Month 9, it is upon us. In a few short weeks, the sprout will sprout. Don't believe me? Check it:
My childhood is to morning reruns of "I Love Lucy" as the sprout's childhood is to reruns of "The Cosby Show." Seriously. They're the same amount of time apart.
Songs we like Daddy to play (so far, as demonstrated by lots of kickies and flipping about):
- Rainbow Connection
- The Garden Song
- When You Dream, by BNL
Fifteen years ago, or thereabouts, I sat in the basement of Chez Aronoff, playing guitar and thinking to myself that someday, way way WAY far in the future, I'd be playing for my own kid. At the time, I thought that the Rainbow Connection was one of the most important songs to play for the kid, as it manages to capture a) magic, b) everything I like in a melody, c) a frog, and d) awesomeness. Well, it turns out that I AM playing it for my kid, and it's just as fulfilling as I thought it would be. Yes, indeed.
We've just finished a very successful baby shower. Thanks to our many helpers, especially those people who took truffles home with them, as it means there are fewer to eat. For those of you who like narrative captions, or couldn't be here because of work, flu, space invaders, or any other reason, I present to you...dum duh duh DAH! Photos!
Beth's Baby Shower Of Awesomeness
Helloooo out there! Thought it was [past] time for an update.
Sprout has been sprouting for 33 weeks now. Evidently, that means she's still working on breathing, her digestive system, and regulating her body temperature, but is mostly just doing her best to gain weight. We had to have her checked out via sonogram yesterday because she decided to have a good stretch during our regular doctor's visit, and her/my overlarge belly measurement was cause for concern. I spent a couple of days wondering whether we were having a giant baby (yeek!), but no -- just a stretchy one. She's slightly over 4 pounds at this point, which is right where she's supposed to be.
Since this was the third time someone told us Sprout was a girl, I think we can pretty much stop wondering. The tech also commented on her long legs and pouty lips (and she wasn't kidding -- see the weird, grainy picture below for a nose-and-mouth shot). They were able to locate a bladder this time... which, till yesterday, I didn't know was missing from the earlier anatomical sonogram. Glad it's there, though.
Weird, grainy picture (she's sideways):
I have never been quite as pleased to find out that someone has the hiccups as I was this morning. Woot! Go Sprout! Practice that breathing.
A curious thing has happened over the past few doctors' appointments -- because we're a low risk pregnancy, and there don't seem to be any complications, we're in and out of there in about as much time as it takes to cook a steak. The big news from our last visit, it seems, is that Beth has excellent blood stats (no anemia, no diabetes), and more importantly, a fine curvature. I didn't know this was a thing, but since it is, it's clearly time to document it.
Also there are baby clothes.
Photographies! I've just finished processing these, and they will be going up in the nursery as soon as they're printed. We wanted something hyper-saturated, because (as you will see once it's put together and the pictures go up) the furniture and most of the walls are going to be done in relatively muted whites and blonde-and-really-dark wood tones.
Even as I write this, Beth is sewing together a super-colorful rug made of my old t-shirts (also being happy because it looks great and growling because it takes so freakin' long) -- the rug and these prints are definitely some of the focal points for the room. Yay non-store-bought art!
Please stop pressing up against my lungs. It's alarming to have to concentrate on breathing.
Love, Mama
I am all but positive that the Sprout will make this exact face at us. I suspect that it will be a way to distract us from the fact that she has covered the cat in pudding.
More actual content coming in the next day or two, but I just saw Beth's shirt bounce from a little baby dance move. It was the first time I've been able to *see* a kick. It was awesome. That is all.
It's like an Etch-a-Sketch!
So, here's a new one for me. What happens when I have the flu and Beth doesn't? I am currently in the process of coming down with something, but I find myself struggling to do all the minor house-maintenance things that need doing. Trash, litter, recycling, all must go out tonight, so I start, get dizzy, Beth offers to help, I finally say ok (no, not to the litter, but to the recycling), and as I'm standing at the sink drinking a glass of water to get better, I look down and go "I know! I'll do the DISHES!"