Warm Weather, Home Ownership, & Nursery

Baby 'Pat' is about 15 inches long and weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (butternut squash). The muscles and lungs continue to develop. Lots of kicks and twists this week! By 29 weeks, the babies brain can control their body temperature.

Speaking of temperature, Iowa must not of received the message that it's Spring because we have been dealing with cold windy weather. So instead, James and I are taking a babymoon to Miami, Florida! We are looking forward to lounging in the sand, taking walks through the Art Deco district, eating new cuisine, and mostly just enjoying the warm sun!

We have spent more this month on baby and house related stuff than we've ever spent in any month of our lives.... Thanks to new eight new windows, stucco repairs, painting the baby nursery, house, and garage, as well as new baby furniture. Yay for home ownership and parenting!

We planned on getting the crib put together this weekend but due to a very large crack in the frame, we had to exchange it. So instead, we tackled the changing table/dresser combo. Wow that took awhile but the finished product is beautiful! We also went shopping for art canvas' this weekend with our personal artist Deb. I can't wait to see what she creates for the nursery! Once we get everything else set up, I will post some nursery pictures.

Raising a French Bebe!

Yay! We made it to the third trimester! Baby 'Pat' can recognize my voice now, the eyes continue to developer, and the brain is developing millions of neurons. The baby weighs about 2 lbs and measures about 15 inches from head to heels... about the size of an eggplant.

My new experiences of the week... Last week I felt the baby hiccup. It was not a normal kick on the side of my belly but more continuous twitch in my lower belly. That made me giggle. Then last night while resting my hand on my belly (a common theme these days), I felt the baby turn... it must have been an elbow or knee. That was an odd feeling. I am in the third trimester and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that there is a tiny human being inside me.... I don't think I will ever get used to that.

My brain is fuzzy... the further I get in this pregnancy I have a harder time putting my words together or finding the right word to say. So bear with me when I pause mid-sentence and ramble on about non-sense. It's not me... it's the baby!

Baby 'Pat' was introduced to some divine french cuisine again this past weekend. Went to my favorite restaurant, Baru 66. The evening started with amuse-bouche (single bite sized hors d'oeuvre) of chicken roulad with pork belly. The first course was seared mackerel and pureed spinach. The second course was seared scallops with baby arugula, prosciutto, glazed grapefruit served on a giant oyster shell. The third course was foie gras stuffed quail with morels, pearl onions, pureed sweet potato, and marinated carrots. And then for dessert, dark chocolate ganache and a pistachio macaroon with chocolate ice cream. Superbe!

End of the road for the 2nd Trimester

Baby measures about 14.5 inches long and weighs about two pounds. Brain is developing quickly and the eyelids are beginning to open.

I read somewhere last week that since the baby is bigger, if someone were to place their ear on my belly they could hear the babies heartbeat. James tried it out and confirmed he could hear the heartbeat. Even though it was twice as fast as my heartbeat, he said it was in sync with mine. Too cool!

I went to a baby consignment sale on Saturday. One side was full of pink outfits for the girls and the other side was full of blue outfits for the boys. It's unfair for people like James and I who don't want to know what we are having and can't really shop for anything because clothing is so gender specific. Why can't there be more gender neutral colors... creams, soft yellows and greens? Why do baby girls have to wear only pink and why do baby boys have to wear only blues? It's not like that's all we wear when we are adults. Someone needs to get into making more gender neutral clothing for babies... because from the sounds of it a lot of people these days want to be surprised and don't want to find out the gender of the baby.

On the plus side of the consignment sale I did find a "Pat the Bunny" music mobile!! It was a sign and I immediately put it into my bag.

Monday was an active day for baby 'Pat'. Lots of tumbling and kicking... hope that's not any indication that we will have a pretty active kid in the near future. My parents even got to feel the baby kick for the first time which was special. My poor sister though, every time I am around her the baby is sleeping. But as soon as I leave, the baby will start kicking. I think the baby is playing with Auntie Gab. :)

Introducing Great Food to Baby Sasek

Baby 'Pat' is about 13.6- to 14.8-inches and 1.5- to 2.5-pound range (about the size of a head of lettuce). The lungs continue to develop, and the baby is taking small breaths of amniotic fluid inside the womb. These small breaths are getting Baby 'Pat' in shape for taking it's first breath. But more importantly, being able to smell delicious cuisine!

James and I went to a "Chef's Tasting Dinner" at one of our favorite restaurants on Monday night at Louie's Wine Dive. It was fun chatting with Executive Chef Jason and hearing about the creations he would be making for the evening.

First course served was a skillet-seared duck breast, drizzled with cranberry vinaigrette and red potato-arugula salad on the side. This was a beautiful course that was light and flavorful. The cranberry sauce was a perfect pairing with the fatty duck.

The second course was a pan-seared skate wing with potato pave, shaved asparagus and purple onion slaw, and Romensco sauce. The potato pave was slow cooked for two hours which consisted of multiple layers of potato, butter, and garlic and then pressed together with a heavy weight to flatten and then lightly fried to make it crispy on the outside.

The third course was a Berkshire pork shank served on top of wild mushroom and asparagus risotto. The pork shank had a perfect crunch and the risotto had a hint of citrus that paired well with the fatty pork. 

For dessert we had Boca Negra. It's an intensely dark chocolate cake made with bourbon then baked for a thin crispy crust. A perfect ending to a delicious meal!

Now onto baby nursery news... we have the crib and changing table/dresser all delivered and sitting in boxes waiting to be built. Guess we need to find a weekend where we can start constructing.

Enjoy the Simple Things in Life...

Baby is growing quickly... Baby 'Pat' is about 13 - 14 inches long and weighs approx 1.5 - 2.5 lbs (the size of a cauliflower)! The baby is starting to look more like a newborn, the tiny hands are fully developed, and the skin is getting some color. This week the spine is beginning to form as well. Things are getting a little more crowded in the uterus so I am really feeling the baby kick these days.

I am excited to experience the simple things in life...flying kites in Springtime, picnics in the park, ice skating, playing with chalk on the sidewalk, water balloon fights, tag, and hide & go seek.

I am excited to see the world through our child's eyes. I visited my best friend in September and we went to a fireworks display. We sat there watching Ainsley as her face lite up while watching the fireworks in the sky for the first time. It was more fun watching Ainsley's reaction then watching the firework. My heart smiled for Jenni and Joel and I was excited for them to be experiencing that with their child. At that moment, I couldn't wait to experience that with our child someday.

I am excited to see James transition from husband to father. I know he is going to be an amazing father.... James teaches me new things every day and I can't wait to watch him interact with our child as he teaches them things.

Spring has Sprung!

Well today is the first day of Spring... although it doesn't really feel like it. I am celebrating by bundling up in a winter coat and drinking hot tea with a spoonful of honey to fend off a cold. Yay!

At week 24 the baby is about the size of an ear of corn (measuring approx 12 inches long and weighs over 1 pound). White blood cells are beginning to develop. The lungs develop branches this week, and the inner ear is completely developed.

Couple of fun things to talk about this week...

Normally the baby will twist and turn around 2:00 in the afternoon and then a little before bedtime. It lasts for a few moments but nothing too wild and crazy. That was a different story on Saturday night! James and I attended the symphony to listen to Tchaikovsky "Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36". The baby jumped and danced to the classical music for a whole hour!

We are not going to find out whether we are having a boy or girl. But it's fun to hear people's predictions. I saw an old wives tale the other day. It said that if a woman is craving sweets during her pregnancy she is going to have a girl; if she is craving meats, she is going to have a boy. Well... I have been craving a lot of meat during this pregnancy. Maybe that's an indication that we are having a boy?!

Only 3 months to go...

During week 23 Baby 'Pat' is about 10.5 to 11.8 inches and about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces (about the size of a papaya). The babies face is fully formed and even listening to my voice and heartbeat.

Lots of thoughts running through my head this week. I am not sure where they are coming from. It may be that we only have 3 months to go (technically 17 weeks) and that I am still in shock that I am pregnant. Or it may be that daylight savings time is making my brain fuzzy and anxious.

As I sit and daydream I start to wonder who is in there? Who is making me smile every time I feel a kick?

I think about my mother and the unconditional love she has given to my sister and I. The mother-child bond is the purest form of unselfish love that exists and I can't wait to feel that kind of love toward a child that my mother has toward me.

Who will we become as a family? Who will we become as parents? I know we will always be learning together, growing together, and experiencing together.

We can prepare the nursery, prepare the finances, and buy clothes for when the baby arrives, but you can never truly prepare for what life holds in store for you as new parents. All we can do is take is day by day, love the child unconditionally, support one another, and just enjoy every minute.