Free book!

For my fellow pregnant friends, if you sign up for the Duet Advantage email list, you receive a free copy of book What To Expect When You're Expecting. I love freebies and I thought I would pass on the info.

It is nice to have good friends

I have great friends, I am so blessed. I have many different groups of friends. My closest girlfriends are from two particular groups: with one group, I am the first to have a baby and with another group, I am the only one who has not had a baby yet (I don't think I will necessarily be the last to have a baby. In the group of friends with kids, Baby Bear will be the 11th child born into the mix ranging from 9 years old to 13 months. All of them are excited in their own ways.

Two of my closest friends who are also mothers have offered to go with me to register for baby gear on Friday. I am so excited. It is overwhelming as it is to think about having a baby but then to go into somewhere like Babies R Us without a clue is even more overwhelming. Strollers, bottles, car seats, and more; there are so many choices!!! I am very fortunate to have some wonderful people who will help direct me. Between the two of them they have 5 wonderful children between the ages of 5 years and 13 months, so they are a wealth of knowledge and experience with regards to parenting and the needs of a new parent. They will be able to guide me as to what I really need and what doesn't work. I am excited not just to register but to be able to spend some quality time with my friends as well. Thank you in advance J and A!!

Week 17: Growing and hearing

Baby Bear's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — the lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Baby Bear weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and is around 5 inches long from head to bottom.

From: babycenter.com

Baby Bear can hear and loud noises can actually startle Baby Bear. Baby Bear is practicing sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first suckle. Many of of the survival reflexes that Baby Bear will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now.

Papa Bear got me sick

Papa Bear was sick all last week. I did my best to stay far from him, but it is kind of hard when you live in a small space. I tried to go out from time to time but I really wasn't interested in going out in the Christmas bustle and traffic if I didn't need to. I did my best to clean and keep the germs away, but apparently I failed. Yesterday was the first day that Papa Bear was feeling better and low and behold I was starting to feel a tickle in my throat. I woke up this morning with a sore throat and stuffed up nose. Boo! I don't feel too awful but I don't feel too great either. I am trying to figure out what is safe for me to take.

This just sucks! I am on vacation and now that Papa Bear is better I am sick so we can't seem to go and have some fun together.

I think I can feel Baby Bear move!

On Friday, putting me 16weeks 6days, I thought I felt Baby Bear moving early in the morning. I wasn't quite sure. It felt like a vibration on the lower right side of my belly. It happened for a few seconds then stopped and then I felt it again a few minutes later for just a short period. Since Friday I had been trying to feel around when ever I was sitting still. Well this morning I felt it again. I am pretty sure it was Baby Bear moving around!!!

That was so amazing and it is so refreshing to feel Baby Bear. Everyone has been asking me if I could feel Baby Bear yet. It is also reassuring. The last few weeks there hasn't been any consistent pregnancy symptoms to indicate I am pregnant (except for my ever expanding baby bump). My morning sickness and nausea is gone; and though I am glad it is gone that was a little reminder that my baby was well. It is nice to feel Baby Bear move to know all is well and this is way better than nausea and feeling nasty all the time!!

A few great books

Santa got Papa Bear a book for dads this Christmas. He got Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden. Papa Bear started reading it right away and really enjoyed it. I looked through it as well. This book had a lot of great practical information on being a dad and what to expect when Baby Bear comes. A great easy read for expectant dads.

We got all the grandparents books on grandparents as part of their Christmas gifts. We got a call from Lolo Bear and he has really been enjoying his book: Grandpa Rules: Notes on Grandfatherhood, The World's Best Job by Michael Milligan and Bill Cosby. My daddy is pretty excited to be a grandpa and was eager to read this book. My mom told me that he never ever reads a book and since he got this book he has been reading it and laughing. He said it is really funny and my mom was really pleased to see my daddy enjoying a book. Another great book.

Baby Bump watch: week 17

It has been a while since I posted a baby bump picture, I took this picture at 17 weeks, 0 days. I have been getting bigger and feeling bigger, that is for sure. Grandpa Bear keeps telling people to look at me from the profile so that they can see my baby bump. It is cute, he is excited for Baby Bear.

Baby Bear gets first Christmas presents!

It is not even Christmas Day yet and Baby Bear has received more Christmas presents than Mr. Bear and I. Everyone is so excited for Baby Bear!! It is so nice that Baby Bear is so loved already!



Look at this cute lil' outfit! I can't wait to put Baby Bear in it.



Grandma Bear got Baby Bear rescued this cute little puppy from the toy store (yes, it lights up and changes colors, it will be a nice little night light).

Week 16: Hello in there, can you hear me?

Wow, 4 months! I can't believe how the time has passed. Baby Bear is building tiny bones in his/her ears. So Baby Bear may be able to hear my voice when I talk (or sing in the shower). I hope Baby Bear doesn't mind the sound of my voice. I have been talking to Baby Bear and telling Baby Bear about Chase Monster and Papa Bear (formerly Mr. Bear). Baby Bear is now the size of an avocado and able to straighten his or her head and neck.

Two and a half bears plus a monster cat

Jenn posted this and it made me smile, so I thought I would make one too:

Get your own Family Sticker Maker & MySpace Layouts.

Pants that finally fit!!

I have been having such a difficult time finding pants that fit me decently and are comfortable. Maternity pants are either too long for me or too big. I was in the strange in between stage where my regular pants barely button up and it was way too uncomfortable to button them up anyways OR maternity pants were a tad too big and fall off me. Well, I must have gotten big enough to fit into maternity pants and oh how comfy they are! It is so nice to have some pants that fit.

It was not an easy find. Some maternity pants are just plain ugly and sag around the butt. I am all about being comfortable but I don't want to look awful. I have always had an issue with pant length so that came as no surprise to me. The surprise was the small maternity sections in stores, which provided limited selection for a petite person. I am only 5' 1-1/2" tall and that 1/2" is very important to me (I think my driver's license says I'm 5' 2", shhhh!). So I was limited to shop online, which is not a problem, but I like to try clothes on before I buy them. So I ordered online from The Gap, Old Navy, and JCPenny, all which have short/petite length maternity pants. After ordering about 15 pairs of pants and several returns by mail and exchanges, I finally have a couple of pair of pants that I can live with for now. I hate to buy a ton of maternity clothes since I will only be in them for another 6 months, but I needed something to wear for work. Through my whole pregnancy so far, buying maternity pants has been my biggest obstacle. Who would have thought?

I have a fat cat attached to my hip

The last few weeks of pregnancy Chase Monster has been pretty clingy. As I am typing, he is actually cuddle up next my leg right now. It is really sweet but very unlike him. I have heard that pets sense when you are pregnant, it may be my smell that has changed or possibly my attitude that has slight changed. Whatever it is, I am sure that Chase Monster knows.

It also seems that other babies know. I may be imagining this, but babies look at me more or maybe I am looking at them more. The other day at a friend's party, I took my friend's baby who is 13 months. She slept on me and had no issues at me taking her from her daddy. Her daddy said that Baby E usually doesn't let other hold her, so he was quite surprised that she did not make a fuss when I took her. Hmmm, I know from past research that babies can differentiate the smell of their mom from other mothers, so maybe Baby E could differentiate that I was a mommy-to-be. This is just the developmental psychologist in me curious about this and the research behind it.

Whatever it is, I am glad that babies like me. I hope Baby Bear likes me. And I am glad that Chase Monster loves me. I hope to have a smooth transition when Baby Bear arrives. It may be a little hard for Chase Monster, since he is used to being the baby of the house. He will have to learn to be an older sibling :)

Week 15: Practice makes perfect

Baby Bear is as long as four and a half inches right now, about the size of a large orange. Baby Bear is busy practicing breathing, sucking, and swallowing so that when Baby Bear leaves the comfy womb and move into our comfy home, Baby Bear will have the skills necessary to survive. Although Baby Bear is moving around, I can't feel anything quite yet.

Staying away from the flu

Today I went to get my flu shot. The flu shot is safe for pregnant woman and in fact is recommended by medical professionals for pregnant women. It is supposed to be safe at all stages of pregnancy. I, however, still wanted to wait until I was safely into my 2nd trimester just to be on the safe side.

Since pregnancy can affect your immune system, pregnant women are prone to getting the flu and developing complications from the flu. I do not want to take that risk. I usually get the flu shot and last year, Mr. Bear had the flu and the flu shot kept me from getting the flu from him. So I was quite thankful for that.

Week 14:

I'm now in the second trimester. Baby Bear is growing and growing and is about the size of a fist now. Baby Bear's hair is starting to grow. I wonder if it will be dark black like mine or a light brown like Mr. Bear. Mr. Bear was a blonde when he was a baby, but there really isn't much of a chance that Baby Bear will be blonde.

Big developments for the week (from Babycenter.com): Baby Bear can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his/her thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, the facial muscles are getting a workout as the tiny features form one expression after another. Baby Bear's kidneys are producing urine, which is released into the amniotic fluid — a process that continues until birth.

Pregnancy brain

There is such a thing as pregnancy brain, I have actually read some research on it. Pregnancy brain is when are forgetful and absentminded. Today is the first day that I really experience pregnancy brain. I was shopping this afternoon and had some clothes that I brought into a dressing room to try one. Nothing worked out, so I walked around and found some other clothes to try on. When I was in a second dressing room on the other side of the store, I was getting ready to leave the dressing room when I noticed I didn't have my purse. I realized that I left my purse in the first dressing room on the other side of the store! I hurried and fortunately my purse was still in the dressing room untouched. Whew!!! I can't believe that I left it and walked around the store without noticing that I didn't have my purse on my. Now that has to be pregnancy brain!!

My heart beats for Baby Bear

I had my second prenatal appointment this afternoon. The Ob said that my ultrasound (from a few weeks ago) looked good and since there was only a 4 day difference with the fetal age that they were going to keep my due date at June 6, 2009; calculated from my Last Menstrual Period. From my charting, I had it at June 9, 2009. Well either way, Baby Bear is due the beginning of June. I guess we'll see in time when Baby Bear decides to come into the world.

My bloodwork looked good as well. All in all everything is healthy and going well. I've gained about 5 lbs, which is normal (a little crazy for me, but normal). I also asked about running and the Ob said I could run, I just need to keep my heart rate under 140. I am pretty excited about that and glad I can run again. I haven't ran for the last month because the nurse practitioner told me not to. I didn't agree with her, but I was a good patient and listened. I am glad I asked again.

The best thing about the appointment was hearing Baby Bear's heart beat. I had no idea that I would get to hear the heart beat. It was so amazing, the Ob said that it sounded good. It took a little while to find the heart beat but once the Ob found the heart beat it was so great. My heart beats for my Baby Bear, I love you Baby Bear!!

Week 13: End of the first trimester

Baby Bear is now the size of a peach. Vocal cords are developing, but Baby Bear won't be crying anytime soon. Fingerprints have formed on your Baby Bear's tiny fingertips, the veins and organs are clearly visible through the still-thin skin, and Baby Bear's body is starting to catch up with the head. The head is a third the size of the body. Baby Bear has a big head :)

Baby Bump watch: week 13

I feel like I am totally showing and this just happened this week. I feel pretty big and I know I will only get bigger. People say that I am not really showing but look how big my bump looks. These pants barely button up. Stretchy pants are definitely my friend. Elastic is a great invention!

Now it is public

I am coming toward the end of the first trimester and it is time to let people at work know. I was a little worried but both of my bosses were very supportive and happy about the news. I am so lucky to have such great bosses and such great support.

Now that family, friends, and work knows the great news, I have no reason to keep this blog private or secret. It is so nice to have things out in the open.

Turkey day thanks

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, yummy food and great family. To top it off, we told the rest of the family the news about Baby Bear. It was great. Everyone was soo happy and excited about the great news.

Since we were telling Mr. Bear's side of the family, he had the task of making the announcement. We waited until most everyone was there and while his aunts were really busy getting things together, he got there attention and told them: "we're pregnant!" Aunt Mary screamed right away. Aunt Joni was a little distracted so it took her a couple of seconds until she too came running up to us. Everyone was so excited for our news. It was definitely a Thanksgiving to be thankful for.