Hospital Tour!

 

We had a tour of Baylor Frisco on Monday night to check out the floor, patient rooms, etc. We weren't exactly sure what would constitute not meeting our expectations since we had none really. Isn't a hospital a hospital? It was really nice though- seemed almost like a 5 star hotel with a plasma tv in every room. A few perks that I remember include a steak and lobster dinner for David and I the night before we leave, an in-room webcam routed through the internet/tv to communicate with family/friends face to face, better NICU than our other hospital choices, and all of the baby's testing and handling is done bedside as opposed to taking him away to a nursery area briefly!

 

Also, the childbirth classes are free, and it's in network for my insurance. I registered online so the decision has been made. Here's to checking another item off of our never-ending to do list!

The table has turned with my "Don't I look bigger today?!" optimism! I'm thinking bigger belly=bigger pains! My feet and back are KILLING ME!! The back and anterior hips are pretty achy from growing pains, but both feet are definitely getting early stages of plantar fasciitis. I've been doing some treatment on my feet at work, and I keep trying to sit whenever I can, both of which are helping. I've been pretty whiney this week.

At 25 weeks today, little Nico is getting out there!.......

We registered!

I'd been looking forward to going to register with David for months now! Whenever I've gone into Babies R Us or other related stores, I couldn't wait for the day that I would be one of those pregnant-looking woman carrying around the scanning gun! We had a lot of fun, and I don't think the process was too painful on David! Since I had already researched certain things, we were ahead of the game and some of the intimidating sections like feeding went by smoothly. I then spent a few hours online afterwards finishing up! It's addicting!

We are registered on both Babies R Us and Amazon. Most of the essential items are on Babies R Us and the unique items (stuff Babies R Us doesn't carry or is well overpriced there) are on Amazon.

We also were productive yesterday and picked out a paint color for the nursery! It's a light neutral- almost like the color of a sandy dirt baseball field. It will go perfect with the blues and reds in our furniture and bedding!

We have started a scary looking to-do list that is posted on the refrigerator door. The list is about 45 items (which feels like 836 items) and continues to grow every time we check something off! Seems overwhelming at times! One thing that I really want to accomplish is to finish all of our home projects before Nico arrives, otherwise we will never do them! We bought a really cute Martha Stewart bedding set from Macy's that comes with decorative pillows and even curtains, so I'm looking forward to getting the master bedroom looking cute!
 

6 months along!

Our Week 24 appointment went well! Heard a nice heartbeat at 149 bpm and just checked in with Dr. Shimer. Everything is going smoothly so it was a quick appointment!

The weight has started to pack on. I'm up to 14 lbs now! I gained 8 lbs in the first 5 months combined, and apparently have put on 6 lbs in just the last month. I finally broke down and went shopping for some maternity shorts and capris with the belly band in them. They are so comfortable that I may have to continue wearing them for life!

I feel little Nico moving all of the time now! It happens most consistently after meals. It's such an exciting feeling, and I doubt it will ever get old. David said that he surgically inserted a baseball bat and he's working on his swing in there.



Happy 23 Weeks!

 

The belly is getting there!

Weeks 23-25 for Nico's Development:

At 24 weeks, he is officially considered "viable!" This means he's reached a stage of development to be capable of living, under normal conditions, outside the uterus.

Proportions of the body are now very similar to a newborn, although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat.

Rapid eye movements are beginning.

His tongue is developing taste buds and he may even make a face in disgust of food I'm eating!

Fingerprints and footprints are forming.

Detailed structures of the spine, creases in the hands, sweat glands, and real hair on his head begin to form.

With his sense of movement well developed by now, he can feel me move!

Canton Trip + baby movement

This was finally the week that I could feel the little guy moving and be sure of it! It has continued to happen multiple times each day. The best way to describe it is that it feels like a tiny muscle spasm or air pocket. Pretty cool.

4.2.11- David was able to feel him move too!

Canton was a blast with my mom and Cindy, and we were very productive! We picked up a few big pieces for Nico's nursery along with a handful of other small items. Here are some of the highlights!

 

 

 

 

While we were gone all day, David was hard at work putting together the crib! He was lucky enough to do it twice since he built it in the upstairs living area, and then it didn't fit through the nursery door!!

The room is starting to come together! We are hoping to pick out a paint color and have it painted in the next month or so.

The big name reveal/David's birthday!

Both families met at Campisi's on Thursday to finally reveal the name and celebrate David's birthday! David had a great idea to make a game out of it, and he emailed it to both families on Wednesday. I think all 4 parents were driven absolutely nuts in their efforts to figure it out. At one point on Wednesday night, I talked to Cindy and she was randomly researching Kirby Puckett's father's name (What?!?!). Ryan told me that my parent's were acting as if a million dollars was at stake as they yelled back and forth on separate computers! My dad added up all of the roman numerals in question #10 (the answer was simply roman), to equate to 1066, which was the Battle of Hastings, whose winner was William. (Really, people?!?!)

 

The answers of 1 through 18 are in the word box. There are 3 additional clues at the bottom that read:

1) It is the 1st thing you see

2) Trace ancestry from; be passed or handed down

3) The answer is found in 1-18

With all of that nonsense, all parties came to Campisi's with wrong answers. The Elson's were set on Nathan with a middle name of either Allen or Arnold. The Biagini's pulled out 4 flashcards with various combinations of names including Nathan Arnold, Nathan David, Anthony Arnold, and Roman Anthony. 

We told them that they all overanalyzed it and that the answer was simply stated in the clues. If they could just figure out the definition of clue #2, it would all make sense! After 5-10 minutes of continuing to be mislead, they realized that word was "descending."

David kept repeating... the first thing that you see... descending... in 1 to 18... and they just weren't getting it. About that time, our waiter came over, and we asked him. Within 10 seconds, he read the first letter of each name down the list and got it. Too funny.

David then opened his presents, and look what his parents got him...

 

                                                           



 

We were SOOO surprised! Not only did they figure out the name, but they had remaining time to get an embroidered jersey! It was a very fun night and we were so happy to announce our little boy's name...

NICHOLAS "NICO" ARNOLD BIAGINI!

Halfway there!

The Week 20 doctor's appointment went well. He's still in there and squirming around as they tried to hear the heartbeat. At least we have some evidence that he is actually moving in there. I am starting to think that I feel him moving around at times, but I'm still not 100% confident! I've felt the "air flutter" feeling that everyone keeps talking about but it hasn't happened much. I pushed into my abdomen yesterday and could have sworn that I felt something coming back at me, but who knows?! Maybe this is the week!

People are starting to tell me that I'm showing!!! I get really excited when that happens and can't wait until I look more "officially" pregnant! Other than occasional back pain, everything is going great!

We are getting together with both sets of parents on Thursday for dinner to celebrate David's birthday AND announce the name!!!

Weeks 20-22:



He has the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn. He has a favorite position for sleep and recognizable active and rest periods.

He is swallowing amniotic fluid and his kidneys are making urine. After he takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel.

His brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what's called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around the five birthday.

His testes begin their descent to the scrotum.

Eyelids, eyebrows, tongue, and fingernails are fully formed.

His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase in muscle development, I should start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon!

• Immunities are being transferred to him. These immune cells will protect him from viruses I've already had for up to six months after birth!

Scalp hair becomes apparent this week.

Week 19-20

I can't believe it will be 5 MONTHS on Wednesday! This past week was a fun one.

• We made the news "facebook official."
• We decided on a baseball decorated nursery! (Go figure.) We don't want it too overdone and themed-out though, so we are planning on getting the basics in blue, red, and neutral colors and then accenting around it all with baseball stuff! The bedding is just about complete. I bought a light blue breathable bumper, blue and white ruffle, mattress pad/covers, and baseball sheets! They are so cute with little balls and bats on them. Now all we have left is the mattress and we're done with all of the crib stuff.  
• We have the crib!... now we just need to put it together. It's a 4 in 1 convertible crib that can be a crib, toddler bed, daybed, and full size bed.
• We bought and assembled a cute dresser from Ikea! I ordered cute little baseball knobs online that should be arriving any day now.

 

• More packages keep coming with the more and more coupons I keep finding! We definitely will be set on diapers, wipes, baby lotion/wash for a while.

• My coworkers are so nice and made me a "finding out the gender" gift. Look how amazing this diapers cake is! It's decorated with various bibs and toys, and also a pacifier, comb, brush, and sunglasses.

 

• And lastly, I'm showing more @ 19 wks!!:

 

Week 18 Appt

The picture says it all!............

 

He's waving at us.

 

 

Scratching his forehead in thought.

 

 

 

The sonogram experience was AWESOME! The technician was very thorough and spent a good 30 minutes reviewing head to toe! We saw different parts of the brain forming, chambers of the heart, spine/ribs, blood flow, and organs! The measurements were all normal, and he's healthy looking with a strong heart beat at 161 bpm.

He did a few funny things while we were watching him. As we were looking for one of his hands, we found it on his crouch... just like a typical guy! He was doing chewing motions of the mouth, and also picked his nose, scratched his forehead, and waved a few times at us. His left hand was very active so of course David is set on him being a lefty like him now! It was such an amazing experience and I can't wait to start feeling him move soon!

17 weeks

I'm boycotting baby stores! With my recent psycho efforts to compare prices between all of the stores in a 30 mile radius that sell baby items, I have determined that online is the way to go. I'm loving amazon.com, and I've started to research which items we want on there!

Just as an example.... take a jumbo pack of 252-264 diapers that are size 1.

Babies R Us.................  $41.99

Target........................... $44.99

The price I paid online....$11.49

Yeah... what the heck! So if you become a member on Amazon.com in the baby section (which is free to do), you automatically get 30% off of diapers and wipes, and free 1-2 day shipping! In addition to that discount, you can stack multiple coupons on top of that. The coupons are easy to find and are in magazines that have free/cheap subscriptions or are accessible online. I'm not really sure what the catch is, but I'm going to try to order what I can now before these deals come to an end.   



We put the stroller together and love it! Thanks again, Dave & Cindy!  

Miley thinks that this is her new toy.

  

My belly is growing, and I've been insanely hungry the past week or 2. Fortunately I've been in the mood to eat a ton of fruit. I've even eaten a few FOOTLONG subs! The little guy is hungry at 17 wks!

 

Development for the Next 2 Weeks:

• The brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, vision, touch, and hearing. He may be startled by loud noises, i.e. dogs barking. He supposedly will be used to the dogs barking and less likely to be startled after birth!
• Alveoli, tiny air sacks, are forming in the lungs. Vocal chords are formed. He goes through the motions of crying, but without air, no sound is made.
• Sweat glands are forming.
• His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now.
• Hair on the scalp is sprouting.
• A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on the skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.
• The sketon is transforming from cartilage to bone.
• Meconium (composed of products of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid), is accumulating in the bowel. This black gooey substance will become the first bowel movement- how exciting.....  

              

We also found out that our first screen results are negative! The liklihood of Down's/neural tube defects is apparently low, so that is good news!

And the real spending begins...

We picked out a travel system, and my inlaws bought it for us! We went to a few baby stores to test out the two different models that I narrowed down, and the Chicco brand won by an overwhelming vote. It is completely idiot-proof. The car seat connects to both the car base and the stroller by simply setting it down and listening for a click. We can't possibly screw that up! Plus, it's a lot easier to manage (lift, fold, and unfold) than the Graco model. I found it online (diapers.com) at a considerably less price than the stores, plus searched online for a coupon code- even better!

David and I splurged on some other baby items. We came across a Babies R Us in Addison that was moving to a different location, so everything in the store was 30% off. We had to take a little advantage of that! We stocked up mostly on boring stuff that we knew we would need like wipes, lotions and bath stuff, first aide and hygiene items, and even a contoured changing pad to set on top of a dresser... and then we let ourselves have a few of the "bigger" items!



 

I've heard that these activity gyms get a lot of use, and we went with a baby carrier for the sake of saving our (my) back when I am carrying the little guy around.

I had to buy a little education.  I came across a baby book that gives a brief overview of the last stages of pregnancy/childbirth as well as the baby's first year. Even though all that I hear is to not buy books or read too much info because it comes natural and "instincts kick in," I decided that I tend to have a below average common sense level AND absolutely no experience with human beings under the age of 5, so it may be a smart idea to read up on the basics! I also came across a funny series of kid books with a character named Pookie, which has been David's name for me for as long as I can remember, so I had to get that too!

This week was different from the previous 4 months in the food category! I had my first craving..... pineapples!! I wasn't a big fan previously, but I had a night when I HAD to have it! I've eaten it nearly every day this past week. I also had a horrible aversion to the entire California Pizza Kitchen restaurant on what was supposed to be date-night on Friday. Not only did the whole place smell badly to me, but I couldn't find a single thing that looked good on the menu. Needless to say, it was a very frustrating, short date night.

I have a feeling that my baby bump is just around the corner. It feels like progress is made every morning! People still say that they can't tell with my clothes on, but I definitely can notice! I've been feeling great. No complaints!

It's still in there

Well we had another doctor's appointment today and the heartbeat is still healthy sounding and going strong at 154 bpm! It took longer to find the heartbeat this time and once we got on it, the little guy (i'm already mentally committed that this is a boy!) kept moving. I already get the impression that he's going to be a wild one based on our few interactions. Can't feel him yet though. I got to meet a new doctor today, Dr. Sloan, and she was nice and easy to talk to. The next appt is 3 weeks from today, where they will confirm the sex!!!

I need to be officially cut off from buying any more clothes.  I wanted to go to a few more of the resale stores that are in the area just to see what they are like for future reference, and of course, my mom and I ended up buying another 10-15 outfits. You just can't resist these $1-2 outfits that are so adorable! I avoided the sports theme though, so that was an improvement on my part.

On a more productive note, I have narrowed down 2 different travel systems (stroller + car seat combo) that I like. David and I are planning on going to look at them and maybe even make a decision this weekend. I'm so ready to register and get things going. I have walked around a few of the stores a few times just to mentally pre-register.

On a final note, I'm starting to show a little bit, or maybe it's just the half box of girl scout cookies that I ate the other day. I'm actually halfway sucking in in this pic too! I'm anxious to start showing more! I can feel a few hardened spots starting to protrude so I know that it's not all in my head!

 

Life Lately: Snow days in Texas!

Here are some of the highlights of the past few weeks, both baby and non-baby related!
 

Snowy days = Less work, more play! Morgan loved the snow, and Miley found different pathways to tip-toe around.

 

 

David was having fun of his own, too.

 

 

We had a date night/early Valentine's celebration on Saturday with dinner & a movie. Chef David's main course, steak oscar, was amazing. I'm spoiled.

 

We received a cute "Valentine's" gift from my mom & dad!

 

David and I did a little shopping of our own for the first time together! I have come across a few resale shops in our area with gently used toys, clothing, etc. They are so practical and inexpensive! As we were out and about running errands, I had David stop by Once Upon a Child just for fun. 15-20 outfits later.....

 

 

My mom and I did some browsing on Sunday afternoon in Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby, and Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot. I wanted to compare the stores and start to look at items to register for, rather than mindlessly search for everything online. It was a lot of fun! I felt very productive since I was able to make short lists of certain cribs, carseats, strollers, play yards, etc to choose from. Now we (I!) just need to do some futher research online, plus get David involved, to finalize the picks! We should start the registry in the next month or so. I keep forgetting that we technically aren't sure if it's a boy or not, despite the doctor's confidence, so we should be a little patient!

Lastly, we bought a new car last month! David's Xterra needed a pricy amount of work and it wasn't worth the investment of fixing a worn out car with 115,000 miles on it anyway. We wanted a mid-sized SUV with decent gas mileage and adequate space for our growing family, and we picked a Chevy Equinox!

 

Here's what's going on with our little one for the next 2 weeks:

• He's learned to breathe!
• Bones in the middle ear have formed, so he may be able to hear us talking!
• There's a chance I will start to feel him moving soon.
• Fat is forming underneath the skin.
• Taste buds are forming.
• Fingernails and toenails are growing.
• He can react to light. If we shine a flashlight at him, he'll move away from it- weird!

A Little Shopping with the Proud, New Grandparents

I went to Blue Fish for some amazing sushi with Cindy on Friday, and then we did a little shopping nearby at Buy Buy Baby! It was a really fun night. I was overwhelmed by the amount of choices for cribs, carseats, strollers, etc etc. Looks like some planning will have to go into the registry instead of just going nuts and choosing the cutest things! Here's what we got! I love them all! 

 

The brown onesie says "Handsome like Daddy." :) David liked that one. 

 

I apparently was drawn to the jungle themed animals, especially monkeys, the other night.  

 On Saturday, my parents and I went to Uncle Julios for dinner, and we ALSO happened to wander into in a baby store! These cute clothes below are from Macy's.

                   

 



 

This 4 piece outfit says "Mommy's little monster."  How cute is that! The feet crack me up.

Well that's all the excitement for now! The next doctor's appointment is in 4 weeks for another checkup. We don't get to see another sonogram pic until Week 19, when the sex is confirmed! A big Canton trip (east Texas giant flea market type event) with both of the new grandma's is the next thing I am looking forward to on April 2nd. There are a lot of vendors out there that sell baby stuff, particularly really cute bedding, that we will hopefully choose to get the nursery started. 

Weeks 12-13: It's likely a... boy!!

..........It's a BOY!!!..........

 (Well, it's a 95% chance)

 

This week has been the most exciting week so far! We had 2 appointments, one being Wednesday's routine 12 week appt with Dr. Shimer to hear the heartbeat and ask questions/review a few things (it was quick and relatively uneventful), and the second was the "sequential screening" on Thursday with a prenatal specialist to assess the risk for Downs Syndrome, Trisomy 18, and other neural tube defects. For that screening, a sonogram was performed to take specific measurements and two blood tests are analyzed as well.

David met me for Thursday's appointment and was a nervous wreck. You would have thought the actual birth was fast approaching! He became distant, quiet, and was just acting goofy. (In a cute way, though.) When he shook the doctor's hand, he apparently used a death grip because the doctor commented, "Strong handshake." Haha. Then David was pacing around the room and asking questions when the baby came up on the screen. Funny to watch, but it doesn't give me much hope that he will make it through the real day!

The specialist thoroughly analyzed the sonogram picture and said that everything looked healthy! The little one was putting on a show for us and was moving around all over the place and moving its hands and feet quickly. It was the first time that it all felt real. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. Afterwards, I asked him his opinion on the sex and he said very confidently and directly, "It's a boy." He said he was 95% sure after asking him how confident he was! We both lit up! David was the happiest I've ever seen him. We went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch to celebrate.

We called our parents and the Biagini's were thrilled and also surprised after betting on a girl. My parents were ecstatic, and my dad asked about his new grandson's availability for Roughrider's baseball games in late August.

After work, I went to Target to get a little something for David to celebrate our big day!

 

 

Here's what's been going on the past few days and into next week as Wednesday marks the beginning of the 14th week!

• He begins to practice inhaling and exhaling movements.
• His neck is getting longer, and the chin no longer is resting on his chest.
• Hands are becoming more functional as he may find it comforting to start playing with his fist or even suck his thumb.
• At this point all nourishment is received from the placenta.
• Thyroid gland has matured and he begins producing hormones.
• The prostate gland develops.
• Lanugo (very fine hair) covers his body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age. Generally this will be shed prior to birth and its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water.
• Tiny ribs may soon appear.
• He is beginning to form urine and discharge it into the amniotic fluid.
• Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another!



Last 2 weeks of First Trimester

The following week has had its share of new and challenging adventures.

1) My all time favorite meal (brisket tacos at Mia's) didn't taste well at all to me. I teared up. Literally. Poor David. I have been praying that my taste buds will love them again one day.
2) Got a urinary tract infection. Awesome.
3) Had my first "morning sickness" episode on Monday. Very queasy for 3-4 hours but just couldn't throw up.  Hot sweats then cold chills. Pale as a ghost. (And you can't forget the intermittent peeing every 15 minutes!!)

 But now, things are back to normal now. Phew!

On a better note, I finally have a baby bump feeling! It's a hardened spot on my lower stomach that protrudes out! I've been waiting to have an excuse not to have a flat stomach!

Here are the highlights of week 11-12. One more week to go until I'm out of the 1st trimester, wahoo!

• It's busy kicking and stretching.
• The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Fingers will soon begin to open and close, toes will curl,  eye muscles will clench, and mouth will make sucking movements. (In fact, if I prod my abdomen, the baby will squirm in response, although I won't be able to feel it... crazy).
• Intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now.
• Kidneys, liver, and pancreas start to funtion.
• Nerve cells are multiplying rapidly and synapses in the brain are forming furiously.
• The face looks unquestionably human: eyes have moved from the sides to the front of the head, and ears are right where they should be now.

• Muscles in the intestinal walls begin to practice contractions that digest food.
• Bones start to harden.
• Vocal cords start to form.

Next Dr's appointment- a week from today for another sonogram/checkup!