Make Room for Baby

It took some time but we finally finished the baby's room! The old "TV" room has now been transformed and includes all the essentials -crib, changing table, rocking chair and book case. Baby's clothes are arranged neatly in the closet for now. It's hard to believe that he's almost here and that if he came today we would be ready (well, the room would be). The room's theme is airplanes. We decided to let Dominic own the sports theme a while longer.

What's in a name?

After careful consideration, debate, and negotiation, we finally decided on a name for baby Harper. It's an exotic, meaningful combination of our names - Sean Pierre!

Sean comes from the Irish orgin and means gift from God. Pierre comes from the French orgin and means rock.

The Short "Version"

It's time...our bags are packed and we are prepared for anything that might happen today. We have a morning appointment, so hopefully it won't be too long before Shauna can eat again. Let's make this short and sweet - no version necessary. The baby was fully head down - ready to make his way into the world! We did have a chance to see him again. We also re-confirmed that its a BOY! The doctor doesn't expect him to make anymore turns so we should be clear from having a "version." You may have guessed our first stop after we left the hospital - yup, FOOD...the Hickory Pit right across the street.

Appointment #9 - 37 Weeks

Ok...we are feeling more ready for baby as each week passes. During our 37 week appointment the nurse performed another ultrasound to check the baby's position...again. Much to our surprise baby Harper has turned on his own! He is just about head down, but because he is a little slanted, the nurse recommends that we keep our Friday appointment for the "version" procedure (which will take place at Walnut Creek). We forgot to mention in our last post that the procedure runs the risk of sending Shauna into labor. Therefore, I cannot eat or drink after midnight...just in case. Funny how you don't think about food that often unless you are prohibited from eating...

At 37 weeks the baby...

- Could literally come at any time now
- Weighs over 6 lbs.
- Measures over 19 inches

Appointment #8 - 36 Weeks

With only 4 more weeks left to go (cross your fingers its not longer), we are now having doctor's appointments every week. This will probably make the time go by even faster. For our 36 week appointment the nurse performed an ultrasound to determine the position of the baby. Turns out he's transverse (laying sideways). According to the nurse, it is routine to schedule an appointment to have the baby turned. Yikes! This is called an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying they will try to coax the baby into a head-down position by manipulating him from the outside of the belly. So unless baby Harper decides to turn on his own, Shauna will experience, what sounds like, an unpleasant procedure next week.

At 36 weeks the baby...

- Weighs almost 6 pounds
- Measures almost 19 inches long
- Has shed most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body
- Will be considered full term at the end of this week

Hospital Tours

In August and September we took hospital tours of both the Oakland and Walnut Creek Kaiser Labor and Delivery facilities. We have primarily been going to Oakland for prenatal care. Both hospitals offered what we needed. The main differences being that Walnut Creek was a little more modern, offered a birthing tub for water births, and most deliveries are done by midwives. In the end, we are choosing to deliver at Walnut Creek. We like the environment, staff, rooms, etc. Not to mention that its around the corner from the Cheesecake Factory (where Pierre will be going to get Shauna a very nice meal after delivery). However, if Shauna happens to be in Oakland when the big day comes, we may just have to adjust our plans :)

Baby Shower BBQ - Thank you for coming!

Thank you to all the family and friends that came out to make our baby shower special! We were happy and excited to see everyone and appreciate all the love, support, and kind gifts for baby Harper! We are looking forward to sharing many more exciting moments with all of you.

Appointment #7 - 34 Weeks

We are well into the 8th month now and have approximately 6 more weeks to go (assuming the baby comes on time)! Time is just flyjng by. Today we had another doctor's appointment and it went well. The baby is growing on target.

At 34 weeks the baby...

- Weighs approximately 5 pounds
- Is almost 18 inches long
- Gaining lots of fat
- If born today, would generally do fine

Pampering Mommy - What a Treat!

I was pleasantly surprised with a "Pampering Mommy" outing a nail shop in Berkeley! We had lots of tasty treats (as you can see) and manicures and pedicures. It was just what I needed! Thanks to those that came out: Mom, Cousin Kelley, Tasha, Nikki, and Lori. And a big THANK YOU to my wonderful friend Maisha for putting this all together! Sorry I almost ruined the surprise :)

Baby Shower Guests - RSVP Here

The baby shower is fast approachinig! So we may plan accordingly, please post your reply in the "comments" section of this blog and indicate whether or not you will attend by August 31st. We hope to see you there!

32 Weeks

Twins? Due Date? Big Baby?

If only I had a dollar for every time I've been asked:

"Are you having twins?... "Are your sure your due date isn't sooner?"..Or my personal favorite, "WOW, that's going to be a BIG baby, isn't it?"

Funny how perfect strangers feel comfortable asking one or all of these questions! Yes, my stomach is big and appears to be multiplying by the day. I guess that comes with having person inside of you. All that matters is that I am on track according to my health care provider who says that there's only one baby in there; my due date is still the same (Oct. 16th), the baby is set to be average size (approx. 7 lbs), and most importantly he is healthy.

However, being the person that I am I did a little research and found that as humans we are all individuals and the size and shape of a pregnant woman's belly will depend on many factors (even at identical stages of pregnancy) including:

- Your height and weight.
- If this is your first or subsequent baby.
- What position your baby is lying in, and of course
- If you are carrying twins or triplets or more!

Therefore, try to remember that every woman's body is unique in how she changes and responds to her pregnancy.

Appointment #6 - 31 Weeks

We are now entering the 8th month! We just entered the single digit countdown - only 9 more weeks to go!

From the last appointment the results of the glucose screening revealed that Shauna is mildly anemic. This requires that in addition to her daily prenatal vitamin, she must take an iron supplement. Otherwise, the appointment was routine. Instead of every 4 weeks, the spacing of our appointments will be shortened to every 2 weeks from here on out. We are getting closer and more anxious by the day!

At 31 weeks the baby...
- Weighs about 3.5 lbs
- Is approximately 16.5 inches long
- Will gain .5 lbs per week until birth
- Can now process information from all five senses

30 Weeks

Pierre and Shauna at Robyn and Marrkel's Wedding.

27 & 28 Weeks

We spent weeks 27 and 28 in San Diego and Las Vegas for Dominic's basketball Tournament. We had lots of fun and the team placed 2nd in both tournaments! Shauna did fine with the flights and the weather. These were the last trips she will take before the baby is born (apparantly its not recommended to fly after 32 weeks for some reason).

Appointment #5 - 27 Weeks

Shauna is now 7 months! Most healthcare practitioners routinely recommend a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy to check for gestational diabetes, a high blood sugar condition that some women get during pregnancy.

Before we arrived at our appointment, Iwe had to go to the lab so Shauna could take the glucose screening test. This process included drinking a orange-flavored (flat) soda-like drink. There was a one-hour waiting period - and we had to be back in exactly one hour for the results to be read or do it over. While we waited, we headed over to our scheduled appointment. Shauna's gaining weight on track and everything else checked out fine. With minutes to spare, we made it back for the screening reading, which consisted of a blood test.

At 27 weeks the baby...
- Weighs almost 2 pounds
- Is about 14.5 inches long
- Is sleeping and waking at regular intervals
- Can open and close his eyes
- Is possibly sucking his fingers

25 Weeks

Save the Date: Baby Shower BBQ - 9/5/09

Please save the date for our co-ed Baby Shower BBQ, to be held Saturday, September 5th at Temescal Park, Oakland, CA from 1-5pm.

Invitation to follow.

Appointment #4 - 24 Weeks

Today was our 4th appointment and Shauna is officially six months pregnant. This appointment was considered "routine" and everything checked out ok. We will be back in 4 weeks...

At 24 weeks the baby...
- Weighs just over a pound
- Measures approximately 1 foot long
- Is developing his lungs, brain, and taste buds

23 Weeks

It's A...

Well, if you haven't already heard from us by now, we are excited to announce that "It's a BOY!" We had our "official" ultasound appointment today (and we even let Dominic tag along). All of us were anxious to see what the baby was up to. As soon as we arrived, the Ultrasound Tech asked if we wanted to know the sex and almost in unison we responded, "YES!" He informed us that it would be very easy to determine if it was a boy. As he started the ultrasound and proceed to show us the head, arms, feet, etc., he finally saw the symbol confirming that the baby was a boy. We were all excited (although Pierre asked the Tech if he was sure and wanted to know what the chances were that he could be wrong). We can't wait to welcome our new baby boy (on Oct. 16th...they changed the due date from the 14th)! Now, instead of being asked about the baby's gender, we'll be fielding questions about the baby's name. And for now we've decided that will be a surprise!

Just Kickin' It

On May 18th we finally felt the baby moving!

Appointment #3 - 20 Weeks

We are now at 20 weeks! This milestone officially marks the half way mark! This month's appointment was very similar to the last. They took Shauna's weight, blood pressure, and listened to the baby's heartbeat. According to the nurse, Shauna is on track to have a "normal size" baby (approximately 7 lbs.). That's a relief - no 10 pounders here (even though you can't tell by the size of Shauna's belly). We still don't know the sex, but are anxious to find out at our next appointment on June 1st!

At 20 Weeks the Baby...
- Weighs about 10.5 ounces
- Is about 6.5 inches long
- Is swallowing more

The Bigger, The Better - Shauna's Take on Maternity Clothes

Expecting a baby means...that's right - another good excuse to go shopping! And at this point, maternity clothes are a necessity. However, there are many challenges that come with this exciting opportunity such as finding trendy, stylish, and inexpensive clothes that can cross over multiple seasons. So far, I've managed to add a few items to my collection - even though it seems like I wear the same black shirt nearly everyday. Of course, the cutest clothes are the most costly, fortunately I lucked up at a little second hand store in Alameda on Park Blvd. Paying $15 for a pair of newer GAP slacks sounds a lot better than $60! I'll keep looking for bargains (and/or hand-me-downs) - after all, I'll only be wearing them for another five months...and then I can go shopping again!

Appointment #2 - 16 Weeks

For appointment #2 we were anxious about the possiblity of knowing the baby's sex, especially after hearing that it can be deterimined as early as 14 weeks. Unfortunately, we have to wait until June 1st ...so the mystery continues (no ultrasound pics this time). However, we were able to hear the baby's heartbeat and that was exciting! According to the nurse, everything else is fine and on track. Back again in 4 weeks...

At 16 Weeks the baby...
- Is about 4 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 oz.
- Will double in size in the next few weeks
- Legs are much more developed
- Eyes have moved closer to the front of his head

Let's Talk About SEX...

No pregnancy would be complete without the hopes and predictions of the baby's sex.

What the parents want:
Pierre = Girl
Shauna = No preference

So far, most of our family and friends (and even some strangers) are hoping we have a girl. However, there are a few that think its a boy. That's also what the Chinese lunar calendar and some strange ring-on-a-string ritual predict. When the time comes we will be sure to let everyone know. Either way, we are praying for a healthy baby!

So Far, So Good - Weeks 10-12

Fortunately, everything has been going (mostly) well for the past few weeks. During Weeks 9-11, Shauna was tired ALL the time - just absolutely exhausted! Combine that with frequent urination and she was a bit frustrated. On the plus side, she didn't have any morning sickness or other extreme pregnancy symptoms!

It's now Week 12 and our first trimester is coming to a close. She's gained some of her energy back., which is good because she is not use to sleeping my days away. Shauna is challenging herself to be consistent about excercise and eating healthy (let's just say that some weeks are better than others).

At 12 Weeks the baby...
- Weighs approximately 1/2 oz.
- Is approximately 2.5 in. long (about the size of a plum)
- Has distinct fingers and toes

Appointment #1 - 9 Weeks

Today we went to our first doctor's appointment at Kaiser, Oakland (one day before Pierre's birthday). It was somewhat surreal at first. We arrived on time and didn't wait long before the nurse called us back for some standard procedures (weight, blood pressure, etc.). The nurse came in to examine me and do an ultrasound. Once we saw the monitor screen, that's when it hit us - there's a baby in there! According to the nurse, the baby's head is on the left and the body is on the right. We could also see the heart beating. We were given printouts of the ultrasound. Our next appointment is in about a month.

At 9 weeks the baby is....
- approximately 1 in. long
- about the size of a medium green olive
- forming tiny muscles

Guess what?...I'm Pregnant!

"Guess what?... I'm Pregnant!" pretty much sums up how Pierre found out about the great news. We were both surprised, excited, and in disbelief. We first took a home pregnancy test together and then a test at the hospital - which confirmed it all. We couldn't have been happier! In anticipation of this very moment, Pierre had a list of names prepared (stay tuned for that!).

After 10 years of being an only child, Dominic is also exteremely excited about welcoming a little brother or sister. He vows to be the "best big brother ever."

We can't wait for our bundle of joy to arrive!

Welcome to Baby Harper's Blog!

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for."-- Anonymous

We are expecting a new addition to our family...Baby Harper is due October 16, 2009! We are looking forwarding to sharing this exciting and wonderful experience with all of you. Please check back as often as you like for updates, news, photos and more!

Love,
Pierre, Shauna, Dominic, and Baby Harper