Playing Catch-Up

Okay, so I just figured that no one would be interested in the minutae of this pregnancy, so I haven't been updating my blog. I got chastised for this by the Dudes this weekend. So here it is. Below, you will find a journal I've been keeping on my pregnancy website- from the very beginning of this journey.

Weeks 18 and 19

My big AFP Blood test came back and shows no risk of genetic diseases, heard the heartbeat at Dr. G's. He tells me not to worry about the low-lying placenta, but the research I've done says it can cause bleeding or the need for a c-section. I'm not really worried, but I'm glad I know what's up. We're going to decide on our summer trip back East after the next appointment. Hopefully the placenta will be away from the cervix, and then we can go and spend a few days at the River with the fam. Otherwise, it's going to be simply a trip to Buffalo. Also fun, but will disappoint the in-laws if we can't make it for the River trip. Between that concern and the not-great picture we got of the girl-parts, Dr. G said I can have another ultrasound at my next appointment. YAHOO.

I'm still not really showing (unless I wear the right clothes), but felt something today that could have been her moving. It wasn't flutters or bubbles, but felt like something else someone described- like a goldfish bumping up against the side of the bowl. We'll see. If it continues to happen, I'll know it was real. I can't WAIT to feel her move. That's what makes weight gain (only 6 lbs so far), and sore hips and crazy dreams all worth it.

The best news of the week is that the best friend, Ms. Say is coming to visit this weekend. We're going posh baby shopping. YAHOO.

Memorial Day- Warning Long Post

think about the reality of Memorial Day more often these days. A couple years ago, a good friend of mine returned from service in Iraq. Every day he was there, I thought of him and hoped with all my might that there would never be a Memorial Day when I would have to mourn my friend. I am lucky to still have him in my life. And while he is still a wonderful man, and a good friend, he has been changed by this experience. I can't say if it is for better or for worse, because we've spoken twice in these two years, and have only exchanged three or four emails that didn't originate in his mass email updates to friends. I am forever grateful for these updates, because I know how busy he is, and don't expect him to take the time to write or see each of his million friends around this country - and juggle law school, veteran advocacy, deal with recovering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I love seeing him on CNN or reading an article he has written to try and make people pay attention to things they'd rather not notice. I really believe that someday Patrick will be a great leader for our generation and for our Country. He has been a huge influence in my life, has forced me to look at things in a different way than how I was raised, and would probably be shocked to know that with my recent move, I plan to reregister as an "independent" voter. I miss my friend, and I love him more than he will ever know. I want my husband and my daughter to know him. I'd also like for anyone else who reads this blog to know him. So, I have copied an article featuring my friend that was published this week in the Washington Post (please don't sue me).

A Soldier Drawn by Duty and Changed by the Sacrifice
By Marc Fisher
Sunday, May 27, 2007; Page C01

On the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001, Patrick Campbell walked over to the Pentagon and asked if he could help search for bodies. Only if you're a medic or a firefighter, he was told. That day, Campbell decided to become a medic.

So you know Campbell has, as he puts it, "a bad habit of running towards problems."

This country has been at war for four years, and during that time, less than 1 percent of Americans have served in the conflict. Maybe 5 percent have family or close friends fighting in Iraq. For the rest of us, the war is something that happens to other people. Patrick Campbell came from the 95 percent.

He grew up in a house in Southern California where a child wasn't even allowed to have a squirt gun. His father called Boy Scout camp "death camp." When Patrick announced he intended to join the
Army, his father tried to bribe him not to enlist, offering to cover civilian EMT training and replace what the military would pay toward Patrick's law school tuition.

Despite his background, despite the fact that he had been student body president at the University of California at Berkeley, a campus where he knew of not a single graduate who had joined the military,
Campbell enlisted. He had spent too many hard minutes looking at the "Faces of the Fallen" feature in this newspaper, the gallery of photos of men and women who died because they accepted the mantle of duty, and Campbell couldn't figure out why it was okay for him not to be there with them.

The war began a month after Campbell signed up. But because Campbell had finished his first year of law school at Catholic University and because he was the kind of recruit who was officer material, the Army was inclined to put him in a safe, easy place. Supply clerk, desk jockey. Campbell insisted on becoming a medic on the frontlines. He ended up with a Louisiana National Guard infantry unit in which almost everyone else knew one another and almost no one else had been to college. The other guys called him "Tootsie."

Campbell spent a year in Iraq, mostly sewing up Iraqi civilians. Sixteen times, he came closer than he'd care to remember to bullets, bombs or mines. He counted. His life was a bewildering series of abrupt shifts from the weird, dormlike comforts of a U.S. base -- 30- inch TVs, networked Xboxes, a full array of ice cream flavors -- to the guts-in-your-throat fear of patrolling Iraqi neighborhoods where anyone could be the enemy and only the little kids could be trusted. "It was back and forth every day: college, war, college, war."

"At no point did I ever see my enemy," he says. "You're sitting on all this anxiety, and you have nowhere to focus it. . . . My mission over there was for the most part to not die. I was definitely inspired to accomplish that mission, but that mission is not inspiring."

Being at war in Iraq is not like other wars. There are very few moments of victory. There is no place out there on the horizon where the thing will be won. Campbell and his fellow soldiers had to get
accustomed instead to orders that said you will patrol all day and you will respond only to a "spectacular event." One day in 2005, hundreds of Iraqis died in a bridge collapse. Campbell says his unit was told not to respond "because we wanted to show the American people that the Iraqi Army could handle it. I believe I could have saved 100 people that day."

He kept a blog. He wrote everything down. And when he came home later that year, his friends loved to hear the story about how he peed on a bomb, realized what he was doing and scampered away with his pants down at his ankles.

But his friends didn't care to hear most of Campbell's stories. "Me and my friend who works on avian bird flu," he says, "we called ourselves the party-killers. We'd talk, and there'd be this uncomfortable silence."

Example: A friend asked Campbell if he would wear one of the "Save Darfur" rubber bracelets she was handing out. "No," Campbell replied, "I had a negative experience with those." She looked at him
like he was nuts. And he explained that he had inadvertently left his "Save Darfur" bracelet inside the head of an Iraqi on whom he was operating. The civilian had been shot in the head, and Campbell
couldn't save him. Somewhere in the frenzied rush to operate, the bracelet had slipped off. It was "probably the worst experience in my life, when I lost my first patient," Campbell says. "I had to be okay with the fact that this guy died so we could feel more safe about ourselves."

When he came home and took an apartment in downtown Washington, Campbell, now 29, became someone he didn't recognize. For the first time in his life, he got into fights. He was impulsive, buying big-ticket items that he couldn't afford and didn't need. He alienated friends, acted like a boor.

He got through it with the help of a counselor and the support of random people who every day thanked him for his service. "I have no idea how I would have made it through coming back in the Vietnam era, being called 'baby killer' and stuff like that," he says. "I am thankful that this generation has learned to separate the war from the warrior."

Campbell is in his last semester of law school. He spends a lot of time talking about his war, working for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, telling his stories to politicians and college kids and whoever will listen.

Some people hear him. Most don't. "As long as this country has not been asked to make some meaningful sacrifice, this country will not know what this war really is," he says. "They'll keep going to Starbucks and talking about Paris Hilton."

Campbell doesn't believe in the war that the administration is fighting. He believes in a different war: "We need to be there because we knocked down the beehive, and now the bees are swarming all over."

Two years after coming home, "there are still times I feel so angry and I can't figure out why," he says. He still has outbursts. "No one comes home from war the person they left."

This Memorial Day, Campbell worries about passing the bar exam, and about the guys who are still over there, and about the order he expects to get any day now, sending him back to a place where there is no victory.

IT'S A GIRL!

Had our 18 week Ultrasound with the specialist. The baby has grown so much that we could hardly tell what was what in the ultrasound. When the tech froze the screen to tell us the sex, none of us had a clue what we were looking at. The baby looks fantastic. Growth is right on, and everything looks healthy- including her sweet little heart. The only concern is that my placenta is still low-lying and close to the cervix. I'll talk with my regular doc about it, but they said not to worry too much. It usually clears up later in the 2^nd trimester.

The Mom came with us. I still don't' think this is really real to her, but she was excited, and we went for lunch and baby shopping after the appointment was finished. She's already starting a pretty cute wardrobe. What else could you expect from my daughter.

Update for Pregnancy Weeks 16 and 17

Had a great appt. with Dr. G. Found the heartbeat on the Doppler with no problem. Strong and healthy. The whole appointment was about 45 seconds long. I'm guessing that means that everything's great!

The Snoogle is the best pregnancy product in the history of history. It's a C shaped pillow that hooks around your neck, supports your back, and fits in-between your knees- helping you to sleep on your side, and making you comfy. I love it.

We've planned another trip to Hawaii. It's our last hurrah before baby arrives and neither one of us can wait!

Oh, and I think the cats know that I am pregnant. They certainly know something is up. Check out this picture of the big one snuggling up to my belly.

Mother's Day

I've received cards from Hubby, BIL & Fam, Say, and another friend. I'm really a mom. That makes me so happy. I hope that wanting to be a great mom is half the battle. I want to do the best job ever for this little one.

I also realized that the baby's duedate (October 17) is the anniversary of the date on which I was diagnosed with PCOS and really thought I might never have children. It's funny how the world works, isn't it?

Update for Pregnancy Weeks 14 and 15

Found the townhouse we'll be moving to. We've decided to pull the plug on moving out of state until after the baby comes. I think we'll be happy in the new place. The rent is high, but it's a great unit, and we'll be really comfortable there.

By hitting week 15 of the pregnancy, I'm now officially in my 2^nd trimester. At this point, the chance of losing the baby is negligible. Congratulations, Bump! We made it.

I still haven't gained weight, and I'm not really showing, but skinny and not terribly pregnant looking is better than enormous, right? The best news this week is that the Perinatologist/Genetic Counselor's office said we have only a 1 in 10,000 of having a baby with downs. That's the best odds you can get. Yay for a healthy Bump!

First Trimester Screening

Today was our 1st Trimester scan and it could not have gone better. Our baby was bouncing around like crazy, kicking and waving and trying to get comfy in his/her squishy little house. We saw and heard a strong heartbeat (157bpm), saw two hands and two feet, a sinus bone(the tech said babies with Downs don't have those....), two even and well-developed lobes of the brain, a good neck measurement, a beautiful profile, a strong looking spine. The doc said at this point, it's time to stop worrying about everything and just enjoy being pregnant. Whew. The picture you see here is Bump's profile.

Today was special, though. It's not every day you can watch your husband fall absolutely in love with his child. What a day! Mommy is exhausted from all the excitement, but couldn't be happier.

Update for Pregnancy Week 12 - Feeling Better?

Nausea and food aversions are decreasing. I guess that means I should start eating more than bread and cheese. At least I can eat ice cream again. Having an aversion to ice cream got scary.

Not showing yet, although I'm wearing maternity clothes and have been since week 5. That was mostly because having my belly restricted made me sick.

Spoke too soon on the nausea thing. Puked for the first time. Up until now, there's been a lot of gagging, but no actual puke. I guess that means she's happy and doing well.

Update for Pregnancy Week 8 & 9

The nausea is back with a vengeance. I'm living off of Preggie Pop Drops ( a must-have) and saltines. I've dropped 2 lbs. Fine with me.

Books you should read if you're pregnant: Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy and The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy by Vickie Iovine. Both are funny, insightful, and above all- HONEST about everything.

Books you should avoid like the plague: What to Expect When You're Expecting. This book should be called "Everything that could go wrong with your pregnancy." If you're looking for a panic attack, or think your blood pressure just isn't high enough, give it a try. If you MUST read this- read only the description of your month- do not go anywhere near the 300 pages of complications at the back of the book.

Everything they say about wacky pregnant dreams is true. This week I had a dream that my doctor's office was outdoors, next to an ocean inlet. After my exam, I was babysitting Suri Cruise and watching a humpback whale swim around the medical plaza. Oh, and did I mention the one about being trapped in a jeep with rattlesnakes and Bindi Irwin? What is it with celebrity kids in my dreams?

I also had yet another ultrasound- the bean continues to grow and the heartbeat still looks great. Dr. G is very happy for me. This time, the baby even waved an arm nub at me. His or her very first, "Hi mom!"

Update for Pregnancy Week 7 - Panic & Joy. Ah, Parenthood.

Week started off with a panic attack. I didn't feel good and ended up staying home, but I wasn't nauseous, and my breasts weren't sore. I actually called the doctor and asked for an ultrasound because I felt too good. It went perfectly- heartbeat is still strong, the bean has doubled in size, and the doc says everything is "perfect." He also said that while he understands the panic attack, and that he's always happy to see me, if I do it again, he will have to point and laugh. My doc is so kickback. I love it. He always makes me feel so much better.

We told our families this weekend. While it's still technically "early." This time, I'm embracing it, and want everyone to share it with us. Everyone was thrilled.

I'm 5 again.....

Hubby had never seen this, so we had to find it on YouTube. I LOVE this toon.

Update for Pregnancy Week s 5 & 6 – We have a Heartbeat!

Even though I've passed the mark where the first pregnancy miscarried the first pregnancy, I'm always checking to see if my boobs are still sore, and go a little too long between meals so I'll feel nausea. Every symptom makes me feel better. Most of the time, I feel like I've just finished a marathon. Mostly I just want to sleep, but have to talk myself into eating every once in a while.



Hubby came with me to the 2nd ultrasound, and I'm so glad he did. As soon as we saw the little blob in the sac, I started to giggle, because I knew it was great news. The doc told me to hold still for just a second, and as soon as I did, the center of the blob started flashing in a nice, strong rhythm. . . a heartbeat. Once you see the heartbeat, the chance of miscarrying goes down to 5%. We both got teary eyed. It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.



Also this week, I had a great, very vivid dream about having a baby girl. In the dream, she was about 9 months old, with two little teeth and lots of wispy blonde hair. Pretty cute if you ask me.

First Ultrasound

IT'S THERE!!!! My precious little bean is RIGHT THERE! I can't actually see the bean, but I had a big bubble where the little bean is going to grow. :) He said it's exactly what we should see at this stage. I go back next week to hopefully see a yolk in the sac, and then the week after THAT to maybe see a heartbeat. He also said that the nurse misspoke yesterday- she meant that my numbers were low because I was so early..... We're not nearly out of the woods yet, but it looks like the little bean is here to stay.

By the way- something they don't tell you before you're pregnant. The ultrasound is not always the little device that's on your belly. OH No! When it's early, and the baby is very small….they use a probe. I've heard it fondly referred to as Dildo-Cam. How appropriate.

Oops, We did it again. . .

Update for Pregnancy Week 4- We find out

Ever since we got married, the #1 question Hubby and I have been asked is, "So, when are you going to have a baby?" Today, we are thrilled to finally have an answer. "Bump" is scheduled to make his or her appearance on October 17, 2007. Only 1 month after my miscarriage, I am pregnant again. The test came back loud and clear last night, and again this morning. Other than sore boobs, no symptoms, no awful cramping, no feeling of being sick.... I'm hoping that means this one is healthy.

Had HCG (the pregnancy hormone) testing on Wednesday and Friday. The numbers should double to indicate a healthy pregnancy. They did, but the nurse said the numbers were low. Because I needed something to freak out about. It went from 150 to 363 a few days before 5 weeks.

In other news, we sold the condo. We are officially in escrow. On to the new adventure…

Cuter than cupcakes.....

Ted is keeping warm.....

Harry Potter Proper, and Harry Potter Hotness?

So, Yay, it's going to be a Potterful summer. The OTP movie is coming out on July 13, and JK Rowling just announced that the 7th book will be released on July 21. While I'm not looking forward to the end of the series, I am anxiously awaiting this book. Looks like we'll be moving just in time for me to do a Harry Potter-a-thon to be ready for the 7 th book.

In other Potter news… Dan Radcliffe (who plays Harry in the movies) is causing a bit of a stir with his West End stage debut in Equus. First of all, it's a dark play about a boy that attacks horses. Second, the play involves full nudity. But the big hubbub is being caused by the promotional photos for the play… in which Dan is nude. The pics are tastefully done, but a lot of parents aren't pleased. I say more power to him. This is a great way to expand his range and not be typecast the rest of his life. I hope he can pull off the role. If he can, he's got a great future ahead of him…. But I'm frightened. I saw the pics. And d-d-damn. Harry Potter went and got hot. I am so disturbed that I think that. Especially since he's 17. Was it legal to even look at these photos?

Get a Grip and Save Your Money People...

The following is excerpted from an AP Article:

WASHINGTON - People once again spent everything they made and then some last year, pushing the personal savings rate to the lowest level since the Great Depression more than seven decades ago.

The Commerce Department reported that the savings rate for 2006 was a negative -1%, meaning that not only did people spend all the money they earned but they also dipped into savings or increased borrowing to finance purchases. The 2006 figure was lower than a - 0.4% in 2005 and was the poorest showing since a -1.5% rate in 1933 during the Great Depression.

The savings rate has been negative for an entire year only four times in history — in 2005 and 2006 and in 1933 and 1932. However, the reasons for the decline in the savings rate were vastly different during the two periods.

During the Great Depression when one-fourth of the labor force was without a job, people dipped into savings in an effort to meet the basic necessities of shelter and clothing.

Economists have put forward various reasons to explain the current lack of savings. These range from a feeling on the part of some people that they do not need to save because of the run-up in their investments such as homes and stock portfolios to an effort by many middle-class wage earners to maintain their current lifestyles even though their wage gains have been depressed by the effects of global competition.

Whatever the reason for the low savings, economists warn that it the phenomenon exists at a particularly bad time with 78 million baby boomers approaching retirement age. Instead of building up savings to use during retirement, baby boomers are continuing to spend all their earnings.

Geeez. And I though I was bad.

Space is cool.

Friday night, Hubby showed me this thru the telescope. My favorite so far. Yay Saturn.

Best Celeb Sighting of 07

Okay, so it's my first celeb sighting of a celeb in 07, but seeing as how we're probably moving out of state..... it might be my only. And that's okay.

So, I was having lunch on Friday with some new friends and their new babies, and doing some much needed girl time to get over some serious no-fun that started the year, when in walks Pete Sampras and his superhottie wife (just as pretty in person btw). They enjoy a good bento box lunch, and weren't celeb-y at all. Yahoo. I was tempted to say hello, but they were so low-key, I didn't want to disturb their lunch. I was, however, on the receiving end of a gorgeous Pete smile. Yahoo for me.

Golden Globes

Those of you who know me, know that one of my greatest joys in life is bashing on the fashions at Hollywood’s big events. Here is my take on last night’s Golden Globes:

• Who sent out the memo about everyone wearing white, Grecian toga gowns?
• What exactly possessed Vanessa Williams- Medusa Hair, weird dress, AND fur? Her show is a success, she doesn’t need a PETA protest to get her name back in the tabloids.
• Was it just me, or was Julia Louis Dryfus a little frenetic on the Red Carpet? Drunk maybe?
• WTF, E! The channel just aired a commercial proclaiming Dreamgirls the winner of 3 Golden Globes! The awards haven’t even started on the West Coast. You stink.
• Penny Cruz- The hair’s a little big, but she looks pretty.
• Eva Longoria- nice, safe, but I’m not crazy about the Hey-Look-at-my-Tits detailing around the bodice.
• Kate Walsh- She rocks. Sooooooo classy.
• Ellen Pompeo- Hair and makeup is great, but I’m not a fan of the dress. In a way, it reminds me of the Celine Dion backwards-white-tux disaster. Plus, that girl could REALLY use a cheeseburger.
• JLo- Didn’t we do this same dress two years ago in green. And by the way, the audience doesn’t give a rats ass about your bet with Brad.
• Chandra Wilson- SO HOT! Funny, talented, and a long way from playing Gary Coleman on Broadway. She’s my favorite thing about TV right now.
• Ben and Jen- such a cute set. You got so lucky, dude. And I think you know it.
• Felicity- gorgeous as usual.
• Cate and Renee- safe but very good. Cate could use a hairbrush.
• I’m not sure what I think about being able to see everyone’s calves. . . I’ll get over that.
• Angie Jolie, you look gorgeous, babe, but do you have to be a total bitch on the Red Carpet. I’m not fond of Seacrest either, but DAMN.
• Reese- SMOKIN. If the best revenge is looking good and living well, Ryan might as well roll over and die right now.
• Beyonce- Down, Diva. You’re not that great. Humility is not a bad thing.
• Kate Winslet- Not her best effort, but she simply rocks so much that I don’t care.
• Jennifer Hudson- Great for her freshman effort, and so poised for someone who knows she’s a little out of her league. Beyonce- pay attention.
• I’m sorry, did Prince just win a Golden Globe? (He was in traffic, apparently waiting for his ugly orange suit.)
• Naomi Watts- Way to go. Different enough to stand out, but simple and elegant. LOVE IT.
• WTF is Trump doing there? Haven’t we seen enough of this ass lately?
• Hugh Laurie- Funniest acceptance speech E-V-A.
• Meryl- a little too flesh-toney for my taste, but always beautiful and appropriate.

My two faves of the night are America Fererra and Reese Witherspoon. Yowza. America's figure does wonders for a dress (again, yay for a figure), and Reese is just unbelievable.

I have to say, though, that the highlight of this year for me was the number of beautiful, accomplished women present, women that can really serve as role models for young women- America Fererra, Chandra Wilson, Shonda Rimes, Kate Walsh, Felicity Huffman (yes, I do have an affinity for ABC programs), Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, etc. Hurrah for real women on the Red Carpet!

P.S. Jack Bauer is back too. So far, not my favorite season. But I believe that they'll work it out. Jack needs his hoodie and man-bag back. They're the source of his power.