Round the World Girl

Belly Shots: 23 Weeks

I think this week the pictures say it all - there has been a bit of a growth spurt. Little Jules is pushing out and upgrading his apartment to a townhouse. In fact, he's even getting to be a pushy tenant.

Yesterday I was wearing non-maternity jeans that were completely comfortable in the morning. As the day wore on and my tummy grew, as it will when you add food to the mix, the waistline of the pants began to dig into my tummy. All afternoon Jules pushed against the pressure bearing on my tummy from the jeans. It got to the point where I was giggling out loud he was pushing so much. It tickled! I'm sure it won't feel like tickling as he grows and his townhome turns into a shanty.

I had a funny happen at work the other day; a testament to the fact that I have suddenly seemed to pop out. A co-worker who sees me not everyday, but often, walked by me in the hall. He stopped and asked, quite seriously, "What happened to you?" It was really funny! Just a few weeks ago it was still a bit hard to tell I am pregnant.

Belly Shots: 22 Weeks

 

 

I've missed a week posting the progress of the belly, so thought I would get a post up with a couple of shots at 22 weeks. Seems I've popped out quite a bit since the last set of pictures I took.

 

 

Some milestones from the past couple of weeks:

• Daddy felt the baby move for the first time on Sunday, May 6th! Niblet is quite the acrobat in the womb and daddy has been feeling him somersaulting his way around quite a bit since then. I am a bit worried about how those movements will feel once he starts to cramp up in his space. (Ouch!) But until then we'll enjoy feeling Niblet rocking out in his watery womb.
• We found out we're having a boy! We are thrilled and already have his name picked out. Daddy had an idea early on in the pregnancy (we wanted to name the baby after his sister, Julie Ann) and I loved what he came up with. That was a very easy decision to make for both of us. Jim has even come up with another nickname (Niblet being the first one) for our little one. I think he'll have a lot of nicknames.
• I spent my first Mother's Day as a mom on Sunday, May 13th. Even though Niblet hasn't made his grand entry yet, I certainly consider myself a mom, as does my body that is on temporary loaner to Niblet. I spent the day up in Sonoma with my mom and my two sisters as a new member to the mom club. The photo at the top is from our outing in Sonoma.
• The baby gifts are beginning to trickle in even though we've not yet registered anywhere. (Thank you Lesley, Laura, Catherine, and Cindy!) I think both Jim and I are bit overwhelmed with what we'll need for Niblet. But we plan on getting that all sorted out over the next several weeks. I'll be sure to post that information here on my blog for anyone interested.

All is going smoothly on the pregnancy front. I do find myself surprised by how limited I am by my ever-changing (and growing) body. I am breathless quite a bit, I'm not able to work out as I used to (gentler walking at a moderate pace instead of running), it takes me longer to get to places, and I can barely reach down and buckle or tie my shoes. I know there's much more in store for me from a size perspective, so I'm trying to enjoy the relative unlimited mobility I have at the moment.

Baby Face

Well, sort of. Our little one was shy on Monday which meant we weren't able to get a clear 3D shot of his face. This scan was the best from those we were given. You can see his little nose and a bit of the orbit (eye socket). Maybe he was embarrased because we had just seen his privates.

And speaking of the privates, we did get a scan of that money shot as well. To avoid any future embarrasment, I'll refrain from posting for the world to see.

I have already fallen in love with his sweet little face.

It's a ...

Oh the anticipation! I can't speak for Jim, but I didn't think I was really that excited to find out whether we're getting a little boy or a little girl. Or as Jayne says, a Niblet or a Niblette. But come this morning, I found myself barely being able to concentrate on anything but the impending ultrasound this afternoon that would tell us what I'm carrying.

The wait is over and as such, all the guessing from those who have seen me. I did find it interesting though how many different "clues" people use to guess the sex. In no particular order, here's a sampling of what we heard:

• "I carried that way with my boy, so it's a boy."
• "If the mom has got acne or a facial outbreak, it's a girl."
• "Whatever your gut instinct when you first thought about the baby, it's that." (BTW, girl was my first gut, then boy, then girl, then boy...you see the fault with this theory?)
• "If you are feeling particularly 'randy' it's a boy."
• "If you didn't experience morning sickness, it's a boy."

Also interesting is how the "better" attributes equated to it being a boy (no morning sickness, no acne) and not a girl. Honestly from all I have read, there is just no way to tell, apart from hard proof, no matter how much a particular method is "fool proof."

On that note, the word is in and we're having a baby Niblet - we're having a boy! Onto the next fun one to guess, when the baby will arrive. I'm sure I'll be hearing your guesses on that as the due date approaches.

Jim and I are thrilled that he is healthy and strong according to the ultrasound. And that, more than anything is most important.

Belly Shots: 20 Weeks

I'm halfway there! I remember how far out this seemed back when I hadn't even hit the first trimester mark. And if the baby comes early, (yes, I'm already hoping) then I could be more than halfway there.

There has been a lot of movement since I first noticed the flutters a week ago. One of my favorite things to do is to lie on my back and wait for the action to begin. I feel the baby moving even when upright, but it's more prominent when on my back.

Last night Niblet was performing some serious acrobatics. I had found summer fruit at the local produce store - something I have been craving but to no avail until now. I ate about five apricots, a peach and a nectarine. Apparently the baby is a summer fruit fan as well. I could just imagine Niblet in there dancing around with happiness. I'm so glad summer is nearly here and there will be much more summer fruit to come. Off my own trees even!

Here are a couple of belly shots for the week. Monday is the big day - no more guessing boy or girl. I'm really looking forward to it and to seeing Niblet again.

Belly Shots: 19 Weeks

With less than one more week to go until the 20 week mark, thought I'd post a couple of belly shots. I took these on Saturday.

What a difference an angle makes! My sister Cindy says I'm carrying in front. I can't tell either way except that I'm definitely noticing my belly growing.

And speaking of growing, I had a conversation with a friend of mine at work the other day who told me about a site that will show the progression of a woman's pregnancy and how the internal organs shift around to make room. She sent me the link, which I had a bit of fun with yesterday. In case you're intersted, click here.

This past weekend was filled with quite a bit of baby movement. Now that I know what to look out for, I'm feeling the baby move quite a bit.

I was getting ready to grab some lunch on Sunday afternoon, albeit a bit late so I was pretty hungry. Apparently Niblet was also hungry and decided to let me know about it. I was laying down with my hand resting on my stomach when I felt the baby move against my hand. I think Niblet was telling me it was time to eat. Yes indeed! And since then, I've noticed the baby moving around quite a bit, particularly when I'm hungry, making certain that he/she gets fed. Ah the demands are already starting and it's only the beginning.

Milestones: 19 Weeks

I hit the 19 week mark yesterday - one more week to go until I am officially halfway through the pregnancy! Next week the ultrasound will indicate whether there's a little boy growing in there, or a girl. Names for both have been picked out, so feeling quite prepared there. I'm very excited to know what this little alien is moving around inside me.

On that note, a major milestone. I do believe I have been feeling the baby move; just little flutters here and there. It's quite an odd yet comforting experience. I'm sure most women who are or have been pregnant will confirm how surreal pregnancy feels, particularly before one starts to show and feel the baby moving around inside. I know this is only the beginning, and being that I've been told the baby is quite the mover, I can expect quite a bit more to come.

Other "milestones" the baby and I have hit at this point in the pregnancy:

• The baby is now about six inches long and a little over half a pound.
• Baby's sensory development is reaching its peak this week: taste, smell, hearing, seeing and touch.
• Since I know the baby can now somewhat hear, I've been talking and singing lullabies to her/him with the hope the tunes will be recognized once born.
• I'm beginning to outgrow some of the maternity clothes I have - wasn't expecting to actually outgrow them (silly me!).
• We took our first international trip over to Turks and Caicos to see Auntie Jayne (the plane ride was not fun, but being back on the island was relaxing). Jayne introduced me to her friends as "This is my friend Laurie, and she's pregnant." It was adorable!
• I started a journal to mark how I'm feeling and to write down thoughts to the baby.
• Purchased baby's first toy, a bucket of sand tools all in the shape of (surprise) ocean creatures.
• Received baby's first gift, a toy koala rattle all the way from Australia!

The trip to Providenciales was quick but so worth it. Jayne snapped a few shots of me showing off a bit of a bump, although I refuse to post or even share many of them. Yikes! A highlight was spending our last evening at the beautiful Amanyara Resort for the sunset, drinks and dinner. Mickey, Jayne and I lit up the rather quiet "sanctuary" with our constant laughter. ("Don't be thinking you're going to get any of my beets Jayne!")

Next week I will begin to record the bump I am now sporting. I made a promise to Auntie Lesley, who we visited last night. Next time we see her it will be in Oz!

Check back to see what's growing inside next week - a baby boy, or a baby girl. Many have asked if I'm going to tell. Yeah, like I can keep a secret! The secret will be revealed to us on Monday, May 7th.

Niblet

Around mid-January, I started to feel things taking shape in my body. One week later, a pregnancy test confirmed, yes, that strange feeling is indeed a foreign body growing inside me. As you all know me, and Jim, this was quite the surprise! But a very welcome one once the shock wore off. :-)

We just passed the first trimester marker and all seems to be moving along well. We've now had three ultrasound scans (below) where Niblet (thanks for providing the nickname Mickey!), after Korn Niblet, is growing by leaps and bounds. From looking like a blob on the screen (although Niblet did appear to be blowing bubbles - a scuba diver already) to actually resembling a human. Today was our third scan for our first diagnostic testing. All is good! We heard Niblet's heartbeat for the first time (152 BPM) and got to see the baby in 3D, although not the best shot. Baby wasn't cooperating too well. Apparently Niblet was none too happy about the ultrasound wand pushing on its humble abode. ;-) You could see Niblet pushing away from the obtrusion. Did not want to cooperate for the photos. Hopefully not a sign of things to come!

I am now 13 weeks along and my due date was pushed up from the original date of 9/27 to September 21. I knew I was further along, but there's no telling the doctors they're wrong...until there's hard proof!

This may be new news for some of you - we welcome hearing from you and hope you have now recovered from the shock! I will be posting the progress of the pregnancy and Niblet's journey in its watery world. Thinking now that the name of my blog may need some modification!

 

2011 Maui Channel Swim

The swim is over and many of us are feeling a bit empty in its absence. The event brought together a combination of ocean lovers and die-hard swimmers, many meeting for the first time. It bonded us all as we experienced an epic swim across the Maui Channel and made the swim even more meaningful as we braved rough waters.

The event began with an early morning pick up at the beach in front of the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. Each of the three teams swam out to our respective pilot boats to board and make the trek across the channel to Lana'i where the race was to begin. It was clear as we were underway that we were in for a challenging swim. The northern winds and southern swell banged into each other creating some rather rough waters. Even before the gun went off signifying the race start, one boat had capsized. Over the course of the six and some hours it took us to cross the channel, two additional boat capsizings were reported. Add to this the tiger sharks spotted in the water forcing some swimmers to exit until they cleared out (we, fortunately, did not spot any of the tiger sharks).

Our team of six women were piloted by 17 time world-champion windsurfer, Matt Schweitzer and  son Zane, just back from Peru where he picked up his first world championship windsurfing title. Zane entertained us with his antics on the "slide" that we pulled behind the boat in order to pick up our swimmers when "tagged" to switch. Everyone was incredibly encouraging and supportive. Lifelong friendships were formed because of this experience and I feel fortunate to be part of such a wonderful team.

On a sadder note, there was an accident that occurred at the end of the race in the area marked off for the race finish. A San Mateo Masters swimmer, (the team I often swim with over my lunch hour) John Coughlin, was severely injured. John was hit by the propeller of a boat that was inside the buoy markers. John underwent surgery at Maui Memorial Hospital and will be there over the next couple weeks. While I've never met John, I and all of us swimmers feel deep regret and our hearts go out to him. Our team captain, Marjorie Boor, visited him in the hospital this past Monday. She reported he was in good spirits and carried a positive mental attitude. What grace and light.

Thank you to the Marine Mammal Center for introducing us all to this wonderful event and the fabulous people who participated and gave to the cause. The endangered Hawaiian monk seals have more of a chance thanks to all of those who lended their support. If you didn't yet get the chance to pledge your support, it is still not too late to donate. If you'd like to donate, please click here to be taken to my participant page where you can donate towards this important cause.

Mahalo

Team Monk (Sans 3 Members)

Team photo taken on Kanaapali Beach yesterday evening. We're missing three of the swimmers (they come in today) but here's most of us in our suits and ready for the big swim tomorrow!

Maui Swim for the Monk Seals in Three Days!

First a very warm thank you to all of you who have reached out and supported the swim with both donations and encouraging words. I am touched by all the warm wishes. And I have learned I have some very generous friends and family - as of yesterday, I was the top fundraiser for the Swim for the Monk Seals!
 
I leave tomorrow morning for Maui and the swim takes place on Saturday morning. I've been training both in the pool as well as in San Francisco Aquatic Park with the Dolphin Club (sans wetsuit!) and have really enjoyed the swims and the camaraderie between us swimmers. It's been a special experience thus far that I'm certain will culminate with the swim. I've met some wonderful people who have been quite inspiring to me.
 
I will be posting on my blog and Facebook over the next several days to keep all apprised of happenings related to the swim. If anyone would still like to support the swim and the build of the hospital for the endangered Hawaiian monk seals, it's not too late. Click on this "Support Me" link to donate.
 
Thanks again for all your kind words and well wishes. I am fortunate to have so many wonderful people in my life.
 
Mahalo,
Laurie

Maui Swim for the Monk Seals

Support me here!

In a little over a week now, I will be swimming from Lanai to Kaanapali Beach, Maui as part of a six-woman relay team. The swim benefits something close to my heart - raising funds to help protect an endangered species, the Hawaiian monk seal.

The ocean and all its creatures has long been a passion of mine. When this opportunity came up in July I wavered whether or not I was up for the task. I am a long-time swimmer, but I tend to go in streaks and I wasn't sure how well I'd do swimming across a 9.6 mile channel - even as part of a relay team. After a week debating over it, I made the decision to participate when I found out there was space for me on the team.

Next Saturday, September 3rd, I will join 17 other swimmers (three teams of six) swimming on behalf of the Marine Mammal Center located in Marin. Our goal is to raise funds to help the center towards its goal to build a facility on the island of Kona to help rescue sick and injured Hawaiian monk seals. No such facility exists today and therefore, many seals that could be saved are not. In addition to benefiting the endangered monk seals, jobs will be created helping our struggling economy.

I hope you will join me in supporting this cause. You can find more information about why we're swimming by clicking here and you can click here to go to my individual page in which you can pledge your support. I will be posting on my blog before and after the swim to keep you all up to date on my progress. Thanks for your support!

 

Pompeii and Naples

My family’s heritage is partially Italian, southern Italian specifically.  That part of my family comes from Napoli (Naples), just a quick hour and a half train ride from Rome.  A trip down to the region included a tour of the famous ancient city of Pompeii with a stop in Napoli to taste, rumor has it, the best pizza in the world.

A quick side note on the Italian train system, Tren Italia.  After having traversed the European continent on several different day and overnight trains I had a new appreciation for the efficiency and speed of the Italian train system.  It is by far one of the better train systems in Europe and, after having traveled in Italy both by car and train, the train most definitely offers a more relaxing way to go.

Arriving at the Napoli train station we picked up the inner city train to Pompeii.  The sky was dotted with some rather ominous looking cumulous clouds but we were spared the rain from the previous day, save for a few sprinkles.

Most of us have at least a remote idea of the history of Pompeii.  The city was destroyed when Mount Vesuvius exploded, taking a large portion of the mountain top with it in 79 AD.  The eruption occurred over the span of two days and left 12 to 20 feet of ash and pumice blanketed over the city and its inhabitants.  Visions of the plaster made human forms caught in the explosion burn in our memories.  It is the raw agony captured in these forms that haunts our thoughts.  A community caught unaware by the disaster and buried, forgotten and undiscovered, for 1500 years adds to our curiosity.

Our visit took us through the streets of Pompeii, into the houses of the wealthy and poor citizens alike, into their places of worship, their baths, their brothels.  Along the way I was surprised to learn a few things that were different from the way we live our modern lives. 

Most of the people didn’t have kitchens so food was purchased from the local bakeries and ‘restaurants.’  This would certainly create much more of a community feel than our current-day living situation.  Pompeiians were also dedicated to canis lupus familiaris, or the domestic dog.  Floor mosaics can be found in the homes of inhabitants paying tribute to man’s best friend.  Residents enjoyed running water fed from an aqueduct to three different water systems – the bathhouses, private homes, and public fountains.  Lead pipes delivering the water can be found throughout the city.  During drought times there was a plan for how the water would be rationed; first the baths were cut off, then the private homes and finally water flowing to the public fountains and neighborhood wells.

After a few hours in Pompeii we ventured back onto the train into the city of Naples.  We were there on a Sunday so it was relatively quiet and many of the shops and restaurants were closed.  There were a large number of trash piles littering the streets, particularly next to the train station where hawkers were selling anything from cheap plastic toys, to cell phones, chargers, and electronic devices of all varieties.  It wasn’t visually appealing, but the city itself possesses an energy difficult to describe.  I have to divulge here that only I and my youngest brother felt this way.  The others with us wanted to scramble, quick-like, back to the train station and head back to Rome.  With a bit of coercing we were able to convince them to at least follow us to a pizza place to taste some of the infamous pizza Napoli is known for.

Our walk to the area known for housing the best pizza places in the city was (for my family) a harrowing one.  We passed more piles of trash (the city trash collectors seem to be infinitely on strike), sketchy looking individuals, and took us down narrow, empty alleys.  Admittedly we did witness a nearly successful purse snatching – par for the course in a big city.  I was close to sending the whiners and complainers (one in particular) back to the train station to wait for the rest of us to return.  Since it was a Sunday, we had a bit of trouble locating a restaurant that was open.  After not-too-long of a walk, we found one that was bustling.  It was worth the walk.

Only having one day to explore both Pompeii and Naples was an inadequate amount of time.  At least I now have a glimpse into the area so I can be more focused when I return.

Ostia Antica

Just outside of Rome lies the old port of Ostia, meaning mouth as it is the mouth of the Tiber River leading from the Tyrhennian Sea,  inland.  Ostia Antica was buried under silt for many years as the Tiber River moved course just north of the former port for many years.  This had the wonderful side effect of preserving the site.

One of the largest ports of ancient times attracting merchants from all over the world, Ostia has a richness to it and allows us to peek into the every day life of typical Roman citizens.  The former city contains apartment buildings, trade guilds, shops, baths, a forum, ampitheater, necropolis and more.  To walk among these ruins puts you in touch with the Romans imagining the hustle and bustle that would have been in centuries past.

An interesting aspect of the site is the area containing the trade guilds.  Each guild office has its own tile mosaic floor indicating the type of business conducted here, for example an elephant to indicate ivory trade.  These mosaics provided foreigners who weren't able to speak the language, to clearly identify each of the individual trade offices

Unlike visits to the Coliseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, Ostia offers a look into the life of the Roman commoner and businessman of a former bustling port.  Anything reaching Rome would have made Ostia its first port of call before reaching the city.  To walk among its streets is a step back in time.

Diving the Red Sea

I just returned from a week of diving in the Red Sea.  I was on the boat with 23 other divers from the U.K. and have refreshed my English-isms over the past week.  Think I might have even picked up a bit of an English accent in the process.  (Actually, my new British friends inform me that I still sound quite Amercian.)

While we didn't have any whale sharks, we did dive some incredible sites.  The highlight for me was St. John's Caves where a number of swim-throughs allowed us to duck under, above, below and around gorgeous coral formations.

This was also my first foray into underwater photography with my digital SLR (camera).  I've been shooting with my point-and-shoot Canon for some time and was ready to have more control over the making of the photographs.  Out of several hundred shots that I took, I only ended up liking about 50.  Still, not a bad amount for my first time out.

Next I'm off to Cairo for one more night and then onto Barcelona to meet up with my brother.  I'm looking forward to a good Spanish Rioja and some tapas. If he's done as he says, there will be some waiting in our apartment when I get in.