Baby hands and feet

Baby parts... these little hands and little feet get kissed at least 10 times a day!  

Week 2

The last 2 weeks have gone by so quickly and it's amazing how much Harrison has changed in the short time that he has been here.  He is eating well and usually sleeps a good couple of hours between feeds.  He gained a whole pound and his little cheeks are quite chunky!  

 My mom headed back to Seattle this week and we already miss having her around to help.  We had some great meals and the house was always clean... always a relief. This weekend, Brittany and Jen will be coming up to meet the new guy.  I am sure they will fall instantly in love... I mean how could you not? :)  

Here are a few new pics from the week.

Growing like a weed

Being home with Harrison has been wonderful.  We are enjoying every minute of it.  He is eating like a champ and gaining weight.  We were at the pediatrician yesterday and he is up to 7 pounds 12 ounces.  Soon enough he will tip the scales at 8 pounds!  Momma is loving dressing him up in all of his clothes.  And his Daddy enjoyed watching their first college football games. Here are a few pics from the last week.  

Announcing Baby Luds

... and he has a name!  Harrison Reid Ludwig was born yesterday at 7:15 in the evening after a rather uncomplicated delivery.  For being 3 weeks early, he is weighing in at 7 pounds 8 ounces and has the cheeks to prove it.  19 1/2 inches long.  He is gorgeous and we have fallen instantly in love.  We'll keep this short for now, but wanted to pass along that he has arrived and everyone is doing well.  Here is a quick pic for now!  

On our way

Well, after a very restless night and a total of maybe 4 hours of sleep (that's a big maybe!), we will be leaving shortly to venture in to the land of Meriter.  It's hard to believe this day has finally arrived and there are no words to express the sheer excitement and anxiety we are feeling.  Keep your fingers crossed that 1. the littlest Luds is a healthy bean 2. that his momma can push him out and 3. that his poppa can deal with his momma ALL day long.  :)  

If my child looks like this, we are in trouble!

So I found this crazy website that predicts what your children will look like based on photos of you and your hubby.  Tell me this is NOT what my child will look like!  I think the Santa hat makes him look even worse!!  Thought it was funny, and that you all would enjoy it, too.  Enjoy! Enjoy!

...and counting

Nearing the end... As we near the end of this week, we are getting more and more anxious to meet the little dude.  I am nested out; this house is more than ready to have a baby in it!  We are packed and ready to roll! 

This photo is really of Dakota (who we think may have a *little* bit of a hard time adjusting to not being the baby) but it's also of the lack of toes that you can see looking down from my point of view.  I feel like a swollen beast and my toes look like sausages, but I think once Baby Luds arrives, I will enjoy looking back at these pictures.  

I see the OB again on Friday.  She will decide then whether or not I will be admitted on Sunday night or early Monday morning.  I am hoping for the Monday morning deal... I really want a sausage McGriddle from McDonald's on my way in!! Hey a girl's gotta have some pushing motivation!!  We'll keep everyone posted! 

14 days and counting...

After meeting again with my OB on Friday, it was decided that we would proceed with an induction.  The big day is September 8th.  Baby Luds will be just over 37 weeks, which is considered full-term.  The plan, as of now, will be to go into the hospital on Sunday night and start the medications to induce labor on Monday morning.  

Brian and I are experiencing a slew of emotions as we approach this day. We are so nervous, yet so eager to meet our little man.  We cannot wait to see his little face and know that he is OK.   

This will be Brian's final week on Trauma and he is anxious to begin his Peds rotation.  It has been a long summer, full of crazy fools who like to lose limbs or drive drunk.  You should see the photo library he has accumulated.  My mom will be in town this week to entertain me and help with the finishing touches around the house.  

See you soon little Luds...    

A Peek Inside

Hey friends! Brian and I had the opportunity yesterday afternoon to peek in on the peanut, who is NO peanut. My OB wanted to check on Baby Luds' growth since he has consistently been measuring big. There are no concerns and he looked absolutely gorgeous! Check him out! They guess his weight to be 5 pounds 11 ounces right now. He has some definite chub on those cheeks!

I see my OB again on Friday and hopefully will receive some answers as to what's going on. I continue to have a weird array of symptoms, all of which cannot be explained. A girlfriend I work with said "whoever said a woman's body was made to bear children must've been a man!" And I completely agree with her because apparently my body is not enjoying being pregnant anymore! The countdown is on and I have nested to the extreme! I think I'm ready...so let's go Baby Ludwig, it's just about time!

Bedrest it is

All is well here at the Ludwig household.  I am officially on bedrest these days and hating pretty much every minute of it.  It was fun for the first day or two, but now I am bored, bored, bored. While I know that this is what's best for Little Luds, it makes for long days.  

I have my second appointment of the week on Friday, and hopefully things continue to look good. My labs values have improved, and although the doctor has no explanation for the improvement, we are psyched to have good news.  

Brian continues to LOVE his job! :)  Anyone who has talked to him in the last 2 months knows that this rotation is pretty much kicking his butt.  I think after today, he has 15 days left on trauma, and hopefully his workload will lighten up.  

On tap for the weekend... our birthing class! Woo hoo! Wish it were something *a little* more exciting!  

Look who stopped by to visit!  Brit is also having a little boy and is due in December. 

  

A cute pic of a frustrated Brian putting together our Pack n Play!  Priceless!

Just a photo for your viewing pleasure!

I decided that this picture of me last week wasn't too bad (despite swollen "cankles" and face.) So I thought I would throw it on the blog for all of our out-of-towner friends and family to see. Our little man continues to do well, aside from stressing out his momma and poppa. I see the doctor again tomorrow due to some abnormal labs. I am sure all will be fine, but keep us in your thoughts.

Good news and Bad news

Brian and I were anxiously awaiting our trip to Seattle and then to Vancouver to visit friends, but our little man had plans of his own.  Tuesday was a night full of unknowns and ultimately left us canceling our trip.  The day started with what I thought was a simple headache.  I had worked the two previous nights and was headed into work that night.  I downed some Tylenol and thought a little caffeine would do the trick.  5 hours later, the headache intensified and I had some vision changes.  Well, many of you know me pretty well, so to say I freaked out is an understatement.  I called Brian to come pick me up from work, and we were off to Labor and Delivery triage (which is where the on call doc sent me.)  Long story short, my blood pressure was up and they were worried about preeclampsia.  After about an hour's worth of rest, my BP was trending down, and I thought we were in the clear.  Boy, was I wrong. Not only did they say that I would be doing nothing but resting, they also put the smackdown on our trip.  We were so bummed to have to call my parents and our friends to say that we would not be making the trip.  We were really looking forward to getting away.  

So there is good news in all of this:  Baby Ludwig is doing well, and continues to grow and grow.  I believe this week, he is measuring about 4 pounds and is 15 inches long.  He gets the hiccups about 4 times a day, which does drive me quite crazy!  Poor baby!  We were at the doctor yesterday, and while they will be keeping a close eye on things, right now, both baby and I are doing peachy.  The other good news is that Brian and I are having TONS of couple time!  I think we are both enjoying actually spending time with one another, although Brian did tell me the other day that I was annoying.  :)  He's in love!

I will be sure to keep everyone posted.  For now, enjoy some pictures! Dakota had a biopsy this week, so that explains the cone.  And the other is of Brian and the dog taking a nap, which thanks to having A LOT of free time this week, has been a daily occurrence.  

30 Weeks...

It was a quick trip to Indy, but what a great time I had. I drove into a wicked thunderstorm (I still think there might have been a tornado) crossing the Illinois/Indiana border. But the weather for my first baby shower was absolutely gorgeous. It was great to see all my family members and catch up. Most of them I hadn't seen since our wedding! Katie, Brit and Jen did a fabulous job of planning. There were a lot of unique touches that made the shower so special. Thanks girls! Love ya! I brought home a boatload of gifts for our little bean. It's amazing how much "stuff" babies require; Brian and I are so thankful for all of gifts we received. We got an assortment of gifts, including those that were handmade. Littlest Ludwig is a spoiled boy already. The other highlight of my trip home was a stop at Long's, which makes the BEST doughnuts on the planet. I won't tell how many of those I ate! Mom and I headed back towards WI on Sunday morning after making a quick pitstop at an old friend's house.
Baby Luds' room is now 90% complete. His drawers are organzied, clothes hung and folded (still with tags on, for all the mothers out there!) a new rug on the floor, curtains hung and pictures up. We made progress! Walking in that room now feels like HIS room. Now we wait for him to come. Mom and I treated ourselves to pedis after our hard work!
I am feeling quite well despite the humid hot weather we've had. All is well on the prego front. My only issue has been my "cankles" that seem to develop after about eh 3 hours of sitting, standing, or doing nothing at all. It's beautiful, let me tell you.
Otherwise, Brian is doing well. He is working a TON, and it's a rare occasion that we actually get to see each other. It's been difficult being apart, but I would rather him be gone now than after Baby Luds arrives. On the upside, he has begun the post-residency job search and at least the end is in sight! Onto the photos...

Mission: Accomplished

In a matter of hours, Brian and I (with the help of our friend) had cleared the spare bedroom of ALL that it held and, in turn, filled it with 3 new pieces of nursery furniture. Despite the need for organizaiton, a fresh coat of paint, and assembling the crib, the room actually "feels" like a nursery. It still boggles me that in just a few short months, we will have a (hopefully) sleeping child in that room. :)

Enjoy the pictures! The first is of Brian and Ryan (our hired help!) posing in front of the rented truck. The next are of Baby Luds' new dresser and armoire. They are beautiful, and the pictures don't do them justice. And the last is of my "Holy Belly Batman!" As you can tell from the photo, I have grown quite the bump. Note the new haircut and highlight! I love it!

Heading into 3rd Trimester...

I cannot believe we are nearing the third trimester...the end is in sight! Not that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant and all but come on, it's hard work. You start off feeling crappy, not wanting to eat and end up (where I am now) starving ALL of the time and feeling like a fatty everytime you step foot into the kitchen for just "one more snack." I gave up weighing myself weeks ago, but I know those pounds are piling on! My next appointment isn't until next week, and maybe I will stand backwards on the scale, as to not have any inkling of my weight.
We have some very exciting things happening around here. First up, the progress of Baby Luds' nursery. Brian and I will be packing up the back bedroom and moving it all into storage this weekend with the help of our good friend Muchow. Then, we are off to Babies R Us to pick up the crib set. Although we won't actually be putting his things in their actual place, I think it will make this whole "we're having a baby" thing a little more real. My mom will be spending a few days in Madison in a couple weeks, and we are hoping to clean carpets and repaint. Time is just flying by. Also, up on deck, is my first baby shower. My bestest girlfriends back home are planning a shower for me and Little Luds. It will be great to get together with all my family and friends from back home.
Tomorrow marks the first day of Brian's final year of residency. How exciting for him (and me!) We ventured out downtown this weekend for the senior resident farewell, which turned out to be a great time. Brian planned a bulk of the night's activities and did a wonderful job! It's hard to imagine that next year, he will be the one being honored. We were also able to sneak away for a WHOLE day (those are hard to come by!) and head to Milwaukee for a Brewers game. It was a perfect day, minus the whole being poured on as we were walking out to our cars and the detours on 94 due to WI flooding.
Hope everyone enjoys their week...we will be sure to post again soon. Enjoy the new pics!

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Happy Father's Day!

"You are someone I look up to, no matter how tall I've grown."

Happy Father's Day to our dads, Joe and Ron. Thanks for all you have done for us. You've helped us build the lives we have now. Enjoy your special day! We wish we could be with you to celebrate!

Happy "Father-to-Be" Day to Brian. It's hard to imagine that next Father's Day, we will have a son to celebrate with. Brian is currently working his tail off at the hospital (now physically in the hospital for over 24 hours), but hopefully he will be home at some point today to get some much needed rest and relaxation. It will be a low-key day for us, as Brian will be post-call and I plan to be in bed ALL day resting up for the next 3 night shifts that I so dumbly scheduled myself for. :) Happy Sunday!

~15 more to go~

So I am posting a tad early, but I'm close enough to 25 weeks! Baby Luds is now viable, which means he can live outside of me on his own (well with a "little" bit of help!) He is about the size of an eggplant this week (about 1 1/2 pounds), which just amazes me. He is a very active little man, and operates on my schedule, making him the most active at 9 pm and about 2 am. These times are totally fine with me when I am actually working, but it makes sleep somewhat difficult on my nights off. I saw my OB last week and all is well. I gained a boatload of weight, so much that I wish Baby Luds was about 8 pounds...that would make me feel better! :)

The weather has finally turned gorgeous here in Madison. I love being outside in the sun, but I have a nagging feeling that this summer will be a LONG one! Brian doesn't say a word when he comes home and I have the AC on. Good boy! :) The mugginess is what gets me. I can only imagine what August will be like!

This past weekend, I spent some girl time with Katie, Jen and Brittany. We had a good time, minus the windy beach. But it was nice to catch up and relax. Brittany is also prego, now about 12 weeks. Poor Katie probably heard more than she wanted about being pregnant, getting pregnant, and birth. :) Brian came home from Quebec on Saturday. He enjoyed his conference and even slipped in a little sightseeing.

The remainder of the week will be a busy one, but do not fret, I plan to update again soon. Maybe I will even post a belly pic for all you curious folks out there!

A Future Hawkeye on our Hands

The littlest Ludwig better be a sports fan. Grandma and Grandpa Ludwig came to Madison for a visit this weekend and brought with them an assortment of goodies. Brian was most impressed with the Hawkeye short/t-shirt combo. Brian has also done his fair share of purchasing sports themed items for the boy. Baby Luds has his own Hawk pacifier, blanket, hat, and onesies, not to mention the Badger and Packer gear. Brian and I tease each other that we will probably have the dorkiest kid on the planet. He will have negative interest in organized sports and would rather play chess or a video game. No matter who he grows into, he will be wearing his dad's favorite teams, like it or not.

In other news, I did the Madison Race for the Cure this weekend. It was a beautiful day and thousands of people turned out to support a great cause. A group of girls from work put together a team for one of our coworkers who's currently fighting breast cancer. Brian stole away from work for an hour to do the run, as well. Afterwards, Brian and I treated ourselves to Dairy Queen ice cream!

Brian is headed to Quebec for a leadership conference for the week and I will be heading to Lake Michigan for a girls weekend with Jen, Katie and Brittany. Should be an eventful week! Stay tuned!

Furniture...check!

After finding out that we are expecting a little man, I thought it would be OK to start the whole shopping process! I spent the weekend in Chicago and Indianapolis with my mom and we went crazy! Brian said, after seeing all of the purchases, that our son won't need any more clothes. I was a little disappointed in the lack of selection for boy clothes, but I managed to find a ton of cute things. I loved all the polka dots on the girl clothes, but I think Daddy would say "absolutely not" to any polka dots. So Mom and I ventured to the land of Babies R Us and we purchased the crib, dresser and armoire. Here is a picture of the crib and armoire:


We have decided that we will do his nursery in navy, lime, white and light blue. I loved the idea of adding a few sailboats here and there, but Brian wasn't too keen, so there isn't real theme to the room, just all boy. I also couldn't wait any longer to buy his bedding so...double check!


Another great adventure Brian and I had was the joy of registering. I thought surely this would be a simple, quick deal, but I was dead wrong. Not only was I completely unaware of all of the little things that we would need, I was oblivious to the fact that all of these things cost a ton of money! We had a great time picking out things for our wishlist and were trying to imagine one day actually using them.

Aside from getting kicked from the inside, life feels relatively normal. I have just now started thinking about the whole "baby's gotta get out" thing. I try really hard not to think about that too often. :) I love feeling him squirm around and I love watching my belly dance with all of his movement. It's something I could've never imagined.

It's A....

BOY! We could hardly believe it when the sonographer placed the ultrasound wand on my belly. Apparently, all the Chinese calendars and old wive's tales were not true in my case. Our little "man" is measuring 14 ounces and is 10 inches long. He has had quite the growth spurt since the last ultrasound!

I was told to drink a little caffeine or juice prior to the ultrasound to make sure baby would "cooperate". Well he did cooperate to an extent. He was giving the sonographer a run for her money. That boy was all over the place! The caffeine worked! At one point, he had his head under my ribs on the left and five minutes later, he was head down. They did a thorough check of all organs and body parts, and all looks great. Brian's face was priceless and he is extrememly proud of his son's "boy parts!" Only a man would say such a thing!!


Today, we are also celebrating our first year of marriage. What a great gift! We soon will be off for a fancy steak dinner and a delicious buttercream cake (which I am most excited about. Don't tell Brian, but I have already been picking at it!) to celebrate.
Now, on to the pictures!

20 weeks and halfway done!

I'm just back from the good ol doctor's office and all went well. It's crazy how much time you spend in the office at the very first prenatal visit. I think I was there over an hour 12 weeks ago. Now I go in, get weighed (which their scale is WAY off!!) listen to Baby Luds' heartrate, talk briefly with my doctor and...done. The baby's heartrate today was 162 and I am now up 4 pounds. I am relieved that I gained some weight, but I definitely don't like seeing those bigger numbers. :) But I still just have, as I refer to it, a "fluffy" belly. It looks like I drank one too many beers!

Monday is the big day. We are so anxious to find out what exactly we are growing. I will be sure to post as soon as I can to let everyone know. My gut still tells me girl, but I have been having crazy dreams about baby boys. My mind is playing tricks on me. Thankfully I am working this weekend, so I will have something to keep me busy. Plus I will need all the cash I can get because I foresee a shopping extravaganza in the very near future!

It's hard to believe that we are already halfway through with this pregnancy. Time seems to fly by. The beginning was rough with all the sickness and fatigue. I have told Brian on more than one occasion that one baby would be it! I just couldn't imagine being pregnant again. Now that I feel somewhat "normal" again, things are great...being pregnant is not too shabby. However, I am sure once the summer heat hits and I'm huge, I may change my mind again!

Brian and I posed for a couple pictures yesterday to mark our 20th week of pregnancy. I am trying to keep a weekly log of belly growth (or fluff). We thought we would have a contest to see whose belly was bigger. What do you think?


Check back on Monday...Baby Luds' gender will be revealed!

A flutter feels more like a FISH!!

Today marks our 17th week of pregnancy, and it seems to be flying by. This week baby is measuring the same size of an onion. Could this be why I cry so much? :) Kidding! Baby has his or her own set of unique fingerprints and is now starting to develop a fatty layer. Good thing all my junk food is going toward a good cause!

Monday night, Brian and I were laying on the couch and I felt the strangest feeling. At first, I thought it was just some "after dinner bubbles", but to my surprise, they continued. I had heard that Baby Luds' first movements would feel like a flutter or popcorn popping, but this was no flutter! The best I can describe it is that it feels like baby is a fish and keeps running into the side of the bowl (errr my uterus!) By far, it the most amazing feeling I have ever felt, but it's so strange. I cannot wait until Brian can feel this from the outside. I know he will be overjoyed!

Brian, that lucky guy, is in Orlando for the remainder of the week and weekend. I keep kicking myself that I did not go on this trip! I will be working the next 3 nights, instead. The weather is FINALLY starting to perk up here in Madison. I think the high today will be in the 60s. Time to start planting and do some spring cleaning!

That's all for now!

16 weeks!

I had my 16 week appointment today and all is well. Baby Luds' heartrate was 164. The kiddo was moving around like crazy while the poor nurse was trying to count the heartrate. She kept having to stop and restart. All I could think was "and this is only the beginning!" I had some routine labwork done and I was out of there in 30 minutes flat. Pretty impressive!

Our next appointment isn't until May, and our big ultrasound has been rescheduled. It will now be on our 1st wedding anniversary, May 12th. We are pretty pumped to find out. I am especially excited to buy more gender specific goodies. I went on an on-line shopping spree today and look what I found. Brian will be so psyched!

Well, I think that's it for now. We'll be sure to post again soon.