< Baby Talk >

< Messages posted to thread: >

< From                                 Date      >

< Rhonda                               01-Jun-98 >   

< Ray                                  01-Jun-98 >   

< Mary/Irish Girl                      02-Jun-98 >   

< Ray                                  02-Jun-98 >   

< Rhonda                               02-Jun-98 >   

< Steve Kuchen                         02-Jun-98 >   

<                                      02-Jun-98 >   

< Mary/Irish Girl/brainless            02-Jun-98 >   

< Rhonda                               02-Jun-98 >   

< Steve Kuchen                         03-Jun-98 >   

< An experienced Mom                   03-Jun-98 >   

< Mary, dropping the Irish Girl        03-Jun-98 >   

< Rhonda                               03-Jun-98 >   

< Steve Kuchen                         03-Jun-98 >   

< Mary the Rambler                     03-Jun-98 >   

< Alex                                 03-Jun-98 >   

< Rhonda                               04-Jun-98 >   

< Two-time Mom                         04-Jun-98 >   

< Rhonda                               04-Jun-98 >   

< Mary                                 04-Jun-98 >   

< Alex                                 06-Jun-98 >   

< Subject: Baby Talk >

< From: >Rhonda
< Date: 01-Jun-98 >

Having babies is full of so much to talk about (for those that are having them)that this thread is just for ppl who want to talk about having babies! And those who care to listen in, of course.

OK, IG- please tell me again...HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU? I forget and could use this as a reference point for our discussions.

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Ray
< Date: 01-Jun-98 >

I enjoy making 'em, anyway.

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Mary/Irish Girl
< Date: 02-Jun-98 >

Hey Rhonda, thanks for starting this thread. Ray, sorry if I offended you by writing that you might start complaining about baby chat. I meant to type in a LOL after I wrote that, but never did (as you saw). I, as I am sure other do, welcome your input at all times.

Rhonda, my due date is Sept. 10th, so I will be at the 6 month mark on June 10th. Having said that though, I'm not real sure about that due date. I have accepted it from my dr. (LOL) but we are not quite sure of conception date. I feel I could be a week off the date....and I'm not sure if that is a week early or late.

Anyway, enough about me. Tell me Rhonda, whatever happened with that dr./extortionist & the office's demand for bill payment? I presume now that you & Mike have succeeded, that you will not have to continue to use that dr. for treatment?

I'm glad you were able to get those 2 What to Expect books. I bet you won't have any problems with the nutrition part, since you seem to have such healthy habits anyway (plus you seem extremely knowledgable about nutrition).

Hope you are feeling well. If there is anything I can share with you, let me know. Heck, I think I will be asking you very soon about a list of foods that don't have salt in them! I get a little confused with the difference in sodium and salt. While I very rarely add salt to my food, due to the swelling hands & feet I am experiencing, my dr. has told me to cut back on the salt. Any ideas would be helpful.

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Ray
< Date: 02-Jun-98 >

No sweat, Mary. I'm not easily offended.

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Rhonda
< Date: 02-Jun-98 >

IG- 6 months, eh? So you're in the thick of it, then. Good, you can tell me the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of what to expect that some of the "What to Expect..." books might have left out.

Regarding nutrition, my knowledge is very poor, actually. The only thing I know about nutrition is that because I have PolyCystic Ovaries I have an insulin resistance which makes me a good candidate for Diabetes. A diet low in carbohydrates is recommended for this condition. So first I had to learn what a carbohydrate was. Now I am an expert at detecting carbohydrates. Am I a good girl about staying away from carbs? Well...not really. Its very difficult to eliminate them when you're an addict like myself. But I can spot one a mile away and that's an acomplishment for this former carbohydrate ignoramus.

The other good thing I did was completely eliminate caffein(sp?) about 6 months ago. So now I drink water and selzer. I should drink more water and I'm working on that. I've never been much of a salt-eater. I don't add it to my foods and I could always taste it in pre-packaged foods and don't like that. I guess anything that is in a can (like soup) is a no-no for you. That's stuff is loaded with salt, especially if it is "low-fat".

As for the Dr/Extortionist: I sent him an e-mail regarding the situation and two weeks later he responded with: "No body is trying to extort you. Why don't you make an appointment for a consultation as the next step for your care?" To me, this was his way of brushing me off and getting an extra consultation fee out of my insurance company. At that point I had made my mind up that if I wasn't pregnant that I would find another doctor. What happens now is this: This doctor will see me for the first 3 months of the pregnancy. Then I need to see an OBGYN. Well, my plan is to see this doctor one more time for my 1st ultrasound (US, from now on) and then I will continue prenatal care with my own OBGYN. That would make me feel less stressed about the kind of care that I will be recieving. I need to know that the doctor cares about me and my baby, not about what he can charge the insurance company. I feel like when he looks at me he sees a big dollar sign. $ CHA-CHING!

Anyway - the conception date is a pretty tricky thing. I mean, I know the exact date of conception yet still am unsure of the due date because is it really 40 weeks exactly for every single pregnancy? Actually, I am told that I should count 38 weeks from date of conception (since I know conception date) and that would put me at February 3, 1999. But I'm abnormal to begin with so I don't think I'm gonna count on that date to be exact. Those are gonna be 2 or 3 edgy weeks for you in September! At this point, what kind of planning have you done? Picked out furniture? Baby's name? Hospital? How long did you wait to tell family? I kind of cheated. Since my immediate family knew what I was doing we had to tell them as soon as we found out. But the rest of the family and friends won't know until late August when I start to show. You guys are the only exception :-)

ok - enough for now...talk to ya later

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Steve Kuchen
< Date: 02-Jun-98 >

I have a 22 month old son and anyone thinking of having a baby can have him for the weekend!!! Best birth control I can think of!!! Ray, you'll get to meet him sometime soon!!!

Seriously, good luck IG, bet it will be fun being 6,7 months pregnant during a surely HOT summer!!!! LOL!!!!

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >
< Date: 02-Jun-98 >

Rhonda - here is how we broke our baby news: told his mom/my parents within days of finding out, then waited a month before telling siblings, then let another month pass before we told friends & the general public. I have to say that a few of the close friends were not impressed that we waited so long to tell them.

I'll be real blunt about this. It was me, not Will who wanted to wait to tell people about our new baby. For some truly unfounded reason, I feared miscarriage. This fear RULED (and that is an understatement!) my emotions completely. Maybe I was selfish in not wanting to share the news until we had gotten over the 3 month hump. I am famous for being VERY reactive to insensitive comments made to me by family, friends, strangers, etc. Sometimes I am justified, sometimes I am not (LOL as perhaps sometimes seen in these boards!?!).

I PERSONALLY did not want to give in to my emotions & share our news, only to have to go back & tell people otherwise. My feelings were that if (God-forbid) something happened that I was no longer preggo (let's refer to that from here on in as "PG" ok?) it was something that I felt that Will & I would deal with. In other words, while I know I would have gotten the support from my family, I don't know how I would have reacted to that. I didn't want to put them or me in that situation.

Now let me (STRONGLY) say this - ALL OF THE ABOVE IS JUST AN EXPRESSION OF WHAT WILL & I WORKED OUT BETWEEN OURSELVES. I do not & would NEVER NEVER NEVER presume to tell a woman when her & her partner should share their PG news. I feel it is a totally personal decision & whether you share the news on the day you find out or not, I respect the choice being made.

Anyway, Rhonda, whatever you decide, I am sure it will be the best decision you make for you, Mike & your new little one. If I didn't live 500 miles from my closest friends, I probably would not have been able to keep it quiet as long as I did!

As far as planning goes, I have to admit we are a little slow in that department. The 1st 3 mos. of this PG, we were in the process of moving/buying house so that took up most of the brain cells that the hormones sucked up. I did have all these plans of everything I wanted to do in the 1st 3 mos. but in a way I am glad that I didn't get anything done. The way I look at it, 9 months is a long time & I want to spread the decisions out.

Although I like to be super organized, I didn't want to have everything done & decided by July. What would I do then for July & August, except twiddle my thumbs & get anxious about every little thing. I think with PG it's good to kind of spread your tasks out, so you are left with something to occupy your mind in the final weeks. Nursery plans are a challenge for me, since we decided not to find out the sex of our baby. Will you & Mike want to know in advance?

Once we get decide on how to decorate in the gender neutral scheme, we will order the furniture, since we have that in mind. Hospital - lucky for us the one that we like is near us & we have to use it, according to our insurance plan.

Names? Let's not go there right now please LOL! Will was thumbing through the latest Sports Illustrated last night looking for inspiration. Spud Webb? Larry (after his idol/lookalike Larry bird?????)! Shamgod? Save me someone!

Sorry to be so long winded everyone....I hope I don't get banned from this place!

Steve! LOL! You are the 4th male who has said that to me this week!!!!! This week my generic response has been "Call me when you grow a uterus!" But thanks anyway LOL!

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Mary/Irish Girl/brainless
< Date: 02-Jun-98 >

The above post was from me...could ya tell??????

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Rhonda
< Date: 02-Jun-98 >

IG- you and I are alike in some respects...so far I am overwhelmed with fears of what could happen and I haven't even been able to bring myself to say the "m" word let alone spell it out - so I won't. I shared the news with the folks and the siblings already. But as for friends and other family members I will wait until August for exactly the reasons you mentioned. I chose to share here because you and others have been a support system for me during the trying time of me trying to get pregnant so I thought if, godforbid, something went wrong - you would be there for me. But let's not dwell on that. See? I can't even talk about it.

As for being over-reactive to insensitivity: Its taking every bit of me to try to tactfully approach the comments of Steve Kuchen from above without sounding overreactive". LOL You handled it very well, I thought, Mary. But I have to say something to Steve.

Steve, I don't know you but I'm sure you meant no harm. You seem like a nice man. BUT (yes, you knew there was a but coming, didn't you) your comment

"I have a 22 month old son and anyone thinking of having a baby can have him for the weekend!!! Best birth control I can think of!!!"

...should go into a book of things NOT to say to either infertile couples or those who are pregnant. You probably didn't know this but I am only 5 weeks pregnant and that came after 2 unsuccessful years of desperately trying to conceive. Comments like that make you sound very selfish and can be very hurtful. Like I said before, I'm sure you're a nice guy and meant no harm. I will not take it personally. But I thought you should know how blessed you are to have that 22 month old and perhaps you won't say something like that again, even in jest because it may hurt someone very very much when I know that you really don't want to hurt anyone.

There, I got that out of my system. And you thought YOU were over-reactive, IG?!

IG- have you had a US yet? If so, how many? I think because I am seeing a reproductive endocrinologist that I am lucky to be getting an US as early as next week. But that's mostly because they need to see how many I will be having! Can you believe it! Of course, Mike is praying for one healthy baby. As for the gender: I don't think we will seek out this information as that doesn't matter so long as it or they are healthy. Of course, I reserve the right to change our minds at any time! LOL

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Steve Kuchen
< Date: 03-Jun-98 >

Rhonda,

Sorry for the perceived insensitive comments!!! BTW, been there, done that, so I know what you went through. I'll crawl back under my rock now!!!

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >An experienced Mom
< Date: 03-Jun-98 >

Hey Steve, If you lived near me, I would tell you in person about how a few of us (probably all of us)feel about your sick sense of humor. You have NOT BEEN THERE. You haven't even come close to BEING THERE! The women who post on this thread have serious concerns and quite frankly have a sensitive side right now. Please don't test their hormones and please don't test my patience! You owe the women here a very sincere apology. Ask your wife if she would be proud of what you posted here. Better not, you'll be sleeping on the sofa.

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Mary, dropping the Irish Girl
< Date: 03-Jun-98 >

Hey Rhonda - i keep meaning to ask how you are feeling so far? Hopefully good, I'm sure just being PG is enough to make you feel good.

I had an US very early on in my PG. According to my drs office they usually don't do them til around 15-20 weeks with a PG that is progressing normally. However, Will & I were really unsure about the conception date, so the dr. decided to go one at what he thought was 5 weeks for me. Turned out I was really 8 weeks PG, so I was glad they did one early!!! Our US tech was good & the 3 pictures they gave us were amazingly clear, however at such an early stage, the only identifiable body parts were head & body. It was at the time that our baby earned the name "tricky nicky" since he or she would just not stay still long enough for us to gave at him/her lovingly.

I had a Level 2 US about 2 weeks ago. This was ordered for me because an aunt of mine gave birth to a child w/birth defects. The birth defects were not hereditary & the birth took place nearly 20 years ago, but my dr. was just being cautious. Level 2 US shows much more in-depth of the babys development. If it will be done during a PG, it will be done around the 20-25 week mark, when the development will be more obvious. It did not turn out that great for us because the baby would just not turn over, no matter how much poking & prodding the US tech did! Once again, "tricky nicky" seemed an adept nickname!

Anyway, unless I run into problems, there will be no more US for me. My insurance will only pay for one routine US unless the dr. orders another one. I was disappointed when I first learned of this policy, but I have resigned myself to it.

If you are concerned, Rhonda, about the number of US that you will receive, I would ask your new dr. or the OBGYN that you already are using. I'm taking a somewhat educated guess here in thinking that they will probably do frequent US for you, as long as they can get your insurance to cooperate in covering the cost. I presume you are covered by an HMO? If not & you are in the traditional plan & have to pay the 20% after the deductible, watch your bills carefully. US are not cheap, I've heard of prices ranging from $180 to $500. I don't mean to scare you with that info., but if you are on the traditional plan, defintely scrutinize what they do/don't cover.

Rhonda, sometimes I feel like I am going on and on here. If I ever overstep my bounds, please let me know. I don't want to blather on and on about me & my experience and bore you to tears. But I am enjoying hearing about you, Mike & the baby.

Oops gotta run, work calles..

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Rhonda
< Date: 03-Jun-98 >

Mary, I am really enjoying our conversations - you are the only one that I have been able to talk to openly without feeling judged and the information you are sharing with me is invaluable. Please don't stop :-)

The info on US is very interesting because I didn't know how few they usually perform. Since I have been getting treatment for the past 6 months I have been having routine US every other day for 2 week periods. I must've had 15 US by now. I think they cost $150 a pop buy my insurance (I am truly blessed with excellent insurance) has covered it all. Now that I am thinking of dumping the Dr./Extortionist for a regular OBGYN I am wondering how many US will be avail to me. I will make sure to ask that next week at my consultation with the new OBGYN. Its ironic that I've spent months looking at my ovaries and empty uterus. I'm ready to see the final product now. The "fruit of my labor", if you will LOL

I feel pretty good. Not much in the way of morning sickness. Just one time last week when I tried to eat McDonalds for breakfast - big mistake. Other than that I can eat anything and usually do. I have to stop that. Really, I can't complain. I'm just happy to be where I am. The only thing killing me is keeping it a secret from most people. Did you experience anything in the first trimester that you can share with me? When did you actually begin to show?

To Steve: I appreciate your response. Last thing I intended to do was bash anyone here - hope you took it as it was meant and feel comfortable joining in when you have something to add. It would be nice to get the "Dad's" perspective.

Well...next big step is Tuesday when I get my first US. I will feel much better when I can see what's going on and talk to the Dr. for the first time about what I can and can't do. I'm holding off on excersise until I get the go-ahead. Are you getting in any excersise, Mary?

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Steve Kuchen
< Date: 03-Jun-98 >

Rhonda,

Make sure you get the US's tape recorded. Most facilties do this as long as you bring in a blank tape. We have several and are quite interesting and exciting to watch!!!!

Oh well, back to the sofa for some more ZZZZZZ's!!!

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Mary the Rambler
< Date: 03-Jun-98 >

Oh Rhonda! Please don't just THINK about dumping dr. extortionist! Like Nike says, "Just do it." I think you will be much happier with an OBGYN, since they have specialize in caring for a PG woman as well as assisting in the deliver of children. I personally will not speak to you again if you continue to use dr. E!!!!!!

LOL! Ok, I'm not serious about that part, but I am about you not seeing him! You do NOT NOT NOT NOT need any more stress from that dr. If you are not comfortable with your own OBGYN, ask around for recommendations. Ok, I'll get off that soapbox now.

I have to tell/warn you Rhonda, I never felt so judged in my WHOLE entire life than when I became PG & I know as my and your due date gets closer, it will only get worse. People (both men & woman, those with & those without children) have somehow, all of a sudden, have become qualified to give us their medical advice & opinions. Once you get over the shock of what comes from their mouths, you will come up with some great comeback lines. When it is family, I just have to grin & bear it, but otherwise some people just deserve the comments they receive from me.

I was in a store the other day, behind an obviously PG woman. The cashier asked when she was due & the lady replied August. The cashier then let her mouth drop to the floor & asked the lady if she thought she would be able to hold on until august! Then the cashier asked the lady if her dr. had put her on a special low fat diet, since she was so big! Of course I could not stop from adding my two cents & yelled at the cashier "Well, at least this lady is PG! What is your excuse for being fat?" She was not too pleased LOL! can you believe the nerve of this cashier!!!! it's just the beginning!

As long as your insurance company has no cap on the amount of US that you have, it will probably be the dr.s decision. From what I have heard, some doctors are more rigid about not giving US unless it is warranted for health reasons, but obviously it will depend on the dr. Hopefully your dr. will give you as many as you would like.

Things I can share about the 1st trimester? Hmmmm...well I was very lucky not to have had any morning sickness. I don't mention this too often because I don't want it to seem like I am either bragging or wearing it as a badge of honor LOL! I did have a few bouts of quesyness and my solution was to just go outside & breath in fresh air - breathing in through my nose, exhaling by mouth.

I went off red meat completely for the first trimester - something about seeing the grease dripping from a steak or a hamburger just set my stomach on fire. Perhaps this is what happened to you at McDonalds? However, when we got a bbq grill in my 2nd semester, not only could I eat red meat, I can actually cook it too! But everyone is different in what sets them off. The "What to expect" book I believe gives plenty of advice on morning sickness, should you ever have to go through it. My fingers are crossed that you won't have to.

Oh, what you said about water the other day. That is VERY VITAL for several reasons: 1) prevents dehydration (obviously LOL), which can be common & dangerous in pregnancy, 2) keeps things flowing in your body 3) keeps your urinary tract and bladder flowing and clear.

If you don't carry water around with you, now is an EXCELLENT time to start. If you have a fridge or freezer at work, bring in a week's supply of bottled water (unless you like tap water!). I know it is difficult to go from drinking some water to drinking alot. You will use the ladies room so often at your job & at home that you will start to receive your mail there LOL! But just try to keep in mind you are taking care of you & the baby. It's better to drink more rather than less.

In your case Rhonda, I would guess that your dr. is going to tell you to defintely lay off any type of exercise (strenous or not) for awhile. LOL I used to be a charter member at my local Golds, but the day I found out I was PG, I quit going. 2 reasons: 1) I was too exhausted to walk more than 1/2 hour a day and 2) my membership was due to expire in a month anyway!

My dr. never restricted me from exercise, but almost every book dealing with PG tell you not to do much exercise in the first trimester, except walking. If you have a membership at a gym & are concenred about not making good use of it until next year, I would ask the dr. to write you a note restricting you from gym use & deal with the manager of the gym.

If you feel the need to exercise, try the walking, but not too strenous (i.e. no massive hills or anything). Maybe a little stroll outside after you eat your lunch, is that possible? If there was an ice cream store within walking distance of my house, I would be so much more motivated! However, I do what I can & am careful when it is warm outside not to overdo it.

Ok gotta go now.....chat with you tomorrow..

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Alex
< Date: 03-Jun-98 >

Hi Rhonda and Mary,

After reading all your exciting news, I went and dug out my old PG journals. I was amazed at how much worrying I did. First trimester cramping and spotting sent me into a tizzy and running for the phone to call my ob. Luckily, I had a very caring doctor who never minded how many questions I asked and how often I called. I also tried to wait past the first trimester to tell friends but my husband couldn't hold out. We were flying to Utah and he was so excited about becoming a father I overheard him telling a total stranger "My wife and I are pregnant -- I mean she's PG and I'm helping." He got so tongue-tied that the three of us laughed until our flight landed.

Routine US's weren't common so I didn't have one but I remember my husband and I were thrilled when our ob let us listen to our baby's heartbeat.

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Rhonda
< Date: 04-Jun-98 >

Steve, that's great information! I will bring a tape even though it is probably too early to see any movement at 6 weeks. It'll make for a nice video-album.

Well, I guess I'm done with the cramping because I haven't had any since Sunday. And, yet, I find myself worrying if maybe THAT is a bad sign. *sigh* How can you NOT worry the first trimester when everything you read about the first trimester says how common it is for things to go wrong at this time. It is very disconcerting. Like I said, I'll feel more comfortable after my chat with the doc on Tuesday.

Husbands are funny about PG. We should compile a list of anecdotes :-) When I first told Mike the news he treated me like a glass egg for a whole week. He accidentally bumped into me in our narrow hallway and you would've thought he just dropped a crystal vase. He got over that stage already. But now he is really on me to eat right. Last weekend he found a Pepsi in my car and accused me of having a soda! (Heaven forbid!) Of course, it wasn't mine, anyway but I had to prove it to him. It turned out to belong to his mother! Last night he made stir fry for dinner and coaxed me into a walk in the park afterwards. This is good. He is so excited about being a father.

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Two-time Mom
< Date: 04-Jun-98 >

The first thing my husband did when I was PG was to hire a cleaning lady. He didn't want me stretching over the bathtub or smelling the cleaning solutions.

Eight years later, I still have one!!

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Rhonda
< Date: 04-Jun-98 >

...taking notes...

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Mary
< Date: 04-Jun-98 >

Two-time Mom: your husband & mine need to have a serious talk and soon! My husbands solution to cleaning is pour bleach over it, around it, into the drain, etc. etc.

Rhonda - told ya you would worry when the cramps stopped! Same exact thing with me, I would worry at the sign of pain & then worry when I felt perfectly fine! You are a perfectly normal human being to worry as much as you are.

I'm very glad Mike is encouraging you in walking. I was rethinking yesterdays post that I wrote about walking & I want to reiterate something to you. Please, take it easy with the walking. I presume you are wearing nice comfy sneakers & not doing a power-walk! Cut your normal pace in half. Actually you will be amazed at how much more you will see & notice in the park once you slow down!

Tell Mike he can ease up about the soda. I don't know whether you have given up caffeine totally & if you have, perhaps its the right decision for you (and more power to you girl!).

However, from what I have heard on the Sept. bulletin board that I am a member of, a majority of the women did not go totally off caffeine. We did a survey & out of the 110 women (out of 250, so thats not a bad response rate in all LOL) there were only 3 women that gave it up completely. The majority had no more than 2-3 caffeinated drinks per day. The experienced moms on the board did not give it up in their previous PG's & their babies were perfectly normal.

So anyway, that is about it for now. I'll be out of the office tomorrow. Off to the beach for the weekend, Will & I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. Rain is predicted for the entire weekend, but I'm sure we will find some type of indoor activity to keep us busy! ;)

Have a great weekend everyone!

< Subject: RE: Baby Talk >
< From: >Alex
< Date: 06-Jun-98 >

Hi Two-Time Mom - Your husband and mine sound a lot alike. During my first trimester, he tried to do all the cleaning himself but he worked quite a distance and got home late. My next door neighbor had a cleaning woman and before I knew it, he hired her. Although I'm far from a neat freak, I am one of those people who felt like I had to clean Before the cleaning woman came. So after I had my first and quit working, the cleaning woman went. ...hmm... sometimes we make bad decisions when we're young. LOL.

Rhonda, I also worried when a symptom started and then worried when it stopped. Come to think of it I did this after my kids were born, too. I think I'm still doing it ... hmm, maybe my kids are right, maybe I am a worrywart who makes a big deal out of things that all the other mothers in the world think is perfectly OK. ;-)

Baby names, the boy name was easy. My father was deceased so we decided to name a boy after him. The girl's name was really tough. We must have run through a milion combinations. The names I liked reminded him of exgirlfriends who dumped him (lucky for me) and the names that he liked, well they were sorta along the lines of very old-fashioned. I was in labor and we still couldn't agree. About an hour before we left for the hospital we made a decision. Now that she's nineteen she tells us that she likes some of the choices we discarded better than the name we chose.

Mary - hope you had a great weekend. Happy Anniversary!