Cecily- 2 months old

Our little girl is two months old now. It is amazing how much she changes every day. She reaches for her toys and giggles and coos. She loves her mobile and she talks to her toys as if she is telling them her secrets. She loves music and bathtime and making faces at the baby in the mirror. Greg finished up his paternity leave (he took 3 weeks off) and was sad to go back to work on Monday. Cecily's sleeping patterns are varied. Sometimes she sleeps through the night (up to 7 hours straight) Other nights she decides she doesnt want to sleep in her co-sleeper and wont let me put her down. Our biggest challenge at the moment is the battle of the bottle. She took the bottle very well at 2 weeks. But we made the mistake of not continuously introducing it and now she does not want it. But we keep trying...





At Ocean Beach












Hanging out in the Glider Chair

Bath Time

Thanksgiving Trip

We traveled down to So Cal for Thanksgiving, taking a nice 10 day trip visiting family and friends. Ceci did quite well on the trip, napping as we drove. We did need to stop every 2 hours or so for a feed and a change. This turned a normally 8 hour trip into a 12 hour one. We visited friends in San Diego and Santa Barbara and my family in Palos Verdes. Ceci got to meet her Auntie Kathleen and Uncle Brian and made several new friends. Cecily's grandfather (my dad) unfortunately had to go to the hospital for an infection in his knee that progressed into a rather serious medical situation. It created an emotionally charged thanksgiving but he is doing much better now, so we are hopeful for the best. Below are some pictures from the trip.

In Pacific Beach

Cecily and her new friend Brooke (in San Diego)

In her bouncy seat

With Great Auntie Jennifer in her Christmas Cap and booties

With new pal Aidan (in Santa Barbara)

Happy Times

We are having so much fun with our little girl and introducing her to friends and taking her to new places. My beloved friend Erin came to visit from Denver. We took Ceci on walks in the park and to Fort Funston (one of our favorite places in SF with fantastic views). We also took her shopping which I must admit she seems to enjoy!

At Fort Funston with Erin and Luca

One Month Old

The days just fly by, I can't believe our little girl is one month already. The days (and nights) are getting a bit more organized. I wont call it a schedule, but we are developing a routine of sorts. Though of course she'll mix it up a bit and keep it interesting by deciding to stay awake for several hours in the middle of the night sometimes. She is alot of fun, and we spend alot of her "waking time" making faces at each other and playing with the swing, bouncy seat, etc. Her favorite activities consist of eating, watching her mobile, eating, taking walks with Mommy, Daddy and Luca or Nana and Nonno, eating, dancing with Mommy or Daddy, eating, and lastly, eating. Yes, I do feel as if I am breast feeding more often than I am not. Her feedings have gotten more frequent and longer during the day and then, thankfully, more spaced out at night. But it is a wonderful bonding experience and fun to share in her favorite activity! Luca loves our new little family member and seems quite respectful and protective of her. And I love watching Greg with her, he is a great Daddy. And she is the spitting image of him!

Cecily's first 2 weeks

Cecily has been home with us two weeks now. It is a wonderful and exhausting thing being parents. She makes me feel so loved and I love so much. My emotions surge. The first two weeks have been filled with family and diapers and worries and moments of pure bliss. It is challenging but wonderful.

Cecily Anne Biagini

Cecily Anne Biagini
Born: Monday, October 9, 12:35 a.m.
8 lbs, 12 oz., 21 1/2 inches

She is finally here, and we are in love with our new baby girl. She is a week old today, the pictures above are from day one.

Baby Story: Last Friday I went in to the hospital at 7pm to be induced. After all the preliminary stuff I was finally hooked up to the Pitocin (the drug given to me to induce labor) at 12 am. I was already 2 cm dilated and was having irregular contractions that did not hurt at this point. The contractions were slow starting and took awhile to become "adequate" meaning consistent and within 2 minutes apart. They kept coming at 2-4 mins apart and were progressively starting to get more painful. I had to use the breathing techniques I had learned to stay on top of them. It was frustrating bc I kept being examined by many doctors and someone would say I was 4cm and then someone else would come and say I was only 3 1/2. At around 1pm on Saturday I was only 4 cm dilated but was getting tired of the work required to stay on top of the contractions and asked for my epidural (I was always intending to get one but was hoping to make it to 5 cm first). This definately helped get me rest but I progressed very slowly though the afternoon and evening. At some point I was starting to get pretty ill, my blood pressure dropped and I vomited a few times. I pretty much dozed off and on (as did Greg) through the next day. I disliked all the cords and wires attached to me and I really did not like being so imobile either and having the nurses and Greg having to help me flip from side to side every hour. I did not expect there to be so much pain either since I got the epidural, but there was. As the epidural would run out ( I went through three bags) the pain would start up again and was pretty intense as I reached past the 7cm mark. This was sometime on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday night at 8:15pm, I was ready to push and after 4 hours later I no longer had the strength to continue on my own and was wheeled into the OR to have the help of the vacuum. After one push with the vacuum out she came, all 8 lbs, 12 oz of her. Healthy and soft and pink. Instant love. I didnt even pay attention to all the stitching up that was being done to me (though I must note that it takes a long time for this process, at least it did for me, but I think I had some nasty tears)

Long story short, it was a long process (48 hours) but it is all worth it as she is here in our arms and we can start our life as a new family.

41 weeks-Forever Pregnant?

So yesterday's appointment went ok. It was good in the fact that the non-stress test showed very reassuring results in the way of the baby's state of being in my uterus. I have loads of amniotic fluid which is great and means my placenta is "doing its job". The baby's heartbeat responded well when I was hooked up to the monitors so all is good. Of course this didn't move me up on the induction list, since there is no danger to the baby, but it made me feel good that she is in the safest place she could be right now.

My cervix has started to dilate. But only abt one centimeter. And I had the doctor call the hospital to see if they can get me in sooner for an induction but it seems everyone is having babies like mad right now and I could not get an earlier appointment. So Friday it is. I've been having contractions all the time, just not in any reliable pattern, and they come and go and vary in intensity. Only occasionally do they actually hurt. My back has been bothering me alot tho, and I have felt kind of ill the last two days.

I am not as desperate as I was last week at this time as now I know the baby is thriving and it will only be a few more days before she is here. Everyone is waiting for her and she is taking her good old sweet time. She will probably be sweet but stubborn... just like her daddy.

Still Pregnant-An Update

Yes, I am still pregnant. Went to the Dr.s on Tuesday and was told that there is still no dilation, though my cervix has thinned and softened. I have an appointment to induce a week from tommorrow and will go in on Tuesday for another check up and a non-stress test to make sure the baby is still doing ok.

I was having some contractions this morning but I think its just a whole lot of BH (as in Braxton Hicks). They went away when I lay down and took a nap. So its looking more and more likely that this little girl will be an October baby.

40 weeks-the Big Day

Well today is the 26th, my due date, the date thats been sitting there at the end of this long road. And I am just passing it by it seems. A little frustrating, though not at all uncommon.






Looking back on the pregnancy I would have to say it was enjoyable. I did not experience much morning sickness in the first trimester (though I had many food aversions) I felt relatively energetic and euphoric during the second trimester (besides battling a very demanding schedule at work) and have enjoyed the amazing process this has been. The hardest part has been these final weeks where I have had alot of time to relax but have been impatient and uncomfortable as the space in my abdomen has been squeezed and compressed and sleeping has been hard and I have been in a constant state of waiting. I was going to make a "Best and Worst" list, the best and worst things abt being pregnant from my point of view, but I really have forgotten a whole lot abt the earlier trimesters now. I would say that the best part is feeling the baby move and being able to share this with my husband, and the worst part is the heartburn.

I have a Dr.s appt this afternoon and will find out if there has been any change or any signs that I soon will be making the trip to the hospital. I am just trying to keep my spirits up, keep my mind distracted, and get as much rest as I can. I am very excited, nervous, and happy to start the new chapter of my life with my husband and our growing family.

Belly Journey

Week: 9, 12, 20











Week: 23, 26, 31










Week: 32, 34, 37










Week: 38, 40

39 1/2 weeks

39 weeks, 3 days, 38 pounds....Im still waiting for the big event. Im ready. I have told baby girl this but I guess she isn't listening. I love the special bond we have, her living in my belly and all, but I'm pretty much over that and ready to hold her in my arms and look her in the eyes and ready to put being pregnant behind me and start being a mother.

I have read all my pregnancy books to the last page and watched so many episodes of "A Baby Story" and "Bringing Home Baby" and am super-saturated with knowledge on the subject of birth and baby. My body has been preparing and I have been experiencing some pre-labor contractions and twinges. My bags are packed and waiting.

I think I will not be making any more public appearances. I was walking with Luca yesterday and received some comments from people such as "Are you due any minute? Hope you dont go into labor here!" and, Im not kidding, "Is there only one in there?" Walking is tricky enough on its own. I feel like "Pregnant Woman Walking", shuffling along one step/waddle at a time.

But I am very anxious in a happy way. I am just impatient.

Baby Biagini's Nursery

Here are some pictures of the nursery. I haven't done some final touches such as put up shelving or the artwork, but it is close to complete. I like to just sit in the glider and hold the baby bunny (which I swaddled to practice) and dream about my baby.

38 weeks

Another week has gone by. Slowly I might add. I fill my days with alternating periods of work around the house and rest. Sleeping at night has been a challenge. I seem to be on a strange schedule lately of sleeping abt 4-5 hours at night, getting up very early, and then taking a long nap in the middle of the day. I sometimes get bursts of energy in the evening which is nice bc it is when Greg is home.





My friend Suzanne and her baby Aidan (4 1/2 months) visited last week on their way up to Tahoe. It was very nice to visit with her and get a "sneak peek" at life with a 4 month old baby.


Had a Dr.s appointment on Monday. She checked my cervix and I am not dilated at all but am 50% effaced (thinning of the cervix) So at least there is some action going on! I asked her if she could give me a guesstimate on the size and she said the baby would be most likely between 7 and 71/2 punds. Sounds good to me. She didnt give me any estimation of whether she thought the baby was going to come earlier than the due date, though I feel she just might come sooner than the 26th. As long as I make it past this weekend, it would be preferable as my parents will be moving my brother into college (UC San Diego) this weekend. But, she will come when she is ready and thats all there is to it.

37 weeks-"Full Term"

Yesterday I was officially 37 weeks pregnant which is important bc it is considered the "full term" mark. The baby would no longer be considered pre-term and should be fully developed. She is still continuing to grow in there and should be somewhere around 6-6.5 pounds now. I'll tell you this though, she feels like she weighs abt 20 pounds. Lugging around this belly is getting close to ridiculous.

Yesterday also marked my first day of maternity leave! Exciting and a little hard to believe, that I finally do not have a trillion work related things hanging over my head. It does make me feel a little lost though, especially as I'm home alone (with Luca). Im sure Ill get used to it, and once Baby Girl comes along I will be very busy. Last week my friends at work threw me a baby shower which was lots of fun. I felt only a little sad to know that there will be life continuing on at work which I'll not be a part of. Mostly I feel relieved and with a fresh mind, thinking mostly of the big upcoming event.

So far I've been spending my time doing housework, watching episodes of A Baby Story and Project Runway, taking Luca to the park, snacking, napping, and reading about labor and delivery. I have reached these final chapters in my Pregnancy books, they dont talk much abt being pregnant anymore as that is pretty much old news. Its all about the "next step" now. And I am feeling just about ready.

Labor Day Weekend

A cold and foggy labor day weekend in the city.
Hanging out in GG Park and down at the beach.