Welcome, Baby William!!

Welcome to the world, William Joseph LaBanca! Born on 6/14/14 at 4:19, 7 lb 2 oz and absolutely perfect. By far, this is the best day of our lives! #bbl #beyondgrateful #bestfathersdaygiftever #soblessed 

Am I ready?!

I hope so!!

A real photo of a postpartum belly!

I love this! So powerful!!

A real photo of a postpartum belly!

I love this! So powerful!!

Let the dilation begin!

Had a great appointment this afternoon, despite having to wait over an hour for the doctor. This is why I HATE PM appointments!

I am up 2 pounds since last week (which is clearly going straight to the baby -- he is getting so big!), my blood pressure looks good, and the baby sounds awesome. The best part? I am now 1 cm dilated! Woot woot! I never thought such a small number would bring me such excitement.  Baby steps, right?!!

I am also GBS positive, which basically means I have bacteria inside of me that can be harmful to the baby as he rescues through the birth canal. So, when I go into labor, I will be administered an antibiotic (like Penicillin) to prevent any harm to the baby. Sounds simple, and j am hoping this will not prevent me from having the kind of natural birth I'm hoping for. Fingers crossed!!

Always remember this...

....very important on a day like today where I am completely uncomfortable!!

Glad I don't feel like this yet!!

37 weeks!!

Happy Friday from BBL and me! We are 37 weeks and still rockin' out! Continue to fully cook, little guy!! #bbl #37weeks #cookbabycook #babybump #babyboy #babylove #bblisgrowingrapidly #hecouldemergeanydaynow #headdown #embracethebump #thisisnotamaternitydresswootwoot #soontobeparents 

Thoughts on naming the baby!

No, I will not tell you what we are naming our son, but I thought this piece was really sweet!

Tuesday Jun. 3, 2014

LISTEN Naming the Baby by Faith Shearin When you are dreaming of the name you are also dreaming of who they might be. They are invented in darkness — under cloak of skin — and, for the better part of a year, are a swelling or a set of symptoms. The name books are like a box of chocolates and when you open them you see how many kinds there really are. There are names of people you have known and disliked and names that make the wrong sounds and names that suggest your child will be like everyone else's. There are names that turn your child into a character in a novel and names that recall the time when your great grandmother was young. Naming the baby is a way of dreaming about a creature who is almost but not quite. It is a way of imagining the soul of a person you are making but have not made. The name is the first way you see the baby: their title, the syllables that conjure a shape from the lantern. "Naming the Baby" by Faith Shearin from The Empty House. © Word Press, 2008. Reprinted with permission. (buy now) Today is the birthday of poet Allen Ginsberg (1926) (books by this author). He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in Paterson. His father, Louis, was a poet and high school teacher; his mother, Naomi, was a communist and a paranoid schizophrenic. Naomi and Allen were very close; when she was in the grip of her delusions, he was the only one she trusted, and he often accompanied her to her therapy appointments. She spent much of his childhood institutionalized. Ginsberg spent eight months in a mental institution himself in the late 1940s, when he was arrested for harboring stolen goods; he chose to plead insanity. He went to Columbia University, first intending to study law, but during his freshman year he met Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, and William S. Burroughs. He later said, "I think it was when I ran into Kerouac and Burroughs — when I was 17 — that I realized I was talking through an empty skull ... I wasn't thinking my own thoughts or saying my own thoughts." Ginsberg left Columbia in 1948, traveled, and worked some odd jobs, and in 1954, he moved to San Francisco. He met poet Peter Orlovsky there; they fell in love and were partners until Ginsberg's death. In October 1955, Ginsberg read his poem "Howl" at the Six Gallery. The next day, bookstore owner and publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti sent him a telegram quoting Emerson's letter to Whitman: "I greet you at the beginning of a great career." "Howl," which was written to be read aloud, revived oral poetry. Ginsberg said that it, along with the rest of his work, was autobiographical, and that at its core was his pain at dealing with his mother's schizophrenia. His mother died in 1956; two days later, he received a letter from her in the mail, in which she had written, "The key is in the window, the key is in the sunlight at the window — I have the key — Get married Allen don't take drugs — the key is in the bars, in the sunlight in the window." He had wanted to have a kaddish — the Jewish mourners' prayer — recited at her funeral, but there weren't enough Jewish men present, so he wrote his poem "Kaddish" (1961) in reparation: Toward education marriage nervous breakdown, operation, teaching school, and learning to be mad, in a dream — what is this life? Toward the Key in the window — and the great Key lays its head of light on top of      Manhattan, and over the floor, and lays down on the sidewalk — in a single vast      beam, moving, as I walk down First toward the Yiddish Theater — and the place of      poverty you knew, and I know, but without caring now [...] He said, "Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It's that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that's what the poet does." Today is the birthday of the "founding mother of the historical romance genre": Kathleen Woodiwiss (1939) (books by this author), born Kathleen Erin Hogg in Alexandria, Louisiana. She met her future husband, Air Force Lieutenant Ross Woodiwiss, at a dance when she was 16, and they eloped. She worked part-time as a fashion model and saved her money to buy a typewriter, which she gave to her husband one Christmas. She told him it was for him to write his poetry on; she really bought it for herself, and she worked on her first novel, The Flame and the Flower, during his absences, afraid to tell him what she was up to. The hefty manuscript was turned down eight times, but then she sent it to some paperback publishers; an editor at Avon, raiding the slush pile for something to read on a rainy afternoon, was captivated, and the book sold 600,000 copies on its publication in 1972. Woodiwiss single-handedly remade the romance genre, setting the standard for nearly every bodice-ripper to follow. Previously, romance novels had been pretty thin, literally and figuratively. Her books were often 700 pages long, heavily plotted, and full of carefully researched historical detail and steamy sex scenes. Her heroines were strong and dynamic, considering the genre and the time period. Woodiwiss wrote 12 more books after The Flame and the Flower, taking her time on each one to get the historical details right. She died of cancer in 2007, and her last book, Everlasting, was published posthumously. It's the birthday of author Larry McMurtry (1936) (books by this author), born in Wichita Falls, Texas, and raised in nearby Archer City. His hometown is about 80 miles from the town of Thalia, which is the setting for several of McMurtry's novels, like his first, Horseman, Pass By (1961), as well as Leaving Cheyenne (1963) and The Last Picture Show (1966) and its four sequels. He writes a lot about small-town life in Texas, and sometimes he writes historical novels about the frontier, like his Pulitzer Prize-winning epic Lonesome Dove (1985), although he strongly resists romanticizing the Old West and doesn't hold a very high opinion of cowboys in general. In the early 1960s, when he was at Stanford on a Wallace Stegner fellowship, he began working as a rare-book scout, haunting used-book stores in search of first editions and other valuable books, which he would buy on behalf of antiquarian booksellers. It was a great job for a bookish kid who liked to hang around and browse the shelves, and when he moved to Washington, D.C., in 1970, he opened his own store in Georgetown, called Booked Up. In 1988, he opened a second Booked Up in his hometown of Archer City, in four large buildings that once housed a car dealership. He bought up the stock of failing independent bookstores all over the country, and he filled the towering white shelves with hundreds of thousands of volumes. He doesn't see his current vocations — author and bookseller — as entirely different from his cattle-ranch roots. He told The New York Times: "The tradition I was born into was essentially nomadic, a herdsmen tradition, following animals across the earth. The bookshops are a form of ranching; instead of herding cattle, I herd books. Writing is a form of herding, too; I herd words into little paragraphlike clusters." He occasionally talks about giving up fiction, but he'll never give up the bookstores. Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.® sponsor The Poetry Foundation National broadcasts of The Writer's Almanac are supported by The Poetry Foundation The Writer's Almanac is produced by Prairie Home Productions and presented by American Public Media.

sponsor   POETS Version of Magnetic Poetry Order today. ·         On the Radio • ·         Podcast • ·         Web Archive ·         Title • ·         Author • ·         Date Read highlighted interviews of poets heard on the show. Featured interview: Sharon Olds Visit the bookshelf now   Contribute now to support our daily newsletter, podcast, audio archive, and other online services Contribute $60 or more today and we'll thank you with the official Writer's Almanac mug.

A sign!

Update from Greg on his garden: "A bird has uprooted flowers in my flower box, built a nest in it, laid an egg, and has declared our front stoop his property. It's kinda cute."

This bird is actually a mourning dove, which is known for its monogamy, loyalty, and dedication to its young. The mother and father take turns tending to the best and never leave it unattended.

Is this a sign of optimism for our little guy or what?!! It certainly gives new meaning to the word "nesting". Too cute!!

Great news!!

Great news!! BBL is head down and already 6 pounds, 2 ounces. All of his measurements, including heart rate and amniotic fluid, are completely normal. I am up 2 pounds in the last two weeks, and no signs of baby vacating yet! Yay!!!

This should be observed regularly!!

Well hello, June!

It's June! Assuming he doesn't get TOO comfy in there, Greg LaBanca and I get to meet our BBL this month! Yay!!!!! :) #excited #soontobeparents #bbl #hecouldemergeanydaynow

36 weeks!!

36 weeks and still loving pregnancy! #bbl #bblisgrowingrapidly #36weeks #babybump #babyboy #babylove #babyprep #embracethebump #cookbabycook #activebaby #fitmama #istillgetkickedandpunchedallday

Will I ever sleep well again?!!

Some love to all of our Moms!!

How true is this?!!

Great appointment on 5/19!

I just realized I never posted this last week = bad Kay with a forgetful pregnancy brain!

At my 34 week appointment, I had not gained any additional weight since the last visit (which is fine, especially since I was up 4 pounds at the last appointment). My blood pressure continues to be great, the baby's heartbeat is strong, and he continues to measure on track and be very active. Not a surprise to me!

The nurse also gave me the Tdap vaccine, which is required for anyone who is going to spend a lot of time with an infant now, especially with the recent whooping cough outbreak in the area.

Can't wait for my 36 week visit, when we will FINALLY get to see BBL again via sonogram! Can you believe we haven't seen him since the anatomy scan in mid-January?! Crazy!!!

The love of a mom....

35 weeks!

35 weeks and still loving being pregnant! #35weeks #preggo #bbl #bblisgrowingrapidly #babyboy #babybump #babylove #cookbabycook #takeyourtime #embracethebump #sorryifyouregettingsickofthesephotosbutilovemybelly #fitmama #duenextmonth #almostparents #cantwaittoofficiallybeamom #momtobe #ilovehimalready

For all moms out there!!

Great article!

Well-worth the read!

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5352149?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046

Is it bad that I already feel this way?!!

Oh, boy! Can't wait for this!!

Need a laugh?

Classes are done!

Greg and I went to our final round of childbirth and babycare classes this weekend. Information overload! All good things, though.

Hopefully, we will now have some sort of clue about what to do once we bring home our son. Fingers crossed!

This cracked me up!!

Very true!!

34 weeks!

34 weeks and still feeling great! #34weeks #bbl #babyboy #babybump #babylove #preggo #bblisgrowingrapidly #itsgettinghardertobendover #cookbabycook #duenextmonth #thisisnotamaternitydresswootwoot #embracethebump 

For all the moms out there....

So important to remember!

Some pregnancy humor on this Hump Day...

...just because!

So true!

For all you moms and moms-to-be out there!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing mothers in my life, especially my own Mom and Mother-in-law! They both are fantastic role models for the type of Mom I hope to become! Greg may be in Nashville this weekend, but he didn't neglect to leave me with a lot of love for my first Mother's Day! Thank you to all the wonderful moms out there who do and sacrifice so much for their kids every day! #grateful #momtobe #awesomerolemodels #cantwaittoofficiallybeamom

33 weeks!!

Holy belly! #33weeks #bbl #bblisgrowingrapidly #babyboy #babybump #babylove #embracethebump #poppinout #gettingcloser #cookbabycook #sorryifyouregettingsickofthesephotosbutilovemybelly #duenextmonth

Whoah!

Someone's water broke at my prenatal yoga class last night.

#s**tjustgotreal #luckilyshes37weeks #imnotreadyyet

Fun with BBL!

Throughout this pregnancy, I have tried to stay as active and healthy as possible for BBL. I still do Crossfit (with appropriate modifications from my coaches and www.crossfitmom.com), run, walk, do prenatal yoga, and do Tracy Anderson's Pregnancy Project DVDs (She has one for each month of pregnancy). I still feel great and don't look like a whale yet, so I think my efforts are starting to pay off!

Here's a fun, goofy pic of BBL and I post-workout at 32 weeks:

He certainly looks bigger in non-maternity workout gear, don't you think?!!

8 months?!!!

8 months! #32weeks #babyboy #babybump #embracethebump #gettingcloser #icantbelievewerhavingababynextmonth #soontobeparents #sorryifyouregettingsickofthesephotosbutilovemybelly 

31 weeks!

31 weeks, and BBL continues to be a hiccuping, kicking, and punching machine! #31weeks #bbl #babybump #babyboy #babylove #embracethebump #gettingcloser

Another great appointment!

My doctor was really pleased with my lab results, saying my glucose and iron levels are wonderful. Yay! No signs of anemia here! She encouraged me to continue eating lots of veggies moving forward, as many are lost during birth.

I've gained one pound in the past two weeks, and my blood pressure continues to be good.

BBL is currently sideways, which made it difficult for the doctor to accurately measure him. She kept saying how active he is! He certainly is, especially when I'm sitting or trying to sleep. He also has been hiccupping a lot recently, which is quite cute. His heartrate continues to be strong.

Next stop -- 32 week appointment! Time continues to fly!

Quote of the day

You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once. -- Polish Proverb

Love this!!!

I've heard this is very true!

And even in our first pregnancy, I can already tell this is the case!!

I win!!

My win of the evening --

At a movie theater in The Villages, FL:

Employee: You can't bring that water bottle in with you, ma'am.

I turn around, surprised.

Employee: I can let you empty the bottle, but you can't bring that in with you.

Still shocked, I shot him a fierce "don't you dare mess with this pregnant momma" look.

Me: Really? You're going to tell an over 7 month pregnant woman what I can and cannot drink and that I can't have easy access to my water?!! ... Pause... I don't think so.

His jaw dropped, and BBL and I hurried back inside the theater. Not surprisingly, no staff member followed.

Movie theater staff -- 0

Kay -- 1

30 weeks?!!!

30 weeks?!!! Wow!! Didn't get to wear my new maternity swimsuit much in cold OBX on our babymoon this week but hopefully will in FL this weekend! 

#30weeks #babybump #babylove #babymoon #babyboy #embracethebump #bbl #bblisgrowingrapidly

29 weeks!!

#29weeks #newhaircut #happyspringbreak #babyisreadytotravel #babycantbustoutyet

Good news!

I passed my one hour glucose test! Woot woot! No crazy 3 hour test for me!

Time to eat another cookie -- just kidding! ;)

I love glucose tests! Or not....

Yesterday morning, I had my one hour pregnancy glucose test. Basically, this involves drinking a nasty, overly sweet flat orange soda a half hour before your appointment, waiting, and then getting your blood drawn once one hour has passed. It tests for gestational diabetes, which is common during pregnancy but luckily disappears once the baby is born. Still, it can be very dangerous to both Mom and baby, resulting in an overweight -- or even dead -- baby if not treated properly.

I find out tomorrow whether I passed. Fingers crossed! If not, I have to endure a much more extensive three hour glucose test. No thanks!!

In addition to getting my blood drawn, I also discovered that I've gained 5 pounds in the past 6 weeks, which is very healthy, especially since I am now in my 29th week of pregnancy. My blood pressure continues to look great. The sugary drink caused Baby Boy L to go crazy, as he barely stayed still long enough for the doctor to get his heartrate, which is 144 (Anything between 120-160 bpm is considered normal at this stage). The doctor said, "Well, this baby certainly doesn't stay still, does he?!" Greg and I are both in for it if this little guy is as active once he's born!

BBL is also measuring perfectly. Thank goodness! I always worry, especially since I seem to be a bit smaller than others at this stage of pregnancy. I'm sure BBL will only continue to grow -- and move -- rapidly throughout the next several weeks!

I get to go back every 2 weeks for appointments moving forward. It's hard to believe I'm into the third trimester and that we will get to meet our little one in just over 2 months. WOW. Things are really starting to feel REAL, and we couldn't be more excited!

Let the countdown begin!!

Bare belly shot!

Yes, I am brave to take this but only continue to be proud of my bare belly!