Welcome

Bodkin Belly Blog


Welcoming the 5th member of the Bodkin Family...

This belly blog is designed to be part journal, part album, part keepsake - and all pre-partum. You will find stories of cravings, gut feelings, first kicks and lots of photos. Enjoy!

Week 0

Week Zero: August 09 – 15, 2008
Week zero starts, according to the doctors, the first day of your last period, so you actually start counting your pregnancy before you conceive. Obviously this week was not full of morning sickness or exhaustion, in fact it was full of feelings of joy and happiness. Week one was in fact quite hectic. My sister, Rebecca, was getting ready to get married, and we were running around trying to tie up all of the last minute details! I had flown into the United States a few weeks prior to help the bride and groom prepare for the their big day. At this point we were almost finished, but things were still a bit crazy. I was also starting to prepare for Eric’s arrival. He had to stay behind in Japan, and he was planning on meeting me in California a few days before the wedding (August 23rd). At this point he was getting ready to leave for Dallas. He went to Texas for a few days to visit with his family and friends before making the trip to California. The majority of this week was spent traveling back and forth between the Bay Area, Napa and Discovery Bay. We had no idea what the next few weeks would bring…

Week 1

Week One: August 16 – 22, 2008
Week one started out fairly similar to week zero. We were still tying up the strings for the wedding, but by midweek it was show time! On the 24th, we left to go to Monterey for the wedding. On my way, I picked up Eric from the airport. He landed at SFO early on Thursday morning, and soon after we met up with the bride and groom. The four of us drove down to Monterey just in time to meet up with Mom and Dad for lunch.

Week one ended on Friday, the day of the rehearsal. It was a great night full of loving family, great friends and tasty food! Needless to say, week two was when the baby, to be named later, was conceived.

Week 2

Week Two: August 23 – 29, 2008
I knew I was pregnant at this point:
_____ Yes, definitely __X__ Nope, not a clue _____ I had my suspicions

I was definitely clueless at this point that we would soon be expecting a new addition to the Bodkin family! Week two started out with the big day… the wedding day that is! It was a beautiful event that was followed by a spectacular reception. It truly was a blast! The rest of the week was filled with relaxation, relaxation and some more relaxation! Eric and I had a great time just spending time with Mom and Dad on the Delta.

Week 3

Week Three: August 30 – September 5, 2008
My earliest pregnancy symptoms (if any): I was feeling a little fluffy, but I assumed it was from all of the yummy food from the weekend and the lack of exercise. Other than that, so far so good! We were just having a great time visiting with family and friends in the United States. We hadn’t been home in a year!

The remainder of week three was spend in Tahoe with Mom and Dad. It was an anniversary present from Eric for our 2nd! We stayed at Mont Blue near Heavenly. It was a great weekend full of kayaking, biking, gambling and couples messages!

Week 4

Week Four: September 6 - 12, 2008
My current disposition:
__X_ sunshine and happiness
____ partly sunny, with chance of showers
____ hormonal hurricane

I had just missed my period, but I am late a lot so we weren’t too curious… yet! I thought that my body might have been a little off from the stress of leaving the fam and flying internationally. By the end of week four we were starting to guess…

Week 5

Week Five: September 13 - 19, 2008
My energy level has been:
_____ relatively normal __X__ a bit sluggish _____ can’t even complete a senten

By now we knew!!! I knew because we took the tests (obviously), but also by now my chest was killing me and my uterus was achy. It felt like a mix between cramps and very sore abs! It was also becoming uncomfy to sleep on my tummy… additional pillows required!


In celebration, we decided to go to the baby store and purchase a few outfits for our new Baby Bodkin! Here are a few things...

(Fuzzy teddy hoodie with ears!)

Baby Development Notes:
At this point, the baby is about the size of a sesame seed, but looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. The baby is now made up of three layers which will later form all of the organs and tissues.
(www.babycenter.com)

Week 6

Week Six: September 20 - 26, 2008
In week six not much has changed physically… maybe a little more bloated! I had my 1st blood test done on 09/22 at the Yokosuka Naval Hospital. I was a little nervous, but the doctor was great (unlike the doc helping the girl next to me… yikes!). My treat afterwards was some boneless buffalo wings from the Chili’s on base with hubby and some friends! Yum, I love anything with some spice!

Week six also marks my first “belly” pics. There isn’t much to see right now, but it is a start!

Eric's birthday was on the 26th, and as part of his birthday present I got him this onesie! It says "Daddy loves me" and that couldn't be more true! Eric is beyond excited!

Baby Development Notes:
This week's major developments are the nose, mouth, and ears that we will spend so much time kissing in eight months. If you could see the baby, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where the baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. Emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and arms and legs are becoming protruding buds. The heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through the body. The intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to lungs has appeared. The pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of the brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, Baby Bodkin is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil bean.
(www.babycenter.com)

Week 7

Week Seven: September 27 - October 3, 2008
My complexion this week is::
_____ glowing
_____ green
(1/2 and 1/2! Not so glowing, but not too green. I’m doing ok!)

Other welcome and/or not-so-welcome changes of late: Other than some additional “fluff” and increased nausea, not much has changed this week. I am however having continued trouble sleeping! My painful chest and middle of the night nausea are making it harder and harder to sleep.



Baby Development Notes:
The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, the baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of the tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Baby Bodkin has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.
(www.babycenter.com)

Week 8

Week Eight: October 4 - 10, 2008
Week eight marked our first doctor’s appointment. Eric and I met with RN John Hoyos at the Yokosuka Naval Hospital on Monday October 6th at 0800. He was very informative and helpful. At this appointment we went over our families’ medical history. He answered all the questions we had at that point, and provided us with a book to answer any additional questions. We also made our appointment for our fist true appointment and ultrasound… yay! We get to see the baby in less than two weeks!

My nausea increased quite a bit this week; however, it seems to be getting better… knock on wood! Unfortunately, nothing sounds good right now! I am having trouble finding foods that sound appetizing. Oh well, hopefully this too will pass!

We received a package this week from my parents, and here are a few pictures of some of what they sent! The outfits are from Gap, and my dad picked them out on his own! He went shopping all by himself... so cute!

Baby Development Notes:
New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from the baby's hands and feet, eyelids practically cover the eyes, breathing tubes extend from the throat to the branches of the developing lungs, and the "tail" is just about gone. In the brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. The baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though I still can't feel it.
(www.babycenter.com)

Week 9

Week Nine: October 11-17, 2008
The most noticeable difference this week is my decreased aversion to meat. Lately, it has been a struggle to intake most proteins (a.k.a chicken, steak, etc.), so I had been eating a large amount of peanut butter! Fortunately, this week it hasn’t been so unappealing, and I have begun to eat some meat again! I usually prefer steak, but I have actually had some chicken as well! In fact, the night Daddy picked out your first Christmas outfit (see picture below) I ate chicken at TGI Fridays!!!

Isn’t it cute! It is from a Japanese baby store in Yokohama! I love the little feeties on the pants and how the reindeer feet actually move on the shirt! We can’t wait to celebrate next Christmas (2009) with our baby Bodkin and the rest of the family back in the United States… YAY!


Baby Development Notes:
My new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. Baby Bodkin is starting to look more and more human. The essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: The baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do the tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. The baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. The eyes are fully formed, but the eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. The baby has tiny earlobes, and the mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that the baby's basic physiology is in place, Baby Bodkin is poised for rapid weight gain.
(www.babycenter.com)

Week 10

Week Ten: October 18-24, 2008
Week ten marks our first ultrasound and first true doctor’s appointment!

Date of appointment: October 20, 2008
My weight gain to date: 1 kg
Estimated size of Baby Bodkin: a little over an inch

We met with Dr. Volk at the Yokosuka Naval Hospital. He gave me a quick physical exam and then he did the ultrasound. It was a little difficult to see our Baby Bodkin; however, it just made us even more excited for our next ultrasound when Baby Bodkin has grown a bit more!

Our next appointment is in another 4 weeks, and I think we get get to hear the heartbeat… yay! The ultrasound we had showed the heartbeat as a flashing light because it is so early on in the pregnancy.


Mom and Dad sent another package with our Halloween treats! Of course there was candy and yummies for us, but there were also "treats" in there for all the grandbabies!

Hanna "The Lady Bug" and Lizzie "The Bumble Bee" in their Halloween costumes that Mom and Dad sent! They gave my sister and Derek's cats a Rooster and a Dinosaur costume... love it!

Onesies with "What happens at Grandma's house stays at Grandma's house" and "I love my Grandpa"! They are so adorable! I love them :)


This book is the best! It is full of nursery rhymes! It was really fun reading through the book with Eric and seeing the nursery rhymes our parents used to read to us; however, there are a bunch in there that I have never heard before! I assume they teach the new ones in school, so we will have to start studying!


(Starting to show a bit! I have gained 1 kg which is how they weigh us in Japan. The difference is a bit more noticeable this week because I skipped a week of photos...oops!)

Baby Development Notes:
Though Baby Bodkin is barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, the baby has now completed the most critical portion of development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in the body rapidly grow and mature.

Baby Bodkin is swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including the kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function.

In other developments: The baby's limbs can bend now. The hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over the heart, and the feet may be long enough to meet in front of the body. The outline of the spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from the spinal cord. The baby's forehead temporarily bulges with the developing brain and sits very high on thes head, which measures half the length of the body. From crown to rump, Baby Bodkin is about 1 1/4 inches long.
(www.babycenter.com)

Week 11

Week Eleven: October 25-31, 2008
Week eleven's theme is snapshot of our life...

- Music that we have been listening to lately: In Japan we only get one English speaking radio station... AFN a.k.a. American Forces Network. Therefore, we listen to whatever they play! We really aren't picky, but we did notice when we went home that we are a bit behind on "current" music!

- Recent movies we have seen: The last movies we saw in theaters were The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 and Pineapple Express. We are also a bit behind on movies, but at least we only have to pay $3.00 to see them!

- Book I am reading: Right now I am ready two different Pregnant Mommy books! However, before I found out I was pregnant I was reading Confessions of a Shopaholic... maybe one day I will get back into it.

- Top news story at the moment: Anything related to the election, the market "crashing" or the Phillies winning the World Series! We definitely can't wait for the election to be over and the economy to hopefully return to a healthier state!!! In celebrity news or should I say gossip, Gwen Stefani had her baby Zuma Nesta Rock. Travis Barker and DJ AM are recovering from their plane crash, Madonna's divorce, Jennifer Hudson's family has been murdered, Britney is making a comeback (maybe) and T.I. is (most likely) off to jail.

- - - - - - - - - -

In other news, I am doing quite well! It seems as though the first trimester blues are fading, and I am looking forward to a happy, "night sickness" free second trimester... knock on wood! Thanks to all of you for all of your love and support. You have all been amazing!

Happy Halloween!

Bodkin Family Pic!
Lindsay "The Fairy", Baby Bodkin (In Belly), Hanna "The Lady Bug", Lizzie "The Bumble Bee" and Eric "The Doc"

Dorothy and I with our her puppies... Cali and Paris!

Instead of using my normal "belly photo outfit", I decided to wear part of my Halloween costume! Dorothy and I made our costumes this year, and we made tutus as part of our outfit! We also made our wings!!!

Our homemade fire pit! Dorothy and I made it... such a great idea! Handing out candy is way better when you are sitting by the fire!

Leftover cupcakes and yummies from our Halloween Party! Mini cupcakes sounded like a great idea until you eat a half dozen... so full! I can't tell if the belly is baby or cupcake :)

Picture from Thursday the 30th... test run in the tutu!

And now a picture of our 3 babies... Baby Bodkin (in belly), Hanna "The Lady Bug" and Lizzie "The Bumble Bee"!

Also, Dorothy came home from the states this week with a gift for the baby! It is a duckie outfit - feetie pants, onesie and hoodie! So cute!!!



Baby Development Notes:
Baby Bodkin, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. The hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under the gums, and some of the bones are beginning to harden. The baby is already busy kicking and stretching, and the tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as the body grows and becomes more developed and functional.

Week 12

Week Twelve: November 1 - 7, 2008

Reflections:
The past twelve weeks have gone by so quickly. I can't believe that we are already done with my first trimester! WOW! I can only imagine how fast the next two are going to feel, and then we get to meet our Baby Bodkin!

Looking back, I feel blessed that I have had such an easy beginning. I have definitely had my icky days and my tired days, but overall I feel great... knock on wood that continues! I have started to eat everything again, and nothing really seems to gross me out. I am however starting to crave produce. Unfortunately, finding fresh produce here in Japan is not the easiest task. I just want some strawberries and peaches, but I guess that will have to wait until I come home in December. Yay, I can't wait to see you guys!

In belly news, I do believe that I am starting to get a little bump. You still can't really tell I am pregnant (I am just starting to look a bit chubbier), but I can tell. My belly is starting to feel a bit firmer also. I am just excited to get a real pregnant belly... soon enough!

Thanks again to everyone for being so supportive and excited! We love you guys

THE BABY HAD ITS FIRST VISITORS!!!

On Sunday (11/2), Eric and I drove into Tokyo to meet up with Audrey and Dave Evans. They came in town for a few days after they were in India and before they were off to Hawaii! It was great seeing them! We brought them to the New Sano Hotel for an American brunch! I think they needed some familiar food after traveling for so long! After our champagne brunch, in which I had to skip out on the champagne portion, we took them on the subway to Shibuya! We showed them how the train and subway systems worked and then left them on their way to explore!

It was great seeing a familiar face even if it was only for a few hours! We miss you guys! They also gave Baby Bodkin a gift! It is an old fashion, Japanese style Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal! So cute and so soft! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I know the baby will love it!

Baby Development Notes:
The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. The baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, the toes will curl, the eye muscles will clench, and the mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if I prod my abdomen, the baby will squirm in response, although I won't be able to feel it. The intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now, and the kidneys will begin excreting urine into the bladder. From crown to rump, Baby Bodkin is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Week 13

Week Thirteen: November 8 - 14, 2008
Welcome to the start of my second trimester!

My mood swings are:
___ tapering off, thank God
___ totally justified considering how much my back is aching
___ nonexistent - pregnancy has turned me into a Buddha (in size and spirit)

I would have to say none of the above! My moods swings are currently in FULL EFFECT! I am incredibly cranky right now. I know why and I try to control it, but sometimes I am just very irritable! My back is also achy, so in that respect I would say that I agree with the second one. I know that my crankiness is not justified, so I can't totally agree with that response! I also agree with part of the third answer... I am starting to feel slightly Buddha like! However, as you can tell I definitely don't fall into the "nonexistent" moodiness category! Hopefully with time I become less moody :) Don't get me wrong though, I am in super good spirits the majority of the time!

Other notes:
I definitely feel like I am beginning to show this week! I don't know what happened, I just woke up one day and I had this (kind of hard) belly! It is making this feel a lot more real... very exciting!

Also, I just want to say how blessed I feel to be out of my first trimester and still no signs of bad morning sickness! KNOCK ON WOOD! KNOCK ON WOOD! KNOCK ON WOOD! But in all honesty, I never really got sick! I definitely had my bad days where I felt tired and icky, but as a whole I feel very lucky! I talked to my mom and Auntie Barbara, and they both said that they had similar experiences with both of their pregnancies... maybe it is in the genes! Who knows? All I know is that I am very grateful, and I only hope that if Eric and I are blessed enough to have a second baby one day that I have a similar experience! I guess we will just have to wait and see. For now, I am just enjoying my new baby bump!

I hope you enjoy this weeks pics! At least now there is something to see... kind of!

I also took pics in my normal clothes to give you an idea of what the bump looks like, but Eric caught me trying to take the first picture! I use a self timer on the camera for all my pics, and he walked upstairs as I was taking the first shot. He didn't know what I was doing. He just walked upstairs and I was smiling at the window ledge! We couldn't stop giggling!

Puppies news a.k.a first babies news

Hanna and Lizzie have decided that they no longer like sleeping on the carpet. They are too cold and too uncomfy. Yesterday Hanna decided to venture up on the chair. We weren't in the room and when we came back she was all snuggled up with my blanket and pillow. She looked so cute, so we decided to let her stay (even though we don't let them on the furniture). Today Lizzie decided that it wasn't fair that Hanna got to sit up there. Even though we have two identical chairs, she decided she only wanted to sit with her sissy! They love each other! Check out the pics :)

Baby Development Notes:
Fingerprints have formed on Baby Bodkin's tiny fingertips, the veins and organs are clearly visible through the still-thin skin, and the body is starting to catch up with the head — which makes up just a third of the body size now. If Baby Bodkin is a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. The baby is almost 3 inches long, the size of a medium shrimp, and weighs nearly an ounce.