Get your guess on...

CLICK HERE to take a guess on the baby's gender, due date, weight, and length. Also, check out our Polling Questions (Yep, just like CNN durning the election) Down the RIGHT SIDE of the page to help pick a name and poke fun at Chris (if he will pass out or if the baby will have more hair than him).

http://www.expectnet.com/games/BabyMiller_09

Our Little Cucumber Part 9

In this chapter of "As the World Turns"...it does but it is not our show...I meant "General Hospital" No wait, we will be going to Northside Hospital not the General one. I think it is "All My Children" ....Nope don’t even have one of those yet. Or is it "One Life To Live" Right, like I could live more than onedual lives especially for someone like me who can not remember much. Maybe our show is "The Bold and the Beautiful" Again No, I may be the Bold not so much the beautiful. I could go with the "Guiding Light", which I should probably follow a little more (maybe I need a new head lamp or something brighter for me to follow). Then again there will be "The Young and the Restless" or at least this is what I am told. And that all happens in the "Days of Our Lives" (said with a matter of fact and weird TV voice).

Actually none of those shows above are REAL ( Does anyone really follow the shows when they have a script like "I slept with my wife, who really is my long lost cousin, who was really my mother, who was really your brother's father, and carried your baby") and what I can gather they are all very similar to the WWF but geared toward the demographic that will watch. Personally just watching the News or any of the “Reality TV” shows that fill the airways these days fills my desire for watching Soap Operas . Real life is much crazier than those shows…but then again maybe the news and other stuff is made up as well and we are all being feed by the media....A whole Media Conspiracy....In fact, I am not even having a kid...we are just getting a puppy, we just want you to think about having kids (in a couple of months I may be wishing for that puppy with the sleep deprivation I keep hearing about).

Anyway…….. I hope no one feels they have to tune in each week but in the off chance you do, Thanks for tuning in...This week is Part 9 in Our Little Cucumber series of posts and get ready for some crazy drama, speed, and food...(I think this is where I need to come up with a them song...que theme song)

...Allison Carries the Cantaloupe, Chris Drives to fast...and will Dottie and Johnny get thrown from the car...Will Allison bring the watermellon instead... Will Chris get a ticket...Will Dottie and Johnny........(gasp)....survive!!!!

So Allison is carrying your average cantaloupe around, which now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is almost 18 inches long. Chris’ Baby Miller’s fat layers — which will help regulate body temperature once born are filling out, making SHIM rounder (like Chirs). The skin is also smoother than ever (I am guessing as Smooth as a Baby’s Butt). The central nervous system is maturing and the lungs are continuing to mature as well (Now if only I could mature). The Intraweb goes on to talk about if your nervous about Preterm Labor….Dude…I am terrified with Preterm, Postterm,Term Term, Pre-pre-Term Labors...I mean AM NERVOUS ABOUT ALL OF IT and I am not even carrying the Cantaloupe.

At the moment we are trying to get the house cleaned out and get the Nursery setup. Which is going OK but man, have we got a lot of STUFF. So if anyone needs some STUFF let us know, we would be happy to move said STUFF from our house to yours. In additon to moving STUFF around I will also be attempting over this coming weekend the "First Install" of the seat for Baby Miller.

For this test I have created a plan to take baby seat and the Chariot of choice for Baby Mama and Baby Miller, which I have outlined below:

"First Install" created in part by NASA Engineers:

1.) Install baby seat in

2) Strap in Johnny (a cool doll Allison gave me, which I think is was for Baby Miller, who will now have to fight me for him) and his friend Dotti (both from Blabla Kids a very cool shop we found here in the ATL))






3) Take the Baby Miller Chariot (the Old New to us Porsche Cayenne S) up to WARP SPEED (which means exceeding the speed limit by at least 45MPH)

4) Then Slam on the Brakes


By doing the above test I will see IF Dottie, Johnny or I fly out of the car and/or the Baby Seat. If nobody ends up through the windshield or in the front seat...Then the Baby Seat is Good to Go with Baby Miller. By the way did you see that really cool Perambulator in the picture (Yes, that is a word and No I am not refering to the wife's new car (2nd one in the family though, good choice Honey)...actually talking about the Pram--a Baby Stroller, if you will, and yes, I did just learn that word). So If anyone sees me pulled over with two dolls above on the hood and a cop you will know why (did I just leave myself open to jokes).

See ya next week!!!

Our Little Cucumber Part 8

What is yellow, green, can stick you, and loves hummingbirds? If you guessed the fruit/plant that Baby Miller is this week you would be right. Our little Cucumber now weighs a little over 4 pounds and has the heft of a PINEAPPLE (our fruit/plant for Week 33). In addition, SHIM has passed the 17-inch mark and is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look (I knew we were having an Alien, I just didn’t know that Alien Baby Miller would grow out of it) and the baby’s skeleton is hardening (still sounds like an Alien to me…Hardening Skeleton…weird/crazy). The bones in SHIMs skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for Baby Miller to fit through the birth canal (THE WHAT???!!! I guess that was covered in the Birthing Class I failed out of). Apparently, the pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance (Well I thought I was passed the whole Baby is an Alien thing but hardening skeleton, conehead, and moving skull bones…That all sounds like Aliens GOD at work to me). These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood (Can you just add Miracle Grow and Water and get a really smart kid or would that result in a really large Cranium?).

On a Side Note: (As you know, I love side notes) Did anyone know that people claim that pineapples help to induce childbirth when a baby is overdue (Good to Know) and that it helps with some intestinal disorders (Also, Good to Know). In case you did not know the natural/most common pollinator of the pineapple is the hummingbird (so that is the story of the birds and the bees…kiss a plant and you make a pineapple). Pineapple is also a good source of manganese (91 % of your Daily Vitamins in a 1 cup serving), as well as containing significant amounts of Vitamin C (94 % Daily Vitamins in a 1 cup serving) and Vitamin B1 (8 % Daily Vitamins in a 1 cup serving).

On a Cranium Note: The Intraweb says that Cranial capacity is a measure of the volume of the interior of the cranium (also called the braincase or brainpan) of those vertebrates who have both a cranium and a brain. The most commonly used unit of measure is the cubic centimetre or cc. The volume of the cranium is used as a rough indicator of the size of the brain, and this in turn is used as a rough indicator of the potential intelligence of the organism. However, larger cranial capacity is not always indicative of a more intelligent organism, since larger capacities are required for controlling a larger body, or in some cases are an adaptive feature for life in a colder environment.
Examples of cranial capacity:
• Orangutans: 275–500 cc
• Chimpanzees: 275–500 cc
• Gorillas: 340–752 cc
• Humans: 1100–1700 cc
• Neanderthals: 1200–1700 cc
So above states that Neanderthals start with a larger Cranium Capacity or possibly more intelligence than Humans…guess I can’t call my friends Tom or Brad Neanderthals anymore.

Go fourth and eat Pineapple and think of Baby Miller. See Write you all next week for the next exciting chapter of…Just What in the Heck is our Baby?!?!

Goodbye Ankles, Hello Week 33

I'd like to take a moment to remember the ankles that I once had.

Seriously, this week marks something new in the pregnancy process. The swelling of my ankles, feet, and toes has officially begun (edema, they call it...), and I have officially become extremely thankful that it is flip-flop season (and that I am allowed to wear flip-flops to school).

Chris and I took a tour of Northside Hospital tonight, and I am happy to report that we lasted for the ENTIRE tour.  Not a small feet, I mean, feat, considering the fact that my ankles/feet/toes started to resemble some sort of main course at a family BBQ...  All joking aside, it was very informative, and I feel great about having Baby Miller there.  Chris is still joking that he and Steve will be quite comfortable in the lobby while they wait for Dr. Joffe to come out and make the "It's a ____"  announcement.  Looks like I might want to start seriously considering a back-up for my supportive husband...

It's so hard to believe that this part of the journey is quickly coming to an end.  I still can't believe that we're having a baby soon, and I am so thankful that God has helped us make it this far.

Birthing School Dropouts...

Chris and I signed up for a "birthing" class that was offered at the hospital, and we devoted this past Saturday to learning all about the whole process. Some might say that we're quitters, because after 4 hours of the 8 hour class, we bolted. Don't get me wrong, we did it in a respectable manner, waiting until the lunch break to inform the instructor that I wasn't feeling well and we wouldn't be coming back. While some of you might think that this was a lie, I assure you it wasn't (totally). Chris and I were definitely both feeling a little "under the weather" after some of the things that the instructor shared with us. I seriously think that some things are better left unknown...

All that to say: Please pray for Chris and I both when the big day rolls around. While we did learn the "slow dance" relaxation/breathing method (which Chris and I both laughed through...), there is a slight chance that we may have missed something important. (I say slight not to discount the informative nature of the class, but more to make myself feel better about being a birthing school dropout.)

The Top 10 things we did learn:
1. Only one out of ten couples opt to not find out the sex of their baby before birth (we were the one couple...)
2. Don't go to the hospital until the 5-1-1 kicks in (5 minutes between contractions, 1 minute per contraction, for at least 1 hour)
3. Walk as much as possible once labor starts (unless it starts at night, then try to sleep- right.)
4. Don't let the nurses take the baby from you right away (as long as all is well). As it turns out, mothers produce a "love hormone" that triggers all sorts of crazy bonding stuff within the first few minutes after birth if the baby is in direct contact with the momma.
5. Have a backup for Chris (in case he DFOs- "done falls out")
6. Be prepared to wait- instant gratification is unknown in labor in delivery
7. Chris's role is to remember the acronym PURE once I go into labor. What the letters themselves mean is not as important as him simply remembering that, no matter what, I am right, he is wrong, and it's all his fault.
8. Be nice to the nurse.
9. Be prepared to wait. (This warrants a double entry, especially for the laughing couple that never came back after lunch...)
10. Bring things to engage ourselves in mindless activity. Puzzles anyone?

We're signed up for a hospital tour on Thursday night. We'll try to make it through the entire 50 minutes, I promise...

My First Mothers Day

Even though Baby Miller isn't here yet, I did get to celebrate my first Mothers Day this year, and it was very emotional- partly because EVERYTHING makes me cry these days, and partly because I started thinking about how amazing this whole process has been, and how much I wish my mom could be here to share it all with us. I have been (overly) blessed with stand-in moms, and I am so grateful for/to each of you for being here throughout this process. I know that my mom would be very happy with the support system that I have, and I know that she is enjoying every minute of this right along with me. So while this is all a little overwhelming at times, I like to remember one of my mom's favorite verses from Isaiah, and I like to think that even though Chris and I have no idea what we're doing (in the parenting department...), God's not going to let us mess this up.


Isaiah 41:10

So do not be afraid. I am with you. Do not be terrified. I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. My powerful right hand will take good care of you. I always do what is right.

Our Little Cucumber Part 7

So our “Little Cucumber” is no longer a “Little Cucumber” this week Baby Miller weighs 3.75 pounds and is about the size of a LARGE JICAMA and is about 16.7 inches long. Allison will be gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to Baby Miller. In fact, the baby will gain a third to half of its birth weight during the next 7 weeks as Chris Baby Miller fattens up for survival outside the tummy. Baby Miller now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). The skin is becoming soft and smooth as our baby plumps up in preparation for birth (if only I had the excuse for plumping up for the birth).

Maybe some of you are asking what in the heck is a Jicama? Well so was I. Google shows 387,000 pages dedicated to the ROOT (there are some people that have way to much time on their hands to be writing the Intra-web like that) and on Sally Bernstein’s website she provides a description of the root as "A stranger in the produce section...a lumpy, odd-looking creature…inert-looking blob… humble…homely in appearance”. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would say any of those things about a baby? I am dumb but even I know where to draw the line (yes, I am still learning how to do that). I do not think I have ever eaten Jicama but if you really are what you eat... then I am sticking with nice big STEAK (preferably from Kevin Rathbun Steakhouse, if anyone would like to take me I am available most every night) not some dumb “homely in appearance” looking root.

On a side note... (yes, I know that all my bloggings/posts on this here Intra-web are filled with side notes...Thank you so much for pointing that out!!!). Anyway, as some of you may have realized, this past Sunday was Mother's Day, and I experienced my first (Expecting) Mother’s Day. I like to think that some things take a bit of practice and that is what this first Mother’s Day was for me, a practice of sorts. Learning that this holiday was/is for expecting Mothers as well as established ones, is something that would have been good to know ahead of time (way sooner than Sunday would have been good. Allison if you read this...I am just writing a funny story I heard two weeks ago while shopping for your Mother's Day gifts). However, I may have pulled it out at the last second but I will most likely NOT get nominated for any Husband of the Year awards (good thing this was a trial run My Wife is so understanding). I think next year the execution will be much better and I am not expecting much a LOT for Father’s Day.

Back next week with another episode of As the World Turns “Our Little Cucumber”...

Has it really been 31 weeks?

Wow.  We've just finished 31 weeks, and even though we didn't find out we were pregnant until I was 7 weeks along, I feel like it's been a long haul. I think that has something to do with the fact that this week has proven to be a little difficult for this pregnant lady. Take for instance, it's 3:26 in the afternoon, and I'm not sure how I am going to stay awake for the next 15 minutes (let alone make it until I get to go home at 5...). Or there's the fact that I seem to have "lost" my right ankle somewhere.  I keep trying to remind myself what a great pregnancy I've had (aside from the scares at the doctor's office), and I'm trying to keep a grateful attitude for that. Check back in with me on that in, say, 2 weeks.... Or tomorrow. Baby steps.

This week was a very exciting week for Chris and I because we got to see Baby Chris, I mean, Baby Miller in 4D. What an amazing experience! Susan, the tech that did the ultrasound, was so great, and she had us laughing the whole time. It seemed as though our little peanut didn't want to have any part in having his/her picture taken, so Susan had to get creative... As it turns out, you can make a baby move by shaking from side to side, walking, and doing lunges (great idea, Chris). In the end we got some super cute shots of our little star, and I think we may have even convinced Chris that there is, in fact, a baby in there!

On a not so fun note, I learned on Monday that going to the dentist on an empty stomach while pregnant is not a good idea... No more cleanings for me until after July 3rd. Long after July 3rd..

With 8 weeks left, we're trying to prepare as best we can for what lies ahead! Keep praying, and keep telling me how great I look. :)

Baby Miller in Star Wars...it will be an adventure!

Certain things amaze me and one of them is the imagination and creativity of people. For example, George Lucas with his creation of Star Wars and the characters like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO and R2-D2, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader. In addition, my wife and her ability to paint and draw things that just come to her (where as I have to trace anything for it to turn out well).

Anyway, this past Sunday, Allison and I got to experience something that I still have not really wrapped my head around yet. We were able to see our baby through technology. It was an amazing thing to see. I am still not sure it was real (both Allison and the Tech said it was, so I guess I believe them even though it could still be from a Galaxy far, far away). Enjoy the slide show below; I know Allison and I are blown away every time we look at the pictures.

Our Little Cucumber Part 6

Week 31 is now here and Baby Miller measures over 16 inches long. SHIM (She/Him) weighs about 3.3 pounds which is about like carrying four navel oranges (and is what the Intraweb says our baby is like this week). The little guy/gal is heading into a growth spurt. SHIM can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out (I have been doing a lot of that over the years) as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. SHIM is probably MOST definitely moving a lot too (so much so that last weekend at Church Allison got punched/kicked so hard that she actually came up off the pew. It was like in the movies where the superhero hits someone and they go flying across the room...how cool is it that we are going to have a Superhero or will it be a Villain maybe we could even have a Superhero Team like the X-Men (I am a bit of a mutant) or Fantastic Four (Allison is pretty and fantastic) ...Sorry, I think I got off into one of my daydreams (but maybe we could add Wolverine to the name list and maybe Baby Miller will come out with some crazy facial hair)). While I have been having dreams of adding a Superhero to the family, Allison has been having trouble sleeping because our baby kicks and does somersaults that keep her up (or it could be my snoring- Right, like I snore). The kicks, hits, and somersaults are all good as they are a sign that our baby is active and healthy (or it means that our Baby will be the Villain versus the Superhero...).