The Pregnancy -- by Kerah

Pre-pregnancy

09/17/02 (One month)

Feel great. Body acts as if this is what it's been wanting to do. In fact, face was clearing up until I put some makeup on it that it didn't like.

I've been taking a prenatal vitamin for about 2 months and I'm very good about what I eat and drink - no alcohol, no caffeine, lots of tofu, not much sugar, lots of fruits and veggies, some meat (no red though, just don't like the taste - plus who needs the growth hormone?)

Keith's been great - very supportive and wonderful. He makes sure I'm feeling all right and that I'm getting everything I need (hugs, love, food). Like when we played tennis last Sunday and I didn't run for a couple of balls, he made sure I was feeling okay. I think that actually may have been related to the muscle cramp I'd been favoring, but you get the point.

Friday 10/11/02 (9 weeks)

I could eat Italian food anytime. Green vegetables are not too appetizing, unless they have cheese on or near them. Butter and bread are very good. I think I'm basically eating like a kid.

For breakfast I often mix organic fruited yogurt (I know plain is better but we don't have any nonfat at work) and other fruit (peaches, bananas, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, or plums) with granola making a nice parfait. I take my prenatal vitamin then, drink some water, and then make tea little later. I was putting sugar and no-fat milk in it, but I just drink it straight now; I don't need the extra sugar.

Wednesday 11/12/02 (15 weeks)

Baby belly

I still feel good but I'm still tired. I hoping that will ease up soon since several friends have said the second trimester is the best. I think once my class ends I'll have more energy too.

Today I wore my Levis with the waistband cut off. I'd thought I'd be able to wear these for a while, but no, today is the only day I will. They fit when I'm standing but they're too tight around my tummy when I sit, which is what I do most of the day since I'm working on the computer.

I'm craving sugar a bit more than I was, so I allow myself a treat every once in a while. And while at class I might eat a Clif Bar and some Hawaiian Pop Corn but I've gotten better about making a sandwich while at lunch to heat up for later before my class.

We're in a new building at Google so we don't have the organic milk and yogurt over here yet, so I carry some milk over from the other building. I haven't yet carried over yogurt but I will if it takes much longer to get it. We do have fruit over here now so that's helpful when I get hungry.

I have headaches pretty often. Plus my nose is running or stuffy most of the time, but that's keeping the germs away from baby so that's well worth it.

I just read in "What to Expect When You're Expecting" that it's not a good idea to drive above 7000 feet above sea level if you're not used to living at that altitude; it can deplete the baby of oxygen. I'm going to ask the doctor on Monday because if it's true we won't be able to go up to Sandy's in Truckee for Thanksgiving or go on the Google Ski Trip. I know I won't be skiing but I'd thought we could go and hike and visit. We'll see. And again, every sacrifice (big or small) is worth it.

Summary of last 3.5 months

I went on the Google Ski trip and felt fine. I only snowshoed and even that was a little difficult. I even stopped to catch my breath when I snowshoed from our resort over to the neighboring Squaw Valley resort to check out their shops. They were cute, but I didn't feel like buying anything. Buying clothes for myself right now is not a lot of fun b/c I won't be able to wear them for a while, and plus we need to purchase so many baby things that that's a higher priority.

I often crave things like bacon cheeseburgers and other meaty/high protein foods. Italian food is something I can always eat, and desserts too, but I'm trying to keep that in check.

Kerah at 29 weeks

Friday 02/22/03 (29 weeks)

We bought a baby mobile! I love this car. It's an indigo/navyish blue VW Passat wagon with AWD (4 motion they call it) with black leather interior. Black should hold up well with the baby. The car is also super safe with steel bars and airbags all around. Plus it has kickin' pick up.

Friday 02/28/03 (30 weeks)

I still feel great. He's kicking really hard and I can see him move through my skin and clothes. Sometimes he kicks or punches straight down and that feels really weird - like nothing I've ever felt. It is really strange watching my tummy get larger. I think I'm actually used to it now. We'll see how I feel in a month or so. My joints (especially hips) are really sore after going for a walk. I think they're loosening up for childbirth. I didn't expect them to hurt this much. It's also a little difficult to turn over when sleeping. We bought a long body pillow that I could hug and place between my legs so my hips would hurt less. But the pillow is HUGE (we call it Fat Kelly) b/c our friends Rob and Lisa who just had a baby got a similar pillow and Rob decided if he was going to sleep with something that took up that much room he'd give her a girl's name. I like the gender-neutral (and funny) name Fat Kelly better, so that's what we call it. Plus, that pillow is super big and fat. Then I got really smart and tried a regular pillow and that works much better because I can actually switch from side to side and so that's easier on my left shoulder that was getting sore from me sleeping on it all the time. Also, it obviously takes up much less room.

Tuesday 03/04/03 (31 weeks)

Kerah and Keith in Golden Gate Park (31 weeks)

On Sunday we decided on a great stroller and picked up the crib. Our house looks a bit like Chez Clampet due to our bedroom being full of baby stuff and boxes J but we'll let it slide another week since Teresa is visiting this weekend. We'll just go out and tour around and have lots of fun. The only baby stuff left to buy before baby's big arrival is bottles, a bathtub, and little medical/health supplies. We also need to go to Home Depot and get some blinds for the front window and also supplies to refurbish Keith's toy chest.

I feel really good, if not a little bit tired. I love feeling and seeing the baby kick and I'm really looking forward to meeting this little guy. I'm really jazzed about becoming a mom and I know Keith will be an awesome dad.

Today I'm wearing full-panel jeans which look pretty good but it feels sort of weird having all that fabric on my belly. It's nice to wear jeans that fit again. The other maternity jeans I got on sale at GAP don't stay up very well.

Also, Fat Kelly's back in the picture. I needed more loft.

Monday 05/05/03 (39 weeks and 6 days)

Kerah looking great at 36 weeks

We're building Max's web page now so that family and friends can stay in touch with what he's up to. We'll have his announcement there, his blog, photos, movies, and more.

I took my last prenatal yoga class yesterday and we put our YMCA membership on hold for 6 months since we'll be busy with baby. The timing is perfect since the weather should be wonderful for at least the next 6 months and we'd prefer to play outside anyway.

My belly is HUGE. We can see Max make big moves with his arms and legs. He feels like a really big, healthy baby. I honestly don't think my belly can stretch anymore though. But I've had it so easy, that I really can't complain much. I will say that sleeping has become a little tough. I have to get up about 5 times a night and I'm usually having a Braxton-Hicks contraction at the time, which makes it really difficult to actually get up. I have to sort of scoot to the side of the bed (careful not to get a charlie horse in my right calf), and then push up with my left arm (careful not to bend at the waist too much b/c there's a baby there and my bladder is full so it can hurt quite a bit), and then walk gingerly at first since my hips can sometimes "stick" in a weird position until I "walk it off". All this is quite and accomplishment when you've just woken up. I swear it's training for when I need to get up several times in the middle of the night to feed and take care of the baby.

I still have a good bit of energy. I do sleep a little longer at night (though it may even out when you factor in the number of times I get up). Work is fine too; I'll keep going until I go into labor. It would be nice to take a nap around 3 or 4 o'clock, but I make it through without.

I had a "talk" with Max today. I've decided I'm ready for labor rather than being afraid of it, so I told him I'm truly ready when he is. His nursery is ready too, so we're good to go.

Rock Hard Abs at 37 weeks

We had Mexican food last night at Fiesta del Mar Two which is located in downtown Mountain View. We walked downtown, which is such a nice perk with our location, but my belly was really heavy and hurt on my sides starting in the middle of the walk to and from. I know walking is the best exercise at this point in the pregnancy, I just wish it didn't hurt. It's as if my sacrum gets out of place. Today walking was much easier for some reason though. I walked to lunch and to a meeting and was fine. Keith joined me for Google's Cinco de Mayo lunch and celebration. There was a great band called "Nevada" playing and the food was amazing. I ate an entire bowl of salsa in hopes the spices from it and from the food last night would get this birthing show on the road. No luck so far, but I'm still hoping.

Just in case I sound like I'm complaining too much, I just have to say that this has been a really easy pregnancy compared to a lot of other women. I didn't have any real morning sickness, I haven't had much swelling at all (just a few incidences of "cankles"), I haven't gained too much weight (~35 lbs), I've been able to keep working out, and my energy has been good almost the entire time. I've been really lucky.

I'm also lucky that Keith is my husband, partner, and best friend. He feeds me and makes sure I get enough rest and he's been unbelievably great as my co-nester and all around TCB guy. He is the best and I love him to the moon and back.

Wednesday 05/07/03 (40 weeks and 1 day)

Kerah at 40 weeks and 1 day

Okay, so we're 1 day overdue. Today was the day I was betting on; but here it is 8pm already, and nothing. That's okay though; I'm ready when the boy is. Keith's money is on May 10th so we'll see if he's right. Thing is we both thought he'd weigh 7 lbs X ozs (Keith thought 7 lbs 7 ozs and I thought 7 lbs 9 ozs) and it looks like we're both wrong. We went to the doctor today and he did a really nice in depth ultrasound where he measured his femur (38 wks), his head (37 wks - which is good, small is good for me), and his belly (41 wks!). Those measurements produced a weight estimate well over 8(!) pounds on the ultrasound machine. I asked if I'd been feeding him too much and the doc (Ken Weber) said no, that a big belly is healthy. I haven't gained any weight in 2 weeks, so I was pretty sure I wasn't overeating. Also, he has cute, fat cheeks, and a strong heart. He didn't move much throughout the ultrasound so Ken took even more time with us and did a stress test on the baby. He didn't move much at first but Ken said his heart rate was just fine and then the baby started really moving around. My stomach looked like an earthquake. So that made us all feel even better. The boy is doing fine in there.

As for me, I can't believe how incredibly huge my belly has grown and stretched, but I feel fine. I walked really fast across the Google campus a couple of times yesterday (late for meetings) and so now every time I stand up, my hips and inner thighs "groan" until they loosen up; but if that's the worst of it, I'd say I'm pretty darn lucky.