L'Shana Tovah (and shabat shalom)

Boy's obsession with Polyphonic Spree Begins

2 Year Check Up

Well I was sad that we weren't going to be seeing Dr. C. this time cause I had really liked her on all of our previous visits, but today we had our first FAMILY visit with our new Doc at BMC. Em spent the first 15 minutes in the lobby doing all of the paperwork (ha ha --- I got out of it this time - and she had to do the copay too. Double ha ha). The doctor checked in with me first - mainly just a rundown of my existing Rx's and giving her the sad news that I think I have the beginnings of arthritis in my knuckles (way big yucky!!! - Started during the really cold weather this winter). Then we got to the fun part which was Monito's check in & check up.
She did a good job distracting him with Elmo while she checked his heart and lungs & he got to run about and show off his great smarts and agility for her - my only question was really about how to deal with his ongoing dandruff... not a very serious issue - oh well. Lastly she got to encourage Em to actually try to take care of herself - a tall order for someone who can't get out of the hospital long enough to see a doctor. There was something nice about us all getting seen by one doc as a "unit" - it felt good to have someone realizing that his sleep effects our sleep and em's schedule & stress has effects on all of us. Anyways I'm not being to clear - suffice to say I think I like the family doctor concept... So without FURTHER ADO - here are his stats:

Head - 50 cm

Weight - 25 lbs (seriously thats all - I think Kingston is probably heavier) This puts him in the 15th Percentile... around where he has been all along.

Length - 36 Inches - Yup 3' Tall - That popped him up to the 90th Percentile !!!!! (according to some online doohiky this means that he'll be 6' 1" when he's grown)

This time last year...

Horsey

R's First Horse Ride ...

Thanks to Kath, Eric & Gabe for inviting us along for BBQ & Bluegrass at a nearby farm!!!

First Bike Ride

Emily got a bike seat from Lori, and a new rack to fit it on and a cute yellow chicken helmet & finally took the boy out on his first ever bike ride (I couldn't look). After screaming because he had a helmet on his head, he adjusted and by all acounts had a great time. Now we just need to get my police auction bike working and we can do a family ride down Memorial drive on a sunday when the road is closed.

WOW --- reminiscing... birth story included

Well, what do you do with your little lillie-pie tickler after your baby reaches one year old?

Anyways I am up at midnight on May 7th/8th having just made a bunch of cupcakes and then turned the leftover batter into a mixed chocolate yellow cake. Em & the lil' monkey are both sleeping soundly and have been since around 10:30. So a year ago tonight I was at St. Lukes Hospital getting the magic cervadil along with IV antibiotics because we hadn't gotten back my Strep test since it had only just been done. Labor was helped along with the magic needles of Joey Wyman that she placed around 9pm or so that night. Em went home around midnight I guess and I tried to sleep on the funky little hospital bed.

Woke up at 3 am with cramps... tired & confused it took me awhile to figure out that these were probably contractions - hmm regular cramps coming in rhythmic patterns a few minutes apart... what's going on here? I waited as long as I could before I called Em - it was 4:30 or 5. It's funny when you are induced after you have been prepping for going into labor at home - all the things I thought I was supposed to do were around figuring out when we should contact the midwives and go into the hospital & I realized I had no idea what I was supposed to do since I was already in the hospital - at a loss I looked at the clock and timed my contractions anyway - then I put on my headphones and danced around the room a little bit.

I took a shower around 7 and then got to move to my L&D room from my little holding room - the biggest difference was the size & it has its own bathroom. We put in another cervadil in the morning and had a meeting with Cynthia the midwife and Amy, our Doula. I remember we all had a meeting but I don't remember what anyone said, and I remember taking another shower around 11 am and by this time I totally wanted DRUGS - Amy and Em got ahold of Joey again & she came back and made everything better with those accupuncture needles and some tea ---
I don't know how or why I got it back together but I did & from then on I was able to go with the labor as it happened.

Deb arrived from Seattle some time in the early afternoon - I still had needles in when she got there. Her presence was the most amazing gift & she had the perfect effect on me - helping me stay calm and focused & feel safe. For the next bunch of hours we all just hung out & labor happened - I felt safe & taken care of with Em, Amy, Deb, the midwife & the AMAZING nurses from St. Lukes. Finally they checked me out at some point & said I was 7 cm dilated (YEAH) and we set up the water tub for me to do the last part of labor in. We had a glitch before getting me in the tub though cause we couldn't get a good reading on lil Blastos' heart rate on the monitors ... it seemed like we were trying for hours and I was about ready to jump out the window --- but FINALLY they said I could get into the water.

Water GOOD --- going from 7 to 10 cm's not so good, but better when done in water.

I felt his head - oh my god !!!! His head was right there, where I could feel him with my fingers - oh my god... this kid is going to get born. So we climbed out of the tub, and Em held me & Cynthia climbed underneath me and we pushed like 4 times (I think I nearly knocked Em over - except Amy was behind her holding her up) and he was born. There was cord EVERYWHERE and he was kinda greyish but then they took him over for a quick blast of oxygen and he scored a PERFECT 10 on his second apgar score*

(*Anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar, M.D. (1909-1974) was inducted on October 14, 1995 into the NationaI Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York. Dr. Apgar was honored with a U.S. postal stamp for the development of the Apgar Score, which evaluates the transition of newborn babies to extrauterine life. Dr. Apgar is the only anesthesiologist and the third woman physician to be honored with a U.S. stamp)

Then we were cuddling him & feeding him and marvelling at how wonderfully brilliant and gorgeous he is & we haven't stopped yet.

We miss & love you all ----

Happy Birthday Baby Boy - I can't believe what a big guy you are

Mama-Daddie R

High End Ultrasound...

Wow - with this picture you can actually sorta see his face - he is hiding behind the placenta - I guess its sorta like him having a favorite pillow - I figure he takes after me that way. The ultrasound was fine - he has a diaphram & its right where it should be.

So these are probably the last sets of pictures of little dude until we actually get to meet him this summer.

Scans

A few more shots of Blasto from the fine folks at CPMC

Son of a Butch

For Ila - belly shot while yawning

He's a boy we got the proof

Okay so these one's are hard to figure out, but you are looking at him from the bottom up - note the lil butt on the left of the photo - the white spots are the but bones. Legs & thighs are jutting out toward the right - you can sorta see toes & feets.. and yup there between the thighs & the butt is what Emily referred to in the ultrasound appt. as his "stuff"

My Brilliant Boy - thumb in mouth

Sick to my stomach & eating crap

I don't know why I think that a mini box of Frosted Flakes is going to make me feel better when I already have an after-dinner stomach ache. I am getting so tired of eating being no fun. I miss enjoying my lunches & dinner. I thought of going to a meeting tonight but by 8 O'clock I was too tired to get off the couch - so now its me, a big glass of ice water and West Wing reruns on Bravo.

I am kinda worried that these are spossed to be the "good" weeks of the pregnancy - ouch

January OB Visit

Well everything went well again - of course. I have begun to notice that at about the 3rd week between ob visits I start to decide that the lil blasto is gone. I am fine at the visit - more than fine - we hear his heart beat, they tell me he's moving around etc but then after the first week or two I don't know what happens - I just start thinking oops I did this or didn't do that or had that funny feeling --- yup baby's gotta be gone. I don't think that this is normal.

So the stats on me - good blood pressure - its staying the same each visit. Okay weight - it's also stayed the same each visit - actually this month I lost a pound - but since I started out with my weight ... shall we say substantial... the docs not too worried since I am eating. Its funny that my weight isn't changing cause my shape is FOR SURE. My belly is big & hard & sticking out funny. My breasts (uggh) are maybe twice their size and also solid - somehow. I figrure that the energy of making a baby and the little bit of exercise that I am doing is making up for the weight gain that the baby & all adds. The doctor says that I better expect this phase to end now & I'll be looking at adding a pound a week. Well see...

As for lil blasto --- it took a minute to find his heart beat but as soon as she got it it was loud, strong and fast - good news. She asked if I could feel him moving around because she could hear lots and lots of movement. I am not feeling punches and kicks yet - its more like rolls and cramping - last night at bed time it felt like he had a hand on one of my organs and was having fun pulling it and literally making me say ouch, ouch, stop it... Em thought that was funny.

As for em she didn't make it to this appt. but she is good to come with me to the big Ultrasound that we have scheduled for next week!!!!! Which also means new photos for anyone who is actually reading this lil blog.

Peace....

20 Weeks Pregnant - from Visembryo

Week 18 Post Fertilization...

A dramatic growth period for the fetus.

HEAD - Fetus has phases of sleep and waking and may prefer a favorite sleep position. Temporary hair called lanugo appears on the head. Lanugo may fall out in the second week after birth, allowing fine scalp hair to grow. Eyebrows begin to form.

SKIN - Brown fat (colored by capillary growth) coats neck, chest and crotch areas around the lymphatic system. The vernix (consisting of dead skin, lanugo cells, and oil from glands) is now clearly formed and visible covering the skin.

PLACENTA - Placenta is fully formed and grows in diameter though not in thickness.

Blasto Does Vegas

Here we are in sin city - baby boi blasto & me... The trade show has been the hardest ever - between me being sick & not able to take much - Blasto being along for the ride, Alicia (my workmate getting sick too - sorry) - all the porno fans and the largest convention in the world happening at the same time & in parts of the same building.

So I started getting sick just after New Years and got on a plane on Wed am & flew out to Vegas - I did sudafed for the flight -hopefully not a HUGE mistake. I think I could feel my blood pressure going up - probably just from the fear that I was messing with Baby by taking a decongestant. While I was standing in the SW line at the Oakland Airport Deb S. called me & told me that Eliot just got on a plane to Vegas cause he's going to the CES show - yeah a friendly face amongst the crowds!!!!

My flight was ok - mercifully short although very crowded with techie boys coming for the not porn convention. Found the hotel ok - its old. It has windows that open. We are on the 24th floor. The casino really smells like smoke & I am very congested.

Eliot & I make plans to meet up on Friday - I wait for Alicia to arrive to get dinner - we go to the cheesy cafe in the hotel - not bad not good - Go to bed early.

I am up EVERY HOUR - either coughing or peeing - this sucks!!!!!

Thur am Alicia & I get ready our plan is to go to the show early and make the most of the trade only day - While she is getting dressed I cough so hard I puke - second instance of vomiting in the whole pregnancy - did I mention this sucks ?? Alicia is gracious - this must be a real dream come true for her. We get it together catch the monorail & realize we have to walk from Harrah's past the golddust to the Venetian & through the venetian to get to the Sands Expo center - what we just saved in cab fare we wasted in a half hour hike - I get blisters from the new Vans. Alicia is wearing heels she looks good but gets blisters too - we aren't even at the show yet.

Registration - hey that part goes ok, starbucks - tazo tea check, quick walk through of the B to B section of the show - spot Tantus, Vtex, GV, Fun Factory, et al good. We head upstairs to the DVD section to walk through there - wowwie Mister... these folks spend some $$$ on their display booths - all the major players are here - Vivid, Wicked, VCA, Club Jenna, Tera P., Mayhem, Evil Angel, Red Light, and on and on and on.... the First star we see is the incredibly Hot & Dirty Belladonna - oh my god she is soooo cute!!!!!!!!! Alicia and I both gush like schoolbois. Then we head back to the Gay VN mini section and chat up the guys at Channel One Releasing - I co-visit some other video booths with Alicia then leave her on her own to work her magic (and meet ms. Jenna J.) and I head back down to the Novelty Folks.

I run into Metis and join her for a quick walk, then need to make my own food run (blasto calls) I have just about the worst sandwich of my life - it cost $10. See JP of GV and go over & offer congrats about the Boston expansion - they are all very excited. Alicia finds me & we go back to our hotel room so I can take a nap.

My meetings in the Suites go really well - it is exciting to see that the big manufacturers are really starting to make some fun items - bright colors, better materials, more options - stuff thats cute & sexy!!

I drop down to Canyon Ranch for a minute and ask about prenatal massage - yep they do them - what a tease.... I want a spa day SO BAD - but I can't go into saunas or tubs anyways so its really a silly thought... maybe next time.

I go back up for the hosted cocktail party - run into the GV crowd and hang with them - they have so many folks here - merchandising, marketing, wholesale mgr, buyer, web mgr .... A lot of new folks too - again they are very jazzed to be announcing the opening in Brookline. I say hi to Mr. Doc Johnson - he has no idea who I am... but Ms. California Exotic does so thats a win.

Dinner at Aqua Knox - truly an exercise in overindulgence - I am caught up in the spirit and switch from trout to surf n turf at the last moment... the lobster is the size of my arm (really I am not joking) the steak is the size of something much larger than my stomach in its present state - did I mention the cocktails, the appetizer plates, the chocolate fondue, the bottles of wine...

Slept much better tonite - sleeping the sleep of the overstuffed lobster queen.

My Delicate Condition

Wow – so I think I’m going to have a baby (18 weeks into this and I’m starting to get the inevitable). Emily is a little worried about me because I made myself a “baby doll” the other night with one of the pajama outfits that D-Gina gave us. I don’t know if anyone else in the world has done this but I feel like its making the baby seem more real to have some sort of physical – outside representation of the little one who is coming (soon…). I sit and look at “him” (the t-shirt stuffed yellow duck pajama boy) and wonder what I should say to “him” – is this behavior somehow preparing me for parenthood? I have no idea – but I do feel an odd sort of affection for lil yellow pj guy.

I have been reading the Sears Birth Book (a present from some of my great work compadres) and folding the onesies that em brought back from Boston & it does feel like something is sinking in. Last night Em & I were at Ikea for storage options & we also looked at baby room stuff – I’m not into the Ikea options –but I do have a list of what I think we need – from crib to receiving blankets to vaporizer etc… It’s not too bad so far. I’m gonna ask some of the recent parent friends & family if its on target.

Emily is funny cause she kept getting mad at me for trying to carry stuff or pick stuff up at Ikea – she is concerned (suddenly) with my delicate condition.

18 Weeks today - visembryo update

Week 16 Post Fertilization...

Growth continues, but no new structures form after this point.

HEAD

Eyes are at final destination and face forward rather than to the sides and reflexes, such as blinking, develop. Ears move to final position and stand out from head.

ABDOMEN

Meconium begins to accumulate in the bowels. Meconium is the product of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid.

LIMBS

Fingertips and toes develop the unique swirls and creases of fingerprints and toe prints.

NERVOUS

The nerves are being coated with a fatty substance system (myelin) to speed nerve cell transmission and insulate them for uninterrupted impulses.

BLOOD

Circulation is completely functional. The umbilical cord system continues to grow and thicken as blood travels with considerable force through the body to nurture the fetus. The placenta is now almost equal in size to the fetus.

http://visembryo.com/baby/week16.html

OB VISIT 3

OB VISIT #3

Today we went in for our December appt. – and everything went great. My uterus has moved up higher in my belly and the babes heartbeat is 150 beats a minute (its really fast) - and my blood pressure is good – no sign of diabetes. All in all everything is looking good.