Going to See Alex on the Ultrasound Screen Today...

Yesterday's appointment with my OB revealed that my tummy supposedly has not grown for the past 2 weeks. Neither my dr. or I really believe this, as I've gained another half pound over the last week. The first thing that the OB did was hook me up to the Non Stress Test (NST) monitor. As soon as I got hooked up, I saw Alex moving around my ribs... She was trying to do her best to show me that she's fine...

Well, to stay on the safe side, I'm going in for a "growth ultrasound," to see how big Alex is at this point.

Eric wants to see Alex too, so we will both go early this afternoon. I'll return with the results, which I'm sure will be reassuring.

Can't Get Much Bigger?

Eric has grown increasingly eager to take a picture of my belly, as neither of us can believe how big it's gotten in the past 2 - 3 wks. Here's a shot of me in Alex's new nursery this a.m., (above) compared to a shot of my belly last month (below). By the way, you can see the cute decal of the tree from Land of Nod along w/other jungle creatures (from a store in Vancouver, B.C.).

Sure seems like Alex is gaining some baby fat! :-)

Practice Contractions

This Sunday, Eric & I were about 80 miles away from Seattle on a small trip. running errands in preparation of the baby. Sunday afternoon, as Eric drove, I got this sensation that my stomach was a giant toothpaste tube that was getting squeezed from the top. Eric saw me grab my stomach & asked me if Alex was kicking. I nodded because I didn't want to scare him. Another hr would pass by, & I'd feel that squeezing sensation again. Finally, I mentioned to Eric that I thought that I was having Braxton-Hicks (or "practice") contractions. Eric grew visibly anxious & spoke loudly to my stomach, "Alex, you need to stay in there for a few more weeks!"

Well, after a few more hrs, the squeezing sensations went away. Whew! Both Eric & I sighed a big sigh of relief. We can't wait to see Alex, but we just need a few more days to get things in order...

Alexandra's Shower A Huge Success!

Oh my! What a wonderful day we had this past Saturday! Eric & I were so touched with all of the friends & family who showed up, to help us celebrate the imminent arrival of our baby girl. Here are some pics from one of our guests (the one & only Karen Koehler).

It was a beautiful day, with plenty of sunshine & lots of delicious food (thanks to Natalie Daniels, Barry Shaw w/his delectable, homemade bagels, Rabih's yummy hummus & babagannouj, & Kirsten's cupcakes & fresh vegetables).

Thank you all for coming!

Welcome to Alex's First Blog

Welcome to Alex's first blog! True, she's still in utero, but her mother would like to set up the blog before Alex comes out into this world. Here, visitors can learn about the latest news regarding Alex's development & her mommy's health. After all, she's due in just a few short weeks...

You will also learn about Alex's mommy's important birthing plans & labor support, which are still in formation.

Here are some significant facts:

(1) Alex's baby shower is this Saturday @ 1 pm, at Rabih's & Barry's house. Alex's wonderful aunt, Kirsten, has been planning this event for weeks!

(2) Rabih & Kirsten form Catherine's (Alex's mommy) labor support group. (More on this later.)

(3) One of the guests will not be able to make it to the shower because she had her beautiful baby girl this Monday! Heidi had Chloe Sabine on Monday. Chloe weighed 6 lbs & 7 ozs at birth. Congratulations Heidi & Kevin!! Alex can't wait to meet Chloe!

(4) A few weeks ago, Alex measured at approximately 4.5 pounds at her ultrasound, which is at the 54 precentile for all babies at their 33rd week.

(5) Catherine had a great OB/GYN appointment this past Tuesday: Her tummy has grown 2 cms since the last visit (2 wks ago). & Alex's heartbeat was 148/min (healthy).