into the hospital for surgery today, and I would greatly appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers. This is the second time that she has been admitted for this type of surgery, and I am praying that the doctors will be successful this time around.

Just a bit tired...

Not much to report on the Abigail front. She's still my little fidget, but she must be getting crowded in there, because she is moving around a bit less. My ankles are still swollen and I'm still getting heartburn regularly, but other than that, I'd say I'm doing pretty good. My energy does tend to fizzle toward the end of the day, but considering that I'm carrying around another person (and an extra 35 pounds), I suppose that's to be expected. Plus, even though I am tired at the end of the day, I'm still sleeping well. (Thank God for my maternity pillow!!)

Carey and I have our 38 week check-up on Monday. I think Dr. Siegel is still on vacation, so we'll be seeing one of his associates. She'll be doing all the regular stuff (blood pressure, measuring my uterus, external palpation, etc.), as well as an internal exam. They'll be checking to see if my cervix has started to efface (thin out). This isn't an accurate prediction of when my labor will actually begin, but it at least gives the doctor (and us!) a clue that Abigail may soon be on the move. In some women, especially first time mothers, effacement can take days or even weeks, so even if it has started for me, that doesn't necessarily mean that Abby's arrival is imminent... But, it would mean that the process has begun, which would be wonderful news! Either way, we just want to hear that Abigail's heartbeat is nice and strong and that she is doing well; that is most important to us. :-)

So, I'll try to check in this weekend (if our computer issues have been resolved). Otherwise, I'll update everyone on Tuesday when I get in to work. Have a great weekend!!

Wow! 37 Weeks!

Well, we hit 37 weeks yesterday. Holy cow! My little girl is still a little fidget in there, which still makes me smile. Now, instead of lots of little kicks, she'll kinda nudge me with her shoulder, so that the right side of my belly raises up, then she slowly moves and my stomach slowly returns to its normal, symmetrical self. It's quite amusing. Carey probably thinks I'm a total lunatic, the number of times I start laughing after looking at my belly. :-)

Carey comes back from Syracuse today. We didn't really tell anyone that he was going because we didn't want everyone to worry. Bart and Melissa knew that Carey was out of town, just in case Abby decided to make an early appearance... ;-) Carey checked in with me multiple times yesterday, beginning each phone call with "You're not in labor, are you?" Luckily, the answer each time was "no." Abigail is being cooperative and seems quite willing to wait until daddy gets home. His plane lands tonight around 6:30 pm, so he should be home between 8 and 9, depending on the train schedule. (I offered to pick him up at the airport, but he doesn't feel comfortable asking me to drive all the way into Queens. I think he's worried that Abby might decide suddenly that she doesn't like being cooperative...) It will be nice to have him back home. I think Abby missed hearing his voice last night... :-{ Our little girl loves her daddy!

Hooray!!

What a wonderful weekend! I've been out of the office since Thursday, and we're experiencing technical difficulties with our computer at home, otherwise I would have posted sooner! There's so much to share; please bear with me through a long post!

Last Thursday was my birthday. Other than having a bit of a hectic day at work, I had a great day. It was filled with well-wishes from family and friends, and even Abigail decided that she wouldn't give me heartburn. :-) Thank you to everyone for making my day so special!

I had the day off on Friday, as did Carey. It started out with a trip to Dr. Siegel's office for our 37 week check-up. (Technically, we didn't hit 37 weeks until today, but Dr. Siegel is on vacation the last two weeks of August and wanted to see us himself one more time before he left.) I gained another 2 pounds, and Dr. Siegel is very happy with Abby's position, the size of my uterus, and Abigail's heartbeat. But, perhaps the best news is that my test for Group B Strep came back NEGATIVE!! Hooray! In case you missed this earlier post, if my test had come back positive, I would have been administered antibiotics during delivery to prevent the transmission of the Strep to Abigail. I was so relieved to find out that antibiotics won't be necessary. :-)

Saturday afternoon, we had a tour of the maternity ward at Huntington Hospital. We saw the type of room where Abby will be born, as well as the nursery and recovery rooms. The staff was all very friendly, and it was nice to see the areas where the 'action' happens! Plus, while we were there, two little baby girls were discharged with their very proud parents. So cute!

Saturday night, Carey took me out to dinner for my birthday. He asked where I wanted to go, and I told him that I'd been having a craving for Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster. So, being the wonderful husband that he is, he found the nearest location and took me there! Mmmmmm!!! One of the many baby-related emails that I receive daily suggested that parents-to-be enjoy one last night out before the baby is born, with no baby talk. Well, Carey and I decided that dinner on Saturday would be a baby-free, to-do-list-free event. It was so nice to relax and just chat about whatever, not what needed to be done around the house or what our next step is in Abby preparation. (Of course, these things are never far from our minds, but making a conscious decision to avoid talking about "to do's" made for a pleasant meal.) Not that I needed a reminder, but dinner on Saturday did remind me how lucky I am to have Carey as my husband, how much I love him, and how much fun we have when we're together. :-)

Then, last night, Bart, Melissa, and the girls brought over cake to celebrate my birthday. What kind of cake, you ask? Why, Fudgie the Whale from Carvel!! My favorite!! I love me some Fudgie the Whale! :-) We hadn't really had the chance to see Bart and Melissa since they returned from Paris, so it was great to spend some time with them and our nieces. A perfect end to a fabulous weekend!

Finally, when we weren't doing all of the above, we were painting our downstairs bathroom. You may remember from my first slide show that our downstairs bathroom, which is on the smaller side, was painted dark blue on the walls and ceiling. Don't get me wrong: I love dark blue. (In fact, that was the color of our bedroom in our apartment in Hoboken.) But, the color was just too dark for such a small room, and painting the ceiling the same dark color made the room feel like a cave. Carey let me pick the new color (Timeless Lilac), as well as all the bathroom accessories. We had to clean the walls before starting, which involved bleach, so Carey was a champ and took care of that himself on Friday. On Saturday, we also had to use Killz, which is super primer, to cover up the dark blue and prevent mold and mildew build-up. Another smelly task, so another Carey-handled task. On Sunday, we painted the walls and ceiling. Finally, a not-too-smelly task that I could handle, so I did most of that work, and Carey helped with the hard-to-reach spots. (Baby bellies do not make for easy bending over...) I still have a wall border to put up, as well as all our bathroom accessories, so pictures will be forthcoming. But, I have to say, I LOVE IT! I'm so glad that we painted the bat cave bathroom!

Thanks for hanging in through such a long post. I hope that everyone had a great weekend and will have a great week ahead! (Abigail has been kicking throughout this entire post, so I think she wants me to tell everyone that she says hello, too!)

Why does nothing fit???

I have decided that maternity clothes are designed for mommies-to-be are who are 5 months pregnant with cute little baby bumps. Not for ladies who are almost 9 months pregnant with VERY LARGE baby bumps. I can't get a pair of pants to stay up, I can't get a shirt to cover my entire stomach, and all my dresses are now almost indecent because my belly hikes them up so far in the front. Grrrrr... (Oh well. Just a few more weeks!)

Tonight, Carey and I are heading to our doctor's office for a Pregnancy Basics class. The office recommends that all expectant parents take the class as early in their pregnancy as possible. But, since Carey and I just switched to Dr. Siegel in June, this was the earliest we could take it. So, I'm not exactly sure how useful it will be, but we signed up and will see what happens!

Tomorrow, Carey and I are heading back to the doctor for our 37 week check-up. (Technically, we don't hit 37 weeks until Monday, but Dr. Siegel is on vacation next week.) We'll get the results of our Group B Strep test, so please keep your fingers crossed! Dr. Siegel also mentioned that we will start seeing him weekly now, and I'll have a full check-up at each visit. Usually, Dr. Siegel checks Abby's heartbeat, measures my uterus, and performs external palpation of my stomach to determine her position. Now, we'll be having more thorough exams to check some of the internal stuff as well. (I don't want to get into graphic detail!) But, this means that the finish line is in sight. AND I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I'm trying to wrap things up at work, and Carey and I plan to finish up a few more things with the house over the next few weeks. But, we're ready to welcome our little girl! :-)

Two things Abby doesn't seem to understand...

1. All my pregnancy books say that most babies move around less after the 34th week. Reason: there just isn't that much room in their mommy's uterus anymore... HOWEVER, Abigail has been moving around more than ever. These last three days, my little girl has been giving me no rest! She really does take after her daddy; she's such a little fidget!
2. I am not a punching bag. HOWEVER, Abigail seems to think that I am a punching bag, because she has begun hitting me harder and harder. (The other day on the train, she kicked me so hard that it almost knocked the wind out of me. Good thing I was sitting next to Carey, otherwise some stranger might have thought I was going into labor!)

But, I have to say that I am still LOVING being pregnant. My little girl is active and her movements are getting stronger. I hope this means that she is growing healthy and strong inside of me! :-)

World Breastfeeding Week!

Last night, Carey and I attended our breastfeeding class at Huntington Hospital. The hospital encourages husbands/partners/coaches to attend this class, so they know about the benefits and challenges of breastfeeding and can offer support and encouragement to nursing mothers. I am very lucky that Carey didn't bat an eyelash when I asked him to come with me. :-)

The class was led by the hospital's lactation consultant and included a PowerPoint presentation and short video. We were also given baby dolls with which to practice proper positioning. (The nurse even gave Carey and I the Asian baby doll to practice with!)

Interestingly enough, the lactation consultant mentioned that this week (August 1st - 7th) is World Breastfeeding Week. Sponsored by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and supported by organizations such as La Leche League, the World Health Organization, and the International Lactation Consultant Association, World Breastfeeding Week "calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond." I realize that breastfeeding is not the right choice for every parent and child, but I feel very strongly that this is something that I would like to try with Abigail. I am hoping, with the help of classes (like the one we attended last night), literature, support groups, understanding family and friends, and LOTS and LOTS of practice and hard work, that breastfeeding will work for our family. As the lactation consultant said last night, it is "absolutely awesome" that your body can produce exactly what your baby needs to survive and thrive. Awesome indeed!

A wonderful weekend and 35 weeks!!

Carey and I had a great weekend, thanks in large part to our wonderful family and friends!!

I had the day off from work on Friday and managed to get the house cleaned up and some more boxes sorted. (Carey was a huge help when he got home on Friday night!) On Saturday, Carey's family was coming out for what I thought was a birthday celebration for our niece Gabriella, our nephew Luke, and Mama Ng. Well, we got to Bart and Melissa's house to find a surprise baby shower! (Surprise for me, not for Carey. He's getting very good at keeping secrets from me...) There were lots of cameras there, so I promise to get a slide show up in the next day or two. (I still owe everyone a slide show from my "Bergen" baby shower, too!) We had a great time, and I felt very blessed to have so many friends and family members who were able to make the trip out to Long Island and celebrate Abigail with us! (Many others who could not make it also took the time to send in their well-wishes, so I felt doubly blessed!)

Sunday was a "chill out" day for us. We did some shopping after church and had a relaxing lunch together. It was such a beautiful day, that we took a nice (not too long) walk to enjoy the sunshine, and Bart and Melissa invited us over for a barbecue. (They just got a new puppy. Hannah is 10 weeks old and soooo cute!!) We also did our first load of Abby laundry on Sunday!! (Her clothes are so tiny and adorable. It took us one load to wash her entire 0-3 months wardrobe!) This week I'm planning to tackle her bedding, towels, burp cloths, blankets, etc.Yesterday, we had our 35 week check-up with Dr. Siegel. He said that everything looks good. I gained another 3.5 pounds. (Before, I couldn't gain a pound no matter what I did. Now, I'm gaining almost two pounds a week!!!!) But, this is good, since Abby is now spending most of her time putting on weight. Her heartbeat was strong, her position was good, and my uterus is growing right on schedule. Plus, Dr. Siegel was very happy with the results of our third trimester ultrasound. It looks like September 10th is still our target date! I was also swabbed for Group B strep, so I will hopefully have those test results no later than our next appointment (August 15th). After the doctor's office, we went to lunch and to the movies. (The third Mummy movie: good if you like action sequences and special effects, not so good if you are looking for a decent plot line...) I think this might be our last trip to the movies before Abby arrives. She was quite fidgety throughout the whole thing, so I'm thinking that she might not like the noise...

Anyway, it was a wonderful weekend, filled with family, friends, and a good report from the doctor. Plus, I think I finally shook my cold! Tonight, Carey and I have our breastfeeding class at Huntington Hospital. I know that breastfeeding is going to be a challenge, so I'm looking forward to the advice and guidance that we'll receive at class tonight. I'm also hoping that class will help me better mentally prepare for the experience!

An important realization...

This morning, I came to a very important realization. Every pregnant woman reaches a point in her pregnancy when black is no longer slimming. I think I'm there. :-)


I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!!

A very 'unscary' labor & delivery class!

I have to admit that I was hesitant about last night's Preparing for Parenthood class at Huntington Hospital. Last night's topic was Labor, Delivery, & Postpartum Care, which is the class when most people are shown the scary delivery video (and many a husband/coach has begun to feel queasy at the thought of going through this themselves). However, class was led by a nurse from the Labor & Delivery Unit, and it was very unscary! She used a PowerPoint presentation to go over, in detail, what will happen from when labor begins until we leave the hospital. The nurse did a great job of going over all our options. (For example, she didn't tell us to get an epidural. She discussed the options available to all women regarding natural childbirth, as well as different medications that we could choose, aside from epidurals.)

The other aspect of Huntington Hospital that I like more each time we visit is that they seem to be very "breastfeeding" friendly. According to the nurse, assuming that everything goes smoothly in the delivery, I'll have the opportunity to begin breastfeeding right away. The hospital also does "modified rooming-in." All babies are in the nursery during the hours of 7-9 am, because that is when the pediatricians on staff examine the babies and track their progress. At 9:00 am, Abby will be brought to my room and will remain with me throughout the day, until 6:00 pm, when she'll be taken back to the nursery in preparation for evening "visiting hours." (All babies are back in the nursery and can be viewed through the nursery windows from 7:00 - 8:00 pm.) Abby will then be brought back to my room and will remain with me until 10:00 pm. She'll be taken back to the nursery at that time, but will be brought to me for nighttime feedings whenever she is hungry. The hospital also has a lactation consultant on staff and all the L&D nurses are trained to assist new mommies with breastfeeding issues. It's comforting to know that I'll have help!

So, all in all, a good class last night. Carey and I left the hospital a bit smarter and slightly less nervous about the upcoming experience. (And, honestly, I am starting to get really excited! Still very nervous, but also excited!)

Am I a hobbit?

One of my favorite lines from the Lord of the Rings movies is when Strider/Aragorn is leading the hobbits to Rivendell. Pippen wants to stop to light a fire and eat, but Strider says that they have already had breakfast and must continue on their journey. Pippen, in horror, asks if Strider knows about Second Breakfast. I have begun to feel like a hobbit; my body now demands second breakfast. While a bowl of hearty cereal and a glass of juice, along with a mid-morning snack, used to tide me over until lunchtime, my stomach now growls and demands another full meal upon my arrival at the office. (Note: my stomach still requires a mid-morning snack, and lunch must be eaten promptly at 12 noon, or else anarchy ensues.) Luckily, instead of feeling like a piggy (or a hungry, hungry hippo), I'm not too embarrassed to be eating all the time, because I know it's helping Abby. :-)

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Parenting Classes!

Of course, nothing can really prepare you for a baby, other than having your baby and experiencing everything first hand. However, with the hope of better preparing ourselves, Carey and I attended the first of four parenting classes at our hospital last night.

We plan to give birth at Huntington Hospital. This hospital is 18 minutes from our house, according to Yahoo Maps, but I think that we could make it there in under 15. (If I'm in the front passenger seat having contractions, we might even be able to trim it down to 10!!) The hospital offers free "Planning for Parenthood" classes to all prospective parents who are registered to give birth at the hospital. Last night was "Newborn Infant Care." It started off with a PowerPoint presentation by one of the Labor & Delivery nurses. It was an overview of check-in procedures and what happens after the baby is born. After the nurse finished, one of the pediatricians who works at the hospital came and reviewed some of the most common questions that he/his office receives from new parents and then he took questions from the audience. (There were about 12 expectant mothers present, along with their spouses/coaches.)

The class was pretty helpful. If nothing else, it reviewed some information and procedures that I didn't know before, and anything that takes some of the mystery away from this experience is appreciated by Carey and myself! Next Wednesday, we'll be attending Labor & Delivery (yikes!), and then in August, we'll have classes in breastfeeding education/preparation and child safety (baby-proofing our house, etc.).

These classes, along with the informational emails that I've been receiving from all sorts of baby websites, are really bringing home the fact that Abigail is on her way. My weekly emails from WebMD have begun to focus on labor and delivery (i.e. how to determine if what I may be feeling is "false labor" or "true labor"; pain medication pros and cons; etc.), instead of discussing the baby's development. (At this point, it seems that Abby is gaining weight, but that most of her systems and organs are developed or nearing the end of their development. Right now, she's just working on getting some meat on her bones!) I won't lie and say that I'm not scared; I think this is probably the most scared I have been in my life. But it is also so exciting, and I can't wait to hold in my arms the little miracle that has been growing inside of me for the past 8 months. That is all the reason I need to swallow my fear and prepare myself for the most challenging, and most rewarding, day(s) of my life so far!!

Me so hungry!

Lately, I am hungry all the time. I suppose that this is good, because Abigail is putting on weight now in preparation for her birth and I want to make sure that she has all the calories that she needs. So, if eating is something that I have to do for Abby, it's a sacrifice that I am willing to make. :-) (And as I type this, she just gave me a good kick. She must have liked that bagel that I just ate!)

I used to have ankles...

The humidity is back, so my ankles have gone into hiding. The edema lessens a little bit at night (so I wake up with something resembling ankles), but that doesn't last long. By the time I get into work, my ankles and feet are swollen, and it only gets worse during the day. Doctors say that the best thing for edema is to keep your feet elevated and stay off them as much as possible. But, I am apparently having a baby who doesn't care what the doctors say, because if I sit down for more than 5 minutes, she starts fidgeting. (And who would have thought that a little person who weighs about 3 pounds could make 168-pound me uncomfortable???) So, I'm trying to balance my walking and sitting, and I'll hold to the hope that my ankles will return after Abby is born! (Thank goodness my feet don't hurt. In fact, if I didn't look at them, I honestly wouldn't even realize that anything was wrong...)

Luckily, my supervisor has said that it's okay for me to wear flip-flops to work, even though that's technically against company policy. Good thing, otherwise I'd be coming to work barefoot because I can't fit my feet into anything else!