We may have agreed on a name!

Yes, you've read that correctly. I'm not going to post it, its been maybe an hour since we've "decided", so I need to sleep on it and come back to it tomorrow. I'll give a slight hint, his full name would be 7 syllables long. Although, I think this is it, I love it more every time I think about it and Brian feels he may have had the "ah ha" moment he's been expecting to have. *sigh*

So the 31 week post is a few days late, but we've been busy! We started the week by attending partner prenatal yoga. Bri was nice enough to appease me and come since he knows how much I've enjoyed taking yoga. Well, turns out he thought it was great and is now attending a 4 session Intro to Yoga class! The first half of last week was crappy, pun intended! Evita caught something, that we found out from other people seems to be afflicting other dogs in the city. It was not fun, and the poor poor girl just looked so sad. All I will say is we're ready for a kid - at least after 2 years they can tell you what's wrong and before that they wear diapers. The good news is that she was getting a little chunky and dropped some weight over the week.

I'm now going to the doctor every two weeks, and that went well. I think he still remains breech for now, but we have a few weeks before it becomes a slight issue. Saturday was a very long day! We had childbirth prep class from 9am - to a little after 4pm. Lots of info to digest but luckily the books we've read have addressed most of it. Then we showed our condo to prospective tenants - I'm happy to say we found a tenant and are extremely excited. It's a huge relief, and I feel like 100 lbs lifted off of my shoulders in a matter of moments. So we're officially going to be landlords. We're not making money but at least for now we'll still have our little slice of the city. We've also made some progress in terms of childcare. Our soon-to-be behind the house neighbor runs a daycare, and has a spot if we're interested. I still feel like we need to check out some more options to check pricing, but you almost cant beat tossing the kid over the fence and then going to work. I'm just kidding about tossing him over the fence, I was thinking we could cut a doggie door in the fence and have him crawl through. AND we've started to set up appointments with potential pediatricians. whew.

At 31 weeks he's approximately the weight of four navel oranges. Yeah, the comparisons are just odd now, huh? They don't really say much other than he's plumping out. I have read that we're still a few weeks away from his lungs being 100% mature, but everything else is just functioning fine.

This weeks post brought to you by...

...Dana! Thanks for the reminder to do a blog post. I forgot to post last Friday; most likely due to the fact I wound up at the doctors office and then later in the day at the other office for a non-stress test. Whoops! Baby Boy Birkett is doing well. Personally, I was never concerned and actually thought it was a bit of a waste going to the NST especially after we heard the heartbeat, but hey better safe than sorry. Turns out we just have a chill little peanut who doesn't really think it's necessary to move about too often, even if I drink a years worth of sugar to get him to move. The ultrasound revealed that he's doing everything he's supposed to, including practicing to breathe and the technician did agree that he is pretty chill (for now) and probably just likes to sleep. I'll admit it was super cute watching his little rib cage move up and down while he was practicing.

I'd like to blog about something very near and dear to my heart this week - Evita. The picture to the left has been purchased as a poster, matted and framed. When you come visit be on the lookout for it - I love it!

Blame the hormones or the people who keep telling me that she'll basically be as good as nothing once the kid comes, but I can't get enough of her lately. Most everything she does is just adorable to me and it's never been like that before. In the morning when she does downward dog just before she goes outside, the fact that she snuggles next to my belly, or hops on Bri's lap when he gets home - it's just too much. She's just so darn amazing. Now I've been lucky to have a slew of animals as pets during my lifetime - a cow (for real), multiple cats, dogs, hermit crabs and fish (my favorite were Ren & Stimpy) so I have enough experience to know she's just special and not in a handicapped way. She has more personality than I've ever seen in a canine and man is she loyal to Bri and I. I have no doubt she'll be great around the kid too. I am being realistic in the fact that we need to start "re-training" her a bit. She needs to start sleeping in her bed, not ours, and I shouldn't get in the house and drop everything for her right away. I think this will help minimize any hurt feelings if they abruptly have to all end at once. So, if you come visit us to see the kid, be sure to pay a little attention to Evita also!

So we're hitting the home stretch and I'm feeling good for all those inquiring minds. I really do have the urge to nest, just check the previous post. It's kinda driving me insane that I don't have a room to paint/decorate just yet and I fear by the time I do I'll just be too darn tired to do anything. Not that it is truly important I just have the urge/ambition to do it now.

We hit 30 weeks today but I'll do a little catch up from 29 weeks. Last week he was approx the weight of a butternut squash (2.5 lbs) and his lungs and brain continued to mature. Since I got to see it first hand last Friday, we know his lungs are maturing right on track. This week (30 weeks) he continues to pack on he weight and is now approx 3 lbs! I should be expecting him to gain about 1/2 lb each week. yikes! everything else is just continuing to develop and mature.

(29 weeks - weight of a butternut squash)

(30 weeks - weight equal to a head of cabbage)

I'm toast

It's the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLIII and I'm laid up on the couch - only spending the first half out. I think it's official, I've tried to do too much and am now paying for it. Lesson learned. Most of the time I forget I'm pregnant minus the mini beach ball in my gut. Bri is sitting in Tampa, FL enjoying the Super Bowl live and will be spending the rest of the week in FL on business. I am slightly bitter that nothing in Bri's life has to change - he can drink and galavante around the country with his boys all he wants. Oh, and please don't feel sorry for him when he tells you he passed on a work trip to Hawaii (3 weeks before I'm due) - he in all seriousness considered going. Nice, eh?

Anyhoo - I thought, wow perfect time for me to get the house cleaned the way I like it and run some extra errands. So I ran a lot of errands yesterday - groceries, waiting in line to get frames and matting cut, yoga, and an hour walk with Evita since it was so nice out. Since I didn't get started cleaning, I woke up early today and quickly made a chili in the crockpot. Then it was time to clean. I moved all of the living room furniture (I think this was the mistake), swept, dusted, mopped and vacuumed the floors. Then I removed the couch cushions, vacuumed the couch and chair, re-stuffed the couch cushions to make them "like new" and moved all the furniture back in place. Wouldn't you know, I've been in some pain for the rest of the day. The bummer? It's only the living room that I've completed, our place is small but I was really focused to have it cleaned right. I really want to give the same treatment to our bedroom, but don't want to move the dressers by myself. I'm frustrated to feel physically limited AND my house is not the way I want it!!

Other than today's (let's hope I feel much better tomorrow) little bump in the roadd everything is going well. I can't believe it's February - we have such a busy month coming up. On Friday we reached 28 weeks, less than 10 weeks until Baby Birkett is considered "Full Term" at 37 weeks. According to babycenter.com he is the weight of a Chinese Cabbage, approx 2 1/4 lb.

3rd Trimester

Holy cow I'm not sure how we ended up in the 3rd trimester already, but it's here as of today. I feel like he's going to be here before we know it. Still no name, but we're down to three and I think it will stay that way until he makes his appearance.

Last weekend Bri and I went on a short "babymoon" to Oahu. We had a great time and were fortunate to get some nice weather too. At first it seemed like we might get screwed - it was more tropical storm than tr0pical sun. Luckily it only lasted one day. We decided to stay up at he North Shore away from the Japanese tourist that frequent Waikiki. We spent some time down in Waikiki and had a great meal and catch up with Jen and Steve. While Oahu may not be our favorite of the islands we did take full advantage of everything it offered - even finding the set of LOST. Yes, thanks to Steve we were able to find the small portion of the North Shore that they have set up as the beach camp. No filming was taking place, but it was still cool in my book to check out the set. I'll post some of our favorite shots below and on our flickr.

In terms of the kid, he's doing well and growing. I had a doctor's appointment today and his heartbeat was strong and seems to be measuring right on track. I also had what I hope is my final glucose test (cross your fingers I pass and do not need a 3 hour test). The doctor did add a few new items to the to-do list. Who knew you should pre-register for the hospital so early AND research pediatricians. I'll admit those two items were not even remotely on my radar.

Since I didn't post last week, I think I'll play catch up just so you can see what our not so little piece of produce is in relation to. Last week at 26 weeks he was the length of an English cucumber (approx 14 inches) and lucky for him his testicles started to descend and should be complete by now. How funny would it be if he came out with a cry the pitch of Mike Tyson's voice? I guess we would know right away if there was a problem in that department. :-) This week he is almost 2 pounds, like a head of cauliflower, and is sleeping and waking at regular intervals - hmmm, hopefully sleeping at an 8 hour interval from say 11pm -7am, a girl can wish right!! the weekly emails also states that I may experience a leg muscle cramp more frequently. Funny story about those - I've had a few throughout the pregnancy and yes they hurt like HELL especially in the middle of the night. However, I thought I was being maimed the other night while in Hawaii. It happened twice in a row on the same leg. I thought the muscle was being ripped off the bone. Yes, I screamed and possibly cursed. I then proceeded to have a limp for the next day because the leg was so sore in the spot it occur ed. I hope that was the worst of it, I've been chugging water like no other since then.

Belly Pic

Because I'm such a wiseass to my mom and she puts up with it, I thought I would play nice and post a pic. So here's a pic of me after yoga this morning. The glare coming in from our window was bad, so it's not the best shot. 25 weeeks...

You can compare that to the 18 week shot from Nashville:Mom, if you call me and say your got choked up or whatever I will never do this again. :-) You know I'm serious...

Checking things off the to do list

It's been a fairly productive week, personally and professionally. I think it has something to do with it being the new year and thoughts of a fresh start. I have started to take prenatal yoga. My back has been killing me in just one small section and no amount of stretching on my own seems to be helping out. I tell you, it must be some scene to watch me in this class. For those reading that do not know, let me give you an analogy - Dawn:Flexible :: Fish:Sky - that's right there is no comparison. I pity the fools who have to watch me. I like it though and it seems to help a bit. So that workout once a week plus my 2/3x a week at the gym have been keeping me in shape. I jsut wish you could tell - no no I like the mini belly. It's the 3 chins I could do without!

Another thing we can check off of our list is registering for all the classes that are recommended. We're signed up and confirmed for a full day (oy vey!) of childbirth prep and some other classes. It was nice to get it out of the way and just not have to worry about dates. We've decided to take all of the classes at our hospital, CPMC.

Still on our list? Child care. This is the biggest pain in the @ss ever! We were sent a huge list generated by the County of San Mateo and since I'm not familiar with San Mateo I have no clue where most are located and it just looks intimidating in general. Not to mention I still want to burst out in tears at the mere thought of the cost. It's a racket and will be driving us to the poor house for sure.

I don't think I've mentioned it on the blog, but we're going to be moving out of the city to San Mateo. We expect to be moved in no later than April 1. Suburbs here we come. *sniff sniff* I like the idea of more space and a yard, believe me! We're busting out of our little 1 bedroom as it is; can you imagine if we added a kid to the mix? I just love our place so much and the City for that matter. We're not totally giving up on our place, we're going to capitalize (hopefully!) on the fact that the rental market in SF is strong right now. I'm sure it will be fine. Watch in a few years I won't be able to even imagine living anywhere other than the 'burbs...strip malls, chain restaurants...whooo hooo.

Today we've reached the 25th week. Wow, it's really starting to fly by now and there's so much left to do! According to babycenter.com he's about 1 1/2 lbs right now about the same as a rutabaga. Um, i have no clue what you use a rutabaga for! So my hair is supposed to be full and lustrous at this point - little did they know my hair has always been full and lustrous. Not to brag, but it is a good feature of mine. :-) Baby Boy birkett on the other hand is putting some fat on his little body.

No update next week - as I'll be sitting on the warm beaches of the North Shore in Oahu! Woot. I'm ready to soak up the rays, float in the water and just not do anything! Later suckas.

Happy New Year!

It's 2009! I can't say Bri and I rang in the new year in style - unless of course you count being sound asleep by midnight. It doesn't really pain me too much though - I love sleep; I wish I could put a ring on sleep and marry it. We were so busy from Christmas Eve through the 28th that I was thankful we didn't have to leave our house if we didn't want to. We'd like to thank everyone for their generosity. Baby Boy Birkett is spoiled already! We received so many wonderful gifts. He is one lucky boy, he has enough sports gear to get him through baseball and football season already. It's all so adorable too! Too bad the Niners gear won't be seen on him until the Giants bye-week :-).

My mom has requested to see a picture of me. Weird, I know. It's not like she didn't get to see me enough in the 17 years I lived with her. But I'm a sucker for my mom, so mom, this picture's for you. Hope it's what you were looking for. (I'm in the top right hand corner) hee hee... I'm looking good! However, not as good as Bri and his "serious" face.

This week marks the 24th week of our pregnancy, and according to babycenter.com he's the length of an ear of corn and is really developing his taste buds. Good thing I had a package of Taylor Ham in my freezer, I hope one of his first tastes was the deliciousness that is the New Jersey processed pork meat. Cindy, if you're reading this, I need a FedEx shipment STAT!! I have none left. We ate it as our first meal of the new year. Of course if you live in NJ, your name isn't Cindy and want to send me some, I will not turn my back on it. OK, ok I digress, but Taylor Ham was worth the diversion. Back to Baby Boy Birkett...I've been feeling him move a lot more. I think we're at a point where Bri should be able to feel him, but getting him to move on command isn't really happening. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens at some point this week. That being said, I must look somewhat pregnant because I've been finally offered a coveted seat on the always crowded Muni trains during morning rush hour -not once, but twice. Alas, it's only the old ladies that have offered so I couldn't take their seats, but still a nice thought. It's funny how the younger men and women are all "asleep". Oh and I've dreaded this, but more than one person has reached out and tried to touch my gut. Really!?! I know, I know apparently I deserve this because I went and got pregnant. But if you're reading this, DO NOT attempt. Especially without asking. I'm going to start reaching out and rubbing other people's fat- hey at least I have an excuse. What's theirs? I must come off evil - but it's more that I'm a private person. I am loving being pregnant - just not loving the assumption that because it is getting more and more visible I have to share so many intimate moments I would not normally share with others outside my close circle. I hope that helps clarify, as I'm not trying to be mean.