Was it a contraction??

Well, I think I may have FINALLY felt my first mini contraction. Bart and I were out to dinner, and when we were ordering, I felt this tightening in my belly. It kind of felt like gas...or more like something pulling my belly button from the inside and trying to reach it to my lower back. It happened for like 5 or 10 seconds, three times in a row - and it made me laugh more than anything. Kind of like an "Aye yie YIE!" feeling. Then, two minutes later, it happened one more time as I was talking to the waitress - and I almost couldn't speak, but again - not pain - just a different feeling.

Who knows what it was, but it didn't happen again since then. I guess it kind of relieved me to know that SOMETHING is happening in there! Mammy says that when the real thing comes, I won't be laughing!!

Love, Mom

Nothing New to Report!

Your Mammy wants to know why there is no update on the blog! Basically because there is nothing TO update! I still feel fine...just getting very tired and feeling heavy. Today and tomorrow I am stuck in teacher workshops which doesn't help with my fatigue. They made me a little nervous about my starting teaching in October - I have so much to brush up on, and I know I will be sooo preoccupied with you!! But I am sure I will do just fine once the time comes for me to get my head back into the teaching atmosphere. Plus, I made some great friends at my new school to help me along the way.

Jenny called tonight. She went to the doctor today, and she is dialated 1 cm and her cervix is really thin. Her doctor told her her water can break any day now. She is freaking out, but I know she'll be fine. I want her to go first anyway so she can give me the lowdown on delivery before I get in there!! I'm so excited to see who goes first!!

Well, that's all for tonight. I am super tired, and I have to wake up early again tomorrow morning. Did I mention, aaaaanytime you're ready, come on down, baby!!

Love, Mom

Great weekend with Aunt Shel!

Your Aunt Shelly came to visit me this weekend just when I needed her most. Mammy and Paw Paw took all the grandchildren to Florida this weekend, so she came spend a child-free weekend with me, and we certainly had a blast! I will admit, she was hoping you'd make your appearance while she was here, but you stayed put in my belly all weekend (but it wasn't from a lack of us trying!!)

We had spicy Mexican food twice while she was here, we even had some spicy Chinese food, and we shopped till we dropped every day! Friday we had some fabulous (our word for the weekend) pedicures, and then we hit the mall. Saturday we went see Mamma Mia at the Studio Movie Grille (which Shelly was in LOVE with - both the movie AND the dinner/movie theater). The movie was soooo good, and we sang ABBA for the rest of the day. It was just a great, great time.


Your poor Nanny was there in spirit. Your cousin Christina was too young to go on the Florida trip, so Nanny stayed in Louisiana with her - but she called often so that she could partake in the activities via cell phone!! Aunt Shelly and I never got around to taking a picture together (probably because we were too busy shopping), but thanks to the tech-y work of my good friend Lei Lani, I still have a great shot of the two of us from our shennanigans.

This week I plan to take it easy like Sunday morning. Tomorrow I get my hair done (halleluia!). After that, I am READY when you are, baby!! Tuesday and Wednesday, I have teacher workshops which hopefully won't be too boring. I am still feeling great, but I am tired of lugging you around on the inside. It's high time we meet in person!!

Love, Mom

P.S. I added a few extra touches to your room - aren't they cute??

Who will Baby Farrell look like??

Of course, you're going to be a perfect combination of both your mommy and your daddy. But while we're waiting on your arrival, I thought I would post a baby picture of each so we can guess who you'll look like!



Maybe you'll have mommy's nose (I think we saw that same nose in the ultrasound!). Maybe you'll have daddy's big eyes. Maybe you'll have mommy's super-fro! One similarity I can see right off the back - you're gonna have chubby little cheeks and a huge head! Ouch!!

Whatever you get from either one of us, I know you're going to be such a cutie!!

Love, Mom

Doctor Update

Daddy and I went to the doctor today. It was another quick visit. Your heartbeat was 125-130. He said you probably weigh about 6.5 to 7 lbs right now. He didn't do an exam this week because he said he can tell by just feeling my belly that there isn't any significant progress. But he will do an exam next Tuesday to see where we are. Other than that, he said I should take it easy for these last two weeks (which in my mind will start Friday, so I technically can still finish up my "nesting" till then...hehehe). He also said most likely you will come within a week before or after the due date (PALEEEZE don't go any later than Aug 8th!!!!)

Love, Mom

Picture It. Sicily. 1924....

I know this doesn't have anything to do with baby, but today a very important person died. It was Estelle Getty, the woman who played Sophia on the Golden Girls.

Now, I know you have no idea who the Golden Girls are yet, baby - but you will!!

You see, when your mommy was a little girl, she used to spend weeks at a time at Maw Maw Pearl (your Mamere) and Paw Paw Earl's house. It was always so much fun. We would get soft serve ice cream from Frostop or box ice cream from K&B, and Maw Maw would make me a "palette" to sleep on the floor every night (which was basically a big floppy mattress). And once a week, we would watch the Golden Girls (this is when they were brand new episodes - before the reruns!). It was a ritual for us.

Then when I got older, your Mammy and I would watch the Golden Girls reruns at night on Lifetime, and THAT became a ritual too. That was kind of our "mother-daughter time," and even now when I go to Louisiana to visit your Mammy, we stay up late and watch the Golden Girls. Anyone who knows me, knows that I L-O-V-E the Golden Girls...so I have already gotten two texts and three emails today to tell me of the sad news of Sophia (Estelle Getty), the funniest of the four characters. She died at 84 of early dementia.


Us Levet children take our sitcoms very seriously...you should've seen when John Ritter, the beloved actor who played Jack of Three's Company died. It was as if a family member passed away!


Love, Mom

Making Waves

Good evening, baby!!
Your daddy and I were busy yet again today!

I woke up early and sterilized all your bottles, pacifiers and breastpump parts. I am on the ball!! After that, I had a burst of energy, and while your daddy worked on the computer, I painted your new bathroom! And it came out sooo cute!! We really think you're going to love it!!
What do you think?

We cleaned up a little more upstairs, and now we are both pooped out!! Hopefully I'll sleep reeeally well tonight (because I was a little unsuccessful with that last night). Other than that, daddy hooked up our webcam. Mammy and I tried it out tonight, and she is sooo excited that she'll be able to see you when she talks to us now.

Gotta love modern technology!!

Love, Mom

I have a swollen WHAT!?

This morning I woke up with a swollen uvula.

A swollen WHAT, you ask?

The uvula is that little dangling thing that hangs in the back of our throats. This morning when I woke up, my mouth was extremely dry. After swallowing a few times, it felt like there was a big chunk of flim back there (gross, I know!). So, I swish a little water in my mouth and try to cough it up with no luck. Finally, I stuck my finger back there, and I can feel part of my throat RESTING ON MY TONGUE. After sticking a flashlight in there, sure enough - that dangly thing is literally sitting on top of my tongue.

I, of course, panicked. But after googling "that little dangly thing at the back of the throat," (thank God for the internet!), I discover that this is normal. It's caused by snoring through your mouth all night and having an extremely dry mouth. So, I just have to drink a lot of water, gargle salt water every so often and eat a lot of ice cream (I can handle that!), and it usually goes back to normal in 8 to 12 hours. Wow.

So, yesterday I hit 37 weeks - you are officially full-term! I cannot believe that in less than three weeks, we will be welcoming you into the world!! It's all so exciting!! It seems like every show I watch on television is about someone having a baby. I can't believe that's going to be me in that delivery room pretty soon! I just can't wait!

Here's a little video I was able to capture this morning of you moving around. You are VERY active in there (maybe it was YOU yanking on my uvula all night??) Check out the video - do you think you're eager to come out, or what??

Love, Mom

The Waiting Game

Great! Now your Mammy has gone and made me all misty-eyed from her sweet comments she left last night. So while we're playing the "waiting game," I decided to dig up a few old photos of Bart and I when we were babies so we can all predict what you might look like. I won't post them all at once.

These are two I found of the day I was born. Now I see why the ultrasound tech lady said that you are going to have a full head of hair - wow!! Look at that fro I am sporting! Your Mammy will probably kill me for posting these, but hey! It WAS thirty years ago!



Aren't they so sweet??

Love, Mom

Doctor's Update

Daddy and I went to the doctor today. Everything looks great, he says. He is still firm with his due date of Aug 8th, even though he says this latest ultrasound shows an estimated due date of July 29th. He thinks that those calculations just might mean that you're going to be a bigger baby than average! Yay! He said estimated around 8 to 8.5 lbs. So, nothing really new though. You haven't "dropped" yet or anything (although with as much as Mommy's been tinkling, one would think you were sitting DIRECTLY on my bladder).

My next appointment is next Tuesday.

Also, it looks like Daddy is opting out on his fishing trip this weekend. He was supposed to go fishing in Dulac, La with his cousins from New Iberia for their annual trip. But after some careful consideration (and even advice from his cousins who are mostly dads themselves), he decided maybe it's not such a great idea to drive five hours away to go to the middle of nowhere for an entire weekend. (Let the record state that I had nothing to do with his decision!!) I think he just realizes that he would NEVER want to miss the chance of being the very first one in the world you set eyes on. Awww...

We're getting very anxious and excited. This waiting game is for the pits!

Love, Mom

What's in a name?

Today is 36 weeks! Just 4 more weeks! I can't believe how fast the time is flying by this summer. I'm still feeling great, but you are definitely growing! My tummy is so big and round!! The past three days I have been busy with a teaching workshop, which was very interesting. I learned lots of things I can teach you one day when you need tricks to remember what you're studying in school! But I am so tired from waking up early!!

Daddy and I have been trying to finalize names for you. It's so hard to come up with the perfect name!! I added two new polls on the blog (to the left) for my readers to vote on their favorites....we're not spilling our finalists, so I threw in a few fake names to keep it secret. But I am curious to see which one yall like. I've developed a pretty tough skin on the name issue, so feel free to share your opinion and even suggestions on your favorite boy or girl names in the comments section. Essentially, we've come to realize that no matter what anyone thinks, its ultimately up to your daddy and I to decide - and whatever we name you, that's what it will be. I sure hope you like what we decide.

Love, Mom

Night out with Tante Nel

Your Tante Nel (known to most as my sister-in-law, Janel) has a job assignment right down the street from us in Houston, so tonight daddy and I met her for dinner at Pappadeaux's. It was really nice to catch up with her, and we had a great time. She is working like 10 or 15 minutes away from our house, so hopefully if she has to stay longer, we can do it again!

Other than that, I feel great. You are kicking and rolling around up a storm, as usual. I've been busy shopping for last minute things for you. Today is July 8th - exactly one more month till my due date! Woah! Guess I need to get my bag packed and my tush in gear!

Love, Mom

Happy Fourth of July!!

It was a great Fourth of July for Daddy and I. We went shopping all day for stuff for you!! We had a great time. Then tonight after Daddy cut the grass, we sat in the backyard and watched all the fireworks in the neighborhood. They put on a beautiful display for hours. I know you must've been peeking from my belly button!!
Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Love, Mom

Classes and Dr's Appt

Nothing really new to report.

Daddy and I went to the Baby Care Basics class last night. We learned how to change your diaper, swaddle you, bathe you, and look for things wrong with you. We also learned everything we ever wanted to know about circumcisions. Gross! It was very interesting, and we came home and quizzed each other on all we learned.

This morning was my doctor's appointment. Everyone is on vacation right now, so it was very backed up, plus he had to deliver a baby while we were there! My appointment was at 9:30, and we didn't get to see the doctor till almost noon! But everything from the previous ultrasound came back good. The heartbeat was in the 130s. I only gained one pound, and he confirmed that you will gain about a half pound per week in the next 5 weeks. So, nothing new (which is good!)

Daddy and I are going to hang out around the house for the 4th of July holiday tomorrow. We got some meat to barbecue, and the neighborhood always has a nice fireworks show. Hope everyone reading has a great holiday!!

Love, Mom