Lucy Elizabeth Masson

Summarizing Week # 21:

Many people have responded to our personal e-mail account regarding our last post, so I wanted to publicly introduce Lucy Elizabeth Masson. Her officially due date is May 11th, 2009- but we all know how that goes- what is it, give or take 2 weeks on each end? So, theoretically, she could be born any time between April 27th, 2009 through May 25th, 2009. Honestly, I don’t if I can wait that long!

At about seven inches in length and almost 11 ounces in weight, Lucy is about the size of a large banana –and- during our last ultrasound, see the photos below in our last post, the technician notes that the baby is just under one pound. Woo Hoo- she’s a whopper all ready! But, I think the coolest part of the entire experience was seeing her heart up close where you were clearly able to distinguish all four chambers of the little “lub-dub.” Hope she has lots of room in that heart for love, because she is greatly loved by us already and we haven’t even met her yet. How on Earth does that happen? How can you fall in love with a little being that you haven’t met –or- fall in love with a little person who isn’t fully developed? Wow- this whole process is VERY intense!

At 21 weeks pregnant, your baby swallows at least several ounces of amniotic fluid each day — not only for hydration and nutrition, but also to practice swallowing and digesting — skills your baby will need as soon as he or she arrives in your arms. And keep this in mind: The taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what Rachel’s eaten (spicy Mexican food one day, or sweets another). And that smorgasbord of tastes won't be lost on your baby. That's because your little one has very developed taste buds already. In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with that same taste after birth. Want your baby to eat his or her broccoli later? Eat yours now! Your developing baby still has a great deal of room in your womb — though like anyone who lives in one space for a long time, this tenant will soon begin to feel cramped. Until those uterine walls start closing in, however, there's plenty of space for twisting, turning, and even an occasional somersault (so that's what you were feeling last night!). With all that belly dancing going on, it's hard to believe your baby gets any sleep at all. But believe it or not, your fetus sleeps as much as a newborn, perhaps 12 to 14 hours per day! (Now if only you could get some sleep!)

Summarizing Week # 22:

Guess what? At 22 weeks pregnant, Lucy has finally broken the one-pound mark. This week, she is making more sense of the world as her sense of touch develops. In fact, her grip is quite developed by now — and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, she may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord (don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it). The sense of sight is also getting more developed. Lucy can now perceive light and dark much better than before (even with those fused eyelids). Unless Rachel and I are shining a flashlight over her belly (which you can do, by the way), it'll be mostly dark for Lucy inside that cozy womb. Moving up from the eyes, the eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now — and even more hair is sprouting atop that cute little head. Hair at this stage of fetal development has no pigment, so it's bright white- yippee- we have a little toe-head!

In General:

Today is New Years Eve 2008, it’s snowing like crazy outside- we’re expecting four to six inches by 6pm… and by 9pm…. We’re expecting Sandy and Debbie to arrive at our house. Tonight, we will partake in our New Year’s Eve tradition of eating fabulously delicious food prepared by Rachel, we will imbibe spectacular cocktails again created by the wonderful Rachel, and we will no-doubt engage in some smack-talking and good ‘ole fun during the many hours of board games- Cranium, Apples to Apples, and Scrabble are at the top of the list tonight. Tomorrow is supposed to be down right balmy, but if we can bear the frigid temperatures, we may try to get some snow shoeing in prior to Sandy & Debbie’s departure at 4pm- I promised Debbie that I’d kick them out by 4pm because she has to work early on Friday morning (as do I).

We had a wonderful Christmas and Hanukkah with our families; as always, we received many thoughtful gifts. Speaking of which, I think Lucy had more gifts under the tree than we did- Rachel’s sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth and Jake, purchased a beautiful traditional Winnie-the-Pooh bedding set for us along with wonderful outfits, Betty bought a Curious George jack-in-the-box, my Aunt Marlene crocheted a beautiful blanket, a book from Auntie & Joe, and my grandparents bought some wonderfully adorable outfits. Needless to say, Lucy made out like a bandit!

As always, I took many photos of the holidays with the family and I’m sure I’ll take many photos of our adventures tonight. I will make it a priority to post some of the photos of Rachel and the growing belly as soon as they’re downloading. Speaking of Rachel… I’ve somehow forgotten to mention her too much… Gee Whiz! Anyways, Rachel continues to feel great- She continues to work out daily and she is healthy. However, she continues to be easily tired and goes to bed around 8pm nightly, but she also works out at 5am… so, in general, we are on different sleep cycles as I can’t possibly fall asleep that early, nor could I drag my bum out of bed that early- I like my sleep and I hate the cold mornings of the winter!

Cheers to everybody

for a

Safe & Happy

New Year!

The Stream of Life

I just wanted to share this sweet poem with everybody...

Pink -or- Blue....

Rachel and I are so happy to FINALLY share the following ultrasound scans with with...




The official ultrasound.... and the verdict is in....



The profile of our princess...



Happy Feet...

And a HUGE round of applause...

Baby Masson's First Onesie...

Introducing Steven...

Rachel and I have tossed the idea of having a "known" donor in our lifes vs. an unknown donor (i.e a sperm bank) for a LONG time now- our conclusion was that we would have a conversation with a wonderful couple to see if they were at all interested.

Steven and Jeremy, who Rachel and her mother knew for many years (prior to me meeting them at their restaurant, The Front Porch Cafe) are fabulous individuals who want to assist Rachel and I in the process of having a family. I don't know what year this photo was actually taken, but Steven (the donor- is on the left) and Jeremy (his life-partner/ husband is on the right). I'm also hoping that the "boys" will send us more recent photos and a "bio" on themselves, soon.
Peace,

love

&

cheer!

20 Weeks...

The Masson baby weighs about ten ounces and has a height, crown to rump, of about six and a half inches- Think small cantaloupe (and probably as sweet too). Is it a boy cantaloupe or a girl cantaloupe? We'll be able to find out the baby's gender on Monday December 22nd, 2008 @ 3pm. Apparently, if the baby is a girl, her uterus is fully formed this week and her vaginal canal is starting its development. She also has primitive eggs in her tiny little ovaries now, seven million of them — though by the time she's born, that number will be down to two million (still more than she could ever hope to use). And interestingly, your baby girl will be born with all the eggs she'll ever have.

What if the baby is a male? If it’s a boy, his testicles have begun their descent this week, though they're still located in the abdomen, waiting for the scrotum to finish growing so they'll have a place to drop into in a few weeks. Though the external genitals in both male and female fetuses still have a way to grow, you should be able to find out the sex of your baby during the ultrasound exam.

Two appointments ago, Rachel was offered an additional prenatal test. Our theory on these tests have been: 1) As long as our insurance covers the majority of the cost; and 2) As long as there aren’t risks to either Rachel or the baby’s health. So, she had a simple blood test done- actually a small prick of the finger for an “AFP Test.” We didn’t know much about the test, other than it was looking for genetic markers that would indicate the likeliness of genetic abnormalities. With a little research, I found some additional information. Also, our mid-wife, Maggie, is WONDERFUL at explaining the details and especially the “pro’s” and “con’s.” But here’s some more information for all of you who were not in the room with us when Maggie gave her explanation.

When is the Alpha-Fetoprotein test performed?
During the period of 15 to 20 weeks gestation, about halfway through pregnancy, many pregnant women are offered and encouraged to undergo more invasive prenatal testing. One of the tests available is called the AFP or Alpha-Fetoprotein test. The AFP test is a blood test used to screen the baby for certain conditions. The blood taken is that from mom, but a sample can be obtained for testing from amniotic fluid. The AFP test is not a diagnosis. It can only be used to test for the increased likelihood of an abnormality or birth defect.

What is Alpha-Fetoprotein and why is the AFP test done?
Alpha-Fetoprotein is a substance produced by the fetus in utero. AFP stops being produced once the baby is born. The AFP is excreted in the fetal urine which crosses into the mother’s blood stream. This is why AFP can be detected by a blood sample taken from the pregnant mother.
High levels of AFP can indicate an increased chance of the fetus having a neural tube defect such as spina bifida. Another possibility with a high level of AFP can be a low level of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus. An abnormally low AFP level can indicate an increased risk of Down syndrome.

The AFP is rarely performed alone. AFP is usually part of a test called a “triple screen.” The purpose of the triple screen test is to use the results of all three blood tests to increase the accuracy of the results. There are practically no risks involved with having the test performed.
The accuracy rate of the AFP test is estimated at 80%. Many times women who under go testing are given results that indicate a high risk for birth defects and the baby is born without an abnormality. This is referred to as a “false positive.”

Parenting Decisions...

After spending an entire weekend with my 2 neices (ages 11 weeks & 2 yrs 9 mnths) and my nephew (1 yr 9mnths), Rachel and I are 100% certain of one thing... We NEVER intend to have three children under the age of three at any point in our parenting career! Granted, my neices and nephew are well-behaved, wonderfully talented, and purely beautiful children- caring for them and their needs is virtually impossible! Jerad (my brother) and Vera (my sister-in-law) have their hands FULL!

Here's some photos of our weekend:

Pig Pile on Auntie Erica.

Laylah.

Shmooshy-faced Ellianna with Auntie.

Rub-a-dub-dub...
Moose-a-man's in the tub!

Brunch at The Blue Heron with Santa...

Ellianna wanted NO part of photos with Santa. She just wanted to play with his bells while other children and parents were trying to take photos.

Rachel & I at the Brattleboro Retreat 2008 Holiday Party.

WOO HOO! We survived a full weekend of 3 children under the age of 3... two of which had runny noses and were crabby toddlers at times. There's nothing like teamwork! We look forward to the challenges that lie ahead with parenting a newborn and acknowledge the importance of working together to establish a routine that works well for both of us and the baby. In less than one week, we may know the gender of the Masson baby! We've officially began our 20th week, I will have more fun-filled baby facts in a later post this week! Hope everybody is happy abd healthy this holiday season!
Cheers to all!

9+ Months of Pregnancy...

Instead of the 12 days of Christmas, this is the 9+ months of pregnancy…

I hope the holiday season is treating everybody well out there. Today is the first time we’ve had actual snow hit the ground this season… it’s more than a dusting, but not a true accumulation; perhaps we’ll get two inches of snow, but it’s supposed to turn to rain and it’ll either ice over or disappear. Yee Haw for the lovely New England weather!

Rachel continues to feel well and has begun to feel the flutter of movement in her uterus. She continues to work out and yesterday was “re-invigorated” after reading all of the benefits of exercising during pregnancy. Me, I continue to sleep in and hibernate like a bear until the very last minute of the morning- you know, the last minute that if I pass, I will be REALLY late for work- yeah, that one! I don’t like the winter, I don’t like the cold weather, and all I want to do is stay in my bed where it’s warm. Rachel is quite opposite- she’s a “Get up & Go” type gal… she heads to the gym at some un-Godly hour- I don’t even hear her alarm go off most mornings and she returns before I get out of bed. Yeah, we definitely have a routine!

So, last week we visited Maggie, our beloved midwife- she’s wonderful! Everything is progressing as expected- we heard the heart beat (as we do at every appointment), she asked a billion questions, answered our three billions questions, and then scheduled an ultrasound for December 23rd, 2008 @ 8am. Do you know what that means? It means that we MIGHT know baby Masson’s gender two days before Christmas. YIPPPPEEEEE! In my mind, I’m more excited about that appointment than I am about Christmas! Plus, the parents and grandparents will most likely get little picture frames as gifts that say “It’s a _____!” I will definitely post a blog on that day!

Alright… so, we’ve entered week # 19… what does that mean? Well, our baby is about six inches long and about eight ounces in weight –or- the baby is the size of a large mango (thus the "large" mango picture above). Not many people know, but one of my favorite movies is the Matrix, and in “What to Expect” they say that our “little action figure is able to choreograph Matrix-like moves” meaning that the baby has more control over his/ her movements of it’s limbs because the arms and legs are finally in proportion and the neurons are now connected between the brain and the muscles. Plus, the cartilage throughout the body is finally turning to bone. Another huge development this week is the formation of the vernix caseosa; the actual latin translation is “cheesy varnish” which is greasy and white, and is made up of lanugo (that downy hair), oil from your baby's glands, and dead skin cells. This waxy "cheese" may not sound too appetizing or attractive, but it's there for good reason: Vernix protects your baby's sensitive skin from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without it, your baby would look very wrinkled at birth (sort of what you'd look like if you soaked in a bath for nine months). Our baby is lathered in anti-wrinkle cream!

Rachel hasn’t added her two cents to our blog yet; she stresses over what she’s going to write. Additionally, I haven’t been able to gather pictures and information about the donor to introduce him yet either. I will work on both of those topics for future blog entries. For now, I leave you with this great quote I found online:

“The moment a child is born,
the mother is also born.
She never existed before.
The woman existed, but the mother, never.
A mother is something absolutely new.”
~Rajneesh

Beginning Week # 18 with Excitement...

Did you know that because Rachel’s uterus is growing so rapidly, that her center of gravity shifts? Not only is her uterus the size of a cantaloupe, her lower back has pulled forward and her abdomen is now thrust out more. The most fascinating fact of this week, for me, is that in the next few weeks, Rachel will be able to start feeling fetal movements; they’re described as feeling like gas bubbles, but this is definitely assurance that she’s carrying a baby and not just the produce department (as “What to Expect” always describes size in comparison to produce). I’m not exactly sure how Rachel’s shifted center of gravity affects me, but I wonder if this means she will topple over more easily or if she shouldn’t be climbing ladders or standing at great heights. Hmmm…. Six feet in the air is a great height to me, does this mean she needs to sit all the time? Gee whiz… according to WebMD, the only time women notice a difference in their balance is primarily during the third trimester causing them to feel “perpetually off-balance” which is caused by a hormone called Relaxin which apparently is released towards the end of pregnancy to allow the hips, knees, and ankles to be more flexible and ultimately it makes the woman feel more wobbly, achy, and more likely to fall. I guess I’ll continue to allow Rachel to stand tall for now because good posture is very important to alleviate some of the related back aches and pains associated with pregnancy.

At this point, most women are visibly pregnant… but Rachel is still “theoretically” pregnant because to the unsuspecting, ordinary person, Rachel appears to be a six foot tall, slender woman who, as always, is glowing, happy, and boisterous. Though, on my way to work this morning, I got a call on my cell phone from Rachel stating “My work clothes don’t fit me anymore (because of the baby bump).” To which I replied, “Well, you could wear my clothes.” But after a brief second of thought, we both agreed: 1) As most of you know, she & I have entirely different styles- not to mention the feminine nature of her clothing and the masculine nature of my clothing, and the pure fact that I don’t share well with others (yeah, you heard me correctly- I think it’s a product of being the oldest child & always being forced to share things with my younger brothers- I don’t know, but that’s a good excuse and I don’t necessarily have to take responsibility for it); and 2) She’s much taller than I am which would cause my pants to be “high waters” or my shirts to be “½ shirts” none of which would be appropriate for her business attire needed for work. So…. Yes folks, we’re in a clothing quandary… but alas, Rachel found a decent solution which was recommended by, our trusty, advice giving, queen of all things motherly, Kim, and secondly “What to Expect.” She purchased a “belly band.” (I hope I’m not sharing too much information because this could be cause for Rachel to banish me to the couch, or worse, the camper). Anyways, Rachel has another check-up with the midwife this week (I think it's on Thursday) & I'm sure I'll have more information following that appointment, but because I lack time-off, I don't get to attend the meeting with her. BLECH! I believe that we will be able to have an ultrasound during the week of Christmas where we "could" discover the gender of our baby... we'll keep our fingers crossed!

According to a “well-known” pregnancy store, a “belly band” is a seamless, maternity accessory band that you wear at your waistline, over your unbuttoned pre-pregnancy pants, over slightly big maternity pants, or around the waistband of any maternity clothing that falls down. Rachel purchased one and wore it all day yesterday. She reports that it was comfortable, soft, and easy to wear. At first, I totally didn’t understand this contraption and she said “It’s like a tube top for your belly.” Which for some odd reason, made much more sense to me… I know nothing about tube tops, they actually puzzle me, but for some reason, it helped me better understand this new article of clothing. The band holds up your pants, disguising unzipped/ buttoned pants, and creates a smooth belly surface (or a lack of bulkiness around the belly bump). The best part, that makes the MOST sense to me, with the belly band, no one has to know your pants are undone or loose. And, according to the “well-known” pregnancy store, you can conceal your belly band or let it peek out from under your top for that hip, layered look. If your shirt rises, it looks like a t-shirt or camisole - not a funky mechanism (like safety pins or straps) to expand your waistband or hold up your pants. Thank god for the belly band because maternity clothing is ungodly expensive and mostly ugly, non-fashionable, and unappealing to my beautiful wife.

Now, what the HECK is going on inside Rachel’s belly (or uterus to be exact)? Well, the baby is definitely growing like a weed; he or she is about 5 ½ inches long and approximately 5 ounces. The baby continues its acrobatics, but this week has also perfected its yawn. Not only is he/ she becoming more talented and acquiring more tricks, but the nerves are now covered with a substance called myelin (which speeds messages from nerve cell to nerve cell), are forming more complex connections. And those in the brain are further specializing into the ones that serve the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. Talking about hearing, the baby's is growing more acute, making him/ her more conscious of sounds that come from inside your body.

Okay, so that is the “facts and statistics” and details of this week. But, many of you might want to know what is going on in our lives outside of Rachel’s uterus. Well, Rachel’s travel for work has ceased for the time being, well as least through the holidays. She continues to be busy with work, but luckily, she had the week of Thanksgiving off during which time, she completed some items on the “honey-do list.” Window treatments were at the top of that list over the past week, especially because we had company for Thanksgiving. Rachel installed, purchased, and dressed our living room windows- we now have a much warmer and inviting living area. Additionally, yesterday we went to Home Depot to purchase paint for the walls that have been stark white since we moved in a little over two years ago. We finally agreed upon “Cobblestone” with an accent wall of “Cup of Cocoa” which both are in the earth-tone, tan/ brown spectrum. We’re also in the process of obtaining some assistance with re-doing our bathroom. A brand new toilet sits in its box, in the kitchen, while the ceiling has a brand new heat light and is awaiting a skim-coat and ceiling paint, we’re anticipating a purchase of a pedestal sink in the near future, and will most likely also paint the walls and the wood work. As for me, I’m still working my tail feathers off at the Brattleboro Retreat as a therapist in the co-ed residential program. I’m currently completing a certificate program at a local graduate school in non-profit management and I’m working approximately two shifts per week in the admissions department (at the Retreat) assisting with admitting patients who require in-patient level of care. I enjoy my job, but it was blissful to have four consecutive days off over the holiday weekend. We continue to entertain, train, and parent two wonderfully needy dogs, Riley and Grace, and two independent cats who crave attention, Midnight and Greta. Lastly, the weather in New England continues to exhibit unstable, and undesirable forecasts- yesterday, it rained, snowed, and became slushy; today its “mild” and we can expect temperatures in the low-50’s, and by Friday we can expect extremely cold, and unpleasant weather- highs, as described by the local radio station, in the low-30’s with wind-chills causing it to feel much colder. Now I ponder…. “Wouldn’t it be much easier to hibernate until the baby is born?”