Baby Class #1: Basic Prenatal

For the past two Mondays, Ben and I have attended childbirth education classes at Bronson Hospital. It has been interesting and informative...there are fifteen couples in our class and we are the least far along ( 26 weeks tomorrow!) It has been interesting to hear other women's woes of pregnancy and what has worked for them. We have a workbook that we are taking notes in and it has been helpful to prepare us for the next few months. This first class is about labor and delivery. We will go to a "baby basics" and a nursing class next month, and then Ben has "Boot Camp for New Dads." He jokes he will be "MVP" of course...
I have to say that I am the least thrilled about this class. I am terrified of labor and delivery and I am not sure if the abundance of information has made it better or worse! We are learning a lot about the stages of labor and what to expect, which is great, but I don't think the class has eased my fears at all! Ben has been extremely supportive and attempts to make me feel better about labor and the delivery.
Next Monday, which is the last class, we are going to tour the Labor and Delivery floor and the Mother and Baby unit...that should be fun!
Nothing else too exciting right now...the belly is definitely growing! We went to the doctor on June 2nd and I gained four pounds since my last appointment, and I measured at 24 cm, which is about a week behind schedule...basically he is a little small...I know that is shocking based on his parents! I will post new belly pictures soon...

"Mother's Day" and Daddy's First Feel

Last Sunday was Mother's Day and I got to celebrate this year! Ben bought me purple tulips and a bead for my Pandora, we had a great brunch with my parents (who also bought me a Pandora bead) and then Ben, Wrigley and I went to Notre Dame to watch Ben's cousin play in the Lacrosse finals. We also walked campus and lit a candle in the Grotto. We finished the day visiting with family at Grandma's house.

On Thursday evening Ben and I were watching TV and the dance party began (as usual!) The nugget is normally active after dinner and once I sit down and am still. After many attempts of having his hand on my belly, Ben finally felt movement! He said "that's it! I felt it, awesome!" He still isn't feeling a lot of kicking yet, but I am always reassuring him that he will have plenty of opportunity! I am grateful he finally got to feel him move though, I think he was a bit jealous of Wrigley. :)

Here is a picture of us in front of the Dome at Notre Dame last weekend.

Ready to Register!

Last Wednesday I started and finished both of my registries! I registered online with The Land of Nod and then went to lunch and spent almost two hours in Babies R Us with my sister Jaime! Thank goodness for her company! I was extremely overwhelmed and had probably done too much research as usual, haha...I think the hardest part is that you don't know what the baby will and will not like, and so you are advised to try a little of everything. Overall I am happy with both registries and I am now trying to think of where we will put all this stuff! It does make everything more real though, and he is moving like crazy these days! Almost 23 weeks along and feeling great, yay!
Both registries are online if you want to check them out: www.babiesrus.com and www.landofnod.com. They are listed under Nicole & Ben Decio.
Thank you so much Jaime for all of your help and support-love you!

Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

On Thursday April 30th, we had our 20 week ultrasound. We decided to find out the sex of the baby...the tech said that there was no mistake that we are having a boy! I was so thrilled, I want a healthy baby and I would have been excited either way, but I was secretly hoping for a boy. Ben's reaction is what made it a truely special day...he is completely over the moon. He could not stop smiling and saying "we're having a boy" over and over. We can now start calling my belly "him." Yay!

People have asked me all along what I think I am having or if I had a feeling eihter way, which I didn't...but everyone has certainly had their guesses! My mom said from day one that we were having a boy and Ben was convinced we were having a girl...I even wore a pink shirt to the appointment!

Here are a couple of ultra sound pictures and a picture of the belly at 20 weeks. Notice Wrigley in the background...so cute!

Knock Knock...

I first started to feel the baby move around a week and a half ago...I have read that you will feel the baby move and don't realize it or think it is something else, but I first knew it wasn't gas or tummy rumbles when the movement was after a meal and I would sit still. It felt like butterflies and is sporadic...The first time there was movement felt on the outside was on Sunday the 26th of April...Wrigley was sleeping on my lap and I was feeling a lot of moving, and at one point an almost jerk and he jumped up and turned around to look at me...it was too funny! I still am not feeling kicks...although I would say there is quite the dance party going on in there after I eat. It is an almost unexplainable feeling when you feel it...it never ceases to make me smile!

Wrigley is getting ready to be a big brother

If you do not know Wrigley, he is the most loving and sweet dog in the world...and the cutest! He has always been Mama's baby and I have felt a lot of guilt about how much his life is going to change once the baby comes. I have been spoiling him more than normal lately, he has gone to the vet to make sure is up to date on all of his shots and meds, and I spoke with the doctor about having a new addition in our home.
I had a long talk with Wrigley to let him know he has been the baby for almost two years and now he was going to be a big brother (haha!) I first noticed a change in Wrigley when we were out on a Friday afternoon...Wrigley is super friendly and always runs up to new people to give them lots of kisses! We were approached by someone we knew and Wrigley started to growl at her and back up towards me! I could not believe it...he has since been more protective of me, even growling at one of my Mom's dogs who are his best friends!

Hello in there?

Our first appointment on January 27th where we met with the nurse, took another pregnancy test, received lots of reading material, and asked lots of questions!
Our first doctor's appointment was February 25th. We met with Dr. Lomax at OBGYN P.C. and discussed the pregnancy, the baby's growth, and our appointment schedule. After our conversation, Ben left the office so I could have my physical. After Dr. Lomax was finished he said he would look for a heartbeat! I didn't know he was going to do that so I was in the room alone...he put the cold jelly on my belly and sure enough, there it was!!! I was overwhelmed with emotion at that minute...I couldn't wait to get dressed and go out into the lobby to tell Ben what I heard, but I was so sad he wasn't there!
Our next appointment was March 24th (the day before leaving for Aruba!) and this time Ben stayed in the room the whole time. Dr. Lomax said he would look for a heartbeat again and Ben came to stand next to the table. The doctor put the device on my belly and moved it around and found the heartbeat...then he started moving again and he said "here is the second one! Just kidding!" Ben's face was priceless!