1. I found a turtle. Yep, you read that right. I drove home from dropping off the girls at daycare and there it was, right by my driveway. I called my dad, since he has rescued about every animal there is, and got some advice and now he is temporary living in my screened in porch and named Tuck.

2. Anesthesia. After all these dental problems this year, I’ve developed some anxiety about getting my teeth worked on. Especially when today’s appointment involved inserting a metal post in the bones of gums for an hour. And I was practically asleep before they gave me the drugs. It was amazing. Best nap ever.

3. We got our air conditioning working. And today’s high was 88 so I was very relieved!

4. Our baby may be brilliant. She officially can sit up by herself. Although she will fall eventually so I won’t leave her alone to do it, but she can do it! So I got out all Ella’s old baby toys and Eva sat up thoroughly excited playing with them. It was so cute.

OK, that’s it. Now tomorrow I face the eye doctor, with both kids. Wish me luck.

1. Big jar of northern beans
2. can of green chiles
3. cubed ham
4. sauteed onions

And you warm it all in a crockpot and it’s ready. Also, I made some cornbread muffins (also with green chiles mixed in) to go with it. My mom has taught me that green chiles and salsa are good in lots of dishes.

We also had a photoshoot last night. Ella had a lot of fun taking pictures. Then I had her pose for a bunch. Little does she know she’s getting her own Diego digital camera for Christmas. She’s going to love it!

Here is Ella’s modeling debut. (I’ll spare you mine.)

And Steve has a lot of work lately … so this is where you can usually find him.

The hospital is HUGE and overwhelming too. Last time we were there we had to ask around about where the Pediatric Oncology/Hematology (luckily we just need the hematology part) department was and several people didn’t know. People who worked there. Apparently they’ve undergone major renovations though, so it was all very new. But this time, I had no trouble at all.

Anyway, the people there couldn’t have been nicer. And they just acted like Ella’s the cutest, sweetest little girl they’ve ever seen. I mean, she IS (you read about her award, right?) but they see kids all the time, so it’s nice that they still have that excitement for mine.

The waiting room is also filled with books, puzzles, a train table and little rideable animals. I appreciate that so much. Instead of a long wait of me keeping her restrained and making sure she’s not getting into anything she shouldn’t, she is having fun. That is huge.

Before we knew it we got called in. They let Ella drag a rideable lion she spotted in ANOTHER playroom into our room. And right away the nurse asked if we wanted drinks. She brought us apple juice and water. This is practically fun!

Ella sat really still as she had her breathing checked, her blood pressure done, her height and weight checked. Then while we waited for the doctor I pulled Ella through the halls in a wagon (yes, they have several wagons in the hall.) The doctor then spoke with us for awhile. Pretty routine. And the good news is that after she’s three she’ll only have to go once a year. Awesome. She will have to have a couple extra vaccines in the next few years though.

Finally came the dreaded blood draw. At first Ella sat still as they poked her. They had put numbing lotion on when we first got there. But the nurse wasn’t getting any blood, so she readjusted the needle, Ella jumped and some blood squirted out. Then she bawled. I quickly grabbed her a sucker and that mostly calmed her down. But then the nurse had to do it AGAIN. She cried some more. But it was over pretty quickly.

All in all, not too bad at all. The nurse let us play in the playroom while she “checked us out” so we didn’t have to wait up at any counter either. Are they good or what?

So it went about as well as it could. I don’t think I’ll be quite as anxious about it next time.

It makes sense to me now why pregnancy is split into three periods — otherwise known as trimesters. Each three months comes with a whole new set of symptoms, emotions and a whole different body.
That burst of energy I felt during my second trimester seems to be fading away. I would love to take a nap, right now in fact. And I would, except it hurts to lay down. The careful pillow configurations I had mastered for peaceful sleep in my second trimester seem to not work anymore. My back aches from the weight of my belly, and flip flopping from side to side in bed is not so easy anymore.
And I thought I was all set when it came to a maternity wardrobe. Plenty of expandable pants and long shirts. They seem so small to me now. Ok, you may remember I hit Arby’s pretty hard for awhile a few months back, but really I hardly ever go there anymore. I’ve replaced it with an ice cream addiction.
The good news is there’s no question anymore about my condition — I clearly am pregnant. My baby bump has finally evolved into a big, rounded baby belly. And this is good for several reasons:
I can not only feel her movements and kicks, I can see them. I spend a lot of time just staring at my belly watching it twitch and wave and change shape. And my husband has now been able to feel her move too. It’s a great feeling.
People are nicer to pregnant ladies. People ask me how I’m feeling all the time, or when I’m due. Even strangers. I had a waitress recently tell me all about her new grandaughter when she saw me. And she brought my coffee cake out quickly and constantly refilled my water — because she said “she understood.”
As far as emotions go, I’m feeling more excited than ever. My sister, with the help of my mom and sister-in-law, threw a great baby shower for me and about 25 friends and relatives. It was so fun filling her nursery with the new clothes, diapers, books and toys people bought her. We’re getting very anxious to meet her.
Of course, I’m also getting more nervous as it gets closer. Not to have a baby, but to give birth to a baby. At my last visit, my nurse practicitioner actually told me when I need to get to the hospital when I’m in labor — when my water breaks or when my contractions are about five mintues apart. I was thinking “Oh my gosh, are we really talking about that stuff already? I’m not ready! I have two more months.”
I guess it’s a good thing pregnancy lasts 10 months. We need that long to mentally and emotionally prepare!

My baby radar is way off. For six months I’ve been comparing theories, comparing bellies and trying to tune in to my own instinct to determine the sex of our baby. It seemed so conclusive that we were having a boy.
I seem to be carrying lower, which is what some say boys tend to do. The baby seems more like a basketball, than oblong, as girls are known for. And I’m feeling a lot of movement — which I guess was my own theory about boys I was working on. And I only based it on my sister’s experience with her two pregnancies. Not very scientific, I know. There was also the case of the fetal heartbeat. The myth is that a lower heartrate indicates a boy, a higher one a girl. And in my family it seemed to hold true. And my own mother also firmly believed that I was carrying a boy. She seemed so certain.
But, as the ultrasound revealed at our 25 week appointment — it’s a girl! We’re extremely excited. I know it sounds a little fake when people say they don’t care what the sex is, as long as its healthy, but we really felt that way. But now that we know, it’s so fun to imagine and plan, and I already feel like I’m bonding more with our baby girl we call Ella, instead of “it.”
Today, ultrasounds are better than ever too. As you can see in the
photos, the latest 3D technology really lets you see your baby closeup. Still, many women choose to forego knowing and keep the sex a secret until the tiny baby makes his first appearance in the world. These women have way more will power than I do.
I knew before I even became pregnant that I would want to know as soon as possible. I just know myself. I like to plan ahead, make lists, imagine the future … decorate. I would have to find out. No thanks on the big surprise in the delivery room. I think there will be enough surprises.
I have heard one story that made me reconsider my decision for a minute though.
My brother Nate and his wife Rachel did not find out the sex of their baby. Nate really wanted it to be a surprise, and Rachel agreed to do that for him. She patiently told the ultrasound tech she didn’t want to know and never found out. She said she understood my brother’s point of view.
She, and all women, are deeply involved in their child’s birth. They carry their babies. They’re with them all the time. They give birth to them. So, Nate wanted to be involved by sharing the news of his baby’s sex when he was born. And after their baby was born, Nate had his moment. He got to walk proudly out to all of his family and friends and say “It’s a boy.” I’m sure he’ll never forget that.
Anyway, we had our moment too. The ultrasound tech asked if we wanted to know and I said “as soon as you can say the words.” And just seconds later she pointed to the screen and said “It’s a girl.” And we’ll never forget that.

For all of you women suffering through the first trimester of your pregnancy, hang in there. It gets better. A lot better.
I suppose I should warn you. Every woman’s different and I have heard stories of women who don’t feel well throughout their entire pregnancies. Usually, however, relief comes after those first 12 weeks.
My first trimester was filled with ups and downs. The excitement was overwhelming. But so was the fatigue. I daydreamed about taking naps, and did so whenever possible. After work, I headed right for the couch, where I remained for many nights. Bed time kept getting earlier and earlier.
And the hunger — it came on so suddenly and urgently. And if you don’t do something about it, that’s when “morning sickness” strikes. Let’s just say I’m glad Arby’s serves lunch by 10:30 a.m.
By the second trimester, though, things began to look up. My energy was back. I suddenly wanted to cook again after work and even run the vacuum occasionally.
And although eating is still never far from my mind, the intensity of my hunger has subsided, and so have the trips to Arby’s.
For me, this also was about the time I decided to share my secret with the rest of the world. Our families knew, but we had not yet told a lot of our friends or coworkers. This has to be one of the highlights of pregnancy. It really brings out something special in people. Especially other parents. Almost always they share some story they have about the birth of their child or parenthood in general, and sometimes you see a side of people you’ve never seen before.
Here are just a few of the comments I have heard lately:
Sally Rowe, our KPC librarian, shared with me that her adopted daughter was born six weeks early, leaving her and her husband to come up with her name in one night! Once they got her, Sally was so nervous about giving her a bath that she asked her friend to come over and do it for her. What a good friend.
Our Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly Publisher Rob Kaiser says that while living in Chicago, the city’s marathon was planned the week his wife was due. So, being the prepared expectant parents they were, they had an alternate route to the hospital mapped out. Luckily, Rob’s wife ended up going into labor before the marathon, so it wasn’t an issue. Unfortunately though, their gas tank was empty that day and they had to stop for a fill-up on the way to the hospital!
A word of wisdom that our Family editor, Grace Housholder, shared with me recently was something her mom told her. She said that Dr. Spock, known for writing the immensely popular baby care book “Baby and Child Care,” once said that “You have a pretty tough baby. … He can care for himself pretty well for a person who can’t say a word and knows nothing about the world.” With so much information out there on keeping your baby out of harm — and some of it contradictory — that sentence is very comforting.
So ladies, I hope that your second trimester is as good as mine. And for now, remember, Arby’s serves lunch by 10:30 a.m.

“Pregnant.”
The word was so clear on the pregnancy test, even though I was so sure I wasn’t. There were no ambiguous plus or minus signs. Nope. The tests are digital now, so it was clear. It said pregnant.
I was stunned. Although it’s exactly what we wanted and had even been plotting for the last several months, I just couldn’t believe it. I’m nearly 30, have a great marriage, a career, did everything I wanted to do before settling down for good, so why couldn’t I believe it?
After letting it sink in for a second, I started to think about how I could tell my husband. I’d always thought that would be even more fun than finding out myself. Maybe I would wait until we were out to dinner and then we’d celebrate, I thought. But two seconds later I decided I couldn’t keep this secret any longer.
Meanwhile, my husband was sitting on the couch playing PlayStation. OK, if you’re thinking this doesn’t sound like a mature father-to-be, know that he works very hard at his day job, often does freelance work at night, and is a great husband in every way. So sometimes he finds a little R&R in NFL 2006, or whatever it’s called.
At this point I was shaking, and a little teary-eyed. So, instead of trying to talk I held the stick directly in front of his eyes.
I stared at him, waiting for his moment of shock, but after a long pause, he finally spoke. “Uh, what exactly am I looking at here?” I say, “Read what it says,” pointing to the screen.
And then I don’t even remember what we said next. I know he stopped his game. And we didn’t really know what to say. I think our mouths were hanging open and we just kinda stared at each other. Then we started to think about what kind of timing this all would mean. March, we figured, would be when the baby was due.
The following month was filled with all kinds of exciting moments that I had always looked forward to. We sprung it on my parents by nonchalantly showing them a book I recently bought, entitled “I’m Pregnant!” We had his parents each open up their own bib, reading “I Love Grandma” and “I Love Grandpa.” We even bought a crib and changing table that we fell in love with.
But somehow I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t real or maybe I was getting my hopes up for something that wouldn’t work out. We thought maybe once we go to the doctor, she’ll confirm it and then we would really believe it. However, one of the many new things I had learned was that a doctor doesn’t see you until you’re 12 weeks along. 12 weeks! That’s three months!
Eight long weeks later we finally were at our doctor’s appointment. After all the routine medical history questions and checkup, the doctor held something called a Doppler to my abdomen. By the time I turned to my husband, she had already found the heartbeat. It was beating so fast and sounded so clear. one hundred seventy beats per minute. Normal, she said. It was really amazing. The first real sign of life. I was so glad my husband was there to hear it with me.
So, maybe it took us awhile, but now we’ve finally come to believe it. We’re having a baby!