Baby Time!

May 16th, 2014

Today wasn't much different than Wednesday of this week. I kept myself busy doing chores around the house, and swaying side-to-side on all fours to keep her off of my spine. She wasn't as active as the last two days, but that was fine by me, I needed a break!

Tyler got home around 5pm and we had dinner, relaxed, played with Tessa, all of the usual thing. I was absolutely exhausted however, so he drug the couch from the front room into the living room - that way I could lay down and sleep while he played video games. :) I fell asleep around 8:00pm. I woke up at 10:30 with EXCRUCIATING low back pain. It was the worst pain I had experienced yet. Tyler turned to see if I was okay, and he could tell this was not the 'normal' contraction pain I had experienced thus far. Shoot, he even paused his game to hold my hand and talk me through it! <3 As soon as the pain subsided, I felt like I could jump off the couch, and go about my night as if I weren't pregnant at all - I felt great! As I was telling him this, I then felt as though the pain had made me pee my pants. When I tried to stop peeing, it kept coming. "Umm, I think my water broke." He walked me to the bathroom, as per my request, to try and allow for any other water to escape my body before heading to the hospital. I informed him, "Go get yourself ready, and grab all of the things in the front room (I had everything packed and ready to go since week 35). Don't freak out and rush, we have some time." I attempted to go to the bathroom, but found that when I tried to pee, my body wanted to push. Holy shit! Not yet! I leaned against the bathroom wall with my shoulder and pulled up my pants. I braced myself on the bathroom door, hallway wall, and piano to holler upstairs, "I don't know what the hell you're doing up there, but we need to go, NOW!" I grabbed my phone and slipped on some shoes. I walked to the garage door and leaned my head against the wall and focused on breathing. Poor hubby had to get everything, lock up the dog, and grab any miscellaneous items I mentioned. 

One the way to the hospital, which is only two miles away, I had myself braced -hovering above my seat the entire way. At our childbirth class, they taught us the best way to prevent baby from coming is to breathe as if you are blowing out a candle. So, while Tyler drove us to the hospital, he held his index finger out as a "candle" for me to "blow out" all the way there. The contractions were 3-4 minutes apart. Not long enough for me! Because it was 10:50pm when we arrived at the hospital, we had to go into the Emergency Room entrance. As a first time mom, I made him bring in all of our crap too. haha. :) I walked into the check,-in counter, OBVIOUSLY in labor, and the receptionist reminded me that I was "A first time mom, and it isn't as bad as I think," etc. She's lucky there was plexiglass in front of her face. Although, I wouldn't have been able to hit her, as I was barely able to say a word between breathing through contractions. We waited, for what felt like ten minutes, for a nurse to get a wheelchair to bring me back to the delivery room. While we waited, I was told to "sit down and wait." hah. Right. If I tried to sit, my body wanted me to push! I leaned against the chair/wall with my eyes close taking deep, focused breaths until the chair arrived. I couldn't talk to that nurse as she strolled through the halls as if she were out on a Sunday drive - I wanted Tyler to push the chair in a dead sprint to the destination! 

Once in the delivery room, they immediately had me strip down, get into a gown, and on the table to check how far along I was: 100% and 7cm. There were three nurses getting myself and the room prepped. During our hospital tour, they informed us that when we saw the baby cart come out of the closet in the delivery room that the staff was expecting a baby VERY soon. Great- I no more than had the nurse's hand out of my crotch when the damn baby cart came out. Shit. The nurse *trying* to get the computers and IV ready was too preoccupied helping me keep calm and effectively breathe through contractions to actually get anything else prepared. Tyler was frustrated with me not breathing like I was blowing out a candle. Another nurse was preparing tools that may be needed for delivery while the final nurse made a phone call, "We need a high-risk team in here now!" What?! High-risk? What had I done wrong?! ... Apparently I was progressing much too quickly for three staff to get myself and the room properly ready for a baby! Another 2-3 nurses came in to help. My 'coach' nurse, finally got an IV in me, but just barely. (I learned later that even though I didn't need an IV, they HAD to put one in, in case of emergency.) I tried squeezing Tyler's hand during contractions but he was much too sweaty to try to grip. I decided to use the bed rails. The IV was very quickly put into my had between contractions, but didn't get taped down in time and came out during the next contraction. She had to put it back in and taped quickly before another contraction happened. One of the new nurses leaned over me with her hand on my shoulder and asked if I wanted an epidural. I explained, "I don't know, I'm kind of on the fence." "Well, I'm glad you're okay with either option, because we don't really have time to give you one now. You are too far along." *Shrug* Okay! That helped me make that decision. :) 

My body wanted me to push, SO BADLY, but I was informed I was not ready. While my cervix was completely dilated, the top of my vaginal canal was not. We waited a while, while I was still having serious, active labor contractions. They didn't want me to push through these contractions yet, because it could cause me to tear inside - they said that would take months to heal and would be very painful. Okay, I'll keep breathing and squeezing the bed rails to death while I wait for the green light. Let me tell you, being told you can't push when you're having an unmedicated natural birth is pretty much the same as someone saying, 'I know you have explosive diarrhea, but you can't poop right now." 

Seriously. 

After -Lord knows how long, they finally said I could push. HALLE -FREAKIN'- LUJAH! The next contraction I pushed, it was difficult, but it felt better than suffering through it! Another new nurse decided now would be a good time to explain that my doctor was at least 15 minutes away, and probably wouldn't make it for the delivery. I didn't care. I just wanted someone to make sure the baby didn't fall on the floor. Ha! After the first push, some lady, I found out later was a doctor, walked into the room with her arms straight out, a nurse put a gown with gloves on her and she walked over to my bed. I pushed twice more and then we had a baby! Yeah, three pushes for a baby. Holy crap. Once this random doctor was cleaned up, she walked up to me, shook my hand and introduced herself. We all laughed at the unorthodox way we went about introductions, and events of the evening. It was 11:48pm and I was a mom! 

Even though it was offered, I declined the staff doing much to baby before I got her (footprint, Vitamin D, cleaning her skin, etc). We did skin-to-skin for an hour or so. I didn't care how "dirty" she was, she was my baby. I kissed her messy head and didn't care one bit! While we waited for the after-birth, which also only took three pushes, Tyler and I got to snuggle our fresh little baby girl. The beautiful moment was slightly tarnished by the nurse waiting for the after-birth who was holding the umbilical cord. She kept lowering her arm and made it dangle by my butthole. It was SO uncomfortable/gross/weird. I told her to move it, and she did. The third time I asked her to move it, all of the nurses laughed, and said they'd never heard anyone complain about that before. Well, I was fully aware of everything going on down there, as I didn't have any pain medications, numbing agents, or anything the entire time. As Tyler got to cut the cord and watch as they cleaned up, weighed, and measured baby girl, I got a few stitches for my third degree tear. 

We had planned on having two babies that day, and the only names picked out were for if we had two girls, or two boys, or one of each. It was difficult to choose just one name for this birth day. 

We announced this baby's name would be Morgan Jean Barna. <3 

 

Third Trimester

Week 28

Seven months. SEVEN. MONTHS! I am so thrilled that we've made it this far! I know we still have months to go, but this is just so great! I have an absolute amazing technician at my OB's office. After the last month appointment, the tech said that if I scheduled a late appointment on the days she worked, she would stay a little later and get us in to see baby. So, of course, I got the last appointment and she pulled us in before we saw the doctor. Baby girl was head down with her butt above my belly button. :) We got to see part of her cute little face - the rest was covered by her hand - again! She is so very modest! first it was covering her privates by crossing her legs, and then covering her face with her ands for all other appointments. Silly goose! The tech measured her head and belly again, and everything was "normal." Her heart looked good too. She weight a little over two pounds. From now on, my appointments are every two weeks! WOW! 

Saturday (28w exactly), my family came down and helped prepare the house and nursery. Dad, Tyler, and my youngest sister helped prepare and paint the nursery. My mom and oldest younger sister cleaned up the baby items we already purchased (clorox, etc.) and helped me clean the main floor of the house. We did vents, reorganization, etc. My brother and future brother-in-law rearranged the basement and organized our media (Tyler's games and movies). After the nursery and laundry room were painted, the rooms were set up and it looks great! 

 Some of the hard workers taking a much needed nacho-break!

And the daddy-to-be putting the finishing touches on the nursery

Finally, the gray/silver stripe on the green walls. :) 

Week 29

March 8-14
This was our Spring Break. Truthfully, I didn't do much besides rest and work on baby shower things. Making a list of guests and filling out invitations. 

Week 30

March 15-21
Holy crap-o-la! Baby girl is all over the place! I can definitely feel her move all the time, and watch my belly shift as she readjusts. Sometimes it feels really weird, but it is something I would not replace with anything. <3 Oh, Monday night this week I experienced my first body-part-in-ribs pain. haha. It was both funny and painful. :) Tyler couldn't tell if he should console or laugh alongside me. 
Sunday I attended the Omaha Baby Fair. (It was the second-annual fair.) It was a little overwhelming, considering everyone there was either pregnant, or with a pregnant person. Many babies were there and SO many vendors. With so many women, I can't believe they didn't have the air conditioning on ... I think every mom-to-be was fanning herself! Oh, I went to this with a fellow colleague who is also pregnant. She is expecting her second bundle of joy in April and is a sign language interpreter for a few of our students at school. 

This week, on Tuesday, Tyler and I went to my 30 week appointment. I can't believe we are already into the every-other-week appointments! Before too long, I'll be going every week! I had the realization this week that if baby wanted to make an early appearance, she totally could at any moment. Yikes! I hope she doesn't come this early, but I can't stop her. :) At the appointment, I am up a few more pounds, but still nothing terribly outrageous. My blood pressure is still very normal and baby's heartbeat was 128 bpm. Seems kind of low, but doctor said it was just fine. 

Week 31

March 22-28

Monday  night this week I had a dream that when baby was born, she was a boy. I wonder if that is a sign 'she' is a 'he'. Doesn't matter to me! I can't get over just how much she is moving, and how much I feel AND see! My belly is actually shifting based on her movements and change of positions. It is so amazing! Thankfully her movements are so obvious that her daddy can feel her move almost every time he puts his hand on my belly. <3

Over the weekend Tyler and I went on an Urban Immersion trip with our Leadership class. Long story short, I'm glad that we both went in case baby was going to come early. I felt fine, besides the 5 hour one-way drive. Whew! Thankfully I was able to gauge how much I drank and didn't irritate the others too much with needing to stop. 

Week 32

March 29-April 4
This appointment was fast ... Dr. was on call with another patient who was in labor. We literally had time to listen to baby's heartbeat and then we were left with the nurse. Unfortunately we felt rushed, but if we were the family in labor, we would've wanted our doctor there when baby came. :) 

I'm so glad I've been going to the chiropractor every other week, I can't imagine only going once a month. Shoot, I could easily go once a week! 

The uncontrolled desire to sleep is taking up all of my non-work time. Ugh. I get home from school/work and fall asleep. I wake up to eat, then go to bed. (Or some combination of sleeping and eating.) I only get things done around the house on the weekends ... after I've slept in most of the morning. Tyler makes fun of me, but doesn't fight me on it ... smart man. :)

Week 33

April 5-11

This Saturday was our baby shower at our house. My sister and friend threw it for us. Tyler even invited the guys! Ladies stayed on the main floor and the gentlemen were in the basement. Here are a few pictures from that: 

Monday, two ladies from work threw us a baby shower. It was great to see/feel the love and support from colleagues! We got lots of sweet baby stuff here too!

Wednesday we went to Chalco and had maternity pictures taken by Iris Images. (Pam and I went to graduate school together!) She did a great job! Currently, I can't decide which pictures to keep and which ones I don't want. :( I guess that is a good problem to have. :)

Week 34

April 12-18

This week sort of stunk. I developed this really annoying feeling in my throat. Like something was lodged in there. I could breathe and swallow just find, but it made me nauseous. I even woke up a few times during the night because of the discomfort, or slight vomit in my mouth. Gross. It is also getting increasingly harder to sleep through the night. I typically get up 3-4 times each night just to go to the bathroom. Thankfully, I don't wake up Tyler. 

At our appointment, my nurse practitioner said it sounded like acid reflux. WHAT?! I've never had that problem before. I was annoyed. There was no pain in my chest, no heartburn, nothing. The 'discomfort' or acid reflux didn't happen only at night, most of the time it happened during the middle of the day. Anyway, she suggested if it was not tolerable or lasted too long that I should take some sort of over-the-counter acid reducer. (I haven't purchased any yet, I'm curious to see if it will go away.) Oh, and I didn't gain any weight from my last appointment ... but my belly grew. Weird. Doctor doesn't seem concerned, so I'm not either. 

I'm pretty sure baby is hiccuping. When I reclined in my recliner, I kept noticing this weird pulsating feeling near my butt. So weird! I figured baby was pulling on something to see what it was, or she was pinching something. Nope! I realized it was hiccups when they followed a distinct rhythm and then happened in my belly. :)

Week 35

April 19-25
Baby has had hiccups at least once a day - I don't always notice them right away, but it's super cute! I'm really starting to get eager to meet her. I know she needs to stay cookin' as long as possible, but I can't wait to hold her! My belly is definitely still growing, because it keeps getting tighter and tighter ... I can't tell if I'm still gaining weight or not. 

This week I only experienced the acid reflux once. I took one pill, and I've been fine since. Maybe it is based on what I eat or how baby is laying? I don't know. 

I'm pretty sure baby has her head down. I am up at least two times a night going to the bathroom, and that is after I wait as long as I can. Some nights I sleep REALLY well, others ... not so much. During the day, I'm hobbling to the bathroom every 20-30 minutes. Thankfully my students are well behaved that I can leave them if necessary. This marks the first week, since the very beginning of the pregnancy where my boobs hurt. The inside, not the nipple part. The pain/discomfort comes and goes though, so it's tolerable. 

Week 36

April 26-May 2

Tuesday marks our beginning of the weekly appointments. Crazy! Baby's heartbeat was 137 bpm. Doc said that it was normal for it to go down a little before she is born. I am 60% effaced and 1cm dilated. Baby's head is definitely down - doctor could feel it! SO WEIRD. Tyler shivered. hehe. (Not the best feeling in the world ... but still neat.) I had the Strep-B test today too. We'll see how that test turns out next week. I only have three more appointments scheduled ... and my nurse kept commenting about how I may not even get to all three. Wow! We are getting very close to being parents! 

Week 37

May 3-9
This whole week I had a ton of back labor. I think this baby is face-up and digging her head into my spine. :( 

- Monday hospital 1cm: At school I definitely had a contraction while going to the bathroom. I called the after-hours nurse (because my doctor's office doesn't open until 8:00am), of course she said to go to the hospital to make sure it wasn't the "real deal." Of course when we (hubby brought me) got there, they hooked me up to the external fetal monitor and saw that I was having contractions, but nothing strong enough to keep me there. I was instructed to "take it easy" and "rest." -Both of which are hard to do when you're a middle school teacher. This evening Tyler and I decided it would be best for me to finish out this week, and then stay home the last two weeks of school. Baby is due on May 24th, and that is the last day of school, but today was definitely a red flag for us. 
- Tuesday I had my normal appointment today and was 80% effaced and 3cm. I had my membranes swept twice now - it's damn painful, but I'm determined to have this baby as naturally as possible in the hospital. I'd rather not have Pitocin if I can avoid it. Hence the sweeping. 
- Wednesday lots of cramps/contractions in the evening. 
- Thursday morning started to lose mucus plug around 8am. That was creepy. Thank goodness one of the colleagues told me she had this happen to her otherwise I would've thought something horrible had happened! Apparently there isn't much talk about this happening, because it typically "falls out" so minimally that most women never notice. Well, I sure did! It continued for most of the day. I had a lot of contractions from 4:00p-7:00p. Drank a lot of water, ate some food, and kept trying to change what I was doing, to maintain a level of comfort. The contractions finally dwindled for good around 8pm. I woke up to a sharp pain at night around 1:30a. I laid in bed to see if it was a contraction or what happened ... I'm convinced baby just punched my cervix and went back to sleep. 
- Friday was my last day at work. So weird, but so exciting!

Week 38

May 12-16
Back labor was a major bitch this week. I couldn't sit still or stand or do ANYTHING for any amount of time. Each night I spent some time on the floor, on all fours, stretching my back and trying to move baby off of my spine. This works, but only for a little while. Sleep is damn near impossible because I'm so uncomfortable! I can't sleep on my back or stomach, which only leaves my sides. But it hurts my back too much because my hips are so wide, and ... blah blah blah. I could complain for hours. :) Bottom line: I sleep better in my recliner than my own bed, but I refuse to sleep in a chair when I can be next to my husband. 

- Monday I definitely kept myself busy on my first day of not-quite-yet-a-mother-yet-I'm-on-maternity-leave. I got the oil changed in the car, took Tessa to the vet and even met with a roofer. All in all, a pretty average day.
- Tuesday I had another appointment. I'm pretty sure I was at 90% and still 3 cm. *Annoying* I want this baby out and in my arms! The rest of today and Wednesday were pretty laid back at home. Lots of relaxing, napping, and cuddling with Tessa. There were a few contractions, but nothing I couldn't handle on my own. 
- Wednesday I had an eye appointment. I tried to get out of it, as "they" say that women's eyes change during and after pregnancy. Luckily, they didn't change my prescription and told me to wait to see how things went after baby. :)
- Thursday ... wow! I woke up this morning VERY sore - in my back. I took a nice, long, hot shower and tried to do my new routine: relax in my recliner with Tessa. Well, that didn't last very long today. I had very sharp back pains throughout the day and the only way I've been able to keep my mind off of them is by doing chores. It's probably "nesting," as some people call it, but it is definitely just a distraction! While I was working on laundry, I dropped to my knees because I had such a strong contraction. That worried me. I called my Aunt, who lives near me, and asked if she was home and if she would be on baby-duty. :) Luckily, she was home and sent me a text every hour to make sure things were going okay. I also kept in close touch with my mom. However, I started to have a few more contractions, I could talk through them, so I figured it wasn't a big deal...but they kept coming. I called my doctor and of course, she was at the downtown location; that location is 15.5 miles away from my house. In my misery, I drove there. The waiting room was under construction so I had to sit in one of the most uncomfortable chairs ever. When they called me back, I struggled to walk because the contractions were so painful, but momentarily made it hard to talk, but I could still talk through them. They immediately hooked me up to an external fetal monitor and left me in the room; alone. Of course I started crying; I was uncomfortable, by myself, and afraid of having this baby there. Ten minutes passed and the nurse came in to read the monitor's results - I was having strong enough contractions to be sent to the hospital. Great! The doctor and nurse left the room to call my husband to come get me, and left me alone. I was overheating and a giant ball of emotions. One nurse came in and offered me ice water. I took it, but laying down made it nearly impossible to consume anything. I didn't see any of the normal staff whom I had worked with for the past eight months and seeing new faces did NOT help the situation. Once hubby arrived, I cooled off, and the contractions dwindled to nearly nothing. That was frustrating. They wouldn't send me to the hospital to have the baby with no contractions! The said I was still 90% and 4cm. I drove myself home, with Tyler following me closely. 

**To read Friday's entry, you'll have to read the "Baby Time!" post. :)

Second Trimester (second half)

Week 21

This week started on the Saturday following our first week back from Christmas Break (January 11th). I haven't felt a whole lot of movement this week ... maybe that's because I was back to work and not really just sitting and relaxing. Generally, I seem to feel baby when I sit in my recliner, or lay in bed at night, before falling asleep. I'm not too worried about not feeling it yet, as the doctor said with the placenta on top of baby, I probably wouldn't feel much until week 24-25. 

There is no denying that I'm expecting though! The only pants I can wear to work are maternity pants ... all three pair I own. At home, I wear sweat or track pants. Yeah, I'm real lady-like. :) Hey, as long as my husband still finds me attractive, then I'll remain comfortable! Tonight, Tuesday, we're going back to the Big Wheels to Butterflies maternity store tonight. That is where I purchased two of my three pairs of maternity pants. I'm not against buying slightly used clothes for these few months ahead of me, as long as they fit. My problem, no matter what, is always finding pants that are long enough. I even wear flat shoes, and still struggle to find long pants ... without paying an arm and a leg that is. 

I was very ill Wednesday evening, and had severe abdominal pain in the lower half of my stomach. Ugh. Friday I decided to call my doctor to see if we could get in and listen to the heartbeat. (I know we've done this a few times before, but she DID say that I could come in whenever I wanted! Plus, these appointments don't cost anything.) The heartbeat was very strong and held steady at 140bpm. Just as you could really hear the pattern of the heartbeat, the sound faded away ... baby moved! hehe. Doc found it again and it sounded great! She clarified that my placenta is between baby and my belly - so I won't feel much, or anything, until baby is much bigger. However, she also said that I may feel baby at the top and bottom of my belly. :) 

Week 22

Saturday was day one for this week. I spend the WHOLE day at a swim meet for my little brother. This was the first public appearance where women, who are complete strangers to me, congratulated me, and even offered to let me cut in front of them in the bathroom line. :) (For the record, I didn't ... but I may later on!) 

Sunday morning, as I laid in bed on my left side, I felt a little kick on the upper left-hand side of my belly. It was so gentle, and yet so noticeable at the same time. <3 I laid still and felt it a second time! Considering I'm not expecting much for a few more weeks, that was such a heartwarming way to really wake up. :) 

Monday night, Tyler read baby and I a chapter from a book (he plans to read a little every night to help baby get used to his voice). As he read, I laid on my back, still and quiet, just listening. As he read, I could feel baby move! A few kicks/hits were strong enough I thought he might feel. I had him put his hand on my belly, and within a paragraph of his book there was a kick! That he could feel! It was AWESOME! I can definitely feel more than he can, but that one little kick was just enough for him to have a little taste of what I get to feel most of the day. :) <3 this baby!

Tuesday he didn't read. I was bummed. I didn't feel anything that day. He read again Wednesday and baby kicked him again. :) Slowly, but surely as the week progressed, I could feel a little more movement. It is great! 

Week 23

I. Am. Hungry. All. The. Time. (Well, until it's time for dinner.) What gives? I can eat all day long, but when it comes to dinner, probably my biggest meal of the day, I'm not hungry. Lately, I've been forcing myself to eat so that I don't wake up being so hungry I feel sick. Is this common? After I ate breakfast on Sunday, baby was moving - I think that means baby is happy. :)

A wonderful friend lent me her maternity clothes, and I couldn't be more thankful! They fit and they're comfy! Hooray! THANK YOU! 

Tuesday the belly-collecting began. Everything I leaned near wound up on my shirt, and every time I bent over, I couldn't bend over as far. I know this will get worse ... I'll keep you posted on that. :) 

Time is slipping away from me. I'm doing better about remember the things I need to get done, but there just isn't enough time to get them all accomplished!

Week 24

This week, baby is moving around like crazy! Not only can I feel it move inside, but you can watch my belly move! This Saturday (24w1d), was the first time I could see my belly move when baby moved. It was breathtaking. <3 As the week progressed, I could feel and see more movement. I love walking around a classroom helping students and get a little kick or punch in the side. :) I *might* get annoyed by this later, but for now, it is very reassuring and awesome!

This week also marked my six month check-up. (Only one more month and then we start bi-weekly, and weekly appointments. Crazy!) This was the first appointment Tyler could not attend. :( My sister was going to accompany me, but the weather was so crappy, she wasn't going to make it in time. As a matter of fact, I gave myself 45 minutes to get to my appointment, and only had two minutes to spare! 

The ultrasound technician was able to confirm baby's sex, and said baby was looking great! Everything about the heart, belly, spine, kidneys, bladder, etc. looked spot on. Music to this future-mother's ears. :) 

Our plan is to tell our parents (and siblings) near the beginning of next week, and to announce to the world what we're having later in the week. We couldn't be more excited! 

Week 25

IT'S A GIRL!! 

Early this week, we told our parents and siblings what baby's sex is. They were all surprised! Most were excited. I think they'll be more excited once baby is actually here and they can hold it. The way we told my parents is by having them close their eyes and hold our their hands. I put a onesie between their fingers and let them see if it was pink or blue. :) To reveal baby's gender to our colleagues at work, Tyler wanted to make cake pops. Although we've never attempted this before, we were mildly successful! They went over really well and everyone was excited for us! Below are a few pictures of this week's events. :)


Oh! We also purchased some of our first cloth diapers this week! Another mom who lives out this way had 24 brand new diapers she was selling at a loss for her. How sweet! She and her husband changed their mind on cloth diapering after having to use disposables for a few months after their baby was born. So, they just sat around and collected dust. It was awfully sweet of her to sell them to me at a discount. Here is a picture of them:


While Tyler and I aren't fans of pink, we know that having a girl makes it inevitable that pink will be in our home. However, the nursery is green and silver and there will be lots of yellow, purple, green, blue, etc. clothes to alternate in between pink clothes we get from family and friends. :) 

Week 26

We finally attended our Cloth Diapering 101 class this week at Baby Junk. We paid and registered for this back in November. Yikes. That month we had an awful snow storm that caused the roads to be pretty bad, so we went straight home. The following two months we were busy the nights they held the class, so we finally attended in February. Thank goodness there are some great staff members there who allowed us to attend even though we were a few months late. :) At the class, I think Tyler learned some things, even though he has been listening to me talk cloth diapering for months now. I'm not sure I really learned anything from the class, but that isn't their fault. I've done so much reading, research, and brain-picking of other cloth diapering moms that I definitely knew more than anyone else in that class. Oh well - with the $15 registration fee, we got a $15 gift card to spend there! We decided to purchase a prepped pre-fold and a Thirsties cover. While the hubs is very excited to use our new pocket diapers once baby is big enough, he decided he/we should use pre-folds and covers for baby while she is a newborn. He tried to diaper a doll they had in the store and struggled a little, but because he is motivated to cloth diaper, I have no doubt that he will get better the more he has to change diapers. :) 

Week 27

I can feel baby move all the time! It is amazing! Tyler finally felt her again for the second time. <3 

This week we were VERY busy with school things ... sorry. :( 

Second Trimester (first half)

14 Weeks

(Sorry, this whole remembering thing is really hard!)  

I can only remember a few things that happened this week. 

I had my blood drawn at the Endocrinologist to test my thyroid. The results came back .... normal! Finally! Ever since I've gotten pregnant, my thyroid has been really low. (Remember, I have hypothyroidism.) I learned that if my count on that gets low during pregnancy that there are "serious" repercussions. (Seriously?! Like I need any more pressure with this whole thing!) So, I gladly go to my appointments before school, get my blood drawn, and pace for a few days until the results come back. The first three times it was drawn, I IMMEDIATELY had to go to the pharmacy that day, and take the new, higher prescription. (I'm glad I told Tyler, or I would've forgotten!) 

Near the end of this week, I started to not feel pregnant, which really scared me. The following week was worse ... 

15 Weeks 

Can you tell if we're having a boy or girl yet?

I've kind of struggled this week, at least for the first half. This second trimester is so "easy" and normal-like that I didn't feel pregnant. :( It was very frustrating. When I drove home from class Monday night I spent most of the time praying (like I have been), but in addition to thanking God for the opportunity to be parents, etc., I prayed that I still am pregnant. Ugh. So hard to pray that and drive without bawling. Having already lost one, I AM we ARE terrified of losing this baby. I didn't want to tell Tyler this, as I know he already feels this way, but I decided on Wednesday that I had to. He deserved to know how I felt; it's not like he has any idea otherwise. I told him that morning on the way to school; of course, he was concerned and said he was nervous for our next appointment too. (Not reassuring, but I'm glad he is realistic and understanding.) <3 him. Throughout the day, I felt this feeling in my lower abdomen of a softball-sized thing. I was so happy! I didn't feel it all the time, only when in the restroom, if I leaned forward in my chair, or bent over. But I'll tell you what, it was the best feeling I could have felt at that moment! I told Tyler this and he smiled. :) We're still nervous, but I'm just a little less concerned. Thanks, God!

Besides that scary segment of the week, I'm also getting more and more annoyed with forgetting things. First, it started with forgetting to take my picture for this page. Then, it was forgetting to do things at school, now it's almost EVERYTHING! I have to laugh though; I used to have such a great memory, it annoyed Tyler ... now I turn to him to remember things. :) 

Also fun: I swore my next appointment was on December 19th. (That would put me at 17w5d.) I thought that seemed awfully late. As this week trudged on, I decided to check my calendar and see if that's when it actually was. Well, I did write on my calendar that I had an appointment that day, but there was also an appointment for the 10th (which puts us at 16w2d). I was so confused! I called my OB's office and the receptionist confirmed the 10th. Whew! Needless to say, I've been pretty excited the rest of this week. 

I had one CRAZY dream this Friday night. I dreamt that I was in at my parents' house staying in my old room, now my youngest sister's room. My other sister, who will graduate college this year, was in her room there as well. The bedrooms are joined by a bathroom. Anyway, I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth when she came in to brush hers (totally not uncommon). BUT, in this dream, baby was not in my lower abdomen, he/she was at chest-level. He/She was pushing against my skin so hard, it looked like those new Glad Force-Flex trash bags you see in commercials! Baby's face, an arm, and a leg were all trying to get out of my skin. SO FREAKY! Thank goodness that can't come true ... 

16 Weeks 

I'm starting to show! Okay, I know it's not really baby, but my belly is getting a little bit rounder and I can't even pull off the rubber band trick anymore! Thank goodness for those belly bands keeping my pants up! But I must say, even in my regular dress pants/jeans my belly hurts after wearing them all day. ... I'm starting to look forward to maternity pants. :) 

This Tuesday we went to our 16 week appointment. The nurse complimented me on my blood pressure: ~110/60. She laughed and said she didn't know how I was so calm. hehe. I take A LOT of deep, calming breaths at my job EVERY day. ;) She weighed me next, and said that I've lost weight since my last appointment. Uh-oh. That prompted her to question how much I'm eating. Shoot, the night before I ate an entire pizza and was ready for more food! I drink a TON of water everyday and eat whenever I'm hungry. Unfortunately, some foods just don't sound good, so I don't eat them. It just so happens that ALL of the food in our house doesn't sound good. Ever. So frustrating. Needless to say, after this appointment the hubs took me grocery shopping and he let me get some foods that sounded good: waffles, bagels and strawberry cream cheese, green peppers, cheese, Alfredo sauce, etc. I think I've been eating more since that appointment ...  I think I have "lost weight" because I have a hypothyroid condition that typically makes my metabolism very slow. BUT, while pregnant, a woman's metabolism is much higher. w00t! At least, that's why I think I'm eating a lot and still underweight for where I should be at 16 weeks. 

We went back into room #9 and I have no doubt my blood pressure spiked. I was so nervous for this appointment. Considering how crappy the last appointment went .. I wasn't sure how this month would go. It took our ARNP a whopping 2 seconds to find a very quick, healthy, baby heartbeat. :D I almost cried. It was the most beautiful "woosh, woosh, woosh" I've ever heard! <3 So, yeah, we're still pregnant! YAY! Baby had moved since our last appointment, so that was fun too. 

Both Tyler and I were itching for an ultrasound. I asked her what the cost was or if we could even get one that day, considering we're getting one in four weeks. She replied, "Well ... if I do it, there is no cost. BUT, I'm not very good at it." Are you kidding? That was music to our ears! We promptly followed her to the ultrasound room and BAM! There was our baby! "Proud parents" might be an understatement. [Hang in there little one, we can't wait to meet you in May!] Baby was clearly longer than last time. Legs, arms, and a spine were obvious. So amazing what technology can do! Our ARNP laughed and told us not to look too closely or we might be able to figure out what the sex is. :) (Tyler is going to find out next month anyway.) 

This was a very refreshing, needed week. 

Week 17

Is baby moving? I'm getting more and more confident that I can feel our son/daughter moving around on there! Ahhh! So exciting! I've noticed those little 'butterfly' feelings before this week. But in order to feel them, I would have to sit completely still, in a quiet room, and just relax. If I was laying down, or the TV was too loud, I didn't notice. This week, that isn't the case. :) If this feeling truly is baby, and not gas (ha!), then baby is finally big enough for me to feel it! I still have to be somewhat stationary, but the room doesn't have to be quiet, and I can be standing up, not just sitting to feel the movement. I still don't feel anything when I'm laying down. 

I had some sharp pains, starting on Monday, under the edge of the right side of my ribs. The pain was very sharp and sudden. There wasn't really anything, that I could tell, that instigated the pain. It only happened once or twice while standing/walking, but happened probably 10-12 times while I was sitting down. Again that evening I had that quick pain another 5-6 times. I didn't really think too much of it until it happened again Tuesday. So, I called my doctor's office and spoke to a nurse. She seemed concerned. Really? From pain under my ribs? Okay. The hubs suggested I go in. I did. (My blood pressure was 120/80. "Normal" but high from where I usually am. Hmm ... wonder why it was so high ... annoying paranoia.) When I got to see my doctor she was very concerned. Great. "Is your pain on the lower right side or lower left." My pain is not lower anywhere. I showed here right where I had been getting these sharp, sudden, bursts of pain, and she smiled. "Oh, your ribs are just starting to flare. This happens when the uterus starts to push up on your organs and shoves them up under your rib cage." Oh yay, that sounds fun! Anyway, baby was/is fine and I got to listen to the heartbeat again. It was 148 bpm. Getting a little slower, but still totally healthy. 

Not sure if I've shared this or not, but in three weeks Tyler gets to find out if we're having a boy or a girl! I'm so excited! He really wants to know. I thought he said he really wanted a boy, but he's only at 60%/40% on that. He'd be thrilled for a daughter first too, I know it. Apparently his "man-stincts" are telling him that he will have a son first. What the heck are man-stincts? :) He's so funny! He plans to tell me sometime after that (by the end of the month, hopefully!) what we're having. I'd kind of like to tell people by the time we have a baby shower what we're having, but he wants to keep it our little secret until baby is born. I'm totally okay with that too. :)

Week 18

This week we're on Christmas Break. I'm hoping this will allow me to put on a couple of pounds that the doctor so eagerly wants. The excitement of our next appointment is pretty bitter sweet. We go in for our 20 week appointment on January 3rd (when I'll actually be 19w6d). Close enough. :) BUT, January 3rd is our first day back to school. Bummer. So, I'm super excited, and slightly bummed already. 

I'm starting to think we're having a girl. I guess you could call those "mom-stincts?" Ha! Like I've said before, I don't care which sex the baby is, I'm just so excited to be a mom!

This weekend Tyler moved a TON of furniture around the house. (Thank goodness he had all of his surgeries last winter, and not right now!) We got a new bedroom set as a gift for Christmas. So, he moved our old dressers into the nursery, the full-bed out of there and into the guest room with the two twin beds. He then moved one of those twin beds downstairs. And then set everything up! What a guy! :) He also helped the furniture delivery guys setup and arrange our new furniture. We don't have a crib or anything for baby yet. I would like to get through our 5th month and then start looking at / buying things. 

Near the end of this week, and beginning of next week I felt baby moving again (at least, that's what I think those feelings are)! I was a little worried because I hadn't felt anything in awhile, but just as I had a concerned thought, I felt something. :)

Week 19 

I am starting to feel big. And I know it will only get "worse." Oh well! :) The worst part is most definitely sleeping. I almost dread bed time. I sleep with a pillow between my knees, but that doesn't seem to do enough. I have switched pillows around, soft, firm, memory foam, etc. (I've also adjusted what I use under my head.) The last couple of nights I have had two glorious hours of sleep ... the rest of the time I was lying awake or tossing and turning. Those two hours were after Tyler got up. So basically, I sleep better when he's not there. :( I don't think it's a matter of him taking up room, but maybe that my body naturally wants to roll toward his? Maybe that is pulling at my back? Once he gets up, I stretch across most of the bed, hug his pillow and am out like a light. I sure hope this doesn't mean he, or I, need to start sleeping in separate beds. 

One morning this week Tyler got up and said, "After this next appointment, we should start making a list of things we want to accomplish each month." Say what?! The man who hates lists wants to make lists?! *swoon* 

We have our 20 week ultrasound this Friday, which is technically 19w6d. It was the closest we could get to 20 weeks that worked with the schedules we needed to consider (doctor, ultrasound technician, us). However, this Wednesday evening Tessa (our little 7-10 lb. Maltese) jumped on my belly. :( Talk about worried parents! The pain was excruciating for 2-3 minutes. I cried. I've worried about it since. 

Week 20 

Thank God our appointment went well, baby is completely fine, and growing very well! Apparently it has a head in the 93 percentile already. Yikes! Might be looking at a C-Section earlier than I thought! Oh my gosh, I'm so glad we got to our appointment early. We arrived at 2:40 and it wasn't scheduled until 3:15. Our stinkin' child was so squirmy that our ultrasound tech couldn't get a clear picture to measure body parts! It. Was. Hilarious! Every time she (the tech.) tried to take a picture, baby would move right then and make the picture turn out blurry. And, rather than laying across my belly, baby was sitting, SITTING straight UP AND DOWN. The legs were criss-crossed below the butt. The feet were against my bladder and the head was up by my belly button. Seriously child, you couldn't have been sitting more proper! :) It was cute nonetheless. Fun fact about that: I HAVE to go back in 4 weeks for another ultrasound to get a clearer image of the spine. Bummer. I totally don't want to see my baby in four weeks - said no mother ever. :P She wasn't concerned about anything, just couldn't see everything she needed to see today because of how baby was sitting. 

There is no denying this baby is Tyler's. :) 

Speaking of Tyler. He found out the baby's sex at the appointment. I had to look away from the monitor while the tech typed on the image what she thought baby was. Of course Tyler didn't react. Ugh. I was hoping for something! She went back and double-checked once baby moved its legs again and she confirmed what she thought. Tyler was smiling, but still didn't say anything. Little booger! While we waited to see the doctor, I kept harassing Tyler on when he was going to tell me what we were having. He just laughed. :) 

When we got home, he ran off to the basement and came up with a wrapped package. He placed the package on my lap and said, "Whenever you want to know, open it." Are you kidding?! I can't just let this box sit and stare at me for hours, days, weeks, months. I had to open it then! :D I unwrapped the box and inside was a beautiful Willow Tree Figurine called "Our Gift". It was perfect! (I love those figurines! He also gave me one for Christmas called "Home". This one makes me tear up whenever I look at it.) <3 Anyway, below the figurine in the box, were two sonograms. He said, "If you want to know, those will tell you." Oh. My. Gosh. I looked and ... we are just ecstatic! We're not telling anyone yet ... but we will soon! We thought it would be nice to have our little secret for awhile before we let the cat out of the bag. :) Just know that as of now, we have a healthy baby on our hands, and we couldn't ask for more. 

I realized over Christmas break that I do NOT like it when other people touch my stomach. My husband can do it whenever he wants - he knocked me up after all. But please don't be surprised if I am upset or touch your belly in return. :)

First Trimester (second half)

Note: This post is very revealing. Please read it in its entirety before commenting. 

7 Weeks:

This week has been weird. I was absolutely miserable on Monday and even stayed home from class (in Lincoln). I slept a lot and felt much better on Tuesday. Probably the best day since the beginning of the school year. I realized Tuesday that my lunch is making me feel like crap. I eat a cup of peaches, applesauce (somedays), yogurt, and a Healthy Choice Steamer. I think I was just eating too much. On Wednesday I opted to not eat my steamer and never felt sick. I was hungry more, but never ill. So, I think a small lunch is in store for me now. 


My meal plan is: 
6:45-7:00 drink a Carnation Instant Breakfast shake with Skim Milk
9:20 I'm hungry. Usually I have some sort of starch. Veggie straws, baked lays, etc.
12:00 is our designated lunch time and I'm generally hungry then, but not starving. Then I have my fruit and yogurt. 
2:00 is the next hunger strike; I try to eat an apple or fruit snack.
5:30-6:00 is dinner time. Only pan pizza sounds good. If anything at all. 

I am hoping that this food finicky stuff is over soon. I used to be picky, but not THIS picky. It's rather frustrating. Other than this, I've just been tired. Which I can live with. I just wish I had a little more energy to get more done (at home and at school). 

8 Weeks: 

Well, this week was our first ultrasound. We had to tell one of our secretaries, (which kind of seemed silly because we told her before our families, but whatever). I'm so glad Tyler came with me to the appointment! Having this type of ultrasound was nothing new to me. Having PCOS, I've had numerous ultrasounds already. This was the first time however, there was a little something in my uterus. :) As Tyler and I were grinning, awe-struck, fools, our sonogram nurse said, "Well, it's your lucky day. Two for the price of one (kind of)!" We are having TWINS! Oh. My. Gosh! Tyler starts laughing, my pulse started racing, it was AMAZING! Our nurse was so excited for us, and went "fishing" to make sure she "didn't miss any." Thankfully, there are only two in there. :) Both looked healthy and right at 8 weeks. They each have their own amniotic sac and placenta, but we don't know for sure if they are fraternal or identical. Most likely they'll be fraternal based on their individual placenta and sac. I don't care either way, I just am so ecstatic! Twins don't necessarily run in the family. My fraternal grandmother is a twin, but there haven't been any since. I'm pretty confident that ours are from the medications I took to become pregnant. 

The morning sickness has gotten a little worse. I threw up for the first time this week. It was awful. Remember a previous post and how I said I never, ever throw up. Yeah, this was awful. Tyler even came running upstairs to my aid. <3 He is the best. Needless to say, I've been going through saltine crackers and Gatorade/Powerade like they're going out of style. My doctor said it is okay to not eat much, as babies (yes, plural .. crazy!), will get enough nutrients from my body, but they need plenty of fluids. Which also means I pee all the time already. :) 

The hubs and I have been talking about if we'd prefer two boys, two girls, or one of each. When it boils down to it, we just want two healthy babies (both physically and mentally) and to carry them full-term, or as close as possible. My due date is May 24th, so there is plenty of time. 

9 Weeks: 

We wanted to tell our families at Thanksgiving, when I'll be a little over three months along. But, we just won't be able to get our families together. So, we decided to tell them this weekend. We copied the ultrasound picture that included both babies and gave it (first) to my parents in an envelope. We said we had something for them. :) They knew what the picture was, but didn't see that there were two. My mom instantly started crying and couldn't believe after everything her and I talked about just the night before and how we were trying, to already be pregnant. hehe. When Dad hugged me, he got choked up too. Once they left, we went to Tyler's mom's house and presented her with an envelope too. She didn't cry, but said, "No. Oh, no!" I don't think she knew how to respond. :) She said she was excited for us, but wasn't going to be too excited until she knew they were both going to be okay. Which, will probably be around 20 weeks - January sometime. 

Tyler and I are looking forward to January, as week 20 is a big week for the babies. Their sex should be evident, they will be at a lower risk, etc. So, until then, we will continue our prayers and continue to give thanks. 

10 Weeks:

Sorry, no picture this week. I keep forgetting EVERYTHING. :(

Thank goodness the morning sickness has pretty much subsided. It was rather grueling there for awhile. This week I am still below my pre-pregnancy weight by 0.6 pounds. I'm glad I haven't lost any more, and I'm sure I will gain plenty as the later months roll on. :) I don't feel as bloated as I did a few weeks ago, but I know the little stomach I've gained is mostly bloat - retaining water, more blood is being created, space is being made, etc. I'm sure I would have a cuter little belly if I wasn't already a big gal, but that's okay with me. I don't really care how I look, I just want safe, healthy, full-term, babies.:)

I still find that I am not hungry or interested in eating breakfast. BUT, I do snack throughout most of the day, and have a big dinner. I've found that a big dinner will allow me to not wake up in the middle of the night or wake up sick. Thankfully, I have an appetite again. I crave foods, but not too many. Like pizza - I could eat carry-out pizza everyday, but I think I'm over our typical go-to frozen pizza. I'm also all about fries! Tyler bought 12 bags of Ore Ida potatoes for us and they are oh, so delicious. I am trying to not eat only carbs, or too many; but it's hard to say no when something finally sounds, and tastes good!

Dreams ... Lordy. I've been having lots of strange dreams lately. Well, they're not too strange, like they could actually happen, but they are just strange given where I am in life currently. :) 

It is so unbelievably tempting to purchase baby items! One, they are so stinkin' cute already, and to know that I GET to purchase them later, makes the suspense unbearable! We've already talked about what items we want new for sure, and things we are okay getting handed down, or gently used. I think we're on the same page. 

Oh! It has been so much fun playing around with names! I know it's super early, but rather than coming up with a name for either gender, we have to come up with two - four names! We have four (finally!) that we both like. But it wasn't easy! We definitely like more boy names than girls, and have mostly settled on two boy names and two girl names, just in case. I think we're going to have a boy and a girl, and statistically, that is more likely. :) So we have names ready for that option as well. hehe This is fun! 

11 Weeks: 

Sorry, no picture again. :(

Still, the exhaustion is kicking my butt. I know it's only going to get worse, but that doesn't really help me now. Maybe I'm tired because of my job - it's quite a doozy this year. I feel like I generally sleep well during the night, I'm just lacking energy.

Dear Husband and I have been pretty eager for this week to be over - as our next ultrasound is next week! :) Can't wait to see the babies again! 

I'm still doing my best to "follow the rules" that my OB gave me. (I've always been a rule follower though. :) Tyler has been really good about carrying everything that is heavy for me. Cases of water, overflowing laundry hamper, my school backpack, etc. I'm so glad he is here to help me out. 

Cravings! I walked into our school's front office one morning, around 8:45, and swore I smelled pizza. ... it took everything in me to not order pizza for lunch that day! 

I told Tyler that if we were going to cloth diaper, and save money that way, that I wanted to make my own laundry detergent for the babies too. He called me a hippie. I smiled. I already use laundry detergent that I made. I like it. It's easy, cheap, I know what's in it, etc. (Shout out to Facebook and Pinterest friends for ideas and recipes!) I have found a few recipes that are ideal for cloth diapers, that also remove any film that may develop on them ... can't wait to make it! (I'll be a hippie that doesn't do drugs, sleep around, drive a weird van, wear funny clothes, etc. I'll be a modern-day hippie ... I'll be "green." :)

Week 12: 

First day of the week, my dear husband went to make us hash browns and eggs for breakfast. He asked me if potatoes could go bad - I said, maybe? He said, "Maybe my sniffer is off, will you smell them?" (Expiration was 11/8 - just one day earlier.) I smelled it and almost lost it! He just laughed and sprayed me with Febreze. So sweet. He went downstairs to see if there was another bag in the freezer - nope. Came back up and said, "Whew! It does stink up here!" (No kidding!) ... talk about heightened senses and an annoying dry heaving episode. Yikes. 

Wednesday of this week we went in for our 12 week ultrasound to check up on the babies. The first baby the doctor found on the monitor was super active! Jumping up and down, flipping around ... it was AMAZING! She couldn't even get a heart rate because baby wouldn't sit still! We later did get a read and it was 160 bpm. :) I knew the moment the doctor moved the little wand from the first baby to the second that something was wrong. The second baby didn't look any different than it did four weeks ago. I knew we had lost it. We went to the ultrasound-tech on the "better" machine and she confirmed that baby only measured at 8 weeks. Which meant we probably lost him/her around week 10. 

To say that I was angry and sad would be a complete understatement. I was pretty pissed at God that evening. Even the next day at school I was angry. How could He do this to us? What had we done to deserve that? After everything we've been through trying to conceive, He allowed us to, and then took a baby away!? I cried. A lot. 

After my husband and I had some time to grieve, we were able to talk about why it might have happened. There could have been a chromosome issue that would have caused life-changing problems. The baby might have missed an appendage. There would be no way for us to ever know ... 

Thankfully, each baby was in their own sac and had their own placenta. The healthy baby would not be affected by the one that didn't make it. I was concerned that I would have to deliver the one that was miscarried (it is classified as a miscarriage), but because it was so early, my body -and the healthy baby, will just "absorb" it. Troublesome, and yet relieving. 

Luckily, we decided to stay quiet until I was three months along ... it was hard enough going back and telling our parents, and two aunts that we lost one. Thankfully, Tyler was willing to talk to them for us. <3

This was not a good week.

13 Weeks: 

This week was better. Thank you, God. We went to church with my parents. I tried not to cry ... but some messages and songs just speak to you ... and make you bawl. I didn't really care though. God knows everything anyway, I'm not afraid to cry in His house. That's probably the best place to break down, come to think of it. After church that day, I haven't felt anger about losing a baby anymore. I'm still sad, and disappointed, but I've come to a better place of understanding that this was meant to be. It's possible that we wouldn't have been able to handle two newborns at once, physically, emotionally, or monetarily. I trust God made the choice He made for a reason. Again, just sad, not angry. I know everyone has their own opinions on when an embryo or fetus is a living thing, but as soon as I saw those two heartbeats, I had two babies. Now that there is only one heartbeat, I've lost one. That's never going to be easy, for anyone, ever. 

On Tuesday, I went in to the doctor's to listen to the heartbeat. I was nervous. I knew the doctor said baby was fine, but I needed to be reassured. And boy, was I! Baby's heartbeat was 162 bpm and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G to hear the 'woosh' 'woosh' 'woosh' of the heartbeat. <3 


We told my siblings we were pregnant over the weekend. :) I was just going to show them the sonogram, but Tyler wanted to do something fun. So, my mom and I ran to Walmart and bought a 3-pack of onesies. I wrote a little note on each of them. "I <3 my Aunt J----." "I <3 my Aunt R------." "I <3 my Uncle M----." My sisters figured it out right away. My brother, not so much. The girls didn't even have to see the entire onesie to know what it was about. They ran over to hug me, already crying. While we were hugging, M---- was holding the onesie with both hands reading it, looking at us, trying to understand what was going on. :) He did figure it out and it was great! R------ is now in charge of ALL of J----'s wedding stuff, while I get to do baby stuff. Just kidding! I'm still going to do things with R------. :) 

This was how we showed my Grandma Boyd. :)

Fun food facts: I could eat Chili Cheese Fritos all day. Every day. Pizza always sounds good - but not frozen pizza (Pizza Hut, Papa Murphy's, or Valentino's are all okay). Dill pickle chips, frozen El Monterey burritos, orange juice, rice/pasta/CARBS!, and meatballs almost always sound good. Not together of course; gross. :)

Tessa has been super loving toward me. She lets me hold her like a baby, she crawls up and sits with me whenever I'm in my chair, and sometimes snubs Tyler when she's with me. hehe. Silly puppy. She will sure be jealous in a few months!

I've been having a few pains in my abdomen this week. When I asked my doctor about it, she said that unless it felt like a PMS cramp, then it was okay. I could also look out for ... sightings in the restroom, and that would also be a concern. So, in the meantime, I'll assume the pains I feel are my uterus expanding and a healthy baby growing. :) Baby is the size of a lemon this week - crazy! 

At the end of the week we told our fellow colleagues at Ralston Middle School. We had our annual staff Thanksgiving dinner. Tyler wanted to announce it in a fun way again ... are you seeing a theme with this pregnancy yet? :) So, we made cupcakes with light pink and light blue frosting. Below the cupcakes in the pan, was a note that said, "Announcing Baby Barna. Expected 5/24/2014." 

This was a rather eventful week. :)