"Ready, Set, Deliver" Class #1

So I still haven't rented Baby Mama yet, but I will this week. I wonder if her lamaze class was anything like mine...probably not.
Less than ten weeks to go in this pregnancy and for the next five Mondays, Matt and I will be attending a "Ready, Set, Deliver" birthing class at our hospital. Tonight was the first class. We sat in a semi-circle, kind of how I imagine an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting looks, with about 15 other couples. Except instead of saying "Hi, my name is Hannah and I am an alcoholic," I said "Hi my name is Hannah, this is my husband Matt, and we are due July 5th."

Summary of the night: Matt almost fell asleep from boredom--until they put on a Bill Cosby sketch which woke him up for a few laughs (I'll bet he won't be falling asleep, or laughing, when they start showing the real-life birth videos). And I almost fell asleep too...except in my case it was utter relaxation instead of boredom.

The instructor had the women practice different positions to relax and focus on V E R Y S L O W breathing. At first, breathing that slow was difficult for me. I am a fast paced person and my lungs have historically followed suit, but it is incredible the difference it makes when you concentrate on nothing but breathing slow. Oh, and did I mention that while I was working hard breathing, Matt was massaging my back, neck and hands. I could get used to that! Needless to say, if we don't take away anything but the massage from the next four classes, it will be worth the $90 dollar class fee.

Bring on week two and another massage!

Yosemite Weekend

We took a Kratz family weekend trip to Yosemite and had a great time hiking and exploring through the park.  Yosemite is one of the landscapes that never gets old.  In fact, I think that it is more stunning each time I visit.  Day one was spent in Yosemite Valley and day two in Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy, which was a first for me.  Hetch Hetchy rivals the Valley in beauty, but was so quiet and less travelled in comparison.

Since I'm pregnant, we decided to forgo Half Dome (and because hiking Half Dome ONCE in this lifetime is enough for me) and settled for a meager 15-16 miles of other scenic hikes.  Our level of intensity grew with each hike.  Day one was Lower Yosemite Falls (appx 2 miles) and Vernal Falls (appx  4 miles).  Day two was Wapama Falls (appx 9 miles).  All in all, I was pretty proud of myself for hanging in there.   I only suffered from a few Braxton Hicks contractions and wasn't sore at all today!

We stayed at the Evergreen Lodge and would recommend it to anyone looking for a upscale, woodsy retreat.  The rooms are brand new, 400 sq. ft, duplex condos with a fireplace, couch and a cute deck overlooking the woods.  Plus, the shampoos and lotions smelled scrumptious.  The grounds were impeccable with lots of activities for the kids (ping pong, bingo, rec room) and adults (I played a couple rounds of Bingo and ate my fair share of s'mores).   The tavern looked like it had been there for 100 years and was so charming.

Here are some pictures from the trip.  I am now at 29 weeks and there is no mistaking my belly!

Not so bad...

Baby K and I had our Gestational Diabetes screen today and it wasn't as horrifying as I have heard from other women.  I expected the drink to be intolerable--and, don't get me wrong, IT WAS NOT GOOD.  But I had a nostalgic moment when drinking it. 

Growing up, my dad was always in charge of securing orange flavored drink for our soccer teams.  Saturday after Saturday, year after year we would make a stop at McDonald's on our way to the soccer field.  My dad would fill up the large plastic jug with water, ice and orange mix...It was the half-time beverage of choice for the "Ladybugs" soccer team.  It's funny the things you remember.  I have no idea who was on my team or if we were any good, but I can remember our uniforms (black and red) and our game time snacks.  I guess it should have been evident back then that I wasn't going to be a star athlete:)

I do wonder if Baby K will be a star athlete, or a guitar genious or a rocket scientist.  I'll be content with happy and safe and healthy, but I am excited to see the little dreams and passions that God has already started seeding in his heart.  It's my job to help those dreams and passions grow and I hope I am up for the task!

You Know You Are Pregnant When...

Laying in bed last night, I started thinking about the little things that have changed for me now that Baby K is growing in me.

And I compiled a list: YOU KNOW YOU ARE PREGNANT WHEN...

1. You can't reach higher than above your head, or lower than your knees
2. You lay in bed for an hour, frantic that the baby isn't moving and are almost brought to tears when he kicks
3. You pee when you sneeze...or cough...or laugh too hard
4. At a restaurant, you never like what you order--but always want whatever your husband ordered
5. You've mastered the art of puking in a bag and driving 65 miles an hour at the same time
6. A trip to the grocery store for one item turns into three bags of snacks
7. The word "flattering" is stripped from your vocabulary
8. You have to wear nursing pads 24 hours a day
9. Hair sprouts in new places like a chia pet
10. Shaving your legs feels like exercise

Anyone need a wet nurse?

I've read that occasionally, pregnant women, start lactating mid-way through the 9 months. If someone would have told me the truth--that I was going to be a full blown milk factory--I could have come up with some innovative solutions. I should have started pumping early or I maybe I should apply for a wet nurse position to supplement my income.

Today, it managed to leak past 4 layers: pad, bra, undershirt and outer shirt. Unbelievably disgusting.

Progression of the Blimp

For all those asking for belly pics, your wish has been granted. Below is the backward progression--from today all the way back to week 12.

We haven't been the most consistent...but it's all I've got. I wonder if I should take weekly pics after I have the baby. Hopefully I'll shrink even faster than I am growing now!

27 weeks

26 weeks

25 weeks

23 weeks

22 weeks

21 weeks

19 weeks

17 weeks

12 weeks

Best Friends, Beautiful Wedding and Babes

Our Easter weekend 2010 was a bit unorthodox. We were away from home, our family and our church. In fact, I believe that it was the first Easter that I haven't been in a church. I really missed being there--the Easter celebration is a time where it just feels "right" to worship, with others, the risen Christ and the life of hope that he gives. Instead of a traditional Easter celebration, we were in Los Angeles celebrating a new "life" in marriage, and new "life" in my belly.


Saturday

My dear friend Rachel's wedding was on Saturday and we had a great time getting together with our APU college crew. Weddings seem to be the only thing that brings us all together at one time. It's unbelievable that we met over 10 years ago, and graduated almost 7 years ago. Time really does fly. The seven of us single college girls are now married with 5.66 babies. Baby K is .66 since he's 2/3 of the way here. Joy and Matt brought Addison and Lindsay and Nate brought Sawyer. Sienna, Daniel and Lucca were missed.

The wedding was absolutely charming. I wish I would have taken more pictures of the all the details. I loved the table arrangement's integration of tree stumps, the lemon theme carried out down the aisle and the vintage dessert plates.

Rachel did a great job planning and making the wedding so personal to their taste and style. Brent and Rachel were stunning and you could see the joy of love and the Lord emanating from them. It's always such a comforting feeling knowing that one of your friends has met the love of their life.

Sunday

We spent Sunday in Huntington Beach with my great friend and photographer Christy Bauer (the one posing with Baby Sawyer above). She was so gracious to take "Belly Pics" with me and Matt. I can't wait to see how they turn out! I will be sure to post them as soon as we get them. My sis Nicole came down from L.A. to have lunch with us and assist with the shoot. At least I had one member of the Pelton family with me on Easter!

The big news was the earthquake. We were standing outside of a building, having just taken some pictures in front of it and talking with another couple that was pregnant. I started feeling really dizzy, almost as if I was going to faint. I closed my eyes for a couple seconds trying to ground myself and then said to the group: "Wow, I am really feeling dizzy." At the same time, they all said "Me too!" It turns out that everyone felt it, but thought that they were the only ones. So there's another first for Baby K--Baby's First Earthquake:)

It was a short weekend, but worth the trip to celebrate "life" in a new way.

Baby's First Easter in the womb

Baby K got a delivery from the Easter Grand-Bunnies. Both Grammie and Papa Kratz and Mimi and G-Daddy Pelton put together baskets for the babe.

Here's the compilation from Mimi and G-Daddy P, including his first pair of Salt Water Sandals. He is going to look so cute in them! Growing up, the Easter Bunny always brought us kids our summer swimsuit. Since Baby K already has three--yes three--swim trunks, it is fitting that my parents purchased his first summer sandals.

The book will be his first Prayer Book and the doll says the prayers. I can't wait to say prayers with him every night. I am already praying for him every day.

And the basket from Grammie and Papa K came complete with Baby's First Bible Stories and infant diapers. In the last week or two, Baby K's hearing is forming--I think I should plan on reading the Bible to him tonight!

cauliflower

Well Baby, you keep growing. According to the "What to Expect" IPhone App: Last week you were a cucumber and this next week, you are supposedly growing to match the size of a cauliflower head!

Your daddy and I are in Southern California for Rachel and Brent's wedding this weekend and visited a Farmers Market this morning. We saw a lot of fruit and veggies that you were once compared to: blueberry, raspberry, potato and eggplant. Can't wait to see what veggie is next!

one reason why pregnancy pants are actually cool

I started off this pregnancy hoping that I could avoid investing any of my fashion fund in maternity clothing. I'm sure all of the women who have been pregnant are laughing out loud right now that I was so ambitious:) But I couldn't, in good conscience, allocate my fashion budget to clothing that is...well, anything BUT fashionable.

I have come pretty close to achieving my goal...three more months to go and I can still wear my low-rise skinny jeans (I can't button the top button, but that's what a "belly band" is for!); however, my tailored business attire doesn't jive with the position of my bump. So I had to give in--but the most I would bend was Old Navy. They don't have a huge selection, but they have options in my price range ($29.99). Today, I am wearing the pants you see to the left. I paired it with a loose fitting tunic (non-maternity) and feel very springy.

So, you may be asking--are you smoking crack?? What is so cool about maternity pants? Ironically, the very thing I now love, made me crazy at first. Here it is folks....never having to button or unbutton your pants when going to the ladies room. At first, I was constantly looking down, afraid that I forgot to zip and it drove this OCD freak crazy, but now, it brings me much joy.

The trek to the bathroom is a more common occurrence these days, probably 20 times a day this past week. Good news is I am meeting more people in my bathroom visits. Bad news is that the increased visits mean more of an opportunity to forget your "fly." But, not with these pants. Down and back up, 20 times a day and never needing to check to make sure I'm zipped and buttoned is a relief, similar to the relief that I feel after that visit to the bathroom:)

exponential growth

In the last four weeks, I have grown at an exponential rate. My butt is bigger, my hips are wider and my belly is rounder, the size of a soccer ball to be exact. I officially weigh more than I ever have in my life--yes, even more than my Oxford days. Luckily, I am eating better with Baby K in my tummy than I did before the pregnancy.

Three square meals has turned into first breakfast & second breakfast, first lunch & second lunch; and first dinner & second dinner. The little monkey rolling around in my tummy and kicking me constantly likes to keep food in my belly at all times.

I learned this the hard way yesterday. I ate first breakfast--oatmeal with strawberries, thank you very much!--but decided to forgo second breakfast for a morning packed with business meetings. This choice was not appreciated by Baby K and he sent me a message with the subject line titled: nausea! The message read: "get to the toilet now." Oh, the joys of working with morning sickness. I'm sure when I walked back in my flushed face and watery eyes gave it away. But there's no time for morning sickness when you are solving the hamburger world's problems:)

So back to growing...four weeks ago this little guy was the size of a papaya, weighing in at just under a pound. In about a month, he's doubled in size and now the size of an eggplant. Here's a look at the change in my size in the last four weeks. Photo one (above) is at 22 weeks, photo two (below) is at 26 weeks. The 26 week photo isn't the best as I am all alone in a hotel for the week and my photographer Matt wasn't available.

Baby K: If I promise to keep yummy food in my tummy, will you promise to keep growing healthy and strong? Please? I would really appreciate it...I want you to be in the best shape you can be in from the start.

Love, Your Mommmy

DIY Nursery

For those of you who know me, this may come as a surprise: I have been having such a difficult time being decisive about this baby. I haven't nailed down a name (Matt and I are constantly updating our "short list") and up until the "Nursery D-Day," I had changed my mind about ten times regarding the theme/decor/colors of Baby K's room. I'm sure it irritated Matt, who wanted to start planning his role in the reno; but it irritated me even more. I felt so much pressure to have the perfect room, that making a decision was overwhelming. There were a couple screens that it needed to fit into: 1) I wanted it to be transitional to a girl room, so we don't have to wipe the slate clean the next go-'round 2) It had to be a little fun and whimsical 3) I wanted it to flow with the remainder of our home.

So, with some help--the room is now in a state of "almost there." The paint is on the wall, the big pieces are in, and I am very so very happy with the results.

My little sis, Katie, and her boyfriend, Stephen, sacrificed their weekend to come up from Los Angeles and assist. And we couldn't have done it without them. They flew in on Friday night and we went out for dinner, but the place we chose was having a Mariachi concert. Have you ever tried to carry on a conversation at the same time as a mariachi band is playing??? Between the mariachis and the "ay-yay-yay-yay-yay's" coming from the audience, we couldn't really carry on much of a fluid conversation.

By the time we got home, Katie had started plotting the POA (my term for "plan of action") and our to-do list. I may have caught her a little off-guard, when I told her that I still had NO IDEA what I wanted to do in the room. In an act of sibling reversal, Katie took on my usual--planner/bossy/know it all role, and whipped me into gear. By midnight we had a shopping list, layout and color scheme.

So below is the start to finish timeline of the nursery thus far. I will post final pics once all the decor and finishing touches are in place. We started off with a blank slate: beige walls and white carpet.


Matt and Stephen honed in on their precision skills with the molding. We decided to lift the molding higher than a traditional chair rail heigth. And above the molding, the wall is painted a soft creme which ties in with the creme bedding.


Katie, our family's resident artist, created a free-hand mural that filled my screen for fun and whimsical. We decided to add a monkey--no it is not a jungle theme, so please refrain from purchasing any jungle stuffed animals--to contribute to the fun element of the room.



The furniture is a Kratz creation. At a local boutique, I fell in love with a antiqued French crib and dresser; but the set had a boutique level price tag attached and Matt and I decided that we could replicate the look and save the $3,500 for Baby K's college. We bought the white birch branch at Smith and Hawken before it went out of business. Along with the mural, it is my favorite part of the room. I think that the room has a great juxtaposition between luxurious and earthy elements.





In one day, we accomplished so much. I couldn't believe that we had knocked so much out in about 8 hours. Needless to say someone deserved a nap....