New found "joys"

It seems like every day I encounter a new symptom I can attribute to being pregnant.  Actually, it works in my benefit sometimes because things that might happen outside of pregnancy that happen now I can blame on being pregnant and it gets a lot more sympathy--not that I'm using people--I'm not!  :)  

After two impromptu days off at the beginning of the week due to Tropical Storm (cough, cough...tropical sprinkle) Fay, I finally started work yesterday with a fresh new batch of 1st graders.  They seem a lot younger this year and require a lot more doting on, which is a little frustrating.  After my third trip to the  bathroom with the kids yesterday (yes, we have to take the ENTIRE class to the bathroom at least twice--20 minutes easy each time-- a day but mine decided they all needed to go a third time), a 20 minute snack break (because they couldn't concentrate without one in the afternoon), and a couple of the kids asking when they were going to get nap (that NEVER happened last year), I realized that this is going to be a very different kind of year.

We were also asked this year (k-1 teachers) to "graciously" sit with our kids during lunch this year in the cafeteria to keep the chaos to a minimum.  To comp us for our time, we are allowed to leave campus at 2:45pm as opposed to 3:15pm when we're supposed to go.  So...if we do the math...that's 7 hours with not so much as a bathroom break for me.  This would be fine if I wasn't pregnant, but it brings on some extreme discomfort.  

Not that I needed to get into that much detail about work, but I find that sometimes it adds a little spice and will probably have some interesting anecdotes to put in here throughout the year.  All of that to explain some of my new found pregnancy "joys."  

#1.  You don't have to be 8+ months pregnant to swell.  Nope- I learned that yesterday when my feet swelled up so big that I couldn't fit them in my shoes (after standing for most of the day) and my knees almost doubled in size. Time for some extra comfy shoes. 

#2.  Back pain is something I'm just going to have to accept does not go away.  It's been pretty constant lately and nothing I do (or Mike does) seems to alleviate it.  Heat, massages, sitting more...you name it, I've probably tried it.  I am starting to get used to it, though.

#3.  Heartburn.  It seems like EVERYTHING I eat or drink gives it to me-- even a glass of water...no joke.  I've tried all the normal stuff that has been recommended to keep it at bay- no spicy food, avoiding tomato products, not drinking carbonated beverages, but like I said, even water gives it to me.  Tums have become a staple in my diet.  :)

I guess when you get rid of the first trimester symptoms (morning sickness, more morning sickness, and even more morning sickness), the second trimester brings a whole new batch of wonderful!  :)  Actually, though, all of this really does reassure me that I'm still pregnant and daily helps give me a sense of peace.  

2 weeks until we find out if it's a baby boy or a baby girl!  :)  Any guesses?

Mommy car and 14 week appt.

Mike and I have made our first large purchase as a married couple.  As many of you know (or may not know), we got home from our 3 weeks in Ohio about a month ago and the air conditioner in my car had died.  Yes, middle of summer, pregnant and no air...great combo.  We talked about it and realized that fixing the air would cost us close to, if not more than, what the car is worth so we decided it was time to start looking for a new one (which, if you've been in my car in the last two months, you know I need).  

We started looking online and talking to some friends who work for dealers and decided we wanted a small SUV, something safe that we can start building our family into.  I fell in love with a Saturn Vue that carmax listed one afternoon and I went to the lot to look at it and literally 3 hours after it had been posted, it was sold--and not to me.  Actually, the person we know who works there says that they never keep vue's on the lot because people love them so much.  I was disappointed but didn't want to give up.  

I convinced Mike to go out one afternoon to look at cars- we went and test drove a couple of new cars (just for fun) at one dealership and then went to the Saturn dealership to check and see if they had any vue's.  The salesman who met us at the door (how do they do that?  they must have some kind of sixth sense because as soon as our car pulled up at any dealer we had  personal welcoming committee) told us that they never had used Vue's because no one ever turned them in.  He showed us a new Vue, which we knew we couldn't afford and as we were getting out of it Mike spotted a used Vue tucked in a corner!  The salesman apologized profusely and said it must have just come in because he hadn't seen it yet (I was reluctant to believe a car salesman, but the guy seemed very genuine--and I had met with a few others that day who were less than).  It was the exact price Mike and I had agreed the night before we'd be able to pay and so within 2 hours we put the down payment on it and drove it off the lot.  It's a 2004 Saturn Vue, dark green.  I'll post pictures when I can.  I've been driving it around now for a week or so and I just love it!  It's exactly what I wanted.

In other news...we had our 14 week appointment with Dr. Kellogg yesterday.  I was nervous (as usual) was we went into the Dr.'s office and not ready to wait for 45  minutes to see him.  God must have known this because we only sat in the waiting room for about 10 minutes and when we went into the exam room the Dr. was already waiting for me!  They did the normal weight and blood pressure stuff and then he got the dreaded doppler out.  Now, for most, this is a joyous tool...not so for me.  I go into a cold sweat whenever I hear the word because I'm so freaked about not being able to find the heartbeat.  Again, God was right there and it took the Dr. not more than 2 seconds before he found a very loud, very strong heartbeat.  We listened for a few seconds and then we were done!  The whole appointment took about 10 minutes.  I think it's the fastest we have ever been in and out of the Dr.  

Our next appointment we will be on Sept. 4 to find out the sex of the baby!

You might be pregnant if...

These are just a few observations I've made in the last 13 weeks.  

You might be pregnant if...

...a good night sleep means that you only woke up twice to go to the bathroom instead of FIVE times.

...you can no longer stay awake through any hour long show.  Instead, you wake up at the end of the show to ask "what happened?"

...you take 5 naps a day but still end up asleep before 10pm at night.

...you can't go much longer than 20 minutes without thinking about what you will eat next.

...EVERYTHING seems to stink, even your husband's deodorant--these things in turn make you run to the bathroom.

...you go from happy and laughing to sobbing in a matter of two minutes.

...you can no longer look at a mom in the grocery store with a crying baby and think "thank goodness that's not me" because you know that in a few months, it probably will be you.

...it's normal to wake up at 3am hungry, 5am hungry, and finally grudgingly get up at or before 8am to satisfy the hunger.

...you think that saltines should be added to the food pyramid.

...you can plan out a 5 star meal that sounds so good when you start making it but after you've put forth the effort, you wonder why it sounded so good in the first place (at this point you're thankful that you have a husband who enjoys to eat).

...you think of upcoming holidays in terms of how big you will be at that point.

And though all of these things may not seem appealing, you know that in the end, it's all going to be worth it.  :)  Here's to 6 more months!

10 weeks, 5 days

Only about a week left of my first trimester! Woohoo!! I can't even begin to describe the excitement I feel about this. I'm ALMOST bouncing off the walls...except I can't bounce without getting sick so... :)

We went to the Dr. yesterday. I almost died in the waiting room (45 minutes...grrr). The appointment we had yesterday was literally the same appointment that we had back in November when we realized we had a miscarriage. We went in to hear the heartbeat, couldn't on the doppler, were sent to get an ultrasound and then we were told there was no heartbeat and we had miscarried. (that was the last one, not this one) This one we did backwards, ultrasound then Dr. So, as mentioned above, waited in the u/s waiting room for 45 minutes, scared to death...in fact my first words to the tech were "I'm really nervous, can we please get this over with?" To which she nervously laughed. Anyway, all said and done, we saw (and heard) a beautiful heartbeat and got some great pictures of the baby (which I'll post as soon as I can figure out how to use the scanner). The Dr. is very pleased with the progress, he says all things look good for a late January/early Feb delivery. The only odd thing is that the baby keeps measuring just a little off but the Dr. seems to think this is normal, so we're not worried.

Next appointment is on August 7 and it should just be a normal checkup. We're SO looking forward to the baby!

Let the blogging begin...

And we're back with a new blog. I was going to wait until my first trimester is over to start but we're getting mighty close and I just couldn't wait another second! Yes...we are indeed pregnant and are hoping that our little bean sticks this time so that come February 2nd or so we have a new member of the family.

This has been a very nerve wracking time for us...well for me, Mike seems to be very relaxed about it all (grrr). I do have a peace about this one and I do feel like it is God's time for us to start our family, but there's still a nagging piece of my brain that creeps in every once and a while to taunt me. Naturally, I'm still afraid of a miscarriage like with my first. I'm trying daily to pray my way through my fears knowing that God is ultimately in control and knows what is going on in my body. Phillipians 4:6, an old favorite is quickly becoming a new favorite for me as I try and recite it any time fear/anxiousness slips in. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Thank goodness I'm not the one in control of my life, right?

Anyway, the symptoms of this pregnancy are a lot worse than the last one. I have no cravings for food--just STRONG aversions. I am constantly hungry but when it comes time to eat I have to shove food down my throat because nothing seems appealing...or it may have seemed appealing when I started making it but by the time it hits my mouth I just can't seem to get it down. Some of the foods I really can't stand right now (and this changes every day it seems) are chicken breasts, turkey (cold cuts or otherwise), on occasion items with milk in it, and some kinds of cereal. Foods that are daily on the menu are saltines, saltines, and more saltines. :) Other symptoms include a nausia that seems to come and go all day long, my new found hobby of going to the bathroom (every 20 minutes it seems) and always needing a nap.

Our next Dr.'s appointment is on July 11 and I am daily...no...hourly praying that we can see our baby's beautiful heartbeat on the ultra sound monitor. This is the appointment I have feared since November when we first realized we lost our baby. I am trusting in faith that this baby is the one we will hold in our arms and only through prayer am I able to push aside my fears.

More updates to come! :)