The Belly: Week 26 (We are Actually at Week 29 Now)

The Belly: Week 26
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

I think Blogger.com would kick me off if I tried to put all my photos up. I have some more on my Flickr page which everyone is invited to see http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandvikpix/. These next three weeks are going to be INSANE with the end of classes (this week), final exams (next week), and then the dreaded COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS (third week). After that my life will get substantially less crazy. After that I will be able to give some serious attention to preparing for childbirth.

Yup. I kind of forgot about that part of the pregnancy. Todd and I will start our birthing classes next Sunday. And I will finally have the time to attend the prenatal yoga classes. Thank GOD my dear friend and mother mentor, Christina, gave me a prenatal yoga DVD. It has already awakened me to the fact that I can no longer lean forward when sitting on the ground. Hmmm. Something is in the way!

So, I leave you all with a close up of Baby Sandvik's current residence at week 26! I am evidently carrying a basketball.

And another thing...

Back in the early days of my search for baby bedding I found the wonderful Baby George organic cotton bedding at that Crystal Baby Organics ... Wonderful stuff but EXPENSIVE as HECK! So in the end I didn't actually buy it there but from this really sweet woman who recently opened an online/eBay store "Niki's Organic Boutique" out of Columbia, SC. She has the best prices I have seen online for organic bedding. If anyone is scouting out organic bedding I would check out her stock!

"This is yours!"

"This is yours!"
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

This is the week 28 baby belly explaining to Baby Sandvik where he will be sleeping in a couple of months. I think the reply back went something like, "What is this sleep you speak of? I am planning nothing of the sort!!"

Crib Buddies

Crib Buddies
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

So I went ahead and purchased the AWESOME "Baby George" organic cotton bedding. You can see the cute jungle animal embroidery here. I still need to get foam or padding or something to stuff in the bumper.

It is just amazing to walk into the room now and see things coming together. He will be here before we know it! I just ask that he stays in the oven until he is fully cooked (and until I am finished with my internship)!

The Daddy (Post Set-Up)

YEAH! The nursery furniture is finally here! This little babe has nicer furniture than anything Todd and I own. We are thinking of seeing if Baby Sandvik wants to trade. Grandma and Grandpa Sandvik gave us the glorious evolving crib (crib to day-bed to full size bed) and Grandma and Grandpa Bush gave us the roomy dresser/changing table. Big Daddy Todd did a stellar job getting the room set up! Just a little wall washing, window dressing, and floor covering left to go!

Bare-foot & Pregnant

BF&P
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

Look! Isn't that rich? I AM bare-foot and pregnant... in the kitchen... making mac'n'cheese.

It has been a while since I have posted-there are just so many things going on! All is well though. We have the nursery furniture ordered with thanks to Mom and Dad Sandvik for providing a beautiful crib for our little boy and Mom and Dad Bush for providing a nice chest of drawers for those baby clothes! YEAH! All we need is the baby!!

Welcome Jack!

Baby Jack
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

At 8:36 AM on March 7th in Paris little baby Jack joined us all! Jack Samuel Jean Falcoz-Vigne is the first child for our friends Sam and Serge! Isn't he gorgeous!? A little pisces like my father. Well, welcome Jack! We can't wait to meet you! And so many congratulations to Sam and Serge! LOVE!

Baby Learns About Marine Life

Half Moon Bay was beautiful! Judith and I had a nice drive along ridges and canyons to get there. On our trip we saw two black tail deer, a sharp shinned hawk, an unfortuante raccoon, red wing black birds, snow, a flock of dinos, a white balloon with a lisp, pony rides, snails, hermit crabs in snails' clothing, and SEALS!!!!!! Seals with eyes like dinner plates staring back at us... surely wondering when we would get off their rock. Baby Sandvik no doubt experienced some turbulence as I jumped up and down waving to the seals to please come in and have a chat with us... no avail. Baby Sandvik and I also enjoyed a Dungenous Crab Sandwich and Barabara's... Mmmmm... we both approve!

Greetings from Mountain View, California!

Morning two, here with Judith and Christine and the three Grey Boys (kitties: Grey Beard, Grey Brother and the impetuous Romeow), has dawned! I am enjoying my time here visiting and seeing their home. Yesterday, Baby Sandvik and I learned all about the history of computers at the Computer History Museum. It was fascinating! My favorite peices of new knowledge surround the 1890 census which really got the computer building industry growing and the Kitchen Recipe Computer featured in the Neiman Marcus catalogue (number sold... 0). It had the delightful tag, "If only she can cook as well as Honeywell can compute..." Thannnnks. It took about a week's worth of programming training to work it and at that time you could hire a "domestic" to cook for you for the price of the Kitchen Compute. We had a wonderful dinner out at Shiva's, which kicked off a hiccuping spell for the wee one. Evidently, he has inherited his father's love of spicy food and the resulting hiccups! :) Today we are off to Half Moon Bay to walk the shore and, me thinks, test out some local food! Mmmmmm!!

Wiggling

WOW! Little Baby Sandvik is moving around like crazy these days. Seems like as soon as we found out he was a he things have been progressing more quickly! Todd very sweetly purchased some nice maternity shirts for me... now I need to concentrate on those pants... I don't know how long I can keep unbuttoning my pants in class before someone gets worried :)

Wee Sandvik seems to really like mornings (before I jump out of bed) and dinner time. Last night during the national news, I must have been in a weird sitting position, he reallt squirmed around in a way I had not felt before... I couldn't stop laughing! Felt like a squirrel!

So, I found a set of organic cotton baby bedding... nice and simple but still playful for a tot. I think it may be worth the clams. Still not giving up on making my own, just keeping the options open! I found it at Crystal Baby Organics
...tres granola!

Pondering Along

There is also this really sweet Chinese Folk Toy fabric...

Baby Sandvik's Bedding

Have you ever actually looked at the baby bedding in stores? Ekk!! I am overwhelmed with the floofy, over patterned, expensive, scary stuff that seems to dominate. Luckily... there is a wealth of really wonderful fabric out there! I have decided to make lil' Sandvik's nursery bedding and I have just found what I *think* will be perfect!! I love it! No marketing angle in it, no message of intension (I hope he likes animals!), not to mention... Misha and Poushy will both approve!

Wicked 4D Imaging!

Baby Sandvik at 19 Weeks
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

I can't get over all the detail in these pictures! We have a face to go with the "name" now. All my day dreaming is just that much more focused. On to boy names, bedding, and plans, plans, plans... and enjoying every moment!

Mystery SOLVED!!

It's a BOY!!
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

Here is our little man in utero. 19 weeks, half his birth length... many, many pounds to go! The "bottom" image is our proof :)

OH BOY!!!!

I couldn't even update the blog yesterday because I was too excited! We are having a boy!! He didn't make us wait long to find out either. At the ultrasound appointment the first image we saw was of our little fella spread eagle (thanks buddy!)... Yup... No mistaking that. Todd and I were very attentive students as we watched our little one turn, stretch, and demonstrate his leg and arm range of motion. Perhaps the wildest thing for me is that now I KNOW what the baby feels like... While watching the monitor we could see him kick out and I could feel it at the same time! No more confusing his movements for tummy gurgles. The technician printed out a set of five pictures (that funky new 4D style) that I will have up Friday! Todd and I went out last night to a nice Southern Italian restaurant to celebrate all of our many blessings, especially our son!

Those Old Wives' Tales

Over Christmas Dad Sandvik tried out the ol' needle on a string test with me (and Amber and Heather... :) ) I can't remember now if it swung side to side or in a circle over my wrist but I finally found some answers! I found an Old Wives' Tales website full of some curious tales. The pregnancy ones are near the bottom but I would suggest reading through the others! WHOA! I am thinking a lot of these were created for the express purpose of keeping young girls in line around the house... "If you sit on the kitchen table you will never marry." "Make your bed foot to head or you will have bad dreams." Is there any other way to make a bed? Have fun! Maybe this weekend I will try the needle on a string again!

Birthing Classes?... CHECK!

Today I made contact with Paula Huffman, a very experienced pre-natal RN and yogi. Todd and I will start taking childbirth classes with her (and other local expecting folks) in May. Paula was recommended by the Birthing Center and I can see why when looking at her experience! And lucky for Todd and I the classes will be held at our very own Carrboro Yoga Center (a whopping block away). You can check out the class description here: http://mycyco.com/workshops/Childbirthclasses.htm I am most looking forward to the massage techniques! Go Todd, Go!

Check-up Part Deux

Today was the day to finish up the check-up from last week. My mom was able to come again and this time she got to hear the heart beat. Very strong, lots of swishing... evidently Baby Sandvik was really wiggling around. Earlier today I am pretty sure I felt the baby move!! Three quick little taps? nudges? flops? I can't wait to feel more! Actually, I really can't wait until Todd can feel the baby move around too. Next check-up is scheduled for March 8th, the day after I get back from my spring break trip to visit Judith and Christine out in California.

So last night Todd and I watched just enough of the Super Bowl to rationalize eating a pile of nachos... we then moved on to a much better show (in my opinion, that game wasn't going much of anywhere). We watched the National Geographic channel's "In the Womb" which was amazing! According to the program our little one is just getting to the stage where it can make use of its developing senses... taste, touch, smell... just not sight (too dark!). Hope it liked the nachos!

A Blanket Preview

Blanket Preview
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

My sister, Judith, recently started crocheting... although you wouldn't know from seeing her work! She is making our baby a very special gift-a baby blanket in nice Swedish yellow and blue! A very special present made with lots of love!

Seventeen Weeks

Seventeen Weeks
Originally uploaded by lola_sandvik.

Seventeen weeks and counting. We are almost halfway there! We had half of our second prenatal check-up last Wednesday. I was very happy that my mom was able to come with me so she could check out the center and see how a birthing center was different from a hospital environment.

Weight, blood pressure, protein and glucose are all on target. The baby should be around sixteen centimeters long now! Quite a change from the 3.4 from seven weeks ago.

Since we are going to a Womens' Health and Birthing Center people need to be a little more flexible... hence, I will be heading back Monday to finish the check-up. On Wednesday an expecting mum came in and went 0 t0 60 in a VERY short amount of time. My midwife was called away to deliver the babe!

The center is wonderful. I am really enjoying getting to know the midwives and doulas.