sweet dreams

Who wouldn't want this? Forget BDR, I think I might order one for over my bed. (As Kevin pointed out, it would be a lot like counting sheep.)

Actually, I'm in the process of constructing a sea-life mobile, but wouldn't it be pretty cool to have the baby's first words be "I'm a Tar Heel dead?"

Also, let's all say a big "thanks" to Kevin's April Fools post, which apparently fooled no one. Hermione Juliette remains safely ensconced in the womb, for at least a few more weeks.

Plus, really, she'll crack at least 10 pounds at birth.

Welcome to the world

Introducing: Hermione Juliette Davis-Ross
born: 12:01am, Sunday, April 1, 2007
weight: 9 pounds 3 ounces
height: 21 3/4 inches
fingers: 10
toes: 10

Somewhat unsurprisingly, given that she probably inherited her mother's complete lack of patience, our baby arrived this morning a little earlier than expected.

According to the nurse, it seemed like Amy was having a relatively easy labor. But this didn't stop her from weaving a thick tapestry of profanity to cover the delivery room. I've never heard so many utterances of the f word, the d word, the e word, or the y word.

But Amy made it through, and now Mommy and baby are doing well. Daddy, not so much. I definitely needed a few (stiff) drinks after the whole experience. Good thing the bars were still open at 1am.

It's probably just our imagination, but it sure sounded like HJ mumbled "Mmmm... colostrum" in the middle of chowing down on her first meal.

I'll post a video of the last hour or so of labor, including HJ's entry into the world, as soon as I figure out how to beep out the swears. Until then, here's a picture.

By the way, Happy April Fool's Day!

the slightly cavalier* pregnant woman

Things I ought not do, but somehow manage to do anyway:

- Run down sets of stairs. (Kevin, "you trip over the flat ground; just imagine what you could do on stairs.")
- Carry flats of 30-count half-liters of water.
- Actually, carry a wide range of items, including dozens of books in a single bound, and an entire week's worth of groceries from our car to the house. (I should note that this is less common, though - KJ's really stepped up in this department.)
- Sleep on my back.
- Go camping.

Yes, we have another camping trip lined up for the start of the week, this time to Big Sur. I'm bringing about a dozen pillows to place strategically under potential pressure points, but I'm kind of curious how it will all play out in my mummy sleeping bag. During our last trip to Point Reyes I discovered that the bag zipped up...but with little room to spare.

At least we'll be in a gigantic new tent - 7 feet by 10 feet! That's 70 square feet of space!

* In looking up how to spell "cavalier," I realized it doesn't really mean what I thought it means. However, I'm sticking with it, since I like its sound.

t minus 2 weeks?

A real conversation, at our meeting for faith formation tonight:

Kevin: Let's schedule a meeting for next week.
Erika: Well, we can wait a week, right?
Amy: (Said in joking manner) I might have a baby by then.

Then, the really shocking realization: BDR's almost done. In two to three weeks, she'll be full term.

Oh, man.

Back to practicing my parenting skills on Madeline.

Important lesson #1 Madeline has taught us: Don't close the stroller on the baby. Someone was caught doing just this yesterday...

BDR - a boy?

Almost since Day 1 of the pregnancy, KJ and I have been on the same page: BDR's a girl. Thus, the constant referring to "she" and "her" and "(top-secret name)."

Seriously, if I'd given birth in January or February, and the doctor said, "it's a boy," my first response would have been, "Really? Can you double check?"

Or, for example, take our recent discussion with our family practitioner about circumcision. It's fair to say that we never considered the topic because it never occurred to us that BDR would be XY.

But now?

We're both swinging toward a 50-50 position. It's cool, since it's something that has happened independently. A few weeks ago, Kevin confessed he thought it could be a boy, and I concurred. The last time we had such a similar independent convergence was when we decided on the girl's name - a late entry from left field that obliterated the competition.

Anyway, we had a doctor's appointment yesterday, in which we confirmed:
- BDR's still not in breech position;
- BDR's still jammed up in my right ribcage;
- BDR's heart still is beating;
- and Kevin will need to get a flu shot in October.

I think it might be fair to say that it was the last item which made the strongest impression on KJ.

BDR's room, Stage 2

(Stage 1 was the entirely unexciting move of all office/dining furniture from BDR's room to the living space.)

Since rain threw a wrench in our plans to visit the Redwoods this weekend, we got crackin' on BDR's home.

We still have a lot of work to do, but in case you're curious what it looks like to have a baby in a small, 1-bedroom condo, take a look:

This is/will be BDR's room, although right now it's just a depository for chairs.

Please note:
1. Kevin's giant-sized Homer Pez dispenser, which I have promised will be in BDR's room.
2. Kevin's 2005 UNC National Championship pennant, which I also have promised will be in BDR's room.
3. A whole lot of junk that I can't really figure out a place for, on shelves that we're hoping will be filled to the brim by the Diaper Fairy.
4. An actual piece of baby accoutrement: a changing table. (We've yet to get the pad, though.)
5. Ugly, ugly, ugly light fixture that we used to bang our head on every day until we figured out how to use binder rings to raise it two feet. Behind it? The talking Simpsons' clock, which - you've guessed it! - I have promised will be in BDR's room. (Kevin's hoping BDR's first words are "Mmm. Sixty-four slices of American cheese."
6. Blinds, but future home to curtains I sewed together this weekend.
7. Our stroller/car seat, which has a really frighteningly strong petrochemical smell. I'm kind of hesitant to keep it in the house, let alone put a newborn in it.
8. And, the piece de resistance, the pile of plastic bags we've been stockpiling for diaper duty.

In time, the crib will join it's friends the Chair Family and Mr. Changing Table in BDR's room. Until then, though, it will take up space in our bedroom, like so:


Hmm. It's a tight squeeze, for sure. What you can't really tell from this photo is that my nightstand actually sticks out about two feet from the wall, right in my line-of-fire for late-night bathroom runs. It's possible I'll break an ankle on it.

The good news is we have everything in its own place. I'm not really sure how we managed to take 700 square feet and jam so much crap into it. Well, actually, I have an idea: take a look at the position of our dresser:


I suspect we've maxed out all potential wall space.

And, this photo doesn't even capture the fact that the lightswitch actually is covered up by a stereo.

BDR wish list

Since so many of you have asked what you could get for BDR upon her (or his) arrival, we've decided to post a little wish-list.

We have the major things we need (cribs, car seat), but there certainly are many other things that babies seem to require. For example (click light blue text for links):

Miscellaneous:
Our Babies 'R' Us Registry
** it's a lot easier to search under "Kevin Ross" than "Amy Davis"!

Clothes:
BDR's set for her first three months, so anything larger is nice!
Baby pants (American Apparel Karate Pants)
(sizes 3-6 months or larger!)
Baby hats (American Apparel Cotton Hat)
Baby T-shirts (American Apparel Short-Sleeve Lap T)
(sizes 3-6 months or larger!)

Le Toilette
DIAPERS.

Baby Activities
Hiking backpack (REI Piggyback Child Carrier)

I. Am. Over. Being. Pregnant.

Why?

The novelty is gone. Yeah, it was cute when BDR started moving around and kicking and stuff. Now, though, when she moves it's more likely than not to kind of hurt a lot, especially now that her little bottom's buried up in my ribcage.

Sudden lack of ability to breath. There's the fetal-induced crushing of my lungs, and also this delightful chest cold KJ brought home with him. It's amazing: I spend hours upon hours with little kids who are dripping in funky green snot and coughing without covering their mouths, and Kevin's the one who brings all sickness into our house. What's wrong with those Stanford students?

Location of stomach and liver on breastbone. Result: indigestion and pain.

Exhaustion. Which would be OK, if I weren't in such denial about it.

Ininterestedness in food of most kinds, including ice cream. In part due to indigestion and exhaustion, but also because, really, where's it going to go? My stomach's so jammed up, it's probably the size of a pea.

Inability to carry stuff. I checked out dozen books at the library and was unable to carry them to my car. I had to sit down and catch my breath. I felt really defeated.

The problem is, I've suddenly become more pregnant. I didn't realize it happened so quickly, but on Tuesday Kevin took a look at me and said, "man, you're a lot more pregnant today." And he was right.

Before this week, people would ask, "when's the baby due?" and I'd say, "early May," and they'd say, "wow, you don't look that pregnant.


This week, when people ask, their reply is, "really? You look like you're going to burst!"

Then, I think of all of the stuff we haven't exactly done for BDR yet, like set up the crib or buy a car seat.

Then, I work on knitting a superfluous cardigan for her.

BDR is NOT in breech position...yet

BDR, 32 weeks...almost done!

We had an appointment this morning with Dr. Shin, our OB-GYN. Everything has been going so well that I kind of feel like we're a boring case for the doctors. Well, a good boring. I really have had very few side effects with pregnancy (other than the increasing discomfort with toting around BDR and her habitat), very few Braxton-Hicks contractions, and no complications.*

And, we're cleared for camping this weekend. Although...we didn't really ask about backpacking. Dr. Shin just reminded me to drink lots of water and to put on sunscreen.

The good news is that (at least for right now) BDR is NOT in breech position, as I have dreamt about for the past two weeks or so. This is a relief, as we covered C-sections in our last birth class, and neither Kevin nor I were able to stomach the pulling-apart-your-abdominal-muscles part. Ug.

BDR still likes the right side, though, and particularly likes to wedge her little feet under my ribs. She's also starting to bulge out in weird ways. Kevin's new term of endearment? Lumpy.

*Actually, you may recall that BDR has a bum kidney. We'll have it looked at in a couple of weeks to see just how bum it is.

it *would* be cool if I were having a wolverine...

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. All so-true-they're-kind-of-scary comments are from second graders:

Second Grader #1: Are you having a girl or a boy baby?
Me: I don't know. It's a surprise!
Second Grader #2: But it is a baby, right?
Second Grader #1: Not an animal or something?
Me: Yeah. It's a baby. Human baby.

Second Grader #3: Is the baby a year old yet?
Me: I'm sorry?
Second Grader #3: How old is the baby? Is she a year old yet?
Me: Oh, God no. Just seven months.

I also was advised by two little boys, one of whom was dripping in blood from a non-injury related bloody nose, that I needed to be "taking better care of myself and that baby."