Almost 24 weeks update

24 weeks this Saturday! Here's what the calendar said! LOL

"Your baby's ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He's getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he'd be right back with that double cheeseburger and he's taking forever! He'll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he's been! So talk nice!"

22 weeks 2 days

The baby in the above picture was born at 21 weeks 6 days gestation and lived. So we are looking at a baby who is at least that large today!

I spent yesterday with the worst food poisoning of my life. I believe the runs to the bathroom could be timed at 15-20 minute intervals. I couldn't even keep water down. It was not fun.

No more Wendy's chicken nuggets for me for a while.

Mom and Chris arrive tomorrow night, so today is the last ditch effort preparations. Last few presents wrapped and beds made and vacuuming done. I still feel really woozy but I hope that I will feel a lot better by tomorrow.

Anyway, Christmas things call. Have wonderful holidays all!

The 20 week Acrobat!

If only I could describe to you the movement that I have been feeling lately. Little Miss's bones are hardening and she is starting to deliver some pretty good jabs. I like to think she's in there doing acrobatics, skipping over her umbilical cord or something. I've had a good few weeks, but I think all the preparation for Christmas is starting to wear me out. I've got some decent Maternity clothing now, but I need a few more shirts. We set up the crib and we are trying to decide what color and theme to do the room in.

Second trimester is kinda lame! lol Not much to write about really. I will try to update at least one more time before Christmas. Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday!

And we're having a...

Baby Girl #2 is on the way according to the technician that we worked with on Tuesday! We are super excited and I immediately went to Target and bought her first outfits. Well, the first outfits WE have bought anyway. I purchased them in 6 month size because most of the stuff out right now is Christmas themed and she won't be here till April. But the boots are cute!

*Looks over at the Names List* NOW the fun begins...

For record keeping sake, these were the names on the list up to the day we found out baby was a girl:

Girl:
Claudia
Eden
Ember
Lydia
Lillian
Malinda
Mina
Piper


Boy:
Asher
Gavin
Jude
Liam
Lucas

Boy or Girl?

I think I may be going mad. It is Thursday. We find out, hopefully, on Tuesday whether or not baby is a boy or a girl. I'm thinking blue, but you never know. I dug out some Christmas things the other day, and in amongst them was Madeline's very first Christmas dress. :)

Baby won't be here for this Christmas, but it's verified that I don't care whether it is a boy or a girl so long as it is healthy. I do think I'm going to have a panic attack though, just sitting about waiting and KNOWING that the scan is on Tuesday. It's worse than Christmas morning! All the suspense!

I'm definitely feeling little pops from baby now. Pretty much all week long. One or two taps every few hours or so. SO EXCITED!

17 weeks 2 days

So I'm pretty sure I can feel movement now. Last week it was pure Braxton Hicks and I felt SO beat up! This week it is perfect little jabs. Teeny little ones! I'm still not showing much, but it is starting to be a bit more obvious. It all depends on what I'm wearing and how bloated I feel. :P It is really hard to sleep now, hard to get comfortable. My dreams have been vivid and off the wall crazy. Most of them don't make any sense at all.

This past two weeks I have completed almost 85% of the extended family Christmas shopping, and wrapped everything as well. Today I put up the stockings and removed all the fall decorations and dusted everything. I put up the garland by the stairs too. Just enough to take my mind off the fact that we have our gender scan in 7 days!!!!

I am really tired now, I can't do as much shopping as I used to without wiping myself out. Madeline is sitting here splashing about in the tub, she is really excited about her new room in the basement and seems to not mind at all that she is "Giving Up" her own room for the baby.

Justin is in Oregon this week, but should be home all next week as it is Thanksgiving week. I will update you all on the gender once we find out!

16 weeks 1 day- Note to Baby

We had our 16 week checkup on Friday! Your heart rate is 145. Thanks kid! As far as the old wives tale goes, you're right on the cusp so we can not guess if you are a boy or a girl. We are super excited for the 23rd of November since that is when we have set our appointment to find out the gender. It will be wonderful to know before Christmas and be able to cash in on the Holiday sales for baby stuff. :)

The only day in the past two weeks I have thrown up was Friday. No idea what the cause was, all I had was a glass of water once I got out of bed. All things considered it has been a pretty great pregnancy so far. I have a lot of ligament pains in my stomach and hips now, but I'm still not showing all that much. Some days I'm showing more than others. So who knows when I will actually have to pack away the non-pregnancy clothes and head into the maternity section to shop again.

Last night we had some friends over to watch the Real Salt Lake vs Dallas Texas game, and afterward Shantelle Argyle had me tie my wedding ring to a string and hold it over my palm. Something about the way it moved indicated that you were a boy. So we will see I suppose. I'm just happy that you exist, and boy or girl I will love you for who you are.

15 weeks 3 days

We had a little gap between posts due to Halloween festivities and company coming over. Thankfully since about 13 weeks I have only been ill three times. Once at my own stupidity; coconut even in breakfast bars, is not such a good idea before noon!

This morning I thought I felt some decent movement, I had to lie on my stomach though, and baby did NOT like that at all.

Aside from those movements and the exhaustion I don't really feel pregnant this far along. Which is good for the most part, but I'm really paranoid when I'm pregnant, so I will feel much better when I can feel baby move all the time.

We have another doctor's appointment on Friday so I hope that it all goes well. We should find out the gender at the end of the month. I just kinda wish that it would all hurry up and baby would be here already. This waiting thing is a pain in the butt!

12 weeks 2 days

The weeks have started flying by, and it is just as well because the sooner I get a baby belly the sooner I can start buying baby things and cute maternity clothing! My appetite is back to some degree, and I managed to eat a proper breakfast, an entire french dip sandwich (HUGE was lunch and dinner) and a handful of evil EVIL tasty chips. Real fruit juice has recently become a dear friend to me.

Madeline and I wandered over to the University mall today just to look at everything, and ended up buying a Christmas tree! lol Not a huge one, but a little one about 4 feet high and thin as can be. Canadian Thanksgiving Day and I'm buying Christmas trees. lol

I've really wanted to start buying baby clothes the past two days. I find it mildly irritating that we have to wait till December to find out the gender of the baby. Then I find myself just being grateful for the technology we have, and the ABILITY in the first place to find out the gender.

We've added a few more names to the girl's list, but who knows. Heads up.

12 week appointment (11w 6d)

Today at 3:30 we went to the doctor's office for our 12 week appointment. Absolutely NOTHING more amazing than hearing baby's heartbeat!!! 158 beats per minute!!!

Now we're really getting excited! I have one more appointment and then near December we will find out if it is a boy or a girl.

Today I had a hamburger and a chicken burrito. They've stayed down so far. PLEASE let this be the start of a good trend!!

Hallelujah!!

11 weeks 4 days, and I have peen productive! Madeline and I ran down to Walmart to buy a canning set and I made fresh spaghetti sauce completely from the garden and pressure sealed the jars. 9 jars total of spaghetti sauce say I've been more productive today than I have been in MONTHS! My kitchen, upon writing this post from my cozy bed at 10:42 pm no longer looks like it has housed a large animal sacrifice (Tomatoes are REALLY messy). The whole house smelled awesome and I learned how to do something new.

I'm pretty tired now, but as it is almost 11pm I feel that I am justified in my exhaustion this time. I'm almost feeling like I am not pregnant at all today. Here's hoping that everything goes well at the next doctor's appointment and that I am in the clear for the most part from morning sickness.

Danielle showed up last night with a box of Preggie Pops for me. She has no idea how amazing she is. I'm so grateful for her and her knowledge of things that will help me combat the momentary nausea. They work SO well.

Can't wait to hear a heartbeat on Friday. Everyone please wish us (and the doppler) luck on finding it!

11 weeks

Today marks the eleventh week of pregnancy. I think that the nausea is passing now. My only real complaints are the exhaustion and this CRAPPY CRAPPY COLD/ALLERGIES/PREGNANCY RHINITIS. I honestly think I would feel better if I could breathe, and I'm pretty sure I've slept more of the past three days than anything. I hate feeling like a slug.

"Your little one is growing larger and larger as you continue your pregnancy week by week. By pregnancy week 11 your baby is big enough to hold in the palm of your hand. Your baby is about 1.6 inches long and weighs almost .25 of an ounce."

Today we took Madeline to Kangaroo Zoo with Shantelle and Brian and Abigail. It was a short visit, but it was fun. The hardest part for me is to remember to sit down. I'm starting to get ligament pains in my hips and it is very tiring to do a minimal amount of walking. I find that I have to carry small candies in my purse for moments where I feel light headed or start to feel acid reflux.

Justin has been awesome, bringing me liquids and not complaining too much about how tired I am. I don't know what I would do without his support, and I'm so glad that we get to have one more shot with a baby in the house. Madeline is going to be a great big sister!

Tiny Fingers- Online baby poem

Ten tiny fingers, that always want to play,

That never stop exploring that wonder of today,
Ten tiny fingers, that from the very start,
Will reach out for tomorrow yet always hold your heart.

Ten tiny fingers,
Ten tiny toes
Rosebud cheeks,
Cute button nose
Two tiny feet
That wave in the air
Two tiny hands
That tug at your hair
Cute bottom for patting
Adorable face
A bundle of joy
To love and embrace.

10 weeks 2 days (Into the Eleventh Week)

Into the Eleventh week ( 10 weeks 2 days). Most of the nausea has started to trickle away. I still find that there are moments where I may have to bail on whatever activity I am involved in at the time to go pay tribute to the porcelain gods though.

The baby weighs approximately 5 grams and is the size of a small plum. Feet are 2mm long. Neck is beginning to take shape. Body muscles are almost developed. Movement beginning. Ears and nose can be seen, or could if we had our own ultrasound machine. Probably the neatest: Fingerprints are already evident in the skin.

"This week is somewhat of a landmark for your developing baby. By now, your baby's complete body plan is laid down. Your baby will continue to develop and grow for the remainder of the pregnancy. The fingers and toes have separated and the tail has disappeared now. Your baby has taste and tooth buds at this point, which will continue to develop. The brain will continue to grow at an amazing rate and nearly a quarter of a million new neurons are produced every minute! The embryonic heart is completely developed. External genitalia are not apparent until next week, but a male's testes will already be producing testosterone.

Because you have high hormone levels at this time, you may notice an abundance of emotional and physical effects. Most pregnant women find themselves getting distressed easily and have frequent mood swings. Common physical changes include the beginning of real weight gain, potential softening of the gums and slightly swollen thyroid glands. Common emotional changes include feelings of unattractiveness, feelings of inadequacy and concerns about what the future holds. Some women are not excited about their pregnancy at first and question the condition. It is not uncommon to get upset easily, cry at the slightest things, feel moody or drift on daydreams. "

I got up this morning at 7:40am and took Madeline to school, came home, made hot chocolate for Justin and I and promptly went back to bed. It was either sleep or feel ill all morning. I choose sleep. :)

My jeans still fit, but they are just slightly uncomfortable now. Every day is different with swelling in my pelvic region. So we will see how long it takes to really have a baby bump!

Nine Weeks Two Days

For the past two days I have been given a reprieve from the overwhelming nausea of morning sickness (that is really all day sickness). I have moments where I think I might be feeling a bit off, but they tend to go away quickly. I have managed to eat decently, though the concept of meat still bothers me. I am really tired, and have a very mild headache. Last night I tossed and turned, and got no sleep at all.

Those symptoms aside, I don't particularly feel pregnant yet. I'm wearing pants that previously had not fit, as they were too small. I sat out in the front yard in the sunshine and read a book for a half hour and listened to the leaves blowing about in the breeze.

We're working on a "Short List" of baby names over to the right of this posting space. It has been interesting to hear what Madeline has wanted to name the new baby. If it is a girl she wants to name her Tessa or Rosie, and if it is a boy she wants to name him James.

While I don't mind Tessa, Rosie and James are not on my top priority list. lol

At any rate, stay tuned for changes to the list. We have a long way to go so I'm sure it will not look anything like it does right now by the end.

Lillian is top ranking girls name over Lydia and Malinda, Asher Liam and Lucas are in the running for a boy.

Week Nine Starts Soon!

Week 9 starts Saturday September 18th 2010. In celebration here's where baby should be at this stage!

Week 9: Baby's toes form

Fetal development seven weeks after conception

In the ninth week of pregnancy, or seven weeks after conception, your baby's arms grow, develop bones and bend at the elbows. Toes begin to form, and your baby's eyelids and ears continue developing.

By the end of this week, your baby may be close to 3/4 inch (18 to 22 millimeters) long.

Your baby, now the size of a green olive, has grown about an inch since last week. Tiny muscles are beginning to form, so while he might not be ready to pump iron, he's gearing up to move his arms and legs. It's still too soon to feel anything in your belly, but you might be able to hear something at your next checkup. Try listening for your baby's heartbeat via a Doppler device — that welcome sound should be audible anytime now.

Your Body in Week 9 of Pregnancy

Chances are you've never felt so tired in your life and for good reason: Your body is working overtime preparing for motherhood as it develops the placenta, your baby's lifeline. At the same time, your metabolism and hormone levels are surging, which triggers a decrease in blood sugar and blood pressure. The result of all this: pregnancy fatigue. Relief is around the corner as your energy level increases (and morning sickness decreases) over the next few weeks once placenta construction is completed.

The First Two Months of Pregnancy

Good grief am I starving! It's horrible, because I am so hungry but nothing sounds good. Nothing even sounds like it would stay down! I don't want fruit. I don't want meat, I don't want veggies and all grains/breads taste like sand. All liquids seem to turn to acid in my stomach, and let us not talk about dairy products!

I get a few hours of clarity, and a meal or two, and then I'm a zombie again or I'm wishing I had thrown a pillow and a blanket into the tub since I've been spending so much time in there.

I've thrown up very rarely, but the nausea is intense. I'm exhausted and achy, temper-mental and easily put to tears. I get blurred vision if I wear my contacts too long.

Since the 1oth of August or so, this is how I have felt. It's still so early, only 8 weeks 5 days tomorrow, and if it wasn't for these symptoms I would worry. So even if they do make me a complete monster, they comfort me a little. Pregnancy seems to cause paranoia too.

And once the day is done, I'm soon off to bed with a slice of bread and a half a Uni-Som tablet to stop the nausea so I can sleep. :P

Baby Number Two

There are few things in life more guaranteed to direct change than a baby. When we found out that we were going to be having our daughter Madeline, our entire outlook on life changed and it was terrifying and beautiful all in one go.

That said, we had a beautiful happy little girl with fair skin and dark hair that all fell out to be replaced with long blonde locks. Much to the surprise of both daddy, a redhead, and mommy, a brunette. Madeline Elaine, welcome to the world.

There is a lot of truth behind the statement that; "A child will change your life forever."

We learned how to change diapers and to hold her properly. We learned that babies cry a lot, need to be fed a lot, and are generally a lot of work. Mainly, we learned that we could share the responsibilities and that neither of us would get overly exhausted in this fashion.

In late August of 2010, our little girl was 6 years old. By this time we had been trying to conceive a second child for a year and two months with, to our knowledge, no results. I started feeling a bit ill, so we opted to take a test. Guess what? Two pink lines. We're having another baby!!



On September 10th, we arrived at our first doctor's appointment in Provo at 12:30. They do a thorough examination, and physically everything seems to check out. They take a urine sample and blood samples and send them off to the lab. Then Doctor Savage breaks out the Fetal Doppler and tries to find the heartbeat.

Guess what? No heartbeat. I panic. Justin is quiet.

So Doctor Savage schedules us for a viability ultrasound at Timpanogos Hospital in Orem Utah at 3:30 that afternoon.

We go home, have some lunch, most of which I can't eat for fear of throwing it all up. We wander over to Windsor School to get Madeline from first grade, and take her immediately over to Aunt Danielle and Uncle Jeremy's house so that we can go to our ultrasound.

We arrive and sit in a waiting area. We fill out paper work and head to another waiting area in Radiology. The technician is our age (27 or 28) and is incredibly nice. One swipe of the regular doppler style ultrasound wand and we decide that an internal ultrasound is probably the way to go. Hearts are racing. Including baby #2's!



I was so relieved that I wanted to cry. Justin sighed relief. We both stared at the screen in awe, just incredibly happy that we had a little "Jelly Bean Baby" as the technician called it with a heartbeat.

We thought up until this point that we were at least 10 weeks along. Ultrasound claimed 7 weeks 6 days. Due date April 23rd 2011.

Off we go, a picture of a round smudge with a beating heart on a print out as our prize.

Time to tell the family, and Big Sister Madeline!!