I once heard someone say that as a parent, your days are long but the years are short. I now understand what they mean!! It seems like yesterday that Anya arrived and brought her beautiful light and personality into our home, but it's been 6 months!
Of course we think our Pookie is the most adorable thing we've ever seen. She patiently deals with us all day long awing over the simplest things she does like smiling, sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy, and shrieking like a pterodactyl. Why are these things so freakin' precious?? For myself, I feel like it's all the oxytocin flooding my system. Every time I see her, I feel like I need 10,000 more of her. like. now.
So, here's a little update on the family:
Rob
Still tall
Still ridiculously handsome
Still in medical school - just started his 3rd year
Still interested in family medicine
Just planted a beautiful garden in our backyard
Has some pretty awesome ninja skills
Amy
Still short
Still working as a voice instructor
Keeps the home functioning
Does zumba in the livingroom
Anya
Thinks that eating food is the coolest
Finds her dad to be the most awesome thing she's seen all day
Has stiff little leggies, so has to do baby yoga and exercises to help her relax in order to be able to sit and crawl
Weighs almost 15 lbs and is 26" long
Captivates all with her big blue peepers
Is pretty chill
Likes music and singing
Loves, I mean LOVES, John Legend. She's got good taste.
A couple weekends ago, we took our first big vacation to Chicago to visit Rob's brother and his family. It was so much fun! Anya did great. I'll post pics later when I get them from my sister-in-law. She was the official photographer.
After our vacation, we took some 6 month pictures at a local park using our cool new camera and tripod. Below are the pics.
And last weekend we returned home from a jaunt to New Mexico for a surprise birthday party for Rob's mom and to do some visiting. We had a blast! Pics to come for that as well!
Much love to all of you and we hope to see you soon!
Some people can keep their blogs updated even through delivering a baby, learning the ropes as a new parent, and caring for the new little wonder that's in their life. I think it's obvious that I do not fit into that category, hence why my last post was in November! Ha!
So for those of you that don't know, I had a beautiful baby girl on December 6th. We call her Pookie (that's not her real name - it just popped up one day and we can't stop calling her that!).
Both of us are back at work and things are going great! Rob had a hu-mungo test last week, so we were all in study mode for the past two months. We took a fun little vacation after the test to a nearby area called Hocking Hills. It was so relaxing and exactly what we needed!
And now I'm going to post a bunch of pics. Here's a look at our little one over the past 5 months:  2nd day! |  1 Month |  2 Months |  3 Months |  4 Months |  5 Months | Things about Pookie right now: - She is SO past the sticking out her tongue phase. It was so last week.
- She likes to sleep on her face. There's nothing we can do about it.
- She wants to be part of the party and protests when she has to do lame things like go to bed.
- She thinks the kids next door are the coolest.
- She's pretty confused as to why she doesn't get to eat the same dinner as us yet. Milk is so boring!
- She has a really amazing bald spot on the back of her head that the top hair has grown over. It creates a kinda of comb-over look. She also has a ducktail, so her style in currently in the mullet category.
And here she is just chillin with dad: Well, that's all for now! We'll do our best to post more pics more often!
Much love,
Guess who's 38 weeks pregnant??? Why, yes, that would be ME!! Yay!! We're officially in "waiting mode" and are so excited to meet our little girl.
I have this really cool app on my phone from Sprout that has been counting down the days until my due date. Today marks 14 days!
Thursday is my last day of work and I'm pretty excited about it. Pregnancy has treated me really well, it's just starting to get a tad uncomfortable - plus I just want to nap all day while I have the chance. Here's my agenda for my first day of maternity leave:
Friday's To Do List:
Sleep until WHENEVER!!
That's pretty much it. Oh, and I have a massage in the afternoon, want to go see "Thor" with Sweetpea, and then I'm going to watch Les Mis (several of my Capital students are in the show) that evening. Then...sleep again!! Yippee!
In other news, we have the carseat installed, the pack 'n play is up, AND the baby's room is ready! I know, I almost can't believe it myself.
My friends came over for Girl's Night last week and helped me organize and decorate the room. It was so much fun and such an incredible help - especially since Rob is preparing for finals this week (coincidence that they're in the Reproduction block right now??). My Columbus friends are so amazing and supportive. Thanks ladies!Ready for some before and after pics? Here they are! Before... | After!
Thanks to my family for the pack 'n play! Pink basket and green bin - free from a lady we met through Craigslist!
| Before... | After!
Wall hangings - also free from Craigslist!! Match it with an Ikea dresser and we're all set.
| Before... | After!
My Columbus Friends made me this wall hanging and provided me with onesies for each month of Baby's first year. I take a picture of her in the onesie and then can put it in this frame. Love it!! Bench was free off Craigslist. Because that's how we roll.
| Need I repeat? My friends and family are AMAZING! I definitely feel like I can relax more now, since I can actually FIND things that I will need to look for.
So we're pretty much ready to go. I'll leave you with a picture of my hot mama self - yes, I DO look REALLY pregnant! :) Thanks for all the love and support!
38 Weeks!!
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Yep - I'm pretty large.
| Love and Hugs,
Well, friends, it looks like the end is drawing near. I can't believe it! It seems like yesterday that I was happily procrastinating because I had PLENTY of time to get things prepped.
I dreamed of all the projects and to-do items that would be checked of my list. I'd be enjoying a totally relaxed state with everything in order. Ah, yes, that was the dream...
35 weeks was the deadline for this utopia.
I think I decided upon this number because this is when TWO of the couples in our birthing class had to drop out of class because they had their babies at 35/36 weeks. Rare, yes, but it seemed like were stuck with an early-baby class so I felt that we should be prepared just in case.
Well...
35 weeks is here!
And just to give you an idea of where we're at, this is what the nursery currently looks like:
"Yikes!" is right!
Not that it's a big deal, because Babes will be rooming in with us for a bit, however, it would be nice to be able to find things in order to actually pack a "coming home" bag for the baby. I know I saw some layettes somewhere...
Thankfully, I have awesome friends who are coming over soon to help me sort out this craziness!!
I do feel like we should focus on the positive and celebrate our accomplishments thus far:
Birth Class? Check.
Birth Binder? Check. (more on this is below)
Breastfeeding Class? Check.
Pediatrician? Check.
Registered at the hospital? Check.
Car seat? Check.
And I'm going to save myself from hysteria and NOT share with you the items that have yet been done. Yikesers!!
So here's the deal with the Birth Binder. We decided to use Hypnobirthing as our method for childbirth education. I'm not going to lie, it is pretty freakin' awesome. I'm now a believer - we'll see how I feel once this baby starts coming out! If you're curious about Hypnobirthing, check out our instructor's page.
We have received so much incredible information from our midwives, birthclass, doula (yes, we're using a doula), and breastfeeding class (yes, Rob came with me), that we feel ready and eager to give all these things a try! Plus, we're beyond excited to meet our little girl!! Since we have such a wealth of information, I've assembled it into a useful system which I'm calling "The Birth Binder."
It contains all the things we've learned in an easy-to-find, organized system. I appear Type A by admitting to this, but I promise, I'm really okay with going with the flow. I'm expecting that this binder will be Rob's best friend come Babe's birth day. Plus, it contains cool pics of baby poop.
We're now on weekly doctor visits, and I've been instructed to seriously started putting together our hospital bag. I know, I know, it's on the to-do list!!!
The really exciting news this week was that Babes has made her way head down, which was a concern, since up until last week, she was still sitting in there like my womb was a hammock. I've been doing Spinning Babies daily and had an acupuncture treatment last week, so maybe one of those helped - or maybe she's just tired of all the "treatments" and decided to move herself.
So there you have it. That's where we're at. I have about 3 weeks left before I go on maternity leave (yay!) and we're officially feeling in countdown mode. Or should I say, "Hurry, get shiz done!!!" mode. I promise that I'll update again soon, and you'll be informed of any exciting things that happen!!
Last but not least, here's a BELLY PIC! Yippee!!  35 Weeks!! Much love,
I'd like to start this blog post with an informative video that brings together my world of musical theatre and Rob's world of medicine in a beautiful homage to what our little one will contribute to the family when she arrives - poop. Prepare to start toe-tapping - it's catchy!
Wasn't that AMAZING?!?!? I know, right!! I'm not a fan of the show, but this video makes me second guess my judgement.
Anywaysies...let's talk about what's new in these parts. It's been hovering around 70-80 degrees here in Buckeye country, which makes preggo Amy super happy. My feet are still holding their shape - which I think is due in part to the gallon of water I'm drinking per day. Baby is thirsty!!
Tuesday marked our entrance into the 3rd trimester - YIPPEE! It's kinda crazy to think that we'll get to meet our little one in just a few short months. Happy, happy, happy! She's moving around quite a bit now, which is the best.
The really cool thing is that she responds to us! (Well, I've convinced myself that she does. It doesn't really matter either way.) 'Lil Sweets and I like to play the "push" game, where I push on my stomach and she pushes back. Enjoyment for the whole family!
Then, I tell Rob to put his head on my belly and I tell 'Lil Sweets to kick him in the eye! She does it about 80% of the time and just totally makes my day. :D
We had some wonderful trips this summer (what I guess people might call "Babymoons"?) that have us all rested and ready for the demands of school/work life while preparing for our little one to arrive. In July, we spent a weekend at a cute B&B outside Charlottesville, VA with some good friends from Virginia. It was good to see those folks! *tear*
 Comparing Bellies in Charlottesville
Then, we headed out to New Mexico for a family baby shower in August. Several of my high school and college friends were able to attend, so that was really cool. My mom and sister put the whole thing together and made me and babes feel PREtty special. We also spent a few days in Las Cruces with good friends. *tear, again****and again***
 Love these ladies!!
Now we're home for awhile, with our minds - on our money and our money on our minds - sorry, you can't keep Snoop Dog away sometimes! I was GOING to say, with our minds - focused on getting shiz done and preparing for November, which pretty much still involves cash-ola, I guess. When does that financial aid kick in???
So, let's get down to the deets, shall we? I'm officially at a weight I've never seen before in my life, which is pretty rewarding. People keep saying how small I am, and I feel like saying, "This is 20 extra pounds, fool!" It's all baby and boobies, apparently.
I'm just approaching the 7 month mark (I'm not a huge fan of using weeks for pregnancy, even though I still do most of the time. Maybe it's because I don't do mental math. 20 what weeks? Please convert that to months please!).
 27 weeks! I think I appear to look rather tired, but I just woke up from a nap when we took this. :) I love naps!
Let's see, what else? Oh, I got my teeth cleaned today.
AND we've had an invasion of gnats in our home either from Rob's worm bin in the garage or from some produce from Kroger. It's driving me crazy!!! We have a "no kill" policy in our home for insects and try our best to relocate them outside. I'm going to publicly confess that I've smashed about 5 gnats. They're just so TINY! It's hard to catch them and put them outside. I wish them a good re-birth though...
Well, folks, I think I've used up my turn with the sharing stick. Let's wrap up this party with a purple zebra riding a diaper motorcycle. Just because.
Love and Hugs!
So you know how you think, "Thanksgiving? Oh, that's like FOREVER away." Yeah, that's what I've been thinking until I reached 20 weeks in my pregnancy my midwife announced excitedly at my appointment, "You're half way!!"
Half way? Whoa.
Then, I passed 21 weeks and we had our midway ultrasound yesterday. We got to see the baby on the big screen.
Whoa again. Shiz got real.
It's one thing to start seeing my body balloon out, get squishy, and get rounder - you know - everywhere...
It's one thing to start feeling the baby move around (it feels like little flutters and sometimes "bubbles"). Super fun and cool, but still it seems a little unreal.
Then it's another thing to actually SEE the baby on an ultrasound, all moving around and being totally adorable. We saw little fingers and toes, saw the mouth open and close several times, and even saw the baby giving me some punches. We fell in love.
Reality set in for Rob, being the observing party of this whole experience, and he seemed to really realize a baby is on the way. A whole new person. It's pretty mind-boggling. HIS little person. Commence daddy daydreams about spoiling his baby.
We left that appointment with huge smiles on our faces and some good pics of our babe. Everything looks good, and that is always a relief to hear!
We did find out the gender, but don't get too excited. We will announce it at my baby shower because we like to torture ourselves and all our friends and family!! Don't worry, we'll tell asap.
So let's go back to the punching baby for a sec. I think this was proof to Rob that our baby needs to be sent to ninja school. It worries me a little bit to hear how serious he is about this.
Me: "HA HA, you're so funny!"
Rob: Looks seriously at me, "I'm not kidding."
Me: "Ninja school, huh? Ok...will that involved shipping our baby to Japan?"
Rob: "Well, I haven't worked out all the details yet."
Me: "Hm."
Can I just say to you all, "MEN!!"
This is going to be an adventure!
So now on to what you've all been waiting for - PICTURES! I'm at almost 22 weeks here, baby is at 15 oz., and Rob is...well, at an undisclosed weight and age. The baby was mostly looking right at us, so we weren't able to get a true profile pic, but the ones we did get are still pretty cool.
Hugs and love to you all,
Baby's face! The part on the right is it's arm. This was the best pic of the bunch. :)
Here I am! Feeling good so far!
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Rob realizing this is real. Actually, this was him doing his best cow face to get a free meal at Chick-fil-a. On Cow Appreciation Day, you got free food if you dressed like a cow. But this is the same face he wore at the ultrasound appointment.
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As most of you know, Rob and I really like meditation. We started dappling in it when we lived in Virginia and then completely took the plunge when we visited India. The course in India was led by a Tibetan sect and was a combination of learning Buddhist philosophy and meditating. It was 10-days of silence - and it was one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of our lives. We vowed to do it again.
Ommmmmmm
Fast-forward a year, we're all settled in Columbus, and dealing with the craziness of everyday life. Too many things to do, not enough time, feeling tired, getting easily frustrated, yadda yadda yadda. Our first year back in "real life" after our gap year was a bit intense.
Rob survived his first year of medical school and I survived starting and running my first business. All is good, just BUSY. By the time March rolled around, we were yearning for the peace of mind we experienced in India.
Our daily meditation practice took a serious hit (I've only been doing about 10 minutes every few days), and we were feeling the effects.
So...we decided to spend this one free summer Rob has during medical school to do another meditation retreat. Of course, going to India again was out of the question, but we were certain there was something closer to us.
While in India, we heard about a popular 10-day course called Vipassana that had really taken of in The States, so we looked at that first. Luckily, there were a few centers within a decent drive that we could attend. We found one in Illinois that fit with our available dates and signed ourselves up!
I was a bit worried about doing this kind of course while pregnant. Is it safe? Will I get blood clots from sitting for so long? Will they feed me enough?? Apparently, according to the center, babies love Vipassana. Ok, then! We're on our way.
Let me tell ya, I'm SO glad we did that 10-day course in India, because that provided a little primer for what we were about to experience. Vipassana is a very strict discipline and technique, and that took some getting used to.
We started meditating at 4:30 every morning. Yes, you heard me correctly - 4:30 AM! We then proceeded to meditate for about 10 hours per day in 1-2 hour increments, stopping for short breaks, meals, and sleep. You better believe that it was INTENSE!
Since I was prego, they let me sit in a chair and have extra meals. I felt a bit guilty, as I couldn't talk to anyone and explain why I was getting special treatment. Everyone else only got tea and fruit for dinner, while I got whole meals. Their hungry eyes were piercing.
I started sitting in the corner, trying to hide my "indulgence."
About halfway through the course, the baby had a growth spurt and I all of a sudden became obviously pregnant. People seemed to notice and their eyes soften to more of a, "Oh, are you growing something in there???."
Fortunately, we all got to talk the last day to help us re-adjust to normal life and prepare us for going back out into the world. It was really fun to hear about the experiences that our fellow meditators had. This crazy retreat provided an instant bond for all of us and I hope we'll all keep in touch.
So now, I'm refreshed and ready to take the next steps! I'm currently half-way through a business training course that is helping me develop my business. As my coach told me today, "It's like you're birthing TWO babies into this world!" And that really struck me. Transforming my business really is a birth on it's own. I am one excited and proud momma!!
Life is good.
Love and Hugs,
Time is ticking along and I'm now 17 weeks preggo!
Thankfully, I feel awesome and have gotten most of my spunk back (to Rob's disappointment, I'm sure - "Um, Sweetpea? Have you taken care of that Honey Do List? There's only about 150 items listed, shouldn't take TOO long, right?")
As expected, my belly is getting bigger. My handy iphone app tells me the baby is about the size of an avocado. I think most of my bump so far is my stomach being forced out of it's permanent residence.
So now the planning REALLY beings! I looked at what the baby registries recommend we buy, and then I took stock of what we currently own...
Here's what I found:
 Item #1 - the lost sippy cup. Has contained alcohol at one point...  Item #3 - Japanese picnic set. Why doesn't it have chopsticks?? |  Item #2 - Japanese sippy cup. Cuz it looks cool.  Item #4 - Fat Panda. He rules. | Item #1: A sippy cup left at our house probably about 4 years ago. Rob has refused to throw it away and sometimes brings it out and sips juice out of it. Usually cranberry. Sometimes mixed with vodka.
Item #2 and #3: A Japanese sippy cup and picnic set we bought during Rob's submarine layover in Yokuska, Japan (back in '08). They have quietly sat in the back of our cabinets for three moves. I'd throw away almost anything, but not these. No sir.
Item #3: A fat panda also purchased in Japan. It was at a giant panda shop that blew my mind. Once I laid eyes on him, I knew he was mine.
Fat Panda has had a lot of kiddo love over the years. Unfortunately, it once received a pretty intense cuddle session by a 2 year old who had pink eye. Now everytime I see Fat Panda, I automatically think, "Pink eye." Then I wonder, "How long can viruses live on stuffed animal fur? A week? A month? Years?!?! Will my baby get pink eye if it plays with it?? Pink eye that lives FOREVER?".
Some microbiologist should respond and soothe my motherly worry. Fat Panda WANTS to be hugged again. I just wonder if he'll ever overcome his past.
Now that we've covered our current stock of baby/kid items, I think it's safe to say that we need a lot of crap. I guess this is what every new parent goes through!!
Thanks to my awesome friends and family, I recently received some sweet maternity clothes that I look pretty freakin' cute in. Me and baby must look cute at all times. Speaking of cute, it's time to share my latest bump!
 17 weeks! Pants courtesy of Jessica. Again, just remember that part of that bump may well be the half pizza I ate for dinner.
Well, that's the latest! Our next post will probably include some BABY photos, since we get an ultrasound at our next visit. Yay!
Much love and please hug yourself for us,
It's finally here, the moment we've all been waiting for...
We’re going to have a RAMY! YAY!!
That means we're prego.
We're so excited!!
First, here are all the deets:
I’m at 13 weeks (Hello, 2nd Trimester!)
I’m due on November 26th (Thanksgiving Baby!)
We’re undecided if we’ll find out the gender.
My next appointment is in June at 16 weeks.
We are preparing and planning for a birth with as little medical intervention as possible.
Second, this has been a very long journey for us. Reaching this point means that several people deserve mad props.
First, the hubs.
Second, family and friends. Love you all!!
Third, my amazing health care team.
We are so thrilled, excited, and CLUELESS but are ready for this adventure!
Thanks for being on this journey with us!
Love and Hugs,
Hello Friendsies! Life around here has been typically busy, with some interesting events sprinkled in here and there. Rob seems to be a little more relaxed right now, which I have no complaints about!! He actually planted an herb and small vegetable garden, started a worm colony for compositing, and helped me clean things. Halleluja!
Garden.
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Compost bucket. Worms are camera shy.
| So a few weeks ago, the Med 1's made all us ladies scream with joy at the announcement that we would have a Spring Prom. Prom? Yes, my friends. Prom. Let's just stop for a second and think back to our high school days and the prom(s) that we attended in our youth.
The friends, the dancing, the pre-party hangouts, and all the craziness. Now imagine that scene with unlimited alcohol and a healthy dose of care-free "I'm in my 20's" raucousness.
Voila! Med 1 Prom 2012!!
It was actually quite classy - held at the Botanical Gardens with a masquerade ball theme. Our friends held a mask-making party to allow us all a chance to practice arts and crafts. I was rather proud of my creation!
Of course Rob always does his own thing, so he refused to make or wear a mask and decided to paint his face. There's never a dull moment!
Awkward prom photo (pre-gaming)
Awkward Prom Photo (at the Botanical Gardens)
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MedWives!
| Last week, I was in my first production with Opera Columbus! It was The Magic Flute in English and I had a blast. I met some really amazing people and had a great time hanging out backstage with all the other chorus peeps. Here's a pic of the Sopranos! Besides living the classy, opera/prom lifestyle these days, we're happily enjoying the warmer Columbus temperatures and the beautiful sun when we are graced with it's presence. The trees are green again and the birds are practicing "I can sing louder that you" games, which is just precious. Ah, Spring!! Much Love!
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