Sleepy Baby

Today I went in for my scheduled non-stress test and like last week Xavier was a very sleepy baby. No matter how much I poked or pushed my belly to wake him he kept pretty quite. He would move and kick but kept his heart rate just under 160, over 160 would be his target. So the nurse buzzed him a couple times, the second time raised his hr to his target. But he had to reach his target again within a certain amount of time and the nurse told me if he didn't then we'd have an ultrasound. Of course I didn't mind getting an ultrasound and seeing my precious boy, but I'd much rather have him reach his goal by using the monitor. After 40min. the nurse checked to see if he had made any progress and called another nurse over to get a second opinion. This made me a little uneasy, I hoped that nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong Thank GOD, the other nurse who came over agreed that Xavier met his goals and I was able to leave. Our next appointments for this test I scheduled them for the afternoon in hopes that he'll be more awake.

Usually when I start to wake up in bed Xavier will start to wake also. He'll be moving around then he'll hit and kick me. I'll rub my belly and tell him good morning and just enjoy him moving around. He makes me laugh sometimes, when I'm laying on my side he'll hit the matress beneath me or push off of it. Man this boy is so strong! And the mornings when I wake and he's quiet I gently place my hand just under my rib where I know that's where one of his feet are. He'll give me a soft tap just under my hand letting me know he feels me feeling for him. My heart melts. *Sigh* He makes me smile and I laugh to myself when I feel him having the hiccups, it's the cutest little thing.

I love him so much already,it fills my heart and chest, it rises from there, it feels like I'm glowing. Love radiates. I still can't imagine just how much more I'll love him when he's here. I think that maybe when I see my little Xaviers face for the first time, love will fill my whole body and get so full that it will instantly fill my soul. Maybe this is what love for your child will feel like. I can't wait to experience it. The time is getting closer and closer til he'll be here. Yesterday I had a moment like I had in the begining of my pregnancy. I was sitting on the couch looking at the baby car seat thinking, "We're gonna have a baby, we are going to have a baby". No one will be picking him up to take him home, he'll be all ours. Our sweet little baby boy. I'm just so excited and can't wait to bring him home. I have to start packing my hospital bag and buying all the essential items I'll need. And start washing his little baby clothes and bedding just in case if he comes a little early. We've got alot work to do!

"Shower me with your love..."

Marc:Does anyone remember that old song from the eighties? Here are some pictures of our baby shower! This was more than a showering of gifts, this was a downpour of love, and we are indebted to everyone one of you who made this day so special for us! Flo outdid herself (and that's hard to do!)

Sonia:I don't know where to begin...a big ((((((THANK YOU))))))to all of our family who made our day SO VERY SPECIAL.

Like Marc stated earlier my mother went all out as usual with good food, decorations and hospitality. Thank You Mummy!

As the shower came to a close I thought about how much of a loving and caring family Marc and I have. Xavier is so blessed to have such good hearted people in his life who love him so much!

I'm really truly appreciative that our family can all come together for the good things that happen in life.

I have to say again, Xavier is so blessed to have a family like ours. hugs and kisses to all!

Non-stressin me out!

So here's the thing right? Now that Sonia is past 32 weeks, we have been ordered by the OBGYN to go for these so-called non-stress tests 2 times a week. "what is this?",I wondered among the many voices in my head. As much as I can understand it, it seems that the purpose of this non-stress test is to wake the baby out of his precious well justified slumber so that the overworked underpaid nurses can measure his heart rate when he is awake. Why? To see if baby boy is under any pressure or stress as this could tip us off to problems we might need to know about. I THINK I got that right. Sounds good. The thing that has surprisingly awakened the parental rage in me (and Sonia)is that if they don't get the target heart rate they are looking for, THEY TASER MY SON, MAN!!! Alright, alright, they don't exactly taser him, but they do pull out this...this... pitch fork of a vibrating apparatus that they press into Sonias belly. The nurse says it's harmless, but it sounds like the same thing Sonia used on me on our first date when I got too close. They do this to "wake him up". They want his heart rate over 160. He tends to be a mellowed out 145-150. Normal I believe? Anyway, after being prodded, Lil' Xavey (pronounced "Zay-vee")gave nurse Cruella what she wanted, a pist off 165 or so, and Sonia and I left the hospital apologetically rubbing her tum. I guess I get why this has to be done, it's just not easy to witness. All of a sudden, I kind of understand what those psycho fathers must be thinking in those "caught on camera" moments when they run out on the field in the middle of a little league game and start choking out whoever hurt their kid. I know Xavier is fine, and thats the point, but I've also learned something about me. Sonias got about a month, and a half to go, but the father/protector instinct was born today.
Oh yes, we also had our latest ultrasound done today. Little one is about 4 pounds at this point, and he is doing great. Unfortunately, it's hard to get a really good picture of our handsome angels profile at this stage of the pregnancy due to the fact that he's so big now and his head is facing downward into Sonias lower regions. (like that phrasing eh?) At least thats what I THINK the ultrasound technician told us. We could barely understand her because she had an accent like a german interrogator. "Und now, ve vill do yar ulturasownd! STRAP HER DOWN!" Maybe Sonia will agree to let me post the picture they took of his face. The picture looks like a movie poster of a really good japanese horror movie. Xavier is throwing his arms up like he's trying to cover his face and it's just too shadowy to make out his real features. Nurse Helga is a lousy photographer. Oh well, we'll be seeing you in person soon, son.

Fun way to spend the morning. Of course we went out to lunch today.

It's unbelieveable!

32wks! WoW! how time flies! I can't believe I'm entering my (echo)8th, 8th,8th(echo) month!!! Baby will be here in no time, un-be-lieve-able. The days of thinking that I'd be pregnant for a long time is over. Xavier will be officially full term at 37wks! Only 5wks away!!! He could be here before his due date, Marc and I will have a baby. we'll have a baby, Xavier will be here, laying in the bassinet crying. No more dream or fantasy our baby will be in our arms finally, God willing.
I can't wait until I see his little head for the first time followed by his little body naked and screaming and finally getting to hold and kiss his tiny little face.

Xavier has been really entertaining us with his kicks and even more so we've been able to see him squirming under my skin. He looks and feels like a little ball or snake moving around in my belly. Sometimes he catches me off guard with how hard his kicks are nowadays. I hope to get better video of him in action, he is still very elusive when we're trying to tape him. He is active all the time and since he's growing alot bigger now, I can feel him move alot more.

A moment of clarity

As I sit here just moments away from rushing off to work like a mad man, I just want to take a minute to say a word of thanks to my soul mate, my love, my captor...Sonia. Since the beginning of this incredible blessing, you have been nothing short of inspiring the way you've handled your pregnancy. You carry our baby like he was placed into your arms by God Himself, and that makes you shine like no one else. You're helping me become more financially focused now that it's going to be more than just us two doing whatever we want after all these years. Soon we'll be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary. It wont be the extravaganza that we initially planned, but in our own quiet way just like so many other aspects of our lives together, it will be more powerful between the two of us, oops! the three of us than any big production we could've dreamed up. Ten years ago I prayed to God to show me I was making the right decision...man, did he come through! Thank you Sweety. From me and our son. We love you.

That was my moment of clarity, now what do you mean pick my clothes up from the floor!?! Your clothes are on the floor too! :^)

kick

look at the shiney metal on my pants and you'll see a small kick followed by a couple of even smaller kicks:) I think around 39 seconds you'll see it and ends at 42 secs.

29wks!

Xavier is 2lbs 13oz at our doctor's visit on 6/27. He likes to be mostly(seems like always)upside down in my stomach, rolling from side to side.
He sometimes likes to use my bladder as a punching bag. I remember a couple of weeks ago Marc and I drove to NJ, it was about a 45 min. drive and Xavier felt like he was on top of my bladder almost the whole ride. So I suffered for a while til we came across a Burger King just off of the interstate. The whole time he would roll towards my bladder bumping into it then he'd move away and come back to it, hitting into it again. He would not leave my bladder alone, despite all my efforts. The boy was on a mission for me to embarrass myself, he did not succeed thank God!



My belly shot at 29wks! Whoohoo!!!


What a wonderful visit we had this past weekend!!! Richard was there too!