Baby Morris is here!

It gives Rob and I much pride and joy to announce that on June 24th, 2014 at 2:59pm London time, at St. Mary's Hospital in London, we met our son, Aleksander Thomas Morris, for the first time! Aleksander is a healthy 3.18kg/7 lb baby boy, who took one good look around the room before proving how strong his lungs are. He quickly found comfort on Mummy's chest and is doing great! We are both overwhelmed with the events and emotions of the day - no matter how many times you hear what a special day it will be it doesn't prepare you for the feelings of love, and sense of purpose that it brings out. We are so happy to share this news with all of you, and hope to have you meet little Aleksander soon!

39 Weeks

39 weeks and 5 days! Feeling good, energetic, excited, nervous and absolutely don't know what to expect. Lil Bobs will be here so soon. This will probably be my last pregnancy update - the last time you see this watermelon in place of my tummy, which I will miss dearly. Look out for baby updates coming soon :))))))))

38 Weeks

38 weeks and 5 days in this picture - almost 39 weeks and almost there! Bags are packed, nursery is set up, classes are finished and books read: we are all ready to go, but still have no idea what we are getting ourselves into :)

Lil Bobs is still not cooperating and remaining in a breech position, sometimes I think that his head is just glued to my upper abdomen, it makes no sense! I'm still not losing hope and continuing with all of the things to turn the baby. I've done lots of swimming lately and going for a hypnosis session on Friday. The research shows very high success rates, but then again it did for the other 65459876 methods I've tried.

I'm still working until next week, but planning to take a few extra days off before the due date, although most people think I'm quite hard core to work all the way up to the last days. I don't mind it, I'm actually feeling good and still quite mobile. I do walk sloooooooooowly, but other than that - no complaints.



Here is me what I do at the gym these days. I'm doing all of these crazy tilts to confuse the baby where up and down is! The decline bench is in the middle of the weight lifting area, so I get a lot of surprised looks from men pumping iron when I walk in.

And here is what our "nursery corner" looks like ;) Lil Bobs will sleep in our room for a little while, and hopefully he will feel cozy here!

37 Weeks - Turn baby, turn!

37 weeks on the dot! The fantastic news is that the baby is full term, which means that he should be fully baked by now and ready for the outside world, although there are 3 more weeks to go. We took this picture at midnight, exactly at the point when the new week started, so this is my excitement about Lil Bobs being full term :)

The not so fantastic news is that Lil Bobs is still breech, with his head up in my ribs and his bum down low. In this past week I've tried absolutely everything to turn him: acupuncture, exercises which involved inversions, tilts, hand stands, swiss ball exercises, hot/cold therapy, swimming, hand stands and flips in the water, hypnosis, tried talking to the baby begging him to move, Moxibustion (chineese medicine, involves burning Moxa close to my toes, supposed to have up to 90% success rate of turning breech babies). Even  the most ridiculous methods - playing music and shining a light near the bottom of my belly, because babies are naturally curious and are supposed to turn towards it (crazy!). Well, none of it really worked, he is just a little stubborn Bobs.

We also tried a procedure called ECV - External Cephalic Version, is when the doctors try to turn the baby manually by applying pressure on the belly externally. I was a but nervous about it, since there are risks. After looking at the scan, the doctor said there is only a 10-20% chance of it working based on the position lil Bobs is in, he gave it a go for a few minutes - ouchie! - and it didn't work. So...we are most likely looking at a c-section, unless a miracle happens before that! Really not thrilled at the prospect of it, because we were gearing up for a completely natural hypnobirth, but that's one of the first examples that kids are so unpredictable and throw your plans off! :) This is the position he is in at the moment.

35 Weeks

Getting and felling big, Big, BIG!!! Exactly 35 weeks in this picture. This week we have accomplished a few things, we toured the birthing centre and were very happy with what we saw. The rooms are well equipped for natural, "relaxing" birth, and don't have much of a hospital feel to them. The staff is very friendly, so I'm looking forward to having our baby there...with a caveat, as long as the little booger turns! We saw the midwife, who couldn't determine his position, so we are seeing the doctor next week for a scan. For now, I am visualizing and trying to turn him with hypnosis, and Rob keeps asking the baby to cooperate :)

We are also starting to get *LOTS* of deliveries of gifts and baby stuff. Here is the first glimpse of what that looks like! I'm so in love with our "Make a wish" Moses Basket, and we can't wait to use it!

33 Weeks

I'm 33 weeks and 5 days in this picture! Can't believe there are only around 6 weeks left until Lil Bobs is here!

Well, today we went for a private scan, as we wanted to make sure that the baby is growing well. We had future Grandmum Phyllis join us. The good news - the baby has average/textbook measurements, he is estimated to be around 5 pounds/2271 grams, and is healthy! Oh and once again, it IS a boy :) And he is already up to a bit of a mischief however and is in a breech position (bottom down), so he must have turned at some point last week. I'm not too worried because there is still some time for him to turn around and there are a few exercises that I can try - lots of "bum in the air on all fours". He is already causing some trouble :) And here is his alien looking face, which still looks super cute to me.

I also had a baby shower on May 11th, which happened to be Mother's day too. We had a wonderful time sipping tea from vintage cups, eating cucumber sandwiches and clotted cream scones and playing cheesy games on a Sunday afternoon and the baby got showered with lots of gifts, toys, cutest outfits etc. Special thank you to all of my friends who came and also to Liz for traveling from Birmingham for a few hours (and from Australia of course)

31 weeks

31 weeks and 5 days in this pictures, so almost 32 weeks!

This week we saw the midwife, because I was worried about lack of significant weight gain, they measured my belly and listened to the baby's heartbeat and told us there was nothing to be concerned about, so that's good. As long as everything is good, I can't complain about keeping the pounds off :)

I also celebrated my 31st birthday on my 31st week of pregnancy (that's a Happy Birthday card in my pocket)! We had a very low key pizza making party with our friends, I got lots of amazing and mostly "domestic" presents - apron, kitchen tools, potted flowers, baby stuff etc :) I guess we are entering a different phase of life! Compared to crazy limo/clubbing party last year - a big change!

We also had our first Hypnobirthing class session with Stina Richardson, and I am very interested in seeing how the techniques she teaches would make labor magically painless and wonderful :)
http://www.calmbirthcalmbaby.com/what-we-do-and-where/west-london/stina/

30 weeks

30 weeks and 1 day in this picture! This week we finally signed up for Antenatal Classes and Hypnobirthing classes - so by the end of may we should be somewhat prepared for the arrival of our little bundle. Only 2 months left, I can't believe it! All is going well so far, no swelling, stretchmarks, tiredness, insomnia or back aches to report. Although I am slightly worried about weight gain (that would be the only time I would actually WANT to gain weight). In my estimation, I haven't gained enough for 30 weeks - somewhere between 6-7 kg, 13-15 pounds in total, I can definitely see that the belly is growing and the baby is getting stronger and more active, so I'm not concerned, but I'm seeing the midwife next week to check the measurements and make sure all is good.

I am now making announcements at work - and believe it or not, people are still surprised. However when I wear a loose work top, with a jacket and a scarf - it can be hard to tell.

We spent many hours finalizing our baby stuff list and that was a huge relief. We are really trying to buy as little as possible and to avoid unnecessary gadgets, but a baby needs a lot! If you want to see what we're getting - nursery list 596659 John Lewis Baby Morris List


Rob got me this fabulous pillow, that makes my sleep much more comfortable, aaaaahhh! And it can be used in the future for nursing and general baby support. It looks ridiculous, I know, but it does the trick!







Here is a fun representation of the belly progression at 10-20-30 weeks!

29 weeks

There's been a bit of a break in my updates, since my dear photographer was away in India for a business trip! Here is a fun little questionnaire for this week:

How far along? 29 weeks 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: 6 kg/13 lb
Maternity clothes? Some maternity trousers and dresses, slowly running out of options in my non-maternity wardrobe
Stretch marks? none yet. Woo hoo!
Sleep: sick and tired of sleeping on the side
Best moment this week: hubby coming home from India
Have you told family and friends: Yes, and even made a few announcements at work - some people were surprised
Movement: The movements and kicks are getting stronger, sometimes he surprises me with a sweet kick in the ribs, or shakes my whole belly when I'm trying to go to sleep or am in an important meeting.
Food cravings: WATERMELON all the way
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope
Have you started to show yet: uh...see for yourself
Gender prediction: baby boy
Labor Signs: Having Braxton Hicks contractions every once in a while, they are weird!
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Weekly Wisdom: Try to enjoy every moment
Milestones: Officially in the third trimester!

27 weeks

27 weeks and 4 days in this picture! I think I'm officially in my third trimester! I went to see the midwife this week for a regular appointment, and she told me the baby was already facing his head down! Although he can still move around, I think he is getting ready for his grand entrance in 12 weeks already. I'm also starting to feel his feet somewhere around my ribs - not the most pleasant feeling ever. His heartbeat is a little over 150 BPM and everything else appears to be good.

I was finally able to capture baby Morris kicks while hanging out at the beach, see them here at 4 seconds and 15-22 seconds on the left side of the belly, just for fun :)

26 Weeks - Babymoon!

And we are back from our amazing babymoon! Instead of the usual belly picture update, here is one with a slightly different background :) I'm about 26 weeks and 3 days here. The belly grew significantly over the past 2 weeks. Now there is no mistaking, even strangers are now commenting and asking when I'm due. People will be very surprised at work next week, because I've been able to hide the bump so far...not anymore! I blame it all on all you can eat buffet:) He is now about 1 kilo (2 pounds) and 37 cm (14 1/2 inches) long - the size of a head of cauliflower. The baby kicks are getting stronger and stronger, but I still can't tell whether he is kicking with a foot, or hand, or if it's a hiccup - not sure how I'm supposed to tell the difference?

Words can't describe how relaxed and content we are with this fantastic trip, which was full of sunshine, celebrations and adventures. Oh, and lots and lots of food. I don't think we've ever eaten this much. The buffets at our resorts were so tempting, that we called every meal a "food battle" and almost always lost. We had a total of 40 of these battles, after each one we would roll back to our room to take a break. However, I don't feel too bad about all this, after all, it was baby Morris craving all this food and he got what he needed :)

Speaking of cravings, the biggest craving of the past 2 weeks - Watermelon. I had it with almost every single meal, including the snacks on the beach. It was pretty great.

I have to say, that none of the scary predictions about traveling while 6-7 months pregnant materialized: I read that flying would be "super" uncomfortable, that warm/hot climate would be unbearable, that I would swell from head to toe - none of this happened. I felt great the whole time. Of course the downside of traveling now was related to all of the limitations: no hiking, no diving, no exotic food or great looking seafood, except for grilled small fish, no dune surfing, no this, no that - everyone is just to scared to deal with a pregnant woman. We still managed to get past some ridiculous precautions and have some fun, within reason: we went on a great hike, took a trip into the desert, sat on a camel :)

Auntie Jenni gave us a challenge: to take a picture, where I'm buried in the sand, with only my belly showing. Toes and head were optional. We accepted the challenge and decided to go for the optional extra credit too.

While laying on the beach, I read 3-4 books about babies and how to deal with them. Of course, each author has their own opinion, that is completely opposite from the other: let the baby cry vs. don't let the baby cry, keep the baby warm vs. the cold will develop endurance and immune system, feed the baby at night vs. don't feed the baby at night, use the feeding bottles vs. don't use them because the baby will get lazy etc etc. This stuff is hard!

Still got some nice jumping pictures, this one is my favorite! The desert was one of the most impressive places I've ever seen!

But most importantly - we got some major chillax time, which is great for the baby. Here are some more pictures below, enjoy!

25 Weeks

We are super pumped about going on our "Babymoon" tomorrow for 2 weeks, so there probably will be a pause in my updates. We will be in Dubai for 4 days, celebrating Rob's Birthday, and then are flying to Seychelles for some much needed beach time. We are so incredibly excited, we can't stop talking and thinking about it.

Last weekend I visited my family in Moscow and met my new 6 month old nephew Sasha. I managed to practice putting on diapers and baby outfits - and that was quite a challenge :) The poor baby was content and smiling and then Auntie Maria tortured him with complete lack of skills, so he was not happy at all. But they say it will take very little time to get used to, so I'm not too worried

The baby kicks are now pretty strong and are visible from the outside - but I'm still yet to catch him on video.

See you when we get back!

24 Weeks

According to the pregnancy calendar, our little Bobs is officially "viable" now at 24 weeks, which means that he is able to survive outside the womb! Of course we want him to stay nice and cozy for the next 16 weeks, but it completely blows my mind.

The belly is growing, the pounds are slowly, but surely creeping up and, for the first time, a few people offered me a seat on the tube! I guess it's obivous now. The kicks are getting stronger and Rob was finally able to feel some of them - he giggles like a little kid (just like Grandma to be predicted) ! The baby moves around at random times during the day, but mostly when I sit or lay down, or after I eat. I haven't noticed him react to loud noises or different voices - hopefully this will happen soon? I really want to film my belly move, but haven't been able to capture his kicks on camera - he is so unpredicable!

Last week we went to John Lewis (London department store) and got educated on strollers and why some cost £150 while others cost £1000. We also got more goodies: an adorable baby bath robe, towel and accessories from Auntie Danni! Our bag of baby stuff is starting to get full :) We finally started a wish list at John Lewis and Amazon, so many things are required for this little person.

Finally, We can't wait for our babymoon in the next 2 weeks, I was so excited - I packed 10 days in advance! Tried out all of my summer clothes and regretablly discovered that only a few things fit...more reason for some shopping!

22 Weeks

Getting bigger little by little and feeling great! Little Bobs is moving around more and more, especially when I'm sitting or laying down, or after I eat. This past weekend he was a bit lazy - I can't blame him, we were relaxing too. We listen to Mozart and other classical music, but I haven't really noticed any special kicks, perhaps that's not really his style of music?

I'm wearing maternity clothes and loose blouses/sweaters, and starting to catch people staring at my belly. We have started organizing our stuff and clearing up some space to make room for baby stuff. Our dear friends already started supplying us with socks, toys and onesies (Thank you Ksenia & Vlad Weber, Kat & Nic Varadi!)

20 weeks - half way there!

We are halfway there! 20 weeks down, 20 weeks to go! Although it feels like i've been pregnant forever and there is still so much time left, I know it will fly so fast!

This week we had the big anatomy scan, and I'm happy to report that everything apprears normal! :-) But then NHS says everything is normal. We also got a confirmation that we are expecting a little boy :-) He is around 350 gramms (12.4 ounces) and should be around 26 cm long.

It's now becoming more and more real, but we haven't really started preparing for the arrival. It's time to sign up for birthing classes, find out what "stuff" we absolutely have to buy, start looking at strollers, cribs, clothes aaaaaa! Feeling overwhealmed already.

I'm also thrilled that we have booked a babymoon vacation - our last chance to relax before the baby comes. The doctors allowed to travel up until 28 weeks and I've been feeling great. We are taking 2 weeks, first going to Dubai for a few days and then flying to Seychelles about 10 days in March I can't wait! This will be the first 2 weeks relaxing holiday in...I don't know how many years! Some of you may think that we are on traveling all the time, but what we usually do is fly across the world for 3 days and take weekend trips around Europe, but we have never really taken 2 whole weeks! We are so looking forward to this trip!

18-19 weeks

The biggest news in these past 2 weeks: I can finally feel the baby move! His movements are getting more and more noticeable every day, but are still very slight and all I can feel is a series of occasional gentle kicks. I now realize that did feel them around week 16-17, but I wasn't quite sure before, as didn't really know what it was supposed to feel like.

Rob really wants to feel the kicks with his hand, but we haven't really been able to catch the right moment yet.

While it's still fairly easy to hide the bump in certain clothes, sleeping is becoming more and more uncomfortable, because I'm not supposed to sleep on the stomach or back, and these are my two favorite positions! Oh well. Regardless of this, I'm feeling great so far!

Just having some fun

It's a baby BOY!

Here is how we found out!

And finally...gender reveal!

We are having a little baby BOY!!! The party was a huge success and now we are overwhelmed with emotion and exhausted from the anticipation and excitement,  so will have a more detailed update later. Woo hoo!

17, almost 18 weeks

Today we went for a private ultrasound and saw our baby in 2D, 3D and shockingly 4D! The most important thing of course that the baby is doing well. Second most important thing - we are now in possession of the information about the sex of the baby, but we don't actually know it yet! It is sealed inside this white envelope I'm holding and of course we are dying to know! We closed our eyes while the sonographer looked at the scan and she was very certain about what she saw.

Tomorrow we have a surprise party with some of our friends, where we will announce our pregnancy news and also do the reveal. We will have our guests vote with either a mustache or lips and then we will unwrap a pink or a blue onesie from one of my previous posts. So excited, we can't wait!!! I don't think I'll sleep at all tonight.



Watch the baby chill, scratch the nose and then yawn at 20 seconds! The "4D" scan is a bit weird and the baby looks like an alien at times, but such a cool experience nonetheless!

Week 16 "unimpressive bump"

I've been told by my dear brother-in-law Dan that my bump is unimpressive and I have to agree. This week I shared the news at work with my boss - that's kind of a big deal. But I could have easily hidden the fact for at least a few more weeks.

Our baby's heartbeat is around 155 beats per minute - which we can hear on our pocket doppler - Rob's present for Christmas. It's quite amazing!

boy or girl?

We decided to find out the sex of the baby at 18 weeks, in about 10 days. We will be unwrapping one of these adorable onesies and will certainly be surprised. What are your guesses?

15 weeks

Now you are starting to see a bump! I was a bit nervous up until now, because even at 13-14 weeks, I pretty much had a flat belly, especially in the morning. Couldn't quite figure out how a 10cm baby (measured from crown to rump) could fit in there! Depending on what I wear, I can easily hide the bump, and those who don't know me, might just think that I'm eating too much ice-cream!

Speaking of ice-cream...

I haven't had any real cravings until about week 13, but then they got very intense! Here is what I craved over the last few weeks:
-pickles (duh) - especially the really salty ones. One day I ate way too many and that's when my craving stopped!
-ice-cream (duh) - vanilla and mint ice-cream, I just can't get enough!
-strawberries & raspberries, thankfully Portobello market is right around the corner and I could get plenty of those.

I do really miss my favorite foods, most of all I miss sushi :( also smoked salmon, ceviche, oysters, prosciutto and red wine are dearly missed.

13 weeks

Lots of things happened this week.

First of all we visited St Mary's Hospital for our first major scan. There we could see our baby performing acrobatic flips and we learned that it was healthy and developing well.
It was unreal - we could see the spine, brain, face, clenched little hand and a beating heart of course! We were very happy, so we celebrated with a non-alocholic martini drink and Rob got me sunflowers - this is exactly how we felt that day.

When we came home, we found out that Rob's sister Jenni was pregnant too! And her baby was due just a 1-2 weeks before ours - This was quite a surprise, and we haven't shared our news with anyone in Rob's family, so we just congratulated them, thinking how crazy it was that were had the same news! Rob's parents were coming out for Christmas is just a few days, so our plan was to tell them in person and then to announce to the rest of the family.

Their reaction was priceless and wins in "the most enthusiastic" category. The microphone can't handle it - see for yourself:


This is the bear for Grandma Phyllis, that says "Who needs Santa, I got Grandma!" and on the back it says "Coming June 2014"
And here is the mug we gave the future Grandpa Thom