Our Baby, the Lemon-Softball-Avocado

So, tomorrow I will hit the 15-week mark. Hooray! It's not a particularly special number or anything, but I am partial to multiples of five (seriously... laugh at me all you want). I'm experiencing a bit of confusion, though. My book (Your Pregnancy Week by Week) says that the baby was the size of a lemon this past week. Fine, not confusing. This week, it's supposed to be the size of a softball. Again, fine. But next week, it's supposed to be the size of an avocado. Maybe I am nuts, but aren't avocados smaller than softballs??? So is my baby supposed to shrink?? Maybe they are talking about the giant avocados my family always gets in Hawaii. Because the avocados I buy here to are definitely smaller than softballs. And California is the #1 avocado producer in the world, so there!

Anyhow... Gus and I had fun yesterday. I talked him into going to Babies R Us with me so we could register. Yippee!! Of course, it's totally early... But I heard we'd get a free gift if we registered, and I am a sucker for free gifts. As it was, Gus had fun using the little scanning gun (though I had to do some deleting later on... he had a little too much fun). The whole registry process was a novel one for him. When "we" registered for our wedding, Gus never went with me. Patty, my Maid of Honor, was the one who went with me to the stores and helped me pick things out. So I guess Gus was trying to make up for lost time? Who knows. At any rate, we are officially registered now! If you want to take a look, here it is! :P (And for the record: the free gift contained a bottle, a pacifier, a diaper, a pack of wipes, breast pump wipes, a coupon for formula, one disposable washcloth, and a Babies R Us magnet... Ooooh! Aaaah!)

In other news... I have an appointment with my Ob/Gyn on Tuesday. That's right, I will actually be meeting the real doctor! Up until now, I've only seen the Nurse Practitioner (who I LOVE! She is awesome.). So this should be interesting! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get another ultrasound, but who knows? At the very least, I should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat on Doppler for the first time. Unfortunately, Gus is in Kentucky all week for business, so he won't be able to come... My mom is going to come with me instead. Stay tuned for an update on Tuesday!

Second Trimester!

Happy Dance!!

I MADE IT!!! I mean, I was pretty sure I wouldn't have a problem, but the first trimester was still scary and nerve-wracking. The statistics are terrifying-- nearly one out of every five pregnancies end in miscarriage in the first trimester. Sure, the odds are still in favor of not miscarrying, but the whole 20%-thing isn't exactly reassuring. But now the odds are much better... From what I've read, there is something like a 97% chance that I will go on to deliver a perfectly healthy baby. And I'll take those odds any day! :)

In other news... My prayers seemed to have been answered! For the past few evenings, I haven't felt nauseous. I've also been able to stay up later (like before I was pregnant). I didn't even realize it until Friday night, when I went to bed at around 10:30 before even realizing how late it was (VERY late, compared my my 9:00 bedtime recently). I can actually keep my eyes open past 9:00- this is quite a development! Everyone says that the second trimester is the best... So far (in my vast, one day's worth of experience), I'd have to agree.

One more thing... I have my next doctor's appointment a week from tomorrow! I hope I get another ultrasound... At the very least, I'll finally be able to hear the baby's heartbeat. Yay! I can't believe how quickly things are going!

YES!!

First new car in seven years... And first one I actually bought myself (okay, fine, Gus helped a little okay, a lot!). HAPPY, HAPPY DAY!! :)

(Here are the specs, if you're interested! I got the Grand Touring Edition with the Technology Package. Yippee!!)

New News!

So this is totally unrelated to the jumbo shrimp in my belly, but... Grant got engaged!! Yay for my little brother! I told him to send me a picture of him and Melissa (and the ring!), but he has been noncompliant so far. As usual! Anyway, I am so happy! Babies and weddings!! Happy happy happy! And since he has been so uncooperative, I will post a picture of them from June 2005 (right before our wedding) that I just found on my computer. So there!! :P

Jumbo Shrimp Baby

How your baby's growing: Your belly may soon be big enough to announce to the world that you're expecting, but your baby is still tiny. In fact, he's only about 3 inches long crown to rump — roughly the size of a jumbo shrimp — and weighs just about an ounce. Despite the small proportions, there's a fully formed baby inside your womb now. Much more proportional than it was a few weeks ago, his head is now only about a third the size of his body. His tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. His kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and he's starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid he's been swallowing. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed, and your odds of miscarriage will drop considerably. (BabyCenter.com)

Hooray, my baby is the size of a jumbo shrimp! Good thing I don't really like shrimp, or I might be tempted to eat my baby. :P I also read that it's currently practicing making faces inside the womb (seriously). It's still so surreal... I can't believe that I will already be in the second trimester one week from today. YAY!! :)

(P.S. Keep your fingers crossed that second trimester = the end of my "night sickness"... ugh!!! I am SO over that!)

Mommy-mobile!

Well, the time has finally come. My trusty little Mazda Protege, which my parents bought for me when I graduated from college, is finally going on the market! It almost makes me a little sad. It's been such a spunky little car! Anyway... Anyone want to buy it? Email me if you do (seriously!):



Gus and I have been talking about getting me a new car for a while now, but having the baby on the way has officially mobilized things. I wanted to get a slightly bigger vehicle, and one where I wouldn't break my back dealing with a carseat, baby, stroller, etc. So, I've decided on the Mazda CX-7:



It's one of the new crossover SUVs, and I love it!! We went and took a test drive yesterday, and we were both impressed. The best part? It is the perfect height for me! (yes, I'm easy to please!) I just slid right into the driver's seat. It's not like my Protege, where I'm pretty low to the ground, or Gus' Nissan Titan that I have to climb up into. I felt like Goldilocks- it was *just right*! :) It had so many cool features, too. I am so excited about it!!!! Just the idea of having a new car is so exciting! Anyway... I need to sell my little car first, but hopefully I will get my CX-7 in the next month or so. Hooray!!

Not-So-Cute Story...

I have a student this year who is a compulsive liar. I mean, she makes up these totally absurd lies, and then won't ever admit that she's lying... she just tells more lies!

One example... Earlier this year, I was teaching the kids what few phrases I know in Greek. This girl asked me how to say "Good afternoon," so I told her ("kali mera"). She then tried to tell me that she spoke Portuguese, and that the Portuguese phrase sounded almost the same. Coincidentally, I had been sort of casually studying Portuguese at the time, so I knew she was full of it. I mean, it sounds like Spanish or French, maybe, but not Greek! So I called her on it. I said something like, "Wow, that doesn't sound quite right to me... I'm just going to look that up on the internet." Her response? "Oh... well, it might not be on the internet, because I speak ancient Portuguese." (Did you hear my jaw hit the floor?)

Anyhow, yesterday morning, this same girl came to me and told me that her mom had just found out that she was pregnant, too! I totally didn't buy it. So I emailed her mom a nice congratulatory note to see what would happen. Lo and behold... she is not pregnant, nor does she plan to be, ever again! So I confronted the girl about it today. Her response? "Well, I must have misunderstood something that I heard on the phone." OMG, she is such a liar!! My friend Kori suggested that her mom must have been speaking in modern Portuguese (which would explain the confusion, since the girl only speaks the ancient dialect). :P Anyway, I had to share. Note to self: Cross this girl's name off the list of potential baby names. Yikes!

Cute Story...

After school today, one of my former students was waiting for me outside my classroom (he's a 7th grader-- so he was in my class two years ago). His name is Reed, and he is one of those kids who will always have a special place in my heart. When I first got him in class, he was a total troublemaker and a slacker. For whatever reason, I was the right teacher at the right time for him, and he really turned things around that year. He worked SO HARD for me, and has kept it up into middle school (he's made Honor Roll almost every grading period!). Anyway, I just love this kid, even though he started off as kind of a stinker. It sounds weird to say this, but I know I am pretty much his favorite teacher ever. I mean, this is a kid who brings me birthday and Christmas presents, even though he doesn't go to my school anymore. For whatever reason, something really "clicked" for him when he was in 5th grade.
ANYWAY... I saw Reed waiting outside my classroom today, and he had three roses for me from his yard. It turns out his mom had told him I was pregnant (his little brother still goes to my school, and news travels fast!). He came by to congratulate me and give me a big hug. But the cutest part was when he explained the roses. He said, "The big one is for Mr. P., the medium one is for you, and the little one is for Baby Reed!!" Hahahahaha!!! He told me to feel free to name the baby after him if it's a boy. Yeah, right! Anyhow, I still thought it was really cute. That kid cracks me up! :)

12 Weeks! Yeah, Baby!

Am I showing? Am I showing? Am I showing??

I think I am, although my overall weight gain has been a whopping two pounds so far. I think most people wouldn't know it to look at me, but I can definitely see a little belly. And it's not the same as having a pudgy belly that I can "suck in" when necessary. This little belly doesn't go anywhere!!

Anyway... Yesterday and today were great days. We spent Easter with both our sets of parents at Gus' parents' house. They had a big party, with 30 or 40 people, and not one but TWO lambs roasting on spits (with teeth and eyeballs and everything!). It was fun! We broke the news to Maria and Manolis, our wedding sponsors (or koumbari). According to Greek tradition, the koumbari become the godparents to the couple's first baby-- which means this pregnancy is a big deal to them. They even earn the titles of Nouno and Nouna. Needless to say, they were ecstatic! :) Letting the cat out of the bag also finally allowed Nick and Fofo to tell all their close friends that they were going to be grandparents-- something Fofo was very excited about. So we had a good time, although we didn't get home until after 10 (and if you've read my previous posts, you know that is way past my current bedtime). It was tough getting out of bed this morning- ugh!

Today was fun, though, because I gave the poster (see previous post) to my boss to display in the staff lounge. She posted it after school started, but before the first recess at 9:45. From that point on, it was a day of hugs! I swear, I got hugged by everyone. It was so happy! On top of that, today was the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week. My students all brought me little boxes and bags of candy (the theme of the day, chosen by my room mom), and one mom brought me lunch from Taco Bell (I've been told I'll be getting lunch all week from different places- very exciting!). Awesome day!

I finally broke the news to my students after recess, and their reaction was pretty hysterical. I actually didn't know how to tell them-- isn't that weird? I was tongue-tied! But I basically told them that I had something really important to tell them, and that I had been keeping a *SECRET* from them. That caught their attention! And then I asked them if anyone had any guesses. A few kids guessed some really random, school-related things, and then my classroom phone rang. As I went to answer it, I heard someone say something about being pregnant, and that sort of sent the kids into an uproar ("Why would you SAY that?" "She's not even fat!!" "Oh my God!! I'm telling!"). So when I got off the phone, I asked what all the commotion was about. The kids were more than happy to rat out the poor little girl that suggested I was pregnant. Which was perfect, because I got to say, "Well, you know what? She's RIGHT!" The kids went absolutely NUTS! It sent them into a frenzy of asking me questions, all of which were school-appropriate (miracle of miracles!).

By the end of the day, all the students in the other 5th grade classes knew, along with most of the parents in my class. Have I mentioned that my school is pretty small, and everyone basically knows everyone else? Well, news traveled FAST- I think one parent must have started a phone chain or something. I even had parents of former students coming by to see if it was true. But it was great, because everyone was really supportive and congratulatory. And like I said, I got lots and lots of hugs. Plus, I have about twenty little girls who have all volunteered to babysit (haha!). All in all, I'd say I've had a pretty good couple of days. HOORAY!!

Why you shouldn't Google your own name

So I was bored, and Googled my own name to see what would pop up. This is what I found:

Warren E. "Gene" C. Resident of Walnut Creek: Gene passed away at his home January 30, 2007 at the age of 80. He is survived by his wife, Patty. They had been married for nearly 59 years. Gene retired in 1983 after 37 years with the Bell System. He spent several years at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, and with American Bell International in Tehran, Iran. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children: Jeffery C. and his wife, Kristen of Murrieta, California; Stacy C. of Grass Valley, California, and Dana C.W. and her husband, Robert, of Los Angeles, California. He leaves five grandchildren: Briar P., Grant C., Evan B.,Emma W. and Nathaniel W. At his request, there will be no services.

That was depressing. I wasn't expecting my grandpa's obituary to show up.

Breaking the News

So, Sunday and Monday are going to be the big days! On Sunday, we are going to tell our extended family members the exciting news. I can't wait!! It has been so hard to keep it a secret, especially since I have spoken with a few of my relatives since we found out. I really hope they aren't upset with me for keeping it a secret from them... I just felt like there was more at stake in telling them. I know that sounds weird... but it's one thing if your friend has a miscarriage. It's more tragic if that baby was going to be your first great-grandchild. I just didn't want to get anyone's hopes up until we were pretty much in the clear. And even though the first trimester doesn't end until 13 weeks, I'll be one day shy of 12 weeks on Sunday. That, combined with the fact that I have seen the heartbeat, makes me feel pretty good. It should be a great Easter!

After we tell our extended families, I'm going to tell my coworkers. Yesterday, I hosted a baby shower at school for Kori, my friend and coworker who is exactly 16 weeks ahead of me (her baby boy is due in July, right around Gus' birthday). After the shower, we had another coworker take a picture of the two of us together, which I used to make this poster:



Typically, when one of my coworkers is pregnant, someone covertly puts up clues on the board in our staff lounge. Everyone spends the entire week guessing who it could be, and then the answer is revealed. Well... I posted clues when Kori decided to announce her pregnancy, but there were really only two suspects: me and her. We even made sure that the clues were vague/misleading enough that they could point to either one of us. Now, there is really only one possible suspect (yours truly). So, we decided that clues would be pointless- we're just going to post this picture on the board and see what happens! It should be a lot of fun. I'm sure that at least a few of my students' parents will find out right away, too, since they are always on campus helping out with various things. Monday is really going to be an interesting day...

And you know what I'm looking forward to the most?? I want my students to know I'm pregnant! Every other teacher I've talked to said that their class was super well-behaved when they announced their pregnancy... it's like they're scared of hurting the baby! Believe me, I plan to milk that for all it's worth! :)