We're having a WHAT?

Giggles!

2009-04-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

Max is a giggler! You heard me - a giggler!

We couldn't resist sharing this video.

Enjoy!

April Update

2009-04-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I know it has been ages since we updated the blog and I blame it totally on Max and the fact that he is so cute I can never pick what pictures to put up! :)

He is doing great! Getting big finally (not such a scrawny little peanut) and definitely coming into his own. He has absolutely found his voice and loves to chatter all day with us. His favorite is a high pitched little squeal which we hear when he is really happy or really annoyed. He has also discovered mirrors. The other day I caught him fake crying into a mirror and watching himself do it. I couldnt' stop laughing. He has finally started to giggle but the moments are VERY few and far between yet. But he will be a laugher! Other then that he has big smiles for us all the time and he is pretty good natured (when he isn't tired in which case watch out for the grump!)This weekend we are starting him on rice cereal. He can't stop staring at our food and he is guping bottles by the ounce so we have decided it is time to step it up with him.

He is a great kid and I'm going to miss him terribly when I go back to work (starting next week). Thank goodness he has such good care when I do. For those of you who don't know - Nick has decided to be a full time stay-at-home dad! Max and I are both SO excited about it! Daddy and Max will have so much fun together. I'm excited for them (and so sad for me because I will miss my little guy). I made them promise to come visit me at work all the time!

We have a doctors appointment in 2 weeks and we can't ait to find out how much Max has grown. We will keep you posted! In the meantime, here are some new pictures of Mr.Max!

Hello camera!

Watching TV

We love the spit bubbles!

Entranced by the jumperoo - everything is fascinating!

Playing with Uncle Seth!

Who can cry louder?

Max hangs with his girlfriend Amaia and her mommy Belinda

Max and Daddy

Max loves the bath!

Just hanging out..

Smiles for Daddy

Standing for Grandpa

Enjoying our new hat

Daddy wants to eat those chubby cheeks!

Hope you enjoyed those! We miss you guys lots and hope to see you soon!

Max's Trip to Montreal!

2009-03-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update with new pictures of Mr.Max (pictures some of you may have seen on Facebook!)

Max and I headed to Montreal to introduce Max to his Montreal family and friends. He was amazing on the plane - a real trooper even during the 11 hour return trip (which included 3 hours on the runway in Montreal). He was a superstar!

He had a great time hanging out with everyone there - we both did - and wanted to share some pictures with everyone!

We can't wait for more visits!

Max is doing great... growing nice and big (his dad swears that he almost doubled in size after his 10 days in Montreal). He has adorable chubby little legs and arms and finally enjoys his bath. He LOVES books. He just can't get enough reading. He has also finally started grabbing his toys and us (inluding my face and hair which he can't get enough of). He is all smiled in the morning and is almost enjoying a reasonable sleep routine. He is eating like a star and will soon bestarting solid foods! SO EXCITING! :) We can't wait. We absolutely adore him.

And now..here are the pictures ;) We miss all of you and love you lots!

Enjoy!

Here is Max in his new bear hat. HILARIOUS!

The bear hat again..it is bigger than his head

Max hangs out with Zaidie Michael and Uncle Ryan.

Hanging out with Aunt Madison

That is me in the GIGANTIC boots! Madison couldn't resist taking a picture of me in those borroowed beauties!

Uncle Seth hanging out with Max and his guard dog Trixie.

Aunt Madison gives the STARVING baby his bottle!

Max can't stop staring at Aunt Madison - he LOVED her!

Max and Grandma!

Max, Uncle Ryan, and Aunt Madison partake in Max's favorite activity - reading!

Grandma feeds a once again STARVING baby!

Max is suffering through tummy time!

Max and Uncle Seth!

Max relaxes during his bath in the kitchen sink

Post-bath naked baby and his mommy! He is definitely the cute one here :)

Max in his winter wear!

Uncle Ryan feeds the - you guessed it - starving baby!

Aunt Madison, Grandma, and Max hanging out and watching Charmed!

Uncle Ryan steps in to save Max from all the ladies!

Max and Grandma

Max and Aunt Madison

Uncle Ryan fills Max in on the facts of life

Mr.Maximilian

Max in his bear-wear for keeping warm!

Uncle Ryan gives Max a morning cuddle

Uncle Seth's morning hair

Zaidie Michael and Max

Max models his new clothes (including his sweet lookin' shoes!)

Sittin' up!

Another iresistable outfit to go with his irresistable smile!

2009-02-01T22:57:00.000-08:00

Hi out there! How is everyone? Staying nice and warm I hope (it seems to be cold everywhere but here. I'm not complaining!).

Max is now 8 and a half weeks. I can't believe how fast the past 2 months have gone. Max is constantly changing but is still our adorable and irresistable peanut who stays up all night. All he wants to do is be around us. We have some nasty habits of his to break already. But we'll get to it all soon enough. Right now we are just enjoying every second of him.

He sleeps best in his Babybjorn. He can conk out in there for HOURS!

Max and I are heading home to Montreal at the end of February(the 27th through March 8th) and we are SO excited to see everyone! Max is dying to meet the Canadian contingent of the family (almost as much as he looks forward to heading to the UK later this year!) and have his first taste of cold snowy Montreal winter weather. We will be bundling up and staying inside where it is nice and warm. He can see the snow from the inside looking out. It will be ineresting to see how he does on a plane! Poor little guy will have a long day of travel. But as long as there is a mommy to cuddle up to and lots to eat..I think he will be just fine (and inevitably the center of attention as he already is).

Other than that - all is well. Max is making us laugh constantly. He has a lot of spirit and attitude. He is great company during the day. Hates being on his tummy. Finally is learning to love his swing. LOVES his pacifier (or someone's clean finger). Really enjoys books and stories. Has his own iPod filled with Max music including Raffi, Sharon, Lois, and Bram, and Disney soundtrack music. Enjoys taking a shower. And overall is just awesome!

And now I am off to get him ready for bed while daddy gets ready to give him a bottle before sleep. Here are some new pictures of Mr.Max who can't wait to meet all of you soon!

Enjoy!

Max falls asleep and nothing can wake him - other than us putting him down! Sleeps with his mouth open - where did he get that from?

Umm...no comment...

Max looks right into the webcam so we can take a picture to send Daddy at work so he knows we miss him during the day.

Max sports some stylin' post-shower hair!

Grandpa came for a visit and Max happily used him as a pacifier!

Daddy and Grandpa shared the stroller pushing duties.

Going in for the nose pick!

Mommy and Grandpa!

The Many Faces of Max!

Happy Max!

BIG Yawns!

Daddy's favorite expression!

Smiling at Daddy

Laughing at Daddy!

And that's it for this update! Stay tuned for more photos and Max updates soon. He has his next doctors appointment in 3 weeks so we will let you know what happens with him then. I expect him to be at least 15 pounds (ok..maybe closer to 8). We love you guys!

An Update - Week 6

2009-01-18T21:59:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick Max update. The little one is doing great! He has gained a pound and grown an inch and the doctor says he is all healthy. He has a lot of personality too and a variety of expressions that keep Nick and I laughing. He is quite the character - we can see it already.

He has a lot of likes and dslikes already -

Likes -

Pots and pans

Raffi Music

Being held

Staying up all night

Dislikes -

Sleep

Waking up once he is asleep

Baths

Diaper Changes

Nick can't stop singing Skinamarink by Sharon, Lois & Bram. He says Max likes it...but it is cleary Nick's favorite song. If they had a dance mix version of it, he would be in heaven.

Max is much more alert and aware these days. We looks at the pictures in books when i read to him and admires the toys on his play mat when we put him down on it. He is great at lifting his head up when he is enjoying some tummy time and is not far from holding his head up on his own all the time.

He is also finally starting to fit into some of the 0-3 month old clothes! Woohoo!

Nick and I are doing fine. A little worn out and tired but we are both madly in love with Max. We are both overwhelmed by how protective we feel. It is amazing how all of a sudden...one day...there is a little person home with you who becomes your everthing. A little vulnerable peanut who you want to do everything and anything for. It really is an amazing thing. I can already see how hard it is going to be for me to go to work and leave him with someone else to watch over him. I don't know how I'm going to do it.

We heart the Max!

Here are some new pictures of Mr.Max. We will be updating soon with pictures from Grandpa's visit last weekend...but in the meantime - here he is!

We miss you guys!

A soon-to-be thumb sucker!

Little feets! (he loves a foot rub - just like his mommy!)

Max and Mommy!

Fast asleep - the close-up!

The cutest picture EVER!

Max in the BabyBjorn!

Max on the Play Mat!

Max - Week 2

2008-12-21T21:46:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick update.

Max is doing great. He lost a pound after he was born and is finally gaining weight again with a little help from some formula and regular feedings (every 3 hours - 4 at most - no sleep for any of us :))

He is slowly spending more time awake and looking around, though he is still a pretty sleepy kid. He is pretty mellow though and definitely not a big cryer - with the exception of when his diaper s being changed. He has no interest in being naked or enduring cold wipes. Nic and I are still learning the joys of changing al ittle boy and he has already peed all over his clothes several times. Lesson learned - change boys fast. Of course, no one gets more upset when that happens than Max who lets out a furious scream. I can't help but crack up when he does that. He is IRATE at the mess. He has a personality already! We are all in trouble.

He is great at lifting his head - we saw in the hospital that he is a pretty strong camper and he is just getting stronger still and we can lie him down and he will look up at us. He is alll muscle this kid.

His umbilical cord stub finally fell off today so this week will bring our first bath. We'll see how he reacts to that. Bets are high he will like the bath itself but HATE getting out. We will need a nice warm room for that.

In the meantime he loves sleeping near us and gets a little cranky when left on his own in his crib - but we will forgive him for now and give him lots of love and reassurance. We can't resist.

And that is it. We celebrated our first Hannukah with Max last night. He slept through most of it but couldn't stop staring at his new elephant toy when he was awake enough to check it out. We look forward to seeing how he will react to Xmas on Thursday (stay tuned for lots of pictures!).

Finally, here is a link to some new pictures. There are a bunch..so instead of uploading them all, I thought it was easier to send a link to where they all are and just have a few teaser shots (as up above) here :)

Enjoy and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Presenting Max!

2008-12-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I know most of you have heard, but Nick and I are the very proud parents of little Maximilian Clark Fischer-Goldsworthy. He was born via c-section yesterday at 2:45pm. He came out 19 inches long, weighing a healthy 6.5 pounds. He has been checked by his pediatrician and all of the doctors and he is perfectly healthy in evey way. He's been feeding well and keeping me up all night but it is well worth the exhaustion.

Daddy is on his way home from the UK with his approved work Visa..woohoo ....and a big thanks goes out to Max's grandma for stepping in and holding my hand through the c-section and Max's first long night :)

Now...without any further hesitation - I present - MAX! (more pictures to follow soon)

QUick but important baby update!

2008-12-02T14:18:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick update to fill you in on the latest Max news.

On the Nick front - he has successfully gotten his Visa approved and is now waiting to get it in hand and come home. Wooohoo! I am SO happy for him.

On the Max front - last week we had an ultrasound and mr.Max was about 6 pounds then and still breech. So the doctor's set up something called a version where they try to manually turn him into the right birthing position. Being that I was a little low on the amniotic fluid side, they had me go in asap to try that before max got any bigger and took up all the room in there. So this morning, bright and early, my mom and I headed to the hospital. We got in...hopped up on the bed and had an ultrasound. The nurse took one look at it and told me that my Amniotic fluids were getting really low and chances are the procedure wouldn't work. Then she went to consult the doctor.

Long story short - dosctor came in and not only was the procedure not going to work but the doctor felt that the baby needed to come out reasonably soon. So essentially - the c-section is on Thursday at 2pm PST.

It is all a little overwhelming. But in 48 hours - Nick and I will be proud parents of a baby boy.

This will probably be the last pre-baby update! So stay tuned for pictures and updates about Max!

The Baby Shower Photos

2008-11-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

A lot of updates these days! I hope everyone is not too bored of checking out pictures of the HUGE bump! Went to the doctor today - Max is still all good and things are on track. No big news there.

We have finally gotten pics from the baby shower and wanted to share them with all of you!

Enjoy!

A Vegetable Face!

Baby Shower Games - Nick and I did not win - but we had a good time losing!

Sienna was not as excited about the games as we were.She was, however, delighted with the fish and cat I drew. Thank goodness someone appreciates my art.

The "Guess What's In the Diaper" Game. Nick LOVED IT!

Nick takes a taste and grosses the whole crowd out!

"HOW DARE YOU SCORE HIGHER THAN ME!"

The YUMMY Baby Shower Cake arranged for by Nick. Mmmmm..cake!
Nick is VERY excited about cake! VERY EXCITED!

Opening some GREAT gifts!

A homemade quilt and pillow set - we love it!

Paul the Photographer

Thu - the superstar event coordinator

The party wind-down

That's it. Just a few shots to share that afternoon with you! Stay tuned for more Max updates :)

The Wedding Photos!

2008-10-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ok.so here is part 2 of the wedding update! There were a lot of pictures and we had to narrow it down to our favorites! Enjoy!

Dad is pacing! Unclear if it is thestate of the market or his daughter gettig married that is causing this (...or the lack of coffee and cigarettes. There are a lot of factors at play!)

Signing our lives away (signing the marriage license) and promising it is the whole truth and nothin but the truth!

Woohoo! No turning back now - the ink is on the paper!

A family photo!

Dad gives Nick some fatherly advice - "If you mess with my daughtr, I'll punch you in the face!"

"Oy...such a pretty face!"

My pretty momma!

Getting ready to do the deed (talking to th Deputy Marriage Commissioner)

The official ceremony

"You may now kiss the bride" (though this also strangely looks like I'm sucking the life out of Nick...is that what marriage is?)

Officially a married couple!

"Oh my...what have we done??"

Me and Mom!

Dad and Brucie - post-wedding glow! :)

The official stuff is done - let the silliness begin!

On the phone with MAQ!

No idea what is going on with my face here but I like it!No comment on what we think Dad is doing here...but Brucie had better watch out! :)

The ceremony

2008-10-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

So the deed is done and Nick and I are officially a married couple! Crazy huh? The ceremony was fun. City hall was a mad house and filled with atmosphere and lots of gay marriages. But after getting our license and sitting back and relaxing bit, we found a quiet little corner of City Hall where the Deputy Marriage Commissioner performed a really nice little ceremony and that was it! We then headed out for a delightful lunch! We haven't had a chance to go through all the pictures yet and upload the other video - but in the meantime - here it is..the official ceremony!

In other news, everything with Max is just fine. He is now weighing in at 4.5 pounds (remaining in the 60th percentile for weight) and is still breech. Nothing is confirmed yet but every day he doesn't shift is one day closer to a c-section. I'm torn in how I feel about that - but at leas it will give me a date to look forward to. But he is big and kicking and healthy! The diabetes is going ok too. We have our moments of things being a little higher than they should..but all in all we are managing.

Also, a big congratulations to Mr.Nick who successfully landed himself a new job this week! YAY! He will be working with me here at SEGA which will make all the Max stuff really convenient! I'm very excited about it (as is he)! We are just plodding through the imigration paperwork to ensure he has his visa/work permit and the he will jump right in here!

Those are all the updates for now! Stay tuned for pictures when we get them up!

10 week update!

2008-10-19T14:16:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,

Just a quick update in honor of reaching the 30 week mark. Woohoo! 10 more weeks and counting (9 weeks and 5 days from now..not that i'm counting down the seconds!).

So an update on Mr.Max - everything is fine with him. We had a check-up at the doctors on Friday and heard a nice healthy heartbeat. THe doctor measured the size of my ever growing tummy and said that it looks to be growing at the right rate for where we should be at. So I measured 30 centimeters at 30 weeks. PERFECT! He has started hiccuping. I didn't even think about that until my mom asked me about it yesterday which made me realize that that is exactly what those really rhythmic movements I was feeling are! Even Nick had a chace to feel it. Now that I've noticed it..it is all I can feel now. I think he gets them at least a few times a day..definitely at night before bed. It is unmistakeable now. It's cute. He hiccups like his mommy.

The diabetes is going ok. At the last appointment the doctor told me I had lost a pound and that though I was controlling my blood sugar when I could, it seemed my fasting sugars were constantly high (the test I take as soon as I woke up). So she put me on 10 units of insulin a night - which didn't help. So I've moved up to 15 units and that seems to be helping me even out. Food choices are getting tough. I think Nick and I are getting tired of the food choices...but I'm not entirely surpried about that. Just a few more weeks before we can eat anything anytime without having to worry about sticking to my times and portion control. I can't wait! I'm not a huge fan of the evening needles...but....they make it easy to do.

We have our next appointment on the 28th and that one is an ultrasound..so stay tuned for more pictures :)

We had our baby shower yesterday. The people at work threw it for us and it was really nice. They had old pictures of Nick and I from when we were little all over the room...came up with some fun games....and we all indulged in some yummy foods. On top of that..we got some great gifts. Some of the people at work came together and bought us our crib which is now built and ready for the mattress (ordered and on the way) and then ready for Mr.Max. We got some great toys and clothes - including a Darth Vader costume and a homemade quilt . THis kid is DESTINED for nerdiness! :) I'm so proud. All in all it was a great time and we will put up the pictures soon. Of course...we missed having you all there with us, it definitely wasn't the same without our closest family and friends there to celebrate and eat cake!

Finally - and here is the big news - Nick and I have decided to tie the knot at city hall. We have an appointment on the 27th...a week from Monday. We aren't making a big deal out of it - doing it more to ensure I don't lose Nick to immigration than anything else. Though we intended to get married, we didn't plan on doing it now - we hoped we would be able to do it when you all could be here with us - but it just didn't work out that way. But don't worry, we fully plan to have a big party next year to celebrate Max and the marriage with the people we love! So next Monday will be very low key. We are only allowed 2 people in the room with us and 6 guests (the other 4 have to sit outside while we are officially married) - so are keeping it small and simple. No rings..no fancy clothes..just Nick and I and city hall (and a couple of witnesses! :))

It is kinda crazy. Nick and I talk about how..if you would have told either us a year ago tha we would be pregnant and a week away from getting married..we both woul have laughed. So much has changed. Lots of stress...but lots of excitement too.

So there is our update! We will be sure to put up pics of everything going on - baby showers....wedding ceremonies...and ultrasounds...in the next couple of weeks!

Missing all of you!

2008-09-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

So it is official - I have gestational diabetes. It will make for an adjustment in what I eat and when I eat it - but it looks all manageable. It has been a bit of a scary ride and I would be lying if I said it hasn't been emotional and bit tough but we will get through it. The one thing that was exciting was that we got to see the little bugger in an ultrasound and he is doing just find.

He is currently a whopping 2 lbs, 9oz - therefore in the 60th percentile - so not too big (which is good news). All looks good

with him and he was kicking up a storm while the ultrasound was going on. He clearly did not like being disturbed during naptime.

They did the ultrasound a little differently this time - all of the ones they gave us are of the 3D variety - so they are a little hard to see, but once you adjust to how to look at these...it will be absolutely clear!

So no more waiting...here he is:

I LOVE this picture! A nice big smile (or so it seems), big eyes, and his cute little nose are relatively easy to spot!

More looking happy and relaxed in there.

Bit of a profile shot - you can even spot a little ear!

Another profile shot - and a definite ear. Right in front of his face are his two little feet and you can see his hand propping up his head. That is a big weight to carry. Notice the already chubby cheeks. I think that may come from my side :)

Look at his LONG neck!

That is all we have for now. We have another doctor's appointment this week where we get all of our pediatrician information and information about registering at the hospital. Then an appointment with the dietician next week to make sure my blood sugar levels are ok just with diet and exercise. And then soon we will have another ultrasound! I can't get enough of seeing him in there!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures - less than 3 months now.

26 Weeks- or the Three Month Coundown

2008-09-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

Ok..so admitedly it has been a while since we updated. It is a cross between nothing new to tell and the fact that, when not on the road to international locations, I can't keep my eyes open past 9pm anymore. Haven't quite decided yet if that is because I never sleep longer than 2 hours at night without having to wake up for shift positions or dash to the toilet...or just because overall I'm just plain old tired.

So here is the quick update to be followed by some belly pictures. My HUGE belly!

Everything is all good with Mr.Max (aka The little bugger which will inevitably evolve to Bug - I can see it now). He is kicking all the time now - hard enough for Nick to actually feel it and for anyone looking to see my stomach jump whenever he kicks nice and hard. Of course, he spends most of his time shamelessly kicking my bladder - so no one gets to enjoy that but me! It is easily one of the weirdest feelings ever.

On the not-so-fun side, I have to go in for my second gestational diabetes test as I was high on the first one. According to the doctor, about 40% of women fail that first time - but the idea that there may be something wrong never makes me feel good. Nick and I have often talked aobut he fact that almost everytime we have an appointment, I come back worried about some test result. Medical fear mongering. It is definitely stressful. I am never quite sure what I will have to worry about next - not that just having a baby and being a parent doesn't worry me enough. Hopefully the results will come in saying there is nothing wrong and we will move on from there. If not, it is off to the nutritionist for me. Admitedly, the worst part for me at the moment is the fasting. How can I not eat for 12 hours now. IT IS KILLING ME. I'm secretly now looking forward to the DISGUSTING orange soda I will get to drink tomorrow morning.

Other than that, Nick has been working really hard to get the apartment ready for Max. We had a run around town checking out everything on our registry and are getting ready to start putting in the orders. We actually have some space to put everything in now. Max has his very own dresser packed full of adorable clothing thanks to all the family making sure he well dressed (and if we haven't said it already - let me just say a huge thank you for everything everyone has sent/bought us! We can't wait to get him all dressed up. So many blog updates!)!

Pre-natal classes will start at the end of October where I get to hear all the joys of labor and the week after we will learn all about caring for a newborn and infant CPR. Yikes! So much to learn! It is still surreal to think we will have a baby in this apartment - our baby - in just a few months. Sometimes the reality of that sets in and other times it feels like at any point someone is going to jump out holding a camera and tell us we are on some twisted episode of candid camera. Of course, then my back aches and my feet swell and baby brain takes over and I forget everything I should remember and Max dances on my bladder and I quickly realize that he is indeed in there and growing fast!

I'm finally done with the travelling. Last weeks' trip was the last for me. The Virgin staff took exceptional care of me..bringing me bowls of fruit and bottles of water. But I have had enough plane rides to last me a lifetime and I'm ready to take it easy. Doctor's appointments are getting closer together too. 3 weeks until the next one...then I move to the every two week appointments. We have about 3 months to go until Max arrives. That is both an eternity and the shortest amount of time ever.

So that is pretty much the big update. Nothing really exciting other than the nesting beginning...lots of kicking.....and a huge belly. Ok....no more waiting...here they are....the belly photos (no comments on how big I am...as of yet the doctor has NOT told me to stop stuffing my face!)

:)

Here is photo number one - with lovely SF/Marin in the background.

Get ready - here is the belly - in all it's pale Canadian glory! I try to keep it covered so I don't blind people when the sun is out :)

I am a constant source of heat which makes me the most attractive pillow for our roomates. If I am lying down..sititng on the couch...anyhwere within reach..I am an automatic attraction. I am now better than lying in the sun. As long as they are near the oven I call the baby belly - they are happy. Max likes the purring I think. He kicks whenever one of them lies on my tummy and purrs.

And last, but most definitely not least - we received a lovely present from Nick's aunt - the delightful Eira - who drew us a piece of original art celebrating our engagement. We just wanted to post it here and send out a big thanks for that!

That's it for us! I promise I will update soon with news. As soon as he starts kicking hard enough for real movement to show - we may even take a video to share so you can all see the alien living in there!

Updates (21 Weeks) and Engagements

2008-08-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

Lots of updates since the last time we put any news on here. On the baby front - all is well. The little bugger is happy and healthy and has finaly started kicking hard enough tha we both can feel it (although I get it a lot more - he seems to go quiet when Nick comes around. Already this kid won't perform to entertain us). We are at 21 weeks and all tests and last ultrasound results came in just great. So we are on track for our Xmas baby!

Thought I'm sure everyone reading this knows, the big update is that Nick proposed. I have NO idea it was coming. None at all. A friend from work told me that she needed to talk to me and took me outside to my office courtyard. I looked up and saw some of my friends there but thought nothing of it. Even when I saw the man on the horse in a full suit

of armor - it didn't click. It wasn't until I looked around at all the expectant faces of work and family friends that I clued into what was going on. But let's be honest - a picture says 1000 words so here are the photos taken by our friend Paul (and...just in case you weren't sure - I said

yes!)

Here is Nick's suit of armor before assembly:

Nick makes a quick pre-proposal call:

Jared, Nick's squire, prepares for his role in the show:

The knight mount his trusty steed:

The knight rides in to claim his bride:

A good bride gets all teary..I, on the other hand, can't stop laughing:

The proposal:

The beautiful ring:

And here are some photos of the aftermath, the hugs, and celebrations:

The SEGA team joins us for the celebration:

Videos

2008-07-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

I'm testing out the video capabilities of this site...not sure how this will work or how interesting you guys will find this..but lets give it a try and see how it goes!

Enjoy!
Tali

The Big Reveal

A Face - I See A Face!

A Face...I See A Face Pt.2

A Little Moving and Shaking

18 Weeks and It's official...

2008-07-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

we're having a boy! Woohooo.

Yesterday was the ultrasound where we saw all the working everything - heart, brain, kidneys, stomach, legs, hands, finger, feet...we saw it all. It was amazing. He is already 9 ounces and the ultrasound put us at 18 weeks 5 days, which is 5 days later when we though. The ultrasound also put us at a December 21 due date. I'm not entirely clear which one of the two is more accurate (my original due date or this one) but all I do know is that the baby is big and perfect :) He was super active in there. Completely different then the last time we had an ultrasound where he slept the whole time. This time he was moving and shaking and dancing and looking around. The technician had a great show and then when the doctor came in the baby sat straight up and wouldn't move - so the doctor couldn't see a thing. Fortunately he was able to check-out everything the technician prepared and said all looks happy and healthy! Woohoo!

In the meantime..I am feeling fine but exhausted. I'm off to Japan tomorrow. I need to get all the travel out of my system before I'm on a travel break!

WIthout further delay...here are the latest ultrasound images including a 3d version of the baby's face:

The little bugger was all bent in half by the end of the ultrasound - we are still trying to figure out where he gets his flexibility from:

A profile shot. You will see the umbilical cord right infront of his face - which is preparing you for the next picture I will put up:

This is the 3D picture of the baby. You can see his little face and the umilical cord hanging there just messing up the picture a tiny bit. So you have the ultrasound version from the side (above) and here is how he looks in 3D!

This one is areally hard to see, but this is his fact looking right at the camera:

Here are his two little feet:

You can see a pretty well defined arm in here - I love baby bone structure! :)

And finally - here is a little hand:

We will also put up some ultrasound videos. So stay tuned for another update! :)

17 Weeks - The Update

2008-07-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

Well hello everyone!

Today we reached 17 weeks! Woohoo! Almost halfway there. I can't believe how time flies! We had a visit with the doctor today and all is well. I've gained a HUGE 9 pounds since I found out i was pregnant. I'm MASSIVE! We heard the little heartbeat- strong and fast. It was wonderful to hear.

All our genetic testing results came back really positive. We have nothing to be worried about. So good news all around this week.

According to the book - the little bugger weighs 5 ounces and is 5 inches long. I can't feel any moving yet....but I should in the next few weeks, although chances are I won't recognize it so quickly. So exciting and weird alll at the same time.

Other than that - no news. Next week we find out if it is a boy or a girl. SO exciting.

I thought it was about time to show off the growing baby belly...so here is the first picture of the tummy (note I'm spoting my fancy new maternity clothes. LOVE the elastic waistband jeans!)

Stay tuned for an update next week! The BIG update! Any bets on boy or girl??
:)

Update!

2008-07-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how during pregnancy there is so much and so little happening at the same time. There is a baby who grows bigger and bigger every day - but there is generally not much to talk about. Even though I seem to have no problem talking baby any chance I get!

I spent a fantastic week last week visiting JW in Newburyport and Boston - both of which are places i can see settling down in and then headed to Montreal to visit with family and friends before the big JW/SG wedding (which was amazing). Over the course of that whirlwind week of fun I finally bought some little irresistibly cute baby clothes and my first maternity clothes. All I can say is this - I LOVE maternity pants. Elastic waistbands are where it is at people. I think the saying should be once you go elastic - you can never go back. It is weird to be really getting into this whole baby thing . I think there is a part of me that still holds back and feels like this isn't real and awaits each doctors appointment nervously - terrified I will find out something is wrong. I don't know if that ever gets easier My mom swears that the worry starts now and goes on for the rest of my life as a parent. Good times ahead for a neurotic crazy worrier like me! :)

Nick and I got some great news this week when we found out he tested negative for the Fanconi anemia. It makes me immensely happy to know we don't have to worry about that (not that I don't worry about anything else). Even though everyone was convinced there was nothing to worry about, knowing that everything was ok on that front - hearing it from the doctor - made me feel SO much more at ease.

I'm not feeling well today. Scratchy throat and nausea...not fun. I think I'm getting a cold but it is the last thing I wanted for the long weekend. Boo. Now I am cranky.

On the other front - Nick and I started a baby registry. So exciting! We did it on BabiesRUs for now, but I think we will have one on Target too because it seems things are cheaper there. We figured this was the easiest way to keep track of what we want and need. Take a look at it here and let me know what I'm missing (although I know there will be LOTS) - just click HERE and you should find it (*EDIT - I've also added an Amazon Baby Registry which has the same items...I just find it a little easier to maneuver. You can find that HERE). We didn't put the little things on...like the receiving blankets or the diapers or the onesies...we figure those are easy to run and pick up at Target - but just the bigger things we want to remember and get opinions on :) Any feedback is MUCH appreciated!

Ok...I am off to try not to throw up and to lie here feeling miserable and cranky!

Doctor's Appointments and Blood Test Results at week 13

2008-06-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was my check-up and all is looking good with the baby. We listening to the heartbeat which was around the 150 mark which is good. The doc said that it should be between 120 and 170 - so we are at the right point. I am always more than relieved to heart that heartbeat and know everything is ok. How did women live before these things existed? It must have been SO stresssful! The doctor did say that it looks like the blood clot is gone so last weeks bleeding was likely the last bit of that. Woohoo.

The doctor then went through m blood test results and it turns out that I am a carrier for something called Fanconi Anemia. I/90 Ashkenazi jews is a carrier and in the general population it is 1/300 however only 1000 people in the world actually have the disease. It didn't make me happy to hear that I was a carrier. The next step is that Nick has to get a blood test and see if he is a carrier. If he is, then onto further testing for the baby to see if the baby has the disease. If Nick isn't, then we are fine and there is nothing to worry about as the normal gene will win out.

It made me sad to hear that there may be a problem, even if I know the chances are slim. I feel like I can't just relax and enjoy this pregnancy because at every turn there is something that make me feel like I can't get attached and really start planning. I just want to hear that everything is ok and I have nothing to worry about anymore. I can't wait to get to that point. Nick is going to go for his blood test on Monday so hopefully we have the results soon. I just want to not have to think or worry about anything other than the baby arriving in a few months. *sigh* I'm so frustrated with all these problems. I sometimes wonder if it was better in the days when they didn't know so much or if it is better to know everything and just feel in a perpetual state of nerves. Hopefully we will know soon.

Venting

2008-06-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy is stressful. That is my lesson in all this. I really had no idea of all the worries that come with being a pregnant woman. I think in my head I expected to immediately grow, sprout some large breasts, and skip along happily until I easily and painlessly popped out a perfectly adorably baby who would sleep through the night and be the delight of the entire family. Well the past three weeks of knowing I was pregnant have possibly been the hardest, most stressful 3 weeks of my life. I cannot lie when I say that sometimes I just want to break down in tears and confess that I cant deal with it and I just want a break.

With this blood clot and this weeks bleeding, I've found myself so concerned that I'm happiest just sitting on the couch and relaxing and putting NO strain on my body. Everytime I walk or move - I worry that i am putting too much strain on things. Then I think - back in the olden day they would work through their entire pregnancy. So along with modern technology comes a COMPLETE fear of being a functioning human being. I know I know it is just an adjustment to things being different and it will only get easier as I get farther along and I can actually feel the baby move - but DAMN I had no idea how much anxiety comes with being responsible for something like a baby and how hard and scary pregnancy can be.

Of course, all of this is outside just the normal fears of "Will I be a good mommy?" "will we be able to afford all the things this baby deserves" "where should we live" "when do I go back to work" etc...etc...

It can truly be an overwhelming experience and I just wish I could have an OB doctor living here 24 hours a day telling me what is ok and what isn't. That would be the MOST awesome thing ever. Can someone arrange that for me please?
I
On the flipside..I can't wait until I am showing. I mean...really showing. I find the idea of that IMMENSELY exciting!

A Roller Coaster Ride of a Day!

2008-06-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

Today was a scary day. I woke up at almost 5 am to some bleeding. Bleeding is easily a pregnant woman's worst nightmare. I was instantly in tears as I woke Nick up and broke the news. I was sure I was having a miscarriage. But the bleeding stopped very quickly and I spent the next few hours sitting in bed feeling extremely stressed and anxious. It was really really terrible. We went to the Genetic counsellor for our session to talk about appropriate testing. It was SO hard sitting there knowing that the only thing in the world i wanted to the ultrasound. I wanted to know if the baby was ok or not and start dealing with it. The waiting was awful

Like a good girl, I sat there drinking my water in preparation for the ultrasound. By the time we left the counseling session I thought my bladder was going to explode (for those of you who haven't experienced the joy of the ultrasound yet, they want you to have a full bladder to help them see things more easily and push the uterus out). By the time they called me in, I was so ready to blow I almost danced with joy. But before there was any relief - she had to have a look around and she couldn't find what she needed to find. I almost cried. Everything inside me just wanted to curl up in a ball and be miserable. She went to get something from the other room and told me I could FINALLY pee. YAY! When she came back in (me feeling slightly better)....she found the baby right away and the little bugger was JUST FINE.

He/she was dancing away in my tummy and the truth came out that sometimes when mommy uses the bathroom, it wakes the little fetus up and that is what she was hoping for - some movement. So the little alien was moving and shaking in there. A lot of jerky movements that looked like hiccups. Then we saw his/her little heart fluttering and the technician turned on the speakers and we heard the best sound ever - a nice, strong, 164 BPM heartbeat.

The relief and joy that ran through my system was electric. I wouldn't stop the tears of relief. I was SO happy to know that the baby was ok.

These ultrasounds aren't as clear, and I had to use some unusual methods to get these onto the blog, but take a look:

In this one, you can see a face in the left corner of the ultrasound. It looks like an alien - but it is MY alien!

Here are a couple of profile shots, you can see a big fat head in the right hand corner:

And finally, this one is upside down because I think it is easiest to see this way, but along the bottom you can see a very defined spine:

So I'm happy at the end of the day to say that it looks like the baby is doing ok. I'm still a small ball of nerves wondering why there was bleeding and how much I have to worry...but I think it is a good sign that we have made it successfully to week 12 (as of today) and there was a healthy heartbeating. The doctor doesn't seem worried so I will try not to be worried. But it is hard to not be concerned about something so precious.

I can tell you that my back is killing me so I am going to post this blog and go lie down in the most comfortable position and just relax for the rest of the evening!

Yeah - you heard me!

2008-06-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

So about 3 weeks ago, I visited the doctor, prepared to find out that there was yet another problem with my reproductive system and I was on the verge of having another horrific surgery to ensure. I went for some tests and prepared for the worst. The very next day - coincidentally my birthday - the doctor called and instead of telling me what i feared hearing the most, all she said was congratulations.

I'm pregnant.

I'm sorry. I'm WHAT?

The next day was the ultrasound where i found out I have a small blood clot that is reasonably normal during pregnancy and required me to take things easy. I also found out that I was 9 weeks along. CRAZY! I saw : this crazy little character in my tummy wiggle around. There was a little heart beating (which I cannot lie..I couldn't see). There are arms and legs...well..let me just show you:

So the past couple of weeks have been immensely interesting. I've been a ball of excitement, anxiety, hormones, mood swings, stress...a little bit of everything. I'm a nervous wreck about what this blood clot can cause. I'm aware of everything I eat and drink. I get stressed about every little unfamiliar ache an pain. I read the books obsessively. I'm immensely excited and don't know how I will last 6 months. It is all a little overwhelming and hard to explain to the people around me. I feel bloated and full and hungry all at once. And I Have to pee every two seconds. It is such a whirlwind of feelings.

But overall, I can't lie. I'm really excited. I have an ultrasound on Friday and I CANNOT wait to see this little thing again.I want to know that everything is ok and he/she is growing and looks as healthy as can be. I just want to know everything is ok enough for me to start getting attached to the fact that on December 26th - I'm due to become a mommy. What a Christmas present!