Rob, Heather & Little Miss Emma

Baby Emma has arrived

2009-05-27T14:46:00.004-06:00

So the update may not exactly be news to everyone. But I want to keep the blog up and since Emma's currently sleeping I figured I better do a quick update.

First off, on 5/14/09, Thursday morning, I began leaking amniotic fluid. At first, I thought I was just having a serious bladder control problem and I didn't want to do anything about it because I was completely embarrassed about it. However, thanks to my mom being in town, she said that she thought it to be fluid and that I should go to the doctor's. So, by about 10:30AM I went in to Dr. Hansen's office and was tested to see if I was really leaking amniotic fluid. After the exam, Dr. Hansen determined that I was simply suffering a common pregnancy complaint of bladder control issues. VERY humiliating!!!

But as I went through the day, Mom pointed out to me that a person who hadn't drank anything couldn't pee that much. So, after a phone call to Rob who was out of town for work, it was decided I would go on to the ER at Alta View Hospital and see what they said.

I was immediately admitted into the hospital once the ER knew my complaint and I was taken to the Women's Center and put into a delivery room and gowned-up in those snazzy hospital outfits before taking a FERNS test.

Well wonder of wonders, the FERNS test comes back positive and I find out in a wave of relief that I really was leaking amniotic fluid. By this time it's near 9 PM so I'd been leaking fluid for over 12 hours which is a health concern to doctor's for the baby.

Rob drove back into town as soon as my mom called him and four hours later he showed up at the hospital. By this time, my sister in law Kathi, my mother in law Joan and my own mother were expectantly waiting. I was given Pitossin (spelling?) to get my body into labor. Even though I'd been leaking fluid I hadn't started any form of contractions so the hospital had to start them for me.

It wasn't until 3 PM the next day and an epidural shot later that I actually began the whole labor process.

Emma Olivia Byerline was finally born at 4:45 PM on Friday May 15th 2009. She weighed in at 6 lbs. and 8 oz. and measured 19 inches.

It's "The Final Countdown!"

2009-04-26T16:46:00.006-06:00

The only thing missing on the blog is Europe singing the very song which seems to be my theme song for the next 28 days - give or take. Now that I've got about a month to go, I'm literally counting down the days as best as I can until Emma gets here.

And since the last update Rob and I have been preparing for Emma's arrival as best we can. We have all the crib paraphernalia from the crib itself to the little bumper. We have a nice girly lamp to replace the bachelor-fisherman lamp that currently resides in Emma's room. (Thank you Aunt Steffie!)

We've gotten a bunch of other stuff too, now it's just up to us to actually put stuff together... (that's your hint Rob).

Ah, but before I stress myself out by thinking of that, at least I can say a big thank you to everyone who's given gifts (new or old) that have helped me prepare for Emma's arrival. It's been such a blessing to have great family and friends who've been just as excited as me and Rob and have been so willing to help.

And now, for some pictures of Emma's soon-to-be room:

Here's her laundry basket with a few items in it to be washed, then there's the purple bin which will eventually occupy her closet to hold her shoes, bibs and some toys. Then there's her tub and two activity gyms for her. In the far left corner in the bag is her new lamp and crib bumber.

Her nice new crib (still boxed) and her new crib mattress.

Her closet of clothes, diaper stash, boppy, blankets and towels

What Kind of Bees Make Milk?

2009-04-04T16:22:00.002-06:00

The Answer:
BOO-BEES!

I thought you would enjoy that. ;-)

Quick Update: Emma is doing very well - she's growing every day and is averaging about 4 lbs. and 17+ inches long. So her space is getting smaller and smaller every inch she grows, poor tyke.
I start going to Dr. Hansen on a bi-weekly schedule, with my next appointment on April 14th. And then I start a weekly schedule at the beginning of May.
Rob and I experienced our first birthing class Thursday night. I actually enjoyed it - and honestly, I think Rob did too even though he says otherwise. Our instructor is an RN at Alta View Hospital (which is where I'll be delivering and where the classes are) and she's quirky and funny and likely perfect for the job of birth instruction... I just don't remember her name . . .
Anyway, we had a run down of the female anatomy (I guess those middle school and high school years of Sex Ed. weren't enough), then we went over common and not so common complaints and ailments that women can experience in pregnancy.
And last we began our first practice of breathing techniques for birthing. This isn't a Lamaze class but it's similar because the breathing techniques and the relaxation tools of Lamaze. We also gave each other massages before the class was over which was a little awkward when you're in a room full of other people massaging each other but admittedly it was nice to get a head to toe massage from my husband.
So, next Thursday we will have our second of four birthing classes and next Tuesday night I have a Breast Feeding class that Dr. Hansen recommend I take to learn techniques to get Emma to nurse. Hopefully this one-time class will be worth the $25 I paid for it.
Other than that, things are going smoothly.
Oh, except for the new stretch marks on my tummy. :(

Pinky and the Brain

2009-03-15T12:56:00.002-06:00

This blog is not going to be about the cartoon characters from Warner Bros. sorry. However, we are in the 30th week, and Emma's brain is starting to wrinkle and have the characteristics of a brain due to the production of her brain cells (watch out Ivy League). There are also a couple things that are going on, or finishing this week. For instance, her little fingernails and toenails have finished developing and her bone marrow is also in charge of producing her red blood cells, neat huh? She has also lost her fine suit of hair called lanugo. She has produced some fat and can regulate her body temp now, she does not need a full time fur coat. When she is awake, she is scoping out her environment which consists of an umbilical cord and her own body, so her eyes are functioning now as well.
As far as body growth, she has slowed down a little because there has been a lot of attention on the formation of the brain. She still weighs about 3 lbs. but has grown about a 1/2 inch from 15 to 15 1/2". She should pick right back up again the following week and gain about 1/2 lb and another 1/2" during the 31st week.
Heather heard back from the doc's office about her glucose test for gestational diabetes. There was some good news and bad news. Good news is she does not have gestational diabetes which is a relief since it can stick around permanently after the baby comes. Bad news is that we found out that Heather is anemic. This isn't the worst thing that could happen, it just involves taking some iron pills. That's about all for now, stay tuned for more updates!!!

Its been a while.....

2009-03-11T22:36:00.002-06:00

So.....it appears that Heather (and I) have not posted anything in a while so here is an update.
Heather is now halfway through the 29th week (can you believe it) and Emma is really starting to make her presence known......in other words, Heather is looking prego!! Emma has also been very active "inside the womb" (S. Griffin). She rolls around and around and from what Heather has told me, does not jab as much. Emma is now approximately 3 lbs and 15 inches long. She can survive outside the womb and has mastered many skills including sucking (look out buddies), and she is really starting to look more like a baby with the added fat she has packed on.
During Heather's 29 week exam, she had to do her glucose test and had to drink what was basically fruit flavored sugar water. It was a little interesting when the nurse who drew Heathers blood said that she wasn't a very good blood taker and I don't think she was fibbing too much as I watched her jab the needle in Heathers arm and move it all over. But she was successful and Heather pumped two bottles of the red stuff, better her than me :p
The apartment is starting to look very different. We have the beginnings of Emma's room in progress with the purchase of a pack n play which was an adventure to put together. There are packages of diapers, wipes, and Emma's wardrobe is starting to develop thanks to her Aunt Kathi and Aunt Rachel and Yia Yia Joan. Sylvia is not quite sure of what to make of all the changes.
Heather flies home to ATL in a week for her baby shower that here mama and sister are throwing for her. She is so excited to get back home, she has not been back since we went there for vacation in June. She can't wait for her precious Krystal's burgers and Zaxby's chicken. She may even hit the Krystal's in the airport!!! So I will be a bachelor again for a week. Woo-hoo!! Kidding everyone. Anyways, during the last part of her being absent, I will have to go to Scottsdale, AZ for district meetings for work. So, Sylvia will be running the apartment for a couple of days and I'm sure she will make the most of it by destroying the chair. That's all for now, promise Heather and I will update more often.

22 week Ultrasound Video

2009-02-17T21:34:00.003-07:00

YAY! So I finally have a way of showing you at least one ultrasound of Baby Emma!

This is a 13 minute video that recorded my 22 week exam at the doctor's. This was also the second gender check that the doctor attempted to be sure that Emma's going to be Emma when she arrives. I hope anyone who watches it will be able to make out the images - I did a lovely narration to help point out things in case it's not as viewable as I hope.

And I apologize in advance for the ghetto quality, I had to play the DVD on my computer and then record it with my camera so that it could be uploaded. To upload from the DVD directly wasn't an option because the file was so big so making a recording or a recording made it easier to upload.... yeah, I don't anticipate too many people following me on this.

Anyway, on to the video! I'm so happy I can (finally) share this with you!

23 weeks down ...

2009-01-25T16:32:00.003-07:00

I guess I ought to update everyone on my progress. It's been over two weeks since my last update and the main reason why I haven't updated the blog is because I have been trying to get the ultrasound pictures from my 18 week exam viewable on here, plus I now have my 22 week ultrasound DVD and pictures I want to add. My problem is I don't have a scanner - and I don't know how to convert the DVD into a smaller format that can be loaded onto the blog. Soooo, long story short, I haven't felt up to updating the blog because I can't share the pictures and DVD with everyone. It's a big bummer for me.h
But I can at least let everyone know that the baby is doing very well. Dr. Hansen and the nurse/technician who recorded the ultrasound to DVD and took the ultrasound pictures said that the baby is looking really healthy with a strong heartbeat averaging about 160 beat per minute. She has a four-chambered heart running on all cylinders, her kidneys are also functioning fully and the formation of her skull and brain are right on track. I was told she's weighing at about one pound, which is normal for her gestational age. And at my appointment last week for my 22 week exam, you could see that she was certainly active and kicking. She was doing a lot of the latter, which has me worried how it'll be in the last couple of months when she's bigger. There are kicks (or some kind of movement) now that sometimes startle me so well it's like something's trying to spring from my stomach - like in the movie Alien with Sigourney Weaver. Minus the blood and the violence and pain. But that's what the movement reminds me of. The force behind her movements amazes me because Emma's still so small. It was so fun to watch her move around and huddle up in her little space. Her most comfy position seems to be with her ankles crossed and her hands at either side of her head.
Back to the appointment itself, the one thing the doctor has seen in the last two appointments is that the baby is measuring about a week smaller than I calculated. When you take into consideration my LMP, she's due around May 24th, but Dr. Hansen said she's physically measuring to be due more like June 1st. He hasn't changed the date on record, and he said if he does it'll be closer to my due date before he changes it. But I'm hoping that she'll just be a small baby and that she'll make her presence known on the 24th (give or take a couple of days). I can't imagine having a nine pound baby, like my mom did - with me.... yes, I admit I was for some reason a hefty blessing. But I don't want that big of a blessing on my first try. For those that don't know I'm the baby in the family so Mom got two practice labors so-to-speak on my brother Tyson and sister Rachel. So with Dr. Hansen telling me that Emma's measuring small is actually a relief to me.
BUT, if Emma somehow starts packing on the fat (which the gestation calendar says this is the time that the baby is storing fat to live outside the womb) then so be it. I just hope I'll be able to get her out either way.
EPIDURAL! Yes! I forgot, I'm definitely getting one of those babies! So maybe things won't be bad after all....

20 weeks and 4 days . . . and counting

2009-01-07T18:55:00.004-07:00

So as you know Rob and I will be having a baby girl. And in the last week I have really begun to feel her - literally. She moves all around, mostly at night and it's the weirdest most inexplainable feeling. My pregnancy book said women can confuse the feeling with gas, but I don't see how. It feels nothing like it, that's for sure. The closest feeling I can liken her movements to is when you feel your stomach drop a little. Like when something scary or intense happens, and you feel that catch in your stomach, that's about what it feels like. I've felt her for over a week now, but I think last night started the beginning of her making some serious movements.

First, Rob and I were laying in bed and talking. And as it seems that all babies in the womb do, when I'm ready to sleep Emma decides it's time to move around. And whether she was kicking or elbowing I don't know, but she was certainly moving enough for me to be startled. I took Rob's hand and put it on my stomach and she very obediently bumped against his hand. He was a little freaked out because that is the first physical contact he had with our baby girl. I think that really showed him that we are really having a baby - and that we're half way through the pregnancy now. (WOW!)

And after I thought that she had found a comfortable position in the womb, she made two b-i-g flops that made me freeze up and shout "WOAH!"

Rob about peed in the bed and was like "What?! What is it? What's wrong?!" and nearly jumping out of the bed.

And I laughed and told him that Emma was just moving and it was the hardest I've felt her yet. But thankfully, once I fell asleep she didn't bother me. But that doesn't mean I slept well last night. For whatever reason, my back has begun to really hurt and last night I had a tough time getting comfortable. But that's life I guess, and right now I'm using a heating pad to loosen up my back.

But here's an interesting picture of a model fetus and what Emma would look like (thereabouts) if you held her in your hands. I thought this pretty neat.

And the Winner is . . . . .

2009-01-03T18:25:00.002-07:00

IT'S A GIRL!!!
We always thought it was a girl, and we are extremely excited for our baby's arrival in May (or June). We had some very neat ultrasound pictures that we hope to post as soon as we can get them scanned in by my brother-in-law Brett (ahem... hint hint)
During the ultrasound appointment, Little Miss was being very modest and ladylike by keeping her little legs crossed at the ankles and making it difficult for us to know what the sex was at first. But thankfully, with the "gentle persuasion" of the technician, Little Miss begrudingly revealed her sex. Actually, we outflanked her by getting a shot from underneath her bum. Her legs stubbornly stayed crossed.
As for names,we're thinking about the following:
Emma Olivia
Emma Sariah
Irene (my FANTASTIC mother-in-law) has stubbornly (I think that's a trait that runs in the family) settled on Emma Olivia.
And Heather has stubbornly settled on Emma Sariah.
We'll see who's opinion will win the battle of baby names.

Boy or Girl?

2008-12-22T15:56:00.003-07:00

Well, tomorrow is the big day, the day we have been waiting for for 18 weeks. Will little one be a strapping lad (like his father), or a sweet little miss full of mischivious (like mom)? Tune in after Christmas to find out!!

The BIG DAY's Almost Here

2008-12-22T12:45:00.004-07:00

Okay, well not the BIG Big Day of Delivery, but one of many that preceeds it. The Big day I'm referring to is the one where I have my 18 week exam. Tomorrow I (finally) get to find out the sex of our baby. I'd like to think I've been pretty patient up to this point, but now that we're basically entering the remaining 19 hours (yes, I'm counting down.) until it's official I just can barely think of anything else. Rob and I think it's a girl and we'll see if we're right tomorrow. If it's a boy, then we'll be just as happy like any parent with their first child.
Although I find out the sex of the baby tomorrow, I won't be posting the official news until after the holidays because we're making it a surprise on Christmas for Grandma Joan (a.k.a. Giagia) And a little history for those who don't know, but Giagia is GREEK for Grandma, you pronounce it Ya-Ya. I think Joan's likely as excited to hear her called that as me and Rob are.
As for baby, here's a neat pic at what Little One looks like in the womb right now.
Here are the highlights of what Little One's going through this week:
The baby is about 7 ounces and 5.5 inches long (give or take). And the baby can actually hear me talking - that's right!! My baby can hear me. So I feel a little less crazy talking to her or singing to her now because she can hear something - although I know she doesn't likely know what exactly it is. His/her Senses for smell taste, sight and hearing and honing and developing to the stage they'll be at once he/she's born.

Now to find out what exactly I'm having, be sure to check back after Christmas. I'll certainly post as soon as possible. And I'll try to scan in pictures of the ultrasound if possible.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It Sucks!

2008-12-09T13:56:00.004-07:00

Being pregnant around the holidays, that is. I have had my share of delicious holiday fare, from egg nog to turkey, with cookies and treats that do nothing for the baby but taste oh so good to me. I can't imagine how much weight I've gained since my last appointment. And I still have two weeks (on the nose) until my next appointment. Which sadly leaves me room to gain more weight until then - but hopefully if I nip things in the bud right now then it won't be so bad.
I've noticed in the last week that my belly has gotten a little more round and whether from pregnancy or delicious meals is yet unknown. But with my family background for love of food I'm sure it's the latter. (grumble, grumble)
Anyway, if I can stop drinking everything but water and natural juices, and if I can somehow curb my shameful cravings for sweets I think I might just be okay.
Celery sticks anyone??

The Weather Outside is Frightful ...

2008-12-04T09:10:00.007-07:00

How Mommy Feels:

Tired
Hungry
Achy hips and back

Cravings: assorted chocolates - like the Whitman's box.

_________________________________________________

But I have no fire to make it so delightful. As it does in December in Utah, it's getting downright chilly and it's actually trying to snow outside. I have been freezing at my desk this week because it's been getting cooler. For some reason my area of the office is the coldest part - probably because I'm surrounded by cold tile and I'm by the doors. But it still stands that even for being pregnant I'm still cold. I keep meaning to break my heater from home, but I have faulty memory. is is a picture I took just outside my office. The clouds are very low and nearly covering the mountains.

This pictures shows a little break in the clouds where you can see just how low they are. The mountain slope on the left gets quite tall and most of the mountains are covered by the snow-filled clouds. When you look around it looks like there are no mountains, but having gotten used to being surrounded by them, you know they're there and it's eerie that you can't see them. Clouds like this usually bring snow for the benches and it's good news for the ski resorts located nearby. We'll see if the snow sticks and what happens.

So I do have a picture to post of my tummy since people are strangely curious about the whole thing. This first picture is a weird angle, but hopefully you'll be able to see the curve of my pooch. And if you look closely, you can see my new stretchmarks on my hips - sad! And I think that's a strange place to get them, but oh well.

I'll post more pictures of my tummy as I go along from now on since now's it completely noticeable.

I'm even wearing one of my new maternity tops today. Yes sir! A week or so ago I ordered maternity clothes online at Old Navy because they're cheaper than your Mimi Maternity and Motherhood stores out there. Their items look super cute and so I bought three dress slacks for work and three tops. The tops work out fine, after washing and drying them they fit way better and it's not too obvious that they're actually maternity tops. The pants however, are a completely different matter. As the rules stand for buying pregnancy clothes, you buy the same size in maternity-wear that you are pre-pregnancy. Well, that can't neccessarily be true because the pants were completely TOO BIG! When I put them on they slipped right back off and puddled around my ankles. Granted, I'm not at the stage of pregnancy yet that I need to wear them but they should be doable until I get bigger and not be so big that they don't even catch on my hips. And when I put them on and held them up to see what I looked like in the mirror my self-image plummetted. I looked like a pear-shaped penguin in dress pants. The waistline of the pants were wide and round while the legs of the pants tapered in the closer it got to your ankles. Not in the least attractive, and maybe pregnancy isn't supposed to be an attractive state, but DANG IT, it should be. And it would help if there were flattering clothes.

Anyway, needless to say the pants are being returned today via UPS. But the tops are keepers. So if anyone has any ideas on what I can do to find cute maternity pants appropriate for work, just let me know. I'm at a loss where to go for decent prices now that Old Navy didn't pan out like expected.

Now let's see what's going on with Little One:

- He/she weighs about 2-2.5 ounces
- He/she measures in around 5 inches
- Baby's eyes are now sealed shut but he/she can sense light.
- Eyebrows and eyelashes grow this week
- The baby can practice swallowing and sucking actions in utero.
- The possibility of feeling the baby move between now to 17 weeks has increased because the baby is more active. (Generally you have to be a stick to feel it. Since I had a little cushion before the pregnancy I don't think I'll feel anything before 17 wks.)
- Hair pattern on the scalp is developing.
- The little heart is pumping 25 quarts a day.

In the next coming four weeks my pregnancy book said that the most growth happens in the shortest amount of time so I have to remember to eat well and take my vitamins - I just need to remember. It's the hardest thing for some reason to remember to take my vitamins - even when Rob reminds me. I chalk the forgetfulness up to pregnancy. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

That's Mrs. Byerline to you!

2008-11-25T10:27:00.003-07:00

That's right folks, I'm married now. Rob and I married yesterday afternoon in a nearby county clerk's office with his mom, Kathi (my new sister-in-law) and Brett (her hubby) as witness. I'm surprised that when it came right down to the ceremony I wasn't nervous, not like I thought I would be considering this being the only marriage under my belt. I didn't cry - which also surprised me simply because being pregnant alone I cry at everything. I mean - this is the girl who bawled her heart out while watching Wall-E by herself one night.
Anyway, I think it was good that I didn't cry, I don't consider myself a pretty cryer and Brett unforetunately got the ceremony recorded on his camera. So maybe I look half-way decent and not so fat as I feel like I look. I'm sure Brett's e-mailed the pictures to Rob (or will) and once I get to see them I may post a few of them on here so people can see.
Also, I have pictures of my growing pooch and I will try to post at least one of those, though don't anticipate too many of them simply because I'm not confident in my prego body image to show off my expanding waistline too much.
As for Little One herself (well, I say "her" but we still don't know), she's certainly growing. My clothes seem to be getting a little tighter each week and my pregnancy book says I should gain about a pound a week. I am now fourteen weeks and three days along and Little One is going to go through the following major changes this week:
- First, now that the physical body-building is pretty much done with, Little One is beginning a period of rapid brain growth.
- The baby develops fingerprints. And I didn't know this, but fingerprints are created by the baby swimming and bumbling around in the womb and waving their little hands. That's why everyone has a unique print. Neat huh??
- Little One is practicing voluntary muscle movements.
- Little One is also developing Meconium in her intestines, this is the first icky baby poop the baby has after it's birth.
- The baby has also tripled in size since three weeks ago. She/he now weighs approxiamtely 1-1.25 ounces and measures about 4 inches long.

I'm In My Second Trimester

2008-11-17T09:23:00.002-07:00

How Mommy Feels:

Tired
Fat (what's new)
Hungry

Morning Sickness: no

Cravings: Fruity Pebbles cereal

____________________________________________________

Well I think now's the time I can say that I'm "Officially" in my 2nd Trimester, I'm thirteen weeks and one day along - and I've been uber-aware of the baby in my belly all weekend. I guess after seeing such crazy activity at the last ultrasound has me really thinking about the baby - whether it's a boy or girl, if he/she will have Rob's dark hair or my baby blonde locks, or if it'll have Rob's brown eyes or my hazel ones . . . I'm just so excited about everything about this baby. I can't imagine having to wait at least five more months to see the baby. And I've made no secret that I'm certainly not the most patient person in the world.

But I'm happy to report that in the last week there's been tons of changes and baby has grown. Here are the changes that have happened:

- The placenta took over production of horomones.

- The baby practices reflexes and digestive tract movements.

- The baby can swallow and practices on amniotic fluid (eww!)

- Nail beds for toes and fingers develope.

- Chin and nose become more defined and the eye lids seal shut to protect them.

- Finally, the baby doubled in size to be at 1/2 an ounce and measure at 2.5 inches long.

Changes that will happen this week are the following. Basically, it's more growing, growing, growing:

- Baby can make a fist and even suck his or her thumb.

- Bones and skull are solidifying and soon itsy-bitsy ribs may appear.

- Baby's intestines are in his or her belly instead of poking out into the umbilical cord.

- Baby's tooth sockets are all loaded and ready to pop out baby teeth six or seven months after baby is born.

- Vocal cords and larynx are completed now. But baby can't make any sound yet, however, because sound waves travel through air and baby is submerged in fluid.

- The pancreas of the baby begins secreting insulin.

- Baby now weighs about 20 grams (or 1 ounce) and is 3.25 inches long, or about the size of a Nutter Butter. Cool, huh?

Yeah, so that's what's going on with baby.

OH! And I almost forgot - I had a dream the other night that Rob and I had a baby BOY. However, I really feel that this is a girl dispite the dream. But when I have dreamt about the baby and remembered the sex, both times it has been a boy and both times the baby was more like a toddler and not a newborn. Weird....

I am Fat After All - WAH!!!!!!!!!!

2008-11-13T13:08:00.004-07:00

How Mommy Feels:

Fat
Bloated
Happy!
Thirsty

Cravings: fried foods

Morning sickness: no - yay!

____________________________________________________

The first routine item you do at the OB is you get weighed every visit. Well, on this visit I found out I've gained 5 pounds.

5 pounds!!!

I should have only gained about 2 pounds - if any weight at all. The baby and the placenta don't even weigh a pound. But the nurse and doctor weren't overly concerned and Donna (the right hand gal, if you remember) just waved it off and said "This is generally the worst time to get pregnant because of the holidays and it's Winter. I wouldn't worry if I were you, just blame the season."
So I'm glad that the staff doesn't seem to think it too out of the norm - but I do. I fear I'm going to become one FAT momma. Ewww....
Anyway, on to more wonderful news. First, I got to see the baby again today. And boy was he/she just hopping and dancing around! The little bit couldn't sit still for one moment. Needless to say all that movement made it sadly impossible to get a decent picture of the tyke. So no physical picture to post today. (sad!) I'm wondering if all that hustle and bustle in the womb will be present in the coming months and after delivery, but we'll see. And it was so awesome to see this new U/S because I could see the little legs and arms and I could see the cute little profile. And when the baby turned towards us - or facing my belly button - I could see the skull of the baby and the eye and nose sockets... it's was so neat and wonderful and indiscribably joyful. I felt exhilerated after the exam and completely excited for the coming months.
Dr. Hansen said my baby looks nice and healthy and the heart was strong, and my blood pressure was good, and my nice pee sample was free of UTI traces.... yeah, I know you all wanted to know that! In short, this was a good visit - minus the weight gain.
As for my next visit, I will be waiting out five and a half weeks until my next appointment. Dr. Hansen said I could either come in the traditional four weeks, or I could come in five and get to find out the sex of the baby.
I was sold (as Rob put it) to waiting the additional week so that I can find out the sex of the baby. And it'll be just before Christmas too, which is what I wanted. The only thing I've truly wanted for Christmas was to know if I was having a boy or girl - and now I'll know. My only dilemma now is to be patient (or maybe put on the persona of patience) and wait out the five weeks until my next appointment. Which will be on Tuesday December 23rd. I can't wait!

12 weeks and 3 days -- and counting

2008-11-12T09:12:00.004-07:00

How Mommy Feels:

Sleepy

________________________________________________

All in all, my symptoms aren't so bad today. I felt a little nausea this morning but after breakfast it went away. Which is really a funny thing because if I feel sick in the morning, I'll eat breakfast and one day I'll be fine and the nausea will pass or I'll completely lose my accounts via a trash can. It's downright aggrivating that every day is a guessing game of will I or will I not get sick today?

The good thing is I think it might be passing. I stress the work "think" because again - I just never know. But the pregnancy books say things may usually die down by the 12th week and that gives me hope that it will stop.

My 12th week exam is tomorrow. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. Excited for the normal reasons of wanting to see the baby again in another U/S and nervous because I'm afraid I've gained tons of weight since my last appointment a month ago. I feel like I have because I've had to think about buying maternity clothes already. And I've had to purchase the BellaBand (which I will swear by) to keep my pre-pregnancy pants on my waist where they belong and not around my ankles. (I'll explain that neat thing further down) Anyway, it's not so much that I feel constantly pregnant as much as I swing between feeling pregnant and feeling downright F-A-T. Since my dress slacks don't button or zip makes me feel like I must have gained 10 pounds, so we'll see tomorrow.

As for the BellaBand, this is what it looks like:

You can wear it folded over your pants or you can wear it completely over your belly and pants. Essentially, this allows prego ladies to wear their pre-pregnancy pants unbuttoned underneath the band and the band holds them up. Or, you can wear your too-big pregnancy pants and the band will still hold them up. So this band essentially extends the wearability (I've made that a word if it wasn't one before) of your clothes. It's also a money-saver. $20 bucks for this VS. buying a prego wardrobe now that would only last me a few months. I'll still end up having to buy a few maternity items, but not as much now that I've got this band. So when any of you get pregnant invest in a few of these babies!

Anyway, I'll have another update tomorrow after my exam. And I will (hopefully) have pictures to post of baby.

11w1d - the baby is officially a fetus!

2008-11-03T09:17:00.002-07:00

How Mommy Feels:

Bloated
Fat
Nauseated

Morning sickness: yes - mild :(

Cravings: water

________________________________________________

So I enjoyed a nice weekend while the baby went into it's 11th week. And yesterday I was a complete bum. The only thing I did besides sit on my butt and watch pointless TV was to get up and take a shower. Which is a little embarassing to admit but I just didn't feel up to anything. And to top it off I took two naps. One around 10:30 in the morning and another one at 8PM last night - but only for about 20 minutes. And that was so I could have enough energy to watch this show called "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" and it aired on TLC about 9 PM.

And the show is about just that - women who carried babies to term or close to term and never knew they were pregnant until they were in the emergency room with a doc or nurse telling them they are experiencing labor. It really boggled my mind that there are women out there who were either A) knowingly oblivious and ignoring the signs their body gave them that they were pregnant. Or B) didn't experience one iota of common pregnancy symptoms to make them believe they may be pregnant. Two of the four women in the show thought they were going through the stages of menopause at a young age - which could be believeable, I guess. And the other two were simply oblivious to the signs their body gave them that they were prego. I certainly felt a difference within days of becoming pregnant. I just assumed that all women would generally be the same and would know their body.

Anyway, Rob was pretty much a bum right along with me. We enjoyed the quiet time and a day to have no obligations to worry about. It was nice, really.

And as for being in my eleventh week, here are the changes the baby is going through:

- Testes or ovaries are completely formed now

- The fingernail and toenail beds are beginning to form.

- The baby weighs about a third of an ounce (or 2 packets of sugar) and is 2 inches long.

- The baby's iris's begin to develop.

- The baby has a big "pumpkin head" basically. The size of the baby's head is nearly half the size of the body. But in the next 9 weeks the baby will grow thirty times in weight and triple in length to compensate for the size of the head. (Can we say, "Amazing"?)

So that's my update for this week. If anything remotely note-worthy happens I'll be sure to write it in. And my second OB appointment is next Thursday so I'll definitely have some more news on baby and Dr. Hansen by then.

Sicky-Poo

2008-10-30T10:31:00.003-06:00

I will not eat any more bananas.
I will not eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.
I've been sick all morning at work.
I don't think I've ever puked so much before.
Nuff said.

I'm a Fatty

2008-10-28T08:59:00.005-06:00

How Mommy feels:

Bloated
Tired
Constipated
Fat
Hungry

mornings sickness: nope! (hooray!)
Cravings: bananas and pickles

___________________________________________________

WAhhhh!!!!
Who can explain to me why my dress pants aren't fitting?! I'm 10 weeks and I feel a cumbersome pooch already!

Here's the changes that the Mayo Clinic Guide To A Healthy Pregnancy said to expect through week 10:

The baby has lost his/her embryonic tail and has fully separated fingers and toes.
The vital organs have completely formed.
The baby weighs about 4 grams (or 4 paper clips) and measures to about 1.30 inches.
The baby's brain is producing over 250,000 neurons every minute!
If I am having a boy, his testosterone begins pumping this week. (But I'm sticking to the feeling that I'm having a girl.)

Changes that the book tells me I'll experience directly are:

The hormones my body is producing along with increased blood volume may give me a "pregnancy glow" (but I've yet to see one).
The abdomen may begin to expand, you may see a diminishing waistline.

I like how they say the words "may" because it's obvious not every pregnant woman will begin to see the expanding waistline - nope, only some. Or in this case, just me. There's a huge difference of how my clothes feel this week than they did last week. For instance, the dress pants I chose to wear to work today are pre-pregnancy pants. I wore them last Monday and they were a little tight but I could easily button and zip them. Well, today I can't even button them! I'm not exaggerating - I wish I was. But it's the complete truth. I almost cried when I realized that the buttons weren't going to button without severely straining the pants - or kill the baby. But the pants stay up well enough without buttoning them (another consternation to add to my growing lists of troublesome changes.) So I wore them to work anyway.

So I have this pooch now. Granted I had a little one before my pregnancy, but this one's bigger and maddeningly enough I can't suck it in. However, I am glad to be seeing this change because it's exciting even if it is happening sooner than I thought. It makes the whole experience of being pregnant more real. But along with that I feel fat and unattractive. The books says it's normal to feel this way especially if this is the first pregnancy, but it's tough to cope with nonetheless.

I've added new thingy's on the blog too. Now, you can vote and say whether or not you think I'm having a boy or girl. You can also wait until I'm further into the pregnancy before voting, but the survey will be there whenever you're ready to vote. And there's also another little countdown I added.

Tenth Week already!!

2008-10-26T10:23:00.001-06:00

Well, here we are at the 10th week of the pregnancy. For me it is going pretty fast. I'm sure that it is a different feeling for Heather. It seems so far away and hard to believe, but at this time next year we will be deciding on Little One's first Halloween costume. Heather has already decided that the costume will be a baby duck or baby chick costume (because she/he will be sooooo cute!!!) I think that those are appropriate costumes for a little girl, but I think that a lion costume would be more fitting for a little boy. I'm sure we will be discussing this later.
I think and hope that Heather is through with being sick with morning sickness. I'm sure that the nausea will be there, but as far as actually getting sick I think that has passed. We are both learning what to do to prevent the sickness.
When we were at the doctors appointment the other day I think is when it really hit me that we are having a baby. Especially when I heard and actually saw the heart beat. When I heard that heart just a poundin' away at 176 beats/minute I had an overwhelming feeling of joy and happiness. I can't wait to hear it again at the next appointment. When I was waiting in the waiting room for Heather to finish the other half of her appointment, my mind started to race. What about this, what about that? I know this is the same thing going on in Heathers head. Even though we are thrilled about becoming parents, we are a little scared about the whole thing. I think that's a natually feeling though with any new parents. I also feel that since this is a "non-traditional" pregnancy adds to Heathers stress. I understand this and am trying to install some ease that we will be getting married, it's just a matter of when. I do believe that it will be happening sometime in November. Even though it may not be the wedding that we want, there will always be time to have a renewal ceremony in a couple of years. Well, thats all for now, more later!!

Gummi Worms + orange juice do not equal to a happy tummy

2008-10-20T10:47:00.003-06:00

Mood: happy
Cravings: saltine crackers
Morning Sickness: moderate

I am moving along at what seems like a snail's pace into my ninth week of pregnancy. The baby has made a drastic change in physical appearances from last week to this week which is something quite amazing. I am certainly feeling more pregnant with every progress the baby makes. And I swear that I'm getting sick more frequently - which does not make me a happy camper in the mornings.
And this morning was tough considering I'm laying in bed and the crackers sat on the kitchen counter approximately 35 feet away. But I mosied out of bed at 7:18 this morning (when I should have gotten up at 6:45am), nibbled on a cracker and got ready for work. Before heading out the door I figured I could easily eat a bowl of bland Smart Start cereal. I held that down (Yay!). Once I got to work I drank some orange juice and snacked on a couple of gummi worms that seemed to tickle my craving spot. Ooohhh, was that a bad choice!
Let's just say no one should have that kind of sugar early in the morning. And I'm not really sure how I thought that eating gummi worms would improve my stomach since it was already nervous the moment I got up. But I guess I didn't really think it through before I began chowing down on the gummi worms.
Now I'm stuck huddling by my trash can at work and fighting the battle with my gut to keep my cookies (so to speak). I am not touching gummi worms ever again. You can count on it.

Dr. Hansen, his Posse and Baby Blob

2008-10-16T12:01:00.005-06:00

I had my first appointment today and the one major thing I've come away with from the doctor's appointment is that I'm in good hands. Dr. Hansen is a funny and genuinely caring guy. He is extremely personable and kind and careful. I really was impressed with his team of nurses, especially Donna. And (of course) with him.
I thankfully didn't have to have a vaginal ultrasound, but I was able to have the common "Rub the thingy on your gelled belly" ultrasound. (hopefully that made some form of sense.) So Rob and I got to see the first grainy picture of our baby. Dr. Hansen kindly dubbed it "And here's a picture of Baby Blob," when he gave us the print-off of the U/S (ultrasound).
I was given a friendly rundown of what to expect in the exam and had qualms about many of the procedures put to rest. Like (okay, so this next part might be too much information so feel free to skip it.) for instance, when I had my pap smear done usually it can be an awkward and strange moment, but Dr. Hansen and Donna (his right-hand gal) just talked to me about the baby and the excitement and before I knew it he was done with business down there, and Ta-Da! The exam is over.
Wow.
So anyway, needless to say I ironically enough really enjoyed my first exam (minus the peeing in the cup. I swear I had performance anxiety.) simply because the doc and nurse put me at ease.

As for the first pictures of the baby, it's handily located below.

The pictures are already grainy and scanning wasn't the best resolution but it's something. The basic information you likely want/need to know is that the baby's measuring about 7 weeks and 3 days (though I'm more like 8 weeks and 4 days when you consider my LMP). The physical measurement of the baby is just at 1.25cm long! My estimated due date when you consider my last period is May 24, 2009. But with Dr. Hansen's measurements of the baby I'd be due about June 1, 2009. But he said as we go along we'll get a better date and that we'd continue to keep my date (May 24th) on file. The baby's heartbeat (which Rob and I got to hear) was pounding at a quick 176 beats per minute!! Hearing the heartbeat really solidified the fact that I'm pregnant. If you look at the first picture, the white vertical lines mark the hearbeat and you could actually see the fluttering of the heart on the U/S.

Good news (other than my body and baby are healthy) is that I was given the go-ahead to continue taking Excedrine Migraine for my bad headaches until I hit 20 weeks. I had one yesterday that really made me sick all day. It's a weird fact, but women who are prone to migraines can get them more frequently during pregnancy because of all the horomone changes. And with the migraines, it can increase the symptoms of morning sickness and yesterday I was sick as a dog! I didn't stop loosing my accounts until 4pm. Needless to say I didn't eat much beyond a cracker, a sip of ginger ale and a bowl of ice cream (okay or two. But that was because I hadn't eaten all day and iceream is bland enough and soothing.)
Mmmmmmm, ice cream.
Ahem, anyway! So my next appointment is in about four weeks on November 13th. Which Rob said is Kathi's birthday so that's got to be a good omen of a sorts - if I were superstitious.
So until my next appointment, rest assured I will continue blogging about the pregnancy and the experiences. And so will Rob.

8 weeks in

2008-10-14T21:33:00.002-06:00

Here it is, 8 weeks with about 30-32 to go. It seems to be going by fast for me. It was only about a month ago that we found out the news. I am looking forward to our first appointment with the doc on Thursday. I hope that Heather is not too nervous. She has been the trooper. She has been dealing with bits of morning sickness and being tired most of the time. I hope that things let up for her in the next while so her life can get back to some kind of normality. We are trying to decide when the best time to inform the families and we just don't know. This is a very sensitive situation with Heathers family and we are going to have to be very careful with this. My family will be a little different, they will be very surprised, shocked etc. but I think that it will pass and they will be happy for us. We will probably tell them this weekend after the doc appointment. That is all for now, more later after the appointment.

8 weeks

2008-10-13T09:53:00.004-06:00

Mood: sleepy
Cravings: water
Mornings sickness: mild

I am now eight weeks into my pregnancy. My first doctor's appointment is this Thursday and I'm excited and nervous at the same time. And I'm so glad that Rob will be coming with me. Going alone would be tough, especially since this is the first appointment, but Rob has made it clear to me he'll go to every doctor's appointment and that he wants to be experience everything with me.
My dreams have gotten crazy too. The only one I can remember was over the weekend and it was with all my family. First, my cousin Sean who is a consul down in Panama, Central America for the US government, was the focal point of my dream - why? I have no idea. Anyway, my dream was that he tried smuggling monkeys who were a carrier of some disease into Panama to save them from something. But the government caught him and he was arrested. So the whole family and I buy tickets to Panama and we're all excited to see Sean and get a look at the country even though he's been arrested for a serious crime. We get there, we attend his court hearings - and in the dream he is pimped out like James Bond, which he SO isn't in real life - and he gets committed to the slammer for life because he knew better than to try to smuggle in monkeys since he worked for the government. And that's all I remember.
But I thought it was really weird that of everything he tried smuggling into Panama, it was monkeys. But I guess that's why it's a dream and not reality.
And here's what's going on with the little munchkin in my belly:
-The smaller details like eyelids, ears, nose and upper lips are starting to take definite shape. And now those four buds spreading out from the body will be developing fingers and toes.
-The heart has separated into four chambers and is beating at an estimated 150 beats per minute.
-Ossification (hardening) of the bones set in as elbow and knee joints develop.
-The baby is about 1/2 an inch long.
-The sex of the baby becomes more promanent, but not noticeable on an ultrasound.
-The tongue is developing
-The intestines move from the umbilicle cord into the abdomen of the baby.
And with all this growth I have got to take my prenatals. The last few days I've lost my routine and I've forgotten to take it the night before and last night. Which isn't good - so I need to ask the doc how bad is it to miss a day's serving of prenatal vitamins. Hopefully it won't be too bad. And really, I've kept a good diet so far with the pregnancy. So I don't think I'm missing out too badly on nutrients, but I still don't like the fact that I've forgotten on 2 occasions. We'll see what Dr. Hansen (my OBGYN) will say.

I also added a little ticker to the blog that shows a count-down of how long the baby has for gestation and it shows a picture of what the baby looks like. Also, the picture below is a life-size "doll" of what the baby looks like in comparison to the palm of the hand. My Little One is so tiny!

7 weeks and counting

2008-10-06T11:35:00.003-06:00

Mood: Good
Cravings: sushi
Morning sickness?: a little

As of yesterday I am seven weeks along. The pregnancy calendars I look at (maybe a little too much) say the baby is now about the size of a tic-tac (or a 1/4 of an inch long from crown to rump). Also, the baby is deciding whether to be a boy or girl at this point - but the sex of the baby won't be noticeable until I'm about 18-20 weeks along. ((I'll be honest, I think it's a girl.))
Yesterday was also my official day to experience full-blown morning sickness. Granted, I had a headache so I'm sure that played into the sickness. But Rob making coffee really played a number on my senses too. And on normal days I LOVE the smell of freshly-made coffee.
After loosing my accounts via the bathroom sink (something about hunching over a toilet made me feel all the sicker) I nibbled on saltine crackers, sipped a minute amount of ginger ale and promptly napped in the chair in the living room for awhile.
After my nap I ate half a banana and realized that the sickness had passed. But I was so tired I napped some more. And when I woke up I ate the remainder of my banana and a small slice of Tombstone pizza. Thankfully, I held it down.
I was such a bum yesterday.
But now I'm back at work on Monday and feeling okay. I still feel moments of "Crap, I am gonna puke into my trashcan." at work but it's not near as bad as yesterday. And if I had my druthers and had to choose which way I would rather get sick, it would definitely be in the privacy of my own home versus embarassing myself at work.
And on top of developing this morning sickness, I have had Rob literally by my side. He was supposed to go fishing yesterday but ended up not going because I had the heeby-geebies. He stayed by my side, looked after me and was such a relief to have around. It's hard to put in words how Rob's presence alone was almost enough to make me feel better. So if there's more sick moments to come, I have no doubt that Rob will be my complete support.
And on a happy note, I can fulfill my craving for sushi. YAY! I researched and found that the general consensus is that I can enjoy lots of sushi, i just can't eat but a few servings out of a month so that I don't consume too much mercury. Thank you American Pregnancy Association! Their website had a detailed list of what sashimi to avoid completely during pregnancy and what I can have in moderation and how much of a serving. So tonight, Rob and I are going downtown to eat at my favorite sushi joint, Happy Sumo. And below is a picture I pulled from online which shows about what my baby looks like now.

There's a reason behind my madness yesterday

2008-09-30T11:43:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I went to the Wasatch mountains Sunday to drive around a golf cart and watch Rob's family play golf and I got a few pictures, but I ended up getting sick on the 9th hole (so I think I was feeling out of sorts yesterday because I was getting sick). The bumping and jarring ride on the golf cart had to have played in with upsetting my tummy. And i got a headache from the gas-powered golf cart. Most carts are electric but in the mountains, having a gas-powered one is better to use with the mountainous terrain.

So anyway, after the nineth hole I went back to the car and napped for a bit (like I said, I'm always tired) and then I had delightful dry heaves until they finished their remaining 9 holes. When I got home at about 7pm or so I went straight to bed. And then I slept until 6:45am the next morning and was able to get up and go to work - thankfully. I was worried I'd have to call in sick and I don't want to use any sick time except for doctor appointments.

But here's some shots of the Wasatch Golf Club, which is up in the mountain dells, west of SLC. There were wild turkeys (the males were in hiding so pictured are the females) and they ran across the practice field.

And there's a couple of shots showing the colors changing - but they're not as vibrant as they are back home. It also kept trying to rain, clouds circled around us but it never really rained.

6 Weeks

2008-09-28T10:57:00.003-06:00

Mood: cranky :(

Cravings: none

I'm 6 weeks along in my pregnancy today. The only changes I've begun to feel are almost hard to explain. My moods have certainly been effected. I'm feeling a little out of sorts with things today. I have a big day ahead of me with Rob's family up in the mountains and all I can say is that I don't feel myself. I'm feeling irritable, tired and unsociable. And in turn, that makes me feel bad for Rob that he has to put up with my potentially pissy attitude. I think he knows it's the pregnancy but that doesn't make my attitude okay. It's very hard feeling this negitivity and not being able to shake it. I just hope that the mountain air and being outdoors will alieviate all of this. I don't want to spoil the day for Rob mainly, or for myself.

Other effects the pregnancy so far are having on me is that my boobs are H-U-G-E! They've grown a cup size at least and they're feeling constantly sore and full. That's the milk ducts preparing themselves - why it happens so early in the pregnancy I have no idea. But I have a book called Mayo Clinic's Guide to A Healthy Pregnancy and I've been reading the hefty volume on what to expect. And I've beel lucky so far to not really experience some of it. My only prominant ailments are backache, tender breasts, exhaustion, and very occasional bouts of abdomenal pains (the uterus is stretching to accomidate the baby), and equally occasionaly bouts of an upset tummy. I'd liken it to morning sickness, but I don't feel nauseated as much as I feel just that my morning meal - even if it's bland cereal - somehow isn't setting well and makes me feel sick.

It could be worse - I could be totally puking my brains out but I'm not (yet.) Plus, my boobs can always be bigger - which I'm sure they'll sadly get there one day.

As for sleep, I don't get much of that either. That's probably why my mood is lacking in good manners. But I hope that whatever keeps me tossing through the night (oh! other than the extremely crazy dreams I've had. Which I'll probably start blogging those too) will end soon so that I can really get back to enjoying my sleep. It's one of my favorite things to do and since I've started having the minute symptoms of pregnancy I've not slept well.

But here's a look at all the good to the pregnancy. First, Rob and I will be able to have a baby. Something we both thought impossible with his track record alone. Rob has lovingly dubbed me Fertle Mertle for my ability to conceive. He's also been so sweet and attentive to me. I'm so grateful to have him by my side. I love him so much that he's with me through this. And he's just as excited and happy as I am that we're having a baby - maybe even more so at times simply because he always thought he'd never have his own.

I can't continue on with the more happy side of all this. Rob and I have to go to the mountains to meet up with his family. Hopefully I'll get some worthwhile pictures of the changing leaves to post.

The countdown to my first doctor's appointment is 18 days to go.

I'm going to be a daddy!!!

2008-09-25T20:19:00.002-06:00

I'm very excited about becoming a father. Even though I have an adopted son who is now 15 from my previous marriage, this is very different. I was told a couple of years ago that it would be difficult for me to have my own children (5% chance). I accepted the fact that I would probably not have my own children and started to plan my life without kids. When Heather told me the news, I was not scared or "freaked out" in any way. I was very happy and proud. I love Heather with all my heart and I am absolutely thrilled that she is having my baby.

A Baby Is On the Way!

2008-09-23T11:22:00.000-06:00

Well, for those who have gotten the private invite to get updates on my pregnancy, here's where you can look to get details of how my pregnancy progresses. I don't have to tell you all that this is my first baby so I am pretty scared about the whole aspect of becoming a mom.

I think to myself "I'm too young to have a baby, holy crap!" And then I remember that I just turned 25 on September 12th, and that I'm not a worry-free 19 year old. It's easy to forget your age sometimes I think.

Anyway, so I'll be 5 and a half weeks tomorrow. Not many changes going on that I'm aware of or that I can feel besides the tiredness has already set in. No morning sickness, which is a relief but I'll let you know if that develops next week as it seems the pregnancy articles I've been reading commonly say morning sickness starts in the 6th week.

For now, here's a confirmation of my pregnancy. I took a picture of the test I took last week when I was just 4.5 weeks along.