Stretching and tugging and pulling – OH MY! July 28, 2008

Last night was definitely a night to remember. Throughout this pregnancy I”ve felt the occasional tugs down in my uterus but it was nothing compared to the full on stretching going on last night. How to best describe it. Well, imagine being back in 6th grade gym class, its 8am and the coach is making you do sets of situps and those stretches that force you to feel all those muscles you haven’t used all summer. And it burns. Like Hell. And it won’t stop.

If i could have safely taken a whole bottle of tylenol I would have. I ended up curled on the couch, with pillows surrounding me completely in a fetal position (ironic huh) rocking like I was having the worst menstrual cramps ever. And then it hit me. THIS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO LABOR.

I’m more determined now than ever to become best friends with my future epidural-administering tech. Better yet, I may even bake him/her brownies for ..you guessed it…brownie points.

In other news, Chelle and I finally had a garage sale and cleaned up pretty well. The garage is spacious enough now to give us the temporary space we need to hold the nursery furniture that’s coming soon until we paint the nursery and bring it in.  In turn, of course we went shopping and I scored some goodies. Don’t worry , there is PLENTY of stuff on the future baby registry of things to get. hehe.

One of the things that I did get got a test run tonight by none other than the Princess of the house. I’m not sure she’s going to let mijo use this once he comes…she’s going to think its all hers.

ISN’T SHE SO FREAKIN CUTE!

We’ve got a baby dancer in there! May 15, 2008

What a long long day. First of all we’re late to our appointment because of a hail storm, but thank god that dr’s are never on time because he didn’t see us until 30 min after we arrived anyhow.

Everything is looking GREAT! Baby is measuring 11w5d+_4d ( I”m 11wk3days) and Dr. is keeping my EDD at 11/30/08. We got to see the cutie pies arms flailing around and I could see the hands so clearly! Baby has LONG arms (that has to be from momma). We got to see its cute legs kick around a bit but they were always pulled close to the body and this was the first time we got a view from “above” because the other sonos have always been from the side or the backside.

So here’s the new updated pic!

I got to have a PAP (blah!) and yes, there was spotting afterwards because of it and that is expected according to the Dr . And to prepare you ladies who are a bit behind me…the paps during pregnancy are certainly more uncomfortable now. And when the Dr. did the internal check and presses down on your uterus, holy moly. That was something new.

I also LOST 1 lb! lol
I”m weighing 119 and Dr said that’s perfectly fine since baby is measuring perfectly and as long as I gain 25lbs for the entire pregnancy I should be ok. He said from what he can tell I will probably carry small and be battered by people who tell me I am not feeding my kid enough. I am slowly getting out of my size 5 jeans and into 7s although I don’t think I’ll fill the 7’s out for a few months.

We celebrated the latest sono with a hefty lunch at PF Changs. Dan Dan noodles, crispy honey chicken, lettuce wraps, spicy shrimp and tiramasu dessert to be exact and it was OH SO GOOD.

Baby certainly loved it!

So thats it! I go back in a month and I believe we get to find out the sex then! God is so good!

Gimme a “g”, gimme an “a”, gimme a “g”…. May 14, 2008

With less than two weeks to go I have all but evaded the “morning sickness” that every pregnancy book written claims to affect 80% of all women. And in its place , just this very morning, I realized that I may not escape all that is “gaggy”. I’m a tad irritated to report that I seem to have developed an annoying gag reflex while brushing my teeth. Just thinking about it now makes me…ugh. Lets think about something wonderful like a relaxing massage with hot stones instead shall we? Ok, much better.

Tomorrow is our next ultrasound. Well be 11wks 3 days. I”m curious to see if I’m measuring right on target. I don’t see much of a change in the last couple of weeks although the books say the baby has doubled in size. BUT I did read that right about the 12th week, my uterus should POP up and out of my pelvic bone. WHOA. So of course, being the curious cat that I am, I had to see if perhaps I could snap, crackle and pop early. Laying down trying to feel it was pointless. Hello Erica…the baby will fall further back into your abdomen on your back! I stand up, starting from my pelvic bone and work my way up and well, wouldn’t ya know it. I feel a difference. What was once my mushy ovaries now feels firm on both sides. Ray comes over, stands behind me and reluctantly puts his hands on my abdomen. He’s watched WAY TOO MANY documentaries on PBS about births that he’s kinda freaked out. Yea, we’re gonna have to work on that. His arms automatically retract like I would if someone forced me to touch a slimy snake. ick! Well, that won’t do so I make him do it again and this time he pushes around and says “weird” and runs off. Heh. At least he didn’t faint.

Here are a few updated pics. I’m definitely rounding out to the sides as what was once a defined curve has now turned into an even bump.

Being that we are still pregnant, I didn’t expect to get any mother’s day gifts. But Amanda, my best friend, bought me something that I had seen once in a Hallmark store, rubbed on for hope and had forgotten. She’s expecting her first son too and it’s just a blessing to be able to share both of these miracles together.

Here’s my first official expectant mom gift

It’s so beautiful. It proudly sits atop our armoire in the living room. Thank you honey. love you!

ZZZZZZZZZ May 1, 2008

I thought this article that Ray sent me perfectly describes how I”ve been feeling this last week.

Amazing how this stuff just lines up for most women. 

 

Week 9: Pregnancy Fatigue

You’re having trouble lifting your head off the pillow, you’re dragging your feet all day, and you can’t wait to crawl into bed as soon as you arrive home at night. Sound familiar?

When it comes to pregnancy symptoms, you may feel like you’ve already reached your limit: Your clothes are getting tighter around the waist, you’re busting out on top, you’re still running to the bathroom 100 times a day (if it isn’t to throw up, it’s to pee). But wait, there’s more. You’re having trouble lifting your head off the pillow, you’re dragging your feet all day, and you can’t wait to crawl into bed as soon as you arrive home at night. Sound familiar? If it does, you’re in good pregnant company: You’ve got pregnancy fatigue.
  
Extreme fatigue during pregnancy is a common symptom, especially in the first trimester. And for good reason. Making a baby is hard work — make that very hard work. Consider this: During these first weeks and months of pregnancy, your body is manufacturing the placenta — your baby’s life-support system. What’s more, your body’s metabolism and hormone levels have increased significantly while your blood sugar and blood pressure tend to be lower. Add it all up, and it’s no wonder you feel as if you’re competing in a triathlon each day.

The good news:  You’ll recover a lot of the get up and go that has gotten up and left once your body has adjusted to being pregnant and your baby’s placenta is finished developing — somewhere around month four. The not-so-good news: Pregnancy fatigue is likely to reappear during the last trimester as the demands of toting around a larger fetus increase.

 

And here I am..with a slowly forming pooch that closely resembles this drawing don’t you think?

This past weekend I went to San Antonio to visit more family. My dad, my stepmom, sister and brother. It had been too long since we’d seen each other so there we were talking a good while catching up on things when I gathered them in the kitchen and pulled out my sonogram photo from my purse and said:

“we’re having a little turkey!”

What a group of shriekers. Hehe. Lisa hugged me tight, Mary Alice started to cry and my dad beamed. My brother, lazy butt, was snoozing in the bedroom with his wife after a long day so dad walked over to tell him the news.

We then went to Fiesta to enjoy the night parade. Being pregnant rocks. Dad bought me everything in sight that I craved : nachos, cotton candy, gorditas, pickles and a turkey leg that I stared at but couldn’t eat because I was just too full! haha

My dad and nephew Jordan waiting for the night parade to start.

Mary Alice and I eating way too much at Fiesta

Well, my next appointment is May 14th. We meet with the obgyn who we hope will deliver our baby. In the meantime I’ll try to post up any developing news. 

 

 

 

 

 

Our second sonogram and baby aces it! April 22, 2008

Anyone who’s been through this process understands the hidden worries behind each dr. visit. You try really hard to think nothing but positive thoughts, but of course you worry something will be wrong no matter how reassuring everyone is. Our sonogram was scheduled for 4:30, but oh those dr’s how they just LOVE to change things up on you. I received a call at 7am asking to come in at 9. ‘Scuze me but huh?! So here we go, scrambling to get out of work early instead to make this appointment. No way and I missing seeing our gummy bear (which is what I think it may look like now hehee).

The dr’s lobby is packed. First time I’ve seen it this way…and we wait…until 10:50 to be exact. What happened to that 9:15 appt we set? Uh huh.

I am so exhausted that laying on the examining table is a welcome chore. In fact, I seriously could have fallen asleep while the exam was being done except that I wanted to see the obvious. That is just how tired I am today.

And WOW, what a change 2 weeks makes!

compare our sono to a photo of a baby at 8wks in utero (this photo below is NOT our peanut)

Isn’t that amazing!!!

My last cycle was 8wk1day ago but I’m measuring ahead by 1 day as it says + or -2.

and the hb has gone up alot from 122bpm last time to 163! Ray saw it first …and he noticed the cute little pads which will become the babies hands and arms. Funny because I never thought he would be able to read a sonogram but he’s impressed me! The black dot is the eye socket. Pretty cool huh!

Ray says that below baby looks like a big foot with the “toes” being the little circles on the left haha

AND we have a new estimated due date.

November 17 – IF I deliver at 38 wks. I hear this is highly unlikely given its my first pregnancy.

My 40wks estimated due date is Nov 30th.

I’d really like to bake this Nov. turkey until Nov 23rd so its a sagittarius

Sagittarius babies are born full of optimism. The Sagittarius toddler is inquisitive
and loves to explore. You may need to watch them in crowds since they will tend to wander off. You may also need to teach the little Sagittarius not to be rude, since
these children are often scandalously blunt.

AIN’T THAT LAST LINE THE TRUTH HAHA

current weight : 120.6lbs @ 8wk1day

Heyyyyyy girl, call me okay! March 31, 2008

Ms. Parker… it took you FOREVER to finally return my call and woman, this is NOT the time to delay on calling me back. hehe So now you know. Big booty baby is on the way. Remember all the funny stories we used to have about that possibility way back in the day? 

 

The Farmer Ted days.  The drunk alien days. Ah yes. Well I will try my best to remember the humor in those stories when I’m trying to push out this baby in 8 months. Call me! Muah!

Having a baby : The Bad news vs The Good news March 30, 2008

Somehow I managed to forget the perfect selection of fruits and lunch box I had set aside for myself when I left home this morning. Now I’m indulging in a Jumbo HoneyBun…even now this is too sweet for me. Funny how my sweet tooth seemed to disappear more and more as I got older. This morning I found this gem of an article on a pregnancy site. I love it so I wanted to share:

 

Having a Baby: The Bad News…

And the Good News

by Pamela Redmond Satran

The bad news: You gain 30 pounds during pregnancy.

The good news: You lose 22 of that in the course of eight minutes.

The bad news: Labor seems to go on forever.

The good news: At the finish line is the prize of a lifetime!

The bad news:The baby inherited your mother-in-law’s crooked little toe.

The good news: She also inherited your mom’s red hair, your husband’s grin, and your big brown eyes.

The bad news: Months of sleepless nights.

The good news: Napping with impunity.

The bad news:Look terrible in tight pants.

The good news: Look spectacular in tight sweater..

The bad news: Sex drive drops to zero.

The good news: Love drive zooms off the charts.

The bad news: Monster poops.

The good news: Equally gargantuan smiles of relief.

The bad news: Gorgeous baby clothes that get worn only once before they’re outgrown.

The good news: Lots of adorable photographs of baby in an endless parade of outfits.

The bad news: No time for yourself.

The good news: Never lonely.

The bad news: Missing all the great new restaurants, books, and movies.

The good news: The money you save by also missing all the duds.

The bad news:Your life is turned upside down. The good news: You feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

EPS today : creamy cm w/ very faint pink tint.

What to expect when you’re expecting March 29, 2008

The book everyone says is a “must have” is now in my possession. Jennifer gave me her copy this afternoon so I could start obsessing over everything “pregnant” in my life. I flipped through the pages and it reminds me of science books in high school with lots of comparison charts and an abundance of data to absorb. This should keep my brain entertained the next 8 months.Today I came super close to giving into my yearning for curly fries from Jack-n-da-crack, but instead did the right thing and ordered a hearty turkey bacon sandwich from Quiznos – plus those yummy jalapeno chips that I’ll eat until heartburn kicks in and convinces me otherwise. The book said that this week I may start producing extra saliva, but that hasn’t started happening although looking at the other half of my sandwich is stimulating it this very moment.

While I ventured out of the house today for some exercise and found myself getting a wee bit dizzy at Borders. Rather than risk it, I grabbed the only pregnancy magazine I could find and sat down in quiet corner for a while. How strange that a store that easily carries a million books has only ONE lonely pregnancy magazine. Aren’t babies conceived everyday?! I chuckled knowing that I wasn’t flipping through this mag simply because I was curious about its contents, but this time it was because I will soon be living them. At least I pray that I will be. Minus the morning sickness. I can totally live without that.

My curiosity takes me to yet another store, this time searching for a cute “Surprise! You’re going to be a grandma!” gift for my mom and also my grandma. Alrighty…Hallmark, you have let me down. You DO make those kinds of cards don’t you? Because this is likely the 4th store in the past two days that I’ve visited and nowhere did I find such a card. Hmm..maybe its time I start writing for them and banking millions off my creative side. This was the closest thing I found that was not a “babyshower” or “congrats on your new arrival” card.

My mom would think it was some inside joke Ray was playing on her instead of thinking “wow,they’re pregnant!” haha

Did I buy this? No. I prefer to make my mom cry so I will keep searching for something mushy. And I mean that in the most loving way, not mean spirited!

 One thing that was I almost forgot to blog about was my conversation with the nurse today. She asked me for my name and birthday to validate who I was before releasing more info and asks me “you had the IUI on Tuesday right?” I said, “No. And this is the second time you all have confused me with someone of the same name. Are you sure you’re not mixing up our records?” She verifies again and finds my chart and states “Um, the last time you saw Dr. Vaughn was on 3.26.06 is this correct?” I confirmed that to be true and reiterated that I was in the office for the first time since then this past Wednesday….3.26.08. Yes, exactly two years from the day we did our IUI we got our bfp.

How is that for irony?