Pregnancy should affect the workplace more

I had a friend ask me to let her know how my pregnancy affects me in the work place, and though I intend to let her know as soon as I know, I have not yet seen much of a difference (other than an occasional comment of how I should try to take on less now that I'm pregnant).

Anyway, this isn't completely related, but today I've decided that I wish my pregnancy had more of an effect on my work. However, I'm thinking in terms of process efficiency. All I had to do to make this baby is start the process (no, I'm not going to go into details), but as soon as the process was started I am basically able to just sit back and trust that the design will work out.

Eventually my baby will end up with all the necessary inputs and outputs, without me having to verify specification details. Images will be seen as inputs to the eyes. Ears will conveniently input sounds. Mouths are dual direction signals... inputs for food and oxygen, but outputs for noise and carbon dioxide. Food goes into the mouth and out of the other end. And imagine all the sensors spread around the body just in the skin alone! How many analog inputs does that require? Who cares? It's all taken care of in the effecient process known as "gestation".

It's really a shame that more things do not operate like the human body. More specifically, and more relevant to me (it's all about me anyway, right?), I wish the design process for the stuff I'm doing at work could be "that simple". I'm constantly being told new information that I have to incoporate into my design, and am constantly being tossed curve balls in this design process that make me wish I could just press "start" and assume the end result will meet all specifications!

And to think that my critical design review is in less than a week! In case you don't know... that's the review where I get up in front of everyone and convince them that not only do I know what I'm doing, but I have a plan and that plan is solid and will not change. Ha!

Uh... I don't get it.

First, let's give you the update... yes, the baby is still doing well. I had my monthly appointment again yesterday, and the heart rate is somewhere in the 140s. This time, though, we were actually able to hear the valves closing. They made a clicking sound with every beat. If you've ever heard shrimp while snorkeling, then you will know what I'm talking about. Well, maybe not completely, but that is what it made me think of.

Second, I don't understand today's baby update.
"Air sacs will develop in baby's lungs"
Huh? I don't get it! How is that possible? It's not like the baby has free access to oxygen. Or even not-so-free access. OK, so this is probably going to demonstrate to everyone why I did not go into biology, but the way I understand it is this:

I breathe in oxygen. My lungs transfer the Oxygen to the blood stream. The blood stream transfers oxygen to the organs in my body. The placenta is one of my organs and acts to filtrate and transfer nutrients, including oxygen, to the baby*. I find it amazing that the baby does not share the mother's blood. Anyway... this oxygen is in the blood. It's not in air form. So... how on earth do the lungs develop the air sacs when there is no air???

It's amazing that any babies are actually born. There is so much that happens! It baffles my mind.


* And please, no need to comment on how most mammals eat the placenta after giving birth because it has so many nutrients. And yes, I already know that some exotic cultures do this as well, but believe me when I say that I have had enough people tell me this already. And my reaction has yet to change. Yuck.

Meet Miss Sexy Tummy

Remember my first obsession with Miss Gorgeous Tummy?

Well, here's another one... Well call her Miss Sexy Tummy. Oh and believe me, as soon as I find myself a sexy little red piece that looks similar to this, and as soon as my belly button turns inside out, I'll be trying my best to duplicate this one as well.

Wish me luck!

Christmas Tummy

I wanted to post these pictures as well, but I figured I'd do it in a separate post from the ones with Michael. I don't think I like them nearly as much, but they are cute non-the-less.

Did I mention how beautiful Colorado was when we were there? I barely even notice the pregnant woman in these pictures when I look at them. All I can see is purty snow!

Well, OK... I guess I also see a red nose. It should come as no surprise that standing out on the porch in the middle of winter is not exactly a warm place to be when you're wearing silk PJ's!

The cold didn't bother me, though. Life is good. I am happy. Besides... I'm pregnant, which means I am my own furnace!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Ok, I know, it's a little late, but I've had a pretty busy week!

Michael and I went to Colorado for Christmas this year and it was absolutely gorgeous! I love the snow! Give me a white Christmas and you've made me a happy camper!

Wow! Look at that tummy! These pictures were taken at 24 weeks.

Ahh, how cute! Who needs mistletoe? Look how adorable he is! I love my husband!

Good Pregnant Day (continued)

Fourth:
We got our nursery bedding delivered and it's super cute! Strangely enough, I still haven't received the material swatches yet. I ordered samples of the material a month ago thinking it would arrive quicker and we'd at least be able to see the colors to pick paint. Oh well, it's the thought that counts. Hopefully it will still be delivered, though, because I could use the samples for my scrapbook! Oooooo! Ahhhh! Oohhh!

Good Pregnant Day

Yesterday I had a kick-ass pregnant day!*

First:
Michael and I finally decided on baby names! Woohoo! However before you get too excited, Michael is hesitant to declare them golden. It's more like silver or maybe even fools golden. He claims they're subject to change without notice, but I'm more confident than he is.

I bet you're expecting me to tell you what the names are, but I refuse to. You can't make me! Actually, in all honesty, I want the names to sink in a little more before we go spreading the news. They're names we've liked for awhile now, but the concept of them being the "chosen" ones is what I feel like needs sinking into.

Second:
I went to my first prenatal yoga class last night. Originally I was going to do prenatal pilates, thinking it would be more of an exercise, but the class got cancelled. So, yoga it is (though every time I go to type "yoga" it comes out as "yogart" or "goga". Weird).

I wanted to join a prenatal class in hopes of trying to do something to strengthen my back and to meet other mommies-to-be. The class was a lot of fun and very relaxing. I enjoyed it quite a bit. And there are other mommies-to-be there! Imagine that! Actually, there are two women who are already mothers and four of us newbies. What's strange about it is that the one girl who seems to be my age has the same due date as me! WEIRD!

I'm going to try out the yoga class on Saturday to see how it compares. I'm told that it's a larger class, which might be nice in meeting even more people, but on the other hand, I might like the personal attention I can get from the instructor at the smaller class. Either way, I'm going to decide which class to join soon, but I'm excited that the first one went so well.

Third:
I took a nice bath last night to relax and apparently the sound of the running water got the baby all excited. She was doing a little dance under the water. I think it might have been the most active I've ever felt the baby be. How strange it is that I can see her move inside of me! It's a little creepy, honestly. Creepy, but again, I love it!


* But a sucky scrapbooking day. Michaels didn't have the stuff I wanted and every printer I try using keeps eating my paper... so I can't finish the "baby name" page that I'm obviously excited about! UGH! Go figure.

Baby Updates

Have you noticed? My baby progress updates change more often! I like it!

Today's update: Gaby's grip will get very strong this month.

However, I just have to add my own disclaimer and tell you that the only way my baby's grip is going to get very strong is if he takes after his daddy's* side of the family. My grip is pathetic.


* Oh my gosh! Daddy. I just had a "I'm having a baby moment."

Quiz Results

A bit of background: To satisfy those inquiring minds on whether or not we're having a girl or boy, I decided to perform a scientific experiment to find out. Upon researching top gender-predicting techniques, I developed a survey with 20 proven dimensions of accuracy. I then allowed sufficient time to pass to erase any lingering knowledge of survey results before taking the quiz myself. Obviously, the procedure I went through to obtain this information was very scientific and thus the results are in no way biased.

Thank you for waiting patiently for me to obtain my quiz results. I had intended to post the answer right away, but that was before I realized that some of them required me to go home (preferrably) and stand in front of a mirror naked. I'm sure that there are a lot of things I can explain away at work, but that one might not be on that list. =)

Here are my results*:

1. Boy - I guess I'm carrying low??
2. Girl - Fetal heart rate ~150.
3. Girl - I'm a-likin' da sweets.
4. Girl - Michael had the nerve to lose 5 pounds!
5. Boy - I'm told face weight should not be my concern.
6. Girl - If I must pick one, the left is larger, but they're both huge!
7. Girl - Haha! I suppose we'll call that a circle.
8. Girl - Definitely have the acne, but should come as no surprise.
9. Girl - Age at conception plus July = 28 + 7 = 35 = odd
10. Girl - Though I'd be willing to admit that this is just me being hopeful
11. Girl - Thinner and stringy hair as always, though I did buy some great fake hair pieces!
12. Girl - My leg hair is growing less than before, but my tummy is certainly now fuzzy!
13. Girl - My tummy line stops at my belly button. How cute!
14. Boy - No bad morning sickness for me, thank God!
15. Girl - Remember, I need the counter-balance so that I don't tip over onto my face!
16. Girl - My feet have been quite pleasantly warm (excluding time spent in Estes Park)
17. Boy - Watching my own eyes dilate is just plain freaky.
18. Boy - Beach ball is today's guess. I'm told it looks "symetrical" so beach ball it is.
19. Girl - Huh. I never noticed before that I usually feel the baby to the left.
20. Girl - Thank God the baby hasn't kicked me in the ribs! That would hurt!

That makes for a total of 5 boys and 15 girls. I guess that settles that question, huh?

* Subject to change. Some of these answers are just plain guesses! Take #1 for example, you try to define "high" or "low" when it comes to where I'm carrying! It looks like I'm carrying the baby in my tummy to me! Or #7, where my pendant went from straight line to circle, to straight line, to circle. Hmm... is there something you'd like to tell me, baby?

Old Wives Tales

I'm sure everyone has heard of certain old wives tales when it comes to determining the gender during pregnancy, and if you haven't, well then I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to hear that such things exist. Some of them are quite entertaining and make you wonder just how someone would ever believe it!

Here's my little made-up quiz of stuff I found on the web. Stay tuned to see how I score!

1. Carrying High, Carrying Low
G - Carrying high
B - Carrying low

2. Heartbeat
G - Fetal heart rate above 140
B - Fetal heart rate below 140

3. Craving Something?
G - Sweet
B - Salty

4. Weight Gain
G - Husband doesn't put on a pound
B - Husband puts on weight during pregnancy

5. Is Her Face Round and Full?
G - Round and rosy
B - No change

6. Breast Sizes
G - Left one is larger
B - Right one is larger

7. Pendant Swing
G - Holding a pendant over my hand, swings in a circular motion
B - Holding a pendant over my hand, swings back and forth

8. Got Acne?
G - Yes
B - No

9. Combine my age at the time of conception with the number of the month I conceived and the result is:
G - Odd
B - Even

10. Ask yourself - Moms to be are right 71% of the time
G - I'm having a Girl
B - I'm having a Boy

11. Beautiful Hair
G - Thinner and stringy
B - Shiny and full of body

12. Hair Growing Faster?
G - Leg hair grows the same as before
B - Leg hair grows faster than before

13. Linea Nigra
G - Tummy line runs to navel
B - Tummy line goes all the way up past navel

14. Got Morning Sickness?
G - Green at the gills
B - Bliss for being missed

15. Growing in the Rear?
G - My tush is growing in size
B - My tush is not growing

16. Cold Feet?
G - Toasty feet
B - My feet are colder now

17. Look in the mirror for 1 minute...
G - Pupils do not dilate
B - Pupils do dilate

18. Tummy Shape
G - Shaped like a watermelon
B - Shaped like a beach ball

19. Baby Kicks Left and Right
G - To the left more often
B - To the right more often

20. Baby Kicks High and Low
G - Low in the stomach
B - High in the ribs