Pages

My photo
As of February 23, 2012, I have a very sweet, very cute little boy. Baby PGS is my world now.

Baby PGS tickers

Lilypie Second Birthday tickers Lilypie Breastfeeding tickers

Baby S. #2

Lilypie Maternity tickers

Thursday, October 27, 2011

if I could, then I would I'll go wherever you will go way up high or down low I'll go wherever you will go

It's Wednesday, you know what that means: weekly update! Baby S. is now at gestational age, 21 Weeks. And we found out on Monday that he is a boy and measuring large for his age. He's in the 65th percentile for weight. Maybe for height, too, but I don't remember the ultrasound tech saying anything about how long he measured. Oops.
The ticker isn't completely accurate since at 20w5d, Baby S. was measuring at 16oz. I keep telling him to slow down on his growth and be a little baby, lol. Sorry, no baby bump picture this week. Disappointing, I know... ;)

The awesome neighbors we have are moving this weekend. :( I'm hoping that we can continue to be friends with them. They are really nice and have the cutest little boy! Without them, we'd actually be needing so much more baby stuff. They've been so generous and given us so many things. I still think we need to something nice for them - I don't feel like the OSU football tickets were enough.

Again, I'm grateful for the baby growing inside me. But I hate being pregnant! I've never experienced heartburn before in my life! For the last few weeks, I've been having it on occasion. The first time, I was whining and complaining to my fiancé about the pain in my chest. And he laughed at me and told me it was heartburn. :( Well, how was I supposed to know?!? I'd managed to go 26 years of my life without having that experience before! If I never get heartburn again (once this pregnancy is over), I will be so happy!

Monday, October 24, 2011

if you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea I'll sail the world to find you if you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see I'll be the light to guide you

Today was the anatomy scan and we got to find out the sex of the baby, too. We're going to have a boy! It's exciting, but hasn't raised my excitement level like a girl would have. But to be honest, I was expecting to be told "boy" because I wanted to hear "girl" so badly. It's not that I had a strong feeling either way, I didn't.

As I mentioned already, today was a the big 20 week ultrasound. We heard Baby S.'s heartbeat. It keeps getting just a tiny bit slower than the previous HR. But still well within normal and healthy. But as he gets bigger, it should slow down. Still sounds like galloping horses though. :) We got seven stills from the u/s. That's very cool because this time around, he actually looks like a human being to me instead of a weird, parasitic lump in my uterus (my thoughts of earlier u/s like my 7w5d one). Being that the u/s was to check the anatomy of my developing fetus, I was paying attention as the tech did her job so I could kind of see what was going on. I caught the labels: cerebellum, stomach, RT kidney, LT kidney, [something to do with umbilical cord flow] and boy. Except for "boy," I was very happy to see those. It means the body parts that should be there, are there and he's healthy. The "boy" label was just fun. But...we did get some slightly bad news: his kidneys are dilated. Now for the upside of that news: kidney dilation is super common in boys and most babies outgrow it by birth. My doctor isn't worried, just wants to do another u/s in about 10 weeks to check up on him and make sure he's still healthy. So...yet another chance to "see" our baby before he is born and more importantly, I'm not worried.

So...I eat a lot. Like, a lot a lot, lol. So I feel very huge. I know that I'm not and every time I have an OB appointment, I expect the scale to give some ridiculously high number when I step on it. Fully clothed, I still haven't broken the number that scares me. Sorry, not sharing that. While, I'm much more comfortable in my own skin, I am not very comfortable with my actual weight. But anyway, I'm actually right on track for weight gain (according to this) - I am just slightly above the 25 lbs line, but still between the 25 lbs and 35lbs lines.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

can you meet me half way right at the boarderline that's where I'm gonna wait for you I'll be lookin out night n'day took my heart to the limit and this is where I'll stay I can't go any further than this I want you so bad it's my only wish

Do you know what today is? It's the start of Week 20!! That means I am halfway through this pregnancy! So exciting!! Four more weeks and then we make it to yet another awesome milestone (viability).

Not only is today a great day for Baby S and me, it was an awesome day for my fiancé and Baby S, too. We were lying in bed, just cuddling and I noticed that I could feel the little one moving around. And out of curiosity, my fiancé placed his hand where I said I was feeling movement and he could feel it, too! (Just check out the screenshot from his super excited facebook update. Keep in mind, he rarely updates facebook, so this must have been big to him.) I'm still excited about that five hours later, lol. You'd think that the first time I felt movement or the first ultrasound would have been the "this is real" moment for me, but nope, having someone else be able to feel something made it real for me. I think I can finally stop worrying so much that something terrible is going to go wrong.

The last thing I have to say today: it's totally time for some maternity pants. :( I can't wear my stretchy jeggings anymore. The waist band is killing me today. As soon as the dryer is done, I'm changing my pants into some comfy yoga pants.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

whatever road you may be on know you're never too far gone my love is there wherever you may be just remember that you will always be my baby

Today, I am just having a fun day posting about baby. No potential T.M.I. this time. ;)

But anyway, today is the start of Week 19. I am almost halfway there! Unless, I already hit the halfway mark and don't know it because my baby is impatient to meet all of us and will be born early. But honestly, as awesome as a shorter pregnancy would be, I'd much rather be miserable [potentially] for those last few weeks and have a healthy, full-term baby than to give birth earlier and have a pre-term baby. Here is the most recent belly picture (taken this morning):

I'm still not very big, but I definitely have a tummy. Most of the time, I'm okay with it and accepting. But some days, I just feel fat and unattractive. Woohoo for having a great guy who always makes me feel better about my looks though!

And now on to some silly quizzes that "predict" when labor will be and what it will be like...

Quiz #1:
Madame Zaritska, using her mystical powers, has the following prediction:
The day you deliver, outside will be rainy. Your baby will arrive in the middle of the night. After a labor lasting approximately 11 hours, your child, a girl, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 5 pounds, 10 ounces, and will be 20 inches long. This child will have medium brown eyes and a lot of auburn hair.

If I have a brown-eyed, red-head, then I apparently cheated on my fiance without knowing it. Everything else, I'm okay with, lol. Especially the tiny baby part!

Quiz #2:
Your labor prediction quiz results are below.....
I know you were hoping we weren't going to say this, but don't expect this baby to come early. Your baby is nice and comfy tucked away in your womb and has no interest in joining the rest of the world. We predict your baby will be born after its due date. Your baby will most likely be born in the morning. Justmommies predicts that your baby will weigh approximately 7.0 pounds and that your labor will be about 12 hours long.

And just for laughs...
As usual, if you're having a hard time seeing either picture, you can always click on it to enlarge in the same window. Or right-click on it to view it in a new tab. :)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

An open letter to the busybodies (a.k.a. Prego Ninja Police)

I did not write this. I was in an online community for women due in March 2012 and someone else posted this. She was also just copying and pasting. :)


Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women, as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, "surely she doesn't mean me," then you should probably read this twice.

1. The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you a jerk.

2. Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father, not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby."

3. On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in 2, the pregnancy, birth, and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it!

4. The body of a pregnant woman should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix, or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5. Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight. Ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!"

6. By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes. Nor do we need to know how badly you will feel for us because we will be pregnant during the summer and how glad you are that YOU will not be pregnant this coming summer.

7. There is a reason that tickets to Labor & Delivery are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL, or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents. You weren't invited to be there when the baby was created, you probably won't be invited to be there when it comes out either.

8. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital, and the parent's home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out." If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9. If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules, and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10. The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Sincerely,
All the Pregnant Women in the World

Monday, October 10, 2011

all I really want to do is all I really want to do is all I really want to do is love you and love you and love you

I'm excited!!! Friday, my mom and friend will be here to visit me (and my fiancé, too)!!

Within the last week or so, I started to be able to feel the baby "thumping" around on a fairly regular basis (here is the updated milestones page). It's a really weird feeling. Reassuring since I couldn't see spending the money on an at-home doppler so that we could hear the heartbeat whenever we wanted to try. According to a book that I was reading (or maybe it was just online at BabyCenter.com), it's not uncommon for a first-time mom (that's me!) not to feel fetal movements until Week 20 or 21. So I wasn't expecting to really notice any movement until the last week or so of October.

Two weeks from today, my fiancé and I find out if we're the parents of a little girl or a little boy. Sorry, my plan is to keep it secret until the baby gets here. Not sure if I can, but I plan on trying. :)

Seriously, I'm always hungry! I ate dinner around 6:30p because my fiancé got called into work tonight and had to leave at 7:30p. He told me to go to bed and not to wait up for him. But I have insomnia, and it's bad since becoming pregnant. Normally, it was something that bothered me every once in a while (this being maybe once every two weeks on average), but now it's almost every night. I'll be so exhausted when I try to go to bed, but as soon as the lights are out... I'm awake and ready to go. It sucks. But anyway, I was trying to say, we usually eat dinner kind of late - like 8:30, 9:00p - so that I'm not awake too much longer after eating dinner. I know it's not that great to eat and then lie down, but if I stay up for too long after dinner, I get hungry again. Usually I go to bed around 11:00p, which wouldn't be so bad if I could fall asleep right away. But because it takes so long to get comfortable and/or fall asleep, I end up falling asleep around 1:30, 2:00a. So of course, I don't get out of bed until late - like 11:00a or even later. :/ It's a vicious cycle.

*** POTENTIAL T.M.I. - Stop reading now if you don't want to see it ***



So now, I move on to the much more embarrassing aspects of pregnancy. Like peeing yourself and leaky nipples. :(

I have pretty bad allergies in the fall. Don't get me wrong, I have bad allergies all year long. They're just worse in the fall (my first allergy pill prescription was given in the fall because I couldn't take the crappy feeling anymore). Bad allergies = a lot of sneezing. A lot of sneezing = urine leakage with every sneeze. Therefore, bad allergies = peeing myself a few times each day. I am not amused with this newfound incontinence. I guess I can be thankful that it's barely anything, just a few drops at most. But without a panty liner, that's still call for an underwear change every time I sneeze. I mentioned this embarrassing aspect to my fiancé a few weeks ago when I noticed it and he jokingly offered to buy me some Depends. Gee, thanks, hun.

Last night is the first time that I noticed that my nipples are now leaking. I have no idea what it is, I'm assuming it's some kind of lubrication for the breast milk or it's colostrum. Either way, it grosses me out because I get stupid little, crusty spots on my pajama shirts (see below picture for the embarrassment, right-click on it to view image in a new tab if you want to see it better). Once I noticed it last night, I realized that it's happened before. I just didn't know that's what the spots on my shirt were because I'd been cleaning up in the kitchen and just assumed that I got something on me while cleaning. ::sigh:: The most embarrassing part of this story is how I reacted. I was in the bathroom after showering and noticed that my right nipple was a little weird looking, so I inspected it. When something came out, I screamed. My fiancé came into the bathroom to see what he needed to kill, because apparently I screamed like there was a spider or bug in the bathroom. When he realized what made me scream, he laughed at me and walked away.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

they say it's your birthday it's my birthday too yeah they say it's your birthday we're gonna have a good time

So...today is my 26th birthday and Week 18 of pregnancy.

Now that I have a date for the big ultrasound (the anatomy scan at 20 weeks), I'm excited to find out if we're having a boy or a girl. I know, I know...I was the one saying I didn't want to know, keep it a surprise. Now, it's just a test of how long can I keep it a secret from everyone else, lol. I can keep our baby's name a secret though. And I will.

Earlier this afternoon, I was standing in our driveway and noticed that my shadow no longer has a boobie bump, just a tummy bump - and this realization kind of made sad because I am still having some body image issues (kind of having a hard time embracing new pregnant body me). So I went inside and looked in the mirror...and yep, my tummy ever so slightly protrudes past my boobies now. Of course, I still can't see anything other than my boobies when I look down, but without a bra, that's a little different.

I'm not really having a great birthday. Don't get me wrong, I have 30+ posts on my facebook wall from friends (and family). Most of which are actually people I talk to and not just friends that I added because I know them and we get along but aren't close. I got a couple texts from friends and family, too. A card from my grandma and grandpa. And hugs and well wishes from my fiancé. And of course, the daily cuddling from Socks (my super affectionate male kitten). All of which sounds like a wonderful birthday. And I suppose to some, that is. But it's my first time having to celebrate my birthday all by myself. My fiancé really started his new job this week, so he's gone from about 5:30p to about 2:00a each night. Not such a big deal on the days he's doesn't have class because I still see him a little bit. But tomorrow, I'll be lucky if I see him for more than 60 minutes total.

Normally, not being able to do anything with my fiancé on my actual birthday wouldn't be a big deal because I have family and friends to do stuff with. And even though I've begun making some new friends here, it's not the same. So it hit me hard that I get to spend most of my birthday alone. Oh, well, on the bright side, my mom and friend will be here October 14th and we can celebrate my birthday on my "birthday." (The state of Ohio made me 10 days younger than I am when they printed my license originally.)