40 Weeks: No Baby - But We Have a Nursery!

Well - St. Paddy's Day came and went, and Baby Fish is still holding strong. Brett was racing against time last week at work getting everything settled. Once the weekend came he kept trying to coach baby to come out. Unfortunately, Baby Fisher seems to be as stubborn as his father (okay, I'll admit and  his mother). Turns out there is no telling this kid what to do, and my dad can officially keep his stash for yet another bet...Dang!

So what are two impatient parents to do on an expected delivery day that is not delivering? Finish the nursery!  There were a few decisions we had been holding off on because we simply could not make up our minds. (Pregnancy brain is a b#%$*). We just couldn't swallow what the stores were asking for in gliders - especially since we weren't particularly fond of any of them. So my parents brought by their old rocker they used when I was a baby so we could get an idea of how much space we had - and once it was in the nursery we realized that was really all we needed. With a little cushion makeover it was ready to go - not bad for $40 vs. $300 - $1200 which is what the stores were asking!

The next big decision we couldn't figure out is where we wanted the bookshelves. Being the youngest in our families neither of us were too familiar with how close you want things to the changing table and where it would be the easiest to grab items from, etc. So, after months of indecision my solution was to encase the entire area in storage and we'll figure it out as it comes:-) It was also important for me to have lots of room for books. One of my favorite memories as a kid was a huge bookshelf in my room and each night I would choose a book for my parents to read to me. I still remember "reading" Goodnight Moon back to my parents as a kid (when in fact I had simply memorized it because I had heard it so many times - pretty sure my parents were on to my little trick since there is no way the words were matching to the pages I was "reading." Regardless, I felt pretty sneaky back then).

Huck also loves the nursery now - with all the new things, the rug and all the stuffed animals I'm pretty sure he thinks we have created a perfect little bedroom for him. Anytime the door to that room is open he can be found lounging around, staring longingly at all the stuffed animals and wondering why we have placed them all out of his reach. Puppy is going to have a rude awaking in the next few days/weeks. All I know for sure is that if Baby Fisher hasn't graced us with his presence by April 1st I have to check into the hospital for induction - so lets hope that doesn't happen, who wants a fool for a baby?!

39 Weeks: The Bet

The soon-to-be-grand(?) (grandparent name tbd) and  his mustache of over 40 years.
 

So here's the deal - for years I have tried to come up with a bet that my dad would take where if he lost - he would have to shave his mustache.  Why you may ask? For no other reason than pure curiosity  See, not only have I never seen my father without his signature stash - neither has my mother!

For years I have tried, and failed to come up with a bet that he would take.  That and he always said that if I were to lose, I would have to shave my eyebrows...hmmm...eyebrows for a mustache? I've tried to explain while one is socially acceptable to walk around without (a stash) the other is not (eyebrows). Over the weekend we had one of our Wende Family dinners and after some consideration I got him to agree that if Baby Fish arrives on the expected due date (this coming Sunday!) he will shave his mustache.

So the bet is on, I need everyone to send their well wishes for delivery this Sunday so we can win the bet! The odds are against us with only 5% of babies actually delivered on their expected due date - but hey, it's worth a shot!

As for how things are going with baby - he seems to be doing just fine! Mom on the other hand is starting to feel what most women talk about in their third trimester - it's dang uncomfortable! Although I can't complain too much since it took my 39th week for me to really start to feel the wrath of pregnancy. To cope, I've opted to start working from home mostly now so at least I can be uncomfortable in comfy sweats rather than work attire and heels (yes, I still fit into my heels!)

38 Weeks: Ticking Time Bomb

Yowza, 38 of 40 weeks completed! I'm still trying to figure out just how something that seemed so far away seems to have come upon us so quickly! More than anything everyday I wake up wondering - is today the day we get to meet our little man? I find myself staring at my belly a lot lately, looking for a sign, a hint a clue as to when this may all go down - and nothing. All I can see is a belly that seems to double in size day by day. Things are definitely getting a bit tight in the tummy area and each day I can't imagine getting bigger - and then against all odds I wake the next morning to an even bigger belly. Getting out of bed is a riot in the mornings. I'm like a beached wale rolling side to side and usually after a few distress signals (that come out as grunts and groans that I am sure are very lady like) Brett will come running to help get me out of my sea of pillows and blankets.

It's strange to be under a deadline that has no date - at least no date that baby is willing to share with us. Most days I just feel like a ticking time bomb. We go see the doctor on a weekly basis now and each week we get a good report that things are progressing well and as they should be, "another centimeter dilated  baby has dropped, etc, etc" However, when Brett and I press for a prediction on delivery date our doctor just laughs and says 50/50 - which basically means your guess is as good as mine.

37 Weeks: Babymoon!

Whew - 37 weeks, we are technically "term" now and could have the baby at anytime and the chances that we would have to keep baby in the preemie unit is unlikely. Knowing that you could have the baby any minute is an exciting, and terrifying thing so Brett and I decided to steal away a little time for just the two of us this past weekend before our lives change forever.

Was it wise to drive 2.5 hrs to the middle of nowhere for our babymoon - perhaps not but I've been feeling pretty good so we decided to go for it. So with the car packed with our usual weekend needs - plus a hospital bag, diaper bag and clean sheets and pillows (just in case) we were off to Suttle Lake to enjoy a weekend of relaxation with no wifi, no cell phone service and lots of decaf coffee, hikes and beautiful views to just get lost in.


A good morning cheers! Decaf coffee in hand to stay warm. We did a nice hike around the lake. Admittedly my competitive side got the best of me, we thought we were to the end of the lake so instead of just turning around and heading back I wanted to do the whole loop - 3miles of hiking later with half of it on some unexpected snow and ice we had to hightail it up to the road and walk back. Felt fine during the hike but oh man were my hips speaking some unkind words to me later in the day!

A family portrait - if only Huck would play nice with the camera. He had a ball, literally chasing his ball in and out of the water. Even though it was a bit cold we just couldn't keep him away from that tempting lake.

Beautiful Suttle Lake - if only it were summer so we could jump in the water - although using the 40 degree weather as a reason not to get in a swimsuit at 37 weeks is a welcome excuse!

Our first son - the one and only Huck Fisher (yes we realize bringing our dog on our Babymoon is a bit silly - but how do you deny that mug?!)

Suttle Lake Lodge where we spent our Babymoon! Now, just three(ish) weeks left!

36 Weeks: Workin' Mama To Be

This week I was a jet setting, career focused mama-to-be. Yes, I have flown a few times in this pregnancy, but flying a mere 4-3 weeks before delivery date was a bit in question. The good news is I have been feeling fine and got checked out by the doctor Monday clearing me for my conference in Phoenix this week. So I've spent the last four days here in sunny (and some days not so sunny) Phoenix!  If it was a normal trip I would have passed, but this was a great opportunity that doesn't present itself everyday which was to bring 60 emerging non-profit leaders together from across the country to expand our leadership skills and mind share with one another - how do you pass up a chance to grow and learn like that!? 

Well I don't - but I'm starting to learn that my "can do" attitude of work and mommyhood isn't shared by all. Apparently some still see pregnant women as glass dolls in cases that could break at any moment. Many people upon finding out I was taking the trip either held their objections behind judgmental eyes or weren't shy at all about their feelings that I shouldn't go. Now, as my mother will be happy to share with you about my childhood, I don't take the word "no" very well. In fact, many times it just rallies my defiance that I can do whatever I damn well please, thank you very much! Granted I'll be the first to admit I'm not the same as I used to be, each day the conference ended by 7:30 or 8pm and I was straight to bed, whereas in my past life I would be rallying the troops at the hotel bar. However, am I naive to think that I can continue to grow in my education and in my career while pregnant, and even as a mother?

It has been eye opening for me that in this day in age people still have a preconceived notion that my place at this point in my pregnancy - and after baby is here - is to be at home. I was prepared for men to throw jabs here and there, which I've taken with as much grace as a bull in a china shop, about my plans to work up till baby and go back to work after two months. However, I've found that the ones who are the largest nay-sayers of mommies in work are women! WOMEN!? I really didn't see that one coming. I can understand everyone has a different experience and I will be the first to admit that we are just going to have to be flexible with what comes - but to hear other women say "you shouldn't..." "you can't..." "you won't want to..." is mind boggling to me. I can understand that my plan may change and that this is a life changing event at which  I will have to take one day at a time - but I would have thought other women would be supportive of one another in this transition without interjecting their opinions of what you can and can't do.

This all reminded me of an article I read in the Harvard Business Review shortly after finding out I was pregnant (yes I'm a geek and I read the Harvard Business Review). You can see how the title caught my eye "Will Working Mother's Take You To Court?" What was interesting to me about the article was that even in today's world we still hold on to some 1950's dated preconceived notions about mothers, and even fathers, in the workplace. The gist being that women who return to work may face discrimination about how they should be at home with baby and not working late, and that fathers should be working late to provide for their families and not at home with their families - and never shall the two mix. It's not until now that I'm starting to see a hint of these outdated notions myself, and it's startling to see in the robust, liberal city that I live in. I should note that my immediate circle of family, co-workers and friends are not guilty of this - but rather, and most interestingly, the outer layer of my network who feel the need to share their opinions.

So for the record, yes, I plan to work up till baby is here, yes, I plan to go back to work after two months so I can make my second emerging leaders training in Atlanta. Do I understand that once baby is here things may change and I have to be flexible? Yes, of course I do - but I'll never admit that I "can't" do anything without having all the information needed in front of me and at this point the information needed is hiding in a 6 pound basketball in my tummy. So only time will tell, and I am okay with that, so why isn't the rest of the world?

Note: If you are interested in reading the article from the Harvard Business Review send me a note - I couldn't post the PDF to the blog but can send over in email.

34 Weeks: Learning How to Have A Baby

The 34 week bump - apparently Baby Fish is around 4 pounds right now - meaning he's likely to double in size in the next 6 weeks - does that even seem possible?

This week I had a moment where I was watching TV and something came on about pregnancy and I looked down and thought - "Oh my god, I'm pregnant!"  It's not that I haven't realized this all along - but for some reason it really hit me. I think the realization that this growing bump will have to eventually leave my body is setting in with just six weeks left to go. To help us figure out exactly how that is suppose to go down Brett and I have been going to our "Child Birth Prep Class."  Apparently old college habits are still lingering because we skipped our second class due to an out of town guest being here so last week was a bit of catch up - and an eye opener for us.

First, I really like our coach - she's of the mindset that whatever "plan" you choose for yourself and your family is the right plan. Her only thing is that you go into pregnancy educated and flexible to change. With that said we went through all the different ways your doctor may help a "stuck" baby get out (forceps, vacuums, episiotomies, and inductions - oh my!)  It was around the point of talking about an episiotomy that I had to excuse myself from the room. Baby has been sitting very high in my tummy making it hard to breath when I am sitting - that paired with discussions of an episiotomy was enough to make me pass out cold. So, as I saw the room narrowing in front of me I opted to leave rather than hit the floor in front of all the other expecting mamas:-)

Next up in class was breathing techniques and positions!  Hmm, wait positions? Don't you mean "position" singular? All the movies have led me to believe you just kick back in bed and push, push, push with a few screams and out pops baby.  Well apparently there are allllll sorts of positions to help you through your contractions and we got to practice in class - I have to admit it was hard not to laugh as I turned Brett into my own personal jungle gym. He also thought his role in this was to hold my had and speak encouraging words into my ear. We now know differently - and I have to admit - holding these positions for one minute is more difficult that I would have originally thought.  Don't believe me? Try out one of the below and start your timer!

33 Weeks: Showered with Love

Brett and I have been totally overwhelmed at the love and support of our family and friends since we started this adventure. Mom's friends threw a fabulous baby shower with a rockin diaper cake and this past weekend my friends and family threw another wonderful event. Not only did my fabulous cousin Katy come in from Colorado, her mom, Aunt Kathy, surprised me on the trip as well!  It was a lovely "fish" themed shower - which I should have expected since we've taken to calling our little-man-to-be "Baby Fish."  They even topped off the diaper cake with some real live goldfish (as shown below with my niece). Thankfully she called dibs on them naming them Slim Jim, Fred and Bob - I don't have the best track record at keeping fish alive! Check out some of the cuteness from the event and the fabulous ladies who made it all so special.  Thank you everyone!  We couldn't do it without you.

Our fabulous hostesses for the shower! Katy (cousin from Colorado), Rachel (pdx girlfriend), Olivia (the fabulous niece), Mwah (hopefully you at least knew that one), Leslie (pdx girlfriend) and Kim (my wonderful sister-in-law)

The fabulous friends and family who made the day so special!

The "Fish" themed baby shower to welcome none other than - baby fish! And yes I'm still rocking water in my cocktail glass - looking forward to my first real drink post baby (some champagne perhaps - thank you Joe!)

The Fish Theme continued with the gifts - little fish and shark boots from Katy!

Do I look confused? There were definitely a few moments of realization that I had no idea what somethings were - leading to that fun feeling that I have no idea how my world is about to be rocked!

Jackie with her little swaddled clay baby she made. 

More gifts and a big shout out to Brumund for  our first safety sign - we always knew we could count you  to keep Baby Fish safe!

Julie, Mom and Jackie hanging out at the shower!

Rachel, Myself and Leslie striking a pose before everyone arrives.