Work hard, play hard!

Tasks:
Convert the nursery:

1. Paint
2. Rug

Get some of the necessities:

1. Crib
2. Bassinet
3. Stroller/Car seat
4. Changing table/dresser

Have fun...CHECK!

The Nursery
For people who don't consider themselves particularly handy with a paintbrush, we sure aren't afraid of a challenge in the decorating department. Thankfully, my mother is a wiz and loves spending all her free time painting (as long as I do the taping). And now, it's just about finished. With the exception of the doors and trim, the walls are covered and we've picked out the rug. Tip for anyone about to redecorate: Take the carpet swatches home to see them in the room's light and against the wall color. Our final selection surprised us!
For those of you who are not afraid to know the gender of our coming bundle, you can get a preview of the nursery. (There's also a link at the top left of the page)

The Necessities
There are plenty of things on the shopping list, but we wanted to secure a few of the necessities, some old, some new. We were lucky to get two cribs from our neighbors. No we're not having twins, but they were looking to get them out of the attic, and, in the event baby #2 comes while #1 is still in the crib we'll be set...and in the meantime, we now have a headboard for our guest bed!
Our first gear purchase...the Chicco stroller/car seat system, generously given to us by George's parents. We spent a lot of time researching different options...what we didn't think about was making sure we took appropriate transportation to pick it up. Unfortunately, George III and DeVona had to squish in for the nice scenic ride home. They were literally "peeping" over the box to take in the Fall foliage.

This weekend, we scoped out our dresser/changing table, to be purchased after Thanksgiving. Then we headed over to my friend Claire's shop Rugs, Rolls & More in Plaistow to pick out our rug - or at least get some samples to take home. After recharging with a couple of burgers at LongHorn Steakhouse, we ventured over to Babies R Us again to take advantage of a weekend sale and earn extra rewards points. We came home with our bassinet, a swing/bouncer combo, and a few items from the decor department (all on sale for BOGOHO!)


Have Fun!
With all the cleaning, painting, and shopping, it's important to take some time off...Tuesday night, George and I took advantage of some last minute tickets to the Dave Matthews concert at the Garden. Technically, this is baby's 3rd show (we saw Sugarland three days after we found out we were pregnant and JackoPierce in the Vineyard in August), but this was by far the loudest and probably the first baby was old enough to actually hear. It had been about 10 years since George or I had seen DMB, but they still live up to expectations!

Less than 90 days to go. How time flies...or does it?

The baby marathon has begun! Congratulations to the Kroons, the Kanes, and the Meins, who kicked things off with healthy new babies in September. No pressure, but George and I are watching you closely and fully intend to steal as much wisdom from you as we can.

So we have just turned the corner with our sights set on the 90-day home-stretch, aka, the third trimester. George and I were recently reflecting on the ages of friends' children and how the presence of children seems to inherently lead to counting the years - making them fly by even faster than normal. But, as I think about the time that has passed and the weeks that remain before our little one arrives, I just can't decide if time is flying by or standing still.

Back in May, I thought we had a lifetime before I had to worry about picking out onesies or paint colors. And, even now, after only 6 months, I feel like I've been pregnant forever. It's hard to remember the days when I could freely eat what I wanted, or when I enjoyed a pint of beer as a summer refreshment - not because Guinness seems to be the best relief for indegestion (second only to milk).

Somewhere early on, I read a mother's advice online: to enjoy each moment for what it brings, to live for each day because it all goes by so quickly. We've tried not to read too far ahead in any of our literature as to not fall into the trap of waiting and anticipating for the next stage to come and to just appreciate the new changes that come with each month, each week, and each day. This approach has definitely allowed us to take it all in, bit by bit, and indulge in each new adventure, from seeing the baby grow by leaps and bounds in the ultrasounds, to experiencing the baby's movements, to feeling grateful as we reach each benchmark in good health. And, perhaps most importantly, it has given us the freedom to enjoy these last few months without feeling over-pressured to complete our registries, pick out furniture, and get caught up in all the craziness that can overshadow the beauty of this whole experience.

But as I look at that little phone app counting down the days, with today's count at 89-to-go, it hits me. Have we been indulging and appreciating, or just procrastinating??? Yes, I still have an entire trimester to go before the big day. But in most life situations, 90 days isn't a whole lot of time. Really, how many times have you had to settle for store credit (or worse, keeping the ugly sweater) because the 90-day return period flew by before you could get back to the store? And, our final 90 days also happens to include the big holiday season, and we all know once Halloween hits, it might as well be New Years Day.

So, now, I can't help but feel the pressure to kick things into high gear. Last weekend, George's parents came to visit and generously bought us our first piece of equipment. After 2 hours in Babies R Us, George and I mustered up the courage to commit to a stroller. And the other day, George actually took it out of the box and - oh so efficiently and successfully - put it together. Let the games begin! Over the next couple weekends, we'll convert the guestroom into the baby's room and take our childbirth class. I've started putting together spreadsheets and checklists for co-workers to cover for my maternity leave. And, we've officially turned our wishlists into actual registries on BabiesRUs.com and BabyEarth.com.

Ready or not, these next few months are coming and will be gone before we know it. BUT, and anyone who knows me will confirm, I've never been criticized for moving particularly quickly, and, frankly, I don't think I'm going to start now. Sure, there's plenty to get done, and some of it might not happen until after baby arrives (especially if that arrival comes ahead of schedule). But, we're going to take that wise, online mother's advice, and take in each day to the fullest. It's worked for us so far, and just like the doctors say about excercise: if it's what you're used to and what you've done before you were pregnant, then there's no reason to not do it now.

Say 'Hello!'

21.5 weeks. Say 'hello' to baby Haight!
Our congenial little one was poised and
ready to flash a smile and a wave (right after
giving me a swift punch!)



I could see the baby actively reaching and grabbing
the toes - amazing!



Half-way there!

It's been a marathon of a year, and only half-way there. September 5th marked the end of our 4-month, 7-wedding, 5-state streak! Now, September kicks off 7 babies in 7 months! Can we make a movie out of this??? 

While it's been a somewhat different experience not being able to fully partake in some of the activities (at least for me, anyway), I'm thankful I've been feeling good enough to make the trips, dance at the weddings, and even survive a few bachelorettes. This child may come out with a set of turn-tables, I've been dancing so much!

So now, we head into our own little marathon. 21 weeks and 1 day down, only 18 weeks and 6 days to go! Coincidentally, this is about the time when I used to start official trainings for January marathons. So, I guess 4 months should be plenty of time to get ready for this big event, right?

We had our 19-week ultrasound a couple weeks ago. And for those of you following along, yes, we did find out if it's a boy or girl. To protect those of you who still want to be surprised, we will do our best not to reveal anything on this site. For those of you who want to know, we'll be happy to share via phone or email. We are happy to share with you all what's most important: our baby is growing, 8in and 8oz at the time of the ultrasound, and seems to be developing into a healthy baby. And I've got a belly to prove it (see photo above taken at friend Sharon's wedding on 9/5)!

Most of the early nausea and exhaustion have subsided, only to be replaced with a rapidly growing waistline. I'm not sure when it happened, but one morning I looked down and could only see my big toes! And, not surprisingly, even those bigger clothes I've been hanging onto don't quite button. In the last few weeks, I have officially ventured into the maternity departments, and have been deeply disappointed. As if it's not hard enough to adjust to a changing body, I refuse to completely abandon my taste in dress to find clothes that will fit this body made for two. But all is not lost there - H&M, my favorite store for comfy-yet-trendy-and-oh-so-reasonably-priced attire, now has maternity wear, too!

Now that I am appropriately and comfortably dressed, what about the baby??? George and I are perfectly content waiting a few more months before we think about the finer details of clothing for our little bundle. But, with busy holidays just around the corner, we feel a little pressure to at least pick a decor direction for the nursery and identify some of those critical items. But this is much more easily said than done. Pick any category of baby "necessities" on Babies R Us and you'll get no less than 350 choices to select from. And try picking out a bedding set for someone you've never met before. Anyone want to sign us up for "While You Were Out"? We'll gladly leave town for a few days so that HGTV can come in and get it all done for us...

Like other challenges in life, we will make a plan and eventually conquer this one. Step 1: make some room - later this month we'll have a yard sale to get rid of some of our own clutter, and maybe make a few bucks to buy new clutter. Step 2: pick a decor - nothing too overwhelming, but stimulating and flexible enough so we don't have to redecorate for another 18 years. Step 3: get more stuff...um, let's concentrate on Steps 1 and 2 and we'll get to 3 later...

What's in a Name - to Alliterate or Not?

At this point in the game, with under 5 months to go, one of the few things Lyndsey and I think we can wrap our heads around in preparation for the new arrival is what to call said child.

We find ourselves in a unique situation in that, depending on the gender of the "child-to-be-named-later," or more affectionately "CTBNL," we will only have to choose a girl's name. Should our first child be a masculine child, we have decided we will love him and pet him and name him George. As much of a narcissist as I can be, however, this is not about me. It is about those that came before me. I can think of no better people and influences in my life to honor than my father and his father. Hopefully just by sharing a name with these men, it will give him a head start in becoming just as great of a man as they are.

Should CTBNL be of a female persuasion, at this point, all bets are off. We have had countless conversations and debates trying to come up with a suitable name, and the one thing we agree on is that there is always some reason not to name CTBNL that name. Whether someone else has already used the name for their child, you used to know someone by that name, or it happens to be your least favorite Scooby-Doo character (as much as I wanted it, Velma Haight is just not in the cards).

Even if you can find a name with little or no baggage, it can't sound absurd in the context of a full name. While alliteration and syncopation may work in poetry and Elvis songs, it rarely works in a name. How could we look ourselves in the mirror trying to raise Heidi Hannah Haight (although now that I see it, that does have a pleasant ring to it).

It has become an almost-nightly ritual - the search for a unique, but not too unique, combination of names. Lyndsey or I will toss out a name in conversation with each other, and the other will promptly exercise veto power (usually me) for one of the aforementioned reasons. We have a few good ones on a list (back-off - it's encrypted) and we may be getting close.

There is a school of thought, however, that we should at least see CTBNL before saddling her with a name she will have the rest of her life (sorry son - you're stuck with George). So perhaps we just arm ourselves with a few good choices and wait and see...I just hope that if its a boy, he doesn't look like a Gayle...that would be awkward.

Will you find out???

...if it's a boy or a girl, that is. It's the question posed to us immediately after someone hears we're expecting, whether it's coming from a close friend, distant relative, or just the clerk at the grocery store. Regardless of how well we know the person on the other side of the conversation, we can count on this inquiry. It really has been intriguing how curious people become. And, honestly, I've come to the conclusion that their interest is more in whether or not we are choosing to know the gender rather than in knowing what the gender actually is. And just as eager as they are to know if we're planning to know, they are equally ready to give their opinion on the matter.

We've heard strong opinions on both sides of the coin. Some are dying to know themselves, therefore strongly advocating that we find out as soon as possible. Yet others feel very strongly that we should wait and not find out. One friend actually equated it to our "last opportunity to experience what it's like to have the surprise of Santa's arrival Christmas morning". The votes from friends and family seem to be split, so it leaves us in an interesting predicament. It's particularly complicated by the fact that many of those who urge us not to find out have also expressed that they do not want to know until the baby actually arrives.

Well, we've got a couple weeks before our next ultrasound, so we have a bit of time to deliberate our choice amongst ourselves. Until then, we can all contemplate - to know, or not to know? Do you want to know?

Risk Assessment

Now it’s starting to hit me. This is actually happening. While Lyndsey has been going through a boatload of changes and feeling every step of it, I have just been the awkward male cheerleader on the sidelines. I sleep OK, I can still eat, drink and otherwise consume almost anything I want. I like to blame my absent-mindedness and laziness on sympathy pains, but I think Lyndsey sees right through it...(shhhh - don't tell her) It was not until last week when I started to get a hint that something profound was happening.

It was suggested, nay strongly encouraged, that somewhere between weeks 12 and 16 we have an early risk assessment ultrasound and blood work-up done to determine any heightened risk factors for chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down Syndrome. Lyndsey and I, while having already debated the pros and cons of genetic screening in the past, opted to have the tests. We are nothing if not pragmatic, and for us it was worth the effort to learn as much as possible as soon as possible to help us prepare. With all the experience we have of birthing and raising children (read: zero) the more knowledge and time to prepare the better. It was at this appointment that the awkward male cheerleader finally got a sense of the enormity of it all.

My first hint was when we were meeting with the genetic counselor, whose role was to describe what the ultrasound and blood work are aimed at detecting, why it was important to know the risk factors, and what happens upon finding a higher-than-normal risk factor. As this was a genetic matter, there was nothing we could do to control what the test was about to look for. It was out of our hands. Some abnormalities could be dealt with and still lead to a long and enjoyable life for our child. Others, however, would lead to another very unfortunate and sad outcome. The counselor rattled off all of this information with the sensitivity of a drill sergeant asking for a few push-ups. I don't begrudge the counselor one bit for her tone. She gives this speech many times a day and probably has to be the bearer of bad news more than she would like. It was at this point, I realized we were not in the minor leagues anymore and it all became very, very real.

After shaking off the dooms-day feeling left by the counseling session, it was time to take a look at junior, or Ms. junior, or juniorette if you’re not into the whole brevity thing. We were told in the counseling session that there were certain areas the technician would be looking at determine the existence of a high risk factor. As the technician was furiously clicking, drawing lines and making measurements by scrolling her Centipede-type roller ball around the screen with the precision of someone who spent most of her formative years in an arcade, I found myself more occupied trying to figure out the measurements myself than actually looking at the whole picture. I was sure I would be able to determine the health of the baby by myself. Really, how hard could it be?? At one point Lyndsey asked if the baby was actually moving as much as she thought or whether that was just a visual effect of the ultrasound. The technician responded that the baby was moving as Lyndsey thought. This snapped me out of my state of algebraic focus and drew my attention to this formation on the screen apparently bouncing around like "Shout!" was playing over the uterine speaker system. That was, in fact, a baby and it was, in fact, moving about as if it had someplace really important to be. That was moment number two.

At that point I was able to enjoy the rest of the ultrasound and stare in disbelief at what I was seeing. It became very clear that our baby was going to be a nose-picker or a thumb-sucker – every time an arm came into view, it was heading straight for the nose or mouth. Unfortunately, ultrasound technology has not advanced far enough to see which one it was; nor did it allow us to remind the baby that it was on camera and people were watching and to stop embarrassing its parents.

Anyway, we've received good news from the genetic counselor that all tests came back normal and they did not detect any early risk factors. It appears the baby is healthy and normal - well except for the nose-picking and thumb sucking!

Turning the corner...

We are in the 13th week, and officially turning the corner from 1st to second. I'm happy to say my energy is up - although the 9pm bedtime has been replaced with late nights of unexpected energy. It's been good for work as the great ideas seem to flow around 11:30pm. (Another example of the new "normal": "late nights" no longer refers to the early morning hours.)

We've been spreading the word to family, friends, and co-workers. These last few weeks have been a bit tough. I'm usually pretty upbeat and always on the go. So I was feeling a bit self-conscious when I'd have to excuse myself to my office or home for a nap (sometimes with my eyes open just to control too much suspicion), when I'd forget things in the middle of a sentence, or when I'd see my belly starting to hang over my belt...It's a relief now that people know all of this is with very good reason.

Still, I'd say the 12th and 13th week have been the most elusive. Yes, my eating habits are nothing like they used to be, and neither are my workouts, but most of the time, I forget I'm even pregnant. Then, I read something about how much the baby has grown and developed, and I'm astonished by how much is happening inside my body and I don't even know it. It might not be cool to say this, but it sometimes gets me a little freaked out. I guess in a few more weeks, I'll have a rounder belly for a visual, but for now, it's still just sinking in.

For those of you just about to give birth, or raising your baby now, I don't know if I'm ready for your world. I made the mistake of just "checking out" a couple of shopping websites. I don't know what people are doing with strollers these days, but even if it DID have a video demo, I was completely lost! I thought registering for our wedding or shopping for our house was a little overwhelming, but the baby supply industry is out of control. We're going to put that adventure on hold for at least a couple more months, at which time, we'll welcome user reviews, advice, and even pre-assembled hand-me-downs!

In just ten weeks...

We had our first official prenatal visits this week. Everything appears - yes, you guessed it - normal! It's amazing the changes that have occurred in the last 4 weeks. The first ultrasound images looked more like a diamond ring than a baby. But just a few weeks later, you can now see the fetus curled up, with faint hints of the head, body, arms and legs. The heartbeat has jumped to 168 bpm.

As for us, the news is sinking in. There's no shortage of literature to take in. And it's not always easy to discern the myth from fact-based advice. Our doctor has recommended Pregnancy for Dummies, of all books, written by doctors from Mt. Sinai. Surpisingly, he has discouraged us from using What to Expect.We'll likely continue to use a variety...

While Lyndsey's energy is picking up, the nausea still persists. But thankfully she's still able to tear it up on the dance floor at all those weddings! Now that everything seems to be progressing as expected, we've started sharing the news with friends and family. It will be exciting to share this experience with all of the other friends and family who will be welcoming their little ones in the coming months. As it turns out, there's at least one arriving every month from September to February!

The new "normal" (or I like to say, Color is the new Black!) originally posted June 17, 2010

George and I like to consider ourselves thoughtful people. We set goals and work hard to achieve them. When it comes to enjoying the fun parts of life, we love spontaneity. However, we're pretty calculated people when plotting out the bigger picture. And so far, this has worked very well for both of us. Everyday, we appreciate how fortunate we are to have the family and friends we love, successful careers, to have found each other, and to share the joy of our extended circle of friends and family.

But now, it seems our world is in someone else's hands (and this time, we're not talking about that greater power running the bigger universe)! Since the day we decided we were ready to start a family, seems there was someone else out there telling us it wasn't up to us to decide. After a somewhat long road, it was finally time.

We found out we were pregnant on May 17th, then again on May 18th, and May 21st (I just couldn't trust those faint blue lines, so yes, I went digital). Not long after getting the news, our world got a lot more colorful, and the new "normal" started to settle in. I wasn't overly sick, but always felt something, usually bloated, crampy, and tired.

We had a bit of a scare in week 5. Turns out, again, it was something somewhat common - or "normal" - but at 3am, the crippling pain seemed anything but. After some ultrasounds, we learned it was a cyst on the ovary - actually a good thing that supports the pregnancy. Despite our fears and the pain, the doctors assured us it was all just "normal". The silver lining of this early hospital trip: we got to see ultrasounds about three weeks earlier than originally scheduled. At 6 weeks and 2 days, I witnessed the baby's heart fluttering away at 120 bpm. Admittedly, no family resemblance was visible just yet, but that tiny movement made it all real.

Then the real fun began. And entire Saturday curled up on the chair avoiding even the mere thought of food or movement. Nap times at 10am, and again at 4, bedtime at 9. And now, every meal is determined by the craving of the moment - and just a consideration of something else can come with terrible consequences.

So this is the new normal. Every day brings a little something different, a new challenge, or learning about the next greatest stage of development. We're in the 9th week now, and according to my ticker app, only 220 days to go...til the real fun!

As someone with a closet full of black, I am truly loving every splash of color!