Breast Feeding

Has been somewhat difficult for me so far. In the hospital it was overwhelming because all the nurses have their on opinion and way they think that you should do it. So, it was really hard to start and then they just stand there and watch you. Talk about pressure. My nipples are inverted and very flat and so that has made it even a harder process. However, one of the nurses gave me a rubber nipple shield and it works. I am able to breastfeed him with that. I am hoping by using that and pumping that it will hopefully draw my nipples out more. But, I have to use that thing the entire time then I am okay with that. One of the nurses said she knew several people who had to do that way. Knowing that made me feel a lot better. Anyways that is the update!

Labor & Delivery

I thought I would try and write this really quick while he is sleeping! It is going to be long, so bear with me!
My contractions started at around 8 Saturday night. They weren't very hard contractions and so I ignored them while I worked on some homework! But, then I was like this are getting a little more uncomfortable and they are pretty close together. I started timing them around 8:45 and they were consistent for about a half an hour coming every three minutes and lasting about 55 seconds.
My mom happened to call because my dad had this instinct that they should just call. Lucky that they did, so I described to her what I was feeling and she said that they were contractions. I had Katelyn come and pick me up. I grabbed my hospital bag and we head to my parents house. I called Matt at work to just let him know what was going on and that if I called in the next half hour or so that we would be going up to the hospital.
At my mom's both Katelyn and my mom started timing them and Kallan kept a chart of how long and how far apart. Colton came home from work and was a little surprised to see everyone staring a me. After about an hour I called the hospital and they told me to come up. So, we all headed up there. I don't think my mom has ever driven that fast. Every time I had a contraction in the car she would hit the accelerator.
After I got up to the OB floor they put the fetal monitor on and they said they would observe me for an hour. My contractions were coming at a steady rate. She checked me and I was right at a two.
Matt showed up in half hour. He drove pretty fast because he made it there in about a half an hour. Poor guy had just come off working two days of overtime and my poor dad had put in about an 80 hour week as well.
They had my get up and walk around in the halls and that is when it became really painful. The pressure was so great down there from the bag of water and they were so close together my contractions. They finally had me get into a robe after that and checked me again. I was at a 3 and my water bag was right there, she said it could break at any time. So, she called my doctor and they admitted me. So it was 1:30 at this time..he was born at 3:38
Side note: Everyone in my family was there. My parents and siblings, Grandma, Aunt Kim, and my cousin Devin.
My contractions were really painful and I broke down crying to Matt because I was like if these are bad now and they are going to get worse, I can't handle them. I am going to need an epidural. Matt did a really good job of calming me down.
They went to put an IV in, I don't remember what time. Both the nurses tried to get in, but I guess my veins kept disappearing. It hurt really bad because they kept poking and it was always that the height of my contraction. The nurse supervisor came down 45 minutes later to get in, but she was supposed to be there in 20. By the time she got it in I was already dilated to a 10 and I was so upset I started to cry because it was so painful. I thought that maybe I could have at least gotten some stadol to take the edge off.
By that point I was telling them that I had to push. Dr. Thomson was on his way and I didn't think that I could wait until we go there. The minute he got in the room he broke my water...finally. The contractions weren't' so bad after that.
I started pushing my mom on side and Matt on the other. The rest of my family was in the back watching. It hurt to push, but they kept telling me what a good job I was doing. My mom kept telling me that she could see his hair and that made me excited.
His heart rate dropped really really low and so Dr. Thomson had to use a vacuum to push him out. I didn't have time to realize how scary the situation was. I could see on the Dr.'s face that he was really nervous and Matt was nervous. He just told me to push, I was so scared that I wasn't going to be able to push good enough to get him out. But, finally he came out and Matt cut the cord really quick.
They sat him on my chest and it was just so amazing to look down at my son. He was so beautiful and then to think that Matt and I created him together. It was just a special moment for us.
They took the baby away to get him cleaned up and weighed. My entire family was over there to greet him and hold him. Matt wouldn't leave my side, but I told him to go over and hold his son.
It took awhile to deliver my placenta and then I kept bleeding. He was trying to get all the clots out and that was pretty painful. My tearing wouldn't have been that bad except that they had to use the vacuum. It took him almost two hours to stitch me up.
During that time everyone was holding the baby and taking pictures. Matt went out to call his family. Finally around five my parents came over and kissed me goodbye and the rest of the family left.
It was seven in the morning by the time they got us moved to the next room. I didn't sleep at all maybe an hour. I told Matt to go home and get some sleep because he was exhausted.
Here are a few pictures of the labor and delivery. I squeezed Matt's hand a lot during my contractions, afterwards I had no strength left!

39 week Dr. Appt.

I had my last doctor's appointment today. I didn't mention this in my other blog, I don't think at least. I am on the schedule to get induced on Monday, October 29th. That is if I don't have him before then. I scheduled this date at my last doctor's appointment last week.
I got weighed today, but I didn't look at the scale. I am to the point where I don't care and I eat what I want:) I think thought I have gained about 40 pounds. That is about five pounds over than what he wanted which was 35. But, I am okay with that now and have come to terms..kind of.
His heartbeat was good and strong. It went up to 147 bpm today. At first when she went to find it there was nothing and I thought that he had flipped. I was like oh please don't let him be breech now! However he hit the doppler and it made a noise, it was funny. It was like he was mad at her or something. Very cute.
Dr. T. came in and asked if I wanted to be checked. I said that I didn't because I didn't' really think anything had changed. So, we went over what will happen on Monday. I am supposed to call the hospital between 5-6 AM and make sure they are ready for me. Once they tell me to come up, they will hook me up to an iv and get the fetal monitor on. They will monitor me for a couple of hours until the nurse shift change that happens at seven. After the shift change Dr. T. will come and break my water and then hopefully my body will take over from there. He said if things don't change around noon or so that he will start me on the potsion(spelling). Then if that get me contracting he will lower it and let mother nature take it's course. He still says he can be wrong about my small pelvis and the c-section. However, he doesn't want me to go over my due date and wants to induce. This way the baby doesn't get any bigger for the sake of me pushing him out!
So, here I am just getting things done for school this week. I am pretty much caught up. My goal this weekend is to get the house cleaned, laundry caught up, and groceries bought. I am probably not going to be able to sleep at all on Sunday night. I just can't believe that it is all coming to an end. I am definitely ready to not be pregnant anymore. I love the experience, but I want to be done:)
I probably won't post again until after he is born. So, keep watch of new posts later in the week next week! Okay, now I am going to go cry because this is all so emotional. I am really going to be a mom in less than a week!

38 Weeks

I wasn't going to blog about my 38th week because I already talked about the doctor's appointment. However, if I don't I will feel guilty that I missed writing about a week because I have been good about not missing any.
I didn't really have any more contractions this week, which is such a bummer. I was hoping that I would start having a little more of them. Things that are gross, but well I am going to write about them anyways:) I did notice this week that my discharge was brown, but they say that is normal and means that your cervix is starting to soften, etc.
He is moving around a lot still, I don't think he realizes there is no room left in there! The other night I was trying to go to bed, but he was moving so much. I was almost in tears because it hurt so bad because he is so big now!
I developed a cold this week. I am sure that I got it from the of the students at school since they all pass around germs. I am constantly washing my hands or using germ-x while I am there. But, it hasn't been that bad, so hopefully it won't last too long.
I have been extremely grumpy this week as well. I snap at everyone for the littlest things. Poor Matt has had to bear the brunt of it all and he is probably doesn't want me to ever be pregnant again. Well, he actually has said that:) Saturday I didn't pick up any of my phone calls because I was so grumpy.
At this point all hear is "oh you haven't had the baby yet" or people are constantly asking me how I am feeling, or when I am due. I feel like a broken record..and it makes me irritable. I know that people mean well and they just care and I need to realize that!
We put the carseat base in the car this weekend and everything is ready for him. I have my bag packed and his things packed. Now, he just needs to simply arrive:)

38 Week Dr. Appt

Today was my doctor's appointment...I didn't get my hopes up going into it. I gained another three pounds, what a shocker. I have been so swollen though this past week. My ankles look like balloons seriously. One night my left ankle was huge compared to my right. My hands have also been really swollen and I am glad that I took my wedding ring off a long time ago!
Baby's heartbeat was good it went up to 140, but that is still good. It was speeding up at the end because he was moving around. It was funny, I don't think he liked her pushing on him..I was hoping it would make him come out!
Dr. T. came in and checked my cervix. He asked if I wanted him to strip any membranes since he knows I am sort of trying to work this delivery around school. I told him that if he thought it was okay, that would be great. Let's get this show on the road:) But, if he didn't want to that was fine too. So, he checked me and I was probably 1/2 cm. dilated. He stripped me to a 1 1/2. So, hopefully that will jump start things. If not he said that when I come in next week that he would do it again. It was so painful when he was doing it that I was like how the heck am I going to push my baby's head out! But, I didn't show any signs of pain..according to my mom. I must hide it well.
Anyways, so that is the news for now. I will keep you updated!

37 Weeks~waiting,waiting, and waiting..~

I am becoming more and more uncomfortable as each day passes. I don't notice it as much on the weekends because I don't have to sit at a table for six hours like I do during the week for school. I am hoping that our little one arrives this next week, but who knows..he is on his time:)
I have been having mild contractions for the last week or so! This excited me even if it doesn't mean I won't have him for another two weeks. At least I feel like am doing something! They aren't intense or anything and I had to call my mom to make sure if that is what I was feeling or not.
This is going to be gross to some of you, but most of you are women who read this, so I am not to worried. I did lose my mucus plug this week as well. I noticed it after I went to the bathroom one evening. It wasn't gross or anything, it just kind of looks like what it is called. So, I know that my body is preparing for him to come out.
Saturday and today I went on really long walks. I am hoping that it will help to induce my labor. Matt wants to try one other thing that induces labor as well:) My mom said it worked for her and my dad, but I am so huge and uncomfortable I don't know if I can do it! More intimate details that you didn't want to know, but I am a pretty open person as you all know!
This past week on the 10th I got a big nesting feeling. I really thought that I was going to have the baby on the 11th. It was the day my Grandpa passed away and I just thought for sure for symbolic reasons it was going to happen. So, that night I was frantically cleaning the house and catching on laundry. I changed the sheets on our bed and made sure everything was in place. I packed my bag for the hospital and the baby's diaper bag with his things. Then my mom, sister, and aunt all called me to see if I was still having any contractions. Pretty much everyone thought I was going to have him. However, the next day came and went and here I am still pregnant! At least everything is in order!
Everything is washed and put away in his dresser and closet. My parents can't believe how spoiled he is! I also went to Wal-Mart and got the remaining things that I needed, which wasn't a whole lot..such a blessing.
I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I am hoping that I am dilated and he just sends me up there because I am at a four or something! That is wishful thinking though. I will update you tomorrow after the appointment!

Baby Shower Take 3

Today I was given a surprise baby shower by the girls in class! It was so funny because I had no idea that it was going to take place. I pride myself by usually finding these things out, but not this time!
Dr. Evans at around 10:40 told me that Dr. Gomez wanted to see me in her office. I was like great I am in trouble! He said she wanted to talk to me about the baby and what I had figured out for my practicum out at the elementary school. So, I went to her office and she was really encouraging. She told me the that first I needed to take care of myself and the baby. They didn't want me to go right into teaching my five day lesson the next week if I didn't feel up to it. My plan right now is to go in that week and teach my five lessons, but only stay half days. Both my professors are perfectly fine with that and that is such a huge relief for me!
So, I went back to class hoping someone had stayed for lunch because my stuff was in there and if the door got shut it would be locked! So, I walked up to the room and I saw this table full of food, but I assumed that the faculty were having lunch or something. The moment I walked in they all yelled "surprise" They had the room decorated and a table full of gifts. They had ordered pizza and had salad and dessert. It was so sweet and overwhelming.
I just couldn't believe that they took it upon themselves to give me a shower like that. I held it together though and didn't cry!
I got some really cute outfits, a gift card, two of the girls made blankets for him, he got bath times stuff, and I got a few things for myself. It was so much fun to open the gifts. I am so blessed to have such a good group of classmates!
I don't drive to school, so I called Matt to come and get all the gifts. There was no way I could have carried them all home afterwards! I think he felt a little funny walking into a room of 25 women! I introduced him and it was fun for them all to put a name to face!
So, thanks to all of you. Matt and I really appreciate it!

Baby Shower Take 2

Last Saturday was my baby shower here in La Grande that my family put on for me. I have been counting down to this one just because it makes it seem more real that in a few weeks this little one will be here with us..finally!
My mom, aunts, sisters, and church ladies had the church decorated really cute. The colors were a lime green and blue and were so adorable. There was an assortment of different kinds of breads that my mom had made. Sara Coston made shortbread cookies with half of it dipped in chocolate. Jana made a big fruit assortment with different dips to go along with it. It was just all put together really cute. On the table with the punch they had the little favors. They made little buckets using pipe cleaner and little blue plastic cups. Each were filled with candy, but the theme of the candy was what little boys would play with. So, there were gummie sharks, fish, and frogs. Chocolate rocks, malt balls, and lemon heads. It was really cute!
There were about twenty three or so people there and it was just a lot of fun. I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. I got tons of stuff and it was so much fun to open! I got a few blankets that were homemade and I love that. A lot of really cute outfits. We got the monitor that we wanted and that was really nice. I got BASKETS to organize things in..I am a big fan:) I got a robe from Grandma for myself which was so nice because I didn't have one! We got our swing from my family and our high chair from Matt's. Matt's mom made some really cute blankets and burp clothes for me. My mom got me my baby book..so excited..tons of 12 month clothing, and a green receiving blanket like I had when I was a baby. Katelyn got me my sticker calendar and a blanket! Kallan got him the cutest lion slippers and a toy. My Aunt Donna got me a cute outfit, with cute shoes, bath stuff, and stuffed animals. Aunt Kim got me some cute outfits, books, toys, and some baby cereal to try out when it is time for that!
It was emotional at the beginning because my mom opened the shower with saying how proud her and my dad were of me..and then she started to cry. Then I started to cry..and everyone else started to tear up:) She said how proud they were of me for sticking with school and how proud they were of Matt and just how excited they are to have this baby. Sigh..I am going to cry right now thinking about it!
After the shower my family came over so that my aunts could see the nursery. We hung out at my house for awhile talking about things. We then headed to the pizza place to celebrate my cousin Luke's 7th birthday. It was a lot of fun and the food was yummy. I was starving by the time we got there because all I had eaten was what was at the shower.
That evening I sorted everything that I got at the shower. I washed all the clothes and put them away. Organized his changing table and the closet and had everything in place.
It was a really great way to spend a Saturday and I am so thankful to everyone that came to the shower!

Dr. Appt and Nursery pictures!

I had a doctor's appointment today and it was pretty much lame:) My whole week was to get to today, so that I could see if I was dilated at all. Well, he didn't even check me! I was so mad! I only gained roughly a pound this past week..so that is good I guess. I was hoping there would be no change or a loss of a pound. He thinks this baby is only like six pounds right now. I am hoping this baby is a lot bigger than that because I will be depressed..it is like uh where is all the weight coming from!
My Group B Strep test came back negative, so that was good. This means I don't have to have an antibiotics in my iv when I am there. The heartbeat was good going strong at 136 bpm. I love my nurse there because she always sits there for a minute or two after she gets how many beats, so that we can listen to it.
I am having a lot more Brax and Hick contractions, but no real contractions. I am not sure what they are supposed to feel like, but my mom said that I would know.
My baby shower is tomorrow and I am looking forward to that. I feel sort of bad for my mom because she has had to really do the whole thing herself. I am hoping that she will be able to enjoy herself tomorrow and not stress to much. I know that it will great.
Here are some pictures of the nursery. I hope you enjoy them, I feel like you don't really get the whole room unless you are there. I guess I feel like the pictures are insufficient. I want to get some cute decorative baskets, but I am going to wait and see if I get any tomorrow before I buy my own.
Matt went and bought diapers yesterday while I was at school. He was so excited about it, it was cute. He also bought a shirt that the baby will be able to wear next fall. It says "If you think I am cute wait until you see my mom". It almost made me cry...I am getting way more emotional these days!
That is about it for this week!

36 week pictures

These aren't the greatest pictures because I took them myself. I am not very coordinated that way! I still don't think I look HUGE, but everyone has said I have dropped a lot from the last ones. I am going to have Matt take some more this weekend, I will post those. They will be better quality I promise. I just know that some of you want to see the belly one more time before he comes out! Hope you enjoy!

35 Weeks

I am feeling a little lazy today because I just finished doing three hours of homework and I am still not finished! So, I am not going to list my symptoms.
I will say that I am having some brax and hicks contractions every now and then. It is kind of neat to know my body is preparing for the birth of this baby soon. They aren't to severe..at least I don't think.
I had my doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon. I am not going to post my weight or how much weight I have gained. I am going to be done embarrassing myself. I do have to remind myself that it was 3:30 and I had eaten two meals that day and drank a ton of water. Plus I am swollen in the afternoons.
My blood pressure was up just a little, but nothing major. It is still good and I had just walked to my mom's from the college to go to my appointment, so that had some influence.
Babies heart rate is good at 136 bpm. It was a little scary at first when she was listening to it because it has slowed down since the beginning. I was hoping it wouldn't be a concern. It was so strong and that was neat to hear.
I had my Group B Strep swab done. I thought it was going to be more like a pap, but it wasn't and it was painless.
He asked if I wanted to have my cervix checked and I did because I was interested to know if it was softening or if I was dilating yet. It was painful to have him check! My cervix has come forward which is good and it is opened like a finger tip which is very normal at this point.
He is a little worried that I may have to have a c-section. The front part of my pelvis is very tight and the thinks that I may have some trouble pushing baby out. The back of my pelvic area is muscular, so if I can relax those muscles he thinks I should be okay. He asked me what my pain method was going to be. I told him I would like to try not to have an epidural, but if he thinks that I should get one to see if it relaxes those muscles I am totally up for that. I would rather do that than recover from a c-section. He told me that he could be wrong and I could walk in deliver a nine pound baby and be fine. So, he just is putting it out there just in case. He really doesn't want to do a c-section because at this hospital once you have one, you have to have one every time.
I did talk to him about being induced. I would like to see if I could just to plan around school better..plus my dad and brother wouldn't miss elk hunting. That is Eastern Oregon for you:) He did say he wants me to be dilated or have a favorable cervix to do so. He said that earliest he would it would be 38 weeks a week before my due date. He also said that if my group b strep test came back positive that he wouldn't want to do it something to do with stripping the membranes. At week 37 is when they would start stripping the membranes to start getting me to dilate if he says it is okay to go ahead and do that. So, we will see...
I would just like for some prayer in that I wouldn't have to have a c-section. I just really don't want to deal with the recovery process of one.

34 Weeks

Symptoms:
* backache
* fatigue
* frequent potty breaks
* swelling in hands(mostly in afternoon)

This week has been a fairly easy one. I am still having a lot of the same symptoms. I am sleeping a little better, but I think that is because I am so exhausted from being at school all day and then the five hours or more homework a night. But, I don't really care why I sleep well as long as I do:)
I didn't go to my pre-natal class this week. I was going to with my mom since Matt is now working the swing shift. My mom hasn't been feeling well and she wasn't that night, so we didn't go. I wasn't upset about it because I was tired and didn't really feel like going. I know that the talk was about epidurals, so maybe it was a good thing I didn't go because I won't be as tempted to get one.
This week I got all of the envelopes addressed for the baby announcements. Call me crazy, but I wanted to get it done before he came. I think there is about fifty and there is now way I could have addressed them all after he was born on top of school. So, I just need to put stamps on them and get the announcement.
I am almost finished with his room. I did get his clothes into his dressed, which is nice to have them out of the crib. I bought some kids hangers and hung all of his jackets and overalls in the closet. I have a few things to hang the wall and then I will have pictures posted of the room. I am going to wait to get that stuff after the first of the month. So, hopefully next weekend I will have some pictures for everyone to see.
I am becoming more and more excited as the weeks dwindle down. I remember thinking it would take forever to get to this point. It really goes by fast and I have been blessed to have a really easy pregnancy.

33 Weeks

Symptoms:
* back ache
* stretching skin of my belly
* leg cramps
* heartburn
* no sleep
* swelling of my feet and hands

This week there aren't a lot of new symptoms, pretty much the same from last week. I haven't really slept well since I don't know my fifth month of pregnancy, but it has gotten a lot worse. I used to be able to get at least two nights of good sleep in during the week, but now I don't at all. I am up tossing and turning and his movements wake me up. Plus I have to get up at least twice during the night to use the bathroom. I have been trying to limit my intake of fluids after like seven or eight at night, which has seemed to help a little bit.
What is frustrating is that I am always like man I really have to go to the bathroom and so I walk from my classroom into the main building and when I do go it is like I rushed for that! I know it sounds silly, but it must just be that pressure I guess.
We had our second birthing class last week. It was over the stages of labor and it was pretty boring:) I think it is because I have read all this stuff, but I know it is good to go over again. We watched a video of a birth and she didn't use an epidural, so that was interesting to watch. We also practiced our breathing. We reviewed our breathing from the week before and then she showed us to ways to breath during active labor. So, we practiced those with our coaches. Matt and I didn't laugh this time! She also had us get down on the floor and practice "pushing". We had to bring our knees up and then "fake" push while our coaches counted to ten and then take a breath. It was good practice and Matt is always asking me if I am practicing. It is funny how nervous he is.
I had my baby shower in Ontario this week. It was great and I won't go into much detail about it because I blogged in my other post about it.
I feel like I am noticing more movements than in the past from him. I think I just feel more pushing and stuff since he is running out of room. I have felt his arm, elbow, feet, and knee. It is so fun to finally be able to tell what is what. It really freaks Matt out sometimes and I think it is funny.
I have a doctor's appointment next Thursday!

32 Weeks

Symptoms:

*pinched nerve on right side

* aching pain on right side of rib cage

* hand swelling

* heartburn

* leg cramps

This week my list of symptoms seem so long! I have really noticed the pinched nerve on the right side of my back. It is awful sometimes and I try to massage it and then I know he gets mad at me because he moves. Must be his favorite spot or something.

I have also noticed more pain on my right side below my rib cage. Part of it is because he likes to push either his butt or back right there, but I am thinking that part of it may be stretching skin too.

I was finally able to get my wedding ring off. My hands have been pretty swollen for the past couple of weeks and I haven't been able to get it off. I finally was able to get it off one morning and I hate not wearing it. On the other hand it was really uncomfortable and I didn't want to have to re-size it later on after the pregnancy. I do have a nice tan line there though:)

I am noticing more heartburn this week. Nothing compared to the beginning of my pregnancy. It is just with some meals that I will notice it afterwards, but it has been bad enough for me to have to take something for it.

Baby isn't moving as freely I can tell he is starting to run out of room. He more wiggles around in there. He still is keeping to the same schedule as far as his movements go. I can feel him up really high and it is like how much further can you go buddy! I am looking forward to when he starts to drop:)

I hung his name up in wooden letters that I painted to match the room. It looks really cute and I will have a picture when I am completely done with nursery. I still need to hang the curtain and get baskets to put things in. There are a couple more things that I want to hang on the wall. I brought in my little rocking chair that my great grandpa had made for me. It is really cute and I am happy to have it in there. I also got the bumper up that my Aunt re-made with new fabric in the cradle.

We had our first pre-natal class this week. They are long sessions 6:30-9:00. Matt and I were exhausted by the end because it makes for such a long day. This session she went over what we would be covering and the special guest speakers that would be coming in. Everyone that is in there is expecting their first baby, so that is nice because we can all sort of relate. The slides and information that she went over that night was kind of a repeat for me because I have read it and re-read it in all of my books:) They did have yummy snacks of fruit and banana bread. We were able to tour the ob floor, which hasn't changed much since my little sister was born. She showed us the room and things in there. Also, we were able to see the room where they do the c-sections. After we were done touring she showed us some back exercises and kegals. Then she showed us the breathing technique that we would use in the first stage of labor. We practiced breathing through a 45 second contraction and she was talking to us like she was our coach. The second time around she had our partners do the coaching. Matt was so funny because he was having a hard time taking it seriously and he was laughing, which then made me laugh. I felt like we were two teenagers! It was fun though. I think it made it more real to me and exciting to be on the floor where I would be having the baby. Hopefully Matt and I will be able to control our laughing this week!

Here is a picture of the baby's outfit that we are going to bring him home in. We bought it at baby's r us last time we were in Boise. It it so cute and I love to look at it.

Oh! We also purchased our first package of diapers this weekend. They are so cute and little. I am sure I may not find them so cute at three in the morning, but still! I got a huggies sample in the mail and there were coupons in there for diapers. So, we decided to buy some. Plus we need to start stocking up!

32 Week Pictures

I haven't blogged about 32 weeks yet, since I just started it, but I wanted to post this pictures. Hope that you enjoy. I am surprised with the difference in my size in just a month. I think from here on out I am going to take them every two weeks. The baby is really going start putting on his fat which means I will get bigger:)

31 Weeks

This week has been a tough one on my body. Being at the school all day and mostly standing doing things has been really hard on my back. By the end of the day all I want to do is lie down and not get up. But, I still have a house to clean and a husband to take care of:)
Baby has moved a lot this week. The teachers at the school think it is so neat to watch during our meetings because my belly is just constantly moving. I guess he is excited that mom is going back to school or he just likes to show off:)
I still have the aching on my right side and it goes away if I push on it. Although now the minute I put an pressure on it he is very quick to kick me. He mus think it is funny. I also have felt my uterus moving up this week and I think that may be contributing to the achy feelings. I didn't think it was possible, but it is that he has moved higher up into my rib cage. Sometimes it hurts when he kicks or elbows.
I think he must have changed positions and his head my be down because I felt his hiccup last night for the first time. My mom said she felt them all the time, but that was because we were always head down first. He didn't stay there for long, but hopefully he moves back into that position because I don't want him to be breech!
I start my 32nd week next week! So, I will officially be eight months pregnant I can't believe I only have eight weeks left. It doesn't sound like that many and really looking at the calender it isn't that many! Scary that I am going to be a mom!
Our pre-natal classes start next Tuesday! I think they will be boring for me for the most part, but not so much for Matt. I will blog about it next week. Oh and I will have a picture up. I took one this morning, but I need to run to wal-mart to have it printed off. I will post it tonight!

30 Weeks~Depressing~

Some may wonder why I titled this week depressing. Well, it was depressing because I had a doctor's appointment. I have been trying to figure out whether or not I should post about it in details because it is very embarrassing to talk about. But, I figured I should get over it...or try to at least and share with all of you. Plus like I said hopefully it will make those who go through pregnancy feel better about it...really I just say that to make myself feel a little bit better:)
My glucose scores were good and my numbers were where he wanted them to be, so that was good news. I had figured nothing was wrong since they never called me about them. The babies heartbeat was strong at 140 bpm. It was really cute because he had the hiccups while she was listening to it. I haven't really felt him have the hiccups, so it was neat to hear them.
Dr. Tompson has started measuring me from the top of my uterus to the top of my pubic bone. The cm in length should correlate with how many weeks I am. I measured at 32 and I wasn't quite 31 weeks at that point. So, I am on the higher end which he isn't concerned. Just means that baby is going to be big. My mom thinks this is funny because she had all big babies. As long as he isn't over 11 pounds like my brother I will be happy:)
My weight...well here we go..sigh. I really do want to cry. I gained 9 pounds. Shocking I know I couldn't believe it either. I honestly don't feel like I have gained that much weight. The Dr. was pleased because that brings my total weight gain to 25 pounds and he wants me to be at 35 by the end. Plus he said it mostly baby because I am not showing it anywhere else really. So, I know that he has a point there, but still.... That is my sob story for the week:)

29 Weeks

Symptoms:
* back ache
* lack of sleep
* heart burn
* leg cramps
* aching pain on right side of rib cage

This week was filled with mommy getting the nursery painted and put together:) I found the paint color that I wanted..sort of. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind and I think it took a me a few days to get used to it, but I really like it. The best way to describe it is a light pastel green. All the walls are the green and then the molding I painted a dark cream color. I also spray painted the changing table and that was a lot of work. My fingers got cramped from holding the nozzle down. I spray painted it dark cream to match the molding. I also go the shelf and the mirror painted the same cream color.
For right now all of his clothes are in his crib. He is a very spoiled boy already. I have bought a ton of things at yard sales, so there is a lot and I haven't even had my baby showers yet!
It is getting harder to sleep because he is kicking/moving a lot. Sometimes I will be just about a sleep and then he starts practicing his kick bowing! Sometimes I kind of almost scream because it catches me off guard:)
The other night Matt and I were lying in bed and I had him put his hand on my side where the baby always moves and kicks. Matt that it was the greatest thing to sit there for a half hour and just feel him move and try to figure out if it was his elbow or what.
I have noticed that he is very active in the mornings. He wakes me up about six or some and then he quiets down and wakes back up around nine and is moving until 11 and then he must fall back asleep. He is quiet most of the afternoon until around 3-3:30 and he moves a little and then falls back asleep. Then he very active and awake starting round 9pm. He moves during his sleepy times too, but just to change positions.
I am having a lot of fun being pregnant and I am sad that it is going to end soon. I only have ten weeks left, which isn't very long at all! It is kind of scary!
Matt and I signed up for our pre-natal classes. It looks like Matt will be able to go to the at least the first two and my mom might have to come with me to the last two. I don't really feel like I need to go, but I want to go for the breathing techniques. Those classes will start in September and they are every Tuesday.
I have another doctor's appointment this week, so we will say what the scale has to say!

28 Weeks

Symptoms:
* back ache
* leg cramps
* aching pain on my right side of rib cage


This week I can really feel the baby in rib cage. I think he thinks my ribs are a punching bag or something. I think he has kneed, elbowed, and kicked me in the ribs:) It isn't to the point where it hurts yet when he does it. When he does move up into my ribs, I get this aching pain and it is only on my right side. If I pinch it, then it goes away. It is so uncomfortable sometimes and I am having a hard time breathing sometimes.
I went into to do my glucose screening this week. I had to drink this orange soda basically. They allow you five minutes to drink it, so I thought I would pace myself while reading a magazine. I lost track of time and she tells me I have a minute left, well I had more than half the bottle left! I had to chug which almost made me throw up. I came back in an hour and they drew my blood. I haven't heard anything from the doctor, so that means I must not have anything wrong. The drink did make me a little sick for the rest of the day.
My mom got to feel the baby move this week. I think he was elbowing me, we were both trying to figure it out. I was excited that she really got to feel it this time. Also Katelyn got to feel him do the same thing. I was driving and he started moving so I put her hand on my stomach and he went crazy. Katelyn was excited that she finally got to feel it.
I bought the crib bedding this week. It was fun to put the crib together. I also bought the a paint and have started painting the room. I had to re-paint the changing table and I almost finished with that.
I am excited for baby shower next month that Karli is holding for me in Ontario. I will also have another in La Grande in October. It will be fun to see what "we" get!

27 Weeks

My symptoms are pretty much the same for this week as last. I am kind of lazy today and I don't feel like typing them out.
This past week has been kind of a downer week for me. I have been really depressed about how my body looks. I see all these other pregnant women around town and friends that are pregnant and they all look great and then here I come. I know that every pregnant lady feels this way at least once during her pregnancy. Matt tells me that I look great and to be honest he still can't keep his hands off of me. It helps to know that he is still attracted to me even if I don't feel attractive.
I am going into my third trimester next week and it is weird. I am on the final stretch. It has gone by really fast. I am becoming more uncomfortable each week and I am sure that it will get worse as he gets bigger. I have been trying to guess how big he will be, but it is hard to tell. My mom had big babies. Colton was almost 12 pounds, both Kallan and I were almost ten pounds, and Katelyn was almost nine pounds. I hope I don't have a 11 pound baby like mom! I am thinking that he will be around 8 pounds or less, but who knows!
He is moving around a lot more. He doesn't really kick he just swims around:) He has changed positions. His legs are on the opposite side they were on a couple of weeks ago. I am becoming more and more emotional about his arrival. Anything with babies on tv makes me cry...yes even diaper commercials. I have also become more engrossed in my reading about labor and delivery and breast feeding. I think I have read the same sections ten times over!

26 Weeks

Symptoms:

* leg cramps

* extreme back pain

* trouble breathing

My back seems to hurting more after my shifts at work. I am sure it is because our little one is getting bigger:) Matt is really good about rubbing my back and feet though every night at work and he never complains about it. What a man!

This week I had a doctor's appointment and it was a little depressing:) Everything looked good and Matt got to hear the heartbeat this time. It was beating strong at 144 bpm. It is so much fun to hear every time, next time I want to record it:)

I haven't gone in for my blood work for the glucose screening yet. I am planning on doing that tomorrow morning. I think they make you drink a sugary(spelling) drink and then come back in an hour and then they draw your blood.

I did ask how my weight gain was and he was thrilled at how much I have gained. I have debated on whether or not to post on how much I gained because I really was almost in tears. I decided that I should share it with everyone and this way I will have record of it when I look back on this pregnancy. This month I gained 8 pounds! I couldn't believe that I gained that much because I didn't feel like I did. I know that it is a good thing because it means our little boy is developing at the rate he should be. The doctor said he would be concerned if I hadn't gained that much. Of course I threw myself a little pity part for a couple of days. My mom didn't really have any sympathy for me, she said that is pregnancy for you. She also said that there are times when you will gain a lot like that and others where you may only gain a pound. So, my total weight gain to 16 pounds so far. My total weight now is 161.

He is really moving around a lot more now and you can see this big bulge where he is sometimes. It is so crazy to watch my stomach transform as he moves around. I have been trying to get video clips of it, but he always calms down when I turn the camera on!

I have had a really hard time breathing this week. He has finally moved up into my ribs and it makes it really uncomfortable to sit or stand or sleep:) One night this week he was moving his legs and arms so on both sides of my belly I could feel him. He kept me up for about an hour and he isn't even out yet!

This week Matt and I got the cradle put together. It is old fashioned, but I love it because of its history. All four of us kids used it when we were babies and it is fun to be able to use it with him. Matt and I also set up the changing table. I just need to sand it and paint now. Today my Aunt Donna and Uncle Scott came over with their crib. Uncle Scott helped Matt set it up and I am so excited to have something to finally look at! Now I just need to get the room painted and the bedding. I have been holding off because I haven't wanted tot spend the money, but my goal is to get it done this coming month!

Here is a picture that Matt took of me this afternoon. I can't believe how much my belly has popped out since the first pictures that I have taken. I don't notice as much because I see myself every day, so it is a gradual change. When you look at the pictures, there is such a huge difference. I haven't had any stretch marks yet....key word there:)

25 Weeks

Symptoms:
*heartburn
* leg cramps
* backache

This week was relatively uneventful:) I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and I am excited about this one. Nothing really special is happening, but it will be the first time that Matt will hear the baby's heartbeat. He hasn't been able to go to the last two appointments with me because of school purposes.
I have been a little on edge this week because I don't feel that the baby is moving enough. He does move, but I guess he doesn't kick as much as I think he should. Although he has started to jab me in the ribs when I lay on my sides:) But, I am a big worry wart and so I overreact. It feels like he scrunches up in a ball and then he stretches out. It will be fun to see how is movements are outside of the womb. It might explain what I was feeling.
Matt and I are getting more excited about his arrival. This morning we were debating about who he will look like. I think he will look just like Matt, but Matt thinks he will looks just like me. It is hard to tell from the ultra-sound except all of my family has said that he does look like he has my sharp chin.
I found out this morning that my friend Molly and her husband are having a baby girl! This is there second and we are so excited for them!
Next week I will be posting a picture since it has already been three weeks!

24 Weeks

Symptoms:
*leg cramps
*slight swelling in fingers
* back aches


I think that this week the heat is really starting to get to me. I have been really cranky in the mornings because I just don't sleep soundly because I am hot. Plus in between getting up to go to the bathroom and leg cramps, I am up every hour. I keep hoping there will be a break in the weather!
I have noticed at nights my fingers are a little swollen and I can't get my wedding ring off. I am not sure if it is from the pregnancy or from the heat. I think it is a little of both. My hands normally get swollen when it is hot out like it has been even before I was pregnant.
I have a doctor's appointment next Tuesday. It is always interesting to see how much weight I have gained. I am actually surprised with how fast the last four weeks have gone by since my last appointment. I think I have to my glucose screening done at this appointment. It is routine at around 26-28 weeks to check for gestational diabetes.
I also am going to start posting on Thursday's instead of earlier in the week. I am going to start going off my new due date Oct. 26th. So, you can start checking on the weekends for my weekly updates! I technically started my 25th week last Friday, so this weekend I will post about that week and hopefully be able to get on that track.

23 Weeks

Symptoms:

*leg cramps

* back ache

* heartburn

This week was the last week of my fifth month! I can't believe that I am already six months pregnant. It goes by much faster than you think it is going to.

This week was exciting because you can see my stomach move when he kicks and moves around. It is so weird to watch! Matt saw it happen for the first time on Sunday while we were sitting in church. I was sitting in between him and my mom and then all of a sudden my belly just moves up and down. He was so excited I had a hard time not laughing out loud.

He has been moving a lot more this week. I used to only really feel him in the mornings a little and at night. But, now it is through out the day. It is fun to watch his patterns of sleep and awake time. I am excited that Matt can see him moving and kicking. It makes me want to start crying every time it happens. Also every time my stomach growls or I am hungry he will start moving. It is like he is saying "come on mom it is time to eat I am hungry!" So cute!

My belly has really started to itch this week too from all the stretching. I haven't had any stretch marks yet...yet being the key word:) I do think he is in my back a lot though because I feel him there. Explains why my back aches all day:) Also may explain why I am not incredibly huge yet. Although people are finally being able to tell that I am pregnant and they ask when I am due.

I should add that they changed my due date to Oct. 26. They moved up it up four days awhile ago, but I forgot to write it down in my blog. I still go off the 30th though.

Here is a side and front shot of me on the 4th of July. My outfit is from Old Navy. I just ordered some new maternity clothes the week before. It was very exciting. The first set of clothes I have bought myself. I have been fortunate to have everything else given to me!

This week was really miserable because of the heat. We don't have air conditioning in our house. I am okay during the day because I normally like the heat, but at night it is awful. One night it only cooled down to 75 degrees and it was like 85 degrees in our house. I was so uncomfortable! I ended up sleeping on the living room floor underneath one of the ceiling fans for awhile. I am thankful to not be in my last two months or month in this heat. I know that is when you are the most uncomfortable...or so everyone tells me! Thankfully my parents have ac so I am over there a lot during the days!

22 Weeks

Symptoms:
*heartburn
*slight swelling of ankles
* lower backache
* leg cramps

I had a doctor's appointment last Tuesday. I was nervous about getting on the scale because I haven't been keeping track at home how much I have gained. Plus I took a picture for last week and I refuse to post it because I look awful. My face is fat, my arms are fat...sigh...it is embarrassing. But, I will take one this week because I need to. Hopefully it turns out better.
The appointment didn't last very long. They took my blood pressure and listened to the baby's heartbeat. It was going strong at 140 bpm. Always so much fun to hear his little heart beating and to know that he is doing well.
Dr. Tompson came in and told me that the ultra-sound results looked normal and that was a relief for me since I am such a worry wart. He commented on my new hair cut. I chopped it off very short. My mom and I thought it was funny he noticed because most men don't and it was the first thing that he said when he walked into the room.
My total weight gain so far is 8 pounds. I can't believe that I haven't gained more. I feel huge, but that number isn't huge! Dr. Tompson did say that my weight gain looks good, he would like it to be a little higher, but he isn't worried. He said that I look healthy and the baby's weight is good. I reassured him that do eat and not healthy all the time! So, my weight right now is 150. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to see it on the scale. It is the most I have ever weighed, but that is a part of pregnancy and the weight is definitely worth it.
Look for a picture next week!

21 Weeks

Symptoms:
* leg cramps
* tons of weird dreams
* slight heartburn increase


Cravings:
* lucky charms

I have forgotten to mention in past weeks that I have been having a lot of dreams. It is amazing how vivid they are and how well I remember them after waking up. Most of them don't make any sense to me at all. This week my Mom and Aunt Kim both had dreams about the baby.

I have also noticed a pattern in his movement the last two weeks. He is always moving to the point where I can feel him between 9-10 at night. I am noticing more movement during the day or earlier in the evenings. I am not sure if that is just because he is getting bigger and I am starting to notice it more.

We have decided on a name, but it is going to be a kept a secret from the general public for awhile. Our families and a few close friends will know, but other than that everyone will have to wait until October.

I have a doctor's appointment soon and I am a little nervous. He is going to go over the ultra-sound results. I am sure that if there was a serious problem they would have called us right away, so I don't know why I get myself worked up. Plus it will be interesting to see how much weight I have gained since my last appointment, which was over a month ago!

Pictures

Some of them you may have hard time seeing it. My favoite one is the nose/lips pictures. You sort have to look at with your head tilted to the side as if it was a vertical picture. It just looks so sweet and you can really see his nose. Hope you have fun looking at them!

Boy or Girl?

Yesterday morning was our ultra-sound at the hospital. It is a routine one that they have everyone one do at five months to make sure that everything looks good.
It was at 8:00 in the morning and we had to be there at 7:30. I had to be there with a full bladder, which when you are pregnant it so awful! I was able to do it though!
The ultra-sound was amazing. I watched on tv while I was lying down and Matt stood behind the tech. and watched her screen. It was so amazing to see the little baby that was moving around and kicking me. I don't know how to put into words and I am sure that it will be even more breath taking when the baby is born.
She asked us at the beginning whether we wanted to know what we were having and we told her yes. I thought she might make us wait until the very end, but she didn't!
So, she was looking around and I knew she was looking for it. At first Matt and I both were like oh it is a girl and then we were like...nope that is definitely a boy! So, yes we are having a sweet little baby boy!
Everyone thought we were having a girl. I think only ten people if that thought it was a boy. In the back of my head I thought we were having a boy. Matt was excited as was I. I am going to start crying typing about it right now! He was so cute to watch in the ultra-sound. Just simply beautiful.
We got to see his arms, legs, nose, lips, his heart and the four chambers, kidneys, bladder, the brain, and she checked one more time to see if it was still a boy. To say the least he was very proud of himself!
Watching him move and flip around was so awesome. When he does flip over my stomach gets really hard in that one place. It is really neat. During one the shots we got to see him moving his mouth like he was yawning or drinking in fluid. He also at one point moved his arm like he was waving, saying "hi" to us. So precious. That was so cool to watch! She put it on a cd with other pictures, so we could watch it on the computer.
At the end of the u/s she was trying to look at my cervix, but his head was right there. She tried everything for about 15 mins. trying to get him to move and he just wouldn't. It was funny because it was like he was being stubborn.
After we got done and left the hospital we told our families. Matt's mom called and she was surprised, but excited. His dad was really wanting a boy so he was thrilled.
We had to wait for my mom to get back because my brother was taking his driver's license test. She was really surprised, she for sure thought I was having a girl. I called my aunt's and told them.
When my Dad got home from lunch we had three pictures that they had printed out and we had them in order with the last one being the picture saying "boy parts" on it. It was fun to watch his reaction. He was excited and then I showed all of them the video clip of him.
Matt and I also went to Wal-Mart and bought some boy clothes! The rest of the day I called our friends to let them know the news.
I am glad that we found out because I am going to not be able to travel to get a lot of things. Especially now that we know it is a boy because there is no boy clothes here. So, that really help out in that department.
We are thrilled..and not are trying to come up with names that we can agree on! But, that will be a secret until the end!
I will post all the pictures in a separate post!

20 Weeks

This week has been a busy one and so it was hard to jot down everything to blog about.

Symptoms:
more heartburn
backache
not as many leg cramps!

I am finding new positions to sleep in and that really helps with staying comfortable. Sometimes I toss and turn for a little bit, but then I get comfortable. I feel bad for Matt I probably wake him up a lot!
Daddy finally got to feel baby kick this week! It was such a special moment. The last couple of times I have felt the baby kick hard Matt is always just a little late getting into the room and then the baby calms down and just chills out:) This time though it was the hardest I have felt the baby kick and it scared me a little at first. It was so neat to watch Matt's face. We both just sat there waiting for the baby to kick and the baby did. It was as if the baby knew that we were there waiting. It was a emotional moment for Matt and I. To feel the child that you created move inside of you is amazing.
Mommy's belly has popped out a little more. Not to much, but to the point where people can now tell that I am pregnant. I think that I am carrying more in my back and that may explain why it hurts a lot more for not being so big yet. Plus it could be the reason that I am not showing all out front. Also, my hips have always been wide so I may carry it more there too.
People have been asking me if I am scared about the labor and to be honest I haven't really thought about it that much. I know that it is something that I am going to have to do, there is no way around it. But, at the end you have a beautiful baby and it makes it worth it. I really don't want an epidural. If it gets to bad then I will probably get one, but I want to try and do it without it. We will see...
I got really sick this week and it was awful. I woke up around six in the morning Wed throwing up what I had for dinner the night before. I was worried that I may have food poisoning but I don't think I did. The rest of Wednesday was miserable. I couldn't keep anything down and for the first part of the morning I had diarrhea(gross I know). I was supposed to work that night, so I finally found someone to take the shift. I was all by myself because Matt was still out of town. By the end of the night I was finally able to eat chicken broth. The smell made me want to throw up but at least I kept it down. Thursday and Friday I was still really nauseated, but I was able to eat.
We found out that Zac&Karli are expecting a baby! We couldn't be more excited for them. I feel awful for Karli because she has been so sick. I know how she feels although I think she has it a little worse than I did. They are going to make such great parents. I get so emotional about it whenever I write/talk about it! She is due in Jan. and that is exciting because our kids will only be a few months apart!

19 Weeks

I can't believe that I forgot to post about week 19! I thought I did, but I guess not. That was two weeks ago and I am having a hard time remembering what happened.
Still having a lot of the same symptoms:
heartburn
backache
leg cramps

I am starting to feel less tired during the day, but have a harder time sleeping comfortably. I did feel the baby kick this week. I haven't been sure if that is what I have been feeling, but this was definitely kicking. It was really neat and I wanted to share it with Matt. I tried seeing if Matt could feel it before he left for his week in Portland, but he couldn't. Hopefully when he gets back he will.
We go in for our ultra-sound next and I am really excited/nervous. I just want everything to be okay with the babies development.

18 Weeks

I am so far behind that it is almost time to blog about week 19! There wasn't really anything new this week. I have really felt the baby move a lot. It moves a little when I lie down to go to sleep at night. I guess it is kind of good practice for when the baby is here:)
The new thing this week was leg cramps in the middle of the night. I think every night I got at least one if not more. The first time I jumped out of bed it really scared Matt. He thought there was something my belly and the baby. It was cute.
I can't believe that I am almost half way through my pregnancy. It has gone by so fast. I am a little shocked that I am not showing more. I am hoping that I start to show more in the next month or so. But, who knows maybe I won't get that big!

17 Weeks

I am feeling like I am making some progress in my pregnancy. I actually can't believe that I almost 4 1/2 months pregnant. It seems like I am watching the days to when I get to a certain point and then all of sudden I am here. Amazing how fast the time goes by.

New Symptoms:
*backache
*trouble sleeping

My back is hurts a lot more this week. It may be due to moving and trying to help Katelyn. I am trying to take it as easy as possible, but I can't have Matt do all the work in the moving process. I am in charge of packing and he is in charge of loading and unloading:) Plus isn't that why I got married so that someone could do the heavy work for me? Just kidding!
More trouble sleeping. I think part of it is that the baby moves more towards the end of the night. It isn't bothersome yet, but it is so neat that it makes me become wide awake. I have been good at sleeping on my left side.
This week I have had an awful cold. It started on Sunday evening with a sore throat and only progressed from there on. I can't breath because my nose is plugged. It moved into my head and then into my chest. I was coughing hard and stuff up. After being stubborn and my Matt and my mom convincing me..I called the doctor. He had me come in just to make sure that it wasn't the start of bronchitis. Good news was that it wasn't and he prescribed some antibiotics that he said were safe. I started those Sunday and the first dose made me a little sick, but I am definitely feeling a lot better. I am still a little plugged up, but nothing major.
I have also had a huge self image problem this week. I really didn't want to go the wedding on Saturday because I just felt fat and frumpy. It was awful and it made me grumpy for a half hour or so. Matt thinks that I look great and sexy. I am like do you see the same thing I do? Hopefully I get over it!
Yay for me I also took a picture this week! I bought this shirt at JcPenny's in Boise at the mall. I love it. I wore it to church with a pair of white capri's..super cute. I just realized that I look like a chipmunk in this picture!
Lucky for me I got a new bag of maternity clothes from my Aunt Donna! New capri's and shirts. So thankful for her!

16 Weeks

I am officially 4 months pregnant! I think that is about the only exciting thing in my pregnancy this week. I am feeling the baby a little more. This baby though isn't very active....yet that is. It is a weird feeling to have your child moving in you. It sort of freaks me out every time the baby does move because it just something I have never experienced before. It is awesome though and I enjoy it. It makes me smile and I find myself talking to the baby in my head at times when I am can't out loud.
No new symptoms this week pretty much the same stuff. I have decided to go off my heartburn medication. There have been a few days that I have missed a dose or both doses and it hasn't really been that bad. Just a little heartburn after a meal and then it goes away. Nothing severe like earlier in my pregnancy. I don't like being on a ton of medication anyways. I figured if it does get really bad again that at least I have the prescription there.
I didn't get a picture this week, so I will get one next week. I don't really feel like I am showing yet, but I can't fit into my old jeans anymore..sad day:)

15 Weeks

I finished my 15th week yesterday and it is time to blog about it!

Symptoms:
* heartburn
* lower backache
* headaches

My heartburn seems to be increasing. I am still taking my medication and the heartburn isn't nearly as severe as it was. I am finding out that dairy mostly milk either gives me heartburn. I am not much of a milk drinker,but just the little I have in my cereal does damage. But, it is where I can handle it and go about my daily life:)
My back only hurts when I am at work. I have still been lifting the heavy trays when I have big groups. I don't think I will be doing that for to many more weeks, since I will get bigger.
I have noticed an increase in headaches this week. They aren't always really bad, but when they are it almost feels like a migraine. I hope that it doesn't last forever!
I did have my doctor's appt. I blogged about it earlier. I am very excited for the ultra-sound and to make sure that everything looks okay.
I started feeling the baby move this week. I have really only felt it kick once and that was really exciting. Last night at work it was doing somersaults or something because he/she was very active. I still sometimes have a hard time figuring out if it is gas or the baby:) I am sure I will be able to distinguish better as the pregnancy progresses.
My belly has started to pop out a little and those who know I am pregnant can tell. I am going to take pictures today and post them with next weeks blog. I think that I look pregnant..and not fat!

2nd Dr. Appt.

I wasn't going to write about my doctor's appointment until next week with my 15th week blog, but I decided I would forget things, so I will write it now.
This appointment Matt didn't get to go with me because he had to be at clinical since he is missing two days this week when we are out of town. I had my mom come and pick me up and come with me. It was kind of weird having mom take me because she used to come to all my dr. appt. when I was little. It made it a little more surreal that I am pregnant and then I was emotional because I love my mom so much.
The first thing I do when I go back is to get weighed. Normally I dread it, but this time I was curious. Matt and some others were sure I had lost weight, I thought I had gained like five pounds. I gained one pound,which she said was about average. So, that brings me to 146. I am not sure what my starting weight was before pregnancy. I would say 141-142, so roughly I have gained four to five pounds. I decided that I am going to start recording my weight on here that way people can see and for me to see it too. This is basically my baby journal and I don't want to leave anything out.
After I was weighed she took back into the room where my mom was sitting. She took my blood pressure which was 112 over 64. I thought it was a little high for me..just because usually it is lower. For some reason I have low blood pressure. They chalk it up to me being athletic( I don't consider myself this anymore, so I think it is funny. )
Once she took my BP, she got the doppler out to listen to the baby's heartbeat. I was so excited because this was the first time I was going to get to hear it. She warned me that sometimes it takes her a little bit to find it, so not to get worried. My mom said she picked it up right away when she started looking for it. she kind of moved it around and then all of sudden I could I hear the little heart beating fast. It was such an amazing sound and one that I will never forget. The nurse was trying to time the beats for so many seconds, but the baby kept moving. It was so funny every time she would find it, the baby would sit still for a few seconds and the move again. The babies heartbeat was 156 beats per/minute. I was so upset that Matt wasn't there to hear it since it was the first time. I wanted to call him and leave a message on his phone while she was doing, so he could hear it. I know that he will hear it at our next appt. but I just wanted him to be there. I was happy that my mom was there though and she got to share that moment with me.
We scheduled our ultra-sound and it will be on June 18th at 8AM. I am excited to see the baby in more detail w/the machines up at the hospital and we get to find out what we are having. So, I am counting down the weeks until that appointment!

14 Weeks

The second trimester is so much better than first! I have only experienced a week of it, but so far I like it more:)

Symptoms:
* lower back pain
* pulling and stretching of my abdomen

I am starting to feel the lower back pain more this week. It is isn't really that bad, but after work I feel it more. I am looking into getting one of the belly bands. Matt's cousin gave me the website for them and a lot of women say that they help. I do have more energy at work now, so it isn't miserable to be there..except for the aching feet afterwards!

I have felt a lot of pulling and stretching this week. I can tell that my belly is getting ready to pop. I also can feel my uterus above my pubic bone if I push done hard enough. Also my abdomen above my pubic bone is starting to get hard, it is weird.
On Sunday I think I felt the baby move, but I am not sure. When Matt and I were on our drive, I felt this pop, pop, pop feeling. I told my mom and she said that is probably what it was. So, that was really exciting and very surreal at the same time! I am excited for Matt to be able to feel the baby in the next couple of weeks as the kicks get stronger!

13 Weeks

Yay! I am officially done with my first trimester! I am so excited for it to be over and to move into my second trimester. They say that this next trimester is the "feel good" one:) I am excited to start feeling the baby move.
Most of my symptoms have ceased even the heartburn. I am on a prescription for it and it took a few days to kick in, but it has helped so much. I do occasionally get slight heartburn still, but nothing like it was before. I have been able to eat more and keep it down a little bit better, which is good.
This week I started to get really nervous about becoming a mom. I am sure that I will have days like that again as I get closer to my due date. I just don't feel like I am a good or nice enough person to become a mom yet. I have this pit in my stomach and it makes me want to throw up because I get so nervous. It is the feeling I used to get when I competed in track. Hopefully I will grow a little more confident by the time baby gets here and just learn to trust myself when the baby is finally here.
I have been told that this next week you should be able to start feeling the baby. My mom said she didn't really feel me until she was about 20 weeks, but mainly because she didn't know what it was supposed to feel like. I have read in my magazines how some women say it feels, so I am prepared, but I am not going to get my hopes up that way I am not disappointed.
I have been pretty active this week between walking with Brooklynn and then the bike ride Matt and I did on Saturday. I am feeling "fat" and I don't want people to see me:) I am hoping my belly starts to pop out here a little bit soon!

12 weeks

This week I actually took the pictures on time and I have them ready! I am very proud of myself! I hate the picture of just my tummy. It was after I had eaten and it just looks bloated. It doesn't look "pregnant". I am a little embarassed to show it, but oh well. Now you will see what I hide underneath the shirts I wear:)

Symptoms:

*HEARTBURN

*Fatigue

*Breast tenderness(but is going away)

I was excited to finally be at 12 weeks because it meant that after that week I only had one more week of my first trimester left! I am excited for it to be over. I haven't had any morning sickness since I don't know week 9? I would have to look in my past blogs. I have been sick with heartburn, but I will get into that in a minute. I was still really tired this week and took long naps. Although there were a few days that I didn't get one in and I wasn't dying by the end of the day. This is a good sign that my tiredness will disappear for awhile as I go into my second trimester. Now for the heartburn. I wrote in capital letters because it has been so AWFUL and it is the the only way to emphasize it as I type:) Please be aware there is a long story ahead:)

Thursday morning around 3AM I woke up with really bad heartburn, but as I got up I knew it had to be different. It was just this sharp pain in my chest and it didn't feel like heartburn at all. Earlier that day I had bought some Gaviscon which is like Mylanta but stronger and is okay to take. I took some of that and I threw that up. I took some Rolaids and that didn't help at all not even a dint in the pain. Matt woke up to me sitting on the side of the bed rocking back and forth. I was having a really hard time breathing and it felt like I was having a heart attack. I tried sitting up in bed and sleeping and that didn't work. I finally went out to the couch and watched tv because I couldn't sleep. I called my doctor around 10 that morning and I got their machine because the lines were busy. I left a long and detailed message about what was going on. The pain in my chest was still very sharp and hadn't gone away for even a minute. They never called me back, so I called again at 1pm and she told me she had taken a note back there and that he was out for lunch, which I had assumed he was. So, I told Matt if this doesn't get better maybe we should go to the ER. We decided if they didn't call us around 2 that we would go up there. Another hour rolls around and no call, so we head up to the ER. Right as I get into the waiting room the nurse from the doctor's office calls and I tell her I feel like I am having a heart attack she said it sounded like that is where I needed to be. To make this shorter, we were there for four hours. The doctor was very rude and I don't like him at all. I think he is awful. They did some blood work and everything came back fine. They thought I may have a blood clot because my chest was sore, but I didn't. He told me to take some Tylenol if it continued and to go home. Lame. So, I asked him about acid reflux disease and he told me to take Mylanta. I was like um..I have tried. Very irritating. I called the doctor on Monday because it was getting any better. I have tried everything. Chewing gum, drinking a little Coke, eating papaya, antacids, NOTHING was working. They did get back to me in a shorter time period and I told them that nothing was working, so they sent down a prescription to Wal-Mart. They said it may take two days to kick in and so far it has seemed to help a little. I still have bad heartburn, but it doesn't last as long. Hopefully I will start feeling better tomorrow. I have hardly been able to keep any food down. My staple of food has been toast because it is the only thing I won't throw up. I don't have to eat anything and I get excruciating heartburn. It isn't good for me to not keep food down because I need to get nutrients. So, that was the exciting event of this week:) Sorry it took me so long to type it out for you to read:)

It seems like my belly is popping out a little more. I am still able to wear some of my jeans and most of my shirts. But, I know I need to start getting a few things to wear that are more comfortable. I also posted a picture of the ultra-sound from last week with 11 weeks blog, so you can check that out. Wish me luck on the heartburn!

Food Cravings/ Aversions so far..

Cravings:
*fries w/ fry sauce (so weird)
*peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
*bagels w/ strawberry cream cheese
*string cheese
*grilled cheese sandwiches
*mashed potatoes

Aversions:
*chicken
*fish
*some pasta's
*some veggie's
*eggs
*anything that has garlic in it

11 Weeks

It seems like I had waited forever to get to this week because it was the week of my first doctor's appointment.
Last Tuesday Matt and I went in around nine to meet with the doctor. I had to wait awhile for him to show up because he had been at the hospital all night with a lady that only dilated to a 3. Once he got there he took Matt and I back into his office to talk. He explained at what weeks they can do testing if we want it done and the procedures that go along with that. We asked him a few questions and once we were set I went back into the exam room. I had Matt wait out in the waiting room while I was being examined because it just makes me uncomfortable. The whole process is uncomfortable already.
I had to have a Pap smear done which wasn't that uncomfortable since I had one before, but when he felt my pelvic area to see if I would have room when the baby comes down was so painful. It only lasted for about a minute, but it was awful. After he was done with all of that "fun" stuff I had Matt come in the room for the ultra-sound.
It was amazing to see how big the baby has gotten in four weeks from the last ultra-sound. It was moving around and the heart was beating really fast. It was very surreal for a minute. It is hard to imagine that you have that baby inside of you when you can't feel it yet. For some reason we didn't get to hear the heartbeat. I didn't really ask why because I was happy with the ultra-sound and we could see that everything was normal.

Symptoms:
*heartburn
*headaches
*fatigue
* Still a lot of breast tenderness

I just started to get headaches at the end of my 11th week. They are very painful and almost like a migraine. I am allowed to take Tylenol and if they get to bad I usually just take one. I am not used to having headaches, so I am probably a little bit of a baby about it.
Heartburn has returned and in full force. I had switched from Rolaids to Tums to see if that worked better for me, but I found out that it doesn't. This past week I woke up one morning with heart burn and thought it would go away if I ate since I was hungry. I was so wrong:) It was so bad it made me throw everything up. It was awful. I missed class because it was so painful. I decided that I was going to call the doctor if it continued to get a prescription. I haven't done it yet, thinking that I may not need it. But, as I type this I have really bad heartburn and I think I will put the call in today:)
My belly seems to popping out more. The other night at work this lady came in that I always wait on and she asked if anything was new. I told her that I was pregnant and she says " I thought so" I didn't really say anything at first because I was kind of offended. I didn't think I looked that fat yet! It is just funny the things people say to you.
Another thing I found out this week is that my stomach doesn't handle restaurant food very well. There have been three times now that I have eaten out and not at fast food places and I come home and can't keep any of it down. So, I guess in a way that is good because I won't want to eat out so much:)