Pregnant Friends and Movement??? (16w1d)

It's been two weeks since my last blog...not the best but still not the worst it could be lol!

Since I last blogged I have found out that 2 of my good friends are pregnant as well.  Heather W., one of my besties, is due 3 weeks after my (in the same month and everything).  It will be so cool to go through this with her (especially since our hubbies are best friends too and we are constantly hanging out together) and for our children to grow up together.  Also, my old time friend (like since babyhood) Bree is pregnant as well!!!! She found out on Easter and is due the beginning of Dec. I believe.  It's really neat to be able to talk baby stuff with her and to chat about anything and everything.  Our hubbies have a lot in common even though they have never met. I just wish that she didn't live so far away and that we could see each other in person rather than being stuck only IMing and texting being states away.  Anyway, I am very very excited that I have 2 close friends to go through pregnancy with and share in this exciting time.

In terms of my pregnancy, I finally hit the 16 week mark yesterday!  I am excited that I am at this point for 2 reasons:

1. My baby has now formed the small bones in his/her ears necessary to make the ears function.  In other words, my baby can now hear!!!! That means I can start talking to baby (not that I wasn't already) and so can Nick!  I am planning on talking every day to Nano so s/he can get used to our voices and we can soothe the baby better when they are born.  I know my sisters/mom are really excited to talk to baby too!

2. Also, 16 weeks is the beginning of the normal period to start feeling baby.  Everything I've read says to expect feeling movement between 16-20 weeks (farther along if it's your first or you are heavier-which I am both).  I swear though, I think I am feeling little movements already in my lower stomach.  I can't be sure, which is why I am not telling everyone I am...but I'd like to think that I am! :P  There is apparently an experiment to see if you can get your baby to move here which I think I may just try tonight.  I sure would like to know what's baby and what's gas bubbles! :)

Nothing else too exciting is happening.  One month left of school and I think I can do it!   I also am sitting on another potentially exciting piece of news but don't want to jump the gun on it.  Can't wait til May 21st when I am done with school and can look forward to Hawaii and baby after that!

Until next time friends,
Heather

Worst Cold Ever! (14w3d)

So, since LAST Sunday night ( a week and a few days ago) I have had a cold.  Throughout the week it has gotten worse and worse.  On Thursday I had my OB appointment which I already talked about and asked him what I could take for it.  He prescribed me Robitussin DM and throat lozenges.  I started taking those two things that day and Friday my ears began to ache and feel like they just wouldn't pop.  I attributed it to going up and down the mountain while sick and my stuffed up nose not helping the situation but Sunday afternoon the pain escalated and I was MISERABLE.

I asked my mom what to do (I love my mommy) and she told me I probably had an ear infection.  I didn't want to go down to urgent care with all the stupid people who party over Easter weekend so I waited it out until Monday morning to call the doctor.  I was able to just go see the regular doctor on call in town and he confirmed that I did indeed have an ear infection.  I was prescribed antibiotics that are safe for pregnancy and a saline nose spray to help clear me out.  He also told me to drink lots of fluids (which I was). 

I stayed home from school all day yesterday, having to miss student teaching (which I'm BUMMED about) and laid on the couch dutifully resting and taking all my medications at the right time.  I am feeling minimally better today, and hopefully a shower will help.

I am going to work today because it's the peak of tax time and I can't leave my boss hanging in the busiest time of the year.  If you could all pray that my cold magically disappears in the next few hours that would be fantabulous!  I don't think Nanobyte has been affected by the cold other than the fact that I have been coughing so much that sometimes my muscles in my lower abdomen hurt...

That's all that's new over here... I hope for a more exciting update soon.
~Heather

GREAT Check-up Appointment (13w5d)

So, up until today no really eventful things going on pregnancy-wise.  I did get my new phone, the Motorola Backflip, which is very techy and cool.  Also, on Monday I had a meeting with my instructor and found out that I got an A on my student teaching midterm.  Woot!  I just need to survive school until May 21st and I'll be D-O-N-E!  Anyway...back to Nano...

Nanobyte seems to be doing fine, and is not giving me any trouble other than restless sleep, tiredness, and some pain in my tailbone.  We went to an appointment today to get another update from Dr. Lasting and I was ecstatic with the news I received.


*First off, the nurse weighed me in (something that I am always anxious about) and I discovered that I lost another half of a pound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This puts me at 1.5 pounds less than my starting weight before getting pregnant. :o)  Who would have thought that at over 3 months pregnant I would have lost weight???

*Secondly, I got my blood pressure taken. I think the doctor said 128/60, but regardless of the number, he was very very impressed by my blood pressure.  He said it was even better than his :o)

*Third, I got my "belly" or uterus measured for growth.  The second he touched my lower abdomen he stated, "Wow, you are definitely starting to show.  I can feel your uterus right here!"  He showed me where it was and I got to touch it for myself.  To me, it feels like a hard bubble in my lower stomach- something I never thought was possible to feel.  He measured my "belly" at 15cm (about 5.9 in) and said I was growing perfectly, right on schedule.

*Last, but DEFINITELY not least, I was able to hear my baby's heartbeat for the first time.  At first, I didn't hear anything and started to freak out, but after 15 or so seconds heard a little blurb (heartbeat-that I didn't recognize) and saw Dr. Lasting chuckle to himself and smile.  I figured everything was ok at that point and was reaffirmed with his comment, "Come on out...there is no point in hiding since I already heard you once."  After a little manipulating, we were able to get Nano to cooperate briefly and got a good listen at the fast woosh woosh woosh that was his/her heart.  It was so awesome!  Nano only put up with us for a bit though, and moved around again at the end.

Overall, I am SUPER STOKED at the results of this appointment!  I haven't gained any weight being pregnant and have actually lost some... I have great blood pressure and am measuring perfectly... and I got to hear my baby.  I have another appointment in a month (just a check up) and then will schedule my specialist appointment for the big anatomy ultrasound.  Til next time my friends!

~Heather

Uneventful Update (11w3d)

Since I wrote last, nothing too exciting has been going on in terms of pregnancy.  I am still tired, but naps help immensely.  Baby is now the size of a large lime and today his/her intestines are developing and the bladder sac is now formed.  Isn't that amazing???


My next appointment is April 1st (April fool's day) and is just a check-up to make sure everything is ok with baby.  I look forward to it because I can't feel the baby yet and have no way of knowing how Nanobyte is doing.  I can't wait til that appointment because it marks almost the end of my first trimester (the scariest one in terms of miscarriage).


I am going to be very happy when it is May 17th, since school will be over. I had my midterm for student teaching yesterday and think it went pretty well. :o) I will find out my "grade" on March 29th. I am blessed to have a flexible job with my mom, where I can come in later/on a different day if needed.  Today I decided to stay home instead of go to work (switching to wed/thurs this week) so I could rest a bit from midterm and get some paperwork that is required done.  Hopefully I will be productive!  Oh, and I need to do laundry today, since I have absolutely nothing to wear for going out of the house.  Hehe, comfy clothes are amazing!

Oooh something exciting is that I get a new phone in 9 days!  My phone has been doing some weird things lately.  It will randomly turn off, won't ring, and now says I have a text message even though I don't! :-) It's enough to drive me crazy.  I'm debating between getting the Pantech Impact and the Motorola Backflip.  The Backflip is wayyy more techy, and has internet (required) almost like the iPhone.  The pantech is a simpler phone and internet is 20 bucks cheaper a month.  I don't know what to get...Nick wants me to get the Backflip because he thinks I'll like the internet on it but it may be too fancy for me. :P


I will keep updating!  I am determined this time! :o) 
~Heather

We're Pregnant!!!!

For those of you who haven’t heard via word of mouth, Facebook, or some other means, I would like to officially announce on my blog (which…I know, I haven’t written since October) that my husband and I are expecting our first baby!  I would also like to take the time on here to tell about what has happened since we found out and hopefully keep this blog up to date as much as possible throughout my pregnancy.

I am currently 10 weeks and 1 day pregnant.  Nicholas and I found out via 2 urine pregnancy tests on January 26^th 2010- at 5:45am on a Tuesday morning.  I immediately called the doctor to schedule a confirmation pregnancy test and they had an appointment that afternoon.  So, I had to go to work all morning at my mom’s house and keep it from her until I got the confirmation and could tell my family that night with Nicholas.  The doctor’s test came back positive VERY quickly and that evening we were able to tell both sets of our parents.

First, we told Nick’s mom, since we caught her leaving my parents house (which was where everyone was just finishing up Bible study).  We had her roll down her window, and Nick told her that I was going to get really fat in the upcoming months.  I know, really nice right? Hahaha!  She was very happy, cried a little, and asked us a few questions.  She was mostly excited about being a grandma again and Josh (our nephew) having a friend to play with.

We ended up going home for a few minutes until Bible study was completely over and we could tell my family privately.  A friend had given us a Microsoft onesie for our future children because Nicholas is so computer-savvy.  So, I had the great idea of putting the onesie in a bag and having Nick give it to my dad to clean.  That worked out perfectly, although my dad/mom took a little while to get it.  My sisters got it immediately and started screaming and came to hug me.  To make a long story short, both of our families are really excited and on board.

Just 2 days after finding out I was pregnant I was able to get into the OB for a welcome appointment and let me just say I LOVE our OB.  His name is Dr. Lasting and he is the nicest guy I have ever met in the medical field.  We are blessed to have him and I look forward to having him for this and any subsequent pregnancies. He is just so happy and informative and on top of things that I feel completely at ease.  I have had 4 appointments already, and was able to have an ultrasound each time to help confirm due date and pregnancy status. 

The baby, who we are calling NANOBYTE, is doing great!  My 3^rd ultrasound detected the heartbeat, which seemed to encompass the entire baby (The baby looked like a bean, and the flashing heartbeat covered it). My last ultrasound which was on Tuesday was just 3 weeks later and Nanobyte looked TOTALLY different.  No longer a little bean shaped speck, now Nano looked like a baby- with arms, legs, a head, and a torso.  You could even see a speck where Nano’s eye was.  Dr. Lasting said that if we waited long enough we might see movement in the baby, and as if on queue Nanobyte woke up and started dancing for me.  It is like baby stood up and decided to wiggle and squirm to get my attention.  It was the most precious thing I have ever seen, and at that moment I fell more in love with my baby than I thought possible.

If you haven’t guessed yet, we are waiting to find out what we are having until the birth- so Nanobyte will remain Nanobyte until the due date- which is officially October 2^nd (though I think it will be closer if not Oct 5^th).

I have been feeling OK, better than I expected to feel.  My biggest “symptoms” are tiredness and nausea.  I thankfully have not thrown up yet, though there are times when I almost wish I had so I would feel better.  I have had 3 cravings- green olives, oranges, and carne-asada burritos.  I don’t have much appetite today unfortunately, so am sticking to light options (so far an English muffin with goji berry jelly, hummus and pita bread, and a fruit chiller cup).  My ideal food plate right now (based on what sounds good) would be a corn dog, some Oreos, a glass of milk, and a Mexican lollipop with that sweet/spicy chili covering. LOL!

I could definitely use a nap but am trying to be productive and push through it (I would be lying if I said I was showered and dressed hehe).  I am finding school to be more difficult while pregnant, since I am so tired.  My motivation is also diminished because I want to research and prepare things for my baby.  At least I will be done with my AA’s and Certificates before baby comes and I am quite happy with that J.

Well, I think you are all sick of hearing me talk now so I will stop. I will try to keep this updated on a regular basis (between planning/student teaching and other classes and work).  I hope that you are all doing well…sorry it’s been so long!

~Heather