No Longer Gender Neutral

Today I went to the OB to find out how the balance of power will shift in our house. Estrogen and testosterone are now equally balanced with Cayman and I bringing the estrogen and Brumbee and Hubby providing the testosterone.


First let me say that preparing for an ultrasound is pure torture. Already I can't make it thirty minutes without having to pee, and I don't think the baby has even found my bladder yet. As I understand it my current urine frequency is due to increase body fluid volume that is being used to supply the baby. I expect in the next month or so the baby will find my bladder and beat it like a set of bongo drums. I can't walk the dogs without feeling incontinent. I think by the end of this pregnancy I'll be walking them back and forth in front of the house so I can duck inside whenever I need to use the restroom. To prepare for an ultrasound I had to go 90 minutes without using the bathroom and drink 48 oz of water, I felt so submerged in pee I started to hold my breath! Fortunately the staff at the clinic are very aware of the accident potential in pregnant women and they do their best to keep ultrasound on time. Mine started about 10 minutes early, I was very relieved (Ha Ha!).

The ultrasound technician was very nice and quickly pointed out to me that the baby is in fact a little GIRL! Right now she weighs 13 oz, less than a third of the water I had to drink in order to see her on the ultrasound. (Please forgive the fact that I used fluid ounces and mass ounces interchangeably for that last line to work, go with it Nurse Horrible and Don.)

How are Hubby and Brumbee taking the news?

Drowning their sorrows! They'll be fine I'm sure!

So in five short months the balance of power will shift significantly...


We're no dummies! The honeymoon is over. Already I've put on 288 oz to support this 13 oz baby, approximately a 22:1 support to baby ratio. By birth the ratio should be around 5:1, which I hope is closer to the actual support to baby ratio required as parents, although I'm sure we'll start at 22:1 as we are figuring everything out. To offset this, we are lining up helpers to come to Las Vegas and ease us into the new routine.

In the next couple of weeks I should start feeling the baby move and then a couple of weeks after that Hubby should be able to feel her as well. I've been told it feels like a grumble in my tummy, only I won't be hungry. At this point I'm not sure I'll notice, any movement in my stomach that could be remotely attributed to hunger is immediately rewarded with food.

The best part of pregnancy so far are maternity pants, the perfect blend of sweat pant comfort at the top and stylish pants on the bottom! I also have a make believe craving. I like to make believe that I have an insatiable craving for cookies, particularly chocolate chip, due to the pregnancy. Hubby recommends make believe cookies to go with my make believe pregnancy craving!

As far as names, our official position at this point is that we are nameless. Hubby tells me that with five months to go there's no rush, meanwhile I've filled a book with possibilities.

Ultimately we're very excited to know the baby is a girl and are looking forward to decorating the nursery and picking out baby items for her, as well as planning the next 18-30 years of her life, but we'll try to remain as flexible as possible. I'm already preparing my speech..."Young lady we chose the colors for your first room, we'll choose the colors for you first home."

Last week's poll, a dead heat between the four remaining NFL teams. Obviously only the two who chose the Cardinals and the two who chose the Steelers could be correct from this point, so we'll see in two weeks how the Superbowl turns out. I'll be cheering for the Cardinals, just because I can't believe they've made it this far and figure I should pick them for one game at least.

This week, in keeping with the baby theme, what do you think will be the more challenging part of parenting an infant?

P.S. - For Nurse Horrible, two words, "anal glands".

Celebration Continues

As if two huge Christmas celebrations weren't enough for fun during our Massachusetts visit, Maggie and Peter decided to tie the knot on 27 December! This celebration was wonderful and allowed us to see many friends and family.


I'll have to admit that I enjoy being part of the prep work without the stress factor of being the bride. Maggie did wonderfully, and only tried to run away a couple of times! I was constantly checking all exits to see if she was trying to escape.

Once safely inside the restaurant, where the wedding would take place, I made sure the windows were locked and enjoyed catching up with people.


John and Paula, neighbors of Maggie's for many many years in Bridgewater (I can't say that now without thinking "We are BR" very soon after, thanks Anne!)


Steve and Beth, Hubby's uncle and aunt.


The majority of the Dowling clan, making sure Uncle Joe has his props for the magic show later on that night.


The JP treated us to a full mass, including communion, all while standing, it was wonderful. Maggie and Peter were hitched with the help of Maggie's life long friend Judy and Peter's son Stewart.


The new couple complete with kids and their spouses. For the benefit of my Mom, the people you may not recognize are, Jessica, Peter's daughter, Stewart, Peter's son, and Stewart's wife Chrissy.


It was all Peter could do not to run off with the top of the cake and eat it all by himself. The cake was delish, chocolate and vanilla with mouse inside. Yummy!


Harrison was kind enough to DD for his family for that night and Jenny was nice enough to keep her brother company while she pretended her inebriated family were the most charming people in the world and laughed at all their jokes, even the unintelligible ones.


Communion glasses raised, this was the beginning of the end for many.


"Maggie, there's something I failed to mention before the wedding....."


"...my daughter-in-law is a devoted Giants fan!" Chrissy walked into the lions den, or Patriot Place in this case, and didn't bat an eye, brave girl.


In my current condition I got my first taste at enjoying my new found status as "driver". "What no pineapple juice for Anne's cocktails? I'll be back in a jip!" "It's after 1am, already? I had no idea. I'm ready whenever you guys are, no rush."

When we finally did make it back to the house I was rocked to sleep while Anne, Sean, and Hubby enjoyed game after game after game after game after game of Wii tennis and boxing.

We had a wonderful time at the wedding and after party, the food, friends, and family were great.

You would think that after the wedding we were finished celebrating, but not a chance. We finished our visit celebrating Anne's birthday with a party at Bill's. We watched football and ate way too much. Unfortunately my eyes were only half open after the previous night, so my camera never made it to my hands. Despite no pictures, we had a lot of fun and enjoyed every bit of being spoiled.

The poll from last blog had a couple of jokesters, Anne and Hubby, voted for the wrong team and Don waited to vote until after the game was finished to choose a team. Better luck to OU next year, surely after five bowl loses they will be due a win.

This week, who do you think will win the Superbowl? You don't have long to vote, on Monday I go in to see the baby's private parts, and then eagerly announce Boy or Girl!

Christmas Done Right

We've just returned from Massachusetts and a wonderful Christmas with Hubby's family. Right now we are in chocolate detox, probably for the next six months, but it is well worth it. I don't think I went more than thirty minutes without something sweet. Even while sleeping I was dreaming about my next chocolate treat. Of course, I had chocolate for two!

We started Christmas morning at Maggie and Peter's with stocking stuffers and a gift swap...



For a while the stockings seemed bottomless, we all got great stuff.


This is my favorite stocking stuffer! I can't wait to have our little newborn to dress as the newest fan of the BoSox, Patriots, Celtics, and Louisville Cardinals!


I love this drawing! Hubby drew this in the first grade and it was on display during Maggie's first open house. It is definitely going up in the nursery. Although I will say I've been having a tough time finding sheets, curtains, pillows, ect. to match the urinal theme!


I'm not sure how Peter will find time for puzzles with all the golf in North Carolina....


I can't remember what Hubby is opening, I just think he is cute and want to point out his Boston University sweatshirt, part of the graduation gifts he received, as he just recently finished his masters degree from BU.


I promise I did not get this gift for myself! But I will wear it proudly!

After opening gifts, gorging on cinnamon rolls and frittatas, we headed over to Bill and Ed's to continue our Christmas extravaganza...


Part of the fun in seeing Bill and Ed was touring their completed home. It is absolutely beautiful and wonderfully decorated for the holidays. I think I was told 11 Christmas trees in all, which probably didn't seem like very many to the 70 person dinner party they had a few weeks ago!


Even though there were only six of us I think Bill cooked enough food for 70, and we put in a pretty good dent in it and had to be rolled into the living room to open gifts.


Our "stockings" were cute Patriot and Red Sox bags, since as Bill put it, "You never bring back your stockings anyway."


The presents were great and we had a fun time opening all of them.



Ed is opening their new toaster, it is even stainless steel so it matches the kitchen!



I spent a fair amount of time petting Rugger. Rugger was our dog until last April when our other two dogs stopped getting along with him (to put it gently). Fortunately Bill had not been able to find the right dog in Mass and was willing to take Rugger. Rugger is totally spoiled in his new home and it warmed my heart to see him so happy.


Of course we couldn't leave hungry the next morning, so Bill spoiled us with a big breakfast cooked in his fantastic kitchen and sent us on our way.

Incredibly, the festivities weren't over! Maggie and Peter's wedding was two days away. I'm saving that event for a different blog. But as segway, I'll end with this picture taken at dinner the night before...


As for last blogs poll...tsk tsk, terrible showing. Not surprisingly football was the winner, but seriously if you make it to the site, click on an answer, it doesn't cost anything extra!