Thursday, February 28, 2013

weekly update

First, I wanted to start off this week by expressing how truly grateful I am to be experiencing all this. It's not fun, and it may seem like I am complaining a lot- but the truth is I really couldn't be happier. It's hard to believe that just about 6 months ago I was convinced that I would probably never know what it was like to carry a child in my womb- and that thought was absolutely heart breaking. It also made me do a lot of thinking and soul searching about what was important to me- like did I really want to be pregnant or did I just want a baby? Was it important to me that my child have my genes? Nathan's gene? Would I really be ok with adoption or foster care?- I won't go into all my answers to those questions right now- that's a whole other blog post in and of itself- but my point is, so many people never even have to sort through those thoughts. The decide they want to get pregnant and have a baby and they do. It wasn't that easy for us. I went through a lot emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically to get to where I am today- and I think that makes me appreciate this miracle even more. Like I said earlier, I may not always show it but I am beyond thrilled to be pregnant and to be becoming a mommy; an experience that many women take for granted and that many other women would die to have. I am so in love with the little boy growing inside me and there is still 17 more weeks until he is due to make his big debut. I feel more connected to him every day- especially since he is moving around a lot more these days. I can't wait for the day that Nathan and I can hold him in our arms and kiss his sweet little face.

Anyway, I have just really been thinking about that a lot this week and wanted to get those feelings documented! On to my latest pregnancy developments!

#1- I am beginning to have a hard time tying my shoes. We were getting ready to go somewhere the other day and I learned that I can't just sit on the edge of the bed and lean over to tie my sneakers. I got one shoe on and then laid down on the bed and and brought my foot up and awkwardly tied it the best I could. I asked Nathan for help with second one and he said "You can still do it- you're not that big yet... Besides this is hilarious to watch!" Gee, thanks love. The second shoe I found a way that was a little bit easier- with both legs spread apart and then I managed to hoist my one foot up onto the bed- kinda like my legs were making the number 4 and I awkwardly tied that show kinda sideways. But I did it! Later that day I was doing some running around with my sister for her birthday and my shoe came untied. I said screw it- I am only tying my shoe one time per day! But it was really bothering Jessica, so she got down and tied it for me. I told her she was nicer than Nathan. Ha!

#2 - Rolling over is another thing that has become more difficult. I am not sure why- but in the past week, while I am sleeping- when I need to roll over I have a really hard time. It kinda hurts! It's definitely uncomfortable. Who knew something so simple could become such a chore! I try to reposition my legs and hips- just about anything to keep from having to roll over to my other side- but I still wind up having to do it at least 3-4 times a night. I imagine this issue is going to become more challenging over the next few months.

#3 - My nose! The preggo books and apps warned me about runny noses, congestion, and even bloody noses weeks ago- but I have really been dealing with them full force this week. Gross- and frustrating. I hate hate hate not being able to breathe! Thank heaven for Breathe Right Advanced strips for sleeping at night.... Or so I thought! Turns out that those little suckers have started leaving a bruise on the bridge of my nose! Ugh! That's not very sexy! Oh well, I would still rather breathe than let my vanity get the best of me.

#4- I have been having some craaaaaaazy dreams! I must say though, I am glad they aren't nightmares. I know lots of women have very upsetting and scary dreams during pregnancy. Mine are just plain weird- which is saying something because I thought had weird dreams before. Here is my most recent weird dream:

 I dreamt that I gave birth at my house on the couch and the baby was the size of a 3 month old. I carried across the street to wear my parents lived (which is not accurate) to show off the cutie and while I was there I looked in his mouth and he had as many teeth as an 18 month old. The doctor told me it was fine he was just an early bloomer. Then by the next morning he was the size of a 3 year old and could walk and by the next night he could talk. I was super distressed because I had bought a bunch of baby stuff that he never fit into.

Well I think that's all for now. I think I will need start writing myself little reminders about what I want to blog about; pregnancy brain is starting to get the best of me!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

it's 99% official!

So we had our "confirmation" ultra sound on Monday. I was a bit concerned that we weren't going to get a confirmation before the doctor even came in. The nurse was using the doppler trying to find the baby's heartbeat and she had the hardest time- she finally got it, really high and to the left. It was like the little one was playing hide and seek! Then, when Dr. Tutt came and started the ultra sound the baby had it's hands down between it's legs- and I thought to myself- well, if it's playing with itself it must be a boy! Ha! With a little extra pressure and some jiggling of my belly hands were finally out the way- but then it didn't want to spread those legs! It took a little while but Dr. Tutt finally said that he was 99% sure it was a boy. He isn't going to mark 100% in the file until he can get a better picture.

This is the picture that we did get. I went ahead and labeled it because I know most people would look at it and have no idea what they are looking at. If you still can't tell, you will just have to trust me!


I am so excited to be having a little boy! When the doctor told us at our original appointment that he was pretty sure it was a boy I was kind of in shock- for some reason, before I even got pregnant, I just assumed that we would wind up with a girl. Nathan just got a giant smile on his face and said "I told you it would be a boy! You said it was up to me, and I decided a long time ago that we would have a boy."

He is so proud that his little swimmers gave us a baby with a penis- it makes me laugh. He is going to be such a good daddy. I can't wait for him to be able to feel the baby kick. We tried to get him to feel last night- but the kicks aren't strong enough yet for him to be sure that he's feeling it. He thought maybe he felt something, but wasn't sure. I could feel them, but I am also feeling it from the inside, so it's probably easier for me to identify. I'm sure he will be able to feel it soon- the little guy is moving around more and more and getting stronger everyday- making me very aware that I am actually sharing my body with someone and not just feeling sick.

I was really excited last week because I was kinda playing with him- I would push on my tummy and he would kick in the spot I pushed. We went back and forth for a few minutes- I thought it was adorable.

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My awesome mother-in-law gave me some money to shopping and get some maternity clothes. I have been meaning to get some, but have been putting it off. I figured since I had money specifically designated for the cause, I might as well do it.  I hit up Ross and Old Navy and this is what I got:


7 shirts and one pair of denim capri pants. Maternity shopping wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was actually fairly enjoyable. It's much easier to shop when you can only shop in one small department. Ross only has one rack that is maternity and only a small section that fit me- so I was able to find the things I like, try them on, pay and just get in and out really quick. I hit up like 4-5 different Ross stores. Old Navy took a little more time because for some reason I wear a size smaller in shirts there- so I had some extra trying on to do. I wanted to get more bottoms, but most of what I found was long pants, and it's going to start getting HOT and I am not going to want to wear jeans in the next month or so. I will need to go out again once the spring/summer clothes comes out- or find some stuff online.

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And like I promised- here is an updated baby bump photo. I am 21 weeks 5 days in this picture.


 I actually really like this picture- it's the first time in a long time that I have felt remotely attractive. I finally got around to waxing my man brows and mustache- so I have a more feminine looking face now. I actually put on a little bit of make-up and I am wearing clothing that is made for my ever expanding body for a change. It's amazing what those little things can do for your self esteem.

I have had a hard time with all the body changes. I wasn't thrilled with my bod before this blessed miracle occurred- and I had been dieting and exercising and watching gut flatten out and the number go down on the scale-- so seeing things change in the opposite direction has been a little rough. I'm pretty sure my hips have gotten a bit wider, my thighs are even fatter, my face is chunkier, and of course the belly just keeps getting bigger. Not to mention the swelling I've had often makes my fingers and toes look like chunky sausages. Something changes with my body literally every day. I do have the boobs of my dreams though- minus the sensitive nipple part- so I guess that's a plus. Also, I am in love my pregnancy hair! All in all I try to just take in stride, but with my hormones completely out of control, sometimes it's hard to love my pregnancy curves.

That's all for now!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

more than half way!!

So as of this morning, I am 20 weeks 5 days along. Assuming that I go full term I am half-way done with this pregnancy!! According to my "What to Expect" app- our baby is as long as a banana (appx 7") and should weigh around 11 oz- though at our last ultra sound the little one was weighing in a few ounces heavier than what the app estimated, so who knows! Our next ultra sound is less than a week away! Hooray!

I spend a lot of time reading and posting on the message boards for the "What to Expect" app- and sometimes I forget to post some of that same information on the blog- so today I am sifting through some of my posts to bring you little tid-bits that have gotten missed and I will also cover.
Is anyone else still throwing up?
Yes. In fact just this morning, I emptied all my tummy juices in the trash can before even getting out of bed. **I love the "is anyone else...." posts. It's nice knowing I am not alone.

My husband has started sleeping on the couch because I flip flop too much. How do you and your husband share your bed?
We bought a memory foam mattress which makes my flip flopping less noticeable to him and vise versa. He has learned to put up with some extra pillows in the bed too- other than that we sleep the same way we usually do. Once my belly is bigger we might arrange something else because our queen bed may start feeling crowded.

How do you plan on preparing your dog(s) for baby?
We are planning to carry around a doll a little while before the baby is born so they learn to leave it alone and not jump up. We also plan to have as much baby stuff set up beforehand as possible (crib, pack n play, baby swing, bouncer) to give them a chance to sniff it and get use to it being around, and if it is an issue to also teach them not to jump up on it. We might even buy some cd's that have baby noises- like crying, cooing, laughing- that you can play to get the dogs used to the sounds.

Anyone plan on getting their baby girls ears pierced?
If we have a girl, I plan to get them pierced as early as possible- before she has the coordination to intentionally grab at her ear- to lower the risk of infection. **This is what we like to call a "hot topic"- some people are VERY opinionated about it and think that it's child abuse or mutilation. I, obviously, do not agree.

What is the normal amount of time for hubby to be with you after the birth? This is our first and mine said he's never heard of the dad even taking two days off work to be with the mom. Will your hubby home with you at all?
Nathan doesn't get designated "Paternity Leave" but he is able to use any and all sick time he has accumulated and plans to do so. He also plans on using some vacation time. We are hoping for him to have close to 2 weeks when the baby comes. We have also talked about him taking maybe a week off and then doing half days for a week or two to kind of ease us into a schedule where he is at work.

I went food shopping hungry- ended up with a bag Cadbury mini eggs thinking I could pace myself. Half the bag is gone already :-( Anyone else do something like that today?
I ate almost an entire bag of root chips in one sitting and another time I ate half a pack of "share size" starbursts. Other than that, I have been pretty good.

When do you plan on setting up the crib?
We have purchases our crib and it is sitting in our soon to be nursery, but it is still in the box. Nathan wants to get it set up soon, because he is logical and wants to make sure we have all the pieces and stuff. I want to wait a little longer, because it still seems really soon. We haven't made a definite decision yet.

How many woman on here are considering getting their baby boy circumcised and why?
If we have a boy we plan on getting him circumcised. I have always been of the opinion that if that dad is, the son should be- OR that the decision should be left up to the dad- after all, he is the one with the penis, not me. **Oh my heavens, this is another "hot topic" This post had nearly 100 responses- the average post only gets 10-20.

My 11 yr old daughter told me a "fun fact" yesterday. There are 84 people in the U.S. named "LOL". Yes, LOL. I'm pronouncing it L-O-L but maybe it's Loll or Lowl. I don't know. Either way, it's the absolute worst.
Our last name starts with an L and I wanted to name our someday daughter Lillian Olivia until I realized her initials would be Lol. So if we have a girl, we'll switch the middle name to May.
 
Placental encapsulation-Just wondering if anyone here has done it or is planning to do it?
Nathan has a friend that is a doula that does it- I don't know if it's a service all doulas offer or not. She will also make your placenta into a smoothie for you drink if you'd like. Personally the thought of either makes me gag. I'm not interested but I know there are a lot of ladies that are. To each their own.

So my brother in law had a baby who will be coming home soon. He got bags of hand me downs and keeps offering us the hand me downs he doesn't want. I told him KEEP IT! This will probably be our only child and my baby deserves nice NEW things. I grew up with hand me downs and I know it sounds spoiled of me but I work, make a decent living and could buy my baby new clothes. Makes me angry.
We can afford to buy our baby new clothes too- but we are thrilled to get hand me down that are in good condition. Babies don't stay small for very long and it's not like the kid knows some other baby wore it. If I can get some cute outfits, in good condition for free I am all for it. A lot of people appreciate the opportunity for hand me downs no matter what their financial situation. I'd rather take hand me downs and then use the money we would have used on clothes for fun things like family vacations!

Belly touches- yay or nay?
PLEASE do not touch my belly without permission, and if you ask be prepared for me to say no. I do not like people touching me even when I am not pregnant. My thought is, unless you are the one who put this baby inside me or you are the one I am paying to take it out- NO TOUCHY!

Have you felt the baby move? Do you feel on one side more than the other?
Yes, I have been feeling movement for a couple weeks now. Nothing huge, and I can only feel internally- nothing from the outside yet. I feel it almost exclusively on my left side, but that could be due to the whole heart-shaped uterus thing. Also, I have some extra tummy fluff and my placenta is in the front- so I don't feel as much as other people might at this stage in pregnancy. I am really looking forward to when Nathan can feel our little one move too. I hear it should happen in the next few weeks.

Do you have an OB or midwife? Why?
The midwife route just never appealed to me. I don't have anything against them- I am just one of those better safe than sorry people and want to be prepared for every possible scenario and I personally feel that an OB/Gyn is better equipped to do so. I know plenty of people who have used a midwife with no problems or complications and loved it- it's just not for me. I have an OB whom I adore. He delivers and has a great working relationship with the hospital I want to deliver at. His office runs very efficiently- everyone there is so nice and helpful. Whenever I have a question I feel listened to and get the answers I need. When I had spotting he got me in within an hour of my call. And my absolute favorite thing about my OB- Having an Ultra sound machine in his exam room lets me see my baby every time I go in! I couldn't ask for more.



Ok, so there are some things that have been on my mind and that I have posted about the last month or two. There are a lot of other silly, random posts too- mostly about food and tv shows or sex and boobies- but I figure most readers of this blog don't want hungry pregnant lady babble or TMI about my sex life or ever changing breasts.

In other baby news- I had a surprise trip to my doctor's office this past week- so they could just check my blood pressure. I called because I was concerned that my fingers had turned into sausages over night- and that can be a warning sign for preeclampsia. Luckily, all is well. My blood pressure is totally fine, but they told me to monitor it home if I can- so I borrowed a blood pressure cuff from my mom.  The nurse told me that swelling is just an annoying pregnancy symptom that just about everyone has to deal with- some (like me) just experience it a lot earlier than others. Lucky me!

I have also come to the realization that maybe part of why the first half of my pregnancy sucked so much was because of my attitude. So I am making a conscious effort to try and be more positive and get up and do more stuff- even when I feel really crappy. So far, so good- only about 19 more weeks to tough out!

Friday, February 1, 2013

watch me grow!

So here is a cool thing- I have gathered all my ultra sound photos and started a little baby album. I was having fun looking at the growth of the baby and thought you might too! My, how far we have come....
 
Here is out very first picture (though it was our 2nd ultra sound)- around 5 weeks-ish. Technically, not a baby yet- just an egg sack.
 
 
Next picture- 2 weeks later we have a little squishy growing! Awwww!
 
 
Here we are at around 9 weeks
 
 
This is from my emergency ultra sound at about 12 weeks.
 
 
And this one is at my regularly scheduled appointment a week later. I think you can really see how much the head grew in just a week's time!
 
 
And then here are the 2 most recent pictures from our appointment in January.
 
This one the baby is face up- and if you look really carefully you can see a little hand right above the face- like the baby is waving hello. Cuteness!
 
And on this one, the baby is facing down. It's a really good shot of the spine!
 
I was so happy to see our little one looking so human-like and getting so big! I can hardly wait til our next appointment just a little over 2 weeks away!
 
I am 19 weeks now. Only one more week and I will be halfway to my due date! Not a lot has changed since my last post. We are still making progress on getting the house together and I am still feeling pretty crummy most of the time. I did make some head way on our baby registry though! I will do a longer post on that later. As far as new symptoms- I have been getting heart burn in the evenings, and pregnancy congestion as made Breathe Right strips a night time must have! Also- I am getting moodier and more irritable. I am sure those around me have started to notice, but are too polite (or scared) to say anything.
 
That's all for now!

P.S.- I am not posting a belly pic right now because I am dealing with pregnany body image issues and feel like a fatty mcfatterson from fatsville- but I promise to post one with my next round of ultra sound pics at 22 weeks.