Holy Rolling Baby, Batman!

Mason has reached a major milestone - rolling over! For about 2 months now he's been able to flip from his back to his tummy with style and grace. Once on his tummy, it was a struggle for him to get anywhere, which resulted in lots of frustration for all involved.
Last night, while saying our goodnights and gearing up for a long nights sleep, Mason showed off his new talent. He flipped to his tummy, raised up on his arms and smiled proudly at the Mister and I. Then he burried his face in the bed, drew up his knees with bottom straight up in the air, sort of twisted onto one shoulder & VOILA! he was on his back again. He sort of looked surprised that he made it, but after the Mister and I applauded him and encouraged him to do it again, he smiled wide & proceeded to try again.
Instead of rolling continuously in one direction, he just flip flops. I have dubbed his new movement "An Inch Out of Water". A cross between an inch worm (drawing up knees and butt to strech out inch by inch) and a fish out of water (flipping and flopping around).
I'll do my best to catch it on video, because my description doesn't do it justice.

I will extend my apologies as well for the lack of updates lately. With the day to day grind of work and home responsibilities, creativity suffers.

We also had a recent tragedy touch our lives. Our dear friend and neighbor, who was expecting her first child, passed away suddenly. Unfortunately, the baby didn't make it either. Please extend your prayers to her surviving husband and family.

Here's a glimmer of hope for all of you suffering Mason withdrawls. I'm working on a slideshow to reflect Mason's growth from birth. It's astonishing how much he's developed in a relatively short amount of time. I'm just finishing up the details and formatting and hope to have at least a link posted within the next week. Keep checking back!

Lights, Camera, Avocado!

Mom gave me the coolest thing! It's a mesh feeder. She popped it open, stuffed it with ripe avocado & sealed it shut. I am such a big boy & now I can feed myself! Yay!

It's a little messy, but so much fun and delicious! Check me out in action.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting

Okay, I lied

I'm sorry! Will you ever forgive me? Just look at my sweet face and all will be right with the world.

This time I mean it when I say that Mommy will have an update soon. She may have to neglect Daddy for a few hours, but she will get those of you starving for a Mason fix an update. It may even include some video. You'll just have to wait & see.

Sincere Apologies

I promise that Mommy will have an update before my 5 month Birthday. I've been growing and learning so much, that she's had a hard time keeping up with me. I can't wait to share all my most recent milestones with you. The next update should be a BIG one!

3 months down, how many to go?

It has been quite a busy month. I've gone from counting my birthdays by weeks to now counting them by months. I'm now a full quarter of a year old. :) We celebrated my first Easter & while I was wearing a dashing dress shirt for the photo op, I quickly spat up & mom had to do a speedy change. I really liked my Easter bucket, and didn't even need help to hold it, I did that myself.


My workout routine has gotten more vigorous & wears me out like nobody's business. Here I am taking a power nap with Daddy.

Here I am practicing some push-ups. I can hold my head up at a 45 degree angle now. Pretty soon I'll be up on all fours ready to move.

All that hard work is exhausting! I'm pooped.
I'm being such a good boy for Mommy & Daddy and sleeping through the night in my very own room. Sometimes I sleep a whole 10 hours! Wouldn't you want to sleep in this cozy bed as long as you could?

Mom just can't resist putting me in hats. She says this one was part of the outfit so I tolerated one picture & then it came off.
I was trying to tell Mom how much fun I was having at Nana & Grumpa's house, but she was too busy taking this picture to listen closely. She thought I was telling her that I had a full diaper & tried to change me shortly after this picture was taken. Silly Mommy!
I love spending time with my Grand Dad's. Here's me & Grumpa eating some lunch.

And here's me and Papoe enjoying a chat.
We have to give special thanks to Uncle Steve. A long time ago (before I was born) he remodeled his old truck. This was the original grille & he gave it to my Uncle Keith. Uncle Keith gave it to my Daddy & my Daddy has now given it to me.

Mom & Dad worked really hard to make it all pretty. Daddy did the painting & Mommy masked off the white letters. I love to stare at it while I'm being rocked to sleep. It's hard to tell, but that's my name across the front, written out in wooden letters painted with chrome paint. My hot rod room rocks!

Mommy started back to work this month & Grandma Karin & Nana came to play with me while she was gone. They took great care of me and I miss seeing them every day.

After Grandma & Nana played with me, I started school. Well, it's what I call school. Daddy takes me to Jillians and I get to play with her daughter Trinity & her friend Sam. Trinity is so cute, she's got really fuzzy hair and looks like a baby chick. I love to talk & sing with them & can't wait until I can crawl around like they do. Every day I get a report card telling Mommy & Daddy what I did that day. It's so much fun!

That's all I've got for now. I'll try to update more before I get too much bigger. Love you~

You asked for it!!!

I'm flattered that everyone wants to take a peek at me, but I'm keeping Mom quite busy these days and updates are going to be few and far between. Please forgive her, she only has two hands and while tending to me that leaves her with -3 hands. Hopefully this collage of my 2nd month will tide you over.

I have started to smile at Mommy & Daddy and those family members who come to visit. I've been chatting up the parents too and tell them all about my baby adventures and wild dreams. I can hold my head up quite well now and can sit and stand with a little help. Won't be long before I'm conjugating verbs while riding my bike! :)
I went on my first road trip with Mom & Dad to Uncle Chris & Aunt Jen's house. They live all the way out in Madera, and Mom & Dad said I did real good on the drive. We only had to stop for my lunch and the rest of the time I was sound asleep. Here I am with Uncle Sean, Daddy and Uncle Chris. Uncle Chris has been sent to Afghanistan to get the bad guys. I sure do hope he comes home safe and sound. We're all saying prayers for you and Aunt Jen.

I've had quite a few visitors in my second month of life. Here's just a few...

This is Auntie Juju, she has the same name as my Mommy. :) Oh, and of course that's Nana sitting with her.

This is my Papoe! Isn't he funny? We were having a very serious conversation, can't you tell?

This is Baba. Boy, she sure does love me!

Here I am with Grumpa.

And this is my Uncle Tommy. He's my Mommy's brother and I sure do like his beard.


This is Grandma Karin and Grandpa Bill. I love it when they visit.

I'll try to let Mom get you all updates more often, but she told me to warn you that they might only be once a month. I hope you can manage without your Mason fix for that long. I better be off to bed, it's way past my bedtime and Mommy needs her sleep too.

Hello, From Mason

I've had quite an eventful first few weeks. Lots of visitors, feedings, diapers and naps. I'm keeping Mom & Dad quite busy, and a little bit on the tired side. My first day home we had a visit from Uncle Keith. It was a brief introduction, but he seems like he'll be a great uncle.

My second week brought some more visitors. First there was Papoe and my Great Grandma Marie. I'm wearing two different outfits cause there was a little mishap with a diaper change while they were here. First rule of being a baby boy - always keep those parents on their toes.

Then we had a visit from Nana and Grandpa Chuck. It wasn't my first visit with Nana, but this is the first time that Grandpa Chuck got to hold me close.
This is Colin & I. His Daddy and my Daddy were childhood friends, and their Daddies are buddies too. Maybe one day we'll follow in their footsteps, and take family trips to the snow for some skiing and boarding.
I overheard some of Mommy's phone calls, and there's been a demand for some new pictures of me. So I figured I'd take a quick nap to let Mom update you all with a few recent shots. First there's me in my Dale Jr. Number 8 shirt. I wore it to watch the Nascar Daytona 500 with Dad.
Mom has put me on a work out schedule. Not that I'm out of shape or anything, but every young man needs to keep up appearances. My favorite routine so far is batting at the monkey. Maybe it's all that pent up anxiety over my monkey toes. Mom seems to think they're abnormally long, but I keep telling her I'll grow into them. Do you think she'll ever listen to me?
I learned this from my Daddy. He calls it the Flowmaster Salute. I guess it's how he and his buddies at work say hello. I don't quite understand it yet, but it sure seems to get a lot of laughs out of Mom & Dad.
It's about time to scream for a diaper change, so I've got to run. Hope to chat more with you all soon.

It all started with a BANG!

I was happily enjoying my first week of maternity leave and breathing a sigh of relief from my commute and work itself, when everything just sort of came crashing to a halt, literally.

On Friday, the 9^th of February I was planning to attend the Mr.'s work shower and was about 5 minutes away from the building when the weather got the best of me. It wasn’t raining all too terribly bad, but the roads were wet and slick with built up oils. I came around a curve in the road and lost control of the truck. I fish-tailed for a bit and then the passenger side hit the guardrail. I’m okay, and the baby’s fine, but this was the start of a very eventful weekend. Needless to say, I never made it to the baby shower. (oh, and the Tahoe is currently in the shop being repaired.)

Fortunately, Mr. wasn’t far away, and a Good Samaritan stopped to make sure I was okay and helped call the CHP and paramedics. Mr. took me straight to the hospital to make sure Mason was okay. We were set up on monitors for 4 hours of observation and were released to take it easy the next couple of days. While at the hospital, I started contracting, but they weren’t close enough together to warrant an extended stay.

Off to home we went where I continued to contract well into the night. I didn’t get a wink of sleep and spent most of my night on the couch groaning and tolerating late night television.

At 2:40am on Saturday, February 10^th my water broke. I calmly woke up Mr., took a shower and called L&D. I made some very plain scrambled eggs and off we went for a long morning of hard work. After my water broke my contractions were immediately 3 minutes apart so I was hoping that things were progressing along smoothly.

We got settled and hooked up to monitors, and by first check at around 6am I was 6cm. The Dr on staff came in to talk to us about the possibility of a C Section. Mason’s heart rate was steady, but not as active as they would have liked. That in combination of the potential trauma from the accident they were concerned the placenta may have come loose causing Mason to not get a good blood supply. I asked if we could hold off as long as we could because I was continually progressing and they agreed only as long as I was in fact progressing & Mason continued to be stable.

By about 8:30 I had had enough of the pain and asked for an epidural. I was checked again shortly after my request and was now 8cm. The Man of the Hour came to give me relief, but couldn’t get a clear tap and had to try the epi 4 times before it took. Ouch!

Sometime after 9:30 I was checked a final time and told I was 10cm. It was finally time to push. Yay!

Mason Wyle was born on Saturday, February 10^th at 11:30am. He’s 7lbs 10.5oz, and 21 in long. What a dream.

As he was coming out the Dr told me to look at my husband, but Mr. was behind me holding my leg. I felt that if I looked away from my focal point that Mason would somehow sneak back in, and could only utter, “I can’t” with my final push. Next thing I new my beautiful boy was on my chest and as calm as could be.

Baby, Mr. and I are all doing well. We’re getting the hang of the breastfeeding thing, and I’m filled with more and more love each passing day. In the meantime, here's some photos of the big day and of Mason at about a week old. What a doll!

I've lost the bet

Today is the first of February, and still no baby. I've officially lost the bet I made with the Mr. about diaper changing the first week. That's quite alright though, because the sweet husband that he is, has assured me that I wouldn't be alone in the diaper changing department.

As far as progress, I'm still having contractions, but none that carry any pattern or that are close enough together to indicate full labor has begun. At the last exam with Dr. Sarah, I was 3cm dilated and about 60% effaced. I'm now going to see her on a weekly basis to assure that Mason is progressing and that I'm not developing any early complications in labor. Dr. Sarah did say though, that she'd be shocked if she saw me at my next appointment because she anticipates that Mason will be born over the weekend.

In the meantime, I continue to do laps around our living room and kitchen area as it's a little too cold in the evenings to go out. The walking seems to ease some of the pressure I'm feeling, but does seem to stimulate stronger contractions. It's getting increasingly more difficult to stay awake if I'm at an idle for too long, and my eyelids feel like concrete blocks. I rest as much as I can while still here at work, trying to save up energy for when I'll need it most. Fortunately, tomorrow is my last day at work before my maternity leave begins.

Anyone want to place bets on when the little guy will arrive? Let's see, Friday is the full moon and happens to be Papoe's birthday. Seems like a good a day as any if you ask me.
Although, a Superbowl baby would be kinda cool too. Especially considering this years game is going to be a memorable one being that both head coaches are African American & is going to be written about in history books. Seems a shame though that the first time this is happening is in the year 2007. Hmmm. I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.

A Friendly Wager

Since our last false alarm, things have been stirring. Stronger, "different" contractions. Frantic Nesting periods followed by almost comatose naps. So, the Mr. & I placed a friendly wager being this is the last week in January, and the birth of our first son seems imminent.

If the little guy is born in the month of January, Mr. Will have to change all of the diapers his first week of life. If the little guy holds out until February, then I will have to change all of the diapers his first week of life. After the first week of diapers all bets are off and the Mr. will have to participate no matter what the diaper looks like.

Now, let me elaborate a little bit on the "different" contractions. Before, the contractions seemed to be up high, at the top of my abdomen, and were really sharp. Now they've developed into an almost wave-like sensation that starts out low in my back and radiates up and over my belly, and down the front. As I've described this sensation to some recent new mothers, they've indicated to me that those contractions are the real deal. So, now we just wait until they are close together and strong enough to force this baby out.

I have another follow up appointment with Dr. Sarah today, so we'll see how much longer she anticipates the little guy will be taking up residence. Before long, I may just have to issue him an eviction notice. :)

The train may be leaving early!

First of all, a huge thank you to all that showered us with gifts! Your generosity and love is overwhelming!

And now for a progress report...
I was awakened yesterday morning to a strange sensation. My stomach was completely unsettled and has been getting progressively worse over the last 3 weeks or so. I chopped it up to the fact that Mason has dropped into my pelvic cavity and is putting pressure on my internal organs. At first I thought yesterday's occurrence was "normal", until I got half way through my Cheerios and felt nauseous. I stopped eating and tried to concentrate on not tossing my O's, when it dawned on me I might be having contractions. I knew it was a little early for the Big Day, so I calmly took a shower to try and relax and see if they would go away on their own. Many a woman and Dr. has said that I would be experiencing "practice contractions", and have had my share in the past, but none that were painful or resulted in nausea.
So, I rang up the Labor & Delivery(L&D) advice nurse, and after a series of questions and a contraction over the phone, she requested that I come down to the L&D unit ASAP! The Mr. was just about to leave for work when I told him we had to go. So we scrambled a little to gather our things, just in case this was the Big Day and headed out. I had a feeling they would send me home as my water hasn't broken (that's why we didn't ring you parents, so don't be angry).
We arrived, were attached to monitors and observed for a couple of hours. It was evident that I was having pretty strong contractions, but none that were really progressing my cervical status & they weren't close enough together to warrant any immediate concern. The Midwife checked my cervix and it was still closed up tight, but was showing signs of progress and has begun to thin out quite a bit. We were told to go home, rest up, and take it easy as the Big Day could be here before you know it.

Well, I also had my regularly scheduled exam with Dr. Sarah that afternoon for a quick Ultrasound(U/S), and one last test to confirm no infection is present come birth time. We talked about our adventure that morning & she would be surprised if we make it through January without a baby bundle. She assured us that if he is born sooner rather than later, she was confident he would be a healthy boy(because my due date is a little on late side - haha I'm right!) The U/S confirmed that he is head down and facing back, primed and ready for a speedy birth.

So now we just wait & overcome the discomforts of "pre-labor". I'll try to keep you all updated as things progress.

Oh, and a special note to parents: We promise that we'll call as soon as we know they're going to keep us. No sense in you all making long drives for false alarms like yesterday. We love you all!

Happy Holidays!

Well, this past week has been quite a whirlwind. Between traveling to see family for the holiday & continually getting the house in order, and juggling home with work life it's been quite an eventful week.

Merry Christmas to all! The Mr. and I hosted a pre-Christmas celebration at our house for his parents and a few close friends. Thanks to the family for going above and beyond in helping a pregnant hostess and providing our main course, the bread and a wonderful dessert! We feasted heartily on fresh crab and practically had to roll away from the table. Good times.

On Christmas day we drove to have Christmas Brunch with Nanna & Poppa, and to our surprise my sister was able to make it to enjoy in the feast and festivities. We thought we might miss her. Mason ended up with a wicked case of the hiccups and was moving around quite forcibly so everyone got a chance to feel him. Here's a shot of Nanna & Mason bonding.

Then it was over to Papoe's house for some presents and company. There was much discussion of how a baby manages to get their feet into a Mom's rib cage and hang on for dear life. Well, up until this point, I hadn't had the pleasure. I think Mason was eavesdropping on our conversation & thought he'd try it out because the very next day I got a distinct tickle in the ribs. I wouldn't say it's painful, but it's not the most comfortable of positions to be in. Fortunately, Mason was only testing the theory and didn't keep his tootsies up there for long.

I think the Mr has begun his nesting process. We sort of had to, but so far he's managed to replace our master bath toilet & change out the valve with some assistance from Grandpa B. He's also tackled the major task of rummaging through the remaining boxes in the nursery and the office to clear room for Mason. Today, he's completing some painting projects in the kitchen. And last night he assembled the crib. Here he is in action.

Everything is coming along swimmingly and we're both so excited to welcome Mason to our home. Oh, and I guess this entry wouldn't be complete without a photo of the finished crib. We have yet to buy the mattress, but I'm sure we'll have everything settled in plenty of time for Mason to enjoy it.
I hope everyone is doing well & we wish you all a Safe & Happy New Year.

P.S. If you enjoy a little too much champagne at the parties... just call AAA. They've started a program to be a designated driver and will tow you and your car home with a call to road service. Sorry for the business plug, but I thought it was a wonderful feature.

What a scare! Glad that ride's over.

The past couple of days I've been having some lower abdominal cramping & it's gotten worse as the days go on. So, once again I call the advice nurse this morning for some... advice.
Well, Santa Rosa Labor & Delivery didn't want me to drive all the way from work in Vallejo, so they arranged for me to go to Vallejo L & D.
I arrived and was briskly taken to an observation room for monitoring. I had no concept of time while I was there as the clock was hidden behind the privacy curtain, but it ended up being about 2.5 hrs of waiting. The nurse midwife on duty took some samples and ran some tests to confirm that I wasn't in danger of pre-term labor and that I wasn't having any contractions.
Finally, after I had dozed off 2 or 3 times, she came to share good news of a really healthy baby Mason & a perfectly fine Mrs.

Meanwhile, the poor Mr. was worring away and I'm sure leaving a worn spot in the carpet at work in Santa Rosa. I know it must have been quite a scare for him being in the dark for 2.5 hrs, but he managed to make it through just fine.

One bonus of being strapped to monitors for 2.5 hrs was that I got to listen to Mason's heartbeat the entire time. As well as his protests for being under careful watch. "Bump, thump, boom." Something else that was quite amusing to me and some of the other ladies being observed was he got the hiccups. I'm glad I had the distraction & that everything turned out just fine.

Let it Show, Let it Show, Let it Show

These photos were taken at my work's Holiday Luncheon. Mason & I have grown quite a bit and I feel as if I may burst at any moment.
Wishing all of you a happy, healthy, safe Christma-Hanu-Kwansa-kkah & New Year!

75 days and counting...

There are 75 days left until I'm full term. We had a visit with the Dr. yesterday and she said everything is right on track. Even she can't believe that it's almost time. I'm 29 weeks along and the belly should be measuring 28-30cm now. The measurement from yesterday was 32cm. Such a big boy!
As has been normal for me, my protein & glucose levels are good and the blood pressure is excellent! It was 116 over 70 yesterday.
I'll continue with pre-natal care for the next two visits at 3 weeks apart, then move on to a 2 week visit, and then from then until Mason arrives I'll visit once a week with the Dr. That's only 4 more appointments until he could be big enough to deliver. YIKES!

I hope this finds everyone well for the holiday's. I hope to be able to update more regularly now that the rush of the move has subsided.
Of course we still have boxes piled high, but it's with less urgency that they become unpacked. Time and patience will find a place for it all.

It's been a while...

Sorry ladies & gents for not posting an update sooner, but our little lives have turned upsidedown.
We are finally, FINALLY, completely out of the Petaluma house! All of our stuff has been schlepped over to Rohnert Park and even though we are making a fair dent, it seems to be multipling with every turn of the corner.
Over the past weekend we made two trips to Goodwill with donations and good Brother K ran a full load to the dump for us. Having the extra space enabled the Mr. to organize and clear out the garage, only to make room for us to sort the oodles and oodles of boxes in the living room, office and nursery. I was able to organize more of the kitchen and you can actually make out some counter space there. Our hall "linen" closet, has now been converted to a much needed pantry. It's not in the most convenient of locations, but it serves it's purpose.
This coming weekend we'll focus on finishing up the kitchen re-organization (as I continue to unpack, I have to rearrange to make room for forgotten necessities), and the Mr. will begin tackling the office. We have entirely too many paper records that just aren't needed, so I'm sure we'll be dreaming of the magical hum that is the shredder come next week.

**Mason Update**
The third trimester woes have begun and I'm retaining some unwanted water weight. The progression started off slow with swollen ankles every other night or so, but would recess with some good nights sleep. Then, in the wee hours of last Thursday morning I awoke to a strange sensation in my face. My cheeks, jaw line and lips had puffed up and were quite uncomfortable. I was surprised by the overnight development, as it seemed to come from no where, so the advice nurse was called for, what else... advice. I wasn't having any other strange symptoms, but it seemed best that I make a visit to the Dr. to rule out anything serious. So, while waiting for my appointment, I slept. Not just a little snooze, but a really deep sleep on the couch. So deep, that when I woke up, didn't realize that time had passed, and wondered what happened to the television program I was just watching. Off to the Dr. I went and it was determined that Mason & I are both in good health and I probably just had one shake too many of salt the previous day. Since then the swelling has been manageable, and I feel fine. The fatigue is back with a vengeance, and Mason's increased growth has made maneuvering around the house an adventure. Let's just say that he may come out with a slight dent in his forehead from all the doors I run into with my belly.
I have to get back to earning some dough, so I will wrap this up. Happy holiday's to all of you & best wishes for the new year to come!

Our "Little" Bundle of Joy

I use the term little very lightly. The Dr had requested yet another U/S(ultrasound), to narrow down Mason's EDD(estimated delivery date). I've been saying all along that the EDD was off by about 2 weeks, but do the Dr's listen to the mother? Nooo...
At our last appointment, my belly measured 5 weeks ahead, so that caused some concern for the Dr. The U/S yesterday proved me RIGHT! The tech confirmed that he's measuring to be due on or around February 8th, about 2 weeks ahead of our current EDD.

Not only that, but he's sizing up to be quite a big little guy. At our first U/S the tech warned me that he could be a 9-10 lb baby at birth. The tech yesterday confirmed my fears as a first time mother, and again warned us that Mason could weigh in over 8, but closer to 10lbs. She assured us that everything looked healthy and right on track, so there shouldn't be any cause to be concerned for his health. We got to see an awesome view of his spine, and as he's prone to be, he heard us talking about him, got shy and flipped over. We got a couple more face shots, one profile and one almost head on. After looking at them closer, I've come to the determination that he may have been sucking on the heel of this hand because the area around his lips looked really blurry and boney.

The absent mindedness is getting the better of me. Today on my lunch break, I locked my keys, purse and cell phone in the car while pumping gas. Fortunately, I had cracked the windows just enough to fit my tiny hand through to flip the auto-lock switch and was able to open the door with minor incident. You see, I got so excited that I wasn't stranded at the AM/PM, that I rushed to grab the door handle to open the car up. In doing so, I smashed my thumb into the handle and bent my nail backwards. This resulted in an immediate bruise and is now making typing this much more difficult. So, for now, my thumb, Mason & I bid you adieu.

Movin' on Up... to the North side... to a de-lux...

The Mr. & Mrs. have spent their first night in their very own home!
Of course it was a night of restless sleep getting used to the new room arrangement, and running over the mile long list of things yet to do to make the house ready for Mason, but we're officially in.
We could not have done it without our terrific moving crew. Thank you so much guys, not only for the use of your trucks, but for the sweat labor on a gloomy, post rain Saturday! We were definitely afraid that the weather was going to ruin our plans of moving in furniture, but the clouds broke sooner than expected and the afternoon was gloomy, but thankfully dry. All of our large pieces are now in the house and it feels much more like a home.
Next on the list of immediate things to do. Clear out the Petaluma house and get it cleaned for the next tenants. I have to admit, for as much trouble and little things wrong with that house, I'm sad to be leaving it. It's the first home the Mr. & I lived in together. It's where we came home to as newlyweds. It's the home where we found out we were expecting Mason's arrival. So many blissful memories happened in that house. Fortunately, we can take the memories with us, and begin many more new ones for our future.
*~* Mason Update *~*
We had a routine exam on Friday, accompanied by a blood draw for the glucose screen. Nana Christina came along and it was a bittersweet experience. Mason has never liked the hand-held Doppler monitor(it's a little mic & speaker device that amplifies the baby's heartbeat, much easier to use than the old stethoscope). He always tries to worm away from the intruding mic that's placed on my belly and will even kick at it to make it go away. Well, as always, the Dr. found his strong little heartbeat right away, and as always, he tried to squirm away(indicated by some muffling). Nana's face was lit up with joy as the little guys heart pumped away, and just as the Dr. turned to ask Nana a question, Mason kicked the mic. It was square on target too, (a huge Thud on the mic)! Nana said she saw the mic jump off of my belly and the Dr. then decided to let Mason be.
Then it was time for my belly to be measured. As I've been trying to tell the Dr. at every visit, I think my due date is about 2 weeks too late. We've done numerous measurements and ultrasounds, and although Mason is measuring on the large side, he's been within "range". Well the Dr. seemed a little surprised when my belly measured about 5 weeks larger than it should be. Yes, sir. You heard me right. 5 weeks! To rule out any complications, and to be sure that Mason is developing normally, the Dr. has requested yet another ultrasound. Better to be safe than sorry. I have a feeling that the little guy is actually 2 weeks further along than they've been thinking and that he's a bit on the large side.
I won't get the results for the glucose screen probably until my next routine visit, in 4 weeks. I can't believe that I have less than 100 days left in this pregnancy. Amazing how time flies. P.S. Remind me I said that when I get down the last few weeks and am complaining about how time doesn't move fast enough. :)

Weekly Update

I'm physically and mentally exhausted, so no pun-ny title today.
Mr & I have been working almost every day after work for at least 2-3 hrs and full days on the weekends to knock everything on our "To Do" list out.
Our goal was to have all the ceilings and walls which reside over carpet, painted before the carpets get cleaned. Much to our amazement, we've reached that goal. Well, sort of. All of the ceilings and walls over carpet have been rolled, and the majority of it all cut in around the trim at least as far as I can reach. Being pregnant, a ladder isn't very appealing, so Mr. is relegated to tackling all those high spots. Let me tell you, vaulted cottage cheese ceilings are no easy task to roll, let alone cut in the trim. Mr. is such a trooper and doing so much. I'm sure he would say the same about me, and we could go back and forth all day.
Mr's Dad and brother came out on Sunday to help finish off the drywall in the garage, as well as our Best Man to tackle some electrical work. We admit that none of this is a requirement, but will make life so much easier for us both if it's done right the first time, and before the garage is taken over by car stuff.
Mr also cut down some unsightly bushes/trees around the garage and it's amazing how much cleaner the front of the house looks now. Good job honey!
***MASON UPDATE***
The little guy is getting bigger and has discovered that if he kicks Mommy in the back, she jumps and groans a little. Pretty funny looking for a stranger, and I imagine for some of those that know me, but not so funny for me. Very uncomfortable.
He got a case of the hiccups last week and it was entertaining to see my belly jump in a rythmic fashion. As far as I can tell from the kicks and light punches, he's still upsidedown, ass over tea kettle, and is occassionally mooning the general public.
As of today we've got 106 days until I reach 40 weeks gestation. When you put it in days, it doesn't seem that far away. In terms of months, Feburary is still so far off. I imagine that once he makes his grande entrance that time won't ever stand still and I'll be wishing for a moment when I could feel him kicking my back. :)
Oh, there he is now. Did you have a nice nap Mason? Or are you just reminding me to get back to work.
We love you all and once the dust settles at the new house we'll host some tours.

Hi, ho. Hi, ho. It's off to work we go!

Over the weekend we finished up some loose ends with some help from my Mom and the Mr's Dad. Thanks guys! You're real troopers.
We also started some painting. Well actually, just cutting-in, on the office and baby's room. I'm really happy with our color choices and can't wait to see the finished product.
The Mr. began rolling the vaulted ceilings over the dining and living rooms last night and I think the "Wild Porcini" is the perfect color. It's so warm and cozy. Once the wall color is on, I'm sure it's going to be amazing!
Sorry to keep this update so short. The last few days have been a blur, and there's so far left to go.
I have taken before pictures of the house and will continue to document our progress. Although, it may be a while before I'm able to share them. My home computer decided to blow up and it's repair has been placed in a holding queue of things to do after the move is complete.
***MASON UPDATE***
He's continually growing stronger and his kicks are sometimes visable from the outside. From time to time, you can see my whole belly shift as he tries to get comfortable. I am obviously pregnant now, and when the low back aches get to me, I definately have a pregnant waddle. Very humorous to those around me, but not so comfortable for me. Our next appointment is November 10th, for a general weigh in and check up as well as a Glucose Test to make sure I'm not developing Gestational Diabetes. I'm sure everything is fine as Mason seems to like his vegetables. :)