Amanda is in bed right now resting up some more, but I wanted to take a moment to share the news. Fiona Jeanne LaMartina was born at 5:25pm, on this October 30th. She is 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and 19.5 inches long.
Fiona is also resting, and not hiccuping for once. She definitely gets that from me...
(Nate/Dad)
That's right. Five days past my (later) due date, and still baby chooses to remain in the cozy womb. They've got a few more days to play with, and then... Monday the eviction notice is being served.
But seriously, come on.
This morning, while sipping on my cup of decaffeinated Lady Grey Tea, I made a list of things to do. Cleaning, and errands, and such. Did some cleaning up this morning, then at lunchtime Nate came home (I love that his office is only like 5 minutes from the house and he's able to come home for lunch sometimes), and we went to go pick out pumpkins to carve. We both got pretty big ones, I think they were both in the 20-25lb range. We were going to carve them tonight, but by the time we finished dinner I didn't feel like making a huge pumpkin-y mess, so we're planning on carving 'em tomorrow evening.
The after-dinner cleanup spurred on a desire to do some more cleaning, so I spent the past hour or so sweeping, and vacuuming, and scrubbing the floors on my hands and knees. I also put up the new shower curtain liner that I bought the other day, and finished washing and folding and putting away all the laundry.
So the house is pretty clean.
But there is more on the list. Tomorrow I'll tackle the closets...
(amanda)
Doctor appointment this morning. Not much to report. Baby's moving down, things are thinning out, but nothings opening up. (That's not too graphic for you people, is it?) So my next appointment is on Thursday, they'll do a non-stress test to make sure that the baby is still doing fine, and if nothing happens by Monday of next week I've got an induction scheduled for first thing Monday morning. REALLLLLLLY hoping I don't go until next Monday. That's NOVEMBER!
So...Don't take it personally if I am not answering when you call my phone, or not replying when you text. I'm very much in a hibernation state, and pretty much don't feel like talking to anybody these days.
It's not you, it's me.
(amanda)
Due date plus three.
Still pregnant.
Yesterday I ate kung pao chicken for dinner, PLUS Nate and I walked like 1 mile and a half once it finally stopped raining. Spicy food, walking... I had some pretty regular contractions as I was trying to fall asleep, but I did eventually fall asleep, so they obviously weren't anything too intense. And today's been pretty much a big fat nothing.
At this point I feel like every night when I go to sleep, it's Christmas Eve. And I am a little kid, and I am so excited for it to be Christmas so I can open my presents and get the stuff out of my stocking, and then I wake up in the morning, and....it's still Christmas Eve. And I still have to wait.
This waiting is exhausting.
Today we finally installed the carseat. We've been hearing from everyone about how hard it is, and how you better make sure you bring it to an inspection station before the baby is born to make sure it's installed right, and how they actually offer a half-hour class at some fire stations in the area so you can learn how to properly install your carseat. So we head out there, instructions in hand, ready to tackle the CAR SEAT INSTALLATION OF DEATH and...it was wicked easy. With the whole LATCH system thing that they require in cars these days, it was even easier than the old way of buckling it in with the seatbelt. Just take the strap and snap it onto the little anchor on either side of the seat and then look to make sure the little level thing on the side is level. Bam. Done. So easy. Now I'm wondering if maybe we did it wrong, cause it was so easy...
(amanda)
It's Friday night. We're going out, and trying to forget about the fact that I'm a day past the big day and no babay in sight...
We're gonna go walk around the mall and buy me a new nosering and maybe get ice cream. What excitement!
(amanda)
Today.
The baby is due today.
But seeing as it's already nearly 9pm, it's looking like there will be no action today, and this baby is going to take after it's momma and enjoy being late.
I went and walked all around the outlet mall today. Didn't buy a ton of stuff, just walked around, looked at baby clothes, got a pedicure... made sure to park pretty far from the entrance, so I also had a nice long parking lot walk. But all that walking was to no avail.
At least my toes look good as I sit here and watch The Office.
(amanda)
I've finally done it.
What, you ask? Why, I have baked the perfect chocolate chip cookie.
I have been trying for years to not only find the perfect recipe, but to actually bake the perfect batch of cookies. As anyone that knows me can attest, I am not a good cook or baker. I tend to screw things up pretty badly. My family has a wealth of cooking/baking/candymaking mishaps of mine that I am sure they would be happy to recount to you upon request.
But I made cookies on Monday night, and let me tell you- I finally achieved perfection in a chocolate chip cookie. Heather, you would be so proud of me if you could taste these cookies.
While baking cookies I was feeling some (super mild) contractions, and as I was pulling the third tray of cookies out of the oven, I said, "you know, I think these contractions are all about 10 minutes apart, cause every time I go to pull a batch of cookies out of the oven I have a contraction." But sadly, those 10-minute-apart contractions did not increase in either intensity or frequency. So no real labor. At least at the end I had some amazing cookies to console my still-pregnant self with.
Tomorrow is the due date. Tomorrow the lease on this kid's current domicile is up. Time to move out. Time to move on to bigger and better things.
Come on out, baby. I'm ready to be a mom...
I can bake chocolate chip cookies now.
(amanda)
After all that.
Down 3-1 in the series. Losing 7-0 in the 7th of Game 5. Pushing it all the way to Game 7. Starting off the game with a homerun.
We lose? To TAMPA BAY?!?!?!?
Damn.
Now I'm REALLY depressed. Alright then, baby. Your time is up. You need to come now.
(amanda)
Wow. I'm surprised I didn't put myself into labor, getting so worked up and excited watching that game. I was actually jumping up and down on the couch at one point. I was also sitting on my birthing ball for part of the game, which was fun, cause I started bouncing up and down when things got exciting. Also, my throat hurts from the yelling and screaming.
Down 7-0 in the 7th and they come back to win it? Only the Red Sox.
I've decided that this baby NEEDS to be born while the Sox are still playing baseball. So in about the 4th inning this evening I said, "Okay, God. Either the Sox need to start winning, or... this kids got 5 innings in which to be born."
He chose to go with the Sox win. Which is great. The kid's lease is now extended to at least the end of Saturday night's game.
In non-baseball news, I have finished the baby's room. I added some pictures onto the pictures page, feel free to check em out. I think it came together nicely. It's not your typical pink or blue or minty green baby baby room, but I like it. Now all it needs is a baby. Even though, really, the baby won't be sleeping in there for awhile yet... we've got a cradle that will be in our room for when the baby first comes home. It's a very nice cradle. My dad made it for me when I was a baby. So that is pretty awesome, I think. I like having stuff that was mine when I was little. I'm sentimental like that.
(amanda)
Ten more days. 10. Diez. Dix. Zehn. X. Ten.
At least, ten days until the due date. Who knows when we'll actually be seeing this kid. I've been having a few sporadic contractions, nothing painful, and the Braxton-Hicks have all but disappeared. So I feel like I've moved backwards. But I've got a doctor appointment tomorrow, so I'll get to find out how things are looking.
Sitting here watching Game 3 of the ALCS. We're only in the third and the Sox are down 5-0. Which is not the best way to begin a ballgame, but there's still plenty of game left to go. It's still totally winnable. If they would stop stranding runners in scoring postion...
I'm at home all week this week. Which on one hand- cool no work! I can get things done! But on the other hand- I've got to make sure I keep myself very very busy or I start thinking. And when I start thinking I start wondering. And when I start wondering, I start googling. And then next thing you know I've completely freaked myself out and read 5 different labor horror stories because I've googled "what do contractions feel like." Today I kept quite busy.
It's been a busy couple of days, really. Had a fantastic weekend. On Friday we went to a going-away party for a friend of ours that is leaving to do mission work in Honduras for a year. We'll really miss her, but she is wicked excited about the whole thing. It's a really cool opportunity for her.
On Saturday I got my hair cut, and I absolutely love love LOVE it. It's not super short or anything, but it now looks nice and healthy and there are some shorter pieces around my face...it just looks good. After the haircut I headed off to a baby shower that a friend threw for me. That was a good time. She had plenty of baby-related games, and there was loads of delish food, and of course great friends and cute gifts to ooh and ahh over. I had a really nice time. Then I headed home, where we had some people over to grill out and watch the Red Sox game. It was fun to hang out with two sets of our couple friends, and actually all three of us are expecting, so that was pretty cool. The guys stood around outside and grilled and drank beer, and us girls sat around inside and drank water and talked about buying maternity clothes. I'm really glad that Nate and I have friends who are also couples (and we both like both of them), who are ALSO going to have babies by next spring.
I'll end this uber long post here. I've got a game to watch. And some ice cream to eat. Catch you kids later.
(amanda)
Baby soon. It's really weird to think that it's almost that time. I actually feel very calm about the whole becoming a family part. It's just getting there that makes me nervous. I still don't have a definitive answer on what exactly my insurance will be covering for Amanda, and I wish that all of that could be easier. We've got enough put away on the chance that insurance covers none of it, but even then, there are dozens of factors that would determine the final bill. I like dealing with fixed components for a challenge. I'm not so much a fan of this open-ended stuff. I feel like I've woken up at 4am to finish packing for a great vacation; I still have a million things to do in between now and the flight there, but I know that the vacation is going to be great. I just gotta get through the last bit of turmoil.
When you strip all of that away though, I am truly looking forward to this. Sure, there are going to be changes, and yeah, I might have to play Gears of War with headphones on. But dangit, this is going to be something great. I'm going to be a father.
And here's where my wife smiles because I actually posted something!
(Nate)
Hurrah! Sox win the series and they advance to face Tampa Bay in the ALCS!!!
I needed that. I was kinda low today.
(amanda)
Sitting here watching Game 3. Or, more accurately, trying to watch game 3 between trips to the ladies room. I am not even exaggerating, I have peed 6 different times in the last hour. Thats right. I am getting up to pee, on average, every ten minutes. Once I made it like 15 minutes, but then the next time I only lasted 7. This is getting ridiculous.
Been having crazy tons of what I assume are Braxton-Hicks contractions this afternoon/evening. So I've been relaxing, lying on my left side and all those things you're supposed to do. Oh, and downing water like its my job. Which is, of course, contributing to the constant peeing.
Okay. Just got back from the bathroom. Again. The game is heading into the 12th inning. Nate fell asleep on me. Poor guy worked his butt off in the yard today, mowing and edging and pulling weeds and trimming back unruly plantlife. But the yard DOES look fantastic.
I didn't do much today. Sewed a pillowcase. I was planning on sewing a bunch of pillowcases, for the daybed that is in the baby's room. But the first one took me so damn long that I gave up after one and took a nap. I'll try and do some more tomorrow.
I hope I actually get to sleep tonight. Last night? Not so much. Up a thousand times (to pee, of course), and then once I did get back into bed and manage to manouver myself into a somewhat comfortable position I would either lie there awake with no good reason, or be suddenly stricken with heartburn, or I'd fall asleep for a few precious minutes only to awaken moments later because of some weird dream involving me breaking into a clothing factory and breastfeeding a strangers baby, or of my belly button popping out of my belly entirely and leaving a gaping wound, or something else equally disturbing. I finally quit trying sometime shortly after the sun came up, and got up to eat eggos and watch old episodes of The Daily Show online. I feel a bit blah today.
On that happy note. I'm ending the post. The Angels just got a run in the 12th, making the current score 5-4. Also, I have to pee again. It has, after all, been 12 minutes.
Game 2 tonight. Sox lead the series 1-0. Woohoo!
It's only the top of the second, but we're up 4-1 already. That merits two thumbs up from me in my awesome Red Sox maternity shirt that Nate bought for me.
So stoked for playoff baseball!
Got to get back to the game. I'll close out with another side view belly shot.
This is me at 37 weeks, 1 day-
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