Matthew Comer Agile Scrum Master Project Manager Unicorn from ATX Austin, Texas

Just so you know, this is NOT what my feet normally look like ! I remember seeing those pregnant women who's feet and ankles were so sadly swollen and I wondered how they got that way…now it is my turn. I am afraid to say the rest of me is pretty darn swollen as well, pictures to come !

Matt & I had the first of our weekly visits last Friday and they did an ultrasoound to check the position of the baby and good news – it is HEAD DOWN ! My OB hadn't quite been able to 100% determine where the head was so the ultrasound was helpful I suppose. It is always fun to see your baby anyway 🙂

Last Friday my boss and his wife, Tony and Debra McDowell, held a couple's shower for Matt and I as well. Tony and Debra are such gifted hosts, having already experienced their talents during a wedding shower they also held for us 3 years ago. I am the luckiest hygienist in the world to be able to work for such a great person ! THANK YOU, Doc !(Dr. McDowell is the one in the Longhorn shirt doing what he does best, bringing smiles to people's faces…I wish I had a better picture of both he and Debra to show…)

This picture is of all of the pregnant women at the shower: (L to R, in order of due date) Dawn, Me, Jill, Kathryn, Brittney, and Jodi

Women need their girlfriends, especially during this time in their lives. I am so amazingly blessed to have so many girlfriends that I can call on and lean on at a moments notice ! Some of which threw me the most beautiful baby shower a few weeks ago and Matt & I had another fantastic one given by my boss, Tony McDowell, last weekend. I want to say a special thank you to my friends Amanda, Cora Lee, Jodi, Allison, and Melissa for all of their hard work putting together the shower that was held a few weeks ago !
Thanks in a very large part to everyone who attended these showers for helping me to prepare for my baby. I definitely feel prepared now AND READY for this little bundle to come join the Comer party ! Enjoy a few pictures from the showers….

Matt & I are overjoyed…My sister-in-law Brittney (Matt's sister) and her husband Cary are expecting a little boy in January 2009 ! This will be their first baby and we are elated that Baby Comer will have cousins so close in age. Congratulations – you two will be amazing and fun parents !

I am so happy to announce that my twin brother Joey & his beautiful wife Jodi are pregnant with their first baby ! She is approx. 10 weeks pregnant and Matt & I couldn't be happier for them both – CONGRATULATIONS YOU TWO ![Image]

Some of you have noticed that I haven't updated my blog in a while and I can only blame myself. Pregnancy is an absolute whirlwind and the closer I get to October 12th, the faster the days go by.

I have continued to feel wonderful throughout the pregnancy but for all of you out there that just hate to hear that, you will be happy to know that I am swelling a bit in my legs as of the last few weeks and having more uncomfortable nights of sleep. Beyond that, I'm great ! This little baby inside of me moves constantly and even has the hiccups more and more frequently. Doctor visits have gone well, very routine and normal.

Matt & I do have some good news…we are recent graduates of our ChildBirthing Classes ! I suppose now we know everything there is to know this labor thing will be a piece of cake…right ?!? Wishful thinking 🙂 Actually, I think I feel more confused and anxious than ever. One thing I know for sure though, I have one great husband. Matt has been so supportive in attending every class, every appointment, and every trip to Babies R US – He's the best !

No progress on names as of yet, however we are getting closer everyone 🙂 I truly think that Matt and I's nature doesn't allow for us to cement a name until the very last moment, so we will most likely keep everyone at the edge of their seat until the hospital demands a name from us.

That is all for now, more to come soon ~

As a dental hygienist, I get to see 8 people every day that I haven't seen in 6 months or more (usually). So every day, 8 times a day, as soon as they notice the growing belly they will ask "Are you pregnant ?". Some would say that you should never ask a woman if she is pregnant for fear of her actually NOT being pregnant – these people have clearly never heard that rule !
However, I am pregnant and enjoy talking about it so I don't mind a bit. Having said all of that, anyone who has been pregnant will agree that there are certain questions that everyone will inevitably ask…"When are you due?", "Do you know if it is a boy or a girl ?", "How have you been feeling?"and "Will you come back to work after you have the baby?" – usually in that order 🙂 So let me answer some of those questions for everyone out there !

Due Date : October 12, 2008 (Libra, if anyone keeps up with that sort of thing)
Sex : Unknown, Matt and I have chosen to be SURPRISED !
Will I come back to work : Yes, at least 3 days/week (which is only 1 less day than I work now)

Now, I left out one of the more recent questions that I have been asked more frequently and that is…"Have you thought about names?". The answer to that question is yes and no. Matt and I have different ideas of what a name should be – I like traditional names , he likes more modern names. I'm am truly afraid this child will be nameless until a decision MUST be made~~ So, if anyone has any ideas, ANY ideas at all, send them to us ! Otherwise, if Matt gets his way, if we have a boy his name will be Chazz or Blaine and our precious little girl will be named Blaire (there is nothing wrong with Blaire – but who can honestly tell me they don't immediately reference The Facts of Life when they hear it ?).

Save me from my 80's pop culture nightmare, your suggestion may just be a winner !

I titled this "Joys of Pregnancy" which may seem to have a sarcastic undertone, but seriously y'all – being pregnant HAS been a joy ! I have never had a day of true "morning sickness", minus one indulgent episode of a Dirty Martin's hamburger, onion rings, and a chocolate malt that came back to haunt me hours later… The aforementioned occurance aside, I really have tried to be a very thoughtful eater and believe that I am doing my best at giving Baby comer the best nutritional start that I can.

My body is definitely changing by the day, my growing belly being the most apparent. My great friend Amanda was kind enough to lend me some of her maternity clothes, so between those and the Bella Band (a spandex tube top-type thing that you place around your waist that allows you to unbutton and unzip any bottoms that you wore pre-pregnancy and continue to wear them in comfort) – I haven't had to spend much on new clothing. I am loving my new belly, I have never felt like more of a woman !

As far as feeling the baby, the answer to that question is YES ! For about 3-4 weeks now I have felt the baby moving. I really didn't feel the "flutter" that is commonly described in books, I felt something that could best be described as a kneading in my belly at first and now it is a full on kicking/bumping that Matt can easily feel.

I occasionally will get a hankering for certain categories of food (sweet, salty, chewy, etc…), but no real cravings for specific foods. I have only gained 5 lbs so far (Baby Comer is approx. 1 lb now), but the pound packing days are yet to come 🙂

Matt and I will try to take some pictures to show everyone what the 23 week pregnant Jenny looks like soon, until then thanks for reading ~

For me, it seemed like a very long time between being able to see Baby Comer at 8 weeks old and then having to wait 3 MONTHS to see the baby again ! But the day finally arrived and here are some of the pictures from our 45 minutes of amazement with the sonographer.

Profile View of Baby Comer (can you see it's open mouth !)

Baby's face ~ A little concerning, I know…but we have faith that Baby Comer's nose won't actually take up a third of its face 🙂

This picture is a cross-section of our baby. The sonographer was taking a picture of the four chambers of the heart and recording its heartbeat on the bottom (144 beats per minute – very normal !)