Dear Baby Sonny

Dear Baby Sonny,

I can't believe how much I love you already.  It was love at first sight when I saw you on the ultrasound screen.  It was music to my ears when I heard your heart beat.  I've seen you on the ultrasound screen with the hiccups and sucking your thumb- you were super cute and even more lovable.  I learned what it feels like when you move around, and now I love you even more.  You kick and punch me, but instead of being unhappy when you wake me up, I love knowing that you are happy and healthy in my belly.

I love you always and unconditionally.

Love,
Mom

Week 29

This week Baby Sonny is about 15 inches head to toe and weighs about 2.5 pounds.  He is roughly the size of a butternut squash.  Baby Sonny is busy depositing white fat under his skin.  Before now he has mostly been storing brown fat, which is necessary for body temperature regulation.  White fat (the kind of fat we have) serves as an energy source.  There's not much more room for my belly to grow, so Baby Sonny might start to feel a little cramped in the near future.

This past week has been a lot of fun.  I had a great time in Kiawah with Jeff, Hannah, Baby Girl T, Matt, and Suzanne.  Every day I tried to do a mild form of physical activity.  One day I went for a bike ride; this proved a little difficult because I felt that my tummy rammed into my chest and it was difficult to expand my diaphragm.  I also did water aerobics, Zumba, and went for plenty of walks.  And no vacation is complete without tons of over eating on delicious food!

On Christmas Eve I flew back to Hartford and both of my parents met me at the airport.  We went home, had yummy steaks, and then opened all of our presents!  Baby Sonny is not even here yet and he got spoiled.  He got some clothes, a huge polar bear (our college mascot), and a super cute rocking horse.  The horse even makes sounds like galloping and neighing.  On Christmas we visited cousins in Massachusetts and yesterday was a much needed day of rest.  Today was my first day at work in 10 days, boy is it hard returning to work after vacation!

The biggest downside of being back in Connecticut is that Jeff is still on vacation in South Carolina.  I have Jack for company, but I'm lonely :(  I'm happy that Jeff gets to enjoy spending more time with his family and a much needed break from school, but Baby Sonny and I can't wait until Jeff returns on Saturday.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year!

Week 28 = 3rd Trimester!!!

This week marks the beginning of the third trimester with Baby Sonny.  This week he is about 2.25 to 2.5 pounds and measures about 16 inches from head to toe.  This week Baby Sonny has learned to blink and cough.  He continues to practice breathing and sucking his thumb.  Baby Sonny's brain shows different sleep cycles including rapid eye movement, the stage when dreaming occurs.

The most exciting news this week was the announcement of Kathryn Olivia Kroner!!!  Emilie, Kevin, and big sister Abby welcomed their new baby on Decemeber 15th.  Kate is 7 pounds 12 ounces and 21 inches long.

Jeff and I have been having a great time in Kiawah with Hannah, Matt, and Suzanne.  So far we've enjoyed biking, walking, reading by the pool, and of course lots and lots of good eating.

Week 27

This week Baby Sonny is roughly 15 inches from head to toe and weighs just over 2 pounds.  He is roughly the size of a cucumber.  Baby Sonny is continuing to fill out by adding more fat.  His immune system is also maturing and he continues to practice breathing.  His auditory system is developing and the network of nerves to his ears is maturing.  His taste buds are continuing to mature as well.

Last Friday I received a lot of compliments.  I was told about a dozen times that I am a cute pregnant lady.  It was a fantastic Friday.  I loved it, thanks a bunch!

Friday also marked the end of Jeff's first semester of pharmacy school.  On Saturday we went to an end of the semester party and we both had a lot of fun.  It was nice to relax and get to know a few more of Jeff's friends from school.  On Sunday I went shopping with my mom, something we both excel at :)

Tomorrow Jeff and I are checking out another daycare center.  Then we have an OB appointment and I have my glucose challenge test.  Suzanne is coming tomorrow night and then Jeff and Suzanne are off to Kiawah!  I'm jealous but I will be joining them (and Matt, Hannah, and Baby Girl T) a few days later.

The past week or so I have felt really pregnant.  When I sit in a chair my belly reaches my sternum and it's difficult to sit up for too long.  It's also difficult for me to stand for long periods of time.  When I bend over to pick something up (I'm clumsy) my belly gets in the way.

Congrats Jeff!

Congrats to Jeff for finishing his first semester of pharmacy school! Jeff did it in style too, he earned high honors on every exam. Only 7 more semesters to go, keep up the good work!

Now enjoy your 3 weeks off, you deserve it.

Week 26

Countdown to the arrival of Baby Sonny: 98 days! Pretty wild! He is about 9 inches from head to rump, 14 inches head to toe, and weighs about 1.75 pounds.  He is roughly the size of an eggplant.

His eyes, which have been fused shut until now are beginning to open. Sadly my uterus doesn't have a great view of anything. The most exciting thing I read is that this week his brain-wave activity is increasing. At this point he can not only hear sounds but he is learning to respond to them! He will learn to recognize our voices and respond with an increased heart rate or increased activity. Isn't that amazing?!?

We've had lots to celebrate this week. On Thursday we celebrated Henry's birthday over a delicious dinner at Union League Cafe in New Haven. On Saturday Nana and PopPop celebrated 70 years of marriage! They are an inspiration to us all! And on Sunday we celebrated my father's birthday with take out, Rummy King (really fun thinking game), and Jeff rescuing my parent's laptop from a virus. He's such a gem.

My parents had an amazing surprise for Baby Sonny. A few years ago they bought several young Christmas trees and planted them in the woods. They plan to have my dad and Baby Sonny cut one down for Christmas each year when he is old enough.  What an original idea and a great way to create lasting memories!

On Monday we looked at the day care center at SFH. The director is amazing but it's sad to think about practical issues so early before Baby Sonny is even here.  We're going to tour a few more daycare centers next week and add our name to the wait list.  Finding infant care is difficult.

Today I had some spare time at work, and asked one of the residents to ultrasound my belly.  It's been 6 weeks since I've had a good peak at Baby Sonny.  He looked pretty content, moving around, and kicking.  At one point we even caught him with his hand by his face, on closer inspection we could see that he was sucking his thumb!  He's already a cutie patootie in my book :)

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Week 25

This week Baby Sonny is 9 inches from head to rump (and 13.5 inches head to toe) and weighs about 1.5 pounds. He is roughly the size of a large rutabaga.  I'm not sure how large a rutabaga actually is...  Baby Sonny is starting to turn more pink because more and more capillaries are forming under his skin. His nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open up this week. This allows him to start taking practice breaths! Baby Sonny is also growing more hair and if we could see him now we could discern its color and texture.

Thanksgiving was a nice relaxed meal with my parents and my brother. I then went to work for the overnight shift while Jeff drove to NH for a second Thanksgiving meal. I joined him on Friday after a short nap and enjoyed the weekend with the Sonneborn clan. I got a great start on my Christmas shopping and bought a nice sweater for myself too :)

On Sunday Jeff and I engaged in a heated disagreement. I hate to admit it but he was right. The argument reinforced what I already know and love about Jeff. He has strong principals and stands by them. He puts other people in front of himself. He doesn't like to accept things from other people because he prefers to be self sufficient. And he truly is the most selfless person I know.

Right now I'm terrified of being a mom. As ridiculous as this sounds, I'm most terrified of the responsibility of being a mother, of having a little tiny person completely dependent on me. And there's no turning back, Baby Sonny will be here in 3.5 months. I am completely in love with Baby Sonny and so far my love far outweighs the terror, but I still have it like a pit in my stomach.

A small highlight this week has been using FaceTime on the iPad. I talked to Kristen this way and even gave her a quick tour of our place! And then Jeff surprised Brian with a FaceTime call and the two were laughing for the majority of the conversation.  It's really fun and possibly addicting.

Sunday brunch: I ate the baby's weight in pancakes and eggs :)

Child Care

We have our first appointment to view a child care center on Monday, yikes! Reality is setting in. It's the child care center at my hospital and one mile from Jeff's school. The biggest plus I've heard from coworkers at SFH is that mom can run over for a quick kiss on her lunch break. Might make leaving my little man a little easier. I'm already getting teary eyed thinking about leaving him with someone else :(

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for my family for their unconditional love and support.

I'm thankful for my friends near and far.

I'm thankful for a great job and supportive colleagues.

I'm thankful that so far I've had a healthy pregnancy.

Most of all I'm thankful for a smart and loving husband who is going to be a fantastic father soon.

Week 24

This week Baby Sonny is about 8.5 inches from head to rump and weighs about 1.5 pounds.  He is roughly the size of an ear of corn.  His beautiful face is already fully formed.  Around this time he can tell upside down from rightside up.  His brain is growing quickly and his taste buds are continuing to develop.  His lungs are starting to develop the branches of his respiratory tree and he continues to produce surfactant that will help him breath in the outside world.  His skin is still very thin and translucent.  Right now he is working on fattening up ;)

No real excitement this past week.  On Saturday, Jeff, Jack and I went to the West Hartford Reservoirs for a long walk.  The land preserve contains 3000 acres, 6 reservoirs, and 30 miles of paved or gravel walking trails.  Jeff and I had a nice time and the dog loved sniffing around the trails and meeting new dogs.  We look forward to more walks there, in the near future and when Baby Sonny arrives.

On Saturday night all three of us went to my parent's house for dinner.  While my mom was cooking Baby Sonny was very active, so my mom got to feel Baby Sonny kick AND she could see him move around!  It was great that Baby Sonny was so cooperative and entertaining.  On Sunday Jeff's parents stopped by on their drive from Kiawah to Rye.  We had a quick dinner together before they were on their way again.

I am also a bit jealous of Jeff (ok, super jealous).  He has the entire week off for Thanksgiving!  Lucky Duck!  He works hard studying every week and still manages to care for me by cooking dinner and cleaning, so he definitely deserves a nice break.

Mover and a shaker

Baby Sonny is certainly a mover and a shaker! He loves to move around my belly in any way possible. Jeff has been able to feel kicks for the past week or so, but now you can SEE Baby Sonny kick my belly. Actually, you can see him kick, punch, wiggle, and squirm across my belly! It's also interesting to learn that he has certain intervals during the day when he is more active than other times. He has an awake period around 8:30-9:30am, again in the early afternoon, and again at night from 9-10pm. He probably has other awake times, but those are the intervals I've come to know the best.

Sometimes I think I can tell which side of my belly he is lying on. I'm guessing that I'm feeling his back. Call me crazy but when I watch TV I rub my belly where I visualize his back being :)

Week 23

Baby Sonny is currently eight inches long from head to rump and weighs just over a pound, he is approximately the size of a papaya.  In the next 4 weeks Baby Sonny should double in weight.  His skin is reddish in color now because of developing blood vessels under the skin.  His cochlea (inner ear) is fully developed, which will help him hear when Jeff and I talk to him.  He might even hear Jack bark occasionally.

Not much new this week, but I have to mention that I have really been enjoying the attention that comes with being pregnant.  On Monday when I walked onto the general surgery floor, Darcy (a general surgery nurse) walked over to me to say hello, rub my belly, and greet Baby Sonny.  As I walked down the hall, I was stopped over and over again by the nurses on the floor to touch my belly.  I loved all of the attention!  I ate it up!!!

This weeks photo: Thanks for the new stroller Oma and Opa!

Maternity Tour

Today Jeff and I took the Maternity Tour at St. Francis. It was a neat look behind locked doors. Even though I am a hospital employee, the birth center, NICU, and postpartum units are usually off limits to me. We were met by a very friendly nurse and started our tour in the birthing center. We toured an actual birthing room and went over all of the equipment and potential staff that will be in the room during delivery. Afterwards we toured the level III NICU and then the postpartum unit. The birthing center favors rooming in, meaning that Baby Sonny will spend the entire day and night with us! If we are over tired or over worked, we can ask for Baby Boy to spend time in the nursery. The rooms are all private, thank goodness! A few have queen size beds so Dad can get a reasonable night's sleep instead of sleeping on the pull out sofa (also offered in each room). Jeff's favorite part of the tour was learning that the food service is menu based like being at a restaurant (he was kidding but it's pretty cool). I'm really happy we went and I'm already looking forward to our birthing classes in January.

Week 22: Back Home

This week Baby Sonny is now weighing over one pound! From head to rump, he is about eight inches long. Baby Sonny is developing his sense of touch, and also learning how to grip. Eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed, and more hair is sprouting on top of his head. My baby book says that hair at this stage is bright white, how strange!


Yesterday Jeff and I were finally able to return to our apartment in West Hartford. We lost power for approximately 10 days. In the meantime, we stayed with Hannah and Matt in Branford. We had a lot of fun hanging out every day, hopefully we didn't overstay our welcome :) And we spent the weekend again in New Hampshire visiting Jeff's parents and seeing his friends. My parents got the good news yesterday that their power was restored. And shortly after, we received the news that we had power as well! Woohoo! It was so exciting to sleep in our own bed again!

Today I had the day off, the last day in my 4-day weekend.  I woke up to Baby Sonny kicking.  And then for the next few minutes he had the hiccups.  I could feel his whole body shake every few seconds, and this occurred about 15-20 times.  And then as soon as the hiccups started, they subsided.  Thank goodness it didn't last longer, poor baby!

The best part of my week (second to having power and returning to the apartment), was finally deciding on bedding for Baby Sonny. I felt that a lot of baby bedding was, well, really baby-ish. This lucky duck is getting custom bedding courtesy of Etsy!  For those of you who haven't heard of Etsy, it is a website http://www.etsy.com that sells all different products that are handmade by various people and small businesses across the country.  Aunt Judy has a website for selling her jewelry: http://www.etsy.com/shop/seajules, check it out!

22 Weeks and still smiling!

I know the bedding looks a little wild, and a little retro.  Baby Sonny is getting a quilt made of the owl pattern and other animals with green accents, a crib skirt in the owl print, and then other accessories in the owl and stripe prints.

Stroller

Our stroller arrived in the mail, thanks Oma and Opa! It arrived in two boxes, but without heat and power we are waiting to assemble it. I think Baby Boy Sonny can wait a few days.

Week 21

This week Baby Boy Sonny is about seven inches from head to rump and weighs about 11 ounces, our baby is roughly the length of a banana. Baby Sonny has started to swallow, which is helping him develop taste buds. Hopefully Baby Sonny is enjoying all of the food I've been eating this week! Baby Sonny has been moving around quite a bit lately. I've felt lots of kicks. Most nights I go to bed and lay down with a hand on my belly waiting for Baby Sonny to kick. Jeff will place a hand on my belly too, but I'm not convinced Jeff is able to feel the kicks yet.

You may have noticed that I got braces this week as well. It's uncomfortable but it will be worth it in the end.

It's been an interesting week. Thursday was Jeff's 30th Birthday! Sadly, Jeff had an exam the next morning so he spent the day and evening studying. We postponed the birthday celebration until Friday. My parents, Oma, Opa, and Hannah were able to join us. Later in the evening a few friends stopped over for drinks and cake.

On Saturday we continued the birthday celebration up in New Hampshire. Suzanne made a delicious dinner and then we had 3 different amazing cakes. You might notice my sparkling cider in the photo.

Right after dinner the power went out. We entertained ourselves playing Apples to Apples. Looks like we were having a pretty good time.

We were also able to squeeze in a pregnancy photo in the dark!

Baby Amelia was born on October 29th to proud parents Greg and Emily. She weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces. On Sunday we went to visit Greg, Emily,and Baby Amelia in the hospital. Here is a photo of Jeff holding newborn Amelia. Isn't he a natural?!

We returned back to CT on Sunday, only to discover that we were without power as well. Luckily Matt and Hannah live about an hour away and they have been kind enough to let us stay over. The commute to work and school is long, but well worth it to have electricity, heat, hot showers, and hot meals.

Baby Sonny is a....

Baby Sonny is officially a BOY!!!  Both Jeff and I could not contain our excitement for the 20 week anatomy scan.  It was difficult to sleep last night!  The anatomy scan was a huge success, we got to see Baby Boy Sonny's brain (right and left ventricles and cerebellum), all 4 chambers of his heart, his kidneys, stomach, bladder, distinct bones, and even blood supply.  Last but not least, we could see a penis!  I even had the OB verify when he rescanned me, just to double check!

Profile pic, face on the right, nose up, body on the left

 A foot, it's amazing how developed the bones are

 Another profile pic, face on the right, body on the left

Baby Sonny's face, not the clearest image

Hand

And we have a boy!  I know the photo is not convincing, which is why I had the OB recheck.  

But rest assured, Jeff and I are CERTAIN that we have a boy on the way!  

Is it possible to embarrass your children before they are even born?!

Half Baked!

We are celebrating that Baby Sonny has reached the 20 week mark!  Half way there and doing great!  Baby Sonny is about 10 ounces and is measuring 6.5 inches from crown (head) to rump (bum), or about 10 inches from head to toe.  Baby Sonny is approximately the size of a cantaloupe.  Baby Sonny is starting to produce meconium, the result of digestion, and this will eventually pass in his/her first diaper.

This past week Oma and Opa have traveled up from Florida.  My cousins, Cole, Cooper, and Chloe, traveled down from Massachusetts for the weekend.  We had a family "Thanksgiving" dinner on Saturday night.  It was nice to be together.  On Sunday I asked if we could go to a corn maze.  We traveled to a corn maze nearby but soon discovered it was not open this year.  After a quick mobile Google search we found a corn maze 30 minutes away.  And boy was it worth it!  It was more than just a corn maze, it was an 8 acre/3 mile scavenger hunt.  We found all of the items, with only minimal help from other groups.  Thank goodness for the snack center because we all worked up a healthy appetite after the 3 mile course.

This is an exciting week in the Sonneborn household.  Today marks the halfway point for Baby Sonny.  Today also marks one year at St. Francis Hospital for me.  Tomorrow we have our anatomy scan, we will soon find out if Baby Sonny is a boy or a girl!  And Thursday is Jeff's 30th birthday!  Sadly Jeff has an exam Friday morning so we won't get to celebrate his birthday until Friday afternoon.  But that's ok, we'll have a small party and celebrate a new decade!

This week we also purchased bedroom furniture for Baby Sonny.  Thank goodness we placed the order because the furniture might not arrive until the end of January.  What do you think?

19 Weeks

This week Baby Sonny is six inches longs and weighs 8 ounces.  Baby Sonny is approximately the size of a large mango!  The arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons connect the brain and muscles, and cartilage is turning to bone.  Many of the senses are developing specialized areas in the brain for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.  And hair is starting to sprout on the scalp!

Last week Jeff and I went down to NoVA for Liz and Tim's wedding.  I was fortunate enough to arrive Thursday night along with the other bridesmaids.  On Friday we all went to the Red Door Salon for massages, manicures, and pedicures.  My pregnancy massage was fantastic!  Friday afternoon was the rehearsal followed by dinner.  Jeff had an exam Friday morning but arrived partway through dinner.  We then had a night cap at the hotel bar (I had a tall glass of water).  On Saturday the girls went for hair and make-up followed by pictures.  And then it was time for the wedding!  The wedding took place on the top story of a building in Tyson's Corner with stellar views of the surrounding city and mountains.  The ceremony was short and sweet and then it was time for dinner and dancing! 

The happy couple right before the ceremony

 George Washington U. PAs

Obligatory pregnancy photo!

This is one day after the wedding, I'm not sure what happened over night but I think my belly is here to stay!

My first stranger comment

While at work on Wednesday night I got my second dinner (yup you heard me) of pumpkin soup at Au Bon Pain.  When I was paying the cashier (whom I see at least once per week) asked "Is this your first?"  I looked at her, and asked "My first overnight call?"  She must have thought I was being silly (or just slow) and said, "No, your first baby."  I couldn't believe that someone could tell that I am pregnant!

Week 18

Baby Sonny is roughly 6 inches long and weighs 8 ounces.  In fruit talk Baby Sonny is about the size of a sweet potato.  The arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage is turning to bone.  Baby Sonny has also started to develop vernix caseosa, which is a greasy white skin covering.  This will help protect his/her skin from the amniotic fluid.

This past week I was fortunate to start shopping for baby furniture and baby gear.  Hannah and I checked out Babies'R'Us and then a small chain store called USA Baby.  I had a lot of fun at USA Baby taking the strollers out for a spin and trying out the car seats.  We even got a demo for the Uppababy Vista.  I got to play with the bassinet, experiment with how easily the bassinet, seat, and car seat could be exchanged, and got to practice folding it up. It was really a lot of fun to try out.  We were also sure to try out some less expensive models ;)

Speaking of baby furniture, I also had my first pregnancy/hormone-induced fight with Jeff.  I got upset over picking out new furniture.  Thank goodness Jeff is so easy going because he took it all in stride.  When I realized how much I had over reacted, he even let me apologize without feeling foolish.  But these pregnancy hormones can be tough to deal with at times!

This past week my friend Mychal came back to CT to visit her friends and family.  Mychal joined me for dinner, red potato pizza and salad, and zumba.  It's a nice cardio-dance workout that each person can do to her own ability and comfort level.  I think Mychal had a good time!  We met up again on Saturday night and went out to a bar for juice!  It was sad to say goodbye but also sad that we never took any photos :(

Later this week Jeff and I will be traveling down to DC for Liz and Tim's wedding.  Best news for me is that my bridesmaid dress still fits!  I cant wait to see Liz (and my other DC friends) again and join in the celebration.  We're having a slumber party Thursday AND Friday night, getting our nails and hair done and the big day will be Saturday.  I'll be sure to post photos from the wedding next week!

Baby Thornton

Hannah and Matt have exciting news to share!  Baby Thornton will be a GIRL!!!   Congrats you guys, Jeff and I can't wait to meet our niece!!!

Maternity Jeans

Maternity jeans are the best invention ever.  The jeans have a little bit of lycra/spandex in the leg but they also have a STRETCHY WAIST!  Which is ideal for lounging on the sofa, going for a walk, driving in the car, and gorging yourself when you are out to eat with your husband.  My jeans even have a zipper, which is functional only in the sense that the zipper works.  The zipper is placed below the elastic waist band, so you don't need to unzip the pants to put them on, making it super quick and easy to get dressed.  I love my maternity jeans so much that I might not want to return to button waistband jeans after Baby Sonny is born :)

And speaking of maternity jeans, here I am wearing my favorite pair!  I have a *small* but growing baby bump now!

Week 17

This week Baby Sonny weighs about 5 ounces and is about 5.5 inches long.  Baby Sonny's nervous system is starting to develop and rapidly mature.  Fat is beginning to accumulate under Sonny's skin and sweat glands are beginning to form.  Baby Sonny's skeleton is changing over from soft cartilage to bone.  According to my books Baby Sonny has learned how to yawn.  Also according to my baby books Baby Sonny is rolling around, punching, and kicking.  But I can't feel any of those movements yet.  I probably will start feeling Sonny in the next few weeks.

I love being pregnant.  I love to sit back on the sofa after work and rub my belly.  And then when I go to bed Jeff and I take a good look at my growing belly.  I can see a baby bump really well when I lay down.  Jeff is less convinced :)  My distinct belly bump disappears when I stand up but I'm definitely starting to look more round.

On a different note, work has been really difficult this week.  I haven't been sleeping well.  Part of the problem is my rotating schedule, working days, long days, and over-nights.  And the other problem is that I've really started worrying if I will be a good mother.  How will I know what to do?  I guess you just prepare the best you can and then when I'm not sure ask for help (from Mom, Suzanne, Emilie, Hannah, my relatives, my friends).  I think I'll learn to manage.  The most reassuring fact is that Jack is thriving, at least I know how to care for a dog.  And the best part is that he wags his tail like a maniac when I come home.  He knows I love him.

More exciting news, Hannah and Matt go for their Baby T anatomy scan tomorrow.  Tomorrow they will know if Baby T is a little boy or girl, how fantastic!  Jeff and I go for our anatomy scan in late October.  I'm trying to move the appointment up because I don't think I can wait that long!

One of my friends from work, Leah, a nurse on the surgical floor, suggested using old wives' tales to predict the sex of the baby.  One method is to put a ring on a string and place it in front of your belly.  If the ring swings forward and backward the test predicts a girl.  If the ring spins in a circle the test predicts a boy. Our ring test predicted a BOY.  We'll know in a few weeks if this is correct!

Week 16 Update

Baby Sonny just keeps growing and growing!  This week Baby Sonny is about 5 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces.  In fruit talk Baby Sonny is about the size of an avocado.  Body fat is beginning to accumulate, what better to grab those cute, chunky thighs and cheeks!  In the next week or so Baby Sonny will begin to develop unique fingerprints.  Wow, Baby Sonny surely is growing quickly.

I *might* have felt Baby Sonny move for the first time.  On Friday I was sitting talking to a colleague at work and I felt a fluttering on the side of my belly.  I thought maybe it was my cell phone or pager.  Nope.  Then it happened again and once more after that!  The colleague I was with has a 16 month old at home, with the way I was describing the feeling, she is convinced it was baby moving.  I sure hope so!

On Saturday I went with Henry, Jeff, and Hannah to Scarsdale, NY to visit Nana and PopPop.  Turns out Henry never told Nana and PopPop that Hannah and I were coming.  Surprise!  We went out for a late lunch and then had a lovely time relaxing together.  It was just so nice to spend time together.

On a personal note, I've finally had enough energy to start running again.  But don't get too excited, I don't go very far.  Last week I ran 1 mile at a time (does that even qualify as a run?!) and this week I've been running 2 miles at a time.  Jack has also been a really good sport and has been my running companion.  He prefers to dart out the door, strain on the leash for 20-30 seconds, and then he pants by my side the rest of the way.  Usually by the end he is at the end of the leash, but I'm dragging him along.

A photo from our weekend trip:

Week 15 Update

What's new with week 15 you might ask? Baby Sonny now measures between four and five inches in length and weighs about three ounces.  In fruit talk Baby Sonny is about the size of an orange.  Baby Sonny has started to develop tiny bones in his/her ear, which now makes it possible for Baby Sonny to hear Jeff and I!  Baby Sonny is growing hair on its head and can move the tiny joints in all arms and legs.  The eyelids are fused shut but Baby Sonny should be able to sense light as well!

On a more personal note, no belly bump yet, it's more like belly bulge.  Everything keeps getting pushed up and out from my uterus, and my belly is pretty jiggly.

Hannah and I had a lot of fun shopping last week.  We went to a maternity and children's clothing consignment store.  We found a few good buys and then stopped for lunch.  Us pregnant ladies are always hungry!  We then popped by another consignment store that had a small maternity section.  And boy did I find some good deals!  It was more like a steal, a designer pair of maternity jeans for $3!  I would call it a "shopping high."

Yesterday after work I went to NYC to visit my best friend, Emilie.  It was rather unpleasant to maneuver around NYC with the UN in town, but it was worth it to see Emilie and BK2.  My only regret is that we didn't take any photos of the two (or should I say 4) of us together :(

This week I've also started researching baby products online, in the hopes of starting a registry soon.  Boy is this overwhelming!  How do I know what I need?  How will I pick the best products for Baby Sonny?  Right now it is more of a headache than pleasure trying to select items.  Thank goodness I have friends and family to turn to for guidance :)

Week 14 Update

Greetings!  Baby Sonny has reached 14 weeks!  This week Baby Sonny is roughly 3.5 inches long and weighs about 1.5 oz, or in fruit talk is about the size of a lemon.  Baby Sonny is starting to develop lanugo, fine hairs that cover the entire body.  Baby Sonny's arms and legs also have increased flexibility and are moving around more.  However, it will be some time before I can feel Baby Sonny's kicks and punches.  Baby Sonny can also squint, frown, grimace and suck his/her thumb!  Wow, I just try to picture Baby Sonny doing each of these facial expressions.

I also made my first purchase for Baby Sonny this week.  (And one for Baby Thornton :) -

Week 13

Welcome to the second trimester!  This week Baby Sonny is about the size of a peach, his/her body is starting to catch up in size to the head, gaining some body hair, can move and flex the arms and legs, and fingerprints are starting to form.

Screening Ultrasound 8/31/11

On Wednesday I got to spend about an hour viewing Baby Sonny on the ultrasound during my nuchal translucency screen.  A large part of the screen is using ultrasound to determine if the baby has a nasal bone and to measure the thickness of the neck.  The other part of the screen is bloodwork, which is not nearly as exciting.  During the screen Baby Sonny had his/her hands up by the face and had his/her chin tucked into the chest.  This made viewing (from the ultrasonographer's standpoint) difficult.  She pressed on my belly, had me cough, change positions, and get up and come back but Baby Sonny was nonplussed and preferred having his/her hand up by the face with the chin tucked.  I'm wondering if Baby Sonny is already showing how stubborn he or she will be!  Eventually Baby Sonny had hiccups, which I got to witness on the screen.  Baby Sonny would arch his/her back and untuck his/her chin from the chest for a split second and the ultrasonograher was able to get the photos.  The hiccups subsided in a few minutes and the ultrasound was over.  Next ultrasound will be October 13th.

The screen was very positive.  Baby Sonny's nasal bone was viewable and the neck thickness measured 1.1 (under 2.5 is desirable).

 In this photo you can see Baby Sonny's head in the middle with the neck to the right.  Baby Sonny also has his/her hand up by the face.  See what I mean about the chin to chest tuck?

 Baby Sonny's heartrate was 160 beats per minute, perfect!

Baby Sonny wanted to wave hello!  You can see the head on the left and the body to the right.  One of the arms is up and waving!  You can even distinguish fingers!  According to my baby books, Baby Sonny is starting to develop fingernails at this stage.

12 Week Mark

Today I was grinning from ear-to-ear!  Baby Sonny has reached 12 weeks and has been officially introduced to our family and friends and the Facebook community!

Happy Anniversary

August 25th, 2007 was a hot and humid day in Rye, NH.  The ocean provided a beautiful backdrop for our ceremony and we danced the night away under a tent in the Sonneborn's backyard.  Happy 4 year anniversary, here's to many, many, many more!

Baby Sonny's First Photos!

At the first ultrasound appointment, it was such a pleasure and a relief to see the baby literally come to life on the ultrasound screen.  I got to see Baby Sonny's head, body, and little chubby arms and legs.  The most exciting part was seeing and hearing Sonny's heartbeat.  It was love at first sight (and sound)!

 View from the top.  Baby's head is on the right, body on the left.  You can see a little arm bud at the top near the face and a leg bud towards the left

View from Sonny's side.  Head towards the top right, a little arm and the body.  Umbilical cord at the bottom.

Sonny might look a little bit like a gummy bear here.  Head towards the top and legs at the bottom.  At this point, Baby Sonny is roughly the size of a prune.

Jeff's White Coat Ceremony

On August 12th, St. Joseph College School of Pharmacy had it's inaugural White Coat Ceremony.  Suzanne, Judy, Grandma Joyce, my mom, and myself joined Jeff and his classmates for the ceremony.  It was held in the Bruyette Athenaeum on St. Joseph's main campus in West Hartford, CT.  The best part of the ceremony was when one of the professors, who was sitting one row in front of us, commented to another professor how wonderful she thought Jeff was.  Judy piped up right away and said, "He's my nephew!"  The professor immediately turned around and said that she had interviewed Jeff, thought he was an intelligent and thoughtful person and immediately knew he would be a success in their program.  Baby Sonny and I are already so proud of Jeff!

First OB appointment

Jeff and I went for our first OB appointment on August 11th.  I got to ask lots of questions, like what types of cheeses can I still eat?  Can I still go to Zumba?  When will we get to see the baby on ultrasound?!?!  The Obstetrician talked to me about diet, exercise, work, and general life during pregnancy.  It was a very informative appointment for both of us.

Baby Sonny is officially due March 14th, 2012!

The appointment went off with out a hitch, but no ultrasound that day :(

Discovering we were pregnant

It was an exciting day in Rye, New Hampshire!  The Sonneborn family had gathered to celebrate Brian's 24th Birthday on Sunday July 10th.  The night before I had half a glass of wine (eek!) and felt funny, like the wine wasn't agreeing with me.  I figured it was too early that month but I asked Jeff to buy a pregnancy test for me anyways.  While he was out playing mini-golf with the boys, I had my first positive pregnancy test!  Suzanne and Hannah were home and I ran downstairs crying, I was so excited.  Through my tears of joy I was unable to speak, so the only thing I could do was show the positive pregnancy test.  I think I really surprised Suzanne, she already knew she had a pregnant daughter and now she had a pregnant daughter-in-law as well.  Both Suzanne and Hannah joined me in my excitement while we waited for the boys to return from golf.

Lucky for me when the boys returned Jeff wanted to change and headed upstairs.  I followed him and again was too emotional to speak, so I showed him the positive test.  He was shocked and elated.  We decided to share the news only with our immediate families for now.  Suzanne and Henry were overjoyed at having 2 grandchildren in the near future.  Jeff and I told my parents when we arrived home to CT.  My parents were speechless.  They sat immobile for a few seconds with gaping mouths.  Once they were able to digest this information, they became really excited; they can't wait to be grandparents as well.

Baby Sonneborn (or Baby Sonny) is already loved by such warm and welcoming families on both sides.  He or she is a lucky baby!