Baby Pavel

That's what Josh and I keep saying about Karis' latest trick. She's started to mimic faces that we make. On occassion, we've gotten her to make a kissing face, and she very frequently smiles at us. But the the funniest one is the silliest one, and I don't know how to describe it.

Okay, everyone, put your lips together loosely, poke them out a bit, and blow air through them making them flap together. Yeah, that...whatever that is, that's the face we've been making at her recently. And yes, it looks as ridiculous as it sounds. But Karis is always very amused by it. And this week, she did it back at us!

It was so cute that Josh and I just couldn't stop laughing. She didn't get the noise quite right, and she mainly just ended up blowing a bunch of bubbles, but it was absolutely hysterical. I wish we could get a video of it to post, but every time we pull out the camera, she gets stage fright. Maybe soon, 'cause you've just got to see it to understand.

Posted by Leah at 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

and I have a feeling it will be that way for a very, very long time. So this post will be short. But I just had to take a minute to say that I am the most blessed mother ever. Whoa, I'm a mom...it's still sinking in. Josh and I have a perfect and amazing little girl and I am loving learning to be a mother. It's extremely hard, tiring, frustrating at times, but it's all worth it.

I want also to say thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, sent flowers, offered food, and posted your congratulatory comments on here. We all feel so loved and cared for. And though we are having a hard time finding the time to get back with each of you individually, we want you to know how much we appreciate the thoughts and prayers of our family and friends. We love you all!

Posted by Leah at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow, two posts from me in a week's time: that's a record. I think it's because I am at the point of looking for ANYTHING that will, even if for only a brief time, take my mind off how ridiculously uncomfortable I am.

We went for our weekly checkup today and got a less than desirable report. He said I am about 1 to 2 centimeters dilated and about fifty percent effaced. I thought for sure that all the pushing, kicking, stretching, and turning that Karis has been doing would have produced a little more progress than that! I guess the doctor did too because when he walked in the exam room, he seemed a bit surprised to see me sitting there still pregnant. I think throughout the exam he must have said at least three times, "yeah, she is really low." And when he felt my abdomen he asked, "is it that tight ALL the time?" Yup. Sure is.

But what seemed to surprise him the most is that I haven't felt even the first contraction. To which he replied, "Well, at some point you have to have contractions if you're going to have a baby." Yeah, that was our understanding, too. He really seems to think that it won't be more than a week, though. Thank Goodness! Oh, yeah, and the last lovely piece of news we got: he no longer predicts that she'll be somewhere between 7.5 to 8lbs, but more in the range of 8 to 10 lbs! Oh boy.

Posted by Leah at 9:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I just thought of one more reason why I am very ready to have this baby. I am very tired of going out in public and listening to people talk about how large I am, when they think I can't hear them. And they are usually less than discreet about their gawking when I walk by. People, give me a break! I am practically carrying around the equivalent of a 10 lb bowling ball in my stomach! Of course the really irritating ones are younger girls who have never been pregnant, so I just have to take it with a grain of salt and secretly wish triplets upon them.

The latest incident occured today after our doctor's appointment. We went to eat dinner at Panera and the espresso/pastry girl behind the counter could not stop staring at me as I walked past her to the sandwich counter. Then as we were getting our drinks (not very close by, either) Josh heard her making comments to the effect of, "can you imagine having your stomach stretched out that far in front of you..." and so on and so on. Then as we sat and ate, I heard her continue the conversation with her friends behind the counter addressing issues such as saggyness and other disproportionate body parts. I was finally able to catch her eye and shoot her a look that I think got the point across that I could hear her. I didn't hear any more after that.

So, for the very limited amout of time I have left in this pregnancy, I am looking for that perfect, witty quip to use next time I catch someone trying to estimate my girth in feet. "What, never seen a pregnant person before?" just doesn't quite convey the right sentiment. Suggestions are welcome...

Posted by Leah at 8:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I am pretty much ready to blow. I don't know how I can fit another ounce in here! And I have finally hit that stage where I am pretty uncomfortable. Every little move that Karis makes hits something sensitive that hurts. But what I really wasn't expecting was the email I just got from one of the couples in our birth class. Their due date was exactly a week later than us, and the husband just sent me an email saying their baby was born two days ago! Wow, that really drives it home just how close we are. But that's what's not fair in all this: no warning for when she's coming, and absoluely no seniority! I've been pregnant longer! Not to mention that she didn't look a day over 6 months! But seriously, I am so happy and excited for them and it all just increases my anticipation for our little girl. Soon, oh please, soon....

Posted by Leah at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Right before we left, Josh's sister, mom and my mom all collaborated to do a shower in GA for us. Jeanine took the lead on this one and did a FABULOUS job. I had sooooo much fun!! The games were hysterical, the food was excellent, and the generosity of our family and friends was overwhelming. Josh and I can't stop talking about how grateful we are for all these amazing people in our lives, and that our daughter is getting the blessing of you all, even before she meets anyone.

We had exactly one day to get back from GA, unpack, repack and get on planes to Paris, so I haven't gotten to the thank you's yet...but they're in progress. I can't wait to get back home and put everything together. We did have to go ahead and get the crib set in the crib (at about 1am the next morning) to see it before we left. And I still love it:)

Posted by Leah at 5:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

We are so bad about posting regularly. I still can't get in the habit of doing this. I was never any good at keeping a written journal either.

So it's been a while since we've posted, and we have things to update you on. Let's see...first, we registered! First at Babies R Us, then at Target. Boy was that an overwhelming experience! I had no idea how many things you apparently "need" for a baby, nor how many different types of each thing there are. It took us an hour and a half just to decide on the type of stroller/car seat combo we wanted. Because, oh yes, you have to pick them out at the same time because they snap in and out of each other with all sorts of fancy attachments. And then, after we finally finished, we started talking to people who let us know that some of the things we registered for weren't the best options (not exactly how they said it, but I'm paraphrasing). Grrrrr.

Okay, next big update: we've started working on the nursery. Yay! After picking out the crib bedding we want, we decided to go with a garden theme. Something pretty and girly, but something that won't permanently plaster the entire room in bubble gum and/or cotton candy pink. So far, the walls are painted, the light is changed out, and a few small touches like a light switch cover, butterfly mobile and night light are in. We are also planning to put a trellis with ivy and flowers on the wall, but getting that to cooperate is a bit more difficult than first anticipated. Apparently, we're not quite ready yet for Trading Spaces.

And last, but definitely not least: I am feeling her move around quite a bit now. Its still pretty faint, but it's definitely there. Josh isn't yet able to feel her from the outside, but hopefully it won't be long. What a strange and amazing feeling it is. But I love knowing that it's my little girl I'm feeling and she's happy and doing well. And one point that I love: she seems to be particularly active when there is worship music being played.

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart..." Jeremiah 1:5

Posted by Leah at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, before anyone goes and gets all up in arms thinking that I told you the wrong ultrasound dates or didn't tell someone about a potential "kick", I feel I should elaborate on these new developments.

As for the alleged "kick"... that night, I wasn't sleeping very well. At around 4am I stretched toward Josh to pull the covers my way, and when I relaxed, my stomach felt like it did sort of a flip. Kind of like when you're on a roller coaster or hit a big bump in the car and lose your stomach. It felt nothing like the "butterflies" that everyone keeps saying it does when you first feel your baby. Immediately after I felt that sensation, I started watching and feeling my stomach for other things. But the only thing I noticed was that my stomach was definitely, and all of a sudden, more pronounced. I'm convinced that what I felt that night was not baby moving around so much as it was my stomach finally popping out! The next morning was the first time that I could no longer fit into any of my regular clothes, and had to officially break out the maternity stuff out of necessity. To tell you the truth, I'm actually quite surprised that Josh even remembered I said anything. Waking him at 4am is not very effective, and he was back out cold in a matter of seconds.

And as for the ultrasound appointment to find out whether we're having a boy or a girl, we got the dates wrong and didn't realize it until last night. This whole time we've been thinking it was next week on the 8th. I just happened to walk by the wall calendar last night and notice that it's actually a week sooner than we'd thought. Next week's appointment is the next regular OB visit. So to all of you that I've been telling the wrong date: sorry about that, we were surprised, too.

But the good news is, check back tomorrow and hopefully we'll have a big announcement, some new photos... and a direction to go in our decorating!

P.S. Jeff and Reona: I love your enthusiasm, but for Josh to get a belly shot is probably going to take catching me totally off guard, so don't get your hopes up too much ;)

Posted by Leah at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We had our third OB visit yesterday (15 weeks), and we were really, really, really hoping that he could tell us if we are going to have a boy or a girl. But unfortunatley, that's still TBA. We do have another appointment set up for three weeks from now specifically to find out the gender, though. And I absolutely can't wait! There are so many things I'm holding off on doing until I know. And Josh and I aren't even going to attempt to pick names until we have some direction to head. So, as soon as we hear something, we will let you all know.

Until then, we do have two new ultrasound photos over on the right for you to check out. One is a nice profile with the baby's hand up to his or her mouth, and the other is a neat shot where you can see how much the spine and other bones have formed. *Sigh* What an amazing thing this is...God, you are so, so good.

Posted by Leah at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So I'm learning that pregnancy makes a body do some strange and unusual things. One of the more predictable ones is how ridiculously tired I am. As a matter of fact, I am forcing myself to postpone a nap for a few minutes while I write this post. Which, by the way, I know I'm not doing very much of...this whole blogging thing is a bit new to me, but I'm working on it.

But one not-so-expected side effect of pregnancy for me seems to be some strange dreams. I've forgotten most of them, but the one last night was just too weird. In the dream I was visibly pregnant and having to run from an enormous alligator who had broken free from its pen in the local mall!?! I really don't understand all the psychoanalysis of the dream (nor am I into all that), but, Luke, I can now empathize!

Posted by Leah at 2:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So we're right at about three months pregnant now (yay), and I keep looking for some tangible sign that there really is a baby in there (except, of course, for that incessant nausea), but I'm starting to think I'm imagining things. For the past two days or so, I think I can feel a sort of "knot" really low in my abdomen. But I don't know if I really feel something that wasn't there before, or if I'm just imagining it because that's the first thing my mom said she felt and that it was around 3 months.

So I decided to get Josh in on the belly poking to see what he said. He did NOT like the idea of poking around where Baby Pavel might be hanging out. I got in trouble and told to "stop it". But even he couldn't resist trying to get the first (maybe) feel of our new little one. And the verdict: inconclusive. But it's gotta be soon, right? We'll keep you informed.

Posted by Leah at 6:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Pregnancy seems to bring out all sorts of strange stupid human tricks that I never knew I had. For instance, I now have this ridiculously powerful double sneeze that I'm pretty sure could solve our energy problems if it could be harnessed. It's two sneezes, one on top of the other, without any breath or even slight pause in between. And unlike a regular sneeze, this one cannot be stifled. I'm afraid of what would happen if I tried. I had never in my life sneezed like that before I became pregnant, but now it won't go away.

And then there are the smells. Josh always said I was a super-sniffer before, but now it's just overwhelming. I can't help but smell any and everything that's been cooked in the house in the last 24 hours, the one small lemon in the fridge that just got a brown spot, the dog in the next room that just stirred, and you can forget going in any store with any hint of fragrance. Bath and Body Works almost sends me into a coma.

And potentially the most useful of all these new super-traits is the uncanny ability to detect the precise last bite of food that, if eaten, will make me sick for the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, I have not yet refined this ability to the point of detecting that bite of food before putting it in my mouth. Hopefully I'll get there soon....

Posted by Leah at 3:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I'm starting to get a little anxious about how little we have done to prepare for little Baby Pavel. I had the revelation today that we had longer to plan for our 20 minute wedding than we have to prepare for a new life that will be completely dependent upon us. But so much of what I want to do requires knowing whether we're having a boy or a girl.

So I figured that the least I could do today would be to pick up some paint chips from Lowe's and start narrowing down the colors that we like. Easier said than done.

I noticed the man at the paint counter kept watching me, and I feel fairly certain that if I had stayed much longer, he may have moved to escort me out. Not to mention that the poor guy probably had to restock the cards after I left.
Josh was a bit overwhelmed when I got home as well. He just laughed that type of laugh that seems to ask, "you're going to narrow those down for me, right?" Of course, dear, of course.

So now I'm off to deliberate over the minute differences between glacier ice and shoreline mist, whipped plum and romantic smoke.

Posted by Leah at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So we are two VERY excited parents-to-be that really just want to tell everyone about baby Pavel's existence. But we're resisting it...at least until our next OB appointment, which, by the way, is in only two days (yay). But last Sunday at church, we almost let the cat out of the bag in a major kind of way.

For those of you who haven't been to our church, it's a small one, and everybody knows and is friends with everyone else. So big announcements like engagements, promotions, babies, and any other neat thing we can share are typically announced to the entire congregation. At the beginning of the service, one of the elders, Rick, who was doing the announcements that day asked one of our friends (who happened to be sitting immediately behind us) to raise her left hand. She did, revealing a beautiful engagment ring she had just received over Christmas. It was such a neat thing and everyone was really exicted and happy for her. Then, Rick, in a mostly joking way asked, "are there any more big announcements?"

Let me just tell you that the next 30-45 seconds were absolutely agonizing! Josh and I shot each other a look as to say "should we?!?" We both knew that we wanted to tell sooooo badly, but had agreed to wait. So under our breath, back and forth very quickly, we kept asking each other, "well, should we?" "I don't know. What do you think?" "I want to, do you want to?" "Yeah, let's do it. But wait, should we?"

It went back and forth like this for what felt like an eternity. But finally at least Josh got some rational sense about him, and said that it wouldn't be right to do it right after Michelle had announced her engagement. And he was right. We would never want to do anything to take away from her big news, what-so-ever. So, we narrowly missed spontaneously blabbing to the entire church. And I'm so glad now that we didn't, because there are so many people that we want to tell in person ourselves, before the mass announcement. And though we may not get a chance to tell them all personally, the more the better:) And besides, it will be a lot more fun if we can get Rick to do us an announcement favor in about a week ;)

Posted by Leah at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I can't believe that I'm actually going to share this story...but here it is anyway.

I went to get my hair cut today. While sitting in the chair, the lady cutting my hair started making all the usual small talk (which I'm not a real fan of anyway). She got to the standard "you have any kids?" I replied, "not yet" being careful not to insinuate that there were any on the way. And what's the next thing out of her mouth? "Are you pregnant?" I couldn't believe it. And here I was hit with a dilemma: I didn't want to lie and say no, but I wasn't really sure I wanted to talk to a total stranger about it right now either. And besides, isn't the rule that you NEVER ask a woman if she's pregnant unless you have the undeniable assurance of a baby being born there and then?

Anyway, I decided to tell her that I was, and then came the knock-out blow. "Well, I looked at you and thought so, but sometimes you can't really tell. How many months are you?" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I sat there is stunned silence. Do I just answer her question with "9 weeks" , or do I reply with the blunt truth that I'm neither far enough along to measure in months or to be showing enough that she can tell I'm pregnant, and that suspicious bulge she apparently noticed as I entered the store was there before the baby was?!? I decided not to throw a flaming progesterone ball at her and simply answered her question. But I'm definitely motivated to spend some quality time with Mr. Treadmill this evening.

And P.S. For those of you sweet dears out there who I know are going to comment on this entry and say, "oh, it was just that pregnancy glow she was noticing".....baloney. But thanks anyway. Your brownie points have been added to your tally. :)

Posted by Leah at 4:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)