Spoke too soon

I have a habit of doing that...speaking too soon. Apparently, the little one read my post the other day and decided to crank up the pregnancy symptoms, just to say...."hey Mom, I'm still here, don't worry."

Yesterday, the symptoms came back in full force. Nausea in the morning (my kinda light nausea, not really naucious), frequent peeing all day (and I mean at least once every half hour, how irratating), super thirsty always (which didn't helpt the frequent peeing), and those headaches! Bleh, I do not like the headaches. I haven't had them often, but I had them yesterday afternoon and evening and it hurt. I was trying to troop it yesterday because I was at a party with the DH and had big plans to meet up with some of my girlfriends at a bar to watch a band play afterwards. But as the night progressed, my body got more and more exhausted and the headaches were not helping. Eventually, it got to the point where my body kinda wanted to shut down and it hurt to even smile and talk. I thought, there's no way I'm going to make it to meet up with my girlfriends after this party. So, I flaked out and pooped out and went home. DH was disappointed because he was looking forward to staying out (he had had a few beers at the party and was feeling good, but he's a team player and understood). This is the first time I've ever tried pulling a full night of hanging out and going out (usually, I'm at home with the hubsters), and this is the first time my body said, "uh-uh, no ways, you're going home to sleep." It was a little daunting (I'm liking that phrase recently, huh?) I thought, wow, if I'm this tired with the baby in my belly, imagine how tired I'm going to be when he or she comes out? Yikes!

Got another full day ahead today - wedding & reception! But I love those things, so I'm hoping the body will cooperate today. lol.

Symptoms fading

I'm 12weeks 5 days pregnant today. As I enter into the 2nd trimester (whether it be 12 weeks or 13 weeks) I'm finding that what little pregnancy symptoms I had are fading. I no longer have to pee every hour or even have to get up in the middle of the night to pee. While my boobs are still bigger, they're not super sore like before, and even though I really didn't have much nausea, the little that I did have is non-existent. I dont have headaches, I dont feel constipated, I dont have any strong cravings, I'm not as ravenously hungry as before, I'm not really fatigued, and I'm not even that gassy. It's kinda weird, it almost feels like I'm not pregnant, except I have a little belly pooch (which is so not sexy) and the occasional cramp (which is supposed to be the uterus growing). But even though all the pregnancy books and websites say this is completely normal at this time in the pregnancy, it's a little daunting to feel not pregnant. I keep thinking to myself, am I sure I'm pregnant? Is there really someone inside of me who's heart is still beating away? Of course there is and I must only believe and keep the faith that there is and everything is going fine. It's just so weird to not feel pregnant and not look pregnant (just fat) and actually be pregnant. You'd think there'd be more to it than this.

I have a feeling I'll be eating my words in a few months, when I'm complaining about how uncomfortable I am, but for right now, I feel normal.

12 week belly picture

Ok gang, here's my 12 week belly picture.
In my mind, I want to say I'm done with the first trimester, but apparently, most books I have count the end of the first trimester at the end of this pregnancy week, when you're 13 weeks pregnant. Whatever. I'm just so happy I'm here. It's awesome!! Now, on to the next milestone: Having a great u/s on June 16 and a perfectly healthy baby on July 7.

Now, dont let the picture fool you. I'm getting very big. Yesterday, I went maternity clothes shopping for the first time (the last time I bought maternity clothes on vacation, I wasn't intending to buy them, I just stumbled upon a great deal and had to buy them...I'm glad I did b/c I wore one of the shorts yesterday). I wasn't very satisfied with what I saw though, because I'm generally too small for most maternity clothes, but too big for much of my regular clothes. I settled with buying a couple tops from a regular favorite clothing store that are more loose fitting, but which can be worn even when I'm not pregnant. Of course this method of shopping wont last me throughout the whole pregnancy, but I'm glad that it should last for a couple more months and I can wear the clothes after I'm done being pregnant. Another "new thing" for me that happened this weekend was that when I was shopping in the maternity store, the sales lady called me "mom" when she asked how I was doing. I almost didn't turn around b/c I had no idea she was talking to me. lol. I guess I better get used to that name.

Ok, here's the frontal belly view -- and let me warn you...it's not pretty (I'm huge!) (Yeah, I know, wait till I'm 8 months, then I'll be huge......).
These pictures have been added to my side bar flickr.

Also, I'm finally at a place where I'm comfortable telling friends I'm pregnant. A friend of mine called me for professional advice this weekend, and I told her I was pregnant. DH announced my pregnancy to his group of friends and a couple of our neighbors while they were watching the UFC fights this past weekend. Their reaction was great. My neighbors were surprised b/c we hadn't mentioned it to them. However, they were very happy because they all have children and have been bugging us to no end about when we were going to have kids. (They had no idea of our prior two MCs). The rest of the gang was really congratulatory.

I'm really liking this pregnancy thing...though I admit, its a little daunting to think of raising and caring for another human being in a few months. That's a big responsibility. I also need some getting used to having a bigger belly. I admit, I'm one of those people who frets constantly about my weight, so it's a little uncomfortable (psychologically) for me to be gaining so much weight. But as the pregnancy books say, I should be gaining weight and I need to embrace my new pregnant body...so I'm trying. I just hope that I'm gaining more baby weight than fat weight and that I'm able to lose this weight easily after the pregnancy.

NP Wonderful's email and her response

Just had to share the following email exchange.

My email to her:

[NP Wonderful], I just wanted to express my gratitude for your wonderful presence and assistance at my 2nd prental appointment with you yesterday. You did and said a lot of things (including finding that baby's heartbeat at the beginning of the appointment) that really put my mind at ease and made this appt. very enjoyable for myself and my husband. I could not stop raving about your wonderful bedside manners to my friends and family. Please know that the little things that you did for me really made a difference and did not go unnoticed. [Thank you]!

Her response back:

[B MoM], Thank you for your kind words! I cannot imagine the stress and anxiety you both had prior to the appointment and let's face it, until we heard the heart beat we were all worrierd about another miscarriage.So glad things are going well this pregnancy!Take care, it is my pleasure to be a part of your health care team! [Sincerely], [NP Wonderful].

In other news, I've got my next two PNA's lined up. My 3rd PNA is on June 16 with Dr. M and I should be getting another extra u/s. woohooo! My 4th PNA is A BIGGIE and will be on July 7 where we'll find out the gender of the baby. I'm thinking of having a gender reveal party to both learn and reveal the baby's gender with friends and family...but when I mentioned it to DH he thought it may be too much work and wasn't sure if any of his friends would be into something like that. I thought we could just call it a BBQ to his friends. We'll talk more because he had to rush off to work. We'll see, I've always wanted to do a gender reveal party and I think it'll be fun for our first baby...

And I've finally decided to share the existence of this blog with some IRL friends, my close group of friends, called the pho 5. If you're reading, welcome!! You guys are the first group of friends IRL (in real life...there's a lot of abbreviation lingo used in this blog, if you get confused, email me and I'll tell you what the letters mean) that are reading this blog.
This blog's a little "bare-ing" (where I bare my soul), but I think it'll be nice to share with you all.

Told my bosses at work...

Technically, I have 12 bosses...but I told the two of them that I work for the most this morning of my pregnancy. Whew! What a relief. Their responses were very supportive. I was worried about telling them because my co-worker (who is the only other person who has the same job responsibilities as me at this firm) is also pregnant and due late October or early November. She's planning to take 5 months off from work (like she did for her first baby) so she'll be out while I'm due and when I'll be on maternity leave. With both of us gone, we sort of leave our bosses in a crunch, so needless to say, I was worried about the bosses reaction to my news. Especially since before they knew about my pregnancy they had commented on more than one occassion that they were thankful to have me around while my co-worker would be out on maternity leave.

But, when I shared the news, they were very happy and congratulatory. I did present my news with the accompanying explaination that I knew the timing wasn't the most convenient, but unlike my coworker, I only planned to take approximately three months off from work (we dont get paid while on maternity leave other then receiving TDI benefits which are not very much and last for only 6 weeks and I do not have the financial cushion that my co-worker apparantly has). I also stated that I hoped that even before I came back full time from maternity leave, I hoped that we could work out some type of routine where I would work partime from home or come into the office for very brief periods when my husband is off from work (which is every other day for him). The bosses were very pleased with my suggestion but we both decided to think more on the idea and to "see how it goes" because they understood that the partime situation may not work out for one or both of us. And one of the bosses agreed to let the other 10 bosses know about my news in their monthly meeting, so I wouldn't have to go around knocking on each of their doors to share the news.

I'm so happy to be "out" with the news. I really feel like I can start celebrating this pregnancy. I know, we're not out of the woods yet, but I'm just really feeling like things are going to be ok. =)

Second Prenatal Appt went GREAT!!!

Get settled in..this is long:

My 2nd PNA (prenatal appt...the words are too long..I'm starting my own abbreviation) was AWESOME! A large part of that fact was due to the WONDERFUL Nurse Practitioner I saw. I knew she was great as I had seen her before, but she is just spectacular. I'm sending her an email after I post this blog post, just to thank her. So here's the lowdown:

DH was able to meet me at the doctor's office. His captain let him off. =)

We go in and my blood pressure is taken, my weight is taken (ugh, gained about 5 lbs...bleh, a lot of it due to vacation overeating, I'm sure. I resolve to get on the ball with eating healthy and exercising to maintain a healthy weight). I also have to pee in a cup.

Then I go into the exam room, change and DH is allowed in. Then very quickly (usually I have to wait for the darn doctor for quite a while in the exam room before I'm seen) NP WONDERFUL comes in. She asks how I'm doing and if I have had any problems. I say something along the lines of, "I'm good and not having any problems - that I know of." She knows about my prior history and says she understands, so she pulls out the little hand doppler monitor thingy and says, "Let's just get this out of the way. We'll look for the baby's heartbeat so you can relax and enjoy the rest of the visit." I'm eternally greatful for this!! She warns that because the baby is still small, it may be difficult to find the heartbeat and if we dont find it, we can do other things to hear it. I say that I was warned early that day with a co-worker who said at her 12 week visit her doctor couldn't find the heartbeat, but later found it on the vaginal u/s.

So NP Wonderful gels up that little black device and applies it to my pelvis. We start looking and listening....I swear, 15-20 seconds go by and we dont hear anything. A million thoughts race through my mind. At one point, I think she'll find something on the left side of my pelvis, b/c that's where I've been feeling a little crampy and feel as if my tummy is poking out more on that side and assume the baby is..but nope, not there. Another thought, ...oh no, not again... Another thought, Be patient, she'll find it.... But then, (with the wand on the right side of my pelvis -not the left, like I thought) she smiles and says, "there, do you hear it?" I respond with relief, "Good, you can hear it? I cant really hear anything." So she turns up the volume and there it is....the whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of the little baby's HEARTBEAT!!! I'm so ecstatic. I thank God out loud. I turn to my DH and I smile and I giggle and say, "There's a heartbeat! There's a little baby inside of me!" I ask to hear it again, but because I'm giggling and talking she smiles and says, "Mom has to keep still." So I sit as still as I can, and we hear that wonderful sound again!!! (this must be the best part of being an OB or NP, seeing a relieved expectant parent's smile at the wonder of their growing child). She continues to listen for a minute or so, and reports that baby's heart beat is about 163BMP, which is perfect she explains. =) She continues on to say nice things like "this baby is a keeper", which makes me happy.

We go on with the exam and she reports that everything is as it should be and that my pelvis/uterus is perfect. =) My questions are reduced in number (b/c truly, all I really wanted to know was if we had a heartbeat and if all is normal down there). DH asks if it's ok that I've been eating spicy food (which I LOVE). NP Wonderful says its fine, as long as I dont have heartburn, which I dont. She answers our questions, and explains what appts will be coming up next.

In 4-5 weeks I'll be seeing my doctor where I'll be getting another u/s and I'll have the quad screening (which she explains is a blood test to check for downs). In 7 weeks, I'll be going to the hospital (I've been going to the local KP clinic) to have the major ultrasound where they'll check for the gender of the baby and for any birth defects. I ask whether I'll have the NT scan which I've heard about, and she said that because I'm still young, they dont normally do that test. I think that's fine by me, b/c I dont want to give myself any additional reason for worry.

She also explains that I'll have some lab blood work after the appt. and I note that I get queasy when they take lots of blood. She asks when was the last time I ate and I explain that I've had a big lunch about two-three hours ago. So she goes out and gets me apple juice and instructs me to drink it all before going to the lab. She also gives me pamphlets on prenatal classes and points out a particular one that we may be interested based on one small comment I made about my dad having potential skin allergies (shows she was listening well.)

Overall, NP Wonderful just made the experience so enjoyable. Of course, hearing the heart beat was the ultimate best thing in the world, but NP Wonderful just helped make this visit the very best it could be.

After this appointment, I can FINALLY allow myself to start contemplating the actual thought that there will be a baby in December. We'll actually have to start planning for baby, and thinking of baby stuff we'd like to get. We'll finally be able to start telling people about the pregnancy. =) We are starting to realize that we'll be parents soon! This is definitely one of the most enjoyable days of my life. Just think of what more is in store for us in the future!

Thank you Lord. I know that I am blessed and it is all because of Him.

2nd Prenatal Appointment Tomorrow!

It's almost here! My 2nd prenatal appointment, which is tomorrow at 3:00pm. Wow, it's been soooooo long since I last went to the doctors. Other than the follow up email I sent my doctor after my first appointment (where he told me not to have s.e.x - yeah right), I haven't spoken to or even called my doctor's office. I guess, with Dr. Google and all of my pregnancy boards and the WTE book, I just do not feel the need to. That's a good thing, I think.

I dont know what quite to expect tomorrow. I believe that at my last appointment, I was told this appointment was to be a physical and work up on my medical history and that I will be seeing a nurse practitioner instead of my OB. I've seen this NP before, and I love her, but I have never seen her for this type of thing. I dont think I'll be getting an ultra sound, but I'm hoping that she'll be able to tell me during my exam if all feels right for how far along I am (11 weeks and 1 day!!). At this appointment, I also believe I'll probably receive my next appointment date which will be with Dr. M and will probably involve another ultra sound. Yippee!

I'm still nervous for the appointment tomorrow. Not quite as nervous as I was for my last appointment though....I guess because I just believe that everything is going alright in there. I haven't had any cause for worry (other than my prior MC history) and although, I know just because you have no pain or bleeding doesn't mean everything is A-OK (as was the case with my last MC when I had to have a D&C), I'm just standing on faith that we found the problem that was causing the MCs, fixed it and everything is going smoothly. I prayed to the Lord, and He has answered my prayers....simple as that. Right?!

Another biggie is that I'll be heading to this appointment alone, meaning sans the DH. He'll be working. He's going to try to get off to come with, but if he's on a call, or they're busy doing something, he may not make it. There better not be any bad news (which OFCOURSE THERE WONT BE) because he's my rock and without my rock I'll be a mess. (Nah I wont be, but still, I want DH to be there for both good and bad).

Well, in a little over 30 hours, I'll be at the doctor's office, receiving another perfect report!!! (See, that's me thinking positively).

Oh - on the symptom front - the newest symptoms I've had over the trip and since we returned are gas (talk about fart central...you know, the silent but violent kind....Lord!), constipation, diarrhea (probably mostly due to the bad eating habits I had while on vacation), headaches (they're gone for now and were only mild), bloat (I have a teeny tiny belly, but look more like I'm overeating -which I probably am- rather than carrying a baby. New belly pic to come this weekend). I had some nausea on vacation, but its pretty much gone. I still have the frequent peeing and sore BBs which were and likely will be my constant companion for a while. And the best news of all - I have grown a bra cup size!!! whoooooooooooo! I'm loving that. AND I feel as if I may have to go up another!!!!

Wellsphere

I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!

We had a great trip. It's back to work tomorrow...back to the real life and back to the grind. bleh.

It's nice to be back home. We live in a beautiful place and I believe no where else can compare to it. But it was nice to getaway and we had a blast, especially in the Big Apple. We got to see Wick.ed!!!! on Broadway and we splurged but got awesome seats. We saw a very funny improv comedy show, and they did an entire skit on me and the DH and our trip to NYC on a tiny delt.a airplane....hilarious! We saw a Yank.ees v. Bosto.n Red S.ox game (which was rain delayed for 2 hours!!). We crossed the brookl.yn bridge on foot....we walked soho, noho, little italy, chinatown....We walked a million billion miles all around D.C and saw some great things in the museums, toured the capitol and the white house!! And we visited some family in the Virginia area (that part of the trip was pretty lowkey, but DH enjoyed it).

The little one is doing great (or so I assume since no news is good news in my book). I had mild MS at first but nothing a little food couldn't fix. My belly is popping out a little more, and I'm thanking GOD I bought a bella band on the trip b/c I used that bugger practically every day to squeeze into my jeans....but I'm certain the bellee is due to the extravagant eating we've been doing and the working out I've been missing. I'll post a new belly shot after my next appointment which is NEXT WEEK TUESDAY. It's been over 1 month since my last appointment where we got to see the heartbeat and I've been craving to learn what's been going on in there with the little guy or girl.....

AND on this trip, I bought my FIRST EVER maternity clothes!!! Holy moly macaroni! This is huge. I discovered the wonderful world of Kohl's while on vacation and found some unbelieveable deals. I bought two maternity shorts for the price of one, a maternity long sleeve shirt for $6 and a maternity jeans for $12. I can't fit any of 'em yet as "the bellee" isn't that big, (I look more like I had one doughnut too many -- or maybe 12 too many), but hey, since I'll be getting bigger within the next few months and the prices were awesome, I thought why not? Man oh man....looks like I'm slowly easing my way into pregnancy mode....but I repeat....SLOWLY. I'm still taking it real slow and focusing on getting a perfect report at this next appointment on the 17th. No real concrete plans or purchases or anything......we'll take it one day at a time.

On an another note...has anyone been contacted by Dr. Geoff Rutledge with an invitation to join the Wellsphere's HealthBlogger Network? Apparently, I've been invited to feature my blog on this website due to "the high quality of [my]writing, the frequency of [my] posts, and [my]passion for helping others." Just wanted to see if anyone else has also been invited. Any thoughts on this?