Family Files!

I’ve had dreams where the baby has brown curly hair and blue eyes, straight dirty blonde hair and brown eyes, straight brown hair and brown eyes … but always the baby looks like me and is a boy. Well, we only have to wait 6 more weeks plus or minus to find out if my dreams are premonitions!

At this stage, the baby has already started developing its personality … so what’s this baby like? Well, the baby gets all rambunctious if I haven’t eaten anything come meal time — then continues the follies after the fact (sounds like his/her father to me!). And I reckon this little one is going to be active or fiesty with all the kicking and punching and rolling it does! The baby gets the hiccups often — I’m not sure what that means. And it doesn’t like the light — if I pull up my shirt to show Marty its moving it promptly stops. Sounds like his/her father (aka Marty Mood Lighting) again! The baby has always been at the ready — laying low and pushing down — so maybe he/she will be impatient or adventurous. In any event, we can’t wait to find out what this baby is all about!

Marty and I spent Thanksgiving weekend in The Berkshires. Here is a picture of me in front of The Clark Museum in Williamstown. It snowed 8-10 inches in Berkshire County during the three days we were there so we got an early taste of winter.

Marty and I stayed at The Thaddeus Clapp House in Pittsfield — a bed and breakfast. We had Thanksgiving dinner at the Aster’s restaurant which was the first time we had been out to eat for Thanksgiving together.

It’s the pants–I swear!

Everything checked out at my OB appointment today — the baby’s heart beat, my growing belly, and the position of the baby’s head. The baby is facing down now — preparing for its final descent — and its head is nestled in my lower left abdomen. The left side of my belly sticks up more than the right, and my belly button is a bit off center now. Dr. B said the baby’s back is curled up in that area. At this point, the baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches! Just 7 more weeks to go … and counting.

In case Marty never gets that baby predictor software from his buddy at work — which would allow folks to enter predictions of the gender, weight, birth date, and time of birth — here are the predictions from the girls at the baby shower. If you click the “Comments” link below, you can enter your own prediction! DEADLINE TO SUBMIT GUESSES WILL BE 1/11/06 (the day before my due date).

Jessica Curtis: Girl, 8 pounds 2 ounces, 1/17/06, 2:32 AM
Nickie Goodreau: Boy, 7 pounds 11 ounces, 1/17/06, 11:00 PM
Mandy Gregg: Boy, 6 pounds 3 ounces, 1/16/06, 7:00 AM
Shirley MacBeth: Girl, 8 pounds 2 ounces, 1/17/06, 3:00PM
Tracy Swan: Boy, 6 pounds 10 ounces, 1/2/06, 3:00 AM
Margaret Kuchler: Girl, 8 pounds 8 ounces, 1/11/06, 7:00 AM
Laura Nerney: Boy, 7 pounds 6 ounces, 1/11/06, 6:00 AM
Hanna Arnold: Boy, 8 pounds 2 ounces, 1/19/06, 4:15 AM
Amy Swan: Girl, 7 pounds 14 ounces, 1/11/06, 2:06 PM

Finished our final one of four classes at MGH (Mass. General Hospital) last night. The courses covered labor and delivery, infant care, child safety and CPR, and (my favorite) breast feeding. In total we had around 18 hours of class time. The final exam will be putting all that knowledge to good use.

Amy’s now in her 31st week of the pregnancy. It’s just two months to go until the January 12, 2006, due date. At this point the little Herglet weighs just 3 pounds and is about 16 inches long. He or she is active subjecting Mom to daily in utero gymnastic sessions.

After this OB appointment, Amy will go every two weeks for three more visits then every week for three more visits. Only six more visits to go! The baby’s heart beat was strong as usual and by measuring Amy’s belly, Dr. B can tell the baby is growing and gaining right on track.

Our dear friends, Laura Nerney and Hanna Arnold, threw me and Baby Hergert a beautiful shower on Sunday, November 6, 2005. We ate delicious home-made brunch foods — and Laura even made a hot-pink punch with raspberry sherbet — YUM! All was followed by the opening of a plethora of sweet gifts and and an even sweeter cake–decorated in white, orange, and green — to match the nursery!

A BIG thanks to Laura and Hanna, and to all my friends that attended, for making it such a special day!