Week 31 - July 13, 2009

Yah!!! I finally broke down and got my hair cut. It has been a year since I got it cut and boy did she cut a lot off.
Week 31? This pregnancy has gone fast but when I think of 8 more weeks/September 8th it seems like forever!!! I don’t want to wish my life away or the summer, I love summer, but I CANNOT wait to see this baby. The 3D pictures from the ultrasound last week really make me anxious. Tons of people keep telling me that I won’t make it to September. I sure hope I do. I’m going to prove them all wrong. I just want the baby to be healthy when it’s born and that we’ll be able to take the baby home when I get discharged. I know of 5 births lately and all 5 babies have been born early and have had problems.
I am really enjoying this pregnancy a lot more than I did with Lucas. I seemed to either be sick or developing a new pregnancy symptom every day. Knock on wood, I think I’ve been just a little sick once. I feel pretty good and I’m sleeping well at night. I just get really tired after work which is totally normal. At the point I love being pregnant. That might change in a few weeks or so.
I was going through a few things and found the game we played from Lucas’ shower. The game where they measure you with toilet paper, we used crate paper instead. It was off like 4 inches and the shower was 2 weeks later then when I did it this week. But then you get bigger with each one. But it was fun going through Lucas’ baby book and reading things about him as a newborn. I can’t wait!!! Lucas is excited, too. I keep asking him what to name the baby if it is a girl and he insists that it’s a boy – well, the baby in his stomach is a boy. He’s been calling the baby Isaac now for a while so at least he’ll know his name if the baby is a boy! If it’s a girl we’re in trouble. He’ll call her Isaac!!!!

Week 30 - July 6, 2009

Monday was the ultrasound and I could not wait. The pictures are below. Everything looks good and the baby is measuring 2 weeks ahead. The gender is still a secret. Chad wanted to find out so bad but we are still keeping it a secret. I have shared the 20 week video with some of my friends online to see if they see a penis like I do. They say that its way too big for it to be a penis and that they see “girl” parts. So it’s still a surprise and it’s fun guessing.
Doctor’s appointment went great. I gained 1 ½ lbs for a total of 7 ½ lbs since seeing that 2nd pink line. I’m very happy but again I started off chubby. Dr. Wingo said that he is not going to change my due date and that it will just be a big baby. So I asked him if I could go ahead and schedule my c-section and he asked his nurse to do that for me. He wasn’t sure if the hospital would take an appointment this early. I want to make sure I deliver at Baptist this time. I haven’t heard anything but we have chosen to have the baby on September 8th, 2009. Dr. Wingo will only do the surgery 1 week prior to my due date. Monday the 7th is Labor Day, the 9th is Wednesday and he doesn’t do C-Sections on Wednesday, Thursday the 10th is Lisa my sister's birthday and Friday the 11th is Thomas my nephew's birthday. So the 8th is the day we’ve chosen. That also is the day that Chad’s precious Grandfather was born. He passed away a few years ago and he was he sweetest person. Lucas gets “Eugene” after him so it so happens that we can have the second baby on his birthday. I pray that the baby doesn’t come before then. I want it to be full term and healthy.

Friday was our 5 year anniversary so Chad decided that we needed to get away just for the night. Trying to get things clean and packed I think I over did things and have an awful pain in back on the left side. Anyway, we went out to eat at Chili’s where we first met eye to eye. Back up a minute, earlier in the week Chad had asked me a few days earlier if I needed anything done to my ring as he was going to take his to get fixed due to a dent. I said yes so I knew where it was. Back to the story, while we were waiting for our dinner he pulled out a white box and I knew it was my ring but what I didn’t know was that he enlarged my center diamond!!! I was so excited and happy. It was like I was engaged all over again. I wanted to show everyone. Then he hands me a card. On the back side it said, “Yes, we can name our son Isaac ___ Otto”. Oh, I was more excited about the name than the ring. I had been praying literally every day that God will change his mind and God came through for me. Only catch is he gets to pick the middle name but I have to agree. He doesn’t like Michael which is a bummer but as long as I get Isaac I’m happy!!! Now I’m scared about what Isaac’s middle name will be.
After that we went to Embassy Suites where we spent our first night as husband and wife. We practically went to the hotel, took our showers and went to bed. We both were tired. Next day Chad woke up and went to garage sales and I got up and ate the continental breakfast and then went back to bed to rest. That was much needed.
Pregnancy wise I feel great. Standing makes it hard on my bladder but as long as I’m sitting it’s not too bad. I’ve been putting up my feet at work to keep the swelling from happening. Had a little swelling this weekend but it seems to be under control. I’m drinking tons of water so that I’m sure is helping. Still having some discomforts with my teeth aligning up but it’s tolerable. Other than those few things I’m feeling good. Baby is really moving a lot these days. I still can’t get it in my head that there is a true baby in there! God is truly amazing!!!! Thank you, God, for this blessing!!!!

30 Weeks - July 6, 2009

Week 29 - June 29, 2009

I have to brag a little bit on my first baby. I think we have him “pee” potty trained. He is doing so well. We started allowing him to pee outside and he loves it. Amazingly enough he has also showed much interest in peeing inside!!! I’m so excited. It’s like a light switched on suddenly and he’s almost completely potty trained. I hope I don’t jinx it. Go Lucas!!!!

Why couldn’t today be the day we have the ultrasound? I can’t wait to see my precious baby again. I am really feeling pregnant now. It’s getting hard to bend over and get around these days. My lower back is hurting and my teeth have seemed to start to not match up. I had a horrible time with this when I was pregnant with Lucas.
I went to the chiropractor last week for my monthly adjustment and it seems as though that’s when my back started hurting. I didn’t have my normal doctor so maybe he did something my body wasn’t used to. I guess this is really around the time of the pregnancy when lower back pain starts. It’s pure murder getting up out of bed to go to the bathroom at night and then getting out of bed in the morning. I guess my muscles get stiff just laying there. I feel like an old woman just trying to go pee. Once I get up after a while it goes away. I’m still sleeping very well so I can’t complain about that. But I am really feeling pregnant now. All my body wants to do is sit. I have tons of fatigue and want to not do anything. I’m getting out of breath/heart pumping hard just doing the simple every day tasks. I guess it’s this extra weight.
Pray for Chad and I as we try to name this baby is it’s a boy. We have our girl’s name but the boy name is a lot more tricky. I mentioned “Issac” to Lucas as being the baby’s name (I guess I probably shouldn’t have done that) and that’s what he calls the baby now. Chad doesn’t like it but I’m so in love with that name. Every name he suggests doesn’t sound the way it does when I say Issac Michael. I just pray every day that God will help him change his mind. Oh, please God!!!!

Week 28- June 22, 2009

The 3rd trimester! Yah!!!! I can’t believe how fast the 2nd trimester flew. Wow. I have my last “month” appointment on Tuesday. Here on out I’ll go every two weeks and then it will be once a week. I believe I’ve gained about 6 lbs this month. EEK! I’m scared to step up on that scale but in all actuality I’ve only gained about 5 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. So I feel good about that. But towards the end of the pregnancy that’s when the weight really starts to pile up. My goal is to only gain like 15 to 20 lbs. That will be less than half of what I gained with Lucas.
I went out to run a few errands for Father’s day on Saturday and it was SOOOO hot. I believe it was in the 90’s???? I was miserable getting in and out of the car with Lucas but got it done and went home to a nice cool house to nap. Lucas’ nap time is MY FAVORITE time of the day. Not that I’m ready to have a break from him but I’m ready to take a break and rest. I’m really feeling good just a little tired here and there. Mondays are horrible. I feel drugged and have a hard time getting through the day. I’ve noticed lately that I’m out of breath with the simplest activities. I guess it’s the extra weight I’m carrying.
Had my doctor’s appointment today. Gained 1 more pound than I thought. So I’ve gained 6 lbs from the weight I started with. I’m happy with that.
Dr. Wingo listened to the baby’s heartbeat. The baby was squirming around and it was hard to get a correct reading but it was 153. He measured me and said I’m measuring 1 to 2 weeks ahead!!!! So before my next appointment on July 6th I’ll go have an ultrasound to see how big the baby really is. He said it probably is okay and that it may be the way the baby was laying. That’s kind of exciting to know that the baby might come sooner then we thought! I saw during the ultrasound at 20 weeks some of the measurements said 21 and 22 weeks. Maybe this is just going to be a big baby. They also said Lucas was big but just a week early he weighed 8 lbs and 2 ozs, totally average.

Week 27 - June 15, 2009

This week has been pretty good. I had a little bit of swelling in my fingers and had a hard time getting my rings off but it seems to go down by the morning. With Lucas I was already swollen up. I pray that I don’t retain as much fluid this time around.
Living in the bathroom a lot lately. Every time I get up I have the urge to pee. The baby is growing and I can really feel it. I can feel the baby move on both sides at the same time, so I know this baby is getting bigger! I am still feeling really good and sometimes still forget I’m pregnant.
Chad and I can’t agree on any boy names. I think we’ve agreed on a middle name but it’s hard agreeing on the first. We have the girl’s name chosen but I think this baby is a boy. That’s the hardest thing about having a child is naming him or her. A name is so important and the child will have to live with it for the rest of their lives. So I really stress out about choosing the “perfect” name for my “perfect” child!

Week 26 - June 8, 2009

Feeling great this week. Getting up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom. I get so stiff during the night that it sometimes becomes difficult. It’s getting hard to get out of bed, get in bed and turning over. I’m sleeping really good, though, so I can’t complain at all. I bought a body pillow several weeks ago and I love it!!!! I wished I had one with Lucas. I had a hard time sleeping my first pregnancy. This one is SO different. With the pillow it feels like I’m sleeping on my stomach which is my favorite sleep position.
Friday morning I woke up and didn’t feel well. I had to push myself to get stuff done I wanted to do. I was nauseated, upset stomach and just fatigued. I’m not sure if I ate something bad or if it’s just the pregnancy. Saturday I felt much better after some rest the day before.

Week 25 – June 1, 2009

Well, Lucas’ birthday party went off without a hitch and I got through my busy, busy weekend. I’m exhausted because I’m so used to getting at least 1 nap in a weekend and there was no time for rest. Now this week is VBS. I leave work and go straight to church. We’re there until about 8:45 and then rush home to jump in the bath and into bed. It’s hard but Lucas is having a great time. I had a hard time on Monday. Lucas is back in school after 2 weeks and is going into a new class and has a new teacher. It’s as if he knows no one. His best friend David is in the classroom next to him. It feels like we started all over dropping him off at the daycare for the first time. I worried all day about him but I believe he did okay. Chad picked him up and he said he seemed fine. I just don’t want him to be scared and upset. I’m sure he’ll just need a few days to meet new friends and get settled. It still breaks my heart. Nancy offered to take him this week to give me a few more minutes at home before work. She said he cried on Tuesday when she dropped him off. I probably would have cried with him. That hurts my heart!
Feeling a lot of soreness and pressure in the lower part of my stomach from I guess the baby’s weight. it seems to get worse when I’m tired or have a full bladder. It feels as though I have ridden a horse. During the night when I get up to turn over or get up to go to the bathroom, which is only once a night, it’s really sore. Other than that I’m still feeling great. Tired from all the craziness that’s been going on but I’m still loving being pregnant. Getting a little swelling but not bad at all. The baby is getting stronger and stronger. I love it! Most movements are felt in the morning and all day. In the morning it’s down low but throughout the day it’s up high. I can actually push and he/she will kick back. It’s sweet! At night he/she is really quite. I hope they’re this good once they’re born.

Week 24 – May 25, 2009

Whoa! This is going to be one busy week. I have a doctor and a chiropractor appt. Plus I was gone all last week so I need to get caught up in 3 days since Monday was Memorial Day. I have a wedding to attend this weekend. I need to decorate and shop for food for VBS. Lucas’ birthday party is Sunday and then the VBS kick off is right after the party. Then next week is VBS. I’m going to be exhausted.
The glucose test went well. No call back so I guess it was negative for gestational diabetes! The baby sounds great with a heartbeat of 150. I have gained 4 lbs since my last appointment. I have 1 lb left to play with before I’ll actually have gained weight since I found out I was pregnant! I feel great about my weight this go-around. Of course I started out bigger with this one than Lucas. But I want to keep it below 15-20 lbs. That’s about half of what I gained with Lucas, 52 lbs! It’s getting hard to not eat a lot because I seem like I’m always hungry.
The baby is really starting to move more and more throughout the day. it’s so nice to feel him or her move and am awestruck just thinking about having another human being inside me! It is truly a miracle. Those unbelievers out there need to go through a pregnancy. After that there would be no way you could deny God. We are truly blessed with this baby. God is so good to us!
New complaint of the week is really painful varicose veins in a gross place. Hot baths with Epsom salt seem to ease the pain. Lord, please allow this to go away. I don’t think I can sit all day long at work without being in tons of pain. Other than that I feel really good. Starting to feel some pressure near my bladder. I guess it’s from the pressure of the baby.

Week 23 – May 18, 2009

Look below for new pictures!

We’re in Gulf Shores this week on vacation. The weather was not that nice. We had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of sun. Saturday, Sunday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday were either raining or cloudy. We had plans either shopping or other things. Thursday we went to the outlet mall shopping and then on Friday it was Lucas’ birthday. We let him pick out a toy (leaf blower) at Wal-mart and then took him to the movies for the first time. He did pretty good until the movie candy kicked in. By that time it was almost over. We saw Monsters v. Aliens. I wanted to see Up but it wouldn’t be out for another 5 days. We then went to McDonald's for lunch then back home for a nap. We decorated for his birthday, wrapped his presents and got him a little cupcake so he could blow out his candles. He had a great birthday!
We had an awesome time as this was our first “family” vacation together. Lucas didn’t get in the water much. There was a portion of the pool that was only 1 foot. He got in for the first time and after a while he fell in and got right back up. That was it for the water. He sat on the side and put his feet in but wouldn’t get in all the way. It was really cold so that also may be it.
At the pool one day I actually felt the baby kicking really high and asked Chad if he wanted to feel it. He finally got to feel this baby. I was so excited! The baby is getting really active now and letting me know they’re in there.
The pregnancy is going really good. A lot of the time I forget I’m pregnant. I think I feel much better this pregnancy than last. I only remember feeling a few times the last pregnancy when I enjoyed it. There was always a new symptom popping up. This time, so far, I feel really good and highly enjoying this pregnancy. I also feel much bigger than with Lucas. Next week is my doctor’s appointment and glucose test. We’ll see how much I’ve gained.

Week 22 – May 11, 2009

I’m feeling great this week. New symptom is an onset upset stomach. All of a sudden I have one of those ole fashioned stomach aches. I have no idea what’s causing it but it’s irritating. I’m sure it’s the pregnancy.
Chad told me my nose is getting big. It got huge with Lucas. I have no idea why. I’ve heard that if your nose gets bigger during pregnancy that you’re having a boy! I’ll take that. I think my face is just getting bigger and my nose is spreading. It’s annoying, I know that. Baby is moving great and moves all day. It’s so reassuring to feel those little flutters and kicks.

Week 21 - May 5

Week 21 – May 4
This week has been great. I feel wonderful and most of the time forget I’m pregnant. Since the ultrasound I think I’ve put two and two together. Dr. Wingo said I have an anterior placenta. This means that my placenta is attached to the front side instead of the usual back side.
This is acting like a cushion between the baby and my stomach. So when the baby moves and kicks I can only feel it at the top and the bottom of my stomach. So no one has felt the baby move yet from the outside because they can’t. I feel kicks and movements all day long but they’re really low near my right hip bone. I’ve read that the placenta usually moves in time of the delivery. That’s the main reason Dr. Wingo suggests another C-Section. I’m going to pray every day that the placenta moves so I can feel the baby move a lot more. I’ve already accepted the fact I’ll have another C-Section but I’d love to feel my baby move inside me more.

Week 20 - April 27

Today was the ultrasound! I was so excited. I knew this baby would be fine. It’ just so hard to believe there’s an actual baby in there! They said the baby is measuring 21 weeks but that they won’t change my due date. She gave me tons of pics but with the baby being so small still they’re hard to see anything but all I know is that that’s my perfect little baby in those pics. She also gave me a DVD which I’ve watched half a dozen times already. The baby is really active and was wiggling all over the place. Chad and I are so blessed and excited that this baby is growing so well. I debated in my mind whether I should find out and just not tell anyone but I knew that wouldn’t work. I have such a big mouth that everybody would know! Chad even asked if we were going to find out and not tell anyone. I told him no. He said "Then just let me find out." I told him no again. There’s no way he could keep the sex of the baby off his face when he found out. So the baby is still a surprise!
I went to the doctor after my ultrasound and we listened to the heartbeat. Doctor said the baby looks great. That the ultrasound tech said my amniotic fluid was low but that it was totally “normal” but on the lower end of normal. He wasn’t at all concerned about it. I gained 1 lb as I know I would because I’ve been sooooo hungry lately. I’m back to thinking about food all the time!
Next appointment is in 4 weeks and then that’s when they’ll perform the diabetes test.

Here are pics of our precious miracle:

Face

4D of baby's profile

I can't figure out if this is the baby's back side and legs?

Spine

Foot

Week 19 - April 20

Feeling great this week. All signs of morning sickness or gagging has all been sent packing. I feel almost like myself. I still am tired but I’ll take that over morning sickness ANY DAY! Appetite has returned and I just know at my next appointment that I’ll have gained a little.
We have our 20 week ultrasound on Monday. I can’t wait. I know everything will be fine but I still pray that this baby is healthy. I keep flip flopping back and forth whether I want to find out or not. But I’ve decided that there are hardly any surprises in life anymore. So we’re going to wait. This precious present from God is not finished yet. You can’t peek until this miracle is completely grown!

Easter 2009

Week 18 - April 13

Easter Sunday was great and we enjoyed lots of good food and the kids enjoyed the Easter Egg hunt. I love Easter. I wish it was more than once a year (minus all the eggs, bunnies, etc) because I think we need to be reminded more what Christ did for us.
This week I seem to have gotten a little more energy back. It sort of comes and goes but I feel better this week than I did last week. Gags are gone for now and I almost feel like I’m not pregnant. Nights are still hard because the day catches up with me but other than that I’m feeling great.
I had my first dream about the baby this week. I dreamed that I had twin boys but the genital area was really dark and their faces were dark complected like Lucas’ face. Weird! I still feel like this baby is a girl but I don’t want to guess because I don’t want to be wrong. With Lucas there was no doubt. I knew from the moment I saw that 2nd pink line that it was a boy. I’d love to have a boy because Lucas would have a brother but then I’d also love to have a girl. One of each is always the dream! But two boys would be awesome, also. As long as the baby is healthy I really don’t care what the gender is, honestly.
Moment is happening more often but it’s still very light taps. I keep trying to put my hand where I feel the baby to see if I can feel it yet on the outside and I’m having no luck. It’s still early to feel outside movement but it won’t be long.

2007

2008

2009

Look how fast my baby has grown! :(

Easter time!

We took Lucas to see the Easter bunny at Opry Mills. At home and on the way there he was so excited. He talked about the bunny the whole time we walked in to see him. Once he saw the bunny he was scared! Those are true tears you see there.

Week 17 – April 6
This week has gone pretty good. Still have the gags and the fatigue and exhaustion but I’m sure those will pass in a few weeks. I’m starting to feel little bubbles right above my bladder so I know I’m starting to feel the baby move. How exciting! I have a ticker in my office that counts down the days left until the baby is due. I can’t believe I’m saying this but it’s really going fast. I remember the first pregnancy seemed to last forever because I couldn’t wait to see Lucas’ face. I like being pregnant until the 3rd trimester. That’s when it gets a little trying for me. Maybe this time won’t be so bad.
I did get a new stroller and car seat for the baby. It’s not new but fairly new to us. Chad spotted it at a garage sale for $60. I’m so excited! I’ll try to post a pic when I get a moment.

2nd Trimester

Week 16 – March 30
This week has been good. No nausea but still a few of the gags here and there. I’m so glad the morning sickness has passed. That would a little rough at times. Complaint of the week is fatigue and exhaustion. I get home and all I want to do is crawl in bed and go to sleep. Been getting to bed around 8:00 but it doesn’t help. Doctor’s appointment this week went great. I’ve lost another 2 lbs which brings my total to 6 lbs lost since I found I was pregnant. Whooo hooo! I’m excited about that. Doctor said that the baby is just fine and not to worry about it. It took several minutes to find it but we found the baby’s heartbeat, which was 147. I asked about having a vaginal birth this time and he said we’d have to wait until it gets closer to the due date. He said the ultrasound in a few weeks will help him a little in seeing where the placenta is located. Something to do with my incision and the placenta. He suggested another C but he said if I wanted to try we could. I told him I wanted a C Section but I wanted to make sure I did try to have a vaginal. Scheduled the ultrasound for April 27th in 4 weeks. It’ll be here before you know it. I can’t wait.

Week 15 – March 23
I believe the morning sickness has taken a hike. I don’t remember feeling sick after week 11 with Lucas. I get nauseous off and on but for the most part it’s over!!!! Starting to feel little movements here and there, I think. It may be gas but it sure feels like a baby in there. Nancy told me that I’m getting a little belly. Makes me feel like this baby is getting big, big enough for people to finally see.

Week 14 – March 16
Whooo hoooo. I've made it to the 2nd trimester. I shoudl start feeling better soon.
Monday started off with exhaustion. I felt drugged at work all day. I went home, had dinner that Chad fixed, got done what I needed to get done and went to sleep. I was exhausted.
Yesterday was like the first day I didn’t have a nauseous headache. It was so nice. It seems like my energy level is back to normal. I don’t have to push myself like I’ve had to. It’s nice to feel somewhat normal. Still have the gags but I’ll take that over nausea any day.