Friday, February 22, 2008

14w1d

Note to self: no chocolate, in any form, close to bedtime. Last night, we went out for dinner at Applebee's and I ordered a dessert shooter to top off my meal (don't worry, the dessert only came in a shot glass). It was chocolate mousse with whipped cream and crumbled Oreo cookies. Yum. And I paid for it dearly during the night.

I discovered what was making me so wigged out. I would fall asleep with no problem, but wake up at least three times feeling like I'd downed a bottle of NyQuil. So, new rule- no chocolate after 12pm. I still don't know what the heck I ordered as an entree. It was some kind of cheesy chicken pasta thing. I don't know that I would get it again, but it made fantastic leftovers this afternoon. From the beginning of my pregnancy 'til now, I've favored chicken and pasta over my once favorite red, juicy steak and potatoes. Could this mean I'm having a girl, or that my baby just caters to its Italian heritage more than its Dutch side?

I have had a suspicion all along that I'm actually having a boy. The only baby dreams I've had so far have been about little boys and my mom had one like that, too, about a week ago. Gregg has held to his position since the night we found out I was pregnant that I'm having a girl. We'll see who's right...

I've been having "round ligament pain" for the past few days, which was alarming to me at first because I felt sharp stabs on both sides of my abdomen. I read though, that this is just my body doing exactly what it's supposed to- preparing for the growth of the baby. My uterus is stretching, causing the pain. It's supposed to have moved out of the pelvis into my abdomen by now. I'm showing a little bit through my clothes at this point. My jeans feel tighter and tighter every day, especially right after lunch. I'm also starting to feel what I can best describe as... sensations in my lower belly. I don't know if it's quickening yet or not. It's not gas, but not exactly butterflies either. It's all becoming more real to me now, which is fun and exciting.

We get to hear the heartbeat for the first time next week! That will be so cool. Sometimes life can become so monotonous; get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, clean up, watch tv, go to bed and do it all over again the next day. But then I get these little reminders that there is something truly amazing and miraculous happening inside me and it breaks through the monotony of every day life. Sometimes I get pee in my pants excited for this baby to arrive, and other times I sail right through the day hardly thinking about the pregnancy. I really do want to cherish every moment. Thank goodness for blogs!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Good and Bad

So a few weeks ago, Gregg and I bought a mini-van. We got one because 1) our family is growing, and 2) it was really about time we had a second vehicle. We got a great deal on a pre-owned van, which was in almost pristine condition. It drives well and has a good bit of room inside. After owning it for almost two weeks, an illegal immigrant driving a borrowed vehicle lost control of his car and slammed into the front left end of the minivan while it was parked at Gregg's workplace. The man who was in the country illegally was arrested by the policeman who arrived on the scene and most likely deported. Leaving us to deal with the insurance company of the guy who let this idiot drive his car.

Right off the bat, we could tell this would not be a smooth process. Gregg filed a claim and the insurance people weren't playing very nice. They did eventually have someone come out to appraise the damage on the van and determined it's a total loss. They're claiming no liability because they only insure the owner of the car that hit us, not the driver. Which is a bunch of crapola. So we're filing a lawsuit against the owner to recoup the value of our van.

This whole thing bothers me on so many levels. First, the injustice of it all. The fact that this insurance company is being shady and not paying up. The fact that we spent hard earned money on a car and did not do a single thing to cause this accident in any way, shape, or form, but some fool comes along and in one second, destroys a possession of ours. Second, the sheer frustration of having to deal with something like this. Third, sadness that we have to actually sue somebody in order to get our money back. The whole filing a lawsuit thing really creeps me out. But what other choice do we have? Hopefully, it will just be settled out of court and we won't have to appear on Judge Judy (ha ha).

I've been hesitant to blog about this because I don't want to seem complainy. There are plenty of very good things happening in our lives right now. Nobody got injured. Nobody died. We have suffered a material loss and setback, but there are worse things in life. I remember reading an article last year in a Christian magazine that said our life is like a railroad track, and at all times there are good things happening and bad things happening. There are no mountaintops or valleys. As I look back on my life, I find this to be true. Especially now. We have been blessed with a wonderful little miracle we are so looking forward to. That's obviously the good part. On the other hand, we are experiencing unfairness and a big irritation. That's the bad part. I shouldn't be caught off guard when negative things happen to me. But I am. Jesus said, "in this life you will have trouble." He guaranteed it. He did not want us to be surprised when "bad things happen to good people".

I guess what I'm trying to say in all of this, is that I need to give it over to God and leave it in His hands. He is still in control. And like I said before, there are worse things in life.

So on to more pleasant things... we had a very nice Valentines Day. Well, evening really. We were invited out to dinner at Red Robin by our friends Dave & Theresa. I was so glad that after a long and somewhat frustrating day at work, I got to spend time with my husband and good friends eating good food and enjoying great conversation. You know you have good friends when you leave their presence feeling reenergized and blessed. On Friday, I met my friend Ruthann and her 21 month old daughter Calleigh for lunch. We talked about pregnancy and our husbands (all good stuff!) over sandwiches and ice cream. Then I got to go home because I didn't have to be back at work. That night, Gregg and I went over to Ryan & Anita's and played Scattergories and watched a movie. Saturday we pretty much enjoyed the day off together, running some errands and getting some great bargains out shopping. I picked up a baby names book for $3 which I spent a few hours last night going through and highlighting.

On the pregnancy front, I am officially getting too big for my own pants. I'm not sure if it's all the bloating, or if it's truly my tummy poking out there. I haven't been sleeping as well, either. The last few nights, I've woken up in the middle of the night feeling like I'm going to crawl out of my skin. Like when you have too much caffeine. Only I've been avoiding caffeinated substances. My digestive system is still screwed up because of all the hormones that are raging. The hormones are also making me way more irritable and sensitive. Oh yeah, I have now entered my second trimester! 1 down, two to go. They say the second one is the easiest. The nausea has let up and you're not running to the bathroom constantly anymore. My risk of miscarrying has decreased signficantly. I can't believe I'm in my fourth month already. Only 27 more weeks to go!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Snow Day

Well, the winter weather the forecast called for happened. This morning when I woke up, there was already about an inch of snow on the ground. I decided to work from home today and cancelled my afternoon appointment. It was a good thing, because the snow just got heavier as the day wore on. There was an army of kids outside with their sleds and saucers, taking advantage of the pile up.

In addition to getting some things done for my job, I folded and ironed clothes, called my mommy because it's her birthday, and worked on some ideas for my sister's bridal shower. I am really excited for this shower! I've been coordinating with the other girls in the wedding party along with my mom, and we've come up with some great plans. I'm in charge of favors and I found the perfect ones to go along with our theme. I'm going to add some ribbon and a colorful tag to them that includes the event and date. It's like the Martha Stewart in me has come out.

On Friday, I told the rest of my co-workers that I'm expecting and my inbox was flooded with words of congratulations when I returned to the office yesterday. I said I was open to name suggestions, and they were happy to oblige. One of the girls is bringing her baby name book to work so I can peruse it. I have a few names for both a girl and boy picked out, but nothing I'm sold on yet.

Because I'm a cheeseball, I watched A Baby Story and Bringing Home Baby on TLC while folding laundry today. Seeing those shows just confirms my desire to be a mother. It makes me so excited for my little one to arrive! I know in my last few weeks, the anticipation is going to drive me absolutely crazy.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

12 Weeks

I thought I would narrowly escape the first trimester without getting sick. But this morning, it happened. A miniature yakk fest. Thankfully I hadn't gone into work yet. Afterwards, I managed to get down a multi grain English muffin and a glass of juice. I opted to type my progress notes at home, finally leaving for the agency around 12:30. I am so grateful I have such a flexible schedule!

I told my boss about the pregnancy yesterday, and he was very happy for me. In fact, he couldn't say enough good things about being a parent. He said that having a kid was the best decision he and his wife made. He stated, "I assume you'll be taking some time off, then?" I told him yes, but didn't know how much yet. He said that was fine and we'd play it by ear as I got closer to my due date. How great is that??

Last weekend, Gregg and I went to a Super Bowl party at Ryan & Anita's. We are so not football fans, but it was a good excuse to get together with friends. They just had a baby boy in January, and he is so adorable! I held him for a while during the game, the whole time thinking "I can't believe I'll have one of these in 6 1/2 months." Okay, I confess that I nearly fell asleep during the second half. But the game was dragging for a while and I need something more than just mere will power these days to keep me awake past 9. I was very glad that the Giants won, with minutes to spare, defeating the cheaters (oh, I mean the Patriots).

My lower abdomen has definitely rounded out by now. Still only really noticeable to me and hubby, though. I can't wait until I start sporting a baby bump! My veins are a lot more prominent, too (under my clothes). I read that's because my body has an increased supply of blood to help grow the baby. Where did it come from, I wonder? The whole baby making process is an absolute miracle.

Friday, February 01, 2008

11w1d

Today we had some pretty awful weather here in South Central PA. Icy, slushy, rainy, cold- what a way to start February! Despite it being yucky out, we still made it to my 11 week doctor's appointment this morning. It took me about twenty minutes to defrost my windshield and scrape the thick layer of ice off so that I could see. Gregg had already gone to work and met me at the medical pavilion. I got there after my scheduled time, but the office had a delayed opening because of the weather so it was crammed full of patients who had been waiting for a while. I was seen not too long after checking in.

First we met with one of the nurses, who asked us about a million questions about medical history and genetics. I learned that because I'm primarily of Italian decsent, there's a slight chance I could be a carrier for some type of anemia. She filled out a lab slip for me to have blood work and a urinalysis done, and gave me a bunch of reading material. Afterward, we were ushered back to the waiting room before my physical exam with the doctor. I then had to pee in a Dixie cup again, and had my BP and weight checked. I'm down one pound from my last visit, but the medical assistant said it could just be the difference in scales.

I had to put on a very flattering (ha) hospital gown and froze my butt off waitng for the doctor to enter the room. She said she was going to try to hear the heartbeat this time with a Doppler, but said not to be discouraged if we didn't because it's still early. She completed the phsycial, then checked out my pelvic area. How she knew this just from pushing on my abdomen, I don't know, but she said my uterus is tipped slightly and kind of hiding back towards my pelvis. This will straighten out as the pregnancy progresses, but for now it apparently makes it near impossible to hear a heartbeat, so she said she'd wheel in the ultrasound machine and get a glimpse of how baby is doing.

I couldn't stop smiling. It was so amazing to see it again. This time, we could make out hands and feet. It definitely looked more like a baby than a jelly bean. The doctor said that it appeared like Baby B was crossing its feet and waving. He or she jumped a few times, too! Okay, it was more like spastic movements, but it was so cute. We got a few more pictures to put in the baby album. Our next appointment is scheduled for February 29, when the doctor will go over all the lab work with us and we'll finally be able to hear the heartbeat. The next one after that, we find out if it's a boy or girl!!

After we left the doctor's, Gregg went back to work and I met up with two friends at Panera for lunch. Since the lab was basically across the parking lot from the restaurant, I went in for my blood work and such right after. They filled like, six or seven tubes which made me a little woozy. But, the tech who drew my blood was really good. I hardly felt a thing.

Last weekend, Gregg and I made our first journey into baby shopping land. We went into the baby departments of Target and Toys'RUS. It was fun... and daunting. Very daunting. I mean, how can such a tiny little thing possibly need all that stuff? We were clueless. What kind of car seat do we get? What type of bottles? We didn't buy a single thing. We did however, decide on a theme for the nursery, which will be Classic Winnie the Pooh. It will be so much fun purchasing items and decorating the baby's room, when we actually know what we need! Grandma, some help please?

Sometimes it's hard for me to believe this is all happening. I feel so incredibly blessed to have this baby growing inside of me and that I've had such a smooth pregnancy so far. I know it will become more real as the weeks progress, and my tummy grows! Right now, it just looks like I've eaten a few too many donuts or something.

I'm looking forward to seeing what each new week brings. Every Wednesday evening (that's my day six), I log onto whattoexpect.com to read about what the week ahead entails, for both me and baby. I've marked down the week number in the corner of each Thursday on our kitchen calendar. I now know I will be just over 35 weeks pregnant on the day of sister's wedding. Yikes. They might have to wheel me down the aisle.