Tuesday, October 26, 2010

26 weeks!

How far along? 26 weeks

Baby's size? A big ol' eggplant!

Weight Gain?  Not sure, won't know until my next appointment.  Nov. 9

Maternity clothes? Had some delivered last night.  I realized a few days ago that we are going to Florida soon and I will have nothing to wear so I took advantage of some sales and now I have 1 swimsuit, three pairs of shorts and two t-shirts to wear for 9 days or so.  My cute hubby keeps telling me I can wear his old t-shirts the rest of the trip.  Nice.  Gosh forbid we want to go out for a nice dinner or something, which we usually do.  I won't know what to do. 

Sleep? This is literally a painful subject.  The muscles or tissue under my left shoulder blade feels as though it's torn or something.  I am going to look into a brace to help with the belly weight and am going to a bra shop to see if I can get a couple of supportive bras.  I talked to my Doctor's nurse and she said that unfortunately when women call in with these sorts of problems at this point in their pregnancy it typically just worsens.  The only thing she said I could do is take extra strength tylenol, apply wet heat like a hot wet towel or apply hot shower water to that area.  She also said that if I have an attentive hubby to have him rub that area.  *Eh hem*  Sorry, just clearing my throat.  :)  (Hi honey!)  Anyway, until I get this fixed I can't lay on either side so I am sleeping on my back and the weight of the baby and her movements really add up when laying on your back.  She's smashing all of my important inside stuff!

Food? Going well.  Loving pumpkin bread and pumpkin cheesecake this week.  Jamie and I made them both after cooking a fresh pumpkin.  We brought the cheesecake to our friends house for a birthday and he called it pumpkin cheesecrack!  It is simply AMAZING.  I hate cheesecake but this is so light and fluffy it hardly resembles cheesecake.  I'm eating a leftover piece now!  :)

Best moment this week? Anytime I feel movement!  I love it!

Movement? Lots!

Symptoms? Not really.

Gender? A beautiful little girl

What I miss? Nothing.

What I'm looking forward to? Jamie actually seeing Star move like I have a couple of times.

Weekly Wisdom: When you are at a loss for how to decorate ask yourself "What would Martha Do?"

Milestones:

Emotions:  Happy, I really feel like I am making a lot of progress in some areas in my life.  It feels really good.  I am fortunate that the parts of my life that mean the most to me are "10 out of 10's" (J, home, pregnancy).  J and home have always been "10 out of 10's" but it feels great to add pregnancy to that list. 

Misc.- I just want to say (and I know I have said it before) that I feel so honored to be pregnant.  I am amazed every time I feel Star move.  I often put both hands on my stomach to make sure I get the full effect of her movements and just smile in disbelief.  It's the sweetest most special experience I have had in my life so far.  I often feel like we chose Star by having In-vitro but that she also chose us being the only embryo to survive.  I thank my lucky stars for her.  I am so blessed.  I never take this pregnancy for granted.  I want to remember every second of this special time and as I have told J on beautiful days, "I wish I could put this day in my pocket so I could use it for later."  I feel the same way about being pregnant.  No matter what sleep I am losing, how uncomfortable I am...I want to remember every second and I wish I could put it in my pocket and open it up years from now because one day I know I will wish I could experience it again.  I am fortunate for the experience we went through to get pregnant.  I feel like it's allowing me to appreciate the gift I hold so much more than I would have before infertility.  I am so blessed.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

25 weeks

Feeling pretty good this week again minus the sleeping part.  Both of my shoulder blades hurt from laying on them night after night and I keep waking up on my back.  I'm so uncomfortable that I must roll on my back during what little sleep I do get.  Last night after two hours of switching sides I gave up and moved to the sofa.  I finally fell asleep there with Wilson right below me and woke up late for work.  Oh well, at least I got some sleep.  I have a feeling I am going to be sleeping on the sofa a lot more.  It's hard for me to get in and out of our bed multiple times a night and I can never seem to get comfortable anymore.  Of course, my immediate thought is to add more pillows.  I am going to try and put a flat pillow under my shoulders and see if that relieves some pressure and I am also going to look for a sleep bra.  My misery could be due to the fact that my chest isn't supported well laying on my side which is causing problems to my shoulders.

In other news, I passed my glucose test which I am happy about.

In the nursery department, this weekend I completed a crib skirt and two window valances.  I think I am happy with the outcome but I am my own worst critic.  The valances look very sweet.  The crib skirt I think needs to be widened an inch or so on each end.  I have so many projects going on though that I don't know if I will get to that.  I also need to spray adhesive on and glitter the 3D butterflies I purchased from Etsy for one of Star's walls.  I also need to paint animals and birds around the room to tie everything together.  I need to make a collage of wall pieces above the dresser.  We have a small shabby mirror from our old house, a large letter (symbolizing the first letter of her name), I made two pieces of art that I will have framed and I need to add a shelf or two.  We did purchase a lovely glider and ottoman from Treasure Rooms this weekend.  We had looked at PB Kids and Land of Nod but they wanted $1700.00 and $1200.00 for their gliders and ottomans.  I thought that Treasure Rooms would be even more outrageous but I was surprised.  We got both pieces in a washable white fabric we chose for $900.  J and I both agreed there was NO WAY we were purchasing one of those wood gliders with a cushion that are so popular.  I hate them and thankfully so does he.  This was the only real splurge we have made so far on the nursery and I think it will be worth it.  We chose white twill because we will be able to use it in another room in the house after the baby is done with it. 

One thing that I am loving is Jamie's interest in strollers.  When we go somewhere he likes to point out the different type of strollers we see and make observations.  While at Treasure Rooms on Saturday a couple purchased a City Mini stroller.   Jamie asked them why they chose that stroller and the pregnant momma reached down and lifted it with one arm while it collapsed and said "that's why."  and then she added "and a lot of celebrities have this stroller."  Okay, whatever.  The stroller looked interesting, we will probably check it out and they told us that Treasure Rooms accepts Babies R Us coupons.  So that is cool.  We can bring in a 20% off coupon.  When I got to work this morning J had forwarded me a notice about Graco recalling one line of their strollers.  I just love the fact that he is on stroller watch.

Baby girl is really moving this week.  Yesterday I told someone at work she is like a chihuahua inside a water balloon.  I swore I could feel her doing flips.  One thing that is FREAKING me out is the fact that I keep feeling taps on my lower back.  My co-workers with kids look at me like I am crazy when I ask them what that is and are like "duh, that's the baby."  I assure them it can't be, I'm feeling this on my back!  I suppose though, it must be the baby because what else can it be day after day but you would think I have intestines and stuff between the baby and my back!  The feeling is like a little child tapping you with their finger over and over multiple times a day. 

Jamie and I have been cooking up a storm and storing breads and soups for winter.  So far we have made banana bread, zucchini bread with chocolate chips, we made pumpkin bread last night with fresh pumpkin and we have also made chicken and dumplings, vegetarian chili, tortilla soup and I see buffalo chicken chili in our near future.  It was kind of like Little House on the Prairie Sunday.  I sewed at the dining room table while Pa (J) made chicken and dumplings.   He took an interest in learning how to make two of my soup recipes this fall so I have showed him and that little bugger made them as good if not BETTER than me!  Not fair!  Tortilla soup is still the clear favorite for me although Jamie ooh's and ahh's at 'his' chicken and dumplings!  Loving fall this year and am welcoming the cold weather.  I'm hot constantly and I sit at work with a fan on me for most of the day. 

Anyway,  I feel that my life is beginning to become balanced.  I don't feel I can ask for much more.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Dr. Appointment

I drank the ever so lovely Glucose drink yesterday.  It was gross, not nasty but gross.  A sugary watery drink with an after taste.  I chose the new fruit punch flavor and let me just tell you it didn't taste like fruit punch.  I gave blood and should find out in a couple of days what the results are.

J didn't make it on time for the appointment so I went in for the exam alone.  No biggie, I just hate for J to miss anything.  Dr. B listened to the heart and said it sounded great.  Looked at my blood pressure which was 110/60 I think and was pleased with that.  I gained two pounds in the last month.  He said my weight was excellent and he was very pleased with the amount I have gained so far which is 7 pounds total in almost 6 months.  I'm pleased with that too.  Me appetite isn't crazy at all.  I eat a lot of small snacks/meals but not excessive which surprises me based on all that I heard of pregnancy.  No cravings or anything of that sort.

My next visit I will get an RH- shot and I will be looking to get a flu shot in the next couple of days but really there is nothing else to add.  An easy non-eventful appointment.   

I got home after the appointment last night and J had cleaned the house and done all of the laundry.  That made my night and will make the weekend that much easier.  It takes a lot of energy to do all of the little things around the house I used to do, energy which I don't have too much of anymore.  Energy this weekend will be spent trimming Star's bathroom and sewing her crib skirt and curtains.  That's about all I've got!  Anyway, it was certainly a nice treat to come home to.  I love my J.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

24 weeks! Woot woot!

How far along? 24 weeks!

Baby's size? A papaya.  I have passed the stage of getting a new fruit every week.  Baby C has been the size of a papaya for a couple of weeks now. 

Weight Gain? I stepped on the scale last week at my ENT and was glad to learn I have gained only 7 pounds since starting IVF.

Maternity clothes? Yes.  I am trying to hold off on getting winter wear but it's coming.  I have fewer and fewer options and I am getting sick of seeing myself in the same 5 outfits every week.  I have only four pairs of pants so one day each week I have to rewear a pair I have previously worn. 

Sleep? I'm not getting good sleep at all.  I have tried repositioning my pillows, sleeping without my big pillow, turning it upside down, etc.  Nothing is working.  I think part of it is the fact that we have been sleeping with the windows open and I can hear traffic.  I told J this morning that I could count cars instead of sheep.

Food? Doing pretty well in this category.  I had a turkey burger right off of the grill last weekend and I ate half of it.  It dawned on me that the grilled food I had at Weber's Grill Restaurant in Chicago probably had liquid smoke on everything to give it more of a grilled taste.  The grilled turkey burgers J hand made were great as a matter of fact.

Best moment this week? Feeling Star move last night after not feeling her move for hours.  I was really worried at 10:00 last night when I hadn't felt her move since noon.  I played music for her, I drank grape juice.  She must have been sleeping but no feeling has ever been so comforting as her moving after that type of scare.  She moved all night long too but no complaints there.

Movement? All day, every day.  J felt her move again Sunday night.  Those are my favorite moments.  I also love to rub my belly and think of her. 

Symptoms? Nothing too bad.

Gender? A beautiful little girl.

What I miss? Nothing. 

What I'm looking forward to? Going to classes with Jamie.  We are both dreading taking time out of our schedules for it but I think it will really start to feel like the end is in sight when we attend our three classes.  J signed us up for breastfeeding basics, taking care of a newborn and childbirth classes.

Weekly Wisdom:  Opinions are like butts, everyone has one.

Milestones: Glucose test tomorrow.  Not sure that's a milestone but it's happening whether I like it or not.

What I love: Seeing Stars room come together.  J is so cute.  We will be sitting downstairs together and he'll look at me and say "Well, should we go up to Stars room and take a look?"  We both stop in there regularly to take a peek.  I've done it before work in the morning.  It just feels so good to see that room come to life.

Emotions:  I'm feeling pretty darn good.  I'm trying to live in the positive moments despite some of the craziness happening around me at this point.

Misc.- It hit me last night when I couldn't feel Star move how in love with her I am.  Sometimes it feels like it's all too good to be true.  I've never loved anything this much before.

Friday, October 8, 2010

I had no idea...

that round ligament pains would hurt so bad.  I had another visit from the ligament fairy the other night.  I laid in bed for a few minutes just trying to wait it out until the pain was so bad that I eventually had to get up and stretch it.  Stretching it doesn't make it go away but it feels better to do something rather than just lay there and take the pain.  It occured to me what a freak Michelle Duggar is while I was experiencing my round ligament pain.  You know....this lady...

I can't imagine being pregnant 19 times and experiencing round ligament pain 19 different pregnancies!  I mean I know all women are different and each pregnancy is different but holy buhjeezus!  If she experienced round ligament pain in 10 out of her pregnancies she is a certifiable wackadoodle!  I cursed her name while I stood there at the foot of my bed in agony.

Another thing I had no clue about were Braxton Hicks contractions.  So Wednesday night I am minding my own business, watching TV when all of a sudden I get this terrible cramping feeling on my right side.  At first I thought it was a freak pain but it grew more and more intense.  I noticed it but didn't think anything of it at first and then I started getting worried as I was home alone and had no idea what I was experiencing.  Thank goodness I had read about BH contractions that morning while sending J our 23 week update.  I was able to google it on my iphone while laying on the sofa and decided that my pain was similar enough to what I was reading that I didn't need to get worried.  Sure enough, after a couple different episodes they went away. 

My co-worker laughs at me when I ask her "why didn't anyone tell me?" and assures me there's a lot more that no one told me with an evil smile on her face.

Oh yes...and last night I did something to J I had been telling him I was going to do for sometime...I switched sides of the bed with him.  If I'm going to sleep on my left side then I want to see my alarm clock darnit!   The only way this is possible is to sleep on his side.  Plus, his side comes with one added benefit...it's closer to the bathroom.  YAY!  I made two trips to the bathroom last night and cherished the shorter journey.  I do hate that his side of the bed creeks and I will be looking into this but one added feature is that now when he steps out of his clothes and leaves them on the floor before getting into bed I won't see them every day like I did when they were on the other side...my new side.  Of course, this just means I have to walk to the other side of the bed now to pick up his clothes...oh the joy.  Good thing I like him...A LOT!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

23 Weeks!

I'm feeling great at 23 weeks.  I am enjoying sleep as of right now and even like sleeping on my side with my fortress of pillows.  Don't ask me what happens outside of my fortress because I can't see my alarm clock or my husband and most of the time I don't even know my 93 pound dog is in bed with me.  It's like Fort Knox!  My dizziness is finally gone!  I went to the ENT on Monday and found out that I had Benign Positional Vertigo in my right ear.  Basically we have crystals in our inner ear and the crystals in one ear were out of place so they did a quick treatment where they put them back in place by having me roll my head in specific ways and it's all better!  Who knew it was that easy!?!  Anyway I feel better and I am loving not losing my balance when I turn over, get up or look up.  That has made painting difficult! 

Last week we received the sweetest gift from J's Mom.  I tried to take pictures of the actual items but the light was too dim this morning so I am including stock photos.



These pictures don't do the items justice!  They are so adorable and our favorite items we have so far.  The onezie has Miss February in crystals.  Too cute. 

I read in Jenny McCarthy's book "Belly Laughs" that women gain super human strength in their 2nd trimester.  I must admit that I experienced that this weekend.  I have wanted to move a 9 drawer dresser from one guest room to the nursery for a few weeks now and Jamie has been insistent (considerate man that he is) that we wait for someone to help him with it since it's too heavy for me to lift.  Sunday I decided I had enough waiting.  I took all of the drawers out while Jamie was watching football and drug the dresser across the guest room, stood it on one end and drug it to the nursery ALL BY MYSELF!  HA!  I knew I wasn't doing anything that was too strenuous as I mostly drug it but gosh it feels good to have it in the nursery.  Another little piece of the nursery puzzle completed.  Now I just have to repaint it.  Blahhhhh...

Lastly, J and I went to see Michael Franti last night at the Pageant here in St. Louis.  We had dinner at Pi Pizza first and walked over for the concert.  It was a lot of fun and I just love Michael Franti's music.  He writes reggae type music and sings songs with political and uplifting messages that really make you think.  He played all three of my favorite songs so I couldn't ask for more.   One song is about taking advantage of today no matter what life throws your way, one song is about always being there for your best friend no matter what (loved bopping to this song with my bestie, Jamie) and another song about how the best things in life aren't things, they are living and breathing.  LOVE HIM!  It isn't every performer that invites people on stage and walks around the venue playing his guitar either.  He made it to the balcony at one point.  I just get the best sense of peace from this guy and his music is perfect chill out/tropical type music.  I hope star was dancing!

A couple of funny incidents happened last night at the concert.  As soon as MF took the stage everyone gathered in front of us.  We had claimed a space with stools with our friends.  Of course the only 8 foot tall guy (slight exaggeration but not much) in the house stood smack dab in front of me the whole time.  Usually when you see 8 foot tall people they realize they are tall so they A.) don't stand in front of people but behind and B.) they don't dance like freaks jumping up and down and waving their arms since they are 8 feet tall virtually making them 10 feet tall when you add the arms into the equation.  At one point the guy left to get a beer or something and I was able to see the stage again but that was it!  But the funniest part of our night was this girl who was in the same circle of friends as the tall guy...she was drunk.  So, I am sitting on a stool during the performance and in the first 5 minutes the girl is rubbing her butt against my knee while dancing.  At first I am like okay, no big deal she doesnt' realize what she's doing.  So a couple of minutes later, the girl is straddling my knee and I have no where to go I tap Jamie and show/tell him and he moves her forward.  She was definitely in my personal space and as weirded out by her as I was all I could do was laugh because what the heck did she think she was straddling?  My knee was up her butt!  A few minutes later MF asked people to raise their hands and her beer splashes on my face and in my hair so now I am getting annoyed and then the girl lost her balance and fell backwards on me.  J has always tended to be protective at concerts for some reason but I think the fact that I was pregnant and this lady was acting crazy bothered him more than usual.  So he stood in front of me for most of the concert to block her and occasionally we would laugh at her.  It didn't ruin my time, I enjoyed the music and swaying to the beats with Star and Jamie. 

All in all I am feeling great for 23 weeks and am looking forward to 24!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Update

So much to say, so much going on, both good and bad...mostly good though.  I had a long three day weekend, love those. 

Kicks-Thursday night Jamie and I were watching TV on the sofa and star was kicking a lot so I scooted down to his end of the sofa and told him he should try and feel her.  Sure enough, he felt two kicks from her.  It was amazing.  She would kick and he would look down at his hand and then at me and our eyes met in amazement and I said "that's her" with a smile.  A few minutes later the same events happened again.  We went to see a movie Saturday night and she kicked for the first half of the movie but J couldn't feel it, probably because I was sitting up instead of laying down.  She was kicking away at my Dr. appointment yesterday.  I was sitting in the waiting room of the ENT I was referred to and looking at facebook while resting my phone on my stomach when star kicked and my phone bounced.  It was so cool!  I love that she is getting stronger and stronger.  Little girl has some pep!

Miniature golf-One of our favorite things to do for fun is play miniature golf.  In past summers we have played 15 times total or so but over the last couple of summers we have only played a couple of times.  J and I like to place wagers like doing all of the laundry to get the game heated!  One summer we even decided we needed a championship round where we would play on a course we never played on before to determine who was the Champion.  We drove from Missouri to Illinois and played in Belleville.  It was neck and neck until the 18th hole when I said something about a snake just as J was about to put and I clenched the title!  Ha ha!  I still have the ball to this day!  Okay, so in the back of my mind I know I won because my man is definitely afraid of snakes but I had to do something, this was the championship!  But don't think for a second that cheating doesn't go both ways.  Our very first time playing in San Antonio J altered the score in his favor so I lost and after he admitted it, I won!  Anyway, we played a whole two times this summer and it appears that I have become worse and worse at our beloved game.  I don't remember the last time I won...don't tell J I am admitting that.  J kicked my butt at the beginning of the summer and then again Saturday night.  I was winning the first 9 holes and it was all down hill from there.  J won fair and square.  I suppose our next game will be in Naples this December while on vacation.  There are two courses we play at down there, one of them uses gallon sized paint cans for holes and Jamie lost at that one!  I had to laugh!  How can you miss a gallon size paint bucket hole?  :)

Shopping - Every weekend we do a little bit of sale shopping for Star.  We look for great prices on out of season merchandise.  We hit the mother load of all sales at Old Navy!  They had an extra 50% off of already reduced clearance items!  We had been there the weekend before and opted not to buy some items that were a little too expensive for our blood and went back this weekend and the same items were there but an extra 50% off!  We got probably 12 pieces of clothing for $15.  Score!  J said later on that he felt we were robbing them.  Too cute.  It's fun looking for deals together.  Jamie is coming around to a girl too.  We were at Macy's when I pointed something out for a boy and said "this would be so cute for a boy" and he said "boy's schmoys, girls are better."  Love that!  Anyway, we hit up many stores that night and left with a ton of clothes for $60.  It sounds like a lot but when you consider they go through a lot of clothes a day sometimes and grow like weeds it isn't that much really.  We still don't have enough night time items and have only purchased items 0-6 months so far. 

The nursery - It's coming along.  I came across vinyl wall decals for three trees at $89.00.  To save money I painted them myself by projecting the image from the internet on the wall, tracing and filling in the lines with paint.  I used paint colors from around our house because they are free and I wanted the room to fit in with the rest of the house.  For the paint colors I didn't own, such as the leaves I went to Lowe's and purchased $2 paint samples which provided more than enough paint to do the job.  I only purchased the white glitter for the birds and the 3d flowers making this a very affordable project.  For the white paint under the glitter I used trim paint we owned.  I painted leaves on the trees next and then attached 3D paper flowers and added glittery snow white birds on the branches.  Above the crib will be a clothes line connecting the two trees and Stars real name hanging from a clothes line.  I plan to add other white critters like cats, and rabbits around the nursery as well.  I ordered 20 3d white butterflies for above the changing table as well.  I can picture it and am thrilled with how it's turning out so far though I wanted to paint over it just a couple of days ago.  I hope she will love her room one day and I look forward to her pointing to the animals and naming them.  I have some artwork planned for picture frames as well.










So sweet.

For a little extra feel good music, Jamie and I are going to see Michael Franti tonight.  I first heard his music the day our first egg retrieval was scheduled and it really hit a place in my heart.  Now that I am pregnant it holds new meaning for me, I will write about the concert tomorrow.  I can't wait to listen to his music and I hope star can hear it too!