Armstrong Baby Blog

So I am completely immersed in three things these days:  my training with former K9 officer Mike Whitty, who is teaching my Tychi how to behave like a well-trained dog; my hypnosis birthing training, which is teaching me that is possible to relax exceedingly and still remain conscious; and figuring out how to get in the best shape of my life and joining a police department after giving birth.

I’m having a lot of frustration lately due to nerve pinching in my right hip – it is difficult to walk some days, and Sandy has to yell at me to rest, since this is supposedly the only cure.  It does feel better after I rest, but the boredom and general pissed-offedness of not being able to do things and having to ask for help ignites a rage in me.  Yesterday Sandy had to do Tychi’s training, which is my favorite part of the day, and Tychi was doing so well that my face was smiling and my heart was aching.  It’s like having someone else teach your child to ride a bike, while you can only watch.  I only hope my darling baby Stewie will decide that maybe he can move to better accommodate me!

This self-hypnosis is kind of amazing.  I can compare it to the high of being on Klonopin, with the half-life of Xanax.  I’m basically learning how to shut off the muscles in my body on command in order to make it easier for my pressure waves (contractions) to send the baby down in the most natural way possible.  Epidurals interfere with this, as do localized injections like Demerol.  Supposedly a lot of pain from labor comes from women tensing up and preventing the uterus from doing what it needs to do to get the baby out, and relaxing into the pain and accepting it make a big difference.  I’m very intrigued by the idea of giving birth like an animal: seeking out a dark and quiet place, relaxing into the sensation, and experiencing birth in relative privacy.  I always laughed with pleasure when Mammy told Scarlett O’Hara that it was shameful the way she gave birth with no more fuss than an alley cat, or something similar.  I’m looking forward to my birthing time without fear.

In regards to fitness, I will depend on the P90X program and daily running to get me into great shape after birth.  I can’t wait until I’m back to my old self and can take the physical fitness test to get into the police academy and pass it with flying colors.  I hate that there are different fitness standards for men and women when we’re going to be doing the same job, so I will aim to meet the men’s standards.

As a pregnant woman, I feel like Krang, wondering when Shredder is going to finish my body!

Sandy and I have decided that we will be naming our son Stewart Daniel.  The motivation for these choices is obvious — Grandpa Stewart and Grandpa Dan.  Honoring these two great men in our lives is the best way to pass on their legacy to our little boy.  I’m not sure what we’ll call him as a nickname yet, but we still have plenty of time!

To celebrate the naming of our son, I decided to do a little photo shoot in the backyard.  It documents the growth of my belly and was cheaper than having someone else do it!  I’ll probably do another one when I get really big.  Also, new pictures of the very bare nursery that will soon hold all of my baby shower gifts!

Hope you enjoy!

Love,

Mama Bear and Stewart Daniel <3

So my ultrasound technician told me that my placenta was in the front, and that’s why I wasn’t feeling a lot of kicking with my hands, even though I was feeling them in my belly.  Well, last night either that placenta moved or my baby got bigger, because he started kicking a lot harder!  It kind of freaked me out at first, but I think I’m getting used to it.

This has been a very relaxing holiday season with Great-Grandma visiting and Sandy having had last week off.  We bought a black crib/toddler bed/kids bed conversion at the baby store, plus a matching black dresser!  These were Great-Grandma’s gifts to her sixth great mo’opuna.  Sandy and I bought a fancy mattress to go with it that supposedly can do all kinds of things, like ward off mold forever and flip over to provide more back support for a toddler once he’s grown a bit.  Our nursery is starting to get crowded!

I’m so excited because next month my Aunty Laura is planning a baby shower for me in the Bay Area.  We aren’t sure exactly what dates but my mom and I will be taking a road trip out there sometime in the beginning of February.  It will be some great mother daughter bonding time before the little man arrives.  We had great fun last week playing a game my mom suggested: each family member wrote down five name suggestions for the baby on a piece of paper, then we all voted on how much we liked each name.  Here are the top ones (not necessarily in my book, but by consensus!):

Stewart, Dane, Samuel, Alexander, Heath, Cooper, and argh….one of Sandy’s favorites…Lincoln.

Lately I’m liking Samuel and Cooper (they shorten to such cute little monikers, Sam and Coop), but I’ve always loved Dane.  Sandy will not tolerate Dane under any circumstances, just like I won’t tolerate Lincoln.  Guess we’ll have to keep discussing it!

As I mosey into month six, I’ve got the following complaints: round ligament pain, a feeling that I will pop whenever I sneeze, and a general desire to eat all the freaking time.  I’m thankful I don’t have any other problems YET like back pain, excessive heartburn, and constipation!

Here’s the expanding Russian frontier, as well as my cute Tychi boy peeking around the corner of the nursery.

Love,

Mama Bear