Labor & Delivery Tour

So yesterday we went on the Labor & Delivery Tour at Lankenau Hospital and I was somewhat impressed. The unit is new and all the rooms are private. I don't particularly like the fact that after birthing I will have to move to another room (at Paoli you could stay in the same room). They have two birthing suites that have jacuzzi's which of course are on a first come first served basis. You can order your food from a big variety and I've heard that it's good.

I don't like that the baby has to go to the nursery after an hour but I understand why. While they are transferring you to the new room and getting you cleaned up, the baby goes there to make it easier. I'm just going to make sure Kim is with the baby the whole time.

The one thing I didn't like was about the tour, not the hospital. Clearly, the tour guide saw that we were a couple and yet she kept using the word husband and Dad. I even asked a question using the word partner and she continued with husband and Dad. I should've said something to her afterwards to ask her to use friendlier non-biased language but I didn't. I'm hoping it won't be a problem when we get there. The other hospitals we toured used neutral language.

Anyway, I'm doing well. I've started to feel the baby kick more and we get an ultrasound next week. I still don't want to know the sex but Kim does so we'll see what happens because we're at the point where we could find out.

Oooohhh, the heartburn is back. Let me go and take some TUMS and call it a night.

Toodles!

Read more...

It's been a while!

Between work and sleep I haven't even thought about posting. It's 12:16am right now and I'm happy to say that yesterday I got my Hypnobabies Home Study Course. I'm really quite excited about it and will definitely share my thoughts.

I had a tv date with my bestie yesterday and she shared with me that she too would like to birth naturally when it comes time, something I never knew about her! Yet another thing we have in common.

Wednesday we went to the doctor and heard the baby's heartbeat. The ultrasound machine wasn't available so we couldn't see the baby, but I was glad to at least hear the heartbeat. We also heard the baby kick!

Yesterday was the first time that I felt a kick on my own without Kim talking to the baby or pushing down on my stomach to feel something. It was kind of exciting to distinctively know that the isolated pain was a kick.

I think I just felt another one!

Anywhoo, I'm going to get ready to go to bed. I'm looking forward to a great homemade breakfast of fried apples, scrambled eggs and toast with butter & jelly. Yummmmmm!!!!

Read more...

I'm tired...

So, this week we went to the Gyn and saw another shot of the baby. The baby's head was laying on the placenta and the hand was up saying high. Also, we saw a kick and the doc said I would feel that in a couple of weeks. It was funny that he said I may feel it as a flutter right now but will think it's gas. A few days ago, my partner Kim was talking to the baby and I thought I felt a flutter. She continued and I told her it must've been gas.

So I've been getting up, going for a walk, eating breakfast & coming into the office. But when I get here, I'm tired as if I've had very little sleep. It especially hits me after lunch. If I worked from home right now, I don't know if I'd be selling many houses. Right now I feel like going home, cuddling up on the couch and taking a good nap. I didn't get to walk this morning so I'm going to do so after dinner this evening.

I've got 17 listings that need to get sold before Christmas. I've got two under contract, which is always good but I've got to work on getting a few others there as well. This morning, I met with Congressman Sestak to talk about extending the $8,000 tax credit. He is pushing for it and wants to do a press conference in front of one of my listings Monday, so stay tuned for a link to the interview.

I also need to figure out how to post a video here. I'll try later.

Read more...

Acne... Really?

So, yes I am experiencing an increase in Acne in my chin area. I'm like great, this must be a symptom of pregnancy. I'm so glad that it's not permanent because I don't like Acne at all.

I haven't posted in a while, I've had a bit of nausea, lightheadedness and fatigue. I'm 13 weeks, 2 days now and beginning my second trimester! Yeah!!!! We go see the Dr again next week and will be able to see the baby again. I've read that the baby now has ears formed and can hear us. My partner especially likes this because she talks to the baby daily.

I'm watching, "I didn't know I was pregnant" and wow I can't even imagine. We just came from choir rehearsal and I'm winding down now. I just wanted to check in.

Today, I heard of a teenager that was killed in Chicago coming out of school. They were talking about it on the radio and said that it is important for boys to have their fathers. My partner and I talked about it tonight. We think its important that if we have a boy that there is a male presence in his life to teach him how to be a man. I know single moms have done it and are doing it well, but we still think it's important. I think it's also important as a parent to stay involved in your child's life all the time, not just the beginning years. This way, you can stay on top of them and make sure they are going in the right direction.
Peace out!

Read more...

We've found a doctor!

Ok, so we went and saw Dr. Bailey yesterday and loved him! First of all he gave me some medical advice that was not pregnancy related based on another surgery I had years ago. Secondly, he started a sentence with "If you have to have a c section, and I don't see any reason why you would have to, ..." which  means it was not automatic for him to just assume it would be that way. Third, he doesn't' do episiotimies. Fourth, his c section rate is lower than the hospital's, around 20%. And lastly, he said I could do alternative birth positions and he has worked with midwives in the past. Also, he thinks natural childbirth is better for everyone.

So, my doc is 5 minutes from my home. Barring no emergencies outside of Philly I will deliver at a hospital 5 minutes from my home and I will have the support to deliver naturally if that is what I choose. I'm so happy that this search is over and I'm going to take the advice of Nik-E and start looking for a pediatrician next.

Ok so here's the real exciting part....... wait for it...... we heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time!!!! The baby was quite active too jumping all over the place. A friend of ours said the baby's going to be a gymnast but my partner said it means that we won't be able to catch him/her when they get in trouble. Great.

Another great thing about this practice is that they scheduled all of my appointments up to my due date. So I don't have to worry about it every time I see the doc. He also spent a lot of time with us talking about what to expect and answering our questions. Such a difference from the last doc!

So in other news, I have begun the process to legally hyphenate my last name to add my partner's last name to mine. We're going to use her last name for the kids so it's important to me to have that done before the baby arrives. I actually already use the name now in certain situations so it will be nice to have it be legal.

Well, I should get off of this site and prepare for a listing appointment I have in another 2 hours. I look forward to posting more soon and adding some pics.

Read more...

Calling Dr. Bailey

So, after a bit of thought and discussion, we've decided not to go to Montgomery Hospital or Paoli Hospital. I spoke with a good friend about her last birth experience and she raved about her doc, Dr. Scott Bailey. She told me how he spent an hour and a half with her at her first appointment where the OB I went to yesterday barely spend 15 minutes with me. She told me how the office calls you between appointments to check on you and how they have free stuff they give out. She also told me there was only one other person in the practice, but she only met him the whole time and he delivered her son in Lankenau. As for the hopsital, they bathed and fingerprinted the baby in the room without taking the baby away. All rooms are single occupancy so that was another plus. And it's 5 minutes from my house.

So today I called the good doctor and scheduled an appointment. The experience was already different. They already got my basic personal info including my insurance card info. They also advised me to bring my medical records from my RE so the dr can review them. Lastly, they asked me to pick up a prescription to get blood taken right in the hospital. So, I went today and picked it up & got my blood work done so that by the time I go next Thursday, he'll have the results. The office was clean and more modern than yesterday's visit and I felt much better about being there.

So, if this doc is any where close to what my friend described, we're in business!

I just came from showing a client a house and trying to schedule for tomorrow. I was supposed to be baking for my grandmother's birthday party, but with little time to spare, I've decided to buy a good cake for Sunday.

Now, I'm about to watch a movie with my baby and relax!

Read more...

One OB down, let's see who's next.

I just got back from my first OB appointment with Dr. Russino at Lankenau. I was less than impressed with the office. When I got into the room the nurse thought I was there for a regular GYN visit because no one told her I was pregnant and coming from my RE. The room looked old and it didn't feel the cleanest. The things used to do a PAP were in a container with no cover.

The Dr was okay until I started asking questions about birth and epidurals and birth positions etc. He said he didn't care how I gave birth but wanted to know why I didn't want an epidural. I told him I wanted to feel it and he later said he doesn't know why I'd want to because first babies can be hard. When I asked about birth positions he said I have to deliver on my back so he can catch the baby. He said the way the room is set up that's the only way he can do it and it will only be for a minute. He told me the C-Section rate and said we'll see how it goes. He said he could tell from my pelvis that if the baby was 9 pounds, I wouldn't be able to push it out and he would do a C. One good thing is that he said they try not to do any episiotimies. He also said 90% of the women get epidurals and that I can always change my mind about having the baby naturally. He said I didn't have to worry about all that now because we just needed to see how the baby grows.

So, even though I love Paoli Hospital I'm looking for another Dr. I'm also ready to schedule my appointment with Ronni which will likely be much better than this one.

Read more...

Exhausted too

So, last night I woke up for one of my usual bathroom times and couldn't go back to sleep for an hour. I was tossing and turning thinking about money and what we need to do to prepare for the baby and life in general. We found a house we really like in Abington. Now, let me first say that I was all gung ho to move to NJ because of the benefits we get as a result of our civil union there, but my partner seems to have other plans. She believes that we have more support here and should stay in PA. This house is beautiful and priced excellently! But we aren't ready to buy it yet. I almost wish I didn't know about it so that I couldn't stress about it. We are supposed to go take a look at it Friday.

So, I need to put a plan/goal together on how much business I need to do to meet the goals we have including doing some house renovations, paying down debt, figuring out what to do with my investment property, preparing for baby and time off, etc. This is what is keeping me up at night right now.

I showed my grandfather the last ultrasound picture we got and he asked if it was me and I said yes and his response was "Oh Lord". Let me just say for the record that some of my family are not too crazy about how I live my life. The fact that I am a lesbian does not chide too well with them all the time. They love my partner but getting married and now having a baby I think has thrown them a bit. But I'm happy so they'll just have to deal. I just wanted to make sure he knew I was pregnant before he saw me with a big belly and was upset because I didn't tell.

I need a nap soooo bad!

Read more...

Oh so tired

So, today I am quite tired. I'm at work right now taking a quick break to update the blog. I just paid a couple of bills and I'm quite ready to go home and take a nap actually. But there is more work to do so I won't go yet. I'm craving Cold Stone ice cream right now and I think I'll get some on my way home from work.

I have an appointment to see a Dr. Russino tomorrow at 2:15pm. The doctor I wanted to see is not available until October and the receptionist said they like to rotate patients through all the docs anyway. I picked this practice because they deliver out of Paoli Hospital and I've heard good things about Dr. Teresa Merlino. I am also scheduling an appointment to meet with Ronni the midwife because I don't want to totally rule her out. I'm hoping to see her on Monday. I am also going to schedule some time to go see Montgomery Hospital soon.

This past weekend was a hectic one. We went to the wedding of two of our friends, Andi & Dionne and it was beautiful! On Saturday, I ended up working at the office for a good part of the afternoon into evening unexpectedly. I have a mentee and she was writing an offer with clients and needed me there. Sunday I went to church and then home for a nap and out to dinner at Cracker Barrel (yummy!). While in Plymouth Meeting, we decided to walk through Target to look at baby stuff to start to get an idea of what we wanted. The Pack N Play we like was on sale and we were quite tempted to buy it. But at 10 weeks, I don't feel comfortable buying anything.

Monday was supposed to be my day of rest and relaxation. Instead I went and took a couple of pics of houses I'm going to list and visited with family. I also went to a barbecue for a friend's daughter and finally got home around 9pm. The most exciting part, but also the most exhausting, was walking through the Baby's R Us in Springfield and looking at furniture and other stuff that we'll need. It was nice to get an idea of what we like and don't like and what is necessary and not necessary at all. My best friend encouraged me not to buy the big stuff but instead to let others help. We were thinking of buying the furniture ourselves but will welcome any help we can get.

One particular piece of furniture we really liked was the Baby Cache Heritage Collection in Cherry. It's beautiful furniture that will last for years to come because it change into a daybed, toddler bed and full size bed. The crib is $430 and the Dresser is $530. Wow. Didn't know these would cost that much. We also saw a changing table with shelving for $90 made by Graco Lauren Collection that we liked in Espresso finish.

Read more...

Labor Day weekend

Well, I heard back from the Birth Center's director and I'm not going there. But it's okay, this time around hearing the "no" wasn't so bad since I've explored other options. Even though my blood pressure has improved, because my BMI is slightly over their limit the director thought it best that I persue another route.

So, I also heard back from Ronni, the hospital-based midwife I was considering. After explaining the blood pressure issue she didn't think it sounded that bad and asked that I come in for an appointment.

I also spoke to my RE about recommendations for doctors and he recommended Ronni as well as two other OBs.

So, I've decided for now to go see one of the OBs that delivers at Paoli Hospital. I really liked it there and feel comfortable with my choice for now. I'm going to research Montgomery Hospital a little more in case I decide to check out Ronni also, since that is where she delivers.

Right now, I'm in my office waiting for clients that are meeting with my mentee to write an offer. I had really planned to be off this weekend but things happen. We went to a beautiful wedding yesterday after I attended a funeral which was a bit ironic. It was a beautiful day all in all.

Read more...

A new week ahead...

Well, it's a new week and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm over that nasty cold and back at work selling as much real estate as I possibly can. I have had a craving for cake for the past week so I think I'll be making a vanilla/lemon cake tonight to satisfy my craving.

I heard from my new PCP today and she told me she spoke to an OBGYN who did not think I would be considered high risk. I visited the Birth Center a while ago and fell in love with it. They told me I couldn't come there because they considered me to have chronic high blood pressure. But I don't!!! My old PCP put me on blood pressure meds when I was only pre-hypertensive because she thought it would be better for me in getting pregnant. I've been off the meds for over a week and my new PCP, whom I saw Friday, said it wasn't bad at all. Soooo, I've put in a call to the director at the Birth Center to plead my case once again.

Another option I was looking into was seeing a midwife that worked with Lankenau. I found out today that she is no longer in practice and that the midwife who's practice it is only works at Montgomery Hospital, which is too far for me. She also said that there are no midwives working in the Mainline Hospital system except for the Birth Center. Boo. So, I'm hoping that with the new info from my PCP they will accept me now.

I'm hungry. Waiting on lunch... and cake!

Read more...

A little bit about me...

I currently live in Philadelphia with my partner. We were married in November 2008 in New Jersey and will soon be celebrating our one year anniversary. We both have the same name, we both have locs and we're both realtors. We are having our first baby due in April 2010 and we're very excited!

In addition to being a full time realtor, I have a homemade baked goods business. (Yes I know how Cheesecake is spelled but it didn't work out on the page.) Sweet Potato Cheesecake is my specialty and I really enjoy baking. I haven't done it as much since I've moved to doing real estate full time, but I still really love it. The holidays are quite busy for me.

We work as a team with Keller Williams and we really enjoy our office and our KW family. We enjoy helping people with their goals. There's nothing like the feeling of buying your first home or getting rid of one that became a burden to you. We are licensed in PA, NJ & DE.

The process to babydom is exciting and scary and I thought about journaling but I'm not that good at it. Since I'm on the computer a lot I figured I'd try to blog like a lot of other folks are doing. We do it for our business but I've never done it personally.

So, that's me in a nutshell for now. I'll be baaaaaaack!

Read more...

The baby at 8 weeks 4 days

Read more...

Hello World!!

Well, I've officially started my blog! I'm going to talk about Business, Baking and mostly Baby.

My partner and I are expecting our first child and this is my opportunity to document the process. I hope to share and receive great information from all of you out there.

Shouts out to my sister Kirsten for helping me get this started. Conflabit!

Read more...