It’s been a terribly sad week. We lost our dad on Tuesday, August 1. I’m so thankful that he knew Eugene and that Eugene will know how loved he was/is! I’m honestly really struggling right now with grieving and with being happy – it’s very hard to find a balance. And I’m feeling very selfish. My dad was in terrible pain for six months and I’m wishing him back. š I’m also so very sad that he and my mom will not be here to love on Eugene. I am, however, thrilled that they are finally reunited. I know being away from her hurt him for many years, so I’m grateful for that. And wishing they were here instead.
Category: Baby Talk
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Not a ton to report, or that I feel like reporting. Baby is definitely growing, as Mama is quite uncomfortable. Another horrible week outside of baby land.
Baby is the size of a banana.
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When my dad gave us the baby’s in utero name, we laughed and ran with it. A few nights later, he was singing a song to himself about Eugene – we definitely just thought he was being silly. Turns out – it’s a real song! He saw a band – Pink Martini – on the David Letterman show years ago sing a song called “Hey Eugene”. It’s weird – but it’s also catchy! You’re welcome!
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This week was super eventful! We had three exciting events: we found out that Eugene is officially a Eugene, not a Eugenie, had our anatomy ultrasound, and he got to go to his first concert!
I wrote another post about it, but we had our gender reveal right at the 19 week mark and found out that we are having a boy! It’s so strange to know that I’m not only growing a baby, but that I am growing my son! I’m not sure why that’s so strange for me – especially given everything we’ve been through to get to this point – but it is mind blowing!
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Meanwhile, in baby land… on Monday, I was so uncomfortable. Clearly, the baby was trying to make room inside of its cantaloupe-sized home (yes folks, my uterus is the size of a cantaloupe. You’re welcome for the visual.). It must have worked because come Tuesday morning, there was a definite difference in my bump size! It’s still small, obviously, but it’s much bigger than it was!
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Baby is still growing, though, since my belly is still relatively small, I do find myself wondering when he or she is going to POP!
Speaking of POPPING, Baby got to meet lots of great aunts and uncles this week for the 4th of July! My Uncle Tim and Juanita, and Aunt Cindy and Uncle Guy were all here to celebrate – or just spend time together. š My extended family of lots of aunts and uncles on both sides of the family have been so important to me throughout my entire life. I feel so fortunate that my baby will feel the same love from his or her great aunts and uncles.
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This was an exciting week: I felt the baby move for the first time! On Thursday morning, I was laying in bed, really early, and I felt a tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap on my belly! The funny thing was that the night before, I was telling Shane’s mom and grandma that I know it’s a concern to the doctor if you haven’t felt anything by Week 20 or so, but how do you know what it feels like? What if you mistake it for gas bubbles? What if you miss it entirely? Well – there was no mistaking this! I’ve heard that it feels like butterfly wings…this felt nothing like that, so of course I Googled it to see if anyone had experienced anything similar and I found this:
Yep! That’s the perfect description! Another milestone in the bag. Yay Baby B!We also – finally – set a date for our gender reveal party. Between vacation schedules and Shane’s new work schedule, there was literally one day available in July or August! July 15 it is. We convinced Emily to host – the night before she leaves for her vacation (oops) – and it will be small, but regardless, we are anxious to find out who will win – Team Pink or Team Blue?
Otherwise, the belly is growing slowly but surely. I’m officially in maternity clothes and man are they amazing! Who knew? Al stretchy, all the time! š
Baby is the size of an avocado at approximately 4.6 inches and 3.5 ounces!
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When I go to write these posts, I always feel like nothing happened – boring week. But as I start writing, more and more comes back to me and I remember that we did have a few things going on. š
Last Sunday was Father’s Day – technically Shane’s first, although I’m sure next year, with a 6 month old in tow, will feel like a much bigger deal. We stayed at his mom’s house the night before in celebration of her birthday. I drove Shane and his mom and Hank around the Madison/Geneva area to various wineries and watering holes. They sampled the wines, I sampled the snacks! Yum! (The winner was the bruschetta at Old Mill Winery, in case you were curious!) We also played cards and ate deep dish pizza, courtesy of Giordano’s, when we returned from our outing and I learned a lesson – Mama can’t hang with the late nights anymore! I was exhausted the next day!
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The biggest news this week is that the nausea went away! I got a cold on Sunday and with it went the nausea! My dad was admitted to UH the following day and with his lowered immune system I stayed away for a few days. I also finished my credits at Ohio Dominican University (18 MA in English credits to teach College Credit Plus courses) with a 13 page paper on Jane Austen and put together a presentation to finish up my work in the First Ring Leadership Academy. It was a busy few days! Once all of that was done I was able to shift my focus to Dad and supporting him and getting myself to the end of the year.
My tummy is also getting harder, though not necessarily bigger.
Baby is the size of a strawberry! (and probably un-ironically, we ate a lot of strawberries this week!)
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This week was pretty low keyā¦the biggest change is that I am more and more uncomfortable in my clothes! I wore a dress to prom last night that by all accounts is too bigā¦but not in the waist! Iām not showing yet ā but the first trimester bloat is real! (I bulked up on my fiber this week so hopefully that subsides some!) The nausea comes and goes ā right now itās gone. Iām also still pretty tired, but maybe not as tired as I was? I also had a pretty easy end of the week with it being prom ā yesterday I had a total of two seniors all day ā so that may account for my increased energy. Canāt wait for the placenta to take over! Iām having some cramps (feels like a cross between menstrual cramps and gas. Lovely.) and more round ligament pains but thatās to be expected for a peanut thatās growing like crazy!
We also discovered at our checkup that I have a SCH: Subchorionic Hemorrhage. According to Dr. Nash, itās not a big deal until it isā¦ As long as the baby keeps developing, itās not a big deal. In most pregnancies, the blood pocket is absorbed. I decided not to worry until weāre told to worry. (Definitely against my character!!)
Baby Beeās Book Updates:
The Berenstein Bearsā Moving Day
Goodnight, Moon (Thanks, Auntie Emmy!)
So weāre caught up through Week 9 and need to figure out Week 10. Iām loving this ātraditionā we started ā itās so much fun to pour over the childrenās books and imagine reading them all to our sweet babe. Canāt wait!
The Brennens... 