Humpday Hero Award

I am super excited to be today's recipient of the Humpday Hero Award over at The Stork Drop Zone!  I wrote a message to my readers in the post and honestly feel that the true award belongs right back to all of YOU!  Thank you so much to whoever felt I was worthy enough to receive the honor!  I wanted to display the button proudly so I opened my e-mail to ask Carlia how to do it and she had already sent instructions...awesome... a big thank you Carlia for creating the award and keeping the IF sisterhood even more connected:]

First Trimester Recap

Some co-workers were telling me they wrote to their child while they were pregnant, they read and sang to their belly, etc.  I thought about writing in a journal but I knew I would never keep up with it.  I told PC I was already behind in keeping some sort of record of this pregnancy and his response was "Did your mom do that?"  (No)  "Do you think my mom did that?" (No) "Then is it something you really have to do?" (Well, I guess not)  Then, it occurred to my pregnancy brain (save that for another post) that I have recorded my thoughts... a lot of them anyway... right here!!!  However, I have not included a weekly update so I'm going to improvise a little and use the list below for the First Trimester. 

How far along: Weeks 1-13

Symptoms: Some off and on nausea the first few weeks that subsided around week 9 (never threw up!), excessive saliva (very first symptom that has never went away... I went from lemon drops to bubble gum to just dealing with it), sore bbs just for the first couple of weeks, strange and vivid dreams, 1-2 nightly potty trips, tired most in the early afternoon, my least favorite- constipation, overall- just happy to be in this place

Baby Related Purchases:  To baby... love you dearly but you will find out that I'm always looking for bargains.  No worries, grandma has already loaded you up with some of the cutest things and is fussing at me about how her "grandbaby isn't going to have all used stuff."  Nevertheless, we've bought a used-but-in-excellent-condition pack-n-play, swing, monitor, a couple of outfits and a diaper genie.  We're looking and researching about things for you that will be all new such as a crib, furniture and travel system.        

Maternity clothes:  Yes, I can't button regular pants.  I've gained 5 pounds and I can't button over it or under it! 

Sleep: Wake up 1-2x a night to pee... if I can work in a mid-afternoon nap, one of my most favorite places to be is in the hammock chair on the back porch, oh so cozy... PC snapped a pic one afternoon

Best Moment of the Trimester:  Telling others, especially my mom

Strangest Moment:  It's been strange, in a good way, just to think about another little life growing inside of me!

Movement:  Not yet, but I am listening to your sweet heartbeat every day:]  

Cravings:  Salty & sour over sweet, just about everything I ate during the first six weeks I couldn't bear the thought of eating the next six weeks... felt bad for PC because that included his favorite, Mexican food.

Gender:  Have a prediction based on our last ultrasound, but waiting until our next appointment on July 5th to make it official.

Belly Button: In... is it supposed to pop out?  That will be freaky, I must say!

What I miss:  sushi (when a craving strikes) and I could use a little extra dose of energy... hoping that's around the corner 

What I am looking forward to: Second Trimester... finally announcing blue or pink...feeling movement

Weekly (or First Trimester) Wisdom:  Keep crackers or nuts or something in the car when hunger strikes!  Invest in expensive toilet paper for all the extra trips to the bathroom!  Read The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy.  Enjoy every single sweet second:]  

Milestones: The First Trimester!!! 

Sticky Bun is the size of: somewhere around a lemon and apple... when people ask how big you are, I speak in terms of fruit!!!

And... the end of the first trimester bump...

Random-ness

We have been failing in the furbaby parent department. Our Gentle Giant (below) has had a persistent skin problem on his chest area since he was a puppy.  We haven't ignored it but we've just kept it under control with meds, regular vet checks and daily brushing.  The groomer told us last week those things are just not giving him enough relief:[  So, our precious big boy (in addition to what we've already been doing) is now on a gluten free diet (btw- Rachel Ray dry dog food is good stuff), topped with yogurt and omega oils and a nightly spray on his chest of diluted apple cider vinegar and white vinegar in the ears.  He stinks, but it already seems to be helping! 

I wanted to respond to the question about the fetal doppler.  I bought the Contec pocket fetal doppler with LCD that sells on Amazon from $58-80 depending on whether or not it has the LCD screen.  There's another one advertised (Hi Bebe) for $99 and it has more reviews.  The one I bought works fine as you can gather from my last post.  I use lotion instead of any gel and (so far) our little one stays in about the same place so the heartbeat has been fairly easy to find.  I'm looking forward to feeling movement and this tool gives me some reassurance until that happens, or while I'm waiting on the next ultrasound.  I recommend one... the ob/gyn said it's very safe and I can use it as much as I want.  I've pulled it out for my nieces, the grandparents and just about anyone who comes through our front door!  

Book recommendation- I have a very good friend- thank you LP- who has passed on some great baby items to me along with a book, The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy.  I highly recommend this book when you get your BFP!  The author (a former play.boy centerfold, btw) tried for over three years to conceive so she also knows that it's just not that easy.  She writes from the perspective of what your girlfriends would tell you about pregnancy rather than your doctor, and it's hilarious but full of good information at the same time.  There are short statements throughout the book for DH to read too!

Speaking of DH, I didn't get him a gift as a father-to-be but I hope that we have many, many years ahead to celebrate.  If this is a baby boy, it's my hope that he turns out to be a mini-PC in every possible way (well... with two exceptions... eating habits and computer preference)!  The world would be better place with another man just like him!  :]

Have a great week blog friends!!!

Hello, My name is Miss Mac...

and I'm a fetal doppler junkie.  Must get my heartbeat fix daily!  Today's fix... 154 bpm :]

Still Here!!!

Two weeks since my last post, yikes!  I have been wrapping up things at work to be off for a few weeks and we just got back from a three night beach trip.  We really didn't engage in too much baby talk during our drive except for making comments about where we would put its stuff!  

About two hours from home, I started having long, sharp cramps that went from the left side to the right.  I recognized them immediately as IBS "pain before poop" cramps (sorry TMI).  For about two hours, I had the cramps and then the lovely trips to the bathroom, which also included throwing up once... UGH!  That was never pleasant prior to pregnancy but it scared and worried me to the core!  I had to remind myself that women get stomach viruses and sickness during pregnancy and to trust my body to protect our little one.  I bought a fetal doppler off of eb.ay and it was in the mail when we returned from our trip, good timing.  We found the heartbeat (around 140 bpm) pretty quick and that helped ease my mind a little. 

Today we went in for a check-up and the ob/gyn (Dr. B6) didn't have us scheduled for an ultrasound but after the cramping episode, he offered and of course we said yes!  The baby was relaxing in there, hands above his/her head and little legs crossed.  Dr. B6 made a gender prediction but doesn't want to officially "call it" until the next ultrasound, three weeks away.  So, that's to be continued...

Dr. B6 did tell me "I know you don't want to hear this, but it is getting time to normalize this pregnancy.  I know you went through a lot to get to this point, but you have a normal baby in there and you need to realize it."  I simply said, "that's hard to do."  I really do want to embrace this pregnancy and look at baby nursery stuff and think about names... I'm just not there yet but I'm getting closer every day!