the littlest davis has arrived!

It is with much joy that Brandon and I announce the arrival of a healthy and beautiful baby boy on Saturday, February 28th at 2:59pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz. and was 21 inches long.

I needed to be induced, so labor was relatively quick...but not relatively painless! Many thanks to Dr. Whiteside, the labor & delivery nurses and the entire staff at Magee for all of their help.

Love forever to my adoring husband who has amazed me more in the last week than I could ever have thought possible. He is already the best Daddy in the world.

Now that my protective mothering instinct has kicked in, I am hesitant to post too many details or photos of our little guy. I will be more than happy to send them to you individually if you email us at brandonandjen@verizon.net. Better to be safe, we think!

Thanks again for your interest in reading our Baby Blog all of these months of waiting. I know it will be, along with all of your good thoughts and wishes, something that we can share with our son forever!

Much love,
Jennifer, Brandon and The Littlest Davis :)

41-week check-up (yes, folks, i'm still pregnant)

We didn't think we'd still be waiting at this point, but since we are, we went to our 41-week check-up with Dr. Whiteside today.


Since I am overdue, they immediately hooked me up with a Non-Stress Test. This monitored the baby's heartbeat as well as any contractions I was having to see how Baby D. was responding. We watched for 30 minutes as the heartbeat fluctuated from 129 up to 183, depending on how much movement there was. That was good, they said! They wanted to make sure that there was no stress on the baby and that the baby was moving as expected. Baby D. passed with flying colors!


After another internal exam, they determined that I was 4cm dilated (as opposed to 3-4cm last week) and still 80% effaced. Dr. Whiteside said that they would not let me go past 42 weeks, which is good.


I am taking the next two days off from work, just to rest and see if anything happens. We will keep everyone posted.


On an aside, I am starting to wonder if they mis-calculated my due date. I read that the average pregnancy lasts 280 days and today is approximately day 278... so maybe I'm not really late at all??? Wouldn't that be something? :)

four days late...

Those of you who know me well, know that I hate being late (even a minute) for anything! Plus, Brandon and I both like to be in control of situations and we are quickly learning that with babies...well, I guess that's just not possible.


Here we sit, four days after our due date with nary a contraction. We've tried all of the "home remedies" that have been suggested to us to no avail. We know we must be patient, but it's getting difficult for both Brandon and me to sit around, waiting for the most dramatic and important event of our lives to commence. When we least expect it, it will happen, I am sure.


My doctor said that 90% of babies arrive within one week of their due dates. So, we have today, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday for that to happen. If I make it to my appointment Wednesday at lunch time, they will schedule an induction. I am going to ask if they can do it Thursday. Why not?


I shudder at the thought of going back to work tomorrow. I am starting to feel like everyone's science experiment. *sigh* But I don't want to waste any more vacation or personal days. Plus, it makes the time go faster.


I never did get that "burst of energy/nesting instinct" that everyone said I would get a day or two before...so I decided, at Brandon's suggestion, to fake it by cleaning out my closet. This was much-needed and it looks a whole lot nicer.


Until there is more exciting news to post (i.e. our child's eventual birth), I've included some pictures of my belly from yesterday. This is hopefully as big as it gets, folks!

Until next time,

Mama & Baby D.

just noting...

I am officially one day late. I know it's common with first babies (I was two weeks late, for goodness sake) but I still thought I'd be having some kind of "action" by now.

Planning on going home, bouncing on my exercise ball, eating pineapple and drinking red raspberry tea. Can't hurt, right? (Well, maybe the bouncing part...)

I am also taking a personal day tomorrow so tonight would be PERFECT. (You hear that, Baby Davis?) Plus, one of my favorite docs is on call.

Until next time...

40-week check-up (please, God, don't let there be a 41)

I had my weekly appointment with Dr. Whiteside today at 11:45 and we went in feeling VERY positive about the progress that we thought we were making, seeing as how I had a few contractions, I was already 3-4 cm. dilated, and especially after what Dr. Delo did to me last week!

The assistant, Andrea, said that if I was 5-6 cm. this week I would go straight to the hospital --have faith, she said! We were pumped!!

Dr. W. came right in, got down to business (while Andrea held my hand in support on the other side) and announced "You're still 3-4 cm., 80% effaced..." My heart deflated like a balloon. No progress -- at all??? I was so disappointed, and knew Brandon would feel the same.

I asked her about induction and she said that if I made it to my appointment next Wednesday (which she doesn't think I will), they will schedule an induction at that point. She said that I am looking "so ready" and that the baby's head is "so close"...

*Sigh*

Guess Baby D. will come out when Baby D. is ready, huh?

P.S. Almost forgot to mention that Brandon and I stopped for some Taco Bell afterward in an attempt that the "spicy food" theory works! We'll see...

my pregnancy this week -- due date edition!

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

...and waiting...

Still no news and my due date is tomorrow. Here's hoping that Baby D. doesn't make us wait TOO much longer!

still waiting...

After Thursday's appointment, we really thought something was going to happen this weekend. It's Sunday afternoon and still nothing. Thank goodness it's a long weekend and I am off tomorrow!

Friday night, we thought we were going to the hospital when I had four contractions: one at 6:22, another at 6:35...one more at 7:20 and another at 7:30 (in the Target parking lot). But nothing since! (BTW, if the four that I had were any indication of how labor's going to be...please say a prayer for me. I didn't cry or anything, but OH MY...they were not fun!)

So, no Valentine's baby for us but we did go to the mall and walk a few laps to try to get things "moving" last night. We are just going to go about our business today and continue to wait. Why do I have the feeling I might have to work on Tuesday? Boo to that...

Wait...what just happened?!?!

If you are squeamish, you may not want to read further…just know that we could have a baby by the weekend!

Just got back from the doctor’s office for another internal exam. This one was extra interesting because during the exam the doctor (Dr. Delo, who is wonderful) asks me “Do you want me to strip your membranes?” I must’ve looked at her like a deer caught in headlights, because I stuttered and didn’t know what to say… To which she responded “I’m just going to do it.”

For those of you not familiar with the procedure, here is the definition:

Stripping the membranes is where a health care provider will separate your bag of water from the cervix, it is not intended to break your water, however, it may. It may also cause infection, and may be painful for some. The reason that we tell people that we are stripping their membranes is to "get things going" in regards to labor. This little technique is usually done during a vaginal exam at the end of pregnancy, with or without the knowledge or consent of the woman. Stripping the membranes, we are told, is supposed to stimulate production of prostiglandins in the cervix and bring on contractions. I have heard doctors tell my clients after stripping their membranes they will have the baby in two days. While this may appear to work for some, at term it's all a guessing game. There is no scientific work to date that can back up the routine procedure of stripping membranes.

And yes, it felt as lovely as it sounds.

Baby’s heartbeat was 141. My blood pressure was up and I lost a pound, both of which are signs of impending labor. Unreal!

my pregnancy - 39 weeks

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

I knew this week would be a watermelon because there simply aren't any other fruits or vegetables left that match my size! Our baby FEELS like a watermelon, too...a watermelon that desperately wants OUT! We'll see if we make it to next week...

Brandon convinced me to take a sick day today so I could get some rest. He's so smart. It felt great to sleep in until noon! I will need the energy to make it through the rest of the week. Oh yeah, and also for labor... :)

super bowl xliii

I almost forgot...in the midst of "Baby Watch 2009", the Steelers went to (and WON) Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals in Tampa, Florida. We all watched with excitement (and a bit of stress during that fourth quarter) from Brandon's parents' house in Imperial.

We had quite a spread of local food -- Isaly's chipped-chopped ham BBQ's with Isaly's sauce, Brandon's Dad's famous ribs with Big Ben's BBQ sauch, Primanti's sandwiches, Sarris candies, pierogies, cabbage & noodles, Eat'n Park Smiley cookies...and a host of other appetizers I can't even remember. All I remember was eating ALL DAY LONG! For dessert, we had Klondikes, Clark Bars and Steel City Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream. There was even local beer for the beer drinkers.

Here is Brandon with his Terrible Towel before the game! It brought us luck in 2006 and again this year. (We won the first quarter on a block pool that we split with Kara & Tom - $500 bucks, baby! That is going to the diaper fund.)

We tried to get the kids to pose on the couch. These were the best we could do, because they were all excited about the Steelers, too!

Carly tickling (or tackling) John!

Colin was ready, in his new Willie Parker jersey... Colin actually got us rallied in the last 2 minutes of the game by starting a Terrible Towel wave which led to our victory!

And I brought the Giant Eagle cupcake cake, which was a huge hit!

Chris & Chuck, during halftime, I believe...

To my surprise, I didn't take any pictures of Kara & Tom, Brandon's parents or my parents, who were all there. So I apologize for that. It was a great night, especially because we were all together and won one for the OTHER thumb! Take that, Arizona! :)

38-week checkup with dr. whiteside!

Just got back from my 38-week checkup and we are making progress!

Ready for this?

I am 2 centimeters dilated, 80% effaced and the baby’s head is at “zero station” (for those of you who know what that means). She said (several times) "the head is right there, it's RIGHT there"!

She told me to go ahead and make an appointment for next week, but I may not need it.

AAAAAHH!

Additionally, the heartbeat was 146 and I didn't gain any weight this week. She said that I was "all baby" which is fine by me.

Until next time...
The "Lady in Waiting" (someone actually called me that at Giant Eagle on Saturday)

three hours later...

...I am back from the doctor's with a clean bill of health.

My appointment with Dr. Delo was supposed to be at 11:00 but it was after 11:30 when I was finally seen. By noon, I was given a referral slip for another venous doppler and despite the fact that I had lunch plans with two former co-workers, they needed me to go to Magee immediately. So, I cancelled lunch and made my way to Oakland.

After going through Registration and then sitting in the Radiology Department's waiting room for at least 30 more minutes, I was taken back and they performed the test. Very similar to the test I had done in December for my left knee, but this time a med student and the Radiology Tech did it together so it took a little longer and they didn't let me watch the screen.

All's well that ends well, I suppose. Now if I could only get it to stop hurting... My official 38-week checkup is tomorrow with Dr. Whiteside (even though they told me I could skip it if I wanted) so I'll see if she has any suggestions.

Until next time...

Jennifer & Baby D. :)

my pregnancy -- 38 weeks! (we're getting close, people!!)

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

In other news, we took our last Childbirth class last night and got the insurance paperwork signed. Now we will get money back, which is great. I am glad we made the effort because it was a good refresher on everything we forgot since our last class in December. And...it was a LOT more difficult to get down on the floor and in all of those crazy positions because of my big belly and all the pain in my legs. :( At one point, Brandon and I got to slow dance, so that was nice.

Speaking of leg pain, I have had a pain in my calf muscle since Monday so I am going to get that checked out this morning. I read last night in my pregnancy books that blood clots can occur in 1-2/100 pregnancies (especially in women over 30) so I'm a little scared. Better to get it checked than not, right?

37-week checkup!

Today, I was supposed to have my weekly appointment with Dr. Delo (one of my faves) but she called in sick and so I had to see Erin, the Nurse/Practitioner, who is very nice but no Dr. Delo. We waited an awfully long time because Erin was covering double the patients.

All good news again! (Thankfully!)

Baby's heartbeat was 146 and my blood pressure was still great. I measured exactly where I should be (37 cm.) and I gained one pound! (Wait, why am I happy about this?)

During the exam, she was able to tell that some progress is being made -- the baby's head is moving down, I am starting to "thin out" and I was a "fingertip" dilated!

Next Thursday, I have an appointment with Dr. Whiteside. We should know more then, but a little progress is very exciting!!!

my pregnancy -- 37 weeks! (holy moly!)

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.The vegetables are going international! I had heard of Swiss chard, but I don't think I've actually ever eaten it. We started calling the baby "Swiss Chard-ie Brown" because our nephew John used to pronounce Charlie Brown "Chard-ie Brown". Anyway...inside joke.

This morning, as I saw the 2-4 inches of snow outside with the freezing rain pelting down on top of it...just before our power went out and I had to ask Brandon to manually open the garage door for me so I could get out and drive to work in the ice and snow...I was reminded of the days when women would sit around in their rocking chairs, knitting booties and waiting for their babies to arrive. *Sigh* I can make it 3 more weeks, right?

The best part is that our baby is now full term and would be completely healthy if born today. We are both so thankful for that and for making it this far. Parenthood is just around the corner... :)

pictures from my shower at work!

At long last, here are a few pictures from my work shower which took place January 15th. I already blogged about it, but I just got the pictures today from my friend.

This might be the worst picture I've ever taken...I can't even believe I'm putting it on here! But this was the "moment of surprise"! Not quite sure what I'm doing or saying...

Beautiful diaper-cake centerpieces with tons of fun accessories, made my my co-worker and friend, Melissa.

This cake was adorable...and delicious! From Costco, I believe.

The table, before anyone sat down. They really went all out for me!

Bring on the presents...and more goofy faces!

I was REALLY excited to get our video monitor! We've used it already and it's awesome!

And the final gift of the day was our Travel System (stroller and carrier for those not "in the know"). About 20 people pitched in and we were so thankful!

Now, we're ready for Baby Davis to arrive!!! Thanks to all of my CBS friends (past and present) who attended... xoxo

belly & nursery pics @ 36 weeks

Thought I'd update everyone on my expanding condition! Some say it's quite "basketball-like"...

...and with less than four weeks to go, our nursery is done!

Gotta love removable vinyl wall stickers!

Our changing area...
The crib and tall dresser with matching lamp...

We hope baby Melon loves it as much as we do! Thanks to everyone who bought us gifts that made this all possible. xoxo

36-week checkup

Today was my first "internal" with Dr. Tataneni and it wasn't as bad as I was anticipating. According to her evaluation, nothing was happening yet...which is fine with me since I still have 4 weeks to go! She also performed the Group B Strep test (which I will spare you the details of) and we had a really good talk about pretty much everything related to my fears about the birth. She said that their whole practice's philosophy is not to judge the mother on how she wants to deliver...just to give her what she wants! Even if it's an epidural at 10 cm!! (Which was soo comforting to hear!)

Oh, first they checked the baby's heartbeat which was 160 -- the fastest it's been in a while! My blood pressure, sugar, etc. were all good, too. Interestingly enough, although my belly is measuring properly for this stage of my pregnancy, I did not gain any weight in the past 2 weeks. They didn't seem to be too concerned about this, and I read in one of my many books that you can "level off" toward the end with weight gain. Oh, and she thought baby Melon was about 6 pounds, maybe a little less.

Next appointment is next Friday with Dr. Delo! And then the following week with Dr. Whiteside. Stay tuned for more details...

my pregnancy -- 36 weeks!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

I honestly cannot believe that our little melon will be full-term after this week. My pregnancy has gone by so fast and I can honestly say I'm enjoying every minute of it!

In case you never heard of a "crenshaw melon" -- because we sure hadn't -- here's a photo!

baby shower at work

To my surprise, the ladies at work joined together and threw me a lovely baby shower at 4:00 on Thursday in our large conference room, complete with balloons, diaper cake centerpieces, cake and lots and lots of presents! The only thing missing was Brandon. :(

All told, we were given almost everything left on our registry including our travel system (stroller and carrier), video monitor, boppy and cover, tons of clothes, grooming set, diapers and various other wonderful things I can't remember at this moment.

I was very grateful and overwhelmed by everyone's generosity!

Photos to come; they are on my friend's camera in Punta Cana... :)

my pregnancy - 35 weeks!

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Brandon guessed right two weeks in a row! Honeydew you love me? :)

34-week checkup with dr. tatineni

Today was our last of the 2-week interval check-ups and we had the pleasure of seeing Dr. T., who I blogged about a few months ago. She is so friendly, and really took her time chatting with us, which we appreciated. My blood pressure was great, baby cantaloupe's heartbeat was 151, and my belly (and weight gain) were measuring right on track! All good things. My sugar was a little elevated, which I blame on Christmas and Shower cookies...and cake. :)

I discussed the venous reflux with her and she said it should go away after pregnancy, but she noted that my legs looked a little bit swollen. Time to practice sleeping with my feet propped up on a pillow, while simultaneously trying to stay on my left side. Should be interesting...

My next appointment is in two weeks, where they will do the Group B Strep cultures and start the internal exams -- I can't wait!!! (That was sarcasm, folks...) She also warned me that "everything hurts more in pregnancy". Great... At least she's honest, right?

After that, I'll go every week until the baby comes. Holy moly...can you believe it's getting so close???

my pregnancy - 34 weeks!

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

I don't particularly enjoy this fruit, but I love our little cantaloupe!

my baby shower!

On Saturday, my beautiful Mom threw me the best Baby Shower Brunch ever at Calabria's Restaurant in Castle Shannon. Not only did we get to munch on French Toast and bacon (not to mention my Mother-in-Law's awesome cookies), but I was surrounded by all of the most special ladies in my life and was spoiled beyond belief! We ended up with a house full of baby stuff and all we need now is our little one.

Here I am, with the Grandmas (Brandon's Mom, Linda and my Mom, Pat).

Me and my wonderful sisters-in-law, Kara & Nikki, along with my two beautiful nieces, Carly & Reece.
A table full of my favorite friends: l-r clockwise Carrie Lynn, Heather, Gina, Sara, Melanie, Jodie, Donelle & Carrie. (You all read my blog, right?)

Here I am, gushing over one of the many adorable baby gifts I recieved.

I guess I gushed a lot, didn't I?

I was just very excited. :)

And here we are...me and my wonderful husband, Brandon.

Afterward, my family helped us back to our house to unload our loot. It looked like a mini Babies "R" Us in our kitchen! Reece had fun, playing with a lot of her cousin's new toys...

christmas part two

We spent the afternoon at my parents' house, enjoying Reece and exchanging Christmas presents! Here are some shots of the fun...

Reece surveying all the loot....Mom opening up her presents...

Dad doing the same...Here's one of me...And one of Brandon, too...Here are Chris & Nikki...in front of the roaring fire.

Reece hung out in the rocking chair for a while, pretending to talk on the phone...even though it was really a kitchen timer.
Reece got a beautiful faux fur vest and purse from cousin Kelly, Don & Diaz in New York. Nikki was proud that she knew exactly what to do with the purse!

Afterward, she stripped down to her diaper and hopped on her new rockin' zebra!

As Reece would say "Thank you, Santa"!

happy 2009!

Last night, we rang in the New Year at my cousin Laurie's family's house in Peters Township. We played games with cousins, ate TONS of food, and stayed up WAY past our bedtime. The best part was that Chris, Nikki and Reece were able to celebrate with us for the first time since the Millennium! Here are some shots!

Look who found the dip! Reminds me of myself at that age...

Reece met her cousin Braidyn for the first time. Here they are, checking each other out at the snack table.

Me and Brandon...our last New Year's Eve before becoming parents!

Mom and Dad, enjoying some New Year's bubbly...

My Uncle Pudge set up quite an impressive fireworks display!

Here is the whole gang -- and this isn't even everyone in the family! (Thanks to my cousin-in-law Chrissy for setting up the timer and emailing this to me!)

Reece made it a little past midnight, then konked out immediately with her Papa...

Happy New Year to everyone! xoxo