Mardi Gras

DSC_6069, originally uploaded by Shannon Marye.

Celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans requires a costume. Bryce and I bought Venetian masks Monday and I paired mine with a skeleton shirt with a paper tear out of a baby skeleton. It was a day of a lot of walking and eating. At the end of the day I found one possible varicose vein starting on my calf and I had bad heartburn (which I have never had before). I held up from 9:00 am-midnight on my feet though, which was painful but I didn't complain.

do the bumpty bump

Questions and Reminders

This morning when I woke up there was stiff part on my shirt near my nipple. Could I already be leaking fluid? I didn't have anything else to go by. Maybe I spilled something, but that was too weird.

This weekend we are headed to New Orleans. I am super excited. I'm not worry about the booze, I will obviously be avoiding them. But I am worried about the fish. I have been researching mercury levels. Thus far I know to stay away from the shark, Mackerel, swordfish and tilefish and probably anything raw. I can't wait to eat everything else though. I'm hungry.

Birth Art

Our camera is finally in working order so I was able to get some shots of our birth art.
I will introduce them slowly. These pastel and oils were the first Bryce and I did. They are "The Pregnant Woman," how you see yourself as a pregnant woman.
Bryce is abstract yet beautiful. It was done at about 3 months in. The bright energy ball can be perceived as the tiny baby growing in the womb.
Mine was more figurative. There is a seed growing inside the mother whose head is the sun and womb is fertile ground. Later when exploring what other mothers had drawn (from the Birthing Within book) my image matched many moms with positive self image. Less emphasis is shown on the parts not a directly thought of as part of birth. The exposed belly shows little fear.

Lincoln turns 200

Last night at our dinner friends shared tidbits about Lincoln they had learned on public radio and such. One was talking about how people are not sure Lincoln's father was really his own. There were jokes of adultry and virgin births. Somehow a joke came up that Bryce was not the father of the child. My reply, "I'm carrying a little Lincoln." It was a funny to those there but held little meaning, but for Bryce and I who have chosen Lincoln (but told hardly anyone) as our child's name if we have a boy it was great fun.

Valentine's Day Presents

1. The world's most excellent husband in the entire world, ever
2. An amazing meal with friends
3. Chocolate, flowers, gifts of love
4. Parents and their unbelievable generosity
5. Belly bubbles- Yes our little dancer is made known

Today is the last day I will probably be wearing these jeans. I woke up this morning and the folds around my belly button have disappeared and now my belly is rounding out with a few stretchmarks to confirm. I thought this would definitely mean weight gain, but it looks like I have lost two pounds. I unfortunately have gotten back on caffeine. Not coffee but soda and not Dr. Pepper like usual, but Pepsi.

Also, I sometimes forget to put down my positive health. I have been feeling pretty good for the last two weeks now.

I still haven't felt anything. I lie still and think "relax, now focus, was that something, no I just made that up."

Ultra Amazing

I wasn't sure I wanted an ultrasound, but I knew we should get one to calm my fears of having twins. We are not. Yay! However ultrasounds are amazing. I wanted to watch all day long. I can't stop looking at the photos. Our little one is so beautiful even at the skeletal scariest.
The doctors thought from the size I should actually be due in June like on the 26, however, because I was tracking myself during medication they will keep the due date the same for July and just presume I will have a big baby.
This was our last visit at RHW which saddens me a little because they truly are the best choice if you want to have a hospital birth. But I don't so I have to say goodbye to all the friendly faces.
I am still waiting for movement to be felt but I haven't felt any flutters or bubbles. Factors against me are having it be my first baby so I am not sure what I looking for, weight, and the fact that my placenta is growing on my front and the baby is facing my back. I'll let you know of course when the quickening begins.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound No. 7, originally uploaded by dicebourbon.

We went in for our first ultrasound this morning. It was amazing! The baby was moving around and sucking his/her thumb. We got a cd of photos and movies, of which this is an example.

The doctors now know the sex but we opted out. Shannon can hardly keep from divulging/discovering what her Christmas presents will be. How will she keep from finding out for four months? ;)

Round Two

I read some about symptoms that increase in the second trimester, but since I didn't have them at all in the first semester I thought I was home free. Yesterday I was proven wrong. I have heart burn, hemorrhoids, bleeding gums and I think I might of picked up something because I feel sick.

Feathers in the womb

Baby D.D. is going to be so spiritually blessed. Baby has attended two Spirations retreats and will spend one more in utero before possibly attending in person. Ever wise woman has given baby so many blessings. This week during guided mediation the hawk or female eagle came to me. During the time I spent with this animal totem I not only felt blessed, I also was given wisdom for how to be more creative and how to handle work. It was so powerful I won't be surprised if the baby is born with feathers. It felt like they were growing under my arms. On the way home from work I saw a hawk flying above a tree, then I saw an eagle, THEN Marge and I saw a field of over 20 eagles and hawks eating together along the road. How often do you see that many bald eagles and hawks scaveging in one area. We stopped the car and watched in amazement for at least 15 minutes. Beautiful. In my guided mediation the bird gave me an egg to keep with me. I have tucked it into my belly, we will see what hatches in July.