A Look Back

I'm one of those people who really enjoys New Year's Eve. I love to think back over the past year and reflect on the people I met, the places I visited, and any accomplishments I may have made. I also like to think about the future and what I'd like to achieve in the year ahead.

Without a doubt, 2009 has been one of my most memorable years. Jamie and I started the year thinking we would like to try for a family. Much to our surprise it happened very quickly. On March 17th we were blessed with the knowledge that we would have a baby in the house for Christmas.

The rest of the year was occupied with thoughts of all things baby. As I was getting bigger, we were busy planning the nursery and buying all the gear we thought we would need.

I have fond memories of our baby preparation but I also have fond memories of other things we managed to do in 2009. We were lucky enough to travel to Las Vegas where we were unlucky enough to part ways with some of our cash. We also made it to Vancouver Island to visit with family and sneak away to the beautiful Tofino where we had an amazing time.

We attended a couple of lovely weddings in the summer. We met new friends and spent time with old friends. We fixed up our backyard and we both enjoyed another successful year at our jobs.

But nothing could compare to the arrival of our beautiful little boy. In mere minutes of his birth he changed our lives forever. We are so very blessed to have him and I am so excited to spend the New Year with him. I don't often make New Year's resolutions but for 2010 I've decided I'm going to be the best mother and wife I can be. I'm going to enjoy motherhood to the fullest and relish the time I'll have with Brandon during the first year of his life. For me - I can't think of anything better.

Best wishes to all of you in 2010. I look forward to blogging about the year ahead :)

Christmas 2009

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year! It was so exciting to have a baby in the house for the holidays.

Jamie's youngest sister - Julie - flew out from Winnipeg and joined us for a week. It was so nice that she was here to help us out (yes, we still need lots of help!) and witness Brandon's first Christmas. Of course it was a slam dunk for him as he was spoiled rotten with toys, clothes and books.

In the afternoon we joined our friends France and Justin for a wonderful turkey dinner at their house. France's family was visiting from back East so it was a big crowd and lots of fun.

Here's a few pictures of Brandon taking it all in stride.

Merry Christmas everyone :)

Some of My Favourites . . .

1 Month Old Today!

Brandon has been in our world for one whole month today! I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to let people know a little bit more about my busy bundle of joy :)

Likes:

Brandon enjoys his car seat and rides in the car. In fact his parents have discovered this is a sure-fire way to get him to go to sleep.

Brandon loves to eat. He can feed anywhere between 8 - 12 times per day. He doesn't care if it's 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning - he likes to eat anytime, anywhere.

His swing. Thank the Lord to who ever invented the baby swing. This handy little device can keep Brandon happy for up to an hour at a time.

Daddy's voice. For some reason, Brandon finds his daddy's voice very soothing. It's not always a sliver bullet but often Jamie can calm Brandon down just by talking to him.

Dislikes:

Brandon really doesn't care for getting his diaper changed, having a bath or spending time "practicing" on his tummy.

So there you have it. He might not be too complex in his likes and dislikes but hey, he's only one month old ;)

Baby It's Cold Outside

Winter has arrived in Calgary! I have no idea what the temperature is right now but there's definitely a blizzard blowing. Brandon and I had an appointment with our lactation consultant this morning but I decided this was one day when we were not leaving the house. We re-booked for next week so hopefully things will have warmed up by then!

When blizzards aren't raging outside our door, Brandon sports the cutest "winter wear" for babies that you ever saw :)

We Get By With a Little Help . . .

On Thursday November 19th my Mom flew out from Victoria to give Jamie and me a hand with the baby. She really was a life saver as both Jamie and I were quite sick by the time she showed up. In the nine days that she was here she nursed me back to health, got the house whipped into order AND took excellent care of Brandon. I don't know what we would have done without her.

Thanks Mom - you're the best!!!

A Birth Story

This is going to be a very personal post. I'd like to write about Brandon's birth because I don't ever want to forget any moment or detail of that day.

I thought I would be really nervous on the day of Brandon's birth. I had been fretting for several weeks already - worried about undergoing major surgery. I knew there were risks associated with c-sections but I wasn't really sure what those risks entailed. I spent my entire pregnancy preparing for a vaginal birth and had no idea what to expect from a c-section.

Jamie and I had gone out for dinner the night before. I wanted to celebrate the eve of Brandon's birth. We happened to get a wonderful waitress who was so supportive and happy for us once she found out why we were there. She said "Tomorrow is going to be the best day of your life and I'm so happy for you". Those words suddenly put me at ease because I knew she was right. It didn't matter how our baby would enter the world, it only mattered that he would be with us in a few short hours.

The morning of November 10th was beautiful. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky - it was a perfect day to be born. I stayed calm and accepted phone calls from family wishing me well. I had eaten a big breakfast at 6am and little did I know that it would be my last meal for the next 26 hours.

Our operation was scheduled for 12 noon so we loaded our bags into the car and headed to the hospital around 11:30am. Once we got to Labour and Delivery we were told there were no beds available and we were asked to wait in the waiting room. By 2:30pm I had begun to think the operation wouldn't happen that day. That we would be sent home and asked to come back the following day. For some reason, this idea didn't bother me. I felt ready to go home when all of a sudden a petite, older nurse entered the waiting room and said "Fontaine? Let's go have a baby". Her name was Omana and she was the sweetest nurse anyone could hope for. I didn't really feel nervous but I found her presence very reassuring. She took us into the same room where I had my ECV procedure just weeks before. I changed into a hospital gown and laid down on the bed. I was hooked up to the fetal monitor - the last time I would hear my baby's heartbeat on the Doppler.

Jamie and I were suddenly given a ton of paperwork to fill out. I don't even remember what the papers said - all waivers I imagine. The anaesthesiologist stopped by to discuss the spinal I would receive and then the surgeon came in to talk about the risks associated with c-sections. His name was Dr. Brian Hauk and he had a very calm manner about him. He was the chief OB and he was known for preforming very safe and fast sections. I had a million questions I wanted to ask him but somehow I forgot them all and simply asked when the operation was going to take place. He said he didn't know, just that it would be soon.

Almost as soon as he left a nurse came in with scrubs and told Jamie to put them on. He looked so cute in his "surgeon wear" that I wish I had been able to take a picture. I was told it was time and we were led out of our room and down the hall a short distance. Jamie was asked to wait in a separate area and I was walked into the OR. What a scary sight! The room was cold and there must have been 8 or 9 people in there - all running around and looking very busy. I sat on the operating table where the spinal was administered by a resident. I thought it would hurt but it didn't hurt at all. As soon as she was done, people really started to move. I lost feeling in my legs almost instantly and they had me lie down right away. I could feel that people were working on me (I'm not sure what they were doing exactly) but the feeling was only that of pressure, nothing else.

Jamie was brought into the room and he sat beside me. A sheet went up at my chest and we couldn't see anything. I was sort of dazed at this point. I don't remember being excited or scared. All of sudden the surgeon was there and the resident started telling me I would feel a tugging sensation and a lot of movement. It all happened so fast. I heard the resident say "There's a foot. There's an arm. There's the shoulder and there's the head!" (Jamie was brave and actually stood up to see over the sheet and witness the birth of his son). And then there was a cry as Brandon took his first breath. It was music to my ears.

There was more tugging and pulling at my abdomen but I didn't notice because Jamie got up and came back with our son. He was so beautiful! He had stopped crying was looking around. I could only see his profile but I could touch him and it was amazing.

Shortly afterward, I felt exhausted and nauseated. The resident put something in my IV to stop the nausea and then it was over. I was lifted onto another bed and wheeled out of the room. The surgeon said something but I can't remember what it was.

From the OR I was put into recovery where our doula, Julie, was allowed to join us. I was fussed over and checked while I tried to nurse Brandon for the first time. A doctor came in to check him over and she told us he was healthy. Brandon weighed 7.7 lbs, was 20.6 inches long and his official birth time was 16:46.

From that point on, everything is a blur. I was moved to Post Partum and fussed over some more. I remember being tired and not able to sleep. I remember feeling happy that the surgery was behind me. I remember the excitement on Jamie's face - I'd never seen him so happy before.

Babies are born every minute of every day all around the world. Every one of those babies has their own birth story - and this one was Brandon's.

I find it odd that I delivered a baby and never once felt a contraction or felt what it was like to push. So, in a way, I feel like his was not an ordinary birth but then again I also believe that he's no ordinary baby. He's just my miracle - that's all.

An Update on Me

With every pregnancy and delivery comes some risk. C-sections, by their very nature, present a chance for more complications and risks than a natural delivery. For some women, they experience no problems at all with their c-sections and others may experience many.

As for me . . . I've had a few complications. Brandon and I were released from the hospital last Friday evening. Everything was going great until the next evening when I started to feel nauseous. I ended up being quite ill with vomiting and a fever. On Monday I went to the doctor who determined that I had an infection in my uterus. She put me on antibiotics and told me to take it easy. By Thursday I still wasn't feeling any better so I went back to the doctor. This time they sent me for an ultrasound where it was discovered that I have a collection of blood (basically a bruise) on my bladder from the surgery. They tell me this is common after surgery but I have to be very careful that the blood does not get infected. An infection would send me back to the hospital. I've been put on new antibiotics and instructions to get plenty of rest (ya right!).

Luckily for me, my Mom flew out on Thursday night to lend a hand. As of today (Sunday) I feel OK. My abdomen is very tender and I get in and out of bed like an old lady. With my Mom's help though, I really feel like I can get better.

Because of my recent illness, breastfeeding has been very challenging. Brandon thinks he prefers the bottle over the breast right now. I'm determined not to give up though and every time he's hungry, we always go to the breast first.

Despite my set back in health, I'm still enjoying motherhood and loving every minute I spend with my precious little boy! Here he is looking particularly cute . . .

The Mighty Brandon

Our little treasure Brandon is now one week old! We brought him home from the hospital on Friday evening and to say that things have been chaotic ever since is an understatement. In less than 48 hours, Brandon managed to bring two grown, sane adults to their knees. My mother had warned me there would be days like these but she didn't mention that they would never end!

Despite this, Brandon is a very good baby and he's so darn cute that we have no problems bending over backwards to meet his every need.

We'd like to thank everyone for your phone calls and emails of congrats and support. It's very comforting to know that friends and family are thinking of us. Please know that we're not ignoring anyone, we are just incredibly busy AND tired at this time. As soon as we're feeling better, we'll be in touch for visits and phone calls.

In the meantime, here's a few photos of our well-rested, happy, healthy baby boy :)

More Pictures From the Fontaine's

A Baby is Born

Hello everyone,
Well things went well yesterday, we had ourselves a little boy at 4:45 pm. His name is Brandon Joshua Jameson Fontaine. He weighed 7 pounds 7 oz, his length was 52.5 cm ( 20.6 inches) and the doctor tells us he's a healthy little boy. We waited at the Foothills hospital for a couple of hours yesterday, until we were admitted in a room.
Needless to say we were a little nervous but, with the great help of the nurses we were put at ease.
The c-section went really quick about 25 minutes start to finish, it was pretty amazing stuff. We were very relieved to hear Brandon start crying as soon as he came out of the womb.
Jenni and Brandon are doing well, and will probably be in the hospital for at least 3 days after delivery.

Well the proud papa is gonna sign off now because I'm pretty sure Brandon's diaper needs changing
and I have to figure this out in a hurry.

Cheers Everyone for the positive thoughts yesterday.
Papa Jamie

Countdown

Well this is it . . . me and Jamie's last weekend as a twosome. Despite our best efforts, JJ is still in the breech position so we're going ahead with the c-section. We're booked for Tuesday Nov 10th at noon.

This weekend Jamie and I are busy getting the last minute details in order. We're making sure we've got batteries in all the toys that vibrate or shake. We're finishing a few details in the nursery, washing his clothes and bedding and I've even had to re-pack my hospital bag in preparation for a longer stay.

I guess I feel as ready as a I can for the operation. There's not much I can do to prepare except to stay calm and remind myself that c-sections have become very routine and complications are few. It's not exactly how I envisioned the birth of my first child but so long as he's healthy, that's all that matters.

I'm very excited to meet my baby. All-in-all I feel like the pregnancy went really quickly, with the exception of these past two weeks. I've seen him on the ultrasound a few times now but I'm really curious as to how he looks in person. Will he look like me or Jamie? We've been told he has hair. I wonder, will it be red? They say he's about 7.5 lbs. Could he really be that big? (it might explain my huge weight gain!) Will he recognize my voice? I guess my questions will be answered soon enough.

So, once again, please keep us in your thoughts and as soon as I'm able, I'll post pictures of the new little addition :) In the meantime, here's a picture of Jamie smoking my toe with the moxa stick (see I wasn't making it up!)

There's Always Hope

Jamie and I made our way to the Foothills hospital last night to try the ECV procedure. The nurse and the OB that attended us were very nice and I was quickly put at ease, feeling we were in good hands. I was hooked up to the fetal monitor and JJ's heart rate was good. My blood pressure, though high, was considered good enough to proceed. A quick ultrasound confirmed that JJ was still in the breech position. I asked the OB if he could tell if the cord was wrapped around JJ's neck, thereby preventing him from going head-down. The OB could see the cord was up by JJ's neck but couldn't tell if it was wrapping around his neck or not.
The OB put tons of gel on my belly and literally tried to crank the baby around using his hands. It was very uncomfortable but I didn't feel any pain. At one point I thought it was going to work. I could feel JJ moving but then a sudden stop and the doctor couldn't go any further. The doctor let go and right away JJ went back to his original position. The OB tried a few more times before saying it wasn't going to work. My uterus and the space in there was just too tight. The OB scheduled the c-section for Nov 10th - 6 days before JJ's due date.
I can't help but have mixed feelings about this. I wanted JJ to pick his own birth day. To come when he was ready to come but due to my blood pressure, doctors would prefer to operate before I go into labour. Another part of me feels relief. I've done nothing but worry and attend appointment after appointment, listening to "experts" tell me what's best for my baby. I've never felt so tired or overwhelmed by medical information. All I want is a healthy baby boy in my arms.
I haven't given up hope that JJ will turn. Either by some of the tricks we're trying - the latest is holding a smoking stick of herbs beside my little toe (seriously!) - or because he decides it's time to turn on his own.
In the end - we'll continue to hope that all goes well.

Exploring Our Options

Jamie and I had to meet with a doctor at our clinic on Monday to discuss our options with regards to having a baby in the breech position. Really, our options are quite limited.
The first option is to have an ECV (or simply "Version") preformed on my abdomen. This means an OB would try to turn JJ from the outside. The baby would be closely monitored by ultrasound, as well as my blood pressure, during the procedure. If baby were to go into any kind of distress, the procedure would be stopped. There is a small risk of going into labour due to the procedure, which would lead to an emergency c-section. We have been told that this is the only chance we have at turning baby and having a vaginal birth.
Our second option is to book a c-section. Because of my blood pressure situation, the doctors would want to deliver baby before I go into labour. The c-section would likely be booked for next week (38 weeks) or the week after that.
So that's it. Our two options according to conventional western medicine. The doctors feel there is a less than 1% chance JJ will turn on his own before I go into labour.
Jamie and I discussed these options and originally thought against the ECV. The procedure is known to be quite painful and the success rate sits at around 25%. We didn't want to risk going into labour while JJ is still not quite ready to come.
Booking a c-section didn't really appeal to us either. C-sections are not as safe for mom or baby as a vaginal birth is. Also, I feel like we've worked so hard to have a "normal" birth. We got ourselves a doula and I attended yoga, chiropractor, massage, read countless birthing books - all in attempt to prepare for a natural birth. A c-section is anything but.
In the end, we booked the ECV for this Friday night. I'm quite worried about it and just pray nothing goes wrong. In the meantime, I'm trying a chiropractic technique and acupuncture as a way to encourage JJ to turn on his own.
Oh and did I mention I'm suffering from a nasty head cold right now. There's not too much I can do about that either :(

Keeping My Promise

Last week I mentioned in my post that doctors were getting concerned about my rising blood pressure and sent me in for blood tests. On Thursday the 22nd, I went in for a regular check-up and the doctor reviewed my results. It turns out that I have some sort of elevated enzyme in my liver. This symptom, combined with my high blood pressure, swollen feet and bad headaches got me sent immediately to the hospital for further testing.
When I got to the hospital, I gave more blood and was hooked up to a fetal monitor machine as well as a blood pressure machine. Jamie and I stayed there for a few hours while very nice nurses came and went and told us everything looked good. A doctor eventually came by and told me I had developed "Pregnancy Induced Hypertension". Basically my body is starting to reject the pregnancy. If left untreated, "PIH" could lead to much more serious conditions like preeclampsia and eclampsia. Severe cases of PIH can lead to induction and a baby being delivered sooner rather than later. Fortunately for me, my case seems to be mild.
The doctor decided to discharge me but gave instructions that I was to stop work immediately and go on bed rest. Bed rest means I can't really do anything. I have to sit or lie down for the whole day and night. I can't drive, bathe on my own (for fear of seizures), shop, do anything more that walk to the washroom or kitchen for a snack. I also can't houseclean or go out for anything other than doctor appointments. In addition to bed rest, I have a nurse that comes to the house daily. She checks JJ's heart rate and makes sure I'm doing "my homework". My homework includes taking my own blood pressure three times a day, noting any symptoms of high blood pressure (headaches, swollen feet, hands or face, vision disturbances etc) and counting JJ's movements twice a day.
Yesterday I was sent for an ultrasound to make sure the placenta still looks good and that JJ is continuing to grow as normal. It was great to see JJ again! He was a little shy and kept his hands in front of his face but we did get a good look at some cubby cheeks and a cute little nose:)
JJ gave everyone a surprise though as it was quickly discovered that he's in a breech position. This means his head is up by my belly button instead of down in the pelvis. A breech presentation often means a C-section but there's hope he'll turn on his own or that maybe we can find a trick or two to turn him ourselves.
Other than the breech position, everything looks good. JJ is measuring totally normal and his Mom's blood pressure has come down quite a bit.
Please keep us in your thoughts and wish us luck in the next few weeks to come.

Birthday, Shower, Update etc.

Well here we are at 36 weeks and I can't believe how much time has suddenly stood still. Seriously. I've hit the point in the pregnancy where I feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever. 4 more weeks feels like a lifetime. If that's the case though, then it's been a lifetime since I last updated this blog!

I have to say that my Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful. For my birthday this year I decided I needed a little TLC. Jamie and I booked a one night stay at the Rimrock Hotel in Banff. While there, I was treated to a facial and pedicure. It was heaven! I saw my feet for the first time in months and they were looking a little rough. Not anymore - now they look fabulous! While at the Rimrock, we also enjoyed a swim in their pool as well as a couple of feasts in their beautiful dining room. It was a really lovely birthday gift (and for those that are counting - yes, it was an early birthday treat).

I have a shower coming up! My very sweet friend France will be hosting it on Sunday, Nov 8th. Since I got over-excited about baby coming, I've purchased most of the essentials already. This has left some people stumped as what to give as a gift so Jamie and I registered at "Babies R Us". If you'd like more details, just give me a shout.

Last Thursday I went in for a regular prenatal check-up. Apparently my blood pressure has been creeping up and the doctors don't like that. I had to go in for blood tests and I'll get the results this coming Thursday. Rest assured, JJ's heartbeat is strong and he continues to move around as best he can in what little space is left. I promise to post an update when we know the results from the blood tests.

Our last childbirth class is tomorrow night. I think I'm going to miss our instructor. She has been quite the character :)

A Word from the Father-To-Be

Ever since I created this blog, I've taken the opportunity to talk about my thoughts and feelings regarding the pregnancy. People often ask about Jamie though. What does he think and how is he feeling? I thought I would use this post to check in with the dad-to-be.

Are you excited to be a Dad? - "Yes I'm very excited and looking forward to starting this adventure - creating a new family".

How do you think the pregnancy has gone so far? - "It's gone really well. It's been exciting to see the progression over the months."

How do you like childbirth classes? - "The classes are interesting. It's good to discuss common issues with other people and find out how they're doing things."

Do you feel prepared for the big day? - "Yes, I feel as prepared as I can be."

What do you think is going to be the best part about being a Dad? - "Watching him grow up. Hearing him laugh. Seeing him smile. Playing with him."

And there you have it! A few words from my better half. It may not be much but hey, there's a hockey game on ;)

Update

Sorry! It's been a while since my last post so I thought I would make this one an update.

I'm now 31 weeks along and Baby "JJ" (as I like to call him) is doing really well. According to the baby books, he should weigh about 3.5 lbs. He's fully developed at this point and is mostly busy putting on some weight for his big debut in 9 weeks (give or take a week or two).

As for me, I'm also doing really well. Most of the time I feel pretty good but my energy level is starting to drop and I do have trouble sleeping at night. I suffer from heartburn occasionally but mostly I feel grateful that I don't have an itchy abdomen or constant headaches. My lower back has been quite sore lately so I'm trying everything in my power to alleviate the pain. I'm currently seeing a prenatal chiropractor and prenatal massage therapist to give me some relief. I've also joined a prenatal yoga class and I absolutely love it! One of the doctors at the Low Risk Maternity Clinic suggested I try swimming as way to give my feet and back some relief so I'm considering trying that too.

I still plan on staying at work until the end of October but I'll see how that goes.

Jamie and I start our childbirth classes this Wednesday and neither of us is quite sure what to expect. I hope they keep the horror stories to a minimum but I promise I'll share the gems if they happen to come up!

My Doula

In my opinion, every pregnant woman should have a doula. Or maybe they should have my doula - I just love her!
For those of you who might not know what a doula is (I only found out myself through a friends' blog about 2 years ago), I've found an explanation from the "medical dictionary website" that sums it up pretty well.
"dou-la: A non-medical assistant in childbirth. A doula is not the father but is usually a woman who is experienced in childbirth. The role of the doula is to provide the mother with physical and emotional assistance before, during, or after childbirth."
I feel so lucky that I met a wonderful doula who agreed to take Jamie and me on as her clients. She is very knowledgeable, helpful, warm and sincere in her desire to help me have the best childbirth experience possible. Because of her, I have learned so much about proper nutrition and exercise in pregnancy. More importantly though, I've learned about all my options when it comes to drugs, procedures, tests and what it will be like to deliver at the hospital. She has loaned me some wonderful books, suggested movies to watch and is available 24/7 for any questions that I might have.
When the big day finally arrives, she'll be there with pain management techniques, encouraging words and support for Jamie (she'll even make sure our cats have food and water before we go to the hospital. She's that awesome!). Once the baby arrives, she'll be there to help me breastfeed, she'll take pictures and she'll even write out a birth story for me.
I feel so much more confident about experiencing labour and childbirth now that I know she'll be there to help me and Jamie. I think all first-time mothers should feel so lucky!

The Baby Stuff Blues

Now that I'm 25 weeks along in my pregnancy, I've turned my attention to buying items for baby. At first this seemed like an exciting, fun thing to do but in reality I find myself completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of stuff that babies apparently need. I can't be the first new Mom who is in disbelief (and now procrastination mode) over this. For someone who is only going to weigh about 8lbs (that's my limit!), check out this list of items that baby's going to need:

- clothes

- car seat

- stroller

- crib and other furniture like change table and/or dresser

- blankets

- diapers

- sling or some other means of moving baby around when the stroller is not handy

Now here are some other items I've been told I can't live without: baby monitor, play pen, bassinet, all manner of toys (exersaucers, play mats etc), swing, bottles, rocking chair, vibrating chair, high chair, bumbo chair, diaper bag etc., etc., etc.
So where does a good mother begin? What's reasonable? What's affordable? When I walk into the baby stores, I'm overwhelmed by the selection. I feel like I need a personal shopper to pick out all our baby stuff. Is there such a job as that? I can't believe I'm drowning in a world of over-priced baby products that Baby Fontaine will grow out of in three years or less and worse yet, won't even care if he poops all over them. I wish I could feel the same!

DINKs No More

As soon as Jamie and I found out we were pregnant, we quickly did the math and realized we had less than 8 months before we were DINKs (Dual Income No Kids) no more. This is a title we have been wearing proudly for about 7 years now. Not entirely sad to lose our long-standing distinction, we've taken the opportunity to make the most out of the time we have left as a twosome.

Since the pregnancy began, we've gone to Las Vegas, attended a Coldplay concert, traveled to Victoria and the lovely Tofino, spent way too many nights going out for dinner, stayed up late with friends, slept in at every possible opportunity, gone to movies, sipped $5 lattes while browsing through high-end boutique shops with impossibly tiny aisles and most recently, we've decided that a weekend get-a-way to Banff this fall is a must.

Will we miss being DINKs? I guess it's a possibility but what could be more fun than sharing our time with "one more Fontaine" ?!

Belly Shot!

OK, here it is. I've been getting a lot of requests for a belly shot. Attached is a picture of my belly at 21 weeks. Not too bad! The scale in my bathroom is pretty much useless but I think I've gained a total of 15 lbs so far. According to my holy bible of pregnancy books, this is at the high end of normal (oops!)

Getting Up to Speed . . . About The Baby

The first question Jamie and I always get asked is "When are you due?"

Baby Fontaine's due date is November 16th, 2009.

The next question that gets asked is "Do you know the sex of the baby?"

As of Friday June 19th, the answer is "Yes" we do. Baby Fontaine is a BOY!!!!!

The ultrasound results came back the following Tuesday and the doctor assured us everything looks "normal". The experience of seeing our baby on the ultrasound was amazing. He's a very active litte guy and he wouldn't sit still for a second. As a result, we saw him waving, rolling over, kicking and even yawning. We got to see his heart, kidneys, spine and ribs. We saw all of his fingers and toes and much to my relief, he was the only one in there!

The ultrasound people wouldn't give us any pictures but we did buy a 10 second video of him, so I'll try to post it here.

Apparently he's the size of a large can of soup and every day he gets a little bit stronger. I can feel him, usually in the early morning and late afternoon, rolling around and streching his limbs. This gives me tons of comfort and allows for me to dream of him as the next great soccer superstar!

Getting up to Speed . . . About the Pregnancy

As of this weekend, I am 20 weeks pregnant. Half way there!

Jamie and I found out we were pregnant on St. Patty's Day (March 17th) 2009. We waited a whole 13 weeks to tell our friends and family, with the exception of my boss and two friends who sort of needed to know.

My first trimester was a little rough. I suffered nausea and morning sicknesses consistently from about 6 weeks to 15 weeks. I gained a whopping 10 pounds - probably because the only thing I could eat was pasta.

I had few cravings but developed many food aversions. I couldn't stand the sight and smell of red meat. I was very tired and slept A LOT. Things like cleaning the house and working in the garden no longer seemed important. The couch or the bed was typically where you would have found me.

Of course Jamie was amazing through all of this. He cooked all the meals, made all my lunches and did all the house cleaning. He truly was "my rock" for those first few months.

I'm happy to report that as of 16 weeks, I've felt fantastic. I can eat whatever I want and I feel like I have all my energy back. I finally started showing around 17 weeks and I've already dropped a bundle on maternity clothes. My emotions have remained pretty stable and most of my thoughts are consumed by all things baby.
As the weeks go by, I feel more and more excited and blessed by this amazing experience.

And So It Begins . . .

Finally, here it is! The much talked about blog that I promised to put together months ago.
I love the idea of blogs. Given that so many of our friends and family are scattered across the country, I feel like this is a great way to share our experiences, thoughts and feelings with anyone who cares to know.
Of course I'm talking about our pregnancy. This is the most exciting time of our lives and we hope people will check on this site from time to time to share in our joy. Maybe you'll even feel compelled to leave us a comment - for advise, for prosperity or even just for a laugh.
I hope you'll enjoy the site as much as I have enjoyed all the creative blogs other friends have posted before me.
Perhaps you'll even learn a new thing or two about the Fontaines along the way!