Baby Thoughts, Nursery and Names - Entering Month 6

week 21

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.      

Last night Karl and I had this fabulous apple cheddar salad and about ten minutes later, Baby K was kicking like crazy as we were snuggled on the couch watching The Biggest Loser. I sure hope there wasn't arsenic or something in the apple dressing with all this bad talk about apple cider. But it was pretty awesome to feel baby go wild! I have noticed I'm feeling baby move more and more, which makes me smile.

Baby K's nursery is going to have a little Africa in it!

I feel like this Christmas is extra special because I have a little miracle growing inside of me. It's weird. I kind of don't even mind the weather. I mean, it's going to get down to 0 degrees tonight. I just feel happy...a lot. I look at things differently. Things that would worry me normally (buying Christmas presents, stressing about Christmas cards, etc.), just doesn't really matter right now. There are other things going on! If I get them done, I get them done, if not...oh well.

I do notice I'm tired a lot. My mom was worried over the weekend because I'm not normally a tired person. I'm the one with loads of energy wanting to go for a run or wanting to play volleyball for hours on end, but lately, I just want to nap. I think it's because I've been getting up at least 3-5 times a night to go to the bathroom. Then, I tend to get up every time I roll over, so that's another handful of times. To me, that sounds like someone with sleep apnea, ya know? So of course I should be tired. Not to mention I'm creating life - that can take a lot out of someone!

Another thing I've noticed is the weight gain. Dear Lord. I gained seven pounds in ONE month. I'm still in the same maternity jeans....so that's good, right? I kind of gigged at the doctor's but he looked at me and said, "YOU ARE PREGNANT. And trust me...you are one of the very few normal ones. And I'm serious."

His words didn't totally sink in until we walked out into the waiting area and two women from the Shakopee Women's Prison were sitting with their guards, very pregnant and big. So yes, things could be worse...

Our five month check up went great. Baby's heart was super fast this time. I keep thinking we're having a boy, but I don't know how many friends have told me they swore up and down they were having a boy and found out it was a girl! So, I can see that happening to us too. I really don't care. I just want HEALTHY, and a baby with personality!

Right now we're thinking of names. No, we're not doing anything weird like Apple, Owlie or Cockadoo. We're sticking with pretty traditional names. Those will be determined in April!

My mom and I worked on our shower invites for my first shower in Illinois!! She sent them out yesterday. They were so stinken cute. They reflect what the nursery is going to look like. We're turning one of our guest bedrooms into an African safari (now you know why there are animal pics pasted throughout this post) since two Christmases ago my family and I flew out to visit my younger brother and sister in law in South Africa. What a trip of a lifetime. There'll be little lion cubs and giraffes and all that fun stuff!! I can't wait. Of course there will pictures after it's completed.

         

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20-week ultrasound - Month 5

week 20
You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (The way your baby is measured changes now.) He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (although some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery). 

We are halfway!!!!!!!!! I am so excited!!! Better yet, Karl and I have the ultrasound today at 3:45 and it's FRIDAY!!! EVEN better, my parents and Karl's parents are coming to see Baby K too!!! My mom never had an ultrasound when she was pregnant with us and was never able to see us in action in her womb, so I thought this would be pretty fun for her.

I just can't wait to see Baby K. I feel him/her kicking around like crazy lately and I just want to see what's going on there.

(back writing on Monday, Dec. 5)

The ultrasound wasn't down at 3:45.
I know.

You should've felt my heart drop, or at least heard it... I almost cried when the woman at the front desk told me that they didn't have us down.
Here we were, totally excited, and both sets of parents were in the room waiting, and we were told...."sorry, you're not down."   

Say what!??!?! But, I told myself that we'd still get the ultrasound and maybe this just had to be this way. So we rescheduled for 8 p.m. that night. I grabbed my $5 Target gift card from St. Francis for all the scheduling mishap and instead we went to Dangerfields for Happy Hour and dinner. Then Karl and my mom did some wine tasting by the house and we were off to the hospital again. This time the place was dead - we were the last appointment of the day. I suppose this worked out in our benefit because the tech worked on me extra hard and spent over an hour getting pictures, video and 3-D pics.

But low and behold...darn Baby K wouldn't turn for us, so the tech made me get up and empty my bladder and then she made me flip on my side, turn over, back on my back, she tilted me upside down and then she moved the little Doppler thing over and around my belly trying to get Baby K to move!!!
Then...get this...little adorable Baby K yawned for us, like we were boring him/her.

The tech (Sam) said Baby K was the most stubborn baby she's had in a long time. Greeeaaat. Does this mean Baby K is going to be a May baby instead or something? Aries or Taurus? Oh boy, oh boy!
But finally....FINALLY Baby K moved and Sam was able to get a full on view of his/her adorable healthy face and he/she SMILED!!!!! He/she looks perfect with his/her 138 beats per minute healthy-looking, strong heart. And Sam said she knew immediately what we're having, but she didn't spill like we had asked her not to. She was good. Both grandpas were waiting to find out what the gender was, and I'm pretty sure my dad was willing to pay her off to find out!!! Not a word!

April 16th it is! In the meantime, check out this little cutie pie in action (the best video is too large to upload). I can't WAIT to meet him/her!!!! I personally think baby is a he.... :)
  

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Girlfriends' Guide to Baby Gear - Month 5

week 20

I think my friends on Facebook and Twitter were getting annoyed with me asking for the best strollers and baby products out there. Finally two friends suggested I go out and get The Girlfriend's Guide to Baby Gear by Vicki Iovine. So I did.

Okay, great advice. This book has been wonderful because after reading it, I realized there are many things I don't need. Plus, things I thought I needed that are totally not safe (i.e. a lot of borrowed items from family, friends, garage sales, etc.) and this book names off the really great products that have busy mom's talking.

For instance, I'm not a mom (yet). I have no clue how having a baby is going to add to my already crazy, busy life, but this book helps. It reminds you that most of the time you'll have maybe one hand free, so why get the crib that requires two? The book was written by moms who have already been there, done that.

For instance, I have a really hard time picking up packaged food right now in the baby food section thinking, "I'm going to feed our baby something that has a shelf life of a couple years???" I don't even make those types of packaged foods for Karl and myself to eat. So I was really excited to come across the site Kid Co Inc, thanks to the book. I will be purchasing this awesome Baby Food Mill for sure. And with luck, I realized they are sold in Edina at Amma Parenting Center! Will be checking out this store.

One other thing is a lot of people will offer to lend you their stuff, but there are always recalls. Tons and tons of recalls and big time safety issues. It's a MUST to buy a brand new car seat and crib. Though expensive, these are where a lot of injuries happen and you just don't mess around. Also, I read that most of the cribs sold at places most of us register at are kind of, uh, crap... Sure, the book was written in 2003, and maybe these stores have improved the quality of their products, but I'm not sure I want to risk it. I will need to venture out and focus on department stores or furniture stores and look for labels like, Child Craft, Legacy, Simmons, Sorelle, Morigeau-Lepine, Pali and Ragazzi. So that'll be our next project. Maybe I'll be taking grandma for a little shopping trip when she and grandpa are here next. :)

Things that I registered for that I should take off - (However, I'm really getting fed up with Target's website. This is the third time I can't get to our registry to make changes to it.)

• Car seat toy bar (dangerous)
• Any car seat head and seat padding (they test these things without the padding for a reason)
• Wipe warmer (kind of a waste)
• Powder (bad for baby's lungs)
• Jumper that hangs from door or ceiling (danger, danger) 

Items I really need to look into more:

• A big and small diaper bag (needs to be waterproof just in case something leaks or explodes - easy clean up. They suggest Lands End but I didn't find any I liked... or else www.babystyle.com, www.bellybasics.com or www.mobilemoms.com). And the cool part is the author lists everything that needs to be IN the diaper bag. Phew! I will say the "backpack" seems to be the clear winner. Frees up hands... Seems to be the common theme here...
• Umbrella stroller (for those quick trips...they are light and simple and Maclaren, Combi and Peg Perego are the way to go).
• Baby Bjorn (way better to carry baby in front than back).
• 4 side-snap shirts (yes, annoying because they slide up but baby doesn't like umbilical cord getting all rubbed on that first week or two by onesies).
• Graco Pack N Play with the bassinet and changing table (easy to travel with and easy to leave on another level of the house...good because we have three levels!)
• Bookshelf for all those awesome books coming!!
• Diaper Champ (or one that doesn't require you to go out and buy specific garbage bags. It gets expensive. The reviews I read about Diaper Champ aren't good, so I'm still stuck. But I read I will be changing over 100 diapers a week. OMG.) 
• And some sort of net laundry sack for delicates like socks and things that laundry machine will have no problem chewing up.

So love this book!!!! Did you read anything that helped you through your pregnancy?

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Triple Tomato Orzo

Triple Tomato Orzo
serves 4
recipe found in Health Magazine, May 2011 (recipe developed by Nadia G, host of Bitchin' Kitchen)

I used red bell peppers instead because they were on sale!

1 cup dried orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 red chile, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes
12 sun-dried tomatoes, minced
4 basil leaves, torn
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 kalamata olives, minced
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 large tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375°. Cook orzo until al dente; set aside.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic 1 minute. Add onion and red chile; sauté 6 minutes.

With clean hands, crush canned tomatoes; add to pan.

Add minced sun-dried tomatoes, basil leaves, brown sugar, sea salt, and pepper to pan; bring to a simmer. Cook until most of liquid is cooked off (25-30 minutes).

Add olives and parsley to pan; remove from heat. Add orzo to sauce, mixing well. Core tomatoes; stuff with orzo-and-sauce mixture. Top each tomato with 2 tablespoons mozzarella. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Karl's reaction: "Ohhhh, I like this a lot. This is really good babe."

My take: This was excellent. Will be making again...even with red bell peppers!!!

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Chicken Couscous

Chicken Couscous

serves 4
recipe found in Fitness Magazine, October 2011

Chicken Couscous

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1/2 lemon, zest peeled into 1/2-inch- thick strips, juice to taste
1/3 cup raisins
3/4 cup whole-wheat couscous
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Warm the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the almonds; toast until golden, 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl.

2. Season the chicken with the salt and black pepper, add to pot and cook until browned, 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate. Add the scallions, zucchini and carrots; cook 6 minutes. Mix in the cinnamon, cumin, coriander and turmeric; saute 1 minute.

3. Add the chicken stock, tomato, chickpeas, lemon zest and raisins; bring to a simmer. Return chicken to pot, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving bowl. Season with lemon juice. Cover and keep warm.

4. Add the couscous to the liquid remaining in pot, cover and turn off heat. Let rest 5 minutes; fluff couscous with a fork. Serve chicken and vegetables over couscous, garnished with almonds and parsley.

Karl's reaction: "The house smells really good. This looks awesome. I wish there were more raisins in this. Wait...is there curry in here?" So my husband hates Indian food and curry. There was no curry in here but for some reason he thought it tasted too Indian. Sigh.

My take: I liked this. Seemed like there could be more juice to it though, but I'd make again (without Karl being around).

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Spinach-Tomato Pasta Shells

Spinach-Tomato Pasta Shells
serves 4
recipe found in Health, July/August but developed by Guy Fierie (host of three Food Network shows)


Spinach-Tomato Pasta Shells (sooo good)

 3/4 pound whole-wheat medium pasta shells
1 tablespoon butter
1 thinly sliced shallot
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8-ounce) container grape tomatoes
Garnishes: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, additional grated cheese
I also added Jennie-O Italian turkey sausage to get more meat in the recipe (it really added good flavor too)

Cook pasta shells according to package.
 
Meanwhile, heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced shallot and crushed red pepper; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until translucent.
 
Add spinach and chicken broth; cover and cook for 1 minute. Add half-and-half, 1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. Stir to combine, and cook for 3 minutes.
 
Add grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise, and the cooked pasta; toss. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley and additional grated cheese. Serve.

The meal all put together.

Karl's reaction: "Ohhh, I like this one a lot. Might be a titch too spicy for me, but I do like it."
 
My take: I love this recipe. Really good. Tasted better the next day even.

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Introducing Your Dad - Month 5

week 19

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. The hair on her scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. 

Me at 19 weeks!

Baby K,

This is a letter to you. I wanted to talk about someone super special - someone who is dying to meet you.

He's your dad, Karl.

He felt you for the first time on Sunday. We'd come home from a weekend at your Grandpa and Grandma Koester's cabin (yes, your dad got another buck!) and we both wanted to take a nap. We were lying in bed, watching the Minnesota Vikings lose badly and then started watching the Chicago Bears win big time (I'm totally fine with you becoming a Bears fan by the way), and you started kicking (or punching) - I haven't figured it out quite yet.

I had your dad place his hand on my belly and you kicked right away. You literally took his breath away. He gasped. And then this huge smile broke on his face (kind of like when I told him I was pregnant with you). And I looked over at him again and a single tear spilled down his cheek. The moment was really something special and I could just tell he was thinking all sorts of things about you.

Sometimes he talks to you too. He tells me to butt out of the conversation, but I have a tendency to eavesdrop because your dad makes me laugh. Just warning you but soon he'll start making you listen to Weezer now that he knows you can hear. He really can't wait to meet you. Sometimes he says he's scared - I say that too. But that's because we don't know what to expect. Will you cry all the time? Will you sleep okay? Will you throw up all over your dad....causing him to throw up all over me? He kind of doesn't like puke very much. Or poop. But I think he's past the poop part thanks to your mom and Gpa-Bear in Illinois. Honestly, we don't know what's to come and that sometimes can be scary. But what we do know is we're pretty excited to meet you and can't wait to see where things go. I want to know who you're going to become.

You should've seen your dad when we were registering at Babies R' Us. Off he went to the Lego's and then off to the Matchbox cars. He was pulling me in every direction like he had sacks of gold to show me. He couldn't believe all the cool toys out there. He was going on and on how he can't wait to build the best race tracks and Lego houses with you.

Yes, I do have to remind him that you could end up being a girl. And that's going to be just as awesome because, well, I'm a girl. And your father loves me very much. Sometimes I can just tell by the way he looks at me or how he calls me right away when he's done with work to let me know he's coming home and to make sure I made it home safe. I like that. Plus, the cool thing about being a girl is I'm really close with my dad...we even played catch quite a bit in the yard together. He even told me the best days of his life were watching me play volleyball. Mine too.

Sooo...to start...I met your dad at work in 2006. It was funny how that all started. I really think God was behind it all because how does a girl from Illinois end up at an engineering firm that tests soil in Bloomington, Minnesota?? So because of how we met and how I feel about your dad, I have to believe God does work in all of us and wants the best for us. That freewill stuff kind of gets in the way sometimes though. We like to make our own choices and decisions and sometimes they are the wrong ones and lead us in directions we never intended to go. But if we keep trusting in him, we get back on track and good is waiting for us. Sometimes it's easy to forget about God, but he really does know best. That's the greatest lesson I can teach you. Believe in him and you will get very far.

Now...getting back to your dad. He was shorter than me and had long hair. Sometimes I wondered if he had just rolled out of bed, walked into the shower and forgotten to dry his hair when I saw him walking the halls at work. He'd usually have a coffee cup in hand and baggie jeans with these crazy funky shoes. Sometimes the coffee cup had breakfast in it... Ramen noodles. But there was something about those eyes of his. They sparkled. And then he laughed. That was it for me. That, and there on his face was the cutest dimple ever. I knew I had to know him.

Your mom and dad's first night out - a work party in 07

Soon we began talking and your dad sure talked about your grandpa like he was the President of the United States. I could tell he loved your grandpa very much. Then I started sharing stories about my family and how I loved to travel with your Uncle Mike and how your Uncle Mark was always making me laugh with all his crazy shenanigans. And how lucky I felt to have such a close family, but how crazy we could be when we all got together. I couldn't quite explain what was happening inside me, but I knew I needed to know your dad more and more. I couldn't get enough of him.

He also started making all these weird origami things...and putting them in my cube. I'd get a new one every day. Pretty soon I had a collection. I never had a guy pay so much attention to me in such a unique way. I don't think the CEO ever understood (as the bathroom was right next to my cube and he was able to see your dad's art collection every day)...or else he thought I was just another weird engineer who was fascinated by origami.

The origami your dad made me at work

Then your dad and I sat by each other at an event that the company put on. We had to dress up all nice and your dad could've sat anywhere at this really fancy golf resort, and with anyone, but he sat by me. And we sat close to one another and everything in the world felt really great. I couldn't stop smiling. We couldn't stop talking. We even sampled each other's food. There was so much to talk about. And he looked good that night with his long hair and suit coat. I didn't want the night to end. But it did.

We were both dating these duds at the time, so we couldn't really start anything more. So we continued having really great conversations with one another.

Then one day my shower broke. The dud I was dating told me to go look it up online and figure it out. Your Uncle Mike was off traveling in some exotic place, so he was out. And then for some reason I decided to call your dad. And he took me to Home Depot. He even came into the town home you are coming home to after you're born and fixed the shower.

So then I had to ask myself...how could I resist a man who dropped everything for me? And was so nice to me? And was handy? I knew I had a small window of time to share how I felt, so over a slice of pizza I told him if he were single, I'd scoop him up in a second.

I wasn't very nervous like I would have been with any other guy. The words felt right. And he seemed to like what I said. But a couple weeks went by and nothing. (Well, he did lead me on a scavenger hunt around the office to some dead roses, but that's a story for a different time.) Then Valentine's Day came. My doorbell rang and your dad was on the front steps. He asked me if I'd go out with him that Saturday night. I invited him in but all he wanted to do was ask me on a date in person. So I did what any women would do...I fell in love with him. And I have been ever since. Over and over.

I just want you to know how lucky you are to have a dad like Karl. He is amazing. And I mean amazing. And he already loves you and hasn't even met you! He's working extra hard right now so his career takes off in another year or two. You should see all the cool legs and arms he makes for people. He really is talented. I can't wait for you two to meet and to watch the bond grow between the both of you. It's going to be fun to watch. Your dad and I love each other very much and can't wait to have you join all our fun adventures...cuz we have many!

Love,
Mom

P.S. Oh, and this is the big buck your dad got. Probably the biggest he'll ever get. He even made the front page news. Your dad's kind of a big deal....

Your dad with "The Freak"

             

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