to pee or not to pee

Nursery Pics

2008-04-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

Trey's room is finally done! It's been set up (furnished) since before he was born, but I finally just got the rest of his decor on the walls. I know Trey's been dying to get the decor up...he's very excited ;)

Announcing...

2008-01-15T22:45:00.000-08:00

Holy crap...we're having a baby (part 2)

2007-11-29T21:17:00.000-08:00

The nurses hooked me up to monitors to check the baby��s heartbeat and made me lie on the hospital bed. Lying down hurt horribly during the contractions that I just couldn��t take it and begged them to let me stand up and walk around. Dave and I paced the halls for about 10 minutes until the nurse talked some sense into me. She asked why I was waiting for my epidural and I realized that my lame excuse to ��see how far I could go�� just didn��t make sense. We agreed that I could still be superwoman without feeling the pain. She called the anesthetist and we waited about 15 minutes for him to come. He put the epidural in my back and I could feel it going down my spine. I moaned and yelled a few times because it was SO uncomfortable. After a few minutes, I could no longer feel my right side, but had quite a bit of pain on my left side still so the nurse had me roll onto my left side to get the medicine moving. Finally��relief.

We called my mom and dad, Dave��s mom and dad, all our brothers and sisters and Keri. NO ONE answered! Dave ended up leaving messages to call us back and it took a good 30 minutes for the calls to trickle in. Everyone was so excited and Kyle, Mom, Dad, Jackie, Bryan, Joyce and Keri all came to the hospital to hang out with us. We watched TV and chatted while listening to Diana Krall. It was very relaxing and I was even able to sleep for an hour.

After a total of 13 hours, I was dilated to a ten and was told I could start pushing. I was so scared to push for some reason! I kept pushing my epidural button to make sure I wouldn��t feel anything. The nurses cleared the room except for Dave, my mom and Keri and called for the doc. It was all hustle and bustle and before I knew it, I was told I could start pushing. After the first push, the nurse looked startled and called in another nurse to help. They put oxygen on me, propped me on my left side, and told me to stop pushing. The baby��s heart rate had dropped very low. After it stabilized a few minutes later, I was told to push again. About 15 minutes, 6-7 pushes later and a few twists to maneuver his shoulders, he was out! They cleaned him up and we heard a faint cry��.then it got louder. The doctor cleaned him off and laid him on my chest. I held his head and stared at him and cried. My baby boy was here. He was perfect. And big! I remember thinking ��where have you been��? ��what took you so long?�� It all felt like a dream. All I could do was cry and say ��Hi baby�� over and over. Dave was so cute and proud. He walked over to the scale to check on our boy and make sure he was okay. Then he came back to my side and gave me kisses and hugs while I was sewed up. I kept telling him to go be with our son, but he stayed by my side and kept whispering in my ear ��look at him, he��s here��. He was so happy. Dave started calling him Scrumptious that night. What an amazing, surreal feeling! Our boy is finally here and I still feel like I need pinching sometimes. He��s a dream come true!!

2 minutes old - such a big boy!

New Dad - so drearily in love! Trey looking intently at Daddy (doesn't he look so different just a few hours later?!)

(updated 4/20/08)

Holy crap...we're having a baby (Part 1)

2007-11-29T08:12:00.000-08:00

I woke up to my alarm to get ready for work. I walked to the restroom to go to the bathroom and felt like I had peed my pants. I sat on the toilet and couldn’t stop “going”. I called to Dave from the toilet to tell him that I thought my water broke. He mumbled a few words and rolled over. I called to him again and he sat up and said “really?”. Yup, it was time. He got up and started cleaning the house and packing his bag.

I took a shower and my contractions started up. They weren't too bad at first, just stronger than the braxton hicks I'd been having since 20 weeks. I ended up blow drying my hair and putting on my makeup as the contractions got stronger and closer together. I called my doc to make sure I could stay home for a while before getting hooked up to IVs and such. He gave the okay and we hung out at home for about 5 hours while Dave finished cleaning the family room, kitchen, and our bedroom. He also finished packing his bag between rubbing my back during contractions. They started coming about 2-3 minutes apart and hurt like the dickens, so we decided to go in to the hospital. At L&D, I put on a gown and they took a sample of the fluid. After waiting 2 minutes, they confirmed that I was definitely in labor and took me back to my delivery room.

(updated 3/17/08)

Doc Update

2007-11-28T21:50:00.000-08:00

I'm now just over 2 centimeters dilated and 60% effaced. Not much of a difference from last week (1.5 cm and 50% effaced). My doc stripped my membranes. It wasn't too bad, just a bit more uncomfortable than the cervical checks but with cramping afterward. After my appointment, I walked through the waiting room out to my car and felt like the baby was definitely going to fall out. That sensation passed quickly and 6 hours later, I feel no difference whatsoever. My doc says that if I haven't gone into labor on my own by my next appointment (12/5), he'll put me on the induction list. For some reason, I don't think I'll ever go into actual labor on my own. Then again, that may be the infertility creeping in, thinking that my body won't do what it's "supposed" to. I'm totally good with hanging another week. I still like being pregnant. I'm going to miss it!

Budda Belly

2007-11-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

Keri did a "photo shoot" of Dave and I last night. Here are a couple cute pics. Woah, I'm huge!! :) Dave thought he could compete with my belly!!

9 days left...

(Note: Trey was born two days later)

More Contractions

2007-11-26T10:48:00.000-08:00

My contractions have been consistently about 15-20 minutes apart for about 4 days now. Occasionally they will get closer together coming to about 3-5 minutes apart for a couple hours, but they taper off and never stay consistent. I've decided I want to labor mostly at home unless there are any concerns and it's a good thing I've decided that! I'd be at the hospital with false alarms probably 4 times now if I went when the doc says to (5 minutes apart for 1 hour). The contractions are becoming increasingly uncomfortable now; I had light spotting after a few rounds of really bad ones yesterday, so it seems they are starting to do their job (light bleeding/spotting indicates the cervical capillaries are breaking due to dilation/effacement).

I have my 39 week appointment this Wednesday and I'm tempted to ask my doc to strip my membranes while he's doing the cervical check. I'm fully aware that may do nothing, but it might be worth a try. What are ya'lls thoughts on that? Good idea? Bad idea? The more I think about induction (with drugs), the more I want to avoid it, but I'm all for "helping" mother nature along...

2 Weeks Left!

2007-11-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

My ticker tells me we have 14 days left. I'm getting REAL excited now! It's so hard not to talk about anything but baby since I'm so out there and D-day is just around the corner. My doc appointment on Wednesday indicated that my cervix is "much softer" and I'm almost 2 cm dilated. Progress! When I called my mom to give her the update she was very surprised. Apparently with all her kids, she went into the hospital at 2 cm dilated because she was in so much pain. It's so interesting how different our bodies can be.

Last night Dave was mulling over the time we have left and went on and on about how 2 weeks seemed SO much shorter than 3 weeks. I think it's finally hit him that we're "running out of time". He's cleaned and vacuumed the family room (he NEVER has vacuumed in this house-8 months!) and he's been organizing like a mad man. I love it!

14 days left!!

38 Week appointment today

2007-11-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

I have my 38 week appointment in 2 hours. I'm sure hoping to see some progress, but who knows. Baby worked his way into a really weird position on Monday and got me so uncomfortable that I was ready to evict him! Alas, I feel much better now and feel equipped to carry him for as long as need be. I got it in my head last night that he's no longer in a good position for delivery, so I'm glad to have the appointment to see what's going on in there.

I cleaned the guest room last night, so all that's left is the office. Dave has agreed to "spring clean" the kitchen and bathrooms so I don't have to hire someone. Apparently a little threatening to fork out money to strangers to clean your house does the trick! We'll see if it actually happens ;)

Oh, AND I put up the curtains in my bedroom last night. So cute, I'm a big fan!

So tired...

2007-11-19T09:06:00.000-08:00

Amid bouts of mega energy, I am feeling very tired! It's funny how the energy comes in spurts for me now. Some days I am all sorts of gung-ho about getting things done (like Saturday's cleaning fest) and others I just want to sit around all day and do nothing (like Sunday). "My baby" (I'm still getting used to using "my") has definitely found his way into my pelvis. I'm feeling so much more pressure now, almost like he's going to fall out at times. Ooh, and the pain! During the day at work I'm fine, but put me on our squishy couch for an hour and I can barely walk when I get up!! My hips and pelvis are SO sore after lying around, it's amazing. Sometimes I feel like I've got a broken pelvis even though I don't know what that feels like. Again, I have no room to complain as my discomforts have been so minor thus far. Dave and I were reveling last night about how wonderful pregnancy has been for me. Really, how many women can say they breezed through pregnancy and just started to get uncomfortable in the last 2 weeks? Not many! Lucky me!!

3 Weeks Left!

2007-11-16T09:45:00.001-08:00

I'm rounding 3rd, folks! Last night I was awoken by 3 very painful contractions. Shot me straight out of bed and I had to use my breathing techniques to keep from losing it after being awaken so suddenly. They started this morning at about 5 and have continued each hour. I *heart* contractions.

I'm considered "full term" today, which means the baby is just adding on fat. I'm excited about that, because chubby babies are my favorite!

We got the bassinet last night, our final piece of gear. Dave had it half-assembled before I came back from my pedicure, good boy :) Bags are packed and all essentials are ready...now all we need is the baby!

3 weeks left!

Making Progress

2007-11-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

My doctor's appointment yesterday told me that the contractions are actually doing their job. I told Dave before I went that I would be upset if I was experiencing pain for no reason. I am 50% effaced and 1cm dilated. Definitely making some progress. The doc expressed some concern about my swollen feet. BOTH of them were extremely swollen yesterday and I didn't even notice it. That's what happens when you stay busy at work, I guess. The baby's head is down, but not "locked" into place yet, so my cervix is still very far back. The doctor joked that he had to go in up to his elbow to reach it. It definitely didn't feel like he was joking! He still doesn't want to change my due date, but he did mention he wanted to see how far I could get before we looked into induction. I agreed. I'd much rather go into labor on my own. 3 weeks left? I can TOTALLY handle that! Seriously, I'm just started to feel the pressure (literally), but I still sleep comfortably (when I'm not awaken by contractions or to pee).

Nearly There

2007-11-13T11:57:00.000-08:00

The baby's room that is. Dave and I finally settled on a glider/ottoman for the baby's room and Dave put it together last night. We're nearly finished in the nursery! Dave just needs to do some touch-up painting (funny, cuz I don't see where he needs to, but whatever), I need to better organize the clothes, and I'm picking up the last of the "decor" tonight (a couple shelves, baskets, and picture frames). I'm so excited to see it completed and show it off! It SO does not look like a baby's room (other than the crib and mobile and such), but we're really happy with how it turned out. We intentionally painted so that he can grow into it and it's not babyish (AND Dave and I are not fans at all of cartoon characters or the like as decor).

I'm feeling less stressed now and like I can focus on the big upcoming event. I've felt so overwhelmed with all the things I had to do and buy to get ready for a baby. Our last big baby purchase was made last night and my hospital bag is nearly packed (I know, I'm so procrastinating that project), so we're on our way!

The Sleep Bandit

2007-11-12T09:42:00.001-08:00

I finally figured out why I've been waking up so often in the middle of the night: contractions. They've gotten increasingly stronger since just after my last doc appointment. I thought at first I just kept waking up having to pee, but then when I shifted a bit in bed, I realized that I did not have to pee and I was having a contraction! They have become increasingly stronger and can even be painful at times, so I have no doubt that's it. I guess it's a good thing...hopefully my cervix will be cooperating with all these contractions and I'll have made some progress at my next appointment on Wednesday...

4 Weeks Left!

2007-11-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

I'm officially 36 weeks today, with 4 weeks to go! My how the time flies. We're at the "safety point" according to my doc, which means that if I go into labor, he won't do anything to stop it. I'm going shopping with Keri tomorrow to find all the final necessities for my hospital bag and will hopefully have it packed by Sunday. I don't know why I've been putting it off...it just seems like such a big job to pack a hospital bag! Our little guy will be here before we know it!

4 weeks left!

Baby Boom

2007-11-07T20:29:00.000-08:00

My doc appointment today revealed our little guy measuring in at just under 7 pounds. Really, how does he fit in there?! Even though I'll be 36 weeks in 2 days, midget is as big as a 37.5 weeker. My friend Mindy says her preemie (who came 6 weeks early) ended up being 8 pounds 1 ounce! And she's TINY! My sis-in-law had a 9.5 pounder and cousin had a 10 pounder and both were less than a week overdue. It's really interesting how that happens. I just don't get it.

Here is a list of fetal size averages. For 36 weeks, the average length and weight are 18.66 inches and 5.78 pounds

I'm not dilated, but my cervix is very short (I'm not sure what that means-effaced?). Doc says we'll discuss induction once my cervix starts to show some progress. I'm definitely not ready for the little guy to come yet, but for some reason I'm not too thrilled about delivering a 9 pound baby. As long as he's healthy and comes out screaming...that's all that matters.

No Sleep for the Weary

2007-11-05T11:44:00.001-08:00

Saturday night I got no sleep and blamed it on my binging on fair food. Last night I got no sleep and I'm trying to blame it on my back being out, so I'm heading to the chiropractor tonight. If I get no sleep tonight, I'm blaming it on pregnancy!

5 Weeks Left!

2007-11-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

5 weeks remain in this pregnancy o' mine! I'll be packing my hospital bag this weekend (all my books said to do it in week 31, but I'm a slacker) and finalizing the organization of the baby's room. All of the midget's clothes are nearly washed and folded, they just need their home in the dresser once I can get to it. Dave and I are determined to find the rocking chair this weekend and once the bassinet and stroller/car seat arrive in the mail, I'll have everything I need to outfit a newborn! I'm getting excited, but mostly, I would still love more time...

5 weeks left!

Dave Jr Jr

2007-10-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

Dave got a better feel for pregnancy yesterday. He sprained his ankle pretty bad and it now matches my swollen feet. I don't get that guy...he still tries to play immediately following his injuries. Such a guy.

Last night he asked if the baby is still moving a lot. I laughed because the kid never stops moving! I put his hand on my stomach while we were laying in bed and he (Dave) was quite surprised at the power our little midget displays. He got to feel the midget shoving his leg or arm or something up against my side again and again. He does that constantly while I'm in bed trying to go to sleep. It's about an hour routine at bedtime. Dave commented that the feeling would drive him crazy and it would get so annoying to him. I laughed. Sometimes the baby's hiccups get annoying and I find myself drinking a lot more water thinking that will somehow make them go away. But boy do I love feeling those jabs and juts. I'm going to miss being pregnant. I pray that I'll have the opportunity again someday.

Oh Boy

2007-10-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Dave and I tackled the final items on our baby gear list. All we have left is the rocker/recliner and pack n play to purchase. Phew! Midget's room is nearly painted (Dave is a perfectionist and has some tiny spots he wants to touch up) and soon we'll have it back together so it actually looks like a nursery. The swing is set up, the monitor has been tested and the car seat/stroller is on its way in the mail. I feel SO much better having things coming together.

New observation: while pulling on a pair of my still-roomy pants this weekend, I could barely get them zipped up. I panicked, thinking I had gained 20 pounds over the weekend, but was "comforted" by mom telling me that my hips are just spreading! I'm carrying a lot lower now, so apparently I'll need to do some maternity shopping again.

Scary thought: While looking through Dave's baby book, I discovered that he weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces when he was born. If you're thinking "not a bad size", you're totally wrong. He was born 4 weeks early!!!! Considering our little guy has been 2 weeks ahead in size since about 20 weeks and is still measuring big (our dates are definitely not off), I'm a little concerned. Babies are supposed to gain 1/2 to 1 pound each week in the last 6 weeks, so you do the math!! I'm definitely raising the induction topic again at my appointment next week...

6 Weeks Left!

2007-10-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

My OB appointment went well yesterday. The midget is still measuring 2 weeks ahead (which puts him at 36 weeks). The doc said we probably just had my dates off, but I quickly corrected him that was impossible. He then scheduled a full ultrasound 2 weeks from now for measurements and weight check. He still won't budge on changing my due date though. I don't mind, but I was very emphatic about not wanting to delivery a 10 pounder. He did say that he will induce me if my "body is cooperating".

6 Weeks Left!

Bedrest Sucks!

2007-10-23T09:23:00.001-07:00

I don't know how those ladies do it for weeks even months at a time! I was about to go out of my mind being bedridden for just 3 days. I read a book, watched several movies, played on the internet, folded laundry, and attempted some crafting (bad idea). I feel like my back has gone to mush and I was so much more fatigued by the end of the day from NOT doing anything all day. I'm SO glad to be back at work among the living!!

7 weeks left!

2007-10-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

My trip to triage freaked me out a bit. I realized I am in no way ready to bring a baby home. My house is nowhere near organized, but it's coming along. I wasn't "pre-registered" at the hospital, so it took forever for me to actually get back into a room. Luckily, I wasn't having painful contractions, otherwise I'm sure I'd have been irritated. 33 weeks is too early. This little guy needs to continue baking because I'm sure I'd be terrified if he made his debut now. I'm doing my best to follow doc's orders and keep my feet up this weekend.

7 weeks left!

For the Record...

2007-10-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm huge! I've never been a skinny girl and I'm totally fine with that, but man alive this pic freaks me out (the 2nd pic-the 1st is a "before" shot)!! I don't feel big, but looking in the mirror is just frightening. It's well worth it, but I sure hope I'll look back on this in a year and laugh.

8 Weeks Left!

2007-10-12T09:11:00.001-07:00

I had my 32 week appointment yesterday. Did that come out right? 32 weeks?! Yup! Midget is doing great as usual. I got to get a peak on ultrasound of him yesterday. His face was up and he was making all sorts of weird grimaces. He never stopped moving! He's still measuring 2 weeks ahead, which means he's just under 5 pounds now. No talk of moving up the date yet, but we'll discuss it at our next appointment. I'll be going every 2 weeks now!

I have 7 vacation days remaining at work, so I've decided to use them the week before my due date so I can get a handle on my house. It seriously looks like a train hit it. I'm going to be doing mostly organizing that week, so I've decided to hire a cleaning crew to attack my kitchen, bathrooms and floors before the baby comes. Is that bad?!

8 weeks left!

I take it back

2007-10-10T16:16:00.001-07:00

Baby shopping WAS fun. It's lost a bit of it's flavor since there are so many things I have left to buy. I like the shopping part, but the fatigue after just 30 minutes of walking around sort of gets in the way. I *heart* internet shopping. I believe my final purchases will be made that way ;)

On a mission

2007-10-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

I'm on a mission to get all the final necessities for our little guy, because, let's face it, I just don't want to do it last minute! I've pretty much bought out Old Navy and I'm on to Target this weekend to get all the big things left on our registry. Baby shopping is so much fun!

9 Weeks Left!

2007-10-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Another week to check off my calendar. Another week feeling unprepared! Dave has moved all the nursery furniture to the middle of the room and taped off for painting. Hopefully he'll get to it soon. I've found that I've become a nagging wife in hopes to prepare him for our little guy's arrival. Love my Dave, but he is quite the procrastinator.

I've noticed today that my pants are falling down when I get up or sit down. I thought at first that they might possibly be too big around the waistband, but I was sorely mistaken. My belly has gotten too large for my favorite pair of maternity jeans. No worries, I've prepared for this. I have 2 pairs that I couldn't fit into 2 months ago, so hopefully they'll work!

9 Weeks Left!!

Childbirth Class Followup

2007-10-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Our class was interesting last night. The teacher went over the basics of anatomy, stages of L&D and terms, drug options, and some breathing techniques. We watched a video of a natural childbirth. Dave did fine through the movie, as expected. I looked over at him and as the baby came shooting out, he quietly said "ow". The interesting part of the class was that there were about 12 couples. Every mother was with a male, except one girl who brought her mom. We were probably the 2nd oldest couple in the class. The older couple looked as if they were in their late 30s. So the class basically looked like a scene from Saved By the Bell. ALL young teens. When we went around introducing ourselves, every single one of the mothers introduced a boyfriend. No spouses here, folks. Married couples were the minority. It was, well, interesting. On our way home, Dave and I commented about the ages of one couple and guessed that the boy was about 13 or 14. He really looked that young. Dave even thought he may have been a son of one of the older moms upon walking in.

Anyway, we had a chance to try out some breathing techniques. Dave was hilarious, as usual. I've always imagined a very calm, fun-filled, lax labor and delivery (a girl can dream, can't she) and Dave helping me through breathing provided a preview. Each breathing technique was practiced twice. The first run was always humorous, but Dave sobered up on the second one so we could actually see if it was something that may work. During one technique, Dave got the counting wrong and almost sent me hyperventilating. We won't be using that technique ;) I was also pleasantly surprised at how willing Dave was to give me back, foot, and hand massages during the practices. He even got to rubbing the Buddha belly without the teacher suggesting it. I was very impressed with his "coaching skills". Overall, the experience was a good one and I'm glad we decided to take the class. We'll have two more after this and then hopefully 4 weeks later, pop out a strapping young lad!

Childbirth Class

2007-10-03T10:57:00.001-07:00

Our birthing class starts tonight. I'm anxious to see how Dave is going to react to "the video". I warned him about it last night on our walk and he said he'll be fine. He's always playing "Mr. Cool", so I don't doubt he'll be great in that type of situation. I'm just curious to see his face while watching the actual event. After this week, I have no doubt the rest of my pregnancy will FLY by. It already has, as I've mentioned several times before. But after this week, we have several activities going on until the end of the year. I even have 3 holiday parties on my schedule for the week after my due date!

2007-10-01T15:25:00.001-07:00

Baby Shower Fun!

2007-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

My baby shower on Saturday was such a blast! Thank you to all who made it memorable and fun. The food was great and so were the games and company. I can't wait for Dave to finish painting the baby's room so we can put everything in it's place.

I'll post pictures soon...

30 Weeks Today!

2007-09-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

My how the time flies. I keep saying that, but I really do mean it. My shower is tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited!! I've been having dreams all this week about it. Some good, some bad ;) I can't wait to see old friends and family AND eat yummy food! My friend Darlene is making me one of her famous fancy cakes, I can't wait to see it! I'll take lots of pictures...

Today begins the official countdown...

10 weeks left!

Roly Poly

2007-09-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

The midget has kept me up for the past 2 nights. I'm sure he's trying to prep me for his arrival. Every time I lay down to rest, nap, or go to sleep; for some reason he thinks it's play time. His kicks and punches have turned to rolls and jabs. It's quite interesting to see his dance moves on my belly. Dave and I like to put the remote on my belly and watch as it dances around. He's all over my ENTIRE stomach...sometimes I wonder if there's an octapus in there. When I lay on my side, whatever side is touching the couch will be pummeled by little taps and pokes. On the other side, I'll feel rolls and swipes. I really wish I could have my own ultrasound machine so I could see what is going on in there...

29 Weeks Today!

2007-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Uh, where has the time gone? I found new stretchmarks this morning under my belly. They were hiding. I was so proud of them, I showed one of my co-workers. She laughed at me and told me that it was nothing to be proud of. Uh, I've been waiting for these stretch marks for a long time...I'll wear them with pride :) We're getting closer to the single-digit countdown and I must admit I'm feeling claustrophobic. Not due to pregnancy, but because I feel my walls closing in on me at home. I have a huge list of projects I want to do before baby comes, but I'm afraid that all won't get done. The only major concern is getting the room painted and Dave is still under the impression that I'm not allowed to paint (there's no medical reason why I can't, but hey, if I can avoid it I will. I HATE to paint.), so hopefully I can con him into doing it while I have my shower next Saturday. Can I tell you how excited I am for this shower?! I'm not sure how I'll respond being involved in one that is centered on me, but I am very anxious for that day to be here.

Baby is now over 16 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds. What the?! I remember when he was the size of a sesame seed. Sometimes I look at my belly and am very skeptical that there's something-or someone in there. Then I see the ripples of the little guy moving and I'm brought back to reality.

Stranger = Best Friend

2007-09-20T11:06:00.001-07:00

Last night, Dave and I went to the grocery store for our weekly shopping. He's been coming with me more often now, because for some reason, I get dizzy and have to sit down in the aisles when I'm at the store. It also helps to have him dip in the cart for me when we check out so I don't have to keep bending over. The bending isn't so much a problem, but the belly is. I forget it's there and bump into everything. It's really quite humorous. The cashier didn't get a price right on something, so he asked me to check on it for him. I asked to squeeze by the lady behind me and had to duck my belly under her cart handle. She acted irritated and said, "I could move, if you'd like". I smiled and said, I'm good, thanks. I came back with the price for the cashier and continued to checkout. The same lady then said, "Oh, now it makes sense why couldn't get by" with a smile. Apparently I look preggo from the side and not the front. I'm still amazed at how nice people are to me now (once they see the belly, anyway).

A man in scrubs winked at me in the cheese aisle. That was awkward.

A store worker passed my aisle, then came back to ask if I needed anything while I was hunting for brownie mix.

A woman at the dentist's office said I looked so good for 7 months and went on to tell me all about her pregnancy. She just found out yesterday that she's 5 weeks along.

I've noticed that strangers think they're my best friends now. It's interesting.

Dare I Say I'm Huge?

2007-09-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

I don't feel big, but when I pass by a mirror, I still freak myself out. Who is that preggo person?! Oh yeah, it's me! My belly starts feeling heavy toward the end of the day. That's what a full day's work will do to you, I guess.

I attempted to put the last of the decor up on my cabinets in my kitchen, but my belly kept getting in the way (don't worry, Dave was there to spot me). So, I had to resort to Dave attempting to put things up. Backfired. No offense, boy Dave, but you can't decorate. Now I just have a slue of junk sitting idly on top of cabinets. Looks like crap, I tell ya.

10 Things I Love About Being Pregnant

2007-09-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

Kasey said I should post this. I'm sure she wasn't serious, but I took the dare anyway! Yeah, so it's not 100 things, but 10 will do.

When I eat too much and feel guilty about it, people tell me I'm allowed to.
My pregnancy wardrobe is much cuter than my pre-pregnancy apparel.
Strangers tell me I'm "so cute".
I have an excuse to wear flip-flops every day.
I love it when Dave comes to give my belly a hug.
Shopping for baby stuff is so much fun.
I love having an excuse to lie around the house and do nothing after work.
Dave's much more understanding when I snap at him.
I never get cold anymore.
When Dave tries to feel the baby move, he jiggles my belly and "spanks" Trey. For some reason it makes me roll.

I'm a New Woman

2007-09-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

thanks to my chiropractic visit on Friday. I never expected to feel so much relief from 30 minutes of cracking. Doc was taking a look/feel at my neck and back and told me that EVERY one of my aches and pains is baby-related. I'm glad to hear that. After the adjustment, I felt sore, but good. Either baby really liked it or really hated it, I couldn't tell. He was jumping ALL over the place after that. I'm thinking maybe he got shoved out of a comfy position or something (no worries-he's back to his usual twitching and punching/kicking now). And get this...I didn't have ANY pain over the weekend. Even now, I feel great! Yes, I was sore from the cracking and my back does still feel sore (like I worked out kind of sore), but I'm attributing that to the sheer weight of the baby (okay, and all the other stuff in my gut). AND...no significant swelling in the right foot/leg since the adjustment. I actually wore heels yesterday to church! I haven't been able to get my right foot into anything other than 2 pairs of flip-flops for a couple months now. Exciting! I'm heading back to the back-cracker again today so he can see how I "held up". Big fan!

P.S. This is my 100th post on the baby blog. Go me!

Chiropractor

2007-09-13T10:09:00.001-07:00

I have a chiropractor* appointment tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited!! Within just the past 2 weeks, my back has constantly felt out-of-place. My tailbone hurts when I'm sitting and I can feel my hips and pelvis out of alignment when I walk (I sort of do a half-waddle for a few steps until my lower half starts to cooperate). Then in the morning, I can barely roll out of bed, I'm so stiff. Honestly though, how lucky am I to be plagued with only ONE symptom right now?! I hear complaints of pregnant women all around me and I feel very lucky. I couldn't have asked for an easier pregnancy!

*Heidi-I'll be calling you for a massage following my adjustment ;)

Doc's Appointment

2007-09-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

I had my 28-week appointment with the new doc yesterday. He is great, but really is so weird. I don't think he looked me in the eye once! And when he asked me to get on the table so he could check the hearbeat with the doppler, I barely laid down and he started pulling my shirt up and yanking the top of my pants down. It wasn't inappropriately done, I just thought it funny how much he lacks bedside manner. I honestly don't care though...that's what the nurses are for, right? Anway, everything looks "perfect". Baby is finally head down, butt up and kept moving his legs from my left to right side. Which explains why I keep feeling kicks on opposite sides. AND, now I'm measuring two weeks ahead. I've been consistently measuring 1 week ahead since I think 14 weeks. Doc says that's still in the normal range and things could change further down the road. For some reason, I had in my mind that the little guy would come out 30 inches long and 5 pounds (not literally-I'm just expecting a long, skinny baby). Maybe it's cuz I'm married to skinny Dave.

Yup, That's a Stretch Mark

2007-09-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

Or 2 or 3 or 6! I have new stretchmarks folks. I've been keeping an eye open for them to appear on my belly, but they snuck in on my sides instead! I didn't know that could happen. I have 3 lovely 1 inch red stretch marks growing on each side of my belly about 2 inches above my hips. And I thought my belly had stopped growing the past 5 weeks...boy was I wrong!

Letter to My Baby Lost

2007-09-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Baby,

Today, September 7th, would have been your due date. During the past nine months I have thought about you many times. I lost you early, and did not get to know you as well as I had planned, but you touched my life like no one else has. I know that you are with God now and He will take care of you until we meet again. I look forward to that day.

You came to us very unexpectedly. After years of infertility and several medical treatments, you came naturally. The doctors were stunned to hear of your presence, telling us we had a 1% chance of conceiving you without medical intervention. I sometimes wonder if your existence was partly to help me heal from hearing of my best friend's pregnancy, or if it was a sign that God knew what He was doing and that we needed to follow His timing. I know for sure that you brought Daddy and me closer together. I was very pained with your passing, yet as you left my body, I knew in that moment that I needed to make your Dad a priority in my life and give him the attention that I had neglected for so long. You gave us new life, baby.

This is a sad day for me, yet I feel comforted knowing that your presence was not a mistake. That God had a plan for you, just as He has for me.

I am excited to meet your baby brother in December; his pending arrival lessens the pain of losing you.

Until we meet again, little one,

Your Mommy

On the Move

2007-09-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

It still amazes me at how much this little guy moves. I'll feel what I think are feet on my right side, then 10 minutes later, the kicks have moved to my left. Perhaps he's doing handstands or cartwheels? Or maybe I really am carrying an octopus... His schedule has been pretty consistent since I started feeling him (hopefully that'll stick after birth!). Every other hour he starts his acrobatics. It's so entertaining to me to see my belly dancing and get a response when I poke it. It makes me emotional to think of what I'm experiencing. I remember watching my friend's belly move like an alien had taken over and praying that I would be able to experience it myself. There's nothing else like it.

Weighing In...

2007-09-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't gained any weight or seen any belly growth at all during weeks 22-27. Is this something I should be concerned about?! I saw my doc at 24 weeks and didn't realize that I had not had any weight gain or growth until looking at my personal records now. Midget is still moving a lot...I have an appointment next Monday, so I'll be sure to bring it up then. I don't know if I should be thrilled or worried!

Registered

2007-09-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

We registered at Tar.get and Bab1es R Us (well, just the stroller for giants at BRU) today and I was surprised at how much Dave enjoyed it. He was oogling and cooing more over the baby items than I was. Granted I wasn't feeling up to par due to my blasted cold, but I was expecting Dave to try and rush through the entire experience. He actually took charge of the "gun" and was sure to analyze each (and every) product to make sure that it would be the best for our little guy. We came across some bibs that said "I Love Daddy" and he was so excited to scan them. He also attempted to pull the trigger on many Winn1e the P0oh items, but I refused. I did recant and let him scan 2 items. No offense to P0oh, but I've never been a fan and quite honestly don't like anything with little characters of any kind on them. I'm a big fan of retro/geometric designs and have finally eased into the idea of non-commercial prints of animals and sports. We both enjoyed our 2 hours together and left feeling very anxoius and excited about our midget's pending arrival. He'll be here before we know it!

100 days remaining...

2007-08-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

I just saw on my ticker that I have 100 days left. Seems like a lot at first glance, but the more I think about it...it's fast approaching! My schedule shows something going on every Saturday up until the baby comes. I like the idea of keeping busy so I won't sit and wait for the timer to go off. After all, my belly button has almost popped already. I know, the baby won't be "done" for quite a while ;) I'm sure I'll change my mind a few weeks down the road, but I'm VERY comfortable at this point in my pregnancy. It's been such a breeze so far. All the scares that I've had have turned out to be nothing to worry about and the symptoms are nothing to whine about either (although Dave hears a lot about my back pain since I'm trying to coerce him into massages-it's not working). Maybe it's the infertility brain creeping in, but I get SO irritated hearing the complaints of other pregnant women (I'm not talking the occasional complaint-but those who tell me every day how sick they are of being pregnant). I want to scream at them "I know so many women who would kill to be in your position right now"! It seems I need to put my sympathy hat on, because I apparently have no empathy for whiney, pregnant women.

100 days!

Weekend Hospital Visit

2007-08-27T09:47:00.001-07:00

Dave and I stopped in at the Open House of the new hospital where I am registered to deliver. They are opening up to the public next week and had an open house to show the public the services they'll be providing as well as give tours. We got a great parking spot and walked towards the big tent with a crowd of people. There weren't signs anywhere so I forced poor Dave to "ask directions". We found out they were serving free lunch so I jumped in line for that. After about 20 minutes of waiting, we got some grub and sat with a group of old folks. I swear, I have never seen so many old people in all my life. It was like an elderly convention! After lunch, we ducked through the lines to pick out packets, brochures, and freebies for the things we were interested in (child birth classes, OB services, Pediatrics, etc.). Then we snuck into the front of the line where the tours were starting. The tours were expected to take about 45 minutes and all Dave and I were interested was the OB department. So...after we got through the doors, we jumped between tour guides to find the maternity ward. We walked through the waiting room, through the triage room, and were stopped by a few volunteers who offered to give us a personal tour. So cool! They took us to see the L&D room, as well as the postpartum rooms and the spa room! Then we got to see the nursery and relaxation room (dim lights with a waterfall for laboring moms). It was so zen-like!! The staff and rooms were so amazing, Dave and I left the tour feeling so excited that our little guy will be born there. Then to top it off, as we were driving home, I was reading about the amenities they offer in the postpartum "suites": huge flat-panel TVs, DVD players, pull out couches, AND mini refrigerators. We're stoked!

Cry Baby

2007-08-23T15:20:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about how my life is going to change when our little guy gets here. People say that when they are pregnant they develop an immediate bond with the baby. I haven't really felt what others describe. I'm not "in love" with the baby yet. I'm in love with the idea. I definitely feel a bond to the entity that has taken up residence in my uterus. I smile when I look at his ultrasound pictures, when I read about how he's growing, or when Dave talks to him like Darth Vader - using my belly button as a microphone. Yet, my image of this kid is not of an infant. I get emotional watching dads play soccer with their 3-year-olds, envisioning a picnic with a 2 year old, and thoughts of visiting the zoo when he's 5. I tear up when I see 2T overalls and little croc shoes that would fit a toddler. That doesn't happen when I hold up a 0-3 month onesie. Why, you ask? I honestly don't know. Maybe it's a subconscious fear that I won't be able to take care of an infant. Perhaps it's denial, or self-preservation that this is finally a reality. A hesitation to idealize an infant in my life. I've ALWAYS been able to picture children in our lives...never a baby. Or maybe it's because God was preparing me for the bigger picture. No matter how we built our family - the end result would be the same...

I don't know what the answer is, but I'm excited to find out.

The Bee Bo Effect

2007-08-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

Has anyone read the Belly Button Book? My mom gave this book to my niece and it calls the belly button a Bee Bo. I think that's so funny!

My Bee Bo just does not look the same. I have a "gut gauge" if you will that helps me track belly growth: it's a mole that started out on the very inside of my belly button. Does that gross you out? Get over it ;) That mole has now moved to the outside of my Bee Bo and I can tell I've grown in just the past week because it keeps inching its way further outside the hole. So weird! I should have started taking pictures of just my belly button early on throughout my pregnancy; then I could have done one of those quick lapse slide shows to demonstrate the belly growth. That would've been so cool! I know I could've been nominated for something doing that!

Cinnamon Bears

2007-08-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

I must confess that I have a stash of cinnamon bears in my drawer at work. They are just my favorite thing right now! And almonds...mmmm. Luckily my cravings haven't been very "weird". They can be severe though...I try to avoid the thought of what I want, but if it stays with me for more than a few days, I'll treat myself to it. Only problem is that after that 3-day wait, I want to eat way too much of it! It's a good thing I have less room in there or I would ;) Since my 14th week, this has been a weekly adventure.

Alright folks...what have been your weirdest cravings? You don't have to be/been pregnant to have weird cravings!!

Bulging Belly

2007-08-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Dave got a glimpse of the comments I get on a daily basis now. While shopping in Flagstaff, I was asked 5 times (within 2 hours) when I was due, what I was having, how far along I was, etc. Dave was absolutely shocked that people would be so forward about a bulging belly. He has been trying to convince me that I don't look that big yet, but alas, it is more apparent than he lets on ;)

Proof:

(We were told to smell the trees on a tour, I'm not making out with it)

24 Weeks Today!

2007-08-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

I've officially started the 6th month today, holy cow (technically, 23 weeks is 6 months-but who's counting)! The little guy is now about 1.4 pounds and is longer than 12 inches head to foot. Sometimes I look at my stomach and just can't believe there's a baby in there. Until he kicks me in the bladder or cervix, then I'm slapped back to reality. I've been feeling so great lately (there are minor complaints here and there of course), it's hard to remember how I felt before pregnancy. It's been good to me. All the hormones have treated me well. My doctor told me that I'd likely feel the greatest while pregnant and now I believe him. No cysts on my ovaries, clearer skin, no anxiety, and my moods aren't rocky all the time. And depression? Haven't seen that ugly beast for several weeks now. I do have the occasional emotional outbursts, but they're nothing like before. Dave can attest to that...we haven't had any major tiffs in forever. I'm really diggin' this pregnancy thing.

Stupid Blogger...I loved my layout on this one, but it looks like it has gone wacko as well.

Achy Breaky Belly

2007-08-16T10:25:00.001-07:00

I'm sure this is a common symptom: the heavy belly. My gut feels SO heavy somedays, it's crazy! I'm doing pretty well with weight gain...so far 15 pounds (ALL in my boobs and belly). Hoping to keep it at a pound a week for a total of 35-40 pounds. That's my goal anyway. Back to the subject...I called my new doctor because this heaviness was so bad yesterday and I was having shooting pains in my right side. I thought they were ligament pains, but they were totally different than the ones I had earlier on. The doc gets on the phone and tells me, "that's because you've pulled, possibly torn that ligament on your right side. Didn't I tell you that when I did the ultrasound?" Uh, no! I sure wish docs would give all the info then and there so we didn't have to call them. Oh well, the baby is fine...so it seems this is just a minor inconvenience that I'll have to deal with.

New Doc

2007-08-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

I got to see my new OB yesterday. He's a little on the weird side, but very nice. He did a quick ultrasound in the office to "make sure I was pregnant" and confirmed that there is indeed a midget in there. Once again, we have proof that baby likes to kick my bladder. He is measuring right on target (possibly a little ahead) and all looks well.

After my appointment, I ran to the grocery store and saw a couple walking out with their brand new baby. I started to get emotional and realized that I was tearing up for a very different reason this time. Very surreal.

Babymoon

2007-08-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

Dave finally felt the baby move over the weekend. It was a nice anniversary treat. The baby gave 3 really good kicks and each time I asked, "did you feel that"? Dave says "I feel your stomach moving". Yeah, that's it boy Dave. I think he was expecting to feel an actual foot kicking him or something.

Dave thinks he's funny: (while I was trying to pick up the last of the laundry, I dropped a sock and asked Dave to pick it up for me) "You could get it if it was a candy bar". Boy was he lucky I was in a good mood! Rather funny actually.

Ultrasound Update

2007-08-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

At the ultrasound on Friday, everything measured and looked perfect! A+ for the midget. While trying to get some good shots of him, he kept boxing me and bike pedaling into my bladder. Now I have proof that he does kick my bladder all the time! He looks so much bigger from the last ultrasound...it's so fun to see him growing!

22 Weeks Today!

2007-08-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Yeah for another week to check off the calendar! We have another ultrasound scheduled for today to check measurements and the baby's major organs. I have been so lucky to have so many ultrasounds to put my mind at ease....I really look forward to them. It's amazing to see such huge development over such a short period of time and I love to see the little guy jumping around in there, it's so fun.

After the ultrasound, Dave is treating me to a steak & shrimp dinner (not sure which restaurant we'll be going to yet)! Just a brief history: pre-pregnancy, I would only include red meat in my diet once or twice a month and the rest would be chicken, fish, or vegetarian. I just was not a red meat person, plus I was trying to keep meals more healthful. Since becoming pregnant, I haven't had chicken in 5 months! It tastes like trash to me. Seriously. I have become a huge red-meat eater and I can't get enough of roast beef, burgers, and carne asada. So weird!! The funny thing is that Dave is trying to lay off red meat, but with my new crave on the rise, he has no choice but to eat it. However, tonight I'll be ordering the steak & shrimp and he'll be having the baked potato & salad. Dave eating salad. HA!!!

Busy!

2007-08-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy busy day at work! We found the "solution" to my swelling foot: walks. It must be poor circulation, because the more I sit or prop it up, the more it swells. I look like I have one hobbit foot! I've tried walking the two nights it's been the worst and the swelling goes down completely after 15 minutes. Glad to have that under control. Now, back to the busy days. I don't like them so much because I don't have time to sit and feel the little midget bounce around. He's been very active lately; I can feel him kicking about every other hour, but on busy days I get too sidetracked to sit still for very long. Oh well, I guess that means he'll be slamming me in the evenings when I can relax ;)

Braxton Hicks

2007-08-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I started feeling some scary cramping. Midget was bouncing around like crazy for about 3 hours straight, so I wonder if that had anything to do with it. The cramping was very uncomfortable and kept coming, so I decided to look it up in my books and start tracking it. I counted 4 in one hour and decided to call my doc. Apparently I'm having Braxton Hicks already. Doc says most women have them after 20 weeks, but they don't feel them. Again, my super-sensitive body is freaking me out. I was told that if I have more than 6 per hour, to go straight to OB triage. I'm praying that won't happen and if it does, it'll happen in a couple weeks when we reach the 24-week mark. For some reason, that milestone makes me feel so much more comfortable. If anything were to happen, I'd want it to happen then.

The Rings are Off

2007-08-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

I woke up yesterday morning and got ready to jump in the shower. I always take my rings off before I get wet, but it took me quite a while this time, so I decided to keep them off for good. I'm so paranoid they'll get stuck on there and I'll have to have them cut off. Not a good experience from what I've heard. PLUS, after looking in the mirror today, it seems that I have about an inch of regrowth already. I had my hair highlighted about 3 weeks ago and it's growing so darn fast! Not only is the regrowth obvious, but it's much more obvious since my hair has gotten darker! I've heard of that happening during pregnancy, but always thought it a myth ;) So, I'm off to get a touch-up on my hair before the trip and will be ringless through the duration of my pregnancy.

Thanks Ang!!

2007-07-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

Ang from my office brought in a mobile for our baby's room today. It's so cute!! It's a "Symphony-in-Motion" mobile with a remote control. This is one item that did not come with my bedding set and I was concerned about matching, but I think it will be perfect! The best part about it is it's got settings for Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. My kid will for sure be a genius after listening to it! ;)

Prenatal Massage

2007-07-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

My good friend A. told me about a prenatal massage at Dolce and I took advantage of it last night. I swear, my massage therapist had magical hands. I've never felt more calm and rejuvenated in my life! Apparently, the salon/spa does things a little differently than other places. They don't have the table with the belly hole in it, so they prop you up with 8 pillows of various sizes while you're on your side. The midget seemed to like it as well because he kicked me in the bladder the entire time. I had to get up to pee 3 times in the 90 minute session!! No worries, I fell right back into my trance when I got back on the table. What a difference a lil' massage can make!!

Bouncing Baby Boy

2007-07-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

Our little fella has been bouncing off the walls a lot more lately. Dave still hasn't been able to feel him move, even though the baby's packed some good punches while his hand has been there. However, he has been able to SEE him move. I can see my stomach bouncing away after I eat, it's rather fascinating. His favorite toy still seems to be my bladder, which entails a lot more bathroom trips than I'd like. It's exciting to feel him more frequently now, about every other hour. It's so reassuring to FEEL that he's ok.

Our next ultrasound is this Friday at 22 weeks. I'm so excited to see how much our little guy has grown...I'm sure he'll look quite different than the last scan at 16 weeks!

21 Weeks Today!

2007-07-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

Man, I'm getting excited! I'm closer to having this baby, than I've been pregnant.

I went to Last Chance today with Kyle & Bryan (never going again-that's a whole different story) and found the cutest baby crocs for our little guy. I also found a "My First Christmas" stocking and realized that this Christmas is going to be so mad crazy and exciting all at the same time! I better start shopping for Christmas presents early this year!!

No Sleep

2007-07-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to sleep very well the past couple nights. I'll wake up on my back in pain and switch to my side, but it doesn't help much. My back is killing me and I have to get up to pee at least twice in the night. And on top of that, I get so hot in the middle of the night, I'll wake up sweating. I'll look over at Dave and he's bundled up in his sheet and big furry blanket (he NEVER slept with anything before), so I know it's not hot in the house. It's only going to get worse, right? The past couple days I just wish I didn't have a job to wake up for so I could sleep it off. Yesterday at work, I could not get comfortable for the life of me. My bra was too tight (this is the second new bra size I've purchased-ack!) and my chair didn't have any back support. My office was hot and sticky. Blah, blah, blah.

Just when I start to close my eyes in frustration, the little guy kicks me. In the bladder no less. It's his favorite toy in there I think. And I smile. I tell him that he can kick mommy as much as he wants. Because I know how lucky I am to be in this position. Then I start to tear up thinking of where I've been and where many of my friends are now...hoping and praying that they'll be this uncomfortable soon. I hope that too my friends. It's the most uncomfortable, glorious feeling and I can't wait for you all to experience it...

You asked for it!

2007-07-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

Don't make fun! Here's the "belly shot" at 5 months (20 weeks)...NO sucking in. In my defense, this was taken right after I ate lunch. I really popped the last week and a half...I can tell by the look of my belly button ;) I'm so much bigger than I thought I was!

20 Weeks Today!

2007-07-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

We've reached the half-way mark, I'm so excited!

Not-so-good news: I may have toxemia/preeclampsia already :( Big bummer about that. Last week my right foot and lower leg started swelling up for no reason (which is odd since I had surgery on my left ankle about 6 months ago). I have to go in later today to have it checked out because the swelling only goes down just a little bit when I elevate it and is still swollen when I wake up in the morning. I don't have any signs of a blood clot and earlier this week, my blood pressure was good. Weird. Makes me nervous, but I'm sure all will be OK.

Good news: I found a new OBGYN. Dr. Russell Beck who is going to be the head of Obstetrics at the new Banner Gateway hospital on Higley & I-60. Which means I get to deliver at the hospital I wanted to, yeah!

Great news: The nursery is well under way. I have been busy organizing the baby's room (we used it as storage while we unpacked-bad idea) and Dave has been Mr. Fix-it, assembling the crib and installing the ceiling fan and moving things to the attic. Not such a fun feat during the dead of an Arizona summer. I think I've decided on paint colors finally. Very boring: tan and light blue with a chocolate stripe.

I'm so excited to be at the half-way point that I'm treating myself to a massage on Saturday! Yeah for me!!

Baby Stuff

2007-07-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

OK, there are some pretty funny baby products out there! I've come across a few that just make me laugh! (top pic is a set of socks that look like converse sneakers and bottom is a set of pacifiers)

The Belly

2007-07-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

It's official: I have a pot-belly. Dave and I were debating who had the larger belly last night and I definitely won. He insisted he was bigger than I was, but then we laid on our backs in bed and compared. Yup, I won. I still walk past the mirror and think to myself, "time to work out". I don't look pregnant to myself yet...just very bloated.

The little guy has been kicking a lot more lately. It still comes and goes, but it's so exciting and is increasing in consistency. I was talking to a client the other day on the phone and gasped when the baby kicked. Sometimes I forget he's in there and it freaks me out! Dave still hasn't been able to feel him yet, even though there've been some pretty darn good kicks when he's tried. Hopefully soon.

No-So-Little Kyle

2007-07-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

I heard from my Mom yesterday that my youngest brother, Kyle, refers to this midget as HIS baby. He's told her that he prayed and fasted for so long for this little guy that he feels like it is his. Way to make me cry! I can't tell you how much the support of my friends and family has been through this painful journey of infertility. I know our little Kyle didn't know much about our struggle and he never said a word to me, but it means the world that his prayers and support were with us and he thought of us that much. He's the coolest kid ever, I'm tellin' ya.

19 Weeks Today!

2007-07-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Wahoo, time is flying by! I woke up this morning with a much more pronounced belly. Before I could just pass off as "chubby" or an "overeater", but now I feel like I look very pregnant. I cannot for the life of me suck it in anymore. So weird! We are slowly cleaning out the baby's room and plan to have the crib and dresser in there tomorrow. The bedding came yesterday and Dave and I are both very excited about it. It looks much better than it did in the photos.

On another note, I feel like I'm running out of time. I know I have quite a while left before this little guy comes, but I feel like there's just so much to do. Since we moved into our new house and we found out we were pregnant the same day as the move, my energy level has been squat and I can't get to organizing like I normally would. Very frustrating. I may just have to recruit my organizational nazi of a mother to help me.

Office Space...TMI

2007-07-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

TMI: you've been warned. So yesterday at work after standing up from peeing, I went to flush and saw that the water in the bowl was green. It freaked me out! I immediately wondered what I had eaten or what malady had caused this eery sight. Infertility is a funny thing...it is automatically an undertone whenever I fear something is ailing me. Apparently the janitor had just slipped in one of those "blue flushes" tablets and the water had not yet turned blue when I went to sit down. I laughed at myself for not thinking of that first, but turning to the thought of horrible diseases or food poisoning as the cause.

I walked back to my desk laughing at myself. Then I turned off the light in my office and began to blog. I really am spoiled at work sometimes: Access to the internet whenever I choose, I can turn the lights off AND they spoil us with "blue flushes" toilet water!

No OB for me...

2007-07-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

I had my 18 week checkup today.

Good news: The baby's heartbeat was great and my weight gain has been a total of 8 pounds so far. Much better than what I thought it would be.

Bad news: My OB/GYN is moving to West Phoenix and will no longer be caring for me unless I decide to follow her out there. Not gonna happen. Although I really love Dr. BP, I'm not too keen on the idea of driving out to a Phoenix hospital to deliver my baby, let alone for appointments. So, I'm now looking for new doctors. Any suggestions ladies? I'm really hoping to find one affiliated with the new hospital on Higley & 60, but of course a good referral and positive research will be the deciding factors. You can cross of Drs. Linnerson, Butler-Poku, and Huish from your list. Who have y'all seen and liked?

Crib & Dresser

2007-07-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here's the crib and dresser we purchased over the weekend. We didn't get a chance to clean out the baby's room so everything is sitting in the hall right now. Dave is trying to figure out where we should put everything once we get it set up. He's so funny about making sure everything will be completely efficient and functional. Gotta love my overanalytical man!

Baby Bedding

2007-07-06T20:24:00.001-07:00

Alright folks, here's the bedding I "won" on ebay (the set I got is brand new). I'm not sure how I'll feel about it being so dark, but I'm sure I'll know better once it gets here. I'm in love with the dots though, so cute!

18 Weeks Today!

2007-07-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, we're getting closer to the half-way mark!

I've been looking for crib and dresser/changing table sets. I've narrowed it down to two for Dave and I to look at tonight. Hopefully tomorrow we'll finally be owners of some nursery furniture!

Next it's on to bedding. Ebay has the greatest deals on such cute sets, I'm so excited! And this is one area that Dave and I actually agree on. We don't want any animal or cartooney type themes so we're sticking with geometric shapes and blue/tan/brown colors. I'm planning on putting in some bids tonight, so we're getting closer to having a real nursery!

As soon as we've made our official purchases, I'll post some pics.

Wake UP!

2007-07-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn's arrival sort of slapped me into reality. I'm having a baby in less than 5 months!!! And I have nothing but a few cutes outfits I've randomly come across and have been gifted. So...it's time to clean out the baby's room and go furniture shopping!

Brooklyn Jane McWhorter

2007-07-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn is so cute and chubby! Mack called me at 12:25 and told me "you have to come right now". I got to the hospital at 12:40 just as Brooklyn's head crowned. 18 minutes later, she made her full debut. 8 pounds, 10 ounces, 20 inches long. Chubby little midget with Keri's nose. She's SOOO cute! She kept sticking her tongue out the entire time and looking around at everything. She's not much of a crier. Doc didn't arrive in time and Keri didn't like that much, but her nurses were absolutely fabulous. Mack Daddy is in Heaven and Mom is doing well. I can't figure out how to get the pics off my phone, but I'll post them as soon as I can (I wasn't given much notice to get my actual camera from home).

Migraines

2007-07-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

Boy do I love migraines. I used to get them randomly back in the day. Now they visit at least once a week and I can't shake them for the life of me. Chalk it up to more hormones I guess. I've tried tylenol, tried orange juice, tried caffeine. Nothing. I drink way more water than I'm supposed to, so I'm sure it's not dehydration. Any other safe suggestions?

17 Weeks Today!

2007-06-29T10:08:00.001-07:00

Is it really 17 weeks already?! I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going! I'm 3 weeks short of half-way there!!! I feel great. My energy is back up. I'm cooking again (only once or twice a week, but still), my house is no longer in shambles, I can stay up past 9 and Dave and I have been able to more comfortably discuss "our baby". It's so fun to sit and talk about what our midget is going to look like, what events we'd like to put him in, and how our lives will be once he arrives. This was such a tender subject before. We'd avoid talking about the baby at all costs, afraid to get attached to something that might not happen. I never heard Dave say the word pregnant until 2 weeks ago. He was scared, but he wouldn't admit it. I was too, but now the anxiety is gone and I'm not expecting something to go wrong anymore. Now Dave talks about "Trey" on a regular basis like he's here and already a part of the family. He even starts the conversations. Let's hear it for milestones!

Dreamer

2007-06-28T10:56:00.001-07:00

Can I just say that my dreams during pregnancy have been so freakin' weird?! I've had your typical sex dreams, Dave's cheating on me dreams, the dreams where my baby comes and I can't find him, and the not-so-typical dreams where I accompany my friends up 3 flights of stairs in a large cabin to avoid autograph-seekers.

Last night I had a dream I was fighting with Janet Jackson in a huge water-flooded mansion. She kept trying to chase me and I would just lock her out of each room. Then, she'd find a candle stick and break the door down each time. She was SOO mad at me. Then Will Smith came to save Janet from me (even though I was the one running from her). I ended up running from both of them, trying to tread through the water up various sets of stairs in the white mansion. I woke up to realize that I was breathing very heavily. Then I just laughed at myself. Perhaps this is a foreshadow of an upcoming movie starring Janet & Will! Anyone else have wacky dreams lately?

Let the Shopping Begin!!

2007-06-27T13:29:00.001-07:00

I've been window-shopping on and off ever since I got that first positive pregnancy test, but now the real fun has begun! Since we have the official "it's a BOY" stamp, shopping has been so much more fun! It's easy to get carried away online looking at all those cute boy outfits. I purchased some 3-6 month boardshorts for Midget from Old Navy. They arrived today. They look like they're for an old man...can they get any cuter?!

Rant

2007-06-25T13:05:00.001-07:00

Please don't let me become one of "those" moms...the kind who talks non-stop about their kid even when the subject doesn't include them. It's so irritating to me. I can't stand it when I'm asked a question, only to be interrupted by a brag from said mom talking about her child's toilet training...especially when the question was regarding my haircut. Someone please tell me how potty training relates to my hair?!

flavor of the day...

2007-06-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

it's a...............

BOY!!

The little guy was moving around so much the tech almost couldn't get a good shot. He kept steamrolling all over the place and boxing the umbilical cord. When she finally got a good view, Dave said "wow, he's big". Guys are so funny!

Afterward, we went to test drive strollers and found only ONE that was tall enough for us. Luckily, it was pretty cute. We picked out a stuffed frog for our boy's first gift.

1 More Day...

2007-06-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we officially find out the gender of our little midget. I'm surprised at how excited I am! We were told "unofficially" at our 12-week ultrasound, but have been tentative to shop for anything or paint the nursery until we know for sure. Wahoo!

Sweet Dreams...

2007-06-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from a friend congratulating us and pointing out some reasons why God doesn't always grant us the desires of our hearts in our time...it was a great reminder.

"Elisabeth and Zacharias prayed for a child throughout their lives, and yet never had a child until she was long past her childbearing years. The reason was simple: her son was John the Baptist, and the timing of his birth was critical to his mission. Yes, Elisabeth had faith. Yes, the Lord loved her. Yes, he wanted to answer her prayers, and he did in a big way that was more wonderful than she had ever dreamed. But the timing was essential and could not be changed."

This reminder brought tears to my eyes as I realized that God has plans for each of us. He knows our wants, desires, and needs...yet he may withhold them for a time to meet a greater need. I don't know what that could be for our family, but I do have faith that God has great plans than I ever did for this baby I carry. I'm excited to see those unfold in the years to come.

Tickle Bug

2007-06-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Last night Dave and I were enveloped in a serious conversation about our future goals (I love it when that happens-it's very rare) and all the sudden I burst out laughing. Dave was offended at first, but when I told him that his kid was tickling me from the inside he grinned. I've felt the little bugger off and on over the past few weeks, but last night and today, the midget has me laughing. I feel like I have a little fish slapping around in there! I even started laughing on the phone with one of my clients. Imagine his confusion as I tried to explain myself. I guess I should be telling clients I'm expecting before I have another outburst ;)

15 Weeks Today!

2007-06-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'm the size of a softball. I weigh about 2.5 ounces and measure nearly 4 inches. My fingernails are fully formed and I can now move all my joints and limbs. I'll be here before you know it!

Chocoholic

2007-06-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

So, this baby loves chocolate. I haven't been able to stomach it during the first few months of my pregnancy, but have just been able to add it to my tolerable foods list. I've noticed the midget goes crazy whenever I have chocolate (pudding, brownies, etc.). I feel bubbles for at least 5 minutes afterwards. It seems I have my own little chocolate fountain in there ;)

Speaking of chocolate...my weight gain so far is 6 pounds, but then I lost 2 somehow and am now at a total of 4 pounds. I don't get it. I don't mind, but I don't get it. Then there's Lacey...who is smaller than I am and 6 weeks ahead of me and doesn't even have a belly yet! That's not natural, Lacey!!

Dreams

2007-06-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

"For every dream that is shattered, another one comes true."

A quote from Lacey...thanks for making me smile :)

Sometimes the fear of losing this baby does overwhelm me (although everything looks perfect). I can't imaging going through the physical and emotional pain of a miscarriage again. But I know that what's supposed to happen will. And no matter what happens, Heavenly Father will take care of me and I will go on.

Thanks Lacey!

We have a winner!

2007-06-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

So I've been skating around baby items of registery to see what piques Dave's interest. It took a few days of prodding to find out what he wants a say in: STROLLERS! I asked him if he wanted to go "test drive" strollers next week after we find out the flavor of the baby and he said, "yes, I totally want to do that!" I was quite taken aback...and then he reminded me that we are giants and he doesn't want to be hunched over pushing a stroller all the time. I did not even think of that. He is a very funny man...he has definite opinions about some things and others he says he doesn't care. He insists he doesn't care about the way the nursery is decorated, but I have a feeling he'll pipe in when I start to pick things out.

So...next week after we find out the official flavor of the baby, we can be seen test driving strollers at Babies R Us ;)

Tia Rosa's

2007-06-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Anyone been there? So good! The atmosphere is great...they have a mariachi band that walks around, along with fabulous authentic decor. It's the first time I've been in a restaurant without gagging! I've come a long way... ;)

14 Weeks Today!

2007-06-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

I had my 14-week OB appointment today. Despite my fear that no heartbeat would be found (seems to haunt me 1-2 days before each appointment), baby is doing fine. The bean kept moving around while Doc was trying to track the heartbeat and she kept yelling at it to stop moving. It was really funny. My results came back from the NT scan and everything sounds perfect.

Our official gender determination ultrasound will be in two weeks. Any guesses (from those who don't already know ;) what flavor we're having?

Punching Bag

2007-06-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling lots of pulling/tugging and twitches in my uterus lately. I'll be asking my doc at my appointment tomorrow. I still get so nervous before my appointments. I'm terrified there won't be a HB!

Last night I was awoken by what felt like a punch from my insides (I know it wasn't round ligament pain-it was dead center). I'm a very sound sleeper and it shot me out of bed. I sat there in silence trying to analyze it and I felt all sorts of movement (swimming) right afterwards - for about 5 minutes. Could that have been the baby?

2nd Trimester

2007-06-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

Well folks, we made it to the 2nd trimester! I'm feeling more relaxed this week already and getting excited to prepare for the baby. Dave is actually talking about the baby and has used the "P" word (pregnant) more than a few times now, so it seems he is feeling more comfortable with the idea as well. We looked over crib bedding last night online and were shocked that we have the same taste in that area. We're not usually in synch when it comes to things like that. I have my 14-week appointment with my OBGYN this Friday. Other than a migraine this week and slight nausea, I'm feeling so much better! I actually had a craving for green beans last night-my first thought of veggies since I became pregnant!

In Awe

2007-06-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

I think I might have felt the baby move this weekend! I was at Sandra's surprise shower sitting and chatting with Uncle David when I felt a flicking on my insides. It was so weird that I just dismissed it. Then it happened again later while Keri and I were driving home. It was a very distinct flick. Like someone flicking your hair and you can feel it on your scalp. I don't know how else to describe it. I've only felt it once again since then, but I'm pretty sure it was the baby moving. So weird! I thought it was too early to feel movement, so I looked it up and apparently between 12-25 weeks is the norm. That's a huge range! I'm very in tune with my body, so I can easily differentiate a gas bubble from uterine twinging and such, so I'm sure that's what it was.

At church yesterday, Dave was joking that I could be making up being pregnant and there was no way for him to know it. I quickly reminded him that he saw me POAS, was there for the ultrasounds, saw the baby moving and heard the heartbeat. "Oh yeah", he said. Nerd alert.

Graduating

2007-05-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it seems I am graduating to maternity pants. I've been trying the rubber-band trick for the past 2 weeks now and its getting old. Keri accompanied me to Motherhood, Old Navy and JC Penney and helped me with some great finds. She also acted as a model for me for the warmer clothes since I'll be her size in the winter. I still need to get a few more essentials, but I think I'm set for now.

Hungry

2007-05-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

I must be going through a growth spurt or something. This weekend I could not get enough to eat! On Sunday I woke up and had a bowl of cereal, then a blueberry muffin and a yogurt. I took a muffin with me along with some fruit snacks because 3 hours is a long time with no grub! After church I had a grilled cheese sandwich, another bowl of cereal, and a smoothie because I was still hungry! I still felt like I hadn't eaten anything after that full 3-course meal! Such a weird feeling. I'm trying to get used to the new feelings and identifying actual hunger pangs, but I'm so not used to them being this strong. I feel like a cow!

WE'RE PREGNANT!

2007-05-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

If you're reading this blog for the first time, WELCOME! You've probably navigated your way over from another blog by learning that we're pregnant. We couldn't be happier. Thank you for celebrating our journey with us!

If you're wondering how or when it happened...you can start here.

I'll be updating every now and then, so check back often!