happy nye

18 weeks.

Bumkins and I visit the fam, while the Engineer travels the world for grad school. 

In the news of my little world, this week we had a Merry Puke/Poop-mas, followed by flight delays lasting over a 100 hours (forreals).  Brother seems to be a little shy to talk or hang out with me these days.  I think my "situation" totally creeps him out and apparently his conflict style is avoidance.  Or maybe he doesn't like the fact that someone is stealing his place as the "baby" of the family.  Either way, I figure publicly airing out our issue might bring some resolution? 

Happy New Year's Eve, friends!  Have a glass of champagne for me, and a New Year's kiss for that matter.

merry christmas

Christmas morn at the in-laws. 

The Engineer got a stocking full of pharmaceuticals for an upcoming trip to UAE and India (totally jealous).  He looks happy to stay healthy.

MIL's place setting...something new and exciting for each of our three meals today.  Isn't she something else?

Important news: We've decided Bumkins is going to be a girl. 

(And I've decided the baby's new name is Bumkins and/or Babycakes.  The Engineer finds my name choices to be a little iffy and has decided to stick with "Baby".  How original of him, eh?)

Reasons for our switch from XY to XX:

1. Our friend, Kate, has said from the beginning it would be a girl based on date of positive ovulation test and conception.  Weird, I know, but these were the first questions she asked me before exclaiming "It's going to be a girl!"
2. MIL says the consistently higher heartbeat equals girl, according to a study she read.
3. A pregnancy magazine article I read this morning stated severe morning sickness is a risk factor for girls or multiples...(we'll totally take the former). 

All solid evidence, obviously.

With less than a month away until we find out the gender, we're starting to second guess our hunch that it's a boy.  Not that we wouldn't be psyched about a girl, but you know you have these feelings, and really one should stick by their feelings. 

Either way he or she will still be our Little Engineer-Baby-Bumkins! 

we got color

 When you've got this much color going on, it's hard to add much more for Christmas other than a tree.  The Engineer and I are festive all year round...as hard as that may be to imagine.

 It began with our dishes, which provided us with inspiration for the rest of our condo.  Fiestaware, if I do say so, are the best dishes ever.  Who doesn't want a "fiesta" at every meal?  We have a green kitchen...I call it a mix between sage and lime.

 Next, is our red couch.  We love our red couch dearly.  And it's in a cheery yellow living/dining room.

Our room is orange and yellow.  (Art is homemade, just go to your local craft store and pick up blank canvases and voila).

 Bright, good morning, blue bathroom.

More green and yellow throughout the guestroom/bath.  All our guests seem happy...I'm positive it's the fiesta going on here.

It's Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, Happy Easter or 4th of July.  You name it and our shoebox condo is ready for it!

staycation

Or as the Engineer prefers to call it, fakecation.

Our 24 hours in Dupont Circle...

Gorgeous hotel room.  As big as our condo, I might add.

 Krispy Kreme, a must in Dupont for a mid-westerner.

Holiday party
(should of got a better angle of my uterus...) 

and i thought wedding stuff was bad

Baby minimalism.  That's what I keep telling them.  If you're home is a shoebox condo your answer to this question "What's your nursery theme?" quickly becomes "BABY MINIMALISM!" 

"Is that allowed?" you may ask.  The answer is "Yes" it is, very much indeed.  It just happens to be that I'm the one incubating this baby, therefore, I get to make the rules.  That's the way it works, you see.

(This is when the Engineer reminds me "pregnant women are smug".  Referring to this song, but don't worry, Kristen**...he showed this to me WAY before I was pregnant, so it's just a joke.) 

(**My friend, Kristen, doesn't like it if people are mean to me, even if they're married to me.)

Moving on...
But there are opinions, oh man are there opinions.  The most difficult thing is probably to convince others you don't need all the gadgets and whatnots.  Heck, we don't even think our baby needs a crib.  A pack 'n' play will suffice nicely.  Or maybe we'll be tragically wrong, which is ok too.  Craigslist, Ikea, grandparents, etc. will come to the rescue...I'm pretty sure of it.

 More clutter is my fear.  I'm already a piler.  Don't even mention the piles to the Engineer...it's a weak spot for us.  How do we then add a baby to the mix and not add clutter? 

It's not going to happen, is it?...



My current fav fabric to make baby stuff with...once we find out the gender, that is. Gray for boy and yellow for girl.  I must admit they are etsy inspired.  Isn't etsy a dangerous place when you enter into the baby world?

 via

that i am, i am, i am the luckiest

16 weeks.  But, this post isn't about me...

I overheard the Engineer say this on the phone to one of his friends...

Just being a dad.  Yeah, I'm awesome at it.

Isn't that cute? 

And the truth is, he is going to be awesome at it.  We've been together for over 6 years.  And well...when you meet someone when they're 19 there's some growing up...maturing, what have you...to be done.  He continues to amaze me as he grows into an even better husband (and now dad).  I was happy to stick by the man he was then, but the man he is today is just plain frosting on the cupcake (with sprinkles).

I love you, homes.

being too cute...

We met SIL, BIL, and niece Ada for an afternoon together.  Part of the afternoon included a matinee, which was Ada's very first movie theatre experience.  Her only request was a "princess movie" and I must admit I've been wanting to see this particular one myself.

It was so sweet to watch her be amazed by the experience.  She whispered to her mom throughout the movie:

"This is great!"  ...  "I'm having fun, mommy!" 

According to the Engineer "Ada is just plain too cute."  And he's right.

We wonder two things...  Does this mean we have good genes and stand a chance at creating something equally as cute?  Or does our poor Little Engineer not stand a chance up against his/her overload of cute cousin Ada?  If nothing else, I'm sure big cousin Ada will teach her new cousin how to be extra cute, as I'm sure she'll teach her new sister, too. 

Have I told you all that Ada is getting a little sister right before she gets a little cousin?  It's going to be a big year for the Oberholzer family!    I'm loving being preggers with SIL...nothing like having double the reason to talk about babies!  Although, I continue to have to be jealous of her bump that has 2 months on mine...

it was a good day

finally, the laggards discover webcam

Wait..what's this?

 No way!

 Do the heart thing!

 Okay, now the heart thing with both of us...

 Look, it's our Christmas card.

And then we Skyped!  Oh the joys of the Engineer and myself getting a new computer... (thanks, Mom and Dad!!) 

the shoebox is an icebox

Since being HEATless and TVless for over a week, we've spent much of our time in bed.  The TV you know the dillio, but the heat...let's just say 2 repair men, 7 hours of work later, and it's even more broke than when we called them.  We have a good eye for the bad guy...if you know what I mean. 

Last night we gathered all the essentials for a cozy Sunday in bed:

computer and dvds, games, pizza, beer (for the mister), ice cream (I know counter intuitive to our situation, but mmmmm...), space heater, extra blankets, and books...  

 

I pretty much didn't leave my side of the bed for the rest of the day once we settled in.  The Engineer served me and took my dishes away, so I didn't have to touch the cold "wing" of our shoebox...and we joked that I was on bed rest (and immediately agreed that'd be HOoooRRIFIC, so we won't joke ever again, forreals.).

barefoot pregnant and in the kitchen: orange, cranberry, walnut cookies

My mom and I got into holiday mode last weekend and began baking...peanut butter kiss cookies, chocolate mint brownies, and these new treats...

Orange, Cranberry, Walnut Cookies from All Recipes

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon grated orange zest 

(or if you're me and can't read you add 2 Tablespoons orange zest, which was still quite lovely)

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest 3 tablespoons orange juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F


In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.


Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.


In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.


I immediately realized baking isn't such a great idea, because baking leads to eating, specifically, eating more than one's fair share in my case.  And this was ok when it was just me and the only worry was a little extra tummy or thigh pudge, but the guilt of feeding my baby 10 cookies in one setting...oh dear.  I'm sorry Little Engineer.  Lesson: Only bake when you can (will) share.

14 weeks. 

And I'm quite grateful for "low rise" jeans (and of course, SCRUBS...best job ever). 

my pregnancy reading list

I started out reading everything and then I realized it was time to switch gears.  I rid the shelves of everything negative.

I am very aware of what can go wrong during birth and all the medical interventions.  Working in the Mommy Baby section of a hospital will do that to you.  My dreams are filled with having a c-section or a baby in the NICU or breastfeeding issues.  So, I decided enough was enough - I'm only going to read positive books that focus on birth as a normal process.  Not that the other books are bad for everyone (because you should seriously educate yourselves on all the interventions, etc.), but just that I need to clear my mind of the negative.

My *we're going to have a baby* readings include:

(1) "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" by Ina May Gaskin

This book is by far my favorite.  I've been so inspired and encouraged by it's words of wisdom.

(2) "The Birth Partner" by Penny Simkin

I read this book a while back when I was attending the delivery of a good friend.  It's great for dads!  And therefore is on the Engineers list of readings...(not that all these books aren't on his list.  Hint, hint, mister).

(3) "The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know about Your Baby from Birth to Age Two" by William Sears and Martha Sears

This book is for after birth.  Every now and then the Engineer and I have this realization that we should probably read up on what to do after we're done incubating and birthing this baby.  I enjoy Dr. Sears' phillosphy on parenting, which is along the lines of attachment parenting...breastfeeding, co-sleeping, baby wearing.

(4) "Hypnobirthing: The Mongan Method" by Marie Mongan

Hypnobirthing is one of the techniques we are learning for Little Engineer's arrival.  Our classes won't be for a few months, but we're reading the book and practicing the relaxation techniques.  We've been told over and over to 'practice, practice, practice, no matter what method you choose!'

(5) "Husband-Coached Childbirth" by Robert Bradley

Lastly, we also plan to learn the Bradley technqiues and positions for the big day.  The Bradley method has been highly recommended by our midwives and several friends.

**A quick lactation plug: For anyone looking for a good read on breastfeeding, I'd like to recommend "Breastfeeding Made Simple" by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendal-Tackett  or La Leche League's "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding".

Happy Reading!