Bassinet

We are borrowing a bassinet from Al's boss' family. This means we don't have to set up a full crib in our bedroom! YAY!

Here is a picture of it, with the girls investigating.


Here is a picture of me catching the current baby of the family using it. (Sigh.)

AAA! RIBS!!

Yesterday and today I felt a very odd sensation. It was the feeling of something hard scraping against the bottom of my ribs, like a bone-against-bone scraping feeling. (Note: Not a pleasant feeling at all.) I ended up having to push her down and stretch out that side of my body to make the feeling go away.

I asked my mom if that sensation was her rubbing against my ribs. Answer: Yup!

I jinxed myself by mentioning it earlier. That means that it is only a matter of time before she starts using them to stretch out. Knowing my luck, that'll start next week now that I mentioned it again.

Tummy Update

I got a little bit bigger since the last picture:


She still highly favors my right side. Yesterday, while at work, I was psssing one of my co-workers, Linda, in the hallway. She looked at my belly and said, "Wow, Melinda, you are lopsided!" I looked down, and sure enough, I was poking out just to the right of my belly button. I told Linda that the baby has always favored my right side. She then put her hand on my right side of my belly and said, "Yeah, she is right here."

Right as I sat down to upload the above picture to the Shutterfly account, I looked down and noticed she was doing it again. Since I had the camera handy, now all of you can see what I am talking about:

Of note: the laptop IS perpendicular to me and the seam between the two buttons on the laptop line up to where my belly button is.

I guess it just happens to be her favorite position.

Tomorrow- Third Trimester Begins!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the third trimester. That means I have been posting for 3 months now, and boy what a change!

Less than 3 months ago I was beginning to feel itty bitty tiny movements. Now? Well, let's just say that while we were waiting in line to order "our" lunch today, she had a minor hyper spell. I would say there was a good 30-40 seconds of rapid kicking, punching, quick body movements, etc. My tummy looked like there were firecrackers were going off inside it. I can only imagine what it will look like in another 3 months: Al- "Look there goes her foot! There's her head! Oh, look, a hand!" Me- "Ouch, quit it, OW, get your foot out of there, that's my bladder you are kicking missy, OUCH, stop it!"

Three months ago we didn't even know she was a girl. She did not require her own pillow to sleep on at night (she has her own feather pillow now). She had plenty of swimming room. Three months ago I could see my feet while standing. I could stand up from a kneeling position without grunting. And I never ever waddled. Oh, how things change!

Things I will be looking forward to in the next three months: Birthing Class (we will be taking it next month). Her discovering my ribs and the pleasure of using them to help her stretch. Me being unable to stand up from a kneeling position no matter how much grunting I do. Waddling 100% of the time everywhere I go. My feet and ankles swelling to the point of being unable to fit in my own shoes (I'll steal Al's). Using my enlarged belly as a shelf, perfect for holding my dinner plate! Having backaches for hours, correction, days. Whining at Al to give me a foot rub and/or back massage on a daily basis. Going to the doctor's office every other week.

THEN there will be the three months post-birth! Where I know I will lose the concept of what sleep is and what it is used for. Our house will turn from "adult central" to a disorganized messy miniature version of Kids R' Us. "No, it is YOUR turn," exchanges will occur daily. My coffee addiction will return. And I will crave the conversation of ANY adult I come across (of course the topic of conversation will be the cutest thing she did that day). Oh, how things will continue to change!

Improved Shutterfly Account

Today I spent several hours reorganizing and sorting the pictures on our Shutterfly account (and then adding some more pictures). Now when you click the link to the right and log in, you will be taken directly to baby related pictures. There is no longer a need to sort through pictures of our other life-related escapades. Unless you want to look through those, in which case just use the green toolbar to get to the types of pictures you want to see.

"This is MY space! Now go away!"

I have noticed that she kicks and pushes against anything that is up against my belly. If I wear waistbands that go across my tummy she will undoubtedly push and kick against it at least once during the day. If I move the waistband below my belly, she stops. If I lean into the table when I am eating, she will kick against that as well.

At the doc’s appointment today, my tummy got measured (25 cm), I got weighed (total of 12 lb weight gain so far), and her heartbeat was listened to (140 bmp). The heartbeat instrument was slightly pressing into my belly while we were listening. Sure enough, she kicked at that too! And, yes, the doc felt it.

Too Early for Hiccups?

Alright ladies out there, what the hell do baby hiccups feel like? I swear within the past week I felt her having many episodes of them. It is a slight rhythmic thumping every other second or so, but only lasting a minute or two each time. It isn’t a kick and she isn’t changing positions.

I know hiccups are completely normal, but it seems a bit early for me to feel them. We are “only” 25 weeks along tomorrow. (This coming from the lady who felt movement very early on. Darn me for being so in touch with my body!)

Laine vs. Lain

So it appears that we have pretty much settled on a name. Now we are just debating on how to spell it. I much prefer the “e” at the end, while Al does not. Why no “e” for me you ask? Because Lain is a character from Serial Experiments Lain. (And before you ask, yes, we have the whole series on DVD.) I would like to take at least a small step away from Japanese characters names since both our cats are named from characters from Neon Genesis Evangelion (Misato and Asuka).

The spelling with the “e” is found in baby books. Apparently it is English in origin.

Middle name, I am leaning quite heavily towards Marie. Therefore, I am heavily advocating for Laine Marie Braga.

Final determination will be posted later.