Donna Martin Graduates...from the hospital

Nowadays, I cry frequently. Occasions of happiness, sadness, madness, etc. Tears of joy (Matt’s surprise blog below), and most recently, tears of fright. This is obviously symptomatic of increased hormone levels as I was not a big crier before.

Case and point. I watched an episode of "Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood” where they documented the birth of their 2^nd daughter, Stella. It was quite detailed in that they had cameras rolling throughout Tori's C-section. Even though this was her 2nd go around, she was in tears throughout the episode because she was scared of the birthing process. Instantly, I was emotionally connected with my old 9-0 buddy. Once they laid Donna Martin on the operating table and that canopy went up, (see above photo) I began to cry from the same anxiety. I gave one hard look at Matt and said “There’s no way I can do that”…

I realize once the moment occurs, I will do anything to get the baby out…but the thought of bearing a child is scary. I admit, this anxiety stems from a low threshold for pain and a fear of hospitals. But I just have to constantly remind myself, millions of women give birth, and if nervous nelly Tori can do it (twice) I can do it too.

Almost 19 weeks

So it's pretty late right now, well pretty late by our standards nowadays:)  It's around 11pm and tomorrow Gemma will hit the 19th week mark, I know, it's going by so quickly.  And I know that this blog is dedicated to telling all of you about the baby and its progress and hopefully there will be some pretty big news next week when we go to the doctor, but I wanted to take a moment and talk about my beautiful wife.  

I just wanted to say that I couldn't be more proud of her and how she has taken this pregnancy in stride.  Obviously we are so blessed to be given this opportunity and we can thank God enough for that but going through pregnancy is a big change for most people and it can be a rough go around for some.  Well...she has been a absolute trooper.  First of all, she looks amazing...glowing...if that's how to describe it.  For those of you who know Gemma, and I think that's everyone, her skin pretty much glows all the time but I think it does even more now:)  Second of all, I can see the maternal instincts coming out already and I can't wait to see her as a "mommy" because I think she's going to be such a caring and loving mom to our beautiful baby.  And finally, she has been such a supportive and loving wife throughout the entire process, even volunteering to do dog duty when I have late nights at work.  And for those of you who know our dog Parker, that can be quite a chore at times:)  I guess I just wanted to say a big "thank you" and "I love you" to her for being such a strong person and for doing pretty much 99% of the work throughout this process.

...and I promise she's not standing behind me right now, in fact she's been in bed for about an hour:)  Talk to all of you soon.

M.

What will he or she look like?

For fun, I went on one of those "morhping" web sites to see what mine and Matt's baby would look like.  I do not suggest this because the results hold absolutely zero resemblance to either of us.

Is it me, or does the boy (left picture) resemble Brangelina's 2nd adopted boy, Pax?  

Living Arrangements - 18 weeks

I just hit the 18 week mark, which means, we are T-2 weeks until we find out the sex of the baby. We're so excited yet anxious at the same time. These mixed feelings stem from facing the reality of the situation:  once we find out the sex, everything becomes more real. All of the planning and execution of where the baby is going to eat, sleep, change, ride, etc must be figured out within the next 5 months!!! For those that know me well, I'm a planner, and these type of things need to be planned out FAR in advance, and if I am put in a situation where I need to rush...the anxiety levels tend to rise.

Deep Breaths.

So within a short amount of time, Matt and I must figure out 2 tricky situations: 

1)  Where can we find a cost efficient, yet safe & reliable family car?

we can surely count any GM automobile out and a mini van is simply out of the question

2) How are we going to turn our guest room into a nursery?

Let's elaborate, what on earth are we going to do with the treadmill, the bed, and where is Matt going to put his clothes? Please see the attached photo, we are open to suggestions here.

The "Boyfriend" Jean

For those women who are currently pregnant, I have to suggest my latest staple in maternity wear: the "Boyfriend" Jean.  The latest fashion trend that stirs up a lot of controversy.  Many straight men hate this look because it is so unsexy and unflattering. However, I must say, this trend is unbelievably comfortable and casual. I love them and hope this look lasts a little longer!

Biggie Small - 16 weeks

According to baby center, during the 16th week, I should "Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double weight and add inches to length... [the baby is] about the size of an avocado".  

Into the 2nd trimester, my 'evening' sickness has dissipated, and my cravings have gone from salt to sweets. Candy does not suffice now a days - more like baked goods such as cupcakes and cookies satisfy my cravings.  I have regained my energy so I have been exercising with caution a lot more. Although, I can't help but feel like a cripple during pilates class.

I certainly am starting to feel the baby's growth spurt. I officially busted out the maternity jeans (a special thanks to Annie for lending me hers) and big moo moo dresses are always the best wardrobe choice.  What's really crazy, in the morning, my stomach has a relatively small bump - but by the end of the day - my stomach balloons (please see photos for reference). By the next morning, the stomach deflates and expands again through out the day.

  

Carnivore

After contributing 30 viles of blood in the last four months, it was determined that I am Anemic.  

This was no surprise to me as I haven't eaten red meat since 1999. Prior to this, I was a huge meat eater. I mean, I grew up in Santa Maria  - home of the famous tri-tip BBQ, cow meat was unavoidable!

The story of my 10 year red meat sabbatical isn't too intriguing.  I was studying abroad in Italy the summer of 1999. The summer during the war in Kosovo and also the time when John Kennedy Jr. and wife Caroline died in a plane crash.  Simultaneously, there was an epidemic case of salmonella in Italy.  My roommate at the time, who will remain anonymous, was stricken with it (twice) amongst the three months we were there.  We were in beautiful Portofino, having our very first authentic Italian meal. Her choice was veal - and boy was that a very bad choice.  Without being too graphic, let's just say there was projectile involved at the table.  After witnessing such atrocity, I refused to eat any sort of meat the remainder of my study abroad. I lost ten pounds while in Italy - a very untypical situation.  Even upon my return to the US,  I couldn't bare the smell or sight of red meat.  

Flash forward 10 years later, anemic and jeopardizing the health of the baby.  As a quick anecdote, I had my re-initiation to a carniverous diet - an In N Out burger.  I did this at the start of my long three day weekend, just in case I needed to keel over and die.  However - the experience surprised me and it tasted so delicious. No sickness at all invloved! I continued my new endeavor and the following day, devoured a filet mignon at Matt's graduation BBQ. Next, on my to do list, Mr. Cecil's Ribs. I really hope this helps both mine and the baby's iron deficiency.