The method behind our madness

Here's a link to the article on sleep training that we read and have been following (with a few personal touches and variations): http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Care/Sleep-Training.
The great thing is that it's actually working. The nighttime routine is going beautifully! Tonight I nursed Sebastian and put him down in the crib, then walked out of the room. He was awake, and we never heard a peep after that. I went back about 20 minutes later to make sure he was asleep (and breathing and all that other stuff I do when I check on him), and sure enough...he was fast asleep. Last night I put him down at 8:15 pm, waited in his room for a few minutes, then left quietly...and this morning at 7:45 am he let us know he was awake by making a little squeaky noise. We're on day 9 of the process... and it's definitely a process. But being on this side of the fence makes it seem like those long, drawn out nights a week and a half ago were very worth it!
We're still having to work a little harder on naps, but they seem to be getting better too.
Just wanted to share, cuz I think it's been a great method, at least for us. We had briefly tried a little "cry it out" and "Ferber" methods, but it wasn't for me (us). Plus, we were attempting it right about the time that Sebastian started to really struggle with teething, which made matters significantly worse.
I've begun to think that Kim West (the "sleeplady") is a smart gal. I like her. And I like a sleeping baby! :)

The visit

Today was Sebastian's 9 month well child check... at about 9 1/2 months. He's getting to be such a big boy!

He weighed in at 20 lbs, 2.5oz (40%); height was 29 inches (67%); head circumference was 18.5 inches (87%). That's right... our baby continues to have a big head! I'd like to think it's full of brains, of course! ;)

He got one shot and did great... he only had a few, brief seconds of wimper.

In the past couple of days, he's started clapping at EVERYthing, shaking his head "no" (I'd really like to know how he learned that - sigh...), and cruising holding on to things. He's also started making a very interesting sound by smacking his tongue on the top of his mouth repeatedly.

He got his first taste of spinach today and wasn't the biggest fan. When I disguised it with his curried carrots, he didn't seem to mind, until he figured out that I was mixing the two and started to shake his head "no" anytime I would put his spoon near the bowl that had spinach! I'm sure he'll learn to love it soon enough. Last night I also made a Mediterranean Chicken Vegetable dish from an organic baby cookbook that my MIL gave me for my birthday. Sebastian was a bit uncertain of the first couple of bites, but didn't seem to mind after awhile. This was indeed an adventure and a burst of a few new flavors for him (I know - breaking the rules, adding multiple new things at one time), because it had onions, red peppers, rosemary and potatoes, none of which had been tried before. It also had zucchini, carrots and chicken, which are old standards for Sebbie. Tim and I love bold flavors, so we're hoping to season our son in a similar way!

Oh yeah - that little white line in his bottom gum has become a little more evident, but he's stil trying very hard to hide it well. He's definitely not interested in showing it off much.

Alas, the journey continues... each new day is something fresh and exciting. We're having a blast at this parenting thing. So much to do and so much to learn!

I just had to chuckle...!

Sebastian: the early days

Sebastian Roy has arrived!

Sebastian Roy

May 24, 2009 10:19am

7 lbs 15ozs 21 inches

[posted by Tim]

Waiting past the due date was challenging. Each day brought new questions and uncertainties -- surely this must be the day. Then, as the day was ending and our bodies were weary from the day's activities we would wonder, "if our little one decided to be born tonite would we have the energy to go thru the laboring process."

Then, that day arrived. A day we had hoped for, yet not as we had planned.

After much deliberation and under the counsel of our medical providers we began the induction journey at 8am. A path that would lead, eventually, to the OR. Thankfully at 8am we did not know that, for God knew we needed to take this one step at at time. Each of those stages involved some mourning of the things we had lost (to labor without inducing meds, to use alternative methods to cope with the pain instead of an epidural, to avoid a C-section).

As each contraction ended it seemed we'd not have energy to do another. But, then it'd come and somehow we pushed on. Like many things in life, it is good God gives us limited insight into the future. Instead of relying on our own strength and insight we trust our Father to provide for each moment.

There are many sayings out there that speak of the need for community;

it takes a village to raise a child...

no man is an island unto himself...

What a privilege to be blessed with a top notch laboring team.

Dr Donna

Amanda

Rachel

Jennifer (via phone while she was out on the west coast)

Angela

They and the many workers at Women & Babies Hospital treated us like royalty and at the same time friends. To have the wealth of medical knowledge and yet tremendous mutual respect in the unique situation each decision presented was amazing---the fullness of wisdom and humility working in harmony.

On this side of things we are incredibly thankful. As proud parents we already have more pictures than you can imagine. I will only post a few more right now. Check out Kirsten's Facebook page for more in the near future. For those without Facebook (like me) we'll add a slideshow on the blog.

Tim (for all three of us...)

Don't worry... we'll be sure to post!

Just wanted to give an update for those who may be lurking around waiting for news of our baby's arrival... Little baby JM should arrive in the next couple of days, we hope! Today, I'm 41 weeks and 4 days pregnant - that's right, 11 days overdue. But, I still feel really quite good, have a decent amount of energy and still no swelling (hooray for that!). My lower back and left sacro-iliac joint (in the bum area) have been bothering me some the past couple of days, but otherwise I can't complain for being as pregnant as I am.

I had another appointment today for another non-stress test and ultrasound to check the fluid level around the baby. Once again, everything was beautiful - my monitor strip was reactive (and I even think I might have seen a couple of bumps on the tocometer that indicated some contractions) and my fluid level was still a wonderful 13.9. Exciting things for a pregnant doctor in waiting...


I have to take a little pity on my dear friend Rachel, who's been faithfully fighting the fight for me at work this past week. I stopped working as of Monday for many reasons, but one major reason was because it was so overwhelming to go into work everyday and be swamped by questions about when the baby was coming and why I hadn't delivered yet. I'm still getting that badgering, of sorts, on facebook, through phone calls, e-mails, etc. I don't want to sound unappreciative or disgruntled by the questions, because I know everyone cares about us and our baby so much and is very interested in the pending news. I thought by avoiding posts on facebook about being pregnant and overdue and instead writing about chewy chocolate chip cookies, rhubarb strawberry crisp, etc. that I might deter some of those comments, but not so... again, I'm thankful for the interest and investment in our lives, but it's made it more difficult to wake up every morning still pregnant.


But, back to Rachel... yes, poor Rachel has had to field the questions and comments everyday at work in my absence. It got to such extremes that yesterday she had to make a (loud) public announcement in the clinic assuring everyone that I had not yet delivered, I was not yet in labor, and that she would, in fact, make sure they all knew when it happened. I think she even said she'd wave a big flag and make a scene or something! To top it all off, she even posted on her facebook page and her blog that I wasn't in labor, just to ward off the inquisitive parties there too! Thanks, Rachel, for sticking up for me ;) and for taking this one for the team!


I know that there's a plan for this little one's arrival into the world and am trusting God - still would love for one of those gazillion things I've tried to kick in very soon, however! Tim asked me today what I would miss about being pregnant when this is all said and done, and I'm sure that I probably will miss many things. I told him that at 11 days past my due date, it probably wasn't the best time to ask me (again, feeling great for the most part and very thankful for that!). But I definitely have to admit that this has probably been the most wondrous experience of my life. I told him I was sure I'd miss the amazing movement of our little one inside of me, the baby's love for ice cream and how it would make me giggle, the way my body mysteriously and magically has changed to accommodate this new life, and much more. That being said, I am anxious to welcome our baby into the world and experience a whole new wonder and amazement!
One of my mom's biggest fears was that she would find out from our blog (instead of a phone call!) that she had a new grandbaby, but we've assured her that she'll be well aware of any such news long before it makes it to our blog! Although, for the rest of you, don't worry, we'll be sure to post some news and photos as soon as we have some to share.

A post-dates pregger doctor takes the day off

This past weekend, I was really struggling emotionally with the fact that I was almost a week past my due date and my doctor was starting to talk more about the "I"* word, which was making me not healthy and happy...
So yesterday after church, Tim & I spent some time with a friend of ours who is one of our support persons planning to come to the house while I'm in labor. She's been doing this baby stuff for a long time, and just knew exactly what to say to me yesterday to bring a great sense of peace over me, my baby and my body. She gave me some great advice. She said that this will happen, and reminded me that I know down deep that it will; she said that I should stop going to work! and that I should enjoy the next few days doing things I like and emotionally preparing myself for labor and being a new mom, instead of trying to fix others' medical problems and getting really frustrated every morning when I walk into the clinic and everyone says: "You're here again today? We didn't expect to see you here. No baby yet? When are you going to have that baby? Still pregnant, eh?" and on and on and on... Grrr!! I know that they ask because they're interested, excited, concerned, and such, but so not helpful...
Our friend also recommended that I do things like go to the park, read a trashy novel (not a pregnancy book) or a fun book, buy some flowers, have a hot date with my husband, go to market, get a pedicure (did that last week), buy some sexy lingerie, take a long walk in the sun, sit by the river, just enjoy being me and celebrate being pregnant, feeling the baby move and getting ready for his or her arrival.
So, today I heeded her advice... and I didn't go to work! It felt good! And this is how my day has gone so far:

• Kissed my husband goodbye and sent him off to work
• Had a cup of tea and biscotti
• Lounged around and read a bit
• Went to my postdates testing appointment and had a beautiful, reactive non-stress test and an ultrasound that showed my AFI (amniotic fluid index) was 13.9 - that's good, by the way (means the baby has plenty of fluid to swim in still). No peaking during the ultrasound either. ;)
• Had lunch with my mom
• Picked rhubarb in my parent's backyard
• Went to the grocery store
• Bought some flowers
• Came home and baked - super yummy Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies - found the recipe here
• Also baked one of Timmy's favorites - Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp
• Made my sister-in-law's famous Penne with Vodka Sauce for dinner, which we ate with roasted garlic bread...
• And I'm about to take a walk with the best hubby ever, then come home to relax on the couch with him over some of that Crisp and perhaps a cup of hot tea...
• Then to bed we'll go, not knowing what the night or tomorrow will bring!

Although I was busy doing "stuff," it was stuff that makes me happy, that I enjoy, and that I might not get to do for a long time. Besides, I was really craving chocolate chip cookies!

*"I" stands for induction, in case you didn't know... and I'm really hoping and praying that we won't need to talk much more about it! (Hint: So don't ask ;)!)

Gadget be gone!

I have been noticing that the gadget on the left side of our blog page that counted down the days til our baby was to be born got to zero (on our due date), but then started counting up! Grrrr...! The floating baby count-down was fun to watch til the numbers were going in the opposite direction. Seeing a higher number every day wasn't helping the sentiments of frustration that have set in by being overdue. Not so fun anymore... So, I removed it today - just like that - poof! and gone! Gadget be gone, and baby JM come on into this world!

When we were with Tim's family on Mother's Day, my nieces were playing dress up, and they gave me one of their baby dolls to "practice" with a little. I thought it was fun and cute, but I sure would like to hold one that wiggles and squirms and actually cries when it's hungry - the one they gave me was all too quiet!

It's a ...!

Only 7 days to go til the due date, folks! Of course, we all know that this babe will come when it's good and ready, but officially can't really be in there for more than three weeks from now - all of which is scary and exciting at the same time. I've had a few contractions here and there, and I'm doing all the stuff that I recommend to my own patients to keep them from going way beyond their due date, but still no baby.
I certainly can't complain at this point, however. I had some significant swelling last week, after walking over 7 miles in one weekend, that forced me to wear flip-flops to work (which patients thought was great, but I'm not so sure about the OSHA folks' opinions about it). That's gotten much better now (back to regular shoes), and my biggest woe is that it's super difficult to roll over in bed. But otherwise, my energy and my spirits are still good, I am still working full time and surviving, I don't have killer back pain (like most preggers at this point), and I managed to wear 3 inch heels to a gala on Saturday night and dance the "Electric Slide" without any difficulty. Still holding on to this baby, though!
Last night we met with some friends, who shared with us that for a long time she (the pregnant-at-the-time mommy) had been trying to plan out the day their first baby would come - like when it would be convenient for her - but then she started to feel convicted about that. She finally realized that she needed to tell the baby that he could come anytime when he felt ready to enter the world. She "released" him to come on his terms and not on hers... and he came that night! God and the baby both knew what the right timing was! Those friends prayed with us last night, which was an encouragement and also brought me a great deal of peace about what's to come. But just in case Baby Johnsen Martin is listening right now, "you, too, are released to come when you're ready!" We know you won't mind coming home to a house that's in the midst of many, many remodelling projects, and you surely won't remember it much either.
Our friends also prayed that my labor would be quick, healthy, without complications and that I (we) would have courage, energy and stamina. May God hear their (our) prayers!
I also think I might have found out the gender of our baby today! The mother of my doctor's nurse has never wrongly guessed what gender baby was being carried inside a beautiful pregnant belly - NEVER! This same woman works at my clinic in the evenings. I hardly ever see her, because I'm not usually at the clinic at night. The nurse had taken a couple of pictures of my belly when I was at my prenatal appointment on Friday in order to show her mom. She was going to let me know the verdict today via e-mail, but I never got the e-mail. I happened to be at the clinic later than usual today, so I ran into the said expert guesser and asked her if she had seen pictures of my belly over the weekend. She said that she hadn't seen her daughter this past weekend, so didn't see the photos. So, I said, "well, what do you think?" And she said, with a voice of authority and hardly a pause, "it's a ...!" I asked if she was certain, and she nodded yes. I turned to the side, to give her a different view, and her answer remained very clearly the same. This all happened in front of one of the receptionists, who very much disagreed with her assessment, but nonetheless, the guessing lady stuck to her guns and would not be moved or shaken! When I came home to tell Tim, he reminded me that it's still a guess, and she has a 50/50 chance, but so far her track record is pretty darn good. So we'll see...! I can't really tell you all, because that would ruin the surprise. So, you'll just have to wait... like the rest of us!

Any of you have your own guesses?

Yeah, baby!

I took the morning off from work today - one, because I needed a break, and two, because my friend, Jennifer, came from NYC to spend the morning with me and do my belly cast! The belly cast was the first gift we received - from cousins Duane and Audrey - and I've held out til now to be able to cast away my belly at near to maximum size.

This was so much fun! The little bean inside of me was wondering, I'm sure, why there was so much restriction to his or her movements... and it was wild to feel the baby move while I was bound by plaster!

It was Jennifer's idea to add a "necklace" to the cast, so we used a pregnant momma bead that my socia, Rachel, had given me awhile back. Jennifer also has ideas to cast in Timmy's hand later...! Eventually, we'll paint this beautiful creation and use it in some way, shape or form to decorate the forthcoming nursery.


38 weeks, 1 day, and counting... :)

The first load!

I just got done hanging the first load of baby laundry outside - where it's about 80 degrees and gorgeous! It certainly was odd, yet exciting, to drape such tiny articles of clothing over the drying rack. I can't believe that soon we'll have a baby that will fit into such things! I was feeling like I should do something motherly to start getting ready, so this was a first step...

Many thanks to my cousin-in-law, Crystal, who totally hooked us up with newborn and 0-3 months clothes, because everything that we've received so far has been larger stuff, except for one outfit and one pack of t-shirts. Everything we've received is totally adorable, but just plain big(ish). My anxieties about having a naked baby have been completely calmed down by Crystal's generosity. Although, I'm sure naked babies are super cute!

Next task - starting to pre-wash the cloth diapers... the instructions say that to get them to maximum absorbency prior to using them, they should be washed 5-7 times. Yowsers! I might need to quit my job! :)

It's been a good couple of days - yesterday I had a prenatal massage, which was heavenly. I'm not sure why I haven't done that much, much sooner! And today we walked the Race Against Racism, a 5K walk, plus the 1 mile walk each way there and back. We're about to head out to a wedding in a few minutes. I'm hoping that I won't steal the bride's thunder by having my water break or something in the middle of the ceremony!

The adventures continue... :)

A (powerful) word about diapers...

In honor of Earth Day, which is coming next week (April 22nd)... and in honor of our baby, who will be coming who knows when, but who will be garbed in cloth and/or hybrid diapers, check out this video! It's a bit shocking and a good reminder for all of us about how much of an impact our everyday actions have on our Earth!

This video comes from g-diapers, which are "hybrid" diapers - they have cloth covers on the outside, but biodegradable, flushable and compostable liners. The liner can go straight into the compost as long as it's not poopy. Those have to be flushed :). Our plan for our primary diapers at this point will be bumGenius all-in-ones, but we'll have the g-diapers on hand for going out and about, traveling, etc.
Also, in case any of you are interested in buying baby stuff or kid stuff, if you go to www.diapers.com and use my referral code: KIRS1934, you'll get $10 off your first order of diaper related stuff plus free shipping on orders greater than $49... and I will get credit in my account for referring you! They have a pretty large selection and good prices, plus super fast (and free) shipping. I ordered some stuff yesterday, and it's slated to arrive today!
Happy Friday and happy diapering!

Graduation Day... of sorts!

Today marks a special day! I'm 35 weeks pregnant today, which for many is just a bit closer to the due date, being more uncomfortable, tossing and turning more in bed, feeling more tired, getting more excited... and anxious, etc. But for me, it's also seems like a day worthy of celebration! I'm sure this has a lot to do with my doctor-who-delivers-babies (mild) neuroses, but I'm jumping for joy because 35 weeks is the cut-off age for babies to avoid a stay in the NICU based on age alone. For this, I'm incredibly thankful! I certainly don't have any history or conditions that would have put me at increased risk for having a preemie, but one never knows, until you pass the date successfully. Of course, babies end up in the NICU for a plethora of reasons, and we hope and pray that our precious life growing inside of my belly will successfully avoid a NICU stay altogether. We trust our Father to continue to keep our baby healthy and safe.

Yesterday we took a hike with some friends at Tucquan Glenn - one of my favorite spots to hike in Southern Lancaster County. It was a gorgeous Spring afternoon, and it felt great to get out and get movin'! I certainly could tell that I had done more physical activity than usual, however, when I promptly zonked out on the couch shortly after dinner last night... and then proceeded to sleep all night long. Tim tells me I was more restless than usual last night, and that I was moaning and groaning lots, but I awakened feeling well rested and ready to start my Monday morning at the clinic after being away from the office for me than two weeks.

We're making big progress around here - we plan to be in our master bedroom by next weekend. We still have quite a bit to do (volunteers to help are welcome :) ), but we're getting sooo close! Many thanks to Tim's parents and to several friends who have already come to help us out a ton. All of our helpers have made the light at the end of the tunnel seem significantly closer. Next week, our general contractor (and my dear brother-in-law) will start framing out what is to become the nursery and our office in order to blow in insulation. That being said, we have to be out of our guest room (which is to become the office) and sleeping in the master bedroom by Easter. It's super exciting and super overwhelming all at the same time. We're also getting closer and closer to having a functional new powder room on the first floor. Yipee! Pictures to come soon!

Speaking of Easter - this year, the thought of new creation and new life takes on a hugely different meaning for me. I've never experienced this motherhood thing before, and I continue to be in awe of the fact that God has chosen me to carry inside my womb a growing human being that will breathe life in just a few weeks. He's gifted us with the honor of becoming parents. We realize that we may not do this perfectly, but we desire to glorify Him with our own lives, and also in our parenting. We pray that our child will grow to know and truly love his or her heavenly Father, who gave all of us His son, who amazingly died for all of us, so that we can enjoy life eternal and the riches of His many blessings that we experience every day. Wow! What a sacrifice! As I'm about to have my own son or daughter, I ponder what that must be like - sacrificing your child - and it seems incredible to me! I can hardly comprehend it...

I received an e-mail with the following slide show in it (A New Creation from Mennonite Central Committee) - I found it a powerful and wonderful reminder of how God has freely given so much, including His one and only son. May it be a blessing to you, as it was to me!

A different kind of belly shot!

So, I'm in Florida for a continuing medical education conference, and this evening I went to the beach to watch the sunset (more photos to come later). I realized it's been 10 weeks (!) since I posted a belly picture, so I took one tonight - it's a bit of a different perspective then previous shots. I'll have to post a side profile shot soon, but for now, here's me, attempting to still see my feet.

I'm 33 weeks today! Wow, how time flies! I'm incredibly blessed to feel healthy, happy and without complications. And yes, my dear husband, I did my exercises today (Julia made me :))!

Dear Baby

Dear Baby,

I figured it was due time to write you your first "letter." I've been thinking about doing it for a long time, and have decided that the time has finally come. Your daddy is out playing basketball, so I'm enjoying a quiet night, resting with my feet up, and enjoying some time alone with you.

It's a truly amazing feeling to carry you in my womb. With each new day, I feel more and more of your kicks, punches and rolls... it is such an awesome sensation - sometimes it makes me giggle, at times I just saw "whoa!" and occasionally it brings a tear or two to my eyes. I can't wait to meet you, but at the same time I love knowing (and feeling) that you're safely inside of me. I certainly don't want to rush this process, but I'm sure we'll be ready to warmly welcome you anytime after April 20th (when I turn 37 weeks). My belly continues to grow, and each week it seems to "pop" a little more. I find it interesting, however, that most of my patients tell me how small my belly looks when they find out how far along I am. Just in case you were wondering, I'm measuring right on, and when I had my last ultrasound, your growth was perfect.

This is a picture of my belly today, when I'm 23 weeks and 1 day!

Your papa and I have decided to take one last vacation before you join us and change our world forever. We're going to one of the more special places I've ever visited. We'll be in Nicaragua for 9 days in a just a little over a month. Your daddy has never been to Nicaragua, and I'm very excited to take him there and share the people, history, food (gallo pinto, of course!), culture, language, beauty, geography, and so much more with him. During our time there, we plan to rest up in expectation of your arrival, but we also want to do some sightseeing with some mountains, beach and volcano time. We're also planning to spend a few days working with some missionary friends doing some volunteer work. My prayer for you is that you develop a similar heart for missions and a passion for culture, travel and language, like both your father and I have had for many years.

People have often joked that my mom (one of your grandmothers) must have been pregnant with me when she first went to Nicaragua in the early 1980s. This actually is impossible, because her first trip was when I was already in elementary school. But nonetheless, I have learned to love Nicaragua (and many other countries in Latin America and around the world), and I hope to share that with you as you grow up and are nurtured in our home, similar to the way it was modeled for me growing up with Grandma and Grandpa Johnsen.

One thing that your papa and I are thinking and praying about right now is whether or not to take malaria prophylaxis while we travel. We have consulted my doctor as well as many other doctor friends, and are confident that we'll be led to make the right decision. We still don't have our definite itinerary planned, and that may affect our decision, but we desire more than anything to do the best to keep you (and your mama) healthy and happy. Dear friends and family, we welcome you to partner in prayer regarding this matter!

The one thing I lament in preparation for this trip to Nicaragua is visiting coffee plantations and not having the opportunity to drink and taste some of the best coffee in the world, like I have done in the past. I have been caffeine-free for several months - even before I became pregnant with you - in anticipation of your conception. I guess I'll have to live vicariously through your daddy, who will have ample opportunity to enjoy the delicious nectar!

We were very excited to finally welcome your new cousin, Ryan, to the world on Sunday afternoon. Your aunt waited a l-o-n-g time to have him, and he came over two weeks late! But he's a beautiful, healthy boy, and we're sure you'll love playing with him. You'll only be four months apart, so we hope you'll grow up together and be great friends. He weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces - he is a big boy! We only hope that you won't be as big, for your mama's sake! :) I keep rubbing my belly and telling you "6 pounds, 6 pounds, 6 pounds!" We'll see how well my tactics work - if you could at least stay under 7 pounds, I'll be eternally grateful!

Last night we took a tour of Babies"R"Us. We were given a parent's checklist. Eek! Mostly we just wanted to walk through out of curiosity - if I'm honest, it was me who wanted to do such a thing, not your papa. We've been working on a registry of sorts (our Wishpot), picking out things that we think will be helpful to have around when you arrive, but we're trying very hard to not get sucked in to the overwhelming baby craze culture that's out there. Your dad put it well when he said that just because it's on the checklist, doesn't mean we need to have it. Amen! We want your needs to be met (and our needs for caring for you), but we don't want things to get out of hand. We also are very interested in having items that are not harmful for you or for our environment. And we also would rather have fewer things that are of better quality with less of a carbon footprint than lots of "stuff" taking up space. We're thankful for those who have gone before us, who can help to guide us through this process. Thanks, Rachel and others, for the items you're sharing with us. We certainly appreciate it.

We are excited to prepare for your arrival, and are thankful for how fortunate we are to be able to gather things to raise you comfortably. Both of us have seen poverty and have lived among and worked with other children who are significantly much less fortunate than you will be. Our desire is to share with others some of the blessings that we have received. Your daddy came up with the idea of contributing a certain percentage of any money we spend on purchases for you to an organization that specifically works with children's ministries. We'd like other children to have a better chance at food, shelter, education, health, and daily necessities. We know there will always be much more that one can do, but we hope that we'll be able to make a small impact by sharing this gift with other children. We also pray that you will have a similar heart, and that we do our best as your parents to model giving and missions.

Just today, we received our first gift from our Wishpot! Audrey and Duane (cousins you'll adore) sent us a belly casting kit, so we can make a long-lasting impression of what you and I looked like together while you were growing inside of me! Thanks so much, Audrey & Duane - we're excited to tackle our belly project!

We have been thinking of several different options for names for you, and have a long list to narrow down and from which to choose. We have both girl names and boy names on the list, and hope that whichever name we choose will be one that you enjoy and that honors you (and that others can pronounce without too much struggle!). We'll welcome any suggestions - it would be fun to see if any of the suggestions are actually on our list (which we won't reveal at this time).

We want you to know how much we love you already, and that we can't wait to meet you. We're new at this parenting thing, so we ask for your patience and understanding in advance. :) We'll learn and grow together. What a gift from God you are and will continue to be! We're so thankful for you and for the opportunity to be your parents. Counting the days 'til your arrival!

Love, mommy (and daddy, too!)

The Miracle of Life

We ended up having a 3-D ultrasound of the baby done just before Christmas, and had a mini photo shoot with our actively moving baby inside my belly. When we saw these pictures, it really sealed the deal for us, and made it seem even more so incredible that God has given us the ability to make and grow a baby that will one day live among us outside of my womb. Even though I take care of pregnant women every day and deliver babies all the time, this first-time personal experience is taking the miracle of life to a whole new level. My mom gave me a book of poetry for Christmas called The Joys and Challenges of Motherhood, and I found this poem there, which I think is worth sharing, as we share the 3-D photos of our little tiny miracle.

"The Miracle of Life"
Life is precious
We hear it so often
it becomes
a litany without meaning
until the moment when
life explodes upon you
Pain and ecstasy at once
place within your arms
that perfect precious entity
The absolute realization
of an idea
that words keep in the shadow
of our consciousness
A kind universe
The smiling face of God
Good beyond measure
This tiny individual --
this proof of hope and truth
and all things beautiful
The wonder of creation that is your child.

-Danielle Morrison-MacNeil

These pictures were taken when our baby was 19 weeks and 5 days old inside the womb. Any guesses on whether it's a boy or a girl? Leave us a comment and let us know your guess! We had our eyes closed anytime the ultrasound probe was approaching the revealing areas. A big surprise awaits us!

Our first baby picture!

Little baby Johnsen Martin was a bit finicky for the first photo shoot, not wanting to reveal her- or himself completely to the ultrasound tech... but Mama Kirsten took a break and made a visit to the bathroom, and then the baby seemed to cooperate a bit more. We had a hard time getting images of the head initially, but then the baby did a nice job of posing for some side shots, and we got this great picture! As Tim said in the ultrasound exam room, "this makes it official!"
It's never too early to be proud parents, right?

A dancer or a soccer player?

As we sat at dinner at Taj Mahal (one of our favorite restaurants, where we are "customers for life") on Monday night with several friends, I felt a rumble or a tumble in my belly... I said to my friend "I think I might have just felt the baby move." And she promptly replied, "Or that's the Tikka Masala you just ate!" I didn't feel anything on Tuesday, but Wednesday brought a few strange, yet fascinating sensations in my womb. Yesterday, however, was a day full of wonder and awe, as I sensed movement -clearly other than my digestive tract- several times throughout the day. This really is an incredible thing! I never imagined how amazing it would actually be to realize and feel that there's a tiny little human being developing and growing inside my body. It's indescribable, I think, and until you've experienced it yourself, you really have nothing to compare! I'm not sure if we have a dancer (salsa, of course) or a soccer player in there, but if this early movement at 18 weeks and 4 days is any indication of their energy level in the future, we'll be busy!

On another note, we finally got our tree decorated, and it looks beautiful. We had quite a time getting all of our lights to work... it's so strange how you can put them away one year, totally working fine, and pull them out the next, only to find that half the lights are out?!? Ugh! Anyways, my very patient and diligent husband got them all in working order, and we're a little more in the Christmas spirit every day.

From the patient's point of view...

I'm not used to being a patient, and I suppose at this point in time in the pregnancy, I'm not much of a patient... but I did have my first prenatal visit with my doctor last week. Sitting on the exam table and being -on the other side- certainly is something that takes getting used to. My doctor is awesome, though, and makes me feel totally comfortable. We talk through everything together. I had some questions for her, all of which I have answers conjured up in my own head for my patients, but I wanted to be an unassuming patient and ask her opinion. I asked how she felt about prenatal massage, how late into the pregnancy she thought I could travel, and her opinion about some screening tests and returning to work after maternity leave. She's a great clinician, but also gives a very personal perspective having just come off of maternity leave herself - that's why I had to wait until 13 1/2 weeks to see her! But she's well worth waiting for.

So far, since I've entered the second trimester, I've felt great! This is such a relief, because I wasn't a big fan of not having any energy to do anything during the first trimester. I can eat pretty much all things now, which makes my taste buds very happy. A couple of things I was bummed about, however, came up at my doctor's visit:

1. I found out my blood type was AB negative. No one should really be upset by this, but I was, because I know that it means I'll need Rhogam shots at 28 weeks in the pregnancy, and possibly again after the baby is born, depending on the baby's blood type. I'm not a fan of extra blood draws and shots - I just don't like needles! I actually was absolutely sure that the lab must have made a mistake, because of course I would remember if my blood type were negative, so I had my doctor order a blood type again (speaking of subjecting myself to more needles). Apparently I really am Rh negative! So be it - but I'm still trying to figure out how I managed to end up with such a rare blood type and be Rh negative all at the same time. My mom is AB positive and my dad A positive, so they both must have a recessive (negative) allele, that got together to make me who I am today. Tim is O positive, so we have a 50/50 chance of having a baby that is Rh negative. A little lesson in genetics... I actually got pretty nerdy and started drawing all sorts of Punnett squares to figure out what all the options were, and how I turned out this way! I know - I'm a bit of a geek! Anyways, this really shouldn't have any implications, but if the baby has a different blood type from me, I'll need a Rhogam shot and the baby might be at higher risk for jaundice. I'm sure it will all be fine... but I really didn't want to believe or accept this. This is definitely one of those things that confirms that I can't totally let go of being a clinician myself, and I need to try to do so... if I were a normal patient, I would have just accepted the news the doctor told me and moved on... so now, several days later after lots of return to college biology, I'm moving on! I'm sure my family and friends are thankful!

2. I'm anemic :(. The second piece of news that my my doctor shared with me that I wasn't so excited about was that my blood count was low. It wasn't horribly low, but I started taking "GI friendly" iron supplements. Anyone who's taken iron knows how important it is to take friendly iron! I've often been a little anemic, and my hemoglobin wasn't terribly low, but my doctor thought it was a good idea to be proactive in building up my stores, so I'll be ready at the time of delivery. I'm pretty sure that this time around my counts were low, because all I ate were carbohydrates for about 8 weeks during the first trimester. I don't eat red meat to begin with, and my regular doses of leafy green veggies were out for a long time. So now I'm taking my iron and eating my normal diet, and hoping that the extra pills will soon be history.

I'm starting to get a little pooch in my belly, which is kinda fun, but kinda not at the same time. The baby is about the size of my fist now, but big enough to make things push up and out a tad. It's very cool to think about why my belly is starting to bulge, but I'm definitely not ready for maternity clothes. So, I'm rotating through about 4-5 pairs of pants that still feel comfortable enough to wear... I'm not interested in walking around like some of my patients with my zipper undone! I'll have to do some shopping soon... cuz I can't wear my PJs to work!

It's fun to start thinking about things for the baby, likes diapers, back packs, strollers, a crib, etc. I found a really neat thing online called Wishpot, where we can make a wish list from all different stores online, which is like a registry. It's a great idea, so everything can be streamlined all on the same web page. Someone was a smartie who came up with this idea! Fun!

So that's the wrap up for now of me from the patient's point of view... I don't have any photos yet, but we'll have to start doing that in the next few weeks. It's still incredibly amazing to think that there's a human life growing inside of me! We definitely need some photo documentation of this miracle!

Sea Bands saved my life and much, much more - an update!

It seems like it's been forever since I last wrote any blog entries... Certainly some updates are long overdue, but I'm happy to announce that I'm finally at a point where I can sit down and share some words.
Right after we were in NYC visiting our friends Jennifer and Seth, I started to feel super sick - not only was I plagued with a bad upper respiratory infection and sinus infection, but I also had a new sense of nausea and extreme fatigue overtake my body. As it turns out, growing a baby inside your body takes a lot of energy and sucks a lot of life out the momma in the beginning of the process. That's right! We're growing our family, and I'm pregnant!
I'll be 13 weeks tomorrow, and I finally am starting to feel a little more like myself - able to stay awake past 8 o'clock, able to eat some foods other than carbohydrates, able to not wear my Sea Bands (which saved my life over the past two months - literally - highly recommended) and still function on a day to day basis and able to sit down and write a blog entry. This past week has been a good week all in all. I still tire more easily than previously, but I feel like life is coming back to me bit by bit. I ate salad every day last week, which was a beautiful thing!
I'm reading a book that my friend let me borrow when she knew we where thinking about starting a family - it's called Twice Alive, and it's about spirituality of pregnancy and mothering during the 1st year. I haven't gotten very far, but what I've read so far has been real and 'right on.' The author talks about how the first trimester causes many women to resent this beautiful new life growing inside of them, because you feel so tired, often sick, and not yourself, that it's extremely difficult to enjoy the amazing miracle that's occurring inside your body. I can't say that I've reached resentment, or even close to it, but I have often been incredibly impressed by this process and how it has affected me - in ways I never could have expected, both bad and good. I have to admit, though, that I'm very anxious to experience the second trimester, when I hope to have an energy burst, feel the movement of a new life inside of me, watch my belly grow, and much, much more!
It's a very interesting process to finally be in the shoes of my patients that I've taken care of for so many years. Now the experiences that I spoke to them about with a certain 'voice of authority' as their doctor is taking on a whole new meaning for me. Now if only I can heed all of my own advice, I'll be doing quite well!
So the pregnancy is certainly the biggest news around here these days, but lots of other things have been happening. My grandmother's death was hard and painful, yet incredibly beautiful all at the same time. I had the honor of sitting with her and my mom when she died, and also got to tell her about her future 7th great grandchild before she died. Watching my mother cradle her mom and sing to her in her last moments was one of the most special experiences I've had. I see people die all the time in my line of work, but this was the first time that I was with a family member when they died. It will not soon be forgotten.
In the middle of October, I travelled to Arizona for a conference with my partner, Rachel. It was a conference on colposcopy, which basically is the procedure that women have to go through if they have an abnormal Pap smear. Rachel's husband said it best when he asked "So, you're going to a conference all about cervices?" And that's just what we did - 3 days chock full of cervices. I have to admit that it seemed to be a bit much by the end. We did have a little diversion, however, when we escaped down to Nogales, Mexico for an afternoon and evening. It was just a little over an hour from Tucson. Interestingly, we just walked straight through the gate to get to Mexico, but had to wait 1 hr and 23 minutes in line to get back into the USA. We got some great pieces of pottery, though, so it was all worth the trip. Not to mention that I have an on-going love affair with Mexico, and feel right at home whenever I'm on Mexican soil!
Tim and I also are on a Missionary Support Team for our friends Ralph & Deb, who are planning to serve with YWAM in Germany starting in the Spring of 2009. We just had their big kick-off fundraising event last weekend, ARToberfest - check out www.ralphdeb.blogspot.com - which was a lot of fun, but a lot of work. I think we're still recovering from the weekend! But it was all worth it. We're blessed to share in the vision and ministry that God has laid on the hearts of Ralph and Deb. I've also transitioned to supporting Deb & Ralph with all of my jewelry sales from ZiZi Designs. Jewelry making has definitely slowed down as has the rest of life with my pregnant state, but I'm hoping to be able to pick up the pace a bit over the next several weeks, since we have two shows this month.
I'm sure that many other things worth sharing have occurred since my last post, but it's hard to re-cap all of that now. I often thought to myself, "oh, I should write about that on the blog," but couldn't get myself off the big cushiony chair to do so.
Oh yeah! It hasn't helped that both my laptop and desktop computers have had their hard drives crash in the past couple of weeks AND my computer at work went bizerk. Fortunately, Tim's is still working, and he's kind enough to share with me when he's home from work. I was almost afraid to touch his computer, but that might be superstitious, and I certainly wouldn't want to succumb to that! But seriously, how can one person have three computers go bad on them in two weeks? Sure is a good reminder of how dependent I have become on technology - I'm nearly paralyzed without all my computer stuff! And, a lesson in needing to regularly back up my stuff on a regular basis.
Anyways, enough of an update for now. As we approach this new season of life, we're thrilled and can't wait to see how the story unfolds. Looking forward to exciting times in the days to come! Blessings to all!