The Countdown

Nine days to go until my due date and there is NOTHING happening in there. No contractions, no back pain that might be labor, nada. Zero. Zilch. Bupkiss. For some reason, I never even considered how I might feel if I had to wait for this baby to come down to the wire or even (Heaven forbid!!) overdue. After being induced 12 days early with Isaiah and half-expecting the same to happen this time around, I am finding myself in uncharted waters here. I don't like it! I really don't like going to bed every night and wondering if I'm going to wake up with wet sheets or in terrible pain. What's worse is when I get up in the morning and nothing happened! Does that make sense or sound crazy? Evan certainly doesn't mind....every day the baby stays comfortably in utero is one more day he gets of basically uninterrupted basement work time. I'm ok with that too, but it's the uncertainty and the feeling that I don't know what to expect that is driving me up a wall. I am a planner by nature, after all.

I have another checkup at the doc today at noon, so maybe I'll find out something new today. Doubtful, but I can hope right??

The Waiting Game

Here I am on Saturday, 12 days before my due date and I managed to make it through our big work day on the basement without either A: Going into labor or B: Being induced into labor. Both were seeming like viable options as the week progressed, but with the carpet getting installed in the morning and a lot of work on tap for the rest of the day, Even just kept pleading with me to "make it though Friday!" Done and done, honey. I had to go to the doctor three times this week to keep tabs on my blood pressure, protein levels, and the baby's heartbeat. I did two NSTs and in the end, I was given the green light to stay pregnant over the weekend. With Isaiah, I was induced at 38 weeks, 2 days which is exactly where I am at today so this kid has officially stayed in the oven longer than his brother. At this point, I am not hoping he stays put until at least Tuesday because my doctor will be out of town for the holiday and I really would rather not do the whole "giving birth" thing without her. That, and I just think it would be a horribly ironic coincidence to have a baby on Labor Day.

Ouch!

My advice to women pregnant for the first time: Buy a jar of TUCKS before your third trimester. You will need them BEFORE you deliver!

Ouch.

Still Pregnant

I went to the doctor this morning to follow up on my elevated blood pressure from Monday and things did not start off well. My blood pressure had stayed about the same and I did have protein in my urine. Super. I could just hear the words "induction" floating around in my head! I had blood drawn and my doc is running all the tests to "leave no leaf unturned" as far as checking for the symptoms of preeclampsia and then I did a non-stress test (NST), just like I had with Isaiah. The baby's heartrate wasn't incredibly variable, but it wasn't bad enough that we needed to be concerned. So, here's what we're left with. I need to weigh myself every day to watch out for a sudden weight gain and I need to watch out for headaches. Both are signs of preeclampsia. I'm probably going to be calling it quits a week early at work since I'm supposed to really "watch it" until the baby comes. I have to go back in to the doctor on Monday and then again on Wednesday - twice a week until it's baby time. Overall though, the good news is that I can stay pregnant a while longer yet! Woohoo!

Deja Vu

I went in to see the doctor this morning for my routine 36 week check up. (FYI - I am officially at 36 weeks, 4 days) After chit chatting with the nurse about my Kindle (we like to talk books), I was quickly transported into a major flash of deja vu when she took my blood pressure. Just like when I went in at 38 weeks with Isaiah, my blood pressure had spiked. I have been a pretty consistant 102-106 over 70s for my entire pregnancy, but this morning I was 118 over 85. The last time this happened, I was hooked up to an NST machine and two days later I had a baby! So, they took a urine sample to test for protein and Dr. Baker asked me to come back in on Wednesday to check on things. As for the rest of the check-up, I am actually measuring small this time around, so we pretty sure we're cooking up a small baby in there. I'm ok with that! I only gained 3 pounds in the past 4 weeks so I avoided a scolding, and the baby's head is down and in the "ready for launch" position! I'll know more about what to expect after I go back in on Wednesday, but there is definitely a nagging part in the back of my brain that is screaming "Please not yet!!! We're not ready yet!!!!" Realistically though....I'm thinking we've got some time.

Well that was weird!

I had to leave work early Friday night because I was having fairly strong contractions every 6-8 minutes! It was freaking me out how regular they were, so I started writing down the times and it continued for a good 2 hours. I called the hospital and they recommended sitting down for a while and drinking a ton of water, so I got someone to come in for me and that's what I did. It took about an hour or so of resting on the couch for them to go away, but they did. I am really hoping this isn't any kind of indication that the baby plans on showing up early. I am so not ready!

The Home Stretch

On Thursday I will officially be considered "full term," which means basicaly nothing except that if labor were to start, my doctor would not try to stop or prolong it. So, I guess it is safe to say that we are in the home stretch of this pregnancy! My due date is one month from today and I still feel like I need much more time. I did get the car seat dug out of storage and after lengthy search, managed to find all the components it needed. Now we just need to get the bases installed in the cars. I keep telling myself to get started on packing the hospital bag, making & freezing meals, and all the other things I did to prepare myself last time around, but I haven't done any of it yet. I do have the baby's changing table all stocked with diapers and clothes, but it's living out in the dining room right now while we continue the push to get the basement done. (The carpet guy is coming out to measure tomorrow, by the way!!!)

How am I feeling? Oh.....ok, I guess. The books and articles say the baby is putting on about an ounce of weight every day now and I can verify that while this may not sound like a lot, it adds up quickly! It seriously does feel like he gets bigger every day and there are some evenings (especially after I have been working at the restaurant) where I really don't want to move because it is so uncomfortable. Overall though, I am doing great. I have had zero complications this pregnancy, once again. I am so grateful to have easy pregnancies. There are so many women who have to deal with so much just to bring a life into the world and I am so thankful to have been blessed with normal pregnancies (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!). So, I guess for now we just continue the waiting game. Evan is working his tail off downstairs trying to get the drywall finished while I wait paitently with my carpet samples and list of paint until I get the green light to go ahead and get them purchased and in the rooms. It's exciting to see it starting to come together, but it is going to be so stressful when everything is culminating at once! Stay tuned!

33 Weeks

Despite the fact that I am measuring 1 cm behind schedule, I still feel like I am just shy of the size of a barn. My back and hips concur with this assessment.
In other news, it would appear that I have hit some kind of pregnancy induced psychotic meltdown phase because I have spent the last week fluctuating between bouts of hysterical crying, depression, anxiety, sassiness (I struggled to hold my tongue with stupid customers at work), extreme fatigue, and lack of appetite. You can even ask my husband....I've been a basketcase this last week! I feel like I have absolutely no grip on my emotions right now and that's only a part of it. Less than 7 weeks to go. Just gotta keep telling myself that this is the home stretch. I can make it!!

Looking good!

I had a routine prenatal checkup yesterday and everything is looking A-OK. I didn't get hollered at about my weight, which is good because I really didn't want to have to launch into the sob story I had prepared in case it was brought up. It's a sensitive issue....can you tell? Anyway, Baby's hearbeat was hovering right aroud 140 beats per minute and I'm actually measuring a bit small this time around. With Isaiah, I had to go get an additional ultrasound because I was measuring about 4 cm ahead of where I should be, but this one is about 1 cm behind! Small baby perhaps? I'm holding out hope that this one is going to be much easier as far as labor and delivery are concerned, but I am terrified about going into labor itself. Since I didn't get to do it on my own last time, I have no clue how to recognize labor and what to do when it happens. Yeah....little nervous about that. I'm just praying my water doesn't break in public. Or in bed. Or in the shower so I don't notice.

The Comma Pillow

I had to break down and start sleeping with "the pillow" again. Nope, it's not just any pillow. It's my Boppy pillow that I bought when I was pregnant with Isaiah and my sleeping starting to really suck because I was so uncomfortable. It's shaped like a comma and, for some reason, I completely forgot how to use it! For over a week, I was sleeping with the little end of the comma between my legs and the big end up by my belly. Well, this was not helping at all and I had always chucked the pillow to the floor before morning ever rolled around. I finally complained to Evan one night that the pillow wasn't working and that I guess I just had to resolve myself to 10 more weeks of terrible sleep. He suggested I was using it wrong....that perhaps the big, chunky end was supposed to go between my legs and the little end of the comma was to go under the belly. I thought this sounded ridiculous, but I decided to give it a try. What did I have to lose?

I hate it when he's right. How could I have completely forgotten how to use the stinking pillow? It made a world of difference and it really does help to have that pillow wedged around me while I sleep. In my defense, how could I have thought this? Look at the picture - I tried it the exact way it's pictured. I guess it figures that I would need to use it all backwards. Leave it to me to be difficult!

In other news, the baby continues to move around like CRAZY and grow like a weed. Our next prenatal checkup is next week Monday, but I don't anticipate any problems. I'm starting to get periodic heartburn and swelling in my ankles and fingers plus tingling in my toes is starting to become an issue. More than anything, I just feel BIG already. Not a comforting fact when one considers how much BIGGER I am actually going to get. Oh well!

2 Months to Go

About 2 more months before this baby is predicted to arrive, huh? That's it? That's all the time I have left before my life is going to double in the craziness factor? I was just starting to get the hang of this whole "parent to a toddler" thing. We've got the big boy bed going, I've been able to scrapbook a couple times a week, and I'm actually semi-comfortable going out in public. But soon, it's going to be a whole new ball of wax. Back to the world of engorged breasts, 10-12 daily diaper changes, 2 am feedings, pumping, gas bubbles, hemorrhoids, sleeplessness, and non-showering. Oh, and that's just the baby! Add in everything that concerns Isaiah and you've got a world o' hurt coming. Don't get me wrong....I am thrilled to have another on the way. I love being a Mommy and I can't wait to experience that joy all over again. I remember the amount of work it was when Isaiah was a newborn and I'm not going to lie and say "I'm sure I can handle it" because I'm pretty convinced that I'm going to find myself suddenly highly unqualified to be the mother of two young boys. But, like everything else with parenting, we learn as we go and just try to survive.

Like I keep telling myself when things get difficult: "This is only temporary."

I'm a Hippo!!

I feel like a hippo.

That's it.....I just wanted to say that!

Braxton Hicks

Believe it or not, I have started to have contractions every now and again. Granted, they are only the "practice contractions" that are completely normal at this point in the pregnancy, but it is kind of weird to just be walking down the aisle in Target or something and suddenly feel your belly tighten up like a rubber band. At least I know that my body is getting ready, right?

The baby's room is still an absolute disaster area. I have the crib moved in there now that Isaiah is officially in the big boy bed and I have managed to get it all set up with his bedding, but that is about the extent of the development the room has taken toward becoming a nursery. The guest bed is still propped up against the wall, the computer is in there, and a whole bunch of stuff that will eventually end up in either the playroom or the baby's room is piled in there because we have nowhere else to go with it for the time being. I'm just dying for the basement to get to the point where I can start moving stuff down there. That won't be until after the drywall is up and the flooring is down, so I'm looking at late August at the earliest. It's going to be a pretty close finish!! The good news is that the baby won't really need a whole room to himself when he first arrives and we'll be able to get by with using the changing table in Isaiah's room, a boucy chair, and the Pack n Play for a few weeks. One way or the other, I am holding out hope that the basement will be at least some level of "done" by the end of September. I'll only be on maternity leave for 2 months so it will really cut into the time I can help once I go back to work.

All in all, everything is progressing well! We're prepared for what to expect due to the baby's kidney condition and he looks to be otherwise perfectly healthy and normal. I'm trying to resist the urge to buy a whole bunch of cute baby stuff because I already have quite a bit, but there will be plenty of the utilitarian stuff that we still need - diapers, wipes, diaper cream, formula, bottle liners, breast pads, breastmilk bags......the list goes on and on. I know I don't get a shower for baby #2, but who do I talk to about getting a quick hose-down? :-) Just kidding.

27 Weeks!

Less than 3 months to go until my due date and I figured it was about time to take another belly photo. Oh, the difference 6 weeks can make! I already feel HUGE, so it's going to be pretty scary over the next couple months when I get even bigger and the weather gets even hotter. Can't wait! Oh yeah....and I cut my hair.

Update: Ultrasound

I had an ultrasound on Friday to follow up on a couple issues that I previously wrote about. One was a cyst that had appeared in the baby's brain on the 20 week ultrasound. The good news is that the cyst was gone at my checkup on Friday, so I was very relieved about that. However, the problem with the kidneys that had presented itself earlier did not go away. The fancy name for it is fetal pyelectasis and you can read more about it by clicking HERE. It is not a serious condition by any means, but the baby will need some special care once he has arrived come September. Evan and I are both grateful that our baby is 99% perfect and healthy and we look forward to meeting him in only a couple months! We still have so much to do to get ready for his arrival. Hard to believe my due date is only 3 months away!

Checkups and Follow-ups

I had a routine prenatal checkup last week and everything was A-OK. Baby's heartrate was 152 beats per minute and my fundal height (the measurement of my uterus) was exactly on track with where it should be. I am purposely not looking at the scale when Kari weighs me at each visit, so don't even ask how much weight I've gained so far. I really don't want to know. Maybe I'll ask for a final number come September so I can record it in the baby book, but maybe not. I was still hanging on to about 20 leftover pounds from Isaiah when I got pregnant, so I am not exactly looking forward to what that scale will be saying by my birthday. Yikes.

As for follow-ups: I have another ultrasound coming up on June 12th. At our 20 week ultrasound at the beginning of May, Dr. Schad noticed a couple things that warranted some follow up. First, the baby's kidneys were two different sizes when they should be about the same. This can mean nothing or it could also suggest some kind of blockage to the bladder. He said it is fairly common and should go away within 6-8 weeks, so we'll be checking on that on the 12th. Also, he found a cyst in the baby's brain. I know.....that sounds scary. I about swallowed my tongue when he first said it too. I assured me, however, that this too is a fairly common thing that develops in fetuses and that it too should go away on its own within 6-8 weeks. The cyst is NOT a tumor or anything like that. So, we'll be checking to make sure that it has disappeared at the next ultrasound. I will be sure to share the results once it's done!

Apart from that, I thankfully have little to report! When it comes to pregnancy, no news is good news at this point. As long as things stay relatively uneventful, I know things are progressing as they should be. I do have days every now and again where I can literally feel my belly stretching out as I go about my day. It's weird and uncomfortable, but at least I know my little guy is growing. He still moves around a LOT and is capable of some very strong kicks. Maybe he's already trying to play with his big brother!

I see you!

Hard to believe, but I am already far enough along that I can see my little guy kicking me through my tummy! I noticed it a couple night ago when I was relaxing on the couch and he was being particularly active. I stared at the location where he was moving for a bit and sure enough, POP! My belly bounced out a that spot! Hopefully when Evan returns he'll be able to catch his first kick too.

Another prenatal checkup ahead for me tomorrow. I don't anticipated any problems!

Kicking around

This baby is certainly a MOVER! He kicks a lot and I have already felt them on the outside of my belly! I'll have to check my journal from last time, but I'm pretty sure I wasn't feeling movement on the outside just yet. I guess this one is a strong little bugger.

Still waiting for Isaiah's big boy furniture to come in so I can get it all assembled and start the transition for the office into the baby's room. I have purchased his new bedding and I think it will look really good. It's got a couple shades of blue combined with brown in a star motif! It should look nice with the wall color we already have in the office - we really didn't want to paint again!

21 Weeks!

Whew!  About 4 months to go....this pregnancy is half over already!  Hard to believe I am this far along already.  I was just talking to Evan today on our way to our Mother's Day dinner at HuHot (yum-o!) about how this pregnancy has gone so much faster than the last one.  I realize it's because I am otherwise occupied with a certain toddler, but it still amazes me.  I remember that the wait until the 20 week ultrasound in July of 2007 was just agonizing and seemed to take forever.  This time, I couldn't believe it was already here!  We still have a LOT to do in just 4 months, the biggest being getting the basement ready so we can move the office down there and the baby into the office.  Evan and his dad did get some new walls and some recessed lighting put up this weekend though, so there is some actual progress taking place.  Woohoo!

Whoa! Where did those come from??

I think my boobs exploded overnight. Not like a "Kaboom!" explosion like what happens when you toss a stick of dynamite into a vat of Jello, not that I've ever seen that done. It just seemed like a fitting image. No, I'm referring to the type of explosion, or rather....engorgement, that happens with you toss one of those novelty washcloths that comes all bunched up into the size of a quarter into a sink of water. Boom! All of a sudden, that quarter-sized cloth is swelling up to the size of a beach towel! That's what has happened to my chest. All day today, I am constantly hitching up my shirt that is covering the girls because I'm super-paranoid that they are out there for all these teenagers (I'm subbing at the high school) to see! I know they're supposed to grow in pregnancy, but honestly!!! Don't I have enough going on up front already? And why now? Why all of a sudden, in the span of a couple of days, have they suddenly decided to rebel against me and refuse to be confined by the likes of run-of-the-mill restrainment devices like undergarments and shirts? Oh no....they insist on being allowed to break forth into the spotlight! God help me if this trend continues.

Naming our little boy

Why are boy names so much more difficult than girl names? We really struggled to even agree on a short list of baby boy names last time around and Isaiah was the one name that Evan and I both truly loved. Perhaps that was the primary reason I was secretly hoping for a girl - so I wouldn't have to go through the naming drama!!! Oh, well. God has better plans for our testosterone filled family! I checked out a couple baby naming books from the library to try to expand our horizons a bit when it comes to names. Always good to branch out a little, right? After discussing the newly formed list with Evan (and crossing out more than a few between the two of us), I am happy to say that we have decided on a name for our baby boy! It's going to take some getting used to for me because it just hasn't quite "hit me" like Isaiah's name did, but I do really like it and I think it is a good, strong name.

And yes, we are still keeping the name a secret until the baby is born. We're evil that way.

Boy oh Boy!

It's a boy!


Just like big brother before him, this baby left little doubt as to whether he was a boy or a girl. As you can clearly see in this ultrasound, the goods are right out there for all to see! So.....two boys. Wowza. I will admit that part of me was hoping for a girl, even though I was pretty sure all along it would be a boy. There's something about having a little girl to play dress up and do all the princess stuff with, but I look at it this way. I should NEVER have to take out the trash or mow the lawn and weddings down the road will be much cheaper. Seriously, I am pumped to have two boys. With them being so close in age, they will have a blast causing trouble and getting dirty together. And really, there's just something about brothers.

Two more days!

I have nothing earth-shattering to share today....just wanted to express my anxiousness over the fact that the big ultrasound is only 2 days away! It's always exciting to be able to see your baby, but I am especially looking forward to finding out the gender of the baby this time around. I really don't have a strong feeling one way or the other about if it is a boy or a girl, even though everyone else and their brother are saying "Girl!" All I know is that this baby has already been WAY more active than Isaiah was at this stage. What's hard to believe is that I am already halfway through this pregnancy. It doesn't seem like that much time has passed since I was watching those first sticks turn pink! :-)

I'll be sure to share what we discover at the ultrasound as soon as I get on a computer afterwards. Stay tuned!

19 Weeks!

Almost halfway there already! I'm excited because I am entering the fun stage of pregnancy. I remember last time around that it was so cool to finally "look" pregnant rather than just fat, but you're not big enough yet where things are too uncomfortable. I definitely have my baby belly out for all to see now! My energy has returned so I don't feel like I'm going to pass out every night at 7:00 anymore. There are some other pleasant changes right about this time in the pregnancy, but I'm not going into more detail than that.....just ask Evan! ;-)

8 days to go until the big ultrasound! What will it be.....BOY or GIRL????

The Name Game

Naming the baby has been weighing on my mind recently. Evan and I have clashed quite a bit when it comes to names and I have heard the word "VETO" more than I care to remember. But, I think we may have made some progress! Recently, while we were watching TV, a character's name really struck me and I said, "Oh, I love that name!" I expected Evan to retort with a "Not so much" or something, but he suprised me by saying that he really liked it too. Ever since then, I have heard that name come up at random moments....just reminding me of how much I like it. So, long story short, I think we may have our girl name chosen!

No, I'm not going to tell you what it is! Where's the fun in that?

Boy name? No clue. Stay tuned.

Feeling Flutters

Last time around, I didn't feel Isaiah move until I was about 18 weeks. Since I knew what to be feeling for this time, I was hopeful I would feel the baby move a little earlier, and I have! Just yesterday I felt for the first time the little flutters of the baby moving around in there. It only happened a couple of times and I haven't felt it since, but at least I know that he/she is in there and grooving away!

Less than a month until we find out if it is a boy or a girl!!! (I still say it's a boy. Evan says it's a girl)

Finally showing!

Despite the fact that my previous post was about how I was looking all kinds of "not pregnant," I can finally post with a picture to show that the baby is starting to actually make me have a preggo belly. Here's what I'm looking like now at 15 weeks, 4 days!

Growing Backwards?

Remember a while back when I said my pants were getting tight? It was clearly bloating. I am starting to suspect that this baby has me growing backwards! Not only am I not showing at all, but I think I may have actually lost some weight. I mean, I can take my jeans off without unbuttoning or unzipping!!! That's just not right!! My next appointment with the doc is tomorrow so I will be able to make sure that all is well in there. It's just so strange how different two pregnancies can be!

Update!

Well, I suddenly realized that I hadn't posted on here in about nine days. I'm surprised I wasn't receiving hate email! Unfortunately, I have little to report. Other than the fact that I can actually feel the top of my uterus now (from the outside.....sicko), there really hasn't been a whole lot of change. I'm still feeling nauseous pretty often, but it is much more sporadic now. Of course, that also means that it is also very unpredictable. I'm still insanely tired and I am truly hoping that will ease up soon. As much as I love sleep, it makes it very difficult to get much done at home when bedtime is 8:30. My next check up is the 16th and I should get to hear the heartbeat this time! Maybe we'll get a little hint as to whether it is "boy range" or "girl range." Isaiah's heartbeat was "boy range" from the very start and stayed that way. I guess we'll have to wait and see!

Jumped the Gun?

I think I may have spoken too soon when I said that I was leaving the morning sickness phase. If I consider how I felt yesterday into the argument, it is clear I'm not out of the woods yet. I even had to pull over on the side of the road to throw up!! Fun, I know. Now, I'm not trying to be a complainer. I know that I wanted this and tried hard to get here, so I'm not by any means complaining about finally being pregnant. I do wish that it didn't come with so many "side effects" though. Oh, and I must be totally hormonal because I'm crying at the drop of a hat these days. Last night I was watching The Lord of the Rings on TV with Isaiah and I started crying when Gandalf came back! I've seen those movies probably hundreds of times and I seriously CRIED???? Oh boy......

Fruit Loops

It would appear that I am starting to gradually ease out of the morning sickness stage, thank goodness. The best clue that I have to support this is my sudden cravings for Fruit Loops cereal! I don't even eat Fruit Loops when I'm not pregnant, but I gave them a try at school one morning when I didn't want to brave the breakfast burrito and they were out of Kix. Every since then, it would appear that the baby has taken to Fruit Loops and I even went and bought a box for at home. I swear though, if Evan finishes off the rest of my Fruit Loops like he did with my Sierra Mist, I just cannot guarantee that he will make it to his birthday with all his fingers and toes safely in place.

On another note, a friend of mine from my freshman year of college, Marissa, is now a week overdue with her first baby and the poor thing is getting desperate! She just posted a photo of herself on her blog with acupunture needles sticking out of her legs! She even walked the entire Mall of America trying to get labor to start, but nothing. I'll certainly be keeping her in my thoughts and hoping to see a new blog post very soon!

Belly Shots

For those of you who were expecting a rousing round of taking Jello shots off someone's taunt tummy.....forget it. No, the belly shots to which I am referring are photographs of my flabby pregnant belly, none of which exist as of yet. I was just thinking about how I have a 6 week belly photo in Isaiah's pregnancy book, but I haven't taken a single belly photo yet this time. Maybe because all my tummy is now is a flabby pooch left over from my toddler. I dunno. I know I'll take some once I actually look pregnant, but for now I guess I have no desire to capture my chubbitude for posterity's sake.

The little nudger

We got to see our little nudger for the first time today! My first prenatal visit was uneventful, but normal. The doc wasn't able to hear the heartbeat, but she said that's normal for 8 weeks, 5 days and that I shouldn't worry. Luckily, her next patient hadn't arrived yet so she quickly brought us in to the ultrasound machine and took a peek. There was our little baby - arms, legs, head, and a little heart just fluttering away! It was really cool, especially since I didn't get to see an ultrasound with Isaiah until 20 weeks. Here's the photo:

I added a little label for where the legs are so you can at least get some idea of what you're looking at there.

My due date was bumped up by two days, so my official due date as of right now is September 17th. Of course, that could change down the road if our 20 week ultrasound looks different than it should, but that's the date we're going by for the time being. So far so good!

Countdown to Heartbeat

Only 5 more days to go until that first OB appointment. I remember being very nervous for this first appointment with Isaiah too because you're scared to death that you'll go in and the doctor won't be able to find the heartbeat. I actually had a nightmare the other night that Dr. Baker was pushing that probe thingy all over my belly and just kept saying, "Where are you?" over and over. Creepy, huh? I know....just relax.

As for how I've been feeling - much of the same. I am still nauseous pretty much all day long. I have to make my food choices very carefully, as one wrong move can really cost me. The gamble I took on Super Bowl Sunday by attempting pizza was a very bad idea. Oh, and the few bites of Chicken a la King I had at the restaurant on Wednesday had me running to the bathroom no less than three times! I still need a stash of Sierra Mist within my reach, so I was very dismayed to find that our soda machine in the lounge was sold out this morning!

Tummy Juice

I call it my "tummy juice" - Orange Juice mixed with Sierra Mist. It seems to be the only thing I can drink lately that doesn't make my tummy protest. I'm hungry a lot, but my sense of smell has been so heightened, that just about everything makes me nauseous. I feel ill all day. Yesterday, my meals consisted of a plain bagel for breakfast, a banana for lunch, and a scoop of mashed potatos for dinner. Oh, and lots of Tummy Juice. At this rate, I'm going to LOSE weight before the first trimester is over!

Pants are tighter!

I seriously don't think it happened this early last time. Here I sit at only 6 weeks pregnant and my pants are tighter. I busted open my maternity clothes out of storage the other day and as we speak, they are headed to the washer to be re-introduced into my wardrobe much sooner than I anticipated. If I remember correctly, I was wearing maternity jeans to work at about 10 weeks or so because I was just too bloated to button my regular jeans comfortably. I am about this close from that point already! Oh boy......

Are you in there, peanut?

My least favorite thing about the first trimester is not being able to have a tangible connection to the pregnancy. You can't feel the baby, there is no belly (besides leftover pooch from Isaiah) to see as a visible confirmation, and there certainly is no kicks or anything. You just have to fly on blind faith that there is indeed a little peanut in there who is safe and sound and growing rapidly. This is definitely the most difficult part for me. Even more so than morning sickness or the discomfort of the third trimester. If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely HATE not knowing something for certain! I will be very glad when we have been to the doctor and heard the heartbeat. I remember crying immediately the first time I heard Isaiah's heartbeat because it in that moment that it really became real. It's almost like I didn't really, fully believe I was pregnant until that moment. In any case, February 10th can't come quick enough!

Here we go again!

I'M PREGNANT!!!

I just love being able to type those words. Finally, after nearly 6 months of trying and one miscarriage under our belts, I can actually say them. I am just so thrilled.

So, how did we get here?

We started trying to conceive our second child in August of '08. The Mirena came out, the prenatals were prescribed, ovulation was predicted and we got to work. Last time, we conceived Isaiah after only 2 months of trying, so I wasn't surprised when it didn't happen right away. By the time October rolled around, my impatience grew. Then, to my delight, I got a positive pregnancy test on December 8th. I was so pumped, but also a little confused. My home pregnancy test was very faint. Here's how it looked: If you look real close, squint, stand on your head and cluck like a chicken, you might be able to see that very faint positive line. To verify this test, I took a digital test and sure enough...."Pregnant." Three days later, I started to bleed. To make a long story short, I had a very early miscarriage on December 11th. This was very hard for me and a did a lot of crying and praying. Eventually, I came to realize that it was a good sign because we had conceived! We were doing something right and I trusted that God would give us that baby that was perfect for us when the time was right.

So, we got right back at it! :-) Despite a goofy cycle due to the miscarriage, Christmas travelling, and starting a new job, we managed to squeak in the neccessary...ummm...activities. I thought for sure there was no way we would conceive, but God had a better plan.

Now, here we are in January and I have three gloriously clear positive pregnancy tests sitting in my bathroom drawer!

I still take them out and look at them almost every time I go into the bathroom just to convince myself that I didn't imagine it.

Our first doctor's appointment is set for February 10th and the estimated due date is September 19th! I am already experiencing symptoms - nausea, fatigue, sore breasts, very sensitive sense of smell. It will be interesting to see how things this time are different from my first pregnancy.

As for the blog, well....I just figured I could type so much faster than I can write, so it makes sense to do it online rather than in a traditional journal, right? Plus, I can add photos. :-) Stay tuned!