Obama Mama

Here I am at thirty weeks--this was taken around August 13th.
Baby is really kicking now--last night Micah and I sat around on the sofa and watched my belly move like in Aliens.

We're coming along with preparations..including:

• ordered a combined carseat/stroller.
  
• given the cats baths and combed them
  
• made space in our spare bedroom for baby supplies
  
• started looking into daycare for February
  
• taken many classes (hypnobirthing, breastfeeding, taking care of baby)
  
• made a financial plan
  
• asked for a raise :)

We're both VERY excited - only 8 more weeks to go (give or take two weeks!)

Lauren at 30 weeks
Originally uploaded by lauren buckland

really fuzzy photo of ultrasound on May 8th

This is from the second ultrasound we had--the first picture of baby looking like more than a little jellybean. It's a side view of him--youc an see his belly, ribs, then his little head, nose and mouth. The still photos don't do the ultrasound justice--it is amazing to see how much he moves--he's very active. When I feel him move these days, he bumps around regularly for about 10 minutes then calms down and sleeps. Once I felt him with hiccups.

My next ultrasound is scheduled for weeks 37/38 to see if he's in the proper birthing position- head down.

photo of ultrasound on May 8th
Originally uploaded by lauren buckland

Week 26

This photo is a few weeks old--taken on July 26th. I now weigh as much as Micah!

Fortunately, almost all my maternity clothes are borrowed or used. For new items, I've purchased a bathing suit, two pairs of pants, two tops and two bras new for about $300. In contrast, I have two drawers of borrowed clothes, and a (used) skirt, three tops, and a pair of pants for $70.

We're beginning to figure out how to organize/rearrange our house to accommodate baby. The idea right now is to block off one half of our house into an extended bedroom/private area with no kitty access using walk-through pet gates and have baby sleep with us in a cosleeper in our bedroom.

We finished hypnobirthing classes last week, but continue to practice.
Tomorrow we go to our first newborn care class--free through my health insurance! We're also signed up for classes to learn about "what to expect in the hospital" and breastfeeding.

We have a busy next three months!

Micah and Lauren and Junior
Originally uploaded by lauren buckland

Look at that Belly

Here's some more pics of the belly from our Trondheim, Norway trip two weeks ago.

Micah and I started taking HypnoBirthing classes last week. The idea behind this birthing technique is to learn methods of deep relaxation (essentially self-hypnosis) that you can use during labor to reduce or even eliminate the pain. Micah reads relaxation scripts to me and I practice relaxing & listening to affirmations (e.g. "your body and your baby are working together for a calm, peaceful birth"). I have faith that this will really help create a calm joyful birth.

In terms of medicine, I'll be totally willing to have some if I need it, but my first method will be relaxing and letting my body do what it does naturally. I'm pretty excited about the whole process, and very excited to meet the little bugger that is bumping around in my belly.

Look at that Belly
Originally uploaded by lauren buckland

Week 20 or so

This was taken June 7th, when it was really hot out. I'm wearing a dress Grandma Georgia helped me make (she helped me fit it). That's Micah's bike in the picture.

Picture with Bike
Originally uploaded by lauren buckland

Norway!

We're off to Norway for a week! Micah is presenting at a physics conference, and I'll be walking around the medieval town of Trondheim. He managed to come up with some new discoveries yesterday, so he'll be talking about something no one else has done--exciting!

Baby is really moving around now. Micah felt him kick last night. You could actually see my belly move.

I'm getting bigger by the day, too. I'm up to four meals a day.

We'll post pictures and stories from our trip.

Week 20

We've reached the halfway point! Hard to believe it is already here. At the 20-week appointment on Tuesday, they measured my belly by putting a measuring tape going up the center of my belly (pubic bone to top of uterus). I'm 20 cm. We listened to baby's heart beat and the doctor could hear when he was kicking. Now I realize that all those little plips and pops and things I thought were intestinal workings are baby movements. He's a very active little one.