Baby Ticker

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Playing catch-up

29 weeks and counting! I can't believe that 3/4 of this pregnancy is already over!


Time to catch you all up on what has been going on during the last two weeks! Last weekend, Clay and I attended the HMH Foundation Gala. We had a great time, but I was really tired toward the end. Of course, the fact that I stuffed myself at dinner probably didn't help. :) Brittany took a picture of me before we left. I don't have any with Clay that don't make me look like a big-bellied monster, so I will not be posting one of the two of us until I get the pics back that were taken at the gala. For now, here is a pic of me:



We had our monthly OB appointment last Tuesday, and I had gained another 7 pounds. I really have no idea how, because I'm not eating THAT much more than usual. Maybe it was from overdoing it on the wonderful food at the gala? :) I guess my body just likes to hang on to every pound it can while pregnant. Clay and I have gone for a walk both days this weekend, and if the weather stays this beautiful I will be walking every day! I love this time of year!! Okay, so back to my appointment. I had my one-hour glucose test, and I had really been dreading it. Every time I've taken it before, the drink was cola-flavored. This may be okay for some people, but I truly dislike anything with that flavor. It seems that maybe a lot of people feel like I do, because Tuesday I was given orange! I hesitantly tried it, and was pleasantly surprised! It tasted like orange Kool-aid with extra sugar poured in. I was able to drink it in about 2-3 minutes, when in the past I have had to force it down with them fussing at me for taking too long. So, I was VERY proud of myself! I never heard back from the office, so I'm guessing that no news is good news. They also did a thyroid check, since my numbers were a little low at my first prenatal visit. Dr. S says that this sometimes happens to women in their first trimester, and he just wants to follow up to be sure that they are back where they need to be. My blood pressure was great at 110/60, and it was a good visit. I go back in three weeks for the next one.


Oh, and before I forget to post it... here is another comparison belly pic. This one was taken at 27 weeks 6 days pregnant:







In more exciting news, we are taking the kids with us this week for our 4D ultrasound! We are all really excited about this and can't wait to get a good look at this little girl. We will leave the u/s and head up to Branson for the rest of the week, since we are out for spring break. So, I'm really looking forward to the next week. I just have to get through one more day of work on Monday first. That's what I get for not doing my paperwork for the past week or two.


In pregnancy-related symptoms, I am having a lot of reflux lately. Just this weekend, my hands have swollen enough that my engagement/wedding rings are no longer comfortable. I took them off to sleep last night, but crammed them back on before church this morning. I am kind of sentimental, so it makes me sad to not be able to wear them. I'm hoping maybe it is from the salty foods I've eaten over the weekend, and that my hands will return to normal soon. My shoes didn't fit so well for church this morning, either. Something else I've noticed is that it is starting to hurt worse when I'm in bed at night. My hips and thighs are sore, so I guess that is a good sign that things are shifting around as they should be! Other than these things and being tired, I feel pretty good. I am really excited that the baby could be here in another 8 weeks! In one way that seems so close, and in another it still seems far away. I know it will pass quickly, though.

I hope to have some good pictures to share after the ultrasound this week!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Hello, third trimester!

There really isn't a lot going on, but I wanted to document the beginning of the third trimester! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting bigger and bigger every day, and I am getting really excited about meeting this little girl!

I am in a great mood this weekend, and I'm sure that is a relief to everyone around me. Not that I've been in a perpetually grumpy mood, but it is no secret that I am not my normal self while pregnant. I feel more like me this weekend than I have felt in several months now! I'm feeling way more pregnant than fat, and that helps a lot. The weather has been near 80 degrees, the sun is shining, and I feel great! Yesterday morning, Clay and I took the dogs for a walk at the park. We walked a mile before the dogs started driving me insane with all of the "Let me stop and smell this", so we went home. Late yesterday afternoon we went back and walked two more miles. I haven't exercised as much over the last few weeks, and I can tell that this is something that I truly need to resume. I'm planning on trying to walk at least three miles most days, as long as the weather cooperates. It is supposed to be a rainy week, though, so I may have to fire up the treadmill and get moving on it.

It seems the kids are getting Spring Fever, as well. Zach told me this morning that he wants to take his bike to the park if it isn't raining when he gets home from his dad's. Brittany seemed happy about this, too. She has really become more interested in exercise over the past year, and the great weather makes it even more enticing!

So, that's where we are! I go back to the doctor in a week and two days for my oh-so-yummy Glucose test. Then a week later, I have my 4D ultrasound! We are really excited about that, too. I will have pictures to post after that one. I'm going to have Brittany take some belly pictures tonight, so I will be putting those up before long. (I'm being optimistic... I'll have them up before the baby is born, anyway!)

Monday, March 2, 2009

The Aches and Pains of Pregnancy

This honestly isn't intended to be a post of complaint! Honest! It's just a mere effort to document this part of the pregnancy. ;) Actually, I have felt worse. The first trimester was by far the least fun of this entire journey. I was hoping for a burst of energy as the second trimester hit, but I never found it. I did lose the constant nausea, though, and I am forever thankful for that! So, the second trimester is drawing to a close this week and I have a new symptom. I have a strange pain on the upper right side of my belly. It feels almost as if someone is sticking me with a hot poker. I finally got tired of worrying about it and called my OB's office today, where the nurse reassured me that it is actually quite common for this stage of pregnancy. She said that they hear a lot of complaints about it, and that it is just all of the tugging and stretching that is going on. So, I can take Tylenol, warm baths, and use a heating pad to make it better. It is actually better since I've been home and on the couch tonight. When I get up and move around, it comes right back and feels like something is tearing. Not a pleasant feeling!

It just occurred to me that I haven't posted since my last OB appointment at 24 weeks. Everything measured well, although I had gained a little more weight than I had hoped. The only potential problem was the amount of Braxton-Hicks contractions that I had been having. After hearing that I had six on the way to the appointment that morning, he decided to do an exam. I'm happy to report that the exam showed that the contractions aren't causing any cervical changes, so we're great! They are definitely uncomfortable, painful at times, but nothing I can't handle as long as I know that everything is okay. :) My next appointment is in two more weeks, when I will be 28 weeks. I am scheduled for the ever-so-much-fun glucose test at that appointment. Actually, I don't expect it to be as bad this time because my OB now has the orange flavor. He told me he thinks it tastes like a melted orange popsicle. I've only ever had the cola flavor, and I don't like cola-flavored things anyway. Still... I will definitely be glad to get this over with!

On to the fun stuff! We have been slowly buying baby things! Our furniture came in the same day that I had my last appointment, so Clay spent the afternoon putting it together. Some of our bedding is backordered, so I haven't taken pictures yet. I will do that as soon as it comes in. Last week we put together the bouncy seat, and Brittany put a baby doll in it just to see how it looks. Well, our little Yorkie (Chloe) decided that she didn't like the baby doll. It was hilarious to see her jump up on the back of the couch growling and barking at the little doll who was making cooing noises. :) This weekend we went to Texarkana and bought a few clothes, a package of diapers, and some wipes. Oh, and I also bought a Boppy! I couldn't find the swing I wanted, so I came home and ordered it and my diaper bag. So, slowly but surely we are getting ready for this little girl to come into our lives!

I am now 26 weeks and 2 days pregnant! If I have her around the same time I had Zach (37 weeks), that just gives me 11 more weeks to go. I had Brittany at 38 weeks, so that would give me 12 weeks. I am so ready for her to be here! Clay is ready for her to be here! The kids are VERY ready for her to be here! Let's just hope the next couple of months go quickly.