Thursday, December 18, 2008
A little surprise
Some of the other HR Managers from the surrounding auctions surprised me yesterday with a little baby shower at Mimi's. It was a really sweet thing to do and I had NO idea it was coming, so they did a great job keeping it quiet!
Progress in the Nursery
Things are coming along nicely in the nursery! Our brother-in-law, Mike, came over last Saturday to help Andy pick it up from the store, carry it up three flights of stairs and put it together. They're both my heroes right now - it was HEAVY!! :) Here are a few pics from the day...
Another thing that we're super-excited about is the stroller... we love it! It's starting to feel so much more real with these things being in the apartment now!
32 Week Appointment
Great news! No gestational diabetes! Yea!! We had our check-up yesterday and everything looked good! My blood pressure was great (121/81), the baby’s heartbeat was perfect and it was a very quick appointment. The doctor even offered to give me a note for the airline since we’re flying to Denver this Saturday. That was unexpected since she originally told me that they preferred we not fly after 32 weeks!
I asked if my due date would be moved up at all since the most recent ultrasound placed it at January 30 and she said no – she said that ultrasounds this late in the game can be off by up to four weeks! For that reason, they don’t move the due date like some doctors do. What it is is what it is. Not that it really matters, anyways – it’s all up to when the baby is ready to come out, no matter what we try to plan for!
A few more details about the blood sugar test – I did have one abnormal reading, but they require two in order to diagnose gestational diabetes. What does that mean? I’m on the verge, but not diabetic. I asked her if I should make any modification to my diet and she said no – just be careful on the carb intake. Praise the Lord! Thank you for your prayers.
We are all set to depart for a much-needed break, with the exception of a few last-minute things that we need to get done. The next appointment will be the day after we return, so it worked out perfectly!
I asked if my due date would be moved up at all since the most recent ultrasound placed it at January 30 and she said no – she said that ultrasounds this late in the game can be off by up to four weeks! For that reason, they don’t move the due date like some doctors do. What it is is what it is. Not that it really matters, anyways – it’s all up to when the baby is ready to come out, no matter what we try to plan for!
A few more details about the blood sugar test – I did have one abnormal reading, but they require two in order to diagnose gestational diabetes. What does that mean? I’m on the verge, but not diabetic. I asked her if I should make any modification to my diet and she said no – just be careful on the carb intake. Praise the Lord! Thank you for your prayers.
We are all set to depart for a much-needed break, with the exception of a few last-minute things that we need to get done. The next appointment will be the day after we return, so it worked out perfectly!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
A start to the nursery
We ordered the crib and dressers a couple weeks ago and will be picking them up on Sunday. We also got some art work for the walls that we just love. We had chosen them at Disneyland, but found more affordable copies at USA Baby that are nice wall hangings on a wood backing. They are reproductions of Peter and Robert Ellenshaw paintings that we saw years ago and loved... now they are the beginning to her nursery!
First Baby Shower
Staci and Becky threw a shower for us with our family and friends (outside of work and church) last Saturday. It was a beautiful, elegant shower with great food and wonderful company! We were so blessed to have them there and they showered us with love and gifts for our little one.
A Sneak Peek...
After much anticipation, we have the 3D Photos! We got to spend some time admiring our little girl on Tuesday. Unfortunately, she slept through it for the most part, so we couldn’t get her moving much – but we definitely got to see her! She was facing forward in a breech position (nothing to be concerned about yet – she will be moving around for several more weeks). Even though we were viewing her on a monitor, it was wonderful! We got a DVD to take home, as well as several pictures. If you haven’t seen these before, be aware that it is normal for the baby to look swollen. The picture is taken through the amniotic fluid and is somewhat distorted (she’s also swimming in that stuff – so of course she’s got some puffiness!).
The pictures are definitely not as clear as the image was on the screen - but they are beautiful to us, none the less. It is amazing to me that it’s her that has been kicking me from the inside and rolling around in my tummy. Before – when we only had the regular ultrasound photos - she was amazing. But now… it is so different. I have seen her cute little ear (I want to kiss it already) and her sweet little toes. I have an idea of what her face looks like. It’s up in the air who she looks like, though. I see some of her Daddy in her and Andy thinks she looks like me. We’ll see when she gets here.
The pictures are definitely not as clear as the image was on the screen - but they are beautiful to us, none the less. It is amazing to me that it’s her that has been kicking me from the inside and rolling around in my tummy. Before – when we only had the regular ultrasound photos - she was amazing. But now… it is so different. I have seen her cute little ear (I want to kiss it already) and her sweet little toes. I have an idea of what her face looks like. It’s up in the air who she looks like, though. I see some of her Daddy in her and Andy thinks she looks like me. We’ll see when she gets here.
The first one is my absolute favorite. She's so beautiful.
It's hard to see unless you're an ultrasound pro, but more confirmation that she's a "she"
This is a picture of her foot, her face and then her heartrate - a perfect 140, once again.
Earlier on Tuesday, I had to take my three hour glucose test. It was LONG and there were four other women there doing the same thing. I should find out the results next Wednesday at our OB appointment. Please say a prayer for us if you think of it! I know some of you already have because I feel very at peace about it. I know that God knows our little girl already and that He has control of the situation – He has told me in so many ways… but that is another entry for another day…
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
30 Week Appointment
Today we had our 30 week doctor’s appointment. It was a fairly quick appointment. My blood pressure looked good (114/70) and her heartbeat was loud, strong and healthy. All of the concerns that we had this time around were “normal,” according to Dr. Gamm – occasional trouble breathing (when baby pushes up on diaphragm), numb spots, tingling fingers and hip, etc. I guess a lot of it has to do with the baby pressing against the sciatic nerve in the back.
The one disappointing thing was that my blood sugar test didn’t go as well as I thought it had. She said that patients are in the clear at 130 or under, but mine was at 165 so I have to go back and do the three hour test. The good news is that it doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong – just that there is the possibility of gestational diabetes. It makes me a little nervous since diabetes does run in our family – but I will leave it in God’s hands and try not to stress about it. I’m going to take the day off on Tuesday to complete the three hour test since I already have the 3D/4D ultrasound scheduled that afternoon. We might as well make a day of it! In the mean time, I guess I will be avoiding the brownies and chocolate milk. :)
We now make the move to bi-weekly OB appointments, which means the day is drawing near!
The one disappointing thing was that my blood sugar test didn’t go as well as I thought it had. She said that patients are in the clear at 130 or under, but mine was at 165 so I have to go back and do the three hour test. The good news is that it doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong – just that there is the possibility of gestational diabetes. It makes me a little nervous since diabetes does run in our family – but I will leave it in God’s hands and try not to stress about it. I’m going to take the day off on Tuesday to complete the three hour test since I already have the 3D/4D ultrasound scheduled that afternoon. We might as well make a day of it! In the mean time, I guess I will be avoiding the brownies and chocolate milk. :)
We now make the move to bi-weekly OB appointments, which means the day is drawing near!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Another milestone
We are now 3/4 of the way there! She is getting bigger and heavier by the day. I can't wait for our next appointment, which is next week. Unfortunately the 3D/4D ultrasound got pushed back two weeks, so we haven't gotten to see her yet. I really can't wait - I was devastated when I found out it was delayed because I have SO been looking forward to it. But I can hang in a little longer, I guess. Hopefully they will tell us what she weighs. I'm so curious where she is at now.
I went for the glucose test this past Wednesday. It was pretty simple - I had to fast food & drink for ten hours, get blood drawn once, then they made me drink an orange syrup-y drink, I waited an hour and then they drew some blood again. The results should be back to the doctor by Monday and our appointment is on Wednesday. I don't anticipate any problems there.
Thanksgiving was definitely different this year. I was only able to eat about half as much as I usually eat on a holiday, but felt like I ate twice as much! I'm sure Christmas will be even worse! I think she liked the food, though. On the way home last night she was doing some major acrobatics and we were trying to figure out what I had eaten about two hours prior to that - since they say that's how long it takes to get the taste to them. Of course... it was brownies. :) And a cookie. She's a girl after my own heart! :)
I went for the glucose test this past Wednesday. It was pretty simple - I had to fast food & drink for ten hours, get blood drawn once, then they made me drink an orange syrup-y drink, I waited an hour and then they drew some blood again. The results should be back to the doctor by Monday and our appointment is on Wednesday. I don't anticipate any problems there.
Thanksgiving was definitely different this year. I was only able to eat about half as much as I usually eat on a holiday, but felt like I ate twice as much! I'm sure Christmas will be even worse! I think she liked the food, though. On the way home last night she was doing some major acrobatics and we were trying to figure out what I had eaten about two hours prior to that - since they say that's how long it takes to get the taste to them. Of course... it was brownies. :) And a cookie. She's a girl after my own heart! :)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Prepared Childbirth
We started our prepared childbirth class last night. It was packed with really good information, so of course Andy liked that! We did a little bit of practice on relaxation techniques, which was my favorite part of the evening since I got to snuggle up to my hubby. :)
The instructor is a neat lady. She's very energetic and uses a lot of humor in the classroom. One of the things that I loved was how she led introductions - when we had given the basics on who we are and when we're due, we had to tell one thing that we loved about our hubby or partner (whoever was there with us). It was very endearing to hear all of the sweet things couples said about each other and meant a lot to me to hear Andy's comments about me. I don't think anyone was surprised to hear my comment about him - that he is a brilliant man and the smartest person I know. It's hard not to notice that when placed in a learning environment with him (along with his humor). But I enjoyed getting to tell him in that little way how much I think of him.
We learned a lot about the birthing terms and what questions to ask. I already feel like I have a MUCH better understanding of what the doctors and nurses are talking about when they use terms like effacement, dilation and "stations". I had never heard of the stations before so that was all new information. Oh, yeah - and did you know that Dr. Lamaze was from France? Just a little trivia tidbit...
We will be going to the second class this Saturday morning since we can't attend next Monday. We've had tickets to attend the Ducks/Avs hockey game that night for months. I couldn't do that to Andy. :) She was kind to offer the Saturday option to make up for it.
The baby is doing well, I think. She seems to be very lively! She is moving around a lot. Her most active time is in the morning when I'm usually REALLY thirsty and drink a bunch of water. This morning I thought she was going to jump out of my stomach, she freaked out so much. You would have thought I doused her with water! It must put pressure on her or something. Either that or she REALLY likes water. :)
I haven't gained much weight in the last couple weeks - which Andy thinks might be due to the fact that I got sick this weekend. Just a suggestion - don't go to Vegas while pregnant. I don't know if it was exhaustion from walking around, smoky odors or just something I ate that my body DID NOT want, but I got really, really sick on Friday night. Enough to pop a blood vessel in my eye - which looks pretty nasty. We'll be keeping an eye on it to make sure I put on some more soon. Right now I'm at 20 pounds gained at the end of my 28th week.
We're looking forward to having the 3D ultrasound next Tuesday. I'm excited to "cheat," as some have been calling it. :) I know it won't be the same as getting to hold her and seeing her in person so I don't think it will take the thrill away at all. I can't wait to see her little features. Just another week!
The instructor is a neat lady. She's very energetic and uses a lot of humor in the classroom. One of the things that I loved was how she led introductions - when we had given the basics on who we are and when we're due, we had to tell one thing that we loved about our hubby or partner (whoever was there with us). It was very endearing to hear all of the sweet things couples said about each other and meant a lot to me to hear Andy's comments about me. I don't think anyone was surprised to hear my comment about him - that he is a brilliant man and the smartest person I know. It's hard not to notice that when placed in a learning environment with him (along with his humor). But I enjoyed getting to tell him in that little way how much I think of him.
We learned a lot about the birthing terms and what questions to ask. I already feel like I have a MUCH better understanding of what the doctors and nurses are talking about when they use terms like effacement, dilation and "stations". I had never heard of the stations before so that was all new information. Oh, yeah - and did you know that Dr. Lamaze was from France? Just a little trivia tidbit...
We will be going to the second class this Saturday morning since we can't attend next Monday. We've had tickets to attend the Ducks/Avs hockey game that night for months. I couldn't do that to Andy. :) She was kind to offer the Saturday option to make up for it.
The baby is doing well, I think. She seems to be very lively! She is moving around a lot. Her most active time is in the morning when I'm usually REALLY thirsty and drink a bunch of water. This morning I thought she was going to jump out of my stomach, she freaked out so much. You would have thought I doused her with water! It must put pressure on her or something. Either that or she REALLY likes water. :)
I haven't gained much weight in the last couple weeks - which Andy thinks might be due to the fact that I got sick this weekend. Just a suggestion - don't go to Vegas while pregnant. I don't know if it was exhaustion from walking around, smoky odors or just something I ate that my body DID NOT want, but I got really, really sick on Friday night. Enough to pop a blood vessel in my eye - which looks pretty nasty. We'll be keeping an eye on it to make sure I put on some more soon. Right now I'm at 20 pounds gained at the end of my 28th week.
We're looking forward to having the 3D ultrasound next Tuesday. I'm excited to "cheat," as some have been calling it. :) I know it won't be the same as getting to hold her and seeing her in person so I don't think it will take the thrill away at all. I can't wait to see her little features. Just another week!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Love it!
I love the comment on the ticker this week - "If someone asks my mommy "how are you feeling?" one more time, she's going to drop kick them to New Jersey!" That's mean, I know. I don't mean to be... but when you're asked a question a bajillion times a day - usually by the same people that asked you the same question yesterday, and the day before and the day before and the day before... you're bound to want to hear them say something different instead of looking at you with a panicked/concerned look when there is no need to. I don't mind if it comes from someone I see once a week or something. But if you're one of those people - and if you really want to know how I'm feeling - you will most likely have to dig deeper. Because my response will probably be "Fine, how are you?" with the assumption that you probably don't care that my baby girl seems to love to have her head or something large and heavy roll over my bladder and intestines several times a day, I wake up four to five times a night and my hands keep falling asleep. Then again, I shouldn't make that assumption for those of you who read this blog - because you ARE the ones that care! :) So you guys don't count. You can ask me how I feel. Just be ready for the truth.
Her movements have been a little uncomfortable last night and this morning. I am sure that will become a much more regular thing as she gets heavier. At this point, I am fine with that (I may have a different attitude in two months!). Every time she does something that makes me a little uncomfortable, I am reminded that she is already her own unique and beautiful little person - God's little miracle that He is forming for us. I have no control over her movements, her kicks, her rolls, her sleeping pattern, her curiosity - that is all part of her individual personality. How can I complain about that? I will try to remember that as the next few months pass, although I may need a reminder here and there...
Her movements have been a little uncomfortable last night and this morning. I am sure that will become a much more regular thing as she gets heavier. At this point, I am fine with that (I may have a different attitude in two months!). Every time she does something that makes me a little uncomfortable, I am reminded that she is already her own unique and beautiful little person - God's little miracle that He is forming for us. I have no control over her movements, her kicks, her rolls, her sleeping pattern, her curiosity - that is all part of her individual personality. How can I complain about that? I will try to remember that as the next few months pass, although I may need a reminder here and there...
Thursday, November 6, 2008
New things since yesterday
Andy saw the baby move for the first time last night. It was so cool. I could feel her moving a lot - but it was lower than the top of the hump that my vision is limited to right right now! Since I was laying down, I asked him if he could see it... and he could! I'm so glad we're getting to this point where we can share in the little daily miracles.
He was a trooper last night - he helped me set up the baby registry at Target. Although he was EXHAUSTED from the task, he got some rewards for it! He got some new stuff for his grill and since Best Buy is right next to Target, he got a new video game. Hey - it's all about compromise, right? :) As wonderful as he has been to me, I would get him anything he asked for! Thankfully he doesn't need a new car... he's my biggest weakness and I would probably give in. :)
There was something else, but apparently my pregnant brain can only hold so many thoughts at once... dang it. It's definitely gone...
Oh, I remember... today marks the beginning of the third trimester!! We're getting closer!
He was a trooper last night - he helped me set up the baby registry at Target. Although he was EXHAUSTED from the task, he got some rewards for it! He got some new stuff for his grill and since Best Buy is right next to Target, he got a new video game. Hey - it's all about compromise, right? :) As wonderful as he has been to me, I would get him anything he asked for! Thankfully he doesn't need a new car... he's my biggest weakness and I would probably give in. :)
There was something else, but apparently my pregnant brain can only hold so many thoughts at once... dang it. It's definitely gone...
Oh, I remember... today marks the beginning of the third trimester!! We're getting closer!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
26 Week Appointment
We had our 26 week appointment this morning. Everything went very well and the doc said we’re right on track! BP – 118/80 (I think), Baby’s heart rate was a perfect 140, weight is on track – I’ve gained a little over 20 pounds so far. I’m not sure how I haven’t gained more than that since I’ve been giving in a lot more frequently to sweets lately – but I’m still not out of control by any means.
Andy has been holding me accountable to consuming fruits and vegetables and I can’t overeat at all – my stomach has no room to expand! My meal portions are much smaller that I have ever eaten before so I try to make sure I snack some in between. I keep hearing about women who eat these huge portions and I just can’t imagine how it’s possible! I can barely consume two-thirds of what I was eating before. Then again, maybe that is because I tend to eat way too much… ;)
The doctor agreed that the carpal tunnel is very normal and that I need to get a brace to wear – particularly when I sleep. He said that it’s going to hurt when I get up, but that is just how it goes. Andy asked him if it would go away after delivery and he said that it often lasts for a while because of the way that you have to hold the baby.
I have swollen enough to have to remove my wedding rings and my shoes fit snugly… Doctor’s response – “that’s good… it means you’re getting more pregnant!” I guess that is what we want, huh? :)
I have been having some aches and pains in my ribs and he explained that the ribs actually expand as the baby gets bigger and since muscle and tissue are the only things that hold them in place, they will move and be uncomfortable. This explains why putting pressure on it (pushing them in) provides temporary relief! The body is an amazing thing…
We got the name of a Pediatrician that they recommend, so we will be making a call over to that office some time this month to talk with them and verify the insurance coverage and everything. The other thing I have to do before the next appointment is take a glucose test. That should be an easy and quick test.
My friend from college, Julie, has been on my mind all morning. She was scheduled for her C-Section at 7:30 this morning. It’s so exciting to think about what she is experiencing right now – I’m so happy for her and it makes me look forward to meeting our little girl even more! Please say a prayer for her and her family (hubby, two sons & new Baby Kate) for a smooth transition!
Andy has been holding me accountable to consuming fruits and vegetables and I can’t overeat at all – my stomach has no room to expand! My meal portions are much smaller that I have ever eaten before so I try to make sure I snack some in between. I keep hearing about women who eat these huge portions and I just can’t imagine how it’s possible! I can barely consume two-thirds of what I was eating before. Then again, maybe that is because I tend to eat way too much… ;)
The doctor agreed that the carpal tunnel is very normal and that I need to get a brace to wear – particularly when I sleep. He said that it’s going to hurt when I get up, but that is just how it goes. Andy asked him if it would go away after delivery and he said that it often lasts for a while because of the way that you have to hold the baby.
I have swollen enough to have to remove my wedding rings and my shoes fit snugly… Doctor’s response – “that’s good… it means you’re getting more pregnant!” I guess that is what we want, huh? :)
I have been having some aches and pains in my ribs and he explained that the ribs actually expand as the baby gets bigger and since muscle and tissue are the only things that hold them in place, they will move and be uncomfortable. This explains why putting pressure on it (pushing them in) provides temporary relief! The body is an amazing thing…
We got the name of a Pediatrician that they recommend, so we will be making a call over to that office some time this month to talk with them and verify the insurance coverage and everything. The other thing I have to do before the next appointment is take a glucose test. That should be an easy and quick test.
My friend from college, Julie, has been on my mind all morning. She was scheduled for her C-Section at 7:30 this morning. It’s so exciting to think about what she is experiencing right now – I’m so happy for her and it makes me look forward to meeting our little girl even more! Please say a prayer for her and her family (hubby, two sons & new Baby Kate) for a smooth transition!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Maternity tour
We took a tour of the maternity ward at our hospital last night. We were very happy with what we saw. It seems to be a state-of-the-art facility. We were expecting a very small tour of a wing of the hospital and got quite a bit more. There were about 40 people there and they served refreshments, showed a video with the history and practices of the hospital, answered questions, pre-registered patients, gave out all kinds of literature and then split into smaller groups and gave a very detailed tour. We got an added bonus, as we saw one of our doctors giving delivery news to a family in the waiting room. He smiled and waved, but I appreciated the close attention he was giving to the family he was speaking with so we didn't interrupt.
Most maternity patients there are assigned to LDRP (Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum) private rooms where you are assigned to the same room throughout the entire process. There is only one patient assigned to each of these rooms and they're very large (the rooms, not the patients... wait... actually both). They each include a large bathroom with a shower, as well. They're big believers in maintaining the parent-child bond as much as possible after the delivery, so the baby stays in the parents' room as much as possible unless the parents ask for them to be taken to the nursery. I had asked my doctor previously about the odds of getting one of these rooms and he told me that about 80% of patients are able to be placed there. The other option is a semi-private room where delivery would happen in one room and then recovery and post-partum in a room with two beds. There is the slight possibility of another patient being assigned to those rooms, but they told us that is very rare and only happens in extreme cases where they're over-loaded with deliveries. Otherwise, the dad is allowed to sleep in the second bed. If a C-Section is necessary, the private rooms are not an option, for obvious reasons - the semi-private rooms are closer to the nurse's station and the surgery has to take place in an operating room. So anyways.... come one, LDRP room!! Be available!!
There were some details about the tour and the hospitals practices that I found very interesting. Did you know that they lo-jack the babies after they're born?? An alarm will sound if anyone gets too close to an exit with one of the infants - even if Dad is taking the baby for a walk around the halls in the bassinet. They also put ID bracelets on Mom, Dad & Baby and they make the parents read the numbers on their bracelet every time they bring a baby back from the nursery. The poor infants have bracelets on every limb - four separate ones if they have to have any lab work done! To be honest, all of the security measures were making me a little bit nervous at first. I asked Andy "Did something happen here to make them lo-jack the babies??" The tour guide answered my question almost immediately without even hearing it (which makes me think it's a common one at that point in the speech!). She said that they have never had an incident, they are just taking every precaution to make sure that everyone remains safe and secure. They showed us the "lo-jack" in the nursery on a brand new baby (only 5 lbs!). It wasn't too bad - just a little anklet with a tiny little box on it. Still - it's crazy that we live in a world where things like that need to exist.
Another detail that I really like and appreciate is that they pre-admit patients. They give us the opportunity to fill out the check-in form months ahead of time so that when we're ready for delivery, we don't have to be bothered with it. There is a special driveway for maternity patients and when we're ready, we by-pass the check in counter and pull right up to the maternity ward. Dad is allowed to park the car in this little driveway (kind of like a hotel entryway) and keep it there until Mom is all settled into her room. It's a really nice set-up.
Overall we really enjoyed the tour. It was a good intro into our hospital experience and made us feel a lot more secure about how the process will flow. We also got all kinds of goodies to take home and read, as well as some freebies - a pacifier, a bottle, outlet plugs... a random assortment of little things. :)
In three and a half weeks we start our prepared childbirth (lamaze) classes. It's hard to believe we're this far along already. It seems to be going faster and faster as we go. Just a couple more weeks before we're in the third trimester! Crazy...
Most maternity patients there are assigned to LDRP (Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum) private rooms where you are assigned to the same room throughout the entire process. There is only one patient assigned to each of these rooms and they're very large (the rooms, not the patients... wait... actually both). They each include a large bathroom with a shower, as well. They're big believers in maintaining the parent-child bond as much as possible after the delivery, so the baby stays in the parents' room as much as possible unless the parents ask for them to be taken to the nursery. I had asked my doctor previously about the odds of getting one of these rooms and he told me that about 80% of patients are able to be placed there. The other option is a semi-private room where delivery would happen in one room and then recovery and post-partum in a room with two beds. There is the slight possibility of another patient being assigned to those rooms, but they told us that is very rare and only happens in extreme cases where they're over-loaded with deliveries. Otherwise, the dad is allowed to sleep in the second bed. If a C-Section is necessary, the private rooms are not an option, for obvious reasons - the semi-private rooms are closer to the nurse's station and the surgery has to take place in an operating room. So anyways.... come one, LDRP room!! Be available!!
There were some details about the tour and the hospitals practices that I found very interesting. Did you know that they lo-jack the babies after they're born?? An alarm will sound if anyone gets too close to an exit with one of the infants - even if Dad is taking the baby for a walk around the halls in the bassinet. They also put ID bracelets on Mom, Dad & Baby and they make the parents read the numbers on their bracelet every time they bring a baby back from the nursery. The poor infants have bracelets on every limb - four separate ones if they have to have any lab work done! To be honest, all of the security measures were making me a little bit nervous at first. I asked Andy "Did something happen here to make them lo-jack the babies??" The tour guide answered my question almost immediately without even hearing it (which makes me think it's a common one at that point in the speech!). She said that they have never had an incident, they are just taking every precaution to make sure that everyone remains safe and secure. They showed us the "lo-jack" in the nursery on a brand new baby (only 5 lbs!). It wasn't too bad - just a little anklet with a tiny little box on it. Still - it's crazy that we live in a world where things like that need to exist.
Another detail that I really like and appreciate is that they pre-admit patients. They give us the opportunity to fill out the check-in form months ahead of time so that when we're ready for delivery, we don't have to be bothered with it. There is a special driveway for maternity patients and when we're ready, we by-pass the check in counter and pull right up to the maternity ward. Dad is allowed to park the car in this little driveway (kind of like a hotel entryway) and keep it there until Mom is all settled into her room. It's a really nice set-up.
Overall we really enjoyed the tour. It was a good intro into our hospital experience and made us feel a lot more secure about how the process will flow. We also got all kinds of goodies to take home and read, as well as some freebies - a pacifier, a bottle, outlet plugs... a random assortment of little things. :)
In three and a half weeks we start our prepared childbirth (lamaze) classes. It's hard to believe we're this far along already. It seems to be going faster and faster as we go. Just a couple more weeks before we're in the third trimester! Crazy...
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Carpal Tunnel
Did you know that carpal tunnel can be brought on by pregnancy? Earlier this week I started waking up multiple times in the middle of the night with numb hands. Now it happens throughout the day at various times - my hands will feel like they have fallen asleep, get tingly or just ache. According to the research I've done, this is very normal during pregnancy. It's supposed to go away after delivery, thank goodness. But isn't that strange? Repetitive tasks are not necessarily the cause for it when it happens to pregnant women - it has to do with the fluid retention, but repetitive sharp finger motions will aggravate it. So let's see... computer and paper work during the day, emailing and web browsing in the evening, knitting and crocheting a baby blanket... yeah. It fits. Bummer.
I'll be talking to the doctor at my next visit about a brace for my hand/wrist to try to minimize it.
I'll be talking to the doctor at my next visit about a brace for my hand/wrist to try to minimize it.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Cranky!
Man, I'm cranky. I don't know what has gotten into me lately - wait, yes I do. I should rephrase that. I don't know how pregnancy can have such a dramatic influence on your mood, but it has on mine over the last few days! I am so easily irritated... to the point of screaming or yelling at myself. Luckily this has not happened toward anyone else but my poor husband has had to listen to the effects of it several times in the last few days. He has just patiently come alongside me each time and asked what he can do to help - saving me from more of a fit than I'm already having. Things as simple as putting the sheets on the bed just make it seem like the world is falling in around me! Two minutes later I can look back and say "That was stupid - why did that seem like such a big deal?", but at the time - aaaagghhhh!! If I had one of those veins that pulsed in my forehead when I was mad, it would probably explode. Luckily the episodes don't happen too often (according to me), but even once is silly! I want so badly to NOT be one of those cranky pregnant women that are demanding and difficult to be around. Lately it has just gotten harder.
Please say a prayer for Andy when you think of it... I'm so thankful for him. He is my sanity during these moments and he is doing such a great job at being supportive and strong for me when I'm... well, loco. If he wasn't there to alleviate the "problems," I would hate to see what I'd be like!
Please say a prayer for Andy when you think of it... I'm so thankful for him. He is my sanity during these moments and he is doing such a great job at being supportive and strong for me when I'm... well, loco. If he wasn't there to alleviate the "problems," I would hate to see what I'd be like!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
22 Week Appointment
We had our 22 week appointment yesterday and everything went well. It was the most uneventful visit so far, with the only glitch being my blood pressure. It is still within a reasonable level at 138/81 (they said it's okay as long as it's under 140/90) - but that is pretty high for me, as the nurse pointed out. She asked me if I had been stressed out about something that morning, which was not necessarily the case however the last week at work has been VERY high stress at work. I have projects piled up and a new one seemingly being added daily, as well as some recent events that have created some added pressure. I normally function well under pressure and stress, but now I have more to think about than myself - I have to consider that it can affect the baby and that my blood pressure is more easily disrupted now. So... I've got some reading up to do on how to manage blood pressure. And I need to focus on not getting stressed out at work, which is easier said than done.
Good news from the appointment - healthy heartbeat; movement is normal and expected; weight gain is on track; verification that the tests all came out negative and everything looks healthy! He said they're seeing just what they want to see. Other good news - I can play the Wii Fit! Andy bought it last week and I haven't used it because it said to consult a doctor if pregnant. The question got a chuckle and a "that's awesome" remark from the doc - and a blessing to proceed as long as I'm not doing any "crazy stuff". We'll see just how balanced this bubble-burdened body can be! :)
Good news from the appointment - healthy heartbeat; movement is normal and expected; weight gain is on track; verification that the tests all came out negative and everything looks healthy! He said they're seeing just what they want to see. Other good news - I can play the Wii Fit! Andy bought it last week and I haven't used it because it said to consult a doctor if pregnant. The question got a chuckle and a "that's awesome" remark from the doc - and a blessing to proceed as long as I'm not doing any "crazy stuff". We'll see just how balanced this bubble-burdened body can be! :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Time for a new ticker
That whole "au natural" pregnant lady on the old pregnancy ticker at the top was freaking me out - then when the glowing baby appeared it had to go. Hopefully the new one will provide some laughs. :)
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Good News!
I spoke with the doctor's office yesterday and all of the tests came back negative! They did not find any signs of the birth defects that they test for with the quad panel test - fetal trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome), fetal trisomy 18 (Edward's Syndrome), open neural tube defects and increased risk of Turner Syndrome, tripliody, trisomy 16 mosaicism, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome and steriod sulfatase deficiency. I am so thankful and grateful to God that she is healthy and will not have to struggle with these obstacles in life!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Things are starting to pick up
I think that things are going to start going very quickly pretty soon here. We have a crazy schedule starting soon between work, birthdays, school and the maternity classes that we have scheduled.
Today I set up a tour of the maternity ward at the hospital in October, a prepared childbirth (lamaze) class for Nov/Dec which meets once per week for five weeks and a breastfeeding class in January. We also set up our 3D/4D Ultrasound for November 25, which should be really exciting! My busiest time of the year at work starts around October 20 and goes through December 5. When I say busy, I mean BUSY. Last year it consumed an ENTIRE weekend (morning to night) and kept me at work for several 12 hour days. Hopefully it will be a little easier this year, but I have to prepare for the worst - which should be over by November 14. My grad school classes start up again on November 11. They will end just in time for me to have the baby (2 1/2 weeks before her due date) and the professor has already agreed to work with me if anything happens earlier than Jan 20 - which is the last day of class.
In November we have our annual manager's trip to Las Vegas. Doesn't that sound like a fun trip for a pregnant lady?? :) I'll have to make sure to pack my comfy walking shoes! No heels for the dinner this year. And then we will be going to Colorado for Christmas - and some time to relax!
My doctor's office said that women usually take off of work starting 4 weeks before the baby's due date, but I think I'm going to try to work as long as I can. Only part of the leave will be paid, so I want to make sure we don't have to go without it for too long. That is going to be here before I know it, so I'm already working on tying up loose ends at work and making sure that everything is in order and organized for my absence. It's crazy how much needs to happen between now and then - I'll have to remember to take a little bit of time to rest and relax before I have to adjust to sleepless nights. :)
Today I set up a tour of the maternity ward at the hospital in October, a prepared childbirth (lamaze) class for Nov/Dec which meets once per week for five weeks and a breastfeeding class in January. We also set up our 3D/4D Ultrasound for November 25, which should be really exciting! My busiest time of the year at work starts around October 20 and goes through December 5. When I say busy, I mean BUSY. Last year it consumed an ENTIRE weekend (morning to night) and kept me at work for several 12 hour days. Hopefully it will be a little easier this year, but I have to prepare for the worst - which should be over by November 14. My grad school classes start up again on November 11. They will end just in time for me to have the baby (2 1/2 weeks before her due date) and the professor has already agreed to work with me if anything happens earlier than Jan 20 - which is the last day of class.
In November we have our annual manager's trip to Las Vegas. Doesn't that sound like a fun trip for a pregnant lady?? :) I'll have to make sure to pack my comfy walking shoes! No heels for the dinner this year. And then we will be going to Colorado for Christmas - and some time to relax!
My doctor's office said that women usually take off of work starting 4 weeks before the baby's due date, but I think I'm going to try to work as long as I can. Only part of the leave will be paid, so I want to make sure we don't have to go without it for too long. That is going to be here before I know it, so I'm already working on tying up loose ends at work and making sure that everything is in order and organized for my absence. It's crazy how much needs to happen between now and then - I'll have to remember to take a little bit of time to rest and relax before I have to adjust to sleepless nights. :)
Monday, September 22, 2008
Butterflies
At the beginning of the pregnancy, I was seriously thinking that I did not want to ever go through this again. I told Andy (and I was serious) that this might be our only child. Of course, he is wonderful and supportive and understanding, so he agreed that if I continued to feel that way we would consider only having one. But I have to say... I think I'm changing my mind.
I am really enjoying this part of pregnancy. Feeling her move throughout the day is so fun. I have heard that it gets annoying after a while, but for now it stops me in my tracks each time so that I can focus on her and enjoy the flutters and butterflies. I love them. I can't wait for them to be apparent enough to be felt from the outside so that Andy can enjoy them, too. That is the one part of this that doesn't seem fair to me - that the dad doesn't get to experience the flutters the mom gets to feel. I'm sure if you asked most of them they would give that up to not have to go through morning sickness and childbirth, though! I can't wait for her to be big enough to for Dad to feel. I guess I shouldn't rush it since that means she will probably be kicking me harder, huh?
I put her ultrasound picture up on my desktop at work and every time I see it, I can't help but stare in amazement. What an amazing God we serve - He is fashioning her and forming every cell in her body so that she is just as He intends for her to be. And it's all happening so quickly! I am amazed that He knows her already and knew her before he even began creating her. It's such a miracle to watch the progression from the little bubble on the first ultrasound to the images of her on this latest one - and to feel the rush of love that comes from seeing her move during the ultrasound. I don't understand how some people can not consider this a life and can look so non-chalantly at abortion - or even believe evolution theories over Creation. It just doesn't make any sense to me - especially not after these experiences. I don't mean to turn this into a political statement - just a note about how infatuated I am with her already and a prayer of thanks for bringing me through the tough part of the first trimester and letting me experience these little daily joys. I'm loving it! I'll try to hang on to this feeling as the discomforts of the third trimester quickly approach...
I am really enjoying this part of pregnancy. Feeling her move throughout the day is so fun. I have heard that it gets annoying after a while, but for now it stops me in my tracks each time so that I can focus on her and enjoy the flutters and butterflies. I love them. I can't wait for them to be apparent enough to be felt from the outside so that Andy can enjoy them, too. That is the one part of this that doesn't seem fair to me - that the dad doesn't get to experience the flutters the mom gets to feel. I'm sure if you asked most of them they would give that up to not have to go through morning sickness and childbirth, though! I can't wait for her to be big enough to for Dad to feel. I guess I shouldn't rush it since that means she will probably be kicking me harder, huh?
I put her ultrasound picture up on my desktop at work and every time I see it, I can't help but stare in amazement. What an amazing God we serve - He is fashioning her and forming every cell in her body so that she is just as He intends for her to be. And it's all happening so quickly! I am amazed that He knows her already and knew her before he even began creating her. It's such a miracle to watch the progression from the little bubble on the first ultrasound to the images of her on this latest one - and to feel the rush of love that comes from seeing her move during the ultrasound. I don't understand how some people can not consider this a life and can look so non-chalantly at abortion - or even believe evolution theories over Creation. It just doesn't make any sense to me - especially not after these experiences. I don't mean to turn this into a political statement - just a note about how infatuated I am with her already and a prayer of thanks for bringing me through the tough part of the first trimester and letting me experience these little daily joys. I'm loving it! I'll try to hang on to this feeling as the discomforts of the third trimester quickly approach...
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
We're half-way there
Today (Thursday) marks twenty weeks - we're at the half way point! It's hard to believe that - but easier when you consider that the first five and a half weeks we were unaware that we were pregnant. Then it seems like it's been even longer. Things are moving along beautifully and she is growing every day - as you can now tell very easily from my profile! I think I get bigger by the minute. In another twenty weeks or so we'll have a little munchkin to love on. I can't wait!
Our Covergirl
Here are the pictures from the ultrasound. It's so much easier to see the baby when it's on the screen than when it's in the pictures. The movement is what really makes the difference. But pictures are all I have to post so they will have to do!
The heartbeat was at 143 bpm... just right!
The side view of her head and body - she's facing down. You can see her spine running along her back and up into her head (head is on the left).
Her little bootie and legs. The arrow is pointing out the gender parts, while you can see her right leg underneath it. The bone is bright white.
Her Cover shot... She's even blowing a kiss! :) Just kidding, but her mouth is open a little and she has her hands drawn up under her chin. So cute.
We will be probably be having a 4-D ultrasound somewhere around 27-29 weeks (we're at about 20 weeks now). Can't wait to see more of her!
The heartbeat was at 143 bpm... just right!
The side view of her head and body - she's facing down. You can see her spine running along her back and up into her head (head is on the left).
Her little bootie and legs. The arrow is pointing out the gender parts, while you can see her right leg underneath it. The bone is bright white.
Her Cover shot... She's even blowing a kiss! :) Just kidding, but her mouth is open a little and she has her hands drawn up under her chin. So cute.
We will be probably be having a 4-D ultrasound somewhere around 27-29 weeks (we're at about 20 weeks now). Can't wait to see more of her!
The verdict is in...
It's a GIRL! And she is wonderful already. She was so cute in the ultrasound - she kept flipping over, punching and kicking. Andy noticed that she was even making what looked like a walking motion with her feet. The picture we got of her is so cute. Her little hands are drawn up under her chin - almost like she was posing. At one point she actually turned her head straight toward the "camera" - indicative, according to my Mom, that this IS definitely my child! I think she got the hiccups toward the end of the session because her little body would jump up all at once (we had a profile view with her laying facedown) and then float back down.
This ultrasound was definitely the best so far - we could clearly see her heart beating, her spine, her hip bones - everything we were hoping to see! She is just amazing already and more than ever - I can't wait to meet her and hold her. This was my moment. Everyone talked about hearing the heartbeat for the first time and how lifechanging that would be. I was starting to feel like maybe there was something wrong with me because it wasn't as momentous as I expected it to be. It was neat, but it still didn't feel that real. But now... now it's real. And it's amazing and wonderful and it makes me want to hold and rub my stomach all day long! I can't wait to hold her.
I will post the ultrasound pictures as soon as I can get them scanned in. Last night was full of excitement in getting the news out to our parents and close friends and tonight I won't be home until late. Hopefully we can get them up soon so you can see my little Covergirl.
This ultrasound was definitely the best so far - we could clearly see her heart beating, her spine, her hip bones - everything we were hoping to see! She is just amazing already and more than ever - I can't wait to meet her and hold her. This was my moment. Everyone talked about hearing the heartbeat for the first time and how lifechanging that would be. I was starting to feel like maybe there was something wrong with me because it wasn't as momentous as I expected it to be. It was neat, but it still didn't feel that real. But now... now it's real. And it's amazing and wonderful and it makes me want to hold and rub my stomach all day long! I can't wait to hold her.
I will post the ultrasound pictures as soon as I can get them scanned in. Last night was full of excitement in getting the news out to our parents and close friends and tonight I won't be home until late. Hopefully we can get them up soon so you can see my little Covergirl.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
18 Week Appointment
We had an interesting appointment yesterday, to say the least. After checking in at 9:15 for our 9:20 appointment, we sat in the waiting room until almost 10:00. Once the nurse finally called our names, she explained that one of the doctors had been called out for a delivery and the other doctor was handling both case loads. The way the practice works, we alternate doctors each visit so that we know them both and are comfortable with either one doing the delivery – so it wasn’t a stranger. Still – odd that they didn’t notify us when we signed in like they normally do.
Once we were called in to the nurse’s station, the strangest thing happened. The scale was wrong! Oh, wait… no. Unfortunately it was right. But I’m not doing too bad. I think I’ve gained about 9 pounds at this point. But why do the doctor’s office scales always read higher than the scale at home? I’m not changing mine. Theirs is wrong.
Anyways, when they took my blood pressure the machine malfunctioned. Isn’t that weird? I mean, I could see the cheapie ones that we have at home malfunctioning, but I don’t expect that at the doctor’s office. The second time she took it, she got a good reading. “Very good,” in her words. BP – 119/78. Thank goodness Andy has a good memory because I just had to email him for the reading - I couldn’t remember.
Next was the urine sample. They make you leave one at every appointment. As I’m sure you well know, that requires peeing in a cup – which is not so hard when you can see the cup. With an increasingly protruding belly, however, this task gets more and more difficult to maneuver. This is the first time I’ve had a hard time and I’m sure it’s just going to get worse.
Next we were escorted to the room. We got the bigger room at the end. I love the room at the end! That’s where the ultrasound machine is. When we go to the other rooms, the doctor just uses a little hand-held Doppler to listen to the heart beat. It’s still neat and amazing, but I love seeing the baby so much more! We were not scheduled for an ultrasound, so when I got in there, Andy and I were looking around for the Doppler that the nurse usually leaves on the counter. No Doppler! Maybe she’s going to use the ultrasound machine?? Sure, enough…
The doctor was in a hurry with such a heavy case load, so she went straight for the ultrasound machine. She was listening for the heartbeat only, so she blew that up on the screen. Healthy, quick beat… music to our ears. I don’t know why, but my breath always catches a little bit right before I hear it. For a moment, I fear that the sound won’t be there. But God is good and it was there. So was a little picture-in-picture of our little baby! I could see it moving – even in that tiny little picture. I tried to hint by asking the doctor if that was the baby (duh!!) and she obliged by making the picture larger. She seemed to be having fun as she moved the handheld device around looking at the (big) head, the curve of the body under the neck and then the two little legs sticking straight up in the air. Full view.
“Do you want to know what you’re having?”
“Yes! We’re dying to know!!”
“Don’t take my word for it… this is not my specialty, but I will tell you what I think I see.”
“Yes, please!”
“What do you want it to be?”
“We’re hoping for a boy, but will be thrilled no matter what – we just want to know…”
Then she told us what she thought. But Andy made me promise not to tell until the “official” ruling next week. The doctor was really not confident and told us not to go out and start buying anything in gender specific colors – she could be wrong and the ultrasound tech is much better at it than she is. With that said, we don’t want to make an announcement and then retract it later. So we wait… it’s going to be a long weekend! Those that know me know that I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut – I’m already going crazy.
Before the doctor left, I asked about travel. We booked tickets to go to Colorado at Christmas time about a month ago. I did this after much online research suggesting that most doctors recommend no flying after 36 weeks. I’ll be way less than that ("way" meaning three weeks, as Becky pointed out), so it shouldn’t be a problem… right? Wrong. Dr. Gamm was not on board. She said that they recommend no flying after 32 weeks. She left it up to us to make the decision, but notified us that flying any time after 32 weeks can induce pre-term labor. Great…
The last thing was the blood test. For some reason the nurse had a really hard time drawing my blood. Blood drives usually love me because I’m so easy to draw blood from – I’m usually up and off the table in a fraction of the time of everyone else. Not so yesterday. She couldn’t find a vein in my right arm, so she had to go to the left (after removing the needle from my right, ofcourse). Even there she couldn’t get the needle into the vein to just draw one full tube of blood. It was strange. Finally, after several minutes of pulling the needle in and out, she had enough in the tube to test – even if it wasn’t full.
The reason for drawing the blood was to do the screenings for birth defects like down syndrome. I haven’t really worried about anything like that until they did the test for it. Now it occupies my thoughts a little… I know that God will give us exactly what we need and in no way would it affect our love for the baby if something was wrong, but we are definitely praying for a healthy baby and there is a slight awkwardness in waiting for those test results.
“How long until we find out the results?”
“Just three to four weeks – we’ll tell you at your next OB appointment.”
Oi…
Once we were called in to the nurse’s station, the strangest thing happened. The scale was wrong! Oh, wait… no. Unfortunately it was right. But I’m not doing too bad. I think I’ve gained about 9 pounds at this point. But why do the doctor’s office scales always read higher than the scale at home? I’m not changing mine. Theirs is wrong.
Anyways, when they took my blood pressure the machine malfunctioned. Isn’t that weird? I mean, I could see the cheapie ones that we have at home malfunctioning, but I don’t expect that at the doctor’s office. The second time she took it, she got a good reading. “Very good,” in her words. BP – 119/78. Thank goodness Andy has a good memory because I just had to email him for the reading - I couldn’t remember.
Next was the urine sample. They make you leave one at every appointment. As I’m sure you well know, that requires peeing in a cup – which is not so hard when you can see the cup. With an increasingly protruding belly, however, this task gets more and more difficult to maneuver. This is the first time I’ve had a hard time and I’m sure it’s just going to get worse.
Next we were escorted to the room. We got the bigger room at the end. I love the room at the end! That’s where the ultrasound machine is. When we go to the other rooms, the doctor just uses a little hand-held Doppler to listen to the heart beat. It’s still neat and amazing, but I love seeing the baby so much more! We were not scheduled for an ultrasound, so when I got in there, Andy and I were looking around for the Doppler that the nurse usually leaves on the counter. No Doppler! Maybe she’s going to use the ultrasound machine?? Sure, enough…
The doctor was in a hurry with such a heavy case load, so she went straight for the ultrasound machine. She was listening for the heartbeat only, so she blew that up on the screen. Healthy, quick beat… music to our ears. I don’t know why, but my breath always catches a little bit right before I hear it. For a moment, I fear that the sound won’t be there. But God is good and it was there. So was a little picture-in-picture of our little baby! I could see it moving – even in that tiny little picture. I tried to hint by asking the doctor if that was the baby (duh!!) and she obliged by making the picture larger. She seemed to be having fun as she moved the handheld device around looking at the (big) head, the curve of the body under the neck and then the two little legs sticking straight up in the air. Full view.
“Do you want to know what you’re having?”
“Yes! We’re dying to know!!”
“Don’t take my word for it… this is not my specialty, but I will tell you what I think I see.”
“Yes, please!”
“What do you want it to be?”
“We’re hoping for a boy, but will be thrilled no matter what – we just want to know…”
Then she told us what she thought. But Andy made me promise not to tell until the “official” ruling next week. The doctor was really not confident and told us not to go out and start buying anything in gender specific colors – she could be wrong and the ultrasound tech is much better at it than she is. With that said, we don’t want to make an announcement and then retract it later. So we wait… it’s going to be a long weekend! Those that know me know that I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut – I’m already going crazy.
Before the doctor left, I asked about travel. We booked tickets to go to Colorado at Christmas time about a month ago. I did this after much online research suggesting that most doctors recommend no flying after 36 weeks. I’ll be way less than that ("way" meaning three weeks, as Becky pointed out), so it shouldn’t be a problem… right? Wrong. Dr. Gamm was not on board. She said that they recommend no flying after 32 weeks. She left it up to us to make the decision, but notified us that flying any time after 32 weeks can induce pre-term labor. Great…
The last thing was the blood test. For some reason the nurse had a really hard time drawing my blood. Blood drives usually love me because I’m so easy to draw blood from – I’m usually up and off the table in a fraction of the time of everyone else. Not so yesterday. She couldn’t find a vein in my right arm, so she had to go to the left (after removing the needle from my right, ofcourse). Even there she couldn’t get the needle into the vein to just draw one full tube of blood. It was strange. Finally, after several minutes of pulling the needle in and out, she had enough in the tube to test – even if it wasn’t full.
The reason for drawing the blood was to do the screenings for birth defects like down syndrome. I haven’t really worried about anything like that until they did the test for it. Now it occupies my thoughts a little… I know that God will give us exactly what we need and in no way would it affect our love for the baby if something was wrong, but we are definitely praying for a healthy baby and there is a slight awkwardness in waiting for those test results.
“How long until we find out the results?”
“Just three to four weeks – we’ll tell you at your next OB appointment.”
Oi…
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Boy or Girl?
I scheduled the ultrasound for September 16 at 3:00. Hopefully we will find out the gender at that point. I don't want to get my hopes up TOO much because I know that sometimes the baby crosses its' legs at just the right time... but I can't wait!
Any predictions?
Any predictions?
Monday, September 1, 2008
First Belly Pics
We got some fun belly pictures this weekend. The first was at Disneyland in front of the train station...
The others were at the NASCAR Pepsi 500 - one in front of Victory Lane...
The others were at the NASCAR Pepsi 500 - one in front of Victory Lane...
And one in front of pit row...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Not-So-Eventful Week
Well, this week has been the same as last week for the most part. It seems like every week up to this point has brought something new, so this week seemed to drag a little. We're so anxious to find out the gender so we can get started on buying things and picking things out! What is difficult is knowing that if I just had an ultrasound right now, they could probably tell us! But we're not going to have an extra ultrasound just to find out the gender when our next one is scheduled in just a few weeks. I would, though... if the doctor hadn't told us not to. I want to know!
I have always pictured myself as a mom to boys, but I also know that God likes to throw curve balls sometimes. I heard someone talking this week saying that they think every woman "knows" before they have the ultrasound. I have no idea. I am so confused by all of the wives tales (which all say something different) that I don't know what to think. If I had to guess, I would say girl. But that is because 1) we are hoping for a boy (but will be thrilled with either - in no way would we be disappointed with a girl!) and 2) everyone keeps saying they think it's a girl. I think most of them are saying that to give us a hard time, but regardless... it starts to creep into your psyche. :) On top of that, all of Andy's friends have had a girl first. Every single one of them. There seems to be a cycle - will we be the ones to break the mold?? I wish I knew! I guess it will come soon enough, though.
I have always pictured myself as a mom to boys, but I also know that God likes to throw curve balls sometimes. I heard someone talking this week saying that they think every woman "knows" before they have the ultrasound. I have no idea. I am so confused by all of the wives tales (which all say something different) that I don't know what to think. If I had to guess, I would say girl. But that is because 1) we are hoping for a boy (but will be thrilled with either - in no way would we be disappointed with a girl!) and 2) everyone keeps saying they think it's a girl. I think most of them are saying that to give us a hard time, but regardless... it starts to creep into your psyche. :) On top of that, all of Andy's friends have had a girl first. Every single one of them. There seems to be a cycle - will we be the ones to break the mold?? I wish I knew! I guess it will come soon enough, though.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
It's in there!
The baby is making itself known! Over the last week, I've had a few tiny little touches from the inside - mainly when I'm sitting in the car. It must be something about how my seat is positioned, because the rest of the day it's quiet. It woke me up two nights ago and scared me to death. That was the first significant "flutter". I thought Andy had reached over and touched my stomach, but when I woke him up to ask him (the obvious fact that he was sleeping didn't occur to me until the following day - hey, it was the middle of the night!) he swore it wasn't him. :) We're pretty sure it was the little one. Or I'm having some very realistic dreams!
A lot of people have been asking me about names. We haven't talked about them much. I have a few that I like, but we haven't discussed them at length. Any suggestions to consider? And don't say a name that you'll be mad at me for using! :) We have decided to wait until the gender is identified to really talk seriously about it but I am open to starting a list of options. Okay - I'm lying. I already have a list started. But it's not a long list. Okay, I've gotten through the P's. But I want it to be a good name!! Something significant - with a good meaning or after someone we love or something that represents us. I used to have so many ideas about what I would name a child - with all of my friends I always had so many names to offer as suggestions. But now that it's real - now that it's OUR child - this decision seems so much more serious. I don't know how anyone decides on a name!
A lot of people have been asking me about names. We haven't talked about them much. I have a few that I like, but we haven't discussed them at length. Any suggestions to consider? And don't say a name that you'll be mad at me for using! :) We have decided to wait until the gender is identified to really talk seriously about it but I am open to starting a list of options. Okay - I'm lying. I already have a list started. But it's not a long list. Okay, I've gotten through the P's. But I want it to be a good name!! Something significant - with a good meaning or after someone we love or something that represents us. I used to have so many ideas about what I would name a child - with all of my friends I always had so many names to offer as suggestions. But now that it's real - now that it's OUR child - this decision seems so much more serious. I don't know how anyone decides on a name!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
So Far, So Good
We had our 14 week doctor's appointment this morning. The doctor said everything looks good. My blood pressure was a little higher than normal, but not enough to be concerned about. The doctor used the doppler this time to hear the heartbeat and she found it really fast - it actually seemed to surprise her a little bit. She said "Wow, that was easy! You know what that means... it's getting big!" Please don't get too big, baby...
She gave me some different information this morning than I had heard before - some encouraging and some disappointing. She told me that morning sickness in week 14 isn't anything to be worried about - that some women just run a little bit longer than others and it doesn't necessarily mean that I will have it the whole pregnancy (whew!). She also told me not to schedule a special ultrasound at 16 weeks to do gender identification, which means it will be a few more weeks than we originally hoped before we know. At my next appointment they will run blood tests to make sure everything is okay with Baby (indications of Down Syndrome, etc.). I was glad to hear that they do a blood test instead of amnio or anything like that. At that time, they will make an appointment for our big, official, formal ultrasound where the tech will look at individual body parts and hopefully be able to determine the gender. She said that the chances of her being able to tell are very good. I guess if you have an HMO, you have to have it done at this other clinic that is rarely able to identify the gender - glad we have a PPO now! :) Ours will be done there at the same location and she said that the technician is very talented and can almost always identify the gender (as well as any problems that may exist - which is the important part!).
I am anxious to know more and to see the baby again. I know it's growing because my tummy is starting to show. I'll post some pictures soon - once it looks like baby gain and not just fat. :) Hopefully only a few more weeks before I can feel it move!
She gave me some different information this morning than I had heard before - some encouraging and some disappointing. She told me that morning sickness in week 14 isn't anything to be worried about - that some women just run a little bit longer than others and it doesn't necessarily mean that I will have it the whole pregnancy (whew!). She also told me not to schedule a special ultrasound at 16 weeks to do gender identification, which means it will be a few more weeks than we originally hoped before we know. At my next appointment they will run blood tests to make sure everything is okay with Baby (indications of Down Syndrome, etc.). I was glad to hear that they do a blood test instead of amnio or anything like that. At that time, they will make an appointment for our big, official, formal ultrasound where the tech will look at individual body parts and hopefully be able to determine the gender. She said that the chances of her being able to tell are very good. I guess if you have an HMO, you have to have it done at this other clinic that is rarely able to identify the gender - glad we have a PPO now! :) Ours will be done there at the same location and she said that the technician is very talented and can almost always identify the gender (as well as any problems that may exist - which is the important part!).
I am anxious to know more and to see the baby again. I know it's growing because my tummy is starting to show. I'll post some pictures soon - once it looks like baby gain and not just fat. :) Hopefully only a few more weeks before I can feel it move!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Calling all Moms...
I started looking at baby items on Target.com. Although I have done a lot of child care and I know that some of them are just conveniences and not necessities (i.e. diaper wipe warmers)- I also know that there will be some things that I need and don't know about yet.
I'm curious - what are the items that you were most thankful for when you had your babies? What are the less-than-obvious products that you used the most? Is there anything that is often requested on registries, but result in wasted money? Is there anything that you got and never used? Are there items that you didn't think about asking for and ended up needing later? Any input in this area would be much appreciated!!
I'm curious - what are the items that you were most thankful for when you had your babies? What are the less-than-obvious products that you used the most? Is there anything that is often requested on registries, but result in wasted money? Is there anything that you got and never used? Are there items that you didn't think about asking for and ended up needing later? Any input in this area would be much appreciated!!
Friday, August 8, 2008
2nd Trimester
The Second Trimester has begun! I haven't decided if the first one went quickly or not. Some days felt like an eternity, but overall - here we are. And I'm not quite sure how we got here. Well, I mean... I know how we got here but the road seems to be passing by without the chance to stop and get a good look at everything. :) Isnt' that true of life in general? We get to certain points and think "How did I get here?"
The nausea has certainly lessened. I've only had one sickly day this week. In the mean time, Baby & I made it through a business trip to Atlanta and an INTENSE four-day training class. We sure did miss Andy, though... it was beyond words to be able to sleep next to him last night. The longer we're married, the more I miss him when we're apart.
My newest pregnancy symptom is forgetfulness. I keep forgetting what I'm doing in mid-action. This morning I couldn't figure out why my keys wouldn't turn the ignition off all the way. I had put the e-brake on and forgotten to put it in park! I hope THAT doesn't get more severe as time passes! Dizziness is also kicking in a little bit - although the elevators of our corporate office probably had a lot to do with that. Since I won't frequently be riding elevators, I should be good. :)
I read on that little pregnancy ticker that the baby can suck it's thumb now. I wonder if it will be a thumb-sucker like it's mommy? I sucked my thumb for a LONG time... I think I was 6 or 7 when I finally stopped. And then I still sucked it in my sleep for several years after that. I could always tell when I had been sucking on it because my teeth would be sore in the morning when I woke up. The last time I remember that was when I was around 13. I wonder if Baby is getting an early start on that trait or not?
In just a couple more weeks we should be able to find out the gender of the baby. We have to make a special appointment just for that purpose, so I will know more after next week's regular appointment. I can't wait to find out! I've had a lot of people ask me why we want to know and say that it's so much more exciting to find out in the delivery room. I think there is going to be plenty of excitement in that delivery room - even if we find out in advance! I have never wanted to wait until delivery - I've always wanted to know ahead of time. I'm too much of a planner to wait!
The nausea has certainly lessened. I've only had one sickly day this week. In the mean time, Baby & I made it through a business trip to Atlanta and an INTENSE four-day training class. We sure did miss Andy, though... it was beyond words to be able to sleep next to him last night. The longer we're married, the more I miss him when we're apart.
My newest pregnancy symptom is forgetfulness. I keep forgetting what I'm doing in mid-action. This morning I couldn't figure out why my keys wouldn't turn the ignition off all the way. I had put the e-brake on and forgotten to put it in park! I hope THAT doesn't get more severe as time passes! Dizziness is also kicking in a little bit - although the elevators of our corporate office probably had a lot to do with that. Since I won't frequently be riding elevators, I should be good. :)
I read on that little pregnancy ticker that the baby can suck it's thumb now. I wonder if it will be a thumb-sucker like it's mommy? I sucked my thumb for a LONG time... I think I was 6 or 7 when I finally stopped. And then I still sucked it in my sleep for several years after that. I could always tell when I had been sucking on it because my teeth would be sore in the morning when I woke up. The last time I remember that was when I was around 13. I wonder if Baby is getting an early start on that trait or not?
In just a couple more weeks we should be able to find out the gender of the baby. We have to make a special appointment just for that purpose, so I will know more after next week's regular appointment. I can't wait to find out! I've had a lot of people ask me why we want to know and say that it's so much more exciting to find out in the delivery room. I think there is going to be plenty of excitement in that delivery room - even if we find out in advance! I have never wanted to wait until delivery - I've always wanted to know ahead of time. I'm too much of a planner to wait!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Ending Week 12
Well, as of tomorrow I will be 13 weeks pregnant. Not much of a tummy yet. As of this morning, I'm only two and a half pounds over where I started - less than last time I mentioned it. I have a feeling that has to do with food aversions and getting sick, but don't worry - I am eating! I eat three meals a day and try to have a snack in between each. It just doesn't seem to be putting on the weight like I expected it to. I know I'm in the first trimester and not supposed to gain a ton of weight, but the books said that I would be putting on about a pound a week starting a month ago and it just hasn't happened yet.
I'm wondering when I will really start to look pregnant, too... as of now, I can only wear my pants that have stretchy waist bands - but it's been that way for several weeks now and it's really not too noticeable to the naked eye. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to rush it! I'm just curious. A few of my friends have said that they're starting to see a little bit of rounding out in my belly, but Andy still doesn't think I look pregnant. Or maybe he's being nice.... :) Mom helped me out the other day by taking me shopping for some maternity clothes to get my wardrobe started.
I will be taking my first business trip to Atlanta since getting pregnant this Sunday through Thursday. Hopefully everything goes well and stays comfortable! The day I return will be the start of my second trimester (and Dad's birthday!). I'm hoping that the second trimester is more comfortable than the first! At least less sickly...
I'm wondering when I will really start to look pregnant, too... as of now, I can only wear my pants that have stretchy waist bands - but it's been that way for several weeks now and it's really not too noticeable to the naked eye. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to rush it! I'm just curious. A few of my friends have said that they're starting to see a little bit of rounding out in my belly, but Andy still doesn't think I look pregnant. Or maybe he's being nice.... :) Mom helped me out the other day by taking me shopping for some maternity clothes to get my wardrobe started.
I will be taking my first business trip to Atlanta since getting pregnant this Sunday through Thursday. Hopefully everything goes well and stays comfortable! The day I return will be the start of my second trimester (and Dad's birthday!). I'm hoping that the second trimester is more comfortable than the first! At least less sickly...
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Picture #2
Baby Warns is developing nicely! The doctor said that everything looks perfect. The gestational age now lines up exactly with the due date they told us to expect last time. The plus sign on the left is the top of it's head and the one on the right is the end of the little bootie. If you look closely, you can see the little arms and legs sticking straight up. :) What a little miracle...
Monday, July 14, 2008
Beginning to Grow
Things are definitely growing. I tried out the rubber band trick on my favorite jeans the other night to try to stretch them for a little bit longer, but I don't think I'll be doing that again. I'll have to stick to my stretchy pants for now and eventually give in to the maternity wardrobe fully (although I think I have a little bit of time before I have to move over completely).
Sleeping has been awkward this past week. I think it's just the changes that my body is going through and the strange feeling of something being different. I wake up throughout the night feeling like something is out of place. It reminds me of when Mom and Dad had Belle (their dog) spayed. Every time she would jump down from the couch she would look back at her body like "Whoa! What was that?" She just knew something was out of place. I'm in that phase. I'm not big enough for it to be evident unless you're looking for it - and even then you can barely see it. But if I stretch in a certain way, lay down, reach for something, or get up wrong - I suddenly feel like I'm in someone else's body!
I have had my first slight weight gain over the last couple weeks, too. I guess it's mostly amniotic fluid and water retention at this point. As of this morning, I'm up three pounds at 10 1/2 weeks. I'm not sure if that is a lot or normal? I have my next OB appointment on Wednesday morning, so I will find out then. Hopefully they will be doing another ultrasound so we can hear the heartbeat again - it should be stronger this time and easier to keep on the doppler. And the baby should look somewhat baby-like this time. We can't wait!
The nausea seems to be subsiding somewhat. I still get waves of it, but it's not constant any more and I have learned some tricks - like eating whenever I feel it coming on. Even though I don't feel like eating, it does take the nausea away most of the time. If I stay on a regular regimen of eating something every few hours, some days I don't get any nausea at all. Hence the weight gain.... :) If I was only eating healthy food that would probably help. Healthy food just isn't as appealing right now... Why is that?
Sleeping has been awkward this past week. I think it's just the changes that my body is going through and the strange feeling of something being different. I wake up throughout the night feeling like something is out of place. It reminds me of when Mom and Dad had Belle (their dog) spayed. Every time she would jump down from the couch she would look back at her body like "Whoa! What was that?" She just knew something was out of place. I'm in that phase. I'm not big enough for it to be evident unless you're looking for it - and even then you can barely see it. But if I stretch in a certain way, lay down, reach for something, or get up wrong - I suddenly feel like I'm in someone else's body!
I have had my first slight weight gain over the last couple weeks, too. I guess it's mostly amniotic fluid and water retention at this point. As of this morning, I'm up three pounds at 10 1/2 weeks. I'm not sure if that is a lot or normal? I have my next OB appointment on Wednesday morning, so I will find out then. Hopefully they will be doing another ultrasound so we can hear the heartbeat again - it should be stronger this time and easier to keep on the doppler. And the baby should look somewhat baby-like this time. We can't wait!
The nausea seems to be subsiding somewhat. I still get waves of it, but it's not constant any more and I have learned some tricks - like eating whenever I feel it coming on. Even though I don't feel like eating, it does take the nausea away most of the time. If I stay on a regular regimen of eating something every few hours, some days I don't get any nausea at all. Hence the weight gain.... :) If I was only eating healthy food that would probably help. Healthy food just isn't as appealing right now... Why is that?
Saturday, July 5, 2008
My First Purchase
Well, I made my first pregnancy related (non-food item) purchase today. I made my way over to Mimi Maternity (which is having a great sale) and purchased a pair of khaki capris and a tank top. All of my pants have been fitting very snugly for the past week or so – even my “fat pants” that used to be my most comfortable pair because they were so loose. I am not sure whether to feel encouraged or discouraged that these new pants fit me perfectly at only nine weeks. I know they’re comfortable and won’t leave pressure marks, so I’m thankful for that. If you have any recommendations for places to get maternity clothes, feel free to let me know!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Chugging along...
Well, things seem to be moving along smoothly. Other than the constant nausea, which I am beginning to get used to, things are going great. I can't say I am enjoying pregnancy yet, but I have a feeling that once the little one starts moving I am going to love it. I can already feel the beginning of the changes in my body - particularly the tightness in my lower abdomen as things expand. There is also some soreness in other areas - but not as much as I expected. At least for now. :) I know that things can change quickly.
I'm a little confused with how far along I am since every website seems to say something different, but I think I'm at eight weeks right now. According to the gestational age on the ultrasound, Monday will be eight weeks. I'm hoping that since that is a little further behind than what everything else says, maybe I will have a small baby! (Please, God?)
My husband has been an absolute prince to me over the last few weeks. He cares so much and always asks me how I'm feeling and if he can do anything for me. It seems like this process is already drawing us closer together. I am so looking forward to the next several months - and I want to take advantage of every opportunity to share it as a couple. I could not ask for a more perfect partner for the journey. I am so thankful for Andy.
I'm a little confused with how far along I am since every website seems to say something different, but I think I'm at eight weeks right now. According to the gestational age on the ultrasound, Monday will be eight weeks. I'm hoping that since that is a little further behind than what everything else says, maybe I will have a small baby! (Please, God?)
My husband has been an absolute prince to me over the last few weeks. He cares so much and always asks me how I'm feeling and if he can do anything for me. It seems like this process is already drawing us closer together. I am so looking forward to the next several months - and I want to take advantage of every opportunity to share it as a couple. I could not ask for a more perfect partner for the journey. I am so thankful for Andy.
Friday, June 20, 2008
It has started...
Morning sickness has officially set in. I don't know who came up with the term "Morning Sickness." Obviously someone who never went through it. They should have called it "Whenever-it-feels-like-it sickness". Morning? Yes. Noon? Yes. Evening? Yes. Middle of the Night? Sometimes. The nausea has woken me up twice so far in the middle of the night. The doctor gave me a pill that is supposed to help keep it at bay since it was sticking with me all day and it has been my friend until today. Today I think my body figured it out!
I spent the last three days at a training class and it's difficult to walk in in twenty minutes late. It's not like I can say "Sorry, everyone.... I just spent the last twenty minutes puking up every last ounce of liquid in my body and then I had to re-do my makeup because it smeared all over my face!" Instead, I just had to slip in quietly and try not to interrupt as all of the women in the class stared at me with knowing glances. Everyone was very sympathetic to my "delicate condition," as one friend termed it, but it's kind of embarrassing.
Most of the moms that I have spoken to have told me that it will be over soon and then I will hardly even remember it. I sure hope so! I can't wait for the fun things - feeling the baby move and seeing him/her in a sonogram (looking like more than a piece of rice!). I hope this yucky part passes quickly and the others take it's place.
I spent the last three days at a training class and it's difficult to walk in in twenty minutes late. It's not like I can say "Sorry, everyone.... I just spent the last twenty minutes puking up every last ounce of liquid in my body and then I had to re-do my makeup because it smeared all over my face!" Instead, I just had to slip in quietly and try not to interrupt as all of the women in the class stared at me with knowing glances. Everyone was very sympathetic to my "delicate condition," as one friend termed it, but it's kind of embarrassing.
Most of the moms that I have spoken to have told me that it will be over soon and then I will hardly even remember it. I sure hope so! I can't wait for the fun things - feeling the baby move and seeing him/her in a sonogram (looking like more than a piece of rice!). I hope this yucky part passes quickly and the others take it's place.
Monday, June 16, 2008
First Ultrasound
I had my first ultrasound today. It only confirmed what we have known for a week - and what my body has been confirming for several days - I'm pregnant! Although it still seems surreal in the sense that I can not believe this is happening to us, it really hit home when we heard that little heartbeat today. It is definitely in there and it is definitely ours! In nine months (actually, seven and a half!), we are going to be parents.
I am going to keep this blog as an update site for those of you that really want to know what is going on and how I'm feeling - not just the rosy stuff that I will post on the main blog. This is mostly going to be for the girls. If you have been through it and can sympathize or if you want to know what goes on during pregnancy, this is for you! I already know that I am incredibly blessed to have an incredible support system to hold me up through this process - so thank you in advance to all of you that will be beside me through this!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
