21 Weeks

Today, I am 21 Weeks pregnant!  (I'm starting to get really excited.  Now that I know it's a boy and am starting to feel the baby move, I can't wait until he's here!)

Last month I decided that it might be fun to take monthly pictures to see how much I'm growing.  The scales at the Dr's office say 6 pounds, but I feel like it's a lot more.  Until I took today's picture and then compared it to last month's I hadn't realized how much I had changed.

Here is a picture of me last month, 17 Weeks pregnant:

Here is today's picture:

How much bigger am I going to get over the next 19 Weeks?  

Amy 



Boy or Girl?

Yesterday morning, before the sun began to shine, LB and I began our trek to The City.  This was no ordinary trip to the city.  No, this was an exciting, very very exciting, trip to the city.  We were to find out if we were going to have a boy or girl.  Well, as you all know, we've received snow this last week here in our great state.  So, traveling to The city would be no trick until we got into The City where approximately a foot of snow had fallen and temperatures were still below freezing. 

We were over an hour into our journey, only 30 minutes from the Dr's office, when we got the call.  Pipes had burst in the building and our Ultra Sound appointment was canceled!  We were still to see our Dr. at 9:30, but that was still over two hours away. But, what were we going to do until then?  And how easily would we be able to get around especially since it began to snow again?  That's right, more snow.

Now, I live in Oklahoma, not New York City.  I have no desire to live in New York City, one of the reasons being, I don't like snow that much.  Or the cold for that matter.  Luckily we had other errands to run.  We took care of them and then headed to the Dr's office. 

Not having been able to have our Ultra Sound, our appointment with the Dr. was short.  She measured my abdomen, weighed me, and took my blood pressure.  All were fine.  As LB and I were getting ready to leave she popped her head back in and said "I just got a call from the imaging building.  The water is back on and they'll start seeing patients at noon.  Why don't yall head over there and see if they can work you in so you don't have to make another trip since you live so far away."

That idea sounded great to us.  If we didn't have to make another trip and take another day off work it would be worth the wait. 

We only had to wait about 30 minutes, before they called us back.  Yahoo! 

The ultra sound lady was really nice.  We told her we were hoping she could tell us what the sex of the baby was.  She said she would if the baby would cooperate.  I laid down on the bed and LB got comfortable in the chair.  She squeezed the cold gel on my belly and got the show on the road.  Baby Jones was not wanting to cooperate at first.  He/She was very wiggly. Once She/He calmed down, we saw the backbone, kidneys, stomach, hands, feet, and the cute little baby face.  We even saw a cute little baby yawn!

She worked for a long time taking pictures and measuring.  I was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to tell us the sex.  Then at the last second, she pulled up a picture of the baby we hadn't seen yet.  There was a leg and then another leg, and then right in between...

That's right, IT'S A BOY!!!

On Pregnancy

Today, I am officially 19 weeks pregnant!  Seven more days and I'll be halfway through.  Yay!

These last few weeks, I have learned some very interesting facts about pregnancy.  I have learned that no matter what you eat, throwing up is the worst thing in the world, stretch marks are ugly, and I am outgrowing my clothes faster than I can wear them out!

There is one more thing that I have learned, and I have decided that it is the worst side effect I have so far experienced:  Loss of Bladder Control.

Yes, you read me right.

I am sure that those of you who already have children understand what I'm talking about.  And for those of you who don't have children yet, just get ready!

Let me explain...

Getting ready in the morning takes twice as long.  I seem to always be OK until I get my shower taken and my teeth brushed.  Then, everything that was still in my stomach from the night before decides that it would like to relocate itself.  And as I have stated before I have no bladder control, so the inevitable happens; I pee my pants.  This means I have to take another shower and brush my teeth again.  If I could just make myself throw up before I take my first shower and brush my teeth, my problems would be solved.

I have also discovered that sneezing brings on the same effects.  As does laughing real hard or coughing!

I just hope that this is not a preview of what I'm going to experience once I get old. 

What we mothers do for our children!

Amy

An Amazing Feeling!

I am now finishing up my 18th week of pregnancy!  And for the last week and a half to two weeks I have been feeling strange things inside my abdomen.

It's definately not what I thought it would be.  The thumps and bumps are only occasional, and once I figured out which ones were made by gas and which ones were made by baby, I have started to actually feel better.  Not better as in health wise, better as in sort of relief. 

It's a wonderful feeling!  I hope everyone (females of course) gets to experience it in their lifetime.

It's still early enough in my pregnancy that I don't feel it every day and only very quickly when I do.  Most usually when I'm relaxed and sitting still.  Sometimes I find my self concentrating on my abdomen waiting for the quick little nudge just so I can have the joy of feeling it again.  But, when I concentrate too much I usually end up feeling my heart beating and then I can't feel anything else. 

How precious the few seconds a day are when I feel the thumps!

Morning Sickness

After 14 weeks of pregnancy, I have a new appreciation for my parents.  How many times did I throw up without being able to make it to the bathroom? 

I fortunately have made it to the bathroom or the side of the road every time!

I have also given this lots of thought, and I have decided that the person that named it "Morning Sickness" must have been  a man.  And he probably thought it was really funny!

Well, let me just tell you, what I have been having is far from "Morning" sickness. 

What I've been experiencing should be called "Anytime Sickness".  Morning, noon, night, driving down the highway, while eating thanksgiving dinner, while playing handbells in a Christmas special, and the list goes on and on...

Fortunately, it is easing up. Yay!  So, maybe in the next few weeks I'll be over my anytime sickness. 

Let's just keep our fingers crossed!

Amy

Confessions

I know!

It's been 24 days since I've posted a blog.

I do have an excuse.

I'm not sure how good an excuse it is; I mean it's a great one to me, but you might not think so.

Anyway...

As to my excuse:  I'M TIRED!!!

I am so tired,  It's a tired I have never experienced before and don't even know how to describe.

Not all of you know this, but I got a job.  In mid September I was hired as an Aide for the Pre-K at our local public school.  I know I used to work at a school before I moved last spring, but I worked in a Library.  I didn't have to chase around 50 four-year-olds!

Then, to top it off, two weeks after I started the job, LB and I found out that I'm pregnant!

Yes!  You read it right!  I'm going to have a baby!  Does this explain why I'M TIRED?

So, for the past few weeks, I've been going to work, wrangling 25 kids, going home for lunch and taking a nap, going back to work, wrangling another 25 kids, coming home, taking a nap, waking up to cook supper and hopefully not throw up, then laying on the couch and take another nap, then ironing clothes for the next day, and finally going to bed!

I wanted to tell all you as soon as I found out, but given my past experiences, I was afraid to say anything too soon.  LB and I have been making weekly visits to the fertility specialist in the City for the past 4 weeks.  This last week, my doctor released me from her care to continue the rest of my pregnancy with my regular OB doctor!  Yay!  So, as far as the doctor is concerned I am well on my way to a healthy 9 month pregnancy!

Although I have good news from the doctor, I still covet your prayers!  Please remember me during your quite time!

I'll keep you posted!

Amy

My Journey To Motherhood: Part 1 -1

If you have not read THIS POST please do so before continuing.

     "I'm not finding a heartbeat."

     This one single phrase, spoken only hours before, was still ringing in my ears as if I was hearing it for the first time. 

     Today was supposed to be marked as one of the most exciting days of my life; but instead the dream that I'd had of becoming a mother since I was a little girl was shattered with one simple phrase.

     That morning had been filled with excitement as LB and I, my husband of four years, had gotten up and prepared for the day.  Our appointment was at 10:00 and we were to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time.  For nine weeks now, I had been taking extra care with everything I had done and eaten.  I weighed everything with the possible effects it could have on my unborn child.  I had read everything I could find on pregnancy so that I could be one hundred percent prepared for everything that was to happen over the next nine months.  I wanted to do everything within my power to protect that baby; keep it safe.

     The hour and a half drive to the Dr.'s office seemed to only take half the time.  The conversation was light and cheerie filled with pauses, here and there, so we could sing along with the radio as our favorite songs were aired.  We were excited!  We had been preparing for a family for months, once it finally arrived we had been to excited to keep it a secret and by five weeks we were so near bursting that we told both families of the upcoming new addition.  And now both families were at home waiting.  Waiting to hear about the baby and see the first picture.

     The wait at the Dr.'s office was short.  LB sat in the small examination room as the chatty nurse conducted the dreadful weigh in and collectted a urine sample.  Then came the time for all those unavoidable pesky questions:  "When was the first day of your last menstral period?"  "Has anyone in your family ever had a miscarriage?"  "Does anyone in your family have a birthdefect?"  "Are you taking any kind of prenatal supplement?"  Once the nurse had collected my life story she handed it over to the Dr. so she could get down to the important stuff.

     "Well, Amy, you are in good health and I don't see anything in your health history that concerns me.  Let's do a pelvic exam and then I'll bring in the ultrasound machine."  Dr. Bishop said with shared excitement.  As Dr. Bishop left the room to get the ultrasound machine, LB moved to my other side so he could view the monitor.  My heart began to beat hard.  This was the moment.  The moment that we were going to get to see the heartbeat of the baby we had created.  The baby that I had cared for, thought about, planned for and protected for nine weeks.

     Dr. Bishop squeezed a generous helping of the cold ultrasound gel onto my pudgy belly. I waited anxiously to see the monitor as the Dr. moved the wand across my tummy.  Dr. Bishop studied the screen for a long time knitting her eyebrows together with a look of concern.  That's when she looked at us both and said:  "I'm not finding a heartbeat."

My Journey To Motherhood

I have a story. 

Some of you know it, some of you don't.

I have thought long and hard, and I've prayed; and I believe this is  a story that is to be shared. 

If I tell my story, and there is only one person that is helped, then I've accomplished what God has wanted me to do.

I am 28 years old and have had two miscarriages.  Both were within six months of each other, the first in August 2008 the second in February 2009.  I had lots of struggles and emotional stress.  (Who wouldn't?)  But, when I needed something to help me along, all I could find was people telling me about others they knew who had had miscarriages and still had children later; or information about all the possible causes of a miscarriage.  But, I never once found anything that would prepare me for how I would feel after having one.  Nothing ever can prepare you for an experience like that.  And I needed someone to tell me:  "It's OK to feel that way."  "You're going to have these feelings...."

After lots of consideration, I have decided to write my story.  I do want to mention first off, what I experienced was by far not the worst thing that could have happened.  I know there are lots of people who have had worse experiences than I have, when it comes to miscarriages.  I also know that there are lots of people who have tried and never been able to have children.  And that there are lots of people still trying.  I'm not trying to downplay anything anybody has gone through.  I'm just trying to do what I can by sharing my story. 

For those of you who have friends who are experiencing some of these  trials, please feel free to send them here.  And for those of you who are male, this is your warning, feel free to read, but I might talk about stuff you may not want to hear. 

I have decided to post a series of blogs titled "My Journey To Motherhood".  There will be two parts:  Part 1 - This will cover my first two miscarriages and their aftermath.  Part 2 - This will cover anything in the present (meaning as soon as I find out I'm pregnant, I'll start part 2)

I can't tell you how often I'll post under this heading, because I'm just going to write as I feel the urge, but I will post as often as I can.

My thoughts and prayers are with you who have had or are going through anything like the above. 

Your Friend Amy