One Month Old

May 30, 2007: Today Casey turned one month old. It is hard to believe. Casey is getting bigger, but she still seems small to me. She is changing and developing every day. Lately James and I have noticed that she is starting to smile when she sees us. She is spending more and more time alert and content. We put her on a play mat on the floor and she will stare at the objects that hang over her head. Just yesterday she was batting at them (see the picture) with her hands. Casey has been to her first parties this week. Last night we went to the end of the year faculty party where Casey witnessed her first games of beer pong. On the walk over to the party Casey said her first word. James was carrying her in the Baby Bjorn and she was looking up at him. He said "hi" to her over and over and then she said "hi" back to him. We could not believe it. Obviously she is not really talking but she somehow imitated his sound. It was funny. The party must have done Casey in because she had a banner night of sleep. I fed her at 11pm and she went to sleep at 12. She did not wake up until 6 am. I hope this can continue!!

Meeting Meme

May 24, 2007: Today James and I took Casey down to Manchester to meet her great grand mother, Meme. She was very well behaved and they had a great time meeting. Casey has been great. She is sleeping well and eating well. Her throwing up has slowed down, she had not thrown up for 6 days and then did this morning. Also she has some little zits on her face, but they say that is totally normal. I can't image this heat is helping the cause at all. Today we took her to the post office and applied for her first passport. She is going to need it for our trip to Italy in mid-July. It was funny to take her picture for it. Anyhow, graduation is tomorrow and then there are a few faculty meetings next week and then we are off for the summer. Here are some pix from this week...

Road Trip

May 19, 2007: Today Casey returned home to New Hampton from her first road trip down to Connecticut. Mom and Casey headed down to Greenwich for three nights to meet uncle Mark and Baba and Pop as well as to visit with Sally and Eddie. Casey slept the entire way down to Greenwich. This was great for mom so they did not have to pull over to eat or change a diaper, but I had to reach back and make sure she was still breathing a few times. Here are some pictures of Casey with her cousins, her uncle Mark, and her great grandparents (4 generations are in this photo). Casey is the 14th great grand child for Baba and Pop! We also had a surprise visit from Jordan and her son William. The visit in Greenwich was great and Sally and Eddie spoiled us rotten. Eddie baby sat a few times and even managed a diaper changing crisis all on his own. In the last few days Casey seems to have changed a little bit in that she has more alert periods of the day and they last for longer stretches of time than before. She is still throwing up but it is occurring every other day now instead of every day. James missed Casey a lot and was very happy to have her home. At the moment, Casey and Dad are asleep on the couch.

2 Weeks Old

May 14, 2007: Casey turned two weeks old today and we also had her two week check up at the doctor. She has been throwing up lately which has been very unnerving for her new parents. She has thrown up once a day for the past 4 days and then twice yesterday. The first time it happened the visiting nurse was due to arrive any moment so I remained calm. The next day the doctor's office could barely understand my name through the sobbing I was doing over the phone. Lack of sleep and hormones raging can do that to a new mom I guess. Now at her two week check up we were assured that this is well within the realm of normal behavior for a newborn and that we can expect it to keep up for as long as two months. Some babies are just spitters they told us. Besides that issue things are going very well so far. Casey continues to gain weight, today she weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces. She is in the 47th %ile for weight, 76th % for height, and 40th %ile for head circumfrence. A lean, mean, fighting machine. Last night James was changing her diaper and her umbilical cord stump had fallen off. She has ended her streak of sleeping from midnight until 5 am, unfortunately for me. The past two or three nights we have been up much more often. This week we might take our first trip and head down to Greenwich for a few nights so that we can meet uncle Mark, aunt Jen and Brinley, and all of our cousins.

Visitors

May 12, 2007: The Duvals came up to visit us and meet Casey. She met aunt and uncles Jenny, Dave, Heather, Geoff and her cousin Andrew for the first time. It was very fun for everyone to see where we live but more importantly for them to see the newest Duval. Donna and Lou held Casey for the first time. They had seen her in the hospital but had not yet held her. We love having our families so close and sharing this exciting new time with them.

Casey's First 10 Days

May 10, 2007:

Here is what we've been up to the past 10 days. We went home from the hospital on Wednesday, May 2nd and since then have been adjusting to life at home. We've been for one car ride to the doctor for a check up, had three baths, played in the swing and gone for a few walks. We had a lot of bonding time with Sally and Eddie who have helped us out so much. We were sad to see them go home today, especially Little Sal. Today a visiting nurse came by the apartment to check on how we are doing and Casey weighed in at 7 pounds 15 ounces, which is great! Casey has been a great baby so far- eating well, sleeping well (knock on wood), and happy a lot. Mostly we just eat, poop, and sleep though. Here are a few pictures...

Casey Grace Duval

April 30, 2007:

My contractions began yesterday morning at 7:15 am. They fluctuated between 5-9 minutes apart. Around 8:30 am I called the doctor to let him know they were coming consistently at 5-7 minutes. He told us to come down to the hospital and get checked out as this was probably the real deal since I was now a week past my due date. We gathered up all our bags and headed down to Concord. Much to my dismay I was only 1 cm dilated and we were sent home to wait it out. The contractions got progressivley stronger all the time, but we were told to wait until they came every 4 minutes for an hour before heading back to the hospital. After 13 hours they finally got there and we had to leave the 'Amazing Race' and go back to the hospital. Despite 13 hours of contractions I was still only 1 cm dilated but they kept me in there this time because the pain was significant. I was lucky enough to be having back labor which is when the baby is turned sunny side up and puts pressure on your back, making labor more painful. We got into our room around 9:30 pm and had 12 hours ahead of us. I spent most of the labor standing up in my room. Around 4 am the pain was too much to take and I was only 4 cms dilated. With so much progress still to be made I decided to finally get the epidural. This was heavenly and allowed me to get about an hours rest. By 7 am my water had broken and I was 10 cms dilated. I started pushing around 8:30 am and our baby girl arrived at 9:48am. Casey Grace Duval weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long. What a miracle!

Waiting Game

April 24, 2007: I am two days past my due date and just had a check up. There has been no progress since last week. I am still 80% effaced and not dilated at all. They performed something called a non stress test during the check up. Two sensors are attached to my stomach which monitor the baby's heart rate and any contractions and make sure that she is not stressed by remaining in her oven this long. She was perfectly fine and is not growing so big that they are in a rush to get her out. People have different views on when you should be induced. Doctors will not allow you to go more than 14 days late. James and I are going to wait it out as long as possible, considering both the baby and I are healthy. I have my next check up scheduled for Monday. I will have a non stress test done again, and if I am still not dilated at all then I will be scheduled to be induced at the end of next week- just shy of the 42 week cut off. So for now we are just in a holding pattern. The hardest part is for me to remain calm and patient. I am still working and will continue to do so at least through this week.

4 More Days ??

April 18, 2007: I was very excited to go to my weekly check up today in the hopes they would tell me there had been lots of progress, unfortunately that was not the case. I am now 80% effaced (I was 70% last week) but still not dilated at all. They continue to tell me that everyone is different and despite not being dilated I could be in labor tonight or 2 weeks from now. There is just no guessing. So I have another appointment scheduled for next week at which time they will do a non-stress test on the baby to see how she is doing and we will discuss dates when to induce. Hopefully I won't make it to next week's appointment and we will have a baby by then. I am doing well and feeling pretty good for the most part- despite feeling like a whale. In other news, James, Lou, and Dave all successfully completed the Boston Marathon on Monday- Congratulations!

11 Days to Go

April 11, 2007: I had my weekly check up today. I had another ultrasound since they were still concerned about why I was measuring small. But the baby is doing great. Her weight is estimated at 7 pounds 4 ounces right now and she is right in the 50th percentile- just perfect. Last week I was 60% effaced and now I am 70% but not dilated at all. That really means nothing in terms of knowing when labor will happen, but at least it means things are moving and she said it is less work that I will have to do during labor. Some teachers here say I have dropped a little bit, but it is hard for me to tell. I am starting to feel pretty uncomfortable lugging myself around but all in all feeling good. During the ultrasound today they had a cool shot of her face which just seemed so real and life like. It was almost as if I were looking at her for real. I can't wait for that day to come.

35 weeks

March 19, 2007: We had an awesome week in ID. Here is a picture of me at the end of the week on a short hike that James and I did above the Galena Pass. We had been snow shoeing that day at Galena Lodge and then went up for a better view. The weather was amazing all week and we were sad to leave the 65 degree sunny days for the cold NH weather. We had a great time seeing Jon and were lucky enough to get home despite the storms in New England. I saw the doctor today and because I was still measuring small we had an ultra sound to check on the baby's size and health. (Even though I gained 4 lbs in the last 2 weeks!) Much to our relief the baby is doing great and she is a very average size. She weighs 5 pounds 7 ounces right now and is in the 59th percentile. They said because I have a long torso that it seems like I am small even though I am not. So that was great news to hear as we head into the last stretch. I start seeing the doctor every week now and we also had our first birthing class today. Also, we think we finally picked a name for our baby, but you will have to wait until she arrives to hear what it is.

34 Weeks

March 12, 2007:

We are out in Sun Valley, ID visiting Jon for our spring break. It is really gorgeous here and the weather is unbelievable. It is 65 degrees and sunny. James is enjoying snow boarding and skiing with Jon, despite his broken wrist. I have been snow shoeing and just relaxing. Here we are at the top of the mountain with Jon one day and here is my 34 week belly on the balcony of our condo which over looks the ski mountain.

33 Weeks

March 4, 2007:

At this weeks check up the doctors made me nervous by telling me I am "measuring small". When you are 33 weeks along and they measure the size of your stomach it should match the weeks and thus be 33 cms. I am 31 cms. She said if the difference gets to be more than 2 cms we would get checked out with an ultrasound. For now though, she has said it is nothing to worry about and gave me the green light to head to Sun Valley at the end of this week. I just have to bring a copy of my medical file with me in case anything happens out there. I am still feeling good though and still running 2-3 miles 4 times a week.

30 Weeks

February 11, 2007: 30 weeks down, 10 to go. The tear in my round ligament seems to be healing and I have been able to start working out again. I have been walking and also just started up jogging again. It feels great to be able to get some exercise after a few weeks off. The baby kicks with more strength every day. I think it is weighing in at about 3 lbs now, but I see the doctor tomorrow for my check up so I will post an update after that. Mark and Jen came up to visit this past weekend and brought us some baby gear so now the nursery is coming along even more. We now have a bassinet, bouncy seat, baby bjorn, a tub, and lots of clothes.

Nursery

January 30, 2007: Today we finished painting the baby's room. Neither of us have ever painted anything before so it was a learning experience. The first difficulty was knowing what color that looked good on a tiny square in the store would look good covering entire walls. Our "light blue" turned out to be a little bit brighter than we planned, but for a few months the little one can deal. The biggest discovery I made was what a pain in the neck painting is. I hated all the taping and fine edge work. I didn't mind using the rollers in big places, but next time I hope I can afford a painter! :)

Mount Morgan

January 28, 2007: 28 Weeks pregnant today and really starting to feel bigger. I have not done any exercise in two weeks because I am letting a tear in one of my round ligaments heal up. Today was a gorgeous winter day and we decided to go for a hike. The trail was 2.1 miles to the top and you get to 2,220 feet in elevation. We took it nice and slow and got to the top in about an hour and twenty minutes. The views were fantastic. I have been feeling great and just can't really get used to being so big. It is a strange feeling. When I sit at my desk my uterus touches my rib cage and I can feel the baby kick me in the ribs.

6 Month Mark

January 14, 2007: Well, the third trimester has arrived. I really can't believe I am 6 months pregnant already. I have gained about 17 pounds so far and it is getting noticeable to me and to others. I feel much heavier and everyone seems to say, "You have popped". My belly button is sticking out now which is funny. The baby is still moving around quite a bit. My uterus is now the size of a basketball and the baby is about 14 inches long from head to toe and weighs just under 2 pounds. She is now opening and closing her eyes, practicing taking small breaths of amniotic fluid, developing a more keen sense of hearing, and adding layers of fat all the time. I am still feeling pretty good, although the weight does create more aches and pains. Sleeping is getting more difficult, and when I toss and turn there is a lot more to it now. They say when the second trimester comes to an end the honeymoon is over. We'll wait and see ...

Moving Around: 22 Weeks

December 17, 2006: I am now 5 months pregnant and I feel like my body is changing a lot lately. I have gotten much bigger and I am now in maternity clothes. My belly button has started to pop out. The baby is really starting to move around a lot now and with more strength. I can feel it moving during most of the day, and at night James can sometimes feel it when he has a hand on my stomach. I am feeling great though. Still working out, running between 2 and 3 miles a few times a week and sometimes walking in addition. James is in Sun Valley visiting Jon, no skiing for me this winter.

Ultrasound: 19 Weeks 2 Days

November 28, 2006: Today was the appointment we were really looking forward to, the ultrasound. James was able to come with me so he could see the baby. There is a lot of excitement but also apprehension as you can find out if there is anything wrong with the baby at this point. Thankfully the baby appears to be healthy and we had an amazing time watching the image on the screen. I have gained 10.5 pounds so far. We asked the nurse to tell us if we are expecting a boy or girl and unfortunately junior would not cooperate fully. The legs were crossed and it kept it's back turned to us for most of it. But the nurse's professional opinion was that there is a 95% chance that we are having a baby GIRL. Here is a picture from the visit where she appears to be sucking her thumb.

First Visit: 8 Weeks 3 Days

September 13, 2006: Today I went to the doctor for the first time. I had an early ultrasound and was able to see the baby. What an amazing experience! The baby is tiny (1.98 cm in length)and looks like a little bean. This early there is no noticeably human shape, other than the flashing strobe in the center which is it's heart.
I have been feeling pretty good, although I am tired and sometimes queasy. Walking into the dining hall and passing by the hot food section does not do wonders for my stomach at this point.

Telling Family

September 2, 2006: We kept the news to ourselves for a week and could not hold it in anymore. We broke down and decided to tell our parents and siblings today. There was a lot of surprised reactions but mostly just excitement.

Two Pink Lines

August 25, 2006: Two pink lines means I am pregnant! We are not going to tell anyone except one teacher here at New Hampton so we can find out who to use for an obstetrician around here. According to calculations I am already 6 weeks pregnant today which means I am due April 22, 2007.