Almost Christmas....

Ben has the present opening thing down pat so bring it on Santa (and as you can see we will be phasing out some of his many existing toys...yes the ones that have taken over our console table and living room...)

Ben loves his dada!

...and of course the feeling is mutual....

....my family members will recognize this as classic "crawly fox"...as in "here comes crawly fox, here comes crawly fox...get him, get him, get him!!" (imagine tickling under the chin). Surely my dad is smiling down on us from heaven right now!

This is farbender...not to be confused with crawly fox. Farbender involves starting with the forehead and working your way down to the chin...giving each facial feature a funny name and until you reach "chin chiller" as seen here. This is my favorite. He always tucks his chin and shies away and then throws his head back again so you can tickle under his chin over and over. Adorable! What can I say, a lot of tickling went on in the Snepp household when I was growing up....rumor is that members of the Cathey household were sometimes tickled til they wet their pants....the 80's were tough times....but I digress.....

On our own...gulp...

My mom left tonight. Brad and I are officially on our own w/ Baby Ben. We have been doing most of his care the last few days w/ mom doing mercy diaper changes occasionally and feeding us regularly. That's the part I'll miss...homemade food, the 'dish fairy' loading and unloading the dishwasher, and reassurance that we are doing things 'right'. The thought of getting up, feeding Ben, changing him, getting myself showered and dressed, making breakfast, straightening the house for first family pictures at noon (an old coworker of Brad's is coming up from Louisville to photograph us in our home) and making sure the nursery is picture ready seems a little daunting right now. I'm sure we will be fine but it was nice having mom as a back up. I'm very glad she was able to spend this week w/ us...especially since we don't live close enough for daily or even weekly visits.

This week has gone well over all and our confidence as new parents is increasing a little....not much but a little. I only cried once over the baby this week and that was because I used a new thermometer to take his temp and it said 103.1 !! It turned out to be a defective thermometer because every time I took his temp (and mine) I got a different number....I threw it away to avoid future scares but the thought of him being ill or hurt is just too much for me! I love him tremendously!!

About the pic......My older bro, Chad, was supposed to pick up my mom yesterday however just before they walked out the door Lilly, my 5 yr old niece, fell sliding around in dress shoes in their kitchen and had to be taken to the hospital for stitches in her chin. So today my younger bro, Justin, drove up w/ Colton, my nephew, to take mom home.....here is Colton holding Ben. He really likes his cousin, showing him his boots and checking out Ben's tiny hands.

Paige and Lilly visit....mission furniture accomplished

More excitement in November! On Saturday, Nov. 22nd I got a visit from my older brother, Chad, and my two blondie nieces, Paige (left, 11...just days away from 12) and Lilly (right, newly 5). Chad brought the much awaited crib and bookcase formerly belonging to Lilly. As you can see, the girls and I made chocolate chip cookies while Chad and Brad did the heavy lifting. Below is a pic of Paige looking too cool for school in her skater girl get-up.

Here are the cookies in progress..Lilly ate as much raw cookie dough
as she put on the cookie sheet....she left before any belly-ache onset. LOL!

Lilly sporting my girliest apron, making baking look glamorous like any good 1950's housewife. She is the polar opposite of her older sister in the style department....Paige wouldn't be caught dead in a pink-laden apron w/ rhinestones and a bow!

Below is a pic of the bookcase in the process of being organized. I will likely choose close lidded bins for the bottom shelf to maintain a more polished look....so the bins you see are destined for in closet organization...more on that later.

The crib is here but not assembled. Comments w/ encouragement for Papa Bear, aka Brad, to get on his fatherly construction duties are welcomed! ;) You know...no pressure we're only 2.5 weeks away from my due date.....

Everyone can rest assure that things will be ready for when baby.....should I reveal the likely name choice...Ben arrives in a few weeks. We are going to be homebodies for the rest of the pregnancy so there really is time for further organization. All the baby clothes have been washed, we have a bassinet, I am pre-registered at the hospital...the 'have to' list is complete. The 'it would be nice to' list is a work in progress. Besides I have more pressing things to think about like LABOR AND DELIVERY. :)

Thanksgiving w/ my Grandma

Ok. So I fully acknowledge the degree to which I am behind in updating the ole' blog. Let today be my 'catch up' session. This is a pictorial account of the Thanksgiving festivities at my Grandma's nursing home on Sunday, November 16th.

Adorable pic of Colton, my nephew, enjoying the brisk fall weather! He especially enjoyed running through all the leaves!


This next pic makes me a little sad...seeing my grandma, a once stout hardworking lady, looking so frail reminds me of how precious and fleeting life is....live it to it's fullest!

Below is a pic of the 'boys' (young and not so young anymore) playing
football in the courtyard of the nursing home.

My mom and Colton (below) enjoying the warmth of the day room where the feasting took place. There was quite the spread including turkey, dressing (that was my contribution...and ironically my MIL's recipe!), sweet potatoes several ways, amongst other things, and tons of desserts.

Despite the 2.5 drive in each direction, a good time was had by all. I rarely get to see this side of my family, esp. not so many of them in one location, so it was a very nice day. Hopefully we won't wait until the next wedding or funeral to gather again! LOL!

33 weeks

We are chugging along! Holy Cow 33 weeks!!! My head is swirling w/ all there is left to get in place (or those things I think are necessary now that I will inevitably laugh at myself for later). BTW, still no crib or baby room furniture (uh-hmm...Chad and Danielle--bro and SIL-- are supposed to be handing the crib off but as a back up I am headed to Shelbyville on Monday to borrow a bassinet from a friend).

I had an OB appt on Tuesday which was virtually uneventful. I lost 3 lbs thanks to decreasing my sodium and wearing very attractive compression stockings to combat cankles. The doc also reported that Baby Boy is still head down and growing on par. According to my readings, the Impending Boy is supposed to be just over 4 lbs and 17 inches long, about the size of a pineapple. He's supposed to be rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal (ouch). (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance...double ouch!)

Meanwhile back at the uterus, I am now officially waddling unless I make a conscious effort to do otherwise and I have had edema in my hands and feet off and on. I am now sporting a plain silver band instead of my engagement ring and wedding band and, as previously mentioned, I am now the not-so-proud owner of an attractive pair of compression stockings for my lower legs and feet. My BP is still low/normal (at last OB appt it was 110/62) so fortunately the edema is not likely a symptom of pre-eclampsia or toxemia. I have only had 2 or 3 false/BH contractions since last week so everything is on the up and up. I accomplished washing the majority of the baby clothes and linens that we have acquired or been gifted (thanks again everyone!!!) but still have many household "honey do" projects I would like to see done before the baby gets here. We shall see how much will get finished considering my somewhat limited physical abilities as of lately. Poor Brad will have to do the dirty work I suspect. :)

On a completely unrelated note, we had our annual pumpkin carving party w/ some family and friends this past Saturday and here are some resulting pics....

BTW, I am carving a Dracula Mickey Mouse pumpkin...scary!


Brad didn't actually carve a pumpkin but instead acted as seating for
Kaylee (left) and Lilly's (right) viewing of Aladdin.


This is the chaos that was the pumpkin carving portion of the evening.


Henry was a little overwhelmed by the whole thing and tried to lay low to avoid
scoldings for walking through pumpkin guts and licking people in the face.

This week has actually dragged on because of all the special projects I've had going on at work! Thank goodness I have a student who is nearly able to fly solo so that the next month and a half it is still possible for me to manage the physical demands of patient treatment! Next week marks the start of my decreased work schedule and it couldn't start soon enough for me! I will be off on Mondays for the rest of my pregnancy. Hopefully this will allow me to get some much needed extra rest and to accomplish all the crazy last minute things I need to do. I am sure the remaining 7 weeks will be gone in a flash. Fortunately, I will have a wonderful baby boy in my arms at the finish line. I think it's time to start a birthday poll.....

22 weeks:Showered w/ Love!

Last Thursday was the 22 week mark in my pregnancy. I was busy packing for our trip to Memphis and making boarding arrangements for dear Henry. We left for Memphis Friday morning, picking up my mom on the route through Louisville to join us for our very first baby shower! We were truly showered w/ love by Brad's family! Brad and I were overwhelmed by the generous gifts and warm anticipation of "Will-or-Ben"'s arrival. :) That is the new running joke in the Cathey family. In case I haven't mention it before, Will and Ben are the two top name contenders for the impending boy. Actually, William Edward (Edward was my dad's middle name) and Benjamin Phillip (Phillip is Brad's dad's middle name). Apparently their first names didn't make the cut for consideration....Ralph and Norman! :) But until we lay eyes on Baby Cathey all bets are off. He may look like a Julio.

So at 22 weeks, Baby Boy is almost a pound and around 11 inches long! He is supposed to look like a miniature newborn by this point! WOW! He is starting to develop tooth buds and is covered w/ deeply wrinkled skin that is still awaiting a padding of fat to fill it out. Baby Boy has also been doing some serious inter-womb kung-fu and I am now feeling him move around all day, not just at night.

Meanwhile back at the uterus, I am feeling DIZZY! Ugh! Last night and today I have been feeling nauseous and dizzy almost like vertigo or , dare I say, like a night of drinking ! LOL! I assure you that baby and I have not been hitting the sauce. I am headed to the doc tomorrow (no I didn't go last week...Brad had a scheduling conflict) so I will mention it and report back on it's significance if any. Also I get to have the u/s tomorrow so I will post an updated pic (or two) of Baby Boy.

Big thanks to Brad's family, as well as my mom and BFF Jenn. :) We love you guys!

Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of a joy
you must have somebody to divide it with.
----Mark Twain

Belated 19 weeks.....

Wow! This week has been disastrously busy and I have nearly missed updating the blog re: week 19. I was occupied everyday until today. Last Friday, I was the DD for a group of friends (and Brad) where we had dinner at a German restaurant and brewery. We stood and danced on benches to the vocal stylings of an electric accordion player and his yodeling female companion. Followed by a visit to a club (yes baby went to the club....and danced....and generally helped mom look like an odd ball toting a baby bump in this location). Then Saturday I went to Louisville and had an incredible prenatal massage (my birthday present from Brad that I had to wait a long time to enjoy bc of the popularity of the salon/spa). Registered at Target. Then picked up my nieces bc my older brother had to go to the ER for a worseningly swollen knee that resulted in hospitalization on Sunday (where he still is). Monday I had to drive BACK to Louisville to pay a speeding ticket.....10 over in a residential area...at the bottom of a hill where I was coasting....but I digress. Yesterday, Brad and I celebrated a co-worker's b-day followed by shopping for new work clothes for Brad! Whew! Today when I got home I had to take a nap bc I was completely exhausted from all the running around!

So, btw, during week 19, Baby Boy is around 5.5 to 6 inches long, crown to rump and weighs between 7-8 oz. Eyebrows are starting to form and by week 20 baby's hair and eyebrows should be visible! He is supposed to be sleeping and waking as much as a newborn. I have to say that I am feeling him move much more often, especially when I am lying still (i.e. trying to sleep!). Brad has even gotten to feel the baby move once from the outside!

Meanwhile, back at the uterus, dizziness is to be expected and I have experienced it off and on lately. I have been trying to drink lots of fluids to prevent hypotension. Unfortunately with my job, I do a lot of squatting and bending in front of patients so those quick position changes still get me. I have already gotten my first pregnancy stretch mark on my left breast!!! Despite my slow weight gain (about 8-10 so far) and constant lotion, coco butter, and body oil application, the 'girls' have grown rapidly and obscenely so I guess the mar is to be expected. No whining, it's worth it! I definitely have the maternal look of a gal meant to feed children.....it will certainly be a waste if they don't function as well as they appear! LOL! I am amazed that I am approaching the 5 month mark and looking forward more and more to meeting our little baby boy! Patience!

P.S. Chad, my older brother, is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow (Thursday). He is also slotted to go on a week long cruise to celebrate his anniversary this next Saturday! Whew! He and my SIL (Danielle) have been sweating the prospect of missing their much awaited trip! I have been sending him lots of prayers for a speedy recovery and permission from his docs to hit the Carribean! :) Everything is looking good so far!

P.S.S. Here are the words to a drinking song I learned Friday night...a spoof of the Sound of Music classic.....a staple at the Hofbrauhaus in Newport, KY (just over the river from Cincy) which is one of 3 or 4 Hofbrauhaus's in the world (based in Munich)!

"Dough... the stuff that buys my be-er,
Ray.... the guy that serves my be-er,
Me.... the guy who drinks my be-er,
Fa.....a long way from my be-er,
So....I'll have another be-er,
La...Lalalala be-er,
Tea...no thanks I'm having be-er,
And that brings us back to BEER!"

A great joy is coming.
-- Author Unknown

Happy Birthday to Me!

As I approach my 31st birthday tomorrow, I am reminded that my grand plan, many years ago, was to have all my kids (all two that I wanted) by the time that I was 30. Needless to say, God had a hardy laugh at my "plan", as I am sure He always does. But, several years behind schedule, I am so grateful to finally begin the journey to motherhood. I am dreaming of meeting our little one, though I know it is still many months away.

For all the wanting, I have very little knowledge of what it actually means to be a mother yet. Of course, I have basic knowledge of diaper changing, a little experience w/ feeding a baby, and even less re: getting a newborn to sleep in the middle of the night.....admittedly those things scare me a little. But the mothering part, not the actions but the feeling and emotions, is something I've fantasized about since I was a little girl. My mom always had a way of making us all feel special, whether it was our birthday or a random Tuesday night. My parents always did things grandly, not to say expensively because we were a one income family w/ a stay at home mom. But we had traditions that made every occasion feel special. Those are the things that I want Brad and I to bring to our growing family. Funny how this little developing being has transformed Brad and I, or at least my perceptions of us, from a married couple to a family. And my heart swells w/ pride. I'm sure this baby will teach me a lot about motherhood.....hopefully my fantasies won't all turn out to be delusions of grandeur! ;)

So tomorrow is the big 3-1. I'm not worried about getting older. I wouldn't rewind time even if I could. I love my husband, I love my "peanut", my job is tolerable, and we don't want for much. I am blessed and grateful. I'm having a prenatal massage tomorrow and then dinner w/ Brad at one of our favorite restaurants in Cincy. In the gift dept, I am carrying the best one ever right inside me. My only birthday wish is to deliver this little one safe and healthy come December.

Life without idealism is empty indeed.
We just hope or starve to death.
--- Pearl Buck