I hope everybody has a great day and does something fun tonight. We will stay home and hand out candy to kids in our neighborhood. We had fun doing it last year. We put red lightbulbs in the lights at the front door and in the attic window. ~~~ SpOOkY~~~~ A few kids got really scared, but most of them really liked it. I could hear one little girl screaming at the road that she didn't want to come to the door, so I opened the door and waved and assured her it was ok. I felt bad, but it was a little funny at the same time.
Two little boys came to the door. They were probably 10 or 11 years old. Our town is a good mix of all different races. These little boys were African American. They were both wearing clothes way too big for them but new and ironed and cleaned and HUGE fake jewelry. I think one may have even had sunglasses. So I asked, "What are you dressed as?" One of them said, "I'm a pimp." OMG. Too funny/cute/weird! It was more like "I'm a pee-ump" gangsta talk. So we'll see what wonders await us tonight.
I really wanted to wear my pumpkin shirt I made for Halloween to work, but I decided not to because I didn't want to draw anymore attention to myself than I already do, being the only pregnant woman in an almost all male workplace.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
This goes along with FREAKS
This is for real people. This is my hometown. I had to share. I do hope that the young women are ok.
Man in Underwear Arrested for Burglary
October 30, 2008 - 10:21AM
Beaumont Police have arrested a burglary suspect who was wearing only his underwear when he was caught walking out of a home.
Police say at about 2 a.m. Thursday they were called to a home in the 4300 block of Sullivan to investigate a Burglary in Progress.
Police saw a man wearing only his underwear walking out of the residence. Officers attempted to place him under arrest but he resisted. After a struggle, the officers were able to get the suspect into custody. They found two young women unhurt in the closet.
Police say the suspect caused damage to the bedroom. Officers found two young women in the closet. They weren't hurt.
The suspect, 27 year old Orlanden August, was arrested and booked into the Jefferson County Jail on charges of Burglary as well as three outstanding warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Evading Detention and Theft.
Man in Underwear Arrested for Burglary
October 30, 2008 - 10:21AM
Beaumont Police have arrested a burglary suspect who was wearing only his underwear when he was caught walking out of a home.
Police say at about 2 a.m. Thursday they were called to a home in the 4300 block of Sullivan to investigate a Burglary in Progress.
Police saw a man wearing only his underwear walking out of the residence. Officers attempted to place him under arrest but he resisted. After a struggle, the officers were able to get the suspect into custody. They found two young women unhurt in the closet.
Police say the suspect caused damage to the bedroom. Officers found two young women in the closet. They weren't hurt.
The suspect, 27 year old Orlanden August, was arrested and booked into the Jefferson County Jail on charges of Burglary as well as three outstanding warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Evading Detention and Theft.
Freaks
Ok so you all know there are freaks and weirdos out there, but this is really something. On fertility forum, one of the girls is having triplets and has a blog where she posts detailed updates along with belly pics. She is a super cute girl. Well she somehow managed to find pictures from her blog on this freak discussion forum. I don't want to place a link, but if you google for ch..ev-itos plac (without the periods and dash) you will find it and some of the crazy stuff these people talk about and do. I didn't find her pics, but I saw enough.
They basically talk about how they think pregnant ladies are so hot (which is true) but they go overboard. They like to find pics online and in real life. They talked about how they like to go to babierus and take pics of pregnant ladies. They sneak around and take pics wherever they go. The more revealing the clothes, the better. It's really sick. I agree that a pregnant woman is beautiful, and I do like seeing my friends cute and pregnant. And I know that some men find pregnant woman attractive, but most wouldn't go so far as taking pics at the baby store. I found this very disturbing. And for some reason, crime rates victimizing pregnant women are higher than non-pregnant women. Now there are some women who post of this forum soliciting viewers for thier naughty websites (yes pregnant p--o..r/n) and that's strange, but that woman is choosing to showcase her body. You would think the guys would get enough out of that. But there must be more excitement in being sneaky.
My point is not that I'm scared to walk out of the front door, but to be more careful and to make sure everybody knows that the internet is public. I think pregnant ladies should be extra careful about going out alone, especially at night, and be aware of what is going on around you. And as you already know, people are weird.
They basically talk about how they think pregnant ladies are so hot (which is true) but they go overboard. They like to find pics online and in real life. They talked about how they like to go to babierus and take pics of pregnant ladies. They sneak around and take pics wherever they go. The more revealing the clothes, the better. It's really sick. I agree that a pregnant woman is beautiful, and I do like seeing my friends cute and pregnant. And I know that some men find pregnant woman attractive, but most wouldn't go so far as taking pics at the baby store. I found this very disturbing. And for some reason, crime rates victimizing pregnant women are higher than non-pregnant women. Now there are some women who post of this forum soliciting viewers for thier naughty websites (yes pregnant p--o..r/n) and that's strange, but that woman is choosing to showcase her body. You would think the guys would get enough out of that. But there must be more excitement in being sneaky.
My point is not that I'm scared to walk out of the front door, but to be more careful and to make sure everybody knows that the internet is public. I think pregnant ladies should be extra careful about going out alone, especially at night, and be aware of what is going on around you. And as you already know, people are weird.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Dr. appt
I went to the OB today and everything is fine. I called to tell them my belly feels tight (like Braxton Hicks contractions) and crampy. They say it's ok to have those false contractions, but I just called to check in and see what they said about me having them 4-5 times an hour in the evenings and one an hour during the day. So they wanted me to come in to the office (of course). They tried to hook me up to the machine to do the non-stress test to monitor baby's heartbeat and watch for contractions, but the little booger wouldn't cooperate. Poor nurse, she tried for like 20 minutes with no luck. Then the dr did a test that showed that I won't be going into labor for the next 2 weeks. So I guess I feel better. I really wasn't that worried, but they just like to be careful, which is fine.
As I was walking out of the office, I saw a girl I went to school with. She really looked pregnant, and I definitely look pregnant. Those situations can be sticky. If you don't say something, then you look dumb for not mentioning it, but if you do, you could stick your foot in your mouth, like I did. So I ask, "You having a baby?" She says (with a smile) "I was but we had a miscarriage." My heart sank. She looked big enough to have been at least 16-20 weeks, maybe more. I said "I'm so sorry." She smiled and said, "It's really ok." I know she was putting on a happy face. I felt so bad for her. I should be more careful next time. But I will say lots of prayers for her. How hard it must be for everyone to know you were pregnant and lose the baby.
As I was walking out of the office, I saw a girl I went to school with. She really looked pregnant, and I definitely look pregnant. Those situations can be sticky. If you don't say something, then you look dumb for not mentioning it, but if you do, you could stick your foot in your mouth, like I did. So I ask, "You having a baby?" She says (with a smile) "I was but we had a miscarriage." My heart sank. She looked big enough to have been at least 16-20 weeks, maybe more. I said "I'm so sorry." She smiled and said, "It's really ok." I know she was putting on a happy face. I felt so bad for her. I should be more careful next time. But I will say lots of prayers for her. How hard it must be for everyone to know you were pregnant and lose the baby.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Don't forget to VOTE!
Ok I just have to do this. Please vote! It's your right and responsibility. You don't have to love the person you vote for. Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but just get out there and do it. Read up a little bit on what all you will be voting on before you go so there are no surprises. Jefferson County, TX has a sample ballot on their website so we can see what we're asked to vote for. Next Tuesday is the big day, so make your plans!
Monday, October 27, 2008
House Slideshow
I added a slideshow of our house for those of you who haven't seen it. I included before pics (SCARY) that even some of you who have seen the house may not have seen. The house basically had not been updated in 20 years. It needed it bad. We haven't done much (anything) to the outside, so it looks the same. What you don't see in the pics are the floors, which we refinished most of them. They turned out really beautiful. I will try to take some more soon. If you click on the slideshow, it will pull it up in a new window full screen size. Enjoy!
Funny story
Mya is really something else. I have a funny story from Saturday to share. I took her with me to a friend's baby shower, and afterwards I took her to the park next our house. I figured she needed to let loose a little bit. She played and played and went down the slide and ran around for a while being the only kid there. Then a little family with mom, dad, and a little girl walked up. We all said hi to each other, and Mya ran up to the little girl to say hi. Mya is very friendly to other kids. The other little girl was a little shy, but she went to the playground and started to play. I talked to the parents, and the girls played. Mya is 2.5 and the other girl (Mandy) is 4. It was funny that Mandy talked to Mya like Mya was also 4. I watched Mya like a hawk to make sure she played nice.
Mya got a little bossy to Mandy, and pulled her around, saying "c'mon" so I had to tell her not to do that. Then Mya pushed Mandy for some reason, and I got on to her about that. Then the other girl tried to get away from Mya, but Mya followed her to the swings. Then Mya decided to pick up a handful of dirt and throw it in Mandy's hair. OMG. The parents were ok about it. I was 1 foot away and couldn't stop her. Mind you, after each of these incidents, I get Mya to say she is sorry to Mandy. Mya doesn't speak very well, but she says her version of "I'm sorry" like "Sarrr eee." The little girl said, "I can't believe she did that. I just washed my hair." I said, "I'm sorry she is little, and we are still trying to teach her how to act." Then Mandy said, "Well, then, we did you bring her here?" The mom told her daughter that was not very nice, and that Mya is only 2. It was funny, but crazy that a 4 year old would say that.
Kids...
Mya got a little bossy to Mandy, and pulled her around, saying "c'mon" so I had to tell her not to do that. Then Mya pushed Mandy for some reason, and I got on to her about that. Then the other girl tried to get away from Mya, but Mya followed her to the swings. Then Mya decided to pick up a handful of dirt and throw it in Mandy's hair. OMG. The parents were ok about it. I was 1 foot away and couldn't stop her. Mind you, after each of these incidents, I get Mya to say she is sorry to Mandy. Mya doesn't speak very well, but she says her version of "I'm sorry" like "Sarrr eee." The little girl said, "I can't believe she did that. I just washed my hair." I said, "I'm sorry she is little, and we are still trying to teach her how to act." Then Mandy said, "Well, then, we did you bring her here?" The mom told her daughter that was not very nice, and that Mya is only 2. It was funny, but crazy that a 4 year old would say that.
Kids...
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Update
Sorry for the late update. Everything looked good at the ultrasound. Baby boy weighed 2 lbs. 6 oz. So he has some more growing to do, but he's getting there. He measured 27 wks 0 days, and we were 27 wks 2 days, so on track. Dr. said that he should be concerned about slow growth, so I guess I'm a little more concerned than I was, but with ultrasounds every 4 weeks, I think we will catch any problems before they get too bad. So it was good to see the little booger! No appointments next week! So it will be nice to catch a break. We do have our childbirth class next Saturday. That should be interesting.
I've got my niece here this morning. She spent the night with me. She had a hard time going to sleep. She kept crying and asking for mommy. I felt bad, but I sure was tired after having her all day. Nathan stepped in and talked to her and got her to go to sleep. It was sweet to hear that.
Here is a pic of me and Mya from Christmas. Something must have been funny.
I've got my niece here this morning. She spent the night with me. She had a hard time going to sleep. She kept crying and asking for mommy. I felt bad, but I sure was tired after having her all day. Nathan stepped in and talked to her and got her to go to sleep. It was sweet to hear that.
Here is a pic of me and Mya from Christmas. Something must have been funny.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Things I don't love
Ok. Here's my disclaimer: This reflects my personal opinion only. If you disagree, I'm open to hear about it.
Five Serious Ones:
1. Government Aid Programs getting excessive - I believe that there is a need for govt. programs that give health insurance to children and elderly and food for low income families in need, but this aid should limited to those truly in need. I have a real problem with people on aid that somehow have the money for other luxuries, but no money for food and no desire to work. And aid going to illegal immigrants... If you don't pay taxes, you shouldn't get anything. It's simple. It's not free hand-outs. Let's hope some reform is coming or else our tax rate will be 90% before we know it.
2. Bad drivers - This applies to drunk drivers, fast drivers, cell-phone talking drivers, and other people not paying attention. Sometimes I wonder, if that person that just almost ran into me knew I was pregnant, would they have been more careful? People should always drive with caution.
3. Racism - I live in an area of the world where racism runs rampant. Some of my family and my in-laws say horrible hurtful things about groups of people. It really bothers me. Let's give each person a chance in this world.
4. Sexism - I truly believe that men and women are equal. We are very different of course, but equal. I want to be treated the same, paid the same, and given the same amount of respect as any man.
5. Abortion - I really hate it. Coming from someone who tried for 3 years to get pregnant, killing an unborn child is unspeakable. There are other options out there. My parents were both adopted, so as much as I'll never understand their mother's decision to not want to raise them, I respect them for giving life to their child. On the other hand, do I think abortion should be legal? Yes, I do. Strange as it may sound, abortion has gone on from the beginning of time, and it will continue. Young girls will die in black market clinics for a bad decision. I hate it, but I think it should be legal.
Not so serious:
6. Ugly feet - Need I say more?
7. Bad table manners - Some members of my family are guilty of this... yuck.
8. Bad children in public - Ok, no kid is perfect, but don't ignore your kid when they are screaming their head off and throwing things at people!
9. People who wear strong perfume/cologne - OMG I accidentally sat next to a lady at jury duty wearing a whole bottle of nasty cheap perfume, and I could barely breathe.
10. Dirtiness - I'm some what of a neat/clean freak, and I can't hardly stand leaving dirty dishes in the sink, too much dirty laundry, or dirty floors.
Today we go to the perinatologist in Houston! I'll try to update tonight if I have time.
Five Serious Ones:
1. Government Aid Programs getting excessive - I believe that there is a need for govt. programs that give health insurance to children and elderly and food for low income families in need, but this aid should limited to those truly in need. I have a real problem with people on aid that somehow have the money for other luxuries, but no money for food and no desire to work. And aid going to illegal immigrants... If you don't pay taxes, you shouldn't get anything. It's simple. It's not free hand-outs. Let's hope some reform is coming or else our tax rate will be 90% before we know it.
2. Bad drivers - This applies to drunk drivers, fast drivers, cell-phone talking drivers, and other people not paying attention. Sometimes I wonder, if that person that just almost ran into me knew I was pregnant, would they have been more careful? People should always drive with caution.
3. Racism - I live in an area of the world where racism runs rampant. Some of my family and my in-laws say horrible hurtful things about groups of people. It really bothers me. Let's give each person a chance in this world.
4. Sexism - I truly believe that men and women are equal. We are very different of course, but equal. I want to be treated the same, paid the same, and given the same amount of respect as any man.
5. Abortion - I really hate it. Coming from someone who tried for 3 years to get pregnant, killing an unborn child is unspeakable. There are other options out there. My parents were both adopted, so as much as I'll never understand their mother's decision to not want to raise them, I respect them for giving life to their child. On the other hand, do I think abortion should be legal? Yes, I do. Strange as it may sound, abortion has gone on from the beginning of time, and it will continue. Young girls will die in black market clinics for a bad decision. I hate it, but I think it should be legal.
Not so serious:
6. Ugly feet - Need I say more?
7. Bad table manners - Some members of my family are guilty of this... yuck.
8. Bad children in public - Ok, no kid is perfect, but don't ignore your kid when they are screaming their head off and throwing things at people!
9. People who wear strong perfume/cologne - OMG I accidentally sat next to a lady at jury duty wearing a whole bottle of nasty cheap perfume, and I could barely breathe.
10. Dirtiness - I'm some what of a neat/clean freak, and I can't hardly stand leaving dirty dishes in the sink, too much dirty laundry, or dirty floors.
Today we go to the perinatologist in Houston! I'll try to update tonight if I have time.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A few more things I love
Before I get all negative, I thought of a few I have to add to the list of things I love.
11. My cats! - They are my precious little children. I love laying on the couch and snuggling with one of the three cats that live in our house. One is full time inside, and the other two are in and out. Just seeing them all curled up and sleepy and lazy makes me happy.
12. My house - I really love our house. It's so old and unique. It feels like we live in a mansion. I love the wood floors, the archways, the windows, the character of the house. Of course being old, there is always something that needs to be fixed, and Nathan will probably get tired of it, ok so he already is. So we might not be able to stay forever unless I learn how to be a carpenter, but I love it.
11. My cats! - They are my precious little children. I love laying on the couch and snuggling with one of the three cats that live in our house. One is full time inside, and the other two are in and out. Just seeing them all curled up and sleepy and lazy makes me happy.
12. My house - I really love our house. It's so old and unique. It feels like we live in a mansion. I love the wood floors, the archways, the windows, the character of the house. Of course being old, there is always something that needs to be fixed, and Nathan will probably get tired of it, ok so he already is. So we might not be able to stay forever unless I learn how to be a carpenter, but I love it.
10 things...
I'm stealing this idea from Nancy since I liked it so much. Today will be things I love and tomorrow will be things I don't love.
10 things I love:
1. God - He has blessed me with so much.
2. Nathan - The love of my life! Can't live without him. Yeah, he can drive me crazy like nobody else, but he's my best friend.
3. Chesley - I love him so much. I love feeling him move around and grow. Last night he did some crazy moves, and for once, Nathan was around to see it. The look on Nathan's face when my belly jumped around was priceless. They are going to be so close! I would do anything for this little boy.
4. My family - I love spending time with mom and dad, my brother and SIL, niece and nephews; MIL, FIL, SIL, her kids, grandparents... I really want to be close to the kids. I was never very close to my aunts and uncles. I want to be a contant thing for them. I know that they will all be crazy about Chesley and give him a great big family to love and be loved.
5. My country - Yeah, sounds corny, but I'm really glad that we live here. We seem to concentrate so much on the problems (which are bad) but really, would we want to live anywhere else? Not me.
The fun part:
6. Makeup - Yes! I love it! The feeling of new makeup is so great. And to know that I can go from looking beat up and tired to glowing and rested in 5 minutes... wonderful!
7. Shopping - I love buying new clothes and shoes(for me, for Nathan, for the baby, for gifts). At the mall, at Target, online, wherever!
8. TV - Yes, I love tv. I love Ghost Whisperer, Medium, What Not to Wear, CSI, House, too many to list. Good thing we have a DVR or I would be glued to the tv. We usually watch one show a night, or sometimes if we don't watch for a few nights, we'll play catch up.
9. Getting good news - I love hearing good news from my friends! I'm so happy every time I hear someone find out they are pregnant! Today is Gretchen's day. When other people are happy, it makes me happy too.
10. Being lazy - I really love to just relax and hang out at home. I am definitely a homebody. This goes along with tv and spending time with Nathan too. I do get bored after a few hours of doing nothing, but it sure feels good after a long day at work to be lazy!
Update on my friend - He suffered some serious injuries, but he is going to be ok! If you don't believe in miracles, you should now. He was cut off by a truck, ran into them, flipped over the truck, and was actually run over by another vehicle. He has tire marks on his rib cage and belly. It's really amazing that he is alive. He broke many ribs, broke his collarbone, broke some of the bones around the vertebrae, and has lots of cuts, gashes, and some deep puncture wounds. We visited him last night, and he is awake, alert, but in a lot of pain. Thank you God for pulling him through this. Please help him in his long recovery.
10 things I love:
1. God - He has blessed me with so much.
2. Nathan - The love of my life! Can't live without him. Yeah, he can drive me crazy like nobody else, but he's my best friend.
3. Chesley - I love him so much. I love feeling him move around and grow. Last night he did some crazy moves, and for once, Nathan was around to see it. The look on Nathan's face when my belly jumped around was priceless. They are going to be so close! I would do anything for this little boy.
4. My family - I love spending time with mom and dad, my brother and SIL, niece and nephews; MIL, FIL, SIL, her kids, grandparents... I really want to be close to the kids. I was never very close to my aunts and uncles. I want to be a contant thing for them. I know that they will all be crazy about Chesley and give him a great big family to love and be loved.
5. My country - Yeah, sounds corny, but I'm really glad that we live here. We seem to concentrate so much on the problems (which are bad) but really, would we want to live anywhere else? Not me.
The fun part:
6. Makeup - Yes! I love it! The feeling of new makeup is so great. And to know that I can go from looking beat up and tired to glowing and rested in 5 minutes... wonderful!
7. Shopping - I love buying new clothes and shoes(for me, for Nathan, for the baby, for gifts). At the mall, at Target, online, wherever!
8. TV - Yes, I love tv. I love Ghost Whisperer, Medium, What Not to Wear, CSI, House, too many to list. Good thing we have a DVR or I would be glued to the tv. We usually watch one show a night, or sometimes if we don't watch for a few nights, we'll play catch up.
9. Getting good news - I love hearing good news from my friends! I'm so happy every time I hear someone find out they are pregnant! Today is Gretchen's day. When other people are happy, it makes me happy too.
10. Being lazy - I really love to just relax and hang out at home. I am definitely a homebody. This goes along with tv and spending time with Nathan too. I do get bored after a few hours of doing nothing, but it sure feels good after a long day at work to be lazy!
Update on my friend - He suffered some serious injuries, but he is going to be ok! If you don't believe in miracles, you should now. He was cut off by a truck, ran into them, flipped over the truck, and was actually run over by another vehicle. He has tire marks on his rib cage and belly. It's really amazing that he is alive. He broke many ribs, broke his collarbone, broke some of the bones around the vertebrae, and has lots of cuts, gashes, and some deep puncture wounds. We visited him last night, and he is awake, alert, but in a lot of pain. Thank you God for pulling him through this. Please help him in his long recovery.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Dr. Appointment
First of all, please pray for my friend Lynn. He was in a really bad motorcycle accident last night. I don't know yet exactly what happened, but I know that he broke his ankle and was run over in his mid-section and has some internal injuries. He's such a great guy, and his wife is super sweet. We are really hoping and praying everything will be ok.
I had my dr appt. yesterday, and everything is ok. I passed my glucose screening! I measured on track. I actually had a litle BH contraction while the dr was measuring me. I didn't even know, but now I know more of what it feels like. I have had some other contractions that I did feel, but as long as they are not regular, then they're ok. I'm supposed to start doing kick counts, where I see how long it takes to get 10 kicks. I did it twice last night, and I got 10 kicks in 10 minutes. Talk about active! I gained 7 pounds this month (YIKES!). Dr said that I am perfectly on track, so ok... Maybe I should lay off the ice cream a little bit though. I start going every 2 weeks now. Then at 32 weeks I go every week and get monitored for the baby's heartrate for 30 minutes. I also still go to the perinatologist every month. My 3-D u/s is in 3 weeks! That will be so fun! So it looks like the busy-ness starts now.
Every time I go to the OB she is out delivering a baby. I have not had an appt where I wasn't there at least 2 hours. She apologized, and I understand that is part of it. But I must have bad luck to have to wait so long every time. And now that I have appointments every 2 weeks and then every week, they won't be late afternoon appointments... So I'll have to miss 1/2 a day of work for each one. I drive 30 minutes to work, and the dr office is close to home. My next appt is at 10 am, so I won't go to work till afterwards. I hope we don't go broke... But I'll do whatever I need to do for this precious little boy.
Next up is perinatologist appt and level II u/s on Friday in Houston.
I had my dr appt. yesterday, and everything is ok. I passed my glucose screening! I measured on track. I actually had a litle BH contraction while the dr was measuring me. I didn't even know, but now I know more of what it feels like. I have had some other contractions that I did feel, but as long as they are not regular, then they're ok. I'm supposed to start doing kick counts, where I see how long it takes to get 10 kicks. I did it twice last night, and I got 10 kicks in 10 minutes. Talk about active! I gained 7 pounds this month (YIKES!). Dr said that I am perfectly on track, so ok... Maybe I should lay off the ice cream a little bit though. I start going every 2 weeks now. Then at 32 weeks I go every week and get monitored for the baby's heartrate for 30 minutes. I also still go to the perinatologist every month. My 3-D u/s is in 3 weeks! That will be so fun! So it looks like the busy-ness starts now.
Every time I go to the OB she is out delivering a baby. I have not had an appt where I wasn't there at least 2 hours. She apologized, and I understand that is part of it. But I must have bad luck to have to wait so long every time. And now that I have appointments every 2 weeks and then every week, they won't be late afternoon appointments... So I'll have to miss 1/2 a day of work for each one. I drive 30 minutes to work, and the dr office is close to home. My next appt is at 10 am, so I won't go to work till afterwards. I hope we don't go broke... But I'll do whatever I need to do for this precious little boy.
Next up is perinatologist appt and level II u/s on Friday in Houston.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Something in the water...
Nathan was out and about the neighborhood last night and he talked to some of the neighbors. We are having problems getting the city to finish some projects they started. I knew that one of the neighbors are having a baby shortly after us. Then he found out our next door neighbors are pregnant too! He is a doctor, and he's hardly ever at home or outside, but Nathan talked to him last night. They are a really nice family. They have 4 really cute kids already, 3 girls and 1 boy, from ages about 12, 10, 4, and 1! And they are having twin boys!! Wow! 6 kids... But at least 2 are in school, and she doesn't work, and they can afford a nanny or daycare for the bigger kids. So our kid will definitely have some kids to play with! If we didn't have to get fertility treatments, I would say that there is something in the water.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Nursery in progress
First I have to show off my Halloween shirt I made (with a little help from Nathan on the face. It turned out cute.
Here is this super cool vinyl lettering that I found at Hobby Lobby. They had all kinds of cute quotes for baby boys, girls, bible verses, all kinds of stuff.
Here you can see where I put the quote. I love it! I have other ideas for things to put on the wall in other spots. So here's the nursery coming together!Friday, October 17, 2008
Extra post for today
This little boy is so active! I think he's ready to come out and play. He must be like me, and he just can't get comfortable. I just thought his crazy belly dancing was worth a new post.
TGIF
I'm so glad it's Friday! I saw the peditrician yesterday. He was very nice. Their office is like mini Disney World with a boat for one nurse station, the jungle, the big hot air balloon. The kids must love it. I got some good information on how their office works and how to raise a baby! I'll take all the help I can get.
Nathan's going to hang out with his friends tonight so I'm going to go shopping. Not for me this time - for items for our church missionary project called Operation Christmas Child where we send a box of toys to kids around the world along with information about Jesus. And a friend at church lost a lot of her belongings during Ike, so I'm going to get some things together for her.
I'm really hoping Nathan will go and get the baby bed tomorrow and put it together. Nesting is bad. I told him we NEED the baby bed. I also hope he finds a way to fix the leaky roof in the baby's sunroom. He really tried last weekend, but it rained this week, and water is still coming in. Our house is crazy. But his priorities are different sometimes. His parents are coming over tomorrow for what I thought was to either look at the roof or put together the baby bed. He informed me last night that the whole point of them coming over was to work on the car (old car he's restoring). WHAT?? I could rant and rave about that stupid car and how much we have fought about it, but I won't. So we'll see what happens with that.
Nathan's going to hang out with his friends tonight so I'm going to go shopping. Not for me this time - for items for our church missionary project called Operation Christmas Child where we send a box of toys to kids around the world along with information about Jesus. And a friend at church lost a lot of her belongings during Ike, so I'm going to get some things together for her.
I'm really hoping Nathan will go and get the baby bed tomorrow and put it together. Nesting is bad. I told him we NEED the baby bed. I also hope he finds a way to fix the leaky roof in the baby's sunroom. He really tried last weekend, but it rained this week, and water is still coming in. Our house is crazy. But his priorities are different sometimes. His parents are coming over tomorrow for what I thought was to either look at the roof or put together the baby bed. He informed me last night that the whole point of them coming over was to work on the car (old car he's restoring). WHAT?? I could rant and rave about that stupid car and how much we have fought about it, but I won't. So we'll see what happens with that.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Radiant momma
I really like this! Why can't people say something like this instead of "You are looking pregnant." I actually had someone call me "Big Hollie" the other day - for real y'all. You can laugh...
People (many) (men and women) ask me how much weight I've gained. When in any other circumstance could people ask that question? Sometimes I want to say "How much have you gained?"
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Today is a special day.
Today, October 15th, is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in the United States.
1. Help Pass the Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act. Today, on October 15th, publish a post on your blog supporting H.R. 5979 Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act. GOAL: 1,000,000 Google results on October 15th when that term is searched for. Currently, Google only returns 20,400 pages - most of which have nothing to do with the bill.
2. Help spread the word. Blog about what today is. Do it today. Tell others. Tell people you normally wouldn't tell, meaning non-bloggers. Bring it up in a conversation to start to show people this isn't something we have to whisper about.
3. Light a candle tonight at 7pm ~your~ time for 1 hour to honor all babies lost. This way, there will be a continuous "wave of light" to remember all our babies.
This is such an important topic. It brings sadness to my heart to think about all of the families who have dealt with a pregnancy or infant loss. It's something that is difficult to talk about. But it needs to be talked about. It's not something to be kept hidden in the dark in shame. More research needs to be done. More lives need to be saved. Doctors need to be aware of the best way to treat all pregnant patients as to preserve life. Please say a prayer and light a candle for lost life tonight.
I recently talked with two ladies who experienced loss. One was in her 50s, a beautiful lady inside and out. She has one son about my age who she adores and is very proud of. She lost a daughter at 9 months of pregnancy. She was seeing her OB, but they were not very concerned about her. Her husband did not support her. She delivered the baby at the hospital by herself. She was crying as she told me the story, and I was trying not to bawl. She had lots of tips for me and for me not to lift anything or do anything. Another lady at my church is in her 70s. She's a cute little lady, always wearing a little too much makeup, a little too poofy hair, and talks a little too much, but she's sweet. She told me of her loss too. She was 19 or 20 and her baby came early and did not survive. The drs and nurses convinced her not to see the baby. They thought it was better. To this day, that haunts her and saddens her.
My sister-in-law lost a son around 20 weeks. My mother did an ultrasound on her "just for fun" to see the baby. Well, it turned out to not to be good news. The baby had no heartbeat. She saw her doctor a few days later and was forced to go through a delivery of a still born child. I will never forget the graveside service for that baby.
I lost my son's twin at 10 weeks. Is it any less of a loss because my son is growing healthy and strong? Not to me. I just have something to keep my mind occupied and something to rejoice in.
These stories and countless others sadden everyone. No one is safe from infant and pregnancy loss. Everyone has been touched by this sadness. So let's hope our goverment and doctors and researchers do their best to help us.
But let's remember that each child really is a miracle - from conception to delivery. We are not guaranteed anything in this life. I am thankful that my child is growing strong. I pray that he continues to grow and be born a healthy child. Every day of life in this world is a sacred gift.
1. Help Pass the Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act. Today, on October 15th, publish a post on your blog supporting H.R. 5979 Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act. GOAL: 1,000,000 Google results on October 15th when that term is searched for. Currently, Google only returns 20,400 pages - most of which have nothing to do with the bill.
2. Help spread the word. Blog about what today is. Do it today. Tell others. Tell people you normally wouldn't tell, meaning non-bloggers. Bring it up in a conversation to start to show people this isn't something we have to whisper about.
3. Light a candle tonight at 7pm ~your~ time for 1 hour to honor all babies lost. This way, there will be a continuous "wave of light" to remember all our babies.
This is such an important topic. It brings sadness to my heart to think about all of the families who have dealt with a pregnancy or infant loss. It's something that is difficult to talk about. But it needs to be talked about. It's not something to be kept hidden in the dark in shame. More research needs to be done. More lives need to be saved. Doctors need to be aware of the best way to treat all pregnant patients as to preserve life. Please say a prayer and light a candle for lost life tonight.
I recently talked with two ladies who experienced loss. One was in her 50s, a beautiful lady inside and out. She has one son about my age who she adores and is very proud of. She lost a daughter at 9 months of pregnancy. She was seeing her OB, but they were not very concerned about her. Her husband did not support her. She delivered the baby at the hospital by herself. She was crying as she told me the story, and I was trying not to bawl. She had lots of tips for me and for me not to lift anything or do anything. Another lady at my church is in her 70s. She's a cute little lady, always wearing a little too much makeup, a little too poofy hair, and talks a little too much, but she's sweet. She told me of her loss too. She was 19 or 20 and her baby came early and did not survive. The drs and nurses convinced her not to see the baby. They thought it was better. To this day, that haunts her and saddens her.
My sister-in-law lost a son around 20 weeks. My mother did an ultrasound on her "just for fun" to see the baby. Well, it turned out to not to be good news. The baby had no heartbeat. She saw her doctor a few days later and was forced to go through a delivery of a still born child. I will never forget the graveside service for that baby.
I lost my son's twin at 10 weeks. Is it any less of a loss because my son is growing healthy and strong? Not to me. I just have something to keep my mind occupied and something to rejoice in.
These stories and countless others sadden everyone. No one is safe from infant and pregnancy loss. Everyone has been touched by this sadness. So let's hope our goverment and doctors and researchers do their best to help us.
But let's remember that each child really is a miracle - from conception to delivery. We are not guaranteed anything in this life. I am thankful that my child is growing strong. I pray that he continues to grow and be born a healthy child. Every day of life in this world is a sacred gift.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Another Tuesday
Nothing too exciting to report today. I'm still here, doing my normal things, just growing a little boy on the side. My tummy is a little upset and yucky today for some reason. I cooked a big dinner last night, so I won't have to cook tonight. Maybe I'll get to go home and be lazy. That will be nice. I met Tiffany and Rachel for lunch today, which was fun, except for the fact that the a/c and half of the lights in the restaurant went out! Crazy... But we got our food and got to visit. Work is pretty busy today. Thursday I go to meet the pediatrician, so that will be interesting to see how he is and what he has to tell me about taking care of a baby!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Busy Weekend!
Saturday I went to mom's to visit with her and her friend from out of town. Then we went to the funeral and visited with the in-laws. I absolutely hate to see Nathan upset, and his family is all very close so there were some sad moments. 
Britton's shower:Today was Britton's baby shower. We went to college together and still get to hang out here and there. She got a lot of cute stuff and looks absolutely beautiful! What a cute baby belly! Her baby is coming Nov. 20 and will be a surprise!
Sweet Pawpaw: My grandpa (mom's dad) heard that we had our baby bed on layaway, and he decided he wants to pay it off. We got one that is a little more expensive because we don't have to buy any other furniture for the nursery. Plus I want something nice that will last for a couple of kids. Thanks Pawpaw! We are planning on getting the bed this weekend and putting it together. That will fulfill my nesting for this weekend!
Britton's shower:Today was Britton's baby shower. We went to college together and still get to hang out here and there. She got a lot of cute stuff and looks absolutely beautiful! What a cute baby belly! Her baby is coming Nov. 20 and will be a surprise! 
And I had to throw this one in there. He's such a cute guy!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Biltmore Estate
I think everyone should put the Biltmore Estate on their list of things to do before you die. It's located in Asheville, North Carolina. It's hard to tell how big it is in this picture, but if you look really closely, you cansee people on the steps in from of the house, and they look like ants. I believe there are 4 floors and a basement. It's beautiful beyond words. There are hundreds of rooms with exquisite furnishings, some old and some reproductions. It was built around 1890 by Washington Vandelbuilt settled in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. The view from the back porch is rolling hills and mountains. 
The gardens are the biggest and most elaborate I've ever seen (or even heard of). There is a swimming pool in the basement and a bowling alley. The library is something else too. The side of the house is decorated with gargoyles, knights, and other carvings that you would expect to see in Europe. So I say this is something you can't miss. Oh and if you like wine... the winery was amazing. The house is really on an estate where they used to support hundreds of servants (stables, winery, dairy) and the town holds a historic shopping district that used to be houses for servants. Friday, October 10, 2008
The house and B's photo shoot
So here's a pic of the outside of our house. It's very unique. This is one of the main things that drew us in, the architecture of the house. It was built around 1928. We know a little history of the house from some old letters we got from our real estate agent. The Hamms built the house, and the Phelans owned the house for a while. They had servants and nannies to keep their many children. The third floor was used for the childrens' playroom.
And here is a pic from B's photo shoot. She loves having her picture taken. B stands for whatever you want it to: Bad, Big, Beautiful, but mostly bad. She is the Queen Bee of the house and yard. She can be very sweet and loving or very mean. She has bitten me twice. One of them got a nasty infection, and I had to get on antibiotics and get a tetanus shot! Crazy cat... but we love her. She sleeps with us sometimes, and if you try to move her, she growls and bites.I went to a daycare in our neighborhood this morning, and I loved it! Of course I would rather stay home with him for more than two months, but this is second best. The place is in a business area, but it's an old house that was converted. There are 4 infants under 1 kept in a room together with a very sweet lady who cares a lot about the babies. The place was clean, organized, quiet, and peaceful. I read up on the place before I went to see what the results were on past inspections, and they were very good. There were a few little violations (hand-washing, broken toys) but nothing as bad as what I saw at other fancier places (hitting, cursing at children, children in the street). It made me feel so much better to have that experience. The owner was very nice, and assured me I have a spot for March, when I plan on going back to work.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
My life today
Today - I'm feeling large. I'm just now starting to feel different and really be aware at all times that my belly is getting big. Everything feels different now. But it's a good thing! I didn't sleep very good last night, so I'm tired today. People seem to stare at my belly now, which is strange. They usually just come out and ask when I'm due, but a few people seem scared to ask.
My wonderful friend Shawn offered to let us have the baby shower at his house. We were going to do it at our house, but my in-laws are also doing a shower at our house, and that would make 2 showers 2 weekends in a row at our house. I know that the hostesses will do most of the work, but I will have to clean up before they get their each time, clean the bathroom, stock the bathroom, and all that. So that will be nice!
Last night we visited one of Nathan's great uncles in the hospital (along with the rest of his family). The uncle was very sick and ended up passing away in the night. So this will be a hard time for that family, so say a little prayer for them. Even when someone is sick for a long time, it's still hard to deal with. So we'll be attending the funeral activities when they occur.
On our way to the hospital, I asked Nathan how many people he thought would rub my belly... I guessed 4, but I was wrong, more like 7 or 8. Then they do it, and ask afterwards if it bothers me. What the heck am I supposed to say? YES, it DOES, so DON'T do it!! That would be mean. Nathan said to grin and bear it... So I made up something like, yeah it does, but it's ok for family. Great, I just gave them a free passport. So maybe if they do it more than once, I'll tell them I have to charge admission. I just don't like it! It's my body. The tummy is close to the boobs... Personal space anybody? My SIL insisted on seeing my belly button... I caved, but I didn't like it. When my belly is super large, she can forget it!
My wonderful friend Shawn offered to let us have the baby shower at his house. We were going to do it at our house, but my in-laws are also doing a shower at our house, and that would make 2 showers 2 weekends in a row at our house. I know that the hostesses will do most of the work, but I will have to clean up before they get their each time, clean the bathroom, stock the bathroom, and all that. So that will be nice!
Last night we visited one of Nathan's great uncles in the hospital (along with the rest of his family). The uncle was very sick and ended up passing away in the night. So this will be a hard time for that family, so say a little prayer for them. Even when someone is sick for a long time, it's still hard to deal with. So we'll be attending the funeral activities when they occur.
On our way to the hospital, I asked Nathan how many people he thought would rub my belly... I guessed 4, but I was wrong, more like 7 or 8. Then they do it, and ask afterwards if it bothers me. What the heck am I supposed to say? YES, it DOES, so DON'T do it!! That would be mean. Nathan said to grin and bear it... So I made up something like, yeah it does, but it's ok for family. Great, I just gave them a free passport. So maybe if they do it more than once, I'll tell them I have to charge admission. I just don't like it! It's my body. The tummy is close to the boobs... Personal space anybody? My SIL insisted on seeing my belly button... I caved, but I didn't like it. When my belly is super large, she can forget it!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
What if men produced children?
Last night my lovely husband... said something crazy. I asked him to rub my back while we were watching tv. He started rubbing it, and then said "I wish I could be pregnant so I could get my back rubbed and get everything I want all the time." I said "I'd be glad to let you be pregnant for a day to see how it feels." It hurt my feelings a little bit, but mostly I thought it was funny. My goal is not to make him do everything, just to help me sometimes. Then he always asks me when I ask him for help, "What do single women do?" I say, "Well I'm not single, and this is supposed to be something for a man and a woman to do together!"
He accepted what I said. But do we really think men could handle all of the aspects of pregnancy? The belly, the back aches, headaches, raging hormones and trying to act normal and not like a freak, tiredness, pain, the list goes on. I'm not complaining, just wondering if he really could handle it.
I also told him I'm starting to have a hard time bathing and shaving my legs, and he might have to help me. I -think- he would help me if it comes down to it, but he didn't seem too thrilled with shaving for me. I told him single women don't have to worry about shaving because no one sees their legs.
And I think for the most part women are more sensitive and caring than men. That's a big statement I know and doesn't apply to every relationship, but that's just my opinion. And (I imagine) something about carrying the child and birthing the child will make me even closer and more sensitive to the baby. Would that happen to a man?
So what do you think about men having the babies?
He accepted what I said. But do we really think men could handle all of the aspects of pregnancy? The belly, the back aches, headaches, raging hormones and trying to act normal and not like a freak, tiredness, pain, the list goes on. I'm not complaining, just wondering if he really could handle it.
I also told him I'm starting to have a hard time bathing and shaving my legs, and he might have to help me. I -think- he would help me if it comes down to it, but he didn't seem too thrilled with shaving for me. I told him single women don't have to worry about shaving because no one sees their legs.
And I think for the most part women are more sensitive and caring than men. That's a big statement I know and doesn't apply to every relationship, but that's just my opinion. And (I imagine) something about carrying the child and birthing the child will make me even closer and more sensitive to the baby. Would that happen to a man?
So what do you think about men having the babies?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
What a day!
I was hoping to get Nathan to take some pics of me last night, but he was in a really bad mood. He was doing some yardwork, and I went out there and told him that we have a problem in the house. The flat roof above the sun room connected to the nursery was leaking after it rained yesterday. He was not happy. Of course I'm not happy either. He laid a tarp on the floor to prevent any major damage to the floor. We're not too worried about the wooden ceiling. It's bad already. We just had the wood floors refinished, so we want to protect them. They got a little warped yesterday in a couple of spots, but nothing that anybody would notice. BTW our house is super old built in the 1920s. There is always something that needs to be fixed, and he gets frustrated. And when hurricanes come... that just adds to the list. So I'll forgive him for being moody.
This morning I did my 1 hour gestational diabetes test. Yuckola! That orange stuff is nasty. It made me feel a little sick. But it's done! So now next time I go to the dr, I will get my results if not sooner. Then I went home to eat breakfast and finish getting ready for work. It was pouring down rain. I went in the sunroom to check on the leaks and found a steady drip. Great... Then I came to work and had to park far away in the rain and got wet (even with umbrella). Plus I slept horrible last night, up every hour or two. Oh, and last night I -think- I might have had a couple of contractions. It felt like being hit in the tummy and flinching. I had 3 in one hour, less than the 4 in one hour rule. Plus heartburn is kicking my butt.
BUT despite all of the crappiness, I'm feeling ok!
This morning I did my 1 hour gestational diabetes test. Yuckola! That orange stuff is nasty. It made me feel a little sick. But it's done! So now next time I go to the dr, I will get my results if not sooner. Then I went home to eat breakfast and finish getting ready for work. It was pouring down rain. I went in the sunroom to check on the leaks and found a steady drip. Great... Then I came to work and had to park far away in the rain and got wet (even with umbrella). Plus I slept horrible last night, up every hour or two. Oh, and last night I -think- I might have had a couple of contractions. It felt like being hit in the tummy and flinching. I had 3 in one hour, less than the 4 in one hour rule. Plus heartburn is kicking my butt.
BUT despite all of the crappiness, I'm feeling ok!
Monday, October 6, 2008
I had a pretty good weekend. I got a little extra energy than usual and cleaned out a lot of junk out of the nursery that isn't yet a nursery. It's pretty much ready for his stuff now. DH needs to rearrange the furniture to make room for the crib. I'm super antsy to get the crib in the room for some strange reason... It is supposed to come to the store this week, but it's on layaway, and mom keeps saying she is going to pay it off. I'm giving her until next weekend, and then I want it!
We did our registry at babiesrus Friday night. What a trip! It was a little more tiring and less fun than I thought, but it's done! DH got moody for a while because he said everything was too expensive, but then he got over it. I really hope people use the registry because it was a lot of work. We were there for 1.5 hours! DH wanted to get everything the least expensive as possible, but if we couldn't get the stroller to fold up and down in 5 minutes, no go! So I hope people can go in together for the big stuff. I don't want anyone to empty their bank accounts for us. I love our bedding. It's Baby Cocoa for BRU, so cute!
Our showers are set for December 6 for my friends and my family at my house. And December 13 for the in-laws, also at my house. Yeah, I know it's crazy, two in a row at my house. I hope it's not too stressful, but that's just how it worked out. We have a big banquet room in our house that will be used for the showers. The only time we use the rooms is for parties, so they can decorate, and it won't be in the way. And I'm sure they will do the clean-up. And the good thing will be that DH won't have to lug baby stuff anywhere except up the stairs.
I tried to put some more pics on this morning, but my computer was moving at snail's pace... And -sigh- I had to go to work. So maybe tonight.
We did our registry at babiesrus Friday night. What a trip! It was a little more tiring and less fun than I thought, but it's done! DH got moody for a while because he said everything was too expensive, but then he got over it. I really hope people use the registry because it was a lot of work. We were there for 1.5 hours! DH wanted to get everything the least expensive as possible, but if we couldn't get the stroller to fold up and down in 5 minutes, no go! So I hope people can go in together for the big stuff. I don't want anyone to empty their bank accounts for us. I love our bedding. It's Baby Cocoa for BRU, so cute!
Our showers are set for December 6 for my friends and my family at my house. And December 13 for the in-laws, also at my house. Yeah, I know it's crazy, two in a row at my house. I hope it's not too stressful, but that's just how it worked out. We have a big banquet room in our house that will be used for the showers. The only time we use the rooms is for parties, so they can decorate, and it won't be in the way. And I'm sure they will do the clean-up. And the good thing will be that DH won't have to lug baby stuff anywhere except up the stairs.
I tried to put some more pics on this morning, but my computer was moving at snail's pace... And -sigh- I had to go to work. So maybe tonight.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
More about me
Me at Enchanted Rock (near San Antonio, TX) this year. I look dreamy, but really I was just hot and tired from hiking. This was on our trip for our 4th anniversary on Valentine's Day. We had a really good time. We stayed in Fredericksburg in a great B&B.
This is 3 in 1! This is my lovely husband Nathan (not the best pic), my super cutie niece (brother's daughter) Mya, and my little baby precious kitty Little Garfield or Lil G for short. (His daddy is Big Garfield.) This is a little crazy, but we babysat my niece the whole weekend and week before our anniversary and brought her back to her parents on our way to Fredericksburg. They live in San Antonio about 5 hours away. She was super sick that week, so things got crazy, but we handled it.
This is her Valentine's Day outfit I got her. So cute!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Here goes nothing!
My story
I’ll start off with the fact that I’m from a great area in Southeast Texas. I love living here close to my friends and family and in-laws (ok for the most part). I went to a local university and have a degree in chemical engineering and work in a chemical plant.
The fun part… I love to read science fiction and fantasy and classic literature. I love to write, and hopefully this blog will be a good outlet for that. I’ve always wanted to have a baby!! Now I am blessed to be pregnant. I was married in 2004 to my lovely husband. We met in 2001 in college – in Physics class. Kinda nerdy, but hey – it worked. We started trying to get pregnant in May of 2005. It was very exciting at first. Then came hurricane Rita… Yuck… Then after a year of trying, I realized that something was wrong, and it wasn’t going to come easy for us. That may have been the hardest part, going from thinking I’m going to have a baby soon to realizing that it might not happen – ever. What a major let-down. Then (crazy) me heard about a program to host an exchange student. So I did that. That was quite an experience. Then we bought a new (old) house and restored it.
I will elaborate on each of these topics one at a time. Otherwise I’ll sit here and write 500 pages… So let this be a teaser to come back and visit me.
Then after our exchange student left I tried Clomid for 3 months with no luck. Neither of us have any diagnosed problems, so I figured we would wait a little longer before doing anything else. At that time I was 26 years old. Then throughout the next year, my periods were crazy, cysts were horrible. I was pretty miserable during AF.
My GYN/OB suggested I either get on the pill or find a way to get pregnant. She recommended I see a local RE who was conducting a clinical trial on IVF. That was February of this year (2008). Things went really quickly after that. I saw the RE in Feb. for the first time, filled out lots of paperwork, learned what IVF was, learned about the clinical trial, had many heart-to-hearts with DH, and got started on our IVF journey. We basically decided to do it and enrolled within a week! It was such a great opportunity for us to get IVF for about $1100 instead of the usual 10-15K. We could have financed it or saved money, but it would have taken a little more time to get that together. I started birth control pills in the beginning of March, then Lupron, then ovary stimulation, then egg retrieval April 30, then embryo transfer of 2 great blastocysts on May 5. I took a home pregnancy test on May 11 – Mother’s Day – and got BFP!! (Big fat positive) What a great 1st Mother’s Day! Then on May 16th, the first beta (blood test) came back positive too. The 1st ultrasound at 6 weeks showed us two babies. Sadly, at 10 weeks, one of the babies didn’t survive. Luckily, I had no bleeding or symptoms from the loss that would jeopardize the surviving baby. That was a hard hit for us. But from then on, things have been going great! We found out at 15 weeks that we are having a little boy.
His name will be Chesley Jefferson P** after DHs late grandfather and Jefferson for my maiden name to honor my family.
We had a little scare with some screening results that came back with a risk for spina bifida. I had to wait 3 weeks to see the perinatologist for an ultrasound. But things looked great! No spinal problems or other problems. The dr did mention that I am at risk for a placenta function problem because of the elevated alpafetoprotein. He will watch me closely throughout. That was Sept 18.
Hurricane Ike greatly affected our area. We were blessed to only have minor damage to our house. It will still be a pain to fix and dip into our savings, but we’ll be ok.
So now I’m sitting here at 24 weeks 2 days, feeling my child move and kick, and loving it. Monday I go to get my first gestational diabetes screening test, so wish me luck.
My next OB appt is Oct. 20, and the next peri appt is Oct. 24.
I’m hoping to do my baby registry soon! Nesting is starting to kick in!
Now you’re caught up with me so tune in for more later!
I’ll start off with the fact that I’m from a great area in Southeast Texas. I love living here close to my friends and family and in-laws (ok for the most part). I went to a local university and have a degree in chemical engineering and work in a chemical plant.
The fun part… I love to read science fiction and fantasy and classic literature. I love to write, and hopefully this blog will be a good outlet for that. I’ve always wanted to have a baby!! Now I am blessed to be pregnant. I was married in 2004 to my lovely husband. We met in 2001 in college – in Physics class. Kinda nerdy, but hey – it worked. We started trying to get pregnant in May of 2005. It was very exciting at first. Then came hurricane Rita… Yuck… Then after a year of trying, I realized that something was wrong, and it wasn’t going to come easy for us. That may have been the hardest part, going from thinking I’m going to have a baby soon to realizing that it might not happen – ever. What a major let-down. Then (crazy) me heard about a program to host an exchange student. So I did that. That was quite an experience. Then we bought a new (old) house and restored it.
I will elaborate on each of these topics one at a time. Otherwise I’ll sit here and write 500 pages… So let this be a teaser to come back and visit me.
Then after our exchange student left I tried Clomid for 3 months with no luck. Neither of us have any diagnosed problems, so I figured we would wait a little longer before doing anything else. At that time I was 26 years old. Then throughout the next year, my periods were crazy, cysts were horrible. I was pretty miserable during AF.
My GYN/OB suggested I either get on the pill or find a way to get pregnant. She recommended I see a local RE who was conducting a clinical trial on IVF. That was February of this year (2008). Things went really quickly after that. I saw the RE in Feb. for the first time, filled out lots of paperwork, learned what IVF was, learned about the clinical trial, had many heart-to-hearts with DH, and got started on our IVF journey. We basically decided to do it and enrolled within a week! It was such a great opportunity for us to get IVF for about $1100 instead of the usual 10-15K. We could have financed it or saved money, but it would have taken a little more time to get that together. I started birth control pills in the beginning of March, then Lupron, then ovary stimulation, then egg retrieval April 30, then embryo transfer of 2 great blastocysts on May 5. I took a home pregnancy test on May 11 – Mother’s Day – and got BFP!! (Big fat positive) What a great 1st Mother’s Day! Then on May 16th, the first beta (blood test) came back positive too. The 1st ultrasound at 6 weeks showed us two babies. Sadly, at 10 weeks, one of the babies didn’t survive. Luckily, I had no bleeding or symptoms from the loss that would jeopardize the surviving baby. That was a hard hit for us. But from then on, things have been going great! We found out at 15 weeks that we are having a little boy.
His name will be Chesley Jefferson P** after DHs late grandfather and Jefferson for my maiden name to honor my family.
We had a little scare with some screening results that came back with a risk for spina bifida. I had to wait 3 weeks to see the perinatologist for an ultrasound. But things looked great! No spinal problems or other problems. The dr did mention that I am at risk for a placenta function problem because of the elevated alpafetoprotein. He will watch me closely throughout. That was Sept 18.
Hurricane Ike greatly affected our area. We were blessed to only have minor damage to our house. It will still be a pain to fix and dip into our savings, but we’ll be ok.
So now I’m sitting here at 24 weeks 2 days, feeling my child move and kick, and loving it. Monday I go to get my first gestational diabetes screening test, so wish me luck.
My next OB appt is Oct. 20, and the next peri appt is Oct. 24.
I’m hoping to do my baby registry soon! Nesting is starting to kick in!
Now you’re caught up with me so tune in for more later!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Starting out
Well, I've decided to start a little blog here... not sure how to do it or what to do, but here's for trying!
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