By the way...

In case you didn't know, we've moved our blog:

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You can still keep tabs on us as we raise a family in NYC.

"1 Sonometer"

36 weeks along which means about only 4 more to go. Kinda freaky!! Can't believe there's a real baby inside of me, and it eventually will be coming out. She's been growing rapidly since 30 weeks. I'm about 25 pounds over my normal weight. The last 10 pounds were accrued just over the last 2 weeks! Missy is packin it on!

Mitch and I have been enjoying this extra time off together since he's not working. The job search is going really well with a couple interviews had this week and more next week. We're feeling confident he will find something.

We met with Kassie (the doula- which is a labor coach) and we feel so grateful to have her available to help us. She will do great! We also met with Sakina, or Sa-quee-quee, as Mitch calls her (the midwife- she will deliver the baby). Took a nice bus ride to get there, about 30 minutes. Had a nice visit with her. Turns out I'm "1 sonometer" dilated. Yes, sonometer. It's the french way to say "centimeter." Apparently a lot of Drs and nurses pronounce it that way. Afterall, the french did create the metric system. She can pronounce the word any way she likes, as long as she supports my perineum I'm happy! She said I should walk 30-60 minutes every day to stay active, so we walked home from the appt. It's beautiful, perfect weather right now anyway so it was very enjoyable. She also said I need to do optimal fetal positioning every day which I've already been doing and didn't know it! This is to make sure Missy gets into anterior position and stays that way.

My uterus measures about 33 inches which is smaller than average, but she said it's because I'm tall and plus, Missy is off to the right side in her comfy spot. She kicks my ribs and my hip every now and then. She does a funny twitch almost every day, and she does something that sounds like she's popping her knuckles. I'll have to ask her about that when she comes out.

Getting the birthing tub tomorrow! Woohoo! All we need after that is first aid kit stuff for Missy and we're set!

This is Missy doing ballet. Practicing her point.

These are my first try at baby booties. Ruby red of course.

Second try at baby booties. Dark and light pink.

This is what Missy is at 36 weeks. A crenshaw melon. Weighing in at 6 pounds and almost 18 1/2 inches long! According to Baby Center anyway.

Mitch had a Birthday!

For Mitch's Birthday, I had the whole day planned! We would walk the Brooklyn Bridge, eat at Grimaldi's Pizza, check out the Brooklyn flea market, stop by Jacques Torres chocolate shop, and whatever else we ran into. We didn't do any of that. It was too hot to be out walking the bridge, so we went pass Ground Zero and cooled down at Five Guys. Their potatoes were from Rexburg that day! Represent! Then we went to see a movie to continue to stay cool. We saw "The Help" and thoroughly enjoyed it. We walked along the park on the west side, through Tribeca and back home. Happy Birthday Mitch! Hope you enjoyed your second birthday in New York!

Fun statue at Titanic Memorial Park.

The Freedom Tower behind us.All pooped out from a good day of walking the town.

Missy up till now...34 weeks

September 23: Missy is 34 weeks old in womb years! She is almost 18 inches long and weighs as much as a cantaloupe! Her kicks are so startling that it makes me jump! There was one kick today that made me gasp because it was soooo big I could practically see the shape of her foot stretching my skin! Mitch saw it too! I had my first experience with Braxton Hicks this week while I was doing a facial. Not super painful but a little uncomfortable. Feels like heartburn in the tummy muscles. I also have sciatica in my left bum cheek (a sharp pain from a pinched nerve.) Doing yoga has really helped alleviate that pain, and I rarely feel it. I am sleeping perfectly fine on my back with 4 pillows piled up to give me a nice recline! My stomach itches like crazy! I guess I need to moisturize more than once a day. Missy has been training my palate to enjoy a vegetarian diet, and she's a happy girl. Whenever I do eat, she really wants to make it count so we go for energy rich calories instead of empty calories. This girl is very adamant about her health!

As for the birth plan: if Missy allows, she will be born at home. I met 2 homebirth midwives: Jeanette was such a cute little lady and she talked to Missy when she was feeling her, it was cute! Sakina is also nice and will be the one we will go with. She has a better financial plan that will work for us. We will be renting a birthing tub so that Missy can make a gentle entrance to the world! And to take the edge off for me. We had our last appointment with the Dr. this week, and as a little surprise bonus he pulled out the sonogram machine and we got to see little Missy! She's head down with her bum sticking out on the right side of my tummy.

Her nursery is all ready in the corner of our bedroom! So cute! Every gift at her baby shower was ironically, a book! Since CeCe (from work) hooked her up with a complete wardrobe up to 18 months, everyone was on the same page for completing her library! Lucky girl!

Hard to believe only 6 weeks left. She's already snug as a bug in her amniotic fluid filled home. Plus side: I've been able to clean out my belly button!

September 8: So I'm 32 weeks and I haven't really felt pregnant until now. It's getting harder to bend over to put pants on...especially socks and laced shoes. When Missy gets out of position it gets very tight. I am getting elbowed from the inside at 6:30 in the morning. The kicks are getting less comfortable because she's so stinkin big! She's almost 4 pounds and about 16.5 inches long! She now has finger and toenails and real hair! She prefers fresh food over fried food and loves a good peach to go with her cheerios. She loves going on walks and doing yoga with me in the mornings. I haven't decided what makes her get hiccups, but man do they last foooorrreevvveerrr! The only cute thing about hiccups is I can tell where her head is at that time. I tell you what though, if hiccups were an aerobic exercise for her, she'd come out with a sweet 6 pack! Mitch can't wait for her "to be borned." He's already teaching her to be nice to mum. :)

My friend Kassie will be my doula, and there's still a few kinks we're working out with the rest of the birth plan. Nonetheless, it will be a great birth!

8 more weeks to go. Wow.

August 11: Just wanted to let you know that Missy now has eyelashes!!!!! Cute little lashes to bat her eyes with. She's such a stinkin cutie! She also got her first mail yesterday addressed to her! Lucky girl! Getting mail before she's even here!

She gets the hiccups about 5 times a day and can't go to sleep without having a slumber party with all her closest friends...my kidneys, intestines, and bladder.

She's starting to take over our apartment with her new dresser full of clothes and her big toys in the living room. Who knew such a small human being would take up so much space?

Feeling great and going for the home stretch. I'm officially in the third trimester! Woohoo! Missy's comin!

More glamour shots of Missy. It's still a girl! Phew!

Calling the fam to tell them the news!

Just found out it's a girl!!!

June 30: First anatomy scan where we find out Missy's a girl! 21 weeks

Little baby is 22 weeks old and getting big! She's going to be so buff when she comes out from all the push-ups and sit-ups she's been doing! We get to see her again next Thursday to finish the anatomy sonogram! I'll go back as much as they need me to...as long as I get to see the cutie little pie! She's so cuuuuuute! I could just eat her!!

Missy at 12 weeks.

Missy at 9 weeks.

Missy at just 6 weeks of a nugget!

I have my Tuesday night husband back!

I'm so glad Lost is finally done, and I can have my Tuesday nights with my husband again!
Thank you!

Today we ate Plov. It's a dish from my mish in Russia. Yum.

Then we ate Pavlova. It worked, and we could not of been happier. Also yum.

We also gave talks in church (thank goodness that's over). Jessie rocked it on the piano for a musical number.

Fin.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE!

I
STINKING
LOOOOVE YOU!