Week 27

Today is the start of Week 27…which means we're really pregnant now, and there's only 14 weeks left to figure this whole thing out!  

How about that maternity elastic?!

Anyways, I feel like we've got a lot going on - so let's see which of it translates to an interesting update for you!

Two weeks ago we went to an orientation for an organization called PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support).  It is a Seattle-based organization that puts you in a group with families in your neighborhood with newborns.  So, after our little guy is born, we'll be placed in a group of about 8 families with babies under 4 months old.  It's just a 12 week program, and once a week you meet at a members house to socialize, talk, etc.  We are really excited about this because we don't have any friends who have kids coming anytime soon!  We're hoping it will give us the chance to meet some people!  From what we've heard - people love the organization and the groups usually continue to meet once the structured 12 weeks are over.  Joe's boss was in a PEPS group that is still meeting weekly one year later, so she kind of forced us to check it out!

The orientation for this was a unique experience in and of itself.  We've not really spent any time at all with any other expecting parents.  Well, there were about 25 in the orientation!  Some were due any day, others were due after us…quite a collection of hormones as you could imagine.  It was nice - maybe a bit extreme for our first "conversation" with others in our situation, but always nice to know you're not the only ones feeling this way or that.  We probably won't see most of those people again since the orientation was city-wide and the groups are done by neighborhood, but it did affirm for me that it will be nice to have a group of people who are in our situation once the baby is born.  And, while saying all of this, we are SO lucky at how supportive and excited the friends we do have here are for us! 

One of our best friends here is Eric.  We were hanging out last night with him and he told me that he wanted to make sure we knew that once the baby was born, they still wanted to hang out and they totally didn't mind hanging out at our house or theirs instead of going out…then we both paused…and neither of us could remember the last time we hung out that wasn't at our houses!  We had a good laugh…glad we have friends who are content to eat dinner, play board games and talk.

This leads me to another awesome "prepping event" we got to do last week - a hospital tour!  After attending probably 20 of the 23 births of my cousins…I had a pretty good idea of what the hospital environment for having a baby is like … at St. John's in St. Louis.  Then, after having the appendectomy done at the hospital here (with rooms similar to St. John's) 

I wasn't sure what to expect from the tour.  But it is TOTALLY different!  The hospital we will be at has a "birthing center".  I'm still not sure exactly what that means, other than it is pretty separate, but connected to the actual hospital.  There were 2 other couples there for the tour with us, and one was a couple we'd met at the PEPs orientation!  Turns out they even have the same doctor as us!  I guess even Seattle can start to feel small sometimes.

Anyways, the tour was awesome.  The place is so nice- quite homey compared to the typical hospital hallways.  There was no room with glass windows where you look in and see all the babies.  In fact, they only birth 2-3 babies a day there and they stay in the room with you through your entire hospital stay (unless you request them to take them to the NICU nursery for a bit so you can sleep).  There's a jacuzzi in most of the rooms and kitchens in the hallway.  They certainly aren't as accommodating to the the clan we are used to at Carmody births.  In fact, the only "waiting room" is the lobby at the entrance…but don't worry, it saves everyone lots of money on flights and we'll be taking lots of pictures!  Plus, we're still planning to be in the midwest for Christmas!

The nurse manager who gave the tour raved about our doctor - this is always nice to hear!

So, in other news…the CPAP machine has been adjusted so I'm wearing it more these days, which means we're both getting more sleep.  And I ordered this crazy pregnancy body pillow which takes up half of the bed, but is quite amazing.  We might have to order one for Joe, too, because I think he's jealous.  :)  Other than tiredness, the only other main persisting ailment is heartburn, but Pepcid AC is a miracle drug, so if I'm smart about it, the heartburn doesn't have to be a problem either.

Dave was in town this weekend which also meant a lot of Eli time!  Joe and Dave went to the Columbia River Gorge to see Phish (they loved it, but thankfully didn't come back much hippier) so I got to hang out with Erin and Eli!  We had fun!  He just started walking and his 1st birthday is in less than 2 weeks!

And for the last part of this update, I'll tell you about the most precious time we have with our little guy.  He's moving all the time.  It is such a unique feeling - but I love it.  So every night before we go to bed, he's usually still as can be.  Before we go to sleep we talk to him.  Sometimes, it's just a few seconds and sometimes it takes a few minutes, but without fail he wakes up for us every night!  It is the most precious time we have together.  We talk to him, tell him to keep cooking and thank him for waking up so we know he's alright!  It helps us sleep better knowing he can hear us.  Then, we all go to sleep.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I have a lot more to share, so I'll write again sooner than later.  I love and miss you all!

Love,

Robyn, Joe & LJ3