Week 25... we keep growing!!! :)

Hello!

Ok, I know each week we say we have grown, but trust us... look at the pics today, Wednesday, May 28th!!! We have expanded! This week our little Olive is a whopping pound and a half and measures about 13 1/2 inches in length (babycenter.com). I guess this explains the growth too! Emma is still healthy, happy and feeling great and Kevin is being a great support system.

Each week we have been trying to focus on different areas that we should work on before Olive is born. For example, two weeks ago Emma went to a breast feeding class, a couple weeks before that we were looking for a doula, etc. This week we are focusing on research as it relates to our Weimaraner, Astro. As many of your know, Astro is quite the cared for pup of the house right now and we know that things will have to change but we also want to make sure he still nows he is loved. So after much research here is what we learned (mostly from Puplife.com): 1. We need to buy the baby products Olive will be using now and start using them on ourselves a little so Astro gets familiar with the scent. 2. According to a couple of online pet trainers, it helps to have a recording of a baby crying that we can start to play to get Astro acclimated to the new sound that he will be hearing. So, yes, we are suckers but we just ordered "Sounds of Baby CD - Prepare Your Dog For Baby's Arrival". 3. We have already worked with a dog trainer on getting Astro to be a better dog walker but each day is work in progress when it comes to disciplining Astro. However, the steps are we taking now have already eased some of our worry regarding Astro and his little baby sister that is coming in 15 weeks!

Tis all for now. Have a great rest of your week! Happy blogging!

Love and namaste, Emma, Kevin, Astro and Olive

From Emma part deux....

Hello! I thought I would share my meditation book and cd that I have been following along with since a couple of you were asking.

Meditations for Pregnancy, 36 Weekly Practices for Bonding with Your Unborn Baby by Michelle Leclaire O'Neill, Ph.D, R.N.

What is so great is that you can use the cd maybe one time if you would like and then use the weekly readings to meditate on by yourself or use the guided voice mediation every week. LIke I said last post, each week there is a reading to meditate on that helps moms to be embrace all of the changes that are happening in the mind and body (both positive and negative).

Be well and namaste, Emma

From Emma...

Hello all,

Just thought I would also chime in this week with my own commentary about life and being pregnant! First of all I am in love with our girl - Olive! Every day I am thankful for our miracle! Not only are we blessed for being pregnant right now, but I am equally blessed because this really has been a smooth pregnancy so far! Ok... there are the occasional bouts of (ear muffs) constipation and heart burn but otherwise all is well. I really think I can attribute this to my yoga and athletic background.

As you know I am still teaching yoga (both privates and group instruction as well as prenatal yoga) and participating in my own yoga that I give myself as well as a weekly guided meditation (it is a CD and reading that I ordered from AMAZON.COM the helps the mom - to -be focus on the changes that are taking place in the mind and the body). What is nice about the guided meditation is that it helps me connect to my pregnancy and brings up the positives and negatives that arise along the way and enables me to work through them. In addition to all of this, I am no longer running but instead either walking, hiking or swimming each day. Although I am slower now (my lungs are definitely feeling the compromise of baby Olive inside) I have to say the exercise has keep me sane as well as healthy.

Have a beautiful week! Be well and namaste, Emma

24 Weeks and counting...

Hello family and friends!



We are a little late posting this, BUT, again - like last week - we took the pictures on Wednesday, the 21st of May 2008 when we did in fact begin our 24th week. WOW. That means we have 16 weeks to go or 112 days left! Whew!

As you can see we are growing. This week our girl is the length of an ear of corn or just over a foot long and weighs about 1 pound and 4 ounces. We have been enjoying every second of this pregnancy (if you haven't noticed). Baby and momma are doing well. Dad is still as proud as ever and even in more awe with all the moving little Olive (that is what we call her right now) makes.

This past week Emma had her first breast feeding class with Kitty Maxwell (whom is a lactation consultant and nurse in the SB area who is amazing!). In addition, we have already signed up for two birthing classes -one at Cottage Hospital (where we will deliver) and one with a natural child birth educator (we wish to do this as natural as possible - meaning no drugs or intervention - I know if you are reading this you probably think we are crazy and we probably are). We have also signed up for a parenting class to help us figure out what we might experience the first couple of weeks when our girl is born! We are still nervous about being parents but feel that the steps we are taking right now are really going to help us make our transition to parenthood smoother.

On the remodel note, all we have left is painting and baseboards after tomorrow, Monday, as our handy person is installing the last of the cabinets and our microwave. HURAY!!!

We hope you all have been enjoying this memorial day weekend! We know we have! In spite of so, so weather we have been beach bbqing and spending time enjoying SB!

Til next post!

Be well and lots of love, Emma, Kevin, Astro and Olive

we are 23 weeks!

Hello all!


Although we are a little late getting the pictures uploaded it is worth noting that we did take the pics the day we turned 23 weeks (Wednesday, May 14th).

This week our baby girl is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango) according to babycenter.com. She has been moving a lot these days in the morning and the evening which is fun but weird all at once.
Another big development this week in pregnancy land is that we finally finished our doula interviews and found the doula we feel is the right fit for us!

17 weeks to go!
be well and namaste, emma, kevin, astro and olive :)

I thought I would chime in this week with a post to show off our little girl. This is a 3D image from our last ultrasound, it's tough to say who she takes after hopefully Emma and not me. This is an exciting time as Emma has begun to feel more movement and a few kicks, I was lucky enough to feel one last night. Not too much longer to go, just another 4 months...
Kevin