As Berry Grows

SO BUSY

2007-06-30T23:00:00.000-05:00

That title applies to both me and Arden. I have been overtaken by bar study, hence the lack of the monthly update. Only 3 weeks to go!! Oh My Goodness I am soooooo not ready. So I have been running around like a crazy woman with books in hand and have made literally thousands of flashcards... please pray for me!

Arden is busy, busy, busy. She is soooooooooooo smart! I love watching her grow and hate that I am missing so much by being gone to study so much. She loves music (still) and dances and sings all of the time. I told you guys when she was still inside that she was a dancer and I think my prediction was right. She absolutely loves music and even claps on beat!

She is a verbal genius (ok maybe that is taking it kind of far LOL). But she is talking up a storm. Every waking minute she is talking and even talks herself to sleep. She is quite the chatterbox just like her mama.

Well I dont really have much time to type so I will just post some pics. She is 15 1/2 months old now!

14 Months

15 Months

Li'l Mama Is Getting Big :)

2007-04-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

Arden is about to be 13 months next week. She is such a big girl now. She is talking up a storm! She says about 30 words now. Developmentally a baby her age should have a vocabulary of about 1-5 words so Arden is way ahead of the game. On the walking front, Arden can walk and has walked but she is such a scaredy cat (my mom calls her cautious) that she wont walk for longer than a few steps before either sitting down or grabbing onto something LOL.
At her one year appoinntment Arden weighed in at 19 lbs 5 oz and she is 30 inches tall. So she is long and skinny. (15th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height).
I dont know what else I can say about her except that she is such a joy and is a smart little girl. I think she may be too smart for her own good. LOL I love being her mommy.

Here are some pics:

THE DIVA IS ONE YEAR OLD!!!!!!!!

2007-03-16T19:13:00.000-05:00

Ok so Arden is officially a big girl! She is one year old! I cant believe how time has flown so quickly. Gone are the days of my little "worm" Now she has her own personality and is doing so many things. She is quite a firecracker! She definitely lets you know when she isnt happy! LOL I have been trying to put words to her thoughts for her. She has always been pretty verbal so I could tell that she would be able to say words for the things she wants. She is pretty advanced in this regard, Most 12 month olds have a vocabulary of one to five words that they say regularly with meaning attached. Arden says MANY more words than that and knows what they mean. She can ask for crackers, her baby, to get up, for water, milk, she says night-night when she is tired, she identifies objects like sock, ball, diaper etc. I actually wrote down all of the words she says and they number 32! So arden is a verbal "genius" for her age LOL. All of her words arent clear of course, but if you spend any time with her you can definitely tell what she is saying. She just started saying her name when you ask her what it is (it is still hit or miss though right now) she also is starting to say that she is one when you ask how old she is and she is putting up the one finger. I cant believe that she is a big girl talking and walking (well sort of). On the walking front, she can do it but she chooses not to! Its ok, Im not rushing her. She takes steps and then either stops and sits down or she will get so excited and try to run and then fall LOL.

Here are some pics from her bday and a few of her in the following days. The theme of her party was "1st Birthday Diva"!

A video for ya!

2007-01-27T15:44:00.001-05:00


1-21-07 -- Arden playing at the leapfrog table and doing a little dance

10 Months Went So Quickly!

2007-01-23T21:57:00.000-05:00

Arden is 10 months already. She is such a fun baby. She talks all of the time. Her vocabulary includes "hi", "bye", "ma-ma", "thank you" (well not really but she tries!), "ball", "yuck" (whick sounds like "K", and many other sounds that she mimics. She is such a smart girl. She gives kisses when asked. She can identify some of her toys. She waves when told to say hi and bye and also says the words (when she feels like it!). She also LOVES clapping her hands while singing. She is just an all around joy. I couldnt be more blessed with such a perfect daughter! She is the BEST!!!

Arden has mastered crawling and is transitioning to walking. She stands up by pulling up on toys and furniture. She "cruises" along the furninture. Sometimes she lets go to clap her hands! She loves pushing her push toy around the room or any other toy she can hold and push around a room. I bet once she realizes that she actually can stand on her own she will be walking soon! Watch out world!

Arden plays so well. She loves her ring stacker toy and shape sorters. She adores the leap frog learning toys, especially the table and the drum! She has a play tent where she has lots of adventures. Her absolute favorite toy is any small plactic ball! She LOVES them. She really is a lot of fun!

I could go on for days! But I will stop here. :) Here are a few pics of her at 9 months ending with a few of her first few days at 10 months.

9 Months

10 Months

9 Months Already!

2006-12-19T19:22:00.000-05:00

Can't talk for long because I must finish this paper, but I wanted to briefly update! Arden is now nine months old. She is a crawling machine and has perfected her mechanics! She pulls up on EVERYTHING and I know it won't be long before she is walking and then RUNNING! She's still a chatter box but now she is really starting to mimic words. Her newest trick is she puts the phone up to her ear and says "haaaaaaa" instead of hi. Close enough! LOL! I have yet to catch this on camera because she has to be in the mood to do it. But I have caught her playing by herself putting the remote up to her ear like a phone and saying hi and blabbing away! I've got a phone talker on my hands already! She also says "yuck" but it comes out more liek "K" lol! the "yu" gets lost in translation LOL!

Arden is such a sweet baby. She has done her fair share of traveling and has handled it like a champ! We just came from Auntie Shabnam's sisters wedding in NC. Arden dressed up like a Bengali baby and she looked the part! It was a lot of fun. I will include some pictures from the wedding. Arden was soooo good on the ride down and back and very well behaved while there. I will have to take her on a shopping trip as a reward for her good behavior!

Ever since Arden has become mobile she has become soooohyper! Shes like a tornado moving all over the place leaving a mess in her wake LOL! I love watching her explore. I really need to baby proof everything because she is sooo curious.

Ok here are some recent pics including some from the wedding! Enjoy!

Watch Out World!

2006-11-29T21:18:00.000-05:00

FINALLY ARDEN HAS CRAWLED FORWARD!! Well actually it is a crawl/lunge type thing, but whatever, she is propelling forward. Even Auntie C, a.k.a. Oon, had to admit that she was doing it (although she still had to criticize her mechanics LOL). It was really cute to see her scrambling around on the floor. She went forward yesterday. Last night she was really hyped! I guess it was pure excitement from her newly acquired skill.

What else is new??? Well not much. Ardens first Thanksgiving was nice. She ate sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and string beans from my plate. She loved it. I even let her have a taste of apple pie and banana pudding. (just a teeny bit). She seemed to enjoy the holiday so that was good. Um I dont think there is much else to report other than the fact that her teeth are well on their way to being fully in (and she likes to bite mommy ... yeah not cool!) But the teeth are coming in a "V" shape! they say it is normal and they straighten themselves out as they come it. I would hate to have her fitted for baby braces LOL.

Well here are the pics. Shes 8 months now (well 8.5). Enjoy! (I'll even throw in a few of our Christmas pics!)

To the Left... To the Left

2006-11-14T18:02:00.000-05:00

Well Arden just turned 8 months on the 11th!! I cant believe how big my baby girl is getting so quickly. In exciting news, Arden'f first tooth came in on the bottom "to the left" on halloween! The second came in right next to it a couple days later! Now they are really becoming visible although they arent all the way in yet. She is learning to use those little teeth. She has already bitten me while nursing several times now. OUCH!! I keep trying to get her to stop. I yell ouch and pull her away from the boob. Sometimes she just looks at me and laughs, other times she whimpers as if I am such a mean mommy!

She still wont crawl. She tries to move around but she keeps going backward and it makes her soooo mad, especially when she really wants to get to something. She would much rather stand. She takes steps if you hold her hands. If she is sitting on your lap she tries to get down onto the floor as if she can just stand up there. I keep reminding her that she cant stand up yet but she still thinks she can! I think that once she crawls (if she ever does) she will shortly thereafter walk. I think she will be a runner like her mommy! She's got little muscular quads and calves already!

Hmmm what else can I say about her development? Well it seems that she is somewhat advanced in her "communication" because she has been waving hi and bye since she was 6 months and apparently that is a skill most 8 month olds start to develop. What can I say? My munchkin is a genius! LOL. She also recognizes herself in the mirror and in pictures and has been able to do so for several weeks.

I guess I will post some pictures from her 7th month. She's a beauty but of course you knew that already haha!

Fuzzy wuzzy outfit

Playing

Sweetie

Learning

Snow angel

Cheeks!!

Ready to brave the cold

I can grab cheerios!

Yummy cheerios

Fun with Uma

I love tights! (well mommy does!)

Pretty girl

Me and my friends the twins

Hooray

Can you see my little tooth buds?

Making a birthday card for Auntie Shab

Getting prettier everyday

2006-10-20T20:32:00.000-05:00

Arden is 7 months now. She is just so sweet. She weighs 15 lbs, 12 oz. and is almost 26 inches long. Shes still petite for her age but is growing at a good rate. She is starting to move around even more. Although she isnt quite crawling yet, she definitely gets around. Auntie C tries to force her to crawl!! It's kind of funny. She's almost there though. She still has NO TEETH! I think they may be on their way though because she has not had a good appetite lately and has been more cranky than usual.

Arden has become quite the giggle bunny. She laughs at everything! Sometimes just someone entering the room is enough to send her into hysterical laughter! She is still talking a lot. She is actually finally saying actual word like sounds rather than just screeches. She now says "ba ba ba". I think "ba" means a lot of things since it is the only word in her vocabulary! LOL
Here are a few recent pictures of her.

I know... I've left you hanging!

2006-10-12T20:03:00.000-05:00

Well Arden just turned 7 months old on the 11th!!! I can't believe how quickly time has flown. She is doing so much now. She is sitting up and eataing solid foods. She is finally trying to crawl. She loves standing and stretching her legs. I speak to her in Spanish occasionally (I really should do it more). She gives me kisses when I ask in both English and Spanish (if she is in the mood). Arden really is a great baby. She is so happy all the time and a joy to be around. Her name truly fits her. Arden meaning "burning with enthusiasm" is really fitting. She is so excited about life just as I hoped she would be!

She laughs and smiles all te time. And she is so curious about everything. Auntie C always tries to make her crawl and be mobile, but Arden and I have to remind her that she is a thinking baby more than she is a mover!! We recently went to Toronto on a looooong road trip. Arden did really well in the car considering it was a 12 hour ride (including the stops for the baby and gas). Arden got a little spoiled on that trip because I had her in the carrier the whole weekend, so now she wants to be held all the time! She is also in that phase where all she wants is mommy. She cries for me when I leave the room and even if I sit to far away from her. I can't complain. I love that she loves me!

Here are some pictures of her at 6 months. Enjoy them!

Playing Catch Up With Pictures!!

2006-08-27T13:52:00.000-05:00

Ok I have 3 months of pictures that I didn't ever post. I had 400 on my camera!! Finally I have my new computer so I can post some. Obviously I can't post them all, but I will post a sampling from this summer so you all can see a little of what you missed! Enjoy!

THREE MONTHS

Arden with her Aunties

In the bumbo chair

1st Ponytails

With Auntie Shab

My 3 month t shirt!

More ponytails :)

4 generations

FOUR MONTHS

Me and Teddy

Teething

Me and Mommy in our matching Strawberry shirts

Auntie C and me

Me and my friend Bobby

My first dip in the pool!

Ari and Mommy poolside

With Uncle Alfred

1st beach trip

Me and Auntie Tai

FIVE MONTHS

Arden the Coast Guard!

Me and Grammy

Me, Cousin Avery and brand new Cousin Anderson

Auntie Kiba, Anderson, Avery, Me and Mommy

Uma and her grandbabies

Yin and Yang :)

My toes are tasty!

Uncle Jason got me this pretty dress from Mexico

THE END..... FOR NOW!

Free At Last! ... Well Kind Of...

2006-08-24T13:17:00.000-05:00

I finally finished work on Friday August 11th! I am so happy to have more time to spend with the little munchkin. But I started back to school on Aug 21st. So I am not really "free" but my school schedule is so much better and allows me much more freedom, so I can spend a lot more time with her.

The munchy (Arden) is doing sooo well. She is getting big. She loves to talk and sing. She sings herself to sleep when she is really tired. She also has really begun to enjoy her exersaucer. She spins around in it grabbing all of the toys and talking to them! But she tends to get frustrated with some of the toys when she cant get them to do what she wants them to do. She grunts and fusses at them and then eventually starts to cry. It seems that she has an impatient streak in her and tends to get frustrated. She is like her mother in that respect. :)

She sat up unassisted yesterday! She is starting to get up on her knees when I put her on her belly. I'm sure before I know it she will be crawling. She really is growing up too fast. I miss my little helpless newborn. Now she is becoming more and more autonomous by the day. Soon she will be running around terrorizing everything in sight!

I hope to make the most of the remaining summer days. Arden loves the outdoors, even though I can't let her be in the sun too long because I would hate for her fair skin to burn! Maybe we will get back into the pool soon. She loved the water the last time we swam. I dragged her around the pool and she kicked her little legs and flailed her arms as she giggled uncontrollably! It was the cutest thing. I wish I had videotaped it. I have tons of her pool pics that I need to post (actually I have tons of pictures generally that I will post as soon as I get my new computer and can download them).

Anyway, I just wanted to give a short update on the munchkin and what she has been doing. I will post again soon (I promise) with pictures!

Back on Track

2006-08-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Ok I am going to try to get back to my regular posting.

Arden is doing very well. She grabs at everything and shoves it straight in her mouth! She is a drool machine. I know a tooth is on its way! She hasnt been too cranky though even though I know her gums are bothering her. I guess she is just a trooper and sucks it up. Dont get me wrong, she has her moments of screaming when she feels pain, but they have been minimal.

Arden is talking more than ever. Now she has started talking herself to sleep. When she is really tired and fighting sleep she starts talking (loudly) and eventually she falls asleep. Unfortunately she did this is church right when the pastor was starting the message! So we had to hear much of the service from the hall!! I guess she is just a talker!

She started trying cereal last week. She is still trying to get the hang of keeping the food in her mouth, but she is doing better each time. Next week I will introduce a food. And I will intorduce a new food each week!

Its all very exciting, but sad at the same time watching her grow. I miss my little "worm" as auntie Tai called her. I met my new nephew this weekend (he is 1 month old) and I realized just how big Arden has gotten! (Pics soon to come of that meeting) Arden is growing way too fast. I wish I could just freeze time so I could enjoy her at this stage for just a little longer! I am glad I have kept this blog because it helps me to remember all of the little phases of her life.

There are sooooo many pictures that I have to post but I still havent gotten them off of the camera bc my computer died. So I am waiting for my new computer to be shipped.

But here are a few pictures from this past weekend. My friend (who also made the header for this site) took them while we were visiting. He took great pictures. He's the best! He's moving away :( (We'll miss you Charlie!!)

Enjoy the pics!!!

Just a Taste of What's Going On!

2006-07-25T13:24:00.000-05:00

Ok this post is clearly just to appease the blog gods. I don't have time to write everything that I should. I am soooo behind. But a quick synopsis of the baby's life at this point is that she is absolutely great!! She is 4.5 months old. She is rolling over. She babbles constantly. We have nice conversations about our day when I come home from work. I think she is starting to get teeth too! She is a drool monster most of the time! Arden loves to read and she loves music. She "sings" along with the radio sometimes! Now she is working on strengthening her back muscles. She tries to sit herself up when she is laying flat. It is only a matter of time before she is sitting and then crawling! (Watch out world!!) I couldn't be happier with my baby girl. :)

I will write more later when I have more time. I only have 3 more weeks of work! WOOOHOOOO!!!

OK I was finally able to at least get the system to allow me to post a few of the pictures from the baby's 4 month photo shoot from this weekend. I will post more pictures when blogger decides to act right(because I have millions of cute ones just waiting to be posted!). But at least you will have a good idea about how the munchkin looks these days. She's just too cute (in my humble mommy opinion)! By the way, I had no intention of being in the pictures with the baby (hence my crazy hair) but the photographer made me! Oh and these pictures are the proofs. The finals have enhancements and collages, etc. Also if you are interested you can click on the link below and see all of the proofs from the shoot.

4 month photo shoot

It's not my fault!!!!!

2006-07-25T13:19:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to post pictures and this stupid system (blogger) is acting crazy and won't let me!! I am trying to work around it but I dont know when I will have any pics up.

Sorry for the delay but any delay beyond this point is not my fault!

I'll Be Back

2006-07-06T09:53:00.000-05:00

Sorry I have been so negligent in my posting. I have been very busy with work and the munchkin and my computer is on the fritz!!! But I do have more pictures and things to share about Arden, so I will get on that very soon.

Sorry for the delay. I know some people would like to get their cute baby picture fixes. :)

Working Mama

2006-05-31T09:37:00.000-05:00

Well the last week and a half has been a blur. I am trying to get used to this whole schedule of dropping Ari off early, getting on the bus, working a full day, and coming back home pretty late to pick her up. I am gone at least 12 hours everyday. It's hard being away from her for so long. I try to get in my quality time in thr mornings when she wakes up, and at night before bed. The weekend will have to be my time that I devote to baby Brielle, but at the same time I have to remember to take time for me. Oh yeah, I also have to pump at work. It's kind of awkward. But luckily I found the "lactation room" and it happens to be a couple of doors down from my office. It sure beats a bathroom stall! Plus it has a fridge, freezer, table and sink and even a place to plug my laptop into the network if I needed to. Although I must say that I feel somewhat awkward going in and out of the lactation room and disappearing for periods of time. At least I dont carry the big pump bag back and forth when I go to pump now, because since I have found the lactation room, I just leave it in one of the cabinets in there. I am the only one using the room at this point, from what I can tell. This working mommy business is hard! I wish I could just stay home with her. Oh well I gotta do what I gotta do at this point.

This weekend we went back to CT. Uncle Alfred did Arden's dedication on Sunday. It was really nice. Avery had his "Chosen Day" party to celebrate the finalization of his adoption 3 years ago. He has the celebration every year. Its kind of like a 2nd birthday party. It was fun! Avery LOVES his baby cousin! He is so protective of her and I know he cant wait until she is big enough to play with! He's learning to be gentle though which is good. He needs the practice because soon he will have some little siblings to help "take care of." :)

Arden is really making strides in her development. She is 11 weeks now! She almost has complete control of her head and neck. Her back muscles are very strong. She is "talking" up a storm. (She even said "hi" to her Auntie C this morning... really she did!) She LOVES her musical play gym that speaks 5 different languages. It sings this "hello" song and I often find myself humming it. Arden sits under the gym kicking her legs, looking at the lights. She really gets into it. She also likes her musical aquarium bouncy seat. It plays classical music and bubbles making the fish inside move. As you will see in the pictures that follow, she is more and more smiley. She is so reactive when people talk to her. She smiles back at smiling faces. She still hates her belly so she hasnt really rolled yet. She tries to roll from back to front but she only makes it onto her side. It would be easier to roll from belly to back but she wont lay on her belly long enough. We will have to work on the "tummy time" thing! '

Arden is really getting big! She is so long and skinny. I think she has runner's legs! Maybe she will find herself on the track team just as I was. Volleyball would be a good sport for her too. (She has such long arms and hands!)

Her is what babycenter.com has to say about Arden's 3rd week of month 2:

Your baby is busy absorbing the sights and sounds around him. How? By looking, listening, and touching. You can help keep those brain cells multiplying by letting your baby handle a wide variety of objects such as soft teddy bears, hard plastic cookie molds, and rubber balls. Just make sure they're too big for him to choke on: Children under a year old shouldn't play with toys that have parts smaller than 1 1/4 inches around or 2 1/4 inches long.

Ok here are some pictures from the weekend:

Hitting the Road

2006-05-21T20:25:00.000-05:00

Arden and I went on a road trip last weekend. We went to visit Auntie Akiba, Uncle Alfred and cousin Avery in Connecticut. Arden was really good in the car. She slept most of the way. We had a really nice time on our trip. Avery LOVES his "baby Arnen". He followed us around and was a big helper. He's so sweet but had never really been around a baby before to realize that they are different from him. (He only just turned 3). We had to point out that the baby couldnt chew because she doesnt have teeth after he shoved a Cheerio in her mouth! LOL. After a while he was a lot more gentle. Poor kid doesnt realize his own strength, he would pat poor Arden on the head a little harder than she liked. Although he was good for a nice solid pat on the back when Arden needed it to help put her to sleep. :) All in all it was a fun weekend.

Arden is 10 weeks this week!!! She is really growing. She is holding her head up very well. The doctor said that she has excellent neck control and is advanced for her age, in that regard. Arden was weighed at 9.5 weeks and she weighed 9 pounds 12 oz. She is still a little peanut but she is gaining weight well. She is almost 23 inches long. She is in the 80th percentile for height but is on the small side for her weight in reference to her length. I guess she is just going to be long and skinny like her mom.

Here is what babycenter.com had to say about her during the second week of month 2.

All the diapering, feeding, kissing, and cuddling you've been doing for the last two months will be rewarded now with a real beaming baby smile and when you see it, you'll know the meaning of pure joy! Her past smiles were probably involuntary or the result of passing gas. These are the true "I'm happy" signs. Take advantage of your baby's new ability to show joy by making her grin and giggle. Silly faces, funny noises, and blowing bubbles are surefire hits.

I start work this week. I really dont want to go but I know I must. Grammy is excited to have Arden while I am gone. I will let you know how my first week goes.

Here are pictures from our trip and from Arden's 9th week (If you'll notice there is a trend... I tend to fall asleep while putting her to sleep!!):

Where Did Two Months Go??

2006-05-09T16:12:00.000-05:00

Arden is already 8 weeks old. I can't believe that my baby will be 2 months old on the 11th. Where has the time gone? Well now Arden is doing a lot of different things. I can tell that she is in fact growing up. She smiles at me a lot, but I can never seem to catch a grin on camera (although I do have one picture that I got the other day!) She is starting to be more aware of things around her. She notices when I come in and out of a room. She looks at bright colored objects. The other day she discovered the TV! Shes really growing. Her hair is getting longer and it is starting to curl which makes for a lot of bad hair days since it tends to go in all directions. :)

The newest development is that she has become a little more picky about things. She no longer will take her bottle which is problematic because I have to start work on the 22nd. I have to search for new nipples. She still wont take a pacifier. ARGH! And she also has begun to cry when I leave her. She cries for me when others are holding her. I guess it's a good thing that she has bonded with me but I want her to be content without me. I guess that will come in time. She is also having a harder time getting to sleep. She sometimes just screams no matter what I do until we both end up falling asleep out of exhaustion.

All in all, I can't complain because for the most part she is a great baby. She's so beautiful (I may be a bit biased). I think she's the best!!!

Here is what babycenter.com says we should expect this month:

From here on out Arden may gain as much as two pounds a month. She's probably staying awake longer too — some babies this age are awake for up to ten hours a day. Arden's also getting stronger. She still can't hold her head steady, but you might notice her keeping it up for a few seconds at a time. Other changes include the ability to focus on objects 7 to 8 inches away, and track them as you move them from side to side. She might glance at her own hand when you do this. Being able to "regard" her hand, as development experts call this activity, is the first stage in reaching out and grabbing things.

You can click here for more details on a two month old's development.

Here are some pictures from last week. She just keeps getting cuter!

Trying to Catch My Breath

2006-05-01T17:26:00.000-05:00

I am sooooo busy these days with school ending and the baby being a bit more demanding than before. I skipped week 6 because I was so busy with school work. I am, however, taking the time to update this week (week 7) in order to appease the baby blog nazi! :) I have a paper to write by Wednesday and I have yet to really get into it. Arden doesnt like to let me do much. If I am around her she wants me to pay attention to her and nothing else. I swear she knows her mommy and she knows how to get her attention! I have had to leave her with my grammy so that I can do anything productive. The night before my antitrust exam I stayed at school. I literally had to stay up for 24 + hours to learn something (and I still feel really bad about that exam, but its over now...). So that was my 1st night away from her. I felt bad about it but I had to do it because I knew far too little to go home and be sucked up into Ari world.

Well Arden is growing so fast. She is becoming such a sweet little girl with her own personality. She smiles and laughs all of the time (especially during her naps). She LOVES music and singing. I find myself singing to her in the middle of the night to put her back to sleep. She doesnt seem to mind that my voice is particularly raspy at 3am.

She is also getting very strong. She is getting more control of those flailing arms and legs and she is holding her head and back more steady by the day.

She is settling into a pattern now. She sleeps at similar times each day and she is staying awake much longer. She still doesnt sleep through the night but she usually goes to sleep at 11 or 12 midnight and wakes up at about 3 am then she sleeps again until about 6:30 am. However there are some days that she wont go to sleep and she is up until 2am before she finally settles down. Nap time is getting harder for her. She isnt so easy to settle down all of the time. She tends to fight her sleep a lot and I have to help her get into sleepy mode.

Well here are some pictures of Arden at 6 and 7 weeks:

Arden at 5 weeks

2006-04-18T15:27:00.000-05:00

Time has really flown. I cant believe that it has been 5 weeks already. Arden is growing so fast. I still look at her and cant believe that she is mine. Each day I see her personality forming more and more. She is a very laidback baby but she does have a bit of a temper! She definitely will let me know if she isnt happy about something.

I think that it is amazing how a baby knows its mother. If she knows nothing else, she definitely knows her mommy. I never realized that just walking into a room would cause Arden to react. It's true that sometimes nothing is wrong with a baby but that they just want their mother. So often Arden will be crying and my family will try to console her, but she wont quiet until I hold her. It is the ultimate expression of love that a baby shows to its mother and vice versa. I feel so blessed to be experiencing this phenomenon.

OK I have received requests to start to post Arden's weekly stats again. I will go ahead and do that and then post pictures of Arden at 5 weeks, including some in her Easter dress.

5 weeks:

That smile lighting up Arden's face is the real thing. I can tell it's a social smile (as opposed to gas) when she uses her entire face to tell me she's pleased.

By this time Arden can focus both eyes on an object and has begun to prefer more complex designs, colors, and shapes. She is now noticing the toys that dangle above her carseat and on her bouncer. She can track movement, which means that a simple rattle passed in front of her face can transfix her. Or you can play eyes-to-eyes — move very close to her face and slowly nod your head from side to side. She'll follow you raptly, and you may even get another smile, or chuckle, out of her.

Arden's 1st Day of School

2006-04-10T09:50:00.000-05:00

On Friday, Ari attended her first day of law school. Well I guess that isnt exactly true considering that she has technically completed almost a full year in utero. But this was her 1st day "on the outside." I brought her since I only had one class. She was very well behaved as usual. Thos who saw her said that they fell in love! She was glad to meet some of her aunties and uncles. We ended up staying a lot longer than I intended. We were there all day. The day was especially long for Ari because she also attended the Con Law class that I teach at the Jr High school at 8am. The kids were glad to see her. Needless to say, she was quite worn out once we got home and she was cranky all night and the next day (her naps had been interrupted all day by onlookers and well wishers.)

All in all the day was good despite the fact that Arden peed on me TWICE!! Argh. Anyway, here are some pics of Ari with some of her honorary Aunties at her first day of law school.

Bath Time!!

2006-04-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

Arden had her first bath the day her cord fell off. She was 12 days old, and she absolutely hated it!!! It was really a funny sight although the baby screamed tlike she was being tortured. Her subsequent baths have been less traumatic and she almost enjoyed them. Lucky for her she doesnt have to get baths often because the doc said to bathe her only once or twice a week for now (her skin is sensitive and it would be too much). I just wrote this post because I wanted to post the pics of her first bath!!

"Daycare"

2006-04-04T12:56:00.000-05:00

Ari did very well yesterday with Grammy. She slept most of the time that I was gone, awaking only to eat. I am glad she wasnt too upset or fussy. Grammy had fun taking care of her and I am glad that she is able to. She really wants to have things to do during the day and she is so excited to have her baby.

Arden slept all night last night. Well not quite. But she slept for a long time. She fell asleep at 9 pm and didnt get up again until 3:30 am! Then she went right back to sleep. Was up at 6:30 to eat and went back to sleep until 10! It was a good morning for me because I could get dressed and shower with no worries about her crying.

So far she has been a very good baby. She very rarely cries. Actually this past Sunday afternoon/evening was the only day that she has truly been fussy. I'm not sure what her problem was, but she has since been fine.

Ok I am off to go home to get my little one! YAY!!!

Back to School

2006-04-03T09:29:00.000-05:00

Well today is my first day away from my baby girl. I had to return to school today. :( I cant say that I am glad to be back. I miss Arden already and I have only been gone from her for a little more than an hour! I know she is in good hands. Grammy is keeping her and Auntie C took the day off from work to assist. I hope she doesnt give them a hard time. She was fussy all day yesterday. Maybe she sensed my imminent absence. Shes still so little that she hasnt mastered (or even slightly grasped) the ideas of self soothing or sucking a pacifier for comfort. I wonder what she will do today in my absence.

The good news is that I only have 1 1/2 weeks of school left so I wont have to leave her for long. The other good thing is that I only have long days away from her on Monday when I am at school from 10-3. But on Wed and Fri I only have one class and on Tues and Thurs I am there from 11-2. So it shouldnt be too bad.

I'll update you on how the little one does on her first day of daycare. But I can already tell you that mommy is sad to have to leave her baby girl. :( Oh well I'll get over it just as she will have to. We'll be ok....... I still dont want to be in this dreaded school though.

Arden's First Outings

2006-03-28T10:19:00.000-05:00

I have had a terrible case if cabin fever these past two weeks. I havent stayed in the house this long since ....... I cant even remember a time. Everyone has been keeping me tied down to my bed. They barely let me walk to the bathroom on my own LOL.

Well Arden and I finally were able to make an escape this weekend. Auntie Cree got married this weekend so of course I needed something to wear. I wanted to get out to the mall to try to find something flattering on Friday. Mommy decided to chaperone me since they still wont let me drive! Somehow we found our way to Bloomindales. Arden's first shopping trip was at Bloomies. I may be setting myself up for disaster when she is older. If she shops at Bloomies at 2 weeks I can only imagine how expensive her taste will be at 15! LOL. At any rate. We stayed there for hours and tried on lots of dressed only to decide that I would try to make one of my old dresses at home work. It was a good outing for me though although I did get quite tired by the time we left.

On Saturday we went to the wedding. It was very nice. Ari was dressed like a princess. She had on a pretty yellow eyelet dress from The Children's Place that Auntie Akiba bought her, which was paired with a cream ruffled cardigan. Too cute! Both pieces were way too big for her tiny frame but she still looked very pretty. She got to meet a lot of new friends and everyone was so struck by how beautiful she is. I know I may be biased but I must say that she is a very pretty newborn!

Anyway, here are some pics of us at the wedding. I am so glad I got to get out. I only have one more week at home then I will have to return to school. I am not looking forward to that.

Ari's 1st Two Weeks

2006-03-24T09:47:00.000-05:00

Well the little princess will be 2 weeks old this weekend. She has been a joy to have around. She is a very good baby. She rarely cries and when she does it is short lived. Her sleeping patterns are a bit off, but that is to be expected. She sleeps her longest stretches in the afternoon and only an hour or 2 at a time during the night. But she is so cute that I can't complain. I just smile when I look at her (sometimes she smiles back!)

Arden seems to be pretty advanced for her young age. She has been holding her head up for short periods since she was 2 days old, and she really is gaining control of her neck muscles now. She also lets out little giggles when she smiles!

Arden had her 1st doctor's appointment and he said that she is perfect. I couldnt agree more! She does have a little jaundice, but its nothing to worry about.

I am recovering well. My incision is healing well. It is still a little sore but it isnt bad at all. I have lost all of that extra fluid that I had accumulated during the end of the pregnancy and I am almost already back to my old size. Once this swelling goes completely down I will be back in my jeans comfortably. Yay!

As you all saw, Arden started out VERY fair at birth, but she has since gotten a bit more peachy. She looks like she has been sitting in the window getting a little tan! The older she gets the more she looks like I did as a baby. He facial expressions are completely mine. It's really funny to watch yourself in miniature form! Here are some pics of her during her 1st 2 weeks at home.

My Ari Berry is Finally Here!!

2006-03-16T10:48:00.000-05:00

My baby girl made her entrance on Saturday, March 11, 2006 at 11:23 pm. She weighed 6 pounds, 4.7 ounces. 19 inches long.

She is just beautiful. She is doing absolutely wonderfully. I love her so very much and I couldnt be happier.

Ok I will give you the condensed birth story. I went in for the induction at 7 am. They gave me a gel to open my cervix and I started having contractions pretty soon after that. I was still only 1 cm dilated. At 12 noon they started the dreaded pitocin. The contractions got stronger, but I was still doing well with them. I didnt want to have any drugs. At 1 pm they broke my water. I was still only 1-2 cm! They kept turning up the pitocin every 15 min. The contractions were really getting stronger, but I was still ok. I was watching the 2nd season of 24 on DVD. At 4 the doc came and checked me again. I was only 2-3 cm! He was getting concerned because I wasnt progressing consistently with the amount of pitocin he was giving me because my contractions were very strong. He thought that despite the fact that I was very relaxed, my muscles were staying tense, preventing my cervix from dilating. So he told me he wanted me to get an epidural. I didnt want it, but he said that I really should get it to allow my muscles to relax because without it he didnt think they would relax on their own. So I consented to the epi. But it didnt work on me. The anesthesiologist tried 4 times to adjust my dosages but I still felt all the pain. I got relief for only 15 min. So I labored on in full pain despite the epi. They kept cranking up the pitocin to "challenge "my cervix. The baby wasnt handling the pitocin well. Her heart rate kept dropping because the contractions would "couple" I would get 2 or 3 in a row about 10-20 seconds apart. Then I wouldnt get anything for about 2 min. Then 2-3 in row again. It was stressing teh baby. So they turned off the pitocin to try to let the contractions even out and to let the baby and me rest a bit. They did even out, so they turned the pitocin back on. The baby seemed to be doing better, so they kept cranking up the pitocin. (The contractions were REALLY bad, but I was still handling them, although I have no clue what happened at the end of the 24 DVDs!) At 10 pm the doc came to check me again and he said I was onlt 4 cm! UGH!!! He said that something was wrong because the amount of pitocin I had and the strength of my contractions should have delivered the baby hours before. He said the baby wasnt tolerating the pitocin well and heart rate was dropping showing that she was under stress. He said I needed a c-section. I was upset and frustrated because that was the last thing I wanted but I didnt want to endanger my daughter. So I consented to the c-section.

When I went in for the surgery at 11pm, they were going to try an epi again but of course with higher doses. It seemed that it was working pretty well, despite the fact that the other epi failed on me. The other options were a spinal tap or general anesthesia to knock me completely out, which i didnt want. So they started the surgery. I was fine until they started to pull the baby out. I started to feel pain. Once they pulled her out and started to work on me, I was in terrible pain. I was happy to see my baby girl, but I couldnt even focus because the pain was becoming overwhelming. I guess the medicine wasnt fully effective on me. My sis, Auntie C, told the lady manning the drugs that I was in pain, that I felt way more than just pressure. The lady started pumping me with drugs but it wasnt helping. By that time I was on the verge of screaming. I dont know what the lady gave me but the next thing I knew I was waking up in the OR. I guess my body may have just shut down and let me sleep until they finished stitching me up. I woke up and they put teh baby in my arms.

It turned out taht Arden had turned (I think during my labor) and her butt was coming out first, so she wouldnt fit. Also the cord was wrapped around her neck, hence the lowered heart rate. So I went through 16 hours of labor on pitocin only to have a c-section

At any rate, she is doing great now. It wasnt what I planned but the end result has been heavenly. I am so in love with my little Berry and I cant wait to watch her grow.

Here are some pics for everyone to enjoy!

The BIG Day

2006-03-10T13:51:00.000-05:00

Well all of my attempts have been futile. All the teas and acupuncture and coaxing and begging have not made Arden want to come out. I kind of feel bad because I am rushing her. She does technically have another week to go. But I am on a time constraint and I need her to go now.

So the doctor has agreed to induce me tomorrow at 7am. Hopefully sometime in the afternoon I will be holding my sweet baby girl. :) So everyone please send out your prayers for me and Arden because I know that neither of us is going to enjoy this pitocin induction very much. I just hope that she tolerates it well enough for her to be delivered naturally and not to require a c-section.

I guess I will post her 39 week stats since that is where she will be tomorrow.

At this point, Arden is ready for life outside of the womb. She actively practices sucking and breathing reflexes.

Not much else to be said. The next post from me will hopefully be a picture of the little princess.

On Pins and Needles

2006-03-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

Ok, well the walking has not put me into spontaneous labor yet so I am going to try one last thing. I went to my chiropractor yesterday and she suggested that I try acupuncture before I get induced at the hospital with pitocin. (Pitocin makes for such a hard labor and I wont be a good experience for me or Arden). Acupuncture has been known to stimulate strong contractions enough to send people staright to labor and delivery. So I have an acupunture appointment today at 5. I am hoping that it works and I have this baby today or Friday. :) If it doesnt work, then I will talk to my doctor on Friday about the induction.

Everyone, keep your fingers crossed for me, ok????

Walking to the Finishline

2006-03-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

Well this is the final stretch for me and Arden. This week is her week. My spring break starts next week and I need her to be born by then. My doctor knows that I only will have 2 weeks of class that I will be able to miss, so he suggested that he may induce me on Saturday the 11th, if she doesnt come on her own this week, so that I will have the baby home for spring break. I really dont want to be induced but I know that the extra week with the baby is HUGE, so I am going to do it if necessary.

I hope she will come on her own and have been doing what I can to help her along. I have been drinking teas. I went walking for 3 hours at Tyson's mall trying to coax the baby out. I guess I am going to walk my way to the finishline. I told Arden that the eviction notice has been posted and that her days are numbered! She can go peaceably this week on her own, or by force on Saturday. The choice is hers! LOL. I hope she decides to cooperate.

I am really tired today. Maybe all that walking is taking its toll. I didnt sleep very well last night. My belly is sore and kind of crampy and tight. I keep having little contractions but nothing to write home about. Every time she moves it hurts me. Maybe she is preparing herself? I don't know. All I know is that I am ready and she needs to get ready too...quickly.

Clone Pics Are Up!

2006-03-05T15:23:00.000-05:00

As promised I have posted the picture of me as a VERY newborn baby and the picture of Arden Brielle that it resembles. For some reason, blogger is not posting the pictures in the proper size and they are barely visible. So I will invite you all to look at my baby page on babyfit.com. Go to the photo gallery and look for the pic of me as a baby and compare it to the one of Arden right next to it. (You can access the photogallery by clicking the box on the right side of the screen that says something like "visit my baby page photo gallery"). Let me know what you think. Is it wishful thinking or does she seem to look like I did? There are also updated pics of Arden's room with the accessories.

In other news. I am now 38 weeks. Hopefully I will be posting a picture of my baby (in living color) very soon. Here are my stats for this week.

Arden's growth has slowed down a great deal, with the exception of fat production. Because of space limitations, she bends her arms and legs, holding them close to the body. She is probably close to 6 pounds or more at this stage.

Once again not much to tell. Basically the synopsis is, she's ready to come out!

That's all for now. I will keep you posted on any developments.

Updated Pics

2006-03-03T12:53:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are some more recent pics of me. They were taken last weekend when I began week 37. (No laughing at my fat face and double chin! I know I am chubby.)

I went to the doc today and everything looks good. I have even started to dilate (although it's only 1 cm, but that is better than nothing!)

OK enjoy the pics. I'll try to scan my baby pic with Ari's today. (But I wont make any promises!)

The Countdown!

2006-03-02T17:27:00.000-05:00

Hooray, I am full term now. As I write I am officially 37.5 weeks. I can definitely say that I am feeling more than ready for this to be over. I have gained more than enough weight, 28 pounds (actually its average for a pregnancy and I probably should have gained more bc I was a bit "underweight" to begin with...but it was more than enough for me.) I had only gained 1/4 of a pound last week (even though in the two previous weeks I had gained 4 pounds...double the average gain for a 2 week period!) so I think i am done with my weight gain even though the baby is still getting bigger. But I am definitely burdened by these extra pounds. I find myself out of breath when I walk up stairs. My knees ache when I go to stand up, sit down, squat... I have a very hard time getting in and out of my VERY low sports car. I cant tie my shoes and have trouble putting on socks. (Its actually quite funny to watch me try to get dressed in the morning. I should tape myself one day so I can laugh about it later. LOL. So pretty much I am in a state of chronic fatigue and it doesnt help that I have to make my way up and down several flights of steps daily at school. When I am lucky I will find a soul willing to carry my bags but often times I do it myself (sometimes I just refuse help...I guess it's my pride.) And now to add insult to injury I am all puffy all over. My ankles are HUGE. My feet seem to be close to their normal size but my ankles look like they have been badly sprained. They are so huge that my socks seem to cut off circulation. I rarely have time to elevate my feet, which I am sure doesnt help my cause. My ankles give me the most trouble when I first wake up. Every morning I roll (literally) out of bed to let the dog go outside quickly (he wakes me up every morning between 6-7 to "tinkle"). The problem is that when I get up and try to walk, the blood/fluid rushes down to my feet and ankles and I am literally in pain when I try to walk. It feels like I am walking on needles. It's awful.

So I gladly say that I am in countdown mode. Arden can come tomorrow for all I care. I am so tired and ready to have a waist again honestly. I really am hoping that she will get here before Mar 12 when my spring break starts, that way I can have an extra week at home with her, because I will only be able to take off 2 weeks from class. Everyone, send out the {{{{{{{labor vibes}}}}}}} please. Anyone have any guesses as to when she will arrive? Maybe we should start a pool.

Ok here are my 37 week stats:

By this time, the baby has developed a firm grasp, has practiced breathing, and automatically turns toward light sources! Your baby’s body becomes fuller and rounder as body fat continues to rise.

As you can see there isnt much to say about her because she is fully cooked and ready to come out!! I wish she would just hurry up!

My Little Clone

2006-02-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

When my big sis was in town she showed me apicture of myself when I was about 3 days old and she said she thought it looked like one of the pictures of Arden. I wasnt sure that I could see the similarities at that point. I was too distracted by how funny looking I was! LOL. (It's ok I got cuter in a few weeks!) But this weekend I decided to look at the picture again and hold it next to the picture of Arden. The similarities are kind of scary!. It looks like it could be the same baby! I am going to try to post the two pictures so that you all can see, but I will have to scan my picture, so I will do it soon.

In other news, Arden is doing very well. The doctor says that she is really getting herself ready to come on out. He predicts that she will be here by the 10th. Sooner would be fine with me! I just hope she is born by the 10th because that is when my spring break begins and I would like to have that week home with her too. Everyone send me some {{{{{{{labor vibes}}}}}}} so that I will have her soon! I think she and I will be much happier and more comfortable with her on the outside.

Here are her stats this week. I am 36 weeks now (Officially 9 months!)

Arden is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. Her weight is approaching 6 pounds and she is a little less than 19 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Arden swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement. At the end of this week, Arden will be considered full-term.

Stay tuned for a side by side comparison of my and Arden's pictures.... Unless she decides to make her appearance in person very soon!

Sorry

2006-02-13T13:49:00.000-05:00

I skipped 34 weeks it seems. I am 35 weeks now. I am tired and am ready for Arden to get here. I am trying not to be too cranky but often times I wish I could bite people's heads off! My feet and hands are starting to swell and the baby is sitting very low in my pelvis. So I think she will be here soon. At least I hope she will. My mom thinks I will go in about 2 more weeks. I guess we shall see. I have more to do before her arrival. I have to assemble a few more things and arrange some things in her room. Lots of work, not much time! Well I am going to post the 35 week stats. Until next time.

Arden's getting big. She weighs about 5 pounds and is just over about 18 inches long. Because it's so snug in the womb, she isn't doing somersaults anymore, but she tries her best to stretch out her little arms and legs. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

NESTING!!!!!

2006-01-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

Ok, I have been on a nesting binge in the last couple of weeks. For those of you who may not know what I mean, it is said that when the baby close to being born, the mother begins to "nest". She has a sense of urgency that she must get everything for the baby in order. Well that has been me these past couple of weeks. I cant explain why, but I cant stop making preparations for the baby. I want to stop sometimes but I cant stop! I have put together all of her furniture myself. I have washed all of her 0-3 month clothes and blankets and towels... I have put most things away in preparation for getting new things at my next shower (Its on Feb 4th by the way). They say that when you are as out of control with it as I am, birth is imminent. I hope to buy a little more time but I have a feeling Arden is coming a bit earlier than March 19th. I guess we shall see.

In all of my nesting commotion I failed to do the 32 week update. I am 33 weeks today and here are the stats:

This week Arden weighs about 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches from the top of her head to her heels. Her skin is becoming less red and wrinkled, and while most of her bones are hardening, her skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. This will help her ease out of the narrow birth canal. She still may be sucking her thumb in preparation for feeding when she is born.

Finally, here are some picture of the room and of me at 32.5 - 33 weeks... Enjoy!

"Always Be My Baby"

2006-01-18T21:30:00.000-05:00

Well this little girl is just like her mommy and has impeccable taste in music! She LOVES Mariah Carey!!! I know what you are thinking, how do I know that she does...she probably cant tell the difference between songs. But I tell you that she does. I have a CD changer in my car and I listen to all different types of songs not necessarily sequentially. Whenever Mariah (my favorite singer) comes on, Arden literally dances. She is pretty much still for the other songs (although she also likes Usher and Brandy). She even livens up more for some Mariah songs more than others. Her favorites seem to be "I Am Free" from the Daydream CD (my all time favorite Mariah song), "Open Arms" from Daydream, "We Belong Together" from Emancipation of Mimi, "Dont Forget About Us" from Emancipation of Mimi, and "All I Ever Wanted" and "Music Box" from Music Box. I promise you this kid wakes up when her Mariah Jams come on! I think I will make her a mix CD of her favorites and of others that I think she will like. This is great. I can tell we will get along great! LOL. :)

In other good Berry news, I went to the doctor today for an ultrasound because my placenta was said to be low lying at my 20 week ultrasound. Basically it was covering my cervix and if it remained that way it could create complications and eventually would result in me needing a c-section. The hope was that as my uterus grew it would reposition the placenta (which is attached to the uterine wall). Well the good news is that my placenta has in fact "migrated" away from my cervix! YAY. So everything looks great.

Arden is doing well, although she is getting quite smashed! Her legs and arms are measuring long for her gestation, but her estimated weight is a little bit smaller than average. I guess she'll be long and skinny like her mommy! She weighs approx. 3 lbs 7 oz. and I am 31 1/2 weeks. I guess I will post the other things that are going on in her development this week.

Arden's growth in height and weight will begin to slow from here on out (but the she will still gain 2 pounds this month).
Her brain is still growing rapidly, making connections and learning complicated functions she will need for the rest of its life.
She may have a callous on her thumb from sucking on it.
Arden's blood is her own and does not mix with mine.

Showered

2006-01-11T19:37:00.000-05:00

I had my 1st baby shower on the 7th. It was al ot of fun. Thank you to everyone who was able to come. I got a lot of basics that I need for the baby and I am very grateful for the friends that I have. You all have been great. Thank you so much. I love you guys and Arden loves you too even though she may not know it yet.

The BIG shower has yet to come. Invitations are just being sent out. It will be in February (the 4th). Those of you who werent able to make it to the 1st shower are invited to come to this one if you like. You just have to let me know. Even if you did come to the 1st, you are welcome at this one as well. This is the family party and will be quite a shin dig I am sure. My family tends to be very over the top, but I love them anyway! A lot of invitations/announcements have been sent out. I wont go into #'s because I wouldnt want to unnecessarily shock anyone, but I can be pretty sure this party will have many more people than the gathering of 30 or so at the last one.

Arden is such the little celebrity.

Oh yeah I am 30 weeks this week. Here are Arden's stats:

Ari is a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds.
A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and fills out my uterus.
Her eyes open and close, she's able to distinguish between light and dark, and she can even follow a light source back and forth.
Once she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have a visual acuity of only 20/400 — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.

Berry is 29 Weeks

2006-01-02T15:37:00.000-05:00

I am now 29 weeks pregnant and this week I return to school. I dont want to go back. It should be interesting to see how I get through the day now that I and Arden have gotten a bit bigger and I am starting to get very tired after very little physical exertion. I'll keep you posted.

Here are Little Berry's stats for this week:

Arden now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is over 15 inches long from head to heel.
Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to accommodate her brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons.
Arden becomes more capable of surviving outside the womb every day now.
She is more sensitive now to light, sound, taste and smell.
Her eyes can now move in their sockets.

Arden's 3d Photo Shoot

2005-12-27T17:25:00.000-05:00

Well, we finally had a 3d photo shoot of Arden today. It was a lot of fun. She was pretty cooperative although she did keep putting her hands over her eyes or in her mouth blocking our view of her face. She also kept putting her legs behind her head. I didnt realize what a contortionist I had in my belly. She seemingly fills up every little bit of space she has in there. She's very long.

In the ultrasound session we got a CD with 35 pictures from the session and a 30 min DVD that is in 4d so you can see her moving and rubbing her eyes... Plus we got some pictures printed out, too. It was really very cool. I am posting a few of the pics so you guys can see how cute she is. My mom and big sis swear she looks like I did when I was a baby. I hope she does, but I can't say conclusively that she does!

I am 28 weeks this week. I guess I will post Arden's stats:

The amount of Arden's brain tissue is increasing and what was a smooth surface of the brain is now more characteristic of the grooves and indentations of a developed brain.

Arden has eyelashes and eyebrows, but the ultrasound showed that she doesnt have very much hair yet! (I didnt have much as a baby either!)
Her lungs are now capable of breathing air.
Though still lean she is starting to get chubbier.
She can open her eyes and will turn her head toward a continuous bright light on the outside.
Baby's Size (head to rump) this week: 10 inches
15.75 inches (head to toes)
Weight: a little more than 2 lbs

The Home Stretch!

2005-12-18T23:08:00.000-05:00

This week marks the beginning of the 3rd trimester of this pregnancy!!! WOOHOO! I am 27 weeks and ready to get into the home stretch. Arden is getting a lot bigger. My belly is getting quite round and conspicuous although people still can't believe how far along I am. They guess that I am about 5 months max.

I am finally on break from school although I still have other assignments to do for law journal. ARGH! But I have had the opportunity to use some of my free time to do things to get ready for Arden's arrival. Auntie C and I painted the baby's room this weekend. It was a 3 day process. The walls are a "mint hint" (a VERY pale mint) in a satin finish with alternating 6" and 2" stripes in "peridot" (which is a bit of a darker mint, kind of sage-ish) in a semi gloss finish so the stripes "pop" as Auntie C says. She is the designer and I have given her creative control. I picked out the bedding that I liked which is pink, green, and a bit of yellow in a patchwork quilt, and she picked all the accessories to go along with it, mostly pink (of course!). Check out my registries. The links are on this blog on the right hand side of the screen. It is a lot of fun picking out all of this stuff. Now I will have to get everything in the room. I can't wait. I think this is the best part, getting all of the cute stuff together!

Well I guess I will give you Arden's stats for this week. She is really growing and developing so quickly!

Arden is really starting to fill up my uterus. This week she weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with her legs extended. She can now open and close her eyes, and she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. She may suck her fingers, and although her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if she were to be born premature. With more brain tissue developing, Arden's brain is very active now. Wonder what she's thinking? Me too!!

Loving the Classics

2005-12-09T18:43:00.000-05:00

Exams are almost over. I have one more on Monday then I'll be done. Whew, I'm glad this semester is over!

Arden Is doing well. She is getting bigger. I am having a hard time sitting up now. I guess my belly really is getting bigger. It seems like everyday its a little bigger (I guess that's because it is!) I can't sit straight up in a chair. I kind of lean back in the chair and lean to the side when I want to get up because I cant sit straight up from a reclined position without feeling the baby get "crunched". Other than that I am doing well.

Ari has taken to listening to classical music. I bought her some Baby Einstein CDs the other day and she really likes them. One of the CDs has some lively songs and other more mellow songs. When a lively song comes on, she kicks and moves around like she is dancing! When a more quiet song comes on, she is still. I can still feel her moving but she just seems to be listening. Its really cute. So I put the headphones on my belly while I study or work on the computer and just let her listen to the music. They say that she will remember the sounds from the womb and may find any music I played her comforting when she is born. Luckily I like the songs on the CDs too, just in case I find myself listening to them non stop when she's born!

Well I am 25 weeks but will soon be 26 weeks (on Sun. 12/11) So I think I will post stats for 26 weeks.

Arden is putting on more weight at this time. She now weighs a little under 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches from head to heel.
This week marks a special time as Arden's brain wave activity begins for the visual and auditory systems. The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, which means her response to sound is growing more consistent. It will be some time, however, until the baby comprehends what she is sensing.
Ari's lungs are developing now, too, as she continues to take small breaths of amniotic fluid - good practice for when she takes her first breath of air when she's born. Her lungs secrete surfactant to keep the lung tissue from sticking together.
At this point Arden has completed two-thirds of her stay in my womb.

Pictures Finally

2005-12-02T13:35:00.000-05:00

Well I finally have some pictures of me to post. These are from around Thanksgiving when I was somewehere around 23 weeks. I'll be 25 weeks on Sunday the 4th (6 months). There still isnt much to show, but I do have a little belly. I actually have gotten noticably bigger since these were taken. People are finally starting to ask me when the baby is due. I guess I am certifiably pregnant now. :)

I went to the doctor today and my total weight gain is about 10 or 11 pounds. It's hard to tell because I have changed doctors so the scales are different and I think the other one was a little off. So this is my best estimate, as I dont have a scale in my house!

I hope all is well with everyone. I will post Ari's ultrasound when I get a chance to scan it. I've been so busy. :)

Sorry

2005-11-28T16:24:00.000-05:00

I havent been keeping up with this blog because I am in exams right now. My first one is on Tuesday (tomorrow)! I am not ready but I am studying hard to be ready by the time I get to the exam.

I am ok. Arden's ok. She is getting bigger and is very active. I just reached 24 weeks yesterday. That's a milestone marker because it is the beginning of fetal viability. Anyway, I must go. I am going to update when I am able.

22 Weeks!

2005-11-14T22:34:00.000-05:00

I'm 22 weeks this week, although I don't look like I am! I am really busy and I don't have time to do a complete entry but I will give you Arden's stats.

Arden now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

That's all I have time for today. Until next time!!!

Sick of the Name Game

2005-11-11T11:14:00.000-05:00

I am tired of playing the name game so I am just going to pick one, right now! I am going to go with my gut on this so little Berry's given name will be .................... drumroll please ..............................................

Arden Brielle

Arden means enthusiastic. Brielle means strong (like my name).

I know that everybody wont like it but it doesnt really matter does it? You guys will call her what you want anyway. (Poor kid will probably have a few different names: Ari, Brielle, Berry...) So that's that. Her name is Arden (aka Ari...).

Whew. Now I can breathe a little easier.

Name Anxiety

2005-11-10T21:51:00.000-05:00

I am thinking of names still... of course. I am getting to be VERY annoyed that I havent pick a name for this little girl. Please go to the comments in the entry entitled "Help" below. I posted a couple new name ideas I am thinking about.

Please help me!!!!!!

Oh yeah. I stared my registry at Babies R Us!! It was fun. It's basically complete but I will add to it. You can access it online if you go to www.babiesrus.com and do a baby registry search.

It's A .............

2005-11-08T20:12:00.000-05:00

Well I got a call at 8 this morning from my ultrasound place that they had to cancel my appointment on Wednesday but that the technician would squeeze me in today if I could come in at 3. I am tired of waiting and I really want to get it over with, so of course I took the 3 o'clock even though it meant I missed a class.

I had to wait FOREVER at the "ghetto hospital" as my mom called it. But I finally got in there and the technician looked at Berry's heart, placenta, umbilical cord, stomach, bladder, liver, face, legs, arms, head, brain... It's amazing the things they can see even though the baby is only about 11 oz! Everything looked good.

At the end my mom (she went with me) asked him what the sex was. I had been watching him do the exam but I couldn't really identify anything. It was too hard to tell. The tech asked me what I thought it was. I told him I thought it was a girl. He said that mothers are usually right in their instincts. He couldn't say anything 100% but he is about 80% sure that Berry's a GIRL!!!!!!!!! Yay! I guessed right!. My mommy said she's known all along. She did tell me when I was about 8 weeks that it was a girl.

Alright, now we can do some shopping!!!

Moving Along

2005-11-07T13:12:00.000-05:00

Well we are slowly but surely getting to the end of this journey called pregnancy. I still don't know what this baby's name will be. Please check the comments in the post entitled "Help" to read the suggestions so far and to add your own. I have my ultrasound scheduled for Wednesday (the day after tomorrow)! I am excited to find out what this little one is because, quite honestly, I want to go shopping! I have encountered some issues with my student insurance coverage, so I will soon have a new doctor. *sigh* I just hate this formal accommodation stuff that must be taken care of. What happened to the days of people having kids in their houses with the women from the neighborhood coming to her aid? LOL! I bet I could do it the oldfashioned way with a midwife. I just could really care less about this insurance, hospital, doctor stuff. It's annoying quite honestly. Although the modern day technological advances such as the ultrasound I do greatly appreciate.

Well I am 21 weeks this week. Here are Berry's (soon to have a real name) stats:

Berry is getting stronger and looking much like a tiny newborn with a natural formed mouth and lips, nose and fully developed eyelids and eyebrows.
Her legs will be close to the final natural proportion to the body and head.
Her heart can be detected by a standard stethoscope.
She now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long.

Ok I have nothing else to say today. I'll talk to you later! :)

Names......... Decisions...Decisions

2005-11-02T19:47:00.000-05:00

I never thought how hard it would be to pick a name for this kid. It really is difficult though. I mean they will have to live with it forever (in theory). I think my mom did a good job on my name and I want to do just as well. Well the previous entry has a discussion on possible names, and I have divulged in the comments section what names I am considering. Please go check that out and then add your own comment because it is driving me insane. Calling the baby Berry/Strawberry is cute, but I would like to call him/her by their real name very soon. (Like after the ultrasound and I find out the sex!) OK so everyone please read through the comments from the post entitled "HELP" and chime in with your two cents. I actually want to hear it. :)

** Disclaimer **

Inevitably a name will be chosen that one/several of you may not like, but you'll get over it when you see the cute little baby that looks just like me . :) (Well at least I hope it looks like me because I was such a cutie when I was little, not to toot my own horn or anything!)

HELP!!!!!!!

2005-10-29T14:36:00.000-05:00

Well, Berry and I went to our doctor's appointment yesterday. It went well. I gained four pounds since my last appointment! Yay. That is right on track. I am supposed to gain one pound per week now. So all together I have gained a whopping ..... five pounds. I started at 122. Then I lost a pound. Then I went up to 123. Now I am at 127. I know I'm still tiny but I am getting bigger now! The doctor measured my belly and it is the appropriate size for my gestational stage. He listened to the baby's heart and it sounded good. I can't tell what is good and what's not. It just sounds like a fast "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh." But I am glad that all is well so far. I set up my appointment for my ultrasound which will be a comprehensive diagnostic of the baby's development and when I will find out the sex, hopefully, if Berry cooperates. The appointment is on the 9th. That's about a week and a half away. So we only have a little more time to wait. I am also planning on getting a 3D ultrasound in late Dec. or early Jan. That one will be very cool. Friends and family are allowed to come and watch it. The package I want is a 30 minute ultrasound which is projected onto a movie theater for my family and friends to see, and I can pick either to get a copy of the 30 minute video of the ultrasound or a CD with 15 still shots and some prints that they give me like an 8x10, some 4x6, etc. I think I will pick the second option. Its easier to share the pics that way.

In other news, Sunday will begin week 20!!! That is the halfway point! So here are Berry's stats for week 20.

Berry weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom, known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe.)

While much development remains, the rapid growth rate of the baby is going to slow down just a little near this time.
To aid in muscle development, the amniotic fluid is supporting the baby's movements.
Berry is quite the little gymnast and is getting busy with twists, turns and forward somersaults!
The baby's eyebrows are now forming.
Berry is sleeping and waking much like a newborn at this time.
Permanent hair is now growing on the scalp, but even this hair will fall out the second week after birth and will be replaced by thicker hair.
She is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system.
She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid.

Finally, I am really getting frustrated that Berry doesn't have a name. I have been obsessing over it for the last few days. I think I may have chosen a girl's name and probably a boy's name, but I wont divulge it yet. I need everyone's help. Please give me your name suggestions just so I can be sure that I am sure. The name books are driving me crazy.

Travelling Berry

2005-10-24T14:38:00.000-05:00

Berry had her first plane trip this weekend. We went to Detroit for my cousin's wedding. It was a nice time. One of my cousins just had a baby girl who was three weeks old. I got to "practice" with her. My cousin took full advantage of the fact that she thought I needed the practice so she would just say, "ok Bri go ahead and practice changing the baby and getting her ready for bed and then you can give her her bottle!" I didn't mind of course because I love the little ones. That baby was very small. She was only 6 1/2 lbs when she was born and I would guess that she was about 7 1/2 when I saw her. I bet Strawberry will be little (and yellow) like that little one is. :)

While we were at the wedding no one knew I was pregnant. It was kind of funny because none of them could tell. (I guess the black shirt was slimming!) Even some of my cousins who hadn't heard about Berry yet couldn't tell. I guess I'm not certifiable yet. Oh well. I know I'll be big enough soon!

Well this week is week 19! We are almost to the halfway point. I guess I'll give you Berry's stats this week. She is really getting big and I can tell because I can feel her on both sides at the same time or within a very small time frame. That tells me that she is getting long enough to stretch across and there is less room for her to move!

Berry's Size (head to rump) this week: About 5.25 to 6 inches
Weight: Approximately 7 ounces
Right now Strawberry is about the size of a small banana.

Strawberry's ears now stand out from the head.
The placenta will continue to grow from this point on but only in diameter, not thickness.
Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now.
Her kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on her scalp is sprouting.
This is a crucial time for sensory development: Berry's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.
If Berry is, in fact, a girl, she has an astonishing six million eggs in her ovaries. They'll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she's born.

That's all for now I guess. All is well! Byeeeeee! :)

Ticklish!

2005-10-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

Well Berry and I are doing quite well. She is growing quickly. I can tell because her little pokes are a lot stronger and they tickle A LOT. I find myself sitting in my seat doing work and squirming all around because Berry's little feet are tickling my sides! There's nothing I can do to stop her either. Any other time I'd move away from the person tickling me, but clearly I can't get away from little Berry. It's kind of funny. I think you can feel some of her kicks from the outside now if you catch her at a particularly active moment. i think that most of her movements are still undetectable by the outside world, but occasionally she will kick pretty hard and if your hand happens to be in the right spot, you are likely to feel it. But the funny thing about it is that I think Strawberry knows when someone is trying to feel her move because a couple of my frineds have put their hands on my belly right in the spot that I have been feeling her move and as soon as they do, she stops! Once they move their hand, she starts moving again! So the key is to place your hand very lightly on my belly so she doesnt know you are there. :)

Well this is the beginning of week 18 so I guess I will give Berry's stats:

Berry's Size (head to rump) this week: About 5 to 5.5 inches.
Berry's Weight: Approximately 5.5 ounces
Right now Berry is about the size of a can of soda.

Other info about Berry's development:

Pads are forming on Berry's fingers and toes that will develop into characteristics of fingerprints and footprints.
Fine hair is growing and covering Berry's head and body.
Her legs are now longer than her arms, and she's busy flexing her arms and legs.
Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head.
Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born.

I guess that is it for now. I am finally starting to look pregnant. My belly seemed to "pop" last week, Tuesday to be precise. Now I have a little bump. I promise I'll take pictures soon. I've just been really busy.

17 Weeks!!!!

2005-10-09T19:54:00.000-05:00

Strawberry's stats this week:

Berry's Size (head to rump) this week: About 4.5 to 4.75 inches
Weight: Approximately 3.5 ounces
Right now Berry is about the size of a stick of butter.

Here is a little about her development this week:

Berry can move her joints, and her skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. Her sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, her lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker. A full supply of blood is traveling through the umbilical cord, causing tension (like a water-filled hose). This, combined with the Berry's movements, keeps the cord from knotting. Strawberry has her own circulation of blood and a heart that is beating strongly. Her heart is circulating about 25 quarts of blood a day.

We are still doing well. She's really enjoying her yoga sessions. Maybe I need to do some yoga with her! Auntie Stink is in charge of the yoga lessons for me.

Popcorn

2005-10-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

Well I went to the doctor and gave more blood. I guess I will get the result s from that test at my next appointment on Oct. 28 when I will be 19 weeks. I'm still not looking much bigger. I have gained about 3.5 pounds to date. I've always had trouble gaining weight so I guess that is translating to pregnancy too. But of course I will inevitably gain a bit more. :) I do have a little bitty belly, although you could miss it if you looked too quickly! I still haven't taken any pictures but I will get the camera out and take some soon, ok?

In other news, I am starting to feel the baby a lot. I felt her move first a little more than a week ago. But now she is moving around all the time. It feels like I have a little popcorn popper in my belly. I feel little thumps every once in a while and they tend to be in rapid succession. I find that she moves most in the evening. She has even made me wake up in the middle of the night! I guess that my movement during the day rocks her to sleep and that when I am still in the evening she is wide awake. It's cool, though. I like feeling my little Strawberry doing her yoga. It's cute. It may not be so cute though once she is bigger and I have a foot in my rib!

Well that's all for now. I will begin week 17 on Monday 10/10. I'll post Berry's latest stats then.

16 weeks

2005-10-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

I am doing pretty well. I have a lot of work to do at school, but other than that life is good. Because I am so busy I have a hard time keeping track of my eating habits, which have traditionally been awful, as anyone who knows me well can attest to. I have found a pregnancy nutrition site that has proven to be helpful. It allows you to input your food that you have eaten and calculates the nutritional value so you can be sure that you are eating enough of the right things. Its cool. I like it a lot. It also gives you sample meal plans for the week, not that I have time to follow them. And it gives you and exercise plan. It really is great for me since I never pay attention to any of those things. Anyway, I have nothing more to share about my and Strawberry's progress. I have to get some blood work done at some point this week so they can check the alpha fetal proteins for birth defects. So all is well. I'll update more soon and I will upload pictures of me so that those of you who dont see me regularly can see my little belly. Really I just look like a skinny girl who needs to work on her stomach. But if I lift my shirt a bit, it is more obvious. :)

Ok talk to you all later!

B

2005-10-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

Thanks Azizah for suggesting that I start this baby blog. This will serve as a forum for me to let all my friends and family see how Strawberry is growing. (For those of you who don't know I call the baby Strawberry Shortcake Serenade after my favorite Coldstone ice cream flavor so that I don't have to refer to the baby as "it" or "the baby". I also refer to Berry as a girl so that I can avoid saying "he or she" so much. Hopefully if Berry is in fact a boy he won't have a complex!) I will update this blog at least weekly and will tell you how Berry and I are doing. Everyone can feel free to comment and say whatever they wish. It should be fun! Feel free to suggest names and offer any other suggestions! I'm open to hearing them. :)

Strawberry's due date is March 19, 2006. I will begin week 16 on Monday Oct 3. Berry's stats are:

Size (head to rump) this week: About 4.3 to 4.7 inches
Weight: Approximately 2.75 ounces
Right now, Berry would fill the size of an open palm and fingers

In the next three weeks, Berry will go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Berry's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times.

Strawberry is doing great so far. We just went to the doctor last week and everything is progressing well. I will go back for a second ultrasound in about a month so hopefully we can determine what Berry's sex really is! :)

This is Strawberry's first photo shoot on September 2, 2005. She was at that time 11 weeks and 4 days. (If you can't tell what's what, her head is on the right of the picture and she is on her

back.) The doctor had to wake her up to get these shots and she was quite small because it was taken at such an early age. I am sure she is a lot bigger now. I can't wait for her next ultrasound!

I guess that's it for today's entry. Thanks for visiting the site. I hope you will come back and keep up with what is going on "As Berry Grows!"