NYC

Iain and I had a fabulous time in New York. We are close enough to be able to take a train from Harrisburg right into Penn Station within three hours. I actually really like trains and the ride there went off without a hitch. We opted to stay overnight in Harrisburg the night before we were scheduled to leave because an ice storm was scheduled to move across our area. It worked out really well because I think we might have gotten stuck in Shippensburg otherwise. Anyway, we got into NY before 11 a.m. and dropped our bag off at the hotel. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around trying to get our bearings. I would admit the weather was AWFUL- about 33 degrees and raining but we managed to get in and out of several places without feeling too miserable. We managed to see Rockefeller Center, NBC studios, Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, ToysRUs (a fun place for expecting parents), Bryant Park and everything in between. The city looked amazing with all of the lights, decorations and Christmas trees absolutely all over the place. That night, we opted to take in a movie (hey, the weather was terrible!) and I was scared silly watching "I Am Legend" with 150 fellow movie goers. I didn't realize it was a zombie movie and I'm not the bravest in the bunch. This is just a warning to those of you who don't like scary movies. I Am Legend is scary. I love Will Smith but I don't think I'll be seeing it again. Iain liked it though and I would admit it was entertaining. After the movie, we spent $34 on two bowls of soup, a piece of cheesecake and an OJ and headed off to bed. On Monday morning, we waited in line for 2 & 1/2 hours to make it to the top of the Empire State Building. This was very cool and worth the wait. I enjoyed the view even though I couldn't stand outside for more than 15 minutes or I think my nose would have fallen off. Overall, I think that New York is an incredible place to go and see. My advice would be to wear comfy shoes, dress warm and over budget your spending money. Everything costs a FORTUNE. I don't think I could ever get used to that if I lived there ($7 for an OJ?). I'm all for visiting though!

It'll be a blue room afterall!

Yes folks the ultrasound was a success and a little boy is on the way! It took awhile for the technician to be able to see our little one's private area but after maneuvering around a bit, she managed to get a clear picture from the bottom up! Definitely a boy. During the test, Iain and I were able to see about every inch of his small body including the head, arms, feet, legs, and bum. It was a little strange because we were watching it in 4D. Overall, the baby looks pretty lumpy. I also thought it would be a little easier to make out parts of the baby's body, but the tech had to point almost everything out to us. She took a lot of pictures which I will attempt to scan and post online this week. Iain and I were told that the pictures are now sent to the doctor and at our next appointment the results will be reviewed with us. Everything seemed to go just fine but I'll be happy when we meet with the doctor to confirm this. Now we get to do the fun stuff like debate names, circumcision, and paint colors. Very exciting!!! I'll catch you up on our trip to NYC soon. Have a good night...

First baby things

I received an early Christmas present from a dear friend- Jen Kosior. She sent me the tree ornament that is on the left side of the page. Along with the ornament were our first baby clothes! I've uploaded a picture of the smallest one meant for a newborn. It was very exciting to get these things. Iain and I haven't really bought anything for the baby- I guess we are still holding out for next Tuesday or maybe it just didn't seem right to do it yet. Regardless, this coming Tuesday we should (for real this time) find out the baby's sex if it can be seen. We'll also get to find out how the baby is developing and to make sure that no problems exist thus far. Jen--it is wonderful to have a few baby things to make our little one a bit more real! Thank you so much! I think I smiled for an hour after getting your package. On another note, Iain and I are off to New York City tomorrow for a short getaway. Iain's never been there and I've only made it to NYC once. We're looking forward to doing some site seeing and spending some time together. Maybe we'll see Santa. I hope you are enjoying this festive season with those you love. Until Tuesday...

The Joys of Pregnancy

The past 18 weeks have been quite a journey and although I know that there is much more excitement to come, I've been reflecting on the path so far. As I move into the halfway mark of 20 weeks, I've experienced some wonderful and not so wonderful feelings and changes. I would definitely say that finding out I was pregnant left me feeling overjoyed and astonished. How could something so fantastic happen so quickly? Iain and I were not expecting immediate luck and rather thought that it would take months, if not longer, to join the ranks of the expecting. I'd attribute a good bit of success to the online ovulation calendar we used to track the month. I found it at www.webmd.com and from what I understand, a good friend of Jen Kosior (formerly Bell) has found equal success from using the same WebMd tool after trying for months to get pregnant. Congratulations Rachel! I'd also say that right now in the second trimester I don't know if I've ever felt better. During the waking hours, I just have this amazing glow and incredible energy. I also think that I've started to feel the baby move but these flutters are sporadic and slightly difficult to tell what it is. Now the downside to these amazing feelings is acne and weight gain. Even though all of us know weight gain and pregnancy go hand in hand, it is TRULY difficult to outgrow every piece of clothing in your wardrobe except for sweatpants! I now have two pairs of work pants that fit, one maternity and one a size up from my normal size, and I've been matching them with baggy sweaters and over sized shirts. I'm fortunate to work at a university which permits me to dress pretty casually but it doesn't do much for my self esteem. If I eat an extra cookie or two, I cannot make up for it by overexercising the next day. I realize that at the end of the day the weight gain is for an incredible reason and this keeps me positive through this period. I look forward to what comes next even though I've heard it could include swelling, backache and sleepless nights. I am so excited to start a family with the most wonderful man and spouse I could have possibly found. We look forward to having our little one here for the holidays next year. Have a great week everyone.

We all know what we do when we assume....

Okay, well all of my baby books, websites, magazines, etc. have told me that at the 18-22 week appointment you have a second ultrasound and at this appointment, you can find out what the sex of the baby is (baby permitting). However, they did not inform Keystone Women's Care. We will be having an ultrasound but at a separate location on December 18. Needless to say, Iain and I were both pretty disappointed. Iain, having only had 4 hours sleep the night before, had gotten up especially to accompany me to this appointment and nada... Anyway, it is my own fault for not calling the doctor and double checking. BUT the wonderful news is that all of the tests that were run for bad things came back negative and the doctor told us that everything is progressing nicely. We also heard the baby's heartbeat again and the doctor said that the heart is beating at exactly the right speed. So I guess we will be holding off on names and room colors for a few more days. I was hoping to do some of this now that work is a bit quieter and I am a bit less tired in the evenings but we'll have to wait until Baby Burnett and the ultrasound people are ready. We were told that we could bring a CD and they would burn a copy for us so we might take them up on that. Iain and I will try to post it online if we can figure out how to do it. Anyway, till next time, have a great night!!!

Pink or Blue?

In the day in age we are in, pregnant couples are given the option to find out the sex of their expectant child. Although there is much debate as to why or why not someone would like to find this out ahead of time, Iain and I have decided to use modern medicine to allow us to know in advance of delivery. Our next doctor's appointment is this Thursday and we're at the stage where we should be receiving another ultrasound and if the baby permits, we are going to request to know his or her gender. Personally, I will be happy with a healthy child and quick delivery. Iain would like to avoid re-painting our guest room so his fingers are crossed for a little girl (as of right now, the guest room is pale pink). However, I know he will be just as content as long as we know that the baby is healthy and progressing as he/she is supposed to. So far everything else is going well for the both of us. I'm feeling wonderful despite my expanding waistline. Iain is also well and working hard like always. We'll let you know what happens on Thursday...