Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 3

2011-11-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for my new baby girl. It's hard to believe that in 3.5 months she'll be joining our family.

9 weeks

20 weeks

20 weeks- hiding her eyes

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 2

2011-11-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

My husband. I give him a hard time, but I am so thankful he came into my life. He is so generous and is the best dad ever. When people complain about their husbands lazing around when they get home from work, I usually keep my mouth shut because A is most likely on the floor playing with Henry or throwing in a load of laundry (all while watching baseball, football, etc). Would I love him just as much if he wasn't quite as productive...of course, but him being so involved in our everyday life makes him the best ever!

Back in high school. Poor guy didn't know what he was getting himself into. :)

College. Basically full of football, beer (for him), and pizza!

We're engaged! Cute pose, eh?

Now he's stuck with me (not sure where the heck my thumb is hiding).

How he used to vacuum and watch Henry simultaneously.

Halloween

2011-11-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

This year was Henry's first "real" Halloween. He was only 3 weeks old his first Halloween and was pretty much clueless about what was happening during his second Halloween. He was a very cute little elephant though!

This year was a totally different story! We started out about a month ago by letting him pick out his costume. He decided he wanted to be a baseball player (A was watching a ton of baseball at the time). Ok so easy enough and he loved it the first couple of times he wore it to pre-Halloween events.

The night before Halloween Henry randomly decided he wanted to be a pumpkin. Luckily, we bought a pumpkin costume last year that he never wore. Here is his official trick or treating outfit. He makes an adorable pumpkin if you ask me and he only got called a girl twice :)

Henry had a ton of fun TOTing and even got the hang of saying TOT and thank you. He's definitely sad it's over, but he's enjoying a piece of candy or two each day. Only 363 days until next year! More than likely you'll see a cute little girl named Eleanor dressed in her big brother pumpkin outfit.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 1

2011-11-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

Let's start with the obvious. My little boy. I honestly don't know how it's possible to love a person so much, but it is. The love I have for him is totally different than the love I have for A or anyone else. I seriously think my heart is going to burst from loving him so much...even when he throws a huge tantrum in the middle of Target like he did today :)

My first glimpse of him.

Right after making his way into the world.

Big one year old.

My big boy (who still loves his paci)

Welcome back to me!! :)

2011-10-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well, I haven't updated this for about 18 months. The last 18 months have been full of happiness, struggles with a (very) late diagnosis of PPA, and deciding we were ready for number two.

My big boy has gone from a chunky little baby to a toddler in the last year and a half. Surprisingly, he has only gained about 9lbs from my last update at 7 months, but has grown a good 8-10 inches (we'll know for sure after his two year appointment next week). Not to worry though, he still has some sweet baby cheeks. Here is a picture of my big boy from his 2nd birthday party.

This little lady here is Miss Eleanor (maybe Ella, Ellie, Nora, IDK yet) Grace. I am currently 22 weeks pregnant and am feeling good despite some sciatic nerve pain and continuing morning sickness.

I'm hoping to keep up with this from now on. I've found it to be an invaluable resource while catching up on Henry's baby book and will probably need it again for Eleanor's. ;)

7 months

2010-05-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Henry,

Happy 7 months! You are now more than halfway to a year.

You weigh 21lb 6oz and are 27.5 inches long. You still look like you are thinning out, but it could just be you are holding your body up better.

You are still rolling all over the place, but aren't crawling yet. When we try to get you to crawl you flail your arms and cry. You'll do it when you're ready though. You are sitting up straight now without falling over. I can sit you on the floor with toys or books and you'll play for an hour if I let you. You've also mastered getting from a sitting position to your belly this month.

Your new favorite activity is standing. You can't pull yourself up yet, but if we put you near something you can hold onto, you will stand forever. At the end of this month you also started taking steps while holding our hands. You will walk across the room and look so proud of yourself. One other thing you keep trying to do is sit up while you're on your back. You are nowhere close, but one day you'll get it.

You are still eating mostly purees, but I am thickening them up with cereal. We tried a jar of stage 3 food and you loved the chunks. I think once we are finished with the purees I've made we will move to finger foods. You are still nursing 6 times a day, but I think we may drop down to 5 times soon.

Just as we thought we had your sleep schedule figured out, you cut two teeth. For the last week you have been taking a lot of naps with me because you like the extra cuddles while your mouth is hurting. We also sleep together after you wake up to eat in the morning. I am definitely enjoying the extra 2-3 hours of sleep!

Dad and I both got new cars this month and your convertible seat won't get tight in mine for some reason. You're back in your infant seat for now and don't seem to mind. Your convertible seat is in dad's car and we will get a new seat for mine whenever we feel like you need to be in a convertible seat full time.

You are still wearing 6-12 and 12-18 month onesies, 12-18 month rompers, 6 month T's, and 6-9 month pants. I think this is the first month you haven't gone up a clothing size.

I got a new camera this month and am so happy I am able to get some quality pictures of you. I am definitely not a pro, but I can tell a difference. Here are my favorites:

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

6 months

2010-04-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Henry,

Happy half-birthday baby! A year ago, I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of my maternity suit I bought from Old Navy because (I thought) my rapidly expanding belly was too big for my bikini. Now, I am anxiously awaiting the prints I ordered from your 6 month pictures. Boy do things change in a year.

You now weigh 20lb 1oz and are 27 inches long. Believe it or not, you are beginning to thin out a little. Your legs are still chunky, but your belly and arms aren't as big. I'm attributing your thinning out to your increase in movement. You are rolling everywhere and when you aren't rolling, you are bouncing. You love to bounce in your jumperoo and in our laps.

You started solids this month and as always, you love eating. You have had bananas, avocado, squash, carrots, apples, pears, sweet potato, peas, green beans (big fail), and chicken. You also are a fan of Mum Mums and puffs. The other day your Nani gave you a few bites of her Jimmy Johns bread and you were in heaven...that was just a special treat for now though! Here you are eating a Mum Mum:

Along with eating "real" food twice a day, you are also nursing at least 6 times a day without any signs of dropping a session. You aren't awake enough hours in a day to get 6 sessions in so you go to sleep around 7pm, wake up to eat at 10pm, and then are down for the night until 6am. Now that you can roll, we find you in many different positions when we wake up in the morning. The butt in the air position is definitely my favorite!

This month we finally got past you sleeping on us for naps. After many failed no-cry techniques we opted to try a modified Ferber. We let you cry, but would check on you every 5 minutes. The first nap you cried for 30 heart wrenching minutes. After that, you did great! You now can put yourself to sleep on your own. You still only take 40 minute naps, but I feel like I can get a lot accomplished in that amount of time.

You are wearing all different sizes now, depending on what type of clothing you are wearing. You wear 6 months in t-shirts. You are in 6-12 and 12-18 months in onesies because your body is so darn long. In one piece outfits, you are in 12-18 months...again because of your long body. A few weeks ago I found a huge consignment sale that happens twice a year. I bought your whole summer wardrobes and spent $140 on an estimated $600 worth of clothes. Here you are in your new (to you) Gymboree outfit:

We just permanently installed your convertible car seat in my car. You definitely like it much better than your infant seat. We still have the infant seat installed for trips to the grocery store, but you are in your convertible seat 95% of the time. Here you are taking a nap in it on a trip to visit your Nani and Papaw:

You've been super cute this month. Here are some of my favorite pictures:

Wordless Wednesday...a few things

2010-03-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

5 months

2010-03-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

Henry,

All I can say is Wow! Who took my tiny newborn who only slept, ate, and cried and dropped off a baby who likes to play, imitate, and (try to) do things on his own. I guess there is still one constant- you definitely enjoy eating!

You now weigh 18lb 15oz and are 26 3/4 inches long. You haven't started solids yet, but I have a feeling they are coming soon.

You can now roll from your belly to your back and it is impossible to get you to do tummy time. You are also beginning to sit up unassisted, but we still put the boppy behind you in case you fall.

This month we started using cloth diapers. Mommy and daddy love them and so do you. You've been sleeping longer at night since we started using them. They are also very cute and between them and babylegs you sure do make a fashion statement.

Speaking of sleep, you are still sleeping on mom and dad for EVERY nap. You are starting to get too big though and cannot get comfortable. Something is going to have to be done...we just don't know which route we are going to go just yet.

Although mommy is still your #1 woman, you have found another girl you really love. Lucy is her name and she is a 50lb boxer. You love petting and trying to eat her. If mommy turns away for a minute you better bet your face is covered in doggy slobber!

You are nursing 6-7 times a day and usually sleeping from 8pm to 6am.

You are wearing size 6-9 and 6-12 month pants and onesies. I bought you onesie extenders because your body is so long and we can usually get away with putting you in some of your old 3-6 month onesies when we use them. We now understand why people told us not to buy too many clothes ahead of time. Here you are in an outfit mommy bought you for this summer. Although your daddy and Papaw may tell you it's a dress, it's not!

We had our first (and hopefully last) big snowfall at the beginning of this month. You didn't like going outside when it was actually snowing, but you enjoyed sitting in it once it had stopped.

You are getting professional pictures (real ones, not picture people) next month, but until then here are some of my favorites.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

Call me a hippie...

2010-03-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

it's alright, my husband does.

Henry is officially a cloth diapered baby and we love it! The picture above is just the beginning of our cloth diaper stash. As I type this, I have 24 bumGenius pocket diapers on the way. We tried 6 different brands of diapers and the bG pockets are definitely our favorite. With disposables, we would have numerous leaks and blowouts. So far we haven't had either. Henry has also been sleeping better...I think he likes the cloth on his tush.

Here is Henry sporting one of his new diapers

If you are interested in cloth diapering, I highly recommend the "try cloth for 10" program. You pay $150 to try 10ish diapers for 21 days. When you return them you get $140 back. Try cloth for $10

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T19:14:00.001-08:00

New blog

2010-02-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

I've finally decided to lose the tire that has been permanently around my waist the last 4 months. Come read about my journey to get fit again http://babytobikini.blogspot.com/

Henry 0-3

2010-02-10T19:35:00.001-08:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

4 months

2010-02-06T12:05:00.000-08:00

Henry,

You are already 4 months...a third of a year...18 weeks! Slow down baby boy!

You had your 4 month appointment today and I was not surprised to hear you'd almost gained two pounds this month. You are tipping the scales at 17lb 3oz and you are 25.5 inches long. You've more than doubled your birth weight and grown almost 6 inches! Here you are looking chubby as always:

You got two shots at your appointment today. You only cried for a second until I picked you up and have been sleeping on me ever since. Shots make you very tired.

You are still tripodding this month. You pediatrician said it's a 6 month milestone which means you're ahead. You still won't roll though. You still aren't a huge fan of tummy time, but are starting to enjoy it for a few minutes. Here you are looking very cute:

We went to visit your Nani, Papaw, and Uncle A for a week this month. When we got there we found out Nani had a ton of new toys for you! You loved them all, but the walker and Jeep rocker were your favorites:

You are still nursing 5-8 times a day. We've decided to delay solids until 6 months so you can start eating good foods like fresh avocado and bananas. I am going to make all of your baby food when you do start solids. I will occasionally thaw some milk out and feed it to you with a spoon. You love eating like a big boy!

You are wearing size 6-9 and 6-12 month onesies and sleepers and 3-6 month pants. You are in size two diapers.

You are still sleeping in our room and have started waking up around 4:30am to eat. You also are waking up a few times throughout the night just because. We can't wait for you to start sleeping through the night again. You also will only nap on me and are getting quite heavy! You are going to bed around 7 or 8 each night which is nice because it gives mommy and daddy time to get things accomplished around the house.

No professional pictures this month, but here are some of my favorites:

We love you baby!

We need your help!

2010-02-06T10:12:00.001-08:00

We entered Henry into the Parenting.com modeling contest.

Please vote for him!

Vote for me in this contest!

Contest details

3 months

2010-01-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

obviously I'm behind! I will update this soon!

2 months

2009-12-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Henry,

You are 2 months old already! Time is flying by.

You are 12lb 12oz and 23 inches long. It’s not a surprise you are gaining weight so quickly. You are eating 5oz six times a day. You also started nursing some as well.

You met your extended family this month. Here is a picture of you and your great great grandma:

This month you have made a lot of progress. You are holding your head up during tummy time, smiling a ton, and sitting up if we hold your hands.

You are sleeping longer, but still not through the night. We bought you a Swaddle Me and you love it.

You just moved into size 1-2 diapers and are wearing size 0-3 pants and 3-6 month onesies and sleepers. You have grown to have a long body and short legs.

You had your 2 month pictures taken today and you did great. I love them all, but these are my favorites:

You are such a wonderful baby. We can’t wait to see you grow in the next month.

1 month

2009-11-06T13:26:00.000-08:00

Henry,

I can't believe you are already a month old! It feels like just yesterday I was meeting you for the first time and now you're already growing into such a big boy. Here's what you've been up to:

For the first 2.5 weeks of your life your Nani was your mom while I was still in the hospital. I must say she did a great job and you two really bonded. I don't think your dad and I will ever be able to say thank you enough. Here you are with your Nani. She was the 3rd person to hold you.

You now weigh 10lb 12oz. You pediatrician was very happy with how well you are gaining weight. You now have a little belly on you and I love it.

You are eating 2.5oz every 3 hours around the clock. You don't like to go back to sleep after your 3am feeding and it makes mommy and daddy really tired.

You took your first trip to Evansville this week. You did great and we only had to stop once to feed you.

You are wearing newborn and 0-3 month clothes, but you will soon be in all 0-3. You have moved up to size 1 diapers.

You got your 1 month pictures this week. You cried most of the time, but the pictures still turned out great.

You are now sleeping in our room now. If I get my way, it's where you'll stay for a long time!

Tomorrow you are meeting all of your extended family and friends for the first time. We are very excited for everyone to meet you and see how precious you are in real life.

I can't wait to see what the next month brings!

My Birth Story + my post delivery hell.

2009-11-01T17:28:00.000-08:00

I think I'm finally ready to write this out. While Henry's actual birth didn't include any horrible complications, afterwards can only be described as the worst time of my life.

October 5, 2009 started out just like any other day. I had to go in for my bi-weekly non stress test thanks to Henry being stubborn and not wanting to move much some days. I just so happened to have my 40 week appointment that day so I scheduled it before hoping I would be in labor and could skip the 30 minutes of laying on my left side clicking a button. I was not in labor, but after a ton of begging (which had been going on for 2 weeks- I'll explain my reasoning later) and an elevated BP reading my Dr scheduled my induction for the next day. I happily skipped off to my NST all while telling Henry that I needed him to be good during the NST because I had a lot to do before the next morning.

As always, Henry didn't listen. He refused to move and his heart rate kept dropping into the 120's and then shooting up into the 180's. The nurse sent me home and told me after the Dr looked at my NST results that she'd call me. 2 hours later I was packed up and on the way to the hospital to be induced.

We got to the hospital around 2pm and hung out until 4 when my Dr came in to check me. Just as I thought...barely effaced, maybe fingertip dilated, and Henry's head was high. Just as I'd done for the previous 2 weeks, I told the Dr that he hadn't dropped because he was stuck on my hip. Around 4:30 I was started on cytotec to soften my cervix. I started to get a few contractions, but nothing too painful. I didn't sleep the whole night because I was just too excited.

The next morning the Dr came in and checked me...no change and surprise surprise Henry hadn't dropped. Nevertheless they started me on Pitocin and oh my god contractions really suck. Since I wasn't progressing I couldn't get an epidural and the pain meds they gave me only worked for about an hour. Around 5pm my contractions started to get unbearable. I seriously wanted to kill anyone in the room who dared to make a sound. At 7pm I started throwing up and that's when I declared if Henry hadn't dropped that I was finished.

At 7:30pm the Dr checked me again and I hadn't made any progress. He told me they'd turn off the pitocin and start the next day. I told him if he stopped the pitocin that I was leaving and not coming back. I told him to cut me open and get Henry out. I knew he was stuck and I felt like something was wrong. He obliged and at 8pm I was being wheeled into the OR. I had never been so scared in all of my life.

I started to have an internal panic attack when I got into the room and told the nurse I was going to die. I almost called off the whole thing, but I knew that wasn't an option. The spinal was a breeze and once I was numb I knew there was no turning back. I continued to throw up while the anesthesiologist pumped me full of nausea meds. When Andrew was allowed in the room they had already had me cut open (I had no idea).

The c-section was so easy. I felt a little tugging, but no pressure or anything. I got a little nervous when I heard the Dr asking for a vacuum, but a minute later they said "dad get your camera ready. Here he comes." Guess where the camera was...In Andrews jeans pocket which was inside his suit they had him put on. I remember saying "Andrew!" in a condescending tone, but our quick thinking (and wonderful) anesthesiologist ripped open Andrew's suit just in time for him to get pictures of Henry being pulled out.

Henry was born at 8:30pm on October 6, 2009. He weighed in at 8lb 90z and was indeed very stuck (which I knew all along). The Dr said he would've never been born vaginally and that made me feel good that I made the right decision.

Most moms will say the moment they heard their baby cry they were in love. That wasn't the case for me. Henry screamed like I had never heard a baby scream before. It was not cute and being on all of the pain meds I was on I thought "What the heck kind of sound is that." I was happy he was healthy, but that honestly was the extent of love I felt for him at the time.

After Henry was cleaned up we were rolled into the recovery room where my mom was waiting. I continued to throw up and was pumped full of phenergan so that's where my memories of his birth stop. I faintly remember the nurse holding my boob while Henry nursed, but then I passed out.

The next morning I woke up and realized that I had in fact had a baby. We were discharged 2 days later and that is where my post-delivery hell began.

The second night we were home I developed a horrible backache. I blamed it on the birth and went on with my night. The next night my back hurt so bad that I had to have Andrew get up with Henry. I honestly couldn't take the crying when I was in so much pain. Later that night my stomach started hurting as well. The next morning I woke up and I had rolls on my ankles. I was a little alarmed so I called my Drs office. The nurse assured me this was totally normal and was because I was pumped full of fluids.

That afternoon I started really hurting. This is also when I started to resent Henry. I hated his crying and thought "why can't he just shut up." I hated having to pump for him to eat and was sure we had made a huge mistake. I ended up calling the Dr the next morning and went in for an appointment. That is when I heard the horrible words "You need to go to the hospital now and check yourself in." I just broke down in tears. I had a 5 day old baby and he wanted me to go to the hospital. I ended up taking Henry in with me and had all intentions of keeping him in my room until thankfully some mom logic kicked in and I realized the hospital was not for a baby.

I was at the hospital for 3 days. I was hooked up to an IV and eventually diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. Apparently I started to develop it at the end of my pregnancy. The last 2 weeks of my pregnancy I had a feeling something was wrong. I begged for an induction, but Drs don't schedule inductions because of mommy instinct...even if it's correct. My blood pressure shot up and I was put on Magnesium Sulfate (aka the medicine of the devil). The mag sulfate made me feel horrible and I just sat in bed feeling sorry for myself. On the morning of the 3rd day the nurse let me know my liver enzymes weren't dropping and I was stuck at the hospital for another night. I seriously thought I was going to lose it. I finally cut a deal with the Dr and she said if my numbers went down later in the day that I could go home. Luckily they did and I was on my way to see my baby.

Right when I got home Henry started crying and I instantly resented him again. I cried because I was so afraid to be alone with him and was so worried I'd hurt him in some way. I have never been so scared of myself in my life. I didn't know how I could have such thoughts. This went on for a two days (luckily my mom was staying with us) until I started feeling like I had a fever. I called the Dr and he wanted to send my back to the hospital again.

By this point I was totally numb. My emotions were so screwed up and I wasn't myself at all. I ended up being in the hospital for 3 more days. While I was there my temperature went up to 103 and I swore I had bacterial meningitis and was dying (like I said my brain was going nuts). I cried and cried and finally my fever broke. I ended up being diagnosed with mastitis and a secondary infection they couldn't figure out. I was sent home with antibiotics.

The first night I was home I was a little nervous because of my previous mental state, but the next morning I woke up and felt like I totally different person. I still wasn't bonded with Henry, but I felt like he was mine and actually liked him.

My mom finally left a week after she planned and I was alone with my baby. Now that I was alone I decided to pull out the front pack. I used it all day and hurt my neck so I made an appointment with my Dr. Sure enough I had a pulled muscle in my neck and while I was there I mentioned that I had found a lump in my breast. He sent me for a breast ultrasound where they classified my lump as "suspicious" and I was scheduled the next day for a biopsy.

The biopsy sucked, but not nearly as bad as the wait for the results. Every time I looked at Henry I would cry because I was so afraid of leaving him momless (me being dramatic again). Finally after 36 hours of waiting I got my results...my lump was from pregnancy/breastfeeding. I picked Henry up and gave him the biggest hug.

And here I am a month later. I am healthy and feel like the luckiest girl alive. Henry is amazing. Sometimes I just stare at him and wonder how Andrew and I could've made someone so perfect. I would do anything for him and feel so protective of him. He is better than I could've even imagined and even though I feel like I went through hell, I would do it again for him.

Here are some newborn pictures for you. I personally think he's the cutest baby ever.

He's here!

2009-10-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

He is a wonderful baby and super cute! That's about all I have the energy to write about right now.

My son's a piggy

2009-10-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

He is measuring 8lb 11oz. If that isn't scary enough...his belly is measuring 41w1d, which is about 2 weeks ahead. Holy moly!

39 weeks

2009-09-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Ahhh 39 weeks! We've almost made it to the end. It's still hard to imagine that we will have a baby living in our house in a week or so, but we will.

After a week of a lot of pain, anxiousness, and an overall horrible mood, I am happy to say I am feeling great this week. I still have the aches and pains, but they aren't nearly as bad as they were. Mentally, I am calm and 100% ready. I am not stressing out about when he is going to come, but I am not comfortable going much past my EDD, so if he stays in too long we will have to give him a little help.

Last week I ended up going to the Dr twice because Henry wasn't moving as much. Because of his lack of movement, I now have to go for Non-Stress Tests twice a week to be monitored. Henry has been doing great, but sometimes he doesn't want to be woken up and will make the nurse use her noise maker on my stomach. My next regular appointment is tomorrow. Hopefully I will get some news about when he's coming.

* How far along?: 39 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 1.2 pounds this week.
* How big is baby?: He should be about 7lb 11oz and 20 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: I only have 3 shirts that fit me again.
* Stretch marks?: Yep
* Sleep?: Rolling over is tough, but overall I'm getting a lot of rest.
* Best moment this week?: Realizing I am going to meet my little guy in a week!
* Movement?: He's a little less active, but he is running out of room.
* Food cravings?: Anything and everything. I am hungry all of the time!
* Labor signs?: None that really mean anything.
* Belly button in or out?: Out
* What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Henry
* Milestone: Henry is ready to be born...now if we could just let him know that.

38 weeks

2009-09-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

2 weeks left and I'm tired, sore, and sleep deprived (not nearly as sleep deprived as I'll be)....what can I expect though.

I had my 38 week appointment today where my Dr said he'd gladly induce me if I was at least 3cm dilated...I wasn't dilated at all so no induction for me. He also sent me for a growth ultrasound because he thought I was carrying a 10 pounder. I'm not, but my big boy is 7lb 7oz and has a ton of hair! He also isn't engaged in my pelvis yet and *could* turn, but he won't because he's a good boy.

So now we are playing the wait and see game. I was a little worked up after my appointment because I just want an eviction date for my little man. I really can't wait for him to meet his daddy and the rest of his family, but I've resolved myself to the fact that he will come on his own. I am taking this one week at a time. I've gotten through 38 weeks already. I can get through 1 or 2 more.

* How far along?: 38 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 2.8 pounds this week.
* How big is baby?: 7lb 7oz and about 19 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: I'm mostly hanging out in sweats.
* Stretch marks?: Yep
* Sleep?: I snore now so Andrew leaves me in the middle of the night :(
* Best moment this week?: Getting to check on Henry during my ultrasound.
* Movement?: He likes to run his feet back and forth on my side.
* Food cravings?: Avocados...the best food ever.
* Labor signs?: Barely effaced, not dilated, some cervix bumping, and a few contractions.
* Belly button in or out?: Out
* What I miss: I don't really have anything specific.
* What I'm looking forward to: Meeting my baby!
* Milestone: My placenta is grade 3 which is a good indicator that Henry's lungs are mature.

37 weeks

2009-09-16T09:22:00.001-07:00

We are finally at the full-term mark and now all we have to do it wait. Starting last night, Andrew and I started telling Henry that it's time to come out. I doubt he's listening, but it's worth a try.

I have been having a few more contractions today and am really nauseous. I even got sick in my kitchen sink this morning...it's been quite a long time since I've done that.

* How far along?: 37 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 1.4 pounds this week.
* How big is baby?: He should be around 6.5 pounds and 19 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Only when I have to go out. When I'm at home I let my belly hang out of my pre-pregnancy shirts.
* Stretch marks?: Yep
* Sleep?: sucks
* Best moment this week?: Getting most of my freezer meals finished.
* Movement?: He is starting to slow down, but still moving a lot.
* Food cravings?: I'm not a huge fan of food right now.
* Labor signs?: We'll see in about an hour.
* Belly button in or out?: Out
* What I miss: Being able to walk without waddling.
* What I'm looking forward to: My appointment this afternoon.
* Milestone: Henry is a full-term baby now!

Henry 36w2d- This kid is nuts!

2009-09-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

I've never been so happy to have a droopy belly!

2009-09-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

It looks like Henry has decided to drop a ton today. My Dr said once he drops that I would probably start dilating. I am crossing my fingers he is right. We are so ready to meet our little man.

This is hideous, but I feel like an illustration of his drop is needed.

36 weeks

2009-09-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

36 weeks and only 28 days to go! At my appointment today, my Dr reminded me that next week I will be full-term and that Henry will be big enough to be born (like I could forget!). While I can't imagine becoming a mom in 7 days, I would definitely love it!

Henry has started dropping this week and I am feeling a lot of pressure. I sometimes feel like he is going to fall out when I'm walking around. My Dr said he still has to drop some more and that I will start feeling even more pressure. My whole body feels like it's falling apart. My back, hips, knees, and ankles hurt all of the time. My hands and feet are swollen and my belly is heavy. As much as it all sucks (for lack of a better word), I am almost at the end and my baby boy will be totally worth all of the pain.

* How far along?: 36 weeks.
* Total weight gain: too much
* How big is baby?: He should be around 6 pounds and 18.5 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: I am in love with my Gap under the belly jeans.
* Stretch marks?: Yep
* Sleep?: I get up to pee like 6 times a night now, but I am still getting enough rest.
* Best moment this week?: Getting to eat Pizza King...yum!
* Movement?: See video below.
* Food cravings?: Cheese sticks and avocados
* Labor signs?: My cervix is starting to soften!!
* Belly button in or out?: Out
* What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.
* What I'm looking forward to: the weekend
* Milestone: Henry is head down and starting to drop.

35 weeks

2009-09-02T07:51:00.001-07:00

35 weeks and only 35 days until my due date! 35 days is soon, but right now I am looking forward to September 16th because that is the day I'm going to start having eviction talks with Henry. I can't wait to meet him...can you tell?

This week we had our first childbirth class. I walked in the room and most of the girls were hardly pregnant...ok they were probably in their 25th week, but there is a huge difference between 25 and 35 weeks. So we talked about false labor, all while I was experiencing it and about how Kegels are important...ooops it's a little too late for those now! I may have signed up a little late, but I did learn a lot too. The last 45 minutes of the class was "mommy massage" time. Andrew is supposed to give me a full body massage twice a day from now until labor, but so far I haven't gotten one.

I am feeling good this week. I wake up to pee a lot in the middle of the night and then find myself having a hard time falling back to sleep because I'm thinking so much. I just lay in bed thinking about how much our lives are going to change and how instead of getting up to pee I will be getting up to take care of my little man. It's all a little overwhelming, but I am 100% ready.

There is not much to say about my belly picture. I'm huge and will continue to be huge for the next month. The jeans I have on are my new Gap under the belly jeans and they are the most amazing jeans ever.

* How far along?: 35 weeks.
* Total weight gain: Up to 33.6 pounds...my goal of 35 pounds is slowly going out the window!
* How big is baby?: He should be around 5.5-6 pounds and 18.5 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Gap Maternity is wonderful...too bad I didn't discover it until 35 weeks.
* Stretch marks?: Lets not talk about them.
* Sleep?: I'm still getting my 8 (or more) hours a night.
* Best moment this week?: My "mommy massage"
* Movement?: A ton.
* Food cravings?: Avocados
* Labor signs?: A little bit of false labor.
* Belly button in or out?: Out
* What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.
* What I'm looking forward to: My 36 week appt where they'll check for progress.
* Milestone: Henry not has coordinated reflexes.

34 weeks

2009-08-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

6 weeks left until my due date and only 20 days until Henry is full-term! I am so ready for him to be here, but at the same time I cannot even imagine how different my life will be.

This week has been pretty boring as far as baby related things. We had to go to the hospital last week because I was having some contraction, but it turned out to be nothing so they sent us home. I was glad because I don't think Henry is ready to come just yet. I've been having some contractions off and on still and they are painful enough where I have to stop and breathe for a minute. I can only imagine how painful they are going to become! Henry is moving around like normal. He has found my bladder and has a fun time kicking it especially if I am walking for more than 20 minutes.

I had my 34 weeks appointment today and my Dr assured me that Henry is still head down and that he is going to stay that way. I hope he's right because I do not want a C-section if I can keep from it. I am measuring perfectly and my weight gain is *finally* starting to settle down. I lost .4 pounds this week despite my swollen hands and feet. I will go in two weeks for my first internal and am hoping to see some progress. After that appointment I will go once a week until I deliver.

* How far along?: 34 weeks.
* Total weight gain: Down .4 lb this week despite eating like a pig while my mom was visiting.
* How big is baby?: He should be around 5.2-5.6 pounds and 18 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: I wish I had more that fit!
* Stretch marks?: Still only on my sides.
* Sleep?: Wonderful again!
* Best moment this week?: Hanging out with my mom.
* Movement?: A lot of pushing and rolling.
* Food cravings?: Carbs
* Labor signs?: Some painful contractions off and on, but I have a feeling we still have a while.
* Belly button in or out?: Barely out.
* What I miss: Shopping at regular stores.
* What I'm looking forward to: Our anniversary and childbirth class this week.
* Milestone: Henry is head down and ready to go!

Dear Henry,

2009-08-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

You are showing more and more of Mommy's personality everyday, but can you please not be quite as impatient as her. We are very excited to meet you, but having contractions at 33 weeks may be a little early! As much as mommy loves Labor and Delivery's sonic-like ice, she doesn't like being hooked up to machines and sitting in the uncomfortable triage beds. Can you please stay put for the next 3.5-6 weeks. We would really appreciate it!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

33 weeks

2009-08-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

27 days and counting until I'm 37 weeks. Then, it's just a waiting game until he decides he's ready to meet us! I keep growing and growing and am a lot bigger than I ever imagined. Andrew agrees, but we both know we were naive because when you're 5'2" there isn't anywhere for a baby to go except out. I am feel better than I imagined though. For some reason I imagined myself as a blob on a couch once I hit 32 weeks. I'm glad that isn't the case.

I have finally started sleeping better and have a ton of energy. I have been cooking and cleaning like a nut and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I may try to find a few freezer meals I can make ahead of time so that we aren't eating a ton of carryout the first week or two that Henry is home.

Time has slowed down now that I am getting closer to giving birth. My mom is visiting me Sunday-Wednesday this week (ok, honestly she is really coming to stay with me because I don't like staying home alone when Andrew is out of town, but it will still be a lot of fun) and then one of our friends from college is coming to stay with us the next weekend. Our anniversary is on the 31st which happens to be our first childbirth class...what a fun way to spend our 1st anniversary haha. Hopefully all of those plans will help time move faster!

I don't know if there is a big change in my week to week pictures now, but I feel like I'm getting larger. I took a head on picture just for fun. I definitely have a round belly!

How far along? 33 weeks.
Total weight gain: 32 pounds.
Baby's weight: 4.6-5lbs and 17 inches long.
Maternity clothes? I mostly wear sweat pants because I stay at home. I only have a few maternity shirts that fit me now.
Sleep: Pretty good.
Best moment this week: Nothing stands out. I'm just happy my little man is still cooking in my belly.
Movement: He's a nut.
Gender: Boy for sure!
Labor Signs: A few contractions, but nothing that's making me any closer to labor.
Belly Button in or out? So close to being out, but not quite.
What I miss: Shopping at regular stores.
What I am looking forward to: My mom coming to visit me.
Milestones: We only have about a month and a half to go!

32 weeks

2009-08-12T06:36:00.001-07:00

In less than 2 months we are going to have a baby living in our house! I think the reality of it is setting in. One thing that isn't setting in is the realization that I actually have to push him out...I think I will keep that in the back of my mind until I'm actually doing it.

I'm feeling ok this week. I am having trouble sleeping, but am able to take naps during the day. I started getting a little more swollen this week and can no longer wear my wedding band. Other than those two things and the normal aches and pains, I am feeling a lot better than I imagined I would. I figured by this time all I'd want to do is sit on the couch and watch TV, but I am actually more active now than I have been since the beginning of my pregnancy.

My nesting instinct has set in! I am all about cleaning and organizing. I organized our closet one day when Andrew was at work and this past weekend we cleaned out our basement. It just so happens that a charity was coming around our neighborhood so we were able to donate a lot of the stuff we didn't really need anymore. The stuff that wasn't nice enough to donate is going out on the curb this week. Andrew has also started checking things off his list as well. I think he is starting to realize that time is running out.

Picture of my closet

Henry has been doing what he does best...hurting me He has been constantly pushing, rolling, kicking , and hiccuping. He found my ribs this week and has been kicking them when I lay in a position he doesn't like. He is definitely like this momma!

* How far along?: 32 weeks.
* Total weight gain: Up 31 pounds.
* How big is baby?: He should be about 4.2-4.4 pounds and 16.7 inches now.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: On my sides, but that's it.
* Sleep?: Horrible
* Best moment this week?: Getting our basement cleaned out.
* Movement?: A ton of rolls, pushes, and hiccups.
* Food cravings?: Grapes.
* Labor signs?: A few BH here and there.
* Belly button in or out?: In in the mornings and out by the evening.
* What I miss: Being able to wear my rings.
* What I'm looking forward to: The weekend so we can get more projects finished.
* Milestone: Henry's kidneys are now fully developed.

31 weeks

2009-08-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

31 weeks today which means we are only 9 weeks away from 40 weeks (6 week from full-term)! We have pretty much everything we need and are just trying to get a few things done around the house that we probably won't have time for once Henry gets here.

I have been feeling a lot better this week. I have figured out how to get Henry to change positions when he is hurting me and have learned the best way to sleep so that I'm not sore in the mornings. Speaking of sleep...I have been sleeping about 10 hours a night. I am so happy I can do this right now (props to my amazing husband and his amazing job!) because I know it won't last forever.

The jeans in my first picture are my size 4 pre-pregnancy jeans. I am actually surprised they still fit me except in the waist....obviously. They are my goal jeans and I plan on wearing them to Christmas Eve this year! In my second picture you can see my stretch marks on my side. They aren't beautiful, but I'm willing to take them if it means Henry is growing big and strong.

* How far along?: 31 weeks.
* Total weight gain: I forgot to weigh this week. I will do it tomorrow.
* How big is baby?: He should be about 4 pounds and 16 inches now.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: See above picture.
* Sleep?: Good , but interrupted by kicks and hiccups!
* Best moment this week?: Finishing a few things on our to-do list.
* Movement?: A ton of rolls, pushes, and hiccups.
* Food cravings?: Pizza
* Labor signs?: 4 or 5 painful BH contractions a day now.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in...I lost my bet with Andrew. I thought it would be out by now.
* What I miss: Nothing really, except jeans that have a zipper.
* What I'm looking forward to: Our childbirth class at the end of this month.
* Milestone: Henry is getting chubby and is not longer wrinkly.

30 weeks

2009-07-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

10 weeks left until I'm 40 weeks! I will be full term (37 weeks) on September 16th and I am making sure Henry understands that once we hit that date that he is welcome to come whenever he's ready!

I have started to get pretty uncomfortable this week. During the daytime I'm usually ok except when Henry decides he is going to try to escape through the side of my stomach. It doesn't matter how much I try to get him to quit pushing he just keeps doing it. Nighttime on the other hand is horrible. I can't breathe if I lay on my back which means I'm stuck on my side. Henry doesn't like me laying on my side and kicks me constantly. Once I do get to sleep I usually have to change sides once every 2 hours because I get sore. Once I roll over Henry wakes up and starts kicking me again. It's a horrible cycle and I feel so exhaused all of the time. As much as I hate being uncomfortable, I know it will all be worth it in 2 months when I meet the only person I've ever been willing to take this much abuse from!

I still haven't scanned in my baby shower pictures yet. I will eventually and will post them.

* How far along?: 30 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 26.6 pounds.
* How big is baby?: 3lb 7 oz! He's such a big boy!
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: A few on my sides.
* Sleep?: Horrible. I actually dread it now.
* Best moment this week?: Realizing we have everything we need for Henry. Now we're just waiting for him to grow enough to be an outside baby!
* Movement?: He thinks my side is an escape route.
* Food cravings?: Sweet cherries.
* Labor signs?: A few BH contractions.
* Belly button in or out?: Almost flat now.
* What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.
* What I'm looking forward to: Our hospital tour.
* Milestone: Henry's eyesight is developing.

29 weeks

2009-07-26T08:46:00.001-07:00

This is 4 days late and there isn't much to say. I had my 29 week appointment on Thursday. My mom was up here so I had her go with me. We waited for over an hour and a half just to see the Dr for about 2 minutes. Then, both Drs that were in the office (who I've never met) basically ignored me while shaking my mom's hand and asking her how she was. I guess they thought I was her pregnant teenage daughter or something.

We also had our 3D ultrasound on Thursday. It was really neat to see Henry again. He looks exactly like Andrew when he was a baby and nothing like me. He already has a tiny bit of hair and hopefully he will grow a little more in the next 10 weeks. He kept his foot up near his face the whole time. He is in a head down position with his legs up by his head. That explains why I feel hiccups and kicks really low.

I also had my showers last weekend. Once I get some pictures I will post them.

* How far along?: 29 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 24.6 pounds. That's only .2 pounds this week!
* How big is baby?: He should be between 2.8-3.1 pounds and 15 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: A few on my sides.
* Sleep?: Wonderful
* Best moment this week?: 3D ultrasound
* Movement?: I started kick counts this week. He has an hour to get 10 movements in and usually gets them done in 2 minutes or less.
* Food cravings?: Nothing really.
* Labor signs?: A few BH contractions.
* Belly button in or out?: Almost flat now.
* What I miss: Rare steak
* What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Henry in a few months.
* Milestone: Henry's bones are fully developed now.

3D pictures

28 weeks

2009-07-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

28 weeks and a huge growth spurt. I can now feel Henry kick down by my hips all while pushing his head out by my ribs. He is getting to be such a big boy!

I am feeling a ton of movement and have kind of figured out Henry's schedule...basically he is up all day and sleeps at night (yes!). Henry's new favorite thing is to push on my stomach and it really hurts sometimes. I can now differentiate between a butt/head and arm/leg. He has also found my ribs as of this morning and thinks it's funny to put his hand behind them.

I have been in a little more pain lately. My hips and back are pretty sore now and my knees and ankles are starting to hurt probably due to the extra 24 pounds they are carrying. Overall everything has been going pretty smooth though and I am thankful for every week he stays in my stomach and grows (it's amazing how you take something like that for granted until you have a friend with a preemie!).

My showers are this weekend and I am really excited. I am most excited about seeing my family and friends and showing off my big belly to them. Hopefully Henry will cooperate and let them feel him. He is pretty stubborn though (like his mom) so he will probably stay still the whole day!

* How far along?: 28 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 24.4 pounds. I'm not eating bad so I can't worry about it.
* How big is baby?: He should be between 2.4-2.75 pounds and 14.8 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: They keep growing :(
* Sleep?: Just ok.
* Best moment this week?: Feeling Henry's hiccups.
* Movement?: He's wild and sometimes it really hurts.
* Food cravings?: Cucumbers and pizza.
* Labor signs?: None that I know of.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in.
* What I miss: Not waddling.
* What I'm looking forward to: My showers this weekend.
* Milestone: Henry has eyelashes and can see light.

We also worked on the nursery this week and have it all organized (thanks mom!). I will leave you with some pictures.

27 weeks

2009-07-08T10:24:00.001-07:00

We are in the 3rd trimester! It seems like just yesterday I was tilting the pregnancy test back and forth wondering if I was just seeing things, but here we are 10 weeks from having a full-term baby...hopefully he will stay in a week or so longer though.

I have been feeling pretty good for the most part. The other night I had some horrible reflux though. I think it was the most painful thing that has happened so far. My belly is starting to feel heavy. When I sit way back on our couch I sometimes feel like it's holding me down and have to ask Andrew to give me a push when I want to stand up.

* How far along?: 27 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 20 so far...I have read this is a normal amount.
* How big is baby?: He should be between 2.2-2.4 pounds and 14.5 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: 4 on my side :(
* Sleep?: Wonderful. I can't get enough!
* Best moment this week?: Watching Henry kick the TV remote on my belly.
* Movement?: He has his crazy times and sleepy times.
* Food cravings?: Papa Johns pizza although I haven't given into it yet.
* Labor signs?: I had one BH contraction last night.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in.
* What I miss: Being able to run to the grocery store and not be gone for 2 hours.
* What I'm looking forward to: My showers in less than 2 weeks!
* Milestone: Henry has an 85% chance of survival if he was born today. It's not 100%, but is reassuring. He better stay put though!

26 weeks!

2009-07-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

98 days until Henry makes his appearance...whoa, where did the time go? I am so excited for October to get here so I can meet him, but I feel like there is a lot I have to do and even more I have to learn. Also, by this time next week I will be in the 3rd trimester.

I feel like I have really grown this week. Henry has been pretty quiet since last week so I think he has been using all of his energy to grow as well. Last night I had really bad pain on my right side and almost called the on call Dr, but I decided to wait and found out later my pain was coming from Henry's position. I guess I will be feeling some pain more and more now that Henry is getting so big.

* How far along?: 26 weeks.
* Total weight gain: I gained .8 pounds this week so that puts me at 17.4 total.
* How big is baby?: He should be between 1.8-2.2 pounds and 14 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes, my belly sticks out the bottom of my non-maternity pajama t-shirts now.
* Stretch marks?: Only a few.
* Sleep?: Other than more weird dreams (my mom being pregnant, a baby falling out of an airplane toilet, etc) it has been great!
* Best moment this week?: Discovering Boars Head salsalito turkey...yummm!
* Movement?: He was pretty quiet this week, but now I can feel him pushing against my stomach, especially when I'm leaning against something.
* Food cravings?: Turkey sub
* Labor signs?: None at all.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in for now.
* What I miss: Walking fast without getting crampy.
* What I'm looking forward to: 3 day weekend with my family!!!
* Milestone: Henry now has the ability to cry.

25 weeks

2009-06-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

This week I finally came to the realization that there will be a baby living in our house in a mere 15 weeks. Who forgot to let me know that these would be the fastest 40 weeks of my life? This week has been full of pregnancy related issues. The first of which landed me in L&D and the second that ended up with blood work to check on my liver.

On Friday morning, I woke up and for some reason jumped out of bed half asleep. I got tangled up in my body pillow and fell off of the bed. I figured I was fine, but then I started having some cramping so I called my Dr. I asked if he wanted me to come in and his nurse told me I need to head to Labor and Delivery for some testing. I ended up being at the hospital from 11am to 5pm and had an ultrasound and some blood tests. The ultrasound was great. Henry had the hiccups and then yawned for us. Maybe I am partial, but I think he is already the most adorable and best baby ever! In the end, Henry and I checked out fine and I hope we won't be back in L&D for at least another 12 weeks!

My second issue this week was a burning sensation in my chest, back, and stomach. I figured it was heartburn, but after it migrated to one side I called the Dr. He had me go in today for some blood work to check on my liver, but I am certain everything will come back fine. I think the culprit is the grape soda I started drinking. I haven't had any carbonated drinks since I've been pregnant and I think the carbonation overload was causing issues. I haven't had any to drink today and haven't had any pain.

Other than the above two issues, everything has been great. I feel like I am getting so big now and am dreading my belly button popping. It's getting pretty shallow...especially after a big meal. Henry has been a little less active this week, but I think I finally figured out why...he has his days and nights mixed up. The last 2 nights I've woken up at 3am to a major dance party in my stomach. By the time it's morning he has worn himself out.

* How far along?: 25 weeks.
* Total weight gain: I gained 2.2 pounds this week so that puts me at 16.6 total.
* How big is baby?: He was 1lb 7oz on Friday! He is about 13.5 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: Only 2, but they are getting darker.
* Sleep?: My snoogle is dangerous so I'm trying to just prop myself up against Andrew.
* Best moment this week?: Seeing Henry hiccup and yawn via ultrasound. Henry kicking Andrew in the head when he was listening to him move around.
* Movement?: A fair amount and they are really strong. My whole belly shakes now.
* Food cravings?: Cherries
* Labor signs?: None at all.
* Belly button in or out?: In, but shallow.
* What I miss: Pants without a panel.
* What I'm looking forward to: Organizing Henry's closet this weekend.
* Milestone: Henry is practicing breathing through his nose.

Ultrasound pictures from 24w2d
Henry's Profile

Henry yawning

24 weeks!

2009-06-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

24 weeks today and there isn't much going on. My morning sickness came back one day, but it's gone again. Henry has been full of energy lately. His favorite time to kick is around 5am. I think my bump is bigger this week. It's hard to tell from the picture though.

* How far along?: 24 weeks.
* Total weight gain: I gained 1.2 pounds this week so that puts me at 14.4 total.
* How big is baby?: 1.3-1.5 pounds and 8.7 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: Only 2, but they are really light.
* Sleep?: Last night Andrew slept in the guest bedroom and it was great having our bed to myself. I don't want to make a habit out of it though.
* Best moment this week?: Getting our glider!
* Movement?: A ton.
* Food cravings?: Smiley Potatoes
* Labor signs?: None at all.
* Belly button in or out?: In.
* What I miss: Sleeping without the fan on full blast.
* What I'm looking forward to: Putting together our glider.
* Milestone: Henry is developing taste buds.

Happy 2nd Birthday Lucy!

2009-06-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to our second baby girl! If Henry grows up half as fast as Lucy I don't know what I'm going to do!

23 weeks!

2009-06-10T04:42:00.001-07:00

We are 23 weeks today and there isn't much going on. Henry has been stubborn the last few days and isn't kicking as much, but he did move around just enough this morning to keep me awake from 5am-6am.

I ate fairly healthy this past week and I can really tell a difference. I am feeling a lot better physically and mentally. I have found when I do eat unhealthy foods I feel so bloated and sick that it's just not worth it.

* How far along?: 23 weeks.
* Total weight gain: I didn't gain anything this week so I'm still at 13.2 pounds total.
* How big is baby?: 1.1-1.3 pounds and 8.3 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes. All of my pre-pregnancy shirts are too short now.
* Stretch marks?: I found two tiny ones on my side, but I can live with them.
* Sleep?: Between Andrew's allergies and Henry's late night dance parties, not that great.
* Best moment this week?: Finding out we will be getting a lot of help paying for our glider.
* Movement?: Some days it's a lot and others just a few kicks. My Dr says this is normal.
* Food cravings?: Watermelon
* Labor signs?: None. I haven't had any BH contractions this week.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in and according to Andrew it still has some depth left.
* What I miss: Picking up Lucy. She is over the 25 pound weight limit.
* What I'm looking forward to: The weekend. I get lonely when I'm all alone during the week.
* Milestone: Henry is developing his grip and startle reflexes.

22 weeks

2009-06-03T13:13:00.001-07:00

22 weeks today and my body has once again amazed me. I gained 3.2 pounds this week all while trying to eat healthier and not overeating. I talked to the nurse at my OB office and she said it is totally normal to gain that much weight around the middle of pregnancy and that I should not worry. I guess that's easy for her to say since she isn't inflating like a balloon. This weight gain has led me to my next approach...babyfit.com. Basically I go on the website and put in everything I eat. The program will total up my calories, fat, and everything else for the day so that I can change my diet if it's not as healthy as I want it. Hopefully tracking everything I put in my mouth will slow down my weight gain a little bit.

Henry is doing good. He is moving around like crazy and will kick me when I put pressure on my stomach. Andrew has been able to feel him a few times and my mom got to feel him once.

I am feeling good. I have had more energy this week and have been trying to get out for walks in the evening. My belly picture above looks huge in my opinion. I am going to blame it on my lunch I ate right before taking it.

* How far along?: 22 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 13.2 pounds
* How big is baby?: 15oz-1.1 pounds and 7.9 inches long.
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: None.
* Sleep?: I keep having bad dreams.
* Best moment this week?: Playing with Henry in utero.
* Movement?: Everyday and all day.
* Food cravings?: Cucumber
* Labor signs?: A few BH contractions.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in.
* What I miss: Fitting into jeans that actually have a button and zipper.
* What I'm looking forward to: the weekend.
* Milestone: Henry is making his own antibodies this week.

Henry's HB

2009-06-02T13:19:00.001-07:00

Below is a recording of Henry's HB at 21w6d. His HB was 143 BPM which is where it has been for the last 6 or so weeks.

Click Here to Hear HB

21 weeks

2009-05-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

21 weeks today and there isn't much to say. I am still feeling good, although I am feeling a little nauseous in the mornings again.

I gained 2.6 pounds this week, putting me at 10 pounds gained overall. 2.6 pounds in one week is way too much gain so as of today I am making sure I eat healthier. Some examples are yogurt, watermelon, and toast for breakfast, as opposed to my normal 2 eggos with peanut butter and syrup. For my snacks, I am having fruit or pretzel thins with a little bit of peanut butter instead of my beloved smores. I know eating better is good for Henry and me so I am alright with it.

I found out my aunts are throwing me a baby shower in July. I am really excited and cannot wait to see my family and friends.

* How far along?: 21 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 10 pounds. I am not happy about this.
* How big is baby?: Between 12-15 ounces and 10.5 inches. He is as long as a banana!
* Maternity clothes?: Yes.
* Stretch marks?: None.
* Sleep?: Not great, but I am finished with work and can sleep in everyday!
* Best moment this week?: Shopping for Henry. Boy clothes can be cute!
* Movement?: Everyday. Some days it's more than others.
* Food cravings?: Steak, corn, potatoes.
* Labor signs?: None.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in.
* What I miss: Medium Rare steak...my mouth is watering.
* What I'm looking forward to: My family visiting this weekend!
* Milestone: Henry's hair is growing this week...if he is going to have any.

20 weeks!

2009-05-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! We are halfway there! If we want to go by the rule that Henry is full term at 38 weeks, we are more than halfway there! This week has been one of 2nd trimester bliss (finally!!). I am feeling great. My morning sickness has been gone for 4 days. I mean totally gone...I don't even feel nauseous when I wake up. The cold I have been dealing with for months is finally starting to make it out of my system and I am getting my energy back. Maybe this pregnancy thing isn't so bad!

This week Henry's movement has really picked up. He is starting to roll around and will respond to me when I mess with him. On Sunday night I was laying in bed and he was going crazy. I put my hand on my stomach and he kicked me hard. I had Andrew try and it took a few kicks and rolls, but he felt him too. It is neat and weird at the same time to feel another human just hanging out in my stomach.

I can no longer wear my original belly picture shirt. It is was too short now. My stomach is growing like crazy now. I am starting to get a line up my stomach, but I won't torture you with a picture of it. I am almost in shock when I look at my stomach in the mirror now. I just can't believe that belly is on me!

* How far along?: 20 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 7.6 pounds. I probably should start eating healthier now that I am feeling better.
* How big is baby?: Last Thursday he was 10oz.
* Maternity clothes?: Bottoms and some tops.
* Stretch marks?: No, but I am getting the oh so beautiful linea nigra.
* Sleep?: Horrible. I can't wait for my Snoogle from Andrew's parents!
* Best moment this week?: Feeling Henry kick on the outside.
* Movement?: I feel him everyday. He is most active at night.
* Food cravings?: Baked potatoes and corn.
* Labor signs?: None.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in.
* What I miss: Sleep.
* What I'm looking forward to: The Taste of Cincinnati. Yumm gyros!
* Milestone: Henry can swallow now!

19 weeks!

2009-05-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

We are 19 weeks today which means we are a little over halfway to a full term baby! I cannot believe how quickly the 2nd trimester is flying by. Unfortunately, my morning sickness is flying on with me and I am still sick. It is not nearly as severe as it was a few weeks ago, but still strikes once or twice about every other day. I have resigned to the fact that there is a chance my morning sickness will follow me all the way to the delivery room in October.

This week has been full of baby related things. We found we are having a boy and we picked out the name Henry William. We told our parents last Friday and ever since then Henry has been kicking up a storm. We ordered our stroller and car seat. It is on it's way and I cannot wait to try it out when it gets here. We also registered at Babies R Us. It was a lot of fun and a little stressful. I had to sit down and drink a Sprite about halfway through because I felt dizzy. I guess Henry is already interfering with my shopping abilities. On my last day in Evansville, my mom and I went shopping. I bought some great sleepers and little outfits. Yesterday, Andrew brought home some swaddling blankets. Our little man is already spoiled!

Henry had a huge growth spurt this week. My stomach was a little sore and a few days later I woke up with a much larger bump. It's hard to tell in the picture because most of the growth was pretty low, but I am definitely getting bigger. I gained 2 pounds just this week and I am not thrilled. I am going to blame it on Henry's growth spurt and my 3 day Mexican binge while I was in Evansville.

Tomorrow is our next ultrasound. They are going to measure Henry to make sure he is growing on schedule and also check his organs to make sure they are functioning properly. They will also let us know what we are having...they better say boy!

* How far along?: 19 weeks.
* Total weight gain: 6.2 pounds. I gained 2 pounds this week, but expected it because Henry had a growth spurt and so did I.
* How big is baby?: About 8.5 ounces and 6 inches long (the same size as the Subway Spicy Italian sandwich I am craving)
* Maternity clothes?: Bottoms. I can still get away with my pre-preg shirts if I wear long maternity tanks under them.
* Stretch marks?: Not yet. Thank god!
* Sleep?: I can't sleep on my back anymore and that's making it difficult.
* Best moment this week?: Telling our parents we are having a boy!
* Movement?: I feel him everyday. He gave me a hard kick the other day and I saw my belly move.
* Food cravings?: Subway, pizza, and chili cheese Frito's. Very unhealthy!
* Labor signs?: No and lets keep it that way.
* Belly button in or out?: Still in.
* What I miss: Sleeping on my back. I want to cry thinking about it.
* What I'm looking forward to: Our next ultrasound that is tomorrow!
* Milestone: Our baby boy has a name! Henry William.

I've had a few questions about my stroller. I ordered it from albeebaby.com and it was 50% off. I am not sure how long the sale will be, but as of today it's still going on.

It's a boy!

2009-05-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to announce we are going to have a little boy in less than 5 months! We've decided on the name Henry William and cannot wait to meet him.

We also bought Henry his first big purchase. We decided on the Quinny Buzz stroller which we found for an outstanding price!

Above is a 3d picture of our little man. We can't wait to go back in 9 weeks to see what he is going to look like when he puts a little more weight on.

The other picture is of our Quinny. It's a little bright, but we figure if we are going to have a stroller that stands out from the others in style, it might as well be bright!

18 weeks!

2009-05-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

18 weeks! We are almost halfway through! This week has been not so wonderful. My morning sickness is back and I can hardly eat again. My anti-nausea medicine has stopped working so it looks like I am going to have to just deal with it for now. I also have a cold that just won't go away. I probably should go to the doctor and get something to make me better. I've been trying to keep this pregnancy as drug-free as possible, but if I'm not better by Monday I will probably cave and get something to make me better.

We still don't know what we are having, but after this continuing morning sickness, we are coming up with a boy name we both agree on. You would think it would be easy, but there really are no good boy names except Jack (which Andrew doesn't like) and Andrew (that would get very confusing) so we are at a loss. We do have our girl name though. We decided on Emma Grace about a month ago.

Next week is our big ultrasound. I can't wait to see our little one again and finding out if frilly bloomers or paperboy hats will be on our shopping list.

How far along? 18 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: Lost less than .5 pounds this week. That puts me up 4.3 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.
Maternity clothes? All of my bottoms. I'm still wearing a lot of my pre-pregnancy shirts.
Stretch marks? No, but broken blood vessels are another thing. Luckily they can be covered up!
Sleep: Great. I am sleeping 10 hours a night.
Best moment this week: Feeling the baby.
Movement: A few kicks each day. The baby likes when I drink apple juice.
Food cravings: None, I am sick again.
Gender: Not totally sure, but with this continuing m/s, I'm betting on boy.
Labor Signs: None and lets keep it that way for the next 19 weeks or so.
Belly Button in or out? In, but it's wide now.
What I miss: Not being sick.
What I am looking forward to: Going home to visit my family.
Milestones: Baby can suck his thumb this week! Very cute!

Prayers and Thoughts Please

2009-04-30T18:39:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, our friend's little man made his appearance at 27 weeks. He is doing great, but still needs your prayers and positive thoughts. Please pray he gains a ton of weight and makes it home with his mom and dad as soon as possible!

Big u/s is May 14th!

2009-04-30T13:38:00.001-07:00

That is only 2 weeks away!! I decided it would be fun to find some old wives tales. Here is what I found.

Girl
Girls are carried high. You are going to have a girl.
Your feet are not colder than they were before pregnancy. You are having a girl.
You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a girl.
Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.
You had morning sickness early in pregnancy, so you are expecting a girl.
Your chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a girl.
You are craving sweets, which means that it is a girl.
Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.
You have been craving fruits, so it is a girl.
Your baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute, so it's a girl.
You must have orange juice every day, so it's a girl.
Your urine is dull, so it's a girl.

Boy
You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy.
The hair on your legs is growing faster during pregnancy, so it's a boy.
You are looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a boy, because girls steal their mother's looks.
Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is even, it will be a boy.
You are having headaches, so it's a boy.
Your belly looks like a watermelon, so it's a girl.
You show the back of your hand when someone asks to see it, so it's a boy.
You use the handle when picking up a mug, so it's a boy.

Looks like for now we are looked at 60% girl/40% boy.

17 weeks!

2009-04-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

17 weeks 1 day today!! Above is my belly picture from today and my belly picture from 11 weeks. There is a big difference and I know I'm only going to keep growing. Today I have my 17 week appointment. I will get to schedule my next ultrasound today. I am hoping it is in two weeks or so because I cannot wait to find out what we are having.

I decided to buy a doppler online so Andrew and I could listen to baby's heartbeat at home. Of course, it was broken so we will have to exchange it for a new one. I did manage to get it to work for just a minute this morning and I heard the baby's heartbeat for about a minute. It was beating at 147 BPM which seems very boyish to me.

How far along? 17 weeks 1 day!
Total weight gain/loss: Not sure. I forgot to weigh this morning.
Maternity clothes? Just pants still and a few tighter shirts.
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: I can't seem to sleep on my side like I'm supposed to.
Best moment this week: Feeling my first kicks.
Movement: Just a little. I've only felt kicks once, but I can feel him swimming around.
Food cravings: None really.
Gender: Maybe a boy.
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Nothing
What I am looking forward to: Finding out what we are having.
Milestones: Feeling kicks!

16 weeks

2009-04-22T14:32:00.001-07:00

Please excuse my lack of a post last week. We were on vacation and while I love my blog, I loved the beach more. We had so much fun on our vacation. It was so nice getting away and being able to spend nonstop time together. It was also great to eat like calories didn't matter.

I almost made it through the whole vacation without throwing up, but unfortunately one morning the baby got the best of me and I had to break in the hotels sink. I am now taking the anti-nausea medicine Phenegran every morning. It is a life saver and I am actually able to eat normally again. I am hoping I won't need it much longer, but as of right now I have to take on right when I wake up or else I start feeling really bad.

I think it is easy to see that my belly has grown! I now have a bump and am quite proud of it. It makes me look a lot better in my maternity clothes and people are starting to ask me when I'm due.

My next appointment is April 30th. That is when we will schedule our big u/s. I am thinking it will be anywhere between May 10th and May 22nd. I am hoping it is closer to May 10th because I am about ready to burst waiting to find our what we are having. I was almost certain we were having a girl, but the day after I called the baby Emma all day I got sick. Maybe our baby boy was trying to tell me something. Either way I just want to know so I can find some cute clothes!

How far along? 16 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: Up 8.5 pounds from 14 weeks. Yikes. Only up 4.5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight so that isn't as bad.
Maternity clothes? All of my bottoms and a few tops that aren't as flowy.
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: It's alright. I'm trying to train myself to sleep on my side and am failing.
Best moment this week: Thinking I *maybe* felt a flutter.
Movement: Possibly one night, but maybe not.
Food cravings: Fruit, veggies, and bagels.
Gender: I guess girl...maybe. Sometimes.
Labor Signs: None and lets keep it that way for the next 21 weeks or so.
Belly Button in or out? In, but it is stretching out.
What I miss: Nothing. I am feeling pretty good.
What I am looking forward to: My next appointment and hearing baby's HB again.
Weekly Wisdom: Buy maternity underwear...even if they are bikini style. They are heavenly.
Milestones: Baby can hear me this week. I better watch my mouth!

Baby's First Trip to Labor and Delivery

2009-04-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

Today we ended up in labor and delivery because I was very dehydrated. It started out two days ago when I threw up seven times. Yesterday I felt a little better until I went to the license branch and almost passed out. I had to sit down for about 30 minutes and then I felt a little better. I went home and drank tons of water and ate Don Pablos for dinner. This morning I woke up and was sick again. I threw up four times and decided to call my OB to ask for some nausea medicine. She ended up sending me to the hospital for fluids and prescribed me some medicine for my nausea.

I have never had an IV before and it was kind of scary at first, but it didn't hurt at all. The fluids were so cold and I was freezing the whole time. It wasn't the best experience, but I do feel a little better now. The only downside of the nausea medicine is that it's making me very sleepy. I will take sleeping over throwing up any day though.

14 weeks.

2009-04-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today, we are 14 weeks. There is nothing too exciting going on at this stage. I'm out of the 1st trimester, but it is too early to feel any movement. My morning sickness is back again. I lost 2 pounds this week, putting me down 4 pounds overall. Even though I'm losing weight, the baby is still growing and that is all that matters.

We had our 13 week appointment last Thursday. We got to hear the HB on the doppler which was pretty cool. Our Dr also thought it would be a good idea to tell us we are having a boy. He based this off of the baby's heartbeat, the Chinese calender, and how uncooperative he was at the ultrasound. Andrew has his hopes up now. I guess we will see when we have our big ultrasound in the middle of May.

My belly picture actually has a belly in it now! I can tell a huge difference from a few weeks ago.

How far along? 14 weeks!!!
Total weight gain/loss: Down 4 pounds. Thanks to my m/s.
Maternity clothes? Just pants. The tops are still too big.
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Pretty good, but I'm having crazy dreams now.
Best moment this week: Hearing baby's HB at my appointment.
Movement: Still can't feel it.
Food cravings: Carrots, apples, bagels
Gender: It has to be a boy because a girl wouldn't treat her mom like this.
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Rare steaks.
What I am looking forward to: Vacations.
Weekly Wisdom: No wisdom this week.
Milestones: Ordered the nursery bedding.

Our bedding is ordered!

2009-04-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

This is our bedding we ordered. I always said that I didn't want baby-ish looking bedding or bedding with animals on it. This bedding is both, but we love it. We saw it while we were walking around Babies R Us, but decided to wait until we had a coupon to buy it. I looked around on the internet and found the whole bedding collection and all of the accessories for less money than just the bedding at BRU. Of course, we scooped up that deal and are really happy we did.

We also found a glider we love. The problem is that it will be over $600 with the ottoman that goes with it. That is way too expensive for a rocking chair! I think we are going to have to reevaluate our decision and find something a little less expensive.

13 weeks!

2009-04-01T07:41:00.001-07:00

We officially have one trimester down and two to go! It feels great being out of the dreaded first trimester and apparently the baby agrees. I have been feeling a lot better the last couple of days. Yesterday my morning sickness caught back up with me, but it was just in the morning. I've found that I tend to feel sick on the days I have to get up early for work. I am thankful that I only have to work two days a week!
I am starting to get a tiny bump, I don't think it is very noticeable, but the little boy I babysit for told me my belly looked like his mommy's so I must have a baby in it. I guess it's sticking out there a little bit.
We have our next appointment tomorrow. It will be the first time we will be able to hear the heartbeat. We got to see it last week, but not hear it. We also got our results back from our NT scan. Our baby has a 1:10,010 chance of having Downs and 1:36,001 chance of having Trisomy 13/18. The genetic counselor said those are wonderful numbers. I did a little research online and they are indeed awesome!
That is about all I have to update about this week. Next Friday we are off to Florida and I cannot wait! It will be nice for Andrew to have a little break from work and for us to just be able to relax for a week together. I am also looking forward to some good food and seeing some alligators!

How far along? 13 weeks!!!
Total weight gain/loss: Still down 2 pounds.
Maternity clothes? I'm loving my under the belly pants!
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: I'm having vivid and scary dreams. One about having 5 babies.
Best moment this week: Eating nachos for the first time in 3 months!
Movement: Hopefully I will feel something in the next month.
Food cravings: Chocolate pudding, mexican food, a wrap from Rainforest Cafe (which is 4 hours away!)
Gender: Kinda thinking boy, but I still want a girl!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Nothing
What I am looking forward to: Our appt tomorrow and vacation!
Weekly Wisdom: I guess I'm not wise this week.
Milestones: Not feeling sick anymore! Having some energy back!

12 Weeks

2009-03-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

We are 12 weeks today!! I remember when I first found out I was pregnant, I could not wait until I hit 12 weeks. According to the doctor I am in my 2nd trimester. According to everything else I've read, I will be in my 2nd trimester at the end of the 12th week. Either way, WOW, I can't believe I am already in or near the 2nd tri. I still am having morning sickness. I think it's getting a little less intense, but on the days I have it it is horrible. Even though I still have morning sickness, I am able to eat some normal food again. I even ate mexican and pizza this week. The only other thing that is bothering me right now are my hips. They hurt bad sometimes and I am sure they are getting wider. I think I am going to need to invest in a body pillow soon. Speaking of investing, I did some investing in some very cute spring/summer maternity clothes. My favorite are all of my under the belly capris (see picture), but I also bought some with a panel because I am sure I will need them sooner or later. I'm not into maternity shirts just yet. I have found that the maternity looking tops at stores seem to fit great instead of looking funny.

How far along? 12 weeks!!!
Total weight gain/loss: still down 2.3 pounds.
Maternity clothes? Pants, but not shirts yet.
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: My hips hurt, but I can usually sleep most of the night.
Best moment this week: Seeing my baby. Even if he was abusing my insides.
Movement: Seems as if our baby likes to sleep a lot, but when he is woken up he moves all around. Still can't feel it though.
Food cravings: Barefoot Contessa's french toast. Yum!
Gender: I thought I saw a little boy part during the u/s, but the tech said I didn't.
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Nothing really. As hard as it is, I love being pregnant.
What I am looking forward to: Really having a hard bump. Only the bottom is hard right now.
Weekly Wisdom: Do not worry unless there is a reason to worry. Haven't I said this before.
Milestones: Hitting 12 weeks! My baby's organs are all developed. Now we are on to 28 weeks of perfecting everything.

NT Scan

2009-03-25T18:06:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had our NT scan. An NT scan is basically an ultrasound and blood test that give you a an idea of what your baby's risk is for a few genetic disorders. We haven't gotten the results from the blood test yet, but the tech said the measurements she took looked really good. That was great to hear. On top of that great news, we got to see the baby for about 20 minutes. Baby was sleeping about 18 minutes of that time. Finally, the tech woke the baby up by pushing on my stomach. He was not happy about that. He promptly kicked me as hard as he could and then rolled over to show us his cute little butt. Then, he went back to sleep. I think our baby already has an attitude! We had a great time. Our next ultrasound will be between 18 and 20 weeks. We will find out what we are having then! Pictures below.

Profile of baby.

Baby's arms up by his face.

Baby's little feet.

Baby's face and body.

11 weeks!!

2009-03-18T07:25:00.001-07:00

Woohoo we are 11 weeks today!! Like I say every week, this is flying by! Morning sickness decided to make an appearance again this week--just when I was sure that I was finally passed it. I feel like I have been sick so long that it is just a way of life. I cannot wait until I am able to get up, take a shower, and get dressed all before downing a bland breakfast and my B6 pill. Andrew is probably looking forward to this as well--I think he is getting sick of his sink being thrown up in whenever I can't get to the toilet in time. Other than being sick most of the time, everything else is going great. I have had a lot more energy and have been a lot more productive (ie I actually get up off of the couch). Can you see anything in my belly picture this week? I think I can and Andrew can, but to everyone else it probably just looks like I've had a few too many cupcakes. I am really hoping I have a bump by vacation so I don't feel fat the whole time.

This week Andrew and I came across a collection of baby gear that we love! We feel like it doesn't look super baby. We aren't into baby-looking gear (Pooh will not be in our house!). While we love the bassinet, I think we are going to opt for a pack n play instead because it makes more sense to spend money on something we can use for a year or more as opposed to only 3 months. Right now, Amazon has this whole collection on sale, but I think we will hold off for now. We probably won't start buying things until after our vacation at least.

How far along? 11 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Down 2.5 pounds
Maternity clothes? Yes. I had a Macys giftcard so I stocked up on capris!
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Pretty good. When I'm asleep I don't feel sick.
Best moment this week: Getting my Old Navy maternity swimsuit in the mail. I will not be wearing a bikini in FL!
Movement: No, but I'm sure he's swimming around like crazy.
Food cravings: Chips and salsa, fruit.
Gender: No idea, but I'm going to have the u/s tech guess for me next week.
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Waking up without feeling sick.
What I am looking forward to: Our u/s in 6 days!
Weekly Wisdom: I'm out of wisdom.
Milestones: I have a tiny baby bump!

10 weeks

2009-03-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

This week has physically been one of the hardest weeks of my life. My morning sickness finally subsided at the beginning of the week, but I picked up a stomach virus and a head cold. I would have taken morning sickness over the stomach virus any day. I honestly have never gotten sick so many times in 2 days. At one point, I was getting sick once every 45 minutes. I ended up going to the doctor, but he couldn't give me anything because I'm in my first trimester. He told me I was a little dehydrated and if I couldn't keep anything down I was going to have to get fluids at the hospital. Thankfully that night I was able to keep down some jello and a little water so my arms were kept IV free! I am finally starting to get better. I have been able to keep all of my food and water down for the last 2 days and have been eating somewhat normal. As for everything else, my symptoms have seemed to subside for the most part and I am getting into the "feeling good" stage of pregnancy. This post is belly picture free because I lost 2 pounds this week and I am even fitting back into my regular jeans so there is definitely nothing to see.

In non-baby realated news, we are going on vacation next month!! We haven't been on a real vacation since December 2006 so I am ready. I kind of just woke up one morning and decided I was sick of the cold weather so I planned a trip and the rest is history!

How far along? 10 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: down 3 1/2 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight
Maternity clothes? Not this week
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I'm finally staying up past 9pm!
Best moment this week: Realizing I'm already 25% finished with this pregnancy
Movement: No
Food cravings: Chips and salsa
Gender: No idea.
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Still in...lets hope it stays in!
What I miss: The warm weather, but that has nothing to do with the baby.
What I am looking forward to: Our ultrasound in less than 2 weeks.
Weekly Wisdom: The toilet is not the only acceptable place to throw up when you're pregnant.
Milestones: The baby is a fetus now!

9 weeks!

2009-03-04T13:01:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe we are already nine weeks today! This pregnancy is flying by for us. Next week we will already be 25% finished with this pregnancy! As you can see, I still do not have much of a bump. I do have a lot of bloat though, especially when I eat salty foods. I am finally starting to get my appetite back, and have actually been able to eat somewhat normally. I also am not as sick as I have been for the past couple of weeks. I started taking B6 vitamin last week and it seems to really be helping with my morning sickness. I still feel a little nauseous in the mornings, but I am not getting sick nearly as often. Tomorrow I have my first appointment with my doctor. I am looking forward to it, but I doubt much will happen. I know for sure I will not get another ultrasound and I think I am still too early to hear the heartbeat with a doppler so that checks off all of the fun things they do at appointments. One exciting thing about tomorrow is that I am scheduling our NT scan. Basically this scan is to check for indicators of Down Syndrome. Since Andrew and I are both young, our chances of having a baby with Down Syndrome is quite low. I am most excited about the scan because we will get to have a really long ultrasound. I cannot wait to see our little baby moving around. That's about all for this week. I will give an update about our appointment if anything worth mentioning happens.

How far along? 9 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: down 1 1/2 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight
Maternity clothes? Jeans, but that's all.
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I've been waking up early even when I don't have to. I don't like it!
Best moment this week: Realizing that this pregnancy is flying by.
Movement: No
Food cravings: Mac and Cheese from Outback
Gender: No idea. I thought a boy, but I'm not having that feeling anymore.
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Still in...lets hope it stays in!
What I miss: Nothing.
What I am looking forward to: Our NT scan
Weekly Wisdom: Don't worry about the baby unless it gives you a reason to worry about it.
Milestones: I am eating somewhat normal again!

Eggs + Morning Sickness = One Horrible Experience

2009-02-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

As I type this, I want to vomit everywhere, but I am afraid to. Today I started feeling better (thanks B6!) and decided I would eat whatever I was craving. I ended up boiling 4 eggs and making them into deviled eggs. After I ate all 8 halves, I thought it'd be a good idea to eat a creme brulee cup. My question is WHY would I do that? I am so sick now and not looking forward to the 3 hour car ride I have ahead of me. The only thing keeping everything down is the fear of how it would taste coming back up. I am really writing this post as a reminder of what not to do for myself, but hopefully it will be a little entertainment for you as well.

8 Weeks Today!

2009-02-25T05:06:00.000-08:00

Today baby is 8 weeks old! Only 7 more months until we are able to hold our baby. Nothing has really changed this week except that my symptoms have been added to. I now have raging morning sickness, fatigue, and heartburn. My stomach and throat hurt all of the time because they have been so abused. I also cannot open the fridge without gagging...it really is ridiculous. On a happy note, our next appointment is on March 5th which is only a week away! At that appointment we will set up our next sonogram, which will be around 11 or 12 weeks. By then baby will actually look like a human and not a blob. We are very excited about seeing our little baby again.

Above is my 8 week belly. Honestly, there is nothing to see except a little bloat, but it will be fun to compare pictures each week to see how I grow. Right now, I can't fit into any of my pants. I went to find a few new jeans and realized I was going to have to go up 2 sizes in order for me to button them. I decided to give in a buy a few pair of maternity jeans. I just roll the panel down and they are very comfortable.

I found this on another blog and loved it. I am going to fill it out each week.
How far along? 8 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: none...although my stomach tells a different story
Maternity clothes? Bella Band and a few pairs of jeans when I'm super bloated.
Stretch marks? One on my side, but we won't blame that on baby.
Sleep: My new bedtime is 8 or 9. I do have issues staying asleep when m/s hits though.
Best moment this week: Seeing baby and his wonderful heartbeat!
Movement: None yet.
Food cravings: None, baby and I hate everything except PBJ.
Gender: I'm thinking it will be a boy for some reason.
Labor Signs: Nope.
Belly Button in or out? Still in
What I miss: Being able to eat on a regular basis.
What I am looking forward to: The next sonogram in less than a month!
Weekly Wisdom: Deli meat will not give you listeria.
Milestones: Baby's heartbeat!

7w1d and We have a Heartbeat!

2009-02-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: From now on, we will be calling the baby "he" until we find out the sex in about 3 months.

Isn't this the most beautiful blob you've ever seen! He doesn't have legs or arms yet, but he is perfect! I was having some stomach pain, so my doctor decided to do an early ultrasound. The u/s tech said everything looks great and we are so excited to see how much the baby grows from now until our next ultrasound at 12.5 weeks.

My morning sickness has really hit now! I don't get sick everyday, but I feel sick all day everyday. It is definitely not the best thing I've experienced, but it's all worth it. I also have been sneezing a lot and cannot stay awake at night. My new bedtime is 8pm and I rarely make it to the bed. Other than that, I am feeling fine. I think next week I will start posting belly pictures (even though there won't be much to see) and hopefully will have a positive update on my morning sickness!

We're Pregnant!

2009-02-11T15:29:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to announce that we are expecting our first little baby! As of today, I am 6 weeks and had my first bout of morning sickness this morning (well from 4am-2pm so we'll call it morning/early afternoon sickness) If you've never experience morning sickness before- it is horrible! Other than that, I have just been tired and craving random foods. Andrew has been wonderful and understanding. So far, he has made me a fresh strawberry pie, deviled eggs, and has driven to Qdoba more times than I can count. He is great and I cannot wait to see what an awesome dad he will be. As long as insurance covers what we think it will, we will have an ultrasound around 12 weeks (March 18th) and another around 20 weeks (May 13th). Our ultrasound at 20 weeks will be our big one where we find out what we are having. That's about all for now. We will try to update this once a week and will start posting belly pictures when there is something to see.

edit: Our due date is October 7, 2009. I totally forgot that piece of important information.