stella blu

Hello World ! ! !

Stella Blu Antoinette

8 hour labor - 5:15pm arrival - 8 lbs/20 in

The Egg Is Starting To Crack

hey there peoples, here is an update on the egg hatchin' process:

• we checked in around 6:00am, got all settled in and hooked up to the millions of machines and probes
• around 9:00am Jenae began receiving the pitocin drip to help induce, in addition to the first epidural shot . . . yep, I said 'the first'. After 10 or so minutes it was apparent to all those within a 10 mile radius that the drugs were not working. So, they propped her up (again) and shot her up (again). Let's just say that second shot really did the trick ! ! !
• it's currently almost 1:00pm and Jenae is chill-laxin, lights are dim, music going . . . the nurse just said she is 8cm dilated and 100% effaced = ETA 5:oopm-ish ! ! !

more later.

almost there

*UPDATE - the dog adoption lasted exactly 1 whole hour ! ! !

Instead of taking her home and letting her get acclimated for a few days or weeks especially considering her severe senility), the adopter took her over to a house full of people to show her off . . . well that freaked her out even more than just
being adopted minutes before. Apparently she cowered, growled, and bit at all the grabby-ass people and based on that one immediate episode alone the adopter returned her. So, she is back living with us, guess she's ours for life - like the saying goes "evil don't die".

We are so close to seeing our little girl . In fact by this weeks end we will be seeing her.
Our doctor says that I'm 80% effaced and 2 centimeters dilated. When I asked her to estimate how big our girl is going to be and she said "well she's not a small baby" -- then she backtracked and said I'd say she's medium.

There are a couple of things in play and so we decided to induce on Friday if she doesn't come before. I know everyone has their opinions on induction. Doug and I have done research talked to our physician about the pros and cons of it. It's not for everybody and we are good with our decision.

The other thing going on is we are giving away our little dog. Over the past couple of months she has been snapping at people. We were nervous about having her around the baby. She knows she isn't going to be the baby anymore so maybe that's her deal. She is an old dog and quite grumpy so this is for the best. We are giving her to a sweet lady from Doug's office who just is dying to take care of a little dog like ours. It all works out. We are sad to see her go we've had her for almost three years, but we are glad she will be with someone who will devote all the time in the world to her. Enough about that..

So the next time you hear from us we will hopefully have pictures of our little one and good news to share with you.

thanks for your support and prayers. You'll never know how much it means to us to have such wonderful friends and family like you.

having a little fun

i'm from springfield
Originally uploaded by Imij Creative.Life. Photography

trying to pass the time and have a little fun..
you can do it too.. www.simpsonizeme.com

Baby's Room pictures finally!

Nine Months and counting

We went to the Doctor yesterday and I am considered "term". That means she can come anytime she wants.. so the ball is in her court. Doug and I were just saying how much we can't wait till she is actually in our arms. It has been fun to dream.

This week we have a few friends and family coming to visit us. Doug's sister is coming to see us with her boys Ryan and Kyle. Monday or Tuesday my friend Aubra who is also pregnant is coming up from Springfield.Mo. And then my cousin Annah is coming to visit from Tampa. So it will be a rather fun and eventful week.

new pic of us

doug and jenae.JPG
Originally uploaded by Imij Creative.Life. Photography

well we took this picture the day before we found out we were having a baby. We were in NYC the day after Thanksgiving in the center of times square. it seems so long ago.

Pet Peeves

Throughout this pregnancy I have learned that my little pet peeves have grown into big pet peeves.. And because I can I think I'll just share a few of them with you.

1. "How are you feeling??" That drives me nuts. All of a sudden, it's not, "How's it going?" or "How are you doing?". It's "How are you feeling?" We both know you don't really care. I'll say, "fine" or "good" when I really want to say, "I'm tired, my back is killing me and and this baby is making my ribs ache." So don't ask unless you really want to know. Also, asking me how I'm feeling doesn't give you the ok to talk for 10 minutes about when you were pregnant 25 years ago. It is interesting how many unwanted conversations you get to endure while pregnant.

2. Being pregnant doesn't equal public property. As a person who's never had the desire to touch other pregnant women's bellies, I find this practice extremely rude. I think that if you are not helping to pay for college or willing to spend the sleepless nights walking the floors or breast feeding you do not get to touch the belly. I have been known to grab people's hands to stop them from touching me.. Men and woman alike. People think I'm odd. If I wasn't pregnant would it be okay to do that? No you wouldn't even think of it. I've also had people who just stare-- and of course that's not weird and creepy at all.

3. Because you have kids and have been pregnant before does not give you a Ph.D in rearing my child. I am always baffled by the folks who give unsolicited advice and their horror stories.
I like being blissfully ignorant when it come to labor and the such. I don't mind advice , but I like to choose who I get it from -- if I allow everyone who has a kid to speak into our lives then i'd be a fool. Best example of unsolicited advice, "oh the first 3 weeks after she's born are pure hell & then maybe it gets better." Just an example of how I needed to be ignorant on that fact.

OKAY- thanks for indulging my rant.. oh I have a lot more but i'll spare ya.

Almost there..

We are 34 weeks today!! The Dr. said this is the time that if I were to start labor they wouldn't stop it!! That was a surreal moment! We have two last finishing touches to put on the nursery and we'll show you. It is turning out to be fun and cute and not typical.
At this point, I think I am ready to be done with everything. I am so excited to meet her I can hardly stand it. She's getting bigger and I never knew how much 5lbs really weighed.
On another note, we are getting some pictures from our wonderful friend Jessica Roark from Epaga fotos She is amazing and so much fun! That will be in the first week of July.

I still have one more wedding to shoot for the summer season and i'll resume in the fall . It's going to be quite eventful rest of the year.

I'll be posting more pictures soon!

8 months

We got our crib & changing table/dresser yesterday.. it is so beautiful. We'll have pics up when the room is officially done. It does make everything a little more real. You know aside from the kicking and weird movements.

We are officially 8 months pregnant today. We went for a hospital tour at Menorah Hospital (where we're having the peanut) It is so cool. We saw a brand spankin' new baby being wheeled around and Doug says "That just happened-- it's all new" That put things into perspective . They have huge rooms, waterfalls and ponds on the grounds. I know I probably won't care the day off but it's nice to know it's there.

doug

Originally uploaded by Imij Creative.Life. Photography

This past week I took pics of Doug just to have new pics (click on the pic to see more). My too cool husband has been awesome through all this. I'm sick again with something and once again I can't take anything. Doug is taking care of me,the peanut and our little doggie Bella. This is a big job with my stuffy nose, pregnancy cravings and just feeling yucky all together.
I am so blessed to be so loved.

31 weeks

31 weeks.jpg
Originally uploaded by Imij Creative.Life. Photography

Not the best pic in the world but you get the jist.
I can't believe we are getting close. This week the baby is supposed to be kicking more than ever as her surroundings get smaller..
Doug and I are still amazed at all of this.. God is good

30 weeks!!!

Every week I get several emails on baby development.
It's so fun to find out how she's doing & what she's doing.

We are in week 30 and she is now 3lbs and the size of a loaf of bread!!

doctor,doctor

So last week I had another Dr.'s visit. It was the one where they test for gestational diabetes. They also did just check up of the regular things too(blood pressure,baby heartbeat,weight-which by the way i've only gained 15lbs and i'm 7 months and change.)
I have a couple of girlfriends who were concerned about their test and even had to go back and a 3hr battery of blood tests. So I must say that I did get a little nervous.
But not to worry - I just got the results and passed with flying colors (92/11-i don't know what that means but I think it's good). Everybody is healthy and my Doctor continues to comment on how wonderful and uneventful my pregnancy is. I like it like that. So now we are seeing the Doc every 2 weeks instead of every 4-6weeks. That only means we are getting closer.

We (other staff & staff wives who are also pregnant & due all around the same time) are having a baby shower this weekend with our church staff family. They are going to pray over us and just show us how much they love us. I am excited to be with everyone.
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Just because some folks have been asking : We are registered at Target & Babies R"Us under Doug and Jenae Weinbrenner (arrival date: July 28,2007)

Our colors are: Black,White, Pink ,Red
And we always need diapers... always

Quote of the week

If pregnancy were a book they would cut the last two chapters.

~Nora Ephron, Heartburn, 1983



How true is that statement!! We are due in July and I am tired of all this. I did a wedding on Saturday and I have a month more of weddings. It is getting harder to keep going. I can hardly wait till our little girl is here. The baby is growing and moving and kicking even more.
We are starting to get to work on the nursery. We are trying to do something that is not the normal pink frou-frou room. And of course we'll have pictures when we are done.

Continue to pray for us. Last Sunday my Grandmother passed away. She reared 13 + children. She was an amazing woman and she single handedly made sure the family was always at peace. She was a minister and always helping someone else. My family went to Miami for the funeral.
I wasn't able to go which I am so sad about. So pray for our family for comfort and peace.

this has nothing to do with baby

click the pic or click over to:

http://naesnews.blogspot.com/2007/05/in-my-head.html

more pics to come

Originally uploaded by Imij Creative.Life. Photography.

here she is ..

We saw her

We finally saw are little girl with the help of a 4D sonogram.
The first look we got was of her smiling.
Both Grandmas were there and they were going absolutely nuts for Little Miss Peanut.
I will upload some pics later. Doug and I still can't see who she looks like but I guess we'll know soon enough. I am seven month along.

quote of the week

Quote of the Week

"Every time my mother became pregnant, [my father]...would announce to her that 'the glorious walks' must begin. These glorious walks consisted of him taking her to places of great beauty in the countryside and walking with her for about an hour each day so that she could absorb the splendor of the surroundings. His theory was that if the eye of a pregnant woman was constantly observing the beauty of nature, this beauty would somehow become transmitted to the mind of the unborn baby within her womb.... "

-- Ronald Dahl