Adventures In Babymaking

A Rocket Ride Through The Blogosphere, Destination New Home

2010-06-01T01:27:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official, I'm moving. I've decided I really don't have anything left to say here. This blog was my adventure in creating a baby with my wife and "husbands" and that has happened. To continue to blog here under the title, "Adventures in Babymaking," seems so daft.

But, that being said I am still a person who gets her feelings out through the written word, so I will continue to blog. I have created a whole new site dedicated to my new life as a Stay At Home Mom and wrestling all of the new hurdles that entails. It's much fancier and has cooler gadgets and it's own domain. I would love to become one of the women I admire that blog for money. This new venture is my attempt at getting my words out there and seeing if I may have some kind of future in web writing, be it designing or writing.

So where can you find this mysterious new blog? I'm glad you asked. If you head on over to One Bad Monkey Mommy you will find my new home. Why "One Bad Monkey Mommy"? I know it's intriguing right? Well, you'll have to jump over there and find out.

And now I bid you farewell Adventures in Babymaking. You gave me so much room to grow and explore that it's hard to move on. You carried the history of our joys and our pains of creating life. If you were a person I would wrap you in my arms and say thank you. Thank you for always being my shoulder to lean on. So, I bid you farewell for now, but dear friend I hope I may return when we think of baby #2.

The Blog in Which I Find My Scream

2010-05-05T00:10:00.000-07:00

Well Morrigu, tonight I scream at the world. I don't have a new title, and this has nothing to do with kids, but this really is my blog so for those of you not interested in my life other than my son feel free to check back later.

Tonight we were informed that Wendy and all of her co-workers are being forced to take 3 weeks of unpaid leave this summer. Their school had to do cut backs somewhere and this is the solution they came up with. Why yes it is May and in July, only 2 months away, we have to figure out how to live without a paycheck and a half. The company did offer to let employees cash out their vacation time, but Wendy already had to do this when she went out on pregnancy disability (you use all your vacation time before disability will start paying you). So come July we are supposed to be out a lot of money. Yes, we all should save and have plenty of money in our savings accounts to cover such freak ideas from brainless companies, but with the economy as it is and bringing a newborn into the world this isn't always feasible.

That's it. That is all I have to say. Except for this, Morrigu, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

A little house cleaning....a new title please?

2010-05-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine posted on FB today, "I don't understand conversation. It seems boring most of the time. Two ladies are boring each other about the different types of coffee and how they come packaged. Really! I blame reality TV, suddenly everyone thinks they are interesting." I kind of chuckled and thought about blogging. Blogging in a sense can be seen the same way. I sit here with my thoughts churning in my head and end up throwing up some version all over my blog for you, my reader, to read. Is my life really that interesting? Is there really anything in what I write about that draws you back here, makes you sit back and question or ponder life? Or am I in fact, one of those women boring each other with conversation?

Last week I got a comment on my latest blog (a post from probably 2 months ago when having a newborn wasn't yet demanding and I had a second). It said, "*grumble* are you done blogging?" So maybe there are people out there that really are interested in what I have to say. But look at that picture up in the corner. That is what my life entails: dirty dishes, a crying baby, a computer with blogging ideas, and me crying realizing my wife is going back to work in 2 weeks and I am now going to by flying solo with this infant for almost 7 hours a day. Do those issues interest my reader? And then there's the title of my blog, "Adventures in Babymaking". I'd say that adventure is all over. Does what I have to say even work anymore with this blog?

So as my therapist would say I am at a crucible of sorts. Do I continue blogging? Do I have anything interesting to say? Does what I say still work with this blog? I am a storyteller and I believe to tell a story you must tell the whole story. Getting to the baby was only part of the story. The rest is really left to come. So maybe the whole story does belong here. Maybe it's just time for a title adjustment. Yes, a title adjustment. What are your thoughts? I'm a lesbian mom; married to my beautiful wife; we are co-parenting with our baby's father and partner; my nickname for our son is monkey and mine is spacemonkey; I am entering the world of being a homemaker and I'm scared out of my mind, but looking forward to every second. Title suggestions?

Attachment Parenting

2010-03-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

This is the parenting style we are using. Many of you have asked about how we came up with

co-sleeping, kangaroo care, etc. Our pediatrician is a huge advocate of this style. We don't follow

it to a "t", but what we have done has helped Nehem gain his weight back more quickly and get

rid of his high levels of bilirubin. This link explains what the style is and how it is implemented.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/T130300.asp

The meaning behind the name...

2010-03-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

Several of you have asked where we came up with such a unique name for Nehemiah. His full name is Nehemiah Grant Lisbon-Slack.

Nehemiah comes from the bible. He was a man chosen by God to rebuild the fallen city of Jerusalem. He not only rebuilt the walls, but turned the city into a thriving town once again. Nehemiah was a name God gave to Wendy long before we had ever met as the name she should name her future son. When we got together she shared this with me and at the time all I could think of was it was a hard name to pull off as kid in school (always a teacher). After our long journey to become parents, I revisited the name and told Wendy that he was definitely a gift from God, and I thought we should use the name God had given her. Upon further study I found that not only did Nehemiah rebuild Jerusalem, but his name also means comforter. We have already seen how our Nehemiah has helped to rebuild relationships with family and friends and he has been our comforter since the moment we found out he had been conceived. God knew the perfect name for our son before Wendy and I had ever met and long before he was a twinkle in our eyes.

Nehemiah has two fathers, but the one that was our donor has the middle name Grant. Having Grant as a middle name is a tradition that has been carried down for 3 generations. Since we would not have a son without him we wanted to honor him by giving his son the same middle name as him.

When California legalized same-sex marriage Wen and I took advantage of the opportunity to marry, and in doing so joined our last names together. We did this so that when we had children we would all have the same last name, and therefore be connected in a very visible way.

That is the story of Nehem's (the nickname he goes by) name. I think it helps to know there is a very important story behind it and that his name bears witness to the Christian family he has been born into.

Please Welcome to The World...

2010-02-21T00:38:00.000-08:00

Nehemiah Grant Lisbon-Slack born February 19th at 3:48 a.m. 5 lb. 7 oz., 18.5 " long. God has blessed us with an angel.

There are too many memories to share, but my fondest so far is being alone in the room right after Nehem turned 24 hours. He was a little fussy so I put on Lennon singing, "Beautiful Boy". His mom held him and I stood back in awe of this perfect family God has entrusted to me. My heart runneth over. There is no greater joy.

36 weeks and holding

2010-01-31T23:08:00.000-08:00

"Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position. But if he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating him from the outside of your belly (babycenter.com).

I talked to a friend of ours who's husband is a doctor and based on the baby's measurements and the week we are in he thinks our baby will weigh about 7 lbs. at birth. He is around 5 lb., 6 oz. right now. This weekend some other friends of ours had their baby a couple weeks early. All of this is telling me it could be any day.

Yesterday we had our shower with the dads and our friends and some family. It was lots of fun to have everyone together and we got some really good gifts and gift cards. Bugaboo has a closet full of clothes, more clothes than his mommies combined.

This afternoon we worked on putting everything away and made a list of what else we need to get that we will need right away. We made a trip to babiesrus and walked out with 2 carts full. We were able to get his stroller and the cutest swing ever. It is by Graco and it is one of the sweet sleepers with the really plush seat with giraffe decor. It's funny because we had started out getting him mostly monkey stuff because I really like monkeys, but in the past week he has received several giraffe themed items. They go so well with the monkey things he has so I'm excited about that too.

This week we meet our pediatrician to make sure it's a good fit and go over our plans with baby. We need to pre-register at the hospital, pack our bag and wash all the bedding, towels and clothes, and we need to sterilize the breast pump and bottles. Things are coming together and I'm feeling good about it all. All we need now is the baby. Good thing Wen only has a week left before her leave at work.

Only 5 or less more weeks!!!

2010-01-19T23:35:00.000-08:00

"Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies (babycenter.com)."

"Your unborn baby's muscles are maturing along with the rest of his body. He can hold his head up and turn it from side to side. He'll practice his newfound muscle tone by stretching out his arms and kicking his legs.

If you are indeed having a boy, the testes have descended into their proper place. Your baby's eyes are now open when awake, and closed when sleeping. Most of the lanugo is gone and replaced with a thick coat of vernix (babyzone.com)."

So I am way behind on my blogging. We've gone through just a few things in the past couple of weeks. First off we were in charge of a retreat in the mountains for the worship group we are co-leaders for. It was two weekends ago for 3 days and was really nice, but required a lot of prep. Meanwhile we also moved out of our old house the same weekend, or shall I say the dads moved us while we were at the retreat. That means that week prior was spent prepping a retreat and packing. Last week I spent cleaning the old place and started to unpack the new place. Our garage is still full of boxes and we feel pressured to get everything in and settled because if anyone is counting along we are going to have a baby here sometime within the next 5 weeks. OMG! I told you it would sneak up on us.

Bugaboo is doing well. We went yesterday to have his heart checked. Since Wen is on insulin his heart walls could thicken and tear, but the cardiologist said his heart looks perfect. He is in position to be delivered and Wen's uterus is all baby. Wen is really starting to feel the affects of pregnancy. She is exhausted, her carpel tunnel is getting worse, and the gestational diabetes has just played its toll. She has decided to go out early with the doctor's recommendation. So in 2 more weeks Wendy is off on baby leave. It will be nice to have her home and to have some bonding time together before the baby comes. After all these are the last few weeks we will ever just be the two of us.

Today Bugaboo received his car seat from all his great aunties on my side. They said they made sure to get the most important gift: the one that lets him come home to us forever. They couldn't be more correct. What a neat way of looking at it I thought. I can't wait to see what else we will be getting. This Saturday we have our family baby shower that includes some of our mom's and Wendy's sister's friends. The following weekend we have our friend shower joined with the dads. It is amazing to see how involved and excited people are for us. You are all such a blessing.

The Lisbon-Slack Year in Review

2009-12-30T22:31:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T00:13:00.000-08:00

May you find peace, love and your own bundle of joy this year!

Merry Christmas from Adventures in Babymaking.

A few bumps in the road

2009-12-23T22:53:00.000-08:00

"Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20,)" babycenter.com.

"Your baby's face looks much like it will when he's born. He still needs to fill out more to get the characteristic chubby infant cheeks, but he's on his way. He can move his head, open his eyes, and make breathing movements through his open nostrils (although no air comes in).

If your little one were born today, he'd have a good chance for survival at about three pounds," babyzone.com.

This entry is late for this week. A lot has changed for the birth mommy-to-be health wise. Last week she got the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. We went in Friday morning and she was given a glucose monitor and educated on what to eat to keep mommy and baby safe. Mommy monitored her sugars over the weekend and reported on Monday. Tuesday we got the call that we needed to come in because she was being put on insulin before bed. We went in and were trained on that yesterday. We met with a dietician, who was a lot more helpful than the nurse we first saw. She explained Wen's diet better and gave her some good tricks of the trade.

Then today Wen got a call from our doctor. She was also tested this week for preeclampsia to be cautious because she had had one high blood pressure reading and a small amount of protein in her urine. Because of the alarm Wen was tested on Monday and today found out she has mild preeclampsia. Obviously these are all reasons to stress and be upset. We have really good prenatal care so I know everything will be fine, but it is still discouraging. I want my wife to be healthy and I wish there was something I could do to take care of her. Right now the doctor has said if Wen has a headache that won't go away, blurred vision, is swelling more than normal or has a pain on her right side to call immediately. In her 34th week we will go in twice a week for the baby to be monitored. Most likely Wen will have to take insulin after meals because as her hormones rise so will her sugar levels. It is a lot to take in, but we believe in a Higher power who will keep mommy and baby safe. We just know that we will not deliver beyond 40 weeks and we may get an early present.

The good news is we were approved today for our new home. It is exactly what we were looking for. We get the keys January 8th, when we're gone for a retreat, so we'll begin moving in January 11th. We'll get settled with that, have a couple baby showers, celebrate Valentine's Day and then be waiting on baby. He will be here soon and his two mommies and two daddies couldn't be anymore excited. Please keep birth mommy and baby in your prayers.

Bugaboo, 85 days and counting...

2009-12-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

"Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain (babycenter.com)."

"Your baby is filling out this week. He's adding fat to insulate his body for the day he leaves his cozy home. You can probably distinguish between feet and hands, head and bottom when your baby-to-be moves inside you. He takes practice breaths but won't breathe air until delivery.

Your baby's growth has begun to slow down now, but he will still gain approximately four pounds between now and birth. If he were born now, he would be able to breathe, but might tire easily and need assistance. His little eyes are sensitive to light (babyzone.com)."

This week Bugaboo has been hiccuping a lot, which concerned Wendy at first because she thought she was having some sort of muscle spasm in her belly. He remains very active and on some occasions you can catch a glimpse of his kicks, but only when he thinks you're not looking. Wendy's belly is popping out a little more. It is nowhere near the basketball size I thought it would be by now so I think she may be carrying him mostly in her back.

Mom is very healthy. She is tired though and looking forward to her Christmas break at the end of the week. It's been a long stretch and she needs some R & R. Tuesday we have our monthly check up. We will get the results of Wendy's glucose test, have our first real baby measuring, and possibly sign up for some birthing classes. I found out our hospital is about the same price as our doc's and we'd rather go somewhere where we know we are already accepted as a couple. Unfortunately that is one of those things we always have to consider when planning new things. Wen keeps getting the craving question. She really doesn't have any "I must go and buy this right now" cravings per-se, but if she's walking by something she may decide she has to have it. I have noticed she's wanted more chocolate than ever before though.

On my end I'm happy that we have found a consideration for our big move. It is hard when you want to nest and you know you will be packing everything up and moving within the next month. If this place works out we should be in by mid-January and then we can start setting up everything for baby. I have been real anxious and stressed and I think a lot of it has to do with being unsettled. I want to have everything in order for baby, which is impossible when you're moving.

I will give you an update on Tuesday. In the meantime to all my ttc friends I'm sending out an extra Christmas wish for your baby dreams to come true this year. Hugs.

And so we begin the final stage...

2009-12-06T21:04:00.000-08:00

"By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world (babycenter.com)."

"Your unborn baby's survival rate outside the womb increases as each week passes. If he didn't open his eyes last week, chances are he'll take his first peek this week. Your baby-to-be's skeleton and muscles are maturing quickly. This week he can turn his head from side to side.

Most of the lanugo has disappeared at this point and your baby may have a full head of hair by now (babyzone.com)."

This is a big week for Bugaboo and Wen. Together they enter into the third trimester, which means technically he will be here in three months, but that could be give or take a few days or even weeks. Last Christmas Eve Wendy was having surgery and being told she only had an 8% chance of getting pregnant. It is amazing to know that a year later we are in the final stage of waiting for our little guy to arrive.

Preparations are being made for our baby showers, and invitations will be going out soon I'm sure. Wendy's sister, with help from my mom and Wen's mom, will be throwing us a shower for our family and some of our Visalia friends and my BFF will be throwing one for all of our friends and the dad's friends and family.

This past week Wendy had her glucose tolerance test. We have our monthly appointment next week and will get the results, but we think everything went fine. She didn't have any adverse reaction to the glucose, or the fasting, other than being hungry.

This coming week I am going to look into labor and delivery classes. Our doctor's office offers one and I hear the hospital may also offer them. I'm also going to try and work on a light exercise plan for me. I know I am really out of shape and I need to get my act into gear to be ready to care for a newborn.

It seems like everything is happening so quickly now and there is no time to put anything off. Any and all loose ends need to be tied up so we are prepared for our life to be turned upside down. This is a little daunting to an O.C.D., control freak, but I'm learning meditation and doing some writing for me to keep me centered.

That's my week 28 report other than Bugaboo and mom are doing really well. The baby moves around a lot, and it's obvious that he is running out of room. Wen is doing fine other than dealing with the pregnancy rash that I talked about last week. It really itches, but luckily it mostly affects her in the evening so she isn't having to deal with it at work. Mom and baby are healthy and we couldn't ask for more.

Your Mission If You Choose To Accept...

2009-12-04T00:24:00.000-08:00

You may remember my short lived love affair with pomegranate 7 up last year. I blogged about it here.

Well a couple of weeks ago we found it again at our local Save Mart. This was well before Thanksgiving and pay day so we only purchased one bottle. We figured there would be plenty of time to get more, but yet again we jinxed ourselves. Pomegranate 7 up is nowhere to be found. We've looked at every grocery store, drug store, and at Target. Was this a fluke? Is it not being made this year and Save Mart only teased us with leftover bottles from last season?

I am enlisting you my readers. This challenge is yours. Help me locate a stockpile of my most treasured sparkly beverage, which goes great with a little Malibu rum, and in turn I will provide you with a holiday gift of equal value.

Now to the rules and regulations and yada, yada, ya:

You must be of Pomegranate 7 up drinking age (who are we kidding, anyone can drink this stuff) and able to understand the true value of this soda. You must be able to provide me with the location of the largest display of aforementioned beverage so that I may stockpile for the next year (suggesting I go to 7 up headquarters does not count, this must be a a store in Fresno CA). Family members and friends are free to enter. I don't care who finds my syrupy red drink as long as I get it. The Grand Prize Winner (and only winner) goes to the first one to provide me with the name and location where I can purchase the most bottles. Grand Prize Winner will receive one holiday goody from me. All entries can be left as a comment on this post. There is Pomegranate 7 up to be found and recovered! Happy hunting.

Dinner with Santa

2009-11-29T23:10:00.000-08:00

So tonight the wife and I decide to treat ourselves to a dinner out since we're sad about her going back to work after her week long Thanksgiving vacation. We go to a familiar Mexican joint called Sal's that has about the best Mexican food in town. We haven't been seated long when we spot this outside in the outdoor seating. It's blurry because I didn't have my paparazzi camera with me, but that is santa downing a brewskie and filling up on chips and salsa. He was accompanied by a very incognito Mrs. Clause who had dyed her hair brown to fit in. You could tell she wasn't happy being recognized because she kept her head down and hidden even as they walked through the restaurant to leave. Who can blame her really? Santa gets all the credit, everyone loves him. Mrs. Clause is just an after thought. We don't even know her name. All we know is that she's married to Santa.

Any way, apparently it's a lot hotter here than the North Pole because Santa was wearing Bermuda shorts with his flannel shirt and Birkenstocks. Evidentially Santa is also having some circulation problems because he had on his knee high compression stockings as well.

Santa and Mrs. Clause drove off in a 50's model Chevy truck. Here's the really interesting thing. In the tail bed he had some tools, but also 2 huge bottles of Clorox bleach. What's Santa cleaning up? Sounds like a good Dexter episode to me.

Bugaboo is a whole 2 pounds

2009-11-29T22:12:00.000-08:00

Bugaboo is growing, and moving, and causing some new pregnancy symptoms. He is about 14 1/2 inches long and weighs 2 pounds, which is about how much a head of cauliflower weighs.

Babycenter.com says, "He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle". Babyzone.com says, "Your baby's lungs and brain are beginning to mature. Although he'd have a good chance of survival if he were born now, he could use a few more weeks of growing. Added layers of fat are continuing to form. These layers will help your baby regulate his temperature once outside the womb and help keep him warm".

So as much as mommy would love the chance to meet him, I am happy to let him stay in the oven a little longer. Today we officially reached under the 100 day mark with 99 days left until our due date. I also realized that Bugaboo's due date is exactly one week before Wendy's birthday. I have a feeling we'll be celebrating a little differently this year. Hopefully we'll be dealing with sleepless nights and gazing at our newborn. Mommy couldn't wait any longer past March 15th, ugh.

Tonight Bugaboo had one of grandma and grandpa's famous oranges. They have been in our family for years. He must have liked them because he was kicking away after having one. It's weird how before he is even born we can carry over family traditions.

Bugaboo has brought on a new symptom this week. Wen has received the dreaded hormonal rash. It is mostly on her torso, but also on her hands. It is small bumps that itch worse than anything and her hands feel like they are on fire along with the itch. It is completely normal and happens to 1 in like 160 pregnancies. You can't really do anything for it other than use topical creams and lotions. The good thing is once she delivers the symptoms will subside. The bad news is she has somewhere around 99 days left to deal with the itch.

This week we also celebrated our last Thanksgiving before Bugaboo arrives. I'm anticipating holidays looking a lot differently next year. We have always said we don't want to tote our kids all over making multiple stops so we are talking about having holidays at our house. It may be tight with the move, but the important thing is having all the family together with our new son. We shall see what the future holds. For now we'll manage getting through this holiday season with a wife getting closer and closer to delivery and a move on the horizon.

26 Weeks and Full of Dreams

2009-11-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

A lot is going on with Bugaboo in week 26. Babycenter.com says, "The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel". Babyzone.com says, "This week your baby-to-be opens his eyes for the first time. He'll open and shut his eyes as he gets used to his new ability. Your little one is still on the small side. His body may look fully formed on the outside, but inside there's fine-tuning taking place, including his lungs and his brain. Your unborn baby still has some growing to do"!

Pregnancy is in full bloom in our house. Wen looks pregnant, she has cravings, there are movies that are just not allowed to be watched in this house right now....hehehehe. Yes, I know, most spouses would find it wearing to indulge a wife's pregnancy cravings or turn a movie off because it's too emotional, but I'm loving every minute of it. For me it is the external part of pregnancy that I can experience with Wendy. Last night as the baby was kicking she lifted her shirt a little and I was able to see him kicking away. What a beautiful sight. This week Bugaboo will start opening his eyes, he's becoming stronger and stronger, and you can't help but look at his little face and admire the life God has brought into being.

We had brunch with the dads today and I imagined us sitting there oooing and awing over our son together, later introducing him to the fine taste of portuguese chorizo (linguica), and eventually watching a Sunday football game with him. We have been blessed with a beautiful family and I can't wait for our son to join us and make it complete.

Just some thoughts and dreams of a soon-to-be-mom.

Bugaboo is 13 & 1/2", wow!

2009-11-18T23:27:00.000-08:00

This week Wendy is in week 25 of her pregnancy. Here is what pregnancy.baby-gaga.com says is going on this week: "Your little grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back. All that hard work and conscientious living is really getting your child prepared for a healthy delivery. Keep up the fabulous work mama! This week they’ll be scootching slowly out of the old breech position and start rotating (already!) into a better position for exit during their birth. Their head and feet are slowly rotating so that the head is pointed down towards the birth canal. Time is short (or really long, depending on who you ask)—just (still!) 14 weeks left before you can go back to being a single-resident human".

I'm sharing a new picture with you that was captured last week after a brief scare we had on Wednesday. We were out registering at Target with the dads and Wen started having some abnormal pains in her abdomen. Later that evening Bugaboo wasn't moving as much as normal so we called the doc. She had us do kick counts and that was fine so we had a follow up appointment Thursday morning. During the exam the heartbeat was strong and the doc thought Wen's cervix was fine, but she sent us for an ultrasound just to be safe. We had the ultrasound a little later that afternoon and got to see the little boy who had caused such concern. He was swimming around and yawning acting like nothing ever happened. We saw the doc yesterday and found out that Wen's cervix is above average. Everything is going as it should and we are all breathing a huge sigh of relief.

This week Wen has started having the heartburn and back pain that is normal in the stage of pregnancy. Now we just need to find some solutions to her pain. She can take Tums and Prevacid for the heartburn and we'll start working the pillows to give extra support.

We are also closer to finalizing our baby showers. I think we have the dates now so that is one less thing to worry about. Now just to take some time to stop and breath and revel in the miracle we are experiencing, like our last holiday without kids. Oh how things will change next year!

Bugaboo reaches almost 12 inches!

2009-11-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

"Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon (babycenter.com)."

The other thing that babycenter.com says is that we are only 4 weeks away from the third trimester, only 4 weeks away from the last 1/3 of the pregnancy. This second trimester is just flying by. Tonight we went to Babies R Us and finished our registry. We still need to register at Target for some things, but the bulk of registering is done. Soon it will be the holidays, then baby showers, and somehow we'll blink our eyes and we'll be stepping into delivery. Everyone always says how quickly a pregnancy goes and you don't believe them until you are questioning where time has gone. I'm doing my best to help keep us organized and on top of things so we are prepared. That is mommy B's job; not as hard as pregnancy, but it has its stress producers as well.

Wendy is doing well. In a week she will go back to the doc and it will be time for her glucose tolerance test. We're not worried though because she has had good sugar levels throughout the pregnancy so far.

Daily I look at her in profile and I'm filled with butterflies. I feel so blessed to have found the love of my life and to have our baby on the way. We have two of the best dads you could ask for for our son and an excited and welcoming family to boot. We've come a long way in the five years we have been together.

Bugaboo is a large mango this week

2009-11-06T22:58:00.000-08:00

We're a little behind this week on our post. I imagine it will only get worse as we get closer to D Day, but it is what it is I guess.

Bugaboo is growing and doing a lot of moving. For the 23rd week babycenter.com says, "Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb".

So far what we have learned about Bugaboo is he likes kettle corn just like his mom and my potato soup and Daddy B's beans. He has moving around a lot in the evening so I have been able to feel him a few times now, 4 times in fact on one night. Wendy's cravings are starting to increase along with her little bump. People at her work are now saying they can see she is showing. I just can't believe how quickly 23 weeks have passed by. This little boy will be here before we know it.

Lawn Art

2009-11-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Now this is by far some of the best lawn art I've seen in awhile. Abby Pet Hospital, Fresno, Ca.

A little spin...

2009-10-31T22:11:00.001-07:00

Connor takes to the streets for his first Halloween

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T21:04:00.001-07:00

A little pirate wench and her dinosaur brother.

The Great Pumpkin Masacre

2009-10-31T21:01:00.001-07:00

Uncle Marty

A Shout Out To The Slurpee Queen

2009-10-27T23:19:00.000-07:00

Babe, when I see a cat with a rainbow tongue and a giant slurpee I can think of only one thing...you my lovely. Your crazy slurpee cravings crack me up and are a memory I will always remember from waiting for our son to be born.

Tonight I felt our baby kick twice and I laughed with excitement and elation in the feeling, and seeing the look of joy in your eyes. Our little world has its ups and downs, but it's moments like tonight, feeling our baby, or seeing a cat eating a slurpee that binds us closer together.

I love you heart and soul my Slurpee Queen!

Gillis' Birthday Song Via Olive Garden

2009-10-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Daddy Gillis' Birthday

2009-10-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

Gillis opening his b'day gift, a Jack Skellington votive holder

Uncle David flailing after eating hot soup

John eating same soup, very different response

Bugaboo reaches 22 weeks!

2009-10-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

Why yes that is a large squash, just the size of Bugaboo this week. Babycenter.com says this about Bugaboo on week 22: "At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily".

The most eye opening part of this week for me was realizing we are only 5 weeks away from the third trimester. Bugaboo is moving a lot, mostly while Wendy is at work. He falls asleep early in the evening and mommy won't let me wake him up to feel his movements. I'm sure this will be how it is when he is born. I will want to play with him and it will be difficult to let him sleep. I can't help but be curious about his little twists and turns, but I know he needs lots of rest to grow big and strong.

The cravings have started kicking in. Wendy wants anything and everything that has to do with ice. She will eat ice, blend juice with ice, and her favorite craving is the Slurpee. I've only had to make one Slurpee run for her so far, but I have a feeling those may increase. The other thing she has been craving is doughnuts. It seems there are lots of commercials and shows involving doughnuts at night, which makes getting them difficult so she has fought that urge. Tonight, however she did get a lovely Italian doughnut at Olive Garden while celebrating Bugaboo's daddy's birthday. One for mommy and one for baby. That should help with the cravings for awhile.

Everything else is going well. Bugaboo is right on schedule for his growth, the ultrasound results came out with a clean bill of health, and we just feel so blessed for his little life.

Bugaboo in pictures

2009-10-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

Bugaboo had his first real photo sitting. These are a few of the pictures we managed to capture. He is very active and hard to get shots of because he moves so quickly. I have a feeling this may never change. It is amazing to see little features like lips, and his chin just like mommy's, and a hand suspended above his body. This little baby is our miracle and we are blessed to have him on the way. I pray he knows already how much he is wanted and loved.

He has mommy's chin

What a cute little guy

Looking at us straight on

Top of head

A bottom, two legs and BOY parts!

O.B.G.Y.N. Halloween Humor

2009-10-20T10:29:00.001-07:00

Week 21, a little Bugaboo carrot

2009-10-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

This week our little man is 21 weeks old. He is the length of a carrot. I felt him kick for the 1st time last week and I'm pretty sure I'll be feeling him kick more in the weeks to come. Here is what babycenter.com says is going on right now:

"Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now."

Along with me feeling Bugaboo Wendy is feeling him all the time. She said it feels like he is swimming around, moving here and there, not really kicking. Her sister came up this weekend and brought some cute boy outfits. She has hopped on the boy train thinking before only girl clothes were cute. My favorite was a t-shirt that says, "My aunt rocks". She also found some gay friendly baby books that we need to order right away. They have done things like changing mommy and daddy to my mommies and such. It is nice that stuff is out there. Now if we could only get someone to make some lesbian appropriate maternity clothes. Too bad I don't know fashion.

Bugaboo can hear now so I say hi and rub Wendy's belly. Last night I sang to him for the first time "his song". It is from the story, "I'll Love You Forever." It is a book passed down from our family. I cried singing it to him the first time knowing that I will sing it to him hundreds of times and one day he will sing it to his kids. It was a very special bonding moment.

That is your 21 week update. I haven't forgot the pictures. They are on the counter. I will get them posted.

Mmm...cake

2009-10-17T15:27:00.001-07:00

A little afternoon cake with the aunties. Just 2 more bites please.

First Kicks

2009-10-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

At 10 o'clock tonight I felt Bugaboo kick for the first time. Wen said she thought I would be able to feel the baby if I came over. I put my hand on her belly and within one minute I got a strong kick. So we have a future punter or soccer player swimming around in there. It was such an amazing feeling. This was my first physical connection with our son. Of course I got emotional. What an exciting, special night.

Our little chiquita banana

2009-10-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

Well, last week we found out that Bugaboo is a little man. We have been bombarded with name questions, but the truth is we don't have a boy's name picked out. What we do know is that Bugaboo is now the length of a banana. Babycenter.com says:

"Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure,measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery)".

The ultrasound went very well, and despite some concerns of room size 4 of the grandparents were present along with the daddies and the mommies. We have some great pictures that I promise to get up this week. I was hit by the horrible cold that is going around and have had it for 8 days. I finally broke my 5 day fever last night. I'm not completely well, but at least I am no longer fevering.

So, back to the little guy. First impressions: during the ultrasound we were able to see a well defined button chin just like his mommy's. Bugaboo is very active. Several of the shots the technician was trying to get were hard because he would not be still. He's also already mischievous like his mother. :) Other than that the only feature to stand out was a definite indicator that we are having a son. We'll give that one to daddy. :)

Mommy is doing well. She was pretty sore after the ultrasound because the tech had to push hard and at times pretty much drum on her belly to make the baby move. She has been a Godsend to me this week playing nursemaid. I have no idea how she is staying well. I got the cooties along with both the dads. Last night she treated us to some homemade chicken soup and dumplings that was very good. She's feeling the baby more and more and her belly keeps growing, about a 1/4 inch around and an inch on top every week. She gets stretching pains when she tries to stand that cause a lot of grimacing, but she says it is all worth it.

Now that we know what we are having we get to enter the next phase: picking a name, finishing the nursery and finishing our baby shower registry. We started one at Babies R Us and we are also going to do one at Target. We have some key items of importance that I need to check reviews on first before registering like the car seat, stroller, crib mattress, etc. I can't believe we are 5 months along today. In 4 months we are going to have a baby. There is so much to get done.

It's a.....

2009-10-08T17:08:00.001-07:00

Why yes that is a blue onesie we are holding up. We're having a BOY!!! Everything looks good. On our way to celebrate. More pics and story to come.

Bugaboo the mango

2009-10-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

Bugaboo is growing and moving. That's right, Wendy is now feeling little movements. She said it feels like it would feel if you ran your fingernail along the inside of your cheek. Bugaboo is also now the size of a large mango.

Babycenter.com says during week 19 the following will happen: Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large mango. 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. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Along with feeling the baby we are all excited for Thursday. We will be finding out if Bugaboo is a he or she. We're getting all kinds of stories now about gender like the baby has to be a girl because of this or it has to be a boy because of this and there have been plenty of dreams. Look for a post on Thursday to see what the final word is.

Please help find Mitrice Richardson

2009-10-06T15:33:00.001-07:00

Please help find Mitrice Richardson

Please read this post and do what you can to forward this story along. I do not know this woman or any of her friends or family, but suffering from mental health problems unites us. This woman needs help and the authorities are not working hard enough to provide her with some.

Posted using ShareThis

Grand Finale

2009-10-04T16:39:00.001-07:00

When you end a 3 day Disney trip there is only one way to do it right with my wife: a giant bag of kettle corn. Good bye Mickey's house. We can't wait to introduce you to our little mousekateer on our next visit. See ya real soon.

Jack's back

2009-10-04T16:36:00.001-07:00

We hit our favorites before leaving: one last corndog, one more yo ho on Pirate's, and one last spook on The Nightmare Before Christmas' Haunted Mansion. Here's a little boo from Jack.

Disneyland California Adventure

2009-10-04T12:51:00.001-07:00

Today is day 3 at the park. We are having a great time. Last night we closed down the park with Jungle Cruise and the Tikki Room. So far this morning we have been on Soarn' Over California, Toy Story Mania and now we're waiting for the husbands to get off Screamn' withe some friends of theirs.

We are watching how other families manage Disneyland from pricey kid's meals, to souveneirs, to what stroller seems to be best. It has been quite the education.

We are also doing some educating of our own by wearing our red Rethink Church shirts. Sometimes people need to be reminded church is for everyone, even at Disneyland.

Pixar Parade

2009-10-03T18:03:00.001-07:00

Here's a little clip from the parade that they have decided to add water to. We got drenched, but it was fun. On to a little Finding Nemo for your viewing pleasure.

Sleep tight.

2009-10-03T14:06:00.001-07:00

Even Mickey's big kids need a nap time. Night, night.

We got stuck on Pooh...

2009-10-03T12:06:00.001-07:00

and lost Wendy. We were told pooh is experiencing a sticky situation.

Pirates of the Carribean

2009-10-03T11:54:00.001-07:00

Just a little song to make you smile straight from the ride.

The Imagineer Team

2009-10-03T11:06:00.001-07:00

Here are our Gay Days' shirts. We are the Imagineer Team: Mommy A & B and Daddy A & B and little Bugaboo makes a happy family of 5. :)

Toy Story Mania

2009-10-02T17:30:00.001-07:00

Getting ready for Wen's favorite. Ride.

We're here

2009-10-02T16:48:00.001-07:00

The essential Disney hand dipped corndog.

On the road

2009-10-02T09:59:00.001-07:00

We are on our way to the "gayest," I mean happiest, place on earth. 3 days wit me pirate matees. Argh. The paparazzi are already on our tail. I guess they want to see how the gay family experiences Disneyland. You shall see my little friend. You shall see.

Caller, you're on the line...

2009-09-30T02:24:00.000-07:00

Over at Two Chicks In Pursuit of a Babe they opened their blog up to questions. I know when I was reading blogs prior to getting pregnant I was reading the pregnancy blogs, but I liked it when the author veered off path every once in awhile to shake things up. So what questions do you have of me? I may or may not answer them depending on how personal you get, or if an answer may cause WWIII. But, either way I'd love to hear from you and hear what you wonder about these 2 mommies and 2 daddies that are having a baby together.

Lexi's dinner

2009-09-29T19:58:00.001-07:00

Brother Connor decided Lexi couldnlt have lobster. She got worms and dirt instead.

Connor's 1st B'day

2009-09-29T19:50:00.001-07:00

Today is our nephew's 1st birthday. He celebrated like a king and fed us lobster. We were much appreciative.

11 Days And Counting: Pink or Blue

2009-09-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

Wendy scheduled our ultrasound. We go in October 8th at 3:15. That's right folks. In 11 days we will know if little Bugaboo is a boy or girl, assuming he or she isn't shy. This is like the Two Week Wait all over again. I cannot wait and I think Wen may even be getting a little excited. I know the dads are and I really know the extended family is. Yay. Baby, baby, baby!

Bugaboo's Pickled Peppers

2009-09-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Bugaboo picked a peck of pickled peppers. Did Bugaboo pick a peck of pickled peppers? If Bugaboo Picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Bugaboo picked?

Why all the pepper talk this week? Because this week Bugaboo is the size of a bell pepper. Here is what else www.babycenter.com says about Bugaboo's 18th week of development:

"Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound."

Speaking of ultrasound ours is just around the corner. Wen will be calling to schedule it tomorrow. It should be within the next two weeks. I know we are excited, but a little shout out to auntie Kim, 'cause it is all she talks about. She is my personal reminder to make sure Wen schedules the visit tomorrow. She is convinced it is another girl, but my senses are seeing blue in my future. We shall see.

Wen got some nice maternity shirts from Vava and VooVoo Lisboa that are really nice. They should get her through work for awhile. We have a date scheduled for Wednesday to do some pants shopping. I'm hoping we have as much luck as they had with shirts.

Our day was spent with family, first mine just for a visit, and then Wen's for her mom's b'day. It is fun to talk baby with all of them and hear their stories of motherhood. It is weird and special to be joining that circle, a circle for so many years I thought I would never be a part of. What an honor to hear from my grandma, mom and aunt and Wendy's mom and sister. It was the need to capture our story that initiated this blog, and hearing their stories and coming full circle had me beaming from ear to ear.

Shua shua shua shua ... heartbeat

2009-09-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning we went in for our monthly baby check up. The first step was to listen to Bugaboo's heartbeat for the 1st time. It was really strong and went by way too fast. I totally forgot to record it while we were there. I'll have to try again next time. The appointments go so quickly and we get so excited, but for my readers, and more importantly the grandparents I will work harder for all of you.

We got the go ahead to have the ultrasound in two weeks. We will call and schedule it on Monday. Our N.P. is sending us out because she thinks this other imaging office does a better job than their tech. I appreciate that she was open and honest with us and told us where to get the best one done. So my faithful readers in two weeks we will know if Bugaboo is a boy or girl, assuming he/she is not being bashful and hiding from us.

Mommy Wen is doing good. We are going to Gay Days (gay day at Disneyland) with the daddies next weekend. We are making our own shirts; pics to come. Let's just say we are going to be one cute family.

More tomorrow after belly pic day. :)

Our little spud, Bugaboo

2009-09-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

This week the little Bugaboo is spud sized. We aren't sure if we're having a Mr. or a Mrs. Potato Head quite yet, but we'll be scheduling the ultrasound when we go in for our monthly check-up on Tuesday.

Besides being the size of an Idaho Russet, womenshealthcaretopics.com says during week 17 Bugaboo is, "5.1 inches and weighs almost 5 ounces! If you were to hold your baby at 17 weeks pregnant, she would fit snuggly in the palm of your hand.

Your Baby's Growth and Development
Your baby during week 17 is now very mobile, gleefully moving his joints here, there and everywhere and will continue to do so as you continue your pregnancy week by week. The cartilage making up the skeleton in your baby's body is starting to transform into bone. At pregnancy 17 weeks time your baby should be hearing things. Your baby will start putting on some layers of fat in the weeks to come, though at this point in time your baby is made up of primarily water.

You may be feeling your baby move intermittently after pregnancy week 17, though as your pregnancy progresses you will likely start feeling your baby move more and more.

There are many natural health practitioners that believe in the power of touch. Though your little one is still very small, your touch may do much to help him feel safe and warm inside the womb. If you haven't started already, you might consider rubbing your 'pooch' in calming circular motions. This will not only help comfort your little one, but will help initiate the bonding process with you and your newborn baby throughout your pregnancy and after.

Other women find comfort when playing music to their unborn children. There is evidence suggesting that your baby responds to music even while in the womb. Thus, there is no harm in playing some calm and engaging music to your baby even while they are in the womb."

It looks like Bugaboo is going to get his or her introduction to The Beatles this week; maybe a little Peter, Paul and Mary; Simon and Garfunkel; The Mamas and the Papas; or just the Forrest Gump soundtrack as my BFF would describe it

I've already been enjoying giving the soothing belly rubs and so has Wen. I wonder if the baby can distinguish between the two? I'm so curious about everything that is going on and so amazed with each and every little part of Bugaboo's development.

Wendy is doing well. She has been steadily growing an inch a week. Her clothing selection has become very limited so we will have not choice but to do some maternity shopping this week. Does anyone have any recommendations on quality maternity brands for cheap. Some of these places are ridiculous. For example: a $38 t-shirt, a paper thin t-shirt at that? We need some guidance in this department.

There really isn't anything new to report. At this stage it's just a day by day process of waiting. I will let you all know how our appointment on Tuesday goes and when we will get to find out if we're having a Ms. or Mr.

Pay It Forward Winners

2009-09-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

So the winners of my Pay It Forward challenge are Vickie, Sarah from Notes From 2 Moms, and Teaberry from 04-05-208.

Each of these winners will receive something homemade by me in the next 364 days. It may be crafty or yummy.

Since they signed up to win my challenge they too must take part in the Pay It Forward challenge. They must post the challenge on their blog (unless they don't have one and they can just do the pay it forward part) and then Pay It Forward to 3 new people to continue the cycle. What a neat way to put happy things out into the universe. Remember it has to be something homemade by YOU. That is part of the fun!

Bugaboo a.k.a. the Avocado

2009-09-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

This week may give you a taste for guacamole and Mexican food because at 16 weeks not only is Bugaboo 4 months, but he or she is also the size of an avocado. Babycenter.com says the following is happening with Bugaboo this week:

"Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop."

In mommy news Wendy thinks she may have started feeling some movement. She is feeling what she describes as a gentle rubbing in her uterus. It's early to be feeling things, and at this stage it would be very light, so she's not sure. This week her belly didn't grow any inches. She has started craving Chinese food which makes my BFF very happy. What is in Chinese food that makes pregnant women crave it so much?

We went to a huge consignment sale where they were selling children's items and maternity clothes. Wendy was able to pick out a few clothes. The problem is Wendy doesn't want to just let her belly hang out like so many pregnant women do so she's having trouble finding clothes she likes. There is another local sale here in October so hopefully we'll be able to find some more stuff. Someone really needs to come out with a lesbian line of maternity clothes. Wendy isn't nor do I doubt she ever will be a cap sleeve wearer or stretch pants wearer.

I'm hoping to pull out things for my yard sale this week. I'm having a hard time because I have a pinched nerve that is causing a lot of pain in my arm, but this stuff won't get done on it's own so I have to get with it. I did get to one little job this afternoon. If I break it up into quick little jobs I know I can get it finished.

A week from Tuesday we go back to the doc. We aren't supposed to have an ultrasound, just a heartbeat check, but maybe we'll be lucky and get another sneak peak.

Diaper Bags and breaking stereotypes

2009-09-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

I'm not your traditional girl. I listened to Bob Marley before he made his comeback, I wore black Converse before people knew what they were, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that when it comes to diaper bags I am not going to be satisfied by the giant mom bag that is never ending. I had been looking at these bags from Diaper Dude, but I couldn't bring myself to pay the $65 for one even though everything has its own compartment, there is a changing pad included, and I can wear it without it knocking me down while holding my baby, etc. etc. etc.

Yesterday while we were at the consignment sale I found the exact bag on a rack and it looked like it had never been used. It was on sale for $10. SOLD. I was so excited all day. I can't wait to add my, "I love my mommies" patch to it. :)

Warnings Parents

2009-09-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Wendy and I went to this huge consignment sale for maternity and children's items. This is by far my favorite parent warning ever!

I'm A Pay It Forward Winner, How 'Bout You?

2009-09-11T14:16:00.001-07:00

So back in February I read this blog from Two Chicks In Pursuit Of A Babe. I happened to be the first commenter and was the winner of Lizzie's Pay It Forward. I was very excited since I never win anything and have been eagerly waiting to see what I would receive. Today I walked up to my door and saw a large box on my doorstep and I was confused since I hadn't ordered anything. Could it be an anniversary present from Wendy, no, she never orders anything. Hmm. I then turned it over and saw it was from Lizzie, my Pay It Forward gift. I rushed in the house to see what it was. Lizzie had made this beautiful blanket for our little Bugaboo. It is a great gift and made me get all warm and fuzzy inside.

Well, I had posted the pay it forward on my site in February and nobody commented so I am going to give you guys a chance to play again. Here are the rules:

1. . Be one of the first three people to leave a comment on this post, which entitles you to something handmade by me (something crafty or yummy).

2. Winners must post this challenge on their own blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, and send handmade goodies to three more folks, the first three who leave a comment on your blog.

3. The gift that you send your first three commenters can be from any price range, and you have 365 days to make & ship your item. (This means that you should be planning to keep your blog at least until you've received your gift and sent your gifts.) And remember, it's the spirit and the thought that count!

4. When you receive your gift, feel free to blog about it, and share the Linky Love. If you're not one of the first three commenters on this post, you can still play. Just create a Pay It Forward post on your own blog, and start your own chain. And encourage your blogging friends to play along.

Yay! Pay it (gift it) forward

So those are the rules. Who will be my first 3 commenters? I have so many crafty ideas and yummy ideas you're sure to get a real treat, but don't forget you have to pay it forward too!

A is for The Beatles Apple Recordings and Bugaboo's size

2009-09-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't been with us since the beginning Bugaboo got his or her name from me.

Bugaboo was conceived to The Beatles playing on LP in the background. I did a play on Beatles being bugs and came up with Bugaboo. Soooo that being said I have just been waiting for the week I could put a picture of one of The Beatles apple recordings albums as my blog post picture because that's right folks, Bugaboo is the size of an apple this week. A whole apple. Can you believe how quickly he or she is growing?

Here is what babycenter.com says will be going on with our little Bugaboo this week: "Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position.")"

In the past week Wendy's belly grew an inch and more clothes were put in the "to wear after pregnancy" pile. Her cravings have increased a bit to where she notices she has wanted sweets a lot (she very much enjoyed our 2 banana cake birthdays yesterday, both our dads requested one). Her energy is steadily increasing and her morning sickness is completely gone. At this point she is just enjoying her pregnancy, and except for trying to figure out what to wear, has no complaints.

This mommy is still nesting. I've been forming my plans on the projects I want to get done. One is to have a yard sale and make some room in our home for little one. It's time to organize, clean and decorate and of course save every penny we can for the boxes of diapers that are to come. Because although we are only in week 15 the next 185 days or so will fly by in no time.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled baby news...

2009-08-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who visit my blog just for the baby news please stand by. I have an update on my health so I am going to share here. My plan in the near future is to most likely start a blog separate from this one on the ins and outs of my days. For now I will have to blend the two.

On Friday we ventured back to UCSF to have more tests run on my previously diagnosed Pseudo Tumor Cerebri. The appointments started at 8:30 in the morning and I had a visual field test done. After that I met with a resident neuro opthamologist and the founding father of neurology who just so happened to be visiting that day. I wasn't that pleased with the resident. He would ask questions and not give me time to answer, he seemed frustrated that he was the one who had to show the emeritus around, etc. etc. etc. By the end of meeting with him I was completely irritated. Then the neuro opthamologist came in and went over the same exam I had just been given. He at least took the time to answer my questions, but when I asked if there would be some sort of report available for my neurologist appointment later in the afternoon he said no and that my doc would know how to find him. Red flags went up, but I was too frustrated to say anything. I then went up to my neurologist where I was supposed to see him and register for some further vision test in the afternoon. The neurologist was overbooked so the scheduler asked if we could go get a bite to eat and come back. No problem, I'm sure I would be a better person to work with after a bite to eat. We drove over the Haight/Ashbury since it was so close an had an amazing sandwich that we later gave leftovers to street kids. Hey everyone needs a helping hand. We went into a baby boutique and all was right with the world again. We returned the neurology and the front desk had no information that said I was to meet with my neurologist then. I was ticked, I chimped up and fought with the receptionist until she appeased me and said she was going to work things out. After waiting almost another hour I was put into a box of a room with 2 other people and lots of equipment where I underwent 2.5 hours of vision tests. Did I mention S.F. was having a heat wave and there was no a/c in the building? Those of you who know me well know I get hot easily. I was dying. During the 2.5 hours I explained to the testers how I was supposed to see my neurologist and they worked it out to where I would. Finally I emerged from the oven feeling like I had just had sand rubbed in my eyes for the past 2.5 hours. We saw the neurologist and he was finally comfortable in agreeing my original diagnosis of Pseudo Tumor Cerebri. He said he had to play devil's advocate until he had proof (preliminary vision tests but nothing from the a.m. doc because as I figured he was nowhere to be found). Ok, I'll give him that one. We left with two new prescriptions and a follow up appointment in November. I was told I could have this for up to a year and it has probably initiated a cycle of migraines so I am dealing with two types of headaches. Happy, happy, joy, joy. 9.5 hours later I was able to be told I have what everyone thought I had to begin with. NICE.

Bugaboo is a little lemon drop for week 14

2009-08-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

Wen is moving into pregnancy week #14 tomorrow. babycenter.com says this is what will be going on with Bugaboo:

"This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active".

Wen is doing well. Moving into the 2nd trimester has helped her feel a lot better. She rarely has any morning sickness symptoms now. She still doesn't have any major cravings to report. In a week her belly grew a 1/4". She is going to start doing some low impact walking to build her strength and muscles up for labor.

There is a huge consignment sale nearby in a couple of weeks that we are looking forward to going to. They will be selling maternity clothes and we are hoping to find some good finds. It is slim pickings at most of the stores in town. Who ever thought tight clothes with cap sleeves were good choices for maternity clothes obviously never had a conversation with my wife.

This past week Wen took cupcakes to work and announced that she was pregnant. From what Wendy could tell everyone was excited, and if they weren't as she says she didn't know and doesn't care. She did find out that a 3rd person who didn't know she was pregnant had a dream she was. Very weird, but very cool.

As for the lesbian dad, I am doing well. I'm still trying to figure the important things out like money, where the furniture is going, etc. We had a great break through last week that only took 3 nights of no sleep: the dog is now sleeping on her own bed and not with us. We wanted to get her in her own bed before the baby came so she wouldn't connect it to the baby. She is now happily sleeping in her big girl bed at night and we are very proud of her and happy to be getting sleep again.

Here's to another week of a happy pregnancy.

Ultrasound #2, Peek-a-boo

2009-08-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

On Monday we went in for prenatal visit #2. This was supposed to be a routine visit with a lovely pap smear (oh the joys of being a woman). First our doctor didn't walk in, our nurse practitioner did. She informed us that our doctor had been diagnosed with cancer, had surgery to remove it last Thursday, and was starting chemo this week. She will be back at the beginning of the year. All a little emotional, we really like our doc, but the N.P. is very good too. Then we moved on to the heart beat listening portion of our visit, but Bugaboo was being a little stubborn with the whole sharing his/her heartbeat. The doc said she heard it, but she saw the fear in our eyes and said lets stop by the ultrasound on the way out just to make you more comfortable. Have we mentioned how much we love this medical group? By this time Wen was pretty freaked out and I was doing my best to be the strong supportive lesbian dad type.

This was our first external ultrasound and Bugaboo was playing a little hide and seek at first (not helping mommy W's nerves btw). And then there he/she was swimming around and moving like a little swimmer. Wen teared up, I held her, we both sighed a sigh of relief and then as if to say peek-a-boo I see you little Bugaboo did a full turn and faced us straight on. "Hey moms, here I am. Don't worry, I'm just getting in my morning swim. Whatcha doing?" It was at that moment I knew we are indeed going to have a little mischievous baby much like Wen. So all the great shots passed by quickly and when the N.P. went to print some out for us just as quickly as Bugaboo said hi, he/she started hiding again. This was one of the better shots with some photoshop lightening to try and make it more distinguishable. Not quite a thumb sucking shot, but Bugaboo is definitely putting his/her hand up to his/her face. We got to see the little heat beat again. It was fluttering away.

These are the moments that take your breath away. The moments that you will think back on when you take your child to Pre-school the first day, 6th grade promotion, for a stroll on their new high school, while you fill out college apps at the kitchen table. The day I walked out holding my wife, filled with emotion at seeing our baby looking at us, that is what makes life worth living.

Bugaboo is just peachy at Week 13

2009-08-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

Bugaboo turns 13 weeks old this week. He or she is the size of a peach. www.baby2see.com says the following about week 13 of pregnancy:

"You are 13 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 11 weeks)

The fetus has grown to about 3 inches (8cm) long.
Weight approximately 1 ounce (25 grams).
Bone is beginning to replace cartilage and the ribs are appearing.
The nose and chin are well defined.
Movements can be measured.
The child will begin to learn to suck its thumb.
The child can open and close its mouth.
The external genitalia are well defined making it is possible to determine the baby's gender.

Your baby is now producing insulin the hormone that controls their blood glucose. The fetus is now 3 inches long and weighs about an ounce. The baby's unique fingerprints are already in place. The muscles lengthen and become organized. You can't feel it yet, but your baby can move in a jerky fashion, flexing the arms and kicking the legs.

Your uterus has grown quite a bit. You can probably feel its upper edge above the pubic bone in the lowest part of your abdomen, about 4 inches (10cm) below your bellybutton. At 13 weeks, your uterus fills your pelvis and starts growing upward into your abdomen. It feels like a soft, smooth ball. Soon you will start feeling the first flutters of the unborn child kicking and moving within.

The first three months were period of rapid development, next three months will be period of rapid growth. Baby quadruples weight during the 4th month. Your baby is about 2.91 inches (7.4cm) and weighs around 0.81 ounce (23gm)."

13 weeks means Wendy is leaving trimester 1 and entering trimester 2. This means she should start gaining her energy back and the "morning sickness" that continues all day should go away. Tomorrow morning we have our monthly check-up. We will be able to hear the heart beat for the very first time. I can't wait for that magical moment. I'll let you know how it goes.

Bugaboo the size of a Plum, Week 12

2009-08-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

This week Bugaboo enters Week #12. Here is what whattoexpect.com says will happen over the next week:

By now, your baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements so he can eat someday, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons against germs once he's out of your safe haven. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so. If all these changes sound dizzying, that may just be you dealing with yet another problematic pregnancy symptom: Lots of women experience occasional dizzinessand/or feel faint due to progesterone, which causes increased blood flow to your baby by relaxing your own blood vessels. More blood flow to baby means less blood flow to your body and brain and that, along with typically lower blood-sugar levels during pregnancy, can set your world a-spinning. Do your part to keep your equilibrium by eating regularly, getting adequate rest, and standing up slowly.

In mommy news, there is definitely a little bump showing now. Wen broke open the Bella Band I bought her a couple weeks ago (a stretchy material that allows you to wear your regular jeans even when you're pregnant). It's moments like that being pregnant feels real again.

Baby Daddy B shared the news with his folks today. They were very happy to hear about the new baby. Baby Daddy A's mom was out of town so she has yet to be surprised.

A week from tomorrow we go back to the doctor. We can't wait to hear the heartbeat again. My bff told Wen today that we could actually rent a heart monitor for the duration of the pregnancy. I'm all over that! :) If/when we get it I'll make sure to post a recording for all of you to hear. This week will move us into the 2nd trimester. Wendy should feel better, the baby will be stronger, and we're one step closer to seeing his/her precious face. I just can't wait!

Onto Week 11

2009-08-10T00:23:00.000-07:00

Bugaboo enters Week 11 this week. He or she is the size of a fig. Whattoexpect.com has this to say about Week 11:

"Slightly more than two inches long now and weighing about a third of an ounce, your fetus is growing by leaps and bounds when you are 11 weeks pregnant. And so is his or her head, which is equal in length to the rest of the body (don't worry — all fetuses are top-heavy)

On the crown of that large head (and over the rest of the body), hair follicles are forming. Fingernail and toenail beds begin to develop this week and by next week, the nails themselves will start to grow (so don't forget to add a baby nail clipper to your to-buy list).

Your baby's body is straightening and his or her torso is lengthening (sounds like a yoga pose, doesn't it?). Other poses your baby can assume now: stretches, somersaults, and forward rolls. And while you can't tell this baby's gender by its cover yet, testes are developing if it's a boy and ovaries if it's a girl".

So our little Bugaboo is going to be a gymnast this week. Too bad mommy can't feel it yet. From what I have read it will be another month or two before we feel anything.

Mommy is still quite tired, but our past few days out of town haven't helped that. Hopefully being home and getting some good rest will help her feel better. In two weeks we go for our next appointment. In the meantime things are very uneventful. Some days it's still hard to believe she is pregnant, but then we spend some time around family talking about it and it feels real again.

We started our Pregnancy Journal last week. We were totally behind so we had to play catch up. It was fun to sit together and share our hopes and dreams for our baby.

In daddy news, the dads have been moving furniture for a week. I'm pretty sure Party B is going to lose it if things don't find a resting place soon. Evidently Wendy's husband and I have already hit the nesting stage. I started last week and hope to get some more done this week. My goal is to get everything organized and some projects done that have been put on the back burner.

Bugaboo at Week 10

2009-08-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

Today we enter week 10 of Wendy's pregnancy. Our baby is now the size of a small strawberry. The feet are one tenth of an inch. The neck is beginning to take shape.
The body muscles are almost developed. Baby has begun movement. While still too small for Wendy to feel, Bugaboo is wriggling and shifting. The jaws are in place. The mouth cavity and the nose are joined. The ears and nose can now be seen clearly. Fingerprints are already evident in the skin. Nipples and hair follicles begin to form.

In mommy news Wendy is doing well. She is quite tired and for the first time since we have been together takes the time to rest often. Her "morning sickness" occurs all day long and is mostly worsened by eating too large of a meal. She does much better if she grazes all day.

I am quite exited, but have moments where nerves take over and I can't believe we are actually pregnant. I still tear up when telling new people. I am very anxious. 31 weeks seems like a lifetime, but I know it will come quicker than I can imagine.

May I Please Introduce To You For The First Time...

2009-07-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

Our little Bugaboo. At 9:00 a.m. today we saw for the first time our 8 week old baby. After one year of trying we are officially pregnant. :D

I know, I know, my last update said we had received a negative result and that is not untrue. We tested early and got a false negative. When AF hadn't arrived and Wen started getting pregnancy symptoms I started to wonder, but we didn't want to get our hopes up. Of all things Wen watched that show, "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant," and the next morning thought she'd take another test just in case. She came and got me in bed with the most surprised look on her face. I jumped up and yelled, "Shut up!". I was in such shock.

The rest has been a whirlwind. I was put on blog silence until we saw the heartbeat (almost impossible for me, thus the limited posts lately). We all four went, daddies included, for the ultrasound this morning. Wen was a nervous wreck, but was washed over with peace when the heartbeat lit up the screen. I literally lost my breath for a second when I saw the flutter. Nothing can prepare you for that amazing moment. We all teared up and walked out proudly each carrying our very own ultrasound pic in hand.

We have been so blessed and give full glory to our God above. For those of you still on this journey don't give up. Your time will come and you continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

More to come. I just can't even find the words to get it all out tonight. One little piece of trivia though. We conceived to the Beatles, thus I am calling the baby bugaboo. A rightful tribute I think. :)

(*Disclaimer requested by Wen. If you are local we request that you refrain from sharing our news. We are still making personal announcements and would hate for someone to hear through the grapevine. Thanks)

Rib aftermath

2009-07-18T23:04:00.001-07:00

Not even a scrap left for the dog. That's Auntie Wendy's girl!

Ribs

2009-07-18T23:03:00.001-07:00

My niece getting down on some bbq w/ her Auntie Wendy. She know how to lick them clean.

Power of Two - The Indigo Girls

2009-07-18T20:46:00.001-07:00

I am a full-fledged lesbian now. I have seen the Indigo Girls in concert with only 3 small rows separating us. It was amazing. I got to share the moment with good friends and my wife at my side. The only thing that would have changed was if we had a cooler and a 2-day suitcase in the trunk. Here is "the Power of Two" live just for you.

(If you are receiving this blog through email or Face Book you will have to go to the actual blog site- www.christalisbon.blogspot.com -to see the video)

G1 camcorder test

2009-07-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Heaven

2009-07-11T14:16:00.001-07:00

Last night we went to Woodstock Pizza in San Luis Obispo. Let me just say they make pizza the way it should be made: a nice brick oven cooked, thin crust with a mountain of toppings. It came with this dessert pizza that had lots of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. I've been a purest, always saying Old West Cinnamon Rolls in Pismo Beach are the best, but Woodstock knocked them off the pedestal. OMG it is the best!

Late lunch

2009-07-10T15:09:00.001-07:00

There is only 1 chowda' place: Splash Cafe. All others who try to imitate are merely posers. I believe it's the gallons of heavy whipping cream and butter they use. Check them out - 1491 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo Ca, 93401. Splashcafe.com.

A bed fit for a "queen"

2009-07-08T22:31:00.001-07:00

This picture offers proof to mom that the boys are sleeping on the good matress, the sheets are clean, and they are drinking coffee (in bed) with the good mugs. All we are missing is the mint on their pillow. No worries, they're happy.

Matress pad

2009-07-08T22:28:00.001-07:00

The pad mom insisted the boys needed in order to sleep.

Family vaca

2009-07-08T19:03:00.001-07:00

A little stroll on the promenade.

Must have

2009-07-08T19:00:00.001-07:00

Oh ya, our babies will have to have these.

Our camp is lacking

2009-07-07T22:50:00.001-07:00

Next year we do need the Tiki Bar light up palm.

Roughing it in Ocean Canyon

2009-07-07T22:47:00.001-07:00

We're really roughing it out here. Mom and dad have a toaster that provides us morning sunshine and a cup'o joe. I can't believe we have to camp under these circumstances. Did I mention the plasma tv and dvd player we are forced to watch? Oh the torture.

The pink party

2009-07-07T22:44:00.001-07:00

Isn't she fabulous?

As Seen On TV

2009-07-07T22:42:00.001-07:00

OMG As Seen On TV bacon. I smell bacon.

4th on the beach

2009-07-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

Our camp at the big gay compound.

The beach

2009-07-04T14:20:00.001-07:00

:-)

Breakfast

2009-07-04T09:19:00.001-07:00

I smell bacon. :)

Dinner

2009-07-03T20:44:00.001-07:00

Our first dinner has been provided by our guests. We're having pulled pork sandwiches, corn on the cob, and cucumber salad. Yum!

Setting up camp

2009-07-03T20:42:00.001-07:00

We are rv'n this trip. It is only our third time, our 2nd actually setting up on our own. Today's lesson...stand way back when taking the cap off the sewer line. This is the foot that got crapped on. The Simple flip flops were unsavageable. I even put a bbq together. I think I got my lesbian card back.

Let the vacation begin

2009-07-03T14:05:00.001-07:00

We are on the pilgrimage to cool weather, sand in the toes, and all you can eat fish. A week at the coast, let the vacation begin.

We turn a page and start a new year

2009-07-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well, Attempt #9 has come and gone. Wen took the HPT yesterday morning and it was negative. A.F. hasn't shown up yet, but as you all know it's only a matter of time. I'm hopeful for next month. That marks the 1 year anniversary of our first attempt. Keeping our hopes up.

Wen is on vacation this next week so we will have some time to regroup, reconnect, and be prepared to start this next year out. Here's to a new year and a year bringing home baby.

Take 2

2009-06-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

We sent in the big guns tonight. Attempt 9, insem 2. Swim little guys, swim. Say a little prayer for us.

Perfection --conceiving our child to The Beatles

2009-06-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

Candlelight; The Beatles on vinyl singing, "I Should Have Known Better,"; whispering sweet nothings and exchanging kisses; this was the moment the wife and I shared before making our first insemination for Attempt 9.

We are on CD14. She should Ovulate on the 16th so we are inseming tonight, Tuesday, and Thursday. We are staying focused, positive, and prayerful. July 17th will mark one year since we made our first attempt. It's been a long year, but I am still hopeful because I know God has a beautiful child already picked for our family. We all can't wait for that day. Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts this week.

20 weeks of mourning

2009-06-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday Wendy would have been 20 weeks pregnant. By chance when she miscarried our baby's remains were captured in a cup, something I held and cried over for quite sometime. With my pseudotumor cerebri things got busy and our little baby remained sitting in the cup. Today our baby received a proper burial, under a tree with a bright blue sky. Wendy and I both cried and scribbled a note on the tiny wooden box to our baby not meant to be. Before moving on we must mourn and grieve and find closure. Embraced under a blue sky, in the shade of a tree, we stopped and found the time.

Shh...I can see

2009-06-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

I don't want to jinx it, but this morning I got up, got in the shower, pulled the curtain back and realized I could see. My vision has been crystal clear all day. I have not had one "water-filled-goggle" moment all day. I had a tinge of a headache after several hours of computer work so that could just be computer related. I feel focused, energized, like I'm coming back from the "soggy brain" trap. Time will tell. I see neuro. on Thursday. I believe in healing, I believe in miracles, and I'm claiming this one.

The Soggy Brain Saga Continues

2009-06-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

So I was searching for new soggy brain pictures and I came across this cult classic from the 80's, Garbage Pail Kids, a parody of the famous Cabbage Patch Kids. They were the, often times disgusting, cards that we could purchase like baseball cards. This is Soggy Oggie, what I imagine Soggy Brain could also look like.

Yesterday I returned the the neurologist. She spent the week going over all of my tests, and rethinking, and came across a new possibility. When I had my first Lumbar Puncture my spinal fluid (CSF) had a slight infection. It is possible that infection caused inflammation in my brain that has gone on to cause my current symptoms. She has put me on a week of Prednisone (steroids) to see if they may help in any way. She is still planning on sending me to U.C.S.F. for further testing, but she also wants to try this as well.

Today's new symptoms, thanks to the prednisone, include uncontrolled sweating and anxiety. I feel like I am amped up on 10 venti Starbucks' coffees. Hopefully this remains a weeks therapy. I'm not sure my little brain can handle much more.

Attempt #8

2009-06-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday some light bleeding, begging the question period or no period? Yesterday full fledge A.F. Attempt #8 B.F.N. And so we continue.

Summer Vacation: Hospital?

2009-05-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

Summer Vacation Plans: U.C. San Francisco Hospital.

I had a follow-up with the neurologist today. My optic nerve remains swollen, but is not getting any worse. I talked to the doctor about my concerns: vision impairment, constant headaches, and cognition problems. I think she may have been ready to dismiss the headaches and send me on my way for 3 more weeks, but I pressed on with my concerns with the cognition issues (describing some recent events) and she became more concerned. She dismissed herself and consulted with a colleague and returned to say she really didn't know what was happening. She knows I have Pseudotumor Cerebri, she knows I don't have a brain tumor, she knows my cerebrospinal fluid was absent of any form of infection, but she does not know what is causing me to get worse. She is going to send me to U.C. San Francisco to be evaluated to see if they can get to the bottom of what is going on. In the meantime she is going to try migraine meds to see if they might alleviate some of the headache pain, and I get to do weekly appointments with her to check in. It's all a bit scary, the cost of it all is looming, but what else do you do when you are making yourself lunch, setting it next to you, and completely forgetting to eat? This isn't something to just ignore. Praying for God's intervention, perfect plan, and a little monetary support.

Ca Supreme Court: Fail

2009-05-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

LA Times: By Maura Dolan

May 26, 2009

Reporting from San Francisco -- The California Supreme Court today upheld Proposition 8's ban on same-sex marriage but also ruled that gay couples who wed before the election will continue to be married under state law.

The decision virtually ensures another fight at the ballot box over marriage rights for gays. Gay rights activists say they may ask voters to repeal the marriage ban as early as next year, and opponents have pledged to fight any such effort. Proposition 8 passed with 52% of the vote.

Today is bittersweet. It is nice to know that my marriage remains intact, but hard to celebrate when the rest of my "family" did not receive the same right I was given. I think lesbian dad said it best in a Tweet, "An imperfect metaphor: being among the 18,000 still-gay-marrieds feels a bit like being on a lifeboat looking at the Titanic."

Farmer's Market

2009-05-22T21:43:00.001-07:00

We made our first trek of the season to the farmer's market tonight. Our niece chose the ballerina pony. She will never be a tomboy. :)

The Never Ending Battle to Conceive

2009-05-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

I read a great article today that talks about the lengths we go to in order to get pregnant. It is on the CNN website. In a nutshell it boiled down to a forty something woman who has attempted every fertility suggestion, no matter how far out there, in order to conceive. In the middle of a diet plan promising to give her that healthy baby she so desperately seeks, she found out the red meat she had been eating every day (and had on the grill that moment in fact) could be contributing to her not getting pregnant. I couldn't help but laugh and cry as I read this article. For every suggestion we are given promising a child there is usually someone else out there to discount that idea. We have prayed, visualized, meditated, bought a fertility bracelet, used our digital fertility tracker, taken fertility drugs, considered every position, had surgery, and the latest (a suggestion from a friend last night) rubbed a leaf on Wendy's belly. Two years ago I would have rolled my eyes and laughed most of these remedies away, but now I am caught up in it all too, scouring the internet for some miracle concoction proven to make you conceive.

We are in the middle of Attempt #8. We did our first insem on Saturday and will do another one tonight. Saturday I felt like a 17 year old on prom night nervous and excited, having no clue what I was supposed to do next. After 7 attempts you want everything to be perfect, you don't want to waste once chance, but in the end it really is all out of our hands.