Telling Others - 10 Weeks

Week 10 (March 31, 2014)

Well, most everyone that needs to know knows now. I stressed out about this A LOT. A LOT. And now I feel like 1000 pounds has been lifted off my chest and shoulders. I even told work. Everyone is happy and so now I can be happy!!! I always was, but it’s hard when you’re not sure what reaction you’re going to get. I know. I worry WAY too much. Must fix this. I just don’t like hurting other’s feelings or making life more difficult for them.

Bump Bump

What I do know is that none of this will matter in five years so I have to LET IT GO.

One SUPER awesome thing about this week… Jackson is potty trained. What a stud. He is just pretty amazing. Everything I read said NOT to start potty-training during your first trimester because it’s a lot of work and can be exhausting. But I HAD to let Jackson take the lead. He was READY. And it really hasn’t been THAT bad. Yes, he peed on the floor, but that’s OK. He’s doing GREAT!

Symptoms

·         TIRED. I try to get a nap in on Fridays and the weekends. I don’t think I’m tired but I lay down and I’m out. That is NUTS to me. Even when I was SO tired with Jackson those first several months, I couldn’t just fall asleep for a nap.

·         I ended up getting Jackson’s cold. So I’m up during the night coughing and peeing a lot. Fun.  

·         Peeing a lot. SAME times during the night – 12:57, 1:57, 2:45…

·         Still nauseous here and there

·         Crazy hungry. Like I can eat as much as a 400 lb. man. It’s bad.

·         Up to 147 lbs. Pants are getting tight around the waste.

·         I did get SOME energy to the point where I worked out 2x last week!!! Went down to level 10 on stair stepper for 25 minutes. Shortly after getting done, I wanted to go to bed. So I think I pushed it a little too much.

·         Craving SALTY foods.

There you have it! 

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First Ultrasound - 9 Weeks

9 Weeks (March 20, 2014 - first day of SPRING)

We had our first ultrasound yesterday!!!!!! SO FUN! I forgot how awesome those are. Saw Baby K’s heart pumping and he/she was moving around – kicking those legs and arms. I melted and felt a HUGE sense of relief.

What we know:

• Baby K is measuring 9 weeks 5 days. I went in on 9 week 1 day. Due date is still October 21! My dad’s birthday!!!
• Baby K came from my right ovary
• My Uterus is tilted back
• Baby K’s heart rate was 179 bpm

I'm going to say girl. BUT, if we have a boy (and you are reading this some day), I LOVE you NO MATTER WHAT! I just want HEALTHY.

I loved our ultrasound technician because she was FULL of information. This ultrasound was first done outside my belly and then we finished it up inserting that huge rod thing up my woo-ha. So far, everything looks great. I was inspired to start working out, but then we got home and all I wanted to do was eat. I feel like a COW lately with as much food as I consume and how hungry I am all the time.

I woke up to Karl rubbing my back, which made me smile. I love this man. I love this life we have. 

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Waiting on the Ultrasound - Week 9

Week 9

Tomorrow is our ultrasound. YAY!!! I’m pretty excited about it. I think I’ll feel relief once I know everything looks OK and we can actually SEE the heartbeat. Our doctor told us that we’d have less than a 5% chance of miscarrying if we see the heartbeat. Praying for wonderful news.

I had to schedule for night so work doesn't get suspicious, even thought I think they are. The joys of working for a small company. Everyone needs to know where you're going at all times. 

My parents are up right now visiting and helping us out and Jackson has been really great with them. Usually when they come up, he’ll have a tooth coming through or he’s fighting some bug and isn’t in the best of moods. But he’s been super. I love it.

Ever since I switched all my vitamins to bedtime, I’ve been feeling SO much better. I’m not saying my energy levels are back, because they aren’t.  I have a hard time finding motivation or my drive. All I want to do is sleep or sit under a heavy blanket. It takes EVERYTHING to do laundry or to cook or to get out of the house. I’m trying. I am.

I woke up in complete fear the other morning. I was just thinking about how tired I was going to be with number two and how there won’t be naps like there was with Jackson. I’ll have to be entertaining Jackson, which I know I will want to do because I’ll feel bad my attention is on baby most of the time. 

How tired will I really be? Will I even be a nice person? Lots of fearful questions. 

I was starting to remember how much of a full-time job nursing was those first few months. That is ALL I did. And I remember the amount of FREEDOM I felt after 14 months. I’m scared.  

I can do this though because I’ve done it once before and it went really fast and for some reason I can’t remember HOW crazy things were. I’m sure I’ll be reminded very quickly.

Symptoms

·         A big bubble of something sits under my ribs. PAINFUL.

·         I pee a LOT at night.

·         I am HUNGRY a LOT and I eat a ton. When lunch time comes, watch out. It’s full on stuff my face time.

·         TIRED. TIRED. TIRED.

·         My skin is breaking out and greasy this time around.

·         Up to 147.5 lbs.

·         Have NOT worked out one bit. I chose sleep.

·         Nauseous every now and then. Nothing like week 7 though.

·         Crazy dreams at night.

·         My chest is growing. This did NOT happen with Jackson until after he was born.

·         My stomach is definitely thicker in the waste. 

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First Doctor's Appointment - 8 Weeks

8 Weeks

We had our first doctor appointment yesterday. It was fun seeing our favorite doctor. Felt like old times. He even met Jackson.

I thought for sure we’d get some kind of ultrasound. Nothing. Doctor said it’s still too early. He also said he gets mad when the call center schedules patients early. Thinks the first appointment should be around 10 weeks so everything can be done. Soooo, we go in next Wednesday for an ultrasound. I told him I’m nervous because so many people around me are having such a hard time. He told me that I don’t seem to have a hard time getting pregnant, so I shouldn’t worry. OK then. He is very matter of fact.  

I had blood work done and had to pee in a cup. My test results keep coming in. Everything is NORMAL. Even with those fabulous hives that popped up last week. I even had them do a thyroid test because I have been FREEZING cold, but NORMAL.

I have actually been feeling pretty good the past four days. Today my stomach is giving me some troubles but I keep eating, hoping that will help.  I started having REAL ginger ale every single day (the natural kind that has all the chunks swimming at the bottom). It seems to work. However, Jackson always wants some. I think I started a bad habit because he thinks it’s beer.

I also started oil pulling. I have no idea if this is doing anything, but I have read it helps and I haven’t felt as bad as I did last week yet (knock on wood).  

It has also gotten a little warmer outside and I have gone on a few walks. WOW. WOW. WOW. I totally feel like a new person. It has been WAY TOO LONG.

So that’s where we’re at. 

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All-Day Sickness in Full Effect (7 weeks)

7 weeks

Last week kicked my booty. Whoa. Morning sickness was an ALL DAY horribleness this time around. Ugh. I have no idea how I made it through work and reviews, but somehow I did. I wanted to cry.

When I got home, I’d sit on the couch and beg Karl to come home and fix dinner. We had soup and grilled cheese twice last week. J Thankfully Jackson was pretty good about mommy lying on the floor instead of busy in the kitchen because then he could play all around me. I just couldn’t do it. The smells were killing me. I had NO desire to eat or be around food. I felt like I had the flu!

Shortly after putting Jackson down for bed, I’d curl up in our bed and do whatever I could not to get sick.

Symptoms

•  Exhaustion took on an entire new level. I even laid down at work on a floor in an empty room and fell asleep.
• · I’d lay down when I put Jackson down for a nap and I’d be out cold for a solid hour and a half. Every time. It was crazy. That never happens.
• ·Nauseous.  Nauseous.  Nauseous.
• ·    I couldn’t eat or drink much of anything which made me feel WEAK and nauseous.
• ·    I woke up with hives. Bad. Huge welts all over my body and then my left eye swelled shut, my lips blew up and then my face. What on earth!?!?!? I itched everywhere.
• ·    When I realized I lost 3lbs, I ate A LOT. I knew I couldn’t mess around. And that meant BAD stuff because it’s all I actually wanted. We’re talking Arby’s, ice cream, pizza, cheese bread sticks, hot dogs, spaghetti O’s. Yeah. Stuff I rarely eat. Sorry baby.
• ·     I have been FREEZING. To the bone. Wearing three sweaters or sweatshirts at a time. And standing in front of a fireplace WITH a furry blanket and hot tea. NOTHING WORKS. FREEZING.  
• ·     I slept a lot. Could be the Benadryl. Or just me telling myself to let it all go and REST.
• ·     I now take my vitamins at night.
• ·     I’ve been throwing back a lot of natural ginger ale. All I know is the past two days have been really good! I woke up at 4 a.m. with a racing mind, I have more energy, I’m eating normal, I have my drive back. BUT that could all be different tomorrow! I know that.

Doctor appointment tomorrow! I’m nervous but excited. We’ll see how it all goes!

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Month in Review - 22.5 Months

Now Entering Crazy

After a super fun trip seeing my parents, "stuff" hit the fan. Ufdah! What a crazy couple of weeks. I also can't believe Jackson is going to be two next month! WHAT???

I whipped up some quick Valentine's Day cards for Jackson's daycare. I know he's there only two days a week, but I was mailed a list of kid's names from his class...and thought...UH-OH! Better get making those cards!

Remember when I said Jackson started feeling bad after visiting my parents? Got a call from daycare that he was NOT himself. Even in this photo he looks rough:( 

Got another call from Jackson's daycare that half the class had pneumonia. We took Jackson in. Sure enough. Pneumonia and his first ear infection. Was put on antibiotics immediately. It was a ROUGH 6 days. ROUGH. I was SO worried my dad would get it since we had just visited, especially after open heart surgery. No...he and Karl just got bronchitis. Oh man! Like I said, ROUGH 6 days!

Hey, what do you know? More SNOW! Late February snow. 

Jackson has been helping me pack up the house! That's what we've been doing with most our time. 

Jackson was VERY happy to see Uncle Mike who bought him the signature Sochi bear (hat) from the Sochi Olympics! So cool!

I've worked out all but once this month. That's it. *tear. tear* I miss it. 

A sweet Valentine made by Jackson at daycare. I love this stuff!

I won this for liking Mom's on the Run! Perfect since we're in the middle of a water drinking competition at work!

Look at my little guy wearing underwear!!!!!!!!

Look at these two cutie pies. Always an adventure at our house!

And then my face blew up. I had hives ALL OVER - eyes shut, lips blew up, face swelled. What a MESS. Took five days for it to go away. Doctor said stress. 

Cat and the Hat day at school!!! Jackson loved his nose!

Sweet little sleeper!

My creative artist

WENT SLIDING (not sledding) when it hit 43 degrees out in March! FINALLY!!!! We all got out and went on a long walk. SO NEEDED! 

Annnnnd more snow. Backyard of our NEW HOUSE!!!!!!!!!

Our lil Cat in the Hat ;) 

Ask Jackson where Jesus is, and he will tell you, "heart." I love this little guy so much. He kisses my moles. He gives me wedges when I crawl on the floor. He jumps on my head and then gives me a "saje" (massage). He begs for fruit snacks. He loves to have "the bunny" (me) chase him upstairs before his bath. He loves singing our evening prayer at meal time...

"Ohhhhh, the Lord's been good to me. And so I thank the Lord. For giving me the things I need the sun and the rain and the apple seed. The Lord's been good to me. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-men."

And he claps! He loves singing the alphabet and yelling "AND ME" at the end. And he will look through his baby photo album at least 10 times a day. I love love love love this little dude.

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Here We Go Again - Morning Sickness (Week 7)

Week 7

Darn. Morning sickness has arrived. I thought maybe this time around would be different. NO. The last two days have been tough. VERY hard to focus at work without wanting to either curl up in a ball and fall asleep in my car or visit the bathroom and hide in there. I’m trying to drink water. I’m trying to sip this mom-to-be tea, but I just feel gross.

Gross.

I sure do take for granted how healthy I feel day in and out, until I don’t.

I went back and looked at my Jackson baby blog. Looks like I was feeling off starting week 6 and week 7 was the magic week. By week 9, I was on and off every few days. I’ll take that. Just not every day, ALL DAY long. YUCK. I noticed with Jackson I was also getting a handful of headaches. Uh-oh. Is that’s what is next for me? I did stop drinking coffee. Sounds GROSS right now. Buh-bye caffeine.

This time around I’m getting terrible bubbles of something in my stomach that are floating up to my sternum. So painful. Maybe heartburn? Maybe gas bubbles? I don’t know. It hurts!

I just laid down on my tummy in the upstairs training room at work and could have easily fallen asleep. I’m counting the hours before I can get home. Maybe we can have leftovers and call it a night?

So tired.

So crabby.

And I woke up to two itchy elbows. They looked like a spider set up a dinner party. Bites, bumps and then some really big warm-to-the-touch raised bumps. Trying not to scratch. Not sure what this is about?

One more week until we see the doctor.

I can do this. I can do this. 

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