Another Week Passes By

The most exciting news to share from this last week has been the increase in movement from our little man! Through out the day, he takes little swims and lets me know he's there by giving me a little poke, push or constant pressure as he makes his laps around in my tummy. At times he startles me; I usually jump a little bit, let out a surprised, "oh!" and grab my tummy, but I always end up with a goofy smile across my face :).

As for the more unpleasant parts of pregnancy, I am having trouble getting comfortable... anywhere; at the movies, on the couch, at the dinner table and especially in bed. I have quite a system of pillows, postures and movements that for now seem to get the job done, but I have a feeling that each week it will all need to be adjusted! After the third or fourth trip to the bathroom though the pillows are falling on the floor, the blankets are a twisted mess and it is a miracle that Jason manages to sleep at all!

Our weekly reading stated the following milestones:

~ Little Mr. weighs in at over a pound and measures 11 inches!

~ His nostrils are open and though his lungs need more time to mature, he is capable of muscular breathing.

~ His organs are almost up to speed and his pancreas is making it's own insulin and reacts to the level of blood sugar he is exposed to in my body.

~ His lips are distinct and his "eyes may flutter open occasionally"

~ He is getting more fat on his body & pigment in his skin.

~ And for mom.....I am looking forward to the last run of blood work (test for anemia and gestational diabetes) and coping with what I call, "Pregnant Brain." I forget everything; my phone, words, my keys, the items I actually wrote on the grocery list! According to the book, forgetfulness is normal, temporary and due in part to all the hormones & partly due to my mind wandering to all the things you never knew you had to think about (how you should sleep, crib do's and don'ts, diapers - cloth or disposable, bottle brands........)

My favorite escapes last week....Saturday was Chesna's Baby Shower! Sunday we started painting the nursery & Wednesday I went cake tasting with Justine in Santa Cruz. Not to mention it has been between 60 & 70 degrees and absolutely beautiful!

The baby shower was a blast...it was literally a shower, it rained (even hailed) all day and even though we were crammed inside, it was a lot of fun! Chesna looked beutiful, made out with some amazing gifts, and her girlfriends (Sara, Denise & Carrie) organized and coordinated the party with perfection! It was great to see everyone and the quiche was so good!









As for the nursery...it is going to take longer than I thought! I figured we would slap a coat of paint, and it's done. Yeah no, we need to tape things off, keep the carpet covered, the cats out, the room ventilated and it definitely needs more than one coat. And that means we have to paint one and let it dry! Then another :) Regardless, it was fun! I ended up with paint all over me somehow...in my hair, on my arms, my clothes, my face...and even my belly. Apparently, when I was taping off the window, the baby decided he wanted to help and reached out just enough to smear some paint on me...without me knowing it!

Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos while out and about with Justine...it might have something to do with the fact that we were eating all day! We started at Gayles Bakery with vanilla gensoia cake with raspberry jam, raspberry butter cream and white chocolate frosting, then moved onto a chocolate devils food cake with ganache, and then...you get the point. Afterwards we headed over to The Buttery to see some photos of their cakes (Justine sampled their cakes without me :( I know, how could she!!) and had some actual food...delicious sandwiches and potato salad!! We ended the night with the boys at The Blue Mango for some yummy Thai food and coconut fried bannanas with coconut ice cream. Heavenly right?!

Last but surely not least....I have been basking in the sunshine...whether it is a walk through beautiful Willow Glen and down to the park or sitting out in the sun by the pool in my maternity "polka-dot bikini! There are flowers and fruit blooming everywhere, kids, dogs and moms all over the park and a smile on the face of every passer by! Here are a few of the sights that made me smile:









i really wanted to pick one of these oranges and eat it...and tuck this lovely little flower behind my ear!










dancing ladies are so fun :) and Who doesn't smile when they see Daffodils?











magnolia trees have to be the most beautiful things ever!










and my favorite...cherry blossoms! I love this tree in front of our town homes...it's perfect!




Home sweet home!

21 weeks

Woo Hoo!! We are past the half way mark and with any luck we wont have to wait any longer than 19 more weeks! When I say "19 more weeks," it doesn't sound like very long at all, but when I say "July," it seems like forever!

So, I saw the Dr. this week and had all my questions and concerns answered with confidence. My AFP came back negative and everything is looking good! She said that the randomness and light kicks are due in part to an anterior placenta....meaning that my placenta is in the front and the baby isn't quite big enough to kick hard enough to feel through it. It does explain why I only feel movement on the sides and very low though. It also means that it will be a bit longer before other people will get to feel kicks too.

Of course I got to hear his heart beat again, and he gave me a scare...it took a while for Dr. Pollard to find that quick little beat. When she did, she could only keep it on the monitor for 3 or 4 beats before having to search around for it again! She said, "you have and active little swimmer in there!" She literally had to chase our little mr. around with the doppler to get a beat count. Though I find it cute and amzing now, everyone warns me that if he is that active as he gets bigger I will be miserable! At this point though, I wish he would kick and flip and squirm all day, I LOVE IT! I get a smile and a jump every time he moves and despite Jason's efforts he hasn't felt anything since the one little flutter a few weeks ago. I can tell he is bummed and he even admits a bit a jealousy, but every night he has a quick conversation with my belly button, rests his head on my tummy and patiently waits for the day his son kicks back!

Oh, we also read a story this week...Jason's Favorite...Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak. According to Jason, the baby liked it, but thought it was, "a little bit scary." ;) I love the conversations the two of them have! Apparently, he does talk to me too, I just can't hear it because I can't put my head on my tummy!

And now, a few little tidbits from our weekly read...

~ they now measure head to toe (not crown to rump) and he is about 10 inches and he weighs close to 1 lb

~ the bone marrow is now producing red blood cells in addition to the liver & spleen which have been doing the work until now.

~ his senses are continuing to heighten, and he his becoming aware of my eating & sleeping habits, as well as light & sound outside of my body. His sense of touch is also developing and he is stroking his own face and getting to know himself.

~ the bones in the inner ear are developed & he can hear more clearly (hence story time!)

~ the food I eat, "seasons the amniotic fluid he is swallowing" and because his taste buds are developed, he can now taste different flavors! It also says that ultrasounds can show the baby making faces after mom eats spicy or garlicky foods! NEAT!

Recipe Tag - I'm IT

Amy, my sweet cousin, tagged me! Heres the deal...i have to share two recipes that are super delicious and can be made in under and hour, then tag three people and they need to do the same! got it?! Good....

I thought for a long time about all my "quicky" meals. Not all of them are very healthy (like my mom's recipe for home made macaroni and cheese...but it is my all time favorite meal from home) but I narrowed it down to my top 2 favorites lately!

#1 - Grilled Fish Tacos with an Avocado Salsa (serves 4)

though i would like to take credit for this delicious (and healthy) meal, it is a recipe from Eating for Life by Brian Phillips. Super quick, super easy and super yummy.

~ 1 tbsp olive oil
~ 4 limes halved, divided
~ 5 garlic cloves, (or more if you love garlic like I do) minced,
divided
~ 2 tsp ground cumin, divided
~ 4 portions of fish, about 1 1/2 lbs (my favorite is tuna, but
swordfish, shark or catfish are yummy too)
~ 1 ripe avocado, peeled pitted and diced
~ 1/4 red onion, minced
~ 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
~ 2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
~ 8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
~ 8 lettuce leaves (green leaf is best)

Preheat the BBQ to medium

Combine olive oil, the juice of 3 limes, 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tsp of cumin in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Add the fish and marinade in the yummyness at room temperature for 15 minutes. Turn it once after about 7 minutes.

While marinating, in a separate bowl make the salsa by combining the juice from the remaining lime, garlic and cumin. Mix in the diced avocado, minced onion, minced jalapeños and cilantro.

Place marinated fish on the grill for about 5 minutes on each side, until it's opaque throughout. Put the fish on the cutting board to let it cool a little while you heat up the tortillas on the grill that is still warm...about 30 seconds on each side. Then, return and slice the fish into thin stips. While the grill is still hot, place the tortillas on for about 30 seconds each side.

Place 2 tortillas on each plate, put a lettuce leaf on each tortilla and fill with a portion of fish. Top it off with a spoonful of the avocado salsa fold it up and serve!

* I usually serve it with Spanish rice and black beans, but they are good solo if you aren't super hungry*


#2 - Yummy Sausage Goodness (serves 4)

this is a favorite recipe from my mom's kitchen...not sure what it is called, but I LOVE IT! My sister and I alway got in trouble for only eating the sausages as kids, we would even sneak sausage from the pot when mom wasn't looking!

~ 3/4 small green cabbage, coarsely chopped
~ 2 red and 2 green bell peppers, seeded & cut into 1 inch chunks
~ 1 sweet onion, cut in to 1 inch chunks
~ 12-15 small red potatoes, halved or quartered if good size
~ 1 lb of Pork Kielbasas Sausage, cut into 1/2 inch round

In a large pot, big enough to fit all the ingredients, sear the sausages on a medium high heat.
The trick is to get them nice and brown (even a little black is ok). The flavor from the sausages left in the pot seasons the veggies. This should take anywhere from 15 - 20 minutes.

In between flipping the sausages, I microwave the potatoes for a about 5-8 minutes to pre-cook them (you could probably boil them too, but it takes longer) and chop up all the veggies.

Once the sausage is cooked and has your kitchen is smelling great, add the chopped onions, bell peppers, cabbage and potatoes. Stir the mixture until thoroughly combined and absorbing the sausages flavors. Continue to heat until the veggies start to soften slightly and the potatoes are cooked through.

Let it cool just a bit and serve it up.

*I usually serve this alone because it has it all...pair it with what you like. If you aren't a cabbage fan you can substitute with fresh spinach leaves, but don't add them till the very end or you will end up with some soggy/wilted greens!
____________________________________________________________________

So, now this is tricky...the only Bloggers I know are Amy and Jennifer. Amy tagged me, so that leaves you Jen :) However, I decided that the other two chefs I admire and love to eat from can simply post their recipes as a comment to this blog....or email them to me and I will post them for you!!

I NOW TAG
Jennifer (blog at Now That You Mention It...)






Jessica Yarr (check out her BIG REVIEW Sweet Dreams in the Santa Cruz Metro....yummm)





My Mom (no blog or web page...but we still love her)

A blogging Hiatus..

Sorry to those of you who are devote readers of "A Long Story," last week seemed to come and go before I knew what was happening :) It was a good week though, productive and exhausting! And now for the recap.....

We did get to spend a quick minute with Mrs. O'Connor on the 8th, short and sweet but we stuffed ourselves with delicious Italian food and caught up on the last 7 months! Then the 9th, I attempted to get dressed up...not much fits anymore...and went to the Smoke Tiki Lounge for Cerissa's Birthday Party. Sadly, I was the first one (and only one) there. I ate dinner (yummy ceasar salad with Hawaiian beef) and after an hour of flying solo, I walked out the front door to meet the whole gang filing out of cabs. It was my bedtime though, so I squeezed in a quick hug a tummy rub and headed home. The 11th was Mrs. Ellis' birthday, but unfortunately a trip to Tahoe for a sushi dinner (that I couldn't eat) was not in the schedule :( we were there in spirit though! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN MY ANGEL! I miss you terribly and can't wait for a visit with you and the fam.

As for the exhausting part...I vowed that by 20 weeks in my pregnancy, I would be participating in a Prenatal Yoga class and a regular exercise routine. Ummm Yeah, for those of you who know me, the "gym" is not my favorite place. So the last couple of months, I have taken "brisk strolls" randomly around the neighborhood, but nothing serious. Wednesday morning (20 weeks) I had a light breakfast and went to good ol' 24 Hour Fitness to check out the water aerobics class. Yes, the entire pool was full of 65 + women wearing flower printed swimming caps...and then there was me, polka dot bikini and all belly! Most of the women had a "spot" in the pool, were on first name basis with the instructor and shared a smile. Reluctantly I climbed in the pool and followed the heard. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE WORKOUT YOU GET IN THE WATER! As I awkwardly attempted to keep up, laughed out loud at how uncoordinated I felt and tried to keep from swallowing the white water created by the savage regulars, I realized that I was out of breath and unable to keep pace with the 65+!!! Much respect for those ladies! I got home around 11 STARVING, had a big lunch and have used every ounce of energy I had to stay awake, get to the chiropractor and make dinner.

After the insane water class, the yoga was just what I needed. My calfs and shoulders were soooooo sore and a good stretch was perfect. Valentines day started with a box of Godiva Chocolates hand picked by my husband (yummm), and though I wanted those for breakfast, I had a healthy one, followed by some almonds and headed up to Yoga is Youthfulness in Mountain View for a great 30 minute discussion about the joys and not so joyful parts of pregnancy and nursing and an hour of relaxing meditation and yoga. The instructor, Jeanna Lurie, was not only calming and inspiring, but a wealth of information (a mom of one and expecting a second, a Whole Birth Yoga instructor, an accredited La Leche Leauge Leader, a Program Coordinator for Blossom Birth Services, a certified Doula, and President of the Board of Bay Area Birth Information (BABI)) There was only 5 women in the class which allowed for one on one attention and all of us got questions answered. Though I don't have much in common with the women in the water class or the yoga class (other than pregnancy) I look forward to continuing the classes and preparing for this little guy!

It took all day Friday to get back the energy I used through out the week...I was sooooo tired! But we jumped into the weekend with both feet! Saturday, started with a phone call from our landlord offering hand-me-down baby stuff!! WOO HOO! WE scored a barely used Graco swing and a bath tub ring for when the baby is older! Jason took off to Santa Cruz to get his dad's flatbed truck and our great friend Matt (or Matty) helped load all the heavy stuff onto the truck. Ron helped us unload it in the storage unit back in Santa Cruz and we had a quick visit with Ron, Damien and Chesna! After that, we were excited to head over to the new Babies-R-Us and spend our gift card from Christmas...after an hour of strollers, cribs and rocking chairs we made our pick (a great glider) only to find out that they didn't have it and couldn't order it. :( Lame! Well, despite our failed attempt to buy baby stuff, the office is no longer, the nursery is ready to be painted and we did get a great hand-me-down!

Sunday was SUPER COOL! Lisa & Nathan (our other pregnant buddies, due 4 weeks after us!) met up with us to go see KOOZA - Cirque Du Soleil! For those of you who have seen a Cirque show, you know where I am coming from...for those of you who haven't....spend the money and GO! It is well worth it and an experience I will never forget. Though it did give Lisa and I a bit of anxiety during the trapeze act, the tight rope, and the dual ring hamster things! It was fun to visit with The Tracy's and talk "parents-to-be" talk! Not to mention have someone who uses the restroom as much as I do and can match me bite for bite at dinner!!!

Lastly, a long weekend is always nice...but I had to spend the day completing traffic school for a speeding ticket I got back in October :( LAME!!! I totally forgot about it and had to complete it by today....the procrastination I thought I left up at UCSC is still rampant in my blood! We finished off the weekend by having Matt and Justine over for dinner. mmmmm krystal's super yummy fish tacos and for dessert...mango and coconut sorbet topped with fresh mangos! and of course the boys wrapped up the evening with the endless clicking of the guitars and consistent songs from Guitar Hero III.

19 Weeks & counting...

I can't believe how much of a difference a week can bring. The kicks are bigger and more frequent, the movement lasts longer, the dreams are crazier, the love is stronger, and the heart burn is back! Every week, on Wednesday evenings, Jason and I sit down and read about the weeks developments for the baby as well as things to expect for mom and dad. We usually get a chuckle, because something I noticed during the week, is most often discussed in the chapter we read. (ie - I have been getting sharp pains in my lower abdomen and groin - the book this week discussed "round ligament pain"). It is so fun to find out what is going on in the womb, and thought I could share some bullet points for each week! The book we read is You & Your Baby - Pregnancy by Dr. Laura Riley, OB/GYN.

~ the baby still has room to wiggle & squirm, do somersaults, kick and poke. The movement usually happens more so at night.

~ by the end of the week he will be almost 10 inches long and looking human!"

~ specific areas of the brain are developing for each of his five senses and his skin is developing it's various layers."

~ last week - he began to produce vernix caseosa - the waxy stuff on his skin that protects it from the amniotic fluid.

~ He has as many nerve cells as an adult

~ He is helping his digestive system develop by swallowing the fluid he is suspended in.

As for mom and dad, we read about the round-ligaments (between the pelvis & uterus) that are stretching as the uterus grows to reach it's 500x bigger size than normal :), yikes! I will probably continue to have a "super nose" (sense of smell), and heartburn. It also suggested that we practice saying "no" to others, and lastly, the book gave a list of ways for dad to interact with the baby. Jason, does all that was suggested, and has done it the entire pregnancy! He attends all the appointments, helps pick nursery stuff (his least favorite part), rubs my belly, talks to and sings to the baby (in his opera voice of course) and last week he even got to feel some kicks! His eyes and face lit up when the little guy gave him a good pop, and made it that much more real for him!

This weekend should be busy again, but a fun one! We get to visit with Tina on her last night in California from the frozen and snowy Colorado! We havn't seen then O'Connor family since the wedding and we miss them dearly....then Saturday I am going to Cerissa's Birthday Party!! Woo Hoo! and the most daunting of all tasks....we are going to attempt to finish cleaning out the office - soon to be nursery! It has been kind of a sad thing, throwing out our college careers, to make room for a baby....wow! Reality check!

Oh yeah, and we will be doing all this in between Jason moments of stardom with his new GUITAR HERO III game for the Wii. He has been patiently waiting since Christmas for this game, and had dedicated countless hours to practice this week. One of the best shots from New Years Eve says it all...

Jason and Matty are the next "Guitar Heroes"

a quick visit with the fam

We got a VERY special, and surprise visit on Monday...Obachan, Grandpa Chris and Aunt Rose stopped in on their way home from Hawaii (yeah, they went to Hawaii with out me :( can you believe it!) I has been a while since we last saw them, and while it was a short (a quick chat, and breakfast) it was soooooo good to see them all. The only thing better, would have been seeing Sarah and Lily too. The visit did however, leave me missing them more when they left. It was so quick, I didn't even take a picture, but they brought us Hawaiian gifts that we can share!

For mom (that's me!) a new purse! Does my mom know me or what?! and of course, the chocolate covered macadamia nuts...all right, they were for "us"









For dad (that's Jason) a new tea cup (he doesn't drink coffee anymore)! it added to our never ending collection of cups! ;) thanks :)

And best for last...they got the baby a Hawaiian shirt and shorts for next summer! Too cute!

So, the short visit was a blessing (and left me with a box of chocolates) but I never want them to leave :( we are expecting another, much LONGER visit for our birthdays and until then, I am left with my laptop and my partners in crime.

(don't let them fool you! they are vicious terrors, and can destroy a living room in 8 min flat)

MONSTER TRUCKS!!!

This last week was quite busy and sooo much fun! The ultrasound, taking apart the office, rearranging the living room...but, on Saturday, we went up to Oakland with Matt and Justine to watch Monster Jam at the Oakland Arena. It was weird seeing the A's field turned into a mud puddle full of old cars and huge trucks flying through the air, but it was a great show and well worth sitting in the rain. Yes, in the rain, and not just a drizzle, it was pouring and we were glamorous in our layers and topped off with $1 plastic ponchos! Of course, my pregnant brain was in full force and not only did I forget to bring the camera, but I dropped my brand new cell phone in the biggest puddle you have ever seen :( I convinced Jason to try and get some shots with his phone, and he did a great , with a camera phone under the poncho!





I don't think the baby liked the show though. It was really loud and he kicked and squirmed the entire time, and for a good hour afterwards. I felt a bit guilty despite Jason's reassurance that it was fine, but if the baby hates trucks when he's born, we will know why! ;)

Baby Long's First Movie!

The video is about six and a half minutes long, and the begining is an exciting shot of the top of the head! ha ha! Remember when I said that our tech thought he was the funniest man in the world...well, the top of the head shot is due to him cracking jokes rather than showing us the baby. He also freezes for a long time to show us how to measure from "head to toe." There are some great views of his face, profile, spine, limbs and heart beat, and at the end he pushes off the wall, streches out completely and then flops back in half (this is Jason's favorite part)

i hope you enjoy!