One quick final update...we've officially reached the third trimester! 2/3 of the way there! I don't know if I speak for Brandon, but I can feel a little panic start to set in...she'll be here before we know it!
This weekend she gets to take her first trip to Iowa, and we're so excited to see everyone!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Under Construction
Now that we have a pretty good idea that our little Bean is indeed pink, we've started working on the nursery. First, we had to clear space out of one of our upstairs bedrooms. To do this, we added a spare room in the basement for when visitors come (very safe during a tornado...not so safe during a fire...don't worry, we have very good smoke detectors!). Though we had most of what we needed, we couldn't do much with that room until we had some acceptable flooring put in. I'm happy to say that we got that completed at the end of June, and our little basement room is ready for visitors! Here are some pictures of the finished product...
With that, we were able to start on the nursery. It's been kind of slow going, as we've been juggling a lot of softball (Brandon) and schoolwork (me...I got the junky end of that deal!). But we've been plugging away and hope to get our painting done sometime in the near future. We've chose gray, white, and Tiffany blue (with a little yellow) as our colors (and if we need to, we can man it up with some navy thrown in...but we're still holding tight to those 60/40 odds!). Here are a few shots of our progress...
Bean's empty room...
Copper is supervising...
Slow and steady....
Getting closer!
We'll keep posting updates as it comes together!
With that, we were able to start on the nursery. It's been kind of slow going, as we've been juggling a lot of softball (Brandon) and schoolwork (me...I got the junky end of that deal!). But we've been plugging away and hope to get our painting done sometime in the near future. We've chose gray, white, and Tiffany blue (with a little yellow) as our colors (and if we need to, we can man it up with some navy thrown in...but we're still holding tight to those 60/40 odds!). Here are a few shots of our progress...
We'll keep posting updates as it comes together!
Roadtrip!
Roadtrip!
The day after our appointment we packed our bags and loaded Copper into a rented SUV to drive to Pittsburgh for my grandmother's 80th birthday party. After a very long day in the car, we finally arrived. We don't get to Pittsburgh very often, and when we do we don't usually get the chance to see everyone, but it turns out that we were all able to make it into town that weekend. In addition to my grandma's party, my mom put together a little baby shower for us Saturday evening, complete with an ice cream cake that had little baby booties on it. We got so many thoughtful and generous gifts from family and friends. It's overwhelming to think about how loved our little Bean will be (she's doing somersaults while I write this...so I think she agrees!). I was also able to bring home some things that were mine when I was little, including a handmade cradle, a variety of outfits that my mom and grandma made for me, some blankets, a little wall hanging that hung up in my room when I was a baby, and finally....the Alphabet sweater. This probably doesn't mean much to anyone without the last name of Hamilton, but for us, it was a big deal. Grandma Petey's next door neighbor, Rita, whom I have known forever, knitted many gifts for us throughout the years. One of these gifts is a white sweater with the letters "A, B, C, D" on the front in solid, primary colors. Each Hamilton child had his or her picture taken in that sweater at one point during their lives. I'm happy to say that Bean will be no different. And don't worry Mom, we'll be sure to get it to the next person who has a baby so they can do the same!
Belly shot from our Pittsburgh trip...yes, I'm standing in the corner, and no, it's not because I was misbehaving...it just happened to be where the light was the best!
The day after our appointment we packed our bags and loaded Copper into a rented SUV to drive to Pittsburgh for my grandmother's 80th birthday party. After a very long day in the car, we finally arrived. We don't get to Pittsburgh very often, and when we do we don't usually get the chance to see everyone, but it turns out that we were all able to make it into town that weekend. In addition to my grandma's party, my mom put together a little baby shower for us Saturday evening, complete with an ice cream cake that had little baby booties on it. We got so many thoughtful and generous gifts from family and friends. It's overwhelming to think about how loved our little Bean will be (she's doing somersaults while I write this...so I think she agrees!). I was also able to bring home some things that were mine when I was little, including a handmade cradle, a variety of outfits that my mom and grandma made for me, some blankets, a little wall hanging that hung up in my room when I was a baby, and finally....the Alphabet sweater. This probably doesn't mean much to anyone without the last name of Hamilton, but for us, it was a big deal. Grandma Petey's next door neighbor, Rita, whom I have known forever, knitted many gifts for us throughout the years. One of these gifts is a white sweater with the letters "A, B, C, D" on the front in solid, primary colors. Each Hamilton child had his or her picture taken in that sweater at one point during their lives. I'm happy to say that Bean will be no different. And don't worry Mom, we'll be sure to get it to the next person who has a baby so they can do the same!
Belly shot from our Pittsburgh trip...yes, I'm standing in the corner, and no, it's not because I was misbehaving...it just happened to be where the light was the best!
The suspense was killing me!!
So yes, yet again, it's been a while since a blog update. The time is flying by. It doesn't look like I've posted an update since May. MAY!! I can't believe that we're halfway through the month of July. October will be here before we know it! But more on that in a while...
First, an update.
When we last left off, we'd gone to our last OB appointment and were thrown a little curve ball when our little Bean wouldn't uncross those sweet baby legs. Luckily, our doctor promised to give us another quick ultrasound following our next appointment. That meant we had to wait another few weeks for our next opportunity. I'm somewhat happy, and not at all ashamed, to admit that at first, it seemed like Brandon was having a bit of a hard time not knowing if Baby Bean was a boy or a girl. I, on the other hand, remained cool as a cucumber. Relax, I kept saying, if this is the only problem we encounter, it's nothinig. I was so very proud of myself for being so chill about the situation. Everyone who knows me knows that I might have a few moments where I come across as a high-strung planner, whereas Brandon is a little more laid back about things. So I was definitely enjoying having the tables be turned for once.
Well, it turns out that the crazy was there, lurking in the background. It was just delayed.
After being calm and cool for about two weeks, all of a sudden I realized--THE SUSPENSE WAS KILLING ME! So Brandon and I talked about it and we decided to make an appointment at a place called the Ultrasound Zone. Allow me to take a step back for a minute to give some backstory. When we were very newly pregnant, I got a little card in the mail, addressed to me, touting the many packages offered to expectant mothers from a little place called the Ultrasound Zone. Packages varied from very cheap and a few normal black and white ultrasound pictures, to extremely expensive 4-D pictures with 20 minute videos complete with music and a photo scrapebook. When I got the card, a few things crossed my mind. #1) How did they even know I was pregnant? At that point I'd told three people--Brandon, my doctor, and the day care worker who put us onto the waiting list and #2) Who on earth goes to places like this?
I'm still awaiting an explanation for #1. But I got my answer to #2. And the answer was PEOPLE LIKE US!!
So we made a secret appointment at the Ultrasound Zone. And we weren't really sure what to expect. Turns out, it was a lovely experience (although I'm still slightly ashamed to admit that we visited what we have affectionately dubbed "the-crazy-people-ultrasound-place). We tried not to get our hopes up, and it turns out, we didn't need to worry. Baby Bean wasn't camera shy at all that day, and right away our tech determined that we were going to be having a little girl! :-)
Our tech gave us a ton of pictures (with several arrows pointing to parts that let her know Bean is a little lady...thank goodness she was there to interpret because I NEVER would have known) including a few of the 4-D ones. The technology they have is amazing (although Bean looks like a koala bear in one and it's a little creepy).
So we finally had our answer. But we opted to keep it a secret until we met with Dr. Owens again, hoping she could confirm what our tech saw. Turns out, she couldn't! Instead of crossed legs, little Baby Bean's cord was in the way, and the doctor couldn't get a clear, definitive shot of those oh-so-important parts. So, she gave us some odds...60/40 that little Bean is a little lady. Because we'd already gotten a definite pink go-ahead from the Ultrasound Zone, we figured that was good enough for us. We called everyone to let them know, and it was so much fun to finally get to share.
And with that, Project Baby kicked off in full swing. We've got our little lady's name all picked out though we're not telling just yet. You'll have to wait until she comes to find out. And don't worry, we've got a name all set in case we get tossed a curve ball and our little miss turns out to be a
little mister :-)
First, an update.
When we last left off, we'd gone to our last OB appointment and were thrown a little curve ball when our little Bean wouldn't uncross those sweet baby legs. Luckily, our doctor promised to give us another quick ultrasound following our next appointment. That meant we had to wait another few weeks for our next opportunity. I'm somewhat happy, and not at all ashamed, to admit that at first, it seemed like Brandon was having a bit of a hard time not knowing if Baby Bean was a boy or a girl. I, on the other hand, remained cool as a cucumber. Relax, I kept saying, if this is the only problem we encounter, it's nothinig. I was so very proud of myself for being so chill about the situation. Everyone who knows me knows that I might have a few moments where I come across as a high-strung planner, whereas Brandon is a little more laid back about things. So I was definitely enjoying having the tables be turned for once.
Well, it turns out that the crazy was there, lurking in the background. It was just delayed.
After being calm and cool for about two weeks, all of a sudden I realized--THE SUSPENSE WAS KILLING ME! So Brandon and I talked about it and we decided to make an appointment at a place called the Ultrasound Zone. Allow me to take a step back for a minute to give some backstory. When we were very newly pregnant, I got a little card in the mail, addressed to me, touting the many packages offered to expectant mothers from a little place called the Ultrasound Zone. Packages varied from very cheap and a few normal black and white ultrasound pictures, to extremely expensive 4-D pictures with 20 minute videos complete with music and a photo scrapebook. When I got the card, a few things crossed my mind. #1) How did they even know I was pregnant? At that point I'd told three people--Brandon, my doctor, and the day care worker who put us onto the waiting list and #2) Who on earth goes to places like this?
I'm still awaiting an explanation for #1. But I got my answer to #2. And the answer was PEOPLE LIKE US!!
So we made a secret appointment at the Ultrasound Zone. And we weren't really sure what to expect. Turns out, it was a lovely experience (although I'm still slightly ashamed to admit that we visited what we have affectionately dubbed "the-crazy-people-ultrasound-
Our tech gave us a ton of pictures (with several arrows pointing to parts that let her know Bean is a little lady...thank goodness she was there to interpret because I NEVER would have known) including a few of the 4-D ones. The technology they have is amazing (although Bean looks like a koala bear in one and it's a little creepy).
So we finally had our answer. But we opted to keep it a secret until we met with Dr. Owens again, hoping she could confirm what our tech saw. Turns out, she couldn't! Instead of crossed legs, little Baby Bean's cord was in the way, and the doctor couldn't get a clear, definitive shot of those oh-so-important parts. So, she gave us some odds...60/40 that little Bean is a little lady. Because we'd already gotten a definite pink go-ahead from the Ultrasound Zone, we figured that was good enough for us. We called everyone to let them know, and it was so much fun to finally get to share.
And with that, Project Baby kicked off in full swing. We've got our little lady's name all picked out though we're not telling just yet. You'll have to wait until she comes to find out. And don't worry, we've got a name all set in case we get tossed a curve ball and our little miss turns out to be a
little mister :-)
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Feels Like Little Butterflies...or Gas??
I'm happy to say that I've been able to feel Baby Bean moving around in there for a few weeks now. I eagerly awaited the first time it happened, reading all of the sections of the books that described what it should feel like. Most of them describe it as "fluttering, like butterflies". Well, I'm not ashamed to admit that I was so excited when I finally felt it! I thought, hey, there it is! And it turned out that really, it was just gas (pregnancy has made me gassier than a 12 year-old-boy, and I say that with pride, because I married a pretty gassy man!). What a letdown! However, I was rewarded for my little fake-out pretty quickly, and now feel the baby move pretty regularly. While I can feel Bean, Brandon hasn't been able to...the little movements still aren't strong enough to be felt from the outside. I know he's been dying to feel the baby, and I'm excited for when he'll be able to do so on a regular basis.
Last Sunday, we had a cookout with some friends in honor of Memorial Day. Everyone got to partake in lots of hot dogs (which I'm not eating...too many nitrates and nitrites), hamburgers (which I'm not eating...I don't like them!), and beer (which I'm not drinking...no explanation needed), so I decided to live on the edge with a veggie burger and a caffeine-free Coke. I'm not really a big pop drinker (or soda drinker, for those of you that will make fun of me for saying pop), but every once in a while, I DIE for it. Some poor, unfortunate man was walking down the hall at work with a Coke in his hand, and I pretty much almost knocked him down, stole if from him, and chugged it. So I decided I should probably see if I could find some of the caffeine-free kind, before I assaulted someone over theirs. It took me four stores, but I finally found it, and it tastes so good! :-) So judge me if you want, but yes, sometimes I drink Coke, WHILE PREGNANT! And Sunday was one of those days. I quickly realized that Baby Bean either 1) really likes all the sugar that's in Coke, and jumps around a lot because he or she is happy and hyper, or 2) really dislikes all the sugar that's in Coke, and jumps around a lot because he or she is p.o.'ed at me for pumping him or her full of the stuff. Either way, Bean gave me a couple really hard jabs, that I could feel not only from the inside, but from the outside when my hand was on my tummy. So we commenced Operation Pump-Bean-Full-of-Coke-So Brandon-Can-Feel yesterday afternoon, and I'm happy to report, that after drinking an entire can of Coke in about ten minutes, Brandon got to feel one pretty solid kick (or punch, but we're probably dealing with a little soccer player), right into the palm of his hand! He was happy, I was happy, and the Bean was hyper :-)
Last Sunday, we had a cookout with some friends in honor of Memorial Day. Everyone got to partake in lots of hot dogs (which I'm not eating...too many nitrates and nitrites), hamburgers (which I'm not eating...I don't like them!), and beer (which I'm not drinking...no explanation needed), so I decided to live on the edge with a veggie burger and a caffeine-free Coke. I'm not really a big pop drinker (or soda drinker, for those of you that will make fun of me for saying pop), but every once in a while, I DIE for it. Some poor, unfortunate man was walking down the hall at work with a Coke in his hand, and I pretty much almost knocked him down, stole if from him, and chugged it. So I decided I should probably see if I could find some of the caffeine-free kind, before I assaulted someone over theirs. It took me four stores, but I finally found it, and it tastes so good! :-) So judge me if you want, but yes, sometimes I drink Coke, WHILE PREGNANT! And Sunday was one of those days. I quickly realized that Baby Bean either 1) really likes all the sugar that's in Coke, and jumps around a lot because he or she is happy and hyper, or 2) really dislikes all the sugar that's in Coke, and jumps around a lot because he or she is p.o.'ed at me for pumping him or her full of the stuff. Either way, Bean gave me a couple really hard jabs, that I could feel not only from the inside, but from the outside when my hand was on my tummy. So we commenced Operation Pump-Bean-Full-of-Coke-So Brandon-Can-Feel yesterday afternoon, and I'm happy to report, that after drinking an entire can of Coke in about ten minutes, Brandon got to feel one pretty solid kick (or punch, but we're probably dealing with a little soccer player), right into the palm of his hand! He was happy, I was happy, and the Bean was hyper :-)
A Very Late Update
So, when I started this blog, I promised to try and be as current and timely with updates as possible. Well, I stink at it! It's been ages since the last update, and while, for the most part, nothing too, too big has happened, we did have one pretty significant event that took place in the last several weeks...THE ultrasound! After weeks of waffling back and forth over whether or not we wanted to know the sex of the baby, Brandon and I decided that ultimately YES! We did want to know! So we eagerly awaited our ultrasound appointment scheduled for May 16 (wow, I really am behind!) to find out if we would be having a little boy or a little girl. Let me just say that we'd kind of set this as a mark on the wall. We'd discussed names and had a short listing for each gender, but hadn't really thought much farther than that. We'd looked at bedding and nursery décor, but hadn't really put too much work in--all because we were waiting to find out what we'd be having.
Despite all of our anticipation for the big day, we quickly learned our first parenting lesson, even before our baby arrived--sometimes, mom and dad's best laid plans don't agree with baby. After 40 minutes with the ultrasound tech, she finally announced to us that there was no way she could tell us if Baby Bean was a boy or a girl, as he or she had his or her little legs crossed tightly THE WHOLE TIME. Let me take a short time out to say, that in the great, grand scheme of things, this is not really that big of a deal. Based on all the information our doctors have, our baby looks healthy. He or she has two arms and two legs, ten fingers and ten toes. We can see the right number of eyes and ears and chambers of the heart. He or she has a strong heartbeat, is measuring correctly, and likes to wiggle around. Also, as my mother is quick to point out, women have been having babies for thousands of years without knowing the gender ahead of time! So, all things considered, if this is the biggest bump in our pregnancy road, it's one I'd happily take. Despite all of this, I'll admit, Brandon and I were a bit lost at the end of our appointment. We weren't really sure how to proceed, especially when the ultrasound tech told us we probably wouldn't have another scheduled ultrasound where we could check for the gender again. It was looking like we'd have to throw in the towel and start shopping for gender neutral items, but then...Dr. Owens came through! She promised us another ultrasound tacked on to our next appointment, so maybe we'll be able to see the baby's gender. Of course, we've learned that just because Dr. Owens, mom, and dad want something does not mean that Baby Bean will cooperate...so we'll see what happens. The appointment and ultrasound are scheduled for the 20th of June. I hope to be able to let you all know if we'll be seeing pink or blue after that...but if Bean is still modest and stubborn, it might be time to admit defeat...and start painting the nursery yellow! :-)
Despite all of our anticipation for the big day, we quickly learned our first parenting lesson, even before our baby arrived--sometimes, mom and dad's best laid plans don't agree with baby. After 40 minutes with the ultrasound tech, she finally announced to us that there was no way she could tell us if Baby Bean was a boy or a girl, as he or she had his or her little legs crossed tightly THE WHOLE TIME. Let me take a short time out to say, that in the great, grand scheme of things, this is not really that big of a deal. Based on all the information our doctors have, our baby looks healthy. He or she has two arms and two legs, ten fingers and ten toes. We can see the right number of eyes and ears and chambers of the heart. He or she has a strong heartbeat, is measuring correctly, and likes to wiggle around. Also, as my mother is quick to point out, women have been having babies for thousands of years without knowing the gender ahead of time! So, all things considered, if this is the biggest bump in our pregnancy road, it's one I'd happily take. Despite all of this, I'll admit, Brandon and I were a bit lost at the end of our appointment. We weren't really sure how to proceed, especially when the ultrasound tech told us we probably wouldn't have another scheduled ultrasound where we could check for the gender again. It was looking like we'd have to throw in the towel and start shopping for gender neutral items, but then...Dr. Owens came through! She promised us another ultrasound tacked on to our next appointment, so maybe we'll be able to see the baby's gender. Of course, we've learned that just because Dr. Owens, mom, and dad want something does not mean that Baby Bean will cooperate...so we'll see what happens. The appointment and ultrasound are scheduled for the 20th of June. I hope to be able to let you all know if we'll be seeing pink or blue after that...but if Bean is still modest and stubborn, it might be time to admit defeat...and start painting the nursery yellow! :-)
Monday, April 30, 2012
Turnip Time
So, while it might not seem like it, there's been a lot going on with the Snyders! Let me backtrack a bit first. At Christmas, Brandon and I decided that we wanted to expand our family. While we hadn't yet learned about our human addition, we decided to start with a four-legged addition, and we adopted a new little puppy whom we named Copper Kunitz Snyder. We brought him home on February 10th, two days after we learned we'd be parents. His done a pretty good job of teaching us the basic responsibilities associated with taking care of another living thing, and he's just about the sweetest (and cutest) puppy I've ever seen. But I suppose I'm biased. For those of you who haven't had the chance to meet our Copperpot, here's a picture...
So now onto the present. Brandon has spent the last two weeks in Washington D.C. attending a class for work. During that time, I've been hanging out with Copper, and doing all that I can to make sure that I'm getting our Bean everything possible to help our little guy or girl grow strong and healthy. It seems that I've also gotten nesting fever (or maybe it's just boredom!) and have tackled all sorts of little projects like painting the front door and cleaning out closets. Since Brandon's been gone, I've had two doctor's appointments to check on how Bean is doing. If you remember, I mentioned in one of our last postings that we weren't having a very good time with our doctor. Without going into details, I've seen a new doctor the last two times I've gone...and she's GREAT!
Dr. Owens says that everything looks just right. My blood volume is good and my weight gain is right where it should be. Our little Bean's heartbeat is strong, and it seems we have a jumping Bean on our hands...sometimes it takes a while to get a good solid heartbeat or ultrasound pick because the Bean doesn't like to sit still. Dr. Owens adjusted our due date slightly, and after typing this, I've realized that I don't think the due date ever made it onto the blog (although yes, I know Mom, babies in our family are notorious for coming late). That being said, we'll plan (tentatively, of course) to see our Baby Bean around October 14, but, based on my family history, it's possible that we'll have an anniversary baby, or, heaven help me, one that decides to hold out until Grandpa Harry's birthday at the end of the month!
With our adjusted due date, the Bean miraculously grew from avocado sized, to turnip sized. I've never actually done too much with turnips, but I know they're pretty heavy...hopefully we're just talking size and not weight! Sometimes this whole vegetable and fruit comparison thing gets confusing, but we've decided our book must be referring to organic fruit and not the stuff they pump full of chemicals and pesticides...our local grocery store sells apples the size of softballs! That's fine and dandy when you want a snack, but when you're trying to visualize how big your baby is, it makes things confusing! Sometimes our little bean seems to be shrinking (based on what we see in the produce aisle) when we know he or she is just getting bigger!
We have another appointment scheduled for three weeks from now, and will have an ultrasound the week before we go in to the office. This is THE ultrasound...the one where we can find out whether we have a pink bean or a blue bean. At this point, we're still undecided about finding out...cast your vote if you like, but if you last name is Hamilton, I already know that you're pulling for a surprise :-)
More to follow soon!
So now onto the present. Brandon has spent the last two weeks in Washington D.C. attending a class for work. During that time, I've been hanging out with Copper, and doing all that I can to make sure that I'm getting our Bean everything possible to help our little guy or girl grow strong and healthy. It seems that I've also gotten nesting fever (or maybe it's just boredom!) and have tackled all sorts of little projects like painting the front door and cleaning out closets. Since Brandon's been gone, I've had two doctor's appointments to check on how Bean is doing. If you remember, I mentioned in one of our last postings that we weren't having a very good time with our doctor. Without going into details, I've seen a new doctor the last two times I've gone...and she's GREAT!
Dr. Owens says that everything looks just right. My blood volume is good and my weight gain is right where it should be. Our little Bean's heartbeat is strong, and it seems we have a jumping Bean on our hands...sometimes it takes a while to get a good solid heartbeat or ultrasound pick because the Bean doesn't like to sit still. Dr. Owens adjusted our due date slightly, and after typing this, I've realized that I don't think the due date ever made it onto the blog (although yes, I know Mom, babies in our family are notorious for coming late). That being said, we'll plan (tentatively, of course) to see our Baby Bean around October 14, but, based on my family history, it's possible that we'll have an anniversary baby, or, heaven help me, one that decides to hold out until Grandpa Harry's birthday at the end of the month!
With our adjusted due date, the Bean miraculously grew from avocado sized, to turnip sized. I've never actually done too much with turnips, but I know they're pretty heavy...hopefully we're just talking size and not weight! Sometimes this whole vegetable and fruit comparison thing gets confusing, but we've decided our book must be referring to organic fruit and not the stuff they pump full of chemicals and pesticides...our local grocery store sells apples the size of softballs! That's fine and dandy when you want a snack, but when you're trying to visualize how big your baby is, it makes things confusing! Sometimes our little bean seems to be shrinking (based on what we see in the produce aisle) when we know he or she is just getting bigger!
We have another appointment scheduled for three weeks from now, and will have an ultrasound the week before we go in to the office. This is THE ultrasound...the one where we can find out whether we have a pink bean or a blue bean. At this point, we're still undecided about finding out...cast your vote if you like, but if you last name is Hamilton, I already know that you're pulling for a surprise :-)
More to follow soon!
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