You don't have to call me darlin...darlin.....You never even call me by my NAME

We are pretty settled into our names for BABY SALTER. We made a last minute first place boy name switch on all of you. Daddy has given into Mommy's favorite boy name, which didn't make the original poll....PS: you can't add it to the existing poll...the function isnt allowed. :)

It is interesting to see everyone's responses when you tell them the names you have chosen. It is quite easy to see which names people like or dislike...or worse.

My inlaws even came back with the comment "Well, it is whatever YOU like, since you are the one having the baby." God bless them! For me this translated into "We don't like those names....but we love you and will learn to live with whatever you call our grandkid."

My parents weren't as subtle. Their response to the name Jonah ( no longer on our list). "We hate it!"

Often, our friends without kids will tell us that one of our names is on their "list" and to not steal it. TOO BAD! Ya shoulda gotten pregnant in October and had the option to exercise naming rights before us. :) And heaven forbid our little Natalie comes out rambuncous and you dread naming your future child after her.

You've all done this when thinking of names. I did it just Sunday. Audrey is my Aunt's neighbor...and she is a very nice lady....but a bit...um...DITZY! Ian is one of my friends from work, a great guy, a great dad...so I like this name.

We have decided to walk into the delivery room with 2 names each and see which name matches the face that comes out. If one of those 4 names doesn't work....We are going to call the baby Imogene Armpit or Horatio Dilbert...maybe. Joking again.

So, getting to my always winding point, what do our chosen names mean?

Audrey: Noble Strength. Ranked #51 on the Social Security Name Index in 2007 ( most recent survey to date)

Natalie: Born on christmas day. #17 on the SSN Index. This is a little more popular than I like it to be.

Eli: Height. #131 on the SSN....BUT...most people choose the full name Elijah...and that is ranked #30.

Ian: This name is out of the running...we think. It means God is gracious, and I like that meaning. It is ranked #74...a good placement.

AND the name you have all been dying to figure out, that some of you know, but is not included on the survey...Boy Name #1. Well....it means Son of the grey haired one or son of the bailiff. It is ranked #221 on the SSN index. AND, if you really want to know it, you can find that out by searching for it using the information I have provided.

Imogene: Not ranked on the SSN index. It means Likeness.
and/or
Horatio: Also unranked....it has no meaning. :)

What Does Daddy's name mean? Supplanter ( huh?) and it is ranked #15. This is Baby S Boy's middle name.

What does Mommy's name mean?: Resurrection, ranked #693.

To see what your name or your future baby's name means and where it is ranked visit www.babynames.com

Week 23

Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

Finally the call...

My midwife Cindy called me late Friday afternoon to give me the official ultrasound update.
We have an UNREMARKABLE baby! What?
That is actually a good thing according to ultrasound results....though I think the baby is pretty remarkable myself.
Baby is in breech position and weighs approximately 328 grams...which is about 13 oz's. All major organs are accounted for and functioning well. The placenta is high and right where it is supposed to be and all other points of the checklists are a-ok.
Still no A1C results, so nothing to report.
So, we have just 17 weeks left and all is well.
Just 1 more month and I am officially in the third trimester. I can hardly belive that as I type it.
Thanks for everyones constant prayers.

No News

Still no word from the OBGYN office. It has been a week since my A1C test and 5 days since my ultrasound. I have called twice and they say if I have not heard from the doctor then no news is good news. I surely hope that is true.

My blood pressure has gone down according to the handy machine at Weis Market.

The baby has been very active lately, not hard kicks yet, but somersaults seem to be the baby's routine of late.

Jim and I had a nice dinner with his parents here at our house last night. They got to see the nursery for the first time. They bought us 2 cute outfits from Carters and 2 matching pairs of booties.

We dont see Jim's parents as often as we see my parents, even though they are just 2 miles down the road. It was nice to spend time with them. Not only was I blessed with a pretty good husband, but I am lucky to have nice in-laws. They are excited for the baby to come!

Just a little over 17 weeks left!!!! WOW!!!!

I am starting to "nest". I want to clean out my closets and throw literally everything away.
I am not much on keeping up with fashion, so some of those clothes have needed to go for years.

I organized my maternity clothes and realize that I have just about enough to make it through the rest of my pregnancy...except I need new bras and new underwear. I am going out to get those today.

I figure that by my birthday, I will be able to go out and buy myself a little bit of a new wardrobe. Hopefully, I will be able to maintain a healthy weight gain over the next 4 months. My doctor suggests only 10 to 15 more lbs as a good gain, or 20 lbs total. As of today, I think I am at 6 lbs gain. I was down 12-15 lbs throughout the first few months...now I am seeing the numbers go up. They plan for a 1/2 lb gain each week for the rest of the pregnancy, so hopefully I stay on track.
I realize that the weight gain may sneak up on me...as I talk to friends it seems that the average weight they gained was 35 lbs, some more than 50 lbs.

I am not as ravenous as I was for the first few weeks of the second trimester. I have learned to eat every 2 hours and that seems to keep me even. No real cravings for me. I notice that if I hear someone say that they are hungry for something, I will migrate toward wanting that food.
Right now the baby can taste everything that I am eating. The baby really moves after I eat a salad or fruit. What I am eating is shaping the baby's likes and dislikes. Isnt that amazing?

We are down to a 3 day work week, so I have moe time to get things ready and also more time for naps. I love naps. I think I will take one right now.

Friday's Ultrasound

...of which I can find no catchy song to go along with as a blog entry title.
My mom and Jim and I made the trek to Carlisle Womens Center for our Anatomy ultrasound on Friday. I was happy to say yes to 2 students joining us for our ultrasound, along with the Tech.
The technician took lots of pictures, measuring leg bones and checking the 4 chambers of the baby's heart, kidneys, stomach, 3 strands of the umbilical cord. By all that we could surmice, we have a healthy baby in there...a gymnast of sorts, however. The doctor must give us our official report within the next few days. So, please keep praying for good results, as well as a positive result from my A1C test earlier last week.
I am very hopeful for 2 good reports.
Back to the baby...he or she is still just that a surprise...though Jim and my mom would tell anyone that, should they have not been present at my ultrasound, I would have not been able to stick with my surprise oath. It is hard to not try and sneak a peek or guess what you could or could not have seen. So, still 18 weeks until we give you all the official news of blue or pink.
The baby has my feet...no doubt. I may have even seen an extra long second toe.
We are just grateful to GOD hat we have an active baby that seems quite happy with its pad and its landlord. More to come when we get our official report.

The Sun will Come Out tommorow

Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun.

I used to sing this song, due in part to an obsession with Annie, when I was a little girl.
And today, it popped into my head.

Tomorrow is our BIG utrasound...and I am filled with excitement and faith that we will see an active, growing, healthy baby.

That is all that I can ask GOD for.

Most people believe that this is just an ultrasound to find out what gender the baby is. Wrong.
This ultrasound is to check the baby's brain and all other major organs and measure bone growth. It is to be sure that the baby is progressing with no forseeable problems and to check my cervix, placenta, and amniotic fluid. It is like a home inspection for me to make sure my body is being hospitable to its renter. I have faith that I am a good landlord for him or her.

I am excited that my mom can be my second person in the room with me, that she can see her grandbaby kick and move. I am happy that Jim and I get to see our daughter or son again, as the time before we are actually going to be holding him or her gets closer everyday. I am an emotional basketcase, because, like any other soon to be parent, I just want a good report.

Thanks to each of you for your unending prayers for the 3 of us!

Just thinking about tomorrow.....

Week 21: Banana

What is happening with baby?
Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your

own lunch.

I stole this from a Girl on thebump...because I loved it!

Here's something absolutely positive for a change. I have seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way.

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle-income family. Talk about price shock!

That doesn't even touch college tuition.But $160,140..00 isn't so bad if you break it down.

It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is; don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay forMother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck.

You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:
* First step,
* First word,
* First bra and/or jock strap,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren.

You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.

That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love and enjoy your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren! It's the best investment you'll ever make!

Beat it...beat it...beat it...

Thats what the heck I am going to do!!!
After I groveled over yesterday's bad weight gain and high blood pressure report and woke up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night believing that there was probably no blood flow going into my placenta because of my dumb choice to eat chips...I have a new attitude today.
WHATEVER IT TAKES!!! That is what I am going to do to get my blood pressure down and keep my weight even.
How in the heck could I be so stupid to think that eating 3 cups of mashed up potato chips and 3 tablespoons of ranch dip mixed together and eating by fork was not going to catch up with my body??? OR, an extra large fry with wing sauce and bleu cheese( dont forget the celery), OR 3 helpings of that damned to hell crock pot cake, OR....you see where I am going right? AND, this is just Saturday and Sunday??!?!?! What?!!!?
I lost 15 lbs in the first 15 weeks, so I thought "look at me...I can eat anything!" WRONG!
I am complaining about women smoking while they are pregnant and I am eating myself into the same corner...dont try to talk sense into me....you wont.
I woke up this morning and weighed myself and I weighed 4 lbs less than the scale said I weighed yesterday. AND, I went to Walmart to check my Blood Pressure and it was 139/80...not good, but better. I swear it is the sodium!
I go for my blood labs and that stupid A1C test tomorrow to check my blood sugar and I dont care...It is going to be negative across the boards...I am claiming it and believing it!!!
I am continuing with a healthy pregnancy, having a healthy baby, not having gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia....I frickin refuse. So there!!!

Sugar....ooh...honey honey

I have to stop eating like a ravenous dog. :)
Todays report. Baby is good. Heart BPM 150. My fundal height is good, just above my belly button. I officially cannot bend at my waist, because I have none. Our BIG ultrasound is scheduled for this friday at 3 pm. The doctors office was booked well of a month in advance...so they had to schedule me for the ultrasound to take place at the hospital. This is actually a good thing. The hospitals ultrasound is better than the doctors office. This will be the last time that we get to see the baby, unless there is a problem, until delivery day. I am very excited to hear that the baby is measuring well and doing great. Please keep those prayers acoming!
As for me, my 4 to 5 weeks of eating whatever I have wanted caught up with me and I gained 13 lbs since my last visit. YIKES! Keep in mind, I lost weight for my whole first trimester. So I really have gained very little for being at almost 21 weeks. However, this made my midwife a little concerned, because it was coupled with an increase in my blood pressure, which is normally very good.
SO, I have to go to get blood tests for gestational diabetes this week and work to get my blood pressure back down to normal.
For me, it means a reality check that I must start eating healthier...I knew that was coming. I knew I couldn't eat like a maniac for 20 more weeks. I probably gained 5 of those pounds over the weekend...no joke. So part of me is not overly concerned, the other part of me is very concerned.
It comes down to making sure that I am eating my best for the baby during the next few weeks, gaining only 10 to 15 more lbs in total.
I promise you, that until you have been pregnant, you do not understand the word hungry.
However, I now have a checklist of what I can and cannot do. The basics, really. More water, less sodium, less carbs, more protein ( remember I hate chicken!!) feet up 3 times a day, walk 20 to 30 minutes a day, no caffeine, more potassium. I vow to follow this to a tee.
Next report will be on Friday after the ultrasound.

Good Golly Miss Molli.....

I was happy to read a post on thebump today about helping Doxies adjust to a new baby. This has been a big concern for me. How will my first baby, Molli the Dachshund, adjust to her new brother or sister? Dachshunds are truly a possessive and obsessive breed( no wonder why I chose her??) The posts said to make sure our Molli gets used to baby noises and for Jim to bring one of the baby's blankets or burp clothes home and stick it in Molli's bed before we bring the baby home. Most Dachshund owners responded that their doxie became very protective of the baby ( I am a-ok with this) and that many times the baby became the Alpha to the dog.
I swear that Molli can hear the baby in my belly...she sits her little head on my belly when she is on the couch, like she is listening. She will be a good big sister!

Oh...we're halfway there...Ohoh...living on a prayer

Not just an ode to Bon Jovi.......
We are officially at 20 weeks this week...halfway to delivery day!
In just 4 more weeks we will reach what is termed viability day or V-day, where the baby would be developed enough to survive outside of my womb. Of course, we want a full term ( 37-40 week) healthy baby! Please pray that our Monday morning appointment is a good one and that we have a date set for our level 2 sonogram where they will check the baby's heart and all other major organs, etc...

Like a bridge over troubled water

What in the heck happens if my water breaks at work???
That is my question of the day.
How long before my due date do I take leave from work?
I have no idea what the protocol is.
What happens if I stand up and my water breaks and flows across the aisle and into Mary's cubicle like a broken aquarium? or worse yet...Tim's cube...or worse yet...while I am giving a presentation in front of people that I dont know?
Do I go to the janitor closet and get the bucket and mop before I head to the hospital? Like, do I take a paper towel and clean off the splatter on Mary's shoes?
What happens if Jimmy decides to be in the flag stand at the races and he can't hear his phone and I have to drive myself to the hospital?
What happens if I make him come home because I just think I am in labor...and it turns out that I am really not in labor? What if I do it like 3 times, like on Father of the Bride 2?
What happens if my mom can't leave work in time to drive 3 hours and Jimmy passes out and then I really dont have anyone to help me?
What happens if I have one of those really fast labors and I give birth in the parking lot, like when my Uncle Randy was born?
What if I deliver the baby and then all of the sudden they tell me that there is another baby that they missed in the ultrasounds?
What happens if in a few weeks my breasts start to leak and I have two wet spots appear just in time for me to go into a meeting with my new boss? I better start keeping another set of clothes in the car!
What if I sneeze and pee my pants, like the girls on thebump say happens to them?
Amanda said her cousin wouldnt sit on anyone's couch toward the end of her pregnancy...well I am not going to either!
God knows I realize people poop on the delivery table...and I am just now wrapping my mind around that fact. But, the people in the delivery room are used to that, right???
My coworkers may not be used to me dropping a few pounds of water mixed with amniotic fluid onto the carpet.
Seriously, this is what I think about thanks to the blood flow to my brain being twice it's normal amount.

it's feels good....it feels good...sure feels good to me

So then what in the heck could possibly be wrong?
I have been wondering that over the course of the last 3 weeks....since my last dr's appt.
If I'm not sick and I feel so darn good...then could something be wrong?
The baby is kicking...the kicks are getting higher...but what if they arent really kicks and I have been creating pseudo-kicking sensations up in my head?
My belly is definately growing and lowering. I am definately growing hair on my belly...yikes!
But what if I am just getting fat and I just never really noticed the hair before?
I'm just saying....5 weeks with no scares...well..it makes me ...scared.
While everyone around me is going in for their midway ultrasound...I havent even been scheduled for mine. This is because I have already had 3 ultrasounds...twice as many as standard protocol...so we are giving the baby a sound wave rest.
BUT....I miss his face...or her face.
Can you believe it? In 4 months, I will get to hold her or him for the first time. Ahhh....I can hardly wait for that day to come.
I wake up every morning and I open the door to the nursery and just imagine.
I open the closet door and smell the baby clothes that I washed the night before.
I go to bed every night and pray that I will get a clear glimpse of the baby's face and a strong sense of who they are in my dreams...but every morning I wake up with a different feeling.
One thing that doesnt seem to change...the baby always has thick curly hair like my sister in laws. I hope this is true...they have great hair!!!! One day the baby had glasses on. Some days the baby is a girl...some days a boy.

How did I get here?
How did I wake up one day with a husband that I actually like as much as I love and be just months away from being a mom? When did this happen?

How did I make it past the toilet bowl blues from weeks ago to the "the only thing I still dont like is chicken and soda...and that is a-ok" happy plateau?

My next appoint ment is Monday, the 16th....just one week away.
I am looking forward to reporting a strong heartbeat for baby, a healthy weight-gain for me, and the date of our BIG ultrasound, where we will find out that Baby Salter is doing great!
Keep sending up the prayers for a healthy baby!

What'll it be?

Most people are taken aback by the fact that Jim and I have decided to keep it old school and not find out what the gender of our baby will be before the birth. I guess I have always been in love with the idea of pushing the baby out and the doctor ( or in our case, midwife) saying...IT'S A...!
My Mom always made the story of that moment like a fairy-tale for me. She has always said that it is the greatest surprise you can give yourself and that once that baby comes out all of your pain seems to vanish.
I am ready to experience that moment in just a few short months. I am hormonal...so I cry at the thought of that moment..."the" moment.
Every single person, no exceptions, will say that they are "a planner" so that is why they are finding out what they will have. I have to say I am a pretty good example of someone who is "a planner" and besides pink or blue clothes and maybe the nursery theme...there isnt much "gender-based" to plan that can't be conquered once the baby is born.
But, to each her own.
I am plagued by old wives tale theories....so far almost all of these point to a girl, even the wedding ring on a string over my wrist.
It is fun to try and guess. This is why we have added the gender and name poll on the page. It is just fun to imagine life with a boy...or life with a girl.
Whatever God has chosen to give us is a perfect reward rather it be dressed in pink or blue.