We are Travis and Jennifer Roland. We were married last July in Asheville and Las Vegas. We didn't think we could top 2010, it was a great year. But now, we expect 2011 to be even better. We are more than excited to announce that we are having our first baby due in July 2011. Our idea is that this blog will keep our loved ones up-to-date with our little "Junebug's" progress.
We've already noticed how life has started to change from our diets, to our sleep patterns, to the way we think about money and the way we look at each other. Everything is on track so far for our next and greatest adventure: Parenthood.

Friday, January 7, 2011

We've moved Websites...


We've moved our website to a different site.  All the same blogs are there, including our gender poll, and even maybe some new blogs by the time you get there. 

click the link above and check out our new digs....we like it so far.

Subscribe to our new blog, http://www.rolandreview.blogspot.com/ for all the latest Junebug Roland updates!



Wednesday, January 5, 2011

To Know or Not to Know....

Junebug's next appointment is January 10th.  It will be our third prenatal appointment.   In our 4th prenatal appointment we will be far enough along to know Junebug's gender.   It will likely be scheduled for early February.

We've heard so many opinions (some solicited and other not so much) about knowing beforehand if Junebug is a boy or a girl.  Truth, we are undecided.

I never would have thought I would be willing to wait on such an intricate piece of baby info, but Travis threw out a curve ball over Christmas and said he'd like to wait, and do it the old-fashioned way.  We have friends who have found out what their bundles of joy are packing and we have friend who have waited for what they call the "surprise of a lifetime.''  We're undecided at this point.  We see it both ways.  I can see how knowing ahead of the birth can help with baby bonding and I can see how not knowing can increase the suspense.  After all, good things come to those who wait.

So, do us a favor and VOTE.  We've set up a Poll on the right column of the blog and we want your opinion.  The Poll closes on March 1st to allow time for our 4th prenatal appointment.  I'm interested in what the majority of you will say.    FYI, we won't necessarily to do what the Poll Results lean toward.  Knowing or not knowing your baby's gender is a decision that mom and dad should make together.  We know you all will respect what we decide to do no matter what, because you love us.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Last Night at the Gym by Jennifer Roland


Hello 2nd Trimester!!! Its so good to meet you.  I've been exhausted and tired and lethargic and slightly grumpy at the energy levels, or lack thereof, of my first trimester.   I am finally back up and running.  First stop: the gym.  I haven't seen the inside in about 3 months.
Ipod - check, Pregnancy Podcast - check, New work-out pants - check.  I was ready.  I found a non-threatening treadmill, and stepped on.  I know the suggested ranges to keep my heart rate within to not upset Junebug, and I know that everyone's exercise regimen is different, preggers or not.  Even still, it was hard not to compare the level I was walking verses the girl next to me.  She got on the neighboring treadmill not long after I started my "brisk walk."  I couldn't help but notice she was going much slower and not nearly on as high of an incline as I.  I admit it, I patted myself on the back.   After all, I am 14 weeks pregnant.
Before long, she started speeding up to her own "brisk walk".  This I didn't mind.  After all, I am 14 weeks pregnant.  I was doing fine, I was at the gym, I was on a treadmill, I was almost sweating.  I am 14 weeks pregnant.  She isn't.
I got distracted by my Pregtastic Podcast, and once my 1/2 hour was up, I left.
I spotted a friend on my way out and stopped to say Hi.  Robin is also pregnant and a bit farther along than I am.  She'd been on a gym tour. She's thinking about joining the gym because her other pregnant friend, Anne, is a member and has raved about the water aerobics class.  In fact, Anne was just "over there" on the treadmill, Robin pointed out.  Anne was the girl on the neighboring treadmill.  Anne was my treadmill competition (in my head).  Anne was also, by this point, in a full-on RUN.   Robin and I walked over the the pregnant running queen and we were introduced.  I asked her how far along she was....and get this, she's 16 weeks!  2 more weeks than me & Junebug!  I told her how impressed I was that she was running at such a high speed, and made some jokes about how I couldn't run that fast for that long 4 months ago, or even when I was 10,  much less now.  She was gracious and sweet, and definitely inspiring.  She could carry on a conversation at full throttle. Suddenly my brisk walk wilted into a lazy afternoon stroll. I had lost the treadmill competition (in my head).  I wasn't even sure if my workout counted anymore.  I said my good-byes and headed home to Travis.
Next time I'm at the gym I'm kicking it up a notch not to mention keeping my eyes on my own treadmill.  And you can bet I'm not even looking at the girl on the mat next to me at tonight's yoga class.  I'm doing good to just touch my toes.  I'll lose the yoga mat competition every time. 
-jr

Monday, January 3, 2011

Why Junebug??


Yes, we are due in July.  Seems a bit strange to name our July baby, Junebug.  We know. 
We had a trip planned for the last week in October to see Ivey's beloved college roommate Steve G. Cole. He's a whiskey professor and we planned on drinking lots of free bourbon and whiskey.  We were in the very beginning stages of trying for a baby so we thought we should take a test just-in-case.  There were no other signs of a baby on board, we just wanted to drink all the bourbon we could guilt-free.
On Oct 18th, the Monday before we leave for Chicago, we found out about our little Junebug.  Well, sort of.  We took 5 test and got inconclusive and vague results.  We event took 2 digital tests, where its spelled out for you, but got 1 "pregnant" and 1 "not pregnant".  We were confused and hesitantly excited. The next day Ivey went to the doctor.  She and 2 nurses couldn't tell what the test was reading....the line was too vague if it was there at all.  A blood test was needed.  Ivey's doctor's advice:  "Um, just act like you're pregnant until we get the blood test results."  Luckily the blood test results came in the following day...but still it was not as conclusive as we or the doctor would have liked.   The blood test tested for the Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin or hCG...and a woman has to have a count  over 50 in order to indicate pregnancy.  Ivey had 54.  Basically, we were finding out earlier than the test could register.  Ivey's doctor's advice:  "Continue acting like your pregnant and we'll see how it goes."  So as far as we were concerned...we were pregnant!!!   If all goes well, we are going to have a baby!!!
We wanted to keep this to ourselves for a little while and wrap our heads around it, but we had to tell Steve.  He was already pouring our "Welcome to Chicago" drink.    Were we really having a baby?  Was Ivey really about to miss out on all the bourbon she could drink?  The answer:  Yes.
According to all the math we were due June 29th.  That night we dubbed our little planned-but-still-surprise baby, "Junebug."  Instantly life began to change, priorities began to shift and bourbon didn't seem so important anymore.

Flash forward 2 weeks.  We are at our first Midwife appointment.  Ivey has the baby Doppler rolling across her stomach and we are desperately waiting for the midwife to find the heartbeat.  No luck.  It was getting scary.  The midwife wanted to do an ultrasound and we agreed....next thing we saw was Junebug on the screen, and his/her heart was beating like crazy.  Such relief in such a surreal moment.  He/She was precious little shrimp looking thing.  Why did it take the ultrasound?  Because we were only at 7 weeks. We thought we were farther along than that.   This means we found out about Junebug when we were 3 weeks along, which explains the all the vague test and Ivey's doctors confusion.  Only being 7 weeks along pushed our due date back to July 2nd.   Our midwife told us to be careful of whatever we called the baby, because names have a way of sticking.  Well, Junebug stuck and there was no changing the name. He/She is our little Junebug and had been since week 3.   Plus, Julybug doesn't have the same ring.  Due dates are only estimates, and Travis believes this baby will be a little early so our Junebug really may be a June bug after all.  Ivey is hoping he/she stays put until July just to be sure he/she's good and ready to make his/her birthday debut.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Introducing Junebug


It's True...We're having a baby!

We are proud to announce that as of today Ivey is 14 weeks and 2 days pregnant with our first child who we've affectionately named Junebug, for now.   Junebug is just about all we can talk about, especially Ivey.  She's trying not to be one of those pregnant women who only talk pregnancy but she's failing terribly.   Turns out, there are so many friends who are pregnant right now, its easy to get caught up.  Babies and pregnancy are all of our favorite subjects.  Makes Ivey wonder what we all talked about before?  
We waited the customary 3 months to make our big announcement, just to be safe.  Now, we are so excited to share Junebug news with everyone we know.   We did let our Moms and Dad in on the news early, of course; it was around Thanksgiving when we let them in on our secret.  All grand-parents-to-be are thrilled.  Baby news was such great news to spread over the Thanksgiving season. We really had so many blessing to be grateful for this year. 
We are due July 2nd....almost 5 months to go. 
So much as already changed in our lives.  Ivey's changed her diet, and started a prenatal yoga class.  Travis has learned to cook some pretty fantastic dinners and has been a champion house-cleaner since Ivey slept through most of the first trimester.  Ivey just celebrated her first New Year's without any champagne...and is the resident designated driver for Travis and the Patterson's.  We can't remember the last time we went out for some live music, but we really don't care.  We've loved staying in and reading about the newest soon to be member of our family, trying Travis's new recipes and planning our new lives. 
We can hardly believe we are going to be parents.  We can hardly believe we are going to have a baby.  Each day we feel more ready, and find out all the more there is to learn.  2011 is going to be full of new things and Junebug is already our favorite. 

(You may know "Ivey" as "Jennifer" or "Jennifer" as "Ivey."  Nicknames have a way of sticking and following you through life.  Our little blog's readers know who she is no matter what name they're calling her these days.   We apologize for any confusion, especially to the other Ivey family members.)