the REAL results

This is my 12 weeks-(profile)

This is 20wks-(a foot)

This is 24 wks- my creepy little aliens face :-)

(confused? tilt your head to the left the dark circles are eyes)

24 weeks- (spine & ribs)

26 weeks- (profile of face)

26 weeks-(another profile of face)

Me @ 26 weeks 6 days

* I thought since I always post about my numerous ultrasounds it would be fun to post a few of the ultrasound pics. Little buddy is always super active so its hard to get many good pictures but these are a few of the better ones I have so far.

**Update from my last post**

So we just got back from my doctors appointment to go over my ultrasound results....and they were good! yay! So the overall information was that while little buddy is small he is still growing. He is on a consistent upward growth trend that while in a small percentile is still not technically small enough to be considered IUGR / growth restricted (I am AT RISK for iugr but not diagnosed iugr). So for the time being I am going to just be closely monitored for the duration of my pregnancy--bi-weekly appointments and bi-weekly ultrasounds (possibly weekly depending on how his growth progresses) They will be monitoring the umbilical flow which basically shows how the placenta is passing nutrition to the baby and they will be monitoring his growth.

The best news is: as long as he stays on the current growth trend he is on (and doesnt drop any lower) I wont have to go on bedrest!! Yay!! As for the current situation they just want me to continue to take it easy, dont push myself, if I feel crampy or tired or anything I need to stop what I am doing, drink water and rest! If for some reason he does drop lower that will mean bedrest and if (worst case scenario) his growth stops than we will be discussing different delivery options, etc. but the midwives feel confident that it wont come to that and that little buddy will stay put for at least another 10 weeks (I am 27 weeks now) and that he will be born healthy and just a tiny little peanut!

PRAISE GOD FOR ALL HIS BLESSINGS! This is the best christmas present ever!

26 weeks and quick ultrasound update

So I dont have a ton of new info but I figured I would update and let some family know ( who I know are wondering) how the ultrasound went yesterday. My good friend Kerry went with me because Donnie was only able to take some time off once this week (his company always gets super busy right before the holidays because of people having guests and wanting everything to work lol) so we decided it would be best for him to take time off to come to my appt on Wed. where we will be discussing my ultrasound results in detail and what that will mean for the rest of my pregnancy

So my good friend Kerry came with me, the ultrasound went well. Little buddy finally gave us a few cute profile shots and he wasnt as active as normal so we were able to see more detail (I think he is sleepy in the morning just like his mommy haha) All the main organs and everything looked fine (same as before) and when looking at his growth he HAS grown since my last ultrasound two weeks ago but he is still behind meaning his belly measurements are still almost a full month behind where they should be, his arms/legs are still about 2 weeks behind and his head is only a few days behind (same as before) but he has grown! Obviously the largest concern before this ultrasound was that I would go and he would measure the same as two weeks ago but he is still growing at a consistent rate but hes just behind where he should be (specifically in his abdominal measurements which are in less than the third percentile which clearly isnt good)

The u/s tech was really nice, it ended up that her daughter used to work w/ Kerry as a nurse at Children's AND even weirder I had heard about her daughter from Kerry because her daughter was pregnant the same time Kerry was but had really bad hyperemesis! And her daughter lives in Campbell County too--such a small world. So we talked w/ the tech for a few minutes, she totally understood my experience w/ hyperemesis since her daughter too had the zofran pump, IV fluids, etc.

Since we kinda knew the tech she was more chatty about the results of my u/s which was nice. She said he is still in the same percentile of growth despite him growing from the past two weeks. So essentially there is still an upward curve of growth at a consistent rate but I am still going to be in the at risk category. The dr's at the seton center want me to come back in another two weeks for another u/s and the tech was guessing that I will probably come back every two weeks for the duration of my pregnancy (which is fine w/ me--I will have a whole baby album of ultrasound pics haha!) But she couldnt tell me indefinitely because I will obviously have to talk w/ my midwives to see how they want to approach treating me

Our appointment is on Wed. so I am guessing that is when I will get the official IUGR diagnosis (or not?) and I will find out what they recommend for my care (at my last appointment they hinted that bedrest for the rest of my pregnancy would be the next step....) I will have more details after that! Thanks for all the prayers, I know that they are helping!! Now onto my weekly survey--my last survey for the 2nd trimester! As of today I am officially in my 3rd trimester! Weird!

How far along? 26 weeks

Weight gain? I have been stuffing my face since my last appt 2 weeks ago in hopes of gaining weight for me and the baby. The midwives were hoping to see a little more weight gain from me so we will see on Wed. I feel like I am eating all day long and so much food! In reality its probably a normal amount but I swear that Ive gained like 10lbs in 2 weeks haha

Maternity clothes? Still wearing them. Donnie and I went this weekend to try and find me a comfy pair of boots so I would have something with some traction to wear in the snow (currently I am only wearing clogs which dont bode well in snow) So we went to Boot Country--lets talk about how my feet and ankles were so swollen that I didnt fit into a SINGLE pair of womens boots...not 1...and sadly, not even some mens boots! I guess I didnt realize I was swelling because my clogs are so loose

Sleep? I have been sleeping much better actually, Ive figured out what pillows to use, how to manuever so I dont get all tangled up...I'm still working on curing Donnie's snoring though...

Best moment this week? Glenn family christmas was very fun! I love watching little kiddos open presents and be so excited they cant handle it! Plus it is bittersweet to think that this is our last Christmas for the rest of our lives that is going to be just me and Donnie :-) It was fun thinking of all the fun christmas stuff we will get to do w/ little buddy next year (yes I know he will be less than a year old but it will be exciting nonetheless) Donnie's mom got me an antique classic pooh book (we are doing a classic pooh theme in our nursery for those that didnt know)--it is SO precious and definitely one of my favorite gifts

Food cravings? pizza as always...not too much else

Labor signs? none

Belly Button? innie

What I miss most? I had a pretty content week this week...I still miss smoking as always but whats new with that?!

What I'm looking forward to most? My appt on Wed. to get the final verdict and my 1st baby shower in Sunday! I cant wait to see some of my high school friends and college friends!

Milestones? I cant think of any huge milestones this week, still working on getting Donnie to be able to feel little buddy from the outside but he only kicks hard enough to feel from the outside every now and then so its hard to get Donnie in time to feel it. During my ultrasound the tech was using the wand much higher than I thought the baby was but I guess the baby is big enough now that he isnt just hanging out below my bellybutton. I mean I knew that he was up higher but it became more real when she was like right around my ribs...strange. Little buddy was quite the acrobat during my appointment. though stretching his legs out completely and up toward his face. Kerry joked that he was going to be gymnast and I said a gymnast just like his daddy...but my story about Donnie taking gymnastics is for another post all together haha...

25 weeks & Ultrasound results!

So this is my last evening at 25 weeks and I figured I would wait until after my appointment to update today. So the most important news is my ultrasound results from my last ultrasound. Well the CNM's (certified nurse midwives) are starting to suspect more and more that I have Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). Basically IUGR is when the baby is not growing appropriately for its gestational age. From what Ive read there arent specific things that definitively cause IUGR but there are correlations between IUGR and things such as smoking, drug use,etc. Obviously for me these things arent related and actually the CNM said that looking at my chart and at me she wouldnt have guessed that I would be at-risk for IUGR.

But looking at my ultrasound results and doing some research I have found it is common w/ IUGR babies to have a head that is the correct size for gestational age with other body measurements measuring small which is exactly what little buddy has. Basically the midwives said though that it is a really good sign that his head is close to normal size she said that when the head is also measuring behind it is definitely more serious so that is one good thing. I have another ultrasound scheduled for Dec 21st and she said after that ultrasound they will have enough measurements to make a determination if it is actually IUGR or just a small baby. If it is IUGR my next step will be bedrest--I jokingly told her I already do nothing so I dont know how much more restricted my lifestyle can get haha

But back to the serious stuff....I feel like after feeling so confident in previous posts about how I am managing this I will say that after my appointment today I just feel a litte more shaken with this information. I have been praying that this would just be a little baby and not IUGR because there are obviously so many more negative things that result in an IUGR baby (ex: having to be induced, likelihood of pre-eclampsia, bed rest, etc.)

I have really been struggling just tonight with keeping my thoughts focused on the Lord. I know that HE is the Ultimate doctor for my little buddy, I know that HE is the perfect creator and that little buddy is being formed inside me as a perfect child for me and donnie, I know that God will never give me more than I can handle (I praise God for stories like Job, as a friend reminded me, He never gives more than you can handle so apparently he has more faith in me than I have in myself) I know that little buddy is not mine, he is already the Lords and that regardless of how anything turns out--it is God's perfect plan and will and the Lord is justified and merciful in everything he gives me to deal with. I know that God is SO FAITHFUL he has stood by me everytime, and everything has always been okay and I have managed every other time and every circumstance has had its purpose so this time and this circumstance will be no different.

These are the things "I know" now its a matter of literally repeating these over and over again until my sinful heart starts to "get it". I know after talking with a friend that many of these concepts are things I need to start learning now because as soon as little buddy is here these truths come more and more into play (particularly knowing that little buddy is NOT MINE but the Lords!) I am working on staying positive, not letting my fears get ahold of me, trusting in God, and praying. I know that I have a God who has no limits-- anything is possible with him. so I AM praying that at my next ultrasound the Lord will have grown little buddy to a healthy size and that all will be "normal". I am not bashful in asking this because I know that if it is His will, it is totally a possiblity! I just praise God for giving me so much grace--just the right amount to keep me sane and continually turning to Him. HE IS SO GOOD!

So on a more positive note here is my "fun" survey about my 25th week of pregnancy:
How far along? 25 weeks

Weight gain? I am officially up 9lbs from my lowest weight this pregnancy! I am still about 9 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight but I feel good that I am gaining! (never thought I would say that...ever...in my life) It seems I am gaining about 3-4lbs a month which is good--or at least better than nothing!

Maternity clothes? still rockin them! Oh and fun fact, maternity panty hose are much more comfortable than non-maternity pantyhose. I think this may be another maternity item that sneaks into my non-maternity wardrobe after little buddy is here.

Sleep? I have been sleeping a little better. We are still roughing it in our little queen sized bed :-)

Best moment this week? Renewing my vows with my husband-- our church had a church wide vow renewal service to mark the end of a sermon series on mercy in marriage. It was really fun, they had a reception afterward complete with a wedding cake and dancing. It was so much more meaningful to look into my husbands eyes and make these promises knowing how much work goes into it, how hard it is to keep those promises daily. It made me really stop and think about how blessed I am to have such a God-fearing, loving, supportive, husband. He truly is my best friend and I wouldnt want to be sharing my life with anyone else.

Food cravings? pizza...mmm and I really want another piece of wedding cake from that reception...seriously our table was all about some wedding cake it doesnt help that there were two preggo's sitting right next to each other

Labor signs? none thank God!!! I am praying that I dont have any of these for at least another 11 weeks...AT LEAST and that my braxton hicks would go away because they are annoying
Belly button? Innie--as always

What I miss most? bending over w/ ease haha this makes for a funny mental picture when you imagine a pregnant lady w/ a screwy center of balance who cant bend over trying to put on pantyhose...it was a risky operation but a success

What I'm looking forward to most? my upcoming baby shower--I have the best friends and family! I am really so lucky to have people around me that are so supportive and loving--I appreciate it more than you all could know!

Milestones? I think Donnie felt the baby for the 1st time. It is still up for debate, he didnt seem very excited but I am thinking it may be becuase his kicks are still so weak that it was such a tiny tap from the outside that Donnie was a little disappointed. But I know once Donnie gets to feel his 1st jab he will be more excited--DONNIE READ BETWEEN THE LINES (I know he reads my blog ha) ACT EXCITED NEXT TIME YOU FEEL THE BABY MOVE! I MEAN, ACT REALLY EXCITED! haha so that is about it. Oh and another fun fact...as of today I am exactly 99 days away from my due date! yay for double digits!

24 weeks

Well now that I am 25 weeks I thought it fitting to do my survey about 24 weeks haha

Just a sidenote: I know my blog is boring...like really boring, but honestly there isnt much going on being as I'm not working or in school. I spend my time doing...well not much...I volunteer--that should count for some fun stories...not! I definitely feel at a stand still sometimes because while I have all the free time to be doing things like reading stimulating books and taking up new hobbies I lack the desire to do so by myself. As much as I am a homebody, I hate doing things alone...I want to try and start up a Women's Bible Study of sorts once the new year hits but lets be real--that probably isnt going to happen. As for hobbies, most hobbies for women entail some sort of craftiness--knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, etc. I AM NOT CRAFTY I know that if I tried to do one of those hobbies the whole time I would be thinking " I need to hurry up and finish this scrapbook just so I can be done" (hence over a year later I still havent turned in the layout for our wedding album) or "Thank goodness I am almost done with knitting this scarf!"

I enjoy reading but I really do miss the dialogue that comes with being a student, reading a book or article, even if its boring, and having group discussion about it. Maybe I need a book club? Who knows but I do know one thing--if I dont start doing something intellectual soon that requires even an ounce of brain power--my brain is going to turn to complete mush. Currently its starting the mushing process. Okay enough about my brain mush, on to the boring survey which I am hoping I will enjoy looking back on some day...hopefully

How far along? 24 weeks (completed)

Weight gain? I weighed myself earlier this week and had lost a few lbs but I weighed myself in the morning and I was scantily clad so I honestly could be the same as I was when I weighed myself at the dr's office in the afternoon fully clothed

Maternity clothes? I found my dark denim dressy maternity jeans! yay! I was all pumped to wear them w/ my high heeled boots to a christmas party this past Sat. and I got my boots on (which putting on shoes and socks is becoming more difficult already) and after waiting on Donnie to finish getting ready (the whole 5 minutes that took) my feet were swollen and uncomfortable and I switched back to flats before we left haha

Sleep? I am sleeping a little better since we have invested in a humidifier for our bedroom, breathe-right strips for Donnie and Donnie insulated the attic so our bedroom isnt an icebox. But the size of our bed is getting on my nerves- I have always been a fan of king sized beds but when we were shopping for our new bedroom set a year or so ago Donnie was adament that a queen was fine...well now that I have 75835948 pillows in bed w/ me there isnt any room! Donnie offered to sleep in the guest room, or even to pull the twin size bed into our bedroom so at least we were sleeping in the same room but I dont want to do that--im being stubborn and am going to try to just tough it out w/ him in bed w/ me and our multitude of pillows

Best moment this week? getting my hair cut and colored-- I have been feeling less than desirable and pretty w/ my skin being HORRIBLE and my hair not acting right and I'm trying to grow it back out so I have that struggle of the "awkward phase" every woman knows what I'm talking about... so the amazing Amy Sandfoss came and gave me great new cut and color and some new product and I feel 100% better--Amy, I dont know if you read this, but youre the best!

Food cravings? None really, still struggling on eating in general--honestly I am hoping this lack of appetite continues on past pregnancy so I can get rid of baby weight and then some! But pizza always sounds good--and hamburgers a little bit lately too

Labor signs? Braxton hicks and nothing else, thank God!

Belly button? Innie--as always

What I miss most? pathetic but smoking--It hasnt been very hard for me to quit honestly considering I smoked for oh...8 and a half years...but I just miss it...like its an old friend thats gone away...esp since they had just come out w/ a cigarette that was my perfect style...the Camel crush *sigh* those days are over I just need to stop watching stupid Clint Eastwood movies w/ Donnie that just make me want cigarettes like I'm some kind of fiend

What I'm looking forward to most? Just having little buddy here! After spending more time w/ a newborn who is so precious its disgusting I am having major baby fever and cant wait for little buddy to be here so I can just snuggy his little face!

Milestones? No real milestones this week, still hoping that Donnie will be able to feel his kicks soon. But during my ultrasound he kicked me SO HARD that I swear if I had been looking at my belly and not the screen I would have seen it move. The ultrasound tech saw it as it was happening and we were both like "oh!" It was cute and very surprising...also for anyone that knows how I dance haha the baby moves the same way! His little torso stays still and he doesnt change positions his arms and legs just move around all wiggly like Donnie got a kick out of picturing the baby dancing similar to how I do when its just the two of us at home

2nd ultrasound results

So we had our 2nd...well technically 3rd ultrasound yesterday. The dr's were checking on his size since at our 20 week ultrasound he was small, well this ultrasound (I was 24 weeks 2 days) he was still measuring small in some areas.

His head was the closest to being on track measuring at 23 weeks 4 days, his arms and legs were measuring between 22 weeks 3 days and 22 weeks 6 days but the most concerning was his belly/abdominal measurements which were only measuring at 20 weeks 5 days which is obviously a decent amount behind where I am at gestationally. Thankfully he had gained weight up from 10 oz. at 20 weeks 2 days up to 1 lb. at 24 weeks 2 days (they didnt mention anything about if this was a good or bad amount to have gained within a 4 week time span--but he is gaining nevertheless)

They dont think my due date is off-- and I KNOW there is no way it is off--so the dr. at the Seton center in Good Samaritan Hospital said he is going to recommend to our midwives that we come back again in 3 weeks for another ultrasound to yet again check his growth. The doctor also had the ultrasound tech check my umbilical cord flow to see if there were any problems w/ that and it seemed to be normal which was good. The organs that they could see from the ultrasound all looked normal and healthy which is a blessing as well.

I suppose my only concern now is that being how small is abdominal measurements are that makes me assume his organs in that area are just as proportionally small if that makes any sense...which then makes me think are his organs like his kidneys and stuff able to process things efficiently even though they are smaller than the rest of his body? I may be completely off base with these assumptions but the ultrasound tech wouldnt tell us much so these will be things we will discuss w/ our midwives at my next appointment which is Dec. 14th.

Right now I am just working on trusting in God's sovereignty--this is a perfect situation for me to really trust in Him and His perfect plan for me and little buddy and to trust that regardless of the outcome it will be okay and Donnie and I can manage whatever comes our way through our faith in God. So far I have been pretty proud of myself in this situation because the old Lauren would have been an anxious mess, having panic attacks, etc. which would onl y put more stress on the baby but God has been so good to me and has taught me so much that through prayer and just turning to Him I have really been able to keep my wits about me.

Currently I am working on putting together some memory verses for labor and delivery to have as a way to help me calm down and focus on something constant and true--I really think having God's word in mind will help distract me from what will be going on--it has seemed to work in the past. So far these are the verses that have really stuck out to me:

Psalm 40:1-2, Matthew 6:33-34, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 8:28, Matthew 10:29-31, Psalm 18:2,
2 Corinthians 12:8, Isaiah 40:28-31, Jeremiah 29:11, Philipians 4:6

If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to hear them!

23 weeks and counting

I am actually 24 weeks now but was lazy and busy last week with the holidays and not too much happened this week other than traditional Thanksgiving stuff so I am just going to post my little survey out of once again--laziness.

How far along? 23 weeks
Weight gain? still no idea-- I have stopped weighing myself...my next appointment is the 16th so I will find out then...
Maternity Clothes? I am on the lookout for maternity jeans that are dressier--preferably a dark wash with a wider leg and actually long enough to wear with heels maybe? (I'm pretty sure this doesnt exist at least not in my price range which is $0-$30)
Sleep? I miss my ambien is all I am going to say about this
Best moment this week? mmm Thanksgiving dinner that I had been craving and getting to spend time w/ family
Food cravings? Thanksgiving dinner and something sweet and chocolatey
Labor signs? Braxton Hicks daily still but as I said before I dont know if that counts in this category as they arent real contractions per say
Belly button? still innie--I dont think mine will pop which is fine by me since the thought of that happening weirds me out
What I miss most? Hmm a good nights rest w/o tossing and turning, getting up to pee, etc.
What I am looking forward to most? We have our 3rd ultrasound scheduled for Dec. 3rd and we will find out how his growth is going--praying for good results!
Milestones? No real milestones this week, I am feeling little buddy regularly now and he moves ALOT esp when I am on my laptop for some reason, I am waiting for Donnie to be able to feel him from the outside but I think that may be a few more weeks still even though some of his kicks seem pretty strong

braxton hicks already??!

So this past week has been basically uneventful but I did get some questions answered. I had my appointment w/ the midwives on the 16th which went over my ultrasound results. I was concerned that they werent going to order another ultrasound (which I wanted one just for piece of mind about the size of the baby) but when we got there they already had the paperwork faxed in for us to schedule another ultrasound, so we have our next ultrasound on Dec 3rd. They are going to be checking to make sure that the baby had the correct amount of growth (it will have been 1 month between the ultrasounds) and to check for any type of growth restriction.

Best case scenario: little one is right on track and had a growth spurt which caught him up, worst case scenario: they arent seeing the growth they want and in that case they would schedule a more specific, detailed ultrasound to look at the flow of blood and nutrition from the placenta to the baby to make sure there isnt any problems...I am not too worried, I figure even if he is a little small maybe he will just stay in there an extra week to catch up before he comes out OR maybe I wont have the 15lb baby I'm expecting to have per family history haha

As far as other ultrasound results go, everything looked normal. They couldnt get a good shot of his face or his hands because he was moving so much so that is another reason they want the 2nd ultrasound. I'm excited because its more pics for us!! They didnt give us any profile shots the first time and the pics we got were pretty blurry so hopefully they are more clear this time. At my appointment I did get a little concerned when I told the midwife, Cheyenne, that I still hadnt felt any movement at 22 weeks. So she went to check the heartbeat with the doppler and couldnt find it for a good 10 minutes!

Of course I'm worried the whole time but then she checked the ultrasound results and found out I have an anterior placenta which makes sense of me not feeling anything and having a hard time finding the heartbeat but once she found him he was moving like crazy and punching the doppler and wouldnt you know, this past week I have been feeling him move daily and often. Usually in the early morning, early afternoon and right before bed when I lay on my side :-) It definitely doesnt feel like what I thought it would feel like and it feels really far away if that makes any sense

I also had a consultation with another OB, Dr. Bowen, well actually it was w/ his nurse practitioner. I had been debating whether or not I wanted to switch. The midwives are great, one on one, at my appointments (like Cheyenne sat and talked w/ us for a good hour about all my worries about the baby's size and stuff) but in between the appt's they stink...like really bad. They are bad about answering questions, bad about calling me back, kinda condescending, and a few receptionist/office manager people are kinda er, witchy, if you get what I mean. But the midwives themselves are really nice but the practice's patient care stinks in my opinion. So I talked w/ some other moms and decided that Bowen's practice would be the closest fit so I decided to check them out. The consultation went well, I think if I went w/ them I would get the birth experience I want but I couldnt find enough things about the actual dr that differed enough from the midwives to make the switch (which would mean a farther drive up to Glendale for the appointments and delivering at a hospital farther away)

I think when it comes to my birth plan the midwives will be able to give me what I am looking for, I just wish their practice was better in the meantime. I am already praying that I get a specific midwife for my delivery that I really like and am comfortable w/. There are about 9 in the practice and I have no guarantee who I will get but I have met most of them and they all seem nice enough. Plus I know that in reality it is alot about what nurses I get and since Ive already got dibs on the BEST nurse I know-- thanks Kate! I am confident that things will go smoothly. (Kate, I apologize in advance for wanting the birthing tub, I know it is heavy and annoying haha)

While I was at my consultation though, they went ahead and set it up like a normal appointment with checking my weight, urine, blood pressure, etc. They checked the heartbeat and my fundal height, etc. Well Ive been having really bad cramping so I asked about that and come to find out Ive been having Braxton-Hicks contractions already. I thought that when my belly got really hard like that that I was feeling like maybe the baby's head pushed up or something like his butt pushing up but after describing how it feels the nurse practitioner confirmed Braxton Hicks. Very surprising! Well that is all the excitement from the past week or so--here is the weekly survey :-)

How far along? 22 weeks
Total weight gain? -10lbs...I think?
Maternity clothes? still loving the comfy pants
Sleep? I was sleeping okay until the last couple nights my stupid round ligament pain has been keeping me up all night
Best moment this week? Knowing for sure that I was feeling the baby move
Food cravings? Thanksgiving dinner...I usually am not a huge fan of turkey, stuffing, etc. but I am big time craving it this year and I am PUMPED I get to have it twice
Labor signs? I dont think Braxton Hicks fit in this category b/c it is just contractions but...yea
Belly Button? still innie
What I miss most? Our group of friends usually has something called Ham Day every year, we do a faux Thanksgiving dinner but w/ ham (b/c us girls are too lazy to cook a turkey) It is really fun, everybody brings a side dish, usually there are about 15 of us or more and we do it the wed. before thanksgiving then go out to the bars after--well this year our friend Jen who usually organizes is living in Chicago and Meg and I are too tired/pregnant to organize and I am a sourpuss because I know I will be jealous when my friends are drinking and going out to the bar when I go home to go to bed haha needless to say we arent having it this year :-( Sadly, this tradition may be over now that I will have a kiddo
What I am looking forward to most? Our next ultrasound on Dec. 3rd, going to Cleveland for Thanksgiving and getting to see my family (and living vicariously through my cousin who is a freshman at OSU this year) and once again...Thanksgiving dinner....man, I dont think Ive ever been this excited about food before...but it stinks b/c my stomach is still so shrunken I wont even make it through 1 plate before I get full
Milestones? My baby is about the size of a papaya now--he can hear things on the outside and is starting to settle into sleep cycles (uhm..not so sure about that one) He is getting bigger and bigger and hopefully I will have some cute ultrasound pics to share soon!

the longest post ever

So I have been a horrible slacker in my blogging and havent posted anything in about 3 weeks so this post is going to be ridiculously long, but I added pictures to make it a little more interesting. So I havent done my survey since I was 18 weeks, so I will have surveys (for my own records mostly) for weeks 19, 20 and 21...see--complete slacker. So I will start w/ my 19th week:

How far along? 19 weeks

Total weight gain? This week I didnt weigh myself so I have no idea if I have gained or lost, I am always convinced I have gained a ton though

Maternity Clothes? I am wearing all maternity clothes and Ive decided I'm not going to want to go back to regular clothes after the baby is here...I like having shirts that are long enough and pants that are always comfy im being spoiled

Sleep? I am sleeping better, I still toss and turn all the time but I can usually stay asleep. I have been waking up consistently everyday at 7:30 am though

Best moment this week? We had alot of fun this week at the Halloween party out at Donnie's parents. I went as a "Bump in the Road" (see pics below) but the most ridiculous was when Dave and Megan arrived dressed as....Donnie and I! lol Earlier in the week I was talking w/ Meg and she said they were going to go as a dr. and a patient and she was wondering if she could borrow my IV pole for whoever was going to be the patient...I said sure, might as well get more use out of my pole (aka Ivy the IV pole). Well apparently they were using it to go dressed as Donnie and I, As you can see Meg is sporting her sexy IV pole and XU hoody and Dave (conviently) had been doing some computer work at Donnie's shop that week and had asked Donnie's boss to borrow an "official" Plumb Tite work shirt so he had the work shirt, long underwear, khakis and workboots and a creepy flesh colored skull cap to make him look bald (thankfully he wasnt wearing it in the pic below...it was weird). and he had a pipe because OBVIOUSLY all plumbers carry around a PVC pipe (go me knowing plumbing stuff haha) So it was a huge surprise and it was really funny to see them impersonating us

Food cravings? soup--any kind, for every meal...mmm

Labor signs? none so far thankfully

Belly button? Still innie, I dont think it will ever pop

What I miss most? Just having a little more energy to stay up a little later but since I have had a lack of energy and go to bed around 9 usually its been nice to have more cuddle time w/ Donnie. We used to go out more often in the evenings so by the time we got home (late usually) we would just go to bed now we spend more time watching movies together and just hanging out which is a nice change of pace

What I am looking forward to most? My ultrasound is next week...cant wait to find out the sex!

Milestones? This week our baby is the size of a mango and is 6 in. long and about 9 oz. and the baby is begininng to be covered in vernix. I am still waiting to feel movement and am really hoping to feel something soon!

"Bump in the Road"
"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", Right?!

Onto the 20th week-- HALF WAY THERE!!! (well...approximately)

How far along? 20 weeks!

Total weight gain? I weighed myself this week (just so I wouldnt be shocked at my next appt.) and I sadly lost the 4 lbs I had gained. So I am back down to -15lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. I have been working on eating more since I still have no appetite and I thought I was doing better, but guess not...

Maternity clothes? Ive realized all the maternity pants I bought from gap outlet earlier in my pregnancy werent too big at the time b/c they still are baggy in the crotch even though my belly is bigger apparently they are just ill-fitting which isnt too much of a shocking revelation since they came from gap clearance outlet but whatever they fit well enough and were only $6/pair

Sleep? Sleeping fine still and still waking up like clockwork at the same time everyday which is fine w/ me and works out well since this week I have been babysitting a 2 year old everyday who comes over around 730 am

Best moment this week? For sure finding out that we are having a little boy!!!! I had secretly been suspecting girl so we were pretty surprised! Also, getting some energy back and being "forced" to go outside and be active. With watching J (the lil guy Ive been babysitting), I have been doing something outside the house everyday (as suggested by Devon to help break up the monotony of being home all day w/ a 2 year old). So its been nice to go to the library for story time, go run random errands, and go to the park--except for our lil chalk mishap. I took J to the park, then we walked to another park which was close by, at the other park there were a few kids playing and their parents were watching them. Well we brought chalk and a few balls in case J got board w/ the play equipment. Well we did chalk for a little and J wanted to play on the slide, well I saw another little girl eyeing our chalk so I left it sitting out if she wanted to play with it, eventually she shyly walked over and started playing w/ it and her dad asked if that was okay, of course I said fine, so I'm watching Jackson and the next thing I know I notice the little girl and her dad get up and leave kind of abruptly...Well after about 15 more minutes of playing I tell J it's time to leave and we go to pick up and the chalk and the little girl and her dad stole it!! All but 1 piece!! I mean it was from the dollar store but come on..seriously?! stealing chalk at the park?! What parent stealth like goes and steals something as cheap as chalk?? If they needed it that badly I would have happily sent them home with it...needless to say, it was weird.

Food cravings? I have been craving Tuna which stinks cuz I eat my 1 can a week in the beginning then I want more plus I have a hard time eating enough protein...it would be much easier if I could enjoy tuna whenever I wanted.

Labor signs? none

Belly Button? still innie

What I miss most? Not missing too much this week, I miss spending time w/ my friends--my old group has been busy so we havent gotten to spend time together lately

What I am looking forward to most? Strangely my next appointment w/ my midwives. Our ultrasound went fine and praise God they didnt see any major problems but he did measure a little behind where he should be. He was also moving so much that they couldnt get a good picture of his face to check for cleft lip, etc. As we were leaving we were all excited and happy and giddy but the ultrasound tech chased after us b/c she had forgotten to calculate his size to tell us so we get back in the room and she starts calculating his size tells us he is little small and something about wanting to make sure the placenta was passing nutrients correctly so she goes to talk w/ the dr. at the hospital, she comes back and says he is going to recommend that we come back for another ultrasound but it is ultimately up to our midwives...I immediately start crying because all I can think about is how my baby didnt have any nutrition for the first 14 weeks and how between not feeling any movement yet, the baby being small, me losing the little weight I had just gained and all the hyperemesis crap I'm basically terrified...so I am hoping that the midwives will schedule us for another U/S just so I can be calmed. I know ultrasounds are rough estimates, I know the size of the baby has more margin for error as the baby gets older and there is less of a "this is what your baby definitely should weigh", I know that I had no control over the hyperemesis and I did the best I could it just really makes me worried and I try and remember that God is sovereign, in control of this, and has determined the health and size of my baby already but it will be nice to see his little face again if we do get another ultrasound! We also start our Bradley method of childbirth classes this Sunday so we are excited about those too! It's a 12-week series which is why we are starting so early.

Milestones? This week our son is the size of a cantaloupe! All his "family jewels" are fully formed and his digestive system is making meconium. It is still weird to think that we are having a son!! Since finding out it has definitely made me feel closer to him and I feel like I can bond more now knowing what we are having so I am glad we made the decision to find out! He was moving all over the place during the ultrasound and I am really looking forward to being able to feel any and all of those movements (I know I say that now but will be whining in a few weeks when his kicks keep me up at night haha). But nonetheless we are overjoyed and there are so many thoughts that come with having a boy...I already am thinking about what fun things we are going to do and how fun it is going to be to watch the 2 guys in my life interact it really does just warm my heart thinking about him, I just want him here...now! But...patience patience I know...

Its a boy!!! (This was my 20 week "belly pic" and the night we found out!--fun fact you will notice my closet is almost finished! Such joy! haha)

Ok, last but not least (if you are still reading by this point you must really love me and my baby)

How far along? 21 weeks 5 days
Total weight gain? still down 15 lbs but I have an appointment today so we will see what the midwives scales say

Maternity clothes? still loving being comfy

Sleep? sleeping fine, Donnie was out of town this weekend so I slept two nights alone which is not fun :-( I dont know how women who have husbands who travel alot do it (Kris-you must be braver than me, I didnt even sleep in a bed alone in my own house I went up to my parents and then spent the night at a friends house haha)

Best moment this week? Going to our Bradley classes--we have really enjoyed them so far and it always brings up really good conversation between Donnie and I. I am looking forward to how close we will feel once the baby is finally here--I'm sure it will be a completely new level for our relationship.

Food cravings? This past week I have had a horrendous sore throat that just now is going away but I did endulge in a brownie covered in soft serve which was basically amazing...but even that was painful to eat I am glad I am finally feeling better and can enjoy food again--since we never did anything for our 1 year anniversary we are going to Jeff Rubys Steakhouse one night this week to celebrate! (Donnie bought a $100 gift card for $10 from our friend that works at one of the Jeff Ruby's restaurant) Though I still have a strong aversion for steak I know whatever I DO get will be wonderful!

Labor signs? thankfully none

Belly Button? still innie

What I miss most? I miss feeling like I can trust medical professionals. So let me just step up on my soapbox for a second now: mkay, so as I said earlier last saturday I woke up to a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE sore throat like I havent experienced in years (roughly 5 years since I had my tonsils and adenoids out) So I'm miserable but I dont have a fever, no coughing, etc. I decide to wait and see what to do well I wake up Sunday still feeling horrible so being the hypocondriac that I am I went ahead and went to Urgent care b/c I am not a fan of suffering and if there IS something wrong I want to start treating it sooner than later. So the urgent care (the one on 27 for anyone else living in this area--do not go there!) staff is horrible, I wait for a least an hour (I was the 1st patient there when it opened..how it still took an hour is beyond me) 1st weird happening: they ask when my last period was (sorry for any guy who reads this haha) and I say June they say okay and go on to the next question that is when I stop and say by the way I am 21 weeks pregnant they go OHHH that makes sense why your last period was in June..uhm yeah. Next weird happening: I wait for the dr. to come in he is creepy and weird and feels my throat, listens to my chest (which he was a little too touchy feely for my liking but thats another story) and then looks at my throat and says we will run a strep test and a flu test. Ok, good. So the nurse comes in to run the tests and is looking for stuff and notices a sheet on the table that had been there since I got in the room (which is cold and dirty) it is covering something up--he looks under it...oh its just a swab/culture from someone the day before--uhm gross...so they do the cultures and both are negative (I'm not too surprised since I havent had step since my tonsils were removed) but the dr. comes back and says he is still convinced its strep regardless of the negative test and gives me a prescription for zyrtec-you know the allergy medicine, mucinex- great, since I have no drainage or congestion, and some random antibiotic..so I remind him of my allergy to amoxicillan and of my pregnancy...is it still okay to take this antibiotic? "oh I dont know, you should probably ask the pharmacist" So I leave feeling--gross lol

So I call my midwives the next day just to check about the prescription before I fill it, I talk to a nurse she says I shouldnt take it w/ my amoxicillan allergy and she would talk to a midwive and see what I should take, they say they will defnitely call me back later that day--shockingly nobody calls me back so I call the next day--still no response and then finally the 3rd day they say to go ahead and fill the original prescription and to just watch for an allergic reaction..wow I feel so comforted! Thank goodness...basically I am annoyed w/ these midwives and feel very brushed aside by them (this is not my only problem w/ them so dont think I am some crazy demanding patient) so long story not so short-- I think I am switching dr's. But I have an appointment w/ them today and will see how they handle the whole ultrasound situation...

What I am looking forward to? my appointment today actually-- for above said reasons

Milestones? This week lil man is the size of banana! He is gulping down several oz. of amniotic fluid everyday for hydration and nutrition and is practicing swallowing and digestion. And, so cool, his tastebuds actually work! This is my last weekly fruit update...the next size will be for a few weeks at a time. I am really enjoying my little banana so far! Below are some pics I thought were fun, the first is from from around 14 weeks and the second is me at 21 weeks...I think ive grown a little :-)

14 weeks 21 weeks

Boy or girl??

So we get to find out the gender of our sweet little baby today!! We have our big ultrasound at 4pm and are SO excited!! We ask that everyone be praying for a healthy baby, and that Donnie and I can trust the Lord during this exciting time! We know it is all in God's hands and that He is perfect and has a perfect plan for our baby--I just want to keep that in mind today (and everyday obviously).

So, in light of the big ultrasound I thought it would be fun to use some old wives tales to help predict--so lets see how accurate these are:

I am carrying extra weight: out front or around the hips/bottom
The hair on my legs is growing: more quickly than before or the same as before
I am carrying my baby: high or low
I sleep with the pillow in my bed facing to the: north or south
My feet are: colder than before or the same as before
I: refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread or prefer the heel of bread
The dad to be is: gaining weight right along with me or not gaining weight
My mothers hair is: gray or not gray (natural or dyed)
I had morning sickness early in my pregnancy: yes or no
My skin is: particularly good during pregnancy or not so good
I have been craving: sweets or salty/sour foods
My nose has: spread during pregnancy or stayed the same
I have been craving: meats and cheese or fruit
The baby's heart rate is: above 140 beats per minute or below 140 beats per minute

Girl: 9 Boy: 5

Currently, I really am not leaning one way or another, neither is Donnie. Let me know what your guess is!!

yay for recalled cribs!

So not too much has happened in the past week. We bought some baby furniture off Craigslist. It has been a big debacle...this whole buying baby furniture...We looked around a few places, I researched some online and we finally found a crib and dresser/changer combo we liked at Baby Depot and even BETTER it was on clearance and the style was being discontinued so we were going to get a discounted price! It was really nice too!

After spending an hour talking w/ the sales lady and finding out all the discounts that were available (including an extra 30% off since we were buying the floor model) we were going to get both pieces for $400! It was really solid, nice furniture and if we had bought it at its original price it would have been $800 so we were stoked! I was just excited to check it off my mental check-list! I love checking off the check-list even if its just a check-list in my head! haha what can I say I get joy from the simple things

Okay back to the cribs so we go to the registers to check out and they ring up the crib, I remind them of the extra 30% discount and they were like oh yeah I remember you guys looking at that set then they go to ring up the dresser and it rings up full price so they bring a manager over who corrects the price of the dresser but says that the crib is under priced...uhm excuse me ma'am...no the crib is CORRECTLY priced...she basically says that we (my mom, little sister, myself and donnie) are all "mistaken" and she doesnt know where we got that price from...hmmm maybe the sales clerk we talked to for an hour about it?!? Long story not so short, the friendly manager REFUSED to honor the price they quoted us! So of course pregnant me leaves the store huffy and crying because I am convinced our baby will never have good furniture and my back hurts from standing for an hour talking about baby furniture! and the WORST part was I had to mentally uncheck the list :-( I was very, very, very sad!

So after a week of researching and finding that there really isnt any crib and dresser we like but we find a few that we are "okay" with we find another set at a different Baby Depot for about $400, while in the meantime I have been looking at Craigslist for random baby stuff and lo and behold I find a crib and dresser/changer combo for $150 that looked like what we were going to buy from Baby Depot! So I email back and forth with the seller to find out that it is a Jardine set bought from Babies-R-Us in 2005.

So we set up a time to look at it and in the meantime I print off all the info about Jardine cribs with the suspicion that the crib was actually recalled without the seller realizing it. But in preparation for this, I find that if you have a recalled Jardine crib you are eligible for a crib voucher for a new crib (any brand) from Babies-R-Us for the highest retail value of the crib you have. So I call the company assuming you need a reciept or something, nope just all the screws from the crib so they know you arent still using it and a signed waiver saying you recognize the crib is recalled and you are not going to use it anymore so we get to the sellers house and sure enough the crib is recalled but Donnie and I buy it anyway...so now we have the dresser/changer combo and a crib voucher for a BRAND NEW crib on the way!! So we will just pick a crib to match the dresser and we can save the other $250 we would have spent on the furniture from Baby Depot ORRR I can buy a nice glider without feeling guilty :-)

As for baby stuff, I am pretty quickly racking up baby stuff without really meaning to...so far we have a crib, dresser/changer combo, exersaucer, kangaroo sling, bumbo w/ tray, baby bath, baby moniters, play-mat, 2 car seat bases, baby bedding (comforter, 1 sheet, crib skirt, crib bumper which I am using to make window valences & mobile), nursery decorations (2 pictures, 2 wall hangings, light switch cover, curtains) and a boppy on the way and probably more that I am forgetting and in total we have only spent around $200! I feel more at ease having this stuff and not having to worry as much about baby gear in general...another check...and you know how I feel about checking off that check list! I would love some input from other moms though about what are the top 3 must-haves for a new mom...leave me a comment with your fav's

How far along: 18w6d

Total weight gain: I havent weighed myself this week but I have a sneaking suspicion that I have gained alot...I regularly feel like a horse :-)

Maternity clothes: I have realized I dont like the below the belly panels...

Sleep: My fatigue is back and I regularly am ready for bed around 6:30pm...clearly that isnt happening since it is 10pm and I am blogging

Best moment this week: getting to spend some time with Meg doing baby stuff

Food Cravings:Nothing really...my nausea and vomitting have returned :-( but I have come to a few realizations that this is an opportunity for me!! My goal is to 100% rely on the Lord this time around since I was kind of pathetic at doing that the 1st time. In doing this, I am managing it much better plus I was BLESSED to have about a month with no vomitting!! I am able to handle the vomitting this time much better because I had a month to renew myself, praise God!

Labor signs: none

Belly Button: innie

What I miss the most: going out for drinks w/ friends and smoking a cigarette...curse you cigarettes and your seductive charm!---> this hasnt changed

What am I looking forward to the most: our ultrasound!! It will be so nice to know that everything is healthy with the baby and getting to find out the gender will be really fun! I think it will make this pregnancy seem that much more real to know that I will be having either a son or a daughter.

Milestones: Smalls has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to me), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, the little peanuts finally big enough that I should be able to feel those movements consistently in the next couple weeks! I am getting more and more anxious to meet the baby...I cant believe I am only about half way through!

late...again

So I am once again late in posting but as Ive said before the little surveys each week are more for my records...not too many exciting things have happened in the past week...at least nothing worth blogging about really

How far along: This is about my 17th week of pregnancy

Total weight gain: I actually know this now...I have gained 4lbs in the past month! I am now at -13lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight... I dunno how much longer I will be updating this part haha I am predicting that I will gain alot in the next month since I feel like I am eating like a horse (which Donnie says I'm not really especially considering I am pregnant)

Maternity clothes: I am wearing almost all maternity b/c it just looks better than non-maternity and shirts and what not arent as short since they are maternity I am hoping that I will be able to still wear some of my non-maternity sweaters for the winter

Sleep: I am starting to sleep better again which is great!

Best moment this week: scheduling our 20 week ultrasound!

Food Cravings:Everything sounds really good, like I cant watch tv commercials without wanting whatever the ad is for, but when I eat it...I never can eat more than 2 bites of whatever the food craving was and generally it doesnt taste that great...its such a disappointment!

Labor signs: none

Belly Button: innie--I hate that you can tell where my bellybutton is though in the shirts that I wear since my bump is getting a little bigger...it definitely makes me feel like a fat girl in a shirt that doesnt fit but when I wear an empire waist shirt I feel like a circus tent

What I miss the most: going out for drinks w/ friends and smoking a cigarette...curse you cigarettes and your seductive charm!---> this hasnt changed

What am I looking forward to the most: our ultrasound!! It will be so nice to know that everything is healthy with the baby and getting to find out the gender will be really fun! I think it will make this pregnancy seem that much more real to know that I will be having either a son or a daughter.

Milestones: I think I felt the baby move this week but it hasnt been consistent enough to tell whether it is baby or just random stomach movement. The two times I have felt it have been in the evening when I am reading in bed or watching tv and it kinda feels like a pulled muscle/mini-muscle spasm. If it isnt the baby I am sure you all enjoyed me describing my stomach movement :-) During the 17th week my baby is about the size of an onion--I like to think the babes the size of a vidalia onion since they are my favorite haha During the 17th week Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

15 and 16 weeks

So I have clearly been slacking in my blogging but since I am feeling better I dont have too much to write about. I have been finding more things to do which is helping the time pass by a little faster. I have been volunteering at church on Friday's and I am going to start volunteering again at the New Hope Center on Wednesdays. I have been planning little trips for myself to help the time pass faster as well.

The first little trip I did was up to Columbus then on to Cleveland. I went to Columbus for my friend Shannon's baby shower on Oct 4th which was fun and there was a really precious 2 week old little baby there...I swear if I wasnt already pregnant I would have had some serious baby fever...can you still have baby fever when youre pregnant? I seriously cant wait to meet the babe. So after her shower I kept driving north up to Cleveland to visit my Gramma Rosie for a few days. It was really nice to just have a little change of scenery and someone to hang out with. Ive also come to realize that while I am feeling better, I still have little to no energy, it worked out quite well though for me and gram because despite being a "healthy" 23 year old I have the same energy level as her :-) We did some fun stuff, went shopping (which is generally a staple in my Cleveland visits) and saw a movie by ourselves...literally nobody else in the theater which I suppose is normal for noon on a Wednesday. I made my 1st trip to Motherhood Maternity in an attempt to find jeans that would be long enough and not saggy in my butt (since when is saggy jeans a problem for me!??! ITS CRAZINESS I TELL YOU!) I was somewhat dreading going there since Ive always heard such negative stuff about the store but this specific location had a really helpful sales associate (my gram says its because people in Cleveland arent snarky lol)

So I made the mistake of trying on their pregnancy belly to ensure that the shirts I was getting would be long enough to wear throughout my pregnancy (for as much as I was spending...they better fit the entire time!) Uhm...scariest moment of my life...lol apparently "the belly" adds 4 month or so to where you are currently at...which put me pretty close to what I would be at the end of my pregnancy...uhh not cool... I have been feeling just fat lately (not preggo yet, just fat) but after taking that belly off I felt like frickin Kate Moss...no longer will I complain about feeling fat now because I know in a few short months I am going to be feeling like Mt.Everest and wishing I had my cute lil belly back haha

Needless to say, Cleveland was fun! I stopped at the Jefferson Outlets on my way back and remembered how fun it is to do stuff by myself...shopping, going to movies, etc. I should do it more often while I am still in a place where I actually HAVE alone time...so if you see me all by myself at Danberry Dollar you will know that I am enjoying my last times of solitude..

My next little trip will probably be to Indianapolis to visit my bestie Dani...considering she is only in class 2 days a week I should probably go be a bum on HER couch and at least have company while I am watching reruns of Greys Anatomy on Lifetime :-) If anyone else has any fun ideas of little trips to take I am totally up for suggestions...I would love to actually take a little trip w/ Donnie but it would have to be somewhere we could go for just a weekend with preferably a 3 hour or less drive (Donnie is not a fan of driving 4+ hours for just a weekend)

So since I slacked so much I will post 2 surveys in this post...one for week 15 and one for week 16 since I missed those weeks and I suppose I will enjoy looking back at my 1st pregnancy week by week...orrrr not :-)

How far along: This will be about my 15th week of pregnancy

Total weight gain: I think I have maybe gained a lb or two but I havent weighed myself in a while

Maternity clothes: wearing maternity stuff mostly since my old stuff just looks ridiculous and is uncomfortable

Sleep: I am still having a horrible time sleeping...I toss and turn all night and basically wake up feeling as though I didnt sleep at all

Best moment this week: listening to the heartbeat at home with Donnie...I usually cant find it when he is around usually because I find it easier in the morning but we were able to find it together for once

Food Cravings:I apparently got over my red meat freak out...at least I can eat some ground beef now and not want to vomit and Ive been craving whoppers which is strange since I really dont like Burger King...Donnie is enjoying my late night cravings though...

Labor signs: none

Belly Button: innie

What I miss the most: going out for drinks w/ friends and smoking a cigarette...curse you cigarettes and your seductive charm!

What am I looking forward to the most: I ordered our nursery bedding and I cant wait to get it in the mail!

Milestones: Continuing the march towards normal proportions, our baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Our babe is squirming and wriggling like crazy down in the womb, though I still cant feel the movements. Our baby at 15 weeks is the size of a naval orange at about 4 inches and 2.5 oz. Now keep in mind with the fruit and veggie comparisons that it is comparing it to the length of that fruit or veggie not the thickness.

How far along: this will be about my 16th week of pregnancy



Total weight gain: still havent weighed myself but I will find out soon enough at my next appointment on the 19th



Maternity clothes: I have finally found a pair of maternity jeans that fit well, dont get saggy and are actually long enough!!



Sleep: I have gotten about 1 or 2 nights where I wake up feeling like I didnt toss and turn all night, maybe I am turning over a new leaf :-)



Best moment this week: I thought I may have felt the first movements but I dunno...it was a weird feeling and it kept happening everytime I tried to use the doppler...kinda bubbly, swishy... it was weird sooo it was maybe baby, maybe indigestion haha



Food cravings: I dont think I had any specific cravings...deli sandwiches like always and soup



Labor signs: none



Belly Button: innie



What I miss the most: still cigarettes and a beer...sigh...(sidenote: I realized how much of a redneck I sound like listing those as the things I miss most...)



What am I looking forward to the most: our 20 week ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby!!



Milestones: My adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth.

fun pregnancy pics so far

Its Positive!!

Right after we told my parents...5 weeks pregnant!

7 weeks 6 days

9 weeks 5 days

11 weeks 6 days

13 weeks 5 days

14 weeks 5 days

13 weeks 5 days

14 weeks 5 days

14 weeks

Things have been pretty good in the past week or so. I still havent gotten sick and my nausea is pretty much gone! I still feel yucky in the evenings but it is so much better! It is weird to think how quickly my circumstances have changed. Now I am just trying to get back into the swing of things and being a normal person that doesnt have a ton of restrictions.

My appetite is still pretty much non-existent which isnt good. I am really trying to force myself to eat even when nothing sounds good and get back to eating more nutritional food. My biggest struggle is my anemia and my fear of taking the iron supplements I need to take. I am just so afraid to take anything new because I feel like I am still walking on eggshells and I feel like one wrong move and my vomitting will start all over again which realistically isnt going to happen but its scary. I also have alot of aversion to meat which I REALLY need to work on because I am sure I am not getting enough protein.

This week some fears about the baby have started to kick in...like I am afraid the baby is going to have problems because of the poor nutrition Ive had for all 14 weeks of my pregnancy...I am afraid that the stress I have been feeling between being so sick but also dealing with some of the life change (i.e. finishing college, dropping out of grad school, being pregnant, new house, medical bills, etc.) is having a negative effect on the baby. I have taken so many child development classes and have so much knowledge from a professional and academic standpoint it is scary...I wish I didnt know so much sometimes because as good as it is to be well informed it also doesnt help when my mind begins to wander and I think of ALL the things that could go wrong

I really need to just trust in the Lord...and trust in Him and Him alone. I need to just really work on relying on Him and His will for me. Logically, I know me worrying isnt going to change the situation one way or another and when I think about it I start to just see the sin in what I am doing! I am essentially saying that His will for me, and all the struggles that will come with it, may not be "right" for me. However the situation ends up is EXACTLY what is right for me and I need to keep reminding myself of that.

So I am starting to feel really fat. Illogical I know, but I feel like I just have this huge pooch and I feel like I look so yuck but at the same time I am still losing weight/not gaining weight. I wish I would either look pregnant or not look pregnant, this in between time stinks.

How far along: 14w6d today (I am always such a slacker and dont update until I am almost on my next week haha)

Total weight gain: As of last Monday at my midwife appointment I was back down to an 18lbs weight loss from my pre-pregnancy weight...I am scared of when the weight DOES come back I am gunna wake up one day and be like 10lbs heavier haha

Maternity clothes: wearing more maternity stuff...maternity pants are wonderful and suck all at the same time, they fit great on my stomach but are all too loose
everywhere else I think I need to buy them a size smaller so when they stretch out after 5 minutes of wearing them they will actually fit correctly

Sleep: ahh the bane of my existence...I am NOT sleeping well at all, I cant get comfortable and I have this horrible sciatic nerve pain that feels like a hot poker sticking me in the back every time I turn on my left side....and I know it will only get worse...any moms have tips of ways of sleeping that may be more comfortable?

Best moment this week: This is really more a non-moment...no throwing up!

Food cravings: lunchmeat sandwiches and soup...

Labor signs: none

Belly Button: innie

What I miss the most: being able to stay up late and go out w/ friends w/o feeling exhausted...I have a feeling that will never come back from this point forward haha

What am I looking forward to the most: our 20 week ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby!!

Milestones: My adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth.

its a miracle!! (long)

True miracle or not, it feels like it to me...I am scared to even type this in fear that it will come back to bite me in the butt....but....MY HYPEREMESIS IS GONE!! (or done...not too sure how it works?) So...I am quickly going to do a run through of my past week and a half since I havent blogged in a while...

Tues-I get a call in the morning that my paternal grandmother passed away. She was in her 90's and had been declining for the past couple years. She was in assisted living/hospice situation and my dad has said that she definitely was ready. It is sad to think that I only have one grandparent left but I have been so blessed that I had all my grandparents for so many years. I have some very distinct memories of my Grandma Eleanor such as shopping trips with her to Forest Fair Mall...she actually bought me something from the Disney store which I can confidently say my parents would have never bought my a Jasmine barbie doll from the Disney store which made my doll all the better. Getting new clothes with Grandma and visisting her at their old house in Hamilton. She will definitely be missed and is leaving behind a great legacy.

On Tues. my older sister Devon also came to visit!! She got into town Tues. prepared with fun stuff to do and yummy stuff to make me and she brought my nephew Matthew who, if I wasnt already pregnant, would have given me horrible baby fever...he is so stinkin cute!

Wed- Devon and I ventured out to the grocery store where she introduced me to all kinds of things Donnie never thought he would see in our kitchen such as wheat germ and flax seed she came prepared with a bunch of recipes that would give me the most 'bang for your buck' if you will...basically small things I could eat that would really help me nutritionally and lemme tell you-- they worked! I felt better, my stomach was less upset (minus throwing up a banana, strawberry and spinach smoothie--it was actually quite tasty until it came back up) even MORE exciting on Wed. We had our ultrasound!! The baby looks great, moved around a ton, was so cute and the machine was awesome! You could really see so much! I got some print outs which I will eventually scan and post...or take digital pics of the pictures (ghetto I know but whatev)

Thurs- Devon and I went to the wonderful Gap Clearance outlet which was fabulous and I bought a bunch of maternity stuff that I dont quite need yet but all my other clothes were just making me feel fat and lets be honest maternity pants are so much more comfortable I dont think I will ever go back

Fri- Devon and I and Mathie loaded up w/ my mom, dad and little sister Brooke and headed up to Madison, WI (where Devon lives) to see my brother compete in his first ever Ironman! For those who dont know...ironman= insanity...it is the ultimate triathalon which includes a 2.4mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and then (as if that wasnt craziness in itself) a full marathon (26.2 miles) for a total of 140.6 miles...in one day....consecutively...as I said insanity. My brother has been training for a long time (specifically the entire last year) for this one event and he did awesome!! He finished in 12 hours 27 mins (I believe, I didnt get to see him finish :( but I heard he did great!)

Sat- We just hung out, the actual Ironman was on Sunday so we just relaxed at the hotel with my brother and didnt do too much, I will say that basically everyone at the hotel was either competing or there to cheer someone on...I have never seen so many men in spandex shorts and I have never felt so lazy in my life as people come basically biking into the lobby of the hotel as Im schlumping along with my IV pole and leftovers from lunch haha

Sun- This is when things got bad, we woke up at 5am WI time to go down to watch the start of the race, I woke up feeling like I had bad allergies and in a generally bad mood (shocking, right?! being as it was 5 am and I am NOT a morning person) So we get down to the Lake where the swimming portion is going to begin and I start to feel even worse...We waited until the race started (which is pretty wild to see 2700 triatheletes all try and swim on top of each other to get ahead...with the exception of about 100 people all 2600 other competitors start at the same time, apparently it can be pretty violent as you have adults literally swimming on top of each other) Once that was done, I threw up...then we waited some more to watch my brother at the swim to bike transition which he came to about an hour or so later...We yelled and cheered...then I threw up again...Then I started throwing up alot so I decided I should go back to the hotel at this point (8:30am) I get back to the hotel by myself, take my temp and see it is about 100.0 so I go ahead and call the home health company to see what they recommend since I cant stop vomitting and I have a slight fever, they recommend that if my temp gets to 100.4 that I go to the ER in case my PICC line is infected well I fall asleep and a few hours later I wake up, take my temp and it is about 100.2 but I am still vomitting profusely at this point Alere (home health) tells me to go to the ER anyway so Devon picks me up and takes me

When I get to the ER my temp was up to 102.8 which obviously isnt good and they give me some tylenol (oh the joys of being pregnant...) and a shot of phenergen which makes me sleep well my temp continues to go up and I start to have some warming issues at this point my Gramma (who was also in town for my brothers Ironman) was staying with me at the hospital while my family (mom, dad and little sis) finished cheering on my brother. They admitted me that night and were awaiting results for the H1N1. They put me in an isolation room and every person that came in was dressed like I had the bubonic plague or something it was quite funny.

So I stay in the hospital Sun night and all day monday and tues. afternoon they came to tell me that I didnt have the swine flu! yay! but I did have an infection in my PICC line. I cried. Honestly the thought of having to get my PICC line removed and going back to a peripheral IV in my hand was more than I could handle...having to poke myself daily again for my zophran pump...more than I could handle... I just honestly was devastated b/c my PICC line had made my life so much easier! But alas, they had to take it out because infections in a PICC line are quite serious being as it is directly going into a main blood supply and blood infections=no good

So here is the miracle, awesome God part...I know many, many, many, many people were praying. I had been praying, family had been praying, friends had been praying even people I didnt know were praying...My fever went away...completely...and stayed gone and because of this they didnt have to give me any anti-biotics! And...my nausea...gone...vomitting...gone...

I was discharged from the hospital Wed. night and spent thurs. in WI to make sure I was okay before traveling home and now I am home and still....no nausea...no vomitting...NONE SINCE SUNDAY NIGHT!!! Apparently my fever took care of my hyperemesis while it was busy making me feel like crap. Ive kept down normal food and I am drinking normally and basically feeling 100% better (still tired and a little weak but nothing compared to how I had been) I honestly do think that it had to do with people praying not only for my fever to go down but for me to be COMPLETELY healed...some may say coincidence...I think it was God...the Bible says that God wont give you more than you can handle (1 Corin. 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man.; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also so that you are able to endure it). I think the Lord knew I couldnt handle the hand IV any longer my sanity was going and emotionally I could not handle going back to being even more restricted than I had already been and God, being so good, healed me and has sustained me since.

Even if my hyperemesis comes back, I will be okay. I am officially discharged from my home health company as of today and I have an appt with my midwives on Mon. and I am continually praying that my nauseau will remain managable and that my oral medication will suffice. I also am asking for prayers that if things do get bad again, I keep in mind that I am only being given that struggle because the Lord knows I can handle it!

So now that this post has become a novel I will do a quick baby update (which is kind of more for my fun little records so I can look back week by week of my pregnancy and laugh at how pathetic I was when I was sick haha)

Week 13

How far along? 13 weeks 3 days

Total weight gain? havent weighed myself since sunday but as of Sunday I was still down 15lbs

Maternity clothes? I have been wearing some mainly as I said above so I stop feeling just plain fat...I notice I have a little bit of a bump but to others I am pretty sure it looks like I need to lay off the french fries

Sleep? I havent been waking up as much to pee which is nice and being able to sleep without being hooked up to something is AMAZING!

Best moment this week? Seeing our awesome child during the ultrasound...I also got to have two ultrasounds at the hospital (not nearly as clear but still its something) It is an amazing, emotional moment seeing the life we created for the first time...it is bittersweet because we will never have that moment with our 1st pregnancy again--oh and we were able to find the heartbeat with our home doppler which was really fun!

Food cravings? Havent really had any which might be because I am able to eat more now which is nice

Labor signs? none

Belly Button? innie

What I miss most? Right now, nothing...things seem great right now!

Milestones? Finding the heartbeat at home, and getting to the second trimester!! I am so glad to know that my first trimester is over with! This week our lil nudgers teeth and vocal cords are forming and the babys intestines are moving from the umbilical cord to the baby which is much more convenient. Oh, and we skipped right on past the plum size and the baby is the size of a peach now!