Winding down the weekend.

Our local Grandma Emeritus, Debi, came by today with an adorable sweater for Dani. It's hand knit and has a great little lamb!

It's been a nice, long weekend. Today, Aunt Renny, Uncle John and I went to visit my Great Aunt Virginia in an Albany nursing home so she could meet Dani. Aunt Virginia is my Dad's aunt, and is a nun; she never lived in the area until she stopped teaching, but it's nice to have her close by. I'm pretty sure she's in her mid 90's.

She was excited to see Dani, as were all the ladies on her floor!

Christmas fun!

Somebody loved Dave & Gail's fish tank!

And Dani had lots of fun with cousin Shannon!

Dani found a flash light and, if she could talk, would have told some hella scary ghost stories!

Group photo of Uncle John, Aunt Renny, Leigh and Dani.

Merry Christmas all!

Dani banana 12-24-09.

I promised Grandpa and Grandma I'd put some video from yesterday up so they could see what Dani's been up to. This one's a little long but captures the latest Dani-isms.

Looking forward to going to David & Gail's in a little while. Shannon got a new kitten, and Dani will be very excited to play with a pet that doesn't know better than to let her maul it!

Merry Christmas!

I promised Grandma and Grandpa that they would get to see some Christmas pictures of Dani since they aren't here! We did Christmas Eve at our house, and the family came over, along with some friends.Dani was ready to party and kept everyone entertained!

Dani loved her plush football which makes chimey music when you throw it.

And, she swiped Daddy's new Superman hat.

A very Merry Christmas to all!

First Christmas present!

Dani got a box! Woo hoo!Chang sent her an awesome riding giraffe that plays games!
She was a little scared of sitting on the bike seat, but loved the lights and sounds.

First present of the season! Thanks Chang! We love and miss you!

New baby update: we seen no peen.

Actual text I sent to Big Man this afternoon: "your sperm have failed me".

Well dear reader (dad), we have news. It's not as good as I'd hoped, but we had the 20 week ultrasound today. This is the 3-d profile of the baby--nose pointing to the right.

Apparently, I'm going to be giving birth to a hairless cat! Below, a newborn Sphynx, or hairless cat.

I can't really tell the difference.

Oh, but you're probably reading because you want to know the gender. In the event the title of the post didn't clue you in, it's a girl. No peen to be seen.

Honestly, I'm pretty bummed. I was sure it was a boy. The psychic Gail and I went to last week said it was a boy. Big Man was meant to have a boy! Yes, healthy baby most important, blah, blah, blah, blah. But two girls? Sounds like purgatory after about age 6. Big Man predicts another "Bethany junior". Be afraid. Be very afraid.

We need a name, 'cause I think if we stick with Tommy, she'd have some issues.

Vital stats.

Dani's one year doctor's visit was today.
19 pounds, 6 ounces.
28 1/2 inches long.

She had some fun with her walker tonight.

I've spent the last two hours wrapping christmas presents to ship....still not done.

More Dani tricks.

Dani, or Quasimodo. Love my little ogre face!
Fun day today.

Big Man likes to play a game with Dani, where he clucks like a chicken, and then Dani tries to find her stuffed chicken. She was a little distracted tonight but it was funny nonetheless.

Big Man has tonight off, and was home last night, so we had a great family day. He cooked a big ol' breakfast, we watched tons of football and played with Dani. She is so much fun! I made a kick ass roast in my new roaster tonight!

Mmmmm, iced coffee.

We don't typically let Dani have caffeinated beverages, but she flips for straws. She saw me with my (low caf) iced coffee from Stewart's, and had to try some. I'm impressed by her use of the straw.

Big Man's home tonight, so we are spending the day snuggling on the couch watching football.

So Big!

Dani's having lots of fun with her first baby doll--from Tara--designed so she can get some practice for her little sib...

We took some video of our big girl tonight, especially for Grandpa who is home recovering from eye surgery.

Dani's gotten really good with a fork. Of course we put the food on it first because we aren't keen on cleaning up messes. She's enjoying some eggs for dinner.

She's teething like crazy but is still the happiest, most playful baby ever. There are two more coming in on top and two more on the bottom. She was so giggly today I called Grandpa and great-Grandma so they could hear Dani laugh! Big Man's off for the next two nights so looking forward to some family time.

Happy Birthday Dani!

My big girl's 1 today! How the time flies! It's been the most wonderful, exhausting, emotional, fulfilling year of my life.

She was a little small for her new walker/rider...but managed with Daddy's help! Here's the not so messy post-cake baby. I've been trying for hours to upload the videos of her with the cake but blogger won't let me. I've been having an impossible time uploading videos lately....grrrr.
My sweet little baby had a fun day! She got lots of neat presents--grandma and grandpa sent a new musical toy--we've been listening to the same ones forever--what a godsend! And Tara--she loooooooves the baby doll!

Grrrrrrrrrrr. Just felt like growling.

Things are back to normal here in the B household--I think that the arriving at the decision about the baby was the hardest part; now that it's made, things are back on track.

Although, Gail and I are going to a long-awaited appointment with a psychic tomorrow night, and I told Big Man that if she says anything about the baby that is concerning (and I swear I won't ask) that the amnio might be back on the table. This confirmed his belief that I'm a dumbass.

This little munchkin is turning 1 on Wednesday!

She's popping teeth like crazy and is getting better at the whole walking thing. Tomorrow, Big Man is working on the super-secret baby birthday cake project...and Dani got lots of birthday mail today!

Can't wait to see what she does with the cake!

Good vibes, please?

We just got through a rough couple of days. On Monday afternoon I got the call from the doctor.

They never call for anything good. My bloodwork came back at elevated risk for Down's Syndrome, and could I come in the following day to talk to the doctor and for another ultrasound and amnio so we could decide what to do? GULP.

Enter an evening of crying B, rational Big Man, and lots of fear. He thinks I should get the amnio, I don't think I should, because I think we might have different opinions on what to do if it comes back positive. I feel awful at the idea of potentially choosing to terminate a pregnancy, when I lost one in the second trimester on the first try.

We talk. I cry. We hug and sleep on it. I head to work in the morning, and Big Man picks me up for the appointment. On the way down in the car, I tell him I've thought alot and I think we should do the amnio. He says he thought alot, and did some research and thinks we shouldn't. It was like that scene in Grease when Danny turns geeky and Sandy turns slutty thinking it's what the other one wants.

We talk about the risk of amnio causing a miscarriage. We talk about people we know of who have gotten false positives. We have an ultrasound, and there are no obvious physical indicators--although Down's is the least likely to show them. We were hoping to get a peek at the baby's gender but baby wasn't having any of that. Baby was curled up in a ball hoping it wouldn't get poked with a needle soon.

We talk to the doc. Apparently given my advanced maternal age, my risk for Downs should be 1:260. It's 1:160. The chance of the amnio causing a miscarriage is 1:250.

We decide against the amnio. The doc tells us we have a couple of weeks within which we can change our minds before it's too late. We talk on the way home, and I'm worried about having a baby with Down's, but I'm also worried that I could miscarry what we hope is a healthy baby boy.

We decide that we can live with a 1:160 chance, because it's better than the other alternatives. So, I will think positive thoughts and will try not to let this be a cloud hanging over this pregnancy.

Meanwhile, in happier news, Dani said "apple" today. Not to me, of course but at least Big Man told me about it.

And, little miss is going to be 1 in a week.

Senator Gillibrand!

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Tonko made a stop at city hall this Saturday. I to spend a few minutes with them and the Mayor.
As you can see, I'm already rockin' the baby belly. Only 140 days to go!