Ahhh, the Joys of Pregnancy!

We had a nice time in Fargo, but it was a very quick and busy trip. I was so busy taking pictures of baby Livy that I forgot to get group shots of all of us, but I have some really cute ones of Uncle Jeff and Livy. We got to practice on her, and Jeff changed his first diaper! He really was a natural, while I was more nervous. Livy had gotten her baby shots right before we got there, so she was running a fever and was a little cranky for most of the time we were there. I just felt so bad for her when she cried, but Jeff was better. He bounced her and carried her and talked to her, as though he'd been doing this for years.

Elizabeth is kicking and moving all the time, so she's fine, but Mama has some issues. It turns out that I have pregnancy-related diabetes, carpal tunnel, and restless leg syndrome. The carpal tunnel is kind of like arthritis pain so far, so it hasn't been a big issue, but the RLS has been tough. As soon as I fall asleep, my legs start twitching and jumping, and I wake up about every hour with terrible cramps. The nurse told me to take calcium twice a day and to eat oranges for potassium (bananas make me gag), and that has been helping. For the gestational diabetes, I have to eat way more food than I want to, and so far, I have not been able to get it all in. I have to take my blood sugar four times a day, and so far my levels have been terrific. The funny thing to me is that my sweet tooth - along with most of my appetite - disappeared once I got pregnant, so I didn't think that GD was going to be an issue. However, I've learned that GD is almost always the result of the hormones coming from the placenta, and not what the mother eats. So, I will keep trying to eat more and take my blood sugar, and all of these things should disappear once Elizabeth makes her way into the world.

Jeff, wonderful husband and father that he is, has taken a second job at night to help get ready for baby. I hate that he has to do that, but no one is going to hire a 7-month pregnant woman, and so he decided to get another job. He has been looking for several months now actually, and a Mexican restaurant hired him this week. Tonight is his first shift, and I just worry so much that he will be overworked. We have agreed that if he hates the job, or if it gets to be too much for him, that he will quit. I don't want him to ever feel that he has to work so hard. After I get through student teaching in the fall, I will have a 300% salary increase, so we really just have to get through my time off and we'll be fine again. Jeff just felt like he needed to do something NOW, so that's what he's doing. Elizabeth and I are very, very blessed to have a father and husband like him!

December 2008

Nothing new to report, really, except that I have been feeling really good for the past two days. I even cooked dinner tonight! Baby has been kicking a lot, and other than the bladder-pummeling, I'm enjoying each little movement.

I go to the doctor Monday for a checkup and a gestational diabetes test, so stay tuned for those results. We are also heading to Fargo on Tuesday to have a Merry Lahren Christmas, and since all my siblings will be there for the first time in several years, we are very excited!

The Girls are Home!!

Boy, you guys work fast! Thank you so much for the prayers - the girls are home! I don't have any details yet, but Joanna just sent an email saying that they are home, and more details will follow. Thank you, thank you, thank you all!

Please Help!

I have been laying low lately as I've been suffering from the flu, but all is well with Baby and I. I'm updating today to ask a favor of any of you in the Twin Cities area, as well as the rest of you. One of my best friends, Joanna, has a cousin who has been missing for quite a few days now. Autumn and her friend Jeanette are thought to be with a gang in the area, although no one knows for sure. Please, keep an eye out for either of these two girls, and prayers are always appreciated.

Thank You For Your Patience . . .

I know, it has been too long (again) since I posted, and as I was reminded, people need updates!! You will be happy to know that Elizabeth is just fine. I mentioned before the pains I was having in my abdomen. Well, they lasted from the Friday after Thanksgiving til Monday morning, so my doctor wanted to see me. There was some concern of pre-term labor, although I wasn't too worried about that. The pains were more like muscle aches than contractions, and as I suspected, it was not early labor. It was quite the relief to hear Elizabeth's heartbeat, though. By Sunday night, I realized that she hadn't moved or kicked for several hours, and that really freaked me out. All was well though, and the doctor said that the pain I was having was just from her stretching out to make more room for herself. I think she must have gotten Jeff's long legs, and that's why she needs more room!

There's nothing I can do for the pains aside from taking Tylenol and laying on the couch, which the doctor recommended. It's been over a week since the pains started and I am still having them, but it seems a small price to pay for having a healthy baby. It has been difficult at work since the pains make it hard to walk, but I am getting by.

The nice thing is that she kicks a lot more now, and with more regularity. She actually had the hiccups the other night, and sometimes she kicks so hard she makes me jump! Although I know that Elizabeth will be a total Daddy's girl, she won't kick for him now. She'll be kicking up a storm, and as soon as Jeff puts his hand on my belly, she stops. Stubborn child!

Baby Belly at 24 weeks

I had expected a huge change in my belly from week 20 to week 24, but I don't think it happened. Either that, or my belly just looks a lot bigger in the red shirt than the blue shirt! The new picture is the one that Jeff and I are using for our Christmas cards this year. I was going to take a separate picture for the blog, but after the posing, I didn't want to do it again.

I am having a lot of round ligament pains again, so I think that Elizabeth is going through another growth spurt. She is certainly kicking like crazy! It's funny, because she definitely has a pattern. She is quiet most of the day except for a little kick here and there, but then come dinner time, she becomes a Rockette!

Aside from the ligament pain, I am feeling very well. I have given up on ever getting more energy, but all the other aches, pains, and complaints have pretty much gone away. I have another doctor appointment on Friday, but since I can feel her kick and move all the time, I am not worried. That'll be quite a switch for the doctor - he's used to having to tell me not to freak out!

Kicking!

As you know, I am a terrible worrier, despite my best efforts not to be. I suppose since it took so long to conceive Elizabeth, it makes sense that I would worry about her well-being right now, but even after the doctor assures me that she is fine and perfect and healthy, I find myself obsessing. My latest fear has been that something has happened to her since I don't really feel any movements. Every now and again there is a little sensation like a bubble popping that I know is her, but these sensations do not happen very frequently. Last night, however, she gave me three really good kicks while Jeff and I were playing a video game, so I feel much better! At first, I was wondering what in the hell I had eaten that would cause that kind of movement, and then I realized that it was Elizabeth, and not indigestion. :-) So, for now, I am not quite as worried that something might happen to our little girl.

Just an Update

Just look at this beautiful little girl! This is my little Livy with her first smile. I cannot wait to get to Fargo to hold her. Sedonia says that she is a really good baby, and as you can see, she is beautiful!

As for me, I'm doing a lot better. My itchy skin has really abated, and my nausea has almost gone away. I still have bouts of vomiting at least once a week, but that's a whole lot better than three times a day. The only real symptom I am still dealing with is exhaustion. I keep waiting for that energy burst people have mentioned to me, but it's not happening. However, as far as symptoms go, I'd rather be sleepy than have migraines and other aches and pains!

Doctor Visit Update

I saw Dr. Krombach on Wednesday. It turns out that I did lose all the weight that I had gained since last visit, so I'm at 0 according to them. However, I saw my regular doctor for my knee on Monday, and they said that I've lost 8 pounds. I certainly don't miss them, but I can't get over the fact that I am more than halfway through my pregnancy and am at -8 for weight gain. Dr. K. assured me that Elizabeth is perfectly fine and healthy though, so I am not complaining! I asked him if he thought she was a girl too, since the ultrasound tech said she was almost sure, and he said that she is definitely a girl. Good news, as I'm planning on buying lots of pink!

Holy Baby Belly!

All right, here is the new baby bump picture! The first is my 16-week photo, and the second is the 20-week, just taken tonight. I honestly did not think I had grown, but obviously, I was WRONG. I can't believe how big I've gotten in the last month! I have only gained 2 pounds, and I think I lost both of those this week, at least according to my bathroom scale. My appetite has not been good, and I was worried about Elizabeth. However, seeing this picture, I don't think I have to worry! Tomorrow is my next doctor appointment, so stay tuned . . .

Ahhhhhhhhhhh . . .

So, the nurse called me and told me to take Extra Strength Tylenol, and then to get on my hands and knees and rock back and forth. After that, I am to arch my back "like an angry cat". I tried it several times now, and as silly as I feel when I'm rocking back and forth and being an angry cat, I have to say that I am feeling much, MUCH better. I still have the pains, but I can walk around and do my job without feeling like my insides are being ripped out. I still have to be careful not to overdo it, and I spend most of my evenings lying on the couch, but Jeff doesn't mind!

Round Ligament Pain

I've had a good few weeks so I'm not going to complain too much, but I now have what is called round ligament pain. As you can see from the picture, the round ligaments are on either side of the uterus, and as it grows, the ligaments are stretching. It causes stabbing pains in my abdomen, and makes walking difficult, at least for me. Although this is very common in pregnancy, some women barely have any pain while others have debilitating pain. I'd say I'm somewhere in the middle. I can still do what I need to do, but I do feel a lot better when I'm lying on the couch. Thank God for Jeff!

The other day, Jeff came home in a bad mood and was venting. Since he has such a deep voice, however, and he was almost yelling, I think he startled baby. Every time he raised his voice, she kicked! I tried to explain that Daddy wasn't yelling at Mommy, but I don't know whether she got that. :-)

Introducing Alivia Lou Heller

I have a new niece! Her name is Alivia Lou Heller, and my sister, Sedonia, had her yesterday morning at 3:36. She weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce, and measured 19.6 inches. She has a head full of pretty black hair, and she is the spitting image of Sedonia when she was born. I cannot wait til Christmas so I can go see her, but in the meantime, you can enjoy her pictures! The first one was taken shortly after she was born yesterday morning, and the second is from last night. I wanted to see the hair, so her daddy, Jorge, took some pictures for me. I swear, she is the prettiest little girl since Sedonia and Savannah were born!

Picture Time

All right, here are a few pix of our little Elizabeth. In the first one, her head is to the left of the picture, and she has her little hand up by her cheek. In the next two, though, she is facing the other direction. I picked the clearest photos, so hopefully you can make them out with no problem. I love the second picture - we caught her in a yawn! In the last picture, her legs are bent at the knee, and she is sucking on her thumb, so her little hand is up to her mouth. How cute is she!

It's a . . .

GIRL!! The ultrasound was so cool. Elizabeth was moving all over, kicking her feet and sucking her thumb. She yawned several times and her heartbeat was 134, which is lower than it has been (but still just fine), so I think she was trying to sleep and we kept disturbing her! We got a bunch of cute pictures - more of which will follow later - and a DVD of the whole thing. It was so amazing!!


(The picture is of the baby's legs in the air, and as you can see, there's nothing in between them!)

It's a Baby!

It's the coolest thing - when I start pressing on my stomach, I can feel where the baby is laying! She is slightly to the right of my belly button, and it's so awesome. Jeff can't feel any movements as they are still so faint, but he was able to feel the baby. I showed him where she was, and he said, "Oh my gosh, there's something in there!" He's so cute. :-)

We go on Wednesday for the gender-revealing ultrasound, so hopefully Baby is not modest, and will show us what we want to see. I've been dreaming of little boys though, so maybe it's a boy after all . . .

4 Month Belly!

I don't know how well you can see the difference, but the pic on the left was my 3 month belly, and the one on the right is my 4 month belly. I am definitely bigger, although the nurse confirmed that I have only gained one pound. Woo hoo! The baby's heart rate was 144 bpm, which worried me since last time it was 158, but the doc said that she might be sleeping. How cute is that! We find out two weeks from today what we're having, and I am so, so excited!

Falling Behind

For those of you who have been anxiously awaiting an update, I apologize! I've been meaning to post for nearly a week, but somehow I haven't gotten there. I am actually feeling better these days, if you can believe it! I have very little nausea, and I have been having more days without headaches than with. My worst physical problem right now is that my skin itches like crazy, but after the headaches and nausea, that's not much of a problem. However, I'd welcome any anti-itch tips. I have tried a few different kinds of lotion and some aloe vera gel, with limited success.

In very BIG news, I felt the baby move on Friday (yes, I know, it's Wednesday already, and I should have told you before)! I was sitting at my desk at work and I felt this strange tickle right below my belly button. It took me a second to realize what it was, but then I ran around and told everyone here. Several other times that day, I felt what reminded me of little bubbles popping. I didn't feel her too often over the weekend, but every now and then I'll get a little reminder that she's in there. It is the most exciting thing!

I took a 16-week belly shot for you, but I will have to upload it later. I'm off to the doctor today for a weigh-in and check-up, and then to schedule the "What Are We Having?" ultrasound. Fun!

Good Day

I'm having a feel-good day today, which is so nice. I think I will always have a minor pain in the back of my head, but as long as it doesn't get any bigger, I can still go on about my day. I've been making sure I get a little caffeine each day, and I'm drinking plenty of water, both of which seem to help.

Tomorrow starts the fourth month, can you believe it? It seems like I have such a long way to go, and yet, I'm nearly half way there. I just can't wait to feel the baby move! I am dying to start shopping, but I won't let myself until I know for sure what we are having. Otherwise, as Jeff says, we'll have a little boy who has a pretty princess room. So, for now, I make do with looking through catalogues! Isn't this Fisher-Price Rainforest toy adorable? There's a whole line of Rainforest items that I am just waiting to buy! Of course, they are gender-neutral, so maybe I could start a little early . . .

Sunday

It's been a fairly uneventful week for us. I do seem to have traded my morning sickness for migraine headaches, so I'm still not glowing. I should say here that migraines run in my family, but I've had so many recently that I'm attributing this to the pregnancy. I read that something like 80% of women get migraines in their second trimester. After one headache that was still killing me on the morning of the third day, I finally called the doctor. He prescribed a medicine called Midrin that seems to help. I have to take two capsules as soon as a headache starts, then one every hour for up to three hours after that. It has so far taken at least 4 capsules before my headaches will start to go away, and that worries me a little. I know that the doctor wouldn't prescribe something that isn't safe, but I don't like taking that many pills when I have headaches nearly every day. So, I'm using the Midrin only when absolutely nothing else will work, and if I just cannot function. It makes work very difficult when my head is pounding, so I am grateful for the meds, regardless.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm 35 today, and although I've never worried about getting older, that sounds pretty grown up for someone like me. Of course, so does having a baby! I told Jeff that the next time we celebrate a birthday (his was last month), it will be a literal celebration of a birth-day. Elizabeth is due almost exactly 6 months from now.

We have had a very nice day so far. Jeff made me scrambled eggs with bacon for breakfast, gave me a beautiful jewelry box, and he then took me to the Outback for lunch. Then, I got to come home and take a long nap, and we're going to another of my favorite restaurants, El Chico, for dinner. We have cake, too, but I'm still too full to have any. :-) Jeff said that on my next birthday, he and Elizabeth are going to get up early and make me chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. We then had a good laugh over the thought of a 6-month-old smeared with chocolate! Then there was the shocked realization that in 6 months there will be a brand new baby with us. Wow!!

Checking In

I woke up with an unfortunate bout of the stomach flu on Friday that lasted til Monday morning. I really didn't think I needed the flu after three months of morning sickness, but no one asked me for my opinion! Today, I feel much better, although I did start taking my nausea meds again. I was having too many nauseous moments throughout the day to go without it, although I wasn't throwing up much any more. So, I took the meds today, and I really felt good. I was even able to come home and start some laundry instead of taking a nap!

Rude Comments and Awesome Doctor Visits

I had my first rude comment yesterday, which was funny because I had been reading about how to respond to rude comments just the day before. A co-worker of mine said, "You know, you'd better be careful of how much weight you gain. It is going to be so much harder for you to take it off." As if I didn't know that, but still, why do people think that sort of thing needs to be said? When I informed her that I'm three months along and still haven't gained any weight, she looked at me like I was lying and said, "You haven't?" Then she proceeded to tell me that my boobs were way too big. What do you say to that?

*For any of you who don't know, and I sure didn't know before I got pregnant, weight for some reason, shifts around and shows up again in strange places. So, my belly is sticking out a lot more, as are my boobs, but I actually weigh less than I did before I got pregnant.*

Oh well. I had my final first trimester appointment today, and the nurse confirmed that I hadn't gained any weight. I have to admit, I started to think I might be wrong about that! My blood pressure was good, and I got to hear Baby's heartbeat through the doppler. It was nice and strong and steady, and it was wonderful to hear. I wish I had a recording of it so that I could play it over and over. Now that the nausea is actually subsiding, I am just in awe over this miracle. To think that a real, live, human being is growing inside me! I have been teary all afternoon. Oh, and in 6 weeks, we get to find out if she's really a girl!

Baby Bump - 12 Weeks

Oh, what the hell. I am fat, but I am also pregnant for the first time, and I am incredibly proud of that fact. So, here is my first "baby bump" picture. It was taken at 12 weeks, 4 days. Keep in mind that it was at the end of the day, so forgive the hair and smudged makeup. :-)

Motherhood Maternity - Woo Hoo!!

On Saturday, Jeff took me to the mall so that I could finally break down and buy some more maternity clothes, since the first two tops I bought already don't fit. Since I am now 3 months along that is probably to be expected, but since I still haven't gained any weight, I wasn't prepared for how tight and uncomfortable my clothes had gotten.

We went to a Motherhood Maternity store, and God was smiling at us that day. Being a plus sized girl, clothes shopping is not the most fun thing for me. From what I have seen and read, it is even harder to find cute maternity clothes. Imagine my surprise when we walked into the store and found a fairly good sized plus section! It wasn't huge, by any means, but there was a very nice selection, and most everything was on sale. If that weren't enough, the saleslady was an absolute angel. She was cheerful and energetic, and she made lots of great suggestions. She even made some non-clothes suggestions to help me. It was such a wonderful experience. In the end, I got a pair of maternity jeans, a t-shirt that says "Kicking 24/7", 3 tops for work, and a container of Preggy Pop Drops for morning sickness for just over $100. Jeff and I were so pleased, that I just had to plug the store a little bit here! I wore new clothes out of the store, too, because I was SO much more comfortable than when I had walked in. Oh, there was also a cushion in the dressing room that could be strapped on to simulate a big belly, so I was even able to see that my new clothes would fit me through the whole pregnancy. The look on Jeff's face when I came out with the belly on was fantastic! He had to do a double-take.

The Preggy Pop Drops work really well, too. They are slightly sour hard candies that really do take the nausea away. I didn't take nausea meds at all this weekend, and thanks to the candies, I still felt good and was able to eat. Thanks to God for another terrific weekend!

Belly Pix

Here's the thing: I am dying to start taking "belly shots" so that we can document every stage of this pregnancy, but I can't yet. One of the worst of my side effects of the PCOS is that I gained a lot of weight in my belly. So, I've had a large stomach for years. I haven't gained back all the weight I lost yet, but my pants no longer fit, so I know Baby is growing. I just can't tell where! I want to have those cute little pictures to post here for you, but I suppose I'm just going to have to be patient.

In other news, I am doing a little better with the nausea. I think my tolerance for the nausea meds increased, which is why they weren't working. Now I've been taking two in the morning and at night (which the doc said was fine, no worries!), and I have been doing MUCH better. I am still hoping that things start to get better next week, as I officially enter the second trimester, but if not, at least I can get by now.

Venting

Let me just preface this post by saying that I know I am going to sound terribly ungrateful, and like a whiny little brat, but I just have to vent. However, this in no way means that I wish I weren't pregnant. I am very glad to be pregnant and I consider it a huge miracle, and I feel very blessed to be carrying this child. Okay, here goes . . .

I am so flippin' miserable!! I am sick all the time, even when I take my anti-nausea pills, which I do daily. I will feel fine for an hour or so, but then I will start to feel queasy and sick, and that could take the whole day to go away. Then, I'll feel better . . . for a short time. I feel like I haven't felt good in weeks and weeks. I am still throwing up, although not as often, and I am having other stomach issues as well, so I feel like I live in the bathroom. Nothing seems to help, although I have been told I can take several different OTC meds to try and feel better.

I am tired constantly. I come home every day and take a nap, and when I wake up, I feel like I haven't even slept. I get up about 5:30 from my nap, and I'm ready for bed by 9 or 10. I barely make it through work each day, and I feel like I'm constantly on the verge of tears because I am so exhausted. I get so tired just putting on my "happy face" each day.

I can no longer button my regular pants, but the maternity pants are too big, so I bought myself something called a Bella Band. It is like a halter top that I can wear over my pants so that I can keep them unbuttoned. I have to say, that little piece of fabric is a God-send! I also bought a few maternity tops, and I really do enjoy wearing them. I feel like I'm huge already, but in reality, I still haven't regained all the weight I lost when I was sick all the time.

So, there you have it. I feel terrible complaining because this is what I wanted. I just didn't know it would be so hard. I do have to say, though, that even if I knew it was going to be like this, I would still do it again. I just want to know when the happy, glowing part of the pregnancy starts?

Mood Swings - Poor Jeff!

I know, I know, people are getting antsy for the next post! As my cousin Joanna so aptly put it, my pregnancy is taking forever since she knew almost from the moment of conception! I was going to post more often, but unless you really want to hear how I'm feeling every single day, there's not a whole lot to post just now. I don't go back to the doctor til September 10, and since it is too early to feel Baby move, the only other news is how many times I've run to the bathroom every day. :-)

I did have a wonderful day today. Jeff and I finally found a place that sells real Chicago-style hot dogs in a little town about half an hour from here, so we decided to have them for lunch today. Well, I woke up crabby and couldn't seem to shake it, so poor Jeff had to deal with that all morning. After lunch we passed a little shop called Gypsy Warehouse, and the name alone enticed me into the shop. I found the most gorgeous jewelry, and totally in my style. It was too expensive, but Jeff insisted on buying a necklace and bracelet for me. I totally didn't deserve it since I was being such a brat, but he is a sweetheart. After that, I had a craving for gummy candies, so we went to the mall there (which, by the way, was the nicest mall I have ever seen, and I don't even like malls as a rule), and we bought junk food and candy and did lots of window shopping. It was such a great day! Then, we came home and napped the afternoon away - the perfect addition to the day.

Checking In

I get to stop taking the progesterone this week - hooray!! I needed to take it because my body did not make enough to keep Baby safe, but this week the placenta will be fully formed, so I don't need to make any more of the hormone. I am SO relieved. Not only are these pills awful to use (they're suppositories), but I've discovered that they are causing a great deal of my symptoms. I figured this out when, one day last week, I forgot to take them. I felt terrific that day! Ever since then, I have had all my symptoms, and feel pretty crappy again. So, I cannot wait til the final pill is gone, and I can start feeling better. Plus, I only have a week and a half left in the first trimester, and from what I have read, the second trimester is MUCH easier. I think that just getting off the progesterone will be a tremendous help, but we'll see if I can tell any difference in the next couple of weeks.

Surprise Symptoms

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but one of the most surprising symptoms, at least to my mind, is that I have terrible insomnia. I either cannot fall asleep at all, or else I keep waking up. It has become pretty bad - I think I slept for two hours last night, and I couldn't nap at all today. I guess I thought that I would be tired all the time, which I am, but that I would be able to sleep without a problem. Not so much. My doctor recommended Tylenol PM for sleep, so I'm going to try that tonight. Thankfully, school doesn't start til Wednesday, so I can sleep in tomorrow, assuming the medicine works.

Feeling Great

I ate French toast for breakfast this morning, and chicken parmigiana for dinner. It is so nice to be able to eat, and now I don't have to worry that Baby isn't getting enough sustenance. It's starting to become more real to me that we're going to have an actual baby at the end of this, but I still can't really imagine it. Life is going to be so different, but I know it will be wonderful.

I start school again on Wednesday, so hopefully I am still feeling good by then. Although I am sure it will do me good to have something to focus on besides Baby, I am not looking forward to getting up at 6:30 again!

The OB/GYN

I apologize for the time between posts! The anti-nausea meds that Dr. Haas gave me last week really knocked me out. I slept for what seemed like hours every day, and when I woke up, I still didn't have any energy to post. Thank God for summer vacation!

I saw the new OB/GYN today, Dr. Krombach, and he was extremely nice to me. I had a marathon session at his office, but through it all everyone was very kind, and answered any questions I had. I did have an ultrasound today, which, as you can tell from the photo, was incredibly hard to see, but I got to hear Baby's heartbeat, which was amazing. It was a perfect 158 beats per minute, and she is now 15.2 cm long, or about the size of a large grape. They measure you in days, so as of today I am 8 weeks and 6 days along, and Baby measured at 8 weeks and 4 days. The nurse said that a two-day discrepancy didn't matter at all, so I'm finally convinced that Baby is healthy!

Dr. Krombach gave me a different nausea medicine to try, Zofran, which seemed to do the trick. I was able to eat lunch today, and I didn't fall asleep in the middle of it! I don't have to go back til September 10th, and the nurses gave me a huge bag full of vitamins, formula, books, magazines, etc. I tell you what, I have been extremely blessed to have found as many wonderful doctors as I have had.

Ultrasound # 2

We had our second ultrasound today, and although we couldn't really see much, we did see a nice, strong heartbeat. Apparently, the doctor was a little worried about the size of Baby last week, but he didn't tell me that she was too small. At first I thought that he should have told me, but all I would have done was worry for a week. Today, Baby measured at 9.7 mm, up quite a bit from last week's 6.3 mm, and doctor assured me she looks just fine.

We are now cleared to go to an OB/GYN, and the doctor also gave me some anti-nausea medicine, praise Jesus! I have been throwing up nearly everything I eat, and I have been downright miserable for a few days, so hopefully this all gets better. It is all worth it, though. The picture shows Baby as she was today, but she looks more like an oval than a baby. :-) The little blob below her is the yolk sac, which will apparently dissolve before too long. I wish I had a video of the heartbeat, but it was this flickery light right in the middle of her little oval. It was beautiful!

Changing Bad Habits

Jeff and I don't have a whole lot of bad habits we need to curb before Baby gets here, but we do tend to swear more than is strictly necessary. In order to work on this, we bought a little piggy bank and decorated it with baby stickers (I love Precious Moments!). Now, each time one of us slips up, we put a dollar in the bank. We figure that not only will we learn to speak more appropriately, but we will also be getting a head start on Baby's college fund!

Update on Maggs

Jeff found a spot for Maggs at a no-kill shelter in Arlington, and brought him in on Tuesday. They said he should go fast, since he has obviously been well-cared for, is neutered, declawed, and housebroken. That was a relief, since I didn't want him to be sitting in a cage.

I called today to check on him since I still hadn't seen him listed on the web site, and this terribly rude lady told me that he had either been adopted or euthanized, but she couldn't or wouldn't tell me which. I was shocked, since this is a NO-KILL shelter, and I asked her what the reasons were that an animal would be put down. She said that if the animal has a life-threatening disease or a behavior problem, they could be euthanized. Magglio doesn't have either of these things. He is not the least bit aggressive, and if anything, he is just too shy. I am hoping and praying that he has been adopted, but I wish I knew for sure.

The picture is of the two cats with whom we came to Texas, and both of whom had to find new homes because of my allergies. It is very sad, but I hope they are both very, very happy!

Baby's First Picture

I am so emotional right now, but here is our little baby. She's just over 6 mm long, about the size of a blueberry, and she has a perfect little flickery heartbeat that is amazing to watch. I took a video of it so that Jeff could see it when he gets home, and I just sit here and stare at it. I am so happy, I could, well, cry!

Cliches

I hate to be cliche, but I have been craving - and eating - pickles all day. I don't even want to mention that I've eaten some ice cream between the pickles, but I did. I hope all these pickles count as vegetables!

Symptoms

I have never been so tired in all my life, and I am a woman who has always enjoyed her naps. I feel like I do nothing but sleep, wake up, and then go take a nap. I have also been getting a lot of heartburn, so I take Tums during the day and then Pepcid before bed so that I don't wake up gagging on acid. That is not a pleasant experience! Jeff has been wonderful. Not only does he keep the house neat and running, he doesn't complain. He rubs my aching back and brings me gummy bears, and when I was craving spaghettio's with meatballs, he bought them and cooked them for me, even though he can't stand them. Baby and I are very, very lucky!

We tried for so long to get here that I don't care how many symptoms I have to deal with. Okay, I don't really want the symptoms to get any worse, but if they do, both Jeff and I are up for the challenge. It is all worth it to know that we are going to have a healthy, happy, beautiful baby!

The Prodigal Cat Returns

Due to some terrible directions on the part of the lady at the shelter (she didn't know north from south), Magglio the cat is still with us. Jeff is very unhappy because he took a half-day at work and drove around for two hours for nothing, but I'm just happy to see that darned cat again. I think maybe this is God's way of saying that the cat belongs with us since we aren't having any luck in finding him a different home, but we'll see what happens!

Happy Day, Sad Day

I got the results of my second blood test today, and Baby is developing right on schedule. I have my first sonogram next Thursday, and while I won't be able to hear the heartbeat, I guess the doctor can see it. I am very excited! I am terribly nauseous today, so I'll be vegging on the couch for a good part of the day.

In very sad news, our cat, Magglio, is going to the shelter today. Jeff and I are both so upset, but I am allergic to him and I have to take asthma meds every day when he is here. This isn't good for the baby, and when I was in Fargo I only took the meds about twice a week, so we know it is for the best. We love that dumb cat though, and this is very difficult. Several doctors have also mentioned that my arthritis may improve if we got rid of the cat. We did give him away last year to one of Jeff's co-workers, but the guy brought him back within a week because he wasn't cuddly enough. Maggs has always been very shy, and so I worry terribly about him being in a shelter. We've been trying for over a year to find him a home through people we know and acquaintances, but we've just run out of time. Please say a prayer that someone will adopt him quickly! He's a wonderful kitty who deserves a good, patient family.

It's Official!

You all know I'm a terrible worrier (I take after Nana), so I have been on pins and needles awaiting the blood test results. I was so sure that either A.) my four tests were wrong, or B.) the baby had been lost. I am very happy to report that neither of these things came true! The nurse just called me. I am officially pregnant, and my hormone levels are right where they should be. I have another test tomorrow to make sure they are doubling, but that is more of a formality than anything. We should be able to hear her heart beat in a couple of weeks! I tell you what, this makes the nausea, the exhaustion, and the strange pains all worth it.

First Blood Test

I just had my first blood test to check my levels of hcg and progesterone. Hcg is what the body produces during pregnancy, and the progesterone is what creates the lining of the uterus that supports the baby. Given that I am nauseous and tired all the time (and a little cranky - poor Jeff!) I think that all is well, but I can't help but worry. As my ever-so-smart brother Josh said, when you finally get something that's really worth having, there are a lot more things to worry about! I have to have a second blood test on Wednesday to make sure that my hormone levels are doubling, so I am going to be a nervous wreck until I get the news on Thursday. I am so afraid that something will go wrong!

We're Pregnant!

I know this is pretty much old news by now, but Jeff and I are so excited about the baby. I've become addicted to Babycenter.com, which is where I got this picture. According to the site, I'm 5 weeks along, and this is what she looks like. I go to the doctor on Monday morning, and I can't wait!

My flight home was uneventful, and as glad as I am to be with Jeff, I miss my family. I am really having some concerns about raising a baby so far away from both of our families. I don't want our little girl to see our families once a year, and I really think that she would be better off growing up around aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. My sister is pregnant too and so is my sister-in-law, and I think it would be great for Elizabeth to grow up with her cousins. They will be so close in age! Jeff and I definitely have some thing to think and pray about in the next year or so.

Three Positives Later . . .

After so many heartaches, I have a hard time believing I'm actually pregnant. I've taken three tests however, and since they are all positive, I guess I can stop worrying. I will go for a blood test on Monday when I get home, and I don't know what happens after that. I'm in entirely new territory here!

(I don't have the second test from yesterday, since I inadvertently threw it out. Here are the first one from yesterday and the one from today.)