I was telling a new coworker today that we used to call Jack "Cheeseburger" because, well, we didn't know if he was a boy or a girl.  She was impressed with our fortitude at waiting to find out the baby's sex.  I am so glad that we did.

This discussion reminded me of that baby pool we did soooo long ago.  And that I never announced a winner! 

The truth is that there was no outright winner, but if the winner is the person who got the closest to being right, then my dear friend Kristina is the winner.

Her guess:  girl / 8 lbs 3 ozs / 20 in / Mar 4, 12:00 am
Jack:  boy/ 8 lbs 8 oz/ 20 3/4 in / March 4, 1:44 am

So...congratulations, Kristina!  Evidently, you're a little bit psychic and a little bit rock n roll.

Jack thinks that's awesome.

What is Cheeseburger's ETA?

Today marks 39 weeks!  It's hard to imagine that we've made it to this point.  I was hospitalized at 28 weeks for preterm labor -- and now the due date is one week away!  My amazing doctor, Cheeseburger, and I have worked together to make this happen on the original schedule.  Awesome!

Now, that said, this weekend presented the perfect opportunity for CB to make his or her debut.  And, just because we could, we tried to help that along a bit.  In doing so, we achieved the Labor Trifecta:

1)  Full moon.  We had a full moon this weekend.  It was beautiful.  Full moons tend to make pregnant women go into labor.

2)  We took a walk.  It was nice.  Walks tend to make pregnant women go into labor.

3)  We had spicy Thai green curry for dinner.  It was delicious.  Spicy foods tend to make pregnant women go into labor.

Cheeseburger would not be the progeny of Durel and I if he or she didn't have a mind of their own.  To wit, despite the Labor Trifecta, we have not met Cheeseburger yet.

Stay tuned.  This I know:  We are having a baby this month.

Hope this finds you well.

--Heather

I Fought the Law and...Cheeseburger Won

So, I am not entirely sure I should admit this, but I'm going to.  I was pulled over this morning on the way to work for talking on my cell phone. 

Now, before you jump to any conclusions, I wasn't driving like a crazy person, swerving or being erratic.  I just happened to be on the phone in a school district.  Uh, I'm not sure when that became law, but I definitely missed the fact that you can't be on your cell phone, at all, while driving through a school district.  Which is why I was brazenly chatting away with my sister while a cop drove right by me.

He did an impressive U-turn and my stomach started to sink.  Yup, he was coming for me.  Oh, crap.  I dutifully pulled over into a parking lot.  Cheeseburger and I were being detained by Johnny Law.

He came to the window and it was Cheeseburger's time to shine.  The police officer, it turns out, is a new parent himself.  It went something like this:

Me:   Good morning.

JL:  Good morning ma'am.  I saw you with your cell phone up to your ear.  Were you aware that you cannot talk on a cell phone in a school zone?

Me:  (honest gasp)  No...no, I didn't.  I'm so sorry.

[As I was reacting, I saw JL's eyes magnetically go straight to my fuschia-clad belly, which is now officially the size of a watermelon.  It was as if CB was waving hello while his inept carrier -- me-- apologized for totally and completely breaking the law like an idiot.]

JL:  [Looking back to the inept human carrier -- me]  Well, I'll just give you a warning, given your condition and all.  Uh, do you have your license and proof of insurance?

Me:  I am so sorry.  Thank you.  I was just telling my sister that I could go into labor at any time.

JL:  (eyes wide)  Ma'am,areyouinlabornow???

Me:  (realizing that he was about to go all lights and sirens and escort me to the hospital)  No, no.  I am not.  I just wanted her to be prepared for when it happens.

JL:  Okay, okay.  I'll be right back with that warning.

One warning later, I learned that JL's son is eight months old, day care is a germ factory, and that he wishes CB and I the best of luck when the big moment arrives.  I drove away unscathed, but with a crystal clear understanding that I need to drop the cell in the school zone.  And a sneaking suspicion that I should probably take Oprah's new no cell in the car pledge.

Upon further inspection of the warning when I got to work, I saw that under "Notes," he had written: 
"Gave warning.  9 months pregnant."

So, it's official.  I fought the law and Cheeze won.

Hope this finds you well.
--Heather

We Have Much to Learn...

But I am pretty sure that we have these lessons down as we prepare for Cheeseburger's arrival.  Of course, they are too good not to share:

Though, can't you see Durel in the hoodie, coaching Cheeseburger to "feel the burn"?

No Irish jokes, please.  Or New Orleans jokes.

Though I do love a good gab fest over coffee with an infant who can barely hold up their own head.  Ah, well, I'll survive.

Hope this finds you well.  Happy Friday!

--Heather

Babies Need Lots of Things...

But I am not sure this is one of them.  My sister, in her infinite humor and craftiness, sent me this link.  Let's just say that we won't be taking the "cheeseburger" theme quite this far:

Though, with all due respect to the creators of this culinary-inspired cushion, available at http://kraftomatic.blogspot.com/2010/01/heres-beef.html, it is really creative.  And it might even be making me hungry.  Or sleepy.  Or both.

Hope this finds you well.
--Heather

Showered with Goodwill and Goodies

Durel's amazing supervisor and coworkers hosted a baby shower for Cheeseburger this afternoon!  They thought of everything, from adorable decorations to a delicious cake.  (I might add that the cake was chocolate, filled with chocolate mousse.  Oh, goodness...)

We are so lucky to have such supportive friends and colleagues.  We can't wait to introduce Cheeseburger to his or her extended family -- all of whom have waited patiently and supported us so thoughtfully during the past nine months.

Hope this finds you well.
--Heather

Belly Update: Week 36

How far along are we? 36 weeks!  We've been hoping to get to this milestone for a long time.  Hooray!

My belly is:  Ginormous

Highlight of the week:  Getting to this week is the highlight of the week, honestly.

What's Cheeseburger doing these days?  Causing me to eat the largest lunches imaginable.  Kicking me in the bladder.

Any odd cravings?  No specific cravings, but I am hungriest at lunch, and have been eating everything that's not nailed down as a result. 

Any feelings about the gender? No.  But the debate about Drew Brees Bernard rages on in the wake of the Saints' brilliant victory...

What do you really miss? Oh, wow.  So many things.  Moving without grunting like I am doing manual labor.  Moving without doing manual labor.  My toes.

What are you excited about? Meeting this kid!

What are you not excited about? My ankles. Labor.

Have you had any deep thoughts this week?  Well, this was the week that I was "supposed to" return to work full time, but my doctor has instead cut me back to 6 hours of work again.  Pregnancy is one long realization that you are not in charge.  Of anything.  :)

Hooray goes to:   The Saints, of course!  And everyone who is expecting ANOTHER 20 inches of snow on the East Coast. 

Cheeseburger's Chariot Awaits

Though this weekend is really all about the SuperBowl in our household, we managed to distract ourselves by doing a few things for Cheeseburger while we waited for the big kickoff.

To wit, we needed to get ready to bring Cheeseburger home from the hospital.  Durel tackled the carseat installation with poise and confidence:

And made sure that we're ready to go!

Hard to believe that we used to drive a Jetta and a Ranger with jumpseats in the back.  We're growing up, folks!

Hope this finds everyone well. 

-- Heather 

Week 35 Update

How far along are we? 35 weeks. We'll hit the super duper magical 36 week mark on Monday!  Uh, that means we are about to be parents...

How are those maternity clothes?   They are really great, but I think yoga pants and tshirts are better.

Highlight of the week:  I am allowed to work for 12 hours this week.  Which means I can actually get a few things accomplished!  It's a joy to be back at work, it really is.

What's Cheeseburger doing these days?  Giving me an outie.  Making sleep challenging.  Kicking me, especially when it's time to eat.

Any odd cravings? The cravings seem to be tapering off.  I eat when I am told (kick kick).  The million dollar question is whether I will revert to my non-red meat eating ways when I am no longer eating for two!

Any feelings about the gender?  No, but we are getting reeeeeeeeeeeally curious.  But I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  If it is a boy, we are NOT naming him Drew Brees Bernard.

What do you really miss? Sleeping on my stomach.  Having as much caffeine as I want.  Wine. 
What are you excited about?  Meeting this kid! 

What are you not excited about? My ankles.  Labor.  (Just being honest.)

Have you had any deep thoughts this week? I have some of the best friends in the world.  My shower was on Saturday and I am at a loss for words to describe how generous and loving they are, or how supported and honored I feel. 

Hooray goes to:  Danielle, Kristina, and Jessica, for being the hostesses with the mostest at the shower. 

Week 35 and The Salt Lick

My wonderful and fabulous baby shower was this Saturday.  It was a totally perfect day!  More on that in a bit.

For now, let me fast forward to the way we spent our day on Sunday, with a trip to the historic Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas.  Much like New Yorkers like to debate the best way to get uptown/downtown, or like Marylanders like to debate the best crab cake recipe, Austinites like to debate the virtue of the many barbecue joints in their midst.  All debates aside, people agree that the Salt Lick is just goooood.

Kristina and Jamie joined us in our barbecue journey.  We were all abuzz with anticipation.  The food didn't disappoint!

Happy happy barbecue eaters...

with very large, 35 week bellies!  This picture is at a horrible angle, but Shakira's hips don't lie, and neither does my belly.

Happy 35th week!

-- Heather

Reminder: Geaux Baby Pool Needs Your Vote!

We know that your every waking moment is not consumed with wonder about whether Cheeseburger will be a boy or a girl.

But we'd still love to know your guess!

Come on, it'll make you feel good.

Geaux Baby Cheers for the Saints

To say that Durel is a Saints fan is an understatement.  To say that I am not a football fan is also something of an understatement.  But hey, I'm learning. 

It's probably a good thing that I'm learning, because if I didn't, I would soon be outnumbered by Saints fans in my household:

Here's hoping that the Saints make it to the SuperBowl for the first time in history.  Though, for the record, no matter what happens today, if Cheeseburger happens to be a boy, he will NOT be named Drew Brees Bernard.

Geaux Baby!
-- Heather

Week 33 Update

How far along are we? 33 weeks.  We'll hit the magical 34 week mark on Monday!  I am still seeing the doctor every week because of the preterm labor, but things seem to be going well.

How are those maternity clothes? Best invention ever.  And all of the tops that, at 12 weeks, I could not imagine myself ever being big enough to wear?  Now my favorites.

Highlight of the week:  Returning to work for 2 hours a day, 3 days a week, after one month of bedrest (and house arrest).  My average ratio is 2 hours of work; 3 hour nap when I get home to recover.  A month of bedrest takes it out of a girl!

What's Cheeseburger doing these days?  Kicking me in the ribs and growing.  Most importantly, not making his or her debut yet!

Any odd cravings?  J'adore chocolate, still.  And today I rediscovered root beer.  Who knew?

Any feelings about the gender? Not to be glib, but it's either a boy or a girl.

What do you really miss?  Mobility, running, sushi, my toes.

What are you excited about?  My baby showers!; decorating the nursery; hitting the (even more magical) 36 week mark.  A refill on my root beer.

What are you not excited about?  My ankles. 

Have you had any deep thoughts this week?  Making life is magical.  And uncomfortable.  But truly magical.

Hooray goes to:  Durel.  For a million reasons, but the current reason is that he's upstairs assembling the crib right now, and let's just say that putting together furniture is not his favorite pastime.

A Glimmer of Freedom

The doctor says that Cheeseburger and I are doing well -- yay for week 32!  In fact, it seems as if CB has settled in for a little while longer, which is just what we want.  Because of this, my doctor has told me that I can start doing a few things!

Today marks the 28th day of bedrest.  From today moving forward, rather than being confined to my trusty recliner for 12 hours a day, I can now run errands, do little things around the house, and gently, ever so gently, ease back into normal life!  Woo hoo!  No lifting, no exercise, nothing crazy, of course, but this is more freedom than I've had since ... December 18th.  Awesome!

Next week, I will road test returning to the office for a couple of hours a day, a couple days a week.  My coworkers have been so supportive, and I will be glad to get back to work, even if it's in bite-sized doses.

Exciting news of the day!  Yay for Cheeseburger, and double yay for a glimmer of freedom!

Bump Update, With Flashbacks

I am so happy to have reached 32 weeks with Cheeseburger!  For those of you who are uninitiated to the wild world of pregnancy, the way the doctors actually count the journey is 40 weeks. Yup, you got it:  10 months.  As it turns out, that whole "9 month" thing is a lie.  And when you're the one carrying around a bowling ball, every month matters.

I digress.  Speaking of the bowling ball, here is its evolution:

Just starting to show at 15 weeks

Feeling sassy at 19 weeks

I realized I was really starting to show at 20 weeks.

I could not get over the size of my belly!  Ah, little did I know...

Redefining "bump" at 27 weeks

Bringing us to today -- 32 weeks!

The whole point of bedrest is to keep Cheeseburger in there and growing.  Based on the size of my bump, we are succeeding!

Hope this finds everyone in good health. 

-- Heather

Take a Guess in the Geaux Baby Pool!

As you know, we don't know when Cheeseburger will arrive, or whether to buy pink or blue clothes.  Help us play the waiting game by taking a guess in the Geaux Baby Pool.

(The game will tell you that the due date is March 8, 2010.  Today marks the beginning of Week 32, which is great!  But, just a reminder that due dates are educated guesses, and even more "guess-like" when the mom has experienced preterm labor.  So, this part is a bit of a mystery, too!)

Click on the link above to place your guesses...come one, come all!

Welcome to Geaux Baby!

As Durel and I anxiously await the arrival of our first child, it occurred to me that I could use a cool and efficient way to share information and pictures with our amazing network of family and friends.  I am not sure how reliable I would be at uploading pictures to Shutterfly (or whatever) and sending out mass emails every few weeks.  To my friends who have that level of organization, I salute you.  I am not brave enough to count myself amongst your ranks.

But, I can blog!  And have been for some time (to wit, see simpleetiquette.blogspot.com).  So, I have started this blog to chronicle the life and times of Cheeseburger Bernard and his/her inexperienced but ambitious parents.

A few things to start:

1)  Yes, we call our baby Cheeseburger.  I know lots of people have cute names for their unborn children, like Love Bug, Peanut, or Bean.  None of those seemed right to us.  However, the fact that I now eat burgers like Popeye's friend Wimpy seemed noteworthy.  Especially since I had not eaten red meat for about five years prior to becoming pregnant.  Also, cheeseburgers are delicious and gender-neutral.  A nickname was born.  Cheeseburger Bernard, we can't wait to meet you.

2)  No, we do not know our baby's sex.  We decided very early on in the pregnancy not to find out and, amazingly, have stuck to our guns.  We cruised through the 20 week ultrasound with flying colors and looked away at the "right time."  We haven't had an ultrasound since then, but our resolve is strong to look away at the next one, which should be at 36 weeks.  I mean, we've come this far, haven't we?

Waiting to find out is cool.  We've decided that the nursery theme is loosely based on trees and woodland animals.  I like trees; trees are green; trees are gender neutral.  And woodland animals, well, they're awfully cute and come with the turf.  I shy away from nursery themes that are, well, "theme-y" -- I respectfully leave the jungle nurseries and ballet nurseries to parents other than me. 

3)  We are not sharing our names.  We will proudly introduce Cheeseburger to the world and reveal his/her full identity, including name, when he/she arrives.

4)  I am currently on bedrest.  I was having some early contractions the weekend before Christmas and spend the weekend in the hospital.  The good news is that they stopped the contractions and sent me home to rest, where I have been for the past three weeks.  The other good news is that every week which passes without more contractions or Cheeseburger's arrival makes him/her bigger and stronger.  The down side is that bedrest is a bit of a challenge for me.  But, in the immortal words of Gloria Gaynor, I will survive.

5)  I know that "geaux" is spelled oddly.  But, if you are from Louisiana, it's not odd at all.  For those of you who are uninitiated to the linguistics of Louisiana, "geaux" means "go."  You tend to use it when you are cheering for the LSU Tigers, as in "Geaux Tigers!" 

Urban dictionary agrees:  http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=geaux

It seemed like a good way to welcome and celebrate Cheeseburger's unique heritage:  Half Louisiana, Half Maryland, soon-to-be a Native Texan. 

Thanks for reading.  See you soon.

-- Heather