Halfway There!

Ok, so Machelle is 20 weeks along! 20 WEEEKKKKSSS!! That’s 5 months (for those of us counting) with 5 more to go. Can we talk for a quick second about how a woman is pregnant for 10 months? Why do they not tell you that in school? It is kind of maddening! Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand and am not an idiot; It just seems like somebody would tell you that in school at some point. Maybe if you take the right classes, they do.

We went last Monday to the ultrasound and everything looked great! Machelle, being that she has worked in the ED in the past had a much better understanding of what we were looking at while the tech did the scan. The tech was very nice and let my mother and father in to the room while they did the scan, which was very nice. It is so nice to have them so close to us! I can’t even begin to explain. We still don’t know if Doodle is a boy or girl–on purpose:-D. Everyone that I have talked to is convinced that it is a little boy. I tell you one thing, if Doodle is a little girl on her birthday, there are a LOT of people that are going to be absolutely shocked! Machelle has gained a little bit of weight, but considering she lost 4 pounds at the beginning of her pregnancy, it is nothing to be overly concerned about.

Last Tuesday (and for the next 11 Tuesdays) from 7-9:30 at night, we are attending a Bradley Method child birthing class. This method focuses on having a labor “coach.” This person is typically the husband, but can be whomever the pregnant woman decides. The place that we are having this birth class is phenomenal! It is the instructors house, but she and her family occupy the top floor of an industrial building downtown and it is like a huge loft. It is awesome! This birthing class is very holistic and focuses on natural childbirth. I commend Machelle for wanting to have a natural childbirth and I completely understand the reasoning behind trying to do this. I know that when she puts her mind to something, it usually happens so I have no doubt that she can do this. I also know that she is intelligent enough to listen to the medical professionals and if something is needed to make sure that mom and baby are safe, she will do this as well. Anyways, this class we focused on nutrition and exercises that would help the pregnant mom to get through labor. The instructor said that giving birth is like running a marathon and you wouldn’t try to do that without training for it. Makes complete and total sense to me!

You can tell that most of the husbands in this class are extremely uncomfortable and I can’t say that I blame them. Hell, I thought that the baby somehow clawed its way out of the placenta when it was ready to be born–so I can only imagine what some of these men think. I think that a lot of things that the husbands feel is, no doubt, brought on by society. There is still this general feeling that husbands are not being active in a woman’s labor–or that it is not their place. This class teaches the exact opposite and I like it. I never thought that I would, but to be able to keep my attention after a 8-10 hour workday says something. It’s kind of like having a personal trainer or going to see a nutritionist–these are things that you know you need to be doing, but it doesn’t hurt to hear them from someone who specializes in it.

On a side note, the ideas that society puts in to your mind about how a pregnant woman should eat or what they need to do is completely and totally absurd. I say this knowing that I was completely on the societal bandwagon about 6 months ago. I really think it’s a good thing I wasn’t the one to be pregnant. So much of tv and internet says that women kind of have a free pass for 9 months (or 10 depending on who you ask) to eat whatever and as much of it as you can put in your mouth. I am not sure when this ideology came about but I wish that for everyone who is or will get pregnant, that this craziness would stop. You only need roughly 300 extra calories per day and really, as Americans, we get more than that on a daily basis anyways–not pregnant. Machelle is still eating well, so please don’t think that this is a slam on her!

The nursery is coming along nicely! The wallpaper and wallpaper border is removed, as of yesterday and I am hoping to get to painting at some point this week! We are doing a gray, yellow, white and elephant theme and I am looking forward to it! As soon as Machelle gets home from the gym, we are going to pick out the actual shade of gray! (Insert inappropriate 50 shades joke here) I have been the one mainly working on the nursery because I feel like it is something that I can contribute. I mean, it’s not like Machelle is doing all that much or anything…

Machelle graduates from college this weekend! She is graduating with an undergraduate in Business Administration and Management of Information Systems. This girl is driven and I could not be more proud of her. Her grandfather is coming in to town to see her, as well as her aunt. We are then going to go to dinner with them! I am really excited about this, I just have to find something to wear. Doodle is going to get to “walk” in a college graduation at a pretty early age;-D.

Last week we were eating dinner and going over baby names for the millionth time. We don’t plan on telling people what names we have chosen because I honestly don’t care to hear what people have to say about them. I figure if we tell them once the baby is born, people can’t really say a whole lot. Anyways, while we were going over the names, Machelle said 2 of the names out loud and I started crying at the dinner table. I think we may have gotten closer to locking in a few names! That is a HUGE deal for us!

Doodle–I am going to need for you to stay healthy, grow like a weed and get ready for the best birthday in the world–but not too soon! You already have so many people that love you and you are a very lucky little baby! Oh, and if you are a boy prepare yourself for a crap ton of bowties. I love a kid in a bowtie! If you are a girl, prepare for a crap ton of bowties–just kidding–maybe.

We took a picture together at the halfway point and we will take one again right before the due date..funny to see how things have changed.