It is my pleasure to announce the arrival of our beautiful baby BOY, Luca Anthony Brajuha. He arrived on Monday, April 13, 2009 at 12:31 p.m. Our little guy weighed in at 7lbs, 13 oz and was 18.5 inches long. He has a full head of dark hair, Daddy's nose, Mommy's mouth and both of our hearts. We found out late last week that our stubborn little fellow was in breech position, and that we'd have to have a c-section based on my impending due date and his approximate size.



I was incredibly nervous from Thursday until our arrival at the hospital Monday morning - both about the surgery and finally meeting our baby! After a few issues in pre-op procedures (I got sick twice.), the c-section was quick. From first incision to his birth was only 8 minutes. Even as Dr. Elkhairi was getting ready to deliver him, I didn't care if it was a boy or a girl. I just really wanted a healthy baby. It didn't take long to hear his beautiful cry, but he calmed right down after that. Daddy gave me the quick toe and finger count while they cleaned up little Luca. I was able to kiss him for a minute before he went to the nursery and I was sent to recovery to start the long process of regaining feeling in my lower body.

It took more than an hour before I was able to hold my son, but it was all worth it then. He's simply perfect and I find myself staring at him often... that is when I'm not drifiting off to sleep. I can hardly stand when they take him down the hall for checkups and exams and I'm even looking forward to the breastfeeding because I get to stare at his beautiful face.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest... I'm sure the winner will be notified soon. Here's a pic of our new family.

Tomorrow is officially April 1, which means that it is FINALLY the month where I will meet my baby for sure. I mean I know Baby B might not come on the actual due date, but there is no way I'm waiting until May either! Wooooooo hooooo. We've reached the oh-so enjoyable time in my pregnancy when calling people is no longer fun. Every phone call I make, even returning one that was made to me, is greeted with "Where are you? What's happening?" I'm perfecting my sarcastic answers to this question, so buyer beware! You might get more information than you bargained for. And I want to tell people, please trust me when I say that if something major is going on, I'm probably not going to be the one making phone calls. I'll be the one major-league panicing and cussing in the hospital. Maybe I'll just start sending advance text messages proclaiming my impending phone call and lack of exciting information. I had what could be my final prenatal spa session at Baby Belly Spa this week. My four-year-old niece was in tow because of some scheduling issues with her parents, but she was pretty hyped up about it. Perhaps she'll be applying for a job with Crystal soon! I had a lovely signature pedicure and finally my toes look springy and happy again! I'm now not embarrassed to wear flip flops, but didn't elect to do that this weekend due to the blustery weather! Other than that, nothing really new or exciting to report. See, I should have started the blog that way as to not get anyone's hopes up. We're just waiting and wondering when and where we'll be when the "action" begins! I'm sure there'll be a great story to tell.  

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.  ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Well, here we are in the home stretch. We’re under 30 days til my official due date, so if you haven’t already cast your bet on when the baby will arrive, etc. here on WMXL’s website, now’s the time to do it. I know Crystal at Baby Belly Spa has put together a fabulous prize for the winner!

 

Last week was very interesting. Besides continuing to waddle instead of walk, I think my stomach also stretched to its limit. I really felt like the baby grew so much in one week and I can tell that he/she is getting very cramped in its living quarters. In addition, I had a very interesting treatment at Baby Belly Spa. I had my belly imprint done, which is much like a casting of my belly. Kim and I had a good time learning together on this project. It was a little goopy and messy but really not at all what I thought it was going to be. The whole thing only took an hour and while my imprint was drying on my belly, I enjoyed a lovely hand, foot and head massage! It was great, as always.

 

We also had our 36-week appointment today. All is well with Baby B! The doctor said the baby is growing right on track and the heartbeat was 147 beats per minute. That's a little faster than it has been, but I know I was a bit anxious today. The doctor said she expects us to have a baby between 7 1/2 and 8 lbs as long as we track close to the due date. I described a pain I had yesterday to her and she confirmed that I'd had my first contraction. So, I guess it's good that I recognized that's what it was.

Other than that, we are just playing the waiting game now! I think we're feeling pretty good about having the nursery ready and my bag and baby's bag are packed for the hospital. The doctor said "the baby still needs to cook a few weeks," but I feel like I'd prefer the arrival to be sooner rather than later! I'm sure all expecting moms feel the same.

They say you get something called “Pregnancy Brain” when you’re expecting. I believe them. I definitely forgot to send in my blog posting last week. I wasn’t really even aware until my friend Amy from Chicago texted me last night! So thanks to Amy, you get a two-week makeup blog today!

 

It’s been a busy two weeks too! We had an AWESOME Valentine’s Day treat with a couples massage at Baby Belly Spa! As if any massage wasn’t great, we got to do this together in their cool adjoining massage rooms and they used chocolate massage oil! So, while we both had to go to work afterward, we got to smell like delicious chocolate treats all day! That was a great treat – for us and our coworkers I’m sure! But the massage was definitely needed for both of us – especially considering how the next day went!

 

We decided to put up the crib that Sunday. After a big, filling breakfast, we went out to the garage to open  the boxes and begin taking the piece of the crib to the nursery to assemble. Imagine our surprise when the biggest piece of the crib had further broken into pieces on its own. Yep, the entire backside of the crib was cracked completely in half. So, after a call to the store, we discovered there were no more in stock and it would take 12 weeks to get one shipped into Lexington. Hmmmm, 12 weeks. I know one thing that will be arriving well before that – MY BABY! So, we loaded up the boxes and returned them. We ended up picking a totally different crib and changing table that WAS in stock and had to rope our sweet friend Katie into the escapade so we could haul them home in her truck.

 

Take two! We begin the assembly of our newly acquired crib and are surprised with the ease with which this crib is going up… Should’ve known. We got to hook the final two pieces together only to discover that some integral piece of the screw is missing. This long day is only getting longer now. We go back and forth about returning THIS crib and I nearly suffer from a nervous breakdown before BEGGING my husband to go to Lowe’s and try to find something that will replace the missing piece. He agrees to give it a try and much to both of our surprise, they have something that remedies the situation perfectly. AMEN.

 

The final part of this bad day is nothing but comical now, but was probably disturbing that night. After this terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day, I went to move the dog’s little bed back up to our room. I thought he was getting up as I picked up the bed, but alas, no. He flipped out of the bed and hit the floor with a thud, causing me, in my pregnancy-induced emotional state, to become convinced that I’d caused him internal damage. My sweet husband came out of the shower to find me on the floor in our room with my head in the dog’s bed with him, crying. Again – long day + pregnancy hormones = crying in dog bed with dog.

 

Last week was much better! I was able to fully enjoy the crib and changing table every time I walked by the room. And, this past weekend, I had my first two baby showers and came home with all kinds of GREAT things… our high chair, clothes, diapers, bottles, books for baby, gift cards, blankets, etc. It’s been fun to start filling the dresser and closet in preparation for our little one. I can’t believe he/she will be here in just seven short weeks….AHHH! This week I head back to Baby Belly Spa to do a Belly Cast. I’m a little apprehensive of capturing the shape of my giant belly for posterity, but I’ll try anything once! I promise I’ll report sooner next week!

 

Happy Birthday shout out to my “baby daddy”, who turned 30 this week!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! I’m in the mood for love…. Well no, I’m really in the mood for sleep. The third trimester sleepies have gotten me good. All day long, visions of my jammies and pillow fill my head. By the time I get home at night I’m pretty well exhausted and my back is starting to ache from the extra weight of my ever-protruding belly. I sent my sister a photo this week and she said, “Ewww, your belly is kind of biggish!” Well, of course. I feel certain to be the owner of an “outie” belly button by the time I blog again too, which is mildly disturbing to me. Just another thing that’s “just not right” about being pregnant.

 

However, one thing that is totally right about being pregnant is being pampered!!!! We’re celebrating that feisty little cupid fella this week by heading to Baby Belly Spa for a couples massage! We’ve had a “couples” massage once before on our honeymoon, but it really wasn’t that romantic because they put us in different rooms. I know from my time at BBS that the two massage rooms have a door that opens between them so we’ll be able to see them while we’re getting the knots and kinks out. I’m mostly excited about this for my husband who rarely treats himself to anything nice, and certainly would never pamper himself in this way! This is especially good timing since he turns 30 this month! He did remind me that this massage was NOT allowed to count as his birthday gift though. BOO!

 

This next month will be very busy… We (he) have been painting the nursery this week and plan to assemble the crib and dresser/changing table on Sunday. Then next weekend I have two showers in my hometown and one the following weekend here in Lexington with my high school friends! I’m really excited to share my excitement with our friends and family. It will also be fun to bring home lovely gifts from the showers and begin to get ready for baby’s arrival – which is nearing the less than two months away mark!

 

Enjoy Valentine’s Day with someone you love. I used to loathe this holiday, but still always tried to spend it with people I loved – usually it was good friends who made me laugh my butt off. No matter what, I know I’m spending it with someone I love this year – every single second of the day! =)

Our baby has a bed! That’s right. We made a decision and bought a crib and dresser for the nursery. Now we officially have paint, furniture and a bunch of crap to move and clean before we can do anything with it! However, I believe the actual task of acquiring these things was far more monumental and time consuming than putting them together and making a lovely room for our fetus … the rest is just gravy.

 

I can’t believe it’s almost February… Baby B is enduring its first ice storm, in the comfortable confines of my uterus, that is! I’m an absolute klutz, so I’m really trying my hardest to be careful this week. The benefit to being pregnant from August to April is that you don’t have to endure a stifling hot Kentucky summer while carrying 30 extra pounds of baby and such. The bad part is that the chances of me biting it in a big way on a skating rink parking lot are far greater!

 

February is a big month! I have two baby showers in my hometown – one given by my dear friends and surrogate family which will include all my aunts, cousins, parents and such and the other given by my sweet stepmom and stepsister. I can’t wait to share my excitement with all of them. Of course I also can’t wait to start receiving things off our registry so I can start putting the baby’s room together and getting ready to bring him or her home!

 

I also start my childbirth classes next month! I’m taking some at both Central Baptist Hospital and St. Joseph East, which is where I’ll deliver. I’m doing both mostly to fit our busy schedule since my husband is traveling lots these days. I hear the actual birthing classes are pretty informative, but are mostly directed to people doing natural childbirth. That, my friends, is not me! I told my doctor at 12 weeks she was more than welcome to give me my epidural then!

 

This week also is big in that we are having our 3D/4D ultrasound at Baby Belly. My mom is coming up to be there for the event, and she’s pretty excited. I’m still a bit nervous that the baby will not cooperate with our wishes and show the genitals, but I know the sonographer is pretty crafty in keeping the baby’s private parts, well, private!

 

I’ll let you know next week how it went and I’m sure I’ll have a fun photo to share!