Almost here!!!

It's hard to believe I'm over 37 weeks now...we are close to ready for Baby V's arrival - been busy washing his clothes, packing my bags, and installing car seats in case he decides to appear early.

Actually, we found out last week at the Dr. that I am already progressing so he could really come anytime now, AH! That's what ultimately prompted the surge of packing/laundry... :)

The Dr. says I am tracking towards a "normal" labor and he is trending to be on the normal to big side (is probably 7 lbs right now!), thus they have scheduled me to be induced on 10/28 now if he hasn't come by then! Craziness...we'll definitely keep everyone posted...

I'm feeling pretty good but am way slower now and a mix of more/less comfortable now that he's dropped - can sleep a little easier but walking is more difficult...ah, the trade-offs of pregnancy... :) We are SO excited to meet him soon!!!

A few more videos...

Baby V playing with his foot...

His face! :)

Over 32 weeks now!!!

Can't believe how quickly time is flying these days...I'm sorry I've been so delinquent with my blog writing - I can't believe it's really been over a month since I last wrote, yikes!

Things have been great with us - we had a fantastic couples BBQ baby shower thrown by our wonderful Supper Club friends (Amy's high school girls) Kasey, Mary Beth and Dawn (and their hubbies Paul, Kiere and Nathan). They had mini hamburgers, corn, limeades (thanks!!) and a fun game in Jeff's honor naming parts on ultrasound pics - their creativity and love are so appreciated.

We also just had a festive tea party shower in Northern VA thrown by both moms, sister-in-law Cindy and family friend Miriam. They decorated with vintage teapots and cups and hand-embroidered linens, and served yummy scones, mini sandwiches and of course delicious desserts. They even decorated the deck with a safari theme in honor of our little man...again, the creativity and love were overwhelming and we're so thankful to have such support. We were so excited that Amy's cousins April and Whitney were able to make the trip in from TN for the shower, too! Baby Vande is going to be one loved little boy!! :)

Between the showers, we've been busy around the house "nesting" - funny thing is (well, not sure anyone would be surprised by this really), Jeff has been nesting more than Amy these days since he's the project man - he's prepared the nursery (furniture is on the way over the next few weeks!) and bathroom for Baby V, and has even done painting/wallpaper in the dining room and living room - whew! Thank goodness he enjoys it all b/c it looks awesome!! Hopefully all can come to our house soon to meet Baby Vande and see Jeff's handy work...

Hm, what else...Amy was traveling a lot with work, but thankfully that wrapped up by 30 weeks - just in time for the Dr. to say "you have to slow down!" - not something I'm good at, but these days I am finding myself pausing a bit more and moving a bit slower, so that's good. :)

We'll get another official Dr.'s update on Fri. morning, but last we heard he's trending normal (although he has been trending big at times, too, so who knows!) I can tell you, though, he's really hit a major growth spurt over the last week or so, so it'll be interesting to hear what she says!

Our great friends Corey and Annie just had a baby girl ten days ago (she's precious!), and our neighbors also had a baby girl last Fri (we're hoping to meet her soon!), so we are just thrilled for them!! It really makes us feel like the countdown is on...

Below are our latest ultrasound pictures/video - probably our last until we meet the real little man!! :)

Baby Vande's heart beats strong!

His aorta (black candy cane along the spine) - Jeff was very excited to be able to see it all...

His profile - getting much bigger now!

Pictures and videos!!

Baby V's latest profile - what a long leg, ah! :)

Man, it's getting cramped in here already...

So this is how a wrist works?!

Our lil' boy is growing away!!

It's almost hard to believe that we're winding down the 2nd trimester now - yahoo! Baby V has gotten VERY active over the last 2 weeks, now almost tickling me while I'm sitting in meetings at work, ha! It's so fun to feel him and to tell his response to certain noices now. Dad-to-be has been great at reading and talking to him, and even putting cliassical music on at night so the little guy (and mom!) can sleep in comfort.

Jeff has started painting the nursery now, which is so exciting! The dogs definitely know something is up - especially as Sammy still tries to lay in my lap while I drive and finds himself stuck between my belly and the steering wheel. :)

Amy and Baby V have been keeping busy lately (besides the usual quality time with Jeff, the families and the dogs) catching up with all the girls. We had a great outing (lunch and nails) 2 weeks ago with the "supper club" ladies, and then spent this weekend throwing a shower for Annie, who's baby girl is coming in just a few weeks!! Laura and her lil' girl Sydney got to spend time at our house planning for that. Needless to say, Baby V is going to be surrounded by LOTS of loving women! :)

Thankfully I'm still feeling good - but am a little over this 100 degree weather!

Long lost update...

Hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday weekend! We had a great time relaxing with family and neighbors, and finally starting our "serious" baby planning! Jeff has started working in the nursery doing trim and paint, we both went and ordered the furniture, and we started solidifying plans of things we'll need to get, etc. Overwhelming, but so much fun to realize he's really coming - and getting sooner by the second!

Last weekend we traveled to Wisconsin to visit Jeff's family and attend a graduation party for JB there - it was great to catch up with many relatives and see the beautiful countryside.

Baby Boy Vande has been moving more often these days - Dad-to-be has even felt him now, which is so exciting! Jeff was also able to hear the baby's heartbeat with his stethoscope and it still sounds fast and strong as ever, yahooooo!

Pictures to come soon, I promise - my belly is DEFinitely showing full force now, so I'll post some of those shots, too. :)

It's a BOY!!!!!!!!

We are SO excited to now know that we're having a BOY!!!! We got to watch him for a full 20 minutes yesterday and it was amazing - wiggling all over, sucking his thumb and waving, even breathing some! They measured his arms and legs (already measuring a little big with long legs!), looked at his brain, heart, kidneys, bladder, etc. It was unbelievable. We're just thrilled that he looks healthy and content growing away in there!

I'll post pictures soon, but couldn't contain the news any longer...over the halfway mark now, yahoo!!!!!!

Happy belated Father's Day to all! :)

What a week!

A lot has been going on around our house over the last week or so...Jeff took his final board exam last weekend, and has already found out that he passed, yahoooo! A big CONGRATS to him - and now he'll be able to focus on getting ready for Baby V, double yahoo! :)

Jeff also graduated from residency this weekend, a huge accomplishment - he will start a one year fellowship in MRI (still at MCV) soon.

As if on cue, Baby Vande made his/her first "appearance" Sat. night after the ceremony - I finally felt movement!!!! SO cool...I've felt it off on and since, but not quite as strongly as that night...I think it was a combo of pride for dad, appeasement for a worried mom (wondering why I hadn't felt anything yet) and excitement from the chocolate truffle I ate at dinner... :)

The rest of the weekend was spent vegging inside or sitting in the pool - crazy 100 degree heat! Hope everyone is staying cool!! :)

No news is good news...

Well, nothing much to report around here, but at this stage in the game we are happy that all is calm! :) We enjoyed a leisurely Memorial Day at the neighborhood pool (Amy reading her first fun book in YEARS and Jeff studying), and got in some quality relaxation and Guitar Hero time at home. The dogs appreciated relaxation but did not enjoy the video game. :) Hope you all had a great holiday, too!! Already looking forward to another 3-day weekend...

Baby V seems to be doing great but has not "surfaced" yet to let me feel his/her kicks - hopefully soon!! The belly is definitely showing more now, it's been fun getting looks from people at work who had no idea, ha! I'll update with more pictures soon...

Jeff's big exam is this weekend, so keep him in your thoughts!

Another Dr. visit down...

Nothing too eventful today, but that's a great thing - we got to hear Baby Vande's heartbeat swooshing away, nice and strong! Otherwise, business as usual and we're awaiting the next appointment to officially determine if Baby V is a boy or a girl!!!!!!!

Picture update...

Me and my hubby - Jeff finally makes the blog! :)
All the girls and our newly inducted hubby! What a FANTASTIC time, MC!!
Let the wedding festitivies begin!


Sydney having too much fun at the bar - yes, we set up the photo...she'll appreciate it as she gets older, ha!

Amy's graduation - found the family!
Do I look happy to be done or what?

2nd trimester is the best!!

What a perfect time to feel like myself again...we've been super-busy the past few weeks, keeping Baby V on the run (as I'm sure he/she will have to get used to quickly in our family!) :)

After Foxfield I had to focus on finishing up my final exams for UR - it's gotten progressively harder to think clearly and rein in ADD with this ever-growing "pregnant brain/amnesia"! But, I did get them done, and I GRADUATED this past weekend with my MBA, yahoooooooo! I am now officially a Wahoo-Spider...It's already been fantastic being able to come home after work every night - I know the time will be well-spent over the coming months preparing for Baby!!

Jeff has also been busy preparing for his final board exam at the end of the month - all kinds of review sessions, a practice exam, and many many hours of studying. It's a good thing his brain is still in tact, ha! Baby Vande will have to learn about disciplined study more from his genes than mine...I may get it done, but not without distraction! :)

We were able to go to Florida last week for my friend Mary Casey's wedding (one of my best friends from college) - what an AMAZING weekend! We turned it into a mini-vacation and were able to spend several days in Hollywood Beach (between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami) soaking in some sun and catching up with many wonderful friends. More to come on this when I get the pictures downloaded...

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Happy Mother's Day and Mother-to-Be Day to so many of our friends and family! I'm so excited to join the ranks... :)

Foxfield 2008!!!

Baby VandeSand ventured to Foxfield this year with all the girls - thanks for sharing this great picture, Lo, with all of us and Miss Sydney Rose (Baby V's girlfriend/BFF to be)! :)

And, I'm human again...

I have now made it through the first trimester and am actually able to function like a "normal" person - well, most of the time. :) To recap the first trimester, it was a mix of excitement, fear, nausea, and above all EXHAUSTION. I had forgotten how nice it was to be able to come home from work and take the dogs on a leisurely walk - no more 3 hour naps for me, yahoo!

Funny how the timing of "the end of the bad" also coincides with my finishing grad school - ironic, but I am thankful to have made it through. I am so excited to be able to enjoy my 2nd trimester now - finding out what we're having, feeling good and enjoying the summer, no classes after work anymore, time to shop for baby!

Although all the "firsts" were amazing (first view of heartbeat, view of the baby, wave of nausea - yes it was nice to confirm something was in there), I am thrilled to move to the next phase of excitement. I'm sure Jeff is happy to have a little more help around the house, too! He's been such a great support - cook, listener, patient husband - even with all his studying while preparing for his board exam he's been there for me 110% and I am grateful.

Yeah for summer when we can share even more of this experience together and with you all!!!

Meet Baby Vande!!

We had our 12 week Dr. appointment today and all is going wonderfully! Dr. D even said he/she is an overachiever - she was able to hear the heartbeat (as could we given the handy speaker stethoscope) right away, yahoo!

Baby Vande on the move...

He/she enjoys a good meal as much as mom and dad do...Baby V was moving all over the place after dinner when we took this! Enjoy our first home movie of him/her rocking!! :)

Congrats, Kerry!!

Congratulations to Kerry and William on the birth of their twin girls, Lindley Kate and Ellie! We are so thankful all are doing well and can't wait to meet them in person!!

No dull moments around here...

We've had all kinds of things going on the last few weekends - which is great as we are counting down the days to find out if we're having a boy or a girl!!! (oh yes, the blog colors will certainly change when that happens...) :)

Last weekend was Jeff's birthday, so we went to dinner at a steakhouse in Williamsburg and went to a movie. We also worked (well, him mostly) in the yard on installing our new fence - the dogs are a little confused, but will ultimately be happy for their increased outdoor playtime. Plus, it will be perfect for our little boy/girl to enjoy his/her own yard! We got to spend some quality time with our families celebrating Jeff's big day, as well.

Today we did the Monument 10k with our friends Katherine and Matt - Matt and Jeff ran the race in heroic style while Kat and I walked it all due to our prego-states! :) It was so fun having them stay with us the night before so we could all catch up and swap pregnant stories. Yeah for bella bands, pizza and ice cream cake!!

First Dr's appointment!!

Today was our first visit to the official Baby Dr., and we love her!!! Our friends Kasey and Mimi both had her (Dr. Dunnevant) deliver their babies too, so their recommendation meant a lot. She is the perfect blend of cool Irish spitfire and knowledgeable, advice-giving Doctor. We got our first "real" ultrasound today and the baby is growing just as it should (just over an inch!) and his/her heartbeat is nice and speedy. We have been "cheating" a bit with the ultrasounds since Jeff can get us in at MCV from time to time - it's so much fun getting to see him/her and check in on the progress. What an amazing thing seeing the heart actually beat in there...

March update...

It's been so fun sharing our news with a few folks this month - especially because it turns out I have several bump buddies!!! Annie, Katherine and a neighbor are all right around us with their little ones, so it is going to be so fun sharing updates and stories along the way. It has also been invaluable getting advice from several friends and family members (shout outs to the avid reader/reviewer Miss Laura and the "been there"/overflowing maternity closet Kasey :) ) who have gone before us into the land of parenthood...thank goodness for that, because we still feel pretty clueless. :)

Unfortunately my timing hasn't been as great as Baby Vande's - I've had to travel with work for the last 3 weeks, off and on - weeks 6-9 of the "rough part," ugh. In some ways it was better to be on the go, having to be functional, but it sure has been tough to stay awake for extra-long days and sleep in so many hotels. Thankfully it should slow down now (just in time for the "good feeling" part, ha!).

It's official!

Being the OCD person I can be, I had my primary care Dr. confirm the pregnancy today when I went in for my allergy shot...sure enough, the test confirmed our growing bean before she even had a chance to look at it! So, no more allergy shots this year...thank goodness we moved out of the old house!

Grandparents-to-Be!!

We were a little excited about sharing the news with our families, so we actually got everyone together today to tell them all at once. We had 2 excuses to get Jeff's parents into town: 1) my parents had just bought land in New Kent (not next door, but withina few miles!) and 2) we had belated 35th anniversary gifts for each of them.

So...we thought we were a little sneaky (even though Jeff's parents swear they suspected it already). We gave them their gifts with cards "from the dogs" addressed to Grandma & Grandpa T/V - the cards being congratulatory wishes to the new grandparents-to-be. My mom started screaming, Jeff's mom started crying, my dad was in shock, and I think Jeff's dad was proud that he had figured it out earlier - all were thrilled and their happy reactions were priceless.

Is that really a plus sign?!

After several days of negative tests, today is the day...there is definitely a sliver of a plus sign on that stick! Jeff of course made me go buy several more, of different brands naturally, to be sure before sharing the news with our parents. :) So, 7 tests later (are we first-time parents, or what?!) and we were comfortable that a little bean is truly growing in me. Yahoo!!!!!

Another cool part about finding out today - Jeff proposed to me 5 years ago to the day! What great dramatic timing our little one already has... :)