Got Womb?

I am still pregnant! Today marks our OB's due date for us. (We had been using December 25th, which was what correlated with the ultrasound dating.) So, today was another deadline that came and passed. After two weeks of OB visits with the same news of no progression, I've lost the daily excitement that today could be the day. I can't believe Cubbie has stayed so long! Baby's accommodations are shrinking by the day. We've seen a few episodes of abundant movement and last night we watched as an entire leg bone protruded from my belly, but all in all, there isn't much space for more than a bum wiggle here and there.
A few concerns were raised at our last visit. With no downward progression, there was a possibility that my pelvis was not a good fit. The longer we wait, the higher the risk for the baby should intervention be necessary. Plus, after a point in time, the placenta no longer functions well as an environment for the baby. So, after much discussion, we decided to call our doctor to discuss "the Plan." The idea that there may need to be an intervention involved put me into a bit of a panic this morning, but the idea of waiting until next week before we knew where we would be was even more anxiety-provoking. Here's what we agreed upon:
On next Tuesday's visit, if my exam shows non-favorable conditions (translation: no new progress or very little progress), we'll plan to go to the hospital for an induction. If on Tuesday, I've made some progress, we could wait to see what happens based on how quickly I progress, but Friday would be the absolute limit.
David and I were happy and comfortable with this plan. I think our OB was hesitant to talk about this with us earlier in the week because she knew our desire for a natural childbirth, but with the lack of agreement about our due date and the risk involved the longer we waited, we were both ready to talk about an intervention at this point. We're looking forward to next week! But, the invitation is still open for Cubbie to make an appearance this weekend and we're hoping that is the case.

Post-date

Merry Belated Christmas!
I'm behind in my blogging, but not for the reason I'd like. We are a few days past my due date now and the doctor says there has been no progress in the last week. It has been somewhat disappointing and I'm getting a little impatient, mostly because we're so anxious to meet our little one. I really can't complain about my pregnancy otherwise. I'm still happy and certainly not miserable. But, I'm a little worried that the longer we go without progress could make interventions more likely. We'd like to avoid interventions, if possible, however, I'll be ready for induction if that's what it takes and especially if that is what baby needs.
I've gotten lots of advice on helping baby to arrive: Raspberry leaf tea, acupressure spots, quinine (in tonic water), bumpy car rides, long walks, belly dancing, even trying castor oil. Ick! We decided to give the acupressure a try tonight. After doing some "research" by watching a you tube video and consulting the Ancient Chinese Pressure Point map at the storefront we passed tonight, David applied pressure to two zones for 10 minutes each. These zones are supposed to allow the baby to drop. I actually did get some pressure and the baby got pretty active, but we aren't sure if it was the Eastern medicine or just the right time of night for baby's movements.
My Mom is in town visiting and we've been staying busy with lots of activities. I'm hoping she gets to meet Cubbie before she leaves on Jan 1, but if not, we'll have to plan another trip out for her in the early part of the year.

Getting it all in

Well, since we've got the time, might as well make the most of it! That makes tonight another movie night out! We've seen the Muppets, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and right now I'm blogging from my seat before Girl With The Dragon Tattoo starts! I've been wanting to read this series, but haven't started it yet. I'm hoping this movie makes reading it even more appealing. We've got two more movies on our must-see list (Hugo and The Descendents) though we wouldn't mind if we had to rent because baby decides to make an entrance.
Okay, time to turn off my phone! David has returned with Popcorn!!

Baby Update

We had an OB visit today and our doctor decided to do another ultrasound to check on the amount of amniotic fluid and confirm baby's position.  So, we got another picture of baby! 
You can see the right eye (your left), nose and mouth.  The white spot over baby's left eye is baby's fist.   What a sweet face!

Let's Vote!

We're getting down to the wire and thought it would be fun to see what family and friends are saying!  Here's a little competition for you blog followers.  First, vote using the templates below.  Then, you may want to list your votes with your name in the comments section.  If you want to add other guesses: weight, length, hair/no hair, please feel free.  For those of you who need belly shots to determine gender, go back through the archive for my latest belly photos!
We will send a special gift from Baby Behr to the winner!

               

Saturday Leisure

Good morning!  It's Saturday!  After all our baby prepping, David's seminar last week, and decorating and shopping for Christmas, today actually feels like the first weekend we've had in a long time.  We are looking forward to just hanging out and enjoying each other's company. 
I just got back from a very nice spa pedicure at Pinky's, the nail spa right around the corner.  David spent a little time going through his office this morning and is grabbing a quick rest.  He is fighting a cold that arrived the morning after his seminar.  In a few minutes we will leave for La Canterra, an outdoor shopping center on the outer loop of San Antonio.  We plan to see The Muppets in IMAX this afternoon and then be back in time for church at 5pm.  Tomorrow should be another leisurely day for us, which is great.  That is, of course, unless Baby wants to join us!  I've already invited him or her this weekend, so we'll see if our little Cubbie accepts.  The owner at Pinky's told me that she didn't want to give me too good of a foot massage in case her accupressure caused Baby to arrive tonight.  I told her to go right ahead, but she was serious.  Maybe I'll have to go back for another pedicure if we get too close to the New Year and Baby isn't here yet!  My mom flies into town on December 26th, so we'd like for our little sugar plum to be here by then...

And now, we wait...

Check, check, and check.  We've gotten a lot done in the last few days.  Now, we're sitting here watching my Packers crush the Oakland Raiders.  I'm having a great time, but David is sweating over his fantasy football team.  So, we're not exactly enjoying the same game.  But, our feet are up and the entire weekend list is crossed off. 
This week, I had another OB check-up.  My doctor says the baby is growing well, but I had some labs that were off.  I was back again to do a 3-hour glucose tolerance test on Thursday and am awaiting those results next week.  I can't believe this will be a big deal.  I don't think I fit the picture of a person with gestational diabetes.  My weight has been right on and I'm not swollen anywhere.  I'm guessing we'll be okay.  Baby has definitely dropped now and I've gotten several sensations that labor is right around the corner.  We're ready!

38 week belly shot

We had a spontaneous tour of the labor and delivery unit on Saturday.  We weren't able to make any of the scheduled "Peek-a-Boo Tours" the hospital puts on between our move-in date and our due date, so our OB called and helped us pull a few strings to get onto the closed ward for a one-on-one tour with the charge RNs.  The first RN made it clear they "don't do private tours," but she eventually warmed up to us and gave us a great insider view of what to expect when we arrive.  We got lots of unsolicited advice about birth plans, best labor and post-partum rooms to pick, breast-feeding, and visitors.  We also got the route to the hospital down pat so David can do it with his eyes closed now. 

Below you can see our final touches to the nursery: the glider and changing table we found on Craigslist, the books and toys on the bookshelf, and the cute tree wall decal went up today.  What I love is that the decal is removable and re-usable, so we can take it with us to the next city. 

It feels great to have all of this completed now.  Not that a wall decal or a fully assembled bouncer will make much difference to a newborn, but it makes me feel much more prepared to bring one home.  It's that nesting instinct and a touch of OCD, I'm sure.  
Oh, I almost forgot!  We interviewed our final pediatricians and decided on Ped #3!  This clinic is only a mile or so down the street in a cute little brick building.  It is bright and colorful inside - not only because of the shades of blue and yellow but also because of the friendly staff.  It was a no-brainer, really.  We walked out of there feeling very good about our choice.
Next week, David will travel to Austin to set up and put on his last seminar of 2011!

Bienvenido a San Antonio!

Last week was totally crazy!  With a lot of catch-up after the Thanksgiving holiday for the business, we also had to pack up and move out of our beloved Casita in Austin to our new digs in San Antonio, TX.  The trip itself was a piece of tres leches cake, but getting my 37-week pregnant body to bend and sit and stand and lift was not so easy.  So much for my 2.5 hour packing and moving feat last time.  Probably not to be repeated - ever!  Especially since from now on, there will be a little Behr with all kinds of accessories to match.
We are - I should say I am - happy to be in San Antonio.  I think David is too, but he says he already  misses the 10 independent coffee shops within a 5 block radius of our last house.  San Antonio is extremely different from Austin.  That's easy to see and we haven't been here long.  However, I think it holds a certain charm, with it's own history and culture, that will make it a fantastic place for us as a new young family. Besides, now that we're here, the hospital is only 15 minutes away.  And that lets me rest easier. 
We've been furnishing our new home and getting the bedroom set up for baby.  I have a few returns/exchanges to make this morning and I'm hoping I'll be set after this.  We are looking forward to being able to decorate for Christmas once the condo is set up and the baby gear is in place. 
I feel like I've been saying this a lot lately, but I just cannot believe we are so far along now!  I'm 37 weeks - full term! - and it's hard not to wonder each time I get a contraction if it's not too much longer now.  David is hyper-vigilant, gauging my every wince, and needing reassurance that there is no need to sprint into action.  Meanwhile, the baby is still very active.  Those little punches and kicks have turned into sustained pushes and burrowing.  Each hiccup causes the poor thing to bounce off one side only to ricochet off the other.  The baby could be up to 6 pounds at this point and over 19 inches long, or about the length of a stalk of Swiss chard. 
This week, I plan to find our new church for baptism purposes, finish interviewing pediatricians, and get the car seat installed.  I also have a breast-feeding boot camp and hospital tour to attend.  I'll add pictures of our nursery and new home soon.

Hands Can

Had a dream last night about my Dad's hands.  Dad passed away about 17 months ago, but I can still see his hands clearly and I don't think I'll ever forget.  David and I were working on separate projects for our birthing class.  Part of my project was to come up with what is called a "birth bundle" - a combination of items that are symbolic of motherhood, fatherhood, and our new baby.  I was thinking about David's transition to fatherhood and what that means for him, for me, and to our baby.
David will be an absolutely fantastic Dad.  I have absolutely no concerns about this.  I realize how how lucky we both are to have such loving, attentive, supportive fathers.  My own father was a superhero to me.  It seemed like there wasn't anything he didn't know and nothing he couldn't do.  When I think of my Dad, so many things come to mind, but what really stuck out for me the other night was his hands.
Ever realize that you remember exactly what if feels like to hold your Dad's hand?  The way his palm holds yours? How big it is, how strong it is, the texture of his skin, the security of that hand over yours?  Ever consider all that those hands have done?
Those hands create things.  My Dad could build and fix - my childhood swing set was handmade by him, complete with two swings, slide, balance beams, and sandbox.  He built the house that we spent our growing up years in and that we still call home.  He chopped the wood we burned in the fireplace and created and installed the stained glass windows that flank the fireplace and tell a story in our family room.  He taught me how to change a flat tire, hang a picture, and grip my first golf club.
Hands provide, teach, hold.  They can envelope you in the most comforting hug.  They can guide you while you dance on his feet in the kitchen.  They can put barrettes in your hair before school and carry you to bed when you've fallen asleep in the car.  They can strum a guitar while singing your song.

I was blessed to have a father who loved me very much.  And I now realize what the perfect symbol of fatherhood is for me.  My Dad had great hands.

Last Thursday, I was fortunate to be able to fly to Virginia for my annual Girls Weekend trip.  Like I've mentioned in previous posts, Girls Weekend is an annual reunion for my 8 best friends from college.  We do it every year and it is a rare occurrence to have someone miss it.  It is always such a fabulous visit, no matter where it's held, and this year was no exception. 
We spent the first morning walking through beautiful Alexandria, VA's "Old Town".  Then we made the drive to Middleburg, VA, the wine country along the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley.  We stayed in a turn-of-the-century home with antique furniture and lots of great living space.  Not to mention, the views from the top of the hill overlooking the Shenandoah River were spectacular.  On Saturday morning, we walked along an old county highway, which is mostly gravel now, and were passed by over 50 riders on horseback, young and old, wearing traditional English equestrian gear in the middle of a true fox hunt.  They assured us this was for sport, and no foxes were actually harmed during the hunt.  What a cool experience!  Even better though was connecting with my friends, some of whom I haven't seen since last year's trip to Arizona!  I am so happy I made the trek, but also happy not to travel by plane again until after this baby is born.  What an exhausting and uncomfortable mode of transport at this stage of pregnancy!

We met with our OB again today.  Baby is doing well and right on track for growth.  The heartbeat is strong and baby's head is still down at this point.  We were getting the sense that this hospital and physician's practices may not be in line with our goals for our baby's birth.  So, we reviewed some questions that came up after the discussion at our last visit and our conversation with our doctor confirmed our instincts.  I was very happy that she agreed with us.  She was very frank in stating that this hospital's goal is to provide the most access to laboring patients so therefore they do try to accelerate labor progression and this does not always give the most personal care to laboring mothers.  She did, however, give us a referral for a colleague of hers that she feels will be a better fit for us.  So, despite our attempts to ensure one less transfer of patient records at this final stage in our pregnancy, we're at it again.  Next week, I call to make an appointment with OB #4.
Good news is we have settled on a home in San Antonio!  We've decided to stay in a condo in the Alamo Heights neighborhood and will be ready to move in on December 3rd.  It gives me great peace of mind to now know where baby's things will be and what our space will look like.  I'll be going back to San Antonio on Monday to work on gathering furnishings for our new place so it's ready for us to move into.  I think we'll be happy there.

Aloha! It's week 33!

 

So, I've gotten a little bit behind here as I see my last post was 3 weeks ago!  We're getting so close now, it's becoming quite real - as if the enlarging belly isn't real enough.  I still wonder when that happened...
Baby is making a lot of movements and they can be quite powerful.  I've also noticed that some mornings I have a difficult time catching my breath for about an hour or so.  It feels like I just ran 5K race and sprinted into the finish, but the after-effects are long-lasting.  And, just like race training, I'm being prepared for parenthood's interrupted sleep with a small bladder capacity and sore hips, requiring me to get up every 3 hours and rotate the now 4! pillows I use for propping myself in bed.  Poor David!  He's either becoming a heavier sleeper or he's one step closer to sainthood for not complaining.  I'm sure he's well on his way there already - I certainly know how lucky I am!  I think that after this experience, we may both be in agreement that a king size bed is a fantastic idea.
In week 33, baby is approximately the size of a pineapple, weighing up to 4 pounds and measuring 17 inches in length.   I read that for every pound I gain between now and birth, baby will gain 8 ounces.  I think that's really incredible.  Baby's wrinkly skin begins to smooth out now that he or she is packing on some healthy baby fat.  I can't believe we'll have a little sugar plum to call our own around Christmastime!  Oh, I am so excited!  This is the best gift ever!

We're in the midst of a hunt for our new place.  With each OB visit in San Antonio, we've spent a few more hours there combing the neighborhoods for For Rent signs.  Unlike Denver or Minneapolis, San Antonio folks aren't quick to use Craigslist as an online resource for rental options.  We've had to get more creative and spend more time doing research in several areas to come up with enough options on our own.  We have two options now for short-term rental, both in the Alamo Heights neighborhood, which is our top pick.  This area is about 20 minutes from the hospital, but San Antonio's great highway system makes this easy.  Also, it's about 10 minutes north of the city, giving us loads of perks.  We'll be touring an updated patio townhouse and a 50's era ranch-style home with in-ground pool next Monday for comparison.  Hopefully, we can make a final decision.  I really want to be able to lock this in so I can better visualize our space for baby and start planning for rental furniture - neither is furnished.  Not to mention, we just realized last night that we would be moving in 3 weeks!  So, it's actually getting down to the wire.  Since David's seminar isn't until December 13th, he'll likely commute between San Antonio and Austin for another week or so.  I can't believe we'll be moving out of here already.  Austin has been a lot of fun and it seems like we've just gotten here.  You know what they say...
                                                     

I got the green light from my OB to travel this week for my annual Girls Weekend with my St. Norbert girls!  The glucose test that the doc wanted to repeat turned out to be normal (again).  Since I'm doing well and baby is doing well, there is no reason I can't go.  T minus 2 days... fall foliage, expansive valley views, great conversations, tons of laughing, and lots and lots of new memories.  Hope you're ready, ladies!  I can't wait!

Boo!

As is tradition, we carved pumpkins and roasted the seeds.  However, unlike years past, we couldn't turn it into a competition with friends.  (you guys got lucky this year!)  Instead, we kept our designs secret until the candlelight reveal!

 David's "Ghosts" is on the left.  My "Haunted graveyard" is on the right.  I think this is David's best job yet!  These were set outside and lit on Halloween for the trick-or-treaters.  Unfortunately, we didn't get as many as I was hoping.  This was my first year living in a neighborhood where trick-or-treaters would come and I made sure I was prepared.  Turned out,  I was disappointed.  I think we only got 7 total.  Oh well, we had fun creating a themed dinner.  There was a boiling cauldron of queso with bat wing (blue corn) tortillas.  And for dinner: Bat wing farfalle pasta with vampire blood and eyeballs.  We watched Monday night football and had more than our share of candy since that bowl was so darn full!

My Halloween costume

Thanks to our friends, Cristin and Leo, I had the perfect costume for the celebration!  Next year, we might be out there doing the trick-or-treating with Baby Behr!  More candy for Mom and Dad!

Week 30 in Review

Last week, we had our first childbirth class.  It was interesting to meet other couples about as far along as we are and hear what their concerns and plans are for childbirth.  Our instructor started us on some pain-coping techniques and we got to try our creative talents to draw pictures of what labor means to us.  I can't remember the last time I had pastels in my fingers.  It was really relaxing. I'm looking forward to our next class - we'll be working on more coping strategies and will start discussing labor options and birth plans.

I met with our OB late last week as well.  She says baby is growing according to schedule.  We have approximately 9 weeks to go.  I can't believe it!  We're getting so close!  Baby now weighs about 3.3 lbs and measures 16 inches in length.  He or she is moving a lot, especially in the evening and early morning.  I haven't gotten tired of all that movement; it's so amazing to watch and keeps me entertained as I try to imagine what baby is doing in there.  I had to re-take that yucky glucose tolerance test though due to high glucose in my lab work that day.  Keeping my fingers crossed that the test turns out to be normal.
On Thursday, David and I had a date night at the Salt Lick, a highly recommended barbecue restaurant, located about 40 minutes southwest of Austin.  It was sooo good!  The place has been there since the mid-60s and what started as a man-made barbecue pit has grown into a busy restaurant, banquet hall, music venue and wine cellar.  Speaking of, maybe it was the pecan pie and blackberry cobbler we shared that got me in trouble at the OB's office with high sugar!  Whoops!

31 week belly shot (taken with my new iphone!)

 

An Early Debut or Perfect Timing?

A week ago, we returned to Denver to catch up with friends and check in on our downtown loft.  My good friend, Alma, picked us up from DIA and took us to see some of my former co-workers in the Urology department at The Children's Hospital.  It was so fun to see them, catch up and laugh, and re-visit my old stomping grounds.  TCH friends: Thank you all for staying late on a Friday to say hi!  It meant a lot to me to be able to share some time catching up with you.
That night, we met our friends, Cristin and Leo, at Marco's Coal-fired Pizza downtown.  We had a great meal, laughed a ton, and talked about how pregnancy is going.  Cristin and Leo were expecting their first son in a few weeks, and were approximately 7 weeks ahead of us.  After dinner, we drove back to their house and watched the end of the Brewers/Cardinals game. 

Maybe it was the disappointing end to the Brewer's chance at the World Series, or perhaps it was the big, beautiful harvest moon that night, but baby Sarmiento decided it was time to make an appearance!  That's right, Cristin's water broke that night - about 3 weeks before her due date!  With amazing calmness and poise, Cristin and Leo showered, packed their bags, the car seat and baby bag, got us settled for the night, showed us how to take care of the cat, and stopped to pose for pictures - all before walking out the door!  I must have been shaking with enough nervousness and excitement for everyone.

One more pregnant picture for Cristin!

On their way!

We didn't sleep more than about 15 minutes that night - we were just too excited!  Jemma, the cat, didn't appreciate our restlessness.  She tried very hard to find a comfortable spot and ended up settling above David's head, on his pillow!  At about 4am, we got a phone call from Leo telling us that Baby was here, healthy and happy, and ready for visitors if we wanted to come in.  We threw on some clothes and went over right away to meet their newest addition.

Cristin and Leo with Valentino

Valentino Enrique Sarmiento was born at 3:18am on October 15th, 2011!  He was 5 lbs, 18 inches and came with a full head of jet-black hair.  He is one lucky baby to have such fantastic parents.

Whew! What an amazing weekend!  We feel so fortunate to have been a part of our friends' incredible and miraculous experience.  We are honored that they included us in the earliest moments with their tiny, beautiful baby boy.  What a joy!  And how we love him already!  Thank you for showing us how it's done!  Congratulations, friends!

The Behrs with Baby Valentino

Our weekend ended on Sunday with some quality time with the Umbdenstocks and our godson, Brodi. We found a really cool pair of shoes for him that light up when he walks. I wanted to get a pair for myself but Adriana wouldn't let me. She said I am too old to wear those kind of shoes-OUCH!

We are always up for an adventure and this weekend proved to be very adventurous. 

Thanks everyone!

Brewers and Packers and Bulldogs, oh my! Week 29

The National Title for 8 of the last 12 years!

This week seems to be dominated by sports - my Milwaukee Brewers made it to the second round (!), Packers are 5-0 after playing the Falcons last night, and our friend Dan is in town from Denver for the National Tournament for United States Aussie Football League and playing in the finals this afternoon.   Hopefully our little nugget will enjoy watching and playing sports as much as we do!

28 week Baby Bump

We visited with our new OB this week at the University of Texas in San Antonio.  We'll be making the 1.5 hour drive every 2 weeks and then weekly for while before we actually move down there.  In the long run, it'll be worth it to establish a relationship with the person who will hopefully be there to deliver our baby.  We were impressed with her.  Despite only 1 hour of sleep and running behind in clinic, she still spent at least a good 30 minutes with us reviewing the pregnancy to date and answering all my questions about her experience with non-medicated births and what resources she has for her mothers who wish to breastfeed.  She did this in a very relaxed fashion, not even once checking her watch or heading for the door.  She did move our due date back to December 30th based on the first ultrasound report, but I still think baby is coming earlier.  I've got my own data.  We'll see who's right.
Baby measures a full 15 inches and 2.5 pounds, making him or her about the size of a butternut squash.  We've been enjoying lots of baby moves and are still in awe when baby decides to do a complete flip.  Watching my belly move like that is crazy!  Last night, we took Dan to the original Chuy's restaurant for some really great Mexican food and then to the Hey, Cupcake! trailer for dessert.  Cubbie seems to get excited about chimichangas and pumpkin cupcakes - we saw a little Mexican hat dance following both! 

Dessert at Hey Cupcake!

We got our much needed rain this weekend and a break in the heat wave.  First rainfall in 4 months and temps were between the 60s and 80s, making for some great football weather.

David, Dan, Cubbie Behr and me at the post-game celebration

Dan (blue & red) against 3 Calvary Kangaroos

Casita, Sweet Casita

Welcome home, Behrs!

We are finally settled in our new home in Austin, TX and really enjoying it!  We encountered several hurdles before we could actually get here, but this place is definitely worth the wait. 
In a quick recap for those of you who are now lost: Our first landlord in North Austin, who I believe I may have mistakenly labeled "accommodating," had what I can only understand as a psychotic break and called us Thursday morning at 9:15am to tell us we needed to move out pronto.  She decided that despite our previous agreement, she now wanted the air conditioning unit replaced and the damaged floor beneath it ripped out so we needed to move all our belongings out in the next 2 hours.  We did attempt to explain that we had absolutely no other place to go and legally she couldn't do what she was doing because our agreement was to stay until Friday - to no avail. 
The 2-hour time limit apparently wasn't soon enough for her, because she showed up at the property to start pulling back floorboards at 10:30am.  Meanwhile, at 6 1/2 months pregnant, I'm moving as fast as I can to pack up all the things we just unpacked less than 36 hours before.  David is trying to load packed suitcases into our cars three flights below in 90-degree heat and then shower and suit up for his meeting that morning.  He left at 11am and I was stuck with Luis, the very polite air-conditioner repair man and crazy Miss Crazypants.  I gathered some very good information that day though.  I learned that Luis is a father of 7 and grandfather of 13 trying to buy a ranch and that it should no longer take us 2 days to pack our belongings and leave a city.  I got everything packed in 2 hours and 15 minutes.  If it had been possible for me to carry all those suitcases and boxes down 3 flights of stairs and into 2 waiting vehicles without going into pre-term labor, I wouldn't have had to sit there and fumble around while landlady, who was now wielding sharp metal objects, apologized for kicking us to the curb.  Too late, lady!  Upside here: she dropped the name of the property manager who is now renting us Casita del Sol!  (Insert "Ahhh" here)  You can check out our new slice of heaven right here: Casita Del Sol

Now, we are located only a few blocks away from SoCo, Austin's hip artsy shopping district.  We have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg with exploring our new neighborhood.  So far, I've fallen in love with Austin's trailer park food truck lots which feature everything from Thai to BBQ to cupcakes and gourmet hot dogs.   This is a great city to live in when there is an excuse for eating more than your share! 

We are half way through week 27!  Baby weighs almost 2 pounds and is 14 and 1/2 inches long with legs extended.  Cubbie is moving and grooving regularly now and has recently taken up residence directly behind my belly button which gets slightly uncomfortable with any kicking.  Nonetheless, I'm enjoying the movement and knowing that our baby is behind it all.  I've been told that these sensations will decrease as baby gets bigger and runs out of room.  My belly now feels as though it can't possibly get any bigger, especially post-prandial, which I realize is only wishful thinking.  What in the world will I feel like in 5 or even 10 weeks from now?!  I need to start using that Tummy Bar and cocoa butter regularly because I'm pretty sure baby will need more room soon. 
David has been exceptionally sweet, reminding me regularly to take advantage of all of life's pre-baby favorites before our little bundle arrives and makes sleeping in, time for reading, and coffee shop Saturday mornings much more challenging.  I'm trying to heed his advice without the guilt. 

Any advice from those who've been here?  What do you wish you would have known or would go back and do to prepare for baby at this point?  Any books you'd read?  Any activities you'd recommend?  What should I consider?

You have arrived at your destination.

We're finally here in Austin.  We left Lakeville, MN at 6:15 on Saturday morning and used a Cornhuskers game in Lincoln, NE as our big break for the day after about 7 hours of driving.   With some really great planning, we were able to park our hitched car and trailer easily, grab a free shuttle to the game, and get back out again without any traffic issues.  Yeah us!  David certainly appreciated the history of the stadium more than I could, but the seats were great and it was a good game that ended up being pretty close.  We spent 3 more hours in the car that night and found a motel in Salina, KS to crash. 

Sunday, we made our way into Dallas, TX and stopped to spend the night with family and chase our niece and nephew around for a few hours.  Thanks to Steve and Julie's hospitality, we had a great meal and slept like babies after such a long trip. 

On Monday, we finally completed our road trip and pulled into Austin around 2:30pm.  We're currently staying in North Austin, but will be moving to a new location on Friday.  The current digs are need a lot of repairs that the owner apparently didn't realize until we moved in.  Fortunately, she is quite apologetic and let us out of our lease for our trouble.  Wait, a trend seems to be forming here... No, really, at least this place is much cleaner, it's just that the floor is falling through! 
Anyway, looking forward to getting back into our own routine again and start exploring the town a little bit.  Austin is a great city from what people have said, so I'm looking forward to enjoying the Fall here.  Well, I'm hoping they actually have a Fall.  It's in the mid-90s now. 
 
Sunday marked the start of Week 26!  When I stop to think about it, I really can't imagine how we got here so quickly.  Today, I passed by a mirror and had to stop to stare at myself.  When did my belly get so large?  Is that really my body?!  It's unbelievable to me that a human body can change so much to accommodate a fragile little being and do all the things necessary to sustain that life until birth.  It's truly amazing!  The long car ride afforded us the time to discuss baby names, godparents, and our plan for family visits around the time of baby's birth.  Life will be changing very soon and I keep trying to imagine it with a baby involved, especially with the travel! 

Catching up

It's the end of the summer and the close of our first full seminar series together.  Last Friday, we moved out of our condo in Minneapolis and packed up the vehicles for the long drive to Austin.  Then, we parked the cars at the Falters' home and got on an airplane to Seattle to visit with David's parents for 5 days.  What a great trip!  I got to see my first Mariners game at SafeCo Field on Friday night and the Mariners beat the Royals that night.  We visited Pike Place Market over the weekend and grabbed a few of our favorite goodies - Chukar Cherries, fresh vegetables and fruit, fresh shrimp cocktail from the fish market, and some gifts.  Then, we filled ourselves with 4 kinds of chowder in Post Alley and almost finished a salmon piroshky too.  It seems we do a lot of eating in Seattle.  Let's not forget that we like to sample the coffee shops too!
To top off an already fabulous visit, we drove to Cannon Beach, OR for a stay in the beautiful beach town.  I've never visited Cannon Beach in late summer before - we really lucked out with excellent weather all 3 days.  David took some really amazing pictures that I'll add later.  I'm so happy we had the chance to get back out to the Northwest before the baby comes.  It's such a beautiful place to visit and it was really special to share some time with Ma and Pa Behr. 

At the Lookout at Ecola State Park

A walk along the beach at Haystack Rock

Flew in just in time for a Mariner's game on Friday

Mom and Dad with Haystack Rock

Showing Baby a view of the beach

We've finally crossed that big imaginary line into the 3rd trimester!  We are at the end of week 25 and time keeps flying.  Baby is 13 1/2 inches long, about the size of an eggplant.  He or she weighs approximately 1.5 pounds, and is starting to gain some baby fat.  Cubbie has been moving a lot and watching my tummy move has become one of my favorite activities.  It's such an incredible thing to see and I like to imagine what the baby is doing at the time.  Next up: find an OB in Texas that we can visit for the rest of our pregnancy and for baby's delivery.

Tomorrow our journey to Austin begins before the sun comes up.  We've got a 7 hour drive to Lincoln, Nebraska where we'll make a stop for a Corn Huskers game at Memorial Stadium!  The plan is to make it to Salina, Kansas for the night.  More from our trip later...

Baby Shower at Green Lake

For those of you who weren't able to join us for this beautiful shower, I've put together a few pictures.  Thank you to my mother and sister for co-hosting the shower and putting up with me and my lists during the planning and prepping.  Special thanks to the many hands who put this together, made special deliveries, brought food, and even allowed us to take over their kitchen, including: Mom, Cristina, Mark, Avery and Hallie, David, Vincent, Dominic, Rick, Tammy, Barb and Felix (who didn't howl once even though he really wanted to help).  I apologize if I missed someone!

The hostesses: Mom and Cristina (center and right)

a Baby Shower for Adriana (and Baby Behr)

Sunday, August 28th at 12 noon

the Cottage on Green Lake, WI

As I've mentioned before, Green Lake is one of my favorite places to be.  It's a beautiful, deep, clear lake in central Wisconsin.  It's 7 miles long and 3 miles across at it's widest.  Maximum depth is 264 feet.  The water stays cool and clean.  We've rented a cottage on Green Lake for 19 summer seasons and "the cottage" has been our home away from home.   When it came to choosing a location for the shower, I decided it was the perfect way to share a late summer afternoon with my friends and family.

Mom sandwich.  My sister Cristina (right) is due 3 weeks after me.

We decided to hold the shower outside since the weather was forecasted to be in the mid-seventies.  The guys erected the canopy tent and strung brightly-colored lanterns beneath it.  David designed this family-style table with the hodgepodge of tables and chairs we had available and my Mom dressed it with old family linens and Mexican lace cloths.

The flowers were donated by our family friend, Barb.  The hydrangeas were picked from her garden while still green and dried for the occasion.  We went for a walk that morning and pulled some Queen Anne's lace and other wildflowers from the fields near Norwegian Bay.  They were assembled in old mason jars and tied with raffia and ribbon.  Rocks weighted the vases. 

The Menu:  

Ham, brie and arugula sandwiches

Egg salad sandwiches

Assorted fruit

Tomato, basil and mozzarella skewers

Potato salad

Iced tea and lemonade

The food table.  YUM!

Chocolate and vanilla cake pops for dessert dipped in pink, blue and green!  This is only what was left - the pink ones went fast.  Maybe that means it's a girl?!  Hmmm...

Thanks to Hallie & Avery for tieing the silverware in napkins and ribbons. 











The cute owl cookies were designed by a local Mequon bakery, Truly Scrumptious Cookies, to match the invitations and were set out for guests to take home.   

After the party, we all relaxed in the mid-afternoon sun on the dock.  David and I decided to go for a swim.  The water was perfect!

A little mother-daughter conversation with my beautiful Mom.

My mom gave me a treasured silver heart pendant - a heart inside a heart.  The inscription on the box read:

"Mothers and Daughters Are Gifts to Each Other
They have a bond of closeness that will never break - a friendship that's unconditional.  They are perfect listeners, helpers, advisers, hopers, honesty brokers, promise keepers, and dream sharers.  The love between them is proof of love's power."




I'm so fortunate to have such an amazing and loving family and a very special group of close friends.  Even though you weren't all able to be there in person, your thoughts were much appreciated.  I'm grateful that I was able to share in such a special occasion with so many of you this summer.   It was such a gift!  - Adriana

Dance dance, Baby!

Baby Behr and I have been visiting family in Wisconsin this week.  We’ve spent some time in Kiel, WI visiting my mom and brother, listening to the crickets chirp, and enjoying the sound of the house creaking and the chimes in the wind.  It is so peaceful out here and SO green.  It’s nice to be home for a visit since I'm not sure when we’ll be able to come back.  While I’ve been at home in Kiel, I haven’t had the chance to keep up on the blog - internet here is fleeting and I’m lucky if I can find a signal for more than a few minutes at a time.  Cell phone service is completely non-existent if you are an AT&T customer.  So, it can be challenging or relaxing, depending on which way you look at it. 

Late last week, we drove to Green Lake, WI.  Green Lake is one of my favorite places in the world and we enjoyed a long weekend on the water.  It’s been tough not to be able to wakeboard or water ski while there, but of course, that wouldn't be safe for the baby.  While staying at the lake cottage, my mom and sister co-hosted a baby shower for me.  The setting was absolutely beautiful and everything I could have wanted.  I promise to write a post detailing the party because it was so special, it deserves it’s own entry.  

We’re at 23 and 1/2 weeks.  This week, I watched my stomach grow before my eyes, felt the baby move much more frequently and even saw the baby kicking!  It’s such an unbelievable feeling and I can’t even describe how amazing it has been to watch all that progress in just a short period of time!  Movements have gone from feeling like a goldfish swimming in a plastic bag to knocking me off balance when I wasn’t prepared.  I’ve felt our peanut’s little heels pushing out through my stomach and his or her head in my lower abdomen.  I’m not sure which body part I watched raking across my belly the other night, but that was the most startling.  How someone can say they never knew they were pregnant until they gave birth, I just don’t get.  It’s sad actually, because the opportunity to enjoy and experience the pregnancy has been such a gift.  I know the real gift of bringing a child into the world comes later, but what a blessing this has been so far! 
Baby is approximately 1 pound and measures 11 inches in length.  Sounds are even more influential to baby's ears this week and begin to become familiar.  I’ve noticed that Cubbie Behr seems to really enjoy dance music as I’ve been flipping through stations on our long drives.  Maybe Baby will take after one of his or her grandfathers and be a great dancer! 

Week 22 - KICKIN!

After many weeks of trying to feel baby kicks that Adriana has been telling me about,
(see dialogue below)
Adriana: Did you feel that one?
David: Nope
Adriana: How about that one?
David: Nope
Adriana: You had to feel that one?
David: Nuh uh

It finally happened. I felt my baby's first kick and it was a big one, WOW! The realization has just kicked in, I'm gonna be a daddy.
After I got over the shock and surprise of what just happened, I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Game on, this is for real and I couldn't be more ready.

As far as growth, the baby is 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound. This is the week that my baby's eyelids and eyebrows start to become more distinct. If he or she takes after daddy, the eyebrows have already gone from little cocoons to caterpillars by now. (inside joke for all of you who have ever made fun of my bushy eyebrows-aka my caterpillars)

Adriana just left for Kiel and Green Lake for the next two weeks to spend some quality time with her family and friends. She has only been gone a few hours and I already miss her. I will be holding down the fort in Minneapolis during the week and am looking forward to catching up with her and our cubby behr over the weekend.

The Kickin' Carrot

 We are all doing great!  Our little peanut is growing and kicking a lot now.  It's pretty amazing that the "flutters" and "bubbles" have quickly turned into more realistic sensations and have even become obvious to the eye.  Last night, baby was VERY active.  I've been feeling badly that David hasn't been able to feel any movement yet.  So, I put his hand on my belly where I had been getting a steady stream of punches and David felt his first one!  His eyes got big and he jumped.  He said it had scared him, it was so powerful.  It was pretty amusing, and at the same time, I got tears in my eyes watching the realization on his face.
Well, all of that activity requires energy - and that translates into an increased appetite for mama.  I'm enjoying the extra food - it's a lot more fun to eat now than it was.  I feel like I can see my belly growing by the day!  Baby weighs 12 ounces and is about 10.5 inches long, or about the length of a carrot! 

Baby Bump-  21 and a half weeks!

Thank you to all of you who responded to my last post about childbirth methods.  We are hoping to do this as naturally and easily as we can - which I'm sure is the aim of most parents-to-be.  We've settled on the Conscious Birthing Method, which is a very comprehensive view of labor and birth as a rite of passage, teaching techniques to be calm and aware, minimizing fear and pain, during the experience.  We'll start in October when we're in Austin. http://consciousbirthingaustin.com/classes/complete-childbirth-class/

What's Next?

• We're getting ready to wrap up our summer in Minneapolis.  David has a jam-packed schedule each day for the next 2 weeks.  Poor guy's going to be exhausted. 
• My sister Cristina and her husband Mark will be visiting this weekend.  Looking forward to seeing Cristina's baby bump.  She's just 3 weeks behind me!
• Next week, I'm driving back to WI to see my Mom and share some vacation time with her at Green Lake.  I cannot wait to have some lake time!  Before I go, I need to work on packing up some of our things.  I'm thinking that I can probably ship a box or two of items that we didn't use back to Denver, which will make our move even easier. 
• Seattle!  When I return from Green Lake, we'll only have a day or two to pack the cars before we fly to Seattle for our visit with David's parents.  We've got some fun planned with the grandparents-to-be!
• Sept 16th: Minneapolis Seminar and onward to Austin!

I'm so excited about all the activities we have planned in the upcoming weeks!  Next week, expect a new point-of-view.  I've finally convinced David it's his turn to blog!  

1/2 Way to Birth Day!

Whooo hooo!  We are at 20 weeks and 4 days - it's downhill from here! 
Our little one is now being measured from head to toe, instead of crown to rump.  Cubbie Behr (another cute new nickname courtesy of my friend Sarah) is now 10 inches long, the length of a banana, and weighs approximately 10.5 ounces.  Baby is starting to swallow more amniotic fluid, which will help to mature digestion. 

In the meantime, I've adopted a coccyx cushion.  My tailbone is painfully sore and it seems that some days I can't handle sitting unless I use my airline pillow as a make-shift donut pillow.  It takes a little of the pressure off.  My OB assures me this is common and is due to my pelvis expanding in preparation for a growing baby and labor. 
Speaking of labor, it's time to start thinking about childbirth classes.  It's all a little overwhelming.  How do you choose what type of class to take?  Lamaze, Bradley, Alexander, Hypnobirthing, Conscious Birthing...the options are endless and it's quite a commitment when classes meet weekly, some up to 12 weeks in length! 
What makes this even more challenging is that I need to find a class in Austin, TX since we'll be there next.  Hopefully, whichever class I choose is approved by the hospital or OB we use in San Antonio.  I'm hearing that some hospitals require that you take classes through their organization while others don't care if you do or don't get educated.  Hopefully, our next OB (whoever that turns out to be) will approve our choice because I'm on a bit of a time crunch with our impending move to Texas and what will be a commute between Austin and our hospital in San Antonio, which is our final destination before baby is born.  Ahh.  "To whom much is given, much is required".

Dear Followers: Does anyone have any childbirth class recommendations?  What did you like or dislike about your method when you finally went into labor?  Did you use what you learned?  Please send your comments by using the comment section below.  THANK YOU!!

Don't be so NOSY!

Today we are 19 weeks and 2 days, confirmed yesterday via ultrasound.  We had our 18-20 week OB visit with anatomy scan - the long-anticipated view of baby, where many couples choose to peek at the goods.  As you know, we are choosing the "Surprise! It's a ____!" at delivery.  Nonetheless, we got some great views of baby, to hold us over until it's time to meet our sweet pea.

Baby looks fantastic!  All the important parts are there and baby weighs in at 7-9 ounces and approximately 6 inches total length, the size of a mango.  It was so fun to watch baby moving and sleeping.  Poor little peanut just wanted to rest and Miss Diane, our tech, was not having it.  She was poking and prodding, trying to get baby to turn for a facial profile, in order to check out the nasal bone.  She had me up doing toe touches and reclining in Trendelenberg position.  I couldn't help laughing.  Baby had his or her head down, chin to chest, and fists right over the face so she couldn't get a peek.  David says our baby has his determination and my bashfulness.  That's a combination!  I'm hoping it's sheer will and not shyness.  Baby seemed to be saying, "Leave me alone, lady!  I'm trying to sleep!"
Either way, we're so happy that our baby seems to be growing well.  I'm sure there's a nose under there somewhere...will it be a German one or an Italian one? 

Bump shot - 19 weeks

Baby's face with fist in front of left cheek.  "Why, I oughta..."