What's in a Name?

Drumroll please!.....



We have chosen a name for our nameless Baby Antell! We hope you like our choice, and if not, too bad...you have two months to get over it and get used to it, HA!


Baby's name will be Stormy Tyler Antell.

• Yes, we are serious; no, we are not joking.
• No, it is not April Fool's Day (yet).
• He will go by Stormy, not Tyler or Ty or anything else, until (if/when) he chooses to go by something different.
• Because we like it, that's why.

We both love this name! There aren't so many Stormys out there in the world after all, and you know our child is bound to be an individual! (I know, I know...everyone says that, lol)

So does a person's name determine what he will make of his life? Does it determine what job he will have? We don't think so, although several philosophers including Carl Jung have studied the intricacies of nominative determinism: "Are these the whimsicalities of chance, or the suggestive effects of the name [...] or are they 'meaningful coincidences'?" he asks. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominative_determinism)

Some hilarious examples:

• Thomas Crapper, inventor of the ballcock
• Rollie Fingers, MLB pitcher
• Scott Speed, Formula One race car driver
• Lord Brain, neurologist

However, we don't believe that our Stormy is doomed to be a meteorologist or a tornado chaser, although that would be ok with us if he wanted to do either. On the other hand, we also don't believe his name will inhibit him from being a lawyer, a politician, an architect, or anything else he wants to be. Yeah, maybe he sounds like a musician already, and perhaps that's what he'll want do with his life, but we're pretty sure that given all the options and education we can provide, he can choose a life and career suited to his passions, not his name.

Baby Shower

The baby shower given to my by two of my sisters-in-law, Amy and Susie, was just adorable!

Here's the proof:

Mom pinning on my corsage, watch out now!

A beautiful table setting!



Monkey-topped diaper cake!


Amy's drink station, lol!

Invitation and favors!

Adorable decorations and a framed pic of our little dude!


Time for guests and gifts!



Amy and Susie keeping track, thank goodness! ^^^

Michaela was a big help with the gifts!

The shower was wonderful overall. There was a ton a good food, and the cake was amazing! I got just about everything I needed, and even Adam got some gifts of his own. Well, he has to share with the baby, but you know... haha. It was a great day to spend with friends and family!

Baby Class...

...was interesting, to say the least. Yes, there was a lot of stuff that we already knew, based on the fact that we have both been reading baby books and magazines extensively throughout our pregnancy, but there were also a great many things we found we didn't know!

For example: how to get to the correct entrance to the freakin' hospital! HA! And so we were late, but I guess the instructor is used to that because the class hadn't started without us. Well, good thing we know now considering the next time we go, things will be in a bit more of a hurry, right? (For those who don't know, we are delivering at Piedmont Fayette Hospital on Hwy 54, a great location that is only 20-or-so minutes from our house. They have built a wonderful new Labor, Delivery and Maternity ward, so we are pleased to be delivering there.)

Also in class, we got the chance to listen to other people's experiences and questions, which is always a bonus because no one's experience is the same, nor does anyone's plan go exactly according to schedule! The baby does what the baby wants. Period.

The dads in the class got to "examine" several unusual items found in the delivery rooms, and try to figure out what the hell they were—this was a riot. BUT, there were things in that bag that I wasn't familiar with either, so you won't see me pointing fingers and laughing! Well, maybe I'll laugh a little...

We discussed all the stages of labor, how to measure contractions, what to expect (generally) in terms of timing and when to go to the hospital, Braxton-Hicks and false labor...you name it, it was covered. Another bonus, the nurse who taught the class is the lactation specialist for the hospital, so we may be meeting her again in the future if we need help. (I'm guessing you all know I plan on trying to breastfeed, but people seem hesitant to ask for some reason, so I figured I'd just put it out there.)

Probably the most interesting thing we learned about was the presentation of the baby and how it turns and shifts to get out of there! What a process! And how does it know what to do?! I suppose we'll just have to trust Mother Nature on this one. But that whole part is kind of amazing and scary at the same time. I had no idea what the kid has to go through to get out, seriously. Turn upside down, then sideways, then backwards... sheesh! Little acrobats, they are; good thing they're all smushy when they're that little. LOL! If all else fails and our baby is one of those uncoordinated ones (like I was! and still am, oddly enough haha) and wants to come out face up or something, well...they can try to turn the baby over, like they did me. Or if it comes to it, that's what c-sections are for. Let's hope for a standard delivery (and yes, I will take the drugs, pleaseandthankyousoverymuch!), but we also found out that approximately 30% of births these days are c-section deliveries. So, it's not out of the question. Either way, whatever gets the baby here safely is what we are going for, no? Here's wishing our little dude the safest delivery possible, however he chooses to meet us!

Talk to y'all soon.

30 Weeks!

Wow, we're really closing in on the big day! Fortunately, the little dude's room is finished, with the exception of painting the crib, which I'll be working on today out in the garage. Other than that, some minor organization might help, but hey, we've got the basics covered, and I think we're ready...
*fingers crossed*
(I'll be eating my words come May, right? lol)

We went for another check-up yesterday, and Adam took the afternoon to work from home so he could come along with us to the appointment; he asked some really great questions that I hadn't even thought of yet! We have a great partnership in this, and I feel so fortunate that we have each other to rely on. Together, we might just make it through this! ;) And with some extra help from you all, we're solid!

It was a boring, standard visit, but all the better because boring is what we want. No surprises here. My glucose tolerance and iron count and all that came back fine, and I don't have to be poked and prodded again until Week 36, when they'll do some final testing, yay! Lil' dude's heartbeat sounded strong and steady. I was so glad for Adam to get to hear it again, especially now that he can see and feel movement in my tummy! "His" baby is a happy one. Yup, we have officially started the "my" baby/"your" baby thing, as in: Adam, "your" baby is sitting on my freakin' sciatic nerve again, the little shit! And of course, he's "my" baby when he's being a perfect little gentleman, haha!

To give y'all an idea of how he is growing, Sprout is now at a point where he is poking his little feet up under my ribs when he stretches out. And other times, I can feel him almost reaching my hips! Hard to believe, isn't it? (And hard to breathe, come to think of it...)

Well, that's all I've got for now! This weekend, Adam and I will be taking our Prepared Childbirth class at the hospital and getting a short tour of the maternity wing. And next weekend, I'm so excited to have a baby shower hosted by my awesome sisters-in-law, Amy and Susie. Lots of fun stuff coming up! I'll let you know how everything goes!

Woe is me...I have to pee...

I am officially starting to get a little uncomfortable. Right on time with the third trimester, no? And those of you who have seen me lately know I'm not even that big yet! WTF am I gonna do?! My hips hurt, my feet hurt, and I can't lean over and make it look graceful anymore. HA! Honestly, it's work that's doing it. I'm fine all day, but as soon as I go to work and am on my feet for so long, it starts to wear me down. My energy level is still great, but as soon as I get in the car to go home, it hits me: I am sore. And I have a hard time dragging myself out of the car when I get home. I would be happy to just lean the seat back, have a blanket handy and take a nap right there, just so I don't have to move.

Well, after I do get out of the car and shuffle across the house to get into bed, barely making it to brushing my teeth and taking my meds, I get to relax and read for a little bit while Sprout wakes up and gets his kicks out. Which I really do enjoy. Adam wakes up slightly and rubs my tummy (love it) and we are a happy cozy little family...

...until 2:30-ish when I have to get up to pee. After the ceremonial orchestration of arranging my pillows comfortably to get to sleep, I can't get the fuck out of bed without undoing the whole thing! And as soon as I move, the pain arrives. My feet are cinderblocks, my hips feel like the tin man's before the oil can, and my arms lack the strength to push the top half of my body up and over the mound of fluff I have created to bolster my belly up in the air for the night. *bigsigh* So far, I have managed to control my water intake so I usually only have to get up the one time to go to the bathroom, but there are the inevitable two-to-three full-body, of-acrobatic-proportions turn-overs, which constitute the need for pillow rearrangements of their own while each slight movement ressurrects the aches and pains of a night's work. I only hope my helpless whincing isn't waking Adam up too often. *eyeroll* Not to mention, I'm fairly certain this baby is growing up into my lungs at this point, rather than out into my belly and I can't catch my breath after each session of nighttime aerobics. Oy vey!

Now...who wants to be pregnant again?! yay! LOL! In all seriousness, the good makes up for the bad by far, and I've considered myself to have a really easy pregnancy all-in-all. But I'm allowed to bitch a little, right? kthxbai.

Week 28 Update

Well everyone, we are officially in the third trimester! As of last week actually, but let's not pick nits...

We had an appointment today for our Week 28 check-up, and things are looking great! Of course, today was an hour-long appointment at which I had to drink that nasty, syrupy concoction and have my blood sugar tested after an hour. Routine pre-natal diabetes testing, but not so pleasant to be poked once again. They seriously draw so much blood during pregnancy, it sometimes seems like a miracle you don't pass out at every appointment!

Anyway, the baby is doing very well and growing right on track. His heartbeat today was 130, strong and steady. We're getting closer and closer to meeting each other, and it's so exciting!

Now it's time to sign up for a hospital tour and a childbirth class. Adam and I will also be looking for a First-Aid class of some sort to be on the safe side. That's one good thing about Adam being a lifeguard, and training lifeguards, for so many years...a lot of it will be a refresher course for him, and he can help me learn as well.

Anyhow, not much more to report for now, but hooray for boring check-ups! The boring-er, the better, right? :-)

And the Best Husband Award goes to...

ADAM!!! *confetti*

Imagine my surprise when Adam presented me with a gift certificate to a local day spa for a relaxing PREGNANCY MASSAGE! woohoo!!! I had mentioned it to him forever ago how nice it would be, once I started to get bigger, to have one of these, and boy, was I ever right! And my wonderful husband remembered even though I had forgotten about it for a while. Aw!! Isn't he the greatest?!

Ok, first thing's first: I got to lay on my stomach! Oh, sweet blissful day! I think that was honestly the best part of the whole thing, haha. They put this huge hollowed-out pillow on top of the regular massage table and my belly just sunk right into the cut-out in the middle. Sooooo comfy. I have been a stomach sleeper for so long that it was hard to retrain myself to lay on my side, so this part was just heaven for me!

To be pampered like that at this point in pregnancy is just the best feeling. It sounds dumb, but at first I felt strange NOT thinking of the baby first, and thinking of only myself. Um... so I got over that feeling very quickly, LOL! But toward the end of the massage, I was lying on my back on the same hollow pillow, and I had the heavy blanket covering me, a warm sinus mask on my face, low music playing, a calm dimly-lit room, and it was so warm and cozy. I started to imagine that that's how the baby must feel in there. All floaty and warm, safe and sound and relaxed. At least I hope that's how he feels! It was just amazing. I was so relaxed the rest of the day.

What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon...