little birdie, little bunny...

Christmas trees with adorable doggies....and pregnant ladies and thier ginormous bellies! Happy Holidays all of ya'll! Yes there is a photo of my belly here, and yes we have been slacking on the photos...we missed last week..well I have some but I didnt get them onto my computer yet! So this weeks is from 31 weeks.....I am 31 weeks and 3 days! I cannot believe how big my belly has grown, I mean it really blows my mind! I think that I kind of always knew that as a pregnant woman I would gain weight because I am normally really small (petite 5'2, 110 lbs)...but the belly, holy cow it is just HUGE! I/we are starting to get really excited thinking about labor and birth, I am so looking forward to the love and hard work I will have to do! It is going to be SO worth it....I am staying positive and still taking things day by day until "the time" comes. =) Maybe I sound a little naive saying this but I think that even as hard as it will be it is still going to be fun and amazing and transforming!


My belly at 31 weeks and 3 days......look at that its just GINORMOUS!

FINALLY, some baby shower photos!
There are whole lot HERE that Meg took!




Matt's Gram with her Blessingway Candle









My Nana being ever so cute in mid-sentence









This is Merlin one of our cats, he looks like he is sword fighting.....nothing to do with the baby shower at all









Matty with one of the baby carries we got that will fit us both, The Moby Wrap....Rad!









Baby Cake











Stevie has tied himselg up in the red yarn and he had a blast!











I cried so much when I first started to go through this gift, a large assortment of my fathers baby clothes that my grandmother had saved and my parents then kept.....so beautiful!

Here are some images from 28 weeks (taken on Saturday Dec 2nd)

28 Weeks and 1 day...

Today we had a midwife appointment, I now weigh a whopping 159.9 lbs! I have gained nearly 40 lbs, and I still have 83 days to go! We had a long discussion with our midwife, asking if I am gaining too much to quick, and I measuring larger than most women at 28 weeks. She said that I am gaining a little too much.....and my belly today measured at 30cm, but I am still within the 2cm ok range so I am ok. I exlained that I am getting a lot of excercise, walking the dog 3 times a day for 30 minutes and I go to the Y to swim. I am wating healthy, not pigging out on junk food and other empty calories. Of course any pregnant woman craves some sweets at some points, as do I but I don't endulge every day by any means. We talked about how I have introduced some organic dairy like organic cottage cheese, and organic block cheeses....though I am not over doing it because my stomach cannot handle too much of it. Today I was supposed to have had my glucose tested, but I just could not decide if it's a test that is absolutely neccesary. So, today I declined the test...even after having a long talk about it with our midwife. The test is more for women who run a high risk for having GD. I don't fall into this category, however the concern lies in my being adopted and not knowing my biological health history. For all I know, my biological parents could now have diabetes. Nonetheless, even if I am tested there is not any real evidence that shows treating GD can improve the outcome for mom & baby. So, I am going to think about it over the weeknd....and make a decision early next week. Of course the risk of not having the test is growing a larger baby, and in the end not being able to have a vaginal delivery....that is not an option for me. I am so focused on having a vaginal all natural "bring the pain" childbirth. I am excited to experience all the feelings that are a part of my body laboring and delivering a child. We will have new photos very soon, hopefully we take some tonight.

Here is a photo from last week:

All is well here with us....
Erin

Our baby Registries

Assuming that everyone has gotten thier invitations to our baby shower, here is a little insight into our registries:

ALL ITEMS ON OUR REGISTRIES ARE HIGH ON OUR LIST (we are not asking for anything that we really won't need or use):

(some things we are asking for.....see registries for complete lists)
Cloth Diapers
Cotton Wipes
Diaper Pail & Liners (wet bags for travel)
Organic Clothing (shirts, pants, baby bunting, baby sleep bags, socks, caps)
Organic Bedding (blankets, sheets etc.)
Organic Baby Bath Products
Organic/Natural Toys
Organic Nursing Accessories (pillow, nursing pads, scarf etc.)
Some furniture Items (see babies r us registry #64779253:
Music Cd's
Books

ABOUT CLOTH DIAPERS
We are not using any "plastic disposable diapers", they are highly toxic for babies and the environmental impact of them is incredibly higher that that of washing cloth diapers. Not only this but a friend of mine who has had 4 babies has used cloth diapers with all her babies, she told me that in total she has spent around $500 on cloth diapers and they lasted through 4 babies! Thats awesome! Oh she also told me that even though she was washing them often that she did not see much of a change in her utility bills. =)

We are asking for cloth diapers from: Wild Flower Diapers

More info about cloth diapering: Cloth Diapering

OK FOLKS HERE IS A PLETHORA OF WEEK 26....and today Nov 15th I AM 26 WEEKS PREGO!


The lone prego belly...











Attack of the bellies!







Holy doorknobs, look at my belly! Its the same size as a woman in our natural childbirth class, she is due in Jan and I in Feb!

TODAY I AM 25 WEEKS AND 1 DAY.

We had a midwife appointment today, and everything is as it should be......we have now met with almost all of the midwives of the midwife practice we go to, we have 2 to go. =) Nina was our midwife today and she was a very sweet and lovely person. My belly is now measuring at 27 cm's and I weigh in at 151! However, I don't look it according to the nurse who weighed me. =) It's just so shocking to get on the scale and WHOA! Anyways, I am just happy yo know that everything is as it should be, and I feel great and baby is moving and we are so happy. =)

The weather was so beautiful here today, it must have been close to 70 outside. Pretty strange I think, nonetheless I took advantage and me and Macy went to the local resevior for a hike. It was so nice to be outside for a long time, nice for me and I know Macy had a lot of fun. I think that it was around 4 miles all the way around.....
The leaves have almost all fallen off, so it smells so good.....the water was beaituful and clear, Macy went in the water a little too to cool off and to quench her thirst. We had a lovely afternoon.

After we got home and got settled, the baby was moving around a bit. It seems that after I have done a lot of any activity like walking or working out the baby is energized! Well now it's time for a nap...I am so tired even though it's 6pm!

A photo is coming soon. I am waiting for Matt to get a camera from his work.

lator

GOOD MORNING!

Let me start by saying how excited I was to vote yesterday! I was in such a good mood all day, because I just knew that things the house and the senate were about the change for the better of this country. Sure enough, the people of this country came out and made it known that they are tired of the direction the president and "his" partisan & corrupt government have taken us. I have a renewed confidence, and I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. THANK YOU EVERYONE! Also, some thing amazing and important happened in our state of Massachusetts....we elected Deval Patrick as our new governor...the first Democratic governor in 16 years! I AM SO EXCITED! HOLY CRAP! I am pretty sure that the baby felt my relief and excitement yesterday and all last night...the baby was moving SO much! Yeah baby...things are going to get easier! I know that a change will not happen overnight or even in a few months (or maybe it will).....but atleast now things can start to look brighter for our future, our childs future and the future of this country.

Ladedaa....

Hello all of you out there in lunchladyland......
I dunno, I am in a goofball mood I guess. So, the babe had been making lots of moves in my belly the past few days especially. I think that the baby is teaching itself to breakdance in the womb! I can't wait till we get Matt's turntables set up so we can play and mix records...that will really get the baby moving! I have been feeling the most movement in the afternoon, early and late evenings. Those are the times when I tend to be most still, so it makes sense the baby would move most then. Also when I am sleeping I tend to wake up a lot, I have been tossing and turning so much the past few days and when I do I often feel the baby moving around. I really don't mind at all, I love feeling the baby move any time day or night, its reasurring of the little miracle inside of me. =) I'm not sure when we will have a new photo for ya'll, I have no idea where the battery charger for the camera battery is. Well see what we can do.

I have been knitting a bunch again, I am working on a hat for baby to wear home from the birthing center.....I found a pattern online, but I am using yarn that seems to be much thicker than the pattern calls for. So, I will finish the one I started and just have to get some skinny yarn and make the newborn cap. I am re-taking a kntitting class that I had taken in the spring.....to help me to be better about reading patterns and how to use guage properly. Not long after I took the class in the spring I knit a bunch of my own patterns, and I kind of forgot about guage etc. That was a bad idea, because I have to learn by doing things....and I pretty much forgot what I had learned in class, though I excelled while in the class I have to admit. =)
Also, I want to let ya'll know that if you are able to come to the baby shower, you are welcome to knit or sew a gift if you want to!

Heloo,

Last night, well actually more like early this morning, i woke up and once again Erin was snoring VERY loud. I decided to go to the bathroom and see if maybe the snoring would subside with a little bit of time. On returning to the room i realised that this was not the case. Now normally i just kick her alittle and she rolls over and the smoring fades for a moment, but this morning I decided to try a differrent method. Erin was laying on her side and facing me so i decided that if I just put my hand on her belly she would sense stimulation on the life pod area and she would stop snoring...... Well, it worked like a charm. She slowly stopped snoring and seemed to be sleeping very calmly. Then as i lay there with my hand on her belly I felt some movement. Erin was sleeping but the baby was not. I realised that this was my first moment "alone" with the baby. WOW!!!!!!!!!!! It was very strange to have that moment in which I felt connected to this little creature in an individual way. Usually erin is awake (duhh) and she can tell me "put your hand here the baby is kicking", but this morning was different, I layed there thinking about it for a while and then erin rolled over and started mumbling....

Here is the buddha in all its glory, week 22. I have been feeling more pronounced movements in this past week. Some days baby is really quiet with hardly a movement to be felt, others there is a whole lot of something going on in my belly! I am surprised and amazed everytime I feel the baby move even the slightest....this is an amazing experience!

That there is a photo from last week.....Aren't we so cute together! I don't have a new one for this week yet. One will be coming soon. Just wanted to write ya'll a little note about our baby shower and the places that we are registered. Yes, the shower in on December 10th.....and you will be getting an invite early November; so keeps your calenders open! So, about the registries...we are registered at more that one place because some of the items we are in need of can be found at one place and perhaps not the other. There is one specific place for diapers, and a few places for other practical and neccesary baby items. We are trying to be as practical with the things that we are asking for as possible. We are asking for organics, as they are the most healthy for baby...this is why you do not see us asking for many things from Babies R Us. "BRUS" only sells 4 or 5 things that are Organic and that is really sad, because many of the items they sell are so unhealthy for babies and mommies! I guess it's better that we don't ask for our Organics from there anyways because we would rather support the smaller MOMMY RUN online stores that we are registered with! Just take a look at the article about hidden carcinogens that is posted on the blog. I know that you might be rolling your eyes, but I have been eating and trying to live a wholesome organic lifestyle for a long time now. I only want to pass this way onto my child....there is a lot of info out there about organics and why they are so much better for humans, please before you roll your eyes again take the time to some research for yourself.

HERE

is a little reading to get you started.


I am 21 weeks and a few days, and the baby is moving more everyday! I am feeling much stronger kicks or punches or maybe the baby is rearing its head or shoulders into my belly. Either way IT RULES! I feel really euphoric when I feel the baby moving, and I am so often moved to tears, how amazing to feel this little baby inside of me stirring around. I have almost finished a new book that was reccomended to me (one of many) by our Doula Kirsten. Its called "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth". This is quite possibly the most women empowering books I have ever read. It is so well written and packed full of birth stories, as well as natural childbirthing techniques and studies. I highly reccomend this book, even if you are not pregnant its that good! So things are good here in our house, I mean apartment...I am still working and will be until late Nov. In the meantime I am trying to get my wedding photo biz going for next year, and hopefully my doggie apparell site/store

Bubby Boutique

will be finished and some sales from that will start to come in. Well my lovelies....I have rambled enough for now, besides I am hungry again.....MUST EAT FOOD!

On the cusp of 20 weeks here are some photos of the belly....and me and Matt. Also, my mom and Matt's mom are having a baby shower for us on December 10th......I know that many of you won't be able to make it, but you are surely invited.

Baby! Baby! Baby! I am just about 19 weeks now. Here are some very special images of the little one in my belly!

Slowly, I am growing this baby......I am not about to rush to the end. I am taking this beautiful process one-day-at-a-time...
There is simply no need to rush to the finish........

I am very happy to let you all know that we have found our Doula! Her name is Kirsten, and she is a very sweet and lovely person. Having a doula has been one of my goals in preparing for labor. I wasn't too sure if Matt would be skeptical about my wanting to have a Doula. After our meeting Kirsten last week we both left knowing we had made a good decision. Kirsten has been a Doula for many years in Western Mass attending over 100 births, she is in training to become a midwife as well. Here is a link to Kirsten's website. Kirsten's Website: Graceful Birth

Photos for the begining of the week no. 18:

Finally our internet at home works, though there is no comfy place to sit and use it right now! Anyways, here are photos from a week and a half ago......(late week 15).

So here I am at week 16. We did take photos last week, however our web access at home is not working right now...so ya'll will have to wait till next week. =)
I am hoping to take self portraits, and some of Matt and I this weekend at the Studio. Hopefully the weather will be nice and lots of sun will come into the studio.
I am deffintately growing in the belly! Its pretty fun to see the changes in my belly now...I am taking it all in everyday, I don't want to rush the process. I know that it will go by fast when I look back on these days. I am not one to rush things...and this is deffinately not something to rush through. This monday we have another Midwife appointment, and then on wednesday we are having a meeting with our tentative Doula. I am very adamant about having a doula, I want to be as supported mentally and psyically during labor, as I know that I will need it. I want to have the extra emotional support for myself and for Matt....

You may be saying: What is a doula?
A birth doula is a trained labor support person who provides emotional and physical support to a laboring woman and her partner. While she is not a medical professional, she can offer a wide range of comfort measures during labor - from massage to aromatherapy to continuous reassurance and coping techniques.

Women supported by a doula during labor have been shown to have:

50% reduction of cesarean rate
25% shorter labor
60% reduction in epidural requests
30% reduction in analgesia use
40% reduction in forceps delivery

YES this is for me!

WEEK 15! We are in the process of moving to our beautiful new apartment so the picture of my belly might be delayed. =)

Hello everyone. As you know, I am pretty strict about the food I eat (as much organic as possible) and the kinds of clothes I wear as well as the products I buy for cleaning, as well as shampoo's, soaps and body lotions (ALL NATURAL & Organic). I am careful about these things with good reason, not because I am a bit eccentric, but because I know the dangers of the ingredients of many products out there. What many people don't realize about the products they use everyday is that they are probably made of dangerous chemicals or have toxic ingredients, and these things that can easily be avoided. It is a scary fact that studies show these products to be hazardous to our human health and they can potentially cause cancers or worse. My lovelies, I hope that you will take a second look at the ingredients in your cleaning, bath and body products etc. you are using, and perhaps your children are using everyday. It is too important not too. It's so sad that as a nation we are not more informed about what companies are exposing consumers too in thier products, so as consumers we have to take some time to educate ourselves of these hidden dangers. Also keep in mind that babies are children are that much more succeptable to the dangers posed by so many of these products/ingredients! This is all the more reason we want to have all natural/organics for our child....and for ourselves. =) Below is a short list of ingredients to look out for, please take a moment to read through this list of "hidden carcinogens".

- The largest group of hidden carcinogens includes dozens
of wetting agents or detergents, particularly PEGs,
Laureths, and Ceteareths, all of which are contaminated with
the potent and volatile carcinogens ethylene oxide and
dioxane. These carcinogens could readily be stripped off
during ingredient manufacture, if the industry just made the
effort to do so. Another hidden carcinogenic ingredient is
lanolin, derived from sheep's wool, most samples of which
are contaminated with DDT-like pesticides.

-- The second group includes another detergent,
Triethanolamine (TEA) which, following interaction with
nitrite, is a precursor of a highly potent nitrosamine
carcinogen.

-- The third group includes Quaterniums and Diazolidinyl urea
preservatives which break down in the product or skin to
release the carcinogenic formaldehyde.

-Of additional concern is another group of common
preservatives, known as Parabens. Numerous studies over the
last decade have shown that these are weakly estrogenic.
They produce abnormal hormonal effects following application
to the skin of infant rodents, particularly male, resulting
in decreased testosterone levels, and urogenital
abnormalities. Parabens have also been found to accumulate
in the breasts of women with breast cancer.

Thier is a full article about these carcinogens HERE

I hope that you will take atleast some of this to heart. There is much more info out there about the hidden dangers of everyday products too. As I progress in my pregnany I think about everyday products (cleaning, soaps etc.) more and more, and the more I learn about the dangers of lets say "Name Brand" advertised products the more upset I get that so many people are using these items, and it scares me that so many people are probably unkowing of what they exposing themselves and thier children too. The positive thing is that there are natural, non-toxic alternatives out there, and the cost of them is comparable if not less sometimes. Not only are natural non-toxic products better for humans, they are better for the environment.

e-

Ok so this is Matt, posting for the very first time here on the VBODW. First off I have to say that the title of this blog might be a little misleading because I don't necessarily know if the the baby will be of the vegan only persuasion, that's still a discussion in the works. So I been feeling very nervous about having a baby. I mean i'm really excited, extremely joyous, wonderfully uplifted, but..... i'm really nervous. Yeah. For example, i got nervous last night when Erin wasn't home when I got home even though she left the restaurant that we ate at the same time i did and I had a longer walk to my car. Seems odd, but I just started thinking about all the things that could have been happening, turns out she just stopped at Stop and Shop, stoppin, at Shopping, stop, shop. OK moving on. So I have made a video about the babies beat. Link to it here

HEAR THE BABY BEAT JAM

Ok the end.

M

This was some of the worst writing i've ever performed. Sorry, first time babaay blogging jitters.

P.S. YOU MUST REGISTER TO MAKE COMMENTS ON OUR BLOG. MANY LUDE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN SHOWING UP ON THE BLOG AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT CRAP!

Here's why I only want to eat Organic, and feed our child Organic foods when the time comes....please take the time to read this article.

CHILDREN'S CHEMICAL & PESTICIDE EXPOSURE VIA FOOD PRODUCTS

"The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that one of the main sources of pesticide exposure for U.S. children comes from the food they eat." If that does not scare the crap out of you, and make you sick.......that is SCAREY STUFF!

Not only do pesticides an bio-engineered food effect the health and well being of children, but they effect ALL HUMANS who consume these foods. For some reason, our society chooses to not really care where thier foods come from. This is really a scary thought, since so much of the foods in this country are "factory farm" raised.....seeds, fruits, vegetables and farm animals alike. As a society we need to realize that eating these foods is unhealthy! Organics are more nutritious and pesticide free!

"Over 300 synthetic food additives are allowed by the FDA in conventional foods. None of these are allowed in foods that are USDA certified organic." GO ORGANIC!

The other scary thing about non-organics is that scientists do not know the long term effects of consuming these foods, i.e. cancers, disease etc. Think before you eat!

PLEASE READ THIS TOO!!! OCA & Cancer Prevention Coalition Warn of Hidden Carcinogens in Baby Care

TOXIC THREATS TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT

there are many more important and interesting articles here

Ok Ya'll, here is week 13 in all my belly's glory! Babe's first video coming soon (soon as Matt gets it done and up on the inter-nets)