Add It to the List

I had my 33 week (almost 34 week) doctor's appointment yesterday. I wanted to specifically talk to my OB about the numbness and pain in my hands and wrists. I have noticed for the past week or so that not only are my hands incredibly swollen but they are painful too. I can no longer wear my wedding ring and I have taken to calling myself Gorilla Hands.

The numbness started out as tingly fingertips but it has now spread to my whole hands. My wrists ache, almost like I have arthritis. I will be eating something with a fork and my hands go numb. Talking on the phone, numb hands. Sleeping, numb hands. Putting on mascara, numb hands. Typing, numb hands.

I did some reading and sought some advice online and thought it might be carpal tunnel caused by all the swelling and pressing against the joints.

My OB confirmed it. Carpal tunnel. Did I mention that a major part of my job includes typing? I write documentation, so I spend my whole day at the computer. Yes, I can take occasional breaks, but when I am typing a sentence (like right now) and my hands go numb, I have to stop. I have no choice.

There is absolutely nothing I can do other than to keep drinking a lot of water and perhaps get myself some of those neat wrist braces.

So, add this to the list of pregnancy maladies that I have had. It's all worth it. That is what I keep telling myself. The morning sickness (all day sickness), worry over weight gain, feeling fat, having heartburn, the fear of miscarriage, lack of sleep, numb hands, and other gross "lady" issues all mean that I get to hold my little man after 9 months.

Oh, and let's not even talk about how I gained 8 pounds in 2 weeks! Holy crap! My doctor isn't concerned. He thinks, and I am sure a majority of it is water retention. Hence, the crazy Gorilla Hands.

A Pregnant Girl's Best Friends

Well, at least THIS pregnant girl's best friends. I will elaborate more, but here are my best friends these days:

* Orange juice
* Warm baths
* Body pillow
* Oversize t-shirts
* Fuzzy socks
* A coworker who is due at the same time as I am

Orange juice. I haven't really experienced any pregnancy cravings. In the first trimester, someone would mention a particular food item and I would instantly want it. The urges were never consistent. Until now. The past two weeks, I am drinking orange juice like it's going out of style. Seriously, I must have a vitamin C deficiency or something.

Warm baths. I wake up every morning feeling like I did not rest well. Add that to the constant hip pain and it makes for a very grumpy pregnant person. I find that if I take a warm bath (yes, baths are okay as long as the water isn't so hot that you cook your baby) and a Tylenol before bed and lie on the heating pad for a few minutes, I wake up feeling so so so much better.

Body pillow. See above. Hip pain and now the belly seems to hurt at night so I sleep with a body pillow. Poor Jason probably feels like he has to compete for bed space. I sleep with the pillow wedged between my legs and also under my belly. Keep in mind, a body pillow doesn't have to cost a fortune (Hello! Snoogle anyone?). I spent $20 and got mine at Target.

Oversize t-shirts. Most pajamas don't fit me anymore. I have taken to wearing my husband's old t-shirts to bed. He is bigger than me, and his old shirts are perfect! Right now I am wearing a t-shirt from Jamaica that says Red Stripe Beer. Ironic? Who cares! It fits, it's soft and it's comfortable. I still have some room in it too for my belly to grow into.

Fuzzy socks. My sister gave me two pairs for Christmas. I love them. God bless my sister. I don't like wearing slippers because my feet get too hot and start to sweat. Not pretty. The fuzzy socks are so much better, and let's face it, they are damn soft!

A coworker that is due the same time as I am. It has been so nice to compare notes to my coworker. We seem to have the same symptoms at the same time. It's a little creepy actually. She knows all about body issues, morning sickness, not finding clothes that are cute, cravings, aches and pains and other maladies. Thank goodness for her because I might go crazy at work if I couldn't talk to her.

Those folks are my pregnancy best friends. I would love to hear your's! Comment on this post and let me know who/what your best friends are right now.

I'm Drowning!

In baby stuff. Not that I mind of course. Christmas was yesterday and our families outdid themselves. I got spoiled and Jason got spoiled and Baby Walter got spoiled and he's not even here yet! I have a mountain of stuff in our living room to sort through and put away.

My in-laws kept saying over and over that they were cutting back this year. Well, they lied. Our stockings would have been enough to be considered all our gifts. I got so many gift cards that I don't know what I am going to do with myself.

Here's the big gift: They managed to buy up the rest of our bedding and crib items! They bought our pricey baby mattress. We thought for sure that we were going to have to buy it, which is perferctly fine! However, Mike and Lynn got it for us, along with two sets of crib sheets, the mattress pad cover, a sheet saver, the bumper for the crib, the Soothe and Glow Seahorse (adorable!) that we wanted as well as the changing pad and changing pad cover. Seriously, our nursery (once we have it set up) is complete. The only thing we have to worry about now is the car seat.

So I mention the car seat. Huh, well, it looks like we might not have to buy that either! Our travel system that we registered for is $300. With all the gift cards and money that I got for Christmas, I have enough to buy the travel system. Seriously! I am spoiled rotten. This baby is spoiled rotten.

That is only the half of it. I got Target gift cards as well! That means that whatever isn't purchased off our Target registry will get snagged in a shopping trip after the shower.

My little sister outdid herself. She bought baby Walter the CUTEST stuffed dinosaurs. They are organic cotton and so soft and cuddly. Our little man is going to love them! Plus, she bought us enough clothes to outfit him for the first year of his life. Monkey outfits, dinosaur t-shirts, sleepers, little baby boots, tons of socks and other stuff. I have no idea where I am going to store all these things!

It's really time to get started on the nursery. That's actually coming up next weekend. Look for a post from me with all sorts of griping. When Jason and I do house projects, we typically want to strangle each other afterwards. Thank goodness his parents are coming over to help.

It's Official

Well folks, it's official. I am a fat ass. I had to remove my wedding ring over the weekend. I am still able to wear my engagement ring (for now), but my wedding band was becoming so tight that I was afraid I wasn't going to get it over my knuckle. Being that I am insecure and don't want people to think that I am not married, I ordered a fake set from Avon. Hey, if it's ugly, I am only out about $13.

I know I must be retaining water. My rings have fit just fine until now. Plus, I stepped on the scale this morning and I am five pounds heavier. I know that is not possible to gain 5 pounds overnight (well, I suppose it is if you ate an extra 25,000 calories in one day) so it HAS TO BE water retention. At least that's what I am telling myself.

Hopefully my doctor agrees next week when I go in for my appointment. I really don't want the "weight talk" or the side eye from him.

In other news, my husband is adorable. Seriously. He has a daily (morning ritual). Since he works a different shift, he comes to bed around 6:00am. I am just starting to wake up at that time. So, he comes to bed, snuggles with me and then proceeds to put his hand on my belly to feel the baby move. It's the only time we see each other so he takes advantage of the snuggle time before he goes to sleep.

I asked him the other morning what he will do when he can't feel the baby move anymore. Meaning, what will he do when he's born? Well this is what he says:

"I will hold him". Awwwwwww. I just thought that was cute. He honestly is excited about this baby. Much more so than I ever expected him to be. It touches my heart.

I lurve him but not my water retention.

Oh the Burn!

On Wednesday, my heartburn went from mild to unbearable. It has been okay up to this point. Typically, when I get heartburn, I just take a few Tums and it goes away. Well, half a bottle of Tums later (well at least it seemed like that) and milk, it was still going strong. I was desperate and willing to try anything.

So I tried the most vile, disgusting suggestion I have ever heard. Now, before you vomit all over this post, realize that it really truly worked. 15 minutes after my remedy, I was heartburn free.

White vinegar. That's my secret weapon. Just drink it plain. I am not talking gallons here or even a glass. I drank the equivalent to about three or four tablespoons. It was gross, don't get me wrong. It burned slightly on the way down. It made me burp vinegar for a few minutes. But it worked. That is all that is important.

If you need a failproof solution, turn to your kitchen and drink some vinegar. In a pinch, pickle juice would probably work too since it's mostly vinegar.

Halleluah! A solution that works for my new fun experience of heartburn.

Kung Fu Fightin'

I don't know where he gets it, but this little guy is definitely active! My husband is so laid back so I know he doesn't get it from him. I don't think I was an active baby, but I am definitely energetic. I guess he gets it from me.

At any rate, he moves and kicks like crazy! I will sit on the couch and just watch my belly move. It cracks me up every time. He definitely has his busy times, and he has a pattern which is funny for a baby. In the morning, Jason comes to bed around 6:00am and that is when the baby starts to move. Then I get up around 7:00, eat a bowl of cereal and then he REALLY goes crazy. He's typically quiet until my MAX ride around 8:45. Maybe he feels the movement. It must be nap time after that because he's calm until noon. Then I eat. He moves again. Quiet time until 3:00 and then more movement! In the evenings after dinner he is usually active until bed time around 10:00. Yep, he has a schedule. That must take after his momma.

Whether our kid is going to be a karate master or a World Cup soccer player, I am not sure. All I know is that he definitely kicks! Sometimes he kicks so hard that it takes my breath away. His newest trick is to move around so much that he irritates my cervix. That is definitely an unpleasant experience. It really catches you off guard to be going along your business and then OW! Yes, that is my cervix little guy. Thank you!

I don't care that he scares me sometimes. I love feeling baby kicks. That will be the ONLY thing I miss about pregnancy. You can have the rest of the issues. I will keep the baby kicks.

My Boring Life

I haven't updated my blog in some time because frankly, there is really nothing extraordinary to write about. I have been very busy with school, but that's mostly over with. I had been doubling up on classes so I can get done sooner and thankfully, last Thursday was my last week of doubling up. I have a little bit more free time now. I have one more week of my Wednesday night class and then I am on Christmas break for two weeks. After that, I return for my final class. Then my very long (69 days) break starts. I will have to go back to school about a month after our little bug is born, but I will be on maternity leave so hopefully, it won't be too terrible. My mother-in-law (I love her like my own mother) and my aunt have already lined themselves up to watch our little guy while I am in class.

Speaking of class, here is something funny that happened on Wednesday. Keep in mind I have had this professor for several weeks now.

I pulled an extra chair over to the desk so I could put my feet up. My back was bothering me and I wanted some extra support. My instructor says "What are you doing?". I told him that I was pulling a chair over to put my feet up. "How come? Is everything okay?". Sigh.

Yes, Mr. Professor. I am fine. I told him I was tired, pregnant and that my back hurt and I wanted to put my feet up.

"You're pregnant?!" I thought that was hysterical. How could he not tell? It looks like I have swallowed a basketball. I said "Did you think I was this fat normally?". The rest of the night, he kept saying "I didn't know she was pregnant" and he backtracked and said that he couldn't tell, blah blah. Too funny!

In baby news, I had my 31 week appointment yesterday. Can you believe it? 31 weeks! Crazy. Everything is fine. I haven't looked to see what my total weight gain is, but I have a feeling it's around 23 pounds. GULP!

Little man is moving around like crazy. Jason and I have taken to calling him The Goblin. It really fits. You know how goblins are short, slightly crazy and active? That's just like our Baby Walter (that is not his name FYI). I love feeling him kick and move around. Honestly, with the icky pregnancy I have had, that is the best part. I honestly think that is the only thing about pregnancy that I like. My belly moves all over the place and every once in a while, he will kick my so swiftly that it makes me gasp. I don't care. I love it. He can kick me in the ribs all he wants.

Now, Baby Walter is another of our nicknames. I picked that because I personally think that Walter is a completely ridiculous name for a baby. No offense to any Walters out there. Don't you have a hard time picturing an infant named Walter? It makes me giggle.

It's getting so close to Christmas and it seems this year has snuck up on me. Granted, I have had other things on my mind, but where has the time gone? I hope to get some neat Christmas pictures of me, Baby Walter, Jason and the Christmas tree to put on our New Year's cards. We do those every year rather than Christmas cards. Hopefully this pregnancy can inspire me to be creative.

Merry Christmas if I don't post again until afterwards!

And while this might be controversial, I don't care. If you could pray for Michelle Duggar and family, that would be wonderful. She delivered her 19th baby yesterday at 25 weeks. The tiny little baby is only 1 pound 6 ounces and babies that tiny have a lot of fighting ahead of them. God bless her and the entire family.

My Nephew Is Here!

Greyson Charles Edward Lastname was born on Saturday November 21st at 3:10 in the morning (EST). He weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces and was 21.75 inches long! From talking to my brother-in-law I guess he has really long fingers (just like my sister does) and big feet. He was born with a full head of dark hair.

I am so overjoyed that he is a healthy baby. I wish my sister didn't have such an icky labor though. She ended up needing a c-section after pushing for over 6 hours. He was sunny side up and his head was too big to fit through the canal (sign of a really big brain perhaps?). I hope my sister is able to get some rest over the next few days. She is in the hospital for a couple of more days.

I am feeling a lot of mixed emotions. I am so happy for their new family but at the same time, it pains me that I won't get to meet him until May. Being 3000 miles away makes it so hard. I was looking at the pictures of him today and had a hard time not crying because not only is he the most precious, beautiful baby I have ever seen, but because my sister and her husband look so amazingly happy and at peace. I wish I could be there to meet him!

Seeing pictures of that sweet baby remind me that I am going to be a mommy in the next couple of months. Of course, my baby won't be nearly as cute as Greyson! It's hard to top a baby that looks exactly like my sister and brother did when they were born!

It's a Good Day!

Today is a good day. Correction, GREAT day! I woke up in an amazing mood. I knew my sister was going to have her baby today. She is 8 days overdue and her and her OB decided to induce today.

I got a couple of updates throughout the day. Two hours ago, I last got an update saying she had been given the okay to push. Eeeeek! I could be an aunt already!

Plus, I had a doctor's appointment today. It was a really good appointment. First off, I do not have GD! That is such a huge relief off my shoulders. My levels were really low so I am not sure why they were so dang high before. This time, after an hour of drinking the glucose, my level was 120. That is 40 points less than the first test!

Second, I only gained three pounds between appointments. My diet and exercise plan must be working.

Third, I asked my doctor how my baby was positioned. He was able to tell that our little guy is head down. That makes complete sense to me since he has been kicking me pretty high up (near my ribs) all day. I know that he will move again, but it's fun to know where his head and butt were.

Like I said, it's a great day! I can't wait to hear if my nephew has been born. I am so excited for my sister. She and her husband went through about three years of fertility treatments, so they deserve to meet their miracle.

Push Becky push!

GD Hell

GD stands for gestational diabetes if you didn't already know that. Last week, I went in for my one hour glucose tolerance test. I figured I would pass with no problem since I had fasted since the night before. No problem!

I called my doctor on Tuesday since I hadn't heard my results, and guess what? BIG FAT FAIL. I failed miserably. 162 and my doctor likes to see the results at 140. Soooo, time for the 3 hour glucose tolerance test.

Here is what that entails:

* Fasting for twelve hours prior (no problem)
* Blood sugar check first thing in the morning to see what your fasting level is (no problem)
* Drinking the lovely orange drink in five minutes. Twice the glucose from the one hour (gross!)
* Three more blood sugar checks. One at one hour after drinking, the second two hours after, the third three hours after (a pain).

Normally, this wouldn't be a huge deal. However, I couldn't take my anti-nausea medication this morning. Plus, you can't eat or drink anything other than water until after the last draw. Ugh. And you can't leave. So, I was sitting out in the lab waiting room for three hours. I brought homework to pass the time.

I have no idea what my results are. Quite honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if I had GD. Considering how much I love Thanksgiving and how much I am looking forward to it, I wouldn't be surprised. I won't be able to eat a darn thing other than turkey. I figure if I do have GD, I will boycott Thanksgiving. What could be worse than watching your entire family eat delicious, delicious pie, sweet potatoes and stuffing while I can't have any? Seriously, that would be torture to me.

So, on top of the diet that I am already on, I might have to alter it again. All I know is that with GD you have to severely limit your carb intake. I can do it, but boy, will I be happy when this little guy is born!

I should know my results on Monday. I know it's not the end of the world, but for someone that hasn't had the easiest pregnancy, it would just be yet another thing I have to worry about.

I will stay positive.

Call the Wahhhmbulance

Because I am whiny. I might be considered ungrateful but I really, truly do not feel well. There are days that I feel great, but today is not one of them. I woke up with stomach issues (read: Bathroom every few minutes) and I called in sick to work. There goes one extra day at home with my baby.

Not only does my hip hurt like a bitch even though I sleep with a pregnancy pillow, I STILL have morning sickness. Yes, I know I take medication, but it's annoying. I sometimes will forget and my body lets me know right away. "Hmm, why do I feel nauseous? Oh that's because it's 9:00 and I forgot to take my pill at 8:00".

I have the ocassional heartburn, which is tolerable. I can deal with that.

What I can't deal with: Feeling like my stomach is going to explode. My stomach is literally hard as a rock. I don't think it's Braxton Hicks contractions because it's lasted all day. All day I can't get comfortable. All day I need to move every five minutes because I can hardly breathe. All day I am up off the couch and trying to breathe even though it hurts.

So, besides the excruciating hip pain that lasts all day, the morning sickness and the incredibly hard belly, I'm fine.

Oh, and did I mention that I am hungry All.The.Time? Damn diet.

I did my gestational diabetes test on Friday. And, even though I consider myself intelligent, I screwed up the instructions. I woke up early on Friday, showered and got ready so I can get to the lab shortly after 8:00. I was told to drink the lovely orange beverage within five minutes and then race to the lab to ensure I would get there within an hour. So I did. I chugged the orange beverage (which tastes like flat orange soda, three times as sugary with a chemical aftertaste), drove to the lab and was there at 8:10.

What they didn't tell me was that they don't draw your blood until an hour after you drank the beverage. Greaaaat. So, I had to wait until close to 9:00 to have my blood drawn. Meanwhile, I haven't eaten anything and it was time for my morning pills, which I could not take.

Finally, after almost losing the contents of my very empty stomach, I was brought back. After five (FIVE!) vials of blood were drawn, I was on my way out. I was home within fifteen minutes and finally got something to eat.

Did I pass? I have no idea. I haven't heard. I suppose my doctor will go over the results with me at my appointment on the 20th.

So, there is my whining for the day. Yes, I am extremely happy for this baby. I thank God every day for my son. But, I feel like crud sometimes. The good news is that tomorrow is another day. I will (hopefully) feel better.

Operation Weight Watch

So all this week I have been a good girl. I have been a good girl after getting my "fat" news from the doctor last week. I am taking his advice. I am cutting calories and getting some exercise.

Here is what I have been up to: Walking almost every day for 30 minutes on my lunch. Eating between 1780 to 1820 calories. I aim for 1800 calories a day but some days I am under and some days I am over. Before anyone has a panic attack, I assure you that 1800 calories is plenty for a pregnant woman to eat. Especially for a pregnant woman who is already overweight.

I am trying very hard to get in tons of veggies and fruit. I was doing this before but I am making more of an effort now. So far this week, I did two hours of yardwork on Saturday. I walked for 30 minutes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and today (Friday). I couldn't on Wednesday because I was short on time at work due to standing around waiting to get my H1N1 vaccine (that's a whole nother story).

So I have been good. Today, I am really craving pizza. I am not depriving myself of pizza so I decided to splurge and buy a Lean Cuisine Pepperoni Pizza. And because I am trying to get in my veggie servings, I am also having a nice, big salad.

I even baked last weekend and was still able to stick to my calorie intake. I really want to impress not only myself but my doctor at my next appointment in November. I don't want to get the "fat" talk again. It was more than humiliating.

My Husband

I have to write about my husband. He has been wonderful this entire pregnancy. If I ask him to do something around the house, he does without question. If I can't lift something or reach something, he's right there to help me.

The thing that I love most about him lately is how he reacts to my body. You can see in previous posts, I have a hard time with my body image. I was always afraid that he would think I was repulsive or gross during pregnancy. I am not sure why I thought this other than it's probably my own insecurity clouding my vision.

This couldn't be further from the truth. Jason loves my body. He loves my bigger boobs, loves my growing belly and is very concerned with my health. Not in an overbearing way however.

One of the favorite parts of my day is when he comes to bed. This is right around the time that I start to stir and get up for the day (we work opposite shifts and aren't in bed at the same time). He crawls into bed, snuggles with me and usually sticks his hand on my belly. He just lays there for a long time feeling our little guy move. I think it's so sweet. He will say to me "He's really moving around in there!" with awe.

I love my husband. And with our anniversary coming up in two weeks, I can't believe that it's been three years already. We have been together for 8 total but married for 3. I am lucky to have him around.

I am lucky that he says to me "Be careful getting out of the tub. I don't want you to fall".
I am lucky when he asks if there is anything he can get me.
I am lucky when he said the other night "Guess what? I love our baby".

He melts my heart.

24 Week Appointment

My appointment was uneventful and disappointing at the same time. I had it on Friday and have been holding off posting until I was in a better frame of mind. You will see what I mean shortly.

I did the regular routine: Pee in a cup, weight, and talk to the nurse. She gave me the information and the lovely glucose drink for my gestational diabetes test that I need to take soon. I asked her how much weight I had gained so far. She looked at my chart and said "Oh it looks like about 16 pounds". I knew it was going to be high and I groaned. She says "Don't worry about it! You are fine!". I thought I was off the hook.

Oh no, in comes the doctor. We talk, he measures my uterus, asks if I am still nauseous and then........here comes the weight talk.

Disclaimer: If you didn't already know this, I am not a small girl. I am not huge or obese, but I am heavy. I could have stood to lose a good 15 pounds or so before becoming pregnant. I am very self-conscious about my weight and I always have been.

"Do you walk?" asks the doctor. I tell him no that I am not good at exercise. He says "Well, I would recommend that you start and maybe watch what you are eating. I don't want to see you at the end of the pregnancy having gained another 20 pounds". I told him I didn't want to gain another 20 pounds either. He says "Something has got to change. Either you modify your calories in or your calories out".

I will admit it. I knew this talk was coming at some point. As a heavier girl, I knew I should only be gaining 15-20 pounds my entire pregnancy. While I watch what I eat (very closely) during the week, on the weekends I am a little more lax.

I left his office very depressed. He basically was telling me that I was fat. I already knew this, but it stings when someone else tells you. So, I will be modifying my eating and exercise. I actually already have. I am watching my calories and tracking everything on BabyFit. I have been doing this since I got pregnant, but I am going to be more diligent about it. I am also going to walk 5 days a week for 30 minutes. I figure I can do this during my lunch hour.

Yesterday, I ate so well. I ate plenty and got in two hours worth of exercise in the form of yard work. Today, I am on track with good eating again. I am trying to make very good food choices, choosing fruits and veggies over fats. This isn't saying that I will NEVER eat dessert or fat, I will just make my portions smaller.

Do I feel better about myself? No, not really. But I am ready to prove that I can maintain a healthy weight and make my doctor proud. I do NOT want the weight talk at my next appointment.

The Newest Symptom

It really isn't that bad, so I can't exactly complain, but why am I so HOT? Seriously, it's like I am a human oven.

Last night, I slept with the windows open in our bedroom, in a very skimpy nighty without any covers and I was STILL hot. I know I am cooking a baby, but this is crazy! I am usually freezing ass cold. So cold in fact that I have to heat my feet up in bed using a heating pad. Not these days though. I am an oven. I might be hotter than my husband who sleeps nekked and still gets sweaty (TMI, sorry).

It could be that I have extra hormones. It could be that I now sleep with a body pillow (FYI, Target $19.99. Best.Thing.Ever). It could also be that I sometimes have to wrangle between three cats who love humans because they are warm. At any rate, I'm hot.

I had the windows open while working from home today, no socks on and a t-shirt and jeans. I was still hot. It was 62 degrees outside. That can't be normal right?

It's all for a good cause.

Like I said, I can't really complain. My symptoms have been relatively minor. Case in point. The symptoms I do have:

* All day sickness. I take meds though, so I normally don't feel too disgusting.
* Occasional heartburn. Not terrible because Tums usually fixes it.
* Heavy belly. This sounds strange, but every night around 7:00, my belly gets really heavy and hard. Probably from carrying it around all day.
* Round ligament pain. This JUST started yesterday. Not too terrible yet.
* Weight gain. This is normal. It happens to everyone.
* Food aversions. Totally gone at this point. Yay! I can eat chicken again!
* Fatigue. Only occasionally and thankfully on the weekends when I can take naps if need be.
* Nasal congestion. I have allergies anyways, so I am completely used to this.
* Sex dreams. Not complaining about this AT ALL. Unless said dreams are about ex-boyfriends.

I am lucky enough not to be hormonal or have cravings. Yes, once in a while I will want something, but they aren't consistent. Saturday I wanted something chocolate and yesterday, it was something pumpkin. See? Not consistent.

My husband is also very lucky that I have had no hormonal "issues". No crying spells, no rage (at least towards him), no whining moments any more than normal. I consider him lucky.

So, I can't really complain. I am finally starting to feel good. I love feeling him kick and knowing that in 16 weeks, I will have a son in my arms. Makes it allllll worth it!

Registering

Boy, was that an adventure. I thought it would be oodles of fun. After all, we would get to pick out tons of cute baby stuff! I did like registering for our wedding, so why wouldn't I like registering for baby? It's not that I hated it, it was just stressful.

I even went prepared. I had started a wish list at Babies R Us and had read Baby Bargains to know what were good brands and bad brands. I knew we didn't need a lot of "extras" like a wipe warmer or special laundry detergent. We have a very small house so we don't need fancy special extra items. However, we do need certain things. Like say a crib. Oh and a highchair.

So, armed with my list, the husband and I headed out. I let him yield the scanner. I figure it would make it more fun for him. We started at the bottles. Easy enough. I only need a few since I plan on trying to breastfeed. I thought I would want the Play-Tex drop-ins. That way, I don't have to mess around with washing bottles. But the more I thought about it, I didn't know if they would be compatible with the breast pump I wanted to buy. Jason and I got into a heated discussion on just how breast pumps work. The poor man had to explain to me that you store the milk and then pour it into containers or bottles when you want to feed. Seriously, shouldn't I know that?!? Oh well, so we opted for Dr. Brown's. I figure we can wash them and I know they will work with our breastpump.

We made our way through washcloths, towels, bowls, bibs and to bathtubs. Who would have thought that my husband would want to be a fancy baby spa complete with jacuzzi setting? I needed to remind him: "720 square feet. Where would we store this?". He let me pick the whale shaped tub instead.

It was then on to the carseats and strollers. I had a certain brand in mind. After all, Baby Bargains rated it highly. However, when we say how easily the carseat would tip out of the stroller, even when locked in, we went with a different (and more pricey, ouch) brand. The funny thing? It had to match the interior of my husband's car. I really didn't care. He could pick the pattern. It's just a carseat after all.

Swings were fun. I wanted a full-size one but Jason found a smaller and more practical one. So much for reminding HIM about space. Sheesh. Then it was on to pack and plays. Very basic model. Bedding (sateen because Jason said it would feel good on the baby's skin, tee hee), diapers, cribs, toys.

After almost 2 hours, we were done. I was exhausted. I didn't think registering would be that hard. All in all, I think we ended up with about 70 items on the list. 70!? After 2 hours, that's it? There are still items that I want, like baby wash and Mylicon, but I figure those can be found at Target.

Thank God that's over. Even though picking out fabrics and models were fun, it was tiring. I hope I don't have to do that again. At least for many years.

Some Pictures

This is my first post where I am going to do nothing but post pictures.

How I announced to my coworkers that I am having a little boy. Cupcakes frosted blue!



The awesome fabric I bought for the baby's room. The dinosaur fabric is for the curtains and the blue fabric is for the valances and pillows. I love how the blue looks like dried cracked earth!



I didn't want anything really baby-ish and also something he could grow into, so dinosaurs it is!

My cool diaper bag I ordered from Etsy. I was able to pick the fabric. Again, I didn't want something that screamed "BABY!". I am carrying it so I wanted it to be a fabric I liked.

That's all for now. I must post about our registering adventures. We had fun. Sort of.

Best Day Ever!

Yesterday was such an amazing day. I started out the day nervous and antsy. We were going for our "big" ultrasound, or the growth ultrasound in the afternoon. I wanted a healthy baby, gender didn't matter. My husband, always the rock, helped calmed me down.

The cruel doctors make you drink 32 ounces of water 30 minutes prior to the appointment, so armed with a full bladder, off we went! The ultrasound was absolutely amazing. Seriously, yesterday was one of the best days of my life so far. We got to see everything in such detail. I can't believe how thorough and detailed the ultrasound tech was.

The bladder was full (the baby's, not mine) which means the kidneys are functioning beautifully. The stomach was full which means baby is swallowing correctly. Ten awesome fingers and ten awesome toes. The little bugger was laying face down which made it hard for the tech to get good pictures of the heart, but finally, the baby cooperated. It's pretty funny how they get the baby to move. Or at least I thought it was funny. The tech kept poking me with the wand and everytime that happened, the little one would move. Ultimately, he/she didn't roll over, but that's okay. The heart looked great!

Everything else was great. The heart, brain, spine, length of the femur, little hands, little feet (no club feet) and everything. Baby weighs about 14 ounces (little chunker) and is measuring about 6 days ahead of my due date. They will not be changing my due date because it's common for babies to measure a little ahead or a little behind. The ultrasound tech asked if we wanted to know the gender which of course we said "YES!" to.

Now, I have to tell you that all along my husband has said it's a boy. There is no changing this guy's mind. I have thought it was a girl all along, only because everyone is saying "it's a girl". Apparently, I look more feminine during pregnancy and all the gender prediction tests are saying girl, girl, girl. Jason and I had a bet going that whoever was right about the gender got to pick the restaurant we went out to celebrate at.

So the tech looks at the baby's little legs and then scrolls up. I said "Is that a penis?!". The baby is indeed a BOY! I am totally shocked! Jason was right all along. I should have just listened to him. Secretly, we both wanted a little boy. Jason is the only boy on his side of the family and so he really wanted to be able to carry on the family name. I wanted to give him a son since this might be our only little one. We got to see his little penis and scrotum. Blackmail for later in life I am sure. Jason keeps joking that he wants to frame the ultrasound picture of his little boy parts.

IT'S A BOY! I am totally shocked and absolutely thrilled. Even this morning, I still can't believe it.

We got tons of pictures of the ultrasound. We got to see his profile and so far, he looks like daddy. He even sleeps like daddy. Face down on his stomach with one arm above his head. What a sweetie.

I am in love. I cannot wait to meet this little guy in a little over four months. I hope he looks just like Jason and has his sweet disposition too.

Body Identity Crisis

I am sure I will get all kinds of negative comments about this post, but oh well. It's how I feel and I can't change that.

I was chubby before I got pregnant. Not fat, but certainly I could have lost another 10 pounds or so. I have always thought "When I get pregnant, I will listen to my doctor and gain only the recommended amount". For me, that amount was 15-20 pounds because I was already a bit "fluffy". Easier said then done.

I am trying very hard to eat right and get enough nutrition for the baby. I track my calories on Baby Fit to make sure I don't overeat. I tend to get between 1900-2100 calories every day, which for me, is very high. Before getting pregnant, I was doing Weight Watchers and I would be lucky to make 1400 calories a day.

I get enough fruit, veggies, meat, dairy, etc. But why am I gaining weight so fast? My biggest fear is that I will go into the doctor on the 25th and he says to me "Packing on the pounds are ya?". This is my fault. I shouldn't even be stepping on the scale. Right there is the error that I make.

So how much have I gained? Well, I think it's 8 pounds. I am 18.5 weeks pregnant. I don't know if this is normal or not. However, it's 8 pounds. That is almost half of what my doctor wants me to gain total. I still have almost 22 weeks left to go. I'm in a pickle.

I am having issues with my body. I still don't look pregnant. I just look fat. People can't tell I am pregnant, however, I have gotten comments about my weight. "Oh, have you gained weight?" when I see someone I haven't seen in a while. These comments DO NOT help. My old clothes don't fit, with the exception of the fat pants I managed to retire over a year ago. Those still fit me. My shirts mostly do too. All 8 pounds of this weight is in my belly. I look like I am carrying around a keg.

I want to look pregnant, and feel good about myself, but I don't. Instead, I feel fat, gross and well....Gross. Not good. I should be feeling happy and joyful about this baby. I am happy about the baby, but can I please look pregnant already? I am tired of the stares from strangers and people at work.

Ugh, identity crisis. Like I didn't have a bad enough body image before.

Heartburn?!

As if morning sickness wasn't fun enough on its own. No, I had my first round of heartburn yesterday. I am not prone to get heartburn normally, but I guess since I am 17 weeks pregnant, it was inevitable.

The culprit? A Coke. It was my own stupid fault too. I had a Coke at 3:00. It was the only thing that sounded appealing and I needed something to settle my stomach. Well, an hour later, my stomach was even more inflamed. Stupid, stupid Rachel.

I don't keep Tums in the house (which I will now!) and because I was cooking dinner, I couldn't leave to go buy some. So I stuck it out. I eventually found some antacid pills in my husband's emergency kit so I took some. Did they work? For about an hour, yes. After that, oh the burn!

Moral of the story: Don't drink a Coke at 3:00 in the afternoon thinking it will settle your stomach.

Baby Kicks!

Yesterday was a really good day. I got to work, sat down, opened my Coke (coffee still makes my stomach turn) and got ready for my day. I finished my sugary caffeinated beverage and thought "Oh yuck, gas".

I jumped out of my chair. It wasn't gas! It was tiny baby kicks! I felt a couple right in a row so I know I wasn't feeling my heartbeat or something else. Up until now, all I have felt is some "flutters" or "bubbles". I know for sure this was the real deal.

Honestly, it was the coolest feeling in the world. I almost started crying because it was so great. All day I kept eating sugary stuff (bad, I know) because I wanted to feel those little kicks again. No dice though.

I do think my little piglet liked the sugar and caffeine from the Coke I drank. Baby after my own heart, I tell ya.

In other news, I tried again to stop my B6 and Unisom combination. I thought surely, I still can't have morning sickness at 17 weeks. WRONG! I still have it. I felt great all day and then late last night, I started feeling miserable. It took me over two hours to fall asleep because I was afraid I was going to throw up in bed.

So back on the pills I go. I guess if it's not bad for piglet, I will keep taking them.

FYI, Jason hates that I call him/her piglet. He says "We are not swine". But have you ever seen baby pigs? They are soooo cute!

15 Week Appointment

I had a regularly scheduled doctor's appointment yesterday and boy was I glad! Since about Wednesday, I felt like I was getting a UTI. I had a lot of pressure on my bladder and my lower back was really bothering me. While these are not tell-tale signs of a UTI, they are not usual for me. So, I beared the annoyance until yesterday.

My appointment went really well. It was a short one. I did the standard pee in a cup and the weight check. My fat ass is up 4 pounds since my last appointment. For a total weight gain of 4 pounds so far. That doesn't seem that terrible. However, I am trying to keep my gain somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-20 pounds. We will see just how successful I am with that.

Dr. P measured my uterus. Well, he actually just poked around for it. I have been trying to do that for a few days but I felt nothing really significant. Turns out, I was feeling my uterus. Who knew?

Guess what? I DO have a UTI. Fun times. So, I got my prescription for Sulfa. Funny thing, it makes you more sensitive to the sun and you tend to burn easier. That's funny because I am leaving for Vegas tomorrow. I guess SPF 70 is in my future. At least now I know I am not crazy and that the symptoms I was feeling were due to the UTI.

I also scheduled my big ultrasound appointment. I was hoping it would be in another 4 weeks, but my doctor wants me to be "fully cooked" at 20 weeks. It's on Friday September 25th. My husband is already planning on taking the day off from work so we can go out and celebrate afterwards. I am 95% sure it's a girl and Jason is 95% sure it's a boy. Well, I guess one of us right!

Three Hoorays!

I feel so happy this morning. I have three things to celebrate. In no particular order:

1. I can drink regular drip coffee without getting sick
2. I have completed my maternity bottom wardrobe
3. I don't have any sign of morning sickness

While grocery shopping yesterday, I decided I would give drip coffee another whirl. I passed the flavored creamer section and thought "Hmmm, french vanilla Coffee Mate sure sounds good". So, I picked up a bottle and decided to try it this morning. I haven't brewed coffee in this house since very early in my pregnancy. I haven't been able to take more than a sip or two before my stomach starts to turn. I have been living on the occasional latte (which gets expensive) or a can of Coke (too much sugar).

Can I get an amen? I am currently sitting here drinking my alotted cup of regular coffee with some French Vanilla Coffee Mate creamer. Thank the Lord!

Jason and I went shopping yesterday in search of maternity pants. I have a pair of black pants that I bought on clearance at JC Penney several weeks ago. Armed with willpower and a coupon, we trudged back to JC Penney. I tried on every single pair of pants they sold along with a black skirt. I didn't care for how any of them fit me. They were all thin and showed every wrinkle and bulge in my legs. Not flattering. I did buy the black skirt and I did pick up the last pair of brown pants on clearance. Those managed to not make me look like a tub of cottage cheese.

On to Motherhood Maternity. God bless my husband. I promised him only one store for pants, however, he willingly went with me to Motherhood. There, I bought a pair of grey pants and a nice black dress on clearance. Halleluah! So, with the exception of a pair of jeans, my bottoms to my maternity wardrobe are complete. I now have a black skirt, black dress, black pants, brown pants and grey pants. As long as I add fun accessories and mix up my tops, I think I can still manage to look stylish.

Finally, I forgot my B6 and Unisom yesterday. I thought I would go without it for a day to see what happens. Usually when I do this, the next day, I feel sick. Well, so far so good! I am not feeling sick today. I will take that as a very good sign! Maybe I am out of the morning sickness woods?

At any rate, it's a good day. Granted, I haven't showered or left the house and as long as I don't get into a car accident or my house burns down, my day should continue to go well.

Can I get a hip hip hooray!?

Woe is Me

Well, it's come to be that time. The time when clothing no longer fits me correctly. I wore my favorite pair of pants last week and they were so tight around the middle that I could hardly breathe. So, today, the husband and I are heading to the mall. I promised him that I would only drag him to one store. That store will be JC Penney since I had such good luck there the last time.

I have a $10 off a $50 purchase coupon so let's hope that I am able to buy some decent pants. If I am lucky, maybe I will be able to swing a dress too. A black dress would be great because I could wear different colored sweaters over it and make it look different. I am trying not to be too limited in my thinking, but I am really hoping for some brown pants. I already have a pair of black so I need some variety!

I leave for Vegas in a little over a week. Thankfully I still have capris and t-shirts that fit me. I saved some of my regular clothes from last summer before I lost a bunch of weight. I still have several pairs of pre-pregnancy shorts and capris that fit me quite nicely.

Can you imagine a 15-week pregnant lady in Vegas? I hope so, because that will be me.

Woe is me. I hope to find some clothing that fits me today. Wish me luck!

Snoozefest

I went to a baby shower last night. Normally, I love baby showers. Cake, games and cute little baby things. What's not to love? If you are one of those people that doesn't like games, you are just a bitter party-pooper. The shower was for my cousin, who I am not entirely close to, but I still wanted to go.

I went armed with a pretty cool gift. I bought off her registry (which was 21 pages long!) and even up until yesterday, mine was one of the very few that was removed. Meaning, people didn't buy off the registry or didn't have the items removed. I figured it was the first. So, armed with my gift of a baby towel, baby washcloths, bottles, travel bowls, sippy cups, spoons and some diaper bag contraption, I went to the shower. My mother-in-law drove. This can sometimes be a good thing and sometimes a bad thing. I don't have to drive (good) but then I am at the mercy of however late she wants to stay (bad).

We were some of the first people there, and people just kept coming and coming and coming. The house was chock a block full. I should have counted, seriously, because there were between 35-40 people. And lots of little kids. I don't really like lots of kids. They are loud, cry, and tend to steal the spotlight. This fact alone is going to make me sound horrible, but don't worry, I will love my own children. I just don't love many other people's.

For two hours: TWO HOURS: we did nothing but watch my cousin open gifts. No games, nothing. Yes, someone stood up at first and said thank you for coming, yada yada. I wanted games dammit! But of course, with that many people, we would have been there until midnight if we had played games.

TWO HOURS of gift opening. It wasn't like I could get up and leave the room either because I was the designated camera person. Why me? I take terrible pictures! So, I snapped pictures of her opening socks. And pictures of her opening a onesie. You get the picture (tee hee).

Here is my huge beef. Out of 35-40 women, only TWO people bought off her registry. Me and my mother-in-law. Everyone else bought clothes. Now, this irritates me. First off, the poor girl didn't even get essentials like diapers. No, instead she got enough dresses to clothe most of Botswana. I counted five party dresses. What is a 3 month old going to do with that many party dresses?

There were a couple of rebels that bought things like fuzzy blankets and socks. But not many. I was disgusted. Too many clothes. That poor baby won't have diapers but she will have a fancy tutu dress with ruffle butt tights. Good Lord. And worse? Everything was PINK! Don't they make baby clothes for girls that aren't pink? Such as yellow, white, peach or maybe even (GASP!) blue? Nope, all of it was pink.

Moral of the story: If someone has a registry, buy off it please. The mother-to-be does appreciate some clothes, but not if she ends up not using them for her baby. At that point, they just became unused and donated to the Goodwill.

I sound like an ungrateful person. So what? This post will pretty much guarantee that I will be blessed with a little girl that loves pink. All I know is that I am not buying another piece of clothing. Instead, I will buy essentials like pacifiers, bottles, diapers, towels, etc. No clothing. Lord knows I will get enough at my shower. Well maybe not if I specifically say no frikkin' pink!

P.S. The cake was good. I finally got a piece after the gift opening and photography duty was over.

Oh the Rage!

Please tell me that pregnancy rage is an actual symptom. I will feel ridiculous if it's not. Seriously, all day, I could have bitten the head off of anyone that crossed me. Example:

I was walking to catch my train, wearing headphones. A guy flags me down. I say "YES?!" in a really snotty voice. You don't disturb me when I am clearly trying to go somewhere and while wearing headphones. He mumbled something incoherent. "I don't understand what you are saying!". Again, in a rude tone. He says "Can I buy a cigarette from you?". Okay dude, look. I don't smoke. Do I look like I smoke? I don't think so. "I don't smoke, GROSS!". Then I proceed to walk away. I am sure he thought I was a snot, but I don't care.

At work, it got no better. I was still angry at people who were annoying me. Thankfully none of them were my friends. I should clarify that if you are my friend or a family member, chances are, you won't see the rage. Psycho pregnant chick will probably only come out if you say something that irritates me. Which is most things these days.

So, I am going to a baby shower tonight. Lord, I pray that the rage doesn't come out. Lord, please make the rage go away. I am afraid I am going to end up on the news.

Thank you, Amen.

A Heavy Heart

A friend of mine (who I met on the internet) just found out she has a blighted ovum. LeeAnn was due a week behind me and had tried for a long time to get pregnant. We both shared our "getting pregnant" woes and sadness. We started trying at the same time (November of 2007) and had many stories to share.

Her and her husband found out they were expecting back in June and I was so thrilled for her! We starting comparing pregnancy stories and symptoms.

LeeAnn, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I know the pain you are feeling right now. Please lean on me for support. I hope you can reach out to me if you need me.

A Nice Compliment

So I went to see my husband at work the other day, and he says "Wow, you are starting to show". I thought it was cute that he noticed. So I say "Are you sure I don't just look fat? Like I ate one too many cheeseburgers?". His reply...........

"No, you just look a little constipated".

That's my husband!

A Break

I have taken a break from blogging for a while. Mostly due to being so busy with school. We have a presentation and a paper tomorrow so I have been preparing for that.

On the good news front, I had a doctor's appointment last week. My husband was out of town on his yearly camping trip, so my wonderful mother in law went to my appointment. She really is the best. The appointment wasn't all that exciting (blood, urine test, pap), but the highlight was hearing the baby's heartbeat on the doppler. My doctor was able to find it right away, which is awesome! It was going strong at 160bpm. I think at this point, I am able to relax. This baby is for real this time.

I finally found some cute maternity clothes! I did some shopping the weekend before last and was extremely disappointed. However, this weekend, JC Penney shocked (in a pleasant way) me. They had very cute clothes for very good prices! I didn't pay more than $10 for a single item! I am even more excited because I got a nice shirt to wear to Vegas to see the Lion King.

Did I mention that? I am going to Vegas. At the end of August. Yeah.....It's going to be hot. Like 110 degrees hot. Granted, I have been to Vegas in heat like that before, but I wasn't pregnant at the time. I see pools and cold (non-alcoholic) drinks in my future.

My diaper bag still hasn't come. Bummer. Otherwise, I would post a picture of it. Soon, I promise.

My next appointment is at the end of August, and I am already excited for it! Time sure does fly, but you know what? Sometimes it seems to drag.

I am currently 11 weeks and 5 days pregnant. Wow. Just wow.

It's Been a While

I can't believe it's been 9 days since I blogged. Wow, I am busy (or lazy). The past nine days have been interesting.

First and foremost. My morning sickness is virtually non-existant thanks to my doctor. I called and asked if I could take ginger pills because I had been feeling so crappy. After a couple of days of sitting on the couch doing nothing and throwing up breakfast, enough was enough. They told me to try vitamin B6 and Unisom. Yes, I know what you are thinking. Unisom is a sleeping pill. But, since it's working, I will not question it. I take the B6 four times a day and the Unisom twice a day and my morning sickness is a thing of the past. Hooray!

I went to my cousin's baby shower on Tuesday. It was so much fun! She looks so incredibly cute. She is 29 weeks pregnant and all belly. The shower was a hit. Her mom made yummy food (perfect for a hungry pregnant chick), and everyone brought the cutest gifts. Little Hazel will be the best dressed kid around!

I am a bachelorette for the next week. My husband left for his annual camping trip on Friday and won't be back until the following Sunday. So what does a girl do when her husband is out of town? Shop, eat, watch whatever girlie shows and movies she wants. Yesterday, I picked up a pair of super cute Keds at Kohl's on clearance. They will be perfect for walking around in Vegas. I also went to the mall in search of maternity clothes. That is a joke in itself. The only store that I remotely found anything was Motherhood Maternity. Even the big stores like Macy's, Sears, Nordstrom don't carry maternity. The selection is very limited which is very frustrating. I need a dressy top and skirt to wear in Las Vegas for a show. That isn't too much to ask is it?

So, my maternity clothes shopping continues. I suppose I could break down and shop at Old Navy, but their clothes never fit me right.

Since Jason is out of town, what should I do today? Currently I have a load of laundry going. I probably won't shower for a few more hours. I suppose I should do homework.

And my next appointment is on Friday! I hope it's a good one! I have been praying that we get to see/hear the baby's heartbeat again. I say we because my mother-in-law is going to my appointment with me. Jason is out of town so I needed some moral support. She is honestly the best lady in the world and always so positive. She is the perfect person for me to bring.

In most exciting news.......I ordered a diaper bag! I can't WAIT for it to get here! I ordered it on Etsy and it's custom made with my choice of fabric, zipper, pockets, etc. I picked a fabric that *I* like. Not something baby-ish. After all, I am the one carrying it. I wanted it to be something I love and something I can use after the baby grows up. As soon as it comes in, I will take a picture and post it (my first in this blog).

That's it for updates. It's been a busy 9 days!

WARNING: TMI Post

You know what I want right now more than anything? More than morning sickness or not having to get up in the middle of the night to pee?

I want a good poop. Not a tiny little squirt or half-solid one. I want a poop where you feel satisfied afterwards. One where you feel like you lost a couple pounds.

I haven't had a decent one in weeks. I will either have borderline diarrhea or nothing at all.

Isn't pregnancy lovely?

God Bless Peanut Butter

I haven't posted recently because of the following reasons:

1. I have been so nauseous that it's hard to concentrate.
2. I have been getting headaches. See above.
3. I am tired and don't really have the energy to do anything extra. See above above.

So, this is my first blog post in a very long time in blogger land. What changed tonight? Peanut butter. My friend Harmony posted a couple of days ago about having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner. As I went to the store tonight to pick up a few essentials, I thought "Hmmm, that sounds really good". So, armed with my peanut butter, grape jam, baked potato chips and glass of milk, I sat down to dinner.

H.E.A.V.E.N.

Oh my goodness, it was so good! And guess what? It settled my stomach. I think it might be the shot of protein from not only the milk but the peanut butter paired with the carbohydrates. At any rate, it was fantastic. I found a new trick: eat protein at every meal and it will help with the morning sickness.

I have tried literally everything: Crackers (saltines work moderately), Jolly Ranchers (work really well), keeping food in my stomach at all times (worked for a while but not anymore), eating right before bed (doesn't work, makes me feel ill), and Sea Bands (eh, the jury's still out on this one).

I should consider myself lucky. Some women get so sick that they are hospitalized. Thankfully, my only puke adventure was on MAX the other morning. I had a trusty plastic bag that I have kept in my work bag just in case. It sure came in handy. I feel sorry for the other riders that were near me. They probably thought I was a drunk. Back to my original thought. I have faired pretty well. Yes I am nauseous and it's hard to concentrate at work, but I am still lucky. It could be a lot worse.

So, my next meal will be sure and contain peanut butter. Peanut butter and banana sandwich anyone?

Babies For Dummies

And thank goodness for it! I enrolled in a program through my insurance company for expectant mothers. One of the nurses assigned to you helps you through the pregnancy process, answers any questions for you, calls to check benefits, and is just a general advocate for you. It's a very cool program. Along with enrolling, you got to choose a pregnancy book or video that they had on hand. I already have Your Pregnancy Week by Week and The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy, so I chose a book called Babies for Dummies.

Well, not really. It's actually called The Good Housekeeping Guide to Pregnancy and Baby Care. I call it Babies for Dummies because for someone like me with absolutely no baby experience, it's perfect. It has tons and tons of color pictures and step-by-step instructions on everything from breastfeeding to picking up your baby. Wait, you mean I can't just pick the baby up by the feet?!?

I kid of course. I especially love the sections in the book where it talks about the necessities and what you will need for baby. There are about 8 clothing items listed and just that many toiletries. In this day and age of wipe warmers, videos for babies, pacifier pods and endless crap, it's nice to see a book that condenses it for you. Lord knows, I don't need all the extra crap. No wipe warmer for me. I might consider a pacifier pod though, tee hee.

So, thank goodness for Babies for Dummies. My husband probably has more experience than me when it comes to baby care. Now, I have some reading to do.

Being Pregnant Rocks!

That is what I keep telling myself. Here are the reasons so far that it totally rocks!

1. You can go to Taco Time and not feel like a hog when you eat a bean burrito and a huge soft taco. Mmmm, baby likes hot sauce!

2. Cartoon boobs. You know the ones I mean. They are huge, melon-esque beauties that resemble Jessica Rabbit. My husband certainly appreciates them even if the shirt I wore today won't be wearable ever again.

3. You don't have to clean the cat box. I am not sad about this. Trust me.

4. You don't feel guilty if you need to sit down, nap, or rest periodically. Even though you feel like you are 80 years old, you need to remind yourself that you are pregnant, not old. Don't feel guilty! Take advantage of it now before the baby comes.

5. Everyone fawning all over you. Okay, this might sound narcisstic, but I love that my mother-in-law, mother, sister, etc. all ask me how I am feeling. It will magnify ten-fold when all my coworkers find out I am sure.

Yes folks, being pregnant sure rocks.

A Few More Things

In my haste of posting, I forgot a few things. First, my due date moved, which is fine! I figured it would since I ovulated on day 16 and not on day 14. So, my originally due date of February 10th has moved to February 11th or 12th. It would be funny if I had the peanut on the 12th, because that is my little sister's birthday!

Great, now my mind has forgotten the other things I wanted to blog about........Maybe they will come back to me.

One funny thing is that my coworker (who shall remain unnamed at this time) is also pregnant. We were three days apart, but now that my due date moved, we are only one day apart! Well, since we share the same birthday, it makes sense that our babies would share a birthday too. I truly feel sorry for my supervisor. My manager knows we are both expecting, and while she is nervous about us being out at the same time, she is thrilled for the both of us! My supervisor might be another matter. She will probably go into panic mode and then bring that panic mode onto us. You know what? Work will survive without the two of us. My supervisor will survive too. I have a feeling I will receive some phone calls while on maternity leave, but so be it.

So, now in my family, we have three of us due within a few months of each other. My cousin is due on September 25th (with a girl). My sister is due on November 12th (with a boy), and I am due on the 11th of February (with what looks to be a peanut right now). How cool is that to have that many babies in the same family? The only bummer thing is that my cousin lives in Lake Tahoe, I live in Portland and my sister lives in New Hampshire. That's really far away.

I still can't remember the other things I want to type about. Oh well. On that note, my little sister will be here soon. We are going to the baby mecca (aka Babies R Us) to buy shower gifts for my cousin. Maybe I will pick some ideas up for myself.

Houston, We Have a Heartbeat!

Yesterday was a roller coaster day. I started out the day nervous and feeling very anxious. My first appointment with the OB was at 1:30, so I had to last half of the day at work and then head to my appointment.

Thank God my husband was with me. I would have been either biting all my fingernails off or throwing up if I had to go alone. He held my hand in the waiting room and in the ultrasound room.

The last time I had an ultrasound that was hunting for a baby, all I saw was an empty sac. I knew immediately that something was wrong. This time, I saw the sac and something in the sac! My heard was overjoyed. What was even better was that we got to see it's tiny heartbeat flickering away. That was the coolest thing I have ever seen. The ultrasound tech turned on the sound for a couple of seconds and we got to hear our baby's heartbeat!

I can't explain what an amazing experience that was! My husband got a little misty-eyed. I love him so much. I love that he's emotional and caring. After I made the ultrasound tech confirm there was only one baby with a heartrate of 153 beats per minute, we went and talked with my doctor. He seemed surprised to see us for some reason. His comment was "you didn't waste any time!". Ummmmm, actually, it has been a year since I got pregnant the last time Mr. Man.

So, the only bummer of the day, and trust me, this is so not that huge of a deal, is that we have decided not to go to Jamaica in December. I would be 31 to 32 weeks along and the thought of taking that long of a flight scares me. My OB was perfectly fine with it, however, he did tell us the risks. Delivering at 32 weeks in a foreign country and blood clots.

This is another reason why I love my husband: His comment to me in the car was "It's just not worth the risks". I love that man. I thought he would be so disappointed. We have been planning this trip for a year. We are only out our $400 deposit, so that's not that big of a deal.

It was a great day. We spent the rest of the day celebrating by going out to dinner with my in-laws. My mother-in-law is thrilled beyond belief. Now I know where her son gets his emotions and excitement.

So Excited!

It's really sad that I can get so excited over something so incredibly meaningless. Well, it's not meaningless to me.

My sister and her boyfriend are coming over for dinner. I have been thinking about dinner all week. The thought of eating my family spaghetti sauce is making my mouth water. I can't freakin' wait!

So, yes, I am excited about spaghetti sauce. You know what else I am excited about? McDonald's cheeseburgers. And nachos (with lots of salsa and sour cream). And lasagna. And V-8 juice. Now, what do all these things have in common? Ding ding ding! Tomatoes! I love tomatoes and can't get enough of them lately. Actually, most every other food sounds disgusting to me with the exception of the items listed above. Granted, I have only indulged in a cheeseburger once. I certainly can't make a habit of it otherwise I would end up weighing 800 pounds.

So, in between being nauseous and tired, I want to eat. But only if food sounds good. Normally, I am a huge sweets person. Not during this pregnancy. I don't really want any sweets. My husband mentioned a sundae the other night and I about hurled.

A word to the wise: Don't talk too much about food around pregnant women. You might just get punched.

Now, if 6:00 would come quickly! I want my spaghetti!

Morning Sickness

I has it. Granted, it's not terrible. Yet. I woke up on Sunday feeling slightly hungover. I thought it was from my lack of sleep and eating three pieces of pepperoni stuffed crust pizza, but alas it wasn't. I felt queasy and uncomfortable for most of the day. Food didn't sound good. Sleep sounded good, but I had just woken up. I took a hot shower and literally changed back into my pajamas. My poor husband probably thinks I am a total bum.

The morning sickness lasted most of the day, and I have to say, whoever called it "morning" sickness is on crack. It isn't just in the morning. Mine lasts all day. Again, it's not bad. I can't imagine those poor women that feel awful and throw up all the time. How miserable. I sincerely hope I don't turn into one of them. Kudos to you ladies! I don't know how you do it. I wouldn't be able to go one stinkin' day living like that.

What is bizarre to me is going from being ravenously hungry all the time and thinking of nothing BUT food to not wanting any food at all. Literally no food sounds good. Nothing. Not even my favorite thing on God's planet: The family spaghetti sauce. The thought of it almost makes me want to gag. My husband text messaged me earlier today and said "I made meatloaf last night, feel free to have some". Uhhhh, no. I opened the refrigerator door, took one whif and almost passed out. There will be no meatloaf for me. EVER! Or at least for the next nine months.

I stared at my lunch on my desk at work today in horror. How was I ever going to eat THAT?! It looked disgusting and smelled even more disgusting, but since I was hungry and know I have to eat, I choked it down. Once you get started and take a bite, it doesn't taste so bad. I really hope this doesn't last because I was eating so healthy and now I am eating like crap.

On a good note, I will take the morning sickness as a very good sign. If this baby wasn't growing and sucking nutrients from me, I probably wouldn't be sick. Right? At least that is what I am telling myself.

Today, I am 6 weeks pregnant and my baby is the size of a sweet pea. How cute is that? It's amazing to me that a sweet pea takes so much energy and can make mommy so queasy. Amazing!

Can I Catch a Break?

Seriously, between this back pain and this spotting, I am going to die an early death.

I woke up this morning feeling refreshed after a good night's sleep. I went to the bathroom as I always do and.......red blood. I know brown is okay, but when I see red, I panic. So that's exactly what I did. I thought the worst and resolved myself to the fact that I was having another miscarriage.

After an hour and some reassuring posts from friends (online friends), I decided to call my mother. She suggested I call the doctor. Now why the heck didn't I think of that? Before I called the doctor, I thought I would take a shower. If they wanted me to go to the emergency room, I wanted to be clean and have shaved legs. Only *I* could think of such ridiculousness at a time like that.

So, I called the doctor and the on-call called me back. He was very nice. He reassured me that red spotting is not uncommon. Unless it's accompanied by severe cramps, I shouldn't worry. Now, of course, that is easier said then done, but I will certainly try. I explained my past history of miscarriage and that it started out with brown blood before. Again, he said try not to worry and that many women have spotting and even heavy bleeding in their first trimester. He suggested it could be implantation bleeding or the placenta growing and attaching itself.

I felt a little better. Better enough to go outside and do some weeding in my vegetable garden for a little while. Trust me, it took my mind off things, even if for an hour.

I can't stop thinking that I might miscarry. If I do, there isn't anything I can to stop it. I just have to understand that it's my body's way of getting rid of a pregnancy that otherwise wouldn't be viable.

I am going to take it easy tonight. Rest, eat some pizza (I have been craving it something fierce), and watch some tv. Hopefully I will still be pregnant tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.

Awful Morning

I woke up today at my usual time and was in so much pain I couldn't move. Over two weeks ago, I threw my back out after doing a lot of yardwork. I wanted to take advantage of the three day Memorial Day weekend, but instead, it took advantage of me. I have been icing my back, using a heating pad, and taking Tylenol. I haven't felt any better. So, fast forward to Wednesday. I went to the chiropractor and I instantly felt better. Yesterday I even felt good. I was sore, but it wasn't the excruciating pain that I had been dealing with.

Today, I couldn't get out of bed. I don't know if I slept wrong, or if my thrashing in the middle of the night re-injured it. It took me five minutes to will myself enough effort to get up. It hurt like Hell!

So, I walked around the house for a minute to try and get the muscles going. That lasted about a minute. I almost didn't make it to the bathroom before I collapsed on the floor. I was in so much pain that I got severely nauseous and almost threw up.

I had to make a split decision: Try and throw up into the toilet or try and heave myself up onto the toilet so I wouldn't poop myself. Nice huh? So, with all my strength, I got up and proceeded to sweat and watch the room spin for a good five minutes. Thank God the sink is right next to the toilet so I could lay my face down on the cool ceramic.

Bless my husband's heart. I called for him and woke him from a dead sleep to help me off the toilet. He got me to the couch, brought me a banana, some water and Tylenol. I knew I married him for a reason. He takes good care of me.

Thank goodness, I feel better. After stretching, moving around, some ice and rest, I feel much better. I hate having to call in sick to work, but I didn't have a choice. I probably wouldn't have been able to make it the five blocks to walk to MAX.

So, my bout with nausea was interesting. I feel for women that have to go through that all the time. I don't know how they can handle it. I almost passed out just after one incident. Let's hope this isn't a pattern that continues.

On a better note, my spotting hasn't returned today. Thank the Lord!

Le Sigh

Well, I'm spotting. Not red spotting, just a little brown. However, before you say "Brown spotting is common in early pregnancy", I would just like to say that with my miscarriage, this is exactly how it started. I had some brown spotting (never any cramping) that continued for a few days. Now, if I see any more brown tomorrow, it might send me into a panic.

I am really praying and wishing that nothing is wrong. I want this baby so much. My husband wants this baby so much. I don't think I could emotionally handle another miscarriage.

I know that jinxing yourself isn't possible, but I can't happen to help but think that maybe I brought this upon myself. Was I too excited about this pregnancy? Was I too complacent? Am I not taking care of myself enough? I can second guess myself all I want but that doesn't change the fact that this pregnancy is out of my control. It's in God's hands. I will just have to remember to pray and ask for His will to be done.

Please stick around little baby. I love you so much already!

All the Bad Things

Even with my past history of a miscarriage, I am not walking on eggshells with this pregnancy. What do I mean by this?

Example#1: I still drink a small cup of coffee with artificial sweetener every morning.

I am a caffeine addict, and cutting this out completely is out of the picture. As long as I stay under 300mg. a day, it's perfectly fine. And artificial sweetener in moderation is fine. My OB told me so much to the dismay of one person that said "You are going to kill your baby!". Um gee, thanks.

Example#2: I am going to have a delicious hot dog with dinner tonight.

That's right, a HOT DOG. Nitrates, yum! Now, again, everything in moderation. I am making the family macaroni and cheese recipe and considering that my mommy always used to put hot dogs on the top while it was baking, I am not one to break tradition.

Example #3: I plan on flying late in my pregnancy.

Now this isn't for sure yet, but my husband and I had already planned and put a deposit down on a trip to Jamaica. If my OB says I am okay to travel at 31-32 weeks, we are going for it. How often do you get to go to Jamaica after all? As long as I can get up frequently and move around and drink lots of water, AND my OB says it's okay, what's the harm? Of course, we will not be disappointed if we can't go. We will just drive somewhere like the coast for our babymoon/vacation.

I am sure I could think of more examples, however, I haven't eaten breakfast yet. My body needs fueling.

Don't worry peeps, I am doing healthy, smart things too. I take a prenatal vitamin every day, eat very healthy (thank you BabyFit!) and make sure to drink tons of water. I just don't want to stop living life completely. If this baby is meant to stick around, it will. That is my number one wish for this year. We want this baby very much. It took us a long time to get here.

Weight Rant

I chat on an internet forum (I won't name it here to keep the innocent that way) and lately, there is a huge debate going on about weight. Now, I am not a skinny girl to begin with. I could have stood to lose another 20 pounds before I got pregnant, but I am going to step on my soapbox for a few minutes.

You are pregnant. Now is not the time for dieting. However, this doesn't mean that you should pig out and indulge in McDonald's every day either. Eat healthy and get some exercise (if you can). That's it! End of story. I have been eating very very healthy, but I am also not going to deny myself a craving every now and then. I am not saying that I am going to eat 6 cupcakes in one sitting, but if I feel like a damn cupcake, then I am going to eat that cupcake.

I am so sick of hearing ladies talk about how they only ate lettuce and water today. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but still. That can't be healthy. According to another website I joined, as a pregnant woman, you should be eating around 2200 calories a day, or slightly less if you are overweight.

This debate seems to go on every.single.day on that internet forum. One person speaks up and says "Pregnancy is not an excuse to let yourself go". I agree with that. Then another person states "Cherish this time and don't deny yourself the foods you want". I agree with that also. There is a balance. Each individual person needs to find that balance. I personally am okay with gaining 20 pounds during this pregnancy. Some women would panic at that thought.

Like I said before, I could stand to lose another 20 pounds, but that isn't happening. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I discontinued my Weight Watchers online subscription (I had recently lost about 20 pounds) and I am okay with that. I can always come back to Weight Watchers after I deliver. I will not die.

::Steps off soapbox::

Now, where is that cupcake.

I kid, I kid.

The Husband

I want to do a full post devoted to Jason, my husband. He is probably the funniest person I know. The first time I got pregnant, I told him in a really fun, cute way. This time however, I was so shocked that the situation went something like this:

::Rachel runs into the bedroom holding two pregnancy tests and rouses Jason from a deep sleep:

R: "Uhhh, I'm pregnant. And FREAKING OUT! I went drinking last night!"
J: "You're pregnant huh? Cool."

::Jason then rolls over and goes back to sleep::

Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better reaction. It was perfectly Jason. Calm, cool, no drama Jason.

When he gets up from sleeping, what does he do? Rubs my belly and says "So we're pregnant huh?". My reply "Yes, we are pregnant, now stop rubbing my fat". Typical response from me.

Every day since then, he asks me the typical guy questions.

1. How are you feeling? (tired, hungry and crampy)
2. What's wrong? (when he sees me looking like a zombie)
3. Can I get you anything (I am sure that novelty will wear off soon)

I love my husband. I truly do. He's so cute in relation to this pregnancy stuff. I love that he asks me if he can get me anything. My answer is always no but I may have to take him up on it.

He did do one slightly annoying thing to me the other night. He woke ME up out of a deep sleep (payback probably) to ask me: "Can I eat your leftover Pad Thai?". Ummmm, yes honey. "Are you sure?" YES HONEY, eat the damn Pad Thai and let me go back to sleep.

Don't mess with a pregnant lady and her sleep (see question number 1 above).

Some Background

I decided to start this blog as a way to express, in writing, how my pregnancy is going. Now, based on my past history, it might be that this blog is only active for a few weeks. When I say "past history" I mean that for the last 18 months, my husband and I have been trying to have a baby. We were successful in June of 2008, but sadly, I miscarried that baby the day before my husband's birthday in July. A whole separate entry would be needed for the aftermath of my miscarriage. It was truly the most painful, emotional time in my life. I wouldn't wish a miscarriage on my worst enemy.

After getting the green light from my doctor to try again, I started getting frustrated when nothing was happening. I realize that it can take a healthy couple a year to get pregnant, but I don't consider myself healthy. I have a lot of funky stuff going on in the woman region. That's neither here nor there. So, nine months later and still not pregnant. I decided to call a new doctor to discuss my "issues" going on with my body. I will not disgust you with the disgusting-ness of my "issues".

The very next day after I called the new doctor to schedule a second opinion appointment, guess what? Pregnant! PREGNANT! Hopefully this one will stick around for more than ten weeks.

So what was my immediate reaction? Panic. Why do you ask? I had gone out drinking the night before with some girlfriends. I just knew I wasn't pregnant, so a few drinks can't possibly hurt. The next morning when I took a test for sh*ts and giggles, I was shocked. So shocked that I had to take two more tests to be absolutely certain. I could kick myself now for drinking the night before knowing that I was pregnant. I know you don't share nutrients with the baby right away and yada yada. Here's the kicker: I drink MAYBE twice a year. Hardly ever.

So, there's the background. Our journey in a nutshell. Of course, there is so much more detail around it, but I am too tired and lazy to type it all out. I attribute that to the fact that I am four weeks pregnant.