Well it's about time!

Ok, it's true: we have forsaken the blog. It's not that we don't care, or that we don't feel like sharing anymore, but working and raising a baby doesn't seem to leave much time for things like cooking or cleaning- let alone blogging. But if you've hung in there for the last 3 months just waiting for an update, then you certainly deserve one!

Our little hippo, now known as "Bug," has undergone amazing transformations in the last few months. At some point early in January, all the planets aligned and he started sleeping through the night. For at least a week, I stayed awake most of the night convinced that something was wrong with him. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and the old "up every two hours" pattern to come roaring back- but it didn't. Oh, what a little sleep can do for your morale! And sleeping better at night certainly seems to have made Bug happier during the day. He's now become a laughing, babbling, rolling, sitting, nearly-crawling ball of fun.

It's also amazing to notice the changes that being a parent brings. When I hear him wake up in the morning (even when it's early), I can barely keep myself from running over to his room because I'm so excited to see him again. I don't mind when I end up going out in public with dried peaches on my pants. Or washing a load of diapers for the second time in one day. For that matter, I never knew I would be so happy that another person had a bowel movement! I've got a new understanding of the moms you see with grown out highlights, no makeup and sweatpants- personal grooming now ranks way down on the priority list. And I also didn't know that watching them together would make me love his father even more.

Every minute that I spend with Bug, I feel so in awe of the pace of his development and am happy that I can share in his wonder at the world around him. I hope that feeling lasts!

meta-update

Etymology

From Ancient Greek μετά (meta).
1. transcending, encompassing
2. Pertaining to a level above or beyond, for example, metadata is data that describes data

A meta-update would therefore be an update on/of updates.

Here's the deal- Yes, it's been a month and a half (conservatively) since the last update.
Yes, that's half of the time that Hippo's been here (he's a little over 3 months for those counting).

Yes. I'm sorry.

While I don't want to post pictures and video wantonly, that's what I may end up doing shortly.
I have quite a bit backlogged - and I want you, our family and friends, to enjoy what we're enjoying.

Yes, there is a slight bit of sarcasm in that.

All told, this is a great thing. But, truthfully, it's not for everyone. I'm glad we're in it together (me and Mammo), but I can see how it could drive someone bonkers.

We've "beat" the colic, but now are dealing with an inexplicable howling and who-knows-what that keeps him from eating, sleeping, and generally being predictable. It's as if everything that worked at one point doesn't anymore.

I wouldn't trade this for anything...

Dealing with Colic

It's one of the first questions new parents ask one another- after you get through the when, where, how much...
It's a natural progression: How much did he weigh? How much sleep are you getting? (or if your friends/family doesn't have a child: "Getting any sleep yet?")

"Oh, he's colicky."

We'd spent quite few nights trying to calm down an upset hippo. I was going to try to record it, but there's absolutely nothing even remotely interesting about hearing/seeing your child cry himself raw. It's really not one of those things that you really want to share... We're not talking about wet diaper cry, or hunger cry, or I'm not ready for bed pouty lip cry. We're not even talking about 10-20 minutes of crying. We're talking hours.
Hours of the unimaginable.

Something that's used and is still recommended regularly is called Simethicone, and is sold under a couple of brand names. Basically, it takes all the little air bubble in the baby's stomach and combines them into one big burp-able bubble. (Chemistry is cool.)


Another option is peragoric, which is a mix of alcohol and opium. This settles the baby and the gi tract, and, well, just about everything. Did I mention there's opiates in it?

A recent study out of Turin, Italy tested probiotics. Specifically, Lactobacillus reuteri. When compared to simethicone treatment, breastfed babies significantly reduced their crying times. The paper is easy to read and understand-

This was apparently part of a larger study looking into the same thing. Something like 15,000 babies were tested, and a statistically significant number "got better' (as indicated by a decrease in crying time). The interesting part of the study is that simethicone treatments showed no marked improvement in the colic, and in some instances made the situation worse! Yikes!!


Why am I telling you about this? Well, we no longer have a colicky hippo. He's fussy, yes, but he's not going on these awful crying jags. We used a probiotic that's available from a number of online suppliers (we couldn't locate any in Balto.). Oh- and for what it's worth: our Hopkins pediatrician recommended we go this route-

For those of you who may need these in the future, or know some weary parent who does, they are called BioGaia Probiotic Drops, and they are anywhere between 32 - 40$ (shipped) for a 28 day supply. You only really need one 28 day supply to see results. The difference is day and night. Day- he's happy. Night- he's sleepy.

I'm not getting paid for this...

Things I've Learned pt.II

There is cool lullaby music out there...

(clicking on the links will direct you to the itunes store)

Pink Floyd
Coldplay
AC/DC

Things I've learned pt.I

No burp cloth is big enough. 

This is especially true if you're wearing something you need to go out of the house in. (Dress shirt for the interview, etc.)

Almost a month's worth- someone's smiley now!

It's been about a month since the last photo post- so we've got some catching up to do. Naturally, as "proud" parents, we're snapping a ton of pics. Here are a choice selection...

In and among the photos of Dan are 2 that are of someone else. See if you can guess who...

5 S's for a Happy (!) Baby

We were hoping that Hippo wasn't going to be colicky. This evening has been a challenge in a number of ways. 

To begin: 

We've started to recognize his cries- a mix between Bert from Sesame Street and a squeaky door hinge? That's I'm wet, poopy, or about to be one or the other. 

A hollow sounding moan-y cry is hunger. It sounds a little like, "mmwaah haa mmwaah haa..." I think of it as the evil scientist laugh/cry. 

Tonight- all bets are off. We have *no clue* what he needs. He's been nursing, or trying to for almost 5 hours now. He's clean and dry. He was a little warm, so now he's naked (mostly). 

Before Dan arrived, we read and watched, "Happiest Baby on the Block". This is a good book/video to watch if you've got the time. Here's the summary. 

Babies cry. They cry because they are uncomfortable. They are uncomfortable because their first few months out of the womb are the "4th Trimester". With this in mind, try to make them comfortable by mimicking the womb as much as possible. 

This means going straight to the "5 S's": Swaddling, Side/Stomach Positioning, Shushing, Swinging, and Sucking. 

Swaddle them tight (if you don't know how to do this, watch the doctors and nurses at the hospital *before* you take the baby home. You don't need a special cloth, just one that's big enough. 

Positioning- Hod them next to your chest. Hold them like a football... you get the idea. 

Shushing- This one comes naturally, but you've got to be loud enough and close enough for the baby to hear. 

Swinging- Watching the video, I thought he was shaking. It's more like jostling. It mimicks the movement that he felt in the womb when Mom was walking around. 

Sucking- Give 'em the finger. The pinkie (clean) works best for now. 

We've been doing this all evening. 

It made me realize that there's another set of S's. These are the S's you go through when you have tried everything else. 

Sweating- Oh dear- there's nothing like a howling baby to get the blood pressure rising.

Sitting and Thinking- Did I do something wrong? Did I not do something right? 

Searching Online- what are the consequences of "Crying it Out"?

Sleeplessness. Self explanatory. 

I tried to come up with 5, but swearing under your breath, and smiling were the runner ups. I couldn't decide which to use. I like smiling the best. It changes the whole situation. You can't be upset, frustrated, or even angry with a smile on your face. You can try to fake it, but you're only fooling yourself. 

It's especially helpful to remember the words of a wise man. He realized that a few simple words could make both the depressed man happy, and the happy man sober.

גם זה יעבור 

gam zeh yaavor

"This Too Shall Pass"

Maybe that's the 5th S. 

Solomon. 

These 2 are (unfortunately) blurry close-ups of Dan mimicking his Pappo.

He spent most of yesterday in this state- it was perfect for photos! Too bad, we were close to this state as well...

My apologies to our friends & family in Cleveland, Baltimore, Boston (& the Cape), and other places with a Steelers aversion. To our Stillers Nation family and friends- Love 'ya Black n' Gold!




To our South American friends- if we had a CABJ or Racing Club outfit for him, we would have him wearing it (hint hint)...

Nose Sucker

Do you think this might lead to "nipple confusion"?

From the past couple of days...

We just celebrated our anniversary- who knew that 4 years later, we'd be celebrating our wedding day in the company of a wonderful little boy.

Look at those eyes!

Someone's got good ears- he's following my voice and the camera...

Looky Loo

Checkin' out the input...

A video from the middle of the night...

What happens when great lungs meet either a wet diaper, or an empty stomach...

I love him!

Pics from Casa Hippo

Photo Requests

If you want any of the photos you see on this page, email me by clicking on the link in the left column.
The photos are scaled down to 300x400 or 600x800 for web viewing. I have higher resolution (and bigger sized) images available.

To figure out which image you want, click on it, and then look in your browser address bar.

The address for an image should look something like this:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kbSLto5hCEk/SMADpIKM-aI/AAAAAAAAAK4/AhwugPmqGU4/s1600-h/IMG_7785.jpg

Email me the portion that starts with "IMG". So, in this example, you would request a full sized image of 'IMG_7785.jpg'

Hope that's clear and helpful.

HP

Pictures from Home & a Trip Out (Sept 4)

More photos from our recent trip to the Dr., as well as the post-interview cuddling. I love how flexy Hippo is. Check out his back leg up by his nose. He slept like this for quite a while.




Today's been good, though he's either cluster feeding, or just trying to torture HippoMammo. He's relentless in his hunger. She's been feeding him almost constantly since last night around 10pm. We did take a little tour of the Fort, but that's about it. It's a bit humid and uncomfortable for HM at this point.

Photos from Home (Sept 1)

Since Hippo/Dan has been home, there's been a lot of feeding, pooping, sleeping, and crying...

His umbilical cord fell off Sunday morning around the 3am feeding; He's hungry, hungry, hungry; He loves his Mommy & Daddy & vice versa; He's a "gourmet" eater (see _What_to_Expect_the_First_Year_)

Here are a couple of pictures from the quieter of those times :o)

Photos from the first days.

Now that we're back home and getting in to a routine- here are some photos of our hungry hungry hippo, Daniel


















If you want any of these photos in a larger format, please email me. They are 300x400, so they aren't so big.

A quick update on the almost 24h old Hippo.

We're enjoying Hippo's company- he's regularly feeding, digesting, and poo-ing.
His cooing and crying are our new alarm clock.

There's not much more to add right now, I'm a little out of my head for many reasons, not the least of which is the sleep thing.

When we get him home, we'll post more pictures and perhaps some videos.

Thanks to all for the support and congratulations- it's only just begun!

More soon.

HippoPappo.

Daniel John, born August...

Daniel John Cherry, born August 25th, 2008, 12:37 PM. Weighing 7 lbs., 10.5 ounces. Happy, healthy. Mom's happy, healthy. Dad's is all smiles. listen

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No wonder it's called "labor"

On Wedneday I awoke with a backache and nausea, generally feeling icky. Then contractions begin very early Thursday morning, though admittedly I didn't recognize them for what they were until speaking with the OB nurse. I actually wanted to get checked for a UTI, but the nurse laughed a little and said, "Oh honey, you're in early labor."

[...]

HippoPappo:

It's now Sunday evening, and there's a little progress in three days. We're now 3cm; 75%; -3 station and regularly contracting every 5 minutes. Got a clock? You can set it to these painful puppies. HippoMammo's still actively working on helping Hippo come into the world, but I guess her womb is just a little too comfortable.

Let's put that into numbers that some of our scientist friend (most of you) can appreciate (I'd put it in a spreadsheet, but that would be weird).
2 days of labor = 48 hours
1 contraction every 5 minutes = 12 contractions per hour
48 x 12 = 576 contractions since this has started. That's not including the irregular ones we posted about before, or the ones that come every 3 minutes.

We're not complaining, we're not showing off... if we sound tired, it's because we are. Every 5 minutes. Through the night.

Hang in there HippoMammo!

It's all in the timing...

Okay, so admittedly, the last couple of posts make *no* sense whatsoever. It would appear that I haven't got the hang of mobile blogging, and this is not the time to learn. So.... like the economy, HippoMammo's having contractions.
For those spreadsheet makers (like myself), you can feel free to plug in the following numbers to see how far apart they are.

They're fairly irregular now, but getting stronger. Once we're strong and regular, we're heading out to the hospital. Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow evening, maybe Saturday (maybe I'll get clobbered for suggesting that)...

3:50, 4:13, 4:29, 5:12, 5:30, 5:48, 6:00, 6:10, 6:27, 6:37, 6:54, 7:14, 7:26, 7:36, 7:44, 8:14, 8:25, 8:44

256-304 not real.

256-304 not real. listen

Powered by Jott

Well it's a first set...

Well it's a first set of contractions at 12:37, 12:53 and 1:05 this afternoon it was a first official Jott blog from the cellphone, so irregular but happening. listen

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Update

For those of you who just want to know what's going on:

Today is hippo's due date, and he apparently has not received that memo. At our checkup yesterday, there really wasn't any sign of impending labor: I'm still only 1cm dilated, as I have been for weeks. His heartrate is strong, though, suggesting that he is completely comfy just swimming around for a while longer. The doctor scheduled an induction for next Friday, the 29th. That gives us a cushion of 10 more days to see if he'll make his own way out or if he's going to have to be evicted!

When the smiles turn to pity

For several months now, I have been cheered by the sight of complete strangers grinning ear-to-ear when they see me coming their way. There is clearly something about a pregnant belly that lifts people's hearts, and thinking about it, I respond the same way when I see a pregnant woman. It's not an "I'm laughing at you" kind of smile, just a goofy, joyful expression- and one that automatically makes me smile in return.

Recently, though, I have started to detect a certain amount of pity on the smiling faces. It's not that wide grin anymore, but more of a tilted-head, upturned lips sort of smile. I'm wondering what effected the change-- is it that my belly now looks uncomfortably large, or that I'm walking (ahem, waddling) even more slowly. Is it that I've now got bags under my eyes from sleeping less, or that I'm huffing and puffing a little as I chug along?

Just as I've given the goofy grin to pregnant women, I've also realized that I've been guilty of the pitying look. On one of my first prenatal visits, a very pregnant and uncomfortable woman perched on the edge of a chair in the waiting room, one hand on her lower back. I couldn't help but look at her and feel that she was in pain, and I just know the look that must have been plastered on my face. At least now, being in her shoes, I know the looks are well-intentioned. They're just not as cheering as those big grins-- how can I keep those coming?

Better Late than Never

Here are a couple of files that I've neglected to post. The first is the most recent sonogram (to make sure he's head-down). As of 7/29, he was as he should be.


This is from this morning's appt. It's his heartbeat after a very active move.

The rate is high due to the fast that he's moving around. Same with you and me- grab a heart rate monitor and sit down for a little. Now walk up the stairs at an easy pace. The difference can be/is startling (at least it was for me).

Preggo- It's in there!

Down to the wire

Well, as you can see from the counter, we are a mere 12 days from hippo's expected arrival. We've started a pool to find out when everyone thinks he'll make his appearance (no money is involved, so feel free to add your guess). HippoPappo's brother has been disowned for suggesting Labor Day (Sept 1) as the big day. I've been told repeatedly that first babies are often late- so why don't the doctors take that into consideration and adjust the due date accordingly? It'd be much easier for me to have been told from the get-go that his due date is Aug 26. I might have even been pleasantly surprised if he showed up earlier than that. But with this Aug 19 date firmly implanted in my brain, I suspect I'm not going to be so tolerant if that date comes and goes with no signs of baby.

For those of you who are curious, there aren't any signs to this point. I won't have an internal exam until next Tuesday, but since I'm not having contractions, we just have to suppose that there isn't any progress. That's probably not entirely true though- for the last week and a half, hippo has been sitting on my sciatic nerve, causing a lot of discomfort in my back, hips and leg. The OB suggested that it is likely his head moved lower in the pelvis, so that's a good sign. (Remind me of that in the middle of the night when I can't sleep due to the pain.)

For now, I'm just trying NOT to spend every minute of the day wondering when I will go into labor or if my water is going to break anytime soon. If you're feeling some psychic powers kick in, drop me a note and let me know when our little hippo is going to appear!



If you want to add your date- you'll either need to contact HippoMammo or HippoPappo- or login to your google account. The calendar is public... (HP)

Recent Belly Pic

Some Photos- Some Progress...

The Panic

We had a brief "scare" the other day when it seemed hippo might try to make an appearance ahead of schedule. After 2.5 hours at the hospital, two doctors offered two different opinions- one couldn't prove one way or the other that my water hadn't broken, the other said it hadn't. Hippo looked perfectly happy on all their monitors, so they sent us home.

Why did this cause panic? Well, it suddenly became very real that we could be having a baby at any moment now- and we're not ready. When HippoPappo suggested that we should go to the hospital and get checked out, I was reluctant (or in denial). But once I agreed, I saw the look- you know, deer caught in the headlights. HippoPappo started flying around the house, from basement to bedroom and back again. We don't have a hospital bag packed, but why would we have thought it necessary with 5 weeks to go? He seemed to want to grab anything and everything that we might need, and in the end the panic brought him to the front door empty-handed (but in a fresh change of clothes, oddly).

We don't have the carseat installed. We haven't washed hippo's cloth diapers, towels, burp cloths, etc. We haven't selected a pediatrician or started looking for childcare. We haven't even thought of who's going to take care of our "kids" while we're at the hospital. We are way behind. Everyone close your eyes and tell hippo (telepathically) to stay in his cozy little home a bit longer. Mom and Dad have got to defeat the panic.

Notification List

As we come closer to the due date, I'm trying to figure out the best way to let everyone know about our arrival. I'm using Jott as a way to take notes and keep my sanity. I noticed that it allows me to send email and sms text to groups over my cell.

If you'd like to get your name on the announcement list, send me your email and/or cell phone in a message to hippopappo at gmail dot com. Let me know how you'd like to be notified (one or both ways)...

Or, you can keep checking here for updates. I'll be able to post to this blog from the hospital through jott as well.

Hope to hear from you all!

HippoPappo

"Can We Go Back?"

We're taking childbirth classes at the hospital.

They are 4 evenings over as many weeks, and include a tour of the birthing suites, the nursery, a video presentation of childbirth, breathing lessons, and a handy little tote bag (we have yet to receive ours).

We're halfway through the meetings, and have mastered "hee hee hee hoooo" "hut hut hut hooo", as well as the guided meditations... (obviously I don't know what I'm talking about)

This past week, we "enjoyed" the childbirth video. This was a presentation that followed a few pregnant couples (and non-couples) through the labor/childbirth process. It was a little traumatic for HippoMammo.

First of all, there were a lot of naked people in the delivery room.

I'm not sure if this is normal. It doesn't seem like it's necessary or even productive, but maybe they know a lot more about giving birth than the regular Joe. I'm not being a prude- I'm totally cool with nudity in context, and perhaps as a lifestyle, but... I don't think there was a clear reason for it.

Second-
OMG, that's a vagina. I'm not sure if I thought it and then said it, or if I thought it, and HippoMammo said it. Either way- the jaws were dropped as the bluish-white heads came peaking out like the Eye of Sauron in TLOTR.

On the bright side- there was no footage of an episiotomy.

It was a mixed bag of emotions- from tears of joy/anxiety/reality, to "Can We Go Back?"

I think it's reasonable to suggest that this video should be shown to all teens. I'm sure that it would deter unprotected intercourse...

This week we get to go to the delivery room and birthing suites. We'll post after that.

In the meantime...


Enjoy the most recent heartbeat from Hippo.

From My Side of the Belly...

Some of the cool things about getting ready for a baby (at least in my eyes).

1)Your spouse gets curvy.
...it's cool. She may not like it, but for one thing- it makes it more real for you. You may have seen the ultrasound, heard the heartbeat, and felt the kicks, but when you see your partner looking like a beautiful pregnant mammo- it's something entirely different. There's a glow- a corny kind of magic feeling that you get in your gut.
Then, of course, there's the twinge of guilt knowing that this is largely your doing.

2)There's an alien in her tummy.
We're still trying to figure out what it is he's doing in there. While Mammo's sitting down on the couch, or laying in bed, there's someone else who's dancing, punching, kicking, and grooving inside her. We can see lumps moving across the belly, and see the kicks as they happen. Bizarro.

3)You get to think about some of the cool things that you can do with kids.
Are you going to teach him how to stick out his tongue right away, or do you leave that for the aunts and uncles (hint hint)? Will he play a musical instrument, or sports? Will he be better at sports than you were/are (That won't be difficult)?

4)You get to play with power tools!!
We live in the city, in a small rowhouse. Not exactly workshop material. There's only so much space. All of these cool power tools I've been acquiring are getting put to use assembling furniture.



5)Not to get all cheesy, but- you get to pass it on.
You have an opportunity to send off into the future some of who and what you are. You get to pass on the silly stories and the the things you've done up until now. You become more than a memory, when memories have faded.
It's good to know it doesn't stop here- the road doesn't end when you do.

Thanks Hippo. Thanks HippoMammo.

Wonderment

Before you suspect that all I do is find the negatives in a situation, I feel I should tell you that being pregnant does have its moments of pure joy. I wish that everyone, man and woman alike, could feel the incredible, amazing sensation of a very small human squirming around inside. It's not a feeling that can easily be described. One minute it might be a tapping/bumping, the next it's a flutter- sometimes it actually feels as though I'm being tickled from the inside. Maybe one time I'll feel a rhythmic sort of bubbling sensation (hippo with hiccups?) and five minutes later will come the slipping, stretching feeling of him pushing out against my belly, doing some form of acrobatics.

Almost more incredible are the times when I can actually see him moving around. There will be an obvious shift in the shape of my belly, so that it seems his head, or maybe his butt, is pushing out against one side. Or I'll watch a little wriggle go from one side to the other, like he's stroking piano keys from high notes to low. Other times I see so much activity that I wonder if there really is just one baby in there, or a whole little miniature army of them setting up for an invasion.

I want to share these feelings with those around me (well, just people I know), but it seems that whenever someone else puts a hand to my belly, hippo gets a case of shyness. Maybe it's better that way, because perhaps no one- except hippopappo- would feel the same sense of wonder and amazement that I experience when hippo let's me know he's there.

Next up- giant clown feet.

My shoes are tight. And it's not just from the occasional swelling. Several people warned me that their feet got larger during pregnancy and never returned to their pre-pregnancy size. I figured that this was probably something that happened earlier on and that if, at six months pregnant, I didn't notice any difference, it was not going to be a problem for me. Well, fast-forward a month and now many of my shoes feel a bit uncomfortable. The problem isn't necessarily that my feet just got longer, as was my impression from other woman, but they seem to have increased in width. And when they are swollen, forget it- they look like feet that belong on someone else's body.

I've been in denial for at least a week, and, as much as I love shoes, I don't even want to try any new shoes on for fear that I will feel more comfortable in a larger size. Anyone have some Ronald McDonald shoes I can borrow?

It's never okay to tell a woman she's fat!

Yesterday a coworker told me that I'm "huge" and therefore must be having a really big baby. Nevermind the fact that hippo has been measuring only in 33rd percentile and seems to be a bit smaller than your average baby. Even though pregnancy is the one circumstance under which it is excusable to gain a substantial amount of weight, it is never appropriate to call a woman- or really anyone but a sumo wrestler- "huge." The word cuts instantly to the heart. All day I tried convincing myself that at 30wks, a 20lb weight gain is not all that bad. A lot of my friends have gained 40-50lbs with their pregnancies. With 10 weeks to go, and staying within the 1lb/week guidelines, I should be well under that. But no matter what, having someone say that you are huge takes away all ability to rationalize it. Once that seed is planted in the brain, it takes hold. For future reference, if you feel the need to comment on a pregnant woman's weight gain, tell her that she looks healthy. That's much easier to swallow.

The wheels on the bus...

go round and round. But these buses don't seem to have any shock absorbers behind those wheels. Since hippopappo has been away, I've been driving part way to work and taking the shuttle the rest of the way. I think my employer has bought up the oldest buses in the city, some of which are big yellow schoolbuses. Needless to say, there is no smooth ride in these babies. My concern is whether hippo can develop "shaken baby syndrome" in utero. I fear that all the jostling and jolting (which is pretty uncomfortable to me) for 10 minutes each way, twice a day, could be damaging. Let's hope he's surrounded by enough cushioning in there that he doesn't feel the effects!

Instructions

I know that babies don't come with instruction manuals- oh that they should!
I found this set of instructions. I think they are fairly good...

Let me know what you think...

The joys of maternity clothes

I didn't expect to rejoice over elastic waistbands until I was at least in my 70s. Alas, their time has come a few decades early. When I first purchased maternity pants, the elastic waistband was a bit of a nuisance. Without a button or belt, there's not much to hold them up, and they just kept sliding down. Now though, as hippo is getting bigger and the belly seems larger every day, the elastic is a godsend. I can't imagine how anything with buttons or a belt would be comfortable longer than a day, and the stretchiness means I don't fear that hippo is being squished.

Unfortunately, the trade-off for comfort in maternity clothes, as is often the case with shoes, is style. They aren't the most fashionable or flattering clothes. It is possible to find some that at least fit the "fashionable" category- after all, flattering someone with a disproportionately large belly must be a challenge- but they are significantly more expensive. I find it hard to justify spending a small fortune on clothing that will fit for a month or so and is really only useful during the relatively short period of woman's life that she is pregnant. So, for now, I look like I fell out of late 90s Kmart ad- but at least I'm comfy!

The giant waistband on a pair of my maternity jeans.

29 weeks- almost to the home stretch

Soon I will need help putting my shoes on!

No longer an alien!

I just came back from another ultrasound. This one was scheduled because of some strange measurements in hippo's brain last time that needed to be re-checked. Those checked out okay, and everything else looks good (hippo's still a he). The bonus is that of course we get some new pictures, and six weeks makes a big difference!

He's only gained about a pound, but he certainly seems a lot bigger. And, well, more baby-like. In this pic he's got his right hand up to his face, and while he may have been sleeping, my liver was taking quite a few kicks at the time! In the second one, he happened to yawn... we'll have to teach him some manners.

A growing hippo

Okay, here are the latest belly updates. These are really terrible cell-phone self-portraits, but you get the idea. These pictures were taken on consecutive mornings, yet in the first one my belly seems gigantic! Soon "hippo" may be referring to me rather than the baby....

In any case, I'm certainly starting to "feel" more pregnant. I get winded going up a flight of stairs, vacuuming makes my back ache, and putting on my shoes is getting a bit more challenging. It's a good thing the summer weather is here- if I had to tie on snow boots right now, forget it! And Hippopappo has committed himself to giving me backrubs as often as I like once he returns from The Hole. I am the clear winner in this deal!

My Body is No Longer My Own (by HippoMamma)

At nearly 6 months pregnant, my body has not really been my own for a while now. Every thing I do, eat, drink- or even apply to my skin- necessitates some forethought (will this harm the baby?). No riding my bike, eating sushi, drinking soda or alcohol, or even using certain moisturizers. But really, all that is okay and I don't mind the eventual trade-off of a *hopefully* healthy baby at the end of nine months. Okay, I do really miss sushi, but I can live without it for a bit longer.

The part that is really strange- not difficult, but strange- is actually being able to feel things moving in there. I've been able to feel hippo moving for about a month now. At first, it felt like tiny taps against the inside of my abdomen, almost like muscles twitching. These taps gradually became a bit stronger, until eventually hippopappo could feel them, too. It got very strange about a week ago, when out of the corner of my eye I actually saw an area of my abdomen pop out momentarily.

Although we've had the ultrasound and listened to hippo's heartbeat at every appointment and are assured that yes, there is a baby in there, it still seems somewhat alien. Granted, I already love the little alien, but it is awfully strange to feel these big bumps and flutters in my midsection, and to think that there is another person causing it. Soon, I'm told, I will even be able to see elbows and feet leaving impressions as they flail about. Will that make it seem less alien?

Belly Full o' Baby

Hippo's really starting to show. Our hungry hungry hippo is poking his head (or butt) out for the world to see. Since he's a boy, I'm sure it's his butt.

I'm not really certain when the big change happened, but all of a sudden, HippoMammo looks pregnant. Not super belly (OMG!) she's bursting pregnant, but cute pregnant. Maybe it was the tropical air, or maybe it was taking some time off of work, but lots of things started growing- in good ways.

I just want to keep touching the belly. It's pretty cool to touch something that touches back. Hippo's pretty active- kicking, punching, stretching, and who-knows-what-else in there.

I try to talk with him, hoping that maybe he'll remember my voice when he comes out. It's enough to make a grown man cry; thinking about what's coming and the great unknown that goes along with it.

A quick update, b/c we're swamped!

What we've been up to:

Hanging around with dummies (Infant and Child CPR)









listening to the heart...



watching the heart:


taking it easy:












and blowing off some steam:













we almost didn't come back:

Why Pregnant Women Waddle (By HippoMamma)

Everyone has seen those 8-months pregnant women waddling around, so there's no description necessary here. While I don't think I've got the full-on waddle yet, there are times that my walk seems a little more penguin-like, and I thought everyone might like a little insight into this phenomenon. Oh sure, there are some obvious reasons, but unless you've been pregnant, you may not really be aware of what's happening.

3) The belly. Yeah, that's an obvious one. As the baby gets bigger and the belly sticks out more and more, your center of gravity changes and you have to adapt to having all that weight out front. But really, how many guys with beer guts have you seen waddling?

2) Spreading hips. This one may not be obvious at first. During pregnancy, more of the hormone relaxin is produced. In animals at least, this hormone allows the pubic bone to widen, making labor and delivery a bit easier. As the hips spread to accomodate the disproportionately large body about to pop through a small space, some aches and pains in these joints can make walking a little less comfortable.

1) Hemorrhoids. Ah, the joys of pregnancy. Before a woman becomes pregnant, people tell her how wonderful the whole process is. Rarely does anyone warn you about the morning sickness, the backaches, or the "cankles" that come from monstrously swollen feet. And never, ever, does anyone mention that hemorrhoids, even for "regular" people, are incredibly common, incredibly uncomfortable, and will force you to walk like you've got something sticking out of your rear. The horrible truth-- now you know. Anyone have an inflatable donut I can borrow?

Congratulations, it's a hippo!

Here are some images from the ultrasound we had this morning. For those of you we got in touch with this morning, thanks for the well wishes- things are going much better!

The purpose of the appt. was to look at bone structure, heart, head, and other hippo-bits. It took about 1.5 hours, and it was very interesting.

We got a chance to see Hippo's heart beating away on the monitor. That's right- see, not just hear (I'll be posting video soon). We looked into hippo's head- something I'm sure we'll be wishing we could do much later in life. Too bad we can't tell what hippo's thinking about now...




Oh, and btw, I'm not very good at formating the location of the images- Perhaps by Hippo's teens, I'll have it under control!

The scariest thing we saw was a result of this being a "bone" scan- The technician told us that our baby would look like darth vader. I'm thinking more Skeletor, what do you think?

Hippo:




Skeletor:











We also had the treat of a 3-D ultrasound, which sounds really cool, until you realize that there's a lot going on in the womb right now. It's not always pretty. In fact, this is the second time they've tried to do this- and the second time we've flinched when the image came on the screen.

Here's Hippo's profile:















And Hippo's 3-D render:














So, is our little hungry hungry hippo a hippo or a hippa?
I know this is the moment that you've been waiting for-





Hopefully this is the only time our boy's privates will be on the web. By the way, the left scan- that long white thing- that's the femur. At first glance, it looks like, well something else...

Best Friend = Best Prep?

Looking into HippoDoggo's eyes this morning, I realized that she totally relies on us for just about everything. She's happy when the family's together- and oh, so sad when one of us is away.

It made me wonder if having pets is one of the best preparations for having a baby?

HippoDoggo's unable to speak- at least we think so. Sometimes we suspect that she and HippoCatto are in cahoots when we're away- but that's another story.

Just because they can't use language doesn't mean they can't communicate. Barking, whining, crying, purring, yelling, and sighing are all used in a cause-effect interaction. Woof- there's someone at the door- we go check it out (or at least I do- Nebby). Whine- The cat's making a lot of noise early in the morning because she's evil- we wake up and deal with her. Meowooaahhh- I think I'm all alone! Where are you? "Psst psst- come here." You get the picture. I know we're trained better by the pets than the other way around.

I suspect that Hippo's going to have the same effect. Crying, cooing, grabbing fingers, smiling, giggling. We will learn what each signal means and respond so that there's either more giggling or less crying. For now, and until they learn to say "no", we communicate through non-verbal cues and one-way "conversations". We will learn about listening as well as hearing what's not being said.

It's not too far a leap to suggest that honing those listening skills with a pet gives you a leg up with the non-verbal cues your baby is giving you. I could be wrong, and only time will tell- but I think there's a good theory here somewhere...


What do you think?

Rubber Band is the New Black

We're at the point when things are starting to get uncomfortable. Sleeping is difficult, backaches are common, and nothing fits anymore. It's not quite to the point where the maternity clothes feels like an option, but it's getting close. Since I'm not going through this right now, I can't imagine waking up one morning to find my pants need a ghetto-comfort waistband expander.

On the bright side- this is the time for the belly photo to start! We took one a month ago- though we couldn't really compare it to anything. You just don't go around taking pictures of your belly for kicks & giggles, do you? You do? Really? Hmm.

Anyway- these have been scaled based on Mammo's hand. So, it is what it is!

Looking at this image brings to mind another interesting question that 3 people replied to- the baby's sex. Do you think there's a correlation between where the belly sits (high or low) and sex? What about certain rumblings in the tummy and elsewhere- more likely a girl or a boy? Cravings? Dreams? Gut feelings? Post a comment below & discuss!

At our last appointment (Tuesday, 10/11), we participated in a study at the hospital that asked our predictions of the baby's sex. The predictions are based on whatever you want to base them on. It is trying to determine if there's a better than random chance of predicting the sex by the parents. I'm curious to find out the results of the study- I suspect they'll come out 50/50- but I'd love to be wrong- it'd be way more interesting...

Feeling better now that I'm sick. (By HippoMammo)

How is it that hearing the heartbeat of someone you’ve never met can completely change your outlook on the day?



I’ve been feeling a bit anxious over the last week or so, thanks to the complete turn-around in pregnancy symptoms. Now that I no longer feel horribly nauseated all the time, there really isn’t anything obvious to make me aware of the baby growing inside.

A few weeks ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself wishing my stomach would be upset so I would be reassured that all was going well. And yet, one day last week, I found myself doing just that. Since it’s still a little early to feel the baby moving, there aren’t any signals to let me know that hippo is there and doing alright. At least nausea lets me know that.

This morning was another of our monthly checkups, and this time hippo didn’t hide from the heart monitor.


The heartbeat was stronger and much clearer this time than ever before. Hearing that changes everything; ever since, I seem to have perma-smile. I hope I can hold on to this feeling of relief and reassurance, at least until either our next visit (in 3 weeks- the big ultrasound) or whenever I can finally feel hippo dancing about in there.

Thus Spake HippoMammo...

Ode to Pregnancy
-a haiku by HippoMamma

Bladder always squished,
Rubber band holding pants closed,
Miracle of Life!

Ways to keep in touch

You can get regular updates to this site by subscribing to the RSS feed.

If you're using Firefox (which I hope you are!), Click on the orange square at the right side of the address bar. Add the RSS feed, and you'll be updated when we update it.
If that doesn't work, click on the Bookmarks menu and then 'subscribe to this page'
You can create a nested RSS feed folder in your bookmarks- see what's been updated without opening the site!

If this alone hasn't enticed you to use firefox- I don't know what will...

Here's a screenshot of my RSSfeed bookmarks- I just scroll down and see what interests me on a number of websites. Saves time and energy!

This is your Brain.

If you're from the States, and of a certain age, you likely remember the This is your brain; This is your brain on drugs campaign by the PDFA. There have been many spoofs, and this is one as well.

HippoMammo's really bright. I've always told people that I'm so impressed that, while she may not always have the answer right away, her ability to ask the right question is amazing. She sees the whole picture and can drill down to the key question that holds the whole puzzle together.

So, it's a bit of a surprise when she's a little absentminded (that's *my* department); a Miss Malaprop (also my job (Booty Mible); or just spacey (I am Major Tom).

Reading What to Expect When You're Expecting has been our key to understanding what's happening not only physically, but also mentally. Pregnancy Amnesia, Placenta Brains, whatever you want to call it- Hippo's affecting her brain.

In fact, according to a report published in The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 82 percent of the women surveyed reported some type of absentmindedness or inability to concentrate during pregnancy. Of those women, 68 percent reported general changes in recall or memory, 54 percent had problems concentrating or paying attention, and 52 percent experienced absentmindedness.

According to one study described in New Scientist, in 1997 researchers recorded a number of changes in the brain that may explain the alterations in memory function. One small study looked at images of the brains of healthy pregnant woman and detected a temporary slight shrinkage in the overall size of the brain during the latter stages of pregnancy as well as an increase in the size of the pituitary gland. However, scientists said more research was necessary before memory loss could be attributed to these observed conditions.

- http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/absentmindedness

A 3-5% shrinkage in the size of the brain (with a 3-5% swelling in the feet- soon to come) explains a lot. The bright side of this is that in ~6 months, things return to "normal". The only excuse we'll have then is the sleep deprivation and confusion of what do we do now?!

So- it should really come as no surprise while making a PB&J that this happens:

A necessary explanation...

Before we go any further-

Although the title of the blog is hippopappo, and the growing baby is referred to as "the hippo" or just plain "hippo", I'm not implying in any way that my wife is the hippo- There's been some confusion about that, and I want to set it straight.

That said- I hope I'm not stigmatizing the child towards overeating. I'm guessing this blog will be deleted before "hippo" is old enough to know better.

Proving once again that I'm not...

Baby needs some new shoes- and pants, and shirts...

Went shopping for some new "comfortable" clothes this weekend.

I have to say, I'm shocked- not only at the lack of selection, but at the obvious proximity to the plus size area of the store. We wandered back and forth trying to figure out the difference between the two areas. Which rack had the HippoMammo clothes- and which had the size 20 clothes?

I think it's bad enough to be thinking, "I'm going to get really big." But- it's kind of the truth. There's no way to really avoid it. However, to be placed right next to the section that implies that there's a chance you won't "go back" to your pre-pregnancy size is something all together wrong.

I did catch a little wetness in HippoMammo's eye as she was trying on clothes that were bigger. I know what she's gone through to get where she is. I did it some of it with her, and it's not easy. In fact- I didn't do it all because I couldn't keep up!

That said- there's no regrets and no disappointment because of Hippo. I liken it more to standing at the threshold of the door leading to your 30th birthday party (esp. if it was a traumatic transition). You know you don't have to go in. You somehow feel you should- it's inevitable. Whether or not you cross that line, things are going to change whether you like it or not.

Welcome to Our FIRbee Friends!

Welcome to our Baby Blog!

A big welcome to all new viewers to our baby blog-

Where we are at a glance:

We're ~ 15 weeks along- our due date is schedule between the 10th & 18th of August.

We don't know the sex yet- but may find out soon! (Want to place a wager?)

We're tired, nauseous, nervous, excited, and craving some pretty interesting things!

We'd love to hear from you! You can email us, as always. If you'd like to call- click on the button in the left right menu column. It'll ask you for your phone number. Your phone will ring, and then ours will too! Keep in mind that we're on EST, so if you're west coast, or around the world- it might not work so well (I'm a morning grump).

We want suggestions! This is a flexible format blog- so ask away and we'll do our best to answer...

Thanks again for stopping by- leave a comment if you'd like.

A Lifetime in a Moment

Our last appointment was a 12 weeks checkup and explanation of the test results from the Nuchal exam.

Our doctor came in and said, "I've got great news- you're going to get to hear your baby's heartbeat today!" We replied that we had heard it at the second to last visit, but would be mighty happy to hear it again.

She brought out the Doppler radar unit. This is a device that's about as large as an old monaural AM/FM Radio- and the reception is just as good. It sounds crackly and full of static until the wand (transducer?) is on HippoMammo's belly. Then it's a whole other story. There are sounds and gurgles, and the steady woosh-wooshes of the mom's heartbeat. What we are listening for is a faster "old school*" knight rider woosh woosh of the baby's heart.

A little backstory:
Our first time hearing it was breath-taking. For me, it made it real, tangible, and concrete. I'm not going through the changes and pains and direct physical experience of this process, so I'm up for anything that will help me to internalize or appreciate it more.

I know I'm going to sound crass, but up until that week, I really felt my role had been finding food and finding it fast. I wasn't really sure it was real. After that moment- it was completely different. I don't look for things- I have them readily on hand (more on this in another post). There's a real human being growing in there...

Back to the present:
Our doctor is probing around and poking HippoMammo's belly. Nothing.

3 minutes later: nothing.

The doctor says, "hmm, that's strange, it should be right here." As a HippoPappo-to-be I can tell you that I felt too much at that moment. I'm not a pessimist by nature- I'm a realist. However, in that moment- I was running through a lot in my head and in my heart. I felt as if I had been thrown out of a roller coaster and was free falling from the top of the first hill. My heart was beating in my stomach so loud and so hard, I was sick.

Another minute goes by: we hear a heartbeat, but it's way to slow-
No, that's HippoMammo's heartbeat. It's good to hear, even now. However- to my ears, it sounds faster and deeper than normal.

"Stop hiding. Get over here and cooperate." I feel like these are words that I'm going to be saying soon. Or will I? Still no noise.

Finally, a faint quiet woosh- and then we've found the hungry, hungry hippo.



My relief was immediate. I don't think She and I were the only ones in the room breathing a sigh. The doctor mentioned afterward that she was getting a little concerned as well!

What I realized was a new level of sympathy. I could elaborate- but I can't find the words right now.

I appreciate the fragility of life more. I now know that the life you don't even know yet and the future you can't predict can be taken from you in a single heartbeat.

Tech Help Needed!

Anyone know how to extract audio from video using a mac? I have a 3g2 file with some important audio...

Call or comment!

Hippo's progress

Hippo's growth to date

Week 14:

Fine hair (lanugo) covering
Bones hardening
Thyroid gland matured & producing hormones
Transparent skin
About the weight of a first class envelope (~40 g)
Beating heart
Moving around
Fingerprints
Separate fingers & toes
Vocal cords formed
Functioning liver, pancreas
Prostate if Hippo's a Hippo
Ovaries if Hippo's a Hippa (they're moving to the abdomen)

We had our
nuchal scan and things looked great (see last
photos)

It's not the greatest update, but I've got some good ones coming up.

Leave a comment on what you'd like to see in future posts!