New York Baby!

May has been a whirlwind month for us!  A couple of weekends ago, James and I went to New York City for a few days for our 4th anniversary trip/fun getaway before baby comes and makes it 10 times more difficult to travel. I've always wanted to go to New York, and since we live within driving distance now we thought it was a good time to go.  

Our first day, we drove up (a 6-7 hr drive after stops) and just had time to check in to our hotel in Midtown and change before our dinner reservations and Broadway show!  This was by far our favorite activity of the trip.  I didn't get a picture of the E&E Grill House, but we both had steaks and dessert and the food was fantastic.  Then we walked the 10 blocks or so down to the theater district to see The Phantom of the Opera.  It was awesome!  

The view from our hotel window.

All fancied up and ready to go out on the town.

On the second day it was rainy, so we made it our museum day.  James wants to visit every air and space museum that we come across, and this one was on The Intrepid (a retired carrier), so of course we had to go.  

On the Intrepid looking out over the Hudson river.

In our quest to find great New York pizza, we decided on Famous Famiglia's.  It was yummy, but greasy.  But apparently it really is famous because the restaurant had a whole wall of pictures of famous people eating there.

Then we hopped on the Subway to head over to the American Museum of Natural History.  We found that the NYC subway system is a bit more complex than the D.C. metro, so we had a bit of a hard time figuring it out.  We waited for half an hour due to some delays, and then when the train finally was up and running again, we accidentally got on the Downtown train.  We went for a few stops before we figured out we were going the wrong way, so we got off and went over to the other side.  Once we got on the Uptown train, we thought it would be smooth sailing, but apparently that particular line was running an express train so we ended up going too far again.  A very nice person on the train told us what line to switch to to get to our stop, and we finally made it to the museum, about an hour and a half later than we had intended.  Fortunately after that we didn't have any more Subway problems.

I have never seen such a huge museum, we could have spent days in there and not seen everything.  But at this point it was about 3 p.m. and our feet were majorly protesting, so we only went to a few exhibits. 

My favorite part of the museum was this life-sized whale.  So cool!

James photobombing the Stegosaurus.

Since the museum was right across from Central Park, we had planned to go there for a little while after the museum, but because of the Subway delay and our aching feet, we didn't get a chance.  We went back to the hotel to collapse on the bed for an hour, and then we went out to Ellen's Stardust Diner for dinner.  That was definitely an experience.  It's a 50s style diner with average diner food, but what made it really fun was that the waiters are all aspiring Broadway performers, and in between serving food, they sing and dance karaoke style.  It was so loud that we had to shout to each other, but it was really fun.

One of the waiters singing.

And on the way home from the diner, we found Carnegie Deli, which is rumored to have the most delicious cheesecake.  I had to stop and get a slice, and it was heavenly!

On the morning of Day 3 we (successfully) took the Subway all the way down to the tip of Manhattan to take the Staten Island Ferry.  We would have loved to actually go into the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, but unfortunately both are closed due to repairs from Hurricane Sandy.  So we did the next best thing and rode the free ferry past it.

The Manhattan skyline from the ferry.

Lady Liberty

Our afternoon adventure was Papaya's Hotdogs for lunch (I was not impressed...I've made better hotdogs in the microwave, but you have to at least try one while in NY) and the Empire State Building.  

It was a really beautiful building on the inside.

We met King Kong.  He was offended because I didn't get a picture with him too. (There was an actual guy in that suit.)

The view from the 86th floor was spectacular.  And very windy.  We could have paid an extra $20 each to go to the 106th floor, but we are too cheap since the tickets were already $25 each.

The building with the pointy top is the Chrysler Building, the tallest brick building in the world.

Right in the middle of the photo you can see the Statue of Liberty if you squint.

The Flatiron building.

After the Empire State Building, we decided to walk back to the hotel (20ish blocks, or about 2 miles) so that we could pass through Times Square.  

We found Captain America patrolling Times Square :-)

We stopped to rest our feet and get a snack at Lindy's World Famous Cheesecake, but it didn't compare to Carnegie's.  Dinner that night was this little Italian place a couple blocks from our hotel.  It was pretty good.

The next morning we went out for breakfast and then drove home.  It was a fun trip!  I couldn't do as much as I wanted to because we were limited on time, and because I had to take breaks and go slower than usual.    If we had had another day I would have loved to go to Central Park, and do some window shopping at places like Tiffany's and Bloomingdale's.  But we were pretty tired and ready to go home when we did.  And our pocketbooks were glad we went home when we did, New York is expensive!  One of the things I enjoyed the most was just getting four solid days with James.  Our schedules have been so busy lately so it was really nice to have a little getaway.  We had a lot of fun together.

My overall impression of New York is that there are way too many people crammed into a small space.  The city is old, overcrowded, expensive, dirty, and smelly, and there aren't nearly enough trees.  It is a fun place to visit, but I sincerely don't know how people can live there.  I would go crazy!  When we left and got out of the city and I started seeing green trees and plants, I felt like I could breath again. In comparison with London and Washington D.C., New York is definitely uglier and dirtier.  But it has some really cool attractions for sure.  I am glad that I went, but I probably won't dream of going back.  

Torticollis is not a turtle disease

So last week in my update, I said that my job as a nanny was over and now I was going to have all this free time to get things done.  Apparently God had other plans because Tuesday night as I was going to bed, I moved my head a tiny bit and my neck got mad and screamed at me.  All night.  It was pretty awful, I couldn't move my head from it's very tilted position without getting charlie horse-like cramps in my neck.  At one point I was nearly resting my head on my own shoulder because that was the only position that didn't feel like my head was going to rip off.  It was a long and very tearful night.  My wonderfully amazing husband stayed up with me all night, bringing me ice and hot pads and Tylenol (the only thing I can safely take...otherwise I'd have been at the hospital begging for a muscle relaxer), and then he took off work all day yesterday to take me to the chiropractor and just help me out since I really couldn't do much at all.  The chiropractor diagnosed me with Torticollis, which can apparently happen quite randomly with no apparent cause and take 1-4 weeks to heal.  I'm calling it a pinched nerve, because that's what it feels like, and people actually know what that is.  Torticollis sounds like a turtle disease or something.  Today, after the ice/heat/tylenol/repeat cycle and finally getting some sleep (I think I had 4 pillows supporting my neck), I feel MUCH better.  My neck feels bruised when I touch it, but I can actually move my head most directions if I am very careful, which feels amazing.  But I am still taking it very easy because too much movement hurts.  You don't realize how pivotal your neck muscles are (har har) until they rebel.  Even something like lifting your arms uses those muscles.

I am so thankful that I have someone to take care of me when things like this happen, and that it happened after I stopped working rather than before.  I would have had to call in sick for several days since you can't take care of a baby when you can't move!  And I'm thankful that baby is kicking away in there, seemingly unfazed by my trauma.

So I guess my to-do list is going to have to wait for a little while.  In the meantime, I used my free time this morning to whip up a little mood board of my ideas/vision for the nursery!  My mom is flying up to help me paint it in a few weeks, YAY!  I am so excited to put Xander's room together and get everything ready.  

Pardon my lack of mood-board skills, I only had Microsoft Paint to work with :-)  I think it's going to be my favorite room in the house when it's done!

25 weeks

Emma at 2 months old

Emma at 10 months old

Yesterday was my last day of work as a nanny.  Emma is going into daycare next week, and I am now free until August to rest and prepare for our little bundle of joy!  I have a lot of projects in mind for the house and nursery and I am excited to have time to do them, but I will miss my Emma girl!  She is a delight.  I gained lots of practical experience with this job and I am feeling much more prepared for taking care of an infant, though I know that every baby is different. I at least have the basics down!

I am now 25 weeks and feeling very big.  And I still have 15 weeks to get bigger, yikes! Things I never used to think twice about, like getting off the floor, or getting dressed, take effort now.  My biggest complaint is my back has been hurting me recently.  I bought a pregnancy pillow, a prenatal yoga DVD, and I plan to start walking a little every day now that the weather is nicer, so hopefully I can keep it from getting too much worse.  Not repeatedly lifting a very active, wiggly, 20 lb baby every day will probably help too.  I have so much respect for moms of multiple small children; it's hard and exhausting!  

Aside from the back pain, everything is going pretty swimmingly!  I really am very blessed, so far I've had no complications other than a low thyroid, which is easily fixed with medication.  Xander is growing just as he should be.  He likes to kick me at night especially, and right when I'm waking up in the morning.  Yesterday I think he had the hiccups!  And sometimes I think I can tell when he rolls around, it's a weird feeling!  He's kicking hard enough that James can feel it, at least when he cooperates.  I can't wait to meet him and see what he looks like!

I am having fun with the nursery.  We bought a dresser and James has been putting it together.  I've got a little collection of clothes and cloth diapers waiting to be washed and put away.  Next up is painting! I am excited.  I'll post pictures when it looks a little more put together, right now it's just a mess.  I can't believe in just three and a half short months, we will have a baby!  So exciting!

It's Spring!

Spring has finally arrived!  Just a few weeks ago it was snowing, so we are all very excited for the warmer weather!  No more coats and gloves.  Around here, forsythia, Bradford pear trees and cherry trees are everywhere, so we're seeing all kinds of beautiful blossoms.  Flowering trees are something that I didn't see much in Houston, so I soak it all in.  

Forsythia

Bradford pear

Some kind of cherry tree

This weekend I planted a veggie garden in pots on my patio!  I'm so excited; hopefully my first foray into edible gardening won't be a total bust.  I now have two tomato plants, two bell pepper plants, two strawberry plants, a zucchini, a cucumber, and a basil.  I also planted some Dahlia bulbs on a whim.  My patio looks nicer now.  It's fun having a backyard!

James and I also went up to Babies R Us to get some stuff for the baby.  We ordered a dresser and we bought the crib mattress. I was hoping to find a dresser I could refinish on Craigslist, or one from Ikea, but both of those options didn't work out.  The dresser that I liked online from Ikea turned out to look different and plastic-y in the store, and nothing was showing up on Craigslist for months due to our strict specifications.  The nursery is very small, so in order to maximize space, I need a dresser that is not too wide, but wide enough (and short enough) that I can use it as a changing table.  I just couldn't find anything so we splurged with some money we were given from James' grandma and just bought a dresser.  Then we went over to the mall and James made a build-a-bear for him!  It was really fun and I am super excited to be working on the nursery.

At 23 weeks, I am feeling pretty good, but definitely slowing down.  Things like gardening and running errands make me sore and tired now.  I have to sit down and rest more frequently and I'm having issues with my lower back, which was a trouble spot for me before being pregnant, and now it is flaring up again.  It's getting harder to get comfortable at night too, as well as doing things that require bending over. My belly gets in the way. I know it's all par for the course, and really it's not that bad in the scheme of things.  I just have to remember that I can't do as much now and not overwork myself. 

One fun thing that happened this week is that James felt Xander kick for the first time!  James poked my stomach where Xander had been kicking, and he kicked back!  It was really neat.  I'm so glad to have had a nice, productive weekend in the beautiful weather!

22 Weeks

This week we celebrated our 4th anniversary!  Well, we haven't actually celebrated it yet, we're planning to go to New York City for a long weekend in May.  I can't believe it's been 4 years since I walked down that aisle toward the love of my life.  A lot has happened in that time, and I'm so glad to share it with my best friend and husband!  I hope we never stop having adventures together.

In our biggest adventure yet, I am now 22 weeks.  Baby Xander is the size of an eggplant and weighs about a pound by now.  We got the results of our ultrasound back and everything looks great!  Praise the Lord!  His little organs all seem to be growing/working properly, and everything is right on track.  This is especially good to hear since I opted not to get the blood test that screens for chromosomal defects and Spina Bifida.  There is a high risk of false positives with that test and I didn't want to worry needlessly.

I've heard that in the next few weeks the baby is doubling his weight, and I am not surprised because I feel suddenly huge!  I can literally feel my abdomen stretching and pulling as it grows, and it's starting to get more difficult to get off the couch and out of bed.  It is also harder to get comfortable these days when I'm sitting or sleeping.  I've only gained 8 pounds so far though, which is great considering that we've had Easter candy and girl scout cookies in the house for the last month.  Fortunately I haven't had any swelling, and I'm hoping it stays that way.

I haven't had any cravings per se, where you wake up in the middle of the night wanting a certain food, but my favorite snack is strawberries dipped in Nutella with a glass of milk...so good! I actually ate a few spoonfuls out of the jar the other day when I ran out of strawberries, so maybe it does count as a craving. Also I've really been wanting iced coffee lately.  I need to figure out how to make some decaf at home.

Xander is kicking me a lot these days, and I love it!  Except for when he kicks my bladder, that isn't comfortable.  I can't wait till he's strong enough for James to feel.  Keep growing baby boy, we love you!

Boy oh Boy!

On Saturday at 20 weeks, I went in for my anatomy scan and we found out we are having a BOY!!  We are both so excited!  I really feel like God has been preparing me for a boy this whole time, because I've had a gut feeling since day one that he would be a he!  In fact, James and both sets of parents also thought it would be a boy, so we really weren't terribly surprised.  I had told a friend recently that if it was a girl, I would be very happy, but I'd have to adjust my thinking a lot.  I guess mother's (and father's) intuition is a real thing!  Anyway, it was so exciting to get to see our little man on the screen.  He was moving around a little and halfway through he had a huge yawn.  Its so exhausting to be a baby.  :-)  The nurse estimated him to weigh 13 ounces...almost a pound!

We are naming him Alexander James Shepherd, and we'll call him Xander.  We've had this name picked out since we got married, and it happens to be the ONLY boy name that we both love, so it was a pretty easy choice!  Alexander means "defender of the people" and I just love that.  I pray that he will grow up to be a man of God who stands up for the downtrodden and helps those who are in need. 

I am getting very excited about doing the nursery and getting baby stuff now that we know it's a boy.  We have had two Bradley classes so far, and it's been ok, although we did a really awkward and (in my opinion) dumb relaxation exercise at the last class.  I can't relax while lying on the floor with a group of people listening to a pregnant woman from the 80s wearing a hot pink and turquoise leotard talk about visualizing air flowing to your baby, and recognizing your inner goddess.  Hopefully it will get better!   

I can't believe we are halfway there!  I am feeling pretty good.  The weirdest part is that I can feel the weight of my uterus; it's a strange sensation.  The best part is that I can finally feel little kicks!  They are very low in my abdomen and feel like little jabs, or sort of like bubbles popping.  I just love it!  I can't wait until they are strong enough for James to feel. I was starting to get a little worried that I hadn't felt anything yet a few weeks ago, so it is very reassuring for me.  We can't wait to meet you little one!

18 Weeks

Me at 16 weeks

 

I am now 18 weeks, almost halfway through!  Baby Shepherd is the size of a baked potato this week; about 5.5 inches and 7 ounces.  I have started feeling actually pregnant now, and I caved and bought some maternity pants.  They are pretty awesomely comfortable compared to my normal jeans, which technically still fit, but dig into me all day.  They also smooth out my belly, making me look pregnant rather than just chubby, so that's a bonus.

I still haven't felt any movement that I can definitively say was baby, though I probably have felt flutters and not realized that's what it was.  On the doppler though the baby's heart is strong and he/she moves around, so I will probably feel it soon.

Baby has been giving me some unpleasant symptoms recently including shortness of breath and heart palpitations (all normal), but the worst is round ligament pain.  I had to call the nurse to see what it was because I thought I injured myself.  It feels like a pulled muscle on my left side and hurts every time I sit down, stand up, walk, or even breathe deeply.  It is very uncomfortable and makes me feel like I'm 80 years old hobbling around, but it's a very common pregnancy complaint and can happen throughout the second and third trimester...oh boy!  Apparently the ligaments holding my uterus in place don't like all the stretching that is required as baby grows.  But all in all, I'm doing great and enjoying the miracle of growing a life.

James and I are very excited to find out the gender coming up in a couple of weeks!  We bought a nice crib tonight off Craigslist for a good deal, so I am excited about that.  And we have signed up for a Bradley childbirth class that starts later this month.  There are so many things to do in the next 22 weeks so I'm glad to be checking a few off the list.  I can't wait for baby to get here, but I am thankful for the 9 months to prepare.