Pregnancy and Parenting

Conversation This Morning

Published on by Lisa

Nick: Can you believe that TOMORROW we’ll know if we’re having a boy or girl?

Me: Truly, it’s unreal.

Nick: (staring at the ceiling in thought) Oh! I thought of something else that we might want to buy.

Me: In addition to the gazillion things – like a crib, stroller, rocker, bottles, diapers…

Nick: (turns to me with big, convincing eyes) No, I’m serious. I think we should probably buy one of those baby holder things.

Me: The one where the kid is strapped on to the parent, like in the front?

Nick: Yeah! Do you think we should get one of those?

Me: (quietly thinking) I don’t know. Do you want the front one or the back one?

Nick: (surprised) There’s more than one?

Me: Yes…I’ve seen the front one, where the kid is just dangling there and there’s the one on the back, kinda like a backpack. I’ve seen more men with the backpack version. It kinda looks like hiking gear, except for equipment, there’s a baby back there. I think men use it when running errands, like to the post office or something so their hands are free.

Nick: (perpetually skeptical) I don’t know about that back one. Do you think it’s safe?

Me: Probably about as safe as having your baby dangling in front of you without actually holding on it.

Nick: I just like the idea of always SEEING the baby. Like, what if I’m carrying the baby on my back and all of a sudden I think, ‘mhm, it’s kinda light back there,’ and then I check and the baby is gone? Or I reach behind me for something and then find someone trying to take the baby off my back?!

Me: (decidedly)The front carrier it is.

Mood Swings

Published on by Lisa

Last night I woke up at 5am with a terrible pain jetting across my stomach and the driest mouth in the free world.

I was moaning and wailing and then crying helplessly on my side of the bed, looking pathetically at Nick who was sleeping soundlessly on his side.

I guess after I scooted down the bed like an old lady, holding my stomach like it was going to fall off my body and grabbing Nick’s right leg like a hand rail to guide me toward the edge of the mattress, he woke up.

“What do you need, babe?” He sounded wide awake.

I start practicing deep breaths even though I haven’t taken any birthing classes, “I just need some water.” Nick gets up and tries to help me up but I tell him to get back in bed.

Poor guy.

I trapse to the kitchen and run the water bill into the hundreds as I turn into a camel with a pink bathrobe draped on my shoulders. I drink glass after glass of water. I can’t get enough.

Now I am wide awake.

I think about the past few days. My temper’s been flaring over small things. Then I get weepy. Then I’m elated. Then I am depressed because I don’t know why I’m sad. Then I’m elated again.

So, today at work, I look up, “Symptoms for Week 14 in Pregnancy.”

After reading this is what I text to Nick at work:
“I read today that it’s COMPLETELY normal to have severe mood swings as pregnancy progresses and it’s probably all hormones.”

Nick texts back, “Well, that’s exciting.”

Poor guy.

The pregnancy so far, physically, has been uneventful – just the way we like it. Other than my emotions being everywhere, I haven’t been sick (knock on wood) save a handful of bad headaches, and my energy is returning to where I am able to exercise somewhat regularly without problems or fatigue.

But the belly bulge is peaking and I’m NOT repeat NOT going to be posting any ridiculous pictures of my pregnancy stomach. I think that’s something a former anorexic patient decided to do once she began a healthy pregnancy and gained weight. No…call me reserved or a little shy, the only one who gets the side angles are me and my full length mirror.

Big weekend approaching. Family Borchers is heading south to Charleston for our family vacation. I am looking forward to literature that doesn’t matter, games of Tripoly, and yapping my head off with the Borchers.

Another plus about being pregnant — for this trip, instead of driving the 11 hours and stopping every hour to either use the bathroom or stretch my legs, I’m flying while the rest of the clan hits the road. Ahh, I’m too pampered….

So Much for a Quiet Pregnancy

Published on by Lisa

As the second trimester of pregnancy is underway, Nick and I have settled (somewhat) into a mental stability together about our impending parenthood. While the baby was a wonderful planned event, there truly is nothing that can prepare you for the words, “We’re pregnant,” “We’re having a baby,” or anything along those lines. Week by week, as the news softens from joyous shock to ecstatic reality, we’ve been sharing the news with more and more people in our lives.

To me, it’s now commonplace to let people know that we’re expecting. It’s been over three months and every conversation tends to revolve around preparing for the bundle of joy in six months. But nothing, I repeat nothing, could prepare us for when we walked into church this morning.

One of our friends came up to our pew to hug us. Since we hadn’t seen Jennifer in a long time, the embrace didn’t feel anything new or strange. But when she pulled away from us she says, “It’s nice to see you guys on the front cover of the bulletin.”

And there it was, for the world to read that we’re expecting.

Now, since Nick works for the parish, it makes sense and it is quite the lovely feeling of having a community of people share the wonder and happiness of our first pregnancy.

It just took me awhile to get used to have people know me inadvertently through Nick. All I know about them is that that they are very genuine and nice people. And it feels great to be supported.

So, we grabbed the bulletin, and scanned the pastor’s notes, I smiled up at Nick and said, “Well, so much for a quiet pregnancy.”

Nick replied, “Like this was going to be a quiet pregnancy anyway.”

Wrap Yourself in a July Scarf

Published on by Lisa

Last night I was listening to my iTunes collection and a Christmas song came on. It didn’t even feel odd because I was wrapped up in pants and a sweater and still slightly cool. The weather had dipped into the 50s and I could hear the BOOM from downtown from the fireworks.

Yes, that’s right. It was in the 50s and the fireworks were going off downtown.

The past 4 days I have woken up to chilly, rainy mornings which makes me think more and more of my due date. It’s as if I feel I’m 6 months along because it’s October and January is right around the corner. But, no, it’s July and this weather is just unbelievable.

I actually don’t mind it as much because the cooler weather feels nice and it’s a lovely break from the humidity beating down on the city last week.

Break out the brass band – Nick is coming home this afternoon!

(I yell) Hip! Hip!
(you yell)_______
(hint: Hooray!)

One text and postcard later, here I am, Nick’s pregnant partner eagerly eating raw vegetables and blueberries, waiting for his return. It’s so wonderful to have little reunions in life, don’t you think? These brief (although it sure didn’t feel so brief this week) separations just make us cherish our beloved ones all the more when they come home.

I seriously feel like baking something in celebration.

Ah-hem — I don’t bake.

That’s how joyous I feel.

And so, with this holiday weekend, I must bid you all a wonderful and happy 4th of July. Enjoy the empty calories of all the bbq food you will have and safe travels from place to place. I must send a grateful note to my wonderful sister, Carmen, who stayed with me nearly every night this week because I’m such a chicken to sleep in this huge echoing house by myself and am tortured by thoughts of a break-in.

I hope your summers bring you so much joy you feel like fireworks are going off inside you.

That’s kind of how our growing baby feels inside me these days.

Missing Nick and Michael

Published on by Lisa

Photo taken 6/21/09, Filipino Festival in Cleveland

It’s amazing all that can happen in 10 days when you don’t blog.

In addition to Jan and Rog Borchers coming to visit us in Cleveland, Nick and I attending the Cleveland Filipino Festival, my friend Alexis who I worked with in Boston last year moving to Cleveland last week, having 10th row at a New Kids on the Block concert!, seeing the movie “State of Play” (mildly good, entertaining, nothing great), attending our nephew Zach’s 4th birthday party, watching fireworks in Massillon, having another ultrasound (Baby Plum is no longer a plum and is growing quickly!) on Wednesday, hosting Kelly Borchers Norris this weekend on her way to Abby Cordonnier’s (cousin of Nick and Kelly) bachelorette party, and seeing Nick off for a week long trip to Kentucky — even with all of that going on, what I just can’t believe is that Michael Jackson is dead.

(I’m listening to “We Are the World,” as I write this.)

Trumping MJ’s cardiac tragedy, the biggest heartache is being separated from Nick for a week. Now, I know how that sounds — I was gone for 2 months last summer and globe trotted my heart out — but I’m pregnant now and that means two things: 1) I get to say whatever I want without feeling bad and 2) I’m uber emotional

(My MJ music marathon continues. Now on my ear “You Are Not Alone.”)

Nick will be back Friday afternoon and that seems like eons away.

Sometimes when Nick is gone, I feel like this blog becomes the soggy pillow where I consistently weep into with my sadness that he’s not around telling me a corny joke or trying to work some miracle with our shower’s water pressure.

*sigh* It’s going to be a long week.

(last song for tonight’s MJ’s dedication is Nick’s favorite MJ song: “Man in the Mirror”)

Already, It’s Getting Old

Published on by Lisa

I’m right at 11 weeks today and it’s going to be a long haul to January if I don’t keep my annoyance in check. I’ll chalk it up to hormones, but lately, I’m so flipping irritated with answering the same questions over and over and over and over and over again.

From family and friends, I don’t mind, but at the mechanic’s body shop, at the grocery store, library, WHEREVER where people see you are buying something that indicates your preggers, people undoubtedly will ask the following:

1) How far along are you?
2) What’s your due date?
3) How are you feeling?
4) Is this your first?
5) I bet you’re excited, aren’t you?

Now, I sound like a total jerk, but I just want to remind people that answering the same questions, multiple times a day, everyday can add to the overall fatigue and moodiness of a pregnant woman.

The only thing that I REALLY don’t like is when complete strangers’ hands make a dive for your belly. HEY — belly is off limits to unknown persons.

Family and friends, that’s a totally different story.

As Nick does a 1/2 day at work, I am getting ready to leave for Russia. Of course, I have procrastinated to where we are now leaving in about 3 hours and I have not packed a thing, eaten, exercised, or showered yet. I better get a move on.

This weekend will be another hectic one. Eric Rosenbeck will be getting married while Keith is in the wedding and Nick is a reader. Big involvement for team Borchers this weekend. As always, I’m excited for another June wedding.

Russia-bound in t-minus 3 hours.

Ok, enough procrastinating.

Doctor’s Visit, Week 10.5

Published on by Lisa

Yesterday was our 10.5 week visit and it was another eventful afternoon. Nick brought his Time magazine for what he knew would be a long wait before we actually get to see the growing Plum.

But it wasn’t long before we were in there with the wonderful Dr. David and she says, “Ok, let’s hit the lights and take a look at the little critter.”

Excited to have another look at the Plum, I was expecting to see the small little dot bobbling along in the round sac I’ve understood to be my uterus.

I was shocked to see that the little dot looked more like a baby. “Oh yeah, your baby’s growing like a weed!” Dr. Davis was impressed.

She poked around to see if the fetus would move and, Nick swears, I must have blinked, he said he thought he saw it shimmy at one point. Shimmy? This is definitely our child.

We couldn’t get over how amazingly large the baby had grown. Of course, we were grinning ear to ear and agreed with Dr. David when she said, “It looks like a teddy bear. Whose genes are playing into this kid’s growth spurt?”

Without looking at Nick and knowing he’d agree, I explained, “It is for certain the German/Irish/French side of the family.” I watched her measure the baby from head to rump and was impressed with the healthy growth of our little one.