2000-2009: The Decade in Pictures

2000: Senior year of highschool, homecoming dance
2001: High School graduation
2002: Chicago trip with roommate
2003: Got my first chinchilla (the Fipster)
2004: San Diego Trip with Tom
2005: College Graduation
2006: Wedding
2007: Yellowstone Trip
2008: Camp Pin Oak Reunion
2009: Pregnancy

It's beginning to look a lot like baby...

Chili trying out the new travel system while daddy watches closely

We have a crib in my office, a dresser in the dining room, the travel system in the entry hallway, and a pack and play full of the baby clothes and gear we've accumulated thus far in our master bedroom. The baby stuff is taking over the house! The baby bedroom is empty and ready for work to start. The walls need to be sanded and spackled (thanks to the previous owners horrible job of spackling in the past), and then painted and new carpet installed. In future weekly blog posts, I'll try to include pictures of the progress on the room.

Happy Holidays

Hope everyone had a great holiday! As we were taking the pictures for this year's card (and yes, the santa hats are on the chinchillas heads, no photoshopping here!) we were talking about how next year we'll have baby girl pictured on the card too (don't think the chins are going to be pushed aside).

25 Weeks

This week we really started cleaning out the baby's room and picked out a paint color which matches the decor we picked out nicely. It's the green swatch with the paper clip on it in the photo below.

We also picked out her crib and dresser at Treasure Rooms. The crib is a convertible crib which means that it is a crib, and then can be converted to a toddler bed and a full sized bed so she'll have the same bed growing up. Here is a link to a convertible crib picture - this isn't our crib but it gives you an idea of how a convertible crib works.

Paint swatch pictured with wall decals and switch plate

Crib (store display, this isn't the bedding we will use)

Dresser - the top has a removable changing pad, so it doubles as a changing table and once she's done with that part, it looks just like a regular dresser and matches the bed

24 weeks

Fipsy the chinchilla is the same size as baby girl is right now!

Yesterday was my 24 week checkup at the doctor - I am finally back to the weight I was before I got pregnant and then lost all the weight due to the morning sickness. Everything was fine at the doctor and we go back in 4 more weeks.

23 weeks

At 23 weeks, baby girl is quite active, especially when mommy plays New Super Mario Bros. Wii (or even just watches daddy play). This week marks the beginning of the 6th month of pregnancy, just 4 more months until she makes her big debut!

We've pretty much finalized our baby registries (Target and Babies R Us). For those that are asking, the theme of her room is butterflies and flowers, and going to have light green walls, pink bedding and chocolate brown furniture.

As for her name, we do have a name picked out, but you'll have to wait until she's born to find out what it is! This way, when we call (or text or email) you to let you know she's here, you'll have some element of surprise - since you already know she's a girl!

Week 22 - Happy Thanksgiving

Proud Daddy feeling baby move

Daddy got an awesome Thanksgiving gift yesterday from baby girl - he got to feel her kicking for the first time! Grandma and Grandpa Kyle also got to feel her kicks yesterday afternoon.

I also registered for our childbirth class and the infant care class that the hospital offers this week, and we've almost finished the baby registries. The decor for her room is all planned and picked out but I have no motivation to start cleaning out all the junk that has accumulated over the years in that bedroom which will have to happen before we can start painting and decorating!

Bring on the Pink!

It's a GIRL!

In addition to the sex of the baby, the technician checked out many baby's organs and everything is growing just as expected. Apparently all babies grow at about the same rate until 29 weeks when family traits start to kick in, making the baby bigger or smaller than it's peers.

19 Weeks - back on the Zofran

We're almost to 20 weeks (2 days until this pregnancy is half done!) but there were a couple things from week 19 that I really wanted to update before tomorrow's *hopefully* big announcement (if this baby even has it's legs crossed...).

About a week and a half ago I felt the baby for the first time (that I *knew* was the baby) while we were watching Daddy try on a new suit for my cousin's wedding this past weekend. I think I'd felt the baby before that but wasn't sure and without really knowing I couldn't count it. Anyway, ever since then the baby seems to be moving a little more each day.

I'd been avoiding starting to take the Zofran again (anti-nausea drug), but after throwing up 4 times this week, Tom insisted that I start to take it again...can't blame him I guess...the first was in the car Sunday afternoon on the way back from my cousin's wedding in Chicago - mostly my fault though, I waited too long to stop for lunch, holding out for a Hardees. At least we had the "puke bucket" in the car with us. Then on Monday baby did not care for my snack of popcorn and orange soda and I proceeded to throw up 3 times within just a couple hours - including on the side of the road "I think you're going to have to pull over honey" (we were in his car) and at Chipotle. Still I'd much rather have this random throwing up at this stage in the game than the constant nausea and throwing up and being confined to the house/bed that was weeks 6-16.

Boy or Girl - a look at 12 wives tales

Just a few more days until we find out the answer to the question everyone's been asking - is baby a boy or a girl? I thought it might be fun to guess based on the wives tales...

1. Chinese Gender Chart - said to be over 90% accurate: boy
   
   
2. Where are you carrying extra weight - in front like a basketball (boy) or all around like a watermelon (girl)? girl
   
   
3. Are you carrying the baby high (girl) or low (boy)? neither - I seem to be in the middle
   
   
4. Do you refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread (girl), or prefer the heel (boy)? girl
   
   
5. Morning Sickness early in pregnancy - yes (girl) or no (boy)? girl
   
   
6. Mayan Legend: Age at conception plus the number of the month of conception - odd (girl) or even (boy)? 26+7=33 is odd which equals girl
   
   
7. Have you been craving sweets (girl) or salty or sour food (boy)? girl (don't ask Tom about the 4 lb bag of skittles...)
   
   
8. Have you been craving meats and cheese (boy) or fruit (girl)? girl (to be fair, I've had a lot of cheese too...)
   
   
9. If someone asks you to show them your hands, you show them palm up (girl) or palm down (boy)? girl
   
   
10. How do you pick up a mug - handle (boy) or body of the mug (girl)? boy
    
    
11. Tie your wedding ring to a string. Hang it over your belly and see if it swings in a circle (boy) or if it goes back and forth (girl). both (it went back and forth first and then started going in a circle...)
    
    
12. The husband's family history - in each of the last few generations, only one girl has been born. As of right now, there are no girls in his family in our generation. So I am calling this wives tale a girl (but Tom thinks this one should be marked boy since more boys are born.)

And the verdict is...based on the wives tales...girl

But we have to wait for Thursday to find out for sure! Feel free to add any more wives tales to the comments section - I know there are lots more out there that I didn't weigh in on above.

New Pics

Baby Belly - 18 weeks


Halloween Costume

17-18 weeks

Sorry I didn't update last week...not much going on to report. I went two weeks without throwing up, but this week baby decided I needed a reminder that s/he is still there and I threw up 3 times.

Two weeks until the big ultrasound - I can't wait. We'll be starting our baby registry once we find out if it's a boy or a girl, so I've been looking at baby gear and trying to pick out what we think we'll need...travel system or just a stroller? Do you really get much use out of a bouncer before the baby grows out of it?

So mom's...what do/did you use a lot and what just took up space?

16 Weeks - My Little Gerbil

I'm a few days late posting the 16 week update. The week started off with an email from fitpregnancy.com, telling me that my baby is now the size of a gerbil. The funny thing about it is that I am much more familiar with the size of a gerbil than the size of an avocado, which is the size comparison that babycenter.com uses.

I had a doctor appointment on Friday, he said the baby's heartbeat sounded good. I had lost another 2 lbs though (for a total of 15 since the 6 weeks mark) and he said if I haven't gained weight by the next appointment he's going to make me start drinking ensure shakes to add calories to my diet.

The other big news is that while I threw up 6 times at the beginning of week 16, I have now gone 7 days without throwing up at all. This is the most consecutive days since the morning sickness started at the beginning of August.

At the next appointment we get the 20 week ultrasound which we'll have a chance to find out if it's a boy or a girl!

15 Weeks

Also known as "a record 4 consecutive days of non-puking" week. Started the week off though by throwing up 4 times from various smells - a potato cooking in the microwave and car exhaust for example... It's been nice actually feeling well enough to get out of bed and actually do something!

I guess the only other milestone this week is that since I am no longer dehydrated, I've immediately entered the stage of "having to pee every 30 seconds."

14 Weeks

Much better this week, I only threw up 3 times...and once was in between eating Doritos on the couch and getting up to get a soda from the fridge. I immediately went back to my snack afterward too with no adverse effects.

Not much else this week to report, just trying to work and keep the house clean (you know those normal things that I didn't used to think about). We had to rush Chili to the emergency vet Wednesday night after she passed out in her cage, to which my sister said to my husband "Boy between the wife and the Chinchillas there have been a lot of emergency room visits lately!" They didn't find anything obviously wrong with Chili and she's been ok since...here's to hoping it was a one time thing!

FAQs: The First Trimester

Baby bump at 13 weeks (to quote Tom, "you're going to be huge")

1. Are you sure you aren't having twins, since you've been so sick? Yes, I'm sure, I've had 4 different ultrasounds now, and NONE show any sign of a second baby.
   
   
2. Have you tried ________ to combat the morning sickness? Yes, I can almost guarantee that whatever it is that worked for you, I've tried it!
   
   
3. What cravings have you had? Kind of hard to have cravings when you are throwing up most things that you eat...we'll see what the second trimester brings. Tom is hoping for white castle and sauerkraut cravings...I told him not to hold his breath!
   
   
4. How do the chinchillas feel about the baby? Well, Roo was not too pleased when she heard the news, she stopped in mid-air while reaching for a treat and stared at me when she heard the word "baby". Chili really enjoys bouncing off my belly, and now that Fipsy is back to eating on his own, he's attached at the hip to me whenever he sees me and demands to be held. When he's out playing he spends most of the time sitting next to me and watching over me. Schmoopy has no idea that she's going to lose her bedroom here in a few months...
   

13 Weeks - Eat, Puke, Repeat

The "feeling good" that I alluded to last week was short lived...this week I've felt horrible nearly every waking moment, and threw up 13 times in the last week, including at the former Crestwood Macy's last night (made it to the bathroom, don't worry, however I don't think the bathroom had been cleaned since they closed the store...). In addition to the nausea and vomiting, this week I've also had a headache nearly every day.

12 weeks

Yay, we made it to 12 weeks so I have now posted all the previous blog entries that I wrote up while we were waiting for this point.

At our doctor appointment today, the doctor used the fetal doppler to listen to the baby's heart beat, but Tom and I couldn't distinguish my heart beat from the baby's from the background noise so we got another ultrasound so we could see the heart beat again. This time we also saw some little arms and legs and fingers and the baby was bouncing around too. And of course the baby's heart beat blinking away. Watching the baby on screen is SO much better than just looking at the ultrasound pictures. I told the doctor today that I could sit and watch all day long. That got me about 10 extra seconds of baby watching time - lol.

This week I've had 2 days without puking, and even ate some pizza and bread co without it coming back up, so we are really, really hoping that this means that the sick phase is almost over

Another trip to the ER...

Just shy of 2 weeks since the last visit to the ER, we ended up visiting once again. This trip was much less exciting than the last...no new pics to share either. Basically I hadn't kept down anything since dinner the night before (water, crackers, etc), and threw up 3 times by about 11:45 am. Tom insisted we go back to the ER, which was much busier during the day (but I still got in right away, apparently they don't like to leave pregnant women out in the waiting room with all the other sickies!).

They gave me 2 bags of fluids thru IV, and then after I kept ice, then water, then crackers down they let me go home. Total time spent in the ER – about 5 hrs. This time though, Tom packed up our laptops before we left the house so at least we had something to entertain ourselves - and the nurses got quite a laugh at the two of us sitting with our laptops in the ER. And besides, the ER offers free wifi, so why not?

This "morning sickness" thing is really getting old...going on 4 weeks now of non-stop upset stomach, nausea and daily throwing up. I'm really not sure what I'd do if I had to go into an office job everyday...

A trip to the ER

Warning: if you are not interested in the gory details, just enjoy the picture of the baby above and skip the rest of this post! 

After a lovely day spent with Tom's family, after sharing our news with his grandma, aunts and uncles, I came home exhausted and went right to bed. Around 11:30 pm I woke up having to throw up (the first time all day). Then 4 more times by 3:00 am. Tom called the doctor exchange and talked to one of the other doctors in the same practice as mine, who said to go to the ER.

The hospital is ~15 mins from the house, so I grabbed the bathroom trash can in case I needed it again before we made it to the hospital. We made it to the hospital without incident, and luckily right at the ER admission window they had a pile of small puke basins, as the next puke came before I even got checked into the ER (if you're counting, this is puke #6 in the last 4 hours). Most interesting was the color change of the vomit as my stomach got emptier...orange, yellow...

After answering a million questions for the admitting nurse while I'm puking my internal organs (or at least it felt like it) into a basin, they started IV fluids. They kept asking if my stomach hurt and I said yes (after all I've heaved 7-8 times each time I've puked and I think we were up to 7 times in 5 hours now) so they insisted on doing an ultrasound to check the baby (which I really didn't mind b/c it meant we got to see the baby again).

So after about 4 hrs in the ER and 3 bags of fluids (plus a couple different meds to make me stop throwing up), they were ready to let us go home...until I got up to use the bathroom and threw up again (#8 - by this point the puke was green...).

Needless to say, I didn't get to go home, instead I was admitted to the hospital until I could keep liquid/food down. I had a nice private room on the maternity floor and spent the rest of the day getting more fluids (a total of 5.5 bags) and trying to sleep in the extremely uncomfortable hospital bed. Finally by around 3 pm, since I hadn't thrown up anymore, I got to have some water, then crackers and at dinner time they brought a default dinner tray by which consisted of beef stew, carrots and a dinner roll. I ate enough to satisfy the nurses and doctors and finally got discharged from the hospital around 9 pm, for a total of 18 hrs in the ER and hospital.

8 weeks

We saw the heart beat on the ultrasound today at the doctor - it's much more exciting to see the baby on screen than just the printed out pictures. The small circle above the baby is the yolk sac. I've had a constant upset stomach and thrown up nearly every day since the last appointment.

Next appointment in 4 weeks.

6 weeks

There's not much to see yet, but confirmation that there is really a baby in there. Up to this point I've just been tired, and even spent this whole week volunteering at a summer camp for at-risk kids. The top little white spot is the baby and the bottom spot is the yolk sac.

Next appointment in 2 weeks!

It's positive!

Rather than write a separate blog about the baby, I figured I'd just write up a few entries and then post them all when we're ready to share the news. So for the next few entries, refer to the date in the entry, rather than the date it was posted!

It's been exactly 30 days since my last period, so not being able to wait another day to see if it showed up, I took a pregnancy test, but left it on the bathroom sink before it registered the result and sent Tom in to give me the news (too many "not pregnant" results in previous months that I wanted him to look at it first...).

Tom looked at the result and said "Oh my gosh....you're pregnant!"

Tom had already taken the day off, just to relax after not having a vacation all summer long, so we each called a friend to share the news and then spent the afternoon together at the zoo.

Vic the Horse Mascot for Victory Junction

Victory Junction Gang Camp added another stuffed animal to their sewing program, Vic the Horse, so of course I had to attempt it. It went a lot better than the teddy bears that I made for Victory Junction a couple years ago - and it's cuter too! Each camper at the Victory Junction Gang Camp receives a hand-made camp teddy bear or a Vic the Horse mascot to take home. Find out more about the sewing program on their website.

Roo's debut into show biz

Roo's adorable picture (above) is now featured on amazon.com and gianthamster.com reading the recently released book, Celeste and the Giant Hamster. The book features a Capybara, the world's largest rodent.

From amazon.com:
Celeste the Cat is tormented by her human’s insistence on keeping a dwarf hamster, appallingly named Celestina, as a pet. Enlisting the aid of two friends, the brave but intellectually challenged Tiger and overly-enthusiastic Ruby, she sets out to trap a giant hamster that is loose and living in a nearby field. She plans on placing the giant hamster in front of Celestina’s cage to show her owner what she thinks of pet rodents. The giant hamster--actually a capybara--proves to be a larger, stronger and more intelligent adversary than the cats expect, resulting in a series of humorous mishaps that leave the trio battered but not dispirited. Slowly the cats come to realize that the capybara is not the frightening monster they imagined. When the capybara has a litter of eight precocious capy-kittens, Celeste, Ruby and Tiger find themselves doing things they never imagined, like going for a swim and protecting baby rodents from a tough gang of tom cats.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from the chinchillas!
Click here to see the rest of the pictures.

stltoday.com

The St. Louis newspaper website has launched a new logo. I was never a fan of the old one, so this new one is an improvement in my mind. I would have used a different font though - similar but with less definition in the bottom of the "d" and "a" and the top of the "y". Also, the arch cut into the "tl" is awfully thin and would all but disappear if the logo were to be any smaller.

Did you notice it?

New logo alert - I noticed on a Jack in the Box commercial last night that it ended with a new logo. Of course I said to myself, is that a new logo or just something special for the commercial?

Low and behold, the fast food chain has reinvented itself and has plans to revamp the restaurant atmosphere as well. I have to say that I like this new logo!

The beginning of Lent 2009

Today is an absolutely gorgeous day for February the 25th. The thermometer reads 55 degrees, and it's only 10:30 am. I've got the windows open and the birds are singing. The smell of the fresh air is so refreshing, and reminds me that we are getting close to spring even though it doesn't seem like it (the 10 day forecast is predicting highs in the 30s all weekend).

We're giving up soda and eating out for Lent. I think the soda will prove harder to start, with the eating out kicking in closer to Easter. I am actually looking forward to it in a strange sort of way. I need to eat healthier and learn some new recipes to expand our dinner options. I also hope we can get into the habit of eating breakfast together before Tom goes to work, as it's the most important meal of the day even though we rarely actually fit it in.

March of the Penguins

We stopped by the zoo this afternoon on our way to Andy's birthday party - it was the last week for the Sunday "March of the Penguins" where they let the penguins out of their habitat and outside into the cold winter sun. Overall it was really neat, but the organization of the whole event was horrible....they should have had one long line and rotated people through but instead they blocked off the line at one point, then opened it back up later. Madhouse!

This guy was literally right in front of me.

this one kept running back and forth in front of everyone

looking down the way at all the penguins

Happy Birthday Andy!

It starts with 4 separate cakes...


Cut and assembled...


iced to become one cake...

and decorated to be a monkey-pirate

Happy Birthday Andy!

Tom's Birthday

I just wanted to share a pic of the cupcakes I made for Tom's birthday. We went to the newly opened International Tap House in Chesterfield, MO. It's a neat little place, and they even had a beer that I liked!