July 22 Appointment

So, we went in for our routine check-up yesterday. Everything is going great! We were able to hear the heartbeat again, which made me feel so much better after our little dehydration scare last week. I just learned to carry a bottle of water with me at all times...and to not forget that I am still pregnant : )

Anyway, the heartbeat was 150 beats per minute, which doctor said is perfect...they like to see it anywhere from 120-160 so we were all happy about that. When listening to the heartbeat we kept hearing scratching noises and the doctor told us the baby was moving around and it makes that noise...that was so neat!

My weight gain is perfect too! Woohoo! The doctor said I'm right on schedule and am doing great...not overeating. : ) Too bad I'm still not craving just fruits and vegetables though...instead food doesn't even sound good. I eat right now because I know I'm supposed to. Oh well...I'm sure that will change soon enough like the other cravings have.

He did said I'm slightly anemic so had me start a daily iron tablet...I can manage that easily.

We are rolling right along and can hardly believe we are already into our 17th week! We go to find out if we're having a boy/girl on August 10th, just two and a half weeks, so stay posted!!!
Until then...I hope you are doing well and having a wonderful week!

Doctor's Appointment

So, I know I'm a little late but here I am...finally. : )

We had our doctor's appointment last Wednesday with the new docotor. I loved him! Jessy didn't get to come but when the doctor found the heartbeat on the dopplar he told me I should call my husband so he could hear. It was really sweet and Jessy was able to hear our little one.

I go back on July 22nd for another check-up. We find out whether it's a boy or girl on August 10th! We can hardly wait!

The appointment overall was very routine and everything looked and sounded good. The doctor did change my "official" due date to December 31st, after looking at my previous ultrasounds. He also gave me some migraine medicine since those starting coming on strong again.

I'll be 14 weeks Thursday so we are finally in the second trimester! I'm getting some energy back although I still need plenty of rest...just not 12 or more hours a night. : )

I think I am becoming a vegetarian though...I don't want meat at all...just fruits and veggies still.

Overall, things are going great! So excited about this whole process. The holidays are going to be even more exciting this year with the anticipation of what's to come.

Until next time, folks! I love ya!

10 week 5 day Ultrasound!

Hello Everyone! We went in for our final visit to the specialist today. Baby is doing wonderful! We were able to see him/her jumping and bouncing all around. It was very cute! The heartbeat was 164 and the doctor said that it is right where it should be and after looking at everything...he said, "It looks like you have a keeper!" : )

Our baby is finally really looking like a baby and we are just very thankful at how well things are going so far. We were able to "graduate" out of the specialty clinic and have been transferred back to the regular OB doctor. We go see him two weeks from today, on June 24th.

We probably won't have anymore ultrasound pictures until the "big one" at 18-20 weeks so we'll have to keep looking at these to see how cute the little person is. We'll find out if we have a boy or girl at that ultrasound though. I can hardly wait!

I'll keep you posted as the appointments carry on...I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Allergic Reaction

Okay, so for a little over a week now I've noticed that I'm getting whelps every time Jessy gives me the daily shot of progesterone. They started out small and have progressively gotten very large. He told me the nurse had said that was a normal reaction...I didn't remember hearing anything like that, but maybe I did and just didn't remember? I found out later she never said such a thing. : )

Anyway, this morning he gave me my normal shot and not 5 minutes later I was itching and showed Jessy this HUGE whelp right where my injection had been given!

I called the nurse and explained the situation and the doctor called me back and told me to stop the injections. Apparently, I'm not allergic to the progesterone (as it is a natural hormone produced in the body) but I am allergic to the oil it is in when I get the injections. I couldn't remember if the one we have right now is in peanut or sesame oil (I think it's sesame) but I am apparently allergic to one or the other.

I started getting hives on my arms and am scratching my entire body. The doctor told me to take Benadryl (which I just took!) and he also prescribed me a different kind of progesterone supplement for another week. It is glycerin based one so it shouldn't bother me.

I also just found out the weeks worth of "new" medicine is going to cost 98.00 more dollars! Err!! I just wish my body would produce what it's supposed to...how irritating. I guess the end result is well worth all the money now. I can't wait to see my baby!

So...Food Aversions Are Definitely Real!

A few weeks ago I had made a roast...yum, right? For me...not so much! What had once been one of my favorite meals quickly became something I couldn't tolerate the smell of and certainly didn't attempt to eat.

So, maybe I thought it was just a one time thing...I don't really know...but last night I decided to make, "No Peek Beef Tips" which is seasoned similar to the same way I do my roast. Except, when I awoke from my nap to the smell of cooking beef, (bleh!) I couldn't handle it. It literally made me want to throw up. I got up and was trying to figure out how to get through the rest of it's cooking time, but all I could do was sit there not feeling well.

I finally realized the only thing that sounded good to me was watermelon, so my wonderful husband got up and went to the store to get me some watermelon. When he came back home he was able to enjoy the meal that still turns my stomach. : )

Wow...pregnancy hormones really do mess with everything!! I can guarantee I won't be trying to cook beef anymore. Bring on the fruit though!!

8 week 5 day ultrasound!

Jessy and I went in for another ultrasound today and we have a new due date! January 1st, 2010! Everything looked wonderful and the baby had a heart rate of 168 beats per minute, which the doctor said was perfect! We got to see our little person move too!! That was the most incredible thing I've ever seen!

The doctor said it looks like the baby is sucking his thumb in this picture. hehe. I don't know that I can see that but I do see the little arms and legs and the baby looking at us. Too cute!

The doctor said we are "over achievers" and that he has never had a patient for less time than he's had me. lol. Jessy said it is good for our wallet because it was going to cost a fortune going to him, since insurance was covering absolutely nothing.

We only have one more visit, on June 10th, with Dr. Clisham, and then he'll refer me back to my regular OB doctor.

We will finish out the 16 days of medicine that we have left. It will have me taking them through 11 weeks exactly and he said that is fine. Originally, I would have stopped them at 10 weeks but he said just to finish out what we have, so I have an extra 7 days to take. Not bad at all.

So, to summarize, we are absolutely thrilled. I feel extremely blessed that everything is going like it's supposed to and I want to enjoy every moment of the pregnancy. I know God has had his hand on everything we have gone through and I have such a peace knowing that "nothing good or bad happens without first going through him." Our pastor says that all the time and I truly believe that God knows exactly what he is doing.

Anyway, I will try and post more often...everyone keeps telling me I need to. : )

Mommy and Daddy

So, Lori and I were reading over the past posts just cause our baby is 7 weeks old today (Happy Birthday!). We got to mine from the ultrasound and she read the line "...unique bonding experience." and completely disagreed. Apparently she doesn't think that shots=bonding! I guess I should go easy on her with that sharp, pointy needle. :)

Daddy's first post

Whew!

I didn't realize the emotions I would feel when I saw and heard our baby's heartbeat. That might be one of the most incredible experiences of my life (at least until I hear our schneckechen cry for the first time). I had to dry and wipe my eyes because I didn't want the tech to think I was a big baby. :)

Giving my wife a shot everyday has been such a unique bonding experience. It really makes me feel like I have a direct impact on the development of our little baby. I'm always a little nervous before I actually inject Lori, but once the needle goes in, and I begin to release the medicine, I get an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and expectation. I can't WAIT to meet our baby!

1st Ultrasound...

So...we are just having one baby! Yay! We were a week off on the due date so the new date is January 4, 2010! We could still possibly have a Christmas baby though...yikers!

We were able to hear and see the heartbeat and it was truly one of the coolest experiences ever! The heartbeat was 117 beats per minute and we were told that was, "very good."

The baby looks like a little blob with a tail right now...but it is our blob. : )

The doctor was very pleased with everything he saw and so were we!! The only "negative" thing is that I have an extra week of shots since we were a week ahead of ourselves but that is okay!! Really...I can take it if it means our little blob is growing into something more of a human. hehe.

Now...on to the sleep topic...I now realize what moms mean when they say that the first trimester is exhausting! I have literally been going to sleep by 7:00 or 8:00 every evening and sleeping the entire night. I do really good in the mornings but by mid-afternoon it is all I can do to stay awake. The nurse told us today she literally slept through her first three months and I am beginning to understand how that is possible. Sleep is about all I think about...I haven't even been watching my normal shows or doing anything in the evenings...that definitely proves I'm really, really, tired!! They told me to make sure I rest...especially while on the shots, so I really don't feel bad about sleeping so much...I realize that my body needs it. I will be ready to have my energy back again though.

Anyway, we go back two weeks from today, on May 27th, to have our next ultrasound. We'll stay with this fertility doctor until I reach 10 weeks and then he'll transfer me back to my regular doctor.

What a great start to the day! We'll keep you posted.

Slight change in plan...

So, yesterday I went in for more blood work to make sure everything is doing what it's supposed to do. The nurse called me a few hours later and said my HCG hormone looked really good but my progesterone level was dropping. It went from 20.7 to 11.8 in a weeks time. This made my heart sink, as our last pregnancy ended because of really low progesterone and an HCG level that wasn't rising. However, she told me that because my pregnancy hormone (HCG) was doing good, they could help my body with the progesterone.

Jessy and I had to go in so he could learn how to give me a shot every day (Yes! Every day!) until we are through the 10th week...she said this will supplement what my body isn't doing. The progesterone is the hormone that builds up the lining of the uterus (to hold the baby in) until the placenta takes over at 10 weeks. The nurse gave me the shot yesterday and Jessy did his first one today. I was so proud of him! I know it was difficult as he thought he was hurting me but I didn't even feel it. ;)

Anyway, I will take a shot every day if it means our baby is growing and healthy! I feel so blessed and thankful it is something that can be helped. I am so ready to be a mommy!!

We go back for our first ultrasound on Wednesday, May 13th! We can hardly wait! We are hoping to hear the heart beat at this visit!

We'll keep ya posted!!

The test doesn't lie...

... that’s what I’m learning anyway. Yes, we are in fact having a BABY!

35 weeks to go!



First of all, we are absolutely thrilled! We are finally going to be a mommy and daddy! Words cannot describe the joy we feel knowing we get to be parents. What an incredible blessing!

We want to create this blog since so many of our family and friends are so far away. We are going to post pregnancy pictures and ultrasounds for everyone to share in our joy and excitement!

So, here is our story...

Last Tuesday I came home from a doctor's visit and had to take a pregnancy test before starting some medicine. The test said negative. I started the medicine. I kept having a nagging feeling though that I shouldn't be taking it, so Friday afternoon rolled around and I came home from work and decided to take another test, just to cover my bases, and assure myself the medicine was okay. About 20 seconds passed before the screen proved that my intuition had been correct...thank God I responded and took the test!

I ran into the bedroom and was trying to decide how to tell Jessy...who wasn't home from work yet. I had bought a little Saint's onesie and some Saint's booties, the first time I was pregnant, because we were going to have a football baby...so I got those out and placed them on the bed (because we are still having a football baby!) with the test and tried to stay as calm as possible until he got home from work. I'll let him blog about how he found out and how he felt...

I went and had my lab drawn yesterday and all my pregnancy hormones are normal this time. Thank the Lord! Knowing that has really helped ease some of my nerves. I now understand what other pregnant woman mean when they say they just want a healthy baby. Now it is just a matter of waiting for our precious little one to grow and come out screaming. What a joyous moment that will be.

I go back next Monday...we will keep this updated with the latest and greatest of everything that involves our little Christmas miracle!