38 Weeks

My 38 week appointment went well this week and we're counting down the days until we welcome sweet baby Matthew into the world - only a few more days! Since I have what they are calling gestational hypertension (a fancy way of saying I have elevated blood pressure), they won't let me deliver past 39 weeks since it could be harmful to the baby. So...they have scheduled to induce me on Tuesday, December 23!! We could have a Christmas baby!

My blood pressure has been lower and lower with each monitored visit (which is twice a week) and the baby is doing great (he's active, has a strong heartbeat and my fluid levels are right on target). We found out that I'm currently 2cm dilated and 50% effaced. Since I am already somewhat dilated, it should make being induced a little bit easier. I was very nervous about being induced at first, but I am actually feeling much better about it now since it will be a controlled environment and I have an idea of how things will progress. Of course, if baby Matthew decides to join us earlier that's okay too (as long as he's ready and is healthy!).

I am reminded daily that I have been blessed with such sweet and thoughtful friends and family. The notes and comments on my blog, Facebook and through email have truly touched my heart. Our faith is in the Lord and we know He will provide a stable and comfortable environment for us when Matthew is born. We could not have asked for a better situation with Ryan having limited duties at work right now while he waits for his training, and with the holidays approaching it means we will get to see family as they come visit to meet our new bundle of joy. We give God all the glory for orchestrating everything in such perfect timing!

2008 has been full of many changes and surprises for us -- finding out we were going to have a baby (that one topped the charts), Ryan being selected to become an Officer, moving to Texas, and dealing with two parents who have had to undergo treatment for cancer (my Mom with breast cancer and Ryan's Dad with prostate cancer). Thankfully, all of the above have had very positive outcomes and we praise God every day for His continuous blessings and mercy. Looking back, we can see how gracefully and wonderfully God has led us through this year and we will continue to seek His guidance as we enter 2009.

As Christmas approaches next week and we welcome our sweet baby boy, we also rejoice in remembering the true meaning of Christmas -- the birth of Jesus and the joy He brought to the world! I can't imagine how Mary and Joseph must have felt as they prepared to have a baby and had to ultimately find comfort in a barn. It makes me truly appreciate the hospital and all the doctors and nurses that have cared for us so far and the warm home we have created for Matthew to grow. Thank you, Jesus, for your love, forgiveness, and many sacrifices that have allowed us peace and comfort as we prepare for baby Matthew's arrival. Without the love of Christ, our world would be so empty.

Praying for each of you and your families this Christmas that you feel peace, love and the joy of the Lord in your heart!

Updates and some exciting news!

The last 6 days have been quite eventful for us. It all started last Wednesday, December 3 when we went for my 36 week OB appointment. I was a little nervous...I've gone from a private practice that was always so calm and relaxing to a crisp, large military hospital that is nowhere near calm with all the people milling around everywhere for everything. Not my idea of comfortable. Anyway, my appointment got underway and was going okay until they took my blood pressure -- 149/91 (not good and not normal for me). I'm usually pretty low (the 110/60 range) so they decided to wait and check it again before I left to see if it had gone back down. Unfortunately, it didn't help when the nurse told me that if it did not go down I was going to need to have some blood drawn, give a urine sample and go to Labor & Delivery to be hooked up to the fetal monitor. So, when they went to take my blood pressure again, it had gone up to 153/92...so much for calming down. The only good news we received was that the baby has finally turned head down, so we no longer have to worry about him being in the transverse position. He is ready for delivery!

I headed down to the Lab to have my blood drawn and to submit a urine sample and then went back up to the Labor & Delivery area. We waited for 2 hours to be seen and were finally taken back to a small room with a curtain pulled to separate me from another patient. They monitored my blood pressure for about 45 minutes (which finally leveled out around 125/77) and everything looked okay. My blood test and urine sample were normal, but the doctor wanted me to submit a 24 hour urine sample to be sure everything was okay and there weren't any signs of preeclampsia. The doctor told me to call or come in if I was seeing spots, having headaches that wouldn't go away with Tylenol or if I had any severe pains in my upper abdomen.

On Friday, we went back to the hospital to turn in my 24 hour sample and to fill out hospital paperwork so it didn't have to be done when we were there for the actual delivery. While we were filling out the forms, I started to see a funky spot in my vision, which kept growing larger and was something similar to what you might see if you looked through a kaleidoscope (a prism of colors). It scared me so Ryan calmly took me up to Labor & Delivery where we checked in to be monitored again. My blood pressure was elevated (how could it not be -- I was terrified) but it slowly went back down and the baby was doing fine. He even got the hiccups while I was hooked up to the monitor, which lightened the mood. I was having some mild contractions so it was neat to have the doctor confirm that's what they were when he looked at the test results. Again, everything looked fine but the doctor told me that I would now have to come in twice a week to have my blood pressure monitored until I deliver. We left the hospital feeling okay and thinking that maybe this was a little blessing from God -- since we had just moved here it would give us an opportunity to meet some of the nurses and doctors that would be delivering me. So far we have been impressed with the doctors who have been monitoring me, so that is a blessing.

On Sunday morning at 5:15am, I woke up to roll over and the prism light spot appeared again. It scared me so I woke Ryan up and we called Labor & Delivery to see what they wanted me to do. Since the spot wasn't coupled with any headaches or other symptoms, the nurse advised me to go back to sleep and call if it happened again. Thankfully, it didn't.

Today (Monday) we had our first scheduled blood pressure appointment at 1:15pm so we headed back to the hospital. They hooked me up to the monitors for about 30 minutes and again my blood pressure started out slightly elevated but eventually leveled out. When the nurse did an ultrasound the baby looked fine and my amniotic fluid levels were great so they let us head on home.

We go back again this Thursday and will go again Monday and Thursday of next week too. My last appointment for blood pressure monitoring will be on Monday, December 22. If I haven't gone into labor on my own by then (I'll be 39 weeks) they will induce me.

So...after all the drama...it looks like we'll be having a Christmas baby! Ryan and I packed our bags for the hospital this weekend so we're prepared for whatever God has in store for us. I'm praying baby Matthew will decide to join us on his own terms, but if not we're excited that he will be here sometime during the week of Christmas!

36 Weeks and Counting...

We're finally feeling a little more settled here in San Antonio, TX and we're finding our way around pretty well. The most important thing is that we know exactly how to get to the hospital and that it takes around 25-30 minutes! Baby Matthew is due in 4 weeks and we're getting very anxious and excited about his arrival! Naturally, I'm nervous about the delivery (and the pain that goes along with it) since we've had to transfer to a new hospital with new doctors so late in my pregnancy, but God knows what we need and I'm sure He will provide the proper care and support!

I'm still feeling pretty good but my poor feet have just recently decided that they have had enough and just plain hurt! I have been fortunate to not have any swelling...they just ache so I try to keep them propped up as much as possible. Other than that, sleeping has been challenging and I can't wait to be able to sleep on my back again! I have pillows everywhere and still seem to toss and turn quite frequently through the night (poor Ryan...). We both laugh at the fact that this is just God's way of preparing us for when Matthew wants to be up all night (which ironically is when he seems to be the most active right now).

We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow for my 36 week checkup so I'll be sure to post an update on my progress. I still can't believe he could be here in 4 short weeks! Hooray!!!

Back Together Again

We had a wonderful time celebrating Ryan's graduation from Officer Training School (OTS) on November 3-4 at Maxwell AFB (in Montgomery, AL) and I'm so happy that we're finally back together again. Ryan had been chosen to act as the Wing Commander when he became an "upperclassman" at OTS so he played a major role in the graduation parade. He was also a Distinguished Graduate and won the highest honor of being the "Top Graduate" (can you tell I'm a proud wife)! I'm so proud of his accomplishments and know he was well deserving of his awards. It was an exciting two days and it was really nice to spend some quality time with family. Here are a few photos of our time together.

Here is a photo of the family after the awards ceremony.

Ryan and I preparing to leave for the "Dining Out" on Monday night - it was fun to get all dressed up.

He's officially a 2nd Lieutenant!

We made it safely to San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, November 6 and are slowly getting settled into our new "hometown." We found a house to rent since we'll only be here about a year while Ryan is in Navigator training and have the movers scheduled to deliver our furniture and belongings on Monday, November 17. We're excited about getting moved in and ready for the baby's arrival next month. For now, I'm just really happy to be back with my husband after 12 long weeks apart...absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder and I'm so very proud of how hard he worked in OTS! God has truly blessed us and we give Him all the glory!

Moving Days...

The movers came yesterday and packed up all of our belongings -- where did we get all of this stuff? There are so many boxes! I am so thankful that my Mom was able to come last Friday and spend the weekend with me. She stayed an extra day and sat with me while the movers boxed everything up. It was a blessing to have her with me since I'm handling this on my own until my sweet husband is finished with OTS (Officer Training School). It was sad to see Mom leave, but I know we'll see each other again when the baby is born!

Locking up the house to head to our neighbor's for the night was strange. Waddles and I walked back over this morning at about 8am to meet the movers and they are loading the truck today. So far, so good. We have had so many great memories in this house -- holidays, birthdays, fun with family and friends -- so it's sad to close this chapter and start a new one. I have always said I wanted to live in Texas, so I guess my wish is coming true!

My final appointment with my doctor in Macon was on Monday and it went well. They have been so wonderful throughout my pregnancy and I'm praying we will be blessed with equally awesome doctor's in San Antonio. Mom was able to go to my appointment with me and see the sonogram of baby Matthew! We found out that he is "transverse" (he is basically "sideways" -- his head is to my left and his bottom is to my right). This isn't uncommon and my midwife told me that they usually turn head-down somewhere around 32-36 weeks (I'm 31 weeks). If he hasn't turned by 36 weeks they may try to "manually" get him to turn and if not, I'll be scheduled for a c-section. I'm praying he is a good boy and turns! I really want to avoid a c-section if possible, but honestly I really just want to make sure he is healthy!!

The most exciting part of my week will be this Sunday when I'm officially back with my Ryan again! We are both so ready to be together after this 12 week separation and we have so much to look forward to over the next 2 months -- his graduation from OTS, moving to TX and baby Matthew's arrival at the end of December! I promise to post photos from graduation and of our move. In the meantime, thank you for your prayers and support!

A whirlwind of a month...

I’ve been out of town for the last 4 weekends, so please forgive me for being absent in my baby postings. It’s been a whirlwind of a month so I'll do my best to quickly recap...

My dear husband continues to do great things in Officer Training School and I am so very proud of him. He was chosen to be the "Wing Commander", which is the highest leadership position in the training program. He had to go through several interviews to be chosen and now "runs" the program of 190+ trainees. Can you tell I'm a proud wife?!! I was able to go visit him last weekend and words can't describe how special it was to be together after the last 2 months apart. We took a few photos -- notice my new haircut (I went in for a trim on Saturday morning before I left and ended up chopping it all off!). This is me at 29 weeks...

We only have 2 more weeks and then we'll finally be back together again. My last day at work is this Friday, October 24 and the movers are scheduled to come on October 28 & 29. I've been busy trying to get things organized for the move. I am so thankful that we sold our house and closed on it in mid-September. It will make it so much easier to tie up loose ends after the movers come and not have to worry about a closing date. We were blessed with a buyer who was kind enough to let me stay in the house and rent the last month and a half. God has been so good!

My best friends from high school put together a baby shower for me in Rock Hill, SC on October 4 and I was once again overwhelmed with everyone's generosity. I feel so blessed! I attached a few photos below. It was so wonderful to be at home for the weekend and to spend it with close friends!

My First Baby Shower

I had my first baby shower last Saturday, September 13 and it was so wonderful! Four of my sweet girlfriends from work hosted it and I felt so special! My Mom was able to drive down from SC to attend with me and everyone was so thoughtful with the gifts they gave to us. I feel so blessed to have the most amazing and precious friends! Seeing all the tiny gifts and opening everything from onesies to a baby bouncer has made "Matthew's" arrival feel that much more real. I am getting so anxious to have him join us!

I posted a few pictures from the shower below, so I hope you enjoy! Have a great weekend!

24 Weeks

I reached the 6 month (or 24 weeks) mark yesterday and I am still feeling really good! Sleeping is slowly getting harder. I always loved sleeping on my stomach or my back, so it's been an adjustment to sleep on my side. I have an extra pillow on each side that I "snuggle" with and that seems to help. It's still hard to believe that I only have a few more months to go before our sweet baby boy arrives! We've been talking about names, and so far we both really like Matthew Charles. Both are family names. What do you think? It's not his official name yet, but we're "testing" names to see how they sound.

The wee one continues to kick and feel like a little miracle! It is so funny to see my stomach rise and jump as he moves around. It's actually quite hilarious at times because it's all so new to me too!

My sweet husband found out last week that we will be moving to San Antonio, TX at the beginning of November! Feel free to come visit any time!! It will be an adjustment to be so far away from family with the arrival of the baby, but we have faith that God will pull us through the challenges and joys that lie ahead!

I finally had a friend of mine take a few photos of me pregnant. We took them at her house and they didn't turn out great (the lighting was way off), but you can at least get the idea of how "prego" I actually look these days. This is me at 23 weeks.

Hiccups

My alarm went off at 6am this morning and I rolled over and hit snooze (as usual). Just as I was settling into "snooze mode" I was woken back up when I felt the baby jump. Or at least I thought he was just moving around. There was another quick jump....and another...and another.... Then as I pulled myself out of "sleepy-town" I realized he had the hiccups! It was so cute and precious! I just laid there with tears in my eyes at the thought of this little miracle living and growing inside me. God is so amazing!!

It's been a crazy (but good) month!

I have been absent from my blog postings for almost a month, so I thought I should give a quick update on how we're doing. First, my pregnancy is going well and I feel great! It's amazing how different you feel from your 1st Trimester to your 2nd Trimester! I'll be 22 weeks on Tuesday and have my next doctor's appointment on September 2nd -- I can't wait to see how much our Little Man has grown!!!

The past month has been full of adventures, so I'll briefly recap so you know what we've been up to lately. My darling baby sister got married on August 2nd, and it was a whirlwind of a weekend! We had so much fun spending time with family and celebrating her marriage to a great guy! They moved to Columbia, SC where my sister is a 2nd grade teacher and her new hubby will begin Law School at USC.

A few days after we returned from the wedding, my sweet hubby left for Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. He's basically in basic training for Officers, and is averaging 4 hours of sleep, marching, doing drills, getting yelled at, and has tons of academic work to complete with very little free time. Please keep him in your prayers!

It was hard to see him leave knowing that there is so much to be done here at home before our move at the beginning of November, but we know God will provide comfort and strength to us both while we are apart. And, so far, God has provided a huge blessing -- we put our house on the market to sell and it sold in 1 week!!! We close on September 15, but the new owner has agreed to let me "rent" the house from her until we move on October 31. Only God could orchestrate a miracle like that one -- especially with how rough the housing market has been this year!!!!

I'm staying busy with work and "projects" around the house. Our little man has become quite the kicker! It's the most amazing feeling when he starts to move around. Only a little over 4 months before we welcome him into the world! We still don't have a name picked out yet...but hopefully we can agree on one soon! I don't have a scanner at home, so I hope to find a friend who can help me scan some of our sonogram photos. I'll be sure to post some if/when that happens. In the meantime, he's a healthy baby boy and we feel so blessed that God would bring us this little miracle!

He's a Kicker!

I felt the baby move for the first time on Friday and it was so precious! I thought I felt some "flutters" in my stomach while I was sitting on the couch (I think I had felt him move before but just didn't realize it was him). I said out loud, "So, you're going to move around for me now, huh?" Then, I pressed my hand to my stomach and it kicked my fingers! I went running out the front door to find "Daddy" and tell him the good news! What a little miracle!!!

It's a BOY!!!

We had our 16 week appointment today and during the sonogram we got some great news -- we're having a BOY!!!! We're thrilled and can't believe we found out so early...but it was definitely a boy!

We got a good report from the doctor and it was so fun to watch the baby move around -- it's so cute! We'll keep you posted on names as we narrow them down.

It's all so exciting!

My Braces & A Wedding

I feel like I'm 15 again...I had an Orthodontist appointment this morning and I was keeping my fingers crossed that I would be able to get my braces off by the time my sister got married on August 2...(and why did I think braces were a good idea at my age?!?!)! Well, unfortunately the braces are here to stay for at least another month or two. They added "rubber bands" to my ensemble a few weeks ago to correct my slight overbite but apparently my teeth didn't move enough. So today they tightened the wires, made an appointment for me to return in 5 weeks and sent me on my way. Uugghh...I continue to look like a teenager!

So, now I'll not only look "pudgy" in my bridesmaids dress, but I'll also have braces! I'm not quite showing in my pregnancy yet - I'm just at the stage where my waist is expanding and I just look like I've hit the lunch buffet too many times. Thankfully, all eyes will be on my beautiful sister (the bride) and I'll just try to blend in as much as possible. It will be a fantastic weekend and I know I'm being selfish in my thinking. Truly, it won't matter what I look like since it's my sister's wedding day and I'll just smile real big so we all have something to laugh at when we show the photos to our kids in 10-15 years!

Speaking of children...I have my 16 week appointment on Thursday afternoon and I'm so anxious to see the sonogram and know that the baby is okay. Since I've gotten past the morning sickness and I'm feeling good, I don't really feel "pregnant" and just want to know everything is okay. I know it's normal to feel this way, so I'm counting down the days to Thursday! I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that we might be able to tell what we're having...!!! If not, we'll try to make an appointment at 19 weeks right before my hubby leaves for training. I really want him to be there so we can share in the excitement together. We both keep going back and forth between whether or not we want a girl or a boy, but we truly just want a healthy baby!

Happy 4th of July!

I'm so relieved to have a day off to relax and do nothing! Hooray! I was up pretty early this morning (5:30am) because I seem to have caught a chest cold and was up coughing. Aside from the cold, I'm feeling pretty good (finally!!) and plan to take it easy today. My in-laws are coming into town tonight for the weekend, so I'll tidy up a bit and look forward to relaxing with them while they are here.


My sweet hubby and I are getting very excited about our move to FL or TX in November, but we sure do have a ton to figure out before he leaves on August 6. I'm trying to stay calm, but the detail oriented side of me wants to figure everything out now. I am trusting that God is in control and that He has a plan for us that will be greater than anything I could come up with. So, for now, I'll keep adding to my "Moving To Do List" and we'll slowly (but surely) make this work. Since we will only be in this next location for 10-12 months while my hubby is in training, I'm not planning on working. So, I can rest a little easier knowing I'll have plenty of time to get settled and prepare for the baby when we arrive. Being a stay-at-home Mom will be challenging yet wonderful knowing I can spend at least the first year with the baby!!


I hope you all enjoy your 4th of July holiday!!

A Year Full of Changes

I've been absent from my blog postings for a few weeks, so I thought I would at least post something tonight while I'm feeling up to it. The "night" sickness is slowing getting better, although I'm still super tired. I am usually in bed by 8pm-9pm so it's actually pretty amazing that it's almost 10pm and I'm still awake! For those of you who suggested Preggy Pops and Preggy Pop Drops -- they have been wonderful and definitely help -- thanks for the great tip!

We had our 12 week appointment last week and it went really well. It was amazing to see how much the baby had grown! Still can't tell if it's a boy or a girl, but we plan on finding out when it's time so I'll keep you posted. I haven't scanned in the last photos from the sonogram, so I'll try to do that soon and post those too.

We received some really BIG NEWS today that my DH (dear husband) has been selected to become an Officer in the Air Force! He has been working so hard on this next step in his career ever since he graduated from Mercer University last year. It's huge!! If you only knew how much paperwork he has had to complete to submit his "package" to become an officer...it's insane! We have had a few ups and downs through the process, but it was such a blessing to finally get confirmation that he was selected -- hooray!

Now for the crazy part... My DH will have to report to Officer Training School (OTS) on August 6th and will be there until he graduates as a 2nd Lieutenant on November 4. It's sad to think that he's going to miss 3 months of my pregnancy, but at least he will only be in Montgomery, AL (although I won't get to see him). Once he graduates and pins on as an Officer, we'll be moving a few days later. So, basically, we'll be moving the week of November 4th to either San Antonio, TX or Pensacola, FL so he can go through 10-12 months of Navigator training. Once that training is complete we will be given a new location assignment based on the aircraft he will be flying on and we'll be there 2-3 years.

We're both very excited about this opportunity, yet naturally a little nervous about all the drastic changes in such a short amount of time (separation for 3 months, moving to a new state, having a baby....)! God is in control, so we have complete faith that He will guide us and take care of us. It's just going to be a challenge, but I'm confident it will all work out just fine.

So...let the fun begin!

A rough week...and a new craving!

I know this will eventually pass, but I'm still feeling pretty crummy. I'll be 12 weeks on Monday, so I'm crossing my fingers each day will be better than the last. The evenings are the worst, so I've been going to bed pretty early (7-8pm!) and have completely neglected my email and personal life! I really need to try the Preggie Pops that everyone recommends...it's just a matter of finding a place that sells them here in Warner Robins. I plan to do my research today because I've heard that they really help.

On a funny note...I had a very strange craving this week. I've never really liked mayonnaise, so I'm not much of a fan of things that are mixed with it either. Well, pregnancy will completely change your taste buds because this week I had a strong craving for cole slaw! Not only did I want cole slaw, but I wanted it on a hot dog bun...so basically, I was craving a "Slaw Dog"! I think I ate it for dinner 3 nights this week...very odd. My latest food aversion is mushrooms (which I love!) and I can 't stand the smell of matches (or really the smell of a match after it's been lit and then blown out - the smokey smell makes me want to throw up)!

I have my 12 week doctor's appointment on Tuesday afternoon, so I'll be sure to post the newest sonogram pictures when I get them scanned in. I can't wait to see how much the baby has grown!

A Relaxing Weekend

I am so thankful we didn't have plans this weekend. The next 4 weekends are full for us, so it was a blessing to have a weekend of pure rest. I thought that since I was coming to the end of my 10th week that I would start to feel better...boy, was I wrong!

I went to bed early on Friday night and was up at 7:45am on Saturday morning. I finally crawled out of bed at 8am and was feeling really good. I did a few things around the house and then went out to water my flowers. It was a HOT day in Georgia (I think it got up to 100 degrees)! We ran into some neighbors and played with their kids for a while and then I had to go in because I was starting to overheat. We spent the rest of the day napping and relaxing and then (like clockwork) I started to feel icky again at around 6pm.

I didn't sleep well on Saturday night (I ended up on the couch), but I was determined to make it to church on Sunday morning. I have been absent the last few weeks because I have felt so miserable, but I wasn't going to let it get to me this time...and I made it! The service ran a little long, so at one point I thought I might have to excuse myself, but I remembered I had some peppermints in my purse. I think I ate about 4 of them during church and thankfully they helped with the nausea!

When we got home from church, a surge of energy come over my DH and he was like the Energizer Bunny cleaning the house! Today he has done laundry, vacuumed, mopped the kitchen and both bathrooms, cleaned both bathrooms, put clean sheets on the bed and then made dinner! He's my hero!!! I did help with some of the cleaning, but he was running circles around me! What would I do without him?!! I took a little nap from about 3pm-4:30pm and woke up feeling crummy again. I ate 2 Popsicles (I seem to crave cold things in my mouth when I don't feel well) and crawled on the couch while my DH continued to clean and cook! Even in the 97 degree weather we're having today, he's out running with Waddles! I caught them as they arrived back home and got a few pictures for you to see (obviously the date stamp on my camera is set wrong)...

I can't believe they ran in this heat!
Waddles is all tuckered out!

Hopefully as I approach week 12, I'll start to feel a bit better and can help more around the house (or just have more motivation to do things in general). In the meantime, I'm so thankful and blessed that I have such a wonderful hubby! How did I get so lucky?!

My visit from Mr. Sandman

Today was a pretty good day. The nausea was at a minimum and I had energy for most of the day. I'm starting to wind down again and will more than likely be in bed by 9pm, but that's nothing compared to yesterday...

I had a pretty busy day at work yesterday. By the time I left a little after 5pm, I thought I might fall asleep behind the wheel during my 30 minute commute home. I arrived home around 5:45pm and my DH (dear husband) was pulling in the driveway right behind me. I came in the house, put my things away, changed clothes, and crawled on the bed for a little power nap...it was 6:15pm. My power nap turned into a 12 hour all night sleep! I woke up twice to have a little something to eat and to brush my teeth. I thought for sure I would be wide away at 4am, but I guess "baby" needed some extra rest to do some growing!

I'm thankful that my DH doesn't complain when I need to go to bed at 6:15pm and he's definitely been picking up the "slack" around the house. He's done tons of laundry, taken care of all the dishes, cleaned the bathrooms, changed the sheets on the bed, walked Waddles....need I say more?!! I'm so blessed!

So, off to bed for another great night's sleep!

Morning Sickness = All Day Sickness

I'm not sure who coined the phrase "morning sickness." It's completely misleading. For me it's been more like an all day sickness. Today has been one of those days where I've felt overly exhausted and nauseous since I woke up this morning. It's not fun. Now, don't get me wrong. I know this is just a small price to pay for the bundle of joy that will arrive approximately 7 months from now. It's just draining and my dear husband (DH) has been so patient with my ups and downs. I have to admit that I'm so thankful the "morning sickness" is typically only supposed to last during the first trimester, which means I only have about 2 more weeks of it (yay!). I've tried to do my best to eat healthy today despite the nausea, but today's diet consisted of popsicles, crackers, ginger ale, grits and jello. I'm hopeful that I'll bounce back tomorrow so I can make it through a full day of work and find some healthier food choices for the growing baby.

I think I might try to eat a bowl of Cheerios before I go to bed...one of my most recent food cravings!

The First of Many Baby Steps...

On April 29, 2008, we found out the best news of our lives -- we're going to be parents! My hubby and I were nervous and excited all at the same time (along with a little shocked!). Ever since the doctor confirmed the pregnancy, we haven't wiped the smiles off our faces (except for when I'm struggling with a bout of nausea or a tiredness I've never felt before...who knew pregnancy would wipe the energy out of you?!?). Overall, it will definitely be worth the ups and downs for the future addition to our family. And, since it's the first grandchild on both sides of our family, it's bound to be spoiled rotten!

At our 7 week appointment, we had a good visit with the doctor and found out our due date is December 30, 2008. Our sonogram showed a tiny baby nestled safely and securely in the womb. It was so small (the size of a blueberry) but put the biggest smile on our face. Here's the sonogram (the baby is between the two "+" signs):

At our 9 week appointment, we had another sonogram and actually got to hear the baby's heartbeat! What a little miracle!!! Not only were we able to see some amazing pictures and footage of the baby, it also put on a show for us and started dancing around! Thankfully, we captured it all on tape so we can share with everyone. In the meantime, here are the sonogram photos from our 9 week appointment. Baby is growing like a little weed and even has fingerprints!

So, for those of you who want to follow our journey to parenthood with us...here we go! It will be full of "Baby Steps" and a big leap of faith, but we feel extremely fortunate and blessed that God has given us this little miracle!